WorldWideScience

Sample records for surface analysis lsa

  1. Extended local similarity analysis (eLSA) of microbial community and other time series data with replicates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Li C; Steele, Joshua A; Cram, Jacob A; Cardon, Zoe G; Simmons, Sheri L; Vallino, Joseph J; Fuhrman, Jed A; Sun, Fengzhu

    2011-01-01

    The increasing availability of time series microbial community data from metagenomics and other molecular biological studies has enabled the analysis of large-scale microbial co-occurrence and association networks. Among the many analytical techniques available, the Local Similarity Analysis (LSA) method is unique in that it captures local and potentially time-delayed co-occurrence and association patterns in time series data that cannot otherwise be identified by ordinary correlation analysis. However LSA, as originally developed, does not consider time series data with replicates, which hinders the full exploitation of available information. With replicates, it is possible to understand the variability of local similarity (LS) score and to obtain its confidence interval. We extended our LSA technique to time series data with replicates and termed it extended LSA, or eLSA. Simulations showed the capability of eLSA to capture subinterval and time-delayed associations. We implemented the eLSA technique into an easy-to-use analytic software package. The software pipeline integrates data normalization, statistical correlation calculation, statistical significance evaluation, and association network construction steps. We applied the eLSA technique to microbial community and gene expression datasets, where unique time-dependent associations were identified. The extended LSA analysis technique was demonstrated to reveal statistically significant local and potentially time-delayed association patterns in replicated time series data beyond that of ordinary correlation analysis. These statistically significant associations can provide insights to the real dynamics of biological systems. The newly designed eLSA software efficiently streamlines the analysis and is freely available from the eLSA homepage, which can be accessed at http://meta.usc.edu/softs/lsa.

  2. Lsa63, a newly identified surface protein of Leptospira interrogans binds laminin and collagen IV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vieira, Monica L; de Morais, Zenaide M; Gonçales, Amane P; Romero, Eliete C; Vasconcellos, Silvio A; Nascimento, Ana L T O

    2010-01-01

    Leptospira interrogans is the etiological agent of leptospirosis, a zoonotic disease that affects populations worldwide. We have identified in proteomic studies a protein that is encoded by the gene LIC10314 and expressed in virulent strain of L. interrogans serovar Pomona. This protein was predicted to be surface exposed by PSORT program and contains a p83/100 domain identified by BLAST analysis that is conserved in protein antigens of several strains of Borrelia and Treponema spp. The proteins containing this domain have been claimed antigen candidates for serodiagnosis of Lyme borreliosis. Thus, we have cloned the LIC10314 and expressed the protein in Escherichia coli BL21-SI strain by using the expression vector pAE. The recombinant protein tagged with N-terminal hexahistidine was purified by metal-charged chromatography and characterized by circular dichroism spectroscopy. This protein is conserved among several species of pathogenic Leptospira and absent in the saprophytic strain L. biflexa. We confirm by liquid-phase immunofluorescence assays with living organisms that this protein is most likely a new surface leptospiral protein. The ability of the protein to mediate attachment to ECM components was evaluated by binding assays. The leptospiral protein encoded by LIC10314, named Lsa63 (Leptospiral surface adhesin of 63kDa), binds strongly to laminin and collagen IV in a dose-dependent and saturable fashion. In addition, Lsa63 is probably expressed during infection since it was recognized by antibodies of serum samples of confirmed-leptospirosis patients in convalescent phase of the disease. Altogether, the data suggests that this novel identified surface protein may be involved in leptospiral pathogenesis. 2009 The British Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Multiple containment for LSA [low specific activity] and SCO [surface contaminated objects] wastes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burgess, M.H.

    1993-09-01

    Radioactive wastes are generally transported in the form of Low Specific Activity (LSA) materials or Surface Contaminated Objects (SCO). This report proposes that a method of acknowledging the beneficial effects of multiple containment for such wastes should be written into the 1996 Edition of the IAEA Transport Regulations. Experience used to assess risks from on-site movements of radioactive material in the UK can be applied to develop safety arguments justifying the alleviation of off-site transport risks. (UK)

  4. Preliminary Design of a LSA Aircraft Using Wind Tunnel Tests

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Norbert ANGI

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents preliminary results concerning the design and aerodynamic calculations of a light sport aircraft (LSA. These were performed for a new lightweight, low cost, low fuel consumption and long-range aircraft. The design process was based on specific software tools as Advanced Aircraft Analysis (AAA, XFlr 5 aerodynamic and dynamic stability analysis, and Catia design, according to CS-LSA requirements. The calculations were accomplished by a series of tests performed in the wind tunnel in order to assess experimentally the aerodynamic characteristics of the airplane.

  5. Long-term archives of land surface albedo products through the EUMETSAT/LSA-SAF and ECMWF/C3S projects: status and project development plan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrer, D.; Pinault, F.; Ceamanos, X.; Meurey, C.; Moparthy, S.; Swinnen, E.; Trigo, I.

    2017-12-01

    The two space programs of EUMETSAT (project CDOP3, LSA-SAF) and ECMWF (the Copernicus Climate Change Service; C3S_312a Lot9) provide (or will provide) added-value satellite products for the meteorological and environmental science communities, especially in the fields of climate modeling, environmental management, natural hazards management, and climate change detection. The EUMETSAT/LSA-SAF project started in 1999 with research and development activities. The Third Continuous Development and Operations Phase (CDOP-3) starts in March 2017 and will end in 2022. This project uses instruments on board European satellites that were, or will be, launched between 2004 and 2022. Unlike the LSA-SAF, the COPERNICUS/C3S_312a project has no NRT constraint. Its first phase started in november 2016. One of the major objective of the COPERNICUS/C3S_312a project is to harmonize datasets from various sensors in order to provide consistent and continuous ECV products from the 80's until now.Presently, the delivered operational products comprise several surface albedo products using data from various space missions (METEOSAT, NOAA, METOP, …). We present here the portfolio of the surface albedo products that are disseminated with an operational status. Their characteristics and accuracy are detailed here after. Also we will present the development plan to produce long-term re-analysis and to prepare the arrival of the next generation of satellite (MTG, EPS-SG, ...). This work will lead in 2018 to 40 years of products characterizing the albedo properties of the surface. These programs provide a great opportunity to monitor and identify human-induced climate change since consistent production of data sets is guaranteed until at least 2022.

  6. Nuclear regulatory review of licensee self-assessment (LSA)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2003-01-01

    Licensee self-assessment (LSA) by nuclear power plant operators is described as all the activities that a licensee performs in order to identify opportunities for improvements. An LSA is part of an organisation's holistic management system, which must include other process elements. Particularly important elements are: a process for choosing which identified potential improvements should be implemented and a process of project management for implementing the improvements chosen. Nuclear regulators expect the licensee to run an effective LSA programme, which reflects the licensee's 'priority to safety'. Based on contributions from members of the NEA Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities (CNRA), this publication provides an overview of the current regulatory philosophy on and approaches to LSA as performed by licensees. The publication's intended audience is primarily nuclear safety regulators, but government authorities, nuclear power plant operators and the general public may also be interested. (author)

  7. Novel Leptospira interrogans protein Lsa32 is expressed during infection and binds laminin and plasminogen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Domingos, Renan F; Fernandes, Luis G; Romero, Eliete C; de Morais, Zenaide M; Vasconcellos, Silvio A; Nascimento, Ana L T O

    2015-04-01

    Pathogenic Leptospira is the aetiological agent of leptospirosis, a life-threatening disease of human and veterinary concern. The quest for novel antigens that could mediate host-pathogen interactions is being pursued. Owing to their location, these antigens have the potential to elicit numerous activities, including immune response and adhesion. This study focuses on a hypothetical protein of Leptospira, encoded by the gene LIC11089, and its three derived fragments: the N-terminal, intermediate and C terminus regions. The gene coding for the full-length protein and fragments was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(SI) strain by using the expression vector pAE. The recombinant protein and fragments tagged with hexahistidine at the N terminus were purified by metal affinity chromatography. The leptospiral full-length protein, named Lsa32 (leptospiral surface adhesin, 32 kDa), adheres to laminin, with the C terminus region being responsible for this interaction. Lsa32 binds to plasminogen in a dose-dependent fashion, generating plasmin when an activator is provided. Moreover, antibodies present in leptospirosis serum samples were able to recognize Lsa32. Lsa32 is most likely a new surface protein of Leptospira, as revealed by proteinase K susceptibility. Altogether, our data suggest that this multifaceted protein is expressed during infection and may play a role in host-L. interrogans interactions. © 2015 The Authors.

  8. Lsa30, a novel adhesin of Leptospira interrogans binds human plasminogen and the complement regulator C4bp.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souza, Natalie M; Vieira, Monica L; Alves, Ivy J; de Morais, Zenaide M; Vasconcellos, Silvio A; Nascimento, Ana L T O

    2012-09-01

    Pathogenic Leptospira is the etiological agent of leptospirosis, a life-threatening disease that affects populations worldwide. Surface proteins have the potential to promote several activities, including adhesion. This work aimed to study the leptospiral coding sequence (CDS) LIC11087, genome annotated as hypothetical outer membrane protein. The LIC11087 gene was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) strain by using the expression vector pAE. The recombinant protein tagged with N-terminal 6XHis was purified by metal-charged chromatography and characterized by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. The recombinant protein has the ability to mediate attachment to the extracellular matrix (ECM) components, laminin and plasma fibronectin, and was named Lsa30 (Leptospiral surface adhesin of 30 kDa). Lsa30 binds to laminin and to plasma fibronectin in a dose-dependent and saturable manner, with dissociation equilibrium constants (K(D)) of 292 ± 24 nm and 157 ± 35 nm, respectively. Moreover, the Lsa30 is a plasminogen (PLG) receptor, capable of generating plasmin, in the presence of activator. This protein may interfere with the complement cascade by interacting with C4bp regulator. The Lsa30 is probably a new surface protein of Leptospira as revealed by immunofluorescence assays with living organisms and the reactivity with antibodies present in serum samples of experimentally infected hamsters. Thus, Lsa30 is a novel versatile protein that may play a role in mediating adhesion and may help pathogenic Leptospira to overcome tissue barriers and to escape the immune system. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Adaptive Self-Occlusion Behavior Recognition Based on pLSA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hong-bin Tu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Human action recognition is an important area of human action recognition research. Focusing on the problem of self-occlusion in the field of human action recognition, a new adaptive occlusion state behavior recognition approach was presented based on Markov random field and probabilistic Latent Semantic Analysis (pLSA. Firstly, the Markov random field was used to represent the occlusion relationship between human body parts in terms an occlusion state variable by phase space obtained. Then, we proposed a hierarchical area variety model. Finally, we use the topic model of pLSA to recognize the human behavior. Experiments were performed on the KTH, Weizmann, and Humaneva dataset to test and evaluate the proposed method. The compared experiment results showed that what the proposed method can achieve was more effective than the compared methods.

  10. Extended local similarity analysis (eLSA) reveals unique associations between bacterial community structure and odor emission during pig carcasses decomposition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ki, Bo-Min; Ryu, Hee Wook; Cho, Kyung-Suk

    2018-02-22

    Soil burial and composting methods have been widely used for the disposal of pig carcasses. The relationship between bacterial community structure and odor emission was examined using extended local similarity analysis (eLSA) during the degradation of pig carcasses in soil and compost. In soil, Hyphomicrobium, Niastella, Rhodanobacter, Polaromonas, Dokdonella and Mesorhizobium were associated with the emission of sulfur-containing odors such as hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan and dimethyl disulfide. Sphingomonas, Rhodanobacter, Mesorhizobium, Dokdonella, Leucobacter and Truepera were associated with the emission of nitrogen-containing odors including ammonia and trimetylamine. In compost, however, Carnobacteriaceae, Lachnospiaceae and Clostridiales were highly correlated with the emission of sulfur-containing odors, while Rumincoccaceae was associated with the emission of nitrogen-containing odors. The emission of organic acids was closely related to Massilia, Sphaerobacter and Bradyrhizobiaceae in soil, but to Actinobacteria, Sporacetigenium, Micromonosporaceae and Solirubrobacteriales in compost. This study suggests that network analysis using eLSA is a useful strategy for exploring the mechanisms of odor emission during biodegradation of pig carcasses.

  11. Method for evaluating leaching from LSA-III material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abe, H.; Satoh, K.; Ozaki, S.; Watabe, N.; Iida, T.; Akamatsu, H.

    1989-01-01

    The IAEA transport regulations are scheduled to be introduced in Japan. New regulations are supposed to be set forth for low specific activity (LSA) material and industrial packaging (IP) as solidified concentrated waste water should correspond to the LSA material. Solidified concentrated waste water should be transported in accordance with the new transport regulations which reflect the IAEA transport regulations. As one of the regulations for LSA material, the leaching test for LSA-III materials states that the radioactive loss due to leaching without the packaging should not exceed 0.1 A 2 when left in the water for 7 days. This test method is called Transport regulations hereafter. Since the test had not been conducted in Japan before now, there was no available data. Consequently, it is necessary to make an assessment on whether the current solidified concentrated waste water can satisfy the leaching amount of radioactive nuclide specified in the IAEA transport regulations. If the test is performed in accordance with the IAEA transport regulations, however, it is necessary to measure the amount of radioactive nuclide actually leached from the solidified concentrated waste water. Since the solidified concentrated waste water is put in a drum cam, it is necessary to prepare large-scale hot test equipment. In this study, therefore, the leaching test was conducted on the solidified concentrated waste water to propose the means of a leaching assessment which can be conducted with ordinary equipment to evaluate the leaching for assessment of the adaptability to IAEA transport regulations. In addition, the leaching test was performed in accordance with the IAEA method to examine the co-relation between the transport regulations and the IAEA method. Many test results have been reported for the IAEA method in Japan, which will be detailed later on

  12. Coopetitive Business Models in Future Mobile Broadband with Licensed Shared Access (LSA)

    OpenAIRE

    P. Ahokangas; M. Matinmikko; I. Atkova; L.F. Minervini; S. Yrjölä; M. Mustonen

    2016-01-01

    Spectrum scarcity forces mobile network operators (MNOs) providing mobile broadband services to develop new business models that address spectrum sharing. It engages MNOs into coopetitive relationship with incumbents. Licensed Shared Access (LSA) concept complements traditional licensing and helps MNOs to access new spectrum bands on a shared basis. This paper discusses spectrum sharing with LSA from business perspective. It describes how coopetition and business model are linked conceptually...

  13. Decreased surface albedo driven by denser vegetation on the Tibetan Plateau

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tian, Li; Zhang, Yangjian; Zhu, Juntao

    2014-01-01

    The Tibetan Plateau (TP) has fundamental ecological and environmental significance to China and Asia through its influence on regional and continental climates. In recent years, climate warming has caused unprecedented changes to land surface processes on the TP, which would unavoidably undermine the ecological and environmental functions of the TP. Among the numerous land surface processes potentially impacted by climate warming, the effect of vegetation greenness on surface energy balance is one of the most critical, but has been long ignored. In this study, we investigated the spatial and temporal patterns of land surface albedo (LSA) on the TP and evaluated the vegetation greenness in relation to patterns of LSA. We found that LSA has been decreasing in most of the vegetated grasslands on the TP from 2000 to 2013, as compared to a flat trend for desert area. The regions where LSA has been decreasing were spatially correlated to areas of increased vegetation greenness. Along rising altitude, LSA decreasing rate exhibited an overall decreasing trend. Across the TP, elevated vegetation greenness in grasslands acted as a primary factor pulling down LSA. The driving effects of vegetation greenness on LSA vary with grassland types, as revealed by a more significant relationship between vegetation greenness and LSA for the sparsely vegetated zone (i.e. steppe) than the more densely vegetated zone (i.e. meadow). Furthermore, the driving effect of vegetation greenness on LSA exhibited an obvious dependence on altitude as effects with rising altitude were relatively strong up to 3000 m, then weakened from 3500 m to 5000 m, and then the effects again increased from 5000 to 6000 m. The growing season LSA trend revealed in this study emphasizes the need to give greater attention to the growing season LSA flux in future surface energy balance studies. (letter)

  14. Hybrid LSA-ANN Based Home Energy Management Scheduling Controller for Residential Demand Response Strategy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maytham S. Ahmed

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Demand response (DR program can shift peak time load to off-peak time, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions and allowing energy conservation. In this study, the home energy management scheduling controller of the residential DR strategy is proposed using the hybrid lightning search algorithm (LSA-based artificial neural network (ANN to predict the optimal ON/OFF status for home appliances. Consequently, the scheduled operation of several appliances is improved in terms of cost savings. In the proposed approach, a set of the most common residential appliances are modeled, and their activation is controlled by the hybrid LSA-ANN based home energy management scheduling controller. Four appliances, namely, air conditioner, water heater, refrigerator, and washing machine (WM, are developed by Matlab/Simulink according to customer preferences and priority of appliances. The ANN controller has to be tuned properly using suitable learning rate value and number of nodes in the hidden layers to schedule the appliances optimally. Given that finding proper ANN tuning parameters is difficult, the LSA optimization is hybridized with ANN to improve the ANN performances by selecting the optimum values of neurons in each hidden layer and learning rate. Therefore, the ON/OFF estimation accuracy by ANN can be improved. Results of the hybrid LSA-ANN are compared with those of hybrid particle swarm optimization (PSO based ANN to validate the developed algorithm. Results show that the hybrid LSA-ANN outperforms the hybrid PSO based ANN. The proposed scheduling algorithm can significantly reduce the peak-hour energy consumption during the DR event by up to 9.7138% considering four appliances per 7-h period.

  15. Development of an improved radiological basis and revised requirements for the transport of LSA/SCO materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gray, I.L.S.; Lange, F.; Hoermann, E.; Carr, N.A.

    2004-01-01

    The IAEA Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material specify a range of package requirements that are dependent upon the activity and properties of the radioactive material being transported. For example, Type A packages can be used for the transport of material with an activity of up to one A1 of special form material and one A2 of other material. The A1 and A2 values are determined for over 350 radionuclides using the Q system in the advisory material. This system models the following pathways in the event of a severe accident: External photon dose; External beta dose; Inhalation dose; Skin and ingestion dose due to contamination transfer; Submersion dose. Industrial packages can be used for the transport of low specific activity (LSA) material and surface contaminated objects (SCO) and the particular requirements for these types of materials are derived from a simplistic radiological model that is often referred to as the 10 mg inhalation model. This is because it is based on the assumption that, in a dusty environment, an individual would inhale no more than 10 mg in such a situation, although there is limited reliable information to justify this assumption. Furthermore, there are deficiencies in the specification of some of the material requirements for LSA/SCO material in the IAEA Transport Regulations. Consequently, this can cause some difficulties for operators in complying with the regulations and to competent authorities in their compliance assurance role. Particular areas of difficulty include: It can be difficult to distinguish between LSA-type material and SCO-type; It is difficult to distinguish surface contamination from activity within the object, and between fixed and nonfixed contamination; In order to demonstrate compliance with SCO requirements, measurements of both accessible and nonaccessible contamination are required, although it is not clear how compliance with the inaccessible contamination limit can be measured if it cannot

  16. Long Term Validation of Land Surface Temperature Retrieved from MSG/SEVIRI with Continuous in-Situ Measurements in Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frank-M. Göttsche

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Since 2005, the Land Surface Analysis Satellite Application Facility (LSA SAF operationally retrieves Land Surface Temperature (LST for the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI on board Meteosat Second Generation (MSG. The high temporal resolution of the Meteosat satellites and their long term availability since 1977 make their data highly valuable for climate studies. In order to ensure that the LSA SAF LST product continuously meets its target accuracy of 2 °C, it is validated with in-situ measurements from four dedicated LST validation stations. Three stations are located in highly homogenous areas in Africa (semiarid bush, desert, and Kalahari semi-desert and typically provide thousands of monthly match-ups with LSA SAF LST, which are used to perform seasonally resolved validations. An uncertainty analysis performed for desert station Gobabeb yielded an estimate of total in-situ LST uncertainty of 0.8 ± 0.12 °C. Ignoring rainy seasons, the results for the period 2009–2014 show that LSA SAF LST consistently meets its target accuracy: the highest mean root-mean-square error (RMSE for LSA SAF LST over the African stations was 1.6 °C while mean absolute bias was 0.1 °C. Nighttime and daytime biases were up to 0.7 °C but had opposite signs: when evaluated together, these partially compensated each other.

  17. A suggested revision to the specific activity limit for tritiated water transported as LSA-II

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nandakumar, A.N.

    2003-01-01

    Tritiated water of specific activity not greater than 0.8 TBq L -1 is classified as LSA-II. This paper demonstrates by some simple calculations that the dose that may result from an accident involving tritiated water of this specific activity is very low and suggests that even if the specific activity limit of tritiated water which may be transported as LSA-II is raised above 0.8 TBq kg -1 , the resulting dose in accident conditions would not be unacceptable. (author)

  18. LSA glass-ceramic tiles made by powder pressing; Obtencao de placas vitroceramicas do sistema LSA utilizando a prensagem de pos

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Figueira, F.C.; Bertan, F.M. [Colorminas Colorificio e Mineracao, Icara, SC (Brazil); Riella, H.G. [Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianopolis, SC (Brazil). Programa de Pos-Graduaco em Engenharia Quimica; Uggioni, E. [Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense (UFSC), Florianopolis, SC (Brazil). Curso de Engenharia de Materiais; Bernardin, A.M., E-mail: amb@unesc.ne [Servico Nacional de Aprendizagem Industrial (SENAI), Tijucas, SC (Brazil). Dept. de Tecnologia em Ceramica

    2009-07-01

    A low cost alternative for the production of glass-ceramic materials is the pressing of the matrix glass powders and its consolidation simultaneously with crystallization in a single stage of sintering. The main objective of this work was to obtain LSA glass ceramics with low thermal expansion, processed by pressing and sintering a ceramic frit powder. The raw materials were homogenized and melted (1480 deg C, 80min), and the melt was poured in water. The glass was chemically (XRF and AAS) and thermally (DTA, 10 deg C/min, air) characterized, and then ground (60min and 120min). The ground powders were characterized (laser diffraction) and compressed (35MPa and 45MPa), thus forming four systems. The compacts were dried (150 deg C, 24h) and sintered (1175 deg C and 1185 deg C, 10 deg C/min). Finally, the glass-ceramics were characterized by microstructural analysis (SEM and XRD), mechanical behavior ({sigma}bending) and thermal analysis ({alpha}). The best results for thermal expansion were those for the glass-ceramics processed with smaller particle size and greater compaction pressure. (author)

  19. LSA glass-ceramic tiles made by powder pressing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Figueira, F.C.; Bertan, F.M.; Riella, H.G.; Uggioni, E.; Bernardin, A.M.

    2009-01-01

    A low cost alternative for the production of glass-ceramic materials is the pressing of the matrix glass powders and its consolidation simultaneously with crystallization in a single stage of sintering. The main objective of this work was to obtain LSA glass ceramics with low thermal expansion, processed by pressing and sintering a ceramic frit powder. The raw materials were homogenized and melted (1480 deg C, 80min), and the melt was poured in water. The glass was chemically (XRF and AAS) and thermally (DTA, 10 deg C/min, air) characterized, and then ground (60min and 120min). The ground powders were characterized (laser diffraction) and compressed (35MPa and 45MPa), thus forming four systems. The compacts were dried (150 deg C, 24h) and sintered (1175 deg C and 1185 deg C, 10 deg C/min). Finally, the glass-ceramics were characterized by microstructural analysis (SEM and XRD), mechanical behavior (σbending) and thermal analysis (α). The best results for thermal expansion were those for the glass-ceramics processed with smaller particle size and greater compaction pressure. (author)

  20. Correlation of serum biomarkers (TSA & LSA) and epithelial dysplasia in early diagnosis of oral precancer and oral cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sawhney, Hemant; Kumar, C Anand

    Oral cancer is currently the most frequent cause of cancer-related deaths, which is usually preceded by oral pre-cancerous lesions and conditions. Altered glycosylation of glycoconjugates, such as sialic acid, fucose, etc. are amongst the important molecular changes that accompany malignant transformation. The purpose of our study was to evaluate usefulness of serum Total Sialic Acid (TSA) and serum Lipid-Bound Sialic Acid (LSA) as markers of oral precancerous lesions and histopathologically correlating them with grades of epithelial dysplasia. Blood samples were collected from 50 patients with oral precancer (Leukoplakia & OSMF), 25 patients with untreated oral cancer and 25 healthy subjects. Serum sialic acid (total and lipid bound) levels were measured spectrophotometrically. Tissue samples from all the patients were evaluated for dysplasia. Serum levels of total and lipid bound sialic acid were significantly elevated in patients with oral precancer and cancer when compared with healthy subjects. Analysis of variance test documented that there is progressive rise in serum levels of sialic acid with the degree of dysplastic changes in oral precancer patients. We observed positive correlation between serum levels of the markers and the extent of malignant disease (TNM Clinical staging) as well as histopathological grades. The results suggested that serum levels of TSA and LSA progressively increases with grades of dysplasia in precancerous groups and cancer group, when compared with healthy controls. These glycoconjugates, especially LSA has the clinical utility in indicating a premalignant change.

  1. Clinical significance of combined determination of serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and lipid-associated sialic acid (LSA) in patients with lung cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Wei; Yao Dengfu; Qiu Liwei; Wu Xinghua

    2003-01-01

    Objective: To explore the expression and the diagnostic value of determining serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and lipid-associated sialic acid (LSA) in patients with lung cancer. Methods: The concentrations of NSE, TNF-α and LSA were measured in 78 patients with lung cancer and 32 patients with benign lung diseases as well as 109 controls by enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and chemical assay respectively. Results: The levels of NSE (19.78 ± 12.10 ng/ml), TNF-α (135.64 ± 49.01 pg/ml) and LSA (106 ± 0.31 ng/ml) were significantly higher in patients with lung cancer than those in patients with benign lung diseases (NSE 7.56 ± 3.41 ng/ml, TNF-α 84.70 ± 24.89 pg/ml, LSA 0.78 ± 0.18 mg/ml) and controls (NSE 8.01 ± 2.81 ng/ml, TNF-α 71.25 ± 13.50 pg/ml, LSA 0.70 ± 0.13 ng/ml) (all p < 0.01). Conclusion: The present data suggest that the syntheses of NSE, TNF-α and LSA increase in patients with lung cancer and combined determination of NSE, TNF-α and LSA be helpful to diagnosis of lung cancer

  2. Large-scale Bubble Structure of the Intersteller Medium (ISM) and Properties of the Local Spiral Arm (LSA)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bochkarev, N. G.

    1984-01-01

    Bubbles which are very common structure units in the Galaxy and galaxies were examined. Collection of radio, optical, infrared and X-ray observations of the Cyg superbubble (CSB) region of the sky show that the CSB is not a single bubble object. Between 50 to 75 percent of its X-ray emission is ascribed to discrete sources. The other 25 to 50% X-ray emission, probably originates from bubbles around 8 OB associations of the region. All bubbles located within the spiral structure of Galaxy, M31 and M33 have diameter 300 pc. The large distance of stellar association from the galactic plane (GP) combined with picture of the gas distribution within the LSA shows that a Reyleigh-Taylor instability in the LSA can develop and give use to the formation of compact stellar clusters, such as the Cyg OB2 association. Development stages of the Reyleigh-Taylor instability, some peculiarities of the dust distribution and departures of the local structure from the galactic grand design suggest the absence of a spiral shockwave in the LSA.

  3. A Comparative Study Of The Predisposing Factors And Natural History Of Lichen sclerosus ET Atrophicus (LSA In Children And Adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iraji Fariba

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus (LSA is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis that results in white plaques with epidermal atrophy usually affecting the genital area in both adults and children. The causes of LSA are not clear but possible predisponsing factors include trauma, infection (borrelia, human papilloma virus, autoimmune diseases and local irritation. This study is a retrospective case review of children and adults with LSA attending the department of Dermatology at the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh, clinical notes for 22 patients were reviewed for age, sex, personal and familial history, symptoms associated diseases and clinical course and treatment. The mean ages at diagnosis of LSA in 9 children (8F: 1M and 13 adults (13 F were 7 and 57.5 years respectively. The mean duration of illness was 1.5 year in children and 5.5 year in adults. Itching was the most common symptom in both children and adults. Children also suffered with difficulties in defaecation and in micturation , dribbling, incontinence, constipation and bleeding. Atopy and hypothyroidism were common associated conditions in both the groups. Squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva was confirmed in two adult patients. This study showed the variable symptoms in children, which seemed more severe than in the adult population.

  4. Meteosat SEVIRI Fire Radiative Power (FRP) products from the Land Surface Analysis Satellite Applications Facility (LSA SAF) - Part 1: Algorithms, product contents and analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wooster, M. J.; Roberts, G.; Freeborn, P. H.; Xu, W.; Govaerts, Y.; Beeby, R.; He, J.; Lattanzio, A.; Mullen, R.

    2015-06-01

    Characterising changes in landscape scale fire activity at very high temporal resolution is best achieved using thermal observations of actively burning fires made from geostationary Earth observation (EO) satellites. Over the last decade or more, a series of research and/or operational "active fire" products have been developed from these types of geostationary observations, often with the aim of supporting the generation of data related to biomass burning fuel consumption and trace gas and aerosol emission fields. The Fire Radiative Power (FRP) products generated by the Land Surface Analysis Satellite Applications Facility (LSA SAF) from data collected by the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) are one such set of products, and are freely available in both near real-time and archived form. Every 15 min, the algorithms used to generate these products identify and map the location of new SEVIRI observations containing actively burning fires, and characterise their individual rates of radiative energy release (fire radiative power; FRP) that is believed proportional to rates of biomass consumption and smoke emission. The FRP-PIXEL product contains the highest spatial resolution FRP dataset, delivered for all of Europe, northern and southern Africa, and part of South America at a spatial resolution of 3 km (decreasing away from the west African sub-satellite point) at the full 15 min temporal resolution. The FRP-GRID product is an hourly summary of the FRP-PIXEL data, produced at a 5° grid cell size and including simple bias adjustments for meteorological cloud cover and for the regional underestimation of FRP caused, primarily, by the non-detection of low FRP fire pixels at SEVIRI's relatively coarse pixel size. Here we describe the enhanced geostationary Fire Thermal Anomaly (FTA) algorithm used to detect the SEVIRI active fire pixels, and detail methods used to deliver atmospherically corrected FRP information

  5. Safety evaluation for packaging transport of LSA-II liquids in MC-312 cargo tanks

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carlstrom, R.F.

    1996-09-11

    This safety evaluation for packaging authorizes the onsite transfer of bulk LSA-II radioactive liquids in the 222-S Laboratory Cargo Tank and Liquid Effluent Treatment Facility Cargo Tanks (which are U.S. Department of Transportation MC-312 specification cargo tanks) from their operating facilities to tank farm facilities.

  6. Uncertainties, confidence ellipsoids and security polytopes in LSA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grabe, Michael

    1992-05-01

    For a given error model, the uncertainties of and the couplings between parameters estimated by a least-squares adjustment (LSA) are formalized. The error model is restricted to normally distributed random errors and to systematic errors that remain constant during measurement, but whose magnitudes and signs are unknown. An outline of the associated, new formalism for estimating measurement uncertainties is sketched as regards its function as a measure of the consistency between theory and experiment. The couplings due to random errors lead to ellipsoids stemming from singular linear mappings of Hotelling's ellipsoids. Those introduced by systematic errors create convex polytopes, so-called security polytopes, which are singular linear mappings of hyperblocks caused by a ldworst-case treatment” of systematic errors.

  7. Europe Agrees on Common Strategy to Initiate Study of LSA/MMA

    Science.gov (United States)

    1998-09-01

    Council Specifies ESO's Role in Planning In an extraordinary meeting at the ESO Headquarters, the ESO Council today endorsed ESO's involvement in the planning of a major new astronomical facility in the southern hemisphere. Some years from now, the Large Southern Array/Millimetre Array (LSA/MMA) may become the world's prime sub-mm/mm radio observatory [1] at a pristine site at 5000 m altitude in the Chilean Andes, not very far from the VLT Paranal Observatory. Background One of the highest-priority items in astronomy today is a large millimetre-wavelength array. This would be a millimetre counterpart to the ESO VLT and the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope (HST), with similar scientific objectives and comparable high angular resolution and sensitivity. An antenna array with about 10,000 m 2 area would provide very high sensitivity and angular resolution, compatible with that of the VLT and HST. Such a large collecting area implies an array with many antennas and baselines, which give the added advantage of fast, high-quality images. The site must be high, dry, large, and flat - a high plateau in the Atacama desert is ideal, and has the great advantage of being in the southern hemisphere, important for compatibility with the VLT. Thus, discussions in Europe have focussed on a "Large Southern Array" (LSA) . The scientific case for such a telescope is overwhelming. It would be able to study the origins of galaxies and stars: the epoch of first galaxy formation and the evolution of galaxies at later stages, including the dust-obscured star-forming galaxies that the HST and VLT cannot see, and all phases of star formation hidden away in dusty molecular clouds. But the LSA will go far beyond these main science drivers - it will have a major impact on virtually all areas of astronomy, and make millimetre astronomy accessible to all astronomers. It may well have as big a user community as the VLT itself. European involvement in millimetre astronomy Europe already has a

  8. Safety evaluation for packaging (Onsite) transport of LSA-II liquids in MC-312 cargo tanks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carlstrom, R.F.

    1996-01-01

    This safety evaluation for packaging authorizes the onsite transfer of bulk LSA-II radioactive liquids in the 222-S Laboratory Cargo Tank and Liquid Effluent Treatment Facility Cargo Tanks (which are U.S. Department of Transportation MC-312 specification cargo tanks) from their operating facilities to tank farm facilities

  9. Use of Language Sample Analysis by School-Based SLPs: Results of a Nationwide Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pavelko, Stacey L.; Owens, Robert E., Jr.; Ireland, Marie; Hahs-Vaughn, Debbie L.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: This article examines use of language sample analysis (LSA) by school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs), including characteristics of language samples, methods of transcription and analysis, barriers to LSA use, and factors affecting LSA use, such as American Speech-Language-Hearing Association certification, number of years'…

  10. Improving evapotranspiration in a land surface model using biophysical variables derived from MSG/SEVIRI satellite

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. Ghilain

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Monitoring evapotranspiration over land is highly dependent on the surface state and vegetation dynamics. Data from spaceborn platforms are desirable to complement estimations from land surface models. The success of daily evapotranspiration monitoring at continental scale relies on the availability, quality and continuity of such data. The biophysical variables derived from SEVIRI on board the geostationary satellite Meteosat Second Generation (MSG and distributed by the Satellite Application Facility on Land surface Analysis (LSA-SAF are particularly interesting for such applications, as they aimed at providing continuous and consistent daily time series in near-real time over Africa, Europe and South America. In this paper, we compare them to monthly vegetation parameters from a database commonly used in numerical weather predictions (ECOCLIMAP-I, showing the benefits of the new daily products in detecting the spatial and temporal (seasonal and inter-annual variability of the vegetation, especially relevant over Africa. We propose a method to handle Leaf Area Index (LAI and Fractional Vegetation Cover (FVC products for evapotranspiration monitoring with a land surface model at 3–5 km spatial resolution. The method is conceived to be applicable for near-real time processes at continental scale and relies on the use of a land cover map. We assess the impact of using LSA-SAF biophysical variables compared to ECOCLIMAP-I on evapotranspiration estimated by the land surface model H-TESSEL. Comparison with in-situ observations in Europe and Africa shows an improved estimation of the evapotranspiration, especially in semi-arid climates. Finally, the impact on the land surface modelled evapotranspiration is compared over a north–south transect with a large gradient of vegetation and climate in Western Africa using LSA-SAF radiation forcing derived from remote sensing. Differences are highlighted. An evaluation against remote sensing derived land

  11. Knowledge, Skills and Competence Modelling in Nuclear Engineering Domain using Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) and Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuo, V.

    2016-01-01

    Full text: The European Qualifications Framework categorizes learning objectives into three qualifiers “knowledge”, “skills”, and “competences” (KSCs) to help improve the comparability between different fields and disciplines. However, the management of KSCs remains a great challenge given their semantic fuzziness. Similar texts may describe different concepts and different texts may describe similar concepts among different domains. This is difficult for the indexing, searching and matching of semantically similar KSCs within an information system, to facilitate transfer and mobility of KSCs. We present a working example using a semantic inference method known as Latent Semantic Analysis, employing a matrix operation called Singular Value Decomposition, which have been shown to infer semantic associations within unstructured textual data comparable to that of human interpretations. In our example, a few natural language text passages representing KSCs in the nuclear sector are used to demonstrate the capabilities of the system. It can be shown that LSA is able to infer latent semantic associations between texts, and cluster and match separate text passages semantically based on these associations. We propose this methodology for modelling existing natural language KSCs in the nuclear domain so they can be semantically queried, retrieved and filtered upon request. (author

  12. Characterization of three novel adhesins of Leptospira interrogans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siqueira, Gabriela H; Atzingen, Marina V; Alves, Ivy J; de Morais, Zenaide M; Vasconcellos, Silvio A; Nascimento, Ana L T O

    2013-12-01

    We report cloning, expression, purification, and characterization of three predicted leptospiral membrane proteins (LIC11360, LIC11009, and LIC11975). In silico analysis and proteinase K accessibility data suggest that these proteins might be surface exposed. We show that proteins encoded by LIC11360, LIC11009 and LIC11975 genes interact with laminin in a dose-dependent and saturable manner. The proteins are referred to as leptospiral surface adhesions 23, 26, and 36 (Lsa23, Lsa26, and Lsa36), respectively. These proteins also bind plasminogen and generate active plasmin. Attachment of Lsa23 and Lsa36 to fibronectin occurs through the involvement of the 30-kDa and 70-kDa heparin-binding domains of the ligand. Dose-dependent, specific-binding of Lsa23 to the complement regulator C4BP and to a lesser extent, to factor H, suggests that this protein may interfere with the complement cascade pathways. Leptospira spp. may use these interactions as possible mechanisms during the establishment of infection.

  13. Probabilistic Latent Semantic Analyses (PLSA in Bibliometric Analysis for Technology Forecasting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Zan

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available Due to the availability of internet-based abstract services and patent databases, bibliometric analysis has become one of key technology forecasting approaches. Recently, latent semantic analysis (LSA has been applied to improve the accuracy in document clustering. In this paper, a new LSA method, probabilistic latent semantic analysis (PLSA which uses probabilistic methods and algebra to search latent space in the corpus is further applied in document clustering. The results show that PLSA is more accurate than LSA and the improved iteration method proposed by authors can simplify the computing process and improve the computing efficiency

  14. Konflikten mellan arbetsliv och familjeliv : En kvalitativ studie om småbarnsföräldrars upplevelser av psykisk hälsa och balans i tillvaron

    OpenAIRE

    Ahlzén, Amanda

    2015-01-01

    Dagens arbetsliv ställer helt andra krav på individen än förr. På arbetsmarknaden krävs flexibilitet och eget ansvar, där individen förväntas kunna arbeta när som helst och var som helst. Dessa faktorer har bidragit till en obalans mellan arbetsliv och familjeliv som kan orsaka olika former av ohälsa. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur småbarnsföräldrar upplever sin psykiska hälsa i relation till balansen mellan arbetsliv och familjeliv. Studien bygger på en kvalitativ metod och dat...

  15. Computer assessment of interview data using latent semantic analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dam, Gregory; Kaufmann, Stefan

    2008-02-01

    Clinical interviews are a powerful method for assessing students' knowledge and conceptualdevelopment. However, the analysis of the resulting data is time-consuming and can create a "bottleneck" in large-scale studies. This article demonstrates the utility of computational methods in supporting such an analysis. Thirty-four 7th-grade student explanations of the causes of Earth's seasons were assessed using latent semantic analysis (LSA). Analyses were performed on transcriptions of student responses during interviews administered, prior to (n = 21) and after (n = 13) receiving earth science instruction. An instrument that uses LSA technology was developed to identify misconceptions and assess conceptual change in students' thinking. Its accuracy, as determined by comparing its classifications to the independent coding performed by four human raters, reached 90%. Techniques for adapting LSA technology to support the analysis of interview data, as well as some limitations, are discussed.

  16. Latent semantic analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evangelopoulos, Nicholas E

    2013-11-01

    This article reviews latent semantic analysis (LSA), a theory of meaning as well as a method for extracting that meaning from passages of text, based on statistical computations over a collection of documents. LSA as a theory of meaning defines a latent semantic space where documents and individual words are represented as vectors. LSA as a computational technique uses linear algebra to extract dimensions that represent that space. This representation enables the computation of similarity among terms and documents, categorization of terms and documents, and summarization of large collections of documents using automated procedures that mimic the way humans perform similar cognitive tasks. We present some technical details, various illustrative examples, and discuss a number of applications from linguistics, psychology, cognitive science, education, information science, and analysis of textual data in general. WIREs Cogn Sci 2013, 4:683-692. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1254 CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The author has declared no conflicts of interest for this article. For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  17. Endovascular repair of an innominate artery pseudoaneurysm using the Valiant Mona LSA branched graft device

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Josh A. Sibille, MD

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available A 60-year-old woman involved in a motor vehicle collision presented with a traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the innominate artery origin in addition to multiple concomitant injuries. She was classified as a high-risk candidate for open repair. An experimental thoracic branched graft device was used for coverage of the injury with the addition of a right carotid-to-left carotid-to-left subclavian artery bypass. Follow-up imaging showed resolution of the pseudoaneurysm and patency of her bypass grafts. This is the first described use of the Mona LSA Branch Thoracic Stent Graft System (Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minn in the innominate artery.

  18. Computerized summary scoring: crowdsourcing-based latent semantic analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Haiying; Cai, Zhiqiang; Graesser, Arthur C

    2017-11-03

    In this study we developed and evaluated a crowdsourcing-based latent semantic analysis (LSA) approach to computerized summary scoring (CSS). LSA is a frequently used mathematical component in CSS, where LSA similarity represents the extent to which the to-be-graded target summary is similar to a model summary or a set of exemplar summaries. Researchers have proposed different formulations of the model summary in previous studies, such as pregraded summaries, expert-generated summaries, or source texts. The former two methods, however, require substantial human time, effort, and costs in order to either grade or generate summaries. Using source texts does not require human effort, but it also does not predict human summary scores well. With human summary scores as the gold standard, in this study we evaluated the crowdsourcing LSA method by comparing it with seven other LSA methods that used sets of summaries from different sources (either experts or crowdsourced) of differing quality, along with source texts. Results showed that crowdsourcing LSA predicted human summary scores as well as expert-good and crowdsourcing-good summaries, and better than the other methods. A series of analyses with different numbers of crowdsourcing summaries demonstrated that the number (from 10 to 100) did not significantly affect performance. These findings imply that crowdsourcing LSA is a promising approach to CSS, because it saves human effort in generating the model summary while still yielding comparable performance. This approach to small-scale CSS provides a practical solution for instructors in courses, and also advances research on automated assessments in which student responses are expected to semantically converge on subject matter content.

  19. Improving knowledge management systems with latent semantic analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sebok, A.; Plott, C.; LaVoie, N.

    2006-01-01

    Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) offers a technique for improving lessons learned and knowledge management systems. These systems are expected to become more widely used in the nuclear industry, as experienced personnel leave and are replaced by younger, less-experienced workers. LSA is a machine learning technology that allows searching of text based on meaning rather than predefined keywords or categories. Users can enter and retrieve data using their own words, rather than relying on constrained language lists or navigating an artificially structured database. LSA-based tools can greatly enhance the usability and usefulness of knowledge management systems and thus provide a valuable tool to assist nuclear industry personnel in gathering and transferring worker expertise. (authors)

  20. AMATCHMETHOD BASED ON LATENT SEMANTIC ANALYSIS FOR EARTHQUAKEHAZARD EMERGENCY PLAN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. Sun

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The structure of the emergency plan on earthquake is complex, and it’s difficult for decision maker to make a decision in a short time. To solve the problem, this paper presents a match method based on Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA. After the word segmentation preprocessing of emergency plan, we carry out keywords extraction according to the part-of-speech and the frequency of words. Then through LSA, we map the documents and query information to the semantic space, and calculate the correlation of documents and queries by the relation between vectors. The experiments results indicate that the LSA can improve the accuracy of emergency plan retrieval efficiently.

  1. Amatchmethod Based on Latent Semantic Analysis for Earthquakehazard Emergency Plan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, D.; Zhao, S.; Zhang, Z.; Shi, X.

    2017-09-01

    The structure of the emergency plan on earthquake is complex, and it's difficult for decision maker to make a decision in a short time. To solve the problem, this paper presents a match method based on Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA). After the word segmentation preprocessing of emergency plan, we carry out keywords extraction according to the part-of-speech and the frequency of words. Then through LSA, we map the documents and query information to the semantic space, and calculate the correlation of documents and queries by the relation between vectors. The experiments results indicate that the LSA can improve the accuracy of emergency plan retrieval efficiently.

  2. The interpretation of dream meaning: Resolving ambiguity using Latent Semantic Analysis in a small corpus of text.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Altszyler, Edgar; Ribeiro, Sidarta; Sigman, Mariano; Fernández Slezak, Diego

    2017-11-01

    Computer-based dreams content analysis relies on word frequencies within predefined categories in order to identify different elements in text. As a complementary approach, we explored the capabilities and limitations of word-embedding techniques to identify word usage patterns among dream reports. These tools allow us to quantify words associations in text and to identify the meaning of target words. Word-embeddings have been extensively studied in large datasets, but only a few studies analyze semantic representations in small corpora. To fill this gap, we compared Skip-gram and Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) capabilities to extract semantic associations from dream reports. LSA showed better performance than Skip-gram in small size corpora in two tests. Furthermore, LSA captured relevant word associations in dream collection, even in cases with low-frequency words or small numbers of dreams. Word associations in dreams reports can thus be quantified by LSA, which opens new avenues for dream interpretation and decoding. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Expanding the boundaries of local similarity analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Durno, W Evan; Hanson, Niels W; Konwar, Kishori M; Hallam, Steven J

    2013-01-01

    Pairwise comparison of time series data for both local and time-lagged relationships is a computationally challenging problem relevant to many fields of inquiry. The Local Similarity Analysis (LSA) statistic identifies the existence of local and lagged relationships, but determining significance through a p-value has been algorithmically cumbersome due to an intensive permutation test, shuffling rows and columns and repeatedly calculating the statistic. Furthermore, this p-value is calculated with the assumption of normality -- a statistical luxury dissociated from most real world datasets. To improve the performance of LSA on big datasets, an asymptotic upper bound on the p-value calculation was derived without the assumption of normality. This change in the bound calculation markedly improved computational speed from O(pm²n) to O(m²n), where p is the number of permutations in a permutation test, m is the number of time series, and n is the length of each time series. The bounding process is implemented as a computationally efficient software package, FASTLSA, written in C and optimized for threading on multi-core computers, improving its practical computation time. We computationally compare our approach to previous implementations of LSA, demonstrate broad applicability by analyzing time series data from public health, microbial ecology, and social media, and visualize resulting networks using the Cytoscape software. The FASTLSA software package expands the boundaries of LSA allowing analysis on datasets with millions of co-varying time series. Mapping metadata onto force-directed graphs derived from FASTLSA allows investigators to view correlated cliques and explore previously unrecognized network relationships. The software is freely available for download at: http://www.cmde.science.ubc.ca/hallam/fastLSA/.

  4. Multichannel biomedical time series clustering via hierarchical probabilistic latent semantic analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jin; Sun, Xiangping; Nahavandi, Saeid; Kouzani, Abbas; Wu, Yuchuan; She, Mary

    2014-11-01

    Biomedical time series clustering that automatically groups a collection of time series according to their internal similarity is of importance for medical record management and inspection such as bio-signals archiving and retrieval. In this paper, a novel framework that automatically groups a set of unlabelled multichannel biomedical time series according to their internal structural similarity is proposed. Specifically, we treat a multichannel biomedical time series as a document and extract local segments from the time series as words. We extend a topic model, i.e., the Hierarchical probabilistic Latent Semantic Analysis (H-pLSA), which was originally developed for visual motion analysis to cluster a set of unlabelled multichannel time series. The H-pLSA models each channel of the multichannel time series using a local pLSA in the first layer. The topics learned in the local pLSA are then fed to a global pLSA in the second layer to discover the categories of multichannel time series. Experiments on a dataset extracted from multichannel Electrocardiography (ECG) signals demonstrate that the proposed method performs better than previous state-of-the-art approaches and is relatively robust to the variations of parameters including length of local segments and dictionary size. Although the experimental evaluation used the multichannel ECG signals in a biometric scenario, the proposed algorithm is a universal framework for multichannel biomedical time series clustering according to their structural similarity, which has many applications in biomedical time series management. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Enhancing multilingual latent semantic analysis with term alignment information.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chew, Peter A.; Bader, Brett William

    2008-08-01

    Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) is based on the Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) of a term-by-document matrix for identifying relationships among terms and documents from co-occurrence patterns. Among the multiple ways of computing the SVD of a rectangular matrix X, one approach is to compute the eigenvalue decomposition (EVD) of a square 2 x 2 composite matrix consisting of four blocks with X and XT in the off-diagonal blocks and zero matrices in the diagonal blocks. We point out that significant value can be added to LSA by filling in some of the values in the diagonal blocks (corresponding to explicit term-to-term or document-to-document associations) and computing a term-by-concept matrix from the EVD. For the case of multilingual LSA, we incorporate information on cross-language term alignments of the same sort used in Statistical Machine Translation (SMT). Since all elements of the proposed EVD-based approach can rely entirely on lexical statistics, hardly any price is paid for the improved empirical results. In particular, the approach, like LSA or SMT, can still be generalized to virtually any language(s); computation of the EVD takes similar resources to that of the SVD since all the blocks are sparse; and the results of EVD are just as economical as those of SVD.

  6. La participación de los trabajadores en el capital social mediante operaciones de asistencia financiera. Especial referencia al art. 81.2 LSA

    OpenAIRE

    Nieto Rojas, Patricia

    2007-01-01

    La integración de los trabajadores en el capital social puede ser instrumentada mediante diferentes vías: distribución gratuita de acciones, entrega de opciones sobre acciones o mediante la asistencia financiera para la adquisición de acciones; el objetivo del presente artículo es analizar las implicaciones laborales de este último mecanismo previsto en el artículo 81.2 LSA que exceptúa de la prohibición general de asistencia financiera a los negocios dirigidos a facilitar la adquisición de a...

  7. Gympa på skärmen : En kvalitativ studie om IKT-stöd i undervisning i idrott och hälsa

    OpenAIRE

    Herco, Adnan

    2017-01-01

    Syftet med föreliggande studie var att undersöka elevernas upplevelser och erfarenheter av IKT-stöd i undervisningen i idrott och hälsa och hur användningen av IKT bidrog till deras lärande. Den metod som användes i studien var kvalitativa intervjuer genom stimulated recall och nio elever från en högstadieskola intervjuades. Eleverna som intervjuades i studien hade deltagit i IKT-stödd undervisning under en tvåårsperiod där en del av lektionerna spelades in på video. Videodokumentationens syf...

  8. Development of guidance on applications of regulatory requirements for low specific activity materials and surface contaminated objects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pope, R.B.; Easton, E.P.; Shankman, S.F.

    1997-01-01

    In 1985, the International Atomic Energy Agency issued revised regulations for the safe transport of radioactive material. Significant among the changes were major revisions to requirements for Low Specific Activity (LSA) material and Surface Contaminated Objects (SCOs). In preparation for the adoption of these requirements into regulations in the United States, it became apparent that guidance on how to apply these requirements, clarifying technical uncertainties and ensuring proper implementation, would be needed both by the regulators and those regulated. Thus, the US Department of Transportation and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, with the assistance of staff from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, are preparing regulatory guidance for LSA material and SCO transport. The guidance will present examples of acceptable methods for demonstrating compliance with the revised rules. Ideas being investigated for inclusion in the pending guidance are discussed in this paper. Under current plans, the guidance will be issued for public comment prior to final issuance of the guidance in 1997

  9. Development of guidance on applications of regulatory requirements for low specific activity materials and surface contaminated objects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pope, R.B.; Easton, E.P.; Shankman, S.F.; Boyle, R.W.

    1997-01-01

    In 1985, the International Atomic Energy Agency issued revised regulations for the safe transport of radioactive material. Significant among the changes were major revisions to requirements for Low Specific Activity (LSA) material and Surface Contaminated Objects (SCOs). In preparation for the adoption of these requirements into regulations in the United States, it became apparent that guidance on how to apply these requirements, clarifying technical uncertainties and ensuring proper implementation, would be needed both by the regulators and those regulated. Thus, the US Department of Transportation and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, with the assistance of staff from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, are preparing regulatory guidance for LSA material and SCO transport. The guidance will present examples of acceptable methods for demonstrating compliance with the revised rules. Ideas being investigated for inclusion in the pending guidance are discussed in this paper. Under current plans, the guidance will be issued for public comment prior to final issue of the guidance in 1997. (Author)

  10. Guidance and methods for satisfying low specific activity material and surface contaminated object regulatory requirements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pope, R.B.; Shappert, L.B.; Michelhaugh, R.D.; Boyle, R.W.; Easton, E.P.; Coodk, J.R.

    1998-01-01

    The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) have prepared a comprehensive set of draft guidance for shippers and inspectors to use when applying the newly imposed regulatory requirements for low specific activity (LSA) material and surface contaminated objects (SCOs). These requirements represent significant departures in some areas from the manner in which these materials and objects were regulated by the earlier versions of the regulations. The proper interpretation and application of the regulatory criteria can require a fairly complex set of decisions be made. To assist those trying these regulatory requirements, a detailed set of logic-flow diagrams representing decisions related to multiple factors were prepared and included in the draft report for comment on Categorizing and Transporting Low Specific Activity Materials and Surface Contaminated Objects, (DOT/NRC, 1997). These logic-flow diagrams, as developed, are specific to the U.S. regulations, but were readily adaptable to the IAEA regulations. The diagrams have been modified accordingly and tied directly to specific paragraphs in IAEA Safety Series No. 6. This paper provides the logic-flow diagrams adapted in the IAEA regulations, and demonstrated how these diagrams can be used to assist consignors and inspectors in assessing compliance of shipments with the LSA material and SCO regulatory requirements. (authors)

  11. Effects of a laser surface processing induced heat-affected zone on the fatigue behavior of AISI 4340 steel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McDaniels, R.L.; White, S.A.; Liaw, K.; Chen, L.; McCay, M.H.; Liaw, P.K.

    2008-01-01

    The effects of the heat-affected zone (HAZ) in AISI 4340 steel created by laser-surface alloying (LSA) on high-cycle fatigue behavior have been investigated. This research was performed by producing several lots of laser-processed AISI 4340 steel using different laser processing parameters, and then subjecting the samples to high-cycle fatigue and Knoop microindentation hardness studies. Samples of tested material from each lot were examined using scanning-electron microscopy (SEM) in order to establish the effects of laser processing on the microstructure of the fatigue-tested AISI 4340 steel. When these three techniques, microindentation hardness testing, high-cycle fatigue testing, and SEM, are combined, a mechanistic understanding of the effect of the HAZ on the fatigue behavior of this alloy might be gained. It was found that the HAZ did not appear to have an adverse effect on the high-cycle fatigue behavior of LSA-processed AISI 4340 steel

  12. Cross-Language Plagiarism Detection System Using Latent Semantic Analysis and Learning Vector Quantization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anak Agung Putri Ratna

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Computerized cross-language plagiarism detection has recently become essential. With the scarcity of scientific publications in Bahasa Indonesia, many Indonesian authors frequently consult publications in English in order to boost the quantity of scientific publications in Bahasa Indonesia (which is currently rising. Due to the syntax disparity between Bahasa Indonesia and English, most of the existing methods for automated cross-language plagiarism detection do not provide satisfactory results. This paper analyses the probability of developing Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA for a computerized cross-language plagiarism detector for two languages with different syntax. To improve performance, various alterations in LSA are suggested. By using a linear vector quantization (LVQ classifier in the LSA and taking into account the Frobenius norm, output has reached up to 65.98% in accuracy. The results of the experiments showed that the best accuracy achieved is 87% with a document size of 6 words, and the document definition size must be kept below 10 words in order to maintain high accuracy. Additionally, based on experimental results, this paper suggests utilizing the frequency occurrence method as opposed to the binary method for the term–document matrix construction.

  13. Leptospira surface adhesin (Lsa21) induces Toll like receptor 2 and 4 mediated inflammatory responses in macrophages

    OpenAIRE

    Syed M. Faisal; Vivek P. Varma; M. Subathra; Sarwar Azam; Anil K. Sunkara; Mohd Akif; Mirza. S. Baig; Yung-Fu Chang

    2016-01-01

    Leptospirosis is zoonotic and emerging infectious disease of global importance. Little is understood about Leptospira pathogenesis and host immune response. In the present work we have investigated how Leptospira modulates the host innate immune response mediated by Toll-like receptors (TLRs) via surface exposed proteins. We screened Leptospira outer membrane/surface proteins for their ability to activate/inhibit TLR2/4 signaling in HEK293 cell lines. Of these the 21?kDa Leptospira surface ad...

  14. Features of Two New Proteins with OmpA-Like Domains Identified in the Genome Sequences of Leptospira interrogans

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teixeira, Aline F.; de Morais, Zenaide M.; Kirchgatter, Karin; Romero, Eliete C.; Vasconcellos, Silvio A.; Nascimento, Ana Lucia T. O.

    2015-01-01

    Leptospirosis is an acute febrile disease caused by pathogenic spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. It is considered an important re-emerging infectious disease that affects humans worldwide. The knowledge about the mechanisms by which pathogenic leptospires invade and colonize the host remains limited since very few virulence factors contributing to the pathogenesis of the disease have been identified. Here, we report the identification and characterization of two new leptospiral proteins with OmpA-like domains. The recombinant proteins, which exhibit extracellular matrix-binding properties, are called Lsa46 - LIC13479 and Lsa77 - LIC10050 (Leptospiral surface adhesins of 46 and 77 kDa, respectively). Attachment of Lsa46 and Lsa77 to laminin was specific, dose dependent and saturable, with KD values of 24.3 ± 17.0 and 53.0 ± 17.5 nM, respectively. Lsa46 and Lsa77 also bind plasma fibronectin, and both adhesins are plasminogen (PLG)-interacting proteins, capable of generating plasmin (PLA) and as such, increase the proteolytic ability of leptospires. The proteins corresponding to Lsa46 and Lsa77 are present in virulent L. interrogans L1-130 and in saprophyte L. biflexa Patoc 1 strains, as detected by immunofluorescence. The adhesins are recognized by human leptospirosis serum samples at the onset and convalescent phases of the disease, suggesting that they are expressed during infection. Taken together, our data could offer valuable information to the understanding of leptospiral pathogenesis. PMID:25849456

  15. Features of two new proteins with OmpA-like domains identified in the genome sequences of Leptospira interrogans.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aline F Teixeira

    Full Text Available Leptospirosis is an acute febrile disease caused by pathogenic spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. It is considered an important re-emerging infectious disease that affects humans worldwide. The knowledge about the mechanisms by which pathogenic leptospires invade and colonize the host remains limited since very few virulence factors contributing to the pathogenesis of the disease have been identified. Here, we report the identification and characterization of two new leptospiral proteins with OmpA-like domains. The recombinant proteins, which exhibit extracellular matrix-binding properties, are called Lsa46 - LIC13479 and Lsa77 - LIC10050 (Leptospiral surface adhesins of 46 and 77 kDa, respectively. Attachment of Lsa46 and Lsa77 to laminin was specific, dose dependent and saturable, with KD values of 24.3 ± 17.0 and 53.0 ± 17.5 nM, respectively. Lsa46 and Lsa77 also bind plasma fibronectin, and both adhesins are plasminogen (PLG-interacting proteins, capable of generating plasmin (PLA and as such, increase the proteolytic ability of leptospires. The proteins corresponding to Lsa46 and Lsa77 are present in virulent L. interrogans L1-130 and in saprophyte L. biflexa Patoc 1 strains, as detected by immunofluorescence. The adhesins are recognized by human leptospirosis serum samples at the onset and convalescent phases of the disease, suggesting that they are expressed during infection. Taken together, our data could offer valuable information to the understanding of leptospiral pathogenesis.

  16. Laser surface alloying (LSA) of aluminium (AA 1200) with TiB2 for hardness improvement

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Popoola, AP

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available The present work deals with the development of Aluminium metal matrix composite (MMC) using TiB2 reinforcement. The aim is to improve the microhardness property of the substrate. The surface of the aluminium was sand blasted to improve its laser...

  17. Evaluation of two novel leptospiral proteins for their interaction with human host components.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Lucas P; Fernandes, Luis G V; Vieira, Monica L; de Souza, Gisele O; Heinemann, Marcos B; Vasconcellos, Silvio A; Romero, Eliete C; Nascimento, Ana L T O

    2016-07-01

    Pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira are the etiological agents of leptospirosis, the most widespread zoonosis. Mechanisms involved in leptospiral pathogenesis are not well understood. By data mining the genome sequences of Leptospira interrogans we have identified two proteins predicted to be surface exposed, LIC10821 and LIC10064. Immunofluorescence and proteinase K assays confirmed that the proteins are exposed. Reactivity of the recombinant proteins with human sera has shown that rLIC10821, but not rLIC10064, is recognized by antibodies in confirmed leptospirosis serum samples, suggesting its expression during infection. The rLIC10821 was able to bind laminin, in a dose-dependent fashion, and was called Lsa37 (leptospiral surface adhesin of 37 kDa). Studies with human plasma components demonstrated that rLIC10821 interacts with plasminogen (PLG) and fibrinogen (Fg). The binding of Lsa37 with PLG generates plasmin when PLG activator was added. Fibrin clotting reduction was observed in a thrombin-catalyzed reaction, when Fg was incubated with Lsa37, suggesting that this protein may interfere in the coagulation cascade during the disease. Although LIC10064 protein is more abundant than the corresponding Lsa37, binding activity with all the components tested was not detected. Thus, Lsa37 is a novel versatile adhesin that may mediate Leptospira-host interactions. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  18. A simplified ALARA approach to demonstration of compliance with surface contaminated object regulatory requirements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pope, R.B.; Shappert, L.B.; Michelhaugh, R.D.; Boyle, R.W.; Cook, J.C.

    1998-02-01

    The US Department of Transportation (DOT) and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) have jointly prepared a comprehensive set of draft guidance for consignors and inspectors to use when applying the newly imposed regulatory requirements for low specific activity (LSA) material and surface contaminated objects (SCOs). The guidance is being developed to facilitate compliance with the new LSA material and SCO requirements, not to impose additional requirements. These new requirements represent, in some areas, significant departures from the manner in which packaging and transportation of these materials and objects were previously controlled. On occasion, it may be appropriate to use conservative approaches to demonstrate compliance with some of the requirements, ensuring that personnel are not exposed to radiation at unnecessary levels, so that exposures are kept as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA). In the draft guidance, one such approach would assist consignors preparing a shipment of a large number of SCOs in demonstrating compliance without unnecessarily exposing personnel. In applying this approach, users need to demonstrate that four conditions are met. These four conditions are used to categorize non-activated, contaminated objects as SCO-2. It is expected that, by applying this approach, it will be possible to categorize a large number of small contaminated objects as SCO-2 without the need for detailed, quantitative measurements of fixed, accessible contamination, or of total (fixed and non-fixed) contamination on inaccessible surfaces. The method, which is based upon reasoned argument coupled with limited measurements and the application of a sum of fractions rule, is described and examples of its use are provided

  19. Transportation impact analysis for the shipment of Low Specific Activity Nitric Acid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Green, J.R.

    1994-01-01

    This document was written in support of the Plutonium-Uranium Extraction (PUREX) Facility Low Specific Activity (LSA) Nitric Acid Shipment Environmental Assessment. It analyzes the potential toxicological and radiological risks associated with the transportation of PUREX Facility LSA Nitric Acid from the Hanford Site in Washington State to three Eastern ports

  20. Preliminary analysis on in-core fuel management optimization of molten salt pebble-bed reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xia Bing; Jing Xingqing; Xu Xiaolin; Lv Yingzhong

    2013-01-01

    The Nuclear Hot Spring (NHS) is a molten salt pebble-bed reactor featured by full power natural circulation. The unique horizontal coolant flow of the NHS demands the fuel recycling schemes based on radial zoning refueling and the corresponding method of fuel management optimization. The local searching algorithm (LSA) and the simulated annealing algorithm (SAA), the stochastic optimization methods widely used in the refueling optimization problems in LWRs, were applied to the analysis of refueling optimization of the NHS. The analysis results indicate that, compared with the LSA, the SAA can survive the traps of local optimized solutions and reach the global optimized solution, and the quality of optimization of the SAA is independent of the choice of the initial solution. The optimization result gives excellent effects on the in-core power flattening and the suppression of fuel center temperature. For the one-dimensional zoning refueling schemes of the NHS, the SAA is an appropriate optimization method. (authors)

  1. Transportation impact analysis for the shipment of low specific activity nitric acid. Revisison 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Green, J.R.

