Surface Weather Observations

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Surface Weather Observation Collection consists primarily of hourly, synoptic, daily, and monthly forms submitted to the archive by the National Weather Service...

Surface Weather, Signal Service and Weather Bureau

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Surface Weather, Signal Service and Weather Bureau (SWSSWB) Records primarily created by the United States Army Signal Service from 1819 until the paid and voluntary...

The Civil Palaces in Gravina street, Alicante: building stones and salt weathering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Louis, M.

2001-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a study into the architecture and construction of the 18^th Century Civil Palaces located in Gravina street (Provincial Museum of Fine Arts of Alicante, the building stones used and the mineral related decay processes that these materials have suffered. The original building stones and other stones used in subsequent restorations in these Civil Palaces are bioclastic limestones and/or calcarenites (San Julian Stone and Bateig Stone. Campello stone and other limestones are also present. Granular disintegration and alveolar weathering are the main forms of deterioration developed on the exterior of these Civil Palaces. These stone decay types are related to salt crystallisation, caused by sea spray salts and/or soil capillary waters. Halite is the most common salt found, probably due to the buildings' proximity to the coast. The halite is also present in indoor efflorescences. Gypsum is present in some efflorescences and ettringite on the inner face of the outdoor cladding stone. The cladding has been destroyed and replaced in the last restoration process.

En este trabajo se realiza un estudio de la arquitectura, construcción y materiales utilizados en los Palacios Civiles del siglo XVIII, situados en la calle Gravina (actual sede del Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes de Alicante. Las rocas utilizadas en la construcción original así como las utilizadas en sustituciones posteriores en estos Palacios Civiles son calizas bioclásticas y/o calcarenitas (Piedra de San Julián y Piedra Bateig. También están presentes la Piedra de Campello y otras calizas. La disgregación granular y la erosión alveolar son las formas de alteración más abundantes en el exterior de estos Palacios Civiles. Estos tipos de alteración están relacionados con la cristalización de sales, procedentes del spray marino y/o de las aguas capilares del suelo. El NaCl es la sal más abundante debido a la proximidad de la costa. La

Surface characterization of weathered wood using a laser scanning system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnold, M.; Lemaster, R.L.; Dost, W.A.

1992-01-01

Most of the existing methods to assess the effect of weathering on wood surfaces have some drawbacks that limit their use to specific tasks. The amount of surface erosion is often used as a measure for the weathering action. The application of a laser scanning system to reproduce surface profiles and to measure weathering erosion was tested on various samples and was found to be a very useful and superior alternative to existing methods. Further improvements of the system used can be made by refinements of the calibration procedures and by more comprehensive profile analyses. (author)

Land Surface Weather Observations

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — METAR is the international standard code format for hourly surface weather observations. The acronym roughly translates from French as Aviation Routine Weather...

Low specific-grinding energy machining of ceramics by a laser dressed diamond grinding stone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jodan, K.; Matsumaru, K.; Ishizaki, K.

2003-01-01

A laser dressing is an effective dressing method to accomplish efficient ceramic grinding. Since laser dressing achieves protrusion heights of abrasive-grains without grain dislodgment, the number of abrasive-grains in a laser dressed grinding stone (LGS) is higher than that in a mechanically dressed grinding stone (MGS), remaining the initial grain distribution. Thus, the LGS contains higher number of effective cutting edges, and forms higher number of ground grooves on a ground surface than the MGS. Consequently, the LGS can achieve lower specific grinding energy than the MGS. Copyright (2003) AD-TECH - International Foundation for the Advancement of Technology Ltd

Salt-enhanced chemical weathering of building materials and bacterial mineralization of calcium carbonate as a treatment

Science.gov (United States)

Schiro, M.; Ruiz-Agudo, E.; Jroundi, F.; Gonzalez-Muñoz, M. T.; Rodriguez-Navarro, C.

2012-04-01

Salt weathering is an important mechanism contributing to the degradation and loss of stone building materials. In addition to the physical weathering resulting from crystallization pressure, the presence of salts in solution greatly enhances the chemical weathering potential of pore waters. Flow through experiments quantify the dissolution rates of calcite and quartz grains (63-125 micrometer diameter) when subjected to 1.0 ionic strength solutions of MgSO4, MgCl, Na2SO4 or NaCl. Results indicate that the identity of the cation is the primary control over the dissolution rate of both calcite and quartz substrates, with salt-enhanced dissolution occurring most rapidly in Mg2+ bearing solutions. It has been observed that weathering rates of rocks in nature, as well as building stones, are slowed down by naturally occurring or artificially produced patinas. These tend to be bacterially produced, durable mineralized coatings that lend some degree of protection to the underlying stone surface [1]. Our research shows that bacterially produced carbonate coatings can be quite effective at reducing chemical weathering of stone by soluble salts. The calcite-producing-bacteria used in this study were isolated from stone monuments in Granada, Spain [2] and cultivated in an organic-rich culture medium on a variety of artificial and natural substrates (including limestone, marble, sandstone, quartz, calcite single crystals, glass cover-slips, and sintered porous glass). Scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) was used to image bacterial calcite growth and biofilm formation. In-situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) enabled calculation of dissolution rates of untreated and bacterially treated surfaces. 2D-XRD showed the mineralogy and crystallographic orientation of bacterial calcium carbonate. Results indicate that bacterially produced calcite crystals form a coherent, mechanically resistant surface layer in perfect crystallographic continuity with the calcite substrate (self

Application of the thermal plasma technique in the treatment of stone surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzalez A, Z.I.

2000-01-01

The stone materials which form part of the cultural heritage of Mexico, are degraded under the united action of water, atmospheric gases, air pollution, temperature changes and the microorganisms action; provoking on the stone: fissures, crevices, scalings, fragmentations, pulverizations, etc. Therefore, the purpose of this work is to study the possibilities to apply a protective coating on the stone surfaces, previously clean and consolidated, through the thermal plasma technique. The purpose is to analyse the physical and chemical properties of three types of stone materials: quarry, tezontle and chiluca, usually used in constructions of cultural interest such as: historical monuments, churches, sculptures, etc., before and after to be submitted to the action of thermal plasma in order to examine the feasibility in the use of this coating technique in this type of applications. The application of conventional techniques to determine: porosity, density, absorption, low pressure water absorption and crystallization by total immersion of nuclear techniques such as: neutron activation analysis, x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy as well as of instrumental techniques: optical microscopy, mechanical assays of compression, flexure and surface area calculations, allowed to know the chemical and physical properties of the stone material before and after to be treated through the thermal plasma technique, projecting quartz on the stones surface at different distances and current intensity and showing the effect caused by the modifications or surface alterations present by cause of the application of that coating. the obtained results provide a general panorama of the application of this technique as an alternative to the maintenance of the architectural inheritance built in stone. (Author)

The possibility of use of Kremicj granitoid (Serbia) as an architectural stone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kureshevicj, Lidja

2010-01-01

The stone from the granitoid pluton of Kremić in southern Serbia has been examined in order to evaluate the possibility of its use as an architectural stone. Both field observations and laboratory testing of specimens have been performed. Although the specimens were collected from the field surface level, their physicomechanical lab test results have shown that the rock mass itself fulfils all the requirements for use as an architectural stone set by the State through Serbian standards. Also, the stone quality is higher in deeper ground levels, where the weathering agents have less intense effects. This stone does not have high ornamental properties, but it has a finegrained texture and low mica content which has a positive effect on its technical characteristics and susceptibility to processing. (Author)

Use of Local Stone: Successes, Failures and Considerations

Science.gov (United States)

Gerns, Edward; Will, Rachel

2015-04-01

Stone has been used in construction for thousands of years. Until relatively recently, local stone was used almost exclusively due to limited transportation options and to reduce costs. . Historically, the stone was often taken from nearby fields, known as fieldstone, without any specific quarrying operations and used to create unique assemblages of vernacular buildings. Stone, perhaps more than any other natural building material, has numerous varieties and characteristics within the broader classifications of stone: sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic. In exterior applications, stone historically has been used for foundations, localized cladding elements and in some instances entire building facades. Many of these local stones are appropriate for foundations, but not necessarily for cladding systems, particularly once the stone was quarried and modified rather than used in its natural form. These issues tended to be less significant in historic buildings when wall systems were much thicker and had more redundancies in the cladding systems Since around 1880, the use of these thinner applications of quarried stones as more traditional cladding systems (rather than cladding and structure) has resulted in challenges including unanticipated weathering characteristics, residual stresses and detrimental inclusions. These conditions can result in expensive and extensive repairs and maintenance. Often the options to address these characteristics are limited or potentially drastic depending on the scale of installation. It is important to understand the cause of the issues, understand if these issues are significant and finally how to address them appropriately. Where and how these unique local stones are installed as well as climate and weathering patterns certainly contribute to the potential unanticipated conditions. This presentation will be divided into two general parts. The first will address various stones used historically throughout regions within the United

A study on the industrialization of building stones and industrial stone crafts - Study on the causes of stone contaminations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hyun, Jeon Ki; Lee, Han Yeang [Korea Institute of Geology Mining and Materials, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1996-12-01

Causes of building stone contamination are acid rains in polluted areas, iron bearing minerals in stone itself, salts, sealants, cutting and grinding processes in stone factory and steel compounds structures such as stone anchors, bolts, rain culvert and guide frames. Contaminations on the building stone surface of Sejong culture center can be found around floor stones, stair stones, parterre stones, pillar stones and other outdoor stone panels. The parterre stones are contaminated by white tarnishes and rust flows are occurred on the surface of pillar stones and outdoor stone panels around entrance. Black tarnishes are cumulated on the pillar stones and other outdoor decorated stone panels and change the original granite color. Causes of building stone contaminations from Sejong culture center are wet method to attach stone panels, rust from steel compounds structures and air pollutants. Cement and mortar used from wet method react with sulfur dioxides in polluted air and from fine calcite crystals (white tarnish). Rusts from steel compounds structures such as rainwater culvert and steel guide frames can move to the stone surface by rain and leave rust flows on it. Pollutants (tar compounds, carbons, dusts, etc.) in air are cumulated with humidity on the stone surface and change color from white granite color to dusty dark color. Historical stone sculptures such as man and animal shaped stone crafts, tombstones, square stone tables in front of a tomb and guide and circumference stones around tomb in Royal Tombs (Donggu rung, Yung rung, Seoou rung and Hunin rung) distributed in Kyunggi province are contaminated by various moss and air pollutants and its original colors are deeply changed. (author). 21 refs., 11 tabs., 22 figs.

Regional and detailed research studies for stone resources in Korea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-12-01

This report consists of 6 subjects. 1) A study on the potentiality of building stone development from granite mass within Pocheon area, Kyeonggi Province. 2) The research on the variance of color and glossiness by means of Weather-Ometer. 3) Regional research studies on granites in Gimje-Yeonggwang area. 4) A study on the industrialization of building stones and industrial stone crafts - Study on the causes of stone weathering. 5) Borehole radar survey at the granite quarry mine, Pocheon, Kyounggi province. 6) Borehole radar diffraction tomography. (author). refs., tabs., figs.

Assessment and Calibration of Ultrasonic Measurement Errors in Estimating Weathering Index of Stone Cultural Heritage

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Y.; Keehm, Y.

2011-12-01

Estimating the degree of weathering in stone cultural heritage, such as pagodas and statues is very important to plan conservation and restoration. The ultrasonic measurement is one of commonly-used techniques to evaluate weathering index of stone cultual properties, since it is easy to use and non-destructive. Typically we use a portable ultrasonic device, PUNDIT with exponential sensors. However, there are many factors to cause errors in measurements such as operators, sensor layouts or measurement directions. In this study, we carried out variety of measurements with different operators (male and female), different sensor layouts (direct and indirect), and sensor directions (anisotropy). For operators bias, we found that there were not significant differences by the operator's sex, while the pressure an operator exerts can create larger error in measurements. Calibrating with a standard sample for each operator is very essential in this case. For the sensor layout, we found that the indirect measurement (commonly used for cultural properties, since the direct measurement is difficult in most cases) gives lower velocity than the real one. We found that the correction coefficient is slightly different for different types of rocks: 1.50 for granite and sandstone and 1.46 for marble. From the sensor directions, we found that many rocks have slight anisotropy in their ultrasonic velocity measurement, though they are considered isotropic in macroscopic scale. Thus averaging four different directional measurement (0°, 45°, 90°, 135°) gives much less errors in measurements (the variance is 2-3 times smaller). In conclusion, we reported the error in ultrasonic meaurement of stone cultural properties by various sources quantitatively and suggested the amount of correction and procedures to calibrate the measurements. Acknowledgement: This study, which forms a part of the project, has been achieved with the support of national R&D project, which has been hosted by

Effect of Repeated Microwave Disinfection on Surface Hardness and Dimensional Accuracy of Two Dental Stone Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahmood Robati Anaraki

2015-01-01

Full Text Available There is controversial evidence in relation to the effect of microwave on mechanical properties of stone casts. The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of repeated microwave disinfection on surface hardness and dimensional accuracy of dental stone. In this in vitro study, 48 cylindrical stone samples were prepared using two products of type IV stone to assess surface hardness and 48 impressions were taken from a model and poured by these stones to assess the dimensional accuracy. The evaluation of the samples was carried out consequently by a micro-hardness tester and a digital caliper after the stone samples were exposed to 7 consecutive rounds of 900 watts (W microwave irradiation for five minutes each time after cooling. Data were analyzed by t-test and ANOVA. According to the obtained results, multiple disinfections of the stone casts by microwave do not negatively affect their surface hardness and dimensional accuracy.   Key words: Dental stone; Dimensional accuracy; Hardness; Microwave

Evaluating the Rate of Stone Art Deterioration in Wadi Maghara and Wadi Mukattab, Sinai, Egypt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sayed HEMEDA

2012-06-01

Full Text Available One of the key reasons for the status of Wadi Maghara and Wadi Mukattab as World Heritage Sites is the abundance of stone art present there. Unfortunately, in time, much of the stone art heritage in the two archaeological sites was lost, due to natural stone weathering processes, to static and dynamic actions and lately, due to the lack of preservation measures and to the action of people. That fragile art heritage is non-renewable and, therefore, it requires specialized management. Several stone facades in Wadi Maghara have embossed inscriptions of early rulers of Egypt, that document their expeditions to mine precious minerals, primarily turquoise and copper, that were found in the area. Wadi Mukattab (south of Wadi Maghara is the valley of inscriptions. Over a distance of 3 km along this valley inscriptions can be found on the mountain rocks that have mostly been made by Nabateans (2nd and 3rd Century but also by others, such as pilgrims, soldiers, merchants, throughout the centuries. In our case study, inscriptions from specific study areas were analyzed by using SEM, polarizing microscope, XRD, SEM with EDX, DTA-TGA, Grain Size Distribution, Pore Media Characterization and some stone samples were tested in the stone mechanics laboratory, to determine the physical and mechanical characteristics of the stone with carved inscriptions. Digital photographs were taken, with Geographic Information Systems software. Older images were compared with more recent ones and in order to classify and quantify the amount of deterioration that occurred over time. Various methodologies were applied to classify the images, and it was found that manual digitizing provided the best means for quantifying the amount of deterioration. Results showed that the damage was primarily caused due to the instability of stone structures, because of the extensive jointing and rock fall gravity, due to dynamic actions and the granular disaggregation of the stone surface. The

Anti-miss-shot control device for selective stone disintegration in extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy

Science.gov (United States)

Kuwahara, M.; Ioritani, N.; Kambe, K.; Orikasa, S.; Takayama, K.

1991-06-01

A new device to prevent erroneously focused shock waves to the renal parenchyma during extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) has been developed; an anti-miss-shot control device (AMCD) and experiments have been conducted to evaluate its effectiveness. For shock wave generation and stone localization, piezoceramic elements (PSE) and ultrasound localization, respectively were used. After stone localization, probing ultrasounds (PU) were emmitted from the PSE towards the focal region and the reflected sound levels (RSL) were monitored by the PSE which also functioned as a microphone. A direct hit by the PU to the stone or a miss was judged from the RSL, i.e. a high RSL indicates a direct hit and a low RSL indicates a miss. Shock waves were generated only when the RSL exceeded the level which indicated a direct hit. The experimental results showed that the injury to the renal parenchyma was decreased by using the AMCD. Clinical application of the AMCD is expected to increase the safety of ESWL.

The Civil Palaces in Gravina street, Alicante: building stones and salt weathering

OpenAIRE

Louis, M.; García del Cura, M. A.; Spairani, Y.; de Blas, D.

2001-01-01

This paper presents a study into the architecture and construction of the 18th Century Civil Palaces located in Gravina street (Provincial Museum of Fine Arts of Alicante), the building stones used and the mineral related decay processes that these materials have suffered. The original building stones and other stones used in subsequent restorations in these Civil Palaces are bioclastic limestones and/or calcarenites (San Julian Stone and Bateig Stone). Campello stone and other limestones ...

Imaging-based logics for ornamental stone quality chart definition

Science.gov (United States)

Bonifazi, Giuseppe; Gargiulo, Aldo; Serranti, Silvia; Raspi, Costantino

2007-02-01

Ornamental stone products are commercially classified on the market according to several factors related both to intrinsic lythologic characteristics and to their visible pictorial attributes. Sometimes these latter aspects prevail in quality criteria definition and assessment. Pictorial attributes are in any case also influenced by the performed working actions and the utilized tools selected to realize the final stone manufactured product. Stone surface finishing is a critical task because it can contribute to enhance certain aesthetic features of the stone itself. The study was addressed to develop an innovative set of methodologies and techniques able to quantify the aesthetic quality level of stone products taking into account both the physical and the aesthetical characteristics of the stones. In particular, the degree of polishing of the stone surfaces and the presence of defects have been evaluated, applying digital image processing strategies. Morphological and color parameters have been extracted developing specific software architectures. Results showed as the proposed approaches allow to quantify the degree of polishing and to identify surface defects related to the intrinsic characteristics of the stone and/or the performed working actions.

Uruguay - Surface Weather Observations

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Surface weather observation forms for 26 stations in Uruguay. Period of record 1896-2005, with two to eight observations per day. Files created through a...

Hydrophobizing coatings for cultural heritage. A detailed study of resin/stone surface interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Fermo, P.; Cappelletti, G.; Cozzi, N.; Padeletti, G.; Kaciulis, S.; Brucale, M.; Merlini, M.

2014-07-01

Conservation of historical buildings is an important issue and the environmental conditions seriously affect the monument's stones. The protection of cultural heritage buildings and monuments by surface treatment with polymers is a common practice due to their ability to form a protective layer on the monument's surface as well as to control the transport of different fluids from the surface to the monument's interior. In this work, three different substrates were used: Carrara marble, Botticino limestone, and Angera stone. A commercially available Si-based resin (Alpha®SI30) was used as protective agent to improve the hydrophobicity features of the different tested materials. The surface properties of the coating and the relative interaction with the adopted stones were studied using different techniques such as contact angle measurements, electron microscope coupled with an energy dispersive spectrometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy.

Surface Weather Observations Monthly

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Surface Weather Observation 1001 Forms is a set of historical manuscript records for the period 1893-1948. The collection includes two very similar form types: Form...

Canada's National Building Stone: Tyndall Stone from Manitoba

Science.gov (United States)

Pratt, Brian R.; Young, Graham A.; Dobrzanski, Edward P.

2016-04-01

Tyndall Stone is a distinctively mottled and highly fossiliferous dolomitic limestone that belongs to the Selkirk Member of the Red River Formation, of Late Ordovician (Katian) age. It has been quarried at Garson, Manitoba, 37 km northeast of Winnipeg, since 1895, although other quarries in the area go back to 1832. Tyndall Stone, so named because it was shipped by rail from nearby Tyndall, is currently produced by Gillis Quarries Limited. It has various uses as a dimension stone. Large slabs, most often cut parallel to bedding, face the exterior or interior of many important buildings such as the Parliament Buildings and the Canadian Museum of Civilization in the Ottawa area, the Empress Hotel in Victoria, and the provincial legislatures in Winnipeg and Regina, as well as many commercial buildings especially in the Canadian prairies. At the quarries, the stone is cut vertically, using eight foot (2.44 m) diameter saws mounted on one hundred foot (30.5 m) tracks, then split into 6-8 tonne blocks that are moved using front-end loaders. Gillis Quarries operates a large finishing plant with an area of about 4000 m2. Stone is processed along advanced cutting lines that feature eight primary saws and six gantry saw stations, allowing it to be made into a variety of sizes, shapes, and finishes. The Selkirk Member is 43 m thick and the stone is extracted from a 6-8 m thick interval within the lower part. The upper beds tend to be more buff-coloured than the grey lower beds due to weathering by groundwater. The stone is massive, but extracted blocks are less than ~1m thick due to splitting along stylolites. Consisting of bioturbated wackestone to packstone, the Tyndall Stone was deposited in a shallow-marine environment within the photic zone, in the central part of the vast equatorial epicontinental sea that covered much of Laurentia. Scattered thin, bioclastic grainstone lenses record brief, low-energy storm events. The distinctive mottles are formed by dolomitized

The Civil Palaces in Gravina street, Alicante: building stones and salt weathering

OpenAIRE

Louis, M.; García del Cura, M. A.; Spairani, Y.; de Blas, D.

2001-01-01

This paper presents a study into the architecture and construction of the 18^th Century Civil Palaces located in Gravina street (Provincial Museum of Fine Arts of Alicante), the building stones used and the mineral related decay processes that these materials have suffered. The original building stones and other stones used in subsequent restorations in these Civil Palaces are bioclastic limestones and/or calcarenites (San Julian Stone and Bateig Stone). Campello st...

Effects of immersion disinfection of agar-alginate combined impressions on the surface properties of stone casts.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwasaki, Yukiko; Hiraguchi, Hisako; Iwasaki, Eriko; Yoneyama, Takayuki

2016-01-01

This study investigated the effects of disinfection of agar-alginate combined impressions on the surface properties of the resulting stone casts. Two brands of cartridge-form agar impression material and one alginate impression material were used. Agar-alginate combined impressions of smooth glass plates were prepared. The impressions were immersed in 0.55% ortho-phthalaldehyde solution or 0.5% sodium hypochlorite solution for 1, 3, 5 and 10 min. A stone cast made with an impression that had not been immersed was prepared as a control. The surface roughness (Ra) of the stone casts was measured, and the cast surfaces were observed by SEM. Immersion of agar-alginate combined impressions in 0.5% sodium hypochlorite solution for up to 10 min had no serious adverse effects on the surface properties of the stone casts. In contrast, even 1 min of immersion in 0.55% ortho-phthalaldehyde solution caused deterioration of the cast surface properties.

Comparison of water absorption methods: testing the water absorption of recently quarried and weathered porous limestone on site and under laboratory conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Rozgonyi-Boissinot, Nikoletta; Agárdi, Tamás; Karolina Cebula, Ágnes; Török, Ákos

2017-04-01

The water absorption of weathering sensitive stones is a critical parameter that influences durability. The current paper compares different methods of water absorption tests by using on site and laboratory tests. The aims of the tests were to assess the water absorption of un-weathered quarry stones and various weathering forms occurring on porous limestone monuments. For the tests a Miocene porous limestone was used that occurs in Central and Western Hungary and especially near and in Budapest. Besides the Hungarian occurrences the same or very similar porous limestones are found in Austria, Slovakia and in the Czech Republic. Several quarries were operating in these countries. Due to the high workability the stone have been intensively used as construction material from the Roman period onward. The most prominent monuments made of this stone were built in Vienna and in Budapest during the 18th -19th century and in the early 20th century. The high porosity and the micro-fabric of the stone make it prone to frost- and salt weathering. Three different limestone types were tested representing coarse-, medium- and fine grained lithologies. The test methods included Rilem tube (Karsten tube) tests and capillary water absorption tests. The latter methodology has been described in detail in EN 1925:2000. The test results of on-site tests of weathered porous limestone clearly show that the water absorption of dissolved limestone surfaces and crumbling or micro-cracked limestone is similar. The water absorption curves have similar inclinations marking high amount of absorbed water. To the contrary, the white weathering crusts covered stone blocks and black crusts have significantly lower water absorptions and many of these crusts are considered as very tight almost impermeable surfaces. Capillary water absorption tests in the laboratory allowed the determination of maximum water absorption of quarried porous limestone. Specimens were placed in 3 mm of water column and the

Asian Dust Weather Categorization with Satellite and Surface Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Tang-Huang; Hsu, N. Christina; Tsay, Si-Chee; Huang, Shih-Jen

2011-01-01

This study categorizes various dust weather types by means of satellite remote sensing over central Asia. Airborne dust particles can be identified by satellite remote sensing because of the different optical properties exhibited by coarse and fine particles (i.e. varying particle sizes). If a correlation can be established between the retrieved aerosol optical properties and surface visibility, the intensity of dust weather can be more effectively and consistently discerned using satellite rather than surface observations. In this article, datasets consisting of collocated products from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Aqua and surface measurements are analysed. The results indicate an exponential relationship between the surface visibility and the satellite-retrieved aerosol optical depth, which is subsequently used to categorize the dust weather. The satellite-derived spatial frequency distributions in the dust weather types are consistent with China s weather station reports during 2003, indicating that dust weather classification using satellite data is highly feasible. Although the period during the springtime from 2004 to 2007 may be not sufficient for statistical significance, our results reveal an increasing tendency in both intensity and frequency of dust weather over central Asia during this time period.

Fasting and Urinary Stones

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Shamsa

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Fasting is considered as one of the most important practices of Islam, and according to Prophet Mohammad, fasting is obligatory upon Muslims. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of fasting on urinary stones. Materials and Methods: Very few studies have been carried out on urinary stones and the effect of Ramadan fasting. The sources of the present study are Medline and articles presented by local and Muslim researchers. Meanwhile, since we are acquainted with three well-known researchers in the field of urology, we contacted them via email and asked for their professional opinions. Results: The results of studies about the relationship of urinary stones and their incidence in Ramadan are not alike, and are even sometimes contradictory. Some believe that increased incidence of urinary stones in Ramadan is related not to fasting, but to the rise of weather temperature in hot months, and an increase in humidity. Conclusion: Numerous biological and behavioral changes occur in people who fast in Ramadan and some researchers believe that urinary stone increases during this month.

Specific weather biotrop factors in the mountain resorts of North Caucasus

Science.gov (United States)

Efimenko, Natalia; Chalaya, Elena; Povolotckaia, Nina; Senik, Irina; Slepykh, Victor

2015-04-01

Key aspects of weather therapeutic action in the mountain resorts of the Northern Caucasus (RNC) are formed under the combined influence of global, regional and local atmospheric processes, picturesque landscape, vegetation which create specificity and attraction of the weather regime for the interests of resort rehabilitation, recreation and tourism practically during the whole year. They include high purity of surface atmosphere (background level of aerosols for the countryside, the transparency of the atmosphere 0.780 -0.890); natural hypo barium and hypoxia (5-10%); increased natural aeroionization (N+=400-1000 ion/cm3; N- = 600-1200 ion/cm3; KUI = 0.8 -1.0); the softness of temperature rate (± 600 W/m ); regime of solar radiation favourable for heliotherapy. Pathogenic effects in the mountains can occur both in front atmospheric processes and in conditions of relatively favorable weather. For example, in a stable anti-cyclonic air mass with the sunny weather, foehn effects can happen that are accompanied by excessively low air humidity (lower than 20-30%), the air temperature rises in the afternoon (in winter until 15- 20°C, in summer - up to 25-35°C). The situation can be worsened by ozone intrusion (O3) with the increase of its concentration by 20 ppb or more, temperature stratification change, formation of pollution accumulation conditions in the gorges and valleys where the resort towns are located. We can observe: the increase in the concentration of aerosol pollution from 1.78 to 4 and even up to 8-10 particles/cm (particle diameter is 500-1000 nm); the rise in mass concentration of submicron aerosol up to 75 mkg/m3 and the gas pollution (CO, COx, O3) of the surface atmosphere. Against this backdrop the effects of rapid changes in the chemical composition of natural ions due to the formation of positive nitrogen ions (often with a prevalence of positive over negative air ions) can be sometimes developed. In such situations people suffering from

Aesthetic value improvement of the ruby stone using heat treatment and its synergetic surface study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahoo, Rakesh K.; Mohapatra, Birendra K.; Singh, Saroj K.; Mishra, Barada K.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Natural ruby is heated at high temperature with metal oxide additives (PbO and ZnO) to enhance its aesthetic value. • Changes in surface characteristics of these natural rubies before and after heat treatment are compared. • The R-line peak splitting in the PL spectra and the contrary shift of the Al 2p peaks in the XPS spectra are explicated. - Abstract: The surface behavior of the natural ruby stones before and after heat treatment with metal oxide additives like: zinc oxide (ZnO) and lead oxide (PbO) have been studied. The surface appearance of the ruby stones processed with the metal oxides changed whereas the bulk densities of the stones remained within the range of 3.9–4.0 g/cm 3 . The cracks healing and pores filling by the metal oxides on the surface of the ruby have been examined using scanning electron microscopy. The chemical compositions based on the XPS survey scans are in good agreement with the expected composition. The phase and crystallinity of the ruby stones original and heat-treated were obtained from their X-ray diffraction patterns. The change in peak separation between R 1 and R 2 – peaks in photoluminescence spectra and the contrary binding energy shift of the Al 2p peaks in the X-ray photoelectron spectra have been explicated. Moreover, in this work we describe the change in surface chemical and physical characteristics of the ruby stone before and after heat treatment

Migration behavior and sorption mechanisms of radionuclides in sedimentary sand stones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Tadao; Kamiyama, Hideo; Sriyotha, K.

1993-05-01

The influence of crushed particle size and weathering of sedimentary rock on migration behavior and sorption mechanisms of 60 Co, 85 Sr and 137 Cs has been investigated by using the fresh sand stones (classified into two particle size ranges of 1 ∼ 3 mm and 2 , KCl, NH 2 OH-HCl, K-oxalate and H 2 O 2 solutions were carried out, to elucidate their dominated sorption mechanisms. Distribution coefficient values of the all three radionuclides, Kds, for the sand stone of 1 ∼ 3 mm was smaller than that of 85 Sr, and the same irreversible sorptions as the selective sorption of Co onto manganese oxides and fixation of Cs by the layer silicate for 60 Co and 137 Cs, respectively. Larger sorbability of the weathered sand stone was explained to be related to an increase of amounts of the effective sorption site, such as cation exchangeable site, calcite, smectite and manganese oxides, which was possibly caused from metamorphism induced by weathering the fresh sand stone. (author)

Quantitative impact of the recent abatement of air pollution on the weathering of stone and glass of the UNESCO List in Paris

Science.gov (United States)

Lefèvre, Roger; Ionescu, Anda; Desplat, Julien; Kounkou-Arnaud, Raphaëlle; Perrussel, Olivier; Languille, Baptiste

2016-04-01

Quantitative impact of the recent abatement of air pollution on the weathering of stone and glass of the UNESCO List in Paris R.-A. Lefèvre1, A. Ionescu1, J. Desplat2, R. Kounkou-Arnaud2, O. Perrussel3, B. Languille4 At the beginning of the 21st century air pollution in Paris continued to considerably decrease. An evident visual consequence was the replacement of thick gypseous black crusts by thin grey coverings on the façades. A quantitative approach of this phenomenon was taken by measurement in the field, followed by calculation using Dose-Response Functions (DRF) and mapping the geographic distribution on a grid of 100m x100m of: 1) The total surface of façades of buildings and monuments in the part of Paris inscribed on the UNESCO List between the Ile Saint-Louis and the Concorde Square; 2) The surface of limestone and window glass present on each façade; 3) The distribution of SO2, NO2 and PM10 concentration every year from 1997 to 2014; 4) The response of materials to climatic and pollution doses; 5) The effective damage to limestone and window glass. Results of measurements in the field: 1) The 772 buildings and monuments inventoried have 20 674 m in length and 414 811 m2 in façade surface: they are representative of the centre of Paris; 2) Limestone occupies 348 268 m2 and window glass 207 394 m2; 3) The mean annual concentration in SO2 dropped from 20 to less than 3 μg m-3; NO2 from 60 to 40 μg m-3 and PM10 from 30 to 20 μg m-3. Results by application of DRF: 4) Limestone recession was divided by 5 in 18 years, from 10 to 2 μm y-1, but with only a spatial variation of 2%; 5) Limestone reflectance increased from 70.5 to 72.5 %; 6) The annual mass of deposited and neo-formed particles on window glass decreased from 100 to 20 μg cm-2; 7) The annual haze of window glass decreased from 8 to 3.5%. Effective damage to stone and glass: 8) The mean annual mass of limestone eroded on the façades decreased according to time but with an irregular

Measuring stone surface area from a radiographic image is accurate and reproducible with the help of an imaging program.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurien, Abraham; Ganpule, Arvind; Muthu, V; Sabnis, R B; Desai, Mahesh

2009-01-01

The surface area of the stone from a radiographic image is one of the more suitable parameters defining stone bulk. The widely accepted method of measuring stone surface area is to count the number of square millimeters enclosed within a tracing of the stone outline on graph paper. This method is time consuming and cumbersome with potential for human error, especially when multiple measurements are needed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy, efficiency, and reproducibility of a commercially available imaging program, Adobe Photoshop 7.0 for the measurement of stone surface area. The instructions to calculate area using the software are simple and easy in a Windows-based format. The accuracy of the imaging software was estimated by measuring surface areas of shapes of known mathematical areas. The efficiency and reproducibility were then evaluated from radiographs of 20 persons with radiopaque upper-tract urinary stones. The surface areas of stone images were measured using both graph paper and imaging software. Measurements were repeated after 10 days to assess the reproducibility of the techniques. The time taken to measure the area by the two methods was also assessed separately. The accuracy of the imaging software was estimated to be 98.7%. The correlation coefficient between the two methods was R(2) = 0.97. The mean percentage variation using the imaging software was 0.68%, while it was 6.36% with the graph paper. The mean time taken to measure using the image analyzer and graph paper was 1.9 +/- 0.8 minutes and 4.5 +/- 1.08 minutes, respectively (P stone surface area from radiographs compared with manual measurements using graph paper.

Bacterial bio-mediated calcite precipitation for monumental stones conservation: methods of evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Tiano, P; Biagiotti, L; Mastromei, G

1999-05-01

The weathering of monumental stones is a complex process inserted in the more general 'matter transformation cycle' operated by physical, chemical and biological factors. The consequence of these combined actions is a loss of cohesion with dwindling and scaling of stone material and the induction of a progressive mineral matrix dissolution. In the case of calcareous stones, calcite leaching increases the material porosity and decreases its mechanical features with a general weakening of the superficial structural strength. Attempts to stop, or at least to slow down, deterioration of monumental stones has been made by conservative treatments with both inorganic or organic products. More recent studies show a new approach to hinder these phenomena by inducing a bio-mediated precipitation of calcite directly inside the stone porosity. This can be achieved either through the application of organic matrix macromolecules extracted from sea shells or of living bacteria. The effectiveness of the treatment using calcinogenic bacteria has been evaluated with laboratory tests specifically developed to evaluate the parameters such as : porosity, superficial strength and chromatic changes, influenced by the treatment itself. The results obtained seem to indicate that this type of treatment might not be suitable for monumental stone conservation.

Durability and Mechanical Performance of PMMA/Stone Sludge Nanocomposites for Acrylic Solid Surface Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samah EL-Bashir

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Acrylic solid surface sheets were prepared by mixing different kinds of stone sludge fillers (SSF in Poly (methyl methacrylate (PMMA nanocomposites. PMMA nanocomposite syrups were made using free radical polymerization of methylmethacrylate (MMA, then two kinds of nanofillers were added, namely, hydrophilic nanosilica and clay Halloysite nanotubules (HNTs. Acrylic solid surface sheets were manufactured by mixing the syrups with SSFs. The morphology of the produced sheets was studied using optical, and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM that revealed the uniform distribution of stone sludge in the polymeric matrix. The study of the physical properties showed promising mechanical performance and durability of PMMA/SSF nanocomposites for acrylic solid surface applications.

Neutron radiography for the characterization of porous structure in degraded building stones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barone, G; Mazzoleni, P; Raneri, S; Crupi, V; Longo, F; Majolino, D; Venuti, V; Teixeira, J

2014-01-01

As it is well known, the porous structure of stones can change due to different degradation processes that modify the characteristics of freshly quarried blocks. Their knowledge is fundamental for predicting the behavior of stones and the efficacy of conservative treatments. In this context, neutron radiography is a useful tool not only to visualize the structure of porous materials, but also to evaluate the degree of degradation and surface modifications resulting from weathering processes. Furthermore, since thermal neutrons suffer a strong attenuation by hydrogen, this technique is effective in order to investigate the amount of absorbed water in building materials. In the present work, we report a neutron radiography investigation of limestones cropping out in the South-Eastern Sicily and widely used as building stones in Baroque monuments of the Noto Valley. The analyzed samples have been submitted to cyclic salt crystallization that simulate degradation processes acting in exposed stones of buildings. The obtained results demonstrate the interest of neutron radiography to better understand deterioration processes in limestones and to acquire information useful for restoration projects

Association between gallbladder stones and chronic hepatitis C: Ultrasonographic survey in a hepatitis C and B hyperendemic township in Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chia-Yen Dai

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Gallbladder (GB stones have been associated with several metabolic factors and liver diseases. This community-based study aimed at investigating the prevalence rate of GB stones and its associated factors in a hepatitis B virus (HBV/hepatitis C virus (HCV-endemic township in southern Taiwan. A total of 1701 residents (689 males and 1012 females; mean age: 51.2 ± 16.0 years were enrolled in this prospectively designed screening project. Serum biochemistry tests, including testing for levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase (ALT, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg, and antibody to HCV (anti-HCV were conducted. In addition, a hepatobiliary ultrasonographic (US examination was also conducted. Of the 1701 residents, 243 (14.3% and 475 (27.9% were found to be positive for HBsAg and anti-HCV, respectively. Results of the US examination revealed the prevalence rate of GB stone and fatty liver to be 6.8% and 55.6%, respectively. Using univariate analyses we found that significantly higher proportions of the participants with GB stone were male, over 50 years of age, positive for anti-HCV (p = 0.001, p 50 year were identified as independent factors associated with the formation of GB stones. Anti-HCV was associated with GB stones in males but not in females in both univariate and multivariate analyses. GB stones were found to have a prevalence rate of 6.8% in this HCV/HBV hyperendemic township and are associated with higher mean age. A correlation between chronic hepatitis C and GB stones is observed only among males.

The hybrid EIA test: a specific and sensitive assay for the detection of woodchuck antibody to hepatitis surface antigen (anti-WHs).

Science.gov (United States)

Millman, I; Glass, R G

1988-05-01

'Ausria II' polystyrene beads (Abbott Labs, N. Chicago) are reacted with woodchuck serum positive for WHsAg in a dilution predetermined by titration. This modified bead is used in a blocking assay to detect the presence of antibody to the surface antigen of woodchuck hepatitis virus (anti-WHs). Serum containing woodchuck anti-WHs and commercial horseradish peroxidase (HRP) labeled anti-HBs are sequentially added. A drop in optical density at 492 nm of 50% or more due to the blocking of HRP conjugated anti-HBs by anti-WHs compared with a control (negative woodchuck serum) is a measure of anti-WHs. The ease and simplicity of converting readily available 'Ausria II' beads to specific reagents for detecting anti-WHs should be welcomed by investigators studying WHV. The method described is both sensitive and reproducible.

Boulders, biology and buildings: Why weathering is vital to geomorphology (Ralph Alger Bagnold Medal Lecture)

Science.gov (United States)

Viles, Heather A.

2015-04-01

Weathering is vital to geomorphology in three main senses. First, it is vital in the sense of being a fundamental and near-ubiquitous earth surface process without which landscapes would not develop, and which also provides a key link between geomorphology and the broader Earth system. Second, weathering is vital in the sense that, as it is heavily influenced by biotic processes, it demonstrates the importance of life to geomorphology and vice versa. In particular, weathering illustrates the many cross-linkages between microbial ecosystems and geomorphology. Finally, it is vital in the sense that weathering provides an important practical application of geomorphological knowledge. Geomorphologists in recent years have contributed much in terms of improving understanding the deterioration of rocks, stone and other materials in heritage sites and the built environment. This knowledge has also had direct implications for heritage conservation. This lecture reviews recent research on each of these three themes and on their linkages, and sets an integrated research agenda for the future. Weathering as a key process underpinning geomorphology and Earth system science has been the subject of much recent conceptual and empirical research. In particular, conceptual research advances have involved improving conceptualisation of scale issues and process synergies, and understanding weathering in terms of non-linear dynamical systems. Empirical advances have included the development of larger datasets on weathering rates, and the application of a wide range of non-destructive and remote sensing techniques to quantify weathering morphologies on boulder and rock surfaces. In recent years, understanding of the complex linkages between ecology and geomorphology (sometimes called biogeomorphology) has advanced particularly strongly in terms of weathering. For example, the influences of disturbance on biota and weathering have been conceptualised and investigated empirically in a

The erosion of carbonate stone by acid rain: Laboratory and field investigations

Science.gov (United States)

Baedecker, P.A.; Reddy, M.M.

1993-01-01

One of the goals of research on the effects of acidic deposition on carbonate stone surfaces is to define the incremental impact of acidic deposition relative to natural weathering processes on the rate of carbonate stone erosion. If rain that impacts carbonate stone surfaces is resident on the surface long enough to approach chemical equilibrium, the incremental effect of hydrogen ion is expected to be small (i.e., 6% for a rain of pH 4.0). Under nonequilibrium (i.e., high flow rate) conditions, kinetic considerations suggest that the incremental effect of hydrogen ion deposition could be quite significant. Field run-off experiments involving the chemical analysis of rain collected from inclined stone slabs have been used to evaluate stone dissolution processes under ambient conditions of wet and dry deposition of acidic species. The stoichiometry of the reaction of stone with hydrogen ion is difficult to define from the field data due to scatter in the data attributed to hydrodynamic effects. Laboratory run-off experiments show that the stoichiometry is best defined by a reaction with H+ in which CO2 is released from the system. The baseline effect caused by water in equilibrium with atmospheric CO2 is identical in the field and in laboratory simulation. The experiments show that the solutions are close enough to equilibrium for the incremental effect of hydrogen ion to be minor (i.e., 24% for marble for a rain of pH 4.0) relative to dissolution due to water and carbonic acid reactions. Stone erosion rates based on physical measurement are approximately double the recession rates that are due to dissolution (estimated from the observed calcium content of the run-off solutions). The difference may reflect the loss of granular material not included in recession estimates based on the run-off data. Neither the field nor the laboratory run-off experiments indicate a pH dependence for the grain-removal process.

Effect of stone coverage on soil erosion

Science.gov (United States)

Jomaa, S.; Barry, D. A.; Heng, B. P.; Brovelli, A.; Sander, G. C.; Parlange, J.

2010-12-01

Soil surface coverage has a significant impact on water infiltration, runoff and soil erosion yields. In particular, surface stones protect the soils from raindrop detachment, they retard the overland flow therefore decreasing its sediment transport capacity, and they prevent surface sealing. Several physical and environmental factors control to what extent stones on the soil surface modify the erosion rates and the related hydrological response. Among the most important factors are the moisture content of the topsoil, stone size, emplacement, coverage density and soil texture. Owing to the different inter-related processes, there is ambiguity concerning the quantitative effect of stones, and process-based understanding is limited. Experiments were performed (i) to quantify how stone features affect sediment yields, (ii) to understand the local effect of isolated surface stones, that is, the changes of the soil particle size distribution in the vicinity of a stone and (iii) to determine how stones attenuate the development of surface sealing and in turn how this affects the local infiltration rate. A series of experiments using the EPFL 6-m × 2-m erosion flume were conducted at different rainfall intensities (28 and 74 mm h-1) and stone coverage (20 and 40%). The total sediment concentration, the concentration of the individual size classes and the flow discharge were measured. In order to analyze the measurements, the Hairsine and Rose (HR) erosion model was adapted to account for the shielding effect of the stone cover. This was done by suitably adjusting the parameters based on the area not covered by stones. It was found that the modified HR model predictions agreed well with the measured sediment concentrations especially for the long time behavior. Changes in the bulk density of the topsoil due to raindrop-induced compaction with and without stone protection revealed that the stones protect the upper soil surface against the structural seals resulting in

Environmental Impact Specification for Direct Space Weathering of Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud Objects

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, John F.

2010-01-01

The Direct Space Weathering Project of NASA's Outer Planets Research Program addresses specification of the plasma and energetic particle environments for irradiation and surface chemical processing of icy bodies in the outer solar system and the local interstellar medium. Knowledge of the radiation environments is being expanded by ongoing penetration of the twin Voyager spacecraft into the heliosheath boundary region of the outer heliosphere and expected emergence within the next decade into the very local interstellar medium. The Voyager measurements are being supplemented by remote sensing from Earth orbit of energetic neutral atom emission from this boundary region by NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX). Although the Voyagers long ago passed the region of the Classical Kuiper Belt, the New Horizons spacecraft will encounter Pluto in 2015 and thereafter explore one or more KBOs, meanwhile providing updated measurements of the heliospheric radiation environment in this region. Modeling of ion transport within the heliosphere allows specification of time-integrated irradiation effects while the combination of Voyager and IBEX data supports projection of the in-situ measurements into interstellar space beyond the heliosheath. Transformation of model ion flux distributions into surface sputtering and volume ionization profiles provides a multi-layer perspective for space weathering impact on the affected icy bodies and may account for some aspects of color and compositional diversity. Other important related factors may include surface erosion and gardening by meteoritic impacts and surface renewal by cryovolcanism. Chemical products of space weathering may contribute to energy resources for the latter.

Optimized preparation for large surface area activated carbon from date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) stone biomass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Danish, Mohammed; Hashim, Rokiah; Ibrahim, M.N. Mohamad; Sulaiman, Othman

2014-01-01

The preparation of activated carbon from date stone treated with phosphoric acid was optimized using rotatable central composite design of response surface methodology (RSM). The chemical activating agent concentration and temperature of activation plays a crucial role in preparation of large surface area activated carbons. The optimized activated carbon was characterized using thermogravimetric analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results showed that the larger surface area of activated carbon from date stone can be achieved under optimum activating agent (phosphoric acid) concentration, 50.0% (8.674 mol L −1 ) and activation temperature, 900 °C. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area of optimized activated carbon was found to be 1225 m 2  g −1 , and thermogravimetric analysis revealed that 55.2% mass of optimized activated carbon was found thermally stable till 900 °C. The leading chemical functional groups found in the date stone activated carbon were aliphatic carboxylic acid salt ν(C=O) 1561.22 cm −1 and 1384.52 cm −1 , aliphatic hydrocarbons ν(C–H) 2922.99 cm −1 (C–H sym./asym. stretch frequency), aliphatic phosphates ν(P–O–C) 1054.09 cm −1 , and secondary aliphatic alcohols ν(O–H) 3419.81 cm −1 and 1159.83 cm −1 . - Highlights: • RSM optimization was done for the production of large surface area activated carbon. • Two independent variables with two responses were selected for optimization. • Characterization was done for surface area, morphology and chemical constituents. • Optimized date stone activated carbon achieved surface area 1225 m 2  g −1

Weathering Effect on {sup 99}Tc Leachability from Cementitious Waste Form

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Um, Wooyong [Pohang Univ. of Science and Technology, Pohang (Korea, Republic of)

2012-07-01

The mass transfer of contaminants from the solid phase to the waste form pore water, and subsequently out of the solid waste form, is directly related to the number and size distribution of pores as well as the microstructure of the waste form. Because permeability and porosity are controlled by pore aperture size, pore volume, and pore distribution, it is important to have some indication of how these characteristics change in the waste form during weathering. Knowledge of changes in these key parameters can be used to develop predictive models that estimate diffusivity or permeability of radioactive contaminants can be used to develop predictive models that estimate diffusivity or permeability of radioactive contaminants from waste forms for long-term performance assessment. It is known that dissolution or precipitation of amorphous/crystalline phases within waste forms alters their pore structure and controls the transport of contaminants our of waste forms. One very important precipitate is calcite, which is formed as a result of carbonation reactions in cement and other high-alkalinity waste forms. Enhanced oxidation can also increase Tc leachability from the waste form. To account for these changes, weathering experiments were conducted in advance to increase our understating of the long-term Tc leachability, especially out of the cementitious waste form. Pore structure analysis was characterized using both N{sub 2} absorption analysis and XMT techniques, and the results show that cementitious waste form is a relatively highly-porous material compared to other waste forms studied in this task, Detailed characterization of Cast Stone chunks and monolith specimens indicate that carbonation reactions can change the Cast Stone pore structure, which in turn may correlate with Tc leachability. Short carbonation reaction times for the Cast Stone causes pore volume and surface area increases, while the average pore diameter decreases. Based on the changes in pore

Splenic B cells and antigen-specific B cells process anti-Ig in a similar manner

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myers, C.D.; Vitetta, E.S.

1989-01-01

B lymphocytes can process and present antigen to T cells. However, the fate of native antigen after its binding to specific B cells, i.e., the intracellular events involved in the processing and recycling of the antigenic fragments to the cell surface for antigen presentation, are not well understood. In the present study, we demonstrate that murine B cells degrade anti-Ig molecules bound to their surface and release acid soluble fragments into the supernatant. We also demonstrate that the kinetics of this process are identical for anti-mu, anti-delta, and anti-light chain antibodies, indicating that both surface IgM and surface IgD are equally effective in binding antigen and directing its processing. We also describe the effects of azide, chloroquine, and irradiation on this process. To extend these studies to the processing of specifically bound antigen, we demonstrate that highly purified trinitrophenyl antigen-binding cells degrade anti-Ig molecules with the same kinetics as unpurified splenic B cells. Thus, this purified population provides a suitable model system for the analysis of antigen degradation by antigen-specific cells

ANALYSES OF ROCK SURFACE COLOUR CHANGES DUE TO WEATHERING

OpenAIRE

GOKAY, Mehmet Kemal

2018-01-01

Description parameters of rock masses and minerals include their colours as well. Colours appear in daylight for surfaced rock masses are changing slightly due to weathering layers which have been covering its surface gradually. Healthy human eyes can manage to differentiate visible light spectrum to identify colours of substances including rock masses. Then visible blackish colours of magnetite minerals, reddish colours of Terra- Rosa soils, greenish colours of weathered copper ore, pure whi...

ANALYSES OF ROCK SURFACE COLOUR CHANGES DUE TO WEATHERING

OpenAIRE

GÖKAY, Mehmet Kemal

2018-01-01

Description parameters of rock masses and minerals include their colours as well. Colours appear in daylight for surfaced rock masses are changing slightly due to weathering layers which have been covering its surface gradually. Healthy human eyes can manage to differentiate visible spectrum to identify the colours of substance including rock masses. Then visible blackish colours of magnetite minerals, reddish colours of Terra- Rosa soils, greenish colours of weathered copper ore, pure white ...

Kidney stone erosion by micro scale hydrodynamic cavitation and consequent kidney stone treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Perk, Osman Yavuz; Şeşen, Muhsincan; Gozuacik, Devrim; Koşar, Ali

2012-09-01

The objective of this study is to reveal the potential of micro scale hydrodynamic bubbly cavitation for the use of kidney stone treatment. Hydrodynamically generated cavitating bubbles were targeted to the surfaces of 18 kidney stone samples made of calcium oxalate, and their destructive effects were exploited in order to remove kidney stones in in vitro experiments. Phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution was used as the working fluid under bubbly cavitating conditions in a 0.75 cm long micro probe of 147 μm inner diameter at 9790 kPa pressure. The surface of calcium oxalate type kidney stones were exposed to bubbly cavitation at room temperature for 5 to 30 min. The eroded kidney stones were visually analyzed with a high speed CCD camera and using SEM (scanning electron microscopy) techniques. The experiments showed that at a cavitation number of 0.017, hydrodynamic bubbly cavitation device could successfully erode stones with an erosion rate of 0.31 mg/min. It was also observed that the targeted application of the erosion with micro scale hydrodynamic cavitation may even cause the fracture of the kidney stones within a short time of 30 min. The proposed treatment method has proven to be an efficient instrument for destroying kidney stones.

Physical properties and compatibility with dental stones of current alginate impression materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Murata, H; Kawamura, M; Hamada, T; Chimori, H; Nikawa, H

2004-11-01

This study examined physical properties and compatibility with dental stones of two types of alginate impression materials. Five powder-type alginate impression materials (Alginoplast EM, Aroma Fine, Algiace Z, Coe Alginate, Jeltrate Plus) and a paste-type alginate impression material (Tokuso AP-1) were used. The dynamic viscosity immediately after mixing was measured by means of a controlled-stress rheometer. The gelation times were determined according to Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) T6505, and recovery from deformation, strain in compression and compressive strength were determined according to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) specification 1563. Detail reproduction and surface roughness of type III dental stones (New Plastone, New Sunstone) and a type IV dental stone (Die Stone) were evaluated using a ruled test block as specified in the ISO specification 1563 and a profilometer, respectively. The alginate impression materials evaluated in this study were all in compliance with the ISO specification 1563 and JIS T6505. The alginate impression materials had similar mechanical properties after gelation, whilst a wide range of dynamic viscosity immediately after being mixed, gelation times and compatibility with dental stones were found among the materials. The paste-type material had a higher dynamic viscosity and a shorter gelation time than the powder-type materials. The best surface quality was obtained with the paste-type material/type III dental stone cast combinations. The materials should be selected in consideration of initial flow, setting characteristics and compatibility with dental stones. The results suggested that a paste-type material would better meet the requirements of an alginate impression material.

Detecting Latent Prints on Stone and Other Difficult Porous Surfaces via Indanedione/Zinc Chloride and Laser

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Shiquan LIU

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Lasers and alternate light sources have been recognized as effective tools for latent print detection for over three decades. Luminescence often increases friction ridge contrast to reveal impressions otherwise undetectable. Indanedione/zinc chloride excited by a forensic light source is widely recognized as an effective process for developing latent prints on porous surfaces. This study was designed to evaluate the use of a combination of luminescence excitation and indanedione with zinc chloride to detect latent prints on stones, bricks, and similar difficult porous surfaces. The wavelengths evaluated included 400 nm (violet, 447 nm (blue, 532 nm (green, and 645 nm (red. Latent prints were deposited on a variety of porous surfaces including bricks, cement stones, wood, and cotton fabric, all commonly encountered at crime scenes in China. The surfaces were examined using white light (light-emitting diode flashlight and laser light sources separately, both before and after treatment with indanedione/zinc chloride. The goal of this study was to evaluate various light sources for their effectiveness in detecting impressions developed by indanedione/zinc chloride on difficult porous surfaces. Results indicated that latent prints on some brick and cement stone surfaces may be effectively detected using 532 nm laser excitation after indanedione/zinc chloride processing.

Accelerated weathering of limestone for CO2 mitigation opportunities for the stone and cement industries

Science.gov (United States)

Langer, W.H.; Juan, C.A.S.; Rau, G.H.; Caldeira, K.

