[Structure and functional organization of integrated cardiac intensive care].

Science.gov (United States)

Scherillo, Marino; Miceli, Domenico; Tubaro, Marco; Guiducci, Umberto

2007-05-01

The early invasive strategy for the treatment of acute coronary syndromes and the increasing number of older and sicker patients requiring prolonged and more complex intensive care have induced many changes in the function of the intensive care units. These changes include the statement that specially trained cardiologists and cardiac nurses who can manage patients with acute cardiac conditions should staff the intensive care units. This document indicates the structure of the units and specific recommendations for the number of beds, monitoring system, respirators, pacemaker/defibrillators and additional equipment.

Resource analysis of the Chinese society 1980-2002 based on energy-Part 5: Resource structure and intensity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, G.Q.; Chen, B.

2007-01-01

This paper is the continuation of the fourth part on fishery and rangeland. The total resource inflow to the Chinese society from 1980 to 2002 is investigated in four parts published afore. The total resource energy input corresponds to GDP is presented in comparison with the purchasing power parity in this paper. The structure of the resource energy inflow is also outlined. Finally, a novel concept referred to as resource intensity is suggested to serve as a basic indicator to illustrate the real status of the economic development in China

Revisiting drivers of energy intensity in China during 1997–2007: A structural decomposition analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeng, Lin; Xu, Ming; Liang, Sai; Zeng, Siyu; Zhang, Tianzhu

2014-01-01

The decline of China's energy intensity slowed since 2000. During 2002–2005 it actually increased, reversing the long-term trend. Therefore, it is important to identify drivers of the fluctuation of energy intensity. We use input–output structural decomposition analysis to investigate the contributions of changes in energy mix, sectoral energy efficiency, production structure, final demand structure, and final demand category composition to China's energy intensity fluctuation during 1997–2007. We include household energy consumption in the study by closing the input–output model with respect to households. Results show that sectoral energy efficiency improvements contribute the most to the energy intensity decline during 1997–2007. The increase in China's energy intensity during 2002–2007 is instead explained by changes in final demand composition and production structure. Changes in final demand composition are mainly due to increasing share of exports, while changes in production structure mainly arise from the shift of Chinese economy to more energy-intensive industries. Changes in energy mix and final demand structure contribute little to China's energy intensity fluctuation. From the consumption perspective, growing exports of energy-intensive products and increasing infrastructure demands explain the majority of energy intensity increase during 2002–2007. - Highlights: • We analyzed energy intensity change from production and consumption perspectives. • We extended the research scope of energy intensity to cover household consumption. • Sectoral energy efficiency improvement contributed most to energy intensity decline. • Impact of production structure change on energy intensity varied at different times. • Growing export demand newly became main driver of China's energy intensity increase

Are Total, Intensity- and Domain-Specific Physical Activity Levels Associated with Life Satisfaction among University Students?

Science.gov (United States)

Pedišić, Željko; Greblo, Zrinka; Phongsavan, Philayrath; Milton, Karen; Bauman, Adrian E.

2015-01-01

Background Thorough information about the relationship between physical activity (PA) and life satisfaction is still lacking. Therefore, this study examined the cross-sectional relationships between life satisfaction and meeting the World Health Organization (WHO) moderate to vigorous-intensity PA recommendations, total volume and duration of PA, intensity-specific PA (walking, moderate- and vigorous-intensity), domain-specific PA (work, transport-related, domestic, and leisure-time), and 11 domain and intensity-specific PA types among university students. Additionally, we examined the associations between life satisfaction and gender, age, disposable income, community size, smoking, alcohol intake, body mass index (BMI), and self-rated health. Methods The study included a random sample of 1750 university students in Zagreb, Croatia (response rate = 71.7%; 62.4% females; mean age 21.5 ± 1.8 years), using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire — long form and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Results Higher life satisfaction was associated with female gender (β = 0.13; p = life satisfaction and size of community (p = 0.567), smoking status (p = 0.056), alcohol consumption (p = 0.058), or BMI (p = 0.508). Among all PA variables, only leisure-time vigorous-intensity PA was significantly associated with life satisfaction after adjustments for socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle and self-rated general health (β = 0.06; p = 0.045). Conclusions This study indicated a weak positive relationship between leisure-time vigorous-intensity PA and life satisfaction, whilst no such association was found for other PA variables. These findings underscore the importance of analyzing domain and intensity-specific PA levels in future studies among university students, as drawing conclusions about the relationship between PA and life satisfaction based on total PA levels only may be misleading. PMID:25695492

Stress intensity factor analyses of surface cracks in three-dimensional structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyazaki, Noriyuki; Shibata, Katsuyuki; Watanabe, Takayuki; Tagata, Kazunori.

1983-11-01

The stress intensity factor analyses of surface cracks in various three-dimensional structures were performed using the finite element computer program EPAS-J1. The results obtained by EPAS-J1 were compared with other finite element solutions or results obtained by the simplified estimation methods. Among the simplified estimation methods, the equations proposed by Newman and Raju give the distributions of the stress intensity factor along a crack front, which were compared with the result obtained by EPAS-J1. It was confirmed by comparing the results that EPAS-J1 gives reasonable stress intensity factors of surface cracks in three-dimensional structures. (author)

Towards Coupling of Macroseismic Intensity with Structural Damage Indicators

Science.gov (United States)

Kouteva, Mihaela; Boshnakov, Krasimir

2016-04-01

Knowledge on basic data of ground motion acceleration time histories during earthquakes is essential to understanding the earthquake resistant behaviour of structures. Peak and integral ground motion parameters such as peak ground motion values (acceleration, velocity and displacement), measures of the frequency content of ground motion, duration of strong shaking and various intensity measures play important roles in seismic evaluation of existing facilities and design of new systems. Macroseismic intensity is an earthquake measure related to seismic hazard and seismic risk description. Having detailed ideas on the correlations between the earthquake damage potential and macroseismic intensity is an important issue in engineering seismology and earthquake engineering. Reliable earthquake hazard estimation is the major prerequisite to successful disaster risk management. The usage of advanced earthquake engineering approaches for structural response modelling is essential for reliable evaluation of the accumulated damages in the existing buildings and structures due to the history of seismic actions, occurred during their lifetime. Full nonlinear analysis taking into account single event or series of earthquakes and the large set of elaborated damage indices are suitable contemporary tools to cope with this responsible task. This paper presents some results on the correlation between observational damage states, ground motion parameters and selected analytical damage indices. Damage indices are computed on the base of nonlinear time history analysis of test reinforced structure, characterising the building stock of the Mediterranean region designed according the earthquake resistant requirements in mid XX-th century.

Reconstruction of structural damage based on reflection intensity spectra of fiber Bragg gratings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Guojun; Wei, Changben; Chen, Shiyuan; Yang, Guowei

2014-01-01

We present an approach for structural damage reconstruction based on the reflection intensity spectra of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs). Our approach incorporates the finite element method, transfer matrix (T-matrix), and genetic algorithm to solve the inverse photo-elastic problem of damage reconstruction, i.e. to identify the location, size, and shape of a defect. By introducing a parameterized characterization of the damage information, the inverse photo-elastic problem is reduced to an optimization problem, and a relevant computational scheme was developed. The scheme iteratively searches for the solution to the corresponding direct photo-elastic problem until the simulated and measured (or target) reflection intensity spectra of the FBGs near the defect coincide within a prescribed error. Proof-of-concept validations of our approach were performed numerically and experimentally using both holed and cracked plate samples as typical cases of plane-stress problems. The damage identifiability was simulated by changing the deployment of the FBG sensors, including the total number of sensors and their distance to the defect. Both the numerical and experimental results demonstrate that our approach is effective and promising. It provides us with a photo-elastic method for developing a remote, automatic damage-imaging technique that substantially improves damage identification for structural health monitoring. (paper)

Investigation of active structural intensity control in finite beams: theory and experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Audrain; Masson; Berry

2000-08-01

An investigation of structural intensity control is presented in this paper. As opposed to previous work, the instantaneous intensity is completely taken into account in the control algorithm, i.e., all the terms are considered in the real-time control process and, in particular, the evanescent waves are considered in this approach. A finite difference approach using five accelerometers is used as the sensing scheme. A feedforward filtered-X least mean square algorithm is adapted to this energy-based control problem, involving a nonpositive definite quadratic form in general. In this respect, the approach is limited to cases where the geometry is such that the intensity component will have the same sign for the control source and the primary disturbance. Results from numerical simulations are first presented to illustrate the benefit of using a cost function based on structural intensity. Experimental validation of the approach is conducted on a free-free beam covered with viscoelastic material. A comparison is made between classical acceleration control and structural intensity control and the performance of both approaches is presented. These results confirm that using intensity control allows the error sensors to be placed closer to the control source and the primary disturbance, while preserving a good control performance.

The influence of fuel-air swirl intensity on flame structures of syngas swirl-stabilized diffusion flame

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Weiwei; Xiong, Yan; Mu, Kejin; Zhang, Zhedian; Wang, Yue; Xiao, Yunhan

2010-06-01

Flame structures of a syngas swirl-stabilized diffusion flame in a model combustor were measured using the OH-PLIF method under different fuel and air swirl intensity. The flame operated under atmospheric pressure with air and a typical low heating-value syngas with a composition of 28.5% CO, 22.5% H2 and 49% N2 at a thermal power of 34 kW. Results indicate that increasing the air swirl intensity with the same fuel, swirl intensity flame structures showed little difference except a small reduction of flame length; but also, with the same air swirl intensity, fuel swirl intensity showed great influence on flame shape, length and reaction zone distribution. Therefore, compared with air swirl intensity, fuel swirl intensity appeared a key effect on the flame structure for the model combustor. Instantaneous OH-PLIF images showed that three distinct typical structures with an obvious difference of reaction zone distribution were found at low swirl intensity, while a much compacter flame structure with a single, stable and uniform reaction zone distribution was found at large fuel-air swirl intensity. It means that larger swirl intensity leads to efficient, stable combustion of the syngas diffusion flame.

Combined enteral feeding and total parenteral nutritional support improves outcome in surgical intensive care unit patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Min-Hui; Yu, Ying E; Tsai, Yueh-Miao; Lee, Hui-Chen; Huang, Ying-Che; Hsu, Han-Shui

2012-09-01

For intensive care unit (ICU) patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction and in need of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) support, the benefit of additional enteral feeding is not clear. This study aimed to investigate whether combined TPN with enteral feeding is associated with better outcomes in surgical intensive care unit (SICU) patients. Clinical data of 88 patients in SICU were retrospectively collected. Variables used for analysis included route and percentage of nutritional support, total caloric intake, age, gender, body weight, body mass index, admission diagnosis, surgical procedure, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score, comorbidities, length of hospital stay, postoperative complications, blood glucose values and hospital mortality. Wound dehiscence and central catheter infection were observed more frequently in the group of patients receiving TPN calories less than 90% of total calorie intake (p = 0.004 and 0.043, respectively). APACHE II scores were higher in nonsurvivors than in survivors (p = 0.001). More nonsurvivors received TPN calories exceeding 90% of total calorie intake and were in need of dialysis during ICU admission (p = 0.005 and 0.013, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed that the percentage of TPN calories over total calories and APACHE II scores were independent predictors of ICU mortality in patients receiving supplementary TPN after surgery. In SICU patients receiving TPN, patients who could be fed enterally more than 10% of total calories had better clinical outcomes than patients receiving less than 10% of total calorie intake from enteral feeding. Enteral feeding should be given whenever possible in severely ill patients. 2012 Published by Elsevier B.V

Are total, intensity- and domain-specific physical activity levels associated with life satisfaction among university students?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Željko Pedišić

Full Text Available Thorough information about the relationship between physical activity (PA and life satisfaction is still lacking. Therefore, this study examined the cross-sectional relationships between life satisfaction and meeting the World Health Organization (WHO moderate to vigorous-intensity PA recommendations, total volume and duration of PA, intensity-specific PA (walking, moderate- and vigorous-intensity, domain-specific PA (work, transport-related, domestic, and leisure-time, and 11 domain and intensity-specific PA types among university students. Additionally, we examined the associations between life satisfaction and gender, age, disposable income, community size, smoking, alcohol intake, body mass index (BMI, and self-rated health.The study included a random sample of 1750 university students in Zagreb, Croatia (response rate = 71.7%; 62.4% females; mean age 21.5 ± 1.8 years, using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-long form and the Satisfaction with Life Scale.Higher life satisfaction was associated with female gender (β = 0.13; p = <0.001, younger age (β = -0.07; p = 0.024, higher disposable income (β = 0.10; p = 0.001, and better self-rated health (β = 0.30; p = <0.001. No significant association was found between life satisfaction and size of community (p = 0.567, smoking status (p = 0.056, alcohol consumption (p = 0.058, or BMI (p = 0.508. Among all PA variables, only leisure-time vigorous-intensity PA was significantly associated with life satisfaction after adjustments for socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle and self-rated general health (β = 0.06; p = 0.045.This study indicated a weak positive relationship between leisure-time vigorous-intensity PA and life satisfaction, whilst no such association was found for other PA variables. These findings underscore the importance of analyzing domain and intensity-specific PA levels in future studies among university students, as drawing conclusions about the

THE IMPACT OF MODERATE AND HIGH INTENSITY TOTAL BODY FATIGUE ON PASSING ACCURACY IN EXPERT AND NOVICE BASKETBALL PLAYERS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark Lyons

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Despite the acknowledged importance of fatigue on performance in sport, ecologically sound studies investigating fatigue and its effects on sport-specific skills are surprisingly rare. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of moderate and high intensity total body fatigue on passing accuracy in expert and novice basketball players. Ten novice basketball players (age: 23.30 ± 1.05 yrs and ten expert basketball players (age: 22.50 ± 0.41 yrs volunteered to participate in the study. Both groups performed the modified AAHPERD Basketball Passing Test under three different testing conditions: rest, moderate intensity and high intensity total body fatigue. Fatigue intensity was established using a percentage of the maximal number of squat thrusts performed by the participant in one minute. ANOVA with repeated measures revealed a significant (F 2,36 = 5.252, p = 0.01 level of fatigue by level of skill interaction. On examination of the mean scores it is clear that following high intensity total body fatigue there is a significant detriment in the passing performance of both novice and expert basketball players when compared to their resting scores. Fundamentally however, the detrimental impact of fatigue on passing performance is not as steep in the expert players compared to the novice players. The results suggest that expert or skilled players are better able to cope with both moderate and high intensity fatigue conditions and maintain a higher level of performance when compared to novice players. The findings of this research therefore, suggest the need for trainers and conditioning coaches in basketball to include moderate, but particularly high intensity exercise into their skills sessions. This specific training may enable players at all levels of the game to better cope with the demands of the game on court and maintain a higher standard of play

Estimating the Contribution of Industry Structure Adjustment to the Carbon Intensity Target: A Case of Guangdong

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ping Wang

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Industry structure adjustment is an effective measure to achieve the carbon intensity target of Guangdong Province. Accurately evaluating the contribution of industry structure adjustment to the carbon intensity target is helpful for the government to implement more flexible and effective policies and measures for CO2 emissions reduction. In this paper, we attempt to evaluate the contribution of industry structure adjustment to the carbon intensity target. Firstly, we predict the gross domestic product (GDP with scenario forecasting, industry structure with the Markov chain model, CO2 emissions with a novel correlation mode based on least squares support vector machine, and then we assess the contribution of industry structure adjustment to the carbon intensity target of Guangdong during the period of 2011–2015 under nine scenarios. The obtained results show, in the ideal scenario, that the economy will grow at a high speed and the industry structure will be significantly adjusted, and thus the carbon intensity in 2015 will decrease by 25.53% compared to that in 2010, which will make a 130.94% contribution to the carbon intensity target. Meanwhile, in the conservative scenario, the economy will grow at a low speed and the industry structure will be slightly adjusted, and thus the carbon intensity in 2015 will decrease by 23.89% compared to that in 2010, which will make a 122.50% contribution to the carbon intensity target.

Energy intensity developments in 40 major economies: Structural change or technology improvement?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voigt, Sebastian; De Cian, Enrica; Schymura, Michael; Verdolini, Elena

2014-01-01

This study analyzes energy intensity trends and drivers in 40 major economies using the WIOD database, a novel harmonized and consistent dataset of input–output table time series accompanied by environmental satellite data. We use logarithmic mean Divisia index decomposition to (1) attribute efficiency changes to either changes in technology or changes in the structure of the economy, (2) study trends in global energy intensity between 1995 and 2007, and (3) highlight sectoral and regional differences. For the country analysis we apply the traditional two factor index decomposition approach, while for the global analysis we use a three factor decomposition which includes the consideration of regional structural changes in the global economy. We first show that heterogeneity within each sector across countries is high. These general trends within sectors are dominated by large economies, first and foremost the United States. In most cases, heterogeneity is lower within each country across the different sectors. Regarding changes of energy intensity at the country level, improvements between 1995 and 2007 are largely attributable to technological change while structural change is less important in most countries. Notable exceptions are Japan, the United States, Australia, Taiwan, Mexico and Brazil where a change in the industry mix was the main driver behind the observed energy intensity reduction. At the global level we find that despite a shift of the global economy to more energy-intensive countries, aggregate energy efficiency improved mostly due to technological change

Modelling Variable Fire Severity in Boreal Forests: Effects of Fire Intensity and Stand Structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Miquelajauregui, Yosune; Cumming, Steven G; Gauthier, Sylvie

2016-01-01

It is becoming clear that fires in boreal forests are not uniformly stand-replacing. On the contrary, marked variation in fire severity, measured as tree mortality, has been found both within and among individual fires. It is important to understand the conditions under which this variation can arise. We integrated forest sample plot data, tree allometries and historical forest fire records within a diameter class-structured model of 1.0 ha patches of mono-specific black spruce and jack pine stands in northern Québec, Canada. The model accounts for crown fire initiation and vertical spread into the canopy. It uses empirical relations between fire intensity, scorch height, the percent of crown scorched and tree mortality to simulate fire severity, specifically the percent reduction in patch basal area due to fire-caused mortality. A random forest and a regression tree analysis of a large random sample of simulated fires were used to test for an effect of fireline intensity, stand structure, species composition and pyrogeographic regions on resultant severity. Severity increased with intensity and was lower for jack pine stands. The proportion of simulated fires that burned at high severity (e.g. >75% reduction in patch basal area) was 0.80 for black spruce and 0.11 for jack pine. We identified thresholds in intensity below which there was a marked sensitivity of simulated fire severity to stand structure, and to interactions between intensity and structure. We found no evidence for a residual effect of pyrogeographic region on simulated severity, after the effects of stand structure and species composition were accounted for. The model presented here was able to produce variation in fire severity under a range of fire intensity conditions. This suggests that variation in stand structure is one of the factors causing the observed variation in boreal fire severity.

Intensity-dependent nonlinear optical properties in a modulation-doped single quantum well

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ungan, F.

2011-01-01

In the present work, the changes in the intersubband optical absorption coefficients and the refractive index in a modulation-doped quantum well have been investigated theoretically. Within the envelope function approach and the effective mass approximation, the electronic structure of the quantum well is calculated from the self-consistent numerical solution of the coupled Schroedinger-Poisson equations. The analytical expressions of optical properties are obtained by using the compact density-matrix approach. The numerical results GaAs/Al x Ga 1-x As are presented for typical modulation-doped quantum well system. The linear, third-order nonlinear and total absorption and refractive index changes depending on the doping concentration are investigated as a function of the incident optical intensity and structure parameters, such as quantum well width and stoichiometric ratio. The results show that the doping concentration, the structure parameters and the incident optical intensity have a great effect on the optical characteristics of these structures. - Highlights: → The doping concentration has a great effect on the optical characteristics of these structures. → The structure parameters have a great effect on the optical properties of these structures. → The total absorption coefficients reduced as the incident optical intensity increases. → The RICs reduced as the incident optical intensity increases.

Review of intense irradiation data and discussion on structural integrity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suzuki, K.; Jitsukawa, S.; Okubo, N. [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai-mura, Naga-gun, Ibaraki-ken (Japan)

2007-07-01

Full text of publication follows: Mechanical property data on austenitic stainless steels and F82H have been reviewed to discuss for developing structural integrity methodologies of intensely irradiated components such as first walls. The following have been already clarified: (1) Fracture ductility is still high even though tensile rupture elongation is reduced remarkably. (2) Strain-hardening occurs in true stress-logarithmic strain (true strain) relationship. Work-softening behavior observed in nominal stress-nominal strain curves is simply resulted from a reduction of work hardening rate accompanied by the increase of flow stress level by irradiation. The review lead to an innovative design concept for application to intensely irradiated components. A special consideration is given to unique feature of bending moment in developing design methodology for preventing ductile fracture of intensely irradiated materials. Another discussion is also made on how to simulate mechanical behavior of intensely irradiated components, because mechanical testing of component-wise specimens after intense irradiation is inevitable for the development of design concepts, although irradiation on such a large scale specimen seems to be almost impossible with current irradiation facilities. (authors)

Effects of light intensity on components and topographical structures of extracellular polysaccharides from the cyanobacteria Nostoc sp.

Science.gov (United States)

Ge, Hongmei; Xia, Ling; Zhou, Xuping; Zhang, Delu; Hu, Chunxiang

2014-02-01

A study on the effects of light intensity (40 and 80 μE/m(2)/sec) on the components and topographical structures of extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) was carried out in cyanobacteria Nostoc sp.. EPS yield increased with light intensity. However, light intensity did not significantly affect the EPS fractions and monosaccharide composition. Higher light intensity generally resulted in higher protein content of EPS in similar fractions. The topographical structure of EPS, investigated by atomic force microscopy, appeared as spherical lumps, chains and networks. The long chains were observed at higher light intensity. Thus, light intensity affected the yield and nature of EPS.

Quality Improvement Process in a Large Intensive Care Unit: Structure and Outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Reddy, Anita J; Guzman, Jorge A

2016-11-01

Quality improvement in the health care setting is a complex process, and even more so in the critical care environment. The development of intensive care unit process measures and quality improvement strategies are associated with improved outcomes, but should be individualized to each medical center as structure and culture can differ from institution to institution. The purpose of this report is to describe the structure of quality improvement processes within a large medical intensive care unit while using examples of the study institution's successes and challenges in the areas of stat antibiotic administration, reduction in blood product waste, central line-associated bloodstream infections, and medication errors. © The Author(s) 2015.

Shade tree spatial structure and pod production explain frosty pod rot intensity in cacao agroforests, Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Gidoin, Cynthia; Avelino, Jacques; Deheuvels, Olivier; Cilas, Christian; Bieng, Marie Ange Ngo

2014-03-01

Vegetation composition and plant spatial structure affect disease intensity through resource and microclimatic variation effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the independent effect and relative importance of host composition and plant spatial structure variables in explaining disease intensity at the plot scale. For that purpose, frosty pod rot intensity, a disease caused by Moniliophthora roreri on cacao pods, was monitored in 36 cacao agroforests in Costa Rica in order to assess the vegetation composition and spatial structure variables conducive to the disease. Hierarchical partitioning was used to identify the most causal factors. Firstly, pod production, cacao tree density and shade tree spatial structure had significant independent effects on disease intensity. In our case study, the amount of susceptible tissue was the most relevant host composition variable for explaining disease intensity by resource dilution. Indeed, cacao tree density probably affected disease intensity more by the creation of self-shading rather than by host dilution. Lastly, only regularly distributed forest trees, and not aggregated or randomly distributed forest trees, reduced disease intensity in comparison to plots with a low forest tree density. A regular spatial structure is probably crucial to the creation of moderate and uniform shade as recommended for frosty pod rot management. As pod production is an important service expected from these agroforests, shade tree spatial structure may be a lever for integrated management of frosty pod rot in cacao agroforests.

What induced China's energy intensity to fluctuate: 1997-2006?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liao, Hua; Fan, Ying; Wei, Yi-Ming

2007-01-01

China is the second largest energy consumer in the world. During 1997-2002, China's energy intensity declined by 33%. However, it rose by 10.7% over 2003-2005, and declined by 1.2% in 2006. What induced China's energy intensity to fluctuate so drastically? Industry accounts for approximately 70% of the total energy consumption in China. In this paper, we decompose China's industrial energy intensity changes between 1997 and 2002 into sectoral structural effects and efficiency effects (measured by sectoral energy intensities at two-digit level and including the shifts of product mix in the sub-sector or firm level), using Toernqvist and Sato-Vartia Index methods. The results show that in this period, efficiency effects possibly contributed to a majority of the decline, while the contribution from structural effects was less. During 2003-2005, the excessive expansion of high-energy consuming sub-sectors and the high investment ratio were foremost sources of the increasing energy intensity. Attributed to the government efforts, the energy intensity has started to decline slightly since July 2006. In future, to save more energy, in addition to technical progress, China should attach more importance to optimizing its sectoral structure, and lowering its investment ratio

Effect of low-intensity electromagnetic radiation on structurization properties of bacterial lipopolysaccharide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grigory E. Brill

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose — to investigate the effects of low-intensity electromagnetic radiation on the process of dehydration selforganization of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS. Material and Methods — The method of wedge dehydration has been used to study the structure formation of bacterial LPS. Image-phases analysis included their qualitative characteristics, as well as the calculation of quantitative indicators, followed by statistical analysis. Results — Low-intensity ultra high frequency (UHF radiation (1 GHz, 0.1 μW/cm2, 10 min has led to the changes in the suspension system of the LPS-saline reflected in the kinetics of structure formation. Conclusion — 1 GHz corresponds to the natural frequency of oscillation of water clusters and, presumably, the effect of UHF on structure of LPS mediates through the changes in water-salt environment. Under these conditions, properties of water molecules of hydration and possibly the properties of hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions in the molecule of LPS, which can affect the ability of toxin molecules to form aggregates change. Therefore the LPS structure modification may result in the change of its toxic properties.

Sparing functional anatomical structures during intensity-modulated radiotherapy: an old problem, a new solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Wenyong; Han, Guang; Wei, Shaozhong; Hu, Desheng

2014-08-01

During intensity-modulated radiotherapy, an organ is usually assumed to be functionally homogeneous and, generally, its anatomical and spatial heterogeneity with respect to radiation response are not taken into consideration. However, advances in imaging and radiation techniques as well as an improved understanding of the radiobiological response of organs have raised the possibility of sparing the critical functional structures within various organs at risk during intensity-modulated radiotherapy. Here, we discuss these structures, which include the critical brain structure, or neural nuclei, and the nerve fiber tracts in the CNS, head and neck structures related to radiation-induced salivary and swallowing dysfunction, and functional structures in the heart and lung. We suggest that these structures can be used as potential surrogate organs at risk in order to minimize their radiation dose and/or irradiated volume without compromising the dose coverage of the target volume during radiation treatment.

PLANNING OF IMPLANTO‐PROSTHETIC STRUCTURES IN TOTAL EDENTATION ACCORDING TO BIOMECHANICAL CRITERIA

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N. VASILE

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Scope of the study: Analysis of the biomechanical aspects of the implanto‐prosthetic structures for planning the treatment in cases of total edentation.Materials and method: The study was performed in the Clinics of Prosthetics and Oral Implantology, Military Emergency Hospital of Sibiu, on a group of mandibularly totally edentated patients. Planning of the implanto‐pros‐ thetic treatment had in view the peculiarities of total man‐ dibular edentation and observance of the biomechanical principles. Selection of the type of occlusion restoration considered the presence of parafunctions and the nature of the antagonistic arch. Special attention was paid to the direction and intensity of the forces acting in the region of the future prosthetic work. When bruxism was manifested, its preimplantary removal was compulsory.Results and discussion: In fixed prosthetic restaurati‐ ons applied on implants, distribuition of forces obviously depend on the quality of osteo‐acceptance, as well, and also on the elasticity degree of the prosthetic work. In the case of mobilized prosthetic restorations supported on implants, rigidization of implants from the anterior region of the mandible may be obtained by means of a bar. In decreasing order of their elasticity, the materials employed are: acrylate, composites, noble and seminoble alloys, other metals, ceramics. Ceramics confers maximum stability to implants, yet without redeeming the forces. For amortizing the forces and for a progressive charging of the implants, it is recommended that the first (temporary prosthetic restorations should be made of either acrylate or compo‐ sites.Conclusions. Observance of the occlusological princi‐ ples in cases of occlusal reconstruction represents the determining element which assures the osteo‐acceptance of implants and the integrity of prosthetic restaurations.

The effect of tillage intensity on soil structure and winter wheat root/shoot growth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Munkholm, Lars Juhl; Hansen, Elly Møller; Olesen, Jørgen E

2008-01-01

was followed during the growing seasons using spectral reflectance and mini-rhizotron measurements, respectively. A range of soil physical properties were measured. We found decreased early season shoot and root growth with decreasing tillage intensity. Differences diminished later in the growing season...... of this study was to investigate the effect of tillage intensity on crop growth dynamics and soil structure. A tillage experiment was established in autumn 2002 on two Danish sandy loams (Foulum and Flakkebjerg) in a cereal-based crop rotation. The tillage systems included in this study were direct drilling (D...... with decreasing tillage intensity for the first year winter wheat at Foulum. In general ploughing resulted in the highest grain yields. This study highlights the important interaction between soil structure and crop growth dynamics....

Crystal structure of human CRMP-4: correction of intensities for lattice-translocation disorder

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ponnusamy, Rajesh [Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República, EAN, 2781-901 Oeiras (Portugal); Lebedev, Andrey A. [Research Complex at Harwell, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot OX11 0FA (United Kingdom); Pahlow, Steffen [University of Hamburg, Ohnhorststrasse 18, 22609 Hamburg (Germany); Lohkamp, Bernhard, E-mail: bernhard.lohkamp@ki.se [Karolinska Institutet, Tomtebodavägen 6, 4tr, 17177 Stockholm (Sweden); Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República, EAN, 2781-901 Oeiras (Portugal)

2014-06-01

Crystals of human CRMP-4 showed severe lattice-translocation disorder. Intensities were demodulated using the so-called lattice-alignment method and a new more general method with simplified parameterization, and the structure is presented. Collapsin response mediator proteins (CRMPs) are cytosolic phosphoproteins that are mainly involved in neuronal cell development. In humans, the CRMP family comprises five members. Here, crystal structures of human CRMP-4 in a truncated and a full-length version are presented. The latter was determined from two types of crystals, which were either twinned or partially disordered. The crystal disorder was coupled with translational NCS in ordered domains and manifested itself with a rather sophisticated modulation of intensities. The data were demodulated using either the two-lattice treatment of lattice-translocation effects or a novel method in which demodulation was achieved by independent scaling of several groups of intensities. This iterative protocol does not rely on any particular parameterization of the modulation coefficients, but uses the current refined structure as a reference. The best results in terms of R factors and map correlation coefficients were obtained using this new method. The determined structures of CRMP-4 are similar to those of other CRMPs. Structural comparison allowed the confirmation of known residues, as well as the identification of new residues, that are important for the homo- and hetero-oligomerization of these proteins, which are critical to nerve-cell development. The structures provide further insight into the effects of medically relevant mutations of the DPYSL-3 gene encoding CRMP-4 and the putative enzymatic activities of CRMPs.

Crystal structure of human CRMP-4: correction of intensities for lattice-translocation disorder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ponnusamy, Rajesh; Lebedev, Andrey A.; Pahlow, Steffen; Lohkamp, Bernhard

2014-01-01

Crystals of human CRMP-4 showed severe lattice-translocation disorder. Intensities were demodulated using the so-called lattice-alignment method and a new more general method with simplified parameterization, and the structure is presented. Collapsin response mediator proteins (CRMPs) are cytosolic phosphoproteins that are mainly involved in neuronal cell development. In humans, the CRMP family comprises five members. Here, crystal structures of human CRMP-4 in a truncated and a full-length version are presented. The latter was determined from two types of crystals, which were either twinned or partially disordered. The crystal disorder was coupled with translational NCS in ordered domains and manifested itself with a rather sophisticated modulation of intensities. The data were demodulated using either the two-lattice treatment of lattice-translocation effects or a novel method in which demodulation was achieved by independent scaling of several groups of intensities. This iterative protocol does not rely on any particular parameterization of the modulation coefficients, but uses the current refined structure as a reference. The best results in terms of R factors and map correlation coefficients were obtained using this new method. The determined structures of CRMP-4 are similar to those of other CRMPs. Structural comparison allowed the confirmation of known residues, as well as the identification of new residues, that are important for the homo- and hetero-oligomerization of these proteins, which are critical to nerve-cell development. The structures provide further insight into the effects of medically relevant mutations of the DPYSL-3 gene encoding CRMP-4 and the putative enzymatic activities of CRMPs

Interpretation of intensities in electron-momentum and photoelectron spectroscopies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCarthy, I.E.

1984-06-01

Relative intensities for the photoelectron reaction on atoms and molecules are not related to structure calculations in the same way as those for the noncoplanar symmetric (e,2e) reaction. The photoelectron dipole matrix element is dependent on recoil momentum only through its unique relationship to the photon energy and is much harder to calculate for chemically-interesting momenta. Relative intensities for binary (e,2e) reactions are independent of total energy at high enough energies and strongly dependent on symmetry and recoil momentum, for which an intensity profile can be measured for values starting at zero. In comparing with structure calculations, binary (e,2e) intensities for low recoil momentum may be compared directly with pole strengths in calculations of the one-electron Green's function or corresponding configuration-interaction calculations. In the case of states within a single symmetry manifold the relative intensities will be independent of recoil momentum up to some maximum, usually at least a few atomic units

Impact of tillage intensity on clay loam soil structure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Daraghmeh, Omar; Petersen, Carsten; Munkholm, Lars Juhl

Soil structure and structural stability are key parameters in sustainable soil management and optimum cropping practices. Locally and temporally adapted precision tillage may improve crop performance while at the same time reduce environmental impacts. The main objective of this study...... was to improve the knowledge of precision tillage practices through characterizing the effect of varied tillage intensities on structural properties of a clay loam soil. A field experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with two main factors, i.e. operational speed (OS, 2 levels......) and rotovating speed (RS, 3 levels). The tillage was conducted using a PTO-driven rotovator equipped to measure angular velocity. The effect of traffic compaction, made directly after tillage, was measured on soil taken from wheel track (WT) compared with soil outside wheel track (NWT). Soil samples from 0-3 cm...

Generating structured light with phase helix and intensity helix using reflection-enhanced plasmonic metasurface at 2 μm

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yifan; Du, Jing; Zhang, Jinrun; Shen, Li; Wang, Jian

2018-04-01

Mid-infrared (2-20 μm) light has been attracting great attention in many areas of science and technology. Beyond the extended wavelength range from visible and near-infrared to mid-infrared, shaping spatial structures may add opportunities to grooming applications of mid-infrared photonics. Here, we design and fabricate a reflection-enhanced plasmonic metasurface and demonstrate efficient generation of structured light with the phase helix and intensity helix at 2 μm. This work includes two distinct aspects. First, structured light (phase helix, intensity helix) generation at 2 μm, which is far beyond the ability of conventional spatial light modulators, is enabled by the metasurface with sub-wavelength engineered structures. Second, the self-referenced intensity helix against environmental noise is generated without using a spatially separated light. The demonstrations may open up advanced perspectives to structured light applications at 2 μm, such as phase helix for communications and non-communications (imaging, sensing) and intensity helix for enhanced microscopy and advanced metrology.

Optimal ground motion intensity measure for long-period structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guan, Minsheng; Du, Hongbiao; Zeng, Qingli; Cui, Jie; Jiang, Haibo

2015-01-01

This paper aims to select the most appropriate ground motion intensity measure (IM) that is used in selecting earthquake records for the dynamic time history analysis of long-period structures. For this purpose, six reinforced concrete frame-core wall structures, designed according to modern seismic codes, are studied through dynamic time history analyses with a set of twelve selected earthquake records. Twelve IMs and two types of seismic damage indices, namely, the maximum seismic response-based and energy-based parameters, are chosen as the examined indices. Selection criteria such as correlation, efficiency, and proficiency are considered in the selection process. The optimal IM is identified by means of a comprehensive evaluation using a large number of data of correlation, efficiency, and proficiency coefficients. Numerical results illustrate that peak ground velocity is the optimal one for long-period structures and peak ground displacement is also a close contender. As compared to previous reports, the spectral-correlated parameters can only be taken as moderate IMs. Moreover, the widely used peak ground acceleration in the current seismic codes is considered inappropriate for long-period structures. (paper)

[Cross sectional study of structural quality of German intensive care units. A reevaluation of the DIVI register].

Science.gov (United States)

Fölsch, C; Kofahl, N; Waydhas, C; Stiletto, R

2013-09-01

Effectiveness of intensive care treatment is essential to cope with increasing costs. The German national register of intensive care established by the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care Medicine (DIVI) contains basic data on the structure of intensive care units in Germany. A repeat analysis of data of the DIVI register within 8 years provides information for the development of intensive care units under different economic circumstances. The recent data on the structure of intensive care units were obtained in 2008 and compared with the primary multicenter study from 2000. The hospitals selected were a representative sample for the whole of Germany. Data on the status of the hospital, staff and technical facilities, foundation of the hospital and the statistics of mechanically ventilated patients were analyzed. The technical facilities and the number of staff have improved from 2000 to 2008. A smaller availability of diagnostic procedures and staff remain in hospitals for basic treatment outside normal working hours. The average utilization of intensive care unit beds was not altered. The existence of intermediate care units did not significantly change the proportion of patients with artificial ventilation or ventilation times. The number of beds in intensive care units was unchanged as was the average number of beds in units and the number of patients treated. A relevant number of beds of intensive care units shifted towards hospitals with private foundation without changes in the overall numbers. The structure of the hospitals was comparable at both time points. The introduction of intermediate care units did not alter ventilation parameters of patients in 2008 compared with 2000. There is no obvious medical reason for the shift of intensive care beds towards private hospitals. The number of staff and patients varied considerably between the intensive care units. The average number of patients treated per bed was not different between the

Total synthesis of the proposed structure of trichodermatide A.

Science.gov (United States)

Myers, Eddie; Herrero-Gómez, Elena; Albrecht, Irina; Lachs, Jennifer; Mayer, Peter; Hanni, Matti; Ochsenfeld, Christian; Trauner, Dirk

2014-10-17

A short total synthesis of the published structure of racemic trichodermatide A is reported. Our synthesis involves a Knoevenagel condensation/Michael addition sequence, followed by the formation of tricyclic hexahydroxanthene-dione and a diastereoselective bis-hydroxylation. The final product, the structure of which was confirmed by X-ray crystallography, has NMR spectra that are very similar, but not identical, to those of the isolated natural product. Quantum chemically computed (13)C shifts agree well with the present NMR measurements.

Determination of crystal structures with large known fragments directly from measured X-ray powder diffraction intensities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rius, J.; Miravitlles, C.

1988-01-01

A strategy for the determination of crystal structures with large known fragments directly from measured X-ray powder diffraction intensities is presented. It is based on the automated full-symmetry Patterson search method described by Rius and Miravitlles where the Fourier coefficients of the observed Patterson function are modified to allow the use of powder diffraction intensity data. Its application to two structures, one with simulated and one with experimental data, is shown. (orig.)

Hydrodynamics of layer structured targets impinged by intense ion beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davila, J.; Barrero, A.

1989-01-01

To minimize the energy loss in the corona outflow, a layer structured spherical hollow shell has been proposed to be used as target in inertial confinement fusion. For ion beam drivers, the major part of the beam energy is absorbed in the middle layer, which is called either absorber or pusher. The outer layer, called tamper, slows down the outward expansion of the absorbed low density region. The materials of the tamper and pusher are usually in the inner layer. The knowledge of the hydrodynamics of the interaction of an intense beam with a structured target is then an essential point in order to achieve break-even conditions in ion-beam fusion. (author) 2 refs., 2 figs

Recommendations on basic requirements for intensive care units: structural and organizational aspects.

Science.gov (United States)

Valentin, Andreas; Ferdinande, Patrick

2011-10-01

To provide guidance and recommendations for the planning or renovation of intensive care units (ICUs) with respect to the specific characteristics relevant to organizational and structural aspects of intensive care medicine. The Working Group on Quality Improvement (WGQI) of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) identified the basic requirements for ICUs by a comprehensive literature search and an iterative process with several rounds of consensus finding with the participation of 47 intensive care physicians from 23 countries. The starting point of this process was an ESICM recommendation published in 1997 with the need for an updated version. The document consists of operational guidelines and design recommendations for ICUs. In the first part it covers the definition and objectives of an ICU, functional criteria, activity criteria, and the management of equipment. The second part deals with recommendations with respect to the planning process, floorplan and connections, accommodation, fire safety, central services, and the necessary communication systems. This document provides a detailed framework for the planning or renovation of ICUs based on a multinational consensus within the ESICM.

Intensive care unit drug costs in the context of total hospital drug expenditures with suggestions for targeted cost containment efforts.

Science.gov (United States)

Altawalbeh, Shoroq M; Saul, Melissa I; Seybert, Amy L; Thorpe, Joshua M; Kane-Gill, Sandra L

2018-04-01

To assess costs of intensive care unit (ICU) related pharmacotherapy relative to hospital drug expenditures, and to identify potential targets for cost-effectiveness investigations. We offer the unique advantage of comparing ICU drug costs with previously published data a decade earlier to describe changes over time. Financial transactions for all ICU patients during fiscal years (FY) 2009-2012 were retrieved from the hospital's data repository. ICU drug costs were evaluated for each FY. ICU departments' charges were also retrieved and calculated as percentages of total ICU charges. Albumin, prismasate (dialysate), voriconazole, factor VII and alteplase denoted the highest percentages of ICU drug costs. ICU drug costs contributed to an average of 31% (SD 1.0%) of the hospital's total drug costs. ICU drug costs per patient day increased by 5.8% yearly versus 7.8% yearly for non-ICU drugs. This rate was higher for ICU drugs costs at 12% a decade previous. Pharmacy charges contributed to 17.7% of the total ICU charges. Growth rates of costs per year have declined but still drug expenditures in the ICU are consistently a significant driver in this resource intensive environment with a high impact on hospital drug expenditures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mitigation method of thermal transient stress by thermalhydraulic-structure total analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasahara, Naoto; Jinbo, Masakazu; Hosogai, Hiromi

2003-01-01

This study proposes a rational evaluation and mitigation method of thermal transient loads in fast reactor components by utilizing relationships among plant system parameters and stresses induced by thermal transients of plants. A thermalhydraulic-structure total analysis procedure helps us to grasp relationship among system parameters and thermal stresses. Furthermore, it enables mitigation of thermal transient loads by adjusting system parameters. In order to overcome huge computations, a thermalhydraulic-structure total analysis code and the Design of Experiments methodology are utilized. The efficiency of the proposed mitigation method is validated through thermal stress evaluation of an intermediate heat exchanger in Japanese demonstration fast reactor. (author)

Valence electronic structure of Ni in Ni Si alloys from relative K X-ray intensity studies

Science.gov (United States)

Kalayci, Y.; Aydinuraz, A.; Tugluoglu, B.; Mutlu, R. H.

2007-02-01

The Kβ-to-Kα X-ray intensity ratio of Ni in Ni 3Si, Ni 2Si and NiSi has been determined by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence technique. It is found that the intensity ratio of Ni decreases from pure Ni to Ni 2Si and then increases from Ni 2Si to NiSi, in good agreement with the electronic structure calculations cited in the literature. We have also performed band structure calculations for pure Ni in various atomic configurations by means of linear muffin-tin orbital method and used this data with the normalized theoretical intensity ratios cited in the literature to estimate the 3d-occupation numbers of Ni in Ni-Si alloys. It is emphasized that investigation of alloying effect in terms of X-ray intensity ratios should be carried out for the stoichiometric alloys in order to make reliable and quantitative comparisons between theory and experiment in transition metal alloys.

Structure analysis of liquids and disordered materials using pulsed neutron diffraction and total scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuya, Kentaro

2011-01-01

Neutron diffraction·total scattering at pulsed neutron source is a powerful method to analyze the complex structure of disordered materials: liquids, glasses, amorphous materials and disordered crystals. The basic idea of the structure of disordered materials, the fundamental diffraction theory for disordered materials, and structure analysis of disordered materials using pulsed neutron diffraction·total scattering technique (TOF method) are described in detail. In addition, the precise information of the world highest class J-PARC MLF spallation neutron source and typical J-PARC neutron total scattering instrument NOVA are also given. Recent structural modelling methods of disordered materials such like reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) simulation method is briefly described using an example of the analysis of a typical disordered material silica glass. (author)

Optical properties of a multibarrier structure under intense laser fields

Science.gov (United States)

Ospina, D. A.; Akimov, V.; Mora-Ramos, M. E.; Morales, A. L.; Tulupenko, V.; Duque, C. A.

2015-11-01

Using the diagonalization method and within the effective mass and parabolic band approximations, the energy spectrum and the wave functions are investigated in biased multibarrier structure taking into account the effects of nonresonant intense laser fields. We calculated the optical properties from the susceptibility using a nonperturbative formalism recently reported. We study the changes in the intersubband optical absorption coefficients and refraction index for several values of the dressing laser parameter and for some specific values of the electric field applied along the growth direction of the heterostructure. It is concluded from our study that the peaks in the optical absorption spectrum have redshifts or blueshifts as a function of the laser parameter and the electric field. These parameters could be suitable tools for tuning the electronic and optical properties of the multibarrier structure.

On the role of magnetic field intensity for better micro-structural characterization during Barkhausen Noise analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Yusufzai, Mohd Zaheer Khan; Vashista, M.

2018-04-01

Barkhausen Noise analysis is a popular and preferred technique for micro-structural characterization. The root mean square value and peak value of Barkhausen Noise burst are important parameters to assess the micro-hardness and residual stress. Barkhausen Noise burst can be enveloped using a curve known as Barkhausen Noise profile. Peak position of profile changes with change in micro-structure. In the present work, raw signal of Barkhausen Noise burst was obtained from Ni based sample at various magnetic field intensity to observe the effect of variation in field intensity on Barkhausen Noise burst. Raw signal was opened using MATLAB to further process for microstructure analysis. Barkhausen Noise analysis parameters such as magnetizing frequency, number of burst, high pass and low pass filter frequency were kept constant and magnetizing field was varied in wide range between 200 Oe to 1200 Oe. The processed profiles of Barkhausen Noise burst obtained at various magnetizing field intensity clearly reveals requirement of optimum magnetic field strength for better characterization of micro-structure.

The role of the intense vorticity structures in the turbulent structure of the jet edge

Science.gov (United States)

Reis, Ricardo J. N.; da Silva, Carlos B.; Pereira, José C. F.

In free shear flows (jets, mixing layers and wakes) there is an highly contorted interface dividing the turbulent from the non-turbulent flow: the turbulent/non-turbulent (T/NT) interface. Across this interface important exchanges of mass, momentum and heat take place, in a process known as turbulent entrainment. Recently, the classical idea of the turbulent entrainment caused by engulfing [1] have been questioned, and it has been shown that the entrainment is mainly caused by small scale eddy motions (nibbling) [2, 3]). However, it is still argued that the entrainment rate is still largely governed by the large scale motions induced by the intense vorticity structures (IVS). The goal of the present work is to assess characterize the geometry and analyze the influence of these large scales structures in shaping the turbulent/nonturbulent interface.

Mediterranean intense desert dust outbreaks and their vertical structure based on remote sensing data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Gkikas

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The main aim of the present study is to describe the vertical structure of the intense Mediterranean dust outbreaks, based on the use of satellite and surface-based retrievals/measurements. Strong and extreme desert dust (DD episodes are identified at 1°  ×  1° spatial resolution, over the period March 2000–February 2013, through the implementation of an updated objective and dynamic algorithm. According to the algorithm, strong DD episodes occurring at a specific place correspond to cases in which the daily aerosol optical depth at 550 nm (AOD550 nm exceeds or equals the long-term mean AOD550 nm (Mean plus two standard deviations (SD, which is also smaller than Mean+4 × SD. Extreme DD episodes correspond to cases in which the daily AOD550 nm value equals or exceeds Mean+4 × SD. For the identification of DD episodes, additional optical properties (Ångström exponent, fine fraction, effective radius and aerosol index derived by the MODIS-Terra & Aqua (also AOD retrievals, OMI-Aura and EP-TOMS databases are used as inputs. According to the algorithm using MODIS-Terra data, over the period March 2000–February 2013, strong DD episodes occur more frequently (up to 9.9 episodes year−1 over the western Mediterranean, while the corresponding frequencies for the extreme ones are smaller (up to 3.3 episodes year−1, central Mediterranean Sea. In contrast to their frequency, dust episodes are more intense (AODs up to 4.1, over the central and eastern Mediterranean Sea, off the northern African coasts. Slightly lower frequencies and higher intensities are found when the satellite algorithm operates based on MODIS-Aqua retrievals, for the period 2003–2012. The consistency of the algorithm is successfully tested through the application of an alternative methodology for the determination of DD episodes, which produced similar features of the episodes' frequency and intensity, with just slightly higher

Fractal structure formation on the surfaces of solids subjected to high intensity electron and ion treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Altajskij, M.V.; Ivanov, V.V.; Korenev, S.A.; Orelovich, O.L.; Puzynin, I.V.; Chernik, V.V.

1997-01-01

We discuss the results of scanning electron microscopy of surfaces of the solids subjected to high intensity electron and ion beam treatment. The appearance of fractal structures on the modified surfaces is shown. The fractal dimensions of these structures were estimated by box-counting algorithm

Psychological recovery after intensive care: Outcomes of a long-term quasi-experimental study of structured nurse-led follow-up.

Science.gov (United States)

Jónasdóttir, Rannveig J; Jónsdóttir, Helga; Gudmundsdottir, Berglind; Sigurdsson, Gisli H

2018-02-01

To compare psychological recovery of patients receiving structured nurse-led follow-up and patients receiving usual care after intensive care discharge. Quasi-experimental study. Single centre, university hospital, mixed intensive care patient population. Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression measured three and four times over 12 months after intensive care discharge. Disturbing memories of the intensive care stay and psychological reactions (that one's life was in danger, threat to physical integrity, intense fear, helplessness, horror) three months after intensive care. A mixed effect model tested differences between the groups over time and regression model predicted post-traumatic stress at three months. The experimental group had significantly more symptoms of post-traumatic stress and anxiety than the control group over the 12 months. Patients from both groups had severe symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Patients with post-traumatic stress at three months had disturbing memories and psychological reactions. The structured nurse-led follow-up did not improve patients' measured outcomes of psychological recovery after intensive care. Patients with severe symptoms of post-traumatic stress are of concern. Emphasis needs to be placed on disturbing memories of the intensive care stay and psychological reactions when constructing intensive care nurse-led follow-up. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Target micro-displacement measurement by a "comb" structure of intensity distribution in laser plasma propulsion

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Z. Y.; Zhang, S. Q.; Gao, L.; Gao, H.

2015-05-01

A "comb" structure of beam intensity distribution is designed and achieved to measure a target displacement of micrometer level in laser plasma propulsion. Base on the "comb" structure, the target displacement generated by nanosecond laser ablation solid target is measured and discussed. It is found that the "comb" structure is more suitable for a thin film target with a velocity lower than tens of millimeters per second. Combing with a light-electric monitor, the `comb' structure can be used to measure a large range velocity.

The Total Work Measured During a High Intensity Isokinetic Fatigue Test Is Associated With Anaerobic Work Capacity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laurent Bosquet, Kenan Gouadec, Nicolas Berryman, Cyril Duclos, Vincent Gremeaux, Jean Louis Croisier

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to determine whether total work measured during a high intensity isokinetic fatigue test (TWFAT could be considered as a valid measure of anaerobic work capacity (AWC, such as determined by total work measured during a Wingate Anaerobic Test (TWWAnT. Twenty well-trained cyclists performed 2 randomly ordered sessions involving a high intensity isokinetic fatigue test consisting in 30 reciprocal maximal concentric contractions of knee flexors and extensors at 180°·s-1, and a Wingate Anaerobic Test. We found that TWFAT of knee extensors was largely lower than TWWAnT (4151 ± 691 vs 22313 ± 2901 J, respectively, p < 0.05, Hedge’s g = 4.27. Both measures were highly associated (r = 0.83, and the 95% limits of agreement (LoA represented 24.5% of TWWAnT. TWFAT of knee flexors (2151 ± 540 J was largely lower than TWWAnT (p < 0.05, g = 9.52. By contrast, both measures were not associated (r = 0.09, and the 95% LoA represented 31.1% of TWWAnT. Combining TWFAT of knee flexors and knee extensors into a single measure (6302 ± 818 J did not changed neither improved these observations. We still found a large difference with TWWAnT (p < 0.05, g = 5.26, a moderate association (r = 0.65 and 95% LoA representing 25.5% of TWWAnT. We concluded that TWFAT of knee extensors could be considered as a valid measure of AWC, since both measure were highly associated. However, the mean difference between both measures and their 95% LoA were too large to warrant interchangeability.

The influence of non thermal coherent EMR with low intensity and extremely high frequency on total activity and isoenzyme composition of peroxidase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nerkararyan, A.V.; Shahinyan, M.A.; Khachatryan, A.V.; Vardevanyan, P.O.

2011-01-01

In this work the influence of non-thermal coherent electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with low intensity and extremely high frequency on intensity of wheat developing germ metabolism has been investigated. Particularly, total activity and isoenzymatic composition of peroxidase of germ cells have been determined during their growth. The role of water in formation of organism response reaction to the external physical field effect has also been investigated. It has been shown, that water appears to be a primary element of extremely high frequency EMR effect on bio system. Extremely high frequency EMR irradiation of germinating seeds and the cultivation of dry seeds and their germs by irradiated water stimulate peroxidase synthesis in germ cells. The redistribution of quantitative composition of peroxidase molecular forms takes place in germ cells effected by EMR with extremely high frequency and low intensity

Substorm Occurrence and Intensity Associated With Three Types of Solar Wind Structure

Science.gov (United States)

Liou, Kan; Sotirelis, Thomas; Richardson, Ian

2018-01-01

This paper presents the results of a study of the characteristics of substorms that occurred during three distinct types of solar wind: coronal mass ejection (CME) associated, high-speed streams (HSS), and slow solar wind (SSW). A total number of 53,468 geomagnetic substorm onsets from 1983 to 2009 is used and sorted by the three solar wind types. It is found that the probability density function (PDF) of the intersubstorm time can be fitted by the combination of a dominant power law with an exponential cutoff component and a minor lognormal component, implying that substorms are associated with two distinctly different dynamical processes corresponding, perhaps, to the "externally driven" and "internally driven" processes, respectively. We compare substorm frequency and intensity associated with the three types of solar wind. It is found that the intersubstorm time is the longest during SSW and shortest during CME intervals. The averaged intersubstorm time for the internally driven substorms is 3.13, 3.15, and 7.96 h for CME, HSS, and SSW, respectively. The substorm intensity PDFs, as represented by the peak value of |SML| (the generalization of AL), can be fitted by two lognormal distribution functions. The averaged substorm intensity for either component is largest for CME (292 and 674 nT) and smallest for SSW (265 and 434 nT). We argue that the externally driven substorms are more intense than those driven internally. We conclude that the dynamical process of substorms is controlled mainly by the direct solar wind-magnetosphere coupling, whereas the internally driven process only plays a very modest minor role.

Analysis of the importance of structural change in non-energy intensive industry for prospective modelling: The French case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seck, Gondia Sokhna; Guerassimoff, Gilles; Maïzi, Nadia

2016-01-01

A large number of studies have been conducted on the contribution of technological progress and structural change to the evolution of aggregate energy intensity in the industrial sector. However, no analyses have been done to examine theses changes in the non-energy intensive industry in France. We analyzed their importance in French industry with respect to their energy intensity, energy costs, value added, labour and the diffusion of production sites by using data at the 3-digit level with 236 sectors. Using a new decomposition method that gives no residual, this paper attempted to examine, over 10 years from 1996 to 2005, the changes that occurred in an area that has been neglected in energy analysis. We found that structural change had an overwhelming effect on the decline of aggregate energy intensity. Furthermore, we found that the higher the level of sector disaggregation, the more significant the changes that can be attributed to structural change, due to the homogeneity of this industrial group. The results of our study show that it is important to take into account the effects of structural change in “bottom-up” modelling exercises so as to improve the accuracy of energy demand forecasting for policy-makers and scientists. - Highlights: • Defining NEI industries with a quantitative approach from relevant indicators in France. • Developing new decomposition method given in additive form with no residual in NEI. • Structural change is the overwhelming factor in improving energy performance within NEI. • Revealed consistent trend with level of sector disaggregation if homogeneous industries.

Association between duration of coronary occlusion and high-intensity signal on T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging among patients with angiographic total occlusion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsumoto, Kenji; Ehara, Shoichi; Hasegawa, Takao; Sakaguchi, Mikumo; Shimada, Kenei [Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Abeno-ku, Osaka (Japan)

2017-09-15

To evaluate the association between duration of the coronary occlusion and high-intensity signal (HIS) on noncontrast T1-weighted imaging using a 1.5-T magnetic resonance imager among patients with angiographic coronary total occlusion. The signal intensity of the coronary target area divided by the signal intensity of the left ventricular muscle near the target area at each site (TMR) was measured. Areas with a TMR >1.0 were defined as HIS. Thirty five lesions from 33 patients were divided into the following three groups: subacute occlusion (up to 3 months; n = 7), short-duration chronic total occlusion (SD-CTO: 3-6 months; n = 9) and long-duration CTO (LD-CTO: ≥6 months; n = 19). All subacute occlusion lesions showed a HIS within the occlusion site. Among patients with CTO, the frequency of a HIS within the occlusion site was significantly higher in SD-CTO than in LD-CTO lesions (p = 0.013). In multivariate analyses, only an occlusion duration of less than 6 months was an independent factor associated with the presence of HIS (odds ratio 7.6, 95% CI 1.1-54.5; p = 0.044). The presence of a HIS in the occlusion site was associated more with SD-CTO than with LD-CTO among patients with CTO. (orig.)

Association between duration of coronary occlusion and high-intensity signal on T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging among patients with angiographic total occlusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsumoto, Kenji; Ehara, Shoichi; Hasegawa, Takao; Sakaguchi, Mikumo; Shimada, Kenei

2017-01-01

To evaluate the association between duration of the coronary occlusion and high-intensity signal (HIS) on noncontrast T1-weighted imaging using a 1.5-T magnetic resonance imager among patients with angiographic coronary total occlusion. The signal intensity of the coronary target area divided by the signal intensity of the left ventricular muscle near the target area at each site (TMR) was measured. Areas with a TMR >1.0 were defined as HIS. Thirty five lesions from 33 patients were divided into the following three groups: subacute occlusion (up to 3 months; n = 7), short-duration chronic total occlusion (SD-CTO: 3-6 months; n = 9) and long-duration CTO (LD-CTO: ≥6 months; n = 19). All subacute occlusion lesions showed a HIS within the occlusion site. Among patients with CTO, the frequency of a HIS within the occlusion site was significantly higher in SD-CTO than in LD-CTO lesions (p = 0.013). In multivariate analyses, only an occlusion duration of less than 6 months was an independent factor associated with the presence of HIS (odds ratio 7.6, 95% CI 1.1-54.5; p = 0.044). The presence of a HIS in the occlusion site was associated more with SD-CTO than with LD-CTO among patients with CTO. (orig.)

