The influence of the circulation on surface temperature and precipitation patterns over Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. D. Jones

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The atmospheric circulation clearly has an important influence on variations in surface temperature and precipitation. In this study we illustrate the spatial patterns of variation that occur for the principal circulation patterns across Europe in the standard four seasons. We use an existing classification scheme of surface pressure patterns, with the aim of considering whether the patterns of influence of specific weather types have changed over the course of the 20th century. We consider whether the long-term warming across Europe is associated with more favourable weather types or related to warming within some of the weather types. The results indicate that the latter is occurring, but not all circulation types show warming. The study also illustrates that certain circulation types can lead to marked differences in temperature and/or precipitation for relatively closely positioned sites when the sites are located in areas of high relief or near coasts.

Tectonics, climate and mountain building in the forearc of southern Peru recorded in the 10Be chronology of low-relief surface abandonment

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, S. R.; Farber, D.; Audin, L.; Finkel, R. C.

2009-12-01

Regional low-relief surfaces have long been recognized as key features to understanding the response of landscapes to surface uplift. The canonical models of low-relief surface formation involve an extended period of tectonic quiescence during which, the fluvial systems bevel the landscape to a uniform elevation. This quiescent period is punctuated by a period(s) of surface uplift, which causes fluvial incision thereby abandoning the low-relief landscape. Over time, as rivers continue to incise in response to changes in sediment supply, river discharge, and base level fall, pieces of the relict low-relief landscape are left as abandoned remnants stranded above active channels. By determining the age of abandoned surfaces, previous workers have identified the onset of a change in the tectonic or climatic setting. One key assumption of this model is that the low-relief surfaces are truly abandoned with no current processes further acting on the surface. To improve our understanding of the underlying assumptions and problems of low-relief surface formation, we have used detailed mapping and absolute dating with cosmogenic 10Be to investigate surfaces in the hyperarid forearc region of southern Peru between ~14° and 18°S. Within this region, marine terraces and strath terraces reflect Plio-Pleistocene surface uplift, and together with the hyperarid climate, ongoing surface uplift provides a perfect natural laboratory to examine the processes affecting low-relief surface abandonment and preservation. With our new chronology we address: 1) the space and time correlations of surfaces, 2) incision rates of streams in response to base-level fall, and 3) surface erosion rates. Multiple surfaces have yielded 10Be surface abandonment ages that span >2 Ma - ~35 ka. While most of the surfaces we have dated are considerably less than 1 Ma, we have located two surfaces which are likely older than 2 Ma and constrain regional erosion rates to be chronology of Pleistocene surface

Surface Relief and Internal Structure in Fatigued Stainless Sanicro 25 Steel

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Polák, Jaroslav; Kuběna, Ivo; Mazánová, Veronika; Heczko, Milan; Man, Jiří

47A, č. 5 (2016), s. 1907-1911 ISSN 1073-5623 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-32665S; GA ČR(CZ) GA13-23652S; GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0068 Institutional support: RVO:68081723 Keywords : surface relief * dislocation structure * Sanicro 25 * extrusion * intrusion Subject RIV: JL - Materials Fatigue, Friction Mechanics Impact factor: 1.874, year: 2016

Electrostatic mechanism of shaping the wave micro-relief on the surface of a semiconductor, sputtered by an ion beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grigor'ev, A.I.

2000-01-01

The effect of the electric field formed due to the surface charging, is not accounted for in the weakly-developed theoretical models for the ordered micro-relief formation on the surface of a semiconductor under the impact of an ion beam. It is shown, that the problem on modeling the physical mechanism of forming the ordered wave micro-relief on the semiconductor surface under the impact of a high-energy ion beam may be interpreted as an electrostatic one [ru

An influence of ion and sputtered atom flows inhomogeneity on time evolution of the target surface relief in glow discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bondarenko, G G; Kristya, V I

2008-01-01

A mathematical model of ion and sputtered atom transport in the vicinity of the target with a periodical surface relief in glow discharge in pure gas is developed. Under the assumption that the relief amplitude is small, analytical expressions for their flows are found by the perturbation method and an equation describing the relief amplitude time evolution is derived. It is shown that intensity of sputtering exceeds intensity of sputtered material re-deposition at the relief tops, and relief smoothing always takes place in the process of homogeneous target treatment in glow discharge in pure gas

Surface relief of α doubleprime martensite in a Ti-Mo alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, H.; Okuda, K.; Enomoto, M.

2000-01-01

The surface relief of αdouble p rime martensite plates in a polycrystalline Ti-4.74 at. pct Mo alloy was studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The orientation of matrix grains was measured by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and measured surface tilt angles were compared with calculation by the crystallographic theory of martensite transformation. The observed maximum tilt angle was close to the predicted value of 7.57 deg. The overall agreement between measured and calculated tilt angles was improved significantly by taking into account not only the inclination of habit plane to the specimen surface, but also the shear direction predicted from the theory. The tile angle may vary with the moving direction of the interface unless the habit plane is perpendicular to the specimen surface. However, this effect was small in this transformation

In-situ study of surface relief due to cubic-tetragonal martensitic transformation in Mn_6_9_._4Fe_2_6_._0Cu_4_._6 antiferromagnetic shape memory alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, C.; Yuan, F.; Gen, Z.; Wang, L.; Cui, Y.G.; Wan, J.F.; Zhang, J.H.; Rong, Y.H.

2016-01-01

Temperature-dependence surface relief during cubic↔tetragonal martensitic transformation (MT) in Mn_6_9_._4Fe_2_6_._0Cu_4_._6 antiferromegnetic shape memory alloy was studied by means of in-situ atomic force microscopy. The surface morphology memory effect was found and the crystallography reversibility of the transformation and its shearing characters were directly verified. Twin shearing is suggested as the main mechanism of formation of tent-type surface relief. The surface relief angle (θ_α|θ_β)<0.5° was firstly measured and might be the smallest compared with that in other shape memory alloys. A Landau model was proposed to consider the shearing strain related with surface relief of MT varying with the coupling effect between second-order antiferromagnetic transition and first-order MT. According to this model, the Mn_6_9_._4Fe_2_6_._0Cu_4_._6 alloy belongs to the weak coupling system and this kind of weak coupling effect makes the main contribution to the small relief angle. - Highlights: • Temperature-dependence surface relief in Mn-Fe-Cu alloy was firstly studied. • The surface morphology memory effect in Mn-Fe-Cu alloy was found. • Smallest surface relief angle (θ_α|θ_β).

Dendritic azo compounds as a new type amorphous molecular material with quick photoinduced surface-relief-grating formation ability

Science.gov (United States)

He, Yaning; Gu, Xinyu; Guo, Miaocai; Wang, Xiaogong

2008-09-01

A series of dendritic azobenzene-containing compounds have been synthesized as a new type amorphous molecular material, which can show quick surface-relief-grating (SRG) formation ability upon light irradiation. For the synthesis, the dendritic precursor tris(2-(ethyl(phenyl)amino)ethyl)benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate and tris(3,5-bis(2-(ethyl(phenyl)amino)ethoxy)benzyl)benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate were prepared by esterification reactions between 1,3,5-benzenetricarbonyl chloride and N-ethyl- N-hydroxyethyl-aniline and 3,5-bis[2-( N-ethylanilino)ethoxy] benzylalcohol. The precursors were, respectively reacted with the diazonium salts of 4-nitroaniline, 4-aminobenzoic acid, and 4-aminobenzonitrile to introduce different types of donor-acceptor azo chromophores at the peripheral positions. The structure and properties of the dendritic azo compounds were characterized by the spectroscopic methods and thermal analysis. The surface-relief-grating (SRG) formation behavior of the dendritic azo compounds was studied by exposing the spin-coated thin films to an interference pattern of laser beams (532 nm) at modest intensity (100 mW/cm 2). The results show that the azo compounds can form stable amorphous glasses in a broad temperature range. The glass transition temperatures ( Tgs) depend on the backbone structures and the type of the peripheral azo chromophors. The type of the electron withdrawing groups in the p-positions of the terminal azobenzene units shows a significant influence on the SRG inscription rate. For the compounds containing the same type azo chromophores, the SRG inscription rate is also affected by the backbone structure.

Two-dimensional nanopatterning by PDMS relief structures of polymeric colloidal crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Nam, Hye Jin; Kim, Ju-Hee; Jung, Duk-Young; Park, Jong Bae; Lee, Hae Seong

2008-06-01

A new constructive method of fabricating a nanoparticle self-assembly on the patterned surface of a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) relief nanostructure was demonstrated. Patterned PDMS templates with close-packed microwells were fabricated by molding against a self-assembled monolayer of polystyrene spheres. Alkanethiol-functionalized gold nanoparticles with an average particle size of 2.5 nm were selectively deposited onto a hydrophobic self-assembled monolayer printed on the substrate by the micro-contact printing (μCP) of the prepared PDMS microwell, in which the patterned gold nanoparticles consisted of close-packed hexagons with an average diameter of 370 nm. In addition, two-dimensional colloidal crystals derived from PMMA microspheres with a diameter of 380 nm and a negative surface charge were successfully formed on the hemispherical microwells by electrostatic force using positively charged PAH-coated PDMS as a template to produce multidimensional nanostructures.

Shaded Relief of Rio Sao Francisco, Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

2000-01-01

This topographic image acquired by SRTM shows an area south of the Sao Francisco River in Brazil. The scrub forest terrain shows relief of about 400 meters (1300 feet). Areas such as these are difficult to map by traditional methods because of frequent cloud cover and local inaccessibility. This region has little topographic relief, but even subtle changes in topography have far-reaching effects on regional ecosystems. The image covers an area of 57 km x 79 km and represents one quarter of the 225 km SRTM swath. Colors range from dark blue at water level to white and brown at hill tops. The terrain features that are clearly visible in this image include tributaries of the Sao Francisco, the dark-blue branch-like features visible from top right to bottom left, and on the left edge of the image, and hills rising up from the valley floor. The San Francisco River is a major source of water for irrigation and hydroelectric power. Mapping such regions will allow scientists to better understand the relationships between flooding cycles, forestation and human influences on ecosystems.This shaded relief image was generated using topographic data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. A computer-generated artificial light source illuminates the elevation data to produce a pattern of light and shadows. Slopes facing the light appear bright, while those facing away are shaded. On flatter surfaces, the pattern of light and shadows can reveal subtle features in the terrain. Shaded relief maps are commonly used in applications such as geologic mapping and land use planning.The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), launched on February 11, 2000, uses the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. The mission is designed to collect three-dimensional measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data, engineers added a 60-meter-long (200

Biphotonic holographic gratings in azobenzene polyesters: Surface relief phenomena and polarization effects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sánchez, C.; Alcalá, R.; Hvilsted, Søren

2000-01-01

Biphotonic holographic gratings have been recorded in a side-chain azobenzene liquid crystalline polyester using a blue incoherent source and a He-Ne laser. Intensity gratings and the appearance of surface relief have been observed when two linearly polarized beams from a He-Ne laser are made...... to interfere on a film illuminated with blue light. Polarized holographic gratings are also created with two orthogonally circularly polarized He-Ne beams. All these gratings are stable in darkness but can be erased with blue light. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics....

Direct Magnetic Relief Recording Using As40S60: Mn-Se Nanocomposite Multilayer Structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Stronski, A; Achimova, E; Paiuk, O; Meshalkin, A; Prisacar, A; Triduh, G; Oleksenko, P; Lytvyn, P

2017-12-01

Processes of holographic recording of surface relief structures using As 2 S 3 :Mn-Se multilayer nanostructures as registering media were studied in this paper. Optical properties of As 2 S 3 :Mn, Se layers, and As 2 S 3 :Mn-Se multilayer nanostructures were investigated. Values of optical bandgaps were obtained from Tauc dependencies. Surface relief diffraction gratings were recorded. Direct one-stage formation of surface relief using multilayer nanostructures is considered. For the first time, possibility of direct formation of magnetic relief simultaneous with surface relief formation under optical recording using As 2 S 3 :Mn-Se multilayer nanostructures is shown.

Surface relief grating formation on a single crystal of 4-(dimethylamino)azobenzene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakano, Hideyuki; Tanino, Takahiro; Shirota, Yasuhiko

2005-01-01

Surface relief grating (SRG) formation on an organic single crystal by irradiation with two coherent laser beams has been demonstrated by using 4-(dimethylamino)azobenzene (DAAB). It was found that the SRG formation was greatly depending upon both the coordination of the crystal and the polarization of the writing beams. The dependence of the polarization of writing beams on the SRG formation using the single crystal was found to be quite different from that reported for amorphous polymers and photochromic amorphous molecular materials, suggesting that the mechanism of the SRG formation on the organic crystal is somewhat different from that on amorphous materials

Shaded relief of Bahia State, Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

2000-01-01

This topographic image is the first to show the full 240-kilometer-wide (150 mile)swath collected by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). The area shown is in the state of Bahia in Brazil. The semi-circular mountains along the left side of the image are the Serra Da Jacobin, which rise to 1100 meters (3600 feet) above sea level. The total relief shown is approximately 800 meters (2600 feet). The top part of the image is the Sertao, a semi-arid region, that is subject to severe droughts during El Nino events. A small portion of the San Francisco River, the longest river (1609 kilometers or 1000 miles) entirely within Brazil, cuts across the upper right corner of the image. This river is a major source of water for irrigation and hydroelectric power. Mapping such regions will allow scientists to better understand the relationships between flooding cycles, drought and human influences on ecosystems.This shaded relief image was generated using topographic data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. A computer-generated artificial light source illuminates the elevation data to produce a pattern of light and shadows. Slopes facing the light appear bright, while those facing away are shaded. On flatter surfaces, the pattern of light and shadows can reveal subtle features in the terrain. Colors show the elevation as measured by SRTM. Colors range from green at the lowest elevations to reddish at the highest elevations. Shaded relief maps are commonly used in applications such as geologic mapping and land use planning.The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), launched on February 11, 2000, uses the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. The mission is designed to collect three-dimensional measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data, engineers added a 60-meter-long (200-foot) mast, an additional C-band imaging

A matter of life or limb? A review of traumatic injury patterns and anesthesia techniques for disaster relief after major earthquakes.

Science.gov (United States)

Missair, Andres; Pretto, Ernesto A; Visan, Alexandru; Lobo, Laila; Paula, Frank; Castillo-Pedraza, Catalina; Cooper, Lebron; Gebhard, Ralf E

2013-10-01

All modalities of anesthetic care, including conscious sedation, general, and regional anesthesia, have been used to manage earthquake survivors who require urgent surgical intervention during the acute phase of medical relief. Consequently, we felt that a review of epidemiologic data from major earthquakes in the context of urgent intraoperative management was warranted to optimize anesthesia disaster preparedness for future medical relief operations. The primary outcome measure of this study was to identify the predominant preoperative injury pattern (anatomic location and pathology) of survivors presenting for surgical care immediately after major earthquakes during the acute phase of medical relief (0-15 days after disaster). The injury pattern is of significant relevance because it closely relates to the anesthetic techniques available for patient management. We discuss our findings in the context of evidence-based strategies for anesthetic management during the acute phase of medical relief after major earthquakes and the associated obstacles of devastated medical infrastructure. To identify reports on acute medical care in the aftermath of natural disasters, a query was conducted using MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, as well as an online search engine (Google Scholar). The search terms were "disaster" and "earthquake" in combination with "injury," "trauma," "surgery," "anesthesia," and "wounds." Our investigation focused only on studies of acute traumatic injury that specified surgical intervention among survivors in the acute phase of medical relief. A total of 31 articles reporting on 15 major earthquakes (between 1980 and 2010) and the treatment of more than 33,410 patients met our specific inclusion criteria. The mean incidence of traumatic limb injury per major earthquake was 68.0%. The global incidence of traumatic limb injury was 54.3% (18,144/33,410 patients). The pooled estimate of the proportion of limb injuries was calculated to be 67.95%, with a

A Surface Relief Meter Based on Trinocular Vision

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ernst, V.G.S.; Sablik, P.W.; Balendonck, J.; Houkes, Z.; Regtien, Paulus P.L.

1995-01-01

The concept for the relief meter being developed, appears to function well, when used with the artificial images. The described matching criterion leads to high matching percentages, and accurate results. The percentage of mismatches is reduced to practically zero for the tested scenes. Future work

Study of Surface Relief Evolution in Cyclically Strained Superalloy IN738LC Using Advanced Experimental Techniques

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Juliš, M.; Kusmič, D.; Pospíšilová, S.; Průša, S.; Obrtlík, Karel; Dluhoš, J.; Podrábský, T.

2011-01-01

Roč. 105, S (2011), s. 814-815 ISSN 0009-2770. [Lokálne mechanické vlastnosti 2010. Smolenice, 10.11.2010-12.11.2010] R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP107/11/2065 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20410507 Keywords : Inconel 738LC * low cycle fatigue * surface relief Subject RIV: JL - Materials Fatigue, Friction Mechanics Impact factor: 0.529, year: 2011

Polarized luminescence of nc-Si-SiO x nanostructures on silicon substrates with patterned surface

Science.gov (United States)

Michailovska, Katerina; Mynko, Viktor; Indutnyi, Ivan; Shepeliavyi, Petro

2018-05-01

Polarization characteristics and spectra of photoluminescence (PL) of nc-Si-SiO x structures formed on the patterned and plane c-Si substrates are studied. The interference lithography with vacuum chalcogenide photoresist and anisotropic wet etching are used to form a periodic relief (diffraction grating) on the surface of the substrates. The studied nc-Si-SiO x structures were produced by oblique-angle deposition of Si monoxide in vacuum and the subsequent high-temperature annealing. The linear polarization memory (PM) effect in PL of studied structure on plane substrate is manifested only after the treatment of the structures in HF and is explained by the presence of elongated Si nanoparticles in the SiO x nanocolumns. But the PL output from the nc-Si-SiO x structure on the patterned substrate depends on how this radiation is polarized with respect to the grating grooves and is much less dependent on the polarization of the exciting light. The measured reflection spectra of nc-Si-SiO x structure on the patterned c-Si substrate confirmed the influence of pattern on the extraction of polarized PL.

Molecularly oriented surface relief formation in polymethacrylates comprising N-benzylideneaniline derivative side groups

Science.gov (United States)

Kawatsuki, Nobuhiro; Hosoda, Risa; Kondo, Mizuho; Sasaki, Tomoyuki; Ono, Hiroshi

2014-12-01

Molecularly oriented surface relief (SR) formation in polymethacrylates with N-benzylideneaniline (NBA) derivative side groups is investigated by holographic exposure using a 325 nm He-Cd laser. Because the NBA moieties show a photoinduced orientation perpendicular to the polarization of light, polarization holography successfully forms a molecularly oriented SR structure in accordance with the polarization distribution that includes p-polarized components. Although intensity holography induces molecular orientation, it does not generate a satisfactory SR structure. In all the holographic modes, the SR depth depends on the direction of the C=N bonds in the NBA moieties and the photoproducts affect the SR formation ability.

The Backscattering Phase Function for a Sphere with a Two-Scale Relief of Rough Surface

Science.gov (United States)

Klass, E. V.

2017-12-01

The backscattering of light from spherical surfaces characterized by one and two-scale roughness reliefs has been investigated. The analysis is performed using the three-dimensional Monte-Carlo program POKS-RG (geometrical-optics approximation), which makes it possible to take into account the roughness of objects under study by introducing local geometries of different levels. The geometric module of the program is aimed at describing objects by equations of second-order surfaces. One-scale roughness is set as an ensemble of geometric figures (convex or concave halves of ellipsoids or cones). The two-scale roughness is modeled by convex halves of ellipsoids, with surface containing ellipsoidal pores. It is shown that a spherical surface with one-scale convex inhomogeneities has a flatter backscattering phase function than a surface with concave inhomogeneities (pores). For a sphere with two-scale roughness, the dependence of the backscattering intensity is found to be determined mostly by the lower-level inhomogeneities. The influence of roughness on the dependence of the backscattering from different spatial regions of spherical surface is analyzed.

Faraday instability on patterned surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Jie; Rubinstein, Gregory; Jacobi, Ian; Stone, Howard

2013-11-01

We show how micro-scale surface patterning can be used to control the onset of the Faraday instability in thin liquid films. It is well known that when a liquid film on a planar substrate is subject to sufficient vibrational accelerations, the free surface destabilizes, exhibiting a family of non-linear standing waves. This instability remains a canonical problem in the study of spontaneous pattern formation, but also has practical uses. For example, the surface waves induced by the Faraday instability have been studied as a means of enhanced damping for mechanical vibrations (Genevaux et al. 2009). Also the streaming within the unstable layer has been used as a method for distributing heterogeneous cell cultures on growth medium (Takagi et al. 2002). In each of these applications, the roughness of the substrate significantly affects the unstable flow field. We consider the effect of patterned substrates on the onset and behavior of the Faraday instability over a range of pattern geometries and feature heights where the liquid layer is thicker than the pattern height. Also, we describe a physical model for the influence of patterned roughness on the destabilization of a liquid layer in order to improve the design of practical systems which exploit the Faraday instability.

Color Shaded-Relief and Surface-Classification Maps of the Fish Creek Area, Harrison Bay Quadrangle, Northern Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Mars, John L.; Garrity, Christopher P.; Houseknecht, David W.; Amoroso, Lee; Meares, Donald C.

2007-01-01

Introduction The northeastern part of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA) has become an area of active petroleum exploration during the past five years. Recent leasing and exploration drilling in the NPRA requires the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to manage and monitor a variety of surface activities that include seismic surveying, exploration drilling, oil-field development drilling, construction of oil-production facilities, and construction of pipelines and access roads. BLM evaluates a variety of permit applications, environmental impact studies, and other documents that require rapid compilation and analysis of data pertaining to surface and subsurface geology, hydrology, and biology. In addition, BLM must monitor these activities and assess their impacts on the natural environment. Timely and accurate completion of these land-management tasks requires elevation, hydrologic, geologic, petroleum-activity, and cadastral data, all integrated in digital formats at a higher resolution than is currently available in nondigital (paper) formats. To support these land-management tasks, a series of maps was generated from remotely sensed data in an area of high petroleum-industry activity (fig. 1). The maps cover an area from approximately latitude 70?00' N. to 70?30' N. and from longitude 151?00' W. to 153?10' W. The area includes the Alpine oil field in the east, the Husky Inigok exploration well (site of a landing strip) in the west, many of the exploration wells drilled in NPRA since 2000, and the route of a proposed pipeline to carry oil from discovery wells in NPRA to the Alpine oil field. This map area is referred to as the 'Fish Creek area' after a creek that flows through the region. The map series includes (1) a color shaded-relief map based on 5-m-resolution data (sheet 1), (2) a surface-classification map based on 30-m-resolution data (sheet 2), and (3) a 5-m-resolution shaded relief-surface classification map that combines the shaded-relief

Shaded relief, color as height, Fiji

Science.gov (United States)

2000-01-01

The Sovereign Democratic Republic of the Fiji Islands, commonly known as Fiji, is an independent nation consisting of some 332 islands surrounding the Koro Sea in the South Pacific Ocean. This topographic image shows Viti Levu, the largest island in the group. With an area of 10,429 square kilometers (about 4000 square miles), it comprises more than half the area of the Fiji Islands. Suva, the capital city, lies on the southeast shore. The Nakauvadra, the rugged mountain range running from north to south, has several peaks rising above 900 meters (about 3000 feet). Mount Tomanivi, in the upper center, is the highest peak at 1324 meters (4341 feet). The distinct circular feature on the north shore is the Tavua Caldera, the remnant of a large shield volcano that was active about 4 million years ago. Gold has been mined on the margin of the caldera since the 1930's. The Nadrau plateau is the low relief highland in the center of the mountain range. The coastal plains in the west, northwest and southeast account for only 15 percent of Viti Levu's area but are the main centers of agriculture and settlement.This shaded relief image was generated using topographic data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. A computer-generated artificial light source illuminates the elevation data to produce a pattern of light and shadows. Slopes facing the light appear bright, while those facing away are shaded. On flatter surfaces, the pattern of light and shadows can reveal subtle features in the terrain. Colors show the elevation as measured by SRTM. Colors range from green at the lowest elevations top ink at the highest elevations. This image contains about 1300 meters(4300 feet) of total relief.The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), launched on February 11,2000, uses the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. The mission is designed to collect

Pattern formation in urbanism : A critical reflection on urban morphology, planning and design

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Çaliskan, O.

2013-01-01

This thesis is all about urban patterns, what we see through the windows of the plane with an admiration of their relief-like scenery covering the land surface. In a sense, the spatial pattern within our cities is the biggest collectively produced artifact of human beings. It is both the originator

Studies on the visualization of the fine relief of the colon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Persigehl, M.; Niemann, G.; Klose, K.C.

1983-01-01

The possibility of visualizing the fine relief of the colon was examined by studying human intestinal segments removed post mortem. The visualization depends, among other things, on the extent of expansion of the colon wall. The visualization of the fine relief structure becomes progressively poorer, the greater the extension of the wall. This might indicate that fold formation of the mucosa through a state of contraction of the tunica mucosa is done of the responsible factors for the visualization of the fine relief structures. The article discusses, apart from this factor, the course of the vessels as an anatomical basic pattern determining the manifestation of the fine relief structure; for this purpose, the course of the vessels in the intestine of the dog was visualized by intra-arterial contrast medium injection and then compared with the human fine relief. (orig.) [de

Modification of Surface Energy via Direct Laser Ablative Surface Patterning

Science.gov (United States)

Wohl, Christopher J., Jr. (Inventor); Belcher, Marcus A. (Inventor); Connell, John W. (Inventor); Hopkins, John W. (Inventor)

2015-01-01

Surface energy of a substrate is changed without the need for any template, mask, or additional coating medium applied to the substrate. At least one beam of energy directly ablates a substrate surface to form a predefined topographical pattern at the surface. Each beam of energy has a width of approximately 25 micrometers and an energy of approximately 1-500 microJoules. Features in the topographical pattern have a width of approximately 1-500 micrometers and a height of approximately 1.4-100 micrometers.

Surface Relief of Mapping

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Manuel F.; Almeida, Jose B.

1989-02-01

We will describe in this communication a noncont act method of measuring surface profile, it does not require any surface preparation, and it can be used with a very large range of surfaces from highly reflecting to non reflecting ones and as complex as textile surfaces. This method is reasonably immune to dispersion and diffraction, which usually make very difficult the application of non contact profilometry methods to a wide range of materials and situations, namely on quality control systems in industrial production lines. The method is based on the horizontal shift of the bright spot on a horizontal surface when this is illuminated with an oblique beam and moved vertically. in order to make the profilometry the sample is swept by an oblique light beam and the bright spot position is compared with a reference position. The bright spot must be as small as possible, particularly in very irregular surfaces; so the light beam diameter must be as small as possible and the incidence angle must not be too small. The sensivity of a system based on this method will be given, mostly, by the reception optical system.

Fraktalnist deformational relief polycrystalline aluminum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

М.В. Карускевич

2006-02-01

Full Text Available  The possibility of the fractal geometry method application for the analisys of surface deformation structures under cyclic loading is presented.It is shown, that deformation relief of the alclad aluminium alloyes meets the criteria of the fractality. For the fractal demention estimation the method of  “box-counting”can be applied.

Recrystallization and modification of the stainless-steel surface relief under photonic heat load in powerful plasma discharges

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Budaev, V. P., E-mail: budaev@mail.ru; Martynenko, Yu. V. [National Research Centre Kurchatov Institute (Russian Federation); Khimchenko, L. N. [Project Center ITER (Russian Federation); Zhitlukhin, A. M.; Klimov, N. S. [Troitsk Institute for Innovation and Fusion Research (Russian Federation); Pitts, R. A. [ITER Organization (France); Linke, J. [EURATOM Association, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH (Germany); Bazylev, B. [IHM, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany); Belova, N. E.; Karpov, A. V. [National Research Centre Kurchatov Institute (Russian Federation); Kovalenko, D. V.; Podkovyrov, V. L.; Yaroshevskaya, A. D. [Troitsk Institute for Innovation and Fusion Research (Russian Federation)

2013-11-15

Targets made of ITER-grade 316L(N)-IG stainless steel and Russian-grade 12Cr18Ni10Ti stainless steel with a close composition were exposed at the QSPA-T plasma gun to plasma photonic radiation pulses simulating conditions of disruption mitigation in ITER. After a large number of pulses, modification of the stainless-steel surface was observed, such as the formation of a wavy structure, irregular roughness, and cracks on the target surface. X-ray and optic microscopic analyses of targets revealed changes in the orientation and dimensions of crystallites (grains) over a depth of up to 20 μm for 316L(N)-IG stainless steel after 200 pulses and up to 40 μm for 12Cr18Ni10Ti stainless steel after 50 pulses, which is significantly larger than the depth of the layer melted in one pulse (∼10 μm). In a series of 200 tests of ITER-grade 316L(N)-IG ITER stainless steel, a linear increase in the height of irregularity (roughness) with increasing number of pulses at a rate of up to ∼1 μm per pulse was observed. No alteration in the chemical composition of the stainless-steel surface in the series of tests was revealed. A model is developed that describes the formation of wavy irregularities on the melted metal surface with allowance for the nonlinear stage of instability of the melted layer with a vapor/plasma flow above it. A decisive factor in this case is the viscous flow of the melted metal from the troughs to tops of the wavy structure. The model predicts saturation of the growth of the wavy structure when its amplitude becomes comparable with its wavelength. Approaches to describing the observed stochastic relief and roughness of the stainless-steel surface formed in the series of tests are considered. The recurrence of the melting-solidification process in which mechanisms of the hill growth compete with the spreading of the material from the hills can result in the formation of a stochastic relief.

Epidural morphine for postoperative pain relief in children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henneberg, S W; Hole, P; Haas, Inge Madsen De

1993-01-01

Epidural morphine for postoperative pain relief is in general use, and has proved to be very efficient in adults. The epidural technique and the use of epidural morphine are much less frequent in children. For 2 years we have prospectively followed 76 children who had epidural morphine...... for postoperative pain relief after major abdominal surgery. The age distribution was from newborn to 13 years, with a median age of 12 months. It was estimated that 94% of the patients had good analgesia for the first 24 postoperative hours and no other opioids were given. The side effects were few, but one case...... the investigation. We observed a change in the sleeping pattern with an increased number of sleep-induced myoclonia during the administration of epidural morphine. In conclusion, the use of epidural morphine in children for postoperative pain relief is very efficient. The minimal effective dose has not been...

An ontology design pattern for surface water features

Science.gov (United States)

Sinha, Gaurav; Mark, David; Kolas, Dave; Varanka, Dalia; Romero, Boleslo E.; Feng, Chen-Chieh; Usery, E. Lynn; Liebermann, Joshua; Sorokine, Alexandre

2014-01-01

Surface water is a primary concept of human experience but concepts are captured in cultures and languages in many different ways. Still, many commonalities exist due to the physical basis of many of the properties and categories. An abstract ontology of surface water features based only on those physical properties of landscape features has the best potential for serving as a foundational domain ontology for other more context-dependent ontologies. The Surface Water ontology design pattern was developed both for domain knowledge distillation and to serve as a conceptual building-block for more complex or specialized surface water ontologies. A fundamental distinction is made in this ontology between landscape features that act as containers (e.g., stream channels, basins) and the bodies of water (e.g., rivers, lakes) that occupy those containers. Concave (container) landforms semantics are specified in a Dry module and the semantics of contained bodies of water in a Wet module. The pattern is implemented in OWL, but Description Logic axioms and a detailed explanation is provided in this paper. The OWL ontology will be an important contribution to Semantic Web vocabulary for annotating surface water feature datasets. Also provided is a discussion of why there is a need to complement the pattern with other ontologies, especially the previously developed Surface Network pattern. Finally, the practical value of the pattern in semantic querying of surface water datasets is illustrated through an annotated geospatial dataset and sample queries using the classes of the Surface Water pattern.

Digital Shaded-Relief Image of Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Riehle, J.R.; Fleming, Michael D.; Molnia, B.F.; Dover, J.H.; Kelley, J.S.; Miller, M.L.; Nokleberg, W.J.; Plafker, George; Till, A.B.

1997-01-01

Introduction One of the most spectacular physiographic images of the conterminous United States, and the first to have been produced digitally, is that by Thelin and Pike (USGS I-2206, 1991). The image is remarkable for its crispness of detail and for the natural appearance of the artificial land surface. Our goal has been to produce a shaded-relief image of Alaska that has the same look and feel as the Thelin and Pike image. The Alaskan image could have been produced at the same scale as its lower 48 counterpart (1:3,500,000). But by insetting the Aleutian Islands into the Gulf of Alaska, we were able to print the Alaska map at a larger scale (1:2,500,000) and about the same physical size as the Thelin and Pike image. Benefits of the 1:2,500,000 scale are (1) greater resolution of topographic features and (2) ease of reference to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) (1987) Alaska Map E and the statewide geologic map (Beikman, 1980), which are both 1:2,500,000 scale. Manually drawn, shaded-relief images of Alaska's land surface have long been available (for example, Department of the Interior, 1909; Raisz, 1948). The topography depicted on these early maps is mainly schematic. Maps showing topographic contours were first available for the entire State in 1953 (USGS, 1:250,000) (J.H. Wittmann, USGS, written commun., 1996). The Alaska Map E was initially released in 1954 in both planimetric (revised in 1973 and 1987) and shaded-relief versions (revised in 1973, 1987, and 1996); topography depicted on the shaded-relief version is based on the 1:250,000-scale USGS topographic maps. Alaska Map E was later modified to include hypsometric tinting by Raven Maps and Images (1989, revised 1993) as copyrighted versions. Other shaded-relief images were produced for The National Geographic Magazine (LaGorce, 1956; 1:3,000,000) or drawn by Harrison (1970; 1:7,500,000) for The National Atlas of the United States. Recently, the State of Alaska digitally produced a shaded-relief image

Epidural morphine for postoperative pain relief in children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henneberg, S W; Hole, P; Haas, Inge Madsen De

1993-01-01

the investigation. We observed a change in the sleeping pattern with an increased number of sleep-induced myoclonia during the administration of epidural morphine. In conclusion, the use of epidural morphine in children for postoperative pain relief is very efficient. The minimal effective dose has not been...

Printing-assisted surface modifications of patterned ultrafiltration membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wardrip, Nathaniel C.; Dsouza, Melissa; Urgun-Demirtas, Meltem; Snyder, Seth W.

2016-01-01

Understanding and restricting microbial surface attachment will enhance wastewater treatment with membranes. We report a maskless lithographic patterning technique for the generation of patterned polymer coatings on ultrafiltration membranes. Polyethylene glycol, zwitterionic, or negatively charged hydrophilic polymer compositions in parallel- or perpendicular-striped patterns with respect to feed flow were evaluated using wastewater. Membrane fouling was dependent on the orientation and chemical composition of the coatings. Modifications reduced alpha diversity in the attached microbial community (Shannon indices decreased from 2.63 to 1.89) which nevertheless increased with filtration time. Sphingomonas species, which condition membrane surfaces and facilitate cellular adhesion, were depleted in all modified membranes. Microbial community structure was significantly different between control, different patterns, and different chemistries. Lastly, this study broadens the tools for surface modification of membranes with polymer coatings and for understanding and optimization of antifouling surfaces.

Wetting study of patterned surfaces for superhydrophobicity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bhushan, Bharat [Nanotribology Laboratory for Information Storage and MEMS/NEMS (NLIM), 201 W. 19th Avenue, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43202-1107 (United States)], E-mail: Bhushan.2@osu.edu; Jung, Yong Chae [Nanotribology Laboratory for Information Storage and MEMS/NEMS (NLIM), 201 W. 19th Avenue, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43202-1107 (United States)

2007-10-15

Superhydrophobic surfaces have considerable technological potential for various applications due to their extreme water-repellent properties. A number of studies have been carried out to produce artificial biomimetic roughness-induced hydrophobic surfaces. In general, both homogeneous and composite interfaces are possible on the produced surface. Silicon surfaces patterned with pillars of two different diameters and heights with varying pitch values were fabricated. We show how static contact angles vary with different pitch values on the patterned silicon surfaces. Based on the experimental data and a numerical model, the trends are explained. We show that superhydrophobic surfaces have low hysteresis and tilt angle. Tribological properties play an important role in many applications requiring water-repellent properties. Therefore, it is important to study the adhesion and friction properties of these surfaces that mimic nature. An atomic/friction force microscope (AFM/FFM) is used for surface characterization and adhesion and friction measurements.

Alternative medicine - pain relief

Science.gov (United States)

Acupuncture - pain relief; Hypnosis - pain relief; Guided imagery - pain relief ... neck, shoulder, knee, or elbow) Osteoarthritis Rheumatoid arthritis Hypnosis is a focused state of concentration. With self- ...

An Ontology Design Pattern for Surface Water Features

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sinha, Gaurav [Ohio University; Mark, David [University at Buffalo (SUNY); Kolas, Dave [Raytheon BBN Technologies; Varanka, Dalia [U.S. Geological Survey, Rolla, MO; Romero, Boleslo E [University of California, Santa Barbara; Feng, Chen-Chieh [National University of Singapore; Usery, Lynn [U.S. Geological Survey, Rolla, MO; Liebermann, Joshua [Tumbling Walls, LLC; Sorokine, Alexandre [ORNL

2014-01-01

Surface water is a primary concept of human experience but concepts are captured in cultures and languages in many different ways. Still, many commonalities can be found due to the physical basis of many of the properties and categories. An abstract ontology of surface water features based only on those physical properties of landscape features has the best potential for serving as a foundational domain ontology. It can then be used to systematically incor-porate concepts that are specific to a culture, language, or scientific domain. The Surface Water ontology design pattern was developed both for domain knowledge distillation and to serve as a conceptual building-block for more complex surface water ontologies. A fundamental distinction is made in this on-tology between landscape features that act as containers (e.g., stream channels, basins) and the bodies of water (e.g., rivers, lakes) that occupy those containers. Concave (container) landforms semantics are specified in a Dry module and the semantics of contained bodies of water in a Wet module. The pattern is imple-mented in OWL, but Description Logic axioms and a detailed explanation is provided. The OWL ontology will be an important contribution to Semantic Web vocabulary for annotating surface water feature datasets. A discussion about why there is a need to complement the pattern with other ontologies, es-pecially the previously developed Surface Network pattern is also provided. Fi-nally, the practical value of the pattern in semantic querying of surface water datasets is illustrated through a few queries and annotated geospatial datasets.

Implementation and analysis of relief patterns of the surface of benign and malignant lesions of the skin by microtopography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopez Pacheco, Maria del Carmen Lopez [Laboratorio de CitopatologIa Ambiental, Departamento de MorfologIa, ENCB-IPN, UP Lazaro Cardenas, Casco de Santo Tomas, 11340 (Mexico); Martins-Costa, Manuel Filipe Pereira da Cunha [Departamento de Fisica, Universidad do Minho, Escola de Ciencias Campus de Gualtar-PT-4710-057 Braga (Portugal); Zapata, Aura Judith Perez [Laboratorio de CitopatologIa Ambiental, Departamento de MorfologIa, ENCB-IPN, UP Lazaro Cardenas, Casco de Santo Tomas, 11340 (Mexico); Cherit, Judith DomInguez [Departamento de DermatologIa, Hospital General Dr Manuel Gea Gonzalez, Calzada de Tlalpan No 4800, 14000 (Mexico); Gallegos, Eva Ramon [Laboratorio de CitopatologIa Ambiental, Departamento de MorfologIa, ENCB-IPN, UP Lazaro Cardenas, Casco de Santo Tomas, 11340 (Mexico)

2005-12-07

The objective of this study was to be able to distinguish between healthy skin tissue and malignant ones, furthermore determining a unique pattern of roughness for each skin lesion by microtopographic analysis of the skin surface of Mexican patients during the period from April to October 2002. The standard technique used in this study for the diagnosis of skin cancer and the comparison of the results was the haematoxylin-eosin histopathological technique. Latex impressions were taken from skin lesions as well as from the healthy skin of each patient to serve as control samples. These impressions were analysed by the MICROTOP.03.MFC microtopographic system inspection. It was observed that when the tumour becomes rougher, more malign will be the lesion. On average, the melanoma present an increase of roughness of 67% compared to healthy skin, obtaining a roughness relation of 1:2.54. The percentage decreases to 49% (49%, 1:60) in the case of basal cell carcinoma and to 40% in pre-malignant lesions such as melanocytic nevus (40%, 1:150). In benign lesions such as the seborrhoea keratosis only a small increase in roughness was noted (4%, 1:0.72). Microtopographic inspection of the skin surface can be considered as a complementary diagnostic technique for skin cancer.

Implementation and analysis of relief patterns of the surface of benign and malignant lesions of the skin by microtopography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez Pacheco, Maria del Carmen Lopez; Martins-Costa, Manuel Filipe Pereira da Cunha; Zapata, Aura Judith Perez; Cherit, Judith DomInguez; Gallegos, Eva Ramon

2005-01-01

The objective of this study was to be able to distinguish between healthy skin tissue and malignant ones, furthermore determining a unique pattern of roughness for each skin lesion by microtopographic analysis of the skin surface of Mexican patients during the period from April to October 2002. The standard technique used in this study for the diagnosis of skin cancer and the comparison of the results was the haematoxylin-eosin histopathological technique. Latex impressions were taken from skin lesions as well as from the healthy skin of each patient to serve as control samples. These impressions were analysed by the MICROTOP.03.MFC microtopographic system inspection. It was observed that when the tumour becomes rougher, more malign will be the lesion. On average, the melanoma present an increase of roughness of 67% compared to healthy skin, obtaining a roughness relation of 1:2.54. The percentage decreases to 49% (49%, 1:60) in the case of basal cell carcinoma and to 40% in pre-malignant lesions such as melanocytic nevus (40%, 1:150). In benign lesions such as the seborrhoea keratosis only a small increase in roughness was noted (4%, 1:0.72). Microtopographic inspection of the skin surface can be considered as a complementary diagnostic technique for skin cancer

Photosensitive response of azobenzene containing films towards pure intensity or polarization interference patterns

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yadavalli, Nataraja Sekhar; Santer, Svetlana, E-mail: santer@uni-potsdam.de [Department of Experimental Physics, Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam (Germany); Saphiannikova, Marina [Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, 01069 Dresden (Germany)

2014-08-04

In this paper, we report on differences in the response of photosensitive azobenzene containing films upon irradiation with the intensity or polarization interference patterns. Two materials are studied differing in the molecular weight: an azobenzene-containing polymer and a molecular glass formed from a much smaller molecule consisting of three connected azobenzene units. Topography changes occurring along with the changes in irradiation conditions are recorded using a homemade set-up combining an optical part for generation and shaping of interference patterns and an atomic force microscope for acquiring the kinetics of film deformation. In this way, we could reveal the unique behavior of photosensitive materials during the first few minutes of irradiation: the change in topography is initially driven by an increase in the azobenzene free volume along with the trans-cis isomerization, followed by the mass transport finally resulting in the surface relief grating. This study demonstrates the great potential of our setup to experimentally highlight puzzling processes governing the formation of surface relief gratings.

Ultrafast changes in the optical properties of a titanium surface and femtosecond laser writing of one-dimensional quasi-periodic nanogratings of its relief

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golosov, E. V.; Ionin, A. A.; Kolobov, Yu. R.; Kudryashov, S. I.; Ligachev, A. E.; Novoselov, Yu. N.; Seleznev, L. V.; Sinitsyn, D. V.

2011-01-01

One-dimensional quasi-periodic nanogratings with spacings in the range from 160 to 600 nm are written on a dry or wet titanium surface exposed to linearly polarized femtosecond IR and UV laser pulses with different surface energy densities. The topological properties of the obtained surface nanostructures are studied by scanning electron microscopy. Despite the observation of many harmonics of the one-dimensional surface relief in its Fourier spectra, a weak decreasing dependence of the first-harmonic wavenumber (nanograting spacing) on the laser fluence is found. Studies of the instantaneous optical characteristics of the material during laser irradiation by measuring the reflection of laser pump pulses and their simulation based on the Drude model taking into account the dominant interband absorption allowed us to estimate the length of the excited surface electromagnetic (plasmon-polariton) wave for different excitation conditions. This wavelength is quantitatively consistent with the corresponding nanograting spacings of the first harmonic of the relief of the dry and wet titanium surfaces. It is shown that the dependence of the first-harmonic nanograting spacing on the laser fluence is determined by a change in the instantaneous optical characteristics of the material and the saturation of the interband absorption along with the increasing role of intraband transitions. Three new methods are proposed for writing separate subwave surface nanogratings or their sets by femtosecond laser pulses using the near-threshold nanostructuring, the forced adjustment of the optical characteristics of the material or selecting the spectral range of laser radiation, and also by selecting an adjacent dielectric.

Coseismic landslides reveal near-surface rock strength in a high-relief tectonically active setting

Science.gov (United States)

Gallen, Sean F.; Clark, Marin K.; Godt, Jonathan W.

2014-01-01

We present quantitative estimates of near-surface rock strength relevant to landscape evolution and landslide hazard assessment for 15 geologic map units of the Longmen Shan, China. Strength estimates are derived from a novel method that inverts earthquake peak ground acceleration models and coseismic landslide inventories to obtain material proper- ties and landslide thickness. Aggregate rock strength is determined by prescribing a friction angle of 30° and solving for effective cohesion. Effective cohesion ranges are from 70 kPa to 107 kPa for 15 geologic map units, and are approximately an order of magnitude less than typical laboratory measurements, probably because laboratory tests on hand-sized specimens do not incorporate the effects of heterogeneity and fracturing that likely control near-surface strength at the hillslope scale. We find that strength among the geologic map units studied varies by less than a factor of two. However, increased weakening of units with proximity to the range front, where precipitation and active fault density are the greatest, suggests that cli- matic and tectonic factors overwhelm lithologic differences in rock strength in this high-relief tectonically active setting.

Surface functionalization by fine ultraviolet-patterning of nanometer-thick liquid lubricant films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Renguo; Zhang, Hedong; Komada, Suguru; Mitsuya, Yasunaga; Fukuzawa, Kenji; Itoh, Shintaro

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We present fine UV-patterning of nm-thick liquid films for surface functionalization. • The patterned films exhibit both a morphological pattern and a functional pattern of different surface properties. • The finest pattern linewidth was 0.5 μm. • Fine patterning is crucial for improving surface and tribological properties. - Abstract: For micro/nanoscale devices, surface functionalization is essential to achieve function and performance superior to those that originate from the inherent bulk material properties. As a method of surface functionalization, we dip-coated nanometer-thick liquid lubricant films onto solid surfaces and then patterned the lubricant films with ultraviolet (UV) irradiation through a photomask. Surface topography, adhesion, and friction measurements demonstrated that the patterned films feature a concave–convex thickness distribution with thicker lubricant in the irradiated regions and a functional distribution with lower adhesion and friction in the irradiated convex regions. The pattern linewidth ranged from 100 to as fine as 0.5 μm. The surface functionalization effect of UV-patterning was investigated by measuring the water contact angles, surface energies, friction forces, and depletion of the patterned, as-dipped, and full UV-irradiated lubricant films. The full UV-irradiated lubricant film was hydrophobic with a water contact angle of 102.1°, and had lower surface energy, friction, and depletion than the as-dipped film, which was hydrophilic with a water contact angle of 80.7°. This demonstrates that UV irradiation substantially improves the surface and tribological properties of the nanometer-thick liquid lubricant films. The UV-patterned lubricant films exhibited superior surface and tribological properties than the as-dipped film. The water contact angle increased and the surface energy, friction, and depletion decreased as the pattern linewidth decreased. In particular, the 0.5-μm patterned lubricant

Unequal ice-sheet erosional impacts across low-relief shield terrain in northern Fennoscandia

Science.gov (United States)

Ebert, Karin; Hall, Adrian M.; Kleman, Johan; Andersson, Jannike

2015-03-01

Much previous work on Late Cenozoic glacial erosion patterns in bedrock has focussed on mountain areas. Here we identify varying impacts of ice sheet erosion on the low-relief bedrock surface of the Fennoscandian shield, and examine the geological, topographical and glaciological controls on these patterns. We combine GIS-mapping of topographical, hydrological and weathering data with field observations. We identify and investigate areas with similar geology and general low relief that show different degrees of ice sheet erosional impact, despite similar ice cover histories. On two transects with a total area of ~ 84 000 km2 across the northern Fennoscandian shield, we first establish patterns of glacial erosion and then examine why glacially streamlined areas exist adjacent to areas of negligible glacial erosion. The northern transect includes two areas of exceptional glacial preservation, the Parkajoki area in Sweden and the so-called ice divide zone in Finland, each of which preserve tors and deep saprolite covers. The southern transect, overlapping in the northern part with the first transect, includes areas of well developed glacial streamlining, with bedrock areas stripped of loose material and barely any weathering remnants. For both areas, we firstly present contrasting indicators for ice sheet erosional impact: streamlined and non-streamlined inselbergs; parallel and dendritic/rectangular drainage patterns; and the absence and presence of Neogene weathering remnants. This is followed by an investigation of factors that possibly influence ice sheet erosional impact: ice cover history, ice cover duration and thickness, bedrock type and structure, and topography. We find that the erosional impact of the Fennoscandian ice sheet has varied across the study area. Distinct zones of ice sheet erosion are identified in which indicators of either low or high erosion coexist in the same parts of the transects. No direct impact of rock type on glacial erosion patterns

Non-destructive Assessment of Relief Marking Parameters of Heat Shrinkable Installation Parts for Aviation Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kondratov Aleksandr P.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The article explains a new method of relief marking of heat-shrinkable tubing and sleeves made of polymer materials with “shape memory effect.” Method of instrument evaluation of relief marking stereometry of installation parts for aviation equipment, made of polyvinyl chloride, polyethyleneterephthalate and polystyrene was developed and the results were explained. Parameters of pin-point relief marking and compliance of point forms to the Braille font standard were determined with the use of the non-destructive method based on the color of interference pattern with precision of 0.02 mm.

Theoretical modeling and design of photonic structures in zeolite nanocomposites for gas sensing. Part I: surface relief gratings.

Science.gov (United States)

Cody, D; Naydenova, I

2017-12-01

The suitability of holographic structures fabricated in zeolite nanoparticle-polymer composite materials for gas sensing applications has been investigated. Theoretical modeling of the sensor response (i.e., change in hologram readout due to a change in refractive index modulation or thickness as a result of gas adsorption) of different sensor designs was carried out using Raman-Nath theory and Kogelnik's coupled wave theory. The influence of a range of parameters on the sensor response of holographically recorded surface and volume photonic grating structures has been studied, namely the phase difference between the diffracted and probe beam introduced by the grating, grating geometry, thickness, spatial frequency, reconstruction wavelength, and zeolite nanoparticle refractive index. From this, the optimum fabrication conditions for both surface and volume holographic gas sensor designs have been identified. Here, in part I, results from theoretical modeling of the influence of design on the sensor response of holographically inscribed surface relief structures for gas sensing applications is reported.

Calculation of the dependence on the Moon and Mars γ-quantum flux on the relief and distance to the surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Surkov, Yu.A.; Noskaleva, L.P.; Manvelyan, O.S.

1978-01-01

The dependence of the gamma quantum flux on height over a planet, area over which the gamma radiation is ''collected'', and surface relief is calculated. The effect of the planet atmosphere on detected gamma radiation is considered. If the specific power of gamma-quantum sources is known, the results obtained allow to determine for any height over a planet the gamma-quantum flux due to the planet rock and its atmosphere radiations, as well as the detector spatial resolution

Surface magnetization and the role of pattern defects in various types of ripple patterned films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colino, Jose M; Arranz, Miguel A; Barbero, Antonio J; Bollero, A; Camarero, J

2016-01-01

We present a detailed study of the magnetic properties of cobalt films with wide-area nanoscale ripple patterns, either on their surface only, or on both the film surface and substrate interface. Angular dependence vectorial-resolved magnetometry measurements and magnetic force microscopy with in situ magnetic field have been used to determine the magnetization reversal processes to correlate them to the different patterned nanostructures. All the samples show well-defined uniaxial magnetic anisotropy with the anisotropy axis lying along the ripple direction. Atomic force microscopy of the different types of pattern reveals various pattern defects: height corrugation and breaks of continuity along the ripple direction, and overlapping ripples and Y-shaped defects (pattern dislocation) across the pattern. In spite of the existence of such customary defects of erosive-regime patterns, the type of low-amplitude, surface-patterned films remarkably behave as a macrospin over almost the whole in-plane angular range (340°), with negligible spread of anisotropy axis or energy. In turn, it is found that high-amplitude surface-patterned films develop an angular distribution of anisotropy axes, probably related to the large distribution of amplitudes in a pattern of short ripples, and a significant distribution of anisotropy fields ΔH k /H k up to 15%. On the other hand, films grow on pre-patterned silicon with a significantly longer mean ripple length, and develop a larger anisotropy energy with H k up to 110 mT, probably because of the double interface effect. The switching fields close to the magnetization easy axis of all types of ripple pattern are not well reproduced by the macrospin approximation, but the observed pattern defects seem to be not responsible for the domain wall pinning that occurs with the field applied along the ripple direction. (paper)

Some unique surface patterns on ignimbrites on Earth: A "bird's eye" view as a guide for planetary mappers

Science.gov (United States)

de Silva, Shanaka L.; Bailey, John E.

