Weighted straight skeletons in the plane.

Science.gov (United States)

Biedl, Therese; Held, Martin; Huber, Stefan; Kaaser, Dominik; Palfrader, Peter

2015-02-01

We investigate weighted straight skeletons from a geometric, graph-theoretical, and combinatorial point of view. We start with a thorough definition and shed light on some ambiguity issues in the procedural definition. We investigate the geometry, combinatorics, and topology of faces and the roof model, and we discuss in which cases a weighted straight skeleton is connected. Finally, we show that the weighted straight skeleton of even a simple polygon may be non-planar and may contain cycles, and we discuss under which restrictions on the weights and/or the input polygon the weighted straight skeleton still behaves similar to its unweighted counterpart. In particular, we obtain a non-procedural description and a linear-time construction algorithm for the straight skeleton of strictly convex polygons with arbitrary weights.

Spatially variant morphological restoration and skeleton representation.

Science.gov (United States)

Bouaynaya, Nidhal; Charif-Chefchaouni, Mohammed; Schonfeld, Dan

2006-11-01

The theory of spatially variant (SV) mathematical morphology is used to extend and analyze two important image processing applications: morphological image restoration and skeleton representation of binary images. For morphological image restoration, we propose the SV alternating sequential filters and SV median filters. We establish the relation of SV median filters to the basic SV morphological operators (i.e., SV erosions and SV dilations). For skeleton representation, we present a general framework for the SV morphological skeleton representation of binary images. We study the properties of the SV morphological skeleton representation and derive conditions for its invertibility. We also develop an algorithm for the implementation of the SV morphological skeleton representation of binary images. The latter algorithm is based on the optimal construction of the SV structuring element mapping designed to minimize the cardinality of the SV morphological skeleton representation. Experimental results show the dramatic improvement in the performance of the SV morphological restoration and SV morphological skeleton representation algorithms in comparison to their translation-invariant counterparts.

Coral skeletons defend against ultraviolet radiation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruth Reef

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Many coral reef organisms are photosynthetic or have evolved in tight symbiosis with photosynthetic symbionts. As such, the tissues of reef organisms are often exposed to intense solar radiation in clear tropical waters and have adapted to trap and harness photosynthetically active radiation (PAR. High levels of ultraviolet radiation (UVR associated with sunlight, however, represent a potential problem in terms of tissue damage. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: By measuring UVR and PAR reflectance from intact and ground bare coral skeletons we show that the property of calcium carbonate skeletons to absorb downwelling UVR to a significant extent, while reflecting PAR back to the overlying tissue, has biological advantages. We placed cnidarians on top of bare skeletons and a UVR reflective substrate and showed that under ambient UVR levels, UVR transmitted through the tissues of cnidarians placed on top of bare skeletons were four times lower compared to their counterparts placed on a UVR reflective white substrate. In accordance with the lower levels of UVR measured in cnidarians on top of coral skeletons, a similar drop in UVR damage to their DNA was detected. The skeletons emitted absorbed UVR as yellow fluorescence, which allows for safe dissipation of the otherwise harmful radiation. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our study presents a novel defensive role for coral skeletons and reveals that the strong UVR absorbance by the skeleton can contribute to the ability of corals, and potentially other calcifiers, to thrive under UVR levels that are detrimental to most marine life.

Stable isotope ratiometer-multiple ion detector (SIRMID) unit for quantitative and qualitative stable isotope studies by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klein, P.D.; Haumann, J.R.; Hachey, D.L.

1975-01-01

A stable isotope ratiometer-multiple ion detector (SIRMID) unit which can drive existing gas chromatograph-quadrupole or magnetic sector mass spectrometers to monitor up to six ions in turn is described. Each of the three pairs of ions can be selected for quantitation; thus three different or successive components can be analyzed in a single GC run. A background subtraction option permits the ion intensity in the absence of sample to be subtracted automatically during sample measurement. Displays of accumulated counts and isotope ratio are updated twice per second during the measurement and can be printed out at its conclusion. All six ions can be monitored in the analog mode by parallel outputs to a multipen recorder. Experience gained in the construction of this prototype indicates that SIRMID units could be commercially available for $10K, or about 1 / 3 rd to 1 / 6 th of the cost of even an inexpensive computer system. (U.S.)

Structure of acid-stable carmine.

Science.gov (United States)

Sugimoto, Naoki; Kawasaki, Yoko; Sato, Kyoko; Aoki, Hiromitsu; Ichi, Takahito; Koda, Takatoshi; Yamazaki, Takeshi; Maitani, Tamio

2002-02-01

Acid-stable carmine has recently been distributed in the U.S. market because of its good acid stability, but it is not permitted in Japan. We analyzed and determined the structure of the major pigment in acid-stable carmine, in order to establish an analytical method for it. Carminic acid was transformed into a different type of pigment, named acid-stable carmine, through amination when heated in ammonia solution. The features of the structure were clarified using a model compound, purpurin, in which the orientation of hydroxyl groups on the A ring of the anthraquinone skeleton is the same as that of carminic acid. By spectroscopic means and the synthesis of acid-stable carmine and purpurin derivatives, the structure of the major pigment in acid-stable carmine was established as 4-aminocarminic acid, a novel compound.

Program Transformation to Identify List-Based Parallel Skeletons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Venkatesh Kannan

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Algorithmic skeletons are used as building-blocks to ease the task of parallel programming by abstracting the details of parallel implementation from the developer. Most existing libraries provide implementations of skeletons that are defined over flat data types such as lists or arrays. However, skeleton-based parallel programming is still very challenging as it requires intricate analysis of the underlying algorithm and often uses inefficient intermediate data structures. Further, the algorithmic structure of a given program may not match those of list-based skeletons. In this paper, we present a method to automatically transform any given program to one that is defined over a list and is more likely to contain instances of list-based skeletons. This facilitates the parallel execution of a transformed program using existing implementations of list-based parallel skeletons. Further, by using an existing transformation called distillation in conjunction with our method, we produce transformed programs that contain fewer inefficient intermediate data structures.

New Insights into the Carbon Isotope Variations in Coral Skeletons (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Swart, P. K.

2010-12-01

The origin of the carbon isotopic composition of coral skeletons has been a subject of speculation and controversy since the first stable C and O isotopic measurements were made on corals in the 1960s and the first models of fractionation were proposed by Weber and coworkers. Early models focused on the interactions between the zooxanthellae and the coral organism and the relationship with insolation. Models were proposed that linked higher levels of photosynthesis to both 13C enriched and 13C depleted skeletal material. While the model which showed elevated 13C values related to enhanced photosynthesis generally has found favor and fits the majority of the data from experimental and field studies, more recent work has also shown the importance of the natural variability of the δ13C of the dissolved inorganic carbon on interannual and longer time scales. This variability can overwhelm photosynthetic induced variability. For example, changes over the time period of 100s of years, caused by the addition of fossil fuel CO2 to the atmosphere, has resulted in a general decline in the δ13C of coral skeletons since ~1800. These changes are even larger in instances in which local variations in δ13C are related to land use changes and the openness of the environment. Recently there has been concern regarding the decrease in the pH of the oceans related to increases in oceanic pCO2. This also has potential to changes the δ13C of the coral skeleton. Finally there are seasonal variations in the types of organic compounds being oxidized by the coral. This may be related to the types of materials being translocated between the zooxanthellae and the coral. All these factors make changes in the δ13C of coral skeletons much more than a reflection of the influence of insolation.

A skeleton model for the MJO with refined vertical structure

Science.gov (United States)

Thual, Sulian; Majda, Andrew J.

2016-05-01

The Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) is the dominant mode of variability in the tropical atmosphere on intraseasonal timescales and planetary spatial scales. The skeleton model is a minimal dynamical model that recovers robustly the most fundamental MJO features of (I) a slow eastward speed of roughly 5 {ms}^{-1}, (II) a peculiar dispersion relation with dω /dk ≈ 0, and (III) a horizontal quadrupole vortex structure. This model depicts the MJO as a neutrally-stable atmospheric wave that involves a simple multiscale interaction between planetary dry dynamics, planetary lower-tropospheric moisture and the planetary envelope of synoptic-scale activity. Here we propose and analyse an extended version of the skeleton model with additional variables accounting for the refined vertical structure of the MJO in nature. The present model reproduces qualitatively the front-to-rear vertical structure of the MJO found in nature, with MJO events marked by a planetary envelope of convective activity transitioning from the congestus to the deep to the stratiform type, in addition to a front-to-rear structure of moisture, winds and temperature. Despite its increased complexity the present model retains several interesting features of the original skeleton model such as a conserved energy and similar linear solutions. We further analyze a model version with a simple stochastic parametrization for the unresolved details of synoptic-scale activity. The stochastic model solutions show intermittent initiation, propagation and shut down of MJO wave trains, as in previous studies, in addition to MJO events with a front-to-rear vertical structure of varying intensity and characteristics from one event to another.

Geochemical study of coral skeletons from the Puerto Morelos Reef, southeastern Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Kasper-Zubillaga, Juan J.; Armstrong-Altrin, John S.; Rosales-Hoz, Leticia

2014-12-01

Geochemical analyses in coral skeletons have been used as a proxy of marine environmental conditions and to understand the mechanisms of adsorption of chemical elements into the coral skeletons and growth forms. However, little attention has been given to show the possible differences in the growth rates of corals based upon major, trace, rare earth element and microprobe analyses to examine the physical-chemical conditions influencing those differences. Our goal is to show how branch and fan corals incorporate elements into their skeletons comparing them with their coral growth rates. We determine the development of the skeletons of two branching (Acropora palmata, Acropora cervicornis) and one fan shaped (Gorgonia ventalina) colonies in the Puerto Morelos Reef, southeastern Mexico based upon geochemical data and the influence of terrigenous input into the species. Mg and Sr concentrations were the most statistically significant elements among the species studied suggesting that Mg concentration in Gorgonia ventalina is probably not linked to its growth rate. Mn content in the sea water is adsorbed by the three corals during past growth rates during high rainfall events. Sr concentration may be associated with the growth rate of Acropora palmata. Little differences in the growth rate in Acropora palmata may be associated with low rates of calcitization, negligible changes in the Sr concentration and little influence of temperature and water depth in its growth. Trace elements like Cr, Co, Ni and V adsorbed by the corals are influenced by natural concentration of these elements in the sea-water. Rare earth elements in the corals studied suggests abundant inorganic ions CO32- with variable pH in modern shallow well-oxygenated sea water. Lack of terrigenous input seawards is supported by geochemical, geomorphological and biological evidences. This study is an example of how geochemical data are useful to observe the differences in environmental conditions related to

Myosin IIA interacts with the spectrin-actin membrane skeleton to control red blood cell membrane curvature and deformability.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Alyson S; Nowak, Roberta B; Zhou, Sitong; Giannetto, Michael; Gokhin, David S; Papoin, Julien; Ghiran, Ionita C; Blanc, Lionel; Wan, Jiandi; Fowler, Velia M

2018-05-08

The biconcave disk shape and deformability of mammalian RBCs rely on the membrane skeleton, a viscoelastic network of short, membrane-associated actin filaments (F-actin) cross-linked by long, flexible spectrin tetramers. Nonmuscle myosin II (NMII) motors exert force on diverse F-actin networks to control cell shapes, but a function for NMII contractility in the 2D spectrin-F-actin network of RBCs has not been tested. Here, we show that RBCs contain membrane skeleton-associated NMIIA puncta, identified as bipolar filaments by superresolution fluorescence microscopy. MgATP disrupts NMIIA association with the membrane skeleton, consistent with NMIIA motor domains binding to membrane skeleton F-actin and contributing to membrane mechanical properties. In addition, the phosphorylation of the RBC NMIIA heavy and light chains in vivo indicates active regulation of NMIIA motor activity and filament assembly, while reduced heavy chain phosphorylation of membrane skeleton-associated NMIIA indicates assembly of stable filaments at the membrane. Treatment of RBCs with blebbistatin, an inhibitor of NMII motor activity, decreases the number of NMIIA filaments associated with the membrane and enhances local, nanoscale membrane oscillations, suggesting decreased membrane tension. Blebbistatin-treated RBCs also exhibit elongated shapes, loss of membrane curvature, and enhanced deformability, indicating a role for NMIIA contractility in promoting membrane stiffness and maintaining RBC biconcave disk cell shape. As structures similar to the RBC membrane skeleton exist in many metazoan cell types, these data demonstrate a general function for NMII in controlling specialized membrane morphology and mechanical properties through contractile interactions with short F-actin in spectrin-F-actin networks.

X-ray - skeleton

Science.gov (United States)

... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003381.htm X-ray - skeleton To use the sharing features on this ... Degenerative bone conditions Osteomyelitis Risks There is low radiation exposure. X-rays machines are set to provide the smallest ...

A new Python library to analyse skeleton images confirms malaria parasite remodelling of the red blood cell membrane skeleton.

Science.gov (United States)

Nunez-Iglesias, Juan; Blanch, Adam J; Looker, Oliver; Dixon, Matthew W; Tilley, Leann

2018-01-01

We present Skan (Skeleton analysis), a Python library for the analysis of the skeleton structures of objects. It was inspired by the "analyse skeletons" plugin for the Fiji image analysis software, but its extensive Application Programming Interface (API) allows users to examine and manipulate any intermediate data structures produced during the analysis. Further, its use of common Python data structures such as SciPy sparse matrices and pandas data frames opens the results to analysis within the extensive ecosystem of scientific libraries available in Python. We demonstrate the validity of Skan's measurements by comparing its output to the established Analyze Skeletons Fiji plugin, and, with a new scanning electron microscopy (SEM)-based method, we confirm that the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum remodels the host red blood cell cytoskeleton, increasing the average distance between spectrin-actin junctions.

A clock synchronization skeleton based on RTAI

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huang, Y.; Visser, P.M.; Broenink, Johannes F.

2006-01-01

This paper presents a clock synchronization skeleton based on RTAI (Real Time Application Interface). The skeleton is a thin layer that provides unified but extendible interfaces to the underlying operating system, the synchronization algorithms and the upper level applications in need of clock

A Faster Algorithm for Computing Straight Skeletons

KAUST Repository

Cheng, Siu-Wing

2014-09-01

We present a new algorithm for computing the straight skeleton of a polygon. For a polygon with n vertices, among which r are reflex vertices, we give a deterministic algorithm that reduces the straight skeleton computation to a motorcycle graph computation in O(n (logn)logr) time. It improves on the previously best known algorithm for this reduction, which is randomized, and runs in expected O(n√h+1log2n) time for a polygon with h holes. Using known motorcycle graph algorithms, our result yields improved time bounds for computing straight skeletons. In particular, we can compute the straight skeleton of a non-degenerate polygon in O(n (logn) logr + r 4/3 + ε ) time for any ε > 0. On degenerate input, our time bound increases to O(n (logn) logr + r 17/11 + ε ).

A Faster Algorithm for Computing Straight Skeletons

KAUST Repository

Mencel, Liam A.

2014-05-06

We present a new algorithm for computing the straight skeleton of a polygon. For a polygon with n vertices, among which r are reflex vertices, we give a deterministic algorithm that reduces the straight skeleton computation to a motorcycle graph computation in O(n (log n) log r) time. It improves on the previously best known algorithm for this reduction, which is randomised, and runs in expected O(n √(h+1) log² n) time for a polygon with h holes. Using known motorcycle graph algorithms, our result yields improved time bounds for computing straight skeletons. In particular, we can compute the straight skeleton of a non-degenerate polygon in O(n (log n) log r + r^(4/3 + ε)) time for any ε > 0. On degenerate input, our time bound increases to O(n (log n) log r + r^(17/11 + ε))

A Faster Algorithm for Computing Straight Skeletons

KAUST Repository

Cheng, Siu-Wing; Mencel, Liam A.; Vigneron, Antoine E.

2014-01-01

We present a new algorithm for computing the straight skeleton of a polygon. For a polygon with n vertices, among which r are reflex vertices, we give a deterministic algorithm that reduces the straight skeleton computation to a motorcycle graph computation in O(n (logn)logr) time. It improves on the previously best known algorithm for this reduction, which is randomized, and runs in expected O(n√h+1log2n) time for a polygon with h holes. Using known motorcycle graph algorithms, our result yields improved time bounds for computing straight skeletons. In particular, we can compute the straight skeleton of a non-degenerate polygon in O(n (logn) logr + r 4/3 + ε ) time for any ε > 0. On degenerate input, our time bound increases to O(n (logn) logr + r 17/11 + ε ).

Skeleton extraction based on the topology and Snakes model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuanxue Cai

Full Text Available A new skeleton line extraction method based on topology and flux is proposed by analyzing the distribution characteristics of the gradient vector field in the Snakes model. The distribution characteristics of the skeleton line are accurately obtained by calculating the eigenvalues of the critical points and the flux of the gradient vector field. Then the skeleton lines can be effectively extracted. The results also show that there is no need for the pretreatment or binarization of the target image. The skeleton lines of complex gray images such as optical interference patterns can be effectively extracted by using this method. Compared to traditional methods, this method has many advantages, such as high extraction accuracy and fast processing speed. Keywords: Skeleton, Snakes model, Topology, Photoelasticity image

The value of scintigraphy in skeleton diagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wickenhauser, J.

1976-01-01

The complex topic of diagnostics of the numerous skeleton diseases was enriched by nuclear medicine, for it is now possible to complete the static picture of morphologic changes resulting from radiologic examinations by its functional component, shown in scintigraphy. This shows that maximal information can only be obtained if the results of skeleton scintigraphy are, according to their importance, integrated into the total picture of the diagnostical decision procedure the centre of which is taken by radiology as was always the case. Because of the different results they lead to, none of the methods can be replaced by another, but they can only complete one another. For the reasons mentioned, the isolated use of skeleton scintigraphy, as it is usual in many places, does not seem not purposeful. Using 8 cases, the author tried to show the problems of skeleton scintigraphy and its position in the diagnostical decision procedure in osteology. (orig.) [de

Diagenesis of echinoderm skeletons: Constraints on paleoseawater Mg/Ca reconstructions

Science.gov (United States)

Gorzelak, Przemysław; Krzykawski, Tomasz; Stolarski, Jarosław

2016-09-01

One of the most profound environmental changes thought to be reflected in chemical composition of numerous geological archives is Mg/Ca ratio of the seawater, which has varied dramatically throughout the Phanerozoic. Echinoderms that today typically form high magnesium calcite skeletons are increasingly being utilized as a proxy for interpreting secular changes in seawater chemistry. However, accurate characterization of the diagenetic changes of their metastable high magnesium calcite skeletons is a prerequisite for assessing their original, major-element geochemical composition. Here we expand the existing models of diagenesis of echinoderm skeleton by integration of various analytical methods that up to now rarely have been used to assess the diagenetic changes of fossil echinoderms. We validated the preservation of a suite of differently preserved echinoderm ossicles, mostly crinoids, ranging in age from the Cambrian through Recent. In 13 of 99 fossil echinoderm ossicles we found well-preserved porous microstructure (stereom), non-luminescent behaviour or blotchy dark color in cathodoluminescence, and distinct nanostructural features (layered and nanocomposite structure). Moreover, in representatives of such preserved samples, distribution of sulphates associated with organic matter is identical to those in Recent echinoderms. Only such ossicles, despite of local micrometer-scale diagenetic changes, were herein considered well-preserved, retaining their original major-element skeletal composition. By contrast, majority of samples show transformation to the stable low magnesium calcite that leads to obliteration of the primary geochemical and micro/nanostructural features and is accompanied with increase in cathodoluminescence emission intensity. Using only well-preserved fossil echinoderm samples, we found purely random variation in Mg/Ca in echinoderm skeletons through the observed time series; any periodicities in echinoderm skeletal Mg/Ca ratio which might

Radiation Analysis for Skeleton of Spent Nuclear Fuel Assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Chang Je; Na, Sang Ho; Yang, Jae Hwan; Kang, Kweon Ho

2010-11-01

ORIGEN-S code was used in order to analyze the radioactive characteristics of skeleton of the spent nuclear fuel assembly. From the results, radioactivity, decay heat for various compositions in skeleton were obtained with a variation of cooling period and axial distribution of radioactivity was calculated, too. These data will be utilized later to process and dispose the skeleton of spent nuclear fuel assembly

Modeling The Skeleton Weight of an Adult Caucasian Man.

Science.gov (United States)

Avtandilashvili, Maia; Tolmachev, Sergei Y

2018-05-17

The reference value for the skeleton weight of an adult male (10.5 kg) recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection in Publication 70 is based on weights of dissected skeletons from 44 individuals, including two U.S. Transuranium and Uranium Registries whole-body donors. The International Commission on Radiological Protection analysis of anatomical data from 31 individuals with known values of body height demonstrated significant correlation between skeleton weight and body height. The corresponding regression equation, Wskel (kg) = -10.7 + 0.119 × H (cm), published in International Commission on Radiological Protection Publication 70 is typically used to estimate the skeleton weight from body height. Currently, the U.S. Transuranium and Uranium Registries holds data on individual bone weights from a total of 40 male whole-body donors, which has provided a unique opportunity to update the International Commission on Radiological Protection skeleton weight vs. body height equation. The original International Commission on Radiological Protection Publication 70 and the new U.S. Transuranium and Uranium Registries data were combined in a set of 69 data points representing a group of 33- to 95-y-old individuals with body heights and skeleton weights ranging from 155 to 188 cm and 6.5 to 13.4 kg, respectively. Data were fitted with a linear least-squares regression. A significant correlation between the two parameters was observed (r = 0.28), and an updated skeleton weight vs. body height equation was derived: Wskel (kg) = -6.5 + 0.093 × H (cm). In addition, a correlation of skeleton weight with multiple variables including body height, body weight, and age was evaluated using multiple regression analysis, and a corresponding fit equation was derived: Wskel (kg) = -0.25 + 0.046 × H (cm) + 0.036 × Wbody (kg) - 0.012 × A (y). These equations will be used to estimate skeleton weights and, ultimately, total skeletal actinide activities for

Skeletonized wave-equation Qs tomography using surface waves

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing; Dutta, Gaurav; Schuster, Gerard T.

2017-01-01

We present a skeletonized inversion method that inverts surface-wave data for the Qs quality factor. Similar to the inversion of dispersion curves for the S-wave velocity model, the complicated surface-wave arrivals are skeletonized as simpler data

New stable multiply charged negative atomic ions in linearly polarized superintense laser fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei Qi; Kais, Sabre; Moiseyev, Nimrod

2006-01-01

Singly charged negative atomic ions exist in the gas phase and are of fundamental importance in atomic and molecular physics. However, theoretical calculations and experimental results clearly exclude the existence of any stable doubly-negatively-charged atomic ion in the gas phase, only one electron can be added to a free atom in the gas phase. In this report, using the high-frequency Floquet theory, we predict that in a linear superintense laser field one can stabilize multiply charged negative atomic ions in the gas phase. We present self-consistent field calculations for the linear superintense laser fields needed to bind extra one and two electrons to form He - , He 2- , and Li 2- , with detachment energies dependent on the laser intensity and maximal values of 1.2, 0.12, and 0.13 eV, respectively. The fields and frequencies needed for binding extra electrons are within experimental reach. This method of stabilization is general and can be used to predict stability of larger multiply charged negative atomic ions

A skeleton for distributed work pools in Eden

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dieterle, Mischa; Berthold, Jost; Loogen, Rita

2010-01-01

We present a flexible skeleton for implementing distributed work pools in our parallel functional language Eden. The skeleton manages a pool of tasks (work pool) in a distributed manner using a demand-driven work stealing approach for load balancing. All coordination is done locally within...

Actinide distribution in the human skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kathren, R.L.; McInroy, J.F.; Swint, M.J.

1985-05-01

Radiochemical analysis of two half skeletons donated to the United States Transuranium Registry, one from an individual with an occupationally incurred deposition of 241 Am and the other with a deposition of 239 Pu, revealed an inverse linear relationship between the concentration of actinide in the bone ash and the fraction of ash. Two distinct relationships were noted, one for the cranium and the other for the remainder of the skeleton. The results suggest that the actinide content of the skeleton as a whole, Q, can be obtained with an uncertainty of +-50% from analysis of a single sample of any bone (except the cranium) by Q = [(830 C/sub sample/)/(0.61 - f/sub sample/)], in which C/sub sample/ refers to the actinide content per g of ash and f/sub sample/ the fraction of ash (i.e., ratio of dry to wet weight) in the sample. 5 figs., 3 tabs

Long-term stable transmission of 3-keV Ne7+ ions guided through nanocapillaries in polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stolterfoht, N.; Herczku, P.; Juhász, Z.; Kovács, S.T.S.; Rácz, R.; Biri, S.; Sulik, B.

2016-01-01

We studied blocking effects on 3-keV Ne 7+ ion guiding through nanocapillaries in highly insulating polyethylene terephthalate (PET) manufactured at different laboratories. The experiments were motivated in view of previous measurement with PET capillaries prepared at the GSI Helmholtz-Zentrum for which significant blocking effects were observed, whereas in various previous studies with PET capillaries these effects could not be detected. As the blocking effect on the GSI capillaries strongly depends on their areal density, similar dependencies were studied with the FLNR capillaries. Long-term stable transmission was observed for all densities of the FLNR capillaries in contrast to the previous results. These observations are interpreted by differences in the capillary surface conductivities in accordance with charge patch formations within the capillaries. It is pointed out that the observed stable transmission is favorable for applications of ion guiding in capillaries.

ISTP CDF Skeleton Editor

Science.gov (United States)

Chimiak, Reine; Harris, Bernard; Williams, Phillip

2013-01-01

Basic Common Data Format (CDF) tools (e.g., cdfedit) provide no specific support for creating International Solar-Terrestrial Physics/Space Physics Data Facility (ISTP/SPDF) standard files. While it is possible for someone who is familiar with the ISTP/SPDF metadata guidelines to create compliant files using just the basic tools, the process is error-prone and unreasonable for someone without ISTP/SPDF expertise. The key problem is the lack of a tool with specific support for creating files that comply with the ISTP/SPDF guidelines. There are basic CDF tools such as cdfedit and skeletoncdf for creating CDF files, but these have no specific support for creating ISTP/ SPDF compliant files. The SPDF ISTP CDF skeleton editor is a cross-platform, Java-based GUI editor program that allows someone with only a basic understanding of the ISTP/SPDF guidelines to easily create compliant files. The editor is a simple graphical user interface (GUI) application for creating and editing ISTP/SPDF guideline-compliant skeleton CDF files. The SPDF ISTP CDF skeleton editor consists of the following components: A swing-based Java GUI program, JavaHelp-based manual/ tutorial, Image/Icon files, and HTML Web page for distribution. The editor is available as a traditional Java desktop application as well as a Java Network Launching Protocol (JNLP) application. Once started, it functions like a typical Java GUI file editor application for creating/editing application-unique files.

Qualitative Comparison of Contraction-Based Curve Skeletonization Methods

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sobiecki, André; Yasan, Haluk C.; Jalba, Andrei C.; Telea, Alexandru C.

2013-01-01

In recent years, many new methods have been proposed for extracting curve skeletons of 3D shapes, using a mesh-contraction principle. However, it is still unclear how these methods perform with respect to each other, and with respect to earlier voxel-based skeletonization methods, from the viewpoint

Mining Key Skeleton Poses with Latent SVM for Action Recognition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoqiang Li

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Human action recognition based on 3D skeleton has become an active research field in recent years with the recently developed commodity depth sensors. Most published methods analyze an entire 3D depth data, construct mid-level part representations, or use trajectory descriptor of spatial-temporal interest point for recognizing human activities. Unlike previous work, a novel and simple action representation is proposed in this paper which models the action as a sequence of inconsecutive and discriminative skeleton poses, named as key skeleton poses. The pairwise relative positions of skeleton joints are used as feature of the skeleton poses which are mined with the aid of the latent support vector machine (latent SVM. The advantage of our method is resisting against intraclass variation such as noise and large nonlinear temporal deformation of human action. We evaluate the proposed approach on three benchmark action datasets captured by Kinect devices: MSR Action 3D dataset, UTKinect Action dataset, and Florence 3D Action dataset. The detailed experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach achieves superior performance to the state-of-the-art skeleton-based action recognition methods.

A new Python library to analyse skeleton images confirms malaria parasite remodelling of the red blood cell membrane skeleton

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Nunez-Iglesias

2018-02-01

Full Text Available We present Skan (Skeleton analysis, a Python library for the analysis of the skeleton structures of objects. It was inspired by the “analyse skeletons” plugin for the Fiji image analysis software, but its extensive Application Programming Interface (API allows users to examine and manipulate any intermediate data structures produced during the analysis. Further, its use of common Python data structures such as SciPy sparse matrices and pandas data frames opens the results to analysis within the extensive ecosystem of scientific libraries available in Python. We demonstrate the validity of Skan’s measurements by comparing its output to the established Analyze Skeletons Fiji plugin, and, with a new scanning electron microscopy (SEM-based method, we confirm that the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum remodels the host red blood cell cytoskeleton, increasing the average distance between spectrin-actin junctions.

Boosting Sensitivity in Liquid Chromatography–Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance–Tandem Mass Spectrometry for Product Ion Analysis of Monoterpene Indole Alkaloids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryo eNakabayashi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In metabolomics, the analysis of product ions in tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS is noteworthy to chemically assign structural information. However, the development of relevant analytical methods are less advanced. Here, we developed a method to boost sensitivity in liquid chromatography–Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance–tandem mass spectrometry analysis (MS/MS boost analysis. To verify the MS/MS boost analysis, both quercetin and uniformly labeled 13C quercetin were analyzed, revealing that the origin of the product ions is not the instrument, but the analyzed compounds resulting in sensitive product ions. Next, we applied this method to the analysis of monoterpene indole alkaloids (MIAs. The comparative analyses of MIAs having indole basic skeleton (ajmalicine, catharanthine, hirsuteine, and hirsutine and oxindole skeleton (formosanine, isoformosanine, pteropodine, isopteropodine, rhynchophylline, isorhynchophylline, and mitraphylline identified 86 and 73 common monoisotopic ions, respectively. The comparative analyses of the three pairs of stereoisomers showed more than 170 common monoisotopic ions in each pair. This method was also applied to the targeted analysis of MIAs in Catharanthus roseus and Uncaria rhynchophylla to profile indole and oxindole compounds using the product ions. This analysis is suitable for chemically assigning features of the metabolite groups, which contributes to targeted metabolome analysis.

Boosting Sensitivity in Liquid Chromatography–Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance–Tandem Mass Spectrometry for Product Ion Analysis of Monoterpene Indole Alkaloids

Science.gov (United States)

Nakabayashi, Ryo; Tsugawa, Hiroshi; Kitajima, Mariko; Takayama, Hiromitsu; Saito, Kazuki

2015-01-01

In metabolomics, the analysis of product ions in tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) is noteworthy to chemically assign structural information. However, the development of relevant analytical methods are less advanced. Here, we developed a method to boost sensitivity in liquid chromatography–Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance–tandem mass spectrometry analysis (MS/MS boost analysis). To verify the MS/MS boost analysis, both quercetin and uniformly labeled 13C quercetin were analyzed, revealing that the origin of the product ions is not the instrument, but the analyzed compounds resulting in sensitive product ions. Next, we applied this method to the analysis of monoterpene indole alkaloids (MIAs). The comparative analyses of MIAs having indole basic skeleton (ajmalicine, catharanthine, hirsuteine, and hirsutine) and oxindole skeleton (formosanine, isoformosanine, pteropodine, isopteropodine, rhynchophylline, isorhynchophylline, and mitraphylline) identified 86 and 73 common monoisotopic ions, respectively. The comparative analyses of the three pairs of stereoisomers showed more than 170 common monoisotopic ions in each pair. This method was also applied to the targeted analysis of MIAs in Catharanthus roseus and Uncaria rhynchophylla to profile indole and oxindole compounds using the product ions. This analysis is suitable for chemically assigning features of the metabolite groups, which contributes to targeted metabolome analysis. PMID:26734034

Dissection and Flat-mounting of the Threespine Stickleback Branchial Skeleton.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis, Nicholas A; Miller, Craig T

2016-05-07

The posterior pharyngeal segments of the vertebrate head give rise to the branchial skeleton, the primary site of food processing in fish. The morphology of the fish branchial skeleton is matched to a species' diet. Threespine stickleback fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus) have emerged as a model system to study the genetic and developmental basis of evolved differences in a variety of traits. Marine populations of sticklebacks have repeatedly colonized countless new freshwater lakes and creeks. Adaptation to the new diet in these freshwater environments likely underlies a series of craniofacial changes that have evolved repeatedly in independently derived freshwater populations. These include three major patterning changes to the branchial skeleton: reductions in the number and length of gill raker bones, increases in pharyngeal tooth number, and increased branchial bone lengths. Here we describe a detailed protocol to dissect and flat-mount the internal branchial skeleton in threespine stickleback fish. Dissection of the entire three-dimensional branchial skeleton and mounting it flat into a largely two-dimensional prep allows for the easy visualization and quantification of branchial skeleton morphology. This dissection method is inexpensive, fast, relatively easy, and applicable to a wide variety of fish species. In sticklebacks, this efficient method allows the quantification of skeletal morphology in genetic crosses to map genomic regions controlling craniofacial patterning.

Long-term stable transmission of 3-keV Ne{sup 7+} ions guided through nanocapillaries in polymers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stolterfoht, N., E-mail: nico@stolterfoht.com [Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fnr Materialien und Energie, 14109 Berlin (Germany); Herczku, P.; Juhász, Z.; Kovács, S.T.S.; Rácz, R.; Biri, S.; Sulik, B. [Institute of Nuclear Research (ATOMKI), 4001 Debrecen (Hungary)

2016-11-15

We studied blocking effects on 3-keV Ne{sup 7+} ion guiding through nanocapillaries in highly insulating polyethylene terephthalate (PET) manufactured at different laboratories. The experiments were motivated in view of previous measurement with PET capillaries prepared at the GSI Helmholtz-Zentrum for which significant blocking effects were observed, whereas in various previous studies with PET capillaries these effects could not be detected. As the blocking effect on the GSI capillaries strongly depends on their areal density, similar dependencies were studied with the FLNR capillaries. Long-term stable transmission was observed for all densities of the FLNR capillaries in contrast to the previous results. These observations are interpreted by differences in the capillary surface conductivities in accordance with charge patch formations within the capillaries. It is pointed out that the observed stable transmission is favorable for applications of ion guiding in capillaries.

Scaffold Diversity from N-Acyliminium Ions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wu, Peng; Nielsen, Thomas E

2017-01-01

N-Acyliminium ions are powerful reactive species for the formation of carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds. Strategies relying on intramolecular reactions of N-acyliminium intermediates, also referred to as N-acyliminium ion cyclization reactions, have been employed for the construction...... of structurally diverse scaffolds, ranging from simple bicyclic skeletons to complex polycyclic systems and natural-product-like compounds. This review aims to provide an overview of cyclization reactions of N-acyliminium ions derived from various precursors for the assembly of structurally diverse scaffolds...

ATLAS One of the first Heavy ions collisions with stable beams- Event Display - November 2015

CERN Multimedia

ATLAS Collaboration

2015-01-01

One of the first heavy ions collisions with stable beams recorded by ATLAS in November 2015. Tracks reconstructed from hits in the inner tracking detector are shown as orange arcs curving in the solenoidal magnetic field. The green and yellow bars indicate energy deposits in the Liquid Argon and Scintillating Tile calorimeters respectively. The beam pipe and the inner detectors are also shown.

Atomic Layer Deposition of Stable LiAlF4 Lithium Ion Conductive Interfacial Layer for Stable Cathode Cycling.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Jin; Sendek, Austin D; Cubuk, Ekin D; Zhang, Xiaokun; Lu, Zhiyi; Gong, Yongji; Wu, Tong; Shi, Feifei; Liu, Wei; Reed, Evan J; Cui, Yi

2017-07-25

Modern lithium ion batteries are often desired to operate at a wide electrochemical window to maximize energy densities. While pushing the limit of cutoff potentials allows batteries to provide greater energy densities with enhanced specific capacities and higher voltage outputs, it raises key challenges with thermodynamic and kinetic stability in the battery. This is especially true for layered lithium transition-metal oxides, where capacities can improve but stabilities are compromised as wider electrochemical windows are applied. To overcome the above-mentioned challenges, we used atomic layer deposition to develop a LiAlF 4 solid thin film with robust stability and satisfactory ion conductivity, which is superior to commonly used LiF and AlF 3 . With a predicted stable electrochemical window of approximately 2.0 ± 0.9 to 5.7 ± 0.7 V vs Li + /Li for LiAlF 4 , excellent stability was achieved for high Ni content LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 electrodes with LiAlF 4 interfacial layer at a wide electrochemical window of 2.75-4.50 V vs Li + /Li.

Banach spaces with projectional skeletons

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kubiś, Wieslaw

2009-01-01

Roč. 350, č. 2 (2009), s. 758-776 ISSN 0022-247X Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10190503 Keywords : projection * projectional skeleton * norming set Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 1.225, year: 2009

One of the first heavy-ion collisions with stable beams recorded by ATLAS in November 2015.

CERN Multimedia

ATLAS Collaboration

2015-01-01

One of the first heavy-ion collisions with stable beams recorded by ATLAS in November 2015. Tracks reconstructed from hits in the inner tracking detector are shown as orange arcs curving in the solenoidal magnetic field. The green and yellow bars indicate energy deposits in the Liquid Argon and Scintillating Tile calorimeters respectively.

Parallel FFT using Eden Skeletons

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berthold, Jost; Dieterle, Mischa; Lobachev, Oleg

2009-01-01

The paper investigates and compares skeleton-based Eden implementations of different FFT-algorithms on workstation clusters with distributed memory. Our experiments show that the basic divide-and-conquer versions suffer from an inherent input distribution and result collection problem. Advanced...

How NASA KSC Controls Interfaces with the use of Motion Skeletons and Product Structure

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Corey

2013-01-01

This presentation will show how NASA KSC controls interfaces for Modular Product Architecture (MPA) using Locator Skeletons, Interface Skeletons, and Product Structure, to be combined together within a Motion Skeleton. The user will learn how to utilize skeleton models to communicate interface data, as successfully done at NASA KSC in their use of Motion Skeletons to control interfaces for multi-launch systems. There will be discussion of the methodology used to control design requirements through WTParts, and how to utilize product structure for non-CAD documents.

Design for simultaneous acceleration of stable and unstable beams in a superconducting heavy-ion linear accelerator for RISP

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jongwon; Son, Hyock-Jun; Park, Young-Ho

2017-11-01

The post-accelerator of isotope separation on-line (ISOL) system for rare isotope science project (RISP) is a superconducting linear accelerator (SC-linac) with a DC equivalent voltage of around 160 MV. An isotope beam extracted from the ISOL is in a charge state of 1+ and its charge state is increased to n+ by charge breeding with an electron beam ion source (EBIS). The charge breeding takes tens of ms and the pulse width of extracted beam from the EBIS is tens of μs, which operates at up to 30 Hz. Consequently a large portion of radio frequency (rf) time of the post SC-linac is unused. The post-linac is equipped also with an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion source for stable ion acceleration. Thanks to the large phase acceptance of SC-linac, it is possible to accelerate simultaneously both stable and radioisotope ions with a similar charge to mass ratio by sharing rf time. This operation scheme is implemented for RISP with the addition of an electric chopper and magnetic kickers. The facility will be capable of providing the users of the ISOL and in-flight fragmentation (IF) systems with different beams simultaneously, which would help nuclear science users in obtaining a beam time as high-precision measurements often need long hours.

[Progress in Application of Measuring Skeleton by CT in Forensic Anthropology Research].

Science.gov (United States)

Miao, C Y; Xu, L; Wang, N; Zhang, M; Li, Y S; Lü, J X

2017-02-01

Individual identification by measuring the human skeleton is an important research in the field of forensic anthropology. Computed tomography （CT） technology can provide high-resolution image of skeleton. Skeleton image can be reformed by software in the post-processing workstation. Different skeleton measurement indexes of anthropology, such as diameter, angle, area and volume, can be measured on section and reformative images. Measurement process is barely affected by human factors. This paper reviews the literatures at home and abroad about the application of measuring skeleton by CT in forensic anthropology research for individual identification in four aspects, including sex determination, height infer, facial soft tissue thickness measurement and age estimation. The major technology and the application of CT in forensic anthropology research are compared and discussed, respectively. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine.

Quality criteria in diagnostic radiology of the skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freyschmidt, J.

1985-01-01

Conventional diagnostic radiology continues to represent the basic technique in skeleton diagnostics and results in decisive diagnoses in more than 80% of all cases. Compared with other examination methods, it is cheap and relatively easy to perform; however, it makes high demands on the physician's clinical and technical expertise. Compared with computerized tomography, conventional radiography has the advantage of decades of experience and of being cheaper by far. The author thinks the following quality criteria to be important in diagnostic radiology of the skeleton: roentgenological examination of one or several skeleton regions in keeping with the clinical issue concerned, accurate visualization of the object in a typical and reproducible projection, radiation quality matched to the dimension of the object, matched mean optical density, visualization of soft tissue near to bones and joints, and radiation dose in keeping with the clinical issue concerned. (orig./MG) [de

Porous one-dimensional carbon/iron oxide composite for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries with high and stable capacity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Jiadeng; Lu, Yao; Chen, Chen; Ge, Yeqian; Jasper, Samuel; Leary, Jennifer D.; Li, Dawei; Jiang, Mengjin; Zhang, Xiangwu

2016-01-01

Hematite iron oxide (α-Fe_2O_3) is considered to be a prospective anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) because of its high theoretical capacity (1007 mAh g"−"1), nontoxicity, and low cost. However, the low electrical conductivity and large volume change during Li insertion/extraction of α-Fe_2O_3 hinder its use in practical batteries. In this study, carbon-coated α-Fe_2O_3 nanofibers, prepared via an electrospinning method followed by a thermal treatment process, are employed as the anode material for LIBs. The as-prepared porous nanofibers with a carbon content of 12.5 wt% show improved cycling performance and rate capability. They can still deliver a high and stable capacity of 715 mAh g"−"1 even at superior high current density of 1000 mA g"−"1 after 200 cycles with a large Coulombic efficiency of 99.2%. Such improved electrochemical performance can be assigned to their unique porous fabric structure as well as the conductive carbon coating which shorten the distance for Li ion transport, enhancing Li ion reversibility and kinetic properties. It is, therefore, demonstrated that carbon-coated α-Fe_2O_3 nanofiber prepared under optimized conditions is a promising anode material candidate for LIBs. - Graphical abstract: Carbon-coated α-Fe_2O_3 nanofibers are employed as anode material to achieve high and stable electrochemical performance for lithium-ion batteries, enhancing their commercial viability. - Highlights: • α-Fe_2O_3/C nanofibers were fabricated by electrospinning and thermal treatment. • α-Fe_2O_3/C nanofibers exhibit stable cyclability and good rate capability. • α-Fe_2O_3–C nanofibers maintain high capacity at 1000 mA g"−"1 for 200 cycles. • A capacity retention of 99.2% is achieved by α-Fe_2O_3–C nanofibers after 200 cycles.

A Practical Introduction to Skeletons for the Plant Sciences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Bucksch

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Before the availability of digital photography resulting from the invention of charged couple devices in 1969, the measurement of plant architecture was a manual process either on the plant itself or on traditional photographs. The introduction of cheap digital imaging devices for the consumer market enabled the wide use of digital images to capture the shape of plant networks such as roots, tree crowns, or leaf venation. Plant networks contain geometric traits that can establish links to genetic or physiological characteristics, support plant breeding efforts, drive evolutionary studies, or serve as input to plant growth simulations. Typically, traits are encoded in shape descriptors that are computed from imaging data. Skeletons are one class of shape descriptors that are used to describe the hierarchies and extent of branching and looping plant networks. While the mathematical understanding of skeletons is well developed, their application within the plant sciences remains challenging because the quality of the measurement depends partly on the interpretation of the skeleton. This article is meant to bridge the skeletonization literature in the plant sciences and related technical fields by discussing best practices for deriving diameters and approximating branching hierarchies in a plant network.

Radiation injuries to the skeleton and their orthopedic treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Franz, R.; Rahnfeld, R.

1978-01-01

70 patients subjected to orthopedic treatment and radiotherapy for skeletal tumors have been examined. It was found that serious radiation injuries frequently occurred. Above all there were contractures, disordered healing of wounds, ulcerations, and scolioses and kyphoses of the growing skeleton. Therefore, in the case of diseases of the skeleton, it is recommended to restrain radiotherapy. It has to be rejected in child's age

'Applications of stable isotopes in life sciences'. Lead and strontium stable isotope measurements by using a high lateral resolution secondary ion mass spectrometer (NanoSIMS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sano, Yuji

2008-01-01

The method of Pb and Sr isotope measurements at about 5 μm resolution was developed by using a high lateral resolution secondary ion mass spectrometer (NanoSIMS NS50). Since the both elements have radiogenic nuclides such as 206 Pb, 207 Pb, and 87 Sr, natural variations of isotopic ratios are large. It is possible to detect a meaningful variation in a terrestrial sample, even though the experimental error is relatively large. In the case of monazite U-Pb dating, a 4 nA O - primary beam was used to sputter the sample and secondary positive ions were extracted for mass analysis using a Mattauch-Herzog geometry. The multi-collector system was modified to detect 140 Ce + , 204 Pb + , 206 Pb + , 238 U 16 O + , and 238 U 16 O 2 + ions simultaneously. Based on the monazite standard from North-Central Madagascar, we have determined the 206 Pb/ 238 U ratios of samples. 207 Pb/ 206 Pb ratios were measured by a magnet scanning with a single collector mode. 44 monazite grains extracted from a sedimentary rock in Taiwan were analyzed. Observed ages were consistent with the U-Th-Pb chemical ages by EPMA. Then NanoSIMS has been used to measure 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios in natural calcium carbonate samples. Multi-collector system was adjusted to detect 43 Ca + , 80 Ca 2 + , 86 Sr + , and 87 Sr + ions at the same time. Magnetic field was scanning for the EM no.4 counter to detect 85 Rb + , 86 Sr + and 87 Sr + , while the EM no.4b can measure 86 Sr + , 87 Sr + , and 88 Sr + , respectively. Repeated analyses of a coral skeleton standard (JCp-1) show that 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratio agrees well with the seawater signature, after the series of corrections such as Ca dimer, 87 Rb, and a mass bias estimated by 88 Sr/ 86 Sr ratio. The method is applied to an otolith from ayu (Pleco-glossus altivelis altivelis) collected from the Yodo river, Japan. The spatial variation of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios was consistent with amphidromous migration of the fish, namely, born in the lake and grown in the coastal sea

Simulation of mould filling process for composite skeleton castings

OpenAIRE

M. Dziuba; M. Cholewa

2008-01-01

In this work authors showed selected results of simulation and experimental studies on temperature distribution during solidification of skeleton casting and mould filling process. The aim of conducted simulations was the choice of thermal and geometrical parameters for the needs of designed calculations of the skeleton castings and the estimation of the guidelines for the technology of manufacturing. The subject of numerical simulation was the analysis of ability of filling the channels of c...

Effects of acidified seawater on coral calcification and variations of U/Ca ratio in their skeletons

Science.gov (United States)

Inoue, M.; Ozaki, S.; Iguchi, A.; Sakai, K.; Suzuki, A.; Kawahata, H.

2011-12-01

The rising CO2 concentration in the atmosphere is changing the carbonate chemistry of the ocean. Elevated partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) has caused significant decrease in surface seawater pH and carbonate ion concentration. Therefore, ocean acidification has a negative effect on calcification of marine calcifying organisms. Especially, hermatypic corals are dominant organisms in coral reef ecosystems, so their calcificication is a key to determine the health of reef ecosystems. On the other hand, recent study has suggested that there is a negative correlation between U/Ca ratio in coral skeleton and seawater pH, based on the culture experiment using primary polyps of Acropora digitifera. In this study, primary polyps and adult colonies of A. digitifera and adult colonies of Porites australiensis, which are the dominant species around the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, were reared in seawater with different pCO2 (300, 400, 600, 800, 1000ppm) and pH (7.4, 7.6, 8.0) settings controlled by CO2 bubbling. Calcification rate of adult coral was estimated by buoyant method, while skeletal growth of polyps was evaluated by measuring the dry weight of each skeleton after the experiments. In order to evaluate the relationship between U/Ca ratios in coral skeletons and seawater pH, U/Ca ratios in reared corals were analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results of A. digitifera showed that the growth rate of adult corals had no significant correlation against pCO2, but dry weight of polyp skeletons decreased with increase in pCO2. Growth rate of P. australiensis typically showed a positive correlation with pH. However, growth rates were different among colonies, suggesting that their responses to acidification may vary among the colonies. Regarding the variations of U/Ca ratios, there were positive correlations between U/Ca ratios in adults of A. digitifera and P. australiensis and seawater pCO2 (pH), while no relation was observed in polyp corals.

Tutorial for Wave Equation Inversion of Skeletonized Data

KAUST Repository

Lu, Kai

2017-04-25

Full waveform inversion of seismic data is often plagued by cycle skipping problems so that an iterative optimization method often gets stuck in a local minimum. To avoid this problem we simplify the objective function so that the iterative solution can quickly converge to a solution in the vicinity of the global minimum. The objective function is simplified by only using parsimonious and important portions of the data, which are defined as skeletonized data. We now present a mostly non-mathematical tutorial that explains the theory of skeletonized inversion. We also show its effectiveness with examples.

Skeletonized Least Squares Wave Equation Migration

KAUST Repository

Zhan, Ge; Schuster, Gerard T.

2010-01-01

of the wave equation. Only the early‐arrivals of these Green's functions are saved and skeletonized to form the migration Green's function (MGF) by convolution. Then the migration image is obtained by a dot product between the recorded shot gathers and the MGF

Body mass estimation from the skeleton

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lacoste Jeanson, Alizé; Santos, Frédéric; Villa, Chiara

2017-01-01

Estimating an individual body mass (BM) from the skeleton is a challenge for forensic anthropology. However, identifying someone's BMI (Body Mass Index) category, i.e. underweight, normal, overweight or obese, could contribute to identification. Individual BM is also known to influence the age...

Monitoring of full scale tensegrity skeletons under temperature change

OpenAIRE

KAWAGUCHI, Ken'ichi; OHYA, Shunji

2009-01-01

p. 224-231 Strain change in the members of full-scale tensegrity skeletons has been monitored for eight years. The one-day data of one of the tensegrity frame on the hottest and the coldest day in the record are reported and discussed. Kawaguchi, K.; Ohya, S. (2009). Monitoring of full scale tensegrity skeletons under temperature change. Symposium of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. http://hdl.handle.net/10...

Giant Cell Tumors of the Axial Skeleton

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maurice Balke

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background. We report on 19 cases of giant cell tumor of bone (GCT affecting the spine or sacrum and evaluate the outcome of different treatment modalities. Methods. Nineteen patients with GCT of the spine (=6 or sacrum (=13 have been included in this study. The mean followup was 51.6 months. Ten sacral GCT were treated by intralesional procedures of which 4 also received embolization, and 3 with irradiation only. All spinal GCT were surgically treated. Results. Two (15.4% patients with sacral and 4 (66.7% with spinal tumors had a local recurrence, two of the letter developed pulmonary metastases. One local recurrence of the spine was successfully treated by serial arterial embolization, a procedure previously described only for sacral tumors. At last followup, 9 patients had no evidence of disease, 8 had stable disease, 1 had progressive disease, 1 died due to disease. Six patients had neurological deficits. Conclusions. GCT of the axial skeleton have a high local recurrence rate. Neurological deficits are common. En-bloc spondylectomy combined with embolization is the treatment of choice. In case of inoperability, serial arterial embolization seems to be an alternative not only for sacral but also for spinal tumors.

An Interactive Exhibition about Animal Skeletons: Did the Visitors Learn Any Zoology?

Science.gov (United States)

Tunnicliffe, Sue Dale; Laterveer-de Beer, Manon

2002-01-01

Explores museum visitors' understanding of skeleton exhibits and whether such exhibits increase their understanding of the zoology displayed. The exhibition under study focused on the diversity of vertebrae skeletons which were arranged according to the mode of locomotion. (DDR)

An Antiproton Ion Collider (AIC) for Measuring Neutron and Proton Distributions in Stable and Radioactive Nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kienle, Paul

2005-01-01

An antiproton-ion collider is proposed to independently determine mean square radii for protons and neutrons in stable and short lived nuclei by means of antiproton absorption at medium energies. The experiment makes use of the electron ion collider complex (ELISE) of the GSI FAIR project with appropriate modifications of the electron ring to store, cool and collide antiprotons of 30 MeV energy with 740A MeV energy ions.The total absorption cross-section of antiprotons by the stored ions will be measured by detecting their loss by means of the Schottky noise spectroscopy method. Cross sections for the absorption on protons and neutrons, respectively, will be studied by detection of residual nuclei with A-1 either by the Schottky method or by analysing them in recoil detectors after the first dipole stage of the NESR following the interaction zone. With a measurement of the A-1 fragment momentum distribution, one can test the momentum wave functions of the annihilated neutron and proton, respectively. Furthermore by changing the incident ion energy the tails of neutron and proton distribution can be measured.The absorption cross section is at asymptotic energies in leading order proportional to the mean square radius of the nucleus. Predicted cross sections and luminosities show that the method is applicable to nuclei with production rates of about 105 s-1 or lower, depending on the lifetime of the ions in the NESR, and for half-lives down to 1 second

Can ancestry be consistently determined from the skeleton?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sierp Ingrid

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Although the concept of race has been thoroughly criticised in biological anthropology, forensic anthropology still uses a number of methods to determine the ‘race’ of a skeleton. The methods must be evaluated to see how effective they are given large individual variation. This study used 20 cases of skeletons of varied provenance to test whether the nine published methods of ‘race’ determination, using a range of various approaches, were able to consistently identify the ethnic origin. No one individual was identified as belonging to just one ‘major racial class’, e.g. European, meaning that complete consistency across all nine methods was not observed. In 14 cases (70%, various methods identified the same individual as belonging to all three racial classes. This suggests that the existing methods for the determination of ‘race’ are compromised. The very concept of ‘race’ is inapplicable to variation that occurs between populations only in small ways and the methods are limited by the geographic population from which their discriminant functions or observations of morphological traits were derived. Methods of multivariate linear discriminant analysis, e.g. CRANID, are supposed to allocate an individual skull to a specific population rather than a ‘major race’. In our analysis CRANID did not produce convincing allocations of individual skeletons to specific populations. The findings of this study show that great caution must be taken when attempting to ascertain the ‘race’ of a skeleton, as the outcome is not only dependent on which skeletal sites are available for assessment, but also the degree to which the unknown skeleton’s population of origin has been investigated.

Tuberculous arthritis of the appendicular skeleton: MR imaging appearances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parmar, Hemant; Shah, Jeshil; Patkar, Deepak; Singrakhia, Manoj; Patankar, Tufail; Hutchinson, Charles

2004-01-01

Tuberculosis [TB] of the appendicular skeleton is an uncommon infection caused by the tuberculous bacilli and constitutes only 1-3% of all tuberculosis infections. MR imaging features of tuberculous arthritis include bone marrow oedema, cortical erosions, synovitis, joint effusion, tenosynovitis, soft tissue collections, and myositis. These imaging features are at times non-specific, but in the correct clinical context help in diagnosis of tuberculosis. We present the various pathological manifestations of TB arthritis involving the different joints of appendicular skeleton and discuss their MR imaging appearances

Tuberculous arthritis of the appendicular skeleton: MR imaging appearances

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parmar, Hemant E-mail: parurad@hotmail.com; Shah, Jeshil; Patkar, Deepak; Singrakhia, Manoj; Patankar, Tufail; Hutchinson, Charles

2004-12-01

Tuberculosis [TB] of the appendicular skeleton is an uncommon infection caused by the tuberculous bacilli and constitutes only 1-3% of all tuberculosis infections. MR imaging features of tuberculous arthritis include bone marrow oedema, cortical erosions, synovitis, joint effusion, tenosynovitis, soft tissue collections, and myositis. These imaging features are at times non-specific, but in the correct clinical context help in diagnosis of tuberculosis. We present the various pathological manifestations of TB arthritis involving the different joints of appendicular skeleton and discuss their MR imaging appearances.

Relationship between push phase and final race time in skeleton performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Zanoletti, Costanza; La Torre, Antonio; Merati, Giampiero; Rampinini, Ermanno; Impellizzeri, Franco M

2006-08-01

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between push-time and final race time in skeleton participants during a series of major international competitions to determine the importance of the push phase in skeleton performance. Correlations were computed from the first and second heat split data measured during 24 men and 24 women skeleton competitions. Body mass, height, age, and years of experience of the first 30 men and women athletes of the skeleton, bobsleigh and luge 2003-2004 World Cup ranking were used for the comparison between sliding sports. Moderate but significant correlations (p push-time and final race time in men (r(mean) = 0.48) and women (r(mean) = 0.63). No correlations were found between changes in the individual push-time between the first and second heat with the corresponding changes in final race time. The bobsleigh sliders are heavier than the athletes of the other sliding disciplines. Luge athletes have more experience and are younger than bobsleigh and skeleton sliders. The results of this study suggest that a fast push phase is a prerequisite to success in competition and confirms that the selection of skeleton athletes based on the ability to accelerate to a maximum speed quickly could be valid. However, a good or improved push-time does not ensure a placement in the top finishing positions. On the basis of these results, we suggest that strength and power training is necessary to maintain a short push-time but additional physical training aimed to enhance the push phase might not reflect performance improvements. The recruitment of younger athletes and an increase of youthful competitive activity may be another effective way to reach international competitive results.

Skeletonized Least Squares Wave Equation Migration

KAUST Repository

Zhan, Ge

2010-10-17

The theory for skeletonized least squares wave equation migration (LSM) is presented. The key idea is, for an assumed velocity model, the source‐side Green\\'s function and the geophone‐side Green\\'s function are computed by a numerical solution of the wave equation. Only the early‐arrivals of these Green\\'s functions are saved and skeletonized to form the migration Green\\'s function (MGF) by convolution. Then the migration image is obtained by a dot product between the recorded shot gathers and the MGF for every trial image point. The key to an efficient implementation of iterative LSM is that at each conjugate gradient iteration, the MGF is reused and no new finitedifference (FD) simulations are needed to get the updated migration image. It is believed that this procedure combined with phase‐encoded multi‐source technology will allow for the efficient computation of wave equation LSM images in less time than that of conventional reverse time migration (RTM).

Apatite mineralization in elasmobranch skeletons via a polyphosphate intermediate

Science.gov (United States)

Omelon, Sidney; Lacroix, Nicolas; Lildhar, Levannia; Variola, Fabio; Dean, Mason

2014-05-01

All vertebrate skeletons are stiffened with apatite, a calcium phosphate mineral. Control of apatite mineralization is essential to the growth and repair of the biology of these skeletons, ensuring that apatite is deposited in the correct tissue location at the desired time. The mechanism of this biochemical control remains debated, but must involve increasing the localized apatite saturation state. It was theorized in 1923 that alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity provides this control mechanism by increasing the inorganic phosphate (Pi) concentration via dephosphorylation of phosphorylated molecules. The ALP substrate for biological apatite is not known. We propose that polyphosphates (polyPs) produced by mitochondria may be the substrate for biological apatite formation by ALP activity. PolyPs (PO3-)n, also known as condensed phosphates, represent a concentrated, bioavailable Pi-storage strategy. Mitochondria import Pi and synthesize phosphate polymers through an unknown biochemical mechanism. When chelated with calcium and/or other cations, the effective P-concentration of these neutrally charged, amorphous, polyP species can be very high (~ 0.5 M), without inducing phosphate mineral crystallization. This P-concentration in the low Pi-concentration biological environment offers a method of concentrating P well above an apatite supersaturation required for nucleation. Bone is the most studied mineralized skeletal tissue. However, locating and analyzing active mineralizing areas is challenging. We studied calcified cartilage skeletons of elasmobranch fishes (sharks, stingrays and relatives) to analyse the phosphate chemistry in this continually mineralizing skeleton. Although the majority of the elasmobranch skeleton is unmineralized cartilage, it is wrapped in an outer layer of mineralized tissue comprised of small tiles called tesserae. These calcified tesserae continually grow through the formation of new mineral on their borders. Co-localization of ALP and

Morphology of the axial skeleton of seven bat genera (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae

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PABLO J. GAUDIOSO

2017-10-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Here we present detailed descriptions and comparisons of the axial skeleton of seven species of bats belonging to five subfamilies of Phyllostomidae of different trophic guilds. The material examined consisted of 34 complete skeletons of seven species. For five of the studied species, previous descriptions have not been conducted, and for the vampires only limited information is available, so that descriptions for these species are here completed. The axial skeleton has characters that allow grouping of the species phylogenetically of the same subfamily and by feeding habits. At the same time, there are characters that associate species from different subfamilies with different types of diet or ways to obtain food.

Molecular genetic analyses of 300-year old skeletons from Auersperg tomb

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Irena Zupanič Pajnič

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: In 2009 the archaeologists excavated five skeletons from a 17th-century archaeological site in Ljubljana. They were found in the side chapel of the church in the Franciscans monastery, which was the Auerspergs’ tomb. Beside the skeletons, the finds revealed a bronze bowl with the heart , and the name of Ferdinand II and the years of birth and death (1655–1706 engraved. In 2011, we were asked to identify those five skeletons. The skeletons were poorly preserved and bones degraded to small pieces. Fragments of femurs and teeth were preserved only in two skeletons, therefore for the remaining three the fragments of cranium were used for molecular genetic analyses.Methods: We cleaned the bones and teeth, removed surface contamination, and ground them into powder. Prior to DNA isolation, bone or tooth powder was decalcified. DNA was purified in the Biorobot EZ1 device (Qiagen. Nuclear DNA of the samples was quantified using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR. Short tandem repeat (STR typing of autosomal DNA was performed using Investigator ESSplex Kit (Qiagen, the NGM Kit (Applied Biosystems and the MiniFiler Kit (Applied Biosystems. Typing of the Y-STRs was performed using the YFiler Kit (Applied Biosystems. The two hypervariable regions HVI and HVII of the mtDNA were sequenced.Results: We were able to extract up to 10.7 ng DNA/g of tooth powder from Auersperg chapel archaeological site skeletal remains. We managed to obtain nuclear DNA for successful STR typing from skeletal remains that were over 300 years old. From one skeleton we obtained a complete male genetic profile of autosomal DNA, almost complete Y-STR haplotype, which enabled us to track the paternal line and mtDNA haplotype for HVI and HVII regions, which enabled us to track the maternal line. After comparing the profiles with elimination database, no match was found, and thus the authenticity of genetic profiles was confirmed.Conclusions: Now we are waiting for

Genetic analysis and ethnic affinities from two Scytho-Siberian skeletons.