    1995-01-01

    This is in support of the Plutonium-Uranium Extraction (PUREX) Facility Low Specific Activity (LSA) Nitric Acid Shipment Environmental Assessment. It analyzes potential toxicological and radiological risks associated with transportation of PUREX Facility LSA Nitric Acid from the Hanford Site to Portsmouth VA, Baltimore MD, and Port Elizabeth NJ

  2. Transportation impact analysis for the shipment of low specific activity nitric acid. Revisison 1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Green, J.R.

    1995-05-16

    This is in support of the Plutonium-Uranium Extraction (PUREX) Facility Low Specific Activity (LSA) Nitric Acid Shipment Environmental Assessment. It analyzes potential toxicological and radiological risks associated with transportation of PUREX Facility LSA Nitric Acid from the Hanford Site to Portsmouth VA, Baltimore MD, and Port Elizabeth NJ.

  3. Photovoltaic module reliability improvement through application testing and failure analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dumas, L. N.; Shumka, A.

    1982-01-01

    During the first four years of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Photovoltatic Program, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Low-Cost Solar Array (LSA) Project purchased about 400 kW of photovoltaic modules for test and experiments. In order to identify, report, and analyze test and operational problems with the Block Procurement modules, a problem/failure reporting and analysis system was implemented by the LSA Project with the main purpose of providing manufacturers with feedback from test and field experience needed for the improvement of product performance and reliability. A description of the more significant types of failures is presented, taking into account interconnects, cracked cells, dielectric breakdown, delamination, and corrosion. Current design practices and reliability evaluations are also discussed. The conducted evaluation indicates that current module designs incorporate damage-resistant and fault-tolerant features which address field failure mechanisms observed to date.

  4. From analysis to surface

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bemman, Brian; Meredith, David

    it with a “ground truth” analysis of the same music pro- duced by a human expert (see, in particular, [5]). In this paper, we explore the problem of generating an encoding of the musical surface of a work automatically from a systematic encoding of an analysis. The ability to do this depends on one having...... an effective (i.e., comput- able), correct and complete description of some aspect of the structure of the music. Generating the surface struc- ture of a piece from an analysis in this manner serves as a proof of the analysis' correctness, effectiveness and com- pleteness. We present a reductive analysis......In recent years, a significant body of research has focused on developing algorithms for computing analyses of mu- sical works automatically from encodings of these works' surfaces [3,4,7,10,11]. The quality of the output of such analysis algorithms is typically evaluated by comparing...

  5. Surface analysis the principal techniques

    CERN Document Server

    Vickerman, John C

    2009-01-01

    This completely updated and revised second edition of Surface Analysis: The Principal Techniques, deals with the characterisation and understanding of the outer layers of substrates, how they react, look and function which are all of interest to surface scientists. Within this comprehensive text, experts in each analysis area introduce the theory and practice of the principal techniques that have shown themselves to be effective in both basic research and in applied surface analysis. Examples of analysis are provided to facilitate the understanding of this topic and to show readers how they c

  6. Guidance For The Proper Characterization And Classification Of Low Specific Activity Materials And Surface Contaminated Objects For Disposal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Portsmouth, J.H.; Blackford, L.T.

    2012-01-01

    Regulatory concerns over the proper characterization of certain waste streams led CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company (CHPRC) to develop written guidance for personnel involved in Decontamination and Decommissioning (D and D) activities, facility management and Waste Management Representatives (WMRs) involved in the designation of wastes for disposal on and off the Hanford Site. It is essential that these waste streams regularly encountered in D and D operations are properly designated, characterized and classified prior to shipment to a Treatment, Storage or Disposal Facility (TSDF). Shipments of waste determined by the classification process as Low Specific Activity (LSA) or Surface Contaminated Objects (SCO) must also be compliant with all applicable U.S. Department of Transportation (DOE) regulations as well as Department of Energy (DOE) orders. The compliant shipment of these waste commodities is critical to the Hanford Central Plateau cleanup mission. Due to previous problems and concerns from DOE assessments, CHPRC internal critiques as well as DOT, a management decision was made to develop written guidance and procedures to assist CHPRC shippers and facility personnel in the proper classification of D and D waste materials as either LSA or SCO. The guidance provides a uniform methodology for the collection and documentation required to effectively characterize, classify and identify candidate materials for shipping operations. A primary focus is to ensure that waste materials generated from D and D and facility operations are compliant with the DOT regulations when packaged for shipment. At times this can be difficult as the current DOT regulations relative to the shipment of LSA and SCO materials are often not clear to waste generators. Guidance is often sought from NUREG 1608/RAMREG-003 (3): a guidance document that was jointly developed by the DOT and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and published in 1998. However, NUREG 1608 (3) is now thirteen

  7. Lung sound analysis helps localize airway inflammation in patients with bronchial asthma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shimoda T

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Terufumi Shimoda,1 Yasushi Obase,2 Yukio Nagasaka,3 Hiroshi Nakano,1 Akiko Ishimatsu,1 Reiko Kishikawa,1 Tomoaki Iwanaga1 1Clinical Research Center, Fukuoka National Hospital, Fukuoka, 2Second Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 3Kyoto Respiratory Center, Otowa Hospital, Kyoto, Japan Purpose: Airway inflammation can be detected by lung sound analysis (LSA at a single point in the posterior lower lung field. We performed LSA at 7 points to examine whether the technique could identify the location of airway inflammation in patients with asthma. Patients and methods: Breath sounds were recorded at 7 points on the body surface of 22 asthmatic subjects. Inspiration sound pressure level (ISPL, expiration sound pressure level (ESPL, and the expiration-to-inspiration sound pressure ratio (E/I were calculated in 6 frequency bands. The data were analyzed for potential correlation with spirometry, airway hyperresponsiveness (PC20, and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO. Results: The E/I data in the frequency range of 100–400 Hz (E/I low frequency [LF], E/I mid frequency [MF] were better correlated with the spirometry, PC20, and FeNO values than were the ISPL or ESPL data. The left anterior chest and left posterior lower recording positions were associated with the best correlations (forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity: r=–0.55 and r=–0.58; logPC20: r=–0.46 and r=–0.45; and FeNO: r=0.42 and r=0.46, respectively. The majority of asthmatic subjects with FeNO ≥70 ppb exhibited high E/I MF levels in all lung fields (excluding the trachea and V50%pred <80%, suggesting inflammation throughout the airway. Asthmatic subjects with FeNO <70 ppb showed high or low E/I MF levels depending on the recording position, indicating uneven airway inflammation. Conclusion: E/I LF and E/I MF are more useful LSA parameters for evaluating airway inflammation in bronchial asthma; 7-point lung

  8. Concurrent validity of the Swedish version of the life-space assessment questionnaire

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sofi Fristedt

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The Life-Space Assessment (LSA, developed in the USA, is an instrument focusing on mobility with respect to reaching different areas defined as life-spaces, extending from the room where the person sleeps to mobility outside one’s hometown. A newly translated Swedish version of the LSA (LSA-S has been tested for test-retest reliability, but the validity remains to be tested. The purpose of the present study was to examine the concurrent validity of the LSA-S, by comparing and correlating the LSA scores to other measures of mobility. Method The LSA was included in a population-based study of health, functioning and mobility among older persons in Sweden, and the present analysis comprised 312 community-dwelling participants. To test the concurrent validity, the LSA scores were compared to a number of other mobility-related variables, including the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB as well as “stair climbing”, “transfers”, “transportation”, “food shopping”, “travel for pleasure” and “community activities”. The LSA total mean scores for different levels of the other mobility-related variables, and measures of correlation were calculated. Results Higher LSA total mean scores were observed with higher levels of all the other mobility related variables. Most of the correlations between the LSA and the other mobility variables were large (r = 0.5–1.0 and significant at the 0.01 level. The LSA total score, as well as independent life-space and assistive life-space correlated with transportation (0.63, 0.66, 0.64 and food shopping (0.55, 0.58, 0.55. Assistive life-space also correlated with SPPB (0.47. With respect to maximal life-space, the correlations with the mobility-related variables were generally lower (below 0.5, probably since this aspect of life-space mobility is highly influenced by social support and is not so dependent on the individual’s own physical function. Conclusion LSA was

  9. IAEA co-ordinated research programme on the transport of low specific activity materials and surface contaminated objects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gray, I.L.S.

    2000-01-01

    The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) prepares regulations for the safe transport of radioactive material, and periodically revised editions of these are published. These regulations are adopted by individual countries across the world and by international organisations concerned with transport. Whilst it is desirable to have a stable framework of regulatory requirements, there is also a need to take account of technical advances and operational experience and revise the regulations. From time to time Co-ordinated Research Programmes (CRP) are established to investigate particular areas of the regulations that are giving concern. In 1996 the IAEA Standing Advisory Group on the Transport of Radioactive Material (SAGSTRAM) concluded that the requirements for classification, packaging and transport of low specific activity (LSA) material and surface contaminated objects (SCO) did not always have a strong radiation protection basis. Accordingly SAGSTRAM established a CRP with an overall objective to develop a dose-based approach for establishing LSA/SCO requirements. Six countries are participating in this CRP. Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, United Kingdom and United States. Each country is carrying out work that is outlined in agreements with the IAEA, with the work aimed at meeting the specific objective of the agreement and also contributing to achieving the overall objective of the CRP. Completion of the CRP usually involves the preparation of an IAEA TECDOC by a Consultant Services Meeting (CSM), and this TECDOC will summarise the work performed under the CRP and include any recommendations made by the CRP. Following the establishment of the CRP in 1997, the first Research Co-ordination Meeting (RCM) was held in December 1997. The second RCM was held in March 1999, with the final RCM planned for the end of 2000. The work being carried out by Brazil and Canada is focused upon the transport of uranium and thorium ores, and is a mixture of theoretical and

  10. Correlation of radiotherapy with serum total and lipid-bound sialic acid in OSCC patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saurabh Srivastava

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Context: Increased quantities of glycoconjugates such as Total Sialic Acid (TSA and Lipid-bound Sialic Acid (LSA have been detected in the plasma and serum of patients with various malignancies, indicating their usefulness in diagnosis or monitoring of the treatment modality. Aims: (1 To estimate and compare the serum TSA and LSA levels in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC patients before and after radiotherapy, as also in healthy individuals. (2 To determine the correlation, if any, between Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM staging and levels of TSA and LSA. (3 To determine the use of serum TSA and LSA as biomarkers of OSCC. Settings and Design: The study was designed as a case-control study and was undertaken in a dental college and cancer hospital. Materials and Methods: It was planned to estimate the serum TSA and LSA levels of 20 healthy individuals and of 20 OSCC patients, spectrophotometrically; before starting and one month after completion of radiotherapy. Statistical Analysis: The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 10.0 was used. Results: The mean serum TSA and LSA levels in OSCC patients decreased significantly after radiotherapy; however, they were still higher than the levels in the controls. In untreated OSCC patients, a statistically significant positive correlation was observed between the TNM stage of the disease and the serum TSA levels; but the same was not found between the TNM stage of the disease and the serum LSA levels. In OSCC, the serum TSA and LSA levels had a positive relationship with the TNM stages. These levels decreased significantly after radiotherapy. Conclusion: Serum TSA and LSA can be utilized as potential diagnostic and prognostic indicators in OSCC.

  11. Surface computing and collaborative analysis work

    CERN Document Server

    Brown, Judith; Gossage, Stevenson; Hack, Chris

    2013-01-01

    Large surface computing devices (wall-mounted or tabletop) with touch interfaces and their application to collaborative data analysis, an increasingly important and prevalent activity, is the primary topic of this book. Our goals are to outline the fundamentals of surface computing (a still maturing technology), review relevant work on collaborative data analysis, describe frameworks for understanding collaborative processes, and provide a better understanding of the opportunities for research and development. We describe surfaces as display technologies with which people can interact directly, and emphasize how interaction design changes when designing for large surfaces. We review efforts to use large displays, surfaces or mixed display environments to enable collaborative analytic activity. Collaborative analysis is important in many domains, but to provide concrete examples and a specific focus, we frequently consider analysis work in the security domain, and in particular the challenges security personne...

  12. Related Drupal Nodes Block

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van der Vegt, Wim

    2010-01-01

    Related Drupal Nodes Block This module exposes a block that uses Latent Semantic Analysis (Lsa) internally to suggest three nodes that are relevant to the node a user is viewing. This module performs three tasks. 1) It periodically indexes a Drupal site and generates a Lsa Term Document Matrix.

  13. Surface analysis and techniques in biology

    CERN Document Server

    Smentkowski, Vincent S

    2014-01-01

    This book highlights state-of-the-art surface analytical instrumentation, advanced data analysis tools, and the use of complimentary surface analytical instrumentation to perform a complete analysis of biological systems.

  14. Proximity-interference wake-induced vibration at subcritical Re: Mechanism analysis using a linear dynamic model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xintao; Zhang, Weiwei; Gao, Chuanqiang

    2018-03-01

    Wake-induced vibration (WIV) contains rich and complex phenomena due to the flow interference between cylinders. The aim of the present study is to gain physical insight into the intrinsic dynamics of WIV via linear stability analysis (LSA) of the fluid-structure interaction (FSI) system. A reduced-order-model-based linear dynamic model, combined with the direct computational fluid dynamics/computational structural dynamics simulation method, is adopted to investigate WIV in two identical tandem cylinders at low Re. The spacing ratio L/D, with L as the center-to-center distance and D as the diameter of cylinders, is selected as 2.0 to consider the effect of proximity flow interference. Results show that extensive WIV along with the vortex shedding could occur at subcritical Re conditions due to the instability of one coupled mode (i.e., coupled mode I, CM-I) of the FSI system. The eigenfrequency of CM-I transfers smoothly from close to the reduced natural frequency of structure to the eigenfrequency of uncoupled wake mode as the reduced velocity U* increases. Thus, CM-I characterizes as the structure mode (SM) at low U*, while it characterizes as the wake mode (WM) at large U*. Mode conversion of CM-I is the primary cause of the "frequency transition" phenomenon observed in WIV responses. Furthermore, LSA indicates that there exists a critical mass ratio mcr*, below which no upper instability boundary of CM-I exists (Uup p e r *→∞ ). The unbounded instability of CM-I ultimately leads to the "infinite WIV" phenomenon. The neutral stability boundaries for WIV in the (Re, U*) plane are determined through LSA. It is shown that the lowest Re possible for WIV regarding the present configuration is R el o w e s t≈34 . LSA accurately captures the dynamics of WIV at subcritical Re and reveals that it is essentially a fluid-elastic instability problem. This work lays a good foundation for the investigation of WIV at supercritical high Re and gives enlightenment to the

  15. Validating Quantitative Measurement Using Qualitative Data: Combining Rasch Scaling and Latent Semantic Analysis in Psychiatry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lange, Rense

    2015-02-01

    An extension of concurrent validity is proposed that uses qualitative data for the purpose of validating quantitative measures. The approach relies on Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) which places verbal (written) statements in a high dimensional semantic space. Using data from a medical / psychiatric domain as a case study - Near Death Experiences, or NDE - we established concurrent validity by connecting NDErs qualitative (written) experiential accounts with their locations on a Rasch scalable measure of NDE intensity. Concurrent validity received strong empirical support since the variance in the Rasch measures could be predicted reliably from the coordinates of their accounts in the LSA derived semantic space (R2 = 0.33). These coordinates also predicted NDErs age with considerable precision (R2 = 0.25). Both estimates are probably artificially low due to the small available data samples (n = 588). It appears that Rasch scalability of NDE intensity is a prerequisite for these findings, as each intensity level is associated (at least probabilistically) with a well- defined pattern of item endorsements.

  16. Management strategies for thoracic stent-graft repair of distal aortic arch lesions: is intentional subclavian artery occlusion a safe procedure?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fanelli, Fabrizio; Salvatori, Filippo Maria; Pucci, Armando; Lucatelli, Pierleone; Rossi, Plinio; Passariello, Roberto [University of Rome La Sapienza, Department of Radiological Sciences, Rome (Italy); Dake, Michael D. [Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery Radiology, Stanford, CA (United States); Mazzesi, Giuseppe [University of Rome La Sapienza, Institute of Heart and Great Vessels, Rome (Italy)

    2009-10-15

    The aim of this retrospective analysis was to assess the clinical consequences after intentional left subclavian artery (LSA) occlusion. Thirty-seven patients, 27 type B dissection and 10 thoracic aneurysm, with short proximal neck (less than 2 cm) underwent endovascular treatment with intentional exclusion of LSA origin. No immediate complications occurred. Mean arterial pressure gradient, between right and left arms, ranged from 15 to 45 mmHg. After a mean follow-up of 43.70{+-}24.01 months, mild left arm symptoms secondary to flow reduction occurred in eight cases (21.6%) but only one required LSA transposition, after 8 months, for visual impairment. Type II endoleaks from excluded LSA occurred in 10 cases (27.0%): in seven patients, leaks were treated with coils and/or glue embolization; in one case, leak sealed spontaneously; one patient died before leak embolization could occur; one patient refused any further treatment. Intentional exclusion of the LSA may be justified when a longer proximal landing zone in the aortic arch is required. (orig.)

  17. PHOTOGRAMMETRIC TECHNIQUES FOR ROAD SURFACE ANALYSIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. A. Knyaz

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The quality and condition of a road surface is of great importance for convenience and safety of driving. So the investigations of the behaviour of road materials in laboratory conditions and monitoring of existing roads are widely fulfilled for controlling a geometric parameters and detecting defects in the road surface. Photogrammetry as accurate non-contact measuring method provides powerful means for solving different tasks in road surface reconstruction and analysis. The range of dimensions concerned in road surface analysis can have great variation from tenths of millimetre to hundreds meters and more. So a set of techniques is needed to meet all requirements of road parameters estimation. Two photogrammetric techniques for road surface analysis are presented: for accurate measuring of road pavement and for road surface reconstruction based on imagery obtained from unmanned aerial vehicle. The first technique uses photogrammetric system based on structured light for fast and accurate surface 3D reconstruction and it allows analysing the characteristics of road texture and monitoring the pavement behaviour. The second technique provides dense 3D model road suitable for road macro parameters estimation.

  18. Analogous Three-Dimensional Constructive Interference in Steady State Sequences Enhance the Utility of Three-Dimensional Time of Flight Magnetic Resonance Angiography in Delineating Lenticulostriate Arteries in Insular Gliomas: Evidence from a Prospective Clinicoradiologic Analysis of 48 Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rao, Arun S; Thakar, Sumit; Sai Kiran, Narayanam Anantha; Aryan, Saritha; Mohan, Dilip; Hegde, Alangar S

    2018-01-01

    Three-dimensional (3D) time of flight (TOF) imaging is the current gold standard for noninvasive, preoperative localization of lenticulostriate arteries (LSAs) in insular gliomas; however, the utility of this modality depends on tumor intensity. Over a 3-year period, 48 consecutive patients with insular gliomas were prospectively evaluated. Location of LSAs and their relationship with the tumor were determined using a combination of contrast-enhanced coronal 3D TOF magnetic resonance angiography and coronal 3D constructive interference in steady state (CISS) sequences. These findings were analyzed with respect to extent of tumor resection and early postoperative motor outcome. Tumor was clearly visualized in 29 (60.4%) patients with T1-hypointense tumors using 3D TOF and in all patients using CISS sequences. Using combined 3D TOF and CISS, LSA-tumor interface was well seen in 47 patients, including all patients with T1-heterointense or T1-isointense tumors. Extent of resection was higher in the LSA-pushed group compared with the LSA-encased group. In the LSA-encased group, 6 (12.5%) patients developed postoperative hemiparesis; 2 (4.2%) cases were attributed to LSA injury. Contrast-enhanced 3D TOF can delineate LSAs in almost all insular gliomas but is limited in identifying the LSA-tumor interface. This limitation can be overcome by addition of analogous CISS sequences that delineate the LSA-tumor interface regardless of tumor intensity. Combined 3D TOF and 3D CISS is a useful tool for surgical planning and safer resections of insular tumors and may have added surgical relevance when included as an intraoperative adjunct. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. NASA Supportability Engineering Implementation Utilizing DoD Practices and Processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, David A.; Smith, John V.

    2010-01-01

    The Ares I design and development program made the determination early in the System Design Review Phase to utilize DoD ILS and LSA approach for supportability engineering as an integral part of the system engineering process. This paper is to provide a review of the overall approach to design Ares-I with an emphasis on a more affordable, supportable, and sustainable launch vehicle. Discussions will include the requirements development, design influence, support concept alternatives, ILS and LSA planning, Logistics support analyses/trades performed, LSA tailoring for NASA Ares Program, support system infrastructure identification, ILS Design Review documentation, Working Group coordination, and overall ILS implementation. At the outset, the Ares I Project initiated the development of the Integrated Logistics Support Plan (ILSP) and a Logistics Support Analysis process to provide a path forward for the management of the Ares-I ILS program and supportability analysis activities. The ILSP provide the initial planning and coordination between the Ares-I Project Elements and Ground Operation Project. The LSA process provided a system engineering approach in the development of the Ares-I supportability requirements; influence the design for supportability and development of alternative support concepts that satisfies the program operability requirements. The LSA planning and analysis results are documented in the Logistics Support Analysis Report. This document was required during the Ares-I System Design Review (SDR) and Preliminary Design Review (PDR) review cycles. To help coordinate the LSA process across the Ares-I project and between programs, the LSA Report is updated and released quarterly. A System Requirement Analysis was performed to determine the supportability requirements and technical performance measurements (TPMs). Two working groups were established to provide support in the management and implement the Ares-I ILS program, the Integrated Logistics

  20. The surface analysis methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deville, J.P.

    1998-01-01

    Nowadays, there are a lot of surfaces analysis methods, each having its specificity, its qualities, its constraints (for instance vacuum) and its limits. Expensive in time and in investment, these methods have to be used deliberately. This article appeals to non specialists. It gives some elements of choice according to the studied information, the sensitivity, the use constraints or the answer to a precise question. After having recalled the fundamental principles which govern these analysis methods, based on the interaction between radiations (ultraviolet, X) or particles (ions, electrons) with matter, two methods will be more particularly described: the Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and x-rays photoemission spectroscopy (ESCA or XPS). Indeed, they are the most widespread methods in laboratories, the easier for use and probably the most productive for the analysis of surface of industrial materials or samples submitted to treatments in aggressive media. (O.M.)

  1. The Efficiency of UVC Radiation in the Inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes on Beef-Agar Food Models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christian James

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study is to evaluate the eff ect of meat content and surface smoothness on the deactivation of Listeria monocytogenes in beef-agar food models achieved by shortwave ultraviolet (UVC light. Food models with various meat contents were made using chopped beef slices and agar solution. Prepared models together with a Listeria selective agar (LSA plate and a slice of cooked beef were inoculated with L. monocytogenes and then exposed to UVC light. Population of Listeria reduced to below the level of detection on the LSA plates. As the content of beef in the beef-agar models increased, more L. monocytogenes cells survived. Survival was greatest on the treated cooked slice of beef. To bett er understand the effect of surface irregularities, a white light interferometer was used to analyse the surface smoothness of beef-agar media and LSA plates. No correlation was observed between the surface roughness of seven out of nine types of produced beef-agar media and the degree of inactivation resulting from UVC radiation at the given dose, whereas, less bacterial cells were killed as beef content of the food models increased. The findings of the current study show that the chemical composition of the treated sample also plays an important role in pathogen resistance and survival, meaning that two samples with similar surface irregularities but diff erent chemical composition might produce very diff erent inactivation results when exposed to UVC light.

  2. Analysis of gravity data using trend surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asimopolos, Natalia-Silvia; Asimopolos, Laurentiu

    2013-04-01

    In this paper we have developed algorithms and related software programs for calculating of trend surfaces of higher order. These methods of analysis of trends, like mobile media applications are filtration systems for geophysical data in surface. In particular we presented few case studies for gravity data and gravity maps. Analysis with polynomial trend surfaces contributes to the recognition, isolation and measurement of trends that can be represented by surfaces or hyper-surfaces (in several sizes), thus achieving a separation in regional variations and local variations. This separation is achieved by adjusting the trend function at different values. Trend surfaces using the regression analysis satisfy the criterion of least squares. The difference between the surface of trend and the observed value in a certain point is the residual value. Residual sum of squares of these values should be minimal as the criterion of least squares. The trend surface is considered as regional or large-scale and the residual value will be regarded as local or small-scale component. Removing the regional trend has the effect of highlighting local components represented by residual values. Surface analysis and hyper-surfaces principles are applied to the surface trend and any number of dimensions. For hyper-surfaces we can work with polynomial functions with four or more variables (three variables of space and other variables for interest parameters) that have great importance in some applications. In the paper we presented the mathematical developments about generalized trend surfaces and case studies about gravimetric data. The trend surfaces have the great advantage that the effect of regional anomalies can be expressed as analytic functions. These tendency surfaces allows subsequent mathematical processing and interesting generalizations, with great advantage to work with polynomial functions compared with the original discrete data. For gravity data we estimate the depth of

  3. Applications of Text Analytics in the Intelligence Community

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-06-01

    which provides information well beyond the lexical level and reveals semantical relations between the entities of interest” ( Hofmann , 1999). The...Kintsch, 2013). 12 Figure 5. Geometric Representation of LSA. Source: Landauer et al. (2013) Hofmann (1999) introduces a probabilistic LSA...arguments. Berkeley, CA: SumUp LLC. Hofmann , T. (1999, July). Probabilistic latent semantic analysis. Proceedings of the Fifteenth Conference on

  4. Improving Land Surface Temperature Retrievals over Mountainous Regions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Virgílio A. Bento

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Algorithms for Land Surface Temperature (LST retrieval from infrared measurements are usually sensitive to the amount of water vapor present in the atmosphere. The Satellite Application Facilities on Climate Monitoring and Land Surface Analysis (CM SAF and LSA SAF are currently compiling a 25 year LST Climate data record (CDR, which uses water vapor information from ERA-Int reanalysis. However, its relatively coarse spatial resolution may lead to systematic errors in the humidity profiles with implications in LST, particularly over mountainous areas. The present study compares LST estimated with three different retrieval algorithms: a radiative transfer-based physical mono-window (PMW, a statistical mono-window (SMW, and a generalized split-windows (GSW. The algorithms were tested over the Alpine region using ERA-Int reanalysis data and relied on the finer spatial scale Consortium for Small-Scale Modelling (COSMO model data as a reference. Two methods were developed to correct ERA-Int water vapor misestimation: (1 an exponential parametrization of total precipitable water (TPW appropriate for SMW/GSW; and (2 a level reduction method to be used in PMW. When ERA-Int TPW was used, the algorithm missed the right TPW class in 87% of the cases. When the exponential parametrization was used, the missing class rate decreased to 9%, and when the level reduction method was applied, the LST corrections went up to 1.7 K over the study region. Overall, the correction for pixel orography in TPW leads to corrections in LST estimations, which are relevant to ensure that long-term LST records meet climate requirements, particularly over mountainous regions.

  5. Applications of surface analysis and surface theory in tribology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrante, John

    1989-01-01

    Tribology, the study of adhesion, friction and wear of materials, is a complex field which requires a knowledge of solid state physics, surface physics, chemistry, material science, and mechanical engineering. It has been dominated, however, by the more practical need to make equipment work. With the advent of surface analysis and advances in surface and solid-state theory, a new dimension has been added to the analysis of interactions at tribological interfaces. In this paper the applications of tribological studies and their limitations are presented. Examples from research at the NASA Lewis Research Center are given. Emphasis is on fundamental studies involving the effects of monolayer coverage and thick films on friction and wear. A summary of the current status of theoretical calculations of defect energetics is presented. In addition, some new theoretical techniques which enable simplified quantitative calculations of adhesion, fracture, and friction are discussed.

  6. Measurement and Analysis of Composition and Depth Profile of H in Amorphous Si1−xCx:H Films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wei, Hua; Shu-De, Yao; Kun, Wang; Zhi-Bo, Ding

    2008-01-01

    Composition in amorphous Si 1−X C x :H heteroepitaxial thin films on Si (100) by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) is analysed. The unknown x (0.45–0.57) and the depth profile of hydrogen in the thin films are characterized by Rutherford backscattering spectrum (RBS), resonance-nuclear reaction analysis (R-NRA) and elastic recoil detection (ERD), respectively. In addition, the depth profile of hydrogen in the unannealed thin films is compared to that of the annealed thin films with rapid thermal annealing (RTA) or laser spike annealing (LSA) in nitrogen atmosphere. The results indicate that the stoichiometric amorphous SiC can be produced by PECVD when the ratio of CH 4 /SiH 4 is approximately equal to 25. The content of hydrogen decreases suddenly from 35% to 1% after 1150° C annealing. RTA can reduce hydrogen in SiC films effectively than LSA. (cross-disciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

  7. Thoracic aortic stent-graft placement combined with left subclavian artery 'chimney operation': therapeutic analysis of 15 cases with insufficient proximal anchor area

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Jiayi; Huang Lianjun; Fan Zhanming; Zhang Zhaoqi

    2012-01-01

    Objective: To discuss the strategies for the management of insufficient proximal anchoring area during the performance of transluminal stent-graft placement (TSGP), and to evaluate the feasibility of intentional coverage of the left subclavian artery (LSA) together with left subclavian artery stent-graft placement by using 'chimney operation' technique. Methods: A total of 15 patients with thoracic aortic diseases complicated by insufficient proximal anchoring area, who were encountered in authors' hospital during the period from Dec. 2009 to April 2011, were enrolled in this study. The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. The thoracic aortic diseases included aortic dissection (n=6), aortic pseudoaneurysm (n=1), aortic aneurysm (n=4) and penetrating ulcer (n=4). Of the 15 patients, the distance between the lesion and LSA anchoring site 15 mm in 2. TSGP was carried out. The ostium of LSA was intentionally and completely covered by thoracic aortic stent-graft and left subclavian artery stent-graft placement was subsequently performed. The patients were kept under observation for symptoms of cerebral and upper limb ischemia. The postoperative complications such as endoleak and the patency of LSA were assessed with angiography. Results: Thoracic aortic stent-graft placement was successfully carried out in all 15 patients. In addition, one 'chimney' stent was properly implanted in LSA in each patient. After the procedure, no complications of nervous system or severe ischemia of upper extremity occurred. Follow-up examinations performed between 5 days to 3 months after the treatment revealed that the aortic stent-graft remained in stable condition and no type Ⅰ endoleak occurred, meanwhile the blood flow in 'chimney' stent was unobstructed. Conclusion: Intentional LSA coverage with 'chimney operation' can expand the applicability of TSGP with high tolerability. It is especially useful for patients with left vertebral artery blood supply dominance or with

  8. Repository surface design site layout analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Montalvo, H.R.

    1998-01-01

    The purpose of this analysis is to establish the arrangement of the Yucca Mountain Repository surface facilities and features near the North Portal. The analysis updates and expands the North Portal area site layout concept presented in the ACD, including changes to reflect the resizing of the Waste Handling Building (WHB), Waste Treatment Building (WTB), Carrier Preparation Building (CPB), and site parking areas; the addition of the Carrier Washdown Buildings (CWBs); the elimination of the Cask Maintenance Facility (CMF); and the development of a concept for site grading and flood control. The analysis also establishes the layout of the surface features (e.g., roads and utilities) that connect all the repository surface areas (North Portal Operations Area, South Portal Development Operations Area, Emplacement Shaft Surface Operations Area, and Development Shaft Surface Operations Area) and locates an area for a potential lag storage facility. Details of South Portal and shaft layouts will be covered in separate design analyses. The objective of this analysis is to provide a suitable level of design for the Viability Assessment (VA). The analysis was revised to incorporate additional material developed since the issuance of Revision 01. This material includes safeguards and security input, utility system input (size and location of fire water tanks and pump houses, potable water and sanitary sewage rates, size of wastewater evaporation pond, size and location of the utility building, size of the bulk fuel storage tank, and size and location of other exterior process equipment), main electrical substation information, redundancy of water supply and storage for the fire support system, and additional information on the storm water retention pond

  9. Laser composite surfacing of A681 steel with WC + Cr + Co for improved wear resistance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moisés Felipe Teixeira

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Laser surface alloying (LSA is a surface treatment technique. It involves the near surface melting by a powerful laser beam with a pre-deposited or concomitantly added alloying element along with a part of the underlying substrate to form a surface alloyed zone. In this paper, it is reported the treatment by laser surface alloying of a cold work steel ASTM A681 substrate simultaneously fed with a powder mixture of 86 wt.% WC + 8 wt.% Cr + 6 wt.% Co. It was carried out using a continuous wave λ = 1064 nm fiber-coupled diode laser with five different laser intensities – resulting in five specimens – and then studied and analyzed their microstructure, phases, composition and microhardness. One of these configurations was applied to enhance a deep drawing tool for automotive steel sheet stamping. The process modified the specimens near surface layer, from a ferritic structure into an austenitic matrix with a refined dendritic microstructure, with an enhanced surface hardness from 250 HV to ∼560 HV. The treated deep drawing tool showed remarkable wear improvement compared to a non-treated one after one thousand stamps. This result allows the process for industrial applications.

  10. Life-Space Assessment scale to assess mobility: validation in Latin American older women and men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curcio, Carmen-Lucia; Alvarado, Beatriz E; Gomez, Fernando; Guerra, Ricardo; Guralnik, Jack; Zunzunegui, Maria Victoria

    2013-10-01

    The Life-Space Assessment (LSA) instrument of the University of Alabama and Birmingham study is a useful and innovative measure of mobility in older populations. The purpose of this article was to assess the reliability, construct and convergent validity of the LSA in Latin American older populations. In a cross-sectional study, a total of 150 women and 150 men, aged 65-74 years, were recruited from seniors' community centers in Manizales, Colombia and Natal, Brazil. The LSA questionnaire summarizes where people travel (5 levels from room to places outside of town), how often and any assistance needed. Four LSA variables were obtained according to the maximum life space achieved and the level of independence. As correlates of LSA, education, perception of income sufficiency, depression, cognitive function, and functional measures (objective and subjectively measured) were explored. The possible modifying effect of the city on correlates of LSA was examined. Reliability for the composite LSA score was substantial (ICC = 0.70; 95 % CI 0.49-0.83) in Manizales. Average levels of LSA scores were higher in those with better functional performance and those who reported less mobility difficulties. Low levels of education, insufficient income, depressive symptoms, and low scores of cognitive function were all significantly related to lower LSA scores. Women in both cities were more likely to be restricted to their neighborhood and had lower LSA scores. This study provides evidence for the validity of LSA in two Latin American populations. Our results suggest that LSA is a good measure of mobility that reflects the interplay of physical functioning with gender and the social and physical environment.

  11. Inverse analysis of inner surface temperature history from outer surface temperature measurement of a pipe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kubo, S; Ioka, S; Onchi, S; Matsumoto, Y

    2010-01-01

    When slug flow runs through a pipe, nonuniform and time-varying thermal stresses develop and there is a possibility that thermal fatigue occurs. Therefore it is necessary to know the temperature distributions and the stress distributions in the pipe for the integrity assessment of the pipe. It is, however, difficult to measure the inner surface temperature directly. Therefore establishment of the estimation method of the temperature history on inner surface of pipe is needed. As a basic study on the estimation method of the temperature history on the inner surface of a pipe with slug flow, this paper presents an estimation method of the temperature on the inner surface of a plate from the temperature on the outer surface. The relationship between the temperature history on the outer surface and the inner surface is obtained analytically. Using the results of the mathematical analysis, the inverse analysis method of the inner surface temperature history estimation from the outer surface temperature history is proposed. It is found that the inner surface temperature history can be estimated from the outer surface temperature history by applying the inverse analysis method, even when it is expressed by the multiple frequency components.

  12. MASSIVELY PARALLEL LATENT SEMANTIC ANALYSES USING A GRAPHICS PROCESSING UNIT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cavanagh, J.; Cui, S.

    2009-01-01

    Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) aims to reduce the dimensions of large term-document datasets using Singular Value Decomposition. However, with the ever-expanding size of datasets, current implementations are not fast enough to quickly and easily compute the results on a standard PC. A graphics processing unit (GPU) can solve some highly parallel problems much faster than a traditional sequential processor or central processing unit (CPU). Thus, a deployable system using a GPU to speed up large-scale LSA processes would be a much more effective choice (in terms of cost/performance ratio) than using a PC cluster. Due to the GPU’s application-specifi c architecture, harnessing the GPU’s computational prowess for LSA is a great challenge. We presented a parallel LSA implementation on the GPU, using NVIDIA® Compute Unifi ed Device Architecture and Compute Unifi ed Basic Linear Algebra Subprograms software. The performance of this implementation is compared to traditional LSA implementation on a CPU using an optimized Basic Linear Algebra Subprograms library. After implementation, we discovered that the GPU version of the algorithm was twice as fast for large matrices (1 000x1 000 and above) that had dimensions not divisible by 16. For large matrices that did have dimensions divisible by 16, the GPU algorithm ran fi ve to six times faster than the CPU version. The large variation is due to architectural benefi ts of the GPU for matrices divisible by 16. It should be noted that the overall speeds for the CPU version did not vary from relative normal when the matrix dimensions were divisible by 16. Further research is needed in order to produce a fully implementable version of LSA. With that in mind, the research we presented shows that the GPU is a viable option for increasing the speed of LSA, in terms of cost/performance ratio.

  13. Extragenital lichen sclerosus et atrophicus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leelavathy Ganesan

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus (LSA is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis with anogenital and extragenital presentations. Extragenital lichen sclerosus is most common on the neck, shoulders and upper trunk. Linear lesions are uncommon in LSA. We report a case of linear extragenital LSA involving forehead and scalp, along with grouped white papules of LSA in the right side of the back in a postmenopausal woman. The patient showed atypical clinical presentation of LSA in face which clinically mimicked ′en coup de sabre′ as seen in morphea, but other clinical features suggested the diagnosis of LSA and the histopathological findings confirmed it.

  14. Applications of ion scattering in surface analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Armour, D.G.

    1981-01-01

    The study of ion scattering from surfaces has made an increasingly important contribution both to the development of highly surface specific analysis techniques and to the understanding of the atomic collision processes associated with ion bombardment of solid surfaces. From an analysis point of view, by appropriate choice of parameters such as ion energy and species, scattering geometry and target temperature, it is possible to study not only the composition of the surface layer but also the detailed atomic arrangement. The ion scattering technique is thus particularly useful for the study of surface compositional and structural changes caused by adsorption, thermal annealing or ion bombardment treatments of simple or composite materials. Ion bombardment induced desorption, damage or atomic mixing can also be effectively studied using scattering techniques. By reviewing the application of the technique to a variety of these technologically important surface investigations, it is possible to illustrate the way in which ion scattering has developed as the understanding of the underlying physics has improved. (author)

  15. SURFACE TEXTURE ANALYSIS FOR FUNCTIONALITY CONTROL

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    De Chiffre, Leonardo; Andreasen, Jan Lasson; Tosello, Guido

    This document is used in connection with three exercises of 3 hours duration as a part of the course VISION ONLINE – One week course on Precision & Nanometrology. The exercises concern surface texture analysis for functionality control, in connection with three different case stories. This docume...... contains a short description of each case story, 3-D roughness parameters analysis and relation with the product’s functionality.......This document is used in connection with three exercises of 3 hours duration as a part of the course VISION ONLINE – One week course on Precision & Nanometrology. The exercises concern surface texture analysis for functionality control, in connection with three different case stories. This document...

  16. The surface analysis methods; Les methodes d`analyse des surfaces

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Deville, J.P. [Institut de Physique et Chimie, 67 - Strasbourg (France)

    1998-11-01

    Nowadays, there are a lot of surfaces analysis methods, each having its specificity, its qualities, its constraints (for instance vacuum) and its limits. Expensive in time and in investment, these methods have to be used deliberately. This article appeals to non specialists. It gives some elements of choice according to the studied information, the sensitivity, the use constraints or the answer to a precise question. After having recalled the fundamental principles which govern these analysis methods, based on the interaction between radiations (ultraviolet, X) or particles (ions, electrons) with matter, two methods will be more particularly described: the Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and x-rays photoemission spectroscopy (ESCA or XPS). Indeed, they are the most widespread methods in laboratories, the easier for use and probably the most productive for the analysis of surface of industrial materials or samples submitted to treatments in aggressive media. (O.M.) 11 refs.

  17. Desempenho de Poedeiras Comerciais Alimentadas com Levedura Seca (Saccharomyces Crevisiae de Cana-de-Açúcar Performance of Commercial Brown Egg Layers Fed Dried Yeast (Saccharomyces Cerevisiae of Sugar-Cane

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    GAR Maia

    2001-05-01

    effect was observed for the variables feed intake (CR=117,03-0,34LSA+0,02LSA² and feed conversion for dozen of eggs (CADO=1,48-0,0025LSA+0,00023LSA². Linear effect was observed for the variable feed egg mass ratio (CAMO=1,867+0,0072LSA. The use of up to 14% of LSA provided similar performance as compared to that obtained with the diet based on corn and soybean meal. The economic analysis shows that LSA can be used up to 28%.

  18. Surface structure analysis by means of Rutherford scattering: methods to study surface relaxation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Turkenburg, W.C.; Soszka, W.; Saris, F.W.; Kersten, H.H.; Colenbrander, B.G.

    1976-01-01

    The use of Rutherford backscattering for structural analysis of single crystal surfaces is reviewed, and a new method is introduced. With this method, which makes use of the channeling and blocking phenomenon of light ions of medium energy, surface atoms can be located with a precision of 0.02 A. This is demonstrated in a measurement of surface relaxation for the Cu(110) surface. (Auth.)

  19. SECTION 6.2 SURFACE TOPOGRAPHY ANALYSIS

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Seah, M. P.; De Chiffre, Leonardo

    2005-01-01

    Surface physical analysis, i.e. topography characterisation, encompasses measurement, visualisation, and quantification. This is critical for both component form and for surface finish at macro-, micro- and nano-scales. The principal methods of surface topography measurement are stylus profilometry......, optical scanning techniques, and scanning probe microscopy (SPM). These methods, based on acquisition of topography data from point by point scans, give quantitative information of heights with respect to position. Based on a different approach, the so-called integral methods produce parameters...

  20. Using Latent Semantic Analysis to Identify Quality in Use (QU) Indicators from User Reviews

    OpenAIRE

    Syn, Wendy Tan Wei; How, Bong Chih; Atoum, Issa

    2015-01-01

    The paper describes a novel approach to categorize users' reviews according to the three Quality in Use (QU) indicators defined in ISO: effectiveness, efficiency and freedom from risk. With the tremendous amount of reviews published each day, there is a need to automatically summarize user reviews to inform us if any of the software able to meet requirement of a company according to the quality requirements. We implemented the method of Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) and its subspace to predi...

  1. Information Foraging Theory: A Framework for Intelligence Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-11-01

    oceanographic information, human intelligence (HUMINT), open-source intelligence ( OSINT ), and information provided by other governmental departments [1][5...Human Intelligence IFT Information Foraging Theory LSA Latent Semantic Similarity MVT Marginal Value Theorem OFT Optimal Foraging Theory OSINT

  2. Surface analysis by RBS and NRA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Braun, M.

    1984-01-01

    The use of Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) and nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) for surface analysis is discussed. For the RBS technique, emphasis is laid on cases which are not discussed in existing review articles of the subject. The present work intends to describe a calculation procedure with the aid of which it is possible to obtain the depth distribution of a high concentration and non-homogeneously binary compound sample. This complicates the determination of the stopping and scattering cross-sections of the incoming particles at a certain depth below the surface. In addition, a method is described by which the thickness and composition of a two-element film, deposited on a single-element substrate, can be determined by RBS. One advantage with the method presented here is that it is not necessary to detect any signals from the lighter component of the film, in order to determine the composition. This improves the RBS technique to study light elements in connection with thin layers. Finally, the NRA method to measure concentration distributions of deuterium beneath a surface is presented. In the case discussed here, the analysis is done by the D( 3 He, H) 4 He nuclear reaction. (author)

  3. Feelings of worthlessness, traumatic experience, and their comorbidity in relation to lifetime suicide attempt in community adults with major depressive disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeon, Hong Jin; Park, Jong-Ik; Fava, Maurizio; Mischoulon, David; Sohn, Jee Hoon; Seong, Sujeong; Park, Jee Eun; Yoo, Ikki; Cho, Maeng Je

    2014-09-01

    Major depressive disorder (MDD) and traumatic experience are independent risk factors for lifetime suicide attempt (LSA). However, the relationships between trauma history and depressive symptomatology as they relate to LSA are not fully understood. A total of 12,532 adults, randomly selected through one-person-per-household method, completed a face-to-face interview using the Korean version of Composite International Diagnostic Interview (K-CIDI) and a questionnaire for LSA (response rate 80.2%). Among 825 subjects with MDD, 141 subjects reported an LSA (17.1%). LSAs were significantly greater in those who had experienced any trauma than in those who had not (χ(2)=34.66, pdepression symptoms in individuals with MDD (AOR=3.08, 95% CI 1.70-5.60). Feelings of worthlessness was associated with LSA in those who had experienced serious trauma (AOR=5.02, 95% CI 3.35-7.52), but not in those who had not. Serious traumas associated with LSA included military combat, witnessing a violent crime, rape or sexual assault, a bad beating, being threatened by others, and learning about traumas to others. Serious trauma showed no significant association with LSA in those who did not have feelings of worthlessness. PTSD was a comorbidity that showed the highest odds ratio with LSA in individuals with MDD. Feelings of worthlessness are more strongly associated with LSA than other depression symptoms in individuals with MDD, and it is significantly associated with LSA in those who experienced serious trauma but not in those who did not. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Atomic force microscopy analysis of different surface treatments of Ti dental implant surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bathomarco, R.V.; Solorzano, G.; Elias, C.N.; Prioli, R.

    2004-01-01

    The surface of commercial unalloyed titanium, used in dental implants, was analyzed by atomic force microscopy. The morphology, roughness, and surface area of the samples, submitted to mechanically-induced erosion, chemical etching and a combination of both, were compared. The results show that surface treatments strongly influence the dental implant physical and chemical properties. An analysis of the length dependence of the implant surface roughness shows that, for scan sizes larger than 50 μm, the average surface roughness is independent of the scanning length and that the surface treatments lead to average surface roughness in the range of 0.37 up to 0.48 μm. It is shown that the implant surface energy is sensitive to the titanium surface area. As the area increases there is a decrease in the surface contact angle

  5. Atomic force microscopy analysis of different surface treatments of Ti dental implant surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bathomarco, Ti R. V.; Solorzano, G.; Elias, C. N.; Prioli, R.

    2004-06-01

    The surface of commercial unalloyed titanium, used in dental implants, was analyzed by atomic force microscopy. The morphology, roughness, and surface area of the samples, submitted to mechanically-induced erosion, chemical etching and a combination of both, were compared. The results show that surface treatments strongly influence the dental implant physical and chemical properties. An analysis of the length dependence of the implant surface roughness shows that, for scan sizes larger than 50 μm, the average surface roughness is independent of the scanning length and that the surface treatments lead to average surface roughness in the range of 0.37 up to 0.48 μm. It is shown that the implant surface energy is sensitive to the titanium surface area. As the area increases there is a decrease in the surface contact angle.

  6. LSA SAF Meteosat FRP products - Part 2: Evaluation and demonstration for use in the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, G.; Wooster, M. J.; Xu, W.; Freeborn, P. H.; Morcrette, J.-J.; Jones, L.; Benedetti, A.; Jiangping, H.; Fisher, D.; Kaiser, J. W.

    2015-11-01

    Characterising the dynamics of landscape-scale wildfires at very high temporal resolutions is best achieved using observations from Earth Observation (EO) sensors mounted onboard geostationary satellites. As a result, a number of operational active fire products have been developed from the data of such sensors. An example of which are the Fire Radiative Power (FRP) products, the FRP-PIXEL and FRP-GRID products, generated by the Land Surface Analysis Satellite Applications Facility (LSA SAF) from imagery collected by the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) onboard the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) series of geostationary EO satellites. The processing chain developed to deliver these FRP products detects SEVIRI pixels containing actively burning fires and characterises their FRP output across four geographic regions covering Europe, part of South America and Northern and Southern Africa. The FRP-PIXEL product contains the highest spatial and temporal resolution FRP data set, whilst the FRP-GRID product contains a spatio-temporal summary that includes bias adjustments for cloud cover and the non-detection of low FRP fire pixels. Here we evaluate these two products against active fire data collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and compare the results to those for three alternative active fire products derived from SEVIRI imagery. The FRP-PIXEL product is shown to detect a substantially greater number of active fire pixels than do alternative SEVIRI-based products, and comparison to MODIS on a per-fire basis indicates a strong agreement and low bias in terms of FRP values. However, low FRP fire pixels remain undetected by SEVIRI, with errors of active fire pixel detection commission and omission compared to MODIS ranging between 9-13 % and 65-77 % respectively in Africa. Higher errors of omission result in greater underestimation of regional FRP totals relative to those derived from simultaneously collected MODIS

  7. LSA SAF Meteosat FRP Products: Part 2 - Evaluation and demonstration of use in the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, G.; Wooster, M. J.; Xu, W.; Freeborn, P. H.; Morcrette, J.-J.; Jones, L.; Benedetti, A.; Kaiser, J.

    2015-06-01

    Characterising the dynamics of landscape scale wildfires at very high temporal resolutions is best achieved using observations from Earth Observation (EO) sensors mounted onboard geostationary satellites. As a result, a number of operational active fire products have been developed from the data of such sensors. An example of which are the Fire Radiative Power (FRP) products, the FRP-PIXEL and FRP-GRID products, generated by the Land Surface Analysis Satellite Applications Facility (LSA SAF) from imagery collected by the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) on-board the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) series of geostationary EO satellites. The processing chain developed to deliver these FRP products detects SEVIRI pixels containing actively burning fires and characterises their FRP output across four geographic regions covering Europe, part of South America and northern and southern Africa. The FRP-PIXEL product contains the highest spatial and temporal resolution FRP dataset, whilst the FRP-GRID product contains a spatio-temporal summary that includes bias adjustments for cloud cover and the non-detection of low FRP fire pixels. Here we evaluate these two products against active fire data collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and compare the results to those for three alternative active fire products derived from SEVIRI imagery. The FRP-PIXEL product is shown to detect a substantially greater number of active fire pixels than do alternative SEVIRI-based products, and comparison to MODIS on a per-fire basis indicates a strong agreement and low bias in terms of FRP values. However, low FRP fire pixels remain undetected by SEVIRI, with errors of active fire pixel detection commission and omission compared to MODIS ranging between 9-13 and 65-77% respectively in Africa. Higher errors of omission result in greater underestimation of regional FRP totals relative to those derived from simultaneously collected MODIS

  8. Aerosol Emissions from Great Lakes Harmful Algal Blooms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    May, Nathaniel W. [Department; Olson, Nicole E. [Department; Panas, Mark [Department; Axson, Jessica L. [Department; Tirella, Peter S. [Department; Kirpes, Rachel M. [Department; Craig, Rebecca L. [Department; Gunsch, Matthew J. [Department; China, Swarup [William; Laskin, Alexander [William; Ault, Andrew P. [Department; Department; Pratt, Kerri A. [Department; Department

    2017-12-20

    In freshwater lakes, harmful algal blooms (HABs) of Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) produce toxins that impact human health. However, little is known about the chemical species present in lake spray aerosol (LSA) produced from wave-breaking in freshwater HABs. In this study, a laboratory LSA generator produced aerosols from freshwater samples collected from Lake Michigan and Lake Erie during HAB and non-bloom conditions. Particles were analyzed for size and chemical composition by single particle mass spectrometry, electron microscopy, and fluorescence microscopy, with three distinct types of LSA identified with varying levels of organic carbon and biological material associated with calcium salts. LSA autofluorescence increases with blue-green algae concentration, showing that organic molecules of biological origin are incorporated in LSA from HABs. The number fraction of LSA with biological mass spectral markers also increases with particle diameter (greater than 0.5 μm), showing that HABs have size-dependent impacts on aerosol composition. The highest number fraction of LSA enriched in organic carbon were observed in particles less than 0.5 μm in diameter. Understanding the transfer of organic and biogenic material from freshwater to the atmosphere via LSA particles is crucial for determining health and climate effects due to HABs.

  9. Branching pattern of lenticulostriate arteries observed by MR angiography at 3.0 T

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akashi, Toshiaki; Taoka, Toshiaki; Ochi, Tomoko; Miyasaka, Toshiteru; Wada, Takeshi; Sakamoto, Masahiko; Kichikawa, Kimihiko; Takewa, Megumi

    2012-01-01

    We hypothesized that the pattern of branching of the lenticulostriate arteries (LSAs) is involved in the variation of the distribution of the infarction within the LSA region. Our purpose was to evaluate the visibility of LSAs in 3D time-of-flight (TOF) MR angiography (MRA) with a 3.0 T scanner and to investigate the branching patterns of LSAs. We performed 3D TOF MRA at 3.0 T for 100 healthy subjects. We assessed the number of LSAs and the number of branches arising from each LSA by evaluating MRA source images. In 200 hemispheres, 330 LSAs were visualized (mean=1.65/hemisphere). In 3.5% of all hemispheres, no LSA was depicted; one LSA was depicted in 39%, two in 46.5%, and three in 11%. The maximum number of depicted LSA branches was five in 2% of all subjects, four in 7%, three in 26%, and two in 49% (mean=2.3/subject). A large LSA trunk with three or more branches was found in 35% of subjects. Visualization of LSAs was possible in 96.5% of subjects by use of 3.0 T MRA. LSA branching patterns were variable, and a large LSA trunk with three or more branches was common. (author)

  10. A newly identified protein of Leptospira interrogans mediates binding to laminin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Longhi, Mariana T; Oliveira, Tatiane R; Romero, Eliete C; Gonçales, Amane P; de Morais, Zenaide M; Vasconcellos, Silvio A; Nascimento, Ana L T O

    2009-10-01

    Pathogenic Leptospira is the aetiological agent of leptospirosis, a life-threatening disease that affects populations worldwide. The search for novel antigens that could be relevant in host-pathogen interactions is being pursued. These antigens have the potential to elicit several activities, including adhesion. This study focused on a hypothetical predicted lipoprotein of Leptospira, encoded by the gene LIC12895, thought to mediate attachment to extracellular matrix (ECM) components. The gene was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 Star (DE3)pLys by using the expression vector pAE. The recombinant protein tagged with N-terminal hexahistidine was purified by metal-charged chromatography and characterized by circular dichroism spectroscopy. The capacity of the protein to mediate attachment to ECM components was evaluated by binding assays. The leptospiral protein encoded by LIC12895, named Lsa27 (leptospiral surface adhesin, 27 kDa), bound strongly to laminin in a dose-dependent and saturable fashion. Moreover, Lsa27 was recognized by antibodies from serum samples of confirmed leptospirosis specimens in both the initial and the convalescent phases of the disease. Lsa27 is most likely a surface protein of Leptospira as revealed in liquid-phase immunofluorescence assays with living organisms. Taken together, these data indicate that this newly identified membrane protein is expressed during natural infection and may play a role in mediating adhesion of L. interrogans to its host.

  11. Development of international standards for surface analysis by ISO technical committee 201 on surface chemical analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Powell, C.J.

    1999-01-01

    Full text: The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) established Technical Committee 201 on Surface Chemical Analysis in 1991 to develop documentary standards for surface analysis. ISO/TC 201 met first in 1992 and has met annually since. This committee now has eight subcommittees (Terminology, General Procedures, Data Management and Treatment, Depth Profiling, AES, SIMS, XPS, and Glow Discharge Spectroscopy (GDS)) and one working group (Total X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy). Each subcommittee has one or more working groups to develop standards on particular topics. Australia has observer-member status on ISO/TC 201 and on all ISO/TC 201 subcommittees except GDS where it has participator-member status. I will outline the organization of ISO/TC 201 and summarize the standards that have been or are being developed. Copyright (1999) Australian X-ray Analytical Association Inc

  12. Database for Simulation of Electron Spectra for Surface Analysis (SESSA)Database for Simulation of Electron Spectra for Surface Analysis (SESSA)

    Science.gov (United States)

    SRD 100 Database for Simulation of Electron Spectra for Surface Analysis (SESSA)Database for Simulation of Electron Spectra for Surface Analysis (SESSA) (PC database for purchase)   This database has been designed to facilitate quantitative interpretation of Auger-electron and X-ray photoelectron spectra and to improve the accuracy of quantitation in routine analysis. The database contains all physical data needed to perform quantitative interpretation of an electron spectrum for a thin-film specimen of given composition. A simulation module provides an estimate of peak intensities as well as the energy and angular distributions of the emitted electron flux.

  13. Specifications for surface reaction analysis apparatus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teraoka, Yuden; Yoshigoe, Akitaka

    2001-03-01

    A surface reaction analysis apparatus was installed at the JAERI soft x-ray beamline in the SPring-8 as an experimental end-station for the study of surface chemistry. The apparatus is devoted to the study concerning the influence of translational kinetic energy of incident molecules to chemical reactions on solid surfaces with gas molecules. In order to achieve the research purpose, reactive molecular scattering experiments and photoemission spectroscopic measurements using synchrotron radiation are performed in that apparatus via a supersonic molecular beam generator, an electron energy analyzer and a quadrupole mass analyzer. The detail specifications for the apparatus are described in this report. (author)

  14. Size and surface AREA analysis of some metallic and intermetallic powders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elmasry, M.A.A.; Elsayed, A.A.; Abadir, M.F.

    1988-01-01

    The powder characterization of three intermetallic compounds ( Cr B, B 4 c and S ib 4 ) and three metallic powders (Fe, Co, and Ni) has been performed. This included the determination of powder density, chemical analysis, impurity analysis, shape factor, particle size analysis and specific surface area. The particle size analysis for the six powders was carried out using three techniques, namely; the 0-23, the microtrac and the fisher sub sieve and size. It was found that the analysis of the two powders and deviates from the log-normal probability distribution and the deviation was corrected. The specific surface area of the powders was measured using the high speed surface area analysis (BET method), and it was also calculated from surface area analysis findings, the BET technique was found to give the highest specific surface area values, and was attributed to the inclusion of internal porosity in the measurement. 8 fig., 10 tab

  15. Aberration analysis for freeform surface terms overlay on general decentered and tilted optical surfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Tong; Cheng, Dewen; Wang, Yongtian

    2018-03-19

    Aberration theory helps designers to better understand the nature of imaging systems. However, the existing aberration theory of freeform surfaces has many limitations. For example, it only works in the special case when the central area of the freeform surface is used. In addition, the light footprint is limited to a circle, which does not match the case of an elliptical footprint for general systems. In this paper, aberrations generated by freeform surface term overlay on general decentered and tilted optical surfaces are analyzed. For the case when the off-axis section of a freeform surface is used, the aberration equation for using stop and nonstop surfaces is discussed, and the aberrations generated by Zernike terms up to Z 17/18 are analyzed in detail. To solve the problem of the elliptical light footprint for tilted freeform surfaces, the scaled pupil vector is used in the aberration analysis. The mechanism of aberration transformation is discovered, and the aberrations generated by different Zernike terms in this case are calculated. Finally we proposed aberration equations for freeform terms on general decentered and tilted freeform surfaces. The research result given in this paper offers an important reference for optical designers and engineers, and it is of great importance in developing analytical methods for general freeform system design, tolerance analysis, and system assembly.

  16. Nuclear techniques for bulk and surface analysis of materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    D'Agostino, M.D.; Kamykowski, E.A.; Kuehne, F.J.; Padawer, G.M.; Schneid, E.J.; Schulte, R.L.; Stauber, M.C.; Swanson, F.R.

    1978-01-01

    A review is presented summarizing several nondestructive bulk and surface analysis nuclear techniques developed in the Grumman Research Laboratories. Bulk analysis techniques include 14-MeV-neutron activation analysis and accelerator-based neutron radiography. The surface analysis techniques include resonant and non-resonant nuclear microprobes for the depth profile analysis of light elements (H, He, Li, Be, C, N, O and F) in the surface of materials. Emphasis is placed on the description and discussion of the unique nuclear microprobe analytical capacibilities of immediate importance to a number of current problems facing materials specialists. The resolution and contrast of neutron radiography was illustrated with an operating heat pipe system. The figure shows that the neutron radiograph has a resolution of better than 0.04 cm with sufficient contrast to indicate Freon 21 on the inner capillaries of the heat pipe and pooling of the liquid at the bottom. (T.G.)

  17. The present and future on surface analysis for corrosion study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohtsuka, Toshiaki

    2015-01-01

    Surface analysis for corrosion study was reviewed. For the study, the in-situ analysis was desired to describe the real feature. Light i.e., electromagnetic wave from gamma rays to infrared light has been used for the in-situ measurement of the corroded surface, although various ideas should be introduced for the study. For the application of the electromagnetic waves, a suitable window material and a suitable distance between the window and specimen surface depending on the properties of the wave must be selected. Electron spectroscopy including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) is not applicable for the in-situ study and, however, it is very available for the corrosion study from the following points; elemental analysis, state analysis of the element, and microscopic analysis. In future, the tip enhance Raman scattering (TERS) for which the scanning probe microscopy (SPM) is combined with the surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) may be useful for the in-situ corrosion study. (author)

  18. An operational analysis of Lake Surface Water Temperature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emma K. Fiedler

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Operational analyses of Lake Surface Water Temperature (LSWT have many potential uses including improvement of numerical weather prediction (NWP models on regional scales. In November 2011, LSWT was included in the Met Office Operational Sea Surface Temperature and Ice Analysis (OSTIA product, for 248 lakes globally. The OSTIA analysis procedure, which has been optimised for oceans, has also been used for the lakes in this first version of the product. Infra-red satellite observations of lakes and in situ measurements are assimilated. The satellite observations are based on retrievals optimised for Sea Surface Temperature (SST which, although they may introduce inaccuracies into the LSWT data, are currently the only near-real-time information available. The LSWT analysis has a global root mean square difference of 1.31 K and a mean difference of 0.65 K (including a cool skin effect of 0.2 K compared to independent data from the ESA ARC-Lake project for a 3-month period (June to August 2009. It is demonstrated that the OSTIA LSWT is an improvement over the use of climatology to capture the day-to-day variation in global lake surface temperatures.

  19. Lung sound analysis can be an index of the control of bronchial asthma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Terufumi Shimoda

    2017-01-01

    Conclusions: The E/I LF measurement obtained by LSA is useful as an indicator of changes in airway obstruction and inflammation and can be used for monitoring the therapeutic course of bronchial asthma patients.

  20. Should intentional endovascular stent-graft coverage of the left subclavian artery be preceded by prophylactic revascularisation?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Weigang, Ernst; Parker, Jack A T C; Czerny, Martin

    2011-01-01

    subclavian artery (LSA) limiting the proximal landing zone site without proximal vessel coverage. In patients in whom the distance between the LSA and aortic lesion is too short, extension of the landing zone can be obtained by covering the LSA's origin with the endovascular stent graft (ESG). This manoeuvre...

  1. Lignosulfonic acid exhibits broadly anti-HIV-1 activity--potential as a microbicide candidate for the prevention of HIV-1 sexual transmission.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Min Qiu

    Full Text Available Some secondary metabolites from plants show to have potent inhibitory activities against microbial pathogens, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, herpes simplex virus (HSV, Treponema pallidum, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, etc. Here we report that lignosulfonic acid (LSA, a polymeric lignin derivative, exhibits potent and broad activity against HIV-1 isolates of diverse subtypes including two North America strains and a number of Chinese clinical isolates values ranging from 21.4 to 633 nM. Distinct from other polyanions, LSA functions as an entry inhibitor with multiple targets on viral gp120 as well as on host receptor CD4 and co-receptors CCR5/CXCR4. LSA blocks viral entry as determined by time-of-drug addiction and cell-cell fusion assays. Moreover, LSA inhibits CD4-gp120 interaction by blocking the binding of antibodies specific for CD4-binding sites (CD4bs and for the V3 loop of gp120. Similarly, LSA interacts with CCR5 and CXCR4 via its inhibition of specific anti-CCR5 and anti-CXCR4 antibodies, respectively. Interestingly, the combination of LSA with AZT and Nevirapine exhibits synergism in viral inhibition. For the purpose of microbicide development, LSA displays low in vitro cytotoxicity to human genital tract epithelial cells, does not stimulate NF-κB activation and has no significant up-regulation of IL-1α/β and IL-8 as compared with N-9. Lastly, LSA shows no adverse effect on the epithelial integrity and the junctional protein expression. Taken together, our findings suggest that LSA can be a potential candidate for tropical microbicide.