2017-08-01

Observations of terrestrial analogs are critical to aiding planetary mappers in interpreting surface lithologies on other planets. For instance, the presence of ignimbrites on Mars has been debated for over three decades and is supported by analogy with deposits on Earth. Critical evidence includes the geomorphic and surface expression of the deposits, and those in the Central Andes of South America are amongst the most-cited analogs. Herein we describe some prominent surface textures and patterns seen in ignimbrites on the scale of high-resolution remotely sensed data (10-1 m per pixel). These include pervasive joints and fractures that contribute to yardang form and development as well as prominent mounds, fissures, and fracture networks ("spiders", "bugs", "boxworks") on ignimbrite surfaces. While all these features are related to intrinsic cooling and degassing processes, the involvement of external water buried by hot pyroclastic flows enhances fumarolic activity, advective cooling, and joint development. Observations of these geomorphic expressions using remote sensing are only possible with the highest resolution data and limited surface erosion. For Mars, where similarly high resolution datasets are available (for example, the High Resolution Imaging Sensor Experiment or HiRISE) extensive dust cover may limit the recognition of similar features there. However significant relief on some of these features on Earth indicate they might still be detectable on Mars.

Clay mineralogy in different geomorphic surfaces in sugarcane areas

Science.gov (United States)

Camargo, L.; Marques, J., Jr.

2012-04-01

The crystallization of the oxides and hydroxides of iron and aluminum and kaolinite of clay fraction is the result of pedogenetic processes controlled by the relief. These minerals have influence on the physical and chemical attributes of soil and exhibit spatial dependence. The pattern of spatial distribution is influenced by forms of relief as the geomorphic surfaces. In this sense, the studies aimed at understanding the relationship between relief and the distribution pattern of the clay fraction attributes contribute to the delineation of specific areas of management in the field. The objective of this study was to evaluate the spatial distribution of oxides and hydroxides of iron and aluminum and kaolinite of clay fraction and its relationship with the physical and chemical attributes in different geomorphic surfaces. Soil samples were collected in a transect each 25 m (100 samples) and in the sides of the same (200 samples) as well as an area of 500 ha (1 sample each six hectare). Geomorphic surfaces (GS) in the transect were mapped in detail to support mapping the entire area. The soil samples were taken to the laboratory for chemical, physical, and mineralogical analysis, and the pattern of spatial distribution of soil attributes was obtained by statistics and geostatistics. The GS I is considered the oldest surface of the study area, with depositional character, and a slope ranging from 0 to 4%. GS II and III are considered to be eroded, and the surface II plan a gentle slope that extends from the edge of the surface until the beginning of I and III. The crystallographic characteristics of the oxides and hydroxides of iron and aluminum and kaolinite showed spatial dependence and the distribution pattern corresponding to the limits present of the GS in the field. Surfaces I and II showed the best environments to the degree of crystallinity of hematite and the surface III to the greatest degree of crystallinity of goethite agreeing to the pedoenvironment

Submicron Surface-Patterned Fibers and Textiles

Science.gov (United States)

2016-11-04

www.statista.com/ statistics /263154/ worldwide -production-volume-of-textile-fibers- since-1975/ (accessed October 26, 2016). [2] W. S. Perkins, Textile coloration...Engineering. Submitted to 2 Presently, the worldwide annual production volume of textile fibers is nearly one hundred million metric tons... stress where viscous forces dominate and surface energy- driven deformations are kinetically restrained. A specific example of a surface-patterned

The role of dynamic surface water-groundwater exchange on streambed denitrification in a first-order, low-relief agricultural watershed

Science.gov (United States)

Rahimi, Mina; Essaid, Hedeff I.; Wilson, John T.

2015-12-01

The role of temporally varying surface water-groundwater (SW-GW) exchange on nitrate removal by streambed denitrification was examined along a reach of Leary Weber Ditch (LWD), Indiana, a small, first-order, low-relief agricultural watershed within the Upper Mississippi River basin, using data collected in 2004 and 2005. Stream stage, GW heads (H), and temperatures (T) were continuously monitored in streambed piezometers and stream bank wells for two transects across LWD accompanied by synoptic measurements of stream stage, H, T, and nitrate (NO3) concentrations along the reach. The H and T data were used to develop and calibrate vertical two-dimensional, models of streambed water flow and heat transport across and along the axis of the stream. Model-estimated SW-GW exchange varied seasonally and in response to high-streamflow events due to dynamic interactions between SW stage and GW H. Comparison of 2004 and 2005 conditions showed that small changes in precipitation amount and intensity, evapotranspiration, and/or nearby GW levels within a low-relief watershed can readily impact SW-GW interactions. The calibrated LWD flow models and observed stream and streambed NO3 concentrations were used to predict temporal variations in streambed NO3 removal in response to dynamic SW-GW exchange. NO3 removal rates underwent slow seasonal changes, but also underwent rapid changes in response to high-flow events. These findings suggest that increased temporal variability of SW-GW exchange in low-order, low-relief watersheds may be a factor contributing their more efficient removal of NO3.

Experimental Study of Thermo-hydraulic Characteristics of Surfaces with In-line Dimple Arrangement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. A. Burtsev

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents a conducted experimental study of the heat exchange intensification on the surfaces covered with a regular vortex-generating relief that is an in-line array of the shallow hemispherical dimples. Using 12 configuration options with the Reynolds numbers in the range of (0.2-7.0 106 as an example, it analyses how a longitudinal and cross step of the in-line dimple array (density dimples effects on the processes of heat exchange intensification and resistance.The monocomponent strain-gauge balance allows us to define a value of the resistance coefficient by direct weighing of models (located in parallel in a flow of "relief" and smooth "reference" ones being under study. Distribution fields of heat – transfer factor are determined by recording a cooling process of the surface of studied models having high spatial and temporary resolution. All researches were conducted with one-shot data record of these thermal and hydraulic measurements for the smooth (reference surfaces and the studied surfaces covered with a regular vortex-generating relief (dimples. The error of determined parameters was no more than ±5%.The oil-sooty method allows us to visualize flow around a regular relief and obtain a flow pattern for 12 options of dimples configuration. The analysis has been carried out and a compliance of the flow patterns with the field of heat-transfer factors has been obtained.It has been found that for the in-line configuration a Reynolds analogy factor for most models is nonlinearly dependent on the Reynolds number. The friction intensification, at first, falls (to some Reynolds number and, further, starts increasing, tending to the friction intensification value with self-similarity flow around. Thus with increasing Reynolds number, the heattransfer factor intensification falls (more slowly than resistance intensification.

Pattern formation under residual compressive stress in free sustained aluminum films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Senjiang; Ye Quanlin; Zhang Yongju; Cai Pinggen; Xu Xiaojun; Chen Jiangxing; Ye Gaoxiang

2005-01-01

A nearly free sustained aluminum (Al) film system has been successfully fabricated by vapor phase deposition of Al atoms on silicone oil surfaces and an unusual type of ordered patterns at the micrometer scale has been systematically studied. The ordered patterns are composed of a large number of parallel key-shaped domains and possess a sandwiched structure. The nucleation and growth of the patterns are very susceptible to the growth period, deposition rate, nominal film thickness and location of the film. The experiment shows that the ordered patterns are induced by the residual compressive stress in the film owing to contraction of the liquid surface after deposition. The appearance of these stress relief patterns generally represents the stress distribution in the nearly free sustained Al films, which mainly results from the characteristic boundary condition and the nearly zero adhesion of the solid-liquid interface

Measuring Paleolandscape Relief in Alluvial River Systems from the Stratigraphic Record

Science.gov (United States)

Hajek, E. A.; Trampush, S. M.; Chamberlin, E.; Greenberg, E.

2017-12-01

Aggradational alluvial river systems sometimes generate relief in the vicinity of their channel belts (i.e. alluvial ridges) and it has been proposed that this process may define important thresholds in river avulsion. The compensation scale can be used to estimate the maximum relief across a landscape and can be connected to the maximum scale of autogenic organization in experimental and numerical systems. Here we use the compensation scale - measured from outcrops of Upper Cretaceous and Paleogene fluvial deposits - to estimate the maximum relief that characterized ancient fluvial landscapes. In some cases, the compensation scale significantly exceeds the maximum channel depth observed in a deposit, suggesting that aggradational alluvial systems organize to sustain more relief than might be expected by looking only in the immediate vicinity of the active channel belt. Instead, these results indicate that in some systems, positive topographic relief generated by multiple alluvial ridge complexes and/or large-scale fan features may be associated with landscape-scale autogenic organization of channel networks that spans multiple cycles of channel avulsion. We compare channel and floodplain sedimentation patterns among the studied ancient fluvial systems in an effort to determine whether avulsion style, channel migration, or floodplain conditions influenced the maximum autogenic relief of ancient landscapes. Our results emphasize that alluvial channel networks may be organized at much larger spatial and temporal scales than previously realized and provide an avenue for understanding which types of river systems are likely to exhibit the largest range of autogenic dynamics.

Polarization Patterns of Transmitted Celestial Light under Wavy Water Surfaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guanhua Zhou

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a model to describe the polarization patterns of celestial light, which includes sunlight and skylight, when refracted by wavy water surfaces. The polarization patterns and intensity distribution of refracted light through the wave water surface were calculated. The model was validated by underwater experimental measurements. The experimental and theoretical values agree well qualitatively. This work provides a quantitative description of the repolarization and transmittance of celestial light transmitted through wave water surfaces. The effects of wind speed and incident sources on the underwater refraction polarization patterns are discussed. Scattering skylight dominates the polarization patterns while direct solar light is the dominant source of the intensity of the underwater light field. Wind speed has an influence on disturbing the patterns under water.

Surface relief gratings: experiments, physical scenarios, and photoinduced (anomalous) dynamics of functionalized polymer chains

Science.gov (United States)

Mitus, A. C.; Radosz, W.; Wysoczanski, T.; Pawlik, G.

2017-10-01

Surface Relief Gratings (SRG) were demonstrated experimentally more than 20 years ago. Despite many years of research efforts the underlying physical mechanisms remain unclear. In this paper we present a short overview of the main concepts related to SRG - photofluidization and its counterpart, the orientational approach - based on a seminal paper by Saphiannikova et al. Next, we summarize the derivation of the cos2 θ potential, following the lines of recent paper of this group. Those results validate the generic Monte Carlo model for the photoinduced build-up of the density and SRG gratings in a model polymer matrix functionalized with azo-dyes, presented in another part of the paper. The characterization of the photoinduced motion of polymer chains, based on our recent paper, is briefly discussed in the last part of the paper. This discussion offers a sound insight into the mechanisms responsible for inscription of SRG as well as for single functionalized nanoparticle studies.

Effective International Medical Disaster Relief: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Broby, Nicolette; Lassetter, Jane H; Williams, Mary; Winters, Blaine A

2018-04-01

Purpose The aim of this study was to assist organizations seeking to develop or improve their medical disaster relief effort by identifying fundamental elements and processes that permeate high-quality, international, medical disaster relief organizations and the teams they deploy. A qualitative descriptive design was used. Data were gathered from interviews with key personnel at five international medical response organizations, as well as during field observations conducted at multiple sites in Jordan and Greece, including three refugee camps. Data were then reviewed by the research team and coded to identify patterns, categories, and themes. The results from this qualitative, descriptive design identified three themes which were key characteristics of success found in effective, well-established, international medical disaster relief organizations. These characteristics were first, ensuring an official invitation had been extended and the need for assistance had been identified. Second, the response to that need was done in an effective and sustainable manner. Third, effective organizations strived to obtain high-quality volunteers. By following the three key characteristics outlined in this research, organizations are more likely to improve the efficiency and quality of their work. In addition, they will be less likely to impede the overall recovery process. Broby N , Lassetter JH , Williams M , Winters BA . Effective international medical disaster relief: a qualitative descriptive study. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2018;33(2):119-126.

Nutrients and Hydrology Indicate the Driving Mechanisms of Peatland Surface Patterning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eppinga, M.B.; Ruiter, de P.C.; Wassen, M.J.; Rietkerk, M.

2009-01-01

Peatland surface patterning motivates studies that identify underlying structuring mechanisms. Theoretical studies so far suggest that different mechanisms may drive similar types of patterning. The long time span associated with peatland surface pattern formation, however, limits possibilities for

Tribological behavior of micro/nano-patterned surfaces in contact with AFM colloidal probe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Xiaoliang; Wang Xiu; Kong Wen; Yi Gewen; Jia Junhong

2011-01-01

In effort to investigate the influence of the micro/nano-patterning or surface texturing on the nanotribological properties of patterned surfaces, the patterned polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surfaces with pillars were fabricated by replica molding technique. The surface morphologies of patterned PDMS surfaces with varying pillar sizes and spacing between pillars were characterized by atomic force microscope (AFM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The AFM/FFM was used to acquire the friction force images of micro/nano-patterned surfaces using a colloidal probe. A difference in friction force produced a contrast on the friction force images when the colloidal probe slid over different regions of the patterned polymer surfaces. The average friction force of patterned surface was related to the spacing between the pillars and their size. It decreased with the decreasing of spacing between the pillars and the increasing of pillar size. A reduction in friction force was attributed to the reduced area of contact between patterned surface and colloidal probe. Additionally, the average friction force increased with increasing applied load and sliding velocity.

Tribological behavior of micro/nano-patterned surfaces in contact with AFM colloidal probe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang Xiaoliang; Wang Xiu; Kong Wen [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Yi Gewen [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Jia Junhong, E-mail: jhjia@licp.cas.cn [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China)

2011-10-15

In effort to investigate the influence of the micro/nano-patterning or surface texturing on the nanotribological properties of patterned surfaces, the patterned polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surfaces with pillars were fabricated by replica molding technique. The surface morphologies of patterned PDMS surfaces with varying pillar sizes and spacing between pillars were characterized by atomic force microscope (AFM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The AFM/FFM was used to acquire the friction force images of micro/nano-patterned surfaces using a colloidal probe. A difference in friction force produced a contrast on the friction force images when the colloidal probe slid over different regions of the patterned polymer surfaces. The average friction force of patterned surface was related to the spacing between the pillars and their size. It decreased with the decreasing of spacing between the pillars and the increasing of pillar size. A reduction in friction force was attributed to the reduced area of contact between patterned surface and colloidal probe. Additionally, the average friction force increased with increasing applied load and sliding velocity.

All-fiber maskless lithographic technology to form microcircular interference pattern on Azo polymer film

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Junki; Jung, Yongmin; Oh, Kyunghwan; Chun, Chaemin; Hong, Jeachul; Kim, Dongyu

2005-03-01

We report a novel all-fiber, maskless lithograpic technology to form various concentric grating patterns for micro zone plate on azo polymer film. The proposed technology is based on the interference pattern out of the cleaved end of a coreless silica fiber (CSF)-single mode fiber (SMF) composite. The light guided along SMF expands into the CSF segment to generate various circular interference patterns depending on the length of CSF. Interference patterns are experimentally observed when the CSF length is over a certain length and the finer spacing between the concentric rings are obtained for a longer CSF. By using beam propagation method (BPM) package, we could further investigated the concentric interference patterns in terms of intensity distribution and fringe spacing as a function of CSF length. These intereference patterns are directly projected over azo polymer film and their intensity distrubution formed surface relief grating (SRG) patterns. Compared to photoresist films azo polymer layers produce surface relief grating (SRG), where the actual mass of layer is modulated rather than refractive index. The geometric parameters of the CSF length as well as diameter and the spacing between the cleaved end of a CSF and azo polymer film, were found to play a major role to generate various concentric structures. With the demonstration of the circular SRG patterns, we confirmed that the proposed technique do have an ample potential to fabricate micro fresnel zone plate, that could find applications in lens arrays for optical beam formings as well as compact photonic devices.

Writing magnetic patterns with surface acoustic waves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Weiyang; Buford, Benjamin; Jander, Albrecht; Dhagat, Pallavi, E-mail: dhagat@eecs.oregonstate.edu [School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331 (United States)

2014-05-07

A novel patterning technique that creates magnetization patterns in a continuous magnetostrictive film with surface acoustic waves is demonstrated. Patterns of 10 μm wide stripes of alternating magnetization and a 3 μm dot of reversed magnetization are written using standing and focusing acoustic waves, respectively. The magnetization pattern is size-tunable, erasable, and rewritable by changing the magnetic field and acoustic power. This versatility, along with its solid-state implementation (no moving parts) and electronic control, renders it as a promising technique for application in magnetic recording, magnonic signal processing, magnetic particle manipulation, and spatial magneto-optical modulation.

Creation of wettability contrast patterns on metallic surfaces via pen drawn masks

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Won Tae; Yang, Xiaolong; Breedveld, Victor; Hess, Dennis W.

2017-12-01

Micropatterned surfaces with wettability contrast have attracted considerable attention due to potential applications in 2D microfluidics, bioassays, and water harvesting. A simple method to develop wettability contrast patterns on metallic surfaces by using a commercial marker is described. A marker-drawn ink pattern on a copper surface displays chemical resistance to an aqueous solution of sodium bicarbonate and ammonium persulfate, thereby enabling selective nanowire growth in areas where ink is absent. Subsequent ink removal by an organic solvent followed by fluorocarbon film deposition yields a stable hydrophobic/super-hydrophobic patterned copper surface. Using this approach, hydrophobic dot and line patterns were constructed. The adhesion force of water droplets to the dots was controlled by adjusting pattern size, thus enabling controlled droplet transfer between two surfaces. Anisotropy of water droplet adhesion to line patterns can serve as a basis for directional control of water droplet motion. This general approach has also been employed to generate wettability contrast on aluminum surfaces, thereby demonstrating versatility. Due to its simplicity, low cost, and virtual independence of solid surface material, ink marker pens can be employed to create wettability patterns for a variety of applications, in fields as diverse as biomedicine and energy.

A statistical nanomechanism of biomolecular patterning actuated by surface potential

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Chih-Ting; Lin, Chih-Hao

2011-02-01

Biomolecular patterning on a nanoscale/microscale on chip surfaces is one of the most important techniques used in vitro biochip technologies. Here, we report upon a stochastic mechanics model we have developed for biomolecular patterning controlled by surface potential. The probabilistic biomolecular surface adsorption behavior can be modeled by considering the potential difference between the binding and nonbinding states. To verify our model, we experimentally implemented a method of electroactivated biomolecular patterning technology and the resulting fluorescence intensity matched the prediction of the developed model quite well. Based on this result, we also experimentally demonstrated the creation of a bovine serum albumin pattern with a width of 200 nm in 5 min operations. This submicron noncovalent-binding biomolecular pattern can be maintained for hours after removing the applied electrical voltage. These stochastic understandings and experimental results not only prove the feasibility of submicron biomolecular patterns on chips but also pave the way for nanoscale interfacial-bioelectrical engineering.

28 CFR 36.504 - Relief.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... COMMERCIAL FACILITIES Enforcement § 36.504 Relief. (a) Authority of court. In a civil action under § 36.503, the court— (1) May grant any equitable relief that such court considers to be appropriate, including... disabilities; (2) May award other relief as the court considers to be appropriate, including monetary damages...

Surface Patterning Using Diazonium Ink Filled Nanopipette.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Min; Yu, Yun; Blanchard, Pierre-Yves; Mirkin, Michael V

2015-11-03

Molecular grafting of diazonium is a widely employed surface modification technique. Local electrografting of this species is a promising approach to surface doping and related properties tailoring. The instability of diazonium cation complicates this process, so that this species was generated in situ in many reported studies. In this Article, we report the egress transfer of aryl diazonium cation across the liquid/liquid interface supported at the nanopipette tip that can be used for controlled delivery this species to the external aqueous phase for local substrate patterning. An aryl diazonium salt was prepared with weakly coordinating and lipophilic tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate anion stable as a solid and soluble in low polarity media. The chemically stable solution of this salt in 1,2-dichloroethane can be used as "diazonium ink". The ink-filled nanopipette was employed as a tip in the scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM) for surface patterning with the spatial resolution controlled by the pipette orifice radius and a few nanometers film thickness. The submicrometer-size grafted spots produced on the HOPG surface were located and imaged with the atomic force microscope (AFM).

Immobilization of biomolecules onto surfaces according to ultraviolet light diffraction patterns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bjoern Petersen, Steffen; Kold di Gennaro, Ane; Neves-Petersen, Maria Teresa; Skovsen, Esben; Parracino, Antonietta

2010-01-01

We developed a method for immobilization of biomolecules onto thiol functionalized surfaces according to UV diffraction patterns. UV light-assisted molecular immobilization proceeds through the formation of free, reactive thiol groups that can bind covalently to thiol reactive surfaces. We demonstrate that, by shaping the pattern of the UV light used to induce molecular immobilization, one can control the pattern of immobilized molecules onto the surface. Using a single-aperture spatial mask, combined with the Fourier transforming property of a focusing lens, we show that submicrometer (0.7 μm) resolved patterns of immobilized prostate-specific antigen biomolecules can be created. If a dual-aperture spatial mask is used, the results differ from the expected Fourier transform pattern of the mask. It appears as a superposition of two diffraction patterns produced by the two apertures, with a fine structured interference pattern superimposed.

Erosion patterns produced by the paleo Haizishan ice cap, SE Tibetan Plateau

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, P.; Stroeven, A. P.; Harbor, J.; Hättestrand, C.; Heyman, J.; Caffee, M. W.

2017-12-01

Erosion is a primary driver of landscape evolution, topographic relief production, geochemical cycles, and climate change. Combining in situ 10Be and 26Al exposure age dating, geomorphological mapping, and field investigations, we examine glacial erosion patterns of the almost 4,000 km2 paleo Haizishan ice cap on the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. Our results show that ice caps on the low relief Haizishan Plateau produced a zonal pattern of landscape modification. In locations where apparent exposure ages on bedrock are consistent with the last deglaciation, complete resetting of the cosmogenic exposure age clock indicates glacial erosion of at least a few meters. However, older apparent exposure ages on bedrock in areas known to have been covered by the paleo ice cap during the Last Glacial Maximum indicate inheritance and thus limited glacial erosion. Inferred surface exposure ages from cosmogenic depth profiles through two saprolites vary from resetting and thus saprolite profile truncation to nuclide inheritance indicating limited erosion. Finally, significant nuclide inheritance in river sand samples from basins on the scoured plateau surface also indicate limited glacial erosion during the last glaciation. Hence, for the first time, our study shows clear evidence of preservation under non-erosive ice on the Tibetan Plateau. As patterns of glacial erosion intensity are largely driven by the basal thermal regime, our results confirm earlier inferences from geomorphology for a concentric basal thermal pattern for the paleo Haizishan ice cap during the LGM.

Combinatorial Study of Surface Pattern Formation in Thin Block Copolymer Films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, Archie P.; Douglas, Jack F.; Meredith, J. Carson; Amis, Eric J.; Karim, Alamgir

2001-01-01

Surface pattern formation in diblock copolymer films is investigated as a function of film thickness h and molecular mass M . Smooth films are observed for certain h ranges centered about multiples of the lamellar thickness L 0 , and we attribute this effect to an increase in the surface chain density with h in the outer brushlike copolymer layer. We also observe apparently stable labyrinthine surface patterns for other h ranges, and the average size of these patterns is found to scale as λ∼L -2.5 0 . Hole and island patterns occur for h ranges between those of the labyrinthine patterns and the smooth regions, and their size similarly decreases with L 0 and M

Selective functionalization of patterned glass surfaces

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ploetz, E.; Visser, B.; Slingenbergh, W.; Evers, K.; Martinez-Martinez, D.; Pei, Y. T.; Feringa, B. L.; De Hosson, J. Th. M.; Cordes, T.; van Dorp, W. F.

2014-01-01

Tailored writing and specific positioning of molecules on nanostructures is a key step for creating functional materials and nano-optical devices, or interfaces for synthetic machines in various applications. We present a novel approach for the selective functionalization of patterned glass surfaces

Step patterns on vicinal reconstructed surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Vilfan, Igor

1996-04-01

Step patterns on vicinal (2 × 1) reconstructed surfaces of noble metals Au(110) and Pt(110), miscut towards the (100) orientation, are investigated. The free energy of the reconstructed surface with a network of crossing opposite steps is calculated in the strong chirality regime when the steps cannot make overhangs. It is explained why the steps are not perpendicular to the direction of the miscut but form in equilibrium a network of crossing steps which make the surface to look like a fish skin. The network formation is the consequence of competition between the — predominantly elastic — energy loss and entropy gain. It is in agreement with recent scanning tunnelling microscopy observations on vicinal Au(110) and Pt(110) surfaces.

Fluid-structure interaction dynamic simulation of spring-loaded pressure relief valves under seismic wave

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Dongwei; Zhang, Jian; Yu, Xinhai

2018-05-01

In this paper, a fluid-structure interaction dynamic simulation method of spring-loaded pressure relief valve was established. The dynamic performances of the fluid regions and the stress and strain of the structure regions were calculated at the same time by accurately setting up the contact pairs between the solid parts and the coupling surfaces between the fluid regions and the structure regions. A two way fluid-structure interaction dynamic simulation of a simplified pressure relief valve model was carried out. The influence of vertical sinusoidal seismic waves on the performance of the pressure relief valve was preliminarily investigated by loading sine waves. Under vertical seismic waves, the pressure relief valve will flutter, and the reseating pressure was affected by the amplitude and frequency of the seismic waves. This simulation method of the pressure relief valve under vertical seismic waves can provide effective means for investigating the seismic performances of the valves, and make up for the shortcomings of the experiment.

Desert Beetle-Inspired Superwettable Patterned Surfaces for Water Harvesting.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Zhenwei; Yun, Frank F; Wang, Yanqin; Yao, Li; Dou, Shixue; Liu, Kesong; Jiang, Lei; Wang, Xiaolin

2017-09-01

With the impacts of climate change and impending crisis of clean drinking water, designing functional materials for water harvesting from fog with large water capacity has received much attention in recent years. Nature has evolved different strategies for surviving dry, arid, and xeric conditions. Nature is a school for human beings. In this contribution, inspired by the Stenocara beetle, superhydrophilic/superhydrophobic patterned surfaces are fabricated on the silica poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)-coated superhydrophobic surfaces using a pulsed laser deposition approach with masks. The resultant samples with patterned wettability demonstrate water-harvesting efficiency in comparison with the silica PDMS-coated superhydrophobic surface and the Pt nanoparticles-coated superhydrophilic surface. The maximum water-harvesting efficiency can reach about 5.3 g cm -2 h -1 . Both the size and the percentage of the Pt-coated superhydrophilic square regions on the patterned surface affect the condensation and coalescence of the water droplet, as well as the final water-harvesting efficiency. The present water-harvesting strategy should provide an avenue to alleviate the water crisis facing mankind in certain arid regions of the world. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Patterning pentacene surfaces by local oxidation nanolithography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Losilla, N.S.; Martinez, J.; Bystrenova, E.; Greco, P.; Biscarini, F.; Garcia, R.

2010-01-01

Sequential and parallel local oxidation nanolithographies have been applied to pattern pentacene samples by creating a variety of nanostructures. The sequential local oxidation process is performed with an atomic force microscope and requires the application of a sequence of voltage pulses of 36 V for 1 ms. The parallel local oxidation process is performed by using a conductive and patterned stamp. Then, a voltage pulse is applied between the stamp and the pentacene surface. Patterns formed by arrays of parallel lines covering 1 mm 2 regions and with a periodicity of less than 1 μm have been generated in a few seconds. We also show that the patterns can be used as templates for the deposition of antibodies.

Mechanism of drag reduction for circular cylinders with patterned surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butt, U.; Jehring, L.; Egbers, C.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Reduced drag of patterned cylinders over a wide range of Re numbers. • Hexagonal patterns cannot be characterized as roughness structures. • Hexagonal bumps affect the flow like spherical dimples of smaller k/d ratio do. • Main separation is delayed caused by a partial separation. • Angle of a separation line is not constant over the length of cylinder. -- Abstract: In this paper, the flow over cylinders with a patterned surface (k/d = 1.98 × 10 −2 ) is investigated in a subsonic wind tunnel over Reynolds numbers ranging from 3.14 × 10 4 to 2.77 × 10 5 by measuring drag, flow visualization and measuring velocity profiles above the surface of the cylinders, to observe the effect of hexagonal patterns on the flow of air. These patterns can also be referred as hexagonal dimples or bumps depending on their configuration. The investigations revealed that a patterned cylinder with patterns pressed outwards has a drag coefficient of about 0.65 times of a smooth one. Flow visualization techniques including surface oil-film technique and velocity profile measurement were employed to elucidate this effect, and hence present the mechanism of drag reduction. The measurement of velocity profiles using hot-wire anemometry above the surface reveal that a hexagonal bump cause local separation generating large turbulence intensity along the separating shear layer. Due to this increased turbulence, the flow reattaches to the surface with higher momentum and become able to withstand the pressure gradient delaying the main separation significantly. Besides that, the separation does not appear to occur in a straight line along the length of the cylinder as in case of most passive drag control methods, but follow exactly the hexagonal patterns forming a wave with its crest at 115° and trough at 110°, in contrast to the laminar separation line at 85° for a smooth cylinder

Diffraction from relief gratings on a biomimetic elastomer cast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guerrero, Raphael A.; Aranas, Erika B.

2010-01-01

Biomimetic optical elements combine the optimized designs of nature with the versatility of materials engineering. We employ a beetle carapace as the template for fabricating relief gratings on an elastomer substrate. Biological surface features are successfully replicated by a direct casting procedure. Far-field diffraction effects are discussed in terms of the Fraunhofer approximation in Fourier space.

Surface patterning of polymeric separation membranes and its influence on the filtration performance

Science.gov (United States)

Maruf, Sajjad

Polymeric membrane based separation technologies are crucial for addressing the global issues such as water purification. However, continuous operations of these processes are often hindered by fouling which increases mass transport resistance of the membrane to permeation and thus the energy cost, and eventually replacement of the membrane in the system. In comparison to other anti-fouling strategies, the use of controlled surface topography to mitigate fouling has not been realized mainly due to the lack of methods to create targeted topography on the porous membrane surface. This thesis aims to develop a new methodology to create surface-patterned polymeric separation membrane to improve their anti-fouling characteristics during filtration. First, successful fabrication of sub-micron surface patterns directly on a commercial ultrafiltration (UF) membrane surface using nanoimprint lithographic (NIL) technique was demonstrated. Comprehensive filtration studies revealed that the presence of these sub-micron surface patterns mitigates not only the onset of colloidal particle deposition, but also lowers the rate of growth of cake layer after initial deposition, in comparison with un-patterned membranes. The anti-fouling effects were also observed for model protein solutions. Staged filtration experiments, with backwash cleaning, revealed that the permeate flux of the patterned membrane after protein fouling was considerably higher than that of the pristine or un-patterned membrane. In addition to the surface-patterning of UF membranes, successful fabrication of a surface-patterned thin film composite (TFC) membrane was shown for the first time. A two-step fabrication process was carried out by (1) nanoimprinting a polyethersulfone (PES) support using NIL, and (2) forming a thin dense film atop the PES support via interfacial polymerization (IP). Fouling experiments suggest that the surface patterns alter the hydrodynamics at the membrane-feed interface, which is

UV-assisted selective chemical etching of relief gratings in Er/Yb-codoped IOG1 phosphate glass

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pappas, C; Pissadakis, S [Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Vasilika Vouton, PO Box 1527, Heraklion 71 110, GREECE (Greece)

2007-04-15

The patterning of sub-micron periodicity Bragg reflectors in Er/Yb-codoped IOG1, phosphate glass is demonstrated. A high yield patterning technique is presented, wherein high volume damage is induced into the glass matrix by exposure to intense UV radiation, and subsequently a chemical development in a strong acid selectively etches the exposed areas. The grating reflectors were fabricated by employing an elliptical Talbot interferometer and the output of a 213nm, 150ps frequency quintupled Nd:YAG laser. The grating depth of the etched relief pattern in time was measured at fixed time intervals and the dependence is presented in upon the etching time and exposure conditions. The gratings fabricated are examined by atomic and scanning electron microscopy for revealing the topology of the relief structure. Gratings with period of the order of 500nm were fabricated, having a maximum depth of 60nm.

San Gabriel Mountains, California, Shaded relief, color as height

Science.gov (United States)

2000-01-01

This topographic image shows the relationship of the urban area of Pasadena, California to the natural contours of the land. The image includes the alluvial plain on which Pasadena and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory sit, and the steep range of the San Gabriel Mountains. The mountain front and the arcuate valley running from upper left to the lower right are active fault zones, along which the mountains are rising. The chaparral-covered slopes above Pasadena are also a prime area for wildfires and mudslides. Hazards from earthquakes, floods and fires are intimately related to the topography in this area. Topographic data and other remote sensing images provide valuable information for assessing and mitigating the natural hazards for cities along the front of active mountain ranges.This shaded relief image was generated using topographic data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. A computer-generated artificial light source illuminates the elevation data to produce a pattern of light and shadows. Slopes facing the light appear bright, while those facing away are shaded. On flatter surfaces, the pattern of light and shadows can reveal subtle features in the terrain. Colors show the elevation as measured by SRTM. Colors range from blue at the lowest elevations to white at the highest elevations. This image contains about 2300 meters (7500 feet) of total relief. White speckles on the face of some of the mountains are holes in the data caused by steep terrain. These will be filled using coverage from an intersecting pass.The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), launched on February 11,2000, uses the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. The mission is designed to collect three-dimensional measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data, engineers added a 60-meter-long (200-foot) mast, an additional C-band imaging antenna

Analysis of inservice inspection relief requests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aldrich, D.A.; Cook, J.F.

1989-08-01

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulations require inspection (ISI) of boiling or pressurized water-cooled nuclear power plants be performed in accordance with a referenced edition and addenda of Section XI, ''Rules for Inservice Inspection of Nuclear Power Plant components,'' of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. The regulations permit licensees to request relief from the NRC from specific ASME Code requirements that are determined to be impractical for the specific licensee. The NRC evaluates these requests and may grant such relief, but the NRC may also impose alternative or augmented inspections to assure structural reliability. The purpose,of this task was to evaluate the basis for ISI nondestructive examination (NDE) relief requests and to evaluate the effect of proposed ASME Code changes that would reduce the need for such requests or provide for more complete information in relief requests. This report contains the results of an analysis of an ISI relief request data base that has been expanded to include 1195 ISI relief requests versus the 296 relief requests covered in the first report in April 1987, EGG-SD-7430. Also relief requests were added to the data base which came from both first and second 10-year inspection intervals for several facilities. This provided the means to analyze the effect of recently approved ASME Code cases and updated Code requirements, some of which have been published as a result of earlier work on this task

A quantitative analysis of microcirculation in sore-prone pressure areas on conventional and pressure relief hospital mattresses using laser Doppler flowmetry and tissue spectrophotometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Rothenberger, Jens; Krauss, Sabrina; Held, Manuel; Bender, Dominik; Schaller, Hans-Eberhard; Rahmanian-Schwarz, Afshin; Constantinescu, Mihai Adrian; Jaminet, Patrick

2014-11-01

Pressure ulcers are associated with severe impairment for the patients and high economic load. With this study we wanted to gain more insight to the skin perfusion dynamics due to external loading. Furthermore, we evaluated the effect of different types of pressure relief mattresses. A total of 25 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. Perfusion dynamics of the sacral and the heel area were assessed using the O2C-device, which combines a laser light, to determine blood flow, and white light to determine the relative amount of hemoglobin. Three mattresses were evaluated compared to a hard surface: a standard hospital foam mattress bed, a visco-elastic foam mattress, and an air-fluidized bed. In the heel area, only the air-fluidized bed was able to maintain the blood circulation (mean blood flow of 13.6 ± 6 versus 3.9 ± 3 AU and mean relative amount of hemoglobin of 44.0 ± 14 versus 32.7 ± 12 AU.) In the sacral area, all used mattresses revealed an improvement of blood circulation compared to the hard surface. The results of this study form a more precise pattern of perfusion changes due to external loading on various pressure relief mattresses. This knowledge may reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers and may be an influencing factor in pressure relief mattress selection. Copyright © 2014 Tissue Viability Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of surface pattern on the adhesive friction of elastomers.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu-Bavouzet, Fanny; Cayer-Barrioz, Juliette; Le Bot, Alain; Brochard-Wyart, Françoise; Buguin, Axel

2010-09-01

We present experimental results for the friction of a flat surface against a hexagonally patterned surface, both being made of PolyDiMethylSiloxane. We simultaneously measure forces of range 10 mN and observe the contact under sliding velocities of about 100 μm/s. We observe adhesive friction on three different pattern heights (80, 310, and 2100 nm). Two kinds of contacts have been observed: the flat surface is in close contact with the patterned one (called intimate contact, observed for 80 nm) or only suspended on the tops on the asperities (called laid contact, observed for 2100 nm). In the range of velocities used, the contact during friction is similar to the static one. Furthermore, our experimental system presents a contact transition during friction for h=310 nm.

Laparoscopic Adhesiolysis and Relief of Chronic Pelvic Pain

OpenAIRE

Nezhat, Farr R.; Crystal, Ruth Ann; Nezhat, Ceana H.; Nezhat, Camran R.

2000-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the short- and long-term results of laparoscopic enterolysis in patients with chronic pelvic pain following hysterectomy. Methods: Forty-eight patients were evaluated at time intervals from 2 weeks to 5 years after laparoscopic enterolysis. Patients were asked to rate postoperative relief of their pelvic pain as complete/near complete relief (80-100% pain relief), significant relief (50-80% pain relief), or less than 50% or no pain relief. Results: We found that after 2...

Exotic high activity surface patterns in PtAu nanoclusters

KAUST Repository

Mokkath, Junais Habeeb; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo

2013-01-01

of the truncated octahedron cluster motif. Exotic surface patterns are obtained particularly for Pt-rich compositions, where Pt atoms are being surrounded by Au atoms. These surface arrangements boost the catalytic activity by creating a large number of active

Surface-immobilized hydrogel patterns on length scales from micrometer to nanometer

Science.gov (United States)

Zeira, Assaf

The present work concentrates on the study of pattern generation and transfer processes of monolayer covered surfaces, deriving from the basic working concept of Constructive Lithography. As an advancement of constructive lithography, we developed a direct, one-step printing (contact electrochemical printing, CEP) and replication (contact electrochemical replication, CER) of hydrophilic organic monolayer patterns surrounded by a hydrophobic monolayer background. In addition, we present a process of transfer of metal between two contacting solid surfaces to predefined monolayer template pattern sites (contact electrochemical transfer, CET). This thesis shows that CEP, CER, and CET may be implemented under a variety of different experimental conditions, regardless of whether the initial "master" pattern was created by a parallel (fast) or serial (slow) patterning process. CEP and CER also posses the unique attractive property that each replica may equally function as master stamp in the fabrication of additional replicas. Moreover, due to a mechanism of selfcorrection patterned surfaces produced these process are often free of defects that the initial "master" stamp may had. We finally show that the electrochemical patterning of OTS monolayers on silicon can be further extended to flexible polymeric substrate materials as well as to a variety of chemical manipulations, allowing the fabrication of tridimensional (3D) composite structures made on the basis of readily available OTS compound. The results obtained suggest that such contact electrochemical processes could be used to rapidly generate multiple copies of surface patterns spanning variable length scales, this basic approach being applicable to rigid as well as flexible substrate materials.

Examining the side effects of sucrose for pain relief in preterm infants: a case-control study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.B.M. Linhares

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Sucrose solution is recommended as relevant pain relief management in neonates during acute painful procedures; however, only a few studies have analyzed the potentially adverse effects of sucrose administration to preterm neonates. The goal of this study was to examine the potential side effects of sucrose for pain relief in preterm infants, assessing feeding and weight gain during hospitalization and their feeding patterns postdischarge. The study sample consisted of 43 preterm neonates divided into two groups: a sucrose group (SG, n=18 and a control group (CG, n=25 in which no sucrose was administered. The SG received 0.5 mL/kg 25% oral sucrose for 2 min prior to all acute painful procedures during three consecutive days. A prospective review of medical charts was performed for all samples. The study was done prior to implementation of the institutional sucrose guidelines as a routine service, and followed all ethical requirements. There were no statistically significant differences between groups in terms of weight gain, length of stay with orogastric tubes, and parenteral feeding. Postdischarge, infant nutritional intake included feeding human milk to 67% of the SG and 74% of the CG. There were no statistically significant differences between groups regarding human milk feeding patterns postdischarge. Neonate feeding patterns and weight gain were unaffected following the short-term use of sucrose for pain relief.

Surface Patterning and Nanowire Biosensor Construction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iversen, Lars

2008-01-01

surface. A central limitation to this biosensor principle is the screening of analyte charge by mobile ions in electrolytes with physiological ionic strength. To overcome this problem, we propose to use as capture agents proteins which undergo large conformational changes. Using structure based protein...... charge prediction, we show how ligand induced changes in conformation of two model proteins, both being ligand binding domains from glutamate receptors, can lead to changes in electrostatic potential predicted to be sufficient for NW sensing. Finally we, demonstrate how InAs nanowires can....... In part I - “Surface Patterning” - glass and gold surfaces serve as spatially encoded immobilization supports for patterning of recombinant proteins and organic monolayers. First, we combine micro-contact printing with a reactive SNAP-tag protein to establish a general platform for templated protein...

Adaptive fringe-pattern projection for image saturation avoidance in 3D surface-shape measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Dong; Kofman, Jonathan

2014-04-21

In fringe-projection 3D surface-shape measurement, image saturation results in incorrect intensities in captured images of fringe patterns, leading to phase and measurement errors. An adaptive fringe-pattern projection (AFPP) method was developed to adapt the maximum input gray level in projected fringe patterns to the local reflectivity of an object surface being measured. The AFPP method demonstrated improved 3D measurement accuracy by avoiding image saturation in highly-reflective surface regions while maintaining high intensity modulation across the entire surface. The AFPP method can avoid image saturation and handle varying surface reflectivity, using only two prior rounds of fringe-pattern projection and image capture to generate the adapted fringe patterns.

Evaporation of liquids on chemically patterned surfaces

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vieyra Salas, J.A.; Darhuber, A.A.

2011-01-01

We studied evaporation rates of volatile liquids deposited onto chemically patterned surfaces by means of experiments and numerical simulations. We quantified the influence of the droplet geometry, in particular circular, triangular, rectangular and square shapes, as well as the influence of contact

Temporal formation of optical anisotropy and surface relief during polarization holographic recording in polymethylmethacrylate with azobenzene side groups

Science.gov (United States)

Sasaki, Tomoyuki; Izawa, Masahiro; Noda, Kohei; Nishioka, Emi; Kawatsuki, Nobuhiro; Ono, Hiroshi

2014-03-01

The formation of polarization holographic gratings with both optical anisotropy and surface relief (SR) deformation was studied for polymethylmethacrylate with azobenzene side groups. Temporal contributions of isotropic and anisotropic phase gratings were simultaneously determined by observing transitional intensity and polarization states of the diffraction beams and characterizing by means of Jones calculus. To clarify the mechanism of SR deformation, cross sections of SR were characterized based on the optical gradient force model; experimental observations were in good agreement with the theoretical expectation. We clarified that the anisotropic phase change originating in the reorientation of the azobenzene side groups was induced immediately at the beginning of the holographic recording, while the response time of the isotropic phase change originating in the molecular migration due to the optical gradient force was relatively slow.

Response of human corneal fibroblasts on silk film surface patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Gil, Eun Seok; Park, Sang-Hyug; Marchant, Jeff; Omenetto, Fiorenzo; Kaplan, David L

2010-06-11

Transparent, biodegradable, mechanically robust, and surface-patterned silk films were evaluated for the effect of surface morphology on human corneal fibroblast (hCF) cell proliferation, orientation, and ECM deposition and alignment. A series of dimensionally different surface groove patterns were prepared from optically graded glass substrates followed by casting poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) replica molds. The features on the patterned silk films showed an array of asymmetric triangles and displayed 37-342 nm depths and 445-3 582 nm widths. hCF DNA content on all patterned films were not significantly different from that on flat silk films after 4 d in culture. However, the depth and width of the grooves influenced cell alignment, while the depth differences affected cell orientation; overall, deeper and narrower grooves induced more hCF orientation. Over 14 d in culture, cell layers and actin filament organization demonstrated that confluent hCFs and their cytoskeletal filaments were oriented along the direction of the silk film patterned groove axis. Collagen type V and proteoglycans (decorin and biglycan), important markers of corneal stromal tissue, were highly expressed with alignment. Understanding corneal stromal fibroblast responses to surface features on a protein-based biomaterial applicable in vivo for corneal repair potential suggests options to improve corneal tissue mimics. Further, the approaches provide fundamental biomaterial designs useful for bioengineering oriented tissue layers, an endemic feature in most biological tissue structures that lead to critical tissue functions.

The influence of beam divergence on ion-beam induced surface patterns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kree, R.; Yasseri, T.; Hartmann, A.K.

2009-01-01

We present a continuum theory and a Monte Carlo model of self-organized surface pattern formation by ion-beam sputtering including effects of beam profiles. Recently, it has turned out that such secondary ion-beam parameters may have a strong influence on the types of emerging patterns. We first discuss several cases, for which beam profiles lead to random parameters in the theory of pattern formation. Subsequently we study the evolution of the averaged height profile in continuum theory and find that the typical Bradley-Harper scenario of dependence of ripple patterns on the angle of incidence can be changed qualitatively. Beam profiles are implemented in Monte Carlo simulations, where we find generic effects on pattern formation. Finally, we demonstrate that realistic beam profiles, taken from experiments, may lead to qualitative changes of surface patterns.

Mechanical response of wall-patterned GaAs surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Bourhis, E.; Patriarche, G.

2005-01-01

Wall-patterned GaAs surfaces have been elaborated by photolithography and dry etching. Different surfaces were produced in order to change the aspect ratio of the walls formed at the substrate surface. The mechanical behaviour of individual walls was investigated by nanoindentation and the responses were compared to that of a standard bulk reference (flat surface). Deviation from the bulk response is detected in a load range of 1-25 mN depending on the aspect ratio of the walls. A central plastic zone criterion is proposed in view of transmission electron microscopy images of indented walls and allows the prediction of the response deviation of a given wall if its width is known. The mechanical response of the different types of walls is further investigated in terms of stiffness, total penetration of indenter and apparent hardness, and is scanned in relation to the proximity of a wall side. Overall results show that contact stiffness remains almost unaffected by aspect ratio, while penetration drastically increases because of the free sides of the wall as compared to a flat surface (bulk substrate). The application of substrate patterning for optoelectronic devices is discussed in the perspective of eliminating residual dislocations appearing in mismatched structures

Immobilization of biomolecules onto surfaces according to ultraviolet light diffraction patterns

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Steffen B.; Gennaro, Ane Kold Di; Neves Petersen, Teresa

2010-01-01

We developed a method for immobilization of biomolecules onto thiol functionalized surfaces according to UV diffraction patterns. UV light-assisted molecular immobilization proceeds through the formation of free, reactive thiol groups that can bind covalently to thiol reactive surfaces. We demons......, with a fine structured interference pattern superimposed. (C) 2010 Optical Society of America...

Magmatic controls on axial relief and faulting at mid-ocean ridges

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhonglan; Buck, W. Roger

2018-06-01

Previous models do not simultaneously reproduce the observed range of axial relief and fault patterns at plate spreading centers. We suggest that this failure is due to the approximation that magmatic dikes open continuously rather than in discrete events. During short - lived events, dikes open not only in the strong axial lithosphere but also some distance into the underlying weaker asthenosphere. Axial valley relief affects the partitioning of magma between the lithosphere and asthenosphere during diking events. The deeper the valley, the more magma goes into lithospheric dikes in each event and so the greater the average opening rate of those dikes. The long-term rate of lithospheric dike opening controls faulting rate and axial depth. The feedback between axial valley depth D and lithospheric dike opening rate allows us to analytically relate steady-state values of D to lithospheric thickness HL and crustal thickness HC. A two-dimensional model numerical model with a fixed axial lithospheric structure illustrates the analytic model implications for axial faulting. The predictions of this new model are broadly consistent with global and segment-scale trends of axial depth and fault patterns with HL and HC.

Patient Preference Before and After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: Which Is More Important, Pain Relief or Strength Return?

Science.gov (United States)

Virk, Mandeep S; Levy, David M; Kuhns, Benjamin D; Krecher, James S; Parsley, Billy K; Burkhart, Stephen S; Romeo, Anthony A; Verma, Nikhil N; Cole, Brian J

Our understanding of patients' desired outcomes and expectations of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) is limited, particularly regarding the importance of pain relief and strength return relative to each other. We conducted a study of patient's ratings of the importance of pain relief and strength return after ARCR. Before undergoing surgery, 60 patients completed a shoulder questionnaire on which they assessed severity of symptoms and rated, on a 10-point scale, the importance of postoperative improvements in pain relief and strength return. After surgery, they completed the same questionnaire, again rating the importance of pain relief and strength return. About 50% of the patients valued pain relief and strength return equally before and after ARCR. However, overall patient ratings were higher for strength return over pain relief, both before surgery, mean (SD), 9.2 (2.1) vs 8.6 (2.3) (P = .02), and afterward, at a follow-up of 5.2 (0.2) years, 8.9 (1.9) vs 8.2 (3.1) (P = .03). This significant preference for strength return held irrespective of sex, age, active sports involvement, preoperative self-assessed pain score, and subjective shoulder weakness. Before surgery, increasing age was associated with a stronger preference for pain relief (r = 0.33, P = .01), and retirees preferred pain relief over strength return. These results show the patterns of patient preference for pain relief and strength return after ARCR. Improved understanding of these patients' expectations will allow meaningful changes in patient satisfaction.

Impact of Tax Relief on Public Finance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bikas Egidijus

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Tax reliefs are optional, but a very important element of the taxation system. This element is used for different purposes by a country’s government institutions. Tax reliefs are a form of tax expenditure that helps to reduce budget revenues. Tax reliefs influence individual and corporate financial behaviour and can have positive or negative effects on the economic and social factors. In the last few years, expansion of tax relief has attracted worldwide attention because of the fact that, after the global financial crisis, many countries are still suffering from fiscal deficits, and expansion of tax relief has not contributed to solving this problem. Tax reliefs are presupposed to be a fiscal policy tool of significance in various subsystems of public finances. The main aim of this article is to examine the impact of personal income tax reliefs on Lithuanian public finances. To achieve this aim, statistical information was systemized; Monte Carlo method was used to group data by horizontal rows and logical links analysed, which helped to evaluate the influence of tax reliefs on public finances. In the simulations, the Monte Carlo method helped to simulate random samples, which were then examined by adapting the conclusions of the theory of probability and mathematical statistics methods.

Trend patterns in global sea surface temperature

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barbosa, S.M.; Andersen, Ole Baltazar

2009-01-01

Isolating long-term trend in sea surface temperature (SST) from El Nino southern oscillation (ENSO) variability is fundamental for climate studies. In the present study, trend-empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis, a robust space-time method for extracting trend patterns, is applied to iso...