Using 137Cs to quantify the redistribution of soil organic carbon and total N affected by intensive soil erosion in the headwaters of the Yangtze River, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei Guoxiao; Wang Yibo; Wang Yanlin

2008-01-01

Characteristics of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (total N) are important for determining the overall quality of soils. Studies on spatial and temporal variation in SOC and total N are of great importance because of global environmental concerns. Soil erosion is one of the major processes affecting the redistribution of SOC and total N in the test fields. To characterize the distribution and dynamics of SOC and N in the intensively eroded soil of the headwaters of the Yangtze River, China, we measured profiles of soil organic C, total N stocks, and 137 Cs in a control plot and a treatment plot. The amounts of SOC, 137 Cs of sampling soil profiles increased in the following order, lower>middle>upper portions on the control plot, and the amounts of total N of sampling soil profile increase in the following order: upper>middle>lower on the control plot. Intensive soil erosion resulted in a significant decrease of SOC amounts by 34.9%, 28.3% and 52.6% for 0-30 cm soil layer at upper, middle and lower portions and 137 Cs inventory decreased by 68%, 11% and 85% at upper, middle and lower portions, respectively. On the treatment plot total N decreased by 50.2% and 14.6% at the upper and middle portions and increased by 48.9% at the lower portion. Coefficients of variation (CVs) of SOC decreased by 31%, 37% and 30% in the upper, middle and lower slope portions, respectively. Similar to the variational trend of SOC, CVs of 137 Cs decreased by 19.2%, 0.5% and 36.5%; and total N decreased by 45.7%, 65.1% and 19% in the upper, middle and lower slope portions, respectively. The results showed that 137 Cs, SOC and total N moved on the sloping land almost in the same physical mechanism during the soil erosion procedure, indicating that fallout of 137 Cs could be used directly for quantifying dynamic SOC and total N redistribution as the soil was affected by intensive soil erosion

Using (137)Cs to quantify the redistribution of soil organic carbon and total N affected by intensive soil erosion in the headwaters of the Yangtze River, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Guoxiao, Wei; Yibo, Wang; Yan Lin, Wang

2008-12-01

Characteristics of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (total N) are important for determining the overall quality of soils. Studies on spatial and temporal variation in SOC and total N are of great importance because of global environmental concerns. Soil erosion is one of the major processes affecting the redistribution of SOC and total N in the test fields. To characterize the distribution and dynamics of SOC and N in the intensively eroded soil of the headwaters of the Yangtze River, China, we measured profiles of soil organic C, total N stocks, and (137)Cs in a control plot and a treatment plot. The amounts of SOC, (137)Cs of sampling soil profiles increased in the following order, lower>middle>upper portions on the control plot, and the amounts of total N of sampling soil profile increase in the following order: upper>middle>lower on the control plot. Intensive soil erosion resulted in a significant decrease of SOC amounts by 34.9%, 28.3% and 52.6% for 0-30cm soil layer at upper, middle and lower portions and (137)Cs inventory decreased by 68%, 11% and 85% at upper, middle and lower portions, respectively. On the treatment plot total N decreased by 50.2% and 14.6% at the upper and middle portions and increased by 48.9% at the lower portion. Coefficients of variation (CVs) of SOC decreased by 31%, 37% and 30% in the upper, middle and lower slope portions, respectively. Similar to the variational trend of SOC, CVs of (137)Cs decreased by 19.2%, 0.5% and 36.5%; and total N decreased by 45.7%, 65.1% and 19% in the upper, middle and lower slope portions, respectively. The results showed that (137)Cs, SOC and total N moved on the sloping land almost in the same physical mechanism during the soil erosion procedure, indicating that fallout of (137)Cs could be used directly for quantifying dynamic SOC and total N redistribution as the soil was affected by intensive soil erosion.

Analysis of Challenges for Management Education in India Using Total Interpretive Structural Modelling

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Mahajan, Ritika; Agrawal, Rajat; Sharma, Vinay; Nangia, Vinay

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify challenges for management education in India and explain their nature, significance and interrelations using total interpretive structural modelling (TISM), an innovative version of Warfield's interpretive structural modelling (ISM). Design/methodology/approach: The challenges have been drawn from…

Impact of mobile intensive care unit use on total ischemic time and clinical outcomes in ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients - real-world data from the Acute Coronary Syndrome Israeli Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Koifman, Edward; Beigel, Roy; Iakobishvili, Zaza; Shlomo, Nir; Biton, Yitschak; Sabbag, Avi; Asher, Elad; Atar, Shaul; Gottlieb, Shmuel; Alcalai, Ronny; Zahger, Doron; Segev, Amit; Goldenberg, Ilan; Strugo, Rafael; Matetzky, Shlomi

2017-01-01

Ischemic time has prognostic importance in ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients. Mobile intensive care unit use can reduce components of total ischemic time by appropriate triage of ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients. Data from the Acute Coronary Survey in Israel registry 2000-2010 were analyzed to evaluate factors associated with mobile intensive care unit use and its impact on total ischemic time and patient outcomes. The study comprised 5474 ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients enrolled in the Acute Coronary Survey in Israel registry, of whom 46% ( n=2538) arrived via mobile intensive care units. There was a significant increase in rates of mobile intensive care unit utilization from 36% in 2000 to over 50% in 2010 ( pcare unit use were Killip>1 (odds ratio=1.32, pcare units benefitted from increased rates of primary reperfusion therapy (odds ratio=1.58, pcare unit benefitted from shorter median total ischemic time compared with non-mobile intensive care unit patients (175 (interquartile range 120-262) vs 195 (interquartile range 130-333) min, respectively ( pcare unit use was the most important predictor in achieving door-to-balloon time care unit group (odds ratio=0.79, 95% confidence interval (0.66-0.94), p=0.01). Among patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction, the utilization of mobile intensive care units is associated with increased rates of primary reperfusion, a reduction in the time interval to reperfusion, and a reduction in one-year adjusted mortality.

Total body irradiation in intensive treatment necessitating bone marrow graft, of malignant hematological diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Regnier, R.; Van Houtte, P.; Piron, A.; Debusscher, L.; Strijckmans, P.

1990-01-01

From 1980 to 1988, 65 consecutive patients were treated with a program of intensive chemotherapy and total body irradiation (TBI) for malignant hematological diseases at the Institut Jules-Bordet. Results were analyzed according to different prognostic factors as well as to the radiation technique; 3 different schedules were used: 3 fractions of 2.66 Gy given in one day at 3-h intervals, 6 daily fractions of 2 Gy in 6 days and 7 fractions of 2.25 Gy in 8 days. The second radiation schedule appears to give the best results as relapses were higher with the 1-day program and there was an increase in later effects and early deaths with 7 fractions of 2.25 Gy. Nevertheless, the results indicate that after administration of 5 or 6 times 2 Gy TBI, there might be possible benefit in treating certain parts of the body by radiation, those in particular that could be sanctuary sites for malignant cells from chemotherapy. The authors propose a simple and easy way of uniformizing the radiation schedule to carry out a multicentric trial [fr

Effect of Different Light Intensities on Total Phenolics and Flavonoids Synthesis and Anti-oxidant Activities in Young Ginger Varieties (Zingiber officinale Roscoe)

Science.gov (United States)

Ghasemzadeh, Ali; Jaafar, Hawa Z. E.; Rahmat, Asmah; Wahab, Puteri Edaroyati Megat; Halim, Mohd Ridzwan Abd

2010-01-01

Nowadays, phytochemicals and antioxidants in plants are raising interest in consumers for their roles in the maintenance of human health. Phenolics and flavonoids are known for their health-promoting properties due to protective effects against cardiovascular disease, cancers and other disease. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is one of the traditional folk medicinal plants and it is widely used in cooking in Malaysia. In this study, four levels of glasshouse light intensities (310, 460, 630 and 790 μmol m−2s−1) were used in order to consider the effect of light intensity on the production, accumulation and partitioning of total phenolics (TP), total flavonoids (TF) and antioxidant activities in two varieties of Malaysian young ginger (Zingiber officinale). TF biosynthesis was highest in the Halia Bara variety under 310 μmol m−2s−1 and TP was high in this variety under a light intensity of 790 μmol m−2s−1. The highest amount of these components accumulated in the leaves and after that in the rhizomes. Also, antioxidant activities determined by the 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) assay in both of varieties, increased significantly (p ≤ 0.01) with increasing TF concentration, and high antioxidant activity was observed in the leaves of Halia Bara grown under 310 μmol m−2s−1. The ferric reducing (FRAP) activity of the rhizomes was higher than that of the leaves in 310 μmol m−2s−1 of sun light. This study indicates the ability of different light intensities to enhance the medicinal components and antioxidant activities of the leaves and young rhizomes of Zingiber officinale varieties. Additionally, this study also validated their medicinal potential based on TF and TP contents. PMID:21152306

Effect of Different Light Intensities on Total Phenolics and Flavonoids Synthesis and Anti-oxidant Activities in Young Ginger Varieties (Zingiber officinale Roscoe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Ghasemzadeh

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, phytochemicals and antioxidants in plants are raising interest in consumers for their roles in the maintenance of human health. Phenolics and flavonoids are known for their health-promoting properties due to protective effects against cardiovascular disease, cancers and other disease. Ginger (Zingiber officinale is one of the traditional folk medicinal plants and it is widely used in cooking in Malaysia. In this study, four levels of glasshouse light intensities (310, 460, 630 and 790 μmol m−2s−1 were used in order to consider the effect of light intensity on the production, accumulation and partitioning of total phenolics (TP, total flavonoids (TF and antioxidant activities in two varieties of Malaysian young ginger (Zingiber officinale. TF biosynthesis was highest in the Halia Bara variety under 310 μmol m−2s−1 and TP was high in this variety under a light intensity of 790 μmol m−2s−1. The highest amount of these components accumulated in the leaves and after that in the rhizomes. Also, antioxidant activities determined by the 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH assay in both of varieties, increased significantly (p ≤ 0.01 with increasing TF concentration, and high antioxidant activity was observed in the leaves of Halia Bara grown under 310 μmol m−2s−1. The ferric reducing (FRAP activity of the rhizomes was higher than that of the leaves in 310 μmol m−2s−1 of sun light. This study indicates the ability of different light intensities to enhance the medicinal components and antioxidant activities of the leaves and young rhizomes of Zingiber officinale varieties. Additionally, this study also validated their medicinal potential based on TF and TP contents.

Changes in carbon intensity in China's industrial sector: Decomposition and attribution analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Nan; Ma, Zujun; Kang, Jidong

2015-01-01

The industrial sector accounts for 70% of the total energy-related CO_2 emissions in China. To gain a better understanding of the changes in carbon intensity in China's industrial sector, this study first utilized logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) decomposition analysis to disentangle the carbon intensity into three influencing factors, including the emission coefficient effect, the energy intensity effect, and the structure effect. Then, the analysis was furthered to explore the contributions of individual industrial sub-sectors to each factor by using an extension of the decomposition method proposed in Choi and Ang (2012). The results indicate that from 1996 to 2012, the energy intensity effect was the dominant factor in reducing carbon intensity, of which chemicals, iron and steel, metal and machinery, and cement and ceramics were the most representative sub-sectors. The structure effect did not show a strong impact on carbon intensity. The emission coefficient effect gradually increased the carbon intensity, mainly due to the expansion of electricity consumption, particularly in the metal and machinery and chemicals sub-sectors. The findings suggest that differentiated policies and measures should be considered for various industrial sub-sectors to maximize the energy efficiency potential. Moreover, readjusting the industrial structure and promoting clean and renewable energy is also urgently required to further reduce carbon intensity in China's industrial sector. - Highlights: • The study analyzed the changes in carbon intensity in China's industrial sector. • An extension of the Divisia index decomposition methodology was utilized. • Energy efficiency improvement was the dominant factor reducing carbon intensity. • The sub-sector contributions to the energy efficiency improvement varied markedly. • Emission coefficient growth can be mainly due to the expansion of electricity.

An integrated DEA PCA numerical taxonomy approach for energy efficiency assessment and consumption optimization in energy intensive manufacturing sectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azadeh, A.; Amalnick, M.S.; Ghaderi, S.F.; Asadzadeh, S.M.

2007-01-01

This paper introduces an integrated approach based on data envelopment analysis (DEA), principal component analysis (PCA) and numerical taxonomy (NT) for total energy efficiency assessment and optimization in energy intensive manufacturing sectors. Total energy efficiency assessment and optimization of the proposed approach considers structural indicators in addition conventional consumption and manufacturing sector output indicators. The validity of the DEA model is verified and validated by PCA and NT through Spearman correlation experiment. Moreover, the proposed approach uses the measure-specific super-efficiency DEA model for sensitivity analysis to determine the critical energy carriers. Four energy intensive manufacturing sectors are discussed in this paper: iron and steel, pulp and paper, petroleum refining and cement manufacturing sectors. To show superiority and applicability, the proposed approach has been applied to refinery sub-sectors of some OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries. This study has several unique features which are: (1) a total approach which considers structural indicators in addition to conventional energy efficiency indicators; (2) a verification and validation mechanism for DEA by PCA and NT and (3) utilization of DEA for total energy efficiency assessment and consumption optimization of energy intensive manufacturing sectors

The Scale, Structure and Influencing Factors of Total Carbon Emissions from Households in 30 Provinces of China—Based on the Extended STIRPAT Model

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Yong Wang

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Household carbon emissions are important components of total carbon emissions. The consumer side of energy-saving emissions reduction is an essential factor in reducing carbon emissions. In this paper, the carbon emissions coefficient method and Consumer Lifestyle Approach (CLA were used to calculate the total carbon emissions of households in 30 provinces of China from 2006 to 2015, and based on the extended Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology (STIRPAT model, the factors influencing the total carbon emissions of households were analyzed. The results indicated that, first, over the past ten years, the energy and products carbon emissions from China’s households have demonstrated a rapid growth trend and that regional distributions present obvious differences. Second, China’s energy carbon emissions due to household consumption primarily derived from the residents’ consumption of electricity and coal; China’s products household carbon emissions primarily derived from residents’ consumption of the high carbon emission categories: residences, food, transportation and communications. Third, in terms of influencing factors, the number of households in China plays a significant role in the total carbon emissions of China’s households. The ratio of children 0–14 years old and gender ratio (female = 100 are two factors that reflect the demographic structure, have significant effects on the total carbon emissions of China’s households, and are all positive. Gross Domestic Product (GDP per capita plays a role in boosting the total carbon emissions of China’s households. The effect of the carbon emission intensity on total household carbon emissions is positive. The industrial structure (the proportion of secondary industries’ added value to the regional GDP has curbed the growth of total carbon emissions from China’s household consumption. The results of this study provide data to support the

Label-free nanoscale characterization of red blood cell structure and dynamics using single-shot transport of intensity equation

Science.gov (United States)

Poola, Praveen Kumar; John, Renu

2017-10-01

We report the results of characterization of red blood cell (RBC) structure and its dynamics with nanometric sensitivity using transport of intensity equation microscopy (TIEM). Conventional transport of intensity technique requires three intensity images and hence is not suitable for studying real-time dynamics of live biological samples. However, assuming the sample to be homogeneous, phase retrieval using transport of intensity equation has been demonstrated with single defocused measurement with x-rays. We adopt this technique for quantitative phase light microscopy of homogenous cells like RBCs. The main merits of this technique are its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and ease of implementation on a conventional microscope. The phase information can be easily merged with regular bright-field and fluorescence images to provide multidimensional (three-dimensional spatial and temporal) information without any extra complexity in the setup. The phase measurement from the TIEM has been characterized using polymeric microbeads and the noise stability of the system has been analyzed. We explore the structure and real-time dynamics of RBCs and the subdomain membrane fluctuations using this technique.

Structure and Function: Planning a New Intensive Care Unit to Optimize Patient Care

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Jozef Kesecioğlu

2014-08-01

Full Text Available To survey the recent medical literature reporting effects of intensive care unit (ICU design on patients’ and family members’ well-being, safety and functionality. Features of ICU design linked to the needs of patients and their family are single-rooms, privacy, quiet surrounding, exposure to daylight, views of nature, prevention of infection, a family area and open visiting hours. Other features such as safety, working procedures, ergonomics and logistics have a direct impact on the patient care and the nursing and medical personnel. An organization structured on the needs of the patient and their family is mandatory in designing a new intensive care. The main aims in the design of a new department should be patient centered care, safety, functionality, innovation and a future-proof concept.

FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT INTENSITY EFFECTS ON TFP INTENSITY OF ASEAN 5 PLUS 2

OpenAIRE

Elsadig Musa Ahmed

2008-01-01

This study aims to investigate the role of foreign direct investment (FDI) intensity through decomposition of labour productivity growth into contributions of capital deepening, increased usage of foreign direct investment (FDI) intensity, and the simultaneous contribution of the quality of these factors. This has expressed as the contribution of total factor productivity (TFP) intensity growth in achieving productivity driven growth in ASEAN 5 (Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and...

Intensive mothering ideology in France: A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Loyal, D; Sutter Dallay, A-L; Rascle, N

2017-12-01

The aim of this pilot study was to adapt the intensive mothering ideology concept in a French sample and to get an assessment tool. First, the Intensive Parenting Attitudes Questionnaire (IPAQ), a U.S. scale comprising 25 items, was translated and submitted online to French mothers and mothers-to-be (n=250). Structural validity was tested through confirmatory factor analysis with poor results. Secondly, to increase the cultural validity of a new tool, new items were derived from French women speech. French mothers and mothers-to-be (n=22) were asked about their views regarding motherhood and childcare (semi-structured interviews). A thematic content analysis was performed with good inter-judge agreement (0.53-0.86) and 27 items were created. Finally, the total set of 52 items was submitted online to French mothers and mothers-to-be (n=474). The structure was tested through exploratory factor analysis. A new tool called the Measure of Intensive Mothering Ideology (MIMI) was obtained. This 21 items scale with 6 dimensions (Essentialism, Consuming Fulfillment, Child-centrism, Challenge, Sacrifice and Stimulation) explains 59.75% of variance. Internal consistencies were satisfactory (0.61-0.83) and most dimensions were positively and moderately correlated (0.17-0.38). The MIMI is the first French-language scale assessing IMI and offers interesting research avenues notably regarding perinatal parental adaptation. Copyright © 2017 L'Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The γ total cross section and the photon structure functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, G.

1986-01-01

A review on the current experimental status of the photon-photon total hadronic cross section as a function of energy and Q 2 is given in addition to the results obtained for the leptonic and hadronic photon structure functions. The results are discussed in terms of the point-like part of the photon and non-perturbative VDM part. It is shown that the cross section at Q 2 = 0 is well described by VDM derived models

Arbuscular mycorrhiza and their effect on the soil structure in farms with agroecological and intensive management

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Juan David Lozano Sánchez

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi help to reduce the damage caused by erosion and maintain soil structure through the production of mycelium and adhering substances. This study evaluated the structural stability; estimated the diversity and density of mycorrhizal spores present in three systems of soil (eroded, forest and coffee plantations in the rural area of Dagua, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. The systems evaluated were classified as farms with intensive or agroecological management. There were 25 morphospecies of mycorrhiza grouped in 13 genera, being Glomus and Entrophospora the most representative. The mean index values of mean weight (DPM and geometric (DGM diameters and diversity of mycorrhizal spores were statistically higher in farms with agroecological management than in farms with intensive management. The aggregate stability analysis revealed that eroded soils have significantly lower stability than forest and crop soils. A statistically significant correlation was found between diversity (r = 0.579 and spore density (r = 0.66 regarding DGM, and DPM with Shannon diversity (r = 0.54. Differences in practices, use and soil management affect mycorrhizal diversity found on farms and its effect such as particle aggregation agent generates remarkable changes in the stability and soil structure of evaluated areas. It is concluded, that agroecological management tends to favour both mycorrhizae and the structure of soils.

Analysis of the Effect of Cooling Intensity Under Volume-Surface Hardening on Formation of Hardened Structures in Steel 20GL

Science.gov (United States)

Evseev, D. G.; Savrukhin, A. V.; Neklyudov, A. N.

2018-01-01

Computer simulation of the kinetics of thermal processes and structural and phase transformations in the wall of a bogie side frame produced from steel 20GL is performed with allowance for the differences in the cooling intensity under volume-surface hardening. The simulation is based on the developed method employing the diagram of decomposition of austenite at different cooling rates. The data obtained are used to make conclusion on the effect of the cooling intensity on propagation of martensite structure over the wall section.

Total physical activity volume, physical activity intensity, and metabolic syndrome: 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Churilla, James R; Fitzhugh, Eugene C

2012-02-01

This study examined the association of total physical activity volume (TPAV) and physical activity (PA) from three domains [leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), domestic, transportation] with metabolic syndrome. We also investigated the relationship between LTPA intensity and metabolic syndrome risk. Sample included adults who participated in the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Physical activity measures were created for TPAV, LTPA, domestic PA, and transportational PA. For each, a six-level measure based upon no PA (level 1) and quintiles (levels 2-6) of metabolic equivalents (MET)·min·wk(-1) was created. A three-level variable associated with the current Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) PA recommendation was also created. SAS and SUDAAN were used for the statistical analysis. Adults reporting the greatest volume of TPAV and LTPA were found to be 36% [odds ratio (OR) 0.64; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.49-0.83] and 42% (OR 0.58; 95% CI 0.43-0.77), respectively, less likely to have metabolic syndrome. Domestic and transportational PA provided no specific level of protection from metabolic syndrome. Those reporting a TPAV that met the DHHS PA recommendation were found to be 33% (OR 0.67; 95%; CI 0.55-0.83) less likely to have metabolic syndrome compared to their sedentary counterparts. Adults reporting engaging in only vigorous-intensity LTPA were found to be 37% (OR 0.63; 95 CI 0.42-0.96) to 56% (OR 0.44; 95% CI 0.29-0.67) less likely to have metabolic syndrome. Volume, intensity, and domain of PA may all play important roles in reducing the prevalence and risk of metabolic syndrome.

Sum rules for four-spinon dynamic structure factor in XXX model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Si Lakhal, B.; Abada, A.

2005-01-01

In the context of the antiferromagnetic spin 12 Heisenberg quantum spin chain (XXX model), we estimate the contribution of the exact four-spinon dynamic structure factor S 4 by calculating a number of sum rules the total dynamic structure factor S is known to satisfy exactly. These sum rules are: the static susceptibility, the integrated intensity, the total integrated intensity, the first frequency moment and the nearest-neighbor correlation function. We find that the contribution of S 4 is between 1% and 2.5%, depending on the sum rule, whereas the contribution of the exact two-spinon dynamic structure factor S 2 is between 70% and 75%. The calculations are numerical and Monte Carlo based. Good statistics are obtained

Structural and biochemical changes induced by pulsed electric field treatments on Cabernet Sauvignon grape berry skins: impact on cell wall total tannins and polysaccharides.

Science.gov (United States)

Cholet, Céline; Delsart, Cristèle; Petrel, Mélina; Gontier, Etienne; Grimi, Nabil; L'hyvernay, Annie; Ghidossi, Remy; Vorobiev, Eugène; Mietton-Peuchot, Martine; Gény, Laurence

2014-04-02

Pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment is an emerging technology that is arousing increasing interest in vinification processes for its ability to enhance polyphenol extraction performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of PEF treatment on grape skin histocytological structures and on the organization of skin cell wall polysaccharides and tannins, which, until now, have been little investigated. This study relates to the effects of two PEF treatments on harvested Cabernet Sauvignon berries: PEF1 (medium strength (4 kV/cm); short duration (1 ms)) and PEF2 (low intensity (0.7 kV/cm); longer duration (200 ms)). Histocytological observations and the study of levels of polysaccharidic fractions and total amounts of tannins allowed differentiation between the two treatments. Whereas PEF1 had little effect on the polyphenol structure and pectic fraction, PEF2 profoundly modified the organization of skin cell walls. Depending on the PEF parameters, cell wall structure was differently affected, providing variable performance in terms of polyphenol extraction and wine quality.

Effect of chelate ring sizes and their substitution on intensities of hypersensitive transitions of lanthanoids (Ln(III)) ions and j (total quantum number profiles)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dubey, J.; Pandey, P.; Yadav, A.; Limaye, S.N.

1998-01-01

Full text: Electronic spectral studies of Pr(III), Nd(III), Sm(III) Dy(III), Eu(III) and Tm(III) complexes with some aliphatic and aromatic O-O donor ligands viz., Glycolic (gly), Malonic (main) Succinic (suc), Glutaric (glut), Salicylic (sal), Phthalic acids and Catechol (cat) having varied chelate ring sizes and different substitutions as side chains have been carried out with a view to study the effect of chelate ring sizes on the intensities of hypersensitive and pseudo-hypersensitive transitions in lanthanoids. The intensities of these HST transitions have also been correlated with the total quantum number (J) of the lanthanoid metal ions in order to seek a probable mechanism for the phenomenon hypersensitivity. A comparison of the spectral and nephelauxetic parameters for Pr(III), Nd(III), Sm(III) with Dy(III) Er(III) and Tm(III) exhibit a variation in the bonding pattern from electrostatic to covalo-electrostatic from pre-Gd elements to post-Gd elements. The J-(total) quantum number profiles of the oscillator strength values for the specific HST transitions have also been examined

Analysis of Management Practices in Lagos State Tertiary Institutions through Total Quality Management Structural Framework

Science.gov (United States)

AbdulAzeez, Abbas Tunde

2016-01-01

This research investigated total quality management practices and quality teacher education in public tertiary institutions in Lagos State. The study was therefore designed to analyse management practices in Lagos state tertiary institutions through total quality management structural framework. The selected public tertiary institutions in Lagos…

Detection of internal structure by scattered light intensity: Application to kidney cell sorting

Science.gov (United States)

Goolsby, C. L.; Kunze, M. E.

1985-01-01

Scattered light measurements in flow cytometry were sucessfully used to distinguish cells on the basis of differing morphology and internal structure. Differences in scattered light patterns due to changes in internal structure would be expected to occur at large scattering angles. Practically, the results of these calculations suggest that in experimental situations an array of detectors would be useful. Although in general the detection of the scattered light intensity at several intervals within the 10 to 60 region would be sufficient, there are many examples where increased sensitivity could be acheived at other angles. The ability to measure at many different angular intervals would allow the experimenter to empirically select the optimum intervals for the varying conditions of cell size, N/C ratio, granule size and internal structure from sample to sample. The feasibility of making scattered light measurements at many different intervals in flow cytometry was demonstrated. The implementation of simplified versions of these techniques in conjunction with independant measurements of cell size could potentially improve the usefulness of flow cytometry in the study of the internal structure of cells.

Total pollution effect of urban surface runoff.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Hongbing; Luo, Lin; Huang, Gu; Liu, Ping; Li, Jingxian; Hu, Sheng; Wang, Fuxiang; Xu, Rui; Huang, Xiaoxue

2009-01-01

For pollution research with regard to urban surface runoff, most sampling strategies to date have focused on differences in land usage. With single land-use sampling, total surface runoff pollution effect cannot be evaluated unless every land usage spot is monitored. Through a new sampling strategy known as mixed stormwater sampling for a street community at discharge outlet adjacent to river, this study assessed the total urban surface runoff pollution effect caused by a variety of land uses and the pollutants washed off from the rain pipe system in the Futian River watershed in Shenzhen City of China. The water quality monitoring indices were COD (chemical oxygen demand), TSS (total suspend solid), TP (total phosphorus), TN (total nitrogen) and BOD (biochemical oxygen demand). The sums of total pollution loads discharged into the river for the four indices of COD, TSS, TN, and TP over all seven rainfall events were very different. The mathematical model for simulating total pollution loads was established from discharge outlet mixed stormwater sampling of total pollution loads on the basis of four parameters: rainfall intensity, total land area, impervious land area, and pervious land area. In order to treat surface runoff pollution, the values of MFF30 (mass first flush ratio) and FF30 (first 30% of runoff volume) can be considered as split-flow control criteria to obtain more effective and economical design of structural BMPs (best management practices) facilities.

Amplification of the Signal Intensity of Fluorescence-Based Fiber-Optic Biosensors Using a Fabry-Perot Resonator Structure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meng-Chang Hsieh

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Fluorescent biosensors have been widely used in biomedical applications. To amplify the intensity of fluorescence signals, this study developed a novel structure for an evanescent wave fiber-optic biosensor by using a Fabry-Perot resonator structure. An excitation light was coupled into the optical fiber through a laser-drilled hole on the proximal end of the resonator. After entering the resonator, the excitation light was reflected back and forth inside the resonator, thereby amplifying the intensity of the light in the fiber. Subsequently, the light was used to excite the fluorescent molecules in the reactive region of the sensor. The experimental results showed that the biosensor signal was amplified eight-fold when the resonator reflector was formed using a 92% reflective coating. Furthermore, in a simulation, the biosensor signal could be amplified 20-fold by using a 99% reflector.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder's Frequency and Intensity Ratings Are Associated with Factor Structure Differences in Military Veterans

Science.gov (United States)

Elhai, Jon D.; Palmieri, Patrick A.; Biehn, Tracey L.; Frueh, B. Christopher; Magruder, Kathryn M.

2010-01-01

We examined possible differences in the factor structure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on the basis of whether frequency or intensity symptom response formats were used to assess PTSD. Participants included 669 veterans recruited from an epidemiological study of four Veterans Affairs Medical Centers' primary care clinics in the…

Total synthesis, structure, and oral absorption of a thiazole cyclic peptide, sanguinamide A

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Daniel S; Hoang, Huy N; Lohman, Rink-Jan

2012-01-01

The first total synthesis and three-dimensional solution structure are reported for sanguinamide A, a thiazole-containing cyclic peptide from the sea slug H. sanguineus. Solution phase fragment synthesis, solid phase fragment assembly, and solution macrocyclization were combined to give (1) in 10......% yield. Spectral properties were identical for the natural product, requiring revision of its structure from (2) to (1). Intramolecular transannular hydrogen bonds help to bury polar atoms, which enables oral absorption from the gut....

Analysis of energy intensity in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okajima, Shigeharu; Okajima, Hiroko

2013-01-01

This study discusses the causes of the increase in Japan's energy intensity, defined as energy consumption divided by GDP, since the early 1990s. The significant reduction in Japan's energy intensity ceased in the early 1980s and has even slightly increased since the early 1990s, indicating that Japan seemingly stopped taking aggressive action to improve energy use. However, further analysis at prefecture level and sector level provides additional insight on energy intensity trends. To analyze the causes of the increase in Japan's energy intensity, energy intensity is decomposed into energy efficiency (improvements in energy efficiency) and energy activity (structural changes from the secondary sector to the tertiary sector of the economy). Our result indicates that the non-uniform energy intensity trends between prefectures are attributed to a high variability in energy efficiency. At sector level, we estimate the income elasticity of energy consumption in each sector and find that a structural change in energy consumption behaviors occurred in all sectors at different time points. The industrial sector and commercial sector became less energy efficient after 1981 and 1988, respectively, which is presumably responsible for the deterioration of Japan's energy intensity since the early 1990s. - Highlights: • We examine why the reduction in Japan's energy intensity increased in the early 1990s. • There is a high variability in energy intensity trends between regions. • The structural changes in energy consumption behaviors occurred in sector level. • These changes may be responsible for the deterioration of Japan's energy intensity

Stochastic conditional intensity processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bauwens, Luc; Hautsch, Nikolaus

2006-01-01

model allows for a wide range of (cross-)autocorrelation structures in multivariate point processes. The model is estimated by simulated maximum likelihood (SML) using the efficient importance sampling (EIS) technique. By modeling price intensities based on NYSE trading, we provide significant evidence......In this article, we introduce the so-called stochastic conditional intensity (SCI) model by extending Russell’s (1999) autoregressive conditional intensity (ACI) model by a latent common dynamic factor that jointly drives the individual intensity components. We show by simulations that the proposed...... for a joint latent factor and show that its inclusion allows for an improved and more parsimonious specification of the multivariate intensity process...

[Descriptive Analysis of Health Economics of Intensive Home Care of Ventilated Patients].

Science.gov (United States)

Lehmann, Yvonne; Ostermann, Julia; Reinhold, Thomas; Ewers, Michael

2018-05-14

Long-term ventilated patients in Germany receive intensive care mainly in the patients' home or in assisted-living facilities. There is a lack of knowledge about the nature and extent of resource use and costs associated with care of this small, heterogeneous but overall growing patient group. A sub-study in the context of a research project SHAPE analyzed costs of 29 patients descriptively from a social perspective. Direct and indirect costs of intensive home care over a period of three months were recorded and analyzed retrospectively. Standardized recorded written self-reports from patients and relatives as well as information from the interviewing of nursing staff and from nursing documentation were the basis for this analysis. There was an average total cost of intensive home care for three months per patient of 61194 € (95% CI 53 884-68 504) including hospital stays. The main costs were directly linked to outpatient medical and nursing care provided according to the Code of Social Law V and XI. Services provided by nursing home care service according to § 37(2) Code of Social Law V (65%) were the largest cost item. Approximately 13% of the total costs were attributable to indirect costs. Intensive home care for ventilated patients is resource-intensive and cost-intensive and has received little attention also from a health economics perspective. Valid information and transparency about the cost structures are required for an effective and economic design and management of the long-term care of this patient group. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Indicators of structural degradation on intensively cultivated soils of the Piedemonte Llanero

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Obando, Franco H

2000-01-01

In order to evaluate the validity of a diagnosis methodology of structural soil degradation based on the combination of internal morphology of aggregates and measurement of resistance to penetration, a reconnaissance survey of physical degradation processes on intensively cultivated soils in the Piedemonte Llanero was carried out. The internal morphology of soil aggregates was classified into five states; micro-aggregate (μ), compacted (∇ μ), very compacted (∇), cracked compacted (φ) and agglomerate (ψ) defined according to morphological characteristics derived from cultivation practices and wheel traffic. Two crops systems were selected: low-lying rice (mono-cropping) during 30 years) and upland rice, maize, soybean cotton crop rotations during 20 years in two landscapes of the alluvial plain of piedmont (medium terraces of the sub-recent piedmont, TM, and No-flooding Lowland Flats of the Recent Piedmont, PR). A natural forest and 20 years cacao tree plantation was include as benchmark systems. It was found that higher values of resistance to penetration and total density are associated to compact layers (∇ μ, ∇ and φ states) and lower values to the μ a ψ states. The ∇ state was particularly evident on TM under mono-cropping e low-lying rice crop. High values of resistance to penetration of topsoil on PR were rather associated to e textural resistance. Under natural forest and cacao e plantation it was found the micro-aggregate state (μ) o on surface soil. High values of weighed mean diameter of water stable aggregates, DMP, (≥ 5mm) were associated to compacted layers in the crop rotation e systems in PR. it was demonstrated that this methodology developed in France (temperate zone) can be applied to tropical soils

Local topology via the invariants of the velocity gradient tensor within vortex clusters and intense Reynolds stress structures in turbulent channel flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buchner, Abel-John; Kitsios, Vassili; Atkinson, Callum; Soria, Julio; Lozano-Durán, Adrián

2016-01-01

Previous works have shown that momentum transfer in the wall–normal direction within turbulent wall–bounded flows occurs primarily within coherent structures defined by regions of intense Reynolds stress [1]. Such structures may be classified into wall–attached and wall–detached structures with the latter being typically weak, small–scale, and isotropically oriented, while the former are larger and carry most of the Reynolds stresses. The mean velocity fluctuation within each structure may also be used to separate structures by their dynamic properties. This study aims to extract information regarding the scales, kinematics and dynamics of these structures within the topological framework of the invariants of the velocity gradient tensor (VGT). The local topological characteristics of these intense Reynolds stress structures are compared to the topological characteristics of vortex clusters defined by the discriminant of the velocity gradient tensor. The alignment of vorticity with the principal strain directions within these structures is also determined, and the implications of these findings are discussed. (paper)

Structure and intensities of microwave lines in the spectra of diatomic molecules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tatum, J.B.

1986-01-01

The structure of the rotational levels in a diatomic molecule, and the intensities of microwave transitions between them, are reviewed. Attention is given to the statistical weights of levels that may have hyperfine structure on account of one or two nuclear spins, in the case of heteronuclear molecules and of homonuclear molecules. A new treatment is given, involving the concept of energy surfaces in a ternary diagram in the form of a triangular prism, in which the three vertices represent three limiting cases, while the interior of the prism displays energy levels where all three intermediate coupling parameters are of comparable magnitude. An example is given of a simple J = 2 to J = 1 transition in a molecule with nuclear spins 3/2 and 1, showing the 56 hyperhyperfine components into which the rotational line is split, and a movie film is described which shows how the resulting ''fingerprint'' varies with the relative strengths of the interactions between the nuclear and electronic angular momenta

White light coronal structures and flattening during six total solar eclipses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B.A. Marzouk

2016-12-01

Flattening index is the first quantitative parameter introduced for analyses of the global structure of the solar corona. It varies with respect to the phase of the solar activity and sunspot number. In this paper we study the solar corona during the 1990, 1999, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2012 total solar eclipses. We obtain flattening coefficients for all the six eclipses by using a new computer program. Our results are in a good agreement with published results.

Impact of distribution intensity on perceived quality, brand awareness and brand loyality - structural model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan-Damir Anić

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this empirical study was to determine the impacts of distribution intensity on perceived quality and brand awareness, and to analyze the effects of perceived quality and brand awareness on brand loyalty. A structural equation model was used to identify the size and the direction of proposed relationships. The model was tested on a sample of 956 students using three brand categories in the manufacturing industry and three brand categories in the service industry. The proposed hypotheses were supported by the model. The results show that distribution intensity is positively related to perceived quality and brand awareness. Moreover, perceived quality and brand awareness were shown to be significant and positive predictors of brand loyalty. Managerial implications are discussed in the paper. The findings of this study could be of special interests to managers, professionals and those doing research in the field of distribution and brand management.

Total synthesis of the putative structure of the novel triquinane natural product isocapnellenone

OpenAIRE

Mehta, Goverdhan; Murthy, Sai Krishna A; Umarye, Jayant D

2002-01-01

A total synthesis of the ‘putative structure’ 7, attributed to the novel triquinane sesquiterpene isolated recently from two Buddelia species has been accomplished. The spectral data for 7 is a complete mismatch with those reported for the natural product and warrants a revision of the assigned structure.

Using structural damage statistics to derive macroseismic intensity within the Kathmandu valley for the 2015 M7.8 Gorkha, Nepal earthquake

Science.gov (United States)

McGowan, S. M.; Jaiswal, K. S.; Wald, D. J.

2017-09-01

We make and analyze structural damage observations from within the Kathmandu valley following the 2015 M7.8 Gorkha, Nepal earthquake to derive macroseismic intensities at several locations including some located near ground motion recording sites. The macroseismic intensity estimates supplement the limited strong ground motion data in order to characterize the damage statistics. This augmentation allows for direct comparisons between ground motion amplitudes and structural damage characteristics and ultimately produces a more constrained ground shaking hazard map for the Gorkha earthquake. For systematic assessments, we focused on damage to three specific building categories: (a) low/mid-rise reinforced concrete frames with infill brick walls, (b) unreinforced brick masonry bearing walls with reinforced concrete slabs, and (c) unreinforced brick masonry bearing walls with partial timber framing. Evaluating dozens of photos of each construction type, assigning each building in the study sample to a European Macroseismic Scale (EMS)-98 Vulnerability Class based upon its structural characteristics, and then individually assigning an EMS-98 Damage Grade to each building allows a statistically derived estimate of macroseismic intensity for each of nine study areas in and around the Kathmandu valley. This analysis concludes that EMS-98 macroseismic intensities for the study areas from the Gorkha mainshock typically were in the VII-IX range. The intensity assignment process described is more rigorous than the informal approach of assigning intensities based upon anecdotal media or first-person accounts of felt-reports, shaking, and their interpretation of damage. Detailed EMS-98 macroseismic assessments in urban areas are critical for quantifying relations between shaking and damage as well as for calibrating loss estimates. We show that the macroseismic assignments made herein result in fatality estimates consistent with the overall and district-wide reported values.

Relationship Study on Land Use Spatial Distribution Structure and Energy-Related Carbon Emission Intensity in Different Land Use Types of Guangdong, China, 1996–2008

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi Huang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This study attempts to discuss the relationship between land use spatial distribution structure and energy-related carbon emission intensity in Guangdong during 1996–2008. We quantized the spatial distribution structure of five land use types including agricultural land, industrial land, residential and commercial land, traffic land, and other land through applying spatial Lorenz curve and Gini coefficient. Then the corresponding energy-related carbon emissions in each type of land were calculated in the study period. Through building the reasonable regression models, we found that the concentration degree of industrial land is negatively correlated with carbon emission intensity in the long term, whereas the concentration degree is positively correlated with carbon emission intensity in agricultural land, residential and commercial land, traffic land, and other land. The results also indicate that land use spatial distribution structure affects carbon emission intensity more intensively than energy efficiency and production efficiency do. These conclusions provide valuable reference to develop comprehensive policies for energy conservation and carbon emission reduction in a new perspective.

ORNL-SAS: Versatile software for calculation of small-angle x-ray and neutron scattering intensity profiles from arbitrary structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heller, William T; Tjioe, Elina

2007-01-01

ORNL-SAS is software for calculating solution small-angle scattering intensity profiles from any structure provided in the Protein Data Bank format and can also compare the results with experimental data

Linac design for intense hadron beams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Chuan

2009-12-14

Based on the RFQ and H-type DTL structures, this dissertation is dedicated to study the beam dynamics in the presence of significantly strong space-charge effects while accelerating intense hadron beams in the low- and medium-{beta} region. Besides the 5 mA/30 mA, 17 MeV proton injector (RFQ+DTL) and the 125 mA, 40 MeV deuteron DTL of the EUROTRANS and IFMIF facilities, a 200 mA, 700 keV proton RFQ has been also intensively studied for a small-scale but ultra-intense neutron source FRANZ planned at Frankfurt University. The most remarkable properties of the FRANZ RFQ and the IFMIF DTL are the design beam intensities, 200 mA and 125 mA. A new design approach, which can provide a balanced and accelerated beam bunching at low energy, has been developed for intense beams. To design the IFMIF DTL and the injector DTL part of the EUROTRANS driver linac, which have been foreseen as the first real applications of the novel superconducting CH-DTL structure, intensive attempts have been made to fulfill the design goals under the new conditions. For the IFMIF DTL, the preliminary IAP design has been considerably improved with respect to the linac layout as well as the beam dynamics. By reserving sufficient drift spaces for the cryosystem, diagnostic devices, tuner and steerer, introducing SC solenoid lenses and adjusting the accelerating gradients and accordingly other configurations of the cavities, a more realistic, reliable and efficient linac system has been designed. On the other hand, the specifications and positions of the transverse focusing elements as well as the phase- and energy-differences between the bunch-center particle and the synchronous particle at the beginning of the {phi}{sub s}=0 sections have been totally redesigned. For the EUROTRANS injector DTL, in addition to the above-mentioned procedures, extra optimization concepts to coordinate the beam dynamics between two intensities have been applied. In the beam transport simulations for both DTL designs

Linac design for intense hadron beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Chuan

2009-01-01

Based on the RFQ and H-type DTL structures, this dissertation is dedicated to study the beam dynamics in the presence of significantly strong space-charge effects while accelerating intense hadron beams in the low- and medium-β region. Besides the 5 mA/30 mA, 17 MeV proton injector (RFQ+DTL) and the 125 mA, 40 MeV deuteron DTL of the EUROTRANS and IFMIF facilities, a 200 mA, 700 keV proton RFQ has been also intensively studied for a small-scale but ultra-intense neutron source FRANZ planned at Frankfurt University. The most remarkable properties of the FRANZ RFQ and the IFMIF DTL are the design beam intensities, 200 mA and 125 mA. A new design approach, which can provide a balanced and accelerated beam bunching at low energy, has been developed for intense beams. To design the IFMIF DTL and the injector DTL part of the EUROTRANS driver linac, which have been foreseen as the first real applications of the novel superconducting CH-DTL structure, intensive attempts have been made to fulfill the design goals under the new conditions. For the IFMIF DTL, the preliminary IAP design has been considerably improved with respect to the linac layout as well as the beam dynamics. By reserving sufficient drift spaces for the cryosystem, diagnostic devices, tuner and steerer, introducing SC solenoid lenses and adjusting the accelerating gradients and accordingly other configurations of the cavities, a more realistic, reliable and efficient linac system has been designed. On the other hand, the specifications and positions of the transverse focusing elements as well as the phase- and energy-differences between the bunch-center particle and the synchronous particle at the beginning of the φ s =0 sections have been totally redesigned. For the EUROTRANS injector DTL, in addition to the above-mentioned procedures, extra optimization concepts to coordinate the beam dynamics between two intensities have been applied. In the beam transport simulations for both DTL designs, no beam

Nuclear energy = more jobs. [Capital-intensive vs labor-intensive systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brookes, L G

1979-07-01

In the April 1979 issue of Energy Manager, Dr. David Elliott of Open University says capital-intensive systems employ less labor per unit of output, concluding that nuclear energy represented a poor bargain in terms of money invested per job created. Responding to this earlier article, Dr. Brookes argues that capital-intensive systems may employ less labor per unit of output, but they also produce more output and income per worker. Dr. Brookes uses a simple analysis to illustrate how progress results by increasing capital investment and disagrees strongly with Elliotts conclusions - says output must become more capital-intensive to provide more employment opportunities. Further, he feels that Elliott and other antinuclear and environmentalist writers have fallen into the trap of the fallacy of composition - assuming that what is true for a small number of constituent parts taken singly is true also for the total system taken as a whole. Examples can be found in economics of microeconomic elements which do not add up to the expected macroeconomic composition, which explains why some capital-intensive strategies are good and others are not. The excess income produced by capital-intensive energy strategies supports the service and public administration sectors. 3 figures, 1 table. (DCK)

First -principles calculations of the crystal structure, electronic structure, and thermodynamic stability of Be(BH4)2

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Setten, Michiel J.; de Wijs, Gilles A.; Brocks, G.

2008-01-01

Alanates and boranates are intensively studied because of their potential use as hydrogen storage materials. In this paper, we present a first-principles study of the electronic structure and the energetics of beryllium boranate BeBH42. From total energy calculations, we show that—in contrast to the

Imaging and spectroscopic observations of the 9 March 2016 Total Solar Eclipse in Palangkaraya

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kholish, Abdul Majid Al; Jihad, Imanul; Andika, Irham Taufik; Puspitaningrum, Evaria; Ainy, Fathin Q.; Ramadhan, Sahlan; Arifyanto, M. Ikbal; Malasan, Hakim L.

2016-01-01

The March 9 th 2016 total solar eclipse observation was carried out at Universitas Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan. Time-resolved imaging of the Sun has been conducted before, after, and during totality of eclipse while optical spectroscopic observation has been carried out only at the totality. The imaging observation in white light was done to take high resolution images of solar corona. The images were taken with a DSLR camera that is attached to a refractor telescope (d=66 mm, f/5.9). Despite cloudy weather during the eclipse moments, we managed to obtain the images with lower signal-to-noise ratio, including identifiable diamond ring, prominence and coronal structure. The images were processed using standard reduction procedure to increase the signal-to-noise ratio and to enhance the corona. Then, the coronal structure is determined and compared with ultraviolet data from SOHO to analyze the correlation between visual and ultraviolet corona. The spectroscopic observation was conducted using a slit-less spectrograph and a DSLR camera to obtain solar flash spectra. The flash spectra taken during the eclipse show emissions of H 4861 Å, He I 5876 Å, and H 6563 Å. The Fe XIV 5303 Å and Fe X 6374 Å lines are hardly detected due to low signal-to-noise ratio. Spectral reduction and analysis are conducted to derive the emission lines intensity relative to continuum intensity. We use the measured parameters to determine the temperature of solar chromosphere. (paper)

Total chemical synthesis and X-ray structure of kaliotoxin by racemic protein crystallography.

Science.gov (United States)

Pentelute, Brad L; Mandal, Kalyaneswar; Gates, Zachary P; Sawaya, Michael R; Yeates, Todd O; Kent, Stephen B H

2010-11-21

Here we report the total synthesis of kaliotoxin by 'one pot' native chemical ligation of three synthetic peptides. A racemic mixture of D- and L-kaliotoxin synthetic protein molecules gave crystals in the centrosymmetric space group P1 that diffracted to atomic-resolution (0.95 Å), enabling the X-ray structure of kaliotoxin to be determined by direct methods.

Three-dimensional woody vegetation structure across different land-use types and land-use intensities in a semi-arid savanna

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Fisher, J

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Factors influencing woody savanna vegetation structure across a land-use gradient of intensity (highly and lightly utilized communal rangeland) and type (national protected area, private game reserve and communal rangelands) were investigated. Small...

Changes in energy intensities of Thai industry between 1981 and 2000: a decomposition analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhattacharyya, S.C.; Ussanarassamee, Arjaree

2005-01-01

Industrial demand accounts for about 30% of total final energy demand in Thailand, which experienced rapid increases in energy demand. This paper analyzes the changes in industrial energy intensities over a period of 20 years (1981-2000) and identifies the factors affecting the energy consumption using logarithmic mean Divisia decomposition technique. It is found that Thai industry has passed through four different phases of growth and energy consumption has closely followed the industrial growth pattern. Energy intensity of Thai industry decreased from 17.6 toe/million baht (constant 1988 prices) in 1981 to 15.8 toe/million baht (1988 prices) in 2000. Non-metallic mineral industry is the most intensive industry followed by basic metal, food and beverage, chemical and paper industries. The factor analysis indicates that both the structural effect and intensity effect contributed to a decline of aggregate intensity by 8% during 1981-1986 but in the rest of the periods, the two effects acted in opposite directions and thereby reducing the overall effect on aggregate intensity. Food and beverages, non-metallic mineral and chemical industries had significantly influenced the changes in aggregate intensity at sectoral level

Principles, effects and problems of differential power pricing policy for energy intensive industries in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Boqiang; Liu, Jianghua

2011-01-01

The Chinese government canceled the preferential power pricing policies for energy intensive industries and imposed a reverse differential pricing policy in order to promote energy efficiency and the adjustment and upgrading of the industrial structure. This article analyzes the principles of China's differential power pricing policy, the externalities of energy and the modified Ramsey pricing rule, and also points out the policy implications of China's differential power pricing policy. In our samples, we investigate eight power intensive products in the Henan province with respect to their power consumption per unit (power intensity), electricity cost, total cost, the electricity tariff and profit, in order to test the effects of the differential power pricing policy. The results show that the primary effect of the differential power pricing policy is that enterprises decrease their total costs and improve their productive efficiencies in advance, in anticipating a higher electricity tariff. -- Research highlights: → The article suggests a modified Ramsey pricing model where demand elasticity is replaced by elasticity of energy consumption and polluting elasticity to internalize the negative externality of high energy intensive industry. → The article assesses the effects of differential pricing policy through on-site survey of high energy intensive industries in Henan province and analyzes the reasons behind those effects. → The article presents the lessons and policy implications of implementing differential pricing policy aimed at energy conservation and emission reduction.

Effect of the light spectrum of various substrates for inkjet printed conductive structures sintered with intense pulsed light

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weise, Dana; Mitra, Kalyan Yoti; Ueberfuhr, Peter; Baumann, Reinhard R.

2015-01-01

In this work, the novel method of intense pulsed light (IPL) sintering of a nanoparticle silver ink is presented. Various patterns are printed with the Inkjet technology on two flexible foils with different light spectra. One is a clear Polyethylenterephthalat [PET] foil and the second is a light brownish Polyimide [PI] foil. The samples are flashed with different parameters regarding to pulse intensity and pulse length. Microscopic images are indicating the impact of the flashing parameters and the different light spectra of the substrates on the sintered structures. Sheet and line resistance are measured and the conductivity is calculated. A high influence of the property of the substrate with respect to light absorption and thermal conductivity on the functionality of printed conductive structures could be presented. With this new method of IPL sintering, highly conductive inkjet printed silver patterns could be manufactured within milliseconds on flexible polymeric foils without damaging the substrate

The role of structural order-disorder for visible intense photoluminescence in the BaZr0.5Ti0.5O3 thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anicete-Santos, M.; Cavalcante, L.S.; Orhan, E.; Paris, E.C.; Simoes, L.G.P.; Joya, M.R.; Rosa, I.L.V.; Lucena, P.R. de; Santos, M.R.M.C.; Santos-Junior, L.S.; Pizani, P.S.; Leite, E.R.; Varela, J.A.; Longo, E.

2005-01-01

The nature of the intense visible room temperature photoluminescence of BaZr 0.5 Ti 0.5 O 3 non-crystalline thin films is discussed in the light of experimental results and theoretical calculations. The photoluminescence measurements reveal that the emission intensity changes with the degree of disorder in the BaZr 0.5 Ti 0.5 O 3 lattice. First principles quantum mechanical techniques, based on density functional theory at B3LYP level, have been employed to study the electronic structure of a crystalline model and of structurally disordered models in order to detect the influence of disorder on the electronic structure. An analysis of the electronic charge distribution reveals local polarization in the disordered structures. The relevance of the present theoretical and experimental results on the photoluminescence behavior of BZT is discussed

Optimal field splitting for large intensity-modulated fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamath, Srijit; Sahni, Sartaj; Ranka, Sanjay; Li, Jonathan; Palta, Jatinder

2004-01-01

The multileaf travel range limitations on some linear accelerators require the splitting of a large intensity-modulated field into two or more adjacent abutting intensity-modulated subfields. The abutting subfields are then delivered as separate treatment fields. This workaround not only increases the treatment delivery time but it also increases the total monitor units (MU) delivered to the patient for a given prescribed dose. It is imperative that the cumulative intensity map of the subfields is exactly the same as the intensity map of the large field generated by the dose optimization algorithm, while satisfying hardware constraints of the delivery system. In this work, we describe field splitting algorithms that split a large intensity-modulated field into two or more intensity-modulated subfields with and without feathering, with optimal MU efficiency while satisfying the hardware constraints. Compared to a field splitting technique (without feathering) used in a commercial planning system, our field splitting algorithm (without feathering) shows a decrease in total MU of up to 26% on clinical cases and up to 63% on synthetic cases

Energy intensity, target level of energy intensity, and room for improvement in energy intensity: An application to the study of regions in the EU

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Ming-Chung

2014-01-01

While the previous literature shows that a decline in energy intensity represents an improvement in energy use efficiency, it does not provide a target level of energy intensity, nor what room for improvement in terms of energy intensity could entail. This study establishes an indicator of such room for improvement in terms of energy intensity by measuring the difference between the target level of energy intensity and the actual energy intensity and thereby monitors energy use efficiency. The traditional indicator of energy intensity, defined as energy use over GDP, mainly estimates energy use efficiency, but is a partial effect between the energy input and GDP output. However, our proposed indicator of the room for improvement in terms of energy intensity is the total-factor effects based on the multiple-inputs model. By taking the 27 EU members to investigate their energy use efficiency using the indicator of the room for improvement in terms of energy intensity, this study concludes that an improvement in energy intensity does not fully depend on a decline in energy intensity, and we instead need to confirm whether the room for improvement in terms of energy intensity decreases. This finding is particularly relevant for energy policy-makers. - Highlights: • This paper establishes an indicator for the room for improvement in terms of energy intensity. • This study takes the 27 EU members to investigate their energy use efficiency. • A different result appears by using our proposed indicator

Dose optimization with first-order total-variation minimization for dense angularly sampled and sparse intensity modulated radiation therapy (DASSIM-RT)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Hojin; Li Ruijiang; Lee, Rena; Goldstein, Thomas; Boyd, Stephen; Candes, Emmanuel; Xing Lei [Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-9505 (United States) and Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-5847 (United States); Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-5847 (United States); Department of Radiation Oncology, Ehwa University, Seoul 158-710 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-9505 (United States); Department of Statistics, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-4065 (United States); Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-5304 (United States)

2012-07-15

Purpose: A new treatment scheme coined as dense angularly sampled and sparse intensity modulated radiation therapy (DASSIM-RT) has recently been proposed to bridge the gap between IMRT and VMAT. By increasing the angular sampling of radiation beams while eliminating dispensable segments of the incident fields, DASSIM-RT is capable of providing improved conformity in dose distributions while maintaining high delivery efficiency. The fact that DASSIM-RT utilizes a large number of incident beams represents a major computational challenge for the clinical applications of this powerful treatment scheme. The purpose of this work is to provide a practical solution to the DASSIM-RT inverse planning problem. Methods: The inverse planning problem is formulated as a fluence-map optimization problem with total-variation (TV) minimization. A newly released L1-solver, template for first-order conic solver (TFOCS), was adopted in this work. TFOCS achieves faster convergence with less memory usage as compared with conventional quadratic programming (QP) for the TV form through the effective use of conic forms, dual-variable updates, and optimal first-order approaches. As such, it is tailored to specifically address the computational challenges of large-scale optimization in DASSIM-RT inverse planning. Two clinical cases (a prostate and a head and neck case) are used to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed planning technique. DASSIM-RT plans with 15 and 30 beams are compared with conventional IMRT plans with 7 beams in terms of plan quality and delivery efficiency, which are quantified by conformation number (CN), the total number of segments and modulation index, respectively. For optimization efficiency, the QP-based approach was compared with the proposed algorithm for the DASSIM-RT plans with 15 beams for both cases. Results: Plan quality improves with an increasing number of incident beams, while the total number of segments is maintained to be about the

Optimal margin and edge-enhanced intensity maps in the presence of motion and uncertainty

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chan, Timothy C Y; Tsitsiklis, John N; Bortfeld, Thomas

2010-01-01

In radiation therapy, intensity maps involving margins have long been used to counteract the effects of dose blurring arising from motion. More recently, intensity maps with increased intensity near the edge of the tumour (edge enhancements) have been studied to evaluate their ability to offset similar effects that affect tumour coverage. In this paper, we present a mathematical methodology to derive margin and edge-enhanced intensity maps that aim to provide tumour coverage while delivering minimum total dose. We show that if the tumour is at most about twice as large as the standard deviation of the blurring distribution, the optimal intensity map is a pure scaling increase of the static intensity map without any margins or edge enhancements. Otherwise, if the tumour size is roughly twice (or more) the standard deviation of motion, then margins and edge enhancements are preferred, and we present formulae to calculate the exact dimensions of these intensity maps. Furthermore, we extend our analysis to include scenarios where the parameters of the motion distribution are not known with certainty, but rather can take any value in some range. In these cases, we derive a similar threshold to determine the structure of an optimal margin intensity map.

