Effect of PVDC on the Fire Performance of Ultra-Low Density Fiberboards (ULDFs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhenzeng Wu

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Poly vinylidene chloride-vinyl chloride emulsions (PVDC were added as a substitute for chlorinated paraffin (CP in the preparation of ultra-low density fiberboards (ULDFs. The micromorphology and fire performance of ULDFs were investigated using a scanning electron microscope, limiting oxygen index instrument, and cone calorimeter. The results showed that PVDC specimens were coated with a regularly smooth film, while the distribution of CP inside CP specimens was uneven. The limiting oxygen index increased with the dosage of PVDC, then reached a plateau at 50 mL and 28%, slightly higher than CP specimens (27.3%. The peak of heat release rate, mean heat release rate, mean CO, and total smoke release of PVDC specimens was reduced 43.3%, 13.5%, 38.5%, and 51.5% lower than respective CP specimens, and with nearly the same total heat release (only 0.04 MJ/m2 higher. Thus, PVDC exhibited excellent heat-reducing and smoke-suppressing properties and could replace CP in ULDFs.

Ultralow-loss CMOS copper plasmonic waveguides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fedyanin, Dmitry Yu.; Yakubovsky, Dmitry I.; Kirtaev, Roman V.

2016-01-01

with microelectronics manufacturing technologies. This prevents plasmonic components from integration with both silicon photonics and silicon microelectronics. Here, we demonstrate ultralow-loss copper plasmonic waveguides fabricated in a simple complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) compatible process, which...

Ultralow concentrations of bupivacaine exert anti-inflammatory effects on inflammation-reactive astrocytes

Science.gov (United States)

Block, Linda; Jörneberg, Per; Björklund, Ulrika; Westerlund, Anna; Biber, Björn; Hansson, Elisabeth

2013-01-01

Bupivacaine is a widely used, local anesthetic agent that blocks voltage-gated Na+ channels when used for neuro-axial blockades. Much lower concentrations of bupivacaine than in normal clinical use, bupivacaine exerts an influence on the Ca2+ signaling and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) secretion in inflammation-reactive astrocytes when used at ultralow concentrations, bupivacaine interacts with the opioid-, 5-hydroxytryptamine- (5-HT) and glutamate-receptor systems. With respect to the μ-opioid- and 5-HT-receptor systems, bupivacaine restored the inflammation-reactive astrocytes to their normal non-inflammatory levels. With respect to the glutamate-receptor system, bupivacaine, in combination with an ultralow concentration of the μ-opioid receptor antagonist naloxone and μ-opioid receptor agonists, restored the inflammation-reactive astrocytes to their normal non-inflammatory levels. Ultralow concentrations of bupivacaine attenuated the inflammation-induced upregulation of IL-1β secretion. The results indicate that bupivacaine interacts with the opioid-, 5-HT- and glutamate-receptor systems by affecting Ca2+ signaling and IL-1β release in inflammation-reactive astrocytes. These results suggest that bupivacaine may be used at ultralow concentrations as an anti-inflammatory drug, either alone or in combination with opioid agonists and ultralow concentrations of an opioid antagonist. PMID:24083665

Ultralow Level Mercury Treatment Using Chemical Reduction and Air Stripping: Scoping Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Looney, B.B.

2000-01-01

Data collected during the first stage of a Savannah River Technology Center (SRTC) Strategic Research and Development Project confirmed the efficacy of chemical reduction and air stripping/sparging as an ultralow level mercury treatment concept for waters containing Hg(II). The process consists of dosing the water with low levels of stannous chloride to convert the mercury to Hg. This form of mercury can easily be removed from the water by air stripping or sparging. Samples of Savannah River Site (SRS) groundwater containing approximately 130 ng/L of total mercury (as Hg(II)) were used for the study. In undosed samples, sparging removed 0 percent of the initial mercury. In the dosed samples, all of the removals were greater than 94 percent, except in one water type at one dose. This sample, which was saturated with dissolved oxygen, showed a 63 percent reduction in mercury following treatment at the lowest dose. Following dosing at minimally effective levels and sparging, treated water contained less than 10 ng/L total mercury. In general, the data indicate that the reduction of mercury is highly favored and that stannous chloride reagent efficiently targets the Hg(II) contaminant in the presence of competing reactions. Based on the results, the authors estimated that the costs of implementing and operating an ultralow level mercury treatment process based on chemical reduction and stripping/sparging are 10 percent to 20 percent of traditional treatment technologies

Ultra-low temperature curable nano-silver conductive adhesive for piezoelectric composite material

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Chao; Liao, Qingwei; Zhou, Xingli; Wang, Likun; Zhong, Chao; Zhang, Di

2018-01-01

Limited by the low thermal resistance of composite material, ultra-low temperature curable conductive silver adhesive with curing temperature less than 100 °C needed urgently for the surface conduction treatment of piezoelectric composite material. An ultra-low temperature curable nano-silver conductive adhesive with high adhesion strength for the applications of piezoelectric composite material was investigated. The crystal structure of cured adhesive, SEM/EDS analysis, thermal analysis, adhesive properties and conductive properties of different content of nano-silver filler or micron-silver doping samples were studied. The results show that with 60 wt.% nano-silver filler the ultra-low temperature curable conductive silver adhesive had the relatively good conductivity as volume resistivity of 2.37 × 10-4 Ω cm, and good adhesion strength of 5.13 MPa. Minor micron-doping (below 15 wt.%) could improve conductivity, but would decrease other properties. The ultra-low temperature curable nano-silver conductive adhesive could successfully applied to piezoelectric composite material.

The chemistry of ultra-low concentrations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vertes, Attila; Kiss, Istvan

1987-01-01

Methods for the separation and enrichment of radionuclides in the ultra-low concentration range (coprecipitation, adsorption of radioactive substances on crystals) are disscussed in this chapter of the textbook. The properties and behaviour of ultra-dilute solutions, radiocolloids and the electrochemistry of ultra-dilute solution are also overviewed

Efficacy of Nitric Oxide Fumigation for Controlling Codling Moth in Apples

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yong-Biao Liu

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Nitric oxide (NO fumigation under ultralow oxygen (ULO conditions was studied for its efficacy in controlling codling moth and effects on postharvest quality of apples. NO fumigation was effective against eggs and larvae of different sizes on artificial diet in 48 h treatments. Small larvae were more susceptible to nitric oxide than other stages at 0.5% NO concentration. There were no significant differences among life stages at 1.0% to 2.0% NO concentrations. In 24 h treatments of eggs, 3.0% NO fumigation at 2 °C achieved 100% egg mortality. Two 24 h fumigation treatments of infested apples containing medium and large larvae with 3.0% and 5.0% NO resulted in 98% and 100% mortalities respectively. Sound apples were also fumigated with 5.0% NO for 24 h at 2 °C to determine effects on apple quality. The fumigation treatment was terminated by flushing with nitrogen and had no negative impact on postharvest quality of apples as measured by firmness and color at 2 and 4 weeks after fumigation. This study demonstrated that NO fumigation was effective against codling moth and safe to apple quality, and therefore has potential to become a practical alternative to methyl bromide fumigation for control of codling moth in apples.

Efficacy of Nitric Oxide Fumigation for Controlling Codling Moth in Apples.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yong-Biao; Yang, Xiangbing; Simmons, Gregory

2016-12-02

Nitric oxide (NO) fumigation under ultralow oxygen (ULO) conditions was studied for its efficacy in controlling codling moth and effects on postharvest quality of apples. NO fumigation was effective against eggs and larvae of different sizes on artificial diet in 48 h treatments. Small larvae were more susceptible to nitric oxide than other stages at 0.5% NO concentration. There were no significant differences among life stages at 1.0% to 2.0% NO concentrations. In 24 h treatments of eggs, 3.0% NO fumigation at 2 °C achieved 100% egg mortality. Two 24 h fumigation treatments of infested apples containing medium and large larvae with 3.0% and 5.0% NO resulted in 98% and 100% mortalities respectively. Sound apples were also fumigated with 5.0% NO for 24 h at 2 °C to determine effects on apple quality. The fumigation treatment was terminated by flushing with nitrogen and had no negative impact on postharvest quality of apples as measured by firmness and color at 2 and 4 weeks after fumigation. This study demonstrated that NO fumigation was effective against codling moth and safe to apple quality, and therefore has potential to become a practical alternative to methyl bromide fumigation for control of codling moth in apples.

Ultralow-k nanoporous organosilicate dielectric films imprinted with dendritic spheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Byeongdu; Park, Young-Hee; Hwang, Yong-Taek; Oh, Weontae; Yoon, Jinhwan; Ree, Moonhor

2005-02-01

Integrated circuits that have improved functionality and speed in a smaller package and that consume less power are desired by the microelectronics industry as well as by end users, to increase device performance and reduce costs. The fabrication of high-performance integrated circuits requires the availability of materials with low or ultralow dielectric constant (low-k: k noise in interconnect conductors, but also minimize power dissipation by reducing the capacitance between the interconnects. Here we describe the preparation of low- and ultralow-k nanoporous organosilicate dielectrics from blends of polymethylsilsesquioxane (PMSSQ) precursor with globular ethyl acrylate-terminated polypropylenimine dendrimers, which act as porogens. These dendrimers are found to mix well with the PMSSQ precursor and after their sacrificial thermal decompositions result in closed, spherical pores of <2.0 nm radius with a very narrow distribution even at high loading. This pore size and distribution are the smallest and the narrowest respectively ever achieved in porous spin-on dielectrics. The method therefore successfully delivers low- and ultralow-k PMSSQ dielectric films that should prove very useful in advanced integrated circuits.

Changes in bacterial diversity associated with bioremediation of used lubricating oil in tropical soils.

Science.gov (United States)

Meeboon, Naruemon; Leewis, Mary-Cathrine; Kaewsuwan, Sireewan; Maneerat, Suppasil; Leigh, Mary Beth

2017-08-01

Used lubricating oil (ULO) is a widespread contaminant, particularly throughout tropical regions, and may be a candidate for bioremediation. However, little is known about the biodegradation potential or basic microbial ecology of ULO-contaminated soils. This study aims to determine the effects of used ULO on bacterial community structure and diversity. Using a combination of culture-based (agar plate counts) and molecular techniques (16S rRNA gene sequencing and DGGE), we investigated changes in soil bacterial communities from three different ULO-contaminated soils collected from motorcycle mechanical workshops (soil A, B, and C). We further explored the relationship between bacterial community structure, physiochemical soil parameters, and ULO composition in three ULO-contaminated soils. Results indicated that the three investigated soils had different community structures, which may be a result of the different ULO characteristics and physiochemical soil parameters of each site. Soil C had the highest ULO concentration and also the greatest diversity and richness of bacteria, which may be a result of higher nutrient retention, organic matter and cation exchange capacity, as well as freshness of oil compared to the other soils. In soils A and B, Proteobacteria (esp. Gammaproteobacteria) dominated the bacterial community, and in soil C, Actinobacteria and Firmicutes dominated. The genus Enterobacter, a member of the class Gammaproteobacteria, is known to include ULO-degraders, and this genus was the only one found in all three soils, suggesting that it could play a key role in the in situ degradation of ULO-contaminated tropical Thai soils. This study provides insights into our understanding of soil microbial richness, diversity, composition, and structure in tropical ULO-contaminated soils, and may be useful for the development of strategies to improve bioremediation.

Design of ultra-low power impulse radios

CERN Document Server

Apsel, Alyssa; Dokania, Rajeev

2014-01-01

This book covers the fundamental principles behind the design of ultra-low power radios and how they can form networks to facilitate a variety of applications within healthcare and environmental monitoring, since they may operate for years off a small battery or even harvest energy from the environment. These radios are distinct from conventional radios in that they must operate with very constrained resources and low overhead.  This book provides a thorough discussion of the challenges associated with designing radios with such constrained resources, as well as fundamental design concepts and practical approaches to implementing working designs.  Coverage includes integrated circuit design, timing and control considerations, fundamental theory behind low power and time domain operation, and network/communication protocol considerations.   • Enables detailed understanding of the design space for ultra-low power radio; • Provides detailed discussion and examples of the design of a practical low power ...

Advanced Technology for Ultra-Low Power System-on-Chip (SoC)

Science.gov (United States)

2017-06-01

was proposed for lower power applications with Ioff=10pA/μm and VDD=0.5V. In this project, the optimized structure shows great potential in both Lg...AFRL-RY-WP-TR-2017-0115 ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY FOR ULTRA-LOW POWER SYSTEM-ON-CHIP (SoC) Jason Woo, Weicong Li, and Peng Lu University of California...September 2015 – 31 March 2017 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY FOR ULTRA-LOW POWER SYSTEM-ON- CHIP (SoC) 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER FA8650-15-1-7574 5b

Ultra-low magnetic damping in metallic and half-metallic systems

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, Justin

The phenomenology of magnetic damping is of critical importance to devices which seek to exploit the electronic spin degree of freedom since damping strongly affects the energy required and speed at which a device can operate. However, theory has struggled to quantitatively predict the damping, even in common ferromagnetic materials. This presents a challenge for a broad range of applications in magnonics, spintronics and spin-orbitronics that depend on the ability to precisely control the damping of a material. I will discuss our recent work to precisely measure the intrinsic damping in several metallic and half-metallic material systems and compare experiment with several theoretical models. This investigation uncovered a metallic material composed of Co and Fe that exhibit ultra-low values of damping that approach values found in thin film YIG. Such ultra-low damping is unexpected in a metal since magnon-electron scattering dominates the damping in conductors. However, this system possesses a distinctive feature in the bandstructure that minimizes the density of states at the Fermi energy n(EF). These findings provide the theoretical framework by which such ultra-low damping can be achieved in metallic ferromagnets and may enable a new class of experiments where ultra-low damping can be combined with a charge current. Half-metallic Heusler compounds by definition have a bandgap in one of the spin channels at the Fermi energy. This feature can also lead to exceptionally low values of the damping parameter. Our results show a strong correlation of the damping with the order parameter in Co2MnGe. Finally, I will provide an overview of the recent advances in achieving low damping in thin film Heusler compounds.

Characterization of fluorinated silica thin films with ultra-low refractive index deposited at low temperature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abbasi-Firouzjah, Marzieh [Semnan Science and Technology Park, 3614933578, Shahrood (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Shokri, Babak, E-mail: b-shokri@sbu.ac.ir [Laser & Plasma Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, G.C., Evin, Tehran 1983963113 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Physics Department, Shahid Beheshti University, G.C., Evin, Tehran 1983963113 (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2015-02-27

Structural and optical properties of low refractive index fluorinated silica (SiO{sub x}C{sub y}F{sub z}) films were investigated. The films were deposited on p-type silicon and polycarbonate substrates by radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition method at low temperatures. A mixture of tetraethoxysilane vapor, oxygen, and CF{sub 4} was used for deposition of the films. The influence of oxygen flow rate on the elemental compositions, chemical bonding states and surface roughness of the films was studied using energy dispersive X-ray analyzer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in reflectance mode and atomic force microscopy, respectively. Effects of chemical bonds of the film matrix on optical properties and chemical stability were discussed. Energy dispersive spectroscopy showed high fluorine content in the SiO{sub x}C{sub y}F{sub z} film matrix which is in the range of 7.6–11.3%. It was concluded that in fluorine content lower than a certain limit, chemical stability of the film enhances, while higher contents of fluorine heighten moisture absorption followed by increasing refractive index. All of the deposited films were highly transparent. Finally, it was found that the refractive index of the SiO{sub x}C{sub y}F{sub z} film was continuously decreased with the increase of the O{sub 2} flow rate down to the minimum value of 1.16 ± 0.01 (at 632.8 nm) having the most ordered and nano-void structure and the least organic impurities. This sample also had the most chemical stability against moisture absorption. - Highlights: • Low deposition temperature and organic precursor led to higher film fluorination. • High fluorine and nanovoid structure led to drastic decrease in the refractive index. • Silica based thin film with ultralow refractive index of 1.16 was produced. • The produced ultralow-n film is highly stable against moisture absorption.

PHYSICS WITH ULTRA-LOW ENERGY ANTIPROTONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

M. HOLZSCHEITER

2001-02-01

In this report the author describes the current status of the antiproton deceleration (AD) facility at CERN, and highlights the physics program with ultra-low energy antiproton at this installation. He also comments on future possibilities provided higher intensity antiproton beams become available at Fermilab, and review possibilities for initial experiments using direct degrading of high energy antiprotons in material has been developed and proven at CERN.

Oxygen-transfer performance of a newly designed, very low-volume membrane oxygenator.

Science.gov (United States)

Burn, Felice; Ciocan, Sorin; Carmona, Natalia Mendez; Berner, Marion; Sourdon, Joevin; Carrel, Thierry P; Tevaearai Stahel, Hendrik T; Longnus, Sarah L

2015-09-01

Oxygenation of blood and other physiological solutions are routinely required in fundamental research for both in vitro and in vivo experimentation. However, very few oxygenators with suitable priming volumes (parallel-oriented microporous polypropylene hollow fibres, placed inside a hollow shell with a lateral-luer outlet, and sealed at both extremities. With this design, perfusate is delivered via the core-tube to the centre of the mini-oxygenator, and exits via the luer port. A series of mini-oxygenators were constructed and tested in an in vitro perfusion circuit by monitoring oxygen transfer using modified Krebs-Henseleit buffer or whole porcine blood. Effects of perfusion pressure and temperature over flows of 5-60 ml × min(-1) were assessed. Twelve mini-oxygenators with a mean priming volume of 1.5 ± 0.3 ml were evaluated. With buffer, oxygen transfer reached a maximum of 14.8 ± 1.0 ml O2 × l(-1) (pO2: 450 ± 32 mmHg) at perfusate flow rates of 5 ml × min(-1) and decreased with an increase in perfusate flow to 7.8 ± 0.7 ml ml O2 × l(-1) (pO2: 219 ± 24 mmHg) at 60 ml × min(-1). Similarly, with blood perfusate, oxygen transfer also decreased as perfusate flow increased, ranging from 33 ± 5 ml O2 × l(-1) at 5 ml × min(-1) to 11 ± 2 ml O2 × l(-1) at 60 ml × min(-1). Furthermore, oxygen transfer capacity remained stable with blood perfusion over a period of at least 2 h. We have developed a new miniaturized membrane oxygenator with an ultra-low priming volume (circuits, such as small animal extracorporeal circulation and ex vivo organ perfusion. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

Optimizing Parameters of Axial Pressure-Compounded Ultra-Low Power Impulse Turbines at Preliminary Design

Science.gov (United States)

Kalabukhov, D. S.; Radko, V. M.; Grigoriev, V. A.

2018-01-01

Ultra-low power turbine drives are used as energy sources in auxiliary power systems, energy units, terrestrial, marine, air and space transport within the confines of shaft power N td = 0.01…10 kW. In this paper we propose a new approach to the development of surrogate models for evaluating the integrated efficiency of multistage ultra-low power impulse turbine with pressure stages. This method is based on the use of existing mathematical models of ultra-low power turbine stage efficiency and mass. It has been used in a method for selecting the rational parameters of two-stage axial ultra-low power turbine. The article describes the basic features of an algorithm for two-stage turbine parameters optimization and for efficiency criteria evaluating. Pledged mathematical models are intended for use at the preliminary design of turbine drive. The optimization method was tested at preliminary design of an air starter turbine. Validation was carried out by comparing the results of optimization calculations and numerical gas-dynamic simulation in the Ansys CFX package. The results indicate a sufficient accuracy of used surrogate models for axial two-stage turbine parameters selection

In situ quantification of ultra-low O2 concentrations in oxygen minimum zones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Morten; Lehner, Philipp; Borisov, Sergey M.

2016-01-01

based on the palladium(II)-benzoporphyrin luminophore, immobilized in a perfluorinated matrix with high O2 permeability. The trace sensor has a detection limit of ∼5 nmol L−1 with a dynamic range extending up to ∼2 μmol L−1. The sensor demonstrates a response time ..., and fully reversible response to hydrostatic pressure and temperature. The sensor showed excellent stability for continuously measurements during depth profiling in Oxygen Minimum Zones (OMZ). The novel sensor was deployed in situ using a Trace Oxygen Profiler instrument (TOP) equipped with two additional O...

Ultra-low loss nano-taper coupler for Silicon-on-Insulator ridge waveguide

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pu, Minhao; Liu, Liu; Ou, Haiyan

2010-01-01

A nano-taper coupler is optimized specially for the transverse-magnetic mode for interfacing light between a silicon-on-insulator ridge waveguide and a single-mode fiber. An ultra-low coupling loss of ~0.36dB is achieved for the nano-taper coupler.......A nano-taper coupler is optimized specially for the transverse-magnetic mode for interfacing light between a silicon-on-insulator ridge waveguide and a single-mode fiber. An ultra-low coupling loss of ~0.36dB is achieved for the nano-taper coupler....

Ultra-low coupling loss fully-etched apodized grating coupler with bonded metal mirror

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ding, Yunhong; Peucheret, Christophe; Ou, Haiyan

2014-01-01

A fully etched apodized grating coupler with bonded metal mirror is designed and demonstrated on the silicon-on-insulator platform, showing an ultra-low coupling loss of only 1.25 dB with 3 dB bandwidth of 69 nm.......A fully etched apodized grating coupler with bonded metal mirror is designed and demonstrated on the silicon-on-insulator platform, showing an ultra-low coupling loss of only 1.25 dB with 3 dB bandwidth of 69 nm....

Ultralow dose CT for pulmonary nodule detection with chest X-ray equivalent dose - a prospective intra-individual comparative study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Messerli, Michael [University Zurich, Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich (Switzerland); Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, St. Gallen (Switzerland); Kluckert, Thomas; Knitel, Meinhard; Desbiolles, Lotus; Bauer, Ralf W.; Wildermuth, Simon [Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, St. Gallen (Switzerland); Waelti, Stephan [Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, St. Gallen (Switzerland); University of Montreal, Department of Radiology, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec (Canada); Rengier, Fabian [University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Heidelberg (Germany); Warschkow, Rene [Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, Department of Surgery, St. Gallen (Switzerland); Alkadhi, Hatem [University Zurich, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich (Switzerland); Leschka, Sebastian [Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, St. Gallen (Switzerland); University Zurich, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich (Switzerland)

2017-08-15

To prospectively evaluate the accuracy of ultralow radiation dose CT of the chest with tin filtration at 100 kV for pulmonary nodule detection. 202 consecutive patients undergoing clinically indicated chest CT (standard dose, 1.8 ± 0.7 mSv) were prospectively included and additionally scanned with an ultralow dose protocol (0.13 ± 0.01 mSv). Standard dose CT was read in consensus by two board-certified radiologists to determine the presence of lung nodules and served as standard of reference (SOR). Two radiologists assessed the presence of lung nodules and their locations on ultralow dose CT. Sensitivity and specificity of the ultralow dose protocol was compared against the SOR, including subgroup analyses of different nodule sizes and types. A mixed effects logistic regression was used to test for independent predictors for sensitivity of pulmonary nodule detection. 425 nodules (mean diameter 3.7 ± 2.9 mm) were found on SOR. Overall sensitivity for nodule detection by ultralow dose CT was 91%. In multivariate analysis, nodule type, size and patients BMI were independent predictors for sensitivity (p < 0.001). Ultralow dose chest CT at 100 kV with spectral shaping enables a high sensitivity for the detection of pulmonary nodules at exposure levels comparable to plain film chest X-ray. (orig.)

Optimization Design and Performance Analysis of a Pit Turbine with Ultralow Head

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chunxia Yang

2014-04-01

Full Text Available A developed pit turbine with ultralow head was optimization designed under the design head of about 2 meters to achieve the goal of improving the turbine unit's efficiency. At the same time, the turbine's synthetic characteristic curve was drawn to predict the turbine's overall performance. Navier-Stokes equations and SIMPLEC algorithm were used for pit turbine's whole flow passage numerical simulation of the 3D, steady, incompressible, turbulent flow field. Through the CFD numerical simulation, the influence to ultralow head turbine's performance was analyzed by runner blade's different setting angles and guide vane's different axes. Considering the hydraulic performance of various methods, the best blade's setting angle and guide vane's axis were chosen. The results show that, the turbine unit has the best performance on efficiency, hydraulic loss, and so forth, with the blade's setting angle 23° and the angle 72° between the guide vane and the centerline of unit, meeting the power station's design requirements. The development pit turbine with ultralow head shows the highest efficiency of 87.6% under condition of design head of 2.1 meters and design discharge of 10 m3/s. The energy performance of pit turbine with ultralow head was researched by the model test of GD-WS-35 turbine. The model turbine's characteristic curve was drawn. The model turbine's high efficiency area is wide and the efficiency changes mildly. The numerical simulation results are essentially consistent with the model test results, while the former one is slightly higher than the latter one. The error range is ±3%.

Physics with ultra-low energy antiprotons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holtkamp, D.B.; Holzscheiter, M.H.; Hughes, R.J.

1989-01-01

The experimental observation that all forms of matter experience the same gravitational acceleration is embodied in the weak equivalence principle of gravitational physics. However no experiment has tested this principle for particles of antimatter such as the antiproton or the antihydrogen atom. Clearly the question of whether antimatter is in compliance with weak equivalence is a fundamental experimental issue, which can best be addressed at an ultra-low energy antiproton facility. This paper addresses the issue. 20 refs

Stimulatory and protective effects of alkylating agents applied in ultra-low concentrations.

Science.gov (United States)

Pukhalsky, A L; Shmarina, G V

2001-01-01

Alkylating drugs belonging to the nitrogen mustard family are known as cytostatic and immunosuppressive agents. Ultra-low doses of these drugs may demonstrate pharmacological effects unlike this category of drugs. In the case of a gradual dose decrease, the number of targets for alkylation is also reduced and the drug switches from cytostatic to cell growth modifier. We postulate that application of ultra-low doses of alkylating drugs may result in a beneficial effect in the therapy of diseases associated with chronic inflammation of the mucosa, especially with the signs of epithelial atrophy. Copyright 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel

Emphysema quantification and lung volumetry in chest X-ray equivalent ultralow dose CT - Intra-individual comparison with standard dose CT.

Science.gov (United States)

Messerli, Michael; Ottilinger, Thorsten; Warschkow, René; Leschka, Sebastian; Alkadhi, Hatem; Wildermuth, Simon; Bauer, Ralf W

2017-06-01

To determine whether ultralow dose chest CT with tin filtration can be used for emphysema quantification and lung volumetry and to assess differences in emphysema measurements and lung volume between standard dose and ultralow dose CT scans using advanced modeled iterative reconstruction (ADMIRE). 84 consecutive patients from a prospective, IRB-approved single-center study were included and underwent clinically indicated standard dose chest CT (1.7±0.6mSv) and additional single-energy ultralow dose CT (0.14±0.01mSv) at 100kV and fixed tube current at 70mAs with tin filtration in the same session. Forty of the 84 patients (48%) had no emphysema, 44 (52%) had emphysema. One radiologist performed fully automated software-based pulmonary emphysema quantification and lung volumetry of standard and ultralow dose CT with different levels of ADMIRE. Friedman test and Wilcoxon rank sum test were used for multiple comparison of emphysema and lung volume. Lung volumes were compared using the concordance correlation coefficient. The median low-attenuation areas (LAA) using filtered back projection (FBP) in standard dose was 4.4% and decreased to 2.6%, 2.1% and 1.8% using ADMIRE 3, 4, and 5, respectively. The median values of LAA in ultralow dose CT were 5.7%, 4.1% and 2.4% for ADMIRE 3, 4, and 5, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between LAA in standard dose CT using FBP and ultralow dose using ADMIRE 4 (p=0.358) as well as in standard dose CT using ADMIRE 3 and ultralow dose using ADMIRE 5 (p=0.966). In comparison with standard dose FBP the concordance correlation coefficients of lung volumetry were 1.000, 0.999, and 0.999 for ADMIRE 3, 4, and 5 in standard dose, and 0.972 for ADMIRE 3, 4 and 5 in ultralow dose CT. Ultralow dose CT at chest X-ray equivalent dose levels allows for lung volumetry as well as detection and quantification of emphysema. However, longitudinal emphysema analyses should be performed with the same scan protocol and

Exceptional oxygen barrier performance of pullulan nanocomposites with ultra-low loading of graphene oxide

Science.gov (United States)

Uysal Unalan, Ilke; Wan, Chaoying; Figiel, Łukasz; Olsson, Richard T.; Trabattoni, Silvia; Farris, Stefano

2015-07-01

Polymer nanocomposites are increasingly important in food packaging sectors. Biopolymer pullulan is promising in manufacturing packaging films or coatings due to its excellent optical clarity, mechanical strength, and high water-solubility as compared to other biopolymers. This work aims to enhance its oxygen barrier properties and overcome its intrinsic brittleness by utilizing two-dimensional planar graphene oxide (GO) nanoplatelets. It has been found that the addition of only 0.2 wt% of GO enhanced the tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and elongation at break of pullulan films by about 40, 44 and 52%, respectively. The light transmittance at 550 nm of the pullulan/GO films was 92.3% and haze values were within 3.0% threshold, which meets the general requirement for food packaging materials. In particular, the oxygen permeability coefficient of pullulan was reduced from 6337 to 2614 mL μm m-2 (24 h-1) atm-1 with as low as 0.05 wt% of GO loading and further to 1357 mL μm m-2 (24 h-1) atm-1 when GO concentration reached 0.3 wt%. The simultaneous improvement of the mechanical and oxygen barrier properties of pullulan was ascribed to the homogeneous distribution and prevalent unidirectional alignment of GO nanosheets, as determined from the characterization and theoretical modelling results. The exceptional oxygen barrier properties of pullulan/GO nanocomposites with enhanced mechanical flexibility and good optical clarity will add new values to high performance food packaging materials.

Ultra-low energy storage ring at FLAIR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Welsch, Carsten P.; Papash, A. I.; Gorda, O.; Harasimowicz, J.; Karamyshev, O.; Karamysheva, G.; Newton, D.; Panniello, M.; Putignano, M.; Siggel-King, M. R. F.; Smirnov, A.

2012-01-01

The Ultra-low energy electrostatic Storage Ring (USR) at the future Facility for Low-energy Antiproton and Ion Research (FLAIR) will provide cooled beams of antiprotons in the energy range between 300 keV down to 20 keV and possibly less. The USR has been completely redesigned over the past three years. The ring structure is based on a “split achromat” lattice that allows in-ring experiments with internal gas jet target. Beam parameters might be adjusted in a wide range: from very short pulses in the nanosecond regime to a Coasting beam. In addition, a combined fast and slow extraction scheme was developed that allows for providing external experiments with cooled beams of different time structure. Detailed investigations of the USR, including studies into the ring’s long term beam dynamics, life time, equilibrium momentum spread and equilibrium lateral spread during collisions with an internal target were carried out. New tools and beam handling techniques for diagnostics of ultra-low energy ions at beam intensities less than 10 6 were developed by the QUASAR Group. In this paper, progress on the USR project will be presented with an emphasis on the expected beam parameters available to the experiments at FLAIR.

Electroplating method for producing ultralow-mass fissionable deposits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruddy, F.H.

1989-01-01

A method for producing ultralow-mass fissionable deposits for nuclear reactor dosimetry is described, including the steps of holding a radioactive parent until the radioactive parent reaches secular equilibrium with a daughter isotope, chemically separating the daughter from the parent, electroplating the daughter on a suitable substrate, and holding the electroplated daughter until the daughter decays to the fissionable deposit

Assessment of the bacterial community of soils contaminated with used lubricating oil by PCR-DGGE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naruemon Meeboon

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The diversity of indigenous bacteria in three soils contaminated with used lubricating oil (ULO was determined and compared using molecular analysis of bacteria cultured during the enrichment process. Sequencing analyses demonstrated that the majority of the DGGE bands in enrichment cultures were affiliated with four phyla of the domain, Bacteria: α, β, γ- Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria. Soil C had a higher ULO contamination level than soil A and B, which may explain why enrichment culture C had the greatest diversity of bacteria, but further studies would be needed to determine whether ULO concentration results in higher diversity of ULO-degraders in soils. The diversity of ULO-degraders detected in these three different soils suggests that biostimulation methods for increasing the activity of indigenous microorganisms may be a viable approach to bioremediation, and that future studies to determine how to increase their activity in situ are warranted.