Fabrication of graphene-based flexible devices utilizing a soft lithographic patterning method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wook Jung, Min; Myung, Sung; Woong Kim, Ki; Song, Wooseok; Suk Lee, Sun; Lim, Jongsun; An, Ki-Seok; Jo, You-Young; Park, Chong-Yun

2014-01-01

There has been considerable interest in soft lithographic patterning processing of large scale graphene sheets due to the low cost and simplicity of the patterning process along with the exceptional electrical or physical properties of graphene. These properties include an extremely high carrier mobility and excellent mechanical strength. Recently, a study has reported that single layer graphene grown via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) was patterned and transferred to a target surface by controlling the surface energy of the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamp. However, applications are limited because of the challenge of CVD-graphene functionalization for devices such as chemical or bio-sensors. In addition, graphene-based layers patterned with a micron scale width on the surface of biocompatible silk fibroin thin films, which are not suitable for conventional CMOS processes such as the patterning or etching of substrates, have yet to be reported. Herein, we developed a soft lithographic patterning process via surface energy modification for advanced graphene-based flexible devices such as transistors or chemical sensors. Using this approach, the surface of a relief-patterned elastomeric stamp was functionalized with hydrophilic dimethylsulfoxide molecules to enhance the surface energy of the stamp and to remove the graphene-based layer from the initial substrate and transfer it to a target surface. As a proof of concept using this soft lithographic patterning technique, we demonstrated a simple and efficient chemical sensor consisting of reduced graphene oxide and a metallic nanoparticle composite. A flexible graphene-based device on a biocompatible silk fibroin substrate, which is attachable to an arbitrary target surface, was also successfully fabricated. Briefly, a soft lithographic patterning process via surface energy modification was developed for advanced graphene-based flexible devices such as transistors or chemical sensors and attachable devices on a

Fabrication of graphene-based flexible devices utilizing a soft lithographic patterning method

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Min Wook; Myung, Sung; Kim, Ki Woong; Song, Wooseok; Jo, You-Young; Lee, Sun Suk; Lim, Jongsun; Park, Chong-Yun; An, Ki-Seok

2014-07-01

There has been considerable interest in soft lithographic patterning processing of large scale graphene sheets due to the low cost and simplicity of the patterning process along with the exceptional electrical or physical properties of graphene. These properties include an extremely high carrier mobility and excellent mechanical strength. Recently, a study has reported that single layer graphene grown via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) was patterned and transferred to a target surface by controlling the surface energy of the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamp. However, applications are limited because of the challenge of CVD-graphene functionalization for devices such as chemical or bio-sensors. In addition, graphene-based layers patterned with a micron scale width on the surface of biocompatible silk fibroin thin films, which are not suitable for conventional CMOS processes such as the patterning or etching of substrates, have yet to be reported. Herein, we developed a soft lithographic patterning process via surface energy modification for advanced graphene-based flexible devices such as transistors or chemical sensors. Using this approach, the surface of a relief-patterned elastomeric stamp was functionalized with hydrophilic dimethylsulfoxide molecules to enhance the surface energy of the stamp and to remove the graphene-based layer from the initial substrate and transfer it to a target surface. As a proof of concept using this soft lithographic patterning technique, we demonstrated a simple and efficient chemical sensor consisting of reduced graphene oxide and a metallic nanoparticle composite. A flexible graphene-based device on a biocompatible silk fibroin substrate, which is attachable to an arbitrary target surface, was also successfully fabricated. Briefly, a soft lithographic patterning process via surface energy modification was developed for advanced graphene-based flexible devices such as transistors or chemical sensors and attachable devices on a

Laser shock wave assisted patterning on NiTi shape memory alloy surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Seyitliyev, Dovletgeldi; Li, Peizhen; Kholikov, Khomidkhodza; Grant, Byron; Karaca, Haluk E.; Er, Ali O.

2017-02-01

An advanced direct imprinting method with low cost, quick, and less environmental impact to create thermally controllable surface pattern using the laser pulses is reported. Patterned micro indents were generated on Ni50Ti50 shape memory alloys (SMA) using an Nd:YAG laser operating at 1064 nm combined with suitable transparent overlay, a sacrificial layer of graphite, and copper grid. Laser pulses at different energy densities which generates pressure pulses up to 10 GPa on the surface was focused through the confinement medium, ablating the copper grid to create plasma and transferring the grid pattern onto the NiTi surface. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and optical microscope images of square pattern with different sizes were studied. One dimensional profile analysis shows that the depth of the patterned sample initially increase linearly with the laser energy until 125 mJ/pulse where the plasma further absorbs and reflects the laser beam. In addition, light the microscope image show that the surface of NiTi alloy was damaged due to the high power laser energy which removes the graphite layer.

High resolution imaging of surface patterns of single bacterial cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greif, Dominik; Wesner, Daniel; Regtmeier, Jan; Anselmetti, Dario

2010-01-01

We systematically studied the origin of surface patterns observed on single Sinorhizobium meliloti bacterial cells by comparing the complementary techniques atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Conditions ranged from living bacteria in liquid to fixed bacteria in high vacuum. Stepwise, we applied different sample modifications (fixation, drying, metal coating, etc.) and characterized the observed surface patterns. A detailed analysis revealed that the surface structure with wrinkled protrusions in SEM images were not generated de novo but most likely evolved from similar and naturally present structures on the surface of living bacteria. The influence of osmotic stress to the surface structure of living cells was evaluated and also the contribution of exopolysaccharide and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) by imaging two mutant strains of the bacterium under native conditions. AFM images of living bacteria in culture medium exhibited surface structures of the size of single proteins emphasizing the usefulness of AFM for high resolution cell imaging.

Atmospheric Processes in the South Baikal Basin and Their Role in Relief Formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizaveta М. Tyumentseva

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Climatic conditions and the solar and circulation features in the Lake Baikal basin are analyzed. The relationship between the heat balance and surface temperature of slopes is shown, taking into account each features’ physical state. The dependence of the heat balance values and the underlying surface temperature were revealed. The quantitative material allowed us to reveal regional patterns of geomorphological regimes, seasonal rhythm, and the dynamics of processes. In Cisbaikalia, within the denudation cycle, semi-humid states under water erosion and aeolian processes of moderate intensity predominate. The semi-arid state manifests itself under decreasing humidification. In these years, the probability of extreme manifestations of aeolian processes is high. The humid states occur in 1% of cases, primarily in extremely wet years, when fluvial processes are dramatically activated. In Cisbaikalia, climate warming and an increase in mean annual temperature have been observed in recent years. Depending on the moisture amplitude and heat availability, the intensity and direction of water erosion and aeolian processes is changing now. The dynamics of relief-forming processes cause an increase in loose substance in the lake and the exacerbation of the ecological situation.

Patterning two-dimensional free-standing surfaces with mesoporous conducting polymers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Liu, Shaohua; Gordiichuk, Pavlo; Wu, Zhong-Shuai; Liu, Zhaoyang; Wei, Wei; Wagner, Manfred; Mohamed-Noriega, Nasser; Wu, Dongqing; Mai, Yiyong; Herrmann, Andreas; Müllen, Klaus; Feng, Xinliang

2015-01-01

The ability to pattern functional moieties with well-defined architectures is highly important in material science, nanotechnology and bioengineering. Although two-dimensional surfaces can serve as attractive platforms, direct patterning them in solution with regular arrays remains a major

Temperature distribution and heat radiation of patterned surfaces at short wavelengths

Science.gov (United States)

Emig, Thorsten

2017-05-01

We analyze the equilibrium spatial distribution of surface temperatures of patterned surfaces. The surface is exposed to a constant external heat flux and has a fixed internal temperature that is coupled to the outside heat fluxes by finite heat conductivity across the surface. It is assumed that the temperatures are sufficiently high so that the thermal wavelength (a few microns at room temperature) is short compared to all geometric length scales of the surface patterns. Hence the radiosity method can be employed. A recursive multiple scattering method is developed that enables rapid convergence to equilibrium temperatures. While the temperature distributions show distinct dependence on the detailed surface shapes (cuboids and cylinder are studied), we demonstrate robust universal relations between the mean and the standard deviation of the temperature distributions and quantities that characterize overall geometric features of the surface shape.

Manual wheelchair propulsion patterns on natural surfaces during start-up propulsion.

Science.gov (United States)

Koontz, Alicia M; Roche, Bailey M; Collinger, Jennifer L; Cooper, Rory A; Boninger, Michael L

2009-11-01

To classify propulsion patterns over surfaces encountered in the natural environment during start-up and compare selected biomechanical variables between pattern types. Case series. National Veterans Wheelchair Games, Minneapolis, MN, 2005. Manual wheelchair users (N=29). Subjects pushed their wheelchairs from a resting position over high-pile carpet, over linoleum, and up a ramp with a 5 degrees incline while propulsion kinematics and kinetics were recorded with a motion capture system and an instrumented wheel. Three raters classified the first 3 strokes as 1 of 4 types on each surface: arc, semicircular (SC), single looping over propulsion (SL), and double looping over propulsion (DL). The Fisher exact test was used to assess pattern changes between strokes and surface type. A multiple analysis of variance test was used to compare peak and average resultant force and moment about the hub, average wheel velocity, stroke frequency, contact angle, and distance traveled between stroke patterns. SL was the most common pattern used during start-up propulsion (44.9%), followed by arc (35.9%), DL (14.1%), and SC (5.1%). Subjects who dropped their hands below the rim during recovery achieved faster velocities and covered greater distances (.016propulsion patterns is a difficult task that should use multiple raters. In addition, propulsion patterns change during start-up, with an arc pattern most prevalent initially. The biomechanical findings in this study agree with current clinical guidelines that recommend training users to drop the hand below the pushrim during recovery.

Pain relief by Cyberknife radiosurgery for spinal metastasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sunyoung; Chun, Mison

2012-01-01

To report pain relief effect in patients with spinal metastases treated with Cyberknife® and to analyze the factors associated with pain relapse after initial pain relief. We retrospectively analyzed patients with spinal metastasis treated with stereotactic body radiosurgery between April 2007 and June 2009. A total of 57 patients with 73 lesions were available for analysis with a median follow-up of 6.8 months (range, 1-30). Pain was assessed by a verbal/visual analogue scale at each visit: from 0 to 10. Pain relief was defined as a decrease of at least three levels of the pain score without an increase in analgesic use. Complete relief was defined as no analgesics or a score 0 or 1. Pain relief was achieved in 88% of the lesions, with complete relief in 51% within 7 days from the start of radiosurgery. The median duration of pain relief was 3.2 months (range, 1-30). Pain reappeared in 16 patients (27%). Spinal cord compression (P = 0.001) and performance status (P = 0.01) were predictive of pain relapse by multivariate Cox analysis. All 6 patients treated with solitary spinal metastasis experienced pain relief; 5 of them were alive without evidence of disease at a median of 16 months (range, 7-30). As previous studies have shown, our study confirms that pain relief with spinal radiosurgery is around 90%. In particular, long-term pain relief and disease control was observed in patients with solitary spinal metastasis.

Surface patterning of multilayer graphene by ultraviolet laser irradiation in biomolecule sensing devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, Tien-Li, E-mail: tlchang@ntnu.edu.tw; Chen, Zhao-Chi

2015-12-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Direct UV laser irradiation on multilayer graphene was discussed. • Multilayer graphene with screen-printed process was presented. • Surface patterning of multilayer graphene at fluence threshold was investigated. • Electrical response of glucose in sensing devices can be studied. - Abstract: The study presents a direct process for surface patterning of multilayer graphene on the glass substrate as a biosensing device. In contrast to lithography with etching, the proposed process provides simultaneous surface patterning of multilayer graphene through nanosecond laser irradiation. In this study, the multilayer graphene was prepared by a screen printing process. Additionally, the wavelength of the laser beam was 355 nm. To perform the effective laser process with the small heat affected zone, the surface patterns on the sensing devices could be directly fabricated using the laser with optimal control of the pulse overlap at a fluence threshold of 0.63 J/cm{sup 2}. The unique patterning of the laser-ablated surface exhibits their electrical and hydrophilic characteristics. The hydrophilic surface of graphene-based sensing devices was achieved in the process with the pulse overlap of 90%. Furthermore, the sensing devices for controlling the electrical response of glucose by using glucose oxidase can be used in sensors in commercial medical applications.

Photonic crystal and photonic quasicrystal patterned in PDMS surfaces and their effect on LED radiation properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suslik, Lubos [Dept. of Physics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Zilina, Univerzitna 1, 010 26, Zilina (Slovakia); Pudis, Dusan, E-mail: pudis@fyzika.uniza.sk [Dept. of Physics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Zilina, Univerzitna 1, 010 26, Zilina (Slovakia); Goraus, Matej [Dept. of Physics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Zilina, Univerzitna 1, 010 26, Zilina (Slovakia); Nolte, Rainer [Fakultät für Maschinenbau FG Lichttechnik Ilmenau University of Technology, Ilmenau (Germany); Kovac, Jaroslav [Inst. of Electronics and Photonics, Slovak University of Technology, Ilkovicova 3, 812 19, Bratislava (Slovakia); Durisova, Jana; Gaso, Peter [Dept. of Physics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Zilina, Univerzitna 1, 010 26, Zilina (Slovakia); Hronec, Pavol [Inst. of Electronics and Photonics, Slovak University of Technology, Ilkovicova 3, 812 19, Bratislava (Slovakia); Schaaf, Peter [Chair Materials for Electronics, Institute of Materials Engineering and Institute of Micro- and Nanotechnologies MacroNano, TU Ilmenau, Gustav-Kirchhoff-Str. 5, 98693 Ilmenau (Germany)

2017-02-15

Graphical abstract: Photonic quasicrystal patterned in the surface of polydimethylsiloxane membrane (left) and radiation pattern of light emitting diode with patterned membrane applied in the surface (right). - Highlights: • We presented fabrication technique of PDMS membranes with patterned surface by photonic crystal (PhC) and photonic quasi-crystal (PQC). • Presented technique is effective for preparation PhC and PQC PDMS membranes easily implementing in the LED chip. • From the goniophotometer measurements, the membranes document effective angular emission due to the diffraction on patterned surfaces. • 12 fold symmetry PQC structure shows homogeneous radiation pattern, while the 2 fold symmetry of square PhC shows evident diffraction lobes. - Abstract: We present results of fabrication and implementation of thin polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membranes with patterned surface for the light emitting diode (LED). PDMS membranes were patterned by using the interference lithography in combination with embossing technique. Two-dimensional photonic crystal and photonic quasicrystal structures with different period were patterned in the surface of thin PDMS membranes with depth up to 550 nm. Patterned PDMS membranes placed on the LED chip effectively diffracted light and increased angular emission of LED radiation pattern. We presented effective technique for fabrication of patterned PDMS membranes, which could modify the emission properties of optoelectronic devices and can be applied directly on surface LEDs and small optical devices.

48 CFR 252.229-7001 - Tax relief.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Tax relief. 252.229-7001... Clauses 252.229-7001 Tax relief. As prescribed in 229.402-70(a), use the following clause: Tax Relief (JUN 1997) (a) Prices set forth in this contract are exclusive of all taxes and duties from which the United...

The Effect of Surface Patterning on Corrosion Resistance of Biomedical Devices

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Mengnan; Toloei, Alisina; Rotermund, Harm H.

2016-10-01

In this study, two styles of surface topographies have been created on stainless steel wires to test their corrosion resistance as simulated implanted biomedical devices. Grade 316 LVM stainless steel wire was initially polished to G1500 surface finish before treatment to produce the two different topographies: 1. Unidirectional roughness was created using SiC papers and 2. Various patterns were created with specific hole diameter and inter-hole spacing using focused ion beam (FIB). In order to simulate the environment of implanted biomedical devices, a three-electrode electrochemical cell with 0.9% (by mass) NaCl solution has been used to test the corrosion resistance of the samples by potentiodynamic polarization test method. SEM and EDS analyzed the appearance and chemical composition of different elements including oxygen on the surface. The potential of stable pitting, time related to the initiation of the stable pitting, and the highest corrosion current associated with stable pitting have been compared for samples with the two styles of topography. It was found that surfaces with patterns have a relatively higher pitting potential and it takes longer time to initiate stable pitting than the surface without any patterns.

Pool-Boiling Heat-Transfer Enhancement on Cylindrical Surfaces with Hybrid Wettable Patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar C S, Sujith; Chang, Yao Wen; Chen, Ping-Hei

2017-04-10

In this study, pool-boiling heat-transfer experiments were performed to investigate the effect of the number of interlines and the orientation of the hybrid wettable pattern. Hybrid wettable patterns were produced by coating superhydrophilic SiO2 on a masked, hydrophobic, cylindrical copper surface. Using de-ionized (DI) water as the working fluid, pool-boiling heat-transfer studies were conducted on the different surface-treated copper cylinders of a 25-mm diameter and a 40-mm length. The experimental results showed that the number of interlines and the orientation of the hybrid wettable pattern influenced the wall superheat and the HTC. By increasing the number of interlines, the HTC was enhanced when compared to the plain surface. Images obtained from the charge-coupled device (CCD) camera indicated that more bubbles formed on the interlines as compared to other parts. The hybrid wettable pattern with the lowermost section being hydrophobic gave the best heat-transfer coefficient (HTC). The experimental results indicated that the bubble dynamics of the surface is an important factor that determines the nucleate boiling.

Performance of balanced bellows safety relief valves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lai, Y.S.

1992-01-01

By the nature of its design, the set point and lift of a conventional spring loaded safety relief valve are sensitive to back pressure. One way to reduce the adverse effects of the back pressure on the safety relief valve function is to install a balanced bellows in a safety relief valve. The metallic bellows has a rather wide range of manufacturing tolerance which makes the design of the bellows safety relief valve very complicated. The state-of-the-art balanced bellows safety relief valve can only substantially minimize, but cannot totally eliminate the back pressure effects on its set point and relieving capacity. Set point change is a linear function of the back pressure to the set pressure ratio. Depending on the valve design, the set point correction factor can be either greater or smaller than unity. There exists an allowable back pressure and critical back pressure for each safety relief valve. When total back pressure exceeds the R a , the relieving capacity will be reduced mainly resulting from the valve lift being reduced by the back pressure and the capacity reduction factor should be applied in valve sizing. Once the R c is exceeded, the safety relief valve becomes unstable and loses its over pressure protection capability. The capacity reduction factor is a function of system overpressure, but their relationship is non-linear in nature. (orig.)

Holographic recording of surface relief gratings in stilbene azobenzene derivatives at 633 nm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozols, A; Saharov, D; Kokars, V; Kampars, V; Maleckis, A; Mezinskis, G; Pludons, A

2010-01-01

Holographic recording in stilbene azobenzene derivatives by He-Ne 633 nm laser light has been experimentally studied. It was found that surface relief gratings (SRG) can be recorded by red light. Usually shorter wavelengths are used to induce the trans-cis photo-isomerization in organic materials. SRG with 2 μm period and an amplitude of 130 nm have been recorded with 0.88 W/cm 2 light in about 20 minutes in amorphous films of 3-(4-(bis(2-(trityloxy)ethyl)amino)phenyl)-2-(4-(2-bromo-4-nitrophenyl) diazenyl)phenyl)acrylonitrile spin-coated on glass substrates. Self-diffraction efficiency up to 17.4% and specific recording energy down to 114 J/(cm 2 %) were measured. The recorded SRG were stable as proved by subsequent AFM measurements. The photo-induced changes in absorption spectra did not reveal noticeable signs of trans-cis transformations. Rather, spectrally uniform bleaching of the films took place. We conclude that a photothermally stimulated photo-destruction of chromophores is responsible for the SRG recording. The recording of stable SRG in the stilbene azobenzene derivatives we studied is accompanied by the recording of relaxing volume-phase gratings due to the photo-orientation of chromophores by the linearly polarized recording light. It should also be noted that holographic recording efficiency in stilbene azobenzene derivatives exhibit an unusual non-monotonic sample storage-time dependence presumably caused by the peculiarities of structural relaxation of the films.

Effectiveness of Property Tax Relief in Oregon.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartman, William T.; Hwang, C. S.

This study examines the effects of the 1979 Oregon Property Tax Relief Plan on 1980-81 school district budget decisions by comparing the available tax relief, the school expenditures, and the tax levies in the state for the years 1975-81. The history of direct and indirect property tax relief in Oregon is sketched for the years prior to 1979; the…

Edge enhancement improves disruptive camouflage by emphasising false edges and creating pictorial relief.

Science.gov (United States)

Egan, John; Sharman, Rebecca J; Scott-Brown, Kenneth C; Lovell, Paul George

2016-12-06

Disruptive colouration is a visual camouflage composed of false edges and boundaries. Many disruptively camouflaged animals feature enhanced edges; light patches are surrounded by a lighter outline and/or a dark patches are surrounded by a darker outline. This camouflage is particularly common in amphibians, reptiles and lepidopterans. We explored the role that this pattern has in creating effective camouflage. In a visual search task utilising an ultra-large display area mimicking search tasks that might be found in nature, edge enhanced disruptive camouflage increases crypsis, even on substrates that do not provide an obvious visual match. Specifically, edge enhanced camouflage is effective on backgrounds both with and without shadows; i.e. this is not solely due to background matching of the dark edge enhancement element with the shadows. Furthermore, when the dark component of the edge enhancement is omitted the camouflage still provided better crypsis than control patterns without edge enhancement. This kind of edge enhancement improved camouflage on all background types. Lastly, we show that edge enhancement can create a perception of multiple surfaces. We conclude that edge enhancement increases the effectiveness of disruptive camouflage through mechanisms that may include the improved disruption of the object outline by implying pictorial relief.

Anthropogenic transformation of the relief of the Aegean Islands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tsermegas Irena

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to present the role of human impact in the forming and transformation of the relief of the Aegean Islands. The most significant changes (with a displacement of more than 10 bln m3 of rock material are related to the creation of road infrastructure and the construction of agricultural terraces. In order to create stone buildings, 20 mln m3 of rock material was used; for the purposes of air transport a surface area of nearly 2.5 km2 was levelled; many kilometres of artificial shorelines were created and at least 4.5 mln m3 of material was displaced for the purposes of the construction of artificial reservoirs of a total capacity of more than 25 mln m3. A huge amount of material was removed as a result of mining activities. The indirect impact of economic activities on the relief of the discussed area includes mainly slope, fluvial and coastal processes.

Relief valve testing study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

BROMM, R.D.

2001-01-01

Reclosing pressure-actuated valves, commonly called relief valves, are designed to relieve system pressure once it reaches the set point of the valve. They generally operate either proportional to the differential between their set pressure and the system pressure (gradual lift) or by rapidly opening fully when the set pressure is reached (pop action). A pop action valve allows the maximum fluid flow through the valve when the set pressure is reached. A gradual lift valve allows fluid flow in proportion to how much the system pressure has exceeded the set pressure of the valve (in the case of pressure relief) or has decreased below the set pressure (vacuum relief). These valves are used to protect systems from over and under pressurization. They are used on boilers, pressure vessels, piping systems and vacuum systems to prevent catastrophic failures of these systems, which can happen if they are under or over pressurized beyond the material tolerances. The construction of these valves ranges from extreme precision of less than a psi tolerance and a very short lifetime to extremely robust construction such as those used on historic railroad steam engines that are designed operate many times a day without changing their set pressure when the engines are operating. Relief valves can be designed to be immune to the effects of back pressure or to be vulnerable to it. Which type of valve to use depends upon the design requirements of the system

Assessment methods of injection moulded nano-patterned surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Menotti, S.; Bisacco, G.; Hansen, H. N.

2014-01-01

algorithm for feature recognition. To compare the methods, the mould insert and a number of replicated nano-patterned surfaces, injection moulded with an induction heating aid, were measured on nominally identical locations by means of an atomic force microscope mounted on a manual CMM....

19 CFR 210.52 - Motions for temporary relief.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

....52 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION INVESTIGATIONS OF UNFAIR PRACTICES IN IMPORT TRADE ADJUDICATION AND ENFORCEMENT Temporary Relief § 210.52 Motions for temporary relief... issuance of temporary relief, the Commission will be guided by practice under Rule 65 of the Federal Rules...

CHF Enhancement by Surface Patterning based on Hydrodynamic Instability Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seo, Han; Bang, In Cheol [UNIST, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

If the power density of a device exceeds the CHF point, bubbles and vapor films will be covered on the whole heater surface. Because vapor films have much lower heat transfer capabilities compared to the liquid layer, the temperature of the heater surface will increase rapidly, and the device could be damaged due to the heater burnout. Therefore, the prediction and the enhancement of the CHF are essential to maximizing the efficient heat removal region. Numerous studies have been conducted to describe the CHF phenomenon, such as hydrodynamic instability theory, macrolayer dryout theory, hot/dry spot theory, and bubble interaction theory. The hydrodynamic instability model, proposed by Zuber, is the predominant CHF model that Helmholtz instability attributed to the CHF. Zuber assumed that the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability wavelength is related to the Helmholtz wavelength. Lienhard and Dhir proposed a CHF model that Helmholtz instability wavelength is equal to the most dangerous RT wavelength. In addition, they showed the heater size effect using various heater surfaces. Lu et al. proposed a modified hydrodynamic theory that the Helmholtz instability was assumed to be the heater size and the area of the vapor column was used as a fitting factor. The modified hydrodynamic theories were based on the change of Helmholtz wavelength related to the RT instability wavelength. In the present study, the change of the RT instability wavelength, based on the heater surface modification, was conducted to show the CHF enhancement based on the heater surface patterning in a plate pool boiling. Sapphire glass was used as a base heater substrate, and the Pt film was used as a heating source. The patterning surface was based on the change of RT instability wavelength. In the present work the study of the CHF was conducted using bare Pt and patterned heating surfaces.

Assessment of plantar pressure in forefoot relief shoes of different designs.

Science.gov (United States)

Carl, Hans-Dieter; Pfander, David; Swoboda, Bernd

2006-02-01

After reconstructive forefoot surgery, patients require complete or partial forefoot relief, which can be obtained with a variety of shoe designs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of two different types of forefoot-relief shoes frequently used after surgery, especially their safety against unintentional forefoot load. Ten healthy volunteers were asked to perform five trials on a treadmill at self-selected speeds. In the first trial, mean peak pressure values in mass-produced shoes and insoles were evaluated and considered as 100%. Two different shoe designs (short heel-short sole, ii: short heel-complete sole) were compared in two trials each with appropriate and inappropriate use (attempting to put weight on the forefoot) gait pattern. Plantar pressure values were obtained using the Pedar cable system (Novel Inc., Munich, Germany). For analysis, pedobarographic pictures were subdivided into midfoot (31% to 60% of the total insole length) and forefoot (61% to 100% of the total insole length). ANOVA was used for statistical analysis, and p values less than 0.01 were considered significant. With the short-soled shoe, forefoot and midfoot relief was 100% in both compliant and in noncompliant use. With wearing a complete sole, compliant use led to a significant reduction (p shoe produced mean peak pressure values significantly higher (p shoes under the forefoot, but not under the midfoot. Forefoot-relief shoes are effective in reducing both mean and peak plantar pressures. Shoes with a nonsupported midfoot and forefoot may be safer with inappropriate use than shoes with a complete sole. The kind of forefoot shoe should be carefully chosen to regulate weightbearing after reconstructive forefoot surgery.

Thermally induced delay and reversal of liquid film dewetting on chemically patterned surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalpathy, Sreeram K; Francis, Lorraine F; Kumar, Satish

2013-10-15

A thin liquid film resting on a solid substrate that is heated or cooled from below experiences surface tension gradients, which lead to Marangoni flows. We explore the behavior of such a film on a chemically patterned substrate which drives film dewetting in order to determine how surface patterning and applied temperature gradients can be designed to influence the behavior of thin-film coatings. A nonlinear partial differential equation for the film height based on lubrication theory is solved numerically for a broad range of problem parameters. Uniform cooling of the substrate is found to significantly delay dewetting that is driven by wettability gradients. Uniform heating speeds up dewetting but can destroy the near-perfect templating imposed by the surface patterning. However, localized heating and cooling together can accelerate dewetting while maintaining templating quality. Localized heating and cooling can also be used to drive liquid onto areas that it would dewet from in the absence of heating. Overall, these results indicate that applied temperature gradients can significantly influence dewetting driven by surface patterning, and suggest strategies for the creation of spatially patterned thin-film coatings and flow control in microfluidic devices. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Crisis Communication Practices at an International Relief Agency

Science.gov (United States)

Genova, Gina L.

2006-01-01

When a disaster strikes, the affected population relies upon the swift response and aid rendered by relief organizations such as the California-based Direct Relief International. Since 1948, Direct Relief's mission has been to provide essential material resources to locally run health programs in areas affected by natural disasters, wars, and…

Development of a High Slip-resistant Footwear Outsole Using a Hybrid Rubber Surface Pattern

Science.gov (United States)

YAMAGUCHI, Takeshi; HOKKIRIGAWA, Kazuo

2014-01-01

Abstract: The present study examined whether a new footwear outsole with tread blocks and a hybrid rubber surface pattern, composed of rough and smooth surfaces, could increase slip resistance and reduce the risk of fall while walking on a wet floor surface. A drag test was performed to measure static and dynamic coefficient of friction (SCOF and DCOF, respectively) values for the footwear with the hybrid rubber surface pattern outsole and two types of commercially available boots that are conventionally used in food factories and restaurant kitchens with respect to a stainless steel floor covered with glycerol solution. Gait trials were conducted with 14 participants who wore the footwear on the wet stainless steel floor. The drag test results indicated that the hybrid rubber surface pattern sole exhibited higher SCOF (≥0.44) and DCOF (≥0.39) values than the soles of the comparative footwear (pfootwear with the hybrid rubber surface pattern outsole were significantly lower than those for the comparative footwear, which resulted in no falls during trials. PMID:25055846

Brain Circuits Encoding Reward from Pain Relief.

Science.gov (United States)

Navratilova, Edita; Atcherley, Christopher W; Porreca, Frank

2015-11-01

Relief from pain in humans is rewarding and pleasurable. Primary rewards, or reward-predictive cues, are encoded in brain reward/motivational circuits. While considerable advances have been made in our understanding of reward circuits underlying positive reinforcement, less is known about the circuits underlying the hedonic and reinforcing actions of pain relief. We review findings from electrophysiological, neuroimaging, and behavioral studies supporting the concept that the rewarding effect of pain relief requires opioid signaling in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), activation of midbrain dopamine neurons, and the release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Understanding of circuits that govern the reward of pain relief may allow the discovery of more effective and satisfying therapies for patients with acute or chronic pain.

Robotic Patterning a Superhydrophobic Surface for Collective Cell Migration Screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Pang, Yonggang; Yang, Jing; Hui, Zhixin; Grottkau, Brian E

2018-04-01

Collective cell migration, in which cells migrate as a group, is fundamental in many biological and pathological processes. There is increasing interest in studying the collective cell migration in high throughput. Cell scratching, insertion blocker, and gel-dissolving techniques are some methodologies used previously. However, these methods have the drawbacks of cell damage, substrate surface alteration, limitation in medium exchange, and solvent interference. The superhydrophobic surface, on which the water contact angle is greater than 150 degrees, has been recently utilized to generate patterned arrays. Independent cell culture areas can be generated on a substrate that functions the same as a conventional multiple well plate. However, so far there has been no report on superhydrophobic patterning for the study of cell migration. In this study, we report on the successful development of a robotically patterned superhydrophobic array for studying collective cell migration in high throughput. The array was developed on a rectangular single-well cell culture plate consisting of hydrophilic flat microwells separated by the superhydrophobic surface. The manufacturing process is robotic and includes patterning discrete protective masks to the substrate using 3D printing, robotic spray coating of silica nanoparticles, robotic mask removal, robotic mini silicone blocker patterning, automatic cell seeding, and liquid handling. Compared with a standard 96-well plate, our system increases the throughput by 2.25-fold and generates a cell-free area in each well non-destructively. Our system also demonstrates higher efficiency than conventional way of liquid handling using microwell plates, and shorter processing time than manual operating in migration assays. The superhydrophobic surface had no negative impact on cell viability. Using our system, we studied the collective migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells and cancer cells using assays of endpoint

Relief memory consolidation requires protein synthesis within the nucleus accumbens.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruning, Johann E A; Breitfeld, Tino; Kahl, Evelyn; Bergado-Acosta, Jorge R; Fendt, Markus

2016-06-01

Relief learning refers to the association of a stimulus with the relief from an aversive event. The thus-learned relief stimulus then can induce, e.g., an attenuation of the startle response or approach behavior, indicating positive valence. Previous studies revealed that the nucleus accumbens is essential for the acquisition and retrieval of relief memory. Here, we ask whether the nucleus accumbens is also the brain site for consolidation of relief memory into a long-term form. In rats, we blocked local protein synthesis within the nucleus accumbens by local infusions of anisomycin at different time points during a relief conditioning experiment. Accumbal anisomycin injections immediately after the relief conditioning session, but not 4 h later, prevented the consolidation into long-term relief memory. The retention of already consolidated relief memory was not affected by anisomycin injections. This identifies a time window and site for relief memory consolidation. These findings should complement our understanding of the full range of effects of adverse experiences, including cases of their distortion in humans such as post-traumatic stress disorder and/or phobias. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bas-Relief Modeling from Normal Images with Intuitive Styles.

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Zhongping; Ma, Weiyin; Sun, Xianfang

2014-05-01

Traditional 3D model-based bas-relief modeling methods are often limited to model-dependent and monotonic relief styles. This paper presents a novel method for digital bas-relief modeling with intuitive style control. Given a composite normal image, the problem discussed in this paper involves generating a discontinuity-free depth field with high compression of depth data while preserving or even enhancing fine details. In our framework, several layers of normal images are composed into a single normal image. The original normal image on each layer is usually generated from 3D models or through other techniques as described in this paper. The bas-relief style is controlled by choosing a parameter and setting a targeted height for them. Bas-relief modeling and stylization are achieved simultaneously by solving a sparse linear system. Different from previous work, our method can be used to freely design bas-reliefs in normal image space instead of in object space, which makes it possible to use any popular image editing tools for bas-relief modeling. Experiments with a wide range of 3D models and scenes show that our method can effectively generate digital bas-reliefs.

Fear patterns: a new approach to designing road safety advertisements.

Science.gov (United States)

Algie, Jennifer; Rossiter, John R

2010-01-01

This research studies fear patterns within fear appeal anti-speeding television commercials. A pattern of fear is the sequence of fear arousal and fear reduction, if any, that is felt by the viewing audience when exposed to a fear appeal advertisement. Many road safety advertisers use fear appeals, such as "shock" advertising, that result in fear arousal, leaving the viewer feeling extremely tense. The moment-to-moment reactions of young drivers to 12 road safety commercials are gauged using a dynamic, temporal measure of fear. The fear patterns generated from each ad are analyzed and a new perspective on creating fear appeal road safety advertisements, with an emphasis on fear-relief, fear-partial relief, and fear-only patterns, is discussed.

MODELING AND SIMULATION OF RELIEF INFLUENCE ON EUCALYPTUS FORESTS: INTERACTION BETWEEN SOLAR IRRADIANCE AND PRODUCTIVITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yhasmin Paiva Rody

2016-04-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT This study aimed to verify the differences in radiation intensity as a function of distinct relief exposure surfaces and to quantify these effects on the leaf area index (LAI and other variables expressing eucalyptus forest productivity for simulations in a process-based growth model. The study was carried out at two contrasting edaphoclimatic locations in the Rio Doce basin in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Two stands with 32-year-old plantations were used, allocating fixed plots in locations with northern and southern exposure surfaces. The meteorological data were obtained from two automated weather stations located near the study sites. Solar radiation was corrected for terrain inclination and exposure surfaces, as it is measured based on the plane, perpendicularly to the vertical location. The LAI values collected in the field were used. For the comparative simulations in productivity variation, the mechanistic 3PG model was used, considering the relief exposure surfaces. It was verified that during most of the year, the southern surfaces showed lower availability of incident solar radiation, resulting in up to 66% losses, compared to the same surface considered plane, probably related to its geographical location and higher declivity. Higher values were obtained for the plantings located on the northern surface for the variables LAI, volume and mean annual wood increase, with this tendency being repeated in the 3PG model simulations.

Estimation of the under-surface temperature pattern by dynamic remote sensing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inamura, M [Univ. of Tokyo; Tao, R; Katsuma, T; Toyota, H

1977-10-01

There are three basic classifications of remote sensing: passive RS, which involves measurement of reflected solar radiation; active RS, which involves the use of microwaves or laser radar; and infrared scanning. These methods make possible the determination of an object's surface temperature, its effective emissivity, and its effective reflectivity. The surface temperature, in effect, contains information concerning the structure below the surface. Fundamental experiments were conducted to extract sub-surface information by means of 'dynamic remote sensing.' Aluminum objects were embedded in a container filled with sand, and the container was heated from below. First, the spatial transfer function of the medium (sand) was determined, the surface temperature pattern was filtered, and the subsurface temperature pattern was calculated, allowing the subsurface forms of the aluminum objects to be estimated. The relationship between the thermal input (bottom temperature) and the thermal output (surface temperature) was expressed in terms of electrical circuit analogs, and the heat capacity and thermal conductivity of the sample were calculated, permitting estimation of its composition. This technique will be useful for groundwater and mineral exploration and for nondestructive testing.

Surface-induced patterns from evaporating droplets of aqueous carbon nanotube dispersions

KAUST Repository

Zeng, Hongbo; Kristiansen, Kai De Lange; Wang, Peng; Bergli, Joakim; Israelachvili, Jacob N.

2011-01-01

Evaporation of aqueous droplets of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) coated with a physisorbed layer of humic acid (HA) on a partially hydrophilic substrate induces the formation of a film of CNTs. Here, we investigate the role that the global geometry of the substrate surfaces has on the structure of the CNT film. On a flat mica or silica surface, the evaporation of a convex droplet of the CNT dispersion induces the well-known "coffee ring", while evaporation of a concave droplet (capillary meniscus) of the CNT dispersion in a wedge of two planar mica sheets or between two crossed-cylinder sheets induces a large area (>mm 2) of textured or patterned films characterized by different short- and long-range orientational and positional ordering of the CNTs. The resulting patterns appear to be determined by two competing or cooperative sedimentation mechanisms: (1) capillary forces between CNTs giving micrometer-sized filaments parallel to the boundary line of the evaporating droplet and (2) fingering instability at the boundary line of the evaporating droplet and subsequent pinning of CNTs on the surface giving micrometer-sized filaments of CNTs perpendicular to this boundary line. The interplay between substrate surface geometry and sedimentation mechanisms gives an extra control parameter for manipulating patterns of self-assembling nanoparticles at substrate surfaces. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

Surface-induced patterns from evaporating droplets of aqueous carbon nanotube dispersions

KAUST Repository

Zeng, Hongbo

2011-06-07

Evaporation of aqueous droplets of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) coated with a physisorbed layer of humic acid (HA) on a partially hydrophilic substrate induces the formation of a film of CNTs. Here, we investigate the role that the global geometry of the substrate surfaces has on the structure of the CNT film. On a flat mica or silica surface, the evaporation of a convex droplet of the CNT dispersion induces the well-known "coffee ring", while evaporation of a concave droplet (capillary meniscus) of the CNT dispersion in a wedge of two planar mica sheets or between two crossed-cylinder sheets induces a large area (>mm 2) of textured or patterned films characterized by different short- and long-range orientational and positional ordering of the CNTs. The resulting patterns appear to be determined by two competing or cooperative sedimentation mechanisms: (1) capillary forces between CNTs giving micrometer-sized filaments parallel to the boundary line of the evaporating droplet and (2) fingering instability at the boundary line of the evaporating droplet and subsequent pinning of CNTs on the surface giving micrometer-sized filaments of CNTs perpendicular to this boundary line. The interplay between substrate surface geometry and sedimentation mechanisms gives an extra control parameter for manipulating patterns of self-assembling nanoparticles at substrate surfaces. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

Laser Shock Wave-Assisted Patterning on NiTi Shape Memory Alloy Surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Ilhom, Saidjafarzoda; Seyitliyev, Dovletgeldi; Kholikov, Khomidkohodza; Thomas, Zachary; Er, Ali O.; Li, Peizhen; Karaca, Haluk E.; San, Omer

2018-01-01

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are a unique class of smart materials and they were employed in various applications in engineering, biomedical, and aerospace technologies. Here, we report an advanced, efficient, and low-cost direct imprinting method with low environmental impact to create thermally controllable surface patterns. Patterned microindents were generated on Ni50Ti50 (at. %) SMAs using an Nd:YAG laser with 1064 nm wavelength at 10 Hz. Laser pulses at selected fluences were focused on the NiTi surface and generated pressure pulses of up to a few GPa. Optical microscope images showed that surface patterns with tailorable sizes can be obtained. The depth of the patterns increases with laser power and irradiation time. Upon heating, the depth profile of SMA surfaces changed where the maximum depth recovery ratio of 30% was observed. Recovery ratio decreased and stabilized when the number of pulses and thus the well depth were further increased. A numerical simulation of pressure evolution in shape memory alloys showed a good agreement with the experimental results. The stress wave closely followed the rise time of the laser pulse to its peak value and initial decay. Rapid attenuation and dispersion of the stress wave were found in our simulation.

Laser Shock Wave-Assisted Patterning on NiTi Shape Memory Alloy Surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Ilhom, Saidjafarzoda; Seyitliyev, Dovletgeldi; Kholikov, Khomidkohodza; Thomas, Zachary; Er, Ali O.; Li, Peizhen; Karaca, Haluk E.; San, Omer

2018-03-01

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are a unique class of smart materials and they were employed in various applications in engineering, biomedical, and aerospace technologies. Here, we report an advanced, efficient, and low-cost direct imprinting method with low environmental impact to create thermally controllable surface patterns. Patterned microindents were generated on Ni50Ti50 (at. %) SMAs using an Nd:YAG laser with 1064 nm wavelength at 10 Hz. Laser pulses at selected fluences were focused on the NiTi surface and generated pressure pulses of up to a few GPa. Optical microscope images showed that surface patterns with tailorable sizes can be obtained. The depth of the patterns increases with laser power and irradiation time. Upon heating, the depth profile of SMA surfaces changed where the maximum depth recovery ratio of 30% was observed. Recovery ratio decreased and stabilized when the number of pulses and thus the well depth were further increased. A numerical simulation of pressure evolution in shape memory alloys showed a good agreement with the experimental results. The stress wave closely followed the rise time of the laser pulse to its peak value and initial decay. Rapid attenuation and dispersion of the stress wave were found in our simulation.

Nano- and Micro-Scale Oxidative Patterning of Titanium Implant Surfaces for Improved Surface Wettability.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, In-hye; Son, Jun Sik; Choi, Seok Hwa; Kim, Kyo-han; Kwon, Tae-yub

2016-02-01

A simple and scalable surface modification treatment is demonstrated, in which nano- and microscale features are introduced into the surface of titanium (Ti) substrates by means of a novel and eco-friendly oxidative aqueous solution composed of hydrogen peroxide (H202) and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3). By immersing mirror-polished Ti discs in an aqueous mixture of 30 wt% H2O2/5 wt% NaHCO3 at 23 +/- 3 degrees C for 4 h, it was confirmed that this mixture is capable of generating microscale topographies on Ti surfaces. It also simultaneously formed nanochannels that were regularly arranged in a comb-like pattern on the Ti surface, thus forming a hierarchical surface structure. Further, these nano/micro-textured Ti surfaces showed great surface roughness and excellent wettability when compared with control Ti surfaces. This study demonstrates that a H2O2/NaHCO3 mixture can be effectively utilized to create reproducible nano/microscale topographies on Ti implant surfaces, thus providing an economical new oxidative solution that may be used effectively and safely as a Ti surface modification treatment.

Realization of diverse displays for multiple color patterns on metal surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Guoqiang; Li, Jiawen; Hu, Yanlei; Zhang, Chenchu; Li, Xiaohong; Chu, Jiaru; Huang, Wenhao

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We have demonstrated that the combined influence of incident white light angle and the ripples orientation on the diversity of structural colors. • Our investigation revealed that multi-patterns constituted by ripples with different orientations could be precisely designed on metal surfaces. • The diverse display for the desired ones can be realized by exquisitely varying the incident light angle and rotating sample angle. - Abstract: Enhanced colors can be formed when white light is irradiated on the surface ripples induced by femtosecond laser. In this paper, we have demonstrated the ability to display the diverse colors by simultaneously adjusting the incident white light angle and the ripples orientation. Furthermore, our investigation revealed that multi-patterns constituted by ripples with different orientations could be designed on metal surfaces. The diverse display for the desired ones can be realized by exquisitely varying the incident light angle and rotating sample angle. More interestingly, it is found that, although the same patterns could be displayed under different conditions, the colors might be different. These findings can provide a novel method to carry and identify high quantity of information, which may find potential applications in the fields of information storage, identifying codes and anti-counterfeiting patterns

Occlusal relief changes with molar wear in Pan troglodytes troglodytes and Gorilla gorilla gorilla.

Science.gov (United States)

M'kirera, Francis; Ungar, Peter S

2003-06-01

Most research on primate tooth form-function relationships has focused on unworn teeth. This study presents a morphological comparison of variably worn lower second molars (M(2)s) of lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla; n=47) and common chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes; n=54) using dental topographic analysis. High-resolution replicas of occlusal surfaces were prepared and scanned in 3D by laser scanning. The resulting elevation data were used to create a geographic information system (GIS) for each tooth. Occlusal relief, defined as the ratio of 3D surface area to 2D planometric area of the occlusal table, was calculated and compared between wear stages, taxa, and sexes. The results failed to show a difference in occlusal relief between males and females of a given taxon, but did evince differences between wear stages and between taxa. A lack of significant interaction between wear stage and taxon factors suggests that differences in occlusal relief between chimpanzees and gorillas are maintained throughout the wear sequence. These results add to a growing body of information on how molar teeth change with wear, and how differences between primate species are maintained at comparable points throughout the wear sequence. Such studies provide new insights into form-function relationships, which will allow us to infer certain aspects of diet in fossils with worn teeth.

Reward, motivation and emotion of pain and its relief

Science.gov (United States)

Porreca, Frank; Navratilova, Edita

2016-01-01

The experience of pain depends on interpretation of context and past experience that guide the choice of an immediate behavioral response and influence future decisions of actions to avoid harm. The aversive qualities of pain underlie its physiological role in learning and motivation. In this review, we highlight findings from human and animal investigations that suggest that both pain, and the relief of pain, are complex emotions that are comprised of feelings and their motivational consequences. Relief of aversive states, including pain, is rewarding. How relief of pain aversiveness occurs is not well understood. Termination of aversive states can directly provide relief as well as reinforce behaviors that result in avoidance of pain. Emerging preclinical data also suggests that relief may elicit a positive hedonic value that results from activation of neural cortical and mesolimbic brain circuits that may also motivate behavior. Brain circuits mediating the reward of pain relief, as well as relief-induced motivation are significantly impacted as pain becomes chronic. In chronic pain states, the negative motivational value of nociception may be increased while the value of the reward of pain relief may decrease. As a consequence, the impact of pain on these ancient, and conserved brain limbic circuits suggest a path forward for discovery of new pain therapies. PMID:28106670

Teaching with AR as a Tool for Relief Visualization: Usability and Motivation Study

Science.gov (United States)

Carrera, Carlos Carbonell; Perez, Jose Luis Saorin; Cantero, Jorge de la Torre

2018-01-01

In the field of geographical and environmental education, maps and geo-referenced information are frequently used, in which the earth's surfaces are represented in a two-dimensional (2D) way. Students have difficulty interpreting the relief representation and switching between 2D and 3D scenarios. Digital terrain modelling is added to the…

Does Immediate Pain Relief After an Injection into the Sacroiliac Joint with Anesthetic and Corticosteroid Predict Subsequent Pain Relief?

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, Byron J; Huynh, Lisa; Levin, Josh; Rinkaekan, Pranathip; Kordi, Ramin; Kennedy, David J

2018-02-01

To determine if immediate pain response following an injection with local anesthetic and corticosteroid predicts subsequent relief. Prospective observational cohort. An institutional review board-approved prospective study from a single academic medical center. Patients with clinical diagnosis of sacroiliac (SIJ) pain and referred for SIJ injection were enrolled; 1 cc of 2% lidocaine and 1 cc of triamcinolone 40 mg/mL were injected into the SIJ. Pain score on 0-10 numeric rating scale (NRS) during provocation maneuvers was recorded immediately before injection, immediately after injection, and at two and four weeks of follow-up. Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) was also recorded. Various cutoffs were identified to establish positive anesthetic response and successful outcomes at follow-up. These were used to calculated likelihood ratios. Of those with 100% anesthetic response, six of 11 (54.5%, 95% confidence interval [CI]+/-29.4%, +LR 2.6, 95% CI = 1.1-5.9) demonstrated 50% or greater pain relief at follow-up, and four of 11 (36.5%, 95% CI+/-28.4%, +LR 3.00, 95% CI = 1.4-5.1) had 100% relief at two to four weeks. Fourteen of 14 (100%, 95% CI+/-21.5%, -LR 0.0, 95% CI = 0.0-2.1) with an initial negative block failed to achieve 100% relief at follow-up. Patients who fail to achieve initial relief after SIJ injection with anesthetic and steroid are very unlikely to achieve significant pain relief at follow-up; negative likelihood ratios (LR) in this study, based on how success is defined, range between 0 and 0.9. Clinically significant positive likelihood ratios of anesthetic response to SIJ injection are more limited and less robust, but are valuable in predicting 50% relief or 100% relief at two to four weeks. © 2017 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

A numerical study of three-dimensional droplets spreading on chemically patterned surfaces

KAUST Repository

Zhong, Hua

2016-09-26

We study numerically the three-dimensional droplets spreading on physically flat chemically patterned surfaces with periodic squares separated by channels. Our model consists of the Navier-Stokes-Cahn-Hilliard equations with the generalized Navier boundary conditions. Stick-slip behavior and con-tact angle hysteresis are observed. Moreover, we also study the relationship between the effective advancing/receding angle and the two intrinsic angles of the surface patterns. By increasing the volume of droplet gradually, we find that the advancing contact line tends gradually to an equiangular octagon with the length ratio of the two adjacent sides equal to a fixed value that depends on the geometry of the pattern.

Reward and relief dimensions of temptation to drink: construct validity and role in predicting differential benefit from acamprosate and naltrexone.

Science.gov (United States)

Roos, Corey R; Mann, Karl; Witkiewitz, Katie

2017-11-01

Researchers have sought to distinguish between individuals whose alcohol use disorder (AUD) is maintained by drinking to relieve negative affect ('relief drinkers') and those whose AUD is maintained by the rewarding effects of alcohol ('reward drinkers'). As an opioid receptor antagonist, naltrexone may be particularly effective for reward drinkers. Acamprosate, which has been shown to down-regulate the glutamatergic system, may be particularly effective for relief drinkers. This study sought to replicate and extend prior work (PREDICT study; Glöckner-Rist et al. ) by examining dimensions of reward and relief temptation to drink and subtypes of individuals with distinct patterns of reward/relief temptation. We utilized data from two randomized clinical trials for AUD (Project MATCH, n = 1726 and COMBINE study, n = 1383). We also tested whether classes of reward/relief temptation would predict differential response to naltrexone and acamprosate in COMBINE. Results replicated prior work by identifying reward and relief temptation factors, which had excellent reliability and construct validity. Using factor mixture modeling, we identified five distinct classes of reward/relief temptation that replicated across studies. In COMBINE, we found a significant class-by-acamprosate interaction effect. Among those most likely classified in the high relief/moderate reward temptation class, individuals had better drinking outcomes if assigned to acamprosate versus placebo. We did not find a significant class-by-naltrexone interaction effect. Our study questions the orthogonal classification of drinkers into only two types (reward or relief drinkers) and adds to the body of research on moderators of acamprosate, which may inform clinical decision making in the treatment of AUD. © 2016 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Late-Cenozoic relief evolution under evolving climate: A review

OpenAIRE

Champagnac Jean Daniel; Valla Pierre G.; Herman Frédéric

2014-01-01

The present review paper is an attempt to summarize quantitative evidence of Late Cenozoic changes in topographic relief. Different meanings of the word "relief" as it is commonly used and detail the metrics used to quantify it. We then specify methodological tools used to quantify relief change (primarily low temperature thermochronometry and terrestrial cosmogenic nuclides) and analyze published evidence for different regions.Our review first shows that relief changes and rates of changes a...

A sigh of relief or a sigh to relieve: The psychological and physiological relief effect of deep breaths.