  2. Surface analysis of titanium dental implants with different topographies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silva M.H. Prado da

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available Cylindrical dental implants made of commercially pure titanium were analysed in four different surface finishes: as-machined, Al2O3 blasted with Al2O3 particles, plasma-sprayed with titanium beads and electrolytically coated with hydroxyapatite. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM with Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDX revealed the topography of the surfaces and provided qualitative results of the chemical composition of the different implants. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS was used to perform chemical analysis on the surface of the implants while Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy (LSM produced topographic maps of the analysed surfaces. Optical Profilometry was used to quantitatively characterise the level of roughness of the surfaces. The implant that was plasma-sprayed and the hydroxyapatite coated implant showed the roughest surface, followed by the implant blasted with alumina and the as-machined implant. Some remnant contamination from the processes of blasting, coating and cleaning was detected by XPS.

  3. Life-Space Assessment questionnaire: Novel measurement properties for Brazilian community-dwelling older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simões, Maria do Socorro Mp; Garcia, Isabel Ff; Costa, Lucíola da Cm; Lunardi, Adriana C

    2018-05-01

    The Life-Space Assessment (LSA) assesses mobility from the spaces that older adults go, and how often and how independent they move. Despite its increased use, LSA measurement properties remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to analyze the content validity, reliability, construct validity and interpretability of the LSA for Brazilian community-dwelling older adults. In this clinimetric study we analyzed the measurement properties (content validity, reliability, construct validity and interpretability) of the LSA administered to 80 Brazilian community-dwelling older adults. Reliability was analyzed by Cronbach's alpha (internal consistency), intraclass correlation coefficients and 95% confidence interval (reproducibility), and standard error of measurement (measurement error). Construct validity was analyzed by Pearson's correlations between the LSA and accelerometry (time in inactivity and moderate-to-vigorous activities), and interpretability was analyzed by determination of the minimal detectable change, and floor and ceiling effects. The LSA met the criteria for content validity. The Cronbach's alpha was 0.92, intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.97 (95% confidence interval 0.95-0.98) and standard error of measurement was 4.12. The LSA showed convergence with accelerometry (negative correlation with time in inactivity and positive correlation with time in moderate to vigorous activities), the minimal detectable change was 0.36 and we observed no floor or ceiling effects. The LSA showed adequate reliability, validity and interpretability for life-space mobility assessment of Brazilian community-dwelling older adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 783-789. © 2018 Japan Geriatrics Society.

  4. SURFACE ENERGY BALANCE OVER ORANGE ORCHARD USING SURFACE RENEWAL ANALYSIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salvatore Barbagallo

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Reliable estimation of surface sensible and latent heat flux is the most important process to appraise energy and mass exchange among atmosphere and biosphere. In this study the surface energy fluxes were measured over an irrigated orange orchard during 2005-2008 monitoring periods using a Surface Renewal- Energy Balance approach. The experimental area is located in a representative orchard growing area of eastern Sicily (Italy. The performance of Surface Renewal (SR analysis for estimating sensible heat flux (H was analysed and evaluated in terms of correlation with H fluxes from the eddy covariance (EC method. Study revealed that the mean available energy (RN- G and latent heat flux (LE were of about 300 W m-2 and 237 W m-2, respectively, during dry periods and unstable-case atmospheric conditions. The estimated crop coefficient Kc values for the orchard crop averaged close to 0.80, which is considerably higher than previous FAO studies that found the value to be 0.65 for citrus with 70% of ground cover. The intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (LI PAR by the crop was measured and relationships between LAI and crop coefficient (Kc were established.

  5. Surface analysis with STM and AFM

    CERN Document Server

    Magonov, Sergi N

    1996-01-01

    Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) are powerful tools for surface examination. In the past, many STM and AFM studies led to erroneous conclusions due to lack of proper theoretical considerations and of an understanding of how image patterns are affected by measurement conditions. For this book, two world experts, one on theoretical analysis and the other on experimental characterization, have joined forces to bring together essential components of STM and AFM studies: The practical aspects of STM, the image simulation by surface electron density plot calculat

  6. Estimation of small surface displacements in the Upper Rhine Graben area from a combined analysis of PS-InSAR, levelling and GNSS data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fuhrmann, T.; Caro Cuenca, M.; Knöpfler, A.; van Leijen, F. J.; Mayer, M.; Westerhaus, M.; Hanssen, R. F.; Heck, B.

    2015-10-01

    The intra-plate deformation of the Upper Rhine Graben (URG) located in Central Europe is investigated using geodetic measurement techniques. We present a new approach to calculate a combined velocity field from InSAR, levelling and GNSS measurements. As the expected tectonic movements in the URG area are small (less than 1 mm a-1), the best possible solutions for linear velocity rates from single-technique analyses are estimated in a first step. Second, we combine the velocity rates obtained from InSAR (line of sight velocity rates in ascending and descending image geometries), levelling (vertical velocity rates) and GNSS (horizontal velocity rates) using least-squares adjustment (LSA). Focusing on the Northern URG area, we analyse SAR data on four different image stacks (ERS ascending, ERS descending, Envisat ascending, Envisat descending) using the Persistent Scatterer (PS) approach. The linear velocity rates in ascending and descending image geometries, respectively, are estimated in an LSA from joint time-series analysis of ERS and Envisat data. Vertical velocity rates from levelling are obtained from a consistent adjustment of more than 40 000 measured height differences using a kinematic displacement model. Horizontal velocity rates in east and north direction are calculated from a time-series analysis of daily coordinate estimates at 76 permanently operating GNSS sites in the URG region. As the locations, at which the measurement data of PS-InSAR, levelling and GNSS reside, do not coincide, spatial interpolation is needed during several steps of the rigorous processing. We use Ordinary Kriging to interpolate from a given set of data points to the locations of interest with a special focus on the modeling and propagation of errors. The final 3-D velocity field is calculated at a 200 m grid, which carries values only close to the location of PS points, resulting in a mean horizontal and vertical precision of 0.30 and 0.13 mm a-1, respectively. The vertical

  7. Surface Operations Data Analysis and Adaptation Tool, Phase II

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This effort undertook the creation of a Surface Operations Data Analysis and Adaptation (SODAA) tool to store data relevant to airport surface research and...

  8. Internal reflection spectroscopic analysis of sulphide mineral surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaoma, J.

    1989-01-01

    To establish the reason for flotation of sulfide minerals in the absence of any conventional collector, internal reflection spectroscopic analysis (IRS) of their surfaces was conducted. sulfur, sulfates, thiosulfates, and hydrocarbonates have been detected on the surface of as-grand sulfide minerals. On sodium sulfide-treated surfaces, both sulfur and polysulfide have also been found to be present. From these findings, the flotation of sulfide minerals without collectors is discussed. (author). 26 refs

  9. Validation of a Modified Life-Space Assessment in Multimorbid Older Persons With Cognitive Impairment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ullrich, Phoebe; Werner, Christian; Bongartz, Martin; Kiss, Rainer; Bauer, Jürgen; Hauer, Klaus

    2018-01-31

    To investigate the validity, reliability, sensitivity to change, and feasibility of a modified University of Alabama at Birmingham Study of Aging Life-Space Assessment (UAB-LSA) in older persons with cognitive impairment (CI). The UAB-LSA was modified for use in persons with CI Life-Space Assessment for Persons with Cognitive Impairment (LSA-CI). Measurement properties of the LSA-CI were investigated using data of 118 multimorbid older participants with CI [mean age (SD): 82.3 (6.0) years, mean Mini-Mental State Examination score: 23.3 (2.4) points] from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to improve motor performance and physical activity. Construct validity was asessed by Spearman's rank (rs) and point-biseral correlations (rpb) with age, gender, motor, and cognitive status, psychosocial factors, and sensor-derived (outdoor) physical activity variables. Test-retest reliability was analyzed using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs). Sensitivity to change was determined by standardized response means (SRMs) calculated for the RCT intervention group. The LSA-CI demonstrated moderate to high construct validity, with significant correlations of the LSA-CI scores with (outdoor) physical activity (rs = .23-.63), motor status (rs = .27-.56), fear of falling-related psychosocial variables (rs = |.24-.44|), and demographic characteristics (rpb = |.27-.32|). Test-retest reliability was good to excellent (ICC = .65-.91). Sensitivity to change was excellent for the LSA-CI composite score (SRM = .80) and small to moderate for the LSA-CI subscores (SRM = .35-.60). A completion rate of 100% and a mean completion time of 4.1 min) documented good feasibility. The LSA-CI represents a valid, reliable, sensitive, and feasible interview-based life-space assessment tool in multimorbid older persons with CI. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  10. Measurement of Lumbosacral Angle in Normal Radiographs: A ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    hyper.lordosis; most of the data in use in medical practice are based on studies on other races. Aim: To quantify the normal LSA in our population. Subjects and Methods: LSA was measured by the Fergusonfs technique and the data analyzed with SPSS Statistics version 17.0 (Chicago IL, USA). Results: LSA varied between ...

  11. Long-Lasting Sound-Evoked Afterdischarge in the Auditory Midbrain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ono, Munenori; Bishop, Deborah C; Oliver, Douglas L

    2016-02-12

    Different forms of plasticity are known to play a critical role in the processing of information about sound. Here, we report a novel neural plastic response in the inferior colliculus, an auditory center in the midbrain of the auditory pathway. A vigorous, long-lasting sound-evoked afterdischarge (LSA) is seen in a subpopulation of both glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus of normal hearing mice. These neurons were identified with single unit recordings and optogenetics in vivo. The LSA can continue for up to several minutes after the offset of the sound. LSA is induced by long-lasting, or repetitive short-duration, innocuous sounds. Neurons with LSA showed less adaptation than the neurons without LSA. The mechanisms that cause this neural behavior are unknown but may be a function of intrinsic mechanisms or the microcircuitry of the inferior colliculus. Since LSA produces long-lasting firing in the absence of sound, it may be relevant to temporary or chronic tinnitus or to some other aftereffect of long-duration sound.

  12. Quantifying narrative ability in autism spectrum disorder: a computational linguistic analysis of narrative coherence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Losh, Molly; Gordon, Peter C

    2014-12-01

    Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by serious difficulties with the social use of language, along with impaired social functioning and ritualistic/repetitive behaviors (American Psychiatric Association in Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5, 5th edn. American Psychiatric Association, Arlington, 2013). While substantial heterogeneity exists in symptom expression, impairments in language discourse skills, including narrative (or storytelling), are universally observed in autism (Tager-Flusberg et al. in Handbook on autism and pervasive developmental disorders, 3rd edn. Wiley, New York, pp 335-364, 2005). This study applied a computational linguistic tool, Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA), to objectively characterize narrative performance in high-functioning individuals with autism and typically-developing controls, across two different narrative contexts that differ in the interpersonal and cognitive demands placed on the narrator. Results indicated that high-functioning individuals with autism produced narratives comparable in semantic content to those produced by controls when narrating from a picture book, but produced narratives diminished in semantic quality in a more demanding narrative recall task. This pattern is similar to that detected from analyses of hand-coded picture book narratives in prior research, and extends findings to an additional narrative context that proves particularly challenging for individuals with autism. Results are discussed in terms of the utility of LSA as a quantitative, objective, and efficient measure of narrative ability.

  13. Identification of Immunodominant Responses to the Plasmodium falciparum Antigens PfUIS3, PfLSA1 and PfLSAP2 in Multiple Strains of Mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rhea J Longley

    Full Text Available Malaria, caused by the Plasmodium parasite, remains a serious global public health concern. A vaccine could have a substantial impact on eliminating this disease, alongside other preventative measures. We recently described the development of three novel, viral vectored vaccines expressing either of the antigens PfUIS3, PfLSA1 and PfLSAP2. Each vaccination regimen provided high levels of protection against chimeric parasite challenge in a mouse model, largely dependent on CD8+ T cells. In this study we aimed to further characterize the induced cellular immune response to these vaccines. We utilized both the IFNγ enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assay and intracellular cytokine staining to achieve this aim. We identified immunodominant peptide responses for CD4+ and CD8+ T cells for each of the antigens in BALB/c, C57BL/6 and HLA-A2 transgenic mice, creating a useful tool for researchers for subsequent study of these antigens. We also compared these immunodominant peptides with those generated from epitope prediction software, and found that only a small proportion of the large number of epitopes predicted by the software were identifiable experimentally. Furthermore, we characterized the polyfunctionality of the induced CD8+ T cell responses. These findings contribute to our understanding of the immunological mechanisms underlying these protective vaccines, and provide a useful basis for the assessment of these and related vaccines as clinical constructs.

  14. Characterization of technical surfaces by structure function analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalms, Michael; Kreis, Thomas; Bergmann, Ralf B.

    2018-03-01

    The structure function is a tool for characterizing technical surfaces that exhibits a number of advantages over Fourierbased analysis methods. So it is optimally suited for analyzing the height distributions of surfaces measured by full-field non-contacting methods. The structure function is thus a useful method to extract global or local criteria like e. g. periodicities, waviness, lay, or roughness to analyze and evaluate technical surfaces. After the definition of line- and area-structure function and offering effective procedures for their calculation this paper presents examples using simulated and measured data of technical surfaces including aircraft parts.

  15. Recent characterization of steel by surface analysis methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, Shigeru

    1996-01-01

    Surface analysis methods, such as Auger electron spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectrometry, glow discharge optical emission spectrometry and so on, have become indispensable to characterize surface and interface of many kinds of steel. Although a number of studies on characterization of steel by these methods have been carried out, several problems still remain in quantification and depth profiling. Nevertheless, the methods have provided essential information on the concentration and chemical state of elements at the surface and interface. Recent results on characterization of oxide layers, coated films, etc. on the surface of steel are reviewed here. (author). 99 refs

  16. The semantic representation of prejudice and stereotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhatia, Sudeep

    2017-07-01

    We use a theory of semantic representation to study prejudice and stereotyping. Particularly, we consider large datasets of newspaper articles published in the United States, and apply latent semantic analysis (LSA), a prominent model of human semantic memory, to these datasets to learn representations for common male and female, White, African American, and Latino names. LSA performs a singular value decomposition on word distribution statistics in order to recover word vector representations, and we find that our recovered representations display the types of biases observed in human participants using tasks such as the implicit association test. Importantly, these biases are strongest for vector representations with moderate dimensionality, and weaken or disappear for representations with very high or very low dimensionality. Moderate dimensional LSA models are also the best at learning race, ethnicity, and gender-based categories, suggesting that social category knowledge, acquired through dimensionality reduction on word distribution statistics, can facilitate prejudiced and stereotyped associations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Surface composition of biomedical components by ion beam analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kenny, M.J.; Wielunski, L.S.; Baxter, G.R.

    1991-01-01

    Materials used for replacement body parts must satisfy a number of requirements such as biocompatibility and mechanical ability to handle the task with regard to strength, wear and durability. When using a CVD coated carbon fibre reinforced carbon ball, the surface must be ion implanted with uniform dose of nitrogen ions in order to make it wear resistant. The mechanism by which the wear resistance is improved is one of radiation damage and the required dose of about 10 16 cm -2 can have a tolerance of about 20%. To implant a spherical surface requires manipulation of the sample within the beam and control system (either computer or manually operated) to enable uniform dose all the way from polar to equatorial regions on the surface. A manipulator has been designed and built for this purpose. In order to establish whether the dose is uniform, nuclear reaction analysis using the reaction 14 N(d,α) 12 C is an ideal method of profiling. By taking measurements at a number of points on the surface, the uniformity of nitrogen dose can be ascertained. It is concluded that both Rutherford Backscattering and Nuclear Reaction Analysis can be used for rapid analysis of surface composition of carbon based materials used for replacement body components. 2 refs., 2 figs

  18. Psychiatric disorders in long-term sickness absence -- a population-based cross-sectional study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Søgaard, Hans Jørgen; Bech, Per

    2009-01-01

    AIMS: The study estimates the incidence of psychiatric disorders in long-term sickness absence (LSA; more than eight weeks of continuous sickness absence) over one year. The study is the first accounting for everybody on LSA by linking a psychiatric assessment for all persons on LSA to public...... registers. METHODS: In a Danish population of 120,000 inhabitants all 2,414 incident persons on LSA within one year were posted a questionnaire, of whom 1,121 (46.4%) responded. In a two phase design the 1,121 sick-listed persons were screened for psychiatric disorders. Phase 2 consisted of 844 people...

  19. Level crossing analysis of growing surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shahbazi, F; Sobhanian, S; Tabar, M Reza Rahimi; Khorram, S; Frootan, G R; Zahed, H

    2003-01-01

    We investigate the average frequency of positive slope ν + α , crossing the height α = h - h-bar in the surface growing processes. The exact level crossing analysis of the random deposition model and the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation in the strong coupling limit before creation of singularities is given

  20. Surface analysis of anodized aluminum clamps from NASA-LDEF satellite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grammer, H. L.; Wightman, J. P.; Young, Philip R.

    1992-01-01

    Surface analysis results of selected anodized aluminum clamps containing black (Z306) and white (A276) paints which received nearly six years of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) exposure on the Long Duration Exposure Facility are reported. Surface analytical techniques, including x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive analysis by x-ray (SEM/EDAX), showed significant differences in the surface composition of these materials depending upon the position on the LDEF. Differences in the surface composition are attributed to varying amounts of atomic oxygen and vacuum ultraviolet radiation (VUV). Silicon containing compounds were the primary contaminant detected on the materials.

  1. Surface chemistry and microstructural analysis of CexZr1-xO2-y model catalyst surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nelson, Alan E.; Schulz, Kirk H.

    2003-01-01

    Cerium-zirconium mixed metal oxides are widely used as promoters in automotive emissions control catalyst systems (three-way catalysts). The addition of zirconium in the cubic lattice of ceria improves the redox properties and the thermal stability, thereby increasing the catalyst efficiency and longevity. The surface composition and availability of surface oxygen of model ceria-zirconia catalyst promoters was considered to develop a reference for future catalytic reactivity studies. The microstructure was characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD) to determine the effect of zirconium substitution on crystalline structure and grain size. Additionally, the Ce/Zr surface atomic ratio and existence of Ce 3+ defect sites were examined with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) for samples with different zirconium concentrations. The surface composition of the model systems with respect to cerium and zirconium concentration is representative of the bulk, indicating no appreciable surface species segregation during model catalyst preparation or exposure to ultrahigh vacuum conditions and analysis techniques. Additionally, the concentration of Ce 3+ defect sites was constant and independent of composition. The quantity of surface oxygen was unaffected by electron bombardment or prolonged exposure to ultrahigh vacuum conditions. Additionally, XRD analysis did not indicate the presence of additional crystalline phases beyond the cubic structure for compositions from 100 to 25 at.% cerium, although additional phases may be present in undetectable quantities. This analysis is an important initial step for determining surface reactions and pathways for the development of efficient and sulfur-tolerant automotive emissions control catalysts

  2. Statistical significance approximation in local trend analysis of high-throughput time-series data using the theory of Markov chains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Li C; Ai, Dongmei; Cram, Jacob A; Liang, Xiaoyi; Fuhrman, Jed A; Sun, Fengzhu

    2015-09-21

    Local trend (i.e. shape) analysis of time series data reveals co-changing patterns in dynamics of biological systems. However, slow permutation procedures to evaluate the statistical significance of local trend scores have limited its applications to high-throughput time series data analysis, e.g., data from the next generation sequencing technology based studies. By extending the theories for the tail probability of the range of sum of Markovian random variables, we propose formulae for approximating the statistical significance of local trend scores. Using simulations and real data, we show that the approximate p-value is close to that obtained using a large number of permutations (starting at time points >20 with no delay and >30 with delay of at most three time steps) in that the non-zero decimals of the p-values obtained by the approximation and the permutations are mostly the same when the approximate p-value is less than 0.05. In addition, the approximate p-value is slightly larger than that based on permutations making hypothesis testing based on the approximate p-value conservative. The approximation enables efficient calculation of p-values for pairwise local trend analysis, making large scale all-versus-all comparisons possible. We also propose a hybrid approach by integrating the approximation and permutations to obtain accurate p-values for significantly associated pairs. We further demonstrate its use with the analysis of the Polymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) microbial community time series from high-throughput sequencing data and found interesting organism co-occurrence dynamic patterns. The software tool is integrated into the eLSA software package that now provides accelerated local trend and similarity analysis pipelines for time series data. The package is freely available from the eLSA website: http://bitbucket.org/charade/elsa.

  3. Using Latent Semantic Analysis to Identify Research Trends in OpenStreetMap

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sukhjit Singh Sehra

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available OpenStreetMap (OSM, based on collaborative mapping, has become a subject of great interest to the academic community, resulting in a considerable body of literature produced by many researchers. In this paper, we use Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA to help identify the emerging research trends in OSM. An extensive corpus of 485 academic abstracts of papers published during the period 2007–2016 was used. Five core research areas and fifty research trends were identified in this study. In addition, potential future research directions have been provided to aid geospatial information scientists, technologists and researchers in undertaking future OSM research.

  4. Cross-language information retrieval using PARAFAC2.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bader, Brett William; Chew, Peter; Abdelali, Ahmed (New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM); Kolda, Tamara Gibson

    2007-05-01

    A standard approach to cross-language information retrieval (CLIR) uses Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) in conjunction with a multilingual parallel aligned corpus. This approach has been shown to be successful in identifying similar documents across languages - or more precisely, retrieving the most similar document in one language to a query in another language. However, the approach has severe drawbacks when applied to a related task, that of clustering documents 'language-independently', so that documents about similar topics end up closest to one another in the semantic space regardless of their language. The problem is that documents are generally more similar to other documents in the same language than they are to documents in a different language, but on the same topic. As a result, when using multilingual LSA, documents will in practice cluster by language, not by topic. We propose a novel application of PARAFAC2 (which is a variant of PARAFAC, a multi-way generalization of the singular value decomposition [SVD]) to overcome this problem. Instead of forming a single multilingual term-by-document matrix which, under LSA, is subjected to SVD, we form an irregular three-way array, each slice of which is a separate term-by-document matrix for a single language in the parallel corpus. The goal is to compute an SVD for each language such that V (the matrix of right singular vectors) is the same across all languages. Effectively, PARAFAC2 imposes the constraint, not present in standard LSA, that the 'concepts' in all documents in the parallel corpus are the same regardless of language. Intuitively, this constraint makes sense, since the whole purpose of using a parallel corpus is that exactly the same concepts are expressed in the translations. We tested this approach by comparing the performance of PARAFAC2 with standard LSA in solving a particular CLIR problem. From our results, we conclude that PARAFAC2 offers a very promising alternative to

  5. Ion induced optical emission for surface and depth profile analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    White, C.W.

    1977-01-01

    Low-energy ion bombardment of solid surfaces results in the emission of infrared, visible, and ultraviolet radiation produced by inelastic ion-solid collision processes. The emitted optical radiation provides important insight into low-energy particle-solid interactions and provides the basis for an analysis technique which can be used for surface and depth profile analysis with high sensitivity. The different kinds of collision induced optical radiation emitted as a result of low-energy particle-solid collisions are reviewed. Line radiation arising from excited states of sputtered atoms or molecules is shown to provide the basis for surface and depth profile analysis. The spectral characteristics of this type of radiation are discussed and applications of the ion induced optical emission technique are presented. These applications include measurements of ion implant profiles, detection sensitivities for submonolayer quantities of impurities on elemental surfaces, and the detection of elemental impurities on complex organic substrates

  6. A description of the BNL active surface analysis facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tyler, J.W.

    1989-11-01

    Berkeley Nuclear Laboratories has a responsibility for the assessment of radioactive specimens arising both from post irradiation examination of power reactor components and structures and experimental programmes concerned with fission and activation product transport. Existing analytical facilities have been extended with the commissioning of an active surface analysis instrument (XSAM 800pci, Kratos Analytical). Surface analysis involves the characterisation of the outer few atomic layers of a solid surface/interface whose chemical composition and electronic structure will probably be different from the bulk. The new instrument consists three interconnected chambers positioned in series; comprising of a high vacuum sample introduction chamber, an ultra-high vacuum sample treatment/fracture chamber and an ultra-high vacuum sample analysis chamber. The sample analysis chamber contains the electron, X-ray and ion-guns and the electron and ion detectors necessary for performing X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning Auger microscopy and secondary-ion mass spectroscopy. The chamber also contains a high stability manipulator to enable sub-micron imaging of specimens to be achieved and provide sample heating and cooling between - 180 and 600 0 C. (author)

  7. Surface and interface analysis of photovoltaic devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kazmerski, L.L.

    1983-01-01

    Interface chemistry can control the performance and operational lifetime of solar cells, especially thin-film, polycrystalline devices. The composition and elemental integrity of device surfaces, internal junctions, layer and defect interfces can be related to and dominate the electroptical characteristics of the materials/ devices. This paper examines the compositional properties of external and internal surfaces in polycrystaline solar cells, utilizing high-resolution, complementary surface analysis techniques. The electronic properties of these same regions are evaluated using microelectrical characterization methods. Cell performance, in turn, is explained in terms of these relation-ships. Specifically, two solar cell types are used as examples: (1) the polycrystalline Si homojunction and (2) the (Cd Zn)S/CuInSe 2 heterojunction. Throughout these investigations of photovoltaic devices, the limitations and strengths of the surface and electrical microanalyses techniques are emphasized and discussed. (Author) [pt

  8. Native Liquid Extraction Surface Analysis Mass Spectrometry: Analysis of Noncovalent Protein Complexes Directly from Dried Substrates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Nicholas J.; Griffiths, Rian L.; Edwards, Rebecca L.; Cooper, Helen J.

    2015-08-01

    Liquid extraction surface analysis (LESA) mass spectrometry is a promising tool for the analysis of intact proteins from biological substrates. Here, we demonstrate native LESA mass spectrometry of noncovalent protein complexes of myoglobin and hemoglobin from a range of surfaces. Holomyoglobin, in which apomyoglobin is noncovalently bound to the prosthetic heme group, was observed following LESA mass spectrometry of myoglobin dried onto glass and polyvinylidene fluoride surfaces. Tetrameric hemoglobin [(αβ)2 4H] was observed following LESA mass spectrometry of hemoglobin dried onto glass and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) surfaces, and from dried blood spots (DBS) on filter paper. Heme-bound dimers and monomers were also observed. The `contact' LESA approach was particularly suitable for the analysis of hemoglobin tetramers from DBS.

  9. Surface analysis of graphite fiber reinforced polyimide composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Messick, D. L.; Progar, D. J.; Wightman, J. P.

    1983-01-01

    Several techniques have been used to establish the effect of different surface pretreatments on graphite-polyimide composites. Composites were prepared from Celion 6000 graphite fibers and the polyimide LARC-160. Pretreatments included mechanical abrasion, chemical etching and light irradiation. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used in the analysis. Contact angle of five different liquids of varying surface tensions were measured on the composites. SEM results showed polymer-rich peaks and polymer-poor valleys conforming to the pattern of the release cloth used durng fabrication. Mechanically treated and light irradiated samples showed varying degrees of polymer peak removal, with some degradation down to the graphite fibers. Minimal changes in surface topography were observed on concentrations of surface fluorine even after pretreatment. The light irradiation pretreatment was most effective at reducing surface fluorine concentrations whereas chemical pretreatment was the least effective. Critical surface tensions correlated directly with the surface fluorine to carbon ratios as calculated from XPS.

  10. Lifetime suicidal ideation and attempt in adults with full major depressive disorder versus sustained depressed mood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoo, Hye Jin; Hong, Jin Pyo; Cho, Maeng Je; Fava, Maurizio; Mischoulon, David; Heo, Jung-Yoon; Kim, Kiwon; Jeon, Hong Jin

    2016-10-01

    Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a well-known risk factor for suicidality, but depressed mood has been used non-specifically to describe the emotional state. We sought to compare influence of MDD versus sustained depressed mood on suicidality. A total of 12,532 adults, randomly selected through the one-person-per-household method, completed a face-to-face interview using the Korean version of Composite International Diagnostic Interview (K-CIDI) and a questionnaire for lifetime suicidal ideation (LSI) and lifetime suicidal attempt (LSA). Of 12,361 adults, 565 were assessed as 'sustained depressed mood group' having depressed mood for more than two weeks without MDD (4.6%), and 810 adults were assessed as having full MDD (6.55%) which consisted of 'MDD with depressed mood group' (6.0%) and 'MDD without depressed mood group' (0.5%). The MDD with depressed mood group showed higher odds ratios for LSI and LSA than the sustained depressed mood group. Contrarily, no significant differences were found in LSI and LSA between the MDD group with and without depressed mood. MDD showed significant associations with LSI (AOR=2.83, 95%CI 2.12-3.78) and LSA (AOR=2.17, 95%CI 1.34-3.52), whereas sustained depressed mood showed significant associations with neither LSI nor LSA after adjusting for MDD and other psychiatric comorbidities. Interaction effect of sustained depressed mood with MDD was significant for LSI but not for LSA. Sustained depressed mood was not related to LSI and LSA after adjusting for psychiatric comorbidities, whereas MDD was significantly associated with both LSI and LSA regardless of the presence of sustained depressed mood. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Ion beam analysis of metal ion implanted surfaces

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Evans, P.J.; Chu, J.W.; Johnson, E.P.; Noorman, J.T. [Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, NSW (Australia); Sood, D.K. [Royal Melbourne Inst. of Tech., VIC (Australia)

    1993-12-31

    Ion implantation is an established method for altering the surface properties of many materials. While a variety of analytical techniques are available for the characterisation of implanted surfaces, those based on particle accelerators such as Rutherford backscattering (RBS) and nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) provide some of the most useful and powerful for this purpose. Application of the latter techniques to metal ion implantation research at ANSTO will be described with particular reference to specific examples from recent studies. Where possible, the information obtained from ion beam analysis will be compared with that derived from other techniques such as Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Auger spectroscopies. 4 refs., 5 figs.

  12. Ion beam analysis of metal ion implanted surfaces

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Evans, P J; Chu, J W; Johnson, E P; Noorman, J T [Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, NSW (Australia); Sood, D K [Royal Melbourne Inst. of Tech., VIC (Australia)

    1994-12-31

    Ion implantation is an established method for altering the surface properties of many materials. While a variety of analytical techniques are available for the characterisation of implanted surfaces, those based on particle accelerators such as Rutherford backscattering (RBS) and nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) provide some of the most useful and powerful for this purpose. Application of the latter techniques to metal ion implantation research at ANSTO will be described with particular reference to specific examples from recent studies. Where possible, the information obtained from ion beam analysis will be compared with that derived from other techniques such as Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Auger spectroscopies. 4 refs., 5 figs.

  13. Ion beam analysis of metal ion implanted surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Evans, P.J.; Chu, J.W.; Johnson, E.P.; Noorman, J.T.; Sood, D.K.

    1993-01-01

    Ion implantation is an established method for altering the surface properties of many materials. While a variety of analytical techniques are available for the characterisation of implanted surfaces, those based on particle accelerators such as Rutherford backscattering (RBS) and nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) provide some of the most useful and powerful for this purpose. Application of the latter techniques to metal ion implantation research at ANSTO will be described with particular reference to specific examples from recent studies. Where possible, the information obtained from ion beam analysis will be compared with that derived from other techniques such as Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Auger spectroscopies. 4 refs., 5 figs

  14. Applications of surface analysis in the environmental sciences: dehalogenation of chlorocarbons with zero-valent iron and iron-containing mineral surfaces

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McGuire, Molly M.; Carlson, Daniel L.; Vikesland, Peter J.; Kohn, Tamar; Grenier, Adam C.; Langley, Laura A.; Roberts, A. Lynn; Fairbrother, D. Howard

    2003-10-31

    Halogenated organic compounds are common pollutants in groundwater. Consequently, there is widespread interest in understanding the reactions of these compounds in the environment and developing remediation strategies. One area of ongoing research involves the reductive dechlorination of organohalides with zero-valent metals or metal sulfide minerals. These processes have been studied almost exclusively from the perspective of the aqueous phase. In this paper we illustrate the utility of surface analysis techniques, including electron spectroscopies, vibrational spectroscopies, and atomic force microscopy in elucidating the roles played by the surface. A dual analysis approach to the study of reductive dechlorination, combining traditional solution phase analysis with surface analytical techniques, also is demonstrated using a liquid cell coupled to an ultrahigh vacuum surface analysis chamber.

  15. Support surfaces for pressure ulcer prevention: A network meta-analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dumville, Jo C.; Cullum, Nicky

    2018-01-01

    Background Pressure ulcers are a prevalent and global issue and support surfaces are widely used for preventing ulceration. However, the diversity of available support surfaces and the lack of direct comparisons in RCTs make decision-making difficult. Objectives To determine, using network meta-analysis, the relative effects of different support surfaces in reducing pressure ulcer incidence and comfort and to rank these support surfaces in order of their effectiveness. Methods We conducted a systematic review, using a literature search up to November 2016, to identify randomised trials comparing support surfaces for pressure ulcer prevention. Two reviewers independently performed study selection, risk of bias assessment and data extraction. We grouped the support surfaces according to their characteristics and formed evidence networks using these groups. We used network meta-analysis to estimate the relative effects and effectiveness ranking of the groups for the outcomes of pressure ulcer incidence and participant comfort. GRADE was used to assess the certainty of evidence. Main results We included 65 studies in the review. The network for assessing pressure ulcer incidence comprised evidence of low or very low certainty for most network contrasts. There was moderate-certainty evidence that powered active air surfaces and powered hybrid air surfaces probably reduce pressure ulcer incidence compared with standard hospital surfaces (risk ratios (RR) 0.42, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.29 to 0.63; 0.22, 0.07 to 0.66, respectively). The network for comfort suggested that powered active air-surfaces are probably slightly less comfortable than standard hospital mattresses (RR 0.80, 95% CI 0.69 to 0.94; moderate-certainty evidence). Conclusions This is the first network meta-analysis of the effects of support surfaces for pressure ulcer prevention. Powered active air-surfaces probably reduce pressure ulcer incidence, but are probably less comfortable than standard

  16. Support surfaces for pressure ulcer prevention: A network meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Chunhu; Dumville, Jo C; Cullum, Nicky

    2018-01-01

    Pressure ulcers are a prevalent and global issue and support surfaces are widely used for preventing ulceration. However, the diversity of available support surfaces and the lack of direct comparisons in RCTs make decision-making difficult. To determine, using network meta-analysis, the relative effects of different support surfaces in reducing pressure ulcer incidence and comfort and to rank these support surfaces in order of their effectiveness. We conducted a systematic review, using a literature search up to November 2016, to identify randomised trials comparing support surfaces for pressure ulcer prevention. Two reviewers independently performed study selection, risk of bias assessment and data extraction. We grouped the support surfaces according to their characteristics and formed evidence networks using these groups. We used network meta-analysis to estimate the relative effects and effectiveness ranking of the groups for the outcomes of pressure ulcer incidence and participant comfort. GRADE was used to assess the certainty of evidence. We included 65 studies in the review. The network for assessing pressure ulcer incidence comprised evidence of low or very low certainty for most network contrasts. There was moderate-certainty evidence that powered active air surfaces and powered hybrid air surfaces probably reduce pressure ulcer incidence compared with standard hospital surfaces (risk ratios (RR) 0.42, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.29 to 0.63; 0.22, 0.07 to 0.66, respectively). The network for comfort suggested that powered active air-surfaces are probably slightly less comfortable than standard hospital mattresses (RR 0.80, 95% CI 0.69 to 0.94; moderate-certainty evidence). This is the first network meta-analysis of the effects of support surfaces for pressure ulcer prevention. Powered active air-surfaces probably reduce pressure ulcer incidence, but are probably less comfortable than standard hospital surfaces. Most prevention evidence was of low or

  17. Support surfaces for pressure ulcer prevention: A network meta-analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chunhu Shi

    Full Text Available Pressure ulcers are a prevalent and global issue and support surfaces are widely used for preventing ulceration. However, the diversity of available support surfaces and the lack of direct comparisons in RCTs make decision-making difficult.To determine, using network meta-analysis, the relative effects of different support surfaces in reducing pressure ulcer incidence and comfort and to rank these support surfaces in order of their effectiveness.We conducted a systematic review, using a literature search up to November 2016, to identify randomised trials comparing support surfaces for pressure ulcer prevention. Two reviewers independently performed study selection, risk of bias assessment and data extraction. We grouped the support surfaces according to their characteristics and formed evidence networks using these groups. We used network meta-analysis to estimate the relative effects and effectiveness ranking of the groups for the outcomes of pressure ulcer incidence and participant comfort. GRADE was used to assess the certainty of evidence.We included 65 studies in the review. The network for assessing pressure ulcer incidence comprised evidence of low or very low certainty for most network contrasts. There was moderate-certainty evidence that powered active air surfaces and powered hybrid air surfaces probably reduce pressure ulcer incidence compared with standard hospital surfaces (risk ratios (RR 0.42, 95% confidence intervals (CI 0.29 to 0.63; 0.22, 0.07 to 0.66, respectively. The network for comfort suggested that powered active air-surfaces are probably slightly less comfortable than standard hospital mattresses (RR 0.80, 95% CI 0.69 to 0.94; moderate-certainty evidence.This is the first network meta-analysis of the effects of support surfaces for pressure ulcer prevention. Powered active air-surfaces probably reduce pressure ulcer incidence, but are probably less comfortable than standard hospital surfaces. Most prevention evidence was

  18. Quantitative XPS analysis of high Tc superconductor surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jablonski, A.; Sanada, N.; Suzuki, Y.; Fukuda, Y.; Nagoshi, M.

    1993-01-01

    The procedure of quantitative XPS analysis involving the relative sensitivity factors is most convenient to apply to high T c superconductor surfaces because this procedure does not require standards. However, a considerable limitation of such an approach is its relatively low accuracy. In the present work, a proposition is made to use for this purpose a modification of the relative sensitivity factor approach accounting for the matrix and the instrumental effects. The accuracy of this modification when applied to the binary metal alloys is 2% or better. A quantitative XPS analysis was made for surfaces of the compounds Bi 2 Sr 2 CuO 6 , Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 , and YBa 2 Cu 3 O Y . The surface composition determined for the polycrystalline samples corresponds reasonably well to the bulk stoichiometry. Slight deficiency of oxygen was found for the Bi-based compounds. The surface exposed on cleavage of the Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 single crystal was found to be enriched with bismuth, which indicates that the cleavage occurs along the BiO planes. This result is in agreement with the STM studies published in the literature

  19. SURFAN, a programme for surface analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Negoita, F.; Borcan, C.; Pantelica, D.

    1997-01-01

    Possible alternatives to Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) method of material analysis, overcoming the poor sensitivity to light elements of RBS, are the nuclear resonant reaction analysis (NRA) and elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA). The last one is especially useful in surface and thin film analysis. To simulate the spectra obtained with any of these methods a programme SURFAN was worked out. In comparison with the code RUMP, published by Doolittle, it allows to simply change the charge of the projectile nature, implies no limitation to the energy of incident projectiles and permits the use of any depth profile function. The basic ideas and the structure of SURFAN are presented. Its application to ERDA and RBS methods resulted in important information on the processes implied in special materials obtained by advanced technologies

  20. Analysis of energy flow during playground surface impacts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davidson, Peter L; Wilson, Suzanne J; Chalmers, David J; Wilson, Barry D; Eager, David; McIntosh, Andrew S

    2013-10-01

    The amount of energy dissipated away from or returned to a child falling onto a surface will influence fracture risk but is not considered in current standards for playground impact-attenuating surfaces. A two-mass rheological computer simulation was used to model energy flow within the wrist and surface during hand impact with playground surfaces, and the potential of this approach to provide insights into such impacts and predict injury risk examined. Acceleration data collected on-site from typical playground surfaces and previously obtained data from children performing an exercise involving freefalling with a fully extended arm provided input. The model identified differences in energy flow properties between playground surfaces and two potentially harmful surface characteristics: more energy was absorbed by (work done on) the wrist during both impact and rebound on rubber surfaces than on bark, and rubber surfaces started to rebound (return energy to the wrist) while the upper limb was still moving downward. Energy flow analysis thus provides information on playground surface characteristics and the impact process, and has the potential to identify fracture risks, inform the development of safer impact-attenuating surfaces, and contribute to development of new energy-based arm fracture injury criteria and tests for use in conjunction with current methods.

  1. Surface analysis methods in materials science

    CERN Document Server

    Sexton, Brett; Smart, Roger

    1992-01-01

    The idea for this book stemmed from a remark by Philip Jennings of Murdoch University in a discussion session following a regular meeting of the Australian Surface Science group. He observed that a text on surface analysis and applica­ tions to materials suitable for final year undergraduate and postgraduate science students was not currently available. Furthermore, the members of the Australian Surface Science group had the research experience and range of coverage of sur­ face analytical techniques and applications to provide a text for this purpose. A of techniques and applications to be included was agreed at that meeting. The list intended readership of the book has been broadened since the early discussions, particularly to encompass industrial users, but there has been no significant alter­ ation in content. The editors, in consultation with the contributors, have agreed that the book should be prepared for four major groups of readers: - senior undergraduate students in chemistry, physics, metallur...

  2. Leptospiral outer membrane protein microarray, a novel approach to identification of host ligand-binding proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinne, Marija; Matsunaga, James; Haake, David A

    2012-11-01

    Leptospirosis is a zoonosis with worldwide distribution caused by pathogenic spirochetes belonging to the genus Leptospira. The leptospiral life cycle involves transmission via freshwater and colonization of the renal tubules of their reservoir hosts. Infection requires adherence to cell surfaces and extracellular matrix components of host tissues. These host-pathogen interactions involve outer membrane proteins (OMPs) expressed on the bacterial surface. In this study, we developed an Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni strain Fiocruz L1-130 OMP microarray containing all predicted lipoproteins and transmembrane OMPs. A total of 401 leptospiral genes or their fragments were transcribed and translated in vitro and printed on nitrocellulose-coated glass slides. We investigated the potential of this protein microarray to screen for interactions between leptospiral OMPs and fibronectin (Fn). This approach resulted in the identification of the recently described fibronectin-binding protein, LIC10258 (MFn8, Lsa66), and 14 novel Fn-binding proteins, denoted Microarray Fn-binding proteins (MFns). We confirmed Fn binding of purified recombinant LIC11612 (MFn1), LIC10714 (MFn2), LIC11051 (MFn6), LIC11436 (MFn7), LIC10258 (MFn8, Lsa66), and LIC10537 (MFn9) by far-Western blot assays. Moreover, we obtained specific antibodies to MFn1, MFn7, MFn8 (Lsa66), and MFn9 and demonstrated that MFn1, MFn7, and MFn9 are expressed and surface exposed under in vitro growth conditions. Further, we demonstrated that MFn1, MFn4 (LIC12631, Sph2), and MFn7 enable leptospires to bind fibronectin when expressed in the saprophyte, Leptospira biflexa. Protein microarrays are valuable tools for high-throughput identification of novel host ligand-binding proteins that have the potential to play key roles in the virulence mechanisms of pathogens.

  3. Characteristics of cerium-gadolinium oxide (CGO) suspensions as a function of dispersant and powder properties

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Phair, John; Lönnroth, Nadja; Lundberg, Mats

    2009-01-01

    –Bulkley relationship as a function of shear rate. Increasing the solids loading (from = 0.20 to 0.34) on the other hand, lead to an increase in the suspension viscosity as well as the viscous and elastic moduli for low surface area (LSA) CGO suspensions. The maximum solids loading for the suspension was determined...

  4. Stability analysis of a pressure-solution surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gal, Doron; Nur, Amos; Aharonov, Einat

    We present a linear stability analysis of a dissolution surface subjected to non-hydrostatic stress. A sinusoidal perturbation is imposed on an initially flat solid/fluid interface, and the consequent changes in elastic strain energy and surface energy are calculated. Our results demonstrate that if the far-field lateral stresses are either greater, or much smaller than the fluid pressure, the perturbed configuration has a lower strain energy than the initial one. For wavelengths greater than a critical wavelength this energy decrease may be large enough to offset the increased surface energy. Under these conditions, the perturbation grows unstably. If these conditions are not met, the surface becomes flat. The growth rate and wavelength of the maximally unstable mode depend on the mechanism of matter transport. We conclude that the instability discussed in this paper may account for the formation of stylolites and other pressure-solution phenomena, such as roughening of grain contacts.

  5. Compensation for longitudinal chromatic aberration in the eye of the firefly squid, Watasenia scintillans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kröger, Ronald H H; Gislén, Anna

    2004-01-01

    The camera eyes of fishes and cephalopods have come forth by convergent evolution. In a variety of vertebrates capable of color vision, longitudinal chromatic aberration (LCA) of the optical system is corrected for by the exactly tuned longitudinal spherical aberration (LSA) of the crystalline lens. The LSA leads to multiple focal lengths, such that several wavelengths can be focused on the retina. We investigated whether that is also the case in the firefly squid (Watasenia scintillans), a cephalopod species that is likely to have color vision. It was found that the lens of W. scintillans is virtually free of LSA and uncorrected for LCA. However, the eye does not suffer from LCA because of a banked retina. Photoreceptors sensitive to short and long wavelengths are located at appropriate distances from the lens, such that they receive well-focused images. Such a design is an excellent solution for the firefly squid because a large area of the retina is monochromatically organized and it allows for double use of the surface area in the dichromatically organized part of the retina. However, it is not a universal solution since compensation for LCA by a banked retina requires that eye size and/or spectral separation between photopigments is small.

  6. Survivin inhibition via EZN-3042 in canine lymphoma and osteosarcoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shoeneman, J K; Ehrhart, E J; Charles, J B; Thamm, D H

    2016-06-01

    Canine lymphoma (LSA) and osteosarcoma (OS) have high mortality rates and remain in need of more effective therapeutic approaches. Survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family member protein that inhibits apoptosis and drives cell proliferation, is commonly elevated in human and canine cancer. Survivin expression is a negative prognostic factor in dogs with LSA and OS, and canine LSA and OS cell lines express high levels of survivin. In this study, we demonstrate that survivin downregulation in canine LSA and OS cells using a clinically applicable locked nucleic acid antisense oligonucleotide (EZN-3042, Enzon Pharmaceuticals, Piscataway Township, NJ, USA) inhibits growth, induces apoptosis and enhances chemosensitivity in vitro, and inhibits survivin transcription and protein production in orthotopic canine OS xenografts. Our findings strongly suggest that survivin-directed therapies might be effective in treatment of canine LSA and OS and support evaluation of EZN-3042 in dogs with cancer. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Indian Ocean surface winds from NCMRWF analysis as compared

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    The quality of the surface wind analysis at the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (NCMRWF), New Delhi over the tropical Indian Ocean and its improvement in 2001 are examined by comparing it with in situ buoy measurements and satellite derived surface winds from NASA QuikSCAT satellite (QSCT) ...

  8. Assessing ground compaction via time lapse surface wave analysis

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Dal Moro, Giancarlo; Al-Arifi, N.; Moustafa, S.S.R.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 13, č. 3 (2016), s. 249-256 ISSN 1214-9705 Institutional support: RVO:67985891 Keywords : Full velocity spectrum (FVS) analysis * ground compaction * ground compaction * phase velocities * Rayleigh waves * seismic data inversion * surface wave dispersion * surface waves Subject RIV: DC - Siesmology, Volcanology, Earth Structure Impact factor: 0.699, year: 2016

  9. 'The surface management system' (SuMS) database: a surface-based database to aid cortical surface reconstruction, visualization and analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dickson, J.; Drury, H.; Van Essen, D. C.

    2001-01-01

    Surface reconstructions of the cerebral cortex are increasingly widely used in the analysis and visualization of cortical structure, function and connectivity. From a neuroinformatics perspective, dealing with surface-related data poses a number of challenges. These include the multiplicity of configurations in which surfaces are routinely viewed (e.g. inflated maps, spheres and flat maps), plus the diversity of experimental data that can be represented on any given surface. To address these challenges, we have developed a surface management system (SuMS) that allows automated storage and retrieval of complex surface-related datasets. SuMS provides a systematic framework for the classification, storage and retrieval of many types of surface-related data and associated volume data. Within this classification framework, it serves as a version-control system capable of handling large numbers of surface and volume datasets. With built-in database management system support, SuMS provides rapid search and retrieval capabilities across all the datasets, while also incorporating multiple security levels to regulate access. SuMS is implemented in Java and can be accessed via a Web interface (WebSuMS) or using downloaded client software. Thus, SuMS is well positioned to act as a multiplatform, multi-user 'surface request broker' for the neuroscience community.

  10. A study of the consistent and the lumped source approximations in finite element neutron diffusion calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ozgener, B.; Azgener, H.A.

    1991-01-01

    In finite element formulations for the solution of the within-group neutron diffusion equation, two different treatments are possible for the group source term: the consistent source approximation (CSA) and the lumped source approximation (LSA). CSA results in intra-group scattering and fission matrices which have the same nondiagonal structure as the global coefficient matrix. This situation might be regarded as a disadvantage, compared to the conventional (i.e. finite difference) methods where the intra-group scattering and fission matrices are diagonal. To overcome this disadvantage, LSA could be used to diagonalize these matrices. LSA is akin to the lumped mass approximation of continuum mechanics. We concentrate on two different aspects of the source approximations. Although it has been reported that LSA does not modify the asymptotic h 2 convergence behaviour for linear elements, the effect of LSA on convergence of higher degree elements has not been investigated. Thus, we would be interested in determining, p, the asymptotic order of convergence, in: Δk |k eff (analytical) -k eff (finite element)| = Ch p (1) for finite element approximations of varying degree (N) with both of the source approximations. Since (1) is valid in the asymptotic limit, we must use ultra-fine meshes and quadruple precision arithmetic. For our order of convergence study, we used infinite cylindrical geometry with azimuthal symmetry. Hence, the effects of singularities remain uninvestigated. The second aspect we dwell on is the performance of LSA in bilinear 3-D finite element calculations, compared to CSA. LSA has been used quite extensively in 1- and 2-D even-parity transport and diffusion calculations. In this work, we will try to assess the relative merits of LSA and CSA in 3-D problems. (author)

  11. An Intelligent Method for Structural Reliability Analysis Based on Response Surface

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    桂劲松; 刘红; 康海贵

    2004-01-01

    As water depth increases, the structural safety and reliability of a system become more and more important and challenging. Therefore, the structural reliability method must be applied in ocean engineering design such as offshore platform design. If the performance function is known in structural reliability analysis, the first-order second-moment method is often used. If the performance function could not be definitely expressed, the response surface method is always used because it has a very clear train of thought and simple programming. However, the traditional response surface method fits the response surface of quadratic polynomials where the problem of accuracy could not be solved, because the true limit state surface can be fitted well only in the area near the checking point. In this paper, an intelligent computing method based on the whole response surface is proposed, which can be used for the situation where the performance function could not be definitely expressed in structural reliability analysis. In this method, a response surface of the fuzzy neural network for the whole area should be constructed first, and then the structural reliability can be calculated by the genetic algorithm. In the proposed method, all the sample points for the training network come from the whole area, so the true limit state surface in the whole area can be fitted. Through calculational examples and comparative analysis, it can be known that the proposed method is much better than the traditional response surface method of quadratic polynomials, because, the amount of calculation of finite element analysis is largely reduced, the accuracy of calculation is improved,and the true limit state surface can be fitted very well in the whole area. So, the method proposed in this paper is suitable for engineering application.

  12. Immunohistochemical Similarities between Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus and Morphea: A Case Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aya Kakizaki

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Both morphea and lichen sclerosus et atrophicus (LSA are connective tissue diseases that mainly affect the skin. A recent report suggested that a substantial portion of morphea coexists with LSA. In this report, we describe a case of LSA on the abdomen accompanied by morphea; we employed immunohistochemical staining for periostin as well as MMP-7 and MMP-28, both of which are reported to facilitate fibrosis in the development of various organs, including skin. To our knowledge, this is first English language paper that demonstrates the immunohistochemical staining of periostin, MMP-7 and MMP-28 for morphea and LSA. Our present case might suggest possible mechanisms for the coexistence of two different sclerotic skin disorders.

  13. Quantitation of Surface Coating on Nanoparticles Using Thermogravimetric Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dongargaonkar, Alpana A; Clogston, Jeffrey D

    2018-01-01

    Nanoparticles are critical components in nanomedicine and nanotherapeutic applications. Some nanoparticles, such as metallic nanoparticles, consist of a surface coating or surface modification to aid in its dispersion and stability. This surface coating may affect the behavior of nanoparticles in a biological environment, thus it is important to measure. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) can be used to determine the amount of coating on the surface of the nanoparticle. TGA experiments run under inert atmosphere can also be used to determine residual metal content present in the sample. In this chapter, the TGA technique and experimental method are described.

  14. Numerical study of swirling flow in a cylinder with rotating top and bottom

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Shen, Wen Zhong; Sørensen, Jens Nørkær; Michelsen, Jess

    2006-01-01

    (xi=Omega(bottom)/Omega(top)). Earlier linear stability analysis (LSA) using the Galerkin spectral method by Gelfgat [Phys. Fluids, 8, 2614 (1996)] revealed that the curve of the critical Reynolds number behaves like an "S" around xi=0.54 in the co-rotation branch and around xi=-0.63 in the counter...... that the S shape does exist. The S shape of the stability diagram predicted by LSA is thus confirmed by a finite-volume based Navier-Stokes solver. The additional computations at aspect ratio lambda=2 show that the curve of critical Reynolds number has a wider S shape in the co-rotating branch for xi about 0.7...

  15. A Case Study on Sepsis Using PubMed and Deep Learning for Ontology Learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arguello Casteleiro, Mercedes; Maseda Fernandez, Diego; Demetriou, George; Read, Warren; Fernandez Prieto, Maria Jesus; Des Diz, Julio; Nenadic, Goran; Keane, John; Stevens, Robert

    2017-01-01

    We investigate the application of distributional semantics models for facilitating unsupervised extraction of biomedical terms from unannotated corpora. Term extraction is used as the first step of an ontology learning process that aims to (semi-)automatic annotation of biomedical concepts and relations from more than 300K PubMed titles and abstracts. We experimented with both traditional distributional semantics methods such as Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) as well as the neural language models CBOW and Skip-gram from Deep Learning. The evaluation conducted concentrates on sepsis, a major life-threatening condition, and shows that Deep Learning models outperform LSA and LDA with much higher precision.

  16. SURFACE ELECTROMYOGRAPHY IN BIOMECHANICS: APPLICATIONS AND SIGNAL ANALYSIS ASPECTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    DEAK GRAłIELA-FLAVIA

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Surface electromyography (SEMG is a technique for detecting and recording the electrical activity of the muscles using surface electrodes. The EMG signal is used in biomechanics mainly as an indicator of the initiation of muscle activation, as an indicator of the force produced by a contracting muscle, and as an index ofthe fatigue occurring within a muscle. EMG, used as a method of investigation, can tell us if the muscle is active or not, if the muscle is more or less active, when it is on or off, how much active is it, and finally, if it fatigues.The purpose of this article is to discuss some specific EMG signal analysis aspects with emphasis on comparison type analysis and frequency fatigue analysis.

  17. The effect of affective context on visuocortical processing of neutral faces in social anxiety - An ERP study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthias J Wieser

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available It has been demonstrated that verbal context information alters the neural processing of ambiguous faces such as faces with no apparent facial expression. In social anxiety, neutral faces may be implicitly threatening for socially anxious individuals due to their ambiguous nature, but even more so if these neutral faces are put in self-referential negative contexts. Therefore, we measured event-related brain potentials (ERPs in response to neutral faces which were preceded by affective verbal information (negative, neutral, positive. Participants with low social anxiety (LSA; n = 23 and high social anxiety (HSA; n = 21 were asked to watch and rate valence and arousal of the respective faces while continuous EEG was recorded. ERP analysis revealed that HSA showed elevated P100 amplitudes in response to faces, but reduced structural encoding of faces as indexed by reduced N170 amplitudes. In general, affective context led to an enhanced early posterior negativity (EPN for negative compared to neutral facial expressions. Moreover, HSA compared to LSA showed enhanced late positive potentials (LPP to negatively contextualized faces, whereas in LSA this effect was found for faces in positive contexts. Also, HSA rated faces in negative contexts as more negative compared to LSA. These results point at enhanced vigilance for neutral faces regardless of context in HSA, while structural encoding seems to be diminished (avoidance. Interestingly, later components of sustained processing (LPP indicate that LSA show enhanced visuocortical processing for faces in positive contexts (happy bias, whereas this seems to be the case for negatively contextualized faces in HSA (threat bias. Finally, our results add further new evidence that top-down information in interaction with individual anxiety levels can influence early-stage aspects of visual perception.

  18. Applied surface analysis of metal materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weiss, Z.

    1987-01-01

    The applications of surface analytical techniques in the solution of technological problems in metalurgy and engineering are reviewed. Some important application areas such as corrosion, grain boundary segregation and metallurgical coatings are presented together with specific requirements for the type of information which is necessary for solving particular problems. The techniques discussed include: electron spectroscopies (Auger Electron Spectroscopy, Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis), ion spectroscopies (Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, Ion Scattering Spectroscopy), Rutherford Back-Scattering, nuclear reaction analysis, optical methods (Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectrometry), ellipsometry, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, the Moessbauer spectroscopy and methods of consumptive depth profile analysis. Principles and analytical features of these methods are demonstrated and examples of their applications to metallurgy are taken from recent literature. (author). 4 figs., 2 tabs., 112 refs

  19. Critical reflection activation analysis - a new near-surface probe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gunn, J.M.F.; Trohidou, K.N.

    1988-09-01

    We propose a new surface analytic technique, Critical Reflection Activation Analysis (CRAA). This technique allows accurate depth profiling of impurities ≤ 100A beneath a surface. The depth profile of the impurity is simply related to the induced activity as a function of the angle of reflection. We argue that the technique is practical and estimate its accuracy. (author)

  20. Surface reactivity and layer analysis of chemisorbed reaction films in ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Administrator

    Surface reactivity and layer analysis of chemisorbed reaction films in ... in the nitrogen environment. Keywords. Surface reactivity ... sium (Na–K) compounds in the coating or core of the ..... Barkshire I R, Pruton M and Smith G C 1995 Appl. Sur.

  1. Indian Ocean surface winds from NCMRWF analysis as compared to ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    R. Narasimhan (Krishtel eMaging) 1461 1996 Oct 15 13:05:22

    The quality of the surface wind analysis at the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Fore- casts (NCMRWF), New .... mization of a generalized cost function using the. Spectral ... power from a given location on the sea surface at multiple ...

  2. Stress intensity evaluation for surface crack with use of boundary element method and influence function method and the surface crack extension analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuuki, R.; Ejima, K.

    1991-01-01

    In this study, three-dimensional boundary element elastostatic analysis is carried out on various surface crack problems. The present BEM uses a Mindlin's solution as well as a Kelvin's solution as a fundamental solution. So we can obtain accurate solutions for a surface crack just before or after a penetration. The obtained solutions for various shapes of surface cracks are stored as the data base, based on the influence function method. We develop the surface crack extension analysis system using the stress intensity factor data base and also the fatigue crack growth law. Our system seems to be useful especially for the analysis of the surface crack just before or after the penetration and also under the residual stresses

  3. Fear of falling and its association with life-space mobility of older adults: a cross-sectional analysis using data from five international sites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Auais, Mohammad; Alvarado, Beatriz; Guerra, Ricardo; Curcio, Carmen; Freeman, Ellen E; Ylli, Alban; Guralnik, Jack; Deshpande, Nandini

    2017-05-01

    fear of falling (FOF) is a major health concern among community-dwelling older adults that could restrict mobility. to examine the association of FOF with life-space mobility (i.e. the spatial area a person moves through in daily life) of community-dwelling older adults from five diverse sites. in total, 1,841 older adults (65-74 years) were recruited from Kingston, Canada; Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada; Tirana, Albania; Manizales, Colombia and Natal, Brazil. FOF was assessed using the Fall Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I total score), and the life space was quantified using the Life-Space Assessment (LSA), a scale that runs from 0 (minimum life space) to 120 (maximum life space). the overall average LSA total score was 68.7 (SD: 21.2). Multiple-linear regression analysis demonstrated a significant relationship of FOF with life-space mobility, even after adjusting for functional, clinical and sociodemographic confounders (B = -0.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.26 to -0.04). The FOF × site interaction term was significant with a stronger linear relationship found in the Canadian sites and Tirana compared with the South American sites. After adjusting for all confounders, the association between FOF with LSA remained significant at Kingston (B = -0.32, 95% CI -0.62 to -0.01), Saint-Hyacinthe (B = -0.81, 95% CI -1.31 to -0.32) and Tirana (B = -0.57, 95% CI -0.89 to -0.24). FOF is an important psychological factor that is associated with reduction in life space of older adults in different social and cultural contexts, and the strength of this association is site specific. Addressing FOF among older adults would help improve their mobility in local communities, which in turn would improve social participation and health-related quality of life. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society.All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

  4. Individual IOL Surface Topography Analysis by the WaveMaster Reflex UV

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marc Kannengießer

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. In order to establish inspection routines for individual intraocular lenses (IOLs, their surfaces have to be measured separately. Currently available measurement devices lack this functionality. The purpose of this study is to evaluate a new topography measurement device based on wavefront analysis for measuring individual regular and freeform IOL surfaces, the “WaveMaster Reflex UV” (Trioptics, Wedel, Germany. Methods. Measurements were performed on IOLs with increasingly complex surface geometries: spherical surfaces, surfaces modelled by higher-order Zernike terms, and freeform surfaces from biometrical patient data. Two independent parameters were measured: the sample’s radius of curvature (ROC and its residual (difference of sample topography and its best-fit sphere. We used a quantitative analysis method by calculating the residuals’ root-mean-square (RMS and peak-to-Valley (P2V values. Results. The sample’s best-fit ROC differences increased with the sample’s complexity. The sample’s differences of RMS values were 80 nm for spherical surfaces, 97 nm for higher-order samples, and 21 nm for freeform surfaces. Graphical representations of both measurement and design topographies were recorded and compared. Conclusion. The measurements of spherical surfaces expectedly resulted in better values than those of freeform surfaces. Overall, the wavefront analysing method proves to be an effective method for evaluating individual IOL surfaces.

  5. Active Hydrophilic Components of the Medicinal Herb Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen Potently Inhibit Organic Anion Transporters 1 (Slc22a6 and 3 (Slc22a8

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Wang

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Many active components of herbal products are small organic anions, and organic anion transporters were previously demonstrated to be a potential site of drug-drug interactions. In this study, we assessed the inhibitory effects of six hydrophilic components of the herbal medicine Danshen, lithospermic acid, protocatechuic acid, rosmarinic acid, salvianolic acid A, salvianolic acid B, and tanshinol, on the function of the murine organic anion transporters, mOat1 and mOat3. All of Danshen components significantly inhibited mOat1- and mOat3-mediated substrate uptake (<0.001 with lithospermic acid (LSA, protocatechuic acid, rosmarinic acid (RMA, and salvianolic acid A (SAA producing virtually complete inhibition under test conditions. Kinetic analysis demonstrated that LSA, RMA, and SAA were competitive inhibitors. As such, values were estimated as 14.9±4.9 μM for LSA, 5.5±2.2 μM for RMA, and 4.9±2.2 μM for SAA on mOat1-mediated transport, and as 31.1±7.0 μM for LSA, 4.3±0.2 μM for RMA, and 21.3±7.7 μM for SAA on mOat3-mediated transport. These data suggest that herb-drug interactions may occur in vivo on the human orthologs of these transporters in situations of polypharmacy involving Danshen and clinical therapeutics known to be organic anion transporter substrates.

  6. Determination of the Average Native Background and the Light-Induced EPR Signals and their Variation in the Teeth Enamel Based on Large-Scale Survey of the Population

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ivannikov, Alexander I.; Khailov, Artem M.; Orlenko, Sergey P.; Skvortsov, Valeri G.; Stepanenko, Valeri F.; Zhumadilov, Kassym Sh.; Williams, Benjamin B.; Flood, Ann B.; Swartz, Harold M.