Impact of carbon intensity and energy security constraints on China's coal import

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin Boqiang; Liu Jianghua; Yang Yingchun

2012-01-01

Logistic and Gaussian Curves are adopted in this article to predict the coal production peak for Shanxi province, Henan province as well as the whole of China. According to the prediction based on the basic coal reserve data, coal production in China will reach its peak in the 2030 s while that of Shanxi and Henan provinces will be achieved by the 2040 s and 2020 s respectively. This article also assesses the influential factors of China's coal peak and revises the forecast of about China's coal demand by taking the CO2 intensity constraint into consideration, and then predicting the corresponding coal import. The results show that China would import 983 million tonnes of coal in 2020; which takes as high as 27% of China's total coal consumption. This article demonstrates that even if China fulfills CO2 intensity constraint, the country's energy situation would still be grim as a result of its high GDP growth rate. Therefore, China has to consider both CO2 intensity and energy security constraints when establishing strategic energy plan. Finally, this article suggests an adjustment of energy structure by which those constraints can be addressed and further assesses the effect of the adjusted energy structure. - Highlights: ► China's coal peak will arrive in 2040s when basic reserve data is used. ► China's peak production would be 4.8–5.8 billion tons. ► The energy security is still grim even if China meets CO 2 intensity constraint. ► The energy structure suggested should be “natural gas in place of oil and coal”.

Energy intensity and its determinants in China's regional economies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Yanrui

2012-01-01

This paper contributes to the existing literature as well as policy debates by examining energy intensity and its determinants in China's regional economies. The analysis is based on a comprehensive database of China's regional energy balance constructed for this project. Through its focus on regional China, this study extends the existing literature, which mainly covers nationwide studies. It is found in this paper that energy intensity declined substantially in China. The main contributing factor is the improvement in energy efficiency. Changes in the economic structure have so far affected energy intensity modestly. Thus there is considerable scope to reduce energy intensity through the structural transformation of the Chinese economy in the future. - Highlights: ► First study examining energy intensity and its determinants using sectoral data in Chinese regions. ► Major findings. ► Decline in energy intensity is due to the rise in energy efficiency. ► Economic structural change has played little role. ► Growth in capital intensity alone would not lead to the decline in energy consumption.

The fluctuations of China’s energy intensity: Biased technical change

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Ce; Liao, Hua; Pan, Su-Yan; Zhao, Lu-Tao; Wei, Yi-Ming

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Biased technical change is considered in the adjusting the input–output tables. • The level of biased technical change is determined by TFP and energy efficiency. • The increase in energy intensity was mostly attributed to the structural change. • The changes in the production technology actually decreased the energy intensity. • The decomposition results are sensitive to the level of biased technical change. - Abstract: The fluctuations of China’s energy intensity have attracted the attention of many scholars, but fewer studies consider the data quality of official input–output tables. This paper conducts a decomposition model by using the Divisia method based on the input–output tables. Because of the problems with input–output tables and price deflators, we first produce constant prices to deflate the input–output tables. And then we consider different levels of biased technical change for different sectors in the adjusting the input–output table. Finally, we use RAS technique to adjust input–output matrix. Then the decomposition model is employed to empirically analyze the change of China’s energy intensity. We compare the decomposition results with and without biased technical change and do sensitive analysis on the level of biased technical change. The decomposition results are that during 2002–2007, the energy intensity of coal and electricity increased, the changes were mostly attributed to the structural change and the contribution was 594.08%, 73.88%, respectively; as for crude oil and refined oil, the energy intensity decreased, the changes were mostly attributed to the changes in the production technology and the contribution was 978.89%, 246.95%, respectively. And the results of sensitive analysis shows that 1% variation of the level of biased technical change will cause at most 0.6% change of decomposition results. Therefore, we can draw our conclusions: compared to the decomposition without biased technical

Total Productive Maintenance And Role Of Interpretive Structural Modeling And Structural Equation Modeling In Analyzing Barriers In Its Implementation A Literature Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prasanth S. Poduval

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract - The aim of the authors is to present a review of literature of Total Productive Maintenance and the barriers in implementation of Total Productive Maintenance TPM. The paper begins with a brief description of TPM and the barriers in implementation of TPM. Interpretive Structural Modeling ISM and its role in analyzing the barriers in TPM implementation is explained in brief. Applications of ISM in analyzing issues in various fields are highlighted with special emphasis on TPM. The paper moves on to introduction to Structural Equation Modeling SEM and its role in validating ISM in analyzing barriers in implementation of TPM. The paper concludes with a gap analysis from the current literature research that can be carried out and expected outcomes from the proposed research.

Using Vertical Structure to Infer the Total Mass Hidden in a Debris Disk

Science.gov (United States)

Daley, Cail; Hughes, A. Meredith; Carter, Evan; Flaherty, Kevin; Stafford Lambros, Zachary; Pan, Margaret; Schlichting, Hilke; Chiang, Eugene; Wilner, David; Dent, Bill; Carpenter, John; Andrews, Sean; MacGregor, Meredith Ann; Moor, Attila; Kospal, Agnes

2018-01-01

Disks of optically thin debris dust surround ≥ 20% of main sequence stars and mark the final stage of planetary system evolution. The features of debris disks encode dynamical interactions between the dust and any unseen planets embedded in the disk. The vertical distribution of the dust is particularly sensitive to the total mass of planetesimal bodies in the disk, and is therefore well suited for constraining the prevalence of otherwise unobservable Uranus and Neptune analogs. Inferences of mass from debris disk vertical structure have previously been applied to infrared and optical observations of several systems, but the smaller particles traced by short-wavelength observations are ‘puffed up’ by radiation pressure, yielding only upper limits on the total embedded mass. The large grains that dominate the emission at millimeter wavelengths are essentially impervious to the effects of stellar radiation, and therefore trace the underlying mass distribution more directly. Here we present 1.3mm dust continuum observations of the debris disk around the nearby M star AU Mic with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The 3 au spatial resolution of the observations, combined with the favorable edge-on geometry of the system, allows us to measure the vertical structure of a debris disk at millimeter wavelengths for the first time. We analyze the data using a ray-tracing code that translates a 2-D density and temperature structure into a model sky image of the disk. This model image is then compared directly to the interferometric data in the visibility domain, and the model parameters are explored using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo routine. We measure a scale height-to-radius ratio of 0.03, which we then compare to a theoretical model of steady-state, size-dependent velocity distributions in the collisional cascade to infer a total mass within the disk of ∼ 1.7 Earth masses. These measurements rule out the presence of a gas giant or Neptune

Evaluation of total and partial structure factors, self-diffusion coefficients, and compressibilities of the cadmium-gallium melt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gopala Rao, R.V.; Das, R.

1988-01-01

The three partial structure factors S/sub 11/(K), S/sub 22/(K), and S/sub 12/(K) defined by Ashcroft and Langreth are computed with a square-well potential as a perturbation over a hard-sphere potential for different atomic fractions or concentrations of cadmium for Cd-Ga melt at 296 0 C. Also, the number-number, concentration-concentration, and the cross-term number-concentration structure factors due to Bhatia-Thornton have been calculated for the seven concentrations of Cd-Ga melt at that temperature. From these partial structure factors total structure factors are computed and are compared with the experimental results. The total structure factors so computed are found to be in excellent agreement with the measured values except in the long-wavelength limit of S(0). Using the partial structure factors in the long-wavelength limit the isothermal compressibilities have been calculated. From these partial structure factors and by using the linear-trajectory approximation of Helfand, the self-diffusion coefficients D/sub i/'s have also been calculated for various atomic fractions of Cd for Cd-Ga alloy at 296 0 C. From these D/sub i/'s, an estimate of the mutual diffusion coefficients has been made to a good approximation

Total cardiovascular disease risk assessment: a review.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Cooney, Marie Therese

2011-09-01

The high risk strategy for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) requires an assessment of an individual\\'s total CVD risk so that the most intensive risk factor management can be directed towards those at highest risk. Here we review developments in the assessment and estimation of total CVD risk.

Total Productive Maintenance And Role Of Interpretive Structural Modeling And Structural Equation Modeling In Analyzing Barriers In Its Implementation A Literature Review

OpenAIRE

Prasanth S. Poduval; Dr. Jagathy Raj V. P.; Dr. V. R. Pramod

2015-01-01

Abstract - The aim of the authors is to present a review of literature of Total Productive Maintenance and the barriers in implementation of Total Productive Maintenance TPM. The paper begins with a brief description of TPM and the barriers in implementation of TPM. Interpretive Structural Modeling ISM and its role in analyzing the barriers in TPM implementation is explained in brief. Applications of ISM in analyzing issues in various fields are highlighted with special emphasis on TPM. T...

[Quality assurance concepts in intensive care medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Brinkmann, A; Braun, J P; Riessen, R; Dubb, R; Kaltwasser, A; Bingold, T M

2015-11-01

Intensive care medicine (ICM) is characterized by a high degree of complexity and requires intense communication and collaboration on interdisciplinary and multiprofessional levels. In order to achieve good quality of care in this environment and to prevent errors, a proactive quality and error management as well as a structured quality assurance system are essential. Since the early 1990s, German intensive care societies have developed concepts for quality management and assurance in ICM. In 2006, intensive care networks were founded in different states to support the implementation of evidence-based knowledge into clinical routine and to improve medical outcome, efficacy, and efficiency in ICM. Current instruments and concepts of quality assurance in German ICM include core intensive care data from the data registry DIVI REVERSI, quality indicators, peer review in intensive care, IQM peer review, and various certification processes. The first version of German ICM quality indicators was published in 2010 by an interdisciplinary and interprofessional expert commission. Key figures, indicators, and national benchmarks are intended to describe the quality of structures, processes, and outcomes in intensive care. Many of the quality assurance tools have proved to be useful in clinical practice, but nationwide implementation still can be improved.

A general method for computing the total solar radiation force on complex spacecraft structures

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, F. K.

1981-01-01

The method circumvents many of the existing difficulties in computational logic presently encountered in the direct analytical or numerical evaluation of the appropriate surface integral. It may be applied to complex spacecraft structures for computing the total force arising from either specular or diffuse reflection or even from non-Lambertian reflection and re-radiation.

All-fiber intensity bend sensor based on photonic crystal fiber with asymmetric air-hole structure

Science.gov (United States)

Budnicki, Dawid; Szostkiewicz, Lukasz; Szymanski, Michal O.; Ostrowski, Lukasz; Holdynski, Zbigniew; Lipinski, Stanislaw; Murawski, Michal; Wojcik, Grzegorz; Makara, Mariusz; Poturaj, Krzysztof; Mergo, Pawel; Napierala, Marek; Nasilowski, Tomasz

2017-10-01

Monitoring the geometry of an moving element is a crucial task for example in robotics. The robots equipped with fiber bend sensor integrated in their arms can be a promising solution for medicine, physiotherapy and also for application in computer games. We report an all-fiber intensity bend sensor, which is based on microstructured multicore optical fiber. It allows to perform a measurement of the bending radius as well as the bending orientation. The reported solution has a special airhole structure which makes the sensor only bend-sensitive. Our solution is an intensity based sensor, which measures power transmitted along the fiber, influenced by bend. The sensor is based on a multicore fiber with the special air-hole structure that allows detection of bending orientation in range of 360°. Each core in the multicore fiber is sensitive to bend in specified direction. The principle behind sensor operation is to differentiate the confinement loss of fundamental mode propagating in each core. Thanks to received power differences one can distinguish not only bend direction but also its amplitude. Multicore fiber is designed to utilize most common light sources that operate at 1.55 μm thus ensuring high stability of operation. The sensitivity of the proposed solution is equal 29,4 dB/cm and the accuracy of bend direction for the fiber end point is up to 5 degrees for 15 cm fiber length. Such sensitivity allows to perform end point detection with millimeter precision.

Intensive Care Unit Structure Variation and Implications for Early Mobilization Practices. An International Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Bakhru, Rita N; McWilliams, David J; Wiebe, Douglas J; Spuhler, Vicki J; Schweickert, William D

2016-09-01

Early mobilization (EM) improves outcomes for mechanically ventilated patients. Variation in structure and organizational characteristics may affect implementation of EM practices. We queried intensive care unit (ICU) environment and standardized ICU practices to evaluate organizational characteristics that enable EM practice. We recruited 151 ICUs in France, 150 in Germany, 150 in the United Kingdom, and 500 in the United States by telephone. Survey domains included respondent characteristics, hospital and ICU characteristics, and ICU practices and protocols. We surveyed 1,484 ICU leaders and received a 64% response rate (951 ICUs). Eighty-eight percent of respondents were in nursing leadership roles; the remainder were physiotherapists. Surveyed ICUs were predominantly mixed medical-surgical units (67%), and 27% were medical ICUs. ICU staffing models differed significantly (P equipment were highly variable among respondents. International ICU structure and practice is quite heterogeneous, and several factors (multidisciplinary rounds, setting daily goals for patients, presence of a dedicated physiotherapist, country, and nurse/patient staffing ratio) are significantly associated with the practice of EM. Practice and barriers may be far different based upon staffing structure. To achieve successful implementation, whether through trials or quality improvement, ICU staffing and practice patterns must be taken into account.

The effect of structured triglycerides on the kinetic stability of total nutrient admixtures.

Science.gov (United States)

Balogh, Judit; Bubenik, Júlia; Dredán, Judit; Csempesz, Ferenc; Kiss, Dorottya; Zelkó, Romána

2005-10-05

The physical stability of two types of total parenteral nutrient (TPN) admixtures was studied as a function of storage time and temperature. One of them contained only structured triglycerides and the other exclusively long-chain triglycerides as lipid components. Droplet size of the mixtures was followed by photon correlation spectroscopy for 10 days. Zeta potential and dynamic surface tension measurements were carried out to evaluate the possible changes in the charge and interfacial surface tension of the emulsion droplets during the storage. pH values were monitored in order to follow the possible decomposition processes in the course of storage. Droplet size of emulsions prepared with lipids containing exclusively long-chain triglycerides showed remarkable increase after 4 days of storage in contrast with that of the mixtures containing structured lipids. The obtained results indicate that besides the advantageous metabolic effects of structured triglycerides, their application is recommended to improve the physical stability of TPN admixtures.

The role of pain for early rehabilitation in fast track total knee arthroplasty

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Bente; Kristensen, Morten Tange; Myhrmann, Lis

2010-01-01

To investigate the relationship between early functional mobility and pain intensity in a fast track program after total knee arthroplasty (TKA).......To investigate the relationship between early functional mobility and pain intensity in a fast track program after total knee arthroplasty (TKA)....

Structure in K--nucleon total cross sections below 1.1 GeV/c

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carroll, A.S.; Chiang, I.; Kycia, T.F.; Li, K.K.; Mazur, P.O.; Michael, D.N.; Mockett, P.M.; Rahm, D.C.; Rubinstein, R.

1976-01-01

Total cross sections of K - p and K - d have been measured between 410 and 1070 MeV/c with high statistical precision. In addition to the well known Λ (1520), Λ (1820), and Σ (1769), we confirmed the presence of the Λ (1692) and the Σ (1670). We have also observed several structures which could be Y* resonances: Λ (1646), Λ (1735), Σ (1583), Σ (1608), Σ (1633), and Σ (1715)

Intensely irradiated steel components: Plastic and fracture properties, and a new concept of structural design criteria for assuring the structural integrity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Kazuhiko; Jitsukawa, Shiro; Okubo, Nariaki; Takada, Fumiki

2010-01-01

In order to develop a systematic and reasonable concept assuring the structural integrity of components under intense neutron irradiation, two basic tensile properties, true stress-true strain (TS-TS) curves and fracture strain, were investigated on an austenitic stainless steel and martensitic steel. Application of Swift equation is confirmed to a large plastic strain range of TS-TS curves. Fracture strain ε f data were well correlated as ε f + ε 0 = const. where ε 0 is the pre-strain representing the irradiation hardening. Based on those formulations and available experimental information, several critical issues to be dealt with in developing the concept were identified possible reduction in ductility, significant change in mechanical properties, remarkable cyclic softening and other unique cyclic properties observed during a high-cycle fatigue testing, and the redundancy of the plastic collapse concept to bending. Existing structural codes are all based on the assumption that there will be no significant changes in mechanical properties during operation, and of high ductility. Therefore, a new concept for assuring structural integrity is required for application not only to components with high ductility but also components with reduced ductility. First, potential failure modes were identified, and a new and systematic concept was proposed for preventing these modes of failure, introducing a new concept of categorizing the loadings by stability of deformation process to fracture (as type F and M loadings). Based on the basic concept, a detailed concept of how to protect against ductile fracture was given, and loading type-dependent limiting parameters were set. Finally, application of the detailed concept was presented, especially on determination of loading type (in numerical approach, the formulation of TS-TS curves and fracture strain derived above are needed), and on how to determine the limiting parameters as allowable limits. Experiments were done to

Intensely irradiated steel components: Plastic and fracture properties, and a new concept of structural design criteria for assuring the structural integrity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suzuki, Kazuhiko, E-mail: suzuki.kazuhiko@jaea.go.j [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Nuclear Science and Engineering Directorate, 2-4 Shirane, Shirakata, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki-ken 319-1195 (Japan); Jitsukawa, Shiro; Okubo, Nariaki [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Nuclear Science and Engineering Directorate, 2-4 Shirane, Shirakata, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki-ken 319-1195 (Japan); Takada, Fumiki [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Department of JMTR Operation, Narita-cho, Oarai-machi, Higashi-ibaraki-gun, Ibaraki-ken 311-1393 (Japan)

2010-06-15

In order to develop a systematic and reasonable concept assuring the structural integrity of components under intense neutron irradiation, two basic tensile properties, true stress-true strain (TS-TS) curves and fracture strain, were investigated on an austenitic stainless steel and martensitic steel. Application of Swift equation is confirmed to a large plastic strain range of TS-TS curves. Fracture strain epsilon{sub f} data were well correlated as epsilon{sub f} + epsilon{sub 0} = const. where epsilon{sub 0} is the pre-strain representing the irradiation hardening. Based on those formulations and available experimental information, several critical issues to be dealt with in developing the concept were identified possible reduction in ductility, significant change in mechanical properties, remarkable cyclic softening and other unique cyclic properties observed during a high-cycle fatigue testing, and the redundancy of the plastic collapse concept to bending. Existing structural codes are all based on the assumption that there will be no significant changes in mechanical properties during operation, and of high ductility. Therefore, a new concept for assuring structural integrity is required for application not only to components with high ductility but also components with reduced ductility. First, potential failure modes were identified, and a new and systematic concept was proposed for preventing these modes of failure, introducing a new concept of categorizing the loadings by stability of deformation process to fracture (as type F and M loadings). Based on the basic concept, a detailed concept of how to protect against ductile fracture was given, and loading type-dependent limiting parameters were set. Finally, application of the detailed concept was presented, especially on determination of loading type (in numerical approach, the formulation of TS-TS curves and fracture strain derived above are needed), and on how to determine the limiting parameters as

A set cover approach to fast beam orientation optimization in intensity modulated radiation therapy for total marrow irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Chieh-Hsiu Jason; Aleman, Dionne M; Sharpe, Michael B

2011-01-01

The beam orientation optimization (BOO) problem in intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment planning is a nonlinear problem, and existing methods to obtain solutions to the BOO problem are time consuming due to the complex nature of the objective function and size of the solution space. These issues become even more difficult in total marrow irradiation (TMI), where many more beams must be used to cover a vastly larger treatment area than typical site-specific treatments (e.g., head-and-neck, prostate, etc). These complications result in excessively long computation times to develop IMRT treatment plans for TMI, so we attempt to develop methods that drastically reduce treatment planning time. We transform the BOO problem into the classical set cover problem (SCP) and use existing methods to solve SCP to obtain beam solutions. Although SCP is NP-Hard, our methods obtain beam solutions that result in quality treatments in minutes. We compare our approach to an integer programming solver for the SCP to illustrate the speed advantage of our approach.

A set cover approach to fast beam orientation optimization in intensity modulated radiation therapy for total marrow irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Chieh-Hsiu Jason; Aleman, Dionne M [Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King' s College Road, Toronto, ON M5S 3G8 (Canada); Sharpe, Michael B, E-mail: chjlee@mie.utoronto.ca, E-mail: aleman@mie.utoronto.ca, E-mail: michael.sharpe@rmp.uhn.on.ca [Princess Margaret Hospital, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, 610 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 2M9 (Canada)

2011-09-07

The beam orientation optimization (BOO) problem in intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment planning is a nonlinear problem, and existing methods to obtain solutions to the BOO problem are time consuming due to the complex nature of the objective function and size of the solution space. These issues become even more difficult in total marrow irradiation (TMI), where many more beams must be used to cover a vastly larger treatment area than typical site-specific treatments (e.g., head-and-neck, prostate, etc). These complications result in excessively long computation times to develop IMRT treatment plans for TMI, so we attempt to develop methods that drastically reduce treatment planning time. We transform the BOO problem into the classical set cover problem (SCP) and use existing methods to solve SCP to obtain beam solutions. Although SCP is NP-Hard, our methods obtain beam solutions that result in quality treatments in minutes. We compare our approach to an integer programming solver for the SCP to illustrate the speed advantage of our approach.

Evaluation of low-intensity physical activity by triaxial accelerometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Midorikawa, Taishi; Tanaka, Shigeho; Kaneko, Kayoko; Koizumi, Kayo; Ishikawa-Takata, Kazuko; Futami, Jun; Tabata, Izumi

2007-12-01

To develop regression-based equations that estimate physical activity ratios [energy expenditure (EE) per minute/sleeping metabolic rate] for low-to-moderate intensity activities using total acceleration obtained by triaxial accelerometry. Twenty-one Japanese adults were fitted with a triaxial accelerometer while also in a whole-body human calorimeter for 22.5 hours. The protocol time was composed of sleep (8 hours), four structured activity periods totaling 4 hours (sitting, standing, housework, and walking on a treadmill at speeds of 71 and 95 m/min, 2 x 30 minutes for each activity), and residual time (10.5 hours). Acceleration data (milligausse) from the different periods and their relationship to physical activity ratio obtained from the human calorimeter allowed for the development of EE equations for each activity. The EE equations were validated on the residual times, and the percentage difference for the prediction errors was calculated as (predicted value - measured value)/measured value x 100. Using data from triaxial accelerations and the ratio of horizontal to vertical accelerations, there was relatively high accuracy in identifying the four different periods of activity. The predicted EE (882 +/- 150 kcal/10.5 hours) was strongly correlated with the actual EE measured by human calorimetry (846 +/- 146 kcal/10.5 hours, r = 0.94 p types of activities and estimate EE for low-intensity physical activities associated with modern lifestyles.

Burnout syndrome--assessment of a stressful job among intensive care staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Cubrilo-Turek, Mirjana; Urek, Roman; Turek, Stjepan

2006-03-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate the degree of burnout experienced by intensive care staff particularly, in Medical (MICU) and Surgical Intensive Care Units (SICU) General Hospital "Sveti Duh", Zagreb. A sample group of 41 emergency physicians and nurses from MICU and 30 from SICU was tested. The survey included demographic data and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) scoring test identified by the three main components associated with burnout: emotional exhaustion (MBI-EE), depersonalization (MBI-DEP), and personal accomplishment (MBI-PA) were assessed using 22-item questionnaire. The degrees of burnout were stratified into low, moderate, and high range. Mean total MBI (X +/- SD) were high in both groups: higher for the MICU (65.5 +/- 6.7) than for SICU staff (55.7 +/- 3.8, p burnout represented in a moderate degree. The presence of burnout is a serious phenomenon, because it can lead to psychosomatic complaints, work-associated withdrawal behaviour, and a lower quality of care at intensive care units. Early recognition of burnout phenomenon as a result of prolonged stress and frustration among intensive care staff, contributes to better professional behavior, organizational structure changes in the work environment and better health care quality for critically ill patients.

Raman scattering and attenuated-total-reflection studies of surface-plasmon polaritons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurosawa, K.; Pierce, R.M.; Ushioda, S.; Hemminger, J.C.

1986-01-01

We have made in situ measurements of attenuated total reflection (ATR) and Raman scattering from a layered structure consisting of a glass prism, a thin silver film, an MgF 2 spacer, and a liquid mixture whose refractive index is matched to that of MgF 2 . When the incident angle of the laser beam coincides with the ATR angle, the surface-plasmon polariton (SPP) of the silver film is excited resonantly and the Raman scattering intensity of the liquid shows a maximum. The same effect is observed at the frequency of the Stokes scattered light. By measuring the decrease of the Raman scattering intensity of the liquid with increase of the thickness of the MgF 2 spacer layer, we have determined the decay length (l/sub d/) of the SPP field into the liquid. The measured value of l/sub d/ = 1539 A agrees with the calculated value, 1534 A

Detecting Molecular Features of Spectra Mainly Associated with Structural and Non-Structural Carbohydrates in Co-Products from BioEthanol Production Using DRIFT with Uni- and Multivariate Molecular Spectral Analyses

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Peiqiang; Damiran, Daalkhaijav; Azarfar, Arash; Niu, Zhiyuan

2011-01-01

The objective of this study was to use DRIFT spectroscopy with uni- and multivariate molecular spectral analyses as a novel approach to detect molecular features of spectra mainly associated with carbohydrate in the co-products (wheat DDGS, corn DDGS, blend DDGS) from bioethanol processing in comparison with original feedstock (wheat (Triticum), corn (Zea mays)). The carbohydrates related molecular spectral bands included: A_Cell (structural carbohydrates, peaks area region and baseline: ca. 1485–1188 cm−1), A_1240 (structural carbohydrates, peak area centered at ca. 1240 cm−1 with region and baseline: ca. 1292–1198 cm−1), A_CHO (total carbohydrates, peaks region and baseline: ca. 1187–950 cm−1), A_928 (non-structural carbohydrates, peak area centered at ca. 928 cm−1 with region and baseline: ca. 952–910 cm−1), A_860 (non-structural carbohydrates, peak area centered at ca. 860 cm−1 with region and baseline: ca. 880–827 cm−1), H_1415 (structural carbohydrate, peak height centered at ca. 1415 cm−1 with baseline: ca. 1485–1188 cm−1), H_1370 (structural carbohydrate, peak height at ca. 1370 cm−1 with a baseline: ca. 1485–1188 cm−1). The study shows that the grains had lower spectral intensity (KM Unit) of the cellulosic compounds of A_1240 (8.5 vs. 36.6, P carbohydrate of A_928 (17.3 vs. 2.0) and A_860 (20.7 vs. 7.6) than their co-products from bioethanol processing. There were no differences (P > 0.05) in the peak area intensities of A_Cell (structural CHO) at 1292–1198 cm−1 and A_CHO (total CHO) at 1187–950 cm−1 with average molecular infrared intensity KM unit of 226.8 and 508.1, respectively. There were no differences (P > 0.05) in the peak height intensities of H_1415 and H_1370 (structural CHOs) with average intensities 1.35 and 1.15, respectively. The multivariate molecular spectral analyses were able to discriminate and classify between the corn and corn DDGS molecular spectra, but not wheat and wheat DDGS. This

Total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis with synchrotron radiation monochromatized by multilayer structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rieder, R.; Wobrauschek, P.; Ladisich, W.; Streli, C.; Aiginger, H.; Garbe, S.; Gaul, G.; Knoechel, A.; Lechtenberg, F.

1995-01-01

To achieve lowest detection limits in total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis (TXRF) synchrotron radiation has been monochromatized by a multilayer structure to obtain a relative broad energy band compared to Bragg single crystals for an efficient excitation. The energy has been set to 14 keV, 17.5 keV, 31 keV and about 55 keV. Detection limits of 20 fg and 150 fg have been achieved for Sr and Cd, respectively. ((orig.))

Use of total organic carbon, spectral gamma ray and bioturbation as tools in the identification of source rock; Carbono organico total, gamaespectrometria e bioturbacao como ferramentas na busca de possiveis horizontes geradores de hidrocarbonetos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oliveira, Anderson S.; Pereira, Egberto [Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), RJ (Brazil). Faculdade de Geologia. Dept. de Estratigrafia e Paleontologia

2008-07-01

This work presents the result obtained for the gamaespectrometric study of a borehole situated in north of Parana Basin, concerning sediments of the Ponta Grossa Formation. The Total Radioactivity data and the concentrations of Potassium (K), Uranium (U), Thorium (Th) have been compared to the Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and to the degree of bioturbation intensity. The mentioned formation is composed of basal sandstones deposited in shoreface conditions, which pass to siltstones and black shales deposited in offshore conditions. Nine sedimentary facies were identified based on sedimentological characteristics and sedimentary structures. The bioturbation intensity indicates the modification degree of the initial arrangement of sedimentary beds by the action of organisms. High TOC values in the intervals in addition to the increase of the radioactivity values indicate anoxic conditions. These conditions are ideal for the organic matter concentration and preservation, reflecting favorable intervals to the hydrocarbons (HC) generation. Thus, with the integrated use of diverse tools it was possible to confirm that the Givetian-Frasnian interval of the Ponta Grossa Formation presents the best potential of HC generation of the section analyzed. (author)

Partial and Total Annoyance Due to Road Traffic Noise Combined with Aircraft or Railway Noise: Structural Equation Analysis

OpenAIRE

Gille, Laure-Anne; Marquis-Favre, Catherine; Lam, Kin-Che

2017-01-01

Structural equation modeling was used to analyze partial and total in situ annoyance in combined transportation noise situations. A psychophysical total annoyance model and a perceptual total annoyance model were proposed. Results show a high contribution of Noise exposure and Noise sensitivity to Noise annoyance, as well as a causal relationship between noise annoyance and lower Dwelling satisfaction. Moreover, the Visibility of noise source may increase noise annoyance, even when the visibl...

Description of intensity of physical education in a structure educational educate and health-improvement-educate processes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bondar T.S.

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Comparison of intensity of physical education is presented in child's establishments of making healthy and rest and general educational establishments. Questioning of 183 students-practice and analysis of document of the Kharkov regional management is conducted on physical education and sport. It is set that health-improvement-educate process is directed on forming for children and young people of culture of health. It is marked that the result of pedagogical activity in establishments and establishments of education is physical, spiritual and social development of personality of children and young people. Witnessed, that process of physical education in out-of-town child's establishments of making healthy and rest almost in three times more intensive by comparison to general educational establishments and school summer camps. It contingently a presence for the children of plenty of spare time, by the use in practice of camps of non-standard facilities and forms of increase of motive activity of children, by the features of structure health-improvement-educate process.

CO2 emissions and economic activity: Short- and long-run economic determinants of scale, energy intensity and carbon intensity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersson, Fredrik N.G.; Karpestam, Peter

2013-01-01

We analyze the short-term and the long-term determinants of energy intensity, carbon intensity and scale effects for eight developed economies and two emerging economies from 1973 to 2007. Our results show that there is a difference between the short-term and the long-term results and that climate policy are more likely to affect emission over the long-term than over the short-term. Climate policies should therefore be aimed at a time horizon of at least 8 years and year-on-year changes in emissions contains little information about the trend path of emissions. In the long-run capital accumulation is the main driver of emissions. Productivity growth reduces the energy intensity while the real oil price reduces both the energy intensity and the carbon intensity. The real oil price effect suggests that a global carbon tax is an important policy tool to reduce emissions, but our results also suggest that a carbon tax is likely to be insufficient decouple emission from economic growth. Such a decoupling is likely to require a structural transformation of the economy. The key policy challenge is thus to build new economic structures where investments in green technologies are more profitable. - Highlights: • We model determinants of scale, energy intensity and carbon intensity. • Using band spectrum regressions, we separate between short and long run effects. • Different economic variables affect emission in the short and long run. • CO 2 reducing policies should have a long run horizon of (at least 8 years). • A low carbon society requires a structural transformation of the economy

Emergy-based comparative analysis of energy intensity in different industrial systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhe; Geng, Yong; Wang, Hui; Sun, Lu; Ma, Zhixiao; Tian, Xu; Yu, Xiaoman

2015-12-01

With the rapid economic development, energy consumption of China has been the second place in the world next to the USA. Usually, measuring energy consumption intensity or efficiency applies heat unit which is joule per gross domestic production (GDP) or coal equivalent per GDP. However, this measuring approach is only oriented by the conversion coefficient of heat combustion which does not match the real value of the materials during their formation in the ecological system. This study applied emergy analysis to evaluate the energy consumption intensity to fill this gap. Emergy analysis is considered as a bridge between ecological system and economic system, which can evaluate the contribution of ecological products and services as well as the load placed on environmental systems. In this study, emergy indicator for performing energy consumption intensity of primary energy was proposed. Industrial production is assumed as the main contributor of energy consumption compared to primary and tertiary industries. Therefore, this study validated this method by investigating the two industrial case studies which were Dalian Economic Development Area (DEDA) and Fuzhou economic and technological area (FETA), to comparatively study on their energy consumption intensity between the different kinds of industrial systems and investigate the reasons behind the differences. The results show that primary energy consumption (PEC) of DEDA was much higher than that of FETA during 2006 to 2010 and its primary energy consumption ratio (PECR) to total emergy involvement had a dramatically decline from year 2006 to 2010. In the same time, nonrenewable energy of PEC in DEDA was also much higher than that in FETA. The reason was that industrial structure of DEDA was mainly formed by heavy industries like petro-chemistry industry, manufacturing industries, and high energy-intensive industries. However, FETA was formed by electronic business, food industry, and light industries. Although

The Export Intensity of Foreign Affiliates in Transition Economies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Jørgen Ulff-Møller; Pawlik, Konrad

2007-01-01

  Using a unique database containing trade and industry variables of foreign-owned companies in the Polish manufacturing industry for the years 1993-2002, we investigate the relationship between the organizational structure of multinational enterprises in Poland and the export structure of their ......  Using a unique database containing trade and industry variables of foreign-owned companies in the Polish manufacturing industry for the years 1993-2002, we investigate the relationship between the organizational structure of multinational enterprises in Poland and the export structure...... of their affiliates. We find that labour intensity and foreign control are the main explanatory variables for the export intensity of the affiliates. Given the overall rise in export intensity over the period of investigation, our findings suggest that export-platform FDI has become a more important mode...

Which patients need critical care intervention after total joint arthroplasty? : a prospective study of factors associated with the need for intensive care following surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Courtney, P M; Melnic, C M; Gutsche, J; Hume, E L; Lee, G-C

2015-11-01

Older patients with multiple medical co-morbidities are increasingly being offered and undergoing total joint arthroplasty (TJA). These patients are more likely to require intensive care support, following surgery. We prospectively evaluated the need for intensive care admission and intervention in a consecutive series of 738 patients undergoing elective hip and knee arthroplasty procedures. The mean age was 60.6 years (18 to 91; 440 women, 298 men. Risk factors, correlating with the need for critical care intervention, according to published guidelines, were analysed to identify high-risk patients who would benefit from post-operative critical care monitoring. A total of 50 patients (6.7%) in our series required critical care level interventions during their hospital stay. Six independent multivariate clinical predictors were identified (p 1000 mL (OR 17.36, 95% CI 5.36 to 56.19), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (13.90, 95% CI 4.78 to 40.36), intra-operative use of vasopressors (OR 8.10, 95% CI 3.23 to 20.27), revision hip arthroplasty (OR 2.71, 95% CI 1.04 to 7.04) and body mass index > 35 kg/m(2) (OR 2.70, 95% CI 123 to 5.94). The model was then validated against an independent, previously published data set of 1594 consecutive patients. The use of this risk stratification model can be helpful in predicting which high-risk patients would benefit from a higher level of monitoring and care after elective TJA and aid hospitals in allocating precious critical care resources. ©2015 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.

Reversible structural transformation and enhanced performance of PEDOT:PSS-based hybrid solar cells driven by light intensity.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Joseph Palathinkal; Srivastava, Saurabh; Zhao, Liyan; Abd-Ellah, Marwa; McGillivray, Donald; Kang, Jung Soo; Rahman, Md Anisur; Moghimi, Nafiseh; Heinig, Nina F; Leung, Kam Tong

2015-04-15

Hybrid solar cells made of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) ( PSS) and appropriate amounts of a cosolvent and a fluorosurfactant on planar n-type silicon substrates showed a photoconversion efficiency (PCE) of above 13%. These cells also exhibited stable, reproducible, and high external quantum efficiency (EQE) that was not sensitive to light-bias intensity (LBI). In contrast, solar cells made of pristine PSS showed low PCE and high EQE only under certain measurement conditions. The EQE was found to degrade with increasing LBI. Here we report that the LBI-sensitive variation of EQE of the low-PCE cells is related to a reversible structural transformation from a quinoid to a benzoid structure of PEDOT.

Light-intensity and high-intensity interval training improve cardiometabolic health in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Batacan, Romeo B; Duncan, Mitch J; Dalbo, Vincent J; Connolly, Kylie J; Fenning, Andrew S

2016-09-01

Physical activity has the potential to reduce cardiometabolic risk factors but evaluation of different intensities of physical activity and the mechanisms behind their health effects still need to be fully established. This study examined the effects of sedentary behaviour, light-intensity training, and high-intensity interval training on biometric indices, glucose and lipid metabolism, inflammatory and oxidative stress markers, and vascular and cardiac function in adult rats. Rats (12 weeks old) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups: control (CTL; no exercise), sedentary (SED; no exercise and housed in small cages to reduce activity), light-intensity trained (LIT; four 30-min exercise bouts/day at 8 m/min separated by 2-h rest period, 5 days/week), and high-intensity interval trained (HIIT, four 2.5-min work bouts/day at 50 m/min separated by 3-min rest periods, 5 days/week). After 12 weeks of intervention, SED had greater visceral fat accumulation (p HIIT demonstrated beneficial changes in body weight, visceral and epididymal fat weight, glucose regulation, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, and mesenteric vessel contractile response compared with the CTL group (p HIIT had significant improvements in systolic blood pressure and endothelium-independent vasodilation to aorta and mesenteric artery compared with the CTL group (p HIIT induce health benefits by improving traditional cardiometabolic risk factors. LIT improves cardiac health while HIIT promotes improvements in vascular health.

The organic contamination level based on the total soil mass is not a proper index of the soil contamination intensity

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, H.-W.; Daniel, Sheng G.; Lin, T.-F.; Su, Y.; Chiou, C.T.

2009-01-01

Concentrations of organic contaminants in common productive soils based on the total soil mass give a misleading account of actual contamination effects. This is attributed to the fact that productive soils are essentially water-saturated, with the result that the soil uptake of organic compounds occurs principally by partition into the soil organic matter (SOM). This report illustrates that the soil contamination intensity of a compound is governed by the concentration in the SOM (Com) rather than by the concentration in whole soil (Cs). Supporting data consist of the measured levels and toxicities of many pesticides in soils of widely differing SOM contents and the related levels in in-situ crops that defy explanation by the Cs values. This SOM-based index is timely needed for evaluating the contamination effects of food crops grown in different soils and for establishing a dependable priority ranking for intended remediation of numerous contamination sites.

Total energy calculations for structural phase transformations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye, Y.Y.; Chan, C.T.; Ho, K.M.; Harmon, B.N.

1990-01-01

The structural integrity and physical properties of crystalline solids are frequently limited or enhanced by the occurrence of phase transformations. Martensitic transformations involve the collective displacement of atoms from one ordered state to another. Modern methods to determine the microscopic electronic changes as the atoms move are now accurate enough to evaluate the very small energy differences involved. Extensive first principles calculations for the prototypical martensitic transformation from body-centered cubic (bcc) to closepacked 9R structure in sodium metal are described. The minimum energy coordinate or configuration path between the bcc and 9R structures is determined as well as paths to other competing close-packed structures. The energy barriers and important anharmonic interactions are identified and general conclusions drawn. The calculational methods used to solve the Schrodinger equation include pseudopotentials, fast Fourier transforms, efficient matrix diagnonalization, and supercells with many atoms

Wavelength dependence of momentum-space images of low-energy electrons generated by short intense laser pulses at high intensities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maharjan, C M; Alnaser, A S; Litvinyuk, I; Ranitovic, P; Cocke, C L

2006-01-01

We have measured momentum-space images of low-energy electrons generated by the interaction of short intense laser pulses with argon atoms at high intensities. We have done this over a wavelength range from 400 to 800 nm. The spectra show considerable structure in both the energy and angular distributions of the electrons. Some, but not all, energy features can be identified as multi-photon resonances. The angular structure shows a regularity which transcends the resonant structure and may be due instead to diffraction. The complexity of the results defies easy model-dependent interpretations and invites full solutions to Schroedinger's equation for these systems

Pierce-type dispersion relation for an intense relativistic electron beam interacting with a slow-wave structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, C.

1994-01-01

A Pierce-type dispersion relation is derived for the interaction of an intense relativistic electron beam with a cylindrical slow-wave structure of arbitrary corrugation depth. It is shown that near a resonance, the Pierce parameter can be expressed in terms of the vacuum dispersion function and the beam current. The dispersion relation is valid in both the low-current (Compton) regime and the high-current (Raman) regime. The dispersion characteristics of the interaction, such as the linear instability growth rate and bandwidth, are analyzed for both regimes

THE ANALYSIS OF INTENSE-DEFORMED MONOLITHIC CONCRETE STRIP STATE OF UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES OF NONCIRCULAR OUTLINE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Aleksandrovna Bauer

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The research results of intense deformed state (IDS of the crepe and soil massif of un-derground structures having a non-circular outline with a depth of laying up to 50 m in unstable al-luvial rocks with dumps from 0.3 to 0.7 m are presented. The study was carried out by means of modeling the IDS of the soil massif and the hardening concrete of the monolithic support, erected after slaughter moving. To implement the proposed technological solutions ensuring the fixing of underground structures with monolithic concrete, it is necessary to use particularly fast solidifying compounds to exclude the use of temporary crepe. Based on the studies of a number of modifiers, various changes in mechanical properties of the most effective compositions have been established, which are used to simulate the concrete crepe of structures with time-varying characteristics. Purpose: the basis for using resource-saving technology for the construction of underground structures in a non-circular outline in a soil massif. Methods and methodology of the work: the studies were carried out by means of the finite element method (FEM using the optimal design of the experiment. Results: stress distributions were obtained in the hardening concrete crepe structures, stress concentration zones were established, displacement values in the soil massif and their spread on the surface were recieved. Areas of the result application: the results of research work can be used in the design of options for the construction of underground structures.

Generation of intense high-order vortex harmonics.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaomei; Shen, Baifei; Shi, Yin; Wang, Xiaofeng; Zhang, Lingang; Wang, Wenpeng; Xu, Jiancai; Yi, Longqiong; Xu, Zhizhan

2015-05-01

This Letter presents for the first time a scheme to generate intense high-order optical vortices that carry orbital angular momentum in the extreme ultraviolet region based on relativistic harmonics from the surface of a solid target. In the three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation, the high-order harmonics of the high-order vortex mode is generated in both reflected and transmitted light beams when a linearly polarized Laguerre-Gaussian laser pulse impinges on a solid foil. The azimuthal mode of the harmonics scales with its order. The intensity of the high-order vortex harmonics is close to the relativistic region, with the pulse duration down to attosecond scale. The obtained intense vortex beam possesses the combined properties of fine transversal structure due to the high-order mode and the fine longitudinal structure due to the short wavelength of the high-order harmonics. In addition to the application in high-resolution detection in both spatial and temporal scales, it also presents new opportunities in the intense vortex required fields, such as the inner shell ionization process and high energy twisted photons generation by Thomson scattering of such an intense vortex beam off relativistic electrons.

Understanding industrial energy use: Physical energy intensity changes in Indian manufacturing sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sudhakara Reddy, B.; Kumar Ray, Binay

2011-01-01

This study develops and examines physical energy intensity indicators in five industrial sub-sectors-iron and steel, aluminum, textiles, paper, and cement-and investigates mitigation options for energy related CO 2 emissions (during 1991-2005). Decomposition analysis has been employed to separate the structural effect (share of different products in the sector) from pure intensity effect (efficiency increase through technical improvement) for each industry. The results show that the combined effect (considering both structural and intensity effects together) on both iron and steel and paper and pulp industries is negative while it is positive for aluminum and textiles. The intensity effect for all the industries, barring textiles, is negative showing improvement in energy efficiency; iron and steel in particular, has seen a decrease of 134 PJ in energy consumption owing to improvements in efficiency. However, energy intensity in textiles has risen by 47 PJ due to increased mechanization. Structural effect is positive in aluminum and iron and steel industries indicating a movement towards higher energy-intensive products. In the case of aluminum, positive structural effect dominates over negative intensive effect whereas negative intensive effect dominates iron and steel industry. The paper helps in designing policies for improving productivity and reduce energy consumption in India's manufacturing sector. - Highlights: → The study develops physical energy intensity indicators in industrial sub-sectors of India. → It identifies technological and other options for reduction in energy consumption. → The study quantifies savings in energy as well as CO 2 emissions. → The indicators are useful in examining structural changes.

Sputtering and emission intensity of copper alloys in a Grimm glow lamp

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamada, T.; Kashima, J.; Naganuma, K.

1981-01-01

The effects of the metallurgical structure and the aluminium content of copper-aluminium alloy (1-12% Al) on the sputtering and intensities of spectral lines in the Grimm glow lamp are reported. The electrical current and sputtering yield decreased linearly with increasing aluminium content; the intensities of the Al I lines depended linearly on the amount of aluminium in the sputtering yield at a fixed voltage and argon pressure. The structure affected the intensities of the Al I and Cu I lines but not the intensity ratio (Al I/Cu I) for about 100 s after burn-off. Working curves for aluminium for samples of different structure were very similar. (Auth.)

Low-intensity beam diagnostics with particle detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rovelli, A.; Ciavola, G.; Cuttone, G.; Finocchiaro, P.; Raia, G. [INFN-LNS, Via S. Sofia 44/A Catania, 95125 (Italy); De Martinis, C.; Giove, D. [INFN-LASA, Via F.lli Cervi 201 Segrate (Midway Islands), 20090 (Italy)

1997-01-01

The measure of low intensity beams at low-medium energy is one of the major challenge in beam diagnostics. This subject is of great interest for the design of accelerator-based medical and radioactive beam facilities. In this paper we discuss new developments in image-based devices to measure low-intensity beams. All the investigated devices must guarantee measurement of the total beam current and its transverse distribution. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}

Low-intensity beam diagnostics with particle detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rovelli, A.; Ciavola, G.; Cuttone, G.; Finocchiaro, P.; Raia, G.; De Martinis, C.; Giove, D.

1997-01-01

The measure of low intensity beams at low-medium energy is one of the major challenge in beam diagnostics. This subject is of great interest for the design of accelerator-based medical and radioactive beam facilities. In this paper we discuss new developments in image-based devices to measure low-intensity beams. All the investigated devices must guarantee measurement of the total beam current and its transverse distribution. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

Structure, Processes, and Retrospective Outcomes From an Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Babbitt, Edna M; Worrall, Linda; Cherney, Leora R

2015-11-01

This study describes the structure, processes, and outcomes of an intensive comprehensive aphasia program (ICAP). The aim was to identify treatment gains and determine if outcomes were significantly different between participants grouped according to severity and type of aphasia, and time postonset. Data from 74 first-time ICAP participants were analyzed. Pre- and posttreatment scores on the Western Aphasia Battery-Revised and other impairment and participation measures were compared using paired t tests. Analyses of variance were used to compare outcomes related to aphasia severity (severe, moderate, and mild aphasia), aphasia type (fluent, nonfluent), and chronicity (0-6 months postonset, 7-12 months postonset, and 12+ months postonset). Participants made significant changes on all impairment and participation measures. Large effect sizes were noted for one participation and three impairment measures. Medium effect sizes were noted for one impairment and three participation measures. There was no significant difference among groups on any factor. ICAPs can have a significant effect on the language impairment and participation of people with aphasia, but further research is required to determine if the effect is comparable to other types of service delivery.

Intensive care bereavement practices across New Zealand and Australian intensive care units: a qualitative content analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Coombs, Maureen; Mitchell, Marion; James, Stephen; Wetzig, Krista

2017-10-01

End-of-life and bereavement care is an important consideration in intensive care. This study describes the type of bereavement care provided in intensive care units across Australia and New Zealand. Inductive qualitative content analysis was conducted on free-text responses to a web-based survey exploring unit-based bereavement practice distributed to nurse managers in 229 intensive care units in New Zealand and Australia. A total of 153 (67%) surveys were returned with 68 respondents making free-text responses. Respondents were mainly Australian (n = 54, 85·3%), from the public sector (n = 51, 75%) and holding Nurse Unit Managers/Charge Nurse roles (n = 39, 52·9%). From the 124 free-text responses, a total of 187 individual codes were identified focussing on bereavement care practices (n = 145, 77·5%), educational provision to support staff (n = 15, 8%) and organisational challenges (n = 27, 14·4%). Bereavement care practices described use of memory boxes, cultural specificity, annual memorial services and use of community support services. Educational provision identified local in-service programmes, and national bereavement courses for specialist bereavement nurse coordinators. Organisational challenges focussed on lack of funding, especially for provision of bereavement follow-up. This is the first Australasian-wide survey, and one of the few international studies, describing bereavement practices within intensive care, an important aspect of nursing practice. However, with funding for new bereavement services and education for staff lacking, there are continued challenges in developing bereavement care. Given knowledge about the impact of these areas of care on bereaved family members, this requires review. Nurses remain committed to supporting bereaved families during and following death in intensive care. With limited resource to support bereavement care, intensive care nurses undertake a range of bereavement care practices at time of death

The Impact of Microphysics on Intensity and Structure of Hurricanes

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Wei-Kuo; Shi, Jainn; Lang, Steve; Peters-Lidard, Christa

2006-01-01

During the past decade, both research and operational numerical weather prediction models, e.g. Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model, have started using more complex microphysical schemes originally developed for high-resolution cloud resolving models (CRMs) with a 1-2 km or less horizontal resolutions. WFW is a next-generation mesoscale forecast model and assimilation system that has incorporated modern software framework, advanced dynamics, numeric and data assimilation techniques, a multiple moveable nesting capability, and improved physical packages. WFW model can be used for a wide range of applications, from idealized research to operational forecasting, with an emphasis on horizontal grid sizes in the range of 1-10 km. The current WRF includes several different microphysics options such as Lin et al. (1983), WSM 6-class and Thompson microphysics schemes. We have recently implemented three sophisticated cloud microphysics schemes into WRF. The cloud microphysics schemes have been extensively tested and applied for different mesoscale systems in different geographical locations. The performances of these schemes have been compared to those from other WRF microphysics options. We are performing sensitivity tests in using WW to examine the impact of six different cloud microphysical schemes on hurricane track, intensity and rainfall forecast. We are also performing the inline tracer calculation to comprehend the physical processes @e., boundary layer and each quadrant in the boundary layer) related to the development and structure of hurricanes.

Patients' family satisfaction with needs met at the medical intensive care unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Khalaila, Rabia

2013-05-01

The current study investigated the perceived importance and the perceived met needs of family members in the medical intensive care unit and assessed family members' satisfaction with needs met. Studies conducted throughout the world over the past 30 years indicate that family needs are still neglected. Unmet needs of family members of patients in the intensive care unit lead to dissatisfaction with care. A cross-sectional study. A total of 70 family members of critically ill patients were included in this study conducted in a medical intensive care unit in Israel between October 2007-September 2008, using a structured interview. Three outcomes measured by the Family Satisfaction in the Intensive Care Unit Inventory were regressed separately for baseline variables and family needs met subscales as measured by the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to detect factors that could have predicted each outcome. The results showed differences between the perceived importance and the perceived met needs of family members. Satisfaction with care was positively related to meeting all needs domains except the information need. However, satisfaction with information and decision-making was related only to meeting information and emotional support needs. Continued unmet needs of family members of intensive care unit patients have a negative impact on family satisfaction. Only sweeping changes in clinical practice will succeed in meeting the unmet needs of patients' families. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Total scattering investigation of materials for clean energy applications: the importance of the local structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Malavasi, Lorenzo

2011-04-21

In this Perspective article we give an account of the application of total scattering methods and pair distribution function (PDF) analysis to the investigation of materials for clean energy applications such as materials for solid oxide fuel cells and lithium batteries, in order to show the power of this technique in providing new insights into the structure-property correlation in this class of materials.

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Goffman, Thomas E; Glatstein, Eli

2002-07-01

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is an increasingly popular technical means of tightly focusing the radiation dose around a cancer. As with stereotactic radiotherapy, IMRT uses multiple fields and angles to converge on the target. The potential for total dose escalation and for escalation of daily fraction size to the gross cancer is exciting. The excitement, however, has greatly overshadowed a range of radiobiological and clinical concerns.

Effects of intensive glucose lowering on brain structure and function in people with type 2 diabetes (ACCORD MIND): a randomised open-label substudy.

Science.gov (United States)

Launer, Lenore J; Miller, Michael E; Williamson, Jeff D; Lazar, Ron M; Gerstein, Hertzel C; Murray, Anne M; Sullivan, Mark; Horowitz, Karen R; Ding, Jingzhong; Marcovina, Santica; Lovato, Laura C; Lovato, James; Margolis, Karen L; O'Connor, Patrick; Lipkin, Edward W; Hirsch, Joy; Coker, Laura; Maldjian, Joseph; Sunshine, Jeffrey L; Truwit, Charles; Davatzikos, Christos; Bryan, R Nick

2011-11-01

People with type 2 diabetes are at risk of cognitive impairment and brain atrophy. We aimed to compare the effects on cognitive function and brain volume of intensive versus standard glycaemic control. The Memory in Diabetes (MIND) study was done in 52 clinical sites in North America as part of Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD), a double two-by-two factorial parallel group randomised trial. Participants (aged 55-80 years) with type 2 diabetes, high glycated haemoglobin A(1c) (HbA(1c)) concentrations (>7·5%; >58 mmol/mol), and a high risk of cardiovascular events were randomly assigned to receive intensive glycaemic control targeting HbA(1c) to less than 6·0% (42 mmol/mol) or a standard strategy targeting HbA(1c) to 7·0-7·9% (53-63 mmol/mol). Randomisation was via a centralised web-based system and treatment allocation was not masked from clinic staff or participants. We assessed our cognitive primary outcome, the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) score, at baseline and at 20 and 40 months. We assessed total brain volume (TBV), our primary brain structure outcome, with MRI at baseline and 40 months in a subset of participants. We included all participants with follow-up data in our primary analyses. In February, 2008, raised mortality risk led to the end of the intensive treatment and transition of those participants to standard treatment. We tested our cognitive function hypotheses with a mixed-effects model that incorporated information from both the 20 and 40 month outcome measures. We tested our MRI hypotheses with an ANCOVA model that included intracranial volume and factors used to stratify randomisation. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00182910. We consecutively enrolled 2977 patients (mean age 62·5 years; SD 5·8) who had been randomly assigned to treatment groups in the ACCORD study. Our primary cognitive analysis was of patients with a 20-month or 40-month DSST score: 1378 assigned to receive

Heat-induced changes to lipid molecular structure in Vimy flaxseed: Spectral intensity and molecular clustering

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Peiqiang; Damiran, Daalkhaijav

2011-06-01

Autoclaving was used to manipulate nutrient utilization and availability. The objectives of this study were to characterize any changes of the functional groups mainly associated with lipid structure in flaxseed ( Linum usitatissimum, cv. Vimy), that occurred on a molecular level during the treatment process using infrared Fourier transform molecular spectroscopy. The parameters included lipid CH 3 asymmetric (ca. 2959 cm -1), CH 2 asymmetric (ca. 2928 cm -1), CH 3 symmetric (ca. 2871 cm -1) and CH 2 symmetric (ca. 2954 cm -1) functional groups, lipid carbonyl C dbnd O ester group (ca. 1745 cm -1), lipid unsaturation group (CH attached to C dbnd C) (ca. 3010 cm -1) as well as their ratios. Hierarchical cluster analysis (CLA) and principal components analysis (PCA) were conducted to identify molecular spectral differences. Flaxseed samples were kept raw for the control or autoclaved in batches at 120 °C for 20, 40 or 60 min for treatments 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Molecular spectral analysis of lipid functional group ratios showed a significant decrease ( P 0.05) on lipid carbonyl C dbnd O ester group and lipid unsaturation group (CH attached to C dbnd C) (with average spectral peak area intensities of 138.3 and 68.8 IR intensity units, respectively). Multivariate molecular spectral analyses, CLA and PCA, were unable to make distinctions between the different treatment original spectra at the CH 3 and CH 2 asymmetric and symmetric region (ca. 2988-2790 cm -1). The results indicated that autoclaving had an impact to the mid-infrared molecular spectrum of flaxseed to identify heat-induced changes in lipid conformation. A future study is needed to quantify the relationship between lipid molecular structure changes and functionality/availability.

[Medication errors in Spanish intensive care units].

Science.gov (United States)

Merino, P; Martín, M C; Alonso, A; Gutiérrez, I; Alvarez, J; Becerril, F

2013-01-01

To estimate the incidence of medication errors in Spanish intensive care units. Post hoc study of the SYREC trial. A longitudinal observational study carried out during 24 hours in patients admitted to the ICU. Spanish intensive care units. Patients admitted to the intensive care unit participating in the SYREC during the period of study. Risk, individual risk, and rate of medication errors. The final study sample consisted of 1017 patients from 79 intensive care units; 591 (58%) were affected by one or more incidents. Of these, 253 (43%) had at least one medication-related incident. The total number of incidents reported was 1424, of which 350 (25%) were medication errors. The risk of suffering at least one incident was 22% (IQR: 8-50%) while the individual risk was 21% (IQR: 8-42%). The medication error rate was 1.13 medication errors per 100 patient-days of stay. Most incidents occurred in the prescription (34%) and administration (28%) phases, 16% resulted in patient harm, and 82% were considered "totally avoidable". Medication errors are among the most frequent types of incidents in critically ill patients, and are more common in the prescription and administration stages. Although most such incidents have no clinical consequences, a significant percentage prove harmful for the patient, and a large proportion are avoidable. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. and SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.

