A New High-Speed, High-Cycle, Gear-Tooth Bending Fatigue Test Capability

Science.gov (United States)

Stringer, David B.; Dykas, Brian D.; LaBerge, Kelsen E.; Zakrajsek, Andrew J.; Handschuh, Robert F.

2011-01-01

A new high-speed test capability for determining the high cycle bending-fatigue characteristics of gear teeth has been developed. Experiments were performed in the test facility using a standard spur gear test specimens designed for use in NASA Glenn s drive system test facilities. These tests varied in load condition and cycle-rate. The cycle-rate varied from 50 to 1000 Hz. The loads varied from high-stress, low-cycle loads to near infinite life conditions. Over 100 tests were conducted using AISI 9310 steel spur gear specimen. These results were then compared to previous data in the literature for correlation. Additionally, a cycle-rate sensitivity analysis was conducted by grouping the results according to cycle-rate and comparing the data sets. Methods used to study and verify load-path and facility dynamics are also discussed.

Presymptomatic ALS genetic counseling and testing: Experience and recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Benatar, Michael; Stanislaw, Christine; Reyes, Eliana; Hussain, Sumaira; Cooley, Anne; Fernandez, Maria Catalina; Dauphin, Danielle D; Michon, Sara-Claude; Andersen, Peter M; Wuu, Joanne

2016-06-14

Remarkable advances in our understanding of the genetic contributions to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have sparked discussion and debate about whether clinical genetic testing should routinely be offered to patients with ALS. A related, but distinct, question is whether presymptomatic genetic testing should be offered to family members who may be at risk for developing ALS. Existing guidelines for presymptomatic counseling and testing are mostly based on small number of individuals, clinical judgment, and experience from other neurodegenerative disorders. Over the course of the last 8 years, we have provided testing and 317 genetic counseling sessions (including predecision, pretest, posttest, and ad hoc counseling) to 161 first-degree family members participating in the Pre-Symptomatic Familial ALS Study (Pre-fALS), as well as testing and 75 posttest counseling sessions to 63 individuals with familial ALS. Based on this experience, and the real-world challenges we have had to overcome in the process, we recommend an updated set of guidelines for providing presymptomatic genetic counseling and testing to people at high genetic risk for developing ALS. These recommendations are especially timely and relevant given the growing interest in studying presymptomatic ALS. © 2016 American Academy of Neurology.

40 CFR 1039.505 - How do I test engines using steady-state duty cycles, including ramped-modal testing?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

...-state duty cycles, including ramped-modal testing? 1039.505 Section 1039.505 Protection of Environment... duty cycles, including ramped-modal testing? This section describes how to test engines under steady-state conditions. In some cases, we allow you to choose the appropriate steady-state duty cycle for an...

Advanced Accelerated Power Cycling Test for Reliability Investigation of Power Device Modules

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Choi, Uimin; Jørgensen, Søren; Blaabjerg, Frede

2016-01-01

This paper presents an apparatus and methodology for an advanced accelerated power cycling test of insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules. In this test, the accelerated power cycling test can be performed under more realistic electrical operating conditions with online wear-out monitoring...... of tested power IGBT module. The various realistic electrical operating conditions close to real three-phase converter applications can be achieved by the simple control method. Further, by the proposed concept of applying the temperature stress, it is possible to apply various magnitudes of temperature...... swing in a short cycle period and to change the temperature cycle period easily. Thanks to a short temperature cycle period, test results can be obtained in a reasonable test time. A detailed explanation of apparatus such as configuration and control methods for the different functions of accelerated...

40 CFR 1048.505 - How do I test engines using steady-state duty cycles, including ramped-modal testing?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

...-state duty cycles, including ramped-modal testing? 1048.505 Section 1048.505 Protection of Environment... SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES Test Procedures § 1048.505 How do I test engines using steady-state duty cycles... some cases, we allow you to choose the appropriate steady-state duty cycle for an engine. In these...

40 CFR Appendix E to Subpart S of... - Transient Test Driving Cycle

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Transient Test Driving Cycle E Appendix... Driving Cycle (I) Driver's trace. All excursions in the transient driving cycle shall be evaluated by the... shall cause a test to be void. In addition, provisions shall be available to utilize cycle validation...

40 CFR Appendix II to Part 1054 - Duty Cycles for Laboratory Testing

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Duty Cycles for Laboratory Testing II.... 1054, App. II Appendix II to Part 1054—Duty Cycles for Laboratory Testing (a) Test handheld engines with the following steady-state duty cycle: G3 mode No. Engine speed a Torque(percent) b Weighting...

Fracture resistance of Zr–Nb alloys under low-cycle fatigue tests

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nikulin, S.A.; Rozhnov, A.B. [The National University of Science and Technology ‘‘MISIS’’, Leninsky pr. 4, 119049 Moscow (Russian Federation); Gusev, A.Yu. [A.A. Bochvar All-Russia Research Institute of Inorganic Materials (VNIINM), Rogova St. 5a, 123060 Moscow (Russian Federation); Nechaykina, T.A. [The National University of Science and Technology ‘‘MISIS’’, Leninsky pr. 4, 119049 Moscow (Russian Federation); Rogachev, S.O., E-mail: csaap@mail.ru [The National University of Science and Technology ‘‘MISIS’’, Leninsky pr. 4, 119049 Moscow (Russian Federation); Zadorozhnyy, M.Yu. [The National University of Science and Technology ‘‘MISIS’’, Leninsky pr. 4, 119049 Moscow (Russian Federation)

2014-03-15

Highlights: •Low-cycle fatigue tests of Zr–Nb alloys using DMA have been carried out. •The characteristics of low-cycle fatigue of the Zr–Nb alloy at 25/350 °C were determined. •Increasing test temperature up to 350 °C leads to a decrease of fatigue life. •The test temperature doesn’t have an effect on the character of fatigue curves. -- Abstract: Comparative low-cycle fatigue tests of small-scale specimens cut from the cladding tubes of E110, E125, E110opt zirconium alloys at temperatures of 25 and 350 °C using a dynamic mechanical analyzer have been carried out. It is shown that the limited cycles fatigue stress for all alloys is 50% less at temperature of 350 °C comparing to 25 °C. Besides it has been revealed that the limited cycles fatigue stress increases with increasing the strength of zirconium alloy.

New method of thermal cycling stability test of phase change material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Putra Nandy

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Phase Change Material (PCM is the most promising material as thermal energy storage nowadays. As thermal energy storage, examination on endurance of material for long-term use is necessary to be carried out. Therefore, thermal cycling test is performed to ensure thermal stability of PCM. This study have found a new method on thermal cycling test of PCM sample by using thermoelectric as heating and cooling element. RT 22 HC was used as PCM sample on this thermal cycling test. The new method had many advantages compared to some references of the same test. It just needed a small container for PCM sample. The thermoelectric could release heat to PCM sample and absorb heat from PCM sample uniformly, respectively, was called as heating and cooling process. Hence, thermoelectric had to be supported by a relay control device to change its polarity so it could heat and cool PCM sample alternately and automatically. On the other hand, the thermoelectric was cheap, easy to be found and available in markets. It can be concluded that new method of thermal cycling test by using thermoelectric as source of heating and cooling can be a new reference for performing thermal cycling test on PCM.

Life-Cycle Assessments of Selected NASA Ground-Based Test Facilities

Science.gov (United States)

Sydnor, George Honeycutt

2012-01-01

In the past two years, two separate facility-specific life cycle assessments (LCAs) have been performed as summer student projects. The first project focused on 13 facilities managed by NASA s Aeronautics Test Program (ATP), an organization responsible for large, high-energy ground test facilities that accomplish the nation s most advanced aerospace research. A facility inventory was created for each facility, and the operational-phase carbon footprint and environmental impact were calculated. The largest impacts stemmed from electricity and natural gas used directly at the facility and to generate support processes such as compressed air and steam. However, in specialized facilities that use unique inputs like R-134a, R-14, jet fuels, or nitrogen gas, these sometimes had a considerable effect on the facility s overall environmental impact. The second LCA project was conducted on the NASA Ames Arc Jet Complex and also involved creating a facility inventory and calculating the carbon footprint and environmental impact. In addition, operational alternatives were analyzed for their effectiveness at reducing impact. Overall, the Arc Jet Complex impact is dominated by the natural-gas fired boiler producing steam on-site, but alternatives were provided that could reduce the impact of the boiler operation, some of which are already being implemented. The data and results provided by these LCA projects are beneficial to both the individual facilities and NASA as a whole; the results have already been used in a proposal to reduce carbon footprint at Ames Research Center. To help future life cycle projects, several lessons learned have been recommended as simple and effective infrastructure improvements to NASA, including better utility metering and data recording and standardization of modeling choices and methods. These studies also increased sensitivity to and appreciation for quantifying the impact of NASA s activities.

PDP cycle 1 tests at INEL

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harker, Y.D.; Twedell, G.W. [Idaho National Engineering Lab., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

1997-11-01

The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) is a participant in the nondestructive assay Performance Demonstration Program (PDP) as part of the U.S. TRU Waste Characterization Program. The PDP program was designed to help ensure compliance with the quality assurance objectives (QAO`s) in the TRU Waste Characterization Program Plan. In June, 1996, cycle 1 of PDP program was completed at the Stored Waste Examination Pilot Plant (SWEPP) at INEL. The assay capability at INEL/SWEPP consists of a passive active neutron (PAN) radioassay system (for bulk fissile material assay) and a passive gamma spectrometry system (for isotopic mass ratio determination). The results from the two systems are combined to produce a single assay report which contains isotopic information ({sup 238}Pu, {sup 239}Pu), density, total activity, alpha activity, TRU activity, TRU activity concentration, Pu equivalent Curies and fissile gram equivalent. The PDP cycle 1 tests were expected to test bias and precision of the assay systems under nearly ideal conditions; ie., non-interfering matrices and little or no source self shielding. The test consisted of two drums in which the source loading was not known by the site. One drum was essentially empty and the other was filled with ethafoam. As per PDP`s instructions, the tests were to be conducted using the same procedures and equipment that normally would be used by SWEPP to assay real waste drums. This paper will discuss the lessons learned from these tests and INEL`s plans to improve the capabilities of the SWEPP assay systems. 7 refs., 6 tabs.

Security Considerations and Recommendations in Computer-Based Testing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saleh M. Al-Saleem

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Many organizations and institutions around the globe are moving or planning to move their paper-and-pencil based testing to computer-based testing (CBT. However, this conversion will not be the best option for all kinds of exams and it will require significant resources. These resources may include the preparation of item banks, methods for test delivery, procedures for test administration, and last but not least test security. Security aspects may include but are not limited to the identification and authentication of examinee, the risks that are associated with cheating on the exam, and the procedures related to test delivery to the examinee. This paper will mainly investigate the security considerations associated with CBT and will provide some recommendations for the security of these kinds of tests. We will also propose a palm-based biometric authentication system incorporated with basic authentication system (username/password in order to check the identity and authenticity of the examinee.

Security considerations and recommendations in computer-based testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Saleem, Saleh M; Ullah, Hanif

2014-01-01

Many organizations and institutions around the globe are moving or planning to move their paper-and-pencil based testing to computer-based testing (CBT). However, this conversion will not be the best option for all kinds of exams and it will require significant resources. These resources may include the preparation of item banks, methods for test delivery, procedures for test administration, and last but not least test security. Security aspects may include but are not limited to the identification and authentication of examinee, the risks that are associated with cheating on the exam, and the procedures related to test delivery to the examinee. This paper will mainly investigate the security considerations associated with CBT and will provide some recommendations for the security of these kinds of tests. We will also propose a palm-based biometric authentication system incorporated with basic authentication system (username/password) in order to check the identity and authenticity of the examinee.

40 CFR 1048.510 - What transient duty cycles apply for laboratory testing?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What transient duty cycles apply for... Procedures § 1048.510 What transient duty cycles apply for laboratory testing? (a) Starting with the 2007 model year, measure emissions by testing the engine on a dynamometer with the duty cycle described in...

40 CFR 1039.510 - Which duty cycles do I use for transient testing?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Which duty cycles do I use for... ENGINES Test Procedures § 1039.510 Which duty cycles do I use for transient testing? (a) Measure emissions by testing the engine on a dynamometer with one of the following transient duty cycles to determine...

Methodic recommendations on ultrasonic testing of pipeline austenitic butt joints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grebennik, V.S.; Lantukh, V.M.; Tajts, M.Z.; Ermolov, I.N.; Volkov, A.S.; Vyatskov, I.A.; Kesler, N.A.; Shchedrin, I.F.

1989-01-01

Recommendations for the application of ultrasonic testing of austenitic welded joints of the Du 500 pipelines with the walls 32-34 mm thick made of steel Kh18N10T are developed. The optimal values of the main parameters of ultrasonic testing are determined experimentally. Principles of calculation of the optimal parameters are considered. 1 ref.; 4 figs

A Comparison of Single-Cycle Versus Multiple-Cycle Proof Testing Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

McClung, R. C.; Chell, G. G.; Millwater, H. R.; Russell, D. A.; Millwater, H. R.

1999-01-01

Single-cycle and multiple-cycle proof testing (SCPT and MCPT) strategies for reusable aerospace propulsion system components are critically evaluated and compared from a rigorous elastic-plastic fracture mechanics perspective. Earlier MCPT studies are briefly reviewed. New J-integral estimation methods for semielliptical surface cracks and cracks at notches are derived and validated. Engineering methods are developed to characterize crack growth rates during elastic-plastic fatigue crack growth (FCG) and the tear-fatigue interaction near instability. Surface crack growth experiments are conducted with Inconel 718 to characterize tearing resistance, FCG under small-scale yielding and elastic-plastic conditions, and crack growth during simulated MCPT. Fractography and acoustic emission studies provide additional insight. The relative merits of SCPT and MCPT are directly compared using a probabilistic analysis linked with an elastic-plastic crack growth computer code. The conditional probability of failure in service is computed for a population of components that have survived a previous proof test, based on an assumed distribution of initial crack depths. Parameter studies investigate the influence of proof factor, tearing resistance, crack shape, initial crack depth distribution, and notches on the MCPT versus SCPT comparison. The parameter studies provide a rational basis to formulate conclusions about the relative advantages and disadvantages of SCPT and MCPT. Practical engineering guidelines are proposed to help select the optimum proof test protocol in a given application.

Recommendations on practice of conditioned pain modulation (CPM) testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Yarnitsky, D; Bouhassira, D; Drewes, A M; Fillingim, R B; Granot, M; Hansson, P; Landau, R; Marchand, S; Matre, D; Nilsen, K B; Stubhaug, A; Treede, R D; Wilder-Smith, O H G

2015-07-01

Protocols for testing conditioned pain modulation (CPM) vary between different labs/clinics. In order to promote research and clinical application of this tool, we summarize the recommendations of interested researchers consensus meeting regarding the practice of CPM and report of its results. © 2014 European Pain Federation - EFIC®

Provider Adherence to Syphilis Testing Recommendations for Women Delivering a Stillbirth.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Chirag G; Huppert, Jill S; Tao, Guoyu

2017-11-01

To assess overall adherence to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommended guidelines for syphilis testing among women who delivered a stillbirth and compare it with other tests recommended for stillbirth evaluation. We used MarketScan claims data with 40 million commercially insured and 8 million Medicaid enrollees annually to estimate prenatal care and follow-up testing among women who had stillbirths between January 1, 2013, and December 24, 2013. Stillbirth was identified if women had any International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision codes related to a stillbirth outcome. Among women with stillbirths, we estimated the proportions of women who received prenatal care and prenatal syphilis testing within 280 days before stillbirth, and testing at the time of stillbirth (syphilis testing, complete blood count, placental examination and autopsy) using Physician's Current Procedural Terminology codes. We identified 3672 Medicaid-insured women and 6023 commercially insured women with stillbirths in 2013. Approximately, 61.7% of Medicaid-insured women and 66.0% of commercially insured women had claims data indicating prenatal syphilis testing. At the time of stillbirth, Medicaid-insured and commercially insured women had similar rates of syphilis testing (6.5% vs 9.3%), placental examination (61.6% vs 57.8%), and complete blood count (31.9% vs 37.6%). Autopsies were too infrequent to be reported. Approximately, 34.6% of Medicaid-insured women and 29.7% of commercially insured women had no syphilis testing either prenatally or at the time of stillbirth. Syphilis testing among women after stillbirth was less than 10%, illustrating limited adherence to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommendations. Such low prenatal and delivery syphilis testing rates may impact the number of stillbirth cases identified as congenital syphilis cases and

40 CFR 86.1362-2007 - Steady-state testing with a ramped-modal cycle.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

...-modal cycle. 86.1362-2007 Section 86.1362-2007 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... (CONTINUED) Emission Regulations for New Otto-Cycle and Diesel Heavy-Duty Engines; Gaseous and Particulate Exhaust Test Procedures § 86.1362-2007 Steady-state testing with a ramped-modal cycle. This section...

40 CFR 86.1362-2010 - Steady-state testing with a ramped-modal cycle.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

...-modal cycle. 86.1362-2010 Section 86.1362-2010 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... (CONTINUED) Emission Regulations for New Otto-Cycle and Diesel Heavy-Duty Engines; Gaseous and Particulate Exhaust Test Procedures § 86.1362-2010 Steady-state testing with a ramped-modal cycle. This section...

USEtox - The UNEP-SETAC toxicity model: recommended characterisation factors for human toxicity and freshwater ecotoxicity in Life Cycle Impact Assessment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rosenbaum, Ralph K.; Bachmann, Till M; Gold, Lois S.

2008-01-01

, and (iii) to build a scientific consensus model from them, representing recommended practice. Methods. A chemical test set of 45 organics covering a wide range of property combinations was selected for this purpose. All models used this set. In three workshops, the model comparison participants identified......, defining a closed or open system environment, or nesting an urban box in a continental box. Discussion. The precision of the new characterisation factors (CFs) is within a factor of 100-1000 for human health and 10-100 for freshwater ecotoxicity of all other models compared to 12 orders of magnitude......Background, Aim and Scope. In 2005 a comprehensive comparison of LCIA toxicity characterisation models was initiated by the UNEP-SETAC Life Cycle Initiative, directly involving the model developers of CalTOX, IMPACT 2002, USES-LCA, BETR, EDIP, WATSON, and EcoSense. In this paper we describe...

Synthesis of low cycle fatigue test results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrews, R.M.

1990-01-01

Axial strain controlled cycle fatigue tests were carried out on type 316 stainless steel parent metal, vacuum and non-vacuum electron beams welds, submerged arc welds and gas shielded metal arc welds. Testing covered total strains in the range 0.6% to 2%, and was at room temperature and 550 0 C. Parent metal and the electron beam welds showed rapid cyclic hardening, while arc welds showed little hardening. The weld metal cyclic stress-strain response was above that obtained for the parent metal, although below data obtained by other workers for similar parent materials. Weld metal endurances were above the ASME N47 continuous cycling design line at both temperatures, and comparable with parent metal data. However, the weld metal data approached the design line at low strain ranges (around 0.5%). Endurances were predicted from crack growth rates estimated from striation spacings, giving acceptable results except for the gas shielded metal arc weldments. (author)

Regionalization of land use impact models for life cycle assessment: Recommendations for their use on the global scale and their applicability to Brazil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pavan, Ana Laura Raymundo, E-mail: laurarpavan@gmail.com [Center for Water Resource and Environmental Studies, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Av. Trabalhador São-Carlense 400, São Carlos 13566-590, SP (Brazil); Ometto, Aldo Roberto [Center for Water Resource and Environmental Studies, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Av. Trabalhador São-Carlense 400, São Carlos 13566-590, SP (Brazil); Department of Production Engineering, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Av. Trabalhador São-Carlense 400, São Carlos 13566-590, SP (Brazil)

2016-09-15

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is the main technique for evaluate the environmental impacts of product life cycles. A major challenge in the field of LCA is spatial and temporal differentiation in Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) methods, especially impacts resulting from land occupation and land transformation. Land use characterization modeling has advanced considerably over the last two decades and many approaches have recently included crucial aspects such as geographic differentiation. Nevertheless, characterization models have so far not been systematically reviewed and evaluated to determine their applicability to South America. Given that Brazil is the largest country in South America, this paper analyzes the main international characterization models currently available in the literature, with a view to recommending regionalized models applicable on a global scale for land use life cycle impact assessments, and discusses their feasibility for regionalized assessment in Brazil. The analytical methodology involves classification based on the following criteria: midpoint/endpoint approach, scope of application, area of data collection, biogeographical differentiation, definition of recovery time and reference situation; followed by an evaluation of thirteen scientific robustness and environmental relevance subcriteria. The results of the scope of application are distributed among 25% of the models developed for the European context, and 50% have a global scope. There is no consensus in the literature about the definition of parameters such biogeographical differentiation and reference situation, and our review indicates that 35% of the models use ecoregion division while 40% use the concept of potential natural vegetation. Four characterization models show high scores in terms of scientific robustness and environmental relevance. These models are recommended for application in land use life cycle impact assessments, and also to serve as references for the

Irradiation tests report of the 32nd cycle in 'JOYO'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-09-01

This report summarizes the operating and irradiation data of the experimental reactor 'JOYO' 32nd cycle, and estimates the 33rd cycle irradiation condition. Irradiation tests in the 31st cycle are as follows: (1) B-type irradiation rig (B9). (a) High burn up performance tests of MONJU' fuel pins, advanced austenitic steel cladding fuel pins, large diameter fuel pins, ferrite steel cladding fuel pins (in collaboration with the USA) and large diameter annular pellet fuel pins. (b) Mixed carbide and nitride fuel pins irradiation tests (in collaboration with JAERI). (2) C-type irradiation rig (C4F). (a) High burn up performance test of advanced austenitic steel cladding fuel pins (in collaboration with France). (3) C-type irradiation rig (C6D). (a) Large diameter fuel pins irradiation test. (4) Absorber Materials Irradiation Rig (AMIR-6). (a) Run to absorber pin's cladding breach. (5) Absorber Materials Irradiation Rig (AMIR-8). (a) High-temperature shroud and Na-bond elements tests. (6) Core Materials Irradiation Rig (CMIR-5-1). (a) Core materials irradiation tests. (7) Structure Materials Irradiation Rigs (SMIR). (a) Material irradiation tests (in collaboration with universities). (b) Surveillance back up tests for MONJU'. (8) MAterial testing RIg with temperature COntrol (MARICO-1). (a) Material irradiation tests (in collaboration with universities), (b) Creep rupture tests of the core materials for the demonstration reactor. (9) Upper core structure irradiation Plug Rig (UPR-1-5). (a) Upper core neutron spectrum effect and accelerated irradiation effect. The maximum burn-up driver assembly 'PFD503' reached 65,600 MWd/t (pin average). (author)

Evaluation of HIV testing recommendations in specialty guidelines for the management of HIV indicator conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lord, E; Stockdale, A J; Malek, R

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVES: European guidelines recommend HIV testing for individuals presenting with indicator conditions (ICs) including AIDS-defining conditions (ADCs). The extent to which non-HIV specialty guidelines recommend HIV testing in ICs and ADCs is unknown. Our aim was to pilot a methodology in the UK...... are piloting methods to engage with guideline development groups to ensure that patients diagnosed with ICs/ADCs are tested for HIV. We then plan to apply our methodology in other European settings as part of the Optimising Testing and Linkage to Care for HIV across Europe (OptTEST) project....... to review specialty guidelines and ascertain if HIV was discussed and testing recommended. METHODS: UK and European HIV testing guidelines were reviewed to produce a list of 25 ADCs and 49 ICs. UK guidelines for these conditions were identified from searches of the websites of specialist societies...

Long life nickel electrodes for a nickel-hydrogen cell: Cycle life tests

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, H. S.; Verzwyvelt, S. A.

1985-01-01

In order to develop a long life nickel electrode for a Ni/H2 cell, the cycle life of nickel electrodes was tested in Ni/H2 boiler plate cells. A 19 test cell matrix was made of various nickel electrode designs including three levels each of plaque mechanical strength, median pore size of the plaque, and active material loading. Test cells were cycled to the end of their life (0.5v) in a 45 minute low Earth orbit cycle regime at 80% depth-of-discharge. It is shown that the active material loading level affects the cycle life the most with the optimum loading at 1.6 g/cc void. Mechanical strength does not affect the cycle life noticeably in the bend strength range of 400 to 700 psi. It is found that the best plaque is made of INCO nickel powder type 287 and has median pore size of 13 micron.

"Graded Cycling Test with Talk Test" Is a Reliable Test to Monitor Cardiovascular Fitness in Patients with Minor Stroke

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Steen Krawcyk, Rikke; Vinther, Anders; Caesar Petersen, Nicolas

2017-01-01

variability may challenge currently used cardiovascular monitoring. The Graded Cycling Test with Talk Test is a submaximal exercise test independent of heart rate variability, shown reliable for patients with cardiac disease. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with lacunar stroke according to TOAST (Trial of Org...... a minor measurement error: 12.9 W for groups of patients (standard error of measurement, SEM95) and 18.3 W for individual patients (smallest real difference). CONCLUSION: The "Graded Cycling Test with Talk Test" is feasible and reliable for monitoring exercise effects in patients with lacunar stroke...... 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment) criteria performed an incremental exercise test on a stationary bicycle with a 15 W (watt) increase in workload every minute. Toward the end of each incremental step, the patients recited a standardized text passage and subsequently were asked: "Are you still able...

Duty cycle testing and performance evaluation of the SM-229 teleoperator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoughton, R.S.; Kuban, D.P.

1985-11-01

This paper contains the first known experimental studies and analyses of teleoperator performance for specific duty cycles. The results are presented in two distinct areas as position usage patterns, and as three-dimensional power grids. The position usage patterns are a valuable means to assess the available motion range. The power grids are a unique concept for evaluating joint performance. Final conclusions contain recommendations to upgrade the teleoperator for optimum performance. 3 refs., 16 figs

Newborn screening for proximal urea cycle disorders: Current evidence supporting recommendations for newborn screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Merritt, J Lawrence; Brody, Linnea L; Pino, Gisele; Rinaldo, Piero

2018-04-20

Current newborn screening (NBS) for urea cycle disorders (UCD) is incomplete as only distal UCDs are included in most NBS programs by measuring elevated amino acid concentrations. NBS for the proximal UCDs involves the detection in NBS spots of low citrulline values, a finding which is often overlooked because it is considered to be inadequate. We retrospectively analyzed NBS blood spots from known UCD patients comparing the utility of the Region 4 Stork (R4S) interpretive tools to conventional cutoff based interpretation. This study shows the utility of R4S tools in detecting all UCDs, and provides evidence to support the nomination to add proximal UCDs to the recommended uniform screening panel. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

European recommendations for the clinical use of HIV drug resistance testing: 2011 update

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vandamme, Anne-Mieke; Camacho, Ricardo J; Ceccherini-Silberstein, Francesca

2011-01-01

, and other drug targets (integrase and envelope) if such drugs were part of the failing regimen; (iii) consider testing for CCR5 tropism at virologic failure or when a change of therapy has to be made in absence of detectable viral load, and in the latter case test DNA or last detectable plasma RNA; (iv...... the following recommendations concerning the indications for resistance testing: for HIV-1 (i) test earliest sample for protease and reverse transcriptase drug resistance in drug-naive patients with acute or chronic infection; (ii) test protease and reverse transcriptase drug resistance at virologic failure...... is needed after treatment failure. The Panel recommends genotyping in most situations, using updated and clinically evaluated interpretation systems. It is mandatory that laboratories performing HIV resistance tests take part regularly in external quality assurance programs, and that they consider storing...

Laser Soldering and Thermal Cycling Tests of Monolithic Silicon Pixel Chips

CERN Document Server

Strand, Frode Sneve

2015-01-01

An ALPIDE-1 monolithic silicon pixel sensor prototype has been laser soldered to a flex printed circuit using a novel interconnection technique using lasers. This technique is to be optimised to ensure stable, good quality connections between the sensor chips and the FPCs. To test the long-term stability of the connections, as well as study the effects on hit thresholds and noise in the sensor, it was thermally cycled in a climate chamber 1200 times. The soldered connections showed good qualities like even melting and good adhesion on pad/flex surfaces, and the chip remained in working condition for 1080 cycles. After this, a few connections failed, having cracks in the soldering tin, rendering the chip unusable. Threshold and noise characteristics seemed stable, except for the noise levels of sector 2 in the chip, for 1000 cycles in a temperature interval of "10^{\\circ}" and "50^{\\circ}" C. Still, further testing with wider temperature ranges and more cycles is needed to test the limitations of the chi...

40 CFR 86.1363-2007 - Steady-state testing with a discrete-mode cycle.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 19 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Steady-state testing with a discrete-mode cycle. 86.1363-2007 Section 86.1363-2007 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Exhaust Test Procedures § 86.1363-2007 Steady-state testing with a discrete-mode cycle. This section...

Recommended procedures for performance testing of radiobioassay laboratories: Volume 2, In vitro samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fenrick, H.W.; MacLellan, J.A.

1988-11-01

Draft American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standard N13.30 (Performance Criteria for Radiobioassay) was developed for the US Department of Energy and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to help ensure that bioassay laboratories provide accurate and consistent results. The draft standard specifies the criteria for defining the procedures necessary to establish a bioassay performance-testing laboratory and program. The bioassay testing laboratory will conduct tests to evaluate the performance of service laboratories. Pacific Northwest Laboratory helped develop testing procedures as part of an effort to evaluate the performance criteria by testing the existing measurement capabilities of various bioassay laboratories. This report recommends guidelines for the preparation, handling, storage, distribution, shipping, and documentation of in vitro test samples (artificial urine and fecal matter) for indirect bioassay. The data base and recommended records system for documenting radiobioassay performance at the service laboratories are also presented. 8 refs., 3 tabs

Recommendations for elaboration, transcultural adaptation and validation process of tests in Speech, Hearing and Language Pathology.

Science.gov (United States)

Pernambuco, Leandro; Espelt, Albert; Magalhães, Hipólito Virgílio; Lima, Kenio Costa de

2017-06-08

to present a guide with recommendations for translation, adaptation, elaboration and process of validation of tests in Speech and Language Pathology. the recommendations were based on international guidelines with a focus on the elaboration, translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation process of tests. the recommendations were grouped into two Charts, one of them with procedures for translation and transcultural adaptation and the other for obtaining evidence of validity, reliability and measures of accuracy of the tests. a guide with norms for the organization and systematization of the process of elaboration, translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation process of tests in Speech and Language Pathology was created.

Definition study of a Variable Cycle Experimental Engine (VCEE) and associated test program and test plan

Science.gov (United States)

Allan, R. D.

1978-01-01

The Definition Study of a Variable Cycle Experimental Engine (VCEE) and Associated Test Program and Test Plan, was initiated to identify the most cost effective program for a follow-on to the AST Test Bed Program. The VCEE Study defined various subscale VCE's based on different available core engine components, and a full scale VCEE utilizing current technology. The cycles were selected, preliminary design accomplished and program plans and engineering costs developed for several program options. In addition to the VCEE program plans and options, a limited effort was applied to identifying programs that could logically be accomplished on the AST Test Bed Program VCE to extend the usefulness of this test hardware. Component programs were provided that could be accomplished prior to the start of a VCEE program.

Recommended procedures for performance testing of radiobioassay laboratories: Volume 1, Quality assurance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fenrick, H.W.; MacLellan, J.A.

1988-11-01

Draft American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standard N13.30 (Performance Criteria for Radiobioassay) was developed in response to a concern expressed by the US Department of Energy and US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to help ensure that bioassay laboratories provide accurate and consistent results. The draft standard specifies the criteria for defining the procedures necessary to establish a bioassay performance-testing laboratory and program. The testing laboratory will conduct tests to evaluate the performance of service laboratories. Pacific Northwest Laboratory helped define responsibilities and develop procedures as part of an effort to evaluate the draft ANSI N13.30 performance criteria for quality assurance at bioassay laboratories. This report recommends elements of quality assurance and quality control responsibilities for the bioassay performance-testing laboratory program, including the qualification and performance of personnel and the calibration, certification, and performance of equipment. The data base and recommended records system for documenting radiobioassay performance at the service laboratories are also presented. 15 refs

Decrease in Prostate Cancer Testing Following the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jun; Berkowitz, Zahava; Hall, Ingrid J

2015-01-01

To assess changes of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing following recent US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) prostate cancer screening recommendations using 2005 to 2013 National Health Interview Survey data. We calculated the percentage of PSA testing among men ≥40 years by age group and age-adjusted race for each survey year. Differences between years were assessed with linear contrasts after combining all years' data. The overall percentage of PSA testing was highest in 2008 and decreased significantly in 2013. Compared with 2008, each age group had significantly lower screening percentages in 2013, especially men ≥75 years old (-14.0% points; P testing percentages were highest in 2008 and decreased significantly in 2013. Only white men had a significantly lower percentage in 2013 than in 2010. Significant declines in PSA testing from 2008 to 2013 in men ≥75 years old may reflect the impact of the 2008 USPSTF recommendations. While the cause of the decreases in PSA testing between 2010 and 2013 among men aged 50 to 74 years old and white men is unknown, the decreases may suggest the early effects of the 2012 recommendations. © Copyright 2015 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

Recommendations for J and CTOD testing of strength mismatched. GKSS and EDF view

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kocak, M.; Kim, Y.J.; Hornet, P

1998-03-01

Recommendations for toughness testing and evaluation procedures for weldments are given in this paper. For testing aspects, two testing methods are outlined, micro-flat tensile tests and the {delta}{sub 5} testing technique. The micro-flat tensile tests are extremely useful to measure tensile properties for the Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) of multipass welds and very thin weld regions such as laser beam or electron beam and it is rather universal. It can be applied to any type of test pieces as well as to structural components with surface breaking cracks. These two test methods can provide efficient tools for tensile and fracture testing of metallic materials joined by fusion welding technology including high power beam welding processes. For toughness evaluation aspects, the J estimation procedures for mismatched specimens are reviewed, including a summary of a new proposal for best estimates of the mismatch on the J integral. The new procedure covers not only weld metal cracks but also HAZ cracks. Finally some recommendations are given for further development. (author) 29 refs.

Etest Cannot Be Recommended for In Vitro Susceptibility Testing of Mucorales

OpenAIRE

Caramalho, Rita; Maurer, Elisabeth; Binder, Ulrike; Araújo, Ricardo; Dolatabadi, Somayeh; Lass-Flörl, Cornelia; Lackner, Michaela

2015-01-01

Amphotericin B and posaconazole susceptibility patterns were determined for the most prevalent Mucorales, following EUCAST (European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing) broth microdilution guidelines. In parallel, Etest was performed and evaluated against EUCAST. The overall agreement of MICs gained with Etest and EUCAST was 75.1%; therefore, Etest cannot be recommended for antifungal susceptibility testing of Mucorales. Amphotericin B was the most active drug against Mucorales...

Sequential accelerated tests: Improving the correlation of accelerated tests to module performance in the field

Science.gov (United States)

Felder, Thomas; Gambogi, William; Stika, Katherine; Yu, Bao-Ling; Bradley, Alex; Hu, Hongjie; Garreau-Iles, Lucie; Trout, T. John

2016-09-01

DuPont has been working steadily to develop accelerated backsheet tests that correlate with solar panels observations in the field. This report updates efforts in sequential testing. Single exposure tests are more commonly used and can be completed more quickly, and certain tests provide helpful predictions of certain backsheet failure modes. DuPont recommendations for single exposure tests are based on 25-year exposure levels for UV and humidity/temperature, and form a good basis for sequential test development. We recommend a sequential exposure of damp heat followed by UV then repetitions of thermal cycling and UVA. This sequence preserves 25-year exposure levels for humidity/temperature and UV, and correlates well with a large body of field observations. Measurements can be taken at intervals in the test, although the full test runs 10 months. A second, shorter sequential test based on damp heat and thermal cycling tests mechanical durability and correlates with loss of mechanical properties seen in the field. Ongoing work is directed toward shorter sequential tests that preserve good correlation to field data.

The role of spent fuel test facilities in the fuel cycle strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, S. T.; Gross, D. L.; Snyder, N. W.; Woods, W. D.

1988-01-01

Disposal of commercial spent nuclear fuels in the major industrialized countries may be categorized into two broad approaches: a once-through policy which will dispose of spent fuels and recycle fissile materials. Within reprocess spent fuels and recycle fissile materials. Within each policy, various technical, licensing, institutional and public issues exist. These issues tend to complicate the formulation of an effective and acceptable fuel cycle strategy which will meet various cost, schedule, and legislative constraints. This paper examines overall fuel cycle strategies from the viewpoint of these underlying technical issues and assesses the roles of spent fuel test facilities in the overall fuel cycles steps. Basic functions of such test facilities are also discussed. The main emphasis is placed on the once-through policy although the reprocessing / recycle policy is also discussed. Benefits of utilizing test facilities in the fuel cycle strategies are explored. The results indicate that substantial benefits may be obtained in terms of minimizing programmatic risks, increasing public confidence, and more effective utilization of overall budgetary resources by structuring and highlighting the test facilities as an important element in the overall strategy

Do guidelines recommending pharmacogenetic testing of psychiatric patients affect treatment costs and the use of healthcare services?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Herbild, Louise; Bech, Mickael; Gyrd-Hansen, Dorte

2011-01-01

To identify the effects of local recommendations of pharmacogenetic testing in psychiatry with respect to treatment costs.......To identify the effects of local recommendations of pharmacogenetic testing in psychiatry with respect to treatment costs....

Summary and recommendations of the NRC/INEL Activated Carbon Testing Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scarpellino, C.D.; Sill, C.W.

1986-01-01

The Committee on Nuclear Air and Gas Treatment (CONAGT) of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) sponsored an interlaboratory testing program, round-robin, of nuclear-grade activated carbon. The results of this round-robin revealed gross differences in penetration of radio-labeled methyl iodide as measured by the various laboratories when using Method A of the ASTM D-3803-79 Standard. These differences prompted the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to establish the NRC/INEL Activated Carbon Testing Program to determine the causes of these discrepancies and to provide recommendations that could lead to an accurate and reliable testing procedure that would ensure an adequate method for assessing the capability of activated carbon to remove radioiodine from gas streams within commercial nuclear power plants. The NRC/INEL Activated Carbon Testing Program has conducted formal and informal interlaboratory comparisons to identify problems with the test method and its application and to assess the effectiveness of changes to procedures and equipment voluntarily implemented by commercial laboratories to mitigate the disparity of test results. The results of the first formal NRC/INEL Interlaboratory Comparison (IC) essentially verified the CONAGT round-robin results despite the use of a detailed test protocol. This data indicated that many of the participating laboratories probably had been operating outside the ASTM specifications for relative humidity (RH) and flow. In addition, this process provided information which was used to modify the testing protocol employed for the second NRC/INEL Interlaboratory Comparison (IC-2) to make it more rugged and reliable. These changes to the protocol together with the results of INEL sensitivity testing are the basis for the recommendations presented

Gender differences and dynamics shaping the adoption life cycle: review of the literature and recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Freeark, Kristine; Rosenberg, Elinor B; Bornstein, Jane; Jozefowicz-Simbeni, Debra; Linkevich, Michael; Lohnes, Kelly

2005-01-01

The role of gender in the experiences of adoptive family members has received little systematic attention. Gender differences in response to different tasks and phases of the adoption life cycle are described. Gendered dynamics within the adoptive family, for birth parents, and in the field of adoption are highlighted. Birth fathers and adoptive fathers are typically marginalized, which leaves women to address emotion, connection, and communication, and family dialogues about adoption may engage daughters more successfully than sons. The article reviews reasons why differential rates of problem behavior for adopted boys and girls may result from gender differences in emotional expressiveness, social support seeking, and identity formation. Implications of the feminization of adoption are explored, and recommendations for practice and research are proposed.

Development of a Very High Cycle Fatigue (VHCF multiaxial testing device

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Vieira

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The very high cycle region of the S-N fatigue curve has been the subject of intensive research on the last years, with special focus on axial, bending, torsional and fretting fatigue tests. Very high cycle fatigue can be achieved using ultrasonic exciters which allow for frequency testing of up to 30 kHz. Still, the multiaxial fatigue analysis is not yet developed for this type of fatigue analyses, mainly due to conceptual limitations of these testing devices. In this paper, a device designed to produce biaxial fatigue testing using a single piezoelectric axial exciter is presented, as well as the preliminary testing of this device. The device is comprised of a horn and a specimen, which are both attached to the piezoelectric exciter. The steps taken towards the final geometry of the device are presented. Preliminary experimental testing of the developed device is made using thermographic imaging, strain measurements and vibration speeds and indicates good behaviour of the tested specimen.

Power Testing in Basketball: Current Practice and Future Recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Neal; Dalbo, Vincent J; Burgos, Bill; Pyne, David B; Scanlan, Aaron T

2018-02-01

Numerous foundational movements performed during basketball are predicated on underlying power-related attributes, including speed, change-of-direction, and jumping. Accordingly, fitness testing batteries for basketball have incorporated an assortment of linear speed tests, change-of-direction tests, and jump tests. However, due to the wide variety of testing options it is difficult for basketball practitioners to select appropriate testing protocols for the assessment of power-related attributes. As a result, there is a need to review the relevant literature to identify game-specific, power-related attributes important in basketball and the most appropriate tests available to assess power-related attributes for basketball practitioners. Therefore, the aims of this review were to: (1) identify essential power-related attributes important in basketball; (2) discuss the suitability of common and novel power-related tests; and (3) provide recommendations for future research and best practice approaches for basketball coaching staff. In this review, we propose a series of novel tests that are more targeted and specific to basketball movements including: (1) 5-m and 10-m linear sprints, (2) Modified Agility T-Test, (3) Change-of-Direction Deficit, (4) lateral bound, (5) Sargent jump, (6) one-step jump, and (7) isometric midthigh pull test. Improved testing of power-related attributes should enable basketball practitioners to develop targeted training plans for enhancing player performance.

Junction temperature estimation for an advanced active power cycling test

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Choi, Uimin; Blaabjerg, Frede; Jørgensen, S.

2015-01-01

estimation method using on-state VCE for an advanced active power cycling test is proposed. The concept of the advanced power cycling test is explained first. Afterwards the junction temperature estimation method using on-state VCE and current is presented. Further, the method to improve the accuracy...... of the maximum junction temperature estimation is also proposed. Finally, the validity and effectiveness of the proposed method is confirmed by experimental results.......On-state collector-emitter voltage (VCE) is a good indicator to determine the wear-out condition of power device modules. Further, it is a one of the Temperature Sensitive Electrical Parameters (TSEPs) and thus can be used for junction temperature estimation. In this paper, the junction temperature...

PROPOSAL FOR BUILD A TEST STAND TO THE STUDY WATER RAM BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS CONSTRUCTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dariusz GRYGO

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The main aim of this article was developed of a test stand to a study physics phenomena accruing at work in a ram water based on the construction recommendations. The experience gained by a number of attempts allowed to the developed construction recommendations that allowed to adjust the test stand to perform various studies of physics phenomena occurring at the work of water ram and easy adaptions to the new requirements. The article includes: the review of the test stands on which performed the study in the history and in the present times, description of the construction recommendations of the universal test stand and the proposal of the test stand developed based on the construction recommendations. Motivation to take up this issue follows from the interest of devices that work in an unconventional way, devices used a renewable energy that can be used in household e.g. to improve their energy balance, delivery water to houses, drinking water for animals, fields irrigation, etc. Analysis of the literature of the water ram, test stands and their performance shown that it is small and typically old development in popular science form. In times of intensive search new sources of renewable energy reactivation of this type equipment may be highly probable.

Closed Cycle Engine Program Used in Solar Dynamic Power Testing Effort

Science.gov (United States)

Ensworth, Clint B., III; McKissock, David B.

1998-01-01

NASA Lewis Research Center is testing the world's first integrated solar dynamic power system in a simulated space environment. This system converts solar thermal energy into electrical energy by using a closed-cycle gas turbine and alternator. A NASA-developed analysis code called the Closed Cycle Engine Program (CCEP) has been used for both pretest predictions and post-test analysis of system performance. The solar dynamic power system has a reflective concentrator that focuses solar thermal energy into a cavity receiver. The receiver is a heat exchanger that transfers the thermal power to a working fluid, an inert gas mixture of helium and xenon. The receiver also uses a phase-change material to store the thermal energy so that the system can continue producing power when there is no solar input power, such as when an Earth-orbiting satellite is in eclipse. The system uses a recuperated closed Brayton cycle to convert thermal power to mechanical power. Heated gas from the receiver expands through a turbine that turns an alternator and a compressor. The system also includes a gas cooler and a radiator, which reject waste cycle heat, and a recuperator, a gas-to-gas heat exchanger that improves cycle efficiency by recovering thermal energy.

Prediction of residual life of low-cycle fatigue in austenitic stainless steel based on indentation test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yonezu, Akio; Touda, Yuya; Kim, HakGui; Yoneda, Keishi; Sakihara, Masayuki; Minoshima; Kohji

2011-01-01

In this study, a method to predict residual life of low-cycle fatigue in austenitic stainless steel (SUS316NG) was proposed based on indentation test. Low-cycle fatigue tests for SUS316NG were first conducted based on uniaxial tensile-compressive loading under the control of true strain range. Applied strain ranges were varied from about 3 to 12%. Their hysteresis loops of stress and strain were monitored during the fatigue tests. Plastic deformation range in hysteresis loop at each cycle could be roughly expressed by bi-linear hardening rule, whose plastic properties involve yield stress and work-hardening coefficient. The cyclic plastic properties were found to be dependent on the number of cycles and applied strain range, due to work-hardening. We experimentally investigated the empirical relationship between the plastic properties and number of cycles for each applied strain range. It is found that the relationship quantitatively predicts the applied strain range and number of cycles, when the plastic properties, or yield stress and work-hardening coefficient were known. Indentation tests were applied to the samples subjected to low cycle fatigue test, in order to quantitatively determine the plastic properties. The estimated properties were assigned to the proposed relationship, yielding the applied strain range and the cycle numbers. The proposed method was applied to the several stainless steel samples subjected to low cycle fatigue tests, suggesting that their residual lives could be reasonably predicted. Our method is thus useful for predicting the residual life of low-cycle fatigue in austenitic stainless steel. (author)

Precision of commercial soil testing practice for phosphorus fertilizer recommendations in Finland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. PELTOVUORI

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Implementation of the Agri-Environmental Program in 1995 has emphasized the role of advisory soil testing in phosphorus (P input planning and markedly expanded the market for commercial soil testing in Finland. A small precision experiment (5 laboratories and a simulation study on soil sampling were conducted to evaluate the current precision of the soil testing practice for P. The observed values of reproducibility (95% probability of soil P determination were 42-61% of the mean P concentration for three soils. This approximately corresponds to a maximum error of one P class in a seven-step classification system. Soil texture and organic matter content are used as secondary variables in P fertilization planning. In commercial soil testing these are both determined by finger assessment and the results have significant errors in most laboratories. Erroneous texture determinations are more likely to lead to errors in P fertilizer recommendations than soil P analysis itself. In this study the largest deviation from a correct P fertilization recommendation was +10 kg ha-1. In soil sampling simulation, stratified random sampling in areas of differing texture gave the most consistent results with geostatistical analysis of the soil test data, as compared with random, systematic, and judgment sampling strategies.;

Preliminary Test of Friction disk type turbine for S-CO{sub 2} cycle application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baik, Seungjoon; Kim, Hyeon Tae; Lee, Jeong Ik [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

Due to the relatively mild sodium-CO{sub 2} interaction, the S-CO{sub 2} Brayton cycle can reduce the accident consequence compared to the steam Rankine cycle. Also the S-CO{sub 2} power conversion cycle can achieve high efficiency for SFR core thermal condition. Moreover, the S-CO{sub 2} power cycle can reduce the total cycle footprint due to high density of the working fluid. However, the high pressure operating condition and low viscosity of the fluid cause difficulties in designing appropriate seals and multi-stage turbo machineries. To solve the problem for designing turbo machineries in a creative way, KAIST research team tested a friction disk type turbine concept for the S-CO{sub 2} cycle application. In this paper, the investigation of the Tesla turbine and preliminary test results with compressed air are covered. The KAIST research team investigated a friction disk type turbine, named as Tesla turbine, for the S-CO{sub 2} power cycle applications. Due to the robust design of the fiction disk type, the Tesla turbine technology can be utilized not only for S-CO{sub 2} turbo machinery but also for the multi-phase or sludge flow turbo machinery. The preliminary test of lab-scale Tesla turbine with compressed air was conducted. The high pressure vessel was manufactured for the S-CO{sub 2} operating condition. The test will be concentrated on the turbine efficiency measurement under various conditions and development of the design methodology.

40 CFR 1045.505 - How do I test engines using discrete-mode or ramped-modal duty cycles?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

...-mode or ramped-modal duty cycles? 1045.505 Section 1045.505 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL...-modal duty cycles? (a) This section describes how to test engines under steady-state conditions. We... Act. Conduct duty-cycle testing as follows: (1) For discrete-mode testing, sample emissions separately...

Testing Hypotheses About Glacial Cycles Against the Observational Record

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaufmann, Robert; Juselius, Katarina

2013-01-01

We estimate an identified cointegrated vector autoregression (CVAR) model of the climate system to test hypotheses about the physical mechanisms that may drive glacial cycles during the late Pleistocene. Results indicate that a permanent doubling of CO2 generates a 11.1oC rise in Antarctic...

Etest cannot be recommended for in vitro susceptibility testing of mucorales.