2009-01-01

Large amounts of limestone fines coproduced during the processing of crushed limestone may be useful in the sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO 2). Accelerated weathering of limestone (AWL) is proposed as a low-tech method to capture and sequester CO2 from fossil fuel-fired power plants and other point-sources such as cement manufacturing. AWL reactants are readily available, inexpensive, and environmentally benign. Waste CO 2 is hydrated with water to produce carbonic acid, which then reacts with and is neutralized by limestone fines, thus converting CO2 gas to dissolved calcium bicarbonate. AWL waste products can be disposed of in the ocean. Feasibility requires access to an inexpensive source of limestone and to seawater, thus limiting AWL facilities within about 10 km of the coastline. The majority of U.S. coastal power generating facilities are within economical transport distance of limestone resources. AWL presents opportunities for collaborative efforts among the crushed stone industry, electrical utilities, cement manufactures, and research scientists.

Lessons from a Stone Farm

Science.gov (United States)

Kavanagh, John P.; Rao, P. Nagaraj

2007-04-01

The stone farm is a system for measuring macroscopic stone growth of 12 calcium stones simultaneously. It is based on mixed suspension, mixed product removal continuous crystallization principles and the stones are grown continuously for about 500 hours or more. The growth of the stones follows a surface area dependent pattern and the growth rate constants are very similar irrespective of whether the stating materials are fragments of human stone or pieces of marble chip. Increasing citrate from 2mM to 6mM caused a significant growth inhibition which persisted in the presence of urinary macromolecules. Phytate was a very effective inhibitor (about 50% at sub-μM concentrations) but the effective concentration was increased by an order of magnitude in the presence of urinary macromolecules. The effective concentration for inhibition in a crystallization assay was a further two orders of magnitude higher. Urinary macromolecules or almost whole urine were also strongly inhibitory although neither human serum albumin nor bovine mucin had any great effect. The relationship between the size distribution of crystals in suspension and the stone enlargement rate suggests that the primary enlargement mechanism for these in vitro stones is through aggregation. The stone farm is a powerful tool with which to study crystallization inhibitors in a new light. Some differences between inhibition of crystallization and inhibition of stone growth have emerged and we have obtained quantitative evidence on the mechanism of stone enlargement in vitro. Our findings suggest that the interface between crystals in suspension and the stone surface is the key to controlling stone enlargement.

History of surface weather observations in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Fiebrich, Christopher A.

2009-04-01

In this paper, the history of surface weather observations in the United States is reviewed. Local weather observations were first documented in the 17th Century along the East Coast. For many years, the progression of a weather observation from an initial reading to dissemination remained a slow and laborious process. The number of observers remained small and unorganized until agencies including the Surgeon General, Army, and General Land Office began to request regular observations at satellite locations in the 1800s. The Smithsonian was responsible for first organizing a large "network" of volunteer weather observers across the nation. These observers became the foundation for today's Cooperative Observer network. As applications of weather data continued to grow and users required the data with an ever-decreasing latency, automated weather networks saw rapid growth in the later part of the 20th century. Today, the number of weather observations across the U.S. totals in the tens of thousands due largely to privately-owned weather networks and amateur weather observers who submit observations over the internet.

Surface protection treatments of highly porous building stones and sustainability problems

Science.gov (United States)

Calia, Angela; Lettieri, Maria Teresa; Matera, Loredana; Sileo, Maria

2013-04-01

The growing attention to the cultural value and the potential touristic attraction of the historic towns has led to increasing activities of rehabilitation and conservation of the historical built heritage. Chemical treatments have become a common practice for the protection of the stone building surface against the decay agents and traditional methods of protection, such as the application of sacrificial layers, have been even more neglected. The use of chemical products on large scale works on the historical built heritage draws the attention towards the sustainability of the conservation treatments, that involve peculiar features with relation to the different types of stones. Sustainability is undoubtedly in terms of human and environmental impact of the used products, so that the use of new formulations based on aqueous solvent should be preferred. Sustainability also means the equilibrium between the required performances of the treatments and the preservation of the original stone properties (colour, permeability, etc), namely harmlessness and effectiveness of the treatments. This can be a critical aspect when we deal with very porous stones, namely having porosity between 30-40%, that are widely used in many countries as traditional building materials. In most cases no information - or very general recommendations - is reported in the technical sheets of the conservation products with reference to the application to these types of stones. Relevant problems of compatibility can arise from the significant amounts absorbed by the high porous structure, as well as in terms of cost effectiveness of the treatments. In this work several calcarenites with different petro-physic characteristics and porosity between 30 and 45% are concerned for the assessment of the performance of two commercial water based products for stone protection, respectively an alcoxy-siloxane with low molecular weight and a modified organo-silane. This activity is a part of the Apulia

Microalgae on dimension stone of a medieval castle in Thuringia

Science.gov (United States)

Hallmann, C.; Stannek, L.; Fritzlar, D.; Hoppert, M.

2012-04-01

Phototrophic microorganisms are important primary producers on hard rock substrata as well as on building facades. These eukaryotic microalgae and cyanobacteria, along with lichens, have also been recognized as important factors for rock weathering and stone decay. The rock substratum itself mostly provides extreme environmental conditions. Composition and diversity of sub-aeric phototrophic microbial communities is up to now poorly understood. Here we present a comparative study addressing the composition of algal biofilms on sandstone substrata based on the analysis of rDNA clone libraries from environmental samples and enrichment cultures. From a W-exposed, shaded wall area of a medieval castle ruin (Burg Gleichen, Thuringia, Germany cf. Hallmann et al., 2011), green algae like Prasiococcus, Prasiola and Elliptochloris could be retrieved. A ESE, sun-exposed wall section was colonized mainly by Apatococcus, Phyllosiphon and the lichen alga Trebouxia and Myrmecia. Accordingly, cyanobacterial communities show clear differences between both wall areas: the sun exposed area was dominated by Synechococcus-like organisms while on the W-exposed area cyanobacteria were almost absent. Just a few species, in particular Stichococcus-related strains, are ubiquitous in both areas. It is obvious that, apart from few generalists, different species colonize the wall areas that are situated in close vicinity, but provide different microclimatic conditions. These differences are discussed in view of biogenic weathering phenomena: certain microalgal species colonize crusts and scales along fracture planes and may contribute to rapid detachment and turnover of dimension stone surfaces. Hallmann, C., Fritzlar, D., Stannek, L., Hoppert, M. (2011) Ascomycete fungi on dimension stone of the "Burg Gleichen", Thuringia. Env. Earth Sci. 63, 1713-1722.

Formation of a nanocrystalline layer on the surface of stone wool fibers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yue, Yuanzheng; Korsgaard, Martin; Kirkegaard, Lise Frank

2009-01-01

In the present paper, we report a simple approach for creating a nanocrystalline layer on the surface of stone wool fibers (SWFs) with a basalt-like composition. The approach is based on a preoxidation process of the SWFs in atmospheric air at a temperature around the glass transition temperature...

Evaluation of hydrophobic treatments applied to stones used in andalusian cathedrals. III.-Accelerated weathering test with polluted atmosphere

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Villegas Sánchez, R.

1993-12-01

Full Text Available SUMMARY In this work we study the weathering resistance of samples of five types of stone used in Andalusian Cathedrals, treated with six water repellent products, by subjecting the samples to a SO₂ polluted atmosphere. To evaluate the alteration of the samples, besides visual observation of macroscopic aspect, changes in weight and the quantity of sulfate that remains on the surface have been measured. Also properties related with water have been measured after the test to determine if there have been any changes in the hydrophobic characteristics.

En el presente artículo se estudia el comportamiento de muestras de cinco tipos de piedra utilizados en catedrales andaluzas, tratadas con seis productos hidrófugos, sometiéndolas a un ensayo acelerado de alteración en atmósfera contaminada con SO₂ . Para evaluar la alteración, además de la observación visual de las manifestaciones macroscópicas, se ha medido la variación de peso de las muestras expuestas y la cantidad de sulfato que permanece en la superficie tras el ensayo. Así mismo, se han detectado los cambios experimentados en las propiedades hidrófugas conferidas por los tratamientos, mediante la medida de propiedades relacionadas con el movimiento del agua.

Comparative study of pulsed laser cleaning applied to weathered marble surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ortiz, P., E-mail: mportcal@upo.es [Department of Physical, Chemical and Natural Systems, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Seville (Spain); Antúnez, V.; Ortiz, R.; Martín, J.M. [Department of Physical, Chemical and Natural Systems, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Seville (Spain); Gómez, M.A. [Instituto Andaluz de Patrimonio Histórico, Camino de los Descubrimientos s/n, 41092 Seville (Spain); Hortal, A.R.; Martínez-Haya, B. [Department of Physical, Chemical and Natural Systems, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Seville (Spain)

2013-10-15

The removal of unwanted matter from surface stones is a demanding task in the conservation of cultural heritage. This paper investigates the effectiveness of near-infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) laser pulses for the cleaning of surface deposits, iron oxide stains and different types of graffiti (black, red and green sprays and markers, and black cutting-edge ink) on dolomitic white marble. The performance of the laser techniques is compared to common cleaning methods on the same samples, namely pressurized water and chemical treatments. The degree of cleaning achieved with each technique is assessed by means of colorimetric measurements and X-ray microfluorescence. Eventual morphological changes induced on the marble substrate are monitored with optical and electronic microscopy. It is found that UV pulsed laser ablation at 266 nm manages to clean all the stains except the cutting-edge ink, although some degree of surface erosion is produced. The IR laser pulses at 1064 nm can remove surface deposits and black spray acceptably, but a yellowing is observed on the stone surface after treatment. An economic evaluation shows that pulsed laser cleaning techniques are advantageous for the rapid cleaning of small or inaccessible surface areas, although their extensive application becomes expensive due to the long operating times required.

Comparative study of pulsed laser cleaning applied to weathered marble surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortiz, P.; Antúnez, V.; Ortiz, R.; Martín, J.M.; Gómez, M.A.; Hortal, A.R.; Martínez-Haya, B.

2013-01-01

The removal of unwanted matter from surface stones is a demanding task in the conservation of cultural heritage. This paper investigates the effectiveness of near-infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) laser pulses for the cleaning of surface deposits, iron oxide stains and different types of graffiti (black, red and green sprays and markers, and black cutting-edge ink) on dolomitic white marble. The performance of the laser techniques is compared to common cleaning methods on the same samples, namely pressurized water and chemical treatments. The degree of cleaning achieved with each technique is assessed by means of colorimetric measurements and X-ray microfluorescence. Eventual morphological changes induced on the marble substrate are monitored with optical and electronic microscopy. It is found that UV pulsed laser ablation at 266 nm manages to clean all the stains except the cutting-edge ink, although some degree of surface erosion is produced. The IR laser pulses at 1064 nm can remove surface deposits and black spray acceptably, but a yellowing is observed on the stone surface after treatment. An economic evaluation shows that pulsed laser cleaning techniques are advantageous for the rapid cleaning of small or inaccessible surface areas, although their extensive application becomes expensive due to the long operating times required.

Comparative study of pulsed laser cleaning applied to weathered marble surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz, P.; Antúnez, V.; Ortiz, R.; Martín, J. M.; Gómez, M. A.; Hortal, A. R.; Martínez-Haya, B.

2013-10-01

The removal of unwanted matter from surface stones is a demanding task in the conservation of cultural heritage. This paper investigates the effectiveness of near-infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) laser pulses for the cleaning of surface deposits, iron oxide stains and different types of graffiti (black, red and green sprays and markers, and black cutting-edge ink) on dolomitic white marble. The performance of the laser techniques is compared to common cleaning methods on the same samples, namely pressurized water and chemical treatments. The degree of cleaning achieved with each technique is assessed by means of colorimetric measurements and X-ray microfluorescence. Eventual morphological changes induced on the marble substrate are monitored with optical and electronic microscopy. It is found that UV pulsed laser ablation at 266 nm manages to clean all the stains except the cutting-edge ink, although some degree of surface erosion is produced. The IR laser pulses at 1064 nm can remove surface deposits and black spray acceptably, but a yellowing is observed on the stone surface after treatment. An economic evaluation shows that pulsed laser cleaning techniques are advantageous for the rapid cleaning of small or inaccessible surface areas, although their extensive application becomes expensive due to the long operating times required.

A new method for making artificially weathered stone specimens for testing of conservation treatments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lubelli, B.A.; Hees, R.P.J. van; Nijland, T.G.; Bolhuis, J.

2015-01-01

tThe application of new consolidating products on the surface of weathered materials is a common inter-vention technique in conservation practice. Due to the difficulty of producing artificially weatheredsubstrates in a reproducible way, the effect of consolidating products in laboratory is

Performance of nanocomposites for preservation of artistic stones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giancristofaro, Cristina; Pilloni, Luciano; Rinaldi, Antonio; Persia, Franca; D'Amato, Rosaria; Caneve, Luisa

2013-01-01

In this work, the effectiveness of nanocomposite surface treatments as protective systems for artistic stones was evaluated. Pyrolitic silica and titania nanoparticles were dispersed in a commercial silicon-based polymer and applied on marble and travertine samples. Artificial aging processes, both in climatic chamber and in solar box, were carried out to simulate real degradation processes in terms of photo-thermal effects and physical-chemical damage. The performances of the nanocomposites used as consolidant were evaluated comparatively by means of diverse diagnostic techniques, namely: scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser induced fluorescence (LIF), ultrasonic technique, colorimetry, total immersion water absorption and contact angle. The results show that some properties of conservation materials can be improved by the presences of nanoparticles because they induce substantial changes of surface morphology of the coating layer and counter the physical damage observed during artificial weathering

Performance of nanocomposites for preservation of artistic stones

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giancristofaro, Cristina; Pilloni, Luciano; Rinaldi, Antonio; Persia, Franca [ENEA-UTTMAT, CR Casaccia, v. Anguillarese 301,00123 Rome (Italy); D' Amato, Rosaria; Caneve, Luisa [ENEA-UTAPRAD, CR Frascati, v. Enrico Fermi 45, 00044 Frascati (Rome) (Italy)

2014-06-19

In this work, the effectiveness of nanocomposite surface treatments as protective systems for artistic stones was evaluated. Pyrolitic silica and titania nanoparticles were dispersed in a commercial silicon-based polymer and applied on marble and travertine samples. Artificial aging processes, both in climatic chamber and in solar box, were carried out to simulate real degradation processes in terms of photo-thermal effects and physical-chemical damage. The performances of the nanocomposites used as consolidant were evaluated comparatively by means of diverse diagnostic techniques, namely: scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser induced fluorescence (LIF), ultrasonic technique, colorimetry, total immersion water absorption and contact angle. The results show that some properties of conservation materials can be improved by the presences of nanoparticles because they induce substantial changes of surface morphology of the coating layer and counter the physical damage observed during artificial weathering.

Performance of nanocomposites for preservation of artistic stones

Science.gov (United States)

Giancristofaro, Cristina; D'Amato, Rosaria; Caneve, Luisa; Pilloni, Luciano; Rinaldi, Antonio; Persia, Franca

2014-06-01

In this work, the effectiveness of nanocomposite surface treatments as protective systems for artistic stones was evaluated. Pyrolitic silica and titania nanoparticles were dispersed in a commercial silicon-based polymer and applied on marble and travertine samples. Artificial aging processes, both in climatic chamber and in solar box, were carried out to simulate real degradation processes in terms of photo-thermal effects and physical-chemical damage. The performances of the nanocomposites used as consolidant were evaluated comparatively by means of diverse diagnostic techniques, namely: scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser induced fluorescence (LIF), ultrasonic technique, colorimetry, total immersion water absorption and contact angle. The results show that some properties of conservation materials can be improved by the presences of nanoparticles because they induce substantial changes of surface morphology of the coating layer and counter the physical damage observed during artificial weathering.

Effect of rock fragment embedding on the aeolian deposition of dust on stone-covered surfaces

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Goossens, D.

2005-01-01

Many stone-covered surfaces on Earth are subject to aeolian deposition of atmospheric dust. This study investigates how the deposition of dust is affected when rock fragments become gradually more embedded in the ground or, inversely, become more concentrated on the surface. Experiments were

Oxalate secretion by ectomycorrhizal Paxillus involutus is mineral-specific and controls calcium weathering from minerals

Science.gov (United States)

Schmalenberger, A.; Duran, A. L.; Bray, A. W.; Bridge, J.; Bonneville, S.; Benning, L. G.; Romero-Gonzalez, M. E.; Leake, J. R.; Banwart, S. A.

2015-01-01

Trees and their associated rhizosphere organisms play a major role in mineral weathering driving calcium fluxes from the continents to the oceans that ultimately control long-term atmospheric CO2 and climate through the geochemical carbon cycle. Photosynthate allocation to tree roots and their mycorrhizal fungi is hypothesized to fuel the active secretion of protons and organic chelators that enhance calcium dissolution at fungal-mineral interfaces. This was tested using 14CO2 supplied to shoots of Pinus sylvestris ectomycorrhizal with the widespread fungus Paxillus involutus in monoxenic microcosms, revealing preferential allocation by the fungus of plant photoassimilate to weather grains of limestone and silicates each with a combined calcium and magnesium content of over 10 wt.%. Hyphae had acidic surfaces and linear accumulation of weathered calcium with secreted oxalate, increasing significantly in sequence: quartz, granite mineral-specific oxalate exudation in ectomycorrhizal weathering to dissolve calcium bearing minerals, thus contributing to the geochemical carbon cycle. PMID:26197714

Antagonistic perception of a rock-mass as geomorphosite and/or mineral resource with specific concern of natural stone for heritage conservation

Science.gov (United States)

Prikryl, Richard

2016-04-01

Prior to industrial era, the quarrying of natural stone was primarily local (the stone has been used very close to its extraction in most of the cases), small scale, occasional (the stone has been extracted only when needed for specific construction, permanent operations were much rarer than nowadays) but long-term (the quarrying activity at one site persisted over centuries very often). The landscape affected by such quarrying (as we can observe it at present) gained numerous new values (e.g., increased morphological contrast, succession of wildlife habitat, etc.) that are often appreciated more than the presence of valuable mineral resource - natural stone. If these site were claimed natural monuments or gained another type of environmental protection, any further extraction of natural stone is prohibited. However, if the specific site was used for extraction of natural stone that has been used for construction which later became cultural heritage object, the antagonistic perception of the site might appear - the site might be protected as a geomorphosite but, at the same time, it can be a source of unique natural stone required for the restoration of cultural heritage objects. This paper, along with above mentioned basic relationships, provides some real examples connected with the difficulties to find the extractable source of natural stone for restoration of iconic cultural heritage objects - specifically search for sources of Carboniferous arkoses to be used for replacement of the decayed ashlars at the Gothic Charles Bridge in Prague (Czech Republic).

Mercury's Weather-Beaten Surface: Understanding Mercury in the Context of Lunar and Asteroid Space Weathering Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Dominque, Deborah L.; Chapman, Clark R.; Killen, Rosemary M.; Zurbuchen, Thomas H.; Gilbert, Jason A.; Sarantos, Menelaos; Benna, Mehdi; Slavin, James A.; Orlando, Thomas M.; Schriver, David;

Ability of One-Dimensional Hairsine-Rose Erosion Model to Predict Sediment Transport over a Soil with Significant Surface Stones

Science.gov (United States)

Jomaa, S.; Barry, D. A.; Sander, G. C.; Parlange, J.-Y.; Heng, B. C. P.; Tromp-van Meerveld, H. J.

2010-05-01

Surface stones affect erosion rates by reducing raindrop-driven detachment and protecting the original soil against overland flow induced-hydraulic stress. Numerous studies have shown that the effect of surface stones on erosion depends on both the stone characteristics (e.g., size, distribution) and the soil properties. The aim of this study was (i) to quantify how the stone characteristics can affect the total sediment concentration and the concentrations of the individual size classes, (ii) to test if stones affect preferentially a particular size class within the eroded sediment and (iii) to determine whether the 1D Hairsine-Rose (H-R) erosion model can represent the experimental data. A series of laboratory experiments were conducted using the 2 m × 6 m EPFL erosion flume for a high rainfall intensity (60 mm/h) event on a gentle slope (2.2%). The flume was divided into two identical 1-m wide flumes. This separation was done to allow simultaneous replicate experiments. Experiments were conducted with different configurations and scenarios (stone coverage, size and emplacement). Three coverage proportions (20%, 40%, and 70%), two stone diameters (3-4 and 6-7 cm) and two emplacement types (topsoil and partially embedded) were tested. For each experiment, the total sediment concentration, the concentration for the individual size classes, and the flume discharge were measured. Infiltration rates were measured at different depths and locations. A high resolution laser scanner provided details of the surface change due to erosion during the experiments. This technique allowed us to quantify the spatial distribution of eroded soil and to understand better if sediment transport is 1D or rather 2D over the flumes. The one-dimensional Hairsine-Rose (H-R) erosion model was used to fit the integrated data and to provide estimates of the parameters. The ability of the 1D H-R model to predict the measured sediment concentrations in the presence of stones in the soil matrix

A new approach to assess the chemical composition of powder deposits damaging the stone surfaces of historical monuments.

Science.gov (United States)

Fermo, Paola; Turrion, Raquel Gonzalez; Rosa, Mario; Omegna, Alessandra

2015-04-01

The issue of conservation of the monumental heritage worldwide is mainly related to atmospheric pollution that causes the degradation of stone surfaces. The powder deposits present on the stone monuments reflect the composition of the aerosol particulate matter (PM) to which the surfaces are exposed, so the chemical characterization of the outermost damaged layers is necessary in order to adopt mitigation measurements to reduce PM emissions. In the present paper, a new analytical approach is proposed to investigate the chemical composition of powder deposits present on Angera stone, a dolomitic rock used in the Richini courtyard, a masterpiece of Lombard Baroque and placed in Milan. Inorganic and organic components present in these deposits have been analyzed by IC (ion chromatography) and a new approach mainly bases on thermal analyses, respectively. Gypsum is the main inorganic constituent indicating a composition similar to that of black crusts, hard black patina covering the degraded building surfaces. Ammonium nitrate present in the powder is able to react with the stone substrate to form magnesium nitrate which can migrate into the porous stone. The carbonaceous fraction powder deposits (i.e. OC = Organic Carbon and EC = Elemental Carbon) have been quantified by a new simple thermal approach based on carbon hydrogen nitrogen (CHN) analysis. The presence of high concentration of EC confirms that the powder deposits are evolving to black crust. Low values of water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC, determined by total organic carbon-TOC), with respect to what is normally found in PM, may indicate a migration process of organic substances into the stone with a worsening of the conservation conditions. The presence of heavy metals of anthropogenic origin and acting as catalysts in the black crust formation process has been highlighted by SEM-EDS (electron microscopy coupled with an energy dispersive spectrometer) as well.

Application of artificial tactile sensing approach in kidney-stone-removal laparoscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Afshari, Elnaz; Najarian, Siamak; Simforoosh, Nasser

2010-01-01

Artificial tactile sensing is a novel method for obtaining different characteristics of a hard object embedded in a soft tissue. In this regard, artificial palpation is one of the most valuable achievements of artificial tactile sensing that can be used in various fields of medicine and more specifically in surgery. In this study, considering the present problems and limitations in kidney-stone-removal laparoscopy, a new application will be presented for artificial tactile sensing approach. Having imitated surgeon's palpation during open surgery and modeled it conceptually, indications of stone existence that appear on the surface of kidney (due to exerting mechanical load) were determined. A number of different cases were created and solved by the software. Using stress distribution contours and stress graphs, it is illustrated that the created stress patterns on the surface of kidney not only show the existence of stone inside, but also its exact location. In fact, the reliability and accuracy of artificial tactile sensing method in detection of kidney stone during laparoscopy is demonstrated by means of finite element analysis. Also, in this paper, the functional principles of tactile system capable of determining the exact location of stone during laparoscopy will be presented.

The erosion of carbonate stone by acid rain: Laboratory and field investigations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baedecker, P.A.; Reddy, M.M.

1993-01-01

This paper describes a laboratory experiment on the effects of acidic deposition on carbonate stone erosion. It can serve as the basis for an undergraduate (or pre college) experiment in environmental chemistry. Recent field investigations are described that provide measurements of carbonate stone dissolution and mechanical erosion under weathering conditions that are prevalent in the eastern US. The purpose of the laboratory work is to answer questions concerning the effects of hydrogen ion deposition on stone erosion processes that were difficult to resolve on the basis of field experiments alone

4D imaging and quantification of pore structure modifications inside natural building stones by means of high resolution X-ray CT.

Science.gov (United States)

Dewanckele, J; De Kock, T; Boone, M A; Cnudde, V; Brabant, L; Boone, M N; Fronteau, G; Van Hoorebeke, L; Jacobs, P

2012-02-01

Weathering processes have been studied in detail for many natural building stones. The most commonly used analytical techniques in these studies are thin-section petrography, SEM, XRD and XRF. Most of these techniques are valuable for chemical and mineralogical analysis of the weathering patterns. However, to obtain crucial quantitative information on structural evolutions like porosity changes and growth of weathering crusts in function of time, non-destructive techniques become necessary. In this study, a Belgian historical calcareous sandstone, the Lede stone, was exposed to gaseous SO(2) under wet surface conditions according to the European Standard NBN EN 13919 (2003). Before, during and after the strong acid test, high resolution X-ray tomography has been performed to visualize gypsum crust formation to yield a better insight into the effects of gaseous SO(2) on the pore modification in 3D. The tomographic scans were taken at the Centre for X-ray Tomography at Ghent University (UGCT). With the aid of image analysis, partial porosity changes were calculated in different stadia of the process. Increasing porosity has been observed visually and quantitatively below the new superficial formed layer of gypsum crystals. In some cases micro-cracks and dissolution zones were detected on the grain boundaries of quartz. By using Morpho+, an in-house developed image analysis program, radial porosity, partial porosity, ratio of open and closed porosity and equivalent diameter of individual pore structures have been calculated. The results obtained in this study are promising for a better understanding of gypsum weathering mechanisms, porosity changes and patterns on natural building stones in four dimensions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The role of trapped bubbles in kidney stone detection with the color Doppler ultrasound twinkling artifact

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Julianna C.; Sapozhnikov, Oleg A.; Kreider, Wayne; Breshock, Michael; Williams, James C., Jr.; Bailey, Michael R.

2018-01-01

The color Doppler ultrasound twinkling artifact, which highlights kidney stones with rapidly changing color, has the potential to improve stone detection; however, its inconsistent appearance has limited its clinical utility. Recently, it was proposed stable crevice bubbles on the kidney stone surface cause twinkling; however, the hypothesis is not fully accepted because the bubbles have not been directly observed. In this paper, the micron or submicron-sized bubbles predicted by the crevice bubble hypothesis are enlarged in kidney stones of five primary compositions by exposure to acoustic rarefaction pulses or hypobaric static pressures in order to simultaneously capture their appearance by high-speed photography and ultrasound imaging. On filming stones that twinkle, consecutive rarefaction pulses from a lithotripter caused some bubbles to reproducibly grow from specific locations on the stone surface, suggesting the presence of pre-existing crevice bubbles. Hyperbaric and hypobaric static pressures were found to modify the twinkling artifact; however, the simple expectation that hyperbaric exposures reduce and hypobaric pressures increase twinkling by shrinking and enlarging bubbles, respectively, largely held for rough-surfaced stones but was inadequate for smoother stones. Twinkling was found to increase or decrease in response to elevated static pressure on smooth stones, perhaps because of the compression of internal voids. These results support the crevice bubble hypothesis of twinkling and suggest the kidney stone crevices that give rise to the twinkling phenomenon may be internal as well as external.

The role of trapped bubbles in kidney stone detection with the color Doppler ultrasound twinkling artifact.

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Julianna C; Sapozhnikov, Oleg A; Kreider, Wayne; Breshock, Michael; Williams, James C; Bailey, Michael R

2018-01-09

The color Doppler ultrasound twinkling artifact, which highlights kidney stones with rapidly changing color, has the potential to improve stone detection; however, its inconsistent appearance has limited its clinical utility. Recently, it was proposed stable crevice bubbles on the kidney stone surface cause twinkling; however, the hypothesis is not fully accepted because the bubbles have not been directly observed. In this paper, the micron or submicron-sized bubbles predicted by the crevice bubble hypothesis are enlarged in kidney stones of five primary compositions by exposure to acoustic rarefaction pulses or hypobaric static pressures in order to simultaneously capture their appearance by high-speed photography and ultrasound imaging. On filming stones that twinkle, consecutive rarefaction pulses from a lithotripter caused some bubbles to reproducibly grow from specific locations on the stone surface, suggesting the presence of pre-existing crevice bubbles. Hyperbaric and hypobaric static pressures were found to modify the twinkling artifact; however, the simple expectation that hyperbaric exposures reduce and hypobaric pressures increase twinkling by shrinking and enlarging bubbles, respectively, largely held for rough-surfaced stones but was inadequate for smoother stones. Twinkling was found to increase or decrease in response to elevated static pressure on smooth stones, perhaps because of the compression of internal voids. These results support the crevice bubble hypothesis of twinkling and suggest the kidney stone crevices that give rise to the twinkling phenomenon may be internal as well as external.

Effects of acid deposition on dissolution of carbonate stone during summer storms in the Adirondack Mountains, New York, 1987-89

Science.gov (United States)

Schuster, Paul F.; Reddy, Michael M.; Sherwood, S.I.

1994-01-01

This study is part of a long-term research program designed to identify and quantify acid rain damage to carbonate stone. Acidic deposition accelerates the dissolution of carbonate-stone monuments and building materials. Sequential sampling of runoff from carbonate-stone (marble) and glass (reference) microcatchments in the Adirondack Mountains in New York State provided a detailed record of the episodic fluctuations in rain rate and runoff chemistry during individual summer storms. Rain rate and chemical concentrations from carbonate-stone and glass runoff fluctuated three to tenfold during storms. Net calcium-ion concentrations from the carbonatestone runoff, a measure of stone dissolution, typically fluctuated twofold during these storms. High net sulfate and net calcium concentrations in the first effective runoff at the start of a storm indicated that atmospheric pollutants deposited on the stone surface during dry periods formed calcium sulfate minerals, an important process in carbonate stone dissolution. Dissolution of the carbonate stone generally increased up to twofold during coincident episodes of low rain rate (less than 5 millimeters per hour) and decreased rainfall (glass runoff) pH (less than 4.0); episodes of high rain rate (cloudbursts) were coincident with a rapid increase in rainfall pH and also a rapid decrease in the dissolution of carbonate-stone. During a storm, it seems the most important factors causing increased dissolution of carbonate stone are coincident periods of low rain rate and decreased rainfall pH. Dissolution of the carbonate stone decreased slightly as the rain rate exceeded about 5 millimeters per hour, probably in response to rapidly increasing rainfall pH during episodes of high rain rate and shorter contact time between the runoff and the stone surface. High runoff rates resulting from cloudbursts remove calcium sulfate minerals formed during dry periods prior to storms and also remove dissolution products formed in large

Mercury's Weather-Beaten Surface: Understanding Mercury in the Context of Lunar and Asteroidal Space Weathering Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Domingue, Deborah L.; Chapman, Clark. R.; Killen, Rosemary M.; Zurbuchen, Thomas H.; Gilbert, Jason A.; Sarantos, Menelaos; Benna, Mehdi; Slavin, James A.; Schriver, David; Travnicek, Pavel M.;

Structural analysis of heat-treated birch (Betule papyrifera) surface during artificial weathering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Xianai; Kocaefe, Duygu; Kocaefe, Yasar; Boluk, Yaman; Krause, Cornélia

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Investigate detailed structural changes of heat-treated wood due to weathering. ► Identify connection between physical structural changes and chemical degradation. ► Study effect of heat treatment conditions on weathering degradation process. - Abstract: Effect of artificial weathering on the surface structural changes of birch (Betule papyrifera) wood, heat-treated to different temperatures, was studied using the fluorescence microscopy and the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Changes in the chemical structure of wood components were analyzed by FTIR in order to understand the mechanism of degradation taking place due to heat treatment and artificial weathering. The results are compared with those of the untreated (kiln-dried) birch. The SEM analysis results show that the effect of weathering on the cell wall of the untreated birch surface is more than that of heat-treated samples. The FTIR spectroscopy results indicate that lignin is the most sensitive component of heat-treated birch to the weathering degradation process. Elimination of the amorphous and highly crystallised cellulose is observed for both heat-treated and untreated wood during weathering. It is also observed that heat treatment increases the lignin and crystallised cellulose contents, which to some extent protects heat-treated birch against degradation due to weathering.

Upper urinary tract stone disease in patients with poor performance status: active stone removal or conservative management?

Science.gov (United States)

Yamashita, Shimpei; Kohjimoto, Yasuo; Hirabayashi, Yasuo; Iguchi, Takashi; Iba, Akinori; Higuchi, Masatoshi; Koike, Hiroyuki; Wakamiya, Takahito; Nishizawa, Satoshi; Hara, Isao

2017-11-16

It remains controversial as to whether active stone removal should be performed in patients with poor performance status because of their short life expectancy and perioperative risks. Our objectives were to evaluate treatment outcomes of active stone removal in patients with poor performance status and to compare life prognosis with those managed conservatively. We retrospectively reviewed 74 patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 3 or 4 treated for upper urinary tract calculi at our four hospitals between January 2009 and March 2016. Patients were classified into either surgical treatment group or conservative management group based on the presence of active stone removal. Stone-free rate and perioperative complications in surgical treatment group were reviewed. In addition, we compared overall survival and stone-specific survival between the two groups. Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed to investigate predictors of overall survival and stone-specific survival. Fifty-two patients (70.3%) underwent active stone removal (surgical treatment group) by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (n = 6), ureteroscopy (n = 39), percutaneous nephrolithotomy (n = 6) or nephrectomy (n = 1). The overall stone-free rate was 78.8% and perioperative complication was observed in nine patients (17.3%). Conservative treatment was undergone by 22 patients (29.7%) (conservative management group). Two-year overall survival rates in surgical treatment and conservative management groups were 88.0% and 38.4%, respectively (p performance status could be performed safely and effectively. Compared to conservative management, surgical stone treatment achieved longer overall survival and stone-specific survival.

Bath Stone - a Possible Global Heritage Stone from England

Science.gov (United States)

Marker, Brian

2014-05-01

The Middle Jurassic strata of England have several horizons of oolitic and bioclastic limestones that provide high quality dimension stone. One of the most important is found in and near the City of Bath. The Great Oolite Group (Upper Bathonian) contains the Combe Down and Bath Oolites, consisting of current bedded oolites and shelly oolites, that have been used extensively as freestones for construction nearby, for prestigious buildings through much of southern England and more widely. The stone has been used to some extent since Roman times when the city, then known as Aquae Sulis, was an important hot spa. The stone was used to a limited extent through medieval times but from the early 18th century onwards was exploited on a large scale through surface quarrying and underground mining. The City was extensively redeveloped in the 18th to early 19th century, mostly using Bath Stone, when the spas made it a fashionable resort. Buildings from that period include architectural "gems" such as the Royal Crescent and Pulteney Bridge, as well as the renovated Roman Baths. Many buildings were designed by some of the foremost British architects of the time. The consistent use of this stone gives the City an architectural integrity throughout. These features led to the designation of the City as a World Heritage Site. It is a requirement in current City planning policy documents that Bath Stone should be used for new building to preserve the appearance of the City. More widely the stone was used in major houses (e.g. Buckingham Palace and Apsley House in London; King's Pavilion in Brighton); civic buildings (e.g. Bristol Guildhall; Dartmouth Naval College in Devon); churches and cathedrals (e.g. Truro Cathedral in Cornwall); and engineered structures (e.g. the large Dundas Aqueduct on the Kennet and Avon Canal). More widely, Bath Stone has been used in Union Station in Washington DC; Toronto Bible College and the Town Hall at Cape Town, South Africa. Extraction declined in

On the dual nature of lichen-induced rock surface weathering in contrasting micro-environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Marques, Joana; Gonçalves, João; Oliveira, Cláudia; Favero-Longo, Sergio E; Paz-Bermúdez, Graciela; Almeida, Rubim; Prieto, Beatriz

2016-10-01

Contradictory evidence from biogeomorphological studies has increased the debate on the extent of lichen contribution to differential rock surface weathering in both natural and cultural settings. This study, undertaken in Côa Valley Archaeological Park, aimed at evaluating the effect of rock surface orientation on the weathering ability of dominant lichens. Hyphal penetration and oxalate formation at the lichen-rock interface were evaluated as proxies of physical and chemical weathering, respectively. A new protocol of pixel-based supervised image classification for the analysis of periodic acid-Schiff stained cross-sections of colonized schist revealed that hyphal spread of individual species was not influenced by surface orientation. However, hyphal spread was significantly higher in species dominant on northwest facing surfaces. An apparently opposite effect was noticed in terms of calcium oxalate accumulation at the lichen-rock interface; it was detected by Raman spectroscopy and complementary X-ray microdiffraction on southeast facing surfaces only. These results suggest that lichen-induced physical weathering may be most severe on northwest facing surfaces by means of an indirect effect of surface orientation on species abundance, and thus dependent on the species, whereas lichen-induced chemical weathering is apparently higher on southeast facing surfaces and dependent on micro-environmental conditions, giving only weak support to the hypothesis that lichens are responsible for the currently observed pattern of rock-art distribution in Côa Valley. Assumptions about the drivers of open-air rock-art distribution patterns elsewhere should also consider the micro-environmental controls of lichen-induced weathering, to avoid biased measures of lichen contribution to rock-art deterioration. © 2016 by the Ecological Society of America.

Weathering behavior of mine tailings and waste rock: A surface investigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Domvile, S.J.; Li, M.G.; Sollner, D.D.; Nesbitt, W.

1994-01-01

A study focusing on the ion movement in the near surface of sulfide minerals was conducted to better understand the weathering mechanisms of mine waste materials. Tailings and waste rock samples from Canadian mines were subjected to controlled weathering studies using various chemical leachants. Leachates were analyzed for various parameters, and petrographic analyses were conducted on the solid residues. Laboratory oxidation studies of pure pyrrhotite and arsenopyrite were carried out using the surface techniques X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and auger electron spectroscopy (AES). The data derived from the weathering study and the surface techniques were correlated to determine mechanisms of oxidation. Several results were observed during the project: ferric iron constitutes one third of the iron present in pyrrhotite, sulfide oxidation is initiated when rock is blasted, sulfide sulfur is oxidized to di- and poly-sulfides prior to forming sulfates, and significantly more sulfate is produced upon exposure to aqueous environments than to air alone

Observational study of atmospheric surface layer and coastal weather in northern Qatar

Science.gov (United States)

Samanta, Dhrubajyoti; Sadr, Reza

2016-04-01

Atmospheric surface layer is the interaction medium between atmosphere and Earth's surface. Better understanding of its turbulence nature is essential in characterizing the local weather, climate variability and modeling of turbulent exchange processes. The importance of Middle East region, with its unique geographical, economical and weather condition is well recognized. However, high quality micrometeorological observational studies are rare in this region. Here we show experimental results from micrometeorological observations from an experimental site in the coastal region of Qatar during August-December 2015. Measurements of winds are obtained from three sonic anemometers installed on a 9 m tower placed at Al Ghariyah beach in northern Qatar (26.08 °N, 51.36 °E). Different surface layer characteristics is analyzed and compared with earlier studies in equivalent weather conditions. Monthly statistics of wind speed, wind direction, temperature, humidity and heat index are made from concurrent observations from sonic anemometer and weather station to explore variations with surface layer characteristics. The results also highlights potential impact of sea breeze circulation on local weather and atmospheric turbulence. The observed daily maximum temperature and heat index during morning period may be related to sea breeze circulations. Along with the operational micrometeorological observation system, a camera system and ultrasonic wave measurement system are installed recently in the site to study coastline development and nearshore wave dynamics. Overall, the complete observational set up is going to provide new insights about nearshore wind dynamics and wind-wave interaction in Qatar.

Surface Weather Observations Hourly

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard hourly observations taken at Weather Bureau/National Weather Service offices and airports throughout the United States. Hourly observations began during the...

The Effect of Methylation and Anti-Oxidant on Discoloration of Weathered Wood Plastic Composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peivand Darabi

2011-01-01

Full Text Available As the outdoor application of Wood Plastic Composites (WPCs become more widespread, the resistance of these products against weathering, particularly ultraviolet (UV light becomes more important. When WPCs are exposed to outdoor ultraviolet light, rain, snow and atmosphere pollution, they will be degraded which can be indicated by color fade. To investigate the effects of methylation and Anti-Oxidant separately and together on discoloration of weathered wood plastic composites, composites of poplar wood flour and high density polyethylene.Were made according to the ASTMD 2565, samples were placed in Atlas Xenon apparatus for 250 and 2000 hours. Discoloration and FT-IR spectra of the samples were measured and compared. The results have shown that methylation in short term and long term can relatively reduce the discoloration of weathered samples and also in short term can hinder the photodegradation. FT-IR spectra showed that, in long term, neither of the treatments could protect lignin from irradiation within wood flour. But methylation limited the depth of penetration of weathering. The Antioxidant did not have an influence on color change in a long period of time, but was able to relatively decrease it in short term.

Humidity sorption on natural building stone

Science.gov (United States)

Franzen, C.; Mirwald, P.

2003-04-01

processes, physical, chemical or biological, depend on the presence of water. Like most porous materials building stone respond on humidity by water uptake. The sorption isotherm represents the equilibrium moisture, specific for each material. The determination of the isotherm for stone of low and small porosity like marble is difficult. With the help of a newly developed water sorption analysis chamber [2], which allows the simultaneous measurement of 11 samples, good results on stone/rock samples have been obtained. Even at marble species with pore volumes lower than 0.4 % isotherms are measured. This analytical method offers new insights in the pore behaviour of low porosity materials. The advantages of this technique which supplements other techniques (e.g. BET, Hg-porosimetry) are: i) the testing agent is identical to the weathering agent, water; ii) the atmospheric parameters at the measurement reflect the natural conditions - thus no changes to the material properties have to be considered; iii) due to the small diameter of the water molecule (~0.28 nm), smaller pores are reached than e.g. with N2 (~0.31 nm). Sorption isotherms of sandstone (Baumberg, Obernkirchen, Groeden), granite (Brixen), and marble (Sterzing, Laas) are presented. Particular as to marbles the resolution is considerably higher. A previously observed negative hysteresis [3] seems an effect due to limited data resolution. [1] Snethlage, R. (1984) Steinkonservierung, Bayer. LA Denkmalpflege, Ah. 22, 203 S. [2] Griesser, U.J., Dillenz, J. (2002) Neuartiges, vollautomatisches Feuchtesorptionsprüfgerät mit hohem Probendurchsatz, Feuchtetag 2002, Weimar, 85-93. [3] Fimmel, R. (1996) Verwitterungsverhalten der alpinen Marmore von Laas und Sterzing, Diss. Univ. Ibk, 116 S.

The use of local natural stone in construction of St. Petersburg region and south-east Finland

Science.gov (United States)

Luodes, Hannu; Härmä, Paavo; Panova, Elena; Pirinen, Heikki; Selonen, Olavi

2013-04-01

construction in the southern Finland and St. Petersburg regions will be documented. That is to generate ideas for definition of new environmental building products using left-over natural stone from quarrying. The project will provide detailed data about long term durability of stone structures in the cities that are along the Baltic Sea shoreline (St. Petersburg, Helsinki) and subject to both mechanical and biological weathering. Mechanical weathering by several annual freeze-thaw cycles is especially typical in these coastal climate conditions. The data will be used in characterization of the durability and weathering mechanisms of different stone types and is used in preparation of guidelines of stone selection for construction and renovation. The data on natural stone resources in the project area will be evaluated and collected in a database. Also the best natural stone evaluation methods from Finland and Russia will be assessed to produce a guidance of best practices for prospecting and evaluation of natural stone occurrences. The project will also generate suggestions for making the natural stone trade between the EU and Russia easier.

The influence of steam cleaning procedures on the surface roughness of commonly used type III dental stone for the fabrication of removable dentures.

Science.gov (United States)

Cilingir, Altug; Geckili, Onur; Parlar, Zeynep; Gencel, Burc; Bozdag, Ergun; Temiz, Vedat

2013-09-01

This study investigated the possible detrimental effects of steam treatment on the surface of type III dental stone, which is a common laboratory material used for the construction of removable dentures. Forty dental stone specimens were prepared and divided into four groups (A, B, C and D), and group A was used as the control group. The other groups were treated with steam from a standard distance for varying durations (30, 60 and 120 s). The duration of steam cleaning significantly increased Ra values (F = 63.150, p = 0.000). Similarly, the duration of steam application was directly correlated with the weight changes (F = 17.721, p = 0.000). A significant amount of dental stone can be removed from the surface while treating with steam. These studies demonstrated that expanded periods of steam cleaning cause weight loss and abrade the surface of type III dental stones; therefore, these devices should be used with caution during denture fabrication procedures. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S and The Gerodontology Society. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

INDICATION OF INSENSITIVITY OF PLANETARY WEATHERING BEHAVIOR AND HABITABLE ZONE TO SURFACE LAND FRACTION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbot, Dorian S.; Ciesla, Fred J.; Cowan, Nicolas B.

2012-01-01

It is likely that unambiguous habitable zone terrestrial planets of unknown water content will soon be discovered. Water content helps determine surface land fraction, which influences planetary weathering behavior. This is important because the silicate-weathering feedback determines the width of the habitable zone in space and time. Here a low-order model of weathering and climate, useful for gaining qualitative understanding, is developed to examine climate evolution for planets of various land-ocean fractions. It is pointed out that, if seafloor weathering does not depend directly on surface temperature, there can be no weathering-climate feedback on a waterworld. This would dramatically narrow the habitable zone of a waterworld. Results from our model indicate that weathering behavior does not depend strongly on land fraction for partially ocean-covered planets. This is powerful because it suggests that previous habitable zone theory is robust to changes in land fraction, as long as there is some land. Finally, a mechanism is proposed for a waterworld to prevent complete water loss during a moist greenhouse through rapid weathering of exposed continents. This process is named a 'waterworld self-arrest', and it implies that waterworlds can go through a moist greenhouse stage and end up as planets like Earth with partial ocean coverage. This work stresses the importance of surface and geologic effects, in addition to the usual incident stellar flux, for habitability.

INDICATION OF INSENSITIVITY OF PLANETARY WEATHERING BEHAVIOR AND HABITABLE ZONE TO SURFACE LAND FRACTION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abbot, Dorian S.; Ciesla, Fred J. [Department of the Geophysical Sciences, University of Chicago, 5734 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637 (United States); Cowan, Nicolas B., E-mail: abbot@uchicago.edu [Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, 2131 Tech Drive, Evanston, IL 60208 (United States)

2012-09-10

It is likely that unambiguous habitable zone terrestrial planets of unknown water content will soon be discovered. Water content helps determine surface land fraction, which influences planetary weathering behavior. This is important because the silicate-weathering feedback determines the width of the habitable zone in space and time. Here a low-order model of weathering and climate, useful for gaining qualitative understanding, is developed to examine climate evolution for planets of various land-ocean fractions. It is pointed out that, if seafloor weathering does not depend directly on surface temperature, there can be no weathering-climate feedback on a waterworld. This would dramatically narrow the habitable zone of a waterworld. Results from our model indicate that weathering behavior does not depend strongly on land fraction for partially ocean-covered planets. This is powerful because it suggests that previous habitable zone theory is robust to changes in land fraction, as long as there is some land. Finally, a mechanism is proposed for a waterworld to prevent complete water loss during a moist greenhouse through rapid weathering of exposed continents. This process is named a 'waterworld self-arrest', and it implies that waterworlds can go through a moist greenhouse stage and end up as planets like Earth with partial ocean coverage. This work stresses the importance of surface and geologic effects, in addition to the usual incident stellar flux, for habitability.

Application of the thermal plasma technique in the treatment of stone surfaces; Aplicacion de la tecnica de plasmas termicos en el tratamiento de superficies petreas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gonzalez A, Z I

2000-07-01

The stone materials which form part of the cultural heritage of Mexico, are degraded under the united action of water, atmospheric gases, air pollution, temperature changes and the microorganisms action; provoking on the stone: fissures, crevices, scalings, fragmentations, pulverizations, etc. Therefore, the purpose of this work is to study the possibilities to apply a protective coating on the stone surfaces, previously clean and consolidated, through the thermal plasma technique. The purpose is to analyse the physical and chemical properties of three types of stone materials: quarry, tezontle and chiluca, usually used in constructions of cultural interest such as: historical monuments, churches, sculptures, etc., before and after to be submitted to the action of thermal plasma in order to examine the feasibility in the use of this coating technique in this type of applications. The application of conventional techniques to determine: porosity, density, absorption, low pressure water absorption and crystallization by total immersion of nuclear techniques such as: neutron activation analysis, x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy as well as of instrumental techniques: optical microscopy, mechanical assays of compression, flexure and surface area calculations, allowed to know the chemical and physical properties of the stone material before and after to be treated through the thermal plasma technique, projecting quartz on the stones surface at different distances and current intensity and showing the effect caused by the modifications or surface alterations present by cause of the application of that coating. the obtained results provide a general panorama of the application of this technique as an alternative to the maintenance of the architectural inheritance built in stone. (Author)

Surface characterization of weathered wood-plastic composites produced from modified wood flour

Science.gov (United States)

James S. Fabiyi; Armando G. McDonald; Nicole M. Stark

2007-01-01

The effects of weathering on the surface properties of wood-plastic composites (WPC) were examined. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) based WPCs made from modified wood flour (untreated, extractives free, and holocellulose (delignified) fibers) were subjected to accelerated (xenon-arc) weathering. Colorimetry and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were employed to...

Efficacy of Hydrophobic Coatings in Protecting Oak Wood Surfaces during Accelerated Weathering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miloš Pánek

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The durability of transparent coatings applied to an oak wood exterior is relatively low due to its anatomic structure and chemical composition. Enhancement of the protection of oak wood against weathering using transparent hydrophobic coatings is presented in this study. Oak wood surfaces were modified using UV-stabilizers, hindered amine light stabilizer (HALS, and ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles before the application of a commercial hydrophobic topcoat. A transparent oil-based coating was used as a control coating system. The artificial weathering test lasted 6 weeks and colour, gloss, and contact angle changes were regularly evaluated during this period. The changes in the microscopic structure were studied with confocal laser scanning microscopy. The results proved limited durability against weathering of both tested hydrophobic coatings. The formation of micro-cracks causing the leaching of degraded wood compounds and discolouration of oak wood were observed after 1 or 3 weeks of the weathering test. Until then, an oil-based coating film had protected the wood sufficiently, but after 6 weeks the wood was fully defoliated to its non-homogenous thickness, which was caused by the presence of large oak vessels, and by the effects of specific oak tannins. Using transparent hydrophobic coatings can prolong the service life of the exteriors of wood products by decreasing their moisture content. Without proper construction protection against rainwater, the hydrophobic coating itself cannot guarantee the preservation of the natural appearance of wood exteriors.

Regional and detailed research studies for stone resources in Korea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-12-01

This report consists of 7 articles. 1) Detail drilling research works on granodiorite stock of Cheanan area near Onyang city in Chungnam province. 2) Regional research studies on granites distributed in Kimje - Jeongeup. 3) Regional survey and feasibility study on diorite rock mass in Kohyeng, Cheonnam province. 4) Regional research study on the stone resources of Hamyang area. 5) A study on variation trends of physical properties of 5 kinds of building stone by means of Weather-Ometer experiment. 6) Borehole radar survey at the granodiorite quarry mine, Cheonan, Chungnam province. 7) Radar velocity tomography in anisotropic media. (author). refs., tabs., figs.

The development of anti-heat stress clothing for construction workers in hot and humid weather.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Albert P C; Guo, Y P; Wong, Francis K W; Li, Y; Sun, S; Han, X

2016-04-01

The purpose of this study was to develop anti-heat stress clothing for construction workers in hot and humid weather. Following DeJonge's functional clothing design process, the design situation was explored, including clothing fabric heat/moisture transporting properties and UV protection and the aspects of clothing ergonomic design (mobility, convenience, and safety). The problem structure was derived from the results of the surveys in three local construction sites, which agreed well with the task requirements and observations. Specifications were consequently described and 30 commercially available fabrics were identified and tested. Fabric testing data and design considerations were inputted in S-smart system to predict the thermal functional performance of the clothing. A new uniform prototype was developed and evaluated. The results of all measurements suggest that the new uniform which incorporated fabrics with superior heat/moisture transporting properties and loose-fitting design could reduce the workers' heat stress and improve their comfort and work performance. Practitioner Summary: The construction workers' uniform currently used in Hong Kong during summer was unsatisfactory. Following DeJonge's functional clothing design process, an anti-heat stress uniform was developed by testing 30 fabrics and predicting clothing thermal functional performance using S-smart system. The new uniform could reduce the workers' heat stress and improve their comfort and work performance.

EVALUATION OF CONSISTENCY AND SETTING TIME OF IRANIAN DENTAL STONES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F GOL BIDI

2000-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Dental stones are widely used in dentistry and the success or failure of many dental treatments depend on the accuracy of these gypsums. The purpose of this study was the evaluation of Iranian dental stones and comparison between Iranian and foreign ones. In this investigation, consistency and setting time were compared between Pars Dendn, Almas and Hinrizit stones. The latter is accepted by ADA (American Dental Association. Consistency and setting time are 2 of 5 properties that are necessitated by both ADA specification No. 25 and Iranian Standard Organization specification No. 2569 for evaluation of dental stones. Methods. In this study, the number and preparation of specimens and test conditions were done according to the ADA specification No. 25 and all the measurements were done with vicat apparatus. Results. The results of this study showed that the standard consistency of Almas stone was obtained by 42ml water and 100gr powder and the setting time of this stone was 11±0.03 min. Which was with in the limits of ADA specification (12±4 min. The standard consistency of Pars Dandan stone was obrianed by 31ml water and 100 gr powder, but the setting time of this stone was 5± 0.16 min which was nt within the limits of ADA specification. Discussion: Comparison of Iranian and Hinrizit stones properties showed that two probable problems of Iranian stones are:1- Unhemogrnousity of Iranian stoned powder was caused by uncontrolled temperature, pressure and humidity in the production process of stone. 2- Impurities such as sodium chloride was responsible fo shortening of Pars Dendens setting time.

Sibudu Cave, KwaZulu-Natal: Background to the excavations of middle stone age and iron age occupations

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Wadley, L

2004-03-01

Full Text Available . Cultural material from Sibudu includes a huge collection of late MSA stone tools and rare pieces of worked bone, one of which has been directly dated (Cain, this issue). Residue analysis on a large sample of the stone tools shows that the cave occupants... sedimentological analysis4 of six samples shows that the sediments are poorly sorted and immature, largely comprising anthropogenically derived material such as ash, bone and worked stone. A smaller component of the sediments comprises weathered roof...