Exceptional oxygen barrier performance of pullulan nanocomposites with ultra-low loading of graphene oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Unalan, Ilke Uysal; Farris, Stefano; Wan, Chaoying; Figiel, Łukasz; Olsson, Richard T; Trabattoni, Silvia

2015-01-01

Polymer nanocomposites are increasingly important in food packaging sectors. Biopolymer pullulan is promising in manufacturing packaging films or coatings due to its excellent optical clarity, mechanical strength, and high water-solubility as compared to other biopolymers. This work aims to enhance its oxygen barrier properties and overcome its intrinsic brittleness by utilizing two-dimensional planar graphene oxide (GO) nanoplatelets. It has been found that the addition of only 0.2 wt% of GO enhanced the tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and elongation at break of pullulan films by about 40, 44 and 52%, respectively. The light transmittance at 550 nm of the pullulan/GO films was 92.3% and haze values were within 3.0% threshold, which meets the general requirement for food packaging materials. In particular, the oxygen permeability coefficient of pullulan was reduced from 6337 to 2614 mL μm m"−"2 (24 h"−"1) atm"−"1 with as low as 0.05 wt% of GO loading and further to 1357 mL μm m"−"2 (24 h"−"1) atm"−"1 when GO concentration reached 0.3 wt%. The simultaneous improvement of the mechanical and oxygen barrier properties of pullulan was ascribed to the homogeneous distribution and prevalent unidirectional alignment of GO nanosheets, as determined from the characterization and theoretical modelling results. The exceptional oxygen barrier properties of pullulan/GO nanocomposites with enhanced mechanical flexibility and good optical clarity will add new values to high performance food packaging materials. (paper)

Ultra-low Temperature Curable Conductive Silver Adhesive with different Resin Matrix

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Xingli; Wang, Likun; Liao, Qingwei; Yan, Chao; Li, Xing; Qin, Lei

2018-03-01

The ultra-low temperature curable conductive silver adhesive with curing temperature less than 100 °C needed urgently for the surface conductive treatment of piezoelectric composite material due to the low thermal resistance of composite material and low adhesion strength of adhesive. An ultra-low temperature curable conductive adhesive with high adhesion strength was obtained for the applications of piezoelectric composite material. The microstructure, conductive properties and adhesive properties with different resin matrix were investigated. The conductive adhesive with AG-80 as the resin matrix has the shorter curing time (20min), lower curing temperature (90°C) and higher adhesion strength (7.6MPa). The resistivity of AG-80 sample has the lower value (2.13 × 10-4Ω·cm) than the 618 sample (4.44 × 10-4Ω·cm).

Organic hydrogen peroxide-driven low charge potentials for high-performance lithium-oxygen batteries with carbon cathodes

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Shichao; Qiao, Yu; Yang, Sixie; Ishida, Masayoshi; He, Ping; Zhou, Haoshen

2017-06-01

Reducing the high charge potential is a crucial concern in advancing the performance of lithium-oxygen batteries. Here, for water-containing lithium-oxygen batteries with lithium hydroxide products, we find that a hydrogen peroxide aqueous solution added in the electrolyte can effectively promote the decomposition of lithium hydroxide compounds at the ultralow charge potential on a catalyst-free Ketjen Black-based cathode. Furthermore, for non-aqueous lithium-oxygen batteries with lithium peroxide products, we introduce a urea hydrogen peroxide, chelating hydrogen peroxide without any water in the organic, as an electrolyte additive in lithium-oxygen batteries with a lithium metal anode and succeed in the realization of the low charge potential of ~3.26 V, which is among the best levels reported. In addition, the undesired water generally accompanying hydrogen peroxide solutions is circumvented to protect the lithium metal anode and ensure good battery cycling stability. Our results should provide illuminating insights into approaches to enhancing lithium-oxygen batteries.

Ultra-Low Noise Germanium Neutrino Detection system (ULGeN).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cabrera-Palmer, Belkis [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Barton, Paul [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2017-07-01

Monitoring nuclear power plant operation by measuring the antineutrino flux has become an active research field for safeguards and non-proliferation. We describe various efforts to demonstrate the feasibility of reactor monitoring based on the detection of the Coherent Neutrino Nucleus Scattering (CNNS) process with High Purity Germanium (HPGe) technology. CNNS detection for reactor antineutrino energies requires lowering the electronic noise in low-capacitance kg-scale HPGe detectors below 100 eV as well as stringent reduction in other particle backgrounds. Existing state- of-the-art detectors are limited to an electronic noise of 95 eV-FWHM. In this work, we employed an ultra-low capacitance point-contact detector with a commercial integrated circuit preamplifier- on-a-chip in an ultra-low vibration mechanically cooled cryostat to achieve an electronic noise of 39 eV-FWHM at 43 K. We also present the results of a background measurement campaign at the Spallation Neutron Source to select the area with sufficient low background to allow a successful first-time measurement of the CNNS process.

Ultra-Low Noise Germanium Neutrino Detection system (ULGeN)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cabrera-Palmer, Belkis; Barton, Paul

2017-01-01

Monitoring nuclear power plant operation by measuring the antineutrino flux has become an active research field for safeguards and non-proliferation. We describe various efforts to demonstrate the feasibility of reactor monitoring based on the detection of the Coherent Neutrino Nucleus Scattering (CNNS) process with High Purity Germanium (HPGe) technology. CNNS detection for reactor antineutrino energies requires lowering the electronic noise in low-capacitance kg-scale HPGe detectors below 100 eV as well as stringent reduction in other particle backgrounds. Existing state- of-the-art detectors are limited to an electronic noise of 95 eV-FWHM. In this work, we employed an ultra-low capacitance point-contact detector with a commercial integrated circuit preamplifier- on-a-chip in an ultra-low vibration mechanically cooled cryostat to achieve an electronic noise of 39 eV-FWHM at 43 K. We also present the results of a background measurement campaign at the Spallation Neutron Source to select the area with sufficient low background to allow a successful first-time measurement of the CNNS process.

An ultra-low power output capacitor-less low-dropout regulator with slew-rate-enhanced circuit

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Xin; Zhang, Yu; Xie, Guangjun; Yang, Yizhong; Zhang, Zhang

2018-03-01

An ultra-low power output-capacitorless low-dropout (LDO) regulator with a slew-rate-enhanced (SRE) circuit is introduced. The increased slew rate is achieved by sensing the transient output voltage of the LDO and then charging (or discharging) the gate capacitor quickly. In addition, a buffer with ultra-low output impedance is presented to improve line and load regulations. This design is fabricated by SMIC 0.18 μm CMOS technology. Experimental results show that, the proposed LDO regulator only consumes an ultra-low quiescent current of 1.2 μA. The output current range is from 10 μA to 200 mA and the corresponding variation of output voltage is less than 40 mV. Moreover, the measured line regulation and load regulation are 15.38 mV/V and 0.4 mV/mA respectively. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 61401137, 61404043, 61674049).

Development of silver-gas diffusion electrodes for the oxygen reduction reaction by electrodeposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salomé, Sónia; Rego, Rosa; Oliveira, M. Cristina, E-mail: mcris@utad.pt

2013-12-16

Silver-gas diffusion electrodes (Ag-GDE) were prepared by direct deposition of the catalyst onto a carbon paper support by electrodeposition. This deposition technique, under potentiostatic and galvanostatic mode, allows the production of well dispersed ultra-low Ag loading levels. The catalytic activity of the prepared materials towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was investigated in the alkaline solution and its tolerance to methanol was evaluated. Based on an Ag-ink prepared from the electrodeposit material and RDE experiments, it was concluded that the ORR occurs via a four-electron pathway on the Ag electrodeposit. The combination of reasonably high catalytic activity, efficiency, low price, facile and green synthesis makes the electrodeposited Ag-GDE attractive for the ORR in alkaline fuel cells. - Highlights: • A facile and simple way to successfully prepare catalyzed gas diffusion electrodes. • Ultra-low loadings of Ag-GDEs can be achieved. • Good tolerance to methanol and a high mass activity (3.14 mA{sub Ag} mg{sup −1}). • ORR occurs via a four-electron pathway.

Ultralow friction of ink-jet printed graphene flakes.

Science.gov (United States)

Buzio, R; Gerbi, A; Uttiya, S; Bernini, C; Del Rio Castillo, A E; Palazon, F; Siri, A S; Pellegrini, V; Pellegrino, L; Bonaccorso, F

2017-06-08

We report the frictional response of few-layer graphene (FLG) flakes obtained by the liquid phase exfoliation (LPE) of pristine graphite. To this end, we inkjet print FLG on bare and hexamethyldisilazane-terminated SiO 2 substrates, producing micrometric patterns with nanoscopic roughness that are investigated by atomic force microscopy. Normal force spectroscopy and atomically-resolved morphologies indicate reduced surface contamination by solvents after a vacuum annealing process. Notably, the printed FLG flakes show ultralow friction comparable to that of micromechanically exfoliated graphene flakes. Lubricity is retained on flakes with a lateral size of a few tens of nanometres, and with a thickness as small as ∼2 nm, confirming the high crystalline quality and low defects density in the FLG basal plane. Surface exposed step edges exhibit the highest friction values, representing the preferential sites for the origin of the secondary dissipative processes related to edge straining, wear or lateral displacement of the flakes. Our work demonstrates that LPE enables fundamental studies on graphene friction to the single-flake level. The capability to deliver ultralow-friction-graphene over technologically relevant substrates, using a scalable production route and a high-throughput, large-area printing technique, may also open up new opportunities in the lubrication of micro- and nano-electromechanical systems.

Effect of Diluent on Ultra-low Temperature Curable Conductive Silver Adhesive

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Xingli; Wang, Likun; Liao, Qingwei; Yan, Chao; Du, Haibo; Qin, Lei

2018-03-01

The ultra-low temperature curable conductive silver adhesive needed urgently for the surface conductive treatment of piezoelectric composite material. The effect of diluent acetone on ultra-low temperature curable conductive silver adhesive were investigated for surface conductive treatment of piezoelectric composite material. In order to improve the operability and extend the life of the conductive adhesive, the diluent was added to dissolve and disperse conductive adhesive. With the increase of the content of diluent, the volume resistivity of conductive adhesive decreased at first and then increased, and the shear strength increased at first and then decreased. When the acetone content is 10%, the silver flaky bonded together, arranged the neatest, the smallest gap, the most closely connected, the surface can form a complete conductive network, and the volume resistivity is 2.37 × 10-4Ω · cm, the shear strength is 5.13MPa.

Ultra-low friction and excellent elastic recovery of fullerene-like ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2017-08-24

Aug 24, 2017 ... a high elastic recovery (∼90%), ultra-low friction coefficient (∼0.019) and low wear rate ... Y Meng et al .... [3] Liu D G, Tu J P, Gu C D, Hong C F, Chen R and Yang W S ... [7] Cumings J and Zettl A 2000 Science 289 602.

Ultra-Low Inductance Design for a GaN HEMT Based 3L-ANPC Inverter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gurpinar, Emre; Castellazzi, Alberto; Iannuzzo, Francesco

2016-01-01

contributors to voltage overshoots and increase of switching losses, are discussed. The ultra-low inductance power cell design based on a four layer PCB with the aim to maximise the switching performance of GaN HEMTs is explained. Gate driver design for GaN HEMT devices is presented. Common-mode behaviours......In this paper, an ultra-low inductance power cell design for a 3L-ANPC based on 650 V GaN HEMT devices is presented. The 3L-ANPC topology with GaN HEMT devices and the selected modulation scheme suitable for wide-bandgap (WBG) devices are presented. The commutation loops, which are the main...

Calcium dips enhance volatile emission of cold-stored 'Fuji Kiku-8' apples.

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz, Abel; Echeverría, Gemma; Graell, Jordi; Lara, Isabel

2009-06-10

Despite the relevance of volatile production for overall quality of apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.) fruit, only a few studies have focused on the effects of calcium treatments on this quality attribute. In this work, 'Fuji Kiku-8' apples were harvested at commercial maturity, dipped in calcium chloride (2%, w/v), stored at 1 degrees C and 92% relative humidity for 4 or 7 months under either air or ultralow oxygen (ULO; 1 kPa of O(2)/2 kPa of CO(2)), and placed subsequently at 20 degrees C. Ethylene production, standard quality parameters, emission of volatile compounds, and the activities of some related enzymes were assessed 7 days thereafter. Calcium concentration was higher in CaCl(2)-treated than in untreated fruit, suggesting that the treatment was effective in introducing calcium into the tissues. Higher calcium contents were concomitant with higher flesh firmness and titratable acidity after storage. Furthermore, calcium treatment led to increased production of volatiles in middle-term stored apples, probably arising from enhanced supply of precursors for ester production as a consequence of increased pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activities. After long-term storage, higher volatile emission might have arisen also from the enhancement of alcohol o-acyltransferase (AAT) activity, which was increased as a result of calcium treatment. In addition to storage period, the effects of calcium treatment were also partially dependent on storage atmosphere and more noticeable for fruit stored in air.

Collisional quenching at ultralow energies: controlling efficiency with internal state selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Bovino, S; Bodo, E; Gianturco, F A

2007-12-14

Calculations have been carried out for the vibrational quenching of excited H(2) molecules which collide with Li(+) ions at ultralow energies. The dynamics has been treated exactly using the well-known quantum coupled-channel expansions over different initial vibrational levels. The overall interaction potential has been obtained from the calculations carried out earlier by our group using highly correlated ab initio methods. The results indicate that specific features of the scattering observables, e.g., the appearance of Ramsauer-Townsend minima in elastic channel cross sections and the marked increase of the cooling rates from specific initial states, can be linked to potential properties at vanishing energies (sign and size of scattering lengths) and to the presence of either virtual states or bound states. The suggestion is made such that by selecting the initial state preparation of the molecular partners, the ionic interactions would be amenable to controlling quenching efficiency at ultralow energies.

Design and Analysis of Double-Gate MOSFETs for Ultra-Low Power Radio Frequency Identification (RFID: Device and Circuit Co-Design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tony T. Kim

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Recently, double-gate MOSFETs (DGMOSFETs have been shown to be more optimal for ultra-low power circuit design due to the improved subthreshold slope and the reduced leakage current compared to bulk CMOS. However, DGMOSFETs for subthreshold circuit design have not been much explored in comparison to those for strong inversion-based design. In this paper, various configurations of DGMOSFETs, such as tied/independent gates and symmetric/asymmetric gate oxide thickness are explored for ultra-low power and high efficient radio frequency identification (RFID design. Comparison of bulk CMOS with DGMOSFETs has been conducted in ultra-low power subthreshold digital logic design and rectifier design, emphasizing the scope of the nano-scale DGMOSFET technology for future ultra-low power systems. The DGMOSFET-based subthreshold logic improves energy efficiency by more than 40% compared to the bulk CMOS-based logic at 32 nm. Among the various DGMOSFET configurations for RFID rectifiers, symmetric tied-gate DGMOSFET has the best power conversion efficiency and the lowest power consumption.

A programmable ultra-low noise X-band exciter.

Science.gov (United States)

MacMullen, A; Hoover, L R; Justice, R D; Callahan, B S

2001-07-01

A programmable ultra-low noise X-band exciter has been developed using commercial off-the-shelf components. Its phase noise is more than 10 dB below the best available microwave synthesizers. It covers a 7% frequency band with 0.1-Hz resolution. The X-band output at +23 dBm is a combination of signals from an X-band sapphire-loaded cavity oscillator (SLCO), a low noise UHF frequency synthesizer, and special-purpose frequency translation and up-conversion circuitry.

Comparison of low- and ultralow-dose computed tomography protocols for quantitative lung and airway assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Hammond, Emily; Sloan, Chelsea; Newell, John D; Sieren, Jered P; Saylor, Melissa; Vidal, Craig; Hogue, Shayna; De Stefano, Frank; Sieren, Alexa; Hoffman, Eric A; Sieren, Jessica C

2017-09-01

Quantitative computed tomography (CT) measures are increasingly being developed and used to characterize lung disease. With recent advances in CT technologies, we sought to evaluate the quantitative accuracy of lung imaging at low- and ultralow-radiation doses with the use of iterative reconstruction (IR), tube current modulation (TCM), and spectral shaping. We investigated the effect of five independent CT protocols reconstructed with IR on quantitative airway measures and global lung measures using an in vivo large animal model as a human subject surrogate. A control protocol was chosen (NIH-SPIROMICS + TCM) and five independent protocols investigating TCM, low- and ultralow-radiation dose, and spectral shaping. For all scans, quantitative global parenchymal measurements (mean, median and standard deviation of the parenchymal HU, along with measures of emphysema) and global airway measurements (number of segmented airways and pi10) were generated. In addition, selected individual airway measurements (minor and major inner diameter, wall thickness, inner and outer area, inner and outer perimeter, wall area fraction, and inner equivalent circle diameter) were evaluated. Comparisons were made between control and target protocols using difference and repeatability measures. Estimated CT volume dose index (CTDIvol) across all protocols ranged from 7.32 mGy to 0.32 mGy. Low- and ultralow-dose protocols required more manual editing and resolved fewer airway branches; yet, comparable pi10 whole lung measures were observed across all protocols. Similar trends in acquired parenchymal and airway measurements were observed across all protocols, with increased measurement differences using the ultralow-dose protocols. However, for small airways (1.9 ± 0.2 mm) and medium airways (5.7 ± 0.4 mm), the measurement differences across all protocols were comparable to the control protocol repeatability across breath holds. Diameters, wall thickness, wall area fraction

Ultra-low energy electrons from fast heavy-ion helium collisions: the `target Cusp`

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmitt, W. [Freiburg Univ. (Germany)]|[Gesellschaft fuer Schwerionenforschung mbH, Darmstadt (Germany); Moshammer, R.; Kollmus, H.; Ullrich, J. [Freiburg Univ. (Germany); O`Rourke, F.S.C. [Queen`s Univ., Belfast, Northern Ireland (United Kingdom); Sarkadi, L. [Magyar Tudomanyos Akademia, Debrecen (Hungary). Atommag Kutato Intezete; Mann, R. [Gesellschaft fuer Schwerionenforschung mbH, Darmstadt (Germany); Hagmann, S. [Kansas State Univ., Manhattan, KS (United States). J.R. MacDonald Lab.; Olson, R.E. [Missouri Univ., Rolla, MO (United States). Dept. of Physics

1998-09-01

Doubly differential cross sections d{sup 2}{sigma}/dv {sub parallel} dv {sub perpendicular} {sub to} have been obtained by mapping the 3-dimensional velocity space of ultra-low and low-energy electrons (1.5 meV{<=} E{sub e}{<=}100 eV) emitted in singly ionizing 3.6 MeV/u Au{sup 53+} on helium collisions. A sharp ({Delta}E{sub e} {sub perpendicular} {sub to} {sup FWHM} {<=} 22 meV) asymmetric peak centered at vertical stroke anti {nu} vertical stroke =0 is observed to emerge at ultra-low energies from the strongly forward shifted low-energy electron velocity distribution. The shape of this ``target cusp``, which is very sensitive on the details of the two-center potential, is in excellent accord with theoretical CTMC and CDW-EIS predictions. (orig.)

Performance of ultralow-dose CT with iterative reconstruction in lung cancer screening: limiting radiation exposure to the equivalent of conventional chest X-ray imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huber, Adrian [University Hospital Inselspital Bern, Department of Diagnostic, Interventional and Paediatric Radiology, Bern (Switzerland); University Hospital Pitie-Salpetriere, Department of Polyvalent and Oncological Radiology, Paris (France); Landau, Julia; Buetikofer, Yanik; Leidolt, Lars; Brela, Barbara; May, Michelle; Heverhagen, Johannes; Christe, Andreas [University Hospital Inselspital Bern, Department of Diagnostic, Interventional and Paediatric Radiology, Bern (Switzerland); Ebner, Lukas [University Hospital Inselspital Bern, Department of Diagnostic, Interventional and Paediatric Radiology, Bern (Switzerland); Duke University Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Durham, NC (United States)

2016-10-15

To investigate the detection rate of pulmonary nodules in ultralow-dose CT acquisitions. In this lung phantom study, 232 nodules (115 solid, 117 ground-glass) of different sizes were randomly distributed in a lung phantom in 60 different arrangements. Every arrangement was acquired once with standard radiation dose (100 kVp, 100 references mAs) and once with ultralow radiation dose (80 kVp, 6 mAs). Iterative reconstruction was used with optimized kernels: I30 for ultralow-dose, I70 for standard dose and I50 for CAD. Six radiologists examined the axial 1-mm stack for solid and ground-glass nodules. During a second and third step, three radiologists used maximum intensity projection (MIPs), finally checking with computer-assisted detection (CAD), while the others first used CAD, finally checking with the MIPs. The detection rate was 95.5 % with standard dose (DLP 126 mGy*cm) and 93.3 % with ultralow-dose (DLP: 9 mGy*cm). The additional use of either MIP reconstructions or CAD software could compensate for this difference. A combination of both MIP reconstructions and CAD software resulted in a maximum detection rate of 97.5 % with ultralow-dose. Lung cancer screening with ultralow-dose CT using the same radiation dose as a conventional chest X-ray is feasible. (orig.)

Security Implications for Ultra-Low Power Configurable SoC FPAA Embedded Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer Hasler

2018-06-01

Full Text Available We discuss the impact of physical computing techniques to classifying network security issues for ultra-low power networked IoT devices. Physical computing approaches enable at least a factor of 1000 improvement in computational energy efficiency empowering a new generation of local computational structures for embedded IoT devices. These techniques offer computational capability to address network security concerns. This paper begins the discussion of security opportunities for, and issues using, FPAA devices for small embedded IoT platforms. These FPAAs enable devices often utilized for low-power context aware computation. Embedded FPAA devices have both positive Security attributes, as well as potential vulnerabilities. FPAA devices can be part of the resulting secure computation, such as implementing unique functions. FPAA devices can be used investigate security of analog/mixed signal capabilities. The paper concludes with summarizing key improvements for secure ultra-low power embedded FPAA devices.

Ultralow dose dentomaxillofacial CT imaging and iterative reconstruction techniques: variability of Hounsfield units and contrast-to-noise ratio

Science.gov (United States)

Bischel, Alexander; Stratis, Andreas; Kakar, Apoorv; Bosmans, Hilde; Jacobs, Reinhilde; Gassner, Eva-Maria; Puelacher, Wolfgang; Pauwels, Ruben

2016-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether application of ultralow dose protocols and iterative reconstruction technology (IRT) influence quantitative Hounsfield units (HUs) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in dentomaxillofacial CT imaging. Methods: A phantom with inserts of five types of materials was scanned using protocols for (a) a clinical reference for navigated surgery (CT dose index volume 36.58 mGy), (b) low-dose sinus imaging (18.28 mGy) and (c) four ultralow dose imaging (4.14, 2.63, 0.99 and 0.53 mGy). All images were reconstructed using: (i) filtered back projection (FBP); (ii) IRT: adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction-50 (ASIR-50), ASIR-100 and model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR); and (iii) standard (std) and bone kernel. Mean HU, CNR and average HU error after recalibration were determined. Each combination of protocols was compared using Friedman analysis of variance, followed by Dunn's multiple comparison test. Results: Pearson's sample correlation coefficients were all >0.99. Ultralow dose protocols using FBP showed errors of up to 273 HU. Std kernels had less HU variability than bone kernels. MBIR reduced the error value for the lowest dose protocol to 138 HU and retained the highest relative CNR. ASIR could not demonstrate significant advantages over FBP. Conclusions: Considering a potential dose reduction as low as 1.5% of a std protocol, ultralow dose protocols and IRT should be further tested for clinical dentomaxillofacial CT imaging. Advances in knowledge: HU as a surrogate for bone density may vary significantly in CT ultralow dose imaging. However, use of std kernels and MBIR technology reduce HU error values and may retain the highest CNR. PMID:26859336

Room Temperature Ultralow Threshold GaN Nanowire Polariton Laser

KAUST Repository

Das, Ayan

2011-08-01

We report ultralow threshold polariton lasing from a single GaN nanowire strongly coupled to a large-area dielectric microcavity. The threshold carrier density is 3 orders of magnitude lower than that of photon lasing observed in the same device, and 2 orders of magnitude lower than any existing room-temperature polariton devices. Spectral, polarization, and coherence properties of the emission were measured to confirm polariton lasing. © 2011 American Physical Society.

Diffuse Surface Scattering in the Plasmonic Resonances of Ultralow Electron Density Nanospheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Monreal, R Carmina; Antosiewicz, Tomasz J; Apell, S Peter

2015-05-21

Localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) have recently been identified in extremely diluted electron systems obtained by doping semiconductor quantum dots. Here, we investigate the role that different surface effects, namely, electronic spill-out and diffuse surface scattering, play in the optical properties of these ultralow electron density nanosystems. Diffuse scattering originates from imperfections or roughness at a microscopic scale on the surface. Using an electromagnetic theory that describes this mechanism in conjunction with a dielectric function including the quantum size effect, we find that the LSPRs show an oscillatory behavior in both position and width for large particles and a strong blue shift in energy and an increased width for smaller radii, consistent with recent experimental results for photodoped ZnO nanocrystals. We thus show that the commonly ignored process of diffuse surface scattering is a more important mechanism affecting the plasmonic properties of ultralow electron density nanoparticles than the spill-out effect.

An Ultra-low Frequency Modal Testing Suspension System for High Precision Air Pressure Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiaoling YUAN

2014-05-01

Full Text Available As a resolution for air pressure control challenges in ultra-low frequency modal testing suspension systems, an incremental PID control algorithm with dead band is applied to achieve high-precision pressure control. We also develop a set of independent hardware and software systems for high-precision pressure control solutions. Taking control system versatility, scalability, reliability, and other aspects into considerations, a two-level communication employing Ethernet and CAN bus, is adopted to complete such tasks as data exchange between the IPC, the main board and the control board ,and the pressure control. Furthermore, we build a single set of ultra-low frequency modal testing suspension system and complete pressure control experiments, which achieve the desired results and thus confirm that the high-precision pressure control subsystem is reasonable and reliable.

Improvement of spin-exchange optical pumping of xenon-129 using in situ NMR measurement in ultra-low magnetic field

Science.gov (United States)

Takeda, Shun; Kumagai, Hiroshi

2018-02-01

Hyperpolarized (HP) noble gas has attracted attention in NMR / MRI. In an ultra-low magnetic field, the effectiveness of signal enhancement by HP noble gas should be required because reduction of the signal intensity is serious. One method of generating HP noble gas is spin exchange optical pumping which uses selective excitation of electrons of alkali metal vapor and spin transfer to nuclear spin by collision to noble gas. Although SEOP does not require extreme cooling or strong magnetic field, generally it required large-scale equipment including high power light source to generate HP noble gas with high efficiency. In this study, we construct a simply generation system of HP xenon-129 by SEOP with an ultralow magnetic field (up to 1 mT) and small-scale light source (about 1W). In addition, we measure in situ NMR signal at the same time, and then examine efficient conditions for SEOP in ultra-low magnetic fields.

Note: Ultra-low birefringence dodecagonal vacuum glass cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brakhane, Stefan, E-mail: brakhane@iap.uni-bonn.de; Alt, Wolfgang; Meschede, Dieter; Robens, Carsten; Moon, Geol; Alberti, Andrea [Institut für Angewandte Physik, Universität Bonn, Wegelerstr. 8, D-53115 Bonn (Germany)

2015-12-15

We report on an ultra-low birefringence dodecagonal glass cell for ultra-high vacuum applications. The epoxy-bonded trapezoidal windows of the cell are made of SF57 glass, which exhibits a very low stress-induced birefringence. We characterize the birefringence Δn of each window with the cell under vacuum conditions, obtaining values around 10{sup −8}. After baking the cell at 150 °C, we reach a pressure below 10{sup −10} mbar. In addition, each window is antireflection coated on both sides, which is highly desirable for quantum optics experiments and precision measurements.

Novel Ultralow-Weight Metal Rubber Sensor System for Ultra Long-Duration Scientific Balloons, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — NanoSonic proposes to develop an innovative, ultralow mass density, and non-intrusive sensor system for ultra long duration balloons that will operate in the most...

Channel coding study for ultra-low power wireless design of autonomous sensor works

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhang, P.; Huang, Li; Willems, F.M.J.

2011-01-01

Ultra-low power wireless design is highly demanded for building up autonomous wireless sensor networks (WSNs) for many application areas. To keep certain quality of service with limited power budget, channel coding techniques can be applied to maintain the robustness and reliability of WSNs. In this

CMOS circuits for electromagnetic vibration transducers interfaces for ultra-low voltage energy harvesting

CERN Document Server

Maurath, Dominic

2015-01-01

Chip-integrated power management solutions are a must for ultra-low power systems. This enables not only the optimization of innovative sensor applications. It is also essential for integration and miniaturization of energy harvesting supply strategies of portable and autonomous monitoring systems. The book particularly addresses interfaces for energy harvesting, which are the key element to connect micro transducers to energy storage elements. Main features of the book are: - A comprehensive technology and application review, basics on transducer mechanics, fundamental circuit and control design, prototyping and testing, up to sensor system supply and applications. - Novel interfacing concepts - including active rectifiers, MPPT methods for efficient tracking of DC as well as AC sources, and a fully-integrated charge pump for efficient maximum AC power tracking at sub-100µW ultra-low power levels. The chips achieve one of widest presented operational voltage range in standard CMOS technology: 0.44V to over...

Rotatable Small Permanent Magnet Array for Ultra-Low Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Instrumentation: A Concept Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogel, Michael W; Giorni, Andrea; Vegh, Viktor; Pellicer-Guridi, Ruben; Reutens, David C

2016-01-01

We studied the feasibility of generating the variable magnetic fields required for ultra-low field nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry with dynamically adjustable permanent magnets. Our motivation was to substitute traditional electromagnets by distributed permanent magnets, increasing system portability. The finite element method (COMSOL®) was employed for the numerical study of a small permanent magnet array to calculate achievable magnetic field strength, homogeneity, switching time and magnetic forces. A manually operated prototype was simulated and constructed to validate the numerical approach and to verify the generated magnetic field. A concentric small permanent magnet array can be used to generate strong sample pre-polarisation and variable measurement fields for ultra-low field relaxometry via simple prescribed magnet rotations. Using the array, it is possible to achieve a pre-polarisation field strength above 100 mT and variable measurement fields ranging from 20-50 μT with 200 ppm absolute field homogeneity within a field-of-view of 5 x 5 x 5 cubic centimetres. A dynamic small permanent magnet array can generate multiple highly homogeneous magnetic fields required in ultra-low field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) instruments. This design can significantly reduce the volume and energy requirements of traditional systems based on electromagnets, improving portability considerably.

Present status and prospects of ultralow level radioactivity measurements (5). Measurement of time variations of cosmic rays in the past by the detection of ultralow level 14C and 7Be radioactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakurai, Hirohisa

2006-01-01

The change of the concentration of 7 Be in air and 14 C in the tree ring, cosmogenic nuclide, was measured by the ultralow level radioactivity measurement method. The concentration of 14 C in the tree ring was changed by the intensity of cosmic ray in the past. Cosmic ray and cosmogenic nuclide, solar activity and change of cosmic ray intensity, the continuous measurement of 7 Be concentration in atmosphere, and measurement of 14 C concentration in the old tree ring are reported. 14 C concentration in tree ring is measured by the ultralow level liquid scintillation measuring system (Quantulus) and 14 C concentration in the tree ring of Japanese cedar at Akita and Murou was changed by nuclear tests in air. 14 C concentration of Chokaijindaisugi, cryptomeria, about 2500 years old, is changed periodically about 10.1 years as almost same as the sunspot activity cycle. (S.Y.)