Science.gov (United States)

Vlemincx, Elke; Van Diest, Ilse; Van den Bergh, Omer

2016-10-15

Both animal and human research have revealed important associations between sighs and relief. Previously we argued to conceive of sighs as resetters which temporarily induce relief. The present study aimed to investigate the psychological and physiological relief effect of sighs by instructed deep breaths and spontaneous sighs compared to a control breathing maneuver. Participants completed three blocks of 40 trials during which uncertainty cues were followed by either safety cues followed by a positive picture, or danger cues followed by a negative picture. One block was presented without breathing instructions, two subsequent blocks with breathing instructions. During the presentation of the safety and danger cues, an instruction was given to either 'take a deep breath' or 'postpone the next inhalation for 2 s (breath hold). Continuously, participants rated relief and Frontalis electromyography was recorded. Trait anxiety sensitivity was assessed by the Anxiety Sensitivity Index. Self-reported relief and physiological tension were compared 5s before and after instructed deep breaths and breath holds, and before and after spontaneous deep breaths and breath holds in the respective blocks. Results show that self-reported relief following an instructed deep breath was higher than before. Physiological tension decreased following a spontaneous sigh in high anxiety sensitive persons and following a spontaneous breath hold in low anxiety sensitive persons. These results are the first to show that a deep breath relieves and, in anxiety sensitive persons, reduces physiological tension. These findings support the hypothesis that sighs are psychological and physiological resetters. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Numerical investigation of the droplet condensation on the horizontal surface with patterned wettability

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Jaeyong; Lee, Joonsang

2017-11-01

The condensation is the one of the efficient heat transfer phenomenon that transfers the heat along an interface between two phases. This condensation is affected by the wettability of surface. Heat transfer rate can be improved by controlling the wettability of surface. Recently, the researches with patterned wettability, which is composed by a combination of hydrophilic and hydrophobic surface, have been performed to improve the heat transfer rate of condensation. In this study, we performed numerical simulation for condensation of droplet on the patterned wettability, and we analyze condensation phenomenon on the wettability pattered surface through the kinetic energy, heat flux curve, and droplet shape in the vicinity of the droplet. When we performed numerical simulations and analyzing the condensation with patterned wettability, we used the lattice Boltzmann method for the base model, and phase change was solved by Peng-Robinson equation of sate. We can find that the droplet is generated at the bottom surface and high condensation rate can be maintained on the patterned wettability. This work was also supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) Grant funded by the Korean Government (MSIP) (No. 2015R1A5A1037668) and BrainKorea21plus.

Doubling Your Payoff: Winning Pain Relief Engages Endogenous Pain Inhibition

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Susanne; Gandhi, Wiebke; Kwan, Saskia; Ahmed, Alysha-Karima; Schweinhardt, Petra

2015-01-01

When in pain, pain relief is much sought after, particularly for individuals with chronic pain. In analogy to augmentation of the hedonic experience ("liking") of a reward by the motivation to obtain a reward ("wanting"), the seeking of pain relief in a motivated state might increase the experience of pain relief when obtained. We tested this hypothesis in a psychophysical experiment in healthy human subjects, by assessing potential pain-inhibitory effects of pain relief "won" in a wheel of fortune game compared with pain relief without winning, exploiting the fact that the mere chance of winning induces a motivated state. The results show pain-inhibitory effects of pain relief obtained by winning in behaviorally assessed pain perception and ratings of pain intensity. Further, the higher participants scored on the personality trait novelty seeking, the more pain inhibition was induced. These results provide evidence that pain relief, when obtained in a motivated state, engages endogenous pain-inhibitory systems beyond the pain reduction that underlies the relief in the first place. Consequently, such pain relief might be used to improve behavioral pain therapy, inducing a positive, perhaps self-amplifying feedback loop of reduced pain and improved functionality.

BRIDGING THE STRATEGIC TO OPERATIONAL GAP: AIR MOBILTY IN NATURAL DISASTER RELIEF

Science.gov (United States)

2016-06-01

adequate resources are tasked for the operation. Disaster relief, by nature, is not afforded the same luxury as a traditional military operation... exclusion zone around the plant. The establishment of the exclusion zone substantially hindered operations into Sendai, the nearest mobility-capable...additional infrastructure consideration for the airspace was the nuclear exclusion zone. Ultimately, aircraft and surface vessels, unless specifically

Development of a High Slip-resistant Footwear Outsole Using a Hybrid Rubber Surface Pattern

OpenAIRE

YAMAGUCHI, Takeshi; HOKKIRIGAWA, Kazuo

2014-01-01

Abstract: The present study examined whether a new footwear outsole with tread blocks and a hybrid rubber surface pattern, composed of rough and smooth surfaces, could increase slip resistance and reduce the risk of fall while walking on a wet floor surface. A drag test was performed to measure static and dynamic coefficient of friction (SCOF and DCOF, respectively) values for the footwear with the hybrid rubber surface pattern outsole and two types of commercially available boots that are co...

Reconstruction of Laser-Induced Surface Topography from Electron Backscatter Diffraction Patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Callahan, Patrick G; Echlin, McLean P; Pollock, Tresa M; De Graef, Marc

2017-08-01

We demonstrate that the surface topography of a sample can be reconstructed from electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) patterns collected with a commercial EBSD system. This technique combines the location of the maximum background intensity with a correction from Monte Carlo simulations to determine the local surface normals at each point in an EBSD scan. A surface height map is then reconstructed from the local surface normals. In this study, a Ni sample was machined with a femtosecond laser, which causes the formation of a laser-induced periodic surface structure (LIPSS). The topography of the LIPSS was analyzed using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and reconstructions from EBSD patterns collected at 5 and 20 kV. The LIPSS consisted of a combination of low frequency waviness due to curtaining and high frequency ridges. The morphology of the reconstructed low frequency waviness and high frequency ridges matched the AFM data. The reconstruction technique does not require any modification to existing EBSD systems and so can be particularly useful for measuring topography and its evolution during in situ experiments.

Shadow analysis of soil surface roughness compared to the chain set method and direct measurement of micro-relief

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. García Moreno

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Soil surface roughness (SSR expresses soil susceptibility to wind and water erosion and plays an important role in the development and the maintenance of soil biota. Several methods have been developed to characterise SSR based on different methods of acquiring data. Because the main problems related to these methods involve the use and handling of equipment in the field, the present study aims to fill the need for a method for measuring SSR that is more reliable, low-cost and convenient in the field than traditional field methods. Shadow analysis, which interprets micro-topographic shadows, is based on the principle that there is a direct relationship between the soil surface roughness and the shadows cast by soil structures under fixed sunlight conditions. SSR was calculated with shadows analysis in the laboratory using hemispheres of different diameter with a diverse distribution of known altitudes and a surface area of 1 m².

Data obtained from the shadow analysis were compared to data obtained with the chain method and simulation of the micro-relief. The results show a relationship among the SSR calculated using the different methods. To further improve the method, shadow analysis was used to measure the SSR in a sandy clay loam field using different tillage tools (chisel, tiller and roller and in a control of 4 m² surface plots divided into subplots of 1 m². The measurements were compared to the data obtained using the chain set and pin meter methods. The SSR measured was the highest when the chisel was used, followed by the tiller and the roller, and finally the control, for each of the three methods. Shadow analysis is shown to be a reliable method that does not disturb the measured surface, is easy to handle and analyse, and shortens the time involved in field operations by a factor ranging from 4 to 20 compared to well known techniques such as the chain set and pin meter methods.

Glovebox pressure relief and check valve

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blaedel, K.L.

1986-03-17

This device is a combined pressure relief valve and check valve providing overpressure protection and preventing back flow into an inert atmosphere enclosure. The pressure relief is embodied by a submerged vent line in a mercury reservior, the releif pressure being a function of the submerged depth. The pressure relief can be vented into an exhaust system and the relieving pressure is only slightly influenced by the varying pressure in the exhaust system. The check valve is embodied by a ball which floats on the mercury column and contacts a seat whenever vacuum exists within the glovebox enclosure. Alternatively, the check valve is embodied by a vertical column of mercury, the maximum back pressure being a function of the height of the column of mercury.

Glovebox pressure relief and check valve

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blaedel, K.L.

1986-01-01

This device is a combined pressure relief valve and check valve providing overpressure protection and preventing back flow into an inert atmosphere enclosure. The pressure relief is embodied by a submerged vent line in a mercury reservior, the releif pressure being a function of the submerged depth. The pressure relief can be vented into an exhaust system and the relieving pressure is only slightly influenced by the varying pressure in the exhaust system. The check valve is embodied by a ball which floats on the mercury column and contacts a seat whenever vacuum exists within the glovebox enclosure. Alternatively, the check valve is embodied by a vertical column of mercury, the maximum back pressure being a function of the height of the column of mercury

Temperature effect on the formation of a relief of diamond-like carbon coatings and its modification by ion bombardment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rubshtein, A.P.; Trakhtenberg, I.Sh.; Yugov, V.A.; Vladimirov, A.B.; Plotnikov, S.A.; Ponosov, Yu.S

2006-01-01

Using the method of pulsed arc sputtering of a graphite target the diamond-like coatings (DLC) ∼1.5 μm thick are deposited on a steel R6M5 substrate. The relief of the coatings obtained under various temperature conditions is investigated. Variations of carbon DLC surfaces are followed after their bombardment with accelerated argon or chemically active oxygen ions. Argon ion bombardment is established to be preferred for producing a smoothed-out DLC relief. It is shown that a DLC relief should be taken into account when measuring microhardness. It is recommended that transformation of interatomic bonds in irradiated subsurface layers be taken into consideration if information index of methods applied constitutes several monolayers [ru

Chemical modifications of Au/SiO2 template substrates for patterned biofunctional surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Briand, Elisabeth; Humblot, Vincent; Landoulsi, Jessem; Petronis, Sarunas; Pradier, Claire-Marie; Kasemo, Bengt; Svedhem, Sofia

2011-01-18

The aim of this work was to create patterned surfaces for localized and specific biochemical recognition. For this purpose, we have developed a protocol for orthogonal and material-selective surface modifications of microfabricated patterned surfaces composed of SiO(2) areas (100 μm diameter) surrounded by Au. The SiO(2) spots were chemically modified by a sequence of reactions (silanization using an amine-terminated silane (APTES), followed by amine coupling of a biotin analogue and biospecific recognition) to achieve efficient immobilization of streptavidin in a functional form. The surrounding Au was rendered inert to protein adsorption by modification by HS(CH(2))(10)CONH(CH(2))(2)(OCH(2)CH(2))(7)OH (thiol-OEG). The surface modification protocol was developed by testing separately homogeneous SiO(2) and Au surfaces, to obtain the two following results: (i) SiO(2) surfaces which allowed the grafting of streptavidin, and subsequent immobilization of biotinylated antibodies, and (ii) Au surfaces showing almost no affinity for the same streptavidin and antibody solutions. The surface interactions were monitored by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), and chemical analyses were performed by polarization modulation-reflexion absorption infrared spectroscopy (PM-RAIRS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to assess the validity of the initial orthogonal assembly of APTES and thiol-OEG. Eventually, microscopy imaging of the modified Au/SiO(2) patterned substrates validated the specific binding of streptavidin on the SiO(2)/APTES areas, as well as the subsequent binding of biotinylated anti-rIgG and further detection of fluorescent rIgG on the functionalized SiO(2) areas. These results demonstrate a successful protocol for the preparation of patterned biofunctional surfaces, based on microfabricated Au/SiO(2) templates and supported by careful surface analysis. The strong immobilization of the biomolecules resulting from the described

Glacial erosion of high-elevation low-relief summits on passive continental margins constrained by cosmogenic nuclides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Jane Lund; Egholm, David Lundbek; Knudsen, Mads Faurschou

We present a new, extensive in-situ cosmogenic 10Be and 26Al dataset from high-elevation low-relief summits along Sognefjorden in Norway. Contrary to previous studies of high-elevation low-relief summits in cold regions, we find only limited cosmogenic nuclide inheritance in bedrock surfaces......, indicating that warm-based ice eroded the summits during the last glacial period. From the isotope concentrations we model denudation histories using a recently developed Monte Carlo Markov Chain inversion model (Knudsen et al, 2015). The model relies on the benthic d18O curve (Lisiecki and Raymo, 2005...

47 CFR 52.19 - Area code relief.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... meetings to which the telecommunications industry and the public are invited on area code relief for a... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Area code relief. 52.19 Section 52.19 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) NUMBERING...

Turbulent solutal convection and surface patterning in solid dissolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sullivan, T.S.; Liu, Y.; Ecke, R.E.

1996-01-01

We describe experiments in which crystals of NaCl, KBr, and KCl are dissolved from below by aqueous solutions containing concentrations of the respective salts from zero concentration to near saturation. The solution near the solid-liquid interface is gravitationally unstable, producing turbulent hydrodynamic motion similar to thermal convection from a single surface cooled from above. The coupling of the fluid flow with the solid dissolution produces irregular patterns at the solid-liquid interface with a distribution of horizontal length scales. The dissolution mass flux and the pattern length scales are compared with a turbulent boundary layer model. Remarkable agreement is found, showing that the fluid motion controls both the dissolution rate and the interface patterning. copyright 1996 The American Physical Society

Patterning of gold substrates by surface-initiated polymerization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dyer, D.J. [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901-4409 (United States)

2003-09-01

The design and synthesis of durable and functional organic coatings is an important topic in contemporary polymer science. The well-defined patterning of inorganic substrates is highlighted with an emphasis on planar gold. New advances in contact printing and surface initiated polymerization promise unprecedented control of the polymer architecture in the micrometer and nanometer range. (Abstract Copyright [2003], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Enhancement of Water Evaporation on Solid Surfaces with Nanoscale Hydrophobic-Hydrophilic Patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Rongzheng; Wang, Chunlei; Lei, Xiaoling; Zhou, Guoquan; Fang, Haiping

2015-11-06

Using molecular dynamics simulations, we show that the evaporation of nanoscale water on hydrophobic-hydrophilic patterned surfaces is unexpectedly faster than that on any surfaces with uniform wettability. The key to this phenomenon is that, on the patterned surface, the evaporation rate from the hydrophilic region only slightly decreases due to the correspondingly increased water thickness; meanwhile, a considerable number of water molecules evaporate from the hydrophobic region despite the lack of water film. Most of the evaporated water from the hydrophobic region originates from the hydrophilic region by diffusing across the contact lines. Further analysis shows that the evaporation rate from the hydrophobic region is approximately proportional to the total length of the contact lines.

Modeling of metal nanocluster growth on patterned substrates and surface pattern formation under ion bombardment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Numazawa, Satoshi

2012-11-01

This work addresses the metal nanocluster growth process on prepatterned substrates, the development of atomistic simulation method with respect to an acceleration of the atomistic transition states, and the continuum model of the ion-beam inducing semiconductor surface pattern formation mechanism. Experimentally, highly ordered Ag nanocluster structures have been grown on pre-patterned amorphous SiO{sub 2} surfaces by oblique angle physical vapor deposition at room temperature. Despite the small undulation of the rippled surface, the stripe-like Ag nanoclusters are very pronounced, reproducible and well-separated. The first topic is the investigation of this growth process with a continuum theoretical approach to the surface gas condensation as well as an atomistic cluster growth model. The atomistic simulation model is a lattice-based kinetic Monte-Carlo (KMC) method using a combination of a simplified inter-atomic potential and experimental transition barriers taken from the literature. An effective transition event classification method is introduced which allows a boost factor of several thousand compared to a traditional KMC approach, thus allowing experimental time scales to be modeled. The simulation predicts a low sticking probability for the arriving atoms, millisecond order lifetimes for single Ag monomers and {approx}1 nm square surface migration ranges of Ag monomers. The simulations give excellent reproduction of the experimentally observed nanocluster growth patterns. The second topic specifies the acceleration scheme utilized in the metallic cluster growth model. Concerning the atomistic movements, a classical harmonic transition state theory is considered and applied in discrete lattice cells with hierarchical transition levels. The model results in an effective reduction of KMC simulation steps by utilizing a classification scheme of transition levels for thermally activated atomistic diffusion processes. Thermally activated atomistic movements

Modeling of metal nanocluster growth on patterned substrates and surface pattern formation under ion bombardment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Numazawa, Satoshi

2012-11-01

This work addresses the metal nanocluster growth process on prepatterned substrates, the development of atomistic simulation method with respect to an acceleration of the atomistic transition states, and the continuum model of the ion-beam inducing semiconductor surface pattern formation mechanism. Experimentally, highly ordered Ag nanocluster structures have been grown on pre-patterned amorphous SiO{sub 2} surfaces by oblique angle physical vapor deposition at room temperature. Despite the small undulation of the rippled surface, the stripe-like Ag nanoclusters are very pronounced, reproducible and well-separated. The first topic is the investigation of this growth process with a continuum theoretical approach to the surface gas condensation as well as an atomistic cluster growth model. The atomistic simulation model is a lattice-based kinetic Monte-Carlo (KMC) method using a combination of a simplified inter-atomic potential and experimental transition barriers taken from the literature. An effective transition event classification method is introduced which allows a boost factor of several thousand compared to a traditional KMC approach, thus allowing experimental time scales to be modeled. The simulation predicts a low sticking probability for the arriving atoms, millisecond order lifetimes for single Ag monomers and {approx}1 nm square surface migration ranges of Ag monomers. The simulations give excellent reproduction of the experimentally observed nanocluster growth patterns. The second topic specifies the acceleration scheme utilized in the metallic cluster growth model. Concerning the atomistic movements, a classical harmonic transition state theory is considered and applied in discrete lattice cells with hierarchical transition levels. The model results in an effective reduction of KMC simulation steps by utilizing a classification scheme of transition levels for thermally activated atomistic diffusion processes. Thermally activated atomistic movements

Partial discharge patterns related to surface deterioration in voids in epoxy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holbøll, Joachim; Henriksen, Mogens

1990-01-01

Results are presented from an investigation of the relationship between changes in partial discharge patterns and the surface deterioration process taking place in small naturally formed spherical voids in epoxy plastic. The voids were exposed to a moderate electric stress above inception level......, where partial discharges were present for more than 1500 h. Two types of electrical tree growth were found, the bush like tree and a single channel-like tree, which led to very different partial discharge patterns. It is concluded that the formation of crystals on a void surface leads to an immediate...... and easy-to-detect increase in the partial discharge activity with subsequent severe surface deterioration (deep pit formations) in the vicinity of the crystal. However, the partial discharge signal from a specimen with a black channel-like tree structure did not give any indication of channel growth...

Paper relief architecture

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Latka, J.F.

2014-01-01

The article presents two contemporary projects of paper structures relief architecture designed and built by Shigeru Ban Architects and Voluntary Architect Network. Author of the article took part in design and construction process of one of the projects. The project of Yaan Nursery School, which

Analysis of Wetting and Contact Angle Hysteresis on Chemically Patterned Surfaces

KAUST Repository

Xu, Xianmin; Wang, Xiaoping

2011-01-01

Wetting and contact angle hysteresis on chemically patterned surfaces in two dimensionsare analyzed from a stationary phase-field model for immiscible two phase fluids. We first study the sharp-interface limit of the model by the method of matched asymptotic expansions. We then justify the results rigorously by the γ-convergence theory for the related variational problem and study the properties of the limiting minimizers. The results also provide a clear geometric picture of the equilibrium configuration of the interface. This enables us to explicitly calculate the total surface energy for the two phase systems on chemically patterned surfaces with simple geometries, namely the two phase flow in a channel and the drop spreading. By considering the quasi-staticmotion of the interface described by the change of volume (or volume fraction), we can follow the change-of-energy landscape which also reveals the mechanism for the stick-slip motion of the interface and contact angle hysteresis on the chemically patterned surfaces. As the interface passes throughpatterned surfaces, we observe not only stick-slip of the interface and switching of the contact angles but also the hysteresis of contact point and contact angle. Furthermore, as the size of the patternde creases to zero, the stick-slip becomes weaker but the hysteresis becomes stronger in the sense that one observes either the advancing contact angle or the receding contact angle (when the interface ismoving in the opposite direction) without the switching in between. © 2011 Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

Iraq's Debt Relief: Procedure and Potential Implications for International Debt Relief

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Weiss, Martin A

2009-01-01

.... Reducing this debt to a sustainable level has been a priority of the U.S. government. Since 2003, debt relief negotiations have taken place in a variety of fora and led to the cancellation of a significant amount of Iraq's external debt...

Photo-responsive surface topology in chiral nematic media

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Danqing; Bastiaansen, Cees W. M.; Toonder, Jaap. M. J.; Broer, Dirk J.

2012-03-01

We report on the design and fabrication of 'smart surfaces' that exhibit dynamic changes in their surface topology in response to exposure to light. The principle is based on anisotropic geometric changes of a liquid crystal network upon a change of the molecular order parameter. The photomechanical property of the coating is induced by incorporating an azobenzene moiety into the liquid crystal network. The responsive surface topology consists of regions with two different types of molecular order: planar chiral-nematic areas and homeotropic. Under flood exposure with 365 nm light the surfaces deform from flat to one with a surface relief. The height of the relief structures is of the order of 1 um corresponding to strain difference of around 20%. Furthermore, we demonstrate surface reliefs can form either convex or concave structures upon exposure to UV light corresponding to the decrease or increase molecular order parameter, respectively, related to the isomeric state of the azobenzene crosslinker. The reversible deformation to the initial flat state occurs rapidly after removing the light source.

Laser-based surface patterning of composite plates for improved secondary adhesive bonding

KAUST Repository

Tao, Ran

2018-03-01

The effects of laser irradiation surface pretreatments on the mode I fracture toughness of adhesively bonded composite joints were evaluated. First, pulsed CO2 laser irradiation was uniformly deployed on carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) substrates. Next, double cantilever beam (DCB) tests were performed to assess the effects of surface pretreatments on the mode I fracture toughness of the adhesive joints. Then, a thoughtful combination of the proposed surface pretreatments was deployed to fabricate DCB specimens with patterned interfaces. A wide range of techniques, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), contact profilometry, and optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to ascertain the effects of all investigated surface pretreatments. It is shown that patterning promoted damage mechanisms that were not observed in the uniformly treated interfaces, resulting in an effective fracture toughness well above that predicted by a classical rule of mixture.

Laser-based surface patterning of composite plates for improved secondary adhesive bonding

KAUST Repository

Tao, Ran; Alfano, Marco; Lubineau, Gilles

2018-01-01

The effects of laser irradiation surface pretreatments on the mode I fracture toughness of adhesively bonded composite joints were evaluated. First, pulsed CO2 laser irradiation was uniformly deployed on carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) substrates. Next, double cantilever beam (DCB) tests were performed to assess the effects of surface pretreatments on the mode I fracture toughness of the adhesive joints. Then, a thoughtful combination of the proposed surface pretreatments was deployed to fabricate DCB specimens with patterned interfaces. A wide range of techniques, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), contact profilometry, and optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to ascertain the effects of all investigated surface pretreatments. It is shown that patterning promoted damage mechanisms that were not observed in the uniformly treated interfaces, resulting in an effective fracture toughness well above that predicted by a classical rule of mixture.

Increasing the Useful Life of Quench Reliefs with Inconel Bellows

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soyars, W. M. [Fermilab

1999-01-01

Reliable quench relief valves are an important part of superconducting magnet systems. Fermilab developed bellows-actuated cryogenic quench reliefs which have been in use since the early l 980's. The original design uses a stainless steel bellows. A high frequency, low amplitude vibration during relieving events has resulted in fatigue failures in the original design. To take advantage of the improved resistance to fatigue of Inconel, a nickel-chromium alloy, reliefs using Inconel 625 bellows were made. Design, development, and testing of the new version reliefs will be discussed. Tests show that relief valve lifetimes using Inconel bellows are more than five times greater than when using the original stainless steel bellows. Inconel bellows show great promise in increasing the lifetime of quench relief valves, and thus the reliability of accelerator cryogenic systems.

Plate Like Convection with Viscous Strain Weakening and Corresponding Surface Deformation Pattern

Science.gov (United States)

Fuchs, L.; Becker, T. W.

2017-12-01

How plate tectonic surface motions are generated by mantle convection on Earth and possibly other terrestrial type planets has recently become more readily accessible with fully dynamic convection computations. However, it remains debated how plate-like the behavior in such models truly is, and in particular how the well plate boundary dynamics are captured in models which typically exclude the effects of deformation history and memory. Here, we analyze some of the effects of viscous strain weakening on plate behavior and the interactions between interior convection dynamics and surface deformation patterns. We use the finite element code CitcomCU to model convection in a 3D Cartesian model setup. The models are internally heated, with an Arrhenius-type temperature dependent viscosity including plastic yielding and viscous strain weakening (VSW) and healing (VSWH). VSW can mimic first order features of more complex damage mechanisms such as grain-size dependent rheology. Besides plate diagnostic parameters (Plateness, Mobility, and Toroidal: Poloidal ratio) to analyze the tectonic behavior our models, we also explore how "plate boundaries" link to convective patterns. In a first model series, we analyze general surface deformation patterns without VSW. In the early stages, deformation patterns are clearly co-located with up- and downwelling limbs of convection. Along downwellings strain-rates are high and localized, whereas upwellings tend to lead to broad zones of high deformation. At a more advanced stage, however, the plates' interior is highly deformed due to continuous strain accumulation and resurfaced inherited strain. Including only VSW leads to more localized deformation along downwellings. However, at a more advanced stage plate-like convection fails due an overall weakening of the material. This is prevented including strain healing. Deformation pattern at the surface more closely coincide with the internal convection patterns. The average surface

Optimal Laser Phototherapy Parameters for Pain Relief.

Science.gov (United States)

Kate, Rohit J; Rubatt, Sarah; Enwemeka, Chukuka S; Huddleston, Wendy E

2018-03-27

Studies on laser phototherapy for pain relief have used parameters that vary widely and have reported varying outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal parameter ranges of laser phototherapy for pain relief by analyzing data aggregated from existing primary literature. Original studies were gathered from available sources and were screened to meet the pre-established inclusion criteria. The included articles were then subjected to meta-analysis using Cohen's d statistic for determining treatment effect size. From these studies, ranges of the reported parameters that always resulted into large effect sizes were determined. These optimal ranges were evaluated for their accuracy using leave-one-article-out cross-validation procedure. A total of 96 articles met the inclusion criteria for meta-analysis and yielded 232 effect sizes. The average effect size was highly significant: d = +1.36 (confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.04-1.68). Among all the parameters, total energy was found to have the greatest effect on pain relief and had the most prominent optimal ranges of 120-162 and 15.36-20.16 J, which always resulted in large effect sizes. The cross-validation accuracy of the optimal ranges for total energy was 68.57% (95% CI = 53.19-83.97). Fewer and less-prominent optimal ranges were obtained for the energy density and duration parameters. None of the remaining parameters was found to be independently related to pain relief outcomes. The findings of meta-analysis indicate that laser phototherapy is highly effective for pain relief. Based on the analysis of parameters, total energy can be optimized to yield the largest effect on pain relief.

Design of a High Viscosity Couette Flow Facility for Patterned Surface Drag Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Tyler; Lang, Amy

2009-11-01

Direct drag measurements can be difficult to obtain with low viscosity fluids such as air or water. In this facility, mineral oil is used as the working fluid to increase the shear stress across the surface of experimental models. A mounted conveyor creates a flow within a plexiglass tank. The experimental model of a flat or patterned surface is suspended above a moving belt. Within the gap between the model and moving belt a Couette flow with a linear velocity profile is created. PIV measurements are used to determine the exact velocities and the Reynolds numbers for each experiment. The model is suspended by bars that connect to the pillow block housing of each bearing. Drag is measured by a force gauge connected to linear roller bearings that slide along steel rods. The patterned surfaces, initially consisting of 2-D cavities, are embedded in a plexiglass plate so as to keep the total surface area constant for each experiment. First, the drag across a flat plate is measured and compared to theoretical values for laminar Couette flow. The drag for patterned surfaces is then measured and compared to a flat plate.

Medications for Pain Relief during Labor and Delivery

Science.gov (United States)

... FAQ086 LABOR, DELIVERY, AND POSTPARTUM CARE Medications for Pain Relief During Labor and Delivery • What types of medications for pain relief are used during labor and delivery? • What are ...

Selecting boundary conditions in physiological strain analysis of the femur: Balanced loads, inertia relief method and follower load.

Science.gov (United States)

Heyland, Mark; Trepczynski, Adam; Duda, Georg N; Zehn, Manfred; Schaser, Klaus-Dieter; Märdian, Sven

2015-12-01

Selection of boundary constraints may influence amount and distribution of loads. The purpose of this study is to analyze the potential of inertia relief and follower load to maintain the effects of musculoskeletal loads even under large deflections in patient specific finite element models of intact or fractured bone compared to empiric boundary constraints which have been shown to lead to physiological displacements and surface strains. The goal is to elucidate the use of boundary conditions in strain analyses of bones. Finite element models of the intact femur and a model of clinically relevant fracture stabilization by locking plate fixation were analyzed with normal walking loading conditions for different boundary conditions, specifically re-balanced loading, inertia relief and follower load. Peak principal cortex surface strains for different boundary conditions are consistent (maximum deviation 13.7%) except for inertia relief without force balancing (maximum deviation 108.4%). Influence of follower load on displacements increases with higher deflection in fracture model (from 3% to 7% for force balanced model). For load balanced models, follower load had only minor influence, though the effect increases strongly with higher deflection. Conventional constraints of fixed nodes in space should be carefully reconsidered because their type and position are challenging to justify and for their potential to introduce relevant non-physiological reaction forces. Inertia relief provides an alternative method which yields physiological strain results. Copyright © 2015 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Conformal ZnO nanocomposite coatings on micro-patterned surfaces for superhydrophobicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steele, Adam; Bayer, Ilker; Moran, Stephen; Cannon, Andrew; King, William P.; Loth, Eric

2010-01-01

A conformal coating process is presented to transform surfaces with inherent micro-morphology into superhydrophobic surfaces with hierarchical surface structure using wet chemical spray casting. Nanocomposite coatings composed of zinc oxide nanoparticles and organosilane quaternary nitrogen compound are dispersed in solution for application. The coating is applied to a micro-patterned polydimethylsiloxane substrate with a regular array of cylindrical microposts as well as a surface with random micro-structure for the purpose of demonstrating improved non-wettability and a superhydrophobic state for water droplets. Coating surface morphology is investigated with an environmental scanning electron microscope and surface wettability performance is characterized by static and dynamic contact angle measurements.

Measuring floodplain spatial patterns using continuous surface metrics at multiple scales

Science.gov (United States)

Scown, Murray W.; Thoms, Martin C.; DeJager, Nathan R.

2015-01-01

Interactions between fluvial processes and floodplain ecosystems occur upon a floodplain surface that is often physically complex. Spatial patterns in floodplain topography have only recently been quantified over multiple scales, and discrepancies exist in how floodplain surfaces are perceived to be spatially organised. We measured spatial patterns in floodplain topography for pool 9 of the Upper Mississippi River, USA, using moving window analyses of eight surface metrics applied to a 1 × 1 m2 DEM over multiple scales. The metrics used were Range, SD, Skewness, Kurtosis, CV, SDCURV,Rugosity, and Vol:Area, and window sizes ranged from 10 to 1000 m in radius. Surface metric values were highly variable across the floodplain and revealed a high degree of spatial organisation in floodplain topography. Moran's I correlograms fit to the landscape of each metric at each window size revealed that patchiness existed at nearly all window sizes, but the strength and scale of patchiness changed within window size, suggesting that multiple scales of patchiness and patch structure exist in the topography of this floodplain. Scale thresholds in the spatial patterns were observed, particularly between the 50 and 100 m window sizes for all surface metrics and between the 500 and 750 m window sizes for most metrics. These threshold scales are ~ 15–20% and 150% of the main channel width (1–2% and 10–15% of the floodplain width), respectively. These thresholds may be related to structuring processes operating across distinct scale ranges. By coupling surface metrics, multi-scale analyses, and correlograms, quantifying floodplain topographic complexity is possible in ways that should assist in clarifying how floodplain ecosystems are structured.

Advances in single-molecule magnet surface patterning through microcontact printing.

Science.gov (United States)

Mannini, Matteo; Bonacchi, Daniele; Zobbi, Laura; Piras, Federica M; Speets, Emiel A; Caneschi, Andrea; Cornia, Andrea; Magnani, Agnese; Ravoo, Bart Jan; Reinhoudt, David N; Sessoli, Roberta; Gatteschi, Dante

2005-07-01

We present an implementation of strategies to deposit single-molecule magnets (SMMs) using microcontact printing microCP). We describe different approaches of microCP to print stripes of a sulfur-functionalized dodecamanganese (III, IV) cluster on gold surfaces. Comparison by atomic force microscopy profile analysis of the patterned structures confirms the formation of a chemically stable single layer of SMMs. Images based on chemical contrast, obtained by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, confirm the patterned structure.

Pain relief at the end of life: nurses' experiences regarding end-of-life pain relief in patients with dementia.

Science.gov (United States)

Brorson, Hanna; Plymoth, Henrietta; Örmon, Karin; Bolmsjö, Ingrid

2014-03-01

Patients with dementia receive suboptimal palliative care, and this patient group is at risk to have pain at the end of life. Because communicative impairments are common in this patient group, nurses play an important caregiver role in identifying, assessing, and relieving patients' pain. This study aimed to describe nurses' experiences regarding end-of-life pain relief in patients with dementia. This descriptive exploratory qualitative study was based on seven semistructured interviews. Burnard's content analysis inspired the data analysis. Two main categories were identified: (1) nurses' experience of difficulties concerning pain relief and (2) nurses' experience of resources concerning pain relief. Nurses experienced difficulties, such as feeling of powerlessness because of difficulties in obtaining adequate prescriptions for analgesics, ethical dilemmas, feeling of inadequacy because analgesia did not have the desired effect, and a feeling of not being able to connect with the patient. Factors, including knowledge about the patient, professional experience, utilization of pain assessment tools, interpersonal relationships, and interprofessional cooperation, served as resources and enabled end-of-life pain relief. The results of this study highlight the complexity of pain relief in patients with dementia at the end of life from a nursing perspective. The inability of patients with dementia to verbally communicate their pain makes them a vulnerable patient group, dependent on their caregivers. Knowing the life story of the patient, professional experience, teamwork based on good communication, and use of a pain assessment tool were reported by the nurses to improve pain relief at the end of life for patients with dementia. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

30 CFR 204.201 - Who may obtain accounting and auditing relief?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Who may obtain accounting and auditing relief... MINERALS REVENUE MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES FOR MARGINAL PROPERTIES Accounting and Auditing Relief § 204.201 Who may obtain accounting and auditing relief? (a) You may obtain accounting and auditing relief under...

On the influence of surface patterning on tissue self-assembly and mechanics.

Science.gov (United States)

Coppola, Valerio; Ventre, Maurizio; Natale, Carlo F; Rescigno, Francesca; Netti, Paolo A

2018-04-28

Extracellular matrix assembly and composition influence the biological and mechanical functions of tissues. Developing strategies to control the spatial arrangement of cells and matrix is of central importance for tissue engineering-related approaches relying on self-assembling and scaffoldless processes. Literature reports demonstrated that signals patterned on material surfaces are able to control cell positioning and matrix orientation. However, the mechanisms underlying the interactions between material signals and the structure of the de novo synthesized matrix are far from being thoroughly understood. In this work, we investigated the ordering effect provided by nanoscale topographic patterns on the assembly of tissue sheets grown in vitro. We stimulated MC3T3-E1 preosteoblasts to produce and assemble a collagen-rich matrix on substrates displaying patterns with long- or short-range order. Then, we investigated microstructural features and mechanical properties of the tissue in uniaxial tension. Our results demonstrate that patterned material surfaces are able to control the initial organization of cells in close contact to the surface; then cell-generated contractile forces profoundly remodel tissue structure towards mechanically stable spatial patterns. Such a remodelling effect acts both locally, as it affects cell and nuclear shape and globally, by affecting the gross mechanical response of the tissue. Such an aspect of dynamic interplay between cells and the surrounding matrix must be taken into account when designing material platform for the in vitro generation of tissue with specific microstructural assemblies. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Cell patterning on a glass surface by a mask-assisted ion implantation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, Chan-Hee; Kim, Dong-Ki; Hwang, In-Tae; Lim, Youn-Mook; Kim, Hae-Kyoung; Nho, Young-Chang [Radiation Research Division for Industry and Environment, Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, 1266 Sinjeong-dong, Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do 580-185 (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Jae-Hak [Radiation Research Division for Industry and Environment, Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, 1266 Sinjeong-dong, Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do 580-185 (Korea, Republic of)], E-mail: jaehakchoi@kaeri.re.kr

2009-04-15

A simple patterning method of cells on a glass has been developed by using ion implantation. The glass was implanted through a pattern mask with 150 keV Ar ions in the absence or presence of oxygen. Surface properties of the ion-implanted glass were investigated by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, contact angle measurement and cell culture test. The results showed that more hydrophilic groups were formed on the glass surface implanted in the presence of oxygen. Thus, the glass surface implanted in the presence of oxygen showed lower contact angle compared with the glass surface implanted in the absence of oxygen. The cells were strongly adhered to and proliferated on the ion-implanted regions of the glass. The cell population was found to be the highest on the glass implanted at a fluence of 1 x 10{sup 16} ions/cm{sup 2} in the presence of oxygen.

Martian Dune Ripples as Indicators of Recent Surface Wind Patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, M.; Zimbelman, J. R.

2015-12-01

Sand dunes have been shown to preserve the most recent wind patterns in their ripple formations. This investigation continues the manual documentation of ripples on Martian dunes in order to assess surface wind flow. Study sites investigated must have clear HiRISE frames and be able to represent diverse locations across the surface, decided primarily by their spread of latitude and longitude values. Additionally, frames with stereo pairs are preferred because of their ability to create digital terrain models. This will assist in efforts to relate dune slopes and obstacles to ripple patterns. The search and analysis period resulted in 40 study sites with mapped ripples. Lines were drawn perpendicular to ripple crests across three adjacent ripples in order to document both ripple wavelength from line length and inferred wind direction from azimuth. It is not possible to infer a unique wind direction from ripple orientation alone and therefore these inferred directions have a 180 degree ambiguity. Initial results from all study sites support previous observations that the Martian surface has many dune types in areas with adequate sand supply. The complexity of ripple patterns varies greatly across sites as well as within individual sites. Some areas of uniform directionality for hundreds of kilometers suggest a unimodal wind regime while overlapping patterns suggest multiple dominant winds or seasonally varying winds. In most areas, form flow related to dune shape seems to have a large effect on orientation and must be considered along with the dune type. As long as the few steep slip faces on these small dunes are avoided, form flow can be considered the dominant cause of deviation from the regional wind direction. Regional results, wind roses, and comparisons to previous work will be presented for individual sites.

Specificity of Correlation Pattern Recognition Methods Application in Security Holograms Identity Control Apparatus

Science.gov (United States)

Zlokazov, E. Yu.; Starikov, R. S.; Odinokov, S. B.; Tsyganov, I. K.; Talalaev, V. E.; Koluchkin, V. V.

Automatic inspection of security hologram (SH) identity is highly demanded issue due high distribution of SH worldwide to protect documents such as passports, driving licenses, banknotes etc. While most of the known approaches use inspection of SH design features none of these approaches inspect the features of its surface relief that is a direct contribution to original master matrix used for these holograms production. In our previous works we represented the device that was developed to provide SH identification by processing of coherent responses of its surface elements. Most of the algorithms used in this device are based on application of correlation pattern recognition methods. The main issue of the present article is a description of these methods application specificities.

Synthesis of freeform refractive surfaces forming various radiation patterns using interpolation

Science.gov (United States)

Voznesenskaya, Anna; Mazur, Iana; Krizskiy, Pavel

2017-09-01

Optical freeform surfaces are very popular today in such fields as lighting systems, sensors, photovoltaic concentrators, and others. The application of such surfaces allows to obtain systems with a new quality with a reduced number of optical components to ensure high consumer characteristics: small size, weight, high optical transmittance. This article presents the methods of synthesis of refractive surface for a given source and the radiation pattern of various shapes using a computer simulation cubic spline interpolation.

46 CFR 154.801 - Pressure relief systems.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Pressure relief systems. 154.801 Section 154.801 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) CERTAIN BULK DANGEROUS CARGOES SAFETY... Vent Systems § 154.801 Pressure relief systems. (a) Each cargo tank that has a volume of 20m3 (706 ft.3...

Geometric study of transparent superhydrophobic surfaces of molded and grid patterned polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)

Science.gov (United States)

Davaasuren, Gaasuren; Ngo, Chi-Vinh; Oh, Hyun-Seok; Chun, Doo-Man

2014-09-01

Herein we describe an economical method to fabricate a transparent superhydrophobic surface that uses grid patterning, and we report on the effects of grid geometry in determining the wettability and transparency of the fabricated surfaces. A polymer casting method was utilized because of its applicability to economical manufacturing and mass production; the material polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was selected because of its moldability and transparency. PDMS was replicated from a laser textured mold fabricated by a UV nanosecond pulsed laser. Sapphire wafer was used for the mold because it has very low surface roughness (Ra ≤0.3 nm) and adequate mechanical properties. To study geometric effects, grid patterns of a series of step sizes were fabricated. The maximum water droplet contact angle (WDCA) observed was 171°. WDCAs depended on the wetting area and the wetting state. The experimental results of WDCA were analyzed with Wenzel and Cassie-Baxter equations. The designed grid pattern was suitably transparent and structurally stable. Transmittance of the optimal transparent superhydrophobic surface was measured by using a spectrophotometer. Transmittance loss due to the presence of the grid was around 2-4% over the wavelength region measured (300-1000 nm); the minimum transmittance observed was 83.1% at 300 nm. This study also demonstrates the possibility of using a nanosecond pulsed laser for the surface texturing of a superhydrophobic surface.

Photocatalytic Surface Patterning of Cellulose using Diazonium Salts and Visible Light

OpenAIRE

Schroll, Peter; Fehl, Charlie; Dankesreiter, Stephan; König, Burkhard

2013-01-01

Coumarin-functionalized cellulose sheets were chemically modified using a visible light catalyzed “Photo-Meerwein” arylation. Use of a photomask to pattern the surface resulted in directly visible images.

The control of tonic pain by active relief learning

Science.gov (United States)

Mano, Hiroaki; Lee, Michael; Yoshida, Wako; Kawato, Mitsuo; Robbins, Trevor W

2018-01-01

Tonic pain after injury characterises a behavioural state that prioritises recovery. Although generally suppressing cognition and attention, tonic pain needs to allow effective relief learning to reduce the cause of the pain. Here, we describe a central learning circuit that supports learning of relief and concurrently suppresses the level of ongoing pain. We used computational modelling of behavioural, physiological and neuroimaging data in two experiments in which subjects learned to terminate tonic pain in static and dynamic escape-learning paradigms. In both studies, we show that active relief-seeking involves a reinforcement learning process manifest by error signals observed in the dorsal putamen. Critically, this system uses an uncertainty (‘associability’) signal detected in pregenual anterior cingulate cortex that both controls the relief learning rate, and endogenously and parametrically modulates the level of tonic pain. The results define a self-organising learning circuit that reduces ongoing pain when learning about potential relief. PMID:29482716

The control of tonic pain by active relief learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Suyi; Mano, Hiroaki; Lee, Michael; Yoshida, Wako; Kawato, Mitsuo; Robbins, Trevor W; Seymour, Ben

2018-02-27

Tonic pain after injury characterises a behavioural state that prioritises recovery. Although generally suppressing cognition and attention, tonic pain needs to allow effective relief learning to reduce the cause of the pain. Here, we describe a central learning circuit that supports learning of relief and concurrently suppresses the level of ongoing pain. We used computational modelling of behavioural, physiological and neuroimaging data in two experiments in which subjects learned to terminate tonic pain in static and dynamic escape-learning paradigms. In both studies, we show that active relief-seeking involves a reinforcement learning process manifest by error signals observed in the dorsal putamen. Critically, this system uses an uncertainty ('associability') signal detected in pregenual anterior cingulate cortex that both controls the relief learning rate, and endogenously and parametrically modulates the level of tonic pain. The results define a self-organising learning circuit that reduces ongoing pain when learning about potential relief. © 2018, Zhang et al.

The golden-mean surface pattern to enhance flow mixing in micro-channel.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, J F; Liu, Y; Xu, Y S

2009-04-01

Mixing of analytes and reagents in microfluidic devices is often crucial to the effective functioning of lab-on-a-chip. It is possible to affect the mixing in microfluidics by intelligently controlling the thermodynamic and chemical properties of the substrate surface. Numerous studies have shown that the phase behavior of mixtures is significantly affected by surface properties of microfluidics. For example, the phase separation between the fluids can be affected by heterogeneous patterns on the substrate. The patterned substrate can offer an effective means to control fluid behavior and in turn to enhance mixing. The golden mean is a ratio that is present in the growth patterns of many biological systems--the spiral formed by a shell or the curve of a fern, for example. The golden mean or golden section was derived by the ancient Greeks. Like "pi" the golden mean ratio is an irrational number 1.618, or (square root{5} + 1) / 2. It was found that the golden mean was an optimum ratio in natural convection heat transfer problem (Liu and Phan-Thien, Numer Heat Transf 37:613-630, 2000). In this study, we numerically studied the effect of optimum surface pattern on mixing in a micro channel and found that the flow oscillation and chaotic mixing were enhanced apparently when the ratio of hydrophobic and hydrophilic boundary follows the golden mean.

Mechanical behavior of multipass welded joint during stress relief annealing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ueda, Yukio; Fukuda, Keiji; Nakacho, Keiji; Takahashi, Eiji; Sakamoto, Koichi.

1978-01-01

An investigation into mechanical behavior of a multipass welded joint of a pressure vessel during stress relief annealing was conducted. The study was performed theoretically and experimentally on idealized research models. In the theoretical analysis, the thermal elastic-plastic creep theory developed by the authors was applied. The behavior of multipass welded joints during the entire thermal cycle, from welding to stress relief annealing, was consistently analyzed by this theory. The results of the analysis show a good, fundamentally coincidence with the experimental findings. The outline of the results and conclusions is as follows. (1) In the case of the material (2 1/4Cr-1Mo steel) furnished in this study, the creep strain rate during stress relief annealing below 575 0 C obeys the strain-hardening creep law using the transient creep and the one above 575 0 C obeys the power creep law using the stational creep. (2) In the transverse residual stress (σsub(x)) distribution after annealing, the location of the largest tensile stress on the top surface is about 15 mm away from the toe of weld, and the largest at the cross section is just below the finishing bead. These features are similar to those of welding residual stresses. But the stress distribution after annealing is smoother than one from welding. (3) The effectiveness of stress relief annealing depends greatly on the annealing temperature. For example, most of residual stresses are relieved at the heating stage with a heating rate of 30 0 C/hr. to 100 0 C/hr. if the annealing temperature is 650 0 C, but if the annealing temperature is 550 0 C, the annealing is not effective even with a longer holding time. (4) In the case of multipass welding residual stresses studied in this paper, the behaviors of high stresses during annealing are approximated by ones during anisothermal relaxation. (auth.)

On the limits of uniaxial magnetic anisotropy tuning by a ripple surface pattern

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arranz, Miguel A. [Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Avda. Camilo J. Cela 10, 13071 Ciudad Real (Spain); Colino, Jose M., E-mail: josemiguel.colino@uclm.es [Instituto de Nanociencia, Nanotecnología y Materiales Moleculares, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus de la Fábrica de Armas, 45071 Toledo (Spain); Palomares, Francisco J. [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, c/ Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, 28049 Madrid (Spain)

2014-05-14

Ion beam patterning of a nanoscale ripple surface has emerged as a versatile method of imprinting uniaxial magnetic anisotropy (UMA) on a desired in-plane direction in magnetic films. In the case of ripple patterned thick films, dipolar interactions around the top and/or bottom interfaces are generally assumed to drive this effect following Schlömann's calculations for demagnetizing fields of an ideally sinusoidal surface [E. Schlömann, J. Appl. Phys. 41, 1617 (1970)]. We have explored the validity of his predictions and the limits of ion beam sputtering to induce UMA in a ferromagnetic system where other relevant sources of magnetic anisotropy are neglected: ripple films not displaying any evidence of volume uniaxial anisotropy and where magnetocrystalline contributions average out in a fine grain polycrystal structure. To this purpose, the surface of 100 nm cobalt films grown on flat substrates has been irradiated at fixed ion energy, fixed ion fluency but different ion densities to make the ripple pattern at the top surface with wavelength Λ and selected, large amplitudes (ω) up to 20 nm so that stray dipolar fields are enhanced, while the residual film thickness t = 35–50 nm is sufficiently large to preserve the continuous morphology in most cases. The film-substrate interface has been studied with X-ray photoemission spectroscopy depth profiles and is found that there is a graded silicon-rich cobalt silicide, presumably formed during the film growth. This graded interface is of uncertain small thickness but the range of compositions clearly makes it a magnetically dead layer. On the other hand, the ripple surface rules both the magnetic coercivity and the uniaxial anisotropy as these are found to correlate with the pattern dimensions. Remarkably, the saturation fields in the hard axis of uniaxial continuous films are measured up to values as high as 0.80 kG and obey a linear dependence on the parameter ω{sup 2}/Λ/t in quantitative

Large scale ZnTe nanostructures on polymer micro patterns via capillary force photolithography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Florence, S. Sasi, E-mail: sshanmugaraj@jazanu.edu.sa; Can, N.; Adam, H. [Department of Physics, Jazan University, Jizan-114 (Saudi Arabia); Sachan, P.; Gupta, R. K. [DST-Unit on Nanosciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (India); Arockiasamy, L. [King Abdullah Institute for Nanotechnology, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451 (Saudi Arabia); Umadevi, M. [Department of Physics, Mother Teresa Women’s University, Kodaikanal-624101 (India)

2016-06-10

A novel approach to prepare micro patterns ZnTe nanostructures on Si (100) substrate using thermal evaporation is proposed by capillary Force Lithography (CFL) technique on a self-assembled sacrificial Polystyrene mask. Polystyrene thin films on Si substrates are used to fabricate surface micro-relief patterns. ZnTe nanoparticles have been deposited by thermal evaporation method. The deposited ZnTe nanoparticles properties were assessed by Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). SEM studies indicated that the particles are uniform in size and shape, well dispersed and spherical in shape. This study reports the micro-arrays of ZnTe nanoparticles on a self-assembled sacrificial PS mask using a capillary flow photolithography process which showed excellent, morphological properties which can be used in photovoltaic devices for anti-reflection applications.

A post-processing study on aluminum surface by fiber laser: Removing face milling patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Kayahan, Ersin

2018-05-01

The face milling process of the metal surface is a well-known machining process of using rotary cutters to remove material from a workpiece. Flat metal surfaces can be produced by a face milling process. However, in practice, visible, traced marks following the motion of points on the cutter's face are usually apparent. In this study, it was shown that milled patterns can be removed by means of 20 W fiber laser on the aluminum surface (AA7075). Experimental results also showed that roughened and hydrophobic surface can be produced with optimized laser parameters. It is a new approach to remove the patterns from the metal surface and can be explained through roughening by re-melting instead of ablation. The new method is a strong candidate to replace sandblasting the metal surface. It is also cheap and environmentally friendly.

Refuge alternatives relief valve testing and design with updated test stand.

Science.gov (United States)

Lutz, T J; Bissert, P T; Homce, G T; Yonkey, J A

2018-03-01

Underground refuge alternatives require an air source to supply breathable air to the occupants. This requires pressure relief valves to prevent unsafe pressures from building up within the refuge alternative. The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) mandates that pressure relief valves prevent pressure from exceeding 1.25 kPa (0.18 psi), or as specified by the manufacturer, above mine atmospheric pressure when a fan or compressor is used for the air supply. The U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) tested a variety of pressure relief valves using an instrumented test fixture consisting of data acquisition equipment, a centrifugal blower, ductwork and various sensors to determine if the subject pressure relief valves meet the MSHA requirement. Relief pressures and flow characteristics, including opening pressure and flow rate, were measured for five different pressure relief valves under a variety of conditions. The subject pressure relief valves included two off-the-shelf modified check valves, two check valves used in MSHA-approved built-in-place refuge alternatives, and a commercially available valve that was designed for a steel refuge alternative and is currently being used in some built-in-place refuge alternatives. The test results showed relief pressures ranging from 0.20 to 1.53 kPa (0.03 to 0.22 psi) and flow rates up to 19.3 m 3 /min (683 scfm). As tested, some of the pressure relief valves did not meet the 1.25 kPa (0.18 psi) relief specification.

Axi-symmetric patterns of active polar filaments on spherical and composite surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Srivastava, Pragya; Rao, Madan

2014-03-01

Experiments performed on Fission Yeast cells of cylindrical and spherical shapes, rod-shaped bacteria and reconstituted cylindrical liposomes suggest the influence of cell geometry on patterning of cortical actin. A theoretical model based on active hydrodynamic description of cortical actin that includes curvature-orientation coupling predicts spontaneous formation of acto-myosin rings, cables and nodes on cylindrical and spherical geometries [P. Srivastava et al, PRL 110, 168104(2013)]. Stability and dynamics of these patterns is also affected by the cellular shape and has been observed in experiments performed on Fission Yeast cells of spherical shape. Motivated by this, we study the stability and dynamics of axi-symmetric patterns of active polar filaments on the surfaces of spherical, saddle shaped and conical geometry and classify the stable steady state patterns on these surfaces. Based on the analysis of the fluorescence images of Myosin-II during ring slippage we propose a simple mechanical model for ring-sliding based on force balance and make quantitative comparison with the experiments performed on Fission Yeast cells. NSF Grant DMR-1004789 and Syracuse Soft Matter Program.