The natural weathering of staurolite: crystal-surface textures, relative stability, and the rate-determining step

Science.gov (United States)

Michael A. Velbel; Charles L. Basso; Michael J. Zieg

1996-01-01

Mineral surface-textures on naturally weathered crystals of staurolite [monoclinic, pseudo-orthorhombic; Fe4Al18Si8O46(OH)2] indicate that staurolite weathering is generally interface-limited. Etch pits on naturally weathered staurolites are disk-shaped,...

Ultrasonic propulsion of kidney stones.

Science.gov (United States)

May, Philip C; Bailey, Michael R; Harper, Jonathan D

2016-05-01

Ultrasonic propulsion is a novel technique that uses short bursts of focused ultrasonic pulses to reposition stones transcutaneously within the renal collecting system and ureter. The purpose of this review is to discuss the initial testing of effectiveness and safety, directions for refinement of technique and technology, and opinions on clinical application. Preclinical studies with a range of probes, interfaces, and outputs have demonstrated feasibility and consistent safety of ultrasonic propulsion with room for increased outputs and refinement toward specific applications. Ultrasonic propulsion was used painlessly and without adverse events to reposition stones in 14 of 15 human study participants without restrictions on patient size, stone size, or stone location. The initial feasibility study showed applicability in a range of clinically relevant situations, including facilitating passage of residual fragments following ureteroscopy or shock wave lithotripsy, moving a large stone at the ureteropelvic junction with relief of pain, and differentiating large stones from a collection of small fragments. Ultrasonic propulsion shows promise as an office-based system for transcutaneously repositioning kidney stones. Potential applications include facilitating expulsion of residual fragments following ureteroscopy or shock wave lithotripsy, repositioning stones prior to treatment, and repositioning obstructing ureteropelvic junction stones into the kidney to alleviate acute renal colic.

Surface detail reproduction and dimensional accuracy of stone models: influence of disinfectant solutions and alginate impression materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Guiraldo, Ricardo Danil; Borsato, Thaís Teixeira; Berger, Sandrine Bittencourt; Lopes, Murilo Baena; Gonini, Alcides; Sinhoreti, Mário Alexandre Coelho

2012-01-01

This study compared the surface detail reproduction and dimensional accuracy of stone models obtained from molds disinfected with 2% sodium hypochlorite, 2% chlorhexidine digluconate or 0.2% peracetic acid to models produced using molds which were not disinfected, with 3 alginate materials (Cavex ColorChange, Hydrogum 5 and Jeltrate Plus). The molds were prepared over matrix containing 20-, 50-, and 75-µm lines, performed under pressure with perforated metal tray. The molds were removed following gelation and either disinfected (using one of the solutions by spraying followed by storage in closed jars for 15 min) or not disinfected. The samples were divided into 12 groups (n=5). Molds were filled with dental gypsum Durone IV and 1 h after the start of the stone mixing the models were separated from the tray. Surface detail reproduction and dimensional accuracy were evaluated using optical microscopy on the 50-µm line with 25 mm in length, in accordance with the ISO 1563 standard. The dimensional accuracy results (%) were subjected to ANOVA. The 50 µm-line was completely reproduced by all alginate impression materials regardless of the disinfection procedure. There was no statistically significant difference in the mean values of dimensional accuracy in combinations between disinfectant procedure and alginate impression material (p=0.2130) or for independent factors. The disinfectant solutions and alginate materials used in this study are no factors of choice regarding the surface detail reproduction and dimensional accuracy of stone models.

Drenov Grič black limestone as a heritage stone from Slovenia

Science.gov (United States)

Kramar, Sabina; Rožič, Boštjan; Žbona, Nina; Bedjanič, Mojca; Mladenović, Ana

2016-04-01

The limestone known as Drenov Grič black limestone is considered one of the most beautiful Slovenian natural stones due to its homogenous black colour interwoven with white veins. Over the centuries it has been exploited from three major quarries west of Ljubljana, with the main quarry at Drenov Grič playing the primary role in supplying building material for the central parts of Slovenia. All the quarries are currently not active. In the area of Drenov grič, one locality of black limestone is protected - Kuclerjev kamnolom quarry. It has the status of 'valuable natural feature of national importance' and is protected as a natural monument. This well-stratified micritic limestone of Triassic (Carnian) age occurs in 10-80 cm thick beds, with thin marl interlayers. The stone contains abundant fossil bivalves and ostracods. Apart from calcite as the main component, dolomite, quartz, illite/muscovite and pyrite are also present. The limestone is relatively rich in carbonaceous and bituminous organic matter, which is responsible for the black colour of the stone. This component does not have any adverse effect on mechanical and physical characteristics. As the lime¬stone is dense, thus facilitating a good polish, it has been commercially considered as marble. The stone has been widely used in Slovenian monuments, not only in Ljubljana but also in other regions of Slovenia. Many inner and outdoor architectural elements were made of this limestone, particularly in the baroque period, which was known for the extensive use of black limestones also in other European countries. The most significant use of this limestone has been recorded in sculptured portals and altars. Some of the important buildings decorated utilising this stone, are the Ljubljana Cathedral, the St. James's Parish Church, and the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation, all of which are located in Ljubljana, some of them having been declared as cultural monuments of local or national importance. When

Microwave radiation is effective at disinfecting dental stone surfaces without changing their physical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Bona, Ariel José; Amaral-Brito, Mauro Gustavo; Rodrigues, José Augusto; Peruzzo, Daiane Cristina; França, Fabiana Mantovani Gomes

2017-01-01

The aims of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of different microwave radiation regimens for disinfection of type IV dental stone surfaces and to assess the influence of these regimens on surface roughness and dimensional change following disinfection. Three hundred cylindrical (20 × 2-mm) test specimens were made in type IV stone and divided into subgroups of 20 according to the microorganisms tested (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, or Candida albicans) and the 900-W microwave radiation protocol (cycles of 3, 5, or 7 minutes; a positive control; or a negative control). To test physical changes, 80 test specimens were made with the same dimensions except that they had 2 parallel and symmetrical indentations measuring 8 × 4 mm. These specimens were divided into 4 subgroups of 20 each (a subgroup for each radiation time and a negative control). The mean dimensional change and roughness data were analyzed by mixed models for repeated measures and Tukey-Kramer tests. Disinfection was analyzed with descriptive statistics. For E coli and C albicans, all radiation times proved effective at sterilizing the test specimens. For S aureus, sterilization was achieved with 5 and 7 minutes of exposure; however, colonies were observed in 10 Petri dishes (50%) exposed to 3 minutes of microwave radiation. No statistically significant difference in dimensional change or surface roughness was observed for any radiation regimen (P > 0.05).

Conversion of some fruit stones and shells into activated carbons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fadhil, Abdelrahman B.; Deyab, Mohammad M.

2008-01-01

The pyrolysis of certain biomass waste (stones of date, apricot, peach and olive as well as shells of walnut and coconut) was investigated to prepare activated carbons (ACs) suitable for some commercial purposes. The pyrolysis process was performed into fixed bed reactor which was designed for this purpose. The resulted char was chemically activated using NaOH and the adsorption characteristics, such as iodine number, methylene blue (MB) value, and p-nitrophenol (PNP) value were measured. The surface area of the prepared ACs were estimated from the calibration curve as between IN and BET surface area of some established ACs from the literature. The adsorption from solution method was also used to measure the specific surface area of the prepared ACs, using MB and PNP as solutes. The adsorption isotherms of the ACs from both atmospheric pyrolysis (AP) and reduced pressure pyrolysis (RPP) were determined and were found to fit the Langmuir type of isotherm. The prepared ACs show different adsorption properties and surface areas, and that AC obtained from apricot stones had the highest porosity as indicating by IN and SABET. (author)

The Value of Original Natural Stone in the Context of Architectural Heritage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dolores Pereira

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Natural stone is required for maintenance and repair of historically, archaeologically and culturally important structures to prevent deterioration due to weathering and use. Those that have national or World Heritage significance are historically and culturally important. Sometimes, severely damaged buildings may require extensive or complete restoration. The choice of stone should be appropriate in physical and aesthetic terms, ideally from the original source. Researchers, architects, those who specify contracts and other stakeholders need reliable information, but access to, and awareness of, important sources such as manuscripts, publications and collections of samples is often limited. Easier access to information is needed when planning and commissioning works that require the replacement of stone. Making important information more widely available and promoting awareness of the need to maintain adequate supplies of natural stone of suitable quality is a task for both national and international organizations including the Heritage Stone Task Group of IUGS and IAEG. This paper provides some illustrative examples and pointers towards some recent major publications, as well as describing current Heritage Stone Resource and European Union initiatives, all the while requesting further participation from colleagues in this field.

Gypsum accumulation on carbonate stone

Science.gov (United States)

McGee, E.S.; Mossotti, V.G.

1992-01-01

The accumulation of gypsum on carbonate stone has been investigated through exposure of fresh samples of limestone and marble at monitored sites, through examination of alteration crusts from old buildings and through laboratory experiments. Several factors contribute to gypsum accumulation on carbonate stone. Marble or limestone that is sheltered from direct washing by rain in an urban environment with elevated pollution levels is likely to accumulate a gypsum crust. Crust development may be enhanced if the stone is porous or has an irregular surface area. Gypsum crusts are a surficial alteration feature; gypsum crystals form at the pore opening-air interface, where evaporation is greatest.

Microbiological influences on fracture surfaces of intact mud-stone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

West, J.M.; Harrison, H.; Wragg, J.; Wagner, D.; Milodowski, A.E.; Turner, G.; Lacinska, A.; Holyoake, S.; Harrington, J.; Coombs, P.; Bateman, K.; Yoshikawa, H.; Sasaki, Y.; Aoki, K.

2012-01-01

Document available in extended abstract form only. It is well recognised that microbes live in a wide range of subsurface environments including potential geological repository host rocks; and their presence can have an impact on transport processes. Microbial activity in any environment is located on chemical or physical interfaces, usually within bio-films. Their impact on transport can be physical (e.g. altering porosity) and/or chemical (e.g. changing redox conditions or altering pH) often resulting in intracellular or extracellular mineral formation or degradation. Consequently, the significance of microbial activity on the transport properties of potential host rocks for geological repositories is now being investigated. This pilot study investigates changes in transport properties that are because of microbial activity in sedimentary mud-stone rock environments at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) Horonobe underground research laboratory (URL) in northern Japan. The geological setting of the URL is summarised elsewhere. Geo-microbiological assessments of ground waters, from boreholes, previously drilled at Horonobe, have revealed the presence of a diverse indigenous microbiological ecosystem. The impacts of the presence of these microbes on the performance of a high-level radioactive waste (HLW) repository, using geo-microbiological data from Horonobe, has shown that denitrifying bacteria is likely to be the group of organisms with the greatest activity. Consequently, the impact of this group of organisms, specifically Pseudomonas denitrificans, on Horonobe rock transport properties, is the focus of this study. In brief, two experiments, one biotic and a 'control', were carried out using a flow-through column operated at a constant rate of fluid flow and under pressurised conditions. Changes in biological and chemical parameters were monitored throughout the experiment together with changes in confining pressure and temperature. The experiments were

Climatology of salt transitions and implications for stone weathering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grossi, C.M.; Brimblecombe, P.; Menendez, B.; Benavente, D.; Harris, I.; Deque, M.

2011-01-01

This work introduces the notion of salt climatology. It shows how climate affects salt thermodynamic and the potential to relate long-term salt damage to climate types. It mainly focuses on specific sites in Western Europe, which include some cities in France and Peninsular Spain. Salt damage was parameterised using the number of dissolution-crystallisation events for unhydrated (sodium chloride) and hydrated (sodium sulphate) systems. These phase transitions have been calculated using daily temperature and relative humidity from observation meteorological data and Climate Change models' output (HadCM3 and ARPEGE). Comparing the number of transitions with meteorological seasonal data allowed us to develop techniques to estimate the frequency of salt transitions based on the local climatology. Results show that it is possible to associate the Koeppen-Geiger climate types with potential salt weathering. Temperate fully humid climates seem to offer the highest potential for salt damage and possible higher number of transitions in summer. Climates with dry summers tend to show a lesser frequency of transitions in summer. The analysis of temperature, precipitation and relative output from Climate Change models suggests changes in the Koeppen-Geiger climate types and changes in the patterns of salt damage. For instance, West Europe areas with a fully humid climate may change to a more Mediterranean like or dry climates, and consequently the seasonality of different salt transitions. The accuracy and reliability of the projections might be improved by simultaneously running multiple climate models (ensembles). - Research highlights: → We introduce the notion of salt climatology for heritage conservation. → Climate affects salt thermodynamics on building materials. → We associate Koeppen-Geiger climate types with potential salt weathering. → We offer future projections of salt damage in Western Europe due to climate change. → Humid climate areas may change to

Climatology of salt transitions and implications for stone weathering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grossi, C.M., E-mail: c.grossi-sampedro@uea.ac.uk [School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ (United Kingdom); Brimblecombe, P. [School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ (United Kingdom); Menendez, B. [Geosciences et Environnement Cergy, Universite de Cergy-Pontoise 95031 Cergy-Pontoise cedex (France); Benavente, D. [Lab. Petrologia Aplicada, Unidad Asociada UA-CSIC, Dpto. Ciencias de la Tierra y del Medio Ambiente, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante 03080 (Spain); Harris, I. [Climatic Research Unit, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ (United Kingdom); Deque, M. [Meteo-France/CNRM, CNRS/GAME, 42 Avenue Coriolis, F-31057 Toulouse, Cedex 01 (France)

2011-06-01

This work introduces the notion of salt climatology. It shows how climate affects salt thermodynamic and the potential to relate long-term salt damage to climate types. It mainly focuses on specific sites in Western Europe, which include some cities in France and Peninsular Spain. Salt damage was parameterised using the number of dissolution-crystallisation events for unhydrated (sodium chloride) and hydrated (sodium sulphate) systems. These phase transitions have been calculated using daily temperature and relative humidity from observation meteorological data and Climate Change models' output (HadCM3 and ARPEGE). Comparing the number of transitions with meteorological seasonal data allowed us to develop techniques to estimate the frequency of salt transitions based on the local climatology. Results show that it is possible to associate the Koeppen-Geiger climate types with potential salt weathering. Temperate fully humid climates seem to offer the highest potential for salt damage and possible higher number of transitions in summer. Climates with dry summers tend to show a lesser frequency of transitions in summer. The analysis of temperature, precipitation and relative output from Climate Change models suggests changes in the Koeppen-Geiger climate types and changes in the patterns of salt damage. For instance, West Europe areas with a fully humid climate may change to a more Mediterranean like or dry climates, and consequently the seasonality of different salt transitions. The accuracy and reliability of the projections might be improved by simultaneously running multiple climate models (ensembles). - Research highlights: {yields} We introduce the notion of salt climatology for heritage conservation. {yields} Climate affects salt thermodynamics on building materials. {yields} We associate Koeppen-Geiger climate types with potential salt weathering. {yields} We offer future projections of salt damage in Western Europe due to climate change. {yields} Humid

IGCP 637 Heritage Stone Designation: A UNESCO and IUGS project on natural stones

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Dolores; Cooper, Barry; Schouenborg, Björn; Marker, Brian; Kramar, Sabina

2017-04-01

IGCP 637 was approved in 2015 to facilitate establishment of a new international geological standard for building and ornamental stones. Formal international recognition of those natural stone types that have achieved widespread utilization in human culture is now underway and the term "Global Heritage Stone Resource" (GHSR) has been proposed for this designation. Stones that have been used in heritage construction, sculptural masterpieces, as well as in utilitarian (yet culturally important) applications are obvious GHSR candidates. In co-ordination with these aims the project has an associated role to promote the adoption and use of the GHSR designation. Consequently an interim list of potential GHSRs is maintained and a register of GHSR approved stones is being created. IGCP 637 also enhances the capacity of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) in the realm of dimension stone and geological standards as it is the first IUGS involvement in this subject. As a consequence, the largest known international grouping of dimension stone professionals has been established. Within IGCP 637 a web page has been created at www.globalheritagestone.com, including information on the Working Group and also specific information on the evolution of the project. Several researchers were funded to attend the Heritage Stone working group activities, including researchers from Algeria, Malawi, India, Italy and Russia. We also have produced many publications, both as individual papers and special issues in journals included in the Journal Citation Reports. Monographs are being prepared at present. Hopefully, IGCP 637 will help to widen the circle of researchers interested in natural stones as part of our geoheritage. Heritage Stone references: articles and special issues - Pereira, D. and Marker, B. (2016) The value of original natural stone in the context of architectural heritage. Geosciences, 6, 13. - Heritage Stone 1. Ed. Pereira and Pratt. (2016). Geoscience

Automated visual inspection for polished stone manufacture

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Melvyn L.; Smith, Lyndon N.

2003-05-01

Increased globalisation of the ornamental stone market has lead to increased competition and more rigorous product quality requirements. As such, there are strong motivators to introduce new, more effective, inspection technologies that will help enable stone processors to reduce costs, improve quality and improve productivity. Natural stone surfaces may contain a mixture of complex two-dimensional (2D) patterns and three-dimensional (3D) features. The challenge in terms of automated inspection is to develop systems able to reliably identify 3D topographic defects, either naturally occurring or resulting from polishing, in the presence of concomitant complex 2D stochastic colour patterns. The resulting real-time analysis of the defects may be used in adaptive process control, in order to avoid the wasteful production of defective product. An innovative approach, using structured light and based upon an adaptation of the photometric stereo method, has been pioneered and developed at UWE to isolate and characterize mixed 2D and 3D surface features. The method is able to undertake tasks considered beyond the capabilities of existing surface inspection techniques. The approach has been successfully applied to real stone samples, and a selection of experimental results is presented.

Modeling Apple Surface Temperature Dynamics Based on Weather Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Li

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The exposure of fruit surfaces to direct sunlight during the summer months can result in sunburn damage. Losses due to sunburn damage are a major economic problem when marketing fresh apples. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a model for simulating fruit surface temperature (FST dynamics based on energy balance and measured weather data. A series of weather data (air temperature, humidity, solar radiation, and wind speed was recorded for seven hours between 11:00–18:00 for two months at fifteen minute intervals. To validate the model, the FSTs of “Fuji” apples were monitored using an infrared camera in a natural orchard environment. The FST dynamics were measured using a series of thermal images. For the apples that were completely exposed to the sun, the RMSE of the model for estimating FST was less than 2.0 °C. A sensitivity analysis of the emissivity of the apple surface and the conductance of the fruit surface to water vapour showed that accurate estimations of the apple surface emissivity were important for the model. The validation results showed that the model was capable of accurately describing the thermal performances of apples under different solar radiation intensities. Thus, this model could be used to more accurately estimate the FST relative to estimates that only consider the air temperature. In addition, this model provides useful information for sunburn protection management.

Modeling apple surface temperature dynamics based on weather data.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lei; Peters, Troy; Zhang, Qin; Zhang, Jingjin; Huang, Danfeng

2014-10-27

The exposure of fruit surfaces to direct sunlight during the summer months can result in sunburn damage. Losses due to sunburn damage are a major economic problem when marketing fresh apples. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a model for simulating fruit surface temperature (FST) dynamics based on energy balance and measured weather data. A series of weather data (air temperature, humidity, solar radiation, and wind speed) was recorded for seven hours between 11:00-18:00 for two months at fifteen minute intervals. To validate the model, the FSTs of "Fuji" apples were monitored using an infrared camera in a natural orchard environment. The FST dynamics were measured using a series of thermal images. For the apples that were completely exposed to the sun, the RMSE of the model for estimating FST was less than 2.0 °C. A sensitivity analysis of the emissivity of the apple surface and the conductance of the fruit surface to water vapour showed that accurate estimations of the apple surface emissivity were important for the model. The validation results showed that the model was capable of accurately describing the thermal performances of apples under different solar radiation intensities. Thus, this model could be used to more accurately estimate the FST relative to estimates that only consider the air temperature. In addition, this model provides useful information for sunburn protection management.

Role of alpha-1 blocker in expulsion of stone fragments after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for renal stones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pirzada, A.J.; Anwar, A.; Javed, A.; Memon, I.; Mohammad, A.

2011-01-01

Background: Renal stone disease is a significant and worldwide health problem. Recent advances in stone management have allowed kidney stones to be treated using extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), uretero-renoscopy (URS), and percutaneous nephrostolithotomy (PCNL). Recently, medical expulsion therapy (MET) has been investigated as a supplement to observation in an effort to improve spontaneous stone passage rates. Patients and Methods: This study was a randomized, controlled, prospective study to determine whether the administration of Alpha-1-adrenergic receptor antagonists as an adjunctive medical therapy, increases the efficacy of ESWL to treat renal stones. Sixty patients with renal stones of 0.5-1.5 Cm in size (average size 1.2 Cm) were included in this study underwent ESWL followed by administration of Alpha-1-adrenergic receptor antagonists at department of Urology Liaquat National Hospital Karachi from Feb 2008 to Sept 2008. This was a comparative study and patients were divided into two groups. In group A patients received conventional treatment Diclofenac sodium, Anti Spasmodic (Drotaverine HCl) as required and Proton Pump inhibitor (Omeprazole 20 mg) once daily after shock wave lithotripsy. In group B patients received alpha-1 blocker, Alfuzosin HCl 5 mg twice daily in addition to conventional treatment. All patients were instructed to drink a minimum of 2 litres water daily. Ultrasound guided Dornier Alpha Impact Lithotripter was utilised for shock wave lithotripsy. Results: Of the 60 patients, 76.7% of those receiving Alfuzosin and 46.7% of controls had achieved clinical success at 1 month (p=0.01). The mean cumulative diclofenac dose was 485 mg per patient in the Alfuzosin group and 768 mg per patient in the control group (p=0.002). This difference was statistically significant. Conclusion: Alfuzosin therapy as an adjunctive medical therapy after ESWL is more effective than lithotripsy alone for the treatment of patients with large renal

Fire effects on flaked stone, ground stone, and other stone artifacts [Chapter 4

Science.gov (United States)

Krista Deal

2012-01-01

Lithic artifacts can be divided into two broad classes, flaked stone and ground stone, that overlap depending on the defining criteria. For this discussion, flaked stone is used to describe objects that cut, scrape, pierce, saw, hack, etch, drill, or perforate, and the debris (debitage) created when these items are manufactured. Objects made of flaked stone include...

The bioreceptivity of building stone

Science.gov (United States)

Mauko Pranjić, Alenka; Mulec, Janez; Muck, Tadeja; Hladnik, Aleš; Mladenovič, Ana

2015-04-01

Bioreceptivity is an intrinsic property of stone, and is defined as the ability of a material to be colonized by living organisms. The fouling and staining of building stone material due to the activity of microorganisms presents a serious problem in modern as well as historical buildings, not only due to the aesthetic impact but also due to the deterioration of the material. Biological colonisation on stone materials is influenced by a number of factors, e.g. the intrinsic properties of the stone (porosity, roughness, permeability, mineral composition), environmental parameters (e.g. solar radiation, temperature, water regime, climate, etc.), and specific microclimatic parameters (e.g. orientation, exposure to shadow, permanent capillary humidity, etc.). In order to assess the bioreceptivity of building stones, use is often made of artificial colonisation experiments compromising the inoculation of stones with a single species or a few isolated strains under laboratory conditions. In the present work the authors present the development of a method for the determination of bioreceptivity, as well as a study of the bioreceptivity of selected natural stone versus the latter's intrinsic properties. Field examples of biodeterioration are also presented. The study was supported by the Slovenian Research Agency (L1-5453).

Scanning electron microscopy of real and artificial kidney stones before and after Thulium fiber laser ablation in air and water

Science.gov (United States)

Hardy, Luke A.; Irby, Pierce B.; Fried, Nathaniel M.

2018-02-01

We investigated proposed mechanisms of laser lithotripsy, specifically for the novel, experimental Thulium fiber laser (TFL). Previous lithotripsy studies with the conventional Holmium:YAG laser noted a primary photothermal mechanism (vaporization). Our hypothesis is that an additional mechanical effect (fragmentation) occurs due to vaporization of water in stone material from high absorption of energy, called micro-explosions. The TFL irradiated calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) and uric acid (UA) stones, as well as artificial stones (Ultracal30 and BegoStone), in air and water environments. TFL energy was varied to determine the relative effect on the ablation mechanism. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to study qualitative and characteristic changes in surface topography with correlation to presumed ablation mechanisms. Laser irradiation of stones in air produced charring and melting of the stone surface consistent with a photothermal effect and minimal fragmentation, suggesting no mechanical effect from micro-explosions. For COM stones ablated in water, there was prominent fragmentation in addition to recognized photothermal effects, supporting dual mechanisms during TFL lithotripsy. For UA stones, there were minimal photothermal effects, and dominant effects were mechanical. By increasing TFL pulse energy, a greater mechanical effect was demonstrated for both stone types. For artificial stones, there was no significant evidence of mechanical effects. TFL laser lithotripsy relies on two prominent mechanisms for stone ablation, photothermal and mechanical. Water is necessary for the mechanical effect which can be augmented by increasing pulse energy. Artificial stones may not provide a predictive model for mechanical effects during laser lithotripsy.

Durability of building stones against artificial salt crystallization

Science.gov (United States)

Min, K.; Park, J.; Han, D.

2005-12-01

Salts have been known as the most powerful weathering agents, especially when combined with frost action. Salt crystallization test along with freezing-thawing test and acid immersion test was carried out to assess the durability of building stones against weathering. Granite, limestone, marble and basalt were sampled from different quarries in south Korea for this study. One cycle of artificial salt crystallization test was composed of immersion of cored rock specimens in oversaturated solutions of CaCl2, KCl, NaCl and Na2SO4, respectively for 15 hours and successive drying in an oven of 105°C for 3 hours and cooling at room temperature. Tests were performed up to 30 cycles, and specific gravity and ultrasonic velocity were measured after experiencing every 10 cycles and uniaxial compressive strength was measured only after 30 cycles. During the repeated Na2SO4 salt crystallization, some rock samples were gradually deformed excessively and burst after 20 to 30 cycles of test. The variation patterns of physical properties during the salt crystallization tests are too variable to generalize the effect of salt weathering on physical properties but limestone, marble and basalt samples showed relatively greater change of physical properties than granite samples. The recrystallized salts were well observed in the cracks of rock samples through the scanning electron microscope. In the all salt crystallization tests, apparent specific gravities for all tested samples increased generally but not so significantly due to recrystallization of salts. It can be inferred that filling the pores with salt crystals cause the increase of ultrasonic velocity during the early stage of salt crystallization and then in later stages the repeated cycles of salt crystallization result in development of cracks leading decrease of ultrasonic velocity for some rock samples.

A reactive transport model for Marcellus shale weathering

Science.gov (United States)

Heidari, Peyman; Li, Li; Jin, Lixin; Williams, Jennifer Z.; Brantley, Susan L.

2017-11-01

Shale formations account for 25% of the land surface globally and contribute a large proportion of the natural gas used in the United States. One of the most productive shale-gas formations is the Marcellus, a black shale that is rich in organic matter and pyrite. As a first step toward understanding how Marcellus shale interacts with water in the surface or deep subsurface, we developed a reactive transport model to simulate shale weathering under ambient temperature and pressure conditions, constrained by soil and water chemistry data. The simulation was carried out for 10,000 years since deglaciation, assuming bedrock weathering and soil genesis began after the last glacial maximum. Results indicate weathering was initiated by pyrite dissolution for the first 1000 years, leading to low pH and enhanced dissolution of chlorite and precipitation of iron hydroxides. After pyrite depletion, chlorite dissolved slowly, primarily facilitated by the presence of CO2 and organic acids, forming vermiculite as a secondary mineral. A sensitivity analysis indicated that the most important controls on weathering include the presence of reactive gases (CO2 and O2), specific surface area, and flow velocity of infiltrating meteoric water. The soil chemistry and mineralogy data could not be reproduced without including the reactive gases. For example, pyrite remained in the soil even after 10,000 years if O2 was not continuously present in the soil column; likewise, chlorite remained abundant and porosity remained small if CO2 was not present in the soil gas. The field observations were only simulated successfully when the modeled specific surface areas of the reactive minerals were 1-3 orders of magnitude smaller than surface area values measured for powdered minerals. Small surface areas could be consistent with the lack of accessibility of some fluids to mineral surfaces due to surface coatings. In addition, some mineral surface is likely interacting only with equilibrated pore

Effectiveness of Treatment Modalities on Kidney Stone Recurrence.

Science.gov (United States)

Zisman, Anna L

2017-10-06

Nephrolithiasis is highly prevalent across all demographic groups in the Western world and beyond, and its incidence rates are rising. In addition to the morbidity of the acute event, stone disease often becomes a lifelong problem that requires preventative therapy to diminish ongoing morbidity. Across the majority of stone types, increased fluid intake and targeted dietary modifications are mainstays of therapy. Specific dietary interventions associated with reduced calcium stone risk include adequate dietary calcium intake and restriction of sodium, protein, and oxalate intake, among others. Pharmaceutical therapy may be required if lifestyle changes are insufficient to minimize risk of stone recurrence, and must be targeted to the specific metabolic abnormalities portending risk for a given patient. Therapeutic options for idiopathic calcium stone disease include thiazides, citrate salts, and uric acid-lowering agents. Alkali salts are also the treatment of choice for uric acid stone disease. Management of struvite stone disease is largely surgical, but acetohydroxamic acid is a proven second line therapy. Cystinuria requires lifestyle modifications and may call for thiol-binding agents. Significant heterogeneity of the clinical population with stone disease has previously limited opportunities for large randomized controlled trials. However, as clinical phenotypes and genotypes are increasingly clarified, there are mounting opportunities for targeted randomized controlled trials in stone prevention. In the meantime, the currently available evidence for both lifestyle and pharmacologic interventions is reviewed herein. Copyright © 2017 by the American Society of Nephrology.

Corrosion processes on weathering steel railway bridge in Prague

OpenAIRE

Urban, Viktor; Křivý, Vít; Buchta, Vojtěch

2016-01-01

This contribution deals with experimental corrosion tests carried out on the weathering steel railway bridge in Prague. The basic specific property of the weathering steel is an ability to create in favourable environment a protective patina layer on its surface. Since 1968 weathering steel is used under the name “Atmofix” in the Czech Republic and can be used as a standard structural material without any corrosion protection. The weathering steel Atmofix is mostly used for bridge structures ...

Multiphase fluid-solid coupled analysis of shock-bubble-stone interaction in shockwave lithotripsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Kevin G

2017-10-01

A novel multiphase fluid-solid-coupled computational framework is applied to investigate the interaction of a kidney stone immersed in liquid with a lithotripsy shock wave (LSW) and a gas bubble near the stone. The main objective is to elucidate the effects of a bubble in the shock path to the elastic and fracture behaviors of the stone. The computational framework couples a finite volume 2-phase computational fluid dynamics solver with a finite element computational solid dynamics solver. The surface of the stone is represented as a dynamic embedded boundary in the computational fluid dynamics solver. The evolution of the bubble surface is captured by solving the level set equation. The interface conditions at the surfaces of the stone and the bubble are enforced through the construction and solution of local fluid-solid and 2-fluid Riemann problems. This computational framework is first verified for 3 example problems including a 1D multimaterial Riemann problem, a 3D shock-stone interaction problem, and a 3D shock-bubble interaction problem. Next, a series of shock-bubble-stone-coupled simulations are presented. This study suggests that the dynamic response of a bubble to LSW varies dramatically depending on its initial size. Bubbles with an initial radius smaller than a threshold collapse within 1 μs after the passage of LSW, whereas larger bubbles do not. For a typical LSW generated by an electrohydraulic lithotripter (p max  = 35.0MPa, p min  =- 10.1MPa), this threshold is approximately 0.12mm. Moreover, this study suggests that a noncollapsing bubble imposes a negative effect on stone fracture as it shields part of the LSW from the stone. On the other hand, a collapsing bubble may promote fracture on the proximal surface of the stone, yet hinder fracture from stone interior. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Villamayor stone (Golden Stone) as a Global Heritage Stone Resource from Salamanca (NW of Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia-Talegon, Jacinta; Iñigo, Adolfo; Vicente-Tavera, Santiago

2013-04-01

Villamayor stone is an arkosic stone of Middle Eocene age and belongs to the Cabrerizos Sandstone Formation that comprising braided fluvial systems and paleosoils at the top of each stratigraphic sequence. The sandstone is known by several names: i) the Villamayor Stone because the quarries are located in Villamayor de Armuña village that are situated at 7 km to the North from Salamanca city; ii) the Golden Stone due to its patina that produced a ochreous/golden color on the façades of monuments of Salamanca (World Heritage City,1988) built in this Natural stone (one of the silicated rocks utilised). We present in this work, the Villamayor Stone to be candidate as Global Heritage Stone Resource. The Villamayor Stone were quarrying for the construction and ornamentation of Romanesque religious monuments as the Old Cathedral and San Julian church; Gothic (Spanish plateresc style) as the New Cathedral, San Esteban church and the sculpted façade of the Salamanca University, one of the oldest University in Europe (it had established in 1250); and this stone was one of the type of one of the most sumptuous Baroque monuments is the Main Square of the its galleries and arcades (1729). Also, this stone was used in building palaces, walls and reconstruction of Roman bridge. Currently, Villamayor Stone is being quarried by small and family companies, without a modernized processing, for cladding of the façades of the new buildings until that the construction sector was burst (in 2008 the international economic crisis). However, Villamayor Stone is the main stone material used in the city of Salamanca for the restoration of monuments and, even in small quantities when compared with just before the economic crisis, it would be of great importance for future generations protect their quarries and the craft of masonry. Villamayor Stone has several varieties from channels facies to floodplains facies, in this work the selected varieties are: i) the fine-grained stone

Effect of processing method on surface and weathering characteristics of wood-flour/HDPE composites

Science.gov (United States)

Nicole M. Stark; Laurent M. Matuana; Craig M. Clemons

2004-01-01

Wood-plastic lumber is promoted as a low maintenance high-durability product. When exposed to accelerated weathering, however, wood-plastic composites may experience a color change and/or loss in mechanical properties. Different methods of manufacturing wood-plastic composites lead to different surface characteristics, which can influence weathering, In this study, 50...

Specificity of anti-phospholipid antibodies in infectious mononucleosis: a role for anti-cofactor protein antibodies

Science.gov (United States)

Sorice, M; Pittoni, V; Griggi, T; Losardo, A; Leri, O; Magno, M S; Misasi, R; Valesini, G

2000-01-01

The antigen specificity of anti-phospholipid antibodies in infectious mononucleosis (IM) was studied using ELISA for the detection of anti-β2-glycoprotein I (β2-GPI), anti-annexin V, anti-protein S and anti-prothrombin antibodies and TLC immunostaining for the detection of anti-phospholipid antibodies. This technique enabled us to look at antibodies reacting to ‘pure’ phospholipid antigens in the absence of protein contamination. Sera from 46 patients with IM, 18 with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 21 with primary anti-phospholipid antibody syndrome (PAPS), 50 with Helicobacter pylori infection and 30 healthy blood donors were tested. This study highlights anti-phospholipid antibodies in patients with IM as specific ‘pure’ anti-cardiolipin antibodies, while in PAPS and SLE patients anti-phosphatidylserine and anti-phosphatidylethanolamine antibodies were also found. This investigation also shows that the anti-cardiolipin antibodies found in IM can be present with anti-cofactor protein antibodies. The higher prevalence of anti-cofactor antibodies found in IM sera than in Helicobacter pylori sera may be due to the immunostimulatory effect and/or the polyclonal activation often observed in course of Epstein–Barr virus infection. However, anti-β2-GPI and, to a lesser extent, anti-prothrombin antibodies occur with a significantly lower prevalence in IM than in PAPS patients. This finding suggests that these antibodies should be regarded as the expression of the broad autoimmune syndrome involving the phospholipid-binding plasma proteins. PMID:10792380

EFFICACY OF COMBINATION TREATMENT WITH ANTI_IGE PLUS SPECIFIC IMMUNOTHERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH ATOPIC DISEASES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N.I. Il'ina

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Allergen specific immunotherapy (ASIT is a very effective technique in treatment of many allergic diseases. It greatly improves the quality of life. There's a risk of adverse system reactions at the time of ASIT. Treatment with anti Ige antibodies (omalizumab, xolair allows decreasing the circulating Ige level and lessening an expression of high affinity fc_r1 receptors on the surface of basophiles and mast cells, inhibition of early and late phase of allergic inflammatory response. Combination of antibige therapy and ASIT can lead to decrease of risk of adverse system reactions.Key words: omalizumab, anti Ige antibodies, allergen specific immunotherapy.

Comparison of Different Methods of Denim Stone Washing by Pumice Stone, Acid Cellulases and Neutral Cellulases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Montazer

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Denim is a casual garment normally used by young people and extremely influential in shaping the fashion industry. Among various garments, these garments are subjected to innovations. This work is an attempt to compare the different methods of stone washing using pumice stones, acid cellulases and neutral cellulases or in combination of these methods. The effects of different processing conditions on the garment are compared and reported. Color differences of samples are probed by reflective colorimeter on the front side as well as the backside and also the white pocket of the garment.The abrasion resistance, tensile strength and crease recovery angle of samples are also reported. The XRD spectra are used to calculate the crystalline degrees of the selected samples. Moreover, fiber surfaces of some treated samples have been observed by SEM. The results indicate that treatment of denim with pumice stone with equal weight of garment causes a small color differences. The addition of cellulases to the washing, however, accelerates the color fading. Also, lower staining observed on the white pocket when the garment was treated with cellulases. However, the neutralcellulases increase the garment fading and decrease the staining on the white pocket. It is also observed that pumice stone with cellulases damages the fabric surface, although it is of a minimal damage.

Anti-biofouling superhydrophobic surface fabricated by picosecond laser texturing of stainless steel

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Ke; Yang, Huan; Xue, Wei; He, An; Zhu, Dehua; Liu, Wenwen; Adeyemi, Kenneth; Cao, Yu

2018-04-01

Anti-biofouling technology is based on specifically designed materials and coatings. This is an enduring goal in the maritime industries, such as shipping, offshore oil exploration, and aquaculture. Recently, research of the relationship between wettability and antifouling effectiveness has attracted considerable attention, due to the anti-biofouling properties of the lotus leaf and shark skin. In this study, super-hydrophobic surfaces (SHSs) with controllable periodic structures were fabricated on AISI304 stainless steel by a picosecond laser, and their anti-biofouling performance were investigated by seawater immersion for five weeks in summertime. The results showed that the specimens with SHS demonstrate significant anti-biofouling effect as compared with the bare stainless steel plate. We observed that nearly 50% decrease of the average microbe attachment area ratio (Avg. MAAR) could be obtained. The micro-groove SHS with more abundant hierarchical micro-nano structures showed better anti-biofouling performance than the micro-pit SHS.

Pore channel surface modification for enhancing anti-fouling membrane distillation

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, Haoran; Peng, Yuelian; Ge, Lei; Villacorta Hernandez, Byron; Zhu, Zhonghua

2018-06-01

Membrane surface modification by forming a functional layer is an effective way to improve the anti-fouling properties of membranes; however, the additional layer and the potential blockage of bulk pores may increase the mass transfer resistance and reduce the permeability. In this study, we applied a novel method of preparing anti-fouling membranes for membrane distillation by dispersing graphene oxide (GO) on the channel surface of polyvinylidene fluoride membranes. The surface morphology and properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscope, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. Compared to the membrane surface modification by nanoparticles (e.g. SiO2), GO was mainly located on the pore surface of the membrane bulk, rather than being formed as an individual layer onto the membrane surface. The performance was evaluated via a direct-contact membrane distillation process with anionic and cationic surfactants as the foulants, separately. Compared to the pristine PVDF membrane, the anti-fouling behavior and distillate flux of the GO-modified membranes were improved, especially when using the anionic surfactant as the foulant. The enhanced anti-fouling performance can be attributed to the oxygen containing functional groups in GO and the healing of the membrane pore defects. This method may provide an effective route to manipulate membrane pore surface properties for anti-fouling separation without increasing mass transfer resistance.

A study on the utilization of stone powder sludge (III)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Chi Kwon; Sohn, Jeong Soo; Kim, Byung Gyu [Korea Institute of Geology Mining and Materials, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1996-12-01

This study was performed to activate the building stone industry by increasing the recycling amounts of waste resources and minimizing the generation of the environmental pollution materials. In order to utilize the waste stone and stone powder sludge generated from the domestic quarry and cutting process of stone plates, the manufacturing technology of the artificial stone plate as a building material was developed. Based on the first and second year results, this third-year study was performed for manufacturing the large-scale artificial stone plate of 500 x 500 x 20 mm. Also for applying these artificial stone plates to the flooring and interior materials in the building industry, the manufacture of the large-scale artificial stone plates with various patterns and colors was carried out by changing the species and the ratio of raw materials, amounts of binder and molding pressure. Artificial stone plate was composed of waste crushed stone, stone powder sludge and binder which was used for binding waste stone and rock powder each other. In order to investigate the physical properties of large-scale artificial stone, the measure of specific gravity, absorption ratio, P-wave velocity, compressive strength, tensile strength, Young`s modulus, and Poisson`s ratio were carried out. As a result of testing physical properties, there was no difference between small-scale artificial stone and large-scale one. At the optimum conditions it was shown that the properties of artificial stones were as follows, 2.32 of specific gravity, 0.33 of water-absorption ratio, 780 kg/cm{sup 2} of compressive strength and 98 kg/cm{sup 2} of tensile strength. Based on the above results, the preliminary economic estimation on the manufacture of the artificial stone plate was carried out. It was shown that the manufacturing cost of the artificial stone plate was 18,000 won/m{sup 2}, which was merely half that of natural stone plate, and the application of these on the building stone industry

Moisture distribution in the stone portal of a church: how it influences the salt accumulation in porous limestone

Science.gov (United States)

Török, Ákos; Galambos, Éva

2017-04-01

Mathias Church of Budapest (Hungary) is an emblematic stone monument that represents various phases of constructions from Medieval period to the early 20th century. The church is found at the elevated Castle Hill and forms a landmark at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Budapest. Its main construction material is porous Miocene limestone. Besides porous limestone travertine was also extensively used. The current study focuses on the Medieval Gate of the church which encompasses richly decorated porous limestone ornaments. The gate is now sheltered and form an interior portal of the church. It shows various forms of stone decay. The most striking one is efflorescence of salts. This feature has become more intense in the past years leading to flaking and granular disintegration of the limestone, causing damage to the monument. This study focuses on the detection of moisture content within the stone structure and its role in the salt accumulation. To obtain this goal in situ moisture measurements were made along vertical profiles by a portable moisture detector (Gann-Hydromette). It allowed outlining the moisture distribution within the studied structure. The moisture measurement was combined with sampling of salt efflorescence and porous limestone of the gate, itself. The samples were tested by optical microscopy. Conductivity, salt content and main elements were also detected from solutions. Mineralogical composition was recorded by XRD and Thermogravimetric analyses. Magnesium-sulphates were found to be the main salts responsible for damages. Besides sulphates chlorides were also detected. Gypsum was also found in the weathering crusts of the previously exposed limestone surfaces. It accumulated in black crusts but was also detected in white efflorescence and below the stone surface. The salt distribution clearly correlates with the moisture content. The financial support of NKFI Fund (ref. no. K 116532) is appreciated.

Evaluation of stone volume distribution in renal collecting system as a predictor of stone-free rate after percutaneous nephrolithotomy: a retrospective single-center study.

Science.gov (United States)

Atalay, Hasan Anıl; Canat, Lutfi; Bayraktarlı, Recep; Alkan, Ilter; Can, Osman; Altunrende, Fatih

2017-06-23

We analyzed our stone-free rates of PNL with regard to stone burden and its ratio to the renal collecting system volume. Data of 164 patients who underwent PNL were analyzed retrospectively. Volume segmentation of renal collecting system and stones were done using 3D segmentation software with the images obtained from CT data. Analyzed stone volume (ASV) and renal collecting system volume (RCSV) were measured and the ASV-to-RCSV ratio was calculated after the creation of a 3D surface volume rendering of renal stones and the collecting system. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed to determine factors affecting stone-free rates; also we assessed the predictive accuracy of the ASV-to-RCSV ratio using the receiving operating curve (ROC) and AUC. The stone-free rate of PNL monotherapy was 53% (164 procedures).The ASV-to-RCSV ratio and calyx number with stones were the most influential predictors of stone-free status (OR 4.15, 95% CI 2.24-7.24, renal collecting system, which is calculated using the 3D volume segmentation method, is a significant determinant of the stone-free rate before PCNL surgery. It could be used as a single guide variable by the clinician before renal stone surgery to predict extra requirements for stone clearance.

Protecting of Marble Stone Facades of Historic Buildings Using Multifunctional TiO2 Nanocoatings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad A. Aldoasri

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Stone surfaces and façades of historic buildings, due to their predominately outdoor location, suffer from many deterioration factors, including air pollution, soluble salts, relative humidity (RH/temperature, and biodeterioration, which are the main causes of decay. In particular, the façades of the buildings deteriorate with direct exposure to these factors; deformation and disfiguration of superficial decoration and formation of black crusts are often observed on the stones. The development and application of self-cleaning and protection treatments on historical and architectural stone surfaces could be a significant improvement in the conservation, protection and maintenance of Cultural Heritage. A titanium dioxide nanoparticle has become a promising photocatalytic material, owing to its ability to catalyze the complete degradation of many organic contaminants and environmental factors. In this study, TiO2 nanoparticles, dispersed in an aqueous colloidal suspension, were applied directly to historic marble stone surfaces, by spray-coating, in order to obtain a nanometric film over the stone surface. The study started with an investigation of some properties of TiO2 nanoparticles, to assess the feasibility of the use of TiO2 on historic stone and architectural surfaces. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM was, coupled with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX microanalysis, (SEM-EDX, in order to obtain information on coating homogeneity and surface morphology, before and after artificial aging; the activity of the coated surface was evaluated through UV-light exposure, to evaluate photo-induced effects. The changes of molecular structure occurring in treated samples were spectroscopically studied by attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR; activity of the hydrophobic property of the coated surface was evaluated by Sterio microscopy, model Zeiss 2010 from Munich, Germany, equipped with photo camera S23 under 80X magnification. The

Clinical experience for radiolucent stones; A report of 27 cases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Hyung Jee; Lee, Gil Ho [Dankook University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1997-02-01

The cause of radiolucent filling defects in the upper urinary tract are malignant tumor, radiolucent stones, blood clots, air bubbles, congenital deformities of renal parenchyme, and various specific and non-specific infection and their sequence. So the differential diagnosis between malignancy and radiolucent stones is very important, and the exact and fast diagnosis of radiolucent stones is useful in excluding the possibility of malignancy. 27 cases with radiolucent stones were evaluated retrospectively for exact diagnosis and appropriate treatment method. Intravenous urography was done in all cases, and retrograde pyelography, ultrasonography, computed tomography and/or ureterorenoscopy were performed for diagnosis, if needed. Size of stones were measured below 10mm by transverse length in 19 cases (70.4%) with a range of 3 to 30mm. The locations of stones were pelvicalyceal system in 8 cases (29.6%) and ureter in 19 cases (70.4%). Among the diagnostic methods, computed tomography was used most frequency. ESWL with retrograde pyelography was most frequent used method of treatment, also simple hydration to small stone was effective. (author).

Clinical experience for radiolucent stones; A report of 27 cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hyung Jee; Lee, Gil Ho

1997-01-01

The cause of radiolucent filling defects in the upper urinary tract are malignant tumor, radiolucent stones, blood clots, air bubbles, congenital deformities of renal parenchyme, and various specific and non-specific infection and their sequence. So the differential diagnosis between malignancy and radiolucent stones is very important, and the exact and fast diagnosis of radiolucent stones is useful in excluding the possibility of malignancy. 27 cases with radiolucent stones were evaluated retrospectively for exact diagnosis and appropriate treatment method. Intravenous urography was done in all cases, and retrograde pyelography, ultrasonography, computed tomography and/or ureterorenoscopy were performed for diagnosis, if needed. Size of stones were measured below 10mm by transverse length in 19 cases (70.4%) with a range of 3 to 30mm. The locations of stones were pelvicalyceal system in 8 cases (29.6%) and ureter in 19 cases (70.4%). Among the diagnostic methods, computed tomography was used most frequency. ESWL with retrograde pyelography was most frequent used method of treatment, also simple hydration to small stone was effective. (author)

Improving weather predictability by including land-surface model parameter uncertainty

Science.gov (United States)

Orth, Rene; Dutra, Emanuel; Pappenberger, Florian

2016-04-01

The land surface forms an important component of Earth system models and interacts nonlinearly with other parts such as ocean and atmosphere. To capture the complex and heterogenous hydrology of the land surface, land surface models include a large number of parameters impacting the coupling to other components of the Earth system model. Focusing on ECMWF's land-surface model HTESSEL we present in this study a comprehensive parameter sensitivity evaluation using multiple observational datasets in Europe. We select 6 poorly constrained effective parameters (surface runoff effective depth, skin conductivity, minimum stomatal resistance, maximum interception, soil moisture stress function shape, total soil depth) and explore their sensitivity to model outputs such as soil moisture, evapotranspiration and runoff using uncoupled simulations and coupled seasonal forecasts. Additionally we investigate the possibility to construct ensembles from the multiple land surface parameters. In the uncoupled runs we find that minimum stomatal resistance and total soil depth have the most influence on model performance. Forecast skill scores are moreover sensitive to the same parameters as HTESSEL performance in the uncoupled analysis. We demonstrate the robustness of our findings by comparing multiple best performing parameter sets and multiple randomly chosen parameter sets. We find better temperature and precipitation forecast skill with the best-performing parameter perturbations demonstrating representativeness of model performance across uncoupled (and hence less computationally demanding) and coupled settings. Finally, we construct ensemble forecasts from ensemble members derived with different best-performing parameterizations of HTESSEL. This incorporation of parameter uncertainty in the ensemble generation yields an increase in forecast skill, even beyond the skill of the default system. Orth, R., E. Dutra, and F. Pappenberger, 2016: Improving weather predictability by

A Reactive Transport Model for Marcellus Shale Weathering

Science.gov (United States)

Li, L.; Heidari, P.; Jin, L.; Williams, J.; Brantley, S.

2017-12-01

Shale formations account for 25% of the land surface globally. One of the most productive shale-gas formations is the Marcellus, a black shale that is rich in organic matter and pyrite. As a first step toward understanding how Marcellus shale interacts with water, we developed a reactive transport model to simulate shale weathering under ambient temperature and pressure conditions, constrained by soil chemistry and water data. The simulation was carried out for 10,000 years, assuming bedrock weathering and soil genesis began right after the last glacial maximum. Results indicate weathering was initiated by pyrite dissolution for the first 1,000 years, leading to low pH and enhanced dissolution of chlorite and precipitation of iron hydroxides. After pyrite depletion, chlorite dissolved slowly, primarily facilitated by the presence of CO2 and organic acids, forming vermiculite as a secondary mineral. A sensitivity analysis indicated that the most important controls on weathering include the presence of reactive gases (CO2 and O2), specific surface area, and flow velocity of infiltrating meteoric water. The soil chemistry and mineralogy data could not be reproduced without including the reactive gases. For example, pyrite remained in the soil even after 10,000 years if O2 was not continuously present in the soil column; likewise, chlorite remained abundant and porosity remained small with the presence of soil CO2. The field observations were only simulated successfully when the specific surface areas of the reactive minerals were 1-3 orders of magnitude smaller than surface area values measured for powdered minerals, reflecting the lack of accessibility of fluids to mineral surfaces and potential surface coating. An increase in the water infiltration rate enhanced weathering by removing dissolution products and maintaining far-from-equilibrium conditions. We conclude that availability of reactive surface area and transport of H2O and gases are the most important

Do Urinary Cystine Parameters Predict Clinical Stone Activity?

Science.gov (United States)

Friedlander, Justin I; Antonelli, Jodi A; Canvasser, Noah E; Morgan, Monica S C; Mollengarden, Daniel; Best, Sara; Pearle, Margaret S

2018-02-01

An accurate urinary predictor of stone recurrence would be clinically advantageous for patients with cystinuria. A proprietary assay (Litholink, Chicago, Illinois) measures cystine capacity as a potentially more reliable estimate of stone forming propensity. The recommended capacity level to prevent stone formation, which is greater than 150 mg/l, has not been directly correlated with clinical stone activity. We investigated the relationship between urinary cystine parameters and clinical stone activity. We prospectively followed 48 patients with cystinuria using 24-hour urine collections and serial imaging, and recorded stone activity. We compared cystine urinary parameters at times of stone activity with those obtained during periods of stone quiescence. We then performed correlation and ROC analysis to evaluate the performance of cystine parameters to predict stone activity. During a median followup of 70.6 months (range 2.2 to 274.6) 85 stone events occurred which could be linked to a recent urine collection. Cystine capacity was significantly greater for quiescent urine than for stone event urine (mean ± SD 48 ± 107 vs -38 ± 163 mg/l, p stone activity (r = -0.29, p r = -0.88, p r = -0.87, p stone quiescence. Decreasing the cutoff to 90 mg/l or greater improved sensitivity to 25.2% while maintaining specificity at 90.9%. Our results suggest that the target for capacity should be lower than previously advised. Copyright © 2018 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Marble protection: An inorganic electrokinetic approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meloni, Paola, E-mail: paola.meloni@dimcm.unica.it [Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering (DIMCM), University of Cagliari, Via Marengo 2, 09123 Cagliari (Italy); Manca, Francesco, E-mail: ing.francesco.manca@gmail.com [Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering (DIMCM), University of Cagliari, Via Marengo 2, 09123 Cagliari (Italy); Carcangiu, Gianfranco, E-mail: gcarcan@unica.it [Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria (IGAG), CNR, Piazza d’Armi, 09123 Cagliari (Italy)

2013-05-15

The influence of an electric potential difference in an aqueous solution was studied as a method for depositing a calcium oxalate coating over a weathered carbonatic stone. Samples of weathered Carrara white marble were treated at 15 and 50 °C for 5 h in an electrokinetic cell, specifically conceived for this study, containing a solution of ammonium oxalate (4% by weight), and were subsequently characterised by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, thermogravimetric analysis and mercury intrusion porosimetry. The electrokinetic treatment proved to be a cost effective and time saving process, able to produce a thick and homogeneous calcium oxalate coating over the stone surface that improves its chemical and physical resistance in low pH environments, and is able to protect the stone from the by-products of urban pollution.

Marble protection: An inorganic electrokinetic approach

Science.gov (United States)

Meloni, Paola; Manca, Francesco; Carcangiu, Gianfranco

2013-05-01

The influence of an electric potential difference in an aqueous solution was studied as a method for depositing a calcium oxalate coating over a weathered carbonatic stone. Samples of weathered Carrara white marble were treated at 15 and 50 °C for 5 h in an electrokinetic cell, specifically conceived for this study, containing a solution of ammonium oxalate (4% by weight), and were subsequently characterised by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, thermogravimetric analysis and mercury intrusion porosimetry. The electrokinetic treatment proved to be a cost effective and time saving process, able to produce a thick and homogeneous calcium oxalate coating over the stone surface that improves its chemical and physical resistance in low pH environments, and is able to protect the stone from the by-products of urban pollution.