Science.gov (United States)

Ricaut, François-Xavier; Keyser-Tracqui, Christine; Cammaert, Laurence; Crubézy, Eric; Ludes, Bertrand

2004-04-01

We extracted DNA from two skeletons belonging to the Sytho-Siberian population, which were excavated from the Sebÿstei site (dating back 2,500 years) in the Altai Republic (Central Asia). Ancient DNA was analyzed by autosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) and by the sequencing of the hypervariable region 1 (HV1) of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region. The results showed that these two skeletons were not close relatives. Moreover, their haplogroups were characteristic of Asian populations. Comparison with the haplogroup of 3,523 Asian and American individuals linked one skeleton with a putative ancestral paleo-Asiatic population and the other with Chinese populations. It appears that the genetic study of ancient populations of Central Asia brings important elements to the understanding of human population movements in Asia. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Calculation of Photonic decay width for meta-stable muonic symmetric ion in adiabatic representation method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gheisari, R.; Eskandari, M. R.

2006-01-01

Meta-stable symmetric ions ppμ * and ddμ * are formed in the collisions of the excited muonic atoms with the hydrogen isotopes. By dissociation of them, the muon transfers from 2s to 1s via the new channels. Considering the quantum electrodynamics field and employing the new wave functions, the matrix elements are simply integrated. In this method using the adiabatic representations, the photo-decay widths for the some of ppμ * and ddμ * states are variationally calculated. The decay rates for X-ray productions of the similar states are approximately same.

Wave Equation Inversion of Skeletonized SurfaceWaves

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Zhendong; Liu, Yike; Schuster, Gerard T.

2015-01-01

We present a surface-wave inversion method that inverts for the S-wave velocity from the Rayleigh dispersion curve for the fundamental-mode. We call this wave equation inversion of skeletonized surface waves because the dispersion curve

Electron beam induced strong organic/inorganic grafting for thermally stable lithium-ion battery separators

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Yunah; Kim, Jin Il; Moon, Jungjin; Jeong, Jongyeob; Park, Jong Hyeok

2018-06-01

A tailored interface between organic and inorganic materials is of great importance to maximize the synergistic effects from hybridization. Polyethylene separators over-coated with inorganic thin films are the state-of-the art technology for preparing various secondary batteries with high safety. Unfortunately, the organic/inorganic hybrid separators have the drawback of a non-ideal interface, thus causing poor thermal/dimensional stability. Here, we report a straightforward method to resolve the drawback of the non-ideal interface between vapor deposited SiO2 and polyethylene separators, to produce a highly stable lithium-ion battery separator through strong chemical linking generated by direct electron beam irradiation. The simple treatment with an electron beam with an optimized dose generates thermally stable polymer separators, which may enhance battery safety under high-temperature conditions. Additionally, the newly formed Si-O-C or Si-CH3 chemical bonding enhances electrolyte-separator compatibility and thus may provide a better environment for ionic transport between the cathode and anode, thereby leading to better charge/discharge behaviors.

Preparation of stable alginate microcapsules coated with chitosan or polyethyleneimine for extraction of heavy metal ions.

Science.gov (United States)

Outokesh, Mohammad; Mimura, Hitoshi; Niibori, Yuichi; Tanaka, Kouichi

2006-05-01

Stable alginate microcapsules in dried form containing bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl) monothiophosphinic acid (HA) were prepared by coating of fresh alginate microcapsules with chitosan or polyethyleneimine (PEI). The thickness of coatings was estimated by electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), along with electron microscopy (SEM), as well as comparison of uptake percentage of coated and uncoated hollow capsules. Characterization of microcapsules was carried out by Ag(+) uptake experiments, destructive chemical analyses and thermogravimetric methods (TG and DTA). Chemical stability tests in HNO(3) and NaNO(3) media indicated that the coating with 4-double layer chitosan or mono-layer PEI led to an appreciable enhancement of impermeability in the range of pH > 1 or [Na(+)] microcapsules nearly completely hold their extractant content. Stable extractive microcapsules have an appreciable potential for the selective removal of heavy metal ions.

A simple algorithm for computing positively weighted straight skeletons of monotone polygons☆

Science.gov (United States)

Biedl, Therese; Held, Martin; Huber, Stefan; Kaaser, Dominik; Palfrader, Peter

2015-01-01

We study the characteristics of straight skeletons of monotone polygonal chains and use them to devise an algorithm for computing positively weighted straight skeletons of monotone polygons. Our algorithm runs in O(nlog⁡n) time and O(n) space, where n denotes the number of vertices of the polygon. PMID:25648376

A simple algorithm for computing positively weighted straight skeletons of monotone polygons.

Science.gov (United States)

Biedl, Therese; Held, Martin; Huber, Stefan; Kaaser, Dominik; Palfrader, Peter

2015-02-01

We study the characteristics of straight skeletons of monotone polygonal chains and use them to devise an algorithm for computing positively weighted straight skeletons of monotone polygons. Our algorithm runs in [Formula: see text] time and [Formula: see text] space, where n denotes the number of vertices of the polygon.

Validation Studies of Temperature Distribution and Mould Filling Process for Composite Skeleton Castings

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M. Cholewa

2007-07-01

Full Text Available In this work authors showed selected results of simulation and experimental studies on temperature distribution during solidification of composite skeleton casting and mould filling process (Fig. 4, 5, 6. The basic subject of the computer simulation was the analysis of ability of metal to fill the channels creating the skeleton shape and prepared in form of a core. Analysis of filling for each consecutive levels of the skeleton casting was conducted for simulation results and real casting. The skeleton casting was manufactured according to proposed technology (Fig. 5. Number of fully filled nodes in simulation was higher than obtained in experimental studies. It was observed in the experiment, that metal during pouring did not flow through the whole channel section, what enabled possibilities of reducing the channel section and pointed out the necessity of local pressure increase.

[WHAT SKELETONS TELL US].

Science.gov (United States)

Catalano, Paola

2015-01-01

The recent excavations carried out by the Superintendence for the Colosseum, the Roman National Museum and the Archaeological Area of Rome allowed to uncover a large number of burial grounds of Imperial Age. In this work we present the data for 11 cemeteries scattered throughout the Suburbiumn, dating between 1st and 3rd centuries AD. A whole sample of 6061 tombs has been investigated and 5280 skeletons were anthropologically analyzed. All the field data have been scored in appropriate standardized charts in order to make easy their storage and processing in a dedicated database.

Confined silicon nanospheres by biomass lignin for stable lithium ion battery

Science.gov (United States)

Niu, Xiaoying; Zhou, Jinqiu; Qian, Tao; Wang, Mengfan; Yan, Chenglin

2017-10-01

Biomass lignin, as a significant renewable resource, is one of the most abundant natural polymers in the world. Here, we report a novel silicon-based material, in which lignin-derived functional conformal network crosslinks the silicon nanoparticles via self-assembly. This newly-developed material could greatly solve the problems of large volume change during lithiation/delithiation process and the formation of unstable solid electrolyte interphase layers on the silicon surface. With this anode, the battery demonstrates a high capacity of ˜3000 mA h g-1, a highly stable cycling retention (˜89% after 100 cycles at 300 mA g-1) and an excellent rate capability (˜800 mA h g-1 at 9 A g-1). Moreover, the feasibility of full lithium-ion batteries with the novel silicon-based material would provide wide range of applications in the field of flexible energy storage systems for wearable electronic devices.

Dual embryonic origin and patterning of the pharyngeal skeleton in the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum).

Science.gov (United States)

Sefton, Elizabeth M; Piekarski, Nadine; Hanken, James

2015-01-01

The impressive morphological diversification of vertebrates was achieved in part by innovation and modification of the pharyngeal skeleton. Extensive fate mapping in amniote models has revealed a primarily cranial neural crest derivation of the pharyngeal skeleton. Although comparable fate maps of amphibians produced over several decades have failed to document a neural crest derivation of ventromedial elements in these vertebrates, a recent report provides evidence of a mesodermal origin of one of these elements, basibranchial 2, in the axolotl. We used a transgenic labeling protocol and grafts of labeled cells between GFP+ and white embryos to derive a fate map that describes contributions of both cranial neural crest and mesoderm to the axolotl pharyngeal skeleton, and we conducted additional experiments that probe the mechanisms that underlie mesodermal patterning. Our fate map confirms a dual embryonic origin of the pharyngeal skeleton in urodeles, including derivation of basibranchial 2 from mesoderm closely associated with the second heart field. Additionally, heterotopic transplantation experiments reveal lineage restriction of mesodermal cells that contribute to pharyngeal cartilage. The mesoderm-derived component of the pharyngeal skeleton appears to be particularly sensitive to retinoic acid (RA): administration of exogenous RA leads to loss of the second basibranchial, but not the first. Neural crest was undoubtedly critical in the evolution of the vertebrate pharyngeal skeleton, but mesoderm may have played a central role in forming ventromedial elements, in particular. When and how many times during vertebrate phylogeny a mesodermal contribution to the pharyngeal skeleton evolved remain to be resolved. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Skeleton-Based Abnormal Gait Detection

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Trong-Nguyen Nguyen

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Human gait analysis plays an important role in musculoskeletal disorder diagnosis. Detecting anomalies in human walking, such as shuffling gait, stiff leg or unsteady gait, can be difficult if the prior knowledge of such a gait pattern is not available. We propose an approach for detecting abnormal human gait based on a normal gait model. Instead of employing the color image, silhouette, or spatio-temporal volume, our model is created based on human joint positions (skeleton in time series. We decompose each sequence of normal gait images into gait cycles. Each human instant posture is represented by a feature vector which describes relationships between pairs of bone joints located in the lower body. Such vectors are then converted into codewords using a clustering technique. The normal human gait model is created based on multiple sequences of codewords corresponding to different gait cycles. In the detection stage, a gait cycle with normality likelihood below a threshold, which is determined automatically in the training step, is assumed as an anomaly. The experimental results on both marker-based mocap data and Kinect skeleton show that our method is very promising in distinguishing normal and abnormal gaits with an overall accuracy of 90.12%.

The role of energetic ions from plasma in the creation of nanostructured materials and stable polymer surface treatments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bilek, M.M.M.; Newton-McGee, K.; McKenzie, D.R.; McCulloch, D.G.

2006-01-01

Plasma processes for the synthesis of new materials as thin films have enabled the production of a wide variety of new materials. These include meta-stable phases, which are not readily found in nature, and more recently, materials with structure on the nanoscale. Study of plasma synthesis processes at the fundamental level has revealed that ion energy, depositing flux and growth surface temperature are the critical parameters affecting the microstructure and the properties of the thin film materials formed. In this paper, we focus on the role of ion flux and impact energy in the creation of thin films with nanoscale structure in the form of multilayers. We describe three synthesis strategies, based on the extraction of ions from plasma sources and involving modulation of ion flux and ion energy. The microstructure, intrinsic stress and physical properties of the multilayered samples synthesized are studied and related back to the conditions at the growth surface during deposition. When energetic ions of a non-condensing species are used, it is possible to place active groups on the surfaces of materials such as polymers. These active groups can then be used as bonding sites in subsequent chemical attachment of proteins or other macromolecules. If the energy of the non-condensing ions is increased to a few keV then modified layers buried under the surface can be produced. Here we describe a method by which the aging effect, which is often observed in plasma surface modifications on polymers, can be reduced and even eliminated using high energy ion bombardment

A Hierarchically Porous Hypercrosslinked and Novel Quinone based Stable Organic Polymer Electrode for Lithium-Ion Batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, Aziz; Meng, Qinghai; Melhi, Saad; Mao, Lijuan; Zhang, Miao; Han, Bao-Hang; Lu, Kun; Wei, Zhixiang

2017-01-01

Highlights: •A novel hypercrosslinked Poly-Pillar[5]quinone (Poly-P5Q) polymer has been prepared and applied as electrode material in Li-ion batteries. •The novel synthetic route of Poly-P5Q was introduced by the oxidation of Poly-Dimethoxypillar[5]arene. •A Friedel-Crafts reaction was employed to prepare a novel Poly-P5Q as organic cathode material for lithium-ion batteries. -- Abstract: In the recent years, organic electrode materials have attracted tremendous attention and becoming promising electrode candidates for the green and sustainable lithium-ion batteries. A novel hypercrosslinked Poly-Pillar[5]quinone (Poly-P5Q) polymer was prepared and applied as electrode material in Li-ion batteries. Poly-P5Q is the oxidized form of Poly-Dimethoxypillar[5]arene (Poly-DMP5A) which was obtained from the condensation of dimethoxypillar[5]arene and formaldehyde dimethyl acetal using Friedel-Crafts reaction. The prepared materials were characterized by 13 C solid state NMR, FTIR, SEM, EDX and TGA analysis. The Poly-P5Q cathode showed an initial discharge capacity up to 105 mAh g −1 whereas it retained 82.3% of its initial discharge capacity after 100 charge-discharge cycles at a current speed of 100 mA g −1 in the potential window between 1.75 to 3.25 V. In future, research in this direction will provide great insight for the development of novel polymers from various small organic molecules as a stable and high performance electrode materials for green lithium-ion batteries.

Dissepiments, density bands and signatures of thermal stress in Porites skeletons

Science.gov (United States)

DeCarlo, Thomas M.; Cohen, Anne L.

2017-09-01

The skeletons of many reef-building corals are accreted with rhythmic structural patterns that serve as valuable sclerochronometers. Annual high- and low-density band couplets, visible in X-radiographs or computed tomography scans, are used to construct age models for paleoclimate reconstructions and to track variability in coral growth over time. In some corals, discrete, anomalously high-density bands, called "stress bands," preserve information about coral bleaching. However, the mechanisms underlying the formation of coral skeletal density banding remain unclear. Dissepiments—thin, horizontal sheets of calcium carbonate accreted by the coral to support the living polyp—play a key role in the upward growth of the colony. Here, we first conducted a vital staining experiment to test whether dissepiments were accreted with lunar periodicity in Porites coral skeleton, as previously hypothesized. Over 6, 15, and 21 months, dissepiments consistently formed in a 1:1 ratio to the number of full moons elapsed over each study period. We measured dissepiment spacing to reconstruct multiple years of monthly skeletal extension rates in two Porites colonies from Palmyra Atoll and in another from Palau that bleached in 1998 under anomalously high sea temperatures. Spacing between successive dissepiments exhibited strong seasonality in corals containing annual density bands, with narrow (wide) spacing associated with high (low) density, respectively. A high-density "stress band" accreted during the 1998 bleaching event was associated with anomalously low dissepiment spacing and missed dissepiments, implying that thermal stress disrupts skeletal extension. Further, uranium/calcium ratios increased within stress bands, indicating a reduction in the carbonate ion concentration of the coral's calcifying fluid under stress. Our study verifies the lunar periodicity of dissepiments, provides a mechanistic basis for the formation of annual density bands in Porites, and reveals the

Effects of ocean acidification on the dissolution rates of reef-coral skeletons

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Robert van Woesik

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Ocean acidification threatens the foundation of tropical coral reefs. This study investigated three aspects of ocean acidification: (i the rates at which perforate and imperforate coral-colony skeletons passively dissolve when pH is 7.8, which is predicted to occur globally by 2100, (ii the rates of passive dissolution of corals with respect to coral-colony surface areas, and (iii the comparative rates of a vertical reef-growth model, incorporating passive dissolution rates, and predicted sea-level rise. By 2100, when the ocean pH is expected to be 7.8, perforate Montipora coral skeletons will lose on average 15 kg CaCO3 m−2 y−1, which is approximately −10.5 mm of vertical reduction of reef framework per year. This rate of passive dissolution is higher than the average rate of reef growth over the last several millennia and suggests that reefs composed of perforate Montipora coral skeletons will have trouble keeping up with sea-level rise under ocean acidification. Reefs composed of primarily imperforate coral skeletons will not likely dissolve as rapidly, but our model shows they will also have trouble keeping up with sea-level rise by 2050.

Skeleton-Based Human Action Recognition With Global Context-Aware Attention LSTM Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jun; Wang, Gang; Duan, Ling-Yu; Abdiyeva, Kamila; Kot, Alex C.

2018-04-01

Human action recognition in 3D skeleton sequences has attracted a lot of research attention. Recently, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks have shown promising performance in this task due to their strengths in modeling the dependencies and dynamics in sequential data. As not all skeletal joints are informative for action recognition, and the irrelevant joints often bring noise which can degrade the performance, we need to pay more attention to the informative ones. However, the original LSTM network does not have explicit attention ability. In this paper, we propose a new class of LSTM network, Global Context-Aware Attention LSTM (GCA-LSTM), for skeleton based action recognition. This network is capable of selectively focusing on the informative joints in each frame of each skeleton sequence by using a global context memory cell. To further improve the attention capability of our network, we also introduce a recurrent attention mechanism, with which the attention performance of the network can be enhanced progressively. Moreover, we propose a stepwise training scheme in order to train our network effectively. Our approach achieves state-of-the-art performance on five challenging benchmark datasets for skeleton based action recognition.

Ion pairing of radical ions of aromatic alkenes and alkynes studied by pulse radiolysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, Satoshi; Yamamoto, Yukio; Hayashi, Koichiro

1991-01-01

Pulse radiolysis of 1,2-dichloroethane solutions of trans,trans-1,4-bis(2-phenylethenyl)benzene and 1,4-bis(2-phenylethynyl)benzene was undertaken in the presence of Bu 4 NPF 6 (Bu=butyl) to investigate the effect of ion pairing of the solute radical cations with PF 6 - . It was also undertaken for the tetrahydrofuran solutions of the above compounds in the presence of Bu 4 NPF 6 and NaBPh 4 , where the solute radical anions are generated and form ion pairs with Bu 4 N + and Na + . The decay of the radical ions, which is due to neutralization, is retarded by the ion pairing. The rate constants for the neutralization reactions in the free-ion and ion-paired states were determined. Also presented are the data for the radical ions of trans-stilbene, diphenylacetylene, trans,trans-1,4-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene, and diphenylbutadiene. The radical ions of the aromatic alkynes are less stabilized by the ion pairing than those of the aromatic alkenes having the same carbon skeletons probably because of more extensive charge delocalization of the former radical ions. Spectral shifts to shorter wavelengths caused by the ion pairing are appreciable for the radical anions. Dependence of the spectral shifts on the size of the radical anions is described. (author)

13C-NMR of diterpenes with pimarane skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcez, W.S.; Pereira, A.L.; Silva Queiroz, P.P. da; Silva, R.S. da; Valente, L.M.M.; Peixoto, E.M.; Cunha Pinto, A. da

1981-01-01

The effect of substituent groups on the chemical shift of carbons using nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of carbon 13 ( 13 C-NMR) is discussed. Diterpenes having pimarane skeleton, isolated from plants of Velloziaceae family are analysed. (ARHC) [pt

The use of radionuclide skeleton visualization method in hygienic studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Likutova, I.V.; Bobkova, T.E.; Belova, E.A.; Bogomazov, M.Ya.

1984-01-01

Inhalation, intragastric and combined effect of two cadmium compounds on rats is studied. Investigations are performed by biochemical methods and the method of radionuclide visualization of the skeleton which was performed delta hours after RPP introduction in gamma-chamber with computer tape recording for the following mathematical treatment of the image. Using the method of radionuclide skeleton visualization pronounced quantitative characteristics of changes in the bone tissue are obtained, it is found that dose dependence of these changes is especially important when estimating the complex effect. Biochemical methods, are used to find alterations, however they have not been assessed quantitatively

Radiological changes in the skeleton due to anticonvulsant therapy in childhood

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fritsch, R.; Heyer, R.; Freyschmidt, J.

1981-01-01

Anticonvulsant therapy can lead to severe rachitic changes in the skeleton which closely resemble renal osteopathy. In addition to apparent widening of the epiphyseal plate, there are changes in the cortex of the long bones. Within four to six weeks of the commencement of vitamin D therapy, recalcification of the poorly mineralised osteoid can be recognised. Since the changes are best seen in the hand, further examinations of the skeleton are only indicated if there are positive findings in the hand.

Value of the joint- and bone-scintigraphy in benign skeleton diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pfannenstiel, P.

1976-01-01

Although skeleton scintigraphy is a relatively 'young' method when compared with other scintigraphic techniques, it is of great value in the diagnosis of benign skeleton diseases. For a full exploitation of the diagnostic possibilities of nuclear medicine, however, close cooperation between clinical rheumatologists, orthopaedic surgeons, radiologists and experts in nuclear medicine. If the right method is used at the right time, the number of X-rays and thus the technical and financial expenditure may be reduced to a considerable degree. (GSE) [de

Radiological changes in the skeleton due to anticonvulsant therapy in childhood

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fritsch, R.; Heyer, R.; Freyschmidt, J.

1981-01-01

Anticonvulsant therapy can lead to severe rachitic changes in the skeleton which closely resemble renal osteopathy. In addition to apparent widening of the epiphyseal plate, there are changes in the cortex of the long bones. Within four to six weeks of the commencement of vitamin D therapy, recalcification of the poorly mineralised osteoid can be recognised. Since the changes are best seen in the hand, further examinations of the skeleton are only indicated if there are positive findings in the hand. (orig.) [de

Osteoarthritis. Radiological aspects in the appendicular skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Restrepo Suarez, Jose Felix; Iglesias Gamarra, Antonio; Pena Cortes, Mario; Rondon Herrera, Federico; Calvo Paramo, Enrique

2001-01-01

The osteoarthritis is a degenerative and inflammatory disease that affects all articular structures, especially cartilage and intervertebral disc, which conduce to progressive impairment of the joint. In this paper it Is showed the most significative cardiology findings of osteoarthritis in the appendicular skeleton that are fundamental for the diagnosis of this frequent pathology

The structure of the stable negative ion of calcium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pegg, D.J.; Thompson, J.S.; Compton, R.N.; Alton, G.D.

1988-01-01

The structure of the Ca/sup /minus// ion has been determined using a crossed laser-ion beams apparatus. The photoelectron detachment spectrum shows that, contrary to earlier expectations, the Ca/sup /minus// ion is stably bound in the (4s 2 4p) 2 p state. The electron affinity of Ca was measured to be 0.043 +- 0.007 eV

Tracking a Subset of Skeleton Joints: An Effective Approach towards Complex Human Activity Recognition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Latif Anjum

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We present a robust algorithm for complex human activity recognition for natural human-robot interaction. The algorithm is based on tracking the position of selected joints in human skeleton. For any given activity, only a few skeleton joints are involved in performing the activity, so a subset of joints contributing the most towards the activity is selected. Our approach of tracking a subset of skeleton joints (instead of tracking the whole skeleton is computationally efficient and provides better recognition accuracy. We have developed both manual and automatic approaches for the selection of these joints. The position of the selected joints is tracked for the duration of the activity and is used to construct feature vectors for each activity. Once the feature vectors have been constructed, we use a Support Vector Machines (SVM multiclass classifier for training and testing the algorithm. The algorithm has been tested on a purposely built dataset of depth videos recorded using Kinect camera. The dataset consists of 250 videos of 10 different activities being performed by different users. Experimental results show classification accuracy of 83% when tracking all skeleton joints, 95% when using manual selection of subset joints, and 89% when using automatic selection of subset joints.

Skeletonized Wave Equation Inversion in VTI Media without too much Math

KAUST Repository

Feng, Shihang

2017-05-17

We present a tutorial for skeletonized inversion of pseudo-acoustic anisotropic VTI data. We first invert for the anisotropic models using wave equation traveltime inversion. Here, the skeletonized data are the traveltimes of transmitted and/or reflected arrivals that lead to simpler misfit functions and more robust convergence compared to full waveform inversion. This provides a good starting model for waveform inversion. The effectiveness of this procedure is illustrated with synthetic data examples and a marine data set recorded in the Gulf of Mexico.

Skeletonized Wave Equation Inversion in VTI Media without too much Math

KAUST Repository

Feng, Shihang; Schuster, Gerard T.

2017-01-01

We present a tutorial for skeletonized inversion of pseudo-acoustic anisotropic VTI data. We first invert for the anisotropic models using wave equation traveltime inversion. Here, the skeletonized data are the traveltimes of transmitted and/or reflected arrivals that lead to simpler misfit functions and more robust convergence compared to full waveform inversion. This provides a good starting model for waveform inversion. The effectiveness of this procedure is illustrated with synthetic data examples and a marine data set recorded in the Gulf of Mexico.

Skeletal metastasis: The effect on immature skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogden, J.A.; Ogden, D.A.

1982-01-01

The unique opportunity to study the entire appendicular skeleton of a child who died from metastatic angiosarcoma allowed detailed assessment of radiographically evident involvement. Virtually every portion of the appendicular skeleton had evidence of metastatic disease. However, the extent of involvement was extremely variable, especially when contralateral regions were assessed. The most likely region of metastasis, the metaphysis, is normally a fenestrated cortex of woven bone in the young child, rather than a well demarcated cortex formed by osteon (lamellar) bone, as it is in the adult. The pattern of destruction is such that less extensive areas may be involved before becoming radiographically evident, and trabecular bone involvement may be evident even without cortical damage. The metaphyseal metastatic spread supports the concept of arterial hematogeneous dissemination, comparable to osteomyelitis in the child. Pathologic metaphyseal fractures involved both proximal humeri; the fracture also extended along a portion of the methaphyseal-physeal interface in one humerus. In one distal femur the physis readily separated from the metaphysis; this was a nondisplaced type 1 growth mechanism injury. (orig.)

Generalized Distance Transforms and Skeletons in Graphics Hardware

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Strzodka, R.; Telea, A.

2004-01-01

We present a framework for computing generalized distance transforms and skeletons of two-dimensional objects using graphics hardware. Our method is based on the concept of footprint splatting. Combining different splats produces weighted distance transforms for different metrics, as well as the

Improvement of the skeleton tables for calculation of the critical heat load

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gotovskij, M.A.; Kvetnyj, M.A.

2002-01-01

Paper presents analysis of drawbacks of the skeleton tables of the critical heat flows applied in calculated heat and hydraulic codes. Paper demonstrates the necessity to take account of specific nature of mechanisms of dryout crisis, of boiling crisis at slow mass rates and the range of small underheatings up to temperature of saturation. Attention is drawn to necessity of detailed account of the natural limitations of the application field of the skeleton tables [ru

Quicker yet safe: skeletonization of 1640 internal mammary arteries with harmonic technology in 965 patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Kieser, Teresa M; Rose, M Sarah; Aluthman, Uthman; Narine, Kishan

2014-05-01

Skeletonization of the internal mammary artery (IMA) facilitates arterial grafting and has been shown to reduce deep sternal infection but is more time-consuming and tedious than pedicle harvest. We wished to determine if use of harmonic technology (HT) facilitates skeletonization of the IMA and is as safe as the conventional technique of skeletonization. In a consecutive series of 1057 patients with isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery from 2003 to 2013, adverse events and recorded harvest times were compared between harmonic (965 patients) and non-harmonic patients (86 patients). HT was used to harvest 1640 IMAs in 965 (91%) of 1057 consecutive CABG patients and skeletonization with the traditional technique (use of an electrocautery tip as a dissector) was used to harvest 147 IMAs in 86 patients. Six patients had no IMA harvested with this surgery (4 patients had an IMA used from a previous CABG, 1 had no disease of the left anterior descending coronary artery and 1 patient was in cardiogenic shock precluding IMA use). Excluding patients with single-vessel disease, 730/987 (74%) of patients received bilateral IMAs. Demographics of patients with and without harmonic skeletonization, respectively, were the following: mean age: 64.7 vs 67.7 years; diabetes: 33 vs 34%; women: 21 vs 26% and median European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation: 2.9 vs 3.2. The mean harvest time for 77 non-harmonic skeletonized mammary arteries (49 surgeries) was 32.2 min (95% confidence interval (CI): 30.1, 34.3), for harmonic skeletonized arteries after 450 surgeries was 28.4 min, (95% CI: 27.8, 29.1) and in the last 100 IMAs harvested for the isolated harmonic device use/mammary was 15.4 min (95% CI: 14.0, 16.7). Major adverse events for patients with and without harmonic skeletonization, respectively, were: reoperation for bleeding: 2.7 vs 3.5% (difference = 0.8%, 95% CI: -3.2, 4.8); damaged mammaries: 0.4 vs 0.7% (difference = 0.3%, 95% CI: -1.0, 1.7); deep

Marine sponge skeleton photosensitized by copper phthalocyanine: A catalyst for Rhodamine B degradation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Norman Małgorzata

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We present a combined approach to photo-assisted degradation processes, in which a catalyst, H2O2 and UV irradiation are used together to enhance the oxidation of Rhodamine B (RB. The heterogeneous photocatalyst was made by the process of adsorption of copper phthalocyanine tetrasulfonic acid (CuPC onto purified spongin-based Hippospongia communis marine sponge skeleton (HcS. The product obtained, CuPC-HcS, was investigated by a variety of spectroscopic (carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance 13C NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy FTIR, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy EDS and microscopic techniques (scanning electron microscopy SEM, fluorescent and optical microscopy, as well as thermal analysis. The study confirms the stable combination of the adsorbent and adsorbate. For a 10 mg/L RB solution, the percentage degradation reached 95% using CuPC-HcS as a heterocatalyst. The mechanism of RB removal involves adsorption and photodegradation simultaneously.

Diverse mechanisms of plant resistance to cauliflower mosaic virus revealed by leaf skeleton hybridization.

Science.gov (United States)

Melcher, U; Brannan, C M; Gardner, C O; Essenberg, R C

1992-01-01

Plants not hosts for cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) may prevent systemic CaMV infection by interfering with dissemination of infection through the plant or by preventing viral replication and maturation. Leaf skeleton hybridization allows distinction between these two barriers. The technique assesses the spatial distribution of CaMV in an inoculated leaf by hybridization of a skeleton of the leaf with a CaMV DNA probe. Leaves or leaflets of soybean, cucumber, peanut, tomato, lettuce, spinach, pepper, onion, wheat, maize and barley, inoculated with CaMV DNA or CaMV virions were processed for leaf skeleton hybridization either immediately after inoculation or two weeks thereafter. Autoradiographic images of soybean and cucumber skeletons had many dark spots suggesting that CaMV DNA replication and local spread had occurred. Images of onion leaf skeletons prepared two weeks after inoculation with CaMV DNA had fewer spots. To test whether these spots resulted from CaMV replication, DNA was extracted from inoculated onion leaves and analyzed by electrophoresis, blotting and hybridization. Molecules recovered two weeks after inoculation resembled those inoculated, indicating absence of replication. For the other species, we found no evidence of local spread of CaMV infections. Thus, many plant species resist systemic CaMV infection by preventing replication or local spread of CaMV, while others solely prevent systemic movement of infection.

Differences in the initial deposition of Pu and Ra in the skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atherton, D.R.; Bruenger, F.W.; Stevens, W.

1978-01-01

The ratio (still unknown) relating the experimentally determined effects of Pu and Ra in some animal species to observed effects of various isotopes of Ra in man presently provides the most reasonable basis for an assessment of the risk resulting to man from Pu. Extensive studies with the beagle have shown that an evaluation of this ratio on the basis of average skeletal radiation dose is complicated by several factors, one of which is the difference in the initial (gross) distribution of Pu and Ra between the various skeletal parts. Studies on the initial deposition of Pu and Ra in the whole skeleton and in individual parts of the skeleton after injection of the two nuclides as citrates demonstrated that significant differences in the distribution within the various skeletal parts exist, although the total deposition of the two nuclides in the whole skeleton is practically the same

A skeleton from the Lapita site at Kone, Foue Peninsula, New Caledonia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pietrusewsky, M.; Galipaud, J.-C.; Leach, B.F.

1998-01-01

A relatively complete and reasonably well preserved skeleton, including a partially reconstructed cranium and mandible, of an approximately 35-45 year old female, found at the Lapita site, WKO-013B, near Kone, Foue Peninsula, New Caledonia, is described. Although not without problems, radioacarbon dating of the skeleton and other archaeological considerations place the burial around the middle of the first millenium BC (c.500 BC). Chemical analysis of the bone gives no clear picture about diet, although direct or indirect consumption of C4 plants is hypothesised. Nitrogen isotope values imply average contribution from both land and marine environments. The reconstructed skull is long and resembles crania from eastern island Melanesia. The teeth are small and the incisors exhibit moderate shovelling. A single dental caries, an apical abscess, moderate dental attrition, enamel hypoplasias, and evidence of periodontal disease were observed in the teeth. The stature is estimated to be 161.4 cm, or 5 feet 3.5 inches. There is osteological evidence that this individual experienced childbirth. The cranial vault bones are thickened. There is little or no osteoarthritis in these remains. Limited comparisons of certain crania, dental and skeletal morphological features of this new skeleton suggest affinities with other Lapita-associated skeletons and skeletal series from eastern island Melanesia. (author). 66 refs., 24 tabs., 11 figs

Skeletonization of Left Internal Mammary Artery in Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaudhri, M.S.; Shah, M.U.A.; Asghar, M.I.; Janjua, A.M.; Iqbal, A.; Siddiqi, R.

2016-01-01

Objective: To compare mean per-operative flow capacity between skeletonized and pedicled left internal mammary artery (LIMA) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. Study Design: Randomized control trial. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology and National Institute of Heart Diseases (AFIC-NIHD), Rawalpindi, Pakistan from February to August, 2013. Methodology: Patients undergoing CABG for coronary artery disease, under 80 years, excluded by the exclusion criteria; and fulfilling the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to two groups of 70 each. One group underwent skeletonized and the other underwent pedicled technique of LIMA harvesting. Free flow was checked just before anastamosis of each LIMA to the LAD, manually in blood flow in ml per minute during cardiopulmonary bypass by allowing it to bleed into a 100 ml container over 20 seconds. A specialized proforma was used to record the age, gender, weight, disease, type of IMA used, and free flow of the IMA. Data was analyzed using SPSS 18. Result: The mean age of the patients was 57.16 years in 40 patients, ranging from 36 to 75 years. Disease pattern analysis showed 5 percent, 10.7 percent and 84.3 percent single, double and triple vessel coronary artery disease, respectively. There was significantly higher free flow in the skeletonized group than the pedicled group (p=0.04). Conclusion: Skeletonized IMA had superior flow to pedicled IMA in addition to its traditional proven advantages, which justifies its further use as a conduit for myocardial revascularization. (author)

Complete primate skeleton from the Middle Eocene of Messel in Germany: morphology and paleobiology.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jens L Franzen

2009-05-01

Full Text Available The best European locality for complete Eocene mammal skeletons is Grube Messel, near Darmstadt, Germany. Although the site was surrounded by a para-tropical rain forest in the Eocene, primates are remarkably rare there, and only eight fragmentary specimens were known until now. Messel has now yielded a full primate skeleton. The specimen has an unusual history: it was privately collected and sold in two parts, with only the lesser part previously known. The second part, which has just come to light, shows the skeleton to be the most complete primate known in the fossil record.We describe the morphology and investigate the paleobiology of the skeleton. The specimen is described as Darwinius masillae n.gen. n.sp. belonging to the Cercamoniinae. Because the skeleton is lightly crushed and bones cannot be handled individually, imaging studies are of particular importance. Skull radiography shows a host of teeth developing within the juvenile face. Investigation of growth and proportion suggest that the individual was a weaned and independent-feeding female that died in her first year of life, and might have attained a body weight of 650-900 g had she lived to adulthood. She was an agile, nail-bearing, generalized arboreal quadruped living above the floor of the Messel rain forest.Darwinius masillae represents the most complete fossil primate ever found, including both skeleton, soft body outline and contents of the digestive tract. Study of all these features allows a fairly complete reconstruction of life history, locomotion, and diet. Any future study of Eocene-Oligocene primates should benefit from information preserved in the Darwinius holotype. Of particular importance to phylogenetic studies, the absence of a toilet claw and a toothcomb demonstrates that Darwinius masillae is not simply a fossil lemur, but part of a larger group of primates, Adapoidea, representative of the early haplorhine diversification.

Complete primate skeleton from the Middle Eocene of Messel in Germany: morphology and paleobiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Franzen, Jens L; Gingerich, Philip D; Habersetzer, Jörg; Hurum, Jørn H; von Koenigswald, Wighart; Smith, B Holly

2009-05-19

The best European locality for complete Eocene mammal skeletons is Grube Messel, near Darmstadt, Germany. Although the site was surrounded by a para-tropical rain forest in the Eocene, primates are remarkably rare there, and only eight fragmentary specimens were known until now. Messel has now yielded a full primate skeleton. The specimen has an unusual history: it was privately collected and sold in two parts, with only the lesser part previously known. The second part, which has just come to light, shows the skeleton to be the most complete primate known in the fossil record. We describe the morphology and investigate the paleobiology of the skeleton. The specimen is described as Darwinius masillae n.gen. n.sp. belonging to the Cercamoniinae. Because the skeleton is lightly crushed and bones cannot be handled individually, imaging studies are of particular importance. Skull radiography shows a host of teeth developing within the juvenile face. Investigation of growth and proportion suggest that the individual was a weaned and independent-feeding female that died in her first year of life, and might have attained a body weight of 650-900 g had she lived to adulthood. She was an agile, nail-bearing, generalized arboreal quadruped living above the floor of the Messel rain forest. Darwinius masillae represents the most complete fossil primate ever found, including both skeleton, soft body outline and contents of the digestive tract. Study of all these features allows a fairly complete reconstruction of life history, locomotion, and diet. Any future study of Eocene-Oligocene primates should benefit from information preserved in the Darwinius holotype. Of particular importance to phylogenetic studies, the absence of a toilet claw and a toothcomb demonstrates that Darwinius masillae is not simply a fossil lemur, but part of a larger group of primates, Adapoidea, representative of the early haplorhine diversification.

Novel skeleton sesquiterpenoids isolated from guava leaves.

Science.gov (United States)

Ouyang, Wen; Zhu, Xiao-ai; Wang, Wei; Chen, Xue-Xiang; Chen, Yun-Jiao; Cao, Yong

2016-01-01

A chemical investigation of the plant Psidium guajava L., collected in Guangdong province, afforded two novel skeleton sesquiterpenoids 1 and 2. Compound 2 also known as isocaryolan-9-one was a new natural product. The structure of the novel compound 1 was determined as guavacid A by various spectroscopic methods. A possible biosynthetic pathway for 1 and 2 was proposed.

Highly Stable Lithium Metal Batteries Enabled by Regulating the Solvation of Lithium Ions in Nonaqueous Electrolytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xue-Qiang; Chen, Xiang; Cheng, Xin-Bing; Li, Bo-Quan; Shen, Xin; Yan, Chong; Huang, Jia-Qi; Zhang, Qiang

2018-05-04

Safe and rechargeable lithium metal batteries have been difficult to achieve because of the formation of lithium dendrites. Herein an emerging electrolyte based on a simple solvation strategy is proposed for highly stable lithium metal anodes in both coin and pouch cells. Fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) and lithium nitrate (LiNO 3 ) were concurrently introduced into an electrolyte, thus altering the solvation sheath of lithium ions, and forming a uniform solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), with an abundance of LiF and LiN x O y on a working lithium metal anode with dendrite-free lithium deposition. Ultrahigh Coulombic efficiency (99.96 %) and long lifespans (1000 cycles) were achieved when the FEC/LiNO 3 electrolyte was applied in working batteries. The solvation chemistry of electrolyte was further explored by molecular dynamics simulations and first-principles calculations. This work provides insight into understanding the critical role of the solvation of lithium ions in forming the SEI and delivering an effective route to optimize electrolytes for safe lithium metal batteries. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The Effect of Locomotion on the Mobilization of Minerals from the Maternal Skeleton

OpenAIRE

Hood, Wendy R.; Hobensack, Michael

2015-01-01

Bone is a dynamic tissue from which minerals are deposited or withdrawn according to the body's demand. During late pregnancy and lactation, female mammals mobilize mineral from bone to support the ossification of offspring skeleton(s). Conversely, in response to mechanical loading, minerals are deposited in bone enabling it to develop a stronger architecture. Despite their central importance to reproductive performance and skeletal integrity, the interactions between these potentially opposi...

AMS-measurements of stable platinum isotopes in presolar nanodiamonds with the help of a negative-ion-injector for VERA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melber, K.

2011-01-01

The Vienna Environmental Research Accelerator (VERA) is a universal facility for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS). VERA is based on a 3-MV tandemaccelerator and enables one to investigate isotope ratios down to 10 -16 over the whole mass range of the elements. The main application is the measurement of long-lived radioisotopes of cosmogenic or anthropogenic origin (e.g. 10 Be, 14 C, 26 Al, 36 Cl, 41 Ca, 129 I, 236 U, 244 Pu). In principle it is also possible to detect stable isotopes of trace elements (Trace Element AMS: TEAMS). TEAMS is of particular interest with regard to so-called presolar grains in meteorites. Presolar grains contain trace elements whose isotope compositions differ substantially from those of our solar system. This points to a presolar origin of these grains. Among presolar grains, nanodiamonds are still poorly understood. They are composed of only a few thousand carbon atoms and contain platinum as one of the trace elements. There are still questions on their origin. E.g. were they 'doped' with the trace elements in the environment of a supernova? Which nucleosynthetic processes have taken place? Here the isotope signatures could deliver additional information. The aim of the present work was to establish conditions at VERA for the measurement of stable platinum isotopes in presolar nanodiamonds. The difficulty of such a measurement lies in the fact that trace analyses of stable Pt isotopes are only possible if the platinum background of the ion source is low. Hence, a new negative ion injector with a new sputtersource in which platinum was never used as a test material was build up at VERA. It was then possible to carry out Pt-isotope measurements in nanodiamonds for the first time. The sample material originates from the Allende-meteorite and was purified for nanodiamonds by the cosmochemistry group of the Max Planck Institute of Chemistry in Mainz. As a main result of the measurements it was possible to detect an access of the heaviest

Chronology of lead pollution contained in banded coral skeletons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dodge, R E; Gilbert, T R

1984-08-01

The possibility of the annual skeletal growth bands of reef-building corals containing a record of lead additions to the marine environment was investigated using coral skeletons from St. Croix, Virgin Islands. Concentrations of lead within a coral from a polluted reef averaged 395 ng/g, five fold higher than within a coral from a pristine site, 87 ng/g. The lead chronologies of both corals showed a significant increase in concentration towards the present during the past 26 yr. The increase in lead concentration in the coral from the pristine site is suggested to represent the increase in lead availability from global pollution. Coral skeletons offer the probability of development into tools for long term chemical recorders of levels of lead and possibly other metals or compounds in seawater. 50 references, 3 figures, 1 table.

Calibrating amino acid δ13C and δ15N offsets between polyp and protein skeleton to develop proteinaceous deep-sea corals as paleoceanographic archives

Science.gov (United States)

McMahon, Kelton W.; Williams, Branwen; Guilderson, Thomas P.; Glynn, Danielle S.; McCarthy, Matthew D.

2018-01-01

Compound-specific stable isotopes of amino acids (CSI-AA) from proteinaceous deep-sea coral skeletons have the potential to improve paleoreconstructions of plankton community composition, and our understanding of the trophic dynamics and biogeochemical cycling of sinking organic matter in the Ocean. However, the assumption that the molecular isotopic values preserved in protein skeletal material reflect those of the living coral polyps has never been directly investigated in proteinaceous deep-sea corals. We examined CSI-AA from three genera of proteinaceous deep-sea corals from three oceanographically distinct regions of the North Pacific: Primnoa from the Gulf of Alaska, Isidella from the Central California Margin, and Kulamanamana from the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. We found minimal offsets in the δ13C values of both essential and non-essential AAs, and in the δ15N values of source AAs, between paired samples of polyp tissue and protein skeleton. Using an essential AA δ13C fingerprinting approach, we show that estimates of the relative contribution of eukaryotic microalgae and prokaryotic cyanobacteria to the sinking organic matter supporting deep-sea corals are the same when calculated from polyp tissue or recently deposited skeletal tissue. The δ15N values of trophic AAs in skeletal tissue, on the other hand, were consistently 3-4‰ lower than polyp tissue for all three genera. We hypothesize that this offset reflects a partitioning of nitrogen flux through isotopic branch points in the synthesis of polyp (fast turnover tissue) and skeleton (slow, unidirectional incorporation). This offset indicates an underestimation, albeit correctable, of approximately half a trophic position from gorgonin protein-based deep-sea coral skeleton. Together, our observations open the door for applying many of the rapidly evolving CSI-AA based tools developed for metabolically active tissues in modern systems to archival coral tissues in a paleoceanographic context.

Secondary ion mass spectrometry and environment. SIMS as applied to the detection of stable and radioactive isotopes in marine organisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chassard-Bouchaud, C.; Escaig, F.; Hallegot, P.

1984-01-01

Several marine species of economical interest, Crustacea (crabs and prawns) and Molluscs (common mussels and oysters) were collected from coastal waters of France: English Channel, Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea and of Japan. Microanalyses which were performed at the tissue and cell levels, using Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, revealed many contaminants; stable isotopes as well as radioactive actinids such as uranium were detected. Uptake, storage and excretion target organs were identified [fr

Influence of the interaction of ions-dust grains on ion acoustic wave and dust acoustic wave

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hua Jianjun; Liu Jinyuan; Ma Tengcai

2004-01-01

Based on a set of hydrodynamic equations and a linear time-dependent perturbation theory, the influence of the interaction of ions-dust grains on ion acoustic wave IAW and dust acoustic wave DAW in dusty plasma is analyzed. The results show that the interaction makes IAW more stable and DAW less stable

The ossification principle of the laryngeal skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glass, W. von.

1981-01-01

In 94 decreased of both sexes aged 15 to 79 who had not has any affections of the larynx itself, the laryngeal skeleton was X-rayed after removing the soft parts, to demonstrate the ossification processes. Furthermore the deformation of the thyroid cartilage caused at the larynx by the laryngopharyngeal muscle in the act of swallowing was experimentally induced and determined with the aid of strain gauges. (orig.) [de

Wave-equation Qs Inversion of Skeletonized Surface Waves

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing

2017-02-08

We present a skeletonized inversion method that inverts surface-wave data for the Qs quality factor. Similar to the inversion of dispersion curves for the S-wave velocity model, the complicated surface-wave arrivals are skeletonized as simpler data, namely the amplitude spectra of the windowed Rayleigh-wave arrivals. The optimal Qs model is the one that minimizes the difference in the peak frequencies of the predicted and observed Rayleigh wave arrivals using a gradient-based wave-equation optimization method. Solutions to the viscoelastic wave-equation are used to compute the predicted Rayleigh-wave arrivals and the misfit gradient at every iteration. This procedure, denoted as wave-equation Qs inversion (WQs), does not require the assumption of a layered model and tends to have fast and robust convergence compared to full waveform inversion (FWI). Numerical examples with synthetic and field data demonstrate that the WQs method can accurately invert for a smoothed approximation to the subsurface Qs distribution as long as the Vs model is known with sufficient accuracy.

Skeletonized wave-equation Qs tomography using surface waves

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing

2017-08-17

We present a skeletonized inversion method that inverts surface-wave data for the Qs quality factor. Similar to the inversion of dispersion curves for the S-wave velocity model, the complicated surface-wave arrivals are skeletonized as simpler data, namely the amplitude spectra of the windowed Rayleigh-wave arrivals. The optimal Qs model is then found that minimizes the difference in the peak frequencies of the predicted and observed Rayleigh wave arrivals using a gradient-based wave-equation optimization method. Solutions to the viscoelastic wave-equation are used to compute the predicted Rayleigh-wave arrivals and the misfit gradient at every iteration. This procedure, denoted as wave-equation Qs tomography (WQs), does not require the assumption of a layered model and tends to have fast and robust convergence compared to Q full waveform inversion (Q-FWI). Numerical examples with synthetic and field data demonstrate that the WQs method can accurately invert for a smoothed approximation to the subsur-face Qs distribution as long as the Vs model is known with sufficient accuracy.

Wave-equation Qs Inversion of Skeletonized Surface Waves

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing; Dutta, Gaurav; Schuster, Gerard T.

2017-01-01

We present a skeletonized inversion method that inverts surface-wave data for the Qs quality factor. Similar to the inversion of dispersion curves for the S-wave velocity model, the complicated surface-wave arrivals are skeletonized as simpler data, namely the amplitude spectra of the windowed Rayleigh-wave arrivals. The optimal Qs model is the one that minimizes the difference in the peak frequencies of the predicted and observed Rayleigh wave arrivals using a gradient-based wave-equation optimization method. Solutions to the viscoelastic wave-equation are used to compute the predicted Rayleigh-wave arrivals and the misfit gradient at every iteration. This procedure, denoted as wave-equation Qs inversion (WQs), does not require the assumption of a layered model and tends to have fast and robust convergence compared to full waveform inversion (FWI). Numerical examples with synthetic and field data demonstrate that the WQs method can accurately invert for a smoothed approximation to the subsurface Qs distribution as long as the Vs model is known with sufficient accuracy.

Metal-Organic Frameworks Triggered High-Efficiency Li storage in Fe-Based Polyhedral Nanorods for Lithium-ion Batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, Lisha; Song, Huawei; Wang, Chengxin

2017-01-01

Recently, metal organic framework (MOF) nanostructures have been frequently reported in the field of energy storage, specifically for Li-ion or Na-ion storage. By inter-separating the active sites of metal cluster and organic ligands, MOF nanostructures are exceptionally promising for realizing fast ion exchange and high-efficiency transportation and addressing the intricate issues that the energy-intensive Li-ion batteries have faced over many years. The related ion-storage mechanism remains to be explored. Is the traditional redox reaction mechanism operative for these nanostructure, as it is for transitional metal oxide? Herein, taking [Fe_3O(BDC)_3(H_2O)_2(NO_3)]n (Fe-MIL-88B) as an example, an Fe-based metal organic polyhedral nanorods of MIL–88 B structure was designed as an anode for Li-ion storage. When tested at 60 mA g"−"1, the nanoporous Fe-MIL–88 B polyhedral nanorods retained a reversible capacity of 744.5 mAh g"−"1 for more than 400 cycles. Ex situ characterizations of the post-cycled electrodes revealed that both the transition metal ions and the organic ligands contributed to the high reversible specific capacity. The polyhedral nanorods electrodes held the metal-organic skeleton together throughout the battery operation, although in a somewhat different manner than the pristine ones. This further substantiated that some MOF nanostructures are more appropriate than others for stable lithiation/delithiation processes. State-of-the-art CR2032 full cells showed that a high capacity of 86.8 mAh g"−"1 that was retained after 100 cycles (herein, the capacity for the full cell was calculated based on both the weight of the anode and the cathode, and the charge-discharge rate was 0.25C), when commercial LiFePO_4 powders were used as the cathode.

Can we omit scintiscanning of the skeleton in follow-up aftercare of carcinoma of the breast?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuenemann, H.

1989-01-01

630 women patients of the Bad Trissl clinic were admitted in 1987/88 to a prospective study to find out whether scintiscanning, or radionuclide imaging, of the skeleton can be omitted completely or in part in the after care and follow-up of carcinoma of the breast. The initial criterion was a postoperative carcinoma of the breast without metastasizing in the skeleton at the time the study began or the patient was admitted to the study. Careful pain anamnesis was performed by means of prepared questions, and a detailed clinical examination conducted to detect any pain in the skeleton of the patient concerned. This was followed by whole body scintiscanning of the skeleton and complementary X-ray films, if necessary additional examinations. It was found that clinical findings and imaging methods agreed in 545 patients. In 55 cases a finding that was clinically suspicious of metastases or doubtful, could be refuted by both scintiscan and by X-ray, osseous metastasizing would have been overlooked without skeleton scintiscan in 14 patients only (2.2%), 11 of these 14 patients were high-risk patients (negative hormonal receptor status, axillary lymph node metastases). Hence, it will be sufficient to employ scintiscanning in the aftercare and follow-up of carcinoma of the breast on a risk-adapted basis provided this is preceded by careful pain analysis and clinical examination. Failure to detect metastasizing in the skeleton will then occur in only 3 of 630 patients (0.48%). In this manner 40% of scintiscans can be omitted in future. (orig.) [de

Contribution of ankyrin-band 3 complexes to the organization and mechanical properties of the membrane skeleton of human erythrocyte

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shen, B.W. [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States). Biological and Medical Research Div.

1995-02-01

To understand the role of ankyrin-band 3 complexes in the organization of the spectrin-based membrane skeleton and its contribution to the mechanical properties of human erythrocytes, intact skeletons and single-layered skeleton leaflets were prepared from intact and physically sheared membrane ghosts, expanded in low salt buffer, and examined by transmission electron microscopy. While the structures of intact skeletons and single-layered skeleton leaflets shared many common features, including rigid junctional complexes of spectrin, actin, and band 4.1; short stretches ({approximately}50 {angstrom}) of flexible spectrin filaments; and globular masses of ankyrin-band 3 complexes situated close to the middle of the spectrin filaments, the definition of structural units in the intact skeleton is obscured by the superposition of the two layers. However, the spatial disposition of structural elements can be clearly defined in the images of the single-layered skeleton leaflets. Partially expanded skeletal leaflets contain conglomerates of ankyrin-band 3 complexes arranged in a circular or clove-leaf configuration that straddles multiple strands of thick spectrin cables, presumably reflecting the association of ankyrin-band 3 complexes on neighboring spectrin tetramers as well as the lateral association of the spectrin filaments. Hyperexpansion of the skeleton leaflets led to dissociation of the conglomerates of ankyrin-band 3 complexes, full-extension of the spectrin tetramers, and separation of the individual strands of spectrin tetramers. Clearly defined stands of spectrin tetramers in the hyperexpanded single-layered skeletal leaflets often contained two sets of globular protein masses that divided the spectrin tetramers into three segments of approximately equal length.

Mercury Trapped Ion Frequency Standard for Ultra-Stable Reference Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Burt, Eric A. (Inventor); Hamell, Robert L. (Inventor); Tucker, Blake C. (Inventor); Larsen, Kameron (Inventor); Tjoelker, Robert L. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

An atomic clock including an ion trap assembly, a C-field coil positioned for generating a first magnetic field in the interrogation region of the ion trap assembly, a compensation coil positioned for generating a second magnetic field in the interrogation region, wherein the combination of the first and second magnetic fields produces an ion number-dependent second order Zeeman shift (Zeeman shift) in the resonance frequency that is opposite in sign to an ion number-dependent second order Doppler shift (Doppler shift) in the resonance frequency, the C-field coil has a radius selected using data indicating how changes in the radius affect an ion-number-dependent shift in the resonance frequency, such that a difference in magnitude between the Doppler shift and the Zeeman shift is controlled or reduced, and the resonance frequency, including the adjustment by the Zeeman shift, is used to obtain the frequency standard.

Analysis of stable isotope assisted metabolomics data acquired by GC-MS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, Xiaoli; Shi, Biyun; Koo, Imhoi; Yin, Xinmin; Lorkiewicz, Pawel; Suhail, Hamid; Rattan, Ramandeep; Giri, Shailendra; McClain, Craig J.

2017-01-01

Stable isotope assisted metabolomics (SIAM) measures the abundance levels of metabolites in a particular pathway using stable isotope tracers (e.g., 13 C, 18 O and/or 15 N). We report a method termed signature ion approach for analysis of SIAM data acquired on a GC-MS system equipped with an electron ionization (EI) ion source. The signature ion is a fragment ion in EI mass spectrum of a derivatized metabolite that contains all atoms of the underivatized metabolite, except the hydrogen atoms lost during derivatization. In this approach, GC-MS data of metabolite standards were used to recognize the signature ion from the EI mass spectra acquired from stable isotope labeled samples, and a linear regression model was used to deconvolute the intensity of overlapping isotopologues. A mixture score function was also employed for cross-sample chromatographic peak list alignment to recognize the chromatographic peaks generated by the same metabolite in different samples, by simultaneously evaluating the similarity of retention time and EI mass spectrum of two chromatographic peaks. Analysis of a mixture of 16 13 C-labeled and 16 unlabeled amino acids showed that the signature ion approach accurately identified and quantified all isotopologues. Analysis of polar metabolite extracts from cells respectively fed with uniform 13 C-glucose and 13 C-glutamine further demonstrated that this method can also be used to analyze the complex data acquired from biological samples. - Highlights: • A signature ion approach is developed for analysis of stable isotope GC-MS data. • GC-MS data of compound standards are used for selection of the signature ion. • Linear regression model is used to deconvolute the overlapping isotopologue peaks. • The developed method was tested by known compounds and biological samples.

Role of the membrane skeleton in preventing the shedding of procoagulant-rich microvesicles from the platelet plasma membrane

OpenAIRE

1990-01-01

The platelet plasma membrane is lined by a membrane skeleton that appears to contain short actin filaments cross-linked by actin-binding protein. Actin-binding protein is in turn associated with specific plasma membrane glycoproteins. The aim of this study was to determine whether the membrane skeleton regulates properties of the plasma membrane. Platelets were incubated with agents that disrupted the association of the membrane skeleton with membrane glycoproteins. The consequences of this c...

Radioactive labelling of alkaloids with morphine skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toth, Geza; Sirokman, Ferenc

1985-01-01

Results achieved by the sup(14)C, sup(125)I and sup(3)H labelling of alkaloids with morphine skeleton for kinetic, receptor, metabolims and pharmacological investigations are summarized and evaluated. The methods for the preparation of sup(3)H labelled dihydromorphine, dihydroethylmorphine, dihydrocodeine, naloxone and naloxazone are described. The compounds have higher specific molar activity than those referred to in literature which makes them suitable for a number of investigations. (author)

Sulphur and oxygen sequestration of n-C 37 and n-C 38 unsaturated ketones in an immature kerogen and the release of their carbon skeletons during early stages of thermal maturation

Science.gov (United States)

Koopmans, Martin P.; Schaeffer-Reiss, Christine; de Leeuw, Jan W.; Lewan, Michael D.; Maxwell, James R.; Schaeffer, Philippe; Sinninghe Damsté, Jaap S.

1997-06-01

Sedimentary rock from the Gessoso-solfifera Formation (Messinian) in the Vena del Gesso Basin (northern Italy) containing immature ( Ro = 0.25%) S-rich organic matter was artificially matured by hydrous pyrolysis at temperatures from 160 to 330°C for 72 h to study the diagenetic fate of n-C 37 and n-C 38 di- and tri-unsaturated methyl and ethyl ketones (alkenones) biosynthesised by several prymnesiophyte algae. During early diagenesis, the alkenones are incorporated into the kerogen by both sulphur and oxygen cross-linking as indicated by chemical degradation experiments with the kerogen of the unheated sample. Heating at temperatures between 160 and 260°C, which still represents early stages of thermal maturation, produces large amounts (up to 1 mg/g TOC) of S-bound, O-bound, and both S- and O-bound n-C 37 and n-C 38 skeletons, saturated n-C 37 and n-C38 methyl, ethyl, and mid-chain ketones, C 37 and C 38 mid-chain 2,5-di- n-alkylthiophenes, C 37 and C 38 1,2-di- n-alkylbenzenes, and C 37 and C 38n-alkanes. With increasing thermal maturation, three forms of the n-C 37 and n-C 38 skeletons are relatively stable (saturated hydrocarbons, 1,2-di- n-alkylbenzenes and saturated ketones), whereas the S- and O-bound skeletons are relatively labile. These results suggest that in natural situations saturated ketones with an n-C 37 and n-C 38 skeleton can be expected as well as the corresponding hydrocarbons.

Sulphur and oxygen sequestration of n-C37 and n-C38 unsaturated ketones in an immature kerogen and the release of their carbon skeletons during early stages of thermal maturation

Science.gov (United States)

Koopmans, M.P.; Schaeffer-Reiss, C.; De Leeuw, J. W.; Lewan, M.D.; Maxwell, J.R.; Schaeffer, P.; Sinninghe, Damste J.S.

1997-01-01

Sedimentary rock from the Gessoso-solfifera Formation (Messinian) in the Vena del Gesso Basin (northern Italy) containing immature (Ro = 0.25%) S-rich organic matter was artificially matured by hydrous pyrolysis at temperatures from 160 to 330??C for 72 h to study the diagenetic fate of n-C37 and n-C38 di-and tri-unsaturated methyl and ethyl ketones (alkenones) biosynthesised by several prymnesiophyte algae. During early diagenesis, the alkenones are incorporated into the kerogen by both sulphur and oxygen cross-linking as indicated by chemical degradation experiments with the kerogen of the unheated sample. Heating at temperatures between 160 and 260??C, which still represents early stages of thermal maturation, produces large amounts (up to 1 mg/g TOC) of S-bound, O-bound, and both S-and O-bound n-C37 and n-C38 skeletons, saturated n-C37 and n-C38 methyl, ethyl, and mid-chain ketones, C37 and C38 mid-chain 2,5-di-n-alkylthiophenes, C37 and C38 1,2-di-n-alkylbenzenes, and C37 and C38 n-alkanes. With increasing thermal maturation, three forms of the n-C37 and n-C38 skeletons are relatively stable (saturated hydrocarbons, 1,2-di-n-alkylbenzenes and saturated ketones), whereas the S-and O-bound skeletons are relatively labile. These results suggest that in natural situations saturated ketones with an n-C37 and n-C38 skeleton can be expected as well as the corresponding hydrocarbons. Copyright ?? 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Correlation of results of skeleton gammagraphy with CEA and TPA levels in mammary gland carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makaiova, I.; Kausitz, J.; Hupka, S.; Michalikova, B.; Vivodova, M.; Simko, S.; Urbanova, M.; Bohunicky, L.

1986-01-01

A comparison is submitted of the results obtained with whole-body skeleton gammagraphy using 99m Tc-MDP and levels of carcinoembryonic antigen and tissue polypeptide antigen in 147 patients with breast cancer. In 123 cases (83.7%) the results agreed, i.e., in 72 patients the negative results and in 51 patients the positive results of skeleton gammagraphy with at least one of the above tumor markers. In other 15 cases (10.2%) the positivity of the tumor marker was confirmed by extraosseous tumor manifestations. The reasons are discussed of possible disagreement in the results and a preliminary thought is proposed on the use of assessment of tumor antigen levels in combination with skeleton gammagraphy and other imaging methods, in monitoring patients with breast cancer. (author)

Complex diagnostic approaches in metastases of tumors in skeleton. VII

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bek, V.; Stepan, J.; Hausner, P.; Vosecky, M.; Konopasek, B.; Novy, F.