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the study is to determine the average intensity and variation of the native background signal amplitude (NSA) and of the solar light-induced signal amplitude (LSA) in electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of tooth enamel for different kinds of teeth and different groups of people. These values are necessary for determination of the intensity of the radiation-induced signal amplitude (RSA) by subtraction of the expected NSA and LSA from the total signal amplitude measured in L-band for in vivo EPR dosimetry. Variation of these signals should be taken into account when estimating the uncertainty of the estimated RSA. A new analysis of several hundred EPR spectra that were measured earlier at X-band in a large-scale examination of the population of the Central Russia was performed. Based on this analysis, the average values and the variation (standard deviation, SD) of the amplitude of the NSA for the teeth from different positions, as well as LSA in outer enamel of the front teeth for different population groups, were determined. To convert data acquired at X-band to values corresponding to the conditions of measurement at L-band, the experimental dependencies of the intensities of the RSA, LSA and NSA on the m.w. power, measured at both X and L-band, were analysed. For the two central upper incisors, which are mainly used in in vivo dosimetry, the mean LSA annual rate induced only in the outer side enamel and its variation were obtained as 10 ± 2 (SD = 8) mGy y"-"1, the same for X- and L-bands (results are presented as the mean ± error of mean). Mean NSA in enamel and its variation for the upper incisors was calculated at 2.0 ± 0.2 (SD = 0.5) Gy, relative to the calibrated RSA dose-response to gamma radiation measured under non-power saturation conditions at X-band. Assuming the same value for L-band under non-power saturating conditions, then for in vivo measurements at L-band at 25 mW (power saturation conditions), a mean NSA and its

  7. Scanning tunneling microscopy: A powerful tool for surface analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Walle, G.F.A. van de; Nelissen, B.J.; Soethout, L.L.; Kempen, H. van

    1987-01-01

    The invention of the Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) has opened a new area of surface analysis. A description of the principle of operation is given in this paper. Also the technical problems encountered and their solution are described. Two examples demonstrating the possibilities of the STM are presented: topographic and spectroscopic measurements on a stepped Ni (111) surface and photoconductive measurements on GaAs. (orig.)

  8. Readers' Knowledge of Popular Genre

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dixon, Peter; Bortolussi, Marisa

    2009-01-01

    This research examined readers' knowledge of popular genres. Participants wrote short essays on fantasy, science fiction, or romance. The similarities among the essays were measured using latent semantic analysis (LSA) and were then analyzed using multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis. The clusters and scales were interpreted by searching…

  9. 2nd international conference on ion beam surface layer analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1975-01-01

    The papers of this conference are concerned with the fundamental aspects and with the application of surface layer analysis. It is reported amongst others about backscattering analysis, Auger electron spectroscopy, channelling and microprobe. (HPOE) [de

  10. "Inclusive working life in Norway": a registry-based five-year follow-up study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foss, Line; Gravseth, Hans Magne; Kristensen, Petter; Claussen, Bjørgulf; Mehlum, Ingrid Sivesind; Skyberg, Knut

    2013-07-08

    In 2001, the Norwegian authorities and major labour market partners signed an agreement regarding 'inclusive working life' (IW), whereby companies that participate are committed to reducing sickness absence. Our main aim was to determine the effect of the IW program and work characteristics by gender on long-term (>8 weeks) sickness absence (LSA). Self-reported data on work characteristics from the Oslo Health Study were linked to registry-based data on IW status, education and LSA. From 2001-2005, 10,995 participants (5,706 women and 5,289 men) aged 30, 40, 45 and 60 years were followed. A Cox regression was used to compute hazard ratios (HR) for LSA risk. The cohort was divided into an IW group (2,733 women and 2,058 men) and non-IW group (2,973/3,231). 43.2% and 41.6% of women and 22.3%/24.3% of men (IW / non-IW, respectively) experienced at least one LSA. In a multivariate model, statistically significant risk factors for LSA were low education (stronger in men), shift work/night work or rotating hours (strongest in men in the non-IW group), and heavy physical work or work involving walking and lifting (men only and stronger in the non-IW group). Among men who engaged in shift work, the LSA risk was significantly lower in the IW group. Our results could suggest that IW companies that employ many men in shift work have implemented relevant efforts for reducing sickness absence. However, this study could not demonstrate a significant effect of the IW program on the overall LSA risk.

  11. Derivation of global vegetation biophysical parameters from EUMETSAT Polar System

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Haro, Francisco Javier; Campos-Taberner, Manuel; Muñoz-Marí, Jordi; Laparra, Valero; Camacho, Fernando; Sánchez-Zapero, Jorge; Camps-Valls, Gustau

    2018-05-01

    This paper presents the algorithm developed in LSA-SAF (Satellite Application Facility for Land Surface Analysis) for the derivation of global vegetation parameters from the AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) sensor on board MetOp (Meteorological-Operational) satellites forming the EUMETSAT (European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites) Polar System (EPS). The suite of LSA-SAF EPS vegetation products includes the leaf area index (LAI), the fractional vegetation cover (FVC), and the fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (FAPAR). LAI, FAPAR, and FVC characterize the structure and the functioning of vegetation and are key parameters for a wide range of land-biosphere applications. The algorithm is based on a hybrid approach that blends the generalization capabilities offered by physical radiative transfer models with the accuracy and computational efficiency of machine learning methods. One major feature is the implementation of multi-output retrieval methods able to jointly and more consistently estimate all the biophysical parameters at the same time. We propose a multi-output Gaussian process regression (GPRmulti), which outperforms other considered methods over PROSAIL (coupling of PROSPECT and SAIL (Scattering by Arbitrary Inclined Leaves) radiative transfer models) EPS simulations. The global EPS products include uncertainty estimates taking into account the uncertainty captured by the retrieval method and input errors propagation. A sensitivity analysis is performed to assess several sources of uncertainties in retrievals and maximize the positive impact of modeling the noise in training simulations. The paper discusses initial validation studies and provides details about the characteristics and overall quality of the products, which can be of interest to assist the successful use of the data by a broad user's community. The consistent generation and distribution of the EPS vegetation products will

  12. Applications of factor analysis to electron and ion beam surface techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Solomon, J.S.

    1987-01-01

    Factor analysis, a mathematical technique for extracting chemical information from matrices of data, is used to enhance Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), core level electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), ion scattering spectroscopy (ISS), and secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) in studies of interfaces, thin films, and surfaces. Several examples of factor analysis enhancement of chemical bonding variations in thin films and at interfaces studied with AES and SIMS are presented. Factor analysis is also shown to be of great benefit in quantifying electron and ion beam doses required to induce surface damage. Finally, examples are presented of the use of factor analysis to reconstruct elemental profiles when peaks of interest overlap each other during the course of depth profile analysis. (author)

  13. Design and use of multiple blade slurry sawing in a production atmosphere

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lynah, F. P., Jr.; Ross, J. B.

    1982-01-01

    The technique and uses of the multiple blade slurry (MBS) saw are considered. Multiple bands of steel are arranged in a frame and the frame is reciprocated with the steel bands to a workpiece, while simultaneously applying abrasive at the point of contact. The blades wear slots in the workpiece and progress through the piece resulting in several parts of wafers. The transition to MBA from diamond slicing is justified by savings resulting from minimized kerf losses, minimized subsurface damage, and improved surface quality off the saw. This allows wafering much closer to finished thickness specifications. The current state of the art MBS technology must be significantly improved if the low cost solar array (LSA) goals are to be attained. It is concluded that although MBS will never be the answer to every wafering requirement, the economical production of wafers to LSA project specifications will be achieved.

  14. Fractal and multifractal analysis of LiF thin film surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yadav, R.P.; Dwivedi, S.; Mittal, A.K.; Kumar, M.; Pandey, A.C.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Fractal and multifractal analysis of surface morphologies of the LiF thin films. ► Complexity and roughness of the LiF thin films increases as thickness increases. ► LiF thin films are multifractal in nature. ► Strength of the multifractality increases with thickness of the film. - Abstract: Fractal and multifractal analysis is performed on the atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of the surface morphologies of the LiF thin films of thickness 10 nm, 20 nm, and 40 nm, respectively. Autocorrelation function, height–height correlation function, and two-dimensional multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MFDFA) are used for characterizing the surface. It is found that the interface width, average roughness, lateral correlation length, and fractal dimension of the LiF thin film increase with the thickness of the film, whereas the roughness exponent decreases with thickness. Thus, the complexity and roughness of the LiF thin films increases as thickness increases. It is also demonstrated that the LiF thin films are multifractal in nature. Strength of the multifractality increases with thickness of the film.

  15. Surface analysis: its uses and abuses in waste form evaluation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McVay, G.L.; Pederson, L.R.

    1981-01-01

    Surface and near-surface analytical techniques are significant aids in understanding waste form-aqueous solution interactions. They can be beneficially employed to evaluate reaction layers on waste forms, to assess surface treatments prior to and after leaching, and to identify interactions with waste forms. Surface analyses are best used in conjunction with other types of analyses, such as solution analyses, in order to obtain a better overall understanding of reaction processes. In spite of all the benefits to be gained by using surface analyses, misinterpretations can result if care is not taken to properly obtain and analyze the data. In particular, the density variations through a reaction layer must be accounted for in both sputtering and data analysis techniques

  16. Boundary surface and microstructure analysis of ceramic materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Woltersdorf, J.; Pippel, E.

    1992-01-01

    The article introduces the many possibilities of high voltage (HVEM) and high resolution electron microscopy (HREM) for boundary surface and microstructure analysis of ceramic materials. The investigations are limited to ceramic long fibre composites and a ceramic fibre/glass matrix system. (DG) [de

  17. Using semi-variogram analysis for providing spatially distributed information on soil surface condition for land surface modeling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Croft, Holly; Anderson, Karen; Kuhn, Nikolaus J.

    2010-05-01

    The ability to quantitatively and spatially assess soil surface roughness is important in geomorphology and land degradation studies. Soils can experience rapid structural degradation in response to land cover changes, resulting in increased susceptibility to erosion and a loss of Soil Organic Matter (SOM). Changes in soil surface condition can also alter sediment detachment, transport and deposition processes, infiltration rates and surface runoff characteristics. Deriving spatially distributed quantitative information on soil surface condition for inclusion in hydrological and soil erosion models is therefore paramount. However, due to the time and resources involved in using traditional field sampling techniques, there is a lack of spatially distributed information on soil surface condition. Laser techniques can provide data for a rapid three dimensional representation of the soil surface at a fine spatial resolution. This provides the ability to capture changes at the soil surface associated with aggregate breakdown, flow routing, erosion and sediment re-distribution. Semi-variogram analysis of the laser data can be used to represent spatial dependence within the dataset; providing information about the spatial character of soil surface structure. This experiment details the ability of semi-variogram analysis to spatially describe changes in soil surface condition. Soil for three soil types (silt, silt loam and silty clay) was sieved to produce aggregates between 1 mm and 16 mm in size and placed evenly in sample trays (25 x 20 x 2 cm). Soil samples for each soil type were exposed to five different durations of artificial rainfall, to produce progressively structurally degraded soil states. A calibrated laser profiling instrument was used to measure surface roughness over a central 10 x 10 cm plot of each soil state, at 2 mm sample spacing. The laser data were analysed within a geostatistical framework, where semi-variogram analysis quantitatively represented

  18. Surface analysis of lipids by mass spectrometry: more than just imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellis, Shane R; Brown, Simon H; In Het Panhuis, Marc; Blanksby, Stephen J; Mitchell, Todd W

    2013-10-01

    Mass spectrometry is now an indispensable tool for lipid analysis and is arguably the driving force in the renaissance of lipid research. In its various forms, mass spectrometry is uniquely capable of resolving the extensive compositional and structural diversity of lipids in biological systems. Furthermore, it provides the ability to accurately quantify molecular-level changes in lipid populations associated with changes in metabolism and environment; bringing lipid science to the "omics" age. The recent explosion of mass spectrometry-based surface analysis techniques is fuelling further expansion of the lipidomics field. This is evidenced by the numerous papers published on the subject of mass spectrometric imaging of lipids in recent years. While imaging mass spectrometry provides new and exciting possibilities, it is but one of the many opportunities direct surface analysis offers the lipid researcher. In this review we describe the current state-of-the-art in the direct surface analysis of lipids with a focus on tissue sections, intact cells and thin-layer chromatography substrates. The suitability of these different approaches towards analysis of the major lipid classes along with their current and potential applications in the field of lipid analysis are evaluated. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Phase-shifting Real-time Holographic Microscopy applied in micro-structures surface analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brito, I V; Gesualdi, M R R; Muramatsu, M; Ricardo, J

    2011-01-01

    The microscopic real-time analysis of micro structured materials is of great importance in various domains of science and technology. For other hand, the holographic interferometry comprises a group of powerful optical methods for non-destructive testing in surface analysis. The holographic microscopy uses the holographic interferometric techniques to obtain quantitative intensity and phase information of the optical waves by microscopic systems. With the development of CCD cameras, computers (hardware and software), and new materials for holographic recording, these techniques can be used to replace the classical form of registration and became promising tools in surface analysis. In this work, we developed a prototype of Photorefractive and Digital Holographic Microscope for real-time analysis of micro-structured systems based on the phase-shifting real-time holographic interferometry techniques. Using this apparatus, we are made analysis of shapes and surfaces to obtain the phase maps and the 3D profiles of some samples.

  20. Advanced measurement and analysis of surface textures produced by micro-machining processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bordatchev, Evgueni V; Hafiz, Abdullah M K

    2014-01-01

    Surface texture of a part or a product has significant effects on its functionality, physical-mechanical properties and visual appearance. In particular for miniature products, the implication of surface quality becomes critical owing to the presence of geometrical features with micro/nano-scale dimensions. Qualitative and quantitative assessments of surface texture are carried out predominantly by profile parameters, which are often insufficient to address the contribution of constituent spatial components with varied amplitudes and wavelengths. In this context, this article presents a novel approach for advanced measurement and analysis of profile average roughness (R a ) and its spatial distribution at different wavelength intervals. The applicability of the proposed approach was verified for three different surface topographies prepared by grinding, laser micro-polishing and micro-milling processes. From the measurement and analysis results, R a (λ) spatial distribution was found to be an effective measure of revealing the contributions of various spatial components within specific wavelength intervals towards formation of the entire surface profile. In addition, the approach was extended to the measurement and analysis of areal average roughness S a (λ) spatial distribution within different wavelength intervals. Besides, the proposed method was demonstrated to be a useful technique in developing a functional correlation between a manufacturing process and its corresponding surface profile. (paper)

  1. Analysis of Anomaly in Land Surface Temperature Using MODIS Products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yorozu, K.; Kodama, T.; Kim, S.; Tachikawa, Y.; Shiiba, M.

    2011-12-01

    Atmosphere-land surface interaction plays a dominant role on the hydrologic cycle. Atmospheric phenomena cause variation of land surface state and land surface state can affect on atmosphereic conditions. Widely-known article related in atmospheric-land interaction was published by Koster et al. in 2004. The context of this article is that seasonal anomaly in soil moisture or soil surface temperature can affect summer precipitation generation and other atmospheric processes especially in middle North America, Sahel and south Asia. From not only above example but other previous research works, it is assumed that anomaly of surface state has a key factor. To investigate atmospheric-land surface interaction, it is necessary to analyze anomaly field in land surface state. In this study, soil surface temperature should be focused because it can be globally and continuously observed by satellite launched sensor. To land surface temperature product, MOD11C1 and MYD11C1 products which are kinds of MODIS products are applied. Both of them have 0.05 degree spatial resolution and daily temporal resolution. The difference of them is launched satellite, MOD11C1 is Terra and MYD11C1 is Aqua. MOD11C1 covers the latter of 2000 to present and MYD11C1 covers the early 2002 to present. There are unrealistic values on provided products even if daily product was already calibrated or corrected. For pre-analyzing, daily data is aggregated into 8-days data to remove irregular values for stable analysis. It was found that there are spatial and temporal distribution of 10-years average and standard deviation for each 8-days term. In order to point out extreme anomaly in land surface temperature, standard score for each 8-days term is applied. From the analysis of standard score, it is found there are large anomaly in land surface temperature around north China plain in early April 2005 and around Bangladesh in early May 2009.

  2. Liquid extraction surface analysis (LESA) of food surfaces employing chip-based nano-electrospray mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eikel, Daniel; Henion, Jack

    2011-08-30

    An automated surface-sampling technique called liquid extraction surface analysis (LESA), coupled with infusion nano-electrospray high-resolution mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), is described and applied to the qualitative determination of surface chemical residues resulting from the artificial spraying of selected fresh fruits and vegetables with representative pesticides. Each of the targeted pesticides was readily detected with both high-resolution and full-scan collision-induced dissociation (CID) mass spectra. In the case of simazine and sevin, a mass resolution of 100,000 was insufficient to distinguish the isobaric protonated molecules for these compounds. When the surface of a spinach leaf was analyzed by LESA, trace levels of diazinon were readily detected on the spinach purchased directly from a supermarket before they were sprayed with the five-pesticide mixture. A 30 s rinse under hot running tap water appeared to quantitatively remove all remaining residues of this pesticide. Diazinon was readily detected by LESA analysis on the skin of the artificially sprayed spinach. Finally, incurred pyrimethanil at a level of 169 ppb in a batch slurry of homogenized apples was analyzed by LESA and this pesticide was readily detected by both high-resolution mass spectrometry and full-scan CID mass spectrometry, thus showing that pesticides may also be detected in whole fruit homogenized samples. This report shows that representative pesticides on fruit and vegetable surfaces present at levels 20-fold below generally allowed EPA tolerance levels are readily detected and confirmed by the title technologies making LESA-MS as interesting screening method for food safety purposes. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  3. Feline alimentary lymphosarcoma: radiographic, ultrasonographic, histologic, and viral findings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hittmair, K.; Krebitz-Gressl, E.; Kuebber-Heiss, A.; Moestl, K.

    2000-01-01

    Sixty cats with clinical symptoms indicative of gastroin-testinal lymphosarcoma were examined radiographically and ultrasonographically. Clinical signs included lethargy, anorexia, weight loss, anemia, vomiting, diarrhea, and a palpable mid-abdominal mass. Radiographic findings with alimentary lymphosarcoma (LSA) showed diffuse decreased serosal detail, a mid-abdominal soft-tissue mass, cavernous lesions, and gas-filled bowel loops. Ultrasonographic features included marked stomach or intestinal wall thickening, loss of wall layering, decreased echogenicity, and a hyperechoic central reflection. Hypoechonic infiltration of mesenterial lymph nodes and other abdominal organs were visualized ultrasonographically. Alimentary LSA was diagnosed in thirty-six of the sixty cats. Ultrasonography was helpful in determining the cause of disease in the remaining twenty-four cats. Differential diagnosis included intussusception, foreign bodies, chronic gastroenteritis, granuloma (feline infectious peritonitis - FIP), and other gastrointestinal neoplasms. In ten of the thirty-six cats with alimentary lymphosarcoma, diagnosis was confirmed by ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsies. Blood and/or saliva ELISA-tests determined feline leukemia virus or antigen in only eleven of the thirty-six cats. Histopathology revealed lymphoid infiltration of the stomach or intestinal wall in twenty-nine of the thirty-six cases. Additionally, the medical records of seventy-one cats with proven alimentary LSA were reviewed. Ultrasonographic findings showed intestinal LSA in sixty-two cats and LSA of the stomach in nine cats. Both studies indicate that ultrasonography is a valuable diagnostic tool for feline alimentary LSA. (author)

  4. Influence of the atomic force microscope tip on the multifractal analysis of rough surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klapetek, Petr; Ohlidal, Ivan; Bilek, Jindrich

    2004-01-01

    In this paper, the influence of atomic force microscope tip on the multifractal analysis of rough surfaces is discussed. This analysis is based on two methods, i.e. on the correlation function method and the wavelet transform modulus maxima method. The principles of both methods are briefly described. Both methods are applied to simulated rough surfaces (simulation is performed by the spectral synthesis method). It is shown that the finite dimensions of the microscope tip misrepresent the values of the quantities expressing the multifractal analysis of rough surfaces within both the methods. Thus, it was concretely shown that the influence of the finite dimensions of the microscope tip changed mono-fractal properties of simulated rough surface to multifractal ones. Further, it is shown that a surface reconstruction method developed for removing the negative influence of the microscope tip does not improve the results obtained in a substantial way. The theoretical procedures concerning both the methods, i.e. the correlation function method and the wavelet transform modulus maxima method, are illustrated for the multifractal analysis of randomly rough gallium arsenide surfaces prepared by means of the thermal oxidation of smooth gallium arsenide surfaces and subsequent dissolution of the oxide films

  5. Surface Properties of TNOs: Preliminary Statistical Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antonieta Barucci, Maria; Fornasier, S.; Alvarez-Cantal, A.; de Bergh, C.; Merlin, F.; DeMeo, F.; Dumas, C.

    2009-09-01

    An overview of the surface properties based on the last results obtained during the Large Program performed at ESO-VLT (2007-2008) will be presented. Simultaneous high quality visible and near-infrared spectroscopy and photometry have been carried out on 40 objects with various dynamical properties, using FORS1 (V), ISAAC (J) and SINFONI (H+K bands) mounted respectively at UT2, UT1 and UT4 VLT-ESO telescopes (Cerro Paranal, Chile). For spectroscopy we computed the spectral slope for each object and searched for possible rotational inhomogeneities. A few objects show features in their visible spectra such as Eris, whose spectral bands are displaced with respect to pure methane-ice. We identify new faint absorption features on 10199 Chariklo and 42355 Typhon, possibly due to the presence of aqueous altered materials. The H+K band spectroscopy was performed with the new instrument SINFONI which is a 3D integral field spectrometer. While some objects show no diagnostic spectral bands, others reveal surface deposits of ices of H2O, CH3OH, CH4, and N2. To investigate the surface properties of these bodies, a radiative transfer model has been applied to interpret the entire 0.4-2.4 micron spectral region. The diversity of the spectra suggests that these objects represent a substantial range of bulk compositions. These different surface compositions can be diagnostic of original compositional diversity, interior source and/or different evolution with different physical processes affecting the surfaces. A statistical analysis is in progress to investigate the correlation of the TNOs’ surface properties with size and dynamical properties.

  6. Classification of Surface and Deep Soil Samples Using Linear Discriminant Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wasim, M.; Ali, M.; Daud, M.

    2015-01-01

    A statistical analysis was made of the activity concentrations measured in surface and deep soil samples for natural and anthropogenic gamma-emitting radionuclides. Soil samples were obtained from 48 different locations in Gilgit, Pakistan covering about 50 km/sup 2/ areas at an average altitude of 1550 m above sea level. From each location two samples were collected: one from the top soil (2-6 cm) and another from a depth of 6-10 cm. Four radionuclides including /sup 226/Ra, /sup 232/Th, /sup 40/K and /sup 137/Cs were quantified. The data was analyzed using t-test to find out activity concentration difference between the surface and depth samples. At the surface, the median activity concentrations were 23.7, 29.1, 4.6 and 115 Bq kg/sup -1/ for 226Ra, 232Th, 137Cs and 40K respectively. For the same radionuclides, the activity concentrations were respectively 25.5, 26.2, 2.9 and 191 Bq kg/sup -1/ for the depth samples. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to explore patterns within the data. A positive significant correlation was observed between the radionuclides /sup 226/Ra and /sup 232/Th. The data from PCA was further utilized in linear discriminant analysis (LDA) for the classification of surface and depth samples. LDA classified surface and depth samples with good predictability. (author)

  7. NOAA High-Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Analysis Products

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This archive covers two high resolution sea surface temperature (SST) analysis products developed using an optimum interpolation (OI) technique. The analyses have a...

  8. Analysis of the Surface of Deposited Copper After Electroerosion Treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ablyaz, T. R.; Simonov, M. Yu.; Shlykov, E. S.

    2018-03-01

    An electron microscope analysis of the surface of deposited copper is performed after a profiling-piercing electroerosion treatment. The deposited copper is treated with steel, duralumin, and copper electrode tools at different pulse energies. The treatment with the duralumin electrode produces on the treated surface a web-like structure and cubic-morphology polyhedral dimples about 10 μm in size. The main components of the surface treated with the steel electrode are developed polyhedral dimples with a size of 10 - 50 μm. After the treatment with the copper electrode the main components of the treated surface are large polyhedral dimples about 30 - 80 μm in size.

  9. Multiscale analysis of surface morphologies by curvelet and contourlet transforms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Linfu; Zhang, Xiangchao; Zhang, Hao; He, Xiaoying; Xu, Min

    2015-01-01

    The surface topographies of precision components are critical to their functionalities. However, it is challenging to characterize the topographies of complex surfaces, especially for structured surfaces. The wavelet families are promising for the multiscale geometry analysis of nonstochastic surfaces. The second-generation curvelet transform provides a sparse representation and good multiscale decomposition for curve singularities. However, the contourlet expansion, composed of bases oriented along various directions in multiple scales with smaller redundancy rates, has a remarkable capability of representing borderlines. In this paper they are both adopted for the characterization of surface topographies. Different components can be extracted according to their scales and morphological characteristics; as a result, the corresponding manufacturing processes and functionalities can be analyzed specifically. Numerical experiments are given to demonstrate the capabilities of these methods in sparse representation and effective extraction of geometry features of different nonstochastic surfaces. (paper)

  10. Morphological and Hemodynamic Discriminators for Rupture Status in Posterior Communicating Artery Aneurysms.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nan Lv

    Full Text Available The conflicting findings of previous morphological and hemodynamic studies on intracranial aneurysm rupture may be caused by the relatively small sample sizes and the variation in location of the patient-specific aneurysm models. We aimed to determine the discriminators for aneurysm rupture status by focusing on only posterior communicating artery (PCoA aneurysms.In 129 PCoA aneurysms (85 ruptured, 44 unruptured, clinical, morphological and hemodynamic characteristics were compared between the ruptured and unruptured cases. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the discriminators for rupture status of PCoA aneurysms.While univariate analyses showed that the size of aneurysm dome, aspect ratio (AR, size ratio (SR, dome-to-neck ratio (DN, inflow angle (IA, normalized wall shear stress (NWSS and percentage of low wall shear stress area (LSA were significantly associated with PCoA aneurysm rupture status. With multivariate analyses, significance was only retained for higher IA (OR = 1.539, p < 0.001 and LSA (OR = 1.393, p = 0.041.Hemodynamics and morphology were related to rupture status of intracranial aneurysms. Higher IA and LSA were identified as discriminators for rupture status of PCoA aneurysms.

  11. Surface Preparation for Microdebonding Analysis of Composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kahraman, Ramazan; Mandell, J. F.

    1999-01-01

    The bond strength between fibers and matrix is an essential property of all composite materials and it must be measured accurately to be able to correlate it with the composite behavior. There are several factors affecting its measurement. This paper discusses the polishing and load application aspects of the indentation test technique for fibre-matrix bond strength determination in polymer and ceramic matrix composites. Different polishing procedures are suggested for polymer and ceramic surfaces for obtaining a smooth surface which is a must for the test results to be reliable. The geometry of the fibers tested was also found to affect the analysis results. For best results, fibers with similar size and which are similarly surrounded by other fibers should be tested. Care should be taken during load application on a fiber for the loading probe not to approach the fiber circumference. The force should be applied in a small increments as possible, however starting from a high enough level to prevent fiber breakage due to surface damage from several loading steps. (Author)

  12. [Factors related to the life space of daycare center users].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawamura, Koki; Kato, Chikako; Kondo, Izumi

    2018-01-01

    We examined the factors related to life space and changes in the care level after one year in daycare center users. The participants were 83 older adults (age, > 65 years; mean age, 79.5±6.8 years) with MMSE scores of ≥20, who could walk independently, who needed support (1-2) or care (1), and who underwent rehabilitation at a daycare center. The life space was evaluated by the Life Space Assessment (LSA). The subjects' basic information (i.e., age, medical history.) was collected, and their physical function (i.e., grip strength, timed up and go test [TUG]), mental function (i.e., vitality, fear of falls), and social function (i.e., friends, hobbies, public transportation) were assessed to investigate the factors associated with their LSA scores. In addition, a follow-up survey was conducted on the care level at approximately one year later. A multiple regression analysis indicated that TUG scores (β=-0.33), hobbies (β=0.30), friends (β=0.29), public transportation (β=0.26), and grip strength (β=0.24) were related to the life space. Next, the participants were divided into LSA-high and LSA-low groups, and changes in the care level (improvement, maintenance, deterioration) at approximately one year after the initial assessment were examined using a chi-squared test. A significant difference was observed in the distribution of the groups (p=0.03). Multiple factors were related to the life space. Moreover, it is possible that improvements in the level of care may be achieved by improving the life space.

  13. Lysergic acid amide as chemical marker for the total ergot alkaloids in rye flour - Determination by high-performance thin-layer chromatography-fluorescence detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oellig, Claudia

    2017-07-21

    Ergot alkaloids are generally determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to fluorescence detection (FLD) or mass selective detection, analyzing the individual compounds. However, fast and easy screening methods for the determination of the total ergot alkaloid content are more suitable, since for monitoring only the sum of the alkaloids is relevant. The herein presented screening uses lysergic acid amide (LSA) as chemical marker, formed from ergopeptine alkaloids, and ergometrine for the determination of the total ergot alkaloids in rye with high-performance thin-layer chromatography-fluorescence detection (HPTLC-FLD). An ammonium acetate buffered extraction step was followed by liquid-liquid partition for clean-up before the ergopeptine alkaloids were selectively transformed to LSA and analyzed by HPTLC-FLD on silica gel with isopropyl acetate/methanol/water/25% ammonium hydroxide solution (80:10:3.8:1.1, v/v/v/v) as the mobile phase. The enhanced native fluorescence of LSA and unaffected ergometrine was used for quantitation without any interfering matrix. Limits of detection and quantitation were 8 and 26μg LSA/kg rye, which enables the determination of the total ergot alkaloids far below the applied quality criterion limit for rye. Close to 100% recoveries for different rye flours at relevant spiking levels were obtained. Thus, reliable results were guaranteed, and the fast and efficient screening for the total ergot alkaloids in rye offers a rapid alternative to the HPLC analysis of the individual compounds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Overview of nuclear materials transportation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grella, A.W.

    1986-01-01

    This presentation is an overview of transportation as it relates to one specific type of material, low specific activity (LSA) material. It is the predominant type of material that fits into the low-level waste category. An attempt is made to discuss how LSA is regulated, setting forth the requirements. First the general scheme of regulations are reviewed. In addition future changes in the regulations which will affect transportation of LSA materials and, which quite likely, will have an impact on R and D needs in this area are presented

  15. Analysis of multi lobe journal bearings with surface roughness using finite difference method

    Science.gov (United States)

    PhaniRaja Kumar, K.; Bhaskar, SUdaya; Manzoor Hussain, M.

    2018-04-01

    Multi lobe journal bearings are used for high operating speeds and high loads in machines. In this paper symmetrical multi lobe journal bearings are analyzed to find out the effect of surface roughnessduring non linear loading. Using the fourth order RungeKutta method, time transient analysis was performed to calculate and plot the journal centre trajectories. Flow factor method is used to evaluate the roughness and the finite difference method (FDM) is used to predict the pressure distribution over the bearing surface. The Transient analysis is done on the multi lobe journal bearings for threedifferent surface roughness orientations. Longitudinal surface roughness is more effective when compared with isotopic and traverse surface roughness.

  16. Surface characterization and chemical analysis of bamboo substrates pretreated by alkali hydrogen peroxide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Xueping; Jiang, Yan; Rong, Xianjian; Wei, Wei; Wang, Shuangfei; Nie, Shuangxi

    2016-09-01

    The surface characterization and chemical analysis of bamboo substrates by alkali hydrogen peroxide pretreatment (AHPP) were investigated in this study. The results tended to manifest that AHPP prior to enzymatic and chemical treatment was potential for improving accessibility and reactivity of bamboo substrates. The inorganic components, organic solvent extractives and acid-soluble lignin were effectively removed by AHPP. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicated that the surface of bamboo chips had less lignin but more carbohydrate after pre-treatment. Fiber surfaces became etched and collapsed, and more pores and debris on the substrate surface were observed with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Brenauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) results showed that both of pore volume and surface area were increased after AHPP. Although XRD analysis showed that AHPP led to relatively higher crystallinity, pre-extraction could overall enhance the accessibility of enzymes and chemicals into the bamboo structure. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  17. Contribution of the surface contamination of uranium-materials on the quantitative analysis results by electron probe microbeam analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonino, O.; Fournier, C.; Fucili, C.; Dugne, O.; Merlet, C.

    2000-01-01

    The analytical testing of uranium materials is necessary for quality research and development in nuclear industry applications (enrichment, safety studies, fuel, etc). Electron Probe Microbeam Analysis Wavelength Dispersive Spectrometry (EPMA-WDS) is a dependable non-destructive analytical technology. The characteristic X-ray signal is measured to identify and quantify the sample components, and the analyzed volume is about one micron cube. The surface contamination of uranium materials modifies and contributes to the quantitative analysis results of EPMA-WDS. This contribution is not representative of the bulk. A thin oxidized layer appears in the first instants after preparation (burnishing, cleaning) as well as a carbon contamination layer, due to metallographic preparation and carbon cracking under the impact of the electron probe. Several analytical difficulties subsequently arise, including an overlapping line between the carbon Ka ray and the Uranium U NIVOVI ray. Sensitivity and accuracy of the quantification of light elements like carbon and oxygen are also reduced by the presence of uranium. The aim of this study was to improve the accuracy of quantitative analysis on uranium materials by EPMA-WDS by taking account of the contribution of surface contamination. The first part of this paper is devoted to the study of the contaminated surface of the uranium materials U, UFe 2 and U 6 Fe a few hours after preparation. These oxidation conditions are selected so as to reproduce the same contamination surfaces occurring in microprobe analytical conditions. Surface characterization techniques were SIMS and Auger spectroscopy. The contaminated surfaces are shown. They consist of successive layers: a carbon layer, an oxidized iron layer, followed by an iron depletion layer (only in UFe 2 and U 6 Fe), and a ternary oxide layer (U-Fe-O for UFe 2 et U 6 Fe and UO 2+x for uranium). The second part of the paper addresses the estimation of the errors in quantitative

  18. Analysis of Terminal Metallic Armor Plate Free-Surface Bulging

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Rapacki, Jr, E. J

    2008-01-01

    An analysis of the bulge formed on the free-surface of the terminal metallic plate of an armor array is shown to lead to reasonable estimates of the armor array's remaining penetration/perforation resistance...

  19. Analysis of surface hardness of artificially aged resin composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Denise Cremonezzi Tornavoi

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available This study evaluated the effect of artificially accelerated aging (AAA on the surface hardness of eight composite resins: Filtek Z250, Filtek Supreme, 4 Seasons, Herculite, P60, Tetric Ceram, Charisma, and Filtek Z100. Sixteen specimens were made from the test piece of each material, using an 8.0 × 2.0 mm teflon matrix. After 24 hours, eight specimens from each material were submitted to three surface hardness readings using a Shimadzu Microhardness Tester for 5 seconds at a load of 50 gf. The other eight specimens remained in the artificially accelerated aging machine for 382 hours and were submitted to the same surface hardness analysis. The means of each test specimen were submitted to the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test (p > 0.05, ANOVA and Tukey test (p < 0.05. With regard to hardness (F = 86.74, p < 0.0001 the analysis showed significant differences among the resin composite brands. But aging did not influence the hardness of any of the resin composites (F = 0.39, p = 0.53. In this study, there was interaction between the resin composite brand and the aging factors (F = 4.51, p < 0.0002. It was concluded that notwithstanding the type of resin, AAA did not influence surface hardness. However, with regard to hardness there was a significant difference among the resin brands.

  20. Numeral-Incorporating Roots in Numeral Systems: A Comparative Analysis of Two Sign Languages

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fuentes, Mariana; Massone, Maria Ignacia; Fernandez-Viader, Maria del Pilar; Makotrinsky, Alejandro; Pulgarin, Francisca

    2010-01-01

    Numeral-incorporating roots in the numeral systems of Argentine Sign Language (LSA) and Catalan Sign Language (LSC), as well as the main features of the number systems of both languages, are described and compared. Informants discussed the use of numerals and roots in both languages (in most cases in natural contexts). Ten informants took part in…

  1. Effect on Antibody and T-Cell Responses of Mixing Five GMP-Produced DNA Plasmids and Administration With Plasmid Expressing GM-CSF

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Sedegah, M; Charoenvit, Y; Aguiar, J; Sacci, J; Hedstrom, R; Kumar, S; Belmonte, A; Lanar, DE; Jones, TR; Abot, E

    2004-01-01

    .... In preparation for a clinical trial, we assessed the immunogenicity of GMP-produced plasmids encoding five Plasmodium falciparum proteins, PfCSP, PfSSP2, PfEXP1, PfLSA1, and PfLSA3, given as a mixture, or alone...

  2. Numerical analysis of free surface instabilities in the IFMIF lithium target

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gordeev, S.; Heinzel, V.; Moeslang, A.

    2007-01-01

    The International Fusion Materials Facility (IFMIF) facility uses a high speed (10-20 m/s) Lithium (Li) jet flow as a target for two 40 MeV/125 mA deuteron beams. The major function of the Li target is to provide a stable Li jet for the production of an intense neutron flux. For the understanding the lithium jet behaviour and elimination of the free-surface flow instabilities a detailed analysis of the Li jet flow is necessary. Different kinds of instability mechanisms in the liquid jet flow have been evaluated and classified based on analytical and experimental data. Numerical investigations of the target free surface flow have been performed. Previous numerical investigations have shown in principle the suitability of CFD code Star- CD for the simulation of the Li-target flow. The main objective of this study is detailed numerical analysis of instabilities in the Li-jet flow caused by boundary layer relaxation near the nozzle exit, transition to the turbulence flow and back wall curvature. A number of CFD models are developed to investigate the formation of instabilities on the target surface. Turbulence models are validated on the experimental data. Experimental observations have shown that the change of the nozzle geometry at the outlet such as a slight divergence of the nozzle surfaces or nozzle edge defects causes the flow separation and occurrence of longitudinal periodic structures on the free surface with an amplitude up to 5 mm. Target surface fluctuations of this magnitude can lead to the penetration of the deuteron beam in the target structure and cause the local overheating of the back plat. Analysis of large instabilities in the Li-target flow combined with the heat distribution in lithium depending on the free surface shape is performed in this study. (orig.)

  3. REGRESSION ANALYSIS OF SEA-SURFACE-TEMPERATURE PATTERNS FOR THE NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN.

    Science.gov (United States)

    SEA WATER, *SURFACE TEMPERATURE, *OCEANOGRAPHIC DATA, PACIFIC OCEAN, REGRESSION ANALYSIS , STATISTICAL ANALYSIS, UNDERWATER EQUIPMENT, DETECTION, UNDERWATER COMMUNICATIONS, DISTRIBUTION, THERMAL PROPERTIES, COMPUTERS.

  4. TXRF with synchrotron radiation. Analysis of Ni on Si-wafer surfaces

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wobrauschek, P [Atominstitut der Oesterreichischen Universitaeten, Vienna (Austria); Kregsamer, P [Atominstitut der Oesterreichischen Universitaeten, Vienna (Austria); Ladisich, W [Atominstitut der Oesterreichischen Universitaeten, Vienna (Austria); Streli, C [Atominstitut der Oesterreichischen Universitaeten, Vienna (Austria); Pahlke, S [Wacker Chemitronic GmbH, D-84479 Burghausen (Germany); Fabry, L [Wacker Chemitronic GmbH, D-84479 Burghausen (Germany); Garbe, S [Institut fuer Anorg. u. Angew. Chemie, Universitaet Hamburg, Martin-Luther King-Pl.6, D-20146 Hamburg (Germany); Haller, M [Institut fuer Anorg. u. Angew. Chemie, Universitaet Hamburg, Martin-Luther King-Pl.6, D-20146 Hamburg (Germany); Knoechel, A [Institut fuer Anorg. u. Angew. Chemie, Universitaet Hamburg, Martin-Luther King-Pl.6, D-20146 Hamburg (Germany); Radtke, M [Institut fuer Anorg. u. Angew. Chemie, Universitaet Hamburg, Martin-Luther King-Pl.6, D-20146 Hamburg (Germany)

    1995-09-11

    SR-TXRF (Synchrotron Radiation excited Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence Analysis) with monoenergetic radiation produced by a W/C multilayer monochromator has been applied to the analysis of Ni on a Si-wafer surface. An intentionally contaminated wafer with 100 pg has been used to determine the detection limits. 13 fg have been achieved for Ni at a beam current of 73 mA and extrapolated to 1000 s. This technique simulates the sample preparation technique of Vapour Phase Decomposition (VPD) on a wafer surface. (orig.).

  5. TXRF with synchrotron radiation. Analysis of Ni on Si-wafer surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wobrauschek, P.; Kregsamer, P.; Ladisich, W.; Streli, C.; Pahlke, S.; Fabry, L.; Garbe, S.; Haller, M.; Knoechel, A.; Radtke, M.

    1995-01-01

    SR-TXRF (Synchrotron Radiation excited Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence Analysis) with monoenergetic radiation produced by a W/C multilayer monochromator has been applied to the analysis of Ni on a Si-wafer surface. An intentionally contaminated wafer with 100 pg has been used to determine the detection limits. 13 fg have been achieved for Ni at a beam current of 73 mA and extrapolated to 1000 s. This technique simulates the sample preparation technique of Vapour Phase Decomposition (VPD) on a wafer surface. (orig.)

  6. Surface analysis of 316 stainless steel treated with cold atmospheric plasma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Williams, David F., E-mail: david.williams@surrey.ac.uk [Department of Mechanical Engineering Sciences, University Of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH (United Kingdom); TWI Ltd Granta Park Great Abington, Cambridge CB21 6AL (United Kingdom); Kellar, Ewen J.C. [TWI Ltd Granta Park Great Abington, Cambridge CB21 6AL (United Kingdom); Jesson, David A.; Watts, John F. [Department of Mechanical Engineering Sciences, University Of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH (United Kingdom)

    2017-05-01

    Highlights: • Reduction in carbon contamination from ∼80 at.% to 40 at.% after 15 s treatment. • Associated carbon thickness reduction from 4.5 nm to 0.5 nm. • Area treated by torch has a diameter of 11 mm measured using imaging XPS. - Abstract: The surface of 316 stainless steel has been modified using cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) to increase the surface free energy (by cleaning the and chemically activating the surface)IN preparation for subsequent processes such as painting, coating or adhesive bonding. The analyses carried out, on CAP treated 316 stainless steel surfaces, includes X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), imaging XPS (iXPS), and surface free energy (SFE) analysis using contact angle measurements. The CAP treatment is shown to increase the SFE of as-received 316 stainless steel from ∼39 mJ m{sup −1} to >72 mJ m{sup −1} after a short exposure to the plasma torch. This was found to correlate to a reduction in adventitious carbon, as determined by XPS analysis of the surface. The reduction from ∼90 at% to ∼30% and ∼39 at%, after being plasma treated for 5 min and 15 s respectively, shows that the process is relatively quick at changing the surface. It is suggested that the mechanism that causes the increase in surface free energy is chain scission of the hydrocarbon contamination triggered by free electrons in the plasma plume followed by chemical functionalisation of the metal oxide surface and some of the remaining carbon contamination layer.

  7. Multivariate analysis of attachment of biofouling organisms in response to material surface characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gatley-Montross, Caitlyn M; Finlay, John A; Aldred, Nick; Cassady, Harrison; Destino, Joel F; Orihuela, Beatriz; Hickner, Michael A; Clare, Anthony S; Rittschof, Daniel; Holm, Eric R; Detty, Michael R

    2017-12-29

    Multivariate analyses were used to investigate the influence of selected surface properties (Owens-Wendt surface energy and its dispersive and polar components, static water contact angle, conceptual sign of the surface charge, zeta potentials) on the attachment patterns of five biofouling organisms (Amphibalanus amphitrite, Amphibalanus improvisus, Bugula neritina, Ulva linza, and Navicula incerta) to better understand what surface properties drive attachment across multiple fouling organisms. A library of ten xerogel coatings and a glass standard provided a range of values for the selected surface properties to compare to biofouling attachment patterns. Results from the surface characterization and biological assays were analyzed separately and in combination using multivariate statistical methods. Principal coordinate analysis of the surface property characterization and the biological assays resulted in different groupings of the xerogel coatings. In particular, the biofouling organisms were able to distinguish four coatings that were not distinguishable by the surface properties of this study. The authors used canonical analysis of principal coordinates (CAP) to identify surface properties governing attachment across all five biofouling species. The CAP pointed to surface energy and surface charge as important drivers of patterns in biological attachment, but also suggested that differentiation of the surfaces was influenced to a comparable or greater extent by the dispersive component of surface energy.

  8. Multi-channel Analysis of Passive Surface Waves (MAPS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, J.; Cheng, F. Mr; Xu, Z.; Wang, L.; Shen, C.; Liu, R.; Pan, Y.; Mi, B.; Hu, Y.

    2017-12-01

    Urbanization is an inevitable trend in modernization of human society. In the end of 2013 the Chinese Central Government launched a national urbanization plan—"Three 100 Million People", which aggressively and steadily pushes forward urbanization. Based on the plan, by 2020, approximately 100 million people from rural areas will permanently settle in towns, dwelling conditions of about 100 million people in towns and villages will be improved, and about 100 million people in the central and western China will permanently settle in towns. China's urbanization process will run at the highest speed in the urbanization history of China. Environmentally friendly, non-destructive and non-invasive geophysical assessment method has played an important role in the urbanization process in China. Because human noise and electromagnetic field due to industrial life, geophysical methods already used in urban environments (gravity, magnetics, electricity, seismic) face great challenges. But humanity activity provides an effective source of passive seismic methods. Claerbout pointed out that wavefileds that are received at one point with excitation at the other point can be reconstructed by calculating the cross-correlation of noise records at two surface points. Based on this idea (cross-correlation of two noise records) and the virtual source method, we proposed Multi-channel Analysis of Passive Surface Waves (MAPS). MAPS mainly uses traffic noise recorded with a linear receiver array. Because Multi-channel Analysis of Surface Waves can produces a shear (S) wave velocity model with high resolution in shallow part of the model, MPAS combines acquisition and processing of active source and passive source data in a same flow, which does not require to distinguish them. MAPS is also of ability of real-time quality control of noise recording that is important for near-surface applications in urban environment. The numerical and real-world examples demonstrated that MAPS can be

  9. Analysis of the intergranular fracture surface by the Fourier spectrum method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hao Yao; Tian Jifeng; Wang Zhongguang (National Lab. for Fatigue and Fracture of Materials, Inst. of Metal Research, Academia Sinica, Shen Yang (China))

    1991-11-30

    A quantitative analysis of the fracture surface of a 1045 steel was undertaken in order to relate important microstructural features to brittle intergranular fractures in the steel. It was found that the character of the profile was not random but periodic. There is a direct correspondence between the Fourier spectrum of the profile and the microstructure features. Utilization of secondary-electron line scanning facilitated the analysis of the fracture surface in this case. The results of the analysis from both the profile and the scanning line showed that the first autocorrelation length is related to the average grain size and that the total power corresponds to the impact energy of the fracture. (orig.).

  10. A method of non-destructive quantitative analysis of the ancient ceramics with curved surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He Wenquan; Xiong Yingfei

    2002-01-01

    Generally the surface of the sample should be smooth and flat in XRF analysis, but the ancient ceramics and hardly match this condition. Two simple methods are put forward in fundamental method and empirical correction method of XRF analysis, so the analysis of little sample or the sample with curved surface can be easily completed

  11. Left subclavian artery revascularization as part of thoracic stent grafting

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Saouti, N.; Hindori, V.; Morshuis, W.J.; Heijmen, R.H.

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: Intentional covering of the left subclavian artery (LSA) as part of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) can cause (posterior) strokes or left arm malperfusion. LSA revascularization can be done as prophylaxis against, or as treatment of, these complications. We report our

  12. Inkjet-Printed In-Ga-Zn Oxide Thin-Film Transistors with Laser Spike Annealing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Hang; Hu, Hailong; Zhu, Jingguang; Guo, Tailiang

    2017-07-01

    Inkjet-printed In-Ga-Zn oxide (IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) have been fabricated at low temperature using laser spike annealing (LSA) treatment. Coffee-ring effects during the printing process were eliminated to form uniform IGZO films by simply increasing the concentration of solute in the ink. The impact of LSA on the TFT performance was studied. The field-effect mobility, threshold voltage, and on/off current ratio were greatly influenced by the LSA treatment. With laser scanning at 1 mm/s for 40 times, the 30-nm-thick IGZO TFT baked at 200°C showed mobility of 1.5 cm2/V s, threshold voltage of -8.5 V, and on/off current ratio >106. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of rapid LSA treatment of low-temperature inkjet-printed oxide semiconductor transistors, being comparable to those obtained by conventional high-temperature annealing.

  13. Surface Coating Technique of Northern Black Polished Ware by the Microscopic Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dilruba Sharmin

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available An organic substance has been identified in the top layer of Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW excavated from the Wari-Boteshwar and Mahasthangarh sites in Bangladesh. NBPW is the most distinctive ceramic of Early Historic period and the technique of its surface gloss acquired numerous theories. This particular paper is an analytical study of collected NBPW sherds from these two sites including surface observations using binocular and scanning electron microscopes and Thin Section Analysis of potsherds. Thin section analysis identified two different layers of coating on the surface of the NBPW. One layer is a ‘slip’ (ground coat and the other is a ‘top layer or top coat ’. The slip was made from refined clay and the top layer was derived from organic substance. Microscopic analysis confirmed the solid and non-clayey characteristics of the top coat.

  14. Spectral force analysis using atomic force microscopy reveals the importance of surface heterogeneity in bacterial and colloid adhesion to engineered surfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Huilian; Winslow, Charles J; Logan, Bruce E

    2008-04-01

    Coatings developed to reduce biofouling of engineered surfaces do not always perform as expected based on their native properties. One reason is that a relatively small number of highly adhesive sites, or the heterogeneity of the coated surface, may control the overall response of the system to initial bacterial deposition. It is shown here using an approach we call spectral force analysis (SFA), based on force volume imaging of the surface with atomic force microscopy, that the behavior of surfaces and coatings can be better understood relative to bacterial adhesion. The application of vapor deposited TiO(2) metal oxide increased bacterial and colloid adhesion, but coating the surface with silica oxide reduced adhesion in a manner consistent with SFA based on analysis of the "stickiest" sites. Application of a TiO(2)-based paint to a surface produced a relatively non-fouling surface. Addition of a hydrophilic layer coating to this surface should have decreased fouling. However, it was observed that this coating actually increased fouling. Using SFA it was shown that the reason for the increased adhesion of bacteria and particles to the hydrophilic layer was that the surface produced by this coating was highly heterogeneous, resulting in a small number of sites that created a stickier surface. These results show that while it is important to manufacture surfaces with coatings that are relatively non-adhesive to bacteria, it is also essential that these coatings have a highly uniform surface chemistry.

  15. Frontal delta-beta cross-frequency coupling in high and low social anxiety: An index of stress regulation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poppelaars, Eefje S; Harrewijn, Anita; Westenberg, P Michiel; van der Molen, Melle J W

    2018-05-17

    Cross-frequency coupling (CFC) between frontal delta (1-4 Hz) and beta (14-30 Hz) oscillations has been suggested as a candidate neural correlate of social anxiety disorder, a disorder characterized by fear and avoidance of social and performance situations. Prior studies have used amplitude-amplitude correlation (AAC) as a CFC measure and hypothesized it as a candidate neural mechanism of affective control. However, using this metric has yielded inconsistent results regarding the direction of CFC, and the functional significance of coupling strength is uncertain. To offer a better understanding of CFC in social anxiety, we compared frontal delta-beta AAC with phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) - a mechanism for information transfer through neural circuits. Twenty high socially anxious (HSA) and 32 low socially anxious (LSA) female undergraduates participated in a social performance task (SPT). Delta-beta PAC and AAC were estimated during the resting state, as well as the anticipation and recovery conditions. Results showed significantly more AAC in LSA than HSA participants during early anticipation, as well as significant values during all conditions in LSA participants only. PAC did not distinguish between LSA and HSA participants, and instead was found to correlate with state nervousness during early anticipation, but in LSA participants only. Together, these findings are interpreted to suggest that delta-beta AAC is a plausible neurobiological index of adaptive stress regulation and can distinguish between trait high and low social anxiety during stress, while delta-beta PAC might be sensitive enough to reflect mild state anxiety in LSA participants.

  16. Multifractal scaling analysis of autopoisoning reactions over a rough surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chaudhari, Ajay; Yan, Ching-Cher Sanders; Lee, S.-L.

    2003-01-01

    Decay type diffusion-limited reactions (DLR) over a rough surface generated by a random deposition model were performed. To study the effect of the decay profile on the reaction probability distribution (RPD), multifractal scaling analysis has been carried out. The dynamics of these autopoisoning reactions are controlled by the two parameters in the decay function, namely, the initial sticking probability (P ini ) of every site and the decay rate (m). The smaller the decay rate, the narrower is the range of α values in the α-f(α) multifractal spectrum. The results are compared with the earlier work of DLR over a surface of diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA). We also considered here the autopoisoning reactions over a smooth surface for comparing our results, which show clearly how the roughness affects the chemical reactions. The q-τ(q) multifractal curves for the smooth surface are linear whereas those for the rough surface are nonlinear. The range of α values in the case of a rough surface is wider than that of the smooth surface

  17. Contribution of surface analysis spectroscopic methods to the lubrication field

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blanc, C.

    1979-01-01

    The analytical surface technics such as ESCA, AES and SIMS are tested to be applied to a particular lubrication field. One deals with a 100 C 6 steel surface innumered in tricresylphosphate at 110 0 C for 15 days. The nature of the first layers is studied after relevant solvant cleaning. An iron oxide layer is produced on the bearing surface, namely αFe 2 -O 3 . ESCA, AES and SIMS studies show an overlayer of iron phosphate. The exact nature of iron phosphate is not clearly established but the formation of a ferrous phosphate coating can be assumed from ESCA analysis [fr

  18. Analysis of surfaces for characterization of fungal burden - Does it matter?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viegas, Carla; Faria, Tiago; Meneses, Márcia; Carolino, Elisabete; Viegas, Susana; Gomes, Anita Quintal; Sabino, Raquel

    2016-01-01

    Mycological contamination of occupational environments can be a result of fungal spores' dispersion in the air and on surfaces. Therefore, it is very important to assess it in both types of the samples. In the present study we assessed fungal contamination in the air and in the surface samples to show relevance of surfaces sampling in complementing the results obtained in the air samples. In total, 42 settings were assessed by the analysis of air and surfaces samples. The settings were divided into settings with a high fungal load (7 poultry farms and 7 pig farms, 3 cork industries, 3 waste management plants, 2 wastewater treatment plants and 1 horse stable) and a low fungal load (10 hospital canteens, 8 college canteens and 1 maternity hospital). In addition to culture-based methods, molecular tools were also applied to detect fungal burden in the settings with a higher fungal load. From the 218 sampling sites, 140 (64.2%) presented different species in the examined surfaces when compared with the species identified in the air. A positive association in the high fungal load settings was found between the presence of different species in the air and surfaces. Wastewater treatment plants constituted the setting with the highest number of different species between the air and surface. We observed that surfaces sampling and application of molecular tools showed the same efficacy of species detection in high fungal load settings, corroborating the fact that surface sampling is crucial for a correct and complete analysis of occupational scenarios. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

  19. Development of a ceramic tamper indicating seal: SRNL contributions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krementz, Dan; Brinkman, Kyle S.; Martinez-Rodriguez, Michael J.; Mendez-Torres, Adrian E.; Weeks, George E.

    2013-01-01

    Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) are collaborating on development of a Ceramic Seal, also sometimes designated the Intrinsically Tamper Indicating Ceramic Seal (ITICS), which is a tamper indicating seal for international safeguards applications. The Ceramic Seal is designed to be a replacement for metal loop seals that are currently used by the IAEA and other safeguards organizations. The Ceramic Seal has numerous features that enhance the security of the seal, including a frangible ceramic body, protective and tamper indicating coatings, an intrinsic unique identifier using Laser Surface Authentication, electronics incorporated into the seal that provide cryptographic seal authentication, and user-friendly seal wire capture. A second generation prototype of the seal is currently under development whose seal body is of Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (LTCC) construction. SRNL has developed the mechanical design of the seal in an iterative process incorporating comments from the SNL vulnerability review team. SRNL is developing fluorescent tamper indicating coatings, with recent development focusing on optimizing the durability of the coatings and working with a vendor to develop a method to apply coatings on a 3-D surface. SRNL performed a study on the effects of radiation on the electronics of the seal and possible radiation shielding techniques to minimize the effects. SRNL is also investigating implementation of Laser Surface Authentication (LSA) as a means of unique identification of each seal and the effects of the surface coatings on the LSA signature.

  20. DEVELOPMENT OF A CERAMIC TAMPER INDICATING SEAL: SRNL CONTRIBUTIONS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Krementz, D.; Brinkman, K.; Martinez-Rodriguez, M.; Mendez-Torres, A.; Weeks, G.

    2013-06-03

    Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) are collaborating on development of a Ceramic Seal, also sometimes designated the Intrinsically Tamper Indicating Ceramic Seal (ITICS), which is a tamper indicating seal for international safeguards applications. The Ceramic Seal is designed to be a replacement for metal loop seals that are currently used by the IAEA and other safeguards organizations. The Ceramic Seal has numerous features that enhance the security of the seal, including a frangible ceramic body, protective and tamper indicating coatings, an intrinsic unique identifier using Laser Surface Authentication, electronics incorporated into the seal that provide cryptographic seal authentication, and user-friendly seal wire capture. A second generation prototype of the seal is currently under development whose seal body is of Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (LTCC) construction. SRNL has developed the mechanical design of the seal in an iterative process incorporating comments from the SNL vulnerability review team. SRNL is developing fluorescent tamper indicating coatings, with recent development focusing on optimizing the durability of the coatings and working with a vendor to develop a method to apply coatings on a 3-D surface. SRNL performed a study on the effects of radiation on the electronics of the seal and possible radiation shielding techniques to minimize the effects. SRNL is also investigating implementation of Laser Surface Authentication (LSA) as a means of unique identification of each seal and the effects of the surface coatings on the LSA signature.

  1. The morphosyntax of verbs of motion in serial constructions: a crosslinguistic study in three signed languages

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Benedicto, E.; Cvejanov, S.; Quer, J.; Quer, J.F.

    2008-01-01

    This paper provides a comparative analysis of the structural properties of serial verb constructions (SVC) in three sign languages: LSA (Lengua de Señas Argentina, Argentinean Sign Language), LSC (Llengua de Signes Catalana, Catalan Sign Language) and ASL (American Sign Language). The paper presents

  2. Determination of the Average Native Background and the Light-Induced EPR Signals and their Variation in the Teeth Enamel Based on Large-Scale Survey of the Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ivannikov, Alexander I; Khailov, Artem M; Orlenko, Sergey P; Skvortsov, Valeri G; Stepanenko, Valeri F; Zhumadilov, Kassym Sh; Williams, Benjamin B; Flood, Ann B; Swartz, Harold M

    2016-12-01

    The aim of the study is to determine the average intensity and variation of the native background signal amplitude (NSA) and of the solar light-induced signal amplitude (LSA) in electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of tooth enamel for different kinds of teeth and different groups of people. These values are necessary for determination of the intensity of the radiation-induced signal amplitude (RSA) by subtraction of the expected NSA and LSA from the total signal amplitude measured in L-band for in vivo EPR dosimetry. Variation of these signals should be taken into account when estimating the uncertainty of the estimated RSA. A new analysis of several hundred EPR spectra that were measured earlier at X-band in a large-scale examination of the population of the Central Russia was performed. Based on this analysis, the average values and the variation (standard deviation, SD) of the amplitude of the NSA for the teeth from different positions, as well as LSA in outer enamel of the front teeth for different population groups, were determined. To convert data acquired at X-band to values corresponding to the conditions of measurement at L-band, the experimental dependencies of the intensities of the RSA, LSA and NSA on the m.w. power, measured at both X and L-band, were analysed. For the two central upper incisors, which are mainly used in in vivo dosimetry, the mean LSA annual rate induced only in the outer side enamel and its variation were obtained as 10 ± 2 (SD = 8) mGy y -1 , the same for X- and L-bands (results are presented as the mean ± error of mean). Mean NSA in enamel and its variation for the upper incisors was calculated at 2.0 ± 0.2 (SD = 0.5) Gy, relative to the calibrated RSA dose-response to gamma radiation measured under non-power saturation conditions at X-band. Assuming the same value for L-band under non-power saturating conditions, then for in vivo measurements at L-band at 25 mW (power saturation conditions), a mean NSA and its

  3. Low Specific Activity materials concepts are being reevaluated

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rawl, R.R.

    1993-01-01

    Many types of radioactive low-level waste are classified, packaged, and transported as Low-Specific Activity (LSA) material. The transportation regulations allow LSA materials to be shipped in economical packagings and, under certain conditions, waives compliance with other detailed requirements such as labeling. The fundamental concepts which support the LSA category are being thoroughly reevaluated to determine the defensibility of the provisions. A series of national and international events are leading to the development of new dose models which are likely to fundamentally change the ways these materials are defined. Similar basis changes are likely for the packaging requirements applicable to these materials

  4. Quantitative analysis of surface characteristics and morphology in Death Valley, California using AIRSAR data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kierein-Young, K. S.; Kruse, F. A.; Lefkoff, A. B.

    1992-01-01

    The Jet Propulsion Laboratory Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (JPL-AIRSAR) is used to collect full polarimetric measurements at P-, L-, and C-bands. These data are analyzed using the radar analysis and visualization environment (RAVEN). The AIRSAR data are calibrated using in-scene corner reflectors to allow for quantitative analysis of the radar backscatter. RAVEN is used to extract surface characteristics. Inversion models are used to calculate quantitative surface roughness values and fractal dimensions. These values are used to generate synthetic surface plots that represent the small-scale surface structure of areas in Death Valley. These procedures are applied to a playa, smooth salt-pan, and alluvial fan surfaces in Death Valley. Field measurements of surface roughness are used to verify the accuracy.

  5. Higher Mobility Scores in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis Are Associated with Better Lung Function

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aneesha Thobani

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. The purpose of this study was to determine whether mobility and physical activity were associated with lung function in adults with cystic fibrosis (CF. Design. This was a prospective cohort observational study in an urban, academic, specialized care center. Participants were ambulatory, nonhospitalized adults with CF. Main Outcome Measures. Mobility was assessed monthly by the Life-Space Assessment (LSA questionnaire and quarterly by pedometer. Lung function was assessed by spirometry. Results. Twenty-seven subjects participated. Subjects recorded mean pedometer steps of 20,213 ± 11,331 over three days and FEV1% predicted of 77.48% ± 22.60% over one year. The LSA score at enrollment was correlated with initial pedometer steps (r=0.42 and P=0.03, and mean LSA score over one year was correlated with mean number of steps (r=0.51 and P=0.007. LSA mobility and pedometer scores were correlated with FEV1% predicted at enrollment and throughout the study. Conclusions. Mobility and physical activity measured by LSA questionnaire and pedometer are positively associated with lung function in adults with CF. This study confirms the importance of mobility and physical activity and supports the utility of a simple office-based questionnaire as a measure of mobility in adults with CF.

  6. Higher mobility scores in patients with cystic fibrosis are associated with better lung function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thobani, Aneesha; Alvarez, Jessica A; Blair, Shaina; Jackson, Kaila; Gottlieb, Eric R; Walker, Seth; Tangpricha, Vin

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine whether mobility and physical activity were associated with lung function in adults with cystic fibrosis (CF). This was a prospective cohort observational study in an urban, academic, specialized care center. Participants were ambulatory, nonhospitalized adults with CF. Mobility was assessed monthly by the Life-Space Assessment (LSA) questionnaire and quarterly by pedometer. Lung function was assessed by spirometry. Twenty-seven subjects participated. Subjects recorded mean pedometer steps of 20,213 ± 11,331 over three days and FEV1% predicted of 77.48% ± 22.60% over one year. The LSA score at enrollment was correlated with initial pedometer steps (r = 0.42 and P = 0.03), and mean LSA score over one year was correlated with mean number of steps (r = 0.51 and P = 0.007). LSA mobility and pedometer scores were correlated with FEV1% predicted at enrollment and throughout the study. Mobility and physical activity measured by LSA questionnaire and pedometer are positively associated with lung function in adults with CF. This study confirms the importance of mobility and physical activity and supports the utility of a simple office-based questionnaire as a measure of mobility in adults with CF.

  7. Regulatory aspects of the transport of high radiation level and alpha waste in France

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Devillers, C.; Grenier, M.; Lombard, J.; Mathieu, F.