Adaptive pixel-to-pixel projection intensity adjustment for measuring a shiny surface using orthogonal color fringe pattern projection

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chao; Gao, Nan; Wang, Xiangjun; Zhang, Zonghua

2018-05-01

Three-dimensional (3D) shape measurement based on fringe pattern projection techniques has been commonly used in various fields. One of the remaining challenges in fringe pattern projection is that camera sensor saturation may occur if there is a large range of reflectivity variation across the surface that causes measurement errors. To overcome this problem, a novel fringe pattern projection method is proposed to avoid image saturation and maintain high-intensity modulation for measuring shiny surfaces by adaptively adjusting the pixel-to-pixel projection intensity according to the surface reflectivity. First, three sets of orthogonal color fringe patterns and a sequence of uniform gray-level patterns with different gray levels are projected onto a measured surface by a projector. The patterns are deformed with respect to the object surface and captured by a camera from a different viewpoint. Subsequently, the optimal projection intensity at each pixel is determined by fusing different gray levels and transforming the camera pixel coordinate system into the projector pixel coordinate system. Finally, the adapted fringe patterns are created and used for 3D shape measurement. Experimental results on a flat checkerboard and shiny objects demonstrate that the proposed method can measure shiny surfaces with high accuracy.

The influence of surface integrin binding patterns on specific biomaterial-cell interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Beranek, Maggi Marie

As the future of biomaterials progresses toward bioactivity, the biomaterial surface must control non-specific protein adsorption and encourage selective protein and cell adsorption. Integrins alphavbeta3, alpha 1beta1, alpha5beta1 and alpha Mbeta2 are expressed on cells involved in endothelialization, inflammation, and intimal hyperplasia. These cellular events play a vital role in biomaterial biocompatibility, especially in the vascular environment. The overall hypothesis of these studies is that biomaterial surfaces exhibit selective integrin binding, which then specifies differential cell binding. To test this hypothesis, four specific aims were developed. The first aim was designed to determine whether metal and polymeric biomaterials exhibit selective integrin binding. The tested materials included 316L stainless steel, nitinol, gold, Elgiloy RTM, poly(D, L-lactide-co-glycolide), polycarbonate urethane and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene. Discrete integrin binding patterns were detected microscopically using integrin specific fluorescent antibodies. Stainless steel exhibited high level integrin alpha1beta 1 and low level integrin alphaMbeta2 binding pattern. This suggests that this metal surface should selectively encourage endothelial cell to inflammatory cell binding. In contrast, gold bound ten times the amount of integrin alphaMbeta2 compared to integrin alpha1beta1, which should encourage inflammatory cell adhesion. The 65/35 poly(D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) was the only polymeric biomaterial tested that had integrin binding levels comparable to metal biomaterials. Based on these observations, a combinational biomaterial with a surface pattern of 65/35 poly(D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) dots on a 316L stainless steel background was created. A pattern of high level integrin alpha1beta1 binding and low level integrin alpha Mbeta2 binding on this combinational surface indicates that this surface should selectively favor endothelial cell binding. In the second

Does pain relief by CT-guided indirect cervical nerve root injection with local anesthetics and steroids predict pain relief after decompression surgery for cervical nerve root compression?

Science.gov (United States)

Antoniadis, Alexander; Dietrich, Tobias J; Farshad, Mazda

2016-10-01

The relationship of pain relief from a recently presented CT-guided indirect cervical nerve root injection with local anesthetics and steroids to surgical decompression as a treatment for single-level cervical radiculopathy is not clear. This retrospective study aimed to compare the immediate and 6-week post-injection effects to the short- and long-term outcomes after surgical decompression, specifically in regard to pain relief. Patients (n = 39, age 47 ± 10 years) who had undergone CT-guided indirect injection with local anesthetics and steroids as an initial treatment for single cervical nerve root radiculopathy and who subsequently needed surgical decompression were included retrospectively. Pain levels (VAS scores) were monitored before, immediately after, and 6 weeks after injection (n = 34), as well as 6 weeks (n = 38) and a mean of 25 months (SD ± 12) after surgical decompression (n = 36). Correlation analysis was performed to find potential associations of pain relief after injection and after surgery to investigate the predictive value of post-injection pain relief. There was no correlation between immediate pain relief after injection (-32 ± 27 %) and 6 weeks later (-7 ± 19 %), (r = -0.023, p = 0.900). There was an association by tendency between immediate pain relief after injection and post-surgical pain relief at 6 weeks (-82 ± 27 %), (r = 0.28, p = 0.08). Pain relief at follow-up remained high at -70 ± 21 % and was correlated with the immediate pain amelioration effect of the injection (r = 0.37, p = 0.032). Five out of seven patients who reported no pain relief from injection had a pain relief from surgery in excess of 50 %. The amount of immediate radiculopathic pain relief after indirect cervical nerve root injection is associated with the amount of pain relief achieved at long-term follow-up after surgical decompression of single-level cervical radiculopathy

A novel and effective acupuncture modality as a complementary therapy to acute pain relief in inpatients with rib fractures.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Hsin-Yi; Chen, Chao-Wei; Li, Ming-Chieh; Hsu, Yu-Pao; Kang, Shih-Ching; Liu, Erh-Hao; Lee, Ko-Hung

2014-01-01

Pain control has been emphasized as a priority for both practitioners and inpatients with rib fractures, since analgesia could only offer limited relief from severe pain. A prospective and randomized controlled trial was conducted to analyze the efficacy and efficiency of acupuncture in acute pain relief for inpatients with rib fractures. A total of 58 inpatients were recruited and allocated to two groups, receiving identical doses of conventional oral analgesics as well as filiform needles as treatment and thumbtack intradermal (TI) needles placed upon the skin surface as a control, respectively, via novel acupuncture modality once daily for three consecutive days. The effect of pain relief was evaluated during activities that induce pain, and sustained maximal inspiration (SMI) lung volumes and sleep quality were assessed. The patients treated with filiform needles had more effective pain relief than those in the TI needle group during deep breathing, coughing, and turning over the body (p pain relief via acupuncture. The active evaluation could provide a more adaptive model for assessing pain intensity due to rib fractures. This novel acupuncture modality in which the needle insertion sites are corresponding to the pain spots can be a safe and viable therapy for relieving pain in inpatients with rib fractures.

“Can LUSI be stopped? - A case study and lessons learned from the relief wells”

Science.gov (United States)

Sutrisna, E.

2009-12-01

Since May 2006, in East Java, Indonesia, the LUSI mud volcano has been erupting huge volumes of mixture of predominately mud and water, with little sign of slowing down. It has disrupted social and economic life in this highly populated region. Most geologists believe LUSI is a naturally-occurring mud volcano (MV), like other MV in the Java island of particular interest are the MV along the Watukosek fault, such as, Kalang Anyar, Pulungan, Gunung Anyar, and Socah MV. All of these MV lie in the vicinity of the SSW/NNE trending Watukosek fault that passes through LUSI. The Porong collapse structure is an ancient MV closest to LUSI approx. 7 km away, which on seismic sections demonstrate its complex multi-branching plumbing system. Assuming that the mudflow passed through the wellbore due to an underground blowout, relief wells (RW) were planned to kill the mudflow and carried out in 3 stages, these were: 1. Re-entering the original Banjarpanji-1 (BJP-1) well to obtain accurate survey data so the relief wells could be steered into intersect this original well. 2. Drilling a monitoring well (M-1) to ascertain whether the soil had sufficient strength to support relief wells. 3. Drilling RW-1 and RW-2. Both RW-1 and RW-2 suffered of surface and subsurface problems never achieved their objectives and had to be aborted. Numbers of good lessons were learned from the relief well initiative, such as: 1. No gas or liquid flowed from the wellhead area when it was excavated one month after the eruption started. The wellhead remained intact and totally dead suggesting that the mud flowed to surface through a fault zone or a fracture network instead of up the wellbore. 2. The ‘fish’ in BJP-1 wellbore was found at its original location and not eroded away. This suggests that the mud flow did not pass through the wellbore. 3. The Temperature log showed lower temp. than surface mud temp. The Sonan log response was quiet. These results suggest that there was no near casing mudflow

Surface segregation of InGaAs films by the evolution of reflection high-energy electron diffraction patterns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Xun; Luo Zi-Jiang; Guo Xiang; Zhang Bi-Chan; Shang Lin-Tao; Zhou Qing; Deng Chao-Yong; Ding Zhao

2012-01-01

Surface segregation is studied via the evolution of reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) patterns under different values of As 4 BEP for InGaAs films. When the As 4 BEP is set to be zero, the RHEED pattern keeps a 4×3/(n × 3) structure with increasing temperature, and surface segregation takes place until 470 °C. The RHEED pattern develops into a metal-rich (4 × 2) structure as temperature increases to 495 °C. The reason for this is that surface segregation makes the In inside the InGaAs film climb to its surface. With the temperature increasing up to 515 °C, the RHEED pattern turns into a GaAs(2 × 4) structure due to In desorption. While the As 4 BEP comes up to a specific value (1.33 × 10 -4 Pa−1.33 × 10 -3 Pa), the surface temperature can delay the segregation and desorption. We find that As 4 BEP has a big influence on surface desorption, while surface segregation is more strongly dependent on temperature than surface desorption. (condensed matter: structural, mechanical, and thermal properties)

30 CFR 204.205 - How do I obtain accounting and auditing relief?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false How do I obtain accounting and auditing relief... MINERALS REVENUE MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES FOR MARGINAL PROPERTIES Accounting and Auditing Relief § 204.205 How do I obtain accounting and auditing relief? (a) To take cumulative reports and payments relief...

How absent negativity relates to affect and motivation: an integrative relief model.

Science.gov (United States)

Deutsch, Roland; Smith, Kevin J M; Kordts-Freudinger, Robert; Reichardt, Regina

2015-01-01

The present paper concerns the motivational underpinnings and behavioral correlates of the prevention or stopping of negative stimulation - a situation referred to as relief. Relief is of great theoretical and applied interest. Theoretically, it is tied to theories linking affect, emotion, and motivational systems. Importantly, these theories make different predictions regarding the association between relief and motivational systems. Moreover, relief is a prototypical antecedent of counterfactual emotions, which involve specific cognitive processes compared to factual or mere anticipatory emotions. Practically, relief may be an important motivator of addictive and phobic behaviors, self destructive behaviors, and social influence. In the present paper, we will first provide a review of conflicting conceptualizations of relief. We will then present an integrative relief model (IRMO) that aims at resolving existing theoretical conflicts. We then review evidence relevant to distinctive predictions regarding the moderating role of various procedural features of relief situations. We conclude that our integrated model results in a better understanding of existing evidence on the affective and motivational underpinnings of relief, but that further evidence is needed to come to a more comprehensive evaluation of the viability of IRMO.

How absent negativity relates to affect and motivation: an integrative relief model

Science.gov (United States)

Deutsch, Roland; Smith, Kevin J. M.; Kordts-Freudinger, Robert; Reichardt, Regina

2015-01-01

The present paper concerns the motivational underpinnings and behavioral correlates of the prevention or stopping of negative stimulation – a situation referred to as relief. Relief is of great theoretical and applied interest. Theoretically, it is tied to theories linking affect, emotion, and motivational systems. Importantly, these theories make different predictions regarding the association between relief and motivational systems. Moreover, relief is a prototypical antecedent of counterfactual emotions, which involve specific cognitive processes compared to factual or mere anticipatory emotions. Practically, relief may be an important motivator of addictive and phobic behaviors, self destructive behaviors, and social influence. In the present paper, we will first provide a review of conflicting conceptualizations of relief. We will then present an integrative relief model (IRMO) that aims at resolving existing theoretical conflicts. We then review evidence relevant to distinctive predictions regarding the moderating role of various procedural features of relief situations. We conclude that our integrated model results in a better understanding of existing evidence on the affective and motivational underpinnings of relief, but that further evidence is needed to come to a more comprehensive evaluation of the viability of IRMO. PMID:25806008

Copper circuit patterning on polymer using selective surface modification and electroless plating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Sang Jin [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764 (Korea, Republic of); Ko, Tae-Jun [Institute for Multidisciplinary Convergence of Materials, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 130-650 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Yoon, Juil [Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering, Hansung University, Seoul 136-792 (Korea, Republic of); Moon, Myoung-Woon [Institute for Multidisciplinary Convergence of Materials, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 130-650 (Korea, Republic of); Oh, Kyu Hwan [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Han, Jun Hyun, E-mail: jhhan@cnu.ac.kr [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764 (Korea, Republic of)

2017-02-28

Highlights: • A new simple two step method for the pattering of Cu circuits on PET substrate was proposed. • The simple patterning of the high adhesive Cu circuits was achieved by plasma treatment using a patterned mask coated with a catalyst material. • The high adhesive strength of Cu circuits was due to the nanostructure formed by oxygen plasma treatment. - Abstract: We have examined a potential new and simple method for patterning a copper circuit on PET substrate by copper electroless plating, without the pretreatment steps (i.e., sensitization and activation) for electroless plating as well as the etching processes of conventional circuit patterning. A patterned mask coated with a catalyst material, Ag, for the reduction of Cu ions, is placed on a PET substrate. Subsequent oxygen plasma treatment of the PET substrate covered with the mask promotes the selective generation of anisotropic pillar- or hair-like nanostructures coated with co-deposited nanoparticles of the catalyst material on PET. After oxygen plasma treatment, a Cu circuit is well formed just by dipping the plasma-treated PET into a Cu electroless plating solution. By increasing the oxygen gas pressure in the chamber, the height of the nanostructures increases and the Ag catalyst particles are coated on not only the top but also the side surfaces of the nanostructures. Strong mechanical interlocking between the Cu circuit and PET substrate is produced by the large surface area of the nanostructures, and enhances peel strength. Results indicate this new simple two step (plasma surface modification and pretreatment-free electroless plating) method can be used to produce a flexible Cu circuit with good adhesion.

Surface patterning for brittle amorphous material using nanoindenter-based mechanochemical nanofabrication

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Jeong Woo; Choi, Soo Chang; Kim, Yong Woo [Department of Nano Fusion Technology, Pusan National University, Miryang 627-706 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Chae Moon [Samsung Electro-Mechanics, Busan 618-721 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Deug Woo [Department of Nano System and Process Engineering, Pusan National University, Miryang 627-706 (Korea, Republic of)], E-mail: dwoolee@pusan.ac.kr

2008-02-27

This paper demonstrates a micro/nanoscale surface patterning technology for brittle material using mechanical and chemical processes. Fused silica was scratched with a Berkovich tip under various normal loads from several mN to several tens of mN with various tip rotations. The scratched substrate was then chemically etched in hydrofluoric solution to evaluate the chemical properties of the different deformed layers produced under various mechanical scratching conditions. Our results showed that either protruding or depressed patterns could be generated on the scratched surface after chemical etching by controlling the tip rotation, the normal load and the etching condition. In addition, the mask effect of amorphous material after mechanical scratching was controlled by conventional mechanical machining conditions such as contact area, chip formation, plastic flow and material removal.

A facile strategy for the fabrication of a bioinspired hydrophilic-superhydrophobic patterned surface for highly efficient fog-harvesting

KAUST Repository

Wang, Yuchao

2015-08-10

Fog water collection represents a meaningful effort in the places where regular water sources, including surface water and ground water, are scarce. Inspired by the amazing fog water collection capability of Stenocara beetles in the Namib Desert and based on the recent work in biomimetic water collection, this work reported a facile, easy-to-operate, and low-cost method for the fabrication of hydrophilic-superhydrophobic patterned hybrid surface toward highly efficient fog water collection. The essence of the method is incorporating a (super)hydrophobically modified metal-based gauze onto the surface of a hydrophilic polystyrene (PS) flat sheet by a simple lab oven-based thermal pressing procedure. The produced hybrid patterned surfaces consisted of PS patches sitting within the holes of the metal gauzes. The method allows for an easy control over the pattern dimension (e.g., patch size) by varying gauze mesh size and thermal pressing temperature, which is then translated to an easy optimization of the ultimate fog water collection efficiency. Given the low-cost and wide availability of both PS and metal gauze, this method has a great potential for scaling-up. The results showed that the hydrophilic-superhydrophobic patterned hybrid surfaces with a similar pattern size to Stenocara beetles’s back pattern produced significantly higher fog collection efficiency than the uniformly (super)hydrophilic or (super)hydrophobic surfaces. This work contributes to general effort in fabricating wettability patterned surfaces and to atmospheric water collection for direct portal use.

30 CFR 204.211 - When may MMS rescind relief for a property?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false When may MMS rescind relief for a property? 204... MMS rescind relief for a property? (a) MMS may retroactively rescind the relief for your property if MMS determines that your property was not eligible for the relief obtained under this subpart because...

Spatial and temporal patterns of land surface fluxes from remotely sensed surface temperatures within an uncertainty modelling framework

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. F. McCabe

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Characterising the development of evapotranspiration through time is a difficult task, particularly when utilising remote sensing data, because retrieved information is often spatially dense, but temporally sparse. Techniques to expand these essentially instantaneous measures are not only limited, they are restricted by the general paucity of information describing the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of evaporative patterns. In a novel approach, temporal changes in land surface temperatures, derived from NOAA-AVHRR imagery and a generalised split-window algorithm, are used as a calibration variable in a simple land surface scheme (TOPUP and combined within the Generalised Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation (GLUE methodology to provide estimates of areal evapotranspiration at the pixel scale. Such an approach offers an innovative means of transcending the patch or landscape scale of SVAT type models, to spatially distributed estimates of model output. The resulting spatial and temporal patterns of land surface fluxes and surface resistance are used to more fully understand the hydro-ecological trends observed across a study catchment in eastern Australia. The modelling approach is assessed by comparing predicted cumulative evapotranspiration values with surface fluxes determined from Bowen ratio systems and using auxiliary information such as in-situ soil moisture measurements and depth to groundwater to corroborate observed responses.

Control and near-field detection of surface plasmon interference patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Dvořák, Petr; Neuman, Tomáš; Břínek, Lukáš; Šamořil, Tomáš; Kalousek, Radek; Dub, Petr; Varga, Peter; Šikola, Tomáš

2013-06-12

The tailoring of electromagnetic near-field properties is the central task in the field of nanophotonics. In addition to 2D optics for optical nanocircuits, confined and enhanced electric fields are utilized in detection and sensing, photovoltaics, spatially localized spectroscopy (nanoimaging), as well as in nanolithography and nanomanipulation. For practical purposes, it is necessary to develop easy-to-use methods for controlling the electromagnetic near-field distribution. By imaging optical near-fields using a scanning near-field optical microscope, we demonstrate that surface plasmon polaritons propagating from slits along the metal-dielectric interface form tunable interference patterns. We present a simple way how to control the resulting interference patterns both by variation of the angle between two slits and, for a fixed slit geometry, by a proper combination of laser beam polarization and inhomogeneous far-field illumination of the structure. Thus the modulation period of interference patterns has become adjustable and new variable patterns consisting of stripelike and dotlike motifs have been achieved, respectively.

Acoustic tweezers: patterning cells and microparticles using standing surface acoustic waves (SSAW).

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Jinjie; Ahmed, Daniel; Mao, Xiaole; Lin, Sz-Chin Steven; Lawit, Aitan; Huang, Tony Jun

2009-10-21

Here we present an active patterning technique named "acoustic tweezers" that utilizes standing surface acoustic wave (SSAW) to manipulate and pattern cells and microparticles. This technique is capable of patterning cells and microparticles regardless of shape, size, charge or polarity. Its power intensity, approximately 5x10(5) times lower than that of optical tweezers, compares favorably with those of other active patterning methods. Flow cytometry studies have revealed it to be non-invasive. The aforementioned advantages, along with this technique's simple design and ability to be miniaturized, render the "acoustic tweezers" technique a promising tool for various applications in biology, chemistry, engineering, and materials science.

21 CFR 882.5840 - Implanted intracerebral/subcortical stimulator for pain relief.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... pain relief. 882.5840 Section 882.5840 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF... Devices § 882.5840 Implanted intracerebral/subcortical stimulator for pain relief. (a) Identification. An implanted intracerebral/subcortical stimulator for pain relief is a device that applies electrical current...

A neurogenetic dissociation between punishment-, reward- and relief-learning in Drosophila

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ayse Yarali

2010-12-01

Full Text Available What is particularly worth remembering about a traumatic experience is what brought it about, and what made it cease. For example, fruit flies avoid an odour which during training had preceded electric shock punishment; on the other hand, if the odour had followed shock during training, it is later on approached as a signal for the relieving end of shock. We provide a neurogenetic analysis of such relief learning. Blocking, using UAS-shibirets1, the output from a particular set of dopaminergic neurons defined by the TH-Gal4 driver partially impaired punishment learning, but left relief learning intact. Thus, with respect to these particular neurons, relief learning differs from punishment learning. Targeting another set of dopaminergic/ serotonergic neurons defined by the DDC-Gal4 driver on the other hand affected neither punishment nor relief learning. As for the octopaminergic system, the tbhM18 mutation, compromising octopamine biosynthesis, partially impaired sugar-reward learning, but not relief learning. Thus, with respect to this particular mutation, relief learning and reward learning are dissociated. Finally, blocking output from the set of octopaminergic/ tyraminergic neurons defined by the TDC2-Gal4 driver affected neither reward, nor relief learning. We conclude that regarding the used genetic tools, relief learning is neurogenetically dissociated from both punishment and reward learning.

Analysis of preservice inspection relief requests and recommendations for ASME code changes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cook, J.F.

1985-05-01

NRC regulations require that preservice inspection (PSI) of nuclear plants be performed in accordance with referenced editions and addenda of Division 1 rules of Section XI, ''Rules for Inservice Inspection of Nuclear Power Plant Components'', of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (ASME Code). The regulations permit applicants to request and obtain relief from the NRC from specific ASME Code requirements that are determined to be impractical. Applicant requests for relief from preservice inspection (PSI) requirements were compiled and analyzed. From this data, covering a total of 178 relief requests, common problems with examination requirements were identified. Changes to examination requirements to solve selected problems are proposed. By following later ASME Code requirements, 46 out of the 178 relief requests can be eliminated. Implementing proposed Code changes would eliminate another 25 relief requests, leaving 107 relief requests out of the original 178 relief requests covered by this survey

Brain's reward circuits mediate itch relief. a functional MRI study of active scratching.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandru D P Papoiu

Full Text Available Previous brain imaging studies investigating the brain processing of scratching used an exogenous intervention mimicking scratching, performed not by the subjects themselves, but delivered by an investigator. In real life, scratching is a conscious, voluntary, controlled motor response to itching, which is directed to the perceived site of distress. In this study we aimed to visualize in real-time by brain imaging the core mechanisms of the itch-scratch cycle when scratching was performed by subjects themselves. Secondly, we aimed to assess the correlations between brain patterns of activation and psychophysical ratings of itch relief or pleasurability of scratching. We also compared the patterns of brain activity evoked by self-scratching vs. passive scratching. We used a robust tridimensional Arterial Spin Labeling fMRI technique that is less sensitive to motion artifacts: 3D gradient echo and spin echo (GRASE--Propeller. Active scratching was accompanied by a higher pleasurability and induced a more pronounced deactivation of the anterior cingulate cortex and insula, in comparison with passive scratching. A significant involvement of the reward system including the ventral tegmentum of the midbrain, coupled with a mechanism deactivating the periaqueductal gray matter (PAG, suggests that itch modulation operates in reverse to the mechanism known to suppress pain. Our findings not only confirm a role for the central networks processing reward in the pleasurable aspects of scratching, but also suggest they play a role in mediating itch relief.

21 CFR 882.5890 - Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator for pain relief.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... pain relief. 882.5890 Section 882.5890 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF... Devices § 882.5890 Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator for pain relief. (a) Identification. A transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator for pain relief is a device used to apply an electrical current to...

Anomalous Arctic surface wind patterns and their impacts on September sea ice minima and trend

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bingyi Wu

2012-05-01

Full Text Available We used monthly mean surface wind data from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Centers for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR reanalysis dataset during the period 1979–2010 to describe the first two patterns of Arctic surface wind variability by means of the complex vector empirical orthogonal function (CVEOF analysis. The first two patterns respectively account for 31 and 16% of its total anomalous kinetic energy. The leading pattern consists of the two subpatterns: the northern Laptev Sea (NLS pattern and the Arctic dipole (AD pattern. The second pattern contains the northern Kara Sea (NKS pattern and the central Arctic (CA pattern. Over the past two decades, the combined dynamical forcing of the first two patterns has contributed to Arctic September sea ice extent (SIE minima and its declining trend. September SIE minima are mainly associated with the negative phase of the AD pattern and the positive phase of the CA pattern during the summer (July to September season, and both phases coherently show an anomalous anticyclone over the Arctic Ocean. Wind patterns affect September SIE through their frequency and intensity. The negative trend in September SIE over the past two decades is associated with increased frequency and enhanced intensity of the CA pattern during the melting season from April to September. Thus, it cannot be simply attributed to the AD anomaly characterised by the second empirical orthogonal function mode of sea level pressure north of 70°N. The CA pattern exhibited interdecadal variability in the late 1990s, and an anomalous cyclone prevailed before 1997 and was then replaced by an anomalous anticyclone over the Arctic Ocean that is consistent with the rapid decline trend in September SIE. This paper provides an alternative way to identify the dominant patterns of climate variability and investigate their associated Arctic sea ice variability from a dynamical perspective. Indeed, this study

Building relations with women's organisations in relief work.

Science.gov (United States)

Gell, F

1997-02-01

An Oxfam Emergency Team arrived in Ingushetia in the Northern Caucasus region of the former Soviet Union in August 1996 to set up a program of shelter, rehabilitation, and relief in response to the large influx of people displaced by conflicts in the neighboring republics of Chechnya and North Ossetia. The team was also tasked with contacting community organizations such as women's groups and developing a relationship with them through joint relief work. The Chechen population was comprised of mainly women, children, and the elderly. The internally displaced population of 100,000 people is now scattered throughout the republic in collective centers and host families. Small committees of women were formed to help identify the most vulnerable residents and to distribute winter clothing. It was found during the relief work that fledgling women's groups are establishing themselves as vehicles for change, increasingly open to work with and learn from international organizations such as Oxfam. The Chechen branch of the Union of North Caucasian Women and the Ingushetian ALMOS played leading roles in peacemaking, human rights observance, and humanitarian relief.

How Absent Negativity Relates to Affect and Motivation: An Integrative Relief Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roland eDeutsch

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The present paper concerns the motivational underpinnings and behavioral correlates of the prevention or stopping of negative stimulation – a situation referred to as relief. Relief is of great theoretical and applied interest. Theoretically, it is tied to theories linking affect, emotion and motivational systems (Carver & Scheier, 1990; Gray & McNaughton, 2000; Higgins, 1997; Lang, Bradley, & Cuthbert, 1990. Importantly, these theories make different predictions regarding the association between relief and motivational systems. Moreover, relief is a prototypical antecedent of counterfactual emotions, which involve specific cognitive processes compared to factual or mere anticipatory emotions. Practically, relief may be an important motivator of addictive and phobic behaviors (Mowrer, 1951; Ostafin & Brooks, 2011, self destructive behaviors (Favazza, 1998; Franklin, Lee, Hanna, & Prinstein, 2013, and social influence (Dolinski & Nawrat, 1998. In the present paper, we will first provide a review of conflicting conceptualizations of relief. We will then present an integrative relief model (IRMO that aims at resolving existing theoretical conflicts. We then review evidence relevant to distinctive predictions regarding the moderating role of various procedural features of relief situations. We conclude that our integrated model results in a better understanding of existing evidence on the affective and motivational underpinnings of relief, but that further evidence is needed to come to a more comprehensive evaluation of the viability of IRMO.

Selective formation of diamond-like carbon coating by surface catalyst patterning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Palnichenko, A.V.; Mátéfi-Tempfli, M.; Mátéfi-Tempfli, Stefan

2004-01-01

The selective formation of diamond-like carbon coating by surface catalyst patterning was studied. DLC films was deposited using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, filtered vacuum arc deposition, laser ablation, magnetron sputtering and ion-beam lithography methods. The DLC coatings were...

21 CFR 882.5880 - Implanted spinal cord stimulator for pain relief.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Implanted spinal cord stimulator for pain relief... Implanted spinal cord stimulator for pain relief. (a) Identification. An implanted spinal cord stimulator for pain relief is a device that is used to stimulate electrically a patient's spinal cord to relieve...

Laser surface graphitization to control friction of diamond-like carbon coatings

Science.gov (United States)

Komlenok, Maxim S.; Kononenko, Vitaly V.; Zavedeev, Evgeny V.; Frolov, Vadim D.; Arutyunyan, Natalia R.; Chouprik, Anastasia A.; Baturin, Andrey S.; Scheibe, Hans-Joachim; Shupegin, Mikhail L.; Pimenov, Sergei M.

2015-11-01

To study the role of laser surface graphitization in the friction behavior of laser-patterned diamond-like carbon (DLC) films, we apply the scanning probe microscopy (SPM) in the lateral force mode (LFM) which allows to obtain simultaneously the lateral force and topography images and to determine local friction levels in laser-irradiated and original surface areas. Based on this approach in the paper, we report on (1) laser surface microstructuring of hydrogenated a-C:H and hydrogen-free ta-C films in the regime of surface graphitization using UV laser pulses of 20-ns duration and (2) correlation between the structure and friction properties of the laser-patterned DLC surface on micro/nanoscale using SPM/LFM technique. The SPM/LFM data obtained for the surface relief gratings of graphitized microstructures have evidenced lower friction forces in the laser-graphitized regions. For the hydrogenated DLC films, the reversible frictional behavior of the laser-graphitized micropatterns is found to take place during LFM imaging at different temperatures (20 and 120 °C) in ambient air. It is revealed that the lateral force distribution in the laser-graphitized areas is shifted to higher friction levels (relative to that of the unirradiated surface) at temperature 120 °C and returned back to the lower friction during the sample cooling to 20 °C, thus confirming an influence of adsorbed water layers on the nanofriction properties of laser-graphitized micropatterns on the film surface.

Vibrations and spatial patterns in biomimetic surfaces: using the shark-skin effect to control blood clotting.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramachandran, Rahul; Maani, Nazanin; Rayz, Vitaliy L; Nosonovsky, Michael

2016-08-06

We study the effect of small-amplitude fast vibrations and small-amplitude spatial patterns on various systems involving wetting and liquid flow, such as superhydrophobic surfaces, membranes and flow pipes. First, we introduce a mathematical method of averaging the effect of small spatial and temporal patterns and substituting them with an effective force. Such an effective force can change the equilibrium state of a system as well as a phase state, leading to surface texture-induced and vibration-induced phase control. Vibration and patterns can effectively jam holes in vessels with liquid, separate multi-phase flow, change membrane properties, result in propulsion and locomotion and lead to many other multi-scale, nonlinear effects including the shark-skin effect. We discuss the application of such effects to blood flow for novel biomedical 'haemophobic' applications which can prevent blood clotting and thrombosis by controlling the surface pattern at a wall of a vessel (e.g. a catheter or stent).This article is part of the themed issue 'Bioinspired hierarchically structured surfaces for green science'. © 2016 The Author(s).

Southern Alaska Coastal Relief Model

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — NOAA's National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) is building coastal-relief models (CRM) for select U.S. coastal regions. Bathymetric, topographic, and shoreline data...

Non-Drug Pain Relief: Imagery

Science.gov (United States)

PATIENT EDUCATION patienteducation.osumc.edu Non-Drug Pain Relief: Imagery Relaxation helps lessen tension. One way to help decrease pain is to use imagery. Imagery is using your imagination to create a ...

Bulk and surface characterization of novel photoresponsive polymeric systems

Science.gov (United States)

Venkataramani, Shivshankar

interconversion of the two spectral states by laser light at room temperature. We have investigated the potential relationship between the surface morphology and photochromic behavior. Our AFM studies reveal dramatic anisotropic surface eruptions on the crystals and films when polymerized by sp{60}Co gamma-radiation in the presence of air. Also the role of mechanical strains in the crystal chemistry in relation to the observation of eruptions is discussed. The PDAs mentioned above are known to exhibit thermochromic phase transitions near 125sp°C and a previous report of photochromism showed that photochromic behavior in PDA-PUDO crystals was observed at an elevated temperature of 115sp°C. A number of asymmetric PDAs were made with a lesser degree of hydrogen bonding, and systematic characterization has shown them to exhibit chromic phase transitions closer to room temperatures. Another aspect of this dissertation has been the surface characterization of the formation of erasable surface relief gratings on azobenzene based polymer films by AFM. AFM has been used to determine the pitch and amplitude of the gratings with a great degree of accuracy. It has also been a very important tool to distinguish the effect of polarization conditions on the grating formation process. In addition to probing the surface relief patterns under various optical recording conditions and on different types of polymer films, it has been demonstrated that the AFM is a very important technique in characterizing such surface relief structures with great accuracy and with minimal sample preparation. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Thermocapillary migration of liquids on patterned surfaces : design concept for microfluidic

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Darhuber, A.A.; Davis, J.M.; Reisner, W.W.; Troian, S.M.

2001-01-01

We present a novel method of fluidic transport on the open surface of a chemically patterned substrate using thermocapillary actuation. Our experimental and numerical studies provide the desired correlations between the microstream flow rate and tunable parameters like the liquid sample volume,

Davenport Ranges, Northern Territory, Australia, SRTM Shaded Relief and Colored Height

Science.gov (United States)

2005-01-01

The Davenport Ranges of central Australia have been inferred to be among the oldest persisting landforms on Earth, founded on the belief that the interior of Australia has been tectonically stable for at least 700 million years. New rock age dating techniques indicate that substantial erosion has probably occurred over that time period and that the landforms are not nearly that old, but landscape evolution certainly occurs much slower here (at least now) than is typical across Earth's surface. Regardless of their antiquity, the Davenport Ranges exhibit a striking landform pattern as shown in this display of elevation data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Quartzites and other erosion resistant strata form ridges within anticlinal (arched up) and synclinal (arched down) ovals and zigzags. These structures, if not the landforms, likely date back at least hundreds of millions of years, to a time when tectonic forces were active. Maximum local relief is only about 60 meters (about 200 feet), which is enough to contrast greatly with the extremely low relief surrounding terrain. Two visualization methods were combined to produce this image: shading and color coding of topographic height. The shade image was derived by computing topographic slope in the northeast-southwest (image top to bottom) direction, so that northeast slopes appear bright and southwest slopes appear dark. Color coding is directly related to topographic height, with green at the lower elevations, rising through yellow and tan, to white at the highest elevations. Elevation data used in this image were acquired by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on Feb. 11, 2000. SRTM used the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. SRTM was designed to collect 3-D measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data

Stick-Slip Motion of Moving Contact Line on Chemically Patterned Surfaces

KAUST Repository

Wu, Congmin; Lei, Siulong; Qian, Tiezheng; Wang, Xiaoping

2009-01-01

Based on our continuum hydrodynamic model for immiscible two-phase flows at solid surfaces, the stick-slip motion has been predicted for moving contact line at chemically patterned surfaces [Wang et al., J. Fluid Mech., 605 (2008), pp. 59-78]. In this paper we show that the continuum predictions can be quantitatively verified by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Our MD simulations are carried out for two immiscible Lennard-Jones fluids confined by two planar solid walls in Poiseuille flow geometry. In particular, one solid surface is chemically patterned with alternating stripes. For comparison, the continuum model is numerically solved using material parameters directly measured in MD simulations. From oscillatory fluid-fluid interface to intermittent stick-slip motion of moving contact line, we have quantitative agreement between the continuum and MD results. This agreement is attributed to the accurate description down to molecular scale by the generalized Navier boundary condition in our continuum model. Numerical results are also presented for the relaxational dynamics of fluid-fluid interface, in agreement with a theoretical analysis based on the Onsager principle of minimum energy dissipation. © 2010 Global-Science Press.

Intra-articular hip injection: does pain relief correlate with radiographic severity of osteoarthritis?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deshmukh, Ajit J.; Rodriguez, Jose A.; Panagopoulos, Georgia; Alizadeh, Ahmadreza; Klein, Devon A.

2011-01-01

Intra-articular injection is being used widely for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in the hip. However, its efficacy is not always predictable in patients with hip osteoarthritis (OA). The purpose of this study was to determine whether the degree of radiographic severity of OA was predictive of the response to intra-articular injection of local anesthetic with corticosteroid and to determine the relationship between immediate pain relief resulting from the anesthetic and delayed pain relief resulting from corticosteroid administration. This retrospective study included 217 patients (220 injections) with diagnosis of hip OA who underwent a fluoroscopically guided therapeutic hip injection of local anesthetic and corticosteroid. Hip radiographs were scored using the Kellgren-Lawrence scale. Immediate and delayed pain relief was documented using a visual analog scale. Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate whether age, gender or radiographic severity of OA were independent predictors of pain relief. Degree of agreement between immediate and delayed response was assessed with the kappa coefficient. Immediate pain relief was reported in 68.2% of hips and delayed relief in 71.4% of hips. A high level of agreement was observed between immediate and delayed pain relief (kappa = 0.80, p < 0.001). 94% of patients reporting immediate relief also reported relief 2 weeks later. Univariate and multivariate analysis revealed that neither gender nor age was related to immediate or delayed pain relief. Only severity of OA (based on radiographic analysis) was observed to be predictive of pain relief. Pain relief following intra-articular hip injection correlated with radiographic severity of OA. This intervention may be of therapeutic and prognostic value in patients awaiting hip arthroplasty. (orig.)

Surface-plasmon enhanced photoemission of a silver nano-patterned photocathode

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Z.; Li, R.; To, H.; Andonian, G.; Pirez, E.; Meade, D.; Maxson, J.; Musumeci, P.

2017-09-01

Nano-patterned photocathodes (NPC) take advantage of plasmonic effects to resonantly increase absorption of light and localize electromagnetic field intensity on metal surfaces leading to surface-plasmon enhanced photoemission. In this paper, we report the status of NPC research at UCLA including in particular the optimization of the dimensions of a nanohole array on a silver wafer to enhance plasmonic response at 800 nm light, the development of a spectrally-resolved reflectivity measurement setup for quick nanopattern validation, and of a novel cathode plug to enable high power tests of NPCs on single crystal substrates in a high gradient radiofrequency gun.

Allergy Relief for Your Child

Science.gov (United States)

... Products For Consumers Home For Consumers Consumer Updates Allergy Relief for Your Child Share Tweet Linkedin Pin ... at the FDA. Avoid Pollen, Mold and Other Allergy Triggers If your child has seasonal allergies, pay ...

Catalytically favorable surface patterns in Pt-Au nanoclusters

KAUST Repository

Mokkath, Junais Habeeb

2013-01-01

Motivated by recent experimental demonstrations of novel PtAu nanoparticles with highly enhanced catalytic properties, we present a systematic theoretical study that explores principal catalytic indicators as a function of the particle size and composition. We find that Pt electronic states in the vicinity of the Fermi level combined with a modified electron distribution in the nanoparticle due to Pt-to-Au charge transfer are the origin of the outstanding catalytic properties. From our model we deduce the catalytically favorable surface patterns that induce ensemble and ligand effects. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2013.

Multifunctional surfaces with biomimetic nanofibres and drug-eluting micro-patterns for infection control and bone tissue formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

XN Chen

2012-09-01

Full Text Available For long-term orthopaedic implants, the creation of a surface that is repulsive to bacteria while adhesive to tissue cells represents a promising strategy to control infection. To obtain such multifunctional surfaces, two possible approaches were explored to incorporate a model antibiotic, rifampicin (Rf, into the osteogenic polycaprolactone (PCL/chitosan (CHS biomimetic nanofibre meshes by (1 blending Rf into the electrospinning solutions and then electrospinning into nanofibres (i.e., Rf-incorporating fibres, or (2 depositing Rf-containing poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA micro-patterns onto the PCL/chitosan nanofibre meshes via ink-jet printing (i.e., Rf-eluting micro-pattern/fibre. Rapid release of Rf from both meshes was measured even though a relatively slower release rate was obtained from the Rf-eluting micro-pattern ones. Antibacterial assay with Staphylococcus epidermidis showed that both mesh surfaces could effectively kill bacteria and prevent biofilm formation. However, only Rf-eluting micro-pattern meshes favoured the attachment, spreading and metabolic activity of preosteoblasts in the cell culture study. Furthermore, the Rf-eluting micro-pattern meshes could better support the osteogenic differentiation of preosteoblasts by up-regulating the gene expression of bone markers (type I collagen and alkaline phosphatase. Clearly, compared to Rf-incorporating nanofibre meshes, Rf-eluting micro-patterns could effectively prevent biofilm formation without sacrificing the osteogenic properties of PCL/chitosan nanofibre surfaces. This finding provides an innovative avenue to design multifunctional surfaces for enhancing bone tissue formation while controlling infection.

U.S. Coastal Relief Model

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — NGDC's U.S. Coastal Relief Model (CRM) provides the first comprehensive view of the U.S. coastal zone integrating offshore bathymetry with land topography into a...

Dielectrophoretic deformation of thin liquid films induced by surface charge patterns on dielectric substrates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berendsen, C.W.J.; Kuijpers, C.J.; Zeegers, J.C.H.; Darhuber, A.A.

2013-01-01

We studied the deformation of thin liquid films induced by surface charge patterns at the solid–liquid interface quantitatively by experiments and numerical simulations. We deposited a surface charge distribution on dielectric substrates by applying potential differences between a conductive liquid

Experimental study of surface pattern effects on the propulsive performance and wake of a bio-inspired pitching panel

Science.gov (United States)

King, Justin; Kumar, Rajeev; Green, Melissa

2016-11-01

Force measurements and stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (PIV) were used to characterize the propulsive performance and wake structure of rigid, bio-inspired trapezoidal pitching panels. In the literature, it has been demonstrated that quantities such as thrust coefficient and propulsive efficiency are affected by changes in the surface characteristics of a pitching panel or foil. More specifically, the variation of surface pattern produces significant changes in wake structure and dynamics, especially in the distribution of vorticity in the wake. Force measurements and PIV data were collected for multiple surface patterns chosen to mimic fish surface morphology over a Strouhal number range of 0.17 to 0.56. Performance quantities are compared with the three-dimensional vortex wake structure for both the patterned and smooth panels to determine the nature and magnitude of surface pattern effects in terms of thrust produced, drag reduced, and wake vortices reshaped and reorganized. This work was supported by the Office of Naval Research under ONR Award No. N00014-14-1-0418.

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

The dynamic implications of debt relief for low-income countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alma Lucía Romero-Barrutieta

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Debt relief provides low-income countries with an incentive to accumulate debt, boost consumption, and reduce investment over time. We quantify this incentive effect employing a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model, calibrated to 1982–2006 Ugandan data, and find that long-run debt and consumption-to-GDP ratios are about twice as high with debt relief than without it, while the investment-to-GDP ratio is sixty percent lower. Our simulations show that debt-relief episodes are likely to have only a temporary impact on debt levels but may have a lasting effect over the size of the economy, lowering GDP growth up to twenty percent over time. These results fill a gap in the debt relief literature since, to the best of our knowledge, the quantification of incentive effects is rather scarce. The paper further contributes to the literature by constructing a tractable structural model that is able to replicate the data well and captures key features of low-income countries facing the possibility of debt relief.

The microscopic origin of self-organized nanostripe pattern formation on an electropolished aluminium surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarkar, Jaya; Basumallick, A; Khan, Gobinda Gopal

2009-01-01

By correlating the experimental evidence obtained from atomic force microscopy, conventional x-ray diffraction, and a surface sensitive modified x-ray diffraction technique with the results of density functional theory based computations, we demonstrate that self-organized nanostripe patterns formed on the electropolished surface of aluminium originate as a consequence of relaxation and reconstruction of the new surfaces exposed and textural changes at the surface caused by the dissolution during polishing.

A numerical study of three-dimensional droplets spreading on chemically patterned surfaces

KAUST Repository

Zhong, Hua; Wang, Xiao-Ping; Sun, Shuyu

2016-01-01

We study numerically the three-dimensional droplets spreading on physically flat chemically patterned surfaces with periodic squares separated by channels. Our model consists of the Navier-Stokes-Cahn-Hilliard equations with the generalized Navier

Integration of real-time mapping technology in disaster relief distribution.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-01

Vehicle routing for disaster relief distribution involves many challenges that distinguish this problem from those in commercial settings, given the time sensitive and resource constrained nature of relief activities. While operations research approa...

Doubling Your Payoff: Winning Pain Relief Engages Endogenous Pain Inhibition1,2,3

Science.gov (United States)

Kwan, Saskia; Schweinhardt, Petra

2015-01-01

Abstract When in pain, pain relief is much sought after, particularly for individuals with chronic pain. In analogy to augmentation of the hedonic experience (“liking”) of a reward by the motivation to obtain a reward (“wanting”), the seeking of pain relief in a motivated state might increase the experience of pain relief when obtained. We tested this hypothesis in a psychophysical experiment in healthy human subjects, by assessing potential pain-inhibitory effects of pain relief “won” in a wheel of fortune game compared with pain relief without winning, exploiting the fact that the mere chance of winning induces a motivated state. The results show pain-inhibitory effects of pain relief obtained by winning in behaviorally assessed pain perception and ratings of pain intensity. Further, the higher participants scored on the personality trait novelty seeking, the more pain inhibition was induced. These results provide evidence that pain relief, when obtained in a motivated state, engages endogenous pain-inhibitory systems beyond the pain reduction that underlies the relief in the first place. Consequently, such pain relief might be used to improve behavioral pain therapy, inducing a positive, perhaps self-amplifying feedback loop of reduced pain and improved functionality. PMID:26464995

Elevation-relief ratio, hypsometric integral, and geomorphic area-altitude analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Pike, R. J.; Wilson, S. E.

1971-01-01

Mathematical proof establishes identity of hypsometric integral and elevation-relief ratio, two quantitative topographic descriptors developed independently of one another for entirely different purposes. Operationally, values of both measures are in excellent agreement for arbitrarily bounded topographic samples, as well as for low-order fluvial watersheds. By using a point-sampling technique rather than planimetry, elevation-relief ratio (defined as mean elevation minus minimum elevation divided by relief) is calculated manually in about a third of the time required for the hypsometric integral.

Decongestants: OTC Relief for Congestion

Science.gov (United States)

... CorrectlyPain Relievers: Understanding Your OTC OptionsAntacids and Acid Reducers: OTC Relief for Heartburn and Acid RefluxOTC Cough ... Loss and Diet Plans Nutrients and Nutritional Info Sugar and Sugar Substitutes Exercise and Fitness Exercise Basics ...

Synapsin determines memory strength after punishment- and relief-learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Niewalda, Thomas; Michels, Birgit; Jungnickel, Roswitha; Diegelmann, Sören; Kleber, Jörg; Kähne, Thilo; Gerber, Bertram

2015-05-13

Adverse life events can induce two kinds of memory with opposite valence, dependent on timing: "negative" memories for stimuli preceding them and "positive" memories for stimuli experienced at the moment of "relief." Such punishment memory and relief memory are found in insects, rats, and man. For example, fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) avoid an odor after odor-shock training ("forward conditioning" of the odor), whereas after shock-odor training ("backward conditioning" of the odor) they approach it. Do these timing-dependent associative processes share molecular determinants? We focus on the role of Synapsin, a conserved presynaptic phosphoprotein regulating the balance between the reserve pool and the readily releasable pool of synaptic vesicles. We find that a lack of Synapsin leaves task-relevant sensory and motor faculties unaffected. In contrast, both punishment memory and relief memory scores are reduced. These defects reflect a true lessening of associative memory strength, as distortions in nonassociative processing (e.g., susceptibility to handling, adaptation, habituation, sensitization), discrimination ability, and changes in the time course of coincidence detection can be ruled out as alternative explanations. Reductions in punishment- and relief-memory strength are also observed upon an RNAi-mediated knock-down of Synapsin, and are rescued both by acutely restoring Synapsin and by locally restoring it in the mushroom bodies of mutant flies. Thus, both punishment memory and relief memory require the Synapsin protein and in this sense share genetic and molecular determinants. We note that corresponding molecular commonalities between punishment memory and relief memory in humans would constrain pharmacological attempts to selectively interfere with excessive associative punishment memories, e.g., after traumatic experiences. Copyright © 2015 Niewalda et al.

Synapsin Determines Memory Strength after Punishment- and Relief-Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Niewalda, Thomas; Michels, Birgit; Jungnickel, Roswitha; Diegelmann, Sören; Kleber, Jörg; Kähne, Thilo

2015-01-01

Adverse life events can induce two kinds of memory with opposite valence, dependent on timing: “negative” memories for stimuli preceding them and “positive” memories for stimuli experienced at the moment of “relief.” Such punishment memory and relief memory are found in insects, rats, and man. For example, fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) avoid an odor after odor-shock training (“forward conditioning” of the odor), whereas after shock-odor training (“backward conditioning” of the odor) they approach it. Do these timing-dependent associative processes share molecular determinants? We focus on the role of Synapsin, a conserved presynaptic phosphoprotein regulating the balance between the reserve pool and the readily releasable pool of synaptic vesicles. We find that a lack of Synapsin leaves task-relevant sensory and motor faculties unaffected. In contrast, both punishment memory and relief memory scores are reduced. These defects reflect a true lessening of associative memory strength, as distortions in nonassociative processing (e.g., susceptibility to handling, adaptation, habituation, sensitization), discrimination ability, and changes in the time course of coincidence detection can be ruled out as alternative explanations. Reductions in punishment- and relief-memory strength are also observed upon an RNAi-mediated knock-down of Synapsin, and are rescued both by acutely restoring Synapsin and by locally restoring it in the mushroom bodies of mutant flies. Thus, both punishment memory and relief memory require the Synapsin protein and in this sense share genetic and molecular determinants. We note that corresponding molecular commonalities between punishment memory and relief memory in humans would constrain pharmacological attempts to selectively interfere with excessive associative punishment memories, e.g., after traumatic experiences. PMID:25972175

AFM imaging and analysis of local mechanical properties for detection of surface pattern of functional groups

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knotek, Petr, E-mail: petr.knotek@upce.cz [University of Pardubice, Faculty of Chemical Technology, Joint Laboratory of Solid State Chemistry of IMC ASCR and University of Pardubice, Studentska 573, 532 10 Pardubice (Czech Republic); Chanova, Eliska; Rypacek, Frantisek [Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Heyrovskeho sq. 2, 162 06 Prague (Czech Republic)

2013-05-01

In this work we evaluate the applicability of different atomic force microscopy (AFM) modes, such as Phase Shift Imaging, Atomic Force Acoustic Microscopy (AFAM) and Force Spectroscopy, for mapping of the distribution pattern of low-molecular-weight biomimetic groups on polymer biomaterial surfaces. Patterns with either random or clustered spatial distribution of bioactive peptide group derived from fibronectin were prepared by surface deposition of functional block copolymer nano-colloids and grafted with RGDS peptide containing the sequence of amino acids arginine–glycine–aspartic acid–serine (conventionally labeled as RGDS) and carrying biotin as a tag. The biotin-tagged peptides were labeled with 40 nm streptavidin-modified Au nanospheres. The peptide molecules were localized through the detection of bound Au nanospheres by AFM, and thus, the surface distribution of peptides was revealed. AFM techniques capable of monitoring local mechanical properties of the surface were proved to be the most efficient for identification of Au nano-markers. The efficiency was successfully demonstrated on two different patterns, i.e. random and clustered distribution of RGDS peptides on structured surface of the polymer biomaterial. Highlights: ► Bioactive peptides for cell adhesion on PLA-b-PEO biomimetic surface were visualized. ► The biotin-tagged RGDS peptides were labeled with streptavidin-Au nanospheres. ► The RGDS pattern was detected using different atomic force microscopy (AFM) modes. ► Phase Shift Image was proved to be suitable method for studying peptide distribution.

Hypsometry and relief analysis of the southern termination of the Calabrian arc, NE-Sicily (southern Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Pavano, F.; Catalano, S.; Romagnoli, G.; Tortorici, G.

2018-03-01

Tectonic forcing causes the relief-building of mountain chains and enforces the surficial processes in a persistent dismantling of rock volumes, continuously modelling Earth's surface. Actually, we observe transient landscapes that have temporarily recorded tectonic forcing as a codified signal. The Late Quaternary tectonic evolution of northeastern Sicily, located along the Nubia-Eurasia plate boundary at the southern termination of the Calabrian arc, has been dominated by intense Plio-Pleistocene dynamics that severely modified the Late Miocene landscape. The present work aims to investigate geomorphically northeastern Sicily, essentially focusing on the hypsometric and relief analyses of the region in order to define how the topography responds to the post-Pliocene tectonic deformation. We apply different relief morphometric indices (Hypsometric Integral, Topographic Relief and Topographic Dissection) measured for each differently sized moving window, and we use different swath topographic profiles as well. Our analysis evidences differential morphological responses between distinct morphotectonic domains of the studied area, led by the combination of earlier morphological background and Late Quaternary tectonic deformation stages of the region. In addition, in the context of a constant and uniform tectonic uplift, the results define the general space- and time-relating pathways of the landscape geomorphic metrics. This enables us to bring out the controls of the vertical scale of landscape on hypsometry, exploring their mutual relationships. Finally, we reconstruct the Late Quaternary morphotectonic evolution of the region, defining the role played by the main tectonic alignments on the present geomorphic setting.