High-performance silicon nanotube tunneling FET for ultralow-power logic applications

KAUST Repository

Fahad, Hossain M.; Hussain, Muhammad Mustafa

2013-01-01

To increase typically low output drive currents from tunnel field-effect transistors (FETs), we show a silicon vertical nanotube (NT) architecture-based FET's effectiveness. Using core (inner) and shell (outer) gate stacks, the silicon NT tunneling FET shows a sub-60 mV/dec subthreshold slope, ultralow off -state leakage current, higher drive current compared with gate-all-around nanowire silicon tunnel FETs. © 1963-2012 IEEE.

Computer-aided detection (CAD) of solid pulmonary nodules in chest x-ray equivalent ultralow dose chest CT - first in-vivo results at dose levels of 0.13 mSv

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Messerli, Michael, E-mail: Michael.Messerli@usz.ch [Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen (Switzerland); Kluckert, Thomas; Knitel, Meinhard [Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen (Switzerland); Rengier, Fabian [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Heidelberg (Germany); Warschkow, René [Department of Surgery, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen (Switzerland); Alkadhi, Hatem [Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Zurich, University Zurich (Switzerland); Leschka, Sebastian [Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen (Switzerland); Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Zurich, University Zurich (Switzerland); Wildermuth, Simon; Bauer, Ralf W. [Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen (Switzerland)

2016-12-15

Highlights: • Computer-aided detection (CAD) of solid pulmonary nodules was compared in 202 patients in standard dose and ultralow dose CT. • The per–nodule sensitivity of CAD was 70% in standard dose CT and 68% in ultralow dose CT. • The per–nodule sensitivity of CAD in standard dose CT was similar to ultralow dose CT in all size subgroups (all p > 0.05). • Adding CAD markings in ultralow dose CT significantly improved the sensitivity of two radiologists from 77% to 88% and from 66% to 79%, respectively. • CAD can serve as an excellent second reader for nodule detection in CT even at dose levels similar to chest X-ray. - Abstract: Objectives: To determine the value of computer-aided detection (CAD) for solid pulmonary nodules in ultralow radiation dose single-energy computed tomography (CT) of the chest using third-generation dual-source CT at 100 kV and fixed tube current at 70 mAs with tin filtration. Methods: 202 consecutive patients undergoing clinically indicated standard dose chest CT (1.8 ± 0.7 mSv) were prospectively included and scanned with an additional ultralow dose CT (0.13 ± 0.01 mSv) in the same session. Standard of reference (SOR) was established by consensus reading of standard dose CT by two radiologists. CAD was performed in standard dose and ultralow dose CT with two different reconstruction kernels. CAD detection rate of nodules was evaluated including subgroups of different nodule sizes (<5, 5–7, >7 mm). Sensitivity was further analysed in multivariable mixed effects logistic regression. Results: The SOR included 279 solid nodules (mean diameter 4.3 ± 3.4 mm, range 1–24 mm). There was no significant difference in per–nodule sensitivity of CAD in standard dose with 70% compared to 68% in ultralow dose CT both overall and in different size subgroups (all p > 0.05). CAD led to a significant increase of sensitivity for both radiologists reading the ultralow dose CT scans (all p < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, the use

Computer-aided detection (CAD) of solid pulmonary nodules in chest x-ray equivalent ultralow dose chest CT - first in-vivo results at dose levels of 0.13 mSv

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Messerli, Michael; Kluckert, Thomas; Knitel, Meinhard; Rengier, Fabian; Warschkow, René; Alkadhi, Hatem; Leschka, Sebastian; Wildermuth, Simon; Bauer, Ralf W.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Computer-aided detection (CAD) of solid pulmonary nodules was compared in 202 patients in standard dose and ultralow dose CT. • The per–nodule sensitivity of CAD was 70% in standard dose CT and 68% in ultralow dose CT. • The per–nodule sensitivity of CAD in standard dose CT was similar to ultralow dose CT in all size subgroups (all p > 0.05). • Adding CAD markings in ultralow dose CT significantly improved the sensitivity of two radiologists from 77% to 88% and from 66% to 79%, respectively. • CAD can serve as an excellent second reader for nodule detection in CT even at dose levels similar to chest X-ray. - Abstract: Objectives: To determine the value of computer-aided detection (CAD) for solid pulmonary nodules in ultralow radiation dose single-energy computed tomography (CT) of the chest using third-generation dual-source CT at 100 kV and fixed tube current at 70 mAs with tin filtration. Methods: 202 consecutive patients undergoing clinically indicated standard dose chest CT (1.8 ± 0.7 mSv) were prospectively included and scanned with an additional ultralow dose CT (0.13 ± 0.01 mSv) in the same session. Standard of reference (SOR) was established by consensus reading of standard dose CT by two radiologists. CAD was performed in standard dose and ultralow dose CT with two different reconstruction kernels. CAD detection rate of nodules was evaluated including subgroups of different nodule sizes (<5, 5–7, >7 mm). Sensitivity was further analysed in multivariable mixed effects logistic regression. Results: The SOR included 279 solid nodules (mean diameter 4.3 ± 3.4 mm, range 1–24 mm). There was no significant difference in per–nodule sensitivity of CAD in standard dose with 70% compared to 68% in ultralow dose CT both overall and in different size subgroups (all p > 0.05). CAD led to a significant increase of sensitivity for both radiologists reading the ultralow dose CT scans (all p < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, the use

Aerosol nucleation in an ultra-low ion density environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Jens Olaf Pepke; Enghoff, Martin Andreas Bødker; Paling, Sean M.

2012-01-01

Ion-induced nucleation has been studied in a deep underground ultra-low background radiation environment where the role of ions can be distinguished from alternative neutral aerosol nucleation mechanisms. Our results demonstrate that ions have a significant effect on the production of small...... sulfuric acid–water clusters over a range of sulfuric acid concentrations although neutral nucleation mechanisms remain evident at low ionization levels. The effect of ions is found both to enhance the nucleation rate of stable clusters and the initial growth rate. The effects of possible contaminations...

The Experimental Measurement of Local and Bulk Oxygen Transport Resistances in the Catalyst Layer of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chao; Cheng, Xiaojing; Lu, Jiabin; Shen, Shuiyun; Yan, Xiaohui; Yin, Jiewei; Wei, Guanghua; Zhang, Junliang

2017-12-07

Remarkable progress has been made in reducing the cathodic Pt loading of PEMFCs; however, a huge performance loss appears at high current densities, indicating the existence of a large oxygen transport resistance associated with the ultralow Pt loading catalyst layer. To reduce the Pt loading without sacrificing cell performance, it is essential to illuminate the oxygen transport mechanism in the catalyst layer. Toward this goal, an experimental approach to measure the oxygen transport resistance in catalyst layers is proposed and realized for the first time in this study. The measuring approach involves a dual-layer catalyst layer design, which consists of a dummy catalyst layer and a practical catalyst layer, followed by changing the thickness of dummy layer to respectively quantify the local and bulk resistances via limiting current measurements combined with linear extrapolation. The experimental results clearly reveal that the local resistance dominates the total resistance in the catalyst layer.

High-performance silicon nanotube tunneling FET for ultralow-power logic applications

KAUST Repository

Fahad, Hossain M.

2013-03-01

To increase typically low output drive currents from tunnel field-effect transistors (FETs), we show a silicon vertical nanotube (NT) architecture-based FET\\'s effectiveness. Using core (inner) and shell (outer) gate stacks, the silicon NT tunneling FET shows a sub-60 mV/dec subthreshold slope, ultralow off -state leakage current, higher drive current compared with gate-all-around nanowire silicon tunnel FETs. © 1963-2012 IEEE.

Microfluidic ultralow interfacial tensiometry with magnetic particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Scott S H; Wexler, Jason S; Wan, Jiandi; Stone, Howard A

2013-01-07

We describe a technique that measures ultralow interfacial tensions using paramagnetic spheres in a co-flow microfluidic device designed with a magnetic section. Our method involves tuning the distance between the co-flowing interface and the magnet's center, and observing the behavior of the spheres as they approach the liquid-liquid interface-the particles either pass through or are trapped by the interface. Using threshold values of the magnet-to-interface distance, we make estimates of the two-fluid interfacial tension. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique for measuring very low interfacial tensions, O(10(-6)-10(-5)) N m(-1), by testing solutions of different surfactant concentrations, and we show that our results are comparable with measurements made using a spinning drop tensiometer.

Ultra-low power anti-crosstalk collision avoidance light detection and ranging using chaotic pulse position modulation approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hao Jie; Gong Ma-li; Du Peng-fei; Lu Bao-jie; Zhang Fan; Zhang Hai-tao; Fu Xing

2016-01-01

A novel concept of collision avoidance single-photon light detection and ranging (LIDAR) for vehicles has been demonstrated, in which chaotic pulse position modulation is applied on the transmitted laser pulses for robust anti-crosstalk purposes. Besides, single-photon detectors (SPD) and time correlated single photon counting techniques are adapted, to sense the ultra-low power used for the consideration of compact structure and eye safety. Parameters including pulse rate, discrimination threshold, and number of accumulated pulses have been thoroughly analyzed based on the detection requirements, resulting in specified receiver operating characteristics curves. Both simulation and indoor experiments were performed to verify the excellent anti-crosstalk capability of the presented collision avoidance LIDAR despite ultra-low transmitting power. (paper)

Experimental investigation of regulated and unregulated emissions from a diesel engine fueled with ultralow-sulfur diesel fuel blended with ethanol and dodecanol

Science.gov (United States)

Cheung, C. S.; Di, Yage; Huang, Zuohua

Experiments were conducted on a four-cylinder direct-injection diesel engine using ultralow-sulfur diesel as the main fuel, ethanol as the oxygenate additive and dodecanol as the solvent, to investigate the regulated and unregulated emissions of the engine under five engine loads at an engine speed of 1800 rev min -1. Blended fuels containing 6.1%, 12.2%, 18.2% and 24.2% by volume of ethanol, corresponding to 2%, 4%, 6% and 8% by mass of oxygen in the blended fuel, were used. The results indicate that with an increase in ethanol in the fuel, the brake specific fuel consumption becomes higher while there is little change in the brake thermal efficiency. Regarding the regulated emissions, HC and CO increase significantly at low engine load but might decrease at high engine load, NO x emission slightly decreases at low engine load but slightly increases at high engine load, while particulate mass decreases significantly at high engine load. For the unregulated gaseous emissions, unburned ethanol and acetaldehyde increase but formaldehyde, ethene, ethyne, 1,3-butadiene and BTX (benzene, toluene and xylene) in general decrease, especially at high engine load. A diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) is found to reduce significantly most of the pollutants, including the air toxics.

Ultra-low thermal expansion realized in giant negative thermal expansion materials through self-compensation

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Fei-Ran; Kuang, Hao; Hu, Feng-Xia; Wu, Hui; Huang, Qing-Zhen; Liang, Fei-Xiang; Qiao, Kai-Ming; Li, Jia; Wang, Jing; Liu, Yao; Zhang, Lei; He, Min; Zhang, Ying; Zuo, Wen-Liang; Sun, Ji-Rong; Shen, Bao-Gen

2017-10-01

Materials with zero thermal expansion (ZTE) or precisely tailored thermal expansion are in urgent demand of modern industries. However, the overwhelming majority of materials show positive thermal expansion. To develop ZTE or negative thermal expansion (NTE) materials as compensators has become an important challenge. Here, we present the evidence for the realization of ultra-low thermal expansion in Mn-Co-Ge-In particles. The bulk with the Ni2In-type hexagonal structure undergoes giant NTE owing to a martensitic magnetostructural transition. The major finding is that the thermal expansion behavior can be totally controlled by modulating the crystallinity degree and phase transition from atomic scale. Self-compensation effect leads to ultra-low thermal expansion with a linear expansion coefficient as small as +0.68 × 10-6/K over a wide temperature range around room temperature. The present study opens an avenue to reach ZTE particularly from the large class of giant NTE materials based on phase transition.

Ultra-low thermal expansion realized in giant negative thermal expansion materials through self-compensation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fei-Ran Shen

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Materials with zero thermal expansion (ZTE or precisely tailored thermal expansion are in urgent demand of modern industries. However, the overwhelming majority of materials show positive thermal expansion. To develop ZTE or negative thermal expansion (NTE materials as compensators has become an important challenge. Here, we present the evidence for the realization of ultra-low thermal expansion in Mn–Co–Ge–In particles. The bulk with the Ni2In-type hexagonal structure undergoes giant NTE owing to a martensitic magnetostructural transition. The major finding is that the thermal expansion behavior can be totally controlled by modulating the crystallinity degree and phase transition from atomic scale. Self-compensation effect leads to ultra-low thermal expansion with a linear expansion coefficient as small as +0.68 × 10−6/K over a wide temperature range around room temperature. The present study opens an avenue to reach ZTE particularly from the large class of giant NTE materials based on phase transition.

A low-cost, ultra-fast and ultra-low noise preamplifier for silicon avalanche photodiodes

Science.gov (United States)

Gasmi, Khaled

2018-02-01

An ultra-fast and ultra-low noise preamplifier for amplifying the fast and weak electrical signals generated by silicon avalanche photodiodes has been designed and developed. It is characterized by its simplicity, compactness, reliability and low cost of construction. A very wide bandwidth of 300 MHz, a very good linearity from 1 kHz to 280 MHz, an ultra-low noise level at the input of only 1.7 nV Hz-1/2 and a very good stability are its key features. The compact size (70 mm  ×  90 mm) and light weight (45 g), as well as its excellent characteristics, make this preamplifier very competitive compared to any commercial preamplifier. The preamplifier, which is a main part of the detection system of a homemade laser remote sensing system, has been successfully tested. In addition, it is versatile and can be used in any optical detection system requiring high speed and very low noise electronics.

Development of ultra-low pressure reverse osmosis membranes; Choteiatsu gyakushintomaku no kaihatsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hirose, M.; Ito, H.; Ohara, T. [Nitto Denko Corp., Osaka (Japan)

1998-06-05

Described herein is development of ultra-low pressure reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. The composite RO membrane, which is now widely used, has a cross-sectional structure consisting of an ultrafilter membrane as the support and a very thin skin layer responsible for filtration. It is confirmed that the skin layer is of a pleated structure. Growing this structure can greatly accelerate permeation of water without damaging arresting and durability characteristics of the membrane, and hence is a desired approach. Utilization of molecular structure simulation of the skin layer materials is investigated by the molecular dynamics. The results show that the stable structure of the material for the skin layer in the RO membrane is a network structure with regularly arranged honeycombs, when it should arrest at least 99% of salt. These techniques serve as the bases for development of the ultra-low pressure RO membranes (ES Series), where the skin layer is made of cross-linked, totally aromatic polyamide. The membrane passes twice as large a quantity of water as the conventional one, is highly resistant to chemicals, and arrests 99.7% of salt. 3 refs., 4 figs.

Porous Materials with Ultralow Optical Constants for Integrated Optical Device Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hsuen-Li; Hsieh, Chung-I; Cheng, Chao-Chia; Chang, Chia-Pin; Hsu, Wen-Hau; Wang, Way-Seen; Liu, Po-Tsun

2005-07-01

Ultralow dielectric constant (polymers. We demonstrate two structures, ridge waveguides and large-angle Y-branch power splitters, composed of PPSZ and SU8 films to illustrate the use of low dielectric constant (K) cladding materials. The simulation results indicate that the PPSZ films provide better confinement of light. Experimentally, a large-angle Y-branch power splitter with PPSZ cladding can be used to guide waves with the large branching angle of 33.58°.

A Study of Submicron Grain Boundary Precipitates in Ultralow Carbon 316LN Steels

Science.gov (United States)

Downey, S.; Han, K.; Kalu, P. N.; Yang, K.; Du, Z. M.

2010-04-01

This article reports our efforts in characterization of an ultralow carbon 316LN-type stainless steel. The carbon content in the material is one-third that in a conventional 316LN, which further inhibits the formation of grain boundary carbides and therefore sensitizations. Our primary effort is focused on characterization of submicron size precipitates in the materials with the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique complemented by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Thermodynamic calculations suggested that several precipitates, such as M23C6, Chi, Sigma, and Cr2N, can form in a low carbon 316LN. In the steels heat treated at 973 K (700 °C) for 100 hours, a combination of EBSD and AES conclusively identified the grain boundary precipitates (≥100 nm) as Cr2N, which has a hexagonal closed-packed crystallographic structure. Increases of the nitrogen content promote formation of large size Cr2N precipitates. Therefore, prolonged heat treatment at relatively high temperatures of ultralow carbon 316LN steels may result in a sensitization.

Ultra-Low Power Sensor System for Disaster Event Detection in Metro Tunnel Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jonah VINCKE

2017-05-01

Full Text Available In this extended paper, the concept for an ultra-low power wireless sensor network (WSN for underground tunnel systems is presented highlighting the chosen sensors. Its objectives are the detection of emergency events either from natural disasters, such as flooding or fire, or from terrorist attacks using explosives. Earlier works have demonstrated that the power consumption for the communication can be reduced such that the data acquisition (i.e. sensor sub-system becomes the most significant energy consumer. By using ultra-low power components for the smoke detector, a hydrostatic pressure sensor for water ingress detection and a passive acoustic emission sensor for explosion detection, all considered threats are covered while the energy consumption can be kept very low in relation to the data acquisition. In addition to 1 the sensor system is integrated into a sensor board. The total average power consumption for operating the sensor sub-system is measured to be 35.9 µW for lower and 7.8 µW for upper nodes.

Ultra-low pollutant emission combustion method and apparatus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khinkis, M.J.

1992-01-01

This patent describes a method for ultra-low pollutant emission combustion of fossil fuel. It comprises: introducing into a primary combustion chamber a first fuel portion of about 1 percent to about 20 percent of a total fuel to be combusted; introducing primary combustion air into the primary combustion chamber; introducing a first portion of water into the primary combustion chamber, having a first water heat capacity equivalent to a primary combustion air heat capacity of one of a primary combustion air amount of about 10 percent to about 60 percent of the first stoichiometirc requirement for complete combustion of the first fuel portion and an excess primary combustion air amount of about 20 percent to about 150 percent of the first stoichiometric requirement for complete combustion of the first fuel portion; burning the first fuel portion with the primary combustion air in the primary combustion chamber at a temperature abut 2000 degrees F to about 2700 degrees F producing initial combustion products; passing the initial combustion products into a secondary combustion chamber; introducing into the secondary combustion chamber a second fuel portion of about 80 percent to about 99 percent of the total fuel to be combusted; introducing secondary combustion air into the secondary combustion chamber in an amount of about 105 percent to about 130 percent of a second stoichiometric requirement for complete combustion of the second fuel portion; introducing a second portion of water into the secondary combustion chamber; burning the second fuel portion and any remaining fuel in the initial combustion products; passing the final combustion products into a dilution chamber; introducing dilution air into the dilution chamber; discharging the ultra-low pollutant emission vitiated air form the dilution chamber

Ultra-low dispersion spectroscopy of stars and galaxies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bappu, M.K.V.; Parthasarathy, M.

1977-01-01

Application of ultra-low dispersion spectroscopy 10,000 A mm - 1 , is described to study the nuclei of elliptical galaxies, the quasi-stellar objects and for the discovery of faint OB stars, reddened stars and red stars. The instrument used is an f/2 slitless spectrograph with a three degree quartz prism at the Cassegrain focus of the 102-cm Ritchey-Chratien reflector at Kavalur. The spectra cover a field of 40 minutes of arc and the dispersion is 10,000 A mm - 1 . Ultra-low dispersion spectra (microspectra) were obtained for fifteen elliptical and three SO galaxies from the list of Ekers and Ekers (1973) who classified them as compact and extended sources from the observations of radio emission at 6 cms. From an analysis of micro-spectra and from direct photographs with graded exposure times, it is found that all compact radio galaxies in the Ekers list also have optically compact nuclei. Some of these elliptical galaxies with compact nuclei show enhancement of intensity in the blue violet region. From an examination of microspectra of forty-three of the known quasi-stellar objects of different redshifts it is found that the most striking characteristic of the spectra is their flat appearance. This characteristic flatness is also noticed in the microspectrum of the large redshift quasi-stellar objects like OH 471 and OQ 172 which do not have UV excess. Because of this characteristic difference in the appearance of the microspectra of the quasi-stellar objects and stellar objects, it is possible to detect new OSO's with this technique. An application of this technique to detect red stars in our galaxy and in the Large Magellanic cloud is discussed. (author)

Specific gravity and API gravity of biodiesel and ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) blends

Science.gov (United States)

Biodiesel is an alternative fuel made from vegetable oils and animal fats. In 2006, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency mandated a maximum sulfur content of 15 ppm in on-road diesel fuels. Processing to produce the new ultra-low sulfur petrodiesel (ULSD) alters specific gravity (SG) and othe...

Physics of cryogenics an ultralow temperature phenomenon

CERN Document Server

Zohuri, Bahman

2018-01-01

Physics of Cryogenics: An Ultralow Temperature Phenomenon discusses the significant number of advances that have been made during the last few years in a variety of cryocoolers, such as Brayton, Joule-Thomson, Stirling, pulse tube, Gifford-McMahon and magnetic refrigerators. The book reviews various approaches taken to improve reliability, a major driving force for new research areas. The advantages and disadvantages of different cycles are compared, and the latest improvements in each of these cryocoolers is discussed. The book starts with the thermodynamic fundamentals, followed by the definition of cryogenic and the associated science behind low temperature phenomena and properties. This book is an ideal resource for scientists, engineers and graduate and senior undergraduate students who need a better understanding of the science of cryogenics and related thermodynamics.

Chromatic dispersion effects in ultra-low coherence interferometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lychagov, V V; Ryabukho, V P [N.G.Chernyshevsky Saratov State University (Russian Federation)

2015-06-30

We consider the properties of an interference signal shift from zero-path-difference position in the presence of an uncompensated dispersive layer in one of the interferometer arms. It is experimentally shown that in using an ultra-low coherence light source, the formation of the interference signal is also determined by the group velocity dispersion, which results in a nonlinear dependence of the position of the interference signal on the geometrical thickness of the dispersive layer. The discrepancy in the dispersive layer and compensator refractive indices in the third decimal place is experimentally shown to lead to an interference signal shift that is an order of magnitude greater than the pulse width. (interferometry)

Seventy kilovolt ultra-low dose CT of the paranasal sinus: first clinical results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bodelle, B.; Wichmann, J.L.; Klotz, N.; Lehnert, T.; Vogl, T.J.; Luboldt, W.; Schulz, B.

2015-01-01

Aim: To evaluate the diagnostic image quality and radiation dose of low-dose 70 kV computed tomography (CT) of the paranasal sinus in comparison to 100 and 120 kV CT. Materials and methods: CT of the paranasal sinus was performed in 127 patients divided into three groups using different tube voltages and currents (70 kV/75 mAs, ultra-low dose protocol, n = 44; 100 kV/40 mAs, standard low-dose protocol, n = 42; 120 kV/40 mAs, standard protocol, n = 41). CT dose index (CTDIvol), dose–length product (DLP), attenuation, image noise and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were compared between the groups using Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney U-test. Subjective diagnostic image quality was compared by using a five-point scale (1 = non-diagnostic, 5 = excellent, read by two readers in consensus) and Cohen's weighted kappa analysis for interobserver agreement. Results: Radiation dose was significantly lower with 70 kV acquisition than 100 and 120 kV (DLP: 31 versus 52 versus 82 mGy·cm; CTDI 2.33 versus 3.95 versus 6.31 mGy, all p < 0.05). Mean SNR (70 kV: 0.37; 100 kV: 0.21; 120 kV: 0.13; p < 0.05) and organ attenuation increased significantly with lower voltages. All examinations showed diagnostic image quality. Subjective diagnostic image quality was higher with standard protocols than the 70 kV protocol (120 kV: 5.0; 100 kV: 4.5; 70 kV: 3.5, p < 0.05) without significant differences with substantial interobserver agreement (κ > 0.59). Conclusion: The ultra-low dose (70 kV) CT imaging of the paranasal sinus allowed for significant dose reduction by 61% and an increased attenuation of organ structures in comparison to standard acquisition while maintaining diagnostic image quality with a slight reduction in subjective image quality. -- Highlights: •Image quality and radiation dose of 70 kV ultra-low dose CT of the paranasal sinus. •70 kV ultra-low dose CT of the paranasal sinus allows for dose reduction by 61%. •70 kV CT of the

Pro-inflammatory responses of RAW264.7 macrophages when treated with ultralow concentrations of silver, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giovanni, Marcella; Yue, Junqi; Zhang, Lifeng; Xie, Jianping; Ong, Choon Nam; Leong, David Tai

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Ultralow levels of common nanoparticles exist in environment and consumer products. • Common nanoparticles at ultralow levels induce mild pro-inflammation by macrophages. • The nanoparticles are cytotoxic only at high doses. - Abstract: To cellular systems, nanoparticles are considered as foreign particles. Upon particles and cells contact, innate immune system responds by activating the inflammatory pathway. However, excessive inflammation had been linked to various diseases ranging from allergic responses to cancer. Common nanoparticles, namely silver, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide exist in the environment as well as in consumer products at ultralow level of 10 −6 –10 −3 μg mL −1 . However, so far the risks of such low NPs concentrations remain unexplored. Therefore, we attempted to screen the pro-inflammatory responses after ultralow concentration treatments of the three nanoparticles on RAW264.7 macrophages, which are a part of the immune system, at both cellular and gene levels. Even though cytotoxicity was only observed at nanoparticles concentrations as high as 10 μg mL −1 , through the level of NF-κB and upregulation of pro-inflammatory genes, we observed activation of the induction of genes encoding pro-inflammatory cytokines starting already at 10 −7 μg mL −1 . This calls for more thorough characterization of nanoparticles in the environment as well as in consumer products to ascertain the health and safety of the consumers and living systems in general

Simulation study on AlGaN/GaN diode with Γ-shaped anode for ultra-low turn-on voltage

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zeheng; Chen, Wanjun; Wang, Fangzhou; Cao, Jun; Sun, Ruize; Ren, Kailin; Luo, Yi; Guo, Songnan; Wang, Zirui; Jin, Xiaosheng; Yang, Lei; Zhang, Bo

2018-05-01

An ultra-low turn-on voltage (VT) Γ-shaped anode AlGaN/GaN Schottky barrier diode (GA-SBD) is proposed via modeling and simulation for the first time, in which a Γ-shaped anode consists of a metal-2DEG junction together with a metal-AlGaN junction beside a shallowly recessed MIS field plate (MFP). An analytic forward current-voltage model matching the simulation results well is presented where an ultra-low VT of 0.08 V is obtained. The turn-on and blocking mechanisms are investigated to reveal the GA-SBD's great potential for applications of highly efficient power ICs.

The PS 200 catching trap: A new tool for ultra-low energy antiproton physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holzscheiter, M.H.; Dyer, P.L.; King, N.S.P.; Lizon, D.C.; Morgan, G.L.; Schauer, M.M.; Schecker, J.A.; Hoibraten, S.; Lewis, R.A.; Otto, T.

1994-01-01

Approximately one million antiprotons have been trapped and electron cooled in the PS200 catching trap from a single fast extracted pulse from LEAR. The system is described in detail, different extraction schemes are discussed, and possible applications of this instrument to ultra-low energy atomic and nuclear physics with antiprotons are mentioned

Effect of weld metal toughness on fracture behavior under ultra-low cycle fatigue loading (earthquake)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kermajani, M. [School of Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ghaini, F. Malek, E-mail: Fmalek@modares.ac.ir [School of Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Miresmaeili, R. [School of Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Aghakouchak, A.A. [School of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Shadmand, M. [Department of Research and Development, MAPNA Electric and Control (MECO) Company, Karaj (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2016-06-21

Results from 12 ultra-low cycle fatigue tests performed on the weld metals of both toughness and non-toughness rated grades are presented. Fracture resistance under these loadings seemed to be dependent on materials' toughness, displacement amplitude, and stress state triaxiality, while the toughness effect was more highlighted at high stress levels and concentrations. To study the effect of microstructures on these failures, supporting ancillary tests including all-weld tension coupons, Charpy V-notched impact tests, and optical and scanning electron microscope analyses were performed. The favored microstructures appeared to be those which absorbed energy by plastic deformation and, hence, hindered void formation and/or could avoid crack propagation by deflection. Considering the response of the tested materials to cyclic loadings and the requirements of the materials specified in AISC341 Provisions could question the adequacy of these requirements for weld metals. However, the role of microstructural features like inclusions would be the same in both the Charpy impact tests and ultra-low cycle loadings.

[Electric traction magnetic fields of ultra-low frequency as an occupational risk factor of ischemic heart disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Ptitsyna, N G; Kudrin, V A; Villorezi, D; Kopytenko, Iu A; Tiasto, M I; Kopytenko, E A; Bochko, V A; Iuchchi, N

1996-01-01

The study was inspired by earlier results that displayed influence of variable natural geomagnetic field (0.005-10 Hz range-ultra-low frequencies) on circulatory system, indicated possible correlation between industrial ultra-low frequency fields and prevalence of myocardial infarction. The authors conducted unique measurements of ultra-low frequency fields produced by electric engines. The results were compared with data on morbidity among railway transport workers. The findings are that level of magnetic variations in electric locomotive cabin can exceed 280 micro Tesla, whereas that in car sections reaches 50 micro Tesla. Occurrence of coronary heart disease among the locomotive operators appeared to be 2.0 + 0.2 times higher than that among the car section operators. Higher risk of coronary heart disease in the locomotive operators is associated with their increased occupational magnetic load.

I. Construction of an ultralow temperature laboratory. II. Thermal relaxation in superfluid helium-3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neuhauser, B.J.

1986-01-01

The first part of this thesis describes the construction of an ultralow temperature laboratory capable of reaching temperatures below 0.002 K. Continuous refrigeration to 0.012 K is provided by a cold plate/dilution refrigerator system. Single-cycle cooling to 0.002 K is accomplished by adiabatic demagnetization of cerous magnesium nitrate (CMN), a paramagnetic salt. Thermometry is done by measuring the resistance of carbon and germanium sensors, the magnetic susceptibility of lanthanum-diluted CMN, and the anisotropy of gamma radiation from a cobalt-60 nuclear orientation thermometer. Systems have been developed to allow precise control of the temperature and pressure of the liquid helium-3 sample. Measurements of thermal relaxation of liquid helium-3 in the ultralow temperature cell following sudden magnetic cooling of the CMN refrigerant are described. Analysis of the transient response of a thermal model of the cell indicates that the ratio of the time constants immediately below and above the superfluid-to-normal transition temperature provides a close estimate of the ratio of the corresponding helium-3 heat capacities, at least in the superfluid A-phase

Component Development to Accelerate Commercial Implementation of Ultra-Low Emissions Catalytic Combustion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McCarty, Jon; Berry, Brian; Lundberg, Kare; Anson, Orris

2003-03-31

This final report describes a 2000-2003 program for the development of components and processes to enhance the commercialization of ultra-low emissions catalytic combustion in industrial gas turbines. The range of project tasks includes: development of more durable, lower-cost catalysts and catalytic combustor components; development and design of a catalytic pre-burner and a catalytic pilot burner for gas turbines, and on-site fuel conversion processing for utilization of liquid fuel.

Ultralow-level measurement of organically-bound tritium in bioassay samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kotzer, T.; Trivedi, A.; Waito, G.; Workman, W.