    1993-01-01

    The introduction of the 10 mSv.h -1 at 3 m limit for LSA unshielded material makes it impossible to transport, as LSA material, the highest radiation level wastes from EdF PWR's operations. At present, the EdF's waste blocks can be transported as LSA III material by special arrangement. A new package design, equivalent to a Type B package, will be available for their transport before the end of the year 1995. It consists of a re-usable steel cylinder over-packing each block. Compliance of this package model with transport safety requirements will be demonstrated by taking into account the non-dispersability, as LSA III material, of the irradiating waste. A two-step approach has been accepted by the French Competent Authority for the transport of these wastes: (1) a specific ISO 20 container, thermally insulated, can be used by special arrangement for the transport of LSA combustible material having a total activity per conveyance higher than 100 A2. Furthermore, additional safety measures have to be implemented for these consignments. (2) After the end of 1995, a Type B package must be used for activity contents per conveyance higher than 100 A2. A specific 20' ISO container, complying with Type B requirements, is being developed for that purpose. (author)

  8. Chemiluminescent labels released from long spacer arm-functionalized magnetic particles: a novel strategy for ultrasensitive and highly selective detection of pathogen infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Haowen; Liang, Wenbiao; He, Nongyue; Deng, Yan; Li, Zhiyang

    2015-01-14

    Previously, the unique advantages provided by chemiluminescence (CL) and magnetic particles (MPs) have resulted in the development of many useful nucleic acid detection methods. CL is highly sensitive, but when applied to MPs, its intensity is limited by the inner filter-like effect arising from excess dark MPs. Herein, we describe a modified strategy whereby CL labels are released from MPs to eliminate this negative effect. This approach relies on (1) the magnetic capture of target molecules on long spacer arm-functionalized magnetic particles (LSA-MPs), (2) the conjugation of streptavidin-alkaline phosphatase (SA-AP) to biotinylated amplicons of target pathogens, (3) the release of CL labels (specifically, AP tags), and (4) the detection of the released labels. CL labels were released from LSA-MPs through LSA ultrasonication or DNA enzymolysis, which proved to be the superior method. In contrast to conventional MPs, LSA-MPs exhibited significantly improved CL detection, because of the introduction of LSA, which was made of water-soluble carboxymethylated β-1,3-glucan. Detection of hepatitis B virus with this technique revealed a low detection limit of 50 fM, high selectivity, and excellent reproducibility. Thus, this approach may hold great potential for early stage clinical diagnosis of infectious diseases.

  9. Diterpenoic acids analysis using a coupled TLC-surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy system

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Orinak, A.; Talian, I.; Efremov, E.V.; Ariese, F.; Oriaakova, R.

    2008-01-01

    Hyphenation of thin layer chromatography (TLC) with surface-based spectral methods requires a homogeneous surface for direct and quantitative analysis on the chromatographic plate after separation. Since most chromatographic materials do not produce strong background signals in Raman spectroscopy

  10. TED analysis of the Si(113) surface structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suzuki, T.; Minoda, H.; Tanishiro, Y.; Yagi, K.

    1999-09-01

    We carried out a TED (transmission electron diffraction) analysis of the Si(113) surface structure. The TED patterns taken at room temperature showed reflections due to the 3×2 reconstructed structure. The TED pattern indicated that a glide plane parallel to the direction suggested in some models is excluded. We calculated the R-factors (reliability factors) for six surface structure models proposed previously. All structure models with energy-optimized atomic positions have large R-factors. After revision of the atomic positions, the R-factors of all the structure models decreased below 0.3, and the revised version of Dabrowski's 3×2 model has the smallest R-factor of 0.17.

  11. Exploring Surface Analysis Techniques for the Detection of Molecular Contaminants on Spacecraft

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rutherford, Gugu N.; Seasly, Elaine; Thornblom, Mark; Baughman, James

    2016-01-01

    Molecular contamination is a known area of concern for spacecraft. To mitigate this risk, projects involving space flight hardware set requirements in a contamination control plan that establishes an allocation budget for the exposure of non-volatile residues (NVR) onto critical surfaces. The purpose of this work will focus on non-contact surface analysis and in situ monitoring to mitigate molecular contamination on space flight hardware. By using Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) with Raman Spectroscopy, an unlikely contaminant was identified on space flight hardware. Using traditional and surface analysis methods provided the broader view of the contamination sources allowing for best fit solutions to prevent any future exposure.

  12. Analysis of stress intensity factors for surface cracks in pre/post penetration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miyoshi, Toshiro; Yoshida, Yuichiro

    1988-01-01

    It is important to evaluate the penetration of surface cracks in a Leak-Before-Break analysis. Because the stress intensity factors for surface cracks in pre/post penetration had not yet been analyzed, the authors carried three-dimensional boundary element analyses in order to obtain them. First, the authors developed the technique of nodal breakdown appropriate for cracks with short ligament length in a two-dimensional boundary element analysis. Next, analyses of stress intensity factor for surface cracks in pre/post penetration were carried out using the technique of nodal breakdown for cracks with short ligament length and the three-dimensional boundary element code BEM 3 D which was designed for a supercomputer. (author)

  13. Analysis of Shift and Deformation of Planar Surfaces Using the Least Squares Plane

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hrvoje Matijević

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Modern methods of measurement developed on the basis of advanced reflectorless distance measurement have paved the way for easier detection and analysis of shift and deformation. A large quantity of collected data points will often require a mathematical model of the surface that fits best into these. Although this can be a complex task, in the case of planar surfaces it is easily done, enabling further processing and analysis of measurement results. The paper describes the fitting of a plane to a set of collected points using the least squares distance, with previously excluded outliers via the RANSAC algorithm. Based on that, a method for analysis of the deformation and shift of planar surfaces is also described.

  14. Microscopic Analysis and Modeling of Airport Surface Sequencing, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The complexity and interdependence of operations on the airport surface motivate the need for a comprehensive and detailed, yet flexible and validated analysis and...

  15. A fundamental approach to adhesion: Synthesis, surface analysis, thermodynamics and mechanics. [acid-base properties of titanium 6-4 surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siriwardane, R.; Wightman, J. P.

    1980-01-01

    The acid-base properties of titanium 6-4 plates (low surface area) were investigated after three different pretreatments, namely Turco, phosphate-fluoride and Pasa-Jell. A series of indicators was used and color changes were detected using diffuse reflectance visible spectroscopy. Electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis was used to examine the indicator on the Ti 6-4 surface. Specular reflectance infra-red spectroscopy was used to study the adsorption of stearic acid from cyclohexane solutions on the Ti 6-4 surface.

  16. Experimental investigation of limit space charge accumulation mode operation in a semi-insulating GaAs photoconductive semiconductor switch

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma Xiangrong; Shi Wei; Xiang Mei

    2013-01-01

    Experiments with the limited space-charge accumulation (LSA) mode of oscillation in a large gap semi-insulating (SI) GaAs photoconductive semiconductor switch (PCSS) are discussed. It has been observed that growth and drift of a photo-activated charge domain (PACD) are quenched only when the bias voltage is more than twice the threshold voltage. The original negative resistance characteristics are directly utilized in the LSA mode; during LSA operation the spatial average of the electric field varies over a large portion of the negative differential mobility region of the velocity—electric field characteristic. The work efficiency of an SI GaAs PCSS is remarkably enhanced by electric field excursions into the positive resistance region when the total electric field is only below the threshold part of the time. The LSA mode can only operate in the certain conditions that satisfy the quenching of the accumulation layer and the smaller initial domain voltage. (semiconductor devices)

  17. Texture Analysis of Hydrophobic Polycarbonate and Polydimethylsiloxane Surfaces via Persistent Homology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Nabi Duman

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Due to recent climate change-triggered, regular dust storms in the Middle East, dust mitigation has become the critical issue for solar energy harvesting devices. One of the methods to minimize and prevent dust adhesion and create self-cleaning abilities is to generate hydrophobic characteristics on surfaces. The purpose of this study is to explore the topological features of hydrophobic surfaces. We use non-standard techniques from topological data analysis to extract morphological features from the AFM images. Our method recovers most of the previous qualitative observations in a robust and quantitative way. Persistence diagrams, which is a summary of topological structures, witness quantitatively that the crystallized polycarbonate (PC surface possesses spherulites, voids, and fibrils, and the texture height and spherulite concentration increases with the increased immersion period. The approach also shows that the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS exactly copied the structures at the PC surface but 80 to 90 percent of the nanofibrils were not copied at PDMS surface. We next extract a feature vector from each persistence diagram to show which experiments hold features with similar variance using principal component analysis (PCA. The K-means clustering algorithm is applied to the matrix of feature vectors to support the PCA result, grouping experiments with similar features.

  18. Failure Surface Analysis of Polyimide/Titanium Notched Coating Adhesion Specimens

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    GIUNTA,RACHEL K.; KANDER,RONALD G.

    2000-12-18

    Adhesively bonded joints of LaRC{trademark} PETI-5, a phenylethynyl-terminated polyimide, with chromic acid anodized titanium were fabricated and debonded interfacially. The adhesive-substrate failure surfaces were investigated using several surface analysis techniques. From Auger spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy studies, polymer appears to be penetrating the pores of the anodized substrate to a depth of approximately 100 nm. From x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data, the polymer penetrating the pores appears to be in electrical contact with the titanium substrate, leading to differential charging. These analyses confirm that the polymer is becoming mechanically interlocked within the substrate surface.

  19. Metal concentration at surface water using multivariate analysis and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Metal concentration at surface water using multivariate analysis and human health risk assessment. F Azaman, H Juahir, K Yunus, A Azid, S.I. Khalit, A.D. Mustafa, M.A. Amran, C.N.C. Hasnam, M.Z.A.Z. Abidin, M.A.M. Yusri ...

  20. LA INSEGURIDAD JURÍDICA PARA LOS ACREEDORES DE LAS SOCIEDADES ANÓNIMAS LABORALES CONSTRUCTORAS Y PROMOTORAS DE VIVIENDAS ANTE EL REAL DECRETO LEY 10/2008 DE 12 DE DICIEMBRE / LEGAL UNCERTAINTY FOR CREDITORS OF CORPORATIONS LABOR AND CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSING TO PROMOTORAS ROYAL DECREE LAW 10/2008 OF 12 DECEMBER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonia BENITO HERNÁNDEZ

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Este trabajo pretende hacer un análisis sistemático de la normativa contable, así como una interpretación de la norma excepcional en base al conocimiento del concepto de patrimonio neto en relación a la Ley 16/2007 de 4 de Julio y al reciente Real Decreto Ley 10/2008 de 2 de diciembre, por el que se adoptan medidas financieras para la mejora de la liquidez de las pequeñas y medianas empresas y otras medidas económicas complementarias, provocando alteraciones en el régimen jurídico de la disolución obligatoria por pérdidas (Art. 163.1 de la LSA y de las causas de disolución por pérdidas graves (Art 260.4 de la LSA. Este estudio hace especial referencia a las sociedades anónimas laborales constructoras y promotoras, sector fuertemente afectado por la crisis económica actual. / This study attempts a systematic analysis of the regulations, as well as a unique interpretation of the rule based on knowledge, the concept of equity in relation to the Law 16/2007 of July 4 and the recent Royal Decree Law 10 / December 2 of 2008 on the adoption of financial measures to improve the liquidity of small and medium enterprises and other economic measures up, causing alterations in the legal framework for compulsory winding losses (Art. 163.1 of the LSA and causes serious losses of dissolution (Art. 260.4 of the LSA. This study This study makes specific reference to joint stock industrial builders and promoters, a sector strongly affected by the current economic crisis.

  1. Surface Acoustic Wave Monitor for Deposition and Analysis of Ultra-Thin Films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hines, Jacqueline H. (Inventor)

    2015-01-01

    A surface acoustic wave (SAW) based thin film deposition monitor device and system for monitoring the deposition of ultra-thin films and nanomaterials and the analysis thereof is characterized by acoustic wave device embodiments that include differential delay line device designs, and which can optionally have integral reference devices fabricated on the same substrate as the sensing device, or on a separate device in thermal contact with the film monitoring/analysis device, in order to provide inherently temperature compensated measurements. These deposition monitor and analysis devices can include inherent temperature compensation, higher sensitivity to surface interactions than quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) devices, and the ability to operate at extreme temperatures.

  2. A Gender Perspective on Business Process Management Competences Offered on Professional Online Social Networks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gorbacheva, Elena; Stein, Armin; Schmiedel, Theresa

    2015-01-01

    in analysing 10,405 BPM-related LinkedIn profiles using a text mining technique called Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA). We identify 12 distinct categories of competences supplied by BPM professionals, which, in general, reflect the interdisciplinary nature of BPM, ranging from technical to managerial and domain...

  3. Glass fibres reinforced polyester composites degradation monitoring by surface analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Croitoru, Catalin [“Transilvania” University of Brasov, Materials Engineering and Welding Department, Eroilor 29 Str., 500036 Brasov (Romania); Patachia, Silvia, E-mail: st.patachia@unitbv.ro [“Transilvania” University of Brasov, Product Design Environment and Mechatronics Department, Eroilor 29 Str., 500036 Brasov (Romania); Papancea, Adina [“Transilvania” University of Brasov, Product Design Environment and Mechatronics Department, Eroilor 29 Str., 500036 Brasov (Romania); Baltes, Liana; Tierean, Mircea [“Transilvania” University of Brasov, Materials Engineering and Welding Department, Eroilor 29 Str., 500036 Brasov (Romania)

    2015-12-15

    Highlights: • Glass fibre-reinforced polyester composites surface analysis by photographic method. • The composites are submitted to accelerated ageing by UV irradiation at 254 nm. • The UV irradiation promotes differences in the surface chemistry of the composites. • MB dye is differently adsorbed on surfaces with different degradation degrees. • Good correlation between the colouring degree and surface chemistry. - Abstract: The paper presents a novel method for quantification of the modifications that occur on the surface of different types of gel-coated glass fibre-reinforced polyester composites under artificial UV-ageing at 254 nm. The method implies the adsorption of an ionic dye, namely methylene blue, on the UV-aged composite, and computing the CIELab colour space parameters from the photographic image of the coloured composite's surface. The method significantly enhances the colour differences between the irradiated composites and the reference, in contrast with the non-coloured ones. The colour modifications that occur represent a good indicative of the surface degradation, alteration of surface hydrophily and roughness of the composite and are in good correlation with the ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and optical microscopy results. The proposed method is easier, faster and cheaper than the traditional ones.

  4. Paired Expression Analysis of Tumor Cell Surface Antigens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rimas J. Orentas

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Adoptive immunotherapy with antibody-based therapy or with T cells transduced to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs is useful to the extent that the cell surface membrane protein being targeted is not expressed on normal tissues. The most successful CAR-based (anti-CD19 or antibody-based therapy (anti-CD20 in hematologic malignancies has the side effect of eliminating the normal B cell compartment. Targeting solid tumors may not provide a similar expendable marker. Beyond antibody to Her2/NEU and EGFR, very few antibody-based and no CAR-based therapies have seen broad clinical application for solid tumors. To expand the way in which the surfaceome of solid tumors can be analyzed, we created an algorithm that defines the pairwise relative overexpression of surface antigens. This enables the development of specific immunotherapies that require the expression of two discrete antigens on the surface of the tumor target. This dyad analysis was facilitated by employing the Hotelling’s T-squared test (Hotelling–Lawley multivariate analysis of variance for two independent variables in comparison to a third constant entity (i.e., gene expression levels in normal tissues. We also present a unique consensus scoring mechanism for identifying transcripts that encode cell surface proteins. The unique application of our bioinformatics processing pipeline and statistical tools allowed us to compare the expression of two membrane protein targets as a pair, and to propose a new strategy based on implementing immunotherapies that require both antigens to be expressed on the tumor cell surface to trigger therapeutic effector mechanisms. Specifically, we found that, for MYCN amplified neuroblastoma, pairwise expression of ACVR2B or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK with GFRA3, GFRA2, Cadherin 24, or with one another provided the strongest hits. For MYCN, non-amplified stage 4 neuroblastoma, neurotrophic tyrosine kinase 1, or ALK paired with GFRA2, GFRA3, SSK

  5. Analysis of surfaces for characterization of fungal burden – Does it matter?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carla Viegas

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: Mycological contamination of occupational environments can be a result of fungal spores’ dispersion in the air and on surfaces. Therefore, it is very important to assess it in both types of the samples. In the present study we assessed fungal contamination in the air and in the surface samples to show relevance of surfaces sampling in complementing the results obtained in the air samples. Material and Methods: In total, 42 settings were assessed by the analysis of air and surfaces samples. The settings were divided into settings with a high fungal load (7 poultry farms and 7 pig farms, 3 cork industries, 3 waste management plants, 2 wastewater treatment plants and 1 horse stable and a low fungal load (10 hospital canteens, 8 college canteens and 1 maternity hospital. In addition to culture-based methods, molecular tools were also applied to detect fungal burden in the settings with a higher fungal load. Results: From the 218 sampling sites, 140 (64.2% presented different species in the examined surfaces when compared with the species identified in the air. A positive association in the high fungal load settings was found between the presence of different species in the air and surfaces. Wastewater treatment plants constituted the setting with the highest number of different species between the air and surface. Conclusions: We observed that surfaces sampling and application of molecular tools showed the same efficacy of species detection in high fungal load settings, corroborating the fact that surface sampling is crucial for a correct and complete analysis of occupational scenarios.

  6. From Geoportals to Geographic Knowledge Portals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manfred Mittlböck

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available We present the application of Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA in combination with recommender systems, in order to enhance discovery in geoportals. As a basis for discovery, metadata of spatial data and services, as well as of non-spatial resources, such as documents and scientific papers, is created and registered in the catalogue of the geoportal (semi-automatically. Links that are not inherent in the data itself are established based on the semantic similarity of its textual content using LSA. This leads to the transition from unstructured data to structured (metadata information, serving as a basis for the generation of knowledge. The metadata information is integrated into a recommendation system that provides a ranked list showing (1 what other users viewed and (2 the related resources discovered by the LSA workflow as a result. Based on the assumptions that similar texts have something in common and that users are likely to be interested in what other users viewed, recommendations provide a broader, but also more precise, search result; on the one hand, the recommender engine considers additional information; on the other hand, it ranks resources based on the discovery experience of other users and the likeliness of the documents being related to each other.

  7. Modeling Student Motivation and Students’ Ability Estimates From a Large-Scale Assessment of Mathematics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Zerpa

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available When large-scale assessments (LSA do not hold personal stakes for students, students may not put forth their best effort. Low-effort examinee behaviors (e.g., guessing, omitting items result in an underestimate of examinee abilities, which is a concern when using results of LSA to inform educational policy and planning. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between examinee motivation as defined by expectancy-value theory, student effort, and examinee mathematics abilities. A principal components analysis was used to examine the data from Grade 9 students (n = 43,562 who responded to a self-report questionnaire on their attitudes and practices related to mathematics. The results suggested a two-component model where the components were interpreted as task-values in mathematics and student effort. Next, a hierarchical linear model was implemented to examine the relationship between examinee component scores and their estimated ability on a LSA. The results of this study provide evidence that motivation, as defined by the expectancy-value theory and student effort, partially explains student ability estimates and may have implications in the information that get transferred to testing organizations, school boards, and teachers while assessing students’ Grade 9 mathematics learning.

  8. A hybrid instrument combining electronic and photonic tunnelling for surface analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pechou, R.; Ajustron, F.; Seine, G.; Coratger, R.; Maurel, C.; Beauvillain, J.

    2004-01-01

    A PSTM working in the collection mode and based on an STM probe-sample regulation scheme has been developed. This original hybrid instrument for surface analysis uses apertureless metal-coated chemically etched optical fibres. The use of an electronic tunnelling-based feedback loop significantly reduces tip-sample distance and leads to the collection of a high level near-field optical (NFO) signal. A simple amplified photodiode is thus used to perform optical signal acquisition and to draw electromagnetic field maps of sample surfaces. Experimental results on nanostructured gold surfaces are presented

  9. GHRSST Level 4 ODYSSEA Global Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (GDS version 1)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) Level 4 sea surface temperature analysis produced daily on an operational basis at Ifremer/CERSAT...

  10. Analysis of factors controlling soil phosphorus loss with surface runoff in Huihe National Nature Reserve by principal component and path analysis methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Jing; Su, Derong; Lv, Shihai; Diao, Zhaoyan; Bu, He; Wo, Qiang

    2018-01-01

    Phosphorus (P) loss with surface runoff accounts for the P input to and acceleration of eutrophication of the freshwater. Many studies have focused on factors affecting P loss with surface runoff from soils, but rarely on the relationship among these factors. In the present study, rainfall simulation on P loss with surface runoff was conducted in Huihe National Nature Reserve, in Hulunbeier grassland, China, and the relationships between P loss with surface runoff, soil properties, and rainfall conditions were examined. Principal component analysis and path analysis were used to analyze the direct and indirect effects on P loss with surface runoff. The results showed that P loss with surface runoff was closely correlated with soil electrical conductivity, soil pH, soil Olsen P, soil total nitrogen (TN), soil total phosphorus (TP), and soil organic carbon (SOC). The main driving factors which influenced P loss with surface runoff were soil TN, soil pH, soil Olsen P, and soil water content. Path analysis and determination coefficient analysis indicated that the standard multiple regression equation for P loss with surface runoff and each main factor was Y = 7.429 - 0.439 soil TN - 6.834 soil pH + 1.721 soil Olsen-P + 0.183 soil water content (r = 0.487, p runoff. The effect of physical and chemical properties of undisturbed soils on P loss with surface runoff was discussed, and the soil water content and soil Olsen P were strongly positive influences on the P loss with surface runoff.

  11. Numerical analysis of high-speed liquid lithium free-surface flow

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gordeev, Sergej; Heinzel, Volker; Stieglitz, Robert

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► The free surface behavior of a high speed lithium jet is investigated by means of a CFD LES analysis. ► The study is aiming to validate adequate LES technique. ► The Osaka University experiments with liquid lithium jet have been simulated. ► Four cases with jet flow velocities of 4, 9, 13 and 15 m/s are analyzed. ► Calculation results show a good qualitative and a quantitative agreement with the experimental data. - Abstract: The free-surface stability of the target of the International Fusion Material Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) is one of the crucial issues, since the spatio-temporal behavior of the free-surface determines the neutron flux to be generated. This article investigates the relation between the evolution of a wall boundary layer in a convergent nozzle and the free surface shape of a high speed lithium jet by means of a CFD LES analysis using the Osaka University experiments. The study is aiming to validate adequate LES technique to analyze the individual flow phenomena observed. Four cases with jet flow velocities of 4, 9, 13 and 15 m/s are analyzed. First analyses of calculation results show that the simulation exhibits a good qualitative and a quantitative agreement with the experimental data, which allows in the future a more realistic prediction of the IFMIF target behavior.

  12. Treatment by gliding arc of epoxy resin: preliminary analysis of surface modifications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faubert, F.; Wartel, M.; Pellerin, N.; Pellerin, S.; Cochet, V.; Regnier, E.; Hnatiuc, B.

    2016-12-01

    Treatments with atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma are easy to implement and inexpensive. Among them gliding arc (GlidArc) remains rarely used in surface treatment of polymers. However, it offers economic and flexible way to treat quickly large areas. In addition the choice of carrier gas makes it possible to bring the active species and other radicals allowing different types of grafting and functionalization of the treated surfaces, for example in order to apply for anti-biofouling prevention. This preliminary work includes analysis of the surface of epoxy resins by infrared spectroscopy: the different affected chemical bonds were studied depending on the duration of treatment. The degree of oxidation (the C/O ratio) is obtained by X-ray microanalysis and contact angle analysis have been performed to determinate the wettability properties of the treated surface. A spectroscopic study of the plasma allows to determine the possible active species in the different zones of the discharge.

  13. Assessing semantic similarity of texts - Methods and algorithms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rozeva, Anna; Zerkova, Silvia

    2017-12-01

    Assessing the semantic similarity of texts is an important part of different text-related applications like educational systems, information retrieval, text summarization, etc. This task is performed by sophisticated analysis, which implements text-mining techniques. Text mining involves several pre-processing steps, which provide for obtaining structured representative model of the documents in a corpus by means of extracting and selecting the features, characterizing their content. Generally the model is vector-based and enables further analysis with knowledge discovery approaches. Algorithms and measures are used for assessing texts at syntactical and semantic level. An important text-mining method and similarity measure is latent semantic analysis (LSA). It provides for reducing the dimensionality of the document vector space and better capturing the text semantics. The mathematical background of LSA for deriving the meaning of the words in a given text by exploring their co-occurrence is examined. The algorithm for obtaining the vector representation of words and their corresponding latent concepts in a reduced multidimensional space as well as similarity calculation are presented.

  14. Trace drug analysis by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farquharson, Stuart; Lee, Vincent Y.

    2000-12-01

    Drug overdose involves more than 10 percent of emergency room (ER) cases, and a method to rapidly identify and quantify the abused drug is critical to the ability of the ER physician to administer the appropriate care. To this end, we have been developing a surface-enhanced Raman (SER) active material capable of detecting target drugs at physiological concentrations in urine. The SER-active material consists of a metal-doped sol-gel that provides not only a million fold increase in sensitivity but also reproducible measurements. The porous silica network offers a unique environment for stabilizing SER active metal particles and the high surface area increase the interaction between the analyte and metal particles. The sol-gel has been coated on the inside walls of glass samples vials, such that urine specimens may simply be introduced for analysis. Here we present the surface-enhanced Raman spectra of a series of barbiturates, actual urine specimens, and a drug 'spiked' urine specimen. The utility of pH adjustment to suppress dominant biochemicals associated with urine is also presented.

  15. GHRSST Level 4 GAMSSA Global Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (GDS version 1)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) Level 4 sea surface temperature analysis produced daily on an operational basis at the Australian Bureau...

  16. GHRSST Level 4 OSPO Global Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (GDS version 2)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) Level 4 sea surface temperature analysis produced daily on an operational basis at the Office of...

  17. Extragenital lichen sclerosus et atrophicus along the lines of Blaschko

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nilofar G Diwan

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus (LSA is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis of unknown etiology. Extragenital involvement is uncommon and commonly affects the neck, shoulders, and upper portion of the trunk. It is predominant in women with a male-to-female ratio of 1:6 and occurs at any age. Linear pattern along the lines of Blaschko are seen. There is no cure for LSA. Topical corticosteroids and calcineurin inhibitors, such as tacrolimus, pimecrolimus, PUVA antimalarial agents, and topical retinoids have been tried with varying results. A case of a 33-year-old man with LSA over right lower limb along the lines of Blasckho is reported here.

  18. Characterization of novel OmpA-like protein of Leptospira interrogans that binds extracellular matrix molecules and plasminogen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliveira, Rosane; de Morais, Zenaide Maria; Gonçales, Amane Paldes; Romero, Eliete Caló; Vasconcellos, Silvio Arruda; Nascimento, Ana L T O

    2011-01-01

    Leptospira interrogans is the etiological agent of leptospirosis, a zoonotic disease of human and veterinary concern. The identification of novel proteins that mediate host-pathogen interactions is important for understanding the bacterial pathogenesis as well as to identify protective antigens that would help fight the disease. We describe in this work the cloning, expression, purification and characterization of three predicted leptospiral membrane proteins, LIC10258, LIC12880 (Lp30) and LIC12238. We have employed Escherichia coli BL21 (SI) strain as a host expression system. Recently, we have identified LIC12238 as a plasminogen (PLG)-binding receptor. We show now that Lp30 and rLIC10258 are also PLG-receptors of Leptospira, both exhibiting dose-dependent and saturating binding (K(D), 68.8±25.2 nM and 167.39±60.1 nM, for rLIC10258 and rLIC12880, respectively). In addition, LIC10258, which is a novel OmpA-like protein, binds laminin and plasma fibronectin ECM molecules and hence, it was named Lsa66 (Leptospiral surface adhesin of 66 kDa). Binding of Lsa66 to ECM components was determined to be specific, dose-dependent and saturable, with a K(D) of 55.4±15.9 nM to laminin and of 290.8±11.8 nM to plasma fibronectin. Binding of the recombinant proteins to PLG or ECM components was assessed by using antibodies against each of the recombinant proteins obtained in mice and confirmed by monoclonal anti-polyhistidine antibodies. Lsa66 caused partial inhibition on leptospiral adherence to immobilized ECM and PLG. Moreover, this adhesin and rLIC12238 are recognized by antibodies in serum samples of confirmed leptospirosis cases. Thus, Lsa66 is a novel OmpA-like protein with dual activity that may promote the attachment of Leptospira to host tissues and may contribute to the leptospiral invasion. To our knowledge, this is the first leptospiral protein with ECM and PLG binding properties reported to date.

  19. Characterization of novel OmpA-like protein of Leptospira interrogans that binds extracellular matrix molecules and plasminogen.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosane Oliveira

    Full Text Available Leptospira interrogans is the etiological agent of leptospirosis, a zoonotic disease of human and veterinary concern. The identification of novel proteins that mediate host-pathogen interactions is important for understanding the bacterial pathogenesis as well as to identify protective antigens that would help fight the disease. We describe in this work the cloning, expression, purification and characterization of three predicted leptospiral membrane proteins, LIC10258, LIC12880 (Lp30 and LIC12238. We have employed Escherichia coli BL21 (SI strain as a host expression system. Recently, we have identified LIC12238 as a plasminogen (PLG-binding receptor. We show now that Lp30 and rLIC10258 are also PLG-receptors of Leptospira, both exhibiting dose-dependent and saturating binding (K(D, 68.8±25.2 nM and 167.39±60.1 nM, for rLIC10258 and rLIC12880, respectively. In addition, LIC10258, which is a novel OmpA-like protein, binds laminin and plasma fibronectin ECM molecules and hence, it was named Lsa66 (Leptospiral surface adhesin of 66 kDa. Binding of Lsa66 to ECM components was determined to be specific, dose-dependent and saturable, with a K(D of 55.4±15.9 nM to laminin and of 290.8±11.8 nM to plasma fibronectin. Binding of the recombinant proteins to PLG or ECM components was assessed by using antibodies against each of the recombinant proteins obtained in mice and confirmed by monoclonal anti-polyhistidine antibodies. Lsa66 caused partial inhibition on leptospiral adherence to immobilized ECM and PLG. Moreover, this adhesin and rLIC12238 are recognized by antibodies in serum samples of confirmed leptospirosis cases. Thus, Lsa66 is a novel OmpA-like protein with dual activity that may promote the attachment of Leptospira to host tissues and may contribute to the leptospiral invasion. To our knowledge, this is the first leptospiral protein with ECM and PLG binding properties reported to date.

  20. The hidden radiation chemistry in plasma modification and XPS analysis of polymer surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    George, G.A.; Le, T.T.; Elms, F.M.; Wood, B.J.

    1996-01-01

    Full text: The surface modification of polymers using plasma treatments is being widely researched to achieve changes in the surface energetics and consequent wetting and reactivity for a range of applications. These include i) adhesion for polymer bonding and composite material fabrication and ii) biocompatibility of polymers when used as orthopedic implants, catheters and prosthetics. A low pressure rf plasma produces a variety of species from the introduced gas which may react with the surface of a hydrocarbon polymer, such as polyethylene. In the case of 0 2 and H 2 0, these species include oxygen atoms, singlet molecular oxygen and hydroxyl radicals, all of which may oxidise and, depending on their energy, ablate the polymer surface. In order to better understand the reactive species formed both in and downstream from a plasma and the relative contributions of oxidation and ablation, self-assembled monolayers of n-alkane thiols on gold are being used as well characterised substrates for quantitative X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The identification and quantification of oxidised carbon species on plasma treated polymers from broad, asymmetric XPS signals is difficult, so derivatisation is often used to enhance sensitivity and specificity. For example, trifluoroacetic anhydride (TFAA) selectively labels hydroxyl functionality. The surface analysis of a modified polymer surface may be confounded by high energy radiation chemistry which may occur during XPS analysis. Examples include scission of carbon-halogen bonds (as in TFM adducts), decarboxylation and main-chain polyene formation. The extent of free-radical chemistry occurring in polyethylene while undergoing XPS analysis may be seen by both ESR and FT-IR analysis

  1. Palmo-plantar lichen sclerosus et atrophicus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aggarwal Kamal

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available A case of lichen sclerosus et atrophicus (LSA in a male patient who presented with multiple hypopigmented to depigmented macules, polygonal in shape, distributed in a bilaterally, symmetrical manner over the hands, feet and flexor aspect of wrists is being reported. Histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of LSA.

  2. The use of artificial intelligence methods for visual analysis of properties of surface layers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomasz Wójcicki

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available [b]Abstract[/b]. The article presents a selected area of research on the possibility of automatic prediction of material properties based on the analysis of digital images. Original, holistic model of forecasting properties of surface layers based on a multi-step process that includes the selected methods of processing and analysis of images, inference with the use of a priori knowledge bases and multi-valued fuzzy logic, and simulation with the use of finite element methods is presented. Surface layers characteristics and core technologies of their production processes such as mechanical, thermal, thermo-mechanical, thermo-chemical, electrochemical, physical are discussed. Developed methods used in the model for the classification of images of the surface layers are shown. The objectives of the use of selected methods of processing and analysis of digital images, including techniques for improving the quality of images, segmentation, morphological transformation, pattern recognition and simulation of physical phenomena in the structures of materials are described.[b]Keywords[/b]: image analysis, surface layer, artificial intelligence, fuzzy logic

  3. Surface science analysis of GaAs photocathodes following sustained electron beam delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. Shutthanandan

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Degradation of the photocathode materials employed in photoinjectors represents a challenge for sustained operation of nuclear physics accelerators and high power free electron lasers (FEL. Photocathode quantum efficiency degradation is due to residual gases in the electron source vacuum system being ionized and accelerated back to the photocathode. These investigations are a first attempt to characterize the nature of the photocathode degradation, and employ multiple surface and bulk analysis techniques to investigate damage mechanisms including sputtering of the Cs-oxidant surface monolayer, other surface chemistry effects, and ion implantation. Surface and bulk analysis studies were conducted on two GaAs photocathodes, which were removed from the JLab FEL DC photoemission gun after delivering electron beam, and two control samples. The analysis techniques include helium ion microscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS, atomic force microscopy, and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS. In addition, two high-polarization strained superlattice GaAs photocathode samples, one removed from the continuous electron beam accelerator facility (CEBAF photoinjector and one unused, were also analyzed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM and SIMS. It was found that heat cleaning the FEL GaAs wafer introduces surface roughness, which seems to be reduced by prolonged use. The bulk GaAs samples retained a fairly well organized crystalline structure after delivering beam but show evidence of Cs depletion on the surface. Within the precision of the SIMS and RBS measurements, the data showed no indication of hydrogen implantation or lattice damage from ion back bombardment in the bulk GaAs wafers. In contrast, SIMS and TEM measurements of the strained superlattice photocathode show clear crystal damage in the wafer from ion back bombardment.

  4. Residual analysis applied to S-N data of a surface rolled cast iron

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Omar Maluf

    2005-09-01

    Full Text Available Surface rolling is a process extensively employed in the manufacture of ductile cast iron crankshafts, specifically in regions containing stress concentrators with the main aim to enhance fatigue strength. Such process hardens and introduces compressive residual stresses to the surface as a result of controlled strains, reducing cyclic tensile stresses near the surface of the part. The main purpose of this work was to apply the residual analysis to check the suitability of the S-N approach to describe the fatigue properties of a surface rolled cast iron. The analysis procedure proved to be very efficient and easy to implement and it can be applied in the verification of any other statistical model used to describe fatigue behavior. Results show that the conventional S-N methodology is able to model the high cycle fatigue behavior of surface rolled notch testpieces of a pearlitic ductile cast iron submitted to rotating bending fatigue tests.

  5. Reliability-Based Stability Analysis of Rock Slopes Using Numerical Analysis and Response Surface Method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dadashzadeh, N.; Duzgun, H. S. B.; Yesiloglu-Gultekin, N.

    2017-08-01

    While advanced numerical techniques in slope stability analysis are successfully used in deterministic studies, they have so far found limited use in probabilistic analyses due to their high computation cost. The first-order reliability method (FORM) is one of the most efficient probabilistic techniques to perform probabilistic stability analysis by considering the associated uncertainties in the analysis parameters. However, it is not possible to directly use FORM in numerical slope stability evaluations as it requires definition of a limit state performance function. In this study, an integrated methodology for probabilistic numerical modeling of rock slope stability is proposed. The methodology is based on response surface method, where FORM is used to develop an explicit performance function from the results of numerical simulations. The implementation of the proposed methodology is performed by considering a large potential rock wedge in Sumela Monastery, Turkey. The accuracy of the developed performance function to truly represent the limit state surface is evaluated by monitoring the slope behavior. The calculated probability of failure is compared with Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) method. The proposed methodology is found to be 72% more efficient than MCS, while the accuracy is decreased with an error of 24%.

  6. A radiation analysis of lunar surface habitats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    De Angelis, G.; Wilson, J.W.; Tripathi, R.K.; Clowdsley, M.S.; Nealy, J.E.

    2003-01-01

    An analysis is performed on the radiation environment found on the surface of the Moon, and applied to different possible lunar base mission scenarios. An optimization technique has been used to minimize the astronaut radiation exposure and at the same time control the effect of shielding, in terms of mass addition and material choice, as a mission cost driver. The optimization process performs minimization of mass along all phases of a mission scenario, considered in terms of time frame, equipment, location, crew characteristics and performance required, radiation exposure annual and career limit constraints (those proposed in NCRP 132), and implementation of the ALARA principle. In the lunar environment manned habitats are to host future crews involved in the construction and/or in the utilization of moon based infrastructure. Three different kinds of lunar missions are considered in the analysis, Moon Base Construction Phase, during which astronauts are on the surface just to build an outpost for future resident crews, Moon Base Outpost Phase, during which astronaut crews are resident but continuing exploration and installation activities, and Moon Base Routine Phase, with shifting resident crews. In each scenario various kinds of habitats, from very simple shelters to more complex bases, are considered in detail (e.g. shape, thickness, materials, etc) with considerations of various shielding strategies. The results for all scenarios clearly showed that the direct exposure to the space environment like in transfers and EVAs phases gives the most of the dose, with the proposed shielded habitats and shelters giving quite a good protection from radiation. Operational constraints on hardware and scenarios have all been considered by the optimization techniques. Within the limits of this preliminary analysis, the three Moon Base related mission scenarios are perfectly feasible from the astronaut radiation safety point of view with the currently adopted and proposed

  7. Numerical analysis of the effect of surface roughness on mechanical fields in polycrystalline aggregates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guilhem, Yoann; Basseville, Stéphanie; Curtit, François; Stéphan, Jean-Michel; Cailletaud, Georges

    2018-06-01

    This paper is dedicated to the study of the influence of surface roughness on local stress and strain fields in polycrystalline aggregates. Finite element computations are performed with a crystal plasticity model on a 316L stainless steel polycrystalline material element with different roughness states on its free surface. The subsequent analysis of the plastic strain localization patterns shows that surface roughness strongly affects the plastic strain localization induced by crystallography. Nevertheless, this effect mainly takes place at the surface and vanishes under the first layer of grains, which implies the existence of a critical perturbed depth. A statistical analysis based on the plastic strain distribution obtained for different roughness levels provides a simple rule to define the size of the affected zone depending on the rough surface parameters.

  8. Surface inspection of flat products by means of texture analysis: on-line implementation using neural networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandez, Carlos; Platero, Carlos; Campoy, Pascual; Aracil, Rafael

    1994-11-01

    This paper describes some texture-based techniques that can be applied to quality assessment of flat products continuously produced (metal strips, wooden surfaces, cork, textile products, ...). Since the most difficult task is that of inspecting for product appearance, human-like inspection ability is required. A common feature to all these products is the presence of non- deterministic texture on their surfaces. Two main subjects are discussed: statistical techniques for both surface finishing determination and surface defect analysis as well as real-time implementation for on-line inspection in high-speed applications. For surface finishing determination a Gray Level Difference technique is presented to perform over low resolution images, that is, no-zoomed images. Defect analysis is performed by means of statistical texture analysis over defective portions of the surface. On-line implementation is accomplished by means of neural networks. When a defect arises, textural analysis is applied which result in a data-vector, acting as input of a neural net, previously trained in a supervised way. This approach tries to reach on-line performance in automated visual inspection applications when texture is presented in flat product surfaces.

  9. Application of tomographic techniques to two-dimensional surface analysis using the Harwell nuclear microprobe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huddleston, J.; Hutchinson, I.G.; Pierce, T.B.

    1983-01-01

    Nuclear methods of surface analysis are discussed briefly, and the circumstances are described in which a two-dimensional analysis of the sample surface is desirable to enable the surface composition to be mapped accurately. Tomographic techniques of data manipulation are outlined. Data acquisition in the present case is performed by moving the sample in a defined sequence of positions, at each of which analytical data are gathered by the proton microprobe. The method and equipment are outlined. Data processing leading to the reconstruction of the image is summarised. (U.K.)

  10. Multi-scale Analysis of Topographic Surface Roughness in the Midland Valley, Scotland

    OpenAIRE

    Grohmann, Carlos

    2017-01-01

    Surface roughness is an important geomorphological variable which has been used in the earth and planetary sciences to infer material properties, current/past processes and the time elapsed since formation. No single definition exists, however within the context of geomorphometry we use surface roughness as a expression of the variability of a topographic surface at a given scale, where the scale of analysis is determined by the size of the landforms or geomorphic features of interest. Six te...

  11. Comparison of different surface quantitative analysis methods. Application to corium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guilbaud, N.; Blin, D.; Perodeaud, Ph.; Dugne, O.; Gueneau, Ch.

    2000-01-01

    In case of a severe hypothetical accident in a pressurized water reactor, the reactor assembly melts partially or completely. The material formed, called corium, flows out and spreads at the bottom of the reactor. To limit and control the consequences of such an accident, the specifications of the O-U-Zr basic system must be known accurately. To achieve this goal, the corium mix was melted by electron bombardment at very high temperature (3000 K) followed by quenching of the ingot in the Isabel 1 evaporator. Metallographic analyses were then required to validate the thermodynamic databases set by the Thermo-Calc software. The study consists in defining an overall surface quantitative analysis method that is fast and reliable, in order to determine the overall corium composition. The analyzed ingot originated in a [U+Fe+Y+UO 2 +ZrO 2 ) mix, with a total mass of 2253.7 grams. Several successive heating with average power were performed before a very brief plateau at very high temperature, so that the ingot was formed progressively and without any evaporation liable to modify its initial composition. The central zone of the ingot was then analyzed by qualitative and quantitative global surface methods, to yield the volume composition of the analyzed zone. Corium sample analysis happens to be very complex because of the variety and number of elements present, and also because of the presence of oxygen in a heavy element like the uranium based matrix. Three different global quantitative surface analysis methods were used: global EDS analysis (Energy Dispersive Spectrometry), with SEM, global WDS analysis (Wavelength Dispersive Spectrometry) with EPMA, and coupling of image analysis with EDS or WDS point spectroscopic analyses. The difficulties encountered during the study arose from sample preparation (corium is very sensitive to oxidation), and the choice of acquisition parameters of the images and analyses. The corium sample studied consisted of two zones displaying

  12. Low-energy ion-beam deposition apparatus equipped with surface analysis system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohno, Hideki; Aoki, Yasushi; Nagai, Siro.

    1994-10-01

    A sophisticated apparatus for low energy ion beam deposition (IBD) was installed at Takasaki Radiation Chemistry Research Establishment of JAERI in March 1991. The apparatus is composed of an IBD system and a real time/in-situ surface analysis system for diagnosing deposited thin films. The IBD system provides various kinds of low energy ion down to 10 eV with current density of 10 μA/cm 2 and irradiation area of 15x15 mm 2 . The surface analysis system consists of RHEED, AES, ISS and SIMS. This report describes the characteristics and the operation procedure of the apparatus together with some experimental results on depositing thin carbon films. (author)

  13. Surface analysis of selected hydrophobic materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wisniewska, Sylwia Katarzyna

    This dissertation contains a series of studies on hydrophobic surfaces by various surface sensitive techniques such as contact angle measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Hydrophobic surfaces have been classified as mineral surfaces, organic synthetic surfaces, or natural biological surfaces. As a model hydrophobic mineral surface, elemental sulfur has been selected. The sulfur surface has been characterized for selected allotropic forms of sulfur such as rhombic, monoclinic, plastic, and cyclohexasulfur. Additionally, dextrin adsorption at the sulfur surface was measured. The structure of a dextrin molecule showing hydrophobic sites has been presented to support the proposed hydrophobic bonding nature of dextrin adsorption at the sulfur surface. As a model organic hydrophobic surface, primary fatty amines such as dodecylamine, hexadecylamine, and octadecylamine were chosen. An increase of hydrophobicity, significant changes of infrared bands, and surface topographical changes with time were observed for each amine. Based on the results it was concluded that hydrocarbon chain rearrangement associated with recrystallization took place at the surface during contact with air. A barley straw surface was selected as a model of biological hydrophobic surfaces. The differences in the contact angles for various straw surfaces were explained by the presence of a wax layer. SEM images confirmed the heterogeneity and complexity of the wax crystal structure. AFM measurements provided additional structural details including a measure of surface roughness. Additionally, straw degradation as a result of conditioning in an aqueous environment was studied. Significant contact angle changes were observed as soon as one day after conditioning. FTIR studies showed a gradual wax layer removal due to straw surface decomposition. SEM and AFM images revealed topographical changes and biological

  14. Detailed Analysis of ECMWF Surface Pressure Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fagiolini, E.; Schmidt, T.; Schwarz, G.; Zenner, L.

    2012-04-01

    Investigations of temporal variations within the gravity field of the Earth led us to the analysis of common surface pressure data products delivered by ECMWF. We looked into the characteristics of global as well as spatially and temporally confined phenomena being visible in the data. In particular, we were interested in the overall data quality, the local and temporal signal-to-noise ratio of surface pressure data sets, and the identification of irregular data. To this end, we analyzed a time series of a full year of surface pressure operational analysis data and their nominal standard deviations. The use of pressure data on a Gaussian grid data allowed us to remain close to the internal computations at ECMWF during data assimilation. Thus, we circumvented potential interpolation effects that would otherwise occur in cylindrical projections of conventional map products. The results obtained by us demonstrate the identification of a few distinct outliers, data quality effects over land or water and along coastlines as well as neighborhood effects of samples within and outside of the tropics. Small scale neighborhood effects depend on their geographical direction, sampling distance, land or water, and local time. In addition, one notices large scale seasonal effects that are latitude and longitude dependent. As a consequence, we obtain a cause-and-effect survey of pressure data peculiarities. One can then use background corrected pressure data to analyze seasonal effects within given latitude belts. Here time series of pressure data allow the tracking of high and low pressure areas together with the identification of their actual extent, velocity and life time. This information is vital to overall mass transport calculations and the determination of temporally varying gravity fields. However, one has to note that the satellite and ground-based instruments and the assimilation software being used for the pressure calculations will not remain the same over the years

  15. Fire danger rating over Mediterranean Europe based on fire radiative power derived from Meteosat

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinto, Miguel M.; DaCamara, Carlos C.; Trigo, Isabel F.; Trigo, Ricardo M.; Feridun Turkman, K.

    2018-02-01

    We present a procedure that allows the operational generation of daily forecasts of fire danger over Mediterranean Europe. The procedure combines historical information about radiative energy released by fire events with daily meteorological forecasts, as provided by the Satellite Application Facility for Land Surface Analysis (LSA SAF) and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). Fire danger is estimated based on daily probabilities of exceedance of daily energy released by fires occurring at the pixel level. Daily probability considers meteorological factors by means of the Canadian Fire Weather Index (FWI) and is estimated using a daily model based on a generalized Pareto distribution. Five classes of fire danger are then associated with daily probability estimated by the daily model. The model is calibrated using 13 years of data (2004-2016) and validated against the period of January-September 2017. Results obtained show that about 72 % of events releasing daily energy above 10 000 GJ belong to the extreme class of fire danger, a considerably high fraction that is more than 1.5 times the values obtained when using the currently operational Fire Danger Forecast module of the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) or the Fire Risk Map (FRM) product disseminated by the LSA SAF. Besides assisting in wildfire management, the procedure is expected to help in decision making on prescribed burning within the framework of agricultural and forest management practices.

  16. Fire danger rating over Mediterranean Europe based on fire radiative power derived from Meteosat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. M. Pinto

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available We present a procedure that allows the operational generation of daily forecasts of fire danger over Mediterranean Europe. The procedure combines historical information about radiative energy released by fire events with daily meteorological forecasts, as provided by the Satellite Application Facility for Land Surface Analysis (LSA SAF and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF. Fire danger is estimated based on daily probabilities of exceedance of daily energy released by fires occurring at the pixel level. Daily probability considers meteorological factors by means of the Canadian Fire Weather Index (FWI and is estimated using a daily model based on a generalized Pareto distribution. Five classes of fire danger are then associated with daily probability estimated by the daily model. The model is calibrated using 13 years of data (2004–2016 and validated against the period of January–September 2017. Results obtained show that about 72 % of events releasing daily energy above 10 000 GJ belong to the extreme class of fire danger, a considerably high fraction that is more than 1.5 times the values obtained when using the currently operational Fire Danger Forecast module of the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS or the Fire Risk Map (FRM product disseminated by the LSA SAF. Besides assisting in wildfire management, the procedure is expected to help in decision making on prescribed burning within the framework of agricultural and forest management practices.

  17. Analysis of leaf surfaces using scanning ion conductance microscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Shaun C; Allen, Stephanie; Bell, Gordon; Roberts, Clive J

    2015-05-01

    Leaf surfaces are highly complex functional systems with well defined chemistry and structure dictating the barrier and transport properties of the leaf cuticle. It is a significant imaging challenge to analyse the very thin and often complex wax-like leaf cuticle morphology in their natural state. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and to a lesser extent Atomic force microscopy are techniques that have been used to study the leaf surface but their remains information that is difficult to obtain via these approaches. SEM is able to produce highly detailed and high-resolution images needed to study leaf structures at the submicron level. It typically operates in a vacuum or low pressure environment and as a consequence is generally unable to deal with the in situ analysis of dynamic surface events at submicron scales. Atomic force microscopy also possess the high-resolution imaging required and can follow dynamic events in ambient and liquid environments, but can over exaggerate small features and cannot image most leaf surfaces due to their inherent roughness at the micron scale. Scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM), which operates in a liquid environment, provides a potential complementary analytical approach able to address these issues and which is yet to be explored for studying leaf surfaces. Here we illustrate the potential of SICM on various leaf surfaces and compare the data to SEM and atomic force microscopy images on the same samples. In achieving successful imaging we also show that SICM can be used to study the wetting of hydrophobic surfaces in situ. This has potentially wider implications than the study of leaves alone as surface wetting phenomena are important in a range of fundamental and applied studies. © 2015 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2015 Royal Microscopical Society.

  18. Argyreia nervosa (Burm. f.): receptor profiling of lysergic acid amide and other potential psychedelic LSD-like compounds by computational and binding assay approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paulke, Alexander; Kremer, Christian; Wunder, Cora; Achenbach, Janosch; Djahanschiri, Bardya; Elias, Anderson; Schwed, J Stefan; Hübner, Harald; Gmeiner, Peter; Proschak, Ewgenij; Toennes, Stefan W; Stark, Holger

    2013-07-09

    The convolvulacea Argyreia nervosa (Burm. f.) is well known as an important medical plant in the traditional Ayurvedic system of medicine and it is used in numerous diseases (e.g. nervousness, bronchitis, tuberculosis, arthritis, and diabetes). Additionally, in the Indian state of Assam and in other regions Argyreia nervosa is part of the traditional tribal medicine (e.g. the Santali people, the Lodhas, and others). In the western hemisphere, Argyreia nervosa has been brought in attention as so called "legal high". In this context, the seeds are used as source of the psychoactive ergotalkaloid lysergic acid amide (LSA), which is considered as the main active ingredient. As the chemical structure of LSA is very similar to that of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), the seeds of Argyreia nervosa (Burm. f.) are often considered as natural substitute of LSD. In the present study, LSA and LSD have been compared concerning their potential pharmacological profiles based on the receptor binding affinities since our recent human study with four volunteers on p.o. application of Argyreia nervosa seeds has led to some ambiguous effects. In an initial step computer-aided in silico prediction models on receptor binding were employed to screen for serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, muscarine, and histamine receptor subtypes as potential targets for LSA. In addition, this screening was extended to accompany ergotalkaloids of Argyreia nervosa (Burm. f.). In a verification step, selected LSA screening results were confirmed by in vitro binding assays with some extensions to LSD. In the in silico model LSA exhibited the highest affinity with a pKi of about 8.0 at α1A, and α1B. Clear affinity with pKi>7 was predicted for 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, 5-HT1D, 5-HT6, 5-HT7, and D2. From these receptors the 5-HT1D subtype exhibited the highest pKi with 7.98 in the prediction model. From the other ergotalkaloids, agroclavine and festuclavine also seemed to be highly affine to the 5-HT1D

  19. Surface analysis of DLC coating on cam-tappet system

    OpenAIRE

    FOUVRY, Siegfried; PAGNOUX, Geoffrey; PEIGNEY, Michael; DELATTRE, Benoit; MERMAT-ROLLET, Guillaume

    2013-01-01

    Tribomechanical properties of diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings make them particularly interesting for numerous applications, like automotive ones. But although DLC coatings show a generally high wear resistance, they sometimes can exhibit severe multiple wear. In this study, a surface analysis of worn coated tappets is performed, leading to a complete coupled wear scenario.

  20. Data Analysis Techniques for a Lunar Surface Navigation System Testbed

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chelmins, David; Sands, O. Scott; Swank, Aaron

    2011-01-01

    NASA is interested in finding new methods of surface navigation to allow astronauts to navigate on the lunar surface. In support of the Vision for Space Exploration, the NASA Glenn Research Center developed the Lunar Extra-Vehicular Activity Crewmember Location Determination System and performed testing at the Desert Research and Technology Studies event in 2009. A significant amount of sensor data was recorded during nine tests performed with six test subjects. This paper provides the procedure, formulas, and techniques for data analysis, as well as commentary on applications.

  1. Two cases of lysergamide intoxication by ingestion of seeds from Hawaiian Baby Woodrose

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Klinke, Helene Bendstrup; Müller, Irene Breum; Steffenrud, Steffen

    2010-01-01

    /L THC in blood, 0.71 g/L ethanol in blood and 1.0 g/L ethanol in vitreous humor. Constituents originating from the seeds of A. nervosa, i.e. LSA, ergonovine, lysergic acid alpha-hydroxyethylamide were also identified in the biological samples. The 2-hydroxy-3-oxo metabolites of LSA and ergonovine were...

  2. A Surface-based Analysis of Language Lateralization and Cortical Asymmetry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greve, Douglas N.; Van der Haegen, Lise; Cai, Qing; Stufflebeam, Steven; Sabuncu, Mert R.; Fischl, Bruce; Bysbaert, Marc

    2013-01-01

    Among brain functions, language is one of the most lateralized. Cortical language areas are also some of the most asymmetrical in the brain. An open question is whether the asymmetry in function is linked to the asymmetry in anatomy. To address this question, we measured anatomical asymmetry in 34 participants shown with fMRI to have language dominance of the left hemisphere (LLD) and 21 participants shown to have atypical right hemisphere dominance (RLD). All participants were healthy and left-handed, and most (80%) were female. Gray matter (GM) volume asymmetry was measured using an automated surface-based technique in both ROIs and exploratory analyses. In the ROI analysis, a significant difference between LLD and RLD was found in the insula. No differences were found in planum temporale (PT), pars opercularis (POp), pars triangularis (PTr), or Heschl’s gyrus (HG). The PT, POp, insula, and HG were all significantly left lateralized in both LLD and RLD participants. Both the positive and negative ROI findings replicate a previous study using manually labeled ROIs in a different cohort [Keller, S. S., Roberts, N., Garcia-Finana, M., Mohammadi, S., Ringelstein, E. B., Knecht, S., et al. Can the language-dominant hemisphere be predicted by brain anatomy? Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 23, 2013–2029, 2011]. The exploratory analysis was accomplished using a new surface-based registration that aligns cortical folding patterns across both subject and hemisphere. A small but significant cluster was found in the superior temporal gyrus that overlapped with the PT. A cluster was also found in the ventral occipitotemporal cortex corresponding to the visual word recognition area. The surface-based analysis also makes it possible to disentangle the effects of GM volume, thickness, and surface area while removing the effects of curvature. For both the ROI and exploratory analyses, the difference between LLD and RLD volume laterality was most strongly driven by

  3. Bio-inspired nanotechnology from surface analysis to applications

    CERN Document Server

    Walsh, Tiffany

    2014-01-01

    This book focuses on the use of bio-inspired and biomimetic methods for the fabrication and activation of nanomaterials. This includes studies concerning the binding of the biomolecules to the surface of inorganic structures, structure/function relationships of the final materials, and extensive discussions on the final applications of such biomimetic materials in unique applications including energy harvesting/storage, biomedical diagnostics, and materials assembly. This book also: ·          Covers the sustainable features of bio-inspired nanotechnology ·          Includes studies on the unique applications of biomimetic materials, such as energy harvesting and biomedical diagnostics Bio-Inspired Nanotechnology: From Surface Analysis to Applications is an ideal book for researchers, students, nanomaterials engineers, bioengineers, chemists, biologists, physicists, and medical researchers.

  4. Microscopic examination and elemental analysis of surface defects in LEP superconducting cavities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Benvenuti, C.; Cosso, R.; Hauer, M.; Hellgren, N.; Lacarrere, D.

    1996-01-01

    A diagnostic tool, based on a computer controlled surface analysis instrument, incorporating secondary electron imaging, static auger electron spectroscopy and scanning auger mapping has been designed and built at CERN to characterize the inner surface of LEP superconducting cavities with provide unsatisfactory radio-frequency performance. The experimental results obtained to date are reported and discussed. (author)

  5. A Probabilistic Analysis of Surface Water Flood Risk in London.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jenkins, Katie; Hall, Jim; Glenis, Vassilis; Kilsby, Chris

    2017-10-30

    Flooding in urban areas during heavy rainfall, often characterized by short duration and high-intensity events, is known as "surface water flooding." Analyzing surface water flood risk is complex as it requires understanding of biophysical and human factors, such as the localized scale and nature of heavy precipitation events, characteristics of the urban area affected (including detailed topography and drainage networks), and the spatial distribution of economic and social vulnerability. Climate change is recognized as having the potential to enhance the intensity and frequency of heavy rainfall events. This study develops a methodology to link high spatial resolution probabilistic projections of hourly precipitation with detailed surface water flood depth maps and characterization of urban vulnerability to estimate surface water flood risk. It incorporates probabilistic information on the range of uncertainties in future precipitation in a changing climate. The method is applied to a case study of Greater London and highlights that both the frequency and spatial extent of surface water flood events are set to increase under future climate change. The expected annual damage from surface water flooding is estimated to be to be £171 million, £343 million, and £390 million/year under the baseline, 2030 high, and 2050 high climate change scenarios, respectively. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.

  6. Taphonomic and paleoecological change in the large mammal sequence from Boomplaas Cave, western Cape, South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faith, J Tyler

    2013-12-01

    Excavations conducted by H.J. Deacon in the 1970s at Boomplaas Cave (BPA) uncovered a stratified sequence of Middle Stone Age (MSA) and Later Stone Age (LSA) deposits spanning the last >65,000 years. This study provides the first comprehensive and integrated taphonomic and paleoecological analysis of the BPA large mammals, with a focus on its implications for understanding human adaptations and environmental changes in southern Africa's Cape Floristic Region (CFR), an area that features prominently in understanding modern human origins. Taphonomic data indicate a complex history of human, carnivore, and raptor accumulation of the large mammal assemblage. The anthropogenic signal is largely absent from the bottom of the sequence (>65,000 years ago), intermediate in MSA and LSA assemblages from ~50,000 to 20,000 years ago, and strong in LSA deposits post-dating the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). When viewed in the broader CFR context, the inferred occupation history of BPA is consistent with the hypothesis that both MSA and LSA human populations were concentrated on the submerged coastline from ~60,000 to ~20,000 years ago. Intensive occupation following the LGM parallels an apparent increase in regional population densities, which may have been driven in part by rising sea levels. The BPA ungulate assemblage is characterized by the rise and decline of a taxonomically diverse grazing community, which peaks during the LGM. These changes are not correlated with taphonomic shifts, meaning that they are likely driven by environmental factors, namely the expansion and contraction of grassland habitats. Changes in ungulate diversity indicate that effective precipitation was highest during the LGM, corresponding with an intensified winter rainfall system. This is consistent with recent arguments that the LGM in this region may not have been extremely harsh and arid. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. An interaction analysis of twin surface cracks by the line-spring model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Y.J.; Yang, W.H.; Choy, Y.S.; Lee, J.S.

    1992-01-01

    The fracture mechanics analysis of surface cracks is important for the integrity evaluation of flawed structural components. The objective of this paper is to numerically investigate the interaction effect of twin surface cracks in plate and cylindrical geometrie. First the usefulness of the line-spring model is verified by analyzing a single surface crack in a plate, and then the model is extended to twin surface crack in plate and cylindrical geometries. For the case of a finite plate under uniaxial loading, the effect of crack spacing on the stress intensity factor is negligible. However, for the case of a cylinder under moderate internal pressure, a significant increase in stress intensity factor is observed at the deepest point of the surface crack. (orig.)

  8. The quantitative analysis of silicon carbide surface smoothing by Ar and Xe cluster ions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ieshkin, A. E.; Kireev, D. S.; Ermakov, Yu. A.; Trifonov, A. S.; Presnov, D. E.; Garshev, A. V.; Anufriev, Yu. V.; Prokhorova, I. G.; Krupenin, V. A.; Chernysh, V. S.

    2018-04-01

    The gas cluster ion beam technique was used for the silicon carbide crystal surface smoothing. The effect of processing by two inert cluster ions, argon and xenon, was quantitatively compared. While argon is a standard element for GCIB, results for xenon clusters were not reported yet. Scanning probe microscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscopy techniques were used for the analysis of the surface roughness and surface crystal layer quality. The gas cluster ion beam processing results in surface relief smoothing down to average roughness about 1 nm for both elements. It was shown that xenon as the working gas is more effective: sputtering rate for xenon clusters is 2.5 times higher than for argon at the same beam energy. High resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis of the surface defect layer gives values of 7 ± 2 nm and 8 ± 2 nm for treatment with argon and xenon clusters.

  9. Surface analysis of CdTe after various pre-contact treatments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Waters, D.M. [Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States). Dept. of Physics; Niles, D.; Gessert, T.A.; Albin, D.; Rose, D.H.; Sheldon, P. [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)

    1998-09-01

    The authors present surface analysis of close-spaced sublimated (CSS) CdTe after various pre-contact treatments. Methods include Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and grazing-incidence x-ray diffraction (GI-XRD). XPS and GI-XRD analyses of the surface residue left by the solution-based CdCl{sub 2} treatment do not indicate the presence of a significant amount of CdCl{sub 2}. In addition, the solubility properties and relatively high thermal stability of the residue suggest the presence of the oxychloride Cd{sub 3}Cl{sub 2}O{sub 2} rather than CdCl{sub 2} as the major chlorine-containing component. Of the methods tested for their effectiveness in removing the residue, only HNO{sub 3} etches removed all detectable traces of chlorine from the surface.

  10. Modification of rubber surface by UV surface grafting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shanmugharaj, A.M.; Kim, Jin Kuk; Ryu, Sung Hun

    2006-01-01

    Rubber surface is subjected to ultraviolet radiation (UV) in the presence of allylamine and radiation sensitizer benzophenone (BP). Fourier transform infrared spectral studies reveal the presence of allylamine on the surface. The presence of irregular needle shapes on the surface as observed in scanning electron micrographs also confirms the polymerized allylamine on the surface. Allylamine coatings have been further confirmed from atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) reveals that allylamine coating on the rubber surface lowers the thermal degradation rate. The contact angle between the water and rubber surface decreases for the modified rubber surface confirming the surface modification due to UV surface grafting

  11. Development and Validation of the Life Sciences Assessment: A Measure of Preschool Children's Conceptions of Basic Life Sciences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maherally, Uzma Nooreen

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a science assessment tool termed the Life Sciences Assessment (LSA) in order to assess preschool children's conceptions of basic life sciences. The hypothesis was that the four sub-constructs, each of which can be measured through a series of questions on the LSA, will make a significant…

  12. Plenary Speeches: Applied Linguists without Borders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tarone, Elaine

    2013-01-01

    Until 1989, the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) could have been viewed as an interest group of the Linguistics Society of America (LSA); AAAL met in two designated meeting rooms as a subsection of the LSA conference. In 1991, I was asked to organize the first independent meeting of AAAL in New York City, with the help of…

  13. GHRSST Level 4 DMI_OI Global Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (GDS version 2)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) Level 4 sea surface temperature analysis produced daily on an operational basis by the Danish...