Science.gov (United States)

Caramalho, Rita; Maurer, Elisabeth; Binder, Ulrike; Araújo, Ricardo; Dolatabadi, Somayeh; Lass-Flörl, Cornelia; Lackner, Michaela

2015-01-01

Amphotericin B and posaconazole susceptibility patterns were determined for the most prevalent Mucorales, following EUCAST (European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing) broth microdilution guidelines. In parallel, Etest was performed and evaluated against EUCAST. The overall agreement of MICs gained with Etest and EUCAST was 75.1%; therefore, Etest cannot be recommended for antifungal susceptibility testing of Mucorales. Amphotericin B was the most active drug against Mucorales species in vitro, while the activities of posaconazole were more restricted. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

International Collegium of Rehabilitative Audiology (ICRA) recommendations for the construction of multilingual speech tests. ICRA Working Group on Multilingual Speech Tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Akeroyd, Michael A; Arlinger, Stig; Bentler, Ruth A; Boothroyd, Arthur; Dillier, Norbert; Dreschler, Wouter A; Gagné, Jean-Pierre; Lutman, Mark; Wouters, Jan; Wong, Lena; Kollmeier, Birger

2015-01-01

To provide guidelines for the development of two types of closed-set speech-perception tests that can be applied and interpreted in the same way across languages. The guidelines cover the digit triplet and the matrix sentence tests that are most commonly used to test speech recognition in noise. They were developed by a working group on Multilingual Speech Tests of the International Collegium of Rehabilitative Audiology (ICRA). The recommendations are based on reviews of existing evaluations of the digit triplet and matrix tests as well as on the research experience of members of the ICRA Working Group. They represent the results of a consensus process. The resulting recommendations deal with: Test design and word selection; Talker characteristics; Audio recording and stimulus preparation; Masking noise; Test administration; and Test validation. By following these guidelines for the development of any new test of this kind, clinicians and researchers working in any language will be able to perform tests whose results can be compared and combined in cross-language studies.

Graded Cycling Test Combined With the Talk Test Is Responsive in Cardiac Rehabilitation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Susanne Grøn; Vinther, Anders

2016-01-01

PURPOSE: To evaluate clinical assessment outcome of cardiac rehabilitation, a simple and reliable submaximal exercise test, not based on heart rate, is warranted. The Talk Test (TT) has been found to correlate well with the ventilatory threshold, and excellent reliability was observed for TT...... combined with the Graded Cycling Test (GCT-TT) in cardiac patients. The purpose was to investigate responsiveness of GCT-TT in cardiac rehabilitation patients. METHODS: Patients (n = 93) referred to 8 weeks of cardiac rehabilitation were included. Pre- and posttests were performed using GCT-TT. Mean test...... changes in watts (W) were compared with the standard error of measurement (SEM95) for groups and the smallest real difference (SRD) for individuals. Minimal clinically important difference was assessed by comparing patient perceived changes in physical fitness with the test changes. RESULTS...

Recommendations for Cycle II of National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program

Science.gov (United States)

,; Mallard, Gail E.; Armbruster, Jeffrey T.; Broshears, Robert E.; Evenson, Eric J.; Luoma, Samuel N.; Phillips, Patrick J.; Prince, Keith R.

1999-01-01

The Planning Team for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program defines a successful NAWQA Program as one that makes a balanced contribution to study-unit issues, national issues, and to the pursuit of scientific knowledge. Using this criterion, NAWQA has been a success. The program has provided important new knowledge and understanding of scientific processes, and insights into the occurrence and distribution of contaminants that have been key to local and national policy decisions. Most of the basic design characteristics of NAWQA's first decade (1991-2000), hereafter called cycle I) remain appropriate as the program enters its second decade (cycle II) in 2001. In cycle II, the program has the opportunity to build on its successful base and to evolve to take advantage of the knowledge generated in cycle I. In addition to this expected evolution, NAWQA must also make some changes to compensate for the fact that program funding has not kept pace with inflation. An important theme for the second cycle of NAWQA will be the integration of knowledge across scales and across disciplines. The question that drove the NAWQA design in the first cycle was "How is water quality related to land use?" Cycle II will build upon what was learned in cycle I and use land-use and water-quality gradients to identify and understand potential sources of various constituents and the processes affecting transport and fate of those constituents and their effects on receptors. The understanding we gain from applying this approach will be relevant to the interests of policymakers, regulatory agencies, and resource managers.

Results from low cycle fatigue testing of 316L plate and weld material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaellstroem, R.; Josefsson, B.; Haag, Y.

1993-01-01

Specimens for low cycle fatigue testing from the second heat of the CEC reference 316L plate and from Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) weld material have been neutron irradiated near room temperature to a displacement dose of approximately 0.3 dpa. The low cycle fatigue testing of both irradiated and unirradiated specimens was performed at 75, 250 and 450 degrees C, and with strain ranges of 0.75, 1.0 and 1.5%. There is no clear effect of the irradiation on low cycle fatigue properties. For the weld material the endurance is shorter than for plate, and the dependences on temperature and strain range are not clear

Solar panel thermal cycling testing by solar simulation and infrared radiation methods

Science.gov (United States)

Nuss, H. E.

1980-01-01

For the solar panels of the European Space Agency (ESA) satellites OTS/MAROTS and ECS/MARECS the thermal cycling tests were performed by using solar simulation methods. The performance data of two different solar simulators used and the thermal test results are described. The solar simulation thermal cycling tests for the ECS/MARECS solar panels were carried out with the aid of a rotatable multipanel test rig by which simultaneous testing of three solar panels was possible. As an alternative thermal test method, the capability of an infrared radiation method was studied and infrared simulation tests for the ultralight panel and the INTELSAT 5 solar panels were performed. The setup and the characteristics of the infrared radiation unit using a quartz lamp array of approx. 15 sq and LN2-cooled shutter and the thermal test results are presented. The irradiation uniformity, the solar panel temperature distribution, temperature changing rates for both test methods are compared. Results indicate the infrared simulation is an effective solar panel thermal testing method.

Thermal cycling tests of 1st wall mock-ups with beryllium/CuCrZr bonding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uda, M.; Iwadachi, T.; Uchida, M.; Yamada, H.; Nakamichi, M.; Kawamura, H.

2004-01-01

The innovative bonding technology between beryllium and CuCrZr with Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) has been proposed for the manufacturing of the ITER first wall. In the next step, thermal cycling test of first wall mock-ups manufactured with the bonding technology, were carried out under the ITER heat load condition. The test condition is 1000 cycles of On and Off under 5 MW/m 2 , and two types of the mock-up were manufactured for evaluation of the effects on HIP temperature (520 degree C and 610 degree C). The tensile properties of the bonding were also evaluated in room temperature and 200 degree C. As for the results of the thermal cycling tests, the temperature near the bonding interface were scarcely any change up to 1000 cycles, and obvious damage of the mock-up was not detected under the tests. As for the results of the tensile tests in 200 degree C, the test pieces of the HIP bonding at 610 degree C were broken in parent CuCrZr material, not broken in the bonding interface. (author)

OARSI recommended performance-based tests to assess physical function in people diagnosed with hip or knee osteoarthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dobson, F; Hinman, R S; Roos, Ewa M.

2013-01-01

To recommend a consensus-derived set of performance-based tests of physical function for use in people diagnosed with hip or knee osteoarthritis (OA) or following joint replacement.......To recommend a consensus-derived set of performance-based tests of physical function for use in people diagnosed with hip or knee osteoarthritis (OA) or following joint replacement....

40 CFR 1042.505 - Testing engines using discrete-mode or ramped-modal duty cycles.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... ramped-modal duty cycles. 1042.505 Section 1042.505 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... duty cycles. This section describes how to test engines under steady-state conditions. In some cases, we allow you to choose the appropriate steady-state duty cycle for an engine. In these cases, you...

Rapid-cycle testing cuts bed turnaround by 85%.

Science.gov (United States)

2004-11-01

You can use rapid-cycle testing to try out new approaches to overcrowding much more frequently than with more traditional process improvement strategies. Improving bed turnaround notification can yield dramatic improvements. Telling staff they have to try a new process only for three days makes it easier to gain buy-in. Look for old policies that are no longer needed, yet continue to keep your staff bogged down.

In Situ Estuarine and Marine Toxicity Testing: A Review, Including Recommendations for Future Use in Ecological Risk Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

2009-09-01

field and microcosms than they do under laboratory test conditions. In the case of tributyltin ( TBT ) exposures in San Diego Bay, he found that...TECHNICAL REPORT 1986 September 2009 In Situ Estuarine and Marine Toxicity Testing A Review, Including Recommendations for Future Use in...Pacific TECHNICAL REPORT 1986 September 2009 In Situ Estuarine and Marine Toxicity Testing A Review, Including Recommendations for Future Use in

Endurance of lead-free assembly under board level drop test and thermal cycling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xia Yanghua [State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China)], E-mail: xia_yanghua@hotmail.com; Xie Xiaoming [State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China)

2008-06-12

The reliability of lead-free electronic assemblies under board level drop test and thermal cycling was investigated. TSOP (thin small outline package) devices with FeNi leads were reflow soldered on FR4 PCB (printed circuit board) with Sn3.0Ag0.5Cu (wt%) solder. The effects of different PCB finishes (organic solderability preservative (OSP) and electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG)) on the reliability performance were studied. The results show that the assemblies with ENIG finishes reveal better reliability performance than its OSP counterparts under drop test, however, the OSP samples outperform those with ENIG finishes under thermal cycling. The failure mechanism is different under these two test conditions: the solder joints fracture into the intermetallic compounds (IMCs) layer under drop test, and cracks initiate in the bulk solder under thermal cycling. The surface finishes have an effect on the failure mode. The propagation of crack in the ENIG case is along the device/solder interface, while in the case of OSP, the crack extends parallel to the solder/PCB interface.

"Individualized Science" Field Test Findings and Recommendations, the Hooke Unit. Appendix A.

Science.gov (United States)

Loue, William E., III

This informal report contains the findings and recommendations resulting from the field test of the Hooke Unit of the "Individualized Science" program. Data were collected from three schools. Because of an unusual number of weaknesses ranging from formal inconsistencies to manipulative deficiencies, it was concluded that the Hooke Unit is somewhat…

CSE database: extended annotations and new recommendations for ECG software testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Smíšek, Radovan; Maršánová, Lucie; Němcová, Andrea; Vítek, Martin; Kozumplík, Jiří; Nováková, Marie

2017-08-01

Nowadays, cardiovascular diseases represent the most common cause of death in western countries. Among various examination techniques, electrocardiography (ECG) is still a highly valuable tool used for the diagnosis of many cardiovascular disorders. In order to diagnose a person based on ECG, cardiologists can use automatic diagnostic algorithms. Research in this area is still necessary. In order to compare various algorithms correctly, it is necessary to test them on standard annotated databases, such as the Common Standards for Quantitative Electrocardiography (CSE) database. According to Scopus, the CSE database is the second most cited standard database. There were two main objectives in this work. First, new diagnoses were added to the CSE database, which extended its original annotations. Second, new recommendations for diagnostic software quality estimation were established. The ECG recordings were diagnosed by five new cardiologists independently, and in total, 59 different diagnoses were found. Such a large number of diagnoses is unique, even in terms of standard databases. Based on the cardiologists' diagnoses, a four-round consensus (4R consensus) was established. Such a 4R consensus means a correct final diagnosis, which should ideally be the output of any tested classification software. The accuracy of the cardiologists' diagnoses compared with the 4R consensus was the basis for the establishment of accuracy recommendations. The accuracy was determined in terms of sensitivity = 79.20-86.81%, positive predictive value = 79.10-87.11%, and the Jaccard coefficient = 72.21-81.14%, respectively. Within these ranges, the accuracy of the software is comparable with the accuracy of cardiologists. The accuracy quantification of the correct classification is unique. Diagnostic software developers can objectively evaluate the success of their algorithm and promote its further development. The annotations and recommendations proposed in this work will allow

High cycle fatigue test and regression methods of S-N curve

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, D. W.; Park, J. Y.; Kim, W. G.; Yoon, J. H.

2011-11-01

The fatigue design curve in the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section III are based on the assumption that fatigue life is infinite after 106 cycles. This is because standard fatigue testing equipment prior to the past decades was limited in speed to less than 200 cycles per second. Traditional servo-hydraulic machines work at frequency of 50 Hz. Servo-hydraulic machines working at 1000 Hz have been developed after 1997. This machines allow high frequency and displacement of up to ±0.1 mm and dynamic load of ±20 kN are guaranteed. The frequency of resonant fatigue test machine is 50-250 Hz. Various forced vibration-based system works at 500 Hz or 1.8 kHz. Rotating bending machines allow testing frequency at 0.1-200 Hz. The main advantage of ultrasonic fatigue testing at 20 kHz is performing Although S-N curve is determined by experiment, the fatigue strength corresponding to a given fatigue life should be determined by statistical method considering the scatter of fatigue properties. In this report, the statistical methods for evaluation of fatigue test data is investigated

Power Cycling Test Method for Reliability Assessment of Power Device Modules in Respect to Temperature Stress

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Choi, Ui-Min; Blaabjerg, Frede; Jørgensen, Søren

2018-01-01

Power cycling test is one of the important tasks to investigate the reliability performance of power device modules in respect to temperature stress. From this, it is able to predict the lifetime of a component in power converters. In this paper, representative power cycling test circuits......, measurement circuits of wear-out failure indicators as well as measurement strategies for different power cycling test circuits are discussed in order to provide the current state of knowledge of this topic by organizing and evaluating current literature. In the first section of this paper, the structure...... of a conventional power device module and its related wear-out failure mechanisms with degradation indicators are discussed. Then, representative power cycling test circuits are introduced. Furthermore, on-state collector-emitter voltage (VCE ON) and forward voltage (VF) measurement circuits for wear-out condition...

Ecotoxicity of engineered nanoparticles to aquatic invertebrates: a brief review and recommendations for future toxicity testing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baun, Anders; Hartmann, Nanna Isabella Bloch; Grieger, Khara Deanne

2008-01-01

Based on a literature review and an overview of toxic effects of engineered nanoparticles in aquatic invertebrates, this paper proposes a number of recommendations for the developing field of nanoecotoxicology by highlighting the importance of invertebrates as sensitive and relevant test organisms...... through standardized short-term (lethality) tests with invertebrates as a basis for investigating behaviour and bioavailability of engineered nanoparticles in the aquatic environment. Based on this literature review, we further recommend that research is directed towards invertebrate tests employing long....... Results show that there is a pronounced lack of data in this field (less than 20 peer-reviewed papers are published so far), and the most frequently tested engineered nanoparticles in invertebrate tests are C-60, carbon nanotubes, and titanium dioxide. In addition, the majority of the studies have used...

Recommendations for quality improvement in genetic testing for cystic fibrosis European Concerted Action on Cystic Fibrosis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dequeker, E; Cuppens, H; Dodge, J; Estivill, [No Value; Goossens, M; Pignatti, PF; Scheffer, H; Schwartz, M; Schwarz, M; Tummler, B; Cassiman, JJ

These recommendations for quality improvement of cystic fibrosis genetic diagnostic testing provide general guidelines for the molecular genetic testing of cystic fibrosis in patients/individuals. General strategies for testing as well as guidelines for laboratory procedures, internal and external

Research Needs and Challenges from Science to Decision Support. Lesson Learnt from the Development of the International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD Recommendations for Life Cycle Impact Assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Serenella Sala

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Environmental implications of the whole supply-chain of products, both goods and services, their use, and waste management, i.e., their entire life cycle from “cradle to grave” have to be considered to achieve more sustainable production and consumption patterns. Progress toward environmental sustainability requires enhancing the methodologies for quantitative, integrated environmental assessment and promoting the use of these methodologies in different domains. In the context of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA of products, in recent years, several methodologies have been developed for Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA. The Joint Research Center of the European Commission (EC-JRC led a “science to decision support” process which resulted in the International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD Handbook, providing guidelines to the decision and application of methods for LCIA. The Handbook is the result of a comprehensive process of evaluation and selection of existing methods based on a set of scientific and stakeholder acceptance criteria and involving review and consultation by experts, advisory groups and the public. In this study, we report the main features of the ILCD LCIA recommendation development highlighting relevant issues emerged from this “from science to decision support” process in terms of research needs and challenges for LCIA. Comprehensiveness of the assessment, as well as acceptability and applicability of the scientific developments by the stakeholders, are key elements for the design of new methods and to guarantee the mainstreaming of the sustainability concept.

Service-cycle component-feature specimen TMF testing of steam turbine rotor steels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Radosavljevic, M.; Holdsworth, S.R. [Eidgenoessische Materialpruefungs- und Forschungsanstalt, Duebendorf (Switzerland); Mazza, E. [Eidgenoessische Materialpruefungs- und Forschungsanstalt, Duebendorf (Switzerland); Eidgenoessische Technische Hochschule (ETH), Zurich (Switzerland); Grossmann, P.; Ripamonti, L. [ALSTOM Power (Switzerland) Ltd., Baden (Switzerland)

2010-07-01

This paper reviews the methodology adopted in a Swiss Research Collaboration to devise a component-feature representative specimen geometry and the TMF cycle parameters necessary to closely simulate arduous steam turbine operating duty. Implementation of these service-like experimental conditions provides a practical indication of the effectiveness of deformation and crack initiation endurance predictions. Comprehensive post test inspection provides evidence to demonstrate the physical realism of the laboratory simulations in terms of the creep-fatigue damage generated during the benchmark tests. Mechanical response results and physical damage observations are presented and their practical implications discussed for the example of a 2%CrMoNiWV rotor service cycle. (orig.)

Advanced fuel cycles: a rationale and strategy for adopting the low-enriched-uranium fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

James, R.A.

1980-01-01

A two-year study of alternatives to the natural uranium fuel cycle in CANDU reactors is summarized. The possible advanced cycles are briefly described. Selection criteria for choosing a cycle for development include resource utilization, economics, ease of implementaton, and social acceptability. It is recommended that a detailed study should be made with a view to the early implementation of the low-enriched uranium cycle. (LL)

A Blood Test for Alzheimer's Disease: Progress, Challenges, and Recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiddle, Steven J; Voyle, Nicola; Dobson, Richard J B

2018-03-29

Ever since the discovery of APOEɛ4 around 25 years ago, researchers have been excited about the potential of a blood test for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Since then researchers have looked for genetic, protein, metabolite, and/or gene expression markers of AD and related phenotypes. However, no blood test for AD is yet being used in the clinical setting. We first review the trends and challenges in AD blood biomarker research, before giving our personal recommendations to help researchers overcome these challenges. While some degree of consistency and replication has been seen across independent studies, several high-profile studies have seemingly failed to replicate. Partly due to academic incentives, there is a reluctance in the field to report predictive ability, to publish negative findings, and to independently replicate the work of others. If this can be addressed, then we will know sooner whether a blood test for AD or related phenotypes with clinical utility can be developed.

Development and validation of a partial life-cycle test with Potamopyrgus antipodarum

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Geiss, Cornelia; Holbech, Henrik; Kinnberg, Karin Lund

endpoints. The present study aims to develop and validate the partial life-cycle test on the reproduction of P. antipodarum. Here, results from two pre-validation studies of the reproduction test with the chemicals tributyltin (TBT) with nominal concentrations of 10 - 400 ng TBT-Sn/L and cadmium...

9 CFR 147.30 - Laboratory procedure recommended for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for Mycoplasma...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Laboratory procedure recommended for... Examination Procedures § 147.30 Laboratory procedure recommended for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test... tracheal swabs in PBS or 1 mL of broth culture by a non-phenolic procedure. Centrifuge samples at 14,000 x...

Recommendations for In Vitro and In Vivo Testing of Magnetic Nanoparticle Hyperthermia Combined with Radiation Therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Spiridon V. Spirou

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Magnetic nanoparticle (MNP-mediated hyperthermia (MH coupled with radiation therapy (RT is a novel approach that has the potential to overcome various practical difficulties encountered in cancer treatment. In this work, we present recommendations for the in vitro and in vivo testing and application of the two treatment techniques. These recommendations were developed by the members of Working Group 3 of COST Action TD 1402: Multifunctional Nanoparticles for Magnetic Hyperthermia and Indirect Radiation Therapy (“Radiomag”. The purpose of the recommendations is not to provide definitive answers and directions but, rather, to outline those tests and considerations that a researcher must address in order to perform in vitro and in vivo studies. The recommendations are divided into 5 parts: (a in vitro evaluation of MNPs; (b in vitro evaluation of MNP-cell interactions; (c in vivo evaluation of the MNPs; (d MH combined with RT; and (e pharmacokinetic studies of MNPs. Synthesis and characterization of the MNPs, as well as RT protocols, are beyond the scope of this work.

Thermodynamic and heat transfer analysis of heat recovery from engine test cell by Organic Rankine Cycle

Science.gov (United States)

Shokati, Naser; Mohammadkhani, Farzad; Farrokhi, Navid; Ranjbar, Faramarz

2014-12-01

During manufacture of engines, evaluation of engine performance is essential. This is accomplished in test cells. During the test, a significant portion of heat energy released by the fuel is wasted. In this study, in order to recover these heat losses, Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) is recommended. The study has been conducted assuming the diesel oil to be composed of a single hydrocarbon such as C12H26. The composition of exhaust gases (products of combustion) have been computed (and not determined experimentally) from the stoichiometric equation representing the combustion reaction. The test cell heat losses are recovered in three separate heat exchangers (preheater, evaporator and superheater). These heat exchangers are separately designed, and the whole system is analyzed from energy and exergy viewpoints. Finally, a parametric study is performed to investigate the effect of different variables on the system performance characteristics such as the ORC net power, heat exchangers effectiveness, the first law efficiency, exergy destruction and heat transfer surfaces. The results of the study show that by utilizing ORC, heat recovery equivalent to 8.85 % of the engine power is possible. The evaporator has the highest exergy destruction rate, while the pump has the lowest among the system components. Heat transfer surfaces are calculated to be 173.6, 58.7, and 11.87 m2 for the preheater, evaporator and superheater, respectively.

Electric Resistance Tests on Compacted Clay Material under Dynamic Load Coupled with Dry-Wet Cycling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zheng Lu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The study of compacted clay material under dynamic load coupled with dry-wet cycling is one of the most important areas in the field of transportation. In this paper, experiments in terms of compacted clay under dynamic load coupled with dry-wet cycling are performed, and synchronous resistivity tests are also conducted. According to the test results, the influences of cumulative plastic strain, dry-wet cycles, and amplitudes on the soil resistivity are analyzed. Then a new damage factor based on resistivity is proposed to evaluate the long-term performance of compacted clay material. The result of research shows that the evolution of the soil resistivity can be divided into two stages, which has a contrary tendency with that of cumulative plastic strain. The dry-wet cycles and amplitudes have a significant effect on the damage of the compacted soil, which indicates that the dry-wet cycling of compacted soil materials should not be ignored in road engineering, especially in rainy and humid areas.

Research on optimization of test cycles for comfort to the special vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Mitroi, Marian; Chiru, Anghel

2017-10-01

The comfort of vehicles, regardless of their type is represent a requirement to by fulfilled in the context of current technological developments special vehicles generally move under different soil, time, or season conditions, and the land in which the vehicles move is complex and varied in the physical structure. Due to the high level of involvement in the driveability, safety and comfort of automotive, suspension system is a key factor with major implications for vibration and noise, affecting the human body. The objective of the research is related to determining the test cycles of special vehicles that are approaching real situations, to determine the level of comfort. The evaluate of the degree of comfort will be realized on acceleration values recorded, especially the vertical ones that have the highest influence on the human body. Thus, in this way the tests can be established needed to determine the level of comfort required for each particular type of special vehicle. The utility of the test cycles to optimize comfort is given to the accurate identification of the specific test needs, depending on the each vehicle.

Experimental investigation of air relative humidity (RH) cycling tests on MEA/cell aging in PEMFC. Pt. I. Study of high RH cycling test with air RH at 62%/100%

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, B.T.; Chatillon, Y.; Bonnet, C.; Lapicque, F. [Laboratoire Reactions et Genie des Procedes, CNRS-Nancy University, Nancy (France); Leclerc, S. [Laboratoire d' Energetique et de Mecanique Theorique et Appliquee, CNRS-Nancy University, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy (France); Hinaje, M.; Rael, S. [Groupe de Recherche en Electrotechnique et Electronique de Nancy, CNRS-Nancy University, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy (France)

2012-06-15

The effect of high air relative humidity (RH) cycling (RH{sub C} 62%/100%) on the degradation mechanisms of a single (5 x 5 cm{sup 2}) proton exchange membrane fuel cells was investigated. The cell performance was compared to a cell operated at constant humidification (RH{sub C} = 62%). Runs were conducted over approximately 1,500 h at 0.3 A cm{sup -2}. The overall loss in cell performance for the high RH cycling test was 12 {mu}V h{sup -1} whereas it was at 3 {mu}V h{sup -1} under constant humidification. Impedance spectroscopy reveals that the ohmic and charge transfer resistances were little modified in both runs. H{sub 2} crossover measurement indicated that both high RH cycling and constant RH test did not promote serious effect on gas permeability. The electroactive surface loss for anode and cathode during high air RH cycling was more significant than at constant RH operation. The water uptake determined by {sup 1}H nuclear magnetic resonance within the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) after high RH cycling was reduced by 12% in comparison with a fresh MEA. Transmission electron microscopy showed bubbles and pinholes formation in the membrane, catalyst particles agglomeration (also observed by X-ray diffraction), catalyst particles migration in the membrane and thickness reduction of the catalytic layers. Scanning electron microscopy was conducted to observe the changes in morphology of gas diffusion layers after the runs. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Integration and validation testing for PhEDEx, DBS and DAS with the PhEDEx LifeCycle agent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boeser, C; Chwalek, T; Giffels, M; Kuznetsov, V; Wildish, T

2014-01-01

The ever-increasing amount of data handled by the CMS dataflow and workflow management tools poses new challenges for cross-validation among different systems within CMS experiment at LHC. To approach this problem we developed an integration test suite based on the LifeCycle agent, a tool originally conceived for stress-testing new releases of PhEDEx, the CMS data-placement tool. The LifeCycle agent provides a framework for customising the test workflow in arbitrary ways, and can scale to levels of activity well beyond those seen in normal running. This means we can run realistic performance tests at scales not likely to be seen by the experiment for some years, or with custom topologies to examine particular situations that may cause concern some time in the future. The LifeCycle agent has recently been enhanced to become a general purpose integration and validation testing tool for major CMS services. It allows cross-system integration tests of all three components to be performed in controlled environments, without interfering with production services. In this paper we discuss the design and implementation of the LifeCycle agent. We describe how it is used for small-scale debugging and validation tests, and how we extend that to large-scale tests of whole groups of sub-systems. We show how the LifeCycle agent can emulate the action of operators, physicists, or software agents external to the system under test, and how it can be scaled to large and complex systems.

Integration and validation testing for PhEDEx, DBS and DAS with the PhEDEx LifeCycle agent

Science.gov (United States)

Boeser, C.; Chwalek, T.; Giffels, M.; Kuznetsov, V.; Wildish, T.

2014-06-01

The ever-increasing amount of data handled by the CMS dataflow and workflow management tools poses new challenges for cross-validation among different systems within CMS experiment at LHC. To approach this problem we developed an integration test suite based on the LifeCycle agent, a tool originally conceived for stress-testing new releases of PhEDEx, the CMS data-placement tool. The LifeCycle agent provides a framework for customising the test workflow in arbitrary ways, and can scale to levels of activity well beyond those seen in normal running. This means we can run realistic performance tests at scales not likely to be seen by the experiment for some years, or with custom topologies to examine particular situations that may cause concern some time in the future. The LifeCycle agent has recently been enhanced to become a general purpose integration and validation testing tool for major CMS services. It allows cross-system integration tests of all three components to be performed in controlled environments, without interfering with production services. In this paper we discuss the design and implementation of the LifeCycle agent. We describe how it is used for small-scale debugging and validation tests, and how we extend that to large-scale tests of whole groups of sub-systems. We show how the LifeCycle agent can emulate the action of operators, physicists, or software agents external to the system under test, and how it can be scaled to large and complex systems.

Tests of alternative reductants in the second uranium purification cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, M.C.

1980-05-01

Miniature mixer-settler tests of the second uranium purification cycle show that plutonium cannot be removed by hydroxylamine-hydrazine (NH 2 OH-N 2 H 4 ) because the acidity is too high, or by 2,5-di-t-pentylhydroquinone because HNO 3 oxidizes the hydroquinone. Plutonium can be removed satisfactorily when U(IV)-hydrazine is used as the reductant

Extended Pulse-Powered Humidity-Freeze Cycling for Testing Module-Level Power Electronics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hacke, Peter L [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Rodriguez, Miguel [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Kempe, Michael D [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Repins, Ingrid L [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2017-11-28

An EMI suppression capacitor (polypropylene film type) failed by 'popcorning' due to vapor outgassing in pulse powered humidity-freeze cycles. No shorts or shunts could be detected despite mildly corroded metallization visible in the failed capacitor. Humidity-freeze cycling is optimized to break into moisture barriers. However, further studies will be required on additional module level power electronic (MLPE) devices to optimize the stress testing for condensation to precipitate any weakness to short circuiting and other humidity/bias failure modes.

Problem-Based Test: Replication of Mitochondrial DNA during the Cell Cycle

Science.gov (United States)

Setalo, Gyorgy, Jr.

2013-01-01

Terms to be familiar with before you start to solve the test: cell cycle, generation time, S-phase, cell culture synchronization, isotopic pulse-chase labeling, density labeling, equilibrium density-gradient centrifugation, buoyant density, rate-zonal centrifugation, nucleoside, nucleotide, kinase enzymes, polymerization of nucleic acids,…

Implementing and expanding HIV testing in immigrant populations in Europe: Comparing guideline's recommendations and expert's opinions.

Science.gov (United States)

Álvarez-Del Arco, Débora; Monge, Susana; Rivero-Montesdeoca, Yaiza; Burns, Fiona; Noori, Teymur; Del Amo, Julia

2017-01-01

Immigrant populations, especially those from endemic countries, living in the European Union (EU) suffer a disproportionate burden of HIV, delayed diagnosis and poorer access to antiretroviral treatment. While International Organisations are developing recommendations aimed at increasing the uptake of HIV testing, the feasibility and real outcomes of these measures remain unexplored. The aim of this review was, firstly to identify the recommendations of the main International Organisations (IO) on HIV testing in immigrants. Secondly, to describe the challenges for implementing and expanding HIV testing and counselling interventions targeting immigrants by interviewing key informants. The importance of HIV testing in immigrants is discussed, along with the appropriateness of universal HIV testing approaches vs most at risk targeted approaches. Also addressed is, pre- and post-HIV test counselling characteristics and community initiatives suitable to reach this population and, finally the legal issues regarding access to treatment for illegal immigrants. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

Temperature cycling test of planar hyper-pure germanium radiation detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakai, Eiji

1976-01-01

If a Ge (Li) detector is left at the normal temperature, generally it does not recover its original performance even when it is cooled again with liquid nitrogen, as Li ions in the compensated i zone precipitate by Li drift and it returns to p type which is the state before drift. One of the devices that overcomes this shortcoming is the p-n junction Ge detector, which required the production of high purity Ge single crystals to obtain the thick depletion layer. The planar or coaxial type detectors were produced using the Ge single crystals with impurity concentration of 10 10 /cm 3 and it was recognized that they showed the gamma detecting characteristic nearly equal to Ge (Li) detectors. They are now commercially available from a few companies. The author carried out the temperature-cycling test of the planar type hyperpure Ge detector sold by Nuclear Radiation Developments, Canada. First, applying liquid nitrogen, the leakage current, static capacity, gamma ray-detecting efficiency and energy resolution were measured. Then it was returned to room temperature. Since then, irregular cycling tests were carried out 15 times. The results didn't show any significant change in the gamma ray-detecting efficiency, energy resolution and static capacity. Though leakage current changed between 9.3 and 33 pA, it does not influence on the energy resolution because of small absolute values. It may be said that it is sufficiently stable in the temperature cycling from room temperature to 77 K. (Wakatsuki, Y.)

Advanced power cycling test for power module with on-line on-state VCE measurement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Choi, Ui-min; Trintis, Ionut; Blaabjerg, Frede

2015-01-01

module. The proposed concept can perform various stress conditions which is valid in a real mission profile and it is using a real power converter application with small loss. The concept of the proposed test setup is first presented. Then, the on-line on-state collector-emitter voltage VCE measurement......Recent research has made an effort to improve the reliability of power electronic systems to comply with more stringent constraints on cost, safety, predicted lifetime and availability in many applications. For this, studies about failure mechanisms of power electronic components and lifetime...... estimation of power semiconductor devices and capacitors have been done. Accelerated power cycling test is one of the common tests to assess the power device module and develop the lifetime model considering the physics of failure. In this paper, a new advanced power cycling test setup is proposed for power...

Evaluation of Electroless-Nickel Plated Polypropylene under Thermal Cycling and Mechanical Tests

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O.O. Ajibola

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The electroless-nickel composite (ENC consisting of bright metallic electroless-nickel (EN and dull electroless-nickel-phosphorus (EN-P were deposited on the polypropylene (PP substrate from the sodium hypophosphite baths. The ENC plated specimens were subjected to abrasive wear-adhesion test of 1750, 3500, 7000 and 14000 cycles; thermal cycle-adhesion tests, and tensile strength and creep tests. The deposition of ENC influenced the strength and creep strain properties of the PP. The maximum stress σ of 118 (MPa was obtained from EN-PP specimen at strain  of 0.1 mm/mm as compared with the PP having stress σ of 36 (MPa at strain  of 0.07 mm/mm before failure The surface appearances and microstructures of ENC film on PP substrates were examined under the higher resolution metallurgical microscope with digital camera and microscopic camera. The composition of ENC film was characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-Ray analyses (Jeol JSM-7600F Field Emission SEM/EDX, The micrographs and spectra lines data generated were used to interpret the results.

Screening test recommendations for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus surveillance practices: A cost-minimization analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Whittington, Melanie D; Curtis, Donna J; Atherly, Adam J; Bradley, Cathy J; Lindrooth, Richard C; Campbell, Jonathan D

2017-07-01

To mitigate methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections, intensive care units (ICUs) conduct surveillance through screening patients upon admission followed by adhering to isolation precautions. Two surveillance approaches commonly implemented are universal preemptive isolation and targeted isolation of only MRSA-positive patients. Decision analysis was used to calculate the total cost of universal preemptive isolation and targeted isolation. The screening test used as part of the surveillance practice was varied to identify which screening test minimized inappropriate and total costs. A probabilistic sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the range of total costs resulting from variation in inputs. The total cost of the universal preemptive isolation surveillance practice was minimized when a polymerase chain reaction screening test was used ($82.51 per patient). Costs were $207.60 more per patient when a conventional culture was used due to the longer turnaround time and thus higher isolation costs. The total cost of the targeted isolation surveillance practice was minimized when chromogenic agar 24-hour testing was used ($8.54 per patient). Costs were $22.41 more per patient when polymerase chain reaction was used. For ICUs that preemptively isolate all patients, the use of a polymerase chain reaction screening test is recommended because it can minimize total costs by reducing inappropriate isolation costs. For ICUs that only isolate MRSA-positive patients, the use of chromogenic agar 24-hour testing is recommended to minimize total costs. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

HIV-1 tropism testing and clinical management of CCR5 antagonists: Quebec review and recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Tremblay, Cécile; Hardy, Isabelle; Lalonde, Richard; Trottier, Benoit; Tsarevsky, Irina; Vézina, Louis-Philippe; Roger, Michel; Wainberg, Mark; Baril, Jean-Guy

2013-01-01

HIV-1 tropism assays play a crucial role in determining the response to CCR5 receptor antagonists. Initially, phenotypic tests were used, but limited access to these tests prompted the development of alternative strategies. Recently, genotyping tropism has been validated using a Canadian technology in clinical trials investigating the use of maraviroc in both experienced and treatment-naive patients. The present guidelines review the evidence supporting the use of genotypic assays and provide recommendations regarding tropism testing in daily clinical management.

Development of quality assurance programme for prescribed ionizing radiation source testing. Recommendations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

The document gives guidance to those applying for licence to perform ionizing radiation source acceptance tests and long-term stability tests and provides information which should be known when introducing quality assurance systems in compliance with legislative requirements. It is envisaged that this document ('Recommendations') will form a basis for final Safety Guides to be issued by the State Office for Nuclear Safety, the Czech nuclear regulatory authority. The setup of the publication is as follows. Part I gives a glossary of basic terms in quality systems. Part 2 explains quality system principles, paying special attention to radiation safety issues, and describes the structure and scope of quality system documentation. Part 3 explains the individual elements of the quality system and gives practical examples. Part 4 deals with the quality assurance programme; using instructions and practical examples, this part shows how the quality system elements should be applied to long-time stability testing and acceptance testing. A model structure of 2nd degree documentation (guidelines) and a model testing protocol are given in annexes. (P.A.)

Analysis of a PCB In-Circuit Test and Its Optimized Cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chi, Moon Goo; Lee, Eun Chan; Bae, Yeon Kyoung

2011-01-01

KHNP performs subcomponent performance tests of the PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) installed in safety-related systems or plant trip-related systems with every outage. The characteristics of each subcomponent are measured by test equipment. The tests are known as an ICT (In-Circuit Test). If a degraded condition is detected by this test, the affected subcomponents are replaced. This test has been conducted for 17 years, since 1994, and its results have been compiled into a test system database. As part of the reliability improvement plan of critical PCBs, KHNP developed a program that analyzes the performance of various key PCBs based on this test data. Thus, it became possible to evaluate the performance trends related to PCBs by tracing the test history of the PCB subcomponents through the ICT over many years. The present study also estimates an optimized ICT cycle that can be implemented to prevent the degradation of PCBs before they fail due to aging

Measuring business cycles in The Netherlands, 1815-1913: a comparison of business cycle dating methods

OpenAIRE

Bonenkamp, Jan; Jacobs, Jan; Kuper, Gerard H.

2001-01-01

This paper compares different business cycle dating methods both on theoretical and practical grounds. Weighing the pros and cons of these methods, and based on a new data set for The Netherlands in the nineteenth century, we finally recommend two preferred methods for doing further business cycle research on the economy of the Netherlands. With respect to the methods for finding turning points in the level of economic activity, the classical cycle definition, we prefer the Bry-Boschan algori...

HIV-1 Tropism Testing and Clinical Management of CCR5 Antagonists: Quebec Review and Recommendations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cécile Tremblay

2013-01-01

Full Text Available HIV-1 tropism assays play a crucial role in determining the response to CCR5 receptor antagonists. Initially, phenotypic tests were used, but limited access to these tests prompted the development of alternative strategies. Recently, genotyping tropism has been validated using a Canadian technology in clinical trials investigating the use of maraviroc in both experienced and treatment-naive patients. The present guidelines review the evidence supporting the use of genotypic assays and provide recommendations regarding tropism testing in daily clinical management.

Cycling in Sydney, Australia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexis Zander

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Cycling can be an enjoyable way to meet physical activity recommendations and is suitable for older people; however cycling participation by older Australians is low. This qualitative study explored motivators, enablers, and barriers to cycling among older people through an age-targeted cycling promotion program. Methods. Seventeen adults who aged 50–75 years participated in a 12-week cycling promotion program which included a cycling skills course, mentor, and resource pack. Semistructured interviews at the beginning and end of the program explored motivators, enablers, and barriers to cycling. Results. Fitness and recreation were the primary motivators for cycling. The biggest barrier was fear of cars and traffic, and the cycling skills course was the most important enabler for improving participants’ confidence. Reported outcomes from cycling included improved quality of life (better mental health, social benefit, and empowerment and improved physical health. Conclusions. A simple cycling program increased cycling participation among older people. This work confirms the importance of improving confidence in this age group through a skills course, mentors, and maps and highlights additional strategies for promoting cycling, such as ongoing improvement to infrastructure and advertising.

Recommendations for the determination of migration parameters by field experiments (tracer tests)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adam, C.

1989-01-01

The hydrogeologic review and assessment of candidate sites for nuclear power plants includes expertises on the potential subsurface migration of radionuclides in the event of accident conditions. To this end, knowledge of representative migration parameters is required. Detailed recommendations are given for determining such parameters by tracer field tests, for using standardized terminology in their practical conduct as well as for interpreting the data obtained. Also, mention has been made of recent work reported by other authors on this topic. 31 refs. (author)

Hypothesis driven drug design: improving quality and effectiveness of the design-make-test-analyse cycle.

Science.gov (United States)

Plowright, Alleyn T; Johnstone, Craig; Kihlberg, Jan; Pettersson, Jonas; Robb, Graeme; Thompson, Richard A

2012-01-01

In drug discovery, the central process of constructing and testing hypotheses, carefully conducting experiments and analysing the associated data for new findings and information is known as the design-make-test-analyse cycle. Each step relies heavily on the inputs and outputs of the other three components. In this article we report our efforts to improve and integrate all parts to enable smooth and rapid flow of high quality ideas. Key improvements include enhancing multi-disciplinary input into 'Design', increasing the use of knowledge and reducing cycle times in 'Make', providing parallel sets of relevant data within ten working days in 'Test' and maximising the learning in 'Analyse'. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integration and validation testing for PhEDEx, DBS and DAS with the PhEDEx LifeCycle agent

CERN Document Server

Wildish, Anthony

2013-01-01

The ever-increasing amount of data handled by the CMS dataflow and workflow management tools poses new challenges for cross-validation among different systems within CMS experiment at LHC. To approach this problem we developed an integration test suite based on the LifeCycle agent, a tool originally conceived for stress-testing new releases of PhEDEx, the CMS data-placement tool. The LifeCycle agent provides a framework for customising the test workflow in arbitrary ways, and can scale to levels of activity well beyond those seen in normal running. This means we can run realistic performance tests at scales not likely to be seen by the experiment for some years, or with custom topologies to examine particular situations that may cause concern some time in the future.The LifeCycle agent has recently been enhanced to become a general purpose integration and validation testing tool for major CMS services (PhEDEx, DBS, DAS). It allows cross-system integration tests of all three components to be performed in contr...

Mean stress effects on high-cycle fatigue of Alloy 718

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korth, G.E.

1980-07-01

This report covers an investigation of the effects of tensile mean stress on the high-cycle fatigue properties of Alloy 718. Three test temperatures (24, 427, and 649 degree C) were employed, and there were tests in both strain and load control. Results were compared with three different models: linear Modified-Goodman, Peterson cubic, and stress-strain parameter. The linear Modified-Goodman model gave good correlation with actual test data for low and moderate mean stress values, but the stress-strain parameter showed excellent correlation over the entire range of possible mean stresses and therefore is recommended for predicting mean stress effects of Alloy 718. 13 refs., 12 figs

Frisch on Testing of Business Cycle Theories

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boumans, M.

1995-01-01

An important identifying assumption for business cycle models is contained in the mathematical form of the model, which determines the nature of its possible movements. Tinbergen's and Frisch's original understanding of business cycle theories was that of a closed model, containing only endogenous

Life cycle test results of a bipolar nickel hydrogen battery

Science.gov (United States)

Cataldo, R. L.

1985-01-01

A history is given of low Earth orbit (LEO) laboratory test data on a 6.5 ampere-hour bipolar nickel hydrogen battery designed and built at the NASA Lewis Research Center. The bipolar concept is a means of achieving the goal of producing an acceptable battery, of higher energy density, able to withstand the demands of low-Earth-orbit regimes. Over 4100 LEO cycles were established on a ten cell battery. It seems that any perturbation on normal cycling effects the cells performance. Explanations and theories of the battery's behavior are varied and widespread among those closely associated with it. Deep discharging does provide a reconditioning effect and further experimentation is planned in this area. The battery watt-hour efficiency is about 75 percent and the time averaged, discharge voltage is about 1.26 volts for all cells at both the C/4 and LEO rate. Since a significant portion of the electrode capacity has degraded, the LEO cycle discharges are approaching depths of 90 to 100 percent of the high rate capacity. Therefore, the low end-of-discharge voltages occur precipitously after the knee of the discharge curve and is more an indication of electrode capacity and is a lesser indicator of overall cell performance.

Prospects for Australian involvement in the nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chandra, S.; Hallenstein, C.

1988-05-01

A review of recent overseas developments in the nuclear industry by The Northern Territory Department of Mines and Energy suggests that there are market prospects in all stages of the fuel cycle. Australia could secure those markets through aggressive marketing and competitive prices. This report gives a profile of the nuclear fuel cycle and nuclear fuel cycle technologies, and describes the prospects of Australian involvement in the nuclear fuel cycle. It concludes that the nuclear fuel cycle industry has the potential to earn around $10 billion per year in export income. It recommend that the Federal Government: (1) re-examines its position on the Slayter recommendation (1984) that Australia should develop new uranium mines and further stages of the nuclear fuel cycle, and (2) gives it's in-principle agreement to the Northern Territory to seek expressions of interest from the nuclear industry for the establishment of an integrated nuclear fuel cycle industry in the Northern Territory

Definition study for variable cycle engine testbed engine and associated test program

Science.gov (United States)

Vdoviak, J. W.

1978-01-01

The product/study double bypass variable cycle engine (VCE) was updated to incorporate recent improvements. The effect of these improvements on mission range and noise levels was determined. This engine design was then compared with current existing high-technology core engines in order to define a subscale testbed configuration that simulated many of the critical technology features of the product/study VCE. Detailed preliminary program plans were then developed for the design, fabrication, and static test of the selected testbed engine configuration. These plans included estimated costs and schedules for the detail design, fabrication and test of the testbed engine and the definition of a test program, test plan, schedule, instrumentation, and test stand requirements.

Feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus in Canada: recommendations for testing and management.

Science.gov (United States)

Little, Susan; Bienzle, Dorothee; Carioto, Lisa; Chisholm, Hugh; O'Brien, Elizabeth; Scherk, Margie

2011-08-01

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) are common and important infectious disease agents of cats in Canada. Seroprevalence data for FeLV and FIV in various populations of Canadian cats are reviewed and recommendations for testing and management of infections by these viruses in cats in Canada are presented. Retrovirus testing in Canada is infrequent in comparison with the United States, and efforts should be focused on reducing physical and other barriers to testing, and on education of veterinarians, veterinary team members, and cat owners regarding the importance of testing. New test methodologies for FeLV and FIV are emerging, and should be independently evaluated in order to provide practitioners with information on test reliability. Finally, more information is needed on FIV subtypes in Canada to improve diagnostics and vaccines, and to provide information on disease outcomes.

Validation of Lifetime Prediction of IGBT Modules Based on Linear Damage Accumulation by Means of Superimposed Power Cycling Tests

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Choi, Ui-Min; Ma, Ke; Blaabjerg, Frede

2018-01-01

In this paper, the lifetime prediction of power device modules based on the linear damage accumulation is studied in conjunction with simple mission profiles of converters. Superimposed power cycling conditions, which are called simple mission profiles in this paper, are made based on a lifetime ...... prediction of IGBT modules under power converter applications.......In this paper, the lifetime prediction of power device modules based on the linear damage accumulation is studied in conjunction with simple mission profiles of converters. Superimposed power cycling conditions, which are called simple mission profiles in this paper, are made based on a lifetime...... model in respect to junction temperature swing duration. This model has been built based on 39 power cycling test results of 600-V 30-A three-phase-molded IGBT modules. Six tests are performed under three superimposed power cycling conditions using an advanced power cycling test setup. The experimental...

Chronic methylphenidate-effects over circadian cycle of young and adult rats submitted to open-field and object recognition tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes, Karin M; Souza, Renan P; Valvassori, Samira S; Réus, Gislaine Z; Inácio, Cecília G; Martins, Márcio R; Comim, Clarissa M; Quevedo, João

2009-11-01

In this study age-, circadian rhythm- and methylphenidate administration- effect on open field habituation and object recognition were analyzed. Young and adult male Wistar rats were treated with saline or methylphenidate 2.0 mg/kg for 28 days. Experiments were performed during the light and the dark cycle. Locomotor activity was significantly altered by circadian cycle and methylphenidate treatment during the training session and by drug treatment during the testing session. Exploratory activity was significantly modulated by age during the training session and by age and drug treatment during the testing session. Object recognition memory was altered by cycle at the training session; by age 1.5 h later and by cycle and age 24 h after the training session. These results show that methylphenidate treatment was the major modulator factor on open-field test while cycle and age had an important effect on object recognition experiment.

IMPACT 2002+, ReCiPe 2008 and ILCD’s recommended practice for characterization modelling in life cycle impact assessment: a case study-based comparison

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Owsianiak, Mikolaj; Laurent, Alexis; Bjørn, Anders

2014-01-01

Purpose The European Commission has launched a recommended set of characterization models and factors for application in life cycle impact assessment (LCIA). However, it is not known how this recommended practice, referred to as the ILCD 2009, performs relative to some of the most frequently used...... and ecosystems, all studied methodologies consistently identify the same window option as having the lowest and the highest environmental impact. This is mainly because few processes, associated with production of heat, dominate the total impacts, and there is a large difference in demand for heat between...... categories. The differences are somewhat smaller (within 1 order of magnitude) for the impact categories respiratory inorganics and photochemical ozone formation, and are within a factor of 3 for the remaining impact categories. The differences in impact scores in our case study are brought about...