1987-01-01

In addition to the current methods of imaging the skeleton and of histomorphological and cytomorphological examinations of the bone marrow and the bone tissue, an ever growing attention is devoted to humoral factors affecting the metabolism of the skeleton. Prostaglandins, or in a broader sense, eicosanoids are in the forefront of the attention. Their relations is studied to immune and endocrine mechanisms and to growth factors (TGF (transforming growth factor), EDF (epidermal growth factor), PDGF (platelet derived growth factor)). Specific monoclonal antibodies to the membrane and cytoplasma structures of malignant cells represent an important shift towards improved detection of disseminated tumor cells in the bone marrow. Computerized tomography and nuclear magnetic resonance contribute to improved definition in bone diagnosis. The condition of bone metabolism can be assessed by whole-body retention using technetium-labelled phosphate complexes. The methods offering information on the state of blood supply for the skeleton are also important. Common tests of bone marrow metastasis detection combine with the determination of the presence of tumor markers (CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen), TPA (tissue polypeptide antigen), plasminogen activator, polyamine, etc.). Upon heterogeneity of cell populations in the tumor, an urgent need arises for the clinician to penetrate down to the cellular and the subcellular levels of the malignant growth with the aim of identifying biological potency of the individual cell clones, including their capability of produce and proliferate metastases. We are approaching this desirable target through the flow cytometry method. (author). 30 refs

Anabolic effects of IGF-1 signaling on the skeleton

Science.gov (United States)

Tahimic, Candice G. T.; Wang, Yongmei; Bikle, Daniel D.

2013-01-01

This review focuses on the anabolic effects of IGF-1 signaling on the skeleton, emphasizing the requirement for IGF-1 signaling in normal bone formation and remodeling. We first discuss the genomic context, splicing variants, and species conservation of the IGF-1 locus. The modulation of IGF-1 action by growth hormone (GH) is then reviewed while also discussing the current model which takes into account the GH-independent actions of IGF-1. Next, the skeletal phenotypes of IGF-1-deficient animals are described in both embryonic and postnatal stages of development, which include severe dwarfism and an undermineralized skeleton. We then highlight two mechanisms by which IGF-1 exerts its anabolic action on the skeleton. Firstly, the role of IGF-1 signaling in the modulation of anabolic effects of parathyroid hormone (PTH) on bone will be discussed, presenting in vitro and in vivo studies that establish this concept and the proposed underlying molecular mechanisms involving Indian hedgehog (Ihh) and the ephrins. Secondly, the crosstalk of IGF-1 signaling with mechanosensing pathways will be discussed, beginning with the observation that animals subjected to skeletal unloading by hindlimb elevation are unable to mitigate cessation of bone growth despite infusion with IGF-1 and the failure of IGF-1 to activate its receptor in bone marrow stromal cell cultures from unloaded bone. Disrupted crosstalk between IGF-1 signaling and the integrin mechanotransduction pathways is discussed as one of the potential mechanisms for this IGF-1 resistance. Next, emerging paradigms on bone-muscle crosstalk are examined, focusing on the potential role of IGF-1 signaling in modulating such interactions. Finally, we present a future outlook on IGF research. PMID:23382729

Surface-seeking radionuclides in the skeleton: current approach and recent developments in biokinetic modelling for humans and beagles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luciani, A.; Polig, E.

2007-01-01

In the last decade, the biokinetics of surface-seeking radionuclides in the skeleton has been the object of several studies. Investigations were carried out to determine the kinetics of plutonium and americium in the skeleton of humans and beagles. As a result of these investigations, in recent years the models presented by ICRP in Publication 67 for humans were partially revised, particularly the skeletal part. The aim of the present work is to present recent developments in the biokinetic modelling of surface-seeking radionuclides (plutonium and americium) in beagles and humans. Various assumptions and physiological interpretations of the different approaches to the biokinetic modelling of the skeleton are discussed. Current ICRP concepts and skeleton modelling of plutonium and americium in humans are compared to the latest developments in biokinetic modelling in beagles. (authors)

Cerebral water and ion balance remains stable when humans are exposed to acute hypoxic exercise

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Avnstorp, Magnus B; Rasmussen, Peter; Brassard, Patrice

2015-01-01

both circumstances. No cerebral net exchange of Na(+) or K(+) was evident. Likewise, no significant net-exchange of water over the brain was demonstrated and the arterial and jugular venous hemoglobin concentrations were similar. CONCLUSION: Challenging exercise in hypoxia for 30 min affected muscle......Avnstorp, Magnus B., Peter Rasmussen, Patrice Brassard, Thomas Seifert, Morten Overgaard, Peter Krustrup, Niels H. Secher, and Nikolai B. Nordsborg. Cerebral water and ion balance remains stable when humans are exposed to acute hypoxic exercise. High Alt Med Biol 16:000-000, 2015.-Background...... intense exercise is carried out in hypoxia and monitored the influence of muscle metabolism for changes in arterial variables. METHODS: On two separate days, in random order, 30 min cycling exercise was performed in either hypoxia (10% O2) or normoxia at an intensity that was exhaustive in the hypoxic...

Highly stable carbon coated Mg2Si intermetallic nanoparticles for lithium-ion battery anode

Science.gov (United States)

Tamirat, Andebet Gedamu; Hou, Mengyan; Liu, Yao; Bin, Duan; Sun, Yunhe; Fan, Long; Wang, Yonggang; Xia, Yongyao

2018-04-01

Silicon is an ideal candidate anode material for Li-ion batteries (LIBs). However, it suffers from rapid capacity fading due to large volume expansion upon lithium insertion. Herein, we design and fabricate highly stable carbon coated porous Mg2Si intermetallic anode material using facile mechano-thermal technique followed by carbon coating using thermal vapour deposition (TVD), toluene as carbon source. The electrode exhibits an excellent first reversible capacity of 726 mAh g-1 at a rate of 100 mA g-1. More importantly, the electrode demonstrates high rate capability (380 mAh g-1 at high rate of 2 A g-1) as well as high cycle stability, with capacity retentions of 65% over 500 cycles. These improvements are attributable to both Mg supporting medium and the uniform carbon coating, which can effectively increase the conductivity and electronic contact of the active material and protects large volume alterations during the electrochemical cycling process.

Sphere-shaped hierarchical cathode with enhanced growth of nanocrystal planes for high-rate and cycling-stable li-ion batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Linjing; Li, Ning; Wu, Borong; Xu, Hongliang; Wang, Lei; Yang, Xiao-Qing; Wu, Feng

2015-01-14

High-energy and high-power Li-ion batteries have been intensively pursued as power sources in electronic vehicles and renewable energy storage systems in smart grids. With this purpose, developing high-performance cathode materials is urgently needed. Here we report an easy and versatile strategy to fabricate high-rate and cycling-stable hierarchical sphered cathode Li(1.2)Ni(0.13)Mn(0.54)Co(0.13)O2, by using an ionic interfusion method. The sphere-shaped hierarchical cathode is assembled with primary nanoplates with enhanced growth of nanocrystal planes in favor of Li(+) intercalation/deintercalation, such as (010), (100), and (110) planes. This material with such unique structural features exhibits outstanding rate capability, cyclability, and high discharge capacities, achieving around 70% (175 mAh g(-1)) of the capacity at 0.1 C rate within about 2.1 min of ultrafast charging. Such cathode is feasible to construct high-energy and high-power Li-ion batteries.

HuAc: Human Activity Recognition Using Crowdsourced WiFi Signals and Skeleton Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linlin Guo

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The joint of WiFi-based and vision-based human activity recognition has attracted increasing attention in the human-computer interaction, smart home, and security monitoring fields. We propose HuAc, the combination of WiFi-based and Kinect-based activity recognition system, to sense human activity in an indoor environment with occlusion, weak light, and different perspectives. We first construct a WiFi-based activity recognition dataset named WiAR to provide a benchmark for WiFi-based activity recognition. Then, we design a mechanism of subcarrier selection according to the sensitivity of subcarriers to human activities. Moreover, we optimize the spatial relationship of adjacent skeleton joints and draw out a corresponding relationship between CSI and skeleton-based activity recognition. Finally, we explore the fusion information of CSI and crowdsourced skeleton joints to achieve the robustness of human activity recognition. We implemented HuAc using commercial WiFi devices and evaluated it in three kinds of scenarios. Our results show that HuAc achieves an average accuracy of greater than 93% using WiAR dataset.

Who Believes in the Giant Skeleton Myth? An Examination of Individual Difference Correlates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viren Swami

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This study examined individual difference correlates of belief in a narrative about the discovery of giant skeletal remains that contravenes mainstream scientific explanations. A total of 364 participants from Central Europe completed a survey that asked them to rate their agreement with a short excerpt describing the giant skeleton myth. Participants also completed measures of the Big Five personality factors, New Age orientation, anti-scientific attitudes, superstitious beliefs, and religiosity. Results showed that women, as compared with men, and respondents with lower educational qualifications were significantly more likely to believe in the giant skeleton myth, although effect sizes were small. Correlational analysis showed that stronger belief in the giant skeleton myth was significantly associated with greater anti-scientific attitudes, stronger New Age orientation, greater religiosity, stronger superstitious beliefs, lower Openness to Experience scores, and higher Neuroticism scores. However, a multiple regression showed that the only significant predictors of belief in myth were Openness, New Age orientation, and anti-scientific attitudes. These results are discussed in relation to the potential negative consequences of belief in myths.

Semi-Automatic Construction of Skeleton Concept Maps from Case Judgments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boer, A.; Sijtsma, B.; Winkels, R.; Lettieri, N.

2014-01-01

This paper proposes an approach to generating Skeleton Conceptual Maps (SCM) semi automatically from legal case documents provided by the United Kingdom’s Supreme Court. SCM are incomplete knowledge representations for the purpose of scaffolding learning. The proposed system intends to provide

Multiply charged ions from solid substances with the mVINIS Ion Source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dragani, I; Nedeljkovi, T; Jovovi, J; Siljegovic, M; Dobrosavljevic, A

2007-01-01

We have used the well known metal-ions-from-volatile-compounds (MIVOC) method at the mVINIS Ion Source to produce the multiply charged ion beams form solid substances. Based on this method the very intense and stable multiply charged ion beams of several solid substances having the high melting points were extracted. The ion yields and the spectra of multiply charged ion beams obtained from solid materials like Fe and Hf will be presented. We have utilized the multiply charged ion beams from solid substances to irradiate the polymers, fullerenes and glassy carbon at the low energy channel for modification of materials

Stable propagation of light-ion beam in inertial confinement fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okada, T.; Murakami, H.

1996-01-01

The stabilization mechanism of the filamentation instability for a light ion beam (LIB) penetrating plasma is investigated. For the stabilization of the filamentation instability, external magnetic field which is parallel to the direction of the light ion beam propagation is applied. Linear growth rates of filamentation instabilities in a light ion beam-plasma system with an external magnetic field were obtained by means of a dispersion relation. Numerical simulations were carried out using the particle-in-cell (PIC) method. The stabilizing mechanism of the filamentation instability is described. The theory and simulation comparisons illustrate the results. (author). 1 tab., 1 fig., 10 refs

Stable propagation of light-ion beam in inertial confinement fusion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Okada, T; Murakami, H [Tokyo Univ. of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei (Japan). Faculty of Technology

1997-12-31

The stabilization mechanism of the filamentation instability for a light ion beam (LIB) penetrating plasma is investigated. For the stabilization of the filamentation instability, external magnetic field which is parallel to the direction of the light ion beam propagation is applied. Linear growth rates of filamentation instabilities in a light ion beam-plasma system with an external magnetic field were obtained by means of a dispersion relation. Numerical simulations were carried out using the particle-in-cell (PIC) method. The stabilizing mechanism of the filamentation instability is described. The theory and simulation comparisons illustrate the results. (author). 1 tab., 1 fig., 10 refs.

Study of some ion exchange minerals which can be used in water at high temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hure, J.; Platzer, R.; Bittel, R.; Wey, R.

1958-01-01

The study of the use of ion exchangers at high temperature has been carried out mainly with a view to purifying water in reactor circuits. The advantages of keeping high resistivity (from many hundreds to a few million ohm-cm) water within a reactor circuit are known; the decreased corrosion reduction in the amount of radiolysis, decreased radioactivity in the circuits and piping, the elements other than those forming water which are carried with the water usually becoming radioactive as they pass through the reactor. If the water circulation takes place at temperatures less than 75 deg. C continuous purification can be easily carried out by using organic ion exchange resins in agitated beds. However at higher temperatures particularly those above 100 deg. C it is not possible to use these media because of the rapid degradation of the high polymers used. Also the action of the radiation, for example that emanating from the products fixed on the ion exchange media permanently destroys the organic chains making up the skeleton of the resins. We have therefore sought after other compounds which are efficient demineralizer, but which have a structure such that high temperature and radiation do not bring about deterioration. We have especially investigated three main types: - natural ion exchangers having an inorganic structure (montmorillonite type clays); - natural inorganic compounds which have been treated to give them ion exchange properties (activated carbons); - synthetic inorganic compounds (salts having a low solubility such as zirconium and thorium phosphates and hydroxides). In this research we have endeavoured to obtain products which are stable in the presence of water at high temperatures, insoluble and not broken down into fine particles (that is to say not polluting the high resistivity water) and which are capable of giving up H + or OH - ions in exchange for the ions contained in the water or at least capable of forming insoluble compounds with these

Anatomical investigation on the appendicular skeleton of the cattle ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The pes consists of tibiotarsus, tarsometatarsus and four pedal digits. The tibiotarsus is longer than the femur. The spur is not found in the male bird. Conclusion: The skeleton of the cattle egret has a unique conformation that accommodates its ability to flight as well as being an insectivorous animal. Key words: Anatomy ...

Segmentation and visual analysis of whole-body mouse skeleton microSPECT.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Artem Khmelinskii

Full Text Available Whole-body SPECT small animal imaging is used to study cancer, and plays an important role in the development of new drugs. Comparing and exploring whole-body datasets can be a difficult and time-consuming task due to the inherent heterogeneity of the data (high volume/throughput, multi-modality, postural and positioning variability. The goal of this study was to provide a method to align and compare side-by-side multiple whole-body skeleton SPECT datasets in a common reference, thus eliminating acquisition variability that exists between the subjects in cross-sectional and multi-modal studies. Six whole-body SPECT/CT datasets of BALB/c mice injected with bone targeting tracers (99mTc-methylene diphosphonate ((99mTc-MDP and (99mTc-hydroxymethane diphosphonate ((99mTc-HDP were used to evaluate the proposed method. An articulated version of the MOBY whole-body mouse atlas was used as a common reference. Its individual bones were registered one-by-one to the skeleton extracted from the acquired SPECT data following an anatomical hierarchical tree. Sequential registration was used while constraining the local degrees of freedom (DoFs of each bone in accordance to the type of joint and its range of motion. The Articulated Planar Reformation (APR algorithm was applied to the segmented data for side-by-side change visualization and comparison of data. To quantitatively evaluate the proposed algorithm, bone segmentations of extracted skeletons from the correspondent CT datasets were used. Euclidean point to surface distances between each dataset and the MOBY atlas were calculated. The obtained results indicate that after registration, the mean Euclidean distance decreased from 11.5±12.1 to 2.6±2.1 voxels. The proposed approach yielded satisfactory segmentation results with minimal user intervention. It proved to be robust for "incomplete" data (large chunks of skeleton missing and for an intuitive exploration and comparison of multi-modal SPECT

Talent identification and deliberate programming in skeleton: ice novice to Winter Olympian in 14 months.

Science.gov (United States)

Bullock, Nicola; Gulbin, Jason P; Martin, David T; Ross, Angus; Holland, Terry; Marino, Frank

2009-02-15

The aims of this study were to talent transfer, rapidly develop, and qualify an Australian female athlete in the skeleton event at the 2006 Torino Winter Olympic Games and quantify the volume of skeleton-specific training and competition that would enable this to be achieved. Initially, 26 athletes were recruited through a talent identification programme based on their 30-m sprint time. After attending a selection camp, 10 athletes were invited to undertake an intensified skeleton training programme. Four of these athletes were then selected to compete for Australia on the World Cup circuit. All completed runs and simulated push starts were documented over a 14-month period. The athlete who eventually represented Australia at the Torino Winter Olympic Games did so following approximately 300 start simulations and about 220 training/competition runs over a period of 14 months. Using a deliberate programming model, these findings provide a guide to the minimum exposure required for a novice skeleton athlete to reach Olympic representative standard following intensified sport-specific training. The findings of this study are discussed in the context of the deliberate practice theory and offer the term "deliberate programming" as an alternative way of incorporating all aspects of expert development.

NMR examinations of the facial skeleton. Pt. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grodd, W.; Lenz, M.; Baumann, R.; Schroth, G.

1984-01-01

The resolution of NMR and CT was compared using axial sections of the normal anatomic structures of the facial skeleton. Is was shown that NMR was superior in differentiating muscles, tonsils, mucosa, lymph nodes and blood vessels. The demonstration of bone and its differentiation from air-containing spaces is often difficult. Metallic, non-ferromagnetic dental fillings, which cause serious artefacts on CT, do not after NMR. (orig.) [de

Enhancing start performance in the sport of skeleton

OpenAIRE

Colyer, Steffi

2015-01-01

A fast start is considered to be crucial in skeleton with marginal gains in start performance perceived to make meaningful improvements to overall chances of success. Currently, knowledge surrounding the underlying determinants of start performance is sparse and training practices are based on limited scientific evidence. A series of investigations were conducted to advance this understanding.Initial observations revealed similarities between dry-land push-starts and those on ice tracks. Howe...

Stable cyclic performance of nickel oxide–carbon composite anode for lithium-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Susantyoko, Rahmat Agung; Wang, Xinghui; Fan, Yu; Xiao, Qizhen; Fitzgerald, Eugene; Pey, Kin Leong; Zhang, Qing

2014-01-01

Nickel oxide (NiO) directly grown on nickel foam is regarded as a promising lithium ion battery anode material which shows good cyclic and rate performances with a theoretical specific capacity of 718 mA h g −1 . In this study, we demonstrated a carbon-incorporated NiO anode (NiO–C) with a capacity per unit area of 2.11 mA h cm −2 and 1.76 mA h cm −2 at 0.2 C and 0.5 C rates, respectively, fabricated by thermal oxidation of carbon coated nickel foam. The specific capacity of our NiO–C composite samples at 0.5 C rate is found to be typically 389.16 mA h g −1 , with a stable cyclic performance up to more than 100 cycles. This remarkable performance is apparently superior to the control samples of pure NiO samples. The improved performance is contributed to carbon incorporation which serves as a fluent channel for electrons and a flexible network preventing NiO nanostructures from structural deformation during charge and discharge processes. The advantage of using our approach is the easy preparation of the NiO–C composite using a simple two-step process: chemical vapor deposition of ethanol and annealing in air. - Highlights: • We demonstrated a directly grown NiO–C anode on nickel foam substrate. • NiO–C anode was made using simple processes: CVD of ethanol and annealing in air. • The NiO–C anode has a stable cycle life up to 102 cycles. • It has an acceptable areal capacity (1.76 mA h cm −2 at 0.5 C rate) for practical use. • Carbon provides electrons path and buffering matrix preventing NiO pulverization

Morphological analysis of mouse skeleton following AZD4547 treatment

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Dosedělová, Hana; Veselá, Iva; Krejčí, P.; Kunová, M.; Buchtová, Marcela

2015-01-01

Roč. 159, Suppl 1 (2015), s. 58-59 ISSN 1213-8118. [Morphology 2015. International Congress of the Czech Anatomical Society /49./. Lojda Symposium on Histochemistry /52./. 06.09.2015-08.09.2015, Olomouc] R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-31540S Institutional support: RVO:67985904 Keywords : mouse skeleton Subject RIV: EA - Cell Biology

Identification through osteometric data on three radium-burdened skeletons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farnham, J.E.; Forkal, J.W.

1981-01-01

The skeletal remains of four persons of uncertain identity were disinterred from a family grave. The weight and description morphological traits of each bone were recorded, as were the lengths of the long bones. Analyses of these data, combined with information obtained from medical records and disinterment reports, led to the specific identification of each skeleton

Wave Equation Inversion of Skeletonized SurfaceWaves

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Zhendong

2015-08-19

We present a surface-wave inversion method that inverts for the S-wave velocity from the Rayleigh dispersion curve for the fundamental-mode. We call this wave equation inversion of skeletonized surface waves because the dispersion curve for the fundamental-mode Rayleigh wave is inverted using finite-difference solutions to the wave equation. The best match between the predicted and observed dispersion curves provides the optimal S-wave velocity model. Results with synthetic and field data illustrate the benefits and limitations of this method.

Heterocyclic Naphthalimides as New Skeleton Structure of Compounds with Increasingly Expanding Relational Medicinal Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Huo-Hui; Addla, Dinesh; Lv, Jing-Song; Zhou, Cheng-He

2016-01-01

Naphthalimide compounds are an important type of nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocycles with cyclic double imides and the naphthalene framework. This π-deficient large conjugated planar structure enables naphthalimide derivatives to readily interact with various biological cations, anions, small molecules and macromolecules such as DNAs, enzymes and recetors in living organism via noncovalent bonds, therefore exhibiting extensive potentiality in relatively medicinal applications. Currently, some naphthalimides as anticancer agents have entered into clinical trials and other naphthalimide-based medicinal developments as potential drugs for treatment of various diseases are actively and unprecedentedly expanding. Naphthalimide-derived artificial ion receptors, fluorescent probes and cell imaging agents are being overwhelmingly investigated and have a diversity of potential applications in real-time detecting ions and biomolecules, understanding biological processes and determining pharmacological and pharmacokinetic properties. All the above mentions have strongly implied that naphthalimide-based derivatives as new skeleton structure of compounds possess increasingly expanding relational medicinal applications, and the related research is becoming a quite attractive active topic and newly rising highlight. Combining with our research and referring other works from literature, this work systematically reviews the current research and development of heterocyclic naphthalimides as anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant agents as well as artificial cation and anion receptors, diagnostic agents and pathologic probes, and cell imaging agents for biologically important species. Some rational design strategies, structure-activity relationships and action mechanisms are discussed. The perspectives of the future development of naphthalimide-based medicinal chemistry are also presented.

Metal ion-improved complexation countercurrent chromatography for enantioseparation of dihydroflavone enantiomers.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Chao; Wang, Wenli; Xue, Guimin; Xu, Dingqiao; Zhu, Tianyu; Wang, Shanshan; Cai, Pei; Luo, Jianguang; Kong, Lingyi

2018-01-12

Cu(II) ion was selected as an additive to improve the enantioseparation efficiency of three dihydroflavone enantiomers in high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC), using hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CyD) as the chiral selector. The influences of important parameters, including the metal ion, the concentrations of HP-β-CyD and the Cu(II) ion, and the sample size were investigated. Under optimal conditions, three dihydroflavone enantiomers, including (±)-hesperetin, (±)-naringenin, and (±)-farrerol, were successfully enantioseparated. The chiral recognition mechanism was investigated. The enantioseparation was attributed to the different thermodynamic stabilities of the binary complexes of HP-β-CyD and (±)-hesperetin, and Cu(II) ion could enhance this difference by forming ternary complexes with the binary complexes. This Cu(II) ion-improved complexation HSCCC system exhibited improved performance for chiral separation, and therefore it has great application potential in the preparative enantioseparation of other compounds with similar skeletons. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification of stable endogenous control genes for transcriptional profiling of photon, proton and carbon-ion irradiated cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharungbam, Geeta D; Schwager, Christian; Chiblak, Sara; Brons, Stephan; Hlatky, Lynn; Haberer, Thomas; Debus, Jürgen; Abdollahi, Amir

2012-01-01

Quantitative analysis of transcriptional regulation of genes is a prerequisite for a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of action of different radiation qualities such as photon, proton or carbon ion irradiation. Microarrays and real-time quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) are considered the two cornerstones of gene expression analysis. In interpreting these results it is critical to normalize the expression levels of the target genes by that of appropriately selected endogenous control genes (ECGs) or housekeeping genes. We sought to systematically investigate common ECG candidates for their stability after different radiation modalities in different human cell lines by qRT-PCR. We aimed to identify the most robust set of ECGs or housekeeping genes for transcriptional analysis in irradiation studies. We tested the expression stability of 32 ECGs in three human cancer cell lines. The epidermoid carcinoma cells (A431), the non small cell lung carcinoma cells (A549) and the pancreatic adenocarincoma cells (BxPC3) were irradiated with photon, proton and carbon ions. Expression Heat maps, clustering and statistic algorithms were employed using SUMO software package. The expression stability was evaluated by computing: mean, standard deviation, ANOVA, coefficient of variation and the stability measure (M) given by the geNorm algorithm. Expression analysis revealed significant cell type specific regulation of 18 out of 32 ECGs (p < 0.05). A549 and A431 cells shared a similar pattern of ECG expression as the function of different radiation qualities as compared to BxPC3. Of note, the ribosomal protein 18S, one of the most frequently used ECG, was differentially regulated as the function of different radiation qualities (p ≤ 0.01). A comprehensive search for the most stable ECGs using the geNorm algorithm identified 3 ECGs for A431 and BxPC3 to be sufficient for normalization. In contrast, 6 ECGs were required to properly normalize expression data in the more

Energy Properties of Ion Acoustic Waves in Stable and Unstable Plasmas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Vagn Orla; Lynov, Jens-Peter

1979-01-01

Energy exchange between potential energy and ion kinetic energy in an ion acoustic wave is considered. In order to investigate the linear Landau damping or growth, the energy is calculated by use of first‐order quantities only so that nonlinear effects are not involved. It is found that for ion...... acoustic waves that are growing or damped in space the time average of the sum of the potential and the kinetic energy density is independent of position. Energy absorption spectra in particle velocity space are calculated; they are relatively broad and complicated functions. This shows that plasma ions...... of all velocities exchange energy with the wave....

An Augmented Fast Marching Method for Computing Skeletons and Centerlines

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Telea, Alexandru; Wijk, Jarke J. van

2002-01-01

We present a simple and robust method for computing skeletons for arbitrary planar objects and centerlines for 3D objects. We augment the Fast Marching Method (FMM) widely used in level set applications by computing the paramterized boundary location every pixel came from during the boundary

Development of stable isotope manufacturing in Russia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pokidychev, A.; Pokidycheva, M.

1999-01-01

For the past 25 years, Russia has relied heavily on the electromagnetic separation process for the production of middle and heavy mass stable isotopes. The separation of most light isotopes had been centered in Georgia which, after the collapse of the USSR, left Russia without this capability. In the mid-1970s, development of centrifuge technology for the separation of stable isotopes was begun. Alternative techniques such as laser separation, physical-chemical methods, and ion cyclotron resonance have also been investigated. Economic considerations have played a major role in the development and current status of the stable isotope enrichment capabilities of Russia

Uranium in coral skeletons determined by epithermal neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohde, S.; Hossain, M.M.M.; Ozaki, H.; Masuzawa, T.

2003-01-01

A simple and non-destructive method has been proposed for the routine determination of uranium by epithermal neutron activation analysis in coral skeletons. Using a cadmium capsule, about 0.1-0.2 g samples were irradiated for 6 hours in the Triga Mark II Reactor. Measurements of γ-ray ( 239 Np via 239 U) were performed with each sample and standard after cooling for about three days. Compared with a non-destructive thermal NAA, the present method was found to improve the sensitivity because it reduced the intense Compton background induced by 24 Na. Uranium in coral standards was determined within 2% of analytical precision. The data obtained for the carbonate standards are mostly consistent with reported values. The present method could be usefully applied to determine uranium contents in fossil corals from the Funafuti Atoll in the Pacific. The distribution of uranium between seawater and coral skeletons is also discussed in order to understand the environmental media in which the coral grew. (author)

Skeletonized wave-equation inversion for Q

KAUST Repository

Dutta, Gaurav

2016-09-06

A wave-equation gradient optimization method is presented that inverts for the subsurface Q distribution by minimizing a skeletonized misfit function ε. Here, ε is the sum of the squared differences between the observed and the predicted peak/centroid frequency shifts of the early-arrivals. The gradient is computed by migrating the observed traces weighted by the frequency-shift residuals. The background Q model is perturbed until the predicted and the observed traces have the same peak frequencies or the same centroid frequencies. Numerical tests show that an improved accuracy of the inverted Q model by wave-equation Q tomography (WQ) leads to a noticeable improvement in the migration image quality.

Skeletonized wave-equation inversion for Q

KAUST Repository

Dutta, Gaurav; Schuster, Gerard T.

2016-01-01

A wave-equation gradient optimization method is presented that inverts for the subsurface Q distribution by minimizing a skeletonized misfit function ε. Here, ε is the sum of the squared differences between the observed and the predicted peak/centroid frequency shifts of the early-arrivals. The gradient is computed by migrating the observed traces weighted by the frequency-shift residuals. The background Q model is perturbed until the predicted and the observed traces have the same peak frequencies or the same centroid frequencies. Numerical tests show that an improved accuracy of the inverted Q model by wave-equation Q tomography (WQ) leads to a noticeable improvement in the migration image quality.

Continual reassessment method for dose escalation clinical trials in oncology: a comparison of prior skeleton approaches using AZD3514 data.

Science.gov (United States)

James, Gareth D; Symeonides, Stefan N; Marshall, Jayne; Young, Julia; Clack, Glen

2016-08-31

The continual reassessment method (CRM) requires an underlying model of the dose-toxicity relationship ("prior skeleton") and there is limited guidance of what this should be when little is known about this association. In this manuscript the impact of applying the CRM with different prior skeleton approaches and the 3 + 3 method are compared in terms of ability to determine the true maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and number of patients allocated to sub-optimal and toxic doses. Post-hoc dose-escalation analyses on real-life clinical trial data on an early oncology compound (AZD3514), using the 3 + 3 method and CRM using six different prior skeleton approaches. All methods correctly identified the true MTD. The 3 + 3 method allocated six patients to both sub-optimal and toxic doses. All CRM approaches allocated four patients to sub-optimal doses. No patients were allocated to toxic doses from sigmoidal, two from conservative and five from other approaches. Prior skeletons for the CRM for phase 1 clinical trials are proposed in this manuscript and applied to a real clinical trial dataset. Highly accurate initial skeleton estimates may not be essential to determine the true MTD, and, as expected, all CRM methods out-performed the 3 + 3 method. There were differences in performance between skeletons. The choice of skeleton should depend on whether minimizing the number of patients allocated to suboptimal or toxic doses is more important. NCT01162395 , Trial date of first registration: July 13, 2010.

Distribution of 239Pu and 241Am in the human skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McInroy, J.F.; Swint, M.J.

1984-01-01

The 241 Am and 239 Pu distribution in the skeletons of two former nuclear workers has been measured. The skeletons of both individuals appear to be within normal limits for Caucasian men about 50 y old. Both had lower limb bones that were heavier than the age controls and Case I had upper-body bones that were lighter than the age control group. The distribution of americium in the skeleton of Case I, 25 years post exposure, indicated that a more rapid turnover of initially deposited americium on the bone surfaces of cancellous bone, as compared to that deposited on the bone surfaces of compact bone, had occurred. This resulted in a larger proportion of americium located in the compact bone of the extremities and a lesser quantity in the more cancellous bones of the vertebral column, pelvis and rib cage. A similar shift in the distribution of plutonium occurred in Case II in the 35 y since initial deposition, but at a slower rate than that for americium. The ratio of each actinide in the liver to that in the systemic system (liver content/systemic system content) was 0.065 and 0.436, for americium and plutonium, respectively, suggesting that a much more rapid turnover of americium in the liver, compared to plutonium, provided a much larger fraction of that nuclide for circulatory feedback to the remodeling skeletal system. 8 references, 3 tables

Reversibility of Pt-Skin and Pt-Skeleton Nanostructures in Acidic Media.

Science.gov (United States)

Durst, Julien; Lopez-Haro, Miguel; Dubau, Laetitia; Chatenet, Marian; Soldo-Olivier, Yvonne; Guétaz, Laure; Bayle-Guillemaud, Pascale; Maillard, Frédéric

2014-02-06

Following a well-defined series of acid and heat treatments on a benchmark Pt3Co/C sample, three different nanostructures of interest for the electrocatalysis of the oxygen reduction reaction were tailored. These nanostructures could be sorted into the "Pt-skin" structure, made of one pure Pt overlayer, and the "Pt-skeleton" structure, made of 2-3 Pt overlayers surrounding the Pt-Co alloy core. Using a unique combination of high-resolution aberration-corrected STEM-EELS, XRD, EXAFS, and XANES measurements, we provide atomically resolved pictures of these different nanostructures, including measurement of the Pt-shell thickness forming in acidic media and the resulting changes of the bulk and core chemical composition. It is shown that the Pt-skin is reverted toward the Pt-skeleton upon contact with acid electrolyte. This change in structure causes strong variations of the chemical composition.

Historic timber skeleton structures and the local seismic culture

Science.gov (United States)

Bostenaru, M.

2009-04-01

This presentation deals with the employment of timber skeleton structure and the local seismic culture. After the 1755 earthquake in the reconstruction of Lisbon a type of building with timber skeleton and masonry infill called "gaiola pombalina" was promoted, since this was designed to better resists earthquakes. "Gaiola" means cage, and it was also named after the Marques de Pombal who introduced it in the reconstruction following the earthquake. The „gaiola pombalina" presents a timber skeleton with Saint Andrew crosses in the interior walls with masonry infill and thick masonry load bearing walls loosing in thickness to the upper floors in the exterior walls. The masonry can fall out during earthquakes but the building remains staying given the interior timber skeleton. The type of buildings with timber structure and (masonry) infill behaved well in earthquakes in various parts of the earth, like Nepal (the dhaji dewary type), Pakistan, Turkey (the himiş type after the 1999 earthquake) [both latter types were researched by Langenbach, www.conservationtech.com and www.traditional-is-modern.net] and also in Germany after the 1356 earthquake (the Southern German subtype of Fachwerk). Also in Italy a subtype called "casa baraccata" was promoted in a construction code to a similar time (following the 1783 earthquake in Southern Italy, see Tobriner 1983) as that of the "gaiola pombalina", the time of the Baroque, when town planning acquired another status. Unlike at the "gaiola pombalina" the "casa baraccata" the timber skeleton is at the exterior walls. For this reason this type of buildings is considered to be an expression of the local seismic culture. However, this type of buildings is common also for areas where seismic risk is not an issue, like half-timbered in England and the northern subtype of Fachwerk in Northern Germany, and in some high seismic risk regions with mountains and timber resources like Romania is not spread. Given these premises the author

Learning about Skeletons and Other Organ Systems of Vertebrate Animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Tunnicliffe, Sue Dale; Reiss, Michael

1999-01-01

Describes students' (n=175) understandings of the structure of animal (including human) skeletons and the internal organs found in them. Finds that older students have a better knowledge of animals' internal anatomies, although knowledge of human internal structure is significantly better than knowledge of rat, bird, and fish internal structure.…

A Skeleton Based Programming Paradigm for Mobile Multi-Agents on Distributed Systems and Its Realization within the MAGDA Mobile Agents Platform

OpenAIRE

R. Aversa; B. Di Martino; N. Mazzocca; S. Venticinque

2008-01-01

Parallel programming effort can be reduced by using high level constructs such as algorithmic skeletons. Within the MAGDA toolset, supporting programming and execution of mobile agent based distributed applications, we provide a skeleton-based parallel programming environment, based on specialization of Algorithmic Skeleton Java interfaces and classes. Their implementation include mobile agent features for execution on heterogeneous systems, such as clusters of WSs and PCs, and support reliab...

Stature estimation equations for South Asian skeletons based on DXA scans of contemporary adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Pomeroy, Emma; Mushrif-Tripathy, Veena; Wells, Jonathan C K; Kulkarni, Bharati; Kinra, Sanjay; Stock, Jay T

2018-05-03

Stature estimation from the skeleton is a classic anthropological problem, and recent years have seen the proliferation of population-specific regression equations. Many rely on the anatomical reconstruction of stature from archaeological skeletons to derive regression equations based on long bone lengths, but this requires a collection with very good preservation. In some regions, for example, South Asia, typical environmental conditions preclude the sufficient preservation of skeletal remains. Large-scale epidemiological studies that include medical imaging of the skeleton by techniques such as dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) offer new potential datasets for developing such equations. We derived estimation equations based on known height and bone lengths measured from DXA scans from the Andhra Pradesh Children and Parents Study (Hyderabad, India). Given debates on the most appropriate regression model to use, multiple methods were compared, and the performance of the equations was tested on a published skeletal dataset of individuals with known stature. The equations have standard errors of estimates and prediction errors similar to those derived using anatomical reconstruction or from cadaveric datasets. As measured by the number of significant differences between true and estimated stature, and the prediction errors, the new equations perform as well as, and generally better than, published equations commonly used on South Asian skeletons or based on Indian cadaveric datasets. This study demonstrates the utility of DXA scans as a data source for developing stature estimation equations and offer a new set of equations for use with South Asian datasets. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Entheseal changes and pathological lesions in draught reindeer skeletons - Four case studies from present-day Siberia.

Science.gov (United States)

Salmi, Anna-Kaisa; Niinimäki, Sirpa

2016-09-01

Draught use and being ridden often result in typical pathological patterns in animal skeletons. Moreover, physical activity patterns may be reflected in bone biomechanical properties and entheseal changes at muscle attachment sites. This paper presents the pathologies and entheseal changes observed in four draught and/or racing reindeer skeletons against information on their life histories and discusses the probability of linking the observed changes to their use. The results of this study are a useful point of comparison to researchers working on reindeer and other species of draught animals. However, our results also emphasize that entheseal changes and many pathologies have multifactorial etiologies and that interpretation of skeletal change patterns is not straightforward, even when there is information on the life history of the animal and its complete skeleton can be examined. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sulphur and oxygen sequestration of n-C{sub 37} and n-C{sub 38} unsaturated ketones in an immature kerogen and the release of their carbon skeletons during early stages of thermal maturation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koopmans, M.P.; De Leeuw, J.W.; Damste, J.S.S. [Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Den Burg (Netherlands)] [and others

1997-06-01

Sedimentary rock from the Gessoso-solfifera Formation (Messinian) in the Vena del Gesso Basin (northern Italy) containing immature (R{sub o} = 0.25%) S-rich organic matter was artificially matured by hydrous pyrolysis at temperatures from 160 to 330{degrees}C for 72 h to study the diagenetic fate of n-C{sub 37} and n-C{sub 38} di- and tri-unsaturated methyl and ethyl ketones (alkenones) biosynthesised by several prymnesiophyte algae. During early diagenesis, the alkenones are incorporated into the kerogen by both sulphur and oxygen cross-linking as indicated by chemical degradation experiments with the kerogen of the unheated sample. Heating at temperatures between 160 and 260{degrees}C, which still represents early stages of thermal maturation, produces large amounts (up to 1 mg/g TOC) of S-bound, O-bound, and both S- and O-bound n-C{sub 37} and n-C{sub 38} skeletons, saturated n-C{sub 37} and n-C{sub 38} methyl, ethyl, and mid-chain ketones, C{sub 37} and C{sub 38} mid-chain 2,5-di-n-alkylthiophenes, C{sub 37} and C{sub 38} 1,2-di-n-alkylbenzenes, and C{sub 37} and C{sub 38} n-alkanes. With increasing thermal maturation, three forms of the n-C{sub 37} and n-C{sub 38} skeletons are relatively stable (saturated hydrocarbons, 1,2-di-n-alkylbenzenes and saturated ketones), whereas the S- and O-bound skeletons are relatively labile. These results suggest that in natural situations saturated ketones with an n-C{sub 37} and n-C{sub 38} skeleton can be expected as well as the corresponding hydrocarbons. 58 refs., 8 figs., 2 tabs.

Skeleton tables of burnout heat flux

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirillov, P.L.; Bobkov, V.P.; Boltenko, Eh.A.; Vinogradov, V.N.; Katan, I.B.; Smogalev, I.P.

1991-01-01

New methods of generating and arranging new reference data on critical thermal flux density during steam and water mixture flow in vertical round fubes are discussed. The modern requirements to such data include the assessment of data reliability and error, internal agreement, validation by physical and mathematical models, verification using a large amount of experimental results. The available reference data feature a number of drawbacks: they are not accurate enough and are limited by the parameters; other data feature a significant spread in values at the neighbouring values of parameters, discrepancy with the experimental results, not always substantiated extrapolations. A new version of skeleton tables, which are free from a major part of above disadvantages, is proposed

Loss of calcium from axial and appendicular skeleton in patients with chronic renal failure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohn, S.H.; Ellis, K.J.; Caselnova, R.C.; Asad, S.N.; Letteri, J.M.

1974-01-01

The widespread prevalence of bone disease in chronic renal failure both prior to and during hemodialysis is an important aspect of uremia. Loss of bone mineral of the skeleton in renal disease can be measured directly by total-body neutron activation analysis (TBNAA). The absorptiometric technique, using monochromatic photons from 125 I, applied to the appendicular skeleton (radius) also reflects the loss of bone mineral content (BMC) in renal disease. The results of these two techniques were compared in 25 patients with renal insufficiency, 53 with end stage renal failure on dialysis, and 24 normal control subjects. (U.S.)

High-Temperature Stable Anatase Titanium Oxide Nanofibers for Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sangkyu; Eom, Wonsik; Park, Hun; Han, Tae Hee

2017-08-02

Control of the crystal structure of electrochemically active materials is an important approach to fabricating high-performance electrodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Here, we report a methodology for controlling the crystal structure of TiO 2 nanofibers by adding aluminum isopropoxide to a common sol-gel precursor solution utilized to create TiO 2 nanofibers. The introduction of aluminum cations impedes the phase transformation of electrospun TiO 2 nanofibers from the anatase to the rutile phase, which inevitably occurs in the typical annealing process utilized for the formation of TiO 2 crystals. As a result, high-temperature stable anatase TiO 2 nanofibers were created in which the crystal structure was well-maintained even at high annealing temperatures of up to 700 °C. Finally, the resulting anatase TiO 2 nanofibers were utilized to prepare LIB anodes, and their electrochemical performance was compared to pristine TiO 2 nanofibers that contain both anatase and rutile phases. Compared to the electrode prepared with pristine TiO 2 nanofibers, the electrode prepared with anatase TiO 2 nanofibers exhibited excellent electrochemical performances such as an initial Coulombic efficiency of 83.9%, a capacity retention of 89.5% after 100 cycles, and a rate capability of 48.5% at a current density of 10 C (1 C = 200 mA g -1 ).

Hybrid Compounds Strategy in the Synthesis of Oleanolic Acid Skeleton-NSAID Derivatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Pawełczyk

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The current study focuses on the synthesis of several hybrid individuals combining a natural oleanolic acid skeleton and synthetic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug moieties (NSAIDs. It studied structural modifications of the oleanolic acid structure by use of the direct reactivity of hydroxyl or hydroxyimino groups at position C-3 of the triterpenoid skeleton with the carboxylic function of anti-inflammatory drugs leading to new perspective compounds with high potential pharmacological activities. Novel ester- and iminoester-type derivatives of oleanolic unit with the different NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen, and ketoprofen, were obtained and characterized. Moreover, preliminary research of compounds obtaining structure stability under acidic conditions was examined and the PASS method of prediction of activity spectra for substances was used to estimate the potential biological activity of these compounds.

Oldest skeleton of a plesiadapiform provides additional evidence for an exclusively arboreal radiation of stem primates in the Palaeocene

Science.gov (United States)

Chester, Stephen G. B.; Williamson, Thomas E.; Bloch, Jonathan I.; Silcox, Mary T.; Sargis, Eric J.

2017-05-01

Palaechthonid plesiadapiforms from the Palaeocene of western North America have long been recognized as among the oldest and most primitive euarchontan mammals, a group that includes extant primates, colugos and treeshrews. Despite their relatively sparse fossil record, palaechthonids have played an important role in discussions surrounding adaptive scenarios for primate origins for nearly a half-century. Likewise, palaechthonids have been considered important for understanding relationships among plesiadapiforms, with members of the group proposed as plausible ancestors of Paromomyidae and Microsyopidae. Here, we describe a dentally associated partial skeleton of Torrejonia wilsoni from the early Palaeocene (approx. 62 Ma) of New Mexico, which is the oldest known plesiadapiform skeleton and the first postcranial elements recovered for a palaechthonid. Results from a cladistic analysis that includes new data from this skeleton suggest that palaechthonids are a paraphyletic group of stem primates, and that T. wilsoni is most closely related to paromomyids. New evidence from the appendicular skeleton of T. wilsoni fails to support an influential hypothesis based on inferences from craniodental morphology that palaechthonids were terrestrial. Instead, the postcranium of T. wilsoni indicates that it was similar to that of all other plesiadapiforms for which skeletons have been recovered in having distinct specializations consistent with arboreality.

Use of trepanofiopsis for determining 90 Sr and Ca in skeleton of horned cattle during its live time

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sirotkin, A.N.; Sarapul'tsev, I.A.

1977-01-01

A method for in vivo determination of strontium 90 and calcium in the skeleton of cattle from radiometric and chemical analyses of bone tissue obtained on trepanobiopsy of the ilium was developed. Statistical processing of experimental data showed that in cows which had been receiving strontium 90 and calcium in their ration from the birth to the age of 12 the ratio of strontium 90 and calcium concentrations in the bone tissue of the trapanate and skeleton is independent of the animals' age. It was established that the spongy bone tissue of the ilium crest of different age cattle contains 20 wt.% more strontium 90 and 20 wt.% less calcium than their average concentration in the whole skeleton

Changes in surface properties caused by ion implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwaki, Masaya

1987-01-01

This report outlines various aspects of ion implantation. Major features of ion implantation are described first, focusing on the structure of ion implantation equipment and some experimental results of ion implantation into semiconductors. Distribution of components in ion-implantated layers is then discussed. The two major features of ion implantation in relation to the distribution of implanted ions are: (1) high controllability of addition of ions to a surface layer and (2) formation of a large number of lattice defects in a short period of time. Application of ion implantation to metallic materials is expected to permit the following: (1) formation of a semi-stable alloy surface layer by metallic ion implantation, (2) formation of a semi-stable ceramic surface layer or buried layer by non-metallic ion implantation, and (3) formation of a buried layer by combined implementation of a different metallic ion and non-metallic ion. Ion implantation in carbon materials, polymers and ceramics is discussed next. The last part of the report is dedicated to macroscopic properties of an ion-implanted layer, centering on surface modification, formation of a conductive surface layer, and tribology. (Nogami, K.) 60 refs

Rigid'' skeleton dynamics of Li sub 3 In sub 2 (PO sub 4 ) sub 3 superionic conductor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naganovsky, Y K; Sigaryov, S E [Inst. of Crystallography, Academy of Sciences, Moscow (USSR)

1992-01-01

The effect studied is made by the thermal prehistory of the Li{sub 3}In{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} ceramics on their structural and electrophysical characteristics. Annealing at T>1290 K is shown to result in a monoclinic (HT) and at T<1230 K, rhombohedral (LT) modifications of the crystal structure of Li{sub 3}In{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}. At the same temperature the ionic conductivity ({sigma}) of the HT-modification is found to be higher than that of LT-modification. Annealing of LT-ceramics at {proportional to}985 K leads to a decrease of {sigma} by as much as two order of magnitude seems due to Li{sup +}-ions redistribution in the (In{sub 2}P{sub 3}O{sub 12}){sub 3{infinity}}{sup 3-} skeleton cavities. In the 290-650 K temperature range phase transitions both in LT- and HT-Li{sub 3}In{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} are observed. (orig.).

Modified Alizarin Red S-Alcian Blue Staining for Reptilian Skeleton

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Ja’far Luthfi

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Skeletal staining is an important method in anatomical study. The aim of the research was to develop staining and clearing method of Reptilian skeleton using Alizarin Red S-Alcian Blue. The specimen were eviscerated, fixed, stained, cleared, and keep in glycerine solution. This modified double-staining has successfully stain bone and cartilage of Reptilian.

On the skeleton method and an application to a quantum scissor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cornean, Horia; Duclos, P.; Ricaud, B.

2008-01-01

In the spectral analysis of few one dimensional quantum particles interacting through delta potentials it is well known that one can recast the problem into the spectral analysis of an integral operator (the skeleton) living on the submanifold which supports the delta interactions. We shall prese...

Skeletonized inversion of surface wave: Active source versus controlled noise comparison

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing; Hanafy, Sherif

2016-01-01

We have developed a skeletonized inversion method that inverts the S-wave velocity distribution from surface-wave dispersion curves. Instead of attempting to fit every wiggle in the surface waves with predicted data, it only inverts the picked dispersion curve, thereby mitigating the problem of getting stuck in a local minimum. We have applied this method to a synthetic model and seismic field data from Qademah fault, located at the western side of Saudi Arabia. For comparison, we have performed dispersion analysis for an active and controlled noise source seismic data that had some receivers in common with the passive array. The active and passive data show good agreement in the dispersive characteristics. Our results demonstrated that skeletonized inversion can obtain reliable 1D and 2D S-wave velocity models for our geologic setting. A limitation is that we need to build layered initial model to calculate the Jacobian matrix, which is time consuming.

Skeletonized inversion of surface wave: Active source versus controlled noise comparison

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing

2016-07-14

We have developed a skeletonized inversion method that inverts the S-wave velocity distribution from surface-wave dispersion curves. Instead of attempting to fit every wiggle in the surface waves with predicted data, it only inverts the picked dispersion curve, thereby mitigating the problem of getting stuck in a local minimum. We have applied this method to a synthetic model and seismic field data from Qademah fault, located at the western side of Saudi Arabia. For comparison, we have performed dispersion analysis for an active and controlled noise source seismic data that had some receivers in common with the passive array. The active and passive data show good agreement in the dispersive characteristics. Our results demonstrated that skeletonized inversion can obtain reliable 1D and 2D S-wave velocity models for our geologic setting. A limitation is that we need to build layered initial model to calculate the Jacobian matrix, which is time consuming.

Biology of bone and how it orchestrates the form and function of the skeleton

Science.gov (United States)

Sommerfeldt, D. W.; Rubin, C. T.

2001-01-01

The principal role of the skeleton is to provide structural support for the body. While the skeleton also serves as the body's mineral reservoir, the mineralized structure is the very basis of posture, opposes muscular contraction resulting in motion, withstands functional load bearing, and protects internal organs. Although the mass and morphology of the skeleton is defined, to some extent, by genetic determinants, it is the tissue's ability to remodel--the local resorption and formation of bone--which is responsible for achieving this intricate balance between competing responsibilities. The aim of this review is to address bone's form-function relationship, beginning with extensive research in the musculoskeletal disciplines, and focusing on several recent cellular and molecular discoveries which help understand the complex interdependence of bone cells, growth factors, physical stimuli, metabolic demands, and structural responsibilities. With a clinical and spine-oriented audience in mind, the principles of bone cell and molecular biology and physiology are presented, and an attempt has been made to incorporate epidemiologic data and therapeutic implications. Bone research remains interdisciplinary by nature, and a deeper understanding of bone biology will ultimately lead to advances in the treatment of diseases and injuries to bone itself.

MRI of the marrow in the paediatric skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foster, K.; Chapman, S.; Johnson, K.

2004-01-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has greatly advanced evaluation of marrow diseases of the paediatric skeleton. As with many other aspects of paediatric radiology it is important to recognize the normal variations in the appearance of the marrow that occur in the growing child. These normal variations need to be differentiated from diseases and conditions that affect the marrow. This review describes the normal changes that occur in children with age, and the appearances of the pathological changes seen in infection, infiltration, haematological disorders, transplantation and radiation therapy

Redox shuttles for safer lithium-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Zonghai; Qin, Yan; Amine, Khalil

2009-01-01

Overcharge protection is not only critical for preventing the thermal runaway of lithium-ion batteries during operation, but also important for automatic capacity balancing during battery manufacturing and repair. A redox shuttle is an electrolyte additive that can be used as intrinsic overcharge protection mechanism to enhance the safety characteristics of lithium-ion batteries. The advances on stable redox shuttles are briefly reviewed. Fundamental studies for designing stable redox shuttles are also discussed.

Sea urchin skeleton: Structure, composition, and application as a template for biomimetic materials

Science.gov (United States)

Shapkin, Nikolay P.; Khalchenko, Irina G.; Panasenko, Alexander E.; Drozdov, Anatoly L.

2017-07-01

SEM and optical microscopy, chemical and EDX analysis, XRD, and FT-IR spectroscopy of three sea urchins skeletons (tests) show that the test is a spongy stereom, consisting of calcite with high content of magnesium. The tests are composed of mineral-organic composite of calcite-magnesite crystals, coated with organic film, containing silicon in form of polyphenylsiloxane. In the test of sea urchin pore spaces are linked into united system of regular structure with structure motive period about 20 um. This developed three-dimensional structure was used as a template for polymer material based on polyferrofenilsiloxane [OSiC6H5OH]x[OSiC6H5O]y[OFeO]z, which is chemically similar to the native film, coating sea urchins skeleton.

Heavy stable isotope separation by ion cyclotron resonance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Louvet, P.; Compant La Fontaine, A.; Larousse, B.; Patris, M.

1994-01-01

The scientific feasibility of the ion cyclotron resonance process (ICR), as well as the technical one, has been investigated carefully for light metallic elements, whose masses lies between 40 and 100/1,2/. The present work deals mainly with the same demonstration for heavier elements such as ytterbium, gadolinium and barium. Recent results, as well as future prospects, are considered here. (authors)

Building Up the Milky Way's Skeleton

Science.gov (United States)

Kohler, Susanna

2016-09-01

A team of scientistshas now uncovered half of theentire skeleton of the Milky Way, using an automated method to identify large filaments of gas and dust hiding between stars in the galactic plane.Galactic distribution of 54 newly discovered filaments, plotted along with colored lines indicating six relevant spiral arms in our galaxy. The upper two plots show the consistency of the filaments motion with the spiral arms, while the lower shows their location within the galactic plane. [Wang et al. 2016]The Search for Nessie and FriendsThe Milky Ways interstellar medium is structured hierarchically into filaments. These structures are difficult to observe since they largely lie in the galactic plane, but if we can discover the distribution and properties of these filaments, we can better understand how our galaxy formed, and how the filaments affect star formation in our galaxy today.Some of the largest of the Milky Ways filaments are hundreds of light-years long like the infrared dark cloud nicknamed Nessie, declared in 2013 to be one of the bones of the Milky Way because of its position along the center of the Scutum-Centaurus spiral arm.Follow-up studies since the discovery of Nessie (like this one, or this) have found a number of additional large-scale filaments, but these studies all use different search methods and selection criteria, and the searches all start with visual inspection by humans to identify candidates.What if we could instead automate the detection process and build a homogeneous sample of the large filaments making up the skeleton of the Milky Way?Automated DetectionThis is exactly what a team of astronomers led by Ke Wang (European Southern Observatory) has done. The group used a customization of an algorithm called a minimum spanning tree the technique used to optimize the cost of internet networks, road networks, and electrical grids in our communities to perform an automated search of data from the Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey. The search was

2,6,10-Tris(dialkylamino)trioxatriangulenium ions. Synthesis, structure, and properties of exceptionally stable carbenium ions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laursen, B.W.; Krebs, Frederik C; Nielsen, M.F.

1998-01-01

A general synthetic route to a novel type of triamino-substituted planar carbenium ions (5) is reported. The synthetic method is based on a facile and selective nucleophilic aromatic substitution on the 4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)carbenium ion (1) with amines and gives access to a wide variety of more.......Electrochemical reduction of compound 5a leads to rapid dimerization. Two consecutive one-electron oxidations are identified by cyclic voltammetry....

Some Physical, Chemical, and Biological Parameters of Samples of Scleractinium Coral Aquaculture Skeleton Used for Reconstruction/Engineering of the Bone Tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Popov, A A; Sergeeva, N S; Britaev, T A; Komlev, V S; Sviridova, I K; Kirsanova, V A; Akhmedova, S A; Dgebuadze, P Yu; Teterina, A Yu; Kuvshinova, E A; Schanskii, Ya D

2015-08-01

Physical and chemical (phase and chemical composition, dynamics of resorption, and strength properties), and biological (cytological compatibility and scaffold properties of the surface) properties of samples of scleractinium coral skeletons from aquacultures of three types and corresponding samples of natural coral skeletons (Pocillopora verrucosa, Acropora formosa, and Acropora nobilis) were studied. Samples of scleractinium coral aquaculture skeleton of A. nobilis, A. formosa, and P. verrucosa met the requirements (all study parameters) to materials for osteoplasty and 3D-scaffolds for engineering of bone tissue.

Average geodesic distance of skeleton networks of Sierpinski tetrahedron

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jinjin; Wang, Songjing; Xi, Lifeng; Ye, Yongchao

2018-04-01

The average distance is concerned in the research of complex networks and is related to Wiener sum which is a topological invariant in chemical graph theory. In this paper, we study the skeleton networks of the Sierpinski tetrahedron, an important self-similar fractal, and obtain their asymptotic formula for average distances. To provide the formula, we develop some technique named finite patterns of integral of geodesic distance on self-similar measure for the Sierpinski tetrahedron.

Metal negative ion beam extraction from a radio frequency ion source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kanda, S.; Yamada, N.; Kasuya, T.; Romero, C. F. P.; Wada, M.

2015-04-08

A metal ion source of magnetron magnetic field geometry has been designed and operated with a Cu hollow target. Radio frequency power at 13.56 MHz is directly supplied to the hollow target to maintain plasma discharge and induce self-bias to the target for sputtering. The extraction of positive and negative Cu ion beams have been tested. The ion beam current ratio of Cu{sup +} to Ar{sup +} has reached up to 140% when Ar was used as the discharge support gas. Cu{sup −} ion beam was observed at 50 W RF discharge power and at a higher Ar gas pressure in the ion source. Improvement of poor RF power matching and suppression of electron current is indispensable for a stable Cu{sup −} ion beam production from the source.

Large and stable reversible lithium-ion storages from mesoporous SnO2 nanosheets with ultralong lifespan over 1000 cycles

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiao; Jiang, Bin; Guo, Jinxue; Xie, Yaping; Tang, Lin

2014-12-01

The major challenge to promote the commercialization of SnO2 anode materials is to construct unique structures and/or composites that could alleviate the volume effect and extend the lifespan. This study develops an efficient synthetic solution for the preparation of mesoporous SnO2 nanosheets, which involves an evaporation-induced selfassembly process and the following thermal treatment. Surfactant F127 is used as the soft template to form abundant cores. The as-prepared sample intrinsically inherits flexible sheet-like structure and porous features, as characterized with XRD, SEM, TEM and BET techniques. Based on these combining structural benefits, the sample is utilized as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries and exhibits excellent Li+ storage performance such as large and stable reversible capacity, good rate capability, and especially the outstanding durable cycling life of over 1000 cycles, which meets the demands of practical applications. The structural changes of SnO2 nanosheets are observed from the decomposed electrodes after different electrochemical cycles. Moreover, this synthesis strategy may offer an alternative and universal approach for synthesis of other transitional metal oxides or their binary composites as high-performance anode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

Modeling of the axon membrane skeleton structure and implications for its mechanical properties.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yihao Zhang

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Super-resolution microscopy recently revealed that, unlike the soma and dendrites, the axon membrane skeleton is structured as a series of actin rings connected by spectrin filaments that are held under tension. Currently, the structure-function relationship of the axonal structure is unclear. Here, we used atomic force microscopy (AFM to show that the stiffness of the axon plasma membrane is significantly higher than the stiffnesses of dendrites and somata. To examine whether the structure of the axon plasma membrane determines its overall stiffness, we introduced a coarse-grain molecular dynamics model of the axon membrane skeleton that reproduces the structure identified by super-resolution microscopy. Our proposed computational model accurately simulates the median value of the Young's modulus of the axon plasma membrane determined by atomic force microscopy. It also predicts that because the spectrin filaments are under entropic tension, the thermal random motion of the voltage-gated sodium channels (Nav, which are bound to ankyrin particles, a critical axonal protein, is reduced compared to the thermal motion when spectrin filaments are held at equilibrium. Lastly, our model predicts that because spectrin filaments are under tension, any axonal injuries that lacerate spectrin filaments will likely lead to a permanent disruption of the membrane skeleton due to the inability of spectrin filaments to spontaneously form their initial under-tension configuration.

Modeling of the axon membrane skeleton structure and implications for its mechanical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yihao; Abiraman, Krithika; Li, He; Pierce, David M; Tzingounis, Anastasios V; Lykotrafitis, George

2017-02-01

Super-resolution microscopy recently revealed that, unlike the soma and dendrites, the axon membrane skeleton is structured as a series of actin rings connected by spectrin filaments that are held under tension. Currently, the structure-function relationship of the axonal structure is unclear. Here, we used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to show that the stiffness of the axon plasma membrane is significantly higher than the stiffnesses of dendrites and somata. To examine whether the structure of the axon plasma membrane determines its overall stiffness, we introduced a coarse-grain molecular dynamics model of the axon membrane skeleton that reproduces the structure identified by super-resolution microscopy. Our proposed computational model accurately simulates the median value of the Young's modulus of the axon plasma membrane determined by atomic force microscopy. It also predicts that because the spectrin filaments are under entropic tension, the thermal random motion of the voltage-gated sodium channels (Nav), which are bound to ankyrin particles, a critical axonal protein, is reduced compared to the thermal motion when spectrin filaments are held at equilibrium. Lastly, our model predicts that because spectrin filaments are under tension, any axonal injuries that lacerate spectrin filaments will likely lead to a permanent disruption of the membrane skeleton due to the inability of spectrin filaments to spontaneously form their initial under-tension configuration.

The origin and diversification of the developmental mechanisms that pattern the vertebrate head skeleton.