1998-12-01

An intercomparison study of urine samples having high levels (5 Bq·L -1 ) of organically-bound tritium (OBT) was conducted, in conjunction with the oxygen combustion-liquid scintillation counting (LSC) method, to evaluate the suitability and sensitivity of the 3 He-ingrowth mass spectrometry (MS) technique for OBT in bioassay samples. The study established that 3 He ingrowth-MS has the required sensitivity to measure ultralow levels of OBT-in-urine (∼0.1 Bq·L -1 ). Cumulative 24 h urine samples from a few members of the general population, living in the vicinity of the heavy-water research reactor facility at Chalk River Laboratories (CRL) at Chalk River, were collected and analyzed for tritiated water (HTO) and OBT. The participants were from Ottawa (200 km east), Deep River (10 km west) and an occasionally occupationally HTO-exposed worker at CRL. HTO-in-urine values were 6.5 Bq·L -1 for the Ottawa resident, 15.8 Bq·L -1 for the Deep River resident, and 1260 Bq·L -1 for the exposed worker. OBT-in-urine levels from these same individuals were 0.06 Bq·L -1 (Ottawa), 0.29 Bq·L -1 (Deep River), and 2.2 Bq·L -1 (exposed worker). With a model developed for calculating OBT dose fraction from the measured ratio of HTO to OBT in urine, we estimated that the dose arising from OBT in the body was about 26% of the total tritium dose for the Ottawa resident and 50% for the Deep River resident. The CRL individual had a 5% dose contribution from OBT, but had higher overall tritium dose due to frequent intakes of HTO. The study indicates that the bulk of the tritium dose to the population is the result of HTO intakes and not due to dietary intake of OBT. (author)

Procedures of Laboratory Fumigation for Pest Control with Nitric Oxide Gas.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yong-Biao; Yang, Xiangbing; Masuda, Tiffany

2017-11-24

Nitric oxide (NO) is a newly discovered fumigant for postharvest pest control. This paper provides detailed protocols for conducting NO fumigation on fresh products and procedures for residue analysis and product quality evaluation. An airtight fumigation chamber containing fresh fruit and vegetables is first flushed with nitrogen (N2) to establish an ultralow oxygen (ULO) environment followed by injection of NO. The fumigation chamber is then kept at a low temperature of 2 - 5 °C for a specified time period necessary to kill a target pest to complete a fumigation treatment. At the end of a fumigation treatment, the fumigation chamber is flushed with N2 to dilute NO prior to opening the chamber to ambient air to prevent the reaction between NO and O2, which produces NO2 and may damage delicate fresh products. At different times after NO fumigation, NO2 in headspace and nitrate and nitrite in liquid samples were measured as residues. Product quality was evaluated after 2 weeks of post-treatment cold storage to determine effects of NO fumigation on product quality. Keeping O2 from reacting with NO is critical to NO fumigation and is an important part of the protocols. Measuring NO levels is challenging and a practical solution is provided. Possible protocol modifications are also suggested for measuring NO levels in the fumigation chambers as well as residues. NO fumigation has the potential to be a practical alternative to methyl bromide fumigation for postharvest pest control on fresh and stored products. This publication is intended to assist other researchers in conducting NO fumigation research for postharvest pest control and accelerating the development of NO fumigation for practical applications.

Pro-inflammatory responses of RAW264.7 macrophages when treated with ultralow concentrations of silver, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giovanni, Marcella [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 4, Singapore 117585 (Singapore); Yue, Junqi; Zhang, Lifeng [PUB, 40 Scotts Road, Singapore 228231 (Singapore); Xie, Jianping [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 4, Singapore 117585 (Singapore); Ong, Choon Nam [Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, 12 Science Drive 2, Singapore 117549 (Singapore); NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117411 (Singapore); Leong, David Tai, E-mail: cheltwd@nus.edu.sg [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 4, Singapore 117585 (Singapore)

2015-10-30

Highlights: • Ultralow levels of common nanoparticles exist in environment and consumer products. • Common nanoparticles at ultralow levels induce mild pro-inflammation by macrophages. • The nanoparticles are cytotoxic only at high doses. - Abstract: To cellular systems, nanoparticles are considered as foreign particles. Upon particles and cells contact, innate immune system responds by activating the inflammatory pathway. However, excessive inflammation had been linked to various diseases ranging from allergic responses to cancer. Common nanoparticles, namely silver, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide exist in the environment as well as in consumer products at ultralow level of 10{sup −6}–10{sup −3} μg mL{sup −1}. However, so far the risks of such low NPs concentrations remain unexplored. Therefore, we attempted to screen the pro-inflammatory responses after ultralow concentration treatments of the three nanoparticles on RAW264.7 macrophages, which are a part of the immune system, at both cellular and gene levels. Even though cytotoxicity was only observed at nanoparticles concentrations as high as 10 μg mL{sup −1}, through the level of NF-κB and upregulation of pro-inflammatory genes, we observed activation of the induction of genes encoding pro-inflammatory cytokines starting already at 10{sup −7} μg mL{sup −1}. This calls for more thorough characterization of nanoparticles in the environment as well as in consumer products to ascertain the health and safety of the consumers and living systems in general.

Sensitivity of new detection method for ultra-low frequency gravitational waves with pulsar spin-down rate statistics

Science.gov (United States)

Yonemaru, Naoyuki; Kumamoto, Hiroki; Takahashi, Keitaro; Kuroyanagi, Sachiko

2018-04-01

A new detection method for ultra-low frequency gravitational waves (GWs) with a frequency much lower than the observational range of pulsar timing arrays (PTAs) was suggested in Yonemaru et al. (2016). In the PTA analysis, ultra-low frequency GWs (≲ 10-10 Hz) which evolve just linearly during the observation time span are absorbed by the pulsar spin-down rates since both have the same effect on the pulse arrival time. Therefore, such GWs cannot be detected by the conventional method of PTAs. However, the bias on the observed spin-down rates depends on relative direction of a pulsar and GW source and shows a quadrupole pattern in the sky. Thus, if we divide the pulsars according to the position in the sky and see the difference in the statistics of the spin-down rates, ultra-low frequency GWs from a single source can be detected. In this paper, we evaluate the potential of this method by Monte-Carlo simulations and estimate the sensitivity, considering only the "Earth term" while the "pulsar term" acts like random noise for GW frequencies 10-13 - 10-10 Hz. We find that with 3,000 milli-second pulsars, which are expected to be discovered by a future survey with the Square Kilometre Array, GWs with the derivative of amplitude of about 3 × 10^{-19} {s}^{-1} can in principle be detected. Implications for possible supermassive binary black holes in Sgr* and M87 are also given.

Liver perfusion CT during hepatic arteriography for the hepatocellular carcinoma: Dose reduction and quantitative evaluation for normal- and ultralow-dose protocol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Watanabe, Shingo [Department of Radiology, Dokkyo Medical University Koshigaya Hospital, 2-1-50, Minami-Koshigaya, Koshigaya-shi, Saitama 343-8555 (Japan); Katada, Yoshiaki, E-mail: yoshiaki@dokkyomed.ac.jp [Department of Radiology, Dokkyo Medical University Koshigaya Hospital, 2-1-50, Minami-Koshigaya, Koshigaya-shi, Saitama 343-8555 (Japan); Gohkyu, Masaki; Nakajima, Masahiro; Kawabata, Hideyuki; Nozaki, Miwako [Department of Radiology, Dokkyo Medical University Koshigaya Hospital, 2-1-50, Minami-Koshigaya, Koshigaya-shi, Saitama 343-8555 (Japan)

2012-12-15

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether substantial reduction of the computed tomography (CT) dose is possible in liver CT perfusion imaging by comparing the results of ultralow-dose CT perfusion imaging with those of conventional CT perfusion imaging the same patients and under the same conditions. Materials and methods: The study was composed following two parts: computer simulation and patients study. In computer simulation, noise was added to the images so that the standard deviation (SD) of the CT values in the liver parenchyma became various values using ImageJ. Time density curves (TDCs) were created from the simulated data, and the influence of difference in the SDs on the shapes of the TDCs was investigated. In the patient study, CT perfusion during intra-arterial injection was performed in 30 consecutive patients undergoing transcatheter arterial chemoembolization. CT perfusion images were acquired twice, at 100 mA (CTDI{sub vol}, 300 mGy) for normal and at 20 mA (CTDI{sub vol}, 60 mGy) for the ultralow radiation doses, under the same conditions. Results: No change was observed in the shape of the TDCs and peak values in the analysis of simulation images. A very good correlation was observed between the normal- and ultralow-dose CT images for all analyzed values (R{sup 2} = 0.9885 for blood flow, 0.9269 for blood volume, and 0.8424 for mean transit time). Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that there was no significant difference in the analysis results of perfusion CT between ultralow-dose CT performed using 20% of the conventional dose and normal-dose CT perfusion.

Design Margin Elimination Through Robust Timing Error Detection at Ultra-Low Voltage

OpenAIRE

Reyserhove, Hans; Dehaene, Wim

2017-01-01

This paper discusses a timing error masking-aware ARM Cortex M0 microcontroller system. Through in-path timing error detection, operation at the point-of-first-failure is possi- ble without corrupting the pipeline state, effectively eliminat- ing traditional timing margins. Error events are flagged and gathered to allow dynamic voltage scaling. The error-aware microcontroller was implemented in a 40nm CMOS process and realizes ultra-low voltage operation down to 0.29V at 5MHz consuming 12.90p...

Ultralow-field and spin-locking relaxation dispersion in postmortem pig brain.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Hui; Hwang, Seong-Min; Wendland, Michael; You, Lixing; Clarke, John; Inglis, Ben

2017-12-01

To investigate tissue-specific differences, a quantitative comparison was made between relaxation dispersion in postmortem pig brain measured at ultralow fields (ULF) and spin locking at 7 tesla (T). The goal was to determine whether ULF-MRI has potential advantages for in vivo human brain imaging. Separate specimens of gray matter and white matter were investigated using an ULF-MRI system with superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) signal detection to measure T1ULF at fields from 58.7 to 235.0 μT and using a commercial MRI scanner to measure T1ρ7T at spin-locking fields from 5.0 to 235.0 μT. At matched field strengths, T1ρ7T is 50 to 100% longer than T1ULF. Furthermore, dispersion in T1ULF is close to linear between 58.7 and 235 µT, whereas dispersion in T1ρ7T is highly nonlinear over the same range. A subtle elbow in the T1ULF dispersion at approximately 140 µT is tentatively attributed to the local dipolar field of macromolecules. It is suggested that different relaxation mechanisms dominate each method and that ULF-MRI has a fundamentally different sensitivity to the macromolecular structure of neural tissue. Ultralow-field MRI may offer distinct, quantitative advantages for human brain imaging, while simultaneously avoiding the severe heating limitation imposed on high-field spin locking. Magn Reson Med 78:2342-2351, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Studies on a Foam System of Ultralow Interfacial Tension Applied in Daqing Oilfield after Polymer Flooding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hong-sheng Liu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In order to study the effects of oil displacement by a foam system of ultralow interfacial tension, the interfacial activities and foam properties of a nonionic gemini surfactant (DWS were investigated under Daqing Oilfield reservoir conditions. Injection methods and alternate cycle of the foam system were discussed here on the basis of results from core flow experiments. It was obtained that the surface tension of DWS was approximately 25 mN/m, and ultralow interfacial tension was reached between oil and DWS with a surfactant concentration between 0.05wt% and 0.4wt%. The binary system showed splendid foam performances, and the preferential surfactant concentration was 0.3wt% with a polymer concentration of 0.2wt%. When gas and liquid were injected simultaneously, flow control capability of the foam reached its peak at the gas-liquid ratio of 3 : 1. Enhanced oil recovery factor of the binary foam system exceeded 10% in a parallel natural cores displacement after polymer flooding.

Soft phonon modes leading to ultralow thermal conductivity and high thermoelectric performance in AgCuTe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roychowdhury, Subhajit; Jana, Manoj K.; Pan, Jaysree; Guin, Satya N.; Waghmare, Umesh V.; Biswas, Kanishka [New Chemistry Unit and Theoretical Science Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bangalore (India); Sanyal, Dirtha [Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata (India)

2018-04-03

Crystalline solids with intrinsically low lattice thermal conductivity (κ{sub L}) are crucial to realizing high-performance thermoelectric (TE) materials. Herein, we show an ultralow κ{sub L} of 0.35 Wm{sup -1} K{sup -1} in AgCuTe, which has a remarkable TE figure-of-merit, zT of 1.6 at 670 K when alloyed with 10 mol % Se. First-principles DFT calculation reveals several soft phonon modes in its room-temperature hexagonal phase, which are also evident from low-temperature heat-capacity measurement. These phonon modes, dominated by Ag vibrations, soften further with temperature giving a dynamic cation disorder and driving the superionic transition. Intrinsic factors cause an ultralow κ{sub L} in the room-temperature hexagonal phase, while the dynamic disorder of Ag/Cu cations leads to reduced phonon frequencies and mean free paths in the high-temperature rocksalt phase. Despite the cation disorder at elevated temperatures, the crystalline conduits of the rigid anion sublattice give a high power factor. (copyright 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Push-back technique facilitates ultra-low anterior resection without nerve injury in total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Inoue, Yasuhiro; Hiro, Junichiro; Toiyama, Yuji; Tanaka, Koji; Uchida, Keiichi; Miki, Chikao; Kusunoki, Masato

2011-01-01

To describe our push-back approach to ultra-low anterior resection using the concept of the mucosal stump. We mobilize the rectum using an abdominal approach, and perform mucosal cutting circumferentially at the dentate line. The mucosal stump is closed, and the internal sphincteric muscle resected partially or totally according to tumor location. Perianal dissection is performed along the medial plane of the external sphincteric muscles, and the hiatal ligament is dissected posteriorly. To resect the entire rectum, the closed rectal stump is pushed back to the abdominal cavity using composed gauze. This prevents injury to the autonomic nerve. We performed colonic J-pouch anal anastomosis using our mucosal stump approach in 58 patients with rectal cancer located push-back approach for internal sphincter resection produces satisfactory functional and oncological results in ultra-low anterior rectal cancer. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Examination of cryogenic filters for multistage RF filtering in ultralow temperature experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Zavyalov, V. V.; Chernyaev, S. A.; Shein, K. V.; Shukaleva, A. G.; Arutyunov, K. Yu

2018-03-01

Cryo-filters are essential while studying electronic properties of nanoscale structures at very low temperatures. In this report we present the simple measuring methodology and experimental impedance characteristics of customized lumped filters cooled down to 4.2K in the 10 Hz-500 MHz frequency range. In particular, we tested the home-made permalloy-core RL filters, the MurataTMChip Ferrite Bead filter, and the ToshibaTMAmobeadsTMcores. We use the high-frequency generalization of four-terminal sensing method to account for the wiring retardation effects, which are important when working with ultralow temperature systems.

Ultralow-Power Electronic Trapping of Nanoparticles with Sub-10 nm Gold Nanogap Electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Barik, Avijit; Chen, Xiaoshu; Oh, Sang-Hyun

2016-10-12

We demonstrate nanogap electrodes for rapid, parallel, and ultralow-power trapping of nanoparticles. Our device pushes the limit of dielectrophoresis by shrinking the separation between gold electrodes to sub-10 nm, thereby creating strong trapping forces at biases as low as the 100 mV ranges. Using high-throughput atomic layer lithography, we manufacture sub-10 nm gaps between 0.8 mm long gold electrodes and pattern them into individually addressable parallel electronic traps. Unlike pointlike junctions made by electron-beam lithography or larger micron-gap electrodes that are used for conventional dielectrophoresis, our sub-10 nm gold nanogap electrodes provide strong trapping forces over a mm-scale trapping zone. Importantly, our technology solves the key challenges associated with traditional dielectrophoresis experiments, such as high voltages that cause heat generation, bubble formation, and unwanted electrochemical reactions. The strongly enhanced fields around the nanogap induce particle-transport speed exceeding 10 μm/s and enable the trapping of 30 nm polystyrene nanoparticles using an ultralow bias of 200 mV. We also demonstrate rapid electronic trapping of quantum dots and nanodiamond particles on arrays of parallel traps. Our sub-10 nm gold nanogap electrodes can be combined with plasmonic sensors or nanophotonic circuitry, and their low-power electronic operation can potentially enable high-density integration on a chip as well as portable biosensing.

Note: Expanding the bandwidth of the ultra-low current amplifier using an artificial negative capacitor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xie, Kai, E-mail: kaixie@mail.xidian.edu.cn; Liu, Yan; Li, XiaoPing [School of Aerospace Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi’an 710071 (China); Guo, Lixin [School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Xidian University, Xi’an 710071 (China); Zhang, Hanlu [School of Communication & Information Engineering, Xi’an University of Posts & Telecommunication, Xi’an 710121 (China)

2016-04-15

The bandwidth and low noise characteristics are often contradictory in ultra-low current amplifier, because an inevitable parasitic capacitance is paralleled with the high value feedback resistor. In order to expand the amplifier’s bandwidth, a novel approach was proposed by introducing an artificial negative capacitor to cancel the parasitic capacitance. The theory of the negative capacitance and the performance of the improved amplifier circuit with the negative capacitor are presented in this manuscript. The test was conducted by modifying an ultra-low current amplifier with a trans-impedance gain of 50 GΩ. The results show that the maximum bandwidth was expanded from 18.7 Hz to 3.3 kHz with more than 150 times of increase when the parasitic capacitance (∼0.17 pF) was cancelled. Meanwhile, the rise time decreased from 18.7 ms to 0.26 ms with no overshot. Any desired bandwidth or rise time within these ranges can be obtained by adjusting the ratio of cancellation of the parasitic and negative capacitance. This approach is especially suitable for the demand of rapid response to weak current, such as transient ion-beam detector, mass spectrometry analysis, and fast scanning microscope.

Non-invasive paper-based microfluidic device for ultra-low detection of urea through enzyme catalysis

Science.gov (United States)

Suresh, Vignesh; Qunya, Ong; Kanta, Bera Lakshmi; Yuh, Lee Yeong; Chong, Karen S. L.

2018-03-01

This work describes the design, fabrication and characterization of a paper-based microfluidic device for ultra-low detection of urea through enzyme catalysis. The microfluidic system comprises an entry port, a fluidic channel, a reaction zone and two electrodes (contacts). Wax printing was used to create fluidic channels on the surface of a chromatography paper. Pre-conceptualized designs of the fluidic channel are wax-printed on the paper substrate while the electrodes are screen-printed. The paper printed with wax is heated to cause the wax reflow along the thickness of the paper that selectively creates hydrophilic and hydrophobic zones inside the paper. Urease immobilized in the reaction zone catalyses urea into releasing ions and, thereby, generating a current flow between the electrodes. A measure of current with respect to time at a fixed potential enables the detection of urea. The methodology enabled urea concentration down to 1 pM to be detected. The significance of this work lies in the use of simple and inexpensive paper-based substrates to achieve detection of ultra-low concentrations of analytes such as urea. The process is non-invasive and employs a less cumbersome two-electrode assembly.

Note: Expanding the bandwidth of the ultra-low current amplifier using an artificial negative capacitor.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Kai; Liu, Yan; Li, XiaoPing; Guo, Lixin; Zhang, Hanlu

2016-04-01

The bandwidth and low noise characteristics are often contradictory in ultra-low current amplifier, because an inevitable parasitic capacitance is paralleled with the high value feedback resistor. In order to expand the amplifier's bandwidth, a novel approach was proposed by introducing an artificial negative capacitor to cancel the parasitic capacitance. The theory of the negative capacitance and the performance of the improved amplifier circuit with the negative capacitor are presented in this manuscript. The test was conducted by modifying an ultra-low current amplifier with a trans-impedance gain of 50 GΩ. The results show that the maximum bandwidth was expanded from 18.7 Hz to 3.3 kHz with more than 150 times of increase when the parasitic capacitance (∼0.17 pF) was cancelled. Meanwhile, the rise time decreased from 18.7 ms to 0.26 ms with no overshot. Any desired bandwidth or rise time within these ranges can be obtained by adjusting the ratio of cancellation of the parasitic and negative capacitance. This approach is especially suitable for the demand of rapid response to weak current, such as transient ion-beam detector, mass spectrometry analysis, and fast scanning microscope.

Perineal pseudocontinent colostomy for ultra-low rectal adenocarcinoma: the muscular graft as a pseudosphincter.

Science.gov (United States)

Souadka, Amine; Majbar, Mohammed Anass; Amrani, Laila; Souadka, Abdelilah

2016-10-01

The aim of this study was to analyze objectively the role of the muscular graft in the continence using manometric study in the patients who underwent pseudocontinent perineal colostomy after abdominoperineal resection for rectal adenocarcinoma. This was a retrospective study including all the patients from January 2002 to December 2009 who underwent an abdominoperineal resection followed by perineal pseudocontinent colostomy for ultra-low rectal adenocarcinoma and agreed to perform the manometric evaluation of the muscular graft. Fifteen patients were included, six males and nine females, with a mean age of 50 years. According to Kirwan's classification, 2 (13.3%) patients had normal continence (Stage A) had 10 (66.6%) no soiling (stage B) and 3 (20%) patients had minimal soiling (Stage C). The manometric evaluation was performed after a median period of 12 months post-surgery. The mean maximal resting and squeeze pressures were respectively 41 cmH2O and 59 cmH2O and the mean colonic sensory volume was 12 ml. This study showed that the musculae graft of Pseudocontinent Perineal colostomy acted as a hypotonic sphincter that pressure can increase during the voluntary squeeze. These data may help to clarify the functional outcomes of this technique after APR for ultra-low rectal adenocarcinoma.

Ultralow nonalloyed Ohmic contact resistance to self aligned N-polar GaN high electron mobility transistors by In(Ga)N regrowth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dasgupta, Sansaptak; Nidhi,; Brown, David F.; Wu, Feng; Keller, Stacia; Speck, James S.; Mishra, Umesh K.

2010-01-01

Ultralow Ohmic contact resistance and a self-aligned device structure are necessary to reduce the effect of parasitic elements and obtain higher f t and f max in high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). N-polar (0001) GaN HEMTs, offer a natural advantage over Ga-polar HEMTs, in terms of contact resistance since the contact is not made through a high band gap material [Al(Ga)N]. In this work, we extend the advantage by making use of polarization induced three-dimensional electron-gas through regrowth of graded InGaN and thin InN cap in the contact regions by plasma (molecular beam epitaxy), to obtain an ultralow Ohmic contact resistance of 27 Ω μm to a GaN 2DEG.

Field evaluation of indoor thermal fog and ultra-low volume applications for control of Aedes aegypti, in Thailand

Science.gov (United States)

Efficacies of a hand-held thermal fogger (PatriotTM) and hand-held Ultra-low volume (ULV) sprayer (TwisterTM) with combinations of two different adulticides and an insect growth regulator (pyriproxyfen) were field assessed and compared for their impact on reducing dengue vector populations in Thaila...

Subthreshold Schottky-barrier thin-film transistors with ultralow power and high intrinsic gain

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sungsik; Nathan, Arokia

2016-10-01

The quest for low power becomes highly compelling in newly emerging application areas related to wearable devices in the Internet of Things. Here, we report on a Schottky-barrier indium-gallium-zinc-oxide thin-film transistor operating in the deep subthreshold regime (i.e., near the OFF state) at low supply voltages (400) that was both bias and geometry independent. The transistor reported here is useful for sensor interface circuits in wearable devices where high current sensitivity and ultralow power are vital for battery-less operation.

A 32 kb 9T near-threshold SRAM with enhanced read ability at ultra-low voltage operation

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Tony Tae-Hyoung; Lee, Zhao Chuan; Do, Anh Tuan

2018-01-01

Ultra-low voltage SRAMs are highly sought-after in energy-limited systems such as battery-powered and self-harvested SoCs. However, ultra-low voltage operation diminishes SRAM read bitline (RBL) sensing margin significantly. This paper tackles this issue by presenting a novel 9T cell with data-independent RBL leakage in combination with an RBL boosting technique for enhancing the sensing margin. The proposed technique automatically tracks process, temperature and voltage (PVT) variations for robust sensing margin enhancement. A test chip fabricated in 65 nm CMOS technology shows that the proposed scheme significantly enlarges the sensing margin compared to the conventional bitline sensing scheme. It also achieves the minimum operating voltage of 0.18 V and the minimum energy consumption of 0.92 J/access at 0.4 V. He received 2016 International Low Power Design Contest Award from ISLPED, a best paper award at 2014 and 2011 ISOCC, 2008 AMD/CICC Student Scholarship Award, 2008 Departmental Research Fellowship from Univ. of Minnesota, 2008 DAC/ISSCC Student Design Contest Award, 2008, 2001, and 1999 Samsung Humantec Thesis Award and, 2005 ETRI Journal Paper of the Year Award. He is an author/co-author of +100 journal and conference papers and has 17 US and Korean patents registered. His current research interests include low power and high performance digital, mixed- mode, and memory circuit design, ultra-low voltage circuits and systems design, variation and aging tolerant circuits and systems, and circuit techniques for 3D ICs. He serves as an associate editor of IEEE Transactions on VLSI Systems. He is an IEEE senior member and the Chair of IEEE Solid-State Circuits Society Singapore Chapter. He has served numerous conferences as a committee member.

Ultra-low thermal expansion realized in giant negative thermal expansion materials through self-compensation

OpenAIRE

Fei-Ran Shen; Hao Kuang; Feng-Xia Hu; Hui Wu; Qing-Zhen Huang; Fei-Xiang Liang; Kai-Ming Qiao; Jia Li; Jing Wang; Yao Liu; Lei Zhang; Min He; Ying Zhang; Wen-Liang Zuo; Ji-Rong Sun

2017-01-01

Materials with zero thermal expansion (ZTE) or precisely tailored thermal expansion are in urgent demand of modern industries. However, the overwhelming majority of materials show positive thermal expansion. To develop ZTE or negative thermal expansion (NTE) materials as compensators has become an important challenge. Here, we present the evidence for the realization of ultra-low thermal expansion in Mn–Co–Ge–In particles. The bulk with the Ni2In-type hexagonal structure undergoes giant NTE o...

An ultralow power wireless intraocular pressure monitoring system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Demeng; Mei Niansong; Zhang Zhaofeng

2014-01-01

This paper describes an ultralow power wireless intraocular pressure (IOP) monitoring system that is dedicated to sensing and transferring intraocular pressure of glaucoma patients. Our system is comprised of a capacitive pressure sensor, an application-specific integrated circuit, which is designed on the SMIC 180 nm process, and a dipole antenna. The system is wirelessly powered and demonstrates a power consumption of 7.56 μW at 1.24 V during continuous monitoring, a significant reduction in active power dissipation compared to existing work. The input RF sensitivity is −13 dBm. A significant reduction in input RF sensitivity results from the reduction of mismatch time of the ASK modulation caused by FM0 encoding. The system exhibits an average error of ± 1.5 mmHg in measured pressure. Finally, a complete IOP system is demonstrated in the real biological environment, showing a successful reading of the pressure of an eye. (semiconductor integrated circuits)

Aplicação de 1-metilciclopropeno, estresse inicial com baixo oxigênio e armazenamento em ultrabaixo oxigênio na qualidade de maçã Fuji Application of 1-methylcyclopropene, initial low oxygen stress and storage in ultralow oxygen on Fuji apples quality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Auri Brackmann

2012-08-01

Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da aplicação de 1-MCP em combinação com condições de estresse inicial com baixo O2 e armazenamento em atmosfera controlada com pressões parciais ultrabaixas de O2 sobre a manutenção da qualidade de maçãs Fuji. Os tratamentos avaliados foram com e sem aplicação de 1-MCP (1.000nL L-1, combinado com cinco níveis do fator condição de armazenamento (sem estresse inicial + 0,6kPa O2, 1 estresse + 0,6kPa O2, 1 estresse + 0,8kPa O2, 2 estresses + 0,6kPa O2 e sem estresse inicial + 1,0kPa O2. Cada estresse inicial foi com 0,2kPa de O2 pelo período de 14 dias. Os frutos foram armazenados nessas condições durante oito meses a -0,5°C±0,2°C e UR de 96±1%, mais sete dias de exposição a 20±1°C. Em todos os tratamentos, o CO2 foi mantido abaixo de 0,5kPa. O armazenamento sem estresse inicial por baixo O2 associado a 1,0kPa ou 0,6kPa de O2 manteve a polpa mais firme e com maior acidez titulável. Além disso, proporcionou menor ocorrência de podridão após oito meses de armazenamento mais sete dias a 20°C. O 1-MCP proporcionou menor atividade da enzima ACC oxidase, no entanto, não foi eficiente para a redução da produção de etileno e para retardar a perda da firmeza e a ocorrência de podridão. O estresse inicial de 14 dias com 0,2kPa de O2 prejudicou a conservação de maçãs Fuji.The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of 1-MCP application in combination with initial low oxygen stress and storage in controlled atmosphere with ultra-low oxygen on Fuji apple quality preservation. The evaluated treatments consisted of 1-MCP application (with or without 1000nL L-1 combined with five levels of the factor storage condition (without initial stress + 0.6kPa O2, 1 stress + 0.6kPa O2, 1 stress + 0.8kPa O2, 2 stresses + 0.6kPa O2 and without initial stress + 1.0kPa O2. Initial low oxygen stress was applied by 14 days at 0.2kPa O2. The fruits were stored in these conditions for

Self-formed conductive nanofilaments in (Bi, Mn)Ox for ultralow-power memory devices

KAUST Repository

Kang, Chen Fang

2015-04-01

Resistive random access memory (RRAM) is one of the most promising candidates as a next generation nonvolatile memory (NVM), owing to its superior scalability, low power consumption and high speed. From the materials science point of view, to explore optimal RRAM materials is still essential for practical application. In this work, a new material (Bi, Mn)Ox (BMO) is investigated and several key performance characteristics of Pt/BMO/Pt structured device, including switching performance, retention and endurance, are examined in details. Furthermore, it has been confirmed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy that the underlying switching mechanism is attributed to formation and disruption of metallic conducting nanofilaments (CNFs). More importantly, the power dissipation for each CNF is as low as 3.8/20fJ for set/reset process, and a realization of cross-bar structure memory cell is demonstrated to prove the downscaling ability of proposed RRAM. These distinctive properties have important implications for understanding switching mechanisms and implementing ultralow power-dissipation RRAM based on BMO. •Self-formed conductive nanofilaments in BMO show ultralow-power memory feature.•The feature of 10nm in diameter and an average 20-30nm spacing of CNFs suggests the compatibility with the current CMOS technologies.•Power dissipation for each CNF is as low as 3.8/20fJ for set/reset process•A realization of cross-bar structure memory cell is demonstrated to prove the downscaling ability of proposed RRAM. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.

Design and development of novel MRI compatible zirconium- ruthenium alloys with ultralow magnetic susceptibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, H F; Zhou, F Y; Li, L; Zheng, Y F

2016-04-19

In the present study, novel MRI compatible zirconium-ruthenium alloys with ultralow magnetic susceptibility were developed for biomedical and therapeutic devices under MRI diagnostics environments. The results demonstrated that alloying with ruthenium into pure zirconium would significantly increase the strength and hardness properties. The corrosion resistance of zirconium-ruthenium alloys increased significantly. High cell viability could be found and healthy cell morphology observed when culturing MG 63 osteoblast-like cells and L-929 fibroblast cells with zirconium-ruthenium alloys, whereas the hemolysis rates of zirconium-ruthenium alloys are zirconium-ruthenium alloys (1.25 × 10(-6) cm(3)·g(-1)-1.29 × 10(-6) cm(3)·g(-1) for zirconium-ruthenium alloys) are ultralow, about one-third that of Ti-based alloys (Ti-6Al-4V, ~3.5 × 10(-6) cm(3)·g(-1), CP Ti and Ti-6Al-7Nb, ~3.0 × 10(-6) cm(3)·g(-1)), and one-sixth that of Co-Cr alloys (Co-Cr-Mo, ~7.7 × 10(-6) cm(3)·g(-1)). Among the Zr-Ru alloy series, Zr-1Ru demonstrates enhanced mechanical properties, excellent corrosion resistance and cell viability with lowest magnetic susceptibility, and thus is the optimal Zr-Ru alloy system as therapeutic devices under MRI diagnostics environments.