Mapping Precipitation Patterns from the Stable Isotopic Composition of Surface Waters: Olympic Peninsula, Washington State

Science.gov (United States)

Anders, A. M.; Brandon, M. T.

2008-12-01

Available data indicate that large and persistent precipitation gradients are tied to topography at scales down to a few kilometers, but precipitation patterns in the majority of mountain ranges are poorly constrained at scales less than tens of kilometers. A lack of knowledge of precipitation patterns hampers efforts to understand the processes of orographic precipitation and identify the relationships between geomorphic evolution and climate. A new method for mapping precipitation using the stable isotopic composition of surface waters is tested in the Olympic Mountains of Washington State. Measured δD and δ18O of 97 samples of surface water are linearly related and nearly inseparable from the global meteoric water line. A linear orographic precipitation model extended to include in effects of isotopic fractionation via Rayleigh distillation predicts precipitation patterns and isotopic composition of surface water. Seven parameters relating to the climate and isotopic composition of source water are used. A constrained random search identifies the best-fitting parameter set. Confidence intervals for parameter values are defined and precipitation patterns are determined. Average errors for the best-fitting model are 4.8 permil in δD. The difference between the best fitting model and other models within the 95% confidence interval was less than 20%. An independent high-resolution precipitation climatology documents precipitation gradients similar in shape and magnitude to the model derived from surface water isotopic composition. This technique could be extended to other mountain ranges, providing an economical and fast assessment of precipitation patterns requiring minimal field work.

Groundbreaking approach to disaster relief

OpenAIRE

2008-01-01

The humanitarian response to Cyclone Nargis, which struck Myanmar on 2 and 3 May, heralds a fundamentally new approach to relief coordination. As a result, a unique survey showed what really happened to the survivors. Sarah Cumberland reports.

Investigation of Surface Enhanced Coherent Raman Scattering on Nano-patterned Insect Wings

Science.gov (United States)

Ujj, Laszlo; Lawhead, Carlos

2015-03-01

Many insect wings (cicadas, butterflies, mosquitos) poses nano-patterned surface structure. Characterization of surface morphology and chemical composition of insect wings is important to understand the extreme mechanical properties and the biophysical functionalities of the wings. We have measured the image of the membrane of a cicada's wing with the help of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The results confirm the existing periodic structure of the wing measured previously. In order to identify the chemical composition of the wing, we have deposited silver nanoparticles on it and applied Coherent anti-Stokes Raman Spectroscopy to measure the vibrational spectra of the molecules comprising the wing for the first time. The measured spectra are consistent with the original assumption that the wing membrane is composed of protein, wax, and chitin. The results of these studies can be used to measure other nano-patterned surfaces and to make artificial materials in the future. Authors grateful for financial support from the Department of Physics of the College of Sciences Engineering and Health of UWF and the Pall Corporation for SEM imaging.

30 CFR 203.53 - What relief will MMS grant?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What relief will MMS grant? 203.53 Section 203.53 Mineral Resources MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS REVENUE...-Life Leases § 203.53 What relief will MMS grant? (a) If we approve your application and you meet...

Do Aphids Alter Leaf Surface Temperature Patterns During Early Infestation?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Cahon

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Arthropods at the surface of plants live in particular microclimatic conditions that can differ from atmospheric conditions. The temperature of plant leaves can deviate from air temperature, and leaf temperature influences the eco-physiology of small insects. The activity of insects feeding on leaf tissues, may, however, induce changes in leaf surface temperatures, but this effect was only rarely demonstrated. Using thermography analysis of leaf surfaces under controlled environmental conditions, we quantified the impact of presence of apple green aphids on the temperature distribution of apple leaves during early infestation. Aphids induced a slight change in leaf surface temperature patterns after only three days of infestation, mostly due to the effect of aphids on the maximal temperature that can be found at the leaf surface. Aphids may induce stomatal closure, leading to a lower transpiration rate. This effect was local since aphids modified the configuration of the temperature distribution over leaf surfaces. Aphids were positioned at temperatures near the maximal leaf surface temperatures, thus potentially experiencing the thermal changes. The feedback effect of feeding activity by insects on their host plant can be important and should be quantified to better predict the response of phytophagous insects to environmental changes.

Formation of mixed and patterned self-assembled films of alkylphosphonates on commercially pure titanium surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rudzka, Katarzyna; Sanchez Treviño, Alda Y.; Rodríguez-Valverde, Miguel A., E-mail: marodri@ugr.es; Cabrerizo-Vílchez, Miguel A.

2016-12-15

Highlights: • Chemically-tailored titanium surfaces were prepared by self-assembly of alkylphosphonates. • Mixed self-assembled films were prepared with aqueous mixtures of two alkylphosphonates. • Single self-assembled films were altered by laser abrasion. • Mixed and patterned self-assembled films on titanium may guide the bone-like formation. - Abstract: Titanium is extensively employed in biomedical devices, in particular as implant. The self-assembly of alkylphosphonates on titanium surfaces enable the specific adsorption of biomolecules to adapt the implant response against external stimuli. In this work, chemically-tailored cpTi surfaces were prepared by self-assembly of alkylphosphonate molecules. By bringing together attributes of two grafting molecules, aqueous mixtures of two alkylphosphonates were used to obtain mixed self-assembled films. Single self-assembled films were also altered by laser abrasion to produce chemically patterned cpTi surfaces. Both mixed and patterned self-assembled films were confirmed by AFM, ESEM and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Water contact angle measurements also revealed the composition of the self-assembly films. Chemical functionalization with two grafting phosphonate molecules and laser surface engineering may be combined to guide the bone-like formation on cpTi, and the future biological response in the host.

Nano-scale patterning on sulfur terminated GaAs (0 0 1) surface by scanning tunneling microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yagishita, Yuki; Toda, Yusuke; Hirai, Masakazu; Fujishiro, Hiroki Inomata

2004-01-01

We perform nano-scale patterning on a sulfur (S) terminated GaAs (0 0 1) surface by a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) in ultra-high vacuum (UHV). A multi-layer of S deposited by using (NH 4 ) 2 S x solution is changed to a mono-layer after annealing at 560 deg. C for 15 h, which terminates the GaAs (0 0 1) surface. Groove structures with about 0.23 nm in depth and about 5 nm in width are patterned successfully on the S-terminated surface. We investigate dependences of both depth and width of the patterned groove on the tunneling current and the scanning speed of tip. It is observed that topmost S atoms are extracted together with first-layer Ga atoms, because of the larger binding energy of S-Ga bond

Adhesive Stretchable Printed Conductive Thin Film Patterns on PDMS Surface with an Atmospheric Plasma Treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chun-Yi; Liao, Ying-Chih

2016-05-11

In this study, a plasma surface modification with printing process was developed to fabricate printed flexible conductor patterns or devices directly on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surface. An atmospheric plasma treatment was first used to oxidize the PDMS surface and create a hydrophilic silica surface layer, which was confirmed with photoelectron spectra. The plasma operating parameters, such as gas types and plasma powers, were optimized to obtain surface silica layers with the longest lifetime. Conductive paste with epoxy resin was screen-printed on the plasma-treated PDMS surface to fabricate flexible conductive tracks. As a result of the strong binding forces between epoxy resin and the silica surface layer, the printed patterns showed great adhesion on PDMS and were undamaged after several stringent adhesion tests. The printed conductive tracks showed strong mechanical stability and exhibited great electric conductivity under bending, twisting, and stretching conditions. Finally, a printed pressure sensor with good sensitivity and a fast response time was fabricated to demonstrate the capability of this method for the realization of printed electronic devices.

RELIEF JENIS-JENIS FAUNA DAN SETTING LINGKUNGANNYA PADA PAHATAN DINDING CANDI BOROBUDUR (Fauna and Environmental Setting Reliefs on Sculptured Wall of the Borobudur Temple

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bambang Agus Suripto

2001-04-01

Full Text Available ABSTRAK Dalam perkembangan kebudayaannya, manusia selalu akrab dengan fauna yang hidup di sekitar lingkungannya. Pada dinding gua yang pernah dihuni oleh manusia, bangunan candi, piramid, sphinx dsb. dijumpai gambaran tentang fauna. Pada dinding Candi Borobudur banyak dijumpai relief berbagai kelompok fauna tetapi belum diketahui apakah fauna itu semuanya berasal dari India atau terdapat pula kelompok yang ada atau pernah ada di Pulau Jawa. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui relief jenis-jenis fauna yang dipahat pada dinding candi Borobudur, dan mengetahui asal-usul jenis yang tergarnbar pada relief itu dari Pulau Jawa atau dari India. Informasi itu diharapkan dapat diungkapkan ada tidaknya gambaran setting lingkungan Pulau Jawa tercermin pada pahatan di dinding Candi itu. Relief fauna pada pahatan dinding langkan, dinding utama bagian atas-bawah di tingkatan Rupadhatu dipotret dan nama kelompok fauna diindentifikasi dengan buku-buku kunci identifikasi bergambar, kemudian penyebaran alami masing-masing kelompok fauna diketahui melalui kajian pustaka. Data yang diperoleh dianalisis secara deskriptif untuk mengungkap ada atau tidaknya gambaran setting lingkungan Pulau Jawa yang tercermin pada pahatan di dinding Candi Borsbudur. Pada dinding Candi Borobudur terdapat relief paling sedikit 25 jenis anggota Osteichthyes, Reptilia, Aves dan Mammalia yang dipahat secara natural, dan terdapat paling sedikit 5 jenis hewan yang dipahat secara setilir. Semua jenis fauna itu terdapat di Asia Selatan, dan beberapa di anlaranya secara alami tidak pernah hidup di Pulau Jawa, misalnya singa Pantera leo. Setting lingkungan India Abad VII tervisualisasi dengan baik pada relief pahatan dinding Candi Borobudur, tetapi setting lingkungan Pulau Jawa sampai sebelum masa penjajahan Belanda tidak tergambar dengan baik.   ABSTRACT In the cource of culture development, human was always close to fauna in their surrounding areas. Pictures of fauna are found in

Plasmonic detection and visualization of directed adsorption of charged single nanoparticles to patterned surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scherbahn, Vitali; Nizamov, Shavkat; Mirsky, Vladimir M.

2016-01-01

It has recently been shown that surface plasmon microscopy (SPM) allows single nanoparticles (NPs) on sensor surfaces to be detected and analyzed. The authors have applied this technique to study the adsorption of single metallic and plastic NPs. Binding of gold NPs (40, 60 and 100 nm in size) and of 100 nm polystyrene NPs to gold surfaces modified by differently ω-functionalized alkyl thiols was studied first. Self-assembled monolayers (SAM) with varying terminal functions including amino, carboxy, oligo(ethylene glycol), methyl, or trimethylammonium groups were deposited on gold films to form surfaces possessing different charge and hydrophobicity. The affinity of NPs to these surfaces depends strongly on the type of coating. SAMs terminated with trimethylammonium groups and carboxy group display highly different affinity and therefore were preferred when creating patterned charged surfaces. Citrate-stabilized gold NPs and sulfate-terminated polystyrene NPs were used as negatively charged NPs, while branched polyethylenimine-coated silver NPs were used as positively charged NPs. It is shown that the charged patterned areas on the gold films are capable of selectively adsorbing oppositely charged NPs that can be detected and analyzed with an ∼1 ng⋅mL −1 detection limit. (author)

Terrestrial Ecosystems - Land Surface Forms of the Conterminous United States

Science.gov (United States)

Cress, Jill J.; Sayre, Roger G.; Comer, Patrick; Warner, Harumi

2009-01-01

As part of an effort to map terrestrial ecosystems, the U.S. Geological Survey has generated land surface form classes to be used in creating maps depicting standardized, terrestrial ecosystem models for the conterminous United States, using an ecosystems classification developed by NatureServe . A biophysical stratification approach, developed for South America and now being implemented globally, was used to model the ecosystem distributions. Since land surface forms strongly influence the differentiation and distribution of terrestrial ecosystems, they are one of the key input layers in this biophysical stratification. After extensive investigation into various land surface form mapping methodologies, the decision was made to use the methodology developed by the Missouri Resource Assessment Partnership (MoRAP). MoRAP made modifications to Hammond's land surface form classification, which allowed the use of 30-meter source data and a 1-km2 window for analyzing the data cell and its surrounding cells (neighborhood analysis). While Hammond's methodology was based on three topographic variables, slope, local relief, and profile type, MoRAP's methodology uses only slope and local relief. Using the MoRAP method, slope is classified as gently sloping when more than 50 percent of the area in a 1-km2 neighborhood has slope less than 8 percent, otherwise the area is considered moderately sloping. Local relief, which is the difference between the maximum and minimum elevation in a neighborhood, is classified into five groups: 0-15 m, 16-30 m, 31-90 m, 91-150 m, and >150 m. The land surface form classes are derived by combining slope and local relief to create eight landform classes: flat plains (gently sloping and local relief = 90 m), low hills (not gently sloping and local relief = 150 m). However, in the USGS application of the MoRAP methodology, an additional local relief group was used (> 400 m) to capture additional local topographic variation. As a result, low

Analysis of residual stress relief mechanisms in post-weld heat treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong, Pingsha; Song, Shaopin; Zhang, Jinmiao

2014-01-01

This paper presents a recent study on weld residual stress relief mechanisms associated with furnace-based uniform post-weld heat treatment (PWHT). Both finite element and analytical methods are used to quantitatively examine how plastic deformation and creep relaxation contribute to residual stress relief process at different stages of PWHT process. The key contribution of this work to an improved understanding of furnace based uniform PWHT can be summarized as follows: (1)Plastic deformation induced stress relief during PWHT can be analytically expressed by the change in material elastic deformation capacity (or elastic deformation limit) measured in terms of material yield strength to Young's modulus ratio, which has a rather limited role in overall residual stress relief during furnace based uniform PWHT. (2)The most dominant stress relief mechanism is creep strain induced stress relaxation, as expected. However, a rapid creep strain development accompanied by a rapid residual stress reduction during heating stage before reaching PWHT temperature is shown to contribute to most of the stress relief seen in overall PWHT process, suggesting PWHT hold time can be significantly reduced as far as residual stress relief is concerned. (3)A simple engineering scheme for estimating residual stress reduction is proposed based on this study by relating material type, PWHT temperature, and component wall thickness. - Highlights: • The paper clarified effects of plastic deformation and creep relaxation on weld residual stress relief during uniform PWHT. • Creep strain development is far more important than plastic strain, mostly completed even before hold time starts. • Plastic strain development is insignificant and be analytically described by a material elastic deformation capacity parameter. • An engineering estimation scheme is proposed for determining residual stress reduction resulted from furnace based PWHT

Methane evasion and oxidation in the Big Cypress National Preserve—a low relief carbonate wetland

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, N. D.; Bianchi, T. S.; Cohen, M. J.; Martin, J. B.; Quintero, C.; Brown, A.; Osborne, T.; Sawakuchi, H. O.

2016-12-01

The Big Cypress National Preserve is a low relief carbonate wetland characterized by unique basin patterning known as "cypress domes." Here we examine the concentration and stable isotopic composition of methane in pore waters, surface waters, and bubbles from the sediment across horizontal gradients in four domes during three sampling campaigns. The proportion of methane oxidized in surface waters was estimated based on isotopic differences between surface water and pore waters/bubbles. Rates of methane evasion from surface waters, soils, and cypress knees to the atmosphere were also measured. Surface water CH4 concentrations ranged from 170 to 4,533 ppm with the highest levels generally being observed during wet periods. Pore water CH4 concentrations ranged from 748 to 75,213 ppm. The concentration of methane in bubbles ranged from 6.5 to 71%. The stable isotopic composition of CH4 ranged from -69.2 to -43.8‰ for all samples and was generally more enriched in surface waters compared to bubbles and porewaters, particularly in the two domes that were persistently inundated throughout the year. Based on these isotopic values, the average percentage of surface water CH4 that was oxidized was 37 ± 16% (maximum of 67%) and 19 ± 4% (maximum of 47%) in the two domes that are persistently inundated versus the two domes that are not inundated during the dry season, respectively. The average rate of CH4 evasion was 3.6 ± 1.6 mmol m-2 d-1 via diffusion, 7.6 ± 4.7 mmol m-2 d-1 via ebullition, 10.9 ± 11.4 mmol m-2 d-1­ from soil surfaces, and 34.3 ± 27.4 mmol m-2 d-1 from cypress knees. These results indicate that CH4 is produced in great quantities in inundated sediments, particularly in the center of the cypress domes. Diffusive fluxes from surface waters are suppressed by microbial oxidation in the water column, whereas ebullition from sediments and evasion through cypress knees, and likely other vascular vegetation, are the primary pathways for CH4 outgassing.

Music for pain relief.

Science.gov (United States)

Cepeda, M S; Carr, D B; Lau, J; Alvarez, H

2006-04-19

The efficacy of music for the treatment of pain has not been established. To evaluate the effect of music on acute, chronic or cancer pain intensity, pain relief, and analgesic requirements. We searched The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, LILACS and the references in retrieved manuscripts. There was no language restriction. We included randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effect of music on any type of pain in children or adults. We excluded trials that reported results of concurrent non-pharmacological therapies. Data was extracted by two independent review authors. We calculated the mean difference in pain intensity levels, percentage of patients with at least 50% pain relief, and opioid requirements. We converted opioid consumption to morphine equivalents. To explore heterogeneity, studies that evaluated adults, children, acute, chronic, malignant, labor, procedural, or experimental pain were evaluated separately, as well as those studies in which patients chose the type of music. Fifty-one studies involving 1867 subjects exposed to music and 1796 controls met inclusion criteria. In the 31 studies evaluating mean pain intensity there was a considerable variation in the effect of music, indicating statistical heterogeneity ( I(2) = 85.3%). After grouping the studies according to the pain model, this heterogeneity remained, with the exception of the studies that evaluated acute postoperative pain. In this last group, patients exposed to music had pain intensity that was 0.5 units lower on a zero to ten scale than unexposed subjects (95% CI: -0.9 to -0.2). Studies that permitted patients to select the music did not reveal a benefit from music; the decline in pain intensity was 0.2 units, 95% CI (-0.7 to 0.2). Four studies reported the proportion of subjects with at least 50% pain relief; subjects exposed to music had a 70% higher likelihood of having pain relief than unexposed subjects (95% CI: 1.21 to 2.37). NNT = 5 (95% CI: 4 to 13). Three

Experiences from tsunami relief activity: implications for medical education.

Science.gov (United States)

Balasubramaniam, Sudharsanam Manni; Mohan, Yogesh; Roy, Gautam

2012-01-01

A tsunami struck the coast of Tamilnadu and Pondicherry on 26 December 2004. Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research, (JIPMER) in Pondicherry played a vital role in providing medical relief. The experiences from the relief activities revealed areas of deficiency in medical education in regards to disaster preparedness. A qualitative study using focus group discussion was employed to find the lacunae in skills in managing medical relief measures. Many skills were identified; the most important of which was addressing the psychological impact of the tsunami on the victims. Limited coordination and leadership skills were also identified. It is recommended that activity-based learning can be included in the curriculum to improve these skills.

Patient expectations predict greater pain relief with joint arthroplasty.

Science.gov (United States)

Gandhi, Rajiv; Davey, John Roderick; Mahomed, Nizar

2009-08-01

We examined the relationship between patient expectations of total joint arthroplasty and functional outcomes. We surveyed 1799 patients undergoing primary hip or knee arthroplasty for demographic data and Western Ontario McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index scores at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year of follow-up. Patient expectations were determined with 3 survey questions. The patients with the greatest expectations of surgery were younger, male, and had a lower body mass index. Linear regression modeling showed that a greater expectation of pain relief with surgery independently predicted greater reported pain relief at 1 year of follow-up, adjusted for all relevant covariates (P relief after joint arthroplasty is an important predictor of outcomes at 1 year.

Mechanical Designs for Relief Valves for Cryogenic Apparatuses and Installations

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2016-01-01

There are also pressure relief valves with warm seat available on which the set pressure is based on an adjustment of forces by permanent magnets. Pressure vessel rules allows also the choice for an active triggered pressure relief valve (Cont...

Pictorial relief for equiluminant images

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Doorn, A.J.; De Ridder, H.; Koenderink, J.J.

2005-01-01

Pictorial relief depends strongly on “cues” in the image. For isoluminant renderings some cues are missing, namely all information that is related to luminance contrast (e.g., shading, atmospheric perspective). It has been suggested that spatial discrimination and especially pictorial space suffer

Manipulation of fluids in three-dimensional porous photonic structures with patterned surface properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aizenberg, Joanna; Burgess, Ian; Mishchenko, Lidiya; Hatton, Benjamin; Loncar, Marko

2017-12-26

A three-dimensional porous photonic structure, whose internal pore surfaces can be provided with desired surface properties in a spatially selective manner with arbitrary patterns, and methods for making the same are described. When exposed to a fluid (e.g., via immersion or wicking), the fluid can selectively penetrate the regions of the structure with compatible surface properties. Broad applications, for example in security, encryption and document authentication, as well as in areas such as simple microfluidics and diagnostics, are anticipated.

Interspecific scaling patterns of talar articular surfaces within primates and their closest living relatives

Science.gov (United States)

Yapuncich, Gabriel S; Boyer, Doug M

2014-01-01

The articular facets of interosseous joints must transmit forces while maintaining relatively low stresses. To prevent overloading, joints that transmit higher forces should therefore have larger facet areas. The relative contributions of body mass and muscle-induced forces to joint stress are unclear, but generate opposing hypotheses. If mass-induced forces dominate, facet area should scale with positive allometry to body mass. Alternatively, muscle-induced forces should cause facets to scale isometrically with body mass. Within primates, both scaling patterns have been reported for articular surfaces of the femoral and humeral heads, but more distal elements are less well studied. Additionally, examination of complex articular surfaces has largely been limited to linear measurements, so that ‘true area' remains poorly assessed. To re-assess these scaling relationships, we examine the relationship between body size and articular surface areas of the talus. Area measurements were taken from microCT scan-generated surfaces of all talar facets from a comprehensive sample of extant euarchontan taxa (primates, treeshrews, and colugos). Log-transformed data were regressed on literature-derived log-body mass using reduced major axis and phylogenetic least squares regressions. We examine the scaling patterns of muscle mass and physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA) to body mass, as these relationships may complicate each model. Finally, we examine the scaling pattern of hindlimb muscle PCSA to talar articular surface area, a direct test of the effect of mass-induced forces on joint surfaces. Among most groups, there is an overall trend toward positive allometry for articular surfaces. The ectal (= posterior calcaneal) facet scales with positive allometry among all groups except ‘sundatherians', strepsirrhines, galagids, and lorisids. The medial tibial facet scales isometrically among all groups except lemuroids. Scaling coefficients are not correlated with sample

Service Learning Through Disaster Relief

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Donna J. Duerst

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The Rock County 4-H Disaster Relief Committee raised $1,550 to aid tsunami victims in Sri Lanka and then turned its attention to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Thirty-one 4-H youth participated in a service learning trip to the South with the objectives of helping hurricane victims, learning about new cultures and achieving personal growth during three days of service projects in Louisiana and Mississippi. Their written reflections and other evaluative measures revealed they learned about southern culture, gained a greater appreciation for their lives, gained self confidence and developed a desire to help others more often. The trip was a valuable developmental experience for the youth, and information from the trip could be utilized to create similar experiences based on service learning. This article provides an overview of the trip and describes the evaluation methods used to measure learning and assess personal growth.

Rapid photochemical surface patterning of proteins in thiol-ene based microfluidic devices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lafleur, Josiane P.; Kwapiszewski, Radoslaw; Jensen, Thomas Glasdam

2013-01-01

! 17 SH nm"2. Biotin alkyne was patterned directly inside thiol–ene microchannels prior to conjugation with fluorescently labelled streptavidin. The surface bound conjugates were detected by evanescent waveinduced fluorescence (EWIF), demonstrating the success of the grafting procedure and its...

UV Direct Laser Interference Patterning of polyurethane substrates as tool for tuning its surface wettability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Estevam-Alves, Regina [Instituto de Física de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, 13560-970 São Carlos (Brazil); Günther, Denise; Dani, Sophie; Eckhardt, Sebastian; Roch, Teja [Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS, Winterbergstr. 28, Dresden 01277 (Germany); Chair for Large Area Laser Based Surface Micro/Nano-Structuring, Institute for Manufacturing Technology, Technische Universität Dresden, George-Bähr-Str. 3c, 01069 Dresden (Germany); Mendonca, Cleber R., E-mail: crmendon@ifsc.usp.br [Instituto de Física de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, 13560-970 São Carlos (Brazil); Cestari, Ismar N. [Heart Institute (InCOr), University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo 05403-000 (Brazil); Lasagni, Andrés F., E-mail: andres_fabian.lasagni@tu-dresden.de [Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS, Winterbergstr. 28, Dresden 01277 (Germany); Chair for Large Area Laser Based Surface Micro/Nano-Structuring, Institute for Manufacturing Technology, Technische Universität Dresden, George-Bähr-Str. 3c, 01069 Dresden (Germany)

2016-06-30

Highlights: • First reported experiments on Direct Laser Interference Patterning of polyurethane. • First reported sub-micrometer structures (feature size ∼250 nm) fabricated in polyurethane materials using laser processing technologies. • Anisotropic wetting behavior of structured surfaces and possibility to tune the contact angle as function of surface structure parameters. - Abstract: Direct Laser Interference Patterning (DLIP) is a versatile tool for the fabrication of micro and sub-micropatterns on different materials. In this work, DLIP was used to produce periodic surface structures on polyurethane (PU) substrates with spatial periods ranging from 0.5 to 5.0 μm. The influence of the laser energy density on the quality and topographical characteristics of the produced micropatterns was investigated. To characterize the surface topography of the produced structures, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Confocal Microscopy (CFM) were utilized. It was found that high quality and defect free periodic line-like patterns with spatial periods down to 500 nm could be fabricated, with structure depths between 0.88 up to 1.25 μm for spatial periods larger than 2.0 μm and up to 270 nm for spatial periods between 500 nm and 1.0 μm. Measurements of the contact angle of water on the treated surface allowed to identify an anisotropic wetting behavior depending mainly on the spatial period and filling factor of the structured surfaces.

Optimization for sinusoidal profiles in surface relief gratings ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2014-02-07

Feb 7, 2014 ... filometry [7–9] and monitoring of surface self-diffusion of solids under ultrahigh vacuum conditions [10]. In the present work, recording parameters, i.e. exposure time and deve- lopment time for fabrication of such holographic gratings have been optimized to obtain nearly perfect sinusoidal profiles in the ...

A facial approach combining photosensitive sol–gel with self-assembly method to fabricate superhydrophobic TiO{sub 2} films with patterned surface structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duan, Zongfan, E-mail: duanzf@xaut.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048 (China); Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Electrical Materials and Infiltration Technology, Xi’an 710048 (China); Zhao, Zhen; Luo, Dan; Zhao, Maiqun [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048 (China); Zhao, Gaoyang, E-mail: Zhaogy@xaut.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048 (China); Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Electrical Materials and Infiltration Technology, Xi’an 710048 (China)

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Patterned TiO{sub 2} films were prepared by photosensitive sol–gel method. • Surface had quasi micro-lens array structure, leading to superhydrophobicity. • The surface with the lowest period exhibited the highest contact angel of 163°. • UV irradiation induced the conversion to superhydrophilicity. - Abstract: Superhydrophobic TiO{sub 2} films with micro-patterned surface structure was prepared through a facial approach combining photosensitive sol–gel method with following surface modification by 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltrichlorosilane (PFOTCS). The patterned surface possessed quasi micro-lens array structure resembling processus mastoideus of lotus, leading to excellent hydrophobicity. The relationship between hydrophobic performance and the period of the micro-patterned TiO{sub 2} surface was investigated. The water contact angles (CAs) of micro-patterned TiO{sub 2} surface increased with the decrease of the periods, and the patterned surface with the lowest period of 0.83 μm showed the highest CA of 163°. It suggests that this approach would offer an advantage to control the wettability properties of superhydrophobic surfaces by adjusting the fine pattern structure. Furthermore, the superhydrophobic state could be converted to the state of superhydrophilicity under ultraviolet (UV) illumination as a result of the photocatalytic decomposition of the PFOTCS monolayer on the micro-patterned TiO{sub 2} Surface.

Selective appearance of several laser-induced periodic surface structure patterns on a metal surface using structural colors produced by femtosecond laser pulses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yao Jianwu; Zhang Chengyun; Liu Haiying; Dai Qiaofeng; Wu Lijun [Laboratory of Photonic Information Technology, School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Lan, Sheng, E-mail: slan@scnu.edu.cn [Laboratory of Photonic Information Technology, School of Information and Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Gopal, Achanta Venu [Department of Condensed Matter Physics and Material Science, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai 400005 (India); Trofimov, Vyacheslav A.; Lysak, Tatiana M. [Department of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119992 (Russian Federation)

2012-07-15

Ripples with a subwavelength period were induced on the surface of a stainless steel (301 L) foil by femtosecond laser pulses. By optimizing the irradiation fluence of the laser pulses and the scanning speed of the laser beam, ripples with large amplitude ({approx}150 nm) and uniform period could be obtained, rendering vivid structural colors when illuminating the surface with white light. It indicates that these ripples act as a surface grating that diffracts light efficiently. The strong dependence of the ripple orientation on the polarization of laser light offers us the opportunity of decorating different regions of the surface with different types of ripples. As a result, different patterns can be selectively displayed with structural color when white light is irradiated on the surface from different directions. More interestingly, we demonstrated the possibility of decorating the same region with two or more types of ripples with different orientations. In this way, different patterns with spatial overlapping can be selectively displayed with structural color. This technique may find applications in the fields of anti-counterfeiting, color display, decoration, encryption and optical data storage.

Multinarasi Relief Yeh Pulu Basis Penciptaan Seni Lukis Kontemporer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I Wayan Adnyana

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Kajian ini merupakan skema penelitian terapan, yang bertujuan untuk mengungkap konsep multinarasi relief Yeh Pulu, Bedulu, Gianyar, Bali, sebagai basis penciptaan seni lukis kontemporer. Secara metodologis penelitian ini dilakukan dalam dua tahapan: penelitian lapangan (kajian atas narasi relief berdasar perspektif ikonologi Panofsky (1971, dan berikutnya penelitian eksperimen terkait penciptaan seni lukis kontemporer berdasar perspektif ‘art practice as a research’ (Sullivan, 2005 yang menunjuk pada tiga tahapan: eksperimen medium, bahasa visual, dan penyusunan konteks yang relevan. Berdasar kajian ikonologi, terutama tahap analisis ikonografi, ditemukan bahwa narasi relief Yeh Pulu bersifat multinarasi, yakni pahatan relief yang memiliki beragam jenis tema cerita, seperti praktik pertanian, berburu, meditasi, pesta, asmara, dan lain-lain. Kemudian konsep multinarasi dalam penciptaan seni lukis kontemporer, menjadi: (a secara medium menggunakan multiteknik dan medium; (b bahasa visual, menghadirkan berbagai adegan secara berulang, terpadu dan bahkan terkesan saling berlawanan; (c konteks yang relevan, dengan memasukan ikon tokok-toko pahlawan dunia pop, seperti superman, superwomen, dan lain-lain. Secara ikonologis, bangunan visual yang mempertemukan adegan multinarasi relief Yeh Pulu dengan narasi kepahlawanan dunia pop, menjadi semakin menguatkan konsep multinarasi dalam membangun pesan kepahlawanan dunia sehari-hari dalam karya seni lukis kontemporer semakin berhasil. Penelitian ini melibatkan: Anak Agung Rai Remawa (pengumpul data, dan  Ni Luh Desi In Diana Sari (fotografi dan layout. This paper serves as an applied research scheme which aims to reveal the concept of multiple narratives of Yeh Pulu Relief, located in Bedulu, Bali, as the basis for the creation of contemporary painting. Methodologically speaking, this study was conducted in two stages: a field research (a field study on the relief narratives based on Panofsky�

Donation to disaster relief campaigns: underlying social cognitive factors exposed

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oosterhof, Liesbeth; Heuvelman, A.; Peters, O.

2009-01-01

number of very serious natural disasters have put an enormous pressure on relief organizations in the last few years. The present study exposes underlying social cognitive factors for donation to relief campaigns. A causal model was constructed, based on social cognitive theory, research on

Fabrication of Biomolecule Microarrays Using Rapid Photochemical Surface Patterning in Thiol-Ene-Based Microfluidic Devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Jönsson, Alexander; Lafleur, Josiane P

2018-01-01

In many biochip applications, it is advantageous to be able to immobilize biomolecules at specific locations on the surface of solid supports. In this protocol, we describe a photochemical surface patterning procedure based on thiol-ene/yne photochemistry which allows for the simple and rapid selective patterning of biomolecules on thiol-ene solid supports. We describe the preparation of solid supports which are required for the immobilization, including porous monoliths, as well as two different immobilization schemes based on biotin-streptavidin interactions and covalent linkage via free amino groups respectively.

Ultrasonic evaluation of heat treatment for stress relief in steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bittencourt, Marcelo de S.Q.; Lamy, Carlos A.; Goncalves Filho, Orlando J.A.; Payao Filho, Joao da C.

2000-01-01

Residual stresses in materials arise due to the manufacturing processes. As a consequence, in the nuclear area some components must suffer a stress relief treatment according to strict criteria. Although these treatments are carefully carried on, concern with nuclear safety is constantly growing. This work proposes a nondestructive ultrasonic method to guarantee the efficiency of the heat treatment. It was used a short peened steel plate with tensile and compressive stresses which was submitted to a stress relief treatment. The results show that the proposed ultrasonic method could be used to confirm the efficiency of the stress relief heat treatment. (author)

Environmental relief effects through nanotechnological processes and products; Entlastungseffekte fuer die Umwelt durch nanotechnische Verfahren und Produkte

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Steinfeldt, Michael; Gleich, Armin von [Bremen Univ. (Germany). Fachgebiet Technikgestaltung und Technologieentwicklung, FB Produktionstechnik; Petschow, Ulrich; Pade, Christian; Sprenger, Rolf-Ulrich [Institut fuer oekologische Wirtschaftsforschung gGmbH, Berlin (Germany). FB Umweltoekonomie und -politik

2010-06-15

The top priority of the research project ''Environmental Relief Effects through Nanotechnological Processes and Products'' was to identify and quantify, to the extent possible and by means of selected examples, the environmental and sustainability opportunities and risks associated with this rapidly developing line of technology. Environmental relief potentials are understood here to include not only environmental engineering in the narrower sense (end-of-pipe technologies), but also and specifically process, production, and product-integrated environmental protection. The project consisted of four stages: 1. Analysis of products and processes already on the market or soon to be made available and application 2. Examination and initial qualitative assessment of each of the products and processes with respect to its potential for environmental relief (or burden, as the case may be) 3. In-depth life cycle analysis and assessment of four selected processes or products as compared to conventional processes or products (Manufacture of solderable surface finishes on printed circuit boards, MW carbon nanotube application for foils in the semiconductor industry, Lithium batteries for energy, storage, Ultradur {sup registered} High Speed plastic) 4. An appraisal of nanotechnology employment effects. (orig.)

Surface modeling method for aircraft engine blades by using speckle patterns based on the virtual stereo vision system

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Zhijing; Ma, Kai; Wang, Zhijun; Wu, Jun; Wang, Tao; Zhuge, Jingchang

2018-03-01

A blade is one of the most important components of an aircraft engine. Due to its high manufacturing costs, it is indispensable to come up with methods for repairing damaged blades. In order to obtain a surface model of the blades, this paper proposes a modeling method by using speckle patterns based on the virtual stereo vision system. Firstly, blades are sprayed evenly creating random speckle patterns and point clouds from blade surfaces can be calculated by using speckle patterns based on the virtual stereo vision system. Secondly, boundary points are obtained in the way of varied step lengths according to curvature and are fitted to get a blade surface envelope with a cubic B-spline curve. Finally, the surface model of blades is established with the envelope curves and the point clouds. Experimental results show that the surface model of aircraft engine blades is fair and accurate.

A novel and effective acupuncture modality as a complementary therapy to acute pain relief in inpatients with rib fractures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hsin-Yi Ho

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Pain control has been emphasized as a priority for both practitioners and inpatients with rib fractures, since analgesia could only offer limited relief from severe pain. A prospective and randomized controlled trial was conducted to analyze the efficacy and efficiency of acupuncture in acute pain relief for inpatients with rib fractures. Methods: A total of 58 inpatients were recruited and allocated to two groups, receiving identical doses of conventional oral analgesics as well as filiform needles as treatment and thumbtack intradermal (TI needles placed upon the skin surface as a control, respectively, via novel acupuncture modality once daily for three consecutive days. The effect of pain relief was evaluated during activities that induce pain, and sustained maximal inspiration (SMI lung volumes and sleep quality were assessed. Results: The patients treated with filiform needles had more effective pain relief than those in the TI needle group during deep breathing, coughing, and turning over the body (p < 0.05, and the effect persisted for at least 6 h in most patients. Sustained maximal inspiration lung volumes and sleep quality did not show improvement through every acupuncture intervention, and they could not respond accurately to pain relief via acupuncture. Conclusion: The active evaluation could provide a more adaptive model for assessing pain intensity due to rib fractures. This novel acupuncture modality in which the needle insertion sites are corresponding to the pain spots can be a safe and viable therapy for relieving pain in inpatients with rib fractures.

Standing-up exerciser based on functional electrical stimulation and body weight relief.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrarin, M; Pavan, E E; Spadone, R; Cardini, R; Frigo, C

2002-05-01

The goal of the present work was to develop and test an innovative system for the training of paraplegic patients when they are standing up. The system consisted of a computer-controlled stimulator, surface electrodes for quadricep muscle stimulation, two knee angle sensors, a digital proportional-integrative-derivative (PID) controller and a mechanical device to support, partially, the body weight (weight reliever (WR)). A biomechanical model of the combined WR and patient was developed to find an optimum reference trajectory for the PID controller. The system was tested on three paraplegic patients and was shown to be reliable and safe. One patient completed a 30-session training period. Initially he was able to stand up only with 62% body weight relief, whereas, after the training period, he performed a series of 30 standing-up/sitting-down cycles with 45% body weight relief. The closed-loop controller was able to keep the patient standing upright with minimum stimulation current, to compensate automatically for muscle fatigue and to smooth the sitting-down movement. The limitations of the controller in connection with a highly non-linear system are considered.

19 CFR 210.69 - Approval of complainant's temporary relief bond.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Approval of complainant's temporary relief bond. 210.69 Section 210.69 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION INVESTIGATIONS OF UNFAIR PRACTICES IN IMPORT TRADE ADJUDICATION AND ENFORCEMENT Temporary Relief § 210.69 Approval of...

Modeling the onset and offset of dental pain relief by ibuprofen.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hanbin; Mandema, Jaap; Wada, Russell; Jayawardena, Shyamalie; Desjardins, Paul; Doyle, Geraldine; Kellstein, David

2012-01-01

Onset and offset of dental pain relief by ibuprofen following third molar extraction were modeled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, 8-hour study of patients receiving either a novel effervescent ibuprofen tablet (400 mg; N = 30), standard ibuprofen tablets (Nurofen(®) 2 × 200 mg; N = 22), or placebo (N = 37). An Emax model was fit to pain relief scores. Linear hazard models were used to analyze the time to first perceptible relief (TFPR), the time to meaningful pain relief (TMPR), and time to remedication (REMD). Nomograms were created to correlate TFPR, TMPR, and REMD with different ibuprofen pharmacokinetic profiles. Effervescent ibuprofen was absorbed rapidly with 95% completion within 15 minutes. Maximum pain relief score by ibuprofen was 1.8 units greater than placebo, with an EC50 (effect-site) for ibuprofen concentration of 10.2 µg·mL(-1). The likelihood to achieve TFPR and TMPR was doubled for every 10 µg·mL(-1) increase in ibuprofen plasma concentration. REMD risk decreased 40-fold as the categorical pain relief score increased from 0 to 3. Rapid absorption of ibuprofen effervescent resulted in an earlier TFPR and TMPR, and a lower REMD rate than standard ibuprofen. The nomograms may be useful in predicting the onset and offset of new faster acting ibuprofen formulations, based on pharmacokinetic profiles.

Estimation of Erosion Dissection of North-Eastern Caucasus Relief for Recreational Land Use

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zagir V. Ataev

2012-02-01

Full Text Available The digital model of the relief (DMR of North-East Caucasus relief was used for an estimation of an erosive partition of territory. The card of usages of erosive forms and density of an erosive partition of a relief was made on basis of GIS-technology. The analysis of these parameters has allowed to estimate the potential of a relief of studied territory for such kinds of touristic and recreational activity, as foot and a cycle tourism

Lake Bathymetric DEM Shaded Relief Image

Data.gov (United States)

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources — Geo-referenced, shaded relief image of lake bathymetry classified at 5-foot depth intervals. This dataset has a cell resolution of 5 meters (occasionally 10m) as...

38 CFR 4.86 - Exceptional patterns of hearing impairment.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... hearing impairment. 4.86 Section 4.86 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS SCHEDULE FOR RATING DISABILITIES Disability Ratings Impairment of Auditory Acuity § 4.86 Exceptional patterns of hearing impairment. (a) When the puretone threshold at each of the four specified...

Asthma Patients in US Overuse Quick-Relief Inhalers, Underuse Control Medications

Science.gov (United States)

... quick-relief inhalers, underuse control medications Share | Asthma patients in US overuse quick-relief inhalers, underuse control ... and uncontrolled asthma result in poor health outcomes. Patients with well-controlled asthma are at lower risk ...

Predesigned surface patterns and topological defects control the active matter.

Science.gov (United States)

Turiv, Taras; Peng, Chenhui; Guo, Yubing; Wei, Qi-Huo; Lavrentovich, Oleg

Active matter exhibits remarkable patterns of never-ending dynamics with giant fluctuations of concentration, varying order, nucleating and annihilating topological defects. These patterns can be seen in active systems of both biological and artificial origin. A fundamental question is whether and how one can control this chaotic out-of-equilibrium behavior. We demonstrate a robust control of local concentration, trajectories of active self-propelled units and the net flows of active bacteria Bacillus Substilis by imposing pre-designed surface patterns of orientational order in a water-based lyotropic chromonic liquid crystal. The patterns force the bacteria to gather into dynamic swarms with spatially modulated concentration and well-defined polarity of motion. Topological defects produce net motion of bacteria with a unidirectional circulation, while pairs of defects induce a pumping action. The qualitative features of the dynamics can be explained by interplay of curvature and activity, in particular, by ability of mixed splay-bend curvatures to generate threshold-less active flows. The demonstrated level of control opens opportunities in engineering materials and devices that mimic rich functionality of living systems. This work was supported by NSF Grants DMR-1507637, DMS-1434185, CMMI-1436565, by the Petroleum Research Grant PRF# 56046-ND7 administered by the American Chemical Society.

San Andreas Fault, Southern California, Shaded relief, wrapped color as height

Science.gov (United States)

2000-01-01

This topographic image vividly displays California's famous San Andreas Fault along the southwestern edge of the Mojave Desert, 75 kilometers (46 miles) north of downtown Los Angeles. The entire segment of the fault shown in this image last ruptured during the Fort Tejon earthquake of 1857. This was one of the greatest earthquakes ever recorded in the U.S., and it left an amazing surface rupture scar over 350 kilometers in length along the San Andreas. Were the Fort Tejon shock to happen today, the damage would run into billions of dollars, and the loss of life would likely be substantial, as the communities of Wrightwood, Palmdale, and Lancaster (among others) all lie upon or near the 1857 rupture area. The San Gabriel Mountains fill the lower left half of the image. At the extreme lower left is Pasadena. High resolution topographic data such as these are used by geologists to study the role of active tectonics in shaping the landscape, and to produce earthquake hazard maps.This image was generated using topographic data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. Colors show the elevation as measured by SRTM. Each cycle of colors (from pink through blue back to pink) represents an equal amount of elevation difference (400 meters, or 1300 feet) similar to contour lines on a standard topographic map. This image contains about 2400 meters (8000 feet) of total relief. For the shading, a computer-generated artificial light source illuminates the elevation data to produce a pattern of light and shadows. Slopes facing the light appear bright, while those facing away are shaded. Shaded relief maps are commonly used in applications such as geologic mapping and land use planning.The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), launched on February 11,2000, uses the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. The mission is designed to collect three

A case history of using high-resolution LiDAR data to support archaeological prediction models in a low-relief area

Science.gov (United States)

Pacskó, Vivien; Székely, Balázs; Stibrányi, Máté; Koma, Zsófia

2016-04-01

Hungary is situated in the crossroad of several large-scale infrastructural pathways like transnational pipelines and transcontinental motorways. At the same time the country is rich in known and potential archaeological sites. Archaeological prediction techniques aided by remote sensing are intended to help increase preparedness for archaeological surveying and rescue activities in response to planned new infrastructural developments (e.g., a new pipeline), as they try to estimate the number of potential archaeological sites, area to be surveyed, potential cost and time needed for these activities. In very low-relief areas microtopographic forms may indicate sites, high-resolution LiDAR DTMs are suitable for their detection. Main sources of archaeological prediction models are known archaeological sites, where optimal environmental conditions of settling down existed at historic ages. Hydrological characteristics, relief, geology, vegetation cover and soil are considered to be as most important natural factors. Sorting of the factors and accuracy of the sampling differentiate our models. Resolution of an inductive model depends on the spatial properties of the integrated data: a raster data set can be generated that contains probability values and the reliability of the estimation. The information content of the predictive model is highly influenced by the resolution of the used digital terrain model (DTM): its derivatives (slope, aspect, topographic features) are important inputs of the modelling. The quality of the DTM is even more important in low-relief areas as microtopographic features may indicate archaeological sites. The conventional digital elevation models (SRTM, ASTER GDEM) provide unsatisfying resolution (both in horizontal and vertical senses) as they are rather digital surface models containing the vegetation and the built-up structures. Processed multiecho LiDAR data can be used instead. Our study area is situated in the foothills of the

The Team Approach to Pain Relief

Science.gov (United States)

... Navigation Bar Home Current Issue Past Issues The Team Approach to Pain Relief Past Issues / Fall 2007 ... Roberts is seen here with some of the team members, (left to right) Dr. Berger, Jacques Bolle, ...

Why are older peoples' health needs forgotten post-natural disaster relief in developing countries? A healthcare provider survey of 2005 Kashmir, Pakistan earthquake.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Emily Ying Yang

2009-01-01

Although older people may be recognized as a vulnerable group post-natural disasters, their particular needs are rarely met by the providers of emergency services. Studies about older people's health needs post disasters in the South East Asia Tsunami, Kashmir, Pakistan, China, and United States has revealed the lack of concern for older people's health needs. Recent study of older people's health needs post the Kashmir Pakistan earthquake (2005) found older peoples' health needs were masked within the general population. This survey study examines the providers' perceptions of older people's vulnerabilities post-2005 Pakistan earthquake. It aims to understand the awareness of geriatric issues and issues related to current service provision/planning for older people's health needs post disasters. Specifically, service delivery patterns will be compared among different relief agencies. Cross-sectional, structured stakeholder interviews were conducted within a 2 weeks period in February 2006, 4 months post-earthquake in Pakistan-administrated Kashmir. Health/medical relief agencies of three different types of organizational nature: international nongovernmental organization (INGO), national organization, and local/community group were solicited to participate in the study. Descriptive analysis was conducted. Important issues identified include the need to sensitize relief and health workers about older people's health needs post disaster the development of relevant clinical guidelines for chronic disease management postdisaster in developing countries and the advocacy of building in geriatric related components in natural disaster medical relief programs. To effectively address the vulnerability of older people, it is important for governments, relief agencies, and local partners to include and address these issues during their relief operations and policy planning.

30 CFR 204.204 - What accounting and auditing relief will MMS not allow?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What accounting and auditing relief will MMS... INTERIOR MINERALS REVENUE MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES FOR MARGINAL PROPERTIES Accounting and Auditing Relief § 204.204 What accounting and auditing relief will MMS not allow? MMS will not approve your request for...

U.S. Coastal Relief Model - Hawaii

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — NGDC's U.S. Coastal Relief Model (CRM) provides the first comprehensive view of the U.S. coastal zone integrating offshore bathymetry with land topography into a...

A plateau–valley separation method for textured surfaces with a deterministic pattern

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Godi, Alessandro; Kühle, Anders; De Chiffre, Leonardo

2014-01-01

The effective characterization of textured surfaces presenting a deterministic pattern of lubricant reservoirs is an issue with which many researchers are nowadays struggling. Existing standards are not suitable for the characterization of such surfaces, providing at times values without physical...... meaning. A new method based on the separation between the plateau and valley regions is hereby presented allowing independent functional analyses of the detected features. The determination of a proper threshold between plateaus and valleys is the first step of a procedure resulting in an efficient...

Inventory slack routing application in emergency logistics and relief distributions.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xianfeng; Hao, Wei; Lu, Yang

2018-01-01

Various natural and manmade disasters during last decades have highlighted the need of further improving on governmental preparedness to emergency events, and a relief supplies distribution problem named Inventory Slack Routing Problem (ISRP) has received increasing attentions. In an ISRP, inventory slack is defined as the duration between reliefs arriving time and estimated inventory stock-out time. Hence, a larger inventory slack could grant more responsive time in facing of various factors (e.g., traffic congestion) that may lead to delivery lateness. In this study, the relief distribution problem is formulated as an optimization model that maximize the minimum slack among all dispensing sites. To efficiently solve this problem, we propose a two-stage approach to tackle the vehicle routing and relief allocation sub-problems. By analyzing the inter-relations between these two sub-problems, a new objective function considering both delivery durations and dispensing rates of demand sites is applied in the first stage to design the vehicle routes. A hierarchical routing approach and a sweep approach are also proposed in this stage. Given the vehicle routing plan, the relief allocation could be easily solved in the second stage. Numerical experiment with a comparison of multi-vehicle Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) has demonstrated the need of ISRP and the capability of the proposed solution approaches.

Different Planctomycetes diversity patterns in latitudinal surface seawater of the open sea and in sediment.

Science.gov (United States)

Shu, Qinglong; Jiao, Nianzhi

2008-04-01

The 16S rRNA gene approach was applied to investigate the diversity of Planctomycetes in latitudinal surface seawater of the Western Pacific Ocean. The results revealed that the Pirellula-Rhodopirellula-Blastopirellula clade dominated the Planctomycetes community at all surface seawater sites while the minority genera Gemmata and Planctomyces were only found at sites H5 and H2 respectively. Although the clone frequency of the PRB clade seemed stable (between 83.3% and 94.1%) for all surface seawater sites, the retrieved Pirellula-Rhodopirellula-Blastopirellula clade presented unexpected diversity. Interestingly, low latitude seawater appeared to have higher diversity than mid-latitudes. integral-LIBSHUFF software analysis revealed significantly different diversity patterns between in latitudinal surface seawater and in the sediment of South China Sea station M2896. Our data suggested that different hydrological and geographic features contributed to the shift of Planctomycetes diversity in marine environments. This is, to our knowledge, the first systematic assessment of Planctomycetes in latitudinal surface seawater of the open sea and the first comparison of diversity pattern between surface seawater and sediments and has broadened our understanding of Planctomycetes diversity in marine environments.

Mode pattern of internal flow in a water droplet on a vibrating hydrophobic surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hun; Lim, Hee-Chang

2015-06-04

The objective of this study is to understand the mode pattern of the internal flow in a water droplet placed on a hydrophobic surface that periodically and vertically vibrates. As a result, a water droplet on a vibrating hydrophobic surface has a typical shape that depends on each resonance mode, and, additionally, we observed a diversified lobe size and internal flows in the water droplet. The size of each lobe at the resonance frequency was relatively greater than that at the neighboring frequencies, and the internal flow of the nth order mode was also observed in the flow visualization. In general, large symmetrical flow streams were generated along the vertical axis in each mode, with a large circulating movement from the bottom to the top, and then to the triple contact line along the droplet surface. In contrast, modes 2 and 4 generated a Y-shaped flow pattern, in which the flow moved to the node point in the lower part of the droplet, but modes 6 and 8 had similar patterns, with only a little difference. In addition, as a result of the PIV measurement, while the flow velocity of mode 4 was faster than that of model 2, those of modes 6 and 8 were almost similar.