Science.gov (United States)

Square, Tyler; Jandzik, David; Romášek, Marek; Cerny, Robert; Medeiros, Daniel Meulemans

2017-07-15

The apparent evolvability of the vertebrate head skeleton has allowed a diverse array of shapes, sizes, and compositions of the head in order to better adapt species to their environments. This encompasses feeding, breathing, sensing, and communicating: the head skeleton somehow participated in the evolution of all these critical processes for the last 500 million years. Through evolution, present head diversity was made possible via developmental modifications to the first head skeletal genetic program. Understanding the development of the vertebrate common ancestor's head skeleton is thus an important step in identifying how different lineages have respectively achieved their many innovations in the head. To this end, cyclostomes (jawless vertebrates) are extremely useful, having diverged from jawed vertebrates approximately 400 million years ago, at the deepest node within living vertebrates. From this ancestral vantage point (that is, the node connecting cyclostomes and gnathostomes) we can best identify the earliest major differences in development between vertebrate classes, and start to address how these might translate onto morphology. In this review we survey what is currently known about the cell biology and gene expression during head development in modern vertebrates, allowing us to better characterize the developmental genetics driving head skeleton formation in the most recent common ancestor of all living vertebrates. By pairing this vertebrate composite with information from fossil chordates, we can also deduce how gene regulatory modules might have been arranged in the ancestral vertebrate head. Together, we can immediately begin to understand which aspects of head skeletal development are the most conserved, and which are divergent, informing us as to when the first differences appear during development, and thus which pathways or cell types might be involved in generating lineage specific shape and structure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All

Human Activity Recognition in Real-Times Environments using Skeleton Joints

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ajay Kumar

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In this research work, we proposed a most effective noble approach for Human activity recognition in real-time environments. We recognize several distinct dynamic human activity actions using kinect. A 3D skeleton data is processed from real-time video gesture to sequence of frames and getter skeleton joints (Energy Joints, orientation, rotations of joint angles from selected setof frames. We are using joint angle and orientations, rotations information from Kinect therefore less computation required. However, after extracting the set of frames we implemented several classification techniques Principal Component Analysis (PCA with several distance based classifiers and Artificial Neural Network (ANN respectively with some variants for classify our all different gesture models. However, we conclude that use very less number of frame (10-15% for train our system efficiently from the entire set of gesture frames. Moreover, after successfully completion of our classification methods we clinch an excellent overall accuracy 94%, 96% and 98% respectively. We finally observe that our proposed system is more useful than comparing to other existing system, therefore our model is best suitable for real-time application such as in video games for player action/gesture recognition.

1-Skeletons of the Spanning Tree Problems with Additional Constraints

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. A. Bondarenko

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we study polyhedral properties of two spanning tree problems with additional constraints. In the first problem, it is required to find a tree with a minimum sum of edge weights among all spanning trees with the number of leaves less than or equal to a given value. In the second problem, an additional constraint is the assumption that the degree of all nodes of the spanning tree does not exceed a given value. The recognition versions of both problems are NP-complete. We consider polytopes of these problems and their 1-skeletons. We prove that in both cases it is a NP-complete problem to determine whether the vertices of 1-skeleton are adjacent. Although it is possible to obtain a superpolynomial lower bounds on the clique numbers of these graphs. These values characterize the time complexity in a broad class of algorithms based on linear comparisons. The results indicate a fundamental difference between combinatorial and geometric properties of the considered problems from the classical minimum spanning tree problem.

Companions for ``Nessie'' in the Milky Way's Skeleton

Science.gov (United States)

Kohler, Susanna

2015-12-01

The recent discovery of a purported bone of the Milky Way, a dark cloud nicknamed Nessie, has provided us with new clues for mapping out the spiral structure of our galaxy. It turns out that Nessie may not be alone: a follow-up study has identified more bones, potentially making up a skeleton of the Milky Way that traces out the densest parts of its spiral arms.Inconvenient Vantage PointHow many spiral arms does the Milky Way have? Where are they located? What does the structure look like between the arms? It may seem surprising that these fundamental questions dont yet have clear answers. But because were stuck in the galaxys disk, were forced to piece together our understanding of the Milky Ways structure based primarily on measurements of position and radial velocity of structures within the galactic plane.The discovery of Nessie presents an intriguing new tool to identify the layout of the galaxy. Nessie is a very long, thin, infrared-dark filament that runs along the modeled position of the Scutum-Centaurus arm and is believed therefore to trace the structure of the arm. In a new study led by Catherine Zucker (University of Virginia, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics), the authors have searched for additional bones like Nessie, hoping to use them to map out the skeleton of the Milky Way.New Bones DiscoveredIn this map of radial velocity vs. galactic longitude, the bone candidates are indicated by the numbered points. The colored lines indicate the positions of two of the galactic spiral arms, according to various models. Click for a closer look! [Zucker et al. 2015]Zucker and collaborators began by using World Wide Telescope, a tool that facilitates visualization of multiple layers of data at a variety of scales, to search through Spitzer infrared data for additional structures like Nessie. Searching specifically along the predicted positions of galactic arms, they found 15 initial bone candidates.Next, the team obtained radial-velocity data for the

Case report: Radiologic changes of the skeleton in a dog with lead poisoning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rinck, J.; Šehić, M.; Žubčić, D.; Jesovsek, S.

1994-01-01

The skeleton of a young dog displayed radiological signs of chronic lead intoxication. Osteoclastic changes were demonstrable at the metaphyse of the long bones as well as in all areas with growth activity [de

Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex lipid virulence factors preserved in the 17,000-year-old skeleton of an extinct bison, Bison antiquus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oona Y-C Lee

Full Text Available Tracing the evolution of ancient diseases depends on the availability and accessibility of suitable biomarkers in archaeological specimens. DNA is potentially information-rich but it depends on a favourable environment for preservation. In the case of the major mycobacterial pathogens, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium leprae, robust lipid biomarkers are established as alternatives or complements to DNA analyses. A DNA report, a decade ago, suggested that a 17,000-year-old skeleton of extinct Bison antiquus, from Natural Trap Cave, Wyoming, was the oldest known case of tuberculosis. In the current study, key mycobacterial lipid virulence factor biomarkers were detected in the same two samples from this bison. Fluorescence high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC indicated the presence of mycolic acids of the mycobacterial type, but they were degraded and could not be precisely correlated with tuberculosis. However, pristine profiles of C(29, C(30 and C(32 mycocerosates and C(27 mycolipenates, typical of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, were recorded by negative ion chemical ionization gas chromatography mass spectrometry of pentafluorobenzyl ester derivatives. These findings were supported by the detection of C(34 and C(36 phthiocerols, which are usually esterified to the mycocerosates. The existence of Pleistocene tuberculosis in the Americas is confirmed and there are many even older animal bones with well-characterised tuberculous lesions similar to those on the analysed sample. In the absence of any evidence of tuberculosis in human skeletons older than 9,000 years BP, the hypothesis that this disease evolved as a zoonosis, before transfer to humans, is given detailed consideration and discussion.

Alterations of a bony skeleton histostructure in amphibians inhabiting the Chernobyl AES zone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodionova, N.V.; Mazhuga, P.M.; Domashevskaya, E.I.; Gorskij, B.A.; Nakorenok, G.B.

1994-01-01

By using the methods of histology and radiochemistry was investigated the bone skeleton State of amphibians (pond and cake fogs) which were caught in the ChNPP cooling pond and in the village Kopachy. It were submitted the results of content measurements of 90 Sr, 137 Cs, 134 Cs in the bone skeleton of the amphibians which were captured in the ChNPP 30-km zone and in the non contaminated territories (Sviyatoshin) during the period of 1991-1993 years. It was studied the hystostructure of the tubular bones. Main emphasis was placed to the state of cells and bone matrix state in metaphyses and also compacts in diaphyses. Some particular features of osteoblastic and resorbtion processes in the bones of amphibious in the ChNPP zone have been discovered

Mechanical characterization tests of a candidate skeleton for X-Gen fuel assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hyung Kyu; Yoon, Kyung Ho; Lee, Kang Hee; Kim, Jae Yong; Lee, Young Ho

2007-09-01

Since the KNFC (KEPCO Nuclear Fuel Co.) requested a mechanical characterization tests of a candidate skeleton for X-Gen fuel assembly (some welding locations of a center guide tube are free of welding compared with the PLUS7 case) were requested, transverse vibration and stiffness tests were carried out by using the FAMeCT. The major results are as follows. - Transverse vibration test There was no distinguishable discrepancy in the free vibration characteristics between the skeleton without welding at some locations of a center guide tube and that of original assembly (PLUS7; welded at every spacer grid locations). The natural frequencies were measured as 6.8 - 6.9 for the 1st mode; 17.7 - 18.3 for the 2nd mode; 30.2 - 31.2 for the 3rd mode; 50.4 - 52.1 Hz for the 4th mode. As a result, the difference in the vibration characteristics was extremely small regardless of the number of welding of a center guide tube. - Transverse bending test. The transverse bending test results of the X-Gen no. 2 were similar to those of the PLUS7 skeleton. The relationship between the force and displacement was found linear. 521 N was observed at the deflection of 30 mm, and the stiffness at the 6th grid location (load exerting location) was 17.4, 16.3 N/mm in the two consecutive tests. The displacements at the grid locations lower than the 6th grid were at bit smaller than those upper than that due to a comparatively higher rigidity

The Facial Skeleton in Patients with Osteoporosis: A Field for Disease Signs and Treatment Complications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Athanassios Kyrgidis

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Osteoporosis affects all bones, including those of the facial skeleton. To date the facial bones have not drawn much attention due to the minimal probability of morbid fractures. Hearing and dentition loss due to osteoporosis has been reported. New research findings suggest that radiologic examination of the facial skeleton can be a cost-effective adjunct to complement the early diagnosis and the follow up of osteoporosis patients. Bone-mass preservation treatments have been associated with osteomyelitis of the jawbones, a condition commonly described as osteonecrosis of the jaws (ONJ. The facial skeleton, where alimentary tract mucosa attaches directly to periosteum and teeth which lie in their sockets of alveolar bone, is an area unique for the early detection of osteoporosis but also for the prevention of treatment-associated complications. We review facial bone involvement in patients with osteoporosis and we present data that make the multidisciplinary approach of these patients more appealing for both practitioners and dentists. With regard to ONJ, a tabular summary with currently available evidence is provided to facilitate multidisciplinary practice coordination for the treatment of patients receiving bisphosphonates.

[Characteristics of local human skeleton reactions to microgravity and drug treatment of osteoporosis in clinic].

Science.gov (United States)

Oganov, V S; Skripnikova, I A; Novikov, V E; Bakulin, A V; Kabitskaia, O E; Murashko, L M

2011-01-01

Analysis of the results of long-term investigations of bones in cosmonauts flown on the orbital station MIR and International space station (n = 80) was performed. Theoretically predicted (evolutionary predefined) change in mass of different skeleton bones was found to correlate (r = 0.904) with position relatively the Earth's gravity vector. Vector dependence of bone loss ensues from local specificity of expression of bone metabolism genes which reflects mechanic prehistory of skeleton structures in the evolution of Homo erectus. Genetic polymorphism is accountable for high individual variability of bone loss attested by the dependence of bone loss rate on polymorphism of certain bone metabolism markers. Parameters of one and the other orbital vehicle did not modulate individual-specific stability of the bone loss ratio in different segments of the skeleton. This fact is considered as a phenotype fingerprint of local metabolism in the form of a locus-unique spatial structure of distribution of noncollagenous proteins responsible for position regulation of endosteal metabolism. Drug treatment of osteoporosis (n = 107) evidences that recovery rate depends on bone location; the most likely reason is different effectiveness of local osteotrophic intervention into areas of bustling resorption.

Stable Carbon Isotopes (δ 13C) in Coral Skeletons: Experimental Approach and Applications for Paleoceanography

Science.gov (United States)

Grottoli, A. G.

2004-12-01

Scleractinian corals obtain fixed carbon via photosynthesis by their endosymbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) and via hetertrophy (injestion of zooplankton, δ 13C ≈ -17 to -22‰ ). Carbon dioxide (CO2) used for photosynthesis is obtained from seawater (δ 13C ≈ 0%) or from respired CO2 within the coral host. The δ 13C of the carbon used in the formation of the underlying coral skeleton is fractionated as a result of both of these metabolic processes. Here I have pooled evidence from several field and tank experiments on the effect of photosynthesis and heterotrophy of coral skeletal δ 13C. In the experiments, decreases in light levels due to shading or depth resulted in a significant decrease in skeletal δ 13C in all species studied (Pavona gigantea, Pavona clavus, Porites compressa). Decreases in photosynthesis in bleached corals also resulted in a decrease in skeletal δ 13C compared to non-bleached corals growing under the same conditions and at the same location. Skeletal δ 13C also decreased at higher than normal light levels most likely due to photoinhibition. Thus, decreases in photosynthesis due to reduced light levels, due to bleaching-induced decreases in chlorophyll a concentrations, or due to photodamage-induced decreases in functional cholorphyll a, results in significant δ 13C decreases. Comprehensive interpretation of all of the data showed that changes in photosynthesis itself can drive the changes in δ 13C. In field experiments, the addition of natural concentrations of zooplankton to the diet resulted in decreases in skeletal δ 13C. Such a decrease was more pronounced with depth and in P. gigantea compared to P. clavus. In situ feeding experiments have since confirmed these findings. However under tank conditions with unaturally high feeding rates, enhanced nitrogen supply in the diet can disrupt the coral-algal symbiosis, stimlate zooxanthellae growth and photosynthesis, and cause an incrase in skeletal δ 13C. It is proposed that under

Simulation of mould filling process for composite skeleton castings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Dziuba

2008-04-01

Full Text Available In this work authors showed selected results of simulation and experimental studies on temperature distribution during solidification of skeleton casting and mould filling process. The aim of conducted simulations was the choice of thermal and geometrical parameters for the needs of designed calculations of the skeleton castings and the estimation of the guidelines for the technology of manufacturing. The subject of numerical simulation was the analysis of ability of filling the channels of core by liquid metal at estability technological parameters.. Below the assumptions and results of the initial simulated calculations are presented. The total number of the nodes in the casting was 1920 and of the connectors was 5280 what gave filling of 100% for the nodes and 99,56% for the connectors in the results of the simulation. Together it resulted as 99,78 % of filling the volume of the casting. The nodes and connectors were filled up to the 30 level of the casting in the simulation. The all connectors were filled up to the 25 level of the casting in the simulation. Starting from the 25 level individual connectors at the side surface of the casting weren’t filled up. The connectors weren’t supplied by multi-level getting system. The differences of filling the levels are little (maximally 5 per cent.

1+-n+ ECR ION SOURCE DEVELOPMENT TEST STAND

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donald P. May

2006-01-01

A test stand for the investigation of 1+-n+ charge boosting using an ECR ion sources is currently being assembled at the Texas A and M Cyclotron Institute. The ultimate goal is to relate the charge-boosting of ions of stable species to possible charge-boosting of ions of radioactive species extracted from the diverse, low-charge-state ion sources developed for radioactive ion beams

A Skeleton Based Programming Paradigm for Mobile Multi-Agents on Distributed Systems and Its Realization within the MAGDA Mobile Agents Platform

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Aversa

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Parallel programming effort can be reduced by using high level constructs such as algorithmic skeletons. Within the MAGDA toolset, supporting programming and execution of mobile agent based distributed applications, we provide a skeleton-based parallel programming environment, based on specialization of Algorithmic Skeleton Java interfaces and classes. Their implementation include mobile agent features for execution on heterogeneous systems, such as clusters of WSs and PCs, and support reliability and dynamic workload balancing. The user can thus develop a parallel, mobile agent based application by simply specialising a given set of classes and methods and using a set of added functionalities.

The origin of the vertebrate skeleton

Science.gov (United States)

Pivar, Stuart

2011-01-01

The anatomy of the human and other vertebrates has been well described since the days of Leonardo da Vinci and Vesalius. The causative origin of the configuration of the bones and of their shapes and forms has been addressed over the ensuing centuries by such outstanding investigators as Goethe, Von Baer, Gegenbauer, Wilhelm His and D'Arcy Thompson, who sought to apply mechanical principles to morphogenesis. However, no coherent causative model of morphogenesis has ever been presented. This paper presents a causative model for the origin of the vertebrate skeleton, based on the premise that the body is a mosaic enlargement of self-organized patterns engrained in the membrane of the egg cell. Drawings illustrate the proposed hypothetical origin of membrane patterning and the changes in the hydrostatic equilibrium of the cytoplasm that cause topographical deformations resulting in the vertebrate body form.

Short notes and reviews On a mounted skeleton of apparently the extinct Cape Lion, Panthera leo melanochaita (Ch. H. Smith, 1842)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bree, van P.J.H.

1998-01-01

Recently, the skeleton of apparently a Cape Lion was discovered in the Zoological Museum of the University of Amsterdam. The history of the specimen as far as known is summarized and its attribution to Panthera leo melanochaita is elucidated with some measurements taken from the skeleton and the

Charge breeding of stable and radioactive ion beams with EBIS/T devices

CERN Document Server

Kester, Oliver; Becker, R

2004-01-01

Radioactive ion beams (RIBs) are an important tool for experiments at the foremost frontier of nuclear physics. The quasi-continuous radioactive beams from target ion sources of RIB-facilities have to be accelerated to energies at and beyond the Coulomb barrier. An efficient acceleration requires a suitable A/q of the ions determined by the accelerator design, which can be reached via the stripping method or by using a charge state breeder like the REX-ISOLDE system. In order to get comparable efficiencies for a charge state breeder with the stripping scheme, the breeding efficiency in one charge state has to be optimized by narrowing the charge state distribution. In addition good beam quality and thus small emittances are required to achieve best transmission in the following accelerator, which is mandatory for high intensity RIBs. For EBIS/T devices the maximum intensity of the radioactive ion beam is a critical issue, and high current EBIS/T devices will be necessary to deal with intensities of second gen...

Adipose tissue, the skeleton and cardiovascular disease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wiklund, Peder

2011-07-01

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the Western World, although the incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) has declined over the last decades. However, obesity, which is one of the most important risk factors for CVD, is increasingly common. Osteoporosis is also on the rise because of an aging population. Based on considerable overlap in the prevalence of CVD and osteoporosis, a shared etiology has been proposed. Furthermore, the possibility of interplay between the skeleton and adipose tissue has received increasing attention the last few years with the discovery that leptin can influence bone metabolism and that osteocalcin can influence adipose tissue. A main aim of this thesis was to investigate the effects of fat mass distribution and bone mineral density on the risk of MI. Using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) we measured 592 men and women for regional fat mass in study I. In study II this was expanded to include 3258 men and women. In study III 6872 men and women had their bone mineral density measured in the total hip and femoral neck using DEXA. We found that a fat mass distribution with a higher proportion of abdominal fat mass was associated with both an adverse risk factor profile and an increased risk of MI. In contrast, a higher gynoid fat mass distribution was associated with a more favorable risk factor profile and a decreased risk of MI, highlighting the different properties of abdominal and gynoid fat depots (study I-II). In study III, we investigated the association of bone mineral density and risk factors shared between CVD and osteoporosis, and risk of MI. We found that lower bone mineral density was associated with hypertension, and also tended to be associated to other CVD risk factors. Low bone mineral density was associated with an increased risk of MI in both men and women, apparently independently of the risk factors studied (study III). In study IV, we investigated 50 healthy, young men to determine if

Adipose tissue, the skeleton and cardiovascular disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiklund, Peder

2011-01-01

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the Western World, although the incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) has declined over the last decades. However, obesity, which is one of the most important risk factors for CVD, is increasingly common. Osteoporosis is also on the rise because of an aging population. Based on considerable overlap in the prevalence of CVD and osteoporosis, a shared etiology has been proposed. Furthermore, the possibility of interplay between the skeleton and adipose tissue has received increasing attention the last few years with the discovery that leptin can influence bone metabolism and that osteocalcin can influence adipose tissue. A main aim of this thesis was to investigate the effects of fat mass distribution and bone mineral density on the risk of MI. Using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) we measured 592 men and women for regional fat mass in study I. In study II this was expanded to include 3258 men and women. In study III 6872 men and women had their bone mineral density measured in the total hip and femoral neck using DEXA. We found that a fat mass distribution with a higher proportion of abdominal fat mass was associated with both an adverse risk factor profile and an increased risk of MI. In contrast, a higher gynoid fat mass distribution was associated with a more favorable risk factor profile and a decreased risk of MI, highlighting the different properties of abdominal and gynoid fat depots (study I-II). In study III, we investigated the association of bone mineral density and risk factors shared between CVD and osteoporosis, and risk of MI. We found that lower bone mineral density was associated with hypertension, and also tended to be associated to other CVD risk factors. Low bone mineral density was associated with an increased risk of MI in both men and women, apparently independently of the risk factors studied (study III). In study IV, we investigated 50 healthy, young men to determine if

Micro- and nanofabrication methods for ion channel reconstitution in bilayer lipid membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Tadaki, Daisuke; Yamaura, Daichi; Arata, Kohei; Ohori, Takeshi; Ma, Teng; Yamamoto, Hideaki; Niwano, Michio; Hirano-Iwata, Ayumi

2018-03-01

The self-assembled bilayer lipid membrane (BLM) forms the basic structure of the cell membrane and serves as a major barrier against ion movement. Ion channel proteins function as gated pores that permit ion permeation across the BLM. The reconstitution of ion channel proteins in artificially formed BLMs represents a well-defined system for investigating channel functions and screening drug effects on ion channels. In this review, we will discuss our recent microfabrication approaches to the formation of stable BLMs containing ion channel proteins as a potential platform for next-generation drug screening systems. BLMs formed in a microaperture having a tapered edge exhibited highly stable properties, such as a lifetime of ∼65 h and tolerance to solution changes even after the incorporation of the human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) channel. We also explore a new method of efficiently incorporating human ion channels into BLMs by centrifugation. Our approaches to the formation of stable BLMs and efficient channel incorporation markedly improve the experimental efficiency of BLM reconstitution systems, leading to the realization of a BLM-based high-throughput platform for functional assays of various ion channels.

Semi-Automatic Construction of Skeleton Concept Maps from Case Judgments

OpenAIRE

Boer, A.; Sijtsma, B.; Winkels, R.; Lettieri, N.

2014-01-01

This paper proposes an approach to generating Skeleton Conceptual Maps (SCM) semi automatically from legal case documents provided by the United Kingdom’s Supreme Court. SCM are incomplete knowledge representations for the purpose of scaffolding learning. The proposed system intends to provide students with a tool to pre-process text and to extract knowledge from documents in a time saving manner. A combination of natural language processing methods and proposition extraction algorithms are u...

A new ankylosaurine dinosaur from the Judith River Formation of Montana, USA, based on an exceptional skeleton with soft tissue preservation

Science.gov (United States)

Arbour, Victoria M.; Evans, David C.

2017-05-01

The terrestrial Judith River Formation of northern Montana was deposited over an approximately 4 Myr interval during the Campanian (Late Cretaceous). Despite having been prospected and collected continuously by palaeontologists for over a century, few relatively complete dinosaur skeletons have been recovered from this unit to date. Here we describe a new genus and species of ankylosaurine dinosaur, Zuul crurivastator, from the Coal Ridge Member of the Judith River Formation, based on an exceptionally complete and well-preserved skeleton (ROM 75860). This is the first ankylosaurin skeleton known with a complete skull and tail club, and it is the most complete ankylosaurid ever found in North America. The presence of abundant soft tissue preservation across the skeleton, including in situ osteoderms, skin impressions and dark films that probably represent preserved keratin, make this exceptional skeleton an important reference for understanding the evolution of dermal and epidermal structures in this clade. Phylogenetic analysis recovers Zuul as an ankylosaurin ankylosaurid within a clade of Dyoplosaurus and Scolosaurus, with Euoplocephalus being more distantly related within Ankylosaurini. The occurrence of Z. crurivastator from the upper Judith River Formation fills a gap in the ankylosaurine stratigraphic and geographical record in North America, and further highlights that Campanian ankylosaurines were undergoing rapid evolution and stratigraphic succession of taxa as observed for Laramidian ceratopsids, hadrosaurids, pachycephalosaurids and tyrannosaurids.

DNA and bone structure preservation in medieval human skeletons.

Science.gov (United States)

Coulson-Thomas, Yvette M; Norton, Andrew L; Coulson-Thomas, Vivien J; Florencio-Silva, Rinaldo; Ali, Nadir; Elmrghni, Samir; Gil, Cristiane D; Sasso, Gisela R S; Dixon, Ronald A; Nader, Helena B

2015-06-01

Morphological and ultrastructural data from archaeological human bones are scarce, particularly data that have been correlated with information on the preservation of molecules such as DNA. Here we examine the bone structure of macroscopically well-preserved medieval human skeletons by transmission electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry, and the quantity and quality of DNA extracted from these skeletons. DNA technology has been increasingly used for analyzing physical evidence in archaeological forensics; however, the isolation of ancient DNA is difficult since it is highly degraded, extraction yields are low and the co-extraction of PCR inhibitors is a problem. We adapted and optimised a method that is frequently used for isolating DNA from modern samples, Chelex(®) 100 (Bio-Rad) extraction, for isolating DNA from archaeological human bones and teeth. The isolated DNA was analysed by real-time PCR using primers targeting the sex determining region on the Y chromosome (SRY) and STR typing using the AmpFlSTR(®) Identifiler PCR Amplification kit. Our results clearly show the preservation of bone matrix in medieval bones and the presence of intact osteocytes with well preserved encapsulated nuclei. In addition, we show how effective Chelex(®) 100 is for isolating ancient DNA from archaeological bones and teeth. This optimised method is suitable for STR typing using kits aimed specifically at degraded and difficult DNA templates since amplicons of up to 250bp were successfully amplified. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrohydrodynamic emitters of ion beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dudnikov, V.G.; Shabalin, A.L.

1990-01-01

Physical processes determining generation of ion beams with high emission current density in electrohydrodynamic emitters are considered. Electrohydrodynamic effects developing in ion emission features and kinetics of ion interaction in beams with high density are discussed. Factors determining the size of the emission zone, emission stability at high and low currents, cluster generation, increase of energy spread and decrease of brightness are analyzed. Problems on practical provision of stable EHD emitter functioning are considered. 94 refs.; 8 figs.; 1 tab

Direct infusion electrospray ionization–ion mobility–mass spectrometry for comparative profiling of fatty acids based on stable isotope labeling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leng, Jiapeng, E-mail: jpleng@126.com [Department of Chemical Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051 (China); Guan, Qing [Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (FUSCC), Shanghai 200032 (China); Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032 (China); Sun, Tuanqi, E-mail: tuanqisun@163.com [Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (FUSCC), Shanghai 200032 (China); Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032 (China); Wang, Haoyang [National Center for Organic Mass Spectrometry in Shanghai, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032 (China); Cui, Jianlan; Liu, Qinghao [Department of Chemical Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051 (China); Zhang, Zhixu; Zhang, Manyu [Agilent Technologies China Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200080 (China); Guo, Yinlong, E-mail: ylguo@sioc.ac.cn [National Center for Organic Mass Spectrometry in Shanghai, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032 (China)

2015-08-05

A rapid method for fatty acids (FAs) comparative profiling based on carboxyl-specific stable isotope labeling (SIL) and direct infusion electrospray ionization–ion mobility–mass spectrometry (ESI–IM–MS) is established. The design of the method takes advantage of the three-dimensional characteristics of IM–MS including drift time, m/z and ion intensity, for comparison of d0-/d6-2,4-dimethoxy-6-piperazin-1-yl pyrimidine (DMPP)-labeled FAs. In particular, without chromatographic separation, the method allowed direct FAs profiling in complex samples due to the advantageous priority of DMPP in signal enhancement as well as the extra resolution that IM–MS offered. Additionally, the d0-/d6-DMPP-labeled FAs showed expected features, including very similar drift times, 6 Da mass deviations, specific reporter ions, similar MS responses, and adherence to the drift time rule regarding the influence of carbon chain length and unsaturation on relative drift times. Therefore, the introduction of isotope analogs minimized the matrix effect and variations in quantification and ensured accurate identification of non-targeted FAs by those typical features. Peak intensity ratios between d0-/d6-DMPP-labeled ions were subsequently used in relative quantification for the detected FAs. The established strategy has been applied successfully in the rapid profiling of trace free FAs between normal and cancerous human thyroid tissues. Sixteen free FAs were found with the increased level with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) compared to the normal tissue samples. The integrated SIL technique and ESI–IM–MS are expected to serve as an alternative tool for high-throughput analysis of FAs in complex samples. - Highlights: • A novel method based on IM–MS and SIL was developed for FAs comparative profiling. • Without LC separation, the method allowed direct infusion profiling of FAs in complex samples. • Both of the efficiency and accuracy for FAs analyses

Interactive Shape Modeling using a Skeleton-Mesh Co-Representation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bærentzen, Jacob Andreas; Abdrashitov, Rinat; Singh, Karan

2014-01-01

We introduce the Polar-Annular Mesh representation (PAM). A PAM is a mesh-skeleton co-representation designed for the modeling of 3D organic, articulated shapes. A PAM represents a manifold mesh as a partition of polar (triangle fans) and annular (rings of quads) regions. The skeletal topology of...... a PAM to a quad-only mesh. We further present a PAM-based multi-touch sculpting application in order to demonstrate its utility as a shape representation for the interactive modeling of organic, articulated figures as well as for editing and posing of pre-existing models....

Biomedical and Forensic Applications of Combined Catalytic Hydrogenation-Stable Isotope Ratio Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Sephton, Mark A.; Meredith, Will; Sun, Cheng-Gong; Snape, Colin E.

2007-01-01

Studies of biological molecules such as fatty acids and the steroid hormones have the potential to benefit enormously from stable carbon isotope ratio measurements of individual molecules. In their natural form, however, the body’s molecules interact too readily with laboratory equipment designed to separate them for accurate measurements to be made. Some methods overcome this problem by adding carbon to the target molecule, but this can irreversibly overprint the carbon source ‘signal’. Hydropyrolysis is a newly-applied catalytic technique that delicately strips molecules of their functional groups but retains their carbon skeletons and stereochemistries intact, allowing precise determination of the carbon source. By solving analytical problems, the new technique is increasing the ability of scientists to pinpoint molecular indicators of disease, elucidate metabolic pathways and recognise administered substances in forensic investigations. PMID:19662175

Automated detection of branch dimensions in woody skeletons of leafless fruit tree canopies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bucksch, A.; Fleck, S.

2009-01-01

Light driven physiological processes of tree canopies need to be modelled based on detailed 3Dcanopy structure – we explore the possibilities offered by terrestrial LIDAR to automatically represent woody skeletons of leafless trees as a basis for adequate models of canopy structure. The automatic

Prevalence of potential nitrogen-fixing, green sulphur bacteria in the skeleton of reef-building coral Isopora palifera

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, S. H.

2016-02-01

Microbial endoliths, which inhabit interior pores of rocks, skeletons and coral, are ubiquitous in terrestrial and marine environments. In the present study, various colored layers stratified the endolithic environment within the skeleton of Isopora palifera; however, there was a distinct green-pigmented layer in the skeleton (beneath the living coral tissue). To characterize diversity of endolithic microorganisms, 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicon pyrosequencing was used to investigate bacterial communities in the green layer of Isopora palifera coral colonies retrieved fromGreen Island, Taiwan. The dominant bacterial group in the green layer belonged to the bacterial phylum Chlorobi, green sulphur bacteria capable of anoxygenic photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation. Specifically, bacteria of the genus Prosthecochloris were dominant in this green layer. To our knowledge, this is the first study to provide a detailed profile of endolithic bacteria in coral and to determine prevalence of Prosthecochloris in the green layer. Based on our findings, we infer that these bacteria may have an important functional role in the coral holobiont in the nutrient-limited coral reef ecosystem.

Rare stable isotopes in meteorites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, G.C.

1981-01-01

Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) using accelerators has been applied with success to cosmic ray exposure ages and terrestrial residence times of meteorites by measuring cosmogenic nuclides of Be, Cl, and I. It is proposed to complement this work with experiments on rare stable isotopes, in the hope of setting constraints on the processes of solar nebula/meteoritic formation. The relevant species can be classified as: a) daughter products of extinct nuclides (halflife less than or equal to 2 x 10 8 y) -chronology of the early solar system; b) products of high temperature astrophysical processes - different components incorporated into the solar nebula; and c) products of relatively low temperature processes, stellar winds and cosmic ray reactions - early solar system radiation history. The use of micron-scale primary ion beams will allow detailed sampling of phases within meteorites. Strategies of charge-state selection, molecular disintegration and detection should bring a new set of targets within analytical range. The developing accelerator field is compared to existing (keV energy) ion microprobes

Method of processing spent ion exchange resins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mori, Kazuhide; Tamada, Shin; Kikuchi, Makoto; Matsuda, Masami; Aoyama, Yoshiyuki.

1985-01-01

Purpose: To decrease the amount of radioactive spent ion exchange resins generated from nuclear power plants, etc and process them into stable inorganic compounds through heat decomposition. Method: Spent ion exchange resins are heat-decomposed in an inert atmosphere to selectively decompose only ion exchange groups in the preceeding step while high molecular skeltons are completely heat-decomposed in an oxidizing atmosphere in the succeeding step. In this way, gaseous sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides are generated in the preceeding step, while gaseous carbon dioxide and hydrogen requiring no discharge gas procession are generated in the succeeding step. Accordingly, the amount of discharged gases requiring procession can significantly be reduced, as well as the residues can be converted into stable inorganic compounds. Further, if transition metals are ionically adsorbed as the catalyst to the ion exchange resins, the ion exchange groups are decomposed at 130 - 300 0 C, while the high molecular skeltons are thermally decomposed at 240 - 300 0 C. Thus, the temperature for the heat decomposition can be lowered to prevent the degradation of the reactor materials. (Kawakami, Y.)

A comparative study of the ocular skeleton of fossil and modern chondrichthyans

Science.gov (United States)

Pilgrim, Brettney L; Franz-Odendaal, Tamara A

2009-01-01

Many vertebrates have an ocular skeleton composed of cartilage and/or bone situated within the sclera of the eye. In this study we investigated whether modern and fossil sharks have an ocular skeleton, and whether it is conserved in morphology. We describe the scleral skeletal elements of three species of modern sharks and compare them to those found in fossil sharks from the Cleveland Shale (360 Mya). We also compare the elements to contemporaneous arthrodires from the same deposit. Surprisingly, the morphology of the skeletal support of the eye was found to differ significantly between modern and fossil sharks. All three modern shark species examined (spiny dogfish shark Squalus acanthias, porbeagle shark Lamna nasus and blue shark Prionace glauca) have a continuous skeletal element that encapsulates much of the eyeball; however, the tissue composition is different in each species. Histological and morphological examination revealed scleral cartilage with distinct tesserae in parts of the sclera of the porbeagle and blue shark, and more diffuse calcification in the dogfish. Strengthening of the scleral cartilage by means of tesserae has not been reported previously in the shark eye. In striking contrast, the ocular skeleton of fossil sharks comprises a series of individual elements that are arranged in a ring, similar to the arrangement in modern and fossil reptiles. Fossil arthrodires also have a multi-unit sclerotic ring but these are composed of fewer elements than in fossil sharks. The morphology of these elements has implications for the behaviour and visual capabilities of sharks that lived during the Devonian Period. This is the first time that such a dramatic variation in the morphology of scleral skeletal elements has been observed in a single lineage (Chondrichthyes), making this lineage important for broadening our understanding of the evolution of these elements within jawed vertebrates. PMID:19538630

The Latest from the LHC: Successful switch to ions

CERN Multimedia

CERN Bulletin

2010-01-01

The last 2010 proton beam was extracted from the LHC on Thursday, 4 November. The transition from proton to lead ion operation was accomplished remarkably smoothly. The first ion collisions were recorded just after midnight on 6 November.   The LHC1 screen showing the machine running with ions for the first time. The LHC switched to operation with ions on Thursday, 4 November, with first ion collisions ensuing about 54 hours later, at 00:30 CET on 7 November. Stable running conditions marking the start of physics with heavy ions were achieved at 11:20 CET on 8 November. The very smooth and fast transition to operation with ions was made possible by very good beam instrumentation performance with a relatively low number of charges per bunch, and magnetic behaviour very similar to operation with protons, as expected. These two factors combined allowed the setting-up operations to be completed very quickly, and stable beam operation, with 2 bunches per beam, was achieved in just a few day...

Detection systems for radioactive ion beams; Systeme de detection en ions radioactifs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Savajols, H

2002-07-01

Two main methods are used to produce radioactive ion beams: -) the ISOL method (isotope separation on-line) in which the stable beam interacts with a thick target, the reaction products diffuse outside the target and are transferred to a source where they are ionized, a mass separator and a post-accelerator drive the selected radioactive ions to the right energy; -) the in-flight fragmentation method in which the stable beam interacts with a thin target, the reaction products are emitted from the target with a restricted angular distribution and a velocity close to that of the incident beam, the experimenter has to take advantage from the reaction kinetics to get the right particle beam. Characteristic time is far longer with the ISOL method but the beam intensity is much better because of the use of a post-accelerator. In both cases, the beam intensity is lower by several orders of magnitude than in the case of a stable beam. This article presents all the constraints imposed by radioactive beams to the detection systems of the reaction products and gives new technical solutions according to the type of nuclear reaction studied. (A.C.)

Atlas of Bone Scintigraphy in the Developing Paediatric Skeleton: The Normal Skeleton, Variants and Pitfalls

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

Since the introduction of 99m technetium polyphosphate in 1972 by Dr. M. Subramanian, bone scintigraphy has become an integral part of the evaluation of paediatric musculoskeletal disorders. Using the current high resolution gamma cameras and 99m technetium-methylene diphosphonate ( 99m Tc-MDP) or 99m Tc 2,3-dicarboxypropane-1,1-diphosphonate ( 99m Tc-DPD), the quality of images available for interpretation is high. From the very earliest days, there has been a certain confusion over normal bone physiology, as depicted by the bone scintigram in paediatric patients. This has resulted in a number of difficulties in detecting subtle abnormalities, especially near the dynamically changing scintigraphic presentation of the physes (growth zones). Examples of abnormalities that might be confused with normal bone activity are osteomyelitis, bucket handle fractures of the long bones, as well as neuroblastoma and leukaemic metastases. The aim of this publication is to provide structured information about the maturation and normal appearance of the skeleton from infancy to adulthood. As such, it reflects the current status of bone scintigraphy. It is hoped that this work will contribute to an enhanced understanding of the dynamic process of naturally occurring metabolic bone changes, which will, in turn, improve the quality of reporting of paediatric bone scans. As the majority of paediatric bone scintigrams are interpreted by non-paediatric nuclear physicians, the availability of this reference atlas should improve the care of children. This atlas is intended to address the needs of nuclear medicine physicians, both residents and specialists. It is intended to serve as an illustrative reference to those not having sufficient exposure to paediatric bone scan investigations, to enable them to maintain adequate competency in this particular application. Experts in paediatric nuclear medicine are often consulted for their opinion on bone scans obtained in their respective

Stable carbon isotopic assessment of prehistoric diets in the south-western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sealy, J C

1984-01-01

This thesis consists of a stable carbon isotopic assessment of the diets of the Holocene human inhabitants of the south-western Cape, South-Africa. Samples of the foods these people ate were collected from each of the four major physiographic zones in the area, and their /sup 13/C//sup 12/C ratios measured. A total of more than 200 such analyses enabled the estimation of the average delta /sup 13/C values of prehistoric human diets in each zone. This information is used to interpret delta /sup 13/C measurements on a series of archaeological human skeletons. The results are consistent with a model of prehistoric subsistence behaviour in which people living at the coast made intensive use of marine food resources throughout the Holocene, consuming such a large proportion of these foods that they must have spent much, if not all of their time at the coast. Inland skeletons reflect an almost entirely terrestrial diet. These results contradict hypotheses about seasonal population movements between the coast and the interior generated from excavated archaeological material. Considerable changes in many of our current views of the Late Stone Age of the south-western Cape will have to be made in order to accommodate these data.

The geochemistry of deep-sea coral skeletons: A review of vital effects and applications for palaeoceanography

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Laura F.; Adkins, Jess F.; Frank, Norbert; Gagnon, Alexander C.; Prouty, Nancy G.; Brendan Roark, E.; de Flierdt, Tina van

2014-01-01

Deep-sea corals were discovered over a century ago, but it is only over recent years that focused efforts have been made to explore the history of the oceans using the geochemistry of their skeletal remains. They offer a promising archive of past oceanic environments given their global distribution, layered growth patterns, longevity and preservation as well as our ability to date them using radiometric techniques. This paper provides an overview of the current state-of-the-art in terms of geochemical approaches to using deep-sea coral skeletons to explore the history of the ocean. Deep-sea coral skeletons have a wide array of morphologies (e.g. solitary cup corals, branching colonial corals) and materials (calcite, aragonite and proteins). As such their biomineralization strategies are diverse, leading to complex geochemistry within coral skeletons. Notwithstanding these complications, progress has been made on developing methods for reconstructing the oceanographic environment in the past using trace elements and isotopic methods. Promising approaches within certain coral groups include clumped isotopes and Mg/Li for temperature reconstructions, boron isotopes and radiocarbon for carbon cycling, εNd, and radiocarbon for circulation studies and δ15N, P/Ca and Ba/Ca for nutrient tracer studies. Likewise there is now a range of techniques for dating deep-sea corals skeletons (e.g. U-series, radiocarbon), and determining their growth rates (e.g. radiocarbon and 210Pb). Dating studies on historic coral populations in the Atlantic, Southern Ocean and Pacific point to climate and environmental changes being dominant controls on coral populations over millennial and orbital timescales. This paper provides a review of a range of successes and promising approaches. It also highlights areas in which further research would likely provide new insights into biomineralization, palaeoceanography and distribution of past coral populations.

Design of compliantly actuated exo-skeleton for an impedance controlled gait trainer robot

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Kooij, Herman; Veneman, J.F.; Ekkelenkamp, R.; IEEE Engineering in Medicine,

2006-01-01

We have designed and built a lower extremity powered exo-skeleton (LOPES) for the training of post-stroke patients. This paper describes the philosophy behind the design of LOPES (Fig. 1), motivates the choices that have been made and gives some exemplary results of the ranges of mechanical

Electrical injury involving the immature skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogden, J.A.; Southwick, W. O.; Yale Univ., New Haven, CT; Yale Univ., New Haven, CT

1981-01-01

Two patients are presented with significant problems of skeletal development and function consequent to electrical impulse propagation through the immature skeleton. Amputation stump revision in the first case allowed an opportunity to assess specific histological and morphologic changes. Electrical damage completeley destroyed portions of trabecular bone in the metaphyses and epiphyseal ossification centers. There were morphologic irregularities in the physis of the distal femur, while in the proximal tibia complete cessation of growth occurred through presumed electrical ablation of the physis. There was virtually no endosteal or periosteal callus, no intertrabecular inflammatory response, and no new bone formation well over a year following the original injury. The knee joint exhibited severe fibrous ankylosis. In the second case localized arrest of the posterolateral portion of the proximal tibial physis caused a valgus/recurvatum deformation, and probably slowed down distal growth sufficiently in the stump end to prevent irregular terminal overgrowth of the tibia, although it did occur in the fibula. (orig.)

Structures and ion conduction pathways of amorphous lithium ion conductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mori, Kazuhiro; Fukunaga, Toshiharu; Onodera, Yohei

2014-01-01

For ( 7 Li 2 S) x (P 2 S 5 ) 100-x glasses (x = 50, 60, and 70) and 7 Li 7 P 3 S 11 metastable crystal, time-of-flight neutron diffraction and synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments were performed, and three-dimensional structures and conduction pathways of lithium ions were studied using the reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) modeling and the bond valence sum (BVS) approach. The conduction pathways of the lithium ions could be classified into two types: lithium 'stable' and 'metastable' regions, respectively. Moreover, it was found that there is a significant relationship between the activation energy of the electrical conduction and the topology of the conduction pathways of the lithium ions. (author)

Animal experimental investigations of the problem of the decorporation of radioactive metal ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berner, W.

1973-01-01

Basically, it is possible to reduce the radiation exposure by excretion intensification of incorporated radioactive materials. Chelate agents have proved to be particularly effective for the accelerated elimination of radioactive metal ions. The kinetics of the distribution and excretion of 57 CoCl 2 , 65 ZnCl 2 and 203 HgCl 2 on the rat under the influence of the chelating agent penicillamin (D-ββ-dimethylcystein) was investigated and the reduction of the radiation exposure in man was calculated from the animal-experimentally gained data. At various times after the incorporation of metal ions, the whole body radioactivity and, after killing the animals, the radioactivity of the organs liver, kidney, spleen, skeleton, muscles and blood, were measured. From the course of the measured radioactivities with time, the biokinetic data of the radioactive metal ions (effective half-lives, selection factors and their components) were determined by means of regression analyses. The chelating agent was applied at different times before or after incorporation of the radioactive metal ions. (EK/LH) [de

Structure and mechanical implications of the pectoral fin skeleton in the Longnose Skate (Chondrichthyes, Batoidea).

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Wei; Hongjamrassilp, Watcharapong; Jung, Jae-Young; Hastings, Philip A; Lubarda, Vlado A; McKittrick, Joanna

2017-03-15

Animal propulsion systems are believed to show high energy and mechanical efficiency in assisting movement compared to artificial designs. As an example, batoid fishes have very light cartilaginous skeletons that facilitate their elegant swimming via enlarged wing-like pectoral fins. The aim of this work is to illustrate the hierarchical structure of the pectoral fin of a representative batoid, the Longnose Skate (Raja rhina), and explain the mechanical implications of its structural design. At the macro level, the pectoral fins are comprised of radially oriented fin rays, formed by staggered mineralized skeletal elements stacked end-to-end. At the micro level, the midsection of each radial element is composed of three mineralized components, which consist of discrete segments (tesserae) that are mineralized cartilage and embedded in unmineralized cartilage. The radial elements are wrapped with aligned, unmineralized collagen fibers. This is the first report of the detailed structure of the ray elements, including the observation of a 3-chain mineralized tesserae. Structural analyses demonstrate that this configuration enhances stiffness in multiple directions. A two-dimensional numerical model based on the morphological analysis demonstrated that the tessera structure helps distributing shear, tensile and compressive stress more ideally, which can better support both lift and thrust forces when swimming without losing flexibility. Batoid fishes have very light cartilaginous skeletons that facilitate their elegant swimming by applying their enlarged wing-like pectoral fins. Previous studies have shown structural features and mechanical properties of the mineralized cartilage skeleton in various batoid fishes. However, the details of the pectoral fin structure at different length scales, as well as the relationship between the mechanical properties and structural design remains unknown. The present work illustrates the hierarchical structure of the pectoral fin of

Voxel-based models representing the male and female ICRP reference adult - the skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zankl, M.; Eckerman, K.F.; Bolch, W.E.

2007-01-01

For the forthcoming update of organ dose conversion coefficients, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) will use voxel-based computational phantoms due to their improved anatomical realism compared with the class of mathematical or stylized phantoms used previously. According to the ICRP philosophy, these phantoms should be representative of the male and female reference adults with respect to their external dimensions, their organ topology and their organ masses. To meet these requirements, reference models of an adult male and adult female have been constructed at the GSF, based on existing voxel models segmented from tomographic images of two individuals whose body height and weight closely resemble the ICRP Publication 89 reference values. The skeleton is a highly complex structure of the body, composed of cortical bone, trabecular bone, red and yellow bone marrow and endosteum ('bone surfaces' in their older terminology). The skeleton of the reference phantoms consists of 19 individually segmented bones and bone groups. Sub-division of these bones into the above-mentioned constituents would be necessary in order to allow a direct calculation of dose to red bone marrow and endosteum. However, the dimensions of the trabeculae, the cavities containing bone marrow and the endosteum layer lining these cavities are clearly smaller than the resolution of a normal CT scan and, thus, these volumes could not be segmented in the tomographic images. As an attempt to represent the gross spatial distribution of these regions as realistically as possible at the given voxel resolution, 48 individual organ identification numbers were assigned to various parts of the skeleton: every segmented bone was subdivided into an outer shell of cortical bone and a spongious core; in the shafts of the long bones, a medullary cavity was additionally segmented. Using the data from ICRP Publication 89 on elemental tissue composition, from ICRU Report 46 on material

Mass-selective isolation of ions stored in a quadrupole ion trap. A simulation study

Science.gov (United States)

March, Raymond E.; Londry, Frank A.; Alfred, Roland L.; Franklin, Anthony M.; Todd, John F. J.

1992-01-01

Trajectories of single ions stored in the quadrupole ion trap have been calculated using a simulation program described as the specific program for quadrupolar resonance (SPQR). Previously, the program has been used for the investigation of quadrupolar resonance excitation of ions with a static working point (or co-ordinates) in the stability diagram. The program has been modified to accommodate continuous d.c. and/or r.f. voltage ramps so as to permit calculation of ion trajectories while the working point is being changed. The modified program has been applied to the calculation of ion trajectories during ion isolation, or mass-selective storage, in the ion trap. The quadrupolar resonance excitation aspect of SPQR was not used in this study. Trajectories are displayed as temporal variations of ion kinetic energy, and axial and radial excursions from the centre of the ion trap. The working points of three ion species (m/z 144, 146 and 148), located initially on the qz, axis with qz [approximate] 0.12, were moved to the vicinity of the upper apex by a combination of r.f. and d.c. voltages applied in succession. Stable trajectories were maintained only for the ion species of m/z 146 for which the working point lay within this apex; the other ion species were ejected either radially or axially. The d.c. voltage was then reduced to zero so as to restore the working point of the isolated ion species to the qz axis. The amplitude of the r.f voltage was reduced to its initial value so as to retrieve the initial working point for m/z 146. The process extended over a real time of 2.9 ms, and was collision-free. The trajectory of the isolated ion was stable during this process; the ion species with m/z value lower than that of the target ion, that is, m/z 144, was ejected axially at the [beta]z = 1 boundary, while that with higher m/z value, that is, m/z 148, was ejected radially at the [beta]r = 0 boundary, as expected. The moderating effects of buffer gas were not taken

Estimation of sex and age of ''virtual skeletons''-a feasibility study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grabherr, Silke; Cooper, Christine; Ulrich-Bochsler, Susi; Uldin, Tanya; Ross, Steffen; Oesterhelweg, Lars; Bolliger, Stephan; Thali, Michael J.; Christe, Andreas; Schnyder, Pierre; Mangin, Patrice

2009-01-01

This article presents a feasibility study with the objective of investigating the potential of multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) to estimate the bone age and sex of deceased persons. To obtain virtual skeletons, the bodies of 22 deceased persons with known age at death were scanned by MDCT using a special protocol that consisted of high-resolution imaging of the skull, shoulder girdle (including the upper half of the humeri), the symphysis pubis and the upper halves of the femora. Bone and soft-tissue reconstructions were performed in two and three dimensions. The resulting data were investigated by three anthropologists with different professional experience. Sex was determined by investigating three-dimensional models of the skull and pelvis. As a basic orientation for the age estimation, the complex method according to Nemeskeri and co-workers was applied. The final estimation was effected using additional parameters like the state of dentition, degeneration of the spine, etc., which where chosen individually by the three observers according to their experience. The results of the study show that the estimation of sex and age is possible by the use of MDCT. Virtual skeletons present an ideal collection for anthropological studies, because they are obtained in a non-invasive way and can be investigated ad infinitum. (orig.)

Various versions of analytic QCD and skeleton-motivated evaluation of observables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cvetic, Gorazd; Valenzuela, Cristian

2006-01-01

We present skeleton-motivated evaluation of QCD observables. The approach can be applied in analytic versions of QCD in certain classes of renormalization schemes. We present two versions of analytic QCD which can be regarded as low-energy modifications of the ''minimal'' analytic QCD and which reproduce the measured value of the semihadronic τ decay ratio r τ . Further, we describe an approach of calculating the higher-order analytic couplings A k (k=2,3,...) on the basis of logarithmic derivatives of the analytic coupling A 1 (Q 2 ). This approach can be applied in any version of analytic QCD. We adjust the free parameters of the aforementioned two analytic models in such a way that the skeleton-motivated evaluation reproduces the correct known values of r τ and of the Bjorken polarized sum rule (BjPSR) d b (Q 2 ) at a given point (e.g., at Q 2 =2 GeV 2 ). We then evaluate the low-energy behavior of the Adler function d v (Q 2 ) and the BjPSR d b (Q 2 ) in the aforementioned evaluation approach, in the three analytic versions of QCD. We compare with the results obtained in the minimal analytic QCD and with the evaluation approach of Milton et al. and Shirkov

MIVOC Method at the mVINIS Ion Source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jovovic, J.; Cvetic, J.; Dobrosavljevic, A.; Nedeljkovic, T.; Draganic, I.

2007-01-01

We have used the well-known metal-ions-from-volatile- compounds (MIVOC) method with the mVINIS Ion Source to produce multiply charged ion beams form solid substances. Using this method very intense stable multiply charged ion beams of several solid substances having high melting points were obtained. The yields and spectrum of the multiply charged ion beams obtained from Hf will be presented. A hafnium ion beam spectrum was recorded at an ECR ion source for the first time. We have utilized the multiply charged ion beams from solid substances to irradiate the polymer, fullerene and glassy carbon samples at the channel for modification of materials (L3A). (author)

MIVOC method at the mVINIS ion source

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jovović Jovica

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Based on the metal-ions-from-volatile-compounds (MIVOC method with the mVINIS ion source, we have produced multiply charged ion beams from solid substances. Highly in tense, stable multiply charged ion beams of several solid substances with high melting points were extracted by using this method. The spectrum of multiply charged ion beams obtained from the element hafnium is presented here. For the first time ever, hafnium ion beam spectra were recorded at an electron cyclotron resonance ion source. Multiply charged ion beams from solid substances were used to irradiate the polymer, fullerene and glassy carbon samples at the channel for the modification of materials.

Sympathetic cooling of ions in a hybrid atom ion trap

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoeltkemeier, Bastian

2016-10-27

In this thesis the dynamics of a trapped ion immersed in a spatially localized buffer gas is investigated. For a homogeneous buffer gas, the ion's energy distribution reaches a stable equilibrium only if the mass of the buffer gas atoms is below a critical value. This limitation can be overcome by using multipole traps in combination and/or a spatially confined buffer gas. Using a generalized model for elastic collisions of the ion with the buffer gas atoms, the ion's energy distribution is numerically determined for arbitrary buffer gas distributions and trap parameters. Three regimes characterized by the respective analytic form of the ion's equilibrium energy distribution are found. One of these is a novel regime at large atom-to-ion mass ratios where the final ion temperature can tuned by adiabatically decreasing the spatial extension of the buffer gas and the effective ion trap depth (forced sympathetic cooling). The second part of the thesis presents a hybrid atom ion trap designed for sympathetic cooling of hydroxide anions. In this hybrid trap the anions are immersed in a cloud of laser cooled rubidium atoms. The translational and rovibrational temperatures of the anions is probed by photodetachment tomography and spectroscopy which shows the first ever indication of sympathetic cooling of anions by laser cooled atoms.

Synthesis of Hierarchical Sisal-Like V2O5 with Exposed Stable {001} Facets as Long Life Cathode Materials for Advanced Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Naiteng; Du, Wuzhou; Liu, Guilong; Zhou, Zhan; Fu, Hong-Ru; Tang, Qianqian; Liu, Xianming; He, Yan-Bing

2017-12-20

Vanadium pentoxide (V 2 O 5 ) is considered a promising cathode material for advanced lithium-ion batteries owing to its high specific capacity and low cost. However, the application of V 2 O 5 -based electrodes has been hindered because of their inferior conductivity, cycling stability, and power performance. Herein, hierarchical sisal-like V 2 O 5 microstructures consisting of primary one-dimensional (1D) nanobelts with [001] facets orientation growth and rich oxygen vacancies are synthesized through a facile hydrothermal process using polyoxyethylene-20-cetyl-ether as the surface control agent, followed by calcination. The primary 1D nanobelt shortens the transfer path of electrons and ions, and the stable {001} facets could reduce the side reaction at the interface of electrode/electrolyte, simultaneously. Moreover, the formation of low valence state vanadium would generate the oxygen vacancies to facilitate lithium-ion diffusion. As a result, the sisal-like V 2 O 5 manifests excellent electrochemical performances, including high specific capacity (297 mA h g -1 at a current of 0.1 C) and robust cycling performance (capacity fading 0.06% per cycle). This work develops a controllable method to craft the hierarchical sisal-like V 2 O 5 microstructures with excellent high rate and long-term cyclic stability.

Biomedical and Forensic Applications of Combined Catalytic Hydrogenation-Stable Isotope Ratio Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark A. Sephton

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Studies of biological molecules such as fatty acids and the steroid hormones have the potential to benefit enormously from stable carbon isotope ratio measurements of individual molecules. In their natural form, however, the body’s molecules interact too readily with laboratory equipment designed to separate them for accurate measurements to be made.Some methods overcome this problem by adding carbon to the target molecule, but this can irreversibly overprint the carbon source ‘signal’. Hydropyrolysis is a newly-applied catalytic technique that delicately strips molecules of their functional groups but retains their carbon skeletons and stereochemistries intact, allowing precise determination of the carbon source. By solving analytical problems, the new technique is increasing the ability of scientists to pinpoint molecular indicators of disease, elucidate metabolic pathways and recognise administered substances in forensic investigations.

Accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon ages of amino acid extracts from Californian palaeoindian skeletons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bada, J.L.; Gillespie, R.; Gowlett, J.A.J.; Hedges, R.E.M.

1984-01-01

The authors have used accelerator mass spectrometry to determine the radiocarbon ages of the amino acid extracts used in the original racemization studies of skeletal remains found in California. The studies indicate that some of the controversial Californian skeletons, which had been assigned to the Upper Pleistocene, are in fact Holocene. (author)

The importance of scintimetry in the differential diagnosis of roentgenological areas of increased 'translucence' in the skeleton of children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Georgi, P.; Benz, G.

1979-01-01

A random selection of lesions representing osteolytic bone processes was evaluated with the 'region-of-interest' technique in order to determine whether scintimetry can be helpful in the differential diagnosis of such processes in children. Bone tumours with structural densification, as well as osteomyelitides, were reviewed for comparative purposes. It was found that scintigraphy of the skeleton, while supplying additional and clinically quite interesting information, does not make any substantial contribution to the differential diagnostic clarification of roentgenological translucence in the skeleton of children. (orig.) [de

Reconstructing the Curve-Skeletons of 3D Shapes Using the Visual Hull.

Science.gov (United States)

Livesu, Marco; Guggeri, Fabio; Scateni, Riccardo

2012-11-01

Curve-skeletons are the most important descriptors for shapes, capable of capturing in a synthetic manner the most relevant features. They are useful for many different applications: from shape matching and retrieval, to medical imaging, to animation. This has led, over the years, to the development of several different techniques for extraction, each trying to comply with specific goals. We propose a novel technique which stems from the intuition of reproducing what a human being does to deduce the shape of an object holding it in his or her hand and rotating. To accomplish this, we use the formal definitions of epipolar geometry and visual hull. We show how it is possible to infer the curve-skeleton of a broad class of 3D shapes, along with an estimation of the radii of the maximal inscribed balls, by gathering information about the medial axes of their projections on the image planes of the stereographic vision. It is definitely worth to point out that our method works indifferently on (even unoriented) polygonal meshes, voxel models, and point clouds. Moreover, it is insensitive to noise, pose-invariant, resolution-invariant, and robust when applied to incomplete data sets.

A comparison between skeleton and bounding box models for falling direction recognition

Science.gov (United States)

Narupiyakul, Lalita; Srisrisawang, Nitikorn

2017-12-01

Falling is an injury that can lead to a serious medical condition in every range of the age of people. However, in the case of elderly, the risk of serious injury is much higher. Due to the fact that one way of preventing serious injury is to treat the fallen person as soon as possible, several works attempted to implement different algorithms to recognize the fall. Our work compares the performance of two models based on features extraction: (i) Body joint data (Skeleton Data) which are the joint's positions in 3 axes and (ii) Bounding box (Box-size Data) covering all body joints. Machine learning algorithms that were chosen are Decision Tree (DT), Naïve Bayes (NB), K-nearest neighbors (KNN), Linear discriminant analysis (LDA), Voting Classification (VC), and Gradient boosting (GB). The results illustrate that the models trained with Skeleton data are performed far better than those trained with Box-size data (with an average accuracy of 94-81% and 80-75%, respectively). KNN shows the best performance in both Body joint model and Bounding box model. In conclusion, KNN with Body joint model performs the best among the others.

Corrosion behaviour of low energy, high temperature nitrogen ion ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

primary ions were used and negative secondary ions were detected. A difference in the distribution of the CrN and the alleged N signal was observed and attributed to CrN acting as a diffusion barrier for nitrogen diffusion. It may be noted here that nitrogen does not form stable elemental negative ions [2] and is thus.

Wave Propagation in an Ion Beam-Plasma System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, T. D.; Michelsen, Poul; Juul Rasmussen, Jens

1979-01-01

The spatial evolution of a velocity- or density-modulated ion beam is calculated for stable and unstable ion beam plasma systems, using the linearized Vlasov-Poisson equations. The propagation properties are found to be strongly dependent on the form of modulation. In the case of velocity...

Electron string ion sources for carbon ion cancer therapy accelerators

Science.gov (United States)

Boytsov, A. Yu.; Donets, D. E.; Donets, E. D.; Donets, E. E.; Katagiri, K.; Noda, K.; Ponkin, D. O.; Ramzdorf, A. Yu.; Salnikov, V. V.; Shutov, V. B.

2015-08-01

The type of the Electron String Ion Sources (ESIS) is considered to be the appropriate one to produce pulsed C4+ and C6+ ion beams for cancer therapy accelerators. In fact, the new test ESIS Krion-6T already now provides more than 1010 C4+ ions per pulse and about 5 × 109 C6+ ions per pulse. Such ion sources could be suitable to apply at synchrotrons. It has also been found that Krion-6T can provide more than 1011 C6+ ions per second at the 100 Hz repetition rate, and the repetition rate can be increased at the same or larger ion output per second. This makes ESIS applicable at cyclotrons as well. ESIS can be also a suitable type of ion source to produce the 11C radioactive ion beams. A specialized cryogenic cell was experimentally tested at the Krion-2M ESIS for pulse injection of gaseous species into the electron string. It has been shown in experiments with stable methane that the total conversion efficiency of methane molecules to C4+ ions reached 5%÷10%. For cancer therapy with simultaneous irradiation and precise dose control (positron emission tomography) by means of 11C, transporting to the tumor with the primary accelerated 11C4+ beam, this efficiency is preliminarily considered to be large enough to produce the 11C4+ beam from radioactive methane and to inject this beam into synchrotrons.