Achievement of ultralow emittance coupling in the Australian Synchrotron storage ring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Dowd

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Investigations into producing an electron beam with ultralow vertical emittance have been conducted using the Australian Synchrotron 3 GeV storage ring. A method of tuning the emittance coupling (ϵ_{y}/ϵ_{x} has been developed using a machine model calibrated through the linear optics from closed orbits method. Direct measurements of the beam emittance have not been possible due to diagnostic limitations, however two independent indirect measurements both indicate a vertical emittance of 1.2–1.3 pm rad (ϵ_{y}/ϵ_{x}=0.01%. Other indirect measurements support the validity of these results. This result is the smallest vertical emittance currently achieved in a storage ring.

Toward an Ultralow-Power Onboard Processor for Tongue Drive System.

Science.gov (United States)

Viseh, Sina; Ghovanloo, Maysam; Mohsenin, Tinoosh

2015-02-01

The Tongue Drive System (TDS) is a new unobtrusive, wireless, and wearable assistive device that allows for real-time tracking of the voluntary tongue motion in the oral space for communication, control, and navigation applications. The latest TDS prototype appears as a wireless headphone and has been tested in human subject trials. However, the robustness of the external TDS (eTDS) in real-life outdoor conditions may not meet safety regulations because of the limited mechanical stability of the headset. The intraoral TDS (iTDS), which is in the shape of a dental retainer, firmly clasps to the upper teeth and resists sensor misplacement. However, the iTDS has more restrictions on its dimensions, limiting the battery size and consequently requiring a considerable reduction in its power consumption to operate over an extended period of two days on a single charge. In this brief, we propose an ultralow-power local processor for the TDS that performs all signal processing on the transmitter side, following the sensors. Assuming the TDS user on average issuing one command/s, implementing the computational engine reduces the data volume that needs to be wirelessly transmitted to a PC or smartphone by a factor of 1500×, from 12 kb/s to ~8 b/s. The proposed design is implemented on an ultralow-power IGLOO nano field-programmable gate array (FPGA) and is tested on AGLN250 prototype board. According to our post-place-and-route results, implementing the engine on the FPGA significantly drops the required data transmission, while an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) implementation in a 65-nm CMOS results in a 15× power saving compared to the FPGA solution and occupies a 0.02-mm 2 footprint. As a result, the power consumption and size of the iTDS will be significantly reduced through the use of a much smaller rechargeable battery. Moreover, the system can operate longer following every recharge, improving the iTDS usability.

Ultra-low fertility in South Korea: The role of the tempo effect

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sam Hyun Yoo

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Background: The total fertility rate (TFR in South Korea has fallen below 1.3 since 2001. The role of the rapid shift toward a late-childbearing pattern in driving Korean fertility decline to this ultra-low level has been little explored until now. Objective: We provide an in-depth analysis of period fertility trends by birth order in South Korea from 1981 to 2015, when the period TFR fell from 2.57 to extremely low levels. Methods: We combine census and birth registration data to estimate period and cohort fertility indicators by birth order. We compare changes in conventional TFR with tempo- and parity-adjusted total fertility rate (TFRp* and their birth-order-specific components. Results: The tempo effect linked to the shift toward delayed childbearing has had a strong and persistent negative influence on period TFRs in South Korea since the early 1980s. Without the shift to later childbearing, period fertility rates in South Korea would consistently stay higher and decline more gradually, reaching a threshold of very low fertility, 1.5, only in 2014. The postponement of childbearing and the resulting tempo effect were strongest in the early 2000s, when Korean TFR reached the lowest levels. More recently, Korean fertility has been characterized by a diminishing tempo effect and falling first and second birth rates. This trend marks a break with the previous pattern of almost universal fertility and a strong two-child family model. Contribution: Our study demonstrates the importance of the tempo effect in explaining the shift to ultra-low fertility in South Korea and in East Asia

Ultra-low damping in lift-off structured yttrium iron garnet thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Krysztofik, A.; Coy, L. E.; Kuświk, P.; Załeski, K.; Głowiński, H.; Dubowik, J.

2017-11-01

We show that using maskless photolithography and the lift-off technique, patterned yttrium iron garnet thin films possessing ultra-low Gilbert damping can be accomplished. The films of 70 nm thickness were grown on (001)-oriented gadolinium gallium garnet by means of pulsed laser deposition, and they exhibit high crystalline quality, low surface roughness, and the effective magnetization of 127 emu/cm3. The Gilbert damping parameter is as low as 5 ×10-4. The obtained structures have well-defined sharp edges which along with good structural and magnetic film properties pave a path in the fabrication of high-quality magnonic circuits and oxide-based spintronic devices.

Design and development of novel MRI compatible zirconium- ruthenium alloys with ultralow magnetic susceptibility

Science.gov (United States)

Li, H.F.; Zhou, F.Y.; Li, L.; Zheng, Y.F.

2016-01-01

In the present study, novel MRI compatible zirconium-ruthenium alloys with ultralow magnetic susceptibility were developed for biomedical and therapeutic devices under MRI diagnostics environments. The results demonstrated that alloying with ruthenium into pure zirconium would significantly increase the strength and hardness properties. The corrosion resistance of zirconium-ruthenium alloys increased significantly. High cell viability could be found and healthy cell morphology observed when culturing MG 63 osteoblast-like cells and L-929 fibroblast cells with zirconium-ruthenium alloys, whereas the hemolysis rates of zirconium-ruthenium alloys are alloys and Ti-based alloys, the magnetic susceptibilities of the zirconium-ruthenium alloys (1.25 × 10−6 cm3·g−1–1.29 × 10−6 cm3·g−1 for zirconium-ruthenium alloys) are ultralow, about one-third that of Ti-based alloys (Ti–6Al–4V, ~3.5 × 10−6 cm3·g−1, CP Ti and Ti–6Al–7Nb, ~3.0 × 10−6 cm3·g−1), and one-sixth that of Co–Cr alloys (Co–Cr–Mo, ~7.7 × 10−6 cm3·g−1). Among the Zr–Ru alloy series, Zr–1Ru demonstrates enhanced mechanical properties, excellent corrosion resistance and cell viability with lowest magnetic susceptibility, and thus is the optimal Zr–Ru alloy system as therapeutic devices under MRI diagnostics environments. PMID:27090955

Magnetic Random Access Memory based non-volatile asynchronous Muller cell for ultra-low power autonomous applications

Science.gov (United States)

Di Pendina, G.; Zianbetov, E.; Beigne, E.

2015-05-01

Micro and nano electronic integrated circuit domain is today mainly driven by the advent of the Internet of Things for which the constraints are strong, especially in terms of power consumption and autonomy, not only during the computing phases but also during the standby or idle phases. In such ultra-low power applications, the circuit has to meet new constraints mainly linked to its changing energetic environment: long idle phases, automatic wake up, data back-up when the circuit is sporadically turned off, and ultra-low voltage power supply operation. Such circuits have to be completely autonomous regarding their unstable environment, while remaining in an optimum energetic configuration. Therefore, we propose in this paper the first MRAM-based non-volatile asynchronous Muller cell. This cell has been simulated and characterized in a very advanced 28 nm CMOS fully depleted silicon-on-insulator technology, presenting good power performance results due to an extremely efficient body biasing control together with ultra-wide supply voltage range from 160 mV up to 920 mV. The leakage current can be reduced to 154 pA thanks to reverse body biasing. We also propose an efficient standard CMOS bulk version of this cell in order to be compatible with different fabrication processes.

Magnetic Random Access Memory based non-volatile asynchronous Muller cell for ultra-low power autonomous applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Di Pendina, G., E-mail: gregory.dipendina@cea.fr, E-mail: eldar.zianbetov@cea.fr, E-mail: edith.beigne@cea.fr; Zianbetov, E., E-mail: gregory.dipendina@cea.fr, E-mail: eldar.zianbetov@cea.fr, E-mail: edith.beigne@cea.fr [Univ. Grenoble Alpes, INAC-SPINTEC, F-38000 Grenoble (France); CNRS, SPINTEC, F-38000 Grenoble (France); CEA, INAC-SPINTEC, F-38000 Grenoble (France); Beigne, E., E-mail: gregory.dipendina@cea.fr, E-mail: eldar.zianbetov@cea.fr, E-mail: edith.beigne@cea.fr [Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CEA, LETI, F-38000 Grenoble (France)

2015-05-07

Micro and nano electronic integrated circuit domain is today mainly driven by the advent of the Internet of Things for which the constraints are strong, especially in terms of power consumption and autonomy, not only during the computing phases but also during the standby or idle phases. In such ultra-low power applications, the circuit has to meet new constraints mainly linked to its changing energetic environment: long idle phases, automatic wake up, data back-up when the circuit is sporadically turned off, and ultra-low voltage power supply operation. Such circuits have to be completely autonomous regarding their unstable environment, while remaining in an optimum energetic configuration. Therefore, we propose in this paper the first MRAM-based non-volatile asynchronous Muller cell. This cell has been simulated and characterized in a very advanced 28 nm CMOS fully depleted silicon-on-insulator technology, presenting good power performance results due to an extremely efficient body biasing control together with ultra-wide supply voltage range from 160 mV up to 920 mV. The leakage current can be reduced to 154 pA thanks to reverse body biasing. We also propose an efficient standard CMOS bulk version of this cell in order to be compatible with different fabrication processes.

An ultra-low power CMOS image sensor with on-chip energy harvesting and power management capability.

Science.gov (United States)

Cevik, Ismail; Huang, Xiwei; Yu, Hao; Yan, Mei; Ay, Suat U

2015-03-06

An ultra-low power CMOS image sensor with on-chip energy harvesting and power management capability is introduced in this paper. The photodiode pixel array can not only capture images but also harvest solar energy. As such, the CMOS image sensor chip is able to switch between imaging and harvesting modes towards self-power operation. Moreover, an on-chip maximum power point tracking (MPPT)-based power management system (PMS) is designed for the dual-mode image sensor to further improve the energy efficiency. A new isolated P-well energy harvesting and imaging (EHI) pixel with very high fill factor is introduced. Several ultra-low power design techniques such as reset and select boosting techniques have been utilized to maintain a wide pixel dynamic range. The chip was designed and fabricated in a 1.8 V, 1P6M 0.18 µm CMOS process. Total power consumption of the imager is 6.53 µW for a 96 × 96 pixel array with 1 V supply and 5 fps frame rate. Up to 30 μW of power could be generated by the new EHI pixels. The PMS is capable of providing 3× the power required during imaging mode with 50% efficiency allowing energy autonomous operation with a 72.5% duty cycle.

Magnetic Random Access Memory based non-volatile asynchronous Muller cell for ultra-low power autonomous applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Di Pendina, G.; Zianbetov, E.; Beigne, E.

2015-01-01

Micro and nano electronic integrated circuit domain is today mainly driven by the advent of the Internet of Things for which the constraints are strong, especially in terms of power consumption and autonomy, not only during the computing phases but also during the standby or idle phases. In such ultra-low power applications, the circuit has to meet new constraints mainly linked to its changing energetic environment: long idle phases, automatic wake up, data back-up when the circuit is sporadically turned off, and ultra-low voltage power supply operation. Such circuits have to be completely autonomous regarding their unstable environment, while remaining in an optimum energetic configuration. Therefore, we propose in this paper the first MRAM-based non-volatile asynchronous Muller cell. This cell has been simulated and characterized in a very advanced 28 nm CMOS fully depleted silicon-on-insulator technology, presenting good power performance results due to an extremely efficient body biasing control together with ultra-wide supply voltage range from 160 mV up to 920 mV. The leakage current can be reduced to 154 pA thanks to reverse body biasing. We also propose an efficient standard CMOS bulk version of this cell in order to be compatible with different fabrication processes

Ultralow-density SiO2 aerogels prepared by a two-step sol-gel process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Jue; Li Qing; Shen Jun; Zhou Bin; Chen Lingyan; Jiang; Weiyang

1996-01-01

Low density SiO 2 gels are prepared by a two-step sol-gel process from TEOS. The influence of various solution ratios on the gelation process is investigated. The comparative characterization of gels using different solvent, such as ethanol, acetone and methyl cyanide, is also given. The ultralow-density SiO 2 aerogels with density less than 10 kg/m 3 are prepared by CO 2 supercritical drying technique. The structure difference between SiO 2 aerogels prepared by conventional single-step process and the two-step process is also presented

Ultralow-Energy Wireless Smart-Scales System with Micropower Generator

Science.gov (United States)

Kitamura, Kazuma; Yano, Hironori; Mochizuki, Misako; Takano, Tomoaki; Yamauchi, Hironori; Douseki, Takakuni

A wireless smart-scales system with a face recognition function has been developed as an application for wireless sensor networks. The face recognition employs a wireless camera; and the system automatically identifies a person and stores the weights of all the people that use the system on a server. Two key ultralow-energy circuit techniques were devised for the smart scales. One is a nearly-zero-standby-current circuit that combines a mechanical switch and an electrical CPU-controlled power switch; it reduces the standby power dissipation of the CPU from 1.5 mW to less than 0.1 μW. The other is a super-intermittently-operating circuit with a power-switch transistor and a small resistance; it suppresses the energy dissipation of the wireless camera to just 1/4 of the total energy dissipation. Furthermore, an electromechanical micropower generator with electromagnetic induction further reduces the energy dissipation. It is located under the scales and supplies a power of 75 mW during one second.

Applicability of ultralow-frequency global resonances for investigating lightning activity on Venus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nikolaenko, A.P.; Rabinovich, L.M.

1987-01-01

The application to experiments on Venus of methods of investigating global lightning activity that are used on earth in the ultralow-frequency range is discussed. Calculations of the electromagnetic fields in the range from a few Hertz to tens of Hertz are carried out in the framework of the model of the lower ionosphere of Venus, which generalizes the information about the planet's atmosphere which is presently available. The calculations showed that observations of global resonances on Venus must, as on the earth, allow one to obtain data about the global distribution of lightning in space and time, and to make the values of the parameters of the lower ionosphere model more precise

Ultra-low Pt decorated PdFe Alloy Nanoparticles for Formic Acid Electro-oxidation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, Yawei; Du, Chunyu; Han, Guokang; Gao, Yunzhi; Yin, Geping

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A cost-efficient way is used to prepare transition-noble metal alloy nanoparticles. • The Pd 50 Fe 50 /C catalyst shows excellent activity for formic acid oxidation (FAO). • Much activity enhancement of FAO is acquired by ultra-low Pt decorated Pd 50 Fe 50 . • A synergistic mechanism between Pt clusters and PdFe is proposed during the FAO. - Abstract: Palladium (Pd), has demonstrated promising electro-catalytic activity for formic acid oxidation, but suffers from extremely low abundance. Recently alloying with a transition metal has been considered as an effective approach to reducing the loading of Pd and enhancing the activity of Pd-based catalysts simultaneously. Herein, carbon supported PdFe nanoparticles (NPs) are synthesized at room temperature by using sodium borohydride as reducing agent and potassium ferrocyanide as Fe precursor. The Pd 50 Fe 50 alloy sample annealed at 900 °C for 1 h shows the best catalytic activity among Pd x Fe 1-x (x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, and 0.8) towards formic acid oxidation. To further improve both catalytic activity and stability, the ultra-low Pt (0.09 wt %) decorated Pd 50 Fe 50 NPs (PtPd/PdFe) are prepared via the galvanic replacement reaction. Compared with Pd 50 Fe 50 /C, the PtPd/PdFe/C Exhibits 1.52 times higher catalytic activity and lower onset potential (−0.12 V). The significant enhancements of formic acid oxidation can be attributed to the accelerated dehydrogenation reaction of formic acid by Pt atomic clusters. Moreover, the PtPd/PdFe/C also demonstrates better tolerance to poisons during formic acid oxidation.

Theory and experiment research for ultra-low frequency maglev vibration sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Dezhi; Liu, Yixuan; Guo, Zhanshe; Zhao, Xiaomeng; Fan, Shangchun

2015-10-01

A new maglev sensor is proposed to measure ultra-low frequency (ULF) vibration, which uses hybrid-magnet levitation structure with electromagnets and permanent magnets as the supporting component, rather than the conventional spring structure of magnetoelectric vibration sensor. Since the lower measurement limit needs to be reduced, the equivalent bearing stiffness coefficient and the equivalent damping coefficient are adjusted by the sensitivity unit structure of the sensor and the closed-loop control system, which realizes both the closed-loop control and the solving algorithms. A simple sensor experimental platform is then assembled based on a digital hardware system, and experimental results demonstrate that the lower measurement limit of the sensor is increased to 0.2 Hz under these experimental conditions, indicating promising results of the maglev sensor for ULF vibration measurements.

Theory and experiment research for ultra-low frequency maglev vibration sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng, Dezhi; Liu, Yixuan; Guo, Zhanshe; Fan, Shangchun; Zhao, Xiaomeng

2015-01-01

A new maglev sensor is proposed to measure ultra-low frequency (ULF) vibration, which uses hybrid-magnet levitation structure with electromagnets and permanent magnets as the supporting component, rather than the conventional spring structure of magnetoelectric vibration sensor. Since the lower measurement limit needs to be reduced, the equivalent bearing stiffness coefficient and the equivalent damping coefficient are adjusted by the sensitivity unit structure of the sensor and the closed-loop control system, which realizes both the closed-loop control and the solving algorithms. A simple sensor experimental platform is then assembled based on a digital hardware system, and experimental results demonstrate that the lower measurement limit of the sensor is increased to 0.2 Hz under these experimental conditions, indicating promising results of the maglev sensor for ULF vibration measurements

Theory and experiment research for ultra-low frequency maglev vibration sensor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zheng, Dezhi; Liu, Yixuan, E-mail: xuan61x@163.com; Guo, Zhanshe; Fan, Shangchun [School of Instrument Science and Opto-electronics Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191 (China); Zhao, Xiaomeng [Laser Medicine Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192 (China)

2015-10-15

A new maglev sensor is proposed to measure ultra-low frequency (ULF) vibration, which uses hybrid-magnet levitation structure with electromagnets and permanent magnets as the supporting component, rather than the conventional spring structure of magnetoelectric vibration sensor. Since the lower measurement limit needs to be reduced, the equivalent bearing stiffness coefficient and the equivalent damping coefficient are adjusted by the sensitivity unit structure of the sensor and the closed-loop control system, which realizes both the closed-loop control and the solving algorithms. A simple sensor experimental platform is then assembled based on a digital hardware system, and experimental results demonstrate that the lower measurement limit of the sensor is increased to 0.2 Hz under these experimental conditions, indicating promising results of the maglev sensor for ULF vibration measurements.

The MAJORANA experiment: an ultra-low background search for neutrinoless double-beta decay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Phillips, D.; Aguayo Navarrete, Estanislao; Avignone, Frank T.; Back, Henning O.; Barabash, Alexander S.; Bergevin, M.; Bertrand, F.; Boswell, M.; Brudanin, V.; Busch, Matthew; Chan, Yuen-Dat; Christofferson, Cabot-Ann; Collar, J. I.; Combs, Dustin C.; Cooper, R. J.; Detwiler, Jason A.; Doe, Peter J.; Efremenko, Yuri; Egorov, Viatcheslav; Ejiri, H.; Elliott, Steven R.; Esterline, James H.; Fast, James E.; Fields, N.; Finnerty, P.; Fraenkle, Florian; Gehman, Victor; Giovanetti, G. K.; Green, Matthew P.; Guiseppe, Vincente; Gusey, K.; Hallin, A. L.; Hazama, R.; Henning, Reyco; Hime, Andrew; Hoppe, Eric W.; Horton, Mark; Howard, Stanley; Howe, M. A.; Johnson, R. A.; Keeter, K.; Keller, C.; Kidd, Mary; Knecht, A.; Kochetov, Oleg; Konovalov, S.; Kouzes, Richard T.; LaFerriere, Brian D.; LaRoque, B. H.; Leon, Jonathan D.; Leviner, L.; Loach, J. C.; MacMullin, S.; Marino, Michael G.; Martin, R. D.; Mei, Dong-Ming; Merriman, Jason H.; Miller, M. L.; Mizouni, Leila; Nomachi, Masaharu; Orrell, John L.; Overman, Nicole R.; Poon, Alan; Perumpilly, Gopakumar; Prior, Gersende; Radford, D. C.; Rielage, Keith; Robertson, R. G. H.; Ronquest, M. C.; Schubert, Alexis G.; Shima, T.; Shirchenko, M.; Snavely, Kyle J.; Steele, David; Strain, J.; Thomas, K.; Timkin, V.; Tornow, W.; Vanyushin, I.; Varner, R. L.; Vetter, Kai; Vorren, Kris R.; Wilkerson, J. F.; Wolfe, B. A.; Yakushev, E.; Young, A.; Yu, Chang-Hong; Yumatov, Vladimir; Zhang, C.

2012-12-01

The observation of neutrinoless double-beta decay would resolve the Majorana nature of the neutrino and could provide information on the absolute scale of the neutrino mass. The initial phase of the Majorana Experiment, known as the Demonstrator, will house 40 kg of Ge in an ultra-low background shielded environment at the 4850' level of the Sanford Underground Laboratory in Lead, SD. The objective of the Demonstrator is to validate whether a future 1-tonne experiment can achieve a background goal of one count per tonne-year in a narrow region of interest around the 76Ge neutrinoless double-beta decay peak.

Environmental response nanosilica for reducing the pressure of water injection in ultra-low permeability reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Peisong; Niu, Liyong; Li, Xiaohong; Zhang, Zhijun

2017-12-01

The super-hydrophobic silica nanoparticles are applied to alter the wettability of rock surface from water-wet to oil-wet. The aim of this is to reduce injection pressure so as to enhance water injection efficiency in low permeability reservoirs. Therefore, a new type of environmentally responsive nanosilica (denote as ERS) is modified with organic compound containing hydrophobic groups and "pinning" groups by covalent bond and then covered with a layer of hydrophilic organic compound by chemical adsorption to achieve excellent water dispersibility. Resultant ERS is homogeneously dispersed in water with a size of about 4-8 nm like a micro-emulsion system and can be easily injected into the macro or nano channels of ultra-low permeability reservoirs. The hydrophobic nanosilica core can be released from the aqueous delivery system owing to its strong dependence on the environmental variation from normal condition to injection wells (such as pH and salinity). Then the exposed silica nanoparticles form a thin layer on the surface of narrow pore throat, leading to the wettability from water-wet to oil-wet. More importantly, the two rock cores with different permeability were surface treated with ERS dispersion with a concentration of 2 g/L, exhibit great reduce of water injection pressure by 57.4 and 39.6%, respectively, which shows great potential for exploitation of crude oil from ultra-low permeability reservoirs during water flooding. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

An Ultra-Low Power CMOS Image Sensor with On-Chip Energy Harvesting and Power Management Capability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ismail Cevik

2015-03-01

Full Text Available An ultra-low power CMOS image sensor with on-chip energy harvesting and power management capability is introduced in this paper. The photodiode pixel array can not only capture images but also harvest solar energy. As such, the CMOS image sensor chip is able to switch between imaging and harvesting modes towards self-power operation. Moreover, an on-chip maximum power point tracking (MPPT-based power management system (PMS is designed for the dual-mode image sensor to further improve the energy efficiency. A new isolated P-well energy harvesting and imaging (EHI pixel with very high fill factor is introduced. Several ultra-low power design techniques such as reset and select boosting techniques have been utilized to maintain a wide pixel dynamic range. The chip was designed and fabricated in a 1.8 V, 1P6M 0.18 µm CMOS process. Total power consumption of the imager is 6.53 µW for a 96 × 96 pixel array with 1 V supply and 5 fps frame rate. Up to 30 μW of power could be generated by the new EHI pixels. The PMS is capable of providing 3× the power required during imaging mode with 50% efficiency allowing energy autonomous operation with a 72.5% duty cycle.

Ultra-low background and environmental measurements at Laboratorio Subterráneo de Canfranc (LSC).

Science.gov (United States)

Bandac, I; Borjabad, S; Ianni, A; Nuñez-Lagos, R; Pérez, C; Rodríguez, S; Villar, J A

2017-08-01

To support the construction of experiments at the Laboratorio Subterráneo de Canfranc (LSC) in Spain, an Ultra-Low Background Service (ULBS) and a Copper Electroforming Service (CES) were created. The measurement technique employed at the ULBS is gamma spectroscopy with high purity germanium (HPGe) detectors. A new anti-radon system is being implemented. The main goal of CES is to obtain high-purity copper pieces. A new electroforming set-up inside LSC underground clean room is planned. Radon and environmental measurements at the LSC are presented. The ULBS and CES are reviewed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sensitivity of LDEF foil analyses using ultra-low background germanium vs. large NaI(Tl) multidimensional spectrometers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reeves, J.H.; Arthur, R.J.; Brodzinski, R.L.

1992-06-01

Cobalt foils and stainless steel samples were analyzed for induced 6O Co activity with both an ultra-low background germanium gamma-ray spectrometer and with a large NaI(Tl) multidimensional spectrometer, both of which use electronic anticoincidence shielding to reduce background counts resulting from cosmic rays. Aluminum samples were analyzed for 22 Na. The results, in addition to the relative sensitivities and precisions afforded by the two methods, are presented

Direct imaging of neural currents using ultra-low field magnetic resonance techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Volegov, Petr L [Los Alamos, NM; Matlashov, Andrei N [Los Alamos, NM; Mosher, John C [Los Alamos, NM; Espy, Michelle A [Los Alamos, NM; Kraus, Jr., Robert H.

2009-08-11

Using resonant interactions to directly and tomographically image neural activity in the human brain using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques at ultra-low field (ULF), the present inventors have established an approach that is sensitive to magnetic field distributions local to the spin population in cortex at the Larmor frequency of the measurement field. Because the Larmor frequency can be readily manipulated (through varying B.sub.m), one can also envision using ULF-DNI to image the frequency distribution of the local fields in cortex. Such information, taken together with simultaneous acquisition of MEG and ULF-NMR signals, enables non-invasive exploration of the correlation between local fields induced by neural activity in cortex and more `distant` measures of brain activity such as MEG and EEG.

Broadband noise limit in the photodetection of ultralow jitter optical pulses.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Wenlu; Quinlan, Franklyn; Fortier, Tara M; Deschenes, Jean-Daniel; Fu, Yang; Diddams, Scott A; Campbell, Joe C

2014-11-14

Applications with optical atomic clocks and precision timing often require the transfer of optical frequency references to the electrical domain with extremely high fidelity. Here we examine the impact of photocarrier scattering and distributed absorption on the photocurrent noise of high-speed photodiodes when detecting ultralow jitter optical pulses. Despite its small contribution to the total photocurrent, this excess noise can determine the phase noise and timing jitter of microwave signals generated by detecting ultrashort optical pulses. A Monte Carlo simulation of the photodetection process is used to quantitatively estimate the excess noise. Simulated phase noise on the 10 GHz harmonic of a photodetected pulse train shows good agreement with previous experimental data, leading to the conclusion that the lowest phase noise photonically generated microwave signals are limited by photocarrier scattering well above the quantum limit of the optical pulse train.

3D nonlinear MHD simulations of ultra-low q plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonfiglio, D.; Cappello, S.; Piovan, R.; Zanotto, L.; Zuin, M.

2008-01-01

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) phenomena occurring in the ultra-low safety factor (ULq) configuration are investigated by means of 3D nonlinear MHD simulations. The ULq configuration, a screw pinch characterized by the edge safety factor q edge in the interval 0 edge edge values which are about the major rational numbers, suggesting plasma self-organization. Similar behaviour is observed in experimental ULq discharges, like those recently obtained exploiting the flexibility of the RFX-mod device. The transition of q edge from a major rational number to the next one occurs together with the development of a kink deformation of the plasma column, whose stabilization yields a nearly axisymmetric state with a rather flat q profile. Numerical simulations also show that it is possible to sustain either of the two conditions, namely, the saturated kink helical configuration and the axisymmetric one, by forcing q edge at a suitable value. Finally, the effects of this MHD phenomenology on the confinement properties of ULq plasmas are discussed.

A Neuron Model Based Ultralow Current Sensor System for Bioapplications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. K. M. Arifuzzman

2016-01-01

Full Text Available An ultralow current sensor system based on the Izhikevich neuron model is presented in this paper. The Izhikevich neuron model has been used for its superior computational efficiency and greater biological plausibility over other well-known neuron spiking models. Of the many biological neuron spiking features, regular spiking, chattering, and neostriatal spiny projection spiking have been reproduced by adjusting the parameters associated with the model at hand. This paper also presents a modified interpretation of the regular spiking feature in which the firing pattern is similar to that of the regular spiking but with improved dynamic range offering. The sensor current ranges between 2 pA and 8 nA and exhibits linearity in the range of 0.9665 to 0.9989 for different spiking features. The efficacy of the sensor system in detecting low amount of current along with its high linearity attribute makes it very suitable for biomedical applications.

Development of contaminant detection system based on ultra-low field SQUID-NMR/MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsunaki, S; Yamamoto, M; Hatta, J; Hatsukade, Y; Tanaka, S

2014-01-01

We have developed an ultra-low field (ULF) NMR/MRI system using an HTS-rf-SQUID and evaluated performance of the system as a contaminant detection system for foods and drinks. In this work, we measured 1D MRIs from water samples with or without various contaminants, such as aluminum and glass balls using the system. In the 1D MRIs, changes of the MRI spectra were detected, corresponding to positions of the contaminants. We measured 2D MRIs from food samples with and without a hole. In the 2D MRIs, the hole position in the sample was well visualized. These results show that the feasibility of the system to detect and localize contaminants in foods and drinks.

A cryogen-free ultralow-field superconducting quantum interference device magnetic resonance imaging system.

Science.gov (United States)

Eom, Byeong Ho; Penanen, Konstantin; Hahn, Inseob

2014-09-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at microtesla fields using superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) detection has previously been demonstrated, and advantages have been noted. Although the ultralow-field SQUID MRI technique would not need the heavy superconducting magnet of conventional MRI systems, liquid helium required to cool the low-temperature detector still places a significant burden on its operation. We have built a prototype cryocooler-based SQUID MRI system that does not require a cryogen. The SQUID detector and the superconducting gradiometer were cooled down to 3.7 K and 4.3 K, respectively. We describe the prototype design, characterization, a phantom image, and areas of further improvements needed to bring the imaging performance to parity with conventional MRI systems.

Development of Ultra-Low Power Metal Oxide Sensors and Arrays for Embedded Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Lutz, Brent; Wind, Rikard; Kostelecky, Clayton; Routkevitch, Dmitri; Deininger, Debra

2011-09-01

Metal oxide semiconductor sensors are widely used as individual sensors and in arrays, and a variety of designs for low power microhotplates have been demonstrated.1 Synkera Technologies has developed an embeddable chemical microsensor platform, based on a unique ceramic MEMS technology, for practical implementation in cell phones and other mobile electronic devices. Key features of this microsensor platform are (1) small size, (2) ultra-low power consumption, (3) high chemical sensitivity, (4) accurate response to a wide-range of threats, and (5) low cost. The sensor platform is enabled by a combination of advances in ceramic micromachining, and precision deposition of sensing films inside the high aspect ratio pores of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO).

A cryogen-free ultralow-field superconducting quantum interference device magnetic resonance imaging system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eom, Byeong Ho; Penanen, Konstantin; Hahn, Inseob

2014-01-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at microtesla fields using superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) detection has previously been demonstrated, and advantages have been noted. Although the ultralow-field SQUID MRI technique would not need the heavy superconducting magnet of conventional MRI systems, liquid helium required to cool the low-temperature detector still places a significant burden on its operation. We have built a prototype cryocooler-based SQUID MRI system that does not require a cryogen. The SQUID detector and the superconducting gradiometer were cooled down to 3.7 K and 4.3 K, respectively. We describe the prototype design, characterization, a phantom image, and areas of further improvements needed to bring the imaging performance to parity with conventional MRI systems

Molded ultra-low density microcellular foams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rand, P.B.; Montoya, O.J.