[Disaster relief through inter-professional collaboration --from the standpoint of a dietitian].

Science.gov (United States)

Inamura, Yukiko

2013-01-01

The present study examined disaster relief efforts by registered and other dietitians following the Great East Japan Earthquake to identify related problems. Based on this, the study discussed what is required to develop a "disaster relief system through inter-professional collaboration" to cope with unanticipated disasters. On March 15, 2011, the Japan Dietetic Association (JDA) independently established the "Great East Japan Earthquake relief emergency headquarters". The association along with these volunteers was committed to the establishment of a system for disaster relief activities with the support of Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima Prefectures: the number of registered volunteers was 978; a total of 1,588 dietitians were dispatched; and 602 became involved in relief work in the disaster-stricken areas. Registered and other dietitians dispatched for disaster relief provided support and home care for evacuation centers, elderly facilities, and temporary housing, including dietary and nutrition advice and consultation, in cooperation and collaboration with administrative dietitians in disaster areas, registered and other dietitians of disaster headquarters in disaster-stricken prefectures, the Primary Care for All Teams (PCAT) of the Japan Primary Care Association, disaster medical assistance teams (DMATs), and volunteer groups. Through the course of the relief activities, the following problems were identified: difficulties in responding to varying needs in different phases, nutritional measures (population-based and high-risk approaches), nutritional disparities among evacuation centers, necessity of a section to collect ever-changing information on disaster areas in a comprehensive manner, importance of working cooperatively to establish a support system, and differences in volunteers' support skills. To facilitate disaster relief through inter-professional collaboration, it is necessary for many different organizations to understand each other's capabilities

Adequacy of Flood Relief Shelters: A Case Study in Perak, Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Zawani Zahari, Nur; Mustafa Hashim, Ahmad

2018-03-01

The recent flood event occurred in 2014 had caused disastrous effects in Peninsular Malaysia in states of Kelantan, Pahang, Terengganu, Perak, Johor and Perlis. Perak state was reported with 12,115 victims from 2,896 families registered at 77 relief shelters. There are several issues encountered by the victims and related agencies which caused inconveniences and interruptions during the flooding period. Besides, the usage of public buildings as relief shelters contributes to deterioration of the infrastructures whereby their suitability, convenient, capacity and safety might not be optimum for longer period of time. This paper focuses on the assessment of relief shelters established in Perak Tengah district, Perak. Standards and guidelines for relief shelters were reviewed according to the most relevant agreed principles for humanitarian response. Data and information in this study were obtained from survey activities, interview sessions and observations. In Perak Tengah, more than 50% of the previous relief shelters were public buildings with low capacity areas. Strategic location of shelters with proper design standards should be established to ensure safe and healthy environment for the victims. Findings from this paper provide important outcomes to serve as better preparation in handling future disaster.

Numerical investigation on cavitation in pressure relief valve for coal liquefaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ou, G F; Li, W Z; Xiao, D H; Zheng, Z J; Dou, H S; Wang, C

2015-01-01

The pressure relief valve for regulating the level of the high-pressure separator works under a pressure difference up to 15 MPa in the temperature of 415 °C. Severe cavitation erosion and particle impact lead to the valve disc's mass loss. In this paper, three-dimensional turbulent cavitating flows in the pressure relief valve are numerically simulated to reveal the mechanism of mass loss at valve disc. The RNG k-ε turbulence model and the mixture model with a mass transfer for cavitation are employed to simulate the cavitating flow in the pressure relief valve. The result shows that there is phase change in the pressure relief process and cavitation bubbles would be transported by high-velocity backflow to the head of valve disc. For the local pressure higher than the saturated vapor pressure, the bubbles collapse at the head of disc and cavitation erosion is formed at the head of the disc. By comparing the cases of opening of 40%, 50%, and 60%, backflow velocity and cavitation region in front of the disc decrease with the opening increase. Therefore, during the actual operation, the pressure relief valve should be kept to a relatively large opening

Surface structuring in polypropylene using Ar+ beam sputtering: Pattern transition from ripples to dot nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Goyal, Meetika; Aggarwal, Sanjeev; Sharma, Annu; Ojha, Sunil

2018-05-01

Temporal variations in nano-scale surface morphology generated on Polypropylene (PP) substrates utilizing 40 keV oblique argon ion beam have been presented. Due to controlled variation of crucial beam parameters i.e. ion incidence angle and erosion time, formation of ripple patterns and further its transition into dot nanostructures have been realized. Experimental investigations have been supported by evaluation of Bradley and Harper (B-H) coefficients estimated using SRIM (The Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter) simulations. Roughness of pristine target surfaces has been accredited to be a crucial factor behind the early time evolution of nano-scale patterns over the polymeric surface. Study of Power spectral density (PSD) spectra reveals that smoothing mechanism switch from ballistic drift to ion enhanced surface diffusion (ESD) which can be the most probable cause for such morphological transition under given experimental conditions. Compositional analysis and depth profiling of argon ion irradiated specimens using Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS) has also been correlated with the AFM findings.

Shaded Relief of Minnesota Elevation - Color

Data.gov (United States)

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources — This file is a product of a shaded relief process on the 30 meter resolution Digital Elevation Model data (dem30im3). This image was created using a custom AML...

Suicide Prevention for Local Public and Volunteer Relief Workers in Disaster-Affected Areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiao Lu; Yip, Paul S F; Chan, Cecilia L W

2016-01-01

Local workforces play a critical role in disaster relief and reconstruction. However, the mental health of local relief workers might be affected by disasters, threatening the sustainability of local workforces. In this study, we tried to address this concern by investigating the well-being of local relief workers and its association with suicidal ideation. A retrospective study was conducted. Surveys were designed to collect data from a purposive sample of local disaster relief workers who survived a disaster. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to test hypotheses. The study sample was from a population of local relief workers in the worst quake-hit regions in China in 2008. The respondents were local relief workers from a town in these regions. All of the 83 local relief workers were invited 11 months after the earthquake, and 70 joined the study, resulting in a response rate of 84.3%. The dependent variable was postdisaster suicidal ideation. The independent variables were bereavement, depression and posttraumatic stress, daily work hours, job burnout, work-family conflict, and work engagement. Approximately 21.4% of participants reported suicidal ideation after the earthquake in comparison with 7.1% before the earthquake. One potential risk factor was an interaction effect of job burnout and work-family conflict (odds ratio [OR] = 3.738; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.086-12.868). Potential protective factors included daily work hours (OR = 0.317; 95% CI, 0.106-0.952) and work engagement (OR = 0.297; 95% CI, 0.091-0.969). Findings suggest that for local relief workers who are also disaster survivors, meaningful engagement such as participation in disaster relief could be salutary to their mental health, but overwork and interference with personal life could be harmful and increase the risk of suicidal ideation. Discretion is needed in managing local workforces, particularly with long work hours and work-family balance.

The importance of context: When relative relief renders pain pleasant

Science.gov (United States)

Leknes, Siri; Berna, Chantal; Lee, Michael C.; Snyder, Gregory D.; Biele, Guido; Tracey, Irene

2013-01-01

Context can influence the experience of any event. For instance, the thought that “it could be worse” can improve feelings towards a present misfortune. In this study we measured hedonic feelings, skin conductance, and brain activation patterns in 16 healthy volunteers who experienced moderate pain in two different contexts. In the “relative relief context,” moderate pain represented the best outcome, since the alternative outcome was intense pain. However, in the control context, moderate pain represented the worst outcome and elicited negative hedonic feelings. The context manipulation resulted in a “hedonic flip,” such that moderate pain elicited positive hedonics in the relative relief context. Somewhat surprisingly, moderate pain was even rated as pleasant in this context, despite being reported as painful in the control context. This “hedonic flip” was corroborated by physiological and functional neuroimaging data. When moderate pain was perceived as pleasant, skin conductance and activity in insula and dorsal anterior cingulate were significantly attenuated relative to the control moderate stimulus. “Pleasant pain” also increased activity in reward and valuation circuitry, including the medial orbitofrontal and ventromedial prefrontal cortices. Furthermore, the change in outcome hedonics correlated with activity in the periacqueductal grey (PAG) of the descending pain modulatory system (DPMS). The context manipulation also significantly increased functional connectivity between reward circuitry and the PAG, consistent with a functional change of the DPMS due to the altered motivational state. The findings of this study point to a role for brainstem and reward circuitry in a context-induced “hedonic flip” of pain. PMID:23352758

Helium pressures in RHIC vacuum cryostats and relief valve requirements from magnet cooling line failure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liaw, C.J.; Than, Y.; Tuozzolo, J.

2011-03-28

A catastrophic failure of the RHIC magnet cooling lines, similar to the LHC superconducting bus failure incident, would pressurize the insulating vacuum in the magnet and transfer line cryostats. Insufficient relief valves on the cryostats could cause a structural failure. A SINDA/FLUINT{reg_sign} model, which simulated the 4.5K/4 atm helium flowing through the magnet cooling system distribution lines, then through a line break into the vacuum cryostat and discharging via the reliefs into the RHIC tunnel, had been developed to calculate the helium pressure inside the cryostat. Arc flash energy deposition and heat load from the ambient temperature cryostat surfaces were included in the simulations. Three typical areas: the sextant arc, the Triplet/DX/D0 magnets, and the injection area, had been analyzed. Existing relief valve sizes were reviewed to make sure that the maximum stresses, caused by the calculated maximum pressures inside the cryostats, did not exceed the allowable stresses, based on the ASME Code B31.3 and ANSYS results. The conclusions are as follows: (1) The S/F simulation results show that the highest internal pressure in the cryostats, due to the magnet line failure, is {approx}37 psig (255115 Pa); (2) Based on the simulation, the temperature on the cryostat chamber, INJ Q8-Q9, could drop to 228 K, which is lower than the material minimum design temperature allowed by the Code; (3) Based on the ASME Code and ANSYS results, the reliefs on all the cryostats inside the RHIC tunnel are adequate to protect the vacuum chambers when the magnet cooling lines fail; and (4) In addition to the pressure loading, the thermal deformations, due to the temperature decrease on the cryostat chambers, could also cause a high stress on the chamber, if not properly supported.

Helium pressures in RHIC vacuum cryostats and relief valve requirements from magnet cooling line failure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liaw, C.J.; Than, Y.; Tuozzolo, J.

2011-01-01

A catastrophic failure of the RHIC magnet cooling lines, similar to the LHC superconducting bus failure incident, would pressurize the insulating vacuum in the magnet and transfer line cryostats. Insufficient relief valves on the cryostats could cause a structural failure. A SINDA/FLUINT(reg s ign) model, which simulated the 4.5K/4 atm helium flowing through the magnet cooling system distribution lines, then through a line break into the vacuum cryostat and discharging via the reliefs into the RHIC tunnel, had been developed to calculate the helium pressure inside the cryostat. Arc flash energy deposition and heat load from the ambient temperature cryostat surfaces were included in the simulations. Three typical areas: the sextant arc, the Triplet/DX/D0 magnets, and the injection area, had been analyzed. Existing relief valve sizes were reviewed to make sure that the maximum stresses, caused by the calculated maximum pressures inside the cryostats, did not exceed the allowable stresses, based on the ASME Code B31.3 and ANSYS results. The conclusions are as follows: (1) The S/F simulation results show that the highest internal pressure in the cryostats, due to the magnet line failure, is ∼37 psig (255115 Pa); (2) Based on the simulation, the temperature on the cryostat chamber, INJ Q8-Q9, could drop to 228 K, which is lower than the material minimum design temperature allowed by the Code; (3) Based on the ASME Code and ANSYS results, the reliefs on all the cryostats inside the RHIC tunnel are adequate to protect the vacuum chambers when the magnet cooling lines fail; and (4) In addition to the pressure loading, the thermal deformations, due to the temperature decrease on the cryostat chambers, could also cause a high stress on the chamber, if not properly supported.

Eksplorasi Pose dalam Pemotretan Model Melalui Kajian Visual Relief Karmawibhangga

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noor Latif CM

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Karmawibhangga Relief panel located at the foot of Borobudur is a relic of the visual artifacts that contains fragments of past life with a very high historical value. 160 Karmawibhangga panels tell the reality of people's lives at the time wrapped with a moral message plight. The relief provides a lot of visual references to be excavated and reconstructed again for the benefit of the creative industries today. This research digged one small part of the masterpieces of the past through photography. Understanding visual artists who create these reliefs will be beauty in the show gestures in building a very interesting story to be re-examined. Visual communication through gestures in relief Karmawibhangga enables new assumptions about body language dialect differences to current conditions. Through model genre photography, it is very useful in connection with the development of local nuanced scientific photography. Efforts to develop the traditions and culture through new media are expected to be creative commodity with a very strong product differentiation. 

Relief Evolution in Tectonically Active Mountain Ranges

Science.gov (United States)

Whipple, Kelin X.

2004-01-01

The overall aims of this 3-yr project, as originally proposed were to: (1) investigate quantitatively the roles of fluvial and glacial erosion in the evolution of relief in mountainous regions, and (2) test rigorously the quality and accuracy of SRTM topographic data in areas of rugged relief - both the most challenging and of greatest interest to geomorphic, neotectonic, and hazards applications. Natural laboratories in both the western US and the Southern Alps of New Zealand were identified as most promising. The project has been both successful and productive, despite the fact that no SRTM data for our primary field sites in New Zealand were released on the time frame of the work effort. Given the delayed release of SRTM data, we pursued the scientific questions of the roles of fluvial and, especially, glacial erosion in the evolution of relief in mountainous regions using available digital elevation models (DEMs) for the Southern Alps of New Zealand (available at both 25m and 50m pixel sizes), and USGS 10m and 30m DEMs within the Western US. As emphasized in the original proposal, we chose the emphasis on the role of glacial modification of topographic relief because there has been little quantitative investigation of glacial erosion processes at landscape scale. This is particularly surprising considering the dramatic sculpting of most mid- and high-latitude mountain ranges, the prodigious quantities of glacially-derived sediment in terrestrial and marine basins, and the current cross-disciplinary interest in the role of denudational processes in orogenesis and the evolution of topography in general. Moreover, the evolution of glaciated landscapes is not only a fundamental problem in geomorphology in its own right, but also is at the heart of the debate over Late Cenozoic linkages between climate and tectonics.

The Chicago Fire of 1871: A Bottom Up Approach to Disaster Relief

OpenAIRE

Skarbek, Emily C.

2014-01-01

Can bottom-up relief efforts lead to recovery after disasters? Conventional wisdom and contemporary public policy suggest that major crises require centralized authority to provide disaster relief goods. Using a novel set of comprehensive donation and expenditure data collected from archival records, this paper examines a bottom-up relief effort following one of the most devastating natural disasters of the nineteenth century: the Chicago Fire of 1871. Findings show that while there was no ce...

Lessons from DoD Disaster Relief Efforts in the Asia-Pacific Region

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Orientation & Review,” USARPAC briefing, undated; “USARPAC OSInt Support to Cyclone nargis Relief Efforts in Burma 2008,” USARPAC briefing, undated; phone...all organizations relied, to a large extent, on the staff and national partners they already had 71 “USARPAC OSINT Support to Cyclone Nargis Relief...undated. As of September 8, 2012: http://www.kadena.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-120426-002.pdf “USARPAC OSINT Support to Cyclone Nargis Relief

A computation study on the interplay between surface morphology and electrochemical performance of patterned thin film electrodes for Li-ion batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Gur, Sourav; Frantziskonis, George N.; Aifantis, Katerina E.

2017-08-01

Recent experiments illustrate that the morphology of the electrode surface impacts the voltage - capacity curves and long term cycling performance of Li-ion batteries. The present study systematically explores the role of the electrode surface morphology and uncertainties in the reactions that occur during electrochemical cycling, by performing kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) simulations using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). This allows encoding of the inherent stochasticity at discrete microscale reaction events over the deterministic mean field reaction dynamics that occur in Li-ion cells. The electrodes are taken to be dense thin films whose surfaces are patterned with conical, trapezoidal, dome-shaped, or pillar-shaped structures. It is shown that the inherent perturbations in the reactions together with the characteristics of the electrode surface configuration can significantly improve battery performance, mainly because patterned surfaces, as opposed to flat surfaces, result in a smaller voltage drop. The most efficient pattern was the trapezoidal, which is consistent with experimental evidence on Si patterned electrodes.

31 CFR 309.12 - Relief on account of loss, theft or destruction, etc.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Relief on account of loss, theft or... BILLS § 309.12 Relief on account of loss, theft or destruction, etc. (a) Relief on account of the loss, theft, destruction, mutilation or defacement of Treasury bills may be given only under the authority of...

Surface Patterning: Controlling Fluid Flow Through Dolphin and Shark Skin Biomimicry

Science.gov (United States)

Gamble, Lawren; Lang, Amy; Bradshaw, Michael; McVay, Eric

2013-11-01

Dolphin skin is characterized by circumferential ridges, perpendicular to fluid flow, present from the crest of the head until the tail fluke. When observing a cross section of skin, the ridges have a sinusoidal pattern. Sinusoidal grooves have been proven to induce vortices in the cavities that can help control flow separation which can reduce pressure drag. Shark skin, however, is patterned with flexible scales that bristle up to 50 degrees with reversed flow. Both dolphin ridges and shark scales are thought to help control fluid flow and increase swimming efficiency by delaying the separation of the boundary layer. This study investigates how flow characteristics can be altered with bio-inspired surface patterning. A NACA 4412 hydrofoil was entirely patterned with transverse sinusoidal grooves, inspired by dolphin skin but scaled so the cavities on the model have the same Reynolds number as the cavities on a swimming shark. Static tests were conducted at a Reynolds number of approximately 100,000 and at varying angles of attack. The results were compared to the smooth hydrofoil case. The flow data was quantified using Digital Particle Image Velocimetry (DPIV). The results of this study demonstrated that the patterned hydrofoil experienced greater separation than the smooth hydrofoil. It is hypothesize that this could be remediated if the pattern was placed only after the maximum thickness of the hydrofoil. Funding through NSF REU grant 1062611 is gratefully acknowledged.

Exotic high activity surface patterns in PtAu nanoclusters

KAUST Repository

Mokkath, Junais Habeeb

2013-05-09

The structure and chemical ordering of PtAu nanoclusters of 79, 135, and 201 atoms are studied via a combination of a basin hopping atom-exchange technique (to locate the lowest energy homotops at fixed composition), a symmetry orbit technique (to find the high symmetry isomers), and density functional theory local reoptimization (for determining the most stable homotop). The interatomic interactions between Pt and Au are derived from the empirical Gupta potential. The lowest energy structures show a marked tendency toward PtcoreAushell chemical ordering by enrichment of the more cohesive Pt in the core region and of Au in the shell region. We observe a preferential segregation of Pt atoms to (111) facets and Au atoms to (100) facets of the truncated octahedron cluster motif. Exotic surface patterns are obtained particularly for Pt-rich compositions, where Pt atoms are being surrounded by Au atoms. These surface arrangements boost the catalytic activity by creating a large number of active sites. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

Pattern Recognition of Signals for the Fault-Slip Type of Rock Burst in Coal Mines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

X. S. Liu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The fault-slip type of rock burst is a major threat to the safety of coal mining, and effectively recognizing its signals patterns is the foundation for the early warning and prevention. At first, a mechanical model of the fault-slip was established and the mechanism of the rock burst induced by the fault-slip was revealed. Then, the patterns of the electromagnetic radiation, acoustic emission (AE, and microseismic signals in the fault-slip type of rock burst were proposed, in that before the rock burst occurs, the electromagnetic radiation intensity near the sliding surface increases rapidly, the AE energy rises exponentially, and the energy released by microseismic events experiences at least one peak and is close to the next peak. At last, in situ investigations were performed at number 1412 coal face in the Huafeng Mine, China. Results showed that the signals patterns proposed are in good agreement with the process of the fault-slip type of rock burst. The pattern recognition can provide a basis for the early warning and the implementation of relief measures of the fault-slip type of rock burst.

Evaluation of an International Disaster Relief Team After Participation in an ASEAN Regional Forum Disaster Relief Exercise.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jeong Il; Lee, Kang Hyun; Kim, Oh Hyun; Cha, Yong Sung; Hwang, Sung Oh; Kim, Hyun; Cha, Kyung Chul

2016-10-01

Devastating disasters around the world directly contribute to significant increases in human mortality and economic costs. The objective of this study was to examine the current state of the Korea Disaster Relief Team that participated in an international training module. The whole training period was videotaped in order to observe and evaluate the respondents. The survey was carried out after completion of the 3-day training, and the scores were reported by use of a 5-point Likert scale. A total of 43 respondents were interviewed for the survey, and the results showed that the overall preparedness score for international disasters was 3.4±1.6 (mean±SD). The awareness of the Incident Command System for international disasters was shown to be low (3.5±1.1). Higher scores were given to personnel who took on leadership roles in the team and who answered "I knew my duty" (4.4±0.6) in the survey, as well as to the training participants who answered "I clearly knew my duty" (4.5±0.5). The preparedness level of the Korea Disaster Relief Team was shown to be insufficient, whereas understanding of the roles of leaders and training participants in the rescue team was found to be high. It is assumed that the preparedness level for disaster relief must be improved through continued training. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;1-5).

Optimization and Simulation Modeling of Disaster Relief Supply Chain: A Literature Review

OpenAIRE

Feng, Keli; Bizimana, Emmanuel; Agu, Deedee D.; Issac, Tana T.

2012-01-01

Recent natural and man-made disasters underscore the need of a resilient and agile disaster relief supply chain to mitigate the damages and save people’s lives. Optimization and simulation modeling have become powerful and useful tools to help decision makers tackle problems related to disaster relief supply chain. This paper reviews optimization and simulation models used in the field of disaster relief supply chain. We review the literature of the facility location optimization problems of ...

Feeling worse to feel better: pain-offset relief simultaneously stimulates positive affect and reduces negative affect.

Science.gov (United States)

Franklin, Joseph C; Lee, Kent M; Hanna, Eleanor K; Prinstein, Mitchell J

2013-04-01

Although pain itself induces negative affect, the removal (or offset) of pain induces a powerful state of relief. Despite being implicated in a wide range of psychological and behavioral phenomena, relief remains a poorly understood emotion. In particular, some theorists associate relief with increased positive affect, whereas others associate relief with diminished negative affect. In the present study, we examined the affective nature of relief in a pain-offset paradigm with psychophysiological measures that were specific to negative valence (startle eyeblink reactivity) and positive valence (startle postauricular reactivity). Results revealed that pain offset simultaneously stimulates positive affect and diminishes negative affect for at least several seconds. Results also indicated that pain intensity differentially affects the positive and negative valence aspects of relief. These findings clarify the affective nature of relief and provide insight into why people engage in both normal and abnormal behaviors associated with relief.

Binary Colloidal Crystal Layers as Platforms for Surface Patterning of Puroindoline-Based Antimicrobial Peptides.

Science.gov (United States)

Boden, Andrew; Bhave, Mrinal; Wang, Peng-Yuan; Jadhav, Snehal; Kingshott, Peter

2018-01-24

The ability of bacteria to form biofilms and the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains have prompted the need to develop the next generation of antibacterial coatings. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are showing promise as molecules that can address these issues, especially if used when immobilized as a surface coating. We present a method that explores how surface patterns together with the selective immobilization of an AMP called PuroA (FPVTWRWWKWWKG-NH 2 ) can be used to both kill bacteria and also as a tool to study bacterial attachment mechanisms. Surface patterning is achieved using stabilized self-assembled binary colloidal crystal (BCC) layers, allowing selective PuroA immobilization to carboxylated particles using N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethyl carbodiimide (EDC) hydrochloride/N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) coupling chemistry. Covalent immobilization of PuroA was compared with physical adsorption (i.e., without the addition of EDC/NHS). The AMP-functionalized colloids and BCC layers were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ζ potentials, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Surface antimicrobial activity was assessed by viability assays using Escherichia coli. MALDI-TOF MS analysis revealed that although not all of PuroA was successfully covalently immobilized, a relatively low density of PuroA (1.93 × 10 13 molecules/cm 2 and 7.14 × 10 12 molecules/cm 2 for covalent and physical immobilization, respectively) was found to be sufficient at significantly decreasing the viability of E. coli by 70% when compared to that of control samples. The findings provide a proof of concept that BCC layers are a suitable platform for the patterned immobilization of AMPs and the importance of ascertaining the success of small-molecule grafting reactions using surface-MALDI, something that is often assumed to be successful in the field.

Delayed frost formation on hybrid nanostructured surfaces with patterned high wetting contrast

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Youmin; Zhou, Peng; Yao, Shuhuai

2014-11-01

Engineering icephobic surfaces that can retard the frost formation and accumulation are important to vehicles, wind turbines, power lines, and HVAC systems. For condensation frosting, superhydrophobic surfaces promote self-removal of condensed droplets before freezing and consequently delay the frost growth. However, a small thermal fluctuation may lead to a Cassie-to-Wenzel transition, and thus dramatically enhance the frost formation and adhesion. In this work, we investigated the heterogeneous ice nucleation on hybrid nanostructured surfaces with patterned high wetting contrast. By judiciously introducing hydrophilic micro-patches into superhydrophobic nanostructured surface, we demonstrated that such a novel hybrid structure can efficiently defer the ice nucleation as compared to a superhydrophobic surface with nanostructures only. We observed efficient droplet jumping and higher coverage of droplets with diameter smaller than 10 μm, both of which suppress frost formation. The hybrid surface avoids the formation of liquid-bridges for Cassie-to-Wenzel transition, therefore eliminating the `bottom-up' droplet freezing from the cold substrate. These findings provide new insights to improve anti-frosting and anti-icing by using heterogeneous wettability in multiscale structures.

Simultaneous impact of neutron irradiation and sputtering on the surface structure of self–damaged ITER–grade tungsten

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Belyaeva, A. I., E-mail: aibelyaeva@mail.ru; Savchenko, A. A. [National Technical University “Kharkov Politechnical Institute”, Kharkov, 61002 (Ukraine); Galuza, A. A.; Kolenov, I. V. [Institute of Electrophysics and Radiation Technologies, National Academy of Science of Ukraine, Kharkov, 61024 (Ukraine)

2014-07-15

Simultaneous effects of neutron irradiation and long–term sputtering on the surface relief of ITER–grade tungsten were studied. The effects of neutron–induced displacement damage have been simulated by irradiation of tungsten target with W{sup 6+} ions of 20 MeV energy. Ar{sup +} ions with energy 600 eV were used as imitation of charge exchange atoms in ITER. The surface relief was studied after each sputtering act. The singularity in the WJ–IG surface relief was ascertained experimentally at the first time, which determines the law of roughness extension under sputtering. As follows from the experimental data, the neutron irradiation has not to make a decisive additional contribution in the processes developing under impact of charge exchange atoms only.

Energy-separated sequential irradiation for ripple pattern tailoring on silicon surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, Tanuj [Department of Physics, Central University of Haryana, Jant-Pali, Mahendergarh 1123029 (India); Inter University Accelerator Centre, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067 (India); Kumar, Manish, E-mail: manishbharadwaj@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Central University of Rajasthan, Kishangarh 305801 (India); Panchal, Vandana [Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra 136119 (India); Sahoo, P.K. [School of Physical Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 751005 (India); Kanjilal, D. [Inter University Accelerator Centre, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067 (India)

2015-12-01

Highlights: • A new process for controlling the near-surface amorphization of ripples on Si surfaces. • Ripples generation by 100 KeV Ar{sup +} and amorphization control by 60 KeV Ar{sup +} irradiation. • Advantage of energy-separated irradiation demonstrated by detailed RBS and AFM studies. • Relevant mechanism is presented on the basis of DAMAGE and SIMNRA simulations. • Key role of solid flow towards the amorphous/crystalline interface is demonstrated. - Abstract: Nanoscale ripples on semiconductor surfaces have potential application in biosensing and optoelectronics, but suffer from uncontrolled surface-amorphization when prepared by conventional ion-irradiation methods. A two-step, energy-separated sequential-irradiation enables simultaneous control of surface-amorphization and ripple-dimensions on Si(1 0 0). The evolution of ripples using 100 keV Ar{sup +} bombardment and further tuning of the patterns using a sequential-irradiation by 60 keV Ar{sup +} at different fluences are demonstrated. The advantage of this approach as opposed to increased fluence at the same energy is clarified by atomic force microscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy investigations. The explanation of our findings is presented through DAMAGE simulation.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems for Disaster Relief: Tornado Alley

Science.gov (United States)

DeBusk, Wesley M.

2009-01-01

Unmanned aerial vehicle systems are currently in limited use for public service missions worldwide. Development of civil unmanned technology in the United States currently lags behind military unmanned technology development in part because of unresolved regulatory and technological issues. Civil unmanned aerial vehicle systems have potential to augment disaster relief and emergency response efforts. Optimal design of aerial systems for such applications will lead to unmanned vehicles which provide maximum potentiality for relief and emergency response while accounting for public safety concerns and regulatory requirements. A case study is presented that demonstrates application of a civil unmanned system to a disaster relief mission with the intent on saving lives. The concept utilizes unmanned aircraft to obtain advanced warning and damage assessments for tornados and severe thunderstorms. Overview of a tornado watch mission architecture as well as commentary on risk, cost, need for, and design tradeoffs for unmanned aerial systems are provided.

Paracetamol for pain relief after surgical removal of lower wisdom teeth

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weil, K.; Hooper, L.; Afzal, Z.; Esposito, M.; Worthington, H.V.; van Wijk, A.J.; Coulthard, P.

2008-01-01

Background: Paracetamol has been commonly used for the relief of postoperative pain following oral surgery. In this review we investigated the optimal dose of paracetamol and the optimal time for drug administration to provide pain relief, taking into account the side effects of different doses of

Nanoscale patterning of two metals on silicon surfaces using an ABC triblock copolymer template.

Science.gov (United States)

Aizawa, Masato; Buriak, Jillian M

2006-05-03

Patterning technologically important semiconductor interfaces with nanoscale metal films is important for applications such as metallic interconnects and sensing applications. Self-assembling block copolymer templates are utilized to pattern an aqueous metal reduction reaction, galvanic displacement, on silicon surfaces. Utilization of a triblock copolymer monolayer film, polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-b-P2VP-b-PEO), with two blocks capable of selective transport of different metal complexes to the surface (PEO and P2VP), allows for chemical discrimination and nanoscale patterning. Different regions of the self-assembled structure discriminate between metal complexes at the silicon surface, at which time they undergo the spontaneous reaction at the interface. Gold deposition from gold(III) compounds such as HAuCl4(aq) in the presence of hydrofluoric acid mirrors the parent block copolymer core structure, whereas silver deposition from Ag(I) salts such as AgNO3(aq) does the opposite, localizing exclusively under the corona. By carrying out gold deposition first and silver second, sub-100-nm gold features surrounded by silver films can be produced. The chemical selectivity was extended to other metals, including copper, palladium, and platinum. The interfaces were characterized by a variety of methods, including scanning electron microscopy, scanning Auger microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy.

21 CFR 882.5870 - Implanted peripheral nerve stimulator for pain relief.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

....5870 Implanted peripheral nerve stimulator for pain relief. (a) Identification. An implanted peripheral nerve stimulator for pain relief is a device that is used to stimulate electrically a peripheral nerve... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Implanted peripheral nerve stimulator for pain...

Patternable Poly(chloro-p-xylylene Film with Tunable Surface Wettability Prepared by Temperature and Humidity Treatment on a Polydimethylsiloxane/Silica Coating

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yonglian Yu

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Poly(chloro-p-xylylene (PPXC film has a water contact angle (WCA of only about 84°. It is necessary to improve its hydrophobicity to prevent liquid water droplets from corroding or electrically shorting metallic circuits of semiconductor devices, sensors, microelectronics, and so on. Herein, we reported a facile approach to improve its surface hydrophobicity by varying surface pattern structures under different temperature and relative humidity (RH conditions on a thermal curable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS and hydrophobic silica (SiO2 nanoparticle coating. Three distinct large-scale surface patterns were obtained mainly depending on the contents of SiO2 nanoparticles. The regularity of patterns was mainly controlled by the temperature and RH conditions. By changing the pattern structures, the surface wettability of PPXC film could be improved and its WCA was increased from 84° to 168°, displaying a superhydrophobic state. Meanwhile, it could be observed that water droplets on PPXC film with superhydrophobicity were transited from a “Wenzel” state to a “Cassie” state. The PPXC film with different surface patterns of 200 μm × 200 μm and the improved surface hydrophobicity showed wide application potentials in self-cleaning, electronic engineering, micro-contact printing, cell biology, and tissue engineering.

Nanoscale pattern formation at surfaces under ion-beam sputtering: A perspective from continuum models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuerno, Rodolfo; Castro, Mario; Munoz-Garcia, Javier; Gago, Raul; Vazquez, Luis

2011-01-01

Although reports on surface nanostructuring of solid targets by low to medium energy ion irradiation date back to the 1960s, only with the advent of high resolution tools for surface/interface characterization has the high potential of this procedure been recognized as a method for efficient production of surface patterns. Such morphologies are made up of periodic arrangements of nanometric sized features, like ripples and dots, with interest for technological applications due to their electronic, magnetic, and optical properties. Thus, roughly for the last ten years large efforts have been directed towards harnessing this nanofabrication technique. However, and particularly in view of recent experimental developments, we can say that the basic mechanisms controlling these pattern formation processes remain poorly understood. The lack of nanostructuring at low angles of incidence on some pure monoelemental targets, the role of impurities in the surface dynamics and other recent observations are challenging the classic view on the phenomenon as the mere interplay between the curvature dependence of the sputtering yield and surface diffusion. We review the main attempts at a theoretical (continuum) description of these systems, with emphasis on recent developments. Strong hints already exist that the nature of the morphological instability has to be rethought as originating in the material flow that is induced by the ion beam.

System and technique for retrieving depth information about a surface by projecting a composite image of modulated light patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Hassebrook, Laurence G. (Inventor); Lau, Daniel L. (Inventor); Guan, Chun (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A technique, associated system and program code, for retrieving depth information about at least one surface of an object, such as an anatomical feature. Core features include: projecting a composite image comprising a plurality of modulated structured light patterns, at the anatomical feature; capturing an image reflected from the surface; and recovering pattern information from the reflected image, for each of the modulated structured light patterns. Pattern information is preferably recovered for each modulated structured light pattern used to create the composite, by performing a demodulation of the reflected image. Reconstruction of the surface can be accomplished by using depth information from the recovered patterns to produce a depth map/mapping thereof. Each signal waveform used for the modulation of a respective structured light pattern, is distinct from each of the other signal waveforms used for the modulation of other structured light patterns of a composite image; these signal waveforms may be selected from suitable types in any combination of distinct signal waveforms, provided the waveforms used are uncorrelated with respect to each other. The depth map/mapping to be utilized in a host of applications, for example: displaying a 3-D view of the object; virtual reality user-interaction interface with a computerized device; face--or other animal feature or inanimate object--recognition and comparison techniques for security or identification purposes; and 3-D video teleconferencing/telecollaboration.

32 CFR 516.19 - Injunctive relief.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY AID OF CIVIL AUTHORITIES AND PUBLIC RELATIONS LITIGATION Reporting Legal Proceedings to HQDA § 516.19 Injunctive relief. (a) General. Plaintiffs...). Because these actions can quickly impede military functions, immediate and decisive action must be taken...

Mental health risks in the local workforce engaged in disaster relief and reconstruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiao L; Chan, Cecilia L W; Shi, Zhan B; Wang, Bin

2013-02-01

To build a sustainable workforce for long-term disaster relief and reconstruction, more effort must be made to promote local relief workers' mental health. We conducted 25 semistructured interviews with local relief officials 10 months after the 2008 earthquake in China to investigate the stress and coping experiences in their personal lives as survivors. We conducted thematic analysis of interview transcripts. Traumatic bereavement and grief, housing and financial difficulties, and work-family conflict were the three main sources of stress in the respondents' personal lives. The coping themes were finding meaning and purpose in life through relief work, colleagues' support and understanding, suppression or avoidance of grief, appreciation for life, hardiness, optimism, letting nature take its course, and making up for loss. We suggest that relief work has a double-edged-sword effect on workers' coping abilities. We discuss the implications of this effect for work-life balance measures and trauma and grief counseling services.

Bridging the sanitation gap between disaster relief and development.

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Ka-Man; Ramirez, Claudia; Liu, Weilong; Kirilova, Darina; Vick, David; Mari, Joe; Smith, Rachel; Lam, Ho-Yin; Ostovari, Afshin; Shibakawa, Akifumi; Liu, Yang; Samant, Sidharth; Osaro, Lucky

2015-10-01

By interpreting disasters as opportunities to initiate the fulfilment of development needs, realise the vulnerability of the affected community and environment, and extend the legacy of relief funds and effort, this paper builds upon the concept linking relief, rehabilitation and development (LRRD) in the sanitation sector. It aims to use a composite of case studies to devise a framework for a semi-hypothetical scenario to identify critical components and generic processes for a LRRD action plan. The scenario is based on a latrine wetland sanitation system in a Muslim community. Several sub-frameworks are developed: (i) latrine design; (ii) assessment of human waste treatment; (iii) connective sanitation promotion strategy; and (iv) ecological systems and environmental services for sanitation and development. This scenario illustrates the complex issues involved in LRRD in sanitation work and provides technical notes and references for a legacy plan for disaster relief and development. © 2015 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2015.

Stress relief of transition zones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woodward, J.; van Rooyen, D.

1984-01-01

This paper considers the problem of intergranular stress corrosion cracking, initiated on the primary side, in the expansion transition region of roller expanded Alloy 600 tubing. In general it is believed that residual stresses, arising from the expansion process, are the cause of the problem. The work reported here concentrated on the identification of an optimal, in-situ stress relief treatment

Petroleum industry assists hurricane relief

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that the petroleum industry is aiding victims of last month's Hurricane Andrew with cash, clothing, food, water, and other supplies. Cash contributions announced as of last week totaled more than $2.7 million for distribution in South Florida and South Louisiana. Petroleum industry employees were collecting relief items such as bottled water and diapers for distribution in those areas

Oscillatory neural representations in the sensory thalamus predict neuropathic pain relief by deep brain stimulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yongzhi; Green, Alexander L; Hyam, Jonathan; Fitzgerald, James; Aziz, Tipu Z; Wang, Shouyan

2018-01-01

Understanding the function of sensory thalamic neural activity is essential for developing and improving interventions for neuropathic pain. However, there is a lack of investigation of the relationship between sensory thalamic oscillations and pain relief in patients with neuropathic pain. This study aims to identify the oscillatory neural characteristics correlated with pain relief induced by deep brain stimulation (DBS), and develop a quantitative model to predict pain relief by integrating characteristic measures of the neural oscillations. Measures of sensory thalamic local field potentials (LFPs) in thirteen patients with neuropathic pain were screened in three dimensional feature space according to the rhythm, balancing, and coupling neural behaviours, and correlated with pain relief. An integrated approach based on principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple regression analysis is proposed to integrate the multiple measures and provide a predictive model. This study reveals distinct thalamic rhythms of theta, alpha, high beta and high gamma oscillations correlating with pain relief. The balancing and coupling measures between these neural oscillations were also significantly correlated with pain relief. The study enriches the series research on the function of thalamic neural oscillations in neuropathic pain and relief, and provides a quantitative approach for predicting pain relief by DBS using thalamic neural oscillations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Novel anti-reflection technology for GaAs single-junction solar cells using surface patterning and Au nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Youngjo; Lam, Nguyen Dinh; Kim, Kangho; Kim, Sangin; Rotermund, Fabian; Lim, Hanjo; Lee, Jaejin

2012-07-01

Single-junction GaAs solar cell structures were grown by low-pressure MOCVD on GaAs (100) substrates. Micro-rod arrays with diameters of 2 microm, 5 microm, and 10 microm were fabricated on the surfaces of the GaAs solar cells via photolithography and wet chemical etching. The patterned surfaces were coated with Au nanoparticles using an Au colloidal solution. Characteristics of the GaAs solar cells with and without the micro-rod arrays and Au nanoparticles were investigated. The short-circuit current density of the GaAs solar cell with 2 microm rod arrays and Au nanoparticles increased up to 34.9% compared to that of the reference cell without micro-rod arrays and Au nanoparticles. The conversion efficiency of the GaAs solar cell that was coated with Au nanoparticles on the patterned surface with micro-rod arrays can be improved from 14.1% to 19.9% under 1 sun AM 1.5G illumination. These results show that micro-rod arrays and Au nanoparticle coating can be applied together in surface patterning to achieve a novel cost-effective anti-reflection technology.

Evaluation of radiation therapy for bone metastases: pain relief and quality of life

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilbert, H.A.; Kagan, A.R.; Nussbaum, H.; Rao, A.R.; Satzman, J.; Chan, P.; Allen, B.; Forsythe, A.

1977-01-01

The records of 158 patients irradiated for bone metastases were reviewed to evaluate the effectiveness of pain relief and to judge the effect of treatment on overall quality of life. Within 3 months 73% of the sites treated had pain relief, with 55 to 65% having sustained relief up to 1 year or death. Of patients surviving more than 3 months, 63% maintained a satisfactory quality of life and were able to take care of most personal needs. The median survival of all patients was 1 year from initial treatment for bone metastasis. Radiation dose and the primary tumor site do not seem to be significant prognostic factors for initial pain relief or quality of life

The pattern of anthropogenic signal emergence in Greenland Ice Sheet surface mass balance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fyke, J.G.; Vizcaino, M.; Lipscomb, W.H.

2014-01-01

Surface mass balance (SMB) trends influence observed Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) mass loss, but the component of these trends related to anthropogenic forcing is unclear. Here we study the simulated spatial pattern of emergence of an anthropogenically derived GrIS SMB signal between 1850 and 2100

Understanding how surface chemistry and topography enhance fog harvesting based on the superwetting surface with patterned hemispherical bulges.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Lieshuang; Zhu, Hai; Wu, Yang; Guo, Zhiguang

2018-09-01

The Namib Desert beetle-Stenocara can adapt to the arid environment by its fog harvesting ability. A series of samples with different topography and wettability that mimicked the elytra of the beetle were fabricated to study the effect of these factors on fog harvesting. The superhydrophobic bulgy sample harvested 1.5 times the amount of water than the sample with combinational pattern of hydrophilic bulgy/superhydrophobic surrounding and 2.83 times than the superhydrophobic surface without bulge. These bulges focused the droplets around them which endowed droplets with higher velocity and induced the highest dynamic pressure atop them. Superhydrophobicity was beneficial for the departure of harvested water on the surface of sample. The bulgy topography, together with surface wettability, dominated the process of water supply and water removal. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluating acute pain intensity relief: challenges when using an 11-point numerical rating scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Chauny, Jean-Marc; Paquet, Jean; Lavigne, Gilles; Marquis, Martin; Daoust, Raoul

2016-02-01

Percentage of pain intensity difference (PercentPID) is a recognized way of evaluating pain relief with an 11-point numerical rating scale (NRS) but is not without flaws. A new metric, the slope of relative pain intensity difference (SlopePID), which consists in dividing PercentPID by the time between 2 pain measurements, is proposed. This study aims to validate SlopePID with 3 measures of subjective pain relief: a 5-category relief scale (not, a little, moderate, very, complete), a 2-category relief question ("I'm relieved," "I'm not relieved"), and a single-item question, "Wanting other medication to treat pain?" (Yes/No). This prospective cohort study included 361 patients in the emergency department who had an initial acute pain NRS > 3 and a pain intensity assessment within 90 minutes after analgesic administration. Mean age was 50.2 years (SD = 19.3) and 59% were women. Area under the curves of receiver operating characteristic curves analyses revealed similar discriminative power for PercentPID (0.83; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.79-0.88) and SlopePID (0.82; 95% CI, 0.77-0.86). Considering the "very" category from the 5-category relief scale as a substantial relief, the average cutoff for substantial relief was a decrease of 64% (95% CI, 59-69) for PercentPID and of 49% per hour (95% CI, 44-54) for SlopePID. However, when a cutoff criterion of 50% was used as a measure of pain relief for an individual patient, PercentPID underestimated pain-relieved patients by 12.1% (P pain intensity at baseline was an odd number compared with an even number (32.9% vs 45.0%, respectively). SlopePID should be used instead of PercentPID as a metric to evaluate acute pain relief on a 0 to 10 NRS.

The Unintended Consequences of Property Tax Relief: New York's STAR Program

Science.gov (United States)

Eom, Tae Ho; Duncombe, William; Nguyen-Hoang, Phuong; Yinger, John

2014-01-01

New York's School Tax Relief Program, STAR, provides state-funded property tax relief for homeowners. Like a matching grant, STAR changes the price of education, thereby altering the incentives of voters and school officials and leading to unintended consequences. Using data for New York State school districts before and after STAR was…

Supply Chain Management in Humanitarian Relief Logistics

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Rodman, William

2004-01-01

Hundreds of millions of people are affected by disasters each year. This thesis explores the use of supply chain management techniques to overcome the barriers encountered by logistics managers during humanitarian relief operations...

24 CFR 965.508 - Individual relief.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Individual relief. 965.508 Section 965.508 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development (Continued... PHA-OWNED OR LEASED PROJECTS-GENERAL PROVISIONS Resident Allowances for Utilities § 965.508 Individual...

30 CFR 204.202 - What is the cumulative royalty reports and payments relief option?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Auditing Relief § 204.202 What is the cumulative royalty reports and payments relief option? (a) The... information on Form MMS-2014 for the calendar year, the same as if it were a monthly report; and (5) Report... section until the date MMS receives it. (d) If you take relief you are not qualified for, you may be...

Partial discharge patterns and surface deterioration in voids in filled and unfilled epoxy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holbøll, Joachim; Henriksen, Mogens

1992-01-01

/height analyses were performed over a period of 2400 h and showed very characteristic discharge patterns for each material combination. A unique behavior with regard to changes of pulse repetition rate and maximum apparent charge was observed for PD in alumina- and silica-filled epoxy. The void surfaces were...

Characterization methods of nano-patterned surfaces generated by induction heating assisted injection molding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tang, Peter Torben; Ravn, Christian; Menotti, Stefano

2015-01-01

An induction heating-assisted injection molding (IHAIM) process developed by the authors is used to replicate surfaces containing random nano-patterns. The injection molding setup is developed so that an induction heating system rapidly heats the cavity wall at rates of up to 10◦C/s. In order...

Anticipation and choice heuristics in the dynamic consumption of pain relief.

Science.gov (United States)

Story, Giles W; Vlaev, Ivo; Dayan, Peter; Seymour, Ben; Darzi, Ara; Dolan, Raymond J

2015-03-01

Humans frequently need to allocate resources across multiple time-steps. Economic theory proposes that subjects do so according to a stable set of intertemporal preferences, but the computational demands of such decisions encourage the use of formally less competent heuristics. Few empirical studies have examined dynamic resource allocation decisions systematically. Here we conducted an experiment involving the dynamic consumption over approximately 15 minutes of a limited budget of relief from moderately painful stimuli. We had previously elicited the participants' time preferences for the same painful stimuli in one-off choices, allowing us to assess self-consistency. Participants exhibited three characteristic behaviors: saving relief until the end, spreading relief across time, and early spending, of which the last was markedly less prominent. The likelihood that behavior was heuristic rather than normative is suggested by the weak correspondence between one-off and dynamic choices. We show that the consumption choices are consistent with a combination of simple heuristics involving early-spending, spreading or saving of relief until the end, with subjects predominantly exhibiting the last two.

Anticipation and Choice Heuristics in the Dynamic Consumption of Pain Relief

Science.gov (United States)

Story, Giles W.; Vlaev, Ivo; Dayan, Peter; Seymour, Ben; Darzi, Ara; Dolan, Raymond J.

2015-01-01

Humans frequently need to allocate resources across multiple time-steps. Economic theory proposes that subjects do so according to a stable set of intertemporal preferences, but the computational demands of such decisions encourage the use of formally less competent heuristics. Few empirical studies have examined dynamic resource allocation decisions systematically. Here we conducted an experiment involving the dynamic consumption over approximately 15 minutes of a limited budget of relief from moderately painful stimuli. We had previously elicited the participants’ time preferences for the same painful stimuli in one-off choices, allowing us to assess self-consistency. Participants exhibited three characteristic behaviors: saving relief until the end, spreading relief across time, and early spending, of which the last was markedly less prominent. The likelihood that behavior was heuristic rather than normative is suggested by the weak correspondence between one-off and dynamic choices. We show that the consumption choices are consistent with a combination of simple heuristics involving early-spending, spreading or saving of relief until the end, with subjects predominantly exhibiting the last two. PMID:25793302

Self-organized pattern on the surface of a metal anode in low-pressure DC discharge

Science.gov (United States)

Yaqi, YANG; Weiguo, LI

2018-03-01

Self-organization phenomena on the surface of a metal electrode in low-pressure DC discharge is studied. In this paper, we carry out laboratory investigations of self-organization in a low-pressure test platform for 100-200 mm rod-plane gaps with a needle tip, conical tip and hemispherical tip within 1-10 kPa. The factors influencing the pattern profile are the pressure value, gap length and shape of the electrode, and a variety of pattern structures are observed by changing these factors. With increasing pressure, first the pattern diameter increases and then decreases. With the needle tip, layer structure, single-ring structure and double-ring structure are displayed successively with increasing pressure. With the conical tip, the ring-like structure gradually forms separate spots with increasing pressure. With the hemispherical tip, there are anode spots inside the ring structure. With the increase of gap length, the diameter of the self-organized pattern increases and the profile of the pattern changes. The development process of the pattern contains three key stages: pattern enlargement, pattern stabilization and pattern shrink.

Barriers to spousal contribution to childbirth pain relief in Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Emelonye, A U; Pitkäaho, T; Aregbesola, A; Vehviläinen-Julkunen, K

2017-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the barriers inhibiting the use of spousal presence for childbirth pain relief in health facilities and recommendations from three perspectives: the midwife, the woman, and the spouse. Spousal presence is a non-invasive, participatory and inexpensive technique used in pain management during childbirth. Although it contributes to a large extent in relieving childbirth pain, it is underutilized in Nigerian hospitals. Overcoming the challenges impeding spousal presence and participation during childbirth will improve maternal outcome, satisfaction and midwifery care practices. A cross-sectional survey conducted in four hospitals in Nigeria involving midwives (n = 100), women (n = 142) and their spouses (n = 142) from June to December 2014 using pretested questionnaires. Five themes were identified: poor infrastructural facility, lack of adequate pain management policy, lack of midwife pain management practices, midwives' attitudes towards spousal presence during childbirth and feelings about spousal presence during childbirth pain relief. Infrastructural defects in the health facilities resulting in the lack of privacy in maternity units for both spouses and partners negatively influence the presence of a spouse during childbirth and pain relief. Adopting effective strategies such as good infrastructural facilities, staff training and spouse-friendly hospital policies will encourage spouses to fully participate in and contribute to childbirth pain relief. This study identified poor staff attitudes towards pain relief and spousal presence during childbirth as barriers. Providing adequate policies on pain management, continuous staff education and orientation on spousal relationship will improve active spousal participation and maternal satisfaction during childbirth. © 2016 International Council of Nurses.

U.S. Coastal Relief Model - Northwest Pacific

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — NGDC's U.S. Coastal Relief Model (CRM) provides the first comprehensive view of the U.S. coastal zone integrating offshore bathymetry with land topography into a...

U.S. Coastal Relief Model - Southeast Atlantic

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — NGDC's U.S. Coastal Relief Model (CRM) provides the first comprehensive view of the U.S. coastal zone integrating offshore bathymetry with land topography into a...

U.S. Coastal Relief Model - Central Pacific

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — NGDC's U.S. Coastal Relief Model (CRM) provides the first comprehensive view of the U.S. coastal zone integrating offshore bathymetry with land topography into a...

U.S. Coastal Relief Model - Southern California

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — NGDC's U.S. Coastal Relief Model (CRM) provides the first comprehensive view of the U.S. coastal zone integrating offshore bathymetry with land topography into a...

U.S. Coastal Relief Model - Northeast Atlantic

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — NGDC's U.S. Coastal Relief Model (CRM) provides the first comprehensive view of the U.S. coastal zone integrating offshore bathymetry with land topography into a...

U.S. Coastal Relief Model - Puerto Rico

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — NGDC's U.S. Coastal Relief Model (CRM) provides the first comprehensive view of the U.S. coastal zone integrating offshore bathymetry with land topography into a...