Image-guided total marrow and total lymphatic irradiation using helical tomotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schultheiss, Timothy E.; Wong, Jeffrey; Liu, An; Olivera, Gustavo; Somlo, George

2007-01-01

Purpose: To develop a treatment technique to spare normal tissue and allow dose escalation in total body irradiation (TBI). We have developed intensity-modulated radiotherapy techniques for the total marrow irradiation (TMI), total lymphatic irradiation, or total bone marrow plus lymphatic irradiation using helical tomotherapy. Methods and Materials: For TBI, we typically use 12 Gy in 10 fractions delivered at an extended source-to-surface distance (SSD). Using helical tomotherapy, it is possible to deliver equally effective doses to the bone marrow and lymphatics while sparing normal organs to a significant degree. In the TMI patients, whole body skeletal bone, including the ribs and sternum, comprise the treatment target. In the total lymphatic irradiation, the target is expanded to include the spleen and major lymph node areas. Sanctuary sites for disease (brain and testes) are included when clinically indicated. Spared organs include the lungs, esophagus, parotid glands, eyes, oral cavity, liver, kidneys, stomach, small and large intestine, bladder, and ovaries. Results: With TBI, all normal organs received the TBI dose; with TMI, total lymphatic irradiation, and total bone marrow plus lymphatic irradiation, the visceral organs are spared. For the first 6 patients treated with TMI, the median dose to organs at risk averaged 51% lower than would be achieved with TBI. By putting greater weight on the avoidance of specific organs, greater sparing was possible. Conclusion: Sparing of normal tissues and dose escalation is possible using helical tomotherapy. Late effects such as radiation pneumonitis, veno-occlusive disease, cataracts, neurocognitive effects, and the development of second tumors should be diminished in severity and frequency according to the dose reduction realized for the organs at risk

Abnormal environmental light exposure in the intensive care environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Emily P; Abbott, Sabra M; Reid, Kathryn J; Zee, Phyllis C; Maas, Matthew B

2017-08-01

We sought to characterize ambient light exposure in the intensive care unit (ICU) environment to identify patterns of light exposure relevant to circadian regulation. A light monitor was affixed to subjects' bed at eye level in a modern intensive care unit and continuously recorded illuminescence for at least 24h per subject. Blood was sampled hourly and measured for plasma melatonin. Subjects underwent hourly vital sign and bedside neurologic assessments. Care protocols and the ICU environment were not modified for the study. A total of 67,324 30-second epochs of light data were collected from 17 subjects. Light intensity peaked in the late morning, median 64.1 (interquartile range 19.7-138.7) lux. The 75th percentile of light intensity exceeded 100lx only between 9AM and noon, and never exceeded 150lx. There was no correlation between melatonin amplitude and daytime, nighttime or total light exposure (Spearman's correlation coefficients all 0.5). Patients' environmental light exposure in the intensive care unit is consistently low and follows a diurnal pattern. No effect of nighttime light exposure was observed on melatonin secretion. Inadequate daytime light exposure in the ICU may contribute to abnormal circadian rhythms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Intensity of geomorphological processes in NW sector of Pacific rim marginal mountain belts

Science.gov (United States)

Lebedeva, Ekaterina; Shvarev, Sergey; Gotvansky, Veniamin

2014-05-01

Continental marginal mountains, including the mountain belts of Russian Far East, are characterized by supreme terrain contrast, mosaic structure of surface and crust, and rich complex of modern endogenous processes - volcanism, seismicity, and vertical movements. Unstable state of geomorphological systems and activity of relief forming processes here is caused also by deep dissected topography and the type and amount of precipitation. Human activities further stimulate natural processes and increase the risk of local disasters. So these territories have high intensity (or tension) of geomorphological processes. Intensity in the authors' understanding is willingness of geomorphological system to be out of balance, risk of disaster under external and internal agent, both natural and human. Mapping with quantitative accounting of intensity of natural and human potential impact is necessary for indication the areal distribution trends of geomorphological processes intensity and zones of potential risk of disasters. Methods of map drowning up are based on several criteria analyzing: 1) total terrain-form processes and their willingness to be a hazard-like, 2) existence, peculiarity and zoning of external agents which could cause extreme character of base processes within the territory, 3) peculiarity of terrain morphology which could cause hazard way of terrain-form processes. Seismic activity is one of the most important factors causing activation of geomorphological processes and contributing to the risk of dangerous situations. Earthquake even small force can provoke many catastrophic processes: landslides, mudslides, avalanches and mudflows, tsunami and others. Seismic gravitational phenomenons of different scale accompany almost all earthquakes of intensity 7-8 points and above, and some processes, such as avalanches, activated by seismic shocks intensity about 1-3 points. In this regard, we consider it important selection of high intensity seismic zones in

Objectively Measured Total and Occupational Sedentary Time in Three Work Settings

Science.gov (United States)

van Dommelen, Paula; Coffeng, Jennifer K.; van der Ploeg, Hidde P.; van der Beek, Allard J.; Boot, Cécile R. L.; Hendriksen, Ingrid J. M.

2016-01-01

Background Sedentary behaviour increases the risk for morbidity. Our primary aim is to determine the proportion and factors associated with objectively measured total and occupational sedentary time in three work settings. Secondary aim is to study the proportion of physical activity and prolonged sedentary bouts. Methods Data were obtained using ActiGraph accelerometers from employees of: 1) a financial service provider (n = 49 men, 31 women), 2) two research institutes (n = 30 men, 57 women), and 3) a construction company (n = 38 men). Total (over the whole day) and occupational sedentary time, physical activity and prolonged sedentary bouts (lasting ≥30 minutes) were calculated by work setting. Linear regression analyses were performed to examine general, health and work-related factors associated with sedentary time. Results The employees of the financial service provider and the research institutes spent 76–80% of their occupational time in sedentary behaviour, 18–20% in light intensity physical activity and 3–5% in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity. Occupational time in prolonged sedentary bouts was 27–30%. Total time was less sedentary (64–70%), and had more light intensity physical activity (26–33%). The employees of the construction company spent 44% of their occupational time in sedentary behaviour, 49% in light, and 7% in moderate intensity physical activity, and spent 7% in sedentary bouts. Total time spent in sedentary behavior was 56%, 40% in light, and 4% in moderate intensity physical behaviour, and 12% in sedentary bouts. For women, low to intermediate education was the only factor that was negatively associated with occupational sedentary time. Conclusions Sedentary behaviour is high among white-collar employees, especially in highly educated women. A relatively small proportion of sedentary time was accrued in sedentary bouts. It is recommended that worksite health promotion efforts should focus on reducing sedentary

Intensive Care for Eclampic Coma

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V. V. Moroz

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: to enhance the efficiency of treatment of puerperas with eclampic coma, by substantiating, developing, and introducing new algorithms for correction of systemic hemodynamic, metabolic disturbances, and perfusion-metabolic changes in brain tissues. Subjects and methods. Studies were conducted in 18 puerperas with eclampic coma (Group 2 in whom the authors used a new treatment algorithm aimed at maintaining baseline cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP, restoring volemic levels at the expense of interstitial fluid. A control group (Group 1 included 30 patients who received conventional standard therapy. Regional cerebral circulation was measured by a non-invasive (inhalation radioisotopic method, by applying the tracer 131Xe, as described by V. D. Obrist et al., on a modified КПРДИ-1 apparatus (USSR. The rate of brain oxygen uptake was determined from the oxygen content between the artery and the internal jugular vein. Central hemodynamic parameters were studied by the direct method of right heart catheterization using a flow-directed Swan-Ganz catheter. The volumes of total and extracellular fluids were estimated using 20% urea and mannitol solutions, respectively, at 0.2 g/kg weight by the procedure of V. M. Mogen. Circulating blood volume (CBV was determined by a radioisotopic method using 131iodine albumin on an УPI-7 apparatus (USSR. Cerebral spinal fluid pressure was measured by an ИиНД apparatus. Studies were made in four steps: 1 on admission; 2 on days 2—3; 3 during emergence from coma; 4 before transition. Results. The use of the new algorithm for intensive care for eclampic coma, which is aimed at improving the perfusion metabolic provision of brain structures, with a reduction in mean blood pressure by 10—15% of the baseline level, by administering magnesium sulfate and nimodipine, and at compensating for CBV by high-molecular-weight hydroxyethylated starch (stabizol, ensured early emergence from a comatose state

Measurement of the noise components in the medical x-ray intensity pattern due to overlaying nonrecognizable structures

Science.gov (United States)

Tischenko, Oleg; Hoeschen, Christoph; Effenberger, Olaf; Reissberg, Steffen; Buhr, Egbert; Doehring, Wilfried

2003-06-01

There are many aspects that influence and deteriorate the detection of pathologies in X-ray images. Some of those are due to effects taking place in the stage of forming the X-ray intensity pattern in front of the x-ray detector. These can be described as motion blurring, depth blurring, anatomical background, scatter noise and structural noise. Structural noise results from an overlapping of fine irrelevant anatomical structures. A method for measuring the combined effect of structural noise and scatter noise was developed and will be presented in this paper. This method is based on the consideration that within a pair of projections created after rotation of the object with a small angle (which is within the typical uncertainty in positioning the patient) both images would show the same relevant structures whereas the projection of the fine overlapping structures will appear quite differently in the two images. To demonstrate the method two X-ray radiographs of a lung phantom were produced. The second radiograph was achieved after rotating the lung by an angle of about 3. Dyadic wavelet representations of both images were regarded. For each value of the wavelet scale parameter the corresponding pair of approximations was matched using the cross correlation matching technique. The homologous regions of approximations were extracted. The image containing only those structures that appear in both images simultaneously was then reconstructed from the wavelet coefficients corresponding to the homologous regions. The difference between one of the original images and the noise-reduced image contains the structural noise and the scatter noise.

Patient stress in intensive care: comparison between a coronary care unit and a general postoperative unit

Science.gov (United States)

Dias, Douglas de Sá; Resende, Mariane Vanessa; Diniz, Gisele do Carmo Leite Machado

2015-01-01

Objective To evaluate and compare stressors identified by patients of a coronary intensive care unit with those perceived by patients of a general postoperative intensive care unit. Methods This cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted in the coronary intensive care and general postoperative intensive care units of a private hospital. In total, 60 patients participated in the study, 30 in each intensive care unit. The stressor scale was used in the intensive care units to identify the stressors. The mean score of each item of the scale was calculated followed by the total stress score. The differences between groups were considered significant when p < 0.05. Results The mean ages of patients were 55.63 ± 13.58 years in the coronary intensive care unit and 53.60 ± 17.47 years in the general postoperative intensive care unit. For patients in the coronary intensive care unit, the main stressors were “being in pain”, “being unable to fulfill family roles” and “being bored”. For patients in the general postoperative intensive care unit, the main stressors were “being in pain”, “being unable to fulfill family roles” and “not being able to communicate”. The mean total stress scores were 104.20 ± 30.95 in the coronary intensive care unit and 116.66 ± 23.72 (p = 0.085) in the general postoperative intensive care unit. When each stressor was compared separately, significant differences were noted only between three items. “Having nurses constantly doing things around your bed” was more stressful to the patients in the general postoperative intensive care unit than to those in the coronary intensive care unit (p = 0.013). Conversely, “hearing unfamiliar sounds and noises” and “hearing people talk about you” were the most stressful items for the patients in the coronary intensive care unit (p = 0.046 and 0.005, respectively). Conclusion The perception of major stressors and the total stress score were similar between patients

SALIVARY CORTISOL RESPONSES AND PERCEIVED EXERTION DURING HIGH INTENSITY AND LOW INTENSITY BOUTS OF RESISTANCE EXERCISE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alison D. Egan

2004-03-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to measure the salivary cortisol response to different intensities of resistance exercise. In addition, we wanted to determine the reliability of the session rating of perceived exertion (RPE scale to monitor resistance exercise intensity. Subjects (8 men, 9 women completed 2 trials of acute resistance training bouts in a counterbalanced design. The high intensity resistance exercise protocol consisted of six, ten-repetition sets using 75% of one repetition maximum (RM on a Smith machine squat and bench press exercise (12 sets total. The low intensity resistance exercise protocol consisted of three, ten-repetition sets at 30% of 1RM of the same exercises as the high intensity protocol. Both exercise bouts were performed with 2 minutes of rest between each exercise and sessions were repeated to test reliability of the measures. The order of the exercise bouts was randomized with least 72 hours between each session. Saliva samples were obtained immediately before, immediately after and 30 mins following each resistance exercise bout. RPE measures were obtained using Borg's CR-10 scale following each set. Also, the session RPE for the entire exercise session was obtained 30 minutes following completion of the session. There was a significant 97% increase in the level of salivary cortisol immediately following the high intensity exercise session (P<0.05. There was also a significant difference in salivary cortisol of 145% between the low intensity and high intensity exercise session immediately post-exercise (P<0.05. The low intensity exercise did not result in any significant changes in cortisol levels. There was also a significant difference between the session RPE values for the different intensity levels (high intensity 7.1 vs. low intensity 1.9 (P<0.05. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the session RPE measure was 0.95. It was concluded that the session RPE method is a valid and reliable method of

Effects of q-profile structure on turbulence spreading: A fluctuation intensity transport analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yi, S.; Kwon, J. M. [National Fusion Research Institute, Eoeun-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-333 (Korea, Republic of); Diamond, P. H. [National Fusion Research Institute, Eoeun-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-333 (Korea, Republic of); Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences and Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0429 (United States); Hahm, T. S. [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-744 (Korea, Republic of)

2014-09-15

This paper studies effects of q-profile structure on turbulence spreading. It reports results of numerical experiments using global gyrokinetic simulations. We examine propagation of turbulence, triggered by an identical linear instability in a source region, into an adjacent, linearly stable region with variable q-profile. The numerical experiments are designed so as to separate the physics of turbulence spreading from that of linear stability. The strength of turbulence spreading is measured by the penetration depth of turbulence. Dynamics of spreading are elucidated by fluctuation intensity balance analysis, using a model intensity evolution equation which retains nonlinear diffusion and damping, and linear growth. It is found that turbulence spreading is strongly affected by magnetic shear s, but is hardly altered by the safety factor q itself. There is an optimal range of modest magnetic shear which maximizes turbulence spreading. For high to modest shear values, the spreading is enhanced by the increase of the mode correlation length with decreasing magnetic shear. However, the efficiency of spreading drops for sufficiently low magnetic shear even though the mode correlation length is comparable to that for the case of optimal magnetic shear. The reduction of spreading is attributed to the increase in time required for the requisite nonlinear mode-mode interactions. The effect of increased interaction time dominates that of increased mode correlation length. Our findings of the reduction of spreading and the increase in interaction time at weak magnetic shear are consistent with the well-known benefit of weak or reversed magnetic shear for core confinement enhancement. Weak shear is shown to promote locality, as well as stability.

Organic matter decomposition and microarthropod community structure in corn fields under low input and intensive management in Guaíra (SP

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G.S Rodrigues

1997-01-01

Full Text Available The rate of organic matter decomposition and the structure of the communities of microarthropods were compared between two corn fields receiving contrasting agricultural management practices (low input and intensive farming. The rate of decomposition tended to be higher in the intensively managed field in the beginning of the growing season, but decreased to a level significantly lower than the observed in the low input field by the end of the growing season. This suggested that the biological community associated with the decomposition process could be negatively influenced in the intensively managed field. Analyses of the structure of microarthropod communities indicated differences between the two areas. The microarthropod populations present in the intensively managed field suffered abrupt decrease in numbers as the season progressed.A taxa de decomposição da matéria orgânica e a estrutura da comunidade de microartrópodes foram comparadas entre dois campos cultivados com milho mas recebendo manejos distintos, sendo um campo manejado intensivamente e outro com baixo uso de insumos. A taxa de decomposição foi mais alta no campo intensivamente manejado no início da cultura, mas decresceu para um nível significativamente inferior àquela observada no campo com baixo uso de insumos ao final da estação. Tal tendência sugeriu que a estrutura da comunidade dos organismos associados ao processo de decomposição poderia estar sendo negativamente influenciada no campo intensivamente manejado. Análises da estrutura das comunidades de microartrópodes indicaram que diferentes comunidades estavam presentes nos dois campos. As populações de microartrópodes presentes no campo sob manejo intensivo sofreram queda abrupta em números, sendo praticamente eliminadas já no segundo mês de desenvolvimento da cultura.

ART Or AGR: Deciphering Which Reserve Program is Best Suited for Today’s Total Force Structure

Science.gov (United States)

2016-02-01

AIR COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE AIR UNIVERSITY ART OR AGR: DECIPHERING WHICH RESERVE PROGRAM IS BEST SUITED FOR TODAY’S TOTAL FORCE STRUCTURE...4 ART Program...time workforce, which are the ART and AGR programs, by comparing each and highlighting the differences, advantages and disadvantages they present to

Intense fusion neutron sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuteev, B. V.; Goncharov, P. R.; Sergeev, V. Yu.; Khripunov, V. I.

2010-01-01

The review describes physical principles underlying efficient production of free neutrons, up-to-date possibilities and prospects of creating fission and fusion neutron sources with intensities of 10 15 -10 21 neutrons/s, and schemes of production and application of neutrons in fusion-fission hybrid systems. The physical processes and parameters of high-temperature plasmas are considered at which optimal conditions for producing the largest number of fusion neutrons in systems with magnetic and inertial plasma confinement are achieved. The proposed plasma methods for neutron production are compared with other methods based on fusion reactions in nonplasma media, fission reactions, spallation, and muon catalysis. At present, intense neutron fluxes are mainly used in nanotechnology, biotechnology, material science, and military and fundamental research. In the near future (10-20 years), it will be possible to apply high-power neutron sources in fusion-fission hybrid systems for producing hydrogen, electric power, and technological heat, as well as for manufacturing synthetic nuclear fuel and closing the nuclear fuel cycle. Neutron sources with intensities approaching 10 20 neutrons/s may radically change the structure of power industry and considerably influence the fundamental and applied science and innovation technologies. Along with utilizing the energy produced in fusion reactions, the achievement of such high neutron intensities may stimulate wide application of subcritical fast nuclear reactors controlled by neutron sources. Superpower neutron sources will allow one to solve many problems of neutron diagnostics, monitor nano-and biological objects, and carry out radiation testing and modification of volumetric properties of materials at the industrial level. Such sources will considerably (up to 100 times) improve the accuracy of neutron physics experiments and will provide a better understanding of the structure of matter, including that of the neutron itself.

Intense fusion neutron sources

Science.gov (United States)

Kuteev, B. V.; Goncharov, P. R.; Sergeev, V. Yu.; Khripunov, V. I.

2010-04-01

The review describes physical principles underlying efficient production of free neutrons, up-to-date possibilities and prospects of creating fission and fusion neutron sources with intensities of 1015-1021 neutrons/s, and schemes of production and application of neutrons in fusion-fission hybrid systems. The physical processes and parameters of high-temperature plasmas are considered at which optimal conditions for producing the largest number of fusion neutrons in systems with magnetic and inertial plasma confinement are achieved. The proposed plasma methods for neutron production are compared with other methods based on fusion reactions in nonplasma media, fission reactions, spallation, and muon catalysis. At present, intense neutron fluxes are mainly used in nanotechnology, biotechnology, material science, and military and fundamental research. In the near future (10-20 years), it will be possible to apply high-power neutron sources in fusion-fission hybrid systems for producing hydrogen, electric power, and technological heat, as well as for manufacturing synthetic nuclear fuel and closing the nuclear fuel cycle. Neutron sources with intensities approaching 1020 neutrons/s may radically change the structure of power industry and considerably influence the fundamental and applied science and innovation technologies. Along with utilizing the energy produced in fusion reactions, the achievement of such high neutron intensities may stimulate wide application of subcritical fast nuclear reactors controlled by neutron sources. Superpower neutron sources will allow one to solve many problems of neutron diagnostics, monitor nano-and biological objects, and carry out radiation testing and modification of volumetric properties of materials at the industrial level. Such sources will considerably (up to 100 times) improve the accuracy of neutron physics experiments and will provide a better understanding of the structure of matter, including that of the neutron itself.

Remote Stereoinductive Intramolecular Nitrile Oxide Cycloaddition: Asymmetric Total Synthesis and Structure Revision of (-)-11β-Hydroxycurvularin.

Science.gov (United States)

Choe, Hyeonjeong; Pham, Thuy Trang; Lee, Joo Yun; Latif, Muhammad; Park, Haeil; Kang, Young Kee; Lee, Jongkook

2016-03-18

The first total synthesis and structure revision of (-)-11β-hydroxycurvularin (1b), a macrolide possessing a β-hydroxyketone moiety, were accomplished. The β-hydroxyketone moiety in this natural product was introduced by cleavage of the N-O bond in an isoxazoline ring that was formed diastereoselectively in a 1,5-remote stereocontrolled fashion by employing intramolecular nitrile oxide cycloaddition.

X-ray diffuse scattering effects from Coulomb-type defects in multilayered structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olikhovskii, S.I.; Molodkin, V.B.; Skakunova, E.S.; Kislovskii, E.N.; Fodchuk, I.M.

2009-01-01

The theoretical X-ray diffraction model starting from Takagi-Taupin equation has been developed for the description of coherent and diffuse components of the rocking curve (RC) measured from the multilayered crystal structure with randomly distributed Coulomb-type defects in all the layers and substrate. The model describes both diffuse scattering (DS) intensity distribution and influence of DS on attenuation and angular redistribution of the coherent X-ray scattering intensity. By analyzing the total measured RC with using the proposed diffraction model, the chemical compositions, strains, and characteristics of dislocation loops in layers and substrate of the multilayered structure with InGaAsN/GaAs single quantum well have been determined. (Abstract Copyright [2009], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Energy consumption and energetic intensities in the Mato Grosso meso-region 01

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Canavarros, Otacilio Borges; Silva, Ennio Peres da

1999-01-01

The energy intensity of a regional economy is dependent on its structure and degree of industrialization. Considering comparable general conditions it is also a measure for the efficient use of energy. Energy consumption contribute decisively to the modification of economical structures and to the decrease in energy intensity. In this context, the aim of the work was to evaluate the energy consumption and the energy intensity in a region of Mato Grosso State, Brazil

Internal tides and deep diel fades in acoustic intensity.

Science.gov (United States)

White, Andrew W; Henyey, Frank S; Andrew, Rex K; Mercer, James A; Worcester, Peter F; Dzieciuch, Matthew A; Colosi, John A

2016-11-01

A mechanism is presented by which the observed acoustic intensity is made to vary due to changes in the acoustic path that are caused by internal-tide vertical fluid displacements. The position in range and depth of large-scale caustic structure is determined by the background sound-speed profile. Internal tides cause a deformation of the background profile, changing the positions of the caustic structures-which can introduce intensity changes at a distant receiver. Gradual fades in the acoustic intensity occurring over timescales similar to those of the tides were measured during a low-frequency (284-Hz) acoustic scattering experiment in the Philippine Sea in 2009 [White et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 134(4), 3347-3358 (2013)]. Parabolic equation and Hamiltonian ray-tracing calculations of acoustic propagation through a plane-wave internal tide environmental model employing sound-speed profiles taken during the experiment indicate that internal tides could cause significant gradual changes in the received intensity. Furthermore, the calculations demonstrate how large-scale perturbations to the index of refraction can result in variation in the received intensity.

Growth and production of new superior rice varieties in the shade intensity

Science.gov (United States)

Alridiwirsah; Harahap, E. M.; Akoeb, E. N.; Hanum, H.

2018-02-01

Shade intensity is one of the most important requirements for plant growth, affecting growth, development, survival, and crop productivity. This study aims to evaluate the growth and productiom of New Superior Rice Varieties In The shade Intensity. This study was conducted in Balai Pengkajian Teknologi Pertanian, Pagar Merbau, Deli Serdang, North Sumatra. The research used completely randomized design with twofactors. The shade intensity (N) were 25%, 50% and no shade intensity as a control. Whereas new superior rice varieties were V1: Inpara 2, V2: Suluttan Unsrat 2, V3: Inpari Mugibat, V4: Inpari Sidenuk, V5: Mekongga, V6: Ciherang, V7:Inpari 10, V8: Inpari 3, V9: Inpari 4, V10: Inpari 30, dan V11: Cibogo. The result indicated that new superior rice varietiesshowedsignificant effectonthe growth and productionvariablesuch as leaf area, where Inpari Sidenuk variety was the highest among the varieties. Total chorophyll, the highest was found on Inpari variety. Number of tillers and plant height where the highest was found on Ciherang variety. The shade intensity showed significant effect on leaf area, where 25% shade intensity was the highest. Total chlorophyll, the highest was found on 50% shade intensity, number of tillers, the highest was found on no shade intensity.

Proton energy dependence of slow neutron intensity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teshigawara, Makoto; Harada, Masahide; Watanabe, Noboru; Kai, Tetsuya; Sakata, Hideaki; Ikeda, Yujiro

2001-01-01

The choice of the proton energy is an important issue for the design of an intense-pulsed-spallation source. The optimal proton beam energy is rather unique from a viewpoint of the leakage neutron intensity but no yet clear from the slow-neutron intensity view point. It also depends on an accelerator type. Since it is also important to know the proton energy dependence of slow-neutrons from the moderators in a realistic target-moderator-reflector assembly (TMRA). We studied on the TMRA proposed for Japan Spallation Neutron Source. The slow-neutron intensities from the moderators per unit proton beam power (MW) exhibit the maximum at about 1-2 GeV. At higher proton energies the intensity per MW goes down; at 3 and 50 GeV about 0.91 and 0.47 times as low as that at 1 GeV. The proton energy dependence of slow-neutron intensities was found to be almost the same as that of total neutron yield (leakage neutrons) from the same bare target. It was also found that proton energy dependence was almost the same for the coupled and decoupled moderators, regardless the different moderator type, geometry and coupling scheme. (author)

Changing land use intensity in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van der Sluis, Theo; Pedroli, Bas; Kristensen, Søren Bech Pilgaard

2016-01-01

In recent decades the intensification of agricultural production in many European countries has been one of the key components of land-use change. The impact of agricultural intensification varies according to national and local contexts and a greater understanding of the drivers of intensification...... will help to mitigate against its negative impacts and harness potential benefits. This paper analyses changes in land use intensity in six case studies in Europe. A total of 437 landowners were interviewed and their responses were analysed in relation to changes in land use intensity and agricultural...... use intensity) versus those in the Netherlands, Denmark and Greece (decreasing). In the Mediterranean cases we observe a process where agriculture is becoming increasingly marginalised, at the same time as changes in function with regard to urbanisation and recreational land uses have taken place...

Sample preparation for total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis using resist pattern technique

Science.gov (United States)

Tsuji, K.; Yomogita, N.; Konyuba, Y.

2018-06-01

A circular resist pattern layer with a diameter of 9 mm was prepared on a glass substrate (26 mm × 76 mm; 1.5 mm thick) for total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) analysis. The parallel cross pattern was designed with a wall thickness of 10 μm, an interval of 20 μm, and a height of 1.4 or 0.8 μm. This additional resist layer did not significantly increase background intensity on the XRF peaks in TXRF spectra. Dotted residue was obtained from a standard solution (10 μL) containing Ti, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Ga, each at a final concentration of 10 ppm, on a normal glass substrate with a silicone coating layer. The height of the residue was more than 100 μm, where self-absorption in the large residue affected TXRF quantification (intensity relative standard deviation (RSD): 12-20%). In contrast, from a droplet composed of a small volume of solution dropped and cast on the resist pattern structure, the obtained residue was not completely film but a film-like residue with a thickness less than 1 μm, where self-absorption was not a serious problem. In the end, this sample preparation was demonstrated to improve TXRF quantification (intensity RSD: 2-4%).

Intense beams of light ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Camarcat, Noel

1985-01-01

Results of experiments performed in order to accelerate intense beams of light and heavier ions are presented. The accelerating diodes are driven by existing pulsed power generators. Optimization of the generator structure is described in chapter I. Nuclear diagnostics of the accelerated light ion beams are presented in chapter II. Chapter III deals with the physics of intense charged particle beams. The models developed are applied to the calculation of the performances of the ion diodes described in the previous chapters. Chapter IV reports preliminary results on a multiply ionized carbon source driven by a 0.1 TW pulsed power generator. (author) [fr

Universal Laws and the Structure of the “Total Universe”

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David McGraw Jr

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Recent developments in Particle Physics and Cosmology lead one naturally to the existence of many universes. Although direct confi rmation of other universes is diffi cult, it is not impossible. This paper is a look at a new theory of multiple universes. The idea of t = 0, goes back long before the creation of our universe. The “Total Universe’ contains many universes like our universe. The number of universes is infi nite, so some universes are far older than our universe. These ultimate areas of space were our universe started, is still creating new universes. Many big bangs have occurred in the past, and many big bangs will occur in the future. Big bangs are not something that happens just once or twice. Many diff erent universes exist; in this larger area of space we can call the ‘Total Universe’. In the ‘Total Universe’ the second law of thermodynamics is violated. The second Law of thermodynamics is a general law; it is not a universal law. The level of disorder in the ‘Total Universe’ is both increasing, and decreasing. In the ‘Total Universe’, entropy can increase, decrease, or remain constant. Individual universes are being created in the ‘Total Universe’; in these areas of the ‘Total Universe’ energy is not conserved. The ‘Total Universe’ is an energy creating machine. The conservation of energy is a general law because there are areas where external forces are being created so that the conservation of energy would not be valid.

How to `Subtract' Spectrally Determined Intensities from a Coronal Loop on the Limb

Science.gov (United States)

Martens, P. C. H.; Cirtain, J. W.; Schmelz, J. T.

2002-05-01

There are two main problems in the determination of plasma emissions within a coronal loop. First, the line of sight adds the ambient background to the measurement. Second, scattering elevates the intensity for pixels close to a structure (i.e. a loop) by counting photons that actually are emitted from that structure. Here we have a possible solution for these two problems. We show that the intensities for the spectral lines are shown to have scale height dependence when the plasma is not confined to a structure. Accordingly, at any distance greater than its scale height, the ion will not have a statistically significant contribution to the measure of intensity. Additionally, an isolated coronal structure will have a maximum intensity value along an exposure and within a range of pixels that effectively slice a leg of the loop. The maximum is the location of the pixel that is most likely the one containing the loop. All other pixels are considered scatter until the point spread function can deconvolve the true value for intensity per pixel. The resulting values for intensity have then been reduced to approximate the value for intensity for the plasma within the loop. Now the intensity has been reduced to the intensity of the ion within the loop and the analysis of an accurate DEM is now possible. This research was funded in part by the NASA/TRACE MODA grant for Montana State University. Solar physics research at the University of Memphis is supported by NASA grant NAG5-9783.

Widefield and total internal reflection fluorescent structured illumination microscopy with scanning galvo mirrors

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Youhua; Cao, Ruizhi; Liu, Wenjie; Zhu, Dazhao; Zhang, Zhiming; Kuang, Cuifang; Liu, Xu

2018-04-01

We present an alternative approach to realize structured illumination microscopy (SIM), which is capable for live cell imaging. The prototype utilizes two sets of scanning galvo mirrors, a polarization converter and a piezo-platform to generate a fast shifted, s-polarization interfered and periodic variable illumination patterns. By changing the angle of the scanning galvanometer, we can change the position of the spots at the pupil plane of the objective lens arbitrarily, making it easy to switch between widefield and total internal reflection fluorescent-SIM mode and adapting the penetration depth in the sample. Also, a twofold resolution improvement is achieved in our experiments. The prototype offers more flexibility of pattern period and illumination orientation changing than previous systems.

Rainfall intensity effects on crusting and mode of seedling ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Predicted changes in rainfall intensity due to climate change are likely to influence key soil health parameters, especially structural attributes and crop growth. Variations in rainfall intensity will impact crop ... and growth in these soils. Keywords: climate change, crusting, mineralogy, penetration resistance, soil organic matter ...

A Statistical Analysis of Industrial Penetration and Internet Intensity in Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chia-Lin Chang

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This paper is the first to investigate the effect of industrial penetration (geographic concentration of industries and internet intensity (the proportion of enterprises that uses the internet for Taiwan manufacturing firms, and analyses whether the relationships are substitutes or complements. The sample observations are based on a unique set of data, namely 153,081 manufacturing plants, and covers 26 two-digit industry categories and 358 geographical townships in Taiwan. The Heckman sample selection model is used to accommodate sample selectivity for unobservable data for firms that use the internet. The empirical results from Heckman’s two-stage estimation show that: (1 a higher degree of industrial penetration will not affect the probability that firms will use the internet, but it will affect the total expenditure on internet intensity; (2 for two-digit SIC (Standard Industrial Classification industries, industrial penetration generally decreases the total expenditure on internet intensity; and, (3 industrial penetration and internet intensity are substitutes.

Ripple structure in degenerate electron-gas-dominated stars with intense magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilkes, J.M.

1988-01-01

We investigate the implications of ripple structure, i.e., the appearance of oscillating and discontinuous slopes in the thermodynamic variables of a degenerate electron gas, for models of magnetic stars dominated by such a gas. We also examine the effects in these models of the recent discovery by R.L. Ingraham that strong magnetic fields can inhibit degeneracy in an electron gas. The thesis begins with the presentation of a theory of self-gravitating fluids based upon recent work in modern continuum mechanics and thermodynamics on electromagnetic interactions in continuous media. Our theory predicts as a general result the existence of an anisotropic pressure tensor in such a fluid, which is in agreement with the one known to occur in the special case of a free-electron gas in a magnetic field. Furthermore, the theory clarifies the relation between this pressure tensor and the scalar thermodynamic pressure, and provides an unambiguous prescription for the incorporation of these and other variables, such as the magnetization, in the fluid equations of motion. We next show that under suitable assumptions the usual thermodynamic equilibrium and stability conditions for such a fluid follow from the general theory. A definition of local thermodynamic equilibrium is then introduced, and used to develop a local equilibrium statistical mechanics of ideal gases. From this we derive the equations of state for an ideal free-electron gas in a magnetic field. Finally, these equations of state are used in a simplified system of structure equations for model stars in intense magnetic fields. We find the effects of degeneracy-inhibition to be small in these simple models

Intensive Variables & Nanostructuring in Magnetostructural Materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lewis, Laura

2014-08-13

Over the course of this project, fundamental inquiry was carried out to investigate, understand and predict the effects of intensive variables, including the structural scale, on magnetostructural phase transitions in the model system of equiatomic FeRh. These transitions comprise simultaneous magnetic and structural phase changes that have their origins in very strong orbital-lattice coupling and thus may be driven by a plurality of effects.

The structure of settlement space in a Polynesian chiefdom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weisler, M.; Kirch, P.V.

1985-01-01

A major settlement pattern study of a late prehistoric archaeological landscape on Molokaii Island, Hawaii, is summarised. The study focusses on the structure of settlement space within a 7.7 sq. km area situated along the south-central coast of Molokaii, and encompassing two traditional land units (ahupua'a), Kawela and Makakupaia Iki. Intensive survey resulted in the discovery of 499 architectural features. These features were recorded using a standardised data-base system (designed for computerised analysis using SPSS) with 37 discrete and continuous variable, including environmental data, architectural attributes, metrical data, and the presence and density of surface cultural materials. Seventy-two structural features (14 percent of the total sample) were excavated; the total excavated area of 442.5 sq. m provides the largest subsurface data base associated with an intensive settlement pattern survey in the Hawaiian Islands. The late prehistoric and largely contemporaneous nature of this sample is indicated by 13 radiocarbon age determinations, ranging from A.D. 1650-1820. The possibilities for directly applying ethnohistoric models in the analysis and interpretation of this settlement pattern are enhanced by the protohistoric age of the archaeological landscape. The structure of settlement space at Kawela and Makakupaia Iki is examined from the perspectives of several paradigms, including environmental, social, economic and semiotic. No single paradigm provides an adequate account of the variation and complexity of the settlement landscape; in consort, however, these varied perspectives contribute to an enhanced understanding of the structure of late prehistoric Hawaiian society

[Quality assurance in intensive care: the situation in Switzerland].

Science.gov (United States)

Frutiger, A

1999-10-30

The movement for quality in medicine is starting to take on the dimensions of a crusade. Quite logically it has also reached the intensive care community. Due to their complex multidisciplinary functioning and because of the high costs involved, ICUs are model services reflecting the overall situation in our hospitals. The situation of Swiss intensive care is particularly interesting, because for over 25 years standards for design and staffing of Swiss ICUs have been in effect and were enforced via onsite visits by the Swiss Society of Intensive Care without government involvement. Swiss intensive care thus defined its structures long before the word "accreditation" had even been used in this context. While intensive care in Switzerland is practised in clearly defined, well equipped and adequately staffed units, much less is known about process quality and outcomes of these services. Statistics on admissions, length of stay and length of mechanical ventilation, as well as severity data based on a simple classification system, are collected nationwide and allow some limited insight into the overall process of care. Results of intensive care are not systematically assessed. In response to the constant threat of cost containment, Swiss ICUs should increasingly focus on process quality and results, while maintaining their existing good structures.

Common neighbour structure and similarity intensity in complex networks

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Lei; Liu, Kecheng

2017-10-01

Complex systems as networks always exhibit strong regularities, implying underlying mechanisms governing their evolution. In addition to the degree preference, the similarity has been argued to be another driver for networks. Assuming a network is randomly organised without similarity preference, the present paper studies the expected number of common neighbours between vertices. A symmetrical similarity index is accordingly developed by removing such expected number from the observed common neighbours. The developed index can not only describe the similarities between vertices, but also the dissimilarities. We further apply the proposed index to measure of the influence of similarity on the wring patterns of networks. Fifteen empirical networks as well as artificial networks are examined in terms of similarity intensity and degree heterogeneity. Results on real networks indicate that, social networks are strongly governed by the similarity as well as the degree preference, while the biological networks and infrastructure networks show no apparent similarity governance. Particularly, classical network models, such as the Barabási-Albert model, the Erdös-Rényi model and the Ring Lattice, cannot well describe the social networks in terms of the degree heterogeneity and similarity intensity. The findings may shed some light on the modelling and link prediction of different classes of networks.

Structure determination of disordered organic molecules on surfaces from the Bragg spots of low-energy electron diffraction and total energy calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poon, H.C.; Weinert, M.; Saldin, D.K.; Stacchiola, D.; Zheng, T.; Tysoe, W.T.

2004-01-01

We show that an analysis of the intensity versus energy variation of Bragg spots due to low-energy electron diffraction from a disordered overlayer of molecules on a crystal surface allows a much more convenient method of determining the local adsorption geometries of such molecules than previously analyzed weak diffuse diffraction patterns. For the case of methanol on Pd(111), we show that the geometry determined by this means from experimental diffraction data is in excellent agreement with the predictions of density functional total energy calculations

Intensity Mapping of the [CII] Fine Structure Line during the Epoch of Reionization

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Yan; Cooray, A.; Silva, M.; Santos, M. G.; Bock, J.; Bradford, M.; Zemcov, M.

2012-01-01

The atomic CII fine-structure line is one of the brightest lines in a typical star-forming galaxy spectrum with a luminosity 0.1% to 1% of the bolometric luminosity. It is otentially a reliable tracer of the dense gas distribution at high edshifts and could provide an additional probe to the era of reionization. By taking into account of the spontaneous, stimulated and collisional emission of the CII line, we calculate the spin temperature and the mean intensity as a function of the redshift. When averaged over a cosmologically large volume, we find that the CII emission from ionized carbon in individual galaxies is larger than the signal generated by carbon in the intergalactic medium (IGM). Assuming that the CII luminosity is proportional to the carbon mass in dark matter halos, we also compute the power spectrum of the CII line intensity at various redshifts. In order to avoid the contamination from CO rotational lines at low redshift when targeting a CII survey at high redshifts, we propose the cross-correlation of CII and 21-cm line emission from high redshifts. To explore the detectability of the CII signal from reionization, we also evaluate the expected errors on the CII power spectrum and CII-21 cm cross power spectrum based on the design of the future milimeter surveys. We note that the CII-21 cm cross power spectrum contains interesting features that captures physics during reionization, including the ionized bubble sizes and the mean ionization fraction, which are challenging to measure from 21-cm data alone. We propose an instrumental concept for the reionization CII experiment targeting the frequency range of 200 to 300 GHz with 1, 3 and 10 meter apertures and a bolometric spectrometer array with 64 independent spectral pixels with about 20,000 bolometers.

ON THE ANTI-CORRELATION BETWEEN SPECTRAL LINE BROADENING AND INTENSITY IN CORONAL STRUCTURES OBSERVED WITH EIS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, J. T.; Martens, P. C. H.

2011-01-01

The advance in spectral resolution of the Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging (EIS) spectrometer on board Hinode has allowed for more detailed analysis of coronal spectral lines. Large line broadening and blueshifted velocities have been found in the periphery of active region (AR) cores and near the footpoints of coronal loops. This line broadening is yet to be understood. We study the correlation of intensity and line width for entire ARs and sub-regions selected to include coronal features. The results show that although a slight positive correlation can be found when considering whole images, many sub-regions have a negative correlation between intensity and line width. Sections of a coronal loop display some of the largest anti-correlations found for this study with the increased line broadening occurring directly adjacent to the footpoint section of the loop structure, not at the footpoint itself. The broadened lines may be due to a second Doppler-shifted component that is separate from the main emitting feature such as a coronal loop, but related in their excitation. The small size of these features forces the considerations of investigator and instrumental effects. Preliminary analyses are shown that indicate the possibility of a point-spread function that is not azimuthally symmetric and may affect velocity and line profile measurements.

Editor's Choice - Acute Cardiovascular Care Association Position Paper on Intensive Cardiovascular Care Units: An update on their definition, structure, organisation and function.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonnefoy-Cudraz, Eric; Bueno, Hector; Casella, Gianni; De Maria, Elia; Fitzsimons, Donna; Halvorsen, Sigrun; Hassager, Christian; Iakobishvili, Zaza; Magdy, Ahmed; Marandi, Toomas; Mimoso, Jorge; Parkhomenko, Alexander; Price, Susana; Rokyta, Richard; Roubille, Francois; Serpytis, Pranas; Shimony, Avi; Stepinska, Janina; Tint, Diana; Trendafilova, Elina; Tubaro, Marco; Vrints, Christiaan; Walker, David; Zahger, Doron; Zima, Endre; Zukermann, Robert; Lettino, Maddalena

2018-02-01

Acute cardiovascular care has progressed considerably since the last position paper was published 10 years ago. It is now a well-defined, complex field with demanding multidisciplinary teamworking. The Acute Cardiovascular Care Association has provided this update of the 2005 position paper on acute cardiovascular care organisation, using a multinational working group. The patient population has changed, and intensive cardiovascular care units now manage a large range of conditions from those simply requiring specialised monitoring, to critical cardiovascular diseases with associated multi-organ failure. To describe better intensive cardiovascular care units case mix, acuity of care has been divided into three levels, and then defining intensive cardiovascular care unit functional organisation. For each level of intensive cardiovascular care unit, this document presents the aims of the units, the recommended management structure, the optimal number of staff, the need for specially trained cardiologists and cardiovascular nurses, the desired equipment and architecture, and the interaction with other departments in the hospital and other intensive cardiovascular care units in the region/area. This update emphasises cardiologist training, referring to the recently updated Acute Cardiovascular Care Association core curriculum on acute cardiovascular care. The training of nurses in acute cardiovascular care is additionally addressed. Intensive cardiovascular care unit expertise is not limited to within the unit's geographical boundaries, extending to different specialties and subspecialties of cardiology and other specialties in order to optimally manage the wide scope of acute cardiovascular conditions in frequently highly complex patients. This position paper therefore addresses the need for the inclusion of acute cardiac care and intensive cardiovascular care units within a hospital network, linking university medical centres, large community hospitals, and smaller

[The work of the intensive care nurse: a study on the social representations structure].

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Iranete Almeida Sousa; da Cruz, Enêde Andrade

2008-09-01

This study aims at characterizing the social representations of the nurse in the intensive care unit (ICU) by identifying the central core and the peripheral system. It was carried out in five ICUs from both public and philanthropic teaching, research and assistance hospitals in Salvador (Bahia, Brazil). Data were gathered from ninety nurses by means of free evocation from the phrase: nurse's work in an ICU and then processed with the EVOC software. Analysis was performed by building a four-digit chart based on the structural approach to the theory of social representations. Results point out stress, responsibility, integral care and gratification as the core elements. The peripheral system comprised personal and professional attitudes deemed necessary to perform the work. Therefore, it could be concluded that stress and responsible work are relieved by the gratifying feeling of providing integral care, which demands a range of personal and professional attitudes.

Physics of high intensity nanosecond electron source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herrera-Gomez, A.; Spicer, W.E.

1993-08-01

A new high-intensity, short-time electron source is now being used at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC). Using a GaAs negative affinity semiconductor in the construction of the cathode, it is possible to fulfill operation requirements such as peak currents of tens of amperes, peak widths of the order of nanoseconds, hundreds of hours of operation stability, and electron spin polarization. The cathode is illuminated with high intensity laser pulses, and photoemitted electrons constitute the yield. Because of the high currents, some nonlinear effects are present. Very noticeable is the so-called Charge Limit (CL) effect, which consists of a limit on the total charge in each pulse-that is, the total bunch charge stops increasing as the light pulse total energy increases. In this paper, we explain the mechanism of the CL and how it is caused by the photovoltaic effect. Our treatment is based on the Three-Step model of photoemission. We relate the CL to the characteristics of the surface and bulk of the semiconductor, such as doping, band bending, surface vacuum level, and density of surface states. We also discuss possible ways to prevent the Char's Level effect

Characterization of atmospheric aerosols using Synchroton radiation total reflection X-ray fluorescence and Fe K-edge total reflection X-ray fluorescence-X-ray absorption near-edge structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fittschen, U.E.A. [Department of Chemistry, University of Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 6, 20146 Hamburg (Germany)], E-mail: ursula.fittschen@chemie.uni-hamburg.de; Meirer, F. [Atominstitut, Vienna University of Technology, Stadionallee 2, 1020 Wien (Austria)], E-mail: fmeirer@ati.ac.at; Streli, C. [Atominstitut, Vienna University of Technology, Stadionallee 2, 1020 Wien (Austria)], E-mail: streli@ati.ac.at; Wobrauschek, P. [Atominstitut, Vienna University of Technology, Stadionallee 2, 1020 Wien (Austria)], E-mail: wobi@ati.ac.at; Thiele, J. [Department of Chemistry, University of Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 6, 20146 Hamburg (Germany)], E-mail: Julian.Thiele@gmx.de; Falkenberg, G. [Hamburger Synchrotronstrahlungslabor at Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22603 Hamburg (Germany)], E-mail: falkenbe@mail.desy.de; Pepponi, G. [ITC-irst, Via Sommarive 18, 38050 Povo (Trento) (Italy)], E-mail: pepponi@itc.it

2008-12-15

In this study a new procedure using Synchrotron total reflection X-ray fluorescence (SR-TXRF) to characterize elemental amounts in atmospheric aerosols down to particle sizes of 0.015 um is presented. The procedure was thoroughly evaluated regarding bounce off effects and blank values. Additionally the potential of total reflection X-ray fluorescence-X-ray absorption near edge structure (SR-TXRF-XANES) for speciation of FeII/III down to amounts of 34 pg in aerosols which were collected for 1 h is shown. The aerosols were collected in the city of Hamburg with a low pressure Berner impactor on Si carriers covered with silicone over time periods of 60 and 20 min each. The particles were collected in four and ten size fractions of 10.0-8.0 {mu}m, 8.0-2.0 {mu}m, 2.0-0.13 {mu}m 0.13-0.015 {mu}m (aerodynamic particle size) and 15-30 nm, 30-60 nm, 60-130 nm, 130-250 nm, 250-500 nm, 0.5-1 {mu}m, 1-2 {mu}m, 2-4 {mu}m, 4-8 {mu}m, 8-16 {mu}m. Prior to the sampling 'bounce off' effects on Silicone and Vaseline coated Si carriers were studied with total reflection X-ray fluorescence. According to the results silicone coated carriers were chosen for the analysis. Additionally, blank levels originating from the sampling device and the calibration procedure were studied. Blank levels of Fe corresponded to 1-10% of Fe in the aerosol samples. Blank levels stemming from the internal standard were found to be negligible. The results from the Synchroton radiation total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis of the aerosols showed that 20 min of sampling time gave still enough sample material for elemental determination of most elements. For the determination of the oxidation state of Fe in the aerosols different Fe salts were prepared as a reference from suspensions in isopropanol. The results from the Fe K-edge Synchroton radiation total reflection X-ray fluorescence-X-ray absorption near-edge structure analysis of the aerosol samples showed that mainly Fe(III) was present in

Characterization of atmospheric aerosols using Synchroton radiation total reflection X-ray fluorescence and Fe K-edge total reflection X-ray fluorescence-X-ray absorption near-edge structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fittschen, U.E.A.; Meirer, F.; Streli, C.; Wobrauschek, P.; Thiele, J.; Falkenberg, G.; Pepponi, G.

2008-01-01

In this study a new procedure using Synchrotron total reflection X-ray fluorescence (SR-TXRF) to characterize elemental amounts in atmospheric aerosols down to particle sizes of 0.015 um is presented. The procedure was thoroughly evaluated regarding bounce off effects and blank values. Additionally the potential of total reflection X-ray fluorescence-X-ray absorption near edge structure (SR-TXRF-XANES) for speciation of FeII/III down to amounts of 34 pg in aerosols which were collected for 1 h is shown. The aerosols were collected in the city of Hamburg with a low pressure Berner impactor on Si carriers covered with silicone over time periods of 60 and 20 min each. The particles were collected in four and ten size fractions of 10.0-8.0 μm, 8.0-2.0 μm, 2.0-0.13 μm 0.13-0.015 μm (aerodynamic particle size) and 15-30 nm, 30-60 nm, 60-130 nm, 130-250 nm, 250-500 nm, 0.5-1 μm, 1-2 μm, 2-4 μm, 4-8 μm, 8-16 μm. Prior to the sampling 'bounce off' effects on Silicone and Vaseline coated Si carriers were studied with total reflection X-ray fluorescence. According to the results silicone coated carriers were chosen for the analysis. Additionally, blank levels originating from the sampling device and the calibration procedure were studied. Blank levels of Fe corresponded to 1-10% of Fe in the aerosol samples. Blank levels stemming from the internal standard were found to be negligible. The results from the Synchroton radiation total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis of the aerosols showed that 20 min of sampling time gave still enough sample material for elemental determination of most elements. For the determination of the oxidation state of Fe in the aerosols different Fe salts were prepared as a reference from suspensions in isopropanol. The results from the Fe K-edge Synchroton radiation total reflection X-ray fluorescence-X-ray absorption near-edge structure analysis of the aerosol samples showed that mainly Fe(III) was present in all particle size fractions

Measures of Competitive Intensity – Analysis Based on Literature Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dariusz Kwieciński

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To systematize the existing approaches and tools used for measuring competitive intensity. Methodology: Systematic literature review along with critical literature review. Findings: Identifcation of two main approaches to measuring competition intensity: the frst pertains to research based on experts’ opinions and involves the use of questionnaires (primary sources, while the second is based on structural variables used with a variety of indexes (secondary sources. In addition, variables applied for the purpose of measuring the intensity of competition are divided into structural and behavioural. Research implications: Research implications are two-fold. Firstly, a distinction is made between various types of existing approaches to measuring competitive intensity. Secondly, research is carried out, inter alia, with regard to the actual object of certain measures, as opposed to their object stemming from commonly accepted defnitions. Practical implications: The issue of measuring competition intensity occupies a prominent place in the discussion on the effectiveness of inter-organizational relationships. The fndings outlined in this paper may help managers to develop/adopt the right approach supporting their strategic decisions. Originality: The paper provides a complex review of the existing methods and measures of competitive intensity. It systematizes recent knowledge about competitive intensity measurements.

Effect of Light Intensity and Photoperiod on Growth and Biochemical Composition of a Local Isolate of Nostoc calcicola.

Science.gov (United States)

Khajepour, Fateme; Hosseini, Seyed Abbas; Ghorbani Nasrabadi, Rasoul; Markou, Giorgos

2015-08-01

A study was conducted to investigate the effect of light intensity (21, 42, and 63 μmol photons m(-2) s(-1)) and photoperiod (8:16, 12:12, and 16:8 h light/dark) on the biomass production and its biochemical composition (total carotenoids, chlorophyll a, phycoerythrin (PE), phycocyanin (PC) and allophycocyanin (APC), total protein, and carbohydrates) of a local isolate of Nostoc calcicola. The results revealed that N. calcicola prefers dim light; however, the most of the levels of light intensity and photoperiod investigated did not have a significant impact on biomass production. Increasing light intensity biomass content of chlorophyll a, PE, PC, APC, and total protein decreased, while total carotenoids and carbohydrate increased. The same behavior was observed also when light duration (photoperiod) increased. The interaction effect of increasing light intensity and photoperiod resulted in an increase of carbohydrate and total carotenoids, and to the decrease of chlorophyll a, PE, PC, APC, and total protein content. The results indicate that varying the light regime, it is capable to manipulate the biochemical composition of the local isolate of N. calcicola, producing either valuable phycobiliproteins or proteins under low light intensity and shorter photoperiods, or producing carbohydrates and carotenoids under higher light intensities and longer photoperiods.

Physical activity of elderly patients after total hip arthroplasty.

Science.gov (United States)

Cukras, Zbigniew; Praczko, Katarzyna; Kostka, Tomasz; Jegier, Anna

2007-01-01

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is the most common method of treatment of severe hip osteoarthritis. There is little data concerning the physical activity of total hip arthroplasty patients in Poland and investigations to explore this area are useful. The aim of the study was to describe the post-operative physical activity of total hip arthroplasty patients. A total of 146 adult people were examined, among which 28 men and 41 women had undergone total hip arthroplasty due to primary osteoarthritis of the hip, while another 32 men and 41 women matched for age who had not undergone hip surgery for osteoarthritis served as controls. The physical activity of study participants was assessed with the 7-Day Physical Activity Recall Questionnaire. All participants were also asked about the type and amount of physical activity they engaged in to maintain good health. Physical activity measured as the total amount of calories expended through physical activity per week was similar in the post-THA patients compared to the controls. The only differences were a smaller amount of calories expended during low-intensity physical activity by men after total hip arthroplasty compared to men who had not undergone surgery for osteoarthritis and a smaller amount of calories expended through high-intensity physical activity by women after total hip arthroplasty compared to female controls. The kinds of recreational physical activity most commonly practised by patients a mean of two years after total hip arthroplasty were marching, bicycling and general body conditioning exercises (usually the continuation of exercises recommended during post-operative rehabilitation). The percentage of post-THA patients undertaking physical activity for the prevention of non-communicable diseases was low. Physical activity should be more effectively encouraged in patients after total hip arthroplasty.

Renal function after elective total hip replacement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Perregaard, Helene; Damholt, Mette B; Solgaard, Søren

2016-01-01

Background and purpose - Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with increased short-term and long-term mortality in intensive care populations and in several surgical specialties, but there are very few data concerning orthopedic populations. We have studied the incidence of AKI and the prevale......Background and purpose - Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with increased short-term and long-term mortality in intensive care populations and in several surgical specialties, but there are very few data concerning orthopedic populations. We have studied the incidence of AKI...... and the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in an elective population of orthopedic patients undergoing primary total hip replacement, hypothesizing that chronic kidney disease predisposes to AKI. Patients and methods - This was a single-center, population-based, retrospective, registry-based cohort study...... involving all primary elective total hip replacements performed from January 2003 through December 2012. Patient demographics and creatinine values were registered. We evaluated the presence of CKD and AKI according to the international guidelines for kidney disease (KDIGO Acute Kidney Injury Workgroup 2013...

Performance of the intense pulsed neutron source accelerator system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potts, C.; Brumwell, F.; Rauchas, A.; Stipp, V.; Volk, G.

1983-01-01

The Intense Pulsed Neutron Source (IPNS) facility has now been operating in a routine way for outside users since November 1, 1981. From that date through December of 1982, the accelerator system was scheduled for neutron science for 4500 hours. During this time the accelerator achieved its short-term goals by delivering about 380,000,000 pulses of beam totaling over 6 x 10 20 protons. The changes in equipment and operating practices that evolved during this period of intense running are described. The intensity related instability threshold was increased by a factor of two and the accelerator beam current has been ion source limited. Plans to increase the accelerator intensity are also described. Initial operating results with a new H - ion source are discussed

Similar Survival for Patients Undergoing Reduced-Intensity Total Body Irradiation (TBI) Versus Myeloablative TBI as Conditioning for Allogeneic Transplant in Acute Leukemia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mikell, John L., E-mail: jmikell@emory.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Waller, Edmund K. [Department of Hematology and Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Switchenko, Jeffrey M. [Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Rangaraju, Sravanti; Ali, Zahir; Graiser, Michael [Department of Hematology and Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Hall, William A. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Langston, Amelia A. [Department of Hematology and Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Esiashvili, Natia [Department of Radiation Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Khoury, H. Jean [Department of Hematology and Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Khan, Mohammad K. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States)

2014-06-01

Purpose: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the mainstay of treatment for adults with acute leukemia. Total body irradiation (TBI) remains an important part of the conditioning regimen for HCST. For those patients unable to tolerate myeloablative TBI (mTBI), reduced intensity TBI (riTBI) is commonly used. In this study we compared outcomes of patients undergoing mTBI with those of patients undergoing riTBI in our institution. Methods and Materials: We performed a retrospective review of all patients with acute leukemia who underwent TBI-based conditioning, using a prospectively acquired database of HSCT patients treated at our institution. Patient data including details of the transplantation procedure, disease status, Karnofsky performance status (KPS), response rates, toxicity, survival time, and time to progression were extracted. Patient outcomes for various radiation therapy regimens were examined. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. Results: Between June 1985 and July 2012, 226 patients with acute leukemia underwent TBI as conditioning for HSCT. Of those patients, 180 had full radiation therapy data available; 83 had acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 94 had acute myelogenous leukemia; 45 patients received riTBI, and 135 received mTBI. Median overall survival (OS) was 13.7 months. Median relapse-free survival (RFS) for all patients was 10.2 months. Controlling for age, sex, KPS, disease status, and diagnosis, there were no significant differences in OS or RFS between patients who underwent riTBI and those who underwent mTBI (P=.402, P=.499, respectively). Median length of hospital stay was shorter for patients who received riTBI than for those who received mTBI (16 days vs 23 days, respectively; P<.001), and intensive care unit admissions were less frequent following riTBI than mTBI (2.22% vs 12.69%, respectively, P=.043). Nonrelapse survival rates were also similar (P=.186). Conclusions: No differences in OS or RFS were seen between

First principles total energy calculations of the structural and electronic properties of ScxGa1-xN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreno-Armenta, Maria Guadalupe; Mancera, Luis; Takeuchi, Noboru

2003-01-01

Using first principles total energy calculations within the the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method, we have investigated the structural and electronic properties of Sc x Ga 1-x N, with Sc concentrations varying from 0% up to 100%. In particular we have studied the relative stability of several configurations of Sc x Ga 1-x N in wurtzite-like structures (the ground state configuration of GaN), or in rocksalt-like structures (the ground state configuration of ScN). It is found that for Sc concentrations less than ∼65%, the favored structure is a wurtzite-like one, while for Sc concentrations greater than ∼65%, the favored structure is a NaCl-like structure. It is also found that for the wurtzite-like crystals, the fundamental gap is large and direct. For the rocksalt crystals the fundamental gap is small and indirect, but with an additional larger direct gap. In agreement with the experiments of Little and Kordesch [Appl. Phys. Lett. 78, 2891 (2001)] we found a decrease of the band gap with the increase of the Sc concentration. (Abstract Copyright [2003], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

A digital intensity stabilization system for HeNe laser

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Zhimeng; Lu, Guangfeng; Yang, Kaiyong; Long, Xingwu; Huang, Yun

2012-02-01

A digital intensity stabilization system for HeNe laser is developed. Based on a switching power IC to design laser power supply and a general purpose microcontroller to realize digital PID control, the system constructs a closed loop to stabilize the laser intensity by regulating its discharge current. The laser tube is made of glass ceramics and its integrated structure is steady enough to eliminate intensity fluctuations at high frequency and attenuates all intensity fluctuations, and this makes it easy to tune the control loop. The control loop between discharge current and photodiode voltage eliminates the long-term drifts. The intensity stability of the HeNe laser with this system is 0.014% over 12 h.