Recommendation of ruthenium source for sludge batch flowsheet studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woodham, W. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

2017-09-13

Included herein is a preliminary analysis of previously-generated data from sludge batches 7a, 7b, 8, and 9 sludge simulant and real-waste testing, performed to recommend a form of ruthenium for future sludge batch simulant testing under the nitric-formic flowsheet. Focus is given to reactions present in the Sludge Receipt and Adjustment Tank cycle, given that this cycle historically produces the most changes in chemical composition during Chemical Process Cell processing. Data is presented and analyzed for several runs performed under the nitric-formic flowsheet, with consideration given to effects on the production of hydrogen gas, nitrous oxide gas, consumption of formate, conversion of nitrite to nitrate, and the removal and recovery of mercury during processing. Additionally, a brief discussion is given to the effect of ruthenium source selection under the nitric-glycolic flowsheet. An analysis of data generated from scaled demonstration testing, sludge batch 9 qualification testing, and antifoam degradation testing under the nitric-glycolic flowsheet is presented. Experimental parameters of interest under the nitric-glycolic flowsheet include N2O production, glycolate destruction, conversion of glycolate to formate and oxalate, and the conversion of nitrite to nitrate. To date, the number of real-waste experiments that have been performed under the nitric-glycolic flowsheet is insufficient to provide a complete understanding of the effects of ruthenium source selection in simulant experiments with regard to fidelity to real-waste testing. Therefore, a determination of comparability between the two ruthenium sources as employed under the nitric-glycolic flowsheet is made based on available data in order to inform ruthenium source selection for future testing under the nitric-glycolic flowsheet.

40 CFR Table 6 to Subpart IIIi of... - Optional 3-Mode Test Cycle for Stationary Fire Pump Engines

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Engines [As stated in § 60.4210(g), manufacturers of fire pump engines may use the following test cycle... 40 Protection of Environment 6 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Optional 3-Mode Test Cycle for Stationary Fire Pump Engines 6 Table 6 to Subpart IIII of Part 60 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL...

Brayton-Cycle Power-Conversion Unit Tested With Ion Thruster

Science.gov (United States)

Hervol, David S.

2005-01-01

Nuclear electric propulsion has been identified as an enabling technology for future NASA space science missions, such as the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) now under study. An important element of the nuclear electric propulsion spacecraft is the power conversion system, which converts the reactor heat to electrical power for use by the ion propulsion system and other spacecraft loads. The electrical integration of the power converter and ion thruster represents a key technical challenge in making nuclear electric propulsion technology possible. This technical hurdle was addressed extensively on December 1, 2003, when a closed- Brayton-cycle power-conversion unit was tested with a gridded ion thruster at the NASA Glenn Research Center. The test demonstrated end-to-end power throughput and marked the first-ever coupling of a Brayton turbo alternator and a gridded ion thruster, both of which are candidates for use on JIMO-type missions. The testing was conducted at Glenn's Vacuum Facility 6, where the Brayton unit was installed in the 3-m-diameter vacuum test port and the ion thruster was installed in the 7.6-m-diameter main chamber.

Arsenic control during aquifer storage recovery cycle tests in the Floridan Aquifer.

Science.gov (United States)

Mirecki, June E; Bennett, Michael W; López-Baláez, Marie C

2013-01-01

Implementation of aquifer storage recovery (ASR) for water resource management in Florida is impeded by arsenic mobilization. Arsenic, released by pyrite oxidation during the recharge phase, sometimes results in groundwater concentrations that exceed the 10 µg/L criterion defined in the Safe Drinking Water Act. ASR was proposed as a major storage component for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), in which excess surface water is stored during the wet season, and then distributed during the dry season for ecosystem restoration. To evaluate ASR system performance for CERP goals, three cycle tests were conducted, with extensive water-quality monitoring in the Upper Floridan Aquifer (UFA) at the Kissimmee River ASR (KRASR) pilot system. During each cycle test, redox evolution from sub-oxic to sulfate-reducing conditions occurs in the UFA storage zone, as indicated by decreasing Fe(2+) /H2 S mass ratios. Arsenic, released by pyrite oxidation during recharge, is sequestered during storage and recovery by co-precipitation with iron sulfide. Mineral saturation indices indicate that amorphous iron oxide (a sorption surface for arsenic) is stable only during oxic and sub-oxic conditions of the recharge phase, but iron sulfide (which co-precipitates arsenic) is stable during the sulfate-reducing conditions of the storage and recovery phases. Resultant arsenic concentrations in recovered water are below the 10 µg/L regulatory criterion during cycle tests 2 and 3. The arsenic sequestration process is appropriate for other ASR systems that recharge treated surface water into a sulfate-reducing aquifer. Published 2012. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Recommendations for safety testing with the in vivo comet assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Vasquez, Marie Z

2012-08-30

While the in vivo comet assay increases its role in regulatory safety testing, deliberations about the interpretation of comet data continue. Concerns can arise regarding comet assay publications with limited data from non-blind testing of positive control compounds and using protocols (e.g. dose concentrations, sample times, and tissues) known to give an expected effect. There may be a tendency towards bias when the validation or interpretation of comet assay data is based on results generated by widely accepted but non-validated assays. The greatest advantages of the comet assay are its sensitivity and its ability to detect genotoxicity in tissues and at sample times that could not previously be evaluated. Guidelines for its use and interpretation in safety testing should take these factors into account. Guidelines should be derived from objective review of data generated by blind testing of unknown compounds dosed at non-toxic concentrations and evaluated in a true safety-testing environment, where the experimental design and conclusions must be defensible. However, positive in vivo comet findings with such compounds are rarely submitted to regulatory agencies and this data is typically unavailable for publication due to its proprietary nature. To enhance the development of guidelines for safety testing with the comet assay, and with the permission of several sponsors, this paper presents and discusses relevant data from multiple GLP comet studies conducted blind, with unknown pharmaceuticals and consumer products. Based on these data and the lessons we have learned through the course of conducting these studies, I suggest significant adjustments to the current conventions, and I provide recommendations for interpreting in vivo comet assay results in situations where risk must be evaluated in the absence of carcinogenicity or clinical data. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dynamic tests and adaptive control of a bottoming organic Rankine cycle of IC engine using swash-plate expander

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torregrosa, A.; Galindo, J.; Dolz, V.; Royo-Pascual, L.; Haller, R.; Melis, J.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • An experimental testing of a bottoming Rankine Cycle is presented and applied to a 2 l turbocharged gasoline engine. • Both stationary and transient tests were performed, including the NEDC cycle. • Indicated diagrams of the swash-plate expander during these transients were presented and analyzed. - Abstract: This paper deals with the experimental testing of a bottoming Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) integrate in a 2 l turbocharged gasoline engine using ethanol as working fluid. The main components of the cycle are a boiler, a condenser, a pump and a swash-plate expander. Both steady and transient tests were performed in three engine operating points to understand the behavior and inertia of the system. Pressure-Volume diagram during these transients were presented and analyzed. Operating parameters of the expander, such as expander speed and boiler power, were shifted. The objective of these tests is to understand the inertia of the system and to have a robust control in all the possible transient tests. New European Driving Cycle was tested with and without the expander because it is supposed to represent the typical usage of a car in Europe. It was used to validate the control of the ORC in realistic dynamic conditions of the engine. The importance of each parameter was analyzed by fixing all the parameters, changing each time one specific value. The main result of this paper is that using a slightly simple and robust control based on adaptive PIDs, the two dynamic effects of an ORC could be taken into account, i.e. high inertia effects (boiler and condenser) and low inertia effects (pump and volumetric expander).

Dynamic Testing of the NASA Hypersonic Project Combined Cycle Engine Testbed for Mode Transition Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

NASA is interested in developing technology that leads to more routine, safe, and affordable access to space. Access to space using airbreathing propulsion systems has potential to meet these objectives based on Airbreathing Access to Space (AAS) system studies. To this end, the NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Program (FAP) Hypersonic Project is conducting fundamental research on a Turbine Based Combined Cycle (TBCC) propulsion system. The TBCC being studied considers a dual flow-path inlet system. One flow-path includes variable geometry to regulate airflow to a turbine engine cycle. The turbine cycle provides propulsion from take-off to supersonic flight. The second flow-path supports a dual-mode scramjet (DMSJ) cycle which would be initiated at supersonic speed to further accelerate the vehicle to hypersonic speed. For a TBCC propulsion system to accelerate a vehicle from supersonic to hypersonic speed, a critical enabling technology is the ability to safely and effectively transition from the turbine to the DMSJ-referred to as mode transition. To experimentally test methods of mode transition, a Combined Cycle Engine (CCE) Large-scale Inlet testbed was designed with two flow paths-a low speed flow-path sized for a turbine cycle and a high speed flow-path designed for a DMSJ. This testbed system is identified as the CCE Large-Scale Inlet for Mode Transition studies (CCE-LIMX). The test plan for the CCE-LIMX in the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) 10- by 10-ft Supersonic Wind Tunnel (10x10 SWT) is segmented into multiple phases. The first phase is a matrix of inlet characterization (IC) tests to evaluate the inlet performance and establish the mode transition schedule. The second phase is a matrix of dynamic system identification (SysID) experiments designed to support closed-loop control development at mode transition schedule operating points for the CCE-LIMX. The third phase includes a direct demonstration of controlled mode transition using a closed loop control

Life-cycle testing of receiving waters with Ceriodaphnia dubia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stewart, A.J.; Beane, B.K.

1995-01-01

Seven-day tests with Ceriodaphnia are commonly used to estimate the toxicity of effluents or receiving waters, but may yield no toxicity outcomes even when pollutants are present (a possible type II error). The authors conducted two sets of full life-cycle tests with C. dubia to (1) see if tests with longer exposure periods revealed evidence for toxicity that might not be evident from shorter tests, and (2) determine the relative importance of water quality versus food as factors influencing C. dubia reproduction. In the first set of tests, daphnids were reared in diluted mineral water (control), water from a stream impacted by coal fly-ash, or water from a mercury-contaminated retention basin. The second set of tests used water from the retention basin only, but this water was either filtered or not filtered, and food was either added or not added. C. dubia survival and reproduction did not differ much among the three waters in the first set of tests. However, both parameters were strongly affected by the filtering and food-addition treatments in the second set of tests. Thus, C. dubia seems to be moderately insensitive to general water-quality factors, but quite sensitive to food-related parameters. Regression analysis showed that the predictability of life-time reproduction of C. dubia from 7-day test results was low in five of six cases. The increase in predictability as a function of test duration also differed among water types (first set of tests), and among treatments (second set of tests). Thus, 7-day tests with C. dubia may be used to quantify water-quality problems, but it may not be possible to reliably extrapolate the results of such tests to longer time scales

Integrated corporate structure life cycle management modeling and organization

OpenAIRE

Naumenko, M.; Morozova, L.

2011-01-01

Integrated business structure presented as complementary pool of its participants skills. The methodical approach to integrated business structure life cycle modeling proposed. Recommendations of enterprises life cycles stages correlate are submitted.

Eukaryotic Cell Cycle as a Test Case for Modeling Cellular Regulation in a Collaborative Problem-Solving Environment

Science.gov (United States)

2007-03-01

computer models of cell cycle regulation in a variety of organisms, including yeast cells, amphibian embryos, bacterial cells and human cells. These...and meiosis ), but they do not nullify the central role played by irreversible, alternating START and FINISH transitions in the cell cycle. 32...AFRL-IF-RS-TR-2007-69 Final Technical Report March 2007 EUKARYOTIC CELL CYCLE AS A TEST CASE FOR MODELING CELLULAR REGULATION IN A

Results of VVER fuel rods tests in the MIR.M1 reactor under power cycling conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burukin, A.; Izhutov, A.; Ovchinnikov, V.; Kalygin, V.; Markov, D.; Pimenov, Y.; Novikov, V.; Medvedev, A.; Nesterov, B.

2011-01-01

The paper presents the main results of the 50 ... 60 MWd/kgU burnup VVER fuel rods tests performed in the MIR.M1 reactor loop facilities under power cycling. The non-destructive PIE results are presented as well. A series of experiments was performed, including overall measurement of fuel rod parameters test, in one of which 300 cycles were done. Irradiation under power cycling conditions and PIE of high-burnup VVER fuel rods showed the following: 1) all fuel rods claddings preserved their integrity under irradiation at linear heat rate (LHR) higher than the NPP operating one; 2) experimental data were obtained on the axial and radial cladding strain and fission gas release (FGR) from 50 ... 60 MWd/kgU burnup VVER-440 and VVER-1000 fuel rods as well as on the kinetics of the change in these parameters and fuel temperature under the power cycling; 3) non-destructive PIE results are in a satisfactory correlation with the data obtained by means of in-pile measurement gages during irradiation. (authors)

The assisted 6-minute cycling test to assess endurance in children with a neuromuscular disorder

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, M.; Jong, M. de; Coes, H.M.; Eggermont, F.; Alfen, N. van; de Groot, I.J.

2012-01-01

Introduction: For late- or non-ambulant children with a neuromuscular disorder no suitable endurance tests are currently available. We developed the assisted 6-minute cycling test (A6MCT) for the legs and arms and investigated its psychometric properties in healthy boys and boys with Duchenne

RESIDUAL RESOURCE STUDY OF DEFECTIVE RAILS FOR TYPE P 50 CYCLE TEST OF ENDURANCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. M. Yosyfovych

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The paper is devoted to the study and evaluation of residual life for defective rails P50 operated on the roads of the Kyiv subway, which are taken out of service because of defects 11.1-2 on the side of the rolling surface of the rail head. Methodology. The studies were performed with the use of experimental methods: testing of samples of defective rails in the cyclical strength of the pulse machine and testing of defective rails in the static load limit on the hydraulic vertical press. Findings. The performed experiments indicate that on the tests basis in 2 million cycles is only a small development (increase in size 0.5-0.7 mm of existing code defects 11.2 as a result of shedding the particles of crumble out metal on the side of the rails head of working prototypes. The intensity and the catastrophic development of defects, such as 11.2, or transformation of these defects in defects such as 21.2 or 30G.2 did not happen in any case. Originality. For the first time in Ukraine with the theoretical calculations substantiated the greater possibility of defects formation of contact fatigue origin in the form of spall and jag of metal on the surface of the rail, at the edge of the head. It is the result of the creation of a high degree of stress nonequilibrium compression in this area, due to the high values of principal normal stresses and appearance of large shear stresses in the body of the head at a depth of 2.5-3.5 mm, exceeding the yield strength and metal endurance. The tests of experimental prototypes of defective rails on high cycle endurance (based № = 2,1h10 cycles with periodic defectoscopic control were conducted. Practical value. In experiments, the new data of the resistance ability to spall rail defects on the surface of the head of rolling on the code 11.1-2 long-term cyclic loading equal to operational magnitude at the wheel load test of 2 million cycles was obtained. That is, the defective rails can have residual life

Multi-parameter fibre Bragg grating sensor-array for thermal vacuum cycling test

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, L.; Ahlers, B.; Toet, P.; Casarosa, G.; Appolloni, M.

2017-11-01

strain transducer to generate strain via a dedicated feed through in the chamber. Thermocouples are used to log the temperature for comparison to the temperature FBG sensor. Extreme temperature ranges from -150°C and +70°C at a pressure down to 10-4 Pa (10-6 mbar) are covered as well as testing under ambient conditions. In total five thermal cycles during a week test are performed. The FBG temperature sensor test results performed in the ESA/ESTEC TV chamber reveal high reproducibility (within 1 °C) within the test temperature range without any evidence of hysteresis. Differences are detected to the previous calibration curve. Investigation is performed to find the cause of the discrepancy. Differences between the test set-ups are identified. Equipment of the TNO test is checked and excluded to be the cause. Additional experiments are performed. The discrepancy is most likely caused by a 'thermal shock' due to rapid cooling down to LN2 temperature, which results in a wavelength shift. Test data of the FBG strain sensor is analysed. The read-out of the FBG strain sensor varies with the temperature during the test. This can be caused by temperature induced changes in the mechanical setup (fastening of the mechanical parts) or impact of temperature to the mechanical strain transfer to the FBG. Improvements are identified and recommendations given for future activities.

Life-cycle testing of receiving waters with Ceriodaphnia dubia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stewart, A.J.; Konetsky, B.K.

1996-12-31

Seven-day tests with Ceriodaphnia dubia are commonly used to estimate toxicity of effluents or receiving waters but can sometimes yield {open_quotes}no toxicity{close_quotes} outcomes even if pollutants are present. We conducted two sets of full life-cycle tests with C. dubia to (1) see if tests with longer exposure periods would reveal evidence for toxicity that might not be evident from 7-day tests, and (2) determine the relative importance of water quality versus food as factors influencing C. dubia reproduction. In the first set of tests, C. dubia was reared in diluted mineral water (negative control), water from a stream impacted by coal fly-ash, or water from a retention basin containing sediments contaminated with mercury, other metals and polychlorinated biphenyls. The second set of tests used water from the retention basin only, but this water was either filtered or not filtered, and food was either added or not added, prior to testing. C. dubia survival and reproduction did not differ much among the three water types in the first set of tests, but these two parameters were strongly affected by the filtering and food-addition treatments in the second set of tests. Thus, C. dubia appeared to be relatively insensitive to general water-quality factors, but quite sensitive to food-related factors. Regression analyses showed that the predictability of life-time reproduction by C. dubia from the results of 7-day tests was very low (R{sup 2}< 0.35) in five of the six experiments. The increase in predictability as a function of test duration also differed among water types in the first set of tests, and among treatments in the second set of tests. Thus, 7-day tests with C. dubia may be used to quantify water-quality problems, but it may not be possible to reliably extrapolate the results of these tests to longer time scales.

Cycle life test. Evaluation program for secondary spacecraft cells. [performance tests on silver zinc batteries, silver cadmium batteries, and nickel cadmium batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Harkness, J. D.

1976-01-01

Considerable research is being done to find more efficient and reliable means of starting electrical energy for orbiting satellites. Rechargeable cells offer one such means. A test program is described which has been established in order to further the evaluation of certain types of cells and to obtain performance and failure data as an aid to their continued improvement. The purpose of the program is to determine the cycling performance capabilities of packs of cells under different load and temperature conditions. The various kinds of cells tested were nickel-cadmium, silver-cadmium, and silver-zinc sealed cells. A summary of the results of the life cycling program is given in this report.

Thermal Cycling and High-Temperature Corrosion Tests of Rare Earth Silicate Environmental Barrier Coatings

Science.gov (United States)

Darthout, Émilien; Gitzhofer, François

2017-12-01

Lutetium and yttrium silicates, enriched with an additional secondary zirconia phase, environmental barrier coatings were synthesized by the solution precursor plasma spraying process on silicon carbide substrates. A custom-made oven was designed for thermal cycling and water vapor corrosion testing. The oven can test four specimens simultaneously and allows to evaluate environmental barrier performances under similar corrosion kinetics compared to turbine engines. Coatings structural evolution has been observed by SEM on the polished cross sections, and phase composition has been analyzed by XRD. All coatings have been thermally cycled between 1300 °C and the ambient temperature, without spallation, due to their porosity and the presence of additional secondary phase which increases the thermal cycling resistance. During water vapor exposure at 1200 °C, rare earth disilicates showed a good stability, which is contradictory with the literature, due to impurities—such as Si- and Al-hydroxides—in the water vapor jets. The presence of vertical cracks allowed the water vapor to reach the substrate and then to corrode it. It has been observed that thin vertical cracks induced some spallation after 24 h of corrosion.

Implementation of ICRP recommendation in nuclear fuel cycle operations: challenges and achievements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, V.K.

1999-01-01

The operating experience with regard to occupational exposure and environmental releases in Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities are described. The achievements of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities in adhering to the revised radiological protection standards are highlighted, with particular reference to Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs). The downward trend of occupational and public doses due to nuclear power plant operation is emphasised. Some of the important radiologically significant jobs executed at NPPs are listed. With the vast experiences in the field of radiological protection, vis-a-vis stringent regulatory requirements, and design modifications envisaged in future facilities the radiological impact, both in the occupational and public domain is bound to be minimum. (author)

Recommendation to include fragrance mix 2 and hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (Lyral) in the European baseline patch test series.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruze, Magnus; Andersen, Klaus Ejner; Goossens, An

2008-03-01

The currently used fragrance mix in the European baseline patch test series (baseline series) fails to detect a substantial number of clinically relevant fragrance allergies. To investigate whether it is justified to include hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (Lyral) and fragrance mix 2 containing hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde, citral, farnesol, coumarin, citronellol, and alpha-hexyl cinnamal in the European baseline patch test series. Survey of the literature on reported frequencies of contact allergy and allergic contact dermatitis from fragrance mix 2 and hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (Lyral) as well as reported results of experimental provocation test. Fragrance mix 2 has been demonstrated to be a useful additional marker of fragrance allergy with contact allergy rates up to 5% when included in various national baseline patch test series. Of the fragrance substances present in fragrance mix 2, hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde is the most common sensitizer. Contact allergy rates between 1.5% and 3% have been reported for hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde in petrolatum (pet.) at 5% from various European centres when tested in consecutive dermatitis patients. From 2008, pet. preparations of fragrance mix 2 at 14% w/w (5.6 mg/cm(2)) and hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde at 5% w/w (2.0 mg/cm(2)) are recommended for inclusion in the baseline series. With the Finn Chamber technique, a dose of 20 mg pet. preparation is recommended. Whenever there is a positive reaction to fragrance mix 2, additional patch testing with the 6 ingredients, 5 if there are simultaneous positive reactions to hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde and fragrance mix 2, is recommended.

Evolution and comparison of speed, cycle frequency, cycle length and cycle index on 200-m test in young paddlers Evolución y comparación de la velocidad, frecuencia, longitud e índice de ciclo sobre 200 m en palistas infantiles de diferentes modalidades

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Ferrer

2010-09-01

Full Text Available

Speed evolution, cycle frequency, cycle length and cycle index were analysed during a 200-m maximal test, in young paddlers (23 kayak men, 22 kayak women and 20 canoe men; 13^-14 years-old. Recordings were taken from a boat following each test and switched from analogue to digital format to measure the variables cited above. Evolution was similar in three categories. The speed and cycle index decreased through the test after the first 50 m, while the cycle length was stable. The cycle frequency had a progressive decrease along the distance. Men kayak got higher values in all the variables than women kayak and canoeist, but only were significantly higher in speed and cycle index. Lower values of cycle length and cycle frequency were obtained from canoe men and kayak women, respectively.
Key Words: speed, cycle frequency, cycle length, cycle index, paddlers.

Are slide-hold-slide tests a good analogue for the seismic cycle?

Science.gov (United States)

van den Ende, Martijn; Niemeijer, André; Marketos, George; Spiers, Christopher

2017-04-01

Earthquakes are among the most disruptive of natural hazards known to man. Owing to their destructive potential and poor predictability, earthquakes and unstable frictional sliding in general receive considerable attention, both in experimental and in modelling studies. For reliable seismic hazard assessments, accurate predictions of the failure strength of seismogenic faults is paramount. To study the time-dependent restrengthening (or "healing") of faults in a laboratory setting, the slide-hold-slide (SHS) method is commonly employed as an analogue for the seismic cycle. Using this method, it is assumed that the rate of restrengthening as observed in SHS tests is similar to the rate of restrengthening of natural faults during the interseismic phase. However, the dynamic and kinematic boundary conditions of SHS tests are inherently different to those of a fault that is being tectonically loaded. As such, it can be questioned whether SHS tests (in which the interseismic period is characterised by stress relaxation) yield the same rate of restrengthening as would be expected from laboratory stick-slip or natural seismic cycles (characterised by a more complex stress history). This question could in principle be addressed experimentally by comparing the results from SHS tests with the stress drop and recurrence time of regular stick-slips. However, due to technical limitations, direct comparison between SHS and stick-slips is non-trivial, and uncertainties in extrapolating the laboratory results remain. To assess the validity of SHS tests as an analogue for the seismic cycle, we simulate laboratory SHS tests as well as stick-slips using the Discrete Element Method (DEM). DEM is a particle-based numerical technique that is suitable for modelling granular media, such as fault gouges. Its constitutive relations are linked to grain-scale micro-processes, and, in the work presented here, we incorporate pressure solution creep and frictional sliding. The simultaneous

Development of hot test equipment for advanced nuclear fuel cycle development in JNC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nomura, K.; Shibata, A.; Nemoto, S.; Aoshima, A.; Funasaka, H.

2001-01-01

JNC (Japan nuclear fuel cycle development institute) has been developing a mini centrifugal contactor. JNC has experience of the development of the RETF (Recycle equipment test facility; under construction at Tokai-works) type centrifugal contactor and the mini centrifugal contactor is designed on the basis of this knowledge. The followings were carried out in order to estimate the performance of the mini centrifugal contactor: functional test for evaluating basic performance of this extractor, acid-solvent test and uranium test for confirming that sufficient performance is attained. The results showed wide performance in comparison with the mini mixer settler used so far and it is expected that shortening in operating time and higher efficiency of extracting tests will be achieved. (author)

Challenges in high temperature low cycle fatigue testing of metallic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandhya, R.; Valsan, M.; Bhanu Sankara Rao, K.

2007-01-01

The evaluation of the high strain Low Cycle Fatigue properties of structural materials is an involved and complicated procedure requiring skill and diligence from the experimentalist. This presentation describes the various testing methods to evaluate the LCF properties of structural materials, the complexities involved and some solutions to exacting requirements, not covered by the testing procedure standards. The basic components of servo-hydraulic fatigue testing machines is described, as are the calibration and maintenance procedures. Results of LCF tests conducted at the authors' laboratory on AISI 316L(N) stainless steel and Mod.9Cr-1Mo ferritic steel are described. The complications in total strain controlled testing of weld joints is brought out and soft zone development in Mod. 9Cr-1Mo ferritic steel is described. The special requirements for testing in environmental chambers is a challenging task. In-house chambers, designed to carry out testing in dynamic sodium environment is highlighted. These chambers have provision to accommodate extensometers for strain measurements, and also house all the safety instrumentation needed to carry out to mechanical testing in dynamic sodium environment. The variation of LCF results as a function of specimen geometry is examined. The various failure criteria adopted by laboratories in different countries are also touched upon. (author)

Power cycling and ramp test in R-2 and Mihama Unit 2 for MHI PWR fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baba, T.; Takahashi, T.; Kubo, H.; Fujiwara, Y.; Kondo, Y.

1983-01-01

Up to the present time, Mitsubishi has manufactured approximately 3000 fuel assemblies for Japanese PWRs, of which performance in reactors is satisfactory under base load operation. For the forthcoming load following age in Japan, expected in mid eighties, Mitsubishi is performing various R and D programs, so that load following operation can be smoothly introduced with current good performance maintained. R and D programs consist of two phases. One is the verification and demonstration of power ramping and cycling capability of the current design fuels, and the other is the development of remedy fuels with more operational margin. This paper describes the recent results obtained for the former phase, especially for the following two programs: (1) Power cycling and ramp test in R-2; (2) Power ramp demonstration (PRD) in Mihama Unit 2 (PRD-1). PIE works for power cycling and ramp test rods have been almost completed. The second PRD will be performed early in 1983

The fate of organics in the water-steam cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huebner, P.

2006-01-01

The behaviour of organic matter in power plants has been examined. The samples were taken from water treatment plants producing make-up water for boilers as well as from water-steam cycles and cooling cycles. The power plants examined were Czech power plants, both fossil and nuclear, and one Slovakian nuclear plant. The tests were performed by the liquid chromatography - organic carbon detection (LC-OCD) method at a subcontractor lab. This method enables distinguishing between different groups of organic matter and from experience the effectiveness of water treatment technologies and the possible influence on the water-steam cycle of the power plant can be estimated. It has been confirmed that by using appropriate flocculation the problems in water treatment plants diminish and the VGB limit for total organic carbon (TOC) concentration of 200 μg . L -1 in boiler feedwater may be reached. The lower limit following EPRI recommendations of 100 μg . L -1 is hardly achievable using existing water treatment technology. This provides an open field for reverse osmosis technology that is able to remove organics completely. (orig.)

Validity of the RAST for evaluating anaerobic power performance as compared to Wingate test in cycling athletes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcos Roberto Queiroga

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The validity of the Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST was investigated to evaluate the anaerobic power performance in comparison to Wingate test in cycling athletes. Ten mountain-bike male cyclists (28.0±7.3 years randomly performed Wingate Test and RAST with two trials each. After several anthropometric measurements, peak power (PP, mean power (MP and fatigue index (FI for RAST and Wingate Test were analyzed using Student's paired t-test, Pearson's linear correlation test (r and Bland and Altman's plots. Results showed that, with the exception of FI (33.8±4.6% vs. 37.8±7.9%; r=0.172, significant differences were detected between the Wingate and RAST tests with regard to PP and MP. Although there was a strong correlation for PP and MP, or rather, 0.831 and 0.714 respectively, agreement of analysis between Wingate and RAST protocols was low. The above suggested that RAST was not appropriate to evaluate the performance of anaerobic power by Wingate test in cycling athletes.

2000 MCM electrical power jumper cable with controlled flexibility: Design and life cycle test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bultman, D.H.; Sims, J.R.; Reass, W.A.

1989-01-01

The ZTH Reversed Field Pinch (RFP) plasma confinement experiment being built at the Los Alamos National Laboratory will use magnet coils to provide ohmic heating currents in the plasma. The ohmic heating coils are supported by a structure that will allow them limited movement with respect to surrounding hardware and the connecting electrical bus work. To minimize displacement-induced stresses in the coils, ''flexible'' power conducting links are necessary to accommodate the relative motion between the bus work and the coils. A semi-flexible 2000 MCM jumper cable has been designed with enough flexibility to allow free movement of the coils, yet it is stiff enough to withstand large magnetically-induced lateral loads and minimize the effect of the lateral loads on the magnet coil leads. A full-power life cycle test of the jumper was performed under magnetic, thermal and dynamic loads that closely simulate the expected operating conditions. This test evaluated the structural and electrical integrity of the jumper as well as the quality and reliability of the bolted electrical connections at the jumper ends in a high-stress, cyclic-loading environment. The jumper cable design is presented with an explanation of the requirements for a semi-flexible link. A description of the life cycle test and test results are given, as well as a description of the test apparatus and setup. 4 figs

The graded cycling test combined with the talk test is reliable for patients with ischemic heart disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Susanne Grøn; Buus, Lise; Hage, Tine

2014-01-01

PURPOSE: To assess relative reliability and measurement error of the Graded Cycling Test (GCT) with the Talk Test (TT) for patients with cardiac disease. METHODS: Patients (N = 64; women, n = 30) with ischemic heart disease performed the GCT with the TT twice in 1 day. Every minute the patient.......81 and 0.88. SEM95 ranged between 17.2 and 18.3 watts (W), with corresponding SRD values between 24.4 and 25.9 W for the patient ratings. The PT ratings ranged between 15.8 and 21.4 W (SEM95) and between 22.3 and 30.3 W (SRD). CONCLUSIONS: The TT, combined with the GCT, was well tolerated by patients...

Low cycle thermal fatigue testing of beryllium grades for ITER plasma facing components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watson, R.D.; Youchison, D.L.; Dombrowski, D.E.; Guiniatouline, R.N.; Kupriynov, I.B.

1996-01-01

A novel technique has been used to test the relative low cycle thermal fatigue resistance of different grades of US and Russian beryllium, which is proposed as plasma facing armor for fusion reactor first wall, limiter, and divertor components. The 30 kW electron beam test system at Sandia National Laboratories was used to sweep the beam spot along one direction at 1 Hz. This produces a localized temperature ''spike'' of 750 degree C for each pass of the beam. Large thermal stresses in excess of the yield strength are generated due to very high spot heat flux, 250 MW/m 2 . Cyclic plastic strains on the order of 0.6% produced visible cracking on the heated surface in less than 3000 cycles. An in-vacuo fiber optic borescope was used to visually inspect the beryllium surfaces for crack initiation. Grades of US beryllium tested included: S-65C, S- 65H, S-200F, S-200F-H, SR-200, I-400, extruded high purity, HIP'd spherical powder, porous beryllium (94% and 98% dense), Be/30% BeO, Be/60% BeO, and TiBe 12 . Russian grades included: TGP-56, TShGT, DShG-200, and TShG-56. Both the number of cycles to crack initiation, and the depth of crack propagation, were measured. The most fatigue resistant grades were S-65C, DShG-200, TShGT, and TShG-56. Rolled sheet Be (SR-200) showed excellent crack propagation resistance in the plane of rolling, despite early formation of delamination cracks. Only one sample showed no evidence of surface melting, Extruded (T). Metallographic and chemical analyses are provided. Good agreement was found between the measured depth of cracks and a 2-D elastic-plastic finite element stress analysis

The health beliefs of mothers about preventing cervical cancer and their intention to recommend the Pap test to their daughters: a cross-sectional survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hae Won Kim

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mothers have a primary role in the prevention of cervical cancer in Korea. This study aimed to determine the awareness and health beliefs of mothers about preventing cervical cancer in their daughters, their intention to recommend the Pap test to their daughters, and the factors influencing this intention. Methods A cross-sectional survey design was employed, and the study enrolled mothers (n = 1,581 of pubescent girls aged 13 to 18 years who were living nationwide in Korea. The six health-beliefs variables related to preventing cervical cancer in their daughters, awareness of the importance of cervical cancer prevention methods, and the intention to recommend the Pap test to daughters were investigated. The impacts of these health beliefs of the mothers and the sociodemographic factors influencing their intention to recommend the Pap test to their daughters were assessed using multiple logistic regression analysis. Results Almost one-quarter (23.7 % of the mothers had talked about the Pap test, 69.2 % were intending to recommend the Pap test to their daughters, and 38.5 % considered that the Pap test could be necessary if their daughters became sexually active. The significant health beliefs influencing the intention to recommend the Pap test were the perceived barriers [odds ratio (OR = 1.47, 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI = 1.03–2.11] and benefits (OR = 2.25, 95 % CI = 1.55–3.25. The significant sociodemographic factors of mothers were their education (OR = 1.52, 95 % CI = 1.08–2.13, their experience of talking about the Pap test with their daughters (OR = 2.11, 95 % CI = 1.23–3.64, their regularity of undergoing the Pap test themselves (OR = 1.98, 95 % CI = 1.30–3.03, and their age when they first underwent the Pap test (OR = 1.60, 95 % CI = 1.43–0.82. Conclusions The mothers perceived HPV vaccination as the most important of the five methods

Demonstration recommendations for accelerated testing of concrete decontamination methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dickerson, K.S.; Ally, M.R.; Brown, C.H.; Morris, M.I.; Wilson-Nichols, M.J.

1995-12-01

A large number of aging US Department of Energy (DOE) surplus facilities located throughout the US require deactivation, decontamination, and decommissioning. Although several technologies are available commercially for concrete decontamination, emerging technologies with potential to reduce secondary waste and minimize the impact and risk to workers and the environment are needed. In response to these needs, the Accelerated Testing of Concrete Decontamination Methods project team described the nature and extent of contaminated concrete within the DOE complex and identified applicable emerging technologies. Existing information used to describe the nature and extent of contaminated concrete indicates that the most frequently occurring radiological contaminants are {sup 137}Cs, {sup 238}U (and its daughters), {sup 60}Co, {sup 90}Sr, and tritium. The total area of radionuclide-contaminated concrete within the DOE complex is estimated to be in the range of 7.9 {times} 10{sup 8} ft{sup 2}or approximately 18,000 acres. Concrete decontamination problems were matched with emerging technologies to recommend demonstrations considered to provide the most benefit to decontamination of concrete within the DOE complex. Emerging technologies with the most potential benefit were biological decontamination, electro-hydraulic scabbling, electrokinetics, and microwave scabbling.

Demonstration recommendations for accelerated testing of concrete decontamination methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dickerson, K.S.; Ally, M.R.; Brown, C.H.; Morris, M.I.; Wilson-Nichols, M.J.

1995-12-01

A large number of aging US Department of Energy (DOE) surplus facilities located throughout the US require deactivation, decontamination, and decommissioning. Although several technologies are available commercially for concrete decontamination, emerging technologies with potential to reduce secondary waste and minimize the impact and risk to workers and the environment are needed. In response to these needs, the Accelerated Testing of Concrete Decontamination Methods project team described the nature and extent of contaminated concrete within the DOE complex and identified applicable emerging technologies. Existing information used to describe the nature and extent of contaminated concrete indicates that the most frequently occurring radiological contaminants are 137 Cs, 238 U (and its daughters), 60 Co, 90 Sr, and tritium. The total area of radionuclide-contaminated concrete within the DOE complex is estimated to be in the range of 7.9 x 10 8 ft 2 or approximately 18,000 acres. Concrete decontamination problems were matched with emerging technologies to recommend demonstrations considered to provide the most benefit to decontamination of concrete within the DOE complex. Emerging technologies with the most potential benefit were biological decontamination, electro-hydraulic scabbling, electrokinetics, and microwave scabbling

Die degradation effect on aging rate in accelerated cycling tests of SiC power MOSFET modules

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Luo, Haoze; Baker, Nick; Iannuzzo, Francesco

2017-01-01

In order to distinguish the die and bond wire degradations, in this paper both the die and bond wire resistances of SiC MOSFET modules are measured and tested during the accelerated cycling tests. It is proved that, since the die degradation under specific conditions increases the temperature swing...

Preliminary investigation study of code of developed country for developing Korean fuel cycle code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Chang Joon; Ko, Won Il; Lee, Ho Hee; Cho, Dong Keun; Park, Chang Je

2012-01-01

In order to develop Korean fuel cycle code, the analyses has been performed with the fuel cycle codes which are used in advanced country. Also, recommendations were proposed for future development. The fuel cycle codes are AS FLOOWS: VISTA which has been developed by IAEA, DANESS code which developed by ANL and LISTO, and VISION developed by INL for the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) system analysis. The recommended items were proposed for software, program scheme, material flow model, isotope decay model, environmental impact analysis model, and economics analysis model. The described things will be used for development of Korean nuclear fuel cycle code in future

Testing of High Thermal Cycling Stability of Low Strength Concrete as a Thermal Energy Storage Material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chao Wu

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Concrete has the potential to become a solution for thermal energy storage (TES integrated in concentrating solar power (CSP systems due to its good thermal and mechanical properties and low cost of material. In this study, a low strength concrete (C20 is tested at high temperatures up to 600 °C. Specimens are thermally cycled at temperatures in the range of 400–300 °C, 500–300 °C, and 600–300 °C, which TES can reach in operation. For comparison, specimens also cycled at temperature in the range of 400–25 °C (room temperature, 500–25 °C, and 600–25 °C. It is found from the test results that cracks are not observed on the surfaces of concrete specimens until the temperature is elevated up to 500 °C. There is mechanical deterioration of concrete after exposure to high temperature, especially to high thermal cycles. The residual compressive strength of concrete after 10 thermal cycles between 600 °C and 300 °C is about 58.3%, but the specimens remain stable without spalling, indicating possible use of low strength concrete as a TES material.

Course Development Cycle Time: A Framework for Continuous Process Improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Lake, Erinn

2003-01-01

Details Edinboro University's efforts to reduce the extended cycle time required to develop new courses and programs. Describes a collaborative process improvement framework, illustrated data findings, the team's recommendations for improvement, and the outcomes of those recommendations. (EV)

Thorium fuel cycle - Potential benefits and challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-05-01

There has been significant interest among Member States in developing advanced and innovative technologies for safe, proliferation resistant and economically efficient nuclear fuel cycles, while minimizing waste and environmental impacts. This publication provides an insight into the reasons for renewed interest in the thorium fuel cycle, different implementation scenarios and options for the thorium cycle and an update of the information base on thorium fuels and fuel cycles. The present TECDOC focuses on the upcoming thorium based reactors, current information base, front and back end issues, including manufacturing and reprocessing of thorium fuels and waste management, proliferation-resistance and economic issues. The concluding chapter summarizes future prospects and recommendations pertaining to thorium fuels and fuel cycles

Start-up physics test predictions for Indian Point 3, cycle 7, utilized PHOENIX-P/ANC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Powers, M.A.; Buechel, R.J.

1989-01-01

The Westinghouse Advanced In-Core Fuel Management System (PHOENIX-P/ANC) was utilized to predict start-up physics test parameters for Indian Point 3 (IP3) cycle 7. This core utilizes a low-leakage loading pattern implementing VANTAGE-5 fuel, which incorporates axial blankets and integral fuel burnable absorbers. Discrete part-length wet annular burnable absorbers (WABAs) are used in some feed assemblies as well. As a measure to reduce vessel fluence, certain peripheral twice-burned assemblies also contain fresh full-length WABAs. The New York Power Authority (NYPA) is using the Westinghouse code system since the methodology was licensed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and because of the user support supplied by Westinghouse. The IP3 cycle 7 PHOENIX-P/ANC model was developed as a joint effort by NYPA and Westinghouse as part of a technology transfer agreement. The PHOENIX-P/ANC model performed very well in start-up physics test predictions and is expected to agree well through cycle depletion. These results have given NYPA further incentive to use the Westinghouse methodology for core follow, loading pattern design determination, and in the safety analysis area

Effects of the menstrual cycle phases on the tilt testing results in vasovagal patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Zyśko, Dorota; Gajek, Jacek; Terpiłowski, Lukasz; Agrawal, Anil Kumar; Wróblewski, Paweł; Rudnicki, Jerzy

2012-08-01

The aim of the study was to assess the distribution of positive tilt testing (TT) throughout the menstrual cycle and to determine if the phase of menstrual cycle contributes to the duration of the loss of consciousness. TT results of 183 premenopausal women, aged 29.5 ± 9.8 years, were studied. The menstrual cycle was divided into four phases based on the first day of the last menstrual bleeding: perimenstrual (M), preovulatory (F), periovulatory (O) and postovulatory (L). Positive TT results were equally distributed. In patients with TT in O phase, the highest percentage of NTG provocation was needed. Patients in L phase had significantly lower incidence of cardioinhibitory reaction. The longest duration of loss of consciousness was in the M phase. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the duration of loss of consciousness during positive TT was significantly associated with higher number of syncopal events, TT performed in M phase and lower heart rate at TT termination. Cardiodepressive type of neurocardiogenic reaction was more frequent during M and O phase than during L phase. The distribution of positive TT results as well as syncope and presyncope does not differ throughout the menstrual cycle. Diagnostic TT in premenopausal women with unexplained syncope could be performed irrespective of the phase of menstrual cycle. TT has similar sensitivity throughout the menstrual cycle. During the postovulatory phase, cardioinhibitory reaction is less frequent than in M and O phases. The duration of loss of consciousness is longer during the M phase of the menstrual cycle independently of the higher syncope number and lower heart rate at TT termination.

Test chip for detecting thin film cracking induced by fast temperature cycling and electromigration in multilevel interconnect systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nguyen, Van Hieu; Nguyen, H.; Salm, Cora; Vroemen, J.; Voets, J.; Krabbenborg, B.H.; Bisschop, J.; Mouthaan, A.J.; Kuper, F.G.

2002-01-01

Temperature cycling in power ICs is a reliability hazard, even more so when electromigration is playing a role as well. The frequency of the temperature cycling is in the audio domain, which makes it impossible to test in environmental chambers. In the paper, the design and application of a novel

Test chip for Detecting Thin Film Cracking Induced by Fast Temperature Cycling and Electromigration in Multilevel Interconnect Systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nguyen, Van Hieu; Salm, Cora; Vroemen, J.; Voets, J.; Krabbenborg, B.H.; Krabbenborg, B.; Bisschop, J.; Mouthaan, A.J.; Kuper, F.G.

2002-01-01

Temperature cycling in power ICs is a reliability hazard, even more so when electromigration is playing a role as well. The frequency of the temperature cycling is in the audio domain, which makes it impossible to test in environmental chambers. In the paper, the design and application of a novel

Lithium iron phosphate based battery – Assessment of the aging parameters and development of cycle life model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Omar, Noshin; Monem, Mohamed Abdel; Firouz, Yousef; Salminen, Justin; Smekens, Jelle; Hegazy, Omar; Gaulous, Hamid; Mulder, Grietus; Van den Bossche, Peter; Coosemans, Thierry; Van Mierlo, Joeri

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Extended life cycle tests. • Investigation of the battery life cycle at different working conditions. • Investigation of the impact fast charging on the battery performances. • Extraction all required relationship for development of a cycle life model. • Development of a new life cycle model. - Abstract: This paper represents the evaluation of ageing parameters in lithium iron phosphate based batteries, through investigating different current rates, working temperatures and depths of discharge. From these analyses, one can derive the impact of the working temperature on the battery performances over its lifetime. At elevated temperature (40 °C), the performances are less compared to at 25 °C. The obtained mathematical expression of the cycle life as function of the operating temperature reveals that the well-known Arrhenius law cannot be applied to derive the battery lifetime from one temperature to another. Moreover, a number of cycle life tests have been performed to illustrate the long-term capabilities of the proposed battery cells at different discharge constant current rates. The results reveal the harmful impact of high current rates on battery characteristics. On the other hand, the cycle life test at different depth of discharge levels indicates that the battery is able to perform 3221 cycles (till 80% DoD) compared to 34,957 shallow cycles (till 20% DoD). To investigate the cycle life capabilities of lithium iron phosphate based battery cells during fast charging, cycle life tests have been carried out at different constant charge current rates. The experimental analysis indicates that the cycle life of the battery degrades the more the charge current rate increases. From this analysis, one can conclude that the studied lithium iron based battery cells are not recommended to be charged at high current rates. This phenomenon affects the viability of ultra-fast charging systems. Finally, a cycle life model has been developed, which

Recommended practice for fracture toughness testing of weldments with strength mismatch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hornet, P.; Eripret, C.; Wang, Y.Y.; Kirk, M.T.; Gordon, J.R.

1997-01-01

Fracture toughness testing requires relationships between experimentally measured quantities, such as load and displacement, and J and crack tip opening displacement (CTOD).The relationships provided in the presently codified procedures (ASTM E813, E1152, E1290 et BSI 7848:Part 1) were derived under the assumption that the specimens have homogeneous mechanical properties. However, these codified procedures are frequently used for testing of weldments despite their strong mechanical properties variations. As a result, the accuracy of the toughness values (J or CCTOD) is sometimes in question. Systematic finite element studies of mismatched single-edge-notched-bend specimens (SENB) having a crack on the centerline have been conducted to resolve this question. The effect of various parameters on these relationships, such as weld size, degree of mismatch, and crack depth, is investigated. The accuracy of the codified J and CTOD testing procedures when applied to the mismatched SE(B) specimens is examined. This systematic examination is extended to several newly proposed procedures, such as those from Joch et al. and Hornet and Eripret. New J and CTOD estimations procedures are proposed. The expected error in applying the codified and the new procedures are shown are proposed. The expected error in applying the codified and the new procedures are shown in terms of mismatch level and level width. Recommendations are made on the use of those procedures for a variety of weld mismatch and crack depth conditions. (authors)

Engine Test Cell Aeroacoustics and Recommendations

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Tam, Christopher

2007-01-01

Ground testing of turbojet engines in test cells necessarily involves very high acoustic amplitudes, often enough and severe enough that testing is interrupted and facility hardware and test articles are damaged...

A general framework for intelligent recommender systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jose Aguilar

2017-07-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we propose a general framework for an intelligent recommender system that extends the concept of a knowledge-based recommender system. The intelligent recommender system exploits knowledge, learns, discovers new information, infers preferences and criticisms, among other things. For that, the framework of an intelligent recommender system is defined by the following components: knowledge representation paradigm, learning methods, and reasoning mechanisms. Additionally, it has five knowledge models about the different aspects that we can consider during a recommendation: users, items, domain, context and criticisms. The mix of the components exploits the knowledge, updates it and infers, among other things. In this work, we implement one intelligent recommender system based on this framework, using Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCMs. Next, we test the performance of the intelligent recommender system with specialized criteria linked to the utilization of the knowledge in order to test the versatility and performance of the framework.

Association Rule Analysis for Tour Route Recommendation and Application to Wctsnop

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, H.; Chen, C.; Lin, J.; Liu, X.; Fang, D.

2017-09-01

The increasing E-tourism systems provide intelligent tour recommendation for tourists. In this sense, recommender system can make personalized suggestions and provide satisfied information associated with their tour cycle. Data mining is a proper tool that extracting potential information from large database for making strategic decisions. In the study, association rule analysis based on FP-growth algorithm is applied to find the association relationship among scenic spots in different cities as tour route recommendation. In order to figure out valuable rules, Kulczynski interestingness measure is adopted and imbalance ratio is computed. The proposed scheme was evaluated on Wangluzhe cultural tourism service network operation platform (WCTSNOP), where it could verify that it is able to quick recommend tour route and to rapidly enhance the recommendation quality.

Cycle bases to the rescue

Science.gov (United States)

Tóbiás, Roland; Furtenbacher, Tibor; Császár, Attila G.

2017-12-01

Cycle bases of graph theory are introduced for the analysis of transition data deposited in line-by-line rovibronic spectroscopic databases. The principal advantage of using cycle bases is that outlier transitions -almost always present in spectroscopic databases built from experimental data originating from many different sources- can be detected and identified straightforwardly and automatically. The data available for six water isotopologues, H216O, H217O, H218O, HD16O, HD17O, and HD18O, in the HITRAN2012 and GEISA2015 databases are used to demonstrate the utility of cycle-basis-based outlier-detection approaches. The spectroscopic databases appear to be sufficiently complete so that the great majority of the entries of the minimum cycle basis have the minimum possible length of four. More than 2000 transition conflicts have been identified for the isotopologue H216O in the HITRAN2012 database, the seven common conflict types are discussed. It is recommended to employ cycle bases, and especially a minimum cycle basis, for the analysis of transitions deposited in high-resolution spectroscopic databases.

Relevance of IAEA tests to severe accidents in nuclear fuel cycle transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilkinson, W.L.