Marble protection: An inorganic electrokinetic approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meloni, Paola; Manca, Francesco; Carcangiu, Gianfranco

2013-01-01

The influence of an electric potential difference in an aqueous solution was studied as a method for depositing a calcium oxalate coating over a weathered carbonatic stone. Samples of weathered Carrara white marble were treated at 15 and 50 °C for 5 h in an electrokinetic cell, specifically conceived for this study, containing a solution of ammonium oxalate (4% by weight), and were subsequently characterised by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, thermogravimetric analysis and mercury intrusion porosimetry. The electrokinetic treatment proved to be a cost effective and time saving process, able to produce a thick and homogeneous calcium oxalate coating over the stone surface that improves its chemical and physical resistance in low pH environments, and is able to protect the stone from the by-products of urban pollution.

Formation of halloysite from feldspar: Low temperature, artificial weathering versus natural weathering

Science.gov (United States)

Parham, Walter E.

1969-01-01

Weathering products formed on surfaces of both potassium and plagioclase feldspar (An70), which were continuously leached in a Soxhlet extraction apparatus for 140 days with 7.21 of distilled water per day at a temperature of approximately 78°C, are morphologically identical to natural products developed on potassium feldspars weathered under conditions of good drainage in the humid tropics. The new products, which first appear as tiny bumps on the feldspar surface, start to develop mainly at exposed edges but also at apparently random sites on flat cleavage surfaces. As weathering continues, the bumps grow outward from the feldspar surface to form tapered projections, which then develop into wide-based thin films or sheets. The thin sheets of many projections merge laterally to form one continuous flame-shaped sheet. The sheets formed on potassium feldspars may then roll to form tubes that are inclined at a high angle to the feldspar surface. Etch pits of triangular outline on the artificially weathered potassium feldspars serve as sites for development of continuous, non-rolled, hollow tubes. It is inferred from its morphology that this weathering product is halloysite or its primitive form. The product of naturally weathered potassium feldspars is halloysite . 4H2O.The flame-shaped films or sheets formed on artificially weathered plagioclase feldspar do not develop into hollow tubes, but instead give rise to a platy mineral that is most probably boehmite. These plates form within the flame-shaped films, and with continued weathering are released as the film deteriorates. There is no indication from this experiment that platy pseudohexagonal kaolinite forms from any of these minerals under the initial stage of weathering.

Selenium in Paleozoic stone coal (carbonaceous shale) as a significant source of environmental contamination in rural southern China

Science.gov (United States)

Belkin, H. E.; Luo, K.

2012-04-01

Selenium occurs in high concentrations (typically > 10 and up to 700 ppm) in organic-rich Paleozoic shales and cherts (called "stone coal" - shíméi), in southern China. Stone coals are black shales that formed in anoxic to euxinic environments and typically contain high concentrations of organic carbon, are enriched in various metals such as V, Mo, Pb, As, Cr, Ni, Se, etc., and are distinguished from "humic" coal in the Chinese literature. We have examined stone coal from Shaanxi, Hubei, and Guizhou Provinces, People's Republic of China and have focused our study on the mode of occurrence of Se and other elements (e.g. As, Pb, etc.) hazardous to human health. Scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive analysis and electron microprobe wave-length dispersive spectroscopy were used to identify and determine the composition of host phases observed in the stone coals. Native selenium, Se-bearing pyrite and other sulfides are the hosts for Se, although we cannot preclude an organic or clay-mineral association. Stone coals are an important source of fuel (reserves over 1 billion tonnes), both domestically and in small industry, in some rural parts of southern China and present significant environmental problems for the indigenous population. The stone coals create three main environmental problems related to Se pollution. First, the residual soils formed on stone coal are enriched in Se and other metals contained in the stone coals and, depending on the speciation and bioavailability of the metals, may enrich crops and vegetation grown on them. Second, weathering and leaching of the stone coal contaminates the local ground water and/or surface waters with Se and other metals. Third, the local population uses the stone coal as a source of fuel, which releases the more volatile elements (Se and As) into the atmosphere in the homes. The ash will be extremely enriched with the balance of the heavy metal suite. Disposal of the ash on agricultural lands or near water

Assessment of stone composition in the management of urinary stones

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kijvikai, Kittinut; de la Rosette, J. J. M.

2011-01-01

Several explanations have been suggested to account for the failure of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) treatment in patients with urinary stones, including large stone volume, unfavorable stone location or composition and the type of lithotriptor used. Unfavorable stone composition is

Infection (urease) stones.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffith, D P; Osborne, C A

1987-01-01

Infection-induced stones in man probably form solely as a consequence of urealysis which is catalyzed by the bacterial protein urease. Urease stones composed of struvite and carbonate-apatite may form primarily, or as secondary stones or pre-existent metabolic stones. Struvite stones form and grow rapidly owing to (a) supersaturation of urine with stone forming salts, (b) 'salting out' of poorly soluble organic substances normally dissolved in urine and (c) ammonia-induced destruction of the normally protective urothelial glycosaminoglycan layer. Immature (predominantly organic) matrix stones mature into densely mineralized stones. Curative treatment is possible only by eliminating all of the stone and by eradicating all urinary and parenchymal infection. A variety of operative and pharmaceutical approaches are available. Patient treatment must be individualized inasmuch as some patients are better candidates for one type of treatment than another.

Evaluation of Accelerated Ageing Tests for Metallic and Non-Metallic Graffiti Paints Applied to Stone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patricia Sanmartín

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Graffiti are increasingly observed on urban and peri-urban buildings and their removal requires a huge financial outlay by local governments and agencies. Graffiti are not usually removed immediately, but rather over the passage of time, viz. months or even years. In this study, which forms part of a wider research project on graffiti removal, different methods (gravimetric analysis, examination of digital images, colour and infrared measurements were used to evaluate the performance of accelerated ageing tests (involving exposure to humidity, freeze-thawing cycles and NaCl and Na2SO4 salts for graffiti painted on stone. Silver (metallic and black (non-metallic graffiti spray paints were applied to two types of igneous rock (granite and rhyolitic ignimbrite and one sedimentary rock (fossiliferous limestone, i.e., biocalcarenite. The metallic and non-metallic graffiti spray paints acted differently on the stone surfaces, both chemically and physically. Older graffiti were found to be more vulnerable to weathering agents. The ageing test with NaCl and particularly Na2SO4, both applied to granite, proved the most severe on the paints, yielding more detrimental and faster artificial ageing of the type of material under study.

Secondary Waste Cast Stone Waste Form Qualification Testing Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Westsik, Joseph H.; Serne, R. Jeffrey

2012-09-26

The Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) is being constructed to treat the 56 million gallons of radioactive waste stored in 177 underground tanks at the Hanford Site. The WTP includes a pretreatment facility to separate the wastes into high-level waste (HLW) and low-activity waste (LAW) fractions for vitrification and disposal. The LAW will be converted to glass for final disposal at the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF). Cast Stone – a cementitious waste form, has been selected for solidification of this secondary waste stream after treatment in the ETF. The secondary-waste Cast Stone waste form must be acceptable for disposal in the IDF. This secondary waste Cast Stone waste form qualification testing plan outlines the testing of the waste form and immobilization process to demonstrate that the Cast Stone waste form can comply with the disposal requirements. Specifications for the secondary-waste Cast Stone waste form have not been established. For this testing plan, Cast Stone specifications are derived from specifications for the immobilized LAW glass in the WTP contract, the waste acceptance criteria for the IDF, and the waste acceptance criteria in the IDF Permit issued by the State of Washington. This testing plan outlines the testing needed to demonstrate that the waste form can comply with these waste form specifications and acceptance criteria. The testing program must also demonstrate that the immobilization process can be controlled to consistently provide an acceptable waste form product. This testing plan also outlines the testing needed to provide the technical basis for understanding the long-term performance of the waste form in the disposal environment. These waste form performance data are needed to support performance assessment analyses of the long-term environmental impact of the secondary-waste Cast Stone waste form in the IDF

Optimum nutrition for kidney stone disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Heilberg, Ita P; Goldfarb, David S

2013-03-01

We summarize the data regarding the associations of individual dietary components with kidney stones and the effects on 24-hour urinary profiles. The therapeutic recommendations for stone prevention that result from these studies are applied where possible to stones of specific composition. Idiopathic calcium oxalate stone-formers are advised to reduce ingestion of animal protein, oxalate, and sodium while maintaining intake of 800 to 1200 mg of calcium and increasing consumption of citrate and potassium. There are few data regarding dietary therapy of calcium phosphate stones. Whether the inhibitory effect of citrate sufficiently counteracts increasing urine pH to justify more intake of potassium and citrate is not clear. Reduction of sodium intake to decrease urinary calcium excretion would also be expected to decrease calcium phosphate stone recurrence. Conversely, the most important urine variable in the causation of uric acid stones is low urine pH, linked to insulin resistance as a component of obesity and the metabolic syndrome. The mainstay of therapy is weight loss and urinary alkalinization provided by a more vegetarian diet. Reduction in animal protein intake will reduce purine ingestion and uric acid excretion. For cystine stones, restriction of animal protein is associated with reduction in intake of the cystine precursor methionine as well as cystine. Reduction of urine sodium results in less urine cystine. Ingestion of vegetables high in organic anion content, such as citrate and malate, should be associated with higher urine pH and fewer stones because the amino acid cystine is soluble in more alkaline urine. Because of their infectious origin, diet has no definitive role for struvite stones except for avoiding urinary alkalinization, which may worsen their development. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The demonstration of gall stones by sonography and radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gladisch, R.; Deininger, H.K.; Staedtische Kliniken Darmstadt

1983-01-01

Eighty-seven unselected gall stones were examined radiologically and by ultrasound in vitro. No relationship of diagnostic value could be established between the amount of calcification and stone demonstration, the sonogram being influenced by the size of the stone, its surface contour and its position in the ultrasound beam. Sonography is therefore not suitable for selecting those patients on whom litholysis could be carried out. Sonography appears to be useful only in a negative way by establishing the exact size of the concretion. (orig.) [de

Do stone size and impaction influence therapeutic approach to proximal ureteral stones?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Radulović Slobodan

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim. Primary therapeutic approach to lumbar ureteral stones is still contraversial. The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of stone impaction and size on the effectiveness of proximal ureteral stone lithotripsy. Methods. A total of 123 patients with proximal ureteral stones were investigated in this prospective study performed in a 10- month period. The patients were divided into the group I - 86 patients treated with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL and the group II - 37 patients treated with 'Swiss' Lithoclast. In the group I, 49 stones (57% were classified as impacted, while 20 stones (23.3% were larger than 100 mm2. In the group II, 26 stones (70.3% were impacted, and 11 stones (29.7% were larger than 100 mm2. Stones were defined as impacted by the radiographic, echosonographic as well as endoscopic findings in the group II of patients. Stone size was presented in mm2. Chemical composition of stones were almost the same in both groups of the patients. Results. Generally, there was no statistically significant difference in the treatment success between the groups. However, stones larger than 100 mm2 were statistically more successfully treated endoscopically, while there was no statistical difference in the treatment success of impacted stones between these two groups. Conclusion. ESWL can by considered as primary first therapeutic approach in treatment of all proximal ureteral stones except for stones larger than 100 mm2 that should primarily be treated endoscopically.

UV Ink-Jet printability and durability of stone and foil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tadeja Muck

2014-07-01

Full Text Available he use of ultraviolet (UV printing technology has impacted printing industry in last years due to its applicability on many different »absorptive« as well as »non-absorptive« printing materials. The printability of building materials and recycled foils is relatively unknown. For primary building materials like stones, functionality can be explored with the use of UV printing technology; increased visual, informative effect or even “creative printing” of buildings. Also several aspects of recycled foils reusability as a printing material could be find (printed packaging material or also like secondary building materials. In the present study, printability of the stone and recycled foil and durability of UV prints was explored by means of macroscopically and microscopically characterization. Results indicate that higher print quality can be achieved on polished stone and on coated foil, which surfaces have higher smoothness. Durability of UV prints at freezing is higher at unpolished stone and coated foil that is at materials with the higher surface energy.

Near-Real Time Satellite-Retrieved Cloud and Surface Properties for Weather and Aviation Safety Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Minnis, P.; Smith, W., Jr.; Bedka, K. M.; Nguyen, L.; Palikonda, R.; Hong, G.; Trepte, Q.; Chee, T.; Scarino, B. R.; Spangenberg, D.; Sun-Mack, S.; Fleeger, C.; Ayers, J. K.; Chang, F. L.; Heck, P. W.

2014-12-01

Cloud properties determined from satellite imager radiances provide a valuable source of information for nowcasting and weather forecasting. In recent years, it has been shown that assimilation of cloud top temperature, optical depth, and total water path can increase the accuracies of weather analyses and forecasts. Aircraft icing conditions can be accurately diagnosed in near-real time (NRT) retrievals of cloud effective particle size, phase, and water path, providing valuable data for pilots. NRT retrievals of surface skin temperature can also be assimilated in numerical weather prediction models to provide more accurate representations of solar heating and longwave cooling at the surface, where convective initiation. These and other applications are being exploited more frequently as the value of NRT cloud data become recognized. At NASA Langley, cloud properties and surface skin temperature are being retrieved in near-real time globally from both geostationary (GEO) and low-earth orbiting (LEO) satellite imagers for weather model assimilation and nowcasting for hazards such as aircraft icing. Cloud data from GEO satellites over North America are disseminated through NCEP, while those data and global LEO and GEO retrievals are disseminated from a Langley website. This paper presents an overview of the various available datasets, provides examples of their application, and discusses the use of the various datasets downstream. Future challenges and areas of improvement are also presented.

Near-Real Time Satellite-Retrieved Cloud and Surface Properties for Weather and Aviation Safety Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Minnis, Patrick; Smith, William L., Jr.; Bedka, Kristopher M.; Nguyen, Louis; Palikonda, Rabindra; Hong, Gang; Trepte, Qing Z.; Chee, Thad; Scarino, Benjamin; Spangenberg, Douglas A.;

Open stone surgery: a still-in-use approach for complex stone burden.

Science.gov (United States)

Çakici, Özer Ural; Ener, Kemal; Keske, Murat; Altinova, Serkan; Canda, Abdullah Erdem; Aldemir, Mustafa; Ardicoglu, Arslan

2017-06-30

Urinary stone disease is a major urological condition. Endourologic techniques have influenced the clinical approach and outcomes. Open surgery holds a historic importance in the management of most conditions. However, complex kidney stone burden may be amenable to successful results with open stone surgery. In this article, we report our eighteen cases of complex urinary stone disease who underwent open stone removal. A total of 1701 patients have undergone surgical treatment for urinary stone disease in our clinic between July 2012 and July 2016, comprising eighteen patients who underwent open stone surgery. Patients' demographic data, stone analysis results, postoperative clinical data, and stone status were evaluated retrospectively. The choice of surgical approach is mostly dependent on the surgeon's preference. In two patients, open surgery was undertaken because of perioperative complications. We did not observe any Clavien-Dindo grade 4 or 5 complications. Three patients were managed with a course of antibiotics due to postoperative fever. One patient had postoperative pleurisy, one patient had urinoma, and two patients had postoperative ileus. Mean operation time was 84 (57-124) minutes and mean hospitalization time was 5.5 (3-8) days. Stone-free status was achieved in 15 patients (83.3%). Endourologic approaches are the first options for treatment of urinary stone disease. However, open stone surgery holds its indispensable position in complicated cases and in complex stone burden. Open stone surgery is also a valid alternative to endourologic techniques in all situations.

Mold attack on frescoes and stone walls of Gradac monastery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stupar Miloš Č.

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Microfungi can colonize stone surfaces and form sub-aerial biofilms which can lead to biodeterioration of historic monuments. In this investigation samples for mycological analyses were collected from stone material with visible alteration on stone walls of Gradac monastery exterior. The prevailing fungi found on stone walls were dematiaceous hyphomycetes with melanized hyphae and reproductive structures (Alternaria, Aureobasidium, Cladosporium and Epicoccum species. The frescoes inside the monastery building were also analyzed for the presence of mycobiota. The predominant fungi found on frescoes were osmophilic species from genera Aspergillus and Penicillium. The significant result is identification of human pathogen species Aspergillus fumigatus on frescoes.

Silsesquioxane-based hybrid nanocomposites with methacrylate units containing titania and/or silver nanoparticles as antibacterial/antifungal coatings for monumental stones

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aflori, Magdalena [“Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41A Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 700487 Iasi (Romania); Simionescu, Bogdana [“Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41A Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 700487 Iasi (Romania); “Costin D. Nenitescu” Centre of Organic Chemistry, 202B Splaiul Independentei, 7114 Bucharest (Romania); Bordianu, Irina-Elena; Sacarescu, Liviu; Varganici, Cristian-Dragos; Doroftei, Florica; Nicolescu, Alina [“Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41A Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 700487 Iasi (Romania); Olaru, Mihaela, E-mail: olaruma@icmpp.ro [“Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41A Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 700487 Iasi (Romania)

2013-11-20

Highlights: • Synthesis of nanocomposites with noble metals having high antibacterial efficiency. • Silver nanoparticles antibacterial activity for monumental stone conservation. • A high antibacterial activity while assuring good stone protection. -- Abstract: The present paper reports on the evaluation of two silsesquioxane-based hybrid nanocomposites with methacrylate units containing titania and/or silver nanoparticles aimed as antibacterial coatings for monumental stones. Sol–gel reaction of titanium isopropoxide and/or 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate, in the presence of silver nitrate and a primary amine surfactant, yielded new types of hybrid nanocomposites with high antibacterial/antifungal efficacy. Different polymer behaviours regarding a frequently used monumental stone originating from Romania were evidenced through Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) technique. Conclusions regarding the stones acid-resistant character and lower influence of salt weathering on its durability, as well as a better protective coating containing titania units were revealed.

Silsesquioxane-based hybrid nanocomposites with methacrylate units containing titania and/or silver nanoparticles as antibacterial/antifungal coatings for monumental stones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aflori, Magdalena; Simionescu, Bogdana; Bordianu, Irina-Elena; Sacarescu, Liviu; Varganici, Cristian-Dragos; Doroftei, Florica; Nicolescu, Alina; Olaru, Mihaela

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Synthesis of nanocomposites with noble metals having high antibacterial efficiency. • Silver nanoparticles antibacterial activity for monumental stone conservation. • A high antibacterial activity while assuring good stone protection. -- Abstract: The present paper reports on the evaluation of two silsesquioxane-based hybrid nanocomposites with methacrylate units containing titania and/or silver nanoparticles aimed as antibacterial coatings for monumental stones. Sol–gel reaction of titanium isopropoxide and/or 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate, in the presence of silver nitrate and a primary amine surfactant, yielded new types of hybrid nanocomposites with high antibacterial/antifungal efficacy. Different polymer behaviours regarding a frequently used monumental stone originating from Romania were evidenced through Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) technique. Conclusions regarding the stones acid-resistant character and lower influence of salt weathering on its durability, as well as a better protective coating containing titania units were revealed

Contribution of stone size to chronic kidney disease in kidney stone formers.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmadi, Farrokhlagha; Etemadi, Samira Motedayen; Lessan-Pezeshki, Mahbob; Mahdavi-Mazdeh, Mitra; Ayati, Mohsen; Mir, Alireza; Yazdi, Hadi Rokni

2015-01-01

To determine whether stone burden correlates with the degree of chronic kidney disease in kidney stone formers. A total of 97 extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy candidates aged 18 years and older were included. Size, number and location of the kidney stones, along with cumulative stone size, defined as the sum of diameters of all stones) were determined. Estimated glomerular filtration rate was determined using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration cystatin C/creatinine equation, and chronic kidney disease was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate chronic kidney disease. The relationship persisted even after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, C-reactive protein, fasting plasma glucose, thyroid stimulating hormone, presence of microalbuminuria, history of renal calculi, history of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy, number and location of the stones (odds ratio 1.24, 95% confidence interval 1.02-1.52). The same was not observed for individuals with a cumulative stone size ≥ 20 mm. In kidney stone formers with a cumulative stone size up to 20 mm, estimated glomerular filtration rate linearly declines with increasing cumulative stone size. Additionally, cumulative stone size is an independent predictor of chronic kidney disease in this group of patients. © 2014 The Japanese Urological Association.

Climatology of salt transitions and implications for stone weathering.

Science.gov (United States)

Grossi, C M; Brimblecombe, P; Menéndez, B; Benavente, D; Harris, I; Déqué, M

2011-06-01

This work introduces the notion of salt climatology. It shows how climate affects salt thermodynamic and the potential to relate long-term salt damage to climate types. It mainly focuses on specific sites in Western Europe, which include some cities in France and Peninsular Spain. Salt damage was parameterised using the number of dissolution-crystallisation events for unhydrated (sodium chloride) and hydrated (sodium sulphate) systems. These phase transitions have been calculated using daily temperature and relative humidity from observation meteorological data and Climate Change models' output (HadCM3 and ARPEGE). Comparing the number of transitions with meteorological seasonal data allowed us to develop techniques to estimate the frequency of salt transitions based on the local climatology. Results show that it is possible to associate the Köppen-Geiger climate types with potential salt weathering. Temperate fully humid climates seem to offer the highest potential for salt damage and possible higher number of transitions in summer. Climates with dry summers tend to show a lesser frequency of transitions in summer. The analysis of temperature, precipitation and relative output from Climate Change models suggests changes in the Köppen-Geiger climate types and changes in the patterns of salt damage. For instance, West Europe areas with a fully humid climate may change to a more Mediterranean like or dry climates, and consequently the seasonality of different salt transitions. The accuracy and reliability of the projections might be improved by simultaneously running multiple climate models (ensembles). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Site characterization summary report for dry weather surface water sampling upper East Fork Poplar Creek characterization area Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-08-01

This report describes activities associated with conducting dry weather surface water sampling of Upper East Fork Poplar Creek (UEFPC) at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This activity is a portion of the work to be performed at UEFPC Operable Unit (OU) 1 [now known as the UEFPC Characterization Area (CA)], as described in the RCRA Facility Investigation Plan for Group 4 at the Oak- Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee and in the Response to Comments and Recommendations on RCRA Facility Investigation Plan for Group 4 at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Volume 1, Operable Unit 1. Because these documents contained sensitive information, they were labeled as unclassified controlled nuclear information and as such are not readily available for public review. To address this issue the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published an unclassified, nonsensitive version of the initial plan, text and appendixes, of this Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Facility Investigation (RFI) Plan in early 1994. These documents describe a program for collecting four rounds of wet weather and dry weather surface water samples and one round of sediment samples from UEFPC. They provide the strategy for the overall sample collection program including dry weather sampling, wet weather sampling, and sediment sampling. Figure 1.1 is a schematic flowchart of the overall sampling strategy and other associated activities. A Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPJP) was prepared to specifically address four rounds of dry weather surface water sampling and one round of sediment sampling. For a variety of reasons, sediment sampling has not been conducted and has been deferred to the UEFPC CA Remedial Investigation (RI), as has wet weather sampling.

Neutron radiography and X-ray computed tomography for quantifying weathering and water uptake processes inside porous limestone used as building material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dewanckele, J.; De Kock, T.; Fronteau, G.; Derluyn, H.; Vontobel, P.; Dierick, M.; Van Hoorebeke, L.; Jacobs, P.; Cnudde, V.

2014-01-01

Euville and Savonnières limestones were weathered by acid test and this resulted in the formation of a gypsum crust. In order to characterize the crystallization pattern and the evolution of the pore structure below the crust, a combination of high resolution X-ray computed tomography and SEM–EDS was used. A time lapse sequence of the changing pore structure in both stones was obtained and afterwards quantified by using image analysis. The difference in weathering of both stones by the same process could be explained by the underlying microstructure and texture. Because water and moisture play a crucial role in the weathering processes, water uptake in weathered and non-weathered samples was characterized based on neutron radiography. In this way the water uptake was both visualized and quantified in function of the height of the sample and in function of time. In general, the formation of a gypsum crust on limestone slows down the initial water uptake in the materials. - Highlights: • Time lapse sequence in 3D of changing pore structures inside limestone • A combination of X-ray CT, SEM and neutron radiography was used. • Quantification of water content in function of time, height and weathering • Characterization of weathering processes due to gypsum crystallization

Analysis of anti-condensation mechanism on superhydrophobic anodic aluminum oxide surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Yanpeng; Zhang, Chaoying

2013-01-01

Wetting theory about superhydrophobic surfaces reveals that hydrophobicity of surfaces has great relationship with surface roughness and surface free energy. Adopt electrochemical plus fluorine silane modified method to prepare superhydrophobic surface on anodic aluminum oxide surface, which not only enhances surface roughness, but also reduces surface free energy, even the static contact angle can reach 159.2° and anti-condensation is authenticated. Based on the experimental findings, analyze the reason of anti-condensation on superhydrophobic surfaces: one is that the density of droplets formed on superhydrophobic surfaces is low and the number of droplets is little; the other is bigger static contact angle and smaller rolling angle on superhydrophobic surfaces make droplets easy to detach on smaller tilt angle. This research can solve some condensation problems of equipment using in HVAC systems, such as heat exchangers in air conditioning system, cold radiation boards, air supply outlets, and so on. Highlights: • Prepare superhydrophobic surface on anodic aluminum oxide surface. • Analyze the reason of anti-condensation on superhydrophobic surfaces. • The density of droplets formed on superhydrophobic surfaces is low. • Droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces are easy to detach. • This research can solve some problems of equipment using in HVAC systems

Walloons as General or Specific Others? A Comparison of anti-Walloon and anti-immigrant Attitudes in Flanders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bart Meuleman

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This study attempts to shed light on the structure, the prevalence and the determinants of anti-Walloon attitudes in Flanders. For this purpose, we contrast anti-Walloon prejudice with prejudice against a relatively well-understood and archetypical out-group, namely immigrants. Our theoretical approach draws on insights from two paradigms of intergroup relations: the Group-Focused Enmity approach stressing that specific prejudices have a strong common denominator, and the Differentiated Threat model arguing that specific prejudices are contingent on the context of intergroup relations as well as the involved types of threat. To assess the (dissimilarities in anti-Walloon and anti-immigrant prejudice, we use the Flemish dataset of the Belgian National Election Study (BNES 2010. Comparable measurement instruments for both forms of prejudice are analyzed by means of structural equation modeling. Our results reveal a nuanced picture regarding the similarities and differences between anti-Walloon and anti-immigrant attitudes in Flanders. One the one hand, anti-Walloon and anti-immigration attitudes are strongly correlated and rooted in economic threat perceptions. On the other hand, anti-Walloon attitudes are less outspoken in the Flemish population than anti-immigrant attitudes, are less founded on cultural threat perceptions and are more closely linked to feelings of identification with the Flemish in-group.

Autogenous Tumbling Media Assessment to Clean Weathered Surfaces of Waste-Rock Particles from a Basalt Quarry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baran Tufan

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In this study, the optimum feed composition in autogenous tumbling of basalt waste-rock particles to clean their weathered surface was determined. The weathered surfaces of basalt are generally cut out consequent to extraction of basalt columns in quarry operations. The inefficiently cut out portions of basalt cause formation of huge quarry waste dumps causing visual pollution on roadsides. Mixtures of different particle size fractions of basalt waste-rock particles were experimented to achieve the optimum feed material composition. The minimum loss of commercially available basalt particles and maximum clear surface was intended. The results were compared with respect to weight loss (% and reflectance values of used and generated samples.

Natural Stone Cluster and Valorpedra Association in Portugal: Collective efficiency, promotion and marketing strategies in the appreciation of the Dimension Stones production chain in Portugal

OpenAIRE

Lopes, Luís; Peres, Marta; Cristo, Nelson; Bonito, Nuno; Palma, Filipe; Goulão, Miguel

2014-01-01

The Natural Stone Cluster recognition by the Portuguese government resulted in the establishment of Valorpedra Association (VAPE). This national recognition allow development and increase competitiveness of the Dimension Stone Sector for which specific funds were available. The implemented measures potentiated networking among enterprises and development of partnership projects. VAPE is a nonprofit association that manages and promotes Natural Stone Cluster, seeking a Strategy for Collecti...

Comparative Study between Digital Tomosynthesis and Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio pancreatography for the Evaluation of Common Bile Duct Stones: Focus on Detection and Stone Conspicuity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huh, Ji Mi; Baek, Seung Yon; Hwang, Yun Mi; Lee, Jeong Kyong; Kim, Yoo Kyung; Yi, Sun Young

2011-01-01

To compare digital tomosynthesis with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for the evaluation of common bile duct (CBD) stones as a complementary diagnostic tool. Ninety six consecutive patients clinically suspected of having CBD stones underwent ERCP and digital tomosynthesis over 22 months, from December, 2008 to May, 2010. Fourteen patients were excluded. Therefore 82 patients were included in this study. The images were retrospectively reviewed to compare the results with the final analysis based on the consensus of two abdominal radiologists. An evaluation of the presence of CBD stones was followed by a determination of the margins for the stones, scored with a five-point conspicuity scale. Among the 82 patients, 54 collectively had 89 CBD stones and 28 had no stones. The sensitivity and specificity for the detection of CBD stones were 91.0% and 80.6% for ERCP, 92.1% and 93.5% for digital tomosynthesis, respectively. The average score was 3.29 for ERCP and 3.89 for digital tomosynthesis in 77 similar detected stones. Digital tomosynthesis demonstrated significantly better conspicuity than ERCP (p = 0.001). Digital tomosynthesis is an effective and complementary diagnostic method for the evaluation of CBD stones.

Weathering and decontamination of radioactivity deposited on asphalt surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warming, L.

1982-12-01

Longlived fission products might be deposited in the environment after a serious reactor accident. At Risoe we have studied how danish weather conditions and fire hosing influence the decontamination of Rubidium 86 (representing Cesium 134 and 137) Barium-Lanthanum 140 and Ruthenium 103 deposited on asphalt surfaces. Measurements have been done at different types of roads and during all seasons including winter with snow and ice cover of the roads. The results from the first five experiments were used for calculating doses to the population in the land contamination (RISO-R-462). (author)

Passive anti-frosting surfaces using microscopic ice arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmadi, Farzad; Nath, Saurabh; Iliff, Grady; Boreyko, Jonathan

2017-11-01

Despite exceptional advances in surface chemistry and micro/nanofabrication, no engineered surface has been able to passively suppress the in-plane growth of frost occurring in humid, subfreezing environments. Motivated by this, and inspired by the fact that ice itself can evaporate nearby liquid water droplets, we present a passive anti-frosting surface in which the majority of the surface remains dry indefinitely. We fabricated an aluminum surface exhibiting an array of small metallic fins, where a wicking micro-groove was laser-cut along the top of each fin to produce elevated water ``stripes'' that freeze into ice. As the saturation vapor pressure of ice is less than that of supercooled liquid water, the ice stripes serve as overlapping humidity sinks that siphon all nearby moisture from the air and prevent condensation and frost from forming anywhere else on the surface. Our experimental results show that regions between stripes remain dry even after 24 hours of operation under humid and supercooled conditions. We believe that the presented anti-frosting technology has the potential to help solve the world's multi-billion dollar frosting problem that adversely affects transportation, power generation, and HVAC systems.

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for urinary stones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shinn, Kyung Sub; Kim, Hyun; Byun, Jae Young; Lee, Myung Hee; Bahk, Yong Whee; Park, Yong Hyun

1988-01-01

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is a new noninvasive treatment modality for urinary stones, and it sometimes is to necessitate endourologic techniques. ESWL with an Edap lithotripter which uses piezo-electric elements, was performed in 142 cases (130 patients) with urinary stones including 68 in calices, 30 in pelves, and 44 in ureters. Technical factors were 100 storages at 5 to 10 pulse rates/sec and 70-100% adjustable power for about 60 minutes (15-90) for renal stones, and 200 storages at 20 pulse rates/sec and 100% adjustable power for about 60 minutes for ureteral stones in a single treatment under stone localization by 5 MHz ultrasonic sector scanner. All patients were treated at Kangnam St.Mary's Hospital of Catholic University Medical College during the 5 months period from May 1, 1987. Every patient had pre-treatment chest, plain abdomen, intravenous urogram and ultrasonogram studies and post-treatment follow-up abdominal radiograms in 1 to 3 months after ESWL.The overall success rate of ESWL in 142 cases was 94.4%. Eight out of 142 cases were successful. Thus, 134 cases were analysed. Of these, 58 cases (43.3%) received one treatment, 33 cases (24.6%) two treatments, 16 cases (11.9%) three treatments and 27 cases (20.2%) more than four treatments. Renal stones were more successfully treated (98.0%) than ureteral stones (88.1%), and calyceal stones presented the highest success rate (98.5%). The stones as small as 5 to 10 mm in size were easily fragmented and the stones of round of oval shape were more easily pulverized than those of staghorn or amorphous shape. The adjunctive endourlogic techniques such as percutaneous nephrostomy, ureteral catheterization or internal ureteral stenting with a double pigtail catheter were required in 17 cases (11.9%). Complications of ESWL for urolithiasis included hematuria (84.5%), flank pain (8.5%) and fever (5.6%), which were controlled without specific treatment. ESWL using ultrasonic localization was

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for urinary stones

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shinn, Kyung Sub; Kim, Hyun; Byun, Jae Young; Lee, Myung Hee; Bahk, Yong Whee; Park, Yong Hyun [Kangnam St. Mary' s Hospital, Catholic University Medical College, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1988-06-15

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is a new noninvasive treatment modality for urinary stones, and it sometimes is to necessitate endourologic techniques. ESWL with an Edap lithotripter which uses piezo-electric elements, was performed in 142 cases (130 patients) with urinary stones including 68 in calices, 30 in pelves, and 44 in ureters. Technical factors were 100 storages at 5 to 10 pulse rates/sec and 70-100% adjustable power for about 60 minutes (15-90) for renal stones, and 200 storages at 20 pulse rates/sec and 100% adjustable power for about 60 minutes for ureteral stones in a single treatment under stone localization by 5 MHz ultrasonic sector scanner. All patients were treated at Kangnam St.Mary's Hospital of Catholic University Medical College during the 5 months period from May 1, 1987. Every patient had pre-treatment chest, plain abdomen, intravenous urogram and ultrasonogram studies and post-treatment follow-up abdominal radiograms in 1 to 3 months after ESWL.The overall success rate of ESWL in 142 cases was 94.4%. Eight out of 142 cases were successful. Thus, 134 cases were analysed. Of these, 58 cases (43.3%) received one treatment, 33 cases (24.6%) two treatments, 16 cases (11.9%) three treatments and 27 cases (20.2%) more than four treatments. Renal stones were more successfully treated (98.0%) than ureteral stones (88.1%), and calyceal stones presented the highest success rate (98.5%). The stones as small as 5 to 10 mm in size were easily fragmented and the stones of round of oval shape were more easily pulverized than those of staghorn or amorphous shape. The adjunctive endourlogic techniques such as percutaneous nephrostomy, ureteral catheterization or internal ureteral stenting with a double pigtail catheter were required in 17 cases (11.9%). Complications of ESWL for urolithiasis included hematuria (84.5%), flank pain (8.5%) and fever (5.6%), which were controlled without specific treatment. ESWL using ultrasonic localization

All-weather Land Surface Temperature Estimation from Satellite Data

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, J.; Zhang, X.

2017-12-01

Satellite remote sensing, including the thermal infrared (TIR) and passive microwave (MW), provides the possibility to observe LST at large scales. For better modeling the land surface processes with high temporal resolutions, all-weather LST from satellite data is desirable. However, estimation of all-weather LST faces great challenges. On the one hand, TIR remote sensing is limited to clear-sky situations; this drawback reduces its usefulness under cloudy conditions considerably, especially in regions with frequent and/or permanent clouds. On the other hand, MW remote sensing suffers from much greater thermal sampling depth (TSD) and coarser spatial resolution than TIR; thus, MW LST is generally lower than TIR LST, especially at daytime. Two case studies addressing the challenges mentioned previously are presented here. The first study is for the development of a novel thermal sampling depth correction method (TSDC) to estimate the MW LST over barren land; this second study is for the development of a feasible method to merge the TIR and MW LSTs by addressing the coarse resolution of the latter one. In the first study, the core of the TSDC method is a new formulation of the passive microwave radiation balance equation, which allows linking bulk MW radiation to the soil temperature at a specific depth, i.e. the representative temperature: this temperature is then converted to LST through an adapted soil heat conduction equation. The TSDC method is applied to the 6.9 GHz channel in vertical polarization of AMSR-E. Evaluation shows that LST estimated by the TSDC method agrees well with the MODIS LST. Validation is based on in-situ LSTs measured at the Gobabeb site in western Namibia. The results demonstrate the high accuracy of the TSDC method: it yields a root-mean squared error (RMSE) of 2 K and ignorable systematic error over barren land. In the second study, the method consists of two core processes: (1) estimation of MW LST from MW brightness temperature and (2

Study of frontal weather system using satellite images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qureshi, J.; Ershad, S.

2005-01-01

Pakistan which is situated in the south Asian sub continent, has a peculiar climatological position. It is one of the few countries in the world, which undergo a complete transformation from summer to winter season. However this project only pertains to the winter weather conditions in Pakistan. During winter, the land masses cool off rapidly as compared to the seas and so high pressure cells are developed over land causing, weak anti-cyclonic circulation over the country. In between these cells of anti-cyclonic flow of wind, there are zones of convergence, which offer a good breeding place for low-pressure waves. The low-pressure waves are similar to the extra tropical depressions and approach and approach Pakistan from west. From the same reason these are locally called the western Disturbances. Consequently the focus of study is on the extra tropical cyclones which originate along the boundary between polar continental and tropical or polar maritime and tropical maritime air masses. The extra tropical cyclones (also called western disturbances and westerly waves.) which are embedded in westerly flow of air move across north of Pakistan are usually originate from the Mediterranean sea. These systems consist of two types of fronts i.e. warm and cold fronts. In fact these systems can be traced right from the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. The location of frontal weather is generally associated with the surrounding synoptic situation, geographical position of the westerly wave, location of subtropical jet stream, steering wind level etc. although the satellite imageries are quite helpful for forecasting the frontal weather over our region however the weather charts (both surface and upper air ) and jet maps are also very helpful for this purpose

Sensitive and rapid detection of anti-PEG in blood using surface plasmon resonance sensor (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Fang; Jiang, Shaoyi; Yu, Qiuming

2016-03-01

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is widely used to modify many therapeutic proteins and nanoparticles to reduce their immunogenicity and to improve their pharmacokinetic and therapeutic properties. It is generally accepted that PEG is non-immunogenic and non-antigenic. However, an emerging of literature and studies shows that the immune system can generate specific antibodies binding PEG. These anti-PEG antibodies not only correlate with adverse reactions appeared after patient infusions, but are also found to be the reason for therapeutic efficacy loss during chronical administrations. In addition, because of constant exposure to PEG in daily consumer products including detergents, processed food and cosmetics, a substantial proportion of the population has likely developed anti-PEG immunity. Thus a method to quickly and accurately measure the anti-PEG antibody level is desired. Nevertheless, the gold standard to detect anti-PEG antibodies is ELISA, which is costly and time-consuming especially for quantification. Herein, we demonstrated the anti-PEG measurement in blood serum using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor. Several PEG-based surface functionalization on SPR sensor chip were studied in terms of protein resistance and the limit of detection (LOD) of anti-PEG. The quantitative detection can be achieved in less than 30 min with LOD comparable to ELISA. Furthermore, the IgG and IgM of anti-PEG can be differentiated by following the secondary antibody.

Durable anti-fogging effect and adhesion improvement on polymer surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Moser, E. M.; Gilliéron, D.; Henrion, G.

2010-01-01

The hydrophobic properties of polymeric surfaces may cause fogging in transparent packaging and poor adhesion to printing colours and coatings. Novel plasma processes for durable functionalization of polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate substrates were developed and analysed using optical emission spectroscopy. A worm-like nano pattern was created on the polypropylene surface prior to the deposition of thin polar plasma polymerised layers. For both substrates, highly polar surfaces exhibiting a surface tension of up to 69 mN/m and a water contact angle of about 10° were produced - providing the anti-fogging effect. The deposition of thin plasma polymerised layers protects the increased surface areas and enables to tailoring the surface energy of the substrate in a wide range. Wetting characteristics were determined by dynamic contact angle measurements. Investigations of the chemical composition of several layers using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and FT-infrared spectroscopy were correlated with functional testing. The surface topography was investigated using atomic force microscopy. The weldability and peeling-off characteristics of the plasma treated polymer films could be adjusted by varying the process parameters. Global and specific migration analyses were undertaken in order to ensure the manufacturing of plasma treated polymer surfaces for direct food contact purposes.

Purbeck Stone - A possible Global Heritage Stone from England

Science.gov (United States)

Marker, Brian

2014-05-01

By definition, a Global Heritage Stone Resource (GHSR) should have international significance. The Purbeck Group of uppermost Jurassic to lowermost Cretaceous age (Tithonian- Berriasian) outcrops mainly in the Purbeck area of Dorset, England. It was deposited in shallow freshwater to brackish lagoons with occasional marine incursions. Limestones, mainly biosparites, occur at 6 main levels. Differences in bed thickness, jointing and hardness make it suitable for a variety of purposes including dimension stone, monumental and ornamental stone, roofing tiles, paving, flooring and rockery stone. Near the top of the sequence is a dark gastropod biosparite, traditionally called Purbeck Marble, easily carved, which has been extensively used for decorative interior work in churches and cathedrals particularly for fonts, tombs, flooring and facings on columns for example in the medieval cathedrals of Salisbury, Exeter, Durham, York and Wells and Worcester and Westminster Abbey. The stone was extracted at least from Roman times (1st century AD) through the medieval period. Quarrying expanded from about 1700 reaching a peak in the late 18th and 19th centuries. Stone was transported first by sea but later by rail for wider use. Used in many local buildings, it gives an important element of local character. Many of the villages are designated conservation areas with a requirement for repair, maintenance and new building using local stone. Initially the stone was taken from quarries but was later mined. The number of operating companies declined from 15 to 5 over the past 40 years, with 10 active small quarries. Outputs are from few hundred tonnes to a few thousand tonnes per annum or about 9 to 12 years of permitted reserves but the Planning Authority intends to make sufficient provision for production at recent levels for their development plan period. The extraction sites are in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and close to Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. This might

Prostatic stones: evidence of a specific chemistry related to infection and presence of bacterial imprints.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arnaud Dessombz

Full Text Available Prostatic stones are a common condition in older men in industrialized countries. However, aging appears not to be the unique pathogenesis of these calcifications. Our morpho-constitutional investigation of 23 stone samples suggested that infection has a significant role in the lithogenic process of prostate calcifications, even without detection of infection by clinical investigation. Most stones (83% showed bacterial imprints and/or chemical composition, suggestive of a long-term infection process. Chronic infection may induce persistent inflammation of the tissue and secondarily, a cancerization process within a few years. Thus, the discovery of prostate calcifications by computerized tomodensitometry, for example, might warrant further investigation and management to search for chronic infection of the prostate gland.

Ground and surface water developmental toxicity at a municipal landfill--Description and weather-related variation

Science.gov (United States)

Bruner, M.A.; Rao, M.; Dumont, J.N.; Hull, M.; Jones, T.; Bantle, J.A.

1998-01-01

Contaminated groundwater poses a significant health hazard and may also impact wildlife such as amphibians when it surfaces. Using FETAX (Frog Embryo Teratogenesis Assay-Xenopus), the developmental toxicity of ground and surface water samples near a closed municipal landfill at Norman, OK, were evaluated. The groundwater samples were taken from a network of wells in a shallow, unconfined aquifer downgradient from the landfill. Surface water samples were obtained from a pond and small stream adjacent to the landfill. Surface water samples from a reference site in similar habitat were also analyzed. Groundwater samples were highly toxic in the area near the landfill, indicating a plume of toxicants. Surface water samples from the landfill site demonstrated elevated developmental toxicity. This toxicity was temporally variable and was significantly correlated with weather conditions during the 3 days prior to sampling. Mortality was negatively correlated with cumulative rain and relative humidity. Mortality was positively correlated with solar radiation and net radiation. No significant correlations were observed between mortality and weather parameters for days 4–7 preceding sampling.

Kidney Stones (For Parents)

Science.gov (United States)

... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Kidney Stones KidsHealth / For Parents / Kidney Stones What's in ... other treatments to help remove the stones. How Kidney Stones Form It's the kidneys' job to remove ...

New data on painted stone slabs from Southern Peru

OpenAIRE

Faron-Bartels, Renata

2011-01-01

After analysing museum collections, studying bibliographical sources and undertaking two surface prospections at Pampacolca the author carried out the archaeological project “Lajas Pintadas de Pampacolca” (painted stone slabs from Pampacolca) in August and September 2001 with the objective of investigating these stones or rather the painted ceramic boards in more detail. The essential task set for this project consisted in obtaining artefacts from preferably undisturbed contexts at various ar...

Diagnosing stone decay in built heritage. Facts and perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lodola, Stefania

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Stone and other materials used for the construction of historic buildings, memorial statues, gravestones and similar are exposed to weathering and polluting agents and, therefore, progressive decay. Such deterioration, whether physical, chemical or biological, involves mineral phases and their interrelationships (structure and texture.A review of the analytical procedures applied in scientific research on stone damage has revealed the need for appropriate tools and tests (each with a specific scope, depending on the extant damage to identify decay processes and apply the correct “therapy”, i.e. temporary and/or permanent protection (cleaning, protection, reinforcement, repair and/or replacement. A number of case histories of famous components of the Italian built heritage are discussed in the context of the use of integrated methodologies for researching decay in different kinds of stone.La piedra y otros materiales utilizados para construir edificios históricos, estatuas conmemorativas, lápidas, etc. sufren la acción de los agentes atmosféricos y contaminantes y, por tanto, a una degradación progresiva. En dicha degradación, ya sea física, química o biológica, intervienen las fases minerales de la piedra y sus correspondientes interrelaciones (estructura y textura.Un análisis de los procedimientos analíticos aplicados en la investigación científica sobre los daños en la piedra ha puesto de manifiesto la necesidad de herramientas y pruebas adecuadas (cada una con un objetivo concreto, según el daño existente para identificar los procesos de degradación y aplicar la «terapia» adecuada; es decir, una protección provisional o definitiva (limpieza, protección, refuerzo, reparación o sustitución.Se comentan varios casos prácticos relacionados con conocidos elementos del patrimonio construido italiano en el contexto del empleo de metodologías integradas para la investigación de la degradación en distintos tipos

Conservation and restoration of natural building stones monitored through non-destructive X-ray computed tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobs, P. Js; Cnudde, V.

2003-04-01

X-ray computed micro-tomography (μCT) is a promising non-destructive imaging technique to study building materials. μCT analysis provides information on the internal structure and petrophysical properties of small samples (size up to 2 cm diameter and 6 cm height), with to date a maximum resolution of 10 μm for commercial systems (Skyscan 1072). μCT allows visualising and measuring complete three-dimensional object structures without sample preparation. Possible applications of the μCT-technique for the monitoring of natural building stones are multiple: (i) to determine non-destructively porosity based on 3D images, (ii) to visualise weathering phenomena at the μ-scale, (iii) to understand the rationale of weathering processes, (iv) to visualise the presence of waterrepellents and consolidation products, (v) to monitor the protective effects of these products during weathering in order to understand the underlying weathering mechanisms and (vi) to provide advise on the suitability of products for the treatment of a particular rock-type. μCT-technique in combination with micro-Raman spectroscopy could prove to be a powerful tool for the future, as the combination of 3D visualisation and 2D chemical determination of inorganic as well as organic components could provide new insights to optimise conservation and restoration techniques of building materials. Determining the penetration depth of restoration products, used to consolidate or to protect natural building stones from weathering, is crucial if the application of conservation products is planned. Every type of natural building stone has its own petrophysical characteristics and each rock type reacts differently on the various restoration products available on the market. To assess the penetration depth and the effectiveness of a certain restoration product, μCT technology in combination with micro-Raman spectroscopy could be applied. Due to its non-destructive character and its resolution down to

Strength Improvement of Clay Soil by Using Stone Powder

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed Sameer Abdulrasool

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Soil stabilization with stone powder is a good solution for the construction of subgrade for road way and railway lines, especially under the platforms and mostly in transition zones between embankments and rigid structures, where the mechanical properties of supporting soils are very influential. Stone powder often has a unique composition which justifies the need for research to study the feasibility of using this stone powder type for ground improvement applications. This paper presents results from a comprehensive laboratory study carried out to investigate the feasibility of using stone powder for improvement of engineering properties of clays. The stone powder contains bassanite (CaSO4. ½ H2O, and Calcite (CaCO3. Three percentages are used for stone powder (1%, 3% and 5% by dry weight of clay. Several tests are made to investigate the soil behavior after adding the stone powder (Atterberg limits, Standard Proctor density, Grain size distribution, Specific gravity, Unconfined Compressive test, and California bearing ratio test. Unconfined Compressive tests conducted at different curing. The samples are tested under both soaked and unsoaked condition. Chemical tests and X-ray diffraction analyses are also carried out. Stone powder reacts with clay producing decreasing in plasticity and The curves of grain size distribution are shifted to the coarse side as the stone powder percentage increase; the soil becomes more granular, and also with higher strength.

Calcium oxalate stone and gout.

Science.gov (United States)

Marickar, Y M Fazil

2009-12-01

Gout is well known to be produced by increased uric acid level in blood. The objective of this paper is to assess the relationship between gout and calcium oxalate stone formation in the humans. 48 patients with combination of gout and calcium oxalate stone problem were included. The biochemical values of this group were compared with 38 randomly selected uric acid stone patients with gout, 43 stone patients with gout alone, 100 calcium oxalate stone patients without gout and 30 controls, making a total of 259 patients. Various biochemical parameters, namely serum calcium, phosphorus and uric acid and 24-h urine calcium, phosphorus, uric acid, oxalate, citrate and magnesium were analysed. ANOVA and Duncan's multiple-range tests were performed to assess statistical significance of the variations. The promoters of stone formation, namely serum calcium (P stone patients and gouty calcium oxalate stone patients compared to the non-gouty patients and controls. Urine oxalate (P stones patients. The inhibitor urine citrate (P stone gouty patients, followed by the gouty uric acid stone formers and gouty calcium oxalate stone patients. The high values of promoters, namely uric acid and calcium in the gouty stone patients indicate the tendency for urinary stone formation in the gouty stone patients. There is probably a correlation between gout and calcium oxalate urinary stone. We presume this mechanism is achieved through the uric acid metabolism. The findings point to the summation effect of metabolic changes in development of stone disease.

Cockpit weather information needs

Science.gov (United States)

Scanlon, Charles H.

1992-01-01

The primary objective is to develop an advanced pilot weather interface for the flight deck and to measure its utilization and effectiveness in pilot reroute decision processes, weather situation awareness, and weather monitoring. Identical graphical weather displays for the dispatcher, air traffic control (ATC), and pilot crew should also enhance the dialogue capabilities for reroute decisions. By utilizing a broadcast data link for surface observations, forecasts, radar summaries, lightning strikes, and weather alerts, onboard weather computing facilities construct graphical displays, historical weather displays, color textual displays, and other tools to assist the pilot crew. Since the weather data is continually being received and stored by the airborne system, the pilot crew has instantaneous access to the latest information. This information is color coded to distinguish degrees of category for surface observations, ceiling and visibilities, and ground radar summaries. Automatic weather monitoring and pilot crew alerting is accomplished by the airborne computing facilities. When a new weather information is received, the displays are instantaneously changed to reflect the new information. Also, when a new surface or special observation for the intended destination is received, the pilot crew is informed so that information can be studied at the pilot's discretion. The pilot crew is also immediately alerted when a severe weather notice, AIRMET or SIGMET, is received. The cockpit weather display shares a multicolor eight inch cathode ray tube and overlaid touch panel with a pilot crew data link interface. Touch sensitive buttons and areas are used for pilot selection of graphical and data link displays. Time critical ATC messages are presented in a small window that overlays other displays so that immediate pilot alerting and action can be taken. Predeparture and reroute clearances are displayed on the graphical weather system so pilot review of weather along

Influence of alginate impression materials and storage time on surface detail reproduction and dimensional accuracy of stone models.

Science.gov (United States)

Guiraldo, Ricardo D; Moreti, Ana F F; Martinelli, Julia; Berger, Sandrine B; Meneghel, Luciana L; Caixeta, Rodrigo V; Sinhoreti, Mário A C

2015-01-01

This study compared the surface detail reproduction and dimensional accuracy of stone models obtained from molds prepared using different alginate impression materials (Cavex ColorChange, Hydrogum 5, or Jeltrate Plus) and with different storage times (1, 3, and 5 days) to models from molds that were filled immediately with no storage time. The molds were prepared over a matrix containing 50-μm line, (ISO 1563 standard) under pressure with a perforated metal tray. The molds were removed 2 minutes after loss of sticky consistency and either filled immediately or stored in closed jars at 100% relative humidity and 37°C for 1, 3, or 5 days. The molds were filled with dental plaster (Durone IV). Surface detail reproduction and dimensional accuracy were evaluated using optical microscopy on the 50-μm wide line, which was 25 mm in length, according to ISO 1563 standard. The dimensional accuracy results (%) were subjected to analysis of variance. The 50-μm wide line (ISO 1563 standard) was completely reproduced by all alginate impression materials regardless of the storage time. There was no statistically significant difference in the mean dimensional accuracy values of stone models made from molds composed of different alginate impression materials and with different storage times (p = 0.989). In conclusion, storing the mold for five days prior to filling did not change the surface detail reproduction or dimensional accuracy of the alginates examined in this study.

Evidence Report: Risk of Renal Stone Formation

Science.gov (United States)

Sibonga, Jean D.; Pietrzyk, Robert

2017-01-01

The formation of renal stones poses an in-flight health risk of high severity, not only because of the impact of renal colic on human performance but also because of complications that could potentially lead to crew evacuation, such as hematuria, infection, hydronephrosis, and sepsis. Evidence for risk factors comes from urine analyses of crewmembers, documenting changes to the urinary environment that are conducive to increased saturation of stone-forming salts, which are the driving force for nucleation and growth of a stone nidus. Further, renal stones have been documented in astronauts after return to Earth and in one cosmonaut during flight. Biochemical analysis of urine specimens has provided indication of hypercalciuria and hyperuricemia, reduced urine volumes, and increased urine saturation of calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate. A major contributor to the risk for renal stone formation is bone atrophy with increased turnover of the bone minerals. Dietary and fluid intakes also play major roles in the risk because of the influence on urine pH (more acidic) and on volume (decreased). Historically, specific assessments on urine samples from some Skylab crewmembers indicated that calcium excretion increased early in flight, notable by day 10 of flight, and almost exceeded the upper threshold for normal excretion (300mg/day in males). Other crewmember data documented reduced intake of fluid and reduced intake of potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and citrate (an inhibitor of calcium stone formation) in the diet. Hence, data from both short-duration and long-duration missions indicate that space travel induces risk factors for renal stone formation that continue to persist after flight; this risk has been documented by reported kidney stones in crewmembers.