The effect of locomotion on the mobilization of minerals from the maternal skeleton.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wendy R Hood

Full Text Available Bone is a dynamic tissue from which minerals are deposited or withdrawn according to the body's demand. During late pregnancy and lactation, female mammals mobilize mineral from bone to support the ossification of offspring skeleton(s. Conversely, in response to mechanical loading, minerals are deposited in bone enabling it to develop a stronger architecture. Despite their central importance to reproductive performance and skeletal integrity, the interactions between these potentially opposing forces remains poorly understood. It is possible that inter-individual differences in the loading imposed by different forms of locomotion may alter the amount of mineral mobilized during reproduction. Here, the impact of vertical versus horizontal locomotion on bone mobilization was examined during reproduction in the laboratory mouse. The vertical, or climbing, group had access to a 60-cm tower, increasing strain on their appendicular skeleton. The horizontal, or tunnel, group had access to a 100-cm tunnel, which encouraged movements within the horizontal plane. Form of locomotion did not impact the amount of bone females mobilized during reproduction or the amount of mineral females deposited in the litter, but maternal bone architecture differed between groups. The climbing group displayed more trabeculae than the tunnel group, whereas the tunnel group displayed greater cortical bone mineral density mid-shaft. Interestingly, pups born to mothers in the climbing group had a higher concentration of total body calcium at 16 days than pups of mothers in the tunnel group. As maternal total body calcium composition and the amount of calcium invested in the full litter were not different between groups, the difference in the relative calcium content of pups between groups is not suspected to reflect difference in mineral allocation. Future research should consider the impact of maternal activity on the efficiency of offspring skeletal ossification via

Morphometric analysis of early Eocene Corbisema skeletons (Silicoflagellata) in Mors, Denmark

Science.gov (United States)

Tsutsui, Hideto; Jordan, Richard W.; Nishiwaki, Niichi; Nishida, Shiro

2018-02-01

A two-dimensional morphometric programme, recently designed to measure fossil skeletons of the silicoflagellate genus Corbisema, was used to investigate specimens of the C. apiculata-C. triacantha complex found in a sample from the Fur Formation on the island of Mors, Jutland, Denmark. The semi-automated programme measured the lengths of the basal sides and radial spines, the basal side curvature, and the location of the pikes (if present) from a photographic database (N = 469). As a result, two distinct morphological groups were revealed based on their radial spine length : basal side length ratio and the presence or absence of pikes: group A (ratio of 1 : 1.3, no pikes) and group B, with the latter subdivided into B1 (ratio of 1 : 7, with pikes) and B2 (ratio of 1 : 6, no pikes). Group A (C. triacantha sensu lato) possesses a small basal ring with relatively straight basal sides and long radial spines, while group B has a large basal ring with curved basal sides and short radial spines. In B1 specimens (C. apiculata sensu stricto) the pikes are positioned 0 to 1 µm away from the junction point of the strut and basal ring. This would suggest that B1 double skeletons are likely to be in the Star-of-David configuration, while A and B2 double skeletons (which lack pikes) are likely to be in the corner-to-corner configuration. Compared with the previously published biometric studies of extant Stephanocha (Stephanocha speculum complex in the Southern Ocean and S. medianoctisol in the Arctic Ocean), the results are somewhat different: although C. triacantha sensu lato (group A) is similar to the modern species of Stephanocha, the latter have smaller basal ring diameters, whereas specimens of C. apiculata sensu lato (types B1 and B2) have large basal rings. If their cell diameters are calculated, B1 is the largest, with S. speculum being the smallest - about half the size of B1. This could suggest that the relationship between radial spine length and mean basal ring

Paleodysmorphology and paleoteratology: Diagnosing and interpreting congenital conditions of the skeleton in anthropological contexts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oostra, Roelof-Jan; Boer, Lucas; van der Merwe, Alie E.

2016-01-01

Most congenital conditions have low prevalence, but collectively they occur in a few percent of all live births. Congenital conditions are rarely encountered in anthropological studies, not least because many of them have no obvious effect on the skeleton. Here, we discuss two groups of congenital

REVISITING THE DEBATE: DOES EXERCISE BUILD STRONG BONES IN THE MATURE AND SENESCENT SKELETON?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julie M. Hughes

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Traditional exercise programs seem to be less osteogenic in the mature and post-mature skeleton compared to the young skeleton, likely because of the decline in sensitivity of bone to mechanical loading that occurs with advancing age. Another factor contributing to the apparently diminished benefit of exercise in older adults is failure of widely used measurement techniques (i.e. DXA to account for changes in 3-dimensional bone structure, which are important determinants of bone strength. Moreover, although hormonal contributors to bone loss in the elderly are well-recognized, the influence of age-related increases in sympathetic nervous system activity on bone is rarely considered. In this Perspective, we cite evidence from animal and human studies demonstrating anabolic effects of exercise on bone across the lifespan and we discuss theoretical considerations for designing exercise regimens to optimize bone health. We conclude with suggestions for future research that should help define the osteogenic potential of exercise in older individuals.

Expression of Dlx-5 and Msx-1 in Craniofacial Skeletons and Ilia of Rats Treated With Zoledronate.

Science.gov (United States)

Xuan, Bin; Yang, Pan; Wu, Shichao; Li, Lin; Zhang, Jian; Zhang, Wenyi

2017-05-01

Because of the different embryologic origins of the craniofacial skeleton and ilium, differences in gene expression patterns have been observed between the jaw bones and ilium. Distal-less homeobox (Dlx) genes and Msh homeobox genes, particularly Dlx-5 and Msx-1, play major roles in cell differentiation and osteogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of zoledronate (ZOL) on the craniofacial skeleton and ilium by detecting changes in Dlx-5 and Msx-1 expression at both the protein and messenger RNA levels. A total of 24 female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: ZOL group (n = 12), in which the rats were injected intraperitoneally with zoledronic acid for 12 weeks, and control group (n = 12), in which the rats were injected with saline solution for 12 weeks. By use of immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, the expression levels of Dlx-5 and Msx-1 in the craniofacial skeleton (including the maxilla, mandible, and parietal bone) and ilium were examined. Dlx-5 expression in the maxilla and mandible was increased at the protein and messenger RNA levels in the ZOL group compared with the control group (P Msx-1 expression in the maxilla and mandible was decreased in the ZOL group (P Msx-1 expression in the ilium was decreased in the ZOL group (P Msx-1 expression in the parietal bone was observed between the 2 groups (P > .05). Site-specific differences in the effects of ZOL on the craniofacial skeleton and ilium could be explained by differently altered tendencies in Dlx-5 and Msx-1 expression. The jaw bones were more susceptible to the effects of ZOL than the parietal bone and ilium. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Explodator: A new skeleton mechanism for the halate driven chemical oscillators

Science.gov (United States)

Noszticzius, Z.; Farkas, H.; Schelly, Z. A.

1984-06-01

In the first part of this work, some shortcomings in the present theories of the Belousov-Zhabotinskii oscillating reaction are discussed. In the second part, a new oscillatory scheme, the limited Explodator, is proposed as an alternative skeleton mechanism. This model contains an always unstable three-variable Lotka-Volterra core (the ``Explodator'') and a stabilizing limiting reaction. The new scheme exhibits Hopf bifurcation and limit cycle oscillations. Finally, some possibilities and problems of a generalization are mentioned.

HIAF: New opportunities for atomic physics with highly charged heavy ions

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, X.; Wen, W. Q.; Zhang, S. F.; Yu, D. Y.; Cheng, R.; Yang, J.; Huang, Z. K.; Wang, H. B.; Zhu, X. L.; Cai, X.; Zhao, Y. T.; Mao, L. J.; Yang, J. C.; Zhou, X. H.; Xu, H. S.; Yuan, Y. J.; Xia, J. W.; Zhao, H. W.; Xiao, G. Q.; Zhan, W. L.

2017-10-01

A new project, High Intensity heavy ion Accelerator Facility (HIAF), is currently being under design and construction in China. HIAF will provide beams of stable and unstable heavy ions with high energies, high intensities and high quality. An overview of new opportunities for atomic physics using highly charged ions and radioactive heavy ions at HIAF is given.

Deposition of 239Pu in the skeleton and soft tissues of beagles: effect of age at time of injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stevens, W.; Atherton, D.R.; Bates, D.; Bruenger, F.W.

1976-01-01

Previous reports from the laboratory have clearly defined the whole body deposition of 239 Pu in beagles injected as young adults (18 mo.). However, deposition has not been evaluated as a function of skeletal maturity at the time of injection. Juvenile beagles 3 months of age were injected with 0.1 μCi 239 Pu/kg in 0.08 M citrate buffer, pH 3.5. Six of these beagles have been sacrificed at short times after injection for distribution data. Another group receiving 3.0 μCi 239 Pu/kg was allowed to live until osteosarcoma developed and they were autopsied (1228 days average). Finally an aged beagle (81 mo.) was injected with 0.1 μCi/kg plutonium (P 2.0) and sacrificed 2 weeks later. Selected soft tissues, 1/2 of the symmetrical skeleton, and a known fraction of the asymmetrical skeleton were collected and analyzed for Pu content. Independent of the age at injection, a total of approximately 80 percent of the Pu was initially deposited in liver plus skeleton, however the age of the animal at time of injection altered the relative proportion in liver and skeleton in a reciprocal manner. The percent of the injected Pu found in the liver at 14 days P.I. increased with the increase in age at time of injection (13.2 percent at 3 months, 30.9 percent at 18 months and 36.9 percent at 81 months). The lower the age at injection, the larger was the fraction of 239 Pu deposited in the skeleton. The amounts ranged from an average of 69 percent in animals injected at 3 months to 49 percent in dogs injected at 18 months and 40 percent in the dog injected at 81 months of age. The difference in skeletal deposition reflects the different rates of bone growth and remodeling in juveniles, young adults and aged beagles

A microanatomical and histological study of the postcranial dermal skeleton of the Devonian actinopterygian Cheirolepis canadensis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Louise Zylberberg

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The Devonian stem-actinoterygian Cheirolepis canadensis is potentially important to understand the evolution of the dermal skeleton of osteichthyans, but the last detailed histological study on this taxon was published more than forty years ago. Here, we present new data about the morphology and the histological structure of scales, fulcra, and fin-rays in the Devonian actinopterygian Cheirolepis canadensis through SEM and photomicroscopy. The scales have a typical palaeoniscoid organisation, with ganoine layers overlaying dentine and a bony basal plate, but the ganoine surface lacks the characteristic microtubercles that have been described on the ganoine surface of the scales of polypterids and many other actinopterygians. Fin-rays are composed of segmented and ramified lepidotrichia that show a structure reminiscent of scales, with ganoine and dentine components lying on a thick bony base. We describe articular processes between lepidotrichia that are reminiscent of, and plausibly homologous with, the peg-and-socket articulations between the scales. The analysis of the postcranial dermal skeleton of Cheirolepis canadensis shows that structural similarities between scales and lepidotrichia of this basal actinopterygian are greater than in more recent actinopterygians. The new data on histological and microanatomical structure of the dermal skeleton lend additional support to the hypothesis that lepidotichia are derivatives of scales, though they are also compatible with the more general hypothesis that scales, lepidotrichia and fulcra belong to the same morphogenetic system.

A simple alkali-metal and noble gas ion source for SIMS equipments with mass separation of the primary ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duesterhoeft, H.; Pippig, R.

1986-01-01

An alkali-metal ion source working without a store of alkali-metals is described. The alkali-metal ions are produced by evaporation of alkali salts and ionization in a low-voltage arc discharge stabilized with a noble gas plasma or in the case of small alkali-metal ion currents on the base of the well known thermic ionization at a hot tungsten wire. The source is very simple in construction and produces a stable ion current of 0.3 μA for more than 100 h. It is possible to change the ion species in a short time. This source is applicable to all SIMS equipments using mass separation for primary ions. (author)

Effect of radiographic contrast media on the spectrin/band3-network of the membrane skeleton of erythrocytes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ralf-Peter Franke

Full Text Available The membrane of red blood cells consists of a phospholipid bilayer with embedded membrane proteins and is associated on the cytoplasmatic side with a network of proteins, the membrane skeleton. Band3 has an important role as centre of the functional complexes e.g. gas exchange complex and as element of attachment for the membrane skeleton maintaining membrane stability and flexibility. Up to now it is unclear if band3 is involved in the morphology change of red blood cells after contact with radiographic contrast media. The study revealed for the first time that Iopromide induced markedly more severe alterations of the membrane skeleton compared to Iodixanol whose effects were similar to erythrocytes suspended in autologous plasma. A remarkable clustering of band3 was found associated with an accumulation of band3 in spicules and also a sequestration of band3 to the extracellular space. This was evidently accompanied by a gross reduction of functional band3 complexes combined with a dissociation of spectrin from band3 leading to a loss of homogeneity of the spectrin network. It could be demonstrated for the first time that RCM not only induced echinocyte formation but also exocytosis of particles at least coated with band3.

Effect of Radiographic Contrast Media on the Spectrin/Band3-Network of the Membrane Skeleton of Erythrocytes

Science.gov (United States)

Franke, Ralf-Peter; Scharnweber, Tim; Fuhrmann, Rosemarie; Wenzel, Folker; Krüger, Anne; Mrowietz, Christof; Jung, Friedrich

2014-01-01

The membrane of red blood cells consists of a phospholipid bilayer with embedded membrane proteins and is associated on the cytoplasmatic side with a network of proteins, the membrane skeleton. Band3 has an important role as centre of the functional complexes e.g. gas exchange complex and as element of attachment for the membrane skeleton maintaining membrane stability and flexibility. Up to now it is unclear if band3 is involved in the morphology change of red blood cells after contact with radiographic contrast media. The study revealed for the first time that Iopromide induced markedly more severe alterations of the membrane skeleton compared to Iodixanol whose effects were similar to erythrocytes suspended in autologous plasma. A remarkable clustering of band3 was found associated with an accumulation of band3 in spicules and also a sequestration of band3 to the extracellular space. This was evidently accompanied by a gross reduction of functional band3 complexes combined with a dissociation of spectrin from band3 leading to a loss of homogeneity of the spectrin network. It could be demonstrated for the first time that RCM not only induced echinocyte formation but also exocytosis of particles at least coated with band3. PMID:24586837

Experimental studies of stable confined electron clouds using Gabor lenses

CERN Document Server

Meusel, O.; Glaeser, B.; Schulte, K.

2013-04-22

Based on the idea of D. Gabor [1] space charge lenses are under investigation to be a powerful focussing device for intense ion beams. A stable confined electron column is used to provide strong radially symmetric electrostatic focussing, e.g. for positively charged ion beams. The advantages of Gabor lenses are a mass independent focussing strength, space charge compensation of the ion beam and reduced magnetic or electric fields compared to conventional focussing devices. Collective phenomena of the electron cloud result in aberrations and emittance growth of the ion beam. The knowledge of the behaviour of the electron cloud prevents a decrease of the beam brilliance. Numerical models developed to describe the electron confinement and dynamics within a Gabor lens help to understand the interaction of the ion beam with the electron column and show the causes of non-neutral plasma instabilities. The diagnosis of the electron cloud properties helps to evaluate the numerical models and to investigate the influen...

Frequency threshold for ion beam formation in expanding RF plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Chakraborty Thakur, Saikat; Harvey, Zane; Biloiu, Ioana; Hansen, Alex; Hardin, Robert; Przybysz, William; Scime, Earl

2008-11-01

We observe a threshold frequency for ion beam formation in expanding, low pressure, argon helicon plasma. Mutually consistent measurements of ion beam energy and density relative to the background ion density obtained with a retarding field energy analyzer and laser induced fluorescence indicate that a stable ion beam of 15 eV appears for source frequencies above 11.5 MHz. Reducing the frequency increases the upstream beam amplitude. Downstream of the expansion region, a clear ion beam is seen only for the higher frequencies. At lower frequencies, large electrostatic instabilities appear and an ion beam is not observed. The upstream plasma density increases sharply at the same threshold frequency that leads to the appearance of a stable double layer. The observations are consistent with the theoretical prediction that downstream electrons accelerated into the source by the double layer lead to increased ionization, thus balancing the higher loss rates upstream [1]. 1. M. A. Lieberman, C. Charles and R. W. Boswell, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 39 (2006) 3294-3304

Nonlinear modulation of ion acoustic waves in a magnetized plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bharuthram, R.; Shukla, P.K.

1987-01-01

The quasistatic plasma slow response to coherent ion acoustic waves in a magnetized plasma is considered. A multidimensional cubic nonlinear Schroedinger equation is derived. It is found that the ion acoustic waves remain modulationally stable against oblique perturbations

Stable anodes for lithium ion batteries made of self-organized mesoporous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolter, Sascha J; Köntges, Marc; Brendel, Rolf; Bahnemann, Detlef

2016-01-01

Alloy-forming compounds, such as electrodes for lithium ion batteries, stand out in terms of their theoretical specific charge capacity while still lacking in mechanical stability due to significant volume changes during operation. Herein, we examine the approach of combining low structural dimensions of the active material with built-in expansion volumes and assess their benefit for silicon anodes in lithium ion batteries. Consequently, self-organized mesoporous silicon is prepared as a suitable anode material for lithium ion batteries without any pre-structuring methods. The anodes are made by employing electrochemical etching methods in a scalable process and are characterized by ellipsometry. Thermally evaporated copper is utilized as the current collector. A sheet of freestanding silicon in contact with copper is used as an anode material with a thickness of 3 μm. After an initialization phase, electrochemical characterization reveals an anode stability of more than 160 cycles with a specific charge capacity of 730 mAh/g. The mechanical stability of the anode is examined by taking SEM measurements of the used electrode material. (paper)

Cryogenic surface ion traps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niedermayr, M.

2015-01-01

Microfabricated surface traps are a promising architecture to realize a scalable quantum computer based on trapped ions. In principle, hundreds or thousands of surface traps can be located on a single substrate in order to provide large arrays of interacting ions. To this end, trap designs and fabrication methods are required that provide scalable, stable and reproducible ion traps. This work presents a novel surface-trap design developed for cryogenic applications. Intrinsic silicon is used as the substrate material of the traps. The well-developed microfabrication and structuring methods of silicon are utilized to create simple and reproducible traps. The traps were tested and characterized in a cryogenic setup. Ions could be trapped and their life time and motional heating were investigated. Long ion lifetimes of several hours were observed and the measured heating rates were reproducibly low at around 1 phonon per second at a trap frequency of 1 MHz. (author) [de

Alterations of bone skeleton structure in connection with strontium-90 incorporation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodionova, N.V.; Mazhuga, P.M.; Domashevskaya, E.I.; Gorskij, B.A.; Nakorenok, G.B.

1994-01-01

By using the methods of histology, electron microscopy and radiochemistry studied the bone skeleton state of animals (mouse like rodents and minks) which live in the 30 km zone of the ChNPP.It was defined contents of 90 Sr, 137 Cs, 134 Cs in the bones during 1989-1993 years. There were described changes in histostructure of the periost endost and bone compact of the tubular bones and also in metaepiphyzal growth plate. The mechanisms of the revealed alterations are discussed

Design of a compliantly actuated exo-skeleton for an impedance controlled gait trainer robot.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Kooij, Herman; Veneman, Jan; Ekkelenkamp, Ralf

2006-01-01

We have designed and built a lower extremity powered exo-skeleton (LOPES) for the training of post-stroke patients. This paper describes the philosophy behind the design of LOPES, motivates the choices that have been made and gives some exemplary results of the ranges of mechanical impedances that can be achieved.

Electron string ion sources for carbon ion cancer therapy accelerators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boytsov, A. Yu.; Donets, D. E.; Donets, E. D.; Donets, E. E.; Ponkin, D. O.; Ramzdorf, A. Yu.; Salnikov, V. V.; Shutov, V. B. [Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna 141980 (Russian Federation); Katagiri, K.; Noda, K. [National Institute of Radiological Science, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555 (Japan)

2015-08-15

The type of the Electron String Ion Sources (ESIS) is considered to be the appropriate one to produce pulsed C{sup 4+} and C{sup 6+} ion beams for cancer therapy accelerators. In fact, the new test ESIS Krion-6T already now provides more than 10{sup 10} C{sup 4+} ions per pulse and about 5 × 10{sup 9} C{sup 6+} ions per pulse. Such ion sources could be suitable to apply at synchrotrons. It has also been found that Krion-6T can provide more than 10{sup 11} C{sup 6+} ions per second at the 100 Hz repetition rate, and the repetition rate can be increased at the same or larger ion output per second. This makes ESIS applicable at cyclotrons as well. ESIS can be also a suitable type of ion source to produce the {sup 11}C radioactive ion beams. A specialized cryogenic cell was experimentally tested at the Krion-2M ESIS for pulse injection of gaseous species into the electron string. It has been shown in experiments with stable methane that the total conversion efficiency of methane molecules to C{sup 4+} ions reached 5%÷10%. For cancer therapy with simultaneous irradiation and precise dose control (positron emission tomography) by means of {sup 11}C, transporting to the tumor with the primary accelerated {sup 11}C{sup 4+} beam, this efficiency is preliminarily considered to be large enough to produce the {sup 11}C{sup 4+} beam from radioactive methane and to inject this beam into synchrotrons.

A rechargeable iodine-carbon battery that exploits ion intercalation and iodine redox chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Ke; Hu, Ziyu; Ma, Jizhen; Ma, Houyi; Dai, Liming; Zhang, Jintao

2017-09-13

Graphitic carbons have been used as conductive supports for developing rechargeable batteries. However, the classic ion intercalation in graphitic carbon has yet to be coupled with extrinsic redox reactions to develop rechargeable batteries. Herein, we demonstrate the preparation of a free-standing, flexible nitrogen and phosphorus co-doped hierarchically porous graphitic carbon for iodine loading by pyrolysis of polyaniline coated cellulose wiper. We find that heteroatoms could provide additional defect sites for encapsulating iodine while the porous carbon skeleton facilitates redox reactions of iodine and ion intercalation. The combination of ion intercalation with redox reactions of iodine allows for developing rechargeable iodine-carbon batteries free from the unsafe lithium/sodium metals, and hence eliminates the long-standing safety issue. The unique architecture of the hierarchically porous graphitic carbon with heteroatom doping not only provides suitable spaces for both iodine encapsulation and cation intercalation but also generates efficient electronic and ionic transport pathways, thus leading to enhanced performance.Carbon-based electrodes able to intercalate Li + and Na + ions have been exploited for high performing energy storage devices. Here, the authors combine the ion intercalation properties of porous graphitic carbons with the redox chemistry of iodine to produce iodine-carbon batteries with high reversible capacities.

Kaks luustikku Tartu toomkirikust: arheoloogia ja osteoloogia andmed / Two skeletons from the Tartu Cathedral Cemetery: archaeological and osteological data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Malve

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This article deals with two case studies based on the osteological obtained in the rescue excavations in the Cathedral of Tartu in 2001 and 2008 (fig. 1. The first case study focuses on the skeleton of the child who suffered from congenital syphilis. The grave has been dated to the end of the 17th or the beginning of the 18th century. The child had been buried in the eighth nave of the northern aisle of the Cathedral (fig. 3. The grave was, according to the Christian burial traditions, west-oriented with the head facing towards the east. A Swedish 1/6 öre, minted during the reign of King Charles XI (1600–1697, was recovered from the grave. The skeleton was relatively complete and well preserved (fig. 2. Based on the dental eruption, the age at death was 9 years ± 24 months. Sexually distinctive characteristics had not developed, and thus it was impossible to determine the sex of the child. Both the microscopical and radiological analyses revealed that the skeleton had indicators of congenital syphilis. Damage from gummatous osteomyelitis and periostitis were visible on the skull and on the axial and appendicular skeleton (fig. 6, while Hutchinson’s incisors and Mulberry molars were present among the teeth. Deformations and damage on the bones suggest that the child had suffered from the disease for quite a long time.The second case study discusses a beheaded man found from the eighth nave in the southern aisle of the Cathedral (fig. 3. The grave pit had a depth of 80 cm from the medieval floor surface of the church, which indicates that the burial dates from the Middle Ages. Also, the head of the deceased pointed to the west.The bones were well preserved (fig. 6. Sex was determined from the characteristics of the skull and the length of the right humerus. Calcification of the cranial sutures and cartilages suggests that the age of the man at death was probably 50+. Macroscopic examination of the skeleton revealed that the man had suffered

Development of a compact powdery sample negative ion source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wada, Motoi [Doshisha Univ., Tanabe, Kyoto (Japan). Faculty of Engineering; Sasao, Mamiko; Kawano, Hiroyuki

1997-02-01

A gas-feed-free compact negative ion source can be realized by utilizing the process of electron stimulated desorption from powdery sample. A negative ion source of this type is designed to be attached to a standard 1.33 inch copper-gasket-flange. The ion source is operated stable with LiH powder for more than 10 hours with the mass-separated negative hydrogen ion current of 1 nA. The source causes minute gas emission, and particularly suitable for ion beam applications in which a good vacuum is required. The present status of the compact ion source development is briefly described. (author)

Gaseous odd- and even-electron ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wagner, W.; Heimbach, H.; Levsen, K.

1980-01-01

The principal collision-induced fragmentations of simple protonated ketones, aldehydes, ethers, amines, sulphides, alcohols, acids, nitriles and halides are discussed. These protonated molecules decompose mainly by loss of alkane, alkene and RX (R = alkyl, H; X = OH, SH, NH 2 , Br, I). Substantial radical losses are only observed for small protonated molecules. Deuterium-labelling demonstrates that the X-H bond is particularly strong. The fragmentation of (MH) + ions is compared with that of the corresponding (M) + sup(.) ions is compared with that of the corresponding (M) + sup(.) ions. The spectra of the (M) + sup(.) ions are dominated by direct bond cleavages, in particular α-cleavages, as a result of both the stability of the ionic fragment and the loose transition state. In (MH) + ions direct bond cleavages lead to energetically less favourable products. Thus rearrangement reactions play a more important role in the decomposition of these ions. (MH) + ions are more stable relative to fragmentation than (M) + sup(.) ions. (orig.)

From Coordination Cages to a Stable Crystalline Porous Hydrogen-Bonded Framework

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ju, Zhanfeng [State Key Lab of Structure Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, CAS, Fuzhou 350002 P. R. China; Liu, Guoliang [State Key Lab of Structure Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, CAS, Fuzhou 350002 P. R. China; Chen, Yu-Sheng [ChemMatCARS, Center for Advanced Radiation Sources, The University of Chicago, Argonne Illinois 60439 USA; Yuan, Daqiang [State Key Lab of Structure Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, CAS, Fuzhou 350002 P. R. China; Chen, Banglin [Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio Texas 78249-0698 USA

2017-03-20

A stable framework has been constructed through multiple charge-assisted H-bonds between cationic coordination cages and chloride ions. The framework maintained its original structure upon desolvation, which has been established by single-crystal structure analysis. This is the first fully characterized stable porous framework based on coordination cages after desolvation, with a moderately high Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area of 1201 m2 g-1. This work will not only give a light to construct stable porous frameworks based on coordination cages and thus broaden their applications, but will also provide a new avenue to the assembly of other porous materials such as porous organic cages and hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) through non covalent bonds.

A compensated multi-pole linear ion trap mercury frequency standard for ultra-stable timekeeping.

Science.gov (United States)

Burt, Eric A; Diener, William A; Tjoelker, Robert L

2008-12-01

The multi-pole linear ion trap frequency standard (LITS) being developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has demonstrated excellent short- and long-term stability. The technology has now demonstrated long-term field operation providing a new capability for timekeeping standards. Recently implemented enhancements have resulted in a record line Q of 5 x 10(12) for a room temperature microwave atomic transition and a short-term fractional frequency stability of 5 x 10(-14)/tau(1/2). A scheme for compensating the second order Doppler shift has led to a reduction of the combined sensitivity to the primary LITS systematic effects below 5 x 10(-17) fractional frequency. Initial comparisons to JPL's cesium fountain clock show a systematic floor of less than 2 x 10(-16). The compensated multi-pole LITS at JPL was operated continuously and unattended for a 9-mo period from October 2006 to July 2007. During that time it was used as the frequency reference for the JPL geodetic receiver known as JPLT, enabling comparisons to any clock used as a reference for an International GNSS Service (IGS) site. Comparisons with the laser-cooled primary frequency standards that reported to the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM) over this period show a frequency deviation less than 2.7 x 10(-17)/day. In the capacity of a stand-alone ultra-stable flywheel, such a standard could be invaluable for long-term timekeeping applications in metrology labs while its methodology and robustness make it ideal for space applications as well.

Harbour dredging in the Townsville region: a cross-evaluation between proxy records in coral skeletons and environmental monitoring records (GBRMPA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esslemont, G.

2000-01-01

Full text: The hypothesis tested is whether coral skeletons provide a proxy-record of copper and zinc bio-availability in inner-neritic environments, which corresponds with conventionally obtained records of harbour dredging. Trace metal concentrations in a colony of the massive-branching coral Pocillopora damicornis were measured along two calice walls that grew at a relatively uniform rate of ∼1 mm/year. Each calice wall represented tracking surfaces for the SIMS micro-sampling beam, along which a complete series of measurements were made over two annual cycles, at approximately monthly increments. Measurements were located temporally using annual couplets of high and low density growth-bands, representing 1991-92. Sub-annual resolution was achieved using proxy temperature (Sr/Ca) and salinity records (Ba/Ca) in the coral skeleton, which were related to conventionally obtained GBRMPA records taken nearby. Proxy records of copper and zinc in coral skeletons were related to the 1991 dredging of Townsville Harbour, recorded in detail by GBRMPA. Records include six temporal measurements of labile copper and zinc in fine sediment resuspended by two dredging episodes, resulting in metal-rich sediment plumes (2-3 x background) settling onto reefs fringing Magnetic Island. The P. damicornis colony was obtained from an exposed reef. Both dredging episodes were clearly recorded by the coral skeleton, using copper and zinc tracers measured by the SIMS micro-beam, and sediment-biota accumulation coefficients were derived for these metals. Calibration of the SIMS instrument was achieved from a standard in a pseudo 'coral skeleton' matrix. We attempted to co-precipitate a four point series of multi-metal standards in an aragonite matrix, to provide an external calibration series verified by cross-instrument measurement (AAS). However, metal concentrations were heterogenous at the micron scale, and precise calibration could not be achieved using the SIMS instrument. This

Incidence of tumours of the skeleton in 224Ra-treated ankylosing spondylitis patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wick, R.R.; Goessner, W.

1983-01-01

We are following 1426 ankylosing spondylitis (a.sp.) patients treated with 224 Ra and 1556 control patients with a.sp. not treated with any form of ionizing radiation. The average follow-up time of the exposure group is 16 years and the average α-dose to the skeleton is 65 rad, resulting from intravenous injection of 4.8μCi/kg 224 Ra on average within a medium injection span of 12 weeks. Injections normally have been performed once a week, and in some cases also half-weekly with a correspondingly shorter injection span. Since 1970 three cases of malignant tumours in the skeleton have been observed in the exposure group in patients with skeletal α-doses below 90 rad compared with 0.6 expected. (No bone tumour has occurred in the control group.) Two of the three cases observed were tumours of the bone marrow. The incidence of leukaemias in both exposure and control groups is discussed with respect to phenylbutazone treatment and α-radiation from 224 Ra. An effect of 224 Ra on the bone marrow not yet detected in the Spiess series of patients treated with higher amounts of 224 Ra cannot be excluded. (author)

Evaluation of stabilization techniques for ion implant processing

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Matthew F.; Wong, Selmer S.; Minter, Jason P.; Marlowe, Trey; Narcy, Mark E.; Livesay, William R.

1999-06-01

With the integration of high current ion implant processing into volume CMOS manufacturing, the need for photoresist stabilization to achieve a stable ion implant process is critical. This study compares electron beam stabilization, a non-thermal process, with more traditional thermal stabilization techniques such as hot plate baking and vacuum oven processing. The electron beam processing is carried out in a flood exposure system with no active heating of the wafer. These stabilization techniques are applied to typical ion implant processes that might be found in a CMOS production process flow. The stabilization processes are applied to a 1.1 micrometers thick PFI-38A i-line photoresist film prior to ion implant processing. Post stabilization CD variation is detailed with respect to wall slope and feature integrity. SEM photographs detail the effects of the stabilization technique on photoresist features. The thermal stability of the photoresist is shown for different levels of stabilization and post stabilization thermal cycling. Thermal flow stability of the photoresist is detailed via SEM photographs. A significant improvement in thermal stability is achieved with the electron beam process, such that photoresist features are stable to temperatures in excess of 200 degrees C. Ion implant processing parameters are evaluated and compared for the different stabilization methods. Ion implant system end-station chamber pressure is detailed as a function of ion implant process and stabilization condition. The ion implant process conditions are detailed for varying factors such as ion current, energy, and total dose. A reduction in the ion implant systems end-station chamber pressure is achieved with the electron beam stabilization process over the other techniques considered. This reduction in end-station chamber pressure is shown to provide a reduction in total process time for a given ion implant dose. Improvements in the ion implant process are detailed across

Bio-Anthropological Studies on Human Skeletons from the 6th Century Tomb of Ancient Silla Kingdom in South Korea.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Won-Joon Lee

Full Text Available In November and December 2013, unidentified human skeletal remains buried in a mokgwakmyo (a traditional wooden coffin were unearthed while conducting an archaeological investigation near Gyeongju, which was the capital of the Silla Kingdom (57 BCE- 660 CE of ancient Korea. The human skeletal remains were preserved in relatively intact condition. In an attempt to obtain biological information on the skeleton, physical anthropological, mitochondrial DNA, stable isotope and craniofacial analyses were carried out. The results indicated that the individual was a female from the Silla period, of 155 ± 5 cm height, who died in her late thirties. The maternal lineage belonged to the haplogroup F1b1a, typical for East Asia, and the diet had been more C3- (wheat, rice and potatoes than C4-based (maize, millet and other tropical grains. Finally, the face of the individual was reconstructed utilizing the skull (restored from osseous fragments and three-dimensional computerized modeling system. This study, applying multi-dimensional approaches within an overall bio-anthropological analysis, was the first attempt to collect holistic biological information on human skeletal remains dating to the Silla Kingdom period of ancient Korea.

Morphological integration in the appendicular skeleton of two domestic taxa: the horse and donkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanot, Pauline; Herrel, Anthony; Guintard, Claude; Cornette, Raphaël

2017-10-11

Organisms are organized into suites of anatomical structures that typically covary when developmentally or functionally related, and this morphological integration plays a determinant role in evolutionary processes. Artificial selection on domestic species causes strong morphological changes over short time spans, frequently resulting in a wide and exaggerated phenotypic diversity. This raises the question of whether integration constrains the morphological diversification of domestic species and how natural and artificial selection may impact integration patterns. Here, we study the morphological integration in the appendicular skeleton of domestic horses and donkeys, using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics on 75 skeletons. Our results indicate that a strong integration is inherited from developmental mechanisms which interact with functional factors. This strong integration reveals a specialization in the locomotion of domestic equids, partly for running abilities. We show that the integration is stronger in horses than in donkeys, probably because of a greater degree of specialization and predictability of their locomotion. Thus, the constraints imposed by integration are weak enough to allow important morphological changes and the phenotypic diversification of domestic species. © 2017 The Author(s).

[Paleopathological skeleton findings. Macroscopical and radiographical studies of 364 individuals from a medieval graveyard].

Science.gov (United States)

Ittrich, H; Kleibscheidel, C; Nizze, H

2004-03-01

Paleopathological examinations can give an idea of diseases and living conditions in ancient populations. An archaeological collection of 364 late medieval/early modern skeletons from the thirteenth to eighteenth centuries, excavated from a church cemetery in the Rostock town center, was examined palaeopathologically. The type and frequency of certain diseases within this north German urban population are described. The majority of the skeletons were from adults with a remarkably low percentage of children. Skeletal malformations (e.g. gap formations of the spinal column) were not abnormally represented. With the exception of single individuals, metabolic disorders or unusual infectious diseases could not be diagnosed. Degenerative diseases often found at the joints and the spinal column showed substantially lower prevalences in comparison with reference rural populations. Individual cases of benign and rare malignant neoplasms could be documented. Traumatic injuries as well as dental pathological changes were rare. In summary it can be concluded that the individuals buried here belonged to a better social class within the medieval population of Rostock.

An Insoluble Benzoquinone-Based Organic Cathode for Use in Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Zhiqiang; Liu, Luojia; Zhao, Qing; Li, Fujun; Chen, Jun

2017-10-02

Application of organic electrode materials in rechargeable batteries has attracted great interest because such materials contain abundant carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen elements. However, organic electrodes are highly soluble in organic electrolytes. An organic electrode of 2,3,5,6-tetraphthalimido-1,4-benzoquinone (TPB) is reported in which rigid groups coordinate to a molecular benzoquinone skeleton. The material is insoluble in aprotic electrolyte, and demonstrates a high capacity retention of 91.4 % (204 mA h g -1 ) over 100 cycles at 0.2 C. The extended π-conjugation of the material contributes to enhancement of the electrochemical performance (155 mA h g -1 at 10 C). Moreover, density functional theory calculations suggest that favorable synergistic reactions between multiple carbonyl groups and lithium ions can enhance the initial lithium ion intercalation potential. The described approach may provide a novel entry to next-generation organic electrode materials with relevance to lithium-ion batteries. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Production of an 15O beam using a stable oxygen ion beam for in-beam PET imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammadi, Akram; Yoshida, Eiji; Tashima, Hideaki; Nishikido, Fumihiko; Inaniwa, Taku; Kitagawa, Atsushi; Yamaya, Taiga

2017-03-01

In advanced ion therapy, the 15O ion beam is a promising candidate to treat hypoxic tumors and simultaneously monitor the delivered dose to a patient using PET imaging. This study aimed at production of an 15O beam by projectile fragmentation of a stable 16O beam in an optimal material, followed by in-beam PET imaging using a prototype OpenPET system, which was developed in the authors' group. The study was carried out in three steps: selection of the optimal target based on the highest production rate of 15O fragments; experimental production of the beam using the optimal target in the Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator Chiba (HIMAC) secondary beam course; and realization of in-beam PET imaging for the produced beam. The optimal target evaluations were done using the Monte Carlo simulation code PHITS. The fluence and mean energy of the secondary particles were simulated and the optimal target was selected based on the production rate of 15O fragments. The highest production rate of 15O was observed for a liquid hydrogen target, 3.27% for a 53 cm thick target from the 16O beam of 430 MeV/u. Since liquid hydrogen is not practically applicable in the HIMAC secondary beam course a hydrogen-rich polyethylene material, which was the second optimal target from the simulation results, was selected as the experimental target. Three polyethylene targets with thicknesses of 5, 11 or 14 cm were used to produce the 15O beam without any degrader in the beam course. The highest production rate was measured as around 0.87% for the 11 cm thick polyethylene target from the 16O beam of 430 MeV/u when the angular acceptance and momentum acceptance were set at ±13 mrad and ±2.5%, respectively. The purity of the produced beam for the three targets were around 75%, insufficient for clinical application, but it was increased to 97% by inserting a wedge shape aluminum degrader with a thickness of 1.76 cm into the beam course and that is sufficiently high. In-beam PET imaging was also

Behaviour of tetraalkylammonium ions in high-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Aksenov, Alexander A; Kapron, James T

2010-05-30

High-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) is an ion-filtering technique recently adapted for use with liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) to remove interferences during analysis of complex matrices. This is the first systematic study of a series of singly charged tetraalkylammonium ions by FAIMS-MS. The compensation voltage (CV) is the DC offset of the waveform which permits the ion to emerge from FAIMS and it was determined for each member of the series under various conditions. The electrospray ionization conditions explored included spray voltage, vaporizer temperature, and sheath and auxiliary gas pressure. The FAIMS conditions explored included carrier gas flow rate, electrode temperature and composition of the carrier gas. Optimum desolvation was achieved using sufficient carrier gas (flow rate > or = 2 L/min) to ensure stable response. Low-mass ions (m/z 100-200) are more susceptible to changes in electrode temperature and gas composition than high mass ions (m/z 200-700). As a result of this study, ions are reliably analyzed using standard FAIMS conditions (dispersion voltage -5000 V, carrier gas flow rate 3 L/min, 50% helium/50%nitrogen, inner electrode temperature 70 degrees C and outer electrode temperature 90 degrees C). Variation of FAIMS conditions may be of great use for the separation of very low mass tetraalkylammonium (TAA) ions from other TAA ions. The FAIMS conditions do not appear to have a major effect on higher mass ions. Copyright 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Experimental methods in radioactive ion-beam target/ion source development and characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Welton, R.F.; Alton, G.D.; Cui, B.; Murray, S.N.

1998-01-01

We have developed off-line experimental techniques and apparatuses that permit direct measurement of effusive-flow delay times and ionization efficiencies for nearly any chemically reactive element in high-temperature target/ion sources (TIS) commonly used for on-line radioactive ion-beam (RIB) generation. The apparatuses include a hot Ta valve for effusive-flow delay-time measurements, a cooled molecular injection system for determination of ionization efficiencies, and a gas flow measurement/control system for introducing very low, well-defined molecular flows into the TIS. Measurements are performed on a test stand using molecular feed compounds containing stable complements of the radioactive nuclei of interest delivered to the TIS at flow rates commensurate with on-line RIB generation. In this article, the general techniques are described and effusive-flow delay times and ionization efficiency measurements are reported for fluorine in an electron-beam plasma target/ion source developed for RIB generation and operated in both positive- and negative-ion extraction modes. copyright 1998 American Institute of Physics

Quantitative ion implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gries, W.H.

1976-06-01

This is a report of the study of the implantation of heavy ions at medium keV-energies into electrically conducting mono-elemental solids, at ion doses too small to cause significant loss of the implanted ions by resputtering. The study has been undertaken to investigate the possibility of accurate portioning of matter in submicrogram quantities, with some specific applications in mind. The problem is extensively investigated both on a theoretical level and in practice. A mathematical model is developed for calculating the loss of implanted ions by resputtering as a function of the implanted ion dose and the sputtering yield. Numerical data are produced therefrom which permit a good order-of-magnitude estimate of the loss for any ion/solid combination in which the ions are heavier than the solid atoms, and for any ion energy from 10 to 300 keV. The implanted ion dose is measured by integration of the ion beam current, and equipment and techniques are described which make possible the accurate integration of an ion current in an electromagnetic isotope separator. The methods are applied to two sample cases, one being a stable isotope, the other a radioisotope. In both cases independent methods are used to show that the implantation is indeed quantitative, as predicted. At the same time the sample cases are used to demonstrate two possible applications for quantitative ion implantation, viz. firstly for the manufacture of calibration standards for instrumental micromethods of elemental trace analysis in metals, and secondly for the determination of the half-lives of long-lived radioisotopes by a specific activity method. It is concluded that the present study has advanced quantitative ion implantation to the state where it can be successfully applied to the solution of problems in other fields

Selectivity coefficients of ion-selective magnesium electrodes used for simultaneous determination of magnesium and calcium ions.

Science.gov (United States)

Maj-Zurawska, Magdalena; Lewenstam, Andrzej

2011-12-15

Membrane ion-selective magnesium electrodes are commonly used to determine ionized magnesium concentration in blood serum and intracellular fluid by potentiometric clinical analyzers. The selectivity of these electrodes against calcium ion is typically insufficient to avoid calcium interference in blood serum analysis. For this reason the selectivity coefficient for calcium ion has to be studied to make possible any mathematical corrections for calcium ion influence. Existing methods relate to the thermodynamic concept of ISE response which suggest a single constant value of the selectivity coefficient and slope that are stable over the concentration ranges of calcium and magnesium ions in the samples. Unfortunately, this rarely happens, and we rather observe dependences on solution and membrane composition, readout time, matrices (anticoagulant, vial coats) that justify usage of apparent selectivities and slopes. To get the practical insight into the response of magnesium ion-selective electrodes a novel method for estimating the selectivity coefficients and the slope of the electrode characteristics is proposed. This method is an effective starting point for selecting electrodes and designing transient signal software in a potentiometric clinical analyzer. The method allows obtaining the ionized magnesium concentration in blood serum with minimal possible error by addressing the assessed targets, i.e. apparent selectivity and slope. The method is based on computer simulation and on the Nicolsky-Eisenman equation. Usually only a few iterations are needed to obtain stable congruent results. The method presented is particularly useful in conditions where is not possible to obtain calibration curve, which is typical for clinical analyzer where at most three point calibration is performed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nonlinear self-modulation of ion-acoustic waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikezi, H.; Schwarzenegger, K.; Simons, A.L.; Ohsawa, Y.; Kamimura, T.

1978-01-01

The nonlinear evolution of an ion-acoustic wave packet is studied. Experimentally, it is found that (i) nonlinear phase modulation develops in the wave packet; (ii) the phase modulation, together with the dispersion effect, causes expansion and breaking of the wave packet; (iii) the ions trapped in the troughs of the wave potential introduce self-phase modulation; and (iv) the ion-acoustic wave is stable with respect to the modulational instability. Computer simulations have reproduced the experimental results. The physical picture and the model equation describing the wave evolution are discussed

Skeletonized wave equation of surface wave dispersion inversion

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing

2016-09-06

We present the theory for wave equation inversion of dispersion curves, where the misfit function is the sum of the squared differences between the wavenumbers along the predicted and observed dispersion curves. Similar to wave-equation travel-time inversion, the complicated surface-wave arrivals in traces are skeletonized as simpler data, namely the picked dispersion curves in the (kx,ω) domain. Solutions to the elastic wave equation and an iterative optimization method are then used to invert these curves for 2D or 3D velocity models. This procedure, denoted as wave equation dispersion inversion (WD), does not require the assumption of a layered model and is less prone to the cycle skipping problems of full waveform inversion (FWI). The synthetic and field data examples demonstrate that WD can accurately reconstruct the S-wave velocity distribution in laterally heterogeneous media.

The Skeleton Is a Storehouse of Mineral That Is Plundered During Lactation and (Fully?) Replenished Afterwards.

Science.gov (United States)

Kovacs, Christopher S

2017-04-01

During lactation, mammals resorb mineral from the maternal skeleton to provide calcium to milk. Rodents lose 25% to 35% of skeletal ash weight, ash calcium content, and bone mineral content as measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and have compromised material properties of bone as assessed by crushing vertebrae and 3-point bend tests of femora or tibias. The strength, stiffness, and toughness of vertebrae, femora, and tibias are reduced by as much as 60%. The effects of lactation are not uniform throughout the skeleton, but instead resorption is much more marked in the trabecular-rich spine than in the appendicular skeleton or whole body. Women who breastfeed exclusively lose an average of 210 mg calcium in milk each day, whereas nursing of twins or triplets can double and triple the output of calcium. Clinical data are also consistent with skeletal calcium being released during lactation to provide much of the calcium needed for milk production. Lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD), as assessed by DXA, declines by a mean of 5% to 10% among numerous studies during 3 to 6 months of exclusive lactation, whereas largely cortical sites (hip, forearm, whole body) show half that loss or no significant changes. Micro-CT of rodents and high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) imaging of women confirm that lactation causes microarchitectural deterioration of bone. These skeletal losses occur through two pathways: upregulated osteoclast-mediated bone resorption and osteocytic osteolysis, in which osteocytes remove mineral from their lacunae and pericanalicular spaces. After weaning, the skeleton is fully restored to its prior mineral content and strength in both animal models and humans, despite persistent microarchitectural changes observed in high-resolution imaging. Osteoblasts upregulate to lay down new osteoid, while osteocytes remineralize their surroundings. The factors that stimulate this post-weaning skeletal recovery

Forged HITEMAL: Al-based MMCs strengthened with nanometric thick Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} skeleton

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balog, Martin, E-mail: ummsbama@savba.sk [Institute of Materials and Machine Mechanics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Racianska 75, 83102 Bratislava (Slovakia); Krizik, Peter; Nosko, Martin; Hajovska, Zuzana [Institute of Materials and Machine Mechanics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Racianska 75, 83102 Bratislava (Slovakia); Victoria Castro Riglos, Maria [Centro Atómico Bariloche, Av. Bustillo 9.500, 8400 Bariloche, Río Negro (Argentina); Rajner, Walter [New Materials Development GmbH, Römerstrasse 28, 83410 Laufen, Leobendorf (Germany); Liu, De-Shin [National Chung Cheng University, 168 University Rd., Min-Hsiung, 62102 Chia-Yi, Taiwan (China); Simancik, Frantisek [Institute of Materials and Machine Mechanics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Racianska 75, 83102 Bratislava (Slovakia)

2014-09-08

Bulk Al–Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} metal matrix composites (MMCs) named HITEMAL (high temperature aluminum) were fabricated in situ by forging compaction of five different types of gas-atomized commercial purity Al powders with a mean particle size in the range of 1–9 µm. As-forged HITEMAL consisted of (sub)micrometric Al grains (matrix) decorated with nanometric thick amorphous Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (a-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) skeleton. Low-angle grain boundaries (LAGBs) free of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} were located in the Al grain interior. The Al grain size and the portion of LAGBs increased with the increase in the relative powder surface area. As-forged HITEMAL shows excellent thermal stability up to 400 °C for 24 h. Annealing at temperatures ≥450 °C led to crystallization and morphological transformation from a-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} skeleton to nanometric γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles. Owing to the pinning effect of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} phase, no Al grain growth took place during annealing up to 500 °C. HITEMAL showed attractive mechanical properties especially when tested at 300 °C (yield strength up to 220 MPa, Young's modulus up to 58 GPa). Despite the presence of a nearly continuous a-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} skeleton along adjacent Al grains, forged HITEMAL materials had reasonable room temperature elongation of 7–26%. HITEMAL's elongation decreased as the Al grain size decreased and with increased testing temperature. The loss in elongation (uniform and total) was attributed to the inhomogeneous flow, which occurred due to high densities of high angle grain boundaries (dislocation sinks) and small content of LAGBs. The strength of HITEMAL stemmed from grain boundary mediated strengthening mechanisms. The results showed a positive deviation from the Hall–Petch plot, which is typical behavior of ultrafine-grained metals. Transformation of a-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} skeleton to γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles led to deterioration of the HITEMAL strength and Young's modulus.

X-ray findings in the skeleton of the hand to prove renal osteopathy. Soft ray immersions radiography versus standard procedures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pollack, T.; Friedberg, R.; Heinicke, H.J.

1994-01-01

In examinations of the hand skeleton, findings typical of renal osteopathy are much more readily revealed by soft ray immersions radiography than by images obtained using conventional techniques. In combination with microradioscopy the method is highly suitable for the primary diagnosis and follow-up of renal osteopathy. The information provided eliminates the need for examinations of other skeletal sections and thus justifies the slightly increased dose requirements. The fact that unchanged parathormone can be determined simultaneously adds to the sensitivity of this non-invasive technique. Histological assessments of the skeleton can, however, not always be avoided. (orig.) [de

Aspects of the dosimetry of radionuclides within the skeleton with particular emphasis on the active marrow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eckerman, K.F.

1985-01-01

Epidemiological surveys on man and results from animal experiments have shown that two tissues associated with the skeleton are of primary concern with respect to cancer induction by ionizing radiation. These are the cells on or near endosteal surfaces of bone, from which osteosarcomas are thought to arise, and hematopoietic bone marrow, which is associated with leukemia. The complex geometry of the soft tissue-bone intermixture makes calculations of absorbed dose to these target regions a difficult problem. In the case of photon or neutron radiations, charged particle equilibrium may not exist in the vicinity of soft tissue-bone mineral interface. In this paper a general study of the dosimetry of radionuclides within the skeleton is presented. Dosimetric data consistent with the MIRD schema and reflecting the physical and anatomical parameters defining the energy deposition are tabulated for the relevant target regions. 27 refs., 5 figs., 5 tabs

Color stable manganese-doped phosphors

Science.gov (United States)

Lyons, Robert Joseph [Burnt Hills, NY; Setlur, Anant Achyut [Niskayuna, NY; Deshpande, Anirudha Rajendra [Twinsburg, OH; Grigorov, Ljudmil Slavchev [Sofia, BG

2012-08-28

A process for preparing color stable Mn.sup.+4 doped phosphors includes providing a phosphor of formula I; A.sub.x[MF.sub.y]:Mn.sup.+4 I and contacting the phosphor in particulate form with a saturated solution of a composition of formula II in aqueous hydrofluoric acid; A.sub.x[MF.sub.y]; II wherein A is Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, NR.sub.4 or a combination thereof; M is Si, Ge, Sn, Ti, Zr, Al, Ga, In, Sc, Y, La, Nb, Ta, Bi, Gd, or a combination thereof; R is H, lower alkyl, or a combination thereof; x is the absolute value of the charge of the [MF.sub.y] ion; and y is 5, 6 or 7. In particular embodiments, M is Si, Ge, Sn, Ti, Zr, or a combination thereof. A lighting apparatus capable of emitting white light includes a semiconductor light source; and a phosphor composition radiationally coupled to the light source, and which includes a color stable Mn.sup.+4 doped phosphor.

Dissociation mechanism of HNIW ions investigated by chemical ionization and electron impact mass spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Rongjie; Xiao, Hemiao [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081 (China)

2006-04-15

Chemical Ionization (CI) with Collision-Induced Dissociation (CID) spectroscopy and Electron Impacting (EI) with metastable Mass analyzed Ion Kinetic Energy (MIKE) spectroscopy have been applied to study ionic dissociations of Hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (HNIW). Similarities and differences between EI/MIKE and CI/CID mass spectra of HNIW were analyzed. In EI mass spectra, the ions [HNIW-n NO{sub 2}]{sup +} (n=2-5), such as the ion at m/z 347, were less frequent (1-2% relative abundance), but in CI mass spectra, these ions were very abundant. For some ions of large molar mass from HNIW, their dissociations pathways from parent ions to daughter ions were built according to CID and MIKE spectra. Molecular ions of HNIW with a protonated nitro group at five-member ring seem more stable than at six-member ring. The HNIW ions losing five of six nitro groups are very stable based on CID spectra, which agrees with some research results for thermal decomposition of HNIW in literature. (Abstract Copyright [2006], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Development of Stable Solidification Method for Insoluble Ferrocyanides-13170

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ikarashi, Yuki; Masud, Rana Syed; Mimura, Hitoshi [Dept. of Quantum Science and Energy Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Aramaki-Aza-Aoba6-6-01-2, Sendai, 980-8579 (Japan); Ishizaki, Eiji; Matsukura, Minoru [UNION SHOWA K.K. 17-20, Mita 2-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0073 (Japan)

2013-07-01

The development of stable solidification method of insoluble ferrocyanides sludge is an important subject for the safety decontamination in Fukushima NPP-1. By using the excellent immobilizing properties of zeolites such as gas trapping ability and self-sintering properties, the stable solidification of insoluble ferrocyanides was accomplished. The immobilization ratio of Cs for K{sub 2}[CoFe(CN){sub 6}].nH{sub 2}O saturated with Cs{sup +} ions (Cs{sub 2}[CoFe(CN){sub 6}].nH{sub 2}O) was estimated to be less than 0.1% above 1,000 deg. C; the adsorbed Cs{sup +} ions are completely volatilized. In contrast, the novel stable solid form was produced by the press-sintering of the mixture of Cs{sub 2}[CoFe(CN){sub 6}].nH{sub 2}O and zeolites at higher temperature of 1,000 deg. C and 1,100 deg. C; Cs volatilization and cyanide release were completely depressed. The immobilization ratio of Cs, under the mixing conditions of Cs{sub 2}[CoFe(CN){sub 6}].nH{sub 2}O:CP= 1:1 and calcining temperature: 1,000 deg. C, was estimated to be nearly 100%. As for the kinds of zeolites, natural mordenite (NM), clinoptilolite (CP) and Chabazite tended to have higher immobilization ratio compared to zeolite A. This may be due to the difference in the phase transformation between natural zeolites and synthetic zeolite A. In the case of the composites (K{sub 2-X}Ni{sub X/2}[NiFe(CN){sub 6}].nH{sub 2}O loaded natural mordenite), relatively high immobilization ratio of Cs was also obtained. This method using zeolite matrices can be applied to the stable solidification of the solid wastes of insoluble ferrocyanides sludge. (authors)

LHC Report: Ions cross protons

CERN Multimedia

Reyes Alemany Fernandez for the LHC team

2013-01-01

The LHC starts the New Year facing a new challenge: proton-lead collisions in the last month before the shutdown in mid-February.    The first stable beams were achieved on 20 January with 13 individual bunches per beam. In the next fill, the first bunch-trains were injected and stable beams were achieved with 96 proton on 120 ion bunches.  This fill was very important because we were able to study the so-called moving long-range beam-beam encounters. Long-range encounters, which are also seen in proton-proton runs, occur when the bunches in the two beams “see” each other as they travel in the same vacuum chamber at either side of the experiments.  The situation becomes more complicated with proton-lead ions because the two species have different revolution times (until the frequencies are locked at top energy- see “Cogging exercises”) and thus these encounters move. We found that this effect does not cause significant beam losses...

Abnormalities of the axial and proximal appendicular skeleton in adults with Laron syndrome (growth hormone insensitivity).

Science.gov (United States)

Kornreich, L; Konen, O; Schwarz, M; Siegel, Y; Horev, G; Hershkovitz, I; Laron, Z

2008-02-01

To investigate abnormalities in the skeleton (with the exclusion of the skull, cervical spine, hands and feet) in patients with Laron syndrome, who have an inborn growth hormone resistance and congenital insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) deficiency. The study group was composed of 15 untreated patients with Laron syndrome (seven male and eight female) aged 21-68 years. Plain films of the axial and appendicular skeleton were evaluated retrospectively for abnormalities in structure and shape. The cortical width of the long bones was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively (in the upper humerus and mid-femur), and the cortical index was calculated and compared with published references. Measurements were taken of the mid-anteroposterior and cranio-caudal diameters of the vertebral body and spinous process at L3, the interpedicular distance at L1 and L5, and the sacral slope. Thoracic and lumbar osteophytes were graded on a 5-point scale. Values were compared with a control group of 20 healthy persons matched for age. The skeleton appeared small in all patients. No signs of osteopenia were visible. The cortex of the long bones appeared thick in the upper limbs in 11 patients and in the lower limbs in four. Compared with the reference values, the cortical width was thicker than average in the humerus and thinner in the femur. The vertebral diameters at L3 and the interpedicular distances at L1 and L5 were significantly smaller in the patients than in the control subjects (PLaron syndrome may be related to a marked retroversion of the humeral head.

Ion beam processes in Si

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holland, O.W.; Narayan, J.; Fathy, D.

1984-07-01

Observation of the effects of implants of energetic ions at high dose rates into Si have produced some exciting and interesting results. The mechanism whereby displacement damage produced by ions self-anneals during high dose rate implantation is discussed. It is shown that ion beam annealing (IBA) offers in certain situations unique possibilities for damage annealing. Annealing results of the near surface in Si with a buried oxide layer, formed by high dose implantation, are presented in order to illustrate the advantages offered by IBA. It is also shown that ion irradiation can stimulate the epitaxial recrystallization of amorphous overlayers in Si. The nonequilibrium alloying which results from such epitaxial processes is discussed as well as mechanisms which limit the solid solubility during irradiation. Finally, a dose rate dependency for the production of stable damage by ion irradiation at a constant fluence has been observed. For low fluence implants, the amount of damage is substantially greater in the case of high flux rather than low flux implantation

Aerosol nucleation in an ultra-low ion density environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Jens Olaf Pepke; Enghoff, Martin Andreas Bødker; Paling, Sean M.

2012-01-01

Ion-induced nucleation has been studied in a deep underground ultra-low background radiation environment where the role of ions can be distinguished from alternative neutral aerosol nucleation mechanisms. Our results demonstrate that ions have a significant effect on the production of small...... sulfuric acid–water clusters over a range of sulfuric acid concentrations although neutral nucleation mechanisms remain evident at low ionization levels. The effect of ions is found both to enhance the nucleation rate of stable clusters and the initial growth rate. The effects of possible contaminations...

Benign notochordal lesions of the axial skeleton: a review and current appraisal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kyriakos, Michael

2011-01-01

At the 1996 meeting of the International Skeletal Society, an idea was put forth that there existed symptomatic lesions of the axial skeleton, morphologically different from chordoma, that were consistent with benign notochordal remnants (rests). A review of the embryological basis for this concept is made, along with an analysis of these lesions, termed giant notochordal rests or benign notochordal cell tumors, that have been reported in the intervening 15 years, with a commentary on their relationship, if any, to chordoma. (orig.)

Detection systems for radioactive ion beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savajols, H.

2002-01-01

Two main methods are used to produce radioactive ion beams: -) the ISOL method (isotope separation on-line) in which the stable beam interacts with a thick target, the reaction products diffuse outside the target and are transferred to a source where they are ionized, a mass separator and a post-accelerator drive the selected radioactive ions to the right energy; -) the in-flight fragmentation method in which the stable beam interacts with a thin target, the reaction products are emitted from the target with a restricted angular distribution and a velocity close to that of the incident beam, the experimenter has to take advantage from the reaction kinetics to get the right particle beam. Characteristic time is far longer with the ISOL method but the beam intensity is much better because of the use of a post-accelerator. In both cases, the beam intensity is lower by several orders of magnitude than in the case of a stable beam. This article presents all the constraints imposed by radioactive beams to the detection systems of the reaction products and gives new technical solutions according to the type of nuclear reaction studied. (A.C.)

Skeleton sled velocity profiles: a novel approach to understand critical aspects of the elite athletes' start phases.