  14. AFM Surface Roughness and Topography Analysis of Lithium Disilicate Glass Ceramic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Pantić

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study is presenting AFM analysis of surface roughness of Lithium disilicate glass ceramic (IPS e.max CAD under different finishing procedure (techniques: polishing, glazing and grinding. Lithium disilicate glass ceramics is all-ceramic dental system which is characterized by high aesthetic quality and it can be freely said that properties of material provide all prosthetic requirements: function, biocompatibility and aesthetic. Experimental tests of surface roughness were investigated on 4 samples with dimensions: 18 mm length, 14 mm width and 12 mm height. Contact surfaces of three samples were treated with different finishing procedure (polishing, glazing and grinding, and the contact surface of the raw material is investigated as a fourth sample. Experimental measurements were done using the Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM of NT-MDT manufacturers, in the contact mode. All obtained results of different prepared samples are presented in the form of specific roughness parameters (Rа, Rz, Rmax, Rq and 3D surface topography.

  15. Eddy current analysis by BEM utilizing loop electric and surface magnetic currents as unknowns

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishibashi, Kazuhisa

    2002-01-01

    The surface integral equations whose unknowns are the surface electric and magnetic currents are widely used in eddy current analysis. However, when the skin depth is thick, computational error is increased especially in obtaining electromagnetic fields near the edge of the conductor. In order to obtain the electromagnetic field accurately, we propose an approach to solve surface integral equations utilizing loop electric and surface magnetic currents as unknowns. (Author)

  16. High-precision drop shape analysis on inclining flat surfaces: introduction and comparison of this special method with commercial contact angle analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmitt, Michael; Heib, Florian

    2013-10-07

    Drop shape analysis is one of the most important and frequently used methods to characterise surfaces in the scientific and industrial communities. An especially large number of studies, which use contact angle measurements to analyse surfaces, are characterised by incorrect or misdirected conclusions such as the determination of surface energies from poorly performed contact angle determinations. In particular, the characterisation of surfaces, which leads to correlations between the contact angle and other effects, must be critically validated for some publications. A large number of works exist concerning the theoretical and thermodynamic aspects of two- and tri-phase boundaries. The linkage between theory and experiment is generally performed by an axisymmetric drop shape analysis, that is, simulations of the theoretical drop profiles by numerical integration onto a number of points of the drop meniscus (approximately 20). These methods work very well for axisymmetric profiles such as those obtained by pendant drop measurements, but in the case of a sessile drop onto real surfaces, additional unknown and misunderstood effects on the dependence of the surface must be considered. We present a special experimental and practical investigation as another way to transition from experiment to theory. This procedure was developed to be especially sensitive to small variations in the dependence of the dynamic contact angle on the surface; as a result, this procedure will allow the properties of the surface to be monitored with a higher precession and sensitivity. In this context, water drops onto a 111 silicon wafer are dynamically measured by video recording and by inclining the surface, which results in a sequence of non-axisymmetric drops. The drop profiles are analysed by commercial software and by the developed and presented high-precision drop shape analysis. In addition to the enhanced sensitivity for contact angle determination, this analysis technique, in

  17. Inverse modelling of Köhler theory – Part 1: A response surface analysis of CCN spectra with respect to surface-active organic species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Lowe

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available In this study a novel framework for inverse modelling of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN spectra is developed using Köhler theory. The framework is established by using model-generated synthetic measurements as calibration data for a parametric sensitivity analysis. Assessment of the relative importance of aerosol physicochemical parameters, while accounting for bulk–surface partitioning of surface-active organic species, is carried out over a range of atmospherically relevant supersaturations. By introducing an objective function that provides a scalar metric for diagnosing the deviation of modelled CCN concentrations from synthetic observations, objective function response surfaces are presented as a function of model input parameters. Crucially, for the chosen calibration data, aerosol–CCN spectrum closure is confirmed as a well-posed inverse modelling exercise for a subset of the parameters explored herein. The response surface analysis indicates that the appointment of appropriate calibration data is particularly important. To perform an inverse aerosol–CCN closure analysis and constrain parametric uncertainties, it is shown that a high-resolution CCN spectrum definition of the calibration data is required where single-valued definitions may be expected to fail. Using Köhler theory to model CCN concentrations requires knowledge of many physicochemical parameters, some of which are difficult to measure in situ on the scale of interest and introduce a considerable amount of parametric uncertainty to model predictions. For all partitioning schemes and environments modelled, model output showed significant sensitivity to perturbations in aerosol log-normal parameters describing the accumulation mode, surface tension, organic : inorganic mass ratio, insoluble fraction, and solution ideality. Many response surfaces pertaining to these parameters contain well-defined minima and are therefore good candidates for calibration using a Monte

  18. GHRSST Level 4 OSPO Global Nighttime Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (GDS version 2)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) Level 4 sea surface temperature analysis produced daily on an operational basis at the Office of...

  19. GHRSST Level 4 RAMSSA Australian Regional Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (GDS version 1)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) Level 4 sea surface temperature analysis produced daily on an operational basis at the Australian Bureau...

  20. Modal analysis and cut-off conditions of multichannel surface-acoustic-waveguide structures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griffel, G; Golan, G; Ruschin, S; Seidman, A; Croitoru, N

    1988-01-01

    Multichannel guides for surface acoustic waves can improve the efficiency of SAW (surface acoustic-wave) devices significantly. Focusing, steering, and modulating the propagating acoustical modes can be achieved similarly to optical waveguided devices. A general formulation is presented for the analysis of the lateral waveguiding properties of Rayleigh modes in surfaces loaded with deposited strips of different materials. General expressions are obtained for the number of modes and cutoff conditions in these structures. As examples of applications, a simple directional coupler and an electrically controlled coupler are proposed.

  1. Thin film surface reconstruction analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Imperatori, P [CNR, Monterotondo Stazione, Rome (Italy). Istituto di Chimica dei materiali

    1996-09-01

    The study of the atomic structure of surfaces and interfaces is a fundamental step in the knowledge and the development of new materials. Among the several surface-sensitive techniques employed to characterise the atomic arrangements, grazing incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXD) is one of the most powerful. With a simple data treatment, based on the kinematical theory, and using the classical methods of x-ray bulk structure determination, it gives the atomic positions of atoms at a surface or an interface and the atomic displacements of subsurface layers for a complete determination of the structure. In this paper the main features of the technique will be briefly reviewed and selected of application to semiconductor and metal surfaces will be discussed.

  2. GHRSST Level 4 MW_OI Global Foundation Sea Surface Temperature analysis (GDS version 2)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) global Level 4 sea surface temperature analysis produced daily on a 0.25 degree grid at Remote Sensing...

  3. A task specific uncertainty analysis method for least-squares-based form characterization of ultra-precision freeform surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ren, M J; Cheung, C F; Kong, L B

    2012-01-01

    In the measurement of ultra-precision freeform surfaces, least-squares-based form characterization methods are widely used to evaluate the form error of the measured surfaces. Although many methodologies have been proposed in recent years to improve the efficiency of the characterization process, relatively little research has been conducted on the analysis of associated uncertainty in the characterization results which may result from those characterization methods being used. As a result, this paper presents a task specific uncertainty analysis method with application in the least-squares-based form characterization of ultra-precision freeform surfaces. That is, the associated uncertainty in the form characterization results is estimated when the measured data are extracted from a specific surface with specific sampling strategy. Three factors are considered in this study which include measurement error, surface form error and sample size. The task specific uncertainty analysis method has been evaluated through a series of experiments. The results show that the task specific uncertainty analysis method can effectively estimate the uncertainty of the form characterization results for a specific freeform surface measurement

  4. AFM imaging and fractal analysis of surface roughness of AlN epilayers on sapphire substrates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dallaeva, Dinara, E-mail: dinara.dallaeva@yandex.ru [Brno University of Technology, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication, Physics Department, Technická 8, 616 00 Brno (Czech Republic); Ţălu, Ştefan [Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of AET, Discipline of Descriptive Geometry and Engineering Graphics, 103-105 B-dul Muncii Street, Cluj-Napoca 400641, Cluj (Romania); Stach, Sebastian [University of Silesia, Faculty of Computer Science and Materials Science, Institute of Informatics, Department of Biomedical Computer Systems, ul. Będzińska 39, 41-205 Sosnowiec (Poland); Škarvada, Pavel; Tománek, Pavel; Grmela, Lubomír [Brno University of Technology, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication, Physics Department, Technická 8, 616 00 Brno (Czech Republic)

    2014-09-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • We determined the complexity of 3D surface roughness of aluminum nitride layers. • We used atomic force microscopy and analyzed their fractal geometry. • We determined the fractal dimension of surface roughness of aluminum nitride layers. • We determined the dependence of layer morphology on substrate temperature. - Abstract: The paper deals with AFM imaging and characterization of 3D surface morphology of aluminum nitride (AlN) epilayers on sapphire substrates prepared by magnetron sputtering. Due to the effect of temperature changes on epilayer's surface during the fabrication, a surface morphology is studied by combination of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and fractal analysis methods. Both methods are useful tools that may assist manufacturers in developing and fabricating AlN thin films with optimal surface characteristics. Furthermore, they provide different yet complementary information to that offered by traditional surface statistical parameters. This combination is used for the first time for measurement on AlN epilayers on sapphire substrates, and provides the overall 3D morphology of the sample surfaces (by AFM imaging), and reveals fractal characteristics in the surface morphology (fractal analysis)

  5. Failure mode and effects analysis and fault tree analysis of surface image guided cranial radiosurgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manger, Ryan P; Paxton, Adam B; Pawlicki, Todd; Kim, Gwe-Ya

    2015-05-01

    Surface image guided, Linac-based radiosurgery (SIG-RS) is a modern approach for delivering radiosurgery that utilizes optical stereoscopic imaging to monitor the surface of the patient during treatment in lieu of using a head frame for patient immobilization. Considering the novelty of the SIG-RS approach and the severity of errors associated with delivery of large doses per fraction, a risk assessment should be conducted to identify potential hazards, determine their causes, and formulate mitigation strategies. The purpose of this work is to investigate SIG-RS using the combined application of failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) and fault tree analysis (FTA), report on the effort required to complete the analysis, and evaluate the use of FTA in conjunction with FMEA. A multidisciplinary team was assembled to conduct the FMEA on the SIG-RS process. A process map detailing the steps of the SIG-RS was created to guide the FMEA. Failure modes were determined for each step in the SIG-RS process, and risk priority numbers (RPNs) were estimated for each failure mode to facilitate risk stratification. The failure modes were ranked by RPN, and FTA was used to determine the root factors contributing to the riskiest failure modes. Using the FTA, mitigation strategies were formulated to address the root factors and reduce the risk of the process. The RPNs were re-estimated based on the mitigation strategies to determine the margin of risk reduction. The FMEA and FTAs for the top two failure modes required an effort of 36 person-hours (30 person-hours for the FMEA and 6 person-hours for two FTAs). The SIG-RS process consisted of 13 major subprocesses and 91 steps, which amounted to 167 failure modes. Of the 91 steps, 16 were directly related to surface imaging. Twenty-five failure modes resulted in a RPN of 100 or greater. Only one of these top 25 failure modes was specific to surface imaging. The riskiest surface imaging failure mode had an overall RPN-rank of eighth

  6. Safety analysis report for packaging (onsite) for limited type Bmaterial in the CNS 14-215H cask

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Flanagan, B.D.

    1997-01-01

    The purpose of this Safety Analysis Report for Packaging is to provide the analyses and evaluations necessary to demonstrate that the CNS 14-215H cask provided by Chem-Nuclear Systems Inc. can safety transport greater than Type A quantities of radioactive material on the Hanford Site. The CNS 14-215H cask was chosen for its loading abilities, availability, and because it has a Certificate of Compliance (CoC) issued by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for transporting low specific activity in quantities greater than Type A material in commerce. Although the CDC does not cover greater than Type A material not meeting LSA requirements, it does allow for an established level of protection in determining the safety of transporting Type B material on the Hanford Site

  7. Surface Water & Surface Drainage

    Data.gov (United States)

    Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This data set contains boundaries for all surface water and surface drainage for the state of New Mexico. It is in a vector digital data structure digitized from a...

  8. Dual analyzer system for surface analysis dedicated for angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy at liquid surfaces and interfaces

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Niedermaier, Inga; Kolbeck, Claudia; Steinrück, Hans-Peter; Maier, Florian, E-mail: florian.maier@fau.de [Lehrstuhl für Physikalische Chemie II, FAU Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Egerlandstraße 3, 91058 Erlangen (Germany)

    2016-04-15

    The investigation of liquid surfaces and interfaces with the powerful toolbox of ultra-high vacuum (UHV)-based surface science techniques generally has to overcome the issue of liquid evaporation within the vacuum system. In the last decade, however, new classes of liquids with negligible vapor pressure at room temperature—in particular, ionic liquids (ILs)—have emerged for surface science studies. It has been demonstrated that particularly angle-resolved X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (ARXPS) allows for investigating phenomena that occur at gas-liquid and liquid-solid interfaces on the molecular level. The results are not only relevant for IL systems but also for liquids in general. In all of these previous ARXPS studies, the sample holder had to be tilted in order to change the polar detection angle of emitted photoelectrons, which restricted the liquid systems to very thin viscous IL films coating a flat solid support. We now report on the concept and realization of a new and unique laboratory “Dual Analyzer System for Surface Analysis (DASSA)” which enables fast ARXPS, UV photoelectron spectroscopy, imaging XPS, and low-energy ion scattering at the horizontal surface plane of macroscopically thick non-volatile liquid samples. It comprises a UHV chamber equipped with two electron analyzers mounted for simultaneous measurements in 0° and 80° emission relative to the surface normal. The performance of DASSA on a first macroscopic liquid system will be demonstrated.

  9. Dual analyzer system for surface analysis dedicated for angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy at liquid surfaces and interfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Niedermaier, Inga; Kolbeck, Claudia; Steinrück, Hans-Peter; Maier, Florian

    2016-01-01

    The investigation of liquid surfaces and interfaces with the powerful toolbox of ultra-high vacuum (UHV)-based surface science techniques generally has to overcome the issue of liquid evaporation within the vacuum system. In the last decade, however, new classes of liquids with negligible vapor pressure at room temperature—in particular, ionic liquids (ILs)—have emerged for surface science studies. It has been demonstrated that particularly angle-resolved X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (ARXPS) allows for investigating phenomena that occur at gas-liquid and liquid-solid interfaces on the molecular level. The results are not only relevant for IL systems but also for liquids in general. In all of these previous ARXPS studies, the sample holder had to be tilted in order to change the polar detection angle of emitted photoelectrons, which restricted the liquid systems to very thin viscous IL films coating a flat solid support. We now report on the concept and realization of a new and unique laboratory “Dual Analyzer System for Surface Analysis (DASSA)” which enables fast ARXPS, UV photoelectron spectroscopy, imaging XPS, and low-energy ion scattering at the horizontal surface plane of macroscopically thick non-volatile liquid samples. It comprises a UHV chamber equipped with two electron analyzers mounted for simultaneous measurements in 0° and 80° emission relative to the surface normal. The performance of DASSA on a first macroscopic liquid system will be demonstrated.

  10. Trajectory resolved analysis of LEIS energy spectra: Neutralization and surface structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beikler, Robert; Taglauer, Edmund

    2001-01-01

    For a quantitative evaluation of low-energy ion scattering (LEIS) data with respect to surface composition and structure a detailed analysis of the energy spectra is required. This includes the identification of multiple scattering processes and the determination of ion survival probabilities. We analyzed scattered ion energy spectra by using the computer code MARLOWE for which we developed a new analysis routine that allows to record energy distributions in dependence of the number of projectile-target atom collisions, in dependence of the distance of closest approach, or in dependence of the scattering crystalline layer. This procedure also permits the determination of ion survival probabilities by applying simple collision-dependent neutralization models. Experimental energy spectra for various projectile (He + , Ne + , Na + ) and target (transition metals, oxides) combinations are well reproduced and quantitative results for ion survival probabilities are obtained. These are largely in agreement with results obtained for bimetallic crystal surfaces obtained in a different way. Such MARLOWE calculations are also useful for the identification of structure relevant processes. This is shown exemplarily for the reconstructed Au(1 1 0) surface including a possibility to determine the (1x2)→(1x1) transition temperature

  11. MicroCT Analysis of Micro-Nano Titanium Implant Surface on the Osseointegration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ban, Jaesam; Kang, Seongsoo; Kim, Jihyun; Lee, Kwangmin; Hyunpil, Lim; Vang, Mongsook; Yang, Hongso; Oh, Gyejeong; Kim, Hyunseung; Hwang, Gabwoon; Jung, Yongho; Lee, Kyungku; Park, Sangwon; Yunl, Kwidug

    2015-01-01

    This study was to investigate the effects of micro-nano titanium implant surface on the osseointegration. A total of 36 screw-shaped implants were used. The implant surfaces were classified into 3 groups (n = 12): machined surface (M group), nanosurface which is nanotube formation on the machined surface (MA group) and nano-micro surface which is nanotube formation on the RBM surface (RA group). Anodic oxidation was performed at a 20 V for 10 min with 1 M H3PO4 and 1.5 wt% HF solutions. The implants were installed on the humerus on 6 beagles. After 4 and 12 weeks, the morphometric analysis with micro CT (skyscan 1172, SKYSCAN, Antwerpen, Belgium) was done. The data were statistically analyzed with two-way ANOVA. Bone mineral density and bone volume were significantly increased depending on time. RA group showed the highest bone mineral density and bone volume at 4 weeks and 12 weeks significantly. It indicated that nano-micro titanium implant surface showed faster and more mature osseointegration.

  12. Analysis of surface bond lengths reported for chemisorption on metal surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, K. A. R.

    1985-01-01

    A review is given of bond length information available from the techniques of surface crystallography (particularly with LEED, SEXAFS and photoelectron diffraction) for chemisorption on well-defined surfaces of metals (M). For adsorbed main-group atoms (X), measured X-M interatomic distances for 38 combinations of X and M have been assessed with a bond order-bond length relation in combination with the Schomaker-Stevenson approach for determining single-bond lengths. When the surface bond orders are fixed primarily by the valency of X, this approach appears to provide a simple framework for predicing X-M surface bond lengths. Further, in cases where agreement has been reached from different surface crystallographic techniques, this framework has the potential for assessing refinements to the surface bonding model (e.g. in determining the roles of the effective surface valency of M, and of coordinate bonding and supplementary π bonding between X and M). Preliminary comparisons of structural data are also given for molecular adsorption (CO and ethylidyne) and for the chemisorption of other metal atoms.

  13. Low energy ion scattering (LEIS) and the compositional and structural analysis of solid surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berg, J.A. van den; Armour, D.G.

    1981-01-01

    The physics of Low Energy Ion Scattering (LEIS) and its application as a surface analytical technique are reviewed. It is shown that compositional and short-range structural information can be obtained by choosing experimental conditions which optimize the contributions of single and double (or multiple) collisions, respectively. The LEIS technique allows mass analysis in a straightforward way, possesses a high surface selectivity but is unable to provide quantitative information in isolation due to scattering cross-section uncertainties and not easily quantifiable charge exchange effects. Structural information regarding adsorbate positions on single crystal surfaces and the short-range substrate structure (including damaged and reconstructed surfaces) can be obtained by exploiting shadowing and/or multiple scattering phenomena. The progress made in recent years in this area is charted. It is shown that computer simulations often play an important role in this type of study. Effects, such as charge exchange, inelastic energy loss and ion beam surface perturbations, which complicate the use of low energy ion scattering for surface analysis are discussed in detail. The present status of the technique in the different areas of study is indicated. (author)

  14. An intelligent hybrid system for surface coal mine safety analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lilic, N.; Obradovic, I.; Cvjetic, A. [University of Belgrade, Belgrade (Serbia)

    2010-06-15

    Analysis of safety in surface coal mines represents a very complex process. Published studies on mine safety analysis are usually based on research related to accidents statistics and hazard identification with risk assessment within the mining industry. Discussion in this paper is focused on the application of AI methods in the analysis of safety in mining environment. Complexity of the subject matter requires a high level of expert knowledge and great experience. The solution was found in the creation of a hybrid system PROTECTOR, whose knowledge base represents a formalization of the expert knowledge in the mine safety field. The main goal of the system is the estimation of mining environment as one of the significant components of general safety state in a mine. This global goal is subdivided into a hierarchical structure of subgoals where each subgoal can be viewed as the estimation of a set of parameters (gas, dust, climate, noise, vibration, illumination, geotechnical hazard) which determine the general mine safety state and category of hazard in mining environment. Both the hybrid nature of the system and the possibilities it offers are illustrated through a case study using field data related to an existing Serbian surface coal mine.

  15. Risk analysis of breakwater caisson under wave attack using load surface approximation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Dong Hyawn

    2014-12-01

    A new load surface based approach to the reliability analysis of caisson-type breakwater is proposed. Uncertainties of the horizontal and vertical wave loads acting on breakwater are considered by using the so-called load surfaces, which can be estimated as functions of wave height, water level, and so on. Then, the first-order reliability method (FORM) can be applied to determine the probability of failure under the wave action. In this way, the reliability analysis of breakwaters with uncertainties both in wave height and in water level is possible. Moreover, the uncertainty in wave breaking can be taken into account by considering a random variable for wave height ratio which relates the significant wave height to the maximum wave height. The proposed approach is applied numerically to the reliability analysis of caisson breakwater under wave attack that may undergo partial or full wave breaking.

  16. Determination of Substances Content of Soil Surface Using Fast Neutron Activation Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elin Nuraini; Elisabeth; Sunardi

    2002-01-01

    Determination of substances content of soil surface using neutron activation analysis has been performed. The aim of this research is to determine whether there are any dangerous, hazardous and toxic substances that released from The Research and Development Center for Advanced Technology (RDCAT) as a government institution has possibility in releasing that substances to the environment by surface water, sewage or rain water that give any dangerous the environmental. The fast neutron activation analysis was used to analyze the type and concentration of substances qualitative and quantitatively. The quantitative analysis was performed using relative method. Samples were counted using NaI(TI) detector. The result showed that there are several substances such as Mn-55, Fe-56, P-31, Al-27. Zn,65 and Mg-24. And there are found any hazardous, dangerous and toxic substances in the samples that causing any danger to human and environment. (author)

  17. Extended Reconstructed Sea Surface Temperature (ERSST) Monthly Analysis, Version 3b

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Version 3b (v3b) of the Extended Reconstructed Sea Surface Temperature (ERSST) dataset is a monthly SST analysis on a 2-degree global grid based on the International...

  18. Surface topography analysis for dimensional quality control of replication at the micrometre scale

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Balcon, M.; Marinello, F.; Tosello, Guido

    2011-01-01

    Replication of geometrical features and surfaces are present at different production levels, from realization of moulds to final product. Geometrical features must be reproduced within specification limits, to ensure product functionality . In order to control the replication quality, mould...... and replica surfaces must be quantitatively analysed and compared. In the present work, reference simulated surfaces were considered and studied in order to evaluate the effectiveness and traceability of different analysis tools for replication quality control. Topographies were analysed simulating different...

  19. Failure Analysis and Thermochemical Surface Engineering of Bearings in the Wind Turbine Drivetrain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    West, Ole H.E.; Dahl, Kristian Vinter; Christiansen, Thomas Lundin

    charged rollers to reproduce WEC formation. The influence of different hoop stress levels was studied. The fracture surfaces as well as formed WECs were investigated. A detrimental effect of higher hoop stress levels on roller lifetime was found and based on the analysis of the formed WECs an incremental...... the influence of different alloying concepts, prior heat treatments and nitriding parameters on the case properties. With optimum nitriding conditions a maximum nitriding depth of 800 μm was achieved, without formation of a thick porous compound layer. The build-up of near surface compressive stresses...... was confirmed by synchrotron X–ray diffraction stress analysis. The performance of surface engineered rollers was evaluated by RCF testing under conditions that are known to provoke failure in rollers made from a standard bearing steel. One of the nitrided materials showed promising results....

  20. Low energy ion scattering as a tool for surface structure and composition analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Armour, D.G.

    1980-01-01

    Low energy ion scattering is finding increasing application in the study of areas such as gas adsorption, thin film deposition and surface damage creation and annealing during ion irradiation where structural and compositional changes occurring in only the outermost atomic layer need to be monitored. The capabilities of the technique and the ways in which it has been developed for different types of analysis depend strongly on the fundamental atomic collision processes taking place at the surface and it is these processes, together with examples of their role in analysis applications, that form the subject of this paper. (author)

  1. ETSI-Standard Reconfigurable Mobile Device for Supporting the Licensed Shared Access

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kyunghoon Kim

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available In order for a Mobile Device (MD to support the Licensed Shared Access (LSA, the MD should be reconfigurable, meaning that the configuration of a MD must be adaptively changed in accordance with the communication standard adopted in a given LSA system. Based on the standard architecture for reconfigurable MD defined in Working Group (WG 2 of the Technical Committee (TC Reconfigurable Radio System (RRS of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI, this paper presents a procedure to transfer control signals among the software entities of a reconfigurable MD required for implementing the LSA. This paper also presents an implementation of a reconfigurable MD prototype that realizes the proposed procedure. The modem and Radio Frequency (RF part of the prototype MD are implemented with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan Graphic Processing Unit (GPU and the Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP N210, respectively. With a preset scenario that consists of five time slots from different signal environments, we demonstrate superb performance of the reconfigurable MD in comparison to the conventional nonreconfigurable MD in terms of the data receiving rate available in the LSA band at 2.3–2.4 GHz.

  2. Global Analysis of Minimal Surfaces

    CERN Document Server

    Dierkes, Ulrich; Tromba, Anthony J

    2010-01-01

    Many properties of minimal surfaces are of a global nature, and this is already true for the results treated in the first two volumes of the treatise. Part I of the present book can be viewed as an extension of these results. For instance, the first two chapters deal with existence, regularity and uniqueness theorems for minimal surfaces with partially free boundaries. Here one of the main features is the possibility of 'edge-crawling' along free parts of the boundary. The third chapter deals with a priori estimates for minimal surfaces in higher dimensions and for minimizers of singular integ

  3. Coastal surface water suitability analysis for irrigation in Bangladesh

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahtab, Mohammad Hossain; Zahid, Anwar

    2018-03-01

    Water with adequate quality and quantity is very important for irrigation to ensure the crop yields. Salinity is common problem in the coastal waters in Bangladesh. The intensity of salinity in the coastal zone in Bangladesh is not same. It fluctuates over the year. Sodium is another hazard which may hamper permeability and ultimately affects the fertility. It can reduce the crop yields. Although surface water is available in the coastal zone of Bangladesh, but its quality for irrigation needs to be monitored over the year. This paper will investigate the overall quality of coastal surface waters. Thirty-three water samples from different rivers were collected both in wet period (October-December) and in dry period (February-April). Different physical and chemical parameters are considered for investigation of the adequacy of water with respect to international irrigation water quality standards and Bangladesh standards. A comparison between the dry and wet period coastal surface water quality in Bangladesh will also be drawn here. The analysis shows that coastal surface water in Bangladesh is overall suitable for irrigation during wet period, while it needs treatment (which will increase the irrigation cost) for using for irrigation during dry period. Adaptation to this situation can improve the scenario. An integrated plan should be taken to increase the water storing capacity in the coastal area to harvest water during wet period.

  4. Determination of nanoparticle surface coatings and nanoparticle purity using microscale thermogravimetric analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mansfield, Elisabeth; Tyner, Katherine M; Poling, Christopher M; Blacklock, Jenifer L

    2014-02-04

    The use of nanoparticles in some applications (i.e., nanomedical, nanofiltration, or nanoelectronic) requires small samples with well-known purities and composition. In addition, when nanoparticles are introduced into complex environments (e.g., biological fluids), the particles may become coated with matter, such as proteins or lipid layers. Many of today's analytical techniques are not able to address small-scale samples of nanoparticles to determine purity and the presence of surface coatings. Through the use of an elevated-temperature quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) method we call microscale thermogravimetric analysis, or μ-TGA, the nanoparticle purity, as well as the presence of any surface coatings of nanomaterials, can be measured. Microscale thermogravimetric analysis is used to determine the presence and amount of surface-bound ligand coverage on gold nanoparticles and confirm the presence of a poly(ethylene glycol) coating on SiO2 nanoparticles. Results are compared to traditional analytical techniques to demonstrate reproducibility and validity of μ-TGA for determining the presence of nanoparticle surface coatings. Carbon nanotube samples are also analyzed and compared to conventional TGA. The results demonstrate μ-TGA is a valid method for quantitative determination of the coatings on nanoparticles, and in some cases, can provide purity and compositional data of the nanoparticles themselves.

  5. A thermal spike analysis of low energy ion activated surface processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gilmore, G.M.; Haeri, A.; Sprague, J.A.

    1989-01-01

    This paper reports a thermal spike analysis utilized to predict the time evolution of energy propagation through a solid resulting from energetic particle impact. An analytical solution was developed that can predict the number of surface excitations such as desorption, diffusion or chemical reaction activated by an energetic particle. The analytical solution is limited to substrates at zero Kelvin and to materials with constant thermal diffusivities. These limitations were removed by developing a computer numerical integration of the propagation of the thermal spike through the solid and the subsequent activation of surface processes

  6. GHRSST Level 4 EUR Mediterranean Sea Regional Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (GDS version 2)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) Level 4 sea surface temperature analysis produced daily by Ifremer/CERSAT (France) using optimal...

  7. The Planet Mercury Surface Spectroscopy and Analysis from the Kuiper Airborne Observatory and Analysis and Modeling to Determine Surface Composition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sprague, Ann

    1997-01-01

    We had two successful flights to observe Mercury from the Kuiper Airborne Observatory (KAO) using High-efficiency Infrared Faint-Object Grating Spectrograph (HIFOGS). Flights were May 8, 1995 (eastern elongation) and July 6, 1995 (western elongation) For the observations one half of the primary mirror was covered to prevent sunlight from entering the telescope. All equipment and the airplane and its crew performed well. These flights were historical firsts for the KAO and for spectroscopy of Mercury in that it was the first time any spectroscopic observations of Mercury from above the Earth's atmosphere had been made. It was the first time the KAO had been used to @bserve an object less than 30 degrees from the Sun. Upon completion of the basic data reduction it became obvious that extensive modeling and analysis would be required to understand the data. It took three years of a graduate student's time and part time the PI to do the thermal modeling and the spectroscopic analysis. This resulted in a lengthy publication. A copy of this publication is attached and has all the data obtained in both KAO flights and the results clearly presented. Notable results are: (1) The observations found an as yet unexplained 5 micron emission enhancement that we think may be a real characteristic of Mercury's surface but could have an instrumental cause; (2) Ground-based measurements or an emission maximum at 7.7 microns were corroborated. The chemical composition of Mercury's surface must be feldspathic in order to explain spectra features found in the data obtained during the KAO flights.

  8. Analysis of BTEX groundwater concentrations from surface spills associated with hydraulic fracturing operations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gross, Sherilyn A; Avens, Heather J; Banducci, Amber M; Sahmel, Jennifer; Panko, Julie M; Tvermoes, Brooke E

    2013-04-01

    Concerns have arisen among the public regarding the potentialfor drinking-water contamination from the migration of methane gas and hazardous chemicals associated with hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. However, little attention has been paid to the potentialfor groundwater contamination resulting from surface spills from storage and production facilities at active well sites. We performed a search for publically available data regarding groundwater contamination from spills at ULS. drilling sites. The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) database was selected for further analysis because it was the most detailed. The majority ofspills were in Weld County, Colorado, which has the highest density of wells that used hydraulic fracturing for completion, many producing both methane gas and crude oil. We analyzed publically available data reported by operators to the COGCC regarding surface spills that impacted groundwater From July 2010 to July 2011, we noted 77 reported surface spills impacting the groundwater in Weld County, which resulted in surface spills associated with less than 0.5% of the active wells. The reported data included groundwater samples that were analyzed for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, andxylene (BTEX) components of crude oil. For groundwater samples taken both within the spill excavation area and on the first reported date of sampling, the BTEX measurements exceeded National Drinking Water maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in 90, 30, 12, and 8% of the samples, respectively. However, actions taken to remediate the spills were effective at reducing BJTEX levels, with at least 84% of the spills reportedly achieving remediation as of May 2012. Our analysis demonstrates that surface spills are an important route of potential groundwater contamination from hydraulic fracturing activities and should be a focus of programs to protect groundwater While benzene can occur naturally in groundwater sources, spills and migration

  9. Improving Weather Research and Forecasting Model Initial Conditions via Surface Pressure Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-09-01

    ADDRESS(ES) US Army Research Laboratory ATTN: RDRL- CIE -M 2800 Powder Mill Road Adelphi, MD 20783-1138 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER...air radii of influence to account for the smaller error correlation length scales at the surface. However, the surface observations are limited to a...analysis will only account for errors in the first guess due to errors in the meteorological features (e.g., the strength of an area of high pressure

  10. Bi-criteria travelling salesman subtour problem with time threshold

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar Thenepalle, Jayanth; Singamsetty, Purusotham

    2018-03-01

    This paper deals with the bi-criteria travelling salesman subtour problem with time threshold (BTSSP-T), which comes from the family of the travelling salesman problem (TSP) and is NP-hard in the strong sense. The problem arises in several application domains, mainly in routing and scheduling contexts. Here, the model focuses on two criteria: total travel distance and gains attained. The BTSSP-T aims to determine a subtour that starts and ends at the same city and visits a subset of cities at a minimum travel distance with maximum gains, such that the time spent on the tour does not exceed the predefined time threshold. A zero-one integer-programming problem is adopted to formulate this model with all practical constraints, and it includes a finite set of feasible solutions (one for each tour). Two algorithms, namely, the Lexi-Search Algorithm (LSA) and the Tabu Search (TS) algorithm have been developed to solve the BTSSP-T problem. The proposed LSA implicitly enumerates the feasible patterns and provides an efficient solution with backtracking, whereas the TS, which is metaheuristic, will give the better approximate solution. A numerical example is demonstrated in order to understand the search mechanism of the LSA. Numerical experiments are carried out in the MATLAB environment, on the different benchmark instances available in the TSPLIB domain as well as on randomly generated test instances. The experimental results show that the proposed LSA works better than the TS algorithm in terms of solution quality and, computationally, both LSA and TS are competitive.

  11. Analysis of polymer surfaces and thin-film coatings with Raman and surface enhanced Raman scattering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McAnally, Gerard David

    2001-01-01

    This thesis investigates the potential of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) for the analysis and characterisation of polymer surfaces. The Raman and SERS spectra from a PET film are presented. The SERS spectra from the related polyester PBT and from the monomer DMT are identical to PET, showing that only the aromatic signals are enhanced. Evidence from other compounds is presented to show that loss of the carbonyl stretch (1725 cm -1 ) from the spectra is due to a chemical interaction between the silver and surface carbonyl groups. The interaction of other polymer functional groups with silver is discussed. A comparison of Raman and SERS spectra collected from three faces of a single crystal shows the SERS spectra are depolarised. AFM images of the silver films used to obtain SERS are presented. They consist of regular islands of silver, fused together to form a complete film. The stability and reproducibility and of these surfaces is assessed. Band assignments for the SERS spectrum of PET are presented. A new band in the spectrum (1131 cm -1 ) is assigned to a complex vibration using a density functional calculation. Depth profiling through a polymer film on to the silver layer showed the SERS signals arise from the silver surface only. The profiles show the effects of refraction on the beam, and the adverse affect on the depth resolution. Silver films were used to obtain SERS spectra from a 40 nm thin-film coating on PET, without interference from the PET layer. The use of an azo dye probe as a marker to detect the coating is described. Finally, a novel method for the synthesis of a SERS-active vinyl-benzotriazole monomer is reported. The monomer was incorporated into a thin-film coating and the SERS spectrum obtained from the polymer. (author)

  12. Surface renewal analysis for estimating turbulent surface fluxes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Castellvi, F.

    2009-01-01

    A decade ago, the need for a long-term surface monitoring was recognized to better understand the soil-vegetation-atmosphere scalar exchange and interaction processes. the AmeriFlux concept emerged in the IGBP workshop (La Thuile, IT, 1995). Continuous acquisition of surface fluxes for different species such as temperature, water vapour, CO x , halocarbon, ozone, etc.,) and momentum allows determination of the influence of local (canopy) exchanges, fossil fuel emission, large-scale biotic exchange on ambient concentrations which are crucial to take decisions for protecting natural environments and water resources, to develop new perspective for modern agriculture and forest management and to better understand the global climate change. (Author)

  13. GHRSST Level 4 MUR North America Regional Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (GDS version 1)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) Level 4 sea surface temperature analysis produced as a retrospective dataset at the JPL Physical...

  14. GHRSST Level 4 ODYSSEA Mediterranean Sea Regional Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (GDS version 1)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) Level 4 sea surface temperature analysis produced daily on an operational basis at Ifremer/CERSAT...

  15. Hyperspectral Surface Analysis for Ripeness Estimation and Quick UV-C Surface Treatments for Preservation of Bananas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, W.; Yang, Zh.; Chen, Zh.; Liu, J.; Wang, W. Ch.; Zheng, W. Yu.

    2016-05-01

    This study aimed to determine the ripeness of bananas using hyperspectral surface analysis and how a rapid UV-C (ultraviolet-C light) surface treatment could reduce decay. The surface of the banana fruit and its stages of maturity were studied using a hyperspectral imaging technique in the visible and near infrared (370-1000 nm) regions. The vselected color ratios from these spectral images were used for classifying the whole banana into immature, ripe, half-ripe and overripe stages. By using a BP neural network, models based on the wavelengths were developed to predict quality attributes. The mean discrimination rate was 98.17%. The surface of the fresh bananas was treated with UV-C at dosages from 15-55 μW/cm2. The visual qualities with or without UV-C treatment were compared using the image, the chromatic aberration test, the firmness test and the area of black spot on the banana skin. The results showed that high dosages of UV-C damaged the banana skin, while low dosages were more efficient at delaying changes in the relative brightness of the skin. The maximum UV-C treatment dose for satisfactory banana preservation was between 21 and 24 μW/cm2. These results could help to improve the visual quality of bananas and to classify their ripeness more easily.

  16. Postmortem near surface analysis of beryllium limiter tiles from ISX-B

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zuhr, R.A.

    1985-11-01

    Beryllium is a promising material for plasma-side components in magnetic confinement fusion devices and is being considered for possible use in the Joint European Torus (JET). In order to test beryllium as a limiter material, a collaborative JET/ISX-B experiment was carried out in which the ISX-B tokamak was operated for more than 4000 discharges with a beryllium limiter. At the end of the test period the limiter was removed and the composition of the near-surface region of selected tiles was analyzed as a function of position by Rutherford backscattering. The amount of deuterium retained near the surface was measured by nuclear reaction analysis. Chromium, iron, and nickel were the dominant metallic impurities in the surface with a combined concentration on the order of 10 16 cm -2 . Oxygen surface coverages were generally in the mid-10 16 cm -2 range. A consistent trend in the impurity data was that heavily damaged or melted areas generally incorporated more impurities. The amounts of deuterium trapped in the tiles ranged from 1 to 5 x 10 17 cm -2 over all of the surfaces exposed to the plasma. No deuterium was detectable on surfaces (the protected sides) not directly exposed to the plasma

  17. NOAA Optimum Interpolation 1/4 Degree Daily Sea Surface Temperature (OISST) Analysis, Version 2

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This high-resolution sea surface temperature (SST) analysis product was developed using an optimum interpolation (OI) technique. The SST analysis has a spatial grid...

  18. Evaluation of abrasive waterjet produced titan surfaces topography by spectral analysis techniques

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. Kozak

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Experimental study of a titan grade 2 surface topography prepared by abrasive waterjet cutting is performed using methods of the spectral analysis. Topographic data are acquired by means of the optical profilometr MicroProf®FRT. Estimation of the areal power spectral density of the studied surface is carried out using the periodogram method combined with the Welch´s method. Attention is paid to a structure of the areal power spectral density, which is characterized by means of the angular power spectral density. This structure of the areal spectral density is linked to the fine texture of the surface studied.

  19. The structural and compositional analysis of single crystal surfaces using low energy ion scattering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Armour, D.G.; Van der Berg, J.A.; Verheij, IL.K.

    1979-01-01

    The use of ion scattering for surface composition and structure analysis has been reviewed. The extreme surface specificity of this technique has been widely used to obtain quitative information in a straightforward way, but the/aolc/currence of charge exchange processes, thermal lattice vibrations and multiple scattering have precluded quantitative analysis of experimental data. Examples are quoted to illustrate the progress that has been made in understanding these fundamental processes and in applying this knowledge to the development of the analytical capabilities of the technique. (author)

  20. Elemental analysis by surface-enhanced Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy combined with liquid–liquid microextraction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aguirre, M.A.; Legnaioli, S.; Almodóvar, F.; Hidalgo, M.; Palleschi, V.; Canals, A.

    2013-01-01

    In this work, the possibility of using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectrometry (LIBS) combined with liquid–liquid microextraction techniques is evaluated as a simple and fast method for trace elemental analysis. Two different strategies for LIBS analysis of manganese contained in microdroplets of extraction solvent (Triton X-114) are studied: (i) analysis by direct laser irradiation of microdroplets; and (ii) analysis by laser irradiation of microdroplets dried on metallic substrates (surface-enhanced LIBS — SENLIBS). Experiments were carried out using synthetic samples with different concentrations of manganese in a 10% w/w Triton X-114 matrix. The analysis by direct laser irradiation of microdroplets showed low precision, sensitivity and poor linearity across the concentration range evaluated (R 2 −1 of Mn. - Highlights: ► LIBS combined with microextraction procedures for trace analysis is proposed. ► The proposed combination depends on LIBS ability to analyze sample microvolumes. ► A surface-enhanced LIBS methodology for microdroplet analysis was evaluated. ► Results indicate this combination to be promising for trace analysis in liquids

  1. Thermal Desorption Analysis of Effective Specific Soil Surface Area

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smagin, A. V.; Bashina, A. S.; Klyueva, V. V.; Kubareva, A. V.

    2017-12-01

    A new method of assessing the effective specific surface area based on the successive thermal desorption of water vapor at different temperature stages of sample drying is analyzed in comparison with the conventional static adsorption method using a representative set of soil samples of different genesis and degree of dispersion. The theory of the method uses the fundamental relationship between the thermodynamic water potential (Ψ) and the absolute temperature of drying ( T): Ψ = Q - aT, where Q is the specific heat of vaporization, and a is the physically based parameter related to the initial temperature and relative humidity of the air in the external thermodynamic reservoir (laboratory). From gravimetric data on the mass fraction of water ( W) and the Ψ value, Polyanyi potential curves ( W(Ψ)) for the studied samples are plotted. Water sorption isotherms are then calculated, from which the capacity of monolayer and the target effective specific surface area are determined using the BET theory. Comparative analysis shows that the new method well agrees with the conventional estimation of the degree of dispersion by the BET and Kutilek methods in a wide range of specific surface area values between 10 and 250 m2/g.

  2. Spatial-temporal analysis of building surface temperatures in Hung Hom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Ying; Shen, Yueqian

    2015-12-01

    This thesis presents a study on spatial-temporal analysis of building surface temperatures in Hung Hom. Observations were collected from Aug 2013 to Oct 2013 at a 30-min interval, using iButton sensors (N=20) covering twelve locations in Hung Hom. And thermal images were captured in PolyU from 05 Aug 2013 to 06 Aug 2013. A linear regression model of iButton and thermal records is established to calibrate temperature data. A 3D modeling system is developed based on Visual Studio 2010 development platform, using ArcEngine10.0 component, Microsoft Access 2010 database and C# programming language. The system realizes processing data, spatial analysis, compound query and 3D face temperature rendering and so on. After statistical analyses, building face azimuths are found to have a statistically significant relationship with sun azimuths at peak time. And seasonal building temperature changing also corresponds to the sun angle and sun azimuth variations. Building materials are found to have a significant effect on building surface temperatures. Buildings with lower albedo materials tend to have higher temperatures and larger thermal conductivity material have significant diurnal variations. For the geographical locations, the peripheral faces of campus have higher temperatures than the inner faces during day time and buildings located at the southeast are cooler than the western. Furthermore, human activity is found to have a strong relationship with building surface temperatures through weekday and weekend comparison.

  3. GHRSST Level 4 G1SST Global Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (GDS version 1)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) Level 4 sea surface temperature analysis produced daily on an operational basis by the JPL OurOcean...

  4. GHRSST Level 4 OSTIA Global Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (GDS versions 1 and 2)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) Level 4 sea surface temperature analysis produced daily on an operational basis at the UK Met Office...

  5. Dynamics of Plasma-Surface Interactions using In-situ Ion Beam Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Whyte, D.G.

    2009-01-01

    The overall goal of this proposal was to develop an innovative experimental facility that would allow for the measurement of real-time response of a material surface to plasma bombardment by employing in-situ high-energy ion beam analysis. This facility was successfully developed and deployed at U. Wisconsin-Madison and was named DIONISOS (Dynamics of IONic Implantation and Sputtering on Surfaces). There were several major highlights to the DIONISOS research which we will briefly highlight below. The full technical details of the DIONISOS development, deployment and research results are contained in the Appendices which contain several peer-reviewed publications and a PhD thesis devoted to DIONISOS. The DIONISOS results on deuterium retention in molybdenum were chosen as an invited talk at the 2008 International Conference on Plasma-Surface Interactions in Toledo, Spain.

  6. Surface and interface analysis an electrochemists toolbox

    CERN Document Server

    Holze, Rudolf

    2009-01-01

    A broad, almost encyclopedic overview of spectroscopic and other analytical techniques useful for investigations of phase boundaries in electrochemistry is presented. The analysis of electrochemical interfaces and interphases on a microscopic, even molecular level, is of central importance for an improved understanding of the structure and dynamics of these phase boundaries. The gained knowledge will be needed for improvements of methods and applications reaching from electrocatalysis, electrochemical energy conversion, biocompatibility of metals, corrosion protection to galvanic surface treatment and finishing. The book provides an overview as complete as possible and enables the reader to choose methods most suitable for tackling his particular task. It is nevertheless compact and does not flood the reader with the details of review papers.

  7. Storage fee analysis for a retrievable surface storage facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Field, B.B.; Rosnick, C.K.

    1973-12-01

    Conceptual design studies are in progress for a Water Basin Concept (WBC) and an alternative Sealed Storage Cask Concept (SSCC) of a Retrievable Surface Storage Facility (RSSF) intended as a Federal government facility for storing high-level radioactive wastes until a permanent disposal method is established. The RSSF will be a man-made facility with a design life of at least 100 y, and will have capacity to store all of the high-level waste from the reprocessing of nuclear power plant spent fuels generated by the industry through the year 2000. This report is a basic version of ARH-2746, ''Retrievable Surface Storage Facility, Water Basin Concept, User Charge Analysis.'' It is concerned with the issue of establishing a fee to cover the cost of storing nuclear wastes both in the RSSF and at the subsequent disposal facility. (U.S.)

  8. Automated analysis of damages for radiation in plastics surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andrade, C.; Camacho M, E.; Tavera, L.; Balcazar, M.

    1990-02-01

    Analysis of damages done by the radiation in a polymer characterized by optic properties of polished surfaces, of uniformity and chemical resistance that the acrylic; resistant until the 150 centigrade grades of temperature, and with an approximate weight of half of the glass. An objective of this work is the development of a method that analyze in automated form the superficial damages induced by radiation in plastic materials means an images analyst. (Author)

  9. Molecular-dynamics analysis of mobile helium cluster reactions near surfaces of plasma-exposed tungsten

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hu, Lin; Maroudas, Dimitrios, E-mail: maroudas@ecs.umass.edu [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003-9303 (United States); Hammond, Karl D. [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211 (United States); Wirth, Brian D. [Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996 (United States)

    2015-10-28

    We report the results of a systematic atomic-scale analysis of the reactions of small mobile helium clusters (He{sub n}, 4 ≤ n ≤ 7) near low-Miller-index tungsten (W) surfaces, aiming at a fundamental understanding of the near-surface dynamics of helium-carrying species in plasma-exposed tungsten. These small mobile helium clusters are attracted to the surface and migrate to the surface by Fickian diffusion and drift due to the thermodynamic driving force for surface segregation. As the clusters migrate toward the surface, trap mutation (TM) and cluster dissociation reactions are activated at rates higher than in the bulk. TM produces W adatoms and immobile complexes of helium clusters surrounding W vacancies located within the lattice planes at a short distance from the surface. These reactions are identified and characterized in detail based on the analysis of a large number of molecular-dynamics trajectories for each such mobile cluster near W(100), W(110), and W(111) surfaces. TM is found to be the dominant cluster reaction for all cluster and surface combinations, except for the He{sub 4} and He{sub 5} clusters near W(100) where cluster partial dissociation following TM dominates. We find that there exists a critical cluster size, n = 4 near W(100) and W(111) and n = 5 near W(110), beyond which the formation of multiple W adatoms and vacancies in the TM reactions is observed. The identified cluster reactions are responsible for important structural, morphological, and compositional features in the plasma-exposed tungsten, including surface adatom populations, near-surface immobile helium-vacancy complexes, and retained helium content, which are expected to influence the amount of hydrogen re-cycling and tritium retention in fusion tokamaks.

  10. Experimental parameters for quantitative surface analysis by medium energy ion scattering, ch. 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Turkenburg, W.C.; Kersten, H.H.; Colenbrander, B.G.; Jongh, A.P. de; Saris, F.W.

    1976-01-01

    A new UHV chamber for surface and surface layer analysis by collision spectroscopy of backscattered ions at medium energies is described. Experimental parameters like energy, angular and depth resolution, crystal alignment and background pressure are discussed. Formulae based on the use of an electrostatic energy analyser show that the analysis can be quantitative. Effects of beam induced build-up of a hydro-carbon layer, sputter cleaning and creation of radiation damage have been investigated for Cu (110) and Ni (110). Detection sensitivity for Carbon, Oxygen and Sulfur on Cu and Ni has been found to be 0.2, 0.1 and 0.03 of a monolayer respectively

  11. Multi-Parameter Analysis of Surface Finish in Electro-Discharge Machining of Tool Steels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cornelia Victoria Anghel

    2006-10-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents a multi- parameter analysis of surface finish imparted to tool-steel plates by electro-discharge machining (EDM is presented. The interrelationship between surface texture parameters and process parameters is emphasized. An increased number of parameters is studied including amplitude, spacing, hybrid and fractal parameters,, as well. The correlation of these parameters with the machining conditions is investigated. Observed characteristics become more pronounced, when intensifying machining conditions. Close correlation exists between certain surface finish parameters and EDM input variables and single and multiple statistical regression models are developed.

  12. GHRSST Level 4 AVHRR_AMSR_OI Global Blended Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (GDS version 1)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) global Level 4 sea surface temperature analysis produced daily on a 0.25 degree grid at the NOAA...

  13. Automated analysis of art object surfaces using time-averaged digital speckle pattern interferometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lukomski, Michal; Krzemien, Leszek

    2013-05-01

    Technical development and practical evaluation of a laboratory built, out-of-plane digital speckle pattern interferometer (DSPI) are reported. The instrument was used for non-invasive, non-contact detection and characterization of early-stage damage, like fracturing and layer separation, of painted objects of art. A fully automated algorithm was developed for recording and analysis of vibrating objects utilizing continuous-wave laser light. The algorithm uses direct, numerical fitting or Hilbert transformation for an independent, quantitative evaluation of the Bessel function at every point of the investigated surface. The procedure does not require phase modulation and thus can be implemented within any, even the simplest, DSPI apparatus. The proposed deformation analysis is fast and computationally inexpensive. Diagnosis of physical state of the surface of a panel painting attributed to Nicolaus Haberschrack (a late-mediaeval painter active in Krakow) from the collection of the National Museum in Krakow is presented as an example of an in situ application of the developed methodology. It has allowed the effectiveness of the deformation analysis to be evaluated for the surface of a real painting (heterogeneous colour and texture) in a conservation studio where vibration level was considerably higher than in the laboratory. It has been established that the methodology, which offers automatic analysis of the interferometric fringe patterns, has a considerable potential to facilitate and render more precise the condition surveys of works of art.

  14. FRACTAL ANALYSIS OF PHYSICAL ADSORPTION ON SURFACES OF ACID ACTIVATED BENTONITES FROM SERBIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ljiljana Rožić

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available Solid surfaces are neither ideally regular, that is, morphological and energeticcally homogeneous, nor are they fully irregular or fractal. Instead, real solid surfaces exhibit a limited degree of organization quantified by the fractal dimension, D. Fractal analysis was applied to investigate the effect of concentrations of HCl solutions on the structural and textural properties of chemically activated bentonite from southern Serbia. Acid treatment of bentonites is applied in order to remove impurities and various exchangeable cations from bentonite clay. Important physical changes in acid-activated smectite are the increase of the specific surface area and of the average pore volume, depending on acid strength, time and temperature of a treatment. On the basis of the sorption-structure analysis, the fractal dimension of the bentonite surfaces was determined by Mahnke and Mögel method. The fractal dimension evaluated by this method was 2.11 for the AB3 and 1.94 for the AB4.5 sample. The estimation of the values of the fractal dimension of activated bentonites was performed in the region of small pores, 0.5 nm < rp < 2 nm.

  15. Quantitative strain analysis of surfaces and interfaces using extremely asymmetric x-ray diffraction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akimoto, Koichi; Emoto, Takashi

    2010-01-01

    Strain can reduce carrier mobility and the reliability of electronic devices and affect the growth mode of thin films and the stability of nanometer-scale crystals. To control lattice strain, a technique for measuring the minute lattice strain at surfaces and interfaces is needed. Recently, an extremely asymmetric x-ray diffraction method has been developed for this purpose. By employing Darwin's dynamical x-ray diffraction theory, quantitative evaluation of strain at surfaces and interfaces becomes possible. In this paper, we review our quantitative strain analysis studies on native SiO 2 /Si interfaces, reconstructed Si surfaces, Ni/Si(111)-H interfaces, sputtered III-V compound semiconductor surfaces, high-k/Si interfaces, and Au ion-implanted Si. (topical review)

  16. Discrimination of surface wear on obsidian tools using LSCM and RelA: pilot study results (area-scale analysis of obsidian tool surfaces).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stemp, W James; Chung, Steven

    2011-01-01

    This pilot study tests the reliability of laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) to quantitatively measure wear on experimental obsidian tools. To our knowledge, this is the first use of confocal microscopy to study wear on stone flakes made from an amorphous silicate like obsidian. Three-dimensional surface roughness or texture area scans on three obsidian flakes used on different contact materials (hide, shell, wood) were documented using the LSCM to determine whether the worn surfaces could be discriminated using area-scale analysis, specifically relative area (RelA). When coupled with the F-test, this scale-sensitive fractal analysis could not only discriminate the used from unused surfaces on individual tools, but was also capable of discriminating the wear histories of tools used on different contact materials. Results indicate that such discriminations occur at different scales. Confidence levels for the discriminations at different scales were established using the F-test (mean square ratios or MSRs). In instances where discrimination of surface roughness or texture was not possible above the established confidence level based on MSRs, photomicrographs and RelA assisted in hypothesizing why this was so. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. Surface immobilized antibody orientation determined using ToF-SIMS and multivariate analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Welch, Nicholas G; Madiona, Robert M T; Payten, Thomas B; Easton, Christopher D; Pontes-Braz, Luisa; Brack, Narelle; Scoble, Judith A; Muir, Benjamin W; Pigram, Paul J

    2017-06-01

    Antibody orientation at solid phase interfaces plays a critical role in the sensitive detection of biomolecules during immunoassays. Correctly oriented antibodies with solution-facing antigen binding regions have improved antigen capture as compared to their randomly oriented counterparts. Direct characterization of oriented proteins with surface analysis methods still remains a challenge however surface sensitive techniques such as Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) provide information-rich data that can be used to probe antibody orientation. Diethylene glycol dimethyl ether plasma polymers (DGpp) functionalized with chromium (DGpp+Cr) have improved immunoassay performance that is indicative of preferential antibody orientation. Herein, ToF-SIMS data from proteolytic fragments of anti-EGFR antibody bound to DGpp and DGpp+Cr are used to construct artificial neural network (ANN) and principal component analysis (PCA) models indicative of correctly oriented systems. Whole antibody samples (IgG) test against each of the models indicated preferential antibody orientation on DGpp+Cr. Cross-reference between ANN and PCA models yield 20 mass fragments associated with F(ab') 2 region representing correct orientation, and 23 mass fragments associated with the Fc region representing incorrect orientation. Mass fragments were then compared to amino acid fragments and amino acid composition in F(ab') 2 and Fc regions. A ratio of the sum of the ToF-SIMS ion intensities from the F(ab') 2 fragments to the Fc fragments demonstrated a 50% increase in intensity for IgG on DGpp+Cr as compared to DGpp. The systematic data analysis methodology employed herein offers a new approach for the investigation of antibody orientation applicable to a range of substrates. Controlled orientation of antibodies at solid phases is critical for maximizing antigen detection in biosensors and immunoassays. Surface-sensitive techniques (such as ToF-SIMS), capable of direct

  18. Determination of Oxygen in Zircaloy Surfaces by Means of Charged Particle Activation Analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lorenzen, J; Brune, D

    1973-01-15

    Oxygen in zircaloy surfaces has been determined by means of charged particle activation analysis employing the following two reactions I. 16O (d, n) 17F ->(beta+decay) 17O Q = - 1.63 MeV; II. 16O (d, pgamma) 17O Q = + 1.05 MeV. The detection limits for oxygen in such surfaces has been investigated by measuring the promptly emitted 0.87 MeV gamma rays (reaction II) and also the 511 keV annihilation radiation which arises from beta-decay of 17F (reaction I). The correlation between the detection limit for oxygen in zircaloy, the particle energy and the surface thickness analyzed has been evaluated. At a deuteron energy of 3 MeV a detection limit of 0.7 x 10-7 g/cm2 was obtained from the measurement of the prompt gamma radiation arising from the second of these reactions. The analysis carried out by means of this technique is characterized by a high rapidity

  19. Successful use of Gamma Knife surgery in a distal lenticulostriate artery aneurysm intervention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lan, ZhiGang; Li, Jin; You, Chao; Chen, Jing

    2012-02-01

    We report a case of a 21-year-old woman who underwent radiosurgical treatment of a distal lenticulostriate artery (LSA) aneurysm. Twenty-two months after treatment, repeat angiography demonstrated patency of the parent vessel and complete obliteration of the aneurysm. Our case implies that Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) might serve as an alternative microinvasive technique in the treatment of LSA aneurysms, making this procedure a potential addition to present methods.

  20. Surface functionalization of SPR chip for specific molecular interaction analysis under flow condition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tao Ma

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Surface functionalization of sensor chip for probe immobilization is crucial for the biosensing applications of surface plasmon resonance (SPR sensors. In this paper, we report a method circulating the dopamine aqueous solution to coat polydopamine film on sensing surface for surface functionalization of SPR chip. The polydopamine film with available thickness can be easily prepared by controlling the circulation time and the biorecognition elements can be immobilized on the polydopamine film for specific molecular interaction analysis. These operations are all performed under flow condition in the fluidic system, and have the advantages of easy implementation, less time consuming, and low cost, because the reagents and devices used in the operations are routinely applied in most laboratories. In this study, the specific absorption between the protein A probe immobilized on the sensing surface and human immunoglobulin G in the buffer is monitored based on this surface functionalization strategy to demonstrated its feasibility for SPR biosensing applications.

  1. Laser-induced oxidation of titanium substrate: Analysis of the physicochemical structure of the surface and sub-surface layers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Antończak, Arkadiusz J., E-mail: arkadiusz.antonczak@pwr.edu.pl [Laser and Fiber Electronics Group, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Wroclaw University of Technology, Wyb. Wyspianskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw (Poland); Skowroński, Łukasz; Trzcinski, Marek [Institute of Mathematics and Physics, University of Technology and Life Sciences, Kaliskiego 7, 85-789 Bydgoszcz (Poland); Kinzhybalo, Vasyl V. [Wroclaw Research Centre EIT+, Stabłowicka 147, 54-066 Wrocław (Poland); Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research, Okólna 2, 50-422 Wrocław (Poland); Łazarek, Łukasz K.; Abramski, Krzysztof M. [Laser and Fiber Electronics Group, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Wroclaw University of Technology, Wyb. Wyspianskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw (Poland)

    2015-01-15

    Highlights: • Chemical structure of the films induced by laser on titanium surface was analyzed. • It was shown that outer layer of this films consist of oxides doped with nitrogen. • The optical properties of the laser-induced oxynitride films were characterized. • We found that the films demonstrated significant absorption in the band of 300–580 nm. • The morphology of the layers as a function of the laser fluence was investigated. - Abstract: This paper presents the results of the analysis of the complex chemical structure of the layers made on titanium in the process of the heating of its surfaces in an atmospheric environment, by irradiating samples with a nanosecond-pulsed laser. The study was carried out for electroplated, high purity, polycrystalline titanium substrates using a Yb:glass fiber laser. All measurements were made for samples irradiated in a broad range of accumulated fluence, below the ablation threshold. It has been determined how the complex index of refraction of both the oxynitride layers and the substrate vary as a function of accumulated laser fluence. It was also shown that the top layer of the film produced on titanium, which is transparent, is not a pure TiO{sub 2} as had been supposed before. The XPS and XRD analyses confirmed the presence of nitrogen compounds and the existence of nonstoichiometric compounds. By sputtering of the sample's surface using an Ar{sup +} ion gun, the changes in the concentration of individual elements as a function of the layer's cross-section were determined. Lastly, an analysis of the surface morphology has also been carried out, explaining why the layers crack and exfoliate from their substrate.

  2. Development of resonance ionization spectroscopy system for fusion material surface analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Iguchi, Tetsuo [Tokyo Univ., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Nuclear Engineering Research Lab.; Satoh, Yasushi; Nakazawa, Masaharu

    1996-10-01

    A Resonance Ionization Spectroscopy (RIS) system is now under development aiming at in-situ observation and analysis neutral particles emitted from fusion material surfaces under irradiation of charged particles and neutrons. The basic performance of the RIS system was checked through a preliminary experiment on Xe atom detection. (author)

  3. Surface Management System Departure Event Data Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monroe, Gilena A.

    2010-01-01

    This paper presents a data analysis of the Surface Management System (SMS) performance of departure events, including push-back and runway departure events.The paper focuses on the detection performance, or the ability to detect departure events, as well as the prediction performance of SMS. The results detail a modest overall detection performance of push-back events and a significantly high overall detection performance of runway departure events. The overall detection performance of SMS for push-back events is approximately 55%.The overall detection performance of SMS for runway departure events nears 100%. This paper also presents the overall SMS prediction performance for runway departure events as well as the timeliness of the Aircraft Situation Display for Industry data source for SMS predictions.

  4. Analysis of surface states in ZnO nanowire field effect transistors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shao, Ye; Yoon, Jongwon; Kim, Hyeongnam; Lee, Takhee; Lu, Wu

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • The electron transport in ZnO nanowire FETs is space charged limited below a trap temperature. • Metallic contacts to ZnO nanowires exhibit non-linear behavior with a Schottky barrier height of ∼0.35 eV. • The surface state density is in the range of 1.04 × 10 10 –1.24 × 10 10 /cm 2 . • The trap activation energy is ∼0.26 eV. - Abstract: Nanowires (NWs) have attracted considerable interests for scaled electronic and optoelectronic device applications. However, NW based semiconductor devices normally suffer from surface states due to the existence of dangling bonds or surface reconstruction. Because of their large surface-to-volume ratio, surface states in NWs can easily affect the metallic contacts to NWs and electron transport in NW. Here, we present ZnO NW surface analysis by performing current–voltage characterization on ZnO NW Schottky barrier field effect transistors with different metal contacts (Ti, Al, Au) at both room temperature and cryogenic temperature. Our results show that three metal contacts are all Schottky contacts to ZnO NWs due to surface states. Our further study reveals: (a) the surface states related Schottky barrier height (SBH) can be extracted from a back to back Schottky diodes model and the SBH values are in the range of 0.34–0.37 eV for three metal contacts; (b) the trap activation energy determined from the Arrhenius plots of different Schottky metal contacts is in the range of 0.23–0.29 eV, which is oxygen vacancies related; and (c) based on the space-charge-limited model, the surface state density of ZnO NW is in the range of 1.04 × 10 10 –1.24 × 10 10 /cm 2

  5. Response surface analysis to improve dispersed crude oil biodegradation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zahed, Mohammad A.; Aziz, Hamidi A.; Mohajeri, Leila [School of Civil Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Nibong Tebal, Penang (Malaysia); Isa, Mohamed H. [Civil Engineering Department, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Tronoh, Perak (Malaysia)

    2012-03-15

    In this research, the bioremediation of dispersed crude oil, based on the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus supplementation in the closed system, was optimized by the application of response surface methodology and central composite design. Correlation analysis of the mathematical-regression model demonstrated that a quadratic polynomial model could be used to optimize the hydrocarbon bioremediation (R{sup 2} = 0.9256). Statistical significance was checked by analysis of variance and residual analysis. Natural attenuation was removed by 22.1% of crude oil in 28 days. The highest removal on un-optimized condition of 68.1% were observed by using nitrogen of 20.00 mg/L and phosphorus of 2.00 mg/L in 28 days while optimization process exhibited a crude oil removal of 69.5% via nitrogen of 16.05 mg/L and phosphorus 1.34 mg/L in 27 days therefore optimization can improve biodegradation in shorter time with less nutrient consumption. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  6. Spreadsheet application to classify radioactive material for shipment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brown, A.N.