Fabrication of Self-Cleaning and Anti-Icing Durable Surface on Glass.

Science.gov (United States)

Zuo, Zhiping; Liao, Ruijin; Guo, Chao; Zhao, Xuetong; Zhuang, Aoyun; Yuan, Yuan

2017-01-01

Ice accumulation on insulators affected the safety of power system and may inflict serious consequences such as insulator flashover accidents and power failure. This article reported a simple method to prepare anti-icing polydimethylsiloxane superhydrophobic surface on glass by utilizing nano-particle filling method. The effect of concentration of silica nanoparticles on superhydrophobicity of the samples was investigated. The wettability, surface morphology and anti-icing property of the as-prepared superhydrophobic surface were characterized by corresponding methods. Results show that the as-prepared surface with addition amount of 7 g silica nanoparticles exhibited self-cleaning property and excellent superhydrophobicity with a contact angle of 165.7 ± 2.4° and a sliding angle of 3.8°. It was found that the ice formation was delayed for 29 min at −5 °C. Moreover, the as-prepared superhydrophobic surface showed superhydrophobicity in the pH range of 1–13 and exhibited excellent drop impact stability. The as-prepared superhydrophobic surface may be suitable for applications in cold regions owing to its flexibility, durability and anti-icing property.

Performance evaluation of two protective treatments on salt-laden limestones and marble after natural and artificial weathering.

Science.gov (United States)

Salvadori, Barbara; Pinna, Daniela; Porcinai, Simone

2014-02-01

Salt crystallization is a major damage factor in stone weathering, and the application of inappropriate protective products may amplify its effects. This research focuses on the evaluation of two protective products' performance (organic polydimethylsiloxane and inorganic ammonium oxalate (NH4)2(COO)2·H2O) in the case of a salt load from behind. Experimental laboratory simulations based on salt crystallization cycles and natural weathering in an urban area were carried out. The effects were monitored over time, applying different methods: weight loss evaluation, colorimetric and water absorption by capillarity measurements, stereomicroscope observations, FTIR and SEM-EDS analyses. The results showed minor impact exerted on the short term on stones, particularly those treated with the water repellent, by atmospheric agents compared to salt crystallization. Lithotypes with low salt load (Gioia marble) underwent minor changes than the heavily salt-laden limestones (Lecce and Ançã stones), which were dramatically damaged when treated with polysiloxane. The results suggest that the ammonium oxalate treatment should be preferred to polysiloxane in the presence of soluble salts, even after desalination procedures which might not completely remove them. In addition, the neo-formed calcium oxalate seemed to effectively protect the stone, improving its resistance against salt crystallization without occluding the pores and limiting the superficial erosion caused by atmospheric agents.

Preparation and High-temperature Anti-adhesion Behavior of a Slippery Surface on Stainless Steel.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Pengfei; Huawei, Chen; Liu, Guang; Zhang, Liwen; Zhang, Deyuan

2018-03-29

Anti-adhesion surfaces with high-temperature resistance have a wide application potential in electrosurgical instruments, engines, and pipelines. A typical anti-wetting superhydrophobic surface easily fails when exposed to a high-temperature liquid. Recently, Nepenthes-inspired slippery surfaces demonstrated a new way to solve the adhesion problem. A lubricant layer on the slippery surface can act as a barrier between the repelled materials and the surface structure. However, the slippery surfaces in previous studies rarely showed high-temperature resistance. Here, we describe a protocol for the preparation of slippery surfaces with high-temperature resistance. A photolithography-assisted method was used to fabricate pillar structures on stainless steel. By functionalizing the surface with saline, a slippery surface was prepared by adding silicone oil. The prepared slippery surface maintained the anti-wetting property for water, even when the surface was heated to 300 °C. Also, the slippery surface exhibited great anti-adhesion effects on soft tissues at high temperatures. This type of slippery surface on stainless steel has applications in medical devices, mechanical equipment, etc.

Daymet: Daily Surface Weather Data on a 1-km Grid for North America, Version 2

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — ABSTRACT: This data set provides Daymet output data as mosaicked gridded estimates of daily weather parameters for North America, including daily continuous surfaces...

A Coupled Surface Nudging Scheme for use in Retrospective Weather and Climate Simulations for Environmental Applications

Science.gov (United States)

A surface analysis nudging scheme coupling atmospheric and land surface thermodynamic parameters has been implemented into WRF v3.8 (latest version) for use with retrospective weather and climate simulations, as well as for applications in air quality, hydrology, and ecosystem mo...

Cast Stone Oxidation Front Evaluation: Preliminary Results For Samples Exposed To Moist Air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Langton, C. A.; Almond, P. M.

2013-01-01

The rate of oxidation is important to the long-term performance of reducing salt waste forms because the solubility of some contaminants, e.g., technetium, is a function of oxidation state. TcO 4 - in the salt solution is reduced to Tc(IV) and has been shown to react with ingredients in the waste form to precipitate low solubility sulfide and/or oxide phases. Upon exposure to oxygen, the compounds containing Tc(IV) oxidize to the pertechnetate ion, Tc(VII)O 4 - , which is very soluble. Consequently the rate of technetium oxidation front advancement into a monolith and the technetium leaching profile as a function of depth from an exposed surface are important to waste form performance and ground water concentration predictions. An approach for measuring contaminant oxidation rate (effective contaminant specific oxidation rate) based on leaching of select contaminants of concern is described in this report. In addition, the relationship between reduction capacity and contaminant oxidation is addressed. Chromate (Cr(VI) was used as a non-radioactive surrogate for pertechnetate, Tc(VII), in Cast Stone samples prepared with 5 M Simulant. Cast Stone spiked with pertechnetate was also prepared and tested. Depth discrete subsamples spiked with Cr were cut from Cast Stone exposed to Savannah River Site (SRS) outdoor ambient temperature fluctuations and moist air. Depth discrete subsamples spiked with Tc-99 were cut from Cast Stone exposed to laboratory ambient temperature fluctuations and moist air. Similar conditions are expected to be encountered in the Cast Stone curing container. The leachability of Cr and Tc-99 and the reduction capacities, measured by the Angus-Glasser method, were determined for each subsample as a function of depth from the exposed surface. The results obtained to date were focused on continued method development and are preliminary and apply to the sample composition and curing / exposure conditions described in this report. The Cr oxidation front

Acute management of stones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jung, Helene; Osther, Palle J S

2015-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Stone management is often conservative due to a high spontaneous stone passage rate or non-symptomatic calyceal stones that do not necessarily require active treatment. However, stone disease may cause symptoms and complications requiring urgent intervention. MATERIAL AND METHODS: I...... with careful consideration of stone size and location, symptoms, patient comorbidity and radiation dose. CONCLUSION: In case of infective hydronephrosis, compromised renal function or persistent pain despite adequate analgesic treatment acute intervention is indicated....

Bacteriological study and structural composition of staghorn stones removed by the anatrophic nephrolithotomic procedure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hamid Shafi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted to determine the composition of staghorn stones and to assess the proportion of infected stones as well as the correlation between infection in the stones and bacteria grown in urine. Samples of 45 consecutive stones removed through anatrophic nephrolithotomic procedures were taken from the operation site and samples of urine were obtained by simultaneous bladder catheterization. The frequency of infection in the stones and correlation between infection of stone and urine samples were determined with respect to the composition of the stones. Twenty-two males and 23 females, with respective mean ages of 48.3 ± 15.6 years and 51 ± 7.4 years, were studied. The stone and urine cultures yielded positive results in ten and 16 patients, respectively, of a total of 45 patients (22.2% and 35.5%, respectively. Calcium oxalate was the main constituent of staghorn stones, seen in 31 patients (68.8%, uric acid in 12 patients (26.6% and struvite and/or calcium phosphate in 11 patients (24.4%. In seven of ten stones with bacterial growth, bacteria were isolated from urine cultures as well, which accounted for a concordance rate of 70%. The bacteria grown in the stone were the cause of urinary tract infection (UTI in 43.5% of the cases. Stone infection was significantly associated with UTI (OR = 6.47; 95% CI 1.43-31.7, P = 0.021 and presence of phosphate in the stones (OR = 18, 95% CI 3.28-99.6, P = 0.0006. E. coli was the most common bacteria grown from the stones, and was isolated in 50% of the cases; Ureaplasma urealyticum was the most common organism causing UTI, grown in 62.5% of the urine samples. There was a high concordance rate between bacteria in the stones and urine. These findings indicate that the urine culture can provide information for selection of an appropriate anti-microbial agent for stone sterilization. In addition, preventing re-growth or recurrence of stones and treatment of post-surgical infections would be

Stone-dwelling actinobacteria Blastococcus saxobsidens, Modestobacter marinus and Geodermatophilus obscurus proteogenomes

KAUST Repository

Sghaier, Haïtham

2015-06-30

The Geodermatophilaceae are unique model systems to study the ability to thrive on or within stones and their proteogenomes (referring to the whole protein arsenal encoded by the genome) could provide important insight into their adaptation mechanisms. Here we report the detailed comparative genome analysis of Blastococcus saxobsidens (Bs), Modestobacter marinus (Mm) and Geodermatophilus obscurus (Go) isolated respectively from the interior and the surface of calcarenite stones and from desert sandy soils. The genome-scale analysis of Bs, Mm and Go illustrates how adaptation to these niches can be achieved through various strategies including ‘molecular tinkering/opportunism’ as shown by the high proportion of lost, duplicated or horizontally transferred genes and ORFans. Using high-throughput discovery proteomics, the three proteomes under unstressed conditions were analyzed, highlighting the most abundant biomarkers and the main protein factors. Proteomic data corroborated previously demonstrated stone-related ecological distribution. For instance, these data showed starvation-inducible, biofilm-related and DNA-protection proteins as signatures of the microbes associated with the interior, surface and outside of stones, respectively.

Stone-dwelling actinobacteria Blastococcus saxobsidens, Modestobacter marinus and Geodermatophilus obscurus proteogenomes

KAUST Repository

Sghaier, Haï tham; Hezbri, Karima; Ghodhbane-Gtari, Faten; Pujic, Petar; Sen, Arnab; Daffonchio, Daniele; Boudabous, Abdellatif; Tisa, Louis S; Klenk, Hans-Peter; Armengaud, Jean; Normand, Philippe; Gtari, Maher

2015-01-01

The Geodermatophilaceae are unique model systems to study the ability to thrive on or within stones and their proteogenomes (referring to the whole protein arsenal encoded by the genome) could provide important insight into their adaptation mechanisms. Here we report the detailed comparative genome analysis of Blastococcus saxobsidens (Bs), Modestobacter marinus (Mm) and Geodermatophilus obscurus (Go) isolated respectively from the interior and the surface of calcarenite stones and from desert sandy soils. The genome-scale analysis of Bs, Mm and Go illustrates how adaptation to these niches can be achieved through various strategies including ‘molecular tinkering/opportunism’ as shown by the high proportion of lost, duplicated or horizontally transferred genes and ORFans. Using high-throughput discovery proteomics, the three proteomes under unstressed conditions were analyzed, highlighting the most abundant biomarkers and the main protein factors. Proteomic data corroborated previously demonstrated stone-related ecological distribution. For instance, these data showed starvation-inducible, biofilm-related and DNA-protection proteins as signatures of the microbes associated with the interior, surface and outside of stones, respectively.

Damage of natural stone tablets exposed to exhaust gas under laboratory conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Farkas, Orsolya; Szabados, György; Török, Ákos

2016-04-01

Natural stone tablets were exposed to exhaust gas under laboratory conditions to assess urban stone damage. Cylindrical test specimens (3 cm in diameter) were made from travertine, non-porous limestone, porous limestone, rhyolite tuff, sandstone, andesite, granite and marble. The samples were exposed to exhaust gas that was generated from diesel engine combustion (engine type: RÁBA D10 UTSLL 160, EURO II). The operating condition of the internal combustion engine was: 1300 r/m (app 50%). The exhaust gas was diverted into a pipe system where the samples were placed perpendicular to main flow for 1, 2, 4, 8 and 10 hours, respectively. The exhaust emission was measured by using AVL particulate measurement technology; filter paper method (AVL 415). The stone samples were documented and selective parameters were measured prior to and after exhaust gas exposure. Density, volume, ultrasonic pulse velocity, mineral composition and penetration depth of emission related particulate matter were recorded. The first results indicate that after 10 hours of exposure significant amount of particulate matter deposited on the stone surface independently from the surface properties and porosity. The black soot particles uniformly covered all types of stones, making hard to differentiate the specimens.

Treatment of gallbladder stone with common bile duct stones in the laparoscopic era

OpenAIRE

Zhang, Wei-jie; Xu, Gui-fang; Huang, Qin; Luo, Kun-lun; Dong, Zhi-tao; Li, Jie-ming; Wu, Guo-zhong; Guan, Wen-xian

2015-01-01

Background: Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) for stone can be carried out by either laparoscopic transcystic stone extraction (LTSE) or laparoscopic choledochotomy (LC). It remains unknown as to which approach is optimal for management of gallbladder stone with common bile duct stones (CBDS) in Chinese patients. Methods: From May 2000 to February 2009, we prospective treated 346 consecutive patients with gallbladder stones and CBDS with laparoscopic cholecystectomy and LCBDE....

Ultrasonic surface measurements at the Porta Nigra, Trier, and the Neptungrotte, Park Sanssouci Potsdam

Science.gov (United States)

Meier, Thomas; Auras, Michael; Fehr, Moritz; Köhn, Daniel

2015-04-01

Ultrasonic measurements along profiles at the surface of an object are well suited to characterize non-destructively weathering of natural stone near the surface. Ultrasonic waveforms of surface measurements in the frequency range between 10 kHz and 300 kHz are often dominated by the Rayleigh wave - a surface wave that is mainly sensitive to the velocity and attenuation of S-waves in the upper 0.3 cm to 3 cm. The frequency dependence of the Rayleigh wave velocity may be used to analyze variations of the material properties with depth. Applications of ultrasonic surface measurements are shown for two buildings: the Roman Porta Nigra in Trier from the 3rd century AD and the Neptungrotte at Park Sanssouci in Potsdam designed by von Knobelsdorff in the 18th century. Both buildings belong to the world cultural heritage and restorations are planned for the near future. It is interesting to compare measurements at these two buildings because they show the applicability of ultrasonic surface measurements to different natural stones. The Porta Nigra is made of local sandstones whereas the facades of the Neptungrotte are made of Carrara and Kauffunger marble. 71 and 46 surface measurements have been carried out, respectively. At both buildings, Rayleigh-wave group velocities show huge variations. At the Porta Nigra they vary between ca. 0.4 km/s and 1.8 km/s and at the Neptungrotte between ca. 0.7 km/s and 3.0 km/s pointing to alterations in the Rayleigh- and S-wave velocities of more than 50 % due to weathering. Note that velocities of elastic waves may increase e.g. because of the formation of black crusts like at the Porta Nigra or they may be strongly reduced due to weathering. The accuracy of the ultrasonic surface measurements, its reproducibility, and the influence of varying water saturation are discussed. Options for the analysis of ultrasonic waveforms are presented ranging from dispersion analysis to full waveform inversions for one-dimensional and two

Daymet: Daily Surface Weather Data on a 1-km Grid for North America, Version 2

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This data set provides Daymet output data as mosaicked gridded estimates of daily weather parameters for North America, including continuous surfaces of day length,...

Burkholderia susongensis sp. nov., a mineral-weathering bacterium isolated from weathered rock surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Jia-Yu; Zang, Sheng-Gang; Sheng, Xia-Fang; He, Lin-Yan; Huang, Zhi; Wang, Qi

2015-03-01

A novel type of mineral-weathering bacterium was isolated from the weathered surface of rock (mica schist) collected from Susong (Anhui, China). Cells of strain L226(T) were Gram-stain-negative. The strain grew optimally at 30 °C, with 1 % (w/v) NaCl and at pH 7.0 in trypticase soy broth. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene phylogeny, strain L226(T) was shown to belong to the genus Burkholderia and the closest phylogenetic relatives were Burkholderia sprentiae WSM5005(T) (98.3 %), Burkholderia acidipaludis NBRC 101816(T) (98.2 %), Burkholderia tuberum STM678(T) (97.2 %) and Burkholderia diazotrophica JPY461(T) (97.1 %). The DNA G+C content was 63.5 mol% and the respiratory quinone was Q-8. The major fatty acids were C16 : 0, C17 : 0 cyclo and C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c. The polar lipid profile of strain L226(T) consisted of a mixture of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, unknown lipids and unidentified aminophospholipids. Based on the low level of DNA-DNA relatedness (ranging from 25.8 % to 34.4 %) to the tested type strains of species of the genus Burkholderia and unique phenotypic characteristics, it is suggested that strain L226(T) represents a novel species of the genus Burkholderia, for which the name Burkholderia susongensis sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is L226(T) ( = CCTCC AB2014142(T) = JCM 30231(T)). © 2015 IUMS.

Sonography as an initial study in patients with suspected ureteral stone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jae Gue; Lim, Joo Won; Ko, Young Tae; Lee, Dong Ho; Lee, Hye Won; Oh, Joo Hyeong; Yoon, Yup; Lee, Sun Ju

1999-01-01

To evaluate the usefulness of sonography as an initial study in patients with suspected ureteral stone. We have undertaken a prospective study for 106 patients with suspected ureteral stone during 15 months. All the patients subsequently underwent urography at a mean interval of 1.8 days after the abdominopelvic sonography. We had only a clinical impression at the sonography and didn't refer to the other study such as KUB. We observed the degree of hydronephrosis using a grading system by Ellenbogen et aland location and size of stone. Seventy four patients had ureteral stone disease. The sonographic findings of these 74 patients showed a stone with hydronephrosis in 61 patients, a stone without hydronephrosis in 9, only hydronephrosis without stone in 2, and unremarkable finding in 2. In 3 of the remaining 32 patients, sonography showed hydronephrosis without stone. Locations of stone were 9 patients of ureteropelvic junction(UPJ), 19 of proximal ureter, 30 of distal ureter, and 16 of ureterovesical junction(UVJ). The sensitivity of sonography for stone was 95% and the specificity was 100%. When a ureteral stone was present, ipsilateral hydronephrosis was detected in 85% of cases on sonography. When only hydronephrosis without stone was detected on sonography, a ureteral stone was diagnosed in 2(40%) of 5 patients. Mean discrepancy of stone size between sonography and KUB was 3.1mm and stone size on sonography was larger. Grade of hydronephrosis between sonography and urography was the same in 32(59%) of 54 patients, whose stones were not expelled until urography after sonography. Sonography could be used as an initial study in patients with suspected ureteral stone.

Metabolic Characteristics and Risks Associated with Stone Recurrence in Korean Young Adult Stone Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Ho Won; Seo, Sung Pil; Kim, Won Tae; Kim, Yong-June; Yun, Seok-Joong; Kim, Wun-Jae; Lee, Sang-Cheol

2017-08-01

The aim of this study was to assess the metabolic characteristics and risks of stone recurrence in young adult stone patients in Korea. The medical records of 1532 patients presenting with renal or ureteric stones at our stone clinic between 1994 and 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were grouped according to age (young adult, 18-29 years; intermediate onset, 30-59 years; old age, ≥60 years) at first presentation, and measurements of clinicometabolic characteristics and risks of stone recurrence were compared. Overall, excretion of urinary stone-forming substances was highest in the intermediate onset group, followed by the young adult and old age groups. Importantly, excretion of urinary citrate was lowest in the young adult group. Kaplan-Meier analyses identified a significant difference between the three age groups in terms of stone recurrence (log rank test, p adult stone patients. Younger age (18-29 years) at first stone presentation was a significant risk factor for stone recurrence, and urinary citrate excretion was an independent risk factor affecting recurrence in this group. Metabolic evaluation and potassium citrate therapy should be considered for young adult stone patients to prevent recurrence.

Percutaneous suprapubic stone extraction for posterior urethral stones in children: efficacy and safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Safwat, Ahmed S; Hameed, Diaa A; Elgammal, Mohamed A; Abdelsalam, Yasser M; Abolyosr, Ahmad

2013-08-01

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous suprapubic stone extraction (PSPSE) for pediatric posterior urethral stones. Between July 2007 and June 2010, 54 boys presenting with acute urinary retention due to posterior urethral stones underwent PSPSE. Patients were a mean age of 66.4 months (range, 8-180 months). The stone size was 0.7-1.9 cm. Patients were placed under general anesthesia, and a 7F urethroscope was used to pushback the stone to the bladder. A 3-mm suprapubic puncture with a scalpel was performed, followed by insertion of a straight narrow hemostat through the puncture aided with cystoscopic guidance. The stone was grasped with the hemostat in its narrowest diameter and was extracted percutaneously or crushed if friable. The suprapubic puncture was closed with a single 4-0 Vicryl (Ethicon) suture. Intact stone retrieval was achieved in 45 patients, and the stone was crushed into minute fragments in 9 patients. Intraperitoneal extravasation developed in 1 patient that required open surgical intervention. Mean operative time was 22 minutes. Patients were monitored for up to 17 months, with complete resolution of symptoms and stone clearance. PSPSE provides a minimally invasive approach for the extraction of urethral and bladder stones in the pediatric population. The use of a straight hemostat for suprapubic stone extraction or crushing is a good alternative to suprapubic tract dilation, with minimal morbidity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stone composition and metabolic status.

Science.gov (United States)

Bibilash, B S; Vijay, Adarsh; Fazil Marickar, Y M

2010-06-01

This paper aims to study the correlation between biochemical risk factors of the stone former and the type of oxalate stone formed, namely calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) and calcium oxalate dehydrate (COD). A retrospective study of 487 patients who had been attending the urinary stone clinic, Trivandrum during 1998-2007 was conducted. The stones retrieved from them were subjected to chemical analysis and FTIR spectrographic analysis. They were categorized into COM, COD, mixed COM+COD and others. Of 142 pure calcium oxalate stone patients, 87 were predominantly COM stone formers and 55 COD stone formers. Their metabolic status of 24 h urine and serum was assessed. The values of urine calcium, phosphorus, uric acid, magnesium, creatinine, oxalate, citric acid, sodium and potassium, serum values of calcium, phosphorus, uric acid, magnesium and creatinine and calculated values of creatinine clearance, tubular reabsorption of phosphate, calcium magnesium ratio and calcium oxalate ratio were recorded. Comparison was made between the COM stone group and the COD stone group. Patients forming COM stones had significantly higher mean values for urine calcium (P stone forming patients. All other values failed to show significant difference. Patients, with higher urine oxalate, formed COM stones. Those with low magnesium (which is an inhibitor) formed more of COD stones. Urine calcium was high in both groups without showing significant variation from the mean. In patients with high calcium-oxalate and calcium-magnesium ratios, there is higher chance of forming a COD stone than COM. Identification of the crystallization pattern of the calcium stone will help in selecting treatment modalities.

Mountain range specific analog weather forecast model for ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

used to draw weather forecast for that mountain range in operational weather forecasting mode, three days ... various road management activities and for better .... −0.8. 1.5. 0.0. Pir Panjal range (HP). 1989–90 to 2002–03. 14. Snow day. 2.2. −4.1 ..... ed days,. S. = snow day,. N. S. = no-snow day and. P. C. = per cent correct).

Papillary Ductal Plugging is a Mechanism for Early Stone Retention in Brushite Stone Disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Williams, James C; Borofsky, Michael S; Bledsoe, Sharon B

2018-01-01

PURPOSE: Mechanisms of early stone retention in the kidney are under studied and poorly understood. To date attachment via Randall's plaque is the only widely accepted theory in this regard, which is best described in idiopathic calcium oxalate stone formers. Brushite stone formers are known...... to have distinct papillary morphology relative to calcium oxalate stone formers. As such we sought to determine whether stone attachment mechanisms in such patients may be similarly unique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients undergoing percutaneous and or ureteroscopic procedures for stone removal consented...... to endoscopic renal papillary examination and individual stone collection. Each removed stone was processed using micro computerized tomography to assess the 3-dimensional microstructure and the minerals contained, and search for common structural features indicative of novel mechanisms of early growth...

Shock Wave Lithotripsy in Ureteral Stones: Evaluation of Patient and Stone Related Predictive Factors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ozgur Yazici

2015-08-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACTPurpose:To evaluate the patient and stone related factors which may influence the final outcome of SWL in the management of ureteral stones.Materials and Methods:Between October 2011 and October 2013, a total of 204 adult patients undergoing SWL for single ureteral stone sizing 5 to 15 mm were included into the study program. The impact of both patient (age, sex, BMI, and stone related factors (laterality, location, longest diameter and density as CT HU along with BUN and lastly SSD (skin to stone distance on fragmentation were analysed by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Stone free rates for proximal and distal ureteral stones were 68.8% and 72.7%, respectively with no statistically significant difference between two groups (p=0.7. According to univariate and multivariate analyses, while higher BMI (mean: 26.8 and 28.1, p=0.048 and stone density values (mean: 702 HU and 930 HU, p<0.0001 were detected as statistically significant independent predictors of treatment failure for proximal ureteral stones, the only statistically significant predicting parameter for the success rates of SWL in distal ureteral stones was the higher SSD value (median: 114 and 90, p=0.012.Conclusions:Our findings have clearly shown that while higher BMI and increased stone attenuation values detected by NCCT were significant factors influencing the final outcome of SWL treatment in proximal ureteral stones; opposite to the literature, high SSD was the only independent predictor of success for the SWL treatment of distal ureteral stones.

Microbial deterioration of Mayan stone buildings at Uxmal, Yucatan, Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortega-Morales, O.; Guezennec, J.; Hernandez D, G.; Jozsa, P.; Sand, W.; Crassous, P.

1998-01-01

The microbial communities associated to Uxmal Mayan monuments (Yucatan, Mexico) and their role in stone deterioration were preliminary characterized by chemical, biochemical, microbiological, microscopical and surface analysis methods under two climatic seasons (1997). The organic matter and organic carbon and nitrogen were in the range of those reported for other stone buildings, indicating that oligo trophic conditions prevail at Uxmal. Quantitative differences in microbial biomass was higher at indoor section were the organic matter content was the highest and micro-environmental conditions (availability of water and protection to direct sunlight) are more suitable for microbial growth. The microbiological analysis underestimated the microbial biomass, as revealed by biochemical approaches. Nitrate and nitrite-oxidizing, metilotrophic and heterotrophic bacteria and fungi were detected in most surfaces. The heterotrophic bacteria were the most abundant microbial group (microbiological data). However, the chlorophyll profiles and Scanning Electron Microscopy showed that the microalgae are the most abundant colonizers in Uxmal stone buildings. EDAX analysis showed that the most surfaces were covered by an organic layer (cells and exo polymers). Gypsum was found in few samples. The large photo trophic biomass seems to play a role in stone bio deterioration by supporting growth of heterotrophic microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) which are known to produce organic acids leading to calcite dissolution and cations chelation. Further studies are being carried out in order to determine the role of exo polysaccharides which are thought to play a role in chemical degradation of limestone substrates in Uxmal. (Author)

Prevalence of renal uric acid stones in the adult.

Science.gov (United States)

Trinchieri, Alberto; Montanari, Emanuele

2017-12-01

The aim of this study was to estimate uric acid renal stone prevalence rates of adults in different countries of the world. PubMed was searched for papers dealing with "urinary calculi and prevalence or composition" for the period from January 1996 to June 2016. Alternative searches were made to collect further information on specific topics. The prevalence rate of uric acid stones was computed by the general renal stone prevalence rate and the frequency of uric acid stones in each country. After the initial search, 2180 papers were extracted. Out of them, 79 papers were selected after the reading of the titles and of the abstracts. For ten countries, papers relating to both the renal stone prevalence in the general population and the frequency of uric stones were available. Additional search produced 13 papers that completed information on 11 more countries in 5 continents. Estimated prevalence rate of uric acid stones was >0.75% in Thailand, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, South Africa (white population), United States and Australia; ranged 0.50-0.75% in Turkey, Israel, Italy, India (Southern), Spain, Taiwan, Germany, Brazil; and uric acid stone formation. A hot and dry climate increases fluid losses reducing urinary volume and urinary pH. A diet rich in meat protein causes low urinary pH and increased uric acid excretion. On the other hand, uric acid stone formation is frequently associated with obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes type 2 that are linked to dietary energy excess mainly from carbohydrate and saturated fat and also present with low urine pH values. An epidemic of uric acid stone formation could be if current nutritional trends will be maintained both in developed countries and in developing countries and the areas of greater climatic risk for the formation of uric acid stones will enlarge as result of the "global warming".

Description and testing of three moisture sensors for measuring surface wetness on carbonate building stones

Science.gov (United States)

See, R.B.; Reddy, M.M.; Martin, R.G.

1988-01-01

Three moisture sensors were tested as a means for determining the surface wetness on carbonate building stones exposed to conditions that produce deposition of moisture. A relative-humidity probe, a gypsum-coated circuit grid, and a limestone-block resistor were tested as sensors for determining surface wetness. Sensors were tested under laboratory conditions of constant relative humidity and temperature and also under on-site conditions of variable relative humidity and temperature for eight weeks at Newcomb, NY. Laboratory tests indicated that relative humidity alone did not cause sensors to become saturated with water. However, the rates of drying indicated by the sensors after an initial saturation were inversely related to the relative humidity. On-site testing of the relative-humidity probe and the gypsum-coated ciruit grid indicated that they respond to a diurnal wetting and drying cycle; the limestone-block resistor responded only to rainfall.

First experience of electron microscopic and bacteriological examination of the prostate gland stones

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. V. Vinogradov

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The work is based on a study of prostate stones obtained by transurethral resection of the prostate in 5 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia in combination with chronic calculous prostatitis. Stones have been investigated by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray microstructural analysis, as well as a comparative study of bacteriological swabs from the surface of the stones after ultrasonic treatment of stone and without it. Pretreatment ultrasound prostate stones before sowing on nutrient medium swabs improves bacteriological diagnosis, which may be due to the dispersion of biofilms and exit vegetative forms of bacteria from it. This feature can serve as ultrasound theoretical justification for its use to improve the efficiency of diagnosis of various forms of prostatitis.

Retrograde intrarenal stone surgery for extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy-resistant kidney stones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jung, Helene; Nørby, Bettina; Osther, Palle Jörn

2006-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The newer flexible ureteroscopes, 150-200-microm holmium YAG laser fibres and superflexible Dormia baskets have made it possible to reach and treat stones in all parts of the kidney. The object of this evaluation was to study the outcome of retrograde intrarenal stone surgery (RIRS......) for extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL)-resistant kidney stones. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 38 consecutive patients (18 males, 20 females) participated in the study. All patients had undergone ESWL prior to RIRS without success. In all cases the stones could be reached with the endoscope. Calculi...... ranged in size from 3 to 20 mm (mean 9 mm). In 32 cases the stones were fragmented using a holmium YAG laser and in six the stones could be extracted using zero-tip Dormia baskets without fragmentation. Sixteen patients had lower calyceal calculi and eight had an abnormal anatomy of the upper urinary...

Factors affecting stone-free rate and complications of percutaneous nephrolithotomy for treatment of staghorn stone.

Science.gov (United States)

el-Nahas, Ahmed R; Eraky, Ibrahim; Shokeir, Ahmed A; Shoma, Ahmed M; el-Assmy, Ahmed M; el-Tabey, Nasr A; Soliman, Shady; Elshal, Ahmed M; el-Kappany, Hamdy A; el-Kenawy, Mahmoud R

2012-06-01

To determine factors affecting the stone-free rate and complications of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) for treatment of staghorn stones. The computerized database of patients who underwent PNL for treatment of staghorn stones between January 2003 and January 2011 was reviewed. All perioperative complications were recorded and classified according to modified Clavien classification system. The stone-free rate was evaluated with low-dose noncontrast computed tomography (CT). Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed to determine factors affecting stone-free and complication rates. The study included 241 patients (125 male and 116 female) with a mean age of 48.7 ±14.3 years. All patients underwent 251 PNL (10 patients had bilateral stones). The stone-free rate of PNL monotherapy was 56% (142 procedures). At 3 months, the stone-free rate increased to 73% (183 kidneys) after shock wave lithotripsy. Independent risk factors for residual stones were complete staghorn stone and presence of secondary calyceal stones (relative risks were 2.2 and 3.1, respectively). The complication rate was 27% (68 PNL). Independent risk factors for development of complications were performance of the procedure by urologists other than experienced endourologist and positive preoperative urine culture (relative risks were 2.2 and 2.1, respectively). Factors affecting the incidence of residual stones after PNL are complete staghorn stones and the presence of secondary calyceal stones. Complications are significantly high if PNL is not performed by an experienced endourologist or if preoperative urine culture is positive. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Kidney stones - self-care

Science.gov (United States)

... self-care; Nephrolithiasis and self-care; Stones and kidney - self-care; Calcium stones and self-care; Oxalate ... provider or the hospital because you have a kidney stone. You will need to take self-care ...

Study on the behavior of naturally occurring radioactivity originated from heavy minerals in weathering process of granite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakano, M.; Nakashima, Y.

1993-01-01

Mass fraction of biotite and of heavy minerals originally in granite rocks at Naegi granite area are 3% and 1 x 10 -4 %, respectively. Though their values are very small, specific activities of 238 U is 1.3 Bq/g and 80 Bq/g, respectively. Their values are much higher than that of gross granite (0.1 Bq/g). Therefore, they play important roles in the weathering process. Authors separated biotite and heavy minerals from less-weathered and weathered (outcrop, plastic materials) granite samples by using heavy liquid, and determined each specific activities and activity ratios. Furthermore, the surface of heavy minerals were washed in 6 N HCl for 20 minutes. And lost fraction of activity in the heavy minerals was determined. The result suggested that activity around heavy mineral's surface was removed into surroundings or external environment through weathering process. (5 figs.)

Robust prediction of anti-cancer drug sensitivity and sensitivity-specific biomarker.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heewon Park

Full Text Available The personal genomics era has attracted a large amount of attention for anti-cancer therapy by patient-specific analysis. Patient-specific analysis enables discovery of individual genomic characteristics for each patient, and thus we can effectively predict individual genetic risk of disease and perform personalized anti-cancer therapy. Although the existing methods for patient-specific analysis have successfully uncovered crucial biomarkers, their performance takes a sudden turn for the worst in the presence of outliers, since the methods are based on non-robust manners. In practice, clinical and genomic alterations datasets usually contain outliers from various sources (e.g., experiment error, coding error, etc. and the outliers may significantly affect the result of patient-specific analysis. We propose a robust methodology for patient-specific analysis in line with the NetwrokProfiler. In the proposed method, outliers in high dimensional gene expression levels and drug response datasets are simultaneously controlled by robust Mahalanobis distance in robust principal component space. Thus, we can effectively perform for predicting anti-cancer drug sensitivity and identifying sensitivity-specific biomarkers for individual patients. We observe through Monte Carlo simulations that the proposed robust method produces outstanding performances for predicting response variable in the presence of outliers. We also apply the proposed methodology to the Sanger dataset in order to uncover cancer biomarkers and predict anti-cancer drug sensitivity, and show the effectiveness of our method.

WRF-Fire: coupled weather-wildland fire modeling with the weather research and forecasting model

Science.gov (United States)

Janice L. Coen; Marques Cameron; John Michalakes; Edward G. Patton; Philip J. Riggan; Kara M. Yedinak

2012-01-01

A wildland fire behavior module (WRF-Fire) was integrated into the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) public domain numerical weather prediction model. The fire module is a surface fire behavior model that is two-way coupled with the atmospheric model. Near-surface winds from the atmospheric model are interpolated to a finer fire grid and used, with fuel properties...

Location-Related Differences in Weathering Behaviors and Populations of Culturable Rock-Weathering Bacteria Along a Hillside of a Rock Mountain.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qi; Wang, Rongrong; He, Linyan; Sheng, Xiafang

2017-05-01

Bacteria play important roles in rock weathering, elemental cycling, and soil formation. However, little is known about the weathering potential and population of bacteria inhabiting surfaces of rocks. In this study, we isolated bacteria from the top, middle, and bottom rock samples along a hillside of a rock (trachyte) mountain as well as adjacent soils and characterized rock-weathering behaviors and populations of the bacteria. Per gram of rock or surface soil, 10 6 -10 7 colony forming units were obtained and total 192 bacteria were isolated. Laboratory rock dissolution experiments indicated that the proportions of the highly effective Fe (ranging from 67 to 92 %), Al (ranging from 40 to 48 %), and Cu (ranging from 54 to 81 %) solubilizers were significantly higher in the top rock and soil samples, while the proportion of the highly effective Si (56 %) solubilizers was significantly higher in the middle rock samples. Furthermore, 78, 96, and 6 % of bacteria from the top rocks, soils, and middle rocks, respectively, significantly acidified the culture medium (pH bacteria (79 %) from the rocks were different to those from the soils and most of them (species level) have not been previously reported. Furthermore, location-specific rock-weathering bacterial populations were found and Bacillus species were the most (66 %) frequently isolated rock-weathering bacteria in the rocks based on cultivation methods. Notably, the top rocks and soils had the highest and lowest diversity of rock-weathering bacterial populations, respectively. The results suggested location-related differences in element (Si, Al, Fe, and Cu) releasing effectiveness and communities of rock-weathering bacteria along the hillside of the rock mountain.

Nanobacteria: An Infectious Cause for Salivary Stone Formation and Recurrence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amr A El Badry

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Nanobacteria (NB contribute to pathological calcification in the human and animal body. It has been isolated from salivary stones and suggested that it may act as a nucleus for the initiation of these stones. In the present study, we examined its role in the recurrent salivary gland stones using immunodetection with NB-specific monoclonal antibodies and scanning electron microscopy (SEM hoping to provide a method for preventing the recurrence of these stones in the patient that has suffered from salivary stones. Our study comprised 30 patients with recurrent salivary gland stones (group I and 30 patients with salivary gland stones for the first time (group II, in addition to 30 normal controls (group III. We could detect 100–500 nm nanoparticles in 24/30 (80% cases in group I with significant difference <0.05 and <0.01 when compared with group II and group III in which they were detected in 19/30 (63.3% and 6/30 (20% respectively. Also there was a significant difference <0.05 between group II and group III. We proposed that salivary stone formation is a nanobacterial disease initiated by bacterial infection. This bacteria may play an important role in the recurrence of salivary stone. So the use of calcium chelator, ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA, before or in combination with the suitable antibiotic that is given in an amount effective to inhibit or prevent the growth and development of nanobacteria may eradicate these stones and prevent their recurrence.

Data Package for Secondary Waste Form Down-Selection-Cast Stone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Serne, R. Jeffrey; Westsik, Joseph H.

2011-01-01

Available literature on Cast Stone and Saltstone was reviewed with an emphasis on determining how Cast Stone and related grout waste forms performed in relationship to various criteria that will be used to decide whether a specific type of waste form meets acceptance criteria for disposal in the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF) at Hanford. After the critical review of the Cast Stone/Saltstone literature, we conclude that Cast Stone is a good candidate waste form for further consideration. Cast stone meets the target IDF acceptance criteria for compressive strength, no free liquids, TCLP leachate are below the UTS permissible concentrations and leach rates for Na and Tc-99 are suiteably low. The cost of starting ingredients and equipment necessary to generate Cast Stone waste forms with secondary waste streams are low and the Cast Stone dry blend formulation can be tailored to accommodate variations in liquid waste stream compositions. The database for Cast Stone short-term performance is quite extensive compared to the other three candidate waste solidification processes. The solidification of liquid wastes in Cast Stone is a mature process in comparison to the other three candidates. Successful production of Cast Stone or Saltstone has been demonstrated from lab-scale monoliths with volumes of cm3 through m3 sized blocks to 210-liter sized drums all the way to the large pours into vaults at Savannah River. To date over 9 million gallons of low activity liquid waste has been solidified and disposed in concrete vaults at Savannah River.

Data Package for Secondary Waste Form Down-Selection—Cast Stone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Serne, R. Jeffrey; Westsik, Joseph H.

2011-09-05

Available literature on Cast Stone and Saltstone was reviewed with an emphasis on determining how Cast Stone and related grout waste forms performed in relationship to various criteria that will be used to decide whether a specific type of waste form meets acceptance criteria for disposal in the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF) at Hanford. After the critical review of the Cast Stone/Saltstone literature, we conclude that Cast Stone is a good candidate waste form for further consideration. Cast stone meets the target IDF acceptance criteria for compressive strength, no free liquids, TCLP leachate are below the UTS permissible concentrations and leach rates for Na and Tc-99 are suiteably low. The cost of starting ingredients and equipment necessary to generate Cast Stone waste forms with secondary waste streams are low and the Cast Stone dry blend formulation can be tailored to accommodate variations in liquid waste stream compositions. The database for Cast Stone short-term performance is quite extensive compared to the other three candidate waste solidification processes. The solidification of liquid wastes in Cast Stone is a mature process in comparison to the other three candidates. Successful production of Cast Stone or Saltstone has been demonstrated from lab-scale monoliths with volumes of cm3 through m3 sized blocks to 210-liter sized drums all the way to the large pours into vaults at Savannah River. To date over 9 million gallons of low activity liquid waste has been solidified and disposed in concrete vaults at Savannah River.

Effect of Stone Size and Composition on Ultrasonic Propulsion Ex Vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Janssen, Karmon M; Brand, Timothy C; Bailey, Michael R; Cunitz, Bryan W; Harper, Jonathan D; Sorensen, Mathew D; Dunmire, Barbrina

2018-01-01

To evaluate in more detail the effectiveness of a new designed more efficient ultrasonic propulsion for large stones and specific stone compositions in a tissue phantom model. In the first clinical trial of noninvasive ultrasonic propulsion, urinary stones of unknown compositions and sizes up to 10 mm were successfully repositioned. The study included 8- to 12-mm stones of 4 different primary compositions (calcium oxalate monohydrate, ammonium acid urate, calcium phosphate, and struvite) and a renal calyx phantom consisting of a 12 mm × 30 mm well in a 10-cm block of tissue-mimicking material. Primary outcome was the number of times a stone was expelled over 10 attempts, with ultrasonic propulsion burst duration varying from 0.5 seconds to 5 seconds. Overall success rate at expelling stones was 95%. All calcium oxalate monohydrate and ammonium acid urate stones were expelled 100% of the time. The largest stone (12 mm) became lodged within the 12-mm phantom calyx 25% of the time regardless of the burst duration. With the 0.5-second burst, there was insufficient energy to expel the heaviest stone (0.88 g), but there was sufficient energy at the longer burst durations. With a single burst, ultrasonic propulsion successfully moved most stones at least 3 cm and, regardless of size or composition, expelled them from the calyx. Ultrasonic propulsion is limited to the stones smaller than the calyceal space, and for each burst duration, related to maximum stone mass. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Indoor external dose rates due to decorative sheet stone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu, C.H.; Sheu, R.D.; Jiang, S.H. [Dept. of Engineering and System Science, National Tsing Hua Univ., Hsinchu (Taiwan)

2002-03-01

The specific activities in decorative sheet stone made of granite or marble were measured, whereby the absolute peak efficiency of the HPGe detectors employed in the measurements for the sheet-stone sample was determined using the semi-empirical method. The spatial distribution for the indoor external dose rates due to the radionuclides present in the decorative sheet stone used to clad the floor and the four walls of a standard room was calculated using a three-dimensional point kernel computer code. It was found that the spatial distribution for the indoor dose rates was complex and non-uniform, which represents a difference in relation to the results of earlier studies. (orig.)

Indoor external dose rates due to decorative sheet stone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, C.H.; Sheu, R.D.; Jiang, S.H.

2002-01-01

The specific activities in decorative sheet stone made of granite or marble were measured, whereby the absolute peak efficiency of the HPGe detectors employed in the measurements for the sheet-stone sample was determined using the semi-empirical method. The spatial distribution for the indoor external dose rates due to the radionuclides present in the decorative sheet stone used to clad the floor and the four walls of a standard room was calculated using a three-dimensional point kernel computer code. It was found that the spatial distribution for the indoor dose rates was complex and non-uniform, which represents a difference in relation to the results of earlier studies. (orig.)

In-situ diagnosis of stone monuments; the Ruin Garden in Székesfehérvár

Science.gov (United States)

Theodoridou, Magdalini; Török, Ákos

2014-05-01

Székesfehérvár is a city in central Hungary, located around 65 km southwest of Budapest. In the Middle Ages (11th and 12th centuries), the city was a Royal residence and until the Turkish occupation in 1543, one of the most important cities of Hungary. The Ruin Garden of Székesfehérvár is a unique assemblage of monuments belonging to the cultural heritage of Hungary due to its important role in the Middle Ages as the coronation church for the kings of the Hungarian Christian Kingdom and the burial place for fifteen kings and other members of the royal families and the high nobility. It was also the home of the royal treasury and relics. It is comprised of a provostal church dedicated to Virgin Mary, so called today "Royal Basilica", royal tombs and related ecclesial and lay buildings. Since it has been nominated for "National Memorial Place", its present and future protection is required. Its several reconstructions and expansions throughout Hungarian history introduce another aspect of the importance of the historical site. By a quick overview of the current state of the monument, the presence of several lithotypes could be found among the remained building and decorative stones. Therefore, the research related to the materials in order to understand their composition, structure, origin and behavior was crucial not only for the conservation of that specific monument but also for a series of other historic structures in the Hungarian territory. In order to help the study of the Ruin Garden in Székesfehérvár, a series of maps was created based on in-situ investigations. Five wall sections were selected for the sake of the different lithotypes distribution and the different construction periods were the ruins belong to. The total mapped area covers about 30 m2 of the existing walls surfaces. Three different kinds of maps were designed for each wall section. The first series of maps depicts the different construction periods of the selected section of the

A crude protective film on historic stones and its artificial preparation through biomimetic synthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Qiang; Zhang, Bingjian; Shen, Zhongyue; Lu, Huanming

2006-12-01

A biomimetic film has been found on the surface of the historic stone buildings and monuments. The stone inscriptions under the film are preserved so well that has not been damaged for more than 1000 years. Samples of the crude film have been analyzed by XRD, FTIR, PLM, EDA, SEM and TEM. The results show that it consists mainly of calcium oxalate monohydrate. On the basis of the existence of the organism debris, it is concluded that the film should be a product of biomineralization. According to this hypothesis, a similar film has been prepared on the stone surface through biomimetic synthesis in our laboratory. The preliminary analysis shows that the artificial protective film functions well.

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy of intrahepatic stones with piezoelectric lithotriptor: in vitro study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Byung Ihn; Yoon, Chong Hyun; Park, Yong Hyun; Han, Joon Koo; Yoon, Yong Bum; Shin, Yong Moon; Kim, Jin Q; Kim, Chu Wan; Han, Man Chung

1992-01-01

This study was designed to investigate effectiveness of fragmentation during lithotripsy using 103 intrahepatic stones collected from 10 patients, who had previously undergone biliary surgery. The size of each stone was measured and sonography was performed for the evaluation of the sonographic type of the stones. In vitro lithotripsy was performed on individual stones using piezoelectric lithotriptor to evaluate the fragmentation rate and average number of shock waves for fragmentation. Chemical analysis of each stone was done to determine chemical composition including calcium, bilirubin, and cholesterol. The size of the stones was from 5 mm to 20 mm in diameter. Sonographic type I (echo of whole stone with posterior acoustic shadow) was 68, and type II (are-like strong surface echo of stone with clear posterior acoustic shadow) was 35 in number. The majority (78%) of stones in group I (5-9 mm in diameter) showed sonographic type I characteristics, and 62% of stones in group 3 (larger than 15 mm in diameter) showed sonographic type II characteristics. There was a positive correlation between the size and sonographic type of stones. Fragmentation rates of stones were 100% in group I, 71.9% in group 2 (10-15 mm in diameter), 43.8% in group 3, respectively. Fragmentation rates of stones with sonographic type I and II were 91.2%, 65.7%, respectively. The average number of shock waves for partial and complete fragmentation was 2753 ± 4937 and 6219 ± 10133, respectively. There was a positive correlation between the number of shock waves for fragmentation and diameter of stones (r = 0.618, ρ < 0.05). There was no correlation between the number of shock waves for fragmentation and chemical composition of stones. In conclusion, the most important variable determining the degree of fragmentation of intrahepatic stones using ESWL is not their chemical composition but their size and sonographic characteristics

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy of intrahepatic stones with piezoelectric lithotriptor: in vitro study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Byung Ihn; Yoon, Chong Hyun; Park, Yong Hyun; Han, Joon Koo; Yoon, Yong Bum; Shin, Yong Moon; Kim, Jin Q; Kim, Chu Wan; Han, Man Chung [Seoul National University, College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1992-05-15

This study was designed to investigate effectiveness of fragmentation during lithotripsy using 103 intrahepatic stones collected from 10 patients, who had previously undergone biliary surgery. The size of each stone was measured and sonography was performed for the evaluation of the sonographic type of the stones. In vitro lithotripsy was performed on individual stones using piezoelectric lithotriptor to evaluate the fragmentation rate and average number of shock waves for fragmentation. Chemical analysis of each stone was done to determine chemical composition including calcium, bilirubin, and cholesterol. The size of the stones was from 5 mm to 20 mm in diameter. Sonographic type I (echo of whole stone with posterior acoustic shadow) was 68, and type II (are-like strong surface echo of stone with clear posterior acoustic shadow) was 35 in number. The majority (78%) of stones in group I (5-9 mm in diameter) showed sonographic type I characteristics, and 62% of stones in group 3 (larger than 15 mm in diameter) showed sonographic type II characteristics. There was a positive correlation between the size and sonographic type of stones. Fragmentation rates of stones were 100% in group I, 71.9% in group 2 (10-15 mm in diameter), 43.8% in group 3, respectively. Fragmentation rates of stones with sonographic type I and II were 91.2%, 65.7%, respectively. The average number of shock waves for partial and complete fragmentation was 2753 {+-} 4937 and 6219 {+-} 10133, respectively. There was a positive correlation between the number of shock waves for fragmentation and diameter of stones (r = 0.618, {rho} < 0.05). There was no correlation between the number of shock waves for fragmentation and chemical composition of stones. In conclusion, the most important variable determining the degree of fragmentation of intrahepatic stones using ESWL is not their chemical composition but their size and sonographic characteristics.

A novel test method for quantifying surface tack of polypropylene compound surfaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2011-11-01

Full Text Available While adhesiveness is required for polymer surfaces in special applications, tacky surfaces are generally undesirable in many applications like automotive interior parts. The tackiness of polymer surface results from a combination of composition and additivation, and it can change significantly in natural or accelerated ageing. Since there is no established, uniform method to characterize surface tack, the major focus of the present work was on the development of an objective quantification method. A setup having a soft die tip attached to a standard tensile tester was developed aiming for correlation to the human sense of touch. Three different model thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO compound formulations based on a high-impact isotactic polypropylene (iPP composition with varying amounts and types of anti-scratch additives were used for these investigations. As the surface tack phenomenon is related to ageing and weathering, the material’s examination was also performed after various intervals of weathering. The developed method allows a fast assessment of the effect of polymer composition variations and different additive formulations on surface tack and gives identical rankings as the standardized haptic panel.

Comparative study of the variation of the hydric properties and aspect of natural stone and brick after the application of 4 types of anti-graffiti

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

García, O.

2010-02-01

Full Text Available In this article a comparative study of the behaviour of different commercial anti-graffiti on natural stone and brick is presented. 8 different European substrates were selected and 4 commercial anti-graffiti of different chemical nature were applied on these substrates. The variations of their hydric properties and aspect (colour and gloss with regard to the untreated substrates were later studied in the laboratory. The results obtained permitted to assess the suitability of 4 of the main types of chemical formulations employed to be used as anti-graffiti. This study concludes that the sacrificial anti-graffiti with polymeric paraffins in its composition presents the lowest reductions of the hydric properties of the studied substrates, being also the variations in colour the least perceptible.

En este artículo se presenta un estudio comparativo del comportamiento de diferentes tipos de anti-graffiti comerciales sobre piedra natural y ladrillo. Para ello se seleccionaron 8 tipos de sustratos porosos de diferentes países europeos, sobre los que se aplicaron 4 anti-graffiti de distinta naturaleza química. Posteriormente se estudiaron las variaciones en sus propiedades hídricas y de aspecto (color y brillo con respecto a los sustratos no tratados, en el laboratorio. Los resultados obtenidos han permitido evaluar la idoneidad de 4 de los principales tipos de formulaciones químicas más frecuentemente utilizadas como anti-graffiti sobre sustratos porosos. El estudio concluye que el antigraffiti de sacrificio de composición parafínica es el producto que reduce en menor medida las propiedades hídricas de los sustratos porosos estudiados, y que menores cambios de color produce en los mismos.

A case report of ureteral cast stone and giant urethral stone, respectively

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Song, Ho Yung; Rhee, Song Joo; Choi, Ki Chul [School of Medicine, Jeongbug National University, Jeonju (Korea, Republic of)

1980-12-15

Urinary lithiasis is one of the most common disease of the urinary tract. It occurs more frequently in men than in women but rare in children and in blacks; a familial predisposition is often encountered. Ureteral stones originate in the kidney. Gravity and peristalis contribute to spontaneous passage into and down the ureter. Ureterovesical junction is the most frequent lodging site of stone. In our hospital one case of ureteral cast stone and giant urethral stone were found respectively and they were confirmed by radiological examination and surgery on Aug. 1978 and Jan. 1979. Ureteral cast stone which had been introduced and named first by Kiyonobu Tari and Kikjiro So in 1972 was very giant unusually. It may be the only one till now. Our patient was 36 years old female who has been suffered from intermittent right flank pain for 10 years. On KUB giant cylindrical radiopaque shadow was shown on RLQ extended to right minor pelvis and this was confirmed as a stone by retrograde ureteral catheterization. A stone measured 13cm x 1.5cm was found above the ureterovesical junction during operation. Follow up excretory urogram one year after operation showed no functional improvement of right kidney. Urethral stone is also unusual urinary lithiasis. This 60 years old male patient was been suffered from non-tender palpable hard mass on scrotal area and intermittent urinary retention. When urinary retention was occurred it was relieved by manipulation of the mass by himself. On plain film oval shaped giant radiopaque shadow was shown on cavernous urethral region. On urethrocystogram anterior urethra was opacified, but posterior urethra and bladder were not opacified and multiple fistulous leakage was identified. A stone measured 6.5cm x 3.5cm was found in cavernous urethra during operation.