Science.gov (United States)

Colyer, Steffi L; Stokes, Keith A; Bilzon, James L J; Salo, Aki I T

2018-06-01

The development of velocity across the skeleton start is critical to performance, yet poorly understood. We aimed to understand which components of the sled velocity profile determine performance and how physical abilities influence these components. Thirteen well-trained skeleton athletes (>85% of athletes in the country) performed dry-land push-starts alongside countermovement jump and sprint tests at multiple time-points. A magnet encoder attached to the sled wheel provided velocity profiles, which were characterised using novel performance descriptors. Stepwise regression revealed four variables (pre-load velocity, pre-load distance, load effectiveness, velocity drop) to explain 99% variance in performance (β weights: 1.70, -0.81, 0.25, -0.07, respectively). Sprint times and jump ability were associated (r ± 90% CI) with pre-load velocity (-0.70 ± 0.27 and 0.88 ± 0.14, respectively) and distance (-0.48 ± 0.39 and 0.67 ± 0.29, respectively), however, unclear relationships between both physical measures and load effectiveness (0.33 ± 0.44 and -0.35 ± 0.48, respectively) were observed. Athletes should develop accelerative ability to attain higher velocity earlier on the track. Additionally, the loading phase should not be overlooked and may be more influenced by technique than physical factors. Future studies should utilise this novel approach when evaluating skeleton starts or interventions to enhance performance.

Ethnical evaluation of Bangladeshi young adults in terms of morphometrically-analyzed craniofacial skeleton

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hasan Md. Rizvi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Morphometric study for the craniofacial relations and variations in humans have long been used to differentiate various racial groups in physical anthropology. The objective of this study was to describe the morphological features of craniofacial skeleton in Bangladeshi young adults and to compare it with already reported standards for the Caucasian population as well as cephalometric values of other Indian races using Steiner′s reference norms. The study was conducted for 52 Bangladeshi young adults (27 male and 25 females, aged 21-27 years, having balanced and harmonious facial profiles, clinically acceptable occlusion with permanent dentition and no history of orthodontic treatment. Lateral cephalograms taken of these subjects were used for a series of morphometric analyses. Bangladeshi subjects were more protrusive skeletally and dentally than Caucasians. Furthermore, the mandibular plane angle was smaller in Bangladeshi subjects than in the Caucasians. Present results also suggest that the Astrics, Dravidians, and Armenoid who penetrated into Bengal in the early ages may have contributed substantially to the morphogenesis of craniofacial skeleton in the present Bengalis. The results of this study support the idea that a single standard of facial esthetics should not be applied to all racial and ethnic groups.

Estimation of sex and age of 'virtual skeletons'-a feasibility study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grabherr, Silke [University Hospital of Lausanne, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Lausanne (Switzerland)]|[University of Bern, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Bern (Switzerland)]|[University Hospital of Lausanne, Service of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Lausanne (Switzerland); Cooper, Christine; Ulrich-Bochsler, Susi [University of Bern, Institute for the History of Medicine, Historical Anthropology, Bern (Switzerland); Uldin, Tanya [Service of Osteo-Archaeology, Aesch (Switzerland); Ross, Steffen; Oesterhelweg, Lars; Bolliger, Stephan; Thali, Michael J. [University of Bern, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Bern (Switzerland); Christe, Andreas [University of Bern, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Bern (Switzerland)]|[University of Bern, Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, Bern (Switzerland); Schnyder, Pierre [University Hospital of Lausanne, Service of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Lausanne (Switzerland); Mangin, Patrice [University Hospital of Lausanne, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Lausanne (Switzerland)

2009-02-15

This article presents a feasibility study with the objective of investigating the potential of multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) to estimate the bone age and sex of deceased persons. To obtain virtual skeletons, the bodies of 22 deceased persons with known age at death were scanned by MDCT using a special protocol that consisted of high-resolution imaging of the skull, shoulder girdle (including the upper half of the humeri), the symphysis pubis and the upper halves of the femora. Bone and soft-tissue reconstructions were performed in two and three dimensions. The resulting data were investigated by three anthropologists with different professional experience. Sex was determined by investigating three-dimensional models of the skull and pelvis. As a basic orientation for the age estimation, the complex method according to Nemeskeri and co-workers was applied. The final estimation was effected using additional parameters like the state of dentition, degeneration of the spine, etc., which where chosen individually by the three observers according to their experience. The results of the study show that the estimation of sex and age is possible by the use of MDCT. Virtual skeletons present an ideal collection for anthropological studies, because they are obtained in a non-invasive way and can be investigated ad infinitum. (orig.)

Electron cooling of PB$^{54+}$ ions in the low energy ion ring (LEIR)

CERN Document Server

Bosser, Jacques; Chanel, M; MacCaferri, R; Maury, S; Möhl, D; Molinari, G; Tranquille, G

1998-01-01

For the preparation of dense bunches of lead ions for the LHC, electron cooling will be essential for accumula tion in a storage ring at 4.2 MeV/u. Tests have been carried out on the LEAR ring (renamed LEIR for Low Energy Ion Ring) in order to determine the optimum parameters for a future state-of-the-art electron cooling device which would be able to cool linac pulses of lead ions in less than 100 ms. The experiments focused on the generation of a stable high intensity electron beam that is needed to free space in both longitudinal and transverse phase space for incoming pulses. Investigations on the ion beam lifetime in the presence of the electron beam and on the dependency of the cooling times on the optical settings of the storage ring will also be discussed. This paper concentrates on the cooling aspects with the multiturn injection, vacuum, and high intensity aspects discussed in a companion paper at this conference.

Modulation instability of ion thermal waves in a pair-ion plasma containing charged dust impurities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabry, R.

2008-01-01

Modulation instability of ion thermal waves (ITWs) is investigated in a plasma composed of positive and negative ions as well as a fraction of stationary charged (positive or negative) dust impurities. For this purpose, a linear dispersion relation and a nonlinear Schroedinger equation are derived. The latter admits localized envelope solitary wave solutions of bright (pulses) and dark (holes, voids) type. The envelope soliton depends on the intrinsic plasma parameters. It is found that modulation instability of ITWs is significantly affected by the presence of positively/negatively charged dust grains. The findings of this investigation should be useful in understanding the stable electrostatic wave packet acceleration mechanisms in pair-ion plasma, and also enhances our knowledge on the occurrence of instability associated to the existence of charged dust impurities in pair-ion plasmas. Our results should be of relevance for laboratory plasmas.

Comparative study of internal contamination of different radiators in skeleton on induction of mutagenic effect in bone marrow cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Shoupeng; Wang Liuyi; Yang Weidong

1990-10-01

The purpose of the present study was to ascertain comparative retention of 134 Cs or 147 Pm in skeleton on induction of chromosome aberrations and PCE's micronucleus formation in bone marrow cells. Results indicated that after iv signal nuclide 134 Cs, through 7 weeks observation, the retention data in skeleton could be well described by an exponential expression. Experiments indicated that the retention value and the absorption dose of 147 Pm in skeleton were significantly higher in comparison with 134 Cs. Both internal contamination of 134 Cs or 147 Pm could induce chromosome aberrations and PCE's micronucleus formation in bone marrow cells. Among the type of chromosome aberrations of bone marrow cells induced by 134 Cs or 147 Pm included gap, chromatid breakage, chromosome breakage and translocation. Moreover, the chromosome aberration rates were elevated when the intake of radioactivity of 134 Cs or 147 Pm were enlarged. At the same time, chromosome fragment of bone marrow cells also induced by 134 Cs or 147 Pm only through high radioactive contamination. Studies showed that chromosome translocation was appeared only through high radioactivity of 147 Pm contamination. By comparing with 1 '4 7 Pm, however, the induction of chromosome aberrations and PCE's micronucleus formation rates on bone marrow cells induced by 134 Cs was quite low

Morphometric studies on the facial skeleton of humans and pongids based on CT-scans.

Science.gov (United States)

Schumacher, K U; Koppe, T; Fanghänel, J; Schumacher, G H; Nagai, H

1994-10-01

The changes of the skull, which we can observe during the anthropogenesis, are reflected especially in the different skull proportions. We carried out metric measurements at the median level on 10 adult skulls each of humans, chimpanzees and gorillas as well as 11 skulls of orangutans. All skulls were scanned with a CT at the median level. We measured the lines and angles of the scans and the means and the standard deviations were calculated. We carried out a correlation analysis to observe the relation of their characteristics. We showed that there is a relation between the length of the skull base and the facial length in all species. From the results of the correlation analysis, we can also conclude that a relation exists between the degree of prognathism and the different length measurements of the facial skeleton. We also found a bending of the facial skeleton in relation to the cranial base towards the ventral side, also known as klinorhynchy, in all observed species. The highest degree of klinorhynchy was found in humans and the lowest in orangutans. We will discuss the different definition of the term klinorhynchy and its importance in the evolution of the hominoids.

Colloid stable sorbents for cesium removal: Preparation and application of latex particles functionalized with transition metals ferrocyanides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Avramenko, Valentin [Institute of Chemistry, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 159 ave 100-letiya Vladivostoka, Vladivostok 690022 (Russian Federation); Bratskaya, Svetlana, E-mail: sbratska@ich.dvo.ru [Institute of Chemistry, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 159 ave 100-letiya Vladivostoka, Vladivostok 690022 (Russian Federation); Zheleznov, Veniamin; Sheveleva, Irina [Institute of Chemistry, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 159 ave 100-letiya Vladivostoka, Vladivostok 690022 (Russian Federation); Voitenko, Oleg [Far Eastern Federal University, Laboratory of Electron Microscopy and Image Processing, 27, Oktyabr' skaya Street, Vladivostok 690950 (Russian Federation); Sergienko, Valentin [Institute of Chemistry, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 159 ave 100-letiya Vladivostoka, Vladivostok 690022 (Russian Federation)

2011-02-28

In this paper we suggest a principally new approach to preparation of colloid stable selective sorbents for cesium uptake using immobilization of transition metals (cobalt, nickel, and copper) ferrocyanides in nanosized carboxylic latex emulsions. The effects of ferrocyanide composition, pH, and media salinity on the sorption properties of the colloid stable sorbents toward cesium ions were studied in solutions containing up to 200 g/L of sodium nitrate or potassium chloride. The sorption capacities of the colloid sorbents based on mixed potassium/transition metals ferrocyanides were in the range 1.3-1.5 mol Cs/mol ferrocyanide with the highest value found for the copper ferrocyanide. It was shown that the obtained colloid-stable sorbents were capable to penetrate through bulk materials without filtration that made them applicable for decontamination of solids, e.g. soils, zeolites, spent ion-exchange resins contaminated with cesium radionuclides. After decontamination of liquid or solid radioactive wastes the colloid-stable sorbents can be easily separated from solutions by precipitation with cationic flocculants providing localization of radionuclides in a small volume of the precipitates formed.

90Sr in the skeleton of new-born children and infants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borisov, B.K.

1980-01-01

The correlation between 90 Sr content in the skeleton of new-born children and infants and 90 Sr content in the vertebrae spongy tissue of mother, is studied in different countries from 1965 to 1973. The highest indexes of 90 Sr concentration in the bone tissue of new-born children are found to be characteristic of Canada and Norway. The minimum 90 Sr content is observed in Japan. The dynamics of indexes which characterize 90 Sr content in the bone tissue of infants is presented. The peculiarities are conditioned by particular nutrition of an infant nursing and cow milk used as additional food

Surface microhardening by ion implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Amarjit

1986-01-01

The paper discusses the process and the underlying mechanism of surface microhardening by implanting suitable energetic ions in materials like 4145 steel, 304 stainless steel, aluminium and its 2024-T351 alloy. It has been observed that boron and nitrogen implantation in materials like 4145 steel and 304 stainless steel can produce a significant increase in surface hardness. Moreover the increase can be further enhanced with suitable overlay coatings such as aluminium (Al), Titanium (Ti) and carbon (C). The surface hardening due to implantation is attributed to precipitation hardening or the formation of stable/metastable phase or both. The effect of lithium implantation in aluminium and its alloy on microhardness with increasing ion dose and ion beam energy is also discussed. (author)

A WELL PRESERVED SKELETON OF THE FOSSIL SHARK COSMOPOLITODUS HASTALIS FROM THE LATE MIOCENE OF PERU, FEATURING FISH REMAINS AS FOSSILIZED STOMACH CONTENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ALBERTO COLLARETA

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Both the preservation of the poorly mineralized skeleton of sharks and the preservation of stomach contents are rarely observed in the fossil record. Here we report on a partial skeleton of a lamniform shark, including portions of the visceral arches and the anterior segment of the vertebral column, collected from the late Miocene beds of the Pisco Formation exposed at Cerro Yesera (Ica Desert, South Peru. Based on the morphology of the preserved teeth, this specimen was determined as a juvenile of the extinct lamnid species Cosmopolitodus hastalis. The shark skeleton includes remains of fish (featuring a pilchard determined as Sardinops sp. cf. S. sagax in the abdominal region. These fish remains are interpreted herein as the fossilized stomach contents of the shark. For the first time, piscivory is demonstrated in a juvenile individual of Cosmopolitodus hastalis. This result is consistent with the current knowledge about the feeding habits of immature individuals of extant lamniform shark species (including Carcharodon carcharias and Isurus oxyrinchus. Our report further outlines the fundamental role of schooling pilchards in the late Miocene trophic chains of the highly productive coastal waters off present South Peru. Moreover, the find of this well preserved shark skeleton strengthens the qualification of the Pisco Formation as a Fossil-Lagerstätte, and emphasizes the role of early mineralization processes in cases of exceptional preservation.

Stable Trapping of Multielectron Helium Bubbles in a Paul Trap

Science.gov (United States)

Joseph, E. M.; Vadakkumbatt, V.; Pal, A.; Ghosh, A.

2017-06-01

In a recent experiment, we have used a linear Paul trap to store and study multielectron bubbles (MEBs) in liquid helium. MEBs have a charge-to-mass ratio (between 10^{-4} and 10^{-2} C/kg) which is several orders of magnitude smaller than ions (between 10^6 and 10^8 C/kg) studied in traditional ion traps. In addition, MEBs experience significant drag force while moving through the liquid. As a result, the experimental parameters for stable trapping of MEBs, such as magnitude and frequency of the applied electric fields, are very different from those used in typical ion trap experiments. The purpose of this paper is to model the motion of MEBs inside a linear Paul trap in liquid helium, determine the range of working parameters of the trap, and compare the results with experiments.

Bunching and cooling of radioactive ions with REXTRAP

CERN Document Server

Schmidt, P; Bollen, G; Forstner, O; Huber, G; Oinonen, M; Zimmer, J

2002-01-01

The post-accelerator REX-ISOLDE at ISOLDE/CERN will deliver radioactive ion beams with energies up to 2.2 MeV/u. For this purpose, a Penning trap and an electron-beam ion source are combined with a linear accelerator. REXTRAP—a large gas-filled Penning trap—has started its commissioning phase. First tests have shown that REXTRAP is able to accumulate, cool and bunch stable ISOLDE ion beams covering a large mass range. Fulfilling the REX-ISOLDE demands, it can handle beam intensities from a few hundred up to 1×10 6 ions per pulse at repetition rates up to 50 Hz.

Benchmarking high performance computing architectures with CMS’ skeleton framework

Science.gov (United States)

Sexton-Kennedy, E.; Gartung, P.; Jones, C. D.

2017-10-01

In 2012 CMS evaluated which underlying concurrency technology would be the best to use for its multi-threaded framework. The available technologies were evaluated on the high throughput computing systems dominating the resources in use at that time. A skeleton framework benchmarking suite that emulates the tasks performed within a CMSSW application was used to select Intel’s Thread Building Block library, based on the measured overheads in both memory and CPU on the different technologies benchmarked. In 2016 CMS will get access to high performance computing resources that use new many core architectures; machines such as Cori Phase 1&2, Theta, Mira. Because of this we have revived the 2012 benchmark to test it’s performance and conclusions on these new architectures. This talk will discuss the results of this exercise.

Production of an {sup 15}O beam using a stable oxygen ion beam for in-beam PET imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohammadi, Akram, E-mail: mohammadi.akram@qst.go.jp; Yoshida, Eiji; Tashima, Hideaki; Nishikido, Fumihiko; Inaniwa, Taku; Kitagawa, Atsushi; Yamaya, Taiga

2017-03-21

In advanced ion therapy, the {sup 15}O ion beam is a promising candidate to treat hypoxic tumors and simultaneously monitor the delivered dose to a patient using PET imaging. This study aimed at production of an {sup 15}O beam by projectile fragmentation of a stable {sup 16}O beam in an optimal material, followed by in-beam PET imaging using a prototype OpenPET system, which was developed in the authors’ group. The study was carried out in three steps: selection of the optimal target based on the highest production rate of {sup 15}O fragments; experimental production of the beam using the optimal target in the Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator Chiba (HIMAC) secondary beam course; and realization of in-beam PET imaging for the produced beam. The optimal target evaluations were done using the Monte Carlo simulation code PHITS. The fluence and mean energy of the secondary particles were simulated and the optimal target was selected based on the production rate of {sup 15}O fragments. The highest production rate of {sup 15}O was observed for a liquid hydrogen target, 3.27% for a 53 cm thick target from the {sup 16}O beam of 430 MeV/u. Since liquid hydrogen is not practically applicable in the HIMAC secondary beam course a hydrogen-rich polyethylene material, which was the second optimal target from the simulation results, was selected as the experimental target. Three polyethylene targets with thicknesses of 5, 11 or 14 cm were used to produce the {sup 15}O beam without any degrader in the beam course. The highest production rate was measured as around 0.87% for the 11 cm thick polyethylene target from the {sup 16}O beam of 430 MeV/u when the angular acceptance and momentum acceptance were set at ±13 mrad and ±2.5%, respectively. The purity of the produced beam for the three targets were around 75%, insufficient for clinical application, but it was increased to 97% by inserting a wedge shape aluminum degrader with a thickness of 1.76 cm into the beam course and that is

A novel triterpenoid carbon skeleton in immature sulphur-rich sediments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schouten, S.; Sinninghe Damste, J.S.; De Leeuw, J.W. [Netherlands Inst. for Sea Research (NIOZ), Texel (Netherlands)

1995-03-01

A novel S compound, 1,4-bis(2{sup {prime}}, 5{sup {prime}}, 5{sup {prime}}, 8a{sup {prime}}-tetramethylhexahydrothiochroman)-butane has been detected in several immature S-rich sediments, of which the desulphurized counterpart was unambiguously identified by synthesis of an authentic standard and coinjection experiments. This C skeleton of the S compound, 1, 10-bis(2{sup {prime}}, 2{sup {prime}}, 6{sup {prime}}-trimethylcyclohexyl)-3,8-dimethyldodecane(I), has not been reported yet in any sediment or organism. We suggest that it may be biosynthesized through an enzymatic cyclization reaction of squalene (II), which shows similarities with the biosynthesis of {Beta}, {Beta}-carotene (III) from lycopene (IV). 24 refs., 4 figs.

The Milky Way Skeleton

Science.gov (United States)

Zucker, Catherine; Battersby, Cara; Goodman, Alyssa A.

2015-01-01

Recently, Goodman et al. (2014) argued that a very long, very thin infrared dark cloud 'Nessie' lies directly in the Galactic mid-plane and runs along the Scutum-Centaurus arm in position-position-velocity space as traced by low density CO and high density NH3 gas. Nessie was presented as the first 'bone' of the Milky Way, an extraordinarily long, thin, high contrast filament that can be used to map our galaxy's 'skeleton.' We present the first evidence of additional 'bones' in the Milky Way Galaxy, arguing that Nessie is not a curiosity but one of many filaments that could potentially trace galactic structure. Our ten bone candidates are all long, filamentary, mid-infrared extinction features which lie parallel to, and no more than twenty parsecs from, the physical Galactic mid-plane. We use CO, N2H+, and NH3 radial velocity data to establish the location of the candidates in position-velocity space. Of the ten filaments, three candidates have a projected aspect ratio of >50:1 and run along, or extremely close to, the Scutum-Centaurus arm in position-velocity space. Evidence suggests that these three candidates are Nessie-like features which mark the location of the spiral arms in both physical space and position-velocity space. Other candidates could be spurs, feathers, or interarm clouds associated with the Milky Way's galactic structure. As molecular spectral-line and extinction maps cover more of the sky at increasing resolution and sensitivity, we hope to find more bones in future studies, to ultimately create a global-fit to the Galaxy's spiral arms by piecing together individual skeletal features. This work is supported in part by the NSF REU and DOD ASSURE programs under NSF grant no. 1262851 and by the Smithsonian Institution.

Ra+ ion trapping : toward an atomic parity violation measurement and an optical clock

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Portela, M. Nunez; Dijck, E. A.; Mohanty, A.; Bekker, H.; van den Berg, Joost E.; Giri, G. S.; Hoekstra, S.; Onderwater, C. J. G.; Schlesser, S.; Timmermans, R.G.E.; Versolato, O. O.; Willmann, L.; Wilschut, H. W.; Jungmann, K.

2014-01-01

A single Ra+ ion stored in a Paul radio frequency ion trap has excellent potential for a precision measurement of the electroweak mixing angle at low momentum transfer and as the most stable optical clock. The effective transport and cooling of singly charged ions of the isotopes Ra-209 to Ra-214 in

A hybrid simulation model for a stable auroral arc

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Janhunen

Full Text Available We present a new type of hybrid simulation model, intended to simulate a single stable auroral arc in the latitude/altitude plane. The ionospheric ions are treated as particles, the electrons are assumed to follow a Boltzmann response and the magnetospheric ions are assumed to be so hot that they form a background population unaffected by the electric fields that arise. The system is driven by assumed parallel electron energisation causing a primary negative charge cloud and an associated potential structure to build up. The results show how a closed potential structure and density depletion of an auroral arc build up and how they decay after the driver is turned off. The model also produces upgoing energetic ion beams and predicts strong static perpendicular electric fields to be found in a relatively narrow altitude range (~ 5000–11 000 km.

Key words. Magnetospheric physics (magnetosphere-ionosphere interactions; auroral phenomena – Space plasma physics (numerical simulation studies

Simulating the Incorporation of Geochemical Proxies into Scleractinian Coral Skeletons: Effects of Different Environmental and Biological Factors and Implications for Paleo-reconstruction

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, W.

2017-12-01

Chemical and isotopic compositions of scleractinian coral skeletons reflect the physicochemical condition of the seawater in which corals grow. This makes coral skeleton one of the best archives of ocean climate and biogeochemical changes. A number of coral-based geochemical proxies have been developed and applied to reconstruct past seawater conditions, such as temperature, pH, carbonate chemistry and nutrient concentrations. Detailed laboratory and field-based studies of these proxies, however, indicate interpretation of the geochemistry of coral skeletons is not straightforward, due to the presence of `vital effects' and the variations of empirical proxy calibrations among and within different species. This poses challenges for the broad application of many geochemical proxies in corals, and highlights the need to better understand the fundamental processes governing the incorporation of different proxies. Here I present a numerical model that simulates the incorporation of a suite of geochemical proxies into coral skeletons, including δ11B, Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca, U/Ca, B/Ca and Ba/Ca. This model, building on previous theoretical studies of coral calcification, combines our current understanding of coral calcification mechanism with experimental constraints on the isotope and element partition during carbonate precipitation. It enables quantitative evaluation of the effects of different environmental and biological factors on each proxy. Specifically, this model shows that (1) the incorporation of every proxy is affected by multiple seawater parameters (e.g. temperature, pH, DIC) as opposed to one single parameter, and (2) biological factors, particularly the interplay between enzymatic alkalinity pumping and the exchange of coral calcifying fluid with external seawater, also exert significant controls. Based on these findings, I propose an inverse method for simultaneously reconstructing multiple seawater physicochemical parameters, and compare the performance of this

Collective focusing ion accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldin, F.J.

1986-01-01

The principal subject of this dissertation is the trapping confinement of pure electron plasmas in bumpy toroidal magnetic fields, with particular attention given to the trapping procedure and the behavior of the plasma during the final equilibrium. The most important aspects of the equilibrium studied were the qualitative nature of the plasma configuration and motion and its density, distribution and stability. The motivation for this study was that an unneutralized cloud of electrons contained in a toroidal system, sufficiently dense and stable, may serve to electrostatically focus ions (against centrifugal and self space charge forces) in a cyclic ion accelerator. Such an accelerator, known as a Collective Focusing Ion Accelerator (CFIA) could be far smaller than conventional designs (which use external magnetic fields directly to focus the ions) due to the smaller gyro-radium of an electron in a magnetic field of given strength. The electron cloud generally drifted poloidally at a finite radius from the toroidal minor axis. As this would preclude focusing ions with such clouds, damping this motion was investigated. Finite resistance in the normally perfectly conductive vessel wall did this. In further preparation for a working CFIA, additional experiments studied the effect of ions on the stability of the electron cloud

Linear measurements of the neurocranium are better indicators of population differences than those of the facial skeleton: comparative study of 1,961 skulls.

Science.gov (United States)

Holló, Gábor; Szathmáry, László; Marcsik, Antónia; Barta, Zoltán

2010-02-01

The aim of this study is to individualize potential differences between two cranial regions used to differentiate human populations. We compared the neurocranium and the facial skeleton using skulls from the Great Hungarian Plain. The skulls date to the 1st-11th centuries, a long space of time that encompasses seven archaeological periods. We analyzed six neurocranial and seven facial measurements. The reduction of the number of variables was carried out using principal components analysis. Linear mixed-effects models were fitted to the principal components of each archaeological period, and then the models were compared using multiple pairwise tests. The neurocranium showed significant differences in seven cases between nonsubsequent periods and in one case, between two subsequent populations. For the facial skeleton, no significant results were found. Our results, which are also compared to previous craniofacial heritability estimates, suggest that the neurocranium is a more conservative region and that population differences can be pointed out better in the neurocranium than in the facial skeleton.

Generation of three-mode nonclassical vibrational states of ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen Ba An; Truong Minh Duc

2002-01-01

We propose using eight lasers with appropriate orientations and conditions to generate stable trio coherent states of an ion in a three-dimensional isotropic trap. Seven lasers whose orientations are important should be detuned to the third lower sideband of the ion vibrational motion. The eighth laser whose direction is not important should be in resonance with the ionic transition

A Skeleton Tells Its Own Story: Forensic Analyses of Skeletal Elements for the Science Classroom Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Naples, Virginia L.; Breed, David; Miller, Jon S.

2010-01-01

The techniques of forensic anthropology and pathology can provide new information to increase student interest in studying the structural details of the human skeleton. We present a simplified methodology for assessing skeletal ethnicity, sex, age, and stature. An inexpensive method has been devised for constructing an osteometric board to allow…

The effect of a loss of model structural detail due to network skeletonization on contamination warning system design: case studies

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Michael J.; Janke, Robert

2018-05-01

The effect of limitations in the structural detail available in a network model on contamination warning system (CWS) design was examined in case studies using the original and skeletonized network models for two water distribution systems (WDSs). The skeletonized models were used as proxies for incomplete network models. CWS designs were developed by optimizing sensor placements for worst-case and mean-case contamination events. Designs developed using the skeletonized network models were transplanted into the original network model for evaluation. CWS performance was defined as the number of people who ingest more than some quantity of a contaminant in tap water before the CWS detects the presence of contamination. Lack of structural detail in a network model can result in CWS designs that (1) provide considerably less protection against worst-case contamination events than that obtained when a more complete network model is available and (2) yield substantial underestimates of the consequences associated with a contamination event. Nevertheless, CWSs developed using skeletonized network models can provide useful reductions in consequences for contaminants whose effects are not localized near the injection location. Mean-case designs can yield worst-case performances similar to those for worst-case designs when there is uncertainty in the network model. Improvements in network models for WDSs have the potential to yield significant improvements in CWS designs as well as more realistic evaluations of those designs. Although such improvements would be expected to yield improved CWS performance, the expected improvements in CWS performance have not been quantified previously. The results presented here should be useful to those responsible for the design or implementation of CWSs, particularly managers and engineers in water utilities, and encourage the development of improved network models.

Measurement of organic carbon stable isotope composition of different soil types by EA-IRMS system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qi Biao; Ding Lingling; Cui Jiehua; Wang Yanhong

2009-01-01

Element analyzer-isotope ratio mass spectrometers (EA-IRMS) is a rapid and precise method for measuring stable carbon isotope. Pure CO 2 reference gas was calibrated via international standard-Urea, and the δ 13 C us PDB value of pure CO 2 is (-29.523 ± 0.0181)%. Stability and linearity of the EA-IRMS system, precision of δ 13 C measurement for samples were tested through experimental comparison. Moreover, determination method of organic carbon stable isotope in soil was based on the system. The EA-IRMS system had well linearity when ion intensity ranged from 1.0 to 7.0V, and it excelled the total linearity when the ion intensity was from 1.5 to 5.0V, and the accurate result of δ 13 C for sample analysis could be obtained with precision of 0.015%. If carbon content in sample is more than 5μg, the requirement for analyzing accurate result of δ 13 C could be achieved. The organic carbon stable isotope was measured in 18 different types soil samples, the average natural abundance of 13 C was 1.082%, and the organic carbon stable isotope composition was significantly different among different type soils. (authors)

Steady state ion acceleration by a circularly polarized laser pulse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Xiaomei; Shen Baifei; Cang Yu; Li Xuemei; Jin Zhangying; Wang Fengchao

2007-01-01

The steady state ion acceleration at the front of a cold solid target by a circularly polarized flat-top laser pulse is studied with one-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation. A model that ions are reflected by a steady laser-driven piston is used by comparing with the electrostatic shock acceleration. A stable profile with a double-flat-top structure in phase space forms after ions enter the undisturbed region of the target with a constant velocity

First radioactive ions charge bred in REXEBIS at the REX-ISOLDE accelerator

CERN Document Server

Wolf, B H; Fostner, O; Wenander, F; Ames, F; Reisinger, K; Liljeby, L; Skeppstedt, Ö; Jonson, B; Nyman, G H

2003-01-01

REXEBIS is the charge breeder of the REX-ISOLDE post accelerator. The radioactive 1$^{+}$ ions produced at ISOLDE are accumulated, phase-space cooled and bunched in the REXTRAP, and thereafter injected into the EBIS with an energy up to 60 keV. The REXEBIS produced the first charge bred ions in August 2001 and has been running nearly non-stop during September to December 2001. It has delivered stable $^{39}$K$^{10+}$ and $^{23}$Na$^{6+}$ beams generated in the ion source in front of REXTRAP with a Na$^{7+}$ current exceeding 70 pA (6x10$^{7}$ p/s). Stable $^{27}$Al$^{7+}$ and $^{23}$Na$^{6+}$ from ISOLDE and also the first radioactive $^{26}$Na$^{7+}$ and $^{24}$Na$^{7+}$ beams (just 5x10$^{5}$ p/s) have been charge bred and accelerated for tests of the experimental setup. Despite some problems with the electron gun, which had one breakdown after about 1500 hours of operation and displays slow changes of the emission conditions, the EBIS is working remarkably stable (24 hours / 7 days a week). We will report ...

The history and composition of the Raymond A. Dart Collection of Human Skeletons at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Dayal, Manisha R; Kegley, Anthony D T; Strkalj, Goran; Bidmos, Mubarak A; Kuykendall, Kevin L

2009-10-01

The Raymond A. Dart Collection of Human Skeletons (Dart Collection) is housed in the School of Anatomical Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, and comprises one of the largest documented cadaver-derived human skeletal assemblages in the world. This collection originated in the early 1920s as a result of the efforts of Raymond Dart and continues to grow. The skeletons included represent varied indigenous and immigrant populations from southern Africa, Europe and Asia. This contribution documents the history of the collection and provides an updated inventory and demographic assessment of this valuable research collection. According to a recent inventory the Dart Collection currently comprises 2,605 skeletons representing individuals from regional SA African (76%), White (15%), Coloured (4%) and Indian (0.3%) populations. A large proportion of the skeletons (71%) represent males. The recorded ages at death range from the first year to over 100 years of age, but the majority of individuals died between the ages of 20 and 70. The Dart Collection has been affected by collection procedures based on availability. All of the cadavers collected before 1958, and large proportions subsequently, were derived from unclaimed bodies in regional South African hospitals. Some details of documentation (age at death, population group) are estimates and some aspects of the collection demographics (sex ratios) do not closely reflect any living South African population. Our inventory and analysis of the Dart Collection is aimed to assist researchers planning research on the materials from this collection.

Simultaneous drag and flow measurements of Olympic skeleton athletes

Science.gov (United States)

Moon, Yae Eun; Digiulio, David; Peters, Steve; Wei, Timothy

2009-11-01

The Olympic sport of skeleton involves an athlete riding a small sled face first down a bobsled track at speeds up to 130 km/hr. In these races, the difference between gold and missing the medal stand altogether can be hundredths of a second per run. As such, reducing aerodynamic drag through proper body positioning is of first order importance. To better study the flow behavior and to improve the performance of the athletes, we constructed a static force balance system on a mock section of a bobsled track. Athlete and the sled are placed on the force balance system which is positioned at the exit of an open loop wind tunnel. Simultaneous drag force and DPIV velocity field measurements were made along with video recordings of body position to aid the athletes in determining their optimal aerodynamic body position.

Ion transport properties of mechanically stable symmetric ABCBA pentablock copolymers with quaternary ammonium functionalized midblock

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ertem, S. Piril [Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 120 Governors Drive Amherst Massachusetts 01003; Caire, Benjamin R. [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden Colorado 80401; Tsai, Tsung-Han [Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 120 Governors Drive Amherst Massachusetts 01003; Zeng, Di [Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 120 Governors Drive Amherst Massachusetts 01003; Vandiver, Melissa A. [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden Colorado 80401; Kusoglu, Ahmet [Energy Conversion Group, Energy Technologies Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley California 94720; Seifert, Soenke [Energy Conversion Group, Energy Technologies Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley California 94720; Hayward, Ryan C. [Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 120 Governors Drive Amherst Massachusetts 01003; Weber, Adam Z. [Energy Conversion Group, Energy Technologies Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley California 94720; Herring, Andrew M. [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden Colorado 80401; Coughlin, E. Bryan [Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 120 Governors Drive Amherst Massachusetts 01003; Liberatore, Matthew W. [Department of Chemical Engineering Department, University of Toledo, 2801 W Bancroft Street MS305 Toledo Ohio 43606

2017-02-07

Anion exchange membranes (AEMs) are a promising class of materials for applications that require selective ion transport, such as fuel cells, water purification, and electrolysis devices. Studies of structure–morphology–property relationships of ion-exchange membranes revealed that block copolymers exhibit improved ion conductivity and mechanical properties due to their microphase-separated morphologies with well-defined ionic domains. While most studies focused on symmetric diblock or triblock copolymers, here, the first example of a midblock quaternized pentablock AEM is presented. A symmetric ABCBA pentablock copolymer was functionalized to obtain a midblock brominated polymer. Solution cast films were then quaternized to obtain AEMs with resulting ion exchange capacities (IEC) ranging from 0.4 to 0.9 mmol/g. Despite the relatively low IEC, the polymers were highly conductive (up to 60 mS/cm Br2 at 90 8C and 95%RH) with low water absorption (<25 wt %) and maintained adequate mechanical properties in both dry and hydrated conditions. Xray scattering and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed formation of cylindrical non-ionic domains in a connected ionic phase.

Critical Comments on Brian Victoria's "Engaged Buddhism: Skeleton in the Closet?"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koichi Miyata

2015-02-01

Full Text Available In "Engaged Buddhism: A Skeleton in the Closet?" (Vol. 2 Brian Daizen Victoria claims, among other things, that Tsunesaburo Makiguchi (1871-1944, founder of the Soka Kyoiku Gakkai (forebear of the Soka Gakkai and Soka Gakkai International, was an active supporter of the Japanese wars of aggression. In this response, Koichi Miyata argues that Victoria's claims rest on the highly selective use of quotes, and ignore key interpretative issues associated with Japanese imperial fascism and its underlying belief structures. Miyata discusses the significance of Makiguchi's arrest and imprisonment under a law specifically aimed at opponents of the war efforts, in his analysis of critical lapses in Victoria's article.

Social networking between cells of the foetal skeleton: the importance of thyroid hormones.

Science.gov (United States)

Farquharson, Colin

2011-08-01

In this issue of Journal of Endocrinology, Lanham et al. investigated the effects of hypothyroidism on the developing skeleton of the ovine foetus in utero. Their analyses indicated that, following thyroidectomy, bone growth, structure and mechanical properties were all altered at late gestation or at term. Adrenalectomy, whilst preventing the prepartum rise in triiodothyronine, did not modify skeletal development. The hypothyroid-mediated skeletal defects of the developing foetus described in this study may have clinical implications for bone health in later life.

Heavy-ion accelerator mass spectrometry with a 'small' accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steier, P.; Golser, R.; Priller, A.; Vockenhuber, C.; Irlweck, K.; Kutschera, W.; Lichtenstein, V.

2001-01-01

Full text: VERA, the Vienna environmental research accelerator, is based on a 3-MV pelletron tandem accelerator and is designed to allow the transport of ions of all elements, from the lightest to the heaviest. The VERA heavy ion program tries to establish measurement methods which work for the long-lived radionuclides where suppression of isobars is not required. Among these are 129 I, 210 Pb, 236 U and all heavier ions where no stable isobars exist. To suppress neighboring masses, the resolution of VERA was increased, both by improving the ion optics of existing elements and by installing a new electrostatic separator after the analyzing magnet. Interfering ions which pass all beam filters are identified with a high-resolution time-of-flight system, using a 0.5 μg/cm 2 DLC (diamond-like carbon) foil in the start detector, which substantially reduces beam straggling. Compared to heavy ion AMS at large tandem accelerators (TV ≥ 8 MV) and for cases where stable isobar interference is absent, it is possible to offset the disadvantage of lower ion energy. Moreover, the more compact facilities like VERA achieve higher stability and reliability and provide advanced computer control. This promises even higher precision and sensitivity for a larger number of samples, which is a prerequisite for research on natural-occurring heavy radioisotopes at environmental levels. First results on the measurement of 210 Pb (half-life 22 a) and 236 U (23 Ma) encourages us to push towards even heavier radionuclides (e.g. 224 Pu, 81 Ma). (author)

Facile synthesis and stable cycling ability of hollow submicron silicon oxide–carbon composite anode material for Li-ion battery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Joong-Yeon; Nguyen, Dan Thien [Department of Fine Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764 (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Joon-Sup [Department of Energy Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764 (Korea, Republic of); Song, Seung-Wan, E-mail: swsong@cnu.ac.kr [Department of Fine Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Energy Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-06-05

Highlights: • Hollow submicron SiO{sub 2}–carbon composite material was synthesized using Si{sup 4+}-citrate chelation. • Composite material possessed a homogeneous distribution of SiO{sub 2} and carbon. • Composite electrode delivered ⩾600 mAh/g with a stable cycling stability. • This materials design and synthesis provides a useful platform for scalable production. - Abstract: Advanced SiO{sub 2}–carbon composite anode active material for lithium-ion battery has been synthesized through a simple chelation of silicon cation with citrate in a glyme-based solvent. The resultant composite material demonstrates a homogeneous distribution of constituents over the submicron particles and a unique hollow spherical microstructure, which provides an enhanced electrical conductivity and better accommodation of volume change of silicon during electrochemical charge–discharge cycling, respectively. As a result, the composite electrode exhibits a high cycling stability delivering the capacity retention of 91% at the 100th cycle and discharge capacities of 662–602 mAh/g and coulombic efficiencies of 99.8%. This material synthesis is scalable and cost-effective in preparing various submicron or micron composite electrode materials.

Method of burning ion-exchange resin contaminated with radioactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Shigenori.

1986-01-01

Purpose: To process spent ion exchange resins to reduce their volume, without increasing the load on a off-gas system and in a stable state and at the same time not leaving any uncombusted portions. Method: The water slurries of the ion exchange resins contaminated with radioactive materials is dehydrated or dry combusted to reduce the water content. A binder is then added to solidify the ion exchange resin. The solidified ion exchange resins are then combusted in a furnace. This prevents the ion exchange resin from being dispersed by air and combustion gases. Furthermore, the solidified ion exchange resins in the form of small pellets burn from the surface inwards. Moreover the binder is carbonized by the combustion heat and promotes combustion to convert the ion exchange resins into a solid mass, making sure that no uncombusted portion is left. (Takahashi, M.)

The skeleton in the closet: should historians of science care about the history of mathematics?

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, Amir

2011-09-01

Up until the 1950s, the history of mathematics was an integral part of the history of science. To George Sarton and his contemporaries, mathematics was the rational skeleton that organized science and held it together, and its history was a fundamental component of the broader history of science. But when historians began focusing on the cultural roots of science rather than its rational structure, the study of mathematics was marginalized and ultimately excluded from the history of science. The alienation between the two fields is detrimental to both, and in recent years there has been a sustained effort to reestablish meaningful communication between the two. This time, however, mathematics is seen not as the static skeleton of science but, instead, as a dynamic and historically evolving field in its own right-just like science itself. The new approach allows for a culturally sensitive study of mathematics, as well as a new and fruitful relationship between the history of science and the history of mathematics. The essays in this Focus section offer a sampling of the new approaches, opening the way to a rapprochement between fields that have gone their separate ways but should by rights be closely interconnected.

Extracting metal ions with diphosphonic acid, or derivative thereof

Science.gov (United States)

Horwitz, Earl P.; Gatrone, Ralph C.; Nash, Kenneth L.

1994-01-01

Thermodynamically-unstable complexing agents which are diphosphonic acids and diphosphonic acid derivatives (or sulphur containing analogs), like carboxyhydroxymethanediphosphonic acid and vinylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid, are capable of complexing with metal ions, and especially metal ions in the II, III, IV, V and VI oxidation states, to form stable, water-soluble metal ion complexes in moderately alkaline to highly-acidic media. However, the complexing agents can be decomposed, under mild conditions, into non-organic compounds which, for many purposes are environmentally-nondamaging compounds thereby degrading the complex and releasing the metal ion for disposal or recovery. Uses for such complexing agents as well as methods for their manufacture are also described.

Large scale silver nanowires network fabricated by MeV hydrogen (H+) ion beam irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

S, Honey; S, Naseem; A, Ishaq; M, Maaza; M T, Bhatti; D, Wan

2016-01-01

A random two-dimensional large scale nano-network of silver nanowires (Ag-NWs) is fabricated by MeV hydrogen (H + ) ion beam irradiation. Ag-NWs are irradiated under H +  ion beam at different ion fluences at room temperature. The Ag-NW network is fabricated by H + ion beam-induced welding of Ag-NWs at intersecting positions. H +  ion beam induced welding is confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Moreover, the structure of Ag NWs remains stable under H +  ion beam, and networks are optically transparent. Morphology also remains stable under H +  ion beam irradiation. No slicings or cuttings of Ag-NWs are observed under MeV H +  ion beam irradiation. The results exhibit that the formation of Ag-NW network proceeds through three steps: ion beam induced thermal spikes lead to the local heating of Ag-NWs, the formation of simple junctions on small scale, and the formation of a large scale network. This observation is useful for using Ag-NWs based devices in upper space where protons are abandoned in an energy range from MeV to GeV. This high-quality Ag-NW network can also be used as a transparent electrode for optoelectronics devices. (paper)

Development of ECR ion source for VEC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bose, D.K.; Taki, G.S.; Nabhiraj, P.Y.; Pal, G.; Mallik, C.; Bhandari, R.K.

1997-01-01

A 6.4 GHz Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source (ECRIS) was developed at the VEC centre to enable acceleration of heavy ions with the K=130, Variable Energy Cyclotron (VEC). Heavy ions which will be sufficiently energetic after acceleration from the cyclotron will be utilised to explore new fields of research. VEC ECRIS was first made operational in April 1991. Initially the stability and intensity of high charge state (z) beam were poor. Constant efforts were paid to improve source performance. Finally going to high field operation that is improving the plasma confinement, desired stability and high output current were achieved. At present stable 16 O beam up to 50 eμA maximum is available from VEC ECRIS. Many other high- z ion beam of gaseous species are also available. (author)

Design study of electron cyclotron resonance-ion plasma accelerator for heavy ion cancer therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, T.; Sugimoto, S.; Sasai, K.; Hattori, T.

2014-01-01

Electron Cyclotron Resonance-Ion Plasma Accelerator (ECR-IPAC) device, which theoretically can accelerate multiple charged ions to several hundred MeV with short acceleration length, has been proposed. The acceleration mechanism is based on the combination of two physical principles, plasma electron ion adiabatic ejection (PLEIADE) and Gyromagnetic Autoresonance (GYRAC). In this study, we have designed the proof of principle machine ECR-IPAC device and simulated the electromagnetic field distribution generating in the resonance cavity. ECR-IPAC device consisted of three parts, ECR ion source section, GYRAC section, and PLEIADE section. ECR ion source section and PLEIADE section were designed using several multi-turn solenoid coils and sextupole magnets, and GYRAC section was designed using 10 turns coil. The structure of ECR-IPAC device was the cylindrical shape, and the total length was 1024 mm and the maximum diameter was 580 mm. The magnetic field distribution, which maintains the stable acceleration of plasma, was generated on the acceleration center axis throughout three sections. In addition, the electric field for efficient acceleration of electrons was generated in the resonance cavity by supplying microwave of 2.45 GHz

Commissioning results of the ReA EBIT charge breeder at the NSCL: First reacceleration of stable-isotope beams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lapierre, A., E-mail: lapierre@nscl.msu.edu; Schwarz, S.; Kittimanapun, K.; Rodriguez, J.A.; Sumithrarachchi, C.; Barquest, B.; Berryman, E.; Cooper, K.; Fogleman, J.; Krause, S.; Kwarsick, J.; Nash, S.; Perdikakis, G.; Portillo, M.; Rencsok, R.; Skutt, D.; Steiner, M.; Tobos, L.; Wittmer, W.; Bollen, G.; and others

2013-12-15

Highlights: • Latest results with the electron-beam ion trap of the ReA post-accelerator at the NSCL. • First reacceleration of stable-isotope beams. • First injection of stable-isotope beams from the NSCL’s beam stopping vault. -- Abstract: ReA is a reaccelerator of rare-isotope beams at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL). The rare isotopes are produced by fast projectile fragmentation. After production, they are separated in-flight and thermalized in a He gas “catcher” cell before being sent to ReA for reacceleration to a few MeV/u. One of its main components is an electron-beam ion trap (EBIT) employed to convert injected singly charged ions to highly charged ions prior to injection into linear-accelerator structures. The ReA EBIT features a high-current electron gun, a long trap structure, and a two-field superconducting magnet to provide both the high electron-beam current density needed for fast charge breeding and high capture probability of injected beams. This paper presents recent commissioning results. In particular, {sup 39}K{sup +} ions have been injected, charge bred to {sup 39}K{sup 16+} and extracted for reacceleration up to 60 MeV. First charge-breeding results of beams injected from a commissioning Rb ion source in the NSCL’s beam “stopping” vault are also presented.

High temperature electron beam ion source for the production of single charge ions of most elements of the Periodic Table

CERN Document Server

Panteleev, V N; Barzakh, A E; Fedorov, D V; Ivanov, V S; Moroz, F V; Orlov, S Y; Seliverstov, D M; Stroe, L; Tecchio, L B; Volkov, Y M

2003-01-01

A new type of a high temperature electron beam ion source (HTEBIS) with a working temperature up to 2500 deg. C was developed for production of single charge ions of practically all elements. Off-line tests and on-line experiments making use of the developed ion source coupled with uranium carbide targets of different density, have been carried out. The ionization efficiency measured for stable atoms of many elements varied in the interval of 1-6%. Using the HTEBIS, the yields and on-line production efficiency of neutron rich isotopes of Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, In, Sn and isotopes of heavy elements Pb, Bi, Po and some others have been determined. The revealed confinement effect of the ions produced in the narrow electron beam inside a hot ion source cavity has been discussed.

Present status of FLNR (JINR) ECR ion sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogomolov, S.; Efremov, A.; Loginov, V.; Lebedev, A.; Yazvitsy, N.; Bekhterev, V.; Kostukhov, Y.; Gulbekian, G.; Gikal, B.; Drobin, V.; Seleznev, V.; Seleznev, V.

2012-01-01

Six ECR ion sources have been operated in the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions (JINR). Two 14 GHz ECR ion sources (ECR4M and DECRIS-2) supply various ion species for the U400 and U400M cyclotrons correspondingly for experiments on the synthesis of heavy and exotic nuclei using ion beams of stable and radioactive isotopes. The 18 GHz DECRIS-SC ion source with superconducting magnet system produces ions from Ar up to W for solid state physics experiments and polymer membrane fabrication at the IC-100 cyclotron. The third 14 GHz ion source DECRIS-4 with 'flat' minimum of the axial magnetic field is used as a stand alone machine for test experiments and also for experiments on ion modification of materials. The other two compact ECR ion sources with all permanent magnet configuration have been developed for the production of single charged ions and are used at the DRIBs installation and at the MASHA mass-spectrometer. In this paper, present status of the ion sources, recent developments and plans for modernization are reported. The paper is followed by the slides of the presentation. (authors)

4.4 V lithium-ion polymer batteries with a chemical stable gel electrolyte

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamamoto, Takeru; Hara, Tomitaro; Akashi, Hiroyuki [Sony Corporation, Energy Business Group, R and D Division, 1-1 Aza, Shimosugishita, Takakura, Hiwada-machi, Koriyama-shi, Fukushima 963-0531 (Japan); Segawa, Ken; Honda, Kazuo [Sony Energy Device Corporation, PB Technology Center, 1-1 Aza, Shimosugishita, Takakura, Hiwada-machi, Koriyama-shi, Fukushima 963-0531 (Japan)

2007-12-06

We tested 4.2 V Li-ion polymer batteries (LIPB) with physical gel electrolyte, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), 4.4 V LIPB and 4.4 V Li-ion batteries (LIB) with a liquid electrolyte. The discharge capacity of the 4.4 V LIPB reached 520 Wh l{sup -1} which was 9% higher than that of the 4.2 V LIPB. The 4.4 V LIPB had a high capacity retention ratio of 91.4% at 3 C because of the excellent ion conductivity of the PVDF gel. The capacity retention ratio of the 4.4 V LIPB was 82% after 500 cycles, which is comparable to those of some commercial LIBs. The 4.4 V LIPB retained its original thickness even after many cycles and after being stored at 90 C, whereas the 4.4 V LIB swelled by over 20%. Peaks in the FT-IR spectrum of the discolored separator in the 4.4 V LIB after storage were assigned to C=C double bonds, suggesting that the separator in direct contact with the 4.4 V cathode had been oxidized. The PVDF gel electrolyte not only had a high ionic conductivity but also completely suppressed oxidation. The 4.4 V LIPB with PVDF gel electrolyte has properties suitable for practical cells, namely, high energy density, high permanence and it is safe to use. (author)

Dual temperature effects on oxygen isotopic ratio of shallow-water coral skeleton: Consequences on seasonal and interannual records

Science.gov (United States)

Juillet-Leclerc, A.; Reynaud, S.

2009-04-01

Oxygen isotopic ratio from coral skeleton is regarded for a long time as promising climate archives at seasonal scale. Although in isotopic disequilibrium relative to seawater, it is supposed to obey to the isotope thermometer. Indeed, coral oxygen isotopic records are strongly temperature dependent, but d18O-temperature calibrations derived from different corals are highly variable. The isotope thermometer assumption does not take into account vital effects due to biogenic origin of the mineral. Corals are animals living in symbiosis with algae (zooxanthellae). Interactions between symbiont photosynthesis and coral skeleton carbonation have been abundantly observed but they remain poorly understood and the effects of photosynthesis on coral growth and skeleton oxygen ratio are ignored. Coral cultured under two light conditions enabled to relate metabolic parameters and oxygen isotopic variability with photosynthetic activity. By examining responses provided by each colony they revealed that photosynthesis significantly affected d18O, by an opposite sense compared with the sole temperature influence. Since temperature and light changes are associated during seasonal variations, this complicates the interpretation of seasonal record. Additionally, this complexity is amplified because photosynthetic activity is also directly impacted by temperature variability. Thus, the annual isotopic amplitude due to the "physical" temperature influence is partly compensated through photosynthesis. Similar opposite effect is also shown by extension rate of the cultured colonies. First, we will examine and quantify consequences of photosynthesis on growth rate and oxygen isotopic signature, from cultured corals. Second, we will consider the consequences of this vital effect on data series, at seasonal and interannual time scales.

One-millipound mercury ion thruster

Science.gov (United States)

Hyman, J., Jr.; Dulgeroff, C. R.; Kami, S.; Williamson, W. S.

1975-01-01

A mercury ion thruster has been developed for efficient operation at the nominal 1-mlb thrust level with a specific impulse of about 3,000 sec and a total power consumption of about 120 W. At a beam voltage of 1,200 V and beam current of 72 mA, the discharge chamber operates with a propellant efficiency of 93.8% at an ion-generation energy of 276 eV/ion. The 8-cm diameter thruster advances proven component technology to assure the capability for thruster operation over an accumulated beam-on time in excess of 20,000 hours with a capability for 10,000 on-off duty cycles. Discharge chamber optimization has combined stable current-voltage characteristics with high performance efficiency by careful placement of the discharge cathode near the location of a magnetic-field zero just upstream of the thruster endplate.

Stable convergence and stable limit theorems

CERN Document Server

Häusler, Erich

2015-01-01

The authors present a concise but complete exposition of the mathematical theory of stable convergence and give various applications in different areas of probability theory and mathematical statistics to illustrate the usefulness of this concept. Stable convergence holds in many limit theorems of probability theory and statistics – such as the classical central limit theorem – which are usually formulated in terms of convergence in distribution. Originated by Alfred Rényi, the notion of stable convergence is stronger than the classical weak convergence of probability measures. A variety of methods is described which can be used to establish this stronger stable convergence in many limit theorems which were originally formulated only in terms of weak convergence. Naturally, these stronger limit theorems have new and stronger consequences which should not be missed by neglecting the notion of stable convergence. The presentation will be accessible to researchers and advanced students at the master's level...

Improvement of the Energy Stability of the Single Ion Microbeam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhan Furu; Qi Xuehong; Xu Mingliang; Chen Lianyun; Yu Zengliang

2008-01-01

Energy instability strongly affects the state and the beam size of the single ion microbeam. A facility based on the Generating Voltmeter was developed to improve the energy stability of the CAS-LIBB (Chinese Academy of Sciences, key laboratory of ion beam bioengineering) single ion microbeam. This paper presents the analysis of the energy instability of the single ion microbeam. A simplified theoretical model is set up to calculate the relationship between the energy instability and the beam spot size. By using this technique, the energy instability is adjusted to about 1%. Stable run-time is over 6 hours. The radius of the single ion beam is reduced by 10% compared to the previous one.

Lithium ion batteries based on nanoporous silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Tolbert, Sarah H.; Nemanick, Eric J.; Kang, Chris Byung-Hwa

2015-09-22

A lithium ion battery that incorporates an anode formed from a Group IV semiconductor material such as porous silicon is disclosed. The battery includes a cathode, and an anode comprising porous silicon. In some embodiments, the anode is present in the form of a nanowire, a film, or a powder, the porous silicon having a pore diameters within the range between 2 nm and 100 nm and an average wall thickness of within the range between 1 nm and 100 nm. The lithium ion battery further includes, in some embodiments, a non-aqueous lithium containing electrolyte. Lithium ion batteries incorporating a porous silicon anode demonstrate have high, stable lithium alloying capacity over many cycles.

Mobile computation offloading architecture for mobile augmented reality, case study: Visualization of cetacean skeleton

OpenAIRE

Belen G. Rodriguez-Santana; Amilcar Meneses Viveros; Blanca Esther Carvajal-Gamez; Diana Carolina Trejo-Osorio

2016-01-01

Augmented Reality applications can serve as teach-ing tools in different contexts of use. Augmented reality appli-cation on mobile devices can help to provide tourist information on cities or to give information on visits to museums. For example, during visits to museums of natural history, applications of augmented reality on mobile devices can be used by some visitors to interact with the skeleton of a whale. However, making rendering heavy models can be computationally infeasible on device...

Cloning Nacre's 3D Interlocking Skeleton in Engineering Composites to Achieve Exceptional Mechanical Properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Hewei; Yue, Yonghai; Guo, Lin; Wu, Juntao; Zhang, Youwei; Li, Xiaodong; Mao, Shengcheng; Han, Xiaodong

2016-07-01

Ceramic/polymer composite equipped with 3D interlocking skeleton (3D IL) is developed through a simple freeze-casting method, exhibiting exceptionally light weight, high strength, toughness, and shock resistance. Long-range crack energy dissipation enabled by 3D interlocking structure is considered as the primary reinforcing mechanism for such superior properties. The smart composite design strategy should hold a place in developing future structural engineering materials. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Biomass carbon micro/nano-structures derived from ramie fibers and corncobs as anode materials for lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, Qiang; Zhang, Zhenghao; Yin, Shengyu; Guo, Zaiping; Wang, Shiquan; Feng, Chuanqi

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Ramie fibers and corncobs are used as precursors to prepare the biomass carbons. • The ramie fiber carbon (RFC) took on morphology of 3D micro-rods. • The corncob carbon (CC) possessed a 2D nanosheets structure. • Both RFC and CC exhibited outstanding electrochemical performances in LIBs and SIBs systems. - Abstract: Three-dimensional (3D) rod-like carbon micro-structures derived from natural ramie fibers and two-dimensional (2D) carbon nanosheets derived from corncobs have been fabricated by heat treatment at 700 °C under argon atomsphere. The structure and morphology of the as-obtained ramie fiber carbon (RFC) and corncob carbon (CC) were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) technique. The electrochemical performances of the biomass carbon-based anode in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) were investigated. When tested as anode material for lithium ion batteries, both the RFC microrods and CC nanosheets exhibited high capacity, excellent rate capability, and stable cyclability. The specific capacity were still as high as 489 and 606 mAhg −1 after 180 cycles when cycled at room temperature in a 3.0–0.01 V potential (vs. Li/Li + ) window at current density of 100 mAg −1 , respectively, which are much higher than that of graphite (375 mAhg −1 ) under the same current density. Although the anodes in sodium ion batteries showed poorer specific capability than that in lithium-ion batteries, they still achieve a reversible sodium intercalation capacity of 122 and 139 mAhg −1 with similar cycling stability. The feature of stable cycling performance makes the biomass carbon derived from natural ramie fibers and corncobs to be promising candidates as electrodes in rechargeable sodium-ion batteries and lithium-ion batteries.

Biomass carbon micro/nano-structures derived from ramie fibers and corncobs as anode materials for lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, Qiang; Zhang, Zhenghao [Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Ministry-of-Education Key Laboratory for Synthesis and Applications of Organic Functional Molecules, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062 (China); Yin, Shengyu [College of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Wuhan Technology and Business University, Wuhan 430065 (China); Guo, Zaiping [Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Ministry-of-Education Key Laboratory for Synthesis and Applications of Organic Functional Molecules, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062 (China); Institute for Superconducting & Electronic Materials, University of Wollongong, NSW 2522 (Australia); Wang, Shiquan [Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Ministry-of-Education Key Laboratory for Synthesis and Applications of Organic Functional Molecules, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062 (China); Feng, Chuanqi, E-mail: cfeng@hubu.edu.cn [Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Ministry-of-Education Key Laboratory for Synthesis and Applications of Organic Functional Molecules, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062 (China)

2016-08-30

Highlights: • Ramie fibers and corncobs are used as precursors to prepare the biomass carbons. • The ramie fiber carbon (RFC) took on morphology of 3D micro-rods. • The corncob carbon (CC) possessed a 2D nanosheets structure. • Both RFC and CC exhibited outstanding electrochemical performances in LIBs and SIBs systems. - Abstract: Three-dimensional (3D) rod-like carbon micro-structures derived from natural ramie fibers and two-dimensional (2D) carbon nanosheets derived from corncobs have been fabricated by heat treatment at 700 °C under argon atomsphere. The structure and morphology of the as-obtained ramie fiber carbon (RFC) and corncob carbon (CC) were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) technique. The electrochemical performances of the biomass carbon-based anode in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) were investigated. When tested as anode material for lithium ion batteries, both the RFC microrods and CC nanosheets exhibited high capacity, excellent rate capability, and stable cyclability. The specific capacity were still as high as 489 and 606 mAhg{sup −1} after 180 cycles when cycled at room temperature in a 3.0–0.01 V potential (vs. Li/Li{sup +}) window at current density of 100 mAg{sup −1}, respectively, which are much higher than that of graphite (375 mAhg{sup −1}) under the same current density. Although the anodes in sodium ion batteries showed poorer specific capability than that in lithium-ion batteries, they still achieve a reversible sodium intercalation capacity of 122 and 139 mAhg{sup −1} with similar cycling stability. The feature of stable cycling performance makes the biomass carbon derived from natural ramie fibers and corncobs to be promising candidates as electrodes in rechargeable sodium-ion batteries and lithium-ion batteries.

Distribution of 239Pu in the skeleton of the tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri) between 15 and 50 months after injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sontag, W.; Seidel, A.