Photothermal modification of plasmonic structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2016-01-01

There is presented a method for geometrically modifying plasmonic structures on a support structure, such as for printing or recording, said method comprising changing a geometry specifically of plasmonic structures, wherein said changing the geometry is carried out by photothermally melting...... at least a portion of each of the plasmonic structures within the second plurality of plasmonic structures by irradiating, the plasmonic structures with incident electromagnetic radiation having an incident intensity in a plane of the second plurality of plasmonic structures, wherein said incident...... intensity is less than an incident intensity required to melt a film of a corresponding material and a corresponding thickness as the plasmonic structures within the second plurality of plasmonic structures....

Effects of an Intensive Resistant Training Sessions and Green Tea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Esmaeil Afzalpour

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Intensive and acute exercise trainings may induce oxidative stress, but antioxidant supplements may attenuate its degenerative consequences. The aim of this research was to examine the effect of green tea supplementation on the oxidative stress indices after an intensive resistance training session. Materials and Methods: 40 non-athletes (without regular physical activity women were randomly divided into 4 equal (n=10 groups including green tea supplementation, green tea supplementation plus resistance training, resistance training, and control groups. After supplementation period (600 mg/day, 14 days, resistance training and green tea supplementation plus resistance training groups performed an intensive resistance training session at 75-85 % of one repetition maximum. The malondialdehyde and total thiol were measured as oxidative stress indices. Data were analyzed by using of repeated measure ANOVA and LSD tests at p<0.056T. Results: Results showed that after 14 days of green tea consumption, malondialdehyde significantly decreased in green tea supplementation (p=0.03 and green tea supplementation plus resistance training (p=0.01 groups, while total thiol increased significantly (p=0.01 in two green tea supplementation groups. However, an intensive resistance training session increased malondialdehyde (p=0.01 without any significantly changes in total thiol (p=0.426T. Conclusion: It seems that green tea supplementation can inhibit exercise-induced protein and lipid oxidation in non-athletes women via enhancement of antioxidant defense system of the body6T.6T

High Re-Operation Rates Using Conserve Metal-On-Metal Total Hip Articulations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mogensen, S L; Jakobsen, Thomas; Christoffersen, Hardy

2016-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Metal-on-metal hip articulations have been intensely debated after reports of adverse reactions and high failure rates. The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the implant of a metal-on.metal total hip articulation (MOM THA) from a single manufacture in a two-center st......INTRODUCTION: Metal-on-metal hip articulations have been intensely debated after reports of adverse reactions and high failure rates. The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the implant of a metal-on.metal total hip articulation (MOM THA) from a single manufacture in a two...

Use of high-intensity sonication for pre-treatment of biological tissues prior to multielemental analysis by total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De La Calle, Inmaculada; Costas, Marta; Cabaleiro, Noelia; Lavilla, Isela; Bendicho, Carlos

2012-01-01

In this work, two ultrasound-based procedures are developed for sample preparation prior to determination of P, K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se and Sr in biological tissues by total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. Ultrasound-assisted extraction by means of a cup-horn sonoreactor and ultrasonic-probe slurry sampling were compared with a well-established procedure such as magnetic agitation slurry sampling. For that purpose, seven certified reference materials and different real samples of animal tissue were used. Similar accuracy and precision is obtained with the three sample preparation approaches tried. Limits of detection were dependent on both the sample matrix and the sample pre-treatment used, best values being achieved with ultrasound-assisted extraction. Advantages of ultrasound-assisted extraction include reduced sample handling, decreased contamination risks (neither addition of surfactants nor use of foreign objects inside the extraction vial), simpler background (no solid particles onto the sample carrier) and improved recovery for some elements such as P. A mixture of 10% v/v HNO 3 + 20–40% v/v HCl was suitable for extraction from biological tissues. - Highlights: ► We implement high-intensity sonication for pre-treatment of biological tissues. ► Multielemental analysis is performed by total reflection X-ray spectrometry. ► Ultrasound-based procedures are developed and compared to conventional slurry preparation. ► Features such as background, recovery and sample handling are favored by using ultrasonic extraction.

Total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michaelis, W.; Prange, A.

1987-01-01

In the past few years, total reflection X-ray flourescence analysis (TXRF) has found an increasing number of assignments and applications. Experience of trace element analysis using TXRF and examples of applications are already widespread. Therefore, users of TXRF had the opportunity of an intensive exchange of their experience at the 1st workshop on total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis which took place on May 27th and 28th 1986 at the GKSS Research Centre at Geesthacht. In a series of lectures and discussions dealing with the analytical principle itself, sample preparation techniques and applications as well as comuter programs for spectrum evaluation, the present state of development and the range of applications were outlined. 3 studies out of a total of 14 were included separately in the INIS and ENERGY databases. With 61 figs., 12 tabs [de

Decomposition analysis of the change of energy intensity of manufacturing industries in Thailand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chontanawat, Jaruwan; Wiboonchutikula, Paitoon; Buddhivanich, Atinat

2014-01-01

The study computes and analyses the sources of the change of energy intensity of the manufacturing industries in Thailand during the period (1991–2011) using the decomposition method. The Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index is computed and the results show that the energy intensity in the period (1991–2000) increased greatly from the increased energy intensity of each industry. In the more recent period (2000–2011) the energy intensity declined a little. However the decline was mainly from the structural change effect with negligible contribution from decreased energy intensity of each industry. The findings imply the need to balance industrial restructuring policies with efforts to reduce energy intensity for a sustainable economic development. Besides, there is much room for individual industries to improve their energy efficiency. Policies on restructuring energy prices and other non-price related measures should be devised to induce individual industries, particularly the highly energy intensive ones, to reduce their energy intensity. - Highlights: • Decomposing change of energy intensity of Thai manufacturing industries, 1991–2011. • 1991–2000 energy intensity rose due to increased energy intensity of each industry. • 2000–2011 energy intensity declined due mainly to the structural change effect. • Need to balance industrial restructuring policies to reduce energy intensity

Description of an intensive nutrition therapy in hospitalized adolescents with anorexia nervosa.

Science.gov (United States)

Pettersson, Cecilia; Tubic, Bojan; Svedlund, Anna; Magnusson, Per; Ellegård, Lars; Swolin-Eide, Diana; Forslund, Heléne Bertéus

2016-04-01

To describe an intensive nutrition therapy for hospitalized adolescents and young adults with anorexia nervosa (AN) in terms of body weight, body composition, energy balance and food related anxiety. Twenty-six young females, 16-24years of age, with AN were invited to participate at admission to a specialized eating disorder unit in Göteborg, Sweden. Intensive nutrition therapy comprised 12weeks on a structured meal plan. Six meals were served daily, in combination with high-energy liquid nutritional supplements from start. Energy and nutrient intakes, energy expenditure, body composition and food related anxiety were measured during the study. A 3-month follow-up of body weight and food related anxiety was conducted. Twenty-one patients participated. The total daily energy intake was, during the first week of treatment, (mean±SD) 3264±196kcal (74kcal/kg), and decreased gradually during treatment to 2622±331kcal (49kcal/kg). Total daily energy expenditure was initially 1568±149kcal and increased gradually to 2034±194kcal. Patients gained on average 9.8±2.1kg and body mass index increased from 15.5±0.9 to 19.0±0.9kg/m(2). Body fat increased from 13±6% to 26±6%. Fat free mass remained unchanged, but skeletal muscle mass increased from 16.7±2.0 to 17.6±2.4kg, p=0.009. Patients' food related anxiety decreased significantly during treatment and was still unchanged 3months later. The presented intensive nutrition therapy with initially high energy and nutrient intakes produced substantial weight gain, increased fat and muscle mass and decreased food related anxiety in AN patients, without any clinical side effects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemometric analysis of attenuated total reflectance infrared spectra of Proteus mirabilis strains with defined structures of LPS.

Science.gov (United States)

Zarnowiec, Paulina; Mizera, Andrzej; Chrapek, Magdalena; Urbaniak, Mariusz; Kaca, Wieslaw

2016-07-01

Proteus spp. strains are some of the most important pathogens associated with complicated urinary tract infections and bacteremia affecting patients with immunodeficiency and long-term urinary catheterization. For epidemiological purposes, various molecular typing methods have been developed for this pathogen. However, these methods are labor intensive and time consuming. We evaluated a new method of differentiation between strains. A collection of Proteus spp. strains was analyzed by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectroscopy in the mid-infrared region. ATR FT-IR spectroscopy used in conjunction with a diamond ATR accessory directly produced the biochemical profile of the surface chemistry of bacteria. We conclude that a combination of ATR FT-IR spectroscopy and mathematical modeling provides a fast and reliable alternative for discrimination between Proteus isolates, contributing to epidemiological research. © The Author(s) 2016.

Intensity-modulated photon arc therapy for treatment of pleural mesothelioma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tobler, Matt; Watson, Gordon; Leavitt, Dennis

2002-01-01

Radiotherapy plays a key role in the definitive or adjuvant management of patients with mesothelioma of the pleural surface. Many patients are referred for radiation with intact lung following biopsy or subtotal pleurectomy. Delivery of efficacious doses of radiation to the pleural lining while avoiding lung parenchyma toxicity has been a difficult technical challenge. Using opposed photon fields produce doses in lung that result in moderate-to-severe pulmonary toxicity in 100% of patients treated. Combined photon-electron beam treatment, at total doses of 4250 cGy to the pleural surface, results in two-thirds of the lung volume receiving over 2100 cGy. We have developed a technique using intensity-modulated photon arc therapy (IMRT) that significantly improves the dose distribution to the pleural surface with concomitant decrease in dose to lung parenchyma compared to traditional techniques. IMRT treatment of the pleural lining consists of segments of photon arcs that can be intensity modulated with varying beam weights and multileaf positions to produce a more uniform distribution to the pleural surface, while at the same time reducing the overall dose to the lung itself. Computed tomography (CT) simulation is critical for precise identification of target volumes as well as critical normal structures (lung and heart). Rotational arc trajectories and individual leaf positions and weightings are then defined for each CT plane within the patient. This paper will describe the proposed rotational IMRT technique and, using simulated isodose distributions, show the improved potential for sparing of dose to the critical structures of the lung, heart, and spinal cord

Investigation of an He-Ne laser generating a beam with a ring-shaped intensity distribution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sukhanov, I I; Troitskii, IU V; Iakushkin, S V

1987-02-01

The paper examines an He-Ne laser regime with the simultaneous generation of TEM(01) and TEM(10) modes, forming a beam with a ring-shaped intensity distribution with total suppression of the TEM(00) mode. The ratio of the intensity at the ring crest to the intensity at the axis reached a value of 200 and was limited by scattering in the optical components of the resonator. A regime of mutual frequency locking of the TEM(01) and TEM(10) modes was achieved with total spatial coherence of the ring-shaped beam. 14 references.

Exercise intensity, redox homeostasis and inflammation in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Science.gov (United States)

Mallard, Alistair R; Hollekim-Strand, Siri Marte; Coombes, Jeff S; Ingul, Charlotte B

2017-10-01

To compare 12 weeks of exercise training at two intensities on oxidative stress, antioxidants and inflammatory biomarkers in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Randomized trial. Thirty-six participants with T2D were randomized to complete either 12 weeks of treadmill based high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT), followed by 40 weeks of home-based training at the same intensities. Plasma inflammation, oxidative stress and antioxidant biomarkers (total F2-isoprostanes, protein carbonyls, total antioxidant capacity, glutathione peroxidase activity, interleukin-10, interleukin-6, interleukin-8 and TNF-α) were measured at baseline, 12-weeks and 1-year. There were no significant changes (p>0.05) in oxidative stress and inflammation biomarkers from baseline to 12-weeks in either intervention. A decrease in total antioxidant capacity in the MICT group from baseline to 1-year by 0.05mmol/L (p=0.05) was observed. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) when groups were separated by sex with females in the MICT group having a 22.1% (p<0.05) decrease in protein carbonyls from baseline to 1-year. HIIT and MICT had no acute effect on oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers in patients with T2D. Copyright © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of an intermittent high-intensity vs continuous low-intensity physiotherapy service over 12 months in community-dwelling people with stroke: a randomized trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Hesse, S; Welz, A; Werner, C; Quentin, B; Wissel, J

2011-02-01

This study compared two modes of physiotherapy service over 12 months in community-dwelling people with stroke, either following a train-wait train paradigm by providing bouts of intense physiotherapy, or a continuous less intense programme. Randomized trial. Community-dwelling people with stroke. Fifty patients, first-time stroke, discharged home, following inpatient rehabilitation, allocated to two groups, A and B. Over 12 months, Group A (n = 25) received three two-month blocks of therapy at home, each block contained four 30 to 45 minute sessions per week, totalling 96 sessions. Group B (n = 25) continuously received two 30 to 45 minute sessions per week, totalling 104 sessions. Primary Rivermead Mobility Index (0-15), secondary upper- and lower-limb motor functions, Activities of Daily Living competence, tone and number of falls. Both groups were comparable at onset, the mean age in Group A (B) was 62.4 (61.9) years. A and B patients equally improved functions over time, between group differences did not occur. The initial (terminal) Rivermead Mobility Index was 9.4 ± 2.8 (12.2 ± 2.1) in Group A, and 8.5 ± 3.5 (11.2 ± 2.7) in Group B. More Group B patients fell seriously (7 versus 1). The intermittent high-intensity and continuous low-intensity therapy protocols were equally effective, the sheer intensity seems more important than the time-mode of application. The relatively young patients functionally improved in the first year after stroke, the reduced risk of serious falls in the intermittent high-intensity group should be validated.

K and L X-ray emission intensities of some radionuclides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Verma, H R; Pal, D [Punjabi Univ., Patiala (India). Dept. of Physics

1985-01-01

The K and L x-ray emission intensities per 100 disintegrations have been calculated for some radionuclides using the latest adopted data for gamma-ray intensities, electron capture and internal conversion coefficients for the parent nuclides, fluorescence yield values, Coster-Kronig transition probabilities, average total number of primary L shell vacancies produced in the decay of K shell vacancies and emission rates for various shells and subshells for the daughter nuclei. The results are in good agreement with theoretical and experimental values for the K x-ray intensities. There are no experimental results available to compare with the present calculations for the L x-ray intensities; however, there is a marked discrepancy in the L..cap alpha.. and L..beta.. intensities available on the basis of theoretical estimates.

Angular correlations of photons from solution diffraction at a free-electron laser encode molecular structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mendez, Derek; Watkins, Herschel; Qiao, Shenglan; Raines, Kevin S.; Lane, Thomas J.

2016-01-01

During X-ray exposure of a molecular solution, photons scattered from the same molecule are correlated. If molecular motion is insignificant during exposure, then differences in momentum transfer between correlated photons are direct measurements of the molecular structure. In conventional small- and wide-angle solution scattering, photon correlations are ignored. This report presents advances in a new biomolecular structural analysis technique, correlated X-ray scattering (CXS), which uses angular intensity correlations to recover hidden structural details from molecules in solution. Due to its intense rapid pulses, an X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) is an excellent tool for CXS experiments. A protocol is outlined for analysis of a CXS data set comprising a total of half a million X-ray exposures of solutions of small gold nanoparticles recorded at the Spring-8 Ångström Compact XFEL facility (SACLA). From the scattered intensities and their correlations, two populations of nanoparticle domains within the solution are distinguished: small twinned, and large probably non-twinned domains. Finally, it is shown analytically how, in a solution measurement, twinning information is only accessible via intensity correlations, demonstrating how CXS reveals atomic-level information from a disordered solution of like molecules.

A Foreground Masking Strategy for [C II] Intensity Mapping Experiments Using Galaxies Selected by Stellar Mass and Redshift

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, G.; Moncelsi, L.; Viero, M. P.; Silva, M. B.; Bock, J.; Bradford, C. M.; Chang, T.-C.; Cheng, Y.-T.; Cooray, A. R.; Crites, A.; Hailey-Dunsheath, S.; Uzgil, B.; Hunacek, J. R.; Zemcov, M.

2018-04-01

Intensity mapping provides a unique means to probe the epoch of reionization (EoR), when the neutral intergalactic medium was ionized by energetic photons emitted from the first galaxies. The [C II] 158 μm fine-structure line is typically one of the brightest emission lines of star-forming galaxies and thus a promising tracer of the global EoR star formation activity. However, [C II] intensity maps at 6 ≲ z ≲ 8 are contaminated by interloping CO rotational line emission (3 ≤ J upp ≤ 6) from lower-redshift galaxies. Here we present a strategy to remove the foreground contamination in upcoming [C II] intensity mapping experiments, guided by a model of CO emission from foreground galaxies. The model is based on empirical measurements of the mean and scatter of the total infrared luminosities of galaxies at z {10}8 {M}ȯ selected in the K-band from the COSMOS/UltraVISTA survey, which can be converted to CO line strengths. For a mock field of the Tomographic Ionized-carbon Mapping Experiment, we find that masking out the “voxels” (spectral–spatial elements) containing foreground galaxies identified using an optimized CO flux threshold results in a z-dependent criterion {m}{{K}}AB}≲ 22 (or {M}* ≳ {10}9 {M}ȯ ) at z cost of a moderate ≲8% loss of total survey volume.

Detecting closing delaminations in laminated composite plates using nonlinear structural intensity and time reversal mirrors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lamberti, Alfredo; Semperlotti, Fabio

2013-01-01

Closing delaminations in composite laminated structures exhibit a nonlinear dynamic response when excited by high frequency elastic waves. The contact acoustic nonlinear effects taking place at the damage interface act as a mechanism of energy redistribution from the driving frequency to the nonlinear harmonic frequencies. In this paper, we extend the concept of nonlinear structural intensity (NSI) to the analysis of closing delaminations in composite laminated plates. NSI is calculated using a method based on a combination of finite element and finite difference techniques, which is suitable for processing both numerical and experimental data. NSI is proven to be an effective metric to identify the presence and location of closing delaminations. The highly directional nature of orthotropic composites results in vibrational energy propagating in a different direction from that of the initial elastic wave. This aspect reduces the ability to effectively interrogate the damage and, therefore, the sensitivity to the damage. The time reversal mirror technique is explored as a possible approach to overcome the effect of the material directionality and increase the ability to interrogate the damage. Numerical simulations show that this technique is able to overcome the material directionality and to drastically enhance the ability to interrogate the damage. (paper)

Changes in CO2 emission intensities in the Mexican industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

González, Domingo; Martínez, Manuel

2012-01-01

A CO 2 emission intensity analysis in the Mexican industry from 1965 to 2010 is carried out by taking into consideration four stages: 1965–1982, 1982–1994, 1994–2003, and 2004–2010. Based on the LMDI decomposition methodology, three influencing factors are analyzed: energy intensity, CO 2 coefficient, and structure in terms of their contributions of each individual attributes to the overall percent change of them as it was proposed in Choi and Ang (2011). The energy intensity effect was the driving factor behind the main decreases of CO 2 intensity, the CO 2 coefficient effect contributed to less extent to mitigate it, and the structure effect tended to increased it. It is observed that CO 2 intensity declined by 26.2% from 1965 to 2003, but it increased by 10.1% from 2004 to 2010. In addition, the move of Mexico from an economic model based on import-substitution to an export-oriented economy brought more importance to the Mexican industry intended to export, thus maintaining high levels of activity of industries such as cement, iron and steel, chemical, and petrochemical, while industries such as automotive, and ‘other’ industries grown significantly not only as far their energy consumptions and related CO 2 emissions but they also increased their contributions to the national economy. - Highlights: ► Industrial CO 2 emission intensity was reduced by 26.2% from 1965 to 2003. ► Industrial CO 2 emission intensity was increased by 10.1% from 2003 to 2010. ► 1965–2003: Intensity effect took down CO 2 emission intensity. ► 2003–2010: Export-oriented industries raised CO 2 emission intensity.

Graphics processing unit accelerated intensity-based optical coherence tomography angiography using differential frames with real-time motion correction.

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Yuuki; Takahashi, Yuhei; Numazawa, Hiroshi

2014-02-01

We demonstrate intensity-based optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography using the squared difference of two sequential frames with bulk-tissue-motion (BTM) correction. This motion correction was performed by minimization of the sum of the pixel values using axial- and lateral-pixel-shifted structural OCT images. We extract the BTM-corrected image from a total of 25 calculated OCT angiographic images. Image processing was accelerated by a graphics processing unit (GPU) with many stream processors to optimize the parallel processing procedure. The GPU processing rate was faster than that of a line scan camera (46.9 kHz). Our OCT system provides the means of displaying structural OCT images and BTM-corrected OCT angiographic images in real time.

Work intensity in sacroiliac joint fusion and lumbar microdiscectomy

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, Clay; Kondrashov, Dimitriy; Meyer, S Craig; Dix, Gary; Lorio, Morgan; Kovalsky, Don; Cher, Daniel

2016-01-01

Background The evidence base supporting minimally invasive sacroiliac (SI) joint fusion (SIJF) surgery is increasing. The work relative value units (RVUs) associated with minimally invasive SIJF are seemingly low. To date, only one published study describes the relative work intensity associated with minimally invasive SIJF. No study has compared work intensity vs other commonly performed spine surgery procedures. Methods Charts of 192 patients at five sites who underwent either minimally invasive SIJF (American Medical Association [AMA] CPT® code 27279) or lumbar microdiscectomy (AMA CPT® code 63030) were reviewed. Abstracted were preoperative times associated with diagnosis and patient care, intraoperative parameters including operating room (OR) in/out times and procedure start/stop times, and postoperative care requirements. Additionally, using a visual analog scale, surgeons estimated the intensity of intraoperative care, including mental, temporal, and physical demands and effort and frustration. Work was defined as operative time multiplied by task intensity. Results Patients who underwent minimally invasive SIJF were more likely female. Mean procedure times were lower in SIJF by about 27.8 minutes (P<0.0001) and mean total OR times were lower by 27.9 minutes (P<0.0001), but there was substantial overlap across procedures. Mean preservice and post-service total labor times were longer in minimally invasive SIJF (preservice times longer by 63.5 minutes [P<0.0001] and post-service labor times longer by 20.2 minutes [P<0.0001]). The number of postoperative visits was higher in minimally invasive SIJF. Mean total service time (preoperative + OR time + postoperative) was higher in the minimally invasive SIJF group (261.5 vs 211.9 minutes, P<0.0001). Intraoperative intensity levels were higher for mental, physical, effort, and frustration domains (P<0.0001 each). After taking into account intensity, intraoperative workloads showed substantial overlap. Conclusion

Plasmon band gap generated by intense ion acoustic waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Son, S.; Ku, S.

2010-01-01

In the presence of an intense ion acoustic wave, the energy-momentum dispersion relation of plasmons is strongly modified to exhibit a band gap structure. The intensity of an ion acoustic wave might be measured from the band gap width. The plasmon band gap can be used to block the nonlinear cascading channel of the Langmuir wave decay.

Spill control and intensity monitoring for the Bevatron--Bevalac external particle beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barale, J.J.; Crebbin, K.C.

1975-03-01

Time-intensity modulation in beam spill can be of primary concern in some experiments. The major source of this beam structure is from main-guide field-magnet power supply ripple. If the time constants are appropriate, then final control of beam structure can be accomplished by closed loop control of the intensity of beam spill. The response characteristics of the feedback system will determine the final structure. At high beam fluxes signal to noise ratio of beam detectors, in the feedback loop, can be improved by at least four orders of magnitude by using photomultiplier tubes and a water Cherenkov counter in place of the normal secondary emission monitor. At beam fluxes below 10 10 particles per second (PPS), a plastic scintillator and photomultiplier tube are used in the feedback system. A plastic scintillator and photomultiplier are also used in the beam as intensity monitors. At intensities below about 10 7 PPS standard counting techniques are used. For intensities between 10 6 to 110 9 PPS, the photomultiplier is used as a current source driving an integrating circuit which is then calibrated to read the number of particles per pulse. (U.S.)

Safety and efficacy of an intensive insulin protocol in a burn-trauma intensive care unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Cochran, Amalia; Davis, Lynn; Morris, Stephen E; Saffle, Jeffrey R

2008-01-01

Aggressive glycemic management in critically ill patients with acute burn injury or life-threatening soft-tissue infections has not been thoroughly evaluated. An intensive insulin protocol with target glucose values of less than 120 mg/dl was implemented in October 2005 in our regional Burn-Trauma intensive care unit. We reviewed our initial experience with this protocol to evaluate the safety and efficacy of aggressive glycemic control in these patient groups. Patients were placed on the intensive insulin protocol based upon the need for glycemic management during their hospitalization for burn or soft-tissue disease. Patient information prospectively collected while on protocol included all measured blood glucose values, total daily insulin use, and incidence of hypoglycemic episodes, defined as serum glucose patients (17 burns, 13 soft-tissue infections) were placed on the intensive insulin protocol during the first 16 months of use. The mean daily blood glucose level for burn patients was 115.9 mg/dl and for soft-tissue disease patients was 119.5 mg/dl. There was a 5% incidence of hypoglycemic episodes per protocol day. All hypoglycemic episodes were treated by holding the insulin infusion, and no episode had known adverse effects. Hyperglycemia in critically ill patients with burns and extensive soft-tissue disease can be effectively managed with an insulin protocol that targets blood glucose values of less than 120 mg/dl with minimal incidence of hypoglycemia. A multicenter prospective randomized trial would provide the ideal forum for evaluating clinical outcome benefits of using an intensive insulin protocol.

A first-principles study of the electronic structure and stability of Be(BH4)2

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Setten, M.J. van; Wijs, G.A. de; Brocks, G.

2007-01-01

Alanates and boranates are studied intensively because of their potential use as hydrogen storage materials. In this paper we present a first-principles study of the electronic structure and the energetics of beryllium boranate, Be(BH4)2. From total energy calculations we show that - in contrast to

Analysis of the overall energy intensity of alumina refinery process using unit process energy intensity and product ratio method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Liru; Aye, Lu [International Technologies Center (IDTC), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,The University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010 (Australia); Lu, Zhongwu [Institute of Materials and Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110004 (China); Zhang, Peihong [Department of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shenyang Architecture University, Shenyang 110168 (China)

2006-07-15

Alumina refinery is an energy intensive industry. Traditional energy saving methods employed have been single-equipment-orientated. Based on two concepts of 'energy carrier' and 'system', this paper presents a method that analyzes the effects of unit process energy intensity (e) and product ratio (p) on overall energy intensity of alumina. The important conclusion drawn from this method is that it is necessary to decrease both the unit process energy intensity and the product ratios in order to decrease the overall energy intensity of alumina, which may be taken as a future policy for energy saving. As a case study, the overall energy intensity of the Chinese Zhenzhou alumina refinery plant with Bayer-sinter combined method between 1995 and 2000 was analyzed. The result shows that the overall energy intensity of alumina in this plant decreased by 7.36 GJ/t-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} over this period, 49% of total energy saving is due to direct energy saving, and 51% is due to indirect energy saving. The emphasis in this paper is on decreasing product ratios of high-energy consumption unit processes, such as evaporation, slurry sintering, aluminium trihydrate calcining and desilication. Energy savings can be made (1) by increasing the proportion of Bayer and indirect digestion, (2) by increasing the grade of ore by ore dressing or importing some rich gibbsite and (3) by promoting the advancement in technology. (author)

A savanna response to precipitation intensity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryan S Berry

Full Text Available As the atmosphere warms, precipitation events are becoming less frequent but more intense. A three-year experiment in Kruger National Park, South Africa, found that fewer, more intense precipitation events encouraged woody plant encroachment. To test whether or not these treatment responses persisted over time, here, we report results from all five years of that experiment. Grass growth, woody plant growth, total fine root number and area and hydrologic tracer uptake by grasses and woody plants were measured in six treated plots (8 m by 8 m and six control plots. Treatment effects on soil moisture were measured continuously in one treated and one control plot. During the fourth year, increased precipitation intensity treatments continued to decrease water flux in surface soils (0-10 cm, increase water flux in deeper soils (20+ cm, decrease grass growth and increase woody plant growth. Greater root numbers at 20-40 cm and greater woody plant uptake of a hydrological tracer from 45-60 cm suggested that woody plants increased growth by increasing root number and activity (but not root area in deeper soils. During the fifth year, natural precipitation events were large and intense so treatments had little effect on precipitation intensity or plant available water. Consistent with this effective treatment removal, there was no difference in grass or woody growth rates between control and treated plots, although woody plant biomass remained higher in treated than control plots due to treatment effects in the previous four years. Across the five years of this experiment, we found that 1 small increases in precipitation intensity can result in large increases in deep (20-130 cm soil water availability, 2 plant growth responses to precipitation intensity are rapid and disappear quickly, and 3 because woody plants accumulate biomass, occasional increases in precipitation intensity can result in long-term increases in woody plant biomass (i.e., shrub

Exploring Communication Challenges Between Nurses and Mechanically Ventilated Patients in the Intensive Care Unit: A Structured Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Dithole, Kefalotse; Sibanda, Sambulelwe; Moleki, Mary M; Thupayagale-Tshweneagae, Gloria

2016-06-01

Mechanical ventilation is a necessary procedure for patients with a range of illnesses and conditions. Mechanical ventilation affects voice production, leaving patients unable to communicate their needs with nurses and family. The communication difficulty causes distress, frustration, and anger if not attended to. This structured review sought to identify communication challenges which exist between nurses and mechanically ventilated patients in intensive care units (ICU) and hence explore possible solutions to improve these communication challenges. A electronic search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO was conducted to identify relevant literature on nurse-patient communication challenges in the ICU published between January 2005 and December 2014. Studies meeting the inclusion criteria were retrieved in full, reviewed, and study quality assessed. Six studies were identified for inclusion in the review. Analysis identified five core influences on communication in the ICU: patient's consciousness level, nature of nurse-patient interactions, communication methods, staff skills and perceptions, and the intensive care physical environment. An evidence-based and multifactorial communication intervention encompassing staff skills development and training, development of relevant patient materials or devices and collaborations with relevant health professionals like speech and language therapists has the potential to improve nurse-patient communication in the ICU and hence improve patient outcomes. © 2016 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Scenarios of future energy intensities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

In this chapter, the authors present scenarios of potential change in energy intensities in the OECD countries and in the Soviet Union. These scenarios are meant to illustrate how intensities might evolve over the next 20 years given different conditions with respect to energy prices, energy-efficiency policies, and other key factors. Changes in intensity will also be affected by the rates of growth and stock turnover in each sector. They have not tried to forecast how activity levels and structure will evolve. However, the OECD scenarios assume a world in which GDP averages growth in the 2-3%/year range, with some differences among countries. For the Soviet Union, the degree and pace of intensity decline will be highly dependent on the success of the transition to a market economy; each scenario explicitly envisions a different degree of success. They have not constructed comparable scenarios for the developing countries. The scenarios presented in this chapter do not predict what will happen in the future. They believe, however, that they illustrate a plausible set of outcomes if energy prices, policies, programs, and other factors evolve as described in each case. With higher energy prices and vigorous policies and programs, intensities in the OECD countries in 2010 could be nearly 50% less on average than the level where trends seem to be point. In the former Soviet Union, a combination of rapid, successful economic reform and extra effort to improve energy efficiency might result in average intensity being nearly 40% less than in a slow reform case. And in the LDCs, a mixture of sound policies, programs, and energy pricing reform could also lead to intensities being far lower than they would be otherwise. 8 refs., 10 figs., 1 tab

Energy intensities: Prospects and potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

In the previous chapter, the author described how rising activity levels and structural change are pushing toward higher energy use in many sectors and regions, especially in the developing countries. The extent to which more activity leads to greater energy use will depend on the energy intensity of end-use activities. In this chapter, the author presents an overview of the potential for intensity reductions in each sector over the next 10-20 years. It is not the author's intent to describe in detail the various technologies that could be employed to improve energy efficiency, which has been done by others (see, for example, Lovins ampersand Lovins, 1991; Goldembert et al., 1987). Rather, he discusses the key factors that will shape future energy intensities in different parts of the world, and gives a sense for the changes that could be attained if greater attention were given to accelerate efficiency improvement. The prospects for energy intensities, and the potential for reduction, vary among sectors and parts of the world. In the majority of cases, intensities are tending to decline as new equipment and facilities come into use and improvements are made on existing stocks. The effect of stock turnover will be especially strong in the developing countries, where stocks are growing at a rapid pace, and the Former East Bloc, where much of the existing industrial plant will eventually be retired and replaced with more modern facilities. While reductions in energy intensity are likely in most areas, there is a large divergence between the technical and economic potential for reducing energy intensities and the direction in which present trends are moving. In the next chapter, the author presents scenarios that illustrate where trends are pointing, and what could be achieved if improving energy efficiency were a focus of public policies. 53 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs

Exercise Intensity and Incidence of Metabolic Syndrome: The SUN Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Hidalgo-Santamaria, María; Fernandez-Montero, Alejandro; Martinez-Gonzalez, Miguel A; Moreno-Galarraga, Laura; Sanchez-Villegas, Almudena; Barrio-Lopez, María T; Bes-Rastrollo, Maira

2017-04-01

Emerging evidence suggests that vigorous physical activity may be associated with higher cardioprotective benefits than moderate physical activity. This study aimed to assess the long-term relationship between the intensity of leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and the risk of developing metabolic syndrome (MS) in a prospective cohort study. The Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) Project comprises Spanish university graduates. Participants (n=10,145) initially free of MS were followed for a minimum of 6 years (2008-2014). Analysis was conducted in 2015. Physical activity was assessed though a validated questionnaire. The intensity of each physical activity was measured in METs. The intensity of LTPA was estimated by the ratio between total METs/week and total hours of LTPA/week, obtaining the mean METs/hour of LTPA. MS was defined according to the harmonizing definition. The association between the intensity of LTPA (METs/hour) and MS was assessed with logistic regression models adjusting for potential confounders. Among 10,145 participants initially free of any MS criteria, 412 new MS cases were observed. Vigorous LTPA was associated with a 37% relatively lower risk (AOR=0.63, 95% CI=0.44, 0.89) compared with light LTPA. For a given total energy expenditure, independent of the time spent on it, participants who performed vigorous LTPA exhibited a higher reduction in the risk of MS than those who performed light to moderate LTPA. Vigorous LTPA was significantly associated with lower risk of developing MS after a 6-year follow-up period. Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Physical and structural changes in liquid whole egg treated with high-intensity pulsed electric fields.

Science.gov (United States)

Marco-Molés, Raquel; Rojas-Graü, María A; Hernando, Isabel; Pérez-Munuera, Isabel; Soliva-Fortuny, Robert; Martín-Belloso, Olga

2011-03-01

Liquid whole egg (LWE) is currently pasteurized through the application of heat; however, this treatment entails deleterious effects against some of the functional and technological properties of the product. In this study, the effect of high-intensity pulsed electric fields (HIPEF) processing (field strength: 19, 32, and 37 kV/cm) was compared to the traditional heat pasteurization (66 °C for 4.5 min). Different physical and structural characteristics of LWE, subjected or not to homogenization, were evaluated and compared, having the untreated LWE as a reference. Thermal treatment caused an increase in the viscosity of LWE, especially in nonhomogenized samples. HIPEF treatments did not modify the original color of LWE, whereas thermally treated samples developed an opaque appearance. LWE treated at 19 and 32 kV/cm exhibited a similar foaming capacity as fresh untreated egg, whereas thermal processing and PEF treatments of 37 kV/cm caused a substantial decrease in the foaming capacity of untreated liquid egg. Regarding the microstructure, the lipoprotein matrix appeared to be less affected by the HIPEF than by heat treatment if compared to the control. In addition, heat pasteurization had a significant impact on both the water-soluble protein content of the LWE samples (19.5% to 23.6% decrease) and the mechanical properties of the egg gels (up to 21.3% and 14.5% increase in hardness and cohesiveness, respectively). On the other hand, these parameters were not substantially affected in the HIPEF-treated samples. Heat-induced gels obtained from HIPEF-treated samples did not exhibit remarkable differences in the water-holding capacity (WHC) with respect to heat-pasteurized samples. The impact of high-intensity pulsed electric fields (HIPEF) processing on technological properties of liquid-whole egg was investigated and compared to that of thermal processing. Heat treatments cause a severe impact on the foaming capacity, the water-soluble protein content, and the

Resource use and costs associated with opioid-induced constipation following total hip or total knee replacement surgery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wittbrodt ET

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Eric T Wittbrodt,1 Tong J Gan,2 Catherine Datto,1 Charles McLeskey,1 Meenal Sinha3 1US Medical Affairs, AstraZeneca, Wilmington, DE, USA; 2Department of Anesthesiology, Stony Brook Medicine, Stony Brook, NY, USA; 3Premier Applied Sciences, Premier, Inc., Charlotte, NC, USA Purpose: Constipation is a well-known complication of surgery that can be exacerbated by opioid analgesics. This study evaluated resource utilization and costs associated with opioid-induced constipation (OIC. Patients and methods: This retrospective, observational, and propensity-matched cohort study utilized the Premier Healthcare Database. The study included adults ≥18 years of age undergoing total hip or total knee replacement as inpatients who received an opioid analgesic and were discharged between January 1, 2012, and June 30, 2015. Diagnosis codes identified patients with OIC who were then matched 1:1 to patients without OIC. Generalized linear and logistic regression models were used to compare inpatient resource utilization, total hospital costs, inpatient mortality, and 30-day all-cause readmissions and emergency department visits. Results: Of 788,448 eligible patients, 40,891 (5.2% had OIC. Covariates were well balanced between matched patients with and without OIC (n=40,890 each. In adjusted analyses, patients with OIC had longer hospital lengths of stay (3.6 versus 3.3 days; p<0.001, higher total hospital costs (US$17,479 versus US$16,265; p<0.001, greater risk of intensive care unit admission (odds ratio [OR]=1.12, 95% CI: 1.01–1.24, and increased likelihood of 30-day hospital readmissions (OR=1.16, 95% CI: 1.11–1.22 and emergency department visits (OR=1.38, 95% CI: 1.07–1.79 than patients without OIC. No statistically significant difference was found with inpatient mortality (OR=0.89, 95% CI: 0.59–1.35. Conclusion: OIC was associated with greater resource utilization and hospital costs for patients undergoing primarily elective total hip or total knee

The role of burnout syndrome as a mediator for the effect of psychosocial risk factors on the intensity of musculoskeletal disorders: a structural equation modeling approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Gholami, Tahereh; Pahlavian, Ahmad Heidari; Akbarzadeh, Mahdi; Motamedzade, Majid; Moghaddam, Rashid Heidari

2016-01-01

This study examined the hypothesis that burnout syndrome mediates effects of psychosocial risk factors and intensity of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among hospital nurses. The sample was composed of 415 nurses from various wards across five hospitals of Iran's Hamedan University of Medical Sciences. Data were collected through three questionnaires: job content questionnaire, Maslach burnout inventory and visual analogue scale. Results of structural equation modeling with a mediating effect showed that psychosocial risk factors were significantly related to changes in burnout, which in turn affects intensity of MSDs.

Optimal distribution of integration time for intensity measurements in Stokes polarimetry.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiaobo; Liu, Tiegen; Huang, Bingjing; Song, Zhanjie; Hu, Haofeng

2015-10-19

We consider the typical Stokes polarimetry system, which performs four intensity measurements to estimate a Stokes vector. We show that if the total integration time of intensity measurements is fixed, the variance of the Stokes vector estimator depends on the distribution of the integration time at four intensity measurements. Therefore, by optimizing the distribution of integration time, the variance of the Stokes vector estimator can be decreased. In this paper, we obtain the closed-form solution of the optimal distribution of integration time by employing Lagrange multiplier method. According to the theoretical analysis and real-world experiment, it is shown that the total variance of the Stokes vector estimator can be significantly decreased about 40% in the case discussed in this paper. The method proposed in this paper can effectively decrease the measurement variance and thus statistically improves the measurement accuracy of the polarimetric system.

[Geriatric intensive care patients : Perspectives and limits of geriatric intensive care medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Müller-Werdan, U; Heppner, H-J; Michels, G

2018-04-18

Critically ill geriatric patients are vitally endangered due to the aging processes of organs, the frequently existing multimorbidity with subsequent polypharmacy and the typical geriatric syndrome of functional impairments. Aging processes in organs lower the clinical threshold for organ dysfunction and organ failure. Physiological organ aging processes with practical consequences for intensive care medicine are atypical manifestion of sepsis in immunosenescence, altered pharmacokinetics, reduced tolerance to hypovolemia due to proportionally reduced water compartment of the body in old age, the frequently only apparently normal function of the kidneys and the continuous reduction in pulmonary function in old age. The main reasons for changes in therapeutic targets are the will of the patient and risk-benefit considerations. The guidelines of the ethics section of the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (DIVI) provide assistance and suggestions for a structured decision-making process.

Cerebral perfusion computed tomography deconvolution via structure tensor total variation regularization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zeng, Dong; Zhang, Xinyu; Bian, Zhaoying, E-mail: zybian@smu.edu.cn, E-mail: jhma@smu.edu.cn; Huang, Jing; Zhang, Hua; Lu, Lijun; Lyu, Wenbing; Feng, Qianjin; Chen, Wufan; Ma, Jianhua, E-mail: zybian@smu.edu.cn, E-mail: jhma@smu.edu.cn [Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Image Processing, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515 (China); Zhang, Jing [Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052 (China)

2016-05-15

Purpose: Cerebral perfusion computed tomography (PCT) imaging as an accurate and fast acute ischemic stroke examination has been widely used in clinic. Meanwhile, a major drawback of PCT imaging is the high radiation dose due to its dynamic scan protocol. The purpose of this work is to develop a robust perfusion deconvolution approach via structure tensor total variation (STV) regularization (PD-STV) for estimating an accurate residue function in PCT imaging with the low-milliampere-seconds (low-mAs) data acquisition. Methods: Besides modeling the spatio-temporal structure information of PCT data, the STV regularization of the present PD-STV approach can utilize the higher order derivatives of the residue function to enhance denoising performance. To minimize the objective function, the authors propose an effective iterative algorithm with a shrinkage/thresholding scheme. A simulation study on a digital brain perfusion phantom and a clinical study on an old infarction patient were conducted to validate and evaluate the performance of the present PD-STV approach. Results: In the digital phantom study, visual inspection and quantitative metrics (i.e., the normalized mean square error, the peak signal-to-noise ratio, and the universal quality index) assessments demonstrated that the PD-STV approach outperformed other existing approaches in terms of the performance of noise-induced artifacts reduction and accurate perfusion hemodynamic maps (PHM) estimation. In the patient data study, the present PD-STV approach could yield accurate PHM estimation with several noticeable gains over other existing approaches in terms of visual inspection and correlation analysis. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the feasibility and efficacy of the present PD-STV approach in utilizing STV regularization to improve the accuracy of residue function estimation of cerebral PCT imaging in the case of low-mAs.

MR tractography; Visualization of structure of nerve fiber system from diffusion weighted images with maximum intensity projection method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kinosada, Yasutomi; Okuda, Yasuyuki (Mie Univ., Tsu (Japan). School of Medicine); Ono, Mototsugu (and others)

1993-02-01

We developed a new noninvasive technique to visualize the anatomical structure of the nerve fiber system in vivo, and named this technique magnetic resonance (MR) tractography and the acquired image an MR tractogram. MR tractography has two steps. One is to obtain diffusion-weighted images sensitized along axes appropriate for depicting the intended nerve fibers with anisotropic water diffusion MR imaging. The other is to extract the anatomical structure of the nerve fiber system from a series of diffusion-weighted images by the maximum intensity projection method. To examine the clinical usefulness of the proposed technique, many contiguous, thin (3 mm) coronal two-dimensional sections of the brain were acquired sequentially in normal volunteers and selected patients with paralyses, on a 1.5 Tesla MR system (Signa, GE) with an ECG-gated Stejskal-Tanner pulse sequence. The structure of the nerve fiber system of normal volunteers was almost the same as the anatomy. The tractograms of patients with paralyses clearly showed the degeneration of nerve fibers and were correlated with clinical symptoms. MR tractography showed great promise for the study of neuroanatomy and neuroradiology. (author).

Changes in energy intensity in the manufacturing sector 1985--1991

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-09-15

In this report, energy intensity is defined as the ratio of energy consumption per unit of output. Output is measured as the constant dollar of value of shipments and receipts, and two measures of energy consumption are presented in British thermal units (Btu): Offsite-Produced Energy and Total Inputs of Energy. A decrease in energy intensity from one period to another suggests an increase in energy efficiency, and vice versa. Energy efficiency can be defined and measured in various ways. Certain concepts of energy efficiency, especially those limited to equipment efficiencies, cannot be measured over time using changes in energy-intensity ratios. While improved energy efficiency will tend to reduce energy intensity, it is also true that a change in energy intensity can be due to factors unrelated to energy efficiency. For this report, energy intensity is used as a surrogate measure for energy efficiency, based on industry knowledge and current methodological analyses.

Linear accelerator-based intensity-modulated total marrow irradiation technique for treatment of hematologic malignancies: a dosimetric feasibility study.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeginer, Mete; Roeske, John C; Radosevich, James A; Aydogan, Bulent

2011-03-15

To investigate the dosimetric feasibility of linear accelerator-based intensity-modulated total marrow irradiation (IM-TMI) in patients with hematologic malignancies. Linear accelerator-based IM-TMI treatment planning was performed for 9 patients using the Eclipse treatment planning system. The planning target volume (PTV) consisted of all the bones in the body from the head to the mid-femur, except for the forearms and hands. Organs at risk (OAR) to be spared included the lungs, heart, liver, kidneys, brain, eyes, oral cavity, and bowel and were contoured by a physician on the axial computed tomography images. The three-isocenter technique previously developed by our group was used for treatment planning. We developed and used a common dose-volume objective method to reduce the planning time and planner subjectivity in the treatment planning process. A 95% PTV coverage with the 99% of the prescribed dose of 12 Gy was achieved for all nine patients. The average dose reduction in OAR ranged from 19% for the lungs to 68% for the lenses. The common dose-volume objective method decreased the planning time by an average of 35% and reduced the inter- and intra- planner subjectivity. The results from the present study suggest that the linear accelerator-based IM-TMI technique is clinically feasible. We have demonstrated that linear accelerator-based IM-TMI plans with good PTV coverage and improved OAR sparing can be obtained within a clinically reasonable time using the common dose-volume objective method proposed in the present study. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The accuracy of intensity ratings of emotions from facial expressions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kostić Aleksandra P.

2003-01-01

Full Text Available The results of a study on the accuracy of intensity ratings of emotion from facial expressions are reported. The so far research into the field has shown that spontaneous facial expressions of basic emotions are a reliable source of information about the category of emotion. The question is raised of whether this can be true for the intensity of emotion as well and whether the accuracy of intensity ratings is dependent on the observer’s sex and vocational orientation. A total of 228 observers of both sexes and of various vocational orientations rated the emotional intensity of presented facial expressions on a scale-range from 0 to 8. The results have supported the hypothesis that spontaneous facial expressions of basic emotions do provide sufficient information about emotional intensity. The hypothesis on the interdependence between the accuracy of intensity ratings of emotion and the observer’s sex and vocational orientation has not been confirmed. However, the accuracy of intensity rating has been proved to vary with the category of the emotion presented.

CO2 emissions embodied in China's exports from 2002 to 2008: A structural decomposition analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Ming; Li Ran; Crittenden, John C.; Chen Yongsheng

2011-01-01

This study examines the annual CO 2 emissions embodied in China's exports from 2002 to 2008 using environmental input-output analysis. Four driving forces, including emission intensity, economic production structure, export composition, and total export volume, are compared for their contributions to the increase of embodied CO 2 emissions using a structural decomposition analysis (SDA) technique. Although offset by the decrease in emission intensity, the increase of embodied CO 2 emissions was driven by changes of the other three factors. In particular, the change of the export composition was the largest driver, primarily due to the increasing fraction of metal products in China's total export. Relevant policy implications and future research directions are discussed at the end of the paper. - Highlights: → We investigate annual CO 2 emission embodied in China's exports from 2002 to 2008 using environmental input-output analysis. → We conduct a structural decomposition analysis to measure contributions from different driving forces. → Change of export composition was the largest driver for the increase of CO 2 emissions embodied in China's exports. → Increasing fraction of metal products in exports is the key change in export composition.

Collimator setting optimization in intensity modulated radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, M.; Hoban, P.

2001-01-01

Full text: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of collimator angle and bixel size settings in IMRT when using the step and shoot method of delivery. Of particular interest is minimisation of the total monitor units delivered. Beam intensity maps with bixel size 10 x 10 mm were segmented into MLC leaf sequences and the collimator angle optimised to minimise the total number of MU's. The monitor units were estimated from the maximum sum of positive-gradient intensity changes along the direction of leaf motion. To investigate the use of low resolution maps at optimum collimator angles, several high resolution maps with bixel size 5 x 5 mm were generated. These were resampled into bixel sizes, 5 x 10 mm and 10 x 10 mm and the collimator angle optimised to minimise the RMS error between the original and resampled map. Finally, a clinical IMRT case was investigated with the collimator angle optimised. Both the dose distribution and dose-volume histograms were compared between the standard IMRT plan and the optimised plan. For the 10 x 10 mm bixel maps there was a variation of 5% - 40% in monitor units at the different collimator angles. The maps with a high degree of radial symmetry showed little variation. For the resampled 5 x 5 mm maps, a small RMS error was achievable with a 5 x 10 mm bixel size at particular collimator positions. This was most noticeable for maps with an elongated intensity distribution. A comparison between the 5 x 5 mm bixel plan and the 5 x 10 mm showed no significant difference in dose distribution. The monitor units required to deliver an intensity modulated field can be reduced by rotating the collimator and aligning the direction of leaf motion with the axis of the fluence map that has the least intensity. Copyright (2001) Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine

A conceptual framework of clinical nursing care in intensive care.

Science.gov (United States)

da Silva, Rafael Celestino; Ferreira, Márcia de Assunção; Apostolidis, Thémistoklis; Brandão, Marcos Antônio Gomes

2015-01-01

to propose a conceptual framework for clinical nursing care in intensive care. descriptive and qualitative field research, carried out with 21 nurses from an intensive care unit of a federal public hospital. We conducted semi-structured interviews and thematic and lexical content analysis, supported by Alceste software. the characteristics of clinical intensive care emerge from the specialized knowledge of the interaction, the work context, types of patients and nurses characteristic of the intensive care and care frameworks. the conceptual framework of the clinic's intensive care articulates elements characteristic of the dynamics of this scenario: objective elements regarding technology and attention to equipment and subjective elements related to human interaction, specific of nursing care, countering criticism based on dehumanization.

Half-integer resonance crossing in high-intensity rings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. V. Fedotov

2002-02-01

Full Text Available A detailed study of the influence of space charge on the crossing of second-order resonances is presented and associated with the space-charge limit of high-intensity rings. Two-dimensional simulation studies are compared with envelope models, which agree in the finding of an increased intensity limit due to the coherent frequency shift. This result is also found for realistic bunched beams with multiturn injection painting. Characteristic features such as the influence of tune splitting, structure resonances, and the role of envelope instabilities are discussed in detail. The theoretical limits are found to be in good agreement with the performance of high-intensity proton machines.

On calculating intensity from XPS spectra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vegh, Janos

2006-01-01

The intensity calculation is the basis for all quantitative applications of electron spectroscopy. Unfortunately, some misinterpreted terms are used and correctly interpreted terms are misused in the overwhelming majority of publications in XPS, including most textbooks as well as accepted and proposed standards. Due to this mistake the number of the detected electrons is given as having dimension of energy (?) and also the formulas for calculating the peak area and its standard deviation are wrong. Since in all other spectroscopic fields the number of the detected particles is dimensionless, continuing this practice leads to isolating XPS from both other measurement sciences and theory, because the measured total intensity in XPS is simply not comparable to the ones derived with other spectroscopic methods or theoretically. Therefore, the basic measuring processes and terms are critically reviewed and their physically correct interpretation is given. This interpretation reveals that the error is hidden in the incorrect interpretation of both the measurement process and the measured quantity. It is shown that through using the correct interpretation both the dimensions of the intensity calculated from electron spectroscopic measurements as well as the formulas related to the intensity and its standard deviation will agree with all other spectroscopic fields

Interrogation of orbital structure by elliptically polarized intense femtosecond laser pulses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abu-Samha, Mahmoud; Madsen, Lars Bojer

2011-01-01

We solve the three-dimensional time-dependent Schrödinger equation and present investigations of the imprint of the orbital angular node in photoelectron momentum distributions of an aligned atomic p-type orbital following ionization by an intense elliptically polarized laser pulse of femtosecond...

Excited-state structure and electronic dephasing time of Nile blue from absolute resonance Raman intensities

Science.gov (United States)

Lawless, Mary K.; Mathies, Richard A.

1992-06-01

Absolute resonance Raman cross sections are measured for Nile blue 690 perchlorate dissolved in ethylene glycol with excitation at 514, 531, and 568 nm. These values and the absorption spectrum are modeled using a time-dependent wave packet formalism. The excited-state equilibrium geometry changes are quantitated for 40 resonance Raman active modes, seven of which (590, 1141, 1351, 1429, 1492, 1544, and 1640 cm-1 ) carry 70% of the total resonance Raman intensity. This demonstrates that in addition to the prominent 590 and 1640 cm-1 modes, a large number of vibrational degrees of freedom are Franck-Condon coupled to the electronic transition. After exposure of the explicit vibrational progressions, the residual absorption linewidth is separated into its homogeneous [350 cm-1 half-width at half-maximum (HWHM)] and inhomogeneous (313 cm-1 HWHM) components through an analysis of the absolute Raman cross sections. The value of the electronic dephasing time derived from this study (25 fs) compares well to previously published results. These data should be valuable in multimode modeling of femtosecond experiments on Nile blue.

A data reduction program for the linac total-scattering amorphous materials spectrometer (LINDA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clarke, J.H.

1976-01-01

A computer program has been written to reduce the data collected on the A.E.R.E., Harwell linac total-scattering spectrometer (TSS) to the differential scattering cross-section. This instrument, used for studying the structure of amorphous materials such as liquids and glasses, has been described in detail. Time-of-flight spectra are recorded by several arrays of detectors at different angles using a pulsed incident neutron beam with a continuous distribution of wavelengths. The program performs all necessary background and container subtractions and also absorption corrections using the method of Paalman and Pings. The incident neutron energy distribution is obtained from the intensity recorded from a standard vanadium sample, enabling the observed differential scattering cross-section dsigma/dΩ (theta, lambda) and the structure factor S(Q) to be obtained. Various sample and vanadium geometries can be analysed by the program and facilities exist for the summation of data sets, smoothing of data, application of Placzek corrections and the output of processed data onto magnetic tape or punched cards. A set of example data is provided and some structure factors are shown with absorption corrections. (author)

A function space framework for structural total variation regularization with applications in inverse problems

Science.gov (United States)

Hintermüller, Michael; Holler, Martin; Papafitsoros, Kostas

2018-06-01

In this work, we introduce a function space setting for a wide class of structural/weighted total variation (TV) regularization methods motivated by their applications in inverse problems. In particular, we consider a regularizer that is the appropriate lower semi-continuous envelope (relaxation) of a suitable TV type functional initially defined for sufficiently smooth functions. We study examples where this relaxation can be expressed explicitly, and we also provide refinements for weighted TV for a wide range of weights. Since an integral characterization of the relaxation in function space is, in general, not always available, we show that, for a rather general linear inverse problems setting, instead of the classical Tikhonov regularization problem, one can equivalently solve a saddle-point problem where no a priori knowledge of an explicit formulation of the structural TV functional is needed. In particular, motivated by concrete applications, we deduce corresponding results for linear inverse problems with norm and Poisson log-likelihood data discrepancy terms. Finally, we provide proof-of-concept numerical examples where we solve the saddle-point problem for weighted TV denoising as well as for MR guided PET image reconstruction.

Three-dimensional cluster formation and structure in heterogeneous dose distribution of intensity modulated radiation therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Chao, Ming; Wei, Jie; Narayanasamy, Ganesh; Yuan, Yading; Lo, Yeh-Chi; Peñagarícano, José A

2018-05-01

To investigate three-dimensional cluster structure and its correlation to clinical endpoint in heterogeneous dose distributions from intensity modulated radiation therapy. Twenty-five clinical plans from twenty-one head and neck (HN) patients were used for a phenomenological study of the cluster structure formed from the dose distributions of organs at risks (OARs) close to the planning target volumes (PTVs). Initially, OAR clusters were searched to examine the pattern consistence among ten HN patients and five clinically similar plans from another HN patient. Second, clusters of the esophagus from another ten HN patients were scrutinized to correlate their sizes to radiobiological parameters. Finally, an extensive Monte Carlo (MC) procedure was implemented to gain deeper insights into the behavioral properties of the cluster formation. Clinical studies showed that OAR clusters had drastic differences despite similar PTV coverage among different patients, and the radiobiological parameters failed to positively correlate with the cluster sizes. MC study demonstrated the inverse relationship between the cluster size and the cluster connectivity, and the nonlinear changes in cluster size with dose thresholds. In addition, the clusters were insensitive to the shape of OARs. The results demonstrated that the cluster size could serve as an insightful index of normal tissue damage. The clinical outcome of the same dose-volume might be potentially different. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Intensive care nurses' perceptions of simulation-based team training for building patient safety in intensive care: a descriptive qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ballangrud, Randi; Hall-Lord, Marie Louise; Persenius, Mona; Hedelin, Birgitta

2014-08-01

To describe intensive care nurses' perceptions of simulation-based team training for building patient safety in intensive care. Failures in team processes are found to be contributory factors to incidents in an intensive care environment. Simulation-based training is recommended as a method to make health-care personnel aware of the importance of team working and to improve their competencies. The study uses a qualitative descriptive design. Individual qualitative interviews were conducted with 18 intensive care nurses from May to December 2009, all of which had attended a simulation-based team training programme. The interviews were analysed by qualitative content analysis. One main category emerged to illuminate the intensive care nurse perception: "training increases awareness of clinical practice and acknowledges the importance of structured work in teams". Three generic categories were found: "realistic training contributes to safe care", "reflection and openness motivates learning" and "finding a common understanding of team performance". Simulation-based team training makes intensive care nurses more prepared to care for severely ill patients. Team training creates a common understanding of how to work in teams with regard to patient safety. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health related quality of life is differently associated with leisure-time physical activity intensities according to gender: a cross-sectional approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamura, Priscila Missaki; Teixeira, Inaian Pignatti; Smirmaul, Bruno Paula Caraça; Sebastião, Emerson; Papini, Camila Bosquiero; Gobbi, Sebastião; Kokubun, Eduardo

2014-08-18

Several studies have demonstrated a positive association between physical activity (PA) and health-related quality of life (HRQL). However, studies have suggested that this association depends both on the PA intensity and the domain of HRQL evaluated. This study aimed to explore the association between physical, mental and overall HRQL with recommended levels of PA. PA levels were divided into moderate and vigorous intensity leisure-time PA and total leisure-time PA. The study included 1001 adults, 582 women (46 ± 17 years) and 419 men (43 ± 16 years), residents in Rio Claro-SP, Brazil. All participants completed the SF-36 questionnaire to assess HRQL and the long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) to assess level and intensities of leisure-time PA. Total leisure-time PA at moderate intensity was classified as: less than 9 min/week, 10-149 min/week, 150-299 min/week and 300 min/week or more. Total leisure-time PA at vigorous intensity was classified as: less than 9 min/week, 10 to 74.9 min/week, 75-149 min/week and 150 min/week or more. Multiple linear regression was performed in STATA version 12.0. Among women, moderate intensity and total leisure-time PA were associated with physical health. Among men, moderate and vigorous intensity and total leisure-time PA were associated with physical health and overall HRQL. Furthermore, moderate intensity and total leisure-time PA were associated with mental health in men. However, vigorous intensity PA was not associated with mental health for this group. The different domains of HRQL were associated with different levels and intensities of PA in leisure-time according to gender of adults. These findings indicate the complexity and importance of evaluating the HRQL stratified by gender and consider the different levels and intensities of PA.