A case report of ureteral cast stone and giant urethral stone, respectively

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Ho Yung; Rhee, Song Joo; Choi, Ki Chul

1980-01-01

Urinary lithiasis is one of the most common disease of the urinary tract. It occurs more frequently in men than in women but rare in children and in blacks; a familial predisposition is often encountered. Ureteral stones originate in the kidney. Gravity and peristalis contribute to spontaneous passage into and down the ureter. Ureterovesical junction is the most frequent lodging site of stone. In our hospital one case of ureteral cast stone and giant urethral stone were found respectively and they were confirmed by radiological examination and surgery on Aug. 1978 and Jan. 1979. Ureteral cast stone which had been introduced and named first by Kiyonobu Tari and Kikjiro So in 1972 was very giant unusually. It may be the only one till now. Our patient was 36 years old female who has been suffered from intermittent right flank pain for 10 years. On KUB giant cylindrical radiopaque shadow was shown on RLQ extended to right minor pelvis and this was confirmed as a stone by retrograde ureteral catheterization. A stone measured 13cm x 1.5cm was found above the ureterovesical junction during operation. Follow up excretory urogram one year after operation showed no functional improvement of right kidney. Urethral stone is also unusual urinary lithiasis. This 60 years old male patient was been suffered from non-tender palpable hard mass on scrotal area and intermittent urinary retention. When urinary retention was occurred it was relieved by manipulation of the mass by himself. On plain film oval shaped giant radiopaque shadow was shown on cavernous urethral region. On urethrocystogram anterior urethra was opacified, but posterior urethra and bladder were not opacified and multiple fistulous leakage was identified. A stone measured 6.5cm x 3.5cm was found in cavernous urethra during operation

WIRE: Weather Intelligence for Renewable Energies

Science.gov (United States)

Heimo, A.; Cattin, R.; Calpini, B.

2010-09-01

Renewable energies such as wind and solar energy will play an important, even decisive role in order to mitigate and adapt to the projected dramatic consequences to our society and environment due to climate change. Due to shrinking fossil resources, the transition to more and more renewable energy shares is unavoidable. But, as wind and solar energy are strongly dependent on highly variable weather processes, increased penetration rates will also lead to strong fluctuations in the electricity grid which need to be balanced. Proper and specific forecasting of ‘energy weather' is a key component for this. Therefore, it is today appropriate to scientifically address the requirements to provide the best possible specific weather information for forecasting the energy production of wind and solar power plants within the next minutes up to several days. Towards such aims, Weather Intelligence will first include developing dedicated post-processing algorithms coupled with weather prediction models and with past and/or online measurement data especially remote sensing observations. Second, it will contribute to investigate the difficult relationship between the highly intermittent weather dependent power production and concurrent capacities such as transport and distribution of this energy to the end users. Selecting, resp. developing surface-based and satellite remote sensing techniques well adapted to supply relevant information to the specific post-processing algorithms for solar and wind energy production short-term forecasts is a major task with big potential. It will lead to improved energy forecasts and help to increase the efficiency of the renewable energy productions while contributing to improve the management and presumably the design of the energy grids. The second goal will raise new challenges as this will require first from the energy producers and distributors definitions of the requested input data and new technologies dedicated to the management of

Briefing highlights space weather risks to GPS

Science.gov (United States)

Tretkoff, Ernie

2011-07-01

Solar storms, which are expected to increase as the Sun nears the most active phase of the solar cycle, can disrupt a variety of technologies on which society relies. Speakers at a 22 June briefing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D. C., focused on how space weather can affect the Global Positioning System (GPS), which is used in a wide range of industries, including commercial air travel, agriculture, national security, and emergency response. Rocky Stone, chief technical pilot for United Airlines, noted that GPS allows more aircraft to be in airspace, saves fuel, and helps aircraft move safely on runways. “Improvements in space weather forecasting need to be pursued,” he said. Precision GPS has also “changed the whole nature of farming,” said Ron Hatch, Director of Navigation Systems, NavCom Technology/John Deere. GPS makes it possible for tractors to be driven in the most efficient paths and for fertilizer and water to be applied precisely to the areas that most need them. Space weather-induced degradation of GPS signals can cause significant loss to farms that rely on GPS. Elizabeth Zimmerman, Deputy Associate Administrator for the Office of Response and Recovery at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), described how FEMA relies on GPS for disaster recovery. The agency is developing an operations plan for dealing with space weather, she said.

Primary anterior vaginal wall pure ammonium acid urate stone. Case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sherif M. Khattab

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Vaginal stones are extremely rare and are classified as primary and secondary. A 45 year-old female presented with an unexplained dyspareunia and vaginal discomfort for 2 years unresponsive to traditional treatment. Vaginal examination revealed no prolapse or vaginal fistula. Digital examination revealed multiple small rounded firm to hard or tender masses varying in size from 0.5 to 1.5 cm anterior to the vagina. Patient was treated with midline anterior vaginal wall incision with the extraction of eight smooth surfaced stones with uneventful postoperative course. Stone analysis revealed that they were composed of pure ammonium acid urate (AU. We recommend that for any patient with unexplained dyspareunia or vaginal discomfort that has proved to be unresponsive to traditional treatment, the possibility of anterior vaginal wall stones should be kept in mind.

Interaction studies reveal specific recognition of an anti-inflammatory polyphosphorhydrazone dendrimer by human monocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ledall, Jérémy; Fruchon, Séverine; Garzoni, Matteo; Pavan, Giovanni M; Caminade, Anne-Marie; Turrin, Cédric-Olivier; Blanzat, Muriel; Poupot, Rémy

2015-11-14

Dendrimers are nano-materials with perfectly defined structure and size, and multivalency properties that confer substantial advantages for biomedical applications. Previous work has shown that phosphorus-based polyphosphorhydrazone (PPH) dendrimers capped with azabisphosphonate (ABP) end groups have immuno-modulatory and anti-inflammatory properties leading to efficient therapeutic control of inflammatory diseases in animal models. These properties are mainly prompted through activation of monocytes. Here, we disclose new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory activation of human monocytes by ABP-capped PPH dendrimers. Following an interdisciplinary approach, we have characterized the physicochemical and biological behavior of the lead ABP dendrimer with model and cell membranes, and compared this experimental set of data to predictive computational modelling studies. The behavior of the ABP dendrimer was compared to the one of an isosteric analog dendrimer capped with twelve azabiscarboxylate (ABC) end groups instead of twelve ABP end groups. The ABC dendrimer displayed no biological activity on human monocytes, therefore it was considered as a negative control. In detail, we show that the ABP dendrimer can bind both non-specifically and specifically to the membrane of human monocytes. The specific binding leads to the internalization of the ABP dendrimer by human monocytes. On the contrary, the ABC dendrimer only interacts non-specifically with human monocytes and is not internalized. These data indicate that the bioactive ABP dendrimer is recognized by specific receptor(s) at the surface of human monocytes.

The early days of surgery for stones in the bladder.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis, Harold

2011-05-01

Man has suffered from bladder stones since the earliest times. The oldest specimen of a bladder stone so far discovered was obtained at the excavation of a grave of a boy of about 16 in an ancient Egyptian burial ground and was dated at around 4800 BC. Of the triad of 'elective" operations first performed by our surgical forefathers--circumcision, trephination of the skull and cutting for the stone--only the last was for a purely surgical indication and not for religious or ritual reasons; it may safely be pronounced as the most ancient operation performed for a specific surgical pathology.

Poly(hydroxyalkanoate)s-Based Hydrophobic Coatings for the Protection of Stone in Cultural Heritage.

Science.gov (United States)

Andreotti, Serena; Franzoni, Elisa; Fabbri, Paola

2018-01-20

Reversibility is a mandatory requirement for materials used in heritage conservation, including hydrophobic protectives. Nevertheless, current protectives for stone are not actually reversible as they remain on the surfaces for a long time after their hydrophobicity is lost and can hardly be removed. Ineffective and aged coatings may jeopardise the stone re-treatability and further conservation interventions. This paper aims at investigating the performance of PHAs-based coatings for stone protection, their main potential being the 'reversibility by biodegradation' once water repellency ended. The biopolymer coatings were applied to three different kinds of stone, representative of lithotypes used in historic architecture: sandstone, limestone and marble. Spray, poultice and dip-coating were tested as coating techniques. The effectiveness and compatibility of the protectives were evaluated in terms of capillary water absorption, static and dynamic contact angles, water vapour diffusion, colour alteration and surface morphology. The stones' wettability after application of two commercial protectives was investigated too, for comparison. Finally, samples were subjected to artificial ageing to investigate their solar light stability. Promising results in terms of efficacy and compatibility were obtained, although the PHAs-based formulations developed here still need improvement for increased durability and on-site applicability.

Introduction. Leave no stone unturned: Perspectives on ground stone artefact research

OpenAIRE

Danny Rosenberg; Yorke Rowan; Tatjana Gluhak

2016-01-01

Ground stone tools served in many physical and social contexts through millennia, reflecting a wide variety of functions. Although ground stone tool studies were neglected for much of early archaeology, the last few decades witnessed a notable international uptick in the way archaeologists confront this multifaceted topic. Today, with the advance of archaeology as a discipline, research into ground stone artefacts is moving into a new phase that integrates high resolution documentation with n...

Treatment of gallbladder stone with common bile duct stones in the laparoscopic era.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wei-jie; Xu, Gui-fang; Huang, Qin; Luo, Kun-lun; Dong, Zhi-tao; Li, Jie-ming; Wu, Guo-zhong; Guan, Wen-xian

2015-01-26

Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) for stone can be carried out by either laparoscopic transcystic stone extraction (LTSE) or laparoscopic choledochotomy (LC). It remains unknown as to which approach is optimal for management of gallbladder stone with common bile duct stones (CBDS) in Chinese patients. From May 2000 to February 2009, we prospective treated 346 consecutive patients with gallbladder stones and CBDS with laparoscopic cholecystectomy and LCBDE. Intraoperative findings, postoperative complications, postoperative hospital stay and costs were analyzed. Because of LCBDE failure,16 cases (4.6%) required open surgery. Of 330 successful LCBDE-treated patients, 237 underwent LTSE and 93 required LC. No mortality occurred in either group. The bile duct stone clearance rate was similar in both groups. Patients in the LTSE group were significantly younger and had fewer complications with smaller, fewer stones, shorter operative time and postoperative hospital stays, and lower costs, compared to those in the LC group. Compared with patients with T-tube insertion, patients in the LC group with primary closure had shorter operative time, shorter postoperative hospital stay, and lower costs. In cases requiring LCBDE, LTSE should be the first choice, whereas LC may be restricted to large, multiple stones. LC with primary closure without external drainage of the CBDS is as effective and safe as the T-tube insertion approach.

Everybody Must Get Stones

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timothy Darvill

2009-09-01

Full Text Available It is now widely recognised that monument building in the fourth and third millennia cal BC often involved transporting selected blocks of preferred stone many kilometres over difficult terrain. Some structures incorporated blocks from several different sources, brought together as an ensemble in much the same way perhaps that assemblages of flint and stone axes reflect both local and distant sources. This article explores alternative models accounting for the selection of stones, contrasting those that foreground symbolic attachments and imposed meanings with those that focus on the intrinsic qualities of particular types of stone and their source. The assemblage of different stone types that accumulated at Stonehenge, Wiltshire, over a period of more than a thousand years is used as a case study.

Surface Plasmon Resonance kinetic analysis of the interaction between G-quadruplex nucleic acids and an anti-G-quadruplex monoclonal antibody.

Science.gov (United States)

Lago, Sara; Nadai, Matteo; Rossetto, Monica; Richter, Sara N

2018-06-01

G-quadruplexes (G4s) are nucleic acids secondary structures formed in guanine-rich sequences. Anti-G4 antibodies represent a tool for the direct investigation of G4s in cells. Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) is a highly sensitive technology, suitable for assessing the affinity between biomolecules. We here aimed at improving the orientation of an anti-G4 antibody on the SPR sensor chip to optimize detection of binding antigens. SPR was employed to characterize the anti-G4 antibody interaction with G4 and non-G4 oligonucleotides. Dextran-functionalized sensor chips were used both in covalent coupling and capturing procedures. The use of two leading molecule for orienting the antibody of interest allowed to improve its activity from completely non-functional to 65% active. The specificity of the anti-G4 antobody for G4 structures could thus be assessed with high sensitivity and reliability. Optimization of the immobilization protocol for SPR biosensing, allowed us to determine the anti-G4 antibody affinity and specificity for G4 antigens with higher sensitivity with respect to other in vitro assays such as ELISA. Anti-G4 antibody specificity is a fundamental assumption for the future utilization of this kind of antibodies for monitoring G4s directly in cells. The heterogeneous orientation of amine-coupling immobilized ligands is a general problem that often leads to partial or complete inactivation of the molecules. Here we describe a new strategy for improving ligand orientation: driving it from two sides. This principle can be virtually applied to every molecule that loses its activity or is poorly immobilized after standard coupling to the SPR chip surface. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Future Missions for Space Weather Specifications and Forecasts

Science.gov (United States)

Onsager, T. G.; Biesecker, D. A.; Anthes, R. A.; Maier, M. W.; Gallagher, F. W., III; St Germain, K.

2017-12-01

The progress of technology and the global integration of our economic and security infrastructures have introduced vulnerabilities to space weather that demand a more comprehensive ability to specify and to predict the dynamics of the space environment. This requires a comprehensive network of real-time space-based and ground-based observations with long-term continuity. In order to determine the most cost effective space architectures for NOAA's weather, space weather, and environmental missions, NOAA conducted the NOAA Satellite Observing System Architecture (NSOSA) study. This presentation will summarize the process used to document the future needs and the relative priorities for NOAA's operational space-based observations. This involves specifying the most important observations, defining the performance attributes at different levels of capability, and assigning priorities for achieving the higher capability levels. The highest priority observations recommended by the Space Platform Requirements Working Group (SPRWG) for improvement above a minimal capability level will be described. Finally, numerous possible satellite architectures have been explored to assess the costs and benefits of various architecture configurations.

North America Synoptic Weather Maps

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Series of Synoptic Weather Maps. Maps contains a surface analysis comprised of plotted weather station observations, isobars indicating low and high-pressure...

Effect of moisture on tuff stone degradation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lubelli, B.A.; Nijland, T.G.

2016-01-01

Tuff stone elements with a large length/width ratio often suffer damage in the form of cracks parallel to the surface and spalling of the outer layer. The response of tuff to moisture might be a reason for this behaviour. This research aimed at verifying if differential dilation between parts with

X-ray diffraction analysis of rust layer on a weathering steel bridge with surface treatment using synchrotron radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamashita, Masato; Hara, Shuichi; Kamimura, Takayuki; Miyuki, Hideaki; Sato, Masugu

2007-01-01

We have examined the structure of rust layer formed on a weathering steel bridge, to which the surface treatment, employing the effect of Cr 2 (SO 4 ) 3 sophisticatedly designed to form the protective goethite (α-FeOOH) rust layer which contains a certain amount of Cr, Cr-goethite, was applied in 1996, using X-ray diffraction at SPring-8 synchrotron radiation facility. It was shown that the formation of α-FeOOH was promoted and/or crystal growth of γ-FeOOH was suppressed by the surface treatment. The increase in the protective ability index (PAI) of the rust layer indicates that the protective goethite was predominantly formed under the effect of the surface treatment. In conclusion, it can be said that the surface treatment worked well to promote the formation of the protective goethite rust layer on the weathering steel bridge during the 10-year exposure. (author)

Blood loss predictive factors and transfusion practice during percutaneous nephrolithotomy of kidney stones: a prospective study [version 1; referees: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Firtantyo Adi Syahputra

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Objectives Bleeding is the most common complication of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL. Injudicious transfusion is frequently performed in current practice, even though it is not always needed. This study aimed to identify the predictive factors of blood loss in the PCNL procedure and evaluate the perioperative transfusion practice.   Methods A prospective study of PCNL was randomly performed by two consultants of endo-urology at our institution. The inclusion criteria were adults with kidney pelvic stones >20 mm or stone in inferior calyx >10 mm or staghorn stone. Those with coagulopathy, under anti-coagulant treatment or open conversion were excluded. A full blood count was taken at baseline and during 12, 24, 36, 72-hours post-operatively. Factors such as stone burden, sex, body surface area, shifting of hematocrit level and amount of blood transfused were analyzed statistically using line regression to identify the predictive factors of total blood loss (TBL.   Results Eighty-five patients were enrolled in this study. Mean TBL was 560.92 ± 428.43 mL for both endo-urology surgeons. Stone burden was the most influential factor for TBL (p=0.037. Our results revealed that TBL (mL = -153.379 + 0.229 × stone burden (mm2 + 0.203 x baseline serum hematocrit (%; thus considerably predicted the need for blood transfusion. A total of 87.1% patients did not receive perioperative transfusion, 3.5% received intra-operative transfusion, 7.1% received post-operative transfusion, 23% had both intra and post-operative transfusion, resulting in a cross-matched transfusion ratio of 7.72. Mean perioperative blood transfused was 356.00 ± 145.88 mL.

Colorado Yule Marble; building stone of the Lincoln Memorial

Science.gov (United States)

McGee, Elaine S.

1999-01-01

The Colorado Yule marble, quarried in Marble, Colo., is a very pure white marble, and it has been widely acclaimed for its quality and purity. This marble has been used for many prominent buildings; one of the most notable is the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., built nearly 80 years ago. Although most of the marble in the memorial appears to be in very good condition, some of the stones have developed pronounced surficial roughness and show a significant loss of carved details and rounded edges compared with adjacent stones. Because adjacent blocks of marble receive nearly identical exposure to weathering agents that cause deterioration of the marble, it seems very likely that this pronounced difference in durability of adjacent stones arises from some inherent characteristic of the marble. The Colorado Yule marble is a nearly pure calcite marble with minor inclusions of mica, quartz, and feldspar. Compositions of the calcite and the inclusion phases in the marble are typical for those phases. The calcite grains that compose the marble are irregularly shaped and range from 100 to 600 micrometers in diameter. The texture of the marble is even, with a slight preferred directional elongation that is visible when the marble is cut in certain directions. Physical tests of the marble show that its strength is comparable to that of other marbles typically used in buildings. Variations in the durability of the marble, like those seen at the Lincoln Memorial, are not related to variations in calcite composition or to the presence of inclusions in the marble. Most likely, the variations arise from differences in the calcite grain boundaries and the degree to which the grains interlock with one another. Weak grain boundaries that permit water or solutions to penetrate into the marble and dissolve the calcite grains at their edges cause the marble to disaggregate or ?sugar.? Subtle differences in texture that occur in the marble from various parts of the quarry probably

Adsorption of natural surfactants present in sea waters at surfaces of minerals: contact angle measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katarzyna Boniewicz-Szmyt

2009-09-01

Full Text Available The wetting properties of solid mineral samples (by contact angles in original surfactant-containing sea water (Gulf of Gdańsk, Baltic were characterised under laboratory conditions on a large set (31 samples of well-classified stones of diverse hydrophobicity using the sessile drop (ADSA-P approach, captive bubble and inclined plate methods. An experimental relation between the static contact angle θeq and stone density ρ was obtained in the form θeq = Bρ + C, where B = 12.23 ± 0.92, C = - (19.17 ± 0.77, and r2 = 0.92. The histogram of θeq distribution for polished stone plates exhibited a multimodal feature indicating that the most abundant solid materials (hydrophilic in nature have contact angles θeq = 7.2, 10.7, 15.7 and 19.2º, which appear to be applicable to unspecified field stones as well. The contact angle, a pH-dependent quantity, appears to be a sensitive measure of stone grain size, e.g. granite. The captive bubble method gives reproducible results in studies of porous and highly hydrophilic surfaces such as stones and wood. The authors consider the adsorption of natural sea water surfactants on stone surfaces to be the process responsible for contact angle hysteresis. In the model, an equation was derived for determining the solid surface free energy from the liquid's surface tension γLV it also enabled the advancing θA and receding θR contact angles of this liquid to be calculated. Measurements of contact angle hysteresis Δθ (=θA - θR with surfactant-containing sea water and distilled water (reference on the same stone surfaces allowed the film pressure ΔΠ (1.22 to 8.80 mJ m-2, solid surface free energy ΔγS (-17.03 to -23.61 mJ m-2 and work done by spreading ΔWS (-1.23 to -11.52 mJ m-2 to be determined. The variability in these parameters is attributed to autophobing, an effect operative on a solid surface covered with an adsorptive layer of surfactants. The wetting behaviour of solid particles is of great

Problems at the Leading Edge of Space Weathering as Revealed by TEM Combined with Surface Science Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Christoffersen, R.; Dukes, C. A.; Keller, L. P.; Rahman, Z.; Baragiola, R. A.

2015-01-01

Both transmission electron micros-copy (TEM) and surface analysis techniques such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were instrumen-tal in making the first characterizations of material generated by space weathering in lunar samples [1,2]. Without them, the nature of nanophase metallic Fe (npFe0) correlated with the surface of lunar regolith grains would have taken much longer to become rec-ognized and understood. Our groups at JSC and UVa have been using both techniques in a cross-correlated way to investigate how the solar wind contributes to space weathering [e.g., 3]. These efforts have identified a number of ongoing problems and knowledge gaps. Key insights made by UVa group leader Raul Barag-iola during this work are gratefully remembered.

Quality Assessment of Urinary Stone Analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Siener, Roswitha; Buchholz, Noor; Daudon, Michel

2016-01-01

After stone removal, accurate analysis of urinary stone composition is the most crucial laboratory diagnostic procedure for the treatment and recurrence prevention in the stone-forming patient. The most common techniques for routine analysis of stones are infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction......, fulfilled the quality requirements. According to the current standard, chemical analysis is considered to be insufficient for stone analysis, whereas infrared spectroscopy or X-ray diffraction is mandatory. However, the poor results of infrared spectroscopy highlight the importance of equipment, reference...... spectra and qualification of the staff for an accurate analysis of stone composition. Regular quality control is essential in carrying out routine stone analysis....

Constraining storm-scale forecasts of deep convective initiation with surface weather observations

Science.gov (United States)

Madaus, Luke

Successfully forecasting when and where individual convective storms will form remains an elusive goal for short-term numerical weather prediction. In this dissertation, the convective initiation (CI) challenge is considered as a problem of insufficiently resolved initial conditions and dense surface weather observations are explored as a possible solution. To better quantify convective-scale surface variability in numerical simulations of discrete convective initiation, idealized ensemble simulations of a variety of environments where CI occurs in response to boundary-layer processes are examined. Coherent features 1-2 hours prior to CI are found in all surface fields examined. While some features were broadly expected, such as positive temperature anomalies and convergent winds, negative temperature anomalies due to cloud shadowing are the largest surface anomaly seen prior to CI. Based on these simulations, several hypotheses about the required characteristics of a surface observing network to constrain CI forecasts are developed. Principally, these suggest that observation spacings of less than 4---5 km would be required, based on correlation length scales. Furthermore, it is anticipated that 2-m temperature and 10-m wind observations would likely be more relevant for effectively constraining variability than surface pressure or 2-m moisture observations based on the magnitudes of observed anomalies relative to observation error. These hypotheses are tested with a series of observing system simulation experiments (OSSEs) using a single CI-capable environment. The OSSE results largely confirm the hypotheses, and with 4-km and particularly 1-km surface observation spacing, skillful forecasts of CI are possible, but only within two hours of CI time. Several facets of convective-scale assimilation, including the need for properly-calibrated localization and problems from non-Gaussian ensemble estimates of the cloud field are discussed. Finally, the characteristics

Application of optimized large surface area date stone (Phoenix dactylifera ) activated carbon for rhodamin B removal from aqueous solution: Box-Behnken design approach.

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Danish, Mohammed; Khanday, Waheed Ahmad; Hashim, Rokiah; Sulaiman, Nurul Syuhada Binti; Akhtar, Mohammad Nishat; Nizami, Maniruddin

2017-05-01

Box-Behnken model of response surface methodology was used to study the effect of adsorption process parameters for Rhodamine B (RhB) removal from aqueous solution through optimized large surface area date stone activated carbon. The set experiments with three input parameters such as time (10-600min), adsorbent dosage (0.5-10g/L) and temperature (25-50°C) were considered for statistical significance. The adequate relation was found between the input variables and response (removal percentage of RhB) and Fisher values (F- values) along with P-values suggesting the significance of various term coefficients. At an optimum adsorbent dose of 0.53g/L, time 593min and temperature 46.20°C, the adsorption capacity of 210mg/g was attained with maximum desirability. The negative values of Gibb ' s free energy (ΔG) predicted spontaneity and feasibility of adsorption; whereas, positive Enthalpy change (ΔH) confirmed endothermic adsorption of RhB onto optimized large surface area date stone activated carbons (OLSADS-AC). The adsorption data were found to be the best fit on the Langmuir model supporting monolayer type of adsorption of RhB with maximum monolayer layer adsorption capacity of 196.08mg/g. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measuring change over time: the use of geotagged photographs to evaluate the weathering of monuments

Science.gov (United States)

Doehne, E.

2012-04-01

Evaluating the condition of weathered stone surfaces on a monument, building or sculpture requires information on how those surfaces have evolved. In a number of cases, the documentation related to a site or object is either not readily available or has been lost (due to war, fire, etc.). Exploring the use of geotagged photographs to supplement the evaluation of surface changes to monuments was tested using two sites: the Mausoleum at the Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California and the Duomo in Florence, Italy. Increasingly, photographs are being geo-located or geotagged, either automatically via GPS/WiFi or manually. Geolocation tags increase the value of a photograph to researchers by providing the geographic location where the image was taken, often along with the date and time the photograph was acquired. Estimates of the number of geolocated photographs posted to the Internet include 148 million on Flickr.com (as of June 3, 2011) increasing to 172 million as of January 15, 2012. On Panarimo.com five million geolocated images were archived as of October 2007. Tools such as auto-geotag and PhotoOverlay are making it easier for users to locate and exactly position existing photographs and historic photographs on sites such as Google Earth (PhotoOverlays are images that are directly embedded in the Google Earth's landscape). 42 photo sharing websites are listed currently on Wikipedia, with seven having Alexa rankings of less than 200, indicating the popularity of photo sharing and the vast nature of this resource. Preliminary results from the Huntington and the Duomo indicate that geolocated images are indeed a useful tool for aiding in understanding stone weathering patterns and changes over time. However, greater software support and new tools are needed to enable researchers to search, organize and analyze groups of photographs from a single geolocation. Such software would have obvious uses beyond the conservation

Significance of lower-pole pelvicaliceal anatomy on stone clearance after shockwave lithotripsy in nonobstructive isolated renal pelvic stones.

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Sozen, Sinan; Kupeli, Bora; Acar, Cenk; Gurocak, Serhat; Karaoglan, Ustunol; Bozkirli, Ibrahim

2008-05-01

To investigate the probable effect of lower-pole pelvicaliceal anatomy on stone clearance after shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) in patients with nonobstructive renal pelvic stones. The clinical records of patients with isolated renal pelvic stones who underwent SWL between 1996 and 2005 were reviewed. After excluding patients with obstruction leading to dilatation, major anatomic abnormalities, noncalcium stones, metabolic abnormalities, history of recurrent stone disease, multiple stones, and previous renal surgery, 153 patients were enrolled in the study. Lower pole infundibulopelvic angle (IPA) and infundibular length and width were measured from intravenous urography. Patients were classified into three groups according to stone burden (group 1, renal pelvis, and both in 50 (32.6%), 29 (18.9%), and 8 (5.2%) patients, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in pelvicaliceal anatomic features except narrower IPA (P=0.02) in group 1 patients with residual stones. The falling of stone fragments to the lower calix in spite of the ureter whether clinically significant or not after SWL of pelvic stones initially seems to be related to stone burden rather than lower caliceal anatomy. However, existence of a more narrow IPA in group 1 patients with residual fragments led us to believe that lower-pole IPA can play a role in stone clearance, especially for smaller stones, probably because of smaller residual fragment size or the more mobile nature of the primary stone.

Impacts of cold weather on all-cause and cause-specific mortality in Texas, 1990-2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Tsun-Hsuan; Li, Xiao; Zhao, Jing; Zhang, Kai

2017-06-01

Cold weather was estimated to account for more than half of weather-related deaths in the U.S. during 2006-2010. Studies have shown that cold-related excessive mortality is especially relevant with decreasing latitude or in regions with mild winter. However, only limited studies have been conducted in the southern U.S. The purpose of our study is to examine impacts of cold weather on mortality in 12 major Texas Metropolitan Areas (MSAs) for the 22-year period, 1990-2011. Our study used a two-stage approach to examine the cold-mortality association. We first applied distributed lag non-linear models (DLNM) to 12 major MSAs to estimate cold effects for each area. A random effects meta-analysis was then used to estimate pooled effects. Age-stratified and cause-specific mortalities were modeled separately for each MSA. Most of the MSAs were associated with an increased risk in mortality ranging from 0.1% to 5.0% with a 1 °C decrease in temperature below the cold thresholds. Higher increased mortality risks were generally observed in MSAs with higher average daily mean temperatures and lower latitudes. Pooled effect estimate was 1.58% (95% Confidence Interval (CI) [0.81, 2.37]) increase in all-cause mortality risk with a 1 °C decrease in temperature. Cold wave effects in Texas were also examined, and several MSAs along the Texas Gulf Coast showed statistically significant cold wave-mortality associations. Effects of cold on all-cause mortality were highest among people over 75 years old (1.86%, 95% CI [1.09, 2.63]). Pooled estimates for cause-specific mortality were strongest in myocardial infarction (4.30%, 95% CI [1.18, 7.51]), followed by respiratory diseases (3.17%, 95% CI [0.26, 6.17]) and ischemic heart diseases (2.54%, 95% CI [1.08, 4.02]). In conclusion, cold weather generally increases mortality risk significantly in Texas, and the cold effects vary with MSAs, age groups, and cause-specific deaths. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surface Temperature Variation Prediction Model Using Real-Time Weather Forecasts

Science.gov (United States)

Karimi, M.; Vant-Hull, B.; Nazari, R.; Khanbilvardi, R.

2015-12-01

Combination of climate change and urbanization are heating up cities and putting the lives of millions of people in danger. More than half of the world's total population resides in cities and urban centers. Cities are experiencing urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. Hotter days are associated with serious health impacts, heart attaches and respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Densely populated cities like Manhattan, New York can be affected by UHI impact much more than less populated cities. Even though many studies have been focused on the impact of UHI and temperature changes between urban and rural air temperature, not many look at the temperature variations within a city. These studies mostly use remote sensing data or typical measurements collected by local meteorological station networks. Local meteorological measurements only have local coverage and cannot be used to study the impact of UHI in a city and remote sensing data such as MODIS, LANDSAT and ASTER have with very low resolution which cannot be used for the purpose of this study. Therefore, predicting surface temperature in urban cities using weather data can be useful.Three months of Field campaign in Manhattan were used to measure spatial and temporal temperature variations within an urban setting by placing 10 fixed sensors deployed to measure temperature, relative humidity and sunlight. Fixed instrument shelters containing relative humidity, temperature and illumination sensors were mounted on lampposts in ten different locations in Manhattan (Vant-Hull et al, 2014). The shelters were fixed 3-4 meters above the ground for the period of three months from June 23 to September 20th of 2013 making measurements with the interval of 3 minutes. These high resolution temperature measurements and three months of weather data were used to predict temperature variability from weather forecasts. This study shows that the amplitude of spatial and temporal variation in temperature for each day can be predicted

Use of the probability of stone formation (PSF) score to assess stone forming risk and treatment response in a cohort of Brazilian stone formers

OpenAIRE

Turney, Benjamin; Robertson, William; Wiseman, Oliver; Amaro, Carmen Regina P. R.; Leitão, Victor A.; Silva, Isabela Leme da; Amaro, João Luiz

2014-01-01

Introduction: The aim was to confirm that PSF (probability of stone formation) changed appropriately following medical therapy on recurrent stone formers.Materials and Methods: Data were collected on 26 Brazilian stone-formers. A baseline 24-hour urine collection was performed prior to treatment. Details of the medical treatment initiated for stone-disease were recorded. A PSF calculation was performed on the 24 hour urine sample using the 7 urinary parameters required: voided volume, oxalate...

Effect of Tamsulosin on Stone Passage for Ureteral Stones: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ralph C; Smith-Bindman, Rebecca; Whitaker, Evans; Neilson, Jersey; Allen, Isabel Elaine; Stoller, Marshall L; Fahimi, Jahan

2017-03-01

Tamsulosin is recommended for patients receiving a diagnosis of a ureteral stone less than 10 mm who do not require immediate urologic intervention. Because of conflicting results from recent meta-analyses and large randomized controlled trials, the efficacy of tamsulosin is unclear. We perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the effect of tamsulosin on stone passage in patients receiving a diagnosis of ureteral stone. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL databases were searched without language restriction through November 2015 for studies assessing the efficacy of tamsulosin and using a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial design. Meta-analysis was conducted with a random-effects model and subgroup analyses were conducted to determine sources of heterogeneity. Eight randomized controlled trials (N=1,384) contained sufficient information for inclusion. The pooled risk of stone passage in the tamsulosin arm was 85% versus 66% in the placebo arm, but substantial heterogeneity existed across trials (I 2 =80.2%; Ptamsulosin (risk difference=22%; 95% confidence interval 12% to 33%; number needed to treat=5). The meta-analysis of the small stone subgroup (Tamsulosin significantly improves stone passage in patients with larger stones, whereas the effect of tamsulosin is diminished in those with smaller stones, who are likely to pass their stone regardless of treatment. Copyright © 2016 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stone tools from locality Crkvine in Stubline

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Antonović Dragana

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Stone artifacts from excavations in Crkvine in 2008. originate from two stratigraphic units, both chronologically defined as the final stage of the Vinča culture: 1. distruction layer above and 2. from the floor of House 1/2008. None of the stone artifact types showed any specific regularity in vertical distribution. However, in the southern part of the Structure/House 1 there is higher abundance in horizontal distribution of both types of tools. Abundance of cores, blades for rejuvenation of the cores and unretouched blades among the chipped artifacts suggest that, most probably, this object was a working place where the artifacts were made (Fig. 9/1. Ground stone artifacts - all rought-out and final products, whole and fragmented pieces, ground-edge and abrasive tools, are equally distributed in the House 1/2008 as well as in the distruction layer above it. Only non-determined fragments and pieces of raw material, both defined as products of making stone tools, are far more numerous in the distruction layer above the House 1/2008. Higher concentrations of finds are situated in the House 1/2008, especially in its southern part, on the floor and above it, while the number of finds out of the House significantly decreases (Fig. 9/2. Such distribution of ground stone artifacts indicates that the production of stone artifacts was done within the household (large number of flakes of „light white stone“, presence of grindstone and whetstone, as well as that there occurred active preparation of food within the Vinča’s objects (querns and pounders within the houses. Findings of numerous quartzite, chert and jasper pebbles out of the House 1/2008, 2 metres away from the northeastern angle of the House (pottery group 1, could not be connected with production of chipped and ground stone artifacts. There are no any traces of treatment and utilization on the pebbles, and the pebbles themselves do not belong to raw material of good quality due to

Development of an instrument to assess the health related quality of life of kidney stone formers.

Science.gov (United States)

Penniston, Kristina L; Nakada, Stephen Y

2013-03-01

Urolithiasis is associated with pain and other decreases in health related quality of life, yet there is no urolithiasis specific instrument to measure quality of life. Quality of life is an important end point in the management of urolithiasis. Therefore, we developed the Wisconsin StoneQOL, a disease specific instrument to assess the quality of life of patients with urolithiasis. Patients and urology providers identified important concepts related to quality of life of stone formers in groups and in individual cognitive interviews. Patients were recurrent stone formers including those with and those without current stones. A preliminary instrument was created, followed by patient feedback and item reduction. A 28-question instrument was ultimately developed which was tested for reliability as well as internal face, construct and discriminant validity in 248 stone formers. The internal consistency (for questions within domains) was high (mean Cronbach's α = 0.81). Correlation between domains was confirmed (Cronbach's α = 0.86). Discriminant validity was shown as stone formers with current stones scored lower than those who were stone-free. Among patients with active stones, those with symptoms scored lower on most questions and for the total score (p instrument that captures the unique symptoms and challenges associated with urolithiasis. As such, the Wisconsin StoneQOL is capable of assessing the health related quality of life of stone formers at various points along the disease continuum. Future assessment will establish minimal clinically important differences for use in individual patients. Copyright © 2013 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Endoscopic Stone Measurement During Ureteroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Ludwig, Wesley W; Lim, Sunghwan; Stoianovici, Dan; Matlaga, Brian R

2018-01-01

Currently, stone size cannot be accurately measured while performing flexible ureteroscopy (URS). We developed novel software for ureteroscopic, stone size measurement, and then evaluated its performance. A novel application capable of measuring stone fragment size, based on the known distance of the basket tip in the ureteroscope's visual field, was designed and calibrated in a laboratory setting. Complete URS procedures were recorded and 30 stone fragments were extracted and measured using digital calipers. The novel software program was applied to the recorded URS footage to obtain ureteroscope-derived stone size measurements. These ureteroscope-derived measurements were then compared with the actual-measured fragment size. The median longitudinal and transversal errors were 0.14 mm (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.1, 0.18) and 0.09 mm (95% CI 0.02, 0.15), respectively. The overall software accuracy and precision were 0.17 and 0.15 mm, respectively. The longitudinal and transversal measurements obtained by the software and digital calipers were highly correlated (r = 0.97 and 0.93). Neither stone size nor stone type was correlated with error measurements. This novel method and software reliably measured stone fragment size during URS. The software ultimately has the potential to make URS safer and more efficient.

Extended Leach Testing of Simulated LAW Cast Stone Monoliths

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Serne, R. Jeffrey [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Westsik, Joseph H. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Williams, Benjamin D. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Jung, H. B. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Wang, Guohui [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2015-07-09

This report describes the results from long-term laboratory leach tests performed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) to evaluate the release of key constituents from monoliths of Cast Stone prepared with four simulated low-activity waste (LAW) liquid waste streams. Specific objectives of the Cast Stone long-term leach tests described in this report focused on four activities: 1. Extending the leaching times for selected ongoing EPA-1315 tests on monoliths made with LAW simulants beyond the conventional 63-day time period up to 609 days reported herein (with some tests continuing that will be documented later) in an effort to evaluate long-term leaching properties of Cast Stone to support future performance assessment activities. 2. Starting new EPA-1315 leach tests on archived Cast Stone monoliths made with four LAW simulants using two leachants (deionized water [DIW] and simulated Hanford Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF) Site vadose zone pore water [VZP]). 3. Evaluating the impacts of varying the iodide loading (starting iodide concentrations) in one LAW simulant (7.8 M Na Hanford Tank Waste Operations Simulator (HTWOS) Average) by manufacturing new Cast Stone monoliths and repeating the EPA-1315 leach tests using DIW and the VZP leachants. 4. Evaluating the impacts of using a non-pertechnetate form of Tc that is present in some Hanford tanks. In this activity one LAW simulant (7.8 M Na HTWOS Average) was spiked with a Tc(I)-tricarbonyl gluconate species and then solidified into Cast Stone monoliths. Cured monoliths were leached using the EPA-1315 leach protocol with DIW and VZP. The leach results for the Tc-Gluconate Cast Stone monoliths were compared to Cast Stone monoliths pertechnetate.

Simplified methods for the evaluation of the risk of forming renal stones and the follow-up of stone-forming propensity during the preventive treatment of stone-formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Grases, Fèlix; Costa-Bauzá, Antonia

2016-02-01

Renal lithiasis is a complex multifactorial disease in which recurrence is common. Thus, simple and reliable procedures are needed to evaluate patients with previous kidney stones to determine the risk of recurrence. In this paper we review simple biochemical procedures that can be used to determine the risk for renal stone formation when the stone is available or unavailable for analysis. Our present knowledge of renal lithiasis indicates that renal stones form due to several well-defined factors. Analysis of the renal stone itself can provide important information about clinical factors that require further investigation. When the stone is unavailable, it is necessary to perform a general evaluation of main urinary risk factors associated to renal stone formation, but this study should be complemented considering information related to direct familial antecedents, recidivant degree, radiological images, medical history, and life style habits. Finally, tools for patient follow-up of stone-forming propensity during the preventive treatment are discussed .

Municipalities' Preparedness for Weather Hazards and Response to Weather Warnings.

Science.gov (United States)

Mehiriz, Kaddour; Gosselin, Pierre

2016-01-01

The study of the management of weather-related disaster risks by municipalities has attracted little attention even though these organizations play a key role in protecting the population from extreme meteorological conditions. This article contributes to filling this gap with new evidence on the level and determinants of Quebec municipalities' preparedness for weather hazards and response to related weather warnings. Using survey data from municipal emergency management coordinators and secondary data on the financial and demographic characteristics of municipalities, the study shows that most Quebec municipalities are sufficiently prepared for weather hazards and undertake measures to protect the population when informed of imminent extreme weather events. Significant differences between municipalities were noted though. Specifically, the level of preparedness was positively correlated with the municipalities' capacity and population support for weather-related disaster management policies. In addition, the risk of weather-related disasters increases the preparedness level through its effect on population support. We also found that the response to weather warnings depended on the risk of weather-related disasters, the preparedness level and the quality of weather warnings. These results highlight areas for improvement in the context of increasing frequency and/or severity of such events with current climate change.

The influence of water on the strength of Neapolitan Yellow Tuff, the most widely used building stone in Naples (Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Heap, Michael J.; Farquharson, Jamie I.; Kushnir, Alexandra R. L.; Lavallée, Yan; Baud, Patrick; Gilg, H. Albert; Reuschlé, Thierry

2018-06-01

Neapolitan Yellow Tuff (NYT) has been used in construction in Naples (Italy) since the Greeks founded the city—then called Neapolis—in the sixth century BCE. We investigate here whether this popular building stone is weaker when saturated with water, an issue important for assessments of weathering damage and monument preservation. To this end, we performed 28 uniaxial compressive strength measurements on dry and water-saturated samples cored from a block of the lithified Upper Member of the NYT. Our experiments show that the strength of the zeolite-rich NYT is systematically reduced when saturated with water (the ratio of wet to dry strength is 0.63). Complementary experiments show that two other common Neapolitan building stones—Piperno Tuff and the grey Campanian Ignimbrite (both facies of the Campanian Ignimbrite deposit devoid of zeolites)—do not weaken when wet. From these data, and previously published data for tuffs around the globe, we conclude that the water-weakening in NYT is a consequence of the presence of abundant zeolites (the block tested herein contains 46 wt.% of zeolites). These data may help explain weathering damage in NYT building stones (due to rainfall, rising damp, and proximity to the sea or water table) and the observed link between rainfall and landslides, rock falls, and sinkhole formation in Naples, and the weathering of other buildings built from zeolite-rich tuffs worldwide.

Incorporating residual temperature and specific humidity in predicting weather-dependent warm-season electricity consumption

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Huade; Beecham, Simon; Xu, Hanqiu; Ingleton, Greg

2017-02-01

Climate warming and increasing variability challenges the electricity supply in warm seasons. A good quantitative representation of the relationship between warm-season electricity consumption and weather condition provides necessary information for long-term electricity planning and short-term electricity management. In this study, an extended version of cooling degree days (ECDD) is proposed for better characterisation of this relationship. The ECDD includes temperature, residual temperature and specific humidity effects. The residual temperature is introduced for the first time to reflect the building thermal inertia effect on electricity consumption. The study is based on the electricity consumption data of four multiple-street city blocks and three office buildings. It is found that the residual temperature effect is about 20% of the current-day temperature effect at the block scale, and increases with a large variation at the building scale. Investigation of this residual temperature effect provides insight to the influence of building designs and structures on electricity consumption. The specific humidity effect appears to be more important at the building scale than at the block scale. A building with high energy performance does not necessarily have low specific humidity dependence. The new ECDD better reflects the weather dependence of electricity consumption than the conventional CDD method.

Biotite weathering in a natural forest setting near Derome, Sweden

Science.gov (United States)

Balogh-Brunstad, Z.; Negrich, K.; Hassenkam, T.; Wallander, H.; Stipp, S. L.

2011-12-01

Chemical weathering is a key process in non-nitrogen nutrient acquisition by microbes, fungi and plants. Biotite is commonly the major source of potassium, magnesium and iron. A unique opportunity arose to study natural weathering of biotite by mixed conifer and hardwood forest vegetation and associated microbes and fungi at an abandoned mine site. After the mining stopped over 30 years ago biotite was left behind in piles and the forest vegetation progressively colonized the site. Samples were collected from the top 40 cm of the biotite piles in a vicinity of pine, spruce and birch trees and included some young seedlings. Macroscopic observations documented abundant hyphal growth between the sheets of biotite. We hypothesized that fungal hyphae grow between the sheets to explore the nutrient source and weather the biotite leaving hyphal-sized etched channels on the basal surfaces. Biotite surfaces were examined with atomic force microscopy (AFM) and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) in their natural state and after removing the biological material from the mineral surfaces. The ESEM images show extensive hyphal colonization and patchy biofilm cover of the entire biotite surface on and within the sheets and at the edges of the particles. Fungal hyphae did not attach strongly to the basal surfaces of the biotite flakes as a result of small particles on the surfaces and the uneven micro-topography. The AFM images illustrate a complex microbial community around the fungal hyphae and detailed fungal morphology. High resolution AFM images show unique globular features of diameter 10-100 nm on all biofilm surfaces. However, removal of the biological material resulted in smooth and un-etched surfaces indicating that either our removal techniques are too invasive and destroy the surface layers of interest, or the etching of the basal surface is not the main mechanism for chemical weathering and base-cation nutrient immobilization in this natural setting

NATURAL ANTIBIOFOULING AGENTS AS NEW CONTROL METHOD FOR PHOTOTROPHIC BIOFILMS DWELLING ON MONUMENTAL STONE SURFACES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oana-Adriana CUZMAN

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Five natural antibiofoulants with terrestrial (capsaicine - CS, cinnamaldehyde - CI and marine origin (zosteric acid - ZA, poly-alkylpyridinium salts - pAPS and Ceramium botryocarpum extract - CBE have been selected and tested against phototrophic biofilm formation on the stone surfaces for their inhibitory properties. The antibiofouling agents (ABAs were incorporated into two commercial silicone based coatings (Silres BS OH 100 - S and Silres BS 290 - W. In this work, phototrophic growth was evaluated by epifluorescence microscopy and semi-quantitative image analysis. The results showed an inhibitory efficiency for almost all tested ABAs. However, this efficiency has been found for short time or when the incorporating agent were incompletely cured. Among the ABAs tested, the poly-alkylpyridinium salts and cinnamaldehyde incorporated into Silres BS 290 showed the best inhibitory efficiency.

AWE: Aviation Weather Data Visualization Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Spirkovska, Lilly; Lodha, Suresh K.; Norvig, Peter (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Weather is one of the major causes of aviation accidents. General aviation (GA) flights account for 92% of all the aviation accidents, In spite of all the official and unofficial sources of weather visualization tools available to pilots, there is an urgent need for visualizing several weather related data tailored for general aviation pilots. Our system, Aviation Weather Data Visualization Environment AWE), presents graphical displays of meteorological observations, terminal area forecasts, and winds aloft forecasts onto a cartographic grid specific to the pilot's area of interest. Decisions regarding the graphical display and design are made based on careful consideration of user needs. Integral visual display of these elements of weather reports is designed for the use of GA pilots as a weather briefing and route selection tool. AWE provides linking of the weather information to the flight's path and schedule. The pilot can interact with the system to obtain aviation-specific weather for the entire area or for his specific route to explore what-if scenarios and make "go/no-go" decisions. The system, as evaluated by some pilots at NASA Ames Research Center, was found to be useful.

In vitro dissolution of calcium oxalate stones with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and snake venom thrombin-like enzyme.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Xiang-Jun; Zhang, Jie; Zhang, Ci; Xu, Chang-Geng

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of using snake venom thrombin-like enzyme (SVTLE) and/or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) to dissolve calcium oxalate stones in vitro. Seven calcium oxalate stones were incubated with various chemolytic agents [EDTA, Tris-HCl/EDTA (TE) buffer or SVTLE diluted in TE buffer]. The pH, calcium concentration, stone weight and stone surface integrity were recorded, as well as related pathological changes to bladder mucosae. Compared to all other solutions, those containing SVTLE and buffered EDTA had higher concentrations of mobilized calcium and caused significantly more stone weight loss, stone fragility and gaps in the calcium crystals. Also, there were no adverse pathological effects on rabbit bladder mucosae from any of the solutions. The data indicate that buffered EDTA and SVTLE can be used to dissolve calcium oxalate stones and, at the concentrations used here, do not damage tissue. 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Tailoring the surface properties of polypropylene films through cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) assisted polymerization and immobilization of biomolecules for enhancement of anti-coagulation activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Navaneetha Pandiyaraj, K.; Ram Kumar, M.C.; Arun Kumar, A.; Padmanabhan, P.V.A.; Deshmukh, R.R.; Bah, M.; Ismat Shah, S.; Su, Pi-Guey; Halleluyah, M.; Halim, A.S.

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Developed low cost cold atmospheric plasma reactor for plasma polymerization technique. • Surface of the PP film was modified by grafting of AAc and PEG by CAPP polymerization. • Biomolecules of chitosan, insulin and heparin were immobilized on surface of PEG-AAc grafted PP films. • The surface modified PP films were characterized by various techniques. • The plasma polymerized and immobilized film reveals substantial blood compatibility. - Abstract: Enhancement of anti-thrombogenic properties of polypropylene (PP) to avert the adsorption of plasma proteins (fibrinogen and albumin), adhesion and activation of the platelets are very important for vast biomedical applications. The cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) assisted polymerization has potential to create the specific functional groups such as O−C=O, C=O, C−N and S−S. on the surface of polymeric films using selective precursor in vapour phase to enhance anti-thrombogenic properties. Such functionalized polymeric surfaces would be suitable for various biomedical applications especially to improve the blood compatibility. The eventual aspiration of the present investigation is to develop the biofunctional coating onto the surface of PP films using acrylic acid (AAc) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a precursor in a vapour phase by incorporating specific functional groups for immobilization of biomolecules such as heparin (HEP), chitosan (CHI) and insulin (INS) on the surface of plasma modified PP films. The surface properties such as hydrophilicity, chemical composition, surface topography of the surface modified PP films were analyzed by contact angle (CA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Furthermore the anti-thrombogenic properties of the surface modified PP films were studied by in vitro tests which include platelet adhesion and protein adsorption analysis. It was

Tailoring the surface properties of polypropylene films through cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) assisted polymerization and immobilization of biomolecules for enhancement of anti-coagulation activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Navaneetha Pandiyaraj, K., E-mail: dr.knpr@gmail.com [Surface Engineering Laboratory, Department of Physics, Sri Shakthi Institute of Engineering and Technology, L& T By Pass, Chinniyam Palayam (Post), Coimbatore 641062 (India); Ram Kumar, M.C.; Arun Kumar, A. [Surface Engineering Laboratory, Department of Physics, Sri Shakthi Institute of Engineering and Technology, L& T By Pass, Chinniyam Palayam (Post), Coimbatore 641062 (India); Padmanabhan, P.V.A. [PSN College of Engineering and Technology, Tirunelveli 627 152 (India); Deshmukh, R.R. [Department of Physics, Institute of Chemical Technology, Matunga, Mumbai 400 019 (India); Bah, M.; Ismat Shah, S. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, 208 Dupont Hall, Newark (United States); Su, Pi-Guey [Department of Chemistry, Chinese Culture University, Taipei 111, Taiwan (China); Halleluyah, M.; Halim, A.S. [School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan (Malaysia)

2016-05-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Developed low cost cold atmospheric plasma reactor for plasma polymerization technique. • Surface of the PP film was modified by grafting of AAc and PEG by CAPP polymerization. • Biomolecules of chitosan, insulin and heparin were immobilized on surface of PEG-AAc grafted PP films. • The surface modified PP films were characterized by various techniques. • The plasma polymerized and immobilized film reveals substantial blood compatibility. - Abstract: Enhancement of anti-thrombogenic properties of polypropylene (PP) to avert the adsorption of plasma proteins (fibrinogen and albumin), adhesion and activation of the platelets are very important for vast biomedical applications. The cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) assisted polymerization has potential to create the specific functional groups such as O−C=O, C=O, C−N and S−S. on the surface of polymeric films using selective precursor in vapour phase to enhance anti-thrombogenic properties. Such functionalized polymeric surfaces would be suitable for various biomedical applications especially to improve the blood compatibility. The eventual aspiration of the present investigation is to develop the biofunctional coating onto the surface of PP films using acrylic acid (AAc) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a precursor in a vapour phase by incorporating specific functional groups for immobilization of biomolecules such as heparin (HEP), chitosan (CHI) and insulin (INS) on the surface of plasma modified PP films. The surface properties such as hydrophilicity, chemical composition, surface topography of the surface modified PP films were analyzed by contact angle (CA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Furthermore the anti-thrombogenic properties of the surface modified PP films were studied by in vitro tests which include platelet adhesion and protein adsorption analysis. It was

Histopathology Predicts the Mechanism of Stone Formation

Science.gov (United States)

Evan, Andrew P.

2007-04-01

About 5% of American women and 12% of men will develop a kidney stone at some time in their life and these numbers appear to be on the rise. Despite years of scientific research into the mechanisms of stone formation and growth, limited advances have been made until recently. Randall's original observations and thoughts on the mechanisms for kidney stone formation have been validated for idiopathic calcium oxalate stone formers (ICSF) but not for most other stone forming groups. Our current studies on selected groups of human stone formers using intraoperative papillary biopsies has shown overwhelming evidence for the presence of Randall's plaque in ICSF and that stone formation and growth are exclusively linked to its availability to urinary ions and proteins. Intense investigation of the plaque-stone junction is needed if we are to understand the factors leading to the overgrowth process on exposed regions of plaque. Such information should allow the development of treatment strategies to block stone formation in ICSF patients. Patients who form brushite stones, or who form apatite stones because of distal renal tubular acidosis (dRTA), or patients with calcium oxalate stones due to obesity bypass procedures, or patients with cystinuria, get plugged inner medullary collecting ducts (IMCD) which leads to total destruction of the lining cells and focal sites of interstitial fibrosis. These stone formers have plaque but at levels equal to or below non-stone formers, which would suggest that they form stones by a different mechanism than do ICSF patients.

Surface Charge-Transfer Doping of Graphene Nanoflakes Containing Double-Vacancy (5-8-5) and Stone-Wales (55-77) Defects through Molecular Adsorption.