    1997-12-01

    A spreadsheet application has been developed at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory to aid the shipper when classifying nuclide mixtures of normal form, radioactive materials. The results generated by this spreadsheet are used to confirm the proper US Department of Transportation (DOT) classification when offering radioactive material packages for transport. The user must input to the spreadsheet the mass of the material being classified, the physical form (liquid or not), and the activity of each regulated nuclide. The spreadsheet uses these inputs to calculate two general values: (1) the specific activity of the material, and (2) a summation calculation of the nuclide content. The specific activity is used to determine if the material exceeds the DOT minimal threshold for a radioactive material (Yes or No). If the material is calculated to be radioactive, the specific activity is also used to determine if the material meets the activity requirement for one of the three Low Specific Activity designations (LSA-I, LSA-II, LSA-III, or Not LSA). Again, if the material is calculated to be radioactive, the summation calculation is then used to determine which activity category the material will meet (Limited Quantity, Type A, Type B, or Highway Route Controlled Quantity)

  7. Direct mass spectrometric screening of antibiotics from bacterial surfaces using liquid extraction surface analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kai, Marco; González, Ignacio; Genilloud, Olga; Singh, Sheo B; Svatoš, Aleš

    2012-10-30

    There is a need to find new antibiotic agents to fight resistant pathogenic bacteria. To search successfully for novel antibiotics from bacteria cultivated under diverse conditions, we need a fast and cost-effective screening method. A combination of Liquid Extraction Surface Analysis (LESA), automated chip-based nanoelectrospray ionization, and high-resolution mass or tandem mass spectrometry using an Orbitrap XL was tested as the screening platform. Actinobacteria, known to produce well-recognized thiazolyl peptide antibiotics, were cultivated on a plate of solid medium and the antibiotics were extracted by organic solvent mixtures from the surface of colonies grown on the plate and analyzed using mass spectrometry (MS). LESA combined with high-resolution MS is a powerful tool with which to extract and detect thiazolyl peptide antibiotics from different Actinobacteria. Known antibiotics were correctly detected with high mass accuracy (antibiotics in particular and natural products in general. The method described in this paper is suitable for (1) screening the natural products produced by bacterial colonies on cultivation plates within the first 2 min following extraction and (2) detecting antibiotics at high mass accuracy; the cost is around 2 Euro per sample. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  8. GHRSST Level 4 K10_SST Global 1 meter Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (GDS version 1)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) Level 4 sea surface temperature analysis produced daily on an operational basis at the Naval...

  9. GHRSST Level 4 ODYSSEA Eastern Central Pacific Regional Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (GDS version 1)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) Level 4 sea surface temperature analysis produced daily on an operational basis at Ifremer/CERSAT...

  10. GHRSST Level 4 ODYSSEA North-Western Europe Regional Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (GDS version 1)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) Level 4 sea surface temperature analysis produced daily on an operational basis at Ifremer/CERSAT...

  11. Induction of Boosted Immune Response in Mice by Leptospiral Surface Proteins Expressed in Fusion with DnaK

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina V. Atzingen

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Leptospirosis is an important global disease of human and veterinary concern. Caused by pathogenic Leptospira, the illness was recently classified as an emerging infectious disease. Currently available veterinarian vaccines do not induce long-term protection against infection and do not provide cross-protective immunity. Several studies have suggested the use of DnaK as an antigen in vaccine formulation, due to an exceptional degree of immunogenicity. We focused on four surface proteins: rLIC10368 (Lsa21, rLIC10494, rLIC12690 (Lp95, and rLIC12730, previously shown to be involved in host-pathogen interactions. Our goal was to evaluate the immunogenicity of the proteins genetically fused with DnaK in animal model. The chosen genes were amplified by PCR methodology and cloned into pAE, an E. coli vector. The recombinant proteins were expressed alone or in fusion with DnaK at the N-terminus. Our results demonstrate that leptospiral proteins fused with DnaK have elicited an enhanced immune response in mice when compared to the effect promoted by the individual proteins. The boosted immune effect was demonstrated by the production of total IgG, lymphocyte proliferation, and significant amounts of IL-10 in supernatant of splenocyte cell cultures. We believe that this approach could be employed in vaccines to enhance presentation of antigens of Leptospira to professional immune cells.

  12. Surface-Source Downhole Seismic Analysis in R

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, Eric M.

    2007-01-01

    This report discusses a method for interpreting a layered slowness or velocity model from surface-source downhole seismic data originally presented by Boore (2003). I have implemented this method in the statistical computing language R (R Development Core Team, 2007), so that it is freely and easily available to researchers and practitioners that may find it useful. I originally applied an early version of these routines to seismic cone penetration test data (SCPT) to analyze the horizontal variability of shear-wave velocity within the sediments in the San Francisco Bay area (Thompson et al., 2006). A more recent version of these codes was used to analyze the influence of interface-selection and model assumptions on velocity/slowness estimates and the resulting differences in site amplification (Boore and Thompson, 2007). The R environment has many benefits for scientific and statistical computation; I have chosen R to disseminate these routines because it is versatile enough to program specialized routines, is highly interactive which aids in the analysis of data, and is freely and conveniently available to install on a wide variety of computer platforms. These scripts are useful for the interpretation of layered velocity models from surface-source downhole seismic data such as deep boreholes and SCPT data. The inputs are the travel-time data and the offset of the source at the surface. The travel-time arrivals for the P- and S-waves must already be picked from the original data. An option in the inversion is to include estimates of the standard deviation of the travel-time picks for a weighted inversion of the velocity profile. The standard deviation of each travel-time pick is defined relative to the standard deviation of the best pick in a profile and is based on the accuracy with which the travel-time measurement could be determined from the seismogram. The analysis of the travel-time data consists of two parts: the identification of layer-interfaces, and the

  13. GHRSST Level 4 CMC0.1deg Global Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (GDS version 2)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) Level 4 sea surface temperature (SST) analysis produced daily on an operational basis at the Canadian...

  14. GHRSST Level 4 CMC0.2deg Global Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (GDS version 2)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) Level 4 sea surface temperature (SST) analysis produced daily on an operational basis at the Canadian...

  15. Surface analysis of uranyl fluoride layers with a glow discharge lamp

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nel, J.T.; Stander, C.M.; Boehmer, R.G.

    1991-01-01

    Surface analysis with a Grimm-type glow discharge lamp was used to analyse uranyl fluoride layers that had formed on a nickel substrate after exposure to UF 6 . Narrow-band optical filters were used to isolate the intensities of three fluorine emission lines. An in-depth profile of layer composition was obtained. (author)

  16. Coexisting Morphea and Bullous Lichen Sclerosus Et Atrophicus: A Case Report

    OpenAIRE

    Nurcan Metin; Mahizer Yaldız; Teoman Erdem; Şahin Erdem

    2015-01-01

    Morphea and lichen skleroatrofikans (LSA)are localized fibrosing diseases characterized by well-defined fibrotic plaques. Blisters rarely occur on morphea plaque, and these blisters are mostly considered as bullous morphea which is a rare type of morphea. The cases of bullous LSA growing on plaque morphea are rarer. In this case report, we presented a patient has bullous lesions compatible with of lichen skleroatrofikans clinically and histopathologically on morphea lesions, to draw attention...

  17. Textural Analysis of Fatique Crack Surfaces: Image Pre-processing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Lauschmann

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available For the fatique crack history reconstitution, new methods of quantitative microfractography are beeing developed based on the image processing and textural analysis. SEM magnifications between micro- and macrofractography are used. Two image pre-processing operatins were suggested and proved to prepare the crack surface images for analytical treatment: 1. Normalization is used to transform the image to a stationary form. Compared to the generally used equalization, it conserves the shape of brightness distribution and saves the character of the texture. 2. Binarization is used to transform the grayscale image to a system of thick fibres. An objective criterion for the threshold brightness value was found as that resulting into the maximum number of objects. Both methods were succesfully applied together with the following textural analysis.

  18. Elasto-dynamic analysis of spinning nanodisks via a surface energy-based model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiani, Keivan

    2016-07-01

    Using the surface elasticity theory of Gurtin and Murdoch, in-plane vibrations of annular nanodisks due to their rotary motion are explored. By the imposition of non-classical boundary conditions on the innermost and outermost surfaces and employing Hamilton’s principle, the unknown elasto-dynamic fields of the bulk zone are determined via the finite element method. The roles of both nanodisk geometry and surface effect on the natural frequencies are addressed. Subsequently, forced vibrations of spinning nanodisks with fixed-free and free-free boundary conditions are comprehensively examined. The obtained results show that the maximum dynamic elastic fields grow in a parabolic manner as the steady angular velocity increases. By increasing the outermost radius, the maximum dynamic elastic field is magnified and the influence of the surface effect on the results reduced. This work can be considered as a pivotal step towards optimal design and dynamic analysis of nanorotors with disk-like parts, which are one of the basic building blocks of the upcoming advanced nanotechnologies.

  19. Clinical analysis of pharyngeal musculature and genioglossus exercising to treat obstructive sleep apnea and hypopnea syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Shi-xiong; Qing, Jing; Wang, Yao-wen; Chai, Liang; Zhang, Wei-min; Ye, Xian-wang; Zhang, Jie; Huang, Yi-qin; Cheng, Peng

    2015-11-01

    To evaluate the effect of pharyngeal musculature and genioglossus exercising on obstructive sleep apnea and hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). We conducted a non-randomized retrospective clinical trial of 75 patients with OSAHS. Fifty-four patients were managed by exercising of the pharyngeal musculature and genioglossus (exercising group). Twenty-one patients, who refused to undertake any treatment, were defined as the control group. We took the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), checked patients' polysomnography, and took 320-detector computed tomography (CT) before treatment. Six and twelve months later, we made records of apnea hypopnea index (AHI), lowest arterial oxygen saturation (LSaO2), body mass index (BMI), the shortest sagittal diameter, and transverse diameter, and the effective rates of exercising were calculated and compared with the 21 patients without any treatment (control group) at the same time. SPSS 10.0 was used to analyze the data. Before treatment, the ESS value was 7.67; 6 and 12 months later, the values were 3.54 and 3.25, respectively in the exercising group. AHI was decreased to 15.36 after 6 months and 13.79 after 12 months from 22.84 at the beginning. LSaO2 values were up to 81.18% after 6 months and 81.93% after 12 months from 74.05% at the beginning. There were significant differences in ESS scores, AHI, and LSaO2 between pre-treatment and post-treatment in the exercising group (Pexercising. The effective rates were 70.37% and 74.07% after 6- and 12-month exercising, respectively. There were significant differences between the exercising and control groups (Pexercising group between 6 and 12 months of exercising (P>0.05). At 12 months of exercising, the compliance of the anteroposterior pharyngeal wall of the retropalatal area was lower (PExercising pharyngeal musculature and genioglossus is a kind of non-invasive and cost-effective method to treat some OSAHS patients, especially those who are old, without surgical complications, and especially

  20. Clinical analysis of pharyngeal musculature and genioglossus exercising to treat obstructive sleep apnea and hypopnea syndrome*#

    Science.gov (United States)

    TANG, Shi-xiong; QING, Jing; WANG, Yao-wen; CHAI, Liang; ZHANG, Wei-min; Ye, Xian-wang; Zhang, Jie; Huang, Yi-qin; Cheng, Peng

    2015-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the effect of pharyngeal musculature and genioglossus exercising on obstructive sleep apnea and hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). Methods: We conducted a non-randomized retrospective clinical trial of 75 patients with OSAHS. Fifty-four patients were managed by exercising of the pharyngeal musculature and genioglossus (exercising group). Twenty-one patients, who refused to undertake any treatment, were defined as the control group. We took the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), checked patients’ polysomnography, and took 320 detector computed tomography (CT) before treatment. Six and twelve months later, we made records of apnea hypopnea index (AHI), lowest arterial oxygen saturation (LSaO2), body mass index (BMI), the shortest sagittal diameter, and transverse diameter, and the effective rates of exercising were calculated and compared with the 21 patients without any treatment (control group) at the same time. SPSS 10.0 was used to analyze the data. Results: Before treatment, the ESS value was 7.67; 6 and 12 months later, the values were 3.54 and 3.25, respectively in the exercising group. AHI was decreased to 15.36 after 6 months and 13.79 after 12 months from 22.84 at the beginning. LSaO2 values were up to 81.18% after 6 months and 81.93% after 12 months from 74.05% at the beginning. There were significant differences in ESS scores, AHI, and LSaO2 between pre-treatment and post-treatment in the exercising group (Pexercising. The effective rates were 70.37% and 74.07% after 6- and 12-month exercising, respectively. There were significant differences between the exercising and control groups (Pexercising group between 6 and 12 months of exercising (P>0.05). At 12 months of exercising, the compliance of the anteroposterior pharyngeal wall of the retropalatal area was lower (PExercising pharyngeal musculature and genioglossus is a kind of non-invasive and cost-effective method to treat some OSAHS patients, especially those who are old, without

  1. Local thermal property analysis by scanning thermal microscopy of an ultrafine-grained copper surface layer produced by surface mechanical attrition treatment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guo, F.A. [Suzhou Institute for Nonferrous Metals Processing Technology, No. 200 Shenxu Road, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou 215021 (China) and Unite de Thermique et d' Analyse Physique, Laboratoire d' Energetique et d' Optique, Universite de Reims, BP 1039, 51687 Reims Cedex 2 (France)]. E-mail: guofuan@yahoo.com; JI, Y.L. [Suzhou Institute for Nonferrous Metals Processing Technology, No. 200 Shenxu Road, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou 215021 (China); Trannoy, N. [Unite de Thermique et d' Analyse Physique, Laboratoire d' Energetique et d' Optique, Universite de Reims, BP 1039, 51687 Reims Cedex 2 (France); Lu, J. [LASMIS, Universite de Technologie de Troyes, 12 Rue Marie Curie, Troyes 10010 (France)

    2006-06-15

    Scanning thermal microscopy (SThM) was used to map thermal conductivity images in an ultrafine-grained copper surface layer produced by surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT). It is found that the deformed surface layer shows different thermal conductivities that strongly depend on the grain size of the microstructure: the thermal conductivity of the nanostructured surface layer decreases obviously when compared with that of the coarse-grained matrix of the sample. The role of the grain boundaries in thermal conduction is analyzed in correlation with the heat conduction mechanism in pure metal. A theoretical approach, based on this investigation, was used to calculate the heat flow from the probe tip to the sample and then estimate the thermal conductivities at different scanning positions. Experimental results and theoretical calculation demonstrate that SThM can be used as a tool for the thermal property and microstructural analysis of ultrafine-grained microstructures.

  2. Global Surface Warming Hiatus Analysis Data

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — These data were used to conduct the study of the global surface warming hiatus, an apparent decrease in the upward trend of global surface temperatures since 1998....

  3. An Integrated Transcriptome-Wide Analysis of Cave and Surface Dwelling Astyanax mexicanus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gross, Joshua B.; Furterer, Allison; Carlson, Brian M.; Stahl, Bethany A.

    2013-01-01

    Numerous organisms around the globe have successfully adapted to subterranean environments. A powerful system in which to study cave adaptation is the freshwater characin fish, Astyanax mexicanus. Prior studies in this system have established a genetic basis for the evolution of numerous regressive traits, most notably vision and pigmentation reduction. However, identification of the precise genetic alterations that underlie these morphological changes has been delayed by limited genetic and genomic resources. To address this, we performed a transcriptome analysis of cave and surface dwelling Astyanax morphs using Roche/454 pyrosequencing technology. Through this approach, we obtained 576,197 Pachón cavefish-specific reads and 438,978 surface fish-specific reads. Using this dataset, we assembled transcriptomes of cave and surface fish separately, as well as an integrated transcriptome that combined 1,499,568 reads from both morphotypes. The integrated assembly was the most successful approach, yielding 22,596 high quality contiguous sequences comprising a total transcriptome length of 21,363,556 bp. Sequence identities were obtained through exhaustive blast searches, revealing an adult transcriptome represented by highly diverse Gene Ontology (GO) terms. Our dataset facilitated rapid identification of sequence polymorphisms between morphotypes. These data, along with positional information collected from the Danio rerio genome, revealed several syntenic regions between Astyanax and Danio. We demonstrated the utility of this positional information through a QTL analysis of albinism in a surface x Pachón cave F2 pedigree, using 65 polymorphic markers identified from our integrated assembly. We also adapted our dataset for an RNA-seq study, revealing many genes responsible for visual system maintenance in surface fish, whose expression was not detected in adult Pachón cavefish. Conversely, several metabolism-related genes expressed in cavefish were not detected in

  4. Surface accuracy analysis and mathematical modeling of deployable large aperture elastic antenna reflectors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coleman, Michael J.

    One class of deployable large aperture antenna consists of thin light-weight parabolic reflectors. A reflector of this type is a deployable structure that consists of an inflatable elastic membrane that is supported about its perimeter by a set of elastic tendons and is subjected to a constant hydrostatic pressure. A design may not hold the parabolic shape to within a desired tolerance due to an elastic deformation of the surface, particularly near the rim. We can compute the equilibrium configuration of the reflector system using an optimization-based solution procedure that calculates the total system energy and determines a configuration of minimum energy. Analysis of the equilibrium configuration reveals the behavior of the reflector shape under various loading conditions. The pressure, film strain energy, tendon strain energy, and gravitational energy are all considered in this analysis. The surface accuracy of the antenna reflector is measured by an RMS calculation while the reflector phase error component of the efficiency is determined by computing the power density at boresight. Our error computation methods are tailored for the faceted surface of our model and they are more accurate for this particular problem than the commonly applied Ruze Equation. Previous analytical work on parabolic antennas focused on axisymmetric geometries and loads. Symmetric equilibria are not assumed in our analysis. In addition, this dissertation contains two principle original findings: (1) the typical supporting tendon system tends to flatten a parabolic reflector near its edge. We find that surface accuracy can be significantly improved by fixing the edge of the inflated reflector to a rigid structure; (2) for large membranes assembled from flat sheets of thin material, we demonstrate that the surface accuracy of the resulting inflated membrane reflector can be improved by altering the cutting pattern of the flat components. Our findings demonstrate that the proper choice

  5. Analysis of WEDM Process Parameters on Surface Roughness and Kerf using Taguchi Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asfana Banu

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available In obtaining the best quality of engineering parts, the quality of machined surface plays an essential role. The fatigue strength, wear resistance, and corrosion of workpiece are some of the aspects of the qualities that can be improved. This paper investigates the effect of wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM process parameters on surface roughness and kerf on stainless steel using distilled water as dielectric fluid and brass wire as tool electrode. The selected process parameters are voltage open, wire speed, wire tension, voltage gap, and off time. Empirical models using Taguchi method were developed for the estimation of surface roughness and kerf. The analysis revealed that off time has major influence on surface roughness and kerf. The optimum machining parameters for minimum surface roughness and kerf were found to be 10 V open voltage, 2.84 µs off time, 12 m/min wire speed, 6.3 N wire tension, and 54.91 V voltage gap.

  6. Infrared surface analysis using a newly developed thin-sample preparation system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagai, Naoto; Nishiyama, Itsuo; Kishima, Yoshio; Iida, Katsuhiko; Mori, Koichi

    2009-01-01

    We developed a new sampling system, the Nano Catcher, for measuring the surface chemical structure of polymers or industrial products and we evaluated the performance of the system. The system can directly pick up surface species whose depth is on the order of approximately 100 nm and can easily provide a sample for a Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) system without the necessity of passing it over to a measurement plate. The FT-IR reflection data obtained from the Nano Catcher were compared with those obtained using the attenuated total reflection (ATR) method and sampling by hand. Chemical structural analysis of a depth region from a few tens of nanometers to a few hundred nanometers can be directly performed using this system. Such depths are beyond the scope of conventional X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ATR methods. We can expect the use of the Nano Catcher system to lead to a great improvement in the detection of signals of surface species in these depth regions.

  7. Bacteria hold their breath upon surface contact as shown in a strain of Escherichia coli, using dispersed surfaces and flow cytometry analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jing Geng

    Full Text Available Bacteria are ubiquitously distributed throughout our planet, mainly in the form of adherent communities in which cells exhibit specific traits. The mechanisms underpinning the physiological shift in surface-attached bacteria are complex, multifactorial and still partially unclear. Here we address the question of the existence of early surface sensing through implementation of a functional response to initial surface contact. For this purpose, we developed a new experimental approach enabling simultaneous monitoring of free-floating, aggregated and adherent cells via the use of dispersed surfaces as adhesive substrates and flow cytometry analysis. With this system, we analyzed, in parallel, the constitutively expressed GFP content of the cells and production of a respiration probe--a fluorescent reduced tetrazolium ion. In an Escherichia coli strain constitutively expressing curli, a major E. coli adhesin, we found that single cell surface contact induced a decrease in the cell respiration level compared to free-floating single cells present in the same sample. Moreover, we show here that cell surface contact with an artificial surface and with another cell caused reduction in respiration. We confirm the existence of a bacterial cell "sense of touch" ensuring early signalling of surface contact formation through respiration down modulation.

  8. Determination of the appropriate use of pavement surface history in the KDOT life-cycle analysis process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-09-01

    The primary objective of this study was to evaluate KDOTs pavement surfacing history and recommend : whether or not the departments life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) procedure should include a surfacing history : component, and, if so, how the LC...

  9. Infinitesimal-area 2D radiative analysis using parametric surface representation, through NURBS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Daun, K J; Hollands, K G.T.

    1999-07-01

    The use of form factors in the treatment of radiant enclosures requires that the radiosity and surface properties be treated as uniform over finite areas. This restriction can be relaxed by applying an infinitesimal-area analysis, where the radiant exchange is taken to be between infinitesimal areas, rather than finite areas. This paper presents a generic infinitesimal-area formulation that can be applied to two-dimensional enclosure problems. (Previous infinitesimal-area analyses have largely been restricted to specific, one-dimensional problems.) Specifically, the paper shows how the analytical expression for the kernel of the integral equation can be obtained without human intervention, once the enclosure surface has been defined parametrically. This can be accomplished by using a computer algebra package or by using NURBS algorithms, which are the industry standard for the geometrical representations used in CAD-CAM codes. Once the kernel has been obtained by this formalism, the 2D integral equation can be set up and solved numerically. The result is a single general-purpose infinitesimal-area analysis code that can proceed from surface specification to solution. The authors have implemented this 2D code and tested it on 1D problems, whose solutions have been given in the literature, obtaining agreement commensurate with the accuracy of the published solutions.

  10. Identification of soil erosion land surfaces by Landsat data analysis and processing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lo Curzio, S.

    2009-01-01

    In this paper, we outline the typical relationship between the spectral reflectance of aileron's on newly-formed land surfaces and the geo morphological features of the land surfaces at issue. These latter represent the products of superficial erosional processes due to the action of the gravity and/or water; thus, such land surfaces are highly representative of the strong soil degradation occurring in a wide area located on the boundary between Molise and Puglia regions (Southern Italy). The results of this study have been reported on thematic maps; on such maps, the detected erosional land surfaces have been mapped on the basis of their typical spectral signature. The study has been performed using Landsat satellite imagery data which have been then validated by means of field survey data. The satellite data have been processed using remote sensing techniques, such as: false colour composite, contrast stretching, principal component analysis and decorrelation stretching. The study has permitted to produce, in a relatively short time and at low expense, a map of the eroded land surfaces. Such a result represents a first and fundamental step in evaluating and monitoring the erosional processes in the study area [it

  11. Multifractural analysis of AFM images of Nb thin film surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Altajskij, M.V; Chernenko, L.P.; Balebanov, V.M.; Erokhin, N.S.; Moiseev, S.S.

    2000-01-01

    The multifractal analysis of the atomic Force Microscope (AFM) images of the Niobium (Nb) thin film surfaces has been performed. These Nb films are being used for the measurements of the London penetration depth of stationary magnetic field by polarized neutron reflectometry. The analysis shows the behavior of Renyi dimensions of images (in the range of available scales 6-2000 nm), like the known multifractal p-model, with typical Hausdorff dimension of prevalent color in the range of 1.6-1.9. This indicates the fractal nature of film landscape on those scales. The perspective of new mechanism of order parameter suppression on superconductor-vacuum boundary, manifested in anomalous magnetic field penetration in discussed

  12. Modelling and analysis of tool wear and surface roughness in hard turning of AISI D2 steel using response surface methodology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Junaid Mir

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The present work deals with some machinability studies on tool wear and surface roughness, in finish hard turning of AISI D2 steel using PCBN, Mixed ceramic and coated carbide inserts. The machining experiments are conducted based on the response surface methodology (RSM. Combined effects of three cutting parameters viz., cutting speed, cutting time and tool hardness on the two performance outputs (i.e. VB and Ra, are explored employing the analysis of variance (ANOVA.The relationship(s between input variables and the response parameters are determined using a quadratic regression model. The results show that the tool wear was influenced principally by the cutting time and in the second level by the cutting tool hardness. On the other hand, cutting time was the dominant factor affecting workpiece surface roughness followed by cutting speed. Finally, the multiple response optimizations of tool wear and surface roughness were carried out using the desirability function approach (DFA.

  13. Energy and angle resolved ion scattering spectroscopy: new possibilities for surface analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hellings, G.J.A.

    1986-01-01

    In this thesis the design and development of a novel, very sensitive and high-resolving spectrometer for surface analysis is described. This spectrometer is designed for Energy and Angle Resolved Ion Scattering Spectroscopy (EARISS). There are only a few techniques that are sensitive enough to study the outermost atomic layer of surfaces. One of these techniques, Low-Energy Ion Scattering (LEIS), is discussed in chapter 2. Since LEIS is destructive, it is important to make a very efficient use of the scattered ions. This makes it attractive to simultaneously carry out energy and angle dependent measurements (EARISS). (Auth.)

  14. Gridded Surface Subsurface Hydrologic Analysis (GSSHA) User's Manual; Version 1.43 for Watershed Modeling System 6.1

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Downer, Charles W; Ogden, Fred L

    2006-01-01

    The need to simulate surface water flows in watersheds with diverse runoff production mechanisms has led to the development of the physically-based hydrologic model Gridded Surface Subsurface Hydrologic Analysis (GSSHA...

  15. Surface Roughness Analysis in the Hard Milling of JIS SKD61 Alloy Steel

    OpenAIRE

    Huu-That Nguyen; Quang-Cherng Hsu

    2016-01-01

    Hard machining is an efficient solution that can be used to replace the grinding operation in the mold and die manufacturing industry. In this study, an attempt is made to analyze the effect of process parameters on workpiece surface roughness (Ra) in the hard milling of JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) SKD61 steel, based on a combination of the Taguchi method and response surface methodology (RSM). The cutting parameters are selected based on the structural dynamic analysis of the machine ...

  16. Orientation-free and differentially pumped addition of a low-flux reactive gas beam to a surface analysis system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harthcock, Colin; Jahanbekam, Abdolreza; Eskelsen, Jeremy R; Lee, David Y

    2016-11-01

    We describe an example of a piecewise gas chamber that can be customized to incorporate a low flux of gas-phase radicals with an existing surface analysis chamber for in situ and stepwise gas-surface interaction experiments without any constraint in orientation. The piecewise nature of this gas chamber provides complete angular freedom and easy alignment and does not require any modification of the existing surface analysis chamber. In addition, the entire gas-surface system is readily differentially pumped with the surface chamber kept under ultra-high-vacuum during the gas-surface measurements. This new design also allows not only straightforward reconstruction to accommodate the orientation of different surface chambers but also for the addition of other desired features, such as an additional pump to the current configuration. Stepwise interaction between atomic oxygen and a highly ordered pyrolytic graphite surface was chosen to test the effectiveness of this design, and the site-dependent O-atom chemisorption and clustering on the graphite surface were resolved by a scanning tunneling microscope in the nm-scale. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to further confirm the identity of the chemisorbed species on the graphite surface as oxygen.

  17. Multiscale analysis of replication technique efficiency for 3D roughness characterization of manufactured surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jolivet, S.; Mezghani, S.; El Mansori, M.

    2016-09-01

    The replication of topography has been generally restricted to optimizing material processing technologies in terms of statistical and single-scale features such as roughness. By contrast, manufactured surface topography is highly complex, irregular, and multiscale. In this work, we have demonstrated the use of multiscale analysis on replicates of surface finish to assess the precise control of the finished replica. Five commercial resins used for surface replication were compared. The topography of five standard surfaces representative of common finishing processes were acquired both directly and by a replication technique. Then, they were characterized using the ISO 25178 standard and multiscale decomposition based on a continuous wavelet transform, to compare the roughness transfer quality at different scales. Additionally, atomic force microscope force modulation mode was used in order to compare the resins’ stiffness properties. The results showed that less stiff resins are able to replicate the surface finish along a larger wavelength band. The method was then tested for non-destructive quality control of automotive gear tooth surfaces.

  18. Intentional left subclavian artery coverage during thoracic endovascular aortic repair for traumatic aortic injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McBride, Cameron L; Dubose, Joseph J; Miller, Charles C; Perlick, Alexa P; Charlton-Ouw, Kristofer M; Estrera, Anthony L; Safi, Hazim J; Azizzadeh, Ali

    2015-01-01

    Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is widely used for treatment of traumatic aortic injury (TAI). Stent graft coverage of the left subclavian artery (LSA) may be required in up to 40% of patients. We evaluated the long-term effects of intentional LSA coverage (LSAC) on symptoms and return to normal activity in TAI patients compared with a similarly treated group whose LSA was uncovered (LSAU). Patients were identified from a prospective institutional trauma registry between September 2005 and July 2012. TAI was confirmed using computed tomography angiography. The electronic medical records, angiograms, and computed tomography angiograms were reviewed in a retrospective fashion. In-person or telephone interviews were conducted using the SF-12v2 (Quality Metrics, Lincoln, RI) to assess quality of life. An additional questionnaire was used to assess specific LSA symptoms and the ability to return to normal activities. Data were analyzed by Spearman rank correlation and multiple linear and logistic regression analysis with appropriate transformations using SAS software (SAS Institute, Cary, NC). During the study period, 82 patients (57 men; mean age 40.5 ± 20 years, mean Injury Severity Score, 34 ± 10.0) underwent TEVAR for treatment of TAI. Among them, LSAC was used in 32 (39.5%) and LSAU in 50. A group of the LSAU patients (n = 22) served as matched controls in the analysis. We found no statistically significant difference in SF-12v2 physical health scores (ρ = -0.08; P = .62) between LSAC and LSAU patients. LSAC patients had slightly better mental health scores (ρ = 0.62; P = .037) than LSAU patients. LSAC patients did not have an increased likelihood of experiencing pain (ρ = -0.0056; P = .97), numbness (ρ = -0.12; P = .45), paresthesia (ρ = -0.11; P = .48), fatigue (ρ = -0.066; P = .69), or cramping (ρ = -0.12; P = .45). We found no difference between groups in the ability to return to activities. The mean follow-up time was 3.35 years. Six LSAC

  19. ROUGHNESS ANALYSIS OF VARIOUSLY POLISHED NIOBIUM SURFACES

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ribeill, G.; Reece, C.

    2008-01-01

    Niobium superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities have gained widespread use in accelerator systems. It has been shown that surface roughness is a determining factor in the cavities’ effi ciency and maximum accelerating potential achievable through this technology. Irregularities in the surface can lead to spot heating, undesirable local electrical fi eld enhancement and electron multipacting. Surface quality is typically ensured through the use of acid etching in a Buffered Chemical Polish (BCP) bath and electropolishing (EP). In this study, the effects of these techniques on surface morphology have been investigated in depth. The surface of niobium samples polished using different combinations of these techniques has been characterized through atomic force microscopy (AFM) and stylus profi lometry across a range of length scales. The surface morphology was analyzed using spectral techniques to determine roughness and characteristic dimensions. Experimentation has shown that this method is a valuable tool that provides quantitative information about surface roughness at different length scales. It has demonstrated that light BCP pretreatment and lower electrolyte temperature favors a smoother electropolish. These results will allow for the design of a superior polishing process for niobium SRF cavities and therefore increased accelerator operating effi ciency and power.

  20. Determination of elastic mechanical characteristics of surface coatings from analysis of signals obtained by impulse excitation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nyaguly, E.; Craştiu, I.; Deac, S.; Gozman-Pop, C.; Drăgănescu, G.; Bereteu, L.

    2018-01-01

    Most of the surface coatings are based on the synthetic polymers, which are substances composed from very large molecules that form tough, flexible, adhesive films when applied to surfaces. The other components of surface coverings materials are pigments that provide colour, opacity, gloss and other properties. Surface coatings are two-phase composite materials: constitute a polymer matrix on the one side, and on the other side of the pigments and additives dispersed in the matrix. Their role is not only aesthetically but also to ensure anticorrosive protection or even improve some mechanical properties of coated surfaces. In this paper it will follow, starting from the mechanical properties of the substrate, the metallic sheet in general, to determine the new properties of the assembly of substrate and the two coating layers, also the determination of mechanical properties of the layers. From the analysis of vibroacoustic signals obtained by the impulse excitation of the sample, one can determine the elasticity modulus. These results come to validate the results based on finite element analysis (FEA) of the same samples.

  1. Analysis of fracture surface of CFRP material by three-dimensional reconstruction methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lobo, Raquel M.; Andrade, Arnaldo H.P.

    2009-01-01

    Fracture surfaces of CFRP (carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer) materials, used in the nuclear fuel cycle, presents an elevated roughness, mainly due to the fracture mode known as pulling out, that displays pieces of carbon fibers after debonding between fiber and matrix. The fractographic analysis, by bi-dimensional images is deficient for not considering the so important vertical resolution as much as the horizontal resolution. In this case, the knowledge of this heights distribution that occurs during the breaking, can lead to the calculation of the involved energies in the process that would allows a better agreement on the fracture mechanisms of the composite material. An important solution for the material characterization, whose surface presents a high roughness due to the variation in height, is to reconstruct three-dimensionally these fracture surfaces. In this work, the 3D reconstruction was done by two different methods: the variable focus reconstruction, through a stack of images obtained by optical microscopy (OM) and the parallax reconstruction, carried through with images acquired by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results of both methods present an elevation map of the reconstructed image that determine the height of the surface pixel by pixel,. The results obtained by the methods of reconstruction for the CFRP surfaces, have been compared with others materials such as aluminum and copper that present a ductile type fracture surface, with lower roughness. (author)

  2. Root surface area measurement of permanent dentition in Indian population – CBCT analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kanika Lakhani

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The area of the root surface of human teeth has been investigated extensively in the dental literature. All previous attempts mainly rely on the use of physical methods to calculate surface area on extracted teeth or use virtual 3D Models for the same. The aim is to develop an algorithm using MATLAB software that estimates the dimensions of 3-D image produced with the help of CBCT so that the same can be utilized to calculate the root surface area of teeth among Indian population. Present research utilizes CBCT images of samples of extracted teeth mounted on a customized jpg. A descriptive chart for statistical analysis has been prepared to obtain average root surface area of each tooth type. The currently developed algorithm has been successfully applied to the CBCT images of complete sample of teeth to obtain their root surface area. The algorithm developed to calculate root surface area of the teeth holds wide spread application in the field of dentistry pursuing its high expediency in even various specializations of dentistry including orthodontics, prosthodontics, periodontology and implantalogy. It is concluded that it has now become a reality to accurately determine the surface area of the root of human teeth without extracting them using the CBCT radiographs of the patients.

  3. Surface correlation function analysis of high resolution scattering data from mirrored surfaces obtained using a triple-axis X-ray diffractometer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Finn Erland; Hornstrup, Allan; Schnopper, H. W.

    1988-01-01

    methods is that they are bandwidth-limited. A crucial point in the analysis of data is, therefore, to specify accurately the wavelength bandwidth limitation and to determine the surface autocorrelation function within this bandwidth. The authors present a number of scattering measurements obtained using...... a triple-axis perfect-crystal X-ray diffractometer and the results of an autocorrelation function analysis. Furthermore, they present some measurements of integrated reflectivity, which they believe provide evidence for microroughness in the range from a few angstroms to tens of microns...

  4. GHRSST Level 4 REMO_OI_SST_5km Regional Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (GDS version 2)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) Level 4 sea surface temperature (SST) analysis produced daily on an operational basis by the...

  5. Axisymmetric Drop Shape Analysis for Estimating the Surface Tension of Cell Aggregates by Centrifugation

    OpenAIRE

    Kalantarian, Ali; Ninomiya, Hiromasa; Saad, Sameh M.I.; David, Robert; Winklbauer, Rudolf; Neumann, A. Wilhelm

    2009-01-01

    Biological tissues behave in certain respects like liquids. Consequently, the surface tension concept can be used to explain aspects of the in vitro and in vivo behavior of multicellular aggregates. Unfortunately, conventional methods of surface tension measurement cannot be readily applied to small cell aggregates. This difficulty can be overcome by an experimentally straightforward method consisting of centrifugation followed by axisymmetric drop shape analysis (ADSA). Since the aggregates ...

  6. Mitigating the surface urban heat island: Mechanism study and sensitivity analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meng, Chunlei

    2017-08-01

    In a surface urban heat island (SUHI), the urban land surface temperature (LST) is usually higher than the temperature of the surrounding rural areas due to human activities and surface characteristics. Because a SUHI has many adverse impacts on urban environment and human health, SUHI mitigation strategies are very important. This paper investigates the mechanism of a SUHI based on the basic physical laws that control the formation of a SUHI; five mitigation strategies are proposed, namely: sprinkling and watering; paving a pervious surface; reducing the anthropogenic heat (AH) release; using a "white roof"; increasing the fractional vegetation cover or leaf area index (LAI). To quantify the effect of these mitigation strategies, 26 sets of experiments are designed and implemented by running the integrated urban land model (IUM). The results of the sensitivity analysis indicate that sprinkling and watering is an effective measure for mitigating a SUHI for an entire day. Decreasing the AH release is also useful for both night- and daytime SUHI mitigation; however, the cooling extent is proportional to the diurnal cycle of AH. Increasing the albedo can reduce the LST in the daytime, especially when the solar radiation is significant; the cooling extent is approximately proportional to the diurnal cycle of the net radiation. Increasing the pervious surface percentage can mitigate the SUHI especially in the daytime. Increasing the fractional vegetation cover can mitigate the SUHI in the daytime but may aggravate the SUHI at night.

  7. Middle and Later Stone Age chronology of Kisese II rockshelter (UNESCO World Heritage Kondoa Rock-Art Sites), Tanzania.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tryon, Christian A; Lewis, Jason E; Ranhorn, Kathryn L; Kwekason, Amandus; Alex, Bridget; Laird, Myra F; Marean, Curtis W; Niespolo, Elizabeth; Nivens, Joelle; Mabulla, Audax Z P

    2018-01-01

    The archaeology of East Africa during the last ~65,000 years plays a central role in debates about the origins and dispersal of modern humans, Homo sapiens. Despite the historical importance of the region to these discussions, reliable chronologies for the nature, tempo, and timing of human behavioral changes seen among Middle Stone Age (MSA) and Later Stone Age (LSA) archaeological assemblages are sparse. The Kisese II rockshelter in the Kondoa region of Tanzania, originally excavated in 1956, preserves a ≥ 6-m-thick archaeological succession that spans the MSA/LSA transition, with lithic artifacts such as Levallois and bladelet cores and backed microliths, the recurrent use of red ochre, and >5,000 ostrich eggshell beads and bead fragments. Twenty-nine radiocarbon dates on ostrich eggshell carbonate make Kisese II one of the most robust chronological sequences for understanding archaeological change over the last ~47,000 years in East Africa. In particular, ostrich eggshell beads and backed microliths appear by 46-42 ka cal BP and occur throughout overlying Late Pleistocene and Holocene strata. Changes in lithic technology suggest an MSA/LSA transition that began 39-34.3 ka, with typical LSA technologies in place by the Last Glacial Maximum. The timing of these changes demonstrates the time-transgressive nature of behavioral innovations often linked to the origins of modern humans, even within a single region of Africa.

  8. Spread-sheet application to classify radioactive material for shipment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brown, A.N.

    1998-01-01

    A spread-sheet application has been developed at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory to aid the shipper when classifying nuclide mixtures of normal form, radioactive materials. The results generated by this spread-sheet are used to confirm the proper US DOT classification when offering radioactive material packages for transport. The user must input to the spread-sheet the mass of the material being classified, the physical form (liquid or not) and the activity of each regulated nuclide. The spread-sheet uses these inputs to calculate two general values: 1)the specific activity of the material and a summation calculation of the nuclide content. The specific activity is used to determine if the material exceeds the DOT minimal threshold for a radioactive material. If the material is calculated to be radioactive, the specific activity is also used to determine if the material meets the activity requirement for one of the three low specific activity designations (LSA-I, LSA-II, LSA-III, or not LSA). Again, if the material is calculated to be radioactive, the summation calculation is then used to determine which activity category the material will meet (Limited Quantity, Type A, Type B, or Highway Route Controlled Quantity). This spread-sheet has proven to be an invaluable aid for shippers of radioactive materials at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. (authors)

  9. Neural correlates of anticipation and processing of performance feedback in social anxiety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heitmann, Carina Y; Peterburs, Jutta; Mothes-Lasch, Martin; Hallfarth, Marlit C; Böhme, Stephanie; Miltner, Wolfgang H R; Straube, Thomas

    2014-12-01

    Fear of negative evaluation, such as negative social performance feedback, is the core symptom of social anxiety. The present study investigated the neural correlates of anticipation and perception of social performance feedback in social anxiety. High (HSA) and low (LSA) socially anxious individuals were asked to give a speech on a personally relevant topic and received standardized but appropriate expert performance feedback in a succeeding experimental session in which neural activity was measured during anticipation and presentation of negative and positive performance feedback concerning the speech performance, or a neutral feedback-unrelated control condition. HSA compared to LSA subjects reported greater anxiety during anticipation of negative feedback. Functional magnetic resonance imaging results showed deactivation of medial prefrontal brain areas during anticipation of negative feedback relative to the control and the positive condition, and medial prefrontal and insular hyperactivation during presentation of negative as well as positive feedback in HSA compared to LSA subjects. The results indicate distinct processes underlying feedback processing during anticipation and presentation of feedback in HSA as compared to LSA individuals. In line with the role of the medial prefrontal cortex in self-referential information processing and the insula in interoception, social anxiety seems to be associated with lower self-monitoring during feedback anticipation, and an increased self-focus and interoception during feedback presentation, regardless of feedback valence. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Analysis and 3D inspection system of drill holes in aeronautical surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rubio, R.; Granero, L.; Sanz, M.; García, J.; Micó, V.

    2017-06-01

    In aerospace industry, the structure of the aircraft is assembled using small parts or a combination of them that are made with different materials, such as for instance aluminium, titanium, composites or even 3D printed parts. The union between these small parts is a critical point for the integrity of the aircraft. The quality of this union will decide the fatigue of adjacent components and therefore the useful life of them. For the union process the most extended method is the rivets, mainly because their low cost and easy manufacturing. For this purpose it is necessary to made drill holes in the aeronautical surface to insert the rivets. In this contribution, we present the preliminary results of a 3D inspection system [1] for drill holes analysis in aeronautical surfaces. The system, based in optical triangulation, was developed by the Group of Optoelectronic Image Processing from the University of Valencia in the framework of the Airbus Defence and Space (AD&S), MINERVA project (Manufacturing industrial - means emerging from validated automation). The capabilities of the system permits to generate a point cloud with 3D information and GD&T (geometrical dimensions and tolerances) characteristics of the drill hole. For the inner surface defects detection, the system can generate an inner image of the drill hole with a scaled axis to obtain the defect position. In addition, we present the analysis performed for the drills in the wing station of the A-400 M. In this analysis the system was tested for diameters in the range of [10 - 15.96] mm, and for Carbon Fibre.

  11. Detailed analysis of surface asperity deformation mechanism in diffusion bonding of steel hollow structural components

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, C. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072 (China); Laboratoire de Mecanique des Contacts et des Structures (LaMCoS), INSA Lyon, 20 Avenue des Sciences, F-69621 Villeurbanne Cedex (France); Li, H. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072 (China); Li, M.Q., E-mail: zc9997242256@126.com [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072 (China)

    2016-05-15

    Graphical abstract: This study focused on the detailed analysis of surface asperity deformation mechanism in diffusion bonding of steel hollow structural component. A special surface with regular patterns was processed to be joined so as to observe the extent of surface asperity deformation under different applied bonding pressures. Fracture surface characteristic combined with surface roughness profiles distinctly revealed the enhanced surface asperity deformation as the applied pressure increases. The influence of surface asperity deformation mechanism on joint formation was analyzed: (a) surface asperity deformation not only directly expanded the interfacial contact areas, but also released deformation heat and caused defects, indirectly accelerating atomic diffusion, then benefits to void shrinkage; (b) surface asperity deformation readily introduced stored energy difference between two opposite sides of interface grain boundary, resulting in strain induced interface grain boundary migration. In addition, the influence of void on interface grain boundary migration was analyzed in detail. - Highlights: • A high quality hollow structural component has been fabricated by diffusion bonding. • Surface asperity deformation not only expands the interfacial contact areas, but also causes deformation heat and defects to improve the atomic diffusion. • Surface asperity deformation introduces the stored energy difference between the two opposite sides of interface grain boundary, leading to strain induced interface grain boundary migration. • The void exerts a dragging force on the interface grain boundary to retard or stop interface grain boundary migration. - Abstract: This study focused on the detailed analysis of surface asperity deformation mechanism in similar diffusion bonding as well as on the fabrication of high quality martensitic stainless steel hollow structural components. A special surface with regular patterns was processed to be joined so as to

  12. ATSR sea surface temperature data in a global analysis with TOPEX/POSEIDON altimetry

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Knudsen, Per; Andersen, Ole Baltazar; Knudsen, Thomas

    1996-01-01

    Along Track Scanning Radiometer (ATSR) data from the ERS 1 satellite mission are used in a global analysis of the surface temperature of the oceans. The data are the low resolution 0.5 degrees by 0.5 degrees average temperatures and cover about 24 months. At global scales a significant seasonal...... variability is found. On each of the hemispheres the surface temperatures reach their maximum after summer heating. The seasonal sea level variability, as observed from TOPEX/POSEIDON, reaches its maximum 1.1-1.4 months later....

  13. Planetary SUrface Portal (PSUP): a tool for easy visualization and analysis of Martian surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poulet, Francois; Quantin-Nataf, Cathy; Ballans, Hervé; Lozac'h, Loic; Audouard, Joachim; Carter, John; Dassas, karin; Malapert, Jean-Christophe; Marmo, Chiara; Poulleau, Gilles; Riu, Lucie; Séjourné, antoine

    2016-10-01

    PSUP is two software application platforms for working with raster, vector, DTM, and hyper-spectral data acquired by various space instruments analyzing the surface of Mars from orbit. The first platform of PSUP is MarsSI (Martian surface data processing Information System, http://emars.univ-lyon1.fr). It provides data analysis functionalities to select and download ready-to-use products or to process data though specific and validated pipelines. To date, MarsSI handles CTX, HiRISE and CRISM data of NASA/MRO mission, HRSC and OMEGA data of ESA/MEx mission and THEMIS data of NASA/ODY mission (Lozac'h et al., EPSC 2015). The second part of PSUP is also open to the scientific community and can be visited at http://psup.ias.u-psud.fr/. This web-based user interface provides access to many data products for Mars: image footprints and rasters from the MarsSI tool; compositional maps from OMEGA and TES; albedo and thermal inertia from OMEGA and TES; mosaics from THEMIS, Viking, and CTX; high level specific products (defined as catalogues) such as hydrated mineral sites derived from CRISM and OMEGA data, central peaks mineralogy,… In addition, OMEGA C channel data cubes corrected for atmospheric and aerosol contributions can be downloaded. The architecture of PSUP data management and visualization is based on SITools2 and MIZAR, two CNES generic tools developed by a joint effort between CNES and scientific laboratories. SITools2 provides a self-manageable data access layer deployed on the PSUP data, while MIZAR is 3D application in a browser for discovering and visualizing geospatial data. Further developments including the addition of high level products of Mars (regional geological maps, new global compositional maps,…) are foreseen. Ultimately, PSUP will be adapted to other planetary surfaces and space missions in which the French research institutes are involved.

  14. Growth and trends in Auger-electron spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for surface analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Powell, C.J.

    2003-01-01

    A perspective is given of the development and use of surface analysis, primarily by Auger-electron spectroscopy (AES) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), for solving scientific and technological problems. Information is presented on growth and trends in instrumental capabilities, instrumental measurements with reduced uncertainties, knowledge of surface sensitivity, and knowledge and effects of sample morphology. Available analytical resources are described for AES, XPS, and secondary-ion mass spectrometry. Finally, the role of the American Vacuum Society in stimulating improved surface analyses is discussed

  15. GHRSST Level 4 MW_IR_OI Global Foundation Sea Surface Temperature analysis (GDS versions 1 and 2)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) global Level 4 sea surface temperature analysis produced daily on a 0.81 degree grid at Remote Sensing...

  16. Chemical imaging and solid state analysis at compact surfaces using UV imaging

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wu, Jian X.; Rehder, Sönke; van den Berg, Frans

    2014-01-01

    and excipients in a non-invasive way, as well as mapping the glibenclamide solid state form. An exploratory data analysis supported the critical evaluation of the mapping results and the selection of model parameters for the chemical mapping. The present study demonstrated that the multi-wavelength UV imaging......Fast non-destructive multi-wavelength UV imaging together with multivariate image analysis was utilized to visualize distribution of chemical components and their solid state form at compact surfaces. Amorphous and crystalline solid forms of the antidiabetic compound glibenclamide...

  17. Stability analysis on the free surface phenomena of a magnetic fluid for general use

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mizuta, Yo

    2011-01-01

    This paper presents an analysis for elucidating a variety of physical processes on the interface (free surface) of magnetic fluid. The present analysis is composed of the magnetic and the fluid analysis, both of which have no limitations concerning the interface elevation or its profile. The magnetic analysis provides rigorous interface magnetic field under arbitrary distributions of applied magnetic field. For the fluid analysis, the equation for interface motion includes all nonlinear effects. Physical quantities such as the interface magnetic field or the interface stresses, obtained first as the wavenumber components, facilitate confirming the relations with those by the conventional theoretical analyses. The nonlinear effect is formulated as the nonlinear mode coupling between the interface profile and the applied magnetic field. The stability of the horizontal interface profile is investigated by the dispersion relation, and summarized as the branch line. Furthermore, the balance among the spectral components of the interface stresses are shown, within the sufficient range of the wavenumber space. - Research Highlights: → General, rigorous but compact analysis for free surface phenomena is shown. → Analysis is applied without limitations on the interface elevation or its profile. → Nonlinear effects are formulated as the nonlinear mode coupling. → Bifurcation of stability is summarized as the branch line. → Balance among the interface stresses are shown in the wavenumber space.

  18. Quantitative analysis of hydrogen and hydrogen isotopes at the solid surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trocellier, P.

    2007-01-01

    Because of the importance of the effects bound to the hydrogen presence in materials it is particularly important to determine with accuracy the surface and volume distribution of hydrogen. Meanwhile the electronic structure of the hydrogen (one electron) do not allow to use many characterization techniques as the electrons spectroscopies or the X micro analysis. The author presents other possible techniques. (A.L.B.)

  19. [Observation of topography and analysis of surface contamination of titanium implant after roughness treatment].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Hongdan; Yang, Xiaodong; Wu, Dayi; Zhang, Xingdong

    2007-04-01

    The roughness treatment of dental implant surface could improve the bone bonding and increase the success rate of implant, but the difference of diverse treatments is still unknown. In this study using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy disperse spectrometer (EDS) and the test of contact angle, we studied the microstructure, surface contamination and surface energy, and hence conducted a comparative analysis of the following surface roughness treatments: Polished Treatment (PT), Sandblasting with Alumina(SA), Sandblasting with Aluminia and Acid-etched (SAA), Sandblasting with Titanium Acid-etched (STA), Electro-erosion Treatment(ET). The result of SEM showed that the surface displayed irregularities after roughness treatments and that the surface properties of different roughness treatments had some distinctions. SAA and SA had some sharp edges and protrutions; the STA showed a regular pattern like honeycomb, but the ET sample treated by electric erosion exhibited the deeper pores of different sizes and the pores with a perforated secondary structure. The EDS indicated that the surface was contaminated after the treatment with foreign materials; the SA surface had some embedded contaminations even after acid etching. The measurement of water contact angle indicated that the morphology correlated with the surface treatments. These findings suggest that the distinction of surface structure and composition caused by different treatments may result in the disparity in biological behavior of dental implant.

  20. Transcriptome analysis of Haloquadratum walsbyi: vanity is but the surface.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bolhuis, Henk; Martín-Cuadrado, Ana Belén; Rosselli, Riccardo; Pašić, Lejla; Rodriguez-Valera, Francisco

    2017-07-03

    Haloquadratum walsbyi dominates saturated thalassic lakes worldwide where they can constitute up to 80-90% of the total prokaryotic community. Despite the abundance of the enigmatic square-flattened cells, only 7 isolates are currently known with 2 genomes fully sequenced and annotated due to difficulties to grow them under laboratory conditions. We have performed a transcriptomic analysis of one of these isolates, the Spanish strain HBSQ001 in order to investigate gene transcription under light and dark conditions. Despite a potential advantage for light as additional source of energy, no significant differences were found between light and dark expressed genes. Constitutive high gene expression was observed in genes encoding surface glycoproteins, light mediated proton pumping by bacteriorhodopsin, several nutrient uptake systems, buoyancy and storage of excess carbon. Two low expressed regions of the genome were characterized by a lower codon adaptation index, low GC content and high incidence of hypothetical genes. Under the extant cultivation conditions, the square hyperhalophile devoted most of its transcriptome towards processes maintaining cell integrity and exploiting solar energy. Surface glycoproteins are essential for maintaining the large surface to volume ratio that facilitates light and organic nutrient harvesting whereas constitutive expression of bacteriorhodopsin warrants an immediate source of energy when light becomes available.

  1. Micro-strain, dislocation density and surface chemical state analysis of multication thin films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jayaram, P., E-mail: jayarampnair@gmail.com [Department of Physics, MES Ponnani College Ponnani, Kerala (India); Pradyumnan, P.P. [Department of Physics, University of Calicut, Kerala 673 635 (India); Karazhanov, S.Zh. [Department for Solar Energy, Institute for Energy Technology, Kjeller (Norway)

    2016-11-15

    Multication complex metal oxide thin films are rapidly expanding the class of materials with many technologically important applications. Herein this work, the surface of the pulsed laser deposited thin films of Zn{sub 2}SnO{sub 4} and multinary compounds obtained by substitution/co-substitution of Sn{sup 4+} with In{sup 3+} and Ga{sup 3+} are studied by X-ray photoelectron emission spectroscopy (X-PES) method. Peaks corresponding to the elements of Zn, Sn, Ga, In and O on the film surface has been identified and contribution of the elements has been studied by the computer aided surface analysis (CASA) software. Binding energies, full-width at half maximum (FWHM), spin-orbit splitting energies, asymmetric peak-shape fitting parameters and quantification of elements in the films are discussed. Studies of structural properties of the films by x-ray diffraction (XRD) technique showed inverse spinel type lattice with preferential orientation. Micro-strain, dislocation density and crystallite sizes in the film surface have been estimated.

  2. Flow cytometric analysis of cell-surface and intracellular antigens in leukemia diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knapp, W; Strobl, H; Majdic, O

    1994-12-15

    New technology allows highly sensitive flow cytometric detection and quantitative analysis of intracellular antigens in normal and malignant hemopoietic cells. With this technology, the earliest stages of myeloid and lymphoid differentiation can easily and reliably be identified using antibodies directed against (pro-)myeloperoxidase/MPO, CD22 and CD3 antigens, respectively. Particularly for the analysis of undifferentiated acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) cells, the immunological demonstration of intracellular MPO or its enzymatically inactive proforms is highly relevant, since other myeloid marker molecules such as CD33, CD13, or CDw65 are either not restricted to the granulomonocytic lineage or appear later in differentiation. By combining MPO staining with staining for lactoferrin (LF), undifferentiated cells can be distinguished from the granulomonocytic maturation compartment in bone marrow, since LF is selectively expressed from the myelocyte stage of differentiation onward. The list of informative intracellular antigens to be used in leukemia cell analysis will certainly expand in the near future. One candidate, intracellular CD68, has already been tested by us, and results are presented. Also dealt within this article are surface marker molecules not (as yet) widely used in leukemia cell analysis but with the potential to provide important additional information. Among them are the surface structures CD15, CD15s, CDw65, CD79a (MB-1), CD79b (B29), CD87 (uPA-R), and CD117 (c-kit).

  3. Surface Analysis of the Laser Cleaned Metal Threads

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sokhan, M.; Hartog, F.; McPhail, D.

    The laser cleaning of the tarnished silver threads was carried out using Nd:YAG laser radiation at IR (1064 nm) and visible wavelengths (532 nm). The preliminary tests were made on the piece of silk with the silver embroidery with the clean and tarnished areas. FIBS and SIMS analysis were used for analysing the condition of the surface before and after laser irradiation. It was found that irradiation below 0.4 J/cm-2 and higher than 1.0 J/cm-2 fluences aggravates the process of tarnishing and leads to the yellowing effect. The results of preliminary tests were used for finding the optimum cleaning regime for the laser cleaning of the real museum artefact: "Women Riding Jacket" dated to the beginning of 18th century.

  4. Impact of satellite-based lake surface observations on the initial state of HIRLAM. Part II: Analysis of lake surface temperature and ice cover

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Homa Kheyrollah Pour

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents results from a study on the impact of remote-sensing Lake Surface Water Temperature (LSWT observations in the analysis of lake surface state of a numerical weather prediction (NWP model. Data assimilation experiments were performed with the High Resolution Limited Area Model (HIRLAM, a three-dimensional operational NWP model. Selected thermal remote-sensing LSWT observations provided by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS and Advanced Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR sensors onboard the Terra/Aqua and ENVISAT satellites, respectively, were included into the assimilation. The domain of our experiments, which focussed on two winters (2010–2011 and 2011–2012, covered northern Europe. Validation of the resulting objective analyses against independent observations demonstrated that the description of the lake surface state can be improved by the introduction of space-borne LSWT observations, compared to the result of pure prognostic parameterisations or assimilation of the available limited number of in-situ lake temperature observations. Further development of the data assimilation methods and solving of several practical issues are necessary in order to fully benefit from the space-borne observations of lake surface state for the improvement of the operational weather forecast. This paper is the second part of a series of two papers aimed at improving the objective analysis of lake temperature and ice conditions in HIRLAM.

  5. Strength and failure analysis of composite-to-composite adhesive bonds with different surface treatments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paranjpe, Nikhil; Alamir, Mohammed; Alonayni, Abdullah; Asmatulu, Eylem; Rahman, Muhammad M.; Asmatulu, Ramazan

    2018-03-01

    Adhesives are widely utilized materials in aviation, automotive, energy, defense, and marine industries. Adhesive joints are gradually supplanting mechanical fasteners because they are lightweight structures, thus making the assembly lighter and easier. They also act as a sealant to prevent a structural joint from galvanic corrosion and leakages. Adhesive bonds provide high joint strength because of the fact that the load is distributed uniformly on the joint surface, while in mechanical joints, the load is concentrated at one point, thus leading to stress at that point and in turn causing joint failures. This research concentrated on the analysis of bond strength and failure loads in adhesive joint of composite-to-composite surfaces. Different durations of plasma along with the detergent cleaning were conducted on the composite surfaces prior to the adhesive applications and curing processes. The joint strength of the composites increased about 34% when the surface was plasma treated for 12 minutes. It is concluded that the combination of different surface preparations, rather than only one type of surface treatment, provides an ideal joint quality for the composites.

  6. Possibility of whole-surface analysis of a silicon wafer with ordinary straight TXRF

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mori, Y.; Uemura, K.; Iizuka, Y.

    2000-01-01

    For the analysis of average metal concentration on a semiconductor surface, we customarily use the wet techniques (AAS, typically), that require skilled operators or expensive automated machines for sample pretreatment. The straight TXRF require no pretreatment, on the other hand. However, its detection area is too small (1-2 cm 2 ) to conduct a whole-surface analysis. In fact, it takes more than one day per one wafer (500 s/point x 100-300 points) for a complete mapping. Therefore it has been believed that the whole-surface analysis with straight TXRF is impracticable. It should be noted that the absolute lower limit of detection (LLD) of the straight TXRF is superior to AAS. As an example, the absolute LLD of TXRF for Fe is 0.2 pg (500 s integration), while that of AAS is l0 pg. The required integration time for TXRF to obtain the same LLD of AAS is calculated to be only 0.2 s. This means, in principle, that the whole-surface contamination can be measured in some ten seconds by accumulating 0.2 s mapping. But actually, the adjustment of glancing angle requires several ten seconds per one point, so the above mapping still takes several hours. That is why such a measurement has not been applied to daily analysis so far. However, the influence of glancing angle errors is expected to be reduced through the multi-point measurement. Figure 1 shows an accumulated spectrum of 20 s x 25 points mapping for an IAP wafer doped with Ni. In this measurement, glancing angles were not precisely controlled (the error of glancing angle is ±15 %). A spectrum of 500 s x 1 point measurement for the same wafer is shown in Figure 2. Figures 1 and 2 are almost identical. This suggests that the reduction of glancing angle errors actually works well through multi-points measurement. This method is expected to give better results by increasing the number of measuring points. The overall variation for the final measurement value obtained by multi-point measurement can be assessed by the

  7. Preliminary analysis of surface mining options for Naval Oil Shale Reserve 1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1981-07-20

    The study was undertaken to determine the economic viability of surface mining to exploit the reserves. It is based on resource information already developed for NOSR 1 and conceptual designs of mining systems compatible with this resource. Environmental considerations as they relate to surface mining have been addressed qualitatively. The conclusions on economic viability were based primarily on mining costs projected from other industries using surface mining. An analysis of surface mining for the NOSR 1 resource was performed based on its particular overburden thickness, oil shale thickness, oil shale grade, and topography. This evaluation considered reclamation of the surface as part of its design and cost estimate. The capital costs for mining 25 GPT and 30 GPT shale and the operating costs for mining 25 GPT, 30 GPT, and 35 GPT shale are presented. The relationship between operating cost and stripping ratio, and the break-even stripping ratio (BESR) for surface mining to be competitive with room-and-pillar mining, are shown. Identification of potential environmental impacts shows that environmental control procedures for surface mining are more difficult to implement than those for underground mining. The following three areas are of prime concern: maintenance of air quality standards by disruption, movement, and placement of large quantities of overburden; disruption or cutting of aquifers during the mining process which affect area water supplies; and potential mineral leaching from spent shales into the aquifers. Although it is an operational benefit to place spent shale in the open pit, leaching of the spent shales and contamination of the water is detrimental. It is therefore concluded that surface mining on NOSR 1 currently is neither economically desirable nor environmentally safe. Stringent mitigation measures would have to be implemented to overcome some of the potential environmental hazards.