The organizational structure of an intensive care unit influences treatment of hypotension among critically ill patients: A retrospective cohort study

Science.gov (United States)

Boone, M. Dustin; Massa, Jennifer; Mueller, Ariel; Jinadasa, Sayuri P; Lee, Joon; Kothari, Rishi; Scott, Daniel J.; Callahan, Julie; Celi, Leo Anthony; Hacker, Michele R.

2016-01-01

Purpose Prior studies report that weekend admission to an intensive care unit is associated with increased mortality, potentially attributed to the organizational structure of the unit. This study aims to determine whether treatment of hypotension, a risk factor for mortality, differs according to level of staffing. Methods Using the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care database, we conducted a retrospective study of patients admitted to an intensive care unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center who experienced one or more episodes of hypotension. Episode(s) were categorized according to the staffing level, defined as high during weekday daytime (7am–7pm) and low during weekends or nighttime (7pm–7am). Results Patients with a hypotensive event on a weekend were less likely to be treated compared to those that occurred during the weekday daytime (p=0.02). No association between weekday daytime versus weekday nighttime staffing levels and treatment of hypotension was found (RR 1.02; 95% CI 0.98–1.07). Conclusion Patients with a hypotensive event on a weekend were less likely to be treated than patients with an event during high-staffing periods. No association between weekday nighttime staffing and hypotension treatment was observed. We conclude that treatment of a hypotensive episode relies on more than solely staffing levels. PMID:26975737

Total synthesis of ciguatoxin.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamajima, Akinari; Isobe, Minoru

2009-01-01

Something fishy: Ciguatoxin (see structure) is one of the principal toxins involved in ciguatera poisoning and the target of a total synthesis involving the coupling of three segments. The key transformations in this synthesis feature acetylene-dicobalthexacarbonyl complexation.

Total Productive Maintenance at Paccar INC

OpenAIRE

Ştefan Farkas

2010-01-01

This paper reports the application of total productive maintenance method at Paccar Inc. truck’s plant in Victoria, Australia. The total productive maintenance method and total productive maintenance house are presented. The global equipment effectiveness is computed and exemplified. The production structure and organising maintenance are presented. Resultas of the variation of global equipment effectiveness and autonomous maintenance in a two weeks period of time are reported.

Substitution possibilities and determinants of energy intensity for China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, Hengyun; Oxley, Les; Gibson, John

2009-01-01

This paper measures technological change, factor demand and inter-factor and inter-fuel substitutability measures for China. We use individual fuel price data and a two-stage approach to estimate total factor cost functions and fuel share equations. Both inter-factor and inter-fuel substitution elasticities are calculated and the change in energy intensity is decomposed into its driving forces. The results suggest that energy is substitutable for capital regionally and for labor nationally. Capital substitutes for energy more easily than labor does. Energy intensity changes vary by region but the major drivers seem to be 'budget effect' and the adoption of energy-intensive technologies, which might be embodied in high-level energy-using exports and sectors, capital investment and even old technique and equipment imports. Whether the trend in rising energy intensity continues will be significant for China and the rest of the world. (author)

Substitution possibilities and determinants of energy intensity for China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma, Hengyun [College of Economics and Management, Henan Agricultural University, 95 Wenhua Road, Zhengzhou 450002 (China); Department of Economics, University of Canterbury, Private bag 4800, Christchurch 8140 (New Zealand); Oxley, Les [Department of Economics, University of Canterbury, Private bag 4800, Christchurch 8140 (New Zealand); Gibson, John [Department of Economics, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton (New Zealand)

2009-05-15

This paper measures technological change, factor demand and inter-factor and inter-fuel substitutability measures for China. We use individual fuel price data and a two-stage approach to estimate total factor cost functions and fuel share equations. Both inter-factor and inter-fuel substitution elasticities are calculated and the change in energy intensity is decomposed into its driving forces. The results suggest that energy is substitutable for capital regionally and for labor nationally. Capital substitutes for energy more easily than labor does. Energy intensity changes vary by region but the major drivers seem to be 'budget effect' and the adoption of energy-intensive technologies, which might be embodied in high-level energy-using exports and sectors, capital investment and even old technique and equipment imports. Whether the trend in rising energy intensity continues will be significant for China and the rest of the world. (author)

Geological and structural interpretation of Peninsular Malaysia by marine and aeromagnetic data: Some preliminary results

Science.gov (United States)

Bahrudin, Nurul Fairuz Diyana Binti; Hamzah, Umar

2016-11-01

Magnetic data were processed to interpret the geology of Peninsular Malaysia especially in delineating the igneous bodies and structural lineament trends by potential field geophysical method. A total of about 32000 magnetic intensity data were obtained from Earth Magnetic Anomaly Grid (EMAG2) covering an area of East Sumatra to part of South China Sea within 99° E to 105° E Longitude and 1° N to 7°N Latitude. These data were used in several processing stages in generating the total magnetic intensity (TMI), reduce to equator (RTE), total horizontal derivative (THD) and total vertical derivative (TVD). Values of the possible surface and subsurface magnetic sources associated to the geological features of the study area. The magnetic properties are normally corresponding to features like igneous bodies and faults structures. The anomalies obtained were then compared to the geological features of the area. In general, the high magnetic anomalies of the TMI-RTE are closely matched with major igneous intrusion of Peninsular Malaysia such as the Main Range, Eastern Belt and the Mersing-Johor Bahru stretch. More dense lineaments of magnetic structures were observed in the THD and TVD results indicating the presence of more deep and shallow magnetic rich geological features. The positions of Bukit Tinggi, Mersing and Lepar faults are perfectly matched with the magnetic highs while the presence of Lebir and Bok Bak faults are not clearly observed in the magnetic results. The high magnetic values of igneous bodies may have concealed and obscured the magnetic values representing these faults.

Ward nurses' experiences of the discharge process between intensive care unit and general ward.

Science.gov (United States)

Kauppi, Wivica; Proos, Matilda; Olausson, Sepideh

2018-05-01

Intensive care unit (ICU) discharges are challenging practices that carry risks for patients. Despite the existing body of knowledge, there are still difficulties in clinical practice concerning unplanned ICU discharges, specifically where there is no step-down unit. The aim of this study was to explore general ward nurses' experiences of caring for patients being discharged from an ICU. Data were collected from focus groups and in-depth interviews with a total of 16 nurses from three different hospitals in Sweden. An inductive qualitative design was chosen. The analysis revealed three themes that reflect the challenges in nursing former ICU patients: a vulnerable patient, nurses' powerlessness and organizational structure. The nurses described the challenge of nursing a fragile patient based on several aspects. They expressed feeling unrealistic demands when caring for a fragile former ICU patient. The demands were related to their own profession and knowledge regarding how to care for this group of patients. The organizational structure had an impact on how the nurses' caring practice could be realized. This evoked ethical concerns that the nurses had to cope with as the organization's care guidelines did not always favour the patients. The structure of the organization and its leadership appear to have a significant impact on the nurses' ability to offer patients the care they need. This study sheds light on the need for extended outreach services and intermediate care in order to meet the needs of patients after the intensive care period. © 2018 British Association of Critical Care Nurses.

Very high intensity reaction chamber design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devaney, J.J.

1975-09-01

The problem of achieving very high intensity irradiation by light in minimal regions was studied. Three types of irradiation chamber are suggested: the common laser-reaction chamber, the folded concentric or near-concentric resonator, and the asymmetric confocal resonator. In all designs the ratio of high-intensity illuminated volume to other volume is highly dependent (to the 3 / 2 power) on the power and fluence tolerances of optical elements, primarily mirrors. Optimization of energy coupling is discussed for the common cavity. For the concentric cavities, optimization for both coherent and incoherent beams is treated. Formulae and numerical examples give the size of chambers, aspect ratios, maximum pass number, image sizes, fluences, and the like. Similarly for the asymmetric confocal chamber, formulae and numerical examples for fluences, dimensions, losses, and totally contained pass numbers are given

Measurements of ionic structure in shock compressed lithium hydride from ultrafast x-ray Thomson scattering.

Science.gov (United States)

Kritcher, A L; Neumayer, P; Brown, C R D; Davis, P; Döppner, T; Falcone, R W; Gericke, D O; Gregori, G; Holst, B; Landen, O L; Lee, H J; Morse, E C; Pelka, A; Redmer, R; Roth, M; Vorberger, J; Wünsch, K; Glenzer, S H

2009-12-11

We present the first ultrafast temporally, spectrally, and angularly resolved x-ray scattering measurements from shock-compressed matter. The experimental spectra yield the absolute elastic and inelastic scattering intensities from the measured density of free electrons. Laser-compressed lithium-hydride samples are well characterized by inelastic Compton and plasmon scattering of a K-alpha x-ray probe providing independent measurements of temperature and density. The data show excellent agreement with the total intensity and structure when using the two-species form factor and accounting for the screening of ion-ion interactions.

Muonic X-ray intensities in phosphorus- and selenium modifications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaeser, K.; Robert-Tissot, B.; Schaller, L.A.; Schellenberg, L.; Schneuwly, H.

1979-01-01

Muonic X-ray intensity measurements have been performed at SIN on allotropic modifications of phosphorus (white, red and black) and of selenium (red and black). Structure effects have been found in the intensity ratios of the K-series between amorphous and crystalline modifications of the same element. The effect in the higher series (Se) is less pronounced. On the other hand, the two crystalline phosphorus modifications (red and black) show the same intensity behavior. The root-mean-square radii 2 >sup(1/2) of phosphorus and (natural) selenium were found to be 3.187(3) fm and 4.138(1) fm respectively. (Auth.)

Precession technique and electron diffractometry as new tools for crystal structure analysis and chemical bonding determination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Avilov, A.; Kuligin, K.; Nicolopoulos, S.; Nickolskiy, M.; Boulahya, K.; Portillo, J.; Lepeshov, G.; Sobolev, B.; Collette, J.P.; Martin, N.; Robins, A.C.; Fischione, P.

2007-01-01

We have developed a new fast electron diffractometer working with high dynamic range and linearity for crystal structure determinations. Electron diffraction (ED) patterns can be scanned serially in front of a Faraday cage detector; the total measurement time for several hundred ED reflections can be tens of seconds having high statistical accuracy for all measured intensities (1-2%). This new tool can be installed to any type of TEM without any column modification and is linked to a specially developed electron beam precession 'Spinning Star' system. Precession of the electron beam (Vincent-Midgley technique) reduces dynamical effects allowing also use of accurate intensities for crystal structure analysis. We describe the technical characteristics of this new tool together with the first experimental results. Accurate measurement of electron diffraction intensities by electron diffractometer opens new possibilities not only for revealing unknown structures, but also for electrostatic potential determination and chemical bonding investigation. As an example, we present detailed atomic bonding information of CaF 2 as revealed for the first time by precise electron diffractometry

China’s Energy Intensity, Determinants and Spatial Effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Jiang

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In the shadow of the energy crisis and environmental degradation, energy intensity is a hot topic in academic circles in China. The energy intensity distribution map of China indicates the fairly large geographic disparities globally and clustering locally in some areas, ascending from the southeast regions to the northwest provinces. Although energy intensity and its determinants vary from place to place, few studies have been made from the spatial perspective. Determinates of energy intensity and spatial spillover effects should be taken into consideration. Controlling for seven exogenous variables (per capita GDP; the share of the secondary sector; foreign direct investment; international trade, energy price, the share of coal, and transport sector and their spatial lags, we apply a spatial Durbin model to test for spatial spillover effects among energy intensity and exogenous variables from a panel of 29 Chinese provinces over 1998 to 2014. We find that per capita GDP has an insignificant and negative direct and indirect effect, but has a significant and negative total effect on energy intensity. The share of the secondary sector and the share of coal are found to have significant and positive direct and indirect effects on energy intensity. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI and Trade have significant and negative direct and indirect effects on energy intensity. The direct effect of energy price is found to be significantly positive while the indirect effect is negative. Only the direct effect of the Transport variable is significant and positive. The results of this study offer some theoretical evidence for differential localized policy making related to reduction in energy intensity.

Reduced-intensity conditioning regimen using low-dose total body irradiation before allogeneic transplant for hematologic malignancies: Experience from the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belkacemi, Yazid; Labopin, Myriam; Hennequin, Christophe; Hoffstetter, Sylvette; Mungai, Raffaello; Wygoda, Marc; Lundell, Marie; Finke, Jurgen; Aktinson, Chris; Lorchel, Frederic; Durdux, Catherine; Basara, Nadezda

2007-01-01

Purpose: The high rate of toxicity is the limitation of myelobalative regimens before allogeneic transplantation. A reduced intensity regimen can allow engraftment of stem cells and subsequent transfer of immune cells for the induction of a graft-vs.-tumor reaction. Methods and Materials: The data from 130 patients (80 males and 50 females) treated between 1998 and 2003 for various hematologic malignancies were analyzed. The median patient age was 50 years (range, 3-72 years). Allogeneic transplantation using peripheral blood or bone marrow, or both, was performed in 104 (82%), 22 (17%), and 4 (3%) patients, respectively, from HLA identical sibling donors (n = 93, 72%), matched unrelated donors (n = 23, 18%), mismatched related donors (4%), or mismatched unrelated donors (6%). Total body irradiation (TBI) at a dose of 2 Gy delivered in one fraction was given to 101 patients (78%), and a total dose of 4-6 Gy was given in 29 (22%) patients. The median dose rate was 14.3 cGy/min (range, 6-16.4). Results: After a median follow-up period of 20 months (range, 1-62 months), engraftment was obtained in 122 patients (94%). Acute graft-vs.-host disease of Grade 2 or worse was observed in 37% of patients. Multivariate analysis showed three favorable independent factors for event-free survival: HLA identical sibling donor (p < 0.0001; relative risk [RR], 0.15), complete remission (p < 0.0001; RR, 3.08), and female donor to male patient (p = 0.006; RR 2.43). For relapse, the two favorable prognostic factors were complete remission (p < 0.0001, RR 0.11) and HLA identical sibling donor (p = 0.0007; RR 3.59). Conclusions: In this multicenter study, we confirmed high rates of engraftment and chimerism after the reduced intensity regimen. Our results are comparable to those previously reported. Radiation parameters seem to have no impact on outcome. However, the lack of a statistically significant difference in terms of dose rate may have been due, in part, to the small population

A statistical analysis of aggregates of the total economic account for agriculture of the Czech Republic in 1998–2003

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Božena Bodečková

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Results of the statistical analysis of the of the total economic aggregate account for the Czech Republic enabled, in addition to the quantification of its performance, also to asses the developmental tendencies of economic phenomena under study. From this point of view, the most important were the data obtained within the framework of studies on the total output of Czech agricultural industry. Among the major indicators of the production intensity, the level of intermediate consumption was explored as well. This analysis involved also an exact estimation of both gross and net added value because such an analysis enables to express the the final economic effect of agriculture within the framework of the national economy as a whole. A complex approach to the solution of these problems is presented on the base of studies on the structure of both plant and animal production and of the total intermediate consumption

Effects of adductor-canal-blockade on pain and ambulation after total knee arthroplasty

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jenstrup, M T; Jæger, P; Lund, J

2012-01-01

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is associated with intense post-operative pain. Besides providing optimal analgesia, reduction in side effects and enhanced mobilization are important in this elderly population. The adductor-canal-blockade is theoretically an almost pure sensory blockade. We hypothe...... hypothesized that the adductor-canal-blockade may reduce morphine consumption (primary endpoint), improve pain relief, enhance early ambulation ability, and reduce side effects (secondary endpoints) after TKA compared with placebo.......Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is associated with intense post-operative pain. Besides providing optimal analgesia, reduction in side effects and enhanced mobilization are important in this elderly population. The adductor-canal-blockade is theoretically an almost pure sensory blockade. We...

Energy intensity in road freight transport of heavy goods vehicles in Spain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrés, Lidia; Padilla, Emilio

2015-01-01

This paper examines the factors that have influenced the energy intensity trend of the Spanish road freight transport of heavy goods vehicles over the period 1996–2012. This article aims to contribute to a better understanding of these factors and to inform the design of measures to improve energy efficiency in road freight transport. The paper uses both annual single-period and chained multi-period multiplicative LMDI-II decomposition analysis. The results suggest that the decrease in the energy intensity of Spanish road freight in the period is explained by the change in the real energy intensity index (lower energy consumption per tonne-kilometre transported), which is partially offset by the behaviour of the structural index (greater share in freight transport of those commodities the transportation of which is more energy intensive). The change in energy intensity is analysed in more depth by quantifying the contribution of each commodity through the attribution of changes in Divisia indices. -- Highlights: •We examine energy intensity of Spanish road freight transport over 1996–2012. •We employ single-period and chained multi-period multiplicative LMDI-II decomposition. •Energy intensity reduction is explained by the change in real energy intensity index. •This is partially offset by the behaviour of the structural index. •The attribution of Divisia indices changes gives the contribution of each commodity

A plastic stress intensity factor approach to turbine disk structural integrity assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Shlyannikov

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This study based on a new fracture mechanics parameter is concerned with assessing the integrity of cracked steam turbine disk which operate under startup-shutdown cyclic loading conditions. Damage accumulation and growth in service have occurred on the inner surface of slot fillet of key. In order to determine elastic-plastic fracture mechanics parameters full-size stress-strain state analysis of turbine disk was performed for a quote-elliptical part-through cracks under considering loading conditions. As a result distributions of elastic and plastic stress intensity factors along crack front in slot fillet of key of turbine disk depending on surface crack form are defined. An engineering approach to the prediction of carrying capacity of cracked turbine disk which is sensitive to the loading history at maintenance is proposed. The predictions of the rate of crack growth and residual lifetime of steam turbine disk are compared for elastic and elastic-plastic solutions. It is shown that the previously proposed elastic crack growth models provide overestimate the lifetime with respect to the present one. An advantage to use the plastic stress intensity factor to characterize the fracture resistance as the self-dependent unified parameter for a variety of turbine disk configurations rather than the magnitude of the elastic stress intensity factors alone is discussed.

Life-sustaining treatment decisions in Portuguese intensive care units: a national survey of intensive care physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Cardoso, Teresa; Fonseca, Teresa; Pereira, Sofia; Lencastre, Luís

2003-12-01

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the opinion of Portuguese intensive care physicians regarding 'do-not-resuscitate' (DNR) orders and decisions to withhold/withdraw treatment. A questionnaire was sent to all physicians working on a full-time basis in all intensive care units (ICUs) registered with the Portuguese Intensive Care Society. A total of 266 questionnaires were sent and 175 (66%) were returned. Physicians from 79% of the ICUs participated. All participants stated that DNR orders are applied in their units, and 98.3% stated that decisions to withhold treatment and 95.4% stated that decisions to withdraw treatment are also applied. About three quarters indicated that only the medical group makes these decisions. Fewer than 15% of the responders stated that they involve nurses, 9% involve patients and fewer than 11% involve patients' relatives in end-of-life decisions. Physicians with more than 10 years of clinical experience more frequently indicated that they involve nurses in these decisions (P atheist doctors more frequently involve patients' relatives in decisions to withhold/withdraw treatment (P religious beliefs of the respondents influences the way in which these decisions are made.

Tailored plasmon-induced transparency in attenuated total reflection response in a metal-insulator-metal structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsunaga, Kouki; Hirai, Yusuke; Neo, Yoichiro; Matsumoto, Takahiro; Tomita, Makoto

2017-12-19

We demonstrated tailored plasmon-induced transparency (PIT) in a metal (Au)-insulator (SiO 2 )-metal (Ag) (MIM) structure, where the Fano interference between the MIM waveguide mode and the surface plasmon polariton (SPP) resonance mode induced a transparency window in an otherwise opaque wavenumber (k) region. A series of structures with different thicknesses of the Ag layer were prepared and the attenuated total reflection (ATR) response was examined. The height and width of the transparency window, as well as the relevant k-domain dispersion, were controlled by adjusting the Ag layer thickness. To confirm the dependency of PIT on Ag layer thickness, we performed numerical calculations to determine the electric field amplitude inside the layers. The steep k-domain dispersion in the transparency window is capable of creating a lateral beam shift known as the Goos-Hänchen shift, for optical device and sensor applications. We also discuss the Fano interference profiles in a ω - k two-dimensional domain on the basis of Akaike information criteria.

Total Productive Maintenance at Paccar INC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ştefan Farkas

2010-06-01

Full Text Available This paper reports the application of total productive maintenance method at Paccar Inc. truck’s plant in Victoria, Australia. The total productive maintenance method and total productive maintenance house are presented. The global equipment effectiveness is computed and exemplified. The production structure and organising maintenance are presented. Resultas of the variation of global equipment effectiveness and autonomous maintenance in a two weeks period of time are reported.

Intensity attenuation for active crustal regions

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Trevor I.; Wald, David J.; Worden, C. Bruce

2012-07-01

We develop globally applicable macroseismic intensity prediction equations (IPEs) for earthquakes of moment magnitude M W 5.0-7.9 and intensities of degree II and greater for distances less than 300 km for active crustal regions. The IPEs are developed for two distance metrics: closest distance to rupture ( R rup) and hypocentral distance ( R hyp). The key objective for developing the model based on hypocentral distance—in addition to more rigorous and standard measure R rup—is to provide an IPE which can be used in near real-time earthquake response systems for earthquakes anywhere in the world, where information regarding the rupture dimensions of a fault may not be known in the immediate aftermath of the event. We observe that our models, particularly the model for the R rup distance metric, generally have low median residuals with magnitude and distance. In particular, we address whether the direct use of IPEs leads to a reduction in overall uncertainties when compared with methods which use a combination of ground-motion prediction equations and ground motion to intensity conversion equations. Finally, using topographic gradient as a proxy and median model predictions, we derive intensity-based site amplification factors. These factors lead to a small reduction of residuals at shallow gradients at strong shaking levels. However, the overall effect on total median residuals is relatively small. This is in part due to the observation that the median site condition for intensity observations used to develop these IPEs is approximately near the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program CD site-class boundary.

Impurities in semiconductors: total energy and infrared absorption calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yndurain, F.

1987-01-01

A new method to calculate the electronic structure of infinite nonperiodic system is discussed. The calculations are performed using atomic pseudopotentials and a basis of atomic Gaussiam wave functions. The Hartree-Fock self consistent equations are solved in the cluster-Bethe lattice system. Electron correlation is partially included in second order pertubation approximation. The formalism is applied to hydrogenated amorphous silicon. Total energy calculations of finite clusters of silicon atom in the presence of impurities, are also presented. The results show how atomic oxygen breaks the covalent silicon silicon bond forming a local configuration similar to that of SiO 2 . Calculations of the infrared absorption due to the presence of atomic oxygen in cristalline silicon are presented. The Born Hamiltonian to calculate the vibrational modes of the system and a simplied model to describe the infrared absorption mechanism are used. The interstitial and the the substitutional cases are considered and analysed. The position of the main infrared absorption peak, their intensities and their isotope shifts are calculated. The results are satisfactory agreement with the available data. (author) [pt

The future of intensive care medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Blanch, L; Annane, D; Antonelli, M; Chiche, J D; Cuñat, J; Girard, T D; Jiménez, E J; Quintel, M; Ugarte, S; Mancebo, J

2013-03-01

Intensive care medical training, whether as a primary specialty or as secondary add-on training, should include key competences to ensure a uniform standard of care, and the number of intensive care physicians needs to increase to keep pace with the growing and anticipated need. The organisation of intensive care in multiple specialty or central units is heterogeneous and evolving, but appropriate early treatment and access to a trained intensivist should be assured at all times, and intensivists should play a pivotal role in ensuring communication and high-quality care across hospital departments. Structures now exist to support clinical research in intensive care medicine, which should become part of routine patient management. However, more translational research is urgently needed to identify areas that show clinical promise and to apply research principles to the real-life clinical setting. Likewise, electronic networks can be used to share expertise and support research. Individuals, physicians and policy makers need to allow for individual choices and priorities in the management of critically ill patients while remaining within the limits of economic reality. Professional scientific societies play a pivotal role in supporting the establishment of a defined minimum level of intensive health care and in ensuring standardised levels of training and patient care by promoting interaction between physicians and policy makers. The perception of intensive care medicine among the general public could be improved by concerted efforts to increase awareness of the services provided and of the successes achieved. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. and SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.

The role of total cell-free DNA in predicting outcomes among trauma patients in the intensive care unit

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gögenur, Mikail; Burcharth, Jakob; Gögenur, Ismail

2017-01-01

searched Pubmed, Embase, Scopus and the Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials and reference lists of relevant articles for studies that assessed the prognostic value of cell-free DNA detection in trauma patients in the intensive care unit. Outcomes of interest included survival, posttraumatic...

Land use intensity controls actinobacterial community structure

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hill, P.; Krištůfek, Václav; Dijkhuizen, L.; Boddy, Ch.; Kroetsch, D.; van Elsas, J.D.

2011-01-01

Roč. 61, č. 2 (2011), s. 286-302 ISSN 0095-3628 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LC06066; GA MŠk 2B06154 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60660521 Keywords : actinobacterial community structure * DNA * soils Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 2.912, year: 2011

Turbulence intensity measurement in the wind tunnel used for airfoil flutter investigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Šidlof Petr

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The paper reports on hot wire turbulence intensity measurements performed in the entry of a suction-type wind tunnel, used for investigation of flow-induced vibration of airfoils and slender structures. The airfoil is elastically supported with two degrees of freedom (pitch and plunge in the test section of the wind tunnel with lateral optical access for interferometric measurements, and free to oscillate. The turbulence intensity was measured for velocities up to M = 0.3 i with the airfoil blocked, ii with the airfoil self-oscillating. Measurements were performed for a free inlet and further with two different turbulence grids generating increased turbulence intensity levels. For the free inlet and static airfoil, the turbulence intensity lies below 0.4%. The turbulence grids G1 and G2 increase the turbulence level up to 1.8% and 2.6%, respectively. When the airfoil is free to oscillate due to fluid-structure interaction, its motion disturbs the surrounding flow field and increases the measured turbulence intensity levels up to 5%.

Benthic community structure on coral reefs exposed to intensive recreational snorkeling.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bobbie Renfro

Full Text Available Chronic anthropogenic disturbances on coral reefs in the form of overfishing and pollution can shift benthic community composition away from stony corals and toward macroalgae. The use of reefs for recreational snorkeling and diving potentially can lead to similar ecological impacts if not well-managed, but impacts of snorkeling on benthic organisms are not well understood. We quantified variation in benthic community structure along a gradient of snorkeling frequency in an intensively-visited portion of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. We determined rates of snorkeling in 6 water sections and rates of beach visitation in 4 adjacent land sections at Akumal Bay, Mexico. For each in-water section at 1-3 m depth, we also assessed the percent cover of benthic organisms including taxa of stony corals and macroalgae. Rates of recreational snorkeling varied from low in the southwestern to very high (>1000 snorkelers d-1 in the northeastern sections of the bay. Stony coral cover decreased and macroalgal cover increased significantly with levels of snorkeling, while trends varied among taxa for other organisms such as gorgonians, fire corals, and sea urchins. We conclude that benthic organisms appear to exhibit taxon-specific variation with levels of recreational snorkeling. To prevent further degradation, we recommend limitation of snorkeler visitation rates, coupled with visitor education and in-water guides to reduce reef-damaging behaviors by snorkelers in high-use areas. These types of management activities, integrated with reef monitoring and subsequent readjustment of management, have the potential to reverse the damage potentially inflicted on coral reefs by the expansion of reef-based recreational snorkeling.

Factors associated with success in the oral part of the European Diploma in Intensive Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Waldauf, Petr; Rubulotta, Francesca; Sitzwohl, Christian; Elbers, Paul; Girbes, Armand; Saha, Rajnish; Marsh, Brian; Kumar, Ravindra; Maggiorini, Marco; Duška, František

2017-11-01

The oral part of European Diploma in Intensive Care diploma examinations changed in 2013 into an objective structured clinical examination-type exam. This step was undertaken to provide a fair and reproducible clinical exam. All candidates face identical questions with predefined correct answers simultaneously in seven high throughput exam centres on the same day. We describe the factors that are associated with success in part 2 European Diploma in Intensive Care exam. We prospectively collected self-reported data from all candidates sitting European Diploma in Intensive Care part 2 in 2015, namely demographics, professional background and attendance to a European Diploma in Intensive Care part 2 or generic objective structured clinical examination preparatory courses. After testing association with success (with cutoff at p European Diploma in Intensive Care. Out of 427 candidates sitting the exam, completed data from 341 (80%) were available for analysis. The following candidates' factors were associated with increased chance of success: English as native language (odds ratio 4.3 (95% CI 1.7-10.7)), use of Patient-centred Acute Care Training e-learning programme module (odds ratios 2.0 (1.2-3.3)), working in an EU country (odds ratios 2.5 (1.5-4.3)), and better results in the written part of the European Diploma in Intensive Care (for each additional SD of 6.1 points odds ratios 1.9 (1.4-2.4)). Chance of success in the European Diploma in Intensive Care 2 decreased with increased candidates 'age (for each additional SD of 5.5 years odds ratios 0.67 (0.51-0.87)). Exam centres (7 in total) could be clustered into 3 groups with similar success rates. There were significant differences in exam outcomes among these 3 groups of exam centres even after adjustment to known candidates' factors (G1 vs G2 odds ratios 2.4 (1.4-4.1); G1 vs G3 odds ratios 9.7 (4.0-23.1) and G2 vs G3 odds ratios 3.9 (1.7-9.2)). A short data collection period (only one year) and 20% of

Industrial CO2 emissions from energy use in Korea: A structural decomposition analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, Hea-Jin; Yoo, Seung-Hoon; Kwak, Seung-Jun

2009-01-01

This paper attempts to quantify energy consumption and CO 2 emissions in the industrial sectors of Korea. The sources of the changes in CO 2 emissions for the years 1990-2003 are investigated, in terms of a total of eight factors, through input-output structural decomposition analysis: changes in emission coefficient (caused by shifts in energy intensity and carbon intensity); changes in economic growth; and structural changes (in terms of shifts in domestic final demand, exports, imports of final and intermediate goods, and production technology). The results show that the rate of growth of industrial CO 2 emissions has drastically decreased since the 1998 financial crisis in Korea. The effect on emission reductions due to changes in energy intensity and domestic final demand surged in the second period (1995-2000), while the impact of exports steeply rose in the third period (2000-2003). Of all the individual factors, economic growth accounted for the largest increase in CO 2 emissions. The results of this analysis can be used to infer the potential for emission-reduction in Korea

A revised ground-motion and intensity interpolation scheme for shakemap

Science.gov (United States)

Worden, C.B.; Wald, D.J.; Allen, T.I.; Lin, K.; Garcia, D.; Cua, G.

2010-01-01

We describe a weighted-average approach for incorporating various types of data (observed peak ground motions and intensities and estimates from groundmotion prediction equations) into the ShakeMap ground motion and intensity mapping framework. This approach represents a fundamental revision of our existing ShakeMap methodology. In addition, the increased availability of near-real-time macroseismic intensity data, the development of newrelationships between intensity and peak ground motions, and new relationships to directly predict intensity from earthquake source information have facilitated the inclusion of intensity measurements directly into ShakeMap computations. Our approach allows for the combination of (1) direct observations (ground-motion measurements or reported intensities), (2) observations converted from intensity to ground motion (or vice versa), and (3) estimated ground motions and intensities from prediction equations or numerical models. Critically, each of the aforementioned data types must include an estimate of its uncertainties, including those caused by scaling the influence of observations to surrounding grid points and those associated with estimates given an unknown fault geometry. The ShakeMap ground-motion and intensity estimates are an uncertainty-weighted combination of these various data and estimates. A natural by-product of this interpolation process is an estimate of total uncertainty at each point on the map, which can be vital for comprehensive inventory loss calculations. We perform a number of tests to validate this new methodology and find that it produces a substantial improvement in the accuracy of ground-motion predictions over empirical prediction equations alone.

Global climate targets and future consumption level: an evaluation of the required GHG intensity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Girod, Bastien; Van Vuuren, Detlef Peter; Hertwich, Edgar G

2013-01-01

Discussion and analysis on international climate policy often focuses on the rather abstract level of total national and regional greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. At some point, however, emission reductions need to be translated to consumption level. In this article, we evaluate the implications of the strictest IPCC representative concentration pathway for key consumption categories (food, travel, shelter, goods, services). We use IPAT style identities to account for possible growth in global consumption levels and indicate the required change in GHG emission intensity for each category (i.e. GHG emission per calorie, person kilometer, square meter, kilogram, US dollar). The proposed concept provides guidance for product developers, consumers and policymakers. To reach the 2 °C climate target (2.1 tCO 2 -eq. per capita in 2050), the GHG emission intensity of consumption has to be reduced by a factor of 5 in 2050. The climate targets on consumption level allow discussion of the feasibility of this climate target at product and consumption level. In most consumption categories products in line with this climate target are available. For animal food and air travel, reaching the GHG intensity targets with product modifications alone will be challenging and therefore structural changes in consumption patterns might be needed. The concept opens up possibilities for further research on potential solutions on the consumption and product level to global climate mitigation. (letter)

Orchestrating intensities and rhythms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Staunæs, Dorthe; Juelskjær, Malou

2016-01-01

environmentality and learning-centered governance standards has dramatic and performative effects for the production of (educational) subjectivities. This implies a shift from governing identities, categories and structures towards orchestrating affective intensities and rhythms. Finally, the article discusses...... and the making of subjects have held sway for many years; and it is also well known that schools have been some of the most regular purchasers of psychological methods, tests and classifications. Following but also elaborating upon governmentality studies, it is suggested that a current shift towards...

SPHERICAL HARMONIC ANALYSES OF INTENSITY MAPPING POWER SPECTRA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Adrian; Zhang, Yunfan; Parsons, Aaron R., E-mail: acliu@berkeley.edu [Department of Astronomy and Radio Astronomy Laboratory, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

2016-12-20

Intensity mapping is a promising technique for surveying the large-scale structure of our universe from z  = 0 to z  ∼ 150, using the brightness temperature field of spectral lines to directly observe previously unexplored portions of our cosmic timeline. Examples of targeted lines include the 21 cm hyperfine transition of neutral hydrogen, rotational lines of carbon monoxide, and fine-structure lines of singly ionized carbon. Recent efforts have focused on detections of the power spectrum of spatial fluctuations, but have been hindered by systematics such as foreground contamination. This has motivated the decomposition of data into Fourier modes perpendicular and parallel to the line of sight, which has been shown to be a particularly powerful way to diagnose systematics. However, such a method is well-defined only in the limit of a narrow-field, flat-sky approximation. This limits the sensitivity of intensity mapping experiments, as it means that wide surveys must be separately analyzed as a patchwork of smaller fields. In this paper, we develop a framework for analyzing intensity mapping data in a spherical Fourier–Bessel basis, which incorporates curved sky effects without difficulty. We use our framework to generalize a number of techniques in intensity mapping data analysis from the flat sky to the curved sky. These include visibility-based estimators for the power spectrum, treatments of interloper lines, and the “foreground wedge” signature of spectrally smooth foregrounds.

Effects of Light Intensity on Growth, Anti-Stress Ability and Immune Function in Yellow Feathered Broilers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

YL Guo

Full Text Available ABSTRACT An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of light intensity on growth, anti-stress ability, and immune function of yellow feathered broilers. A total of 480 one-day-old male Lingnan yellow feathered broilers were randomly allocated to 4 treatments based on light intensity (1, 5, 20 and 80 lx with 8 replicates of 15 chicks each. The experiment lasted for 63 days. Compared with those under high light intensity, broilers exposed to low light intensity had higher (p<0.05 total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px, a-Naphthylacetate esterase (ANAE+, antibody titer, but lower (p<0.05 malonaldehyde (MDA levels and heterophil/lymphocyte ratio (H/L. There was a linear effect for T-AOC(p=0.002, GSH-Px(p≤0.047, MDA (p=0.003, H/L(p≤0.014, ANAE+ (p≤0.044, and antibody titer (p≤0.021 with T-AOC, GSH-Px, ANAE+, and antibody titer increased significantly as light intensity decreased, whereas MDA and H/L were decreased with the decrease in light intensity. These results suggested that broilers under low light intensity could have similar performance, better anti-stress ability, stronger immune function, and more efficient in energy usage as compared with those exposed to high light intensity environment.

Solar intensity measurement using a thermoelectric module; experimental study and mathematical modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahbar, Nader; Asadi, Amin

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Solar intensity could be explained as a linear function of voltage and ambient temperature. • The maximum output voltage is approximately 120 mV which was occurred in midday. • The average value of the heat-sink thermal resistance could be measured with this device. • The average values of total heat transfer coefficients could be measured with this device. • Two correlations were proposed to predict the solar intensity with the accuracy of 10%. - Abstract: The present study is intended to design, manufacture, and modeling an inexpensive pyranometer using a thermoelectric module. The governing equations relating the solar intensity, output voltage, and ambient temperature have been derived by applying the mathematical and thermodynamic models. According to the thermodynamics modeling, the output voltage is a function of solar intensity, ambient temperature, internal parameters of thermoelectric module, convection and radiation coefficients, and geometrical characteristics of the setup. Moreover, the solar intensity can be considered as a linear function of voltage and ambient temperature within an acceptable range of accuracy. The experiments have been carried out on a typical winter day under climatic conditions of Semnan (35°33′N, 53°23′E), Iran. The results also indicated that the output voltage is dependent on the solar intensity and its maximum value was 120 mV. Finally, based on the experimental results, two correlations, with the accuracy of 10%, have been proposed to predict the solar intensity as a function of output voltage and ambient temperature. The average values of total heat transfer coefficient and thermal resistance of the heat-sink have been also calculated according to the thermodynamic modeling and experimental results.

[The German DRG system 2003-2010 from the perspective of intensive care medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Franz, Dominik; Bunzemeier, Holger; Roeder, Norbert; Reinecke, Holger

2010-01-01

Intensive care medicine is extremely heterogeneous, expensive and can only be partially planned and controlled. A correct and fair representation of intensive care medicine in the G-DRG system is an essential requirement for the use as a pricing system. From the perspective of intensive care medicine, pertinent changes of the DRG structure and differentiation of relevant parameters have been established within the G-DRG systems 2003-2010. Analysis of relevant diagnoses, medical procedures, co-payment structures and G-DRGs in the versions 2003-2010 based on the publications of the German DRG Institute (InEK) and the German Institute of Medical Documentation and Information (DIMDI). Since the first G-DRG system version 2003, numerous measures improved quality of case allocation of intensive care medicine. Highly relevant to the system version 2010 are duration of mechanical ventilation, the intensive care treatment complex and complicating constellations. The number of G-DRGs relevant to intensive medical care increased from n = 3 (2003) to n = 58 (2010). For standard cases, quality of case allocation and G-DRG reimbursement are adequate in 2010. The G-DRG system gained complexity again. High demands are made on correct and complete coding of complex cases. Nevertheless, further adjustments of the G-DRG system especially for cases with extremely high costs are necessary. Where the G-DRG system is unable to cover extremely high-cost cases, reimbursement solutions beyond the G-DRG structure should be taken into account.

Extending total parenteral nutrition hang time in the neonatal intensive care unit: is it safe and cost effective?

Science.gov (United States)

Balegar V, Kiran Kumar; Azeem, Mohammad Irfan; Spence, Kaye; Badawi, Nadia

2013-01-01

To investigate the effects of prolonging hang time of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) fluid on central line-associated blood stream infection (CLABSI), TPN-related cost and nursing workload. A before-after observational study comparing the practice of hanging TPN bags for 48 h (6 February 2009-5 February 2010) versus 24 h (6 February 2008-5 February 2009) in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit was conducted. The main outcome measures were CLABSI, TPN-related expenses and nursing workload. One hundred thirty-six infants received 24-h TPN bags and 124 received 48-h TPN bags. Median (inter-quartile range) gestation (37 weeks (33,39) vs. 36 weeks (33,39)), mean (±standard deviation) admission weight of 2442 g (±101) versus 2476 g (±104) and TPN duration (9.7 days (±12.7) vs. 9.9 days (±13.4)) were similar (P > 0.05) between the 24- and 48-h TPN groups. There was no increase in CLABSI with longer hang time (0.8 vs. 0.4 per 1000 line days in the 24-h vs. 48-h group; P < 0.05). Annual cost saving using 48-h TPN was AUD 97,603.00. By using 48-h TPN, 68.3% of nurses indicated that their workload decreased and 80.5% indicated that time spent changing TPN reduced. Extending TPN hang time from 24 to 48 h did not alter CLABSI rate and was associated with a reduced TPN-related cost and perceived nursing workload. Larger randomised controlled trials are needed to more clearly delineate these effects. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2012 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

rf coaxial couplers for high-intensity linear accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manca, J.J.; Knapp, E.A.

1980-02-01

Two rf coaxial couplers that are particularly suitable for intertank connection of the disk-and-washer accelerating structure for use in high-intensity linear accelerators have been developed. These devices have very high coupling to the accelerating structure and very low rf power loss at the operating frequency, and they can be designed for any relative particle velocity β > 0.4. Focusing and monitoring devices can be located inside these couplers

Automated drug dispensing system reduces medication errors in an intensive care setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Chapuis, Claire; Roustit, Matthieu; Bal, Gaëlle; Schwebel, Carole; Pansu, Pascal; David-Tchouda, Sandra; Foroni, Luc; Calop, Jean; Timsit, Jean-François; Allenet, Benoît; Bosson, Jean-Luc; Bedouch, Pierrick

2010-12-01

We aimed to assess the impact of an automated dispensing system on the incidence of medication errors related to picking, preparation, and administration of drugs in a medical intensive care unit. We also evaluated the clinical significance of such errors and user satisfaction. Preintervention and postintervention study involving a control and an intervention medical intensive care unit. Two medical intensive care units in the same department of a 2,000-bed university hospital. Adult medical intensive care patients. After a 2-month observation period, we implemented an automated dispensing system in one of the units (study unit) chosen randomly, with the other unit being the control. The overall error rate was expressed as a percentage of total opportunities for error. The severity of errors was classified according to National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention categories by an expert committee. User satisfaction was assessed through self-administered questionnaires completed by nurses. A total of 1,476 medications for 115 patients were observed. After automated dispensing system implementation, we observed a reduced percentage of total opportunities for error in the study compared to the control unit (13.5% and 18.6%, respectively; perror (20.4% and 13.5%; perror showed a significant impact of the automated dispensing system in reducing preparation errors (perrors caused no harm (National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention category C). The automated dispensing system did not reduce errors causing harm. Finally, the mean for working conditions improved from 1.0±0.8 to 2.5±0.8 on the four-point Likert scale. The implementation of an automated dispensing system reduced overall medication errors related to picking, preparation, and administration of drugs in the intensive care unit. Furthermore, most nurses favored the new drug dispensation organization.

Corporate financial structure, misallocation and total factor productivity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Uras, R.B.

2014-01-01

This paper studies the quantitative relevance of the cross-sectional dispersion of corporate financial structure in explaining the intra-industry allocation efficiency of productive factors. I solve a heterogeneous firms model with financial constraints and distortions to the marginal rental-rate of

Stress intensity factors for complete internal and external cracks in spherical shells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chao, Y.J.; Chen, H.

1989-01-01

Cracks or flows found in the nuclear structure must be fully evaluated to assure the safety of the plant. The weight function method has been widely used in the determination of stress intensity factors for cracks under stress gradient e.g. for thermal shock loading. The unique features of the weight function method is that once the weight function for a particular cracked geometry is determined the stress intensity factors at the crack tip for any loading applied to the flawed structure can be calculated by a simple integration. In this paper the stress intensity factors of the complete, part-through internal and external cracks in a spherical shell are determined. The finite element method was used to develop the weight functions for the flawed geometry. The approximate crack surface profile was used to derive the weight functions. The stress intensity factors associated with the cracks in spherical shells under internal pressure are determined by both the weight functions and the direct finite element method

River flooding due to intense precipitation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, James C.

2014-01-01

River stage can rise and cause site flooding due to local intense precipitation (LIP), dam failures, snow melt in conjunction with precipitation or dam failures, etc. As part of the re-evaluation of the design basis as well as the PRA analysis of other external events, the likelihood and consequence of river flooding leading to the site flooding need to be examined more rigorously. To evaluate the effects of intense precipitation on site structures, the site watershed hydrology and pond storage are calculated. To determine if river flooding can cause damage to risk-significant systems, structures, and components (SSC), water surface elevations are analyzed. Typically, the amount and rate of the input water is determined first. For intense precipitation, the fraction of the rainfall in the watershed drainage area not infiltrated into the ground is collected in the river and contributes to the rise of river water elevation. For design basis analysis, the Probable Maximum Flood (PMF) is evaluated using the Probable Maximum Precipitation (PMP) based on the site topography/configuration. The peak runoff flow rate and water surface elevations resulting from the precipitation induced flooding can then be estimated. The runoff flow hydrograph and peak discharge flows can be developed using the synthetic hydrograph method. The standard step method can then be used to determine the water surface elevations along the river channel. Thus, the flood water from the local intense precipitation storm and excess runoff from the nearby river can be evaluated to calculate the water surface elevations, which can be compared with the station grade floor elevation to determine the effects of site flooding on risk-significant SSCs. The analysis needs to consider any possible diversion flow and the effects of changes to the site configurations. Typically, the analysis is performed based on conservative peak rainfall intensity and the assumptions of failure of the site drainage facilities

Information structure and organisation in change of shift reports: An observational study of nursing hand-offs in a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Foster-Hunt, Tara; Parush, Avi; Ellis, Jacqueline; Thomas, Margot; Rashotte, Judy

2015-06-01

Patient hand-offs involve the exchange of critical information. Ineffective hand-offs can result in reduced patient safety by leading to wrong treatment, delayed diagnoses or other outcomes that can negatively affect the healthcare system. The objectives of this study were to uncover the structure of the information conveyed during patient hand-offs and look for principles characterising the organisation of the information. With an observational study approach, data was gathered during the morning and evening nursing change of shift hand-offs in a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. Content analysis identified a common meta-structure used for information transfer that contained categories with varying degrees of information integration and the repetition of high consequence information. Differences were found in the organisation of the hand-off structures, and these varied as a function of nursing experience. The findings are discussed in terms of the potential benefits of computerised tools which utilise standardised structure for information transfer and the implications for future education and critical care skill acquisition. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamics and Predictability of Tropical Cyclone Genesis, Structure and Intensity Change

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-30

analyses and forecasts of tropical cyclones, including genesis, intensity change, and extratropical transition. A secondary objective is to understand... storm -centered assimilation algorithm. Basic research in Report Documentation Page Form ApprovedOMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for the...COMPLETED For the four storms consider (Nuri, Jangmi, Sinlaku, and Hagupit), an 80-member EnKF has been cycled on observations (surface, rawinsondes, GPS

Modeling 4f–4f intensity parameters as a function of structural distortions in Ln(2,2′-bipyridine-1,1′-dioxide){sub 4}(ClO{sub 4}){sub 3} complexes (Ln=Pr{sup 3+}, Nd{sup 3+})

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carneiro, A.N. [Departamento de Química Fundamental, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco-CCEN, Cidade Universitária, Recife-PE 50670-901 (Brazil); Huskowska, E.; Gawryszewska, P. [Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University, 14 F. Joliot-Curie Street, Wroclaw (Poland); Legendziewicz, J., E-mail: janina.legendziewicz@chem.uni.wroc.pl [Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University, 14 F. Joliot-Curie Street, Wroclaw (Poland); Malta, O.L. [Departamento de Química Fundamental, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco-CCEN, Cidade Universitária, Recife-PE 50670-901 (Brazil)

2016-01-15

This work reports on the influence of structural distortions on 4f–4f intensity parameters. These distortions in the first coordination sphere were applied to two complexes with similar structures, Ln(bpyO{sub 2}){sub 4}(ClO{sub 4}){sub 3} (Ln=Pr{sup 3+}, Nd{sup 3+} ions and bpyO{sub 2}=2,2′-bipyridine-1,1′-dioxide). The 4f–4f intensity theory and the PM3/Sparkle model were used. It is concluded that larger distortions are predicted in the case of the Pr complex, and that this point might contribute to the rationalization of the much higher values of the Ω{sub λ} intensity parameters in the Pr complex than in the Nd one. - Highlights: • The influence of structural distortions on 4f–4f intensity parameters was demonstrated for Nd and Pr complexes with 2,2′-bipyridine-1,1′-dioxide.

Sputtering and emission intensity of cast irons with different metallurgical structures in a Grimm glow lamp

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujita, M.; Kashima, J.; Naganuma, K.

1981-01-01

The cathodic sputtering and emission intensities for the white, gray and malleable cast irons in the Grimm glow lamp are discussed. The intensities of the Fe 247.98-nm line for the samples of the three types depend linearly on the electrical power but the slopes of the plots differ. The intensity of the carbon line at 247.86 nm for malleable cast iron is weaker than those for the others. Sputtering is influenced by the form of the graphite, which can lead to distortion of the electrical field. Graphite on malleable cast iron is sputtered not only as atomic carbon but also as moieties containing several carbon atoms. The higher the supplied voltage, the shorter the time for the intensities of the Fe I and C I lines to reach constant values. (Auth.)

Effect on structure and mechanical property of tungsten irradiated by high intensity pulsed ion beam

Science.gov (United States)

Mei, Xianxiu; Zhang, Xiaonan; Liu, Xiaofei; Wang, Younian

2017-09-01

The anti-thermal radiation performance of tungsten was investigated by high intensity pulsed ion beam technology. The ion beam was mainly composed of Cn+ (70%) and H+ (30%) at an acceleration voltage of 250 kV under different energy densities for different number of pulses. GIXRD analysis showed that no obvious phase structural changes occurred on the tungsten, and microstress generated. SEM analysis exhibited that there was no apparent irradiation damage on the surface of tungsten at the low irradiation frequency (3 times and 10 times) and at the low energy density (0.25 J/cm2 and 0.7 J/cm2). Cracks appeared on the surface of tungsten after 100-time and 300-time irradiation. Shedding phenomenon even appeared on the surface of tungsten at the energy densities of 1.4 J/cm2 and 2.0 J/cm2. The surface nano-hardness of tungsten decreased with the increase of the pulse times and the energy density. The tungsten has good anti-thermal radiation properties under certain heat load environment.

Computed radiography in neonatal intensive care

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merlo, L.; Bighi, S.; Cervi, P.M.; Lupi, L.

1991-01-01

The Authors report their experience in the employment of a computerized digital radiographic system in Neonatal Intensive Care. The analog screen-film system is replaced by photosensitive imaging plates, scanned after X-ray exposure by a laser that releases the digital image, which can then be manipulated on computer work-stations. In a period of twelve months about 200 chest-abdomen X-ray examinations in Neonatal Intensive Care have been performed using this method with good technical and diagnostic results. The use of digital radiography in the neonatal area is of high interest: this system produces good quality images, there is a reduction in radiation dose and 'retakes', the system allows selective enhancement of different structures and their magnification. (orig.)

What drives the change in China's energy intensity: Combining decomposition analysis and econometric analysis at the provincial level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Feng; Zheng, Xinye

2012-01-01

We employ decomposition analysis and econometric analysis to investigate the driving forces behind China's changing energy intensity using a provincial-level panel data set for the period from 1995 to 2009. The decomposition analysis indicates that: (a) all of the provinces except for a few experienced efficiency improvement, while around three-fourths of the provinces' economics became more energy intensive or remained unchanged; (b) consequently the efficiency improvement accounts for more than 90% of China's energy intensity change as opposed to the economic structural change. The econometric analysis shows that the rising income plays a significant role in the reduction of energy intensity while the effect of energy price is relatively limited. The result may reflect the urgency of deregulating the price and establishing a market-oriented pricing system in China's energy sector. The implementation of the energy intensity reduction policies in the Eleventh Five-Year Plan (FYP) has helped reverse the increasing trend of energy intensity since 2002. Although the Chinese Government intended to change the industry-led economic growth pattern, it seems that most of the policy effects flow through the efficiency improvement as opposed to the economic structure adjustment. More fundamental changes to the economic structure are needed to achieve more sustainable progress in energy intensity reduction. - Highlights: ► We examine the determinants of China's energy intensity change at provincial level. ► Rising income plays a significant role in reducing China's energy intensity. ► Policy effects mainly flow through the efficiency improvement. ► Fundamental structure changes are needed to further reduce China's energy intensity.

A Highly intense DC muon source, MuSIC and muon CLFV search

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hino, Y.; Kuno, Y.; Sato, A.; Sakamoto, H.; Matsumoto, Y.; Tran, N.H.; Hashim, I.H.; Fukuda, M.; Hayashida, Y.; Ogitsu, T.; Yamamoto, A.; Yoshida, M.

2014-01-01

MuSIC is a new muon facility, which provides the world's highest intense muon beam with continuous time structure at Research Center of Nuclear Physics (RCNP), Osaka University. It's intensity is designed to be 10 8 muons per second with only 0.4 kW proton beam. Such a high intense muon beam is very important for searches of rare decay processes, for example search for the muon to electron conversion

Implementation of the Electronics Chain for the Bunch by Bunch Intensity Measurement Devices for the LHC

CERN Document Server

Belohrad, D; Ludwig, M; Savioz, J J; Thoulet, S

2009-01-01

The fast beam intensity measurements for the LHC are provided by eight Fast Beam Current Transformers (FBCT). Four FBCTs installed in the LHC rings are capable of providing both bunch-by-bunch and total turn-by-turn beam intensity information. A further four FBCTs, two in each of the LHC dump lines, are used to measure the total extracted beam intensity. In addition to providing intensity information the ring FBCTs also send signals to the machine protection system. This increases the complexity of both the RF front-end and the digital acquisition parts of the signal processing chain. The aim of this paper is to discuss the implemented hardware solution for the FBCT system, in particular with respect to the signal distribution, FPGA signal processing, calibration, and interaction of the FBCTs with the machine protection chain.

Influence of check dams on debris-flow run-out intensity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Remaître

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Debris flows are very dangerous phenomena claiming thousands of lives and millions of Euros each year over the world. Disaster mitigation includes non-structural (hazard mapping, insurance policies, active structural (drainage systems and passive structural (check dams, stilling basins countermeasures. Since over twenty years, many efforts are devoted by the scientific and engineering communities to the design of proper devices able to capture the debris-flow volume and/or break down the energy. If considerable theoretical and numerical work has been performed on the size, the shape and structure of check dams, allowing the definition of general design criteria, it is worth noting that less research has focused on the optimal location of these dams along the debris-flow pathway.

In this paper, a methodological framework is proposed to evaluate the influence of the number and the location of the check dams on the reduction of the debris-flow intensity (in term of flow thickness, flow velocity and volume. A debris-flow model is used to simulate the run-out of the debris flow. The model uses the Janbu force diagram to resolve the force equilibrium equations; a bingham fluid rheology is introduced and represents the resistance term. The model has been calibrated on two muddy debris-flow events that occurred in 1996 and 2003 at the Faucon watershed (South French Alps.

Influence of the check dams on the debris-flow intensity is quantified taking into account several check dams configurations (number and location as input geometrical parameters. Results indicate that debris-flow intensity is decreasing with the distance between the source area and the first check dams. The study demonstrates that a small number of check dams located near the source area may decrease substantially the debris-flow intensity on the alluvial fans.

Light intensity dependent optical rotation in azobenzene polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Ivanov, M.; Ilieva, D.; Petrova, T.; Dragostinova, V.; Todorov, T.; Nikolova, L.

2006-05-01

We investigate the self-induced rotation of the azimuth of light polarization ellipse in azobenzene polymers. It is initiated by the photoreorientation and ordering of the azobenzenes on illumination with elliptically polarized light resulting in the appearance of an optical axis whose direction is gradually rotated along the depth of the film. A macroscopic chiral structure is created with a pitch depending on light ellipticity and the photobirefringence ▵n in the successive layers of the film. In this work we make use of the fact that at elevated temperatures ▵n is very sensitive to light intensity. In our acrylic amorphous azobenzene polymer at temperatures 50-65°C the saturated values of ▵n are much higher for low intensity of the exciting light than for higher intensity. In this temperature range the polarization azimuth of monochromatic blue light with different intensity is rotated to a different angle after passing through the polymer film. This effect can be used for passive elements rotating the polarization azimuth depending on light intensity and for the formation of light beams with a space-variant polarization state.

Cytotoxic 1,3-Thiazole and 1,2,4-Thiadiazole Alkaloids from Penicillium oxalicum: Structural Elucidation and Total Synthesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zheng Yang

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Two new thiazole and thiadiazole alkaloids, penicilliumthiamine A and B (2 and 3, were isolated from the culture broth of Penicillium oxalicum, a fungus found in Acrida cinerea. Their structures were elucidated mainly by spectroscopic analysis, total synthesis and X-ray crystallographic analysis. Biological evaluations indicated that compound 1, 3a and 3 exhibit potent cytotoxicity against different cancer cell lines through inhibiting the phosphorylation of AKT/PKB (Ser 473, one of important cancer drugs target.

A constrained optimization algorithm for total energy minimization in electronic structure calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Chao; Meza, Juan C.; Wang Linwang

2006-01-01

A new direct constrained optimization algorithm for minimizing the Kohn-Sham (KS) total energy functional is presented in this paper. The key ingredients of this algorithm involve projecting the total energy functional into a sequence of subspaces of small dimensions and seeking the minimizer of total energy functional within each subspace. The minimizer of a subspace energy functional not only provides a search direction along which the KS total energy functional decreases but also gives an optimal 'step-length' to move along this search direction. Numerical examples are provided to demonstrate that this new direct constrained optimization algorithm can be more efficient than the self-consistent field (SCF) iteration

Sleep of 1- and 2-year-old children in intensive care.