1986-07-01

Ultra-low density (< 0.01 g/cc) microcellular foams were required for the NARYA pulsed-power-driven x-ray laser development program. Because of their extreme fragility, molded pieces would be necessary to successfully field these foams in the pulsed power accelerator. All of the foams evaluated were made by the thermally induced phase separation technique from solutions of water soluble polymers. The process involved rapidly freezing the solution to induce the phase separation, and then freeze drying to remove the water without destroying the foam's structure. More than sixty water soluble polymers were evaluated by attempting to make their solutions into foams. The foams were evaluated for shrinkage, density, and microstructure to determine their suitability for molding and meeting the required density and cell size requirements of 5.0 mg/cc and less than twenty μmeters. Several promising water soluble polymers were identified including the polyactylic acids, guar gums, polyactylamide, and polyethylene oxide. Because of thier purity, structure, and low shrinkage, the polyacrylic acids were chosen to develop molding processes. The initial requirements were for 2.0 cm. long molded rods with diameters of 1.0, 2.0. and 3.0 mm. These rods were made by freezing the solution in thin walled silicon rubber molds, extracting the frozen preform from the mold, and then freeze drying. Requirements for half rods and half annuli necessitated using aluminum molds. Again we successfully molded these shapes. Our best efforts to date involve molding annuli with 3.0 mm outside diameters and 2.0 mm inside diameters

A novel ultra-low carbon grain oriented silicon steel produced by twin-roll strip casting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Yang, E-mail: wy069024019@163.com [State Key Laboratory of Rolling and Automation, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819 (China); Zhang, Yuan-Xiang; Lu, Xiang; Fang, Feng; Xu, Yun-Bo; Cao, Guang-Ming; Li, Cheng-Gang [State Key Laboratory of Rolling and Automation, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819 (China); Misra, R.D.K. [Laboratory for Excellence in Advanced Steel Research, Department of Metallurgical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at El Paso, TX 79968 (United States); Wang, Guo-Dong [State Key Laboratory of Rolling and Automation, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819 (China)

2016-12-01

A novel ultra-low carbon grain oriented silicon steel was successfully produced by strip casting and two-stage cold rolling method. The microstructure, texture and precipitate evolution under different first cold rolling reduction were investigated. It was shown that the as-cast strip was mainly composed of equiaxed grains and characterized by very weak Goss texture ({110}<001>) and λ-fiber (<001>//ND). The coarse sulfides of size ~100 nm were precipitated at grain boundaries during strip casting, while nitrides remained in solution in the as-cast strip and the fine AlN particles of size ~20–50 nm, which were used as grain growth inhibitors, were formed in intermediate annealed sheet after first cold rolling. In addition, the suitable Goss nuclei for secondary recrystallization were also formed during intermediate annealing, which is totally different from the conventional process that the Goss nuclei originated in the subsurface layer of the hot rolled sheet. Furthermore, the number of AlN inhibitors and the intensity of desirable Goss texture increased with increasing first cold rolling reduction. After secondary recrystallization annealing, very large grains of size ~10–40 mm were formed and the final magnetic induction, B{sub 8}, was as high as 1.9 T. - Highlights: • A novel chemical composition base on strip casting silicon steel was proposed. • The ultra-low carbon design could shorten the processing routes. • The novel composition and processes were beneficial to obtain more inhibitors. • The magnetic induction of grain oriented silicon steel was significantly improved.

Ultra-low energy Ar+ beam applied for SIMS depth profile analysis of layered nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konarski, P.; Mierzejewska, A.; Iwanejko, I.

2001-01-01

Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) depth profile analyses of flat layered nanostructures: 10 nm Ta 2 O 3 /Ta and 20 nm (10 x B 4 C/Mo)/Si as well as microparticles of core (illite) - shell (rutile) structure, performed with the use of ultra-low energy ion beam (180-880 eV, Ar + ), are presented. The profiles were obtained using 'mesa' scanning technique and also sample rotation. Depth profile resolution below 1 nanometer was obtained for flat nanostructures. Presented experimental results are compared with Monte Carlo sputtering simulations of analysed structures. A method of finding beam energy, optimal for the best resolution SIMS depth profile analysis, is suggested. (author)

Formation mechanism of spheroidal carbide in ultra-low carbon ductile cast iron

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bin-guo Fu

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The formation mechanism of the spheroidal carbide in the ultra-low carbon ductile cast iron fabricated by the metal mold casting technique was systematically investigated. The results demonstrated that the spheroidal carbide belonged to eutectic carbide and crystallized in the isolated eutectic liquid phase area. The formation process of the spheroidal carbide was related to the contact and the intersection between the primary dendrite and the secondary dendrite of austenite. The oxides of magnesium, rare earths and other elements can act as heterogeneous nucleation sites for the spheroidal carbide. It was also found that the amount of the spheroidal carbide would increase with an increase in carbon content. The cooling rate has an important influence on the spheroidal carbide under the same chemical composition condition.

Ultra-low noise TES bolometer arrays for SAFARI instrument on SPICA

Science.gov (United States)

Khosropanah, P.; Suzuki, T.; Ridder, M. L.; Hijmering, R. A.; Akamatsu, H.; Gottardi, L.; van der Kuur, J.; Gao, J. R.; Jackson, B. D.

2016-07-01

SRON is developing ultra-low noise Transition Edge Sensors (TESs) based on a superconducting Ti/Au bilayer on a suspended SiN island with SiN legs for the SAFARI instrument aboard the SPICA mission. We successfully fabricated TESs with very narrow (0.5-0.7 μm) and thin (0.25 μm) SiN legs on different sizes of SiN islands using deep reactiveion etching process. The pixel size is 840x840 μm2 and there are variety of designs with and without optical absorbers. For TESs without absorbers, we measured electrical NEPs as low as <1x10-19 W/√Hz with response time of 0.3 ms and reached the phonon noise limit. Using TESs with absorbers, we quantified the darkness of our setup and confirmed a photon noise level of 2x10-19 W/√Hz.

Effect of ultra-low doses, ASIR and MBIR on density and noise levels of MDCT images of dental implant sites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Widmann, Gerlig; Schullian, Peter [Medical University of Innsbruck, Department of Radiology, Innsbruck (Austria); Al-Shawaf, Reema; Al-Sadhan, Ra' ed; Al-Ekrish, Asma' a A. [King Saud University, Department of Oral Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dentistry, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia); Hoermann, Romed [Medical University of Innsbruck, Division of Clinical and Functional Anatomy, Innsbruck (Austria)

2017-05-15

Differences in noise and density values in MDCT images obtained using ultra-low doses with FBP, ASIR, and MBIR may possibly affect implant site density analysis. The aim of this study was to compare density and noise measurements recorded from dental implant sites using ultra-low doses combined with FBP, ASIR, and MBIR. Cadavers were scanned using a standard protocol and four low-dose protocols. Scans were reconstructed using FBP, ASIR-50, ASIR-100, and MBIR, and either a bone or standard reconstruction kernel. Density (mean Hounsfield units [HUs]) of alveolar bone and noise levels (mean standard deviation of HUs) was recorded from all datasets and measurements were compared by paired t tests and two-way ANOVA with repeated measures. Significant differences in density and noise were found between the reference dose/FBP protocol and almost all test combinations. Maximum mean differences in HU were 178.35 (bone kernel) and 273.74 (standard kernel), and in noise, were 243.73 (bone kernel) and 153.88 (standard kernel). Decreasing radiation dose increased density and noise regardless of reconstruction technique and kernel. The effect of reconstruction technique on density and noise depends on the reconstruction kernel used. (orig.)

Effect of ultra-low doses, ASIR and MBIR on density and noise levels of MDCT images of dental implant sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Widmann, Gerlig; Schullian, Peter; Al-Shawaf, Reema; Al-Sadhan, Ra'ed; Al-Ekrish, Asma'a A.; Hoermann, Romed

2017-01-01

Differences in noise and density values in MDCT images obtained using ultra-low doses with FBP, ASIR, and MBIR may possibly affect implant site density analysis. The aim of this study was to compare density and noise measurements recorded from dental implant sites using ultra-low doses combined with FBP, ASIR, and MBIR. Cadavers were scanned using a standard protocol and four low-dose protocols. Scans were reconstructed using FBP, ASIR-50, ASIR-100, and MBIR, and either a bone or standard reconstruction kernel. Density (mean Hounsfield units [HUs]) of alveolar bone and noise levels (mean standard deviation of HUs) was recorded from all datasets and measurements were compared by paired t tests and two-way ANOVA with repeated measures. Significant differences in density and noise were found between the reference dose/FBP protocol and almost all test combinations. Maximum mean differences in HU were 178.35 (bone kernel) and 273.74 (standard kernel), and in noise, were 243.73 (bone kernel) and 153.88 (standard kernel). Decreasing radiation dose increased density and noise regardless of reconstruction technique and kernel. The effect of reconstruction technique on density and noise depends on the reconstruction kernel used. (orig.)

Decontamination of the product handling area at the West Valley Demonstration Project: Final topical report for period July 1985 to February 1986

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phillips, E.C.

1986-06-01

The purpose of this report is to describe the decontamination and decommissioning (D and D) preparations of an existing facility at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP), the Product Handling Area (PHA), to be part of a Liquid Waste Treatment System (LWTS) in conjunction with the Cement Solidification System (CSS). Two interconnected facilities, the Uranium Product Cell (UPC) and the Uranium Loadout Area (ULO), form the PHA. Both of these facilities contain large tanks. Both of the tanks in the UPC are suitable for use as components of the LWTS. In addition, the UPC is the only existing means of access to the bottom of the Product Purification Cell (PPC) in which some of the equipment for the LWTS will be installed. Consequently, this report describes the decontamination of the PHA from a radioactively contaminated environment to one which may be entered in street clothes. Of the two facilities of the PHA, the UPC was the more highly contaminated prior to decontamination. Decontamination of the UPC has been completed leaving most of the surfaces in the facility smearably clean. Decontamination of the UPC consisted of washing all surfaces, draining the floor sump, removing unneeded piping, installing a back flow filter system, painting all surfaces, installing rubber matting on the floor and placing new stainless steel covering on the UPC ledge. Decontamination operations in the ULO have been completed and were similar to those in the UPC consisting of decontaminating by hand wipedown, removing contamination fixed in paint, and applying new paint. In addition, two pumps and a concrete pump niche were removed. Prior to decontamination, surface contamination was present in the ULO. After decontamination, most of the surfaces in the ULO were clean of smearable contamination. D and D Operations were initiated in the PHA in July 1985 and completed in February 1986. 13 figs., 9 tabs

Ultra-low field NMR for detection and characterization of 235 UF6

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Espy, Michelle A [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Magnelind, Per E [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Matlashov, Andrei N [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Urbaitis, Algis V [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Volegov, Petr L [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2009-01-01

We have demonstrated the first ultra-low field (ULF) nuclear magnetic resonance measurements of uranium hexafluoride (UF{sub 6}), both depleted and 70% enriched, which is used in the uranium enrichment process. A sensitive non-invasive detection system would have an important role in non-proliferation surveillance. A two-frequency technique was employed to remove the transients induced by rapidly switching off the 50 mT pre-polarization field. A mean transverse relaxation time T{sub 2} of 24 ms was estimated for the un-enriched UF{sub 6} sample measured at a mean temperature of 80 C. Nuclear magnetic resonance at ULF has several advantages including the ability to measure through metal, such as pipes, and simple magnetic field generation hardware. We present here recent data and discuss the potential for non-proliferation monitoring of enrichment and flow velocity.

Passive shimming of the fringe field of a superconducting magnet for ultra-low field hyperpolarized noble gas MRI.

Science.gov (United States)

Parra-Robles, Juan; Cross, Albert R; Santyr, Giles E

2005-05-01

Hyperpolarized noble gases (HNGs) provide exciting possibilities for MR imaging at ultra-low magnetic field strengths (superconductive magnets used in clinical MR imaging can provide a stable magnetic field for this purpose. In addition to offering the benefit of HNG MR imaging alongside conventional high field proton MRI, this approach offers the other useful advantage of providing different field strengths at different distances from the magnet. However, the extremely strong field gradients associated with the fringe field present a major challenge for imaging since impractically high active shim currents would be required to achieve the necessary homogeneity. In this work, a simple passive shimming method based on the placement of a small number of ferromagnetic pieces is proposed to reduce the fringe field inhomogeneities to a level that can be corrected using standard active shims. The method explicitly takes into account the strong variations of the field over the volume of the ferromagnetic pieces used to shim. The method is used to obtain spectra in the fringe field of a high-field (1.89 T) superconducting magnet from hyperpolarized 129Xe gas samples at two different ultra-low field strengths (8.5 and 17 mT). The linewidths of spectra measured from imaging phantoms (30 Hz) indicate a homogeneity sufficient for MRI of the rat lung.

Experimental demonstration on the ultra-low source/drain resistance by metal-insulator-semiconductor contact structure in In0.53Ga0.47As field-effect transistors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.-H. Liao

2013-09-01

Full Text Available In this work, we demonstrate the ultra-low contact resistivity of 6.7 × 10−9 Ω/cm2 by inserting 0.6-nm-ZnO between Al and InGaAs(Si: 1.5 × 1019 cm−3. The metal-insulator-semiconductor tunneling diode with 0.6-nm-ZnO exhibits nearly zero (0.03 eV barrier height. We apply this contact structure on the source/drain of implant-free In0.53Ga0.47As quantum-well metal-oxide-semiconductor field- effect transistors. The excellent on-state performance such as saturation drain current of 3 × 10−4 A/μm and peak transconductance of 1250 μS/μm is obtained which is attributed to the ultra-low source/drain resistance of 190 Ω-μm.

Automatická segmentace periodického pohybu srdečního svalstva v EKG záznamu

OpenAIRE

Matocha, Petr

2015-01-01

Tato práce se zabývá automatickou segmentací periodického pohybu srdečního svalstva v EKG záznamu. Popisuje návrh a implementaci aplikace, jenž automaticky segmentuje EKG záznam na jednotlivé srdeční stahy. EKG záznam je uložen samostatně nebo je součástí videozáznamu. Tyto vstupní data jsou uložena v souborech ve formátu HDF nebo DICOM. This thesis deals with the automatic segmentation of the cardiac tissue movement from ECG record. It describes the design and implementation of applicatio...

Hydrogen ion induced ultralow wear of PEEK under extreme load

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Shuai; Wang, Anying; Fei, Jixiong; Wang, Zhenyang; Zhang, Xiaofeng; Lin, Bin

2018-03-01

As a high-performance engineering polymer, poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) is a perfect candidate material for applications under extreme working conditions. However, its high wear rate greatly shortens its service life. In this study, ultralow friction and wear between PEEK and silicon nitride (Si3N4) under extreme-load conditions (with a mean contact pressure above 100 MPa) are found in acid lubricating solutions. Both friction and wear decrease sharply with decreasing pH. At pH = 1, the friction coefficient decreases by an order of magnitude and the wear rate of the PEEK decreases by two orders of magnitude compared to the results with water lubrication. These reductions in friction and wear occur for different speed, load, and surface roughness conditions. The underlying mechanism can be attributed to the formation of hydrogen-ion-induced electrical double layers on the surfaces of PEEK and Si3N4. The combined effect of the resulting repulsive force, electro-viscosity, and low shear strength of the water layer dramatically reduces both friction and wear.

Ultra-low background retrieval of photons stored in warm Rb vapor

Science.gov (United States)

Figueroa, Eden; Neuzner, Andreas; Latka, Tobias; Schupp, Josef; Noelleke, Christian; Reiserer, Andreas; Ritter, Stephan; Rempe, Gerhard

2013-05-01

The development of a simple and inexpensive platform for interconnecting light and matter at the quantum level has recently emerged as one of the key challenges of the rapidly evolving field of quantum engineering. Although elementary quantum memory capabilities have been already shown using ensembles of cold atoms or single-atoms in optical cavities, a scalable-friendly architecture might still require room temperature operation. Here we use an ensemble of Rb atoms in the gaseous state and store light pulses at the single-photon level to demonstrate that even in a common vapor cell it is possible to achieve quantum-level operation with ultra-low background noise. We have obtained a measured signal- to-background noise ratio of 3.5, which is the first time this figure of merit has been lifted beyond unity for experiments with room temperature operation. In addition, we also show the capabilities of the system to arbitrarily tailor the temporal properties of the retrieved single-photon-level pulses.

Ultra-low field nuclear magnetic resonance and magnetic resonance imaging to discriminate and identify materials

Science.gov (United States)

Matlashov, Andrei Nikolaevich; Urbaitis, Algis V.; Savukov, Igor Mykhaylovich; Espy, Michelle A.; Volegov, Petr Lvovich; Kraus, Jr., Robert Henry

2013-03-05

Method comprising obtaining an NMR measurement from a sample wherein an ultra-low field NMR system probes the sample and produces the NMR measurement and wherein a sampling temperature, prepolarizing field, and measurement field are known; detecting the NMR measurement by means of inductive coils; analyzing the NMR measurement to obtain at least one measurement feature wherein the measurement feature comprises T1, T2, T1.rho., or the frequency dependence thereof; and, searching for the at least one measurement feature within a database comprising NMR reference data for at least one material to determine if the sample comprises a material of interest.

Free induction decay MR signal measurements toward ultra-low field MRI with an optically pumped atomic magnetometer.

Science.gov (United States)

Oida, Takenori; Kobayashi, Tetsuo

2013-01-01

Ultra-low field magnetic resonance imaging (ULF-MRI) has attracted attention because of its low running costs and minimum patient exposure. An optically pumped atomic magnetometer (OPAM) is a magnetic sensor with high sensitivity in the low frequency range, which does not require a cryogenic cooling system. In an effort to develop a ULF-MRI, we attempted to measure the free induction decay MR signals with an OPAM. We successfully detected the MR signals by combining an OPAM and a flux transformer, demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed system.

Ultra-low dose CT attenuation correction for PET/CT: analysis of sparse view data acquisition and reconstruction algorithms

Science.gov (United States)

Rui, Xue; Cheng, Lishui; Long, Yong; Fu, Lin; Alessio, Adam M.; Asma, Evren; Kinahan, Paul E.; De Man, Bruno

2015-01-01

For PET/CT systems, PET image reconstruction requires corresponding CT images for anatomical localization and attenuation correction. In the case of PET respiratory gating, multiple gated CT scans can offer phase-matched attenuation and motion correction, at the expense of increased radiation dose. We aim to minimize the dose of the CT scan, while preserving adequate image quality for the purpose of PET attenuation correction by introducing sparse view CT data acquisition. Methods We investigated sparse view CT acquisition protocols resulting in ultra-low dose CT scans designed for PET attenuation correction. We analyzed the tradeoffs between the number of views and the integrated tube current per view for a given dose using CT and PET simulations of a 3D NCAT phantom with lesions inserted into liver and lung. We simulated seven CT acquisition protocols with {984, 328, 123, 41, 24, 12, 8} views per rotation at a gantry speed of 0.35 seconds. One standard dose and four ultra-low dose levels, namely, 0.35 mAs, 0.175 mAs, 0.0875 mAs, and 0.04375 mAs, were investigated. Both the analytical FDK algorithm and the Model Based Iterative Reconstruction (MBIR) algorithm were used for CT image reconstruction. We also evaluated the impact of sinogram interpolation to estimate the missing projection measurements due to sparse view data acquisition. For MBIR, we used a penalized weighted least squares (PWLS) cost function with an approximate total-variation (TV) regularizing penalty function. We compared a tube pulsing mode and a continuous exposure mode for sparse view data acquisition. Global PET ensemble root-mean-squares-error (RMSE) and local ensemble lesion activity error were used as quantitative evaluation metrics for PET image quality. Results With sparse view sampling, it is possible to greatly reduce the CT scan dose when it is primarily used for PET attenuation correction with little or no measureable effect on the PET image. For the four ultra-low dose levels

A highly order-structured membrane electrode assembly with vertically aligned carbon nanotubes for ultra-low Pt loading PEM fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tian, Zhi Qun; Lim, San Hua; Poh, Chee Kok; Lin, Jianyi [Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences, 1 Pesek Road, Jurong Island, Singapore 627833 (Singapore); Tang, Zhe; Chua, Daniel [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542 (Singapore); Xia, Zetao [Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, 3 Research Link, Singapore 117602 (Singapore); Luo, Zhiqiang; Shen, Zexiang [Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 637371 Singapore (Singapore); Shen, Pei Kang [State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, and Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Chemistry and Energy Conservation of Guangdong Province, School of Physics and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275 (China); Feng, Yuan Ping [Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542 (Singapore)

2011-11-15

A simple method was developed to prepare ultra-low Pt loading membrane electrode assembly (MEA) using vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) as highly ordered catalyst support for PEM fuel cells application. In the method, VACNTs were directly grown on the cheap household aluminum foil by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), using Fe/Co bimetallic catalyst. By depositing a Pt thin layer on VACNTs/Al and subsequent hot pressing, Pt/VACNTs can be 100% transferred from Al foil onto polymer electrolyte membrane for the fabrication of MEA. The whole transfer process does not need any chemical removal and destroy membrane. The PEM fuel cell with the MEA fabricated using this method showed an excellent performance with ultra-low Pt loading down to 35 {mu}g cm{sup -2} which was comparable to that of the commercial Pt catalyst on carbon powder with 400 {mu}g cm{sup -2}. To the best of our knowledge, for the first time, we identified that it is possible to substantially reduce the Pt loading one order by application of order-structured electrode based on VACNTs as Pt catalysts support, compared with the traditional random electrode at a comparable performance through experimental and mathematical methods. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Ultra-Low Power Consuming Direct Radiation Sensors Based on Floating Gate Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Evgeny Pikhay

2017-07-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we report on ultra-low power consuming single poly floating gate direct radiation sensors. The developed devices are intended for total ionizing dose (TID measurements and fabricated in a standard CMOS process flow. Sensor design and operation is discussed in detail. Original array sensors were suggested and fabricated that allowed high statistical significance of the radiation measurements and radiation imaging functions. Single sensors and array sensors were analyzed in combination with the specially developed test structures. This allowed insight into the physics of sensor operations and exclusion of the phenomena related to material degradation under irradiation in the interpretation of the measurement results. Response of the developed sensors to various sources of ionizing radiation (Gamma, X-ray, UV, energetic ions was investigated. The optimal design of sensor for implementation in dosimetry systems was suggested. The roadmap for future improvement of sensor performance is suggested.

Effect of ultra-low dose whole-body-irradiation on severe patients with myasthenia gravis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arimori, Shigeru; Koriyama, Kenji

1982-01-01

An ultra-low dose whole body irradiation therapy was given to 5 patients with intractable bulbar syndrome, in a dose of 10 rad/fraction, 2 times a week for 5 weeks, with a total of 100 rad; and effects of this therapy on their clinical symptoms and immunological ability were discussed. In 3 of them, bulbar syndrome was improved, and the other one, the first irradiation was effective. The peripheral leukocyte count and lymphocyte count became lowest immediately after completion of the irradiation, and returned to the normal level within 1 to 2 months. The function of T-cells, especially suppressive T-cells, was recovered; and decrease in B-cells, resulted in a decrease in the AChR antibody titer. (Ueda, J.)

Effect of ultra-low dose whole-body-irradiation on patients with severe myasthenia gravis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arimori, Shigeru; Koriyama, Kenji (Tokai Univ., Isehara, Kanagawa (Japan). School of Medicine)

1982-12-01

An ultra-low dose whole body irradiation therapy was given to 5 patients with intractable bulbar syndrome, in a dose of 10 rad/fraction, 2 times a week for 5 weeks, with a total of 100 rad; and effects of this therapy on their clinical symptoms and immunological ability were discussed. In 3 of them, bulbar syndrome was improved, and the other one, the first irradiation was effective. The peripheral leukocyte count and lymphocyte count became lowest immediately after completion of the irradiation, and returned to the normal level within 1 to 2 months. The function of T-cells, especially suppressive T-cells, was recovered; and decrease in B-cells, resulted in a decrease in the AChR antibody titer.

Localization of Ultra-Low Frequency Waves in Multi-Ion Plasmas of the Planetary Magnetosphere

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eun-Hwa Kim

2015-12-01

Full Text Available By adopting a 2D time-dependent wave code, we investigate how mode-converted waves at the Ion-Ion Hybrid (IIH resonance and compressional waves propagate in 2D density structures with a wide range of field-aligned wavenumbers to background magnetic fields. The simulation results show that the mode-converted waves have continuous bands across the field line consistent with previous numerical studies. These waves also have harmonic structures in frequency domain and are localized in the field-aligned heavy ion density well. Our results thus emphasize the importance of a field-aligned heavy ion density structure for ultra-low frequency wave propagation, and suggest that IIH waves can be localized in different locations along the field line.

Ultralow dose computed tomography attenuation correction for pediatric PET CT using adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brady, Samuel L.; Shulkin, Barry L.

2015-01-01

Purpose: To develop ultralow dose computed tomography (CT) attenuation correction (CTAC) acquisition protocols for pediatric positron emission tomography CT (PET CT). Methods: A GE Discovery 690 PET CT hybrid scanner was used to investigate the change to quantitative PET and CT measurements when operated at ultralow doses (10–35 mA s). CT quantitation: noise, low-contrast resolution, and CT numbers for 11 tissue substitutes were analyzed in-phantom. CT quantitation was analyzed to a reduction of 90% volume computed tomography dose index (0.39/3.64; mGy) from baseline. To minimize noise infiltration, 100% adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASiR) was used for CT reconstruction. PET images were reconstructed with the lower-dose CTAC iterations and analyzed for: maximum body weight standardized uptake value (SUV bw ) of various diameter targets (range 8–37 mm), background uniformity, and spatial resolution. Radiation dose and CTAC noise magnitude were compared for 140 patient examinations (76 post-ASiR implementation) to determine relative dose reduction and noise control. Results: CT numbers were constant to within 10% from the nondose reduced CTAC image for 90% dose reduction. No change in SUV bw , background percent uniformity, or spatial resolution for PET images reconstructed with CTAC protocols was found down to 90% dose reduction. Patient population effective dose analysis demonstrated relative CTAC dose reductions between 62% and 86% (3.2/8.3–0.9/6.2). Noise magnitude in dose-reduced patient images increased but was not statistically different from predose-reduced patient images. Conclusions: Using ASiR allowed for aggressive reduction in CT dose with no change in PET reconstructed images while maintaining sufficient image quality for colocalization of hybrid CT anatomy and PET radioisotope uptake

Ultralow dose computed tomography attenuation correction for pediatric PET CT using adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brady, Samuel L., E-mail: samuel.brady@stjude.org [Division of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105 (United States); Shulkin, Barry L. [Nuclear Medicine and Department of Radiological Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105 (United States)

2015-02-15

Purpose: To develop ultralow dose computed tomography (CT) attenuation correction (CTAC) acquisition protocols for pediatric positron emission tomography CT (PET CT). Methods: A GE Discovery 690 PET CT hybrid scanner was used to investigate the change to quantitative PET and CT measurements when operated at ultralow doses (10–35 mA s). CT quantitation: noise, low-contrast resolution, and CT numbers for 11 tissue substitutes were analyzed in-phantom. CT quantitation was analyzed to a reduction of 90% volume computed tomography dose index (0.39/3.64; mGy) from baseline. To minimize noise infiltration, 100% adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASiR) was used for CT reconstruction. PET images were reconstructed with the lower-dose CTAC iterations and analyzed for: maximum body weight standardized uptake value (SUV{sub bw}) of various diameter targets (range 8–37 mm), background uniformity, and spatial resolution. Radiation dose and CTAC noise magnitude were compared for 140 patient examinations (76 post-ASiR implementation) to determine relative dose reduction and noise control. Results: CT numbers were constant to within 10% from the nondose reduced CTAC image for 90% dose reduction. No change in SUV{sub bw}, background percent uniformity, or spatial resolution for PET images reconstructed with CTAC protocols was found down to 90% dose reduction. Patient population effective dose analysis demonstrated relative CTAC dose reductions between 62% and 86% (3.2/8.3–0.9/6.2). Noise magnitude in dose-reduced patient images increased but was not statistically different from predose-reduced patient images. Conclusions: Using ASiR allowed for aggressive reduction in CT dose with no change in PET reconstructed images while maintaining sufficient image quality for colocalization of hybrid CT anatomy and PET radioisotope uptake.

Operando formation of an ultra-low friction boundary film from synthetic magnesium silicon hydroxide additive

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, Qiuying; Rudenko, Pavlo; Miller, Dean J.; Wen, Jianguo; Berman, Diana; Zhang, Yuepeng; Arey, Bruce; Zhu, Zihua; Erdemir, Ali

2017-06-01

The paper reports the operando and self-healing formation of DLC films at sliding contact surfaces by the addition of synthetic magnesium silicon hydroxide (MSH) nanoparticles to base oil. The formation of such films leads to a reduction of the coefficient of friction by nearly an order of magnitude and substantially reduces wear losses. The ultralow friction layer characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), and Raman spectroscopy consists of amorphous DLC containing SiOx that forms in a continuous and self-repairing manner during operation. This environmentally benign and simple approach offers promise for significant advances in lubrication and reduced energy losses in engines and other mechanical systems.

Experiment list: SRX201251 [Chip-atlas[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available 2Rep1 source_name=Treg_Wb83319432 || biomaterial_provider=Dr. John Stamatoyannopo...ulos at UW || lab=UW || lab description=Stamatoyannopoulous - University of Washington || datatype=DnaseSeq

Ultra-low fouling and high antibody loading zwitterionic hydrogel coatings for sensing and detection in complex media.

Science.gov (United States)

Chou, Ying-Nien; Sun, Fang; Hung, Hsiang-Chieh; Jain, Priyesh; Sinclair, Andrew; Zhang, Peng; Bai, Tao; Chang, Yung; Wen, Ten-Chin; Yu, Qiuming; Jiang, Shaoyi

2016-08-01

For surface-based diagnostic devices to achieve reliable biomarker detection in complex media such as blood, preventing nonspecific protein adsorption and incorporating high loading of biorecognition elements are paramount. In this work, a novel method to produce nonfouling zwitterionic hydrogel coatings was developed to achieve these goals. Poly(carboxybetaine acrylamide) (pCBAA) hydrogel thin films (CBHTFs) prepared with a carboxybetaine diacrylamide crosslinker (CBAAX) were coated on gold and silicon dioxide surfaces via a simple spin coating process. The thickness of CBHTFs could be precisely controlled between 15 and 150nm by varying the crosslinker concentration, and the films demonstrated excellent long-term stability. Protein adsorption from undiluted human blood serum onto the CBHTFs was measured with surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Hydrogel thin films greater than 20nm exhibited ultra-low fouling (crosslinked, purely zwitterionic, carboxybetaine thin film hydrogel (CBHTF) coating platform. The CBHTF on a hydrophilic surface demonstrated long-term stability. By varying the crosslinker content in the spin-coated hydrogel solution, the thickness of CBHTFs could be precisely controlled. Optimized CBHTFs exhibited ultra-low nonspecific protein adsorption below 5ng/cm(2) measured by a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor, and their 3D architecture allowed antibody loading to reach 693ng/cm(2). This strategy provides a facile method to modify SPR biosensor chips with an advanced nonfouling material, and can be potentially expanded to a variety of implantable medical devices and diagnostic biosensors. Copyright © 2016 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The group of automorphism of the Fermat curve

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marby Bolaños Ortiz

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Pavlos Tzermias en su artí ulo The group of automorphisms of the Fermat urve (ver [7℄, prueba que el grupo de automorfismos de las urvas de Fermat proye tivas en ara terísti a 0 es el produ to semidire to de la suma dire ta de 2 opias del grupo í li o de orden n y el grupo simétri o de 3 letras. En este artí ulo se presenta una prueba alternativa de este he ho a esible para alguien on ono imientos bási os en superfiies de Riemann y teoría de grupos. Además, se in luye la orresponden ia geométri a de la a ión.