1987-01-01

The macroscopic and microscopic distribution of intramuscularly injected, essentially monomeric, 239 Pu was studied in the skeleton of the adult tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri). Data for between 15 and 50 months after injection are presented and compared with data from earlier time points. Between 83 and 500 days after injection nuclide content and wet weight of the skeleton decreased to a constant level at about 55% of maximum. The microscopic distribution was analysed in distal femora, proximal humerus, proximal tibia and lumbar vertebra over the whole time; additionally at some selected time points proximal femur, femur shaft, distal humerus and distal tibia were analysed. The initial endosteal surface activity ranged from 3.8 to 5.3 Bq/cm 2 , decreased to a minimum at about 1000 days after injection and increased thereafter. Similar behaviour was found for dose rate near bone surfaces (initially about 0.075 Gy/day on endosteal surfaces). In deep bone and deep marrow the dose rate was negligible, about 0.008 Gy/day and 0.001 Gy/day, respectively. The average cumulative dose 1500 days after injection was about 67 Gy on the endosteum; six times greater than the cumulative dose calculated from the mean concentration of plutonium in the whole skeleton. Tupaia data are compared to monkeys, dogs and rats. (author)

Stability of Modified K-dV soliton in plasma with negative ion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsukawa, Michiaki; Watanabe, Shinsuke

1988-01-01

The K-P and Modified K-P equations for ion acoustic wave are derived from the fluid equations for plasma with negative ion. At the critical density of the negative ion where the nonlinearity of the K-P equation vanishes, the ion acoustic soliton is described by the Modified K-P equation. The stability of Modified K-dV soliton against bending are investigated by using the Modified K-P equation. It is found that the soliton is stable, independent of the sign of amplitude. (author)

Thermal ion-molecule reactions in oxygen-containing molecules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumakura, Minoru

1981-02-01

The energetics of ions and the thermal ion-molecule reactions in oxygen-containing molecules have been studied with a modified time-of-flight mass spectrometer. It was found that the translational energy of ion can be easily obtained from analysis of the decay curve using the time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The condensation-elimination reactions proceeded via cross- and homo-elimination mechanism in which the nature of intermediate-complex could be correlated with the nature of reactant ion. It was elucidated that behavior of poly-atomic oxygen-containing ions on the condensation-elimination reactions is considerably influenced by their oxonium ion structures having functional groups. In addition, the rate constants of the condensation-elimination reactions have affected with the energy state of reactant ion and the dipole moment and/or the polarizability of neutral molecule. It was clarified that the rate constants of the ion-molecule clustering reactions in poly-atomic oxygen-containing molecules such as cyclic ether of six member rings are very large and the cluster ions are stable owing to the large number of vibrational degree of freedom in the cluster ions. (author)

Interactions in ion pairs of protic ionic liquids: Comparison with aprotic ionic liquids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuzuki, Seiji; Shinoda, Wataru; Miran, Md. Shah; Kinoshita, Hiroshi; Yasuda, Tomohiro; Watanabe, Masayoshi

2013-01-01

The stabilization energies for the formation (E form ) of 11 ion pairs of protic and aprotic ionic liquids were studied by MP2/6-311G ** level ab initio calculations to elucidate the difference between the interactions of ions in protic ionic liquids and those in aprotic ionic liquids. The interactions in the ion pairs of protic ionic liquids (diethylmethylammonium [dema] and dimethylpropylammonium [dmpa] based ionic liquids) are stronger than those of aprotic ionic liquids (ethyltrimethylammonium [etma] based ionic liquids). The E form for the [dema][CF 3 SO 3 ] and [dmpa][CF 3 SO 3 ] complexes (−95.6 and −96.4 kcal/mol, respectively) are significantly larger (more negative) than that for the [etma][CF 3 SO 3 ] complex (−81.0 kcal/mol). The same trend was observed for the calculations of ion pairs of the three cations with the Cl − , BF 4 − , TFSA − anions. The anion has contact with the N–H bond of the dema + or dmpa + cations in the most stable geometries of the dema + and dmpa + complexes. The optimized geometries, in which the anions locate on the counter side of the cations, are 11.0–18.0 kcal/mol less stable, which shows that the interactions in the ions pairs of protic ionic liquids have strong directionality. The E form for the less stable geometries for the dema + and dmpa + complexes are close to those for the most stable etma + complexes. The electrostatic interaction, which is the major source of the attraction in the ion pairs, is responsible for the directionality of the interactions and determining the magnitude of the interaction energy. Molecular dynamic simulations of the [dema][TFSA] and [dmpa][TFSA] ionic liquids show that the N–H bonds of the cations have contact with the negatively charged (oxygen and nitrogen) atoms of TFSA − anion, while the strong directionality of the interactions was not suggested from the simulation of the [etma][CF 3 SO 3 ] ionic liquid

Annealing of defects in indium antimonide after ion bombardment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogatyrev, V.A.; Kachurin, G.A.

1977-01-01

Indium antimonide electric properties are investigated after ion bombardment of different mass (with energy of 60 and 300 keV) and isochrone annealing in the 20-450 deg C temperature range. It is shown that 100-150 deg C n- type stable layers are formed after proton irradiation at room temperature only. Indium antimonide exposure by average mass ions under the same conditions and also by helium ions of 300 keV energy brings to p-type layer formation with high hole concentration. Subsequent heating at the temperature over 150 deg C results in electron conductivity of irradiated layers. Electron volume density and mobility efficiency reaches 10 18 cm -3 and 10 4 cm 2 /Vs respectively. N-type formed layers are stable up to 350 deg C allowing its usage for n-p transition formation admitting thermal treatment. Analysis is given of defect behaviour peculiarities depending upon the irradiation and annealing conditions. Hole conductivity in irradiated indium antimonide is supposed to be stipulated by regions of disorder, while electron conductivity - by relatively simpler disorders

Acceleration of heavy-ion beams at the SF cyclotron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakurada, Yuzo; Yamazaki, Tsutomu.

1984-10-01

With the development of the new arc-heated cathode PIG type source, heavy-ion acceleration in the SF cyclotron has been drastically augmented, which means that a stable routine operation is being realized as well as the number of ion species is increasing. Excellent performance is also being exhibited with the arc power supply and gas feeding system required for the operation of the heavy-ion source. At present, the gaseous ions which are being accelerated are as follows: He, B, C, N, O, F, Ne, S, Ar and Xe. In the meantime, the metallic ions which are being accelerated likewise are Li, Be, Na, Mg, Al, Si, Cl, Ca, Ti, Fe and Cu. In this paper, results of mainly the research of heavy-ion acceleration conducted during the period from 1983 to July 1984 are described. (author)

Development of all-solid lithium-ion battery using Li-ion conducting glass-ceramics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inda, Yasushi [Research and Development Department, Ohara-inc, 1-15-30 Oyama, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 229-1186 (Japan); Graduate School of Engineering, Iwate University, 4-3-5 Ueda, Morioka, Iwate 020-8551 (Japan); Katoh, Takashi [Research and Development Department, Ohara-inc, 1-15-30 Oyama, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 229-1186 (Japan); Baba, Mamoru [Graduate School of Engineering, Iwate University, 4-3-5 Ueda, Morioka, Iwate 020-8551 (Japan)

2007-12-06

We have developed a high performance lithium-ion conducting glass-ceramics. This glass-ceramics has the crystalline form of Li{sub 1+x+y}Al{sub x}Ti{sub 2-x}Si{sub y}P{sub 3-y}O{sub 12} with a NASICON-type structure, and it exhibits a high lithium-ion conductivity of 10{sup -3} S cm{sup -1} or above at room temperature. Moreover, since this material is stable in the open atmosphere and even to exposure to moist air, it is expected to be applied for various uses. One of applications of this material is as a solid electrolyte for a lithium-ion battery. Batteries were developed by combining a LiCoO{sub 2} positive electrode, a Li{sub 4}Ti{sub 5}O{sub 12} negative electrode, and a composite electrolyte. The battery using the composite electrolyte with a higher conductivity exhibited a good charge-discharge characteristic. (author)

Constraining calcium isotope fractionation (δ44/40Ca) in modern and fossil scleractinian coral skeleton

OpenAIRE

Pretet, Chloé; Samankassou, Elias; Felis, Thomas; Reynaud, Stéphanie; Böhm, Florian; Eisenhauer, Anton; Ferrier-Pagès, Christine; Gattuso, Jean-Pierre; Camoin, Gilbert

2013-01-01

The present study investigates the influence of environmental (temperature, salinity) and biological (growth rate, inter-generic variations) parameters on calcium isotope fractionation (δ44/40Ca) in scleractinian coral skeleton to better constrain this record. Previous studies focused on the δ44/40Ca record in different marine organisms to reconstruct seawater composition or temperature, but only few studies investigated corals. This study presents measurements performed on modern corals f...

Extracting metal ions with diphosphonic acid, or derivative thereof

Science.gov (United States)

Horwitz, E.P.; Gatrone, R.C.; Nash, K.L.

1994-07-26

Thermodynamically-unstable complexing agents which are diphosphonic acids and diphosphonic acid derivatives (or sulfur containing analogs), like carboxyhydroxymethanediphosphonic acid and vinylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid, are capable of complexing with metal ions, and especially metal ions in the II, III, IV, V and VI oxidation states, to form stable, water-soluble metal ion complexes in moderately alkaline to highly-acidic media. However, the complexing agents can be decomposed, under mild conditions, into non-organic compounds which, for many purposes are environmentally-nondamaging compounds thereby degrading the complex and releasing the metal ion for disposal or recovery. Uses for such complexing agents as well as methods for their manufacture are also described. 1 fig.

Stable Chlorine Isotopes and Elemental Chlorine by Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry and Ion Chromatography; Martian Meteorites, Carbonaceous Chondrites and Standard Rocks

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamura, N.; Nyquist, L. E.; Reese, Y.; Shih, C.-Y.; Fujitani, T.; Okano, O.

2011-01-01

Recently significantly large mass fractionation of stable chlorine isotopes has been reported for terrestrial and lunar samples [1,2]. In addition, in view of possible early solar system processes [3] and also potential perchlorate-related fluid/microbial activities on the Martian surface [4,5], a large chlorine isotopic fractionation might be expected for some types of planetary materials. Due to analytical difficulties of isotopic and elemental analyses, however, current chlorine analyses for planetary materials are controversial among different laboratories, particularly between IRMS (gas source mass spectrometry) and TIMS (Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry) groups [i.e. 1,6,7] for isotopic analyses, as well as between those doing pyrohydrolysis and other groups [i.e. 6,8]. Additional careful investigations of Cl isotope and elemental abundances are required to confirm real chlorine isotope and elemental variations for planetary materials. We have developed a TIMS technique combined with HF-leaching/ion chromatography at NASA JSC that is applicable to analysis of small amounts of meteoritic and planetary materials. We present here results for several standard rocks and meteorites, including Martian meteorites.

Heavy-ion-induced sucrose radicals investigated using EPR and UV spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Nakagawa, Kouichi; Karakirova, Yordanka; Yordanov, Nicola D.

2015-01-01

The potential use of a sucrose dosimeter for estimating both linear energy transfer (LET) and the absorbed dose of heavy ion and X-ray radiation was investigated. The stable free radicals were produced when sucrose was irradiated with heavy ions, such as helium, carbon, silicon and neon ions, and when the X-ray radiation was similar to the obtained electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra, which were ∼7 mT wide and composed of several hyperfine structures. In addition, the total spin concentration resulting from heavy-ion irradiation increased linearly as the absorbed dose increased, and decreased logarithmically as the LET increased. These empirical relations imply that the LET at a certain dose can be determined from the spin concentration. For sucrose and alanine, both cross-sections following C-ion irradiation with a 50 Gy dose were ∼1.3 × 10−12 [μm2], taking into account the molecular size of the samples. The values of these cross-sections imply that multiple ionizing particles were involved in the production of stable radicals. Furthermore, UV absorbance at 267 nm of an aqueous solution of irradiated sucrose was found to linearly increase with increasing absorbed dose. Therefore, the EPR and UV results suggest that sucrose can be a useful dosimeter for heavy-ion irradiation. PMID:25480828

Ions in carbon dioxide at an atmospheric pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikezoe, Yasumasa; Onuki, Kaoru; Shimizu, Saburo; Nakajima, Hayato; Sato, Shoichi; Matsuoka, Shingo; Nakamura, Hirone; Tamura, Takaaki

1985-01-01

The formation and the subsequent reactions of positive and negative ions were observed by a time resolved atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometer (TRAPI) in an atmospheric pressure carbon dioxide added with small amounts of carbon monoxide and oxygen. A relatively stable ion of (44 x n) + (n >= 2) having a different reactivity from that of (CO 2 ) + sub(n) was found to be one of major ionic species in this gas system. This species was tentatively assigned as [O 2 (CO) 2 ] + (CO 2 )sub(n-2). A new reaction sequence of positive ions is proposed which can be operative in the radiolysis of carbon dioxide at 1 atm. (author)

The Antiproton-Ion-Collider at FAIR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kruecken, R.; Fabbietti, L.; Faestemann, T.; Homolka, J.; Kienle, P.; Ring, P.; Suzuki, K.; Bosch, F.; Franzke, B.; Kozhuharov, Ch.; Litvinov, Y.; Nolden, F.; Cargnelli, M.; Fuhrmann, H.; Hirtl, A.; Marton, J.; Widmann, E.; Zmeskal, J.; Hayano, R. S.; Lenske, H.

2006-01-01

An antiproton-ion collider (AIC) has been proposed for the FAIR Project at Darmstadt to independently determine rms radii for protons and neutrons in stable and short lived nuclei by means of antiproton annihilation at medium energies. The AIC makes use of the ELISe electron ion collider complex to store, cool and collide antiprotons of 30 MeV energy with short lived radioactive ions in the NESR. The exotic nuclei are produced by projectile fragmentation or projectile fission and separated in the Super FRS. By detecting the loss of stored ions using the Schottky method the total absorption cross-section for antiprotons on the stored ions with mass A will be measured. Cross sections for the absorption on protons and neutrons, respectively, will be measured by the detection of residual nuclei with A-1 either by the Schottky method or by detecting them in recoil detectors after the first dipole stage of the NESR following the interaction zone. The absorption cross sections are in first order directly proportional to the mean square radii

Lithium ion storage between graphenes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chan Yue

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract In this article, we investigate the storage of lithium ions between two parallel graphene sheets using the continuous approximation and the 6-12 Lennard-Jones potential. The continuous approximation assumes that the carbon atoms can be replaced by a uniform distribution across the surface of the graphene sheets so that the total interaction potential can be approximated by performing surface integrations. The number of ion layers determines the major storage characteristics of the battery, and our results show three distinct ionic configurations, namely single, double, and triple ion forming layers between graphenes. The number densities of lithium ions between the two graphenes are estimated from existing semi-empirical molecular orbital calculations, and the graphene sheets giving rise to the triple ion layers admit the largest storage capacity at all temperatures, followed by a marginal decrease of storage capacity for the case of double ion layers. These two configurations exceed the maximum theoretical storage capacity of graphite. Further, on taking into account the charge-discharge property, the double ion layers are the most preferable choice for enhanced lithium storage. Although the single ion layer provides the least charge storage, it turns out to be the most stable configuration at all temperatures. One application of the present study is for the design of future high energy density alkali batteries using graphene sheets as anodes for which an analytical formulation might greatly facilitate rapid computational results.

INFLUENCE OF THE SKELETON HIERARCHICAL ORGANIZATION ON ELECTRONIC STATE OF IONS IN BONE MATRIX

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. S. Avrunin

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The authors suggested the 3D-superlattice (3DSL model to describe the effect of coplanar assembly of the hydroxyapatite (HA nanocrystallites on local electronic state of ions in mineralized bone. This model is based on the main structural and functional relationships between adjacent levels of the hierarchical organization of bone tissue. In the framework of the 3DSL model the authors predicted the distinct assembly-to-crystal red shift of the unoccupied electronic states located near the bottom of the conduction band in HA and dependence of this shift on the ratio of the thickness of the hydrated layer to the crystallite size. To check these predictions the experimental X-ray absorption studies of native bone are performed near the Ca2р1/2,3/2-, P2р1/2,3/2- и O1s edges. Comparison of the measured spectra with the known spectra of the reference compounds has confirmed appearance of the distinct assembly-to-crystal red shift. The observed effect is the ground for development of new diagnostic methods for bone status and imaging changes in the local electronic structure of bone tissue by using ultrasoft X-ray absorption spectroscopy and measuring the assembly-tocrystal shifts. The experimental data analysis proved the applicability of the 3DSL model for better understanding of the hierarchical organization of bone at nanolevel.

Paleoecologic Implications of Ichnofossils Associated with Slightly Skeletonized Body Fossils, Middle Cambrian of the Barrandian Area, Czech Republic

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mikuláš, Radek; Fatka, O.; Szabad, M.

2012-01-01

Roč. 19, č. 4 (2012), s. 199-210 ISSN 1042-0940 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA205/09/1521 Institutional support: RVO:67985831 Keywords : Middle Cambrian * ichnofossils * slightly skeletonized fauna * Barrandian area Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy Impact factor: 0.727, year: 2012

Development of ECR ion source for VEC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bose, D K; Taki, G S; Nabhiraj, P Y; Pal, G; Mallik, C; Bhandari, R K [Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre, Calcutta (India)

1997-12-01

A 6.4 GHz Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source (ECRIS) was developed at the VEC centre to enable acceleration of heavy ions with the K=130, Variable Energy Cyclotron (VEC). Heavy ions which will be sufficiently energetic after acceleration from the cyclotron will be utilised to explore new fields of research. VEC ECRIS was first made operational in April 1991. Initially the stability and intensity of high charge state (z) beam were poor. Constant efforts were paid to improve source performance. Finally going to high field operation that is improving the plasma confinement, desired stability and high output current were achieved. At present stable {sup 16}O beam up to 50 e{mu}A maximum is available from VEC ECRIS. Many other high- z ion beam of gaseous species are also available. (author) 16 refs., 14 figs., 2 tabs.

Verification of high efficient broad beam cold cathode ion source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abdel Reheem, A. M., E-mail: amreheem2009@yahoo.com [Accelerators and Ion Sources Department, Nuclear Research Center, Atomic Energy Authority, P.N.13759, Cairo (Egypt); Radiation Physics Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology (NCRRT), Atomic Energy Authority (AEA), Cairo (Egypt); Ahmed, M. M. [Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Cairo (Egypt); Abdelhamid, M. M.; Ashour, A. H. [Radiation Physics Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology (NCRRT), Atomic Energy Authority (AEA), Cairo (Egypt)

2016-08-15

An improved form of cold cathode ion source has been designed and constructed. It consists of stainless steel hollow cylinder anode and stainless steel cathode disc, which are separated by a Teflon flange. The electrical discharge and output characteristics have been measured at different pressures using argon, nitrogen, and oxygen gases. The ion exit aperture shape and optimum distance between ion collector plate and cathode disc are studied. The stable discharge current and maximum output ion beam current have been obtained using grid exit aperture. It was found that the optimum distance between ion collector plate and ion exit aperture is equal to 6.25 cm. The cold cathode ion source is used to deposit aluminum coating layer on AZ31 magnesium alloy using argon ion beam current which equals 600 μA. Scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction techniques used for characterizing samples before and after aluminum deposition.

Multishelled Si@Cu Microparticles Supported on 3D Cu Current Collectors for Stable and Binder-free Anodes of Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zailei; Wang, Zhong Lin; Lu, Xianmao

2018-04-24

Silicon has proved to be a promising anode material of high-specific capacity for the next-generation lithium ion batteries (LIBs). However, during repeated discharge/charge cycles, Si-based electrodes, especially those in microscale size, pulverize and lose electrical contact with the current collectors due to large volume expansion. Here, we introduce a general method to synthesize Cu@M (M = Si, Al, C, SiO 2 , Si 3 N 4 , Ag, Ti, Ta, SnIn 2 O 5 , Au, V, Nb, W, Mg, Fe, Ni, Sn, ZnO, TiN, Al 2 O 3 , HfO 2 , and TiO 2 ) core-shell nanowire arrays on Cu substrates. The resulting Cu@Si nanowire arrays were employed as LIB anodes that can be reused via HCl etching and H 2 -reduction. Multishelled Cu@Si@Cu microparticles supported on 3D Cu current collectors were further prepared as stable and binder-free LIB anodes. This 3D Cu@Si@Cu structure allows the interior conductive Cu network to effectively accommodate the volume expansion of the electrode and facilitates the contact between the Cu@Si@Cu particles and the current collectors during the repeated insertion/extraction of lithium ions. As a result, the 3D Cu@Si@Cu microparticles at a high Si-loading of 1.08 mg/cm 2 showed a capacity retention of 81% after 200 cycles. In addition, charging tests of 3D Cu@Si@Cu-LiFePO 4 full cells by a triboelectric nanogenerator with a pulsed current demonstrated that LIBs with silicon anodes can effectively store energy delivered by mechanical energy harvesters.

Heavy-ion injector based on an electron cyclotron ion source for the superconducting linear accelerator of the Rare Isotope Science Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, In-Seok; Kim, Yong-Hwan; Choi, Bong-Hyuk; Choi, Suk-Jin; Park, Bum-Sik; Jin, Hyun-Chang; Kim, Hye-Jin; Heo, Jeong-Il; Kim, Deok-Min; Jang, Ji-Ho

2016-02-01

The injector for the main driver linear accelerator of the Rare Isotope Science Project in Korea, has been developed to allow heavy ions up to uranium to be delivered to the inflight fragmentation system. The critical components of the injector are the superconducting electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion sources, the radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ), and matching systems for low and medium energy beams. We have built superconducting magnets for the ECR ion source, and a prototype with one segment of the RFQ structure, with the aim of developing a design that can satisfy our specifications, demonstrate stable operation, and prove results to compare the design simulation.

Three-dimensional segmentation and skeletonization to build an airway tree data structure for small animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaturvedi, Ashutosh; Lee, Zhenghong

2005-01-01

Quantitative analysis of intrathoracic airway tree geometry is important for objective evaluation of bronchial tree structure and function. Currently, there is more human data than small animal data on airway morphometry. In this study, we implemented a semi-automatic approach to quantitatively describe airway tree geometry by using high-resolution computed tomography (CT) images to build a tree data structure for small animals such as rats and mice. Silicon lung casts of the excised lungs from a canine and a mouse were used for micro-CT imaging of the airway trees. The programming language IDL was used to implement a 3D region-growing threshold algorithm for segmenting out the airway lung volume from the CT data. Subsequently, a fully-parallel 3D thinning algorithm was implemented in order to complete the skeletonization of the segmented airways. A tree data structure was then created and saved by parsing through the skeletonized volume using the Python programming language. Pertinent information such as the length of all airway segments was stored in the data structure. This approach was shown to be accurate and efficient for up to six generations for the canine lung cast and ten generations for the mouse lung cast

Sensitivity analysis of a validated subject-specific finite element model of the human craniofacial skeleton.

Science.gov (United States)

Szwedowski, T D; Fialkov, J; Whyne, C M

2011-01-01

Developing a more complete understanding of the mechanical response of the craniofacial skeleton (CFS) to physiological loads is fundamental to improving treatment for traumatic injuries, reconstruction due to neoplasia, and deformities. Characterization of the biomechanics of the CFS is challenging due to its highly complex structure and heterogeneity, motivating the utilization of experimentally validated computational models. As such, the objective of this study was to develop, experimentally validate, and parametrically analyse a patient-specific finite element (FE) model of the CFS to elucidate a better understanding of the factors that are of intrinsic importance to the skeletal structural behaviour of the human CFS. An FE model of a cadaveric craniofacial skeleton was created from subject-specific computed tomography data. The model was validated based on bone strain measurements taken under simulated physiological-like loading through the masseter and temporalis muscles (which are responsible for the majority of craniofacial physiologic loading due to mastication). The baseline subject-specific model using locally defined cortical bone thicknesses produced the strongest correlation to the experimental data (r2 = 0.73). Large effects on strain patterns arising from small parametric changes in cortical thickness suggest that the very thin bony structures present in the CFS are crucial to characterizing the local load distribution in the CFS accurately.

Towards 20 A negative hydrogen ion beams for up to 1 h: Achievements of the ELISE test facility (invited)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fantz, U.; Heinemann, B.; Wünderlich, D.; Riedl, R.; Kraus, W.; Nocentini, R.; Bonomo, F.

2016-01-01

The large-scale RF-driven ion source of the test facility extraction from a large ion source experiment is aimed to deliver an accelerated ion current of 20 A D − (23 A H − ) with an extracted electron-to-ion ratio below one for up to 1 h. Since the first plasma pulses for 20 s in volume operation in early 2013, followed by caesiation of the ion source, substantial progress has been achieved in extending the pulse length and the RF power. The record pulses in hydrogen are stable 400 s pulses with an extracted ion current of 18.3 A at 180 kW total RF power and 9.3 A at 80 kW stable for 1 h. For deuterium pulse, length and RF power are limited by the amount of co-extracted electrons

Overexpression of BMP3 in the developing skeleton alters endochondral bone formation resulting in spontaneous rib fractures.

Science.gov (United States)

Gamer, Laura W; Cox, Karen; Carlo, Joelle M; Rosen, Vicki

2009-09-01

Bone morphogenetic protein-3 (BMP) has been identified as a negative regulator in the skeleton as mice lacking BMP3 have increased bone mass. To further understand how BMP3 mediates bone formation, we created transgenic mice overexpressing BMP3 using the type I collagen promoter. BMP3 transgenic mice displayed spontaneous rib fractures that were first detected at E17.0. The fractures were due to defects in differentiation of the periosteum and late hypertrophic chondrocytes resulting in thinner cortical bone with decreased mineralization. As BMP3 modulates BMP and activin signaling through ActRIIB, we examined the ribs of ActRIIB receptor knockout mice and found they had defects in late chondrogenesis and mineralization similar to BMP3 transgenic mice. These data suggest that BMP3 exerts its effects in the skeleton by altering signaling through ActRIIB in chondrocytes and the periosteum, and this results in defects in bone collar formation and late hypertrophic chondrocyte maturation leading to decreased mineralization and less bone. 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Interphase Evolution of a Lithium-Ion/Oxygen Battery.

Science.gov (United States)

Elia, Giuseppe Antonio; Bresser, Dominic; Reiter, Jakub; Oberhumer, Philipp; Sun, Yang-Kook; Scrosati, Bruno; Passerini, Stefano; Hassoun, Jusef

2015-10-14

A novel lithium-ion/oxygen battery employing Pyr14TFSI-LiTFSI as the electrolyte and nanostructured LixSn-C as the anode is reported. The remarkable energy content of the oxygen cathode, the replacement of the lithium metal anode by a nanostructured stable lithium-alloying composite, and the concomitant use of nonflammable ionic liquid-based electrolyte result in a new and intrinsically safer energy storage system. The lithium-ion/oxygen battery delivers a stable capacity of 500 mAh g(-1) at a working voltage of 2.4 V with a low charge-discharge polarization. However, further characterization of this new system by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy reveals the progressive decrease of the battery working voltage, because of the crossover of oxygen through the electrolyte and its direct reaction with the LixSn-C anode.

Skeleton inequalities and the asymptotic nature of perturbation theory for PHI4-theories in two and three dimensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bovier, A.; Felder, G.

1984-01-01

We use the polymer representation of PHI 4 -quantum field theories to prove an infinite family of correlation inequalities, called ''skeleton inequalities'', for the 2n-point Green's functions. As an application, we show that they imply that Feynman perturbation theory is asymptotic in less than four dimensions. (orig.)

Chitosan-stabilized Silver Nanoparticles for Colorimetric Assay of Mercury (II) Ions in aqueous system

Science.gov (United States)

Zarlaida, Fitri; Adlim, M.; Syukri Surbakti, M.; Fairuz Omar, Ahmad

2018-05-01

Mercury is considered as dangerous pollutant. Among the many form of mercury, the most stable and soluble in water is mercury (II) ions which it cause threat to human health and surroundings. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) used in this method were prepared by chitosan (chi) which act as stabilizing agent. The Chi-AgNPs has good dispersity with size ranging from 2.50 to 6.00 nm as shown by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis and it is stable for 3 months. Color of Chi-AgNPs fades from brownish-yellow to colorless only with Hg2+ ions, but it shows no significant changes upon addition of other metal ions such as Al3+, Ba2+, Ca2+, Cd2+, Cr3+, Co2+, Cu2+, Fe2+, K+, Mg2+, Mn2+, Na+, Ni2+, Pb2+, and Zn2+. The detection limit for Hg2+ ions by bare-eye is estimated to be ∼1µM. This method can be used for sensing mercury(II) ions in numerous water samples.

Multiply charged carbon-ion production for medical application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitagawa, A.; Muramatsu, M.; Sasaki, N.; Takasugi, W.; Wakaisami, S.; Biri, S.; Drentje, A. G.

2008-01-01

Over 3000 cancer patients have already been treated by the heavy-ion medical accelerator in Chiba at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences since 1994. The clinical results have clearly verified the effectiveness and safety of heavy-ion radiotherapy. The most important result has been to establish that the carbon ion is one of the most effective radiations for radiotherapy. The ion source is required to realize a stable beam with the same conditions for daily operation. However, the deposition of carbon ions on the wall of the plasma chamber is normally unavoidable. This causes an ''anti-wall-coating effect,'' i.e., a decreasing of the beam, especially for the higher charge-state ions due to the surface material of the wall. The ion source must be required to produce a sufficiently intense beam under the bad condition. Other problems were solved by improvements and maintenance, and thus we obtained enough reproducibility and stability along with decreased failures. We summarize our over 13 years of experience, and show the scope for further developments

Highly Stable Aqueous Zinc-ion Storage Using Layered Calcium Vanadium Oxide Bronze Cathode

KAUST Repository

Xia, Chuan; Guo, Jing; Li, Peng; Zhang, Xixiang; Alshareef, Husam N.

2018-01-01

Cost-effective aqueous rechargeable batteries are attractive alternatives to non-aqueous cells for stationary grid energy storage. Among different aqueous cells, zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs), based on Zn2+ intercalation chemistry, stand out as they can employ high-capacity Zn metal as anode material. Herein, we report a layered calcium vanadium oxide bronze as cathode material for aqueous Zn batteries. For the storage of Zn2+ ions in aqueous electrolyte, we demonstrate that calcium based bronze structure can deliver a high capacity of 340 mAh g-1 at 0.2 C, good rate capability and very long cycling life (96% retention after 3000 cycles at 80 C). Further, we investigate the Zn2+ storage mechanism, and the corresponding electrochemical kinetics in this bronze cathode. Finally, we show that our Zn cell delivers an energy density of 267 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 53.4 W kg-1.

Highly Stable Aqueous Zinc-ion Storage Using Layered Calcium Vanadium Oxide Bronze Cathode

KAUST Repository

Xia, Chuan

2018-02-12

Cost-effective aqueous rechargeable batteries are attractive alternatives to non-aqueous cells for stationary grid energy storage. Among different aqueous cells, zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs), based on Zn2+ intercalation chemistry, stand out as they can employ high-capacity Zn metal as anode material. Herein, we report a layered calcium vanadium oxide bronze as cathode material for aqueous Zn batteries. For the storage of Zn2+ ions in aqueous electrolyte, we demonstrate that calcium based bronze structure can deliver a high capacity of 340 mAh g-1 at 0.2 C, good rate capability and very long cycling life (96% retention after 3000 cycles at 80 C). Further, we investigate the Zn2+ storage mechanism, and the corresponding electrochemical kinetics in this bronze cathode. Finally, we show that our Zn cell delivers an energy density of 267 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 53.4 W kg-1.

A resonant ionization laser ion source at ORNL

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Y.; Stracener, D.W.

2016-06-01

Multi-step resonance laser ionization has become an essential tool for the production of isobarically pure radioactive ion beams at the isotope separator on-line (ISOL) facilities around the world. A resonant ionization laser ion source (RILIS) has been developed for the former Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility (HRIBF) of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The RILIS employs a hot-cavity ion source and a laser system featuring three grating-tuned and individually pumped Ti:Sapphire lasers, especially designed for stable and simple operation. The RILIS has been installed at the second ISOL production platform of former HRIBF and has successfully provided beams of exotic neutron-rich Ga isotopes for beta decay studies. This paper reports the features, advantages, limitations, and on-line and off-line performance of the RILIS.

Effects of energetic heavy ions on electromagnetic ion cyclotron wave generation in the plasmapause region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kozyra, J.U.; Cravens, T.E.; Nagy, A.F.; Fontheim, E.G.; Ong, R.S.B.

1984-01-01

An expression for the linear electromagnetic ion cyclotron convective growth rate has been derived, considering multiple ions in the energetic anisotropic component of the plasma (which provides the free energy for the instability) as well as in the cold component of the plasma. This represents a modification of recent treatments investigating electromagnetic ion cyclotron growth rates which have considered only hydrogen ions in the energetic component. Four major effects on the growth and propagation characteristics result from inclusion of heavy ions in the energetic component. Some wave growth occurs at low frequencies below the corresponding marginally unstable wave mode for each heavy ion. Enhanced quasi-monochronomatic peaks in the convective growth rate appear just below the O + and He + gyrofrequency and can be quite pronounced for certain plasma conditions. Stop bands, decreased group velocity and other effects normally attributed to cold heavy ions can be produced or enhanced by heavy ions in the energetic plasma component. Partial or complete suppression of wave growth at frequencies above the marginally unstable wave mode for a particular energetic heavy ion can greatly alter the growth rates that would occur in the absence of this energetic heavy ion. The expression for the linear electromagnetic ion cyclotron convective growth rate along with appropriate plasma parameters was used to investigate the nature of linear wave growth in the plasmapause region. The frequencies of peaks in the convective growth rate given by this model compare favorably with wave measurements in this region. It is conceivable that through wave-particle interactions, electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves could supply the energy source for various plasmapause region phenomena such as the O + torus, the plasma cloak and stable auroral red arcs

Radiological abnormalities of the skeleton in patients with sickle-cell anemia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ben Dridi, M.F.; Oumaya, A.; Gastli, H.; Doggaz, C.; Bousnina, S.; Fattoum, S.; Ben Osman, R.; Gharbi, H.A.

1987-01-01

The way in which bones are affected in cases of sickle-cell anemia is well known. Nevertheless, advances in treatment and in methods of transfusion mean that we are increasingly seeing cases of older patients with this disease. A retrospective analysis of 222 cases of sickle-cell anemia demonstrates the radiological appearance of the skeleton in the disease and reveals the various bone segments which are particularly vulnerable at certain periods of life. Correlation of X-rays permits the discovery of lesions which are not clinically apparent. The frequency and characteristics of epiphyseal osteonecrosis and osteitis are studied. Aggravation of the bone lesions when corticoids are administered poses the problem of differential diagnosis of the disease, especially in comparison with rheumatic fever. (orig.)

Design considerations for a feedback system to control self-bunching in ion-storage rings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ziemann, V.

2001-02-01

We discuss the feasibility of a feedback system to cure self-bunching of the electron-cooled coasting ion-beam in CELSIUS. Such a system may also aid stable operation of accumulator rings for future spallation neutron sources or heavy ion rings used for inertial fusion energy production

Ultra-low cost and highly stable hydrated FePO4 anodes for aqueous sodium-ion battery

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yuesheng; Feng, Zimin; Laul, Dharminder; Zhu, Wen; Provencher, Manon; Trudeau, Michel L.; Guerfi, Abdelbast; Zaghib, Karim

2018-01-01

The growing demands for large-scale energy storage devices have put a spotlight on aqueous sodium-ion batteries, which possess a number of highly desirable features, such as sodium abundance, low cost and safety over organic electrolytes. While lots of cathode materials were reported, only few candidate materials like active carbon and NaTi2(PO4)3 were proposed as anodes. It is a long-standing common knowledge that the low cost, non-toxicity, and highly reversible FePO4·2H2O is known as an attractive cathode material for non-aqueous lithium- and sodium-ion batteries, but we demonstrate for the first time that nano-size non-carbon coated amorphous FePO4·2H2O can be used as the anode for an aqueous sodium-ion battery. Its optimum operating voltage (∼2.75 V vs. Na+/Na) avoids hydrogen evolution. The capacity is as high as 80 mAh/g at a rate of 0.5 C in a three-electrode system. The full cell, using the Na0.44MnO2 as cathode, maintained 90% of the capacity at 300 cycles at a rate of 3 C. The calculations also show that its volume change during the intercalation of Na ions is below 2%. Its low cost, high safety, along with its outstanding electrochemical performance makes amorphous FePO4·2H2O a promising anode material for aqueous sodium-ion batteries.

Morphometric Comparison of Clavicle Outlines from 3D Bone Scans and 2D Chest Radiographs: A Short-listing Tool to Assist Radiographic Identification of Human Skeletons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stephan, Carl N.; Amidan, Brett G.; Trease, Harold E.; Guyomarch, Pierre; Pulsipher, Trenton C.; Byrd, John E.

2014-03-01

This paper describes a computerized clavicle identification system, primarily designed to resolve the identities of unaccounted for US soldiers who fought in the Korean War. Elliptical Fourier analysis is used to quantify the clavicle outline shape from skeletons and postero-anterior antemortem chest radiographs to rank individuals in terms of metric distance. Similar to leading fingerprint identification systems, shortlists of the top matching candidates are extracted for subsequent human visual assessment. Two independent tests of the computerized system using 17 field-recovered skeletons and 409 chest radiographs demonstrate that true positive matches are captured within the top 5% of the sample 75% of the time. These results are outstanding given the eroded state of some field-recovered skeletons and the faintness of the 1950’s photoflurographs. These methods enhance the capability to resolve several hundred cold cases for which little circumstantial information exists and current DNA and dental record technologies cannot be applied.

New higher taxa in the lichen family Graphidaceae (lichenized Ascomycota: Ostropales) based on a three-gene skeleton phylogeny

Science.gov (United States)

H. Thorsten Lumbsch; Ekaphan Kraichak; Sittiporn Parnmen; Eimy Rivas Plata; Andre Aptroot; Marcela E.S. Caceres; Damien Ertz; Shirley Cunha Feuerstein; Joel A. Mercado-Diaz; Bettina Staiger; Dries Van den Broeck; Robert. Lücking

2014-01-01

We provide an updated skeleton phylogeny of the lichenized family Graphidaceae (excluding subfamily Gomphilloideae), based on three loci (mtSSU, nuLSU, RPB2), to elucidate the position of four new genera, Aggregatorygma, Borinquenotrema, Corticorygma, and Paratopeliopsis, as well as the placement of the enigmatic species Diorygma erythrellum, Fissurina monilifera, and...

Clearance of lead-212 ions from rabbit bronchial epithelium to blood

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

James, A.C.; Greenhalgh, J.R.; Smith, H.

1977-01-01

The absorption of 212 Pb ions from bronchial epithelium to blood has been investigated in anaesthetized rabbits. The 212 Pb ions were introduced by intubation either into the trachea or into smaller, more distal bronchi. Removal from lung was followed by external γ-counting. Mucociliary clearance to the GI tract was blocked by tracheostomy. Two distinct phases of clearance from bronchial epithelium to blood were observed. Approximately 20% of deposited 212 Pb was rapidly absorbed with a half-time of about 4 min, the remainder with a biological half-time of about 9 h, irrespective of the site of instillation in the bronchial tree. Two hours after deposition, the 212 Pb remaining in lung was found to be partitioned between mucus and the bronchial epithelium, with a substantial but minor fraction in the epithelium. Uptake of 212 Pb in the skeleton was estimated to be about 20% of the 212 Pb entering the blood circulation. Removal by the kidneys, at 25%, was comparable with skeletal uptake. These results are compared with previously published work using rodents, dogs and man which demonstrated either rapid or slow absorption but not both phases occurring together. (author)

LHC Report: a record start for LHC ion operation

CERN Multimedia

Jan Uythoven for the LHC Team

2011-01-01

After the technical stop, the LHC switched over to ion operation, colliding lead-ions on lead-ions. The recovery from the technical stop was very smooth, and records for ion luminosity were set during the first days of ion operation.   The LHC technical stop ended on the evening of Friday, 11 November. The recovery from the technical stop was extremely smooth, and already that same evening ion beams were circulating in the LHC. ‘Stable beams’ were declared the same night, with 2 x 2 bunches of ions circulating in the LHC, allowing the experiments to have their first look at ion collisions this year. However, the next step-up in intensity – colliding 170 x 170 bunches – was postponed due to a vacuum problem in the PS accelerator, so the collisions on Sunday, 13 November were confined to 9 x 9 bunches. The vacuum problem was solved, and on the night of Monday, 14 November, trains of 24 lead bunches were injected into the LHC and 170 x 170 bunches were brough...

ERC sources for the production of highly charged ions (invited)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyneis, C.M.; Antaya, T.A.

1990-01-01

Electron cyclotron resonance ion sources (ECRIS) using rf between 5 and 16 GHz have been developed into stable, reliable sources of highly charged ions produced from a wide range of elements. These devices are currently used as ion sources for cyclotrons, synchrotrons, and heavy-ion linacs for nuclear and relativistic heavy-ion physics. They also serve the atomic physics community as a source of low energy multiply charged ions. In order to improve their performance both with respect to maximum charge state and beam intensity, ECRIS builders are now designing and constructing sources which will operate at frequencies up to 30 GHz. In this article we review the present status of operating ECRIS, review recent experimental measurements on plasma parameters, and look at the technology and potential of sources operating at frequencies up to 30 GHz

An enhanced production of highly charged ions in the ECR ion sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schaechter, L.; Dobrescu, S.; Badescu- Singureanu, Al.I.; Stiebing, K.E.; Runkel, S.; Hohn, O.; Schmidt, L.; Schempp, A.; Schmidt - Boecking, H.

2000-01-01

The electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion source (ECRIS) are the ideal sources of highly charged heavy ions. Highly charged heavy ions are widely used in atomic physics research where they constitute a very efficient tool due to their very high electric potential of collision. The highly charged ions are also used in fusion plasma physics studies, in solid state surface physics investigations and are very efficient when injected in particle accelerators. More than 50 ECR ion sources are presently working in the whole world. Stable and intense highly charged heavy ions beams are extracted from ECR ion sources, in a wide range of ion species. RECRIS, the Romanian 14 GHz ECR Ion Source, developed in IFIN-HH, designed as a facility for atomic physics and materials studies, has been recently completed. The research field concerning the development of advanced ECRIS and the study of the physical processes of the ECR plasma are presently very dynamical , a fact well proved by the great number of scientific published works and the numerous dedicated international conferences and workshops. It is well established that the performance of ECRIS can substantially be enhanced if special techniques like a 'biased disk' or a special wall coating of the plasma chamber are employed. In the frame of a cooperation project between IFIN-HH ,Bucharest, Romania and the Institut fuer Kernphysik of the J. W. Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany we developed, on the basis of previous research carried out in IFIN-HH, a new method to strongly increase the intensity of the ion beams extracted from the 14.4 GHz ECRIS in Frankfurt. In our method a special metal-dielectric structure (MD cylinder) was introduced in the ECRIS plasma chamber. In the experiment analyzed beams of Ar 16+ ions were increased in intensity by a factor of 50 as compared to the standard set up with stainless steel chamber. These results have been communicated at the International Conference on Ion Sources held at

Using Gas-Phase Guest-Host Chemistry to Probe the Structures of b Ions of Peptides

Science.gov (United States)

Somogyi, Árpád; Harrison, Alex G.; Paizs, Béla

2012-12-01

Middle-sized b n ( n ≥ 5) fragments of protonated peptides undergo selective complex formation with ammonia under experimental conditions typically used to probe hydrogen-deuterium exchange in Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS). Other usual peptide fragments like y, a, a*, etc., and small b n ( n ≤ 4) fragments do not form stable ammonia adducts. We propose that complex formation of b n ions with ammonia is characteristic to macrocyclic isomers of these fragments. Experiments on a protonated cyclic peptide and N-terminal acetylated peptides fully support this hypothesis; the protonated cyclic peptide does form ammonia adducts while linear b n ions of acetylated peptides do not undergo complexation. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations on the proton-bound dimers of all-Ala b 4 , b 5 , and b 7 ions and ammonia indicate that the ionizing proton initially located on the peptide fragment transfers to ammonia upon adduct formation. The ammonium ion is then solvated by N+-H…O H-bonds; this stabilization is much stronger for macrocyclic b n isomers due to the stable cage-like structure formed and entropy effects. The present study demonstrates that gas-phase guest-host chemistry can be used to selectively probe structural features (i.e., macrocyclic or linear) of fragments of protonated peptides. Stable ammonia adducts of b 9 , b 9 -A, and b 9 -2A of A8YA, and b 13 of A20YVFL are observed indicating that even these large b-type ions form macrocyclic structures.

Development of w/o microemulsion for transdermal delivery of iodide ions.

Science.gov (United States)

Lou, Hao; Qiu, Ni; Crill, Catherine; Helms, Richard; Almoazen, Hassan

2013-03-01

The objective of this study was to develop a water-in-oil (w/o) microemulsion which can be utilized as a transdermal delivery for iodide ions. Several w/o microemulsion formulations were prepared utilizing Span 20, ethanol, Capryol 90®, and water. The selected formulations had 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and a maximum of 23% w/w water content. Potassium iodide (KI) was incorporated in all formulations at 5% w/v. Physicochemical characterizations were conducted to evaluate the structure and stability. These studies included: mean droplet size, pH, viscosity, conductivity, and chemical stability tests. In vitro human skin permeation studies were conducted to evaluate the diffusion of the iodide ion through human skin. The w/o microemulsion formulations were stable and compatible with iodide ions with water content ranging from 5% to 23% w/w. The addition of KI influenced the physicochemical properties of microemulsion as compared to blank microemulsion formulations. In vitro human skin permeation studies indicated that selected formulations improved iodide ion diffusion significantly as compared to control (KI solution; P valuemicroemulsion. Span 20, ethanol and Capryol 90 protected the iodide ions against oxidation and formed a stable microemulsion. It is worth to note that according to Hofmeister series, iodide ions tend to lower the interfacial tension between water and oil and consequently enhance overall stability. This work illustrates that microemulsion system can be utilized as a vehicle for the transdermal administration of iodide.

Stable isotope values in pup vibrissae reveal geographic variation in diets of gestating Steller sea lions Eumetopias jubatus

Science.gov (United States)

Scherer, Rick D.; Doll, Andrew C.; Rea, Lorrie D.; Christ, Aaron M.; Stricker, Craig A.; Witteveen, Briana; Kline, Thomas C.; Kurle, Carolyn M.; Wunder, Michael B.

2015-01-01

Multiple factors, including limitation in food resources, have been proposed as possible causes for the lack of recovery of the endangered western segment of the Steller sea lion population in the United States. Because maternal body condition has important consequences on fetal development and neonatal survival, the diets of pregnant females may be particularly important in regulating population sizes. We used the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values of vibrissae from Steller sea lion pups as an indirect indicator of maternal diets during gestation. Combining these data with isotope data from potential prey species in a Bayesian mixing model, we generated proportional estimates of dietary consumption for key prey. Our analysis indicated that females in the most westerly metapopulations relied heavily on Atka mackerel and squid, whereas females inhabiting the Gulf of Alaska region had a fairly mixed diet, and the metapopulation of Southeast Alaska showed a strong reliance on forage fish. These results are similar to previous data from scat collections; however, they indicate a possible under-representation of soft-bodied prey (squid) or prey with fragile skeletons (forage fish) from analyses of data from scats. This study supports the utility of stable isotope modeling in predicting diet composition in gestating adult female Steller sea lions during winter, using pup vibrissae.

Macrodistribution of 226Ra in the human skeleton as determined in vitro by gamma-ray spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Essling, M.A.; Huff, D.R.

1976-01-01

A large number of γ-ray measurements of 226 Ra in human bone has been made both at MIT and CHR-ANL. These data are analyzed for correlations of the specific activity ratio of a bone group with other parameters, an interlaboratory comparison of the measurements, and an estimate of the errors expected when a whole-body content is calculated from the 226 Ra determination on a partial skeleton

Superconcentrated electrolytes for a high-voltage lithium-ion battery

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jianhui; Yamada, Yuki; Sodeyama, Keitaro; Chiang, Ching Hua; Tateyama, Yoshitaka; Yamada, Atsuo

2016-01-01

Finding a viable electrolyte for next-generation 5 V-class lithium-ion batteries is of primary importance. A long-standing obstacle has been metal-ion dissolution at high voltages. The LiPF6 salt in conventional electrolytes is chemically unstable, which accelerates transition metal dissolution of the electrode material, yet beneficially suppresses oxidative dissolution of the aluminium current collector; replacing LiPF6 with more stable lithium salts may diminish transition metal dissolution but unfortunately encounters severe aluminium oxidation. Here we report an electrolyte design that can solve this dilemma. By mixing a stable lithium salt LiN(SO2F)2 with dimethyl carbonate solvent at extremely high concentrations, we obtain an unusual liquid showing a three-dimensional network of anions and solvent molecules that coordinate strongly to Li+ ions. This simple formulation of superconcentrated LiN(SO2F)2/dimethyl carbonate electrolyte inhibits the dissolution of both aluminium and transition metal at around 5 V, and realizes a high-voltage LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4/graphite battery that exhibits excellent cycling durability, high rate capability and enhanced safety. PMID:27354162

Electronic structure of incident carbon ions on a graphite surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiuchi, Masato; Takeuchi, Takae; Yamamoto, Masao.

1997-01-01

The electronic structure of an incident carbon ion on a graphite surface is discussed on the basis of ab initio molecular orbital calculations. A carbon cation forms a covalent bond with the graphite, and a carbon nonion is attracted to the graphite surface through van der Waals interaction. A carbon anion has no stable state on a graphite surface. The charge effects of incident ions become clear upon detailed examination of the electronic structure. (author)

Phosphoryl-rich flame-retardant ions (FRIONs): towards safer lithium-ion batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Rectenwald, Michael F; Gaffen, Joshua R; Rheingold, Arnold L; Morgan, Alexander B; Protasiewicz, John D

2014-04-14

The functionalized catecholate, tetraethyl (2,3-dihydroxy-1,4-phenylene)bis(phosphonate) (H2 -DPC), has been used to prepare a series of lithium salts Li[B(DPC)(oxalato)], Li[B(DPC)2], Li[B(DPC)F2], and Li[P(DPC)3]. The phosphoryl-rich character of these anions was designed to impart flame-retardant properties for their use as potential flame-retardant ions (FRIONs), additives, or replacements for other lithium salts for safer lithium-ion batteries. The new materials were fully characterized, and the single-crystal structures of Li[B(DPC)(oxalato)] and Li[P(DPC)3] have been determined. Thermogravimetric analysis of the four lithium salts show that they are thermally stable up to around 200 °C. Pyrolysis combustion flow calorimetry reveals that these salts produce high char yields upon combustion. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Characterization of a cold cathode Penning ion source for the implantation of noble gases beneath 2D monolayers on metals: Ions and neutrals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cun, Huanyao, E-mail: hycun1@physik.uzh.ch, E-mail: greber@physik.uzh.ch; Spescha, Annina; Schuler, Adrian; Hengsberger, Matthias; Osterwalder, Jürg; Greber, Thomas, E-mail: hycun1@physik.uzh.ch, E-mail: greber@physik.uzh.ch [Physik-Institut, Universität Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich (Switzerland)

2016-03-15

Argon ion kinetic energy spectra at different discharge voltages (between 480 and 600 V) of a commercial cold cathode ion source IQP10/63 are reported. The high kinetic energy cut-off depends on the discharge voltage and the corresponding plasma potential due to excess positive charges which is found to be about 136 V. Exposure of single layer hexagonal boron nitride on rhodium to the beam of the ion source leads to the formation of nanotents, i.e., stable atomic protrusions. A positive bias voltage is applied to the target sample to block the positive ions produced by the ion source. However, application of a positive bias potential (800 eV), which is higher than the kinetic energy cut-off, still allows the formation of nanotents and its observation with scanning tunneling microscopy. This indicates that the ion source also produces neutral atoms with kinetic energies higher than the penetration threshold across a single layer of hexagonal boron nitride.

Skeleton series and multivaluedness of the self-energy functional in zero space-time dimensions

Science.gov (United States)

Rossi, Riccardo; Werner, Félix

2015-12-01

Recently, Kozik, Ferrero and Georges discovered numerically that for a family of fundamental models of interacting fermions, the self-energy {{Σ }}[G] is a multi-valued functional of the fully dressed single-particle propagator G, and that the skeleton diagrammatic series {{{Σ }}}{{bold}}[G] converges to the wrong branch above a critical interaction strength. We consider the zero space-time dimensional case, where the same mathematical phenomena appear from elementary algebra. We also find a similar phenomenology for the fully bold formalism built on the fully dressed single-particle propagator and pair propagator.

Cytotoxic Meroterpenoids with Rare Skeletons from Psidium guajava Cultivated in Temperate Zone

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Xu-Jie; Yan, Huan; Ni, Wei; Yu, Mu-Yuan; Khan, Afsar; Liu, Hui; Zhang, Hong-Xia; He, Li; Hao, Xiao-Jiang; di, Ying-Tong; Liu, Hai-Yang

2016-09-01

Three new meroterpenoids, guajavadials A-C (1-3), were isolated from Psidium guajava cultivated in temperate zone. Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic evidence and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Guajavadial A (1) represents a novel skeleton of the 3,5-diformylbenzyl phloroglucinol-coupled monoterpenoid, while guajavadials B (2) and C (3) are new adducts of the 3,5-diformylbenzyl phloroglucinol and a sesquiterpene with different coupling models. The plausible biosynthetic pathways as well as antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of these meroterpenoids are also discussed. All these isolates exhibited moderate cytotoxicities against five human cancer cell lines, with 3 being most effective with an IC50 value of 3.54 μM toward SMMC-7721 cell lines.

Archaeological skeletons support a northwest European origin for Paget's disease of bone.

Science.gov (United States)

Mays, Simon

2010-08-01

The strong genetic component in the etiology of Paget's disease of bone (PDB), together with marked geographic variation in its prevalence, with high frequencies in British populations, has led some to suggest that the disease originated in Britain and spread around the world in recent times by the migration and admixture of British populations. This study aims to investigate this hypothesis by studying the world geographic distribution of PDB cases identified in ancient skeletons excavated from archaeological sites. The methodology is a review of PDB cases described in the literature. There were 109 cases that met modern diagnostic criteria. All came from Western Europe, 94% from England. These data support the hypothesis that PDB originated in this geographic region.

Animals, Pictures, and Skeletons: Andreas Vesalius's Reinvention of the Public Anatomy Lesson.

Science.gov (United States)

Shotwell, R Allen

2016-01-01

In this paper, I examine the procedures used by Andreas Vesalius for conducting public dissections in the early sixteenth century. I point out that in order to overcome the limitations of public anatomical demonstration noted by his predecessors, Vesalius employed several innovative strategies, including the use of animals as dissection subjects, the preparation and display of articulated skeletons, and the use of printed and hand-drawn illustrations. I suggest that the examination of these three strategies for resolving the challenges of public anatomical demonstration helps us to reinterpret Vesalius's contributions to sixteenth-century anatomy. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Skeleton versus fine earth: what information is stored in the mobile extracellular soil DNA fraction?

Science.gov (United States)

Ascher, Judith; Ceccherini, Maria Teresa; Agnelli, Alberto; Corti, Guiseppe; Pietramellara, Giacomo

2010-05-01

The soil genome consists of an intracellular and an extracellular fraction. Recently, soil extracellular DNA (eDNA) has been shown to be quantitatively relevant, with a high survival capacity and mobility, playing a crucial role in the gene transfer by transformation, in the formation of bacterial biofilm and as a source of nutrients for soil microorganisms. The eDNA fraction can be discriminated and classified by its interaction with clay minerals, humic acids and Al/Fe oxihydroxides, resulting in differently mobile components. The eDNA extractable in water, classified as DNA free in the extracellular soil environment or adsorbed on soil colloids (eDNAfree/adsorbed), is hypothesized to be the most mobile DNA in soil. Challenging to assess the information stored in this DNA fraction, eDNAfree/adsorbed was recovered from fine earth (gel electrophoresis), and qualitative analysis in terms of the composition and distribution of fungal and bacterial communities (Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis- fingerprinting). The mobile soil eDNA, extracted from each horizon, was characterised by low molecular weight (result of the movement of eDNA along the soil profile and from fine earth to skeleton. The molecular characterization provided information about the autochthonous microflora inhabiting skeleton and fine earth as well as information about the fate of soil DNA in terms of presence, persistence and movement of eDNA and the stored genetic information.

Hot-cavity studies for the Resonance Ionization Laser Ion Source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henares, J.L.; Lecesne, N.; Hijazi, L.; Bastin, B.; Kron, T.; Lassen, J.; Le Blanc, F.; Leroy, R.; Osmond, B.; Raeder, S.; Schneider, F.; Wendt, K.

2016-01-01

The Resonance Ionization Laser Ion Source (RILIS) has emerged as an important technique in many Radioactive Ion Beam (RIB) facilities for its reliability, and ability to ionize target elements efficiently and element selectively. GISELE is an off-line RILIS test bench to study the implementation of an on-line laser ion source at the GANIL separator facility. The aim of this project is to determine the best technical solution which combines high selectivity and ionization efficiency with small ion beam emittance and stable long term operation. The ion source geometry was tested in several configurations in order to find a solution with optimal ionization efficiency and beam emittance. Furthermore, a low work function material was tested to reduce the contaminants and molecular sidebands generated inside the ion source. First results with ZrC ionizer tubes will be presented. Furthermore, a method to measure the energy distribution of the ion beam as a function of the time of flight will be discussed.

Environmental effects on the stable carbon and oxygen isotopic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

USER

2010-08-16

Aug 16, 2010 ... which may be influenced by the river run-off due to heavy rainfall. The coral skeleton was ... including cloud cover (Weber and Woodhead, 1972;. Muscatine et al. ..... The effect of colony topography on climate signals in coral ...

Atlanto-occipital fusion and spondylolisthesis in an Anasazi skeleton from Bright Angel Ruin, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona.

Science.gov (United States)

Merbs, C F; Euler, R C

1985-08-01

The skeleton of a middle-aged female showing an unusual pattern of congenital, traumatic, and degenerative pathology was recovered from a small Kayenta Anasazi site located near the confluence of Bright Angel Creek with the Colorado River in the Inner Gorge of Grand Canyon. The atlas is fused with the base of the skull and C2 is fused with C3. The cervical region was subjected to hyperextension, perhaps through use of a tumpline, with resultant reduction of the neural canal to 8 mm, a condition that quite likely led to neurological problems. The skeleton also includes a depression fracture of the lateral condyle of the left tibia. Complete, bilateral spondylolysis of L5 led to an olisthesis of approximately 15 mm. The disc between L5 and S1 then ossified, most likely from staphylococcus bacteremia, making the olisthesis permanent and thereby creating a unique arachaeological specimen. Although spondylolysis is usually viewed as a stress fracture, the general pattern of pathology in this individual makes it necessary to consider an etiology of acute trauma.

Magnetic Properties of linear chain compounds formed by lanthanide (III) ions and nitronyl-nitroxide radicals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Benelli, C.; Caneschi, A.; Gatteschi, D.; Pardi, L. (Florence Univ. (IT)); Rey, P. (CEA Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires de Grenoble, 38 (FR). Dept. de Recherche Fondamentale)

1988-12-01

The magnetic properties of novel linear chain compounds containing lanthanide (III) ions (gadolinium, europium) coupled to stable nitronyl-nitroxide radicals are reported. The metal ions and the radicals are regularly alternating along the chain. The magnetic behaviors appears to be dominated by antiferromagnetic interactions between the radicals.

Magnetic Properties of linear chain compounds formed by lanthanide (III) ions and nitronyl-nitroxide radicals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benelli, C.; Caneschi, A.; Gatteschi, D.; Pardi, L.; Rey, P.

1988-01-01

The magnetic properties of novel linear chain compounds containing lanthanide (III) ions (gadolinium, europium) coupled to stable nitronyl-nitroxide radicals are reported. The metal ions and the radicals are regularly alternating along the chain. The magnetic behaviors appears to be dominated by antiferromagnetic interactions between the radicals

Towards a precise measurement of atomic parity violation in a single Ra+ ion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nuñez Portela, M.; Berg, J. E. van den; Bekker, H.; Böll, O.; Dijck, E. A.; Giri, G. S.; Hoekstra, S.; Jungmann, K.; Mohanty, A.; Onderwater, C. J. G.; Santra, B.; Schlesser, S.; Timmermans, R. G. E.; Versolato, O. O.; Wansbeek, L. W.; Willmann, L.; Wilschut, H. W.

2013-01-01

A single trapped Ra  +  (Z = 88) ion provides a very promising route towards a most precise measurement of Atomic Parity Violation (APV), since APV effects grow faster than Z 3 . This experiment promises the best determination of the electroweak coupling constant at the lowest accessible energies. Such a measurement provides a sensitive test of the Standard Model in particle physics. At the present stage of the experiment, we focus on trapping and laser cooling stable Ba  +  ions as a precursor for radioactive Ra  +  . Online laser spectroscopy of the isotopes 209 − 214 Ra  +  in a linear Paul trap has provided information on transition wavelengths, fine and hyperfine structures and excited state lifetimes as test of atomic structure calculations. Additionaly, a single trapped Ra  +  ion could function as a very stable clock.

Amorphous Ultrathin SnO2 Films by Atomic Layer Deposition on Graphene Network as Highly Stable Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Ming; Sun, Xiang; George, Steven M; Zhou, Changgong; Lian, Jie; Zhou, Yun

2015-12-23

Amorphous SnO2 (a-SnO2) thin films were conformally coated onto the surface of reduced graphene oxide (G) using atomic layer deposition (ALD). The electrochemical characteristics of the a-SnO2/G nanocomposites were then determined using cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge curves. Because the SnO2 ALD films were ultrathin and amorphous, the impact of the large volume expansion of SnO2 upon cycling was greatly reduced. With as few as five formation cycles best reported in the literature, a-SnO2/G nanocomposites reached stable capacities of 800 mAh g(-1) at 100 mA g(-1) and 450 mAh g(-1) at 1000 mA g(-1). The capacity from a-SnO2 is higher than the bulk theoretical values. The extra capacity is attributed to additional interfacial charge storage resulting from the high surface area of the a-SnO2/G nanocomposites. These results demonstrate that metal oxide ALD on high surface area conducting carbon substrates can be used to fabricate high power and high capacity electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

Ion adsorption properties of molybdenum (II) bromide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ganzerli-Valentini, M.T.; Meloni, S.; Caramella-Crespi, V.; Borroni, P.A.

1976-01-01

The adsorption of about 50 ions on molybdenum dibromide, (Mo 6 Br 8 )Br 4 .2H 2 O in nitric acid was investigated. The behaviour of the investigated elements on MDB in nitric acid, in the concentration range 10 -2 -8M is presented, where the distribution coefficients are given against the HNO 3 molarity. In some cases the elements were investigated in different oxidation states. Most of the elements are not adsorbed or poorly adsorbed, among these the stable anions, thus indicating that bromide ions substitution with other anions is not competitive. The preparation of the adsorber and its characterization is presented and discussed. Adsorption mechanism studies were carried out for some noble metals and chromium. Sorption cannot be ascribed to ion exchange mechanism but to formation of insoluble species, and to settlement of few ions into surface sorption sites or into a limited number of cavitites in the cluster crystal structure of the adsorber. (T.G.)

Rapid determination of fluorine in coral skeletons by non-destructive neutron activation analysis using 20F

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramos, A.A.; Ohde, S.; Sirirattanachai, S.; Snidvongs, A.