2004-01-01

The design and performance standards for packages used for the transport of nuclear fuel cycle materials, are defined in the IAEA Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Materials, TS-R-1, in order to ensure safety under both normal and accident conditions of transport. The underlying philosophy is that safety is vested principally in the package and the design and performance criteria are related to the potential hazard. Type B packages are high duty packages which are used for the transport of the more radioactive materials, notably spent fuel and vitrified high-level waste (VHLW). Tests are specified in the IAEA Regulations to ensure the integrity of these packages in potential transport accidents involving impacts, fires or immersion in water. The mechanical tests for Type B packages include drop tests onto an unyielding surface without giving rise to a significant release of radioactivity. The objects which a package could impact in real life transport accidents, such as concrete roads, bridge abutments and piers, will yield to some extent and absorb some of the energy of the moving package. Impact tests onto an unyielding surface are therefore relevant to impacts onto real-life objects at much higher speeds. The thermal test specifies that Type B packages should be able to withstand a fully engulfing fire of 8000 C for 30 minutes. Analytical studies backed up by experimental tests have shown that these packages can withstand such conditions without significant release of radioactivity. The Regulations also specify immersion tests for Type B packages; 15 metres for 8 hours without significant release of radioactivity and, in addition for spent fuel and VHLW packages, 200 metres for 1 hour without rupture of the containment. Studies have shown that spent fuel and VHLW casks would meet these conditions. Therefore, there is a large body of evidence to show that the current IAEA Type B test requirements are severe and cover all the situations which can

Analysis and modelling of the pollutant emissions from European cars regarding the driving characteristics and test cycles

Science.gov (United States)

André, Michel; Rapone, Mario

Within the European research project ARTEMIS, significant works have been conducted to analyse the hot emissions of pollutant from the passenger cars regarding the driving cycles and to propose modelling approaches taking into account large but heterogeneous datasets recorded in Europe. The review and analysis of a large range of test cycles enabled first the building-up of a set of contrasted cycles specifically designed for characterizing the influence of the driving conditions. These cycles were used for the measurement of the pollutants emission rates from nine passenger cars on a chassis dynamometer. Emissions measured on 30 vehicles tested on cycles adapted to their motorization (i.e., cycles for high- or low-powered cars, inducing thus a significant difference in the dynamic) were also considered for analysing the influence of the cycles and of the kinematic parameters on the hot emission rates of the regulated pollutants (CO, HC, NO x, CO 2, PM). An analyses of variance demonstrated the preponderance of the driving type (urban, rural road, motorway), of the vehicle category (fuel, emission standard) and emitting status (high/normal emitter) and thus the pertinence of analysing and modelling separately the corresponding emissions. It also demonstrated that Urban driving led systematically to high diesel emission rates and to high CO 2, HC and NO x emissions from petrol cars. Congested driving implied high CO 2 (diesel and petrol) and high diesel NO x emission. On motorway, the very high speeds generated high CO 2, while unsteady speeds induced diesel NO x and petrol CO over-emissions. A search for pertinent kinematic parameters showed that urban diesel emissions were mostly sensitive to stops and speed parameters, while petrol emissions were rather sensitive to acceleration parameters. On the motorway, diesel NO x and CO 2 emissions rates increased with the speed variability and occurrence of high speeds, while CO 2 and CO over-emission from petrol cars were

Recommender Systems for Learning

CERN Document Server

Manouselis, Nikos; Verbert, Katrien; Duval, Erik

2013-01-01

Technology enhanced learning (TEL) aims to design, develop and test sociotechnical innovations that will support and enhance learning practices of both individuals and organisations. It is therefore an application domain that generally covers technologies that support all forms of teaching and learning activities. Since information retrieval (in terms of searching for relevant learning resources to support teachers or learners) is a pivotal activity in TEL, the deployment of recommender systems has attracted increased interest. This brief attempts to provide an introduction to recommender systems for TEL settings, as well as to highlight their particularities compared to recommender systems for other application domains.

Appropriateness of endoscopic surveillance recommendations in organised colorectal cancer screening programmes based on the faecal immunochemical test.

Science.gov (United States)

Zorzi, Manuel; Senore, Carlo; Turrin, Anna; Mantellini, Paola; Visioli, Carmen Beatriz; Naldoni, Carlo; Sassoli De' Bianchi, Priscilla; Fedato, Chiara; Anghinoni, Emanuela; Zappa, Marco; Hassan, Cesare

2016-11-01

To assess the appropriateness of recommendations for endoscopic surveillance in organised colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programmes based on the faecal immunochemical test (FIT). 74 Italian CRC screening programmes provided aggregated data on the recommendations given after FIT-positive colonoscopies in 2011 and 2013. Index colonoscopies were divided into negative/no adenoma and low- risk, intermediate-risk and high-risk adenomas. Postcolonoscopy recommendations included a return to screening (FIT after 2 years or 5 years), an endoscopic surveillance after 6 months or after 1 year, 3 years or 5 years, surgery or other. We assessed the deviation from the postcolonoscopy recommendations of the European Guidelines in 2011 and 2013 and the correlation between overuse of endoscopic surveillance in 2011 and the process indicators associated with the endoscopic workload in 2013. 49 704 postcolonoscopy recommendations were analysed. High-risk, intermediate-risk and low-risk adenomas, and no adenomas were reported in 5.9%, 19.3%, 15.3% and 51.5% of the cases, respectively. Endoscopic surveillance was inappropriately recommended in 67.4% and 7%, respectively, of cases with low-risk and no adenoma. Overall, 37% of all endoscopic surveillance recommendations were inappropriate (6696/17 860). Overuse of endoscopic surveillance was positively correlated with the extension of invitations (correlation coefficient (cc) 0.29; p value 0.03) and with compliance with post-FIT+ colonoscopy (cc 0.25; p value 0.05), while it was negatively correlated with total colonoscopy waiting times longer than 60 days (cc -0.26; p value 0.05). In organised screening programmes, a high rate of inappropriate recommendations for patients with low risk or no adenomas occurs, affecting the demand for endoscopic surveillance by a third. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Dynamic Simulations of Advanced Fuel Cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piet, Steven J.; Dixon, Brent W.; Jacobson, Jacob J.; Matthern, Gretchen E.; Shropshire, David E.

2011-01-01

Years of performing dynamic simulations of advanced nuclear fuel cycle options provide insights into how they could work and how one might transition from the current once-through fuel cycle. This paper summarizes those insights from the context of the 2005 objectives and goals of the U.S. Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI). Our intent is not to compare options, assess options versus those objectives and goals, nor recommend changes to those objectives and goals. Rather, we organize what we have learned from dynamic simulations in the context of the AFCI objectives for waste management, proliferation resistance, uranium utilization, and economics. Thus, we do not merely describe 'lessons learned' from dynamic simulations but attempt to answer the 'so what' question by using this context. The analyses have been performed using the Verifiable Fuel Cycle Simulation of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Dynamics (VISION). We observe that the 2005 objectives and goals do not address many of the inherently dynamic discriminators among advanced fuel cycle options and transitions thereof.

CDC Screening Recommendation for Baby Boomers and Hepatitis C Virus Testing in the US Military Health System.

Science.gov (United States)

Manjelievskaia, Janna; Brown, Derek; Shriver, Craig D; Zhu, Kangmin

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common blood-borne infection in the United States, with an estimated 2.7 to 3.9 million cases as of 2014. In August 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended 1-time HCV testing of all baby boomers. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine the proportion of people screened for HCV in the US Department of Defense Military Health System before and after the CDC screening recommendation for baby boomers and (2) assess whether certain patient or system factors were associated with screening for HCV before and after August 2012. We used a dataset containing 5% of beneficiaries randomly selected from the Military Health System Data Repository medical claims database for the period July 2011 through September 2013. Of 108 223 people eligible for HCV screening during the first period (July 2011 through July 2012), 1812 (1.7%) were screened. Of 109 768 people eligible during the second period (September 2012 through September 2013), 2599 (2.4%) were screened. HCV screening receipt was related to benefit type (Prime before August 2012: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.89-2.46; Prime after August 2012: aOR = 1.93; 95% CI, 1.73-2.16) and care source (direct care before August 2012: aOR = 1.80; 95% CI, 1.57-2.07; direct care after August 2012: aOR = 2.45; 95% CI, 2.18-2.75); male sex (aOR = 1.17; 95% CI, 1.06-1.29) and black race (aOR = 1.20; 95% CI, 1.05-1.37) were associated with HCV testing only before August 2012. Interventions should be implemented to increase awareness and knowledge of the current national HCV testing recommendation among baby boomers to seek out testing and health care providers to perform screening.

RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF PHYSIOLOGICAL DATA OBTAINED WITHIN A CYCLE-RUN TRANSITION TEST IN AGE-GROUP TRIATHLETES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veronica Vleck

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This study examined the validity and reliability of a sequential "Run-Bike-Run" test (RBR in age-group triathletes. Eight Olympic distance (OD specialists (age 30.0 ± 2.0 years, mass 75.6 ± 1.6 kg, run VO2max 63.8 ± 1.9 ml·kg-1·min-1, cycle VO2peak 56.7 ± 5.1 ml·kg-1·min-1 performed four trials over 10 days. Trial 1 (TRVO2max was an incremental treadmill running test. Trials 2 and 3 (RBR1 and RBR2 involved: 1 a 7-min run at 15 km·h-1 (R1 plus a 1-min transition to 2 cycling to fatigue (2 W·kg-1 body mass then 30 W each 3 min; 3 10-min cycling at 3 W·kg-1 (Bsubmax; another 1-min transition and 4 a second 7-min run at 15 km·h-1 (R2. Trial 4 (TT was a 30-min cycle - 20-min run time trial. No significant differences in absolute oxygen uptake (VO2, heart rate (HR, or blood lactate concentration ([BLA] were evidenced between RBR1 and RBR2. For all measured physiological variables, the limits of agreement were similar, and the mean differences were physiologically unimportant, between trials. Low levels of test-retest error (i.e. ICC <0.8, CV<10% were observed for most (logged measurements. However [BLA] post R1 (ICC 0.87, CV 25.1%, [BLA] post Bsubmax (ICC 0.99, CV 16.31 and [BLA] post R2 (ICC 0.51, CV 22.9% were least reliable. These error ranges may help coaches detect real changes in training status over time. Moreover, RBR test variables can be used to predict discipline specific and overall TT performance. Cycle VO2peak, cycle peak power output, and the change between R1 and R2 (deltaR1R2 in [BLA] were most highly related to overall TT distance (r = 0.89, p < 0. 01; r = 0.94, p < 0.02; r = 0.86, p < 0.05, respectively. The percentage of TR VO2max at 15 km·h-1, and deltaR1R2 HR, were also related to run TT distance (r = -0.83 and 0.86, both p < 0.05

Power cycling test and failure analysis of molded Intelligent Power IGBT Module under different temperature swing durations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Choi, Uimin; Blaabjerg, Frede; Jørgensen, Søren

2016-01-01

on the lifetime of 600 V, 30 A, 3-phase molded Intelligent PowerModules (IPM) and their failuremechanismsare investigated. The study is based on the accelerated power cycling test results of 36 samples under 6 different conditions and tests are performed under realistic electrical conditions by an advanced power...

Effects of Beetroot Juice Supplementation on a 30-s High-Intensity Inertial Cycle Ergometer Test

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raul Domínguez

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Beetroot juice (BJ is rich in inorganic nitrates and has proved effective at increasing blood nitric oxide (NO levels. When used as a supplement BJ has shown an ergogenic effect on cardiorespiratory resistance exercise modalities, yet few studies have examined its impact on high intensity efforts. Objective: To assess the effects of BJ intake on anaerobic performance in a Wingate test. Methods: Fifteen trained men (age 21.46 ± 1.72 years, height 1.78 ± 0.07 cm and weight 76.90 ± 8.67 kg undertook a 30-s maximum intensity test on an inertial cycle ergometer after drinking 70 mL of BJ (5.6 mmol NO3− or placebo. Results: Despite no impacts of BJ on the mean power recorded during the test, improvements were produced in peak power (6% (p = 0.034, average power 0–15 s (6.7% (p = 0.048 and final blood lactate levels (82.6% (p < 0.001, and there was a trend towards a shorter time taken to attain peak power (−8.4% (p = 0.055. Conclusions: Supplementation with BJ has an ergonomic effect on maximum power output and on average power during the first 15 s of a 30-s maximum intensity inertial cycle ergometer test.

Low-cycle fatigue of welded joints of alloy AMg5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Modestova, R.V.; Borisenko, V.A.; Parfenova, I.N.; Stepanov, S.V.

1986-01-01

The authors study the low-cycle fatigue of welded joints of aluminum alloy AMg5 in order to determine the cyclic strength coefficient of welded seams. Tests were carried out on cylindrical specimens of the parent metal, welded specimens, and models of welded vessels. The average values of mechanical properties of the specimens and the parent metal are shown. It is shown that when designing welded vessels of aluminum alloy AMg5, the permissible amplitudes of conventional compressive stresses are recommended to be determined as the lower of the two values calculated using the equations presented

Rearing and estimation of life-cycle parameters of the tubicifid worm Branchiura sowerbyi: application to ecotoxicity testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Ducrot, Virginie; Péry, Alexandre R R; Quéau, Hervé; Mons, Raphaël; Lafont, Michel; Garric, Jeanne

2007-10-01

This paper provides original collection, acclimatizing, rearing and toxicity test methods for the freshwater worm Branchiura sowerbyi, an alternative species to Tubifex tubifex for ecotoxicity evaluation of sediments. Influence of the substrate, type of food, and feeding level on individual performances was assessed in short-term tests, in order to set up optimal culture and test conditions. Low-size particles and high organic matter content favoured the growth and reproduction of B. sowerbyi. The relative contribution of sediments and fish food to the individual food intake was assessed using a foraging efficiency model based upon the dynamic energy budget theory. Individual performances were optimal when the substrate plus fish food provided the energy equivalent to 5 mg Tetramin per worm per day, which is the ad libitum food level for adults at 21 degrees C. The life-cycle of the worm was fully characterized using a life-cycle test conducted under the previously defined optimal conditions. Hatching rates were low (32%), whereas newborn and juveniles exhibited high survival (>80%) and growth (2.4 mg/day in juveniles) rates. Age at puberty was low (60 days) when compared to the maximal life span (1100 days) as predicted using a Weibull model. Adults reproduced every other month with a constant fecundity (0.16 cocoon/worm/day). The mean values of the life-cycle parameters and their variability and reproducibility among laboratory studies were discussed in order to identify relevant endpoints to be used in ecotoxicity tests. Survival, juvenile growth, and fecundity may constitute suitable test endpoints, whereas hatching rate and adult growth should not be used as endpoints in B. sowerbyi.

ASSOCIATION RULE ANALYSIS FOR TOUR ROUTE RECOMMENDATION AND APPLICATION TO WCTSNOP

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Fang

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The increasing E-tourism systems provide intelligent tour recommendation for tourists. In this sense, recommender system can make personalized suggestions and provide satisfied information associated with their tour cycle. Data mining is a proper tool that extracting potential information from large database for making strategic decisions. In the study, association rule analysis based on FP-growth algorithm is applied to find the association relationship among scenic spots in different cities as tour route recommendation. In order to figure out valuable rules, Kulczynski interestingness measure is adopted and imbalance ratio is computed. The proposed scheme was evaluated on Wangluzhe cultural tourism service network operation platform (WCTSNOP, where it could verify that it is able to quick recommend tour route and to rapidly enhance the recommendation quality.

Optimization of life cycle management costs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banerjee, A.K.

1994-01-01

As can be seen from the case studies, a LCM program needs to address and integrate, in the decision process, technical, political, licensing, remaining plant life, component replacement cycles, and financial issues. As part of the LCM evaluations, existing plant programs, ongoing replacement projects, short and long-term operation and maintenance issues, and life extension strategies must be considered. The development of the LCM evaluations and the cost benefit analysis identifies critical technical and life cycle cost parameters. These open-quotes discoveriesclose quotes result from the detailed and effective use of a consistent, quantifiable, and well documented methodology. The systematic development and implementation of a plant-wide LCM program provides for an integrated and structured process that leads to the most practical and effective recommendations. Through the implementation of these recommendations and cost effective decisions, the overall power production costs can be controlled and ultimately lowered

Driving and engine cycles

CERN Document Server

Giakoumis, Evangelos G

2017-01-01

This book presents in detail the most important driving and engine cycles used for the certification and testing of new vehicles and engines around the world. It covers chassis and engine-dynamometer cycles for passenger cars, light-duty vans, heavy-duty engines, non-road engines and motorcycles, offering detailed historical information and critical review. The book also provides detailed examples from SI and diesel engines and vehicles operating during various cycles, with a focus on how the engine behaves during transients and how this is reflected in emitted pollutants, CO2 and after-treatment systems operation. It describes the measurement methods for the testing of new vehicles and essential information on the procedure for creating a driving cycle. Lastly, it presents detailed technical specifications on the most important chassis-dynamometer cycles around the world, together with a direct comparison of those cycles.

Economics of radioactive material transportation in the light-water reactor nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dupree, S.A.; O'Malley, L.C.

1980-10-01

This report presents estimates of certain transportation costs, in 1979 dollars, associated with Light-Water Reactor (LWR) once-through and recycle fuel cycles. Shipment of fuel, high-level waste and low-level waste was considered. Costs were estimated for existing or planned transportation systems and for recommended alternate systems, based on the assumption of mature fuel cycles. The annual radioactive material transportation costs required to support a nominal 1000-MW(e) LWR in a once-through cycle in which spent fuel is shipped to terminal storage or disposal were found to be approx. $490,000. Analogous costs for an average reactor operating in a fuel cycle with uranium and plutonim recycle were determined to be approx. $770,000. These results assume that certain recommended design changes will occur in radioactive material shipping systems as a mature fuel cycle evolves

'Once through' cycles in the pebble bed HTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teuchert, E.

1977-12-01

In the pebble bed HTR the 'Once Through' cycles achieve a favorable conservation of uranium resources due to their high burnup and due to the relatively low fissile inventory. A detailed study is given for cycles with highly enriched uranium and thorium, 20% enriched uranium and thorium, and for the low (approximately 8%) enriched cycle. The recommended cycle is based on the known THTR fuel element in the Th/U (93%) cycle. The variant with separate Seed elements and Breed elements presents the best pioneer in view of later recycling and thermal breeding. The minimum proliferation risk is achieved in the Th/U (20%) cycle basing on the fuel element type of the AVR, due to the low amount and high denaturization of the disloaded plutonium. (orig.) [de

Post-irradiation examination of Oconee 1 fuel: end-of-cycle 2 nondestructive test phase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-11-01

Standard B and W Mark B (15 x 15) pressurized water reactor fuel assemblies were nondestructively examined at the end of the second cycle of Oconee 1 reactor operation. Burnups of the 16 fuel assemblies examined ranged from 13,100 to 20,000 MWd/mtU. The examinations were conducted in the Oconee 1 and 2 spent fuel storage pool using the installed underwater test equipment. Data obtained included fuel rod and fuel assembly dimensions, water channel spacings, holddown spring forces, fuel rod crud characteristics, and fuel column axial gap and stack lengths. Visual examinations revealed no evidence of significant rod bowing, cladding deformation, cocked grids, or rod defects. The results, summarized in this report, indicate that the assemblies performed well through two cycles of reactor operation

Can cycling safety be improved by opening all unidirectional cycle paths for cycle traffic in both directions? A theoretical examination of available literature and data.

Science.gov (United States)

Methorst, Rob; Schepers, Paul; Kamminga, Jaap; Zeegers, Theo; Fishman, Elliot

2017-08-01

Many studies have found bicycle-motor vehicle crashes to be more likely on bidirectional cycle paths than on unidirectional cycle paths because drivers do not expect cyclists riding at the right side of the road. In this paper we discuss the hypothesis that opening all unidirectional cycle paths for cycle traffic in both directions prevent this lack of expectancy and accordingly improves cycling safety. A new national standard requires careful consideration because a reversal is difficult once cyclists are used to their new freedom of route choice. We therefore explored the hypothesis using available data, research, and theories. The results show that of the length of cycle paths along distributor roads in the Netherlands, 72% is bidirectional. If drivers would become used to cyclists riding at the left side of the road, this result raises the question of why bidirectional cycle paths in the Netherlands still have a poor safety record compared to unidirectional cycle paths. Moreover, our exploration suggested that bidirectional cycle paths have additional safety problems. It increases the complexity of unsignalized intersections because drivers have to scan more directions in a short period of time. Moreover, there are some indications that the likelihood of frontal crashes between cyclists increases. We reject the hypothesis that opening all unidirectional cycle paths for cycle traffic in both directions will improve cycle safety. We recommend more attention for mitigating measures given the widespread application of bidirectional cycle paths in the Netherlands. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application in the Nordic Countries of international radioactive waste recommendations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-01-01

In the publication ''Report on the Applicability of International Radiation Protection Recommendations in the Nordic Countries'' published in 1976 the radiation protection authorities in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden expressed their agreement on the main principles of radiation protection. All aspects of radiation protection are covered in the recommendations. Since the recommendations were released new information on radioactive protection has been published e.g. by ICRP, IAEA and OECD/NEA and the radiation protection authorities have felt it necessary to make a revision of Chapter 21, Radioactive Waste, in the Recommendations of the Nordic Countries. Since 1982, a working group from the radiation protection authorities has been working on that revision. In this work the experience from national and international work has been incorporated. The new recommendations are divided into two main parts, one dealing with waste originating from the nuclear fuel cycle (nuclear waste) and one with waste from other sources (non-nuclear waste). These recommendations have been approved by the Nordic radiation protection authorities at a meeting in Finland, September 1985 and replace the corresponding recommendations in Chapter 21 in The 1976 Nordic Recommendations. (author)

Toxicity of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) in zebrafish (Danio rerio) in a partial life-cycle test.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuiper, R V; Brandhof, E J van den; Leonards, P E G; Ven, L T M van der; Wester, P W; Vos, J G

2006-01-01

Toxicological effects of the widely used flame retardant, tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) were assessed in a partial life-cycle test with zebrafish (Danio rerio). Exposure of adult fish during 30 days to water-borne TBBPA in nominal concentrations ranging from 0 (control) to 1.5 muM was followed by

Toxicity of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) in zebrafish (Danio rerio) in a partial life-cycle test

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuiper, R.V.; Brandhof, Van den E.J.; Leonards, P.E.G.; Ven, van der L.T.M.; Wester, P.W.; Vos, J.G.

2007-01-01

Toxicological effects of the widely used flame retardant, tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) were assessed in a partial life-cycle test with zebrafish (Danio rerio). Exposure of adult fish during 30 days to water-borne TBBPA in nominal concentrations ranging from 0 (control) to 1.5 ¿M was followed by

Ring-testing and field-validation of a terrestrial model ecosystem - An instrument for testing potentially harmful substances: effects of carbendazim on nutrient cycling.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Gestel, C.A.M.; Koolhaas, J.E.; Schallnass, H.-J.; Rodrigues, J.M.L.; Jones, S.E.

2004-01-01

The effect of the fungicide carbendazim (applied in the formulation Derosal®) on nutrient cycling in soil was determined in Terrestrial Model Ecosystem (TME) tests and corresponding field-validation studies, which were performed in four different countries (United Kingdom, Germany, Portugal, and The

Catalyst Degradation Under Potential Cycling as an Accelerated Stress Test for PBI-Based High-Temperature PEM Fuel Cells - Effect of Humidification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søndergaard, Tonny; Cleemann, Lars Nilausen; Zhong, Lijie

2018-01-01

In the present work, high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells were subjected to accelerated stress tests of 30,000 potential cycles between 0.6 and 1.0 V at 160 textdegreeC (133 h cycling time). The effect that humidity has on the catalyst durability was studied by testing either...... with or without humidification of the nitrogen that was used as cathode gas during cycling segments. Pronounced degradation was seen from the polarization curves in both cases, though permanent only in the humidified case. In the unhumidified case, the performance loss was more or less recoverable following 24 h...

Using pathology-specific laboratory profiles in Clinical Pathology to reduce inappropriate test requesting: two completed audit cycles

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background Systematic reviews have shown that, although well prepared, the Consensus Guidelines have failed to change clinical practice. In the healthcare district of Castelnovo né Monti (Reggio Emilia, Italy), it became necessary for the GPs and Clinical Pathologists to work together to jointly define laboratory profiles. Methods Observational study with two cycles of retrospective audit on test request forms, in a primary care setting. Objectives of the study were to develop pathology-specific laboratory profiles and to increase the number of provisional diagnoses on laboratory test request forms. A Multiprofessional Multidisciplinary Inter-hospital Work Team developed pathology-specific laboratory profiles for more effective test requesting. After 8 training sessions that used a combined strategy with multifaceted interventions, the 23 General Practitioners (GPs) in the trial district (Castelnovo nè Monti) tested the profiles; the 21 GPs in the Puianello district were the control group; all GPs in both districts participated in the trial. All laboratory tests for both healthcare districts are performed at the Laboratory located in the trial district. A baseline and a 1-year audit were performed in both districts on the GPs’ request forms. Results Seven pathology-specific laboratory profiles for outpatients were developed. In the year after the first audit cycle: 1) the number of tests requested in the trial district was distinctly lower than that in the previous year, with a decrease of about 5% (p < 0.001); 2) the provisional diagnosis on the request forms was 52.8% in the trial district and 42% in the control district (P < 0.001); 3) the decrease of the number of tests on each request form was much more marked in the trial district (8.73 vs. 10.77; p < 0.001). Conclusions The first audit cycle showed a significant decrease in the number of tests ordered only in the trial district. The combined strategy used in this study improved the

Automating Test Activities: Test Cases Creation, Test Execution, and Test Reporting with Multiple Test Automation Tools

OpenAIRE

Loke Mun Sei

2015-01-01

Software testing has become a mandatory process in assuring the software product quality. Hence, test management is needed in order to manage the test activities conducted in the software test life cycle. This paper discusses on the challenges faced in the software test life cycle, and how the test processes and test activities, mainly on test cases creation, test execution, and test reporting is being managed and automated using several test automation tools, i.e. Jira, ...

Parametric Data from a Wind Tunnel Test on a Rocket-Based Combined-Cycle Engine Inlet

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez, Rene; Trefny, Charles J.; Thomas, Scott R.; Bulman, Mel J.

2001-01-01

A 40-percent scale model of the inlet to a rocket-based combined-cycle (RBCC) engine was tested in the NASA Glenn Research Center 1- by 1-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel (SWT). The full-scale RBCC engine is scheduled for test in the Hypersonic Tunnel Facility (HTF) at NASA Glenn's Plum Brook Station at Mach 5 and 6. This engine will incorporate the configuration of this inlet model which achieved the best performance during the present experiment. The inlet test was conducted at Mach numbers of 4.0, 5.0, 5.5, and 6.0. The fixed-geometry inlet consists of an 8 deg.. forebody compression plate, boundary layer diverter, and two compressive struts located within 2 parallel sidewalls. These struts extend through the inlet, dividing the flowpath into three channels. Test parameters investigated included strut geometry, boundary layer ingestion, and Reynolds number (Re). Inlet axial pressure distributions and cross-sectional Pitot-pressure surveys at the base of the struts were measured at varying back-pressures. Inlet performance and starting data are presented. The inlet chosen for the RBCC engine self-started at all Mach numbers from 4 to 6. Pitot-pressure contours showed large flow nonuniformity on the body-side of the inlet. The inlet provided adequate pressure recovery and flow quality for the RBCC cycle even with the flow separation.

Parametric and cycle tests of a 40-AH bipolar nickel-hydrogen battery

Science.gov (United States)

Cataldo, R. L.

1986-01-01

The performance of a 12 V, 40 ampere-hour bipolar battery during various charge current, discharge current, temperature, and pressure operating conditions is investigated. The cell voltages, temperatures, ampere-hours, and watt-hours derived from the charge/discharge cycle tests are studied. Consideration is given to battery voltage and discharge capacity as a function of discharge current, the correlation between energy delivered on a discharge and battery temperature, battery voltage response to pulse discharges, and the voltage-temperature relationship. The data reveal that the bipolar Ni-H battery is applicable to high power systems.

Translation and Adaptation of Tests: Lessons Learned and Recommendations for Countries Participating in timss, pisa and other International Comparisons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guillermo Solano-Flores

2006-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper we present a conceptual model and methodology for the review of translated tests in the context of such international comparisons as the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA. We also present the results of an investigation into the quality of the Mexican translation of the TIMSS-1995 into the Spanish language. We identified translation errors in a significant percentage of the items, as well as relatively high correlations between the severity of translation errors and the items’ p-values. These findings indicate that our error-coding system is highly sensitive to test-translation error. The results underscore the need for improved translation and translation-review procedures in international comparisons. In our opinion, to implement the guidelines properly for test translation in international comparisons, each participating country needs to have internal procedures that would ensure a rigorous review of its own translations. The article concludes with four recommendations for countries participating in international comparisons. These recommendations relate to: (a the characteristics of the individuals in charge of translating instruments; (b the use of review, not simply at the end of the process, but during the process of test translation; (c the minimum time needed for various translation review iterations to take place; and (d the need for proper documentation of the entire process of test translation.

IIW recommendations for the HFMI treatment for improving the fatigue strength of welded joints

CERN Document Server

Marquis, Gary B

2016-01-01

This book of recommendations presents an overview of High Frequency Mechanical Impact (HFMI) techniques existing today in the market and their proper procedures, quality assurance measures and documentation. Due to differences in HFMI tools and the wide variety of potential applications, certain details of proper treatments and quantitative quality control measures are presented generally. An example of procedure specification as a quality assurance measure is given in the Appendix. Moreover, the book presents procedures for the fatigue life assessment of HFMI-improved welded joints based on nominal stress, structural hot spot stress and effective notch stress. It also considers the extra benefit that has been experimentally observed for HFMI-treated high-strength steels. The recommendations offer proposals on the effect of loading conditions like high mean stress fatigue cycles, variable amplitude loading and large amplitude/low cycle fatigue cycles. Special considerations for low stress concentration welded...

Thermal Cycling and High Temperature Reverse Bias Testing of Control and Irradiated Gallium Nitride Power Transistors

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, Richard L.; Boomer, Kristen T.; Scheick, Leif; Lauenstein, Jean-Marie; Casey, Megan; Hammoud, Ahmad

2014-01-01

The power systems for use in NASA space missions must work reliably under harsh conditions including radiation, thermal cycling, and exposure to extreme temperatures. Gallium nitride semiconductors show great promise, but information pertaining to their performance is scarce. Gallium nitride N-channel enhancement-mode field effect transistors made by EPC Corporation in a 2nd generation of manufacturing were exposed to radiation followed by long-term thermal cycling and testing under high temperature reverse bias conditions in order to address their reliability for use in space missions. Result of the experimental work are presented and discussed.

40 CFR 94.105 - Duty cycles.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Duty cycles. 94.105 Section 94.105... EMISSIONS FROM MARINE COMPRESSION-IGNITION ENGINES Test Procedures § 94.105 Duty cycles. (a) Overview. For....8(e), engines shall be tested using the appropriate duty cycles described in this section. (b...

Comparing ELISA test-positive prevalence, risk factors and management recommendations for Johne's disease prevention between organic and conventional dairy farms in Ontario, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Pieper, Laura; Sorge, Ulrike S; DeVries, Trevor; Godkin, Ann; Lissemore, Kerry; Kelton, David

2015-11-01

Johne's disease (JD) is a chronic, infectious disease in cattle. Between 2010 and 2013, a voluntary JD control program was successfully launched in Ontario, Canada, including a Risk Assessment and Management Plan (RAMP) and JD ELISA testing of the entire milking herd. Over the last decade, the organic dairy sector has been growing. However, organic farming regulations and philosophies may influence the risk for JD transmission on Ontario organic dairy farms. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate differences in JD ELISA test positive prevalence, risk factors for JD and recommendations for JD prevention between organic and conventional dairy herds in Ontario. RAMP results (i.e. RAMP scores and recommendations) and ELISA results were available for 2103 dairy herds, including 42 organic herds. If available, additional data on milk production, milk quality, and herd characteristics were gathered. Organic and conventional herds had a similar herd-level JD ELISA test-positive prevalence (26.2% and 27.2%, respectively). Organic herds (4.2%) had a higher within-herd JD ELISA test-positive prevalence compared to conventional herds (2.3%) if they had at least one JD test-positive animal on the farm. Organic farms had lower risk scores for biosecurity (9 points lower), and higher scores in the calving (7 points higher) and the calf-rearing management areas (4 points higher). After accounting for RAMP score, organic farms received fewer recommendations for the calving management area (Odds Ratio=0.41) and more recommendations in the adult cow management area (Odds Ratio=2.70). A zero-inflated negative binomial model was built with purchase of animals and the herd size included in the logistic portion of the model. Herd type (organic or conventional), colostrum and milk feeding practices, average bulk tank somatic cell count, and presence of non-Holstein breeds were included in the negative binomial portion of the model. Organic farms had a higher number of

Ada developers' supplement to the recommended approach

Science.gov (United States)

Kester, Rush; Landis, Linda

1993-01-01

This document is a collection of guidelines for programmers and managers who are responsible for the development of flight dynamics applications in Ada. It is intended to be used in conjunction with the Recommended Approach to Software Development (SEL-81-305), which describes the software development life cycle, its products, reviews, methods, tools, and measures. The Ada Developers' Supplement provides additional detail on such topics as reuse, object-oriented analysis, and object-oriented design.

Blood gas testing and related measurements: National recommendations on behalf of the Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Dukić, Lora; Kopčinović, Lara Milevoj; Dorotić, Adrijana; Baršić, Ivana

2016-10-15

Blood gas analysis (BGA) is exposed to risks of errors caused by improper sampling, transport and storage conditions. The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) generated documents with recommendations for avoidance of potential errors caused by sample mishandling. Two main documents related to BGA issued by the CLSI are GP43-A4 (former H11-A4) Procedures for the collection of arterial blood specimens; approved standard - fourth edition, and C46-A2 Blood gas and pH analysis and related measurements; approved guideline - second edition. Practices related to processing of blood gas samples are not standardized in the Republic of Croatia. Each institution has its own protocol for ordering, collection and analysis of blood gases. Although many laboratories use state of the art analyzers, still many preanalytical procedures remain unchanged. The objective of the Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CSMBLM) is to standardize the procedures for BGA based on CLSI recommendations. The Working Group for Blood Gas Testing as part of the Committee for the Scientific Professional Development of the CSMBLM prepared a set of recommended protocols for sampling, transport, storage and processing of blood gas samples based on relevant CLSI documents, relevant literature search and on the results of Croatian survey study on practices and policies in acid-base testing. Recommendations are intended for laboratory professionals and all healthcare workers involved in blood gas processing.

Results from the first cycle of the PWR crud deposition test (IFA-665.1)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bennett, Peter

2004-03-01

The main objective of IFA-665.1 is to deposit crud on fuel rods operating under PWR thermal-hydraulic and water chemistry conditions, and to measure the resulting power reduction due to incorporation of boron into the crud. The test has operated for 160 days at power. Water chemistry conditions were 3.15 ppm LiOH and 1400 ppm boron (pH 300 =7.0). The coolant inlet temperature was 290/294 C, with sub-cooled nucleate boiling along the upper half of the fuel bundle. This report presents the results from the first cycle of operation. Three methods have been used to attempt to accelerate crud formation: (i) injection of simulated crud particles (NiFe 2 O 4 ); (ii) pH transients (reduction of pH 300 from 7.0 to 6.0 for periods of 48 hours); and (iii) oxygen addition transients. While the pH transients resulted in movement of large amounts of corrosion products around the loop, no significant deposition onto the fuel surfaces was measured. Comparison of the heat fluxes in IFA-665 with those in previous tests in which crud deposition has occurred does not clearly identify reasons for the lack of crud formation, although it is noted that higher heat fluxes may be required. In addition, the relatively benign boiling conditions in the current test (small void fraction with no detached voidage) may partly explain the absence of crud formation. For the second cycle of the test, changes will be made to the water chemistry to attempt to increase the concentrations of dissolved and colloidal Fe and Ni in the test rig, such that a continuous (Fe + Ni) level of 100 ppb will be targeted, with short-term concentrations of colloids of up to 500 ppb. (Author)

Archetypal Game Recommender Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sifa, Rafet; Bauckhage, C.; Drachen, Anders

2014-01-01

Contemporary users (players, consumers) of digital games have thousands of products to choose from, which makes nding games that t their interests challenging. Towards addressing this challenge, in this paper two dierent formulations of Archetypal Analysis for Top-L recommender tasks using implicit...... feedback are presented: factor- and neighborhood-oriented models. These form the rst application of rec- ommender systems to digital games. Both models are tested on a dataset of 500,000 users of the game distribution platform Steam, covering game ownership and playtime data across more than 3000 games....... Compared to four other recommender models (nearest neighbor, two popularity mod- els, random baseline), the archetype based models provide the highest recall rates showing that Archetypal Analysis can be successfully applied for Top-L recommendation purposes...

Test results of an organic Rankine-cycle power module for a small community solar thermal power experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, T. B.

1985-01-01

The organic Rankine-cycle (ORC) power conversion assembly was tested. Qualification testing of the electrical transport subsystem was also completed. Test objectives were to verify compatibility of all system elements with emphasis on control of the power conversion assembly, to evaluate the performance and efficiency of the components, and to validate operating procedures. After 34 hours of power generation under a wide range of conditions, the net module efficiency exceeded 18% after accounting for all parasitic losses.

The University of Minnesota aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) field test facility -- system description, aquifer characterization, and results of short-term test cycles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walton, M.; Hoyer, M.C.; Eisenreich, S.J.; Holm, N.L.; Holm, T.R.; Kanivetsky, R.; Jirsa, M.A.; Lee, H.C.; Lauer, J.L.; Miller, R.T.; Norton, J.L.; Runke, H. (Minnesota Geological Survey, St. Paul, MN (United States))

1991-06-01

Phase 1 of the Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) Project at the University of Minnesota was to test the feasibility, and model, the ATES concept at temperatures above 100{degrees}C using a confined aquifer for the storage and recovery of hot water. Phase 1 included design, construction, and operation of a 5-MW thermal input/output field test facility (FTF) for four short-term ATES cycles (8 days each of heat injection, storage, and heat recover). Phase 1 was conducted from May 1980 to December 1983. This report describes the FTF, the Franconia-Ironton-Galesville (FIG) aquifer used for the test, and the four short-term ATES cycles. Heat recovery; operational experience; and thermal, chemical, hydrologic, and geologic effects are all included. The FTF consists of monitoring wells and the source and storage well doublet completed in the FIG aquifer with heat exchangers and a fixed-bed precipitator between the wells of the doublet. The FIG aquifer is highly layered and a really anisotropic. The upper Franconia and Ironton-Galesville parts of the aquifer, those parts screened, have hydraulic conductivities of {approximately}0.6 and {approximately}1.0 m/d, respectively. Primary ions in the ambient ground water are calcium and magnesium bicarbonate. Ambient temperature FIG ground water is saturated with respect to calcium/magnesium bicarbonate. Heating the ground water caused most of the dissolved calcium to precipitate out as calcium carbonate in the heat exchanger and precipitator. Silica, calcium, and magnesium were significantly higher in recovered water than in injected water, suggesting dissolution of some constituents of the aquifer during the cycles. Further work on the ground water chemistry is required to understand water-rock interactions.

Cyclic loading tests on ceramic breeder pebble bed by discrete element modeling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Hao [School of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027 (China); Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China); Guo, Haibing; Shi, Tao [Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China); Ye, Minyou [School of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027 (China); Huang, Hongwen, E-mail: hhw@caep.cn [Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China); Li, Zhenghong, E-mail: inpcnyb@sina.com [Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China); University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027 (China)

2017-05-15

Highlights: • Methods of cyclic loading tests on the pebble beds were developed in DEM. • Size distribution and sphericity of the pebbles were considered for the specimen. • Mechanical responses of the pebble beds under cyclic loading tests were assessed. - Abstract: Complex mechanics and packing instability can be induced by loading operation on ceramic breeder pebble bed for its discrete nature. A numerical approach using discrete element method (DEM) is applied to study the mechanical performance of the ceramic breeder pebble bed under quasi-static and cyclic loads. A preloaded specimen can be made with servo-control mechanism, the quasi-static and dynamic stress-strain performances are studied during the tests. It is found that the normalized normal contact forces under quasi-static loads have the similar distributions, and increase with increasing loads. Furthermore, the relatively low volumetric strain can be absorbed by pebble bed after several loading and unloading cycles, but the peak normal contact force can be extremely high during the first cycle. Cyclic loading with target pressure is recommended for densely packing, irreversible volume reduction gradually increase with cycles, and the normal contact forces decrease with cycles.

Cyclic loading tests on ceramic breeder pebble bed by discrete element modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Hao; Guo, Haibing; Shi, Tao; Ye, Minyou; Huang, Hongwen; Li, Zhenghong

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Methods of cyclic loading tests on the pebble beds were developed in DEM. • Size distribution and sphericity of the pebbles were considered for the specimen. • Mechanical responses of the pebble beds under cyclic loading tests were assessed. - Abstract: Complex mechanics and packing instability can be induced by loading operation on ceramic breeder pebble bed for its discrete nature. A numerical approach using discrete element method (DEM) is applied to study the mechanical performance of the ceramic breeder pebble bed under quasi-static and cyclic loads. A preloaded specimen can be made with servo-control mechanism, the quasi-static and dynamic stress-strain performances are studied during the tests. It is found that the normalized normal contact forces under quasi-static loads have the similar distributions, and increase with increasing loads. Furthermore, the relatively low volumetric strain can be absorbed by pebble bed after several loading and unloading cycles, but the peak normal contact force can be extremely high during the first cycle. Cyclic loading with target pressure is recommended for densely packing, irreversible volume reduction gradually increase with cycles, and the normal contact forces decrease with cycles.

Hybrid context aware recommender systems

Science.gov (United States)

Jain, Rajshree; Tyagi, Jaya; Singh, Sandeep Kumar; Alam, Taj

2017-10-01

Recommender systems and context awareness is currently a vital field of research. Most hybrid recommendation systems implement content based and collaborative filtering techniques whereas this work combines context and collaborative filtering. The paper presents a hybrid context aware recommender system for books and movies that gives recommendations based on the user context as well as user or item similarity. It also addresses the issue of dimensionality reduction using weighted pre filtering based on dynamically entered user context and preference of context. This unique step helps to reduce the size of dataset for collaborative filtering. Bias subtracted collaborative filtering is used so as to consider the relative rating of a particular user and not the absolute values. Cosine similarity is used as a metric to determine the similarity between users or items. The unknown ratings are calculated and evaluated using MSE (Mean Squared Error) in test and train datasets. The overall process of recommendation has helped to personalize recommendations and give more accurate results with reduced complexity in collaborative filtering.

A summary of the recommendations adopted unanimously at the Fourth World Conference on Women (4-15 September 1995).

Science.gov (United States)

1996-01-01

This article presents a summary of the platform of action recommendations adopted unanimously at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995. The Platform called for the empowerment of women; the protection of human rights and freedoms throughout the life cycle; and equity at home, at work, and abroad, items that reinforced the Beijing Declaration. This article identifies recommended actions on poverty, education and training, health, domestic violence, armed conflict, economy, decision-making, institutional mechanisms, human rights, mass media, environment, the girl-child, and institutional and financial arrangements. The Platform recommends, for example, action to create macroeconomic policies and development strategies that address the needs of women in poverty. It recommends changes in laws and administrative practices to ensure women's equal rights and access to economic resources. It recommends action to ensure equal access to education throughout the life cycle, to eradicate illiteracy among women, to develop nondiscriminatory education and training, and to allocate sufficient resources for educational reform. It recommends action to increase women's access throughout the life cycle to appropriate, affordable, and quality health care, information, and related services. Action should reduce maternal mortality by at least 50% of 1990 levels by the year 2000, and a further 50% by 2015. Legislation must be adopted to end violence against women in peace and wartime. Action must promote women's economic and human rights and women's equal access to and full participation in power structures and government decision-making.

Nitrogen Cycle Ninja, A Teaching Exercise.

Science.gov (United States)

Raun, William R.; And Others

1997-01-01

Assesses the effectiveness of using pop quizzes and rewards to improve student retention of the nitrogen cycle. Students able to diagram the N cycle on pop quizzes were rewarded with special cards that included the N cycle. These cards could then be used on subsequent tests in place of memory alone. Six of 11 students tested three months later…

Suggestions for future Pu fuel cycle designs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Serfontein, Dawid E.; Mulder, Eben J.; Reitsma, Frederik

2013-01-01

Recommended follow-up Pu Studies: • Verification of VSOP-A vs. VSOP 99/05, by comparison with MCNP. • DLOFC temperatures with Multi-group Tinte. • Redesign of the reactor: - Replace small concentrated Pu fuel kernels with large (500 μm diameter) diluted kernels to reduce burn-up. - Switch from the direct Brayton cycle to the indirect Rankine steam cycle to reduce fuel temperatures. - Add neutron poisons to the reflectors to suppress power and temperature peaks and to produce negative uniform temperature reactivity coefficients

Life cycle evaluation of spaceflight qualified nickel-hydrogen batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coates, D.K.; Brill, J.N. [Eagle-Picher Industries, Inc., Joplin, MO (United States). Advanced Systems Operation

1995-12-31

Life cycle test results are summarized from more than 300 spaceflight qualified nickel-hydrogen (NiH{sub 2}) battery cells currently on life test. Cells ranging in size from 4 ampere-hours (Ah) to 120 Ah are being tested under a variety of conditions to support current NiH{sub 2} battery applications. Results to date include 55,600 accelerated LEO cycles at 30% DOD; 102,840 accelerated LEO cycles at 15% DOD; 44,900 cycles under a real-time LEO profile; 44,100 cycles in real-time LEO; 30 accelerated GEO eclipse seasons and 7 real-time GEO eclipse seasons, both at 75% DOD maximum. Alternative separator materials have completed more than 40,000 charge/discharge cycles in accelerated LEO testing and advanced design electrocatalytic hydrogen electrodes have completed more than 16,000 cycles in real-time LEO testing. Common pressure vessel cell designs have completed 18,000 cycles in real-time LEO testing at 45% DOD.

Fatigue Life Assessment of Selected Engineering Materials Based on Modified Low-Cycle Fatigue Test

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maj M.

2013-03-01

Full Text Available In this study, the mechanical tests were carried out on ductile iron of EN-GJS-600-3 grade and on grey cast iron of EN-GJL-250 grade. The fatigue life was evaluated in a modified low-cycle fatigue test (MLCF, which enables the determination of parameters resulting from the Manson-Coffin-Morrow relationship. The qualitative and quantitative metallographic studies conducted by light microscopy on selected samples of ductile iron with spheroidal graphite and grey cast iron with lamellar graphite (showing only small variations in mechanical properties, confirmed also small variations in the geometrical parameters of graphite related with its content and morphological features.

Fatigue Life Assessment of Selected Engineering Materials Based on Modified Low-Cycle Fatigue Test

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Maj

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In this study, the mechanical tests were carried out on ductile iron of EN-GJS-600-3 grade and on grey cast iron of EN-GJL-250 grade.The fatigue life was evaluated in a modified low-cycle fatigue test (MLCF, which enables the determination of parameters resulting fromthe Manson-Coffin-Morrow relationship.The qualitative and quantitative metallographic studies conducted by light microscopy on selected samples of ductile iron with spheroidalgraphite and grey cast iron with lamellar graphite (showing only small variations in mechanical properties, confirmed also smallvariations in the geometrical parameters of graphite related with its content and morphological features.

Redesigning axial-axial (biaxial) cruciform specimens for very high cycle fatigue ultrasonic testing machines.

Science.gov (United States)

Montalvão, Diogo; Wren, Andrew

2017-11-01

The necessity to increase performances in terms of lifetime and security in mechanical components or structures is the motivation for intense research in fatigue. Applications range from aeronautics to medical devices. With the development of new materials, there is no longer a fatigue limit in the classical sense, where it was accepted that the fatigue limit is the stress level such that there is no fracture up to 1E7 cycles. The recent development of ultrasonic testing machines where frequencies can go as high as 20 kHz or over enabled tests to be extended to ranges larger than 1E9 in just a few days. This area of studies is now known as Very High Cycle Fatigue (VHCF). On the other hand, most of the existing test equipment in the market for both classical and VHCF are uniaxial test machines. However, critical components used in Engineering applications are usually subjected to complex multi-axial loading conditions. In this paper, it is presented the methodology to redesigning existing cruciform test specimens that can be used to create an in-plane biaxial state of stress when used in 'uniaxial' VHCF ultrasonic testing machines (in this case, the term 'uniaxial' is used not because of the state of stress created at the centre of the specimen, but because of the direction at which the load is applied). The methodology is explained in such a way that it can be expanded to other existing designs, namely cruciform designs, that are not yet used in VHCF. Also, although the approach is presented in simple and logical terms, it may not be that obvious for those who have a more focused approach on fatigue rather than on modal analysis. It is expected that by contributing to bridging the gap between the sciences of modal analysis and fatigue, this research will help and encourage others exploiting new capabilities in VHCF.

Low cycle fatigue testing in flowing sodium at elevated temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flagella, P.N.; Kahrs, J.R.

1976-01-01

The paper describes equipment developed to obtain low cycle strain-controlled fatigue data in flowing sodium at elevated temperatures. Operation and interaction of the major components of the system are discussed, including the calibration technique using remote strain measurement and control. Confirmation of in-air results using the special technique is demonstrated, with data presented for Type 316 stainless steel tested in high purity flowing sodium at 593 0 C. The fatigue life of the material in sodium is essentially the same as that obtained in air for delta epsilon/sub t/= 1 percent. On the other hand, sodium pre-exposure at 650 0 C for 5000 hours increased the fatigue life in-sodium by a factor of two, and sodium pre-exposure at 718 0 C for 5000 hours increased the fatigue life in-sodium by a factor of three

Official Position of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology Social Security Administration Policy on Validity Testing: Guidance and Recommendations for Change.