Demonstration of an ultralow profile cloak for scattering suppression of a finite-length rod in free space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soric, J C; Chen, P Y; Alù, A; Kerkhoff, A; Rainwater, D; Melin, K

2013-01-01

We present the first experimental realization and verification of a three-dimensional stand-alone mantle cloak designed to suppress the total scattering of a finite-length dielectric rod of moderate cross-section. Mantle cloaking has been proposed to realize ultralow-profile conformal covers that may achieve substantial camouflage, transparency and high-performance non-invasive near-field sensing. Here, we realize and verify a mantle cloak for radio-waves. We report an extensive campaign of far- and near-field free-space measurements demonstrating that conformal cloaks can indeed produce strong scattering suppression in all directions and over a relatively broad bandwidth of operation. (paper)

Ultralow temperature helium compressor for Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asakura, Hiroshi

1988-01-01

Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. started the development of an ultralow temperature helium compressor for helium liquefaction in 1984 jointly with Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, and has delivered the first practical machine to the Superconductive Magnet Laboratory of JAERI. For a large superconductive magnet to be used in the stable state for a fusion reactor, conventional superconductive materials (NbTi, NbTi 3 Sn, etc.) must be used, being cooled forcibly with supercritical helium. The supercritical helium which is compressed above the critical pressure of 228 kPa has a stable cooling effect since the thermal conductivity does not change due to the evaporation of liquid helium. In order to maintain the temperature of the supercritical helium below 4 K before it enters a magnet, a heat exchanger is used. The compressor that IHI has developed has the ability to reduce the vapor pressure of liquid helium from atmospheric pressure to 50.7 kPa, and can attain the temperature of 3.5 K. The specification of this single stage centrifugal compressor is: mass flow rate 25 - 64 g/s, speed 80,000 rpm, adiabatic efficiency 62 - 69 %. The structure and the performance are reported. (K.I.)

Prognostic indicators of assisted reproduction technology outcomes of cycles with ultralow serum antimüllerian hormone: a multivariate analysis of over 5,000 autologous cycles from the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology Clinic Outcome Reporting System database for 2012-2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Seifer, David B; Tal, Oded; Wantman, Ethan; Edul, Preeti; Baker, Valerie L

2016-02-01

To assess cycle outcomes when antimüllerian hormone (AMH) is ultralow (≤0.16 ng/mL) and to determine which parameters contribute to the probability of cycle cancellation and/or outcome. Retrospective analysis. Not applicable. 5,087 (7.3%) fresh and 243 (1.5%) thawed cycles with ultralow AMH values. Linear and logistic regression, comparison with age-matched cycles with normal AMH concentrations. Cancellation rate; number of retrieved oocytes, embryos, transferred embryos, and cryopreserved embryos; clinical pregnancy, live-birth, and multiple birth rates. The total cancellation rate per cycle start for fresh cycles was 54%. Of these, 38.6% of the cycles were canceled before retrieval, and 3.3% of cycles obtained no oocytes at time of retrieval. Of all retrieval attempts, 50.7% had three oocytes or fewer retrieved, and 25.1% had no embryo transfer. The live-birth rates were 9.5% per cycle start. Cycles with ultralow AMH levels compared with age-matched normal AMH cycles demonstrated more than a fivefold greater pre-retrieval cancellation rate, a twofold less live-birth rate per cycle and a 4.5-fold less embryo cryopreservation rate. Refusing treatment solely on the basis of ultralow AMH levels is not advisable, but patients should be counseled appropriately about the prognostic factors for cancellation and outcomes. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ultra-low Dose CT for Attenuation Correction of 82Rb Cardiac PET

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Maria Balshøj; Bouchelouche, Kirsten; Tolbod, Lars Poulsen

Aim: Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) using cardiac PET with tracers like 82Rb and 15O-water is substantially lower in radiation dose than classic MIBI-based SPECT. However, for cardiac PET, the dose contribution of CT for attenuation correction (CTAC) is typically 20-30% of the total dose....... To reduce the total radiation dose of cardiac PET further, we set out to examine if the use of ultra-low dose CTAC (UL-CTAC) would affect the accuracy of the quantitative parameters related to MPI. Furthermore, we examined whether the low quality of the UL-CTAC would affect the technologist’s ability...... to perform manual adjustment for misalignment between PET and CTAC. The CT reconstruction algorithm Q.AC was used to improve quality and consistency of the CTAC. Method: 23 consecutive clinical patients (BMI: 26.9 [range: 15.4-38.8]) referred for 82Rb PET rest and stress imaging were included in the study...

Fillers for gamma ray-irradiated EPR and ultralow frequency dielectric characteristics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamanaka, Sanshiro; Fukuda, Tadashi; Sawa, Goro; Ieda, Masayuki; Ito, Masayuki; Kawakami, Waichiro.

1991-01-01

Aiming at the diagnosis of the radiation deterioration of electric power cables and wires by utilizing residual voltage, the relation of the amount of gamma ray irradiation with residual voltage has been examined for the EPR of practical mixing proportion by the authors. Moreover, as the characteristics or physical quantities used for judging the deterioration, the dielectric characteristics in ultralow frequency region and insulation resistance were taken up, and the method of analytically determine them from the results of measuring residual voltage was proposed. When the results obtained by this analytical method were compared with the results of leak current and discharge current, good agreement was obtained. However, since many kinds of fillers are added to these samples with practical mixing proportion in large quantities, it was unable to examine in detail the physical mechanism of depolarization which becomes the cause of generating residual voltage. This time, the discharge current was measured for the samples of EPR filled with only one kind of filler, hard clay, and the modeling of depolarization mecanism was attempted. The results are reported. (K.I.)

Ultra-low specific on-resistance SOI double-gate trench-type MOSFET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lei Tianfei; Luo Xiaorong; Ge Rui; Chen Xi; Wang Yuangang; Yao Guoliang; Jiang Yongheng; Zhang Bo; Li Zhaoji

2011-01-01

An ultra-low specific on-resistance (R on,sp ) silicon-on-insulator (SOI) double-gate trench-type MOSFET (DG trench MOSFET) is proposed. The MOSFET features double gates and an oxide trench: the oxide trench is in the drift region, one trench gate is inset in the oxide trench and one trench gate is extended into the buried oxide. Firstly, the double gates reduce R on,sp by forming dual conduction channels. Secondly, the oxide trench not only folds the drift region, but also modulates the electric field, thereby reducing device pitch and increasing the breakdown voltage (BV). ABV of 93 V and a R on,sp of 51.8 mΩ·mm 2 is obtained for a DG trench MOSFET with a 3 μm half-cell pitch. Compared with a single-gate SOI MOSFET (SG MOSFET) and a single-gate SOI MOSFET with an oxide trench (SG trench MOSFET), the R on,sp of the DG trench MOSFET decreases by 63.3% and 33.8% at the same BV, respectively. (semiconductor devices)

Experiment list: SRX201300 [Chip-atlas[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available naseSeq Th17Rep1 source_name=Th17 || biomaterial_provider=Dr. John Stamatoyannopo...ulos at UW || lab=UW || lab description=Stamatoyannopoulous - University of Washington || datatype=DnaseSeq

Ultra-low noise miniaturized neural amplifier with hardware averaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Dweiri, Yazan M; Eggers, Thomas; McCallum, Grant; Durand, Dominique M

2015-08-01

Peripheral nerves carry neural signals that could be used to control hybrid bionic systems. Cuff electrodes provide a robust and stable interface but the recorded signal amplitude is small (concept of hardware averaging to nerve recordings obtained with cuff electrodes. An optimization procedure is developed to minimize noise and power simultaneously. The novel design was based on existing neural amplifiers (Intan Technologies, LLC) and is validated with signals obtained from the FINE in chronic dog experiments. We showed that hardware averaging leads to a reduction in the total recording noise by a factor of 1/√N or less depending on the source resistance. Chronic recording of physiological activity with FINE using the presented design showed significant improvement on the recorded baseline noise with at least two parallel operation transconductance amplifiers leading to a 46.1% reduction at N = 8. The functionality of these recordings was quantified by the SNR improvement and shown to be significant for N = 3 or more. The present design was shown to be capable of generating hardware averaging on noise improvement for neural recording with cuff electrodes, and can accommodate the presence of high source impedances that are associated with the miniaturized contacts and the high channel count in electrode arrays. This technique can be adopted for other applications where miniaturized and implantable multichannel acquisition systems with ultra-low noise and low power are required.

Quantum mechanical study of molecular collisions at ultra-low energy: applications to alkali and alkaline-earth systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quemener, G.

2006-10-01

In order to investigate the collisional processes which occur during the formation of molecular Bose-Einstein condensates, a time-independent quantum mechanical formalism, based on hyperspherical coordinates, has been applied to the study of atom-diatom dynamics at ultra-low energies. We present theoretical results for three alkali systems, each composed of lithium, sodium or potassium atoms, and for an alkaline-earth system composed of calcium atoms. We also study dynamics at large and positive atom-atom scattering length. Evidence for the suppression of inelastic processes in a fermionic system is given, as well as a linear relation between the atom-diatom scattering length and the atom-atom scattering length. (author)

Singlet oxygen quenching by oxygen in tetraphenyl-porphyrin solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dedic, Roman; Korinek, Miloslav; Molnar, Alexander; Svoboda, Antonin; Hala, Jan

2006-01-01

Time-resolved measurement of singlet oxygen infrared phosphorescence is a powerful tool for determination of quantum yields and kinetics of its photosensitization. This technique was employed to investigate in detail the previously observed effect of singlet oxygen quenching by oxygen. The question whether the singlet oxygen is quenched by oxygen in ground or in excited state was addressed by study of two complementary dependencies of singlet oxygen lifetimes: on dissolved oxygen concentration and on excitation intensity. Oxygen concentration dependence study of meso-tetra(4-sulphonato)phenylporphyrin (TPPS 4 ) phosphorescence kinetics showed linearity of the dependence of TPPS 4 triplet state rate-constant. Corresponding bimolecular quenching constant of (1.5±0.1)x10 9 l/mol s was obtained. On the other hand, rate constants of singlet oxygen depopulation exhibit nonlinear dependence on oxygen concentration. Comparison of zero oxygen concentration-extrapolated value of singlet oxygen lifetime of (6.5±0.4) μs to (3.7±0.1) μs observed under air-saturated conditions indicates importance of the effect of quenching of singlet oxygen by oxygen. Upward-sloping dependencies of singlet oxygen depopulation rate-constant on excitation intensity evidence that singlet oxygen is predominantly quenched by oxygen in excited singlet state

Research and Development of Natural Draft Ultra-Low Emissions Burners for Gas Appliances

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Therkelsen, Peter [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Cheng, Robert [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Sholes, Darren [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2017-08-31

Combustion systems used in residential and commercial cooking appliances must be robust and easy to use while meeting air quality standards. Current air quality standards for cooking appliances are far greater than other stationary combustion equipment. By developing an advanced low emission combustion system for cooking appliances, the air quality impacts from these devices can be reduced. This project adapted the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) Ring-Stabilizer Burner combustion technology for residential and commercial natural gas fired cooking appliances (such as ovens, ranges, and cooktops). LBNL originally developed the Ring-Stabilizer Burner for a NASA funded microgravity experiment. This natural draft combustion technology reduces NOx emissions significantly below current SCAQMD emissions standards without post combustion treatment. Additionally, the Ring-Stabilizer Burner technology does not require the assistance of a blower to achieve an ultra-low emission lean premix flame. The research team evaluated the Ring-Stabilizer Burner and fabricated the most promising designs based on their emissions and turndown.

Partial-wave analysis for positronium-xenon collisions in the ultralow-energy region

Science.gov (United States)

Shibuya, Kengo; Saito, Haruo

2018-05-01

We propose a method to convert measured positronium annihilation rates in gaseous xenon into total and differential cross sections of positronium-xenon collisions in an ultralow-energy region of less than 80 meV where their experimental determinations as functions of the positronium kinetic energy are extremely difficult. This method makes it possible to determine not only the s -wave collisional parameters but also the p -wave and d -wave parameters. We have found a small positive value of the scattering length, A0=2.06 ±0.10 a0 , which indicates that the positronium-xenon interaction in this energy region is repulsive and suggests that it is dominated by the scattering amplitude of the positron rather than that of the electron. An extrapolation of the analytical result into the experimentally inaccessible energy regions from 80 meV to 1.0 eV indicates that there should not be a Ramsauer-Townsend minimum but rather a peak in the total cross section at an energy of approximately 0.4 eV.

Ultralow field emission from thinned, open-ended, and defected carbon nanotubes by using microwave hydrogen plasma processing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deng, Jian-Hua, E-mail: jhdeng1983@163.com [College of Physics and Materials Science, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387 (China); Cheng, Lin; Wang, Fan-Jie; Yu, Bin; Li, Guo-Zheng; Li, De-Jun [College of Physics and Materials Science, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387 (China); Cheng, Guo-An [Key Laboratory of Beam Technology and Material Modification of Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China)

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: Thinned, open-ended, and defected carbon nanotubes were prepared by using hydrogen plasma processing. The processed carbon nanotubes have far better field emission performance than that of the pristine ones. - Highlights: • CVD prepared CNT arrays were processed by microwave hydrogen plasma. • Thinned, open-ended, and defected CNTs were obtained. • Processed CNTs have far better field emission performance than the pristine ones. • Processed CNTs have applicable emission stability after being perfectly aged. - Abstract: Ultralow field emission is achieved from carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by using microwave hydrogen plasma processing. After the processing, typical capped CNT tips are removed, with thinned, open-ended, and defected CNTs left. Structural analyses indicate that the processed CNTs have more SP{sup 3}-hybridized defects as compared to the pristine ones. The morphology of CNTs can be readily controlled by adjusting microwave powers, which change the shape of CNTs by means of hydrogen plasma etching. Processed CNTs with optimal morphology are found to have an ultralow turn-on field of 0.566 V/μm and threshold field of 0.896 V/μm, much better than 0.948 and 1.559 V/μm of the as-grown CNTs, respectively. This improved FE performance is ascribed to the structural changes of CNTs after the processing. The thinned and open-ended shape of CNTs can facilitate electron tunneling through barriers and additionally, the increased defects at tube walls can serve as new active emission sites. Furthermore, our plasma processed CNTs exhibit excellent field emission stability at a large emission current density of 10.36 mA/cm{sup 2} after being perfectly aged, showing promising prospects in applications as high-performance vacuum electron sources.

Ultralow-dose CT of the craniofacial bone for navigated surgery using adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction and model-based iterative reconstruction: 2D and 3D image quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Widmann, Gerlig; Schullian, Peter; Gassner, Eva-Maria; Hoermann, Romed; Bale, Reto; Puelacher, Wolfgang

2015-03-01

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to evaluate 2D and 3D image quality of high-resolution ultralow-dose CT images of the craniofacial bone for navigated surgery using adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) and model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) in comparison with standard filtered backprojection (FBP). MATERIALS AND METHODS. A formalin-fixed human cadaver head was scanned using a clinical reference protocol at a CT dose index volume of 30.48 mGy and a series of five ultralow-dose protocols at 3.48, 2.19, 0.82, 0.44, and 0.22 mGy using FBP and ASIR at 50% (ASIR-50), ASIR at 100% (ASIR-100), and MBIR. Blinded 2D axial and 3D volume-rendered images were compared with each other by three readers using top-down scoring. Scores were analyzed per protocol or dose and reconstruction. All images were compared with the FBP reference at 30.48 mGy. A nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test was used. Statistical significance was set at p ASIR-100 at 3.48 mGy, ASIR-100 at 2.19 mGy, and MBIR at 0.82 mGy. MBIR at 2.19 and 3.48 mGy scored statistically significantly better than the FBP reference (p = 0.032 and 0.001, respectively). For 3D images, the FBP reference at 30.48 mGy did not statistically significantly differ from all reconstructions at 3.48 mGy; FBP and ASIR-100 at 2.19 mGy; FBP, ASIR-100, and MBIR at 0.82 mGy; MBIR at 0.44 mGy; and MBIR at 0.22 mGy. CONCLUSION. MBIR (2D and 3D) and ASIR-100 (2D) may significantly improve subjective image quality of ultralow-dose images and may allow more than 90% dose reductions.

Ultra-low field MRI food inspection system prototype

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kawagoe, Satoshi, E-mail: s133413@edu.tut.ac.jp; Toyota, Hirotomo; Hatta, Junichi; Ariyoshi, Seiichiro; Tanaka, Saburo, E-mail: tanakas@ens.tut.ac.jp

2016-11-15

Highlights: • We have developed a ULF-MRI system using HTS-SQUID for food inspection. • We developed a compact magnetically shielded box to attenuate environmental noise. • The 2D-MR image was reconstructed from the grid processing data using 2D-FFT method. • The 2D-MR images of a disk-shaped and a multiple cell water sample were obtained. • The results showed the possibility of applying the ULF-MRI system to food inspection. - Abstract: We develop an ultra-low field (ULF) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system using a high-temperature superconducting quantum interference device (HTS-SQUID) for food inspection. A two-dimensional (2D)-MR image is reconstructed from the grid processing raw data using the 2D fast Fourier transform method. In a previous study, we combined an LC resonator with the ULF-MRI system to improve the detection area of the HTS-SQUID. The sensitivity was improved, but since the experiments were performed in a semi-open magnetically shielded room (MSR), external noise was a problem. In this study, we develop a compact magnetically shielded box (CMSB), which has a small open window for transfer of a pre-polarized sample. Experiments were performed in the CMSB and 2D-MR images were compared with images taken in the semi-open MSR. A clear image of a disk-shaped water sample is obtained, with an outer dimension closer to that of the real sample than in the image taken in the semi-open MSR. Furthermore, the 2D-MR image of a multiple cell water sample is clearly reconstructed. These results show the applicability of the ULF-MRI system in food inspection.

Ultra-low leakage and high breakdown Schottky diodes fabricated on free-standing GaN substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Yaqi; Alur, Siddharth; Sharma, Yogesh; Tong, Fei; Thapa, Resham; Gartland, Patrick; Issacs-Smith, Tamara; Ahyi, Claude; Williams, John; Park, Minseo; Johnson, Mark; Paskova, Tanya; Preble, Edward A; Evans, Keith R

2011-01-01

Vertical Schottky diodes were fabricated on the bulk GaN substrate with decreasing impurity concentration from N-face to Ga-face. An array of circular Pt Schottky contacts and a full backside Ti/Al/Ni/Au ohmic contact were prepared on the Ga-face and the N-face of the n-GaN substrate, respectively. The Schottky diode exhibits a minimum specific on-state resistance of 1.3 mΩ cm 2 and a maximum breakdown voltage of 600 V, resulting in a figure-of- merit of 275 MW cm −2 . An ultra-low reverse leakage current density of 3.7 × 10 −4 A cm −2 at reverse bias of 400 V was observed. Temperature-dependent I–V measurements were also carried out to study the forward and reverse transportation mechanisms. (fast track communication)

Thermal properties of superconducting bulk metallic glasses at ultralow temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rothfuss, Daniel Simon

2013-01-01

This thesis describes the first investigation of thermal properties of superconducting bulk metallic glasses in the range between 6mK and 300K. Measuring the thermal conductivity provides the possibility to probe the fundamental interactions governing the heat flow in solids. At ultralow temperatures a novel contactless measuring technique was used, which is based on optical heating and paramagnetic temperature sensors that are read out by a SQUID magnetometer. Below the critical temperature T c the results can be described by resonant scattering of phonons by tunneling systems. Above T c the phonon contribution to the thermal conductivity can be described successfully within a model considering not only electrons and phonons but also localized modes as scattering centres. To expand the accessible temperature range for experiments an adiabatic nuclear demagnetization refrigerator was set up. For measuring the base temperature a novel noise thermometer was developed which enables continuous measuring of the temperature in this temperature range for the first time. Therefore the magnetic Johnson noise of a massive copper cylinder is simultaneously monitored by two SQUID magnetometers. A subsequent cross-correlation suppresses the amplifier noise by more than one order of magnitude. The thermometer was characterized between 42μK and 0.8K showing no deviation from the expected linear behaviour between the power spectral density of the thermal noise and the temperature.

Effect of ultra-low doses, ASIR and MBIR on density and noise levels of MDCT images of dental implant sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Widmann, Gerlig; Al-Shawaf, Reema; Schullian, Peter; Al-Sadhan, Ra'ed; Hörmann, Romed; Al-Ekrish, Asma'a A

2017-05-01

Differences in noise and density values in MDCT images obtained using ultra-low doses with FBP, ASIR, and MBIR may possibly affect implant site density analysis. The aim of this study was to compare density and noise measurements recorded from dental implant sites using ultra-low doses combined with FBP, ASIR, and MBIR. Cadavers were scanned using a standard protocol and four low-dose protocols. Scans were reconstructed using FBP, ASIR-50, ASIR-100, and MBIR, and either a bone or standard reconstruction kernel. Density (mean Hounsfield units [HUs]) of alveolar bone and noise levels (mean standard deviation of HUs) was recorded from all datasets and measurements were compared by paired t tests and two-way ANOVA with repeated measures. Significant differences in density and noise were found between the reference dose/FBP protocol and almost all test combinations. Maximum mean differences in HU were 178.35 (bone kernel) and 273.74 (standard kernel), and in noise, were 243.73 (bone kernel) and 153.88 (standard kernel). Decreasing radiation dose increased density and noise regardless of reconstruction technique and kernel. The effect of reconstruction technique on density and noise depends on the reconstruction kernel used. • Ultra-low-dose MDCT protocols allowed more than 90 % reductions in dose. • Decreasing the dose generally increased density and noise. • Effect of IRT on density and noise varies with reconstruction kernel. • Accuracy of low-dose protocols for interpretation of bony anatomy not known. • Effect of low doses on accuracy of computer-aided design models unknown.

Design and characterization of a high-power ultrasound driver with ultralow-output impedance

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, George K.; Olbricht, William L.

2009-11-01

We describe a pocket-sized ultrasound driver with an ultralow-output impedance amplifier circuit (less than 0.05 Ω) that can transfer more than 99% of the voltage from a power supply to the ultrasound transducer with minimal reflections. The device produces high-power acoustical energy waves while operating at lower voltages than conventional ultrasound driving systems because energy losses owing to mismatched impedance are minimized. The peak performance of the driver is measured experimentally with a PZT-4, 1.54 MHz, piezoelectric ceramic, and modeled using an adjusted Mason model over a range of transducer resonant frequencies. The ultrasound driver can deliver a 100 Vpp (peak to peak) square-wave signal across 0-8 MHz ultrasound transducers in 5 ms bursts through continuous wave operation, producing acoustic powers exceeding 130 W. Effects of frequency, output impedance of the driver, and input impedance of the transducer on the maximum acoustic output power of piezoelectric transducers are examined. The small size, high power, and efficiency of the ultrasound driver make this technology useful for research, medical, and industrial ultrasonic applications.

Oxygen toxicity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. A. van der Westhuizen

1990-07-01

Full Text Available Oxygen has been discovered about 200 years ago. Since then the vital physiological involvement of oxygen in various biologi­cal processes, mainly energy production, has been established. However, in the body molecular oxygen can be converted to toxic oxygen metabolites such as superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, the hydroxyl radical and singlet oxygen. These toxic metabolites are produced mainly in the mitochondria, plasma membranes and endoplasmic reticulum.

Mixed oxygen ion/electron-conducting ceramics for oxygen separation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stevenson, J.W.; Armstrong, T.R.; Armstrong, B.L. [Pacific Northwest National Lab., Richland, WA (United States)

1996-08-01

Mixed oxygen ion and electron-conducting ceramics are unique materials that can passively separate high purity oxygen from air. Oxygen ions move through a fully dense ceramic in response to an oxygen concentration gradient, charge-compensated by an electron flux in the opposite direction. Compositions in the system La{sub 1{minus}x}M{sub x}Co{sub 1{minus}y{minus}z}Fe{sub y}N{sub z}O{sub 3{minus}{delta}}, perovskites where M=Sr, Ca, and Ba, and N=Mn, Ni, Cu, Ti, and Al, have been prepared and their electrical, oxygen permeation, oxygen vacancy equilibria, and catalytic properties evaluated. Tubular forms, disks, and asymmetric membrane structures, a thin dense layer on a porous support of the same composition, have been fabricated for testing purposes. In an oxygen partial gradient, the passive oxygen flux through fully dense structures was highly dependent on composition. An increase in oxygen permeation with increased temperature is attributed to both enhanced oxygen vacancy mobility and higher vacancy populations. Highly acceptor-doped compositions resulted in oxygen ion mobilities more than an order of magnitude higher than yttria-stabilized zirconia. The mixed conducting ceramics have been utilized in a membrane reactor configuration to upgrade methane to ethane and ethylene. Conditions were established to balance selectivity and throughput in a catalytic membrane reactor constructed from mixed conducting ceramics.

Vibrational cooling of spin-stretched dimer states by He buffer gas: quantum calculations for Li2(a 3Sigma(u)+) at ultralow energies.

Science.gov (United States)

Bovino, S; Bodo, E; Yurtsever, E; Gianturco, F A

2008-06-14

The interaction between the triplet state of the lithium dimer, (7)Li(2), with (4)He is obtained from accurate ab initio calculations where the vibrational dependence of the potential is newly computed. Vibrational quenching dynamics within a coupled-channel quantum treatment is carried out at ultralow energies, and large differences in efficiency as a function of the initial vibrational state of the targets are found as one compares the triplet results with those of the singlet state of the same target.

Evaluation of the liver in normal subjects and cases of hepatic diseases by ultra-low field (0.02 T) magnetic resonance imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwasaki, Yoshie

1988-01-01

A total of 123 cases (45 controls, 14 liver cirrhoses, 6 fatty livers, 22 cavernous hemangiomas, 14 hepatomas, 9 metastases, 10 cysts, and 3 hemorrhagic cysts) were studied by ultra-low field magnetic resonance imaging. On T1-weighted images, the means of the intesity ratio in controls were 0.703±0.074 (liver to spleen), 0.658±0.073 (liver to kidney) and 0.932±0.058 (spleen to kidney). On T2-weighted images, the means of the intensity ratios in controls were 0.449±0.083 (liver to spleen), 0.363±0.069 (liver to kidney) and 0.822±0.115 (spleen to kidney). In liver cirrhosis, on T2-weighted images, the intensity ratio of liver to kidney and spleen to kidney. In liver cirrhosis were significantly higher than those in controls. In fatty liver, the intensity ratio of liver to spleen on T1-weighted image, and those of liver to spleen and liver to kidney on T2-weighted image were higher than those in controls. On T2-weighted images, the intensity ratio of tumor to liver in hepatic cavernous hemangioma were significantly higher than those in hepatocellular carcinoma and metastatic liver tumor. Ultra-low field magnetic resonance imaging with the intensity ratio of tumor to liver was valuable in distinguishing between hepatic cavernous hemangioma and hepatic malignancies and it was also possible to distinguish hemorrhagic liver cyst from non-hemorrhagic liver cyst. (author)

On developing a thesis for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility fellowship: a case study of ultra-low (2%) oxygen tension for extended culture of human embryos.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaser, Daniel J

2017-03-01

Fellows in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility training are expected to complete 18 months of clinical, basic, or epidemiological research. The goal of this research is not only to provide the basis for the thesis section of the oral board exam but also to spark interest in reproductive medicine research and to provide the next generation of physician-scientists with a foundational experience in research design and implementation. Incoming fellows often have varying degrees of training in research methodology and, likewise, different career goals. Ideally, selection of a thesis topic and mentor should be geared toward defining an "answerable" question and building a practical skill set for future investigation. This contribution to the JARG Young Investigator's Forum revisits the steps of the scientific method through the lens of one recently graduated fellow and his project aimed to test the hypothesis that "sequential oxygen exposure (5% from days 1 to 3, then 2% from days 3 to 5) improves blastocyst yield and quality compared to continuous exposure to 5% oxygen among human preimplantation embryos."

Extensive colonization of apples by smut anamorphs causes a new posthavest disorder

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boekhout, T.; Gildemacher, P.R.; Theelen, B.; Müller, W.H.; Heijne, B.; Lutz, M.

2006-01-01

Colonization of apples by ballistoconidium-forming fungi causes a new disorder, here named 'white haze'. White haze may occur in mild form in the field, but only becomes problematic after Ultra-Low Oxygen storage, and, therefore, may be considered as a postharvest disorder. All isolates, obtained

Impact of nitrogenous alkaline agent on continuous HTL of lignocellulosic biomass and biocrude upgrading

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Claus Uhrenholt; Rosendahl, Lasse Aistrup; Olofsson, Göran

2017-01-01

of a hydrotreatable biocrude, stable TOC levels during aqueous phase recirculation and mass, carbon and energy balance closure. Hydrotreating eliminates the TAN, reduces oxygen to 2–3 wt.% and produces a promising fuel bio-blendstock with ultra-low sulphur and a diesel fraction equal to 43%....

Relevant parameters in the micro silica selection for the self-flowing ultra-low cement castables production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Studart, A.R.; Pandolfelli, V.C.; Rodrigues, J.A.; Vendrasco, S.L.

1997-01-01

Self-flowing ultra-low cement castables typically contain a large fraction of the particles, usually fume silica, which increase their flowability and mechanical strength at low temperatures. Fume silicas available in the market differ mainly from their amount of impurities. It is assumed that the content of soluble alkali and free carbon containing in this raw-material affects strongly the processing of self-flowing castable. In this work high alumina castables with gap-sized particle size distribution were prepared to evaluate their flowability, workability and mechanical strength for each sort of fume silica studied. It was observed that the amount of impurities affects both deflocculation and setting time of the castables and their cold and hot mechanical strength. Considerations regarding the physical and chemical characteristics relevant for selecting fume silicas for the production of self-flowing castables are presented and discussed. (author)

Dispersion of Dielectric Permittivity in a Nanocrystalline Cellulose-Triglycine Sulfate Composite at Low and Ultralow Frequencies

Science.gov (United States)

Thu'o'ng, Nguyen Hoai; Sidorkin, A. S.; Milovidova, S. D.

2018-03-01

The dispersion of dielectric permittivity in nanocrystalline cellulose-triglycine sulfate composites is studied in the range of frequencies from 10-3 to 106 Hz, at temperatures varying from room temperature to the temperature of phase transition in this composite (54°C), in weak electric fields (1 V cm-1). Two behaviors for the dielectric dispersion are identified in the studied frequency range: at ultralow frequencies (10-3-10 Hz), the dispersion is due to Maxwell-Wagner polarization, while at higher frequencies (10-106 Hz), the dispersion is due to the movement of domain walls in the embedded triglycine sulfate crystallites. An additional peak in the temperature-dependent profiles of dielectric permittivity is detected at lower temperatures in freshly prepared samples of the considered composite; we associate it with the presence of residual water in these samples.

A Baseband Ultra-Low Noise SiGe:C BiCMOS 0.25 µm Amplifier And Its Application For An On-Chip Phase-Noise Measurement Circuit

OpenAIRE

Godet , Sylvain; Tournier , Éric; Llopis , Olivier; Cathelin , Andreia; Juyon , Julien

2009-01-01

4 pages; International audience; The design and realization of an ultra-low noise operational amplifier is presented. Its applications are integrated low-frequency noise measurements in electronic devices and on-chip phase-noise measurement circuit. This paper discusses the SiGe:C BiCMOS 0.25 µm design improvements used for low noise applications. The proposed three-stage operational amplifier uses parallel bipolar transistor connection as input differential pair for low noise behavior. This ...