2003-01-01

A rapid non-destructive technique has been proposed for the determination of fluorine in coral skeletons by thermal neutron activation analysis, using the short half-life 20 F nuclide (11.0 s). About 0.2-0.5 g samples were irradiated for 10 seconds in a Triga Mark II Reactor. Soon after the irradiation (25-35 s), measurements of γ-rays were performed with each sample and standard. The method has the drawback of low sensitivity (∼20 ppm of F), and the manual operation employed in the cooling step could lead to less precise measurements. Fluorine in coral standards was determined within ∼8% of analytical precision. The result obtained for the dolomite standard was fairly consistent with literature values, but those for the limestone standard showed to be considerably higher than the reported values. The present method was applied for the determination of fluorine in modern corals from Khang Khao Island, Thailand and Okinawa, Japan. Two core samples of an ancient reef from Funafuti Atoll were measured for fluorine to compare with modern samples. In order to understand the environmental media in which coral grew, the partition of fluorine between seawater and coral skeletons is also discussed. (author)

99mTc-MDP bone scanning of patients with diffuse metastatic carcinoma of the axial skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morita, Seiichiro; Ishibashi, Masatoshi; Takahashi, Kazuyuki; Funatsu, Kazuhiro; Yoshii, Toshiaki; Shirabe, Ichiju; Nomura, Yasushi; Ohtake, Hisashi

1990-01-01

Fifteen bone scintigrams in patients with diffuse bone metastases were reviewed because of the diffuse radionuclide accumulation in the axial skeleton. Diagnoses were gastric cancer in 6 patients, prostatic cancer in 5, breast cancer in 3, and renal pelvic tumor in one. In 5 patients with gastric cancer, one with prostatic cancer, and one with renal pelvic tumor, initial bone scintigraphy showed diffuse accumulation. In one gastric cancer patient and two breast cancer patients, the multiple bone metastases had altered the diffuse bone metastasis. All patients had no lung or liver metastasis morphologically at the course of diagnosed diffuse bone metastasis. Overall, the diffuse bone metastases were classified into two groups: diffuse symmetrical accumulation in proportion to bone marrow demonstrated in the gastric cancer, and diffuse accumulation centering the axial skeleton with asymmetrical accumulation in the rib and extremities demonstrated in cancer of the prostate. The finding of X ray films were consistent to common bone metastases in proportion to the primary tumor. Diffuse bone metastases did not show the characteristic finding. During the period from the diagnosed time to the death of patients, the patients with gastric cancer died extremely earlier in comparison to the patients with breast cancer and with prostatic cancer. (author)

Towards a precise measurement of atomic parity violation in a single Ra{sup +} ion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nunez Portela, M., E-mail: nunez@kvi.nl; Berg, J. E. van den; Bekker, H.; Boell, O.; Dijck, E. A.; Giri, G. S.; Hoekstra, S.; Jungmann, K.; Mohanty, A.; Onderwater, C. J. G.; Santra, B.; Schlesser, S.; Timmermans, R. G. E.; Versolato, O. O.; Wansbeek, L. W.; Willmann, L.; Wilschut, H. W. [Kernfysisch Versneller Instituut (KVI) (Netherlands)

2013-03-15

A single trapped Ra{sup + } (Z = 88) ion provides a very promising route towards a most precise measurement of Atomic Parity Violation (APV), since APV effects grow faster than Z{sup 3}. This experiment promises the best determination of the electroweak coupling constant at the lowest accessible energies. Such a measurement provides a sensitive test of the Standard Model in particle physics. At the present stage of the experiment, we focus on trapping and laser cooling stable Ba{sup + } ions as a precursor for radioactive Ra{sup + }. Online laser spectroscopy of the isotopes {sup 209 - 214}Ra{sup + } in a linear Paul trap has provided information on transition wavelengths, fine and hyperfine structures and excited state lifetimes as test of atomic structure calculations. Additionaly, a single trapped Ra{sup + } ion could function as a very stable clock.

Ultra-relativistic ion acceleration in the laser-plasma interactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang Yongsheng; Wang Naiyan; Tang Xiuzhang; Shi Yijin [China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing 102413 (China); Xueqing Yan [Institute of Heavy Ion Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China)

2012-09-15

An analytical relativistic model is proposed to describe the relativistic ion acceleration in the interaction of ultra-intense laser pulses with thin-foil plasmas. It is found that there is a critical value of the ion momentum to make sure that the ions are trapped by the light sail and accelerated in the radiation pressure acceleration (RPA) region. If the initial ion momentum is smaller than the critical value, that is in the classical case of RPA, the potential has a deep well and traps the ions to be accelerated, as the same described before by simulation results [Eliasson et al., New J. Phys. 11, 073006 (2009)]. There is a new ion acceleration region different from RPA, called ultra-relativistic acceleration, if the ion momentum exceeds the critical value. In this case, ions will experience a potential downhill. The dependence of the ion momentum and the self-similar variable at the ion front on the acceleration time has been obtained. In the ultra-relativistic limit, the ion momentum at the ion front is proportional to t{sup 4/5}, where t is the acceleration time. In our analytical hydrodynamical model, it is naturally predicted that the ion distribution from RPA is not monoenergetic, although the phase-stable acceleration mechanism is effective. The critical conditions of the laser and plasma parameters which identify the two acceleration modes have been achieved.

Plastic flow produced by single ion impacts on metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Birtcher, R. C.

1998-01-01

Single ion impacts have been observed using in situ transmission electron microscopy and video recording with a time resolution of 33 milliseconds. Gold was irradiated at 50 K and room temperature. Single ion impacts produce holes, modify existing holes, and extrude material into the initial specimen hole and holes formed by other ion impacts. The same behavior is observed at both temperatures. At both temperatures, ion impacts result in craters and ejected material. Ion impacts produce more small craters than large ones for all ion masses, while heavier mass ions produce more and larger craters than lighter mass ions. This comparison is affected by the ion energy. As the energy of an ion is increased, the probability for deposition near the surface decreases and fewer craters are formed. For a given ion mass, crater production depends on the probability for displacement cascade production in the near surface region. Crater and holes are stable at room temperature, however, ion impacts near an existing crater may cause flow of material into the crater either reshaping or annihilating it. Holes and craters result from the explosive outflow of material from the molten zone of near-surface cascades. The outflow may take the form of molten material, a solid lid or an ejected particle. The surface is a major perturbation on displacement cascades resulting from ion impacts

Ultra-relativistic ion acceleration in the laser-plasma interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Yongsheng; Wang Naiyan; Tang Xiuzhang; Shi Yijin; Xueqing Yan

2012-01-01

An analytical relativistic model is proposed to describe the relativistic ion acceleration in the interaction of ultra-intense laser pulses with thin-foil plasmas. It is found that there is a critical value of the ion momentum to make sure that the ions are trapped by the light sail and accelerated in the radiation pressure acceleration (RPA) region. If the initial ion momentum is smaller than the critical value, that is in the classical case of RPA, the potential has a deep well and traps the ions to be accelerated, as the same described before by simulation results [Eliasson et al., New J. Phys. 11, 073006 (2009)]. There is a new ion acceleration region different from RPA, called ultra-relativistic acceleration, if the ion momentum exceeds the critical value. In this case, ions will experience a potential downhill. The dependence of the ion momentum and the self-similar variable at the ion front on the acceleration time has been obtained. In the ultra-relativistic limit, the ion momentum at the ion front is proportional to t 4/5 , where t is the acceleration time. In our analytical hydrodynamical model, it is naturally predicted that the ion distribution from RPA is not monoenergetic, although the phase-stable acceleration mechanism is effective. The critical conditions of the laser and plasma parameters which identify the two acceleration modes have been achieved.

Possibility of ion-exchange column studies using stabilised montmorillonite-H aggregates; Possibilite d'etude d'echanges d'ions en colonne sur des agregats de Montmorillonite-H stabilises

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Platzer, R; Bittel, R [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France).Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1959-07-01

The conditions necessary for obtaining stable aggregates of montmorillonite-H, prepared without addition of organic flocculant, is discussed. These aggregates possess the same general ion-exchange properties as montmorillonite-H suspensions, about which many papers have been written. Their insolubility and their stable physical form enable them to be used in columns in exactly the same way as the usual organic ion exchangers. The examples of cation fixation and separation described in this report emphasize the similarities between the properties of this exchanger and those of organic cation-exchange resins, and open up possibilities for the extrapolation of the many investigations carried out on organic exchangers to mineral exchangers of this type. Amongst the essential differences to be remarked, we have shown that the properties of physical stability and chemical exchange remain the same at temperatures up to 300 deg. C, to a first approximation, under very intense {gamma} irradiation. (author) [French] Les conditions d'obtention d'agregats stables de montmorillonite-H prepares sans addition de floculant organique sont discutees. Ces agregats possedent les proprietes generales d'echangeurs d'ions des suspensions de montmorillonite-H, tres etudiees par de nombreux auteurs. Ils presentent une insolubilite et une forme physique stable permettant une utilisation en colonne identique a celle des echangeurs d'ions organiques usuels. Les exemples de fixation et de separation de cations qui ont ete decrits dans cet expose font ressortir les analogies entre les proprietes de cet echangeur et celles des resines organiques echangeurs de cations et permettent d'esperer une extrapolation aux echangeurs mineraux de ce type des tres nombreux travaux consacres aux echangeurs organiques. Parmi les differences essentielles a noter, nous avons mis en evidence que les proprietes de stabilite physique et d'echanges chimiques des agregats de montmorillonite subsistent a des

Towards a stable ion-solvating polymer electrolyte for advanced alkaline water electrolysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aili, David; Wright, Andrew G.; Kraglund, Mikkel Rykær

2017-01-01

Advanced alkaline water electrolysis using ion-solvating polymer membranes as electrolytes represents a new direction in the field of electrochemical hydrogen production. Polybenzimidazole membranes equilibrated in aqueous KOH combine the mechanical robustness and gas-tightness of a polymer...... stability in alkaline environments. The novel electrolytes are extensively characterized with respect to physicochemical and electrochemical properties and the chemical stability is assessed in 0-50 wt% aqueous KOH for more than 6 months at 88 degrees C. In water electrolysis tests using porous 3...

High Rate and Stable Li-Ion Insertion in Oxygen-Deficient LiV3O8 Nanosheets as a Cathode Material for Lithium-Ion Battery.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Huanqiao; Luo, Mingsheng; Wang, Aimei

2017-01-25

Low performance of cathode materials has become one of the major obstacles to the application of lithium-ion battery (LIB) in advanced portable electronic devices, hybrid electric vehicles, and electric vehicles. The present work reports a versatile oxygen-deficient LiV 3 O 8 (D-LVO) nanosheet that was synthesized successfully via a facile oxygen-deficient hydrothermal reaction followed by thermal annealing in Ar. When used as a cathode material for LIB, the prepared D-LVO nanosheets display remarkable capacity properties at various current densities (a capacity of 335, 317, 278, 246, 209, 167, and 133 mA h g -1 at 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 mA g -1 , respectively) and excellent lithium-ion storage stability, maintaining more than 88% of the initial reversible capacity after 200 cycles at 1000 mA g -1 . The outstanding electrochemical properties are believed to arise largely from the introduction of tetravalent V (∼15% V 4+ ) and the attendant oxygen vacancies into LiV 3 O 8 nanosheets, leading to intrinsic electrical conductivity more than 1 order of magnitude higher and lithium-ion diffusion coefficient nearly 2 orders of magnitude higher than those of LiV 3 O 8 without detectable V 4+ (N-LVO) and thus contributing to the easy lithium-ion diffusion, rapid phase transition, and the excellent electrochemical reversibility. Furthermore, the more uniform nanostructure, as well as the larger specific surface area of D-LVO than N-LVO nanosheets may also improve the electrolyte penetration and provide more reaction sites for fast lithium-ion diffusion during the discharge/charge processes.

Optimal physiological structure of small neurons to guarantee stable information processing

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, S. Y.; Zhang, Z. Z.; Wei, D. Q.; Luo, X. S.; Tang, W. Y.; Zeng, S. W.; Wang, R. F.

2013-02-01

Spike is the basic element for neuronal information processing and the spontaneous spiking frequency should be less than 1 Hz for stable information processing. If the neuronal membrane area is small, the frequency of neuronal spontaneous spiking caused by ion channel noise may be high. Therefore, it is important to suppress the deleterious spontaneous spiking of the small neurons. We find by simulation of stochastic neurons with Hodgkin-Huxley-type channels that the leakage system is critical and extremely efficient to suppress the spontaneous spiking and guarantee stable information processing of the small neurons. However, within the physiological limit the potassium system cannot do so. The suppression effect of the leakage system is super-exponential, but that of the potassium system is quasi-linear. With the minor physiological cost and the minimal consumption of metabolic energy, a slightly lower reversal potential and a relatively larger conductance of the leakage system give the optimal physiological structure to suppress the deleterious spontaneous spiking and guarantee stable information processing of small neurons, dendrites and axons.

Stable radiation pressure acceleration of ions by suppressing transverse Rayleigh-Taylor instability with multiple Gaussian pulses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, M. L.; Liu, B.; Hu, R. H.; Shou, Y. R.; Lin, C.; Lu, H. Y.; Lu, Y. R.; Ma, W. J., E-mail: wenjun.ma@pku.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, and Key Laboratory of HEDP of the Ministry of Education, CAPT, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Gu, Y. Q. [Laser Fusion Research Center, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, Sichuan 621900 (China); Yan, X. Q., E-mail: x.yan@pku.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, and Key Laboratory of HEDP of the Ministry of Education, CAPT, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Collaborative Innovation Center of Extreme Optics, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006 (China)

2016-08-15

In the case of a thin plasma slab accelerated by the radiation pressure of an ultra-intense laser pulse, the development of Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) will destroy the acceleration structure and terminate the acceleration process much sooner than theoretical limit. In this paper, a new scheme using multiple Gaussian pulses for ion acceleration in a radiation pressure acceleration regime is investigated with particle-in-cell simulation. We found that with multiple Gaussian pulses, the instability could be efficiently suppressed and the divergence of the ion bunch is greatly reduced, resulting in a longer acceleration time and much more collimated ion bunch with higher energy than using a single Gaussian pulse. An analytical model is developed to describe the suppression of RTI at the laser-plasma interface. The model shows that the suppression of RTI is due to the introduction of the long wavelength mode RTI by the multiple Gaussian pulses.

Improving Corrosion Behavior in SCWR, LFR and VHTR Reactor Materials by Formation of a Stable Oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Motta, Arthur T.; Comstock, Robert; Li, Ning; Allen, Todd; Was, Gary

2009-01-01

The objective of this study is to understand the influence of the alloy microstructure and composition on the formation of a stable, protective oxide in the environments relevant to the SCWR and LFR reactor concepts, as well as to the VHTR. It is proposed to use state-of-the art techniques to study the fine structure of these oxides to identify the structural differences between stable and unstable oxide layers. The techniques to be used are microbeam synchrotron radiation diffraction and fluorescence, and cross-sectional transmission electron microcopy on samples prepared using focused ion beam.

The 'Prof. Dr. Rómulo Lambre' Collection: an Argentinian sample of modern skeletons.

Science.gov (United States)

Salceda, S A; Desántolo, B; Mancuso, R García; Plischuk, M; Inda, A M

2012-08-01

This paper describes the 'Prof. Dr. Rómulo Lambre' skeletal collection. The Lambre Collection is housed in the School of Medical Sciences of the National University of La Plata and it consists of skeletal remains ceded by the Municipal Cemetery of La Plata. The collection has more than four hundred skeletons, with information on age, sex, nationality, date and cause of death. It was created for teaching and research purposes in compliance with current legislation, and its management meets guidelines specified in the Declaration of the Argentinian Association for Biological Anthropology on Research Ethics on Human Remains (2007). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

A critical survey of vestigial structures in the postcranial skeletons of extant mammals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Phil Senter

2015-11-01

Full Text Available In the Mammalia, vestigial skeletal structures abound but have not previously been the focus of study, with a few exceptions (e.g., whale pelves. Here we use a phylogenetic bracketing approach to identify vestigial structures in mammalian postcranial skeletons and present a descriptive survey of such structures in the Mammalia. We also correct previous misidentifications, including the previous misidentification of vestigial caviid metatarsals as sesamoids. We also examine the phylogenetic distribution of vestigiality and loss. This distribution indicates multiple vestigialization and loss events in mammalian skeletal structures, especially in the hand and foot, and reveals no correlation in such events between mammalian fore and hind limbs.

Improving Aspergillus niger tannase yield by N+ ion beam implantation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Jin

2013-02-01

Full Text Available This work aimed to improve tannase yield of Aspergillus niger through N+ ion beam implantation in submerged fermentation. The energy and dose of N+ ion beam implantation were investigated. The results indicated that an excellent mutant was obtained through nine successive implantations under the conditions of 10 keV and 30-40 (×2.6×10(13 ions/cm², and its tannase yield reached 38.5 U/mL, which was about five-time higher than the original strain. The study on the genetic stability of the mutant showed that its promising performance in tannase production could be stable. The studies of metal ions and surfactants affecting tannase yield indicated that manganese ions, stannum ions, xylene and SDS contained in the culture medium had positive effects on tannase production under submerged fermentation. Magnesium ions, in particular, could enhance the tannase yield by the mutant increasing by 42%, i.e. 53.6 U/mL. Accordingly, low-energy ion implantation could be a desirable approach to improve the fungal tannase yield for its commercial application.

Pesticides Curbing Soil Fertility: Effect of Complexation of Free Metal Ions

Science.gov (United States)

Kaur, Sukhmanpreet; Kumar, Vijay; Chawla, Mohit; Cavallo, Luigi; Poater, Albert; Upadhyay, Niraj

2017-07-01

Researchers have suggested that the reason behind infertility is pernicious effect of broad spectrum pesticides on non target, beneficial microorganism of soil. Here, studying the chelating effect of selective organophosphate and carbamate pesticides with essential metal ions, at all possible combinations of three different pH (4±0.05, 7±0.05 and 9±0.05) and three different temperatures (15±0.5°C, 30±0.5°C and 45±0.5°C), shows very fast rate of reaction which further increases with increase of pH and temperature. Carbonyl oxygen of carbamate and phosphate oxygen of organophosphate were found to be common ligating sites among all the complexes. Formed metal complexes were found to be highly stable and water insoluble on interaction with essential metal ions in solvent medium as well as over silica. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations not only reinforced the experimental observations, but, after a wide computational conformational analysis, unraveled the nature of the high stable undesired species that consist of pesticides complexed by metal ions from the soil. All in all, apart from the direct toxicity of pesticides, the indirect effect by means of complexation of free metal ions impoverishes the soil.

Pesticides Curbing Soil Fertility: Effect of Complexation of Free Metal Ions

KAUST Repository

Kaur, Sukhmanpreet

2017-07-04

Researchers have suggested that the reason behind infertility is pernicious effect of broad spectrum pesticides on non target, beneficial microorganism of soil. Here, studying the chelating effect of selective organophosphate and carbamate pesticides with essential metal ions, at all possible combinations of three different pH (4 ± 0.05, 7 ± 0.05 and 9 ± 0.05) and three different temperatures (15 ± 0.5°C, 30 ± 0.5°C and 45 ± 0.5°C), shows very fast rate of reaction which further increases with increase of pH and temperature. Carbonyl oxygen of carbamate and phosphate oxygen of organophosphate were found to be common ligating sites among all the complexes. Formed metal complexes were found to be highly stable and water insoluble on interaction with essential metal ions in solvent medium as well as over silica. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations not only reinforced the experimental observations, but, after a wide computational conformational analysis, unraveled the nature of the high stable undesired species that consist of pesticides complexed by metal ions from the soil. All in all, apart from the direct toxicity of pesticides, the indirect effect by means of complexation of free metal ions impoverishes the soil.

Pesticides Curbing Soil Fertility: Effect of Complexation of Free Metal Ions

KAUST Repository

Kaur, Sukhmanpreet; Kumar, Vijay; Chawla, Mohit; Cavallo, Luigi; Poater, Albert; Upadhyay, Niraj

2017-01-01

Researchers have suggested that the reason behind infertility is pernicious effect of broad spectrum pesticides on non target, beneficial microorganism of soil. Here, studying the chelating effect of selective organophosphate and carbamate pesticides with essential metal ions, at all possible combinations of three different pH (4 ± 0.05, 7 ± 0.05 and 9 ± 0.05) and three different temperatures (15 ± 0.5°C, 30 ± 0.5°C and 45 ± 0.5°C), shows very fast rate of reaction which further increases with increase of pH and temperature. Carbonyl oxygen of carbamate and phosphate oxygen of organophosphate were found to be common ligating sites among all the complexes. Formed metal complexes were found to be highly stable and water insoluble on interaction with essential metal ions in solvent medium as well as over silica. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations not only reinforced the experimental observations, but, after a wide computational conformational analysis, unraveled the nature of the high stable undesired species that consist of pesticides complexed by metal ions from the soil. All in all, apart from the direct toxicity of pesticides, the indirect effect by means of complexation of free metal ions impoverishes the soil.

AlN metal-semiconductor field-effect transistors using Si-ion implantation

Science.gov (United States)

Okumura, Hironori; Suihkonen, Sami; Lemettinen, Jori; Uedono, Akira; Zhang, Yuhao; Piedra, Daniel; Palacios, Tomás

2018-04-01

We report on the electrical characterization of Si-ion implanted AlN layers and the first demonstration of metal-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MESFETs) with an ion-implanted AlN channel. The ion-implanted AlN layers with Si dose of 5 × 1014 cm-2 exhibit n-type characteristics after thermal annealing at 1230 °C. The ion-implanted AlN MESFETs provide good drain current saturation and stable pinch-off operation even at 250 °C. The off-state breakdown voltage is 2370 V for drain-to-gate spacing of 25 µm. These results show the great potential of AlN-channel transistors for high-temperature and high-power applications.

Industrial applications of ion implantation into metal surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, J.M.

1987-07-01

The modern materials processing technique, ion implantation, has intriguing and attractive features that stimulate the imaginations of scientists and technologists. Success of the technique for introducing dopants into semiconductors has resulted in a stable and growing infrastructure of capital equipment and skills for use of the technique in the economy. Attention has turned to possible use of ion implantation for modification of nearly all surface related properties of materials - optical, chemical and corrosive, tribological, and several others. This presentation provides an introduction to fundamental aspects of equipment, technique, and materials science of ion implantation. Practical and economic factors pertaining to the technology are discussed. Applications and potential applications are surveyed. There are already available a number of ion-implanted products, including ball-and-roller bearings and races, punches-and-dies, injection screws for plastics molding, etc., of potential interest to the machine tool industry

Evaluation of electron beam stabilization for ion implant processing

Science.gov (United States)

Buffat, Stephen J.; Kickel, Bee; Philipps, B.; Adams, J.; Ross, Matthew F.; Minter, Jason P.; Marlowe, Trey; Wong, Selmer S.

1999-06-01

With the integration of high energy ion implant processes into volume CMOS manufacturing, the need for thick resist stabilization to achieve a stable ion implant process is critical. With new photoresist characteristics, new implant end station characteristics arise. The resist outgassing needs to be addressed as well as the implant profile to ensure that the dosage is correct and the implant angle does not interfere with other underlying features. This study compares conventional deep-UV/thermal with electron beam stabilization. The electron beam system used in this study utilizes a flood electron source and is a non-thermal process. These stabilization techniques are applied to a MeV ion implant process in a CMOS production process flow.

Atomistic Simulation of Intrinsic Defects and Trivalent and Tetravalent Ion Doping in Hydroxyapatite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ricardo D. S. Santos

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Atomistic simulation techniques have been employed in order to investigate key issues related to intrinsic defects and a variety of dopants from trivalent and tetravalent ions. The most favorable intrinsic defect is determined to be a scheme involving calcium and hydroxyl vacancies. It is found that trivalent ions have an energetic preference for the Ca site, while tetravalent ions can enter P sites. Charge compensation is predicted to occur basically via three schemes. In general, the charge compensation via the formation of calcium vacancies is more favorable. Trivalent dopant ions are more stable than tetravalent dopants.

Smart Construction of Integrated CNTs/Li4Ti5O12 Core/Shell Arrays with Superior High-Rate Performance for Application in Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Zhujun; Xia, Xinhui; Zhou, Cheng-Ao; Zhong, Yu; Wang, Yadong; Deng, Shengjue; Wang, Weiqi; Wang, Xiuli; Tu, Jiangping

2018-03-01

Exploring advanced high-rate anodes is of great importance for the development of next-generation high-power lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Here, novel carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 (LTO) core/shell arrays on carbon cloth (CC) as integrated high-quality anode are constructed via a facile combined chemical vapor deposition-atomic layer deposition (ALD) method. ALD-synthesized LTO is strongly anchored on the CNTs' skeleton forming core/shell structures with diameters of 70-80 nm the combined advantages including highly conductive network, large surface area, and strong adhesion are obtained in the CC-LTO@CNTs core/shell arrays. The electrochemical performance of the CC-CNTs/LTO electrode is completely studied as the anode of LIBs and it shows noticeable high-rate capability (a capacity of 169 mA h g -1 at 1 C and 112 mA h g -1 at 20 C), as well as a stable cycle life with a capacity retention of 86% after 5000 cycles at 10 C, which is much better than the CC-LTO counterpart. Meanwhile, excellent cycling stability is also demonstrated for the full cell with LiFePO 4 cathode and CC-CNTs/LTO anode (87% capacity retention after 1500 cycles at 10 C). These positive features suggest their promising application in high-power energy storage areas.

Smart Construction of Integrated CNTs/Li4Ti5O12 Core/Shell Arrays with Superior High‐Rate Performance for Application in Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Zhujun; Zhou, Cheng‐ao; Zhong, Yu; Wang, Yadong; Deng, Shengjue; Wang, Weiqi; Wang, Xiuli

2018-01-01

Abstract Exploring advanced high‐rate anodes is of great importance for the development of next‐generation high‐power lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). Here, novel carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) core/shell arrays on carbon cloth (CC) as integrated high‐quality anode are constructed via a facile combined chemical vapor deposition–atomic layer deposition (ALD) method. ALD‐synthesized LTO is strongly anchored on the CNTs' skeleton forming core/shell structures with diameters of 70–80 nm the combined advantages including highly conductive network, large surface area, and strong adhesion are obtained in the CC‐LTO@CNTs core/shell arrays. The electrochemical performance of the CC‐CNTs/LTO electrode is completely studied as the anode of LIBs and it shows noticeable high‐rate capability (a capacity of 169 mA h g−1 at 1 C and 112 mA h g−1 at 20 C), as well as a stable cycle life with a capacity retention of 86% after 5000 cycles at 10 C, which is much better than the CC‐LTO counterpart. Meanwhile, excellent cycling stability is also demonstrated for the full cell with LiFePO4 cathode and CC‐CNTs/LTO anode (87% capacity retention after 1500 cycles at 10 C). These positive features suggest their promising application in high‐power energy storage areas. PMID:29593977

A stable production of intense electron beam plasma with ion back stream

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uramoto, Johshin.

1975-12-01

An intense electron beam is extracted without space charge limit from a dc plasma source along a magnetic field. The beam space charge is neutralized stably through back streaming of self-ionized ions from the beam extracting anode region where a neutral gas is fed locally. In Appendix I, a space charge free electron gun is designed under this neutralization method. In Appendix II, a dynamic discharge through a series resistance is described, where an operative mechanism of the well-known TP-D plasma is clarified. (auth.)

Minidosimetry of alpha-radiation from 239-Pu in the skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Polig, E.

1980-01-01

A novel technique for evaluating alpha-autoradiograms of the skeleton was developed and applied. The method involves scanning the alpha-track distribution on cellulose-nitrate detector foils and determination of tissue structure from Alizarin-stained bone sections (150 μm) by means of a computer controlled microscope photometer. Geometrical alignment between the two samples is preserved during the measuring process. After combining the files containing the track density distribution with the corresponding digitized bone images on a random access storage medium, detailed information concerning the radionuclide distribution on a microscopic scale, dose rates, hit frequencies etc. are extracted by a sequence of FORTRAN-programs. The potential of the method is demonstrated in a study dealing with the distribution of 239-Pu in the lumbar vertebra of adult rats. The measured dose rate distribution is discussed in terms of hit probabilities for cell nuclei and consequences for quantitative tumour models are indicated. (H.K.)

Fragmentation of anthracene induced by collisions with 40 keV Ar8+ ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brédy, R; Ortéga, C; Ji, M; Bernard, J; Chen, L; Montagne, G; Martin, S

2013-01-01

We report on the fragmentation of anthracene molecular ions C 14 H 10 r+ as a function of the parent ion initial charge r (= 1–4). Neutral anthracene molecules in the gas phase were ionized and excited in collisions with Ar 8+ ions at 40 keV and the mass-to-charge spectra of the parent ions C 14 H 10 r+ (1 ⩽ r ⩽ 4) were obtained. Stable molecular ions C 14 H 10 r+ (1 ⩽ r ⩽ 3) are observed. Branching ratios for the competitive evaporation (loss of neutral fragments) and fragmentation (charge separation) processes were measured for C 14 H 10 2+ parent ions. For C 14 H 10 3+ parent ions, the results indicate that fragmentation is the only dominant process and quasi-symmetric fission is observed. (paper)

Linear electrostatic waves in a three-component electron-positron-ion plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mugemana, A., E-mail: mugemanaa@gmail.com; Moolla, S. [School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000 (South Africa); Lazarus, I. J. [Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics, Durban University of Technology, Durban 4000 (South Africa)

2014-12-15

Analytical linear electrostatic waves in a magnetized three-component electron-positron-ion plasma are studied in the low-frequency limit. By using the continuity and momentum equations with Poisson's equation, the dispersion relation for the electron-positron-ion plasma consisting of cool ions, and hot Boltzmann electrons and positrons is derived. In the linear regime, the propagation of two possible modes and their evolution are studied. In the cases of parallel and perpendicular propagation, it is shown that these two possible modes are always stable. The present investigation contributes to nonlinear propagation of electrostatic waves in space and the laboratory.

Stable isotopes in mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal systems: Interactions between fluids, minerals, and organisms

Science.gov (United States)

Shanks, W. C., III; Böhlke, J. K.; Seal, R. R., II

Studies of abundance variations of light stable isotopes in nature have had a tremendous impact on all aspects of geochemistry since the development, in 1947, of a gas source isotope ratio mass spectrometer capable of measuring small variations in stable isotope ratios [Nier, 1947] Stable isotope geochemistry is now a mature field, as witnessed by the proliferation of commercially available mass spectrometers installed at virtually every major academic, government, and private-sector research geochemistry laboratory. A recent search of a literature database revealed over 3,000 articles that utilized stable isotope geochemistry over the last 20 years. Nonetheless, many exciting new technical developments are leading to exciting new discoveries and applications. In particular, micro analytical techniques involving new generations of laser- and ion-microprobes are revolutionizing the types of analyses that can be done on spot sizes as small as a few tens of micrometers [Shanks and Criss, 1989]. New generations of conventional gas source and thermal ionization mass spectrometers, with high levels of automation and increased sensitivity and precision, are allowing analyses of large numbers of samples, like those needed for stable isotope stratigraphy in marine sediments, and are enabling the development and application of new isotopic systems.

Abnormalities of the axial and proximal appendicular skeleton in adults with Laron syndrome (growth hormone insensitivity)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kornreich, L.; Konen, O.; Schwarz, M.; Horev, G. [Schneider Children' s Medical Center of Israel, Imaging Department, Petah Tiqwa (Israel); Tel Aviv University, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv (Israel); Siegel, Y. [Rabin Medical Center, Imaging Department, Petah Tiqwa (Israel); Jackson Memorial Hospital, Department of Radiology, Thoracic Section, Miami, FL (United States); Hershkovitz, I. [Tel Aviv University, Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv (Israel); Laron, Z. [Schneider Children' s Medical Center of Israel, Endocrinology and Diabetes Research Unit, Petah Tiqwa (Israel); Tel Aviv University, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv (Israel)

2008-02-15

To investigate abnormalities in the skeleton (with the exclusion of the skull, cervical spine, hands and feet) in patients with Laron syndrome, who have an inborn growth hormone resistance and congenital insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) deficiency. The study group was composed of 15 untreated patients with Laron syndrome (seven male and eight female) aged 21-68 years. Plain films of the axial and appendicular skeleton were evaluated retrospectively for abnormalities in structure and shape. The cortical width of the long bones was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively (in the upper humerus and mid-femur), and the cortical index was calculated and compared with published references. Measurements were taken of the mid-anteroposterior and cranio-caudal diameters of the vertebral body and spinous process at L3, the interpedicular distance at L1 and L5, and the sacral slope. Thoracic and lumbar osteophytes were graded on a 5-point scale. Values were compared with a control group of 20 healthy persons matched for age. The skeleton appeared small in all patients. No signs of osteopenia were visible. The cortex of the long bones appeared thick in the upper limbs in 11 patients and in the lower limbs in four. Compared with the reference values, the cortical width was thicker than average in the humerus and thinner in the femur. The vertebral diameters at L3 and the interpedicular distances at L1 and L5 were significantly smaller in the patients than in the control subjects (P < 0.001); however, at L5 the canal was wider, relative to the vertebral body. The study group had a higher rate of anterior osteophytes in the lumbar spine than the controls had, and their osteophytes were also significantly larger. In the six patients for whom radiographs of the upper extremity in its entirety were available on one film, the ulna appeared to be rotated. In one 22-year-old man, multiple epiphyses were still open. Congenital IGF-1 deficiency leads to skeletal abnormalities

Abnormalities of the axial and proximal appendicular skeleton in adults with Laron syndrome (growth hormone insensitivity)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kornreich, L.; Konen, O.; Schwarz, M.; Horev, G.; Siegel, Y.; Hershkovitz, I.; Laron, Z.

2008-01-01

To investigate abnormalities in the skeleton (with the exclusion of the skull, cervical spine, hands and feet) in patients with Laron syndrome, who have an inborn growth hormone resistance and congenital insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) deficiency. The study group was composed of 15 untreated patients with Laron syndrome (seven male and eight female) aged 21-68 years. Plain films of the axial and appendicular skeleton were evaluated retrospectively for abnormalities in structure and shape. The cortical width of the long bones was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively (in the upper humerus and mid-femur), and the cortical index was calculated and compared with published references. Measurements were taken of the mid-anteroposterior and cranio-caudal diameters of the vertebral body and spinous process at L3, the interpedicular distance at L1 and L5, and the sacral slope. Thoracic and lumbar osteophytes were graded on a 5-point scale. Values were compared with a control group of 20 healthy persons matched for age. The skeleton appeared small in all patients. No signs of osteopenia were visible. The cortex of the long bones appeared thick in the upper limbs in 11 patients and in the lower limbs in four. Compared with the reference values, the cortical width was thicker than average in the humerus and thinner in the femur. The vertebral diameters at L3 and the interpedicular distances at L1 and L5 were significantly smaller in the patients than in the control subjects (P < 0.001); however, at L5 the canal was wider, relative to the vertebral body. The study group had a higher rate of anterior osteophytes in the lumbar spine than the controls had, and their osteophytes were also significantly larger. In the six patients for whom radiographs of the upper extremity in its entirety were available on one film, the ulna appeared to be rotated. In one 22-year-old man, multiple epiphyses were still open. Congenital IGF-1 deficiency leads to skeletal abnormalities

The Skeleton of the Milky Way

Science.gov (United States)

Zucker, Catherine; Battersby, Cara; Goodman, Alyssa

2015-12-01

Recently, Goodman et al. argued that the very long, very thin infrared dark cloud “Nessie” lies directly in the Galactic midplane and runs along the Scutum-Centaurus Arm in position-position-velocity (p-p-v) space as traced by lower-density {{CO}} and higher-density {{NH}}3 gas. Nessie was presented as the first “bone” of the Milky Way, an extraordinarily long, thin, high-contrast filament that can be used to map our Galaxy’s “skeleton.” Here we present evidence for additional bones in the Milky Way, arguing that Nessie is not a curiosity but one of several filaments that could potentially trace Galactic structure. Our 10 bone candidates are all long, filamentary, mid-infrared extinction features that lie parallel to, and no more than 20 pc from, the physical Galactic mid-plane. We use {{CO}}, {{{N}}}2{{{H}}}+, {{{HCO}}}+, and {{NH}}3 radial velocity data to establish the three-dimensional location of the candidates in p-p-v space. Of the 10 candidates, 6 also have a projected aspect ratio of ≥50:1 run along, or extremely close to, the Scutum-Centaurus Arm in p-p-v space; and exhibit no abrupt shifts in velocity. The evidence presented here suggests that these candidates mark the locations of significant spiral features, with the bone called filament 5 (“BC_18.88-0.09”) being a close analog to Nessie in the northern sky. As molecular spectral-line and extinction maps cover more of the sky at increasing resolution and sensitivity, it should be possible to find more bones in future studies.

Manipulating Ion Migration for Highly Stable Light-Emitting Diodes with Single-Crystalline Organometal Halide Perovskite Microplatelets.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Mingming; Shan, Xin; Geske, Thomas; Li, Junqiang; Yu, Zhibin

2017-06-27

Ion migration has been commonly observed as a detrimental phenomenon in organometal halide perovskite semiconductors, causing the measurement hysteresis in solar cells and ultrashort operation lifetimes in light-emitting diodes. In this work, ion migration is utilized for the formation of a p-i-n junction at ambient temperature in single-crystalline organometal halide perovskites. The junction is subsequently stabilized by quenching the ionic movement at a low temperature. Such a strategy of manipulating the ion migration has led to efficient single-crystalline light-emitting diodes that emit 2.3 eV photons starting at 1.8 V and sustain a continuous operation for 54 h at ∼5000 cd m -2 without degradation of brightness. In addition, a whispering-gallery-mode cavity and exciton-exciton interaction in the perovskite microplatelets have both been observed that can be potentially useful for achieving electrically driven laser diodes based on single-crystalline organometal halide perovskite semiconductors.

Ion traps fabricated in a CMOS foundry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mehta, K. K.; Ram, R. J. [Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States); Eltony, A. M.; Chuang, I. L. [Center for Ultracold Atoms, Research Laboratory of Electronics and Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States); Bruzewicz, C. D.; Sage, J. M., E-mail: jsage@ll.mit.edu; Chiaverini, J., E-mail: john.chiaverini@ll.mit.edu [Lincoln Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lexington, Massachusetts 02420 (United States)

2014-07-28

We demonstrate trapping in a surface-electrode ion trap fabricated in a 90-nm CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) foundry process utilizing the top metal layer of the process for the trap electrodes. The process includes doped active regions and metal interconnect layers, allowing for co-fabrication of standard CMOS circuitry as well as devices for optical control and measurement. With one of the interconnect layers defining a ground plane between the trap electrode layer and the p-type doped silicon substrate, ion loading is robust and trapping is stable. We measure a motional heating rate comparable to those seen in surface-electrode traps of similar size. This demonstration of scalable quantum computing hardware utilizing a commercial CMOS process opens the door to integration and co-fabrication of electronics and photonics for large-scale quantum processing in trapped-ion arrays.

The production and destruction of negative ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pegg, D.J.

1991-01-01

During the present grant period we are continuing our measurements of cross sections and asymmetry parameters for single photon-single electron detachment from atomic negative ions. In this period we have studied the stable ions B - and Li - . As a by product of these measurements we have investigated a new technique for measuring electron affinities. As in our previous work, we have made energy- and angle-resolved spectroscopic measurements of the yields and angular distributions of photoelectrons ejected at the intersection of perpendicularly crossed laser and negative ion beams. A combination of measurements of photoelectron yields, which are proportional to differential cross sections, and angular distributions allow us to determine angle-integrated cross sections for the photodetachment process. Cross sections for the inverse process of radiative attachment can be obtained from the photodetachment data by applying the principle of detailed balance

Towards Stable Lithium-Sulfur Batteries with a Low Self-Discharge Rate: Ion Diffusion Modulation and Anode Protection.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Wen-Tao; Peng, Hong-Jie; Huang, Jia-Qi; Zhao, Chen-Zi; Cheng, Xin-Bing; Zhang, Qiang

2015-09-07

The self-discharge of a lithium-sulfur cell decreases the shelf-life of the battery and is one of the bottlenecks that hinders its practical applications. New insights into both the internal chemical reactions in a lithium-sulfur system and effective routes to retard self-discharge for highly stable batteries are crucial for the design of lithium-sulfur cells. Herein, a lithium-sulfur cell with a carbon nanotube/sulfur cathode and lithium-metal anode in lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide/1,3-dioxolane/dimethyl ether electrolyte was selected as the model system to investigate the self-discharge behavior. Both lithium anode passivation and polysulfide anion diffusion suppression strategies are applied to reduce self-discharge of the lithium-sulfur cell. When the lithium-metal anode is protected by a high density passivation layer induced by LiNO3 , a very low shuttle constant of 0.017 h(-1) is achieved. The diffusion of the polysulfides is retarded by an ion-selective separator, and the shuttle constants decreased. The cell with LiNO3 additive maintained a discharge capacity of 97 % (961 mAh g(-1) ) of the initial capacity after 120 days at open circuit, which was around three times higher than the routine cell (32 % of initial capacity, corresponding to 320 mAh g(-1) ). It is expected that lithium-sulfur batteries with ultralow self-discharge rates may be fabricated through a combination of anode passivation and polysulfide shuttle control, as well as optimization of the lithium-sulfur cell configuration. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Chemical degradation and morphological instabilities during focused ion beam prototyping of polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Orthacker, A; Schmied, R; Chernev, B; Fröch, J E; Winkler, R; Hobisch, J; Trimmel, G; Plank, H

2014-01-28

Focused ion beam processing of low melting materials, such as polymers or biological samples, often leads to chemical and morphological instabilities which prevent the straight-forward application of this versatile direct-write structuring method. In this study the behaviour of different polymer classes under ion beam exposure is investigated using different patterning parameters and strategies with the aim of (i) correlating local temperatures with the polymers' chemistry and its morphological consequences; and (ii) finding a way of processing sensitive polymers with lowest chemical degradation while maintaining structuring times. It is found that during processing of polymers three temperature regimes can be observed: (1) at low temperatures all polymers investigated show stable chemical and morphological behaviour; (2) very high temperatures lead to strong chemical degradation which entails unpredictable morphologies; and (3) in the intermediate temperature regime the behaviour is found to be strongly material dependent. A detailed look reveals that polymers which rather cross-link in the proximity of the beam show stable morphologies in this intermediate regime, while polymers that rather undergo chain scission show tendencies to develop a creeping phase, where material follows the ion beam movement leading to instable and unpredictable morphologies. Finally a simple, alternative patterning strategy is suggested, which allows stable processing conditions with lowest chemical damage even for challenging polymers undergoing chain scission.

Synthesis and characterisation of 8-hydroxyquinoline-bovine serum albumin conjugates as metal ion chelating proteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giraudi, G.; Baggiani, C.; Giovannoli, C.; Marletto, C.; Vanni, A.

1999-01-01

A derivative of 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-quinolinol, oxine) with a linking bridge containing a carboxylic group was covalently coupled to bovine serum albumin by the N-hydroxysuccinimide method to obtain stable monomeric conjugates with oxine to protein mole ratios up to 37. These conjugates were characterised spectrophotometrically and their complexation properties were confirmed by spectral analysis with and without the addition of Al(III), Cd(II), Co(II), Cu(II), Hg(II), Mn(II), Ni(II), Pb(II), V(IV), U(VI) and Zn(II) ions added. The maximum number of ions bound by these chelating proteins was determined spectrophotometrically by titration with metal ions at pH 6.0. The conjugates with a substitution ratio (moles of 8-hydroxyquinoline bound/mole of albumin) less than about 8 showed 1:1 binding with metal ions, while conjugates with higher substitution ratios were able to complex with 2:1 ratio of 8-hydroxyquinoline to metal ion. Association and dissociation kinetics of complexation with copper(II) ions showed a complex mechanism. The spectral and binding properties of these metal ion-binding proteins confirm that the coupling of the 8-hydroxyquinoline derivative to bovine serum albumin gives stable, water soluble, macromolecular chelating agents that retain the complexing ability of the original ligand. (Copyright (c) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

Inorganic ion-exchangers for the treatment and disposal of industrial effluents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasany, S.M.

2000-01-01

Ion-exchangers can be broadly classified into organic and inorganic ion-exchangers. Inorganic ion-exchangers are stable at high temperatures and radiation dosage, resistant towards oxidizing agents and organic solvents. They are cheap and easy to prepare. Inorganic ion-exchangers, due to their superiority over organic ion-exchangers, have been extensively used for a wide variety of applications including treatment and management of industrial effluents. The criteria governing the division into essential and toxic elements for animal life have been described. The occupational sources of toxic elements and their compounds in the environment have been identified and their tolerance limits prescribed in air, water and food are given. The toxicity and adverse effects of harmful elements and their hazardous compounds are mentioned. Factors influencing sorption of trace elements onto inorganic ion-exchangers are highlighted. Examples of inorganic ion-exchangers are cited where they can be utilized for the treatment of industrial effluents before their safe discharge into waterways and biosphere. (author)

[Growth characteristics of Porites lutea skeleton in east sea area of Hainan Island, China and main affecting environmental factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Qiao Wen; Cao, Zhi Min; Wang, Dao Ru; Li, Yuan Chao; Ni, Jian Yu

2016-03-01

The growth characteristics of Porites lutea skeleton in east sea area of Hainan Island were studied by CoralXDS software based on X-ray chronology. The growth parameters obtained included extension rate (ER), skeleton density (D), and calcification rate (CR). The results showed that ER varied from 0.49 to 1.10 cm·a -1 with an annual average of 0.76 cm·a -1 , D varied from 1.11 to 1.35 g·cm -3 with an annual average of 1.22 g·cm -3 , and CR varied from 0.55 to 1.41 g·cm -2 ·a -1 with an annual average of 0.94 g·cm -2 ·a -1 . Statistical analyses indicated that sea surface temperature (SST) was the key environmental factor that controlled the growth characteristics, as it highly co-varied with ER and CR, less so with D. All of the three growth characteristics increased with the increase of SST. There were other factors that influenced the growth characteristics of the coral column, such as light, water salinity, and hydrodynamics, etc. In addition, typhoon and severe tropical storms also imposed a significant impact on the growth pattern of Porites lutea coral. The change in growth pattern of coral skeleton in east of Hainan Island was a response to complex climate fluctuation. Over the past century, SST of east Hainan Island dramatically increased at a rate of 0.15 ℃·(10 a) -1 . The SST increase trend for the oceanic region could be divided into two stages, early 1940s and early 1980s. The human activities and global warming was the main causes for the increase of SST.

IGUN-A program for the simulation of positive ion extraction including magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becker, R.; Herrmannsfeldt, W.B.

1992-01-01

IGUN is a program for the simulation of positive ion extraction from plasmas. It is based on the well known program EGUN for the calculation of electron and ion trajectories in electron guns and lenses. The mathematical treatment of the plasma sheath is based on a simple analytical model, which provides a numerically stable calculation of the sheath potentials. In contrast to other ion extraction programs, IGUN is able to determine the extracted ion current in succeeding cycles of iteration by itself. However, it is also possible to set values of current, plasma density, or ion current density. Either axisymmetric or rectangular coordinates can be used, including axisymmetric or transverse magnetic fields

igun - A program for the simulation of positive ion extraction including magnetic fields

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, R.; Herrmannsfeldt, W. B.

1992-04-01

igun is a program for the simulation of positive ion extraction from plasmas. It is based on the well known program egun for the calculation of electron and ion trajectories in electron guns and lenses. The mathematical treatment of the plasma sheath is based on a simple analytical model, which provides a numerically stable calculation of the sheath potentials. In contrast to other ion extraction programs, igun is able to determine the extracted ion current in succeeding cycles of iteration by itself. However, it is also possible to set values of current, plasma density, or ion current density. Either axisymmetric or rectangular coordinates can be used, including axisymmetric or transverse magnetic fields.

Oxidation potentials, Gibbs energies, enthalpies and entropies of actinide ions in aqueous solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-01-01

The values of the Gibbs energy, enthalpy, and entropy of different actinide ions, thermodynamic characteristics of the processes of hydration of these ions, and the presently known ionization potentials of actinides are given. The enthalpy and entropy components of the oxidation potentials of actinide elements are considered. The curves of the dependence of the Gibbs energy of ion formation on the atomic number of the element and the Frost diagrams are analyzed. The diagram proposed by Frost represents the graphical dependence of the Gibbs energy of hydrated ions on the degree of oxidation of the element. Using the Frost diagram it is easy to establish whether a given ion is stable to disproportioning

Skeleton scintigraphy in trauma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ansari, M.

2002-01-01

Skeletal trauma is common and presents both an opportunity and a problem in skeletal scintigraphy. The opportunity arises in the ability of skeletal scintigraphy to demonstrate abnormalities early after direct trauma. It is well recognized that the early detection of fractures in some sites cannot be reliably achieved by standard radiography, especially in the femoral neck and scaphoid bone. The problem comes in recognizing the effects of skeletal trauma when using skeletal scintigraphy for another purpose, such as the detection of metastatic disease. iatrogenic trauma to either the skeleton or soft tissues may be manifest scintigraphic ally. For example Craniotomy typically leaves a rim pattern at the surgical margin. Rib Retraction during thoracotomy can elicit periosteal reaction. Areas of the skeletal receiving curative levels of ionizing radiation (typically 4000 rads or greater) characteristically demonstrate decreased uptake within 6 months to 1 year after therapy. The generally high sensitivity of the skeletal scintigraphy seems to make it an ideal survey test in cases of suspected child abuse especially in which radiographs are unrevealing. Because of difficulties in obtaining a history of trauma from a preschool child or even eliciting a satisfactory description of the location and nature of the pain, skeletal scintigraphy provides a simple and reliable investigation in these children. Subtle trauma, such as that from stress fractures is often difficult to visualize on a plain radiograph. Skeletal scintigraphy is frequently positive at the time of clinical presentation. Skeletal scintigraphy is exquisitely sensitive to the remodeling process and typically shows abnormalities 1 to 2 weeks or more before the appearance of radiographic changes in stress fractures. The periosteal reaction can be visualized within hours of the injury. Insufficiency and fatigue fractures such as vertebral compression fracture, which is probably the most common consequence of

Modification of polyvinyl alcohol surface properties by ion implantation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pukhova, I.V., E-mail: ivpuhova@mail.ru [National Research Tomsk State University, 36 Lenin Ave, Tomsk 634050 (Russian Federation); Institute of High Current Electronics, 2/3 Akademichesky Ave, Tomsk 634055 (Russian Federation); Kurzina, I.A. [National Research Tomsk State University, 36 Lenin Ave, Tomsk 634050 (Russian Federation); Savkin, K.P. [Institute of High Current Electronics, 2/3 Akademichesky Ave, Tomsk 634055 (Russian Federation); Laput, O.A. [National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, 30 Lenin Ave, Tomsk 634050 (Russian Federation); Oks, E.M. [Institute of High Current Electronics, 2/3 Akademichesky Ave, Tomsk 634055 (Russian Federation)

2017-05-15

We describe our investigations of the surface physicochemical properties of polyvinyl alcohol modified by silver, argon and carbon ion implantation to doses of 1 × 10{sup 14}, 1 × 10{sup 15} and 1 × 10{sup 16} ion/cm{sup 2} and energies of 20 keV (for C and Ar) and 40 keV (for Ag). Infrared spectroscopy (IRS) indicates that destructive processes accompanied by chemical bond (−C=O) generation are induced by implantation, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicates that the implanted silver is in a metallic Ag3d state without stable chemical bond formation with polymer chains. Ion implantation is found to affect the surface energy: the polar component increases while the dispersion part decreases with increasing implantation dose. Surface roughness is greater after ion implantation and the hydrophobicity increases with increasing dose, for all ion species. We find that ion implantation of Ag, Ar and C leads to a reduction in the polymer microhardness by a factor of five, while the surface electrical resistivity declines modestly.

Comparison of reduction products from graphite oxide and graphene oxide for anode applications in lithium-ion batteries and sodium-ion batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yige; Tang, Jie; Zhang, Kun; Yuan, Jinshi; Li, Jing; Zhu, Da-Ming; Ozawa, Kiyoshi; Qin, Lu-Chang

2017-02-16

Hydrazine-reduced graphite oxide and graphene oxide were synthesized to compare their performances as anode materials in lithium-ion batteries and sodium-ion batteries. Reduced graphite oxide inherits the layer structure of graphite, with an average spacing between neighboring layers (d-spacing) of 0.374 nm; this exceeds the d-spacing of graphite (0.335 nm). The larger d-spacing provides wider channels for transporting lithium ions and sodium ions in the material. We showed that reduced graphite oxide as an anode in lithium-ion batteries can reach a specific capacity of 917 mA h g -1 , which is about three times of 372 mA h g -1 , the value expected for the LiC 6 structures on the electrode. This increase is consistent with the wider d-spacing, which enhances lithium intercalation and de-intercalation on the electrodes. The electrochemical performance of the lithium-ion batteries and sodium-ion batteries with reduced graphite oxide anodes show a noticeable improvement compared to those with reduced graphene oxide anodes. This improvement indicates that reduced graphite oxide, with larger interlayer spacing, has fewer defects and is thus more stable. In summary, we found that reduced graphite oxide may be a more favorable form of graphene for the fabrication of electrodes for lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries and other energy storage devices.

Ion beam deposited epitaxial thin silicon films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orrman-Rossiter, K.G.; Al-Bayati, A.H.; Armour, D.G.; Donnelly, S.E.; Berg, J.A. van den

1991-01-01

Deposition of thin films using low energy, mass-separated ion beams is a potentially important low temperature method of producing epitaxial layers. In these experiments silicon films were grown on Si (001) substrates using 10-200 eV 28 Si + and 30 Si + ions at substrate temperatures in the range 273-1073 K, under ultrahigh-vacuum conditions (deposition pressure -7 Pa). The film crystallinity was assessed in situ using medium energy ion scattering (MEIS). Films of crystallinity comparable to bulk samples were grown using 10-40 eV 28 Si + and 30 Si + ions at deposition temperatures in the range 623-823 K. These experiments confirmed the role of key experimental parameters such as ion energy, substrate temperature during deposition, and the surface treatment prior to deposition. It was found that a high temperature in situ anneal (1350-1450 K) gave the best results for epitaxial nucleation, whereas low energy (20-40 eV) Cl + ion bombardment resulted in amorphous film growth. The deposition energy for good epitaxial growth indicates that it is necessary to provide enough energy to induce local mobility but not to cause atomic displacements leading to the buildup of stable defects, e.g. divacancies, below the surface layer of the growing film. (orig.)

The rechargeable aluminum-ion battery

KAUST Repository

Jayaprakash, N.

2011-01-01

We report a novel aluminium-ion rechargeable battery comprised of an electrolyte containing AlCl3 in the ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, and a V2O5 nano-wire cathode against an aluminium metal anode. The battery delivered a discharge capacity of 305 mAh g-1 in the first cycle and 273 mAh g-1 after 20 cycles, with very stable electrochemical behaviour. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011.

Early lens ablation causes dramatic long-term effects on the shape of bones in the craniofacial skeleton of Astyanax mexicanus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Megan Dufton

Full Text Available The Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus, exists as two morphs of a single species, a sighted surface morph and a blind cavefish. In addition to eye regression, cavefish have an increased number of taste buds, maxillary teeth and have an altered craniofacial skeleton compared to the sighted morph. We investigated the effect the lens has on the development of the surrounding skeleton, by ablating the lens at different time points during ontogeny. This unique long-term study sheds light on how early embryonic manipulations on the eye can affect the shape of the adult skull more than a year later, and the developmental window during which time these effects occur. The effects of lens ablation were analyzed by whole-mount bone staining, immunohistochemisty and landmark based morphometric analyzes. Our results indicate that lens ablation has the greatest impact on the skeleton when it is ablated at one day post fertilisation (dpf compared to at four dpf. Morphometric analyzes indicate that there is a statistically significant difference in the shape of the supraorbital bone and suborbital bones four through six. These bones expand into the eye orbit exhibiting plasticity in their shape. Interestingly, the number of caudal teeth on the lower jaw is also affected by lens ablation. In contrast, the shape of the calvariae, the length of the mandible, and the number of mandibular taste buds are unaltered by lens removal. We demonstrate the plasticity of some craniofacial elements and the stability of others in the skull. Furthermore, this study highlights interactions present between sensory systems during early development and sheds light on the cavefish phenotype.

Analysis of Age-Related Changes in Asian Facial Skeletons Using 3D Vector Mathematics on Picture Archiving and Communication System Computed Tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Soo Jin; Kim, So Jung; Park, Jee Soo; Byun, Sung Wan; Bae, Jung Ho

2015-09-01

There are marked differences in facial skeletal characteristics between Asian and Caucasian. However, ethnic differences in age-related facial skeletal changes have not yet been fully established. The aims of this study were to evaluate age-related changes in Asian midfacial skeletons and to explore ethnic differences in facial skeletal structures with aging between Caucasian and Asian. The study included 108 men (aged 20-79 years) and 115 women (aged 20-81 years). Axial CT images with a gantry tilt angle of 0 were analyzed. We measured three-dimensional (3D) coordinates at each point with a pixel lens cursor in a picture archiving and communication system (PACS), and angles and widths between the points were calculated using 3D vector mathematics. We analyzed angular changes in 4 bony regions, including the glabellar, orbital, maxillary, and pyriform aperture regions, and changes in the orbital aperture width (distance from the posterior lacrimal crest to the frontozygomatic suture) and the pyriform width (between both upper margins of the pyriform aperture). All 4 midfacial angles in females and glabellar and maxillary angles in males showed statistically significant decreases with aging. On the other hand, the orbital and pyriform widths did not show statistically significant changes with aging. The results of this study suggest that Asian midfacial skeletons may change continuously throughout life, and that there may be significant differences in the midfacial skeleton between both sexes and between ethnic groups.

Utilization of the ion traps by SPIRAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Brun, C.; Lienard, E.; Mauger, F.; Tamain, B.

1997-01-01

An ion trap is a device capable of confine particles, ions or atoms in a well-controlled environment isolated from any exterior perturbations. There are different traps. They are utilized to collect or stock ions, to cool them after in order to subject them to high precision measurement of masses, magnetic moments, hyperfine properties, beta decay properties, etc. Some dozen of traps are currently used all over the world to study stable or radioactive ions.. SPIRAL has been designed and built to produce radioactive ions starting from various heavy ion beams. SPIRAL has the advantage that the projectile parameters, the target and the energy can be chosen to optimize the production in various regions of the nuclear chart. Also, in SPIRAL it is possible to extract more rapidly the radioactive ions formed in the targets. In addition, in SPIRAL the multicharged ion production in a ECR source is possible. The utilization of multicharged ions is indeed very useful for fast mass measurements or for the study of the interaction between the nucleus and the electronic cloud. Finally, utilization of a ion trap on SPIRAL can be designed first at the level of production target by installing a low energy output line. Than, the trap system could be up-graded and brought to its full utilization behind of the recoil spectrometer. It must be capable of selecting and slowing down the ions produced in the reactions (fusion transfer, very inelastic collisions, etc.) induced by the radioactive ions accelerated in CIME. At present, the collaboration is debating on the most favored subject to study and the most suited experimental setups. The following subjects were selected: ion capture, purification and manipulation; isomers (separation and utilization); mass measurements; hyperfine interactions; lifetimes, nuclear electric cloud; β decays; study of the N = Z nuclei close to the proton drip line; physical and chemical properties of transuranium systems

RF-Plasma Source Commissioning in Indian Negative Ion Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, M. J.; Bandyopadhyay, M.; Yadava, Ratnakar; Chakraborty, A. K.; Bansal, G.; Gahlaut, A.; Soni, J.; Kumar, Sunil; Pandya, K.; Parmar, K. G.; Sonara, J.; Kraus, W.; Heinemann, B.; Riedl, R.; Obermayer, S.; Martens, C.; Franzen, P.; Fantz, U.

2011-01-01

The Indian program of the RF based negative ion source has started off with the commissioning of ROBIN, the inductively coupled RF based negative ion source facility under establishment at Institute for Plasma research (IPR), India. The facility is being developed under a technology transfer agreement with IPP Garching. It consists of a single RF driver based beam source (BATMAN replica) coupled to a 100 kW, 1 MHz RF generator with a self excited oscillator, through a matching network, for plasma production and ion extraction and acceleration. The delivery of the RF generator and the RF plasma source without the accelerator, has enabled initiation of plasma production experiments. The recent experimental campaign has established the matching circuit parameters that result in plasma production with density in the range of 0.5-1x10 18 /m 3 , at operational gas pressures ranging between 0.4-1 Pa. Various configurations of the matching network have been experimented upon to obtain a stable operation of the set up for RF powers ranging between 25-85 kW and pulse lengths ranging between 4-20 s. It has been observed that the range of the parameters of the matching circuit, over which the frequency of the power supply is stable, is narrow and further experiments with increased number of turns in the coil are in the pipeline to see if the range can be widened. In this paper, the description of the experimental system and the commissioning data related to the optimisation of the various parameters of the matching network, to obtain stable plasma of required density, are presented and discussed.

RF-Plasma Source Commissioning in Indian Negative Ion Facility

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, M. J.; Bandyopadhyay, M.; Bansal, G.; Gahlaut, A.; Soni, J.; Kumar, Sunil; Pandya, K.; Parmar, K. G.; Sonara, J.; Yadava, Ratnakar; Chakraborty, A. K.; Kraus, W.; Heinemann, B.; Riedl, R.; Obermayer, S.; Martens, C.; Franzen, P.; Fantz, U.

2011-09-01

The Indian program of the RF based negative ion source has started off with the commissioning of ROBIN, the inductively coupled RF based negative ion source facility under establishment at Institute for Plasma research (IPR), India. The facility is being developed under a technology transfer agreement with IPP Garching. It consists of a single RF driver based beam source (BATMAN replica) coupled to a 100 kW, 1 MHz RF generator with a self excited oscillator, through a matching network, for plasma production and ion extraction and acceleration. The delivery of the RF generator and the RF plasma source without the accelerator, has enabled initiation of plasma production experiments. The recent experimental campaign has established the matching circuit parameters that result in plasma production with density in the range of 0.5-1×1018/m3, at operational gas pressures ranging between 0.4-1 Pa. Various configurations of the matching network have been experimented upon to obtain a stable operation of the set up for RF powers ranging between 25-85 kW and pulse lengths ranging between 4-20 s. It has been observed that the range of the parameters of the matching circuit, over which the frequency of the power supply is stable, is narrow and further experiments with increased number of turns in the coil are in the pipeline to see if the range can be widened. In this paper, the description of the experimental system and the commissioning data related to the optimisation of the various parameters of the matching network, to obtain stable plasma of required density, are presented and discussed.

A study on the discrimination of human skeletons using X-ray fluorescence and chemometric tools in chemical anthropology.

Science.gov (United States)