Nanosecond pulsed laser induced self-organized nano-dots patterns on GaSb surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoshida, Yutaka, E-mail: yyoshida@cris.hokudai.ac.jp [Center for Advanced Research of Energy and Materials, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, N8, W13, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8628, Hokkaido (Japan); Creative Research Institution Sousei, Hokkaido University, N21, W10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0021, Hokkaido (Japan); Oosawa, Kazuya; Wajima, Jyunya; Watanabe, Seiichi [Center for Advanced Research of Energy and Materials, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, N8, W13, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8628, Hokkaido (Japan); Matsuo, Yasutaka [Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0020, Hokkaido (Japan); Kato, Takahiko [Hitachi Research Laboratory, Hitachi, Ltd., 7-1-1 Omika, Hitachi-shi 319-1292, Ibaraki-ken (Japan); Center for Advanced Research of Energy and Materials, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, N8, W13, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8628, Hokkaido (Japan)

2014-07-01

We report a technique for formation of two-dimensional (2D) nanodot (ND) patterns on gaillium antimoide (GaSb) using a nanosecond pulsed laser irradiation with 532 nm wavelength. The patterns have formed because of the interference and the self-organization under energy deposition of the laser irradiation, which induced the growth of NDs on the local area. The NDs are grown and shrunken in the pattern by energy depositions. In the laser irradiation with average laser energy density of 35 mJ cm⁻², large and small NDs are formed on GaSb surface. The large NDs have grown average diameter from 160 to 200 nm with increase of laser pulses, and the small NDs have shrunken average diameter from 75 to 30 nm. The critical dot size is required about 107 nm for growth of the NDs in the patterns. Nanosecond pulsed laser irradiation can control the self-organized ND size on GaSb in air as a function of the laser pulses.

knowledge, attitude and use of pain relief in labour among women

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2014-07-01

Jul 1, 2014 ... Objective: To find out the knowledge, attitude and practice of pain relief methods during labour among ... all of which could adversely affect uterine blood flow. Pain relief in ... knowledge was low among women who did not use any form of ... Niven et al found that memories of labour pains can evoke intense ...

Mimicking the stenocara beetle--dewetting of drops from a patterned superhydrophobic surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Dorrer, Christian; Rühe, Jürgen

2008-06-17

This paper describes the preparation of superhydrophobic surfaces that have been selectively patterned with circular hydrophilic domains. These materials mimicked the back of the stenocara beetle and collected drops of water if exposed to mist or fog. Under the effect of gravity, the drops dewetted from the hydrophilic regions once a critical volume had been reached. The surface energy in the hydrophilic regions was carefully controlled and assumed various values, allowing us to study the behavior of drops as a function of the superhydrophobic/hydrophilic contrast. We have investigated the development of drops and quantitatively analyzed the critical volumes as a function of several parameters.

Influence of surface roughness on the elastic-light scattering patterns of micron-sized aerosol particles

Science.gov (United States)

Auger, J.-C.; Fernandes, G. E.; Aptowicz, K. B.; Pan, Y.-L.; Chang, R. K.

2010-04-01

The relation between the surface roughness of aerosol particles and the appearance of island-like features in their angle-resolved elastic-light scattering patterns is investigated both experimentally and with numerical simulation. Elastic scattering patterns of polystyrene spheres, Bacillus subtilis spores and cells, and NaCl crystals are measured and statistical properties of the island-like intensity features in their patterns are presented. The island-like features for each class of particle are found to be similar; however, principal-component analysis applied to extracted features is able to differentiate between some of the particle classes. Numerically calculated scattering patterns of Chebyshev particles and aggregates of spheres are analyzed and show qualitative agreement with experimental results.

ASSESSMENT OF THE INFLUENCE OF MODERN CRUSTAL MOVEMENTS AND THE RECENTLY ACTIVATED PRECAMBRIAN STRUCTURAL PLAN ON THE RELIEF OF THE LAKE LADOGA REGION (THE SOUTHEASTERN BALTIC SHIELD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. O. Agibalov

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the influence of modern crustal movements and the recently activated Precambrian structural plan on the relief of theLakeLadogaregion. It presents the results of comprehensive studies, including processing of the regional geological and geomorphological data by the modern methods, as the major novelty of our work. The solutions of earthquake focal mechanisms suggest the current subhorizontal NW compression in the study area. Based on the computer simulation by the Roxar software, we have identified areas wherein new fractures are most likely to occur, determined the dominant directions of such fractures, and revealed the areas of intense vertical movements in the given stress state. The input database included a digital model of the relief and the spatial patterns of ancient faults represented by large-size inhomogeneities influencing the stress field. Strain values were estimated from the horizontal displacements recorded by the International GPS Service for Geodynamics (IGS and the GPS networks in theRepublicofKareliaand the southeastern regions ofFinland. Using the LESSA software, we have estima­ted the relief orientation characteristics: the density of lineaments, and elongation lines, which are indicative of the changes in the dominant directions of the strike of the lineaments (‘hatches’ in the study area. By interpreting the satellite images and the topographic maps (scale 1:20000, we reveal a number of geological structures, such as gra­nite-gneiss domes and large-size faults, which are directly reflected in the relief. The study results give grounds to establish an indirect relationship between the relief and the modern field of deformation: the areas with high strain values correspond to the areas with steep slopes. The computer simulation data show a NE-trending linear zone with the increased amplitudes of vertical movements. This zone occupies the region along the NW shoreLakeLadoga. In the block

Quantifying Surface Coal-Mining Patterns to Promote Regional Sustainability in Ordos, Inner Mongolia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoji Zeng

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Ordos became the new “coal capital” of China within a few decades since the country’s economic reform in 1978, as large-scale surface coal mining dramatically propelled its per capita GDP from being one of the lowest to one of the highest in China, exceeding Hong Kong in 2009. Surface coal-mining areas (SCMAs have continued to expand in this region during recent decades, resulting in serious environmental and socioeconomic consequences. To understand these impacts and promote regional sustainability, quantifying the spatiotemporal patterns of SCMAs is urgently needed. Thus, the main objectives of this study were to quantify the spatiotemporal patterns of SCMAs in the Ordos region from 1990 to 2015, and to examine some of the major environmental and socioeconomic impacts in the study region. We extracted the SCMAs using remote-sensing data, and then quantified their spatiotemporal patterns using landscape metrics. The loss of natural habitat and several socioeconomic indicators were examined in relation to surface coal mining. Our results show that the area of SCMAs increased from 7.12 km2 to 355.95 km2, an increase of nearly 49 times from 1990 to 2015 in the Ordos region. The number of SCMAs in this region increased from 82 to 651, a nearly seven-fold increase. In particular, Zhungeer banner (an administrative division, Yijinhuoluo banner, Dongsheng District and Dalate banner in the north-eastern part of the Ordos region had higher growth rates of SCMAs. The income gap between urban and rural residents increased along with the growth in SCMAs, undermining social equity in the Ordos region. Moreover, the rapid increase in SCMAs resulted in natural habitat loss (including grasslands, forests, and deserts across this region. Thus, we suggest that regional sustainability in Ordos needs to emphasize effective measures to curb large-scale surface coal mining in order to reduce the urban–rural income gap, and to restore degraded natural

Anti-Seizure Medications: Relief from Nerve Pain

Science.gov (United States)

Anti-seizure medications: Relief from nerve pain Anti-seizure drugs often are used to help control the type of ... by damaged nerves. By Mayo Clinic Staff Anti-seizure medications were originally designed to treat people with ...

Banking on the public: market competition and shifting patterns of governance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blom, J.G.W.

2011-01-01

The financial crisis that started in 2007 has put the inherent challenges posed by global financial markets in a multilevel governance setting in sharp relief. It prominently raised the question why it apparently was not possible to develop a governance pattern better equipped to mitigate the worst

Modeling attitude towards drug treament: the role of internal motivation, external pressure, and dramatic relief.

Science.gov (United States)

Conner, Bradley T; Longshore, Douglas; Anglin, M Douglas

2009-04-01

Motivation for change has historically been viewed as the crucial element affecting responsiveness to drug treatment. Various external pressures, such as legal coercion, may engender motivation in an individual previously resistant to change. Dramatic relief may be the change process that is most salient as individuals internalize such external pressures. Results of structural equation modeling on data from 465 drug users (58.9% male; 21.3% Black, 34.2% Hispanic/Latino, and 35.1% White) entering drug treatment indicated that internal motivation and external pressure significantly and positively predicted dramatic relief and that dramatic relief significantly predicted attitudes towards drug treatment: chi (2) = 142.20, df = 100, p relief is also likely to be high. When dramatic relief is high, attitudes towards drug treatment are likely to be positive. The findings indicate that interventions to get individuals into drug treatment should include processes that promote Dramatic Relief. Implications for addictions health services are discussed.

Cell patterning on poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate)-patterned fluoropolymer substrate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Wan-Joong [Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do 580-185 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Chungnam National University, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-764 (Korea, Republic of); Jung, Chang-Hee; Hwang, In-Tae [Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do 580-185 (Korea, Republic of); Jung, Chan-Hee, E-mail: jch@kaeri.re.kr [Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do 580-185 (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Jae-Hak, E-mail: jaehakchoi@cnu.ac.kr [Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do 580-185 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Chungnam National University, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-764 (Korea, Republic of); Hong, Sung-Kwon [Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Chungnam National University, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-764 (Korea, Republic of)

2013-10-15

Highlights: •PFA films were functionalized by ion-beam induced surface graft polymerization. •Poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS)-patterned PFA films were prepared. •Well-organized cell patterns were obtained on PSS-patterned PFA films. •This method is useful to fabricate bio-platforms for cell-based biodevices. -- Abstract: The surface functionalization of bio-inert fluoropolymer films through ion beam-induced surface graft polymerization was investigated to control the cellular behavior. The surface of poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-perfluoropropl vinyl ether) (PFA) films was selectively activated by 150 keV H{sup +} ion implantation in the presence of a pattern mask and sodium 4-styrenesulfonate (SS) was then graft polymerized onto the implanted PFA films to form hydrophilic poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS)-patterned PFA films. The surface of the resulting PSS-patterned PFA films was investigated in terms of the degree of graft polymerization, chemical structure, chemical composition, wettability, and morphology. The analytical results revealed that PSS was selectively grafted onto the implanted regions of the PFA films. Furthermore, in vitro cell culture on the PSS-patterned PFA films exhibited a preferential adhesion and growth of cells onto the PSS-grafted regions, resulting in well-organized 100 μm cell patterns.

Cell patterning on poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate)-patterned fluoropolymer substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Wan-Joong; Jung, Chang-Hee; Hwang, In-Tae; Jung, Chan-Hee; Choi, Jae-Hak; Hong, Sung-Kwon

2013-01-01

Highlights: •PFA films were functionalized by ion-beam induced surface graft polymerization. •Poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS)-patterned PFA films were prepared. •Well-organized cell patterns were obtained on PSS-patterned PFA films. •This method is useful to fabricate bio-platforms for cell-based biodevices. -- Abstract: The surface functionalization of bio-inert fluoropolymer films through ion beam-induced surface graft polymerization was investigated to control the cellular behavior. The surface of poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-perfluoropropl vinyl ether) (PFA) films was selectively activated by 150 keV H + ion implantation in the presence of a pattern mask and sodium 4-styrenesulfonate (SS) was then graft polymerized onto the implanted PFA films to form hydrophilic poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS)-patterned PFA films. The surface of the resulting PSS-patterned PFA films was investigated in terms of the degree of graft polymerization, chemical structure, chemical composition, wettability, and morphology. The analytical results revealed that PSS was selectively grafted onto the implanted regions of the PFA films. Furthermore, in vitro cell culture on the PSS-patterned PFA films exhibited a preferential adhesion and growth of cells onto the PSS-grafted regions, resulting in well-organized 100 μm cell patterns

Laser processing of metallic biomaterials: An approach for surface patterning and wettability control

Science.gov (United States)

Razi, Sepehr; Mollabashi, Mahmoud; Madanipour, Khosro

2015-12-01

Q -switched Nd:YAG laser is used to manipulate the surface morphology and wettability characteristic of 316L stainless steel (SS) and titanium biomaterials. Water and glycerol are selected as wettability testing liquids and the sessile drop method is used for the contact angle measurements. Results indicate that on both of the metals, wettability toward water improves significantly after the laser treatment. Different analyses including the study of the surface morphology, free energy and oxidation are assessed in correlation with wettability. Beside the important role of the laser-induced surface patterns, the increase in the surface roughness, oxygen content and the polar component of the surface energy, are detected as the most important physical and chemical phenomena controlling the improvement in the wettability. However, all the processed hydrophilic surfaces that are exposed to air become hydrophobic over time. The time dependency of the surface wettability is related to the chemical activities on the treated surfaces and the reduction of oxygen/carbon (O/C) ratio on them. The behavior is further studied with investigating the effect of the keeping environment and changes of the components of the surface tension. Results show that the pulsed laser treatment is a versatile approach to create either hydrophobic or super hydrophilic surfaces for industrial and medical applications.

Shaded Relief of Minnesota Elevation - Black & White

Data.gov (United States)

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources — This file is a product of a shaded relief process on the 30 meter resolution Digital Elevation Model data (dem30im3). This image was created using a custom AML...

Patients' journeys through total joint replacement: patterns of medication use.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Emma C; Horwood, Jeremy; Gooberman-Hill, Rachael

2014-06-01

Medication is used to manage pain that results from both osteoarthritis and total joint replacement (TJR). Research has provided insight into how people living with osteoarthritis use pain relief medication. However, it is not known whether elective TJR affects existing attitudes and behaviours with regard to pain medications. Using qualitative methods, the present study explored patterns of pain relief use around the time of TJR. In-depth face-to-face qualitative interviews were carried out with 24 patients two to four weeks after they had undergone TJR for hip or knee osteoarthritis. Participants were asked to reflect on their use of pain medication pre-surgery, while in hospital and while recovering from their operation at home. Transcripts of the audio-recorded interviews were imported into Atlas.ti® and thematic analysis was used. Attitudes to pain relief medication and their use are not static. Many participants change their use of pain medication around the time of surgery. This shift was influenced by interactions with health professionals and changing views on the acceptability, necessity and value of pain relief in helping to manage an altered pain experience. Understanding reasons for medication-taking behaviour during the journey through joint replacement may be helpful to health professionals. Health professionals have a fundamental role to play in challenging or reinforcing different treatment beliefs, which is the basis for effective use of pain relief over the pre- to postoperative period. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Patterned immobilisation of silicon dioxide nanoparticles on the surface of a photosensitive polymer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muhr, Nina, E-mail: nina.muhr@unileoben.ac.at [Chair of Chemistry of Polymeric Materials, University of Leoben, Otto-Gloeckel-Strasse 2, A-8700 Leoben (Austria); Grinschgl, Markus; Griesser, Thomas [Chair of Chemistry of Polymeric Materials, University of Leoben, Otto-Gloeckel-Strasse 2, A-8700 Leoben (Austria); Kern, Wolfgang [Chair of Chemistry of Polymeric Materials, University of Leoben, Otto-Gloeckel-Strasse 2, A-8700 Leoben (Austria); Polymer Competence Center Leoben GmbH, Peter-Rosegger-Strasse 12, A-8700 Leoben (Austria); Schroettner, Hartmuth [Institute for Electron Microscopy, Technical University of Graz, Steyrergasse 17, A-8010 Graz (Austria)

2012-01-01

A photosensitive co-polymer of styrene and 4-vinylbenzyl thiocyanate was synthesised and employed for the immobilisation of aminofunctionalised silica nanoparticles (SiO{sub 2}-NP) at the polymer surface. Upon UV irradiation of the co-polymer, isothiocyanate groups are generated by a photo-isomerisation reaction of the thiocyanate groups. The silica nanoparticles were selectively immobilised in irradiated areas by immersing the illuminated polymer surface in a solution of SiO{sub 2}-NP. Depending on the time of immersion and the nanoparticle concentration, different amounts of silica can be deposited in the irradiated areas, whilst no immobilisation of SiO{sub 2}-NP is observed in the non-irradiated areas. By using photolithographic methods, patterned silica structures ({mu}m scale) were produced on the polymer surface. The SiO{sub 2}-NP covered surfaces are of potential interest to generate protective surface layers and to carry out further functionalisation reactions of the immobilised SiO{sub 2}-NP particles.

Spatial-temporal evolution of self-organized loop-patterns on a water surface and a diffuse discharge in the gap

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xuechen; Geng, Jinling; Jia, Pengying; Zhang, Panpan; Zhang, Qi; Li, Yaru

2017-11-01

Excited by an alternating current voltage, a patterned discharge and a diffuse discharge are generated in a needle to liquid configuration. Using an intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD), temporal evolution of the discharge between the two electrodes is investigated for the diffuse mode and the patterned mode, respectively. For the diffuse mode, the positive discharge is in a glow regime, and the negative discharge is in a Townsend discharge regime. For the patterned mode, the discharge always belongs to the Townsend discharge regime. Moreover, in the patterned mode, various patterns including the single loop, single loop with the surrounding corona, triple loops, and concentric loops with a central spot are observed on the water surface with the increasing positive peak-value of the applied voltage (Upp). Temporally resolved images of the loop-patterns are captured on the water surface. From the electrical measurements and the ICCD imaging, it is found that the loop pattern emerges after the discharge bridges the two electrodes. Then, it begins to evolve and finally degenerates with the decrease in the discharge current. The pattern does not disappear until the discharge quenches. Formation of the loop-patterns is attributed to the role of negative ions.

Assessing the relationship between surface urban heat islands and landscape patterns across climatic zones in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Qiquan; Huang, Xin; Li, Jiayi

2017-08-24

The urban heat island (UHI) effect exerts a great influence on the Earth's environment and human health and has been the subject of considerable attention. Landscape patterns are among the most important factors relevant to surface UHIs (SUHIs); however, the relationship between SUHIs and landscape patterns is poorly understood over large areas. In this study, the surface UHI intensity (SUHII) is defined as the temperature difference between urban and suburban areas, and the landscape patterns are quantified by the urban-suburban differences in several typical landscape metrics (ΔLMs). Temperature and land-cover classification datasets based on satellite observations were applied to analyze the relationship between SUHII and ΔLMs in 332 cities/city agglomerations distributed in different climatic zones of China. The results indicate that SUHII and its correlations with ΔLMs are profoundly influenced by seasonal, diurnal, and climatic factors. The impacts of different land-cover types on SUHIs are different, and the landscape patterns of the built-up and vegetation (including forest, grassland, and cultivated land) classes have the most significant effects on SUHIs. The results of this study will help us to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between the SUHI effect and landscape patterns.

Modeling subsurface stormflow initiation in low-relief landscapes

Science.gov (United States)

Hopp, Luisa; Vaché, Kellie B.; Rhett Jackson, C.; McDonnell, Jeffrey J.

2015-04-01

Shallow lateral subsurface flow as a runoff generating mechanism at the hillslope scale has mostly been studied in steeper terrain with typical hillside angles of 10 - 45 degrees. These studies have shown that subsurface stormflow is often initiated at the interface between a permeable upper soil layer and a lower conductivity impeding layer, e.g. a B horizon or bedrock. Many studies have identified thresholds of event size and soil moisture states that need to be exceeded before subsurface stormflow is initiated. However, subsurface stormflow generation on low-relief hillslopes has been much less studied. Here we present a modeling study that investigates the initiation of subsurface stormflow on low-relief hillslopes in the Upper Coastal Plain of South Carolina, USA. Hillslopes in this region typically have slope angles of 2-5 degrees. Topsoils are sandy, underlain by a low-conductivity sandy clay loam Bt horizon. Subsurface stormflow has only been intercepted occasionally in a 120 m long trench, and often subsurface flow was not well correlated with stream signals, suggesting a disconnect between subsurface flow on the hillslopes and stream flow. We therefore used a hydrologic model to better understand which conditions promote the initiation of subsurface flow in this landscape, addressing following questions: Is there a threshold event size and soil moisture state for producing lateral subsurface flow? What role does the spatial pattern of depth to the impeding clay layer play for subsurface stormflow dynamics? We reproduced a section of a hillslope, for which high-resolution topographic data and depth to clay measurements were available, in the hydrologic model HYDRUS-3D. Soil hydraulic parameters were based on experimentally-derived data. The threshold analysis was first performed using hourly climate data records for 2009-2010 from the study site to drive the simulation. For this period also trench measurements of subsurface flow were available. In addition

Double Dividend Taxation Relief: A New View From The Corporate Income Tax Perspective

OpenAIRE

Sebastian Lazar

2010-01-01

Double taxation of dividends is a matter of great interest in the actual context of globalization and free movement of capital and persons. As the classical system is more and more abandoned, new solutions for the relief of double taxation are put into practice as a mean to reduce the fiscal burden on shareholders. With few exceptions, all these solutions are based on dividend tax relief. The paper aims at providing alternative solutions for double dividend taxation relief by taking some acti...

Atmospheric Circulation Patterns over East Asia and Their Connection with Summer Precipitation and Surface Air Temperature in Eastern China during 1961-2013

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shuping; Hou, Wei; Feng, Guolin

2018-04-01

Based on the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data and Chinese observational data during 1961-2013, atmospheric circulation patterns over East Asia in summer and their connection with precipitation and surface air temperature in eastern China as well as associated external forcing are investigated. Three patterns of the atmospheric circulation are identified, all with quasi-barotropic structures: (1) the East Asia/Pacific (EAP) pattern, (2) the Baikal Lake/Okhotsk Sea (BLOS) pattern, and (3) the eastern China/northern Okhotsk Sea (ECNOS) pattern. The positive EAP pattern significantly increases precipitation over the Yangtze River valley and favors cooling north of the Yangtze River and warming south of the Yangtze River in summer. The warm sea surface temperature anomalies over the tropical Indian Ocean suppress convection over the northwestern subtropical Pacific through the Ekman divergence induced by a Kelvin wave and excite the EAP pattern. The positive BLOS pattern is associated with below-average precipitation south of the Yangtze River and robust cooling over northeastern China. This pattern is triggered by anomalous spring sea ice concentration in the northern Barents Sea. The anomalous sea ice concentration contributes to a Rossby wave activity flux originating from the Greenland Sea, which propagates eastward to North Pacific. The positive ECNOS pattern leads to below-average precipitation and significant warming over northeastern China in summer. The reduced soil moisture associated with the earlier spring snowmelt enhances surface warming over Mongolia and northeastern China and the later spring snowmelt leads to surface cooling over Far East in summer, both of which are responsible for the formation of the ECNOS pattern.

19 CFR 210.70 - Forfeiture or return of complainant's temporary relief bond.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... relief bond. 210.70 Section 210.70 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION INVESTIGATIONS OF UNFAIR PRACTICES IN IMPORT TRADE ADJUDICATION AND ENFORCEMENT Temporary Relief § 210.70... and the Commission will be guided by practice under Rule 65 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure...

An Engineered Resupply System for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Operations

Science.gov (United States)

2017-09-01

relevant and timely relief. Conduct Supply refers to the procurement, warehousing, and managing of relief supplies. Conduct Deployment and Distribution ...NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA THESIS Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited. AN ENGINEERED...Approved OMB No. 0704–0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time

High-frequency background modulation fringe patterns based on a fringe-wavelength geometry-constraint model for 3D surface-shape measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xinran; Kofman, Jonathan

2017-07-10

A new fringe projection method for surface-shape measurement was developed using four high-frequency phase-shifted background modulation fringe patterns. The pattern frequency is determined using a new fringe-wavelength geometry-constraint model that allows only two corresponding-point candidates in the measurement volume. The correct corresponding point is selected with high reliability using a binary pattern computed from intensity background encoded in the fringe patterns. Equations of geometry-constraint parameters permit parameter calculation prior to measurement, thus reducing measurement computational cost. Experiments demonstrated the ability of the method to perform 3D shape measurement for a surface with geometric discontinuity, and for spatially isolated objects.

Sharing Information among Various Organizations in Relief Efforts

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Costur, Gurkan

2005-01-01

.... An analysis is presented of the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami relief effort; specifically, how different organizations such as the military, United Nations, and non-governmental organizations...

48 CFR 252.229-7010 - Relief from customs duty on fuel (United Kingdom).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

..., February 1973, entitled “Relief from Customs Duty and/or Value Added Tax on United States Government... Office. (b) Specific information should be included in the request for tax relief, such as the number of...

Fabrication of sub-micron surface structures on copper, stainless steel and titanium using picosecond laser interference patterning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bieda, Matthias, E-mail: matthias.bieda@iws.fraunhofer.de [Fraunhofer-Institut für Werkstoff- und Strahltechnik (IWS), Winterbergstr. 28, 01277 Dresden (Germany); Siebold, Mathias, E-mail: m.siebold@hzdr.de [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Bautzner Landstr. 400, 01328 Dresden (Germany); Lasagni, Andrés Fabián, E-mail: andres_fabian.lasagni@tu-dresden.de [Fraunhofer-Institut für Werkstoff- und Strahltechnik (IWS), Winterbergstr. 28, 01277 Dresden (Germany); Technische Universität Dresden, Institut für Fertigungstechnik, 01062 Dresden (Germany)

2016-11-30

Highlights: • Laser interference patterning is introduced to generate sub-micrometer surface pattern. • The two-temperature model is applied to ps-laser interference patterning of metals. • Line-like structures with a pitch of 0.7 μm were fabricated on SAE 304, Ti and Cu. • The process is governed by a photo-thermal mechanism for a pulse duration of 35 ps. • A “cold”-ablation process for metals requires a pulse duration shorter than 10 ps. - Abstract: Picosecond direct laser interference patterning (ps-DLIP) is investigated theoretically and experimentally for the bulk metals copper, stainless steel and titanium. While surface texturing with nanosecond pulses is limited to feature sizes in the micrometer range, utilizing picosecond pulses can lead to sub-micrometer structures. The modelling and simulation of ps-DLIP are based on the two-temperature model and were carried out for a pulse duration of 35 ps at 515 nm wavelength and a laser fluence of 0.1 J/cm{sup 2}. The subsurface temperature distribution of both electrons and phonons was computed for periodic line-like structures with a pitch of 0.8 μm. The increase in temperature rises for a lower absorption coefficient and a higher thermal conductivity. The distance, at which the maximum subsurface temperature occurs, increases for a small absorption coefficient. High absorption and low thermal conductivity minimize internal heating and give rise to a pronounced surface micro topography with pitches smaller than 1 μm. In order to confirm the computed results, periodic line-like surface structures were produced using two interfering beams of a Yb:YAG-Laser with 515 nm wavelength and a pulse duration of 35 ps. It was possible to obtain a pitch of 0.7 μm on the metallic surfaces.

Polyhedral patterns

KAUST Repository

Jiang, Caigui

2015-10-27

We study the design and optimization of polyhedral patterns, which are patterns of planar polygonal faces on freeform surfaces. Working with polyhedral patterns is desirable in architectural geometry and industrial design. However, the classical tiling patterns on the plane must take on various shapes in order to faithfully and feasibly approximate curved surfaces. We define and analyze the deformations these tiles must undertake to account for curvature, and discover the symmetries that remain invariant under such deformations. We propose a novel method to regularize polyhedral patterns while maintaining these symmetries into a plethora of aesthetic and feasible patterns.

Template-controlled mineralization: Determining film granularity and structure by surface functionality patterns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nina J. Blumenstein

2015-08-01

Full Text Available We present a promising first example towards controlling the properties of a self-assembling mineral film by means of the functionality and polarity of a substrate template. In the presented case, a zinc oxide film is deposited by chemical bath deposition on a nearly topography-free template structure composed of a pattern of two self-assembled monolayers with different chemical functionality. We demonstrate the template-modulated morphological properties of the growing film, as the surface functionality dictates the granularity of the growing film. This, in turn, is a key property influencing other film properties such as conductivity, piezoelectric activity and the mechanical properties. A very pronounced contrast is observed between areas with an underlying fluorinated, low energy template surface, showing a much more (almost two orders of magnitude coarse-grained film with a typical agglomerate size of around 75 nm. In contrast, amino-functionalized surface areas induce the growth of a very smooth, fine-grained surface with a roughness of around 1 nm. The observed influence of the template on the resulting clear contrast in morphology of the growing film could be explained by a contrast in surface adhesion energies and surface diffusion rates of the nanoparticles, which nucleate in solution and subsequently deposit on the functionalized substrate.

Improved SURF Algorithm and Its Application in Seabed Relief Image Matching

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang Hong-Mei

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The matching based on seabed relief image is widely used in underwater relief matching navigation and target recognition, etc. However, being influenced by various factors, some conventional matching algorithms are difficult to obtain an ideal result in the matching of seabed relief image. SURF(Speeded Up Robust Features algorithm is based on feature points pair to achieve matching, and can get good results in the seabed relief image matching. However, in practical applications, the traditional SURF algorithm is easy to get false matching, especially when the area’s features are similar or not obvious, the problem is more seriously. In order to improve the robustness of the algorithm, this paper proposes an improved matching algorithm, which combines the SURF, and RANSAC (Random Sample Consensus algorithms. The new algorithm integrates the two algorithms advantages, firstly, the SURF algorithm is applied to detect and extract the feature points then to pre-match. Secondly, RANSAC algorithm is utilized to eliminate mismatching points, and then the accurate matching is accomplished with the correct matching points. The experimental results show that the improved algorithm overcomes the mismatching problem effectively and have better precision and faster speed than the traditional SURF algorithm.

South America, Shaded Relief and Colored Height

Science.gov (United States)

2003-01-01

This image of South America was generated with data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). For this broad view the resolution of the data was first reduced to 30 arcseconds (about 928 meters north-south but variable east-west), matching the best previously existing global digital topographic data set called GTOPO30. The data were then resampled to a Mercator projection with approximately square pixels (about one kilometer, or 0.6 miles, on each side). Even at this decreased resolution the variety of landforms comprising the South American continent is readily apparent.Topographic relief in South America is dominated by the Andes Mountains, which extend all along the Pacific Coast. These mountains are created primarily by the convergence of the Nazca and South American tectonic plates. The Nazca Plate, which underlies the eastern Pacific Ocean, slides under western South America resulting in crustal thickening, uplift, and volcanism. Another zone of plate convergence occurs along the northwestern coast of South America where the Caribbean Plate also slides under the South American Plate and forms the northeastern extension of the Andes Mountains.East of the Andes, much of northern South America drains into the Amazon River, the world's largest river in terms of both watershed area and flow volume. Topographic relief is very low in much of the Amazon Basin but SRTM data provide an excellent detailed look at the basin's three-dimensional drainage pattern, including the geologic structural trough (syncline) that hosts the eastern river channel.North of the Amazon, the Guiana Highlands commonly stand in sharp contrast to the surrounding lowlands, indeed hosting the world's tallest waterfall, Angel Falls (979 meters or 3212 feet). Folded and fractured bedrock structures are distinctive in the topographic pattern.South of the Amazon, the Brazilian Highlands show a mix of landforms, including some broad areas of consistent topographic patterns that indicate the

Japanese women's experiences of pharmacological pain relief in New Zealand.

Science.gov (United States)

Doering, Keiko; Patterson, Jean; Griffiths, Christine R

2014-06-01

In Japan, most women manage labour pain without pharmacological interventions. However, New Zealand statistics show a high percentage of epidural use amongst Asian women. Entonox (a gas mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen) and pethidine are also available to women in New Zealand. This article investigates how Japanese women in New Zealand respond to the use of pharmacological pain relief in labour. The study was guided by two research questions: (1) How do Japanese women experience and manage labour pain in New Zealand? (2) How do they feel about the use of pharmacological pain relief? Thirteen Japanese women who had given birth in New Zealand were interviewed individually or in a focus group. The conversations were analysed using thematic analysis. Although in Japan very few women use pain relief, nine women received epidural and/or Entonox out of 11 women who experienced labour pain. The contrast between their Japanese cultural expectations and their birth experiences caused some of the women subsequent personal conflict. Japanese women's cultural perspectives and passive attitudes were demonstrated to influence the decision-making process concerning pain relief. It was concluded that understanding Japanese cultural worldviews and approaches to the role of pain in labour would help maternity providers in their provision of appropriate care for Japanese women. Copyright © 2013 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Photoreactive polymer brushes for high-density patterned surface derivatization using a Diels-Alder photoclick reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Arumugam, Selvanathan; Orski, Sara V; Locklin, Jason; Popik, Vladimir V

2012-01-11

Reactive polymer brushes grown on silicon oxide surfaces were derivatized with photoreactive 3-(hydroxymethyl)naphthalene-2-ol (NQMP) moieties. Upon 300 or 350 nm irradiation, NQMP efficiently produces o-naphthoquinone methide (oNQM), which in turn undergoes very rapid Diels-Alder addition to vinyl ether groups attached to a substrate, resulting in the covalent immobilization of the latter. Any unreacted oNQM groups rapidly add water to regenerate NQMP. High-resolution surface patterning is achieved by irradiating NQMP-derivatized surfaces using photolithographic methods. The Diels-Alder photoclick reaction is orthogonal to azide-alkyne click chemistry, enabling sequential photoclick/azide-click derivatizations to generate complex surface functionalities. © 2011 American Chemical Society

78 FR 19136 - Emergency Relief Program

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-29

... issuing this interim final rule in order to comply with the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013... FTA-2013-0004. All electronic submissions must be made to the U.S. Government electronic site at http... operating costs in the event of a catastrophic event, such as a natural disaster, that affects a wide area...

High Power Picosecond Laser Surface Micro-texturing of H13 Tool Steel and Pattern Replication onto ABS Plastics via Injection Moulding

Science.gov (United States)

Otanocha, Omonigho B.; Li, Lin; Zhong, Shan; Liu, Zhu

2016-03-01

H13 tool steels are often used as dies and moulds for injection moulding of plastic components. Certain injection moulded components require micro-patterns on their surfaces in order to modify the physical properties of the components or for better mould release to reduce mould contamination. With these applications it is necessary to study micro-patterning to moulds and to ensure effective pattern transfer and replication onto the plastic component during moulding. In this paper, we report an investigation into high average powered (100 W) picosecond laser interactions with H13 tool steel during surface micro-patterning (texturing) and the subsequent pattern replication on ABS plastic material through injection moulding. Design of experiments and statistical modelling were used to understand the influences of laser pulse repetition rate, laser fluence, scanning velocity, and number of scans on the depth of cut, kerf width and heat affected zones (HAZ) size. The characteristics of the surface patterns are analysed. The process parameter interactions and significance of process parameters on the processing quality and efficiency are characterised. An optimum operating window is recommended. The transferred geometry is compared with the patterns generated on the dies. A discussion is made to explain the characteristics of laser texturing and pattern replication on plastics.

Thermodiffusion as a means to manipulate liquid film dynamics on chemically patterned surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalpathy, Sreeram K; Shreyes, Amrita Ravi

2017-06-07

The model problem examined here is the stability of a thin liquid film consisting of two miscible components, resting on a chemically patterned solid substrate and heated from below. In addition to surface tension gradients, the temperature variations also induce gradients in the concentration of the film by virtue of thermodiffusion/Soret effects. We study the stability and dewetting behaviour due to the coupled interplay between thermal gradients, Soret effects, long-range van der Waals forces, and wettability gradient-driven flows. Linear stability analysis is first employed to predict growth rates and the critical Marangoni number for chemically homogeneous surfaces. Then, nonlinear simulations are performed to unravel the interfacial dynamics and possible locations of the film rupture on chemically patterned substrates. Results suggest that appropriate tuning of the Soret parameter and its direction, in conjunction with either heating or cooling, can help manipulate the location and time scales of the film rupture. The Soret effect can either potentially aid or oppose film instability depending on whether the thermal and solutal contributions to flow are cooperative or opposed to each other.

29 CFR 1601.23 - Preliminary or temporary relief.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

..., or political subdivision. (b) In a case involving a government, governmental agency, or political... private individuals from exercising their rights to seek temporary or preliminary relief on their own...

Simulation of durability the evaluation of relief-dot Braille images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Svitlana Havenko

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The paper presents a model of factors that influence on the quality of relief-dot Braille inscriptions in their intensive use by blind people. It was constructed matrix of depending and distancing by using a directed graph. It allowed establish a hierarchy between studied criteria’s of impact the on durability of relief prints. It was developed a basic structure of digital system of assessment the conformity of Braille symbols to applicable international standards and definition of operational stability.

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.

Difference in growth and coalescing patterns of droplets on bi-philic surfaces with varying spatial distribution.

Science.gov (United States)

Garimella, Martand Mayukh; Koppu, Sudheer; Kadlaskar, Shantanu Shrikant; Pillutla, Venkata; Abhijeet; Choi, Wonjae

2017-11-01

This paper reports the condensation and subsequent motion of water droplets on bi-philic surfaces, surfaces that are patterned with regions of different wettability. Bi-philic surfaces can enhance the water collection efficiency: droplets condensing on hydrophobic regions wick into hydrophilic drain channels when droplets grow to a certain size, renewing the condensation on the dry hydrophobic region. The onset of drain phenomenon can be triggered by multiple events with distinct nature ranging from gravity, direct contact between a droplet and a drain channel, to a mutual coalescence between droplets. This paper focuses on the effect of the length scale of hydrophobic regions on the dynamics of mutual coalescence between droplets and subsequent drainage. The main hypothesis was that, when the drop size is sufficient, the kinetic energy associated with a coalescence of droplets may cause dynamic advancing of a newly formed drop, leading to further coalescence with nearby droplets and ultimately to a chain reaction. We fabricate bi-philic surfaces with hydrophilic and hydrophobic stripes, and the result confirms that coalescing droplets, when the length scale of droplets increases beyond 0.2mm, indeed display dynamic expansion and chain reaction. Multiple droplets can thus migrate to hydrophilic drain simultaneously even when the initial motion of the droplets was not triggered by the direct contact between the droplet and the hydrophilic drain. Efficiency of drain due to mutual coalescence of droplets varies depending on the length scale of bi-philic patterns, and the drain phenomenon reaches its peak when the width of hydrophobic stripes is between 800μm and 1mm. The Ohnesorge number of droplets draining on noted surfaces is between 0.0042 and 0.0037 respectively. The observed length scale of bi-philic patterns matches that on the Stenocara beetle's fog harvesting back surface. This match between length scales suggests that the surface of the insect is optimized

Exploring the Association of Deliberate Self-Harm With Emotional Relief Using a Novel Implicit Association Test

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Gratz, Kim L.; Chapman, Alexander L.; Dixon-Gordon, Katherine L.; Tull, Matthew T.

2017-01-01

Despite the growing consensus that negative reinforcement in the form of emotional relief plays a key role in the maintenance of deliberate self-harm (DSH), most of the research in this area has relied exclusively on self-report measures of the perceived motives for and emotional consequences of DSH. Thus, the primary aim of this study was to extend extant research on the role of emotional relief in DSH by examining the strength of the association of DSH with emotional relief using a novel version of the Implicit Association Test (IAT). The strength of the DSH-relief association among both participants with (vs. without) DSH and self-harming participants with (vs. without) BPD, as well as its associations with relevant clinical constructs (including DSH characteristics, self-reported motives for DSH, BPD pathology, and emotion dysregulation and avoidance) were examined in a community sample of young adults (113 with recent recurrent DSH; 135 without DSH). As hypothesized, results revealed stronger associations between DSH and relief among participants with versus without DSH, as well as among DSH participants with versus without BPD. Moreover, the strength of the DSH-relief association was positively associated with DSH frequency and versatility (both lifetime and at 6-month follow-up), BPD pathology, emotion dysregulation, experiential avoidance, and self-reported emotion relief motives for DSH. Findings provide support for theories emphasizing the role of emotional relief in DSH (particularly among individuals with BPD), as well as the construct validity, predictive utility, and incremental validity (relative to self-reported emotion relief motives) of this IAT. PMID:26147069

Crustal structure, and topographic relief in the high southern Scandes, Norway

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Stratford, W.; Thybo, H.; Frassetto, A.

2010-05-01

Resolving the uplift history of southern Norway is hindered by the lack of constraint available from the geologic record. Sediments that often contain information of burial and uplift history have long since been stripped from the onshore regions in southern Norway, and geophysical, dating methods and geomorphological studies are the remaining means of unraveling uplift history. New constraints on topographic evolution and uplift in southern Norway have been added by a recent crustal scale refraction project. Magnus-Rex (Mantle investigation of Norwegian uplift Structure, refraction experiment) recorded three ~400 km long active source seismic profiles across the high southern Scandes Mountains. The goal of the project is to determine crustal thickness and establish whether these mountains are supported at depth by a crustal root or by other processes. The southern Scandes Mountains were formed during the Caledonian Orogeny around 440 Ma. These mountains, which reach elevations of up to ~2.5 km, are comprised of one or more palaeic (denudation) surfaces of rolling relief that are incised by fluvial and glacial erosion. Extreme vertical glacial incision of up to 1000 m cuts into the surfaces in the western fjords, while the valleys of eastern Norway are more fluvial in character. Climatic controls on topography here are the Neogene - Recent effects of rebound due to removal of the Fennoscandian ice sheet and isostatic rebound due to incisional erosion. However, unknown tectonic uplift mechanisms may also be in effect, and separating the tectonic and climate-based vertical motions is often difficult. Sediment and rock has been removed by the formation of the palaeic surfaces and uplift measurements cannot be directly related to present elevations. Estimates so far have indicated that rebound due to incisional erosion has a small effect of ~500 m on surface elevation. Results from Magnus-Rex indicate the crust beneath the high mountains is up to 40 km thick. This

A review of nanostructured surfaces and materials for dental implants: surface coating, patterning and functionalization for improved performance.

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Rasouli, Rahimeh; Barhoum, Ahmed; Uludag, Hasan

2018-05-10

The emerging field of nanostructured implants has enormous scope in the areas of medical science and dental implants. Surface nanofeatures provide significant potential solutions to medical problems by the introduction of better biomaterials, improved implant design, and surface engineering techniques such as coating, patterning, functionalization and molecular grafting at the nanoscale. This review is of an interdisciplinary nature, addressing the history and development of dental implants and the emerging area of nanotechnology in dental implants. After a brief introduction to nanotechnology in dental implants and the main classes of dental implants, an overview of different types of nanomaterials (i.e. metals, metal oxides, ceramics, polymers and hydrides) used in dental implant together with their unique properties, the influence of elemental compositions, and surface morphologies and possible applications are presented from a chemical point of view. In the core of this review, the dental implant materials, physical and chemical fabrication techniques and the role of nanotechnology in achieving ideal dental implants have been discussed. Finally, the critical parameters in dental implant design and available data on the current dental implant surfaces that use nanotopography in clinical dentistry have been discussed.

Mechanochemical activation and patterning of an adhesive surface toward nanoparticle deposition.

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Baytekin, H Tarik; Baytekin, Bilge; Huda, Sabil; Yavuz, Zelal; Grzybowski, Bartosz A

2015-02-11

Mechanical pulling of adhesive tape creates radicals on the tape's surface. These radicals are capable of reducing metal salts to the corresponding metal nanoparticles. In this way, the mechanically activated tape can be decorated with various types of nanoparticles, including Au, Ag, Pd, or Cu. While retaining their mechanical properties and remaining "sticky," the tapes can exhibit new properties derived from the presence of metal nanoparticles (e.g., bacteriostaticity, increased electrical conductivity). They can also be patterned with nanoparticles only at selective locations of mechanical activation.

An audit of aspects of informed consent and pain relief in general ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

They were asked what they knew or had been informed about their diagnosis, operation and complications of surgery. On pain relief, patients were asked about their experiences on the first post-operative day and what relief they had from analgesics. Twenty four did not know the diagnosis and 36 were not told what ...

Spatially Uniform ReliefF (SURF for computationally-efficient filtering of gene-gene interactions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Greene Casey S

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Genome-wide association studies are becoming the de facto standard in the genetic analysis of common human diseases. Given the complexity and robustness of biological networks such diseases are unlikely to be the result of single points of failure but instead likely arise from the joint failure of two or more interacting components. The hope in genome-wide screens is that these points of failure can be linked to single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs which confer disease susceptibility. Detecting interacting variants that lead to disease in the absence of single-gene effects is difficult however, and methods to exhaustively analyze sets of these variants for interactions are combinatorial in nature thus making them computationally infeasible. Efficient algorithms which can detect interacting SNPs are needed. ReliefF is one such promising algorithm, although it has low success rate for noisy datasets when the interaction effect is small. ReliefF has been paired with an iterative approach, Tuned ReliefF (TuRF, which improves the estimation of weights in noisy data but does not fundamentally change the underlying ReliefF algorithm. To improve the sensitivity of studies using these methods to detect small effects we introduce Spatially Uniform ReliefF (SURF. Results SURF's ability to detect interactions in this domain is significantly greater than that of ReliefF. Similarly SURF, in combination with the TuRF strategy significantly outperforms TuRF alone for SNP selection under an epistasis model. It is important to note that this success rate increase does not require an increase in algorithmic complexity and allows for increased success rate, even with the removal of a nuisance parameter from the algorithm. Conclusion Researchers performing genetic association studies and aiming to discover gene-gene interactions associated with increased disease susceptibility should use SURF in place of ReliefF. For instance, SURF should be

Dynamic Corneal Surface Mapping with Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry

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Iqbal, S.; Gualini, M. M. S.

2013-06-01

In view of the fast advancement in ophthalmic technology and corneal surgery, there is a strong need for the comprehensive mapping and characterization techniques for corneal surface. Optical methods with precision non-contact approaches have been found to be very useful for such bio measurements. Along with the normal mapping approaches, elasticity of corneal surface has an important role in its characterization and needs to be appropriately measured or estimated for broader diagnostics and better prospective surgical results, as it has important role in the post-op corneal surface reconstruction process. Use of normal corneal topographic devices is insufficient for any intricate analysis since these devices operate at relatively moderate resolution. In the given experiment, Pulsed Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry has been utilized along with an excitation mechanism to measure the dynamic response of the sample cornea. A Pulsed ESPI device has been chosen for the study because of its micron-level resolution and other advantages in real-time deformation analysis. A bovine cornea has been used as a sample in the subject experiment. The dynamic response has been taken on a chart recorder and it is observed that it does show a marked deformation at a specific excitation frequency, which may be taken as a characteristic elasticity parameter for the surface of that corneal sample. It was seen that outside resonance conditions the bovine cornea was not that much deformed. Through this study, the resonance frequency and the corresponding corneal deformations are mapped and plotted in real time. In these experiments, data was acquired and processed by FRAMES plus computer analysis system. With some analysis of the results, this technique can help us to refine a more detailed corneal surface mathematical model and some preliminary work was done on this. Such modelling enhancements may be useful for finer ablative surgery planning. After further experimentation

Prolonged knee pain relief by saphenous block (new technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajeev Harshe

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Pain in the knee joint can be from a variety of reasons. It can be either from the joint itself, it can be myofascial or it can be neuropathy, radicular pain. The myofascial component can be in different forms, namely, collateral ligament pain, bursitis, tendinitis, and so on. This responds well to local injections of steroids. Pain from the joint can be because of osteoarthritis (OA, rheumatoid arthritis or any other variety of arthritis. Among these osteoarthritis is the most common and naturally occurring pain. There are several modalities used for managing pain in the knee joint. They include medicines and physiotherapy, intra-articular steroid injection, intra-articular Hyalgan, Synvisc injection, prolotherapy, genicular nerve block, ablation, intra-articular pulsed radio frequency (PRF ablation, acupuncture, injection of platelet-rich plasma in the joint, total knee replacement, high tibial osteotomy, arthroscopy and lavage, and so on. All these modalities have their pros and cons. Literature and experience state that the pain relief provided may last for a few months with these modalities except in surgical interventions in advanced OA. The saphenous nerve is termination of femoral nerve and it is essentially sensory nerve. It supplies the medial compartment and some part of the anterior compartment of the knee joint. This nerve has been blocked near the knee joint by way of infiltration by surgeons and anesthetists, for relief of pain after knee surgery, with varying pain relief of postoperative pain. When we block the saphenous in the mid thigh in the sartorial canal, the fluid tends to block the medial branch of the anterior femoral cutaneous nerve also. It is hypothesized that this may give complete medial and anterior knee pain relief and as most of the knee OA patients have medial and anterior knee pain, this may prove useful. Use of ultrasonography helps to locate the nerve better, ensuring perfection. An effort has been made to

Triboelectricity: macroscopic charge patterns formed by self-arraying ions on polymer surfaces.

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Burgo, Thiago A L; Ducati, Telma R D; Francisco, Kelly R; Clinckspoor, Karl J; Galembeck, Fernando; Galembeck, Sergio E

2012-05-15

Tribocharged polymers display macroscopically patterned positive and negative domains, verifying the fractal geometry of electrostatic mosaics previously detected by electric probe microscopy. Excess charge on contacting polyethylene (PE) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) follows the triboelectric series but with one caveat: net charge is the arithmetic sum of patterned positive and negative charges, as opposed to the usual assumption of uniform but opposite signal charging on each surface. Extraction with n-hexane preferentially removes positive charges from PTFE, while 1,1-difluoroethane and ethanol largely remove both positive and negative charges. Using suitable analytical techniques (electron energy-loss spectral imaging, infrared microspectrophotometry and carbonization/colorimetry) and theoretical calculations, the positive species were identified as hydrocarbocations and the negative species were identified as fluorocarbanions. A comprehensive model is presented for PTFE tribocharging with PE: mechanochemical chain homolytic rupture is followed by electron transfer from hydrocarbon free radicals to the more electronegative fluorocarbon radicals. Polymer ions self-assemble according to Flory-Huggins theory, thus forming the experimentally observed macroscopic patterns. These results show that tribocharging can only be understood by considering the complex chemical events triggered by mechanical action, coupled to well-established physicochemical concepts. Patterned polymers can be cut and mounted to make macroscopic electrets and multipoles.

Emergency networking: famine relief in ant colonies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sendova-Franks, A.B.; Hayward, R.; Wulf, B.; Klimek, T.; James, R.; Planque, R.; Britton, N.F.; Franks, N.R.

2009-01-01

Resource distribution is fundamental to social organization, but it poses a dilemma. How to facilitate the spread of useful resources but restrict harmful substances? This dilemma reaches a zenith in famine relief. Survival depends on distributing food fast but that could increase vulnerability to

Efficacy of transverse tripolar spinal cord stimulator for the relief of chronic low back pain from failed back surgery.

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Buvanendran, Asokumar; Lubenow, Timothy J

2008-01-01

Failed back surgery syndrome is a common clinical entity for which spinal cord stimulation has been found to be an effective mode of analgesia, but with variable success rates. To determine if focal stimulation of the dorsal columns with a transverse tripolar lead might achieve deeper penetration of the electrical stimulus into the spinal cord and therefore provide greater analgesia to the back. Case report. We describe a 42-year-old female with failed back surgery syndrome that had greater back pain than leg pain. The tripolar lead configuration was achieved by placing percutaneously an octapolar lead in the spinal midline followed by 2 adjacent quadripolar leads, advanced to the T7-T10 vertebral bodies. Tripolar stimulation pattern resulted in more than 70% pain relief in this patient during the screening trial, while stimulation of one or 2 electrodes only provided 20% pain relief. After implantation of a permanent tripolar electrode system with a single rechargeable battery, the pain relief was maintained for one year. This is case report describing a case of a patient with chronic low back pain with a diagnosis of failed back surgery syndrome in which transverse tripolar stimulation using an octapolar and 2 quadripolar leads appeared to be beneficial. The transverse tripolar system consists of a central cathode surrounded by anodes, using 3 leads. This arrangement may contribute to maximum dorsal column stimulation with minimal dorsal root stimulation and provide analgesia to the lower back.

Women's preferences and received pain relief in childbirth - A prospective longitudinal study in a northern region of Sweden.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindholm, Annika; Hildingsson, Ingegerd

2015-06-01

A range of alternatives in pain management during childbirth are available in the western countries. Women's preferences for and use of pain relief methods during labour is not fully investigated. The aim of this study was to describe what pain relief methods pregnant women preferred when asked in late pregnancy and to identify factors associated with preferred and received pain relief methods. A prospective longitudinal study in a northern region of Sweden (n = 936). Data were collected by three questionnaires. Odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval were calculated between preferred and received pain relief methods for several explanatory variables. The most preferred pain relief methods were also the most common received pain relief methods; nitrous oxide, bathing, breathing techniques, epidural analgesia and massage. The strongest factors for using different pain relief methods were primiparity and preferences. Women who used epidural analgesia, regardless of preference, were two to four times more likely to have a less positive birth experience. Women's preferences for a certain pain relief method were largely met. Greater differences were seen between background factors and preferences than the received pain relief methods. Preferences and primiparity were the most important factors for actually using pain relief. Epidural analgesia was associated with a less positive birth experience. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Contribution of the endosteal surface of cortical bone to the trabecular pattern seen on IOPA radiographs: an in vitro study