Science.gov (United States)

Shakourian-Fard, Mehdi; Jamshidi, Zahra; Kamath, Ganesh

2016-10-18

The adsorption of six electron donor-acceptor (D/A) organic molecules on various sizes of graphene nanoflakes (GNFs) containing two common defects, double-vacancy (5-8-5) and Stone-Wales (55-77), are investigated by means of ab initio DFT [M06-2X(-D3)/cc-pVDZ]. Different D/A molecules adsorb on a defect graphene (DG) surface with binding energies (ΔE b ) of about -12 to -28 kcal mol -1 . The ΔE b values for adsorption of molecules on the Stone-Wales GNF surface are higher than those on the double vacancy GNF surface. Moreover, binding energies increase by about 10 % with an increase in surface size. The nature of cooperative weak interactions is analyzed based on quantum theory of atoms in molecules, noncovalent interactions plot, and natural bond order analyses, and the dominant interaction is compared for different molecules. Electron density population analysis is used to explain the n- and p-type character of defect graphene nanoflakes (DGNFs) and also the change in electronic properties and reactivity parameters of DGNFs upon adsorption of different molecules and with increasing DGNF size. Results indicate that the HOMO-LUMO energy gap (E g ) of DGNFs decreases upon adsorption of molecules. However, by increasing the size of DGNFs, the E g and chemical hardness of all complexes decrease and the electrophilicity index increases. Furthermore, the values of the chemical potential of acceptor-DGNF complexes decrease with increasing size, whereas those of donor-DGNF complexes increase. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Space weathering and the color indexes of minor bodies in the outer Solar System

Science.gov (United States)

Kaňuchová, Zuzana; Brunetto, Rosario; Melita, Mario; Strazzulla, Giovanni

2012-09-01

The surfaces of small bodies in the outer Solar System are rich in organic compounds and carbonaceous refractories mixed with ices and silicates. As made clear by dedicated laboratory experiments space weathering (e.g. energetic ion bombardment) can produce red colored materials starting from bright and spectrally flat ices. In a classical scenario, the space weathering processes “nurture” alter the small bodies surface spectra but are in competition with resurfacing agents that restore the original colors, and the result of these competing processes continuously modifying the surfaces is supposed to be responsible for the observed spectral variety of those small bodies. However an alternative point of view is that the different colors are due to “nature” i.e. to the different primordial composition of different objects. In this paper we present a model, based on laboratory results, that gives an original contribution to the “nature” vs. “nurture” debate by addressing the case of surfaces showing different fractions of rejuvenated vs. space weathered surface, and calculating the corresponding color variations. We will show how a combination of increasing dose coupled to different resurfacing can reproduce the whole range of observations of small outer Solar System bodies. Here we demonstrate, for the first time that objects having a fully weathered material turn back in the color-color diagrams. At the same time, object with the different ratio of pristine and weathered surface areas lay on specific lines in color-color diagrams, if exposed to the same amount of irradiation.

Obesometric factors associated with increased skin-to-stone distances in renal stone patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Allard, Christopher B; Shuster, Anatoly; Pinthus, Jehonathan H; Farrokhyar, Forough; Raees, A; Patlas, Michael; Matsumoto, Edward D; Whelan, J Paul

2012-12-01

Obese patients are at increased risk for renal stones as well as treatment failures due to increased skin-to-stone distances (SSD) and harder stone compositions. We investigated the relationships between obesometric parameters (body mass index [BMI], body fat distribution and obesity-related hormone levels) with SSD and stone hardness. We prospectively enrolled patients undergoing stone interventions at our institution. Computed tomography (CT) scans were analyzed; adipose tissue was identified according to Hounsfield units (HU) and separated into subcutaneous (SAT) and visceral (VAT) components. The pixels were averaged at three levels to calculate fat distribution: %VAT = (VAT)/(VAT + SAT). SSD was measured and HU were used as a surrogate for stone hardness. Obesity-related hormones leptin and adiponectin were measured by ELISA. Seventy-nine patients were prospectively enrolled. Mean BMI and %VAT were 30.02 kg/m2 and 40.13 kg/m2. Mean leptin and adiponectin levels were 17.5 ng/mL and 7.67 mcg/mL indicating high risk for metabolic consequences of obesity. Females had greater proportions of subcutaneous fat than males (%VAT 28.4 versus 46.94, p r = 0.454, p = 0.008). Obese patients with %VAT > 40 versus stone compositions as measured by HU than non-diabetics (982.86 versus 648.86, p = 0.001). Obesometric parameters such as BMI, body fat distribution, and the presence of diabetes mellitus are important considerations in the management of renal stone disease. A large proportion of subcutaneous fat, which can be estimated by physical examination, predicts SSD among obese patients and may aid treatment decisions in patients, particularly those without pre-treatment CT scans. Further studies are needed to refine the role of obesometrics in personalizing treatment decisions.

Using Weather Types to Understand and Communicate Weather and Climate Impacts

Science.gov (United States)

Prein, A. F.; Hale, B.; Holland, G. J.; Bruyere, C. L.; Done, J.; Mearns, L.

2017-12-01

A common challenge in atmospheric research is the translation of scientific advancements and breakthroughs to decision relevant and actionable information. This challenge is central to the mission of NCAR's Capacity Center for Climate and Weather Extremes (C3WE, www.c3we.ucar.edu). C3WE advances our understanding of weather and climate impacts and integrates these advances with distributed information technology to create tools that promote a global culture of resilience to weather and climate extremes. Here we will present an interactive web-based tool that connects historic U.S. losses and fatalities from extreme weather and climate events to 12 large-scale weather types. Weather types are dominant weather situations such as winter high-pressure systems over the U.S. leading to very cold temperatures or summertime moist humid air masses over the central U.S. leading to severe thunderstorms. Each weather type has a specific fingerprint of economic losses and fatalities in a region that is quantified. Therefore, weather types enable a direct connection of observed or forecasted weather situation to loss of life and property. The presented tool allows the user to explore these connections, raise awareness of existing vulnerabilities, and build resilience to weather and climate extremes.

Robust Anti-Icing Performance of a Flexible Superhydrophobic Surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lei; Gong, Qihua; Zhan, Shihui; Jiang, Lei; Zheng, Yongmei

2016-09-01

A material with superhydrophobic and anti-ice/de-icing properties, which has a micro-/nanostructured surface, is produced by a straightforward method. This material comprises a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microstructure with ZnO nanohairs and shows excellent water and ice repellency even at low temperatures (-20 °C) and relatively high humidity (90%) for over three months. These results are expected to be helpful for designing smart, non-wetting materials that can be adapted to low-temperature environments for the development of anti-icing systems. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Can stone density on plain radiography predict the outcome of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy for ureteral stones?

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Ki Hong; Jung, Jin-Hee; Kwon, Jae Hyun; Lee, Yong Seok; Bae, Jungbum; Cho, Min Chul; Lee, Kwang Soo

2015-01-01

Purpose The objective was to determine whether stone density on plain radiography (kidney-ureter-bladder, KUB) could predict the outcome of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) for ureteral stones. Materials and Methods A total of 223 patients treated by ESWL for radio-opaque ureteral stones of 5 to 20 mm were included in this retrospective study. All patients underwent routine blood and urine analyses, plain radiography (KUB), and noncontrast computed tomography (NCCT) before ESWL. Demographic, stone, and radiological characteristics on KUB and NCCT were analyzed. The patients were categorized into two groups: lower-density (LD) group (radiodensity less than or equal to that of the 12th rib, n=163) and higher-density (HD) group (radiodensity greater than that of the 12th rib, n=60). Stone-free status was assessed by KUB every week after ESWL. A successful outcome was defined as stone free within 1 month after ESWL. Results Mean stone size in the LD group was significantly smaller than that in the HD group (7.5±1.4 mm compared with 9.9±2.9 mm, p=0.002). The overall success rates in the LD and HD groups were 82.1% and 60.0%, respectively (p=0.007). The mean duration of stone-free status and average number of SWL sessions required for success in the two groups were 21.7 compared with 39.2 days and 1.8 compared with 2.3, respectively (pESWL since colic and radiodensity of the stone on KUB were independent predictors of successful ESWL. Conclusions Our data suggest that larger stone size, longer time to ESWL, and ureteral stones with a radiodensity greater than that of the 12th rib may be at a relatively higher risk of ESWL failure 1 month after the procedure. PMID:25598937

Integrating weather and geotechnical monitoring data for assessing the stability of large scale surface mining operations

Science.gov (United States)

Steiakakis, Chrysanthos; Agioutantis, Zacharias; Apostolou, Evangelia; Papavgeri, Georgia; Tripolitsiotis, Achilles

2016-01-01

The geotechnical challenges for safe slope design in large scale surface mining operations are enormous. Sometimes one degree of slope inclination can significantly reduce the overburden to ore ratio and therefore dramatically improve the economics of the operation, while large scale slope failures may have a significant impact on human lives. Furthermore, adverse weather conditions, such as high precipitation rates, may unfavorably affect the already delicate balance between operations and safety. Geotechnical, weather and production parameters should be systematically monitored and evaluated in order to safely operate such pits. Appropriate data management, processing and storage are critical to ensure timely and informed decisions. This paper presents an integrated data management system which was developed over a number of years as well as the advantages through a specific application. The presented case study illustrates how the high production slopes of a mine that exceed depths of 100-120 m were successfully mined with an average displacement rate of 10- 20 mm/day, approaching an almost slow to moderate landslide velocity. Monitoring data of the past four years are included in the database and can be analyzed to produce valuable results. Time-series data correlations of movements, precipitation records, etc. are evaluated and presented in this case study. The results can be used to successfully manage mine operations and ensure the safety of the mine and the workforce.

Management of Asymptomatic Renal Stones in Astronauts

Science.gov (United States)

Reyes, David; Locke, James

2016-01-01

Introduction: Management guidelines were created to screen and manage asymptomatic renal stones in U.S. astronauts. The risks for renal stone formation in astronauts due to bone loss and hypercalcuria are unknown. Astronauts have a stone risk which is about the same as commercial aviation pilots, which is about half that of the general population. However, proper management of this condition is still crucial to mitigate health and mission risks in the spaceflight environment. Methods: An extensive review of the literature and current aeromedical standards for the monitoring and management of renal stones was done. The NASA Flight Medicine Clinic's electronic medical record and Longitudinal Survey of Astronaut Health were also reviewed. Using this work, a screening and management algorithm was created that takes into consideration the unique operational environment of spaceflight. Results: Renal stone screening and management guidelines for astronauts were created based on accepted standards of care, with consideration to the environment of spaceflight. In the proposed algorithm, all astronauts will receive a yearly screening ultrasound for renal calcifications, or mineralized renal material (MRM). Any areas of MRM, 3 millimeters or larger, are considered a positive finding. Three millimeters approaches the detection limit of standard ultrasound, and several studies have shown that any stone that is 3 millimeters or less has an approximately 95 percent chance of spontaneous passage. For mission-assigned astronauts, any positive ultrasound study is followed by low-dose renal computed tomography (CT) scan, and flexible ureteroscopy if CT is positive. Other specific guidelines were also created. Discussion: The term "MRM" is used to account for small areas of calcification that may be outside the renal collecting system, and allows objectivity without otherwise constraining the diagnostic and treatment process for potentially very small calcifications of uncertain

Trends in urological stone disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Turney, Benjamin W; Reynard, John M; Noble, Jeremy G; Keoghane, Stephen R

2012-04-01

To summarize the changes in prevalence and treatment of upper urinary tract stone disease in the UK over the last 10 years. Data from the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) website (http://www.hesonline.nhs.uk) were extracted, summarized and presented. The number of upper urinary tract stone hospital episodes increased by 63% to 83,050 in the 10-year period. The use of shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) for treating all upper tract stones increased from 14,491 cases in 2000-2001 to 22,402 cases in 2010 (a 55% increase) with a 69% increase in lithotripsy for renal stones. There was a 127% increase in the number of ureteroscopic stone treatments from 6,283 to 14,242 cases over the 10-year period with a 49% increase from 2007/2008 to 2009/2010. There was a decline in open surgery for upper tract stones from 278 cases in 2000/2001 to 47 cases in 2009/2010 (an 83% reduction). Treatment for stone disease has increased substantially in comparison with other urological activity. In 2009/2010, SWL was performed almost as frequently as transurethral resection of the prostate or transurethral resection of bladder tumour, ureteroscopy for stones was performed more frequently than nephrectomy, radical prostatectomy and cystectomy combined, and percutaneous nephrolithotomy was performed more frequently than cystectomy. The present study highlights the increase in prevalence and treatment of stone disease in the UK over the last 10 years. If this trend continues it has important implications for workforce planning, training, service delivery and research in the field of urolithiasis. © 2011 THE AUTHORS. BJU INTERNATIONAL © 2011 BJU INTERNATIONAL.

Size matters. The width and location of a ureteral stone accurately predict the chance of spontaneous passage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jendeberg, Johan; Geijer, Haakan; Alshamari, Muhammed; Liden, Mats [Oerebro University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Oerebro (Sweden); Cierzniak, Bartosz [Oerebro University, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Oerebro (Sweden)

2017-11-15

To determine how to most accurately predict the chance of spontaneous passage of a ureteral stone using information in the diagnostic non-enhanced computed tomography (NECT) and to create predictive models with smaller stone size intervals than previously possible. Retrospectively 392 consecutive patients with ureteric stone on NECT were included. Three radiologists independently measured the stone size. Stone location, side, hydronephrosis, CRP, medical expulsion therapy (MET) and all follow-up radiology until stone expulsion or 26 weeks were recorded. Logistic regressions were performed with spontaneous stone passage in 4 weeks and 20 weeks as the dependent variable. The spontaneous passage rate in 20 weeks was 312 out of 392 stones, 98% in 0-2 mm, 98% in 3 mm, 81% in 4 mm, 65% in 5 mm, 33% in 6 mm and 9% in ≥6.5 mm wide stones. The stone size and location predicted spontaneous ureteric stone passage. The side and the grade of hydronephrosis only predicted stone passage in specific subgroups. Spontaneous passage of a ureteral stone can be predicted with high accuracy with the information available in the NECT. We present a prediction method based on stone size and location. (orig.)

Surface and anti-fouling properties of a polyampholyte hydrogel grafted onto a polyethersulfone membrane.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wei; Yang, Zhe; Kaufman, Yair; Bernstein, Roy

2018-05-01

Zwitterion polymers have anti-fouling properties; therefore, grafting new zwitterions to surfaces, particularly as hydrogels, is one of the leading research directions for preventing fouling. Specifically, polyampholytes, polymers of random mixed charged subunits with a net-electric charge, offer a synthetically easy alternative for studying new zwitterions with a broad spectrum of charged moieties. Here, a novel polyampholyte hydrogel was grafted onto the surface of polyethersulfone membrane by copolymerizing a mixture of vinylsulfonic acid (VSA) and [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride (METMAC) as the negatively and positively charged monomers, respectively, using various monomer ratios in the polymerization solution, and with N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide as the crosslinker. The physicochemical, morphological and anti-fouling properties of the modified membranes were systematically investigated. Hydrophilic hydrogels were successfully grafted using monomers at different molar ratios. A thin-film zwitterion hydrogel (∼90 nm) was achieved at a 3:1 [VSA:METMAC] molar ratio in the polymerization solution. Among all examined membranes, the zwitterion polyampholyte-modified membrane demonstrated the lowest adsorption of proteins, humic acid, and sodium alginate. It also had low fouling and high flux recovery following filtration with a protein or with an extracellular polymeric substance solution. These findings suggest that this polyampholyte hydrogel is applicable as a low fouling surface coating. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Enhanced detection sensitivity of prostate-specific antigen via PSA-conjugated gold nanoparticles based on localized surface plasmon resonance: GNP-coated anti-PSA/LSPR as a novel approach for the identification of prostate anomalies.

Science.gov (United States)

Jazayeri, M H; Amani, H; Pourfatollah, A A; Avan, A; Ferns, G A; Pazoki-Toroudi, H

2016-10-01

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is used to screen for prostate disease, although it has several limitations in its application as an organ-specific or cancer-specific marker. Furthermore, a highly specific/sensitive and/or label-free identification of PSA still remains a challenge in the diagnosis of prostate anomalies. We aimed to develop a gold nanoparticle (GNP)-conjugated anti-PSA antibody-based localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) as a novel approach to detect prostatic disease. A total of 25 nm colloidal gold particles were prepared followed by conjugation with anti-PSA pAb (GNPs-PSA pAb). LSPR was used to monitor the absorption changes of the aggregation of the particles. The size, shape and stability of the GNP-anti-PSA were evaluated by dynamic light scattering transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and zetasizer. The GNPs-conjugated PSA-pAb was successfully synthesized and subsequently characterized using ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy and TEM to determine the size distribution, crystallinity and stability of the particles (for example, stability of GNP: 443 mV). To increase the stability of the particles, we pegylated GNPs using an N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N*-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC)/N-hydroxylsuccinimide (NHS) linker (for example, stability of GNP after pegylation: 272 mV). We found a significant increase in the absorbance and intensity of the particles with extinction peak at 545/2 nm, which was shifted by ~1 nm after conjugation. To illustrate the potential of the GNPs-PSA pAb to bind specifically to PSA, LSPR was used. We found that the extinction peak shifted 3 nm for a solution of 100 nM unlabeled antigen. In summary, we have established a novel approach for improving the efficacy/sensitivity of PSA in the assessment of prostate disease, supporting further investigation on the diagnostic value of GNP-conjugated anti-PSA/LSPR for the detection of prostate cancer.

Replacement of natural stone in conservation of historic buildings, Evaluation of replacement of natural stone at the church of Our Lady in Breda

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Quist, W.J.

2009-01-01

In this paper the decision process and the choice for specific types of natural stone for conservation purposes are investigated. Two successive 20th century conservation campaigns at the church of Our Lady in Breda are analyzed. It was specifically investigated in how far the architects involved

A small stone column of the altar screen from the treasures of St Archangel Michael's monastery in Prevlaka

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Crnčević Dejan

2013-01-01

it. The material, size, characteristic shape, together with its special personal details, such as the channel around the whole height of its left lateral side, as well as the shallow hole on its upper surface, without doubt show that it was one of the original stone columns of a particular stone altar screen. Analysis of the motif's source, decorative forms, and the quality of its carving confirm that this segment of the altar screen represents one more parts of the same sculptors' workshop which produced one preserved part of the stone altar screen of St Triphon in Kotor, which received the same decorative and sculptural treatment, also undoubtedly originating from no before than the 11th century. The possibility of completely resolving the dilemma of which sacred complex the column originally belonged to will only be resolved when archaeological excavation and investigation of the site of the monastery of St Archangel Michael in Prevlaka, in whose treasury it stands, together with the neighbouring island of St Gavrilo, on which the pillar was found, takes place. The possibility of precisely dating this stone altar screen will only occur with the expected full understanding of the whole altar screen of the Cathedral church of St Triphon in Kotor. However, this segment of the stone altar screen also represents a reason to better comprehend the morphological characteristics and variety of stylistic expression present and specifically applied in the decorative elements of early-medieval sculpture on the southern-eastern Adriatic coast.

The economics of stone disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Canvasser, Noah E; Alken, Peter; Lipkin, Michael; Nakada, Stephen Y; Sodha, Hiren S; Tepeler, Abdulkadir; Lotan, Yair

2017-09-01

The rising prevalence of kidney stone disease is associated with significant costs to healthcare systems worldwide. This is in part due to direct procedural and medical management costs, as well as indirect costs to health systems, patients, and families. A number of manuscripts evaulating the economics of stone disease have been published since the 2008s International Consultation on Stone Disease. These highlight costs associated with stone disease, including acute management, surgical management, and medical management. This work hopes to highlight optimization in care by reducing inefficient treatments and maximizing cost-efficient preventative strategies.

Effect of blind treatment on stone disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Fazil Marickar, Y M; Salim, Abiya; Vijay, Adarsh

2010-06-01

Most of the drugs administered to stone patients appear to be inappropriate and doing more harm than good to the patients. The objective of this paper is to identify the prevalence of blind chemotherapy among the stone patients and find out the real indication for the drugs administered. Patients who attended the stone clinic for the first time were interviewed to find out what drugs they had been taking before the attendance at the stone clinic. 350 patients consuming specific drugs relevant to stone formation at least for a period of 15 days were selected for a detailed assessment. The type of drug consumed, the dose, the duration, the side effects, compliance rate and effect on stone disease were assessed. The biochemical profile of the patients was assessed to identify the role of the therapeutic modalities utilised. Conclusions regarding the utility of drugs in the process of stone formation were made. The values were compared with those of patients not on medication and considering laboratory standards. Of the 350 patients studied, 96 patients were consuming potassium citrate in different doses, 50 were consuming allopurinol, 44 cystone, 27 potassium citrate + magnesium, 25 calcury, 24 rowatinex, 21 ayurvedic drugs, 17 dystone, 17 homeopathic medicines and 17 other drugs. The longest duration of compliance was for cystone-2.5 years. All other drugs were stopped by the patients themselves due to recurrence of symptoms. As much as 93% of the patients did not feel that there was any significant relief of symptoms. The side effects which prompted the patients to stop medicine were gastro intestinal upset, particularly with potassium citrate, rowatinex and potassium citrate + magnesium combination. The relevant biochemical changes noted were increased urinary citrate levels in patients consuming potassium citrate alone or in combination with magnesium. Serum uric acid was within normal limits in patients consuming allopurinol. Urine uric acid levels were also

Regional differences in constituents of gall stones.

Science.gov (United States)

Ashok, M; Nageshwar Reddy, D; Jayanthi, V; Kalkura, S N; Vijayan, V; Gokulakrishnan, S; Nair, K G M

2005-01-01

The pathogenesis of pigment and mixed gall stone formation remains elusive. The elemental constituents of gall stones from southern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka have been characterized. Our aim was to determine the elemental concentration of representative samples of pigment, mixed and cholesterol gall stones from Andhra Pradesh using proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) using a 3 MV horizontal pelletron accelerator. Pigment gall stones had significantly high concentrations of copper, iron and lead; chromium was absent. Except for iron all these elements were significantly low in cholesterol gall stones and intermediate levels were seen in mixed gall stones. Highest concentrations of chromium was seen in cholesterol and titanium in mixed gall stones respectively; latter similar to other southern states. Arsenic was distinctly absent in cholesterol and mixed gall stones. The study has identified differences in elemental components of the gall stones from Andhra Pradesh.

Integrating weather and geotechnical monitoring data for assessing the stability of large scale surface mining operations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steiakakis Chrysanthos

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The geotechnical challenges for safe slope design in large scale surface mining operations are enormous. Sometimes one degree of slope inclination can significantly reduce the overburden to ore ratio and therefore dramatically improve the economics of the operation, while large scale slope failures may have a significant impact on human lives. Furthermore, adverse weather conditions, such as high precipitation rates, may unfavorably affect the already delicate balance between operations and safety. Geotechnical, weather and production parameters should be systematically monitored and evaluated in order to safely operate such pits. Appropriate data management, processing and storage are critical to ensure timely and informed decisions.

Antimicrobial activity of disinfectant agents incorporated into type IV dental stone.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Rodrigo de Paula; Lucas, Matheus Guilherme; Spolidorio, Denise Madalena Palomari; Arioli Filho, João Neudenir

2012-06-01

This study evaluated the antimicrobial activity of two disinfectant agents, 2% chlorhexidine digluconate solution (CHX) and 98% chlorhexidine hydrochloride powder (HYD), incorporated into type IV dental stone at the time of mixing. Agar diffusion test was used for the following microorganisms: Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Candida albicans. The specimens were grouped in: (1) dental stone mixed with sterile distilled water; (2) paper disc soaked with CHX; (3) dental stone mixed with CHX; and (4) dental stone with incorporation of HYD, in 1% proportion of the dental stone mass and mixed with sterile distilled water. The culture medium was inoculated with microbial suspensions 1 and 24 h after pouring of the dental stone. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated by the average diameter of microbial growth inhibition zones. The data were analysed with a nested anova (p < 0.05) and Tukey test for specific comparisons. The disinfectant agents demonstrated antimicrobial activity against all microorganisms, with the exception of C. albicans, against which the CHX was ineffective in two periods of analysis. Significant differences between disinfectants were found with all microorganisms. The disinfectant agents analysed were effective against most of the microorganisms tested, except C. albicans. © 2011 The Gerodontology Society and John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Poly(hydroxyalkanoates-Based Hydrophobic Coatings for the Protection of Stone in Cultural Heritage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Serena Andreotti

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Reversibility is a mandatory requirement for materials used in heritage conservation, including hydrophobic protectives. Nevertheless, current protectives for stone are not actually reversible as they remain on the surfaces for a long time after their hydrophobicity is lost and can hardly be removed. Ineffective and aged coatings may jeopardise the stone re-treatability and further conservation interventions. This paper aims at investigating the performance of PHAs-based coatings for stone protection, their main potential being the ‘reversibility by biodegradation’ once water repellency ended. The biopolymer coatings were applied to three different kinds of stone, representative of lithotypes used in historic architecture: sandstone, limestone and marble. Spray, poultice and dip-coating were tested as coating techniques. The effectiveness and compatibility of the protectives were evaluated in terms of capillary water absorption, static and dynamic contact angles, water vapour diffusion, colour alteration and surface morphology. The stones’ wettability after application of two commercial protectives was investigated too, for comparison. Finally, samples were subjected to artificial ageing to investigate their solar light stability. Promising results in terms of efficacy and compatibility were obtained, although the PHAs-based formulations developed here still need improvement for increased durability and on-site applicability.

Transfer plate radioassay using cell monolayers to detect anti-cell surface antibodies synthesized by lymphocyte hybridomas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, M.D.; Eisenbarth, G.S.

1979-01-01

A solid phase [ 125 I] Protein A radioassay for anti-cell surface antibodies is described, which employs target cell monolayers cultured on fenestrated polyvinyl chloride 96-well plates ('transfer plates'). The calibrated aperture in the bottom of each well is small enough to retain fluid contents by surface tension during monolayer growth, but also permits fluid to enter the wells when transfer plate are lowered into receptacles containing washing buffer on test sera. To assay for antibodies directed against target cell surface antigens, transfer plates bearing monolayers are inserted into microculture plates with corresponding 96-well geometry, thereby simultaneously sampling 96 wells. This assay allows rapid screening of hundreds of hybrid cell colonies for production of antibodies with desired tissue specificity. (Auth.)

Anti-Thixotropic Analysis of Pipeline Metal Losses in Welded ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Anti-Thixotropic Analysis of Pipeline Metal Losses in Welded Locations due to ... by the presence of large slurry of aggregates of sand stones in the pipelines. ... This investigation showed that the sand trap built insitu to sieve the sand and ...

Risk factors for pancreatic stone formation in autoimmune pancreatitis over a long-term course.

Science.gov (United States)

Maruyama, Masahiro; Arakura, Norikazu; Ozaki, Yayoi; Watanabe, Takayuki; Ito, Tetsuya; Yoneda, Suguru; Maruyama, Masafumi; Muraki, Takashi; Hamano, Hideaki; Matsumoto, Akihiro; Kawa, Shigeyuki

2012-05-01

Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) has the potential to progress to a chronic state that forms pancreatic stones. The aim of this study was to clarify the risk factors underlying pancreatic stone formation in AIP. Sixty-nine patients with AIP who had been followed for at least 3 years were enrolled for evaluation of clinical and laboratory factors as well as computed tomography and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography findings. During the course of this study, increased or de novo stone formation was seen in 28 patients, who were defined as the stone-forming group. No stones were observed in 32 patients, who were defined as the non-stone-forming group. Nine patients who had stones at diagnosis but showed no change during the course of this study were excluded from our cohort. Univariate analysis revealed no significant differences in clinical or laboratory factors associated with AIP-specific inflammation between the two groups. However, pancreatic head swelling (P = 0.006) and narrowing of both Wirsung's and Santorini's ducts in the pancreatic head region (P = 0.010) were significantly more frequent in the stone-forming group. Furthermore, multivariate analysis identified Wirsung and Santorini duct narrowing at diagnosis as a significant independent risk factor for pancreatic stone formation (OR 4.4, P = 0.019). A primary risk factor for pancreatic stone formation in AIP was narrowing of both Wirsung's and Santorini's ducts, which most presumably led to pancreatic juice stasis and stone development.

Investigation of salt distribution in porous stone material using paper pulp poultices under laboratory condititions and on site

Science.gov (United States)

Egartner, Isabel; Sass, Oliver

2016-04-01

The presented investigation is part of a longer-term project which deals with the influence of salt and moisture on weathering of historic stonework. The main investigation object in the field is a part of the 300 hundred year old boundary wall of the Worchester College in Oxford, UK. A range of non-destructive techniques were applied in course of field campaigns, e.g. mapping of weathering phenomena; handheld moisture sensors; and salt sampling by paper pulp poultices. In a second step we investigated the behaviour and distribution of water and salt solution in a porous material, similar to the limestone of the College wall, under laboratory condititions. Limestone cube samples (5x5x5 cm) were soaked first with ultrapure H2O and second with different concentration of saline solutions of NaCl and Na2SO4. During the dehydration process of the stone cubes a multi-method approach including sampling by drilling, paper pulp poultices, handheld moisture sensor, conductivity sensor and Ion Chromatography (IC) were applied to investigate the moisture and salt content and distribution within the samples. The laboratory analyses were carried out at the department of applied geoscience of the Technical University of Graz, Austria. The main aim was to investigate the effectivity of the paper pulp poultices in soaking up salts from the stone samples and to use the results of the laboratory analysis to interpret and calibrate the field work results from the College wall in Oxford. Keywords: Salt weathering, paper pulp poultices, cultural heritage, field work and laboratory investigation

Weather is not significantly correlated with destination-specific transport-related physical activity among adults: A large-scale temporally matched analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Durand, Casey P; Zhang, Kai; Salvo, Deborah

2017-08-01

Weather is an element of the natural environment that could have a significant effect on physical activity. Existing research, however, indicates only modest correlations between measures of weather and physical activity. This prior work has been limited by a failure to use time-matched weather and physical activity data, or has not adequately examined the different domains of physical activity (transport, leisure, occupational, etc.). Our objective was to identify the correlation between weather variables and destination-specific transport-related physical activity in adults. Data were sourced from the California Household Travel Survey, collected in 2012-3. Weather variables included: relative humidity, temperature, wind speed, and precipitation. Transport-related physical activity (walking) was sourced from participant-recorded travel diaries. Three-part hurdle models were used to analyze the data. Results indicate statistically or substantively insignificant correlations between the weather variables and transport-related physical activity for all destination types. These results provide the strongest evidence to date that transport-related physical activity may occur relatively independently of weather conditions. The knowledge that weather conditions do not seem to be a significant barrier to this domain of activity may potentially expand the universe of geographic locations that are amenable to environmental and programmatic interventions to increase transport-related walking. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of child malnutrition on the specific anti-Plasmodium falciparum antibody response

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Fillol Florie

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In sub-Saharan Africa, preschool children represent the population most vulnerable to malaria and malnutrition. It is widely recognized that malnutrition compromises the immune function, resulting in higher risk of infection. However, very few studies have investigated the relationship between malaria, malnutrition and specific immunity. In the present study, the anti-Plasmodium falciparum IgG antibody (Ab response was evaluated in children according to the type of malnutrition. Methods Anthropometric assessment and blood sample collection were carried out during a cross-sectional survey including rural Senegalese preschool children. This cross-sectional survey was conducted in July 2003 at the onset of the rainy season. Malnutrition was defined as stunting (height-for-age P. falciparum whole extracts (schizont antigens was assessed by ELISA in sera of the included children. Results Both the prevalence of anti-malarial immune responders and specific IgG Ab levels were significantly lower in malnourished children than in controls. Depending on the type of malnutrition, wasted children and stunted children presented a lower specific IgG Ab response than their respective controls, but this difference was significant only in stunted children (P = 0.026. This down-regulation of the specific Ab response seemed to be explained by severely stunted children (HAZ ≤ -2.5 compared to their controls (P = 0.03, while no significant difference was observed in mildly stunted children (-2.5 P. falciparum Ab response appeared to be independent of the intensity of infection. Conclusion Child malnutrition, and particularly stunting, may down-regulate the anti-P. falciparum Ab response, both in terms of prevalence of immune responders and specific IgG Ab levels. This study provides further evidence for the influence of malnutrition on the specific anti-malarial immune response and points to the importance of taking into account child

Directable weathering of concave rock using curvature estimation.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Michael D; Farley, McKay; Butler, Joseph; Beardall, Matthew

2010-01-01

We address the problem of directable weathering of exposed concave rock for use in computer-generated animation or games. Previous weathering models that admit concave surfaces are computationally inefficient and difficult to control. In nature, the spheroidal and cavernous weathering rates depend on the surface curvature. Spheroidal weathering is fastest in areas with large positive mean curvature and cavernous weathering is fastest in areas with large negative mean curvature. We simulate both processes using an approximation of mean curvature on a voxel grid. Both weathering rates are also influenced by rock durability. The user controls rock durability by editing a durability graph before and during weathering simulation. Simulations of rockfall and colluvium deposition further improve realism. The profile of the final weathered rock matches the shape of the durability graph up to the effects of weathering and colluvium deposition. We demonstrate the top-down directability and visual plausibility of the resulting model through a series of screenshots and rendered images. The results include the weathering of a cube into a sphere and of a sheltered inside corner into a cavern as predicted by the underlying geomorphological models.

Ultrasonographic diagnosis of ureteral stones: Accuracy and factors influencing on diagnostic sensitivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Young Mi; Han, Sang Seok; Chang, Seung Kuk; Joo, Sang Hoo; Lee, Jeong Sik; Eun, Choong Ki [Pusan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Pusan (Korea, Republic of)

1999-12-15

To determine the accuracy of ultrasonographic diagnosis in patients with clinically suspected ureteral stones and to evaluate the factors influencing on the diagnostic sensitivity for the detection of ureteral stone. The patients (115 cases) with proven presence or absence of ureteral stones were included in the study. At first, both sided kidney and proximal ureters were examined on each decubitus position and then middle ureters were done if proximal ureters were visualized. On the supine view, distal ureters and UVJ were scanned through the acoustic window of the filled bladder. KUB (20 cases), IVU (62 cases), AGP (7 cases), RGP (3 cases), ESWL (9 cases), CT (9 cases), and patients' history of spontaneous passage of stones (5 cases) were included as confirmation methods. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the ultrasonographic diagnosis of ureteral stones were calculated and the factors influencing on the sensitivity on the focus of the position and size of ureteral stone, visibility of ureter, the presence or absence of renal stone and hydronephrosis were analyzed. Of 82 cases with proven ureteral stone, 72 cases were revealed on ultrasonography and there was one false positive examination among 33 cases with proven absence of ureteral stone. The overall diagnostic accuracy was 90%. The ultrasonographic detection rates of ureteral stones as correlated with their locations were 83% (24/29), 100% (11/11), 80% (16/20), and 100% (21/21) of each group of proximal, middle, distal ureter, and UVJ stones. Of 61 stones, those as correlated with their sizes, were 82% (37/45) and 94% (15/16) of each group less than 10 mm and more than 11 mm. Those as correlated with the presence or absence of ureteral visualization on ultrasonography were 92% (69/75) and 43% (3/7) of each group. Those as correlated with presence of absence of renal stones were 85% (41/48) and 91% (31/34) of each group. Those as correlated with presence or absence of hydronephrosis were 89

Management of ureteric stone in pediatric patients

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Eugene Minevich

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The management of ureteral stones in children is becoming more similar to that in adults. A number of factors must be taken into account when selecting one′s choice of therapy for ureteral stone in children such as the size of the stone, its location, its composition, and urinary tract anatomy. Endoscopic lithotripsy in children has gradually become a major technique for the treatment of ureteral stones. The stone-free rate following urteroscopic lithotripsy for ureteral stones has been reported in as high as 98.5-100%. The safety and efficacy of Holmium:YAG laser lithotripsy make it the intracorporeal lithotriptor of choice. Given its minimally invasive features, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL has become a primary mode of treatment for the pediatric patients with reno-ureteral stones. Stone-free rates have been reported from 59% to 91% although some patients will require more than one treatment session for stone clearance. It appears that the first-line of therapy in the child with distal and mid-ureteral stones should be ureteroscopic lithotripsy. While ESWL is still widely considered the first-line therapy for proximal ureteral calculi, there is an increasing body of evidence that shows that endoscopic or ESWL are equally safe and efficacious in those clinical scenarios. Familiarity with the full spectrum of endourological techniques facilitates a minimally invasive approach to pediatric ureteral stones.

Novel anti-Sialyl-Tn monoclonal antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates demonstrate tumor specificity and anti-tumor activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Prendergast, Jillian M; Galvao da Silva, Ana Paula; Eavarone, David A; Ghaderi, Darius; Zhang, Mai; Brady, Dane; Wicks, Joan; DeSander, Julie; Behrens, Jeff; Rueda, Bo R

Targeted therapeutics that can differentiate between normal and malignant tumor cells represent the ideal standard for the development of a successful anti-cancer strategy. The Sialyl-Thomsen-nouveau antigen (STn or Sialyl-Tn, also known as CD175s) is rarely seen in normal adult tissues, but it is abundantly expressed in many types of human epithelial cancers. We have identified novel antibodies that specifically target with high affinity the STn glycan independent of its carrier protein, affording the potential to recognize a wider array of cancer-specific sialylated proteins. A panel of murine monoclonal anti-STn therapeutic antibodies were generated and their binding specificity and efficacy were characterized in vitro and in in vivo murine cancer models. A subset of these antibodies were conjugated to monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) to generate antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). These ADCs demonstrated in vitro efficacy in STn-expressing cell lines and significant tumor growth inhibition in STn-expressing tumor xenograft cancer models with no evidence of overt toxicity.

Performances and Coating Morphology of a Siloxane-Based Hydrophobic Product Applied in Different Concentrations on a Highly Porous Stone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariateresa Lettieri

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Many polymers, able to confer a hydrophobicity to treated surfaces, have been proposed for the restoration and conservation of civil and monumental buildings. Polysiloxanes, and their precursors, the silanes, have been frequently employed for stone protection. To avoid decay of the treated surfaces, the effectiveness and harmlessness of the treatment need to be carefully evaluated before application in the field. In this study, a commercial alkyl-siloxane was tested as a protective treatment on a highly porous stone, starting from water solutions with different contents of the product. The treatments have been devised to try to balance the requirements and the sustainability of the conservative actions. Sustainability, in terms of costs and environmental impact, is regarded as a key factor in the 21st century. Morphological observations of the stone surface, static contact angle and colour measurements, water vapour transmission test, and tests of water absorption were carried out to characterize the untreated and treated stones. A concentration below the minimum level suggested by the manufacturer was still able to act as a good barrier against water. More concentrated solutions produced polymer accumulation and coatings with extended cracks. The properties of the treated stone were affected by the presence of cracks in the coating.

Correlation between Copper, Zinc and some lipids in serum, bile and stones of patients with gall stone disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abu-Farsakh, F.

1997-01-01

Measurements of Cu, Zn and some lipid concentrations were carried out in serum, bile and gall stone samples collected from 76 patients undergoing surgery for removal of gall stones. The results showed that Cu and Zn were present in micromolar concentration in bile (average Cu concentration = 13.4 ± 0.92, average Zn concentration = 13.4 ± 1.05) and gall stones (average Cu concentration = 2.8 ± 0.16, average Zn concentration = 1.8 ± 0.16 mmol/ g stone). Cross-tabulation of the results showed significant positive linear correlations (p< 0.01) between stone Zn vs. bile cholesterol (r = 0.253), stone Zn vs. bile bilirubin (r = 0.396) (in mixed stones only). This suggested that the more hydrophobic the bile sample, the more Zn co-precipitate with cholesterol or bilirubin. (author). 17 refs., 3 tabs

Fad diets and their effect on urinary stone formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Nouvenne, Antonio; Ticinesi, Andrea; Morelli, Ilaria; Guida, Loredana; Borghi, Loris; Meschi, Tiziana

2014-09-01

The influence of unhealthy dietary habits on urinary stone formation has been widely recognized in literature. Dietary advice is indeed the cornerstone prescription for prevention of nephrolithiasis as well. However, only a small amount of medical literature has addressed the influence of popular or fad diets, often self-prescribed for the management of obesity and overweight or for cultural beliefs, on the risk of kidney stones. Thereby in this paper we analyze the current knowledge on the effects of some popular diets on overall lithogenic risk. High-protein diets, like Dukan diet, raise some concerns, since animal proteins are able to increase urinary calcium and to decrease urinary citrate excretion, thus leading to a high overall lithogenic risk. Low-carbohydrate diets, like Atkins diet or zone diet, may have a protective role against kidney stone formation, but there are also evidences stating that this dietary approach may rise calciuria and decrease citraturia, since it is generally associated to a relatively high intake of animal proteins. Vegan diet can be harmful for urinary stone disease, especially for the risk of hyperuricemia and micronutrient deficiencies, even if only few studies have addressed this specific matter. On the other side, the benefits of a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet on kidney stone prevention have been largely emphasized, provided that the intake of calcium and oxalate is balanced. Traditional Mediterranean diet should exert a protective effect on nephrolithiasis as well, even if specific studies have not been carried out yet. High phytate and antioxidant content of this diet have however demonstrated to be beneficial in preventing the formation of new or recurrent calculi. Anyway, at the current state of knowledge, the most effective dietary approach to prevent kidney stone disease is a mild animal protein restriction, a balanced intake of carbohydrates and fats and a high intake of fruit and vegetables. Other fundamental aspects

Fad diets and their effect on urinary stone formation

Science.gov (United States)

Nouvenne, Antonio; Ticinesi, Andrea; Morelli, Ilaria; Guida, Loredana; Meschi, Tiziana

2014-01-01

The influence of unhealthy dietary habits on urinary stone formation has been widely recognized in literature. Dietary advice is indeed the cornerstone prescription for prevention of nephrolithiasis as well. However, only a small amount of medical literature has addressed the influence of popular or fad diets, often self-prescribed for the management of obesity and overweight or for cultural beliefs, on the risk of kidney stones. Thereby in this paper we analyze the current knowledge on the effects of some popular diets on overall lithogenic risk. High-protein diets, like Dukan diet, raise some concerns, since animal proteins are able to increase urinary calcium and to decrease urinary citrate excretion, thus leading to a high overall lithogenic risk. Low-carbohydrate diets, like Atkins diet or zone diet, may have a protective role against kidney stone formation, but there are also evidences stating that this dietary approach may rise calciuria and decrease citraturia, since it is generally associated to a relatively high intake of animal proteins. Vegan diet can be harmful for urinary stone disease, especially for the risk of hyperuricemia and micronutrient deficiencies, even if only few studies have addressed this specific matter. On the other side, the benefits of a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet on kidney stone prevention have been largely emphasized, provided that the intake of calcium and oxalate is balanced. Traditional Mediterranean diet should exert a protective effect on nephrolithiasis as well, even if specific studies have not been carried out yet. High phytate and antioxidant content of this diet have however demonstrated to be beneficial in preventing the formation of new or recurrent calculi. Anyway, at the current state of knowledge, the most effective dietary approach to prevent kidney stone disease is a mild animal protein restriction, a balanced intake of carbohydrates and fats and a high intake of fruit and vegetables. Other fundamental aspects

Toets van STONE versie 2.0. Samenvatting en belangrijkste resultaten

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tiktak A; Beusen AHW; Boumans LJM; Groenedijk P; Haan BJ de; Portielje R; Schotten CGJ; Wolf J; Alterra; RIZA; LDL; IMP; Alterra; RIZA

2003-01-01

The STONE model for nitrogen and phosphorus emission to the groundwater and surface waters has been developed to evaluate the environmental consequences of policies regarding manure and agriculture. In 2000, an advisory body ('The Spiertz Commission') explicitly asked for validation of the Dutch

Advances in percutaneous stone surgery

OpenAIRE

Hartman, Christopher; Gupta, Nikhil; Leavitt, David; Hoenig, David; Okeke, Zeph; Smith, Arthur

2015-01-01

Treatment of large renal stones has changed considerably in recent years. The increasing prevalence of nephrolithiasis has mandated that urologists perform more surgeries for large renal calculi than before, and this has been met with improvements in percutaneous stone surgery. In this review paper, we examine recent developments in percutaneous stone surgery, including advances in diagnosis and preoperative planning, renal access, patient position, tract dilation, nephroscopes, lithotripsy, ...

Enhancing the Durability of Calcareous Stone Monuments of Ancient Egypt Using CaCO3 Nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad A. Aldoasri

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The unwanted changes in valuable historic calcareous stone monuments due to exposure to many physical and chemical effects may lead to its deterioration. The growing interest in the field of conservation of stone monuments encourages the development of consolidation and water-repellent materials. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of CaCO3 nanoparticles as a consolidation and protection material for calcareous stone monuments, when those nanoparticles used are dispersed in acrylic copolymer; polyethylmethacrylate (EMA/methylacrylate (MA (70/30, respectively. Samples were subjected to artificial aging by relative humidity/temperature to show the optimum conditions of durability and the effectiveness of the nano-mixture in improving the physical and mechanical properties of the stone material. The synthesis process of CaCO3 nanoparticles/polymer nanocomposite has been prepared by in situ emulsion polymerization system. The prepared nanocomposites with 0.15 g CaCO3 nanoparticles showed obvious transparency features and represent nanocomposites coating technology with hydrophobic, consolidating and good protection properties. Some tests were performed in order to estimate the superficial consolidating and protective effect of the treatment. The obtained nanocomposites have been characterized by TEM, while the surface morphology before and after treatment and homogeneous distribution of used consolidation materials on stone surface were examined by SEM. Improvement of stone mechanical properties was evaluated by compressive strength tests. Change in water-interaction properties was evaluated by water absorption capillarity measurements, and colorimetric measurements were used to evaluate the optical appearance. Taken together, the results indicate that CaCO3/polymer nanocomposite is a completely compatible, efficient material for the consolidation of artistic and architectural limestone monuments capable of enhancing the

Tensile strength characteristics of polypropylene composites reinforced with stone groundwood fibers from softwood

OpenAIRE

López, Joan Pere; Méndez González, José Alberto; Espinach Orús, Xavier; Julián Pérez, Fernando; Mutjé Pujol, Pere; Vilaseca Morera, Fabiola

2012-01-01

The behavior of stone groundwood / polypropylene injection-molded composites was evaluated with and without coupling agent. Stone groundwood (SGW) is a fibrous material commonly prepared in a high yield process and mainly used for papermaking applications. In this work, the use of SGW fibers was explored as a reinforcing element of polypropylene (PP) composites. The surface charge density of the composite components was evaluated, as well as the fiber’s length and diameter inside the composit...

PIXE analysis of chinese chicken-blood stone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, E.K.; Wang, C.W.; Yu, Y.C.; Liu, T.Y.; Cheng, H.S.; Zhu, H.X.; Yang, H.J.

1999-01-01

This paper reports the chemical compositions of chicken-blood stone Ji Xue Shi measured by Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE). The experimental result show that for the red portion of chicken-blood stone, the concentration of Hg is as high as 20 wt%, and the concentration of S can be above 10 wt%. For the non-red portion the main chemical compositions are Al 2 O 3 and SiO 2 . The obtained chemical compositions are close to those of kaolinite for Balin chicken-blood stone, and of pyrophyllite for Changhua chicken-blood stone, respectively. So far many Changhua chicken-blood stones and Balin chicken-blood stones were found in China, the PIXE method can be used to explore the provenance of available chicken-blood stones. (author)

Atmospheric weathering and silica-coated feldspar: analogy with zeolite molecular sieves, granite weathering, soil formation, ornamental slabs, and ceramics.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, J V

1998-03-31

Feldspar surfaces respond to chemical, biological, and mechanical weathering. The simplest termination is hydroxyl (OH), which interacts with any adsorption layer. Acid leaching of alkalis and aluminum generated a silica-rich, nanometers-thick skin on certain feldspars. Natural K, Na-feldspars develop fragile surfaces as etch pits expand into micrometer honeycombs, possibly colonized by lichens. Most crystals have various irregular coats. Based on surface-catalytic processes in molecular sieve zeolites, I proposed that some natural feldspars lose weakly bonded Al-OH (aluminol) to yield surfaces terminated by strongly bonded Si-OH (silanol). This might explain why some old feldspar-bearing rocks weather slower than predicted from brief laboratory dissolution. Lack of an Al-OH infrared frequency from a feldspar surface is consistent with such a silanol-dominated surface. Raman spectra of altered patches on acid-leached albite correspond with amorphous silica rather than hydroxylated silica-feldspar, but natural feldspar may respond differently. The crystal structure of H-exchanged feldspar provides atomic positions for computer modeling of complex ideas for silica-terminated feldspar surfaces. Natural weathering also depends on swings of temperature and hydration, plus transport of particles, molecules, and ionic complexes by rain and wind. Soil formation might be enhanced by crushing granitic outcrops to generate new Al-rich surfaces favorable for chemical and biological weathering. Ornamental slabs used by architects and monumental masons might last longer by minimizing mechanical abrasion during sawing and polishing and by silicifying the surface. Silica-terminated feldspar might be a promising ceramic surface.

ORIGINAL PAPER ORIG ORIG Percutaneous stone removal

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is an effective procedure to treat patients with complex renal stones,. e.g. staghorn calculi and stones greater than 20 mm in diameter. The treatment of choice for small, less com- plex renal stones is extracorporeal shock-wave litho- tripsy (ESWL).1 We have treated renal stones mainly.

Alteration of Lunar Rock Surfaces through Interaction with the Space Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Frushour, A. M.; Noble, S. K; Christoffersen, R.; Keller, L P.

2014-01-01

Space weathering occurs on all ex-posed surfaces of lunar rocks, as well as on the surfaces of smaller grains in the lunar regolith. Space weather-ing alters these exposed surfaces primarily through the action of solar wind ions and micrometeorite impact processes. On lunar rocks specifically, the alteration products produced by space weathering form surface coatings known as patina. Patinas can have spectral reflectance properties different than the underlying rock. An understanding of patina composition and thickness is therefore important for interpreting re-motely sensed data from airless solar system bodies. The purpose of this study is to try to understand the physical and chemical properties of patina by expanding the number of patinas known and characterized in the lunar rock sample collection.

Adaptation of Mesoscale Weather Models to Local Forecasting

Science.gov (United States)

Manobianco, John T.; Taylor, Gregory E.; Case, Jonathan L.; Dianic, Allan V.; Wheeler, Mark W.; Zack, John W.; Nutter, Paul A.

2003-01-01

Methodologies have been developed for (1) configuring mesoscale numerical weather-prediction models for execution on high-performance computer workstations to make short-range weather forecasts for the vicinity of the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) and (2) evaluating the performances of the models as configured. These methodologies have been implemented as part of a continuing effort to improve weather forecasting in support of operations of the U.S. space program. The models, methodologies, and results of the evaluations also have potential value for commercial users who could benefit from tailoring their operations and/or marketing strategies based on accurate predictions of local weather. More specifically, the purpose of developing the methodologies for configuring the models to run on computers at KSC and CCAFS is to provide accurate forecasts of winds, temperature, and such specific thunderstorm-related phenomena as lightning and precipitation. The purpose of developing the evaluation methodologies is to maximize the utility of the models by providing users with assessments of the capabilities and limitations of the models. The models used in this effort thus far include the Mesoscale Atmospheric Simulation System (MASS), the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS), and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction Eta Model ( Eta for short). The configuration of the MASS and RAMS is designed to run the models at very high spatial resolution and incorporate local data to resolve fine-scale weather features. Model preprocessors were modified to incorporate surface, ship, buoy, and rawinsonde data as well as data from local wind towers, wind profilers, and conventional or Doppler radars. The overall evaluation of the MASS, Eta, and RAMS was designed to assess the utility of these mesoscale models for satisfying the weather-forecasting needs of the U.S. space program. The evaluation methodology includes

The present state and future of the development of dimension stone mining in Slovak conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viliam Žiaran

2005-03-01

Full Text Available In comparing to both ores and energetical minerals there are occurences of extremly rich non-methallics minerals on the Slovak territory. These minerals represent very large-scale sortiment with a considerable amount of verified reserves. Reserves of magnesite, salt rock, dolomite, limestone, talc, bentonite, clays and another construction minerals present many possibilities of their industrial utilization. A specific case is the mining of dimension stones such as stable ingeneous,sedimentary and metamorphic rocks that are mined in the open-pit blocks. Applicable to the production of both ingeneous stone and gross stone [3].The open-pit mining and dimension stone processing by the both above mentioned stone productions forms are focused mainly to the external and internal building industry. Despite of the fact that the natural reserves of dimension stone are limited at the Slovak territory, being distributed at large numbers of open-pits mines, from the point of view of the next development of the dimension stone industry its technical and economic vitalitycan be expected. The paper deals with both the technological and ecological mining problems of dimension stone and shows the possibilities how to improve both the works productivity and quality of products including the ecological impacts by the dimension stone mining.

Polymer-Silica nanoparticles composite films as protective coatings for stone-based monuments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manoudis, P [Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki (Greece); Papadopoulou, S [Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki (Greece); Karapanagiotis, I [' Ormylia' Art Diagnosis Centre, Ormylia, Chalkidiki, 63071 (Greece); Tsakalof, A [Medical Department, University of Thessaly, Larissa, 41222 (Greece); Zuburtikudis, I [Department of Industrial Design Engineering, TEI of Western Macedonia, Kozani, 50100 (Greece); Panayiotou, C [Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki (Greece)

2007-04-15

The decrease of surface energy of mineral substrates similar to those used in many stone monuments of cultural heritage by the application of protective polymer coatings along with the simultaneous increase of their surface roughness can increase their ability to repel water substantially. In this work, the effect of artificially induced roughness on the water repellency of mineral substrates coated with protective polymer films was investigated. Natural marble samples or home made calcium carbonate blocks were tried as the mineral substrates. The roughness increase was achieved by mineral chemical etching or by creation of nanoscale binary composition film on the substrate surface. PMMA and PFPE were the polymers used, while different-sized silica nanoparticles were employed for the production of the nanocomposite films. Examination of the coated and uncoated surfaces with profilometry and AFM and measurements of water contact angles reveal a pronounced effect of the surface roughness on water repellency. Especially in the case of nanocomposite coatings, the surfaces become super-hydrophobic. This result indicates that the nanoscale binary composition film scheme, which is characterized by its simplicity and low cost, is a suitable candidate for the water protection of stone-based monuments on large scale.

Polymer-Silica nanoparticles composite films as protective coatings for stone-based monuments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manoudis, P; Papadopoulou, S; Karapanagiotis, I; Tsakalof, A; Zuburtikudis, I; Panayiotou, C

2007-01-01

The decrease of surface energy of mineral substrates similar to those used in many stone monuments of cultural heritage by the application of protective polymer coatings along with the simultaneous increase of their surface roughness can increase their ability to repel water substantially. In this work, the effect of artificially induced roughness on the water repellency of mineral substrates coated with protective polymer films was investigated. Natural marble samples or home made calcium carbonate blocks were tried as the mineral substrates. The roughness increase was achieved by mineral chemical etching or by creation of nanoscale binary composition film on the substrate surface. PMMA and PFPE were the polymers used, while different-sized silica nanoparticles were employed for the production of the nanocomposite films. Examination of the coated and uncoated surfaces with profilometry and AFM and measurements of water contact angles reveal a pronounced effect of the surface roughness on water repellency. Especially in the case of nanocomposite coatings, the surfaces become super-hydrophobic. This result indicates that the nanoscale binary composition film scheme, which is characterized by its simplicity and low cost, is a suitable candidate for the water protection of stone-based monuments on large scale

Anti-Neospora caninum and anti-Sarcocystis spp. specific antibodies cross-react with Besnoitia besnoiti and influence the serological diagnosis of bovine besnoitiosis.