Science.gov (United States)

Corser, N C

1996-01-01

Physiologic and psychologic changes associated with sleep disturbance decrease the ability of a critically ill child to adapt to hospitalization and thus hamper recovery. Research demonstrates that intensive care settings interfere with sleep of adults, but little is known about the impact of these settings on children's sleep. An exploratory field study was conducted to describe the sleep-wake patterns of 1- and 2-year-old children in intensive care, identify intensive care environmental stimuli associated with sleep and waking states, compare the intensive care sleep-wake pattern to the pre-illness sleep-wake pattern, and determine the time required for children to return to their pre-illness sleep-wake pattern. Twelve children aged 13 to 35 months composed the sample for the study. Pre-illness and postdischarge sleep patterns, sleep patterns during a 12-hour night in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), and external and internal environmental stimuli were measured. Prior to hospitalization, subjects demonstrated sleep similar to that documented in healthy children. Children in the PICU experienced a significant loss of sleep, frequent awakenings, and a virtual rapid eye movement (REM) sleep deprivation. External environmental stimuli of light, noise, and caregiver activity were negatively correlated with sleep state. Pain and treatment with benzodiazepines were associated with sleep acquisition. Sleep changes persisted after discharge from the PICU and the hospital. Total sleep time recovered more rapidly than nighttime awakening. Parents perceived that their child's sleep remained different longer than total sleep time and night awakening values demonstrated.

Impacts of GDP, Fossil Fuel Energy Consumption, Energy Consumption Intensity, and Economic Structure on SO2 Emissions: A Multi-Variate Panel Data Model Analysis on Selected Chinese Provinces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haoran Zhao

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Atmospheric pollution gradually become a focus of concern all over the world owing to its detrimental influence on human health as well as long range impact on global ecosystem. This paper investigated the relationship among SO2 emissions, GDP, fossil fuel energy consumption, energy consumption intensity, and economic structure of five provinces in China with the highest SO2 emissions spanning from 2002–2015 based on panel data model. Through comparatively analyzing the coefficients in the established panel data model for Hebei, Henan, Inner Mongolia, Shandong, and Shanxi, we can obtain that: (1 fossil fuel energy consumption made the most devotion to SO2 discharge compared with GDP, energy consumption intensity, and economic structure. And the more the fossil fuel energy consumption, the more the devotion made by it to SO2 discharge. (2 GDP devoted less to SO2 emissions than fossil fuel energy consumption, and the larger the scale of the economy, the greater the contribution made by it to SO2 emissions. (3 The higher the proportion of the secondary industry added value accounted in GDP, the more the devotion made by the economic structure and energy consumption intensity to SO2 emissions. Through analyzing the Granger causality examination results, it can be concluded that: (1 there existed a bi-directional causal relationship between fossil fuel energy consumption and SO2 emissions among five selected provinces. (2 There existed uni-directional causal nexus running from GDP to SO2 emissions, from energy consumption intensity to SO2 emissions, and from economic structure to SO2 emissions among five chosen provinces. Based on the empirical analysis, several policy implications were proposed to provide references for policy makers, which were (1 Giving full play to the guiding role of price signals, and improving the price policy for desulfurization. (2 Formulating a new comprehensive evaluation system to measure the regional development level

Application of the Speed-Duration Relationship to Normalize the Intensity of High-Intensity Interval Training

Science.gov (United States)

Ferguson, Carrie; Wilson, John; Birch, Karen M.; Kemi, Ole J.

2013-01-01

The tolerable duration of continuous high-intensity exercise is determined by the hyperbolic Speed-tolerable duration (S-tLIM) relationship. However, application of the S-tLIM relationship to normalize the intensity of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has yet to be considered, with this the aim of present study. Subjects completed a ramp-incremental test, and series of 4 constant-speed tests to determine the S-tLIM relationship. A sub-group of subjects (n = 8) then repeated 4 min bouts of exercise at the speeds predicted to induce intolerance at 4 min (WR4), 6 min (WR6) and 8 min (WR8), interspersed with bouts of 4 min recovery, to the point of exercise intolerance (fixed WR HIIT) on different days, with the aim of establishing the work rate that could be sustained for 960 s (i.e. 4×4 min). A sub-group of subjects (n = 6) also completed 4 bouts of exercise interspersed with 4 min recovery, with each bout continued to the point of exercise intolerance (maximal HIIT) to determine the appropriate protocol for maximizing the amount of high-intensity work that can be completed during 4×4 min HIIT. For fixed WR HIIT tLIM of HIIT sessions was 399±81 s for WR4, 892±181 s for WR6 and 1517±346 s for WR8, with total exercise durations all significantly different from each other (PHIIT, there was no difference in tLIM of each of the 4 bouts (Bout 1: 229±27 s; Bout 2: 262±37 s; Bout 3: 235±49 s; Bout 4: 235±53 s; P>0.050). However, there was significantly less high-intensity work completed during bouts 2 (153.5±40. 9 m), 3 (136.9±38.9 m), and 4 (136.7±39.3 m), compared with bout 1 (264.9±58.7 m; P>0.050). These data establish that WR6 provides the appropriate work rate to normalize the intensity of HIIT between subjects. Maximal HIIT provides a protocol which allows the relative contribution of the work rate profile to physiological adaptations to be considered during alternative intensity-matched HIIT protocols. PMID:24244266

Complex Spiral Structure in the HD 100546 Transitional Disk as Revealed by GPI and MagAO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Follette, Katherine B.; Macintosh, Bruce; Mullen, Wyatt; Bailey, Vanessa P. [Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305 (United States); Rameau, Julien [Institut de Recherche sur les Exoplanètes, Départment de Physique, Université de Montréal, Montréal QC H3C 3J7 (Canada); Dong, Ruobing; Close, Laird M.; Males, Jared R.; Morzinski, Katie M. [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); Pueyo, Laurent; Perrin, Marshall [Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Duchêne, Gaspard; Fung, Jeffrey; Wang, Jason [Astronomy Department, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley CA 94720 (United States); Leonard, Clare; Spiro, Elijah [Physics and Astronomy Department, Amherst College, 21 Merrill Science Drive, Amherst, MA 01002 (United States); Marois, Christian [National Research Council of Canada Herzberg, 5071 West Saanich Road, Victoria, BC V9E 2E7 (Canada); Millar-Blanchaer, Maxwell A. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Ammons, S. Mark [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94551 (United States); Barman, Travis [Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States); and others

2017-06-01

We present optical and near-infrared high-contrast images of the transitional disk HD 100546 taken with the Magellan Adaptive Optics system (MagAO) and the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI). GPI data include both polarized intensity and total intensity imagery, and MagAO data are taken in Simultaneous Differential Imaging mode at H α . The new GPI H -band total intensity data represent a significant enhancement in sensitivity and field rotation compared to previous data sets and enable a detailed exploration of substructure in the disk. The data are processed with a variety of differential imaging techniques (polarized, angular, reference, and simultaneous differential imaging) in an attempt to identify the disk structures that are most consistent across wavelengths, processing techniques, and algorithmic parameters. The inner disk cavity at 15 au is clearly resolved in multiple data sets, as are a variety of spiral features. While the cavity and spiral structures are identified at levels significantly distinct from the neighboring regions of the disk under several algorithms and with a range of algorithmic parameters, emission at the location of HD 100546 “ c ” varies from point-like under aggressive algorithmic parameters to a smooth continuous structure with conservative parameters, and is consistent with disk emission. Features identified in the HD 100546 disk bear qualitative similarity to computational models of a moderately inclined two-armed spiral disk, where projection effects and wrapping of the spiral arms around the star result in a number of truncated spiral features in forward-modeled images.

Light-intensity physical activity is associated with insulin resistance in elderly Japanese women independent of moderate-to vigorous-intensity physical activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Gando, Yuko; Murakami, Haruka; Kawakami, Ryoko; Tanaka, Noriko; Sanada, Kiyoshi; Tabata, Izumi; Higuchi, Mitsuru; Miyachi, Motohiko

2014-02-01

It is unclear whether light physical activity is beneficially associated with insulin resistance, similar to moderate and/or vigorous physical activity. This cross-sectional study was performed to determine the relationship between the amount of light physical activity, as determined with a triaxial accelerometer, and insulin resistance. A total of 807 healthy men and women participated in this study. Physical activity was measured using a triaxial accelerometer worn for 28 days and summarized as light intensity (1.1-2.9 METs) or moderate to vigorous intensity (≥ 3.0 METs). Insulin resistance was evaluated by HOMA_R (FPG [mg/dL] × IRI [μU/mL]/405). The daily time spent in light physical activity was inversely associated with HOMA_R (r = -0.173, P physical activity and HOMA_R remained statistically significant (β = -0.119, P physical activity remained significantly associated with HOMA_R following further adjustment for moderate to vigorous intensity activity (β = -0.125, P physical activity was modeled as quartiles, especially in elderly women. These cross-sectional data suggest that light-intensity physical activity is beneficially associated with insulin resistance in elderly Japanese women.

Measurement of intense coherent synchrotron radiation at frequencies around 0.1 THz using the compact S-band linac

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sei, Norihiro; Kuroda, Ryunosuke; Yasumoto, Masato; Toyokawa, Hiroyuki; Ogawa, Hiroshi; Koike, Masaki; Yamada, Kawakatsu

2008-01-01

We measured intense radiation from an electron bunch in a millimeter wave region using the compact S-band linac. The dependence of the radiation on the electron-bunch charge was measured with an rf detector system at frequencies around 0.1 THz and was confirmed to be a coherent synchrotron radiation (CSR). The total power of the horizontally and vertically polarized CSRs, which were extracted through the Z-cut quartz window within 1 ns, was calculated to be about 88 and 30 nJ/pulse, excluding the absorption by the window. The two-dimensional distribution of the vertically polarized CSR was measured at a distance of about 0.7 m from the radiation point. The CSR distribution was comparatively uniform in the horizontal plane. Intense CSR, which was reflected in the vacuum chamber, was extracted with a delay of about 6 ns. This suggests that measurement of temporal structure is needed for CSR applications

Prevalence and Mean Intensity of Ectoparasite Infections in Pond ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A cross sectional study was carried out between September 2007 and September 2008 to investigate the prevalence and mean intensity of ectoparasite infections on the gills and skin of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in Morogoro, Tanzania. A total of 229 fish from 19 ponds were studied. Trichodina spp. and ...

Rehabilitation after total joint replacement: a scoping study.

Science.gov (United States)

L Snell, Deborah; Hipango, Julia; Sinnott, K Anne; Dunn, Jennifer A; Rothwell, Alastair; Hsieh, C Jean; DeJong, Gerben; Hooper, Gary

2018-07-01

The evidence supporting rehabilitation after joint replacement, while vast, is of variable quality making it difficult for clinicians to apply the best evidence to their practice. We aimed to map key issues for rehabilitation following joint replacement, highlighting potential avenues for new research. We conducted a scoping study including research published between January 2013 and December 2016, evaluating effectiveness of rehabilitation following hip and knee total joint replacement. We reviewed this work in the context of outcomes described from previously published research. Thirty individual studies and seven systematic reviews were included, with most research examining the effectiveness of physiotherapy-based exercise rehabilitation after total knee replacement using randomized control trial methods. Rehabilitation after hip and knee replacement whether carried out at the clinic or monitored at home, appears beneficial but type, intensity and duration of interventions were not consistently associated with outcomes. The burden of comorbidities rather than specific rehabilitation approach may better predict rehabilitation outcome. Monitoring of recovery and therapeutic attention appear important but little is known about optimal levels and methods required to maximize outcomes. More work exploring the role of comorbidities and key components of therapeutic attention and the therapy relationship, using a wider range of study methods may help to advance the field. Implications for Rehabilitation Physiotherapy-based exercise rehabilitation after total hip replacement and total knee replacement, whether carried out at the clinic or monitored at home, appears beneficial. Type, intensity, and duration of interventions do not appear consistently associated with outcomes. Monitoring a patient's recovery appears to be an important component. The available research provides limited guidance regarding optimal levels of monitoring needed to achieve gains following hip

Intense upconversion luminescence in ytterbium-sensitized thulium-doped oxychloride germanate glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Hongtao; Zhanga Liyan; Zhang Junjie; Wen Lei; Yu Chunlei; Duan Zhongchao; Dai Shixun; Hu Lili; Jiang Zhonghong

2005-01-01

Structural and upconversion fluorescence properties in ytterbium-sensitized thulium-doped oxychloride germanate glass have been studied. The structure of oxychloride germanate glass was investigated by peak-deconvolution of Raman spectrum, and the structural information was obtained from the peak wavenumbers. The Raman spectrum investigation indicates that PbCl 2 plays an important role in the formation of glass network, and has an important influence on the upconversion luminescence. Intense blue and weak red emissions centered at 477 and 650 nm, corresponding to the transitions 1 G 4 → 3 H 6 and 1 G 4 → 3 H 4 , respectively, were observed at room temperature. The possible upconversion mechanisms are discussed and estimated. Intense upconversion luminescence indicates that oxychloride germanate glass can be used as potential host material for upconversion lasers

Measurement of the total ionisation intensity near the ground and separation of the various components; Mesure de l'intensite totale d'ionisation au voisinage du sol et separation de ses differentes composantes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grevet, Ph [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1965-06-01

The aim of this work is to measure the total amount of ion-pairs produced in the air per unit time and unit volume. It is possible, furthermore, by using continuous recording to study the variations in the ionisation due to {alpha}, {beta} and {gamma} radiation at a height of one metre. The apparatus which has been developed consists of two chambers of 120 litres: one, hermetically sealed detects the {gamma} component, the other with a circulation of the ambient air detects the {alpha} and {gamma}; it is thus possible by difference to evaluate the {alpha} component. The chambers and the associated electronic equipment have been designed for continuous operation in the open air. Another chamber without walls can be used for measuring directly the total ionisation intensity and from this an approximate calculation may be made of the {beta} component. A series of recordings has been made near Saclay where the natural radio-activity level is moderate, and in regions of low and high activity (near the sea and in the CEA's mining divisions). It has thus been possible to show the variation in the {gamma} component as a function of the geographic position of the measurement (from 3.7 to 6.3 l/cm{sup 3}.s), the very large variations of the {alpha} component at a given place with changing meteorological conditions (from 1.5 to 45 l/cm{sup 3}.s at Saclay for example) an the far smaller variations in the {beta} component. (author) [French] Le but de ce travail est de mesurer la quantite totale de paires d'ions produite dans l'air par unite de temps et de volume. Des enregistrements continus permettent, de plus, d'etudier les variations a 1 m du sol de cette ionisation due aux rayonnements {alpha}, {beta} et {gamma}. L'appareillage mis au point est forme de deux chambres de 120 litres: l'une hermetiquement fermee detecte la composante {gamma}; l'autre avec circulation de l'air ambiant detecte {alpha} + {gamma} ce qui permet d'evaluer par difference la composante {alpha}. Les

A Highly intense DC muon source, MuSIC and muon CLFV search

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hino, Y.; Kuno, Y.; Sato, A. [Department of Physics, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043 (Japan); Sakamoto, H. [Department of Physics, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043 (Japan); Research Center of Nuclear Physics, 10-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047 (Japan); Matsumoto, Y.; Tran, N.H.; Hashim, I.H. [Department of Physics, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043 (Japan); Fukuda, M.; Hayashida, Y. [Research Center of Nuclear Physics, 10-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047 (Japan); Ogitsu, T.; Yamamoto, A.; Yoshida, M. [High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801 (Japan)

2014-08-15

MuSIC is a new muon facility, which provides the world's highest intense muon beam with continuous time structure at Research Center of Nuclear Physics (RCNP), Osaka University. It's intensity is designed to be 10{sup 8} muons per second with only 0.4 kW proton beam. Such a high intense muon beam is very important for searches of rare decay processes, for example search for the muon to electron conversion.

Maximizing Conservation and Production with Intensive Forest Management: It's All About Location

Science.gov (United States)

Tittler, Rebecca; Filotas, Élise; Kroese, Jasmin; Messier, Christian

2015-11-01

Functional zoning has been suggested as a way to balance the needs of a viable forest industry with those of healthy ecosystems. Under this system, part of the forest is set aside for protected areas, counterbalanced by intensive and extensive management of the rest of the forest. Studies indicate this may provide adequate timber while minimizing road construction and favoring the development of large mature and old stands. However, it is unclear how the spatial arrangement of intensive management areas may affect the success of this zoning. Should these areas be agglomerated or dispersed throughout the forest landscape? Should managers prioritize (a) proximity to existing roads, (b) distance from protected areas, or (c) site-specific productivity? We use a spatially explicit landscape simulation model to examine the effects of different spatial scenarios on landscape structure, connectivity for native forest wildlife, stand diversity, harvest volume, and road construction: (1) random placement of intensive management areas, and (2-8) all possible combinations of rules (a)-(c). Results favor the agglomeration of intensive management areas. For most wildlife species, connectivity was the highest when intensive management was far from the protected areas. This scenario also resulted in relatively high harvest volumes. Maximizing distance of intensive management areas from protected areas may therefore be the best way to maximize the benefits of intensive management areas while minimizing their potentially negative effects on forest structure and biodiversity.

Portable ultrahigh-vacuum sample storage system for polarization-dependent total-reflection fluorescence x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Watanabe, Yoshihide, E-mail: e0827@mosk.tytlabs.co.jp; Nishimura, Yusaku F.; Suzuki, Ryo; Beniya, Atsushi; Isomura, Noritake [Toyota Central R& D Labs., Inc., Yokomichi 41-1, Nagakute, Aichi 480-1192 (Japan); Uehara, Hiromitsu; Asakura, Kiyotaka; Takakusagi, Satoru [Catalysis Research Center, Hokkaido University, Kita 21-10, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0021 (Japan); Nimura, Tomoyuki [AVC Co., Ltd., Inada 1450-6, Hitachinaka, Ibaraki 312-0061 (Japan)

2016-03-15

A portable ultrahigh-vacuum sample storage system was designed and built to investigate the detailed geometric structures of mass-selected metal clusters on oxide substrates by polarization-dependent total-reflection fluorescence x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (PTRF-XAFS). This ultrahigh-vacuum (UHV) sample storage system provides the handover of samples between two different sample manipulating systems. The sample storage system is adaptable for public transportation, facilitating experiments using air-sensitive samples in synchrotron radiation or other quantum beam facilities. The samples were transferred by the developed portable UHV transfer system via a public transportation at a distance over 400 km. The performance of the transfer system was demonstrated by a successful PTRF-XAFS study of Pt{sub 4} clusters deposited on a TiO{sub 2}(110) surface.

A Modern Approach to Total Wellbeing

Science.gov (United States)

Hadzic, Maja; Chen, Meifania; Brouwer, Rick; Dillon, Tharam

The events of the last decades have impacted our lives and our health significantly. We expected that the technology boom will improve our lives. While this may be true in a specific context, generally speaking our societies are suffering from moral decays, terrorism fears, wars, financial crisis and unpredictable acts of nature that are increasing in frequency and in intensity. The complex nature of the world we live is impacting our health and wellbeing considerably. Our health is not only determined by our physical health but is the end product of the interplay of the physical, mental, emotional, financial, relational and spiritual events of a lifetime. In this paper we develop a framework that will help us define and measure total wellbeing of individuals in our volatile societies. This framework will help us better understand the complex nature of total wellbeing and develop effective prevention and intervention strategies.

Total Factor Productivity Convergence in German States Since Reunification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Burda, Michael C.; Severgnini, Battista

2018-01-01

A quarter-century after reunification, labor productivity in the states of eastern Germany continues to lag systematically behind the West. Persistent gaps in total factor productivity (TFP) are the proximate cause; conventional and capital-free measurements confirm a sharp slowdown in TFP growth...... of managers, low startup intensity and the distribution of firm size in the East rather than R&D activities....

Frequency of candidemias in a tertiary care intensive care unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yaqub, K.M.; Usman, J.; Zaidi, S.B.H.; Khalil, A.; Noor, N.; Gill, M.M.

2013-01-01

Objective: To determine the frequency of fungal infections in intensive care unit (ICU) of Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, a tertiary care health facility. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Intensive Care Department of Military Hospital Rawalpindi from 01 Jan 2012 to 30 Jun 2012. Methodology: A total of 89 patients were screened with stay of more than 5 days in intensive care unit. Thirty cases were enrolled in the study for investigation of fungal infections that had fever even after 05 days of being on broad spectrum antibiotics. Culture was done on blood, urine and catheter tip samples as per clinical condition of a patient. Results: Candida infection was found in 23.4% of study cases. The mean age of study patients was 41.2 +- 20.0 years while 63.4% were female patients as compared to 36.7% males. Conclusion: Fungal infections especially candidemias are quite frequent in the intensive care units. (author)

Exercise intensity of cycle-touring events.

Science.gov (United States)

Neumayr, G; Pfister, R; Mitterbauer, G; Gaenzer, H; Sturm, W; Eibl, G; Hoertnagl, H

2002-10-01

The aim of the study was to analyze the exercise intensity of recreational cyclists participating in a cycling-touring event. In 14 male healthy recreational cyclists heart rate (HR) monitoring was performed during the Otztal Radmarathon 1999 (distance: 230 km; altitude difference: 5500 m) in order to evaluate the HR response and to estimate the cardiopulmonary strains for the less-trained athlete confronted with such a marathon. Four different exercise intensities were defined as percentages of maximal HR (HR(max)) as follows: recovery HR (HR(re)) 90 %. All athletes finished the competition successfully. The mean racing time was 10 h 14 min, the average speed 22.5 km/h. The mean HR(max) was 188 bpm, the average value of the measured HRs (HR(average)) was 145 bpm resulting in a mean HR(average)/HR(max) ratio of 0.77. Athletes spent 18.5 % (1 h 54 min) of total race time within HR(re), 28 % (2 h 52 min) within HR(ma), 39.5 % (4 h 02 min) within HR(ia), and 14 % (1 h 26 min) within HR(an). The vast majority of exercise was done under "aerobic conditions" (HR(re) + HR(ma) + HR(ia) = 86 % or 8 h 48 min) - confirming the knowledge that the aerobic energy supply is crucial for the performance of long-term exercise. The large amount of high exercise intensities (HR(ia) + HR(an) = 53.5 % or 5 h 30 min), however, features the intense cardiopulmonary strains evoked by such competitions. The HR response was related to the course profile with HRs significantly declining in all subjects to an extent of 10 % during the course of race. Our findings show that the exercise intensity borne by recreational cyclists during a cycle-touring event is high and very similar to that of professionals. With respect to the high cardiovascular strains a thorough medical screening is advisable for any participant of such an event combining both high volume and high intensity loads.

Pattern of side feeding intensity in mass 40 region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kshetri, Ritesh; Ray, Indrani; Mukherjee, A.

2005-01-01

Mass 40 region has many interesting features to offer to the fields of nuclear structure. In this paper, intention was made to study the effect of forward and inverse type of reaction and excitation energy on the side feeding intensity pattern in the mass region 40. The effect of coexistence of different types of structural features in this mass region will also be investigated

Validation of the Social Networking Activity Intensity Scale among Junior Middle School Students in China

OpenAIRE

Li, Jibin; Lau, Joseph T. F.; Mo, Phoenix K. H.; Su, Xuefen; Wu, Anise M. S.; Tang, Jie; Qin, Zuguo

2016-01-01

Background Online social networking use has been integrated into adolescents? daily life and the intensity of online social networking use may have important consequences on adolescents? well-being. However, there are few validated instruments to measure social networking use intensity. The present study aims to develop the Social Networking Activity Intensity Scale (SNAIS) and validate it among junior middle school students in China. Methods A total of 910 students who were social networking...

Deconstructing the Rosenfeld curve: Making sense of California's low electricity intensity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sudarshan, Anant

2013-01-01

Regulatory regimes that have increased household energy efficiency are of widespread interest to policymakers today. A prominent example is the state of California where electricity intensities in the residential sector have stayed near constant since the 1970s in sharp contrast to nationwide trends in the United States. A structural model of residential energy consumption is used to show that the use of energy intensities alone to evaluate the success of California efficiency programs is misleading and glosses over important policy independent factors. We quantify important effects of price, climate conditions and demographic characteristics on energy consumption in California. We also provide evidence of split incentive considerations in residential energy consumption patterns. We conclude that while state policy may have had some effect on efficiency, caution needs to be exercised in using the California example to inform expectations from similar measures in other regions. - Highlights: • We model electricity and heating fuel consumption in US households. • We use the structural model to estimate price elasticities. • California energy intensities are strongly influenced by policy independent factors. • The role of energy efficiency policy in lowering intensities is limited. • Evidence of split incentive considerations in energy demand

The structure of settlement space in a Polynesian chiefdom; Kawela, Molokai, Hawaiian Islands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weisler, M; Kirch, P V [Washington Univ., Seattle, WA (USA)

1985-01-01

A major settlement pattern study of a late prehistoric archaeological landscape on Molokaii Island, Hawaii, is summarised. The study focusses on the structure of settlement space within a 7.7 sq. km area situated along the south-central coast of Molokaii, and encompassing two traditional land units (ahupua'a), Kawela and Makakupaia Iki. Intensive survey resulted in the discovery of 499 architectural features. These features were recorded using a standardised data-base system (designed for computerised analysis using SPSS) with 37 discrete and continuous variable, including environmental data, architectural attributes, metrical data, and the presence and density of surface cultural materials. Seventy-two structural features (14 percent of the total sample) were excavated; the total excavated area of 442.5 sq. m provides the largest subsurface data base associated with an intensive settlement pattern survey in the Hawaiian Islands. The late prehistoric and largely contemporaneous nature of this sample is indicated by 13 radiocarbon age determinations, ranging from A.D. 1650-1820. The possibilities for directly applying ethnohistoric models in the analysis and interpretation of this settlement pattern are enhanced by the protohistoric age of the archaeological landscape. The structure of settlement space at Kawela and Makakupaia Iki is examined from the perspectives of several paradigms, including environmental, social, economic and semiotic. No single paradigm provides an adequate account of the variation and complexity of the settlement landscape; in consort, however, these varied perspectives contribute to an enhanced understanding of the structure of late prehistoric Hawaiian society. 45 refs; 12 figs; 3 tables.

Experimental studies of 2.45 GHz ECR ion sources for the production of high intensity currents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coly, A.

2010-12-01

This thesis is the result of a collaboration between the Pantechnik company and the LPSC (Laboratory of subatomic physics and cosmology of Grenoble). It consisted in the development of a new test bench dedicated to the characterization of a 2.45 GHz ECR ion sources with the aim of the production of high currents beams for industrial purposes. Two ECR ions sources with different magnetic structures have been tested around the same RF injection system. A new 2.45 GHz ECRIS, named SPEED, featuring a dipolar magnetic field at the extraction has been designed and tested. A study of the beam extraction in the dipolar magnetic field is proposed. First tests have shown a total ionic current density of about 10 mA/cm 2 with a 900 W RF power. Tests with hydrogen plasma have shown a maximum of current on the H 2 + species. Recommendations are given to modify the magnetic structure to improve the H + production yield. The MONO1000 ion source has been tested at high RF power with a wave guide type injection system. Intense total ionic current densities have been measured up to about 95 mA/cm 2 with a diode extraction system. First results using an improved 5 electrode extraction system are presented. (author)

Convection index as a tool for trend analysis of intense summer storms in Switzerland

Science.gov (United States)

Gaal, Ladislav; Molnar, Peter; Szolgay, Jan

2013-04-01

Convective summer thunderstorms are generally responsible for the most devastating floods in urban and small natural catchments. In this study we focus on the identification of the nature and magnitude of changes in the properties of intense summer storms of convective character in Switzerland in the last three decades. The study is based on precipitation records from the SwissMetNet (MeteoSwiss) network at 63 stations that cover altitudes ranging from 200 up to 3300 m a.s.l. over the period 1981-2012 (32 years). Additionally, the same stations also measure the number of lightning strikes within a range of 30 km from each station. In an accompanying contribution we describe the method how intensive summer storms can be reliably selected out of all storms in long and high resolution precipitation time series. On the basis of the statistical distributions and dependence among key storm characteristics at the event scale (total rainfall depth R, storm duration D, and peak intensity I) and using high resolution lightning data as a surrogate we defined a threshold intensity I* that differentiates between the events accompanied with lightning with an acceptably small probability of misclassification. This allowed us to identify intense summer events with convective character as those where I > I* regardless of their duration or total rainfall depth. The current study makes use of the threshold intensity I* for the definition of a seasonal convection index at each station (Llasat, 2001). This index gives us a measure of 'convectiveness', i.e. the total precipitation depth coming from convective storms relative to the total precipitation depth of all summer storms. We computed the convection index at all 63 stations and analyzed the series for trends. We found that the seasonal convection index increases at most of the stations in Switzerland and in approximately 20% of the cases this increase is statistically significant. This is likely a consequence of the fact that the

Subsurface Structure Determination of Geotermal Area in Siogung-ogung Samosir District by Using Magnetic Method

Science.gov (United States)

Tampubolon, Togi; Hutahaean, Juniar; Siregar, Suryani N. J.

2018-03-01

Underwater research often uses geomagnets. It is one of the geophysical methods for measuring magnetic field variations. This research was done to identify how the subsurface rock structure is and determine kinds of rock based on its susceptibility value in Siogung-ogung geothermal area, Pangururan, Samosir District. The tool measurement of total magnetic field called Proton Precission Magnetometer, positioning using Global Position System, and north axis determination using geological compass. Data collection was done randomly with total 51 measuring points obtained. Data analysis started with International geomagnetics Reference Field correction to obtain the total magnetic field anomaly. Then, the data analysis of total magnetic anomaly was done by using surfer program 12. To get a magnetic anomaly cross section used Magdc For Windows program. Magnetic measurement results indicated that the variation of magnetic field strength in each point with the lowest magnetic intensity value of 41785.67 nano tesla. The highest magnetic intensity value is 43140, 33. From the results of qualitative interpretation, the magnetic anomaly value is at -200.92 to 1154.45 whereas the quantitative interpretive results of model show the existence of degradation and andesitic rocks, with the value of susceptibility

Bacterial intensity and localization in primary molars with caries disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A P Beltrame

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Aim: The aim was to assess the characteristics and outcomes of infections affecting the structures of carious primary molars. Materials and Methods: Forty primary molars were used and classified according to the following clinical situation: With profound caries lesion, with bone loss at the furcation region, with perforation of the pulp chamber floor, and residual roots. The teeth were demineralized, cut, and stained with both haematoxylin-eosin and Brown and Brenn staining techniques. Assessment was performed using optical microscopy. Results: Statistical analysis of the data by means of the Chi-square test suggests that there was a significant relationship (P<0.001 between the intensity and localization of infection and the level of destruction of dental structures. A significant difference was also observed in the intensity and localization of infection between the groups regarding crown, furca, and root (P<0.001. Conclusion: More intense and profound the infection, more severe is the dental destruction. The groups of residual roots showed the most severe bacterial infection compared to other groups.

The Chinese family-centered care survey for adult intensive care unit: A psychometric study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wen-Ling; Feng, Jui-Ying; Wang, Chi-Jen; Chen, Jing-Huei

2016-02-01

This study aimed to develop a family-centered care survey for Chinese adult intensive care units and to establish the survey's psychometric properties. Family-centered care (FCC) is widely recognized as an ideal model of care. Few studies have explored FCC perceptions among family members of adult critical care patients in Asian countries, and no Chinese FCC measurement has been developed. An English version of the 3-factor family-centered care survey for adult intensive care units (FCCS-AICU) was translated into Chinese using a modified back translation procedure. Based on the literature review, two additional concepts, information and empowerment, were added to the Chinese FCCS-AICU. The psychometric properties of the Chinese FCCS-AICU were determined with 249 family members from a medical center in Taiwan and were tested for construct and convergent validity, and internal consistency. Both the monolingual and bilingual equivalence tests of the English and Chinese versions of the 3-factor FCCS-AICU were supported. Exploratory factor analysis supported the 5-factor structure of the Chinese FCCS-AICU with a total explained variance of 58.34%. The Chinese FCCS-AICU was correlated with the Chinese Critical Care Family Needs Inventory. Internal consistency, determined by Cronbach's α, for the overall scale was .94. The Chinese FCCS-AICU is a valid and reliable tool for measuring perceptions of FCC by family members of adult intensive care patients within Chinese-speaking communities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Responses of Soil Microbial Community Structure and Diversity to Agricultural Deintensification

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

ZHANG Wei-Jian; S.HU; RUI Wen-Yi; C.TU; H.G.DIAB; F.J.LOUWS; J.P.MUELLER; N.CREAMER; M.BELL; M.G.WAGGER

2005-01-01

Using a scheme of agricultural fields with progressively less intensive management (deintensification), different management practices in six agroecosystems located near Goldsboro, NC, USA were tested in a large-scale experiment, including two cash-grain cropping systems employing either tillage (CT) or no-tillage (NT), an organic farming system (OR), an integrated cropping system with animals (IN), a successional field (SU), and a plantation woodlot (WO). Microbial phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles and substrate utilization patterns (BIOLOG ECO plates) were measured to examine the effects of deintensification on the structure and diversity of soil microbial communities. Principle component analyses of PLFA and BIOLOG data showed that the microbial community structure diverged among the soils of the six systems.Lower microbial diversity was found in lowly managed ecosystem than that in intensive and moderately managed agroecosystems, and both fungal contribution to the total identified PLFAs and the ratio of microbial biomass C/N increased along with agricultural deintensification. Significantly higher ratios of C/N (P ＜ 0.05) were found in the WO and SU systems, and for fungal/bacterial PLFAs in the WO system (P ＜ 0.05). There were also significant decreases (P ＜ 0.05)along with agricultural deintensification for contributions of total bacterial and gram positive (G+) bacterial PLFAs.Agricultural deintensification could facilitate the development of microbial communities that favor soil fungi over bacteria.

Total scalp irradiation using helical tomotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orton, Nigel; Jaradat, Hazim; Welsh, James; Tome, Wolfgang

2005-01-01

Homogeneous irradiation of the scalp poses technical and dosimetric challenges due to the extensive, superficial, curved treatment volume. Conventional treatments on a linear accelerator use multiple matched electron fields or a combination of electron and photon fields. Problems with these techniques include dose heterogeneity in the target due to varying source-to-skin distance (SSD) and angle of beam incidence, significant dose to the brain, and the potential for overdose or underdose at match lines between the fields. Linac-based intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) plans have similar problems. This work presents treatment plans for total scalp irradiation on a helical tomotherapy machine. Helical tomotherapy is well-suited for scalp irradiation because it has the ability to deliver beamlets that are tangential to the scalp at all points. Helical tomotherapy also avoids problems associated with field matching and use of more than one modality. Tomotherapy treatment plans were generated and are compared to plans for treatment of the same patient on a linac. The resulting tomotherapy plans show more homogeneous target dose and improved critical structure dose when compared to state-of-the-art linac techniques. Target equivalent uniform dose (EUD) for the best tomotherapy plan was slightly higher than for the linac plan, while the volume of brain tissue receiving over 30 Gy was reduced by two thirds. Furthermore, the tomotherapy plan can be more reliably delivered than linac treatments, because the patient is aligned prior to each treatment based on megavoltage computed tomography (MVCT)

The different effects of high intensity interval training and moderate intensity interval training for weightlessness countermeasures

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lin-Jie; Cheng, Tan; Zhi-Li, Li; Hui-juan, Wang; Wen-juan, Chen; Jianfeng, Zhang; Desheng, Wang; Dongbin, Niu; Qi, Zhao; Chengjia, Yang; Yanqing, Wang

High intensity interval training (HIIT) has been demonstrated to improve performance in a relatively short training period. But the difference between high intensity interval training and moderate intensity interval training (MIIT) in simulated weightlessness still has not been well studied. This study sought to characterize the difference between 6 weeks high intensity interval training and moderate intensity interval training under reduced weight (RW) gait training device and zero-gravity locomotion system (ZLS). Twenty-three subjects (14M/4F, 32.5±4.5 years) volunteered to participate. They were divided into three groups, that were MITT (alternating 2 min at 40% VO _{2} peak and 2 min at 60% VO _{2} peak for 30min, five days per week) RW group (n=8), HITT (alternating 2 min at 40% VO _{2} peak and 2 min at 90% VO _{2} peak for 30min, three days per week) RW group (n=8) and HITT ZLS group (n=7). The Z-axis load used in RW group was 80% body weight (BW) and in ZLS was 100% BW. Cardiopulmonary function was measured before, after 4-week training and after 6-week training. Isokinetic knee extension-flexion test at 60(°) deg/s and 180(°) deg/s were performed before and after the 6-week training, and isometric knee extension-flexion test at 180(°) deg/s was also examined at the same time. It was found that the VO _{2} peaks, metabolic equivalent (MET), Speedmax and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) were significantly increased after 4 and 6-week training in all three groups and no significant group difference were detected. The peak torque at 60(°) deg/s for right knee flexion were significantly increased after 6 week-training in all three groups, and only in HITT RW group the total power at 60(°) deg/s for right knee flexion enhanced. The total power and average power at 60(°) deg/s for right knee extension decreased significantly after 6-week training in all three groups. The peak torque at 60(°) deg/s for right knee extension in MIIT RW group was

Direct aperture optimization as a means of reducing the complexity of intensity modulated radiation therapy plans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Broderick, Maria; Leech, Michelle; Coffey, Mary

2009-01-01

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is a means of delivering radiation therapy where the intensity of the beam is varied within the treatment field. This is done by dividing a large beam into many small beamlets. Dose constraints are assigned to both the target and sensitive structures and computerised inverse optimization is performed to find the individual weights of this large number of beamlets. The computer adjusts the intensities of these beamlets according to the required planning dose objectives. The optimized intensity patterns are then decomposed into a series of deliverable multi leaf collimator (MLC) shapes in the sequencing step. One of the main problems of IMRT, which becomes even more apparent as the complexity of the IMRT plan increases, is the dramatic increase in the number of Monitor Units (MU) required to deliver a fractionated treatment. The difficulty with this increase in MU is its association with increased treatment times and a greater leakage of radiation from the MLCs increasing the total body dose and the risk of secondary cancers in patients. Therefore one attempts to find ways of reducing these MU without compromising plan quality. The design of inverse planning systems where the beam is divided into small beamlets to produce the required intensity map automatically introduces complexity into IMRT treatment planning. Plan complexity is associated with many negative factors such as dosimetric uncertainty and delivery issues A large search space is required necessitating much computing power. However, the limitations of the delivery technology are not taken into consideration when designing the ideal intensity map therefore a further step termed the sequencing step is required to convert the ideal intensity map into a deliverable one. Many approaches have been taken to reduce the complexity. These include setting intensity limits, putting penalties on the cost function and using smoothing filters Direct Aperture optimization

Direct aperture optimization as a means of reducing the complexity of intensity modulated radiation therapy plans

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Coffey Mary

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT is a means of delivering radiation therapy where the intensity of the beam is varied within the treatment field. This is done by dividing a large beam into many small beamlets. Dose constraints are assigned to both the target and sensitive structures and computerised inverse optimization is performed to find the individual weights of this large number of beamlets. The computer adjusts the intensities of these beamlets according to the required planning dose objectives. The optimized intensity patterns are then decomposed into a series of deliverable multi leaf collimator (MLC shapes in the sequencing step. One of the main problems of IMRT, which becomes even more apparent as the complexity of the IMRT plan increases, is the dramatic increase in the number of Monitor Units (MU required to deliver a fractionated treatment. The difficulty with this increase in MU is its association with increased treatment times and a greater leakage of radiation from the MLCs increasing the total body dose and the risk of secondary cancers in patients. Therefore one attempts to find ways of reducing these MU without compromising plan quality. The design of inverse planning systems where the beam is divided into small beamlets to produce the required intensity map automatically introduces complexity into IMRT treatment planning. Plan complexity is associated with many negative factors such as dosimetric uncertainty and delivery issues A large search space is required necessitating much computing power. However, the limitations of the delivery technology are not taken into consideration when designing the ideal intensity map therefore a further step termed the sequencing step is required to convert the ideal intensity map into a deliverable one. Many approaches have been taken to reduce the complexity. These include setting intensity limits, putting penalties on the cost function and using smoothing filters Direct

Direct aperture optimization as a means of reducing the complexity of intensity modulated radiation therapy plans

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Broderick, Maria; Leech, Michelle; Coffey, Mary [Division of Radiation Therapy, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland (United Kingdom)

2009-02-16

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is a means of delivering radiation therapy where the intensity of the beam is varied within the treatment field. This is done by dividing a large beam into many small beamlets. Dose constraints are assigned to both the target and sensitive structures and computerised inverse optimization is performed to find the individual weights of this large number of beamlets. The computer adjusts the intensities of these beamlets according to the required planning dose objectives. The optimized intensity patterns are then decomposed into a series of deliverable multi leaf collimator (MLC) shapes in the sequencing step. One of the main problems of IMRT, which becomes even more apparent as the complexity of the IMRT plan increases, is the dramatic increase in the number of Monitor Units (MU) required to deliver a fractionated treatment. The difficulty with this increase in MU is its association with increased treatment times and a greater leakage of radiation from the MLCs increasing the total body dose and the risk of secondary cancers in patients. Therefore one attempts to find ways of reducing these MU without compromising plan quality. The design of inverse planning systems where the beam is divided into small beamlets to produce the required intensity map automatically introduces complexity into IMRT treatment planning. Plan complexity is associated with many negative factors such as dosimetric uncertainty and delivery issues A large search space is required necessitating much computing power. However, the limitations of the delivery technology are not taken into consideration when designing the ideal intensity map therefore a further step termed the sequencing step is required to convert the ideal intensity map into a deliverable one. Many approaches have been taken to reduce the complexity. These include setting intensity limits, putting penalties on the cost function and using smoothing filters Direct Aperture optimization

Intensive Individualized Reinforcement Education Is Important for the Prevention of Hypoglycemia in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yun-Mi Yong

2015-04-01

Full Text Available BackgroundWe investigated whether an intensive individualized reinforcement education program could influence the prevention of hypoglycemic events in patients with type 2 diabetes.MethodsFrom March 2013 to September 2013, patients aged 35 to 75 years with type 2 diabetes who had not previously participated in diabetes education, and treated with insulin or a sulfonylurea-containing regimen were included in the study. After structured group education, the patients assigned to the intensive individualized education group (IT were requested to visit for reinforcement. All subjects in the IT were encouraged to self-manage dose adjustments. Participants in both groups (control group [CG, group education only; n=22] and IT [n=24] attended follow-up visits at 2, 8, 12, and 24 weeks. At each visit, all patients were asked whether they had experienced hypoglycemia.ResultsThe total study population consisted of 20 men (43.5%; mean age and diabetic duration of 55.9±11.0 and 5.1±7.3 years, respectively. At 24 weeks, there were no significant differences in hemoglobin A1c values between the CG and IT. The total number of hypoglycemic events per patient was 5.26±6.5 in the CG and 2.58±2.3 times in the IT (P=0.004. Adherence to lifestyle modification including frequency of exercise, self-monitoring of blood glucose, or dietary habit was not significantly different between the groups. However, adherence to hypoglycemia management, especially the dose adjustment of medication, was significantly higher in the IT compared with the CG.ConclusionCompared with the structured group education, additional IT resulted in additional benefits in terms of avoidance of hypoglycemia and treating hypoglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Intensive individualized reinforcement education is important for the prevention of hypoglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Yong, Yun-Mi; Shin, Kyung-Mi; Lee, Kang-Min; Cho, Jae-Young; Ko, Sun-Hye; Yoon, Min-Hyang; Kim, Tae-Won; Jeong, Jong-Hyun; Park, Yong-Moon; Ko, Seung-Hyun; Ahn, Yu-Bae

2015-04-01

We investigated whether an intensive individualized reinforcement education program could influence the prevention of hypoglycemic events in patients with type 2 diabetes. From March 2013 to September 2013, patients aged 35 to 75 years with type 2 diabetes who had not previously participated in diabetes education, and treated with insulin or a sulfonylurea-containing regimen were included in the study. After structured group education, the patients assigned to the intensive individualized education group (IT) were requested to visit for reinforcement. All subjects in the IT were encouraged to self-manage dose adjustments. Participants in both groups (control group [CG, group education only; n=22] and IT [n=24]) attended follow-up visits at 2, 8, 12, and 24 weeks. At each visit, all patients were asked whether they had experienced hypoglycemia. The total study population consisted of 20 men (43.5%; mean age and diabetic duration of 55.9±11.0 and 5.1±7.3 years, respectively). At 24 weeks, there were no significant differences in hemoglobin A1c values between the CG and IT. The total number of hypoglycemic events per patient was 5.26±6.5 in the CG and 2.58±2.3 times in the IT (P=0.004). Adherence to lifestyle modification including frequency of exercise, self-monitoring of blood glucose, or dietary habit was not significantly different between the groups. However, adherence to hypoglycemia management, especially the dose adjustment of medication, was significantly higher in the IT compared with the CG. Compared with the structured group education, additional IT resulted in additional benefits in terms of avoidance of hypoglycemia and treating hypoglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Total uncertainty of low velocity thermal anemometers for measurement of indoor air movements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, F.; Popiolek, Z.; Melikov, Arsen Krikor

2004-01-01

For a specific thermal anemometer with omnidirectional velocity sensor the expanded total uncertainty in measured mean velocity Û(Vmean) and the expanded total uncertainty in measured turbulence intensity Û(Tu) due to different error sources are estimated. The values are based on a previously...... developed mathematical model of the anemometer in combination with a large database of representative room flows measured with a 3-D Laser Doppler anemometer (LDA). A direct comparison between measurements with a thermal anemometer and a 3-D LDA in flows of varying velocity and turbulence intensity shows...... good agreement not only between the two instruments but also between the thermal anemometer and its mathematical model. The differences in the measurements performed with the two instruments are all well within the measurement uncertainty of both anemometers....

Revival structures of linear molecules in a field-free alignment condition as probed by high-order harmonic generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, G. H.; Kim, H. T.; Park, J. Y.; Nam, C. H.; Kim, T. K.; Lee, J. H.; Ihee, H.

2006-01-01

Revival structures (rotational coherence) of three linear molecules (N 2 , O 2 , and CO 2 ) in a field free alignment condition have been investigated using high-order harmonic generation. The harmonic yields of these molecules were measured in a pump-probe manner by using a weak femtosecond (fs) laser pulse for field-free alignment of molecules and another intense fs laser pulse for harmonic generation. The harmonic intensities from 23rd to 29th order with respect to the time delay between the pump and the probe pulses showed revival structures in the condition of a field-free alignment of molecules. While the revival structure of a N 2 molecule had one-fourth the period of the full revival time and different degrees of modulation among different fractional revival times, the revival structures of O 2 and CO 2 molecules showed one-eighth the periods of the full revival time and similar degrees of modulation among all fractional revival times. The revival structures could be interpreted in terms of the nature of the highest occupied molecular orbital and the total nuclear spin.

Comparisons of low-intensity versus moderate-intensity combined aerobic and resistance training on body composition, muscle strength, and functional performance in older women.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiotsu, Yoko; Yanagita, Masahiko

2018-06-01

This study aimed to examine the effects of exercise order of combined aerobic and low- or moderate-intensity resistance training into the same session on body composition, functional performance, and muscle strength in healthy older women. Furthermore, this study compared the effects of different (low- vs moderate-) intensity combined training. A total of 60 healthy older women (age 61-81 y) were randomly assigned to five groups that performed aerobic exercise before low-intensity resistance training (AR-L, n = 12) or after resistance training (RA-L, n = 12), performed aerobic exercise before moderate-intensity resistance training (AR-M, n = 12) or after resistance training (RA-M, n = 12), or nonintervention control conditions (CON, n = 12). Body composition, functional performance, and muscle strength were evaluated before and after the 10-week training. No effects of exercise order of combined aerobic and low- or moderate-intensity resistance training (AR-L vs RA-L, AR-M vs RA-M) were observed in body composition, functional performance, or muscle strength, whereas the effects of training intensity of combined training (AR-L vs AR-M, RA-L vs RA-M) were observed on functional performance. All combined trainings significantly increased muscle strength and gait ability (P Functional reach test significantly increased in the AR-M and RA-M groups (P training increases muscle strength and improves gait ability, regardless of the exercise order. Also, greater improvement in dynamic balance capacity, a risk factor associated with falling, is observed in moderate-intensity combined training.

Activities Contributing to Total Energy Expenditure in the United States: Results from the NHAPS Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Block Gladys

2004-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Physical activity is increasingly recognized as an important factor influencing health and disease status. Total energy expenditure, both low-intensity and high-intensity, contributes to maintenance of healthy body weight. This paper presents the results of a quantitative approach to determining the activities that contribute to total energy expenditure in the United States. Methods Data from the National Human Activity Pattern Survey (NHAPS were used. In 1992–1994 the NHAPS sampled 4,185 females and 3,330 males, aged 18 years and over, weighted to be representative of the 48 contiguous United States. A detailed report of each activity performed in the previous 24 hours was obtained. A score was created for each activity, by multiplying duration and intensity for each individual and summing across individuals. This score was then used to rank each activity according to its contribution to total population energy expenditure, for the total sample and separately for each gender, race, age, region, and season. Results This analysis reveals our society to be primarily sedentary; leisure time physical activity contributed only approximately 5% of the population's total energy expenditure. Not counting sleeping, the largest contributor to energy expenditure was "Driving a car", followed by "Office work" and "Watching TV". Household activities accounted for 20.1% and 33.3% of energy expenditure for males and females respectively. Conclusion The information presented in this paper may be useful in identifying common activities that could be appropriate targets for behavioral interventions to increase physical activity.

Why did China's energy intensity increase during 1998-2006. Decomposition and policy analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Xiaoli; Ma, Chunbo; Hong, Dongyue

2010-01-01

Despite the fact that China's energy intensity has continuously decreased during the 1980s and mostly 1990s, the decreasing trend has reversed since 1998 and the past few years have witnessed rapid increase in China's energy intensity. We firstly conduct an index decomposition analysis to identify the key forces behind the increase. It is found that: (1) the high energy demand in industrial sectors is mainly attributed to expansion of production scale, especially in energy-intensive industries; (2) energy saving mainly comes from efficiency improvement, with energy-intensive sectors making the largest contribution; and (3) a heavier industrial structure also contributes to the increase. This study also makes the first attempt to bridge the quantitative decomposition analysis with qualitative policy analyses and fill the gap between decomposition results and policy relevance in previous work. We argue that: (1) energy efficiency improvement in energy-intensive sectors is mainly due to the industrial policies that have been implemented in the past few years; (2) low energy prices have directly contributed to high industrial energy consumption and indirectly to the heavy industrial structure. We provide policy suggestions in the end. (author)

Applying total interpretive structural modeling to study factors affecting construction labour productivity

OpenAIRE

Sayali Shrikrishna Sandbhor; Rohan P. Botre

2014-01-01

Construction sector has always been dependent on manpower. Most of the activities carried out on any construction site are labour intensive. Since productivity of any project depends directly on productivity of labour, it is a prime responsibility of the employer to enhance labour productivity. Measures to improve the same depend on analysis of positive and negative factors affecting productivity. Major attention should be given to factors that decrease the productivity of labour. Factor anal...

Clinical significance of subchondral cortical signal intensities in osteoarthritis of knee joints

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakamura, Eijiro; Torisu, Takehiko; Nakamura, Taro; Masumi, Shogo [Oita Medical Univ., Hazama (Japan); Tomari, Kazuhide; Asao, Tunenori; Takagi, Kazuhiro

1996-09-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the abnormal intensity in medial femoral condyle on MR imaging in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. Eighty knees of fifty-eight patients with osteoarthritis of the knee were underwent plain radiography and MR imaging. According to the extension of the abnormal low intensity on T{sub 1} weighted images in medial femoral chondyle, all cases were classified into four types (no exist: 30.0%, small: 30.0%, middle: 30.0%, large: 10.0%). The extension of the abnormal low intensity was closely related to radiographic stage and femoral tibial angle. After radiological examination, in thirteen knees, the biopsy of the abnormal low intensity area on T{sub 1} weighted MR imaging was performed at the time of total knee arthroplasty. Pathological examination revealed that the causative factor of abnormal low intensity on T{sub 1} weighted MR imaging in the medial femoral condyle was trabecular hypertrophy. Our results suggest that the abnormal low intensity on T{sub 1} weighted MR imaging reflects the loading force. (author)

Clinical significance of subchondral cortical signal intensities in osteoarthritis of knee joints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Eijiro; Torisu, Takehiko; Nakamura, Taro; Masumi, Shogo; Tomari, Kazuhide; Asao, Tunenori; Takagi, Kazuhiro.

1996-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the abnormal intensity in medial femoral condyle on MR imaging in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. Eighty knees of fifty-eight patients with osteoarthritis of the knee were underwent plain radiography and MR imaging. According to the extension of the abnormal low intensity on T 1 weighted images in medial femoral chondyle, all cases were classified into four types (no exist: 30.0%, small: 30.0%, middle: 30.0%, large: 10.0%). The extension of the abnormal low intensity was closely related to radiographic stage and femoral tibial angle. After radiological examination, in thirteen knees, the biopsy of the abnormal low intensity area on T 1 weighted MR imaging was performed at the time of total knee arthroplasty. Pathological examination revealed that the causative factor of abnormal low intensity on T 1 weighted MR imaging in the medial femoral condyle was trabecular hypertrophy. Our results suggest that the abnormal low intensity on T 1 weighted MR imaging reflects the loading force. (author)

Estonian total ozone climatology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Eerme

Full Text Available The climatological characteristics of total ozone over Estonia based on the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS data are discussed. The mean annual cycle during 1979–2000 for the site at 58.3° N and 26.5° E is compiled. The available ground-level data interpolated before TOMS, have been used for trend detection. During the last two decades, the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO corrected systematic decrease of total ozone from February–April was 3 ± 2.6% per decade. Before 1980, a spring decrease was not detectable. No decreasing trend was found in either the late autumn ozone minimum or in the summer total ozone. The QBO related signal in the spring total ozone has an amplitude of ± 20 DU and phase lag of 20 months. Between 1987–1992, the lagged covariance between the Singapore wind and the studied total ozone was weak. The spring (April–May and summer (June–August total ozone have the best correlation (coefficient 0.7 in the yearly cycle. The correlation between the May and August total ozone is higher than the one between the other summer months. Seasonal power spectra of the total ozone variance show preferred periods with an over 95% significance level. Since 1986, during the winter/spring, the contribution period of 32 days prevails instead of the earlier dominating 26 days. The spectral densities of the periods from 4 days to 2 weeks exhibit high interannual variability.

Key words. Atmospheric composition and structure (middle atmosphere – composition and chemistry; volcanic effects – Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (climatology

Ultrafast photoionization dynamics at high laser intensities in the xuv regime

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaiser, B.; Vagov, A.; Axt, V. M.; Pietsch, U. [Institut fuer Theoretische Physik III, Universitaet Bayreuth, D-95440 Bayreuth (Germany); Institut fuer Festkoerperphysik, Universitaet Siegen, D-57068 Siegen (Germany)

2011-10-15

We study the ionization dynamics in the soft-x-ray regime for high intensities and short pulses for excitations near the ionization threshold. Using a one-dimensional helium atom model, we compare exact numerical solutions with time-dependent Hartree-Fock results in order to identify the role of electron-electron correlations. At moderate intensities but still in the x-ray and short-pulse regime, we find that the Hartree-Fock theory reproduces well the dynamics of the ground-state occupation, while at high intensities strong correlation effects occur for excitations close to the threshold. From their characteristic momentum distributions, we can identify contributions to the double ionization from sequential three-photon and nonsequential or sequential two-photon processes. At elevated intensities these contributions deviate from their usual intensity scaling due to saturation effects, even though the total double-ionization probability stays below 10%. Furthermore, analysis of the time evolution of the momentum distribution reveals signatures of the energy-time uncertainty which indicate a coherent regime of the dynamics.

Quantifying the statistical importance of utilizing regression over classic energy intensity calculations for tracking efficiency improvements in industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nimbalkar, Sachin U. [ORNL; Wenning, Thomas J. [ORNL; Guo, Wei [ORNL

2017-08-01

In the United States, manufacturing facilities account for about 32% of total domestic energy consumption in 2014. Robust energy tracking methodologies are critical to understanding energy performance in manufacturing facilities. Due to its simplicity and intuitiveness, the classic energy intensity method (i.e. the ratio of total energy use over total production) is the most widely adopted. However, the classic energy intensity method does not take into account the variation of other relevant parameters (i.e. product type, feed stock type, weather, etc.). Furthermore, the energy intensity method assumes that the facilities’ base energy consumption (energy use at zero production) is zero, which rarely holds true. Therefore, it is commonly recommended to utilize regression models rather than the energy intensity approach for tracking improvements at the facility level. Unfortunately, many energy managers have difficulties understanding why regression models are statistically better than utilizing the classic energy intensity method. While anecdotes and qualitative information may convince some, many have major reservations about the accuracy of regression models and whether it is worth the time and effort to gather data and build quality regression models. This paper will explain why regression models are theoretically and quantitatively more accurate for tracking energy performance improvements. Based on the analysis of data from 114 manufacturing plants over 12 years, this paper will present quantitative results on the importance of utilizing regression models over the energy intensity methodology. This paper will also document scenarios where regression models do not have significant relevance over the energy intensity method.

Estimation of stress intensity factors for circumferential cracked pipes under welding residual stress filed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Chang Young; Kim, Yun Jae; Oh, Young Jin; Song, Tae Kwang; Kim, Yong Beum; Oh, Young Jin; Song, Tae Kwang; Kim, Yong Beum

2012-01-01

Recently, stress corrosion cracking(SCC) have been found in dissimilar metal welds of nozzles in some pressurized water reactors and on low carbon stainless steel piping systems of boiling water reactors. The important factor of SCC is the residual stress field caused by weld. For the evaluation of crack growth analysis due to SCC, stress intensity factor under a residual stress field should be estimated. Several solutions for stress intensity factor under residual stress field were recommended in flaw assessment codes such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Section XI, R6, American Petroleum Institute (API579). Some relevant works have been studied. Dong et al. evaluated stress intensity factors in welded structures. Miyazaki et al. estimated stress intensity factors of surface crack in simple stress fields. This paper presents a simple method to estimate stress intensity factors in welding residual stress field. For general application, results of structure integrity assessment codes KI solutions were compared Finite element analyses of welding simulation and cracked pipes are described. Comparison results of KI solutions and proposed simplified solution are presented in the works

Effects of high-intensity training on cardiovascular risk factors in pre- and postmenopausal women

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mandrup Jensen, Camilla Maria; Egelund, Jon; Nyberg, Michael Permin

2017-01-01

and cardiovascular disease in late pre- and early postmenopausal women, matched by age and body composition, and investigate the effect of high-intensity training. METHODS: A 3-month high-intensity aerobic training intervention, involving healthy, non-obese, late pre- (n=40) and early postmenopausal (n=39) women....... A three month intervention of high-intensity aerobic training reduces risk factors for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease to a similar extent in late pre- and early postmenopausal women....... the postmenopausal women had higher total cholesterol (ptraining intervention reduced body weight (p

Classification and quantification of solar wind driver gases leading to intense geomagnetic storms

Science.gov (United States)

Adekoya, B. J.; Chukwuma, V. U.