Science.gov (United States)

Chafetz, M D; Williams, M A; Ben-Porath, Y S; Bianchini, K J; Boone, K B; Kirkwood, M W; Larrabee, G J; Ord, J S

2015-01-01

The milestone publication by Slick, Sherman, and Iverson (1999) of criteria for determining malingered neurocognitive dysfunction led to extensive research on validity testing. Position statements by the National Academy of Neuropsychology and the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (AACN) recommended routine validity testing in neuropsychological evaluations. Despite this widespread scientific and professional support, the Social Security Administration (SSA) continued to discourage validity testing, a stance that led to a congressional initiative for SSA to reevaluate their position. In response, SSA commissioned the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to evaluate the science concerning the validation of psychological testing. The IOM concluded that validity assessment was necessary in psychological and neuropsychological examinations (IOM, 2015 ). The AACN sought to provide independent expert guidance and recommendations concerning the use of validity testing in disability determinations. A panel of contributors to the science of validity testing and its application to the disability process was charged with describing why the disability process for SSA needs improvement, and indicating the necessity for validity testing in disability exams. This work showed how the determination of malingering is a probability proposition, described how different types of validity tests are appropriate, provided evidence concerning non-credible findings in children and low-functioning individuals, and discussed the appropriate evaluation of pain disorders typically seen outside of mental consultations. A scientific plan for validity assessment that additionally protects test security is needed in disability determinations and in research on classification accuracy of disability decisions.

Promising designs of compact heat exchangers for modular HTRs using the Brayton cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pra, Franck; Tochon, Patrice; Mauget, Christian; Fokkens, Jan; Willemsen, Sander

2008-01-01

The presented study was carried out within the Work Package 2 'Recuperator' of the High Temperature Reactor-E European program. High Temperature gas cooled Reactor concepts with a direct cycle have become potentially interesting for the future. Theoretically, these concepts provide higher efficiency than a classical steam cycle. Within the Brayton cycle the helium/helium recuperator, required to achieve the high efficiency, has to work under very harsh conditions (temperature, pressure, and pressure difference between circuits). Within the project the most promising technologies for the compact recuperator were investigated. First, the requirements for the recuperator to operate under the direct Brayton cycle have been defined. Based on these requirements the various potential technologies available on the market have been investigated. Two particular technologies (HEATRIC Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger, NORDON plate fin concept) have been selected as most promising. For the former, a precise description has been given and a mock-up has been fabricated and tested in the Claire loop at CEA. In the Claire loop the Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger mock-up has been subjected to thermal shocks, which are considered to be representative for a recuperator. Prior to the experimental testing coupled Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) and Finite Element analyses have been performed to give insight into the thermal and mechanical behaviour of the mock-ups during the thermal shock. Based on these results the experimental measuring program has been optimized. Upon completion of the tests the experimental and numerical results have been compared. Based on the results from the investigation performed recommendations are given for the full-size recuperator using the selected technologies

Nitrogen expander cycles for large capacity liquefaction of natural gas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, Ho-Myung; Park, Jae Hoon; Gwak, Kyung Hyun [Hong Ik University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Seoul, 121-791 (Korea, Republic of); Choe, Kun Hyung [Korea Gas Corporation, Incheon, 406-130 (Korea, Republic of)

2014-01-29

Thermodynamic study is performed on nitrogen expander cycles for large capacity liquefaction of natural gas. In order to substantially increase the capacity, a Brayton refrigeration cycle with nitrogen expander was recently added to the cold end of the reputable propane pre-cooled mixed-refrigerant (C3-MR) process. Similar modifications with a nitrogen expander cycle are extensively investigated on a variety of cycle configurations. The existing and modified cycles are simulated with commercial process software (Aspen HYSYS) based on selected specifications. The results are compared in terms of thermodynamic efficiency, liquefaction capacity, and estimated size of heat exchangers. The combination of C3-MR with partial regeneration and pre-cooling of nitrogen expander cycle is recommended to have a great potential for high efficiency and large capacity.

Nitrogen expander cycles for large capacity liquefaction of natural gas

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Ho-Myung; Park, Jae Hoon; Gwak, Kyung Hyun; Choe, Kun Hyung

2014-01-01

Thermodynamic study is performed on nitrogen expander cycles for large capacity liquefaction of natural gas. In order to substantially increase the capacity, a Brayton refrigeration cycle with nitrogen expander was recently added to the cold end of the reputable propane pre-cooled mixed-refrigerant (C3-MR) process. Similar modifications with a nitrogen expander cycle are extensively investigated on a variety of cycle configurations. The existing and modified cycles are simulated with commercial process software (Aspen HYSYS) based on selected specifications. The results are compared in terms of thermodynamic efficiency, liquefaction capacity, and estimated size of heat exchangers. The combination of C3-MR with partial regeneration and pre-cooling of nitrogen expander cycle is recommended to have a great potential for high efficiency and large capacity.

Nitrogen expander cycles for large capacity liquefaction of natural gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Ho-Myung; Park, Jae Hoon; Gwak, Kyung Hyun; Choe, Kun Hyung

2014-01-01

Thermodynamic study is performed on nitrogen expander cycles for large capacity liquefaction of natural gas. In order to substantially increase the capacity, a Brayton refrigeration cycle with nitrogen expander was recently added to the cold end of the reputable propane pre-cooled mixed-refrigerant (C3-MR) process. Similar modifications with a nitrogen expander cycle are extensively investigated on a variety of cycle configurations. The existing and modified cycles are simulated with commercial process software (Aspen HYSYS) based on selected specifications. The results are compared in terms of thermodynamic efficiency, liquefaction capacity, and estimated size of heat exchangers. The combination of C3-MR with partial regeneration and pre-cooling of nitrogen expander cycle is recommended to have a great potential for high efficiency and large capacity

Degradation of materials under conditions of thermochemical cycles for hydrogen production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klimas, S.J.; Searle, H.; Stolberg, L.

2010-01-01

A capsule method has been developed and employed to measure the degradation rates of selected materials under some of the most challenging conditions relevant to the sulphur-iodine (SI) and the copper-chlorine (Cu-Cl) thermochemical cycles for hydrogen production. The materials tested so far include metals and engineering alloys, structural and functional polymers, elastomers, carbon-based materials, ceramics and glasses, and composites. A number of characterization methods have been used to detect and quantify the degradation of the diverse materials and, when feasible, establish the mode of attack. The paper details the results of this ongoing experimental investigation. The investigation currently focuses on the copper-chlorine hybrid cycle. The environment representative of the conditions in the electrolyser subsystem was approximated with an aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid (13.6 mol/kg), copper(II) chloride (1.36 mol/kg) and copper(I) chloride (1.36 mol/kg) at 160°C and 2.5 MPa (absolute). The current (tentative) recommendations for the selection of the materials required for the construction of the electrolyser subsystem of the copper-chlorine hybrid cycle, and the associated rationale, are presented and discussed. (author)

Edgeworth cycles revisited

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doyle, Joseph; Muehlegger, Erich; Samphantharak, Krislert

2010-01-01

Some gasoline markets exhibit remarkable price cycles, where price spikes are followed by a series of small price declines: a pattern consistent with a model of Edgeworth cycles described by Maskin and Tirole. We extend the model and empirically test its predictions with a new dataset of daily station-level prices in 115 US cities. Consistent with the theory, and often in contrast with previous empirical work, we find the least and most concentrated markets are much less likely to exhibit cycling behavior both within and across cities; areas with more independent convenience-store gas stations are also more likely to cycle. (author)

IAEA specialists' meeting on power ramping and cycling behaviour of water reactor fuel. Summary report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1983-06-01

At its fourth Annual Meeting, the IAEA International Working Group on Water Reactor Fuel Performance and Technology (IWGFPT) recommended that the Agency should hold a second Specialists' Meeting on 'Power Ramping and Cycling Behaviour of Water Reactor Fuel'. As research activities related to power ramping and cycling of water reactor fuel have been pursued vigorously, it was the objective of this meeting to review and discuss today's State of the Art and current understanding of water reactor fuel behaviour related to this these. Emphasis should be on practical experience and experimental investigations. The meeting was organised in five sessions: Power ramping and power cycling programs in power and and research reactors; Experimental methods; Power ramping and cycling results; Investigations and results of separate effects, especially related to PCI, defect mechanism, mechanical response, fuel design, and specially related to fission gas release; Operational strategies, recommendations and economic implications. The session chairmen, together with the speakers, prepared and presented reports with summary, conclusions and recommendations of the individual sessions. These reports are added to this summary report.

IAEA specialists' meeting on power ramping and cycling behaviour of water reactor fuel. Summary report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-06-01

At its fourth Annual Meeting, the IAEA International Working Group on Water Reactor Fuel Performance and Technology (IWGFPT) recommended that the Agency should hold a second Specialists' Meeting on 'Power Ramping and Cycling Behaviour of Water Reactor Fuel'. As research activities related to power ramping and cycling of water reactor fuel have been pursued vigorously, it was the objective of this meeting to review and discuss today's State of the Art and current understanding of water reactor fuel behaviour related to this these. Emphasis should be on practical experience and experimental investigations. The meeting was organised in five sessions: Power ramping and power cycling programs in power and and research reactors; Experimental methods; Power ramping and cycling results; Investigations and results of separate effects, especially related to PCI, defect mechanism, mechanical response, fuel design, and specially related to fission gas release; Operational strategies, recommendations and economic implications. The session chairmen, together with the speakers, prepared and presented reports with summary, conclusions and recommendations of the individual sessions. These reports are added to this summary report

Applications of pharmacogenomics in regulatory science: a product life cycle review.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan-Koi, W C; Leow, P C; Teo, Y Y

2018-05-22

With rapid developments of pharmacogenomics (PGx) and regulatory science, it is important to understand the current PGx integration in product life cycle, impact on clinical practice thus far and opportunities ahead. We conducted a cross-sectional review on PGx-related regulatory documents and implementation guidelines in the United States and Europe. Our review found that although PGx-related guidance in both markets span across the entire product life cycle, the scope of implementation guidelines varies across two continents. Approximately one-third of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs with PGx information in drug labels and half of the European labels posted on PharmGKB website contain recommendations on genetic testing. The drugs affected 19 and 15 World Health Organization Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical drug classes (fourth level) in the United States and Europe, respectively, with protein kinase inhibitors (13 drugs in the United States and 16 drugs in Europe) being most prevalent. Topics of emerging interest were novel technologies, adaptive design in clinical trial and sample collection.

Congenital hypothyroidism - Polish recommendations for therapy, treatment monitoring, and screening tests in special categories of neonates with increased risk of hypothyroidism.

Science.gov (United States)

Kucharska, Anna Małgorzata; Beń-Skowronek, Iwona; Walczak, Mieczysław; Ołtarzewski, Mariusz; Szalecki, Mieczysław; Jackowska, Teresa; Lewiński, Andrzej; Bossowski, Artur

2016-01-01

Proper treatment of congenital hypothyroidism warrants normal intellectual and physical development. This paper introduces the principles of treatment of congenital hypothyroidism, the recommended levothyroxine dosage, and the aims of therapy with its justification. The principles of treatment, specialist care of the patient, and methods used to evaluate therapeutic effects are described. Based on these data, recommendations concerning treatment and its monitoring in patients with congenital hypothyroidism are formulated. The paper also highlights the importance of educating the patients and/or their caretakers as one of the basic components of an effective therapy. The interpretation of screening tests in preterm neonates is provided as well. In the current screening program in preterm children TSH was determined between days three and five of life and then after three weeks. During this time TSH values are frequently low because of the immaturity of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Due to the increased risk of primary and secondary hypothyroidism in preterm and low birth weight babies the determination of TSH and fT4 between days three and five of life is recommended, irrespective of the screening test. (Endokrynol Pol 2016; 67 (5): 536-547).

40 CFR 1033.520 - Alternative ramped modal cycles.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Alternative ramped modal cycles. 1033... cycles. (a) Locomotive testing over a ramped modal cycle is intended to improve measurement accuracy at... locomotive notch settings. Ramped modal cycles combine multiple test modes of a discrete-mode steady-state...

Recommendation to include fragrance mix 2 and hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (Lyral) in the European baseline patch test series

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bruze, Magnus; Andersen, Klaus Ejner; Goossens, An

2008-01-01

various European centres when tested in consecutive dermatitis patients. CONCLUSIONS: From 2008, pet. preparations of fragrance mix 2 at 14% w/w (5.6 mg/cm(2)) and hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde at 5% w/w (2.0 mg/cm(2)) are recommended for inclusion in the baseline series. With the Finn...

Life Cycle Costs in Education: Operations & Maintenance Considered.

Science.gov (United States)

Moussatche, Helena; Languell-Urquhart, Jennifer; Woodson, Carol

2000-01-01

Discusses life cycle cost analysis when deciding on flooring finishes and examines operations and maintenance cost effectiveness relative to hard, resilient, and soft flooring. A chart of evaluated flooring materials' characteristics, appropriate maintenance procedures, and recommended frequency is included. (GR)

Expert group study on recommended practices for wind turbine testing and evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ljunggren, S; Gustafsson, A; Trenka, A R

1984-01-01

The major goal of this documents is to facilitate comparisons of noise measurements made in different countries by different investigators. The secondary goal is to provide an engineering data base for the development and validation of analytical acoustic prediction techniques. The evaluation of wind turbines must encompass all aspects of a Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS) ranging from: energy production, quality of power, reliability, durability and safety, through to cost effectiveness or economics, noise characteristics, impact on the environment and electromagnetic interference. The development of internationally agreements on evaluation procedures for each of these areas is needed now to aid in the development of the industry, while strengthening confidence and preventing chaos in the market. It is the purpose of the proposed recommendatons for wind turbine testing to address the development of internationally agreed upon test procedures which deal with each of the above noted aspects for characteizing WECS. The IEA expert committee will pursue this procedures in each of the following areas, power performance, cost of energy from WECS, fatigue evaluation, acountics, electromagnetic interference, safety and reliability and quality of power. This paper addresses the forth item - Acoustics. The expert committee will seek to gain approval of the procedures in each member country through the IEA agreements. The recommendations shall be regularly reviewed and areas in need of further investigation shall be identified. (AB).

Design, Manufacture and Test of a 1.3 T / 10 Hz dipole model for Rapid Cycling Synchrotrons

CERN Document Server

Newborough, A

2013-01-01

The construction of a compact rapid cycling synchrotron has recently been studied at CERN to replace the first stage of its accelerator complex, the proton synchrotron booster. Although currently there are no plans to build this machine, fast cycled accelerator magnets are of general interest for numerous reasons. This has led to the design, manufacture and testing of a scaled model dipole as detailed in this paper to show the capability of producing and characterising a magnet design based on high-silicon content grain-oriented steel able to operate up to 1.3 T at 10 Hz.

Evaluation of two streamlined life cycle assessment methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hochschomer, Elisabeth; Finnveden, Goeran; Johansson, Jessica

2002-02-01

Two different methods for streamlined life cycle assessment (LCA) are described: the MECO-method and SLCA. Both methods are tested on an already made case-study on cars fuelled with petrol or ethanol, and electric cars with electricity produced from hydro power or coal. The report also contains some background information on LCA and streamlined LCA, and a deschption of the case study used. The evaluation of the MECO and SLCA-methods are based on a comparison of the results from the case study as well as practical aspects. One conclusion is that the SLCA-method has some limitations. Among the limitations are that the whole life-cycle is not covered, it requires quite a lot of information and there is room for arbitrariness. It is not very flexible instead it difficult to develop further. We are therefore not recommending the SLCA-method. The MECO-method does in comparison show several attractive features. It is also interesting to note that the MECO-method produces information that is complementary compared to a more traditional quantitative LCA. We suggest that the MECO method needs some further development and adjustment to Swedish conditions

Recommendation to test limonene hydroperoxides 0·3% and linalool hydroperoxides 1·0% in the British baseline patch test series.

Science.gov (United States)

Wlodek, C; Penfold, C M; Bourke, J F; Chowdhury, M M U; Cooper, S M; Ghaffar, S; Green, C; Holden, C R; Johnston, G A; Mughal, A A; Reckling, C; Sabroe, R A; Stone, N M; Thompson, D; Wilkinson, S M; Buckley, D A

2017-12-01

There is a significant rate of sensitization worldwide to the oxidized fragrance terpenes limonene and linalool. Patch testing to oxidized terpenes is not routinely carried out; the ideal patch test concentration is unknown. To determine the best test concentrations for limonene and linalool hydroperoxides, added to the British baseline patch test series, to optimize detection of true allergy and to minimize irritant reactions. During 2013-2014, 4563 consecutive patients in 12 U.K. centres were tested to hydroperoxides of limonene in petrolatum (pet.) 0·3%, 0·2% and 0·1%, and hydroperoxides of linalool 1·0%, 0·5% and 0·25% pet. Irritant reactions were recorded separately from doubtful reactions. Concomitant reactions to other fragrance markers and clinical relevance were documented. Limonene hydroperoxide 0·3% gave positive reactions in 241 (5·3%) patients, irritant reactions in 93 (2·0%) and doubtful reactions in 110 (2·4%). Linalool hydroperoxide 1·0% gave positive reactions in 352 (7·7%), irritant reactions in 178 (3·9%) and doubtful reactions in 132 (2·9%). A total of 119 patients with crescendo reactions to 0·3% limonene would have been missed if only tested with 0·1% and 131 patients with crescendo reactions to 1·0% linalool would have been missed if only tested with 0·25%. In almost two-thirds of patients with positive patch tests to limonene and linalool the reaction was clinically relevant. The majority of patients did not react to any fragrance marker in the baseline series. We recommend that limonene hydroperoxides be tested at 0·3% and linalool hydroperoxides at 1·0% in the British baseline patch test series. © 2017 British Association of Dermatologists.

Weldability examination of ASTM A 240 S41500 martensitic stainless steel by thermal cycles simulation testings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alberto Velázquez-del Rosario

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The weldability assets of ASTM A 240 S41500 (ASTM A 240/A 240M martensitic stainless steel are presented through the study of the effects of single and double thermal weld cycles on mechanical properties and microstructure of base metal (BM and the artificial heat affected zone (HAZ created by thermal weld simulations. For single cycles, separate peak temperatures of 1000 ºC/12 s and 1350 ºC/12 s (cooling times: 12 s in both cases were evaluated, whilst two combinations of peak temperatures: (1350 ºC/5 s + 1000 ºC/5 s ºC and (1350 ºC/12 s + 1000 ºC/12 s ºC (cooling times: 5 s and 12 s, were applied for double cycles. Post weld heat treatment (PWHT with short and long holding times were applied and Vickers hardness, impact toughness and metallographic examinations were used in order to assess mechanical and metallographic properties in the as-simulated (no heat treated and postweld heat treated conditions. Best properties of the welded joint for double thermal weld cycles with long holding times were reached, which reveals the good weldability and applicability of the tested material in post weld heat treated conditions.

Recommended Feeding and Dietary Practices To Improve Infant and Maternal Nutrition.

Science.gov (United States)

Academy for Educational Development, Washington, DC.

The LINKAGES Project is intended to improve breastfeeding and related complementary feeding and maternal dietary practices. The project, in consultation with technical experts and program managers, identified a set of recommended feeding and dietary practices intended to break the cycle of poor health and nutrition that passes from generation to…

Cycle-by-cycle exhaust temperature monitoring for detection of misfiring and combustion instability in reciprocating natural gas engines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gardiner, D.P. [Nexum Research Corp., Kingston, ON (Canada); Bardon, M.F. [Royal Military Coll. of Canada, Kingston, ON (Canada). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

2007-07-01

The effectiveness of a cycle-by-cycle exhaust temperature monitoring system on engines operating at or near their fully rate load capacity was examined. Tests were conducted on stationary industrial natural gas engines. The study evaluated the monitoring system's ability to detect isolated single misfires, as well as combustion instability during misfire-free operations when the air/fuel ratio of the engine was adjusted to progressively lower settings. The combustion instability level of the engines was quantified by determining the relative variability of the groups of consecutive cycles. The coefficient of variation of indicated mean effective pressure (COV of IMEP) was used to examine cyclic variability. A combustion instability index was used to quantify cyclic variability with cycle-by-cycle exhaust temperature monitoring. Two engines were tested, notably a Cummins QSK 19G turbocharged natural gas engine; and a Waukesha VHP L5790G industrial natural gas engine. The tests demonstrated that cycle-by-cycle exhaust temperature monitoring system was capable of detecting misfiring and combustion instabilities in natural gas engines. 6 refs., 9 figs.

Intensity versus duration of cycling, impact on all-cause and coronary heart disease mortality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schnohr, Peter; Marott, Jacob L; Jensen, Jan S

2012-01-01

Background: Current recommendations prescribe that every adult should accumulate 30¿minutes or more of moderate physical activity in leisure time, preferably every day of the week. The optimal intensity, duration, and frequency still have to be established. The aim of this study was to examine......: Our findings indicate that the relative intensity, and not the duration of cycling, is of more importance in relation to all-cause and coronary heart disease mortality. Thus our general recommendations to all adults would be that brisk cycling is preferable to slow....

Tests of prototype salt stripper system for IFR fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carls, E.L.; Blaskovitz, R.J.; Johnson, T.R.; Ogata, T.

1993-01-01

One of the waste treatment steps for the on-site reprocessing of spent fuel from the Integral Fast Reactor fuel cycles is stripping of the electrolyte salt used in the electrorefining process. This involves the chemical reduction of the actinides and rare earth chlorides forming metals which then dissolve in a cadmium pool. To develop the equipment for this step, a prototype salt stripper system has been installed in an engineering scale argon-filled glovebox. Pumping trails were successful in transferring 90 kg of LiCl-KCl salt containing uranium and rare earth metal chlorides at 500 degree C from an electrorefiner to the stripper vessel at a pumping rate of about 5 L/min. The freeze seal solder connectors which were used to join sections of the pump and transfer line performed well. Stripping tests have commenced employing an inverted cup charging device to introduce a Cd-15 wt % Li alloy reductant to the stripper vessel

Cycling on a Bike Desk Positively Influences Cognitive Performance.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tine Torbeyns

Full Text Available Cycling desks as a means to reduce sedentary time in the office has gained interest as excessive sitting has been associated with several health risks. However, the question rises if people will still be as efficient in performing their desk-based office work when combining this with stationary cycling. Therefore, the effect of cycling at 30% Wmax on typing, cognitive performance and brain activity was investigated.After two familiarisation sessions, 23 participants performed a test battery [typing test, Rey auditory verbal learning test (RAVLT, Stroop test and Rosvold continuous performance test (RCPT] with electroencephalography recording while cycling and sitting on a conventional chair.Typing performance, performance on the RAVLT and accuracy on the Stroop test and the RCPT did not differ between conditions. Reaction times on the Stroop test and the RCPT were shorter while cycling relative to sitting (p < 0.05. N200, P300, N450 and conflict SP latency and amplitude on the Stroop test and N200 and P300 on the RCPT did not differ between conditions.This study showed that typing performance and short-term memory are not deteriorated when people cycle at 30% Wmax. Furthermore, cycling had a positive effect on response speed across tasks requiring variable amounts of attention and inhibition.

Accelerated Thermal Cycling Test of Microencapsulated Paraffin Wax/Polyaniline Made by Simple Preparation Method for Solar Thermal Energy Storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Silakhori, Mahyar; Naghavi, Mohammad Sajad; Metselaar, Hendrik Simon Cornelis; Mahlia, Teuku Meurah Indra; Fauzi, Hadi; Mehrali, Mohammad

2013-04-29

Microencapsulated paraffin wax/polyaniline was prepared using a simple in situ polymerization technique, and its performance characteristics were investigated. Weight losses of samples were determined by Thermal Gravimetry Analysis (TGA). The microencapsulated samples with 23% and 49% paraffin showed less decomposition after 330 °C than with higher percentage of paraffin. These samples were then subjected to a thermal cycling test. Thermal properties of microencapsulated paraffin wax were evaluated by Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC). Structure stability and compatibility of core and coating materials were also tested by Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR), and the surface morphology of the samples are shown by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). It has been found that the microencapsulated paraffin waxes show little change in the latent heat of fusion and melting temperature after one thousand thermal recycles. Besides, the chemical characteristics and structural profile remained constant after one thousand thermal cycling tests. Therefore, microencapsulated paraffin wax/polyaniline is a stable material that can be used for thermal energy storage systems.

Main propulsion system design recommendations for an advanced Orbit Transfer Vehicle

Science.gov (United States)

Redd, L.

1985-01-01

Various main propulsion system configurations of an advanced OTV are evaluated with respect to the probability of nonindependent failures, i.e., engine failures that disable the entire main propulsion system. Analysis of the life-cycle cost (LCC) indicates that LCC is sensitive to the main propulsion system reliability, vehicle dry weight, and propellant cost; it is relatively insensitive to the number of missions/overhaul, failures per mission, and EVA and IVA cost. In conclusion, two or three engines are recommended in view of their highest reliability, minimum life-cycle cost, and fail operational/fail safe capability.

Western Canada drilling cycle optimization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-06-01

The oil and gas industry in western Canada operates in annual and seasonal cycles with peak activity periods that require a large skilled labour force for short periods of time. This study examines why seismic and drilling activity is greatest during the first quarter of the year instead of being distributed evenly over the year. The objective of the study was to provide recommendations that would help optimize the industry cycle. The study includes an analysis of historical trends that validate the industry first quarter peaking activity. It also includes interviews with 36 industry representatives and provides insight and validation of trends. The final phase of the report includes recommendations that both industry and governments may wish to implement. The study includes financial, operational and environmental considerations. It was shown that natural gas directed drilling activity is strongly correlated with changes in natural gas prices. In the case of oil drilling activity, peak activity responds to oil prices from the prior quarter. In general, drilling and seismic costs are higher in the winter months because of increased demand for equipment and services. In addition winter drilling operations require a diesel fired boiler to generate steam. 36 refs., 2 tabs., 52 figs

Current limitations and recommendations to improve testing for the environmental assessment of endocrine active substances

Science.gov (United States)

Coady, Katherine K.; Biever, Ronald C.; Denslow, Nancy D.; Gross, Melanie; Guiney, Patrick D.; Holbech, Henrik; Karouna-Renier, Natalie K.; Katsiadaki, Ioanna; Krueger, Hank; Levine, Steven L.; Maack, Gerd; Williams, Mike; Wolf, Jeffrey C.; Ankley, Gerald T.

2017-01-01

In the present study, existing regulatory frameworks and test systems for assessing potential endocrine active chemicals are described, and associated challenges are discussed, along with proposed approaches to address these challenges. Regulatory frameworks vary somewhat across geographies, but all basically evaluate whether a chemical possesses endocrine activity and whether this activity can result in adverse outcomes either to humans or to the environment. Current test systems include in silico, in vitro, and in vivo techniques focused on detecting potential endocrine activity, and in vivo tests that collect apical data to detect possible adverse effects. These test systems are currently designed to robustly assess endocrine activity and/or adverse effects in the estrogen, androgen, and thyroid hormone signaling pathways; however, there are some limitations of current test systems for evaluating endocrine hazard and risk. These limitations include a lack of certainty regarding: 1) adequately sensitive species and life stages; 2) mechanistic endpoints that are diagnostic for endocrine pathways of concern; and 3) the linkage between mechanistic responses and apical, adverse outcomes. Furthermore, some existing test methods are resource intensive with regard to time, cost, and use of animals. However, based on recent experiences, there are opportunities to improve approaches to and guidance for existing test methods and to reduce uncertainty. For example, in vitro high-throughput screening could be used to prioritize chemicals for testing and provide insights as to the most appropriate assays for characterizing hazard and risk. Other recommendations include adding endpoints for elucidating connections between mechanistic effects and adverse outcomes, identifying potentially sensitive taxa for which test methods currently do not exist, and addressing key endocrine pathways of possible concern in addition to those associated with estrogen, androgen, and thyroid

Low cycle fatigue: high cycle fatigue damage accumulation in a 304L austenitic stainless steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lehericy, Y.

2007-05-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the consequences of a Low Cycle Fatigue pre-damage on the subsequent fatigue limit of a 304L stainless steel. The effects of hardening and severe roughness (grinding) have also been investigated. In a first set of tests, the evolution of the surface damage induced by the different LCF pre-cycling was characterized. This has permitted to identify mechanisms and kinetics of damage in the plastic domain for different surface conditions. Then, pre-damaged samples were tested in the High Cycle Fatigue domain in order to establish the fatigue limits associated with each level of pre-damage. Results evidence that, in the case of polished samples, an important number of cycles is required to initiate surface cracks ant then to affect the fatigue limit of the material but, in the case of ground samples, a few number of cycles is sufficient to initiate cracks and to critically decrease the fatigue limit. The fatigue limit of pre-damaged samples can be estimated using the stress intensity factor threshold. Moreover, this detrimental effect of severe surface conditions is enhanced when fatigue tests are performed under a positive mean stress (author)

Lessons Learned From Dynamic Simulations of Advanced Fuel Cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piet, Steven J.; Dixon, Brent W.; Jacobson, Jacob J.; Matthern, Gretchen E.; Shropshire, David E.

2009-01-01

Years of performing dynamic simulations of advanced nuclear fuel cycle options provide insights into how they could work and how one might transition from the current once-through fuel cycle. This paper summarizes those insights from the context of the 2005 objectives and goals of the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI). Our intent is not to compare options, assess options versus those objectives and goals, nor recommend changes to those objectives and goals. Rather, we organize what we have learned from dynamic simulations in the context of the AFCI objectives for waste management, proliferation resistance, uranium utilization, and economics. Thus, we do not merely describe 'lessons learned' from dynamic simulations but attempt to answer the 'so what' question by using this context. The analyses have been performed using the Verifiable Fuel Cycle Simulation of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Dynamics (VISION). We observe that the 2005 objectives and goals do not address many of the inherently dynamic discriminators among advanced fuel cycle options and transitions thereof

Knowledge of HIV Testing Guidelines Among US Internal Medicine Residents: A Decade After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Routine HIV Testing Recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Dandachi, Dima; Dang, Bich N; Wilson Dib, Rita; Friedman, Harvey; Giordano, Thomas

2018-05-01

Ten years after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended universal HIV screening, rates remain low. Internal medicine residents are the front-line medical providers for large groups of patients. We evaluated the knowledge of internal medicine residents about HIV testing guidelines and examined adherence to universal HIV testing in an outpatient setting. A cross-sectional survey of internal medicine residents at four residency programs in Chicago was conducted from January to March 2016. Aggregate data on HIV screening were collected from 35 federally qualified community health centers in the Chicago area after inclusion of an HIV testing best practice alert in patients' electronic medical records. Of the 192 residents surveyed, 130 (68%) completed the survey. Only 58% were aware of universal HIV screening and 49% were aware that Illinois law allows for an opt-out HIV testing strategy. Most of the residents (64%) ordered no more than 10 HIV tests in 6 months. The most frequently reported barriers to HIV testing were deferral because of urgent care issues, lack of time, and the perception that patients were uncomfortable discussing HIV testing. From July 2015 to February 2016, the average HIV testing adherence rate in the 35 health centers was 18.2%. More effort is needed to change HIV testing practices among internal medicine residents so that they will adopt this approach in their future clinical practice. Improving knowledge about HIV testing and addressing other HIV testing barriers are essential for such a successful change.

Optimizing a Test Method to Evaluate Resistance of Pervious Concrete to Cycles of Freezing and Thawing in the Presence of Different Deicing Salts.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsang, Chehong; Shehata, Medhat H; Lotfy, Abdurrahmaan

2016-10-28

The lack of a standard test method for evaluating the resistance of pervious concrete to cycles of freezing and thawing in the presence of deicing salts is the motive behind this study. Different sample size and geometry, cycle duration, and level of submersion in brine solutions were investigated to achieve an optimized test method. The optimized test method was able to produce different levels of damage when different types of deicing salts were used. The optimized duration of one cycle was found to be 24 h with twelve hours of freezing at -18 °C and twelve hours of thawing at +21 °C, with the bottom 10 mm of the sample submerged in the brine solution. Cylinder samples with a diameter of 100 mm and height of 150 mm were used and found to produce similar results to 150 mm-cubes. Based on the obtained results a mass loss of 3%-5% is proposed as a failure criterion of cylindrical samples. For the materials and within the cycles of freezing/thawing investigated here, the deicers that caused the most damage were NaCl, CaCl 2 and urea, followed by MgCl 2 , potassium acetate, sodium acetate and calcium-magnesium acetate. More testing is needed to validate the effects of different deicers under long term exposures and different temperature ranges.

Optimizing a Test Method to Evaluate Resistance of Pervious Concrete to Cycles of Freezing and Thawing in the Presence of Different Deicing Salts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chehong Tsang

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The lack of a standard test method for evaluating the resistance of pervious concrete to cycles of freezing and thawing in the presence of deicing salts is the motive behind this study. Different sample size and geometry, cycle duration, and level of submersion in brine solutions were investigated to achieve an optimized test method. The optimized test method was able to produce different levels of damage when different types of deicing salts were used. The optimized duration of one cycle was found to be 24 h with twelve hours of freezing at −18 °C and twelve hours of thawing at +21 °C, with the bottom 10 mm of the sample submerged in the brine solution. Cylinder samples with a diameter of 100 mm and height of 150 mm were used and found to produce similar results to 150 mm-cubes. Based on the obtained results a mass loss of 3%–5% is proposed as a failure criterion of cylindrical samples. For the materials and within the cycles of freezing/thawing investigated here, the deicers that caused the most damage were NaCl, CaCl 2 and urea, followed by MgCl 2 , potassium acetate, sodium acetate and calcium-magnesium acetate. More testing is needed to validate the effects of different deicers under long term exposures and different temperature ranges.

Optimizing a Test Method to Evaluate Resistance of Pervious Concrete to Cycles of Freezing and Thawing in the Presence of Different Deicing Salts

Science.gov (United States)

Tsang, Chehong; Shehata, Medhat H.; Lotfy, Abdurrahmaan

2016-01-01

The lack of a standard test method for evaluating the resistance of pervious concrete to cycles of freezing and thawing in the presence of deicing salts is the motive behind this study. Different sample size and geometry, cycle duration, and level of submersion in brine solutions were investigated to achieve an optimized test method. The optimized test method was able to produce different levels of damage when different types of deicing salts were used. The optimized duration of one cycle was found to be 24 h with twelve hours of freezing at −18 °C and twelve hours of thawing at +21 °C, with the bottom 10 mm of the sample submerged in the brine solution. Cylinder samples with a diameter of 100 mm and height of 150 mm were used and found to produce similar results to 150 mm-cubes. Based on the obtained results a mass loss of 3%–5% is proposed as a failure criterion of cylindrical samples. For the materials and within the cycles of freezing/thawing investigated here, the deicers that caused the most damage were NaCl, CaCl2 and urea, followed by MgCl2, potassium acetate, sodium acetate and calcium-magnesium acetate. More testing is needed to validate the effects of different deicers under long term exposures and different temperature ranges. PMID:28773998

Testing of molded high temperature plastic actuator road seals for use in advanced aircraft hydraulic systems

Science.gov (United States)

Waterman, A. W.; Huxford, R. L.; Nelson, W. G.

1976-01-01

Molded high temperature plastic first and second stage rod seal elements were evaluated in seal assemblies to determine performance characteristics. These characteristics were compared with the performance of machined seal elements. The 6.35 cm second stage Chevron seal assembly was tested using molded Chevrons fabricated from five molding materials. Impulse screening tests conducted over a range of 311 K to 478 K revealed thermal setting deficiencies in the aromatic polyimide molding materials. Seal elements fabricated from aromatic copolyester materials structurally failed during impulse cycle calibration. Endurance testing of 3.85 million cycles at 450 K using MIL-H-83283 fluid showed poorer seal performance with the unfilled aromatic polyimide material than had been attained with seals machined from Vespel SP-21 material. The 6.35 cm first stage step-cut compression loaded seal ring fabricated from copolyester injection molding material failed structurally during impulse cycle calibration. Molding of complex shape rod seals was shown to be a potentially controllable technique, but additional molding material property testing is recommended.

Joy, Exercise, Enjoyment, Getting out: A Qualitative Study of Older People's Experience of Cycling in Sydney, Australia

OpenAIRE

Alexis Zander; Erin Passmore; Chloe Mason; Chris Rissel

2013-01-01

Introduction. Cycling can be an enjoyable way to meet physical activity recommendations and is suitable for older people; however cycling participation by older Australians is low. This qualitative study explored motivators, enablers, and barriers to cycling among older people through an age-targeted cycling promotion program. Methods. Seventeen adults who aged 50–75 years participated in a 12-week cycling promotion program which included a cycling skills course, mentor, and resource pack...

Simulation of an electric vehicle model on the new WLTC test cycle using AVL CRUISE software

Science.gov (United States)

Cristian Cioroianu, Constantin; Marinescu, Dănuţ Gabriel; Iorga, Adrian; Răzvan Sibiceanu, Adrian

2017-10-01

Nowadays, environmental pollution has become a general issue and the automotive industry is probably the most affected. The principal air-quality pollutant emissions from petrol, diesel and LPG engines are carbon dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, un-burnt hydrocarbons. Modern cars produce only quite small quantities of the air quality pollutants, but the emissions from large numbers of cars add to a significant air quality problem. Electric vehicles are an answer to this problem because they have absolutely no emissions. These vehicles have some major disadvantages regarding cost and range. In this paper, an electric vehicle model will be created in the AVL Cruise software. The constructed model is based on the existing Dacia Sandero. Also unlike the real car, the model presented has different characteristics since it is a full electric vehicle. It has an electric motor instead of the petrol engine and a battery pack placed in the trunk. The model will be simulated in order to obtain data regarding vehicle performance, energy consumption and range on the new WLTC test cycle. The obtained know-how will help on later improvements of the electric model regarding methods to increase the vehicle range on the new WLTC test cycle.

A review of test results on solar thermal power modules with dish-mounted Stirling and Brayton cycle engines

Science.gov (United States)

Jaffe, Leonard D.

1988-01-01

This paper presents results of development tests of various solar thermal parabolic dish modules and assemblies that used dish-mounted Brayton or Stirling cycle engines for production of electric power. These tests indicate that early modules achieve net efficiencies up to 29 percent in converting sunlight to electricity, as delivered to the grid. Various equipment deficiencies were observed and a number of malfunctions occurred. The performance measurements, as well as the malfunctions and other test experience, provided information that should be of value in developing systems with improved performance and reduced maintenance.

A review of test results on solar thermal power modules with dish-mounted Stirling and Brayton cycle engines

Science.gov (United States)

Jaffe, Leonard D.

1988-11-01

This paper presents results of development tests of various solar thermal parabolic dish modules and assemblies that used dish-mounted Brayton or Stirling cycle engines for production of electric power. These tests indicate that early modules achieve net efficiencies up to 29 percent in converting sunlight to electricity, as delivered to the grid. Various equipment deficiencies were observed and a number of malfunctions occurred. The performance measurements, as well as the malfunctions and other test experience, provided information that should be of value in developing systems with improved performance and reduced maintenance.

Study of the test method for prediction of air conditioning equipment seasonal performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomas, S.B.

1980-05-01

The test procedure, Method of Testing, Rating and Estimating the Seasonal Performance of Central Air-Conditioners and Heat Pumps Operating in the Cooling Mode, has been analyzed. The analysis of the test procedure incorporated two main functions: (1) to determine the validity of the test procedure; and (2) to determine if there are other alternate methods of obtaining the same results with less testing burden. Data were collected from industry and analyzed for any significant trends. Certain conclusions are drawn about the energy efficiency ratios, degradation coefficients and seasonal energy efficiency ratios. An error analysis was performed on the test procedure to determine the approximate amount of error when using this procedure. A semi-empirical model assuming a first order system response was developed to determine the factors that affect the part-load and cooling-load factors. The corresponding transient characteristics are then determined in terms of a single time constant. A thermostat demand cycle is used to determine the relationship between on-time and cycle-time. Recommendations are made regarding an alternate method being used to determine the seasonal energy efficiency ratio.

Simulation and analysis of data for enhancing low cycle fatigue test procedures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sarajaervi, U.; Cronvall, O. [VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland (Finland)

2006-04-15

The simulation and analysis of data for enhancing low cycle fatigue test procedures is discussed in this report. The analysed materials are an austenitic stainless piping steel and an austenitic weld material. This project continues the work performed in 2003 and 2004. The fatigue test data treatment application developed within the project in 2004 for the preparation of the fatigue data has been developed further. Also, more fatigue test data has been analysed with the application than in 2004. In addition to this numerical fatigue simulations were performed with FEM code ABAQUS. With the fatigue test data treatment application one can e.g. both calculate cyclically certain relevant characteristic values, e.g. elastic range, and form a set of certain cyclical parameter values needed as a part of ABAQUS analysis input files. The hardening properties of metals were modelled with both isotropic and kinematic hardening models. The further development of the application included trimming of the analysed data, and consequently trimming of resulting hardening parameters. The need for the trimming arose from the fact that the analysed fatigue test data presents some scatter caused by the limited accuracy of the test equipment and the sampling rate. The hardening parameters obtained from the application analysis results were used in the subsequent ABAQUS analyses, and then the fatigue test data were compared with the ABAQUS simulation results. After finding a procedure to trim result data to get smooth curves for cyclic hardening, hardening and softening could be reproduced in ABAQUS analysis with a reasonable accuracy. The modelling of the fatigue induced initiation and growth of cracks was not considered in this study. On the other hand, a considerable part of the fatigue life of nuclear power plant (NPP) piping components is spent in the phase preceding the initiation and growth of cracks. (au)

Simulation and analysis of data for enhancing low cycle fatigue test procedures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarajaervi, U.; Cronvall, O.

2006-04-01

The simulation and analysis of data for enhancing low cycle fatigue test procedures is discussed in this report. The analysed materials are an austenitic stainless piping steel and an austenitic weld material. This project continues the work performed in 2003 and 2004. The fatigue test data treatment application developed within the project in 2004 for the preparation of the fatigue data has been developed further. Also, more fatigue test data has been analysed with the application than in 2004. In addition to this numerical fatigue simulations were performed with FEM code ABAQUS. With the fatigue test data treatment application one can e.g. both calculate cyclically certain relevant characteristic values, e.g. elastic range, and form a set of certain cyclical parameter values needed as a part of ABAQUS analysis input files. The hardening properties of metals were modelled with both isotropic and kinematic hardening models. The further development of the application included trimming of the analysed data, and consequently trimming of resulting hardening parameters. The need for the trimming arose from the fact that the analysed fatigue test data presents some scatter caused by the limited accuracy of the test equipment and the sampling rate. The hardening parameters obtained from the application analysis results were used in the subsequent ABAQUS analyses, and then the fatigue test data were compared with the ABAQUS simulation results. After finding a procedure to trim result data to get smooth curves for cyclic hardening, hardening and softening could be reproduced in ABAQUS analysis with a reasonable accuracy. The modelling of the fatigue induced initiation and growth of cracks was not considered in this study. On the other hand, a considerable part of the fatigue life of nuclear power plant (NPP) piping components is spent in the phase preceding the initiation and growth of cracks. (au)

An Applied Ecological Framework for Evaluating Infrastructure to Promote Walking and Cycling: The iConnect Study

Science.gov (United States)

Bull, Fiona; Powell, Jane; Cooper, Ashley R.; Brand, Christian; Mutrie, Nanette; Preston, John; Rutter, Harry

2011-01-01

Improving infrastructure for walking and cycling is increasingly recommended as a means to promote physical activity, prevent obesity, and reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions. However, limited evidence from intervention studies exists to support this approach. Drawing on classic epidemiological methods, psychological and ecological models of behavior change, and the principles of realistic evaluation, we have developed an applied ecological framework by which current theories about the behavioral effects of environmental change may be tested in heterogeneous and complex intervention settings. Our framework guides study design and analysis by specifying the most important data to be collected and relations to be tested to confirm or refute specific hypotheses and thereby refine the underlying theories. PMID:21233429

Recommendations for Glass Durability Test Criteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strachan, D.M.

1999-01-01

The objective of this short report is to define a set of activities that should lead to a specification for a test that can be used as one of the acceptance criteria and as an indicator of acceptable long-term behavior in contact with water. Since the glass composition is not yet defined and is likely to change as the composition of the waste changes, a strategy for developing criteria for what is acceptable involves a series of tests and modeling activities. The results of these activities lead to a criterion for an acceptable product and the data that are needed to reliably determine the behavior of the glass in the storage environment

A Hybrid Recommender System Based on User-Recommender Interaction

OpenAIRE

Zhang, Heng-Ru; Min, Fan; He, Xu; Xu, Yuan-Yuan

2015-01-01

Recommender systems are used to make recommendations about products, information, or services for users. Most existing recommender systems implicitly assume one particular type of user behavior. However, they seldom consider user-recommender interactive scenarios in real-world environments. In this paper, we propose a hybrid recommender system based on user-recommender interaction and evaluate its performance with recall and diversity metrics. First, we define the user-recommender interaction...

Development of a Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Brayton Cycle: Improving VHTR Efficiency and Testing Material Compatibility - Final Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang H. Oh

2006-01-01

Generation IV reactors will need to be intrinsically safe, having a proliferation-resistant fuel cycle and several advantages relative to existing light water reactor (LWR). They, however, must still overcome certain technical issues and the cost barrier before it can be built in the U.S. The establishment of a nuclear power cost goal of 3.3 cents/kWh is desirable in order to compete with fossil combined-cycle, gas turbine power generation. This goal requires approximately a 30 percent reduction in power cost for state-of-the-art nuclear plants. It has been demonstrated that this large cost differential can be overcome only by technology improvements that lead to a combination of better efficiency and more compatible reactor materials. The objectives of this research are (1) to develop a supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle in the secondary power conversion side that can be applied to the Very-High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (VHTR), (2) to improve the plant net efficiency by using the carbon dioxide Brayton cycle, and (3) to test material compatibility at high temperatures and pressures. The reduced volumetric flow rate of carbon dioxide due to higher density compared to helium will reduce compression work, which eventually increase plant net efficiency

NICMOS Cycles 13 and 14 Calibration Plans

Science.gov (United States)

Arribas, Santiago; Bergeron, Eddie; de Jong, Roeof; Malhotra, Sangeeta; Mobasher, Bahram; Noll, Keith; Schultz, Al; Wiklind, Tommy; Xu, Chun

2005-11-01

This document summarizes the NICMOS Calibration Plans for Cycles 13 and 14. These plans complement the SMOV3b, the Cycle 10 (interim), and the Cycles 11 and 12 (regular) calibration programs executed after the installation of the NICMOS Cooling System (NCS).. These previous programs have shown that the instrument is very stable, which has motivated a further reduction in the frequency of the monitoring programs for Cycle 13. In addition, for Cycle 14 some of these programs were slightly modified to account for 2 Gyro HST operations. The special calibrations on Cycle 13 were focussed on a follow up of the spectroscopic recalibration initiated in Cycle 12. This program led to the discovery of a possible count rate non-linearity, which has triggered a special program for Cycle 13 and a number of subsequent tests and calibrations during Cycle 14. At the time of writing this is a very active area of research. We also briefly comment on other calibrations defined to address other specific issues like: the autoreset test, the SPAR sequences tests, and the low-frequency flat residual for NIC1. The calibration programs for the 2-Gyro campaigns are not included here, since they have been described somewhere else. Further details and updates on specific programs can be found via the NICMOS web site.

Thermal cycling tests on Li4SiO4 and beryllium pebbles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dalle Donne, M.; Norajitra, P.; Weisenburger, A.

1995-01-01

The European B.O.T. Demo-relevant solid breeder blanket is based on the use of beds of beryllium and Li 4 SiO 4 pebbles. Particularly dangerous for the pebble integrity are the rapid temperature changes which could occur, for instance, by a sudden blanket power shut-down. A series of thermal cycle tests have been performed for various beds of beryllium and Li 4 SiO 4 pebbles. No breaking was observed in the beryllium pebbles, however the Li 4 SiO 4 pebbles broke by temperature rates of change of about -50 C/sec independently on pebbles size and lithium enrichment. This value is considerably higher than the peak temperature rates of change expected in the blanket. (orig.)

Stake holders' views on the implications of the new ICRP recommendations: an environmental perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carroll, S.

2003-01-01

The development of the new ICRP Recommendations are of significant interest to environmental organisations. There are several issues of particular interest: 1. whether the 'approach and the numbers are right'? in the general recommendations; 2. to what extent the understandings being developed for both human and non-human species will effectively address concerns regarding protecting the health of people and the environment; and 3. to what extent these new recommendations will inform the broader regulatory and policy debates, in particular those concerning the uses of nuclear power, fuel cycle developments and radioactive waste management practices. This presentation will explore various aspects of these issues from the perspectives of environmental organisations. (author)

Recommendations of the Reactor Safety Commission (RSK) 1975-1977. Vol. 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, M.

1978-08-01

After the recommendations are published in the 'Bundesanzeiger' the Office of the RSK publishes them as a closed report, by order of the Federal Minister of the Interior. The reports are devided in two parts: Part I contains the recommendations which are given by the RSK; part II contains the official notices concerning the RSK. There also is a subject index. Three volumes are published by now: Volume 1: IRS-A-9 (December 1975), Recommendations of the RSK 1971 to 1974 (68th to 96th meeting), pages: I-1 to I-116 and II-1 to II-23 appendix a: RSK-guide lines for PWR, edition 04.74; Volume 2: IRS-A-11 (August 1976), Recommendations of the RSK 1974 to 1975, (97th to 105th meeting), pages: I-117 to I-145; Volume 3: GRS-12 (August 1978), Recommendations of the RSK 1975 to 1977 (106th to 129th meeting), pages: I-146 to I-276 and II-24 to II-25. Volume 3 also contains the recommendation on German Fuel Cycle Center which was given by the Reactor Safety Commision (RSK) in community with the Radiological Protection Commission (SSK), in autumn 1977. (orig./HP) 891 HP [de

Chemical Engineering Education in a Bologna Three Cycle Degree System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gani, Rafiqul

For the purpose of harmonization of European higher education, Europe’s education system has been going through major changes under what is commonly known as the ”Bologna Process”. The Bologna declaration in 1999 was the start of the introduction of a three cycle degree system in higher education...... in Europe. To date, many European universities have adopted this degree structure. The Working Party on Education (WPE) of the European Federation of Chemical Engineering (EFCE) carried out research to determine the contents of higher education in chemical engineering (ChE) and related disciplines...... such as applied chemistry and process engineering throughout Europe. The result has been a set of recommendations for the first (BS), second (MS) and third (PhD) cycle chemical engineering education aligned to the Bologna Process. They recommend that students studying towards bachelor and masters qualifications...