Science.gov (United States)

García-Lunar, P; Moré, G; Campero, L; Ortega-Mora, L M; Álvarez-García, G

2015-11-30

Bovine besnoitiosis control remains a challenge because the disease continues to spread and control relies solely on accurate diagnosis coupled to management measures. However, recent studies have reported that routinely used ELISAs may raise a high number of false-positive results. Herein, cross-reactions between Besnoitia besnoiti antigens and anti-Neospora caninum and/or anti-Sarcocystis spp.-specific antibodies were studied in an in house ELISA since N. caninum and Sarcocystis spp. are closely related parasites, and both infections are highly prevalent in cattle worldwide. The serum panel was composed of the following categories: sera from B. besnoiti-seronegative (n=75) and -seropositive cattle (n=66), B. besnoiti-based-ELISA false-positive reactors (n=96) together with N. caninum (n=36) and Sarcocystis spp. (n=42) -seropositive reference cattle sera. B. besnoiti tachyzoite based western blot (WB) results classified animals as seropositive or seronegative. Sera were analyzed for the detection of anti-N. caninum by WB and ELISA and anti-Sarcocystis spp.-specific antibodies by WB and IFAT. Those samples recognizing a Sarcocystis spp. 18-20 kDa antigenic region and N. caninum 17-18 kDa immunodominant antigen were considered to be Sarcocystis spp. and N. caninum seropositive, respectively. The category of B. besnoiti based-ELISA false-positive reactors showed the highest number of sera with specific anti-Sarcocystis spp. and anti-N. caninum antibodies (74%; 71/96), followed by the N. caninum-seropositive cattle category (52.8%; 19/36). In contrast, few B. besnoiti-seronegative and -seropositive cattle showed antibodies against Sarcocystis spp. and N. caninum (10.7%; 8/75 and 1.5%; 1/66), respectively). This study revealed that B. besnoiti false-positive ELISA results were associated not only with the presence of anti-N. caninum and anti-Sarcocystis spp. antibodies (χ(2): 78.36; pbovine besnoitiosis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

77 FR 27245 - Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge, Big Stone and Lac Qui Parle Counties, MN

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-09

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS-R3-R-2012-N069; FXRS1265030000S3-123-FF03R06000] Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge, Big Stone and Lac Qui Parle Counties, MN AGENCY: Fish and... plan (CCP) and environmental assessment (EA) for Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge, NWR) for...

The effect of inclined position on stone free rates in patients with lower caliceal stones during SWL session

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Basri Cakiroglu

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: To compare the outcomes of shock wave lithotripsy (SWL combined with inclined position and SWL alone in patients with lower pole calyx stones. Methods: Seven hundred forty patients who underwent SWL treatment for lower pole renal stones with a total diameter of 2 cm or less were prospectively randomized into two groups. They were comparable in terms of age, sex, and stone diameters. Patients with lower calyceal stones (4-20 mm were randomized to SWL (368 patients or SWL with simultaneous inclination (372 patients with 30o head down Trendelenburg position. Shock wave and session numbers were standardized according to stone size. Additional standardized shock waves were given to patients with stone fragments determined by kidney urinary bladder film and ultrasound at weeks 1, 4, 10. Results: The overall stone free rate (SFR was 73% (268/368 in patients with SWL alone and 81% (300/372 in SWL with inclination at the end of 12th week (p = 0.015. No significant adverse events were noted in both treatment groups. Conclusion: Simultaneous inclination of patients during SWL session increase SFR in lower caliceal stones significantly compared to SWL treatment alone.

Stone comminution correlates with the average peak pressure incident on a stone during shock wave lithotripsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, N; Zhong, P

2012-10-11

To investigate the roles of lithotripter shock wave (LSW) parameters and cavitation in stone comminution, a series of in vitro fragmentation experiments have been conducted in water and 1,3-butanediol (a cavitation-suppressive fluid) at a variety of acoustic field positions of an electromagnetic shock wave lithotripter. Using field mapping data and integrated parameters averaged over a circular stone holder area (R(h)=7 mm), close logarithmic correlations between the average peak pressure (P(+(avg))) incident on the stone (D=10 mm BegoStone) and comminution efficiency after 500 and 1000 shocks have been identified. Moreover, the correlations have demonstrated distinctive thresholds in P(+(avg)) (5.3 MPa and 7.6 MPa for soft and hard stones, respectively), that are required to initiate stone fragmentation independent of surrounding fluid medium and LSW dose. These observations, should they be confirmed using other shock wave lithotripters, may provide an important field parameter (i.e., P(+(avg))) to guide appropriate application of SWL in clinics, and facilitate device comparison and design improvements in future lithotripters. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stone retropulsion during holmium:YAG lithotripsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Ho; Ryan, R Tres; Teichman, Joel M H; Kim, Jeehyun; Choi, Bernard; Arakeri, Navanit V; Welch, A J

2003-03-01

We modeled retropulsion during holmium:YAG lithotripsy on the conservation of momentum, whereby the force of ejected fragment debris off of the calculous surface should equal the force of retropulsion displacing the stone. We tested the hypothesis that retropulsion occurs as a result of ejected stone debris. Uniform calculous phantoms were irradiated with holmium:YAG energy in air and in water. Optical fiber diameter and pulse energy were varied. Motion of the phantom was monitored with high speed video imaging. Laser induced crater volume and geometry were characterized by optical coherence tomography. To determine the direction of plume laser burn paper was irradiated at various incident angles. Retropulsion was greater for phantoms irradiated in air versus water. Retropulsion increased as fiber diameter increased and as pulse energy increased (p <0.001). Crater volumes increased as pulse energy increased (p <0.05) and generally increased as fiber diameter increased. Crater geometry was wide and shallow for larger fibers, and narrow and deeper for smaller fibers. The ejected plume propagated in the direction normal to the burn paper surface regardless of the laser incident angle. Retropulsion increases as pulse energy and optical fiber diameter increase. Vector analysis of the ejected plume and crater geometry explains increased retropulsion using larger optical fibers. Holmium:YAG lithotripsy should be performed with small optical fibers to limit retropulsion.

Statistical relationship between surface PM10 concentration and aerosol optical depth over the Sahel as a function of weather type, using neural network methodology

Science.gov (United States)

Yahi, H.; Marticorena, B.; Thiria, S.; Chatenet, B.; Schmechtig, C.; Rajot, J. L.; Crepon, M.

2013-12-01

work aims at assessing the capability of passive remote-sensed measurements such as aerosol optical depth (AOD) to monitor the surface dust concentration during the dry season in the Sahel region (West Africa). We processed continuous measurements of AODs and surface concentrations for the period (2006-2010) in Banizoumbou (Niger) and Cinzana (Mali). In order to account for the influence of meteorological condition on the relationship between PM10 surface concentration and AOD, we decomposed the mesoscale meteorological fields surrounding the stations into five weather types having similar 3-dimensional atmospheric characteristics. This classification was obtained by a clustering method based on nonlinear artificial neural networks, the so-called self-organizing map. The weather types were identified by processing tridimensional fields of meridional and zonal winds and air temperature obtained from European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) model output centered on each measurement station. Five similar weather types have been identified at the two stations. Three of them are associated with the Harmattan flux; the other two correspond to northward inflow of the monsoon flow at the beginning or the end of the dry season. An improved relationship has been found between the surface PM10 concentrations and the AOD by using a dedicated statistical relationship for each weather type. The performances of the statistical inversion computed on the test data sets show satisfactory skills for most of the classes, much better than a linear regression. This should permit the inversion of the mineral dust concentration from AODs derived from satellite observations over the Sahel.

Advances in percutaneous stone surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartman, Christopher; Gupta, Nikhil; Leavitt, David; Hoenig, David; Okeke, Zeph; Smith, Arthur

2015-01-01

Treatment of large renal stones has changed considerably in recent years. The increasing prevalence of nephrolithiasis has mandated that urologists perform more surgeries for large renal calculi than before, and this has been met with improvements in percutaneous stone surgery. In this review paper, we examine recent developments in percutaneous stone surgery, including advances in diagnosis and preoperative planning, renal access, patient position, tract dilation, nephroscopes, lithotripsy, exit strategies, and post-operative antibiotic prophylaxis.

Characterization of Stone Cleaning by Nd:YAG Lasers with Different Pulse Duration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bartoli, L.; Siano, S.; Salimbeni, R.; Pouli, P.; Fotakis, C.

2006-01-01

The present work is a comparative study on the laser cleaning of stonework using Nd:YAG lasers at different pulse durations. The ablation rate, the degree of cleaning, and the appearance of the treated surface were studied irradiating a simulated sample and a real stone artefact using three different Nd:YAG laser systems with pulse duration of 90 microseconds, 15 nanoseconds, and 150 picoseconds. To our knowledge, the picosecond laser is here used for the first time in stone conservation. Differences in efficiency and in cleaning result are shown and discussed.

Inflammation-Specific T1 Imaging Using Anti-Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 Antibody-Conjugated Gadolinium Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic Acid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyu-Sil Choi

2007-03-01

Full Text Available To examine inflammatory tissue, an initial and common symptom of various types of pathogenesis, we designed inflammation-targeted T1 contrast agents prepared by bioconjugation of gadolinium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA with anti-intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1 antibody. The anti-ICAM-1 antibody was coupled with DTPA and was then conjugated with Gd. The specific binding of the Gd-DTPA-anti-ICAM-1 antibody complex to the ICAM-1-expressing cells was examined in the cultured endothelial cells where ICAM-1 expression was stimulated. Inflammation-specific T1 imaging was then assessed using a mouse abscess model with the 1.5-Tesla module. The Gd-DTPA-anti-ICAM-1 antibody displayed increased r1, which was two times higher than that of Gd-DTPA and showed predominant binding to cultured endothelial cells, which expressed a high level of ICAM-1. Moreover, the inflammation-specific T1 enhancement was imaged with the Gd-DTPA-anti-ICAM-1 antibody in the mouse acute inflammation model. The Gd-DTPA-anti-ICAM-1 antibody showed significantly increased vascular circulation time, which thereby offered a greater chance for its binding to the target cells. The Gd-DTPA-anti-ICAM-1 antibody displays a potential targeted T1 contrast agent specific to the inflammatory tissue that expresses ICAM-1.

Modeling Stone Columns.

Science.gov (United States)

Castro, Jorge

2017-07-11

This paper reviews the main modeling techniques for stone columns, both ordinary stone columns and geosynthetic-encased stone columns. The paper tries to encompass the more recent advances and recommendations in the topic. Regarding the geometrical model, the main options are the "unit cell", longitudinal gravel trenches in plane strain conditions, cylindrical rings of gravel in axial symmetry conditions, equivalent homogeneous soil with improved properties and three-dimensional models, either a full three-dimensional model or just a three-dimensional row or slice of columns. Some guidelines for obtaining these simplified geometrical models are provided and the particular case of groups of columns under footings is also analyzed. For the latter case, there is a column critical length that is around twice the footing width for non-encased columns in a homogeneous soft soil. In the literature, the column critical length is sometimes given as a function of the column length, which leads to some disparities in its value. Here it is shown that the column critical length mainly depends on the footing dimensions. Some other features related with column modeling are also briefly presented, such as the influence of column installation. Finally, some guidance and recommendations are provided on parameter selection for the study of stone columns.

Intraperitoneal stone migration during percutaneos nephrolithotomy

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Akif Diri

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Percutaneos nephrolithotomy (PNL is the standard care for renal stones larger than 2 cm. The procedure has some major and minor complications. Renal pelvis laceration and stone migration to the retroperitoneum is one of the rare condition. We report the first case of intraperitoneal stone migration during PNL.

Stone stability under non-uniform flow

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoan, N.T.

2008-01-01

Despite the fact that many studies on the stability of stones in bed protections under flowing water have been conducted, our knowledge is still far from advanced and reliable. Issues like how to quantify the hydraulic loads exerted on the stones on a bed and the associated stability of the stones

Evolution of stone management in Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Ming-Chak; Bariol, Simon Virgil

2011-11-01

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? There is very little contemporary data regarding stone management in Australia. This study assesses the impact of technological advances on stone management practises, and raises questions as to why there is an increasing rate of intervention for stone disease in Australia. Knowledge of management trends as demonstrated in this paper give individual surgeons a guideline for contemporary practise in this country. • To examine trends in the operative management of upper urinary tract stone disease in Australia over the past 15 years. • The Medicare Australia and Australian Institute of Health and Welfare databases were used to determine the annual number of renal colic presentations and procedural interventions undertaken for stone disease. • In Australia over the past 15 years, the annual number of procedural interventions for upper urinary tract stones has increased, primarily due to the rising number of endoscopic procedures performed. • During this period, shock wave lithotripsy numbers have remained steady whilst open and percutaneous procedures have been in decline. • The introduction of and subsequent preference for less invasive techniques has changed the management pathway of patients presenting with stone disease in Australia. • Further studies are necessary to determine whether this escalation in endoscopic procedures is due to an increase in the incidence of stone disease, earlier detection, a lower intervention threshold or a higher retreatment rate. © 2011 THE AUTHORS. BJU INTERNATIONAL © 2011 BJU INTERNATIONAL.

Modeling the influence of organic acids on soil weathering

Science.gov (United States)

Lawrence, Corey R.; Harden, Jennifer W.; Maher, Kate

2014-01-01

Biological inputs and organic matter cycling have long been regarded as important factors in the physical and chemical development of soils. In particular, the extent to which low molecular weight organic acids, such as oxalate, influence geochemical reactions has been widely studied. Although the effects of organic acids are diverse, there is strong evidence that organic acids accelerate the dissolution of some minerals. However, the influence of organic acids at the field-scale and over the timescales of soil development has not been evaluated in detail. In this study, a reactive-transport model of soil chemical weathering and pedogenic development was used to quantify the extent to which organic acid cycling controls mineral dissolution rates and long-term patterns of chemical weathering. Specifically, oxalic acid was added to simulations of soil development to investigate a well-studied chronosequence of soils near Santa Cruz, CA. The model formulation includes organic acid input, transport, decomposition, organic-metal aqueous complexation and mineral surface complexation in various combinations. Results suggest that although organic acid reactions accelerate mineral dissolution rates near the soil surface, the net response is an overall decrease in chemical weathering. Model results demonstrate the importance of organic acid input concentrations, fluid flow, decomposition and secondary mineral precipitation rates on the evolution of mineral weathering fronts. In particular, model soil profile evolution is sensitive to kaolinite precipitation and oxalate decomposition rates. The soil profile-scale modeling presented here provides insights into the influence of organic carbon cycling on soil weathering and pedogenesis and supports the need for further field-scale measurements of the flux and speciation of reactive organic compounds.

The stones and historic mortars of the Santissima Trinità di Saccargia Romanesque Basilica (Sardinia, Italy): a multi-analytical techniques' approach for the study of their features and provenance

Science.gov (United States)

Columbu, Stefano; Palomba, Marcella; Sitzia, Fabio

2015-04-01

A research project devoted to the study of building materials of the Romanesque churches in Sardinia is currently underway. One of the objectives of the project is to focus the mineral, chemical-physical and petrographic characterisation of the construction materials, as well as the alteration processes. To make a contribution to the preservation of Sardinian monuments, we suggests a new approach to define the different alteration-modes of rocks in function of their local exposure to the weather, studying: 1) the changes of physical properties on surface of stone (porosity, water absorption, micro-morphology) determined through laboratory tests and photogrammetry observations, 2) the alteration phases present on surface (e.g., secondary minerals, soluble salts) determined by mineralogical and chemical investigations. This methodological approach will allow to select appropriate, suitable and compatible materials for replacing the original altered one's, and to plan appropriate strategies devoted to the restoration work. In this paper the geomaterials used for construct the Santissima Trinità di Saccargia Basilica have been investigated. The church, finished in 1116 over the ruins of a pre-existing monastery, is the most important Romanesque site in the island. Have been studied the chemical alterations and physical decay of two different stones, as volcanic rocks (i.e., basalt) and sedimentary rocks (i.e., limestones) used in bichromy on the Basilica. The main purpose is to observe the different modes of alteration of these two lithologies with different petrophysical characteristics, placed in the same conditions of weathering. Macroscopic evidences show that the limestones, while not having a high porosity, they were strongly affected by alteration phenomena, especially in the outer surface of ashlars, due to the solubilization of the carbonate matrix. The basalt rocks show no obvious physical alteration. Occasionally, in some ashlar located in basal zone of the

New method development in prehistoric stone tool research: evaluating use duration and data analysis protocols.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Adrian A; Macdonald, Danielle A; Giusca, Claudiu L; Leach, Richard K

2014-10-01

Lithic microwear is a research field of prehistoric stone tool (lithic) analysis that has been developed with the aim to identify how stone tools were used. It has been shown that laser scanning confocal microscopy has the potential to be a useful quantitative tool in the study of prehistoric stone tool function. In this paper, two important lines of inquiry are investigated: (1) whether the texture of worn surfaces is constant under varying durations of tool use, and (2) the development of rapid objective data analysis protocols. This study reports on the attempt to further develop these areas of study and results in a better understanding of the complexities underlying the development of flexible analytical algorithms for surface analysis. The results show that when sampling is optimised, surface texture may be linked to contact material type, independent of use duration. Further research is needed to validate this finding and test an expanded range of contact materials. The use of automated analytical protocols has shown promise but is only reliable if sampling location and scale are defined. Results suggest that the sampling protocol reports on the degree of worn surface invasiveness, complicating the ability to investigate duration related textural characterisation. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Thermoluminescence of pyramid stones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomaa, M.A.; Eid, A.M.

1982-01-01

It is the aim of the present study to investigate some thermoluminescence properties of pyramid stones. Using a few grammes of pyramid stones from Pyramids I and II, the TL glow peaks were observed at 250 and 310 0 C, respectively. The TL glow peaks of samples annealed at 600 0 C, then exposed to 60 Co γ-rays were observed at 120, 190 and 310 0 C, respectively. The accumulated dose of natural samples is estimated to be around 310 Gray (31 krad). By assuming an annual dose is 1 mGy, the estimated age of pyramid stones is 0.31 M year. (author)

Thermoluminescence of pyramid stones

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gomaa, M A; Eid, A M [Atomic Energy Establishment, Cairo (Egypt)

1982-01-01

It is the aim of the present study to investigate some thermoluminescence properties of pyramid stones. Using a few grammes of pyramid stones from Pyramids I and II, the TL glow peaks were observed at 250 and 310/sup 0/C, respectively. The TL glow peaks of samples annealed at 600/sup 0/C, then exposed to /sup 60/Co ..gamma..-rays were observed at 120, 190 and 310/sup 0/C, respectively. The accumulated dose of natural samples is estimated to be around 310 Gray (31 krad). By assuming an annual dose is 1 mGy, the estimated age of pyramid stones is 0.31 M year.

Algorithm for definition of stones components at kidney-stones illness using two-energetic digital roentgen-graphic method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nedavnij, O.I.; Osipov, S.P.

2001-01-01

Paper presents the algorithm for definition of stone composition in case of kidney-stones using two-energy digital X-ray photography. One calculated the values of p information parameter for the main types of stones within 40-150 keV energy range. It was shown that p parameter dependence on energy was not essential one (maximum 3.5% deviation), p value for various chemical compositions of kidney stones ranged from 15% (calcium phosphate and calcium oxalate) up to 70% (calcium lactate and calcium oxalate). The conducted studies enable to make a conclusion about the possibility to define material representing the heart of kidney stones using two-energy digital X-ray photography. Paper includes recommendations on selection of the optimal energy values [ru

Influence of Pelvicaliceal Anatomy on Stone Clearance After Flexible Ureteroscopy and Holmium Laser Lithotripsy for Large Renal Stones.

Science.gov (United States)

Inoue, Takaaki; Murota, Takashi; Okada, Shinsuke; Hamamoto, Shuzo; Muguruma, Kouei; Kinoshita, Hidefumi; Matsuda, Tadashi

2015-09-01

This study was performed to evaluate the impact of pelvicaliceal anatomy on stone clearance in patients with remnant fragments in the lower pole after flexible ureteroscopy and holmium laser lithotripsy (fURSL) for renal stones >15 mm. This retrospective study included 67 patients with radiopaque residual fragments (>2 mm) in the lower pole after fURSL for large renal stones (>15 mm). The preoperative infundibular length (IL), infundibular width (IW), infundibulopelvic angle (IPA), and caliceal pelvic height (CPH) were measured using intravenous urography. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine whether any of these measurements affected stone clearance. Of the 67 patients, 55 (82.1%) were stone free (SF) 3 months after fURSL. The anatomic factors significantly favorable for an SF status were a short IL, broad IW, wide IPA, and low CPH. On multivariate analysis, the IPA had a significant influence on an SF status after fURSL (p=0.010). An IPA renal stones according to our multivariate analysis. Additional studies are required to further evaluate the characteristics of the pelvicaliceal anatomy influencing stone clearance.

Screening and Management of Asymptomatic Renal Stones in Astronauts

Science.gov (United States)

Reyes, David; Locke, James; Sargsyan, Ashot; Garcia, Kathleen

2017-01-01

Management guidelines were created to screen and manage asymptomatic renal stones in U.S. astronauts. The true risk for renal stone formation in astronauts due to the space flight environment is unknown. Proper management of this condition is crucial to mitigate health and mission risks. The NASA Flight Medicine Clinic electronic medical record and the Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health databases were reviewed. An extensive review of the literature and current aeromedical standards for the monitoring and management of renal stones was also done. This work was used to develop a screening and management protocol for renal stones in astronauts that is relevant to the spaceflight operational environment. In the proposed guidelines all astronauts receive a yearly screening and post-flight renal ultrasound using a novel ultrasound protocol. The ultrasound protocol uses a combination of factors, including: size, position, shadow, twinkle and dispersion properties to confirm the presence of a renal calcification. For mission-assigned astronauts, any positive ultrasound study is followed by a low-dose renal computed tomography scan and urologic consult. Other specific guidelines were also created. A small asymptomatic renal stone within the renal collecting system may become symptomatic at any time, and therefore affect launch and flight schedules, or cause incapacitation during a mission. Astronauts in need of definitive care can be evacuated from the International Space Station, but for deep space missions evacuation is impossible. The new screening and management algorithm has been implemented and the initial round of screening ultrasounds is under way. Data from these exams will better define the incidence of renal stones in U.S. astronauts, and will be used to inform risk mitigation for both short and long duration spaceflights.

A Boy with a Large Bladder Stone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuo-Shen Chow

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Despite the frequent association of urinary tract infection with vesicoureteral reflux and urinary calculi, since vesicouretal reflux is induced by bladder stones, the coexistence of vesicoureteral reflux and bladder stones is rare. Because of its occurrence in children belonging to poor socioeconomic groups, it is believed to be a deficiency disorder. Most cases of bladder stones occur between the ages of 2 and 5 years. Common clinical presentations of bladder stones include urinary dribbling and enuresis, frequency of micturition, pain during micturition, pelvic pain and hematuria. We report the occurrence of a large bladder stone in a boy, who experienced intermittent lower abdominal pain and urinary incontinence, both during the day and at night. He had been diagnosed with enuresis and treated in pediatric clinics for 1 year. Delayed diagnosis resulted in bladder stone formation. The stone was larger than 2.5 cm and open vesicolithotomy was therefore selected as the best and safest treatment choice. His symptoms disappeared after surgery. Thorough metabolic and environmental evaluations of such cases are required on an individual basis. Bladder stones should be considered as a possible diagnosis in children presenting with urinary incontinence.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy for the treatment of radiolucent renal stones in children: is it different opaque stone treatment?

Science.gov (United States)

Adanur, Şenol; Ziypak, Tevfik; Sancaktutar, Ahmet Ali; Tepeler, Abdülkadir; Reşorlu, Berkan; Söylemez, Haluk; Dağgülli, Mansur; Özbey, İsa; Unsal, Ali

2014-02-01

We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL), stone-free rates, and related complications in children with radiolucent renal stones. A total of 56 patients aged auxillary treatment method was detected as 94.6%. The total complication rate was 19.6% (11 patients). No adjacent organ injury was observed. All of the complications that occurred were minor according to the Clavien classification (Clavien Grades I-II). PNL can be applied to radiolucent pediatric renal stones in children with similar success, and complication rates as noted for radiopaque stones.

Female stone disease: the changing trend.

Science.gov (United States)

Marickar, Y M Fazil; Vijay, Adarsh

2009-12-01

This paper has attempted to assess the changes noted in the trends in the incidence and biochemical pattern of female urolithiasis patients during the period 1971-2008. A prospective descriptive clinical study was done on 8,590 stone patients belonging to both sexes treated at the urinary stone clinic. The incidence of stone disease among the two sexes was plotted. The various metabolic parameters including 24-h urine volume, urine calcium, phosphorus, uric acid, oxalate, magnesium, creatinine and citrate, serum creatinine, calcium, phosphorus, uric acid and magnesium and calculated parameter calcium:magnesium ratio were studied. The possible causes for the change in incidence of stone disease in the female sex were elucidated. Of the patients studied, 12.7% (1,091) were females. There was a definite increase in the incidence of female urolithiasis over the past 37 years (P stone genesis, together with the increased excretion of calcium and oxalate may have contributed to the increasing incidence of stone disease in females. This might be due to changes in living standards and dietary habits.

The Influence of Runoff and Surface Hydrology on Titan's Weather and Climate

Science.gov (United States)

Faulk, S.; Lora, J. M.; Mitchell, J.; Moon, S.

2017-12-01

Titan's surface liquid distribution has been shown by general circulation models (GCMs) to greatly influence the hydrological cycle, producing characteristic weather and seasonal climate patterns. Simulations from the Titan Atmospheric Model (TAM) with imposed polar methane "wetlands" reservoirs realistically produce observed cloud features and temperature profiles of Titan's atmosphere, whereas "aquaplanet" simulations with a global methane ocean are not as successful. In addition, wetlands simulations, unlike aquaplanet simulations, demonstrate strong correlations between extreme rainfall behavior and observed geomorphic features, indicating the influential role of precipitation in shaping Titan's surface. The wetlands configuration is, in part, motivated by Titan's large-scale topography featuring low-latitude highlands and high-latitude lowlands, with the implication being that methane may concentrate in the high-latitude lowlands by way of runoff and subsurface flow of a global or regional methane table. However, the extent to which topography controls the surface liquid distribution and thus impacts the global hydrological cycle by driving surface and subsurface flow is unclear. Here we present TAM simulations wherein the imposed wetlands reservoirs are replaced by a surface runoff scheme that allows surface liquid to self-consistently redistribute under the influence of topography. We discuss the impact of surface runoff on the surface liquid distribution over seasonal timescales and compare the resulting hydrological cycle to observed cloud and surface features, as well as to the hydrological cycles of the TAM wetlands and aquaplanet simulations. While still idealized, this more realistic representation of Titan's hydrology provides new insight into the complex interaction between Titan's atmosphere and surface, demonstrates the influence of surface runoff on Titan's global climate, and lays the groundwork for further surface hydrology developments in Titan

Specific grinding energy and surface roughness of nanoparticle jet minimum quantity lubrication in grinding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang Dongkun

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Nanoparticles with the anti-wear and friction reducing features were applied as cooling lubricant in the grinding fluid. Dry grinding, flood grinding, minimal quantity of lubrication (MQL, and nanoparticle jet MQL were used in the grinding experiments. The specific grinding energy of dry grinding, flood grinding and MQL were 84, 29.8, 45.5 J/mm3, respectively. The specific grinding energy significantly decreased to 32.7 J/mm3 in nanoparticle MQL. Compared with dry grinding, the surface roughness values of flood grinding, MQL, and nanoparticle jet MQL were significantly reduced with the surface topography profile values reduced by 11%, 2.5%, and 10%, respectively, and the ten point height of microcosmic unflatness values reduced by 1.5%, 0.5%, and 1.3%, respectively. These results verified the satisfactory lubrication effects of nanoparticle MQL. MoS2, carbon nanotube (CNT, and ZrO2 nanoparticles were also added in the grinding fluid of nanoparticle jet MQL to analyze their grinding surface lubrication effects. The specific grinding energy of MoS2 nanoparticle was only 32.7 J/mm3, which was 8.22% and 10.39% lower than those of the other two nanoparticles. Moreover, the surface roughness of workpiece was also smaller with MoS2 nanoparticle, which indicated its remarkable lubrication effects. Furthermore, the role of MoS2 particles in the grinding surface lubrication at different nanoparticle volume concentrations was analyzed. MoS2 volume concentrations of 1%, 2%, and 3% were used. Experimental results revealed that the specific grinding energy and the workpiece surface roughness initially increased and then decreased as MoS2 nanoparticle volume concentration increased. Satisfactory grinding surface lubrication effects were obtained with 2% MoS2 nanoparticle volume concentration.

Pattern of family history in stone patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Marickar, Y M Fazil; Salim, Abiya; Vijay, Adarsh

2009-12-01

Genetic predisposition to urolithiasis is a much discussed topic. The objective of this paper is to identify the types of family members of proved urinary stone patients, who have a history of urinary stone formation. The study population consisted of 2,157 urinary stone patients interviewed in 2003-2007 in the urinary stone clinic. Family members with stone history were classified as group 1--first order single (one person in the immediate family-father, mother, siblings, or children), group 2--first order multiple (more than one member in the above group), group 3--second order single (one person in the blood relatives in family--grandparents, grandchildren, uncles, aunts, cousins, etc.) and group 4--second order multiple (more than one member in the above group). Of the 2,157 patients studied, 349 patients gave positive history of stone disease constituting 16.18%. Of these, 321 were males and 28 were females. Subdivision of the family members showed that 282 patients (80.80%) had single family member with stones and the rest 67 (19.20%) had multiple family members with history of stone disease. Group 1 which constituted one family member in the immediate family had 255 involvements (father: 88, mother: 16, brother: 135, sister: 2, son: 10, and daughter: 4); Group 2 with multiple members in the immediate family constituted 51 relatives; of these, father and brother combination was the most common with 35 occurrences. Group 3 with one person in the distant relatives in family namely grandparents, grand children, uncles, aunts, cousins, etc. constituted 27 occurrences and Group 4 with more than one member in the distant family constituted 16 occurrences. It is concluded that single family member involvement was more than multiple involvements. Males predominated. Stone occurrence was more in the immediate family members than distant relatives. Brothers formed the most common group to be involved with stone disease. Study of stone risk in the family members should

Lioz: The Stone that made Lisbon reborn - A Global Heritage Stone Resource Proposal

Science.gov (United States)

Lopes, Luis

2017-04-01

Lioz: The Stone that made Lisbon reborn - A Global Heritage Stone Resource Proposal Explored since the Roman Period, the Lioz (Cenomanian age microcrystalline fossiliferous limestone) is the main stone used in the buildings and monuments of Lisbon. After the great cataclysm of 1755 (earthquake, tsunami and fire) of 1755, the already known great quality and the near occurrence of these limestones were wisely used in the great reconstruction of the "Capital do Império" (Capital of the Empire). At the time, Lisbon was one of the largest European cities and great business center of the World, so the necessary and urgent reconstruction was not so difficult to start. Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, better known as "Marquês de Pombal", Secretary of King José I, successfully took up the challenge of rebuilding Lisbon. Inside the actual Portuguese capital geographical limits, several quarries of the Cretaceous limestone were explored; some still exist and are classified as geomonuments (i.e., Rio Seco Geomonument, 38 ° 42'21 .67''N; 9 ° 11 '30.37''W). As the City boundaries expanded, the quarries stopped and now there is no one asset in Lisbon. The most important exploitation and processing Lioz stone center was situated in Pêro Pinheiro, 20 km NW of Lisbon. Most of the stones used in the National Palace-Convent of Mafra (1717) belongs to the four main types of Lioz (the cream/white "Abancado", the pink/dark pink "Encarnadão", the yellow "Amarelo de Negrais" and the blueish grey "Azulino"), either cut "against" (perpendicular to the bedding plane) or "along" (parallel to the bedding plane). The orientation stone cut deeply controls texture and mechanical properties of the rocks that behaves as different ones were considered. In the last two decades, the Lioz extraction was almost extinguished. However, some of the old quarries was reactivated and produces first quality blocks needed both for new works and restoration of historic buildings and monuments. The

Hydrophobic durability characteristics of butterfly wing surface after freezing cycles towards the design of nature inspired anti-icing surfaces.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tingkun Chen

Full Text Available The hydrophobicity and anti-icing performance of the surfaces of some artificial hydrophobic coatings degraded after several icing and de-icing cycles. In this paper, the frost formation on the surfaces of butterfly wings from ten different species was observed, and the contact angles were measured after 0 to 6 frosting/defrosting cycles. The results show that no obvious changes in contact angle for the butterfly wing specimens were not obvious during the frosting/defrosting process. Further, the conclusion was inferred that the topography of the butterfly wing surface forms a special space structure which has a larger space inside that can accommodate more frozen droplets; this behavior prevents destruction of the structure. The findings of this study may provide a basis and new concepts for the design of novel industrially important surfaces to inhibit frost/ice growth, such as durable anti-icing coatings, which may decrease or prevent the socio-economic loss.

Hydrophobic durability characteristics of butterfly wing surface after freezing cycles towards the design of nature inspired anti-icing surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Tingkun; Cong, Qian; Qi, Yingchun; Jin, Jingfu; Choy, Kwang-Leong

2018-01-01

The hydrophobicity and anti-icing performance of the surfaces of some artificial hydrophobic coatings degraded after several icing and de-icing cycles. In this paper, the frost formation on the surfaces of butterfly wings from ten different species was observed, and the contact angles were measured after 0 to 6 frosting/defrosting cycles. The results show that no obvious changes in contact angle for the butterfly wing specimens were not obvious during the frosting/defrosting process. Further, the conclusion was inferred that the topography of the butterfly wing surface forms a special space structure which has a larger space inside that can accommodate more frozen droplets; this behavior prevents destruction of the structure. The findings of this study may provide a basis and new concepts for the design of novel industrially important surfaces to inhibit frost/ice growth, such as durable anti-icing coatings, which may decrease or prevent the socio-economic loss.

The effect of carbon dioxide on the twinkling artifact in ultrasound imaging of kidney stones: A pilot study

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Julianna C.; Wang, Yak-Nam; Cunitz, Bryan W.; Thiel, Jeffrey; Starr, Frank; Liu, Ziyue; Bailey, Michael R.

2016-01-01

Bone demineralization, dehydration, and stasis put astronauts at an increased risk of forming kidney stones in space. The color-Doppler ultrasound “twinkling artifact”, which highlights kidney stones with color, can make stones readily detectable with ultrasound; however our previous results suggest twinkling is caused by microbubbles on the stone surface which could be affected by the elevated levels of carbon dioxide found on space vehicles. Four pigs were implanted with kidney stones and imaged with ultrasound while the anesthetic carrier gas oscillated between oxygen and air containing 0.8% carbon dioxide. Upon exposing pigs to 0.8% carbon dioxide, twinkling was significantly reduced after 9–25 minutes and recovered when the carrier gas returned to oxygen. These trends repeated when pigs were again exposed to 0.8% carbon dioxide followed by oxygen. The reduction of twinkling from exposure to elevated carbon dioxide may make kidney stone detection with twinkling difficult in current space vehicles. PMID:28190622

Microscopic study of weathering of white Flemish stone from the monumental Church of Our Lady in Breda, The Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Larbi, J.A.; Hees, R.P.J. van; Naldini, S.

2003-01-01

This paper deals with the use of an integrated microscopic method to assist in the investigation of the causes and the extent of decay of the stones and ornaments in the gothic Clurch of Out Lady in Breda, The Netherlands. The purpose of the study was to determine whether conservation measures were

Symmetric Supercapacitor Electrodes from KOH Activation of Pristine, Carbonized, and Hydrothermally Treated Melia azedarach Stones.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno-Castilla, Carlos; García-Rosero, Helena; Carrasco-Marín, Francisco

2017-07-04

Waste biomass-derived activated carbons (ACs) are promising materials for supercapacitor electrodes due to their abundance and low cost. In this study, we investigated the potential use of Melia azedarach (MA) stones to prepare ACs for supercapacitors. The ash content was considerably lower in MA stones (0.7% ash) than that found in other lignocellulosic wastes. ACs were prepared by KOH activation of pristine, carbonized, and hydrothermally-treated MA stones. The morphology, composition, surface area, porosity, and surface chemistry of the ACs were determined. Electrochemical measurements were carried out in three- and two-electrode cells, 3EC and 2EC, respectively, using 1 M H₂SO₄ as the electrolyte. The highest capacitance from galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) in 2EC ranged between 232 and 240 F·g -1 at 1 A·g -1 . The maximum energy density reached was 27.4 Wh·kg -1 at a power density of 110 W·kg -1 . Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) revealed an increase in equivalent series resistance (ESR) and charge transfer resistance (R CT ) with greater ash content. Electrochemical performance of MA stone-derived ACs was compared with that of other ACs described in the recent literature that were prepared from different biomass wastes and results showed that they are among the best ACs for supercapacitor applications.

Topographic imprint on chemical weathering in deeply weathered soil-mantled landscapes (southern Brazil)

Science.gov (United States)

Vanacker, Veerle; Schoonejans, Jerome; Ameijeiras-Marino, Yolanda; Opfergelt, Sophie; Minella, Jean

2017-04-01

The regolith mantle is defined as the thin layer of unconsolidated material overlaying bedrock that contributes to shape the Earth's surface. The development of the regolith mantle in a landscape is the result of in-situ weathering, atmospheric input and downhill transport of weathering products. Bedrock weathering - the physical and chemical transformations of rock to soil - contributes to the vertical development of the regolith layer through downward propagation of the weathering front. Lateral transport of soil particles, aggregates and solutes by diffusive and concentrated particle and solute fluxes result in lateral redistribution of weathering products over the hillslope. In this study, we aim to expand the empirical basis on long-term soil evolution at the landscape scale through a detailed study of soil weathering in subtropical soils. Spatial variability in chemical mass fluxes and weathering intensity were studied along two toposequences with similar climate, lithology and vegetation but different slope morphology. This allowed us to isolate the topographic imprint on chemical weathering and soil development. The toposequences have convexo-concave slope morphology, and eight regolith profiles were analysed involving the flat upslope, steep midslope and flat toeslope part. Our data show a clear topographic imprint on soil development. Along hillslope, the chemical weathering intensity of the regolith profiles increases with distance from the crest. In contrast to the upslope positions, the soils in the basal concavities develop on in-situ and transported regolith. While the chemical weathering extent on the slope convexities (the upslope profiles) is similar for the steep and gentle toposequence, there is a clear difference in the rate of increase of the chemical weathering extent with distance from the crest. The increase of chemical weathering extent along hillslope is highest for the steep toposequence, suggesting that topography enhances soil particle

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy in the treatment of renal pelvicalyceal stones in morbidly obese patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. A. Mezentsev

2005-04-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Management of urolithiasis in morbidly obese patients is usually associated with higher morbidity and mortality compared to non-obese patients. In morbidly obese patients, since the kidney and stone are at a considerable distance from the skin (compared to non-obese patients difficulty may be found in positioning the patient so that the stone is situated at the focal point of the lithotripter. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcomes and cost-efficiency of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL in the treatment of renal pelvicalyceal stones sized between 6 and 20 mm in morbidly obese patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using various aids, such as mobile overtable module, extended shock pathway and abdominal compression 37 patients with body mass index more than 40 kg/m2 were treated using the Siemens Lithostar-plus third generation lithotripter. The size of renal pelvicalyceal stones was between 6 and 20 mm. Treatment costs for shock wave lithotripsy were calculated. RESULTS: The overall stone free rate at 3 months of 73% was achieved. The mean number of treatments per patient was 2.1. The post-lithotripsy secondary procedures rate was 5.4%. No complications, such as subcapsular haematoma or acute pyelonephritis were recorded. The most effective (87% success rate and cost-efficient treatment was in the patients with pelvic stones. The treatment of the patients with low caliceal stones was effective in 60% only. The cost of the treatment of the patients with low calyceal stones was in 1.8 times higher than in the patients with pelvic stones. CONCLUSION: We conclude that ESWL with the Siemens Lithostar-plus is the most effective and cost-efficient in morbidly obese patients with pelvic stones sized between 6 and 20 mm. 87% success rate was achieved. The increased distance from the skin surface to the stone in those patients does not decrease the success rate provided the stone is positioned in the focal point or within 3 cm of it on the

The twelve colourful stones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doria, R.M.

1983-01-01

A dynamics with twelve colourful stones is created based on the concepts of gauge and colour. It is associated different gauge fields to the same group. A group of gauge invariant Lagrangians is established. A gauge invariant mass term is introduced. The colourful stones physical insight is to be building blocks for quarks and leptons. (Author) [pt

Evaluating the Impacts of NASA/SPoRT Daily Greenness Vegetation Fraction on Land Surface Model and Numerical Weather Forecasts

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Jordan R.; Case, Jonathan L.; Molthan, Andrew L.

2011-01-01

The NASA Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) Center develops new products and techniques that can be used in operational meteorology. The majority of these products are derived from NASA polar-orbiting satellite imagery from the Earth Observing System (EOS) platforms. One such product is a Greenness Vegetation Fraction (GVF) dataset, which is produced from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data aboard the NASA EOS Aqua and Terra satellites. NASA SPoRT began generating daily real-time GVF composites at 1-km resolution over the Continental United States (CONUS) on 1 June 2010. The purpose of this study is to compare the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) climatology GVF product (currently used in operational weather models) to the SPoRT-MODIS GVF during June to October 2010. The NASA Land Information System (LIS) was employed to study the impacts of the new SPoRT-MODIS GVF dataset on land surface models apart from a full numerical weather prediction (NWP) model. For the 2010 warm season, the SPoRT GVF in the western portion of the CONUS was generally higher than the NCEP climatology. The eastern CONUS GVF had variations both above and below the climatology during the period of study. These variations in GVF led to direct impacts on the rates of heating and evaporation from the land surface. The second phase of the project is to examine the impacts of the SPoRT GVF dataset on NWP using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Two separate WRF model simulations were made for individual severe weather case days using the NCEP GVF (control) and SPoRT GVF (experimental), with all other model parameters remaining the same. Based on the sensitivity results in these case studies, regions with higher GVF in the SPoRT model runs had higher evapotranspiration and lower direct surface heating, which typically resulted in lower (higher) predicted 2-m temperatures (2-m dewpoint temperatures). The opposite was true

Extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy of bile duct stones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jong Tae; Kim, Myung Joon; Yoo, Hyung Sik; Suh, Jung Ho; Lee, Moo Sang; Jo, Jang Hwan; Kim, Byung Ro

1989-01-01

During the past one and half year, we performed ESWL therapy in 13 patients with common bile duct and intrahepatic duct stones, applying Lithostar-R (Siemens co. West Germany) and analyzed their results. In 13 patients, 9 residual common bile duct stones and 7 intrahepatic duct stones were selected postoperatively. The size of stones were ranged from 0.7 cm to 3.5 cm in diameter. 2 stones were multiple and the remained 14 were single in number. The visualization of stones were done with fluoroscopy after the injection of contrast media via cholangiographic T-tube or ERCP. ESWL were applied continuously until stone disintegration was visible, or upto maximum number of 3500 discharge of shock wave. If not disintegrated upto 3500, patients were underwent second or third lithotripsy session with interval of one week. Our results showed that among 9 common bile duct stones, 4 were completely disintegrated and passed out spontaneously, but 3 partially fragmented and removed by the additional procedure. 2 were failed. Among 7 intrahepatic stones, 3 completely and 2 partially were succeeded. One stone partially fragmented were retained without removal and other one were failed. Skin petechia in all patients were revealed on the entry port of shock wave, but no serous complication was not occurred

Extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy of bile duct stones

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jong Tae; Kim, Myung Joon; Yoo, Hyung Sik; Suh, Jung Ho; Lee, Moo Sang; Jo, Jang Hwan; Kim, Byung Ro [Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1989-12-15

During the past one and half year, we performed ESWL therapy in 13 patients with common bile duct and intrahepatic duct stones, applying Lithostar-R (Siemens co. West Germany) and analyzed their results. In 13 patients, 9 residual common bile duct stones and 7 intrahepatic duct stones were selected postoperatively. The size of stones were ranged from 0.7 cm to 3.5 cm in diameter. 2 stones were multiple and the remained 14 were single in number. The visualization of stones were done with fluoroscopy after the injection of contrast media via cholangiographic T-tube or ERCP. ESWL were applied continuously until stone disintegration was visible, or upto maximum number of 3500 discharge of shock wave. If not disintegrated upto 3500, patients were underwent second or third lithotripsy session with interval of one week. Our results showed that among 9 common bile duct stones, 4 were completely disintegrated and passed out spontaneously, but 3 partially fragmented and removed by the additional procedure. 2 were failed. Among 7 intrahepatic stones, 3 completely and 2 partially were succeeded. One stone partially fragmented were retained without removal and other one were failed. Skin petechia in all patients were revealed on the entry port of shock wave, but no serous complication was not occurred.

Model experiment of in vivo synchrotron X-ray diffraction of human kidney stones

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ancharov, A.I. [Institute of Solid State Chemistry and Mechanochemistry SB RAS, Novosibirsk (Russian Federation)]. E-mail: ancharov@mail.ru; Potapov, S.S. [Institute of Mineralogy UB RAS, Miass (Russian Federation); Moiseenko, T.N. [The State Regional Clinical Hospital, Novosibirsk (Russian Federation); Feofilov, I.V. [The State Regional Clinical Hospital, Novosibirsk (Russian Federation); Nizovskii, A.I. [Boreskov Institute of Catalysis SB RAS, Novosibirsk (Russian Federation)

2007-05-21

The diffraction of synchrotron radiation (SR) was used to explore the phase composition of kidney stones placed into a specific object phantom, which imitated the human body. As an imitation of the patient breath, the kidney stone was moved vertically and rotated to an angle of 15{sup o} during the recording of the X-ray pattern. It was shown that rotation and displacement did not distort the X-ray pattern.

Model experiment of in vivo synchrotron X-ray diffraction of human kidney stones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ancharov, A.I.; Potapov, S.S.; Moiseenko, T.N.; Feofilov, I.V.; Nizovskii, A.I.

2007-01-01

The diffraction of synchrotron radiation (SR) was used to explore the phase composition of kidney stones placed into a specific object phantom, which imitated the human body. As an imitation of the patient breath, the kidney stone was moved vertically and rotated to an angle of 15 o during the recording of the X-ray pattern. It was shown that rotation and displacement did not distort the X-ray pattern

Building stones can be of geoheritage significance

Science.gov (United States)

Brocx, Margaret; Semeniuk, Vic

2017-04-01

Building stones have generally been assigned values according to their cultural, aesthetic, and rarity significance, amongst other criteria, but they also may have geoheritage significance. This is akin to the geoheritage significance ascribed to minerals and fossils housed as ex situ specimens in museums. We proffer the notion that building stones can be of geoheritage value particularly where they comprise permanent buildings, they illustrate significant windows into the history of the Earth, and they can be visited as an ex situ museum locality (e.g., the "Blue Granite" of Iceland) for education as part of building-stone tours. For some rocks the quarries that supplied the building stone are no longer in existence and hence the building stones provide the only record of that type of material; for other rocks, the building stone may illustrate features in the lithology no longer present in the quarry itself (e.g., rare and large xenoliths). Building stones are particularly significant as they are often polished and manifest structures, fabrics, and textures not evident in outcrop. We illustrate here examples of building stone of geoheritage significance using Australian and International examples. Australian designated stones could include the "Sydney Sandstone" or "Victorian Bluestone". For international examples, there is the famous "Carrara Marble" in Italy and the widely known "Portland Limestone" from southern England, the latter having been utilized for St Pauls Cathedral in London and the UN building in New York City.

Urinary tract stone in patients with spinal cord injury: a retrospective radiological study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yun, Eun Joo; Lee, Jong Koo; Shin, Hyun Ja [Korea Veterans Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1995-01-15

To compare the incidence between author's first and current report on urinary tract stone in patient with spinal cord injury and to evaluate the effectiveness of recent developed in medical technology and care on in treating the patients. We reviewed urinary tract stone in 257 patients with paraplegia or quadriplegia after spinal cord injury. These patients were diagnosed retrospectively by KUB and intravenous urography at the Korea Veterans Hospital during 10 years from January, 1984 to December, 1993. We evaluated and compared the overall incidence, incidence of specific location of urinary tract, recurrent rate, incidence according to the level of spinal cord injury, and the duration of development in urinary tract stone. Total patients were 257 with 186 (72.4%) paraplegia and 71 (27.6%) quadriplegia. Overall incidence of the stone was 16.0% in this study and 38.1% in the first study. Incidence of the stone in individual organ; 5.5% in kidney, 1.2% in ureter, and 13.6% in urinary bladder. The recurrent rate was 29.3% in this study and 40.6% in the first study. Incidence of the stone according to the level of spinal cord injury was as follows; 15.6% in cervix, 17.1% in upper thorax, 17.9% in lower thorax and 13.9% in lumbar. The stone developed during the first 4 years and between 12 to 16 years following spinal cord injury was 28.3% each. Overall incidence and recurrent rate of urinary tract stone was obviously decreased since the first study. Highest incidence of the stone occurred in urinary bladder and in patient with lower thoracic spinal cord injury, which is similar to first report. Peak incidence of the stone was in the first 4 years, and another peak was in 12-16 years after spinal cord injury. The decreased overall incidence of urinary tract stone maybe attributable to the development in medical technology and care, and active rehabilitation.

Urinary tract stone in patients with spinal cord injury: a retrospective radiological study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yun, Eun Joo; Lee, Jong Koo; Shin, Hyun Ja

1995-01-01

To compare the incidence between author's first and current report on urinary tract stone in patient with spinal cord injury and to evaluate the effectiveness of recent developed in medical technology and care on in treating the patients. We reviewed urinary tract stone in 257 patients with paraplegia or quadriplegia after spinal cord injury. These patients were diagnosed retrospectively by KUB and intravenous urography at the Korea Veterans Hospital during 10 years from January, 1984 to December, 1993. We evaluated and compared the overall incidence, incidence of specific location of urinary tract, recurrent rate, incidence according to the level of spinal cord injury, and the duration of development in urinary tract stone. Total patients were 257 with 186 (72.4%) paraplegia and 71 (27.6%) quadriplegia. Overall incidence of the stone was 16.0% in this study and 38.1% in the first study. Incidence of the stone in individual organ; 5.5% in kidney, 1.2% in ureter, and 13.6% in urinary bladder. The recurrent rate was 29.3% in this study and 40.6% in the first study. Incidence of the stone according to the level of spinal cord injury was as follows; 15.6% in cervix, 17.1% in upper thorax, 17.9% in lower thorax and 13.9% in lumbar. The stone developed during the first 4 years and between 12 to 16 years following spinal cord injury was 28.3% each. Overall incidence and recurrent rate of urinary tract stone was obviously decreased since the first study. Highest incidence of the stone occurred in urinary bladder and in patient with lower thoracic spinal cord injury, which is similar to first report. Peak incidence of the stone was in the first 4 years, and another peak was in 12-16 years after spinal cord injury. The decreased overall incidence of urinary tract stone maybe attributable to the development in medical technology and care, and active rehabilitation

Activity, specificity, and titer of naturally occurring canine anti-DEA 7 antibodies.

Science.gov (United States)

Spada, Eva; Proverbio, Daniela; Baggiani, Luciana; Canzi, Ilaria; Perego, Roberta

2016-11-01

The reported prevalence of naturally occurring anti-dog erythrocyte antigen (DEA) 7 antibodies in DEA 7-negative dogs is as high as 50%. Characterization of these antibodies may better define their importance in canine transfusion medicine. We determined in vitro activity, specificity, and titer of anti-DEA 7 antibodies in DEA 7-negative dogs. Plasma samples from 317 DEA 7-negative dogs were cross-matched with DEA 7-positive red blood cells (RBCs) using gel column technology. Agglutination occurred with DEA 7-positive RBCs but not with DEA 7-negative RBCs in 73 samples (23%), which were hence classified as containing anti-DEA 7 antibodies. These samples were evaluated for hemolytic and agglutinating activity, strength of agglutination, and antibody specificity and titers. All samples showed agglutination but none showed hemolysis. Gel agglutination was graded as 1+ for 20 samples (27%), 2+ for 49 samples (67%), 3+ for 4 samples (6%); no samples were graded 4+. The agglutination titer was DEA 7 antibodies were found in 23% of DEA 7-negative dogs. The presence of naturally occurring anti-DEA 7 antibodies suggests that cross-matching of canine blood recipients is advisable, even at first transfusion, to minimize delayed transfusion reactions. © 2016 The Author(s).

Piezoelectric extracorporeal lithotripsy of gallbladder stones: New inclusion criteria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Joon Koo; Choi, Byung Ihn; Shin, Yong Moon; Yoon, Yong Kyu; Yoon, Yong Bum; Park, Yong Hyun; Kim, Chu Wan; Han, Man Chung [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1994-08-15

To establish the optimal inclusion criteria for the patients with gallbladder stones to extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy(ESWL) by retrospectively analyzed our current results. Data obtained from 201 patients with gallbladder stones treated with ESWL and oral chemolytic agent from November 1988 to July 1992 were retrospectively analyzed. Ninety-six had radiolucent stones and 105 had radiopaque stones. We used piezoelectric lithotriptor(EDAP LT. 01) and there were no limitation in number of sessions or total number of shock waves. ESWL was repeated until the size of the largest fragment is smaller than 4 mm. Follow up ultrasound was done in every three months after the successful fragmentation. Average length of the follow up was 205 days. We analyzed the rate of successful fragmentation, number of shock waves needed to achieve successful fragmentation according to the size, number of stones as well as the presence of the calcification. Stone-free rate after 6 months was also calculated from all subgroups and compared to each other. The rate of successful fragmentation was 76.2% for radiolucent stones and 65.6% for radiopaque stones(p> 0.05) after 46,731 and 56,111 shock wave respectively(p > 0.05) The rate of successful fragmentation was highest in patients with single, radiolucent stone smaller than 2 cm(91.7%) followed by single radiolucent stone larger than 2 cm(83.3%), multiple calcified stones smaller than 2 cm (77.4%) and single calcified stone smaller than 2 cm(72.1%). The rate of complete stone clearance after 6 month follow-up was highest in patients with single radiolucent stone smaller than 2 cm (63.3%) and followed by multiple calcified stones smaller than 2 cm(37.3%), single calcified stone smaller than 2 cm(33.9%)(p < 0.05). To obtain better results with ESWL in patients with gallbladder stone, the authors propose a more strict inclusion criteria, which is the patient with a single, radiolucent stone smaller than 2 cm.

Piezoelectric extracorporeal lithotripsy of gallbladder stones: New inclusion criteria