2018-01-01

Classification and quantification of the interplanetary structures causing intense geomagnetic storms (Dst ≤ -100 nT) that occurred during 1997-2016 are studied. The subject of this consists of solar wind parameters of seventy-three intense storms that are associated with the southward interplanetary magnetic field. About 30.14% of the storms were driven by a combination of the sheath and ejecta (S + E), magnetic clouds (MC) and sheath field (S) are 26% each, 10.96% by combined sheath and MCs (S + C), while 5.48% of the storms were driven by ejecta (E) alone. Therefore, we want to aver that for storms driven by: (1) S + E. The Bz is high (≥10 nT), high density (ρ) (>10 N/cm3), high plasma beta (β) (>0.8), and unspecified (i.e. high or low) structure of the plasma temperature (T) and the flow speed (V); (2) MC. The Bz is ≥10 nT, low temperature (T ≤ 400,000 K), low ρ (≤10 N/cm3), high V (≥450 km), and low β (≤0.8); (3) The structures of S + C are similar to that of MC except that the V is low (V ≤ 450 km); (4) S. The Bz is high, low T, high ρ, unspecified V, and low β; and (5) E. Is when the structures are directly opposite of the one driven by MCs except for high V. Although, westward ring current indicates intense storms, but the large intensity of geomagnetic storms is determined by the intense nature of the electric field strength and the Bz. Therefore, great storms (i.e. Dst ≤ -200 nT) are manifestation of high electric field strength (≥13 mV/m).

Intensity of low-frequency radiations and the interplanetary magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larkina, V.I.; Likhter, Ya.I.

1983-01-01

The data of measurements of ELF/VLF radiations at ''Interkosmos-13'' artificial Earth satellite in auroral latitudes and in the polar cap in the vernal equinox of 1975 are compared with characteristics of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). The absence of north-south asymmetry of variations of ELF/VLF-radiation Intensity in the outer ionosphere versus the IMF characteristics is noted. The intensity of natural ELF- and VLF-radiations depends in a complex way on parameters of the magnetospheric plasma: composition and concentration of ''cold'' particles, geomagnetic field intensity, properties of energetic particle fluxes. The considered variations in the radiation amplitude versus the IMF characteristics show the predominant role of the sector structure polarity and IMF Bsub(y) component sign

Simulation of the Effect of Intensive Forest Management on Forest Production in Sweden

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ola Rosvall

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The effects of intensifying the management of 15% of the Swedish forest land on potential future forest production over a 100-year period were investigated in a simulation study. The intensive management treatments, which were introduced over a period of 50 years, were: intensive fertilization of Norway spruce (IntFert; bulking-up Norway spruce elite populations using somatic embryogenesis (SE-seedlings; planting of lodgepole pine, hybrid larch, and Sitka spruce (Contorta, Larch, and Sitka; fertilization with wood ash on peatlands (Wood ash; and conventional fertilization in mature forests (ConFert. Potential sites for applying intensive forest management (IFM to sites with low nature conservation values were determined with a nature conservation score (NCS. Four different scenarios were simulated: “Base scenario”, which aimed at reducing the negative impact on nature conservation values, “Fast implementation”, “No IntFert” (IntFert was not used, and “Large Forest Companies”, where the majority of plots were selected on company land. Total yields during the 100-year simulation period were about 85–92% higher for the intensive forest management scenarios than for the reference scenario (business as usual. In the “No IntFert” scenario total production was 1.8% lower and in the “Large Forest Companies” scenario total production was 4.8% lower than in the “Base scenario”. “Fast implementation” of IFM increased yield by 15% compared to the “Base scenario”. Norway spruce SE-seedlings and IntFert gave the highest yields, measured as total production during the 100-year simulation period, but relative to the yields in the reference scenario, the highest increases in yield were for Contorta. The “Base scenario” and “No IntFert” gave the highest yields for plots with the lowest NCS, but plots with higher NCS had to be used in the “Fast implementation” and “Large Forest Companies” scenarios. More than

Population Dynamics and Transcriptomic Responses of Chorthippus albonemus (Orthoptera: Acrididae to Herbivore Grazing Intensity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xinghu Qin

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Livestock grazing can trigger outbreaks of insect pests in steppe ecosystems of Inner Mongolia in China. However, the physiological responses of the grasshopper Chorthippus albonemus to grazing are not well-understood. Here we investigated the effects of sheep grazing on the population dynamics and transcriptomic response of C. albonemus. We collected the insects three times (about 20 days apart in 1.33-ha plots in which there were no grazing, light grazing, moderate grazing, heavy grazing, or overgrazing. Our results showed that continuous grazing significantly decreased plant biomass and influenced plant succession. Total insect species diversity significantly declined along the grazing intensity gradient and over time. Results of the first two collections of C. albonemus indicated that moderate grazing significantly increased the abundance of C. albonemus. However, abundance was significantly decreased in plots that were overgrazed, possibly because of food stress and environmental pressures. Under moderate grazing, betA and CHDH genes were significantly upregulated in C. albonemus. In response to higher grazing intensity, upregulated genes included those involved in serine-type peptidase activity, anatomical structure development, and sensory organ development; downregulated genes included those involved in the structural constituents of the ribosome and ribosome processes. Genes strongly upregulated in response to heavy grazing pressure included adaptive genes such as those encoding ankyrin repeat domain-containing protein and HSP. These findings improve our understanding of the role of the transcriptome in C. albonemus population response to livestock grazing and may provide useful targets for grasshopper control.

Evaluation of DICE, a terminological system for intensive care

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Keizer, N. F.; Abu-Hanna, A.; Cornet, R.

2000-01-01

Evaluative research and the introduction of the Patient Data Management System to support care have increased the need for structured and standardized registration of diagnostic information in Dutch intensive cares (IC). To this end a terminological system to describe diagnoses is needed. A

Mapping the continuous reciprocal space intensity distribution of X-ray serial crystallography.

Science.gov (United States)

Yefanov, Oleksandr; Gati, Cornelius; Bourenkov, Gleb; Kirian, Richard A; White, Thomas A; Spence, John C H; Chapman, Henry N; Barty, Anton

2014-07-17

Serial crystallography using X-ray free-electron lasers enables the collection of tens of thousands of measurements from an equal number of individual crystals, each of which can be smaller than 1 µm in size. This manuscript describes an alternative way of handling diffraction data recorded by serial femtosecond crystallography, by mapping the diffracted intensities into three-dimensional reciprocal space rather than integrating each image in two dimensions as in the classical approach. We call this procedure 'three-dimensional merging'. This procedure retains information about asymmetry in Bragg peaks and diffracted intensities between Bragg spots. This intensity distribution can be used to extract reflection intensities for structure determination and opens up novel avenues for post-refinement, while observed intensity between Bragg peaks and peak asymmetry are of potential use in novel direct phasing strategies.

The Impact of an Educational Program Regarding Total Parenteral Nutrition on Infection Indicators in Neonates Admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Marofi, Maryam; Bijani, Nahid; Abdeyazdan, Zahra; Barekatain, Behzad

2017-01-01

One of the basic care measures for preterm infants is providing nutrition through total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and one of the most important complications of it is infection. Because prevention of nosocomial infections is an important issue for neonate's safety, this study aimed to determine the effects of a continuing medical education (CME) course on TPN for neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses on indicators of infection in newborns. This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 127 neonates who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. They were selected through simple convenience sampling method at two stages of before and after the CME program. The inclusion criteria were prescription of TPN by the physician and lack of clinical evidences for infection in newborns before the beginning of TPN. Death of the infant during each stage of the study was considered as the exclusion criteria. The data gathering tool was a data record sheet including clinical signs of infection in the infants and their demographic characteristics. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and student's t -test in SPSS software. The results showed the frequency of clinical markers for infection in newborns at the pre-intervention stage ( n = 41; 65.10%) was significantly less than at the post-intervention stage ( n = 30; 46.90%) ( p = 0.04). Nursing educational programs on TPN reduce infection rates among neonates in NICUs.

Relevance of infiltration analgesia in pain relief after total knee arthroplasty

Science.gov (United States)

Znojek-Tymborowska, Justyna; Kęska, Rafał; Paradowski, Przemysław T.; Witoński, Dariusz

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to assess the effect of different types of anesthesia on pain intensity in early postoperative period. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 87 patients (77 women, 10 men) scheduled for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) were assigned to receive either subarachnoid anesthesia alone or in combination with local soft tissue anesthesia, local soft tissue anesthesia and femoral nerve block and pre-emptive infiltration together with local soft tissue anesthesia. We assessed the pain intensity, opioid consumption, knee joint mobility, and complications of surgery. RESULTS: Subjects with pre-emptive infiltration and local soft tissue anesthesia had lower pain intensity on the first postoperative day compared to those with soft tissue anesthesia and femoral nerve block (P=0.012, effect size 0.68). Subjects who received pre-emptive infiltration and local soft-tissue anesthesia had the greatest range of motion in the operated knee at discharge (mean 90 grades [SD 7], P=0.01 compared to those who received subarachnoid anesthesia alone, and P=0.001 compared to those with subarachnoid together with soft tissue anesthesia). CONCLUSION: Despite the differences in postoperative pain and knee mobility, the results obtained throughout the postoperative period do not enable us to favour neither local nor regional infiltration anesthesia in TKA. Level of Evidence II, Prospective Comparative Study. PMID:24453679

Total mercury levels in commercial fish species from Italian fishery and aquaculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Di Lena, Gabriella; Casini, Irene; Caproni, Roberto; Fusari, Andrea; Orban, Elena

2017-06-01

Total mercury levels were measured in 42 commercial fish species caught off the Central Adriatic and Tyrrhenian coasts of Italy and in 6 aquaculture species. The study on wild fish covered species differing in living habitat and trophic level. The study on farmed fish covered marine and freshwater species from intensive and extensive aquaculture and their feed. Mercury levels were analysed by thermal decomposition-amalgamation-atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Total mercury concentrations in the muscle of wild fish showed a high variability among species (0.025-2.20 mg kg -1 wet weight). The lowest levels were detected in low trophic-level demersal and pelagic-neritic fish and in young individuals of high trophic-level species. Levels exceeding the European Commission limits were found in large-size specimens of high trophic-level pelagic and demersal species. Fish from intensive farming showed low levels of total mercury (0.008-0.251 mg kg -1 ). Fish from extensive rearing showed variable contamination levels, depending on the area of provenience. An estimation of the human intake of mercury associated to the consumption of the studied fish and its comparison with the tolerable weekly intake is provided.

EU energy-intensive industries and emissions trading: losers becoming winners?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wettestad, Joergen

2008-11-15

The EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) initially treated power producers and energy-intensive industries similarly, despite clear structural differences between these industries regarding pass through of costs and vulnerability to global competition. Hence, the energy-intensive industries could be seen as losing out in the internal distribution. In the January 2008 proposal for a reformed ETS post-2012, a differentiated system was proposed where the energy-intensive industries come out relatively much better. What is the explanation for the change taking place? Although power producers still have a dominant position in the system, the increasing consensus about windfall profits has weakened their standing. Conversely, the energy-intensive industries have become better organised and more active. This balance shift is first and foremost noticeable in several important EU-level stake holder consultation processes. Energy-intensive industries have, however, also successfully utilised the national pathway to exert influence on Brussels policy-making. Finally, growing fear of lax global climate policies and related carbon leakage has strengthened the case of these industries further. The latter dimension indicates that although energy-intensive industries have managed to reduce internal distribution anomalies, external challenges remain. (author). 9 refs

The Epimed Monitor ICU Database®: a cloud-based national registry for adult intensive care unit patients in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Zampieri, Fernando Godinho; Soares, Márcio; Borges, Lunna Perdigão; Salluh, Jorge Ibrain Figueira; Ranzani, Otávio Tavares

2017-01-01

To describe the Epimed Monitor Database®, a Brazilian intensive care unit quality improvement database. We described the Epimed Monitor® Database, including its structure and core data. We presented aggregated informative data from intensive care unit admissions from 2010 to 2016 using descriptive statistics. We also described the expansion and growth of the database along with the geographical distribution of participating units in Brazil. The core data from the database includes demographic, administrative and physiological parameters, as well as specific report forms used to gather detailed data regarding the use of intensive care unit resources, infectious episodes, adverse events and checklists for adherence to best clinical practices. As of the end of 2016, 598 adult intensive care units in 318 hospitals totaling 8,160 intensive care unit beds were participating in the database. Most units were located at private hospitals in the southeastern region of the country. The number of yearly admissions rose during this period and included a predominance of medical admissions. The proportion of admissions due to cardiovascular disease declined, while admissions due to sepsis or infections became more common. Illness severity (Simplified Acute Physiology Score - SAPS 3 - 62 points), patient age (mean = 62 years) and hospital mortality (approximately 17%) remained reasonably stable during this time period. A large private database of critically ill patients is feasible and may provide relevant nationwide epidemiological data for quality improvement and benchmarking purposes among the participating intensive care units. This database is useful not only for administrative reasons but also for the improvement of daily care by facilitating the adoption of best practices and use for clinical research.

Facilitated Nurse Medication-Related Event Reporting to Improve Medication Management Quality and Safety in Intensive Care Units.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jie; Reale, Carrie; Slagle, Jason M; Anders, Shilo; Shotwell, Matthew S; Dresselhaus, Timothy; Weinger, Matthew B

Medication safety presents an ongoing challenge for nurses working in complex, fast-paced, intensive care unit (ICU) environments. Studying ICU nurse's medication management-especially medication-related events (MREs)-provides an approach to analyze and improve medication safety and quality. The goal of this study was to explore the utility of facilitated MRE reporting in identifying system deficiencies and the relationship between MREs and nurses' work in the ICUs. We conducted 124 structured 4-hour observations of nurses in three different ICUs. Each observation included measurement of nurse's moment-to-moment activity and self-reports of workload and negative mood. The observer then obtained MRE reports from the nurse using a structured tool. The MREs were analyzed by three experts. MREs were reported in 35% of observations. The 60 total MREs included four medication errors and seven adverse drug events. Of the 49 remaining MREs, 65% were associated with negative patient impact. Task/process deficiencies were the most common contributory factor for MREs. MRE occurrence was correlated with increased total task volume. MREs also correlated with increased workload, especially during night shifts. Most of these MREs would not be captured by traditional event reporting systems. Facilitated MRE reporting provides a robust information source about potential breakdowns in medication management safety and opportunities for system improvement.

Discovery of Ubiquitous Fast-Propagating Intensity Disturbances by the Chromospheric Lyman Alpha Spectropolarimeter (CLASP)

Science.gov (United States)

Kubo, M.; Katsukawa, Y.; Suematsu, Y.; Kano, R.; Bando, T.; Narukage, N.; Ishikawa, R.; Hara, H.; Giono, G.; Tsuneta, S.; Ishikawa, S.; Shimizu, T.; Sakao, T.; Winebarger, A.; Kobayashi, K.; Cirtain, J.; Champey, P.; Auchère, F.; Trujillo Bueno, J.; Asensio Ramos, A.; Štěpán, J.; Belluzzi, L.; Manso Sainz, R.; De Pontieu, B.; Ichimoto, K.; Carlsson, M.; Casini, R.; Goto, M.

2016-12-01

High-cadence observations by the slit-jaw (SJ) optics system of the sounding rocket experiment known as the Chromospheric Lyman Alpha Spectropolarimeter (CLASP) reveal ubiquitous intensity disturbances that recurrently propagate in either the chromosphere or the transition region or both at a speed much higher than the speed of sound. The CLASP/SJ instrument provides a time series of two-dimensional images taken with broadband filters centered on the Lyα line at a 0.6 s cadence. The multiple fast-propagating intensity disturbances appear in the quiet Sun and in an active region, and they are clearly detected in at least 20 areas in a field of view of 527″ × 527″ during the 5 minute observing time. The apparent speeds of the intensity disturbances range from 150 to 350 km s-1, and they are comparable to the local Alfvén speed in the transition region. The intensity disturbances tend to propagate along bright elongated structures away from areas with strong photospheric magnetic fields. This suggests that the observed fast-propagating intensity disturbances are related to the magnetic canopy structures. The maximum distance traveled by the intensity disturbances is about 10″, and the widths are a few arcseconds, which are almost determined by a pixel size of 1.″03. The timescale of each intensity pulse is shorter than 30 s. One possible explanation for the fast-propagating intensity disturbances observed by CLASP is magnetohydrodynamic fast-mode waves.

DISCOVERY OF UBIQUITOUS FAST-PROPAGATING INTENSITY DISTURBANCES BY THE CHROMOSPHERIC LYMAN ALPHA SPECTROPOLARIMETER (CLASP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kubo, M.; Katsukawa, Y.; Suematsu, Y.; Kano, R.; Bando, T.; Narukage, N.; Ishikawa, R.; Hara, H.; Giono, G.; Tsuneta, S.; Ishikawa, S.; Shimizu, T.; Sakao, T.; Winebarger, A.; Kobayashi, K.; Cirtain, J.; Champey, P.; Auchère, F.; Bueno, J. Trujillo; Ramos, A. Asensio

2016-01-01

High-cadence observations by the slit-jaw (SJ) optics system of the sounding rocket experiment known as the Chromospheric Lyman Alpha Spectropolarimeter (CLASP) reveal ubiquitous intensity disturbances that recurrently propagate in either the chromosphere or the transition region or both at a speed much higher than the speed of sound. The CLASP/SJ instrument provides a time series of two-dimensional images taken with broadband filters centered on the Ly α line at a 0.6 s cadence. The multiple fast-propagating intensity disturbances appear in the quiet Sun and in an active region, and they are clearly detected in at least 20 areas in a field of view of 527″ × 527″ during the 5 minute observing time. The apparent speeds of the intensity disturbances range from 150 to 350 km s −1 , and they are comparable to the local Alfvén speed in the transition region. The intensity disturbances tend to propagate along bright elongated structures away from areas with strong photospheric magnetic fields. This suggests that the observed fast-propagating intensity disturbances are related to the magnetic canopy structures. The maximum distance traveled by the intensity disturbances is about 10″, and the widths are a few arcseconds, which are almost determined by a pixel size of 1.″03. The timescale of each intensity pulse is shorter than 30 s. One possible explanation for the fast-propagating intensity disturbances observed by CLASP is magnetohydrodynamic fast-mode waves.

Suitability of cerebrospinal fluid as a signal-intensity reference on MRI: evaluation of signal-intensity variations in the lumbosacral dural sac

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luoma, E.K.; Luukkonen, R.; Riihimaeki, H.A.; Raininko, R.; Manninen, H.I.; Nummi, P.J.

1997-01-01

The suitability of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the lumbosacral dural sac as an internal signal-intensity reference was studied on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lumbar spine using a surface coil and motion artefact suppression technique. A signal-intensity reference is needed when signal is compared between images, studies or subjects. Homogeneity of the CSF was estimated visually on T2-weighted images of 60 subjects at 1.5 T and of another 60 subjects at 0.1 T. Spines with a severely narrowed dural sac or marked scoliosis were excluded from the study to avoid partial volume effect. CSF was homogeneous in 82% and 73% of the examinations at 1.5 T and 0.1 T, respectively. The type and location of the local inhomogeneities did not relate to local narrowings of the dural sac. The signal intensity of CSF was measured in 108 examinations at 0.1 T after correcting the spatially-dependent signal-intensity nonuniformities with a phantom-based method. The signal-intensity difference between the CSF in the upper and lower lumbar dural sac was less than 10% in 73% of the examinations. The CSF in the lumbosacral dural sac can be a useful signal-intensity reference for estimation of the signal of the adjacent structures in patients without severe narrowing of the dural sac or marked scoliosis. It may contribute to assessing spinal disease processes. (orig.). With 1 fig., 3 tabs

SWAT application in intensive irrigation systems: Model modification, calibration and validation

OpenAIRE

Dechmi, Farida; Burguete, Javier; Skhiri, Ahmed

2012-01-01

The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is a well established, distributed, eco-hydrologic model. However, using the study case of an agricultural intensive irrigated watershed, it was shown that all the model versions are not able to appropriately reproduce the total streamflow in such system when the irrigation source is outside the watershed. The objective of this study was to modify the SWAT2005 version for correctly simulating the main hydrological processes. Crop yield, total streamfl...

Taste enhancement in food gels: Effect of fracture properties on oral breakdown, bolus formation and sweetness intensity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mosca, A.C.; Velde, van de F.; Bult, J.H.F.; Boekel, van M.A.J.S.; Stieger, M.A.

2015-01-01

This study investigates the effects of fracture strain and fracture stress on oral breakdown, bolus formation and sweetness intensity of semi-solid food gels containing sucrose heterogeneously distributed in layers. The sweetness intensity of gels was mainly affected by the total surface area of gel

Synthesis, structure and total conductivity of A-site doped LaTiO3−δ perovskites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bradha, M.; Hussain, S.; Chakravarty, Sujay; Amarendra, G.; Ashok, Anuradha

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A-site divalent alkaline earth metal doped LaTiO 3−δ perovskites were synthesised by sol–gel method. • Structural studies revealed no change in crystal symmetry but change in cell dimensions after doping. • After doping divalent cations in A-site, an enhancement in total conductivity was observed in LaTiO 3−δ . • Temperature dependent electrical property was observed in all synthesised perovskites. - Abstract: Oxygen deficient perovskites LaTiO 3−δ and La 0.8 A 0.2 TiO 3−δ (A = Ba, Sr, Ca) were synthesized by sol–gel method. The effect of divalent dopants on microstructure is investigated in detail using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The oxidation states of La 3+ and Ti 3+ ions have been deduced using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Impedance spectroscopy was used to analyze the total conductivity, an increase in conductivity was observed after doping in the A-site with divalent cations Ba, Ca and Sr. Among the investigated perovskites La 0.8 Ca 0.2 TiO 3−δ exhibited the maximum conductivity of 1.22 × 10 −2 S/cm in air atmosphere at 650 °C

MRI intensity inhomogeneity correction by combining intensity and spatial information

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vovk, Uros; Pernus, Franjo; Likar, Bostjan

2004-01-01

We propose a novel fully automated method for retrospective correction of intensity inhomogeneity, which is an undesired phenomenon in many automatic image analysis tasks, especially if quantitative analysis is the final goal. Besides most commonly used intensity features, additional spatial image features are incorporated to improve inhomogeneity correction and to make it more dynamic, so that local intensity variations can be corrected more efficiently. The proposed method is a four-step iterative procedure in which a non-parametric inhomogeneity correction is conducted. First, the probability distribution of image intensities and corresponding second derivatives is obtained. Second, intensity correction forces, condensing the probability distribution along the intensity feature, are computed for each voxel. Third, the inhomogeneity correction field is estimated by regularization of all voxel forces, and fourth, the corresponding partial inhomogeneity correction is performed. The degree of inhomogeneity correction dynamics is determined by the size of regularization kernel. The method was qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated on simulated and real MR brain images. The obtained results show that the proposed method does not corrupt inhomogeneity-free images and successfully corrects intensity inhomogeneity artefacts even if these are more dynamic

Relative importance of precipitation frequency and intensity in inter-annual variation of precipitation in Singapore during 1980-2013

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xin; Babovic, Vladan

2017-04-01

Observed studies on inter-annual variation of precipitation provide insight into the response of precipitation to anthropogenic climate change and natural climate variability. Inter-annual variation of precipitation results from the concurrent variations of precipitation frequency and intensity, understanding of the relative importance of frequency and intensity in the variability of precipitation can help fathom its changing properties. Investigation of the long-term changes of precipitation schemes has been extensively carried out in many regions across the world, however, detailed studies of the relative importance of precipitation frequency and intensity in inter-annual variation of precipitation are still limited, especially in the tropics. Therefore, this study presents a comprehensive framework to investigate the inter-annual variation of precipitation and the dominance of precipitation frequency and intensity in a tropical urban city-state, Singapore, based on long-term (1980-2013) daily precipitation series from 22 rain gauges. First, an iterative Mann-Kendall trend test method is applied to detect long-term trends in precipitation total, frequency and intensity at both annual and seasonal time scales. Then, the relative importance of precipitation frequency and intensity in inducing the inter-annual variation of wet-day precipitation total is analyzed using a dominance analysis method based on linear regression. The results show statistically significant upward trends in wet-day precipitation total, frequency and intensity at annual time scale, however, these trends are not evident during the monsoon seasons. The inter-annual variation of wet-day precipitation is mainly dominated by precipitation intensity for most of the stations at annual time scale and during the Northeast monsoon season. However, during the Southwest monsoon season, the inter-annual variation of wet-day precipitation is mainly dominated by precipitation frequency. These results have

Critical coupling of surface plasmons in graphene attenuated total reflection geometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cuevas, Mauro, E-mail: cuevas@df.uba.ar [Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) and Facultad de Ingeniería y Tecnología Informática, Universidad de Belgrano, Villanueva 1324, C1426BMJ, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Grupo de Electromagnetismo Aplicado, Departamento de Física, FCEN, Universidad de Buenos Aires and IFIBA, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón I, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires (Argentina)

2016-12-09

We study the optical response of an attenuated total reflection (ATR) structure in Otto configuration with graphene sheet, paying especial attention to the occurrence of total absorption. Our results show that due to excitation of surface plasmons on the graphene sheet, two different conditions of total absorption may occur. At these conditions, the energy loss of the surface plasmon by radiation is equal to its energy loss by absorption into the graphene sheet. We give necessary conditions on ATR parameters for the existence of total absorption. - Highlights: • Attenuated total reflection (ATR) structure with graphene sheet. • Surface plasmons and power matched condition. • Necessary conditions on ATR parameters for the existence of total absorption.

Critical coupling of surface plasmons in graphene attenuated total reflection geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuevas, Mauro

2016-01-01

We study the optical response of an attenuated total reflection (ATR) structure in Otto configuration with graphene sheet, paying especial attention to the occurrence of total absorption. Our results show that due to excitation of surface plasmons on the graphene sheet, two different conditions of total absorption may occur. At these conditions, the energy loss of the surface plasmon by radiation is equal to its energy loss by absorption into the graphene sheet. We give necessary conditions on ATR parameters for the existence of total absorption. - Highlights: • Attenuated total reflection (ATR) structure with graphene sheet. • Surface plasmons and power matched condition. • Necessary conditions on ATR parameters for the existence of total absorption.

Dosimetric effect of beam arrangement for intensity-modulated radiation therapy in the treatment of upper thoracic esophageal carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, Yuchuan; Deng, Min; Zhou, Xiaojuan; Lin, Qiang; Du, Bin; Tian, Xue; Xu, Yong; Wang, Jin; Lu, You; Gong, Youling

2017-01-01

To evaluate the lung sparing in intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for patients with upper thoracic esophageal tumors extending inferiorly to the thorax by different beam arrangement. Overall, 15 patient cases with cancer of upper thoracic esophagus were selected for a retrospective treatment-planning study. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy plans using 4, 5, and 7 beams (4B, 5B, and 7B) were developed for each patient by direct machine parameter optimization (DMPO). All plans were evaluated with respect to dose volumes to irradiated targets and normal structures, with statistical comparisons made between 4B with 5B and 7B intensity-modulated radiation therapy plans. Differences among plans were evaluated using a two-tailed Friedman test at a statistical significance of p < 0.05. The maximum dose, average dose, and the conformity index (CI) of planning target volume 1 (PTV1) were similar for 3 plans for each case. No significant difference of coverage for planning target volume 1 and maximum dose for spinal cords were observed among 3 plans in present study (p > 0.05). The average V 5 , V 13 , V 20 , mean lung dose, and generalized equivalent uniform dose (gEUD) for the total lung were significantly lower in 4B-plans than those data in 5B-plans and 7B-plans (p < 0.01). Although the average V 30 for the total lung were significantly higher in 4B-plans than those in 5B-plans and 7B-plans (p < 0.05). In addition, when comparing with the 4B-plans, the conformity/heterogeneity index of the 5B- and 7B-plans were significantly superior (p < 0.05). The 4B-intensity-modulated radiation therapy plan has advantage to address the specialized problem of lung sparing to low- and intermediate-dose exposure in the thorax when dealing with relative long tumors extended inferiorly to the thoracic esophagus for upper esophageal carcinoma with the cost for less conformity. Studies are needed to compare the superiority of volumetric modulated arc therapy with intensity

Dosimetric effect of beam arrangement for intensity-modulated radiation therapy in the treatment of upper thoracic esophageal carcinoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fu, Yuchuan [Division of Radiation Physics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu (China); Deng, Min; Zhou, Xiaojuan [Department of Thoracic Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu (China); Lin, Qiang; Du, Bin [Division of Radiation Physics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu (China); Tian, Xue; Xu, Yong; Wang, Jin; Lu, You [Department of Thoracic Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu (China); Gong, Youling, E-mail: gongyouling@hotmail.com [Department of Thoracic Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu (China)

2017-04-01

To evaluate the lung sparing in intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for patients with upper thoracic esophageal tumors extending inferiorly to the thorax by different beam arrangement. Overall, 15 patient cases with cancer of upper thoracic esophagus were selected for a retrospective treatment-planning study. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy plans using 4, 5, and 7 beams (4B, 5B, and 7B) were developed for each patient by direct machine parameter optimization (DMPO). All plans were evaluated with respect to dose volumes to irradiated targets and normal structures, with statistical comparisons made between 4B with 5B and 7B intensity-modulated radiation therapy plans. Differences among plans were evaluated using a two-tailed Friedman test at a statistical significance of p < 0.05. The maximum dose, average dose, and the conformity index (CI) of planning target volume 1 (PTV1) were similar for 3 plans for each case. No significant difference of coverage for planning target volume 1 and maximum dose for spinal cords were observed among 3 plans in present study (p > 0.05). The average V{sub 5}, V{sub 13}, V{sub 20}, mean lung dose, and generalized equivalent uniform dose (gEUD) for the total lung were significantly lower in 4B-plans than those data in 5B-plans and 7B-plans (p < 0.01). Although the average V{sub 30} for the total lung were significantly higher in 4B-plans than those in 5B-plans and 7B-plans (p < 0.05). In addition, when comparing with the 4B-plans, the conformity/heterogeneity index of the 5B- and 7B-plans were significantly superior (p < 0.05). The 4B-intensity-modulated radiation therapy plan has advantage to address the specialized problem of lung sparing to low- and intermediate-dose exposure in the thorax when dealing with relative long tumors extended inferiorly to the thoracic esophagus for upper esophageal carcinoma with the cost for less conformity. Studies are needed to compare the superiority of volumetric modulated arc therapy

Progression in Running Intensity or Running Volume and the Development of Specific Injuries in Recreational Runners

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ramskov, Daniel; Rasmussen, Sten; Sørensen, Henrik

2018-01-01

-training. Participants were randomized to one of two running schedules: Schedule Intensity(Sch-I) or Schedule Volume(Sch-V). Sch-I progressed the amount of high intensity running (≥88% VO2max) each week. Sch-V progressed total weekly running volume. Global positioning system watch or smartphone collected data on running...

Vulnerability Assessment of Housing Damage in the Philippines Due to an Increase Increase in Typhoon Intensity

Science.gov (United States)

Esteban, Miguel; Stromberg, Per; Gasparatos, Alexandros

2010-05-01

south is almost unaffected due to its proximity to the equator. The estimation of the damage shows that the number of houses partially or totally destroyed could increase by up to 58% in certain regions by 2085. The historical damage data shows how the adaptive capacity values of each region given by Yusuf and Herminia (2009) are crucial to the amount of damage recorded. These authors defined this parameter as the degree to which adjustments in practices, processes or structures can moderate or offset potential damage or take advantage of opportunities from climate change. This clearly highlights the importance of mitigation measures to increase the resilience of communities in the future. This is a significant conclusion of the present paper, independent of whether tropical cyclones increase in intensity or not.

The Influence of Land Use Intensity on the Plant-Associated Microbiome of Dactylis glomerata L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer Estendorfer

2017-06-01

Full Text Available In this study, we investigated the impact of different land use intensities (LUI on the root-associated microbiome of Dactylis glomerata (orchardgrass. For this purpose, eight sampling sites with different land use intensity levels but comparable soil properties were selected in the southwest of Germany. Experimental plots covered land use levels from natural grassland up to intensively managed meadows. We used 16S rRNA gene based barcoding to assess the plant-associated community structure in the endosphere, rhizosphere and bulk soil of D. glomerata. Samples were taken at the reproductive stage of the plant in early summer. Our data indicated that roots harbor a distinct bacterial community, which clearly differed from the microbiome of the rhizosphere and bulk soil. Our results revealed Pseudomonadaceae, Enterobacteriaceae and Comamonadaceae as the most abundant endophytes independently of land use intensity. Rhizosphere and bulk soil were dominated also by Proteobacteria, but the most abundant families differed from those obtained from root samples. In the soil, the effect of land use intensity was more pronounced compared to root endophytes leading to a clearly distinct pattern of bacterial communities under different LUI from rhizosphere and bulk soil vs. endophytes. Overall, a change of community structure on the plant–soil interface was observed, as the number of shared OTUs between all three compartments investigated increased with decreasing land use intensity. Thus, our findings suggest a stronger interaction of the plant with its surrounding soil under low land use intensity. Furthermore, the amount and quality of available nitrogen was identified as a major driver for shifts in the microbiome structure in all compartments.

Withholding or withdrawing therapy in intensive care units: improving interdisciplinary cooperation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Hanne Irene; Ammentorp, Jette; Ørding, Helle

INTRODUCTION. Decisions regarding withholding or withdrawing therapy are common in the intensive care units. The health care professionals involved in the decision-making process do not always assess the situation identically, leading to potential conflicts. Studies have suggested that improving...... (conducted at two hospitals) with participation of primary care physicians, anaesthesiologists (both with and without ICU as their main workplace) and intensive care nurses. A total of 29 participated in the audits. The participants received beforehand three complicated cases (borrowed from other hospitals...... unit conflicts: the conflicus study. Am J Respir Crit Care Med180:853-860. (2) Halvorsen K, Forde R, Nortvedt P (2009) Value choices and considerations when limiting intensive care treatment: a qualitative study. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 53:10-17 GRANT ACKNOWLEDGMENT. The study was supported...

Generation of intensity duration frequency curves and intensity temporal variability pattern of intense rainfall for Lages/SC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Célio Orli Cardoso

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work was to analyze the frequency distribution and intensity temporal variability of intense rainfall for Lages/SC from diary pluviograph data. Data on annual series of maximum rainfalls from rain gauges of the CAV-UDESC Weather Station in Lages/SC were used from 2000 to 2009. Gumbel statistic distribution was applied in order to obtain the rainfall height and intensity in the following return periods: 2, 5, 10, 15 and 20 years. Results showed intensity-duration-frequency curves (I-D-F for those return periods, as well as I-D-F equations: i=2050.Tr0,20.(t+30-0,89, where i was the intensity, Tr was the rainfall return periods and t was the rainfall duration. For the intensity of temporal variability pattern along of the rainfall duration time, the convective, or advanced pattern was the predominant, with larger precipitate rainfalls in the first half of the duration. The same pattern presented larger occurrences in the spring and summer stations.

Intense ion beam neutralization using underdense background plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berdanier, William [Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States); Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States); Roy, Prabir K. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States); Kaganovich, Igor [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States)

2015-01-15

Producing an overdense background plasma for neutralization purposes with a density that is high compared to the beam density is not always experimentally possible. We show that even an underdense background plasma with a small relative density can achieve high neutralization of intense ion beam pulses. Using particle-in-cell simulations, we show that if the total plasma electron charge is not sufficient to neutralize the beam charge, electron emitters are necessary for effective neutralization but are not needed if the plasma volume is so large that the total available charge in the electrons exceeds that of the ion beam. Several regimes of possible underdense/tenuous neutralization plasma densities are investigated with and without electron emitters or dense plasma at periphery regions, including the case of electron emitters without plasma, which does not effectively neutralize the beam. Over 95% neutralization is achieved for even very underdense background plasma with plasma density 1/15th the beam density. We compare results of particle-in-cell simulations with an analytic model of neutralization and find close agreement with the particle-in-cell simulations. Further, we show experimental data from the National Drift Compression experiment-II group that verifies the result that underdense plasma can neutralize intense heavy ion beams effectively.

Approaching total absorption of graphene strips using a c-Si subwavelength periodic membrane

Science.gov (United States)

Sang, Tian; Wang, Rui; Li, Junlang; Zhou, Jianyu; Wang, Yueke

2018-04-01

Approaching total absorption of graphene strips at near infrared using a crystalline-silicon (c-Si) subwavelength periodic membrane (SPM) is presented. The absorption in graphene strips in a c-Si SPM is enhanced by a resonant tip, which is resulted from the coupling between the guided mode and the radiation mode through symmetry breaking of the structure at near-normal incidence. The enhancement of the electric field intensity is increased 1939 times and the group velocity of light is decreased to 3.55 ×10-4c at resonance, and 99.3% absorption in graphene strips can be achieved by critical coupling at the incident angle of 2°. High absorption of the graphene strips can be maintained as the etching thickness, the strip width, and the period are altered. When this type of c-Si SPM with graphene strips is used in refractive index sensors, it shows excellent sensing properties due to its stable near-unity absorption.

Energy intensities of food products. Energie-intensiteiten van voedingsmiddelen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kok, R.; Biesiot, W.; Wilting, H.C.

1993-08-01

The energy intensity of a product is the amount of primary energy used per Dutch guilder spent on consumer goods. The energy intensity can differ for each spending and varies from household to household. The aim of this study is to calculate the energy intensities and to provide an overview of the total package of consumer goods, including sociological categories and lifestyles, and the related use of primary energy to produce these goods. Use is made of the Energy Analysis Program (EAP) to calculate the energy intensities. EAP is based on the hybrid method: both the process analysis and the input-output analysis are applied in the model. The data input of the model consists of data from the Budget Survey 1990 of the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics, which holds data of consumptions from 2767 households. In the chapters 4 to 10 energy intensities are given of the categories bread, pastry and groceries (chapter four), potatoes, vegetables and fruits (chapter five), sugary products and beverages (chapter six), oils and fats (chapter seven), meat, meat products and fish (chapter eight), dairy products (chapter nine), and other food products (chapter ten). The highest energy intensity is found for oils and fats (13.5 MJ per Dutch guilder). The energy intensities for the other products vary from 4.0 to 6.6 MJ/gld. It appears that most of the energy intensive products are products which do not use a large part of the primary energy, mainly because the consumption of these products is low. On the other hand many of the products that consume much of the primary energy (i.e. are consumed much themselves) are relatively energy extensive. The products that show a high consumption rate have relatively low energy intensities. Some of the options to shift towards a more energy extensive food package are the use of fresh products and outside grown products instead of treated products or greenhouse products and a more balanced diet. 5 figs., 18 tabs., 2 appendices, 52 refs.

Structure of Small and Medium-Sized Business: Results of Total Statistic Observations in Russia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iuliia S. Pinkovetskaia

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of the research is estimation of regularities and tendencies, characteristic for modern sectoral structure of small and mediumsized business in Russia. The subject of the research is a set of processes of structural changes on the types of economic activities of such enterprises, as well as the differentiation of the number of employees in enterprises. The research methodology included consideration of aggregates of subjects of small and medium-sized business, formed according to sectoral and territorial features. As the initial data used the official statistical information, which was obtain in the course of total observation of the activities of small and medium-sized businesses in 2010 and 2015. The study was conducted on indicators characterizing the full range of legal entities and individual entrepreneurs in the country. The materiality of structural changes was carried out on the basis of the Ryabtsev index. Modeling the differentiation of the values of the number of employees per enterprise was based on the development of density normal distribution functions. According to the hypothesis it is assumed that the differentiation of the number of employees working in enterprises depend on six main types of economic activity and on the subjects of Russia. Based on the results of the study was proved that there are no significant structural changes for the period from 2010 to 2015, both in terms of the number of enterprises and the number of their employees. Based on the results of the simulation, the average values of the number of employees for the six main types of activity were established, as well as the intervals for changing these indicators for the aggregates of small and medium-sized enterprises located in the majority of the country's subjects. The results of research can be used in the performance of scientific works related to the justification of the expected number and number of employees of enterprises, the formation of

Evaluation of intense rainfall parameters interpolation methods for the Espírito Santo State

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Eduardo Macedo Pezzopane

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Intense rainfalls are often responsible for the occurrence of undesirable processes in agricultural and forest areas, such as surface runoff, soil erosion and flooding. The knowledge of intense rainfall spatial distribution is important to agricultural watershed management, soil conservation and to the design of hydraulic structures. The present paper evaluated methods of spatial interpolation of the intense rainfall parameters (“K”, “a”, “b” and “c” for the Espírito Santo State, Brazil. Were compared real intense rainfall rates with those calculated by the interpolated intense rainfall parameters, considering different durations and return periods. Inverse distance to the 5th power IPD5 was the spatial interpolation method with better performance to spatial interpolated intense rainfall parameters.

Simulation of a pulsatile total artificial heart: Development of a partitioned Fluid Structure Interaction model

Science.gov (United States)

Sonntag, Simon J.; Kaufmann, Tim A. S.; Büsen, Martin R.; Laumen, Marco; Linde, Torsten; Schmitz-Rode, Thomas; Steinseifer, Ulrich

2013-04-01

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the world. Due to a shortage in donor organs artificial hearts can be a bridge to transplantation or even serve as a destination therapy for patients with terminal heart insufficiency. A pusher plate driven pulsatile membrane pump, the Total Artificial Heart (TAH) ReinHeart, is currently under development at the Institute of Applied Medical Engineering of RWTH Aachen University.This paper presents the methodology of a fully coupled three-dimensional time-dependent Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI) simulation of the TAH using a commercial partitioned block-Gauss-Seidel coupling package. Partitioned coupling of the incompressible fluid with the slender flexible membrane as well as a high fluid/structure density ratio of about unity led inherently to a deterioration of the stability (‘artificial added mass instability’). The objective was to conduct a stable simulation with high accuracy of the pumping process. In order to achieve stability, a combined resistance and pressure outlet boundary condition as well as the interface artificial compressibility method was applied. An analysis of the contact algorithm and turbulence condition is presented. Independence tests are performed for the structural and the fluid mesh, the time step size and the number of pulse cycles. Because of the large deformation of the fluid domain, a variable mesh stiffness depending on certain mesh properties was specified for the fluid elements. Adaptive remeshing was avoided. Different approaches for the mesh stiffness function are compared with respect to convergence, preservation of mesh topology and mesh quality. The resulting mesh aspect ratios, mesh expansion factors and mesh orthogonalities are evaluated in detail. The membrane motion and flow distribution of the coupled simulations are compared with a top-view recording and stereo Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurements, respectively, of the actual pump.

Project of integrity assessment of flawed components with structural discontinuity (IAF). Data book for estimation stress intensity factor. Surface crack on ICM housing for penetration in reactor vessel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-12-01

The project of Integrity Assessment of Flawed Components with Structural Discontinuity (IAF) was entrusted to Japan Power Engineering and Inspection Corporation (JAPEIC) from Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) and started from FY 2001. And then, it was taken over to Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization (JNES) which was established in October 2003 and carried out until FY 2007. In the IAF project, weld joints between nickel based alloys and low alloy steels around penetrations in reactor vessel, safe-end of nozzles and shroud supports were selected from among components and pipe arrangements in nuclear power plants, where high residual stresses were generated due to welding and complex structure. Residual stresses around of the weld joints were estimated by finite element analysis method (FEM) with a general modeling method, then the reasonability and the conservativeness was evaluated. In addition, for postulated surface crack of stress corrosion cracking (SCC), a simple calculation method of stress intensity factor (K) required to estimate the crack growth was proposed and the effectiveness was confirmed. JNES compiled results of the IAF project into Data Books of Residual Stress Analysis of Weld Joint, and Data Book of Simplified Stress Intensity Factor Calculation for Penetration of Reactor as typical Structure Discontinuity, respectively. Data Books of Residual Stress Analysis in Weld Joint. 1. Butt Weld Joint of Small Diameter Cylinder (4B Sch40) (JNES-RE-2012-0005), 2. Dissimilar Metal Weld Joint in Safe End (One-Side Groove Joint (JNES-RE-2012-0006), 3. Dissimilar Metal Weld Joint in Safe End (Large Diameter Both-Side Groove Joint) (JNES-RE-2012-0007), 4. Weld Joint around Penetrations in Reactor Vessel (Insert Joint) (JNES-RE-2012-0008), 5. Weld Joint in Shroud Support (H8, H9, H10 and H11 Welds) (JNES-RE-2012-0009), 6. Analysis Model of Dissimilar Metal Weld Joint Applied Post Weld Heat Treatment (PWHT) (JNES-RE-2012-0010). Data Book of

Detection limit calculations for different total reflection techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez, H.J.

2000-01-01

In this work, theoretical calculations of detection limits for different total-reflection techniques are presented.. Calculations include grazing incidence (TXRF) and gracing exit (GEXRF) conditions. These calculations are compared with detection limits obtained for conventional x-ray fluorescence (XRF). In order to compute detection limits the Shiraiwa and Fujino's model to calculate x-ray fluorescence intensities was used. This model made certain assumptions and approximations to achieve the calculations, specially in the case of the geometrical conditions of the sample, and the incident and takeoff beams. Nevertheless the calculated data of detection limits for conventional XRF and total-reflection XRF show a good agreement with previous results. The model proposed here allows to analyze the different sources of background and the influence of the excitation geometry, which contribute to the understanding of the physical processes involved in the XRF analysis by total reflection. Finally, a comparison between detection limits in total-reflection analysis at grazing incidence and at grazing exit is carried out. Here a good agreement with the theoretical predictions of the reversibility principle is found, showing that detection limits are similar for both techniques. (author)

Intensive agriculture reduces soil biodiversity across Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsiafouli, Maria A; Thébault, Elisa; Sgardelis, Stefanos P; de Ruiter, Peter C; van der Putten, Wim H; Birkhofer, Klaus; Hemerik, Lia; de Vries, Franciska T; Bardgett, Richard D; Brady, Mark Vincent; Bjornlund, Lisa; Jørgensen, Helene Bracht; Christensen, Sören; Hertefeldt, Tina D'; Hotes, Stefan; Gera Hol, W H; Frouz, Jan; Liiri, Mira; Mortimer, Simon R; Setälä, Heikki; Tzanopoulos, Joseph; Uteseny, Karoline; Pižl, Václav; Stary, Josef; Wolters, Volkmar; Hedlund, Katarina

2015-02-01

Soil biodiversity plays a key role in regulating the processes that underpin the delivery of ecosystem goods and services in terrestrial ecosystems. Agricultural intensification is known to change the diversity of individual groups of soil biota, but less is known about how intensification affects biodiversity of the soil food web as a whole, and whether or not these effects may be generalized across regions. We examined biodiversity in soil food webs from grasslands, extensive, and intensive rotations in four agricultural regions across Europe: in Sweden, the UK, the Czech Republic and Greece. Effects of land-use intensity were quantified based on structure and diversity among functional groups in the soil food web, as well as on community-weighted mean body mass of soil fauna. We also elucidate land-use intensity effects on diversity of taxonomic units within taxonomic groups of soil fauna. We found that between regions soil food web diversity measures were variable, but that increasing land-use intensity caused highly consistent responses. In particular, land-use intensification reduced the complexity in the soil food webs, as well as the community-weighted mean body mass of soil fauna. In all regions across Europe, species richness of earthworms, Collembolans, and oribatid mites was negatively affected by increased land-use intensity. The taxonomic distinctness, which is a measure of taxonomic relatedness of species in a community that is independent of species richness, was also reduced by land-use intensification. We conclude that intensive agriculture reduces soil biodiversity, making soil food webs less diverse and composed of smaller bodied organisms. Land-use intensification results in fewer functional groups of soil biota with fewer and taxonomically more closely related species. We discuss how these changes in soil biodiversity due to land-use intensification may threaten the functioning of soil in agricultural production systems. © 2014 John Wiley

Management of sewer overflow structure in the FRG

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leymann, G.

1987-01-01

Due to the geological morphology of the south and west of Germany, combined sewer systems are used to drain sewage and rain water in urban areas. In this system, industrial and domestic sewage as well as rain water flowing off areas with sealed surfaces are discharged into one pipe. Size and structure of this sewer system are designed to fulfil the criterium, that the total amount of water, stemming from rain events of an intensity not to be exceeded more than once a year, can be drained without flooding any part of the area considered. In the past, construction costs were reduced by building overflow structures at suitable sites; these structures discharge a volume of water exceeding five times the amount of water produced during dry weather in a most directly way in the outlet channel. In the sewage treatment plant, only two fifths of this remaining water volume was treated mechanically and biologically. Three fifths were discharged into the natural waters after mechanical treatment only

Generation of Ultra-high Intensity Laser Pulses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisch, N.J.; Malkin, V.M.

2003-01-01

Mainly due to the method of chirped pulse amplification, laser intensities have grown remarkably during recent years. However, the attaining of very much higher powers is limited by the material properties of gratings. These limitations might be overcome through the use of plasma, which is an ideal medium for processing very high power and very high total energy. A plasma can be irradiated by a long pump laser pulse, carrying significant energy, which is then quickly depleted in the plasma by a short counterpropagating pulse. This counterpropagating wave effect has already been employed in Raman amplifiers using gases or plasmas at low laser power. Of particular interest here are the new effects which enter in high power regimes. These new effects can be employed so that one high-energy optical system can be used like a flashlamp in what amounts to pumping the plasma, and a second low-power optical system can be used to extract quickly the energy from the plasma and focus it precisely. The combined system can be very compact. Thus, focused intensities more than 10 25 W/cm 2 can be contemplated using existing optical elements. These intensities are several orders of magnitude higher than what is currently available through chirped pump amplifiers

A comparative study on the influential factors of China's provincial energy intensity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Guangfei; Li, Wenli; Wang, Jianliang; Zhang, Dongqing

2016-01-01

China has become the largest energy consumer worldwide, and it is important to study the energy intensity to realize the sustainable development goal of China. This paper focuses on investigating the influential factors of China's energy intensity using provincial-level panel data from 1985 to 2012. More specifically, we try to identify which factor is relatively more important to pay attention to. A novel approach based on evolutionary computation is proposed to intelligently mine the intrinsic relations between observed phenomena and to let the important factors automatically emerge from the discovered nonlinear models. However, due to China's vast territory and significant heterogeneities, this approach may fail to examine some detailed or hidden information when analyzing the country as a whole. Instead, we concentrate on the provincial level because the provinces play vital roles in reducing energy intensity in China. From our analytical results, the main findings are as follows: (1) the Total Population is the most important influential factor across China's provinces, while the Energy Price Index has the least impact; and (2) the provinces could be naturally classified into four categories based on the primary factors emerged from data, and such classification could reveal more about the true underlying features of each area. - Highlights: • Identify the important factors of China's energy intensity by symbolic regression. • Analyze China's energy intensity using provincial-level panel data from 1985 to 2012. • Intelligently investigate nonlinear models and the emergence of important factors. • The Total Population is discovered to be the most important influential factor. • Provinces are naturally classified into four categories by the influential factors.

Intense pulsed neutron source accelerator status

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potts, C.W.; Brumwell, F.R.; Stipp, V.F.

1983-01-01

The Intense Pulsed Neutron Source (IPNS) facility has been in operation since November 1, 1981. From that date through August 1, 1983, the accelerator system was scheduled for 7191 hours of operation. During this period, 627 million pulses totaling about 1.1 x 10 21 protons were delivered to the spallation target. The accelerator has exceeded goals set in 1981 by averaging 8.65 μA over this two year period. This average beam current, while modest by the standards of proposed machines, makes the IPNS synchrotron (Rapid Cycling Synchrotron [RCS]) the highest intensity proton synchrotron in the world today. Detailed data on accelerator operation are presented. Weekly average currents of 12 μA have been achieved along with peaks of 13.9 μA. A great deal has been learned about the required operating constraints during high beam current operation. It should be possible to increase the average beam current during this next year to 12 μA while observing these restraints. Improvement plans have been formulated to increase the beam current to 16 μA over the next three years

Bloodstream Infections in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

OpenAIRE

Mehmet Sah Ipek

2016-01-01

Aim: To determine the pattern of bloodstream infections (BSIs) and antimicrobial susceptibility of pathogens in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).Material and Method: Positive hemoculture of neonates diagnosed with nosocomial sepsis from March 2011 to March 2014 in the NICU of Diyarbakir Maternity and Children%u2019s Hospital, in the southeastern region of Anatolia, Turkey, were retrospectively reviewed. Results: A total of 148 pathogens were isolated in 142 neonates. The most common micr...

Neutron scattering in disordered alloys: coherent and incoherent intensities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mookerjee, A.; Yussouff, M.

1985-02-01

A priori it is not clear how to split the total intensity of thermal neutron scattering from disordered alloys into a coherent and an incoherent part. We present here a formalism to do this. The formalism is based on the augmented space technique introduced earlier by one of the authors. It includes disorder in mass, force constants and scattering lengths. A self-consistent CCPA which is tractable for realistic calculations is presented for the coherent and incoherent intensities. This is expected to prove useful in theoretically analysis data for alloys (e.g. Nisub(x)Ptsub(1-x), Nisub(x)Pdsub(1-x), Nisub(x)Crsub(1-x)) for which it is necessary to go beyond the usual single site CPAs for reliable accuracy. (author)

DISCOVERY OF UBIQUITOUS FAST-PROPAGATING INTENSITY DISTURBANCES BY THE CHROMOSPHERIC LYMAN ALPHA SPECTROPOLARIMETER (CLASP)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kubo, M.; Katsukawa, Y.; Suematsu, Y.; Kano, R.; Bando, T.; Narukage, N.; Ishikawa, R.; Hara, H.; Giono, G. [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan); Tsuneta, S.; Ishikawa, S.; Shimizu, T.; Sakao, T. [Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 (Japan); Winebarger, A.; Kobayashi, K.; Cirtain, J. [NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, ZP 13, Huntsville, AL 35812 (United States); Champey, P. [University of Alabama in Huntsville, 301 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL 35899 (United States); Auchère, F. [Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale, CNRS/Univ. Paris-Sud 11, Bâtiment 121, F-91405 Orsay (France); Bueno, J. Trujillo; Ramos, A. Asensio, E-mail: masahito.kubo@nao.ac.jp [Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, E-38205 La Laguna, Tenerife (Spain); and others

2016-12-01

High-cadence observations by the slit-jaw (SJ) optics system of the sounding rocket experiment known as the Chromospheric Lyman Alpha Spectropolarimeter (CLASP) reveal ubiquitous intensity disturbances that recurrently propagate in either the chromosphere or the transition region or both at a speed much higher than the speed of sound. The CLASP/SJ instrument provides a time series of two-dimensional images taken with broadband filters centered on the Ly α line at a 0.6 s cadence. The multiple fast-propagating intensity disturbances appear in the quiet Sun and in an active region, and they are clearly detected in at least 20 areas in a field of view of 527″ × 527″ during the 5 minute observing time. The apparent speeds of the intensity disturbances range from 150 to 350 km s{sup −1}, and they are comparable to the local Alfvén speed in the transition region. The intensity disturbances tend to propagate along bright elongated structures away from areas with strong photospheric magnetic fields. This suggests that the observed fast-propagating intensity disturbances are related to the magnetic canopy structures. The maximum distance traveled by the intensity disturbances is about 10″, and the widths are a few arcseconds, which are almost determined by a pixel size of 1.″03. The timescale of each intensity pulse is shorter than 30 s. One possible explanation for the fast-propagating intensity disturbances observed by CLASP is magnetohydrodynamic fast-mode waves.

Multi-keV X-ray area source intensity at SGII laser facility

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Rui-rong; An, Hong-hai; Xie, Zhi-yong; Wang, Wei

2018-05-01

Experiments for investigating the feasibility of multi-keV backlighters for several different metallic foil targets were performed at the Shenguang II (SGII) laser facility in China. Emission spectra in the energy range of 1.65-7.0 keV were measured with an elliptically bent crystal spectrometer, and the X-ray source size was measured with a pinhole camera. The X-ray intensity near 4.75 keV and the X-ray source size for titanium targets at different laser intensity irradiances were studied. By adjusting the total laser energy at a fixed focal spot size, laser intensity in the range of 1.5-5.0 × 1015 W/cm2, was achieved. The results show that the line emission intensity near 4.75 keV and the X-ray source size are dependent on the laser intensity and increase as the laser intensity increases. However, an observed "peak" in the X-ray intensity near 4.75 keV occurs at an irradiance of 4.0 × 1015 W/cm2. For the employed experimental conditions, it was confirmed that the laser intensity could play a significant role in the development of an efficient multi-keV X-ray source. The experimental results for titanium indicate that the production of a large (˜350 μm in diameter) intense backlighter source of multi-keV X-rays is feasible at the SGII facility.

Total's LNG activities from Algeria to Yemen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vedrenne, J.P.

1997-01-01

In March 1995, further to an international tender, Total was awarded the leadership of the first LNG project in Yemen. On January 1997 Total announced the extension of the share-holding of the Yemen LNG Co. to include the companies with interests in the Marib area (Hunt-Exxon-Yukong). The Marib area will supply the gas to the future liquefaction plant. The ratification of these agreements confirms the role of Total as lead shareholder with 36% in the share-holding structure and guarantees gas supply from the Marib licence, operated by Hunt-Exxon. (author)

The Structure of Ethylbenzene, Styrene and Phenylacetylene Determined by Total Neutron Scattering

OpenAIRE

Szala‐Bilnik, Joanna; Falkowska, Marta; Bowron, Daniel T.; Hardacre, Christopher; Youngs, Tristan G. A.

2017-01-01

Abstract Organic solvents such as phenylacetylene, styrene and ethylbenzene are widely used in industrial processes, especially in the production of rubber or thermoplastics. Despite their important applications detailed knowledge about their structure is limited. In this paper the structures of these three aromatic solvents were investigated using neutron diffraction. The results show that many of their structural characteristics are similar, although the structure of phenylacetylene is more...

Farmers without borders-genetic structuring in century old barley (Hordeum vulgare).

Science.gov (United States)

Forsberg, N E G; Russell, J; Macaulay, M; Leino, M W; Hagenblad, J

2015-02-01

The geographic distribution of genetic diversity can reveal the evolutionary history of a species. For crop plants, phylogeographic patterns also indicate how seed has been exchanged and spread in agrarian communities. Such patterns are, however, easily blurred by the intense seed trade, plant improvement and even genebank conservation during the twentieth century, and discerning fine-scale phylogeographic patterns is thus particularly challenging. Using historical crop specimens, these problems are circumvented and we show here how high-throughput genotyping of historical nineteenth century crop specimens can reveal detailed geographic population structure. Thirty-one historical and nine extant accessions of North European landrace barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), in total 231 individuals, were genotyped on a 384 single nucleotide polymorphism assay. The historical material shows constant high levels of within-accession diversity, whereas the extant accessions show more varying levels of diversity and a higher degree of total genotype sharing. Structure, discriminant analysis of principal components and principal component analysis cluster the accessions in latitudinal groups across country borders in Finland, Norway and Sweden. FST statistics indicate strong differentiation between accessions from southern Fennoscandia and accessions from central or northern Fennoscandia, and less differentiation between central and northern accessions. These findings are discussed in the context of contrasting historical records on intense within-country south to north seed movement. Our results suggest that although seeds were traded long distances, long-term cultivation has instead been of locally available, possibly better adapted, genotypes.