Weighting comparison of the production of α-emitters in HTR-fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rueckert, M.; Hecker, R.; Migenda, J.; Mirza, N.

1976-03-01

This study compares three fuel-cycles of the OTTO-Pebble-Bed High-Temperature Reactor to each other and as a reference to a Light-Water Reactor with regard to the 'Theoretical Environmental Risk' of their heavy-metal production. For the weighting of the α-activity those water- and air masses are used, which according to the recommendations of the 'International Committee for Radiation Protection' are necessary for the dilution of radioactive substances in the cycle. The Th/U-cycles are better than the U/Pu-cycles; one has to put into account, however, that in the Th/U-cycles the Ra which comes up after long time period increases the 'Theoretical Environmental Risk'. (orig.) [de

High-intensity cycle interval training improves cycling and running performance in triathletes.

Science.gov (United States)

Etxebarria, Naroa; Anson, Judith M; Pyne, David B; Ferguson, Richard A

2014-01-01

Effective cycle training for triathlon is a challenge for coaches. We compared the effects of two variants of cycle high-intensity interval training (HIT) on triathlon-specific cycling and running. Fourteen moderately-trained male triathletes ([Formula: see text]O2peak 58.7 ± 8.1 mL kg(-1) min(-1); mean ± SD) completed on separate occasions a maximal incremental test ([Formula: see text]O2peak and maximal aerobic power), 16 × 20 s cycle sprints and a 1-h triathlon-specific cycle followed immediately by a 5 km run time trial. Participants were then pair-matched and assigned randomly to either a long high-intensity interval training (LONG) (6-8 × 5 min efforts) or short high-intensity interval training (SHORT) (9-11 × 10, 20 and 40 s efforts) HIT cycle training intervention. Six training sessions were completed over 3 weeks before participants repeated the baseline testing. Both groups had an ∼7% increase in [Formula: see text]O2peak (SHORT 7.3%, ±4.6%; mean, ±90% confidence limits; LONG 7.5%, ±1.7%). There was a moderate improvement in mean power for both the SHORT (10.3%, ±4.4%) and LONG (10.7%, ±6.8%) groups during the last eight 20-s sprints. There was a small to moderate decrease in heart rate, blood lactate and perceived exertion in both groups during the 1-h triathlon-specific cycling but only the LONG group had a substantial decrease in the subsequent 5-km run time (64, ±59 s). Moderately-trained triathletes should use both short and long high-intensity intervals to improve cycling physiology and performance. Longer 5-min intervals on the bike are more likely to benefit 5 km running performance.

Ubiquitous Multicriteria Clinic Recommendation System.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Toly

2016-05-01

Advancements in information, communication, and sensor technologies have led to new opportunities in medical care and education. Patients in general prefer visiting the nearest clinic, attempt to avoid waiting for treatment, and have unequal preferences for different clinics and doctors. Therefore, to enable patients to compare multiple clinics, this study proposes a ubiquitous multicriteria clinic recommendation system. In this system, patients can send requests through their cell phones to the system server to obtain a clinic recommendation. Once the patient sends this information to the system, the system server first estimates the patient's speed according to the detection results of a global positioning system. It then applies a fuzzy integer nonlinear programming-ordered weighted average approach to assess four criteria and finally recommends a clinic with maximal utility to the patient. The proposed methodology was tested in a field experiment, and the experimental results showed that it is advantageous over two existing methods in elevating the utilities of recommendations. In addition, such an advantage was shown to be statistically significant.

Identification of low cycle fatigue parameters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Balda M.

2009-12-01

Full Text Available The article describes a new approach to the processing of experimental data coming from low-cycle fatigue (LCF tests. The data may be either tables from the standard tests, or a time series of loading processes and corresponding numbers of cycles to damage. A new method and a program for the evaluation of material parameters governing the material behavior under a low cycle loading have been developed. They exploit a minimization procedure for an appropriate criterion function based on differences of measured and evaluated damages.

FY-05 Second Quarter Report On Development of a Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Brayton Cycle: Improving PBR Efficiency and Testing Material Compatibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang Oh

2005-01-01

The objective of this research is to improve a helium Brayton cycle and to develop a supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle for the Pebble Bed Reactor (PBR) that can also be applied to the Fast Gas-Cooled Reactor (FGR) and the Very-High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (VHTR). The proposed supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle will be used to improve the PBR, FGR, and VHTR net plant efficiency. Another objective of this research is to test materials to be used in the power conversion side at supercritical carbon dioxide conditions. Generally, the optimized Brayton cycle and balance of plant (BOP) to be developed from this study can be applied to Generation-IV reactor concepts. Particularly, we are interested in VHTR because it has a good chance of being built in the near future

RILEM technical committee 195-DTD recommendation for test methods for AD and TD of early age concrete Round Robin documentation report : program, test results and statistical evaluation

CERN Document Server

Bjøntegaard, Øyvind; Krauss, Matias; Budelmann, Harald

2015-01-01

This report presents the Round-Robin (RR) program and test results including a statistical evaluation of the RILEM TC195-DTD committee named “Recommendation for test methods for autogenous deformation (AD) and thermal dilation (TD) of early age concrete”. The task of the committee was to investigate the linear test set-up for AD and TD measurements (Dilation Rigs) in the period from setting to the end of the hardening phase some weeks after. These are the stress-inducing deformations in a hardening concrete structure subjected to restraint conditions. The main task was to carry out an RR program on testing of AD of one concrete at 20 °C isothermal conditions in Dilation Rigs. The concrete part materials were distributed to 10 laboratories (Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and USA), and in total 30 tests on AD were carried out. Some supporting tests were also performed, as well as a smaller RR on cement paste. The committee has worked out a test procedure recommenda...

A Study on Multiattribute Aggregation Approaches to Product Recommendation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing-Zhong Jin

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In today’s increasingly competitive market, consumers usually have to face a huge number of products with different designs but having the same use. Therefore, an important problem for manufacturers is to attract consumers by special designs of the products. This paper aims at the improvement of a consumer-oriented approach in recommending products, and proposing a recommendation system for Japanese traditional crafts based on target-oriented fuzzy method and ontological engineering. Specifically, a target-oriented fuzzy method is used for measuring the fitness of a selected attribute to a certain object. Two aggregation models for dealing with a multiattribute evaluation and ranking are introduced; four ranking methods are also examined for getting a recommendation list. To test the aggregation models and the ranking methods, a recommendation system was developed and a comparison test was conducted.

A Recommended New Approach on Motorization Ratio Calculations of Stepper Motors

Science.gov (United States)

Nalbandian, Ruben; Blais, Thierry; Horth, Richard

2014-01-01

Stepper motors are widely used on most spacecraft mechanisms requiring repeatable and reliable performance. The unique detent torque characteristics of these type of motors makes them behave differently when subjected to low duty cycle excitations where the applied driving pulses are only energized for a fraction of the pulse duration. This phenomenon is even more pronounced in discrete permanent magnet stepper motors used in the space industry. While the inherent high detent properties of discrete permanent magnets provide desirable unpowered holding performance characteristics, it results in unique behavior especially in low duty cycles. Notably, the running torque reduces quickly to the unpowered holding torque when the duty cycle is reduced. The space industry's accepted methodology of calculating the Motorization Ratio (or Torque Margin) is more applicable to systems where the power is continuously applied to the motor coils like brushless DC motors where the cogging torques are low enough not to affect the linear performance of the motors as a function of applied current. This paper summarizes the theoretical and experimental studies performed on a number of space qualified motors under different pulse rates and duty cycles. It is the intention of this paper to introduce a new approach to calculate the Motorization Ratios for discrete permanent magnet steppers under all full and partial duty cycle regimes. The recommended approach defines two distinct relationships to calculate the Motorization Ratio for 100 percent duty cycle and partial duty cycle, when the motor detent (unpowered holding torque) is the main contributor to holding position. These two computations reflect accurately the stepper motor physical behavior as a function of the command phase (ON versus OFF times of the pulses), pointing out how the torque contributors combine. Important points highlighted under this study are the torque margin computations, in particular for well characterized

Reliability assessment of shut-off rod drive mechanism for TAPP - 3 and 4 and critical facility through life cycle testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Manjit; Badodkar, D.N.; Singh, N.K.; Dalal, N.S.; Mishra, M.K.; Veda Vyas, G.; Kothari, C.B.; Rao, V.V.S.S.; Saraf, R.K.

2006-01-01

Shut-off rod drive mechanism forms a safety critical system of a nuclear reactor. It is the space constraints for the given reactor layout, which makes design of shut-off rod drive mechanism (SRDM) a custom built design. Design of SRDM adopts fail-safe, replaceability and the simplicity criterion ensuring very high reliability of its operation. Shut-off rod drive mechanism for TAPP-3 and 4 and 'Critical Facility' have been recently designed and developed at Division of Remote Handling and Robotics (DRHR), BARC. These are designed with a number of advanced features and these are significantly different than those used in Dhruva and 220 MWe PHWRs. Design of SRDM is qualified through proto typing and life cycle testing on a full-scale test set-up. This paper gives details of qualification and life cycle test data for prototype SRDM for TAPP-3 and 4 and 'Critical Facility' and reliability assessment. (author)

Educational Business Cycles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tepe, Markus; Vanhuysse, Pieter

Strong institutional constraints and better-informed voters may lead re-election seeking incumbents to shift the use of political business cycle mechanisms away from monetary and fiscal policy towards other policy domains that are more easily manipulable, targetable, and timeable. We investigate...... teacher employment patterns at the state level in Germany and find strong evidence of cycling mechanisms, in the form of electioneering and honeymooning. Against a backdrop of a continuously shrinking total teachers' pool, German state-level incumbents accelerate the hiring of new teachers during election...... periods and partly reverse this during politically safer points in the electoral cycle. Cycles are mediated by issue salience: heightened attention to German public schooling after the notorious PISA-2000 tests further strengthens the manipulation of new teacher hiring for electoral purposes....

Educational Business Cycles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tepe, Markus; Vanhuysse, Pieter

2009-01-01

Strong institutional constraints and better-informed voters may lead re-election seeking incumbents to shift the use of political business cycle mechanisms away from monetary and fiscal policy towards other policy domains that are more easily manipulable, targetable, and timeable. We investigate...... teacher employment patterns at the state level in Germany and find strong evidence of cycling mechanisms, in the form of electioneering and honeymooning. Against a backdrop of a continuously shrinking total teachers' pool, German state-level incumbents accelerate the hiring of new teachers during election...... periods and partly reverse this during politically safer points in the electoral cycle. Cycles are mediated by issue salience: heightened attention to German public schooling after the notorious PISA-2000 tests further strengthens the manipulation of new teacher hiring for electoral purposes....

Neuropsychiatric manifestations in late-onset urea cycle disorder patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Serrano, Mercedes; Martins, Cecilia; Pérez-Dueñas, Belén; Gómez-López, Lilian; Murgui, Empar; Fons, Carmen; García-Cazorla, Angels; Artuch, Rafael; Jara, Fernando; Arranz, José A; Häberle, Johannes; Briones, Paz; Campistol, Jaume; Pineda, Mercedes; Vilaseca, Maria A

2010-03-01

Inherited urea cycle disorders represent one of the most common groups of inborn errors of metabolism. Late-onset urea cycle disorders caused by partial enzyme deficiencies may present with unexpected clinical phenotypes. We report 9 patients followed up in our hospital presenting late-onset urea cycle disorders who initially manifested neuropsychiatric/neurodevelopmental symptoms (the most prevalent neuropsychiatric/neurodevelopmental diagnoses were mental retardation, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], language disorder, and delirium). Generally, these clinical pictures did not benefit from pharmacological treatment. Conversely, dietary treatment improved the symptoms. Regarding biochemical data, 2 patients showed normal ammonium but high glutamine levels. This study highlights the fact that neuropsychiatric/neurodevelopmental findings are common among the initial symptomatology of late-onset urea cycle disorders. The authors recommend that unexplained or nonresponsive neuropsychiatric/neurodevelopmental symptoms appearing during childhood or adolescence be followed by a study of ammonia and amino acid plasmatic levels to rule out a urea cycle disorder.

Standard guide for fretting fatigue testing

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

2010-01-01

1.1 This guide defines terminology and covers general requirements for conducting fretting fatigue tests and reporting the results. It describes the general types of fretting fatigue tests and provides some suggestions on developing and conducting fretting fatigue test programs. 1.2 Fretting fatigue tests are designed to determine the effects of mechanical and environmental parameters on the fretting fatigue behavior of metallic materials. This guide is not intended to establish preference of one apparatus or specimen design over others, but will establish guidelines for adherence in the design, calibration, and use of fretting fatigue apparatus and recommend the means to collect, record, and reporting of the data. 1.3 The number of cycles to form a fretting fatigue crack is dependent on both the material of the fatigue specimen and fretting pad, the geometry of contact between the two, and the method by which the loading and displacement are imposed. Similar to wear behavior of materials, it is important t...

Do Physician Recommendations for Colorectal Cancer Screening Differ by Patient Age?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maida J Sewitch

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Colorectal cancer screening is underutilized, resulting in preventable morbidity and mortality. In the present study, age-related and other disparities associated with physicians’ delivery of colorectal cancer screening recommendations were examined. The present cross-sectional study included 43 physicians and 618 of their patients, aged 50 to 80 years, without past or present colorectal cancer. Of the 285 screen-eligible patients, 45% received a recommendation. Multivariate analyses revealed that, compared with younger nonde-pressed patients, older depressed patients were less likely to receive fecal occult blood test recommendations, compared with no recommendation (OR=0.31, 95% CI 0.09 to 1.02, as well as less likely to receive colonoscopy recommendations, compared with no recommendation (OR=0.14; 95% CI 0.03 to 0.66. Comorbidity and marital status were associated with delivery of fecal occult blood test and colonoscopy recommendations, respectively, compared with no recommendation. In summary, patient age and other characteristics appeared to influence physicians’ delivery of colorectal cancer screening and choice of modality.

Post-upgrade testing on a radiotherapy oncology information system with an embedded record and verify system following the IAEA Human Health Report No. 7 recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Nyathi, Thulani; Colyer, Christopher; Bhardwaj, Anup Kumar; Rijken, James; Morton, Jason

2016-06-01

Record and verify (R&V) systems have proven that their application in radiotherapy clinics leads to a significant reduction in mis-treatments of patients. The purpose of this technical note is to share our experience of acceptance testing, commissioning and setting up a quality assurance programme for the MOSAIQ® oncology information system and R&V system after upgrading from software version 2.41 to 2.6 in a multi-vendor, multi-site environment. Testing was guided primarily by the IAEA Human Report No. 7 recommendations, but complemented by other departmental workflow specific tests. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time successful implementation of the IAEA Human Health Report Series No. 7 recommendations have been reported in the literature. Copyright © 2016 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alleviating bias leads to accurate and personalized recommendation

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, Tian; Wang, Tian-Tian; Zhang, Zi-Ke; Zhong, Li-Xin; Chen, Guang

2013-11-01

Recommendation bias towards objects has been found to have an impact on personalized recommendation, since objects present heterogeneous characteristics in some network-based recommender systems. In this article, based on a biased heat conduction recommendation algorithm (BHC) which considers the heterogeneity of the target objects, we propose a heterogeneous heat conduction algorithm (HHC), by further taking the heterogeneity of the source objects into account. Tested on three real datasets, the Netflix, RYM and MovieLens, the HHC algorithm is found to present better recommendation in both the accuracy and diversity than two benchmark algorithms, i.e., the original BHC and a hybrid algorithm of heat conduction and mass diffusion (HHM), while not requiring any other accessorial information or parameter. Moreover, the HHC algorithm also elevates the recommendation accuracy on cold objects, referring to the so-called cold-start problem. Eigenvalue analyses show that, the HHC algorithm effectively alleviates the recommendation bias towards objects with different level of popularity, which is beneficial to solving the accuracy-diversity dilemma.

Comprehensive Fuel Cycle - Community Perspective - 13093

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McLeod, Richard V. [Savannah River Community Reuse Organization, P.O. Box 696, Aiken, SC 29802 (United States); Frazier, Timothy A. [Dickstein Shapiro LLP, 1825 Eye Street NW, Washington, DC, 20006-5403 (United States)

2013-07-01

Should a five-county region surrounding the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site ('SRS') use its assets to help provide solutions to closing the nation's nuclear fuel cycle? That question has been the focus of a local ad hoc multi-disciplinary community task force (Tier I) that has been at work in recent months outlining issues and identifying unanswered questions to determine if assuming a leadership role in closing the nuclear fuel cycle is in the community's interest. If so, what are the terms and conditions under which we the community would agree to participate? Our starting point was the President's Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future ('Commission') which made a total of eight (8) recommendations in its final report. There are several recommendations that are directly relevant to the Tier I group and potential efforts of the Region. These are the 'consent-based approach', the creation of an independent nuclear waste management entity funded from the existing nuclear waste fee; the 'prompt efforts to develop one or more consolidated storage facilities', and 'continued U.S. innovation in nuclear energy technology and for workforce development'. (authors)

Variation in Recommendation for Surgical Treatment for Compressive Neuropathy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hageman, Michiel G. H.; Becker, Stephanie J. E.; Bot, Arjan G. J.; Guitton, Thierry; Ring, David; Wahegaonkar, Abhijeet L.; Garcia, Aida E.; Schefer, Alan; Castillo, Alberto Perez; Terrono, Andrew L.; Gurman, Andrew W.; Apard, T.; Watkins, Barry; Ilyas, Asif; Hearon, Bernard F.; Wills, Brian P. D.; Wintman, Bruce I.; Swigart, Carrie; Spath, Catherine; Dario, Cesar; Miranda, Oliveira; Goldfarb, Charles A.; Cassidy, Charles; Metzger, Charles; Eaton, Charles; Wilson, Chris; Walsh, Christopher J.; Wilson, Christopher J.; Jones, Christopher M.; Young, Colby; Bottke, Craig A.; Osei, Daniel A.; Kirkpatrick, D. Kay; Tate, David; Polatsch, Daniel; Nelson, David L.; Kalainov, David M.; Lamey, David M.; Hanel, Doug; Ostrowski, David M.; Miller, David R.; McKee, Desirae M.; Shin, Eon K.; Ruchelsman, David; Bonatz, Ekkehard; Hofmeister, Eric P.; Fischer, Evan S.; Kaplan, F. Thomas D.; Fernandes, C. H.; Forigua, Jamie E.; Cayon Cayon, Fidel Ernesto; Raia, Frank J.; Walter, Frank L.; Frykman, Gary K.; Pess, Gary M.; Kuzma, Gary R.; Huemer, Georg M.; Byrd, Gregory Dee; Balfour, George W.; Caro, Gladys Cecilia Zambrano; Hernandez, German Ricardo; DeSilva, Gregory; Bamberger, H. Brent; Grunwald, H. W.; MccUtchan, Hal; Solomon, Harrison; Kimball, Hervey L.; Stuart, J. E. B.; Lin, Ines C.; Choueka, Jack; Reid, James G.; Boler, James M.; Pomerance, Jay; Johnson, Jeff W.; Yao, Jeffrey; Calandruccio, Jim; Green, Jennifer B.; Wolf, Jennifer Moriatis; Frankenhoff, Jessica A.; Oakey, Jerome W.; Fischer, Jochen; Howlett, John; Jiuliano, John; Erickson, John M.; McAuliffe, John; Evans, John P.; Taras, John; Boretto, Jorge G.; Isaacs, Jonathan; Di Giovanni, Jose Fernando; Nolla, Jose; Abzug, Joshua M.; Adams, Julie; Chivers, Karel; Prommersberger, Karl-Josef; Malone, Kevin J.; Lee, Kendrick; Halperin, Lawrence S.; Weiss, Lawrence; Benson, Leon; Lane, Lewis B.; Paz, Lior; Lattanza, Lisa; Palmer, M. Jason; Catalano, Louis; Richard, Marc J.; Rizzo, Marco; Boyer, Martin; Calcagni, Maurizio; Wood, Megan M.; Baskies, Michael; Grafe, Michael W.; Behrman, Michael; Jones, Michael; Quinn, Michael; Nancollas, Michael; Kessler, Michael W.; Pirela-Cruz, Miguel A.; Patel, Milan M.; Felipe, Naquira Escobar Luis; Harness, Neil G.; Akabudike, Ngozi M.; Horangic, Nicholas J.; Semenkin, Oleg M.; Leung, Nicky L.; McCulloch, Patrick T.; Owens, Patrick W.; Martineau, Paul A.; Bettinger, Paul; Guidera, Paul; Hoepfner, Peter E.; Sitaram, Prasad; DeNoble, Peter H.; Jebson, Peter; Coogan, Philip; Dantuluri, Phani; Gaston, R. Glenn; Nyszkiewicz, Ralf; Costanzo, Ralph M.; de Bedout, Ramon; Hauck, Randy; Fricker, Renato M.; GIlbert, Richard S.; Hutchison, Richard L.; Barth, Richard W.; Papandrea, Rick; Szabo, Robert M.; Gray, Robert R. L.; Nathan, Ross; Spruijt, Sander; Shatford, Russell; Klinefelter, Ryan; Sodha, Samir; Calfee, Ryan P.; Kakar, Sanjeev; Kaplan, Saul; Duncan, Scott F.; Mitchell, Scott; Dodds, Seth; Jacoby, Sidney M.; Kennedy, Stephen A.; Marczyk, Stanley Casimir; Dailey, Stephen W.; Kronlage, Steve; Alter, Steven; Beldner, Steven; McCabe, Steven J.; Hilliard, Stuart M.; Fischer, Thomas J.; Baxamusa, Taizoon; Taleb, C.; Varecka, Thomas F.; Wyrick, Theresa; Havenhill, Timothy G.; Siff, Todd; Knoll, Victoria D.; Patel, Vipul P.; Batson, W. Arnnold; Hammert, Warren C.; van Wyk, William J.

2013-01-01

Purpose It is our impression that there is substantial, unexplained variation in hand surgeon recommendations for treatment of peripheral mononeuropathy. We tested the null hypothesis that specific patient and provider factors do not influence recommendations for surgery. Methods Using a web-based

A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing cardiopulmonary exercise test values obtained from the arm cycle and the leg cycle respectively in healthy adults

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Rasmus Tolstrup; Christensen, Jan; Tang, Lars Hermann

2016-01-01

INTRODUCTION: The cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) assesses maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and is commonly performed on a leg cycle ergometer (LC). However, some individuals would rather perform the CPET on an arm cycle ergometer (AC). OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to undertake...... in studies on older and less active populations. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3a....... a systematic review and meta-analysis of the difference in VO2max achieved by AC compared to LC in healthy adults and to explore factors that may be predictive of this difference. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PEDro were searched in April 2015. The differences in VO2max (ACLCdiff) were pooled across....../min with a mean ACLCratio of 0.70. The ACLCdiff was lower in studies with higher mean age and lower aerobic capacity. CONCLUSION: There is linear association between the AC and LC values in healthy adults. The AC values were on average 70% of the LC values. The magnitude of this difference appeared to be reduced...

A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Comparing Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test Values Obtained From the Arm Cycle and the Leg Cycle Respectively in Healthy Adults

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Rasmus Tolstrup; Christensen, Jan; Tang, Lars Hermann

2016-01-01

INTRODUCTION: The cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) assesses maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and is commonly performed on a leg cycle ergometer (LC). However, some individuals would rather perform the CPET on an arm cycle ergometer (AC). OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to undertake...... in studies on older and less active populations. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3a....... a systematic review and meta-analysis of the difference in VO2max achieved by AC compared to LC in healthy adults and to explore factors that may be predictive of this difference. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PEDro were searched in April 2015. The differences in VO2max (ACLCdiff) were pooled across....../min with a mean ACLCratio of 0.70. The ACLCdiff was lower in studies with higher mean age and lower aerobic capacity. CONCLUSION: There is linear association between the AC and LC values in healthy adults. The AC values were on average 70% of the LC values. The magnitude of this difference appeared to be reduced...

Thermo-economic analysis of recuperated Maisotsenko bottoming cycle using triplex air saturator: Comparative analyses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saghafifar, Mohammad; Omar, Amr; Erfanmoghaddam, Sepehr; Gadalla, Mohamed

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Proposing recuperated Maisotsenko bottoming cycle (RMBC) as a new combined cycle. • Introducing triplex air saturator for waste heat recovery application. • Conducting thermodynamic optimization to maximize RMBC thermal efficiency. • Conducting thermo-economic optimization to minimize RMBC cost of electricity. - Abstract: A recently recommended combined cycle power plant is to employ another gas turbine cycle for waste heat recovery as an air bottoming cycle (ABC). There are some studies conducted to improve ABC’s thermodynamic performance utilizing commonly power augmentation methods such as steam/water injection. In particular, it is proposed to employ Maisotsenko gas turbine cycle as a bottoming cycle, i.e. Maisotsenko bottoming cycle (MBC). Due to the promising performance of the MBC configuration, it is decided to investigate a recuperated MBC (RMBC) configuration by recommending the triplex air saturator. In this way, the air saturator consists of three sections. The first section is an indirect evaporative cooler while the other two sections are responsible for heat recovery from the topping and bottoming cycle turbines exhaust. In this paper, thermodynamic and thermo-economic analyses are carried out to study the main merits and demerits of RMBC against MBC configuration. Thermodynamic optimization results indicate that the maximum achievable efficiency for MBC and RMBC incorporation in a simple gas turbine power plant are 39.40% and 44.73%, respectively. Finally, thermo-economic optimization shows that the optimum levelized cost of electricity for MBC and RMBC power plants are 62.922 US$/MWh and 58.154 US$/MWh, respectively.

Development of the ultrasonic fatigue testing machine due to study on giga-cycle fatigue at elevated temperature. 2001 annual report. Document on collaborative study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hattori, Shuji; Itoh, Takamoto

2002-03-01

An ultrasonic fatigue testing machine was developed to obtain the giga-cycle fatigue life at elevated temperature for safety and reliability of structural components in the faster breeder reactor (FBR). This testing machine consists of an amplifier, booster, horn and the equipments such as a system controller and data acquisition. The test specimen is attached at the end of the horn. The electric power generated in the amplifier is transformed into the mechanical vibration in the converter and is magnified in the booster and horn. The vibration was enough to fatigue the specimen. Since the test frequency is set at a resonant frequency, the shape and dimensions of specimen were designed so as to vibrate itself resonantly. However, the maximum amplitudes of stress and strain in the specimen can be calculated easily by measuring the amplitude of displacement at the end of the specimen. The developed ultrasonic fatigue testing machine enables to carry out the fatigue tests at 20 kHz so that it can perform the giga-cycle fatigue test within a very short time as compared with the regular fatigue testing machines such as a hydraulic fatigue testing machine. By clarifying the material strength characteristics in giga-cycle region, the life evaluation, design and examination of components will be more suitable than ever. This study will contribute to improve the safety and reliability of components in FBR. In this technical report, the specification and characteristics of the testing machine were described along with the several experimental results. (author)

CHOOSING DRIVING CYCLE OF HYBRID VEHICLE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Vorona

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The analysis of existing driving cycles was performed. After comparing some of the cycles, one specific driving cycle was selected for the hybrid vehicle as the most reliable in representing the real moving of the vehicle in operating conditions and which may be reproduced at experimental tests at the modeling roller stand.

Compact Heat Exchanger Design and Testing for Advanced Reactors and Advanced Power Cycles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Xiaodong; Zhang, Xiaoqin; Christensen, Richard; Anderson, Mark

2018-03-31

The goal of the proposed research is to demonstrate the thermal hydraulic performance of innovative surface geometries in compact heat exchangers used as intermediate heat exchangers (IHXs) and recuperators for the supercritical carbon dioxide (s-CO2) Brayton cycle. Printed-circuit heat exchangers (PCHEs) are the primary compact heat exchangers of interest. The overall objectives are: 1. To develop optimized PCHE designs for different working fluid combinations including helium to s-CO2, liquid salt to s-CO2, sodium to s-CO2, and liquid salt to helium; 2. To experimentally and numerically investigate thermal performance, thermal stress and failure mechanism of PCHEs under various transients; and 3. To study diffusion bonding techniques for elevated-temperature alloys and examine post-test material integrity of the PCHEs. The project objectives were accomplished by defining and executing five different tasks corresponding to these specific objectives. The first task involved a thorough literature review and a selection of IHX candidates with different surface geometries as well as a summary of prototypic operational conditions. The second task involved optimization of PCHE design with numerical analyses of thermal-hydraulic performances and mechanical integrity. The subsequent task dealt with the development of testing facilities and engineering design of PCHE to be tested in s-CO2 fluid conditions. The next task involved experimental investigation and validation of the thermal-hydraulic performances and thermal stress distribution of prototype PCHEs manufactured with particular surface geometries. The last task involved an investigation of diffusion bonding process and posttest destructive testing to validate mechanical design methods adopted in the design process. The experimental work utilized the two test facilities at The Ohio State University (OSU) including one existing High-Temperature Helium Test Facility (HTHF) and the newly developed s-CO2 test loop (STL

The development and validation of a three-tier diagnostic test measuring pre-service elementary education and secondary science teachers' understanding of the water cycle

Science.gov (United States)

Schaffer, Dannah Lynn

The main goal of this research study was to develop and validate a three-tier diagnostic test to determine pre-service teachers' (PSTs) conceptual knowledge of the water cycle. For a three-tier diagnostic test, the first tier assesses content knowledge; in the second tier, a reason is selected for the content answer; and the third tier allows test-takers to select how confident they are in their answers for the first two tiers. The second goal of this study was to diagnose any alternative conceptions PSTs might have about the water cycle. The Water Cycle Diagnostic Test (WCDT) was developed using the theoretical framework by Treagust (1986, 1988, and 1995), and in similar studies that developed diagnostic tests (e.g., Calean & Subramaniam, 2010a; Odom & Barrow, 2007; Pesman & Eryilmaz, 2010). The final instrument consisted of 15 items along with a demographic survey that examined PSTs' weather-related experiences that may or may not have affected the PSTs' understanding of the water cycle. The WCDT was administered to 77 PSTs enrolled in science methods courses during the fall of 2012. Among the 77 participants, 37 of the PSTs were enrolled in elementary education (EPST) and 40 in secondary science (SPST). Using exploratory factor analysis, five categories were factored out for the WCDT: Phase Change of Water; Condensation and Storage; Clouds; Global Climate Change; and Movement through the Water Cycle. Analysis of the PSTs' responses demonstrated acceptable reliability (alpha = 0.62) for the instrument, and acceptable difficulty indices and discrimination indices for 12 of the items. Analysis indicated that the majority of the PSTs had a limited understanding of the water cycle. Of the PSTs sampled, SPSTs were significantly more confident in their answers' on the WCDT than the EPSTs. Completion of an undergraduate atmospheric science and/or meteorology course, as well as a higher interest in listening and/or viewing weather-related programs, resulted in PSTs

Recommendations for translation and reliability testing of International Spinal Cord Injury Data Sets.

Science.gov (United States)

Biering-Sørensen, F; Alexander, M S; Burns, S; Charlifue, S; DeVivo, M; Dietz, V; Krassioukov, A; Marino, R; Noonan, V; Post, M W M; Stripling, T; Vogel, L; Wing, P

2011-03-01

To provide recommendations regarding translation and reliability testing of International Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Data Sets. The Executive Committee for the International SCI Standards and Data Sets. Translations of any specific International SCI Data Set can be accomplished by translation from the English version into the target language, and be followed by a back-translation into English, to confirm that the original meaning has been preserved. Another approach is to have the initial translation performed by translators who have knowledge of SCI, and afterwards controlled by other person(s) with the same kind of knowledge. The translation process includes both language translation and cultural adaptation, and therefore shall not be made word for word, but will strive to include conceptual equivalence. At a minimum, the inter-rater reliability should be tested by no less than two independent observers, and preferably in multiple countries. Translations must include information on the name, role and background of everyone involved in the translation process, and shall be dated and noted with a version number. By following the proposed guidelines, translated data sets should assure comparability of data acquisition across countries and cultures. If the translation process identifies irregularities or misrepresentation in either the original English version or the target language, the working group for the particular International SCI Data Set shall revise the data set accordingly, which may include re-wording of the original English version in order to accomplish a compromise in the content of the data set.

Do recommender systems benefit users? a modeling approach

Science.gov (United States)

Yeung, Chi Ho

2016-04-01

Recommender systems are present in many web applications to guide purchase choices. They increase sales and benefit sellers, but whether they benefit customers by providing relevant products remains less explored. While in many cases the recommended products are relevant to users, in other cases customers may be tempted to purchase the products only because they are recommended. Here we introduce a model to examine the benefit of recommender systems for users, and find that recommendations from the system can be equivalent to random draws if one always follows the recommendations and seldom purchases according to his or her own preference. Nevertheless, with sufficient information about user preferences, recommendations become accurate and an abrupt transition to this accurate regime is observed for some of the studied algorithms. On the other hand, we find that high estimated accuracy indicated by common accuracy metrics is not necessarily equivalent to high real accuracy in matching users with products. This disagreement between estimated and real accuracy serves as an alarm for operators and researchers who evaluate recommender systems merely with accuracy metrics. We tested our model with a real dataset and observed similar behaviors. Finally, a recommendation approach with improved accuracy is suggested. These results imply that recommender systems can benefit users, but the more frequently a user purchases the recommended products, the less relevant the recommended products are in matching user taste.

Air-injection field tests to determine the effect of a heat cycle on the permeability of welded tuff

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, K.H.; Ueng, Tzou-Shin.

1991-01-01

As part of a series of prototype tests conducted in preparation for site characterization of the potential nuclear-waste repository site at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, air-injection tests were conducted in the welded tuffs in G-Tunnel at the Nevada Test Site. The objectives were to characterize the permeability of the highly fractured tuff around a horizontal heater emplacement borehole, and to determine the effect of a heating and cooling cycle on the rock-mass permeability. Air was injected into packed-off intervals along the heater borehole. The bulk permeability of the rock adjacent to the test interval and the aperture of fractures intersecting the interval were computed from the air-flow rate, temperature, and pressure at steady state. The bulk permeability of intervals along with borehole varied from a minimum of 0.08 D to a maximum of over 144 D and the equivalent parallel-plate apertures of fractures intersecting the borehole varied from 70 to 589 μm. Higher permeabilities seemed to correlate spatially with the mapped fractures. The rock was then heated for a period of 6.5 months with an electrical-resistive heater installed in the borehole. After heating, the rock was allowed to cool down to the ambient temperature. The highest borehole wall temperature measured was 242 degree C. Air injection tests were repeated following the heating and cooling cycle, and the results showed significant increases in bulk permeability ranging from 10 to 1830% along the borehole. 8 ref., 6 figs., 3 tabs

Experimental aerodynamic and acoustic model testing of the Variable Cycle Engine (VCE) testbed coannular exhaust nozzle system: Comprehensive data report

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, D. P.; Morris, P. M.

1980-01-01

The component detail design drawings of the one sixth scale model of the variable cycle engine testbed demonstrator exhaust syatem tested are presented. Also provided are the basic acoustic and aerodynamic data acquired during the experimental model tests. The model drawings, an index to the acoustic data, an index to the aerodynamic data, tabulated and graphical acoustic data, and the tabulated aerodynamic data and graphs are discussed.

Dietary Recommendations for Cyclists during Altitude Training

Science.gov (United States)

Michalczyk, Małgorzata; Czuba, Miłosz; Zydek, Grzegorz; Zając, Adam; Langfort, Józef

2016-01-01

The concept of altitude or hypoxic training is a common practice in cycling. However, several strategies for training regimens have been proposed, like “live high, train high” (LH-TH), “live high, train low” (LH-TL) or “intermittent hypoxic training” (IHT). Each of them combines the effect of acclimatization and different training protocols that require specific nutrition. An appropriate nutrition strategy and adequate hydration can help athletes achieve their fitness and performance goals in this unfriendly environment. In this review, the physiological stress of altitude exposure and training will be discussed, with specific nutrition recommendations for athletes training under such conditions. However, there is little research about the nutrition demands of athletes who train at moderate altitude. Our review considers energetic demands and body mass or body composition changes due to altitude training, including respiratory and urinary water loss under these conditions. Carbohydrate intake recommendations and hydration status are discussed in detail, while iron storage and metabolism is also considered. Last, but not least the risk of increased oxidative stress under hypoxic conditions and antioxidant supplementation suggestions are presented. PMID:27322318

Dietary Recommendations for Cyclists during Altitude Training.

Science.gov (United States)

Michalczyk, Małgorzata; Czuba, Miłosz; Zydek, Grzegorz; Zając, Adam; Langfort, Józef

2016-06-18

The concept of altitude or hypoxic training is a common practice in cycling. However, several strategies for training regimens have been proposed, like "live high, train high" (LH-TH), "live high, train low" (LH-TL) or "intermittent hypoxic training" (IHT). Each of them combines the effect of acclimatization and different training protocols that require specific nutrition. An appropriate nutrition strategy and adequate hydration can help athletes achieve their fitness and performance goals in this unfriendly environment. In this review, the physiological stress of altitude exposure and training will be discussed, with specific nutrition recommendations for athletes training under such conditions. However, there is little research about the nutrition demands of athletes who train at moderate altitude. Our review considers energetic demands and body mass or body composition changes due to altitude training, including respiratory and urinary water loss under these conditions. Carbohydrate intake recommendations and hydration status are discussed in detail, while iron storage and metabolism is also considered. Last, but not least the risk of increased oxidative stress under hypoxic conditions and antioxidant supplementation suggestions are presented.

Cost estimate of grouting the proposed test pits at Idaho National Engineering Laboratory using the ORNL-recommended grouts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spence, R.D.

1987-08-01

EG and G Idaho will construct three experimental pits to simulate the TRU waste trenches at Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). Two of these pits will be grouted and then one will be destructively examined as soon as the grout cures and the other will be monitored for 10 years. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is evaluating grouts and will recommend a grout to EG and G Idaho to reduce the permeability of the pit, fill the large voids, and encapsulate the waste. A previous ORNL report (ORNL/TM-9881) discusses the grouts evaluated and the grout recommended based on those evaluations. This report evaluates the economics of grouting the experimental pits. The cost of double grouting two of the EG and G Idaho design pits at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory using lance injection was estimated to be $100,000. Jet grouting the same two pits was estimated to cost $85,000. Both should be tried as part of the test EG and G Idaho is conducting

Research on Correlation between Vehicle Cycle and Engine Cycle in Heavy-duty commercial vehicle

Science.gov (United States)

lin, Chen; Zhong, Wang; Shuai, Liu

2017-12-01

In order to study the correlation between vehicle cycle and engine cycle in heavy commercial vehicles, the conversion model of vehicle cycle to engine cycle is constructed based on the vehicle power system theory and shift strategy, which considers the verification on diesel truck. The results show that the model has high rationality and reliability in engine operation. In the acceleration process of high speed, the difference of model gear selection leads to the actual deviation. Compared with the drum test, the engine speed distribution obtained by the model deviates to right, which fits to the lower grade. The grade selection has high influence on the model.

Energy Conversion Advanced Heat Transport Loop and Power Cycle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oh, C. H.

2006-08-01

The Department of Energy and the Idaho National Laboratory are developing a Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) to serve as a demonstration of state-of-the-art nuclear technology. The purpose of the demonstration is two fold 1) efficient low cost energy generation and 2) hydrogen production. Although a next generation plant could be developed as a single-purpose facility, early designs are expected to be dual-purpose. While hydrogen production and advanced energy cycles are still in its early stages of development, research towards coupling a high temperature reactor, electrical generation and hydrogen production is under way. Many aspects of the NGNP must be researched and developed in order to make recommendations on the final design of the plant. Parameters such as working conditions, cycle components, working fluids, and power conversion unit configurations must be understood. Three configurations of the power conversion unit were demonstrated in this study. A three-shaft design with 3 turbines and 4 compressors, a combined cycle with a Brayton top cycle and a Rankine bottoming cycle, and a reheated cycle with 3 stages of reheat were investigated. An intermediate heat transport loop for transporting process heat to a High Temperature Steam Electrolysis (HTSE) hydrogen production plant was used. Helium, CO2, and an 80% nitrogen, 20% helium mixture (by weight) were studied to determine the best working fluid in terms cycle efficiency and development cost. In each of these configurations the relative component size were estimated for the different working fluids. The relative size of the turbomachinery was measured by comparing the power input/output of the component. For heat exchangers the volume was computed and compared. Parametric studies away from the baseline values of the three-shaft and combined cycles were performed to determine the effect of varying conditions in the cycle. This gives some insight into the sensitivity of these cycles to various

Quantifying the Adaptive Cycle.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David G Angeler

Full Text Available The adaptive cycle was proposed as a conceptual model to portray patterns of change in complex systems. Despite the model having potential for elucidating change across systems, it has been used mainly as a metaphor, describing system dynamics qualitatively. We use a quantitative approach for testing premises (reorganisation, conservatism, adaptation in the adaptive cycle, using Baltic Sea phytoplankton communities as an example of such complex system dynamics. Phytoplankton organizes in recurring spring and summer blooms, a well-established paradigm in planktology and succession theory, with characteristic temporal trajectories during blooms that may be consistent with adaptive cycle phases. We used long-term (1994-2011 data and multivariate analysis of community structure to assess key components of the adaptive cycle. Specifically, we tested predictions about: reorganisation: spring and summer blooms comprise distinct community states; conservatism: community trajectories during individual adaptive cycles are conservative; and adaptation: phytoplankton species during blooms change in the long term. All predictions were supported by our analyses. Results suggest that traditional ecological paradigms such as phytoplankton successional models have potential for moving the adaptive cycle from a metaphor to a framework that can improve our understanding how complex systems organize and reorganize following collapse. Quantifying reorganization, conservatism and adaptation provides opportunities to cope with the intricacies and uncertainties associated with fast ecological change, driven by shifting system controls. Ultimately, combining traditional ecological paradigms with heuristics of complex system dynamics using quantitative approaches may help refine ecological theory and improve our understanding of the resilience of ecosystems.

The relationship between blood potassium, blood lactate, and electromyography signals related to fatigue in a progressive cycling exercise test.

Science.gov (United States)

Tenan, Matthew S; McMurray, Robert G; Blackburn, B Troy; McGrath, Melanie; Leppert, Kyle

2011-02-01

Local muscle fatigue may be related to potassium efflux from the muscle cell and/or lactate accumulation within the muscle. Local fatigue causes a decrease in median frequency (MPF) of the electromyogram's power spectrum during isometric contractions but its relationship to changes in potassium and lactate during dynamic exercise is equivocal. Thus, this investigation evaluated relationships between changes in the MPF from the vastus lateralis and blood levels of lactate and potassium during an incremental cycling test and recovery. Trained cyclists (n=8) completed a discontinuous, graded cycle test to exhaustion under normal and glycogen-reduced conditions. The glycogen reduced condition promoted an environment of lower lactate production while permitting a consistent potassium response. Blood samples and maximal isometric EMG data were collected at the end of each stage and during recovery. Maximal lactate levels were ∼ 60% lower in the glycogen reduced condition; potassium was similar between trials. MPF did not change significantly at volitional fatigue. Further, MPF was not significantly related to lactate (p>0.27) or potassium (p>0.16) in either condition. Though both lactate and potassium have been implicated as factors relating to local muscle fatigue, neither is significantly related to changes in MPF during or after progressive exercise on a cycle ergometer. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mining and representing recommendations in actively evolving recommender systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Assent, Ira

2010-01-01

Recommender systems provide an automatic means of filtering out interesting items, usually based on past similarity of user ratings. In previous work, we have suggested a model that allows users to actively build a recommender network. Users express trust, obtain transparency, and grow (anonymous......) recommender connections. In this work, we propose mining such active systems to generate easily understandable representations of the recommender network. Users may review these representations to provide active feedback. This approach further enhances the quality of recommendations, especially as topics...... of interest change over time. Most notably, it extends the amount of control users have over the model that the recommender network builds of their interests....

Research Needs and Challenges from Science to Decision Support. Lesson Learnt from the Development of the International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD) Recommendations for Life Cycle Impact Assessment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sala, Serenella; Pant, Rana; Hauschild, Michael Zwicky

2012-01-01

Environmental implications of the whole supply-chain of products, both goods and services, their use, and waste management, i.e., their entire life cycle from "cradle to grave" have to be considered to achieve more sustainable production and consumption patterns. Progress toward environmental...... sustainability requires enhancing the methodologies for quantitative, integrated environmental assessment and promoting the use of these methodologies in different domains. In the context of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of products, in recent years, several methodologies have been developed for Life Cycle Impact...... Assessment (LCIA). The Joint Research Center of the European Commission (EC-JRC) led a "science to decision support" process which resulted in the International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD) Handbook, providing guidelines to the decision and application of methods for LCIA. The Handbook...

40 CFR 1033.530 - Duty cycles and calculations.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Duty cycles and calculations. 1033.530... CONTROLS CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM LOCOMOTIVES Test Procedures § 1033.530 Duty cycles and calculations. This section describes how to apply the duty cycle to measured emission rates to calculate cycle...

Do recommended doses of glyphosate-based herbicides affect soil invertebrates? Field and laboratory screening tests to risk assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Niemeyer, Júlia Carina; de Santo, Fernanda Benedet; Guerra, Naiara; Ricardo Filho, Altair Maçaneiro; Pech, Tatiani Maria

2018-05-01

Despite glyphosate-based herbicides are widely used in agriculture, forestry and gardens, little is known about its effects on non-target organisms. The present work evaluated the ecotoxicity of four formulated products (Roundup ® Original, Trop ® , Zapp ® Qi 620 and Crucial ® ) on soil invertebrates. Screening ecotoxicity tests were carried out with soil and oat straw collected in a field experiment, besides laboratory-spiked soils. Screening tests included avoidance behaviour of earthworms (Eisenia andrei), collembolans (Folsomia candida) and isopods (Porcellio dilatatus) in single and multispecies tests; reproduction of collembolans (F. candida), and bait lamina in field. Non-avoidance behaviour was observed in standard tests (earthworms) in soil, neither in multispecies tests (earthworm + isopods) using oat straw, while for collembolans it occurred for the product Zapp ® Qi 620 even at the recommended dose. Reproduction of F. candida was not impaired even at high doses in laboratory-spiked soils. Feeding activity on bait lamina test was impaired in treatment corresponding to the red label product, Crucial ® . Results showed the relevance of bait lamina test on screening the impact of herbicides in the field. The findings highlight the importance of considering different formulations for the same active ingredient in risk assessment of pesticides. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

WLTP Random Cycle Generator

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kooijman, D.G.; Balau, A.E.; Wilkins, S.; Ligterink, N.; Cuelenaere, R.

2015-01-01

European light duty vehicle emission legislation is gradually shifting the focus from test procedures with merely static test cycles, towards procedures including Real Driving Emissions (RDE), as they are a mean to achieve the European (NOx) emission reduction target. Hence a RDE trip must represent

WLTP random cycle generator

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kooijman, D.G.; Balau, A.E.; Wilkins, S.; Ligterink, N.; Cuelenaere, R.

2015-01-01

European light duty vehicle emission legislation is gradually shifting the focus from test procedures with merely static test cycles, towards procedures including Real Driving Emissions (RDE), as they are a mean to achieve the European (NOx) emission reduction target. Hence a RDE trip must represent

Orbit Transfer Vehicle Engine Study. Phase A, extension 1: Advanced expander cycle engine optimization

Science.gov (United States)

Mellish, J. A.

1979-01-01

The performance optimization of expander cycle engines at vacuum thrust levels of 10K, 15K, and 20K lb is discussed. The optimization is conducted for a maximum engine length with an extendible nozzle in the retracted position of 60 inches and an engine mixture ratio of 6.0:1. The thrust chamber geometry and cycle analyses are documented. In addition, the sensitivity of a recommended baseline expander cycle to component performance variations is determined and chilldown/start propellant consumptions are estimated.

Power ramping, cycling and load following behaviour of water reactor fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-05-01

The present meeting was scheduled by the International Atomic Energy Agency upon proposal of the Members of the International Working Group on Water Reactor Fuel Performance and Technology. Sixty-three participants representing 15 countries and one international organization attended the meeting. Twenty papers were presented during three technical sessions, followed by panel discussions which allowed to formulate the conclusions of the meeting and recommendations to the Agency. The objective of this Technical Committee Meeting is to review the ''State-of-the-Art'', make critical comments and recommendations with the aim of improving fuel reliability and assure integrity of the cladding and core materials when subjected to ramping and cycling sequences. The Meeting was organized in three sessions: Session 1. ''Mechanical Behaviour and Fission Gas Release'' (7 papers); Session 2. ''Power Ramping and Power Cycling Demonstration Programmes in Research Reactors'' (5 papers); Session 3. ''Fuel Behaviour in Power Reactors'' (9 papers). Between the sessions, the session chairmen, together with the speakers, prepared and presented reports with summary, conclusions and recommendations of the individual sessions. These reports are added to this summary report. A separate abstract was prepared for each of these 21 presentations. Refs, figs and tabs

Cycle to Cycle Variation Study in a Dual Fuel Operated Engine

KAUST Repository

Pasunurthi, Shyamsundar

2017-03-28

The standard capability of engine experimental studies is that ensemble averaged quantities like in-cylinder pressure from multiple cycles and emissions are reported and the cycle to cycle variation (CCV) of indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) is captured from many consecutive combustion cycles for each test condition. However, obtaining 3D spatial distribution of all the relevant quantities such as fuel-air mixing, temperature, turbulence levels and emissions from such experiments is a challenging task. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations of engine flow and combustion can be used effectively to visualize such 3D spatial distributions. A dual fuel engine is considered in the current study, with manifold injected natural gas (NG) and direct injected diesel pilot for ignition. Multiple engine cycles in 3D are simulated in series like in the experiments to investigate the potential of high fidelity RANS simulations coupled with detailed chemistry, to accurately predict the CCV. Cycle to cycle variation (CCV) is expected to be due to variabilities in operating and boundary conditions, in-cylinder stratification of diesel and natural gas fuels, variation in in-cylinder turbulence levels and velocity flow-fields. In a previous publication by the authors [1], variabilities in operating and boundary conditions are incorporated into several closed cycle simulations performed in parallel. Stochastic variations/stratifications of fuel-air mixture, turbulence levels, temperature and internal combustion residuals cannot be considered in such closed cycle simulations. In this study, open cycle simulations with port injection of natural gas predicted the combined effect of the stratifications on the CCV of in-cylinder pressure. The predicted Coefficient of Variation (COV) of cylinder pressure is improved compared to the one captured by closed cycle simulations in parallel.

Deformation mechanisms induced under high cycle fatigue tests in a metastable austenitic stainless steel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roa, J.J., E-mail: joan.josep.roa@upc.edu [CIEFMA-Departament de Ciència dels Materials i Enginyeria Metallúrgica, ETSEIB, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Avda. Diagonal 647, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); CRnE, Campus Diagonal Sud, Edificio C’, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, C/ Pascual i Vila 15, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Fargas, G. [CIEFMA-Departament de Ciència dels Materials i Enginyeria Metallúrgica, ETSEIB, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Avda. Diagonal 647, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Jiménez-Piqué, E. [CIEFMA-Departament de Ciència dels Materials i Enginyeria Metallúrgica, ETSEIB, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Avda. Diagonal 647, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); CRnE, Campus Diagonal Sud, Edificio C’, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, C/ Pascual i Vila 15, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Mateo, A. [CIEFMA-Departament de Ciència dels Materials i Enginyeria Metallúrgica, ETSEIB, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Avda. Diagonal 647, 08028 Barcelona (Spain)

2014-03-01

Advanced techniques were used to study the deformation mechanisms induced by fatigue tests in a metastable austenitic stainless steel AISI 301LN. Observations by Atomic Force Microscopy were carried out to study the evolution of a pre-existing martensite platelet at increasing number of cycles. The sub-superficial deformation mechanisms of the austenitic grains were studied considering the cross-section microstructure obtained by Focused Ion Beam and analysed by Scanning Electron Microscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy. The results revealed no deformation surrounding the pre-existing martensitic platelet during fatigue tests, only the growth on height was observed. Martensite formation was associated with shear bands on austenite, mainly in the {111} plane, and with the activation of the other intersecting austenite {111}〈110〉 slip system. Furthermore, transmission electron microscopy results showed that the nucleation of ε-martensite follows a two stages phase transformation (γ{sub fcc}→ε{sub hcp}→α'{sub bcc})

Recommended Measures for the Assessment of Cognitive and Physical Performance in Older Patients with Dementia: A Systematic Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Willem J.R. Bossers

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Aim/Goal: To recommend a set of neuropsychological and physical exercise tests for researchers to assess cognition and physical fitness in clinical trials with older patients with dementia; to create consensus, decrease heterogeneity, and improve research quality. Methods: A literature search (2005–2011 yielded 89 randomized controlled trials. To provide information on test recommendations the frequency of test use, effect size of the test outcome, study quality, and psychometric properties of tests were analyzed. Results: Fifty-nine neuropsychological tests (cognitive domains: global cognition, executive functioning, memory, and attention and 10 exercise tests (physical domains: endurance capacity, muscle strength, balance, and mobility were found. Conclusion: The Severe Impairment Battery, Mini Mental State Examination, and Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale – cognitive subscale were recommended to measure global cognition. The Verbal Fluency Test Category/Letters, Clock Drawing Test, and Trail Making Test-B were recommended to measure executive functioning. No specific memory test could be recommended. The Digit Span Forward, Digit Span Backward, and Trail Making Test-A were recommended to measure attention. As physical exercise tests, the Timed Up and Go and Six Meter Walk for mobility, the Six Minute Walk Distance for endurance capacity, and the Tinetti Balance Scale were recommended.

The global carbon cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maier-Reimer, E.

1991-01-01

Basic concepts of the global carbon cycle on earth are described; by careful analyses of isotopic ratios, emission history and oceanic ventilation rates are derived, which provide crucial tests for constraining and calibrating models. Effects of deforestation, fertilizing, fossil fuel burning, soil erosion, etc. are quantified and compared, and the oceanic carbon process is evaluated. Oceanic and terrestrial biosphere modifications are discussed and a carbon cycle model is proposed

Evaluation of selection methods for toxicological impacts in LCA. Recommendations for OMNIITOX

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Henrik Fred; Birkved, Morten; Hauschild, Michael Zwicky

2004-01-01

selection methods. Conclusion and Recommendations. For the development of SMs it is recommended that the general principles for CRS systems as applied to SMs are taken into account. Furthermore, special attention should be paid to some specific issues, i.e. the emitted amount should be included, data......Goal, Scope and Background. The aim of this study has been to come up with recommendations on how to develop a selection method (SM) within the method development research of the OMNIITOX project. An SM is a method for prioritization of chemical emissions to be included in a Life Cycle Impact...... categories, and when they do there are typically many gaps. This study covers the only existing methods explicitly designed as SMs (EDIP-selection, Priofactor and CPM-selection), the dominating Chemical Ranking and Scoring (CRS) method in Europe (EURAM) and in USA (WMPT) that can be adapted for this purpose...

Recommendations for Life Cycle Impact Assessment in the European context - based on existing environmental impact assessment models and factors (International Reference Life Cycle Data System - ILCD handbook)

OpenAIRE

HAUSCHILD Michael; GOEDKOOP Mark; GUINEE Jerome; HEIJUNGS Reinout; HUIJBREGTS Mark; JOLLIET Olivier; MARGNI Manuele; DE SCHRYVER An

2010-01-01

To achieve more sustainable production and consumption patterns, we must consider the environmental implications of the whole supply-chain of products, both goods and services, their use, and waste management, i.e. their entire life cycle from ¿cradle to grave¿. In the Communication on Integrated Product Policy (IPP), (EC, 2003), the European Commission committed to produce a handbook on best practice in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) Action ...

Life-Cycle Assessment of Energy and Environmental Impacts of LED Lighting Products, Part 3: LED Environmental Testing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tuenge, Jason R.; Hollomon, Brad; Dillon, Heather E.; Snowden-Swan, Lesley J.

2013-03-01

This report covers the third part of a larger U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) project to assess the life-cycle environmental and resource impacts in the manufacturing, transport, use, and disposal of light-emitting diode (LED) lighting products in relation to incumbent lighting technologies. All three reports are available on the DOE website (www.ssl.energy.gov/tech_reports.html). • Part 1: Review of the Life-Cycle Energy Consumption of Incandescent, Compact Fluorescent and LED Lamps; • Part 2: LED Manufacturing and Performance; • Part 3: LED Environmental Testing. Parts 1 and 2 were published in February and June 2012, respectively. The Part 1 report included a summary of the life-cycle assessment (LCA) process and methodology, provided a literature review of more than 25 existing LCA studies of various lamp types, and performed a meta-analysis comparing LED lamps with incandescent and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). Drawing from the Part 1 findings, Part 2 performed a more detailed assessment of the LED manufacturing process and used these findings to provide a comparative LCA taking into consideration a wider range of environmental impacts. Both reports concluded that the life-cycle environmental impact of a given lamp is dominated by the energy used during lamp operation—the upstream generation of electricity drives the total environmental footprint of the product. However, a more detailed understanding of end-of-life disposal considerations for LED products has become increasingly important as their installation base has grown. The Part 3 study (reported herein) was undertaken to augment the LCA findings with chemical analysis of a variety of LED, CFL, and incandescent lamps using standard testing procedures. A total of 22 samples, representing 11 different models, were tested to determine whether any of 17 elements were present at levels exceeding California or Federal regulatory thresholds for hazardous waste. Key findings include: • The selected

The strains recommended for use in the bacterial reverse mutation test (OECD guideline 471) can be certified as non-genetically modified organisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Sugiyama, Kei-Ichi; Yamada, Masami; Awogi, Takumi; Hakura, Atsushi

2016-01-01

The bacterial reverse mutation test, commonly called Ames test, is used worldwide. In Japan, the genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are regulated under the Cartagena Domestic Law, and organisms obtained by self-cloning and/or natural occurrence would be exempted from the law case by case. The strains of Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli recommended for use in the bacterial reverse mutation test (OECD guideline 471), have been considered as non-GMOs because they can be constructed by self-cloning or naturally occurring bacterial strains, or do not disturb the biological diversity. The present article explains the reasons why these tester strains should be classified as non-GMOs.

Optimizing antiemetic therapy in multiple-day and multiple cycles of chemotherapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ellebaek, E.; Herrstedt, J.

2008-01-01

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Only a few studies have investigated the effect of antiemetic therapy in patients treated with multiple-day or multiple cycles of chemotherapy. The present review will assess the available data, highlight the current recommendations and draw attention towards the remaining...... of chemotherapy the addition of a NK1-receptor antagonist aprepitant to standard antiemetic therapy has increased the antiemetic effect, and multiple cycle extension studies have demonstrated that this increment in effect is sustained during multiple cycles of chemotherapy. A recent study indicated...... that the dopamine D2-receptor antagonist metopimazine has some additive effect on delayed symptoms induced by multiple-day chemotherapy. SUMMARY: The development of the NK1-receptor antagonist aprepitant has significantly improved the antiemetic control in patients treated with multiple cycles of chemotherapy. Far...

Seismic design considerations of nuclear fuel cycle facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-10-01

An Advisory Group Meeting (AGM) on Seismic Technologies of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities was convened in Vienna from 12 to 14 November 1997. The main objective of the meeting was the investigation of the present status of seismic technologies in nuclear fuel cycle facilities in Member States as a starting point for understanding of the most important directions and trends of national initiatives, including research and development, in the area of seismic safety. The AGM gave priority to the establishment of a consistent programme for seismic assessment of nuclear fuel cycle facilities worldwide. A consultants meeting subsequently met in Vienna from 16 to 19 March 1999. At this meeting the necessity of a dedicated programme was further supported and a technical background to the initiative was provided. This publication provides recommendations both for the seismic design of new plants and for re-evaluation projects of nuclear fuel cycle facilities. After a short introduction of the general IAEA approach, some key contributions from Member State participants are presented. Each of them was indexed separately

Evolutionary algorithm for vehicle driving cycle generation.

Science.gov (United States)

Perhinschi, Mario G; Marlowe, Christopher; Tamayo, Sergio; Tu, Jun; Wayne, W Scott

2011-09-01

Modeling transit bus emissions and fuel economy requires a large amount of experimental data over wide ranges of operational conditions. Chassis dynamometer tests are typically performed using representative driving cycles defined based on vehicle instantaneous speed as sequences of "microtrips", which are intervals between consecutive vehicle stops. Overall significant parameters of the driving cycle, such as average speed, stops per mile, kinetic intensity, and others, are used as independent variables in the modeling process. Performing tests at all the necessary combinations of parameters is expensive and time consuming. In this paper, a methodology is proposed for building driving cycles at prescribed independent variable values using experimental data through the concatenation of "microtrips" isolated from a limited number of standard chassis dynamometer test cycles. The selection of the adequate "microtrips" is achieved through a customized evolutionary algorithm. The genetic representation uses microtrip definitions as genes. Specific mutation, crossover, and karyotype alteration operators have been defined. The Roulette-Wheel selection technique with elitist strategy drives the optimization process, which consists of minimizing the errors to desired overall cycle parameters. This utility is part of the Integrated Bus Information System developed at West Virginia University.

The effectiveness of breakfast recommendations on weight loss

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dhurandhar, Emily J; Dawson, John; Alcorn, Amy

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: Breakfast is associated with lower body weight in observational studies. Public health authorities commonly recommend breakfast consumption to reduce obesity, but the effectiveness of adopting these recommendations for reducing body weight is unknown.OBJECTIVE: We tested the relative...... effectiveness of a recommendation to eat or skip breakfast on weight loss in adults trying to lose weight in a free-living setting. DESIGN: We conducted a multisite, 16-wk, 3-parallel-arm randomized controlled trial in otherwise healthy overweight and obese adults [body mass index (in kg/m(2)) between 25 and 40.......53 ± 1.16, -0.59 ± 1.06, and -0.71 ± 1.17 kg for the control, breakfast, and NB groups, respectively. Self-reported compliance with the recommendation was 93.6% for the breakfast group and 92.4% for the NB group.Conclusions: A recommendation to eat or skip breakfast for weight loss was effective...

Not all counterclockwise thermodynamic cycles are refrigerators

Science.gov (United States)

Dickerson, R. H.; Mottmann, J.

2016-06-01

Clockwise cycles on PV diagrams always represent heat engines. It is therefore tempting to assume that counterclockwise cycles always represent refrigerators. This common assumption is incorrect: most counterclockwise cycles cannot be refrigerators. This surprising result is explored here for quasi-static ideal gas cycles, and the necessary conditions for refrigeration cycles are clarified. Three logically self-consistent criteria can be used to determine if a counterclockwise cycle is a refrigerator. The most fundamental test compares the counterclockwise cycle with a correctly determined corresponding Carnot cycle. Other criteria we employ include a widely accepted description of the functional behavior of refrigerators, and a corollary to the second law that limits a refrigerator's coefficient of performance.

40 CFR 600.109-78 - EPA driving cycles.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false EPA driving cycles. 600.109-78 Section... Model Year Automobiles-Test Procedures § 600.109-78 EPA driving cycles. (a) The driving cycle to be... driving cycle to be utilized for generation of the highway fuel economy data is specified in this...

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations and cancer screening among female Medicare beneficiaries.

Science.gov (United States)

Salloum, Ramzi G; Kohler, Racquel E; Jensen, Gail A; Sheridan, Stacey L; Carpenter, William R; Biddle, Andrea K

2014-03-01

Medicare covers several cancer screening tests not currently recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force). In September 2002, the Task Force relaxed the upper age limit of 70 years for breast cancer screening recommendations, and in March 2003 an upper age limit of 65 years was introduced for cervical cancer screening recommendations. We assessed whether mammogram and Pap test utilization among women with Medicare coverage is influenced by changes in the Task Force's recommendations for screening. We identified female Medicare beneficiaries aged 66-80 years and used bivariate probit regression to examine the receipt of breast (mammogram) and cervical (Pap test) cancer screening reflecting changes in the Task Force recommendations. We analyzed 9,760 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey responses from 2001 to 2007. More than two-thirds reported receiving a mammogram and more than one-third a Pap test in the previous 2 years. Lack of recommendation was given as a reason for not getting screened among the majority (51% for mammogram and 75% for Pap). After controlling for beneficiary-level socioeconomic characteristics and access to care factors, we did not observe a significant change in breast and cervical cancer screening patterns following the changes in Task Force recommendations. Although there is evidence that many Medicare beneficiaries adhere to screening guidelines, some women may be receiving non-recommended screening services covered by Medicare.

Pilot test of ANSI draft standard N13.29 environmental dosimetry -- Performance criteria for testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klemic, G.; Shebell, P.; Monetti, M.; Raccah, F.; Sengupta, S.

1998-09-01

American National Standards Institute Draft N13.29 describes performance tests for environmental radiation dosimetry providers. If approved it would be the first step toward applying the types of performance testing now required in personnel dosimetry to environmental radiation monitoring. The objective of this study was to pilot test the draft standard, before it undergoes final balloting, on a small group of dosimetry providers that were selected to provide a mix of facility types, thermoluminescent dosimeter designs and monitoring program applications. The first phase of the pilot test involved exposing dosimeters to laboratory photon, beta, and x-ray sources at routine and accident dose levels. In the second phase, dosimeters were subjected to ninety days of simulated environmental conditions in an environmental chamber that cycled through extremes of temperature and humidity. Two out of seven participants passed all categories of the laboratory testing phase, and all seven passed the environmental test phase. While some relatively minor deficiencies were uncovered in the course of the pilot test, the results show that draft N13.29 describes useful tests that could be appropriate for environmental dosimetry providers. An appendix to this report contains recommendations that should be addressed by the N13.29 working group before draft N13.29 is submitted for balloting

Many non-elite multisport endurance athletes do not meet sports nutrition recommendations for carbohydrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Masson, Geneviève; Lamarche, Benoît

2016-07-01

Little is known regarding the dietary intake of non-elite athletes involved in multisport endurance events. The primary objective of this observational study was to characterize the dietary intake of non-elite athletes participating in winter triathlon (snowshoeing, skating, and cross-country skiing), winter pentathlon (winter triathlon sports + cycling and running), Ironman (IM: swimming, cycling, running), and half-distance Ironman (IM 70.3) in relation with current sports nutrition recommendations. A total of 116 non-elite athletes (32 women and 84 men) who had participated in one of those events in 2014 were included in the analyses. Usual dietary intake was assessed using a validated online food frequency questionnaire. Participants (22-66 years old) trained 14.8 ± 5.3 h/week, on average (±SD). Only 45.7% [95% confidence interval, 36.4%-55.2%] of all athletes reported consuming the recommended intake for carbohydrates, with the highest proportion (66.7%) seen in IM athletes. On the other hand, 87.1% [79.6%-92.6%] of all athletes reported consuming at least 1.2 g protein·kg(-1)·day(-1), while 66.4% [57.0%-74.9%] reported consuming more than 1.6 g protein·kg(-1)·day(-1). The proportion of athletes consuming the recommended amount of protein was highest (84.6%) among IM athletes. There was no difference in the proportion of athletes achieving the recommended carbohydrate and protein intakes between men and women. These findings suggest that many non-elite multisport endurance athletes do not meet the current recommendations for carbohydrates, emphasizing the need for targeted nutritional education. Further research is needed to examine how underreporting of food intake may have affected these estimates.

40 CFR 600.109-08 - EPA driving cycles.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false EPA driving cycles. 600.109-08 Section... Model Year Automobiles-Test Procedures § 600.109-08 EPA driving cycles. (a) The FTP driving cycle is prescribed in § 86.115 of this chapter. (b) The highway fuel economy driving cycle is specified in this...

Summary remarks and recommended reactions for an international data file for dosimetry applications for LWR, FBR, and MFR reactor research, development and testing programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McElroy, W.N.; Lippincott, E.P.; Grundl, J.A.; Fabry, A.; Dierckx, R.; Farinelli, U.

1979-01-01

The need for the use of an internationally accepted data file for dosimetry applications for light water reactor (LWR), fast breeder reactor (FBR), and magnetic fusion reactor (MFR) research, development, and testing programs continues to exist for the Nuclear Industry. The work of this IAEA meeting, therefore, will be another important step in achieving consensus agreement on an internationally recommended file and its purpose, content, structure, selected reactions, and associated uncertainy files. Summary remarks and a listing of recommended reactions for consideration in the formulation of an ''International Data File for Dosimetry Applications'' are presented in subsequent sections of this report

From recommendation to action: psychosocial factors influencing physician intention to use Health Technology Assessment (HTA recommendations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sánchez Emília

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Evaluating the impact of recommendations based upon health technology assessment (HTA represents a challenge for both HTA agencies and healthcare policy-makers. Using a psychosocial theoretical framework, this study aimed at exploring the factors affecting physician intention to adopt HTA recommendations. The selected recommendations were prioritisation systems for patients on waiting lists for two surgical procedures: hip and knee replacement and cataract surgery. Methods Determinants of physician intention to use HTA recommendations for patient prioritisation were assessed by a questionnaire based upon the Theory of Interpersonal Behaviour. A total of 96 physicians from two medical specialties (ophthalmology and orthopaedic surgery responded to the questionnaire (response rate 44.2%. A multiple analysis of variance (MANOVA was performed to assess differences between medical specialties on the set of theoretical variables. Given the main effect difference between specialties, two regression models were tested separately to assess the psychosocial determinants of physician intention to use HTA recommendations for the prioritisation of patients on waiting lists for surgical procedures. Results Factors influencing physician intention to use HTA recommendations differ between groups of specialists. Intention to use the prioritisation system for patients on waiting lists for cataract surgery among ophthalmologists was related to attitude towards the behaviour, social norms, as well as personal normative beliefs. Intention to use HTA recommendations for patient prioritisation for hip and knee replacement among orthopaedic surgeons was explained by: perception of conditions that facilitated the realisation of the behaviour, personal normative beliefs, and habit of using HTA recommendations in clinical work. Conclusion This study offers a model to assess factors influencing the intention to adopt recommendations from health

Evaluation of PDA Technical Report No 33. Statistical Testing Recommendations for a Rapid Microbiological Method Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Thomas; Schwedock, Julie; Nguyen, Kham; Mills, Anna; Jones, David

2015-01-01

New recommendations for the validation of rapid microbiological methods have been included in the revised Technical Report 33 release from the PDA. The changes include a more comprehensive review of the statistical methods to be used to analyze data obtained during validation. This case study applies those statistical methods to accuracy, precision, ruggedness, and equivalence data obtained using a rapid microbiological methods system being evaluated for water bioburden testing. Results presented demonstrate that the statistical methods described in the PDA Technical Report 33 chapter can all be successfully applied to the rapid microbiological method data sets and gave the same interpretation for equivalence to the standard method. The rapid microbiological method was in general able to pass the requirements of PDA Technical Report 33, though the study shows that there can be occasional outlying results and that caution should be used when applying statistical methods to low average colony-forming unit values. Prior to use in a quality-controlled environment, any new method or technology has to be shown to work as designed by the manufacturer for the purpose required. For new rapid microbiological methods that detect and enumerate contaminating microorganisms, additional recommendations have been provided in the revised PDA Technical Report No. 33. The changes include a more comprehensive review of the statistical methods to be used to analyze data obtained during validation. This paper applies those statistical methods to analyze accuracy, precision, ruggedness, and equivalence data obtained using a rapid microbiological method system being validated for water bioburden testing. The case study demonstrates that the statistical methods described in the PDA Technical Report No. 33 chapter can be successfully applied to rapid microbiological method data sets and give the same comparability results for similarity or difference as the standard method. © PDA, Inc

Results of scoping tests for open-cycle OTEC (ocean thermal energy conversion) components operating with seawater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zangrando, F; Bharathan, D; Green, H J; Link, H F; Parsons, B K; Parsons, J M; Pesaran, A A [Solar Energy Research Inst., Golden, CO (USA); Panchal, C B [Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)

1990-09-01

This report presents comprehensive documentation of the experimental research conducted on open-cycle ocean thermal energy conversion (OC-OTEC) components operating with seawater as a working fluid. The results of this research are presented in the context of previous analysis and fresh-water testing; they provide a basis for understanding and predicting with confidence the performance of all components of an OC-OTEC system except the turbine. Seawater tests have confirmed the results that were obtained in fresh-water tests and predicted by the analytical models of the components. A sound technical basis has been established for the design of larger systems in which net power will be produced for the first time from OC-OTEC technology. Design and operation of a complete OC-OTEC system that produces power will provide sufficient confidence to warrant complete transfer of OC-OTEC technology to the private sector. Each components performance is described in a separate chapter written by the principal investigator responsible for technical aspects of the specific tests. Chapters have been indexed separately for inclusion on the data base.

Capacity fade of LiAlyNi1-x-yCoxO2 cathode for lithium-ion batteries during accelerated calendar and cycle life tests (surface analysis of LiAlyNi1-x-yCoxO2 cathode after cycle tests in restricted depth of discharge ranges)

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Shoichiro; Kinoshita, Masahiro; Hosokawa, Takashi; Morigaki, Kenichi; Nakura, Kensuke

2014-07-01

Cycle performance at 60 °C for a Li Al0.10Ni0.76Co0.14O2 (NCA) cathode/graphite cell was greatly improved when a DOD range in charge-discharge cycling (ΔDOD) was restricted. The deterioration mechanism was analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy-electron energy-loss spectroscopy (STEM-EELS). Only after the cycle test in the ΔDOD of 0-100%, many micro-cracks were generated in the inter-surface between the primary particles which aggregated to form the secondary particles, and a NiO-like resistance layer with Fm3m rock salt structure was formed on each primary particle which was contact with other primary particles and electrolyte. It can be concluded that the lack of contact between the primary particles with the micro-crack generation and the formation of the new resistance layer are responsible for the capacity fading and the rise in impedance during charge-discharge cycle in the wide ΔDOD.

A 22 MW pilot plant with an ammonia bottoming cycle is being tested by Electricite de France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fleury, J.; Bellot, C.

1989-01-01

EDF's DER has built a 22 MW ammonia bottoming cycle pilot power plant in Gennevilliers near Paris. This construction marks a turning point in the development of bottoming cycles which was undertaken at EDF in 1970. These cycles could be used in powerful PWR plants. The key feature of this type of plant is its appreciable capacity gain when the temperature of the heat sink drops. Thus, with a heat sink of the dry cooling tower type, low air temperatures in winter can be turned to use to produce more energy when demand is at its highest. At the same time, with dry cooling towers, a tiresome constraint vanishes since the plant location choice does no longer depend on the existence of a water reservoir in the vicinity of the plant. The construction of the pilot plant Cybiam began in 1980. Its steam turbine-generator set was coupled to the French network in March 1986 and its ammonia turbine-generator set in December 1986. The full load was attained on June 4th 1987. The main problems met during its commissioning are described in this paper as well as the first test results. From the economic point of view, the money value of the extra power generated during cold spells is assessed

Incorporating comparative genomics into the design-test-learn cycle of microbial strain engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Sardi, Maria; Gasch, Audrey P

2017-08-01

Engineering microbes with new properties is an important goal in industrial engineering, to establish biological factories for production of biofuels, commodity chemicals and pharmaceutics. But engineering microbes to produce new compounds with high yield remains a major challenge toward economically viable production. Incorporating several modern approaches, including synthetic and systems biology, metabolic modeling and regulatory rewiring, has proven to significantly advance industrial strain engineering. This review highlights how comparative genomics can also facilitate strain engineering, by identifying novel genes and pathways, regulatory mechanisms and genetic background effects for engineering. We discuss how incorporating comparative genomics into the design-test-learn cycle of strain engineering can provide novel information that complements other engineering strategies. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Orbital simulation life tests of nickel hydrogen batteries with additional non-eclipse cycles

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, P. J.; Donley, S. W.; Verrier, D. C.

Nickel-hydrogen battery technology has established itself as the system of choice to provide energy storage on board Earth orbiting satellites. In addition to providing electrical power for the satellite during the periods the satellite's solar arrays are eclipsed by the Earth, applications are evolving (such as ion propulsion) where the battery is required to supplement the power supplied to the spacecraft by the solar panels in order to meet the peak power demands. In this paper, the results of a four-year accelerated life test programme, equivalent to more than 20 years in orbit, are reported. Additional non-eclipse cycles were added to both the eclipse and solstice seasons of each simulated spacecraft year. The results show that the additional discharges do not significantly effect the rates of performance degradation of the batteries.

Recommendations for building and testing the next generation of gaseous detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, Bernhard

2003-01-01

This paper is the write-up of the very last talk of an interesting, exciting and exhausting workshop. It is not meant as yet another summary talk, but as the very personal view of the situation and recommendations for the future work. It attempts to give a few general hints and rules for the design, construction, development and operation of high rate gaseous detectors

The Role of Cohesive Particle Interactions on Solids Uniformity and Mobilization During Jet Mixing: Testing Recommendations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gauglitz, Phillip A.; Wells, Beric E.; Bamberger, Judith A.; Fort, James A.; Chun, Jaehun; Jenks, Jeromy WJ

2010-04-01

Radioactive waste that is currently stored in large underground tanks at the Hanford Site will be staged in selected double-shell tanks (DSTs) and then transferred to the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). Before being transferred, the waste will be mixed, sampled, and characterized to determine if the waste composition and meets the waste feed specifications. Washington River Protection Solutions is conducting a Tank Mixing and Sampling Demonstration Program to determine the mixing effectiveness of the current baseline mixing system that uses two jet mixer pumps and the adequacy of the planned sampling method. The overall purpose of the demonstration program is to mitigate the technical risk associated with the mixing and sampling systems meeting the feed certification requirements for transferring waste to the WTP.The purpose of this report is to analyze existing data and evaluate whether scaled mixing tests with cohesive simulants are needed to meet the overall objectives of the small-scale mixing demonstration program. This evaluation will focus on estimating the role of cohesive particle interactions on various physical phenomena that occur in parts of the mixing process. A specific focus of the evaluation will be on the uniformity of suspended solids in the mixed region. Based on the evaluation presented in this report and the absence of definitive studies, the recommendation is to conduct scaled mixing tests with cohesive particles and augment the initial testing with non-cohesive particles. In addition, planning for the quantitative tests would benefit from having test results from some scoping experiments that would provide results on the general behavior when cohesive inter-particle forces are important.

Can the Lamberts and Lambert Submaximal Cycle Test Reflect Overreaching in Professional Cyclists?

Science.gov (United States)

Decroix, Lieselot; Lamberts, Robert P; Meeusen, Romain

2018-01-01

The Lamberts and Lambert Submaximal Cycle Test (LSCT) consists of 3 stages during which cyclists cycle for 6 min at 60%, 6 min at 80%, and 3 min at 90% of their maximal heart rate, followed by 1-min recovery. To determine if the LSCT is able to reflect a state of functional overreaching in professional female cyclists during an 8-d training camp and the following recovery days. Six professional female cyclists performed an LSCT on days 1, 5, and 8 of the training camp and 3 d after the training camp. During each stage of the LSCT, power output and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were determined. Training diaries and Profile of Mood States (POMS) were also completed. At the middle and the end of the training camp, increased power output during the 2nd and 3rd stages of the LSCT was accompanied with increased RPE during these stages and/or the inability to reach 90% of maximal heart rate. All athletes reported increased feelings of fatigue and muscle soreness, while changes in energy balance, calculated from the POMS, were less indicative of a state of overreaching. After 3 d of recovery, all parameters of the LSCT returned to baseline, indicating a state of functional overreaching during the training camp. The LSCT is able to reflect a state of overreaching in elite professional female cyclists during an 8-d training camp and the following recovery days.

Mining the preferences of patients for ubiquitous clinic recommendation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Tin-Chih Toly; Chiu, Min-Chi

2018-03-06

A challenge facing all ubiquitous clinic recommendation systems is that patients often have difficulty articulating their requirements. To overcome this problem, a ubiquitous clinic recommendation mechanism was designed in this study by mining the clinic preferences of patients. Their preferences were defined using the weights in the ubiquitous clinic recommendation mechanism. An integer nonlinear programming problem was solved to tune the values of the weights on a rolling basis. In addition, since it may take a long time to adjust the values of weights to their asymptotic values, the back propagation network (BPN)-response surface method (RSM) method is applied to estimate the asymptotic values of weights. The proposed methodology was tested in a regional study. Experimental results indicated that the ubiquitous clinic recommendation system outperformed several existing methods in improving the successful recommendation rate.

Large-Scale Pumping Test Recommendations for the 200-ZP-1 Operable Unit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Spane, Frank A.

2010-09-08

CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Company (CHPRC) is currently assessing aquifer characterization needs to optimize pump-and-treat remedial strategies (e.g., extraction well pumping rates, pumping schedule/design) in the 200-ZP-1 operable unit (OU), and in particular for the immediate area of the 241 TX-TY Tank Farm. Specifically, CHPRC is focusing on hydrologic characterization opportunities that may be available for newly constructed and planned ZP-1 extraction wells. These new extraction wells will be used to further refine the 3-dimensional subsurface contaminant distribution within this area and will be used in concert with other existing pump-and-treat wells to remediate the existing carbon tetrachloride contaminant plume. Currently, 14 extraction wells are actively used in the Interim Record of Decision ZP-1 pump-and-treat system for the purpose of remediating the existing carbon tetrachloride contamination in groundwater within this general area. As many as 20 new extraction wells and 17 injection wells may be installed to support final pump-and-treat operations within the OU area. It should be noted that although the report specifically refers to the 200-ZP-1 OU, the large-scale test recommendations are also applicable to the adjacent 200-UP-1 OU area. This is because of the similar hydrogeologic conditions exhibited within these two adjoining OU locations.

Menstrual cycle and skin reactivity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Agner, T; Damm, P; Skouby, S O

1991-01-01

The hypothesis was tested that a cyclic variation exists in skin reactivity to irritant stimuli. Twenty-nine healthy women with regular menstrual cycles were challenged with sodium lauryl sulfate as an irritant patch test at day 1 and at days 9 through 11 of the menstrual cycle. The skin response...... to the applied irritant stimulus was evaluated by visual scoring and also quantified by measurements of transepidermal water loss, edema formation, and blood flow in the skin. The skin response to challenge with sodium lauryl sulfate was found to be significantly stronger at day 1 than at days 9 through 11...

Aggregated recommendation through random forests.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Heng-Ru; Min, Fan; He, Xu

2014-01-01

Aggregated recommendation refers to the process of suggesting one kind of items to a group of users. Compared to user-oriented or item-oriented approaches, it is more general and, therefore, more appropriate for cold-start recommendation. In this paper, we propose a random forest approach to create aggregated recommender systems. The approach is used to predict the rating of a group of users to a kind of items. In the preprocessing stage, we merge user, item, and rating information to construct an aggregated decision table, where rating information serves as the decision attribute. We also model the data conversion process corresponding to the new user, new item, and both new problems. In the training stage, a forest is built for the aggregated training set, where each leaf is assigned a distribution of discrete rating. In the testing stage, we present four predicting approaches to compute evaluation values based on the distribution of each tree. Experiments results on the well-known MovieLens dataset show that the aggregated approach maintains an acceptable level of accuracy.

Marketing budget allocation across countries : The role of the international business cycle

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peers, Y.; van Heerde, H.J.; Dekimpe, Marnik

2017-01-01

A key conundrum facing organizations is how to adjust marketing budgets in response to the business cycle. While most firms use procyclical spending (spending less during economic contractions), academic studies often recommend countercyclical spending (spending more during contractions), which begs

Statistics of software vulnerability detection in certification testing

Science.gov (United States)

Barabanov, A. V.; Markov, A. S.; Tsirlov, V. L.

2018-05-01

The paper discusses practical aspects of introduction of the methods to detect software vulnerability in the day-to-day activities of the accredited testing laboratory. It presents the approval results of the vulnerability detection methods as part of the study of the open source software and the software that is a test object of the certification tests under information security requirements, including software for communication networks. Results of the study showing the allocation of identified vulnerabilities by types of attacks, country of origin, programming languages used in the development, methods for detecting vulnerability, etc. are given. The experience of foreign information security certification systems related to the detection of certified software vulnerabilities is analyzed. The main conclusion based on the study is the need to implement practices for developing secure software in the development life cycle processes. The conclusions and recommendations for the testing laboratories on the implementation of the vulnerability analysis methods are laid down.

European Community legislation and recommendations in the field of radioactive waste management and disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schaller, K.H.; Orlowski, S.

1993-01-01

Radiation protection principles are the foundation for national and European Community legislation and recommendations in the field of management and disposal of radioactive waste. Directives set up at Community level, which are to be implemented in the national legislative framework of the Member States are summarized. Policies and strategies in radioactive waste management are of national competence, as well as ensuring safety of all steps of handling, storage and final disposal; recommendations at Community level are developed to assist national authorities and agencies in determining their strategy. Existing recommendations are described and a preview of recommendations under preparation is given. Legislation in this field is mainly aimed at radioactive waste arising from operation and decommissioning of nuclear installations; for radioactive waste produced outside the nuclear fuel cycle and for material with significant levels of naturally occurring radionuclides special situations exist, and harmonization of legislation and the development of common practices on the management of such wastes may be desirable

Comparing the ISO-recommended and the cumulative data-reduction algorithms in S-on-1 laser damage test by a reverse approach method

Science.gov (United States)

Zorila, Alexandru; Stratan, Aurel; Nemes, George

2018-01-01

We compare the ISO-recommended (the standard) data-reduction algorithm used to determine the surface laser-induced damage threshold of optical materials by the S-on-1 test with two newly suggested algorithms, both named "cumulative" algorithms/methods, a regular one and a limit-case one, intended to perform in some respects better than the standard one. To avoid additional errors due to real experiments, a simulated test is performed, named the reverse approach. This approach simulates the real damage experiments, by generating artificial test-data of damaged and non-damaged sites, based on an assumed, known damage threshold fluence of the target and on a given probability distribution function to induce the damage. In this work, a database of 12 sets of test-data containing both damaged and non-damaged sites was generated by using four different reverse techniques and by assuming three specific damage probability distribution functions. The same value for the threshold fluence was assumed, and a Gaussian fluence distribution on each irradiated site was considered, as usual for the S-on-1 test. Each of the test-data was independently processed by the standard and by the two cumulative data-reduction algorithms, the resulting fitted probability distributions were compared with the initially assumed probability distribution functions, and the quantities used to compare these algorithms were determined. These quantities characterize the accuracy and the precision in determining the damage threshold and the goodness of fit of the damage probability curves. The results indicate that the accuracy in determining the absolute damage threshold is best for the ISO-recommended method, the precision is best for the limit-case of the cumulative method, and the goodness of fit estimator (adjusted R-squared) is almost the same for all three algorithms.

Dynamic Analysis of the Thorium Fuel Cycle in CANDU Reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Chang Joon; Park, Chang Je

2006-02-01

The thorium fuel recycle scenarios through the Canada deuterium uranium (CANDU) reactor have been analyzed for two types of thorium fuel: homogeneous ThO 2 UO 2 and ThO 2 UO 2 -DUPIC fuels. The recycling is performed through the dry process fuel technology which has a proliferation resistance. For the once-through fuel cycle model, the existing nuclear power plant construction plan was considered up to 2016, while the nuclear demand growth rate from the year 2016 was assumed to be 0%. After setting up the once-through fuel cycle model, the thorium fuel CANDU reactor was modeled to investigate the fuel cycle parameters. In this analysis, the spent fuel inventory as well as the amount of plutonium, minor actinides and fission products of the multiple recycling fuel cycle were estimated and compared to those of the once-through fuel cycle. From the analysis results, it was found that the closed or partially closed thorium fuel cycle can be constructed through the dry process technology. Also, it is known that both the homogeneous and heterogeneous thorium fuel cycles can reduce the SF accumulation and save the natural uranium resource compared with the once-through cycle. From the material balance view point, the heterogeneous thorium fuel cycle seems to be more feasible. It is recommended, however, the economic analysis should be performed in future

Dynamic Analysis of the Thorium Fuel Cycle in CANDU Reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, Chang Joon; Park, Chang Je

2006-02-15

The thorium fuel recycle scenarios through the Canada deuterium uranium (CANDU) reactor have been analyzed for two types of thorium fuel: homogeneous ThO{sub 2}UO{sub 2} and ThO{sub 2}UO{sub 2}-DUPIC fuels. The recycling is performed through the dry process fuel technology which has a proliferation resistance. For the once-through fuel cycle model, the existing nuclear power plant construction plan was considered up to 2016, while the nuclear demand growth rate from the year 2016 was assumed to be 0%. After setting up the once-through fuel cycle model, the thorium fuel CANDU reactor was modeled to investigate the fuel cycle parameters. In this analysis, the spent fuel inventory as well as the amount of plutonium, minor actinides and fission products of the multiple recycling fuel cycle were estimated and compared to those of the once-through fuel cycle. From the analysis results, it was found that the closed or partially closed thorium fuel cycle can be constructed through the dry process technology. Also, it is known that both the homogeneous and heterogeneous thorium fuel cycles can reduce the SF accumulation and save the natural uranium resource compared with the once-through cycle. From the material balance view point, the heterogeneous thorium fuel cycle seems to be more feasible. It is recommended, however, the economic analysis should be performed in future.

MODELLING OF NON-ROAD TRANSIENT CYCLE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Kotus

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The paper describes the modeling of NRTC (Non-Road Transient Cycle test procedure based on previously measured characteristics of fuel consumption, carbon monoxide (CO, carbon dioxide (CO2, hydrocarbons (HC, nitrogen oxides (NOx and particulates (PM production. It makes possible to compare the current technical condition of an internal combustion engine of an agricultural tractor with its previous state or other tractor’s engine. Based on measured characteristics, it is also possible to model any other cycle without further measurements (NRSC test procedure, cycle for specific conditions – mountain tractor, etc.. The result may thus contribute to improving the environment by reducing the production of harmful substances emitted into the air and save money due to reduced fuel consumption.

Waste-to-energy: A review of life cycle assessment and its extension methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Zhaozhi; Tang, Yuanjun; Chi, Yong; Ni, Mingjiang; Buekens, Alfons

2018-01-01

This article proposes a comprehensive review of evaluation tools based on life cycle thinking, as applied to waste-to-energy. Habitually, life cycle assessment is adopted to assess environmental burdens associated with waste-to-energy initiatives. Based on this framework, several extension methods have been developed to focus on specific aspects: Exergetic life cycle assessment for reducing resource depletion, life cycle costing for evaluating its economic burden, and social life cycle assessment for recording its social impacts. Additionally, the environment-energy-economy model integrates both life cycle assessment and life cycle costing methods and judges simultaneously these three features for sustainable waste-to-energy conversion. Life cycle assessment is sufficiently developed on waste-to-energy with concrete data inventory and sensitivity analysis, although the data and model uncertainty are unavoidable. Compared with life cycle assessment, only a few evaluations are conducted to waste-to-energy techniques by using extension methods and its methodology and application need to be further developed. Finally, this article succinctly summarises some recommendations for further research.

Analysis of life cycle technology of BTL (Biomass to Liquid): state of art and recommendations; Analise do ciclo de vida das tecnologias BTL: estado da arte e recomendacoes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reno, Maria Luiza G.; Lora, Electo E.S. [Universidade Federal de Itajuba (UNIFEI), MG (Brazil). Inst. de Engenharia Mecanica. Nucleo de Excelencia em Geracao Termeletrica e Distribuida; Ugaya, Cassia M.L. [Universidade Tecnologica Federal do Parana (UTFPR), Curitiba, PR (Brazil). Dept. Academico de Mecanica

2008-07-01

In the last decades, the intensive and no rational use of energy resources from fossil fuels has been causing climatic changes, due to the increase in air pollutants, mainly Co2. The production of liquid fuels from biomass stands out as one of the principal energy alternatives with low environmental impact that could substitute the fuels derived from petroleum in the transportation section. The present work shows a revision from the main Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) studies performed for biofuel production by BTL (Biomass to Liquid) route. In this revision, it is possible to identify some of the main environmental impacts associated with this type of fuel production, as a function of the energy and material required to its production. Likewise, it is possible to elaborate recommendations in fuel production that allow the increase of benefits to the environment. (author)

A Probability-Based Hybrid User Model for Recommendation System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jia Hao

2016-01-01

Full Text Available With the rapid development of information communication technology, the available information or knowledge is exponentially increased, and this causes the well-known information overload phenomenon. This problem is more serious in product design corporations because over half of the valuable design time is consumed in knowledge acquisition, which highly extends the design cycle and weakens the competitiveness. Therefore, the recommender systems become very important in the domain of product domain. This research presents a probability-based hybrid user model, which is a combination of collaborative filtering and content-based filtering. This hybrid model utilizes user ratings and item topics or classes, which are available in the domain of product design, to predict the knowledge requirement. The comprehensive analysis of the experimental results shows that the proposed method gains better performance in most of the parameter settings. This work contributes a probability-based method to the community for implement recommender system when only user ratings and item topics are available.

Recommendations for NEAMS Engagement with the NRC: Preliminary Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernholdt, David E.

2012-01-01

The vision of the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program is to bring a new generation of analytic tools to the nuclear engineering community in order to facilitate students, faculty, industry and laboratory researchers in investigating advanced reactor and fuel cycle designs. Although primarily targeting at advance nuclear technologies, it is anticipated that these new capabilities will also become interesting and useful to the nuclear regulator Consequently, the NEAMS program needs to engage with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as the software is being developed to ensure that they are familiar with and ready to respond to this novel approach when the need arises. Through discussions between key NEAMS and NRC staff members, we tentatively recommend annual briefings to the Division of Systems Analysis in the NRC's Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research. However the NEAC subcommittee review of the NEAMS program may yield recommendations that would need to be considered before finalizing this plan.

Recommendations for NEAMS Engagement with the NRC: Preliminary Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bernholdt, David E [ORNL

2012-06-01

The vision of the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program is to bring a new generation of analytic tools to the nuclear engineering community in order to facilitate students, faculty, industry and laboratory researchers in investigating advanced reactor and fuel cycle designs. Although primarily targeting at advance nuclear technologies, it is anticipated that these new capabilities will also become interesting and useful to the nuclear regulator Consequently, the NEAMS program needs to engage with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as the software is being developed to ensure that they are familiar with and ready to respond to this novel approach when the need arises. Through discussions between key NEAMS and NRC staff members, we tentatively recommend annual briefings to the Division of Systems Analysis in the NRC's Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research. However the NEAC subcommittee review of the NEAMS program may yield recommendations that would need to be considered before finalizing this plan.

Dietary Recommendations for Cyclists during Altitude Training

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Małgorzata Michalczyk

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The concept of altitude or hypoxic training is a common practice in cycling. However, several strategies for training regimens have been proposed, like “live high, train high” (LH-TH, “live high, train low” (LH-TL or “intermittent hypoxic training” (IHT. Each of them combines the effect of acclimatization and different training protocols that require specific nutrition. An appropriate nutrition strategy and adequate hydration can help athletes achieve their fitness and performance goals in this unfriendly environment. In this review, the physiological stress of altitude exposure and training will be discussed, with specific nutrition recommendations for athletes training under such conditions. However, there is little research about the nutrition demands of athletes who train at moderate altitude. Our review considers energetic demands and body mass or body composition changes due to altitude training, including respiratory and urinary water loss under these conditions. Carbohydrate intake recommendations and hydration status are discussed in detail, while iron storage and metabolism is also considered. Last, but not least the risk of increased oxidative stress under hypoxic conditions and antioxidant supplementation suggestions are presented.

Reactivity anomaly surveillance in the Fast Flux Test Facility through cycle 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knutson, B.J.; Harris, R.A.

1984-08-01

The technique for monitoring core reactivity during power operation used at the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) is described. This technique relies on comparing predicted to measured rod positions to detect any anomalous (or unpredicted) core reactivity changes. It is implemented on the Plant Data System (PDS) computer and thus provides rapid indication of any abnormal core conditions. The prediction algorithms use thermal-hydraulic, control rod position and neutron flux sensor information to predict the core reactivity state. Initial results of using this technique based mainly on theoretical formulations is presented. The results show that the reactivity changes due to increasing reactor power (power defect) and burnup of the fuel were within approx. 16% of predicted values. To increase the sensitivity and accuracy of this technique, the prediction algorithms were calibrated to actual operating data. The work of calibrating this technique and the results of using the calibrated technique up through the third full operating cycle are summarized

Emissions of toxic pollutants from compressed natural gas and low sulfur diesel-fueled heavy-duty transit buses tested over multiple driving cycles.

Science.gov (United States)

Kado, Norman Y; Okamoto, Robert A; Kuzmicky, Paul A; Kobayashi, Reiko; Ayala, Alberto; Gebel, Michael E; Rieger, Paul L; Maddox, Christine; Zafonte, Leo

2005-10-01

The number of heavy-duty vehicles using alternative fuels such as compressed natural gas (CNG) and new low-sulfur diesel fuel formulations and equipped with after-treatment devices are projected to increase. However, few peer-reviewed studies have characterized the emissions of particulate matter (PM) and other toxic compounds from these vehicles. In this study, chemical and biological analyses were used to characterize the identifiable toxic air pollutants emitted from both CNG and low-sulfur-diesel-fueled heavy-duty transit buses tested on a chassis dynamometer over three transient driving cycles and a steady-state cruise condition. The CNG bus had no after-treatment, and the diesel bus was tested first equipped with an oxidation catalyst (OC) and then with a catalyzed diesel particulate filter (DPF). Emissions were analyzed for PM, volatile organic compounds (VOCs; determined on-site), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and mutagenic activity. The 2000 model year CNG-fueled vehicle had the highest emissions of 1,3-butadiene, benzene, and carbonyls (e.g., formaldehyde) of the three vehicle configurations tested in this study. The 1998 model year diesel bus equipped with an OC and fueled with low-sulfur diesel had the highest emission rates of PM and PAHs. The highest specific mutagenic activities (revertants/microg PM, or potency) and the highest mutagen emission rates (revertants/mi) were from the CNG bus in strain TA98 tested over the New York Bus (NYB) driving cycle. The 1998 model year diesel bus with DPF had the lowest VOCs, PAH, and mutagenic activity emission. In general, the NYB driving cycle had the highest emission rates (g/mi), and the Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule (UDDS) had the lowest emission rates for all toxics tested over the three transient test cycles investigated. Also, transient emissions were, in general, higher than steady-state emissions. The emissions of toxic compounds from an in-use CNG transit bus (without an oxidation

Long-term storage life of light source modules by temperature cycling accelerated life test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Ningning; Tan Manqing; Li Ping; Jiao Jian; Guo Xiaofeng; Guo Wentao

2014-01-01

Light source modules are the most crucial and fragile devices that affect the life and reliability of the interferometric fiber optic gyroscope (IFOG). While the light emitting chips were stable in most cases, the module packaging proved to be less satisfactory. In long-term storage or the working environment, the ambient temperature changes constantly and thus the packaging and coupling performance of light source modules are more likely to degrade slowly due to different materials with different coefficients of thermal expansion in the bonding interface. A constant temperature accelerated life test cannot evaluate the impact of temperature variation on the performance of a module package, so the temperature cycling accelerated life test was studied. The main failure mechanism affecting light source modules is package failure due to solder fatigue failure including a fiber coupling shift, loss of cooling efficiency and thermal resistor degradation, so the Norris-Landzberg model was used to model solder fatigue life and determine the activation energy related to solder fatigue failure mechanism. By analyzing the test data, activation energy was determined and then the mean life of light source modules in different storage environments with a continuously changing temperature was simulated, which has provided direct reference data for the storage life prediction of IFOG. (semiconductor devices)

Frozen-thawed embryo transfer in a natural or mildly hormonally stimulated cycle in women with regular ovulatory cycles: a RCT.

Science.gov (United States)

Peeraer, Karen; Couck, Isabelle; Debrock, Sophie; De Neubourg, Diane; De Loecker, Peter; Tomassetti, Carla; Laenen, Annouschka; Welkenhuysen, Myriam; Meeuwis, Luc; Pelckmans, Sofie; Meuleman, Christel; D'Hooghe, Thomas

2015-11-01

one cycle. Chi-square and independent t-test were used to compare categorical and continuous variables. The relative risk (RR) was estimated using a Poisson model with log link. Hierarchical models with random intercepts for patient and cycle were considered to account for clustering of cycles within patients and of embryos within cycles. The primary outcome, IR per embryo transferred, was not statistically different between the NC FET group (41/332 (12.35%)) and in the hMG FET group (55/340 (16.18%)) (RR 1.3 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.9-2.0), P = 0.19). Similarly, the secondary outcome, IR with FHB per embryo transferred, was 34/332 (10.24%) in the NC FET group and 48/340 (14.12%) in the hMG FET group (RR 1.4 (95% CI 0.9-2.1), P = 0.15). The LBR per embryo transferred was 32/332 (9.64%) in the NC FET group and 45/340 (13.24%) in the hMG FET group (RR 1.4 (95% CI 0.9-2.2), P = 0.17). Endometrial thickness was also similar in both groups [8.9 (95% CI 8.7-9.1) in the NC FET group and 8.9 (95% CI 8.7-9.1) in the hMG FET group]. The duration of the follicular phase was significantly shorter (P cycles instead of patients; open-label design; relatively long period of recruitment. Our observation that the IR per embryo transferred is not significantly increased after FET during natural or gonadotrophin stimulated cycle, suggests that the effect of mild hormonal stimulation with gonadotrophins is smaller than what was considered clinically relevant with respect to reproductive outcome after FET. These data suggest that endometrial receptivity is not relevantly improved, but also not impaired after hormonal stimulation with gonadotrophins. Since FET during a natural cycle is cheaper and more patient-friendly, we recommend this regimen as the treatment of choice for women with regular cycles undergoing FET. clinicaltrials.gov NCT00492934. 26 June 2007. 1 December 2003. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human

To What Degree Thermal Cycles Affect Chalk Strength

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Livada, Tijana; Nermoen, Anders; Korsnes, Reidar Inger

triaxial cell experiments. For dry rock, no significant effects of temperature cycling was found on average tensile strength, however the range of the tensile failure stress is doubled for the samples exposed to 50 temperature cycles, as opposed to those to none. For water saturated cores, the temperature......Chalk reservoirs could potentially undergo destabilization as the result of repeated cold water injection into a hot reservoir during water flooding. Preliminary results of an ongoing study are presented in this paper, which compare the impact of temperature cycling on mechanical behavior on dry...... and water saturated chalk. Sixty disks of dry Kansas chalk exposed to different number of temperature cycles were tested for tensile strength using a Brazilian test. Changes in elastic properties as function of number of temperature cycles of the same chalk, but now saturated in water, were studied using...

Damage Features of Altered Rock Subjected to Drying-Wetting Cycles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhe Qin

2018-01-01

Full Text Available An abandoned open pit was used as a tailing pond for a concentrating mill, with the height of the water surface subject to cyclic fluctuation. The effects of drying and wetting cycles on the mechanical parameters of pit rock were tested. Interactions of the hydrochemical environment, due to the dissolution of tailings, and drying and wetting cycles caused degradation of mechanical properties in the rock. It was found that uniaxial compressive strength and elastic modulus decreased as the number of dry/wet cycles increased. The quantitative relationship between the mechanical parameters and the number of dry/wet cycles was indicated by an exponential function. In addition to uniaxial testing, cohesion and the internal friction angle were determined through triaxial testing. The shear strength index deteriorated under the drying and wetting cycles. The hydrochemical environment also negatively affected the mechanical parameters. Potential effects between drying and wetting cycles and slope displacement were analyzed by on-site monitoring. The results show that the displacement increased because of the drying and wetting cycles, which may lead to sudden failure of the slope.

A Guide to Studying Human Hair Follicle Cycling In Vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Ji Won; Kloepper, Jennifer; Langan, Ewan A; Kim, Yongsoo; Yeo, Joongyeub; Kim, Min Ji; Hsi, Tsai-Ching; Rose, Christian; Yoon, Ghil Suk; Lee, Seok-Jong; Seykora, John; Kim, Jung Chul; Sung, Young Kwan; Kim, Moonkyu; Paus, Ralf; Plikus, Maksim V

2016-01-01

Hair follicles (HFs) undergo lifelong cyclical transformations, progressing through stages of rapid growth (anagen), regression (catagen), and relative "quiescence" (telogen). Given that HF cycling abnormalities underlie many human hair growth disorders, the accurate classification of individual cycle stages within skin biopsies is clinically important and essential for hair research. For preclinical human hair research purposes, human scalp skin can be xenografted onto immunocompromised mice to study human HF cycling and manipulate long-lasting anagen in vivo. Although available for mice, a comprehensive guide on how to recognize different human hair cycle stages in vivo is lacking. In this article, we present such a guide, which uses objective, well-defined, and reproducible criteria, and integrates simple morphological indicators with advanced, (immuno)-histochemical markers. This guide also characterizes human HF cycling in xenografts and highlights the utility of this model for in vivo hair research. Detailed schematic drawings and representative micrographs provide examples of how best to identify human HF stages, even in suboptimally sectioned tissue, and practical recommendations are given for designing human-on-mouse hair cycle experiments. Thus, this guide seeks to offer a benchmark for human hair cycle stage classification, for both hair research experts and newcomers to the field. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Authentic Assessment: An Extensive Literary Review and Recommendations for Administrators.

Science.gov (United States)

Henderson, Pamela; Karr-Kidwell, PJ

This paper provides an extensive literature review and recommendations for authentic assessment, and then provides recommendations for administrators in order to implement authentic assessment in elementary schools. A lack of comfort, with the way in which standardized tests seems to dictate what teachers teach as part of the curriculum, was a…

HYBRID DATA APPROACH FOR SELECTING EFFECTIVE TEST CASES DURING THE REGRESSION TESTING

OpenAIRE

Mohan, M.; Shrimali, Tarun

2017-01-01

In the software industry, software testing becomes more important in the entire software development life cycle. Software testing is one of the fundamental components of software quality assurances. Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC)is a process involved in testing the complete software, which includes Regression Testing, Unit Testing, Smoke Testing, Integration Testing, Interface Testing, System Testing & etc. In the STLC of Regression testing, test case selection is one of the most importan...

Private personalized social recommendations in an IPTV system

Science.gov (United States)

Elmisery, Ahmed M.

2014-04-01

In our connected world, recommender systems have become widely known for their ability to provide expert and personalize referrals to end-users in different domains. The rapid growth of social networks and new kinds of systems so called "social recommender systems" are rising, where recommender systems can be utilized to find a suitable content according to end-users' personal preferences. However, preserving end-users' privacy in social recommender systems is a very challenging problem that might prevent end-users from releasing their own data, which detains the accuracy of extracted referrals. In order to gain accurate referrals, social recommender systems should have the ability to preserve the privacy of end-users registered in this system. In this paper, we present a middleware that runs on end-users' Set-top boxes to conceal their profile data when released for generating referrals, such that computation of recommendation proceeds over the concealed data. The proposed middleware is equipped with two concealment protocols to give users a complete control on the privacy level of their profiles. We present an IPTV network scenario and perform a number of different experiments to test the efficiency and accuracy of our protocols. As supported by the experiments, our protocols maintain the recommendations accuracy with acceptable privacy level.

Recommending Ads from Trustworthy Relationships in Pervasive Environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco Martinez-Pabon

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The use of pervasive computing technologies for advertising purposes is an interesting emergent field for large, medium, and small companies. Although recommender systems have been a traditional solution to decrease users’ cognitive effort to find good and personalized items, the classic collaborative filtering needs to include contextual information to be more effective. The inclusion of users’ social context information in the recommendation algorithm, specifically trust in other users, may be a mechanism for obtaining ads’ influence from other users in their closest social circle. However, there is no consensus about the variables to use during the trust inference process, and its integration into a classic collaborative filtering recommender system deserves a deeper research. On the other hand, the pervasive advertising domain demands a recommender system evaluation from a novelty/precision perspective. The improvement of the precision/novelty balance is not only a matter related to the recommendation algorithm itself but also a better recommendations’ display strategy. In this paper, we propose a novel approach for a collaborative filtering recommender system based on trust, which was tested throughout a digital signage prototype using a multiscreen scheme for recommendations delivery to evaluate our proposal using a novelty/precision approach.

An Audit of Repeat Testing at an Academic Medical Center: Consistency of Order Patterns With Recommendations and Potential Cost Savings.

Science.gov (United States)

Hueth, Kyle D; Jackson, Brian R; Schmidt, Robert L

2018-05-31

To evaluate the prevalence of potentially unnecessary repeat testing (PURT) and the associated economic burden for an inpatient population at a large academic medical facility. We evaluated all inpatient test orders during 2016 for PURT by comparing the intertest times to published recommendations. Potential cost savings were estimated using the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services maximum allowable reimbursement rate. We evaluated result positivity as a determinant of PURT through logistic regression. Of the evaluated 4,242 repeated target tests, 1,849 (44%) were identified as PURT, representing an estimated cost-savings opportunity of $37,376. Collectively, the association of result positivity and PURT was statistically significant (relative risk, 1.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-1.3; P < .001). PURT contributes to unnecessary health care costs. We found that a small percentage of providers account for the majority of PURT, and PURT is positively associated with result positivity.

Long-term Mechanical Circulatory Support System reliability recommendation by the National Clinical Trial Initiative subcommittee.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, James

2009-01-01

The Long-Term Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS) System Reliability Recommendation was published in the American Society for Artificial Internal Organs (ASAIO) Journal and the Annals of Thoracic Surgery in 1998. At that time, it was stated that the document would be periodically reviewed to assess its timeliness and appropriateness within 5 years. Given the wealth of clinical experience in MCS systems, a new recommendation has been drafted by consensus of a group of representatives from the medical community, academia, industry, and government. The new recommendation describes a reliability test methodology and provides detailed reliability recommendations. In addition, the new recommendation provides additional information and clinical data in appendices that are intended to assist the reliability test engineer in the development of a reliability test that is expected to give improved predictions of clinical reliability compared with past test methods. The appendices are available for download at the ASAIO journal web site at www.asaiojournal.com.

40 CFR Appendix I to Subpart V of... - Recommended Test Procedures and Test Criteria and Recommended Durability Procedures To...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... closing temperature shall be measured on an increasing temperature change. C. Carburetor Accelerator Pumps.... Reserved for Camshafts N. Reserved for Pistons O. Oxidizing Catalytic Converters 1. Test Procedures and...

Survey of nuclear fuel-cycle codes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, C.R.; de Saussure, G.; Marable, J.H.

1981-04-01

A two-month survey of nuclear fuel-cycle models was undertaken. This report presents the information forthcoming from the survey. Of the nearly thirty codes reviewed in the survey, fifteen of these codes have been identified as potentially useful in fulfilling the tasks of the Nuclear Energy Analysis Division (NEAD) as defined in their FY 1981-1982 Program Plan. Six of the fifteen codes are given individual reviews. The individual reviews address such items as the funding agency, the author and organization, the date of completion of the code, adequacy of documentation, computer requirements, history of use, variables that are input and forecast, type of reactors considered, part of fuel cycle modeled and scope of the code (international or domestic, long-term or short-term, regional or national). The report recommends that the Model Evaluation Team perform an evaluation of the EUREKA uranium mining and milling code

Classification of Recommender Expertise in the Wikipedia Recommender System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Christian D.; Pilkauskas, Povilas; Lefévre, Thomas

2011-01-01

to the quality of articles. The Wikipedia Recommender System (WRS) was developed to help users determine the credibility of articles based on feedback from other Wikipedia users. The WRS implements a collaborative filtering system with trust metrics, i.e., it provides a rating of articles which emphasizes...... an evaluation of four existing knowledge classification schemes with respect to these requirements. This evaluation helped us identify a classification scheme, which we have implemented in the current version of the Wikipedia Recommender System....... feedback from recommenders that the user has agreed with in the past. This exposes the problem that most recommenders are not equally competent in all subject areas. The first WRS prototype did not include an evaluation of the areas of expertise of recommenders, so the trust metric used in the article...

Classification of Recommender Expertise in the Wikipedia Recommender System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Christian D.; Pilkauskas, Povilas; Lefevre, Thomas

2011-01-01

to the quality of articles. The Wikipedia Recommender System (WRS) was developed to help users determine the credibility of articles based on feedback from other Wikipedia users. The WRS implements a collaborative filtering system with trust metrics, i.e., it provides a rating of articles "which emphasizes...... an evaluation of four existing knowledge classification schemes with respect to these requirements. This evaluation helped us identify a classification scheme, which we have implemented in the current version of the Wikipedia Recommender System....... feedback from recommenders that the user has agreed with in the past. This exposes the problem that most recommenders are not equally competent in all subject areas. The first WRS prototype did not include an evaluation of the areas of expertise of recommenders, so the trust metric used in the article...

NERI Quarterly Progress Report -- April 1 - June 30, 2005 -- Development of a Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Brayton Cycle: Improving PBR Efficiency and Testing Material Compatibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang Oh

2005-01-01

The objective of this research is to improve a helium Brayton cycle and to develop a supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle for the Pebble Bed Reactor (PBR) that can also be applied to the Fast Gas-Cooled Reactor (FGR) and the Very-High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (VHTR). The proposed supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle will be used to improve the PBR, FGR, and VHTR net plant efficiency. Another objective of this research is to test materials to be used in the power conversion side at supercritical carbon dioxide conditions. Generally, the optimized Brayton cycle and balance of plant (BOP) to be developed from this study can be applied to Generation-IV reactor concepts. Particularly, we are interested in VHTR because it has a good chance of being built in the near future

Standardized letters of recommendation and successful match into otolaryngology.

Science.gov (United States)

Kimple, Adam J; McClurg, Stanley W; Del Signore, Anthony G; Tomoum, Mohamed O; Lin, Feng-Chang; Senior, Brent A

2016-05-01

Historically, narrative letters of recommendation have been utilized in the selection of applicants for otolaryngology residency programs. In the last two application cycles, our specialty adopted a standardized letter of recommendation (SLOR). The intent was to decrease time burden for letter writers and to provide readers with an objective evaluation of applicants. The objective of this study was to determine attributes in the SLOR that correlate with matching into a residency program. We performed a retrospective study using SLOR, United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) step 1 scores, and matched outcomes of applicants who applied to our institution for the 2013 and 2014 match cycle. We included the following variables from the SLOR in the statistical analysis to determine which ones were associated with matching: patient care, medical knowledge, communication skills, procedural skills, research, initiative and drive, commitment to otolaryngology, commitment to academic medicine, match potential, and USMLE1 scores. We identified 532 applicants and 963 SLOR. In successful applicants, scores for patient care, medical knowledge, communication skills, initiative and drive, and match potential were statistically higher (P otolaryngology, commitment to academic medicine, and USMLE step 1 scores were not higher among successfully matched applicants. Although SLOR can save time for letter writers and provide an objective description of applicants, the utility of individual domains within the SLOR is questionable. Additionally, it is concerning that applicants' professionalism and procedural skills are not correlated with matching in our specialty. NA. Laryngoscope, 126:1071-1076, 2016. © 2016 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Technologies: Current Challenges and Future Plans - 12558

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Griffith, Andrew [U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)

2012-07-01

The mission of the Office of Nuclear Energy's Fuel Cycle Technologies office (FCT program) is to provide options for possible future changes in national nuclear energy programs. While the recent draft report of the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future stressed the need for organization changes, interim waste storage and the establishment of a permanent repository for nuclear waste management, it also recognized the potential value of alternate fuel cycles and recommended continued research and development in that area. With constrained budgets and great expectations, the current challenges are significant. The FCT program now performs R and D covering the entire fuel cycle. This broad R and D scope is a result of the assignment of new research and development (R and D) responsibilities to the Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), as well as reorganization within NE. This scope includes uranium extraction from seawater and uranium enrichment R and D, used nuclear fuel recycling technology, advanced fuel development, and a fresh look at a range of disposal geologies. Additionally, the FCT program performs the necessary systems analysis and screening of fuel cycle alternatives that will identify the most promising approaches and areas of technology gaps. Finally, the FCT program is responsible for a focused effort to consider features of fuel cycle technology in a way that promotes nonproliferation and security, such as Safeguards and Security by Design, and advanced monitoring and predictive modeling capabilities. This paper and presentation will provide an overview of the FCT program R and D scope and discuss plans to analyze fuel cycle options and support identified R and D priorities into the future. The FCT program is making progress in implanting a science based, engineering driven research and development program that is evaluating options for a sustainable fuel cycle in the U.S. Responding to the BRC recommendations, any resulting legislative

Development of a methodology for successful multigeneration life-cycle testing of the estuarine sheepshead minnow, Cyprinodon variegatus.

Science.gov (United States)

Cripe, G M; Hemmer, B L; Goodman, L R; Vennari, J C

2009-04-01

Evaluation of effects on fish reproduction and development during chemical exposures lasting for multiple generations is sometimes limited by variable reproductive responses and the time required for the exposure. Established testing methods and the short life cycle of the sheepshead minnow, Cyprinodon variegatus, make this species particularly suitable for use in identifying potential impacts of contaminants in estuarine and marine environments. This study describes the refinement of life-cycle exposure methods that increased the reliability of reproduction in sheepshead minnows and reduced the time to maturation for larvae and juvenile fishes. A test of three spawning chamber designs, three sex ratios, and two photoperiods identified conditions that reduced the coefficient of variation in egg production from >100% to as little as 32%. The most reliable results were produced with groups of three female and two male fishes (all of similar size) when they were placed in a rectangular chamber and acclimated for 12 days. A test water temperature of 26.5 +/- 2 degrees C and a 14L:10D photoperiod resulted in fish producing a mean of 74 embryos per female per day, with a coefficient of variation of 31.8%. Egg fertility exceeded 90%, with a hatch rate of 95% for normal embryos (>or=80% yolk) and a hatch rate of size (>or=2.7 cm standard length) was critical for spawning readiness. Adult fish were prepared for the spawning assessment by adding frozen brine shrimp to their diet. Results of these experiments provide methods that are of particular interest in assessment of endocrine-disrupting chemicals that are known to affect reproduction.

Integrated safeguards testing laboratories in support of the advanced fuel cycle initiative

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santi, Peter A.; Demuth, Scott F.; Klasky, Kristen L.; Lee, Haeok; Miller, Michael C.; Sprinkle, James K.; Tobin, Stephen J.; Williams, Bradley

2009-01-01

A key enabler for advanced fuel cycle safeguards research and technology development for programs such as the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) is access to facilities and nuclear materials. This access is necessary in many cases in order to ensure that advanced safeguards techniques and technologies meet the measurement needs for which they were designed. One such crucial facility is a hot cell based laboratory which would allow developers from universities, national laboratories, and commercial companies to perform iterative research and development of advanced safeguards instrumentation under realistic operating conditions but not be subject to production schedule limitations. The need for such a facility arises from the requirement to accurately measure minor actinide and/or fission product bearing nuclear materials that cannot be adequately shielded in glove boxes. With the contraction of the DOE nuclear complex following the end of the cold war, many suitable facilities at DOE sites are increasingly costly to operate and are being evaluated for closure. A hot cell based laboratory that allowed developers to install and remove instrumentation from the hot cell would allow for both risk mitigation and performance optimization of the instrumentation prior to fielding equipment in facilities where maintenance and repair of the instrumentation is difficult or impossible. These benefits are accomplished by providing developers the opportunity to iterate between testing the performance of the instrumentation by measuring realistic types and amounts of nuclear material, and adjusting and refining the instrumentation based on the results of these measurements. In this paper, we review the requirements for such a facility using the Wing 9 hot cells in the Los Alamos National Laboratory's Chemistry and Metallurgy Research facility as a model for such a facility and describe recent use of these hot cells in support of AFCI.

Integrated safeguards testing laboratories in support of the advanced fuel cycle initiative

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santi, Peter A [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Demuth, Scott F [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Klasky, Kristen L [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Lee, Haeok [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Miller, Michael C [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Sprinkle, James K [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Tobin, Stephen J [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Williams, Bradley [DOE, NE

2009-01-01

A key enabler for advanced fuel cycle safeguards research and technology development for programs such as the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) is access to facilities and nuclear materials. This access is necessary in many cases in order to ensure that advanced safeguards techniques and technologies meet the measurement needs for which they were designed. One such crucial facility is a hot cell based laboratory which would allow developers from universities, national laboratories, and commercial companies to perform iterative research and development of advanced safeguards instrumentation under realistic operating conditions but not be subject to production schedule limitations. The need for such a facility arises from the requirement to accurately measure minor actinide and/or fission product bearing nuclear materials that cannot be adequately shielded in glove boxes. With the contraction of the DOE nuclear complex following the end of the cold war, many suitable facilities at DOE sites are increasingly costly to operate and are being evaluated for closure. A hot cell based laboratory that allowed developers to install and remove instrumentation from the hot cell would allow for both risk mitigation and performance optimization of the instrumentation prior to fielding equipment in facilities where maintenance and repair of the instrumentation is difficult or impossible. These benefits are accomplished by providing developers the opportunity to iterate between testing the performance of the instrumentation by measuring realistic types and amounts of nuclear material, and adjusting and refining the instrumentation based on the results of these measurements. In this paper, we review the requirements for such a facility using the Wing 9 hot cells in the Los Alamos National Laboratory's Chemistry and Metallurgy Research facility as a model for such a facility and describe recent use of these hot cells in support of AFCI.

Assessing Understanding of the Learning Cycle: The ULC

Science.gov (United States)

Marek, Edmund A.; Maier, Steven J.; McCann, Florence

2008-08-01

An 18-item, multiple choice, 2-tiered instrument designed to measure understanding of the learning cycle (ULC) was developed and field-tested from the learning cycle test (LCT) of Odom and Settlage ( Journal of Science Teacher Education, 7, 123 142, 1996). All question sets of the LCT were modified to some degree and 5 new sets were added, resulting in the ULC. The ULC measures (a) understandings and misunderstandings of the learning cycle, (b) the learning cycle’s association with Piaget’s ( Biology and knowledge theory: An essay on the relations between organic regulations and cognitive processes, 1975) theory of mental functioning, and (c) applications of the learning cycle. The resulting ULC instrument was evaluated for internal consistency with Cronbach’s alpha, yielding a coefficient of .791.

The cycle use test of Pt based catalyst for the steam reforming of naphthalene / benzene as model tar compounds of biomass gasification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Furusawa, Takeshi; Saito, Katsuhiko; Sato, Masahide; Suzuki, Noboru [Utsunomiya Univ. (Japan). Graduate School of Engineering

2010-07-01

Although Pt/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} catalyst showed high and stable activity (carbon conv. to gas: 90%) for steam reforming of naphthalene/benzene at 1073 K with S/C=3, this catalyst gradually lost its activity at 1023 K with S/C=3 due to deposition of carboneous species. Two kinds of regeneration treatment was conducted to enlongate the life time of Pt/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} catalyst. Although regeneration treatment completely remove the carboneous species from catalyst, mild oxidation treatment led to decrease activity due to sintering of Pt particles. On the contrary, hydrogen treatment led to maintain activity until 5th cycle test. It was concluded from these obtained results that hydrogen treatment is suitable regeneration method during cycle test in the case of Pt/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} catalyst. (orig.)

Precast, Prestressed Concrete Bent Caps : Volume 2, Design Recommendations and Design Examples

Science.gov (United States)

2018-04-01

Recommendations for design of pretensioned bent caps are developed based on the findings of full-scale experimental tests of bent cap subassemblages. Companion examples are provided to demonstrate implementation of the design recommendations. First, ...

Lightning vulnerability of nuclear explosive test systems at the Nevada Test Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasbrouck, R.T.

1985-01-01

A task force chartered to evaluate the effects of lightning on nuclear explosives at the Nevada Test Site has made several recommendations intended to provide lightning-invulnerable test device systems. When these recommendations have been implemented, the systems will be tested using full-threat-level simulated lightning

Thermal cycling behaviour of lanthanum zirconate as EB-PVD thermal barrier coating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bobzin, K.; Lugscheider, E.; Bagcivan, N.

2006-01-01

Thermal cycling tests with two different EB-PVD thermal barrier coatings (TBC) were performed in a furnace cycle test. The results of these tests showed an increase of endurable cycle number when pyrochloric La 2 Zr 2 O 7 was used as TBC. 1865 cycles were reached with La 2 Zr 2 O 7 and 1380 cycles with 7 weigth-% yttria stabilised zirconia (YSZ) EB-PVD TBC. Additional investigation was made with scanning electron microscope (SEM) to investigate morphology and to determine chemical composition by electron dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. X-Ray diffraction was performed to analyze structural constitution of deposited coatings. (Abstract Copyright [2006], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The undiagnosed chronically-infected HCV population in France. Implications for expanded testing recommendations in 2014.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cécile Brouard

Full Text Available Recent HCV therapeutic advances make effective screening crucial for potential HCV eradication. To identify the target population for a possible population-based screening strategy to complement current risk-based testing in France, we aimed to estimate the number of adults with undiagnosed chronic HCV infection and age and gender distribution at two time points: 2004 and 2014.A model taking into account mortality, HCV incidence and diagnosis rates was applied to the 2004 national seroprevalence survey.In 2014, an estimated 74,102 individuals aged 18 to 80 were undiagnosed for chronic HCV infection (plausible interval: 64,920-83,283 compared with 100,868 [95%CI: 58,534-143,202] in 2004. Men aged 18-59 represented approximately half of the undiagnosed population in 2014. The proportion of undiagnosed individuals in 2004 (43% varied from 21.9% to 74.1% in the 1945-1965 and 1924-1944 birth cohorts. Consequently, age and gender distributions between the chronically-infected (diagnosed and undiagnosed and undiagnosed HCV populations were different, the 1945-1965 birth cohort representing 48.9% and 24.7%, respectively.Many individuals were still undiagnosed in 2014 despite a marked reduction with respect to 2004. The present work contributed to the 2014 recommendation of a new French complementary screening strategy, consisting in one-time simultaneous HCV, HBV and HIV testing in men aged 18-60. Further studies are needed to assess the cost-effectiveness and feasibility of such a strategy. We also demonstrated that data on the undiagnosed HCV population are crucial to help adapt testing strategies, as the features of the chronically-infected HCV population are very distinct.

Naturalistic drive cycle synthesis for pickup trucks.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zifan; Ivanco, Andrej; Filipi, Zoran

2015-09-01

vehicle testing under real-world conditions. This is in contrast to using federal certification test cycles, which were never intended to capture pickup truck segment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.

THE PIANO CYCLE OUTLINE BY VLAD BURLEA: INTERPRETATIVE REMARKS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

HATIPOVA INNA

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The cycle „Outline”, consisting of four preludes for piano written by the autochthonous composer Vlad Burlea in 2013 has been analyzed in the present article. The article considers the characteristic particularities of the form, musical language, terms of composition and dramaturgy, as well as the features of style of these piano pieces. This article also contains numerous performing and teaching (methodical-didactic recommendations.

The creation, management, and use of data quality information for life cycle assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Edelen, Ashley; Ingwersen, Wesley W

2018-04-01

Despite growing access to data, questions of "best fit" data and the appropriate use of results in supporting decision making still plague the life cycle assessment (LCA) community. This discussion paper addresses revisions to assessing data quality captured in a new US Environmental Protection Agency guidance document as well as additional recommendations on data quality creation, management, and use in LCA databases and studies. Existing data quality systems and approaches in LCA were reviewed and tested. The evaluations resulted in a revision to a commonly used pedigree matrix, for which flow and process level data quality indicators are described, more clarity for scoring criteria, and further guidance on interpretation are given. Increased training for practitioners on data quality application and its limits are recommended. A multi-faceted approach to data quality assessment utilizing the pedigree method alongside uncertainty analysis in result interpretation is recommended. A method of data quality score aggregation is proposed and recommendations for usage of data quality scores in existing data are made to enable improved use of data quality scores in LCA results interpretation. Roles for data generators, data repositories, and data users are described in LCA data quality management. Guidance is provided on using data with data quality scores from other systems alongside data with scores from the new system. The new pedigree matrix and recommended data quality aggregation procedure can now be implemented in openLCA software. Additional ways in which data quality assessment might be improved and expanded are described. Interoperability efforts in LCA data should focus on descriptors to enable user scoring of data quality rather than translation of existing scores. Developing and using data quality indicators for additional dimensions of LCA data, and automation of data quality scoring through metadata extraction and comparison to goal and scope are needed.

Report of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Study Group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-01-01

In order to establish the nuclear fuel cycle in nuclear power generation, the study group has discussed necessary measures. Japan's attitudes to the recent international situation are first expounded. Then, the steps to be taken by the Government and private enterprises respectively are recommended regarding acquisition of natural uranium, acquisition of enriched uranium, establishment of fuel reprocessing system, utilization of plutonium, management of radioactive wastes, and transport system of spent fuel. (Mori, K.)

Theory and design of an Annual Cycle Energy System (ACES) for residences

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nephew, E.A.; Abbatiello, L.A.; Ballou, M.L.

1980-05-01

The basic concept of the Annual Cycle Energy System (ACES) - an integrated system for supplying space heating, hot water, and air conditioning to a building - and the theory underlying its design and operation are described. Practical procedures for designing an ACES for a single-family residence, together with recommended guidelines for the construction and installation of system components, are presented. Methods are discussed for estimating the life-cycle cost, component sizes, and annual energy consumption of the system for residential applications in different climatic regions of the US.

In-reactor testing of the closed cycle gas core reactor---the nuclear light bulb concept

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gauntt, R.O.; Slutz, S.A.; Harms, G.A.; Latham, T.S.; Roman, W.C.; Rodgers, R.J.

1993-01-01

The Nuclear Light Bulb (NLB) concept is an advanced closed cycle space propulsion rocket engine design that offers unprecidented performance characteristics in terms of specific impulse (>1800 s) and thrust (>445 kN). The NLB is a gas-core nuclear reactor making use of thermal radiation from a high temperature U-plasma core to heat the hydrogen propellant to very high temperatures (∼4000 K). The following paper describes analyses performed in support of the design of in-reactor tests that are planned to be performed in the Annular Core Research Reactor (ACRR) at Sandia National Laboratories in order to demonstrate the technical feasibility of this advanced concept. The tests will examine the stability of a hydrodynamically confined fissioning U-plasma under steady and transient conditions. Testing will also involve study of propellant heating by thermal radiation from the plasma and materials performance in the nuclear environment of the NLB. The analyses presented here include neutronic performance studies and U-plasma radiation heat-transport studies of small vortex-confined fissioning U-plasma experiments that are irradiated in the ACRR. These analyses indicate that high U-plasma temperatures (4000 to 9000 K) can be sustained in the ACRR for periods of time on the order of 5 to 20 s. These testing conditions are well suited to examine the stability and performance requirements necessary to demonstrate the feasibility of this concept

Adherence to dietary recommendations for Swedish adults across categories of greenhouse gas emissions from food.

Science.gov (United States)

Sjörs, Camilla; Hedenus, Fredrik; Sjölander, Arvid; Tillander, Annika; Bälter, Katarina

2017-12-01

To explore associations between diet-related greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE), nutrient intakes and adherence to the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations among Swedish adults. Diet was assessed by 4d food records in the Swedish National Dietary Survey. GHGE was estimated by linking all foods to carbon dioxide equivalents, using data from life cycle assessment studies. Participants were categorized into quartiles of energy-adjusted GHGE and differences between GHGE groups regarding nutrient intakes and adherence to nutrient recommendations were explored. Sweden. Women (n 840) and men (n 627) aged 18-80 years. Differences in nutrient intakes and adherence to nutrient recommendations between GHGE groups were generally small. The dietary intake of participants with the lowest emissions was more in line with recommendations regarding protein, carbohydrates, dietary fibre and vitamin D, but further from recommendations regarding added sugar, compared with the highest GHGE group. The overall adherence to recommendations was found to be better among participants with lower emissions compared with higher emissions. Among women, 27 % in the lowest GHGE group adhered to at least twenty-three recommendations compared with only 12 % in the highest emission group. For men, the corresponding figures were 17 and 10 %, respectively. The study compared nutrient intakes as well as adherence to dietary recommendations for diets with different levels of GHGE from a national dietary survey. We found that participants with low-emission diets, despite higher intake of added sugar, adhered to a larger number of dietary recommendations than those with high emissions.

Thermal tests of a multi-tubular reactor for hydrogen production by using mixed ferrites thermochemical cycle

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalez-Pardo, Aurelio; Denk, Thorsten; Vidal, Alfonso

2017-06-01

The SolH2 project is an INNPACTO initiative of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, with the main goal to demonstrate the technological feasibility of solar thermochemical water splitting cycles as one of the most promising options to produce H2 from renewable sources in an emission-free way. A multi-tubular solar reactor was designed and build to evaluate a ferrite thermochemical cycle. At the end of this project, the ownership of this plant was transferred to CIEMAT. This paper reviews some additional tests with this pilot plant performed in the Plataforma Solar de Almería with the main goal to assess the thermal behavior of the reactor, evaluating the evolution of the temperatures inside the cavity and the relation between supplied power and reached temperatures. Previous experience with alumina tubes showed that they are very sensitive to temperature and flux gradients, what leads to elaborate an aiming strategy for the heliostat field to achieve a uniform distribution of the radiation inside the cavity. Additionally, the passing of clouds is a phenomenon that importantly affects all the CSP facilities by reducing their efficiency. The behavior of the reactor under these conditions has been studied.

Effects of test design and temperature in a partial life-cycle study with the freshwater gastropod Potamopyrgus antipodarum.

Science.gov (United States)

Macken, Ailbhe; Le Page, Gareth; Hayfield, Amanda; Williams, Timothy D; Brown, Rebecca J

2012-09-01

Potamopyrgus antipodarum is a candidate for a standardized mollusk partial life-cycle study. This is a comparative study of two test designs (microplate and beaker), with additional endpoints to the proposed guideline methods, for example, tracking of continuous reproductive output over 28 d and attributing it to individual female snails. In addition, an investigation of the effects of temperature (16, 20, and 25°C) on reproduction was also conducted employing the microplate design. Copyright © 2012 SETAC.

Impedances of nickel electrodes cycled in various KOH concentrations

Science.gov (United States)

Reid, Margaret A.; Loyselle, Patricia L.

1991-01-01

Recent tests at Hughes have shown that Ni/H2 cells cycled in 26 percent KOH have much longer lives than those cycled in other concentrations. As part of an ongoing program to try to correlate the impedances of nickel electrodes with their life and performance, impedances were measured of a number of electrodes from these tests that had been cycled in concentrations from 21 to 36 percent KOH. These had ranged from about 1000 to 40,000 cycles. After cycling ten times to reduce possible changes due to storage, impedances were measured at five voltages corresponding to low states of charge. The results were analyzed using a standard circuit model including Warburg impedance term. Lower kinetic resistances and Warburg slopes were found for several electrodes which had been cycled in 26 percent KOH even though they had been cycled for a much longer time than the others. Interpretation of the data is complicated by the fact that the cycle lives, storage times, and failure mechanisms varied. Several other circuit models have also been examined, but the best correlations with life were found with parameters obtained from the simple model.

Selenium as an essential micronutrient: roles in cell cycle and apoptosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Huawei

2009-03-23

Selenium is an essential trace element for humans and animals, and selenium deficiency is associated with several disease conditions such as immune impairment. In addition, selenium intakes that are greater than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) appear to protect against certain types of cancers. In humans and animals, cell proliferation and death must be regulated to maintain tissue homeostasis, and it has been well documented that numerous human diseases are directly related to the control of cell cycle progression and apoptosis. Thus, the elucidation of the mechanisms by which selenium regulates the cell cycle and apoptosis can lead to a better understanding of the nature of selenium's essentiality and its role in disease prevention. This article reviews the status of knowledge concerning the effect of selenium on cell cycle and apoptosis.

Raft River binary-cycle geothermal pilot power plant final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bliem, C.J.; Walrath, L.F.

1983-04-01

The design and performance of a 5-MW(e) binary-cycle pilot power plant that used a moderate-temperature hydrothermal resource, with isobutane as a working fluid, are examined. Operating problems experienced and solutions found are discussed and recommendations are made for improvements to future power plant designs. The plant and individual systems are analyzed for design specification versus actual performance figures.

Full Life Cycle of Data Analysis with Climate Model Diagnostic Analyzer (CMDA)

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, S.; Zhai, C.; Pan, L.; Tang, B.; Zhang, J.; Bao, Q.; Malarout, N.

2017-12-01

We have developed a system that supports the full life cycle of a data analysis process, from data discovery, to data customization, to analysis, to reanalysis, to publication, and to reproduction. The system called Climate Model Diagnostic Analyzer (CMDA) is designed to demonstrate that the full life cycle of data analysis can be supported within one integrated system for climate model diagnostic evaluation with global observational and reanalysis datasets. CMDA has four subsystems that are highly integrated to support the analysis life cycle. Data System manages datasets used by CMDA analysis tools, Analysis System manages CMDA analysis tools which are all web services, Provenance System manages the meta data of CMDA datasets and the provenance of CMDA analysis history, and Recommendation System extracts knowledge from CMDA usage history and recommends datasets/analysis tools to users. These four subsystems are not only highly integrated but also easily expandable. New datasets can be easily added to Data System and scanned to be visible to the other subsystems. New analysis tools can be easily registered to be available in the Analysis System and Provenance System. With CMDA, a user can start a data analysis process by discovering datasets of relevance to their research topic using the Recommendation System. Next, the user can customize the discovered datasets for their scientific use (e.g. anomaly calculation, regridding, etc) with tools in the Analysis System. Next, the user can do their analysis with the tools (e.g. conditional sampling, time averaging, spatial averaging) in the Analysis System. Next, the user can reanalyze the datasets based on the previously stored analysis provenance in the Provenance System. Further, they can publish their analysis process and result to the Provenance System to share with other users. Finally, any user can reproduce the published analysis process and results. By supporting the full life cycle of climate data analysis

A Transitive Recommendation System for Information Technology Communities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hesham Ali

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Social networks have become a new trend for research among computer scientist around the world. Social network had an impact on users' way of life. One of social network usages is recommendation systems. The need of recommendation systems is arising when users try to know best choice for them in many items types (books, experts, locations, technologies...etc. The problem is that a single person can't try all alternatives in all possibles life goals to compare. Thus, a person has to use his friends' expertise to select better option in any item category. This process is the main idea of “Recommendation Systems”. Recommendation systems usually depend on users-to-items ratings in a network (graph. Two main challenges for recommendation systems are accuracy of recommendation and computation size. The main objective of this paper is to introduce a suggested technique for transitive recommendation system based on users' collaborative ratings, and also to balance loading of computation. All this has to be applied on a special type of social network. Our work studied the transitivity usage in connections to get a relation (path as a recommendation for nodes not directly connected. The target social network has eight types of nodes. So, there are techniques that are not suitable to this complex type of network. Those we can present a new support for recommending items of several types to users with several types. We believe that this functionality hasn't been fully provided elsewhere. We have suggested using single source shortest path algorithm combined with Map Reduce technique, and mathematically deduced that we have a speeding up of algorithm by 10% approximately. Our testing results shows an accuracy of 89% and false rejection of 99% compared to traditional algorithms with less configuration parameters and more steady count of recommendations.

Thermal reliability test of Al-34%Mg-6%Zn alloy as latent heat storage material and corrosion of metal with respect to thermal cycling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, J.Q.; Zhang, R.Y.; Liu, Z.P.; Lu, G.H.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the thermal reliability and corrosion of the Al-34%Mg-6%Zn alloy as a latent heat energy storage material with respect to various numbers of thermal cycles. The differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) analysis technique was applied to the alloy after 0, 50, 500 and 1000 melting/solidification cycles in order to measure the melting temperatures and the latent heats of fusion of the alloy. The containment materials were stainless steel (SS304L), carbon steel (steel C20) in the corrosion tests. The DSC results indicated that the change in melting temperature for the alloy was in the range of 3.06-5.3 K, and the latent heat of fusion decreased 10.98% after 1000 thermal cycles. The results show that the investigated Al-34%Mg-6%Zn alloy has a good thermal reliability as a latent heat energy storage material with respect to thermal cycling for thermal energy storage applications in the long term in view of the small changes in the latent heat of fusion and melting temperature. Gravimetric analysis as mass loss (mg/cm 2 ), corrosion rate (mg/day) and a microscopic or metallographic investigation were performed for corrosion tests and showed that SS304L may be considered a more suitable alloy than C20 in long term thermal storage applications

Using mental mapping to unpack perceived cycling risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Manton, Richard; Rau, Henrike; Fahy, Frances; Sheahan, Jerome; Clifford, Eoghan

2016-03-01

concludes that mental mapping is a highly useful tool for assessing perceptions of cycling risk with a strong visual aspect and significant potential for public participation. This distinguishes it from more traditional cycling safety assessment tools that focus solely on the technical assessment of cycling infrastructure. Further development of online mapping tools is recommended as part of bicycle suitability measures to engage cyclists and the general public and to inform 'soft' and 'hard' cycling policy responses. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cycle-by-cycle variations in a spark ignition engine fueled with natural gas-hydrogen blends combined with EGR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Bin; Hu, Erjiang; Huang, Zuohua; Zheng, Jianjun; Liu, Bing; Jiang, Deming [State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering, Xi' an Jiaotong University, 710049 Xi' an (China)

2009-10-15

Study of cycle-by-cycle variations in a spark ignition engine fueled with natural gas-hydrogen blends combined with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) was conducted. The effects of EGR ratio and hydrogen fraction on engine cycle-by-cycle variations are analyzed. The results show that the cylinder peak pressure, the maximum rate of pressure rise and the indicated mean effective pressure decrease and cycle-by-cycle variations increase with the increase of EGR ratio. Interdependency between the above parameters and their corresponding crank angles of cylinder peak pressure is decreased with the increase of EGR ratio. For a given EGR ratio, combustion stability is promoted and cycle-by-cycle variations are decreased with the increase of hydrogen fraction in the fuel blends. Non-linear relationship is presented between the indicated mean effective pressure and EGR ratio. Slight influence of EGR ratio on indicated mean effective pressure is observed at low EGR ratios while large influence of EGR ratio on indicated mean effective pressure is demonstrated at high EGR ratios. The high test engine speed has lower cycle-by-cycle variations due to the enhancement of air flow turbulence and swirls in the cylinder. Increasing hydrogen fraction can maintain low cycle-by-cycle variations at high EGR ratios. (author)

Information Retrieval and Graph Analysis Approaches for Book Recommendation

OpenAIRE

Chahinez Benkoussas; Patrice Bellot

2015-01-01

A combination of multiple information retrieval approaches is proposed for the purpose of book recommendation. In this paper, book recommendation is based on complex user's query. We used different theoretical retrieval models: probabilistic as InL2 (Divergence from Randomness model) and language model and tested their interpolated combination. Graph analysis algorithms such as PageRank have been successful in Web environments. We consider the application of this algorithm in a new retrieval ...

The Development and Validation of a Three-Tier Diagnostic Test Measuring Pre-Service Elementary Education and Secondary Science Teachers' Understanding of the Water Cycle

Science.gov (United States)

Schaffer, Dannah Lynn

2013-01-01

The main goal of this research study was to develop and validate a three-tier diagnostic test to determine pre-service teachers' (PSTs) conceptual knowledge of the water cycle. For a three-tier diagnostic test, the first tier assesses content knowledge; in the second tier, a reason is selected for the content answer; and the third tier allows…

Managing Carious Lesions: Consensus Recommendations on Carious Tissue Removal.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwendicke, F; Frencken, J E; Bjørndal, L; Maltz, M; Manton, D J; Ricketts, D; Van Landuyt, K; Banerjee, A; Campus, G; Doméjean, S; Fontana, M; Leal, S; Lo, E; Machiulskiene, V; Schulte, A; Splieth, C; Zandona, A F; Innes, N P T

2016-05-01

The International Caries Consensus Collaboration undertook a consensus process and here presents clinical recommendations for carious tissue removal and managing cavitated carious lesions, including restoration, based on texture of demineralized dentine. Dentists should manage the disease dental caries and control activity of existing cavitated lesions to preserve hard tissues and retain teeth long-term. Entering the restorative cycle should be avoided as far as possible. Controlling the disease in cavitated carious lesions should be attempted using methods which are aimed at biofilm removal or control first. Only when cavitated carious lesions either are noncleansable or can no longer be sealed are restorative interventions indicated. When a restoration is indicated, the priorities are as follows: preserving healthy and remineralizable tissue, achieving a restorative seal, maintaining pulpal health, and maximizing restoration success. Carious tissue is removed purely to create conditions for long-lasting restorations. Bacterially contaminated or demineralized tissues close to the pulp do not need to be removed. In deeper lesions in teeth with sensible (vital) pulps, preserving pulpal health should be prioritized, while in shallow or moderately deep lesions, restoration longevity becomes more important. For teeth with shallow or moderately deep cavitated lesions, carious tissue removal is performed according toselective removal to firm dentine.In deep cavitated lesions in primary or permanent teeth,selective removal to soft dentineshould be performed, although in permanent teeth,stepwise removalis an option. The evidence and, therefore, these recommendations support less invasive carious lesion management, delaying entry to, and slowing down, the restorative cycle by preserving tooth tissue and retaining teeth long-term. © International & American Associations for Dental Research 2016.

Heavy-Duty Vehicle Port Drayage Drive Cycle Characterization and Development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prohaska, Robert; Konan, Arnaud; Kelly, Kenneth; Lammert, Michael

2016-10-06

In an effort to better understand the operational requirements of port drayage vehicles and their potential for adoption of advanced technologies, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) researchers collected over 36,000 miles of in-use duty cycle data from 30 Class 8 drayage trucks operating at the Port of Long Beach and Port of Los Angeles in Southern California. These data include 1-Hz global positioning system location and SAE J1939 high-speed controller area network information. Researchers processed the data through NREL's Drive-Cycle Rapid Investigation, Visualization, and Evaluation tool to examine vehicle kinematic and dynamic patterns across the spectrum of operations. Using the k-medoids clustering method, a repeatable and quantitative process for multi-mode drive cycle segmentation, the analysis led to the creation of multiple drive cycles representing four distinct modes of operation that can be used independently or in combination. These drive cycles are statistically representative of real-world operation of port drayage vehicles. When combined with modeling and simulation tools, these representative test cycles allow advanced vehicle or systems developers to efficiently and accurately evaluate vehicle technology performance requirements to reduce cost and development time while ultimately leading to the commercialization of advanced technologies that meet the performance requirements of the port drayage vocation. The drive cycles, which are suitable for chassis dynamometer testing, were compared to several existing test cycles. This paper presents the clustering methodology, accompanying results of the port drayage duty cycle analysis and custom drive cycle creation.

Testes de broncoprovocação com metacolina e com exercício em bicicleta e corrida livre em crianças com asma intermitente Bronchial provocation tests using methacholine, cycle ergometer exercise and free running in children with intermittent asthma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana C. T. G. Souza

2005-02-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Comparar a responsividade de vias aéreas à metacolina e ao teste de exercício na bicicleta ergométrica e corrida livre em crianças com asma intermitente. MÉTODOS: Estudo randomizado. Trinta crianças de ambos os sexos com asma intermitente participaram do estudo. Cada teste foi realizado em 3 dias diferentes, através de randomização: a broncoprovocação com metacolina, método do dosímetro; b teste de exercício: corrida livre em um corredor de 50 m; c teste de exercício: bicicleta ergométrica com ar seco. A freqüência cardíaca atingida foi 80 a 90% da freqüência cardíaca máxima. A espirometria foi realizada aos 3, 6, 10, 15, 20 e 30 minutos após o exercício. Broncoespasmo induzido por exercício foi definido como a queda de volume expiratório forçado no primeiro segundo (VEF1 > 10% em relação aos valores pré-teste. RESULTADOS: A média de idade foi 11±3 anos. O VEF1 e VEF1/CVF (capacidade vital forçada foram normais e similares antes dos três testes de broncoprovocação. A freqüência cardíaca máxima foi de 178±7 bpm durante o exercício na bicicleta e 181±6 bpm na corrida livre (p > 0,05. Broncoespasmo significante foi visto em 23 crianças após o teste com metacolina, em 19 após a corrida livre e em 14 crianças após exercício em bicicleta (p OBJECTIVE: To compare airway responsiveness to methacholine, cycle ergometer exercise and free running in children with intermittent asthma. METHODS: A randomized study was conducted with 30 children of both genders with intermittent asthma. Each child was submitted to challenge testing on three separate days, in random order: a Methacholine challenge using a dosimeter; b Exercise challenge testing - free running along a 50-meter-long corridor; c Dry-air exercise challenge on a cycle ergometer. Target heart rate during exercise was 80 to 90% of the maximum predicted value. Spirometry was performed 3, 6,10,15,20 and 30 minutes after exercise. Exercise