Closed Loop Control of Oxygen Delivery and Oxygen Generation

Science.gov (United States)

2017-08-01

were used for this study and were connected via a USB cable to allow communication. The ventilator was modified to allow closed loop control of oxygen...connected via a USB cable to allow communication. The ventilator was modified to allow closed loop control of oxygen based on the oxygen saturation...2017-4119, 28 Aug 2017. oximetry (SpO2) and intermittent arterial blood sampling for arterial oxygen tension (partial pressure of oxygen [PaO2]) and

Ultrafine and highly disordered Ni 2 Fe 1 nanofoams enabled highly efficient oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline electrolyte

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fu, Shaofang; Song, Junhua; Zhu, Chengzhou; Xu, Gui-Liang; Amine, Khalil; Sun, Chengjun; Li, Xiaolin; Engelhard, Mark H.; Du, Dan; Lin, Yuehe

2018-02-01

Nickel iron hydroxides are the most promising non-noble electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline media. By in situ reduction of metal precursors, compositionally controlled three-dimensional (3D) NixFeyB nanofoams (NFs) are synthesized with high surface area and uniformly distributed bimetallic networks. The resultant ultrafine amorphous Ni2Fe1B NFs exhibit extraordinary electrocatalytic performance toward OER and overall water splitting in alkaline media. At a potential as low as 1.42 V (vs. RHE), Ni2Fe1B NFs can deliver a current density of 10 mA/cm2 and show negligible activity loss after 12 hours’ stability test. Even at large current flux of 100 mA/cm2, an ultralow overpotential of 0.27 V is achieved, which is about 0.18 V more negative than benchmark RuO2. Both ex-situ Mӧssbauer spectroscopy and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) reveal a phase separation and transformation for the Ni2Fe1B catalyst during OER process. The evolution of oxidation state and disordered structure of Ni2Fe1B might be a key to the high catalytic performance for OER.

High-Energy-Density Metal-Oxygen Batteries: Lithium-Oxygen Batteries vs Sodium-Oxygen Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Kyeongse; Agyeman, Daniel Adjei; Park, Mihui; Yang, Junghoon; Kang, Yong-Mook

2017-12-01

The development of next-generation energy-storage devices with high power, high energy density, and safety is critical for the success of large-scale energy-storage systems (ESSs), such as electric vehicles. Rechargeable sodium-oxygen (Na-O 2 ) batteries offer a new and promising opportunity for low-cost, high-energy-density, and relatively efficient electrochemical systems. Although the specific energy density of the Na-O 2 battery is lower than that of the lithium-oxygen (Li-O 2 ) battery, the abundance and low cost of sodium resources offer major advantages for its practical application in the near future. However, little has so far been reported regarding the cell chemistry, to explain the rate-limiting parameters and the corresponding low round-trip efficiency and cycle degradation. Consequently, an elucidation of the reaction mechanism is needed for both lithium-oxygen and sodium-oxygen cells. An in-depth understanding of the differences and similarities between Li-O 2 and Na-O 2 battery systems, in terms of thermodynamics and a structural viewpoint, will be meaningful to promote the development of advanced metal-oxygen batteries. State-of-the-art battery design principles for high-energy-density lithium-oxygen and sodium-oxygen batteries are thus reviewed in depth here. Major drawbacks, reaction mechanisms, and recent strategies to improve performance are also summarized. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Oxygen Therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bonnie Solmes

2000-01-01

Full Text Available LTOT is prescribed for people with chronic lung disease in whom there is a decrease in the ability of the lungs to supply enough oxygen to the body. The heart is obliged to pump faster to meet the body's oxygen requirements. This may place undue stress on the heart, resulting in palpitations, dizziness and fatigue. A low oxygen level in arterial blood is also harmful to the heart, the brain and the pulmonary blood vessels. Oxygen therapy is used to break this cycle. A person with low blood oxygen will often be able to accomplish more with less fatigue with the help of supplemental oxygen therapy. Shortness of breath is a mechanical problem resulting from the effects of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Oxygen therapy may or may not reduce shortness of breath, but it will help the lungs and heart to function with less stress.

Frustrated incomplete donor ionization in ultra-low resistivity germanium films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Chi; Menéndez, J.; Senaratne, C. L.; Kouvetakis, J.

2014-01-01

The relationship between carrier concentration and donor atomic concentration has been determined in n-type Ge films doped with P. The samples were carefully engineered to minimize non-active dopant incorporation by using specially designed P(SiH 3 ) 3 and P(GeH 3 ) 3 hydride precursors. The in situ nature of the doping and the growth at low temperatures, facilitated by the Ge 3 H 8 and Ge 4 H 10 Ge sources, promote the creation of ultra-low resistivity films with flat doping profiles that help reduce the errors in the concentration measurements. The results show that Ge deviates strongly from the incomplete ionization expected when the donor atomic concentration exceeds N d  = 10 17  cm −3 , at which the energy separation between the donor and Fermi levels ceases to be much larger than the thermal energy. Instead, essentially full ionization is seen even at the highest doping levels beyond the solubility limit of P in Ge. The results can be explained using a model developed for silicon by Altermatt and coworkers, provided the relevant model parameter is properly scaled. The findings confirm that donor solubility and/or defect formation, not incomplete ionization, are the major factors limiting the achievement of very high carrier concentrations in n-type Ge. The commercially viable chemistry approach applied here enables fabrication of supersaturated and fully ionized prototypes with potential for broad applications in group-IV semiconductor technologies

[Domiciliary oxygen therapy].

Science.gov (United States)

Abdel Kafi, S

2010-09-01

In Belgium, oxygen therapy is becoming more and more accessible. When oxygen is needed for short periods or for special indications as palliative care, an agreement between mutual insurance companies and pharmacists allows the practitioner the home installation of gazeous oxygen cylinder or of oxygen concentrator. When long term oxygen therapy (LTOT) is indicated for patients with respiratory insufficiency, the pneumologist must first ask the INAMI the authorization to install one of the following modalities: oxygen concentrator with or without demand oxygen delivery cylinder and liquid oxygen. The goal of LTOT is to increase survival and quality of life. The principal and well accepted indication for LTOT is severe hypoxemia. The beneficial effects of oxygen therapy limited at night or on exertion are controversial. In order to increase patient's autonomy, oxygen can be prescribed for ambulation, respecting prescription's rules. At each step of oxygen therapy implementing (indication, choice of the device and follow-up) the patient under oxygen may benefit from a joint approach between the general practitioner and the chest specialist.

Validity of linear measurements of the jaws using ultralow-dose MDCT and the iterative techniques of ASIR and MBIR.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Ekrish, Asma'a A; Al-Shawaf, Reema; Schullian, Peter; Al-Sadhan, Ra'ed; Hörmann, Romed; Widmann, Gerlig

2016-10-01

To assess the comparability of linear measurements of dental implant sites recorded from multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) images obtained using standard-dose filtered backprojection (FBP) technique with those from various ultralow doses combined with FBP, adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR), and model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) techniques. The results of the study may contribute to MDCT dose optimization for dental implant site imaging. MDCT scans of two cadavers were acquired using a standard reference protocol and four ultralow-dose test protocols (TP). The volume CT dose index of the different dose protocols ranged from a maximum of 30.48-36.71 mGy to a minimum of 0.44-0.53 mGy. All scans were reconstructed using FBP, ASIR-50, ASIR-100, and MBIR, and either a bone or standard reconstruction kernel. Linear measurements were recorded from standardized images of the jaws by two examiners. Intra- and inter-examiner reliability of the measurements were analyzed using Cronbach's alpha and inter-item correlation. Agreement between the measurements obtained with the reference-dose/FBP protocol and each of the test protocols was determined with Bland-Altman plots and linear regression. Statistical significance was set at a P-value of 0.05. No systematic variation was found between the linear measurements obtained with the reference protocol and the other imaging protocols. The only exceptions were TP3/ASIR-50 (bone kernel) and TP4/ASIR-100 (bone and standard kernels). The mean measurement differences between these three protocols and the reference protocol were within ±0.1 mm, with the 95 % confidence interval limits being within the range of ±1.15 mm. A nearly 97.5 % reduction in dose did not significantly affect the height and width measurements of edentulous jaws regardless of the reconstruction algorithm used.

Oxygen therapy - infants

Science.gov (United States)

... breathe increased amounts of oxygen to get normal levels of oxygen in their blood. Oxygen therapy provides babies with the extra oxygen. Information Oxygen is a gas that the cells in your body need to work properly. The ...

Ultra-low switching energy and scaling in electric-field-controlled nanoscale magnetic tunnel junctions with high resistance-area product

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grezes, C.; Alzate, J. G.; Cai, X.; Wang, K. L. [Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095 (United States); Ebrahimi, F.; Khalili Amiri, P. [Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095 (United States); Inston, Inc., Los Angeles, California 90024 (United States); Katine, J. A. [HGST, Inc., San Jose, California 95135 (United States); Langer, J.; Ocker, B. [Singulus Technologies AG, Kahl am Main 63796 (Germany)

2016-01-04

We report electric-field-induced switching with write energies down to 6 fJ/bit for switching times of 0.5 ns, in nanoscale perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with high resistance-area product and diameters down to 50 nm. The ultra-low switching energy is made possible by a thick MgO barrier that ensures negligible spin-transfer torque contributions, along with a reduction of the Ohmic dissipation. We find that the switching voltage and time are insensitive to the junction diameter for high-resistance MTJs, a result accounted for by a macrospin model of purely voltage-induced switching. The measured performance enables integration with same-size CMOS transistors in compact memory and logic integrated circuits.

Rapid biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using Crotalaria verrucosa leaves against the dengue vector Aedes aegypti: what happens around? An analysis of dragonfly predatory behaviour after exposure at ultra-low doses.

Science.gov (United States)

Murugan, Kadarkarai; Sanoopa, C P; Madhiyazhagan, Pari; Dinesh, Devakumar; Subramaniam, Jayapal; Panneerselvam, Chellasamy; Roni, Mathath; Suresh, Udaiyan; Nicoletti, Marcello; Alarfaj, Abdullah A; Munusamy, Murugan A; Higuchi, Akon; Kumar, Suresh; Perumalsamy, Haribalan; Ahn, Young-Joon; Benelli, Giovanni

2016-01-01

Aedes aegypti is a primary vector of dengue, a mosquito-borne viral disease infecting 50-100 million people every year. Here, we biosynthesised mosquitocidal silver nanoparticles (AgNP) using the aqueous leaf extract of Crotalaria verrucosa. The green synthesis of AgNP was studied by UV-vis spectroscopy, SEM, EDX and FTIR. C. verrucosa-synthesised AgNPs were toxic against A. aegypti larvae and pupae. LC50 of AgNP ranged from 3.496 ppm (I instar larvae) to 17.700 ppm (pupae). Furthermore, we evaluated the predatory efficiency of dragonfly nymphs, Brachydiplax sobrina, against II and III instar larvae of A. aegypti in an aquatic environment contaminated with ultra-low doses of AgNP. Under standard laboratory conditions, predation after 24 h was 87.5% (II) and 54.7% (III). In an AgNP-contaminated environment, predation was 91 and 75.5%, respectively. Overall, C. verrucosa-synthesised AgNP could be employed at ultra-low doses to reduce larval population of dengue vectors enhancing predation rates of dragonfly nymphs.

Marine sediment pore-water profiles of phosphate d18O using a refined micro-extraction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Goldhammer, Tobias; Max, Thomas; Brunner, Benjamin

2011-01-01

and small amounts of marine porewaters available for analysis. We obtained porewater profiles of Pi oxygen isotopes using a refined protocol based on the original micro-extraction designed by Colman (2002). This refined and customized method allows the conversion of ultra-low quantities (0.5 – 1 μmol...

High platinum utilization in ultra-low Pt loaded PEM fuel cell cathodes prepared by electrospraying

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martin, S.; Garcia-Ybarra, P.L.; Castillo, J.L. [Dept. Fisica Matematica y de Fluidos, Facultad de Ciencias, UNED, Senda del Rey 9, 28040 Madrid (Spain)

2010-10-15

Cathode electrodes for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) with ultra-low platinum loadings as low as 0.012 mg{sub Pt}cm{sup -2} have been prepared by the electrospray method. The electrosprayed layers have nanostructured fractal morphologies with dendrites formed by clusters (about 100 nm diameter) of a few single catalyst particles rendering a large exposure surface of the catalyst. Optimization of the control parameters affecting this morphology has allowed us to overcome the state of the art for efficient electrodes prepared by electrospraying. Thus, using these cathodes in membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs), a high platinum utilization in the range 8-10 kW g{sup -1} was obtained for the fuel cell operating at 40 C and atmospheric pressure. Moreover, a platinum utilization of 20 kW g{sup -1} was attained under more suitable operating conditions (70 C and 3.4 bar over-pressure). These results substantially improve the performances achieved previously with other low platinum loading electrodes prepared by electrospraying. (author)

Ultralow bias power all-optical photonic crystal memory realized with systematically tuned L3 nanocavity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuramochi, Eiichi, E-mail: kuramochi.eiichi@lab.ntt.co.jp; Nozaki, Kengo; Shinya, Akihiko; Taniyama, Hideaki; Notomi, Masaya [NTT Nanophotonics Center, NTT Corporation, 3-1 Morinosato Wakamiya, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0198 (Japan); NTT Basic Research Laboratories, NTT Corporation, 3-1 Morinosato Wakamiya, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0198 (Japan); Takeda, Koji; Matsuo, Shinji [NTT Nanophotonics Center, NTT Corporation, 3-1 Morinosato Wakamiya, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0198 (Japan); NTT Device Technology Laboratories, NTT Corporation, 3-1 Morinosato Wakamiya, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0198 (Japan); Sato, Tomonari [NTT Nanophotonics Center, NTT Corporation, 3-1 Morinosato Wakamiya, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0198 (Japan)

2015-11-30

An InP photonic crystal nanocavity with an embedded InGaAsP active region is a unique technology that has realized an all-optical memory with a sub-micro-watt operating power and limitless storage time. In this study, we employed an L3 design with systematic multi-hole tuning, which realized a higher loaded Q factor (>40 000) and a lower mode volume (0.9 μm{sup 3}) than a line-defect-based buried-heterostructure nanocavity (16 000 and 2.2 μm{sup 3}). Excluding the active region realized a record loaded Q factor (210 000) in all for InP-based nanocavities. The minimum bias power for bistable memory operation was reduced to 2.3 ± 0.3 nW, which is about 1/10 of the previous record of 30 nW. This work further established the capability of a bistable nanocavity memory for use in future ultralow-power-consumption on-chip integrated photonics.

Design of a birefringent Michelson interferometer-based interleaver with ultra-low dispersion and low cost.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Haocheng; Zheng, Baozhong; Liu, Qingming; Li, Yang; Wu, Li; Gu, Shijie

2011-11-21

We design and demonstrate a birefringent Michelson interferometer based interleaver with ultra-low dispersion and low cost. The interleaver consists of polarizing beam splitters (PBS's) and quarter-wave plates and half-wave plates. The PBS's based Michelson interferometers provide the optical path difference for interference between the two orthogonal polarization components and the half-wave plates provide the birefringent needed to minimize ripple of output. The designed interleaver with two-stage interferometer in a 50 GHz channel spacing application exhibits a 0.5 dB passband and a 25 dB stopband both 27 GHz; a channel isolation higher than 35 dB and chromatic dispersion less than ±5 ps/nm within 0.5 dB passband; 1.3 dB insertion loss and 0.3 dB PDL; 0.04 GHz/°C thermal stability. Since all of the optical components can be optically bonded together, the device is robust and easy to be aligned, which reduces labor cost. © 2011 Optical Society of America

Ultra-low dose CT attenuation correction for PET/CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xia Ting; Kinahan, Paul E; Alessio, Adam M; De Man, Bruno; Manjeshwar, Ravindra; Asma, Evren

2012-01-01

A challenge for positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) quantitation is patient respiratory motion, which can cause an underestimation of lesion activity uptake and an overestimation of lesion volume. Several respiratory motion correction methods benefit from longer duration CT scans that are phase matched with PET scans. However, even with the currently available, lowest dose CT techniques, extended duration cine CT scans impart a substantially high radiation dose. This study evaluates methods designed to reduce CT radiation dose in PET/CT scanning. We investigated selected combinations of dose reduced acquisition and noise suppression methods that take advantage of the reduced requirement of CT for PET attenuation correction (AC). These include reducing CT tube current, optimizing CT tube voltage, adding filtration, CT sinogram smoothing and clipping. We explored the impact of these methods on PET quantitation via simulations on different digital phantoms. CT tube current can be reduced much lower for AC than that in low dose CT protocols. Spectra that are higher energy and narrower are generally more dose efficient with respect to PET image quality. Sinogram smoothing could be used to compensate for the increased noise and artifacts at radiation dose reduced CT images, which allows for a further reduction of CT dose with no penalty for PET image quantitation. When CT is not used for diagnostic and anatomical localization purposes, we showed that ultra-low dose CT for PET/CT is feasible. The significant dose reduction strategies proposed here could enable respiratory motion compensation methods that require extended duration CT scans and reduce radiation exposure in general for all PET/CT imaging. (paper)

Ultra-low dose CT attenuation correction for PET/CT

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Ting; Alessio, Adam M.; De Man, Bruno; Manjeshwar, Ravindra; Asma, Evren; Kinahan, Paul E.

2012-01-01

A challenge for PET/CT quantitation is patient respiratory motion, which can cause an underestimation of lesion activity uptake and an overestimation of lesion volume. Several respiratory motion correction methods benefit from longer duration CT scans that are phase matched with PET scans. However, even with the currently-available, lowest dose CT techniques, extended duration CINE CT scans impart a substantially high radiation dose. This study evaluates methods designed to reduce CT radiation dose in PET/CT scanning. Methods We investigated selected combinations of dose reduced acquisition and noise suppression methods that take advantage of the reduced requirement of CT for PET attenuation correction (AC). These include reducing CT tube current, optimizing CT tube voltage, adding filtration, CT sinogram smoothing and clipping. We explored the impact of these methods on PET quantitation via simulations on different digital phantoms. Results CT tube current can be reduced much lower for AC than that in low dose CT protocols. Spectra that are higher energy and narrower are generally more dose efficient with respect to PET image quality. Sinogram smoothing could be used to compensate for the increased noise and artifacts at radiation dose reduced CT images, which allows for a further reduction of CT dose with no penalty for PET image quantitation. Conclusion When CT is not used for diagnostic and anatomical localization purposes, we showed that ultra-low dose CT for PET/CT is feasible. The significant dose reduction strategies proposed here could enable respiratory motion compensation methods that require extended duration CT scans and reduce radiation exposure in general for all PET/CT imaging. PMID:22156174

Metal-Organic-Inorganic Nanocomposite Thermal Interface Materials with Ultralow Thermal Resistances.

Science.gov (United States)

Yegin, Cengiz; Nagabandi, Nirup; Feng, Xuhui; King, Charles; Catalano, Massimo; Oh, Jun Kyun; Talib, Ansam J; Scholar, Ethan A; Verkhoturov, Stanislav V; Cagin, Tahir; Sokolov, Alexei V; Kim, Moon J; Matin, Kaiser; Narumanchi, Sreekant; Akbulut, Mustafa

2017-03-22

As electronic devices get smaller and more powerful, energy density of energy storage devices increases continuously, and moving components of machinery operate at higher speeds, the need for better thermal management strategies is becoming increasingly important. The removal of heat dissipated during the operation of electronic, electrochemical, and mechanical devices is facilitated by high-performance thermal interface materials (TIMs) which are utilized to couple devices to heat sinks. Herein, we report a new class of TIMs involving the chemical integration of boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS), soft organic linkers, and a copper matrix-which are prepared by the chemisorption-coupled electrodeposition approach. These hybrid nanocomposites demonstrate bulk thermal conductivities ranging from 211 to 277 W/(m K), which are very high considering their relatively low elastic modulus values on the order of 21.2-28.5 GPa. The synergistic combination of these properties led to the ultralow total thermal resistivity values in the range of 0.38-0.56 mm 2 K/W for a typical bond-line thickness of 30-50 μm, advancing the current state-of-art transformatively. Moreover, its coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) is 11 ppm/K, forming a mediation zone with a low thermally induced axial stress due to its close proximity to the CTE of most coupling surfaces needing thermal management.

Hydrogen-bearing iron peroxide and the origin of ultralow-velocity zones

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jin; Hu, Qingyang; Young Kim, Duck; Wu, Zhongqing; Wang, Wenzhong; Xiao, Yuming; Chow, Paul; Meng, Yue; Prakapenka, Vitali B.; Mao, Ho-Kwang; Mao, Wendy L.

2017-11-01

Ultralow-velocity zones (ULVZs) at Earth’s core-mantle boundary region have important implications for the chemical composition and thermal structure of our planet, but their origin has long been debated. Hydrogen-bearing iron peroxide (FeO2Hx) in the pyrite-type crystal structure was recently found to be stable under the conditions of the lowermost mantle. Using high-pressure experiments and theoretical calculations, we find that iron peroxide with a varying amount of hydrogen has a high density and high Poisson ratio as well as extremely low sound velocities consistent with ULVZs. Here we also report a reaction between iron and water at 86 gigapascals and 2,200 kelvin that produces FeO2Hx. This would provide a mechanism for generating the observed volume occupied by ULVZs through the reaction of about one-tenth the mass of Earth’s ocean water in subducted hydrous minerals with the effectively unlimited reservoir of iron in Earth’s core. Unlike other candidates for the composition of ULVZs, FeO2Hx synthesized from the superoxidation of iron by water would not require an extra transportation mechanism to migrate to the core-mantle boundary. These dense FeO2Hx-rich domains would be expected to form directly in the core-mantle boundary region and their properties would provide an explanation for the many enigmatic seismic features that are observed in ULVZs.

Oxygen diffusion and oxygen effect in tumor tissue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eissa, H.M.; Hehn, G.

1979-06-01

The diffusion of oxygen in tumor cords of bronchus carcinoma of the lung have been studied with refined computer methods for solving the diffusion equation in axis symmetric tumor structures. In this tumor configuration we may find three different regions consisting of euoxic cells, hypoxic tumor cells and necrotic parts. In the case of oxygen supply from a capillary inside a cylinder of tumor tissue with radius 200 μm or in a tumor cord of radius 300 μm with oxygen supply by capillaries outside, we get a relation of well oxygenated cells to hypoxic cells approximately as 1:8 or as 1:1.1 respectively. Of course most of the tumor cords observed in histological slices have smaller diameters, so that an average of approximately 20% hypoxic cells can be assumed. Based on the work of Ardenne, the diffusion of oxygen and glucose in a tumor of type DS-carcinosarcom has been investigated in both intact tumor and tumor treated with ionizing radiation. We can show that a strong reoxygenation effect takes place in that the well supplied regions may increase in some tumor configurations up to a factor of four by volume. The biological consequences of the oxygen pressure determined in tumor cells are discussed in detail. The investigation of oxygen diffusion in the intercapillary tumor region should give a quantitative physical basis for considering the oxygen effect with the aim to explain the advantages of neutron therapy against conventional radiotherapy. (orig./MG) [de

Ultralow contact angle hysteresis and no-aging effects in superhydrophobic tangled nanofiber structures generated by controlling the pore size of a 99.5% aluminum foil

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sangmin; Hwang, Woonbong

2009-03-01

Superhydrophobic surfaces designed to improve hydrophobicity have high advancing contact angles corresponding to the Cassie state, but these surfaces also exhibit high contact angle hysteresis. We report here a simple and inexpensive method for fabricating superhydrophobic tangled nanofiber structures with ultralow contact angle hysteresis and no-aging degradation, based on a widening process. The resulting nanostructures are suitable for diverse applications including microfluidic devices for biological studies and industrial self-cleaning products for automobiles, ships and houses.

Micrograph evidence of meniscus solidification and sub-surface microstructure evolution in continuous-cast ultralow-carbon steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sengupta, J.; Shin, H.-J.; Thomas, B.G.; Kim, S.-H.

2006-01-01

Hooks and other sub-surface features in continuous-cast ultralow-carbon steel samples were examined using optical microscopy, electron backscattering diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and electron probe microanalysis techniques. Special etching reagents revealed dendrites growing from both sides of the line of hook origin. This line was found to represent the frozen meniscus and persisted into the final microstructure, as revealed by grain orientation measurements. A broken hook tip was observed in one micrograph, which explains the characteristic truncated shape of most hooks. Mold powder was found entrapped along the frozen meniscus. These results provide evidence of both solidification and subsequent overflow of the liquid steel meniscus. Thus, the instantaneous meniscus shape governs the shape and microstructure of the final hook, and the extent of the liquid steel overflow determines the shape of oscillation marks. This mechanism has important implications for the entrapment of inclusions and other surface defects

EZI- NA-ULO AND UMUNNA: IN SEARCH OF DEMOCRATIC ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Dr Ike

Anthony Ufearoh. Abstract. This write-up intends to locate democratic ideals the traditional Igbo .... quintessential leader in the communalist leadership system of the traditional .... style is 'inclusionary' rather than 'exclusionary'. Representation.

Oxygen effect and intracellular oxygen content (adaptation hypothesis)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yarmonenko, S P; Ehpshtejn, I M [Akademiya Meditsinskikh Nauk SSSR, Moscow. Onkologicheskij Tsentr

1977-01-01

Experimental data indicating that a radiomodifying action of hypoxia is dependent on the ''prehistory'' of the irradiated object are considered. This dependence manifests itself in a decreased protective action of acute hypoxia on the hypoxia-adapted objects. To explain this a hypothesis is proposed connecting a degree of cell radiosensitivity modification, determined by the oxygen effect, with the intracellular oxygen content. The latter, in accord with current ideas, is regulated by variations in the diffusion resistance to oxygen shown by the cytoplasmic membranes depending on the energy level of the cell and the degree of its oxygenation.

Oxygen effect and intracellular oxygen content (adaptation hypothesis)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yarmonenko, S.P.; Ehpshtejn, I.M.

1977-01-01

Experimental data indicating that a radiomodifying action of hypoxia is dependent on the ''prehistory'' of the irradiated object are considered. This dependence manifests itself in a decreased protective action of acute hypoxia on the hypoxia-adapted objects. To explain this a hypothesis is proposed connecting a degree of cell radiosensitivity modification, determined by the oxygen effect, with the intracellular oxygen content. The latter, in accord with current ideas, is regulated by variations in the diffusion resistance to oxygen shown by the cytoplasmic membranes depending on the energy level of the cell and the degree of its oxygenation

Theory and development of fluorescence-based optochemical oxygen sensors: oxygen optodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Opitz, N; Lübbers, D W

1987-01-01

As the preceding considerations concerning the physical and technical features of oxygen optodes have demonstrated, fluorescence-based optochemical oxygen sensors possess certain advantages and peculiarities compared to conventionally applied electrochemical sensors such as polarographic oxygen electrodes. First, in contrast to oxygen electrodes, oxygen measurements with oxygen optodes do not suffer from distortions caused by the reference electrodes. In addition, because of the polarographic process, platinum electrodes continuously consume oxygen, which falsifies the results, especially when small sample volumes or long-term measurements, or both, are involved, whereas the sensor layer of oxygen optodes must only be equilibrated. Moreover, the surface of the platinum wire has to be catalytically clean in order to obtain a plateau of the polarogram and, consequently, to achieve a low rest current at zero PO2. Unfortunately, the demand for catalytically clean platinum surfaces turns out to be rather critical, since surface contamination occurs even with membranized electrodes, resulting in the well-known phenomenon of "electrode poisoning." The question of the specificity of oxygen electrodes also must be considered. In this context, CO2 and halothane may interfere with oxygen measurements, whereas fluorescence quenching is unaffected by CO2 and halothane affects the measurements only slightly, depending on the special indicator used. Furthermore, because of the flow dependence, oxygen measurements with the oxygen electrode show a distinct "stirring effect" caused by the turbulence in front of the electrode, which disturbs the diffusion field. Because of the completely different physical principle of fluorescence optical sensors, such influences are not observed with oxygen optodes. In addition, isolation and shielding of electrical circuits found in electrodes are not necessary for optodes. Furthermore, the sensitivity of oxygen optodes can be tuned to the desired

Oxygen Therapy

Science.gov (United States)

... their breathing to dangerously low levels. Will I need oxygen when I sleep? Usually if you use supplemental oxygen during the ... your health care provider tells you you only need to use oxygen for exercise or sleep. Even if you feel “fine” off of your ...

Retinal Vessel Oxygen Saturation during 100% Oxygen Breathing in Healthy Individuals.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olof Birna Olafsdottir

Full Text Available To detect how systemic hyperoxia affects oxygen saturation in retinal arterioles and venules in healthy individuals.Retinal vessel oxygen saturation was measured in 30 healthy individuals with a spectrophotometric retinal oximeter (Oxymap T1. Oximetry was performed during breathing of room air, 100% oxygen (10 minutes, 6L/min and then again room air (10 minutes recovery.Mean oxygen saturation rises modestly in retinal arterioles during 100% oxygen breathing (94.5%±3.8 vs. 92.0%±3.7% at baseline, p<0.0001 and dramatically in retinal venules (76.2%±8.0% vs. 51.3%±5.6%, p<0.0001. The arteriovenous difference decreased during 100% oxygen breathing (18.3%±9.0% vs. 40.7%±5.7%, p<0.0001. The mean diameter of arterioles decreased during 100% oxygen breathing compared to baseline (9.7±1.4 pixels vs. 10.3±1.3 pixels, p<0.0001 and the same applies to the mean venular diameter (11.4±1.2 pixels vs. 13.3±1.5 pixels, p<0.0001.Breathing 100% oxygen increases oxygen saturation in retinal arterioles and more so in venules and constricts them compared to baseline levels. The dramatic increase in oxygen saturation in venules reflects oxygen flow from the choroid and the unusual vascular anatomy and oxygen physiology of the eye.

Ultra-Low Voltage Sixth-Order Low Pass Filter for Sensing the T-Wave Signal in ECGs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Panagiotis Bertsias

2014-11-01

Full Text Available An ultra-low voltage sixth-order low pass filter topology, suitable for sensing the T-wave signal in an electrocardiogram (ECG, is presented in this paper. This is realized using a cascade connection of second-order building blocks constructed from a sinh-domain two-integrator loop. The performance of the filter has been evaluated using the Cadence Analog Design Environment and the design kit provided by the Austria Mikro Systeme (AMS 0.35-µm CMOS process. The power consumption of filters was 7.21 nW, while a total harmonic distortion (THD level of 4% was observed for an input signal of 220 pA. The RMS value of the input referred noise was 0.43 pA, and the simulated value of the dynamic range (DR was 51.1 dB. A comparison with already published counterparts shows that the proposed topology offers the benefits of 0.5-V supply voltage operation and significantly improved power efficiency.

Paperfuge: An ultralow-cost, hand-powered paper-centrifuge inspired by the mechanics of a whirligig toy

Science.gov (United States)

Bhamla, M. Saad; Benson, Brandon; Chai, Chew; Katsikis, Georgios; Johri, Aanchal; Prakash, Manu

From a global-health context, commercial centrifuges are expensive, bulky and electricity-powered, and thus constitute a critical bottleneck in the development of decentralized, battery-free-point-of-care (POC) diagnostic devices. Here, we report an ultralow-cost (20 cents), lightweight (2 g), human-powered paper centrifuge (which we name 'paperfuge') designed on the basis of a theoretical model inspired by the fundamental mechanics of an ancient whirligig (or buzzer toy; 3300 B.C.E). The paperfuge achieves speeds of 125,000 rpm (and equivalent centrifugal forces of 30,000 g), with theoretical limits predicting one million rpm. We demonstrate that the paperfuge can separate pure plasma from whole blood in less than 1.5 minutes, and isolate malaria parasites in 15 minutes. We also show that paperfuge-like centrifugal microfluidic devices can be made of polymethylsiloxane, plastic and 3D-printed polymeric materials. Ultracheap, power-free centrifuges should open up opportunities for POC diagnostics in resource-poor settings.

Hydrogen-bearing iron peroxide and the origin of ultralow-velocity zones

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Jin; Hu, Qingyang; Kim, Duck Young; Wu, Zhongqing; Wang, Wenzhong; Xiao, Yuming; Chow, Paul; Meng, Yue; Prakapenka, Vitali B.; Mao, Ho-Kwang; Mao, Wendy L. (Stanford); (UST - China); (CIW); (UC); (CHPSTAR- China)

2017-11-22

Ultralow-velocity zones (ULVZs) at Earth’s core–mantle boundary region have important implications for the chemical composition and thermal structure of our planet, but their origin has long been debated1,2,3. Hydrogen-bearing iron peroxide (