  8. Acid Aging Effects on Surfaces of PTFE Gaskets Investigated by Thermal Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Fragassa

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper investigates the effect of a prolonged acid attack on the surface of PTFE by Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC. PTFE is very non-reactive, partly because of the strength of carbon–fluorine bonds and for its high crystallinity, and, as a consequence, it is often used in containers and pipework with reactive and corrosive chemicals. The PTFE under analysis is commercialized by two alternative producers in form of Teflon tapes. These tapes are adopted, as gaskets, in process plants where tires moulds are cleaned by acid solutions inside a multistage ultrasonic process. In this case, PTFE shows, in a relatively short operation time, inexplicably phenomena of surface degradation, which could be related, in general terms, to an acid attack. But, even considering the combined effect of ultrasonic waves, temperature, humidity and acid attack, the PTFE properties of resistance nominally exclude the risk of the extreme erosion phenomena as observed. The present experimental research aim at investigating this contradiction. A possible explanation could be related to the presence in the cleaning solution of unexpected fluorides, able to produce fluorinating agents and, thus, degrade carbon-fluorine bonds. Considering more the 300 chemical elements a tire compound consists in, it is really complex to preserve the original chemical composition of the cleaning solution. In this research PTFE samples have been treated with different mixtures of acids with the aim at investigating the different aging effects. The thermal analysis has permitted the experimental characterization of PTFE surface properties after acid attack, providing evidence of the degradation phenomena. In particular, the different acid treatments adopted for accelerating the aging of gaskets have highlighted the different behaviour of the PTFE matrix, but also differences between manufacturers.

  9. Surface analysis in steel nitrides by using Moessbauer spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Figueiredo, R.S. de.

    1991-07-01

    The formation of iron nitride layer at low temperatures, 600-700 K, by Moessbauer spectroscopy is studied. These layers were obtained basically through two different processes: ion nitriding and ammonia gas nitriding. A preliminary study about post-discharge nitriding was made using discharge in hollow cathode as well as microwave excitation. The assembly of these chambers is also described. The analysis of the nitrided samples was done by CEMS and CXMS, aided by optical microscopy, and the CEMS and CXMS detectors were constructed by ourselves. We also made a brief study about these detectors, testing as acetone as the mixture 80% He+10% C H 4 as detection gases for the use of CEMS. The surface analysis of the samples showed that in the ammonia gas process nitriding the nitrided layer starts by the superficial formation of an iron nitride rich nitrogen. By thermal evolution this nitride promotes the diffusion of nitrogen and the formation of other more stable nitrides. (author)

  10. Surface characterization and cytotoxicity analysis of plasma sprayed coatings on titanium alloys

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rahman, Zia ur; Shabib, Ishraq [School of Engineering and Technology, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 (United States); Science of Advanced Materials, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 (United States); Haider, Waseem, E-mail: haide1w@cmich.edu [School of Engineering and Technology, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 (United States); Science of Advanced Materials, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 (United States)

    2016-10-01

    In the realm of biomaterials, metallic materials are widely used for load bearing joints due to their superior mechanical properties. Despite the necessity for long term metallic implants, there are limitations to their prolonged use. Naturally, oxides of titanium have low solubilities and form passive oxide film spontaneously. However, some inclusion and discontinuity spots in oxide film make implant to adopt the decisive nature. These defects heighten the dissolution of metal ions from the implant surface, which results in diminishing bio-integration of titanium implant. To increase the long-term metallic implant stability, surface modifications of titanium alloys are being carried out. In the present study, biomimetic coatings of plasma sprayed hydroxyapatite and titanium were applied to the surface of commercially pure titanium and Ti6Al4V. Surface morphology and surface chemistry were studied using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. Cyclic potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were carried out in order to study their electrochemical behavior. Moreover, cytotoxicity analysis was conducted for osteoblast cells by performing MTS assay. It is concluded that both hydroxyapatite and titanium coatings enhance corrosion resistance and improve cytocompatibility. - Highlights: • Surface morphology and surface chemistry were studied using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. • The cyclic polarization tests revealed noticeable improvement towards the positive potentials for both Tip coatings. • CpTi-Hap and Ti6Al4V-Hap both demonstrate similar corrosion rate. • High cytotoxicity was observed for Mp when compared with Tip and Hap after 21 days of immersion. • Both Tip and Hap coatings promoted the osteoblast cell adhesion and exhibited stellar morphology.

  11. Optimum Design of a Helicopter Rotor for Low Vibration Using Aeroelastic Analysis and Response Surface Methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ganguli, R.

    2002-11-01

    An aeroelastic analysis based on finite elements in space and time is used to model the helicopter rotor in forward flight. The rotor blade is represented as an elastic cantilever beam undergoing flap and lag bending, elastic torsion and axial deformations. The objective of the improved design is to reduce vibratory loads at the rotor hub that are the main source of helicopter vibration. Constraints are imposed on aeroelastic stability, and move limits are imposed on the blade elastic stiffness design variables. Using the aeroelastic analysis, response surface approximations are constructed for the objective function (vibratory hub loads). It is found that second order polynomial response surfaces constructed using the central composite design of the theory of design of experiments adequately represents the aeroelastic model in the vicinity of the baseline design. Optimization results show a reduction in the objective function of about 30 per cent. A key accomplishment of this paper is the decoupling of the analysis problem and the optimization problems using response surface methods, which should encourage the use of optimization methods by the helicopter industry.

  12. Cell surface profiling using high-throughput flow cytometry: a platform for biomarker discovery and analysis of cellular heterogeneity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Craig A Gedye

    Full Text Available Cell surface proteins have a wide range of biological functions, and are often used as lineage-specific markers. Antibodies that recognize cell surface antigens are widely used as research tools, diagnostic markers, and even therapeutic agents. The ability to obtain broad cell surface protein profiles would thus be of great value in a wide range of fields. There are however currently few available methods for high-throughput analysis of large numbers of cell surface proteins. We describe here a high-throughput flow cytometry (HT-FC platform for rapid analysis of 363 cell surface antigens. Here we demonstrate that HT-FC provides reproducible results, and use the platform to identify cell surface antigens that are influenced by common cell preparation methods. We show that multiple populations within complex samples such as primary tumors can be simultaneously analyzed by co-staining of cells with lineage-specific antibodies, allowing unprecedented depth of analysis of heterogeneous cell populations. Furthermore, standard informatics methods can be used to visualize, cluster and downsample HT-FC data to reveal novel signatures and biomarkers. We show that the cell surface profile provides sufficient molecular information to classify samples from different cancers and tissue types into biologically relevant clusters using unsupervised hierarchical clustering. Finally, we describe the identification of a candidate lineage marker and its subsequent validation. In summary, HT-FC combines the advantages of a high-throughput screen with a detection method that is sensitive, quantitative, highly reproducible, and allows in-depth analysis of heterogeneous samples. The use of commercially available antibodies means that high quality reagents are immediately available for follow-up studies. HT-FC has a wide range of applications, including biomarker discovery, molecular classification of cancers, or identification of novel lineage specific or stem cell

  13. Cell surface profiling using high-throughput flow cytometry: a platform for biomarker discovery and analysis of cellular heterogeneity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gedye, Craig A; Hussain, Ali; Paterson, Joshua; Smrke, Alannah; Saini, Harleen; Sirskyj, Danylo; Pereira, Keira; Lobo, Nazleen; Stewart, Jocelyn; Go, Christopher; Ho, Jenny; Medrano, Mauricio; Hyatt, Elzbieta; Yuan, Julie; Lauriault, Stevan; Meyer, Mona; Kondratyev, Maria; van den Beucken, Twan; Jewett, Michael; Dirks, Peter; Guidos, Cynthia J; Danska, Jayne; Wang, Jean; Wouters, Bradly; Neel, Benjamin; Rottapel, Robert; Ailles, Laurie E

    2014-01-01

    Cell surface proteins have a wide range of biological functions, and are often used as lineage-specific markers. Antibodies that recognize cell surface antigens are widely used as research tools, diagnostic markers, and even therapeutic agents. The ability to obtain broad cell surface protein profiles would thus be of great value in a wide range of fields. There are however currently few available methods for high-throughput analysis of large numbers of cell surface proteins. We describe here a high-throughput flow cytometry (HT-FC) platform for rapid analysis of 363 cell surface antigens. Here we demonstrate that HT-FC provides reproducible results, and use the platform to identify cell surface antigens that are influenced by common cell preparation methods. We show that multiple populations within complex samples such as primary tumors can be simultaneously analyzed by co-staining of cells with lineage-specific antibodies, allowing unprecedented depth of analysis of heterogeneous cell populations. Furthermore, standard informatics methods can be used to visualize, cluster and downsample HT-FC data to reveal novel signatures and biomarkers. We show that the cell surface profile provides sufficient molecular information to classify samples from different cancers and tissue types into biologically relevant clusters using unsupervised hierarchical clustering. Finally, we describe the identification of a candidate lineage marker and its subsequent validation. In summary, HT-FC combines the advantages of a high-throughput screen with a detection method that is sensitive, quantitative, highly reproducible, and allows in-depth analysis of heterogeneous samples. The use of commercially available antibodies means that high quality reagents are immediately available for follow-up studies. HT-FC has a wide range of applications, including biomarker discovery, molecular classification of cancers, or identification of novel lineage specific or stem cell markers.

  14. Log-Normality and Multifractal Analysis of Flame Surface Statistics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saha, Abhishek; Chaudhuri, Swetaprovo; Law, Chung K.

    2013-11-01

    The turbulent flame surface is typically highly wrinkled and folded at a multitude of scales controlled by various flame properties. It is useful if the information contained in this complex geometry can be projected onto a simpler regular geometry for the use of spectral, wavelet or multifractal analyses. Here we investigate local flame surface statistics of turbulent flame expanding under constant pressure. First the statistics of local length ratio is experimentally obtained from high-speed Mie scattering images. For spherically expanding flame, length ratio on the measurement plane, at predefined equiangular sectors is defined as the ratio of the actual flame length to the length of a circular-arc of radius equal to the average radius of the flame. Assuming isotropic distribution of such flame segments we convolute suitable forms of the length-ratio probability distribution functions (pdfs) to arrive at corresponding area-ratio pdfs. Both the pdfs are found to be near log-normally distributed and shows self-similar behavior with increasing radius. Near log-normality and rather intermittent behavior of the flame-length ratio suggests similarity with dissipation rate quantities which stimulates multifractal analysis. Currently at Indian Institute of Science, India.

  15. Analysis of corrosion layers in ancient Roman silver coins with high resolution surface spectroscopic techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keturakis, Christopher J.; Notis, Ben; Blenheim, Alex; Miller, Alfred C.; Pafchek, Rob; Notis, Michael R.; Wachs, Israel E.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Five ancient silver alloy coins (225 BCE–244 CE) were analyzed using surface characterization techniques. • Both destructive and non-destructive surface characterization methods were developed. • Alloying with copper, even in small amounts, leads to the formation of an outer Cu 2 O corrosion layer. - Abstract: Determination of the microchemistry of surface corrosion layers on ancient silver alloy coins is important both in terms of understanding the nature of archaeological environmental conditions to which these ancient coins were exposed and also to help in their conservation. In this present study, five ancient silver alloy coins (225 BCE–244 CE) were used as test vehicles to measure their immediate surface microchemistry and evaluate the appropriateness and limitations of High Sensitivity-Low Energy Ion Scattering Spectroscopy (HS-LEIS, 0.3 nm depth analysis), High Resolution-X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (HR-XPS, 1–3 nm depth analysis) and High Resolution-Raman Spectroscopy (HR-Raman, ∼1000 nm depth analysis). Additional information about the deeper corrosion layers, up to ∼300–1000 nm, was provided by dynamic HS-LEIS and HR-Raman spectroscopy. While not archeologically significant, the use of these coins of small commercial value provides data that is more representative of the weaker signals typically obtained from ancient corroded objects, which can be in stark contrast to pristine data often obtained from carefully prepared alloys of known composition. The oldest coins, from 225 to 214 BCE, possessed an outermost surface layer containing Cu 2 O, Na, Al, Pb, and adsorbed hydrocarbons, while the more recent coins, from 98 to 244 CE, contained Cu 2 O, Ag, N, F, Na, Al, S, Cl, and adsorbed hydrocarbons in similar corresponding surface layers. It thus appears that alloying with copper, even in small amounts, leads to the formation of an outer Cu 2 O layer. Depth profiling revealed the presence of K, Na, Cl, and S as key

  16. Ambient mass spectrometry: From the planar to the non-planar surface analysis

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Rejšek, Jan; Vrkoslav, Vladimír; Cvačka, Josef

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 15, č. 1 (2017), s. 31 ISSN 2336-7202. [Mezioborové setkání mladých biologů, biochemiků a chemiků /17./. 30.05.2017-01.06.2017, Milovy] Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : ambient mass spectrometry * thin layer chromatography * non-planar surface analysis Subject RIV: CB - Analytical Chemistry, Separation

  17. HYDROLOGIC AND FEATURE-BASED SURFACE ANALYSIS FOR TOOL MARK INVESTIGATION ON ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Kovács

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available The improvement of detailed surface documentation methods provides unique tool mark-study opportunities in the field of archaeological researches. One of these data collection techniques is short-range laser scanning, which creates a digital copy of the object’s morphological characteristics from high-resolution datasets. The aim of our work was the accurate documentation of a Bronze Age sluice box from Mitterberg, Austria with a spatial resolution of 0.2 mm. Furthermore, the investigation of the entirely preserved tool marks on the surface of this archaeological find was also accomplished by these datasets. The methodology of this tool mark-study can be summarized in the following way: At first, a local hydrologic analysis has been applied to separate the various patterns of tools on the finds’ surface. As a result, the XYZ coordinates of the special points, which represent the edge lines of the sliding tool marks, were calculated by buffer operations in a GIS environment. During the second part of the workflow, these edge points were utilized to manually clip the triangle meshes of these patterns in reverse engineering software. Finally, circle features were generated and analysed to determine the different sections along these sliding tool marks. In conclusion, the movement of the hand tool could be reproduced by the spatial analysis of the created features, since the horizontal and vertical position of the defined circle centre points indicated the various phases of the movements. This research shows an exact workflow to determine the fine morphological structures on the surface of the archaeological find.

  18. Analysis of process parameters in surface grinding using single objective Taguchi and multi-objective grey relational grade

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prashant J. Patil

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Close tolerance and good surface finish are achieved by means of grinding process. This study was carried out for multi-objective optimization of MQL grinding process parameters. Water based Al2O3 and CuO nanofluids of various concentrations are used as lubricant for MQL system. Grinding experiments were carried out on instrumented surface grinding machine. For experimentation purpose Taguchi's method was used. Important process parameters that affect the G ratio and surface finish in MQL grinding are depth of cut, type of lubricant, feed rate, grinding wheel speed, coolant flow rate, and nanoparticle size. Grinding performance was calculated by the measurement G ratio and surface finish. For improvement of grinding process a multi-objective process parameter optimization is performed by use of Taguchi based grey relational analysis. To identify most significant factor of process analysis of variance (ANOVA has been used.

  19. Adhesion and friction in polymer films on solid substrates: conformal sites analysis and corresponding surface measurements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    An, Rong; Huang, Liangliang; Mineart, Kenneth P; Dong, Yihui; Spontak, Richard J; Gubbins, Keith E

    2017-05-21

    In this work, we present a statistical mechanical analysis to elucidate the molecular-level factors responsible for the static and dynamic properties of polymer films. This analysis, which we term conformal sites theory, establishes that three dimensionless parameters play important roles in determining differences from bulk behavior for thin polymer films near to surfaces: a microscopic wetting parameter, α wx , defined as the ratio of polymer-substrate interaction to polymer-polymer interaction; a dimensionless film thickness, H*; and dimensionless temperature, T*. The parameter α wx introduced here provides a more fundamental measure of wetting than previous metrics, since it is defined in terms of intermolecular forces and the atomic structure of the substrate, and so is valid at the nanoscale for gas, liquid or solid films. To test this theoretical analysis, we also report atomic force microscopy measurements of the friction coefficient (μ), adhesion force (F A ) and glass transition temperature (T g ) for thin films of two polymers, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS), on two planar substrates, graphite and silica. Both the friction coefficient and the glass transition temperature are found to increase as the film thickness decreases, and this increase is more pronounced for the graphite than for the silica surface. The adhesion force is also greater for the graphite surface. The larger effects encountered for the graphite surface are attributed to the fact that the microscopic wetting parameter, α wx , is larger for graphite than for silica, indicating stronger attraction of polymer chains to the graphite surface.

  20. GHRSST Level 4 MUR Global Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (v4.1) (GDS versions 1 and 2)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — A Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) Level 4 sea surface temperature analysis produced as a retrospective dataset (four day latency) and...

  1. The effect of proposed changes to the IAEA transport regulations on decommissioning and other low level waste transportation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shetler, A.P.; Jayawardene, N.

    1986-01-01

    Ontario Hydro has studied the proposed changes to the IAEA Transport Regulations contained in the 1985 4th draft edition. The study shows that these proposed changes will have significant strategic and economic effects on the transportation of radioactive decommissioning and other low-level wastes. Under the 1985 4th draft edition, the definition of Low Specific Activity (LSA) material is revised and a new regulation is proposed which restricts the quantity of LSA material or Surface Contaminated Object (SCO) in a single package to that which would have an unshielded dose rate of 10 mSv/h (1 rem/h) at 3 m. The objective of this paper is to highlight the implications of the proposed regulatory changes. An example of the impact of these changes is presented by considering the transportation of typical CANDU decommissioning wastes which arise through piece-by-piece removal of a reactor assembly. The potential effect of the changes is that less decommissioning waste can be shipped in a single low-level waste package. This results in the requirement for so many small, low-level waste packages that Type B shipments are strategically and economically more attractive. However, use of Type B shipments would also result in higher dose uptake and waste management costs than under the 1973 Regulations

  2. Analysis of surface soil moisture patterns in agricultural landscapes using Empirical Orthogonal Functions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    W. Korres

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Soil moisture is one of the fundamental variables in hydrology, meteorology and agriculture. Nevertheless, its spatio-temporal patterns in agriculturally used landscapes that are affected by multiple natural (rainfall, soil, topography etc. and agronomic (fertilisation, soil management etc. factors are often not well known. The aim of this study is to determine the dominant factors governing the spatio-temporal patterns of surface soil moisture in a grassland and an arable test site that are located within the Rur catchment in Western Germany. Surface soil moisture (0–6 cm was measured in an approx. 50×50 m grid during 14 and 17 measurement campaigns (May 2007 to November 2008 in both test sites. To analyse the spatio-temporal patterns of surface soil moisture, an Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF analysis was applied and the results were correlated with parameters derived from topography, soil, vegetation and land management to link the patterns to related factors and processes. For the grassland test site, the analysis resulted in one significant spatial structure (first EOF, which explained 57.5% of the spatial variability connected to soil properties and topography. The statistical weight of the first spatial EOF is stronger on wet days. The highest temporal variability can be found in locations with a high percentage of soil organic carbon (SOC. For the arable test site, the analysis resulted in two significant spatial structures, the first EOF, which explained 38.4% of the spatial variability, and showed a highly significant correlation to soil properties, namely soil texture and soil stone content. The second EOF, which explained 28.3% of the spatial variability, is linked to differences in land management. The soil moisture in the arable test site varied more strongly during dry and wet periods at locations with low porosity. The method applied is capable of identifying the dominant parameters controlling spatio-temporal patterns of

  3. The application of white radiation to residual stress analysis in the intermediate zone between surface and volume

    CERN Document Server

    Genzel, C; Wallis, B; Reimers, W

    2001-01-01

    Mechanical surface processing is known to give rise to complex residual stress fields in the near surface region of polycrystalline materials. Consequently, their analysis by means of non-destructive X-ray and neutron diffraction methods has become an important topic in materials science. However, there remains a gap with respect to the accessible near surface zone, which concerns a range between about 10 mu m and 1 mm, where the conventional X-ray methods are no longer and the neutron methods are not yet sensitive. In order to achieve the necessary penetration depth tau to perform residual stress analysis (RSA) in this region, advantageous use can be made of energy dispersive X-ray diffraction of synchrotron radiation (15-60 keV) in the reflection mode. Besides an example concerning the adaptation of methods applied so far in the angle dispersive RSA to the energy dispersive case, the concept of a new materials science beamline at BESSY II for residual stress and texture analysis is presented.

  4. The application of white radiation to residual stress analysis in the intermediate zone between surface and volume

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Genzel, Ch.; Stock, C.; Wallis, B.; Reimers, W.

    2001-01-01

    Mechanical surface processing is known to give rise to complex residual stress fields in the near surface region of polycrystalline materials. Consequently, their analysis by means of non-destructive X-ray and neutron diffraction methods has become an important topic in materials science. However, there remains a gap with respect to the accessible near surface zone, which concerns a range between about 10 μm and 1 mm, where the conventional X-ray methods are no longer and the neutron methods are not yet sensitive. In order to achieve the necessary penetration depth τ to perform residual stress analysis (RSA) in this region, advantageous use can be made of energy dispersive X-ray diffraction of synchrotron radiation (15-60 keV) in the reflection mode. Besides an example concerning the adaptation of methods applied so far in the angle dispersive RSA to the energy dispersive case, the concept of a new materials science beamline at BESSY II for residual stress and texture analysis is presented

  5. Comparison of two intraoral scanners based on three-dimensional surface analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kyung-Min Lee

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background This in vivo study evaluated the difference of two well-known intraoral scanners used in dentistry, namely iTero (Align Technology and TRIOS (3Shape. Methods Thirty-two participants underwent intraoral scans with TRIOS and iTero scanners, as well as conventional alginate impressions. The scans obtained with the two intraoral scanners were compared with each other and were also compared with the corresponding model scans by means of three-dimensional surface analysis. The average differences between the two intraoral scans on the surfaces were evaluated by color-mapping. The average differences in the three-dimensional direction between each intraoral scans and its corresponding model scan were calculated at all points on the surfaces. Results The average differences between the two intraoral scanners were 0.057 mm at the maxilla and 0.069 mm at the mandible. Color histograms showed that local deviations between the two scanners occurred in the posterior area. As for difference in the three-dimensional direction, there was no statistically significant difference between two scanners. Conclusions Although there were some deviations in visible inspection, there was no statistical significance between the two intraoral scanners.

  6. Laser-treated stainless steel mini-screw implants: 3D surface roughness, bone-implant contact, and fracture resistance analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, He-Kyong; Chu, Tien-Min; Dechow, Paul; Stewart, Kelton; Kyung, Hee-Moon; Liu, Sean Shih-Yao

    2016-04-01

    This study investigated the biomechanical properties and bone-implant intersurface response of machined and laser surface-treated stainless steel (SS) mini-screw implants (MSIs). Forty-eight 1.3mm in diameter and 6mm long SS MSIs were divided into two groups. The control (machined surface) group received no surface treatment; the laser-treated group received Nd-YAG laser surface treatment. Half in each group was used for examining surface roughness (Sa and Sq), surface texture, and facture resistance. The remaining MSIs were placed in the maxilla of six skeletally mature male beagle dogs in a randomized split-mouth design. A pair with the same surface treatment was placed on the same side and immediately loaded with 200 g nickel-titanium coil springs for 8 weeks. After killing, the bone-implant contact (BIC) for each MSI was calculated using micro computed tomography. Analysis of variance model and two-sample t test were used for statistical analysis with a significance level of P titanium alloy MSIs. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Orthodontic Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  7. Fluid free surface effect on the vibration analysis of cylindrical shells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lakis, A.A.; Brusuc, G.; Toorani, M.

    2007-01-01

    The present study is to investigate the effect of free surface motion of the fluid on the dynamic behavior of the thin-walled cylindrical shells. This paper outlines a semi-analytical approach to dynamic analysis of the fluid-filled horizontal cylindrical shell taking into account the free surface motion effect. The aim of the method is to provide a general approach that can be used for both analysis and synthesis of fluid structure interaction problems in the horizontal cylindrical shells where the dynamic interaction of a flexible structure and incompressible and inviscid flow is in focus. The approach is very general and allows for dynamic analysis of both uniform and non-uniform cylindrical shell considering the fluid forces including the sloshing effect exerted on the structure. The hybrid method developed in this work is on the basis of a combination of the classical finite element approach and the thin shell theory to determine the specific displacement functions. Mass and stiffness matrices of the shell are determined by precise analytical integration. A potential function is considered to develop the dynamic pressure due to the fluid. The kinetic and potential energies are evaluated for a range of fluid height to find the influence of the fluid on the dynamic responses of the structure. The influence of the physical and geometrical parameters on the fluid-structure system has been considered in the numerical solutions. When these results are compared with corresponding results available in the literature, both theory and experiment, very good agreement is obtained. (authors)

  8. Advanced surface chemical analysis of continuously manufactured drug loaded composite pellets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hossain, Akter; Nandi, Uttom; Fule, Ritesh; Nokhodchi, Ali; Maniruzzaman, Mohammed

    2017-04-15

    The aim of the present study was to develop and characterise polymeric composite pellets by means of continuous melt extrusion techniques. Powder blends of a steroid hormone (SH) as a model drug and either ethyl cellulose (EC N10 and EC P7 grades) or hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC AS grade) as polymeric carrier were extruded using a Pharma 11mm twin screw extruder in a continuous mode of operation to manufacture extruded composite pellets of 1mm length. Molecular modelling study using commercial Gaussian 09 software outlined a possible drug-polymer interaction in the molecular level to develop solid dispersions of the drug in the pellets. Solid-state analysis conducted via a differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), hot stage microscopy (HSM) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) analyses revealed the amorphous state of the drug in the polymer matrices. Surface analysis using SEM/energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) of the produced pellets arguably showed a homogenous distribution of the C and O atoms in the pellet matrices. Moreover, advanced chemical surface analysis conducted via atomic force microscopy (AFM) showed a homogenous phase system having the drug molecule dispersed onto the amorphous matrices while Raman mapping confirmed the homogenous single-phase drug distribution in the manufactured composite pellets. Such composite pellets are expected to deliver multidisciplinary applications in drug delivery and medical sciences by e.g. modifying drug solubility/dissolutions or stabilizing the unstable drug (e.g. hormone, protein) in the composite network. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  9. Application of response surfaces for reliability analysis of marine structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leira, Bernt J.; Holmas, Tore; Herfjord, Kjell

    2005-01-01

    Marine structures subjected to multiple environmental loads (i.e. waves, current, wind) are considered. These loads are characterized by a set of corresponding parameters. The structural fatigue damage and long-term response are expressed in terms of these environmental parameters based on application of polynomial response surfaces. For both types of analysis, an integration across the range of variation for all the environmental parameters is required. The location of the intervals which give rise to the dominant contribution for these integrals depends on the relative magnitude of the coefficients defining the polynomials. The required degree of numerical subdivision in order to obtain accurate results is also of interest. These issues are studied on a non-dimensional form. The loss of accuracy which results when applying response surfaces of too low order is also investigated. Response surfaces with cut-off limits at specific lower-bound values for the environmental parameters are further investigated. Having obtained general expressions on non-dimensional form, examples which correspond to specific response quantities for marine structures are considered. Typical values for the polynomial coefficients, and for the statistical distributions representing the environmental parameters, are applied. Convergence studies are subsequently performed for the particular example response quantities in order to make comparison with the general formulation. For the extreme response, the application of 'extreme contours' obtained from the statistical distributions of the environmental parameters is explored

  10. Assessing the use of multiple sources in student essays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hastings, Peter; Hughes, Simon; Magliano, Joseph P; Goldman, Susan R; Lawless, Kimberly

    2012-09-01

    The present study explored different approaches for automatically scoring student essays that were written on the basis of multiple texts. Specifically, these approaches were developed to classify whether or not important elements of the texts were present in the essays. The first was a simple pattern-matching approach called "multi-word" that allowed for flexible matching of words and phrases in the sentences. The second technique was latent semantic analysis (LSA), which was used to compare student sentences to original source sentences using its high-dimensional vector-based representation. Finally, the third was a machine-learning technique, support vector machines, which learned a classification scheme from the corpus. The results of the study suggested that the LSA-based system was superior for detecting the presence of explicit content from the texts, but the multi-word pattern-matching approach was better for detecting inferences outside or across texts. These results suggest that the best approach for analyzing essays of this nature should draw upon multiple natural language processing approaches.

  11. Measurement of gross alpha and beta in air filter samples by using liquid scintillation counter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sudheendran, V.; Baburajan, A.; Gaikwad, R.H.; Ravi, P.M.; Tripathi, R.M.

    2015-01-01

    The determination of gross alpha and gross beta in particulate air filter samples was carried out by alpha, beta discrimination method using Liquid Scintillation Analyzer by setting the PSA value at 55 for 5 ml 0.1 HCl plus 15 ml of Ultima Gold AB cocktail by using 241 Am and 90 Sr/ 90 Y sources. The standardized method was compared with the gross alpha and gross beta activity determined by conventional method of direct counting with end window G.M. counter and ZnS (Ag). The minimum detectable activity of LSA method was found to be 9.3 mBq and 17.7 mBq for gross alpha and gross beta respectively for 6000 sec compared to the conventional method of 9.8 mBq and 189 mBq respectively at the same counting time. The result of analysis by both method indicate that the alpha, beta discrimination set up of LSA method is highly effective in the determination of low level alpha, beta activity in air filter samples. (author)

  12. Comparison and Recovery of Escherichia coli and Thermotolerant Coliforms in Water with a Chromogenic Medium Incubated at 41 and 44.5°C

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alonso, Jose L.; Soriano, Adela; Carbajo, Oscar; Amoros, Inmaculada; Garelick, Hemda

    1999-01-01

    This study compared the performance of a commercial chromogenic medium, CHROMagarECC (CECC), and CECC supplemented with sodium pyruvate (CECCP) with the membrane filtration lauryl sulfate-based medium (mLSA) for enumeration of Escherichia coli and non-E. coli thermotolerant coliforms (KEC). To establish that we could recover the maximum KEC and E. coli population, we compared two incubation temperature regimens, 41 and 44.5°C. Statistical analysis by the Fisher test of data did not demonstrate any statistically significant differences (P = 0.05) in the enumeration of E. coli for the different media (CECC and CECCP) and incubation temperatures. Variance analysis of data performed on KEC counts showed significant differences (P = 0.01) between KEC counts at 41 and 44.5°C on both CECC and CECCP. Analysis of variance demonstrated statistically significant differences (P = 0.05) in the enumeration of total thermotolerant coliforms (TTCs) on CECC and CECCP compared with mLSA. Target colonies were confirmed to be E. coli at a rate of 91.5% and KEC of likely fecal origin at a rate of 77.4% when using CECCP incubated at 41°C. The results of this study showed that CECCP agar incubated at 41°C is efficient for the simultaneous enumeration of E. coli and KEC from river and marine waters. PMID:10427079

  13. Middle and Later Stone Age chronology of Kisese II rockshelter (UNESCO World Heritage Kondoa Rock-Art Sites), Tanzania

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ranhorn, Kathryn L.; Kwekason, Amandus; Alex, Bridget; Laird, Myra F.; Marean, Curtis W.; Niespolo, Elizabeth; Nivens, Joelle; Mabulla, Audax Z. P.

    2018-01-01

    The archaeology of East Africa during the last ~65,000 years plays a central role in debates about the origins and dispersal of modern humans, Homo sapiens. Despite the historical importance of the region to these discussions, reliable chronologies for the nature, tempo, and timing of human behavioral changes seen among Middle Stone Age (MSA) and Later Stone Age (LSA) archaeological assemblages are sparse. The Kisese II rockshelter in the Kondoa region of Tanzania, originally excavated in 1956, preserves a ≥ 6-m-thick archaeological succession that spans the MSA/LSA transition, with lithic artifacts such as Levallois and bladelet cores and backed microliths, the recurrent use of red ochre, and >5,000 ostrich eggshell beads and bead fragments. Twenty-nine radiocarbon dates on ostrich eggshell carbonate make Kisese II one of the most robust chronological sequences for understanding archaeological change over the last ~47,000 years in East Africa. In particular, ostrich eggshell beads and backed microliths appear by 46–42 ka cal BP and occur throughout overlying Late Pleistocene and Holocene strata. Changes in lithic technology suggest an MSA/LSA transition that began 39–34.3 ka, with typical LSA technologies in place by the Last Glacial Maximum. The timing of these changes demonstrates the time-transgressive nature of behavioral innovations often linked to the origins of modern humans, even within a single region of Africa. PMID:29489827

  14. High-precision drop shape analysis (HPDSA) of quasistatic contact angles on silanized silicon wafers with different surface topographies during inclining-plate measurements: Influence of the surface roughness on the contact line dynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heib, F.; Hempelmann, R.; Munief, W.M.; Ingebrandt, S.; Fug, F.; Possart, W.; Groß, K.; Schmitt, M.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Analysis of the triple line motion on surfaces with nanoscale surface topographies. • Analysis of the triple line motion is performed in sub-pixel resolution. • A special fitting and statistical approach for contact angle analysis is applied. • The analyses result set of contact angle data which is independent of “user-skills”. • Characteristically density distributions in dependence on the surface properties. - Abstract: Contact angles and wetting of solid surfaces are strongly influenced by the physical and chemical properties of the surfaces. These influence quantities are difficult to distinguish from each other if contact angle measurements are performed by measuring only the advancing θ a and the receding θ r contact angle. In this regard, time-dependent water contact angles are measured on two hydrophobic modified silicon wafers with different physical surface topographies. The first surface is nearly atomically flat while the second surface is patterned (alternating flat and nanoscale rough patterns) which is synthesized by a photolithography and etching procedure. The different surface topographies are characterized with atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (FTIRRAS) and Fourier transform infrared attenuated total reflection spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR). The resulting set of contact angle data obtained by the high-precision drop shape analysis approach is further analyzed by a Gompertzian fitting procedure and a statistical counting procedure in dependence on the triple line velocity. The Gompertzian fit is used to analyze overall properties of the surface and dependencies between the motion on the front and the back edge of the droplets. The statistical counting procedure results in the calculation of expectation values E(p) and standard deviations σ(p) for the inclination angle φ, contact angle θ, triple line velocity vel and the covered distance of the triple line dis

  15. High-precision drop shape analysis (HPDSA) of quasistatic contact angles on silanized silicon wafers with different surface topographies during inclining-plate measurements: Influence of the surface roughness on the contact line dynamics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Heib, F., E-mail: f.heib@mx.uni-saarland.de [Department of Physical Chemistry, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken (Germany); Hempelmann, R. [Department of Physical Chemistry, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken (Germany); Munief, W.M.; Ingebrandt, S. [Department of Informatics and Microsystem Technology, University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern, 66482 Zweibrücken (Germany); Fug, F.; Possart, W. [Department of Adhesion and Interphases in Polymers, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken (Germany); Groß, K.; Schmitt, M. [Department of Physical Chemistry, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken (Germany)

    2015-07-01

    Highlights: • Analysis of the triple line motion on surfaces with nanoscale surface topographies. • Analysis of the triple line motion is performed in sub-pixel resolution. • A special fitting and statistical approach for contact angle analysis is applied. • The analyses result set of contact angle data which is independent of “user-skills”. • Characteristically density distributions in dependence on the surface properties. - Abstract: Contact angles and wetting of solid surfaces are strongly influenced by the physical and chemical properties of the surfaces. These influence quantities are difficult to distinguish from each other if contact angle measurements are performed by measuring only the advancing θ{sub a} and the receding θ{sub r} contact angle. In this regard, time-dependent water contact angles are measured on two hydrophobic modified silicon wafers with different physical surface topographies. The first surface is nearly atomically flat while the second surface is patterned (alternating flat and nanoscale rough patterns) which is synthesized by a photolithography and etching procedure. The different surface topographies are characterized with atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (FTIRRAS) and Fourier transform infrared attenuated total reflection spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR). The resulting set of contact angle data obtained by the high-precision drop shape analysis approach is further analyzed by a Gompertzian fitting procedure and a statistical counting procedure in dependence on the triple line velocity. The Gompertzian fit is used to analyze overall properties of the surface and dependencies between the motion on the front and the back edge of the droplets. The statistical counting procedure results in the calculation of expectation values E(p) and standard deviations σ(p) for the inclination angle φ, contact angle θ, triple line velocity vel and the covered distance of the triple

  16. Gap Surface Plasmon Waveguide Analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Michael Grøndahl; Bozhevolnyi, Sergey I.

    2014-01-01

    Plasmonic waveguides supporting gap surface plasmons (GSPs) localized in a dielectric spacer between metal films are investigated numerically and the waveguiding properties at telecommunication wavelengths are presented. Especially, we emphasize that the mode confinement can advantageously...

  17. An improved method for Multipath Hemispherical Map (MHM) based on Trend Surface Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhiren; Chen, Wen; Dong, Danan; Yu, Chao

    2017-04-01

    Among various approaches developed for detecting the multipath effect in high-accuracy GNSS positioning, Only MHM (Multipath Hemispherical Map) and SF (Sidereal Filtering) can be implemented to real-time GNSS data processing. SF is based on the time repeatability of satellites which just suitable for static environment, while the spatiotemporal repeatability-based MHM is applicable not only for static environment but also for dynamic carriers with static multipath environment such as ships and airplanes, and utilizes much smaller number of parameters than ASF. However, the MHM method also has certain defects. Since the MHM take the mean of residuals from the grid as the filter value, it is more suitable when the multipath regime is medium to low frequency. Now existing research data indicate that the newly advanced Sidereal Filtering (ASF) method perform better with high frequency multipath reduction than MHM by contrast. To solve the above problem and improve MHM's performance on high frequency multipath, we combined binary trend surface analysis method with original MHM model to effectively analyze particular spatial distribution and variation trends of multipath effect. We computed trend surfaces of the residuals within a grid by least-square procedures, and chose the best results through the moderate successive test. The enhanced MHM grid was constructed from a set of coefficients of the fitted equation instead of mean value. According to the analysis of the actual observation, the improved MHM model shows positive effect on high frequency multipath reduction, and significantly reduced the root mean square (RMS) value of the carrier residuals. Keywords: Trend Surface Analysis; Multipath Hemispherical Map; high frequency multipath effect

  18. Synthesis and Surface-Specific Analysis of Molecular Constituents Relevant to Biogenic Secondary Organic Aerosol Material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Be, A. G.; Upshur, M. A.; Chase, H. M.; Geiger, F.; Thomson, R. J.

    2017-12-01

    Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particles formed from the oxidation of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) remain a principal, yet elusive, class of airborne particulate matter that impacts the Earth's radiation budget. Given the characteristic molecular complexity comprising biogenic SOA particles, chemical information selective to the gas-aerosol interface may be valuable in the investigation of such systems, as surface considerations likely dictate the phenomena driving particle evolution mechanisms and climate effects. In particular, cloud activation processes may be parameterized using the surface tension depression that coincides with partitioning of surface-active organic species to the gas-droplet interface. However, the extent to which surface chemical processes, such as cloud droplet condensation, are influenced by the chemical structure and reactivity of individual surface-active molecules in SOA particles is largely unknown. We seek to study terpene-derived organic species relevant to the surfaces of biogenic SOA particles via synthesis of putative oxidation products followed by analysis using surface-selective physicochemical measurements. Using dynamic surface tension measurements, considerable differences are observed in the surface tension depression of aqueous pendant droplets that contain synthetically prepared ozonolysis products derived from abundant terpene precursors. Furthermore, sum frequency generation spectroscopy is utilized for comparison of the surface vibrational spectral responses of synthesized reference compounds with those observed for laboratory aerosol toward probing the surface composition of SOA material. Such ongoing findings highlight the underlying importance of molecular structure and reactivity when considering the surface chemistry of biogenic terpene-derived atmospheric aerosols.

  19. Analysis of atomic force microscopy data for surface characterization using fuzzy logic

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Mousa, Amjed; Niemann, Darrell L.; Niemann, Devin J.; Gunther, Norman G.; Rahman, Mahmud

    2011-01-01

    In this paper we present a methodology to characterize surface nanostructures of thin films. The methodology identifies and isolates nanostructures using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) data and extracts quantitative information, such as their size and shape. The fuzzy logic based methodology relies on a Fuzzy Inference Engine (FIE) to classify the data points as being top, bottom, uphill, or downhill. The resulting data sets are then further processed to extract quantitative information about the nanostructures. In the present work we introduce a mechanism which can consistently distinguish crowded surfaces from those with sparsely distributed structures and present an omni-directional search technique to improve the structural recognition accuracy. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach we present a case study which uses our approach to quantitatively identify particle sizes of two specimens each with a unique gold nanoparticle size distribution. - Research Highlights: → A Fuzzy logic analysis technique capable of characterizing AFM images of thin films. → The technique is applicable to different surfaces regardless of their densities. → Fuzzy logic technique does not require manual adjustment of the algorithm parameters. → The technique can quantitatively capture differences between surfaces. → This technique yields more realistic structure boundaries compared to other methods.

  20. Sex- och samlevnadsundervisning i Sörmlands skolor

    OpenAIRE

    Karolina Öjemalm, Karolina

    2009-01-01

    Sexualitet är ett grundläggande behov hos människor och påverkar individens upplevelse av hälsa och välbefinnande. Skolan fungerar som en viktig arena för att främja unga vuxnas sexuella hälsa och sex- och samlevnadsundervisningen i skolan kan ha stor betydelse för unga vuxnas utveckling. Sex- och samlevnadsundervisning har varit obligatorisk i svenska skolor sedan år 1955. Trots det visar en kvalitetsgranskning av sex- och samlevnadsundervisningen i svenska skolor från år 1999 att kvaliteten...

  1. Sensitivity analysis and development of calibration methodology for near-surface hydrogeology model of Laxemar

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aneljung, Maria; Sassner, Mona; Gustafsson, Lars-Goeran

    2007-11-01

    between measured and calculated surface water discharges, but the model generally underestimates the total runoff from the area. The model also overestimates the groundwater levels, and the modelled groundwater level amplitudes are too small in many boreholes. A number of likely or potential reasons for these deviations can be identified: The surface stream network description in the model is incomplete. This implies that too little overland water is drained from the area by the streams, which creates ponded areas in the model that do not exist in reality. These areas are characterized by large evaporation and infiltration, contributing to groundwater recharge and reducing transpiration from the groundwater table, in turn creating high and relatively stable groundwater levels compared to those measured at the site. In order to improve the agreement between measured and modelled surface water discharges, the evapotranspiration was reduced in the model; in effect, this implied a reduction of the potential evapotranspiration. This probably caused a larger groundwater recharge and less transpiration during summer, thereby reducing the variations in the modelled groundwater levels. If the MIKE 11 stream network is updated, the potential evapotranspiration could be increased again, such that the modelling of groundwater dynamics is improved. The bottom boundary condition and the hydraulic conductivity of the bedrock may have a large effect on model-calculated near-surface/surface water flows in Laxemar. A sensitivity analysis shows that lowering the hydraulic head at the bottom boundary (located at 150 metres below sea level) lowers the groundwater levels in the Quaternary deposits, but also implies smaller surface water discharges. Lowering the hydraulic conductivity of the bedrock would increase groundwater flows to Quaternary deposits in groundwater discharge areas, which raises groundwater levels and reduces fluctuation amplitudes. An alternative model approach, using a

  2. Multi-component joint analysis of surface waves

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Dal Moro, Giancarlo; Moura, R.M.M.; Moustafa, S.S.R.

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 119, AUG (2015), s. 128-138 ISSN 0926-9851 Institutional support: RVO:67985891 Keywords : surface waves * surface wave dispersion * seismic data acquisition * seismic data inversion * velocity spectrum Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy Impact factor: 1.355, year: 2015

  3. Surface Roughness Analysis in the Hard Milling of JIS SKD61 Alloy Steel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huu-That Nguyen

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Hard machining is an efficient solution that can be used to replace the grinding operation in the mold and die manufacturing industry. In this study, an attempt is made to analyze the effect of process parameters on workpiece surface roughness (Ra in the hard milling of JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard SKD61 steel, based on a combination of the Taguchi method and response surface methodology (RSM. The cutting parameters are selected based on the structural dynamic analysis of the machine tool. A set of experiments is designed according to the Taguchi technique. The average Ra is measured by a Mitutoyo Surftest SJ-400, and then analysis of variance (ANOVA is performed to determine the influences of cutting parameters on the given Ra. Quadratic mathematical modeling is introduced for prediction of the Ra during the hard milling process. The predicted values are in reasonable agreement with the observation of experiments. In an effort to obtain the minimizing Ra, a single objective optimization is employed based on the desirability function. The result shows that the percentage error between measured and predicted values of Ra is 3.2%, which is found to be insignificant. Eventually, the milled surface roughness under the optimized machining conditions is 0.122 µm. This finding shows that grinding may be replaced by finish hard milling in the mold and die manufacturing field.

  4. Surface Sediment Analysis on Petroleum Hydrocarbon and Total Organic Carbon from Coastal Area of Papar to Tuaran, Sabah

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siti Aishah Mohd Ali; Payus, C.; Masni Mohd Ali

    2015-01-01

    Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and total organic carbon (TOC) were investigated in surface sediments along coastal area of Papar to Tuaran, Sabah. Surface sediment samples were collected in 24 different stations in each area by using Ponar grab sampler. Samples were extracted for TPH using standard method sediment/ sludge APHA 5520E and analyzed using UV/VIS spectrophotometer while for TOC method analysis using United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)/ MAP Athens (2006). The range of TPH concentrations in surface sediments were recorded at 0.24 - 20.65 mg/ kg dw Miri crude oil equivalents, meanwhile the TOC percentage ranged from 0.03 - 4.02 %. In the mean time, the statistical analysis by Pearson correlation showed a positive correlation with coefficient, r = 0.790 which showing the TPH concentrations significantly have influence on the TOC accumulations in the surface sediment. (author)

  5. Three-beam interferogram analysis method for surface flatness testing of glass plates and wedges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sunderland, Zofia; Patorski, Krzysztof

    2015-09-01

    When testing transparent plates with high quality flat surfaces and a small angle between them the three-beam interference phenomenon is observed. Since the reference beam and the object beams reflected from both the front and back surface of a sample are detected, the recorded intensity distribution may be regarded as a sum of three fringe patterns. Images of that type cannot be succesfully analyzed with standard interferogram analysis methods. They contain, however, useful information on the tested plate surface flatness and its optical thickness variations. Several methods were elaborated to decode the plate parameters. Our technique represents a competitive solution which allows for retrieval of phase components of the three-beam interferogram. It requires recording two images: a three-beam interferogram and the two-beam one with the reference beam blocked. Mutually subtracting these images leads to the intensity distribution which, under some assumptions, provides access to the two component fringe sets which encode surfaces flatness. At various stages of processing we take advantage of nonlinear operations as well as single-frame interferogram analysis methods. Two-dimensional continuous wavelet transform (2D CWT) is used to separate a particular fringe family from the overall interferogram intensity distribution as well as to estimate the phase distribution from a pattern. We distinguish two processing paths depending on the relative density of fringe sets which is connected with geometry of a sample and optical setup. The proposed method is tested on simulated data.

  6. Time-domain analysis of surface-plasmon-polariton propagation in Ag nano-films using a generalized polarization approach

    KAUST Repository

    Al-Jabr, Ahmad; Alsunaidi, Mohammad A.

    2010-01-01

    A time-domain analysis of the propagation properties of surface-plasmon-polaritons (SPP) in Silver nanostructures is presented. The analysis is based on a simulation algorithm that unifies the formulation of different dispersion models and multi

  7. Direct surface analysis of pesticides on soil, leaves, grass, and stainless steel by static secondary ion mass spectrometry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ingram, J.C.; Groenewold, G.S.; Appelhans, A.D.; Delmore, J.E.; Olson, J.E.; Miller, D.L. [Idaho National Engineering Lab., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

    1997-02-01

    Direct surface analyses by static secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) were performed for the following pesticides adsorbed on dandelion leaves, grass, soil, and stainless steel samples: alachlor, atrazine, captan, carbofuran, chlorpyrifos, chlorosulfuron, chlorthal-dimethyl, cypermethrin, 2,4-D, diuron, glyphosate, malathion, methomyl, methyl arsonic acid, mocap, norflurazon, oxyfluorfen, paraquat, temik, and trifluralin. The purpose of this study was to evaluate static SIMS as a tool for pesticide analysis, principally for use in screening samples for pesticides. The advantage of direct surface analysis compared with conventional pesticide analysis methods is the elimination of sample pretreatment including extraction, which streamlines the analysis substantially; total analysis time for SIMS analysis was ca. 10 min/sample. Detection of 16 of the 20 pesticides on all four substrates was achieved. Of the remaining four pesticides, only one (trifluralin) was not detected on any of the samples. The minimum detectable quantity was determined for paraquat on soil in order to evaluate the efficacy of using SIMS as a screening tool. Paraquat was detected at 3 pg/mm{sup 2} (c.a. 0.005 monolayers). The results of these studies suggest that SIMS is capable of direct surface detection of a range of pesticides, with low volatility, polar pesticides being the most easily detected. 25 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.

  8. Rate equation analysis of hydrogen uptake on Si (100) surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Inanaga, S.; Rahman, F.; Khanom, F.; Namiki, A.

    2005-01-01

    We have studied the uptake process of H on Si (100) surfaces by means of rate equation analysis. Flowers' quasiequilibrium model for adsorption and desorption of H [M. C. Flowers, N. B. H. Jonathan, A. Morris, and S. Wright, Surf. Sci. 396, 227 (1998)] is extended so that in addition to the H abstraction (ABS) and β 2 -channel thermal desorption (TD) the proposed rate equation further includes the adsorption-induced desorption (AID) and β 1 -TD. The validity of the model is tested by the experiments of ABS and AID rates in the reaction system H+D/Si (100). Consequently, we find it can well reproduce the experimental results, validating the proposed model. We find the AID rate curve as a function of surface temperature T s exhibits a clear anti-correlation with the bulk dangling bond density versus T s curve reported in the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (CVD) for amorphous Si films. The significance of the H chemistry in plasma-enhanced CVD is discussed

  9. Economic Analysis Of Radiation Surface Coating Of Parquet Flooring

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Danu, S.

    1989-01-01

    The surface coating of mosaic parquet flooring has been done using electron beam and UV irradiation in a pilot scale and technically successful. Economic analysis of the coating process will be discussed in this paper. Four kinds of irradiated parquet flooring were used for comparing costs and important factors on the analysis such as capital, production cost, selling price, break-event point, payout time and internal rate of return. The results showed there the higher quality of the products, the higher are its production cost and selling price. The selling price of irradiated parquet flooring per m2 for process A, B, C and D were Rp. 20,700; Rp. 23,900; Rp. 24,500; and Rp. 25,000 at the lowest profit level of 10% and RP. 25,500; Rp. 34,700; Rp. 35,500; and Rp. 36,400 at the highest profit level of 150% of the fixed capital. The total capital required were Rp. 1.9 billion up to 3.3 billion. (author). 5 refs, 9 tabs

  10. Surface erosion and tritium inventory analysis for CIT [Compact Ignition Tokamak

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brooks, J.N.; Dylla, H.F.

    1990-09-01

    The expected buildup of co-deposited tritium on the CIT carbon divertor and first wall surfaces and operational methods of minimizing the inventory have been examined. The analysis uses impurity transport computer codes, and associated plasma and tritium retention models, to compute the thickness of redeposited sputtered carbon and the resulting co-deposited tritium inventory on the divertor plates and first wall. Predicted erosion/growth rates are dominated by the effect of gaps between carbon tiles. The overall results appear favorable, showing stable operation (finite self-sputtering) and acceptably low (∼25 Ci/pulse) co-deposited tritium rates, at high surface temperature (1700 degree C) design conditions. These results, however, are highly speculative due to serious model inadequacies at the high sputtering rates predicted. If stable operation is obtainable, the prospects appear good for adequate tritium inventory control via helium-oxygen glow discharge cleaning. 25 refs

  11. Rapid thyroid dysfunction screening based on serum surface-enhanced Raman scattering and multivariate statistical analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Dayong; Lü, Guodong; Zhai, Zhengang; Du, Guoli; Mo, Jiaqing; Lü, Xiaoyi

    2018-01-01

    In this paper, serum surface-enhanced Raman scattering and multivariate statistical analysis are used to investigate a rapid screening technique for thyroid function diseases. At present, the detection of thyroid function has become increasingly important, and it is urgently necessary to develop a rapid and portable method for the detection of thyroid function. Our experimental results show that, by using the Silmeco-based enhanced Raman signal, the signal strength greatly increases and the characteristic peak appears obviously. It is also observed that the Raman spectra of normal and anomalous thyroid function human serum are significantly different. Principal component analysis (PCA) combined with linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was used to diagnose thyroid dysfunction, and the diagnostic accuracy was 87.4%. The use of serum surface-enhanced Raman scattering technology combined with PCA-LDA shows good diagnostic performance for the rapid detection of thyroid function. By means of Raman technology, it is expected that a portable device for the rapid detection of thyroid function will be developed.

  12. Characteristics of Speed Line Cutter and Fringe Analysis of Workpiece Surface

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shuai Wang

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Easy to operate, speed line cutter has a high machining cost performance, so is very popular among the majority of users. The precision of guide rails, screws and nuts used in most of the machines is not high, and the machine control cannot compensate for the screw pitch error, clearance during the transmission and machining error due to electrode wear. Furthermore, control signal may also be lost in control process. The development of speed line cutter focuses on the quality and machining stability of CNC speed line cutter. This article makes an analysis about the impact of machine’s inherent characteristics on machining workpiece surface, and concludes that analysis shall be made on the irregular fringe, therefore to heighten the machining precision.

  13. Shrinkage Analysis on Thick Plate Part using Response Surface Methodology (RSM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isafiq M.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The work reported herein is about an analysis on the quality (shrinkage on a thick plate part using Response Surface Methodology (RSM. Previous researches showed that the most influential factor affecting the shrinkage on moulded parts are mould and melt temperature. Autodesk Moldflow Insight software was used for the analysis, while specifications of Nessei NEX 1000 injection moulding machine and P20 mould material were incorporated in this study on top of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS as a moulded thermoplastic material. Mould temperature, melt temperature, packing pressure and packing time were selected as variable parameters. The results show that the shrinkage have improved 42.48% and 14.41% in parallel and normal directions respectively after the optimisation process.

  14. Spectral analysis of surface waves method to assess shear wave velocity within centrifuge models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murillo, Carol Andrea; Thorel, Luc; Caicedo, Bernardo

    2009-06-01

    The method of the spectral analysis of surface waves (SASW) is tested out on reduced scale centrifuge models, with a specific device, called the mini Falling Weight, developed for this purpose. Tests are performed on layered materials made of a mixture of sand and clay. The shear wave velocity VS determined within the models using the SASW is compared with the laboratory measurements carried out using the bender element test. The results show that the SASW technique applied to centrifuge testing is a relevant method to characterize VS near the surface.

  15. Variability in surface infrared reflectance of thirteen nitrile rubber gloves at key wavelengths for analysis of captan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phalen, R N; Que Hee, Shane S

    2007-02-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the surface variability of 13 powder-free, unlined, and unsupported nitrile rubber gloves using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FT-IR) spectrophotometry at key wavelengths for analysis of captan contamination. The within-glove, within-lot, and between-lot variability was measured at 740, 1124, 1252, and 1735 cm(-1), the characteristic captan reflectance minima wavelengths. Three glove brands were assessed after conditioning overnight at relative humidity (RH) values ranging from 2 +/- 1 to 87 +/- 4% and temperatures ranging from -8.6 +/- 0.7 to 59.2 +/- 0.9 degrees C. For all gloves, 1735 cm(-1) provided the lowest background absorbance and greatest potential sensitivity for captan analysis on the outer glove surface: absorbances ranged from 0.0074 +/- 0.0005 (Microflex) to 0.0195 +/- 0.0024 (SafeSkin); average within-glove coefficients of variation (CV) ranged from 2.7% (Best, range 0.9-5.3%) to 10% (SafeSkin, 1.2-17%); within-glove CVs greater than 10% were for one brand (SafeSkin); within-lot CVs ranged from 2.8% (Best N-Dex) to 28% (SafeSkin Blue); and between-lot variation was statistically significant (p < or = 0.05) for all but two SafeSkin lots. The RH had variable effects dependent on wavelength, being minimal at 1735, 1252, and 1124 cm(-1) and highest at 3430 cm(-1) (O-H stretch region). There was no significant effect of temperature conditioning. Substantial within-glove, within-lot, and between-lot variability was observed. Thus, surface analysis using ATR-FT-IR must treat glove brands and lots as different. ATR-FT-IR proved to be a useful real-time analytical tool for measuring glove variability, detecting surface humidity effects, and choosing selective and sensitive wavelengths for analysis of nonvolatile surface contaminants.

  16. SEM Analysis of Surface Impact on Biofilm Antibiotic Treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomes, Luciana Calheiros; Mergulhão, Filipe José

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this work was to use scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to investigate the effect of ampicillin treatment on Escherichia coli biofilms formed on two surface materials with different properties, silicone (SIL) and glass (GLA). Epifluorescence microscopy (EM) was initially used to assess biofilm formation and killing efficiency on both surfaces. This technique showed that higher bacterial colonization was obtained in the hydrophobic SIL than in the hydrophilic GLA. It has also shown that higher biofilm inactivation was attained for GLA after the antibiotic treatment (7-log reduction versus 1-log reduction for SIL). Due to its high resolution and magnification, SEM enabled a more detailed analysis of the antibiotic effect on biofilm cells, complementing the killing efficiency information obtained by EM. SEM micrographs revealed that ampicillin-treated cells have an elongated form when compared to untreated cells. Additionally, it has shown that different materials induced different levels of elongation on cells exposed to antibiotic. Biofilms formed on GLA showed a 37% higher elongation than those formed on SIL. Importantly, cell elongation was related to viability since ampicillin had a higher bactericidal effect on GLA-formed biofilms. These findings raise the possibility of using SEM for understanding the efficacy of antimicrobial treatments by observation of biofilm morphology.

  17. Analysis of corrosion layers in ancient Roman silver coins with high resolution surface spectroscopic techniques

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Keturakis, Christopher J. [Operando Molecular Spectroscopy and Catalysis Research Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015 (United States); Notis, Ben [Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453 (United States); Blenheim, Alex [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, College Park, PA 16802 (United States); Miller, Alfred C.; Pafchek, Rob [Zettlemoyer Center for Surface Studies, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015 (United States); Notis, Michael R., E-mail: mrn1@lehigh.edu [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015 (United States); Wachs, Israel E., E-mail: iew0@lehigh.edu [Operando Molecular Spectroscopy and Catalysis Research Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015 (United States)

    2016-07-15

    Highlights: • Five ancient silver alloy coins (225 BCE–244 CE) were analyzed using surface characterization techniques. • Both destructive and non-destructive surface characterization methods were developed. • Alloying with copper, even in small amounts, leads to the formation of an outer Cu{sub 2}O corrosion layer. - Abstract: Determination of the microchemistry of surface corrosion layers on ancient silver alloy coins is important both in terms of understanding the nature of archaeological environmental conditions to which these ancient coins were exposed and also to help in their conservation. In this present study, five ancient silver alloy coins (225 BCE–244 CE) were used as test vehicles to measure their immediate surface microchemistry and evaluate the appropriateness and limitations of High Sensitivity-Low Energy Ion Scattering Spectroscopy (HS-LEIS, 0.3 nm depth analysis), High Resolution-X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (HR-XPS, 1–3 nm depth analysis) and High Resolution-Raman Spectroscopy (HR-Raman, ∼1000 nm depth analysis). Additional information about the deeper corrosion layers, up to ∼300–1000 nm, was provided by dynamic HS-LEIS and HR-Raman spectroscopy. While not archeologically significant, the use of these coins of small commercial value provides data that is more representative of the weaker signals typically obtained from ancient corroded objects, which can be in stark contrast to pristine data often obtained from carefully prepared alloys of known composition. The oldest coins, from 225 to 214 BCE, possessed an outermost surface layer containing Cu{sub 2}O, Na, Al, Pb, and adsorbed hydrocarbons, while the more recent coins, from 98 to 244 CE, contained Cu{sub 2}O, Ag, N, F, Na, Al, S, Cl, and adsorbed hydrocarbons in similar corresponding surface layers. It thus appears that alloying with copper, even in small amounts, leads to the formation of an outer Cu{sub 2}O layer. Depth profiling revealed the presence of K, Na, Cl, and

  18. Analysis of moving surface structures at a laser-induced boiling front

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matti, R.S., E-mail: ramiz.matti@ltu.se [Luleå University of Technology, Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematics, S-971 87 Luleå (Sweden); University of Mosul, College of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mosul (Iraq); Kaplan, A.F.H. [Luleå University of Technology, Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematics, S-971 87 Luleå (Sweden)

    2014-10-30

    Highlights: • For laser-induced boiling, molten metal surfaces show a moving wave pattern. • Categorization of seven kinds of shapes enabled systematic pattern analysis. • Bright shapes changed or disappeared, giving evidence for pulsating waves. • Interpretation on the topology and on the basic laser–melt interaction was made. - Abstract: Recently ultra-high speed imaging enabled to observe moving wave patterns on metal melts that experience laser-induced boiling. In laser materials processing a vertical laser-induced boiling front governs processes like keyhole laser welding, laser remote fusion cutting, laser drilling or laser ablation. The observed waves originate from temperature variations that are closely related to the melt topology. For improved understanding of the essential front mechanisms and of the front topology, for the first time a deeper systematic analysis of the wave patterns was carried out. Seven geometrical shapes of bright or dark domains were distinguished and categorized, in particular bright peaks of three kinds and dark valleys, often inclined. Two categories describe special flow patterns at the top and bottom of the front. Dynamic and statistical analysis has revealed that the shapes often combine or separate from one category to another when streaming down the front. The brightness of wave peaks typically fluctuates during 20–50 μs. This variety of thermal wave observations is interpreted with respect to the accompanying surface topology of the melt and in turn for governing local mechanisms like absorption, shadowing, boiling, ablation pressure and melt acceleration. The findings can be of importance for understanding the key process mechanisms and for optimizing laser materials processing.

  19. Analysis of moving surface structures at a laser-induced boiling front

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matti, R.S.; Kaplan, A.F.H.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • For laser-induced boiling, molten metal surfaces show a moving wave pattern. • Categorization of seven kinds of shapes enabled systematic pattern analysis. • Bright shapes changed or disappeared, giving evidence for pulsating waves. • Interpretation on the topology and on the basic laser–melt interaction was made. - Abstract: Recently ultra-high speed imaging enabled to observe moving wave patterns on metal melts that experience laser-induced boiling. In laser materials processing a vertical laser-induced boiling front governs processes like keyhole laser welding, laser remote fusion cutting, laser drilling or laser ablation. The observed waves originate from temperature variations that are closely related to the melt topology. For improved understanding of the essential front mechanisms and of the front topology, for the first time a deeper systematic analysis of the wave patterns was carried out. Seven geometrical shapes of bright or dark domains were distinguished and categorized, in particular bright peaks of three kinds and dark valleys, often inclined. Two categories describe special flow patterns at the top and bottom of the front. Dynamic and statistical analysis has revealed that the shapes often combine or separate from one category to another when streaming down the front. The brightness of wave peaks typically fluctuates during 20–50 μs. This variety of thermal wave observations is interpreted with respect to the accompanying surface topology of the melt and in turn for governing local mechanisms like absorption, shadowing, boiling, ablation pressure and melt acceleration. The findings can be of importance for understanding the key process mechanisms and for optimizing laser materials processing

  20. Tidal analysis of surface currents in the Porsanger fjord in northern Norway

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stramska, Malgorzata; Jankowski, Andrzej; Cieszyńska, Agata

    2016-04-01

    In this presentation we describe surface currents in the Porsanger fjord (Porsangerfjorden) located in the European Arctic in the vicinity of the Barents Sea. Our analysis is based on data collected in the summer of 2014 using High Frequency radar system. Our interest in this fjord comes from the fact that this is a region of high climatic sensitivity. One of our long-term goals is to develop an improved understanding of the undergoing changes and interactions between this fjord and the large-scale atmospheric and oceanic conditions. In order to derive a better understanding of the ongoing changes one must first improve the knowledge about the physical processes that create the environment of the fjord. The present study is the first step in this direction. Our main objective in this presentation is to evaluate the importance of tidal forcing. Tides in the Porsanger fjord are substantial, with tidal range on the order of about 3 meters. Tidal analysis attributes to tides about 99% of variance in sea level time series recorded in Honningsvåg. The most important tidal component based on sea level data is the M2 component (amplitude of ~90 cm). The S2 and N2 components (amplitude of ~ 20 cm) also play a significant role in the semidiurnal sea level oscillations. The most important diurnal component is K1 with amplitude of about 8 cm. Tidal analysis lead us to the conclusion that the most important tidal component in observed surface currents is also the M2 component. The second most important component is the S2 component. Our results indicate that in contrast to sea level, only about 10 - 20% of variance in surface currents can be attributed to tidal currents. This means that about 80-90% of variance can be credited to wind-induced and geostrophic currents. This work was funded by the Norway Grants (NCBR contract No. 201985, project NORDFLUX). Partial support for MS comes from the Institute of Oceanology (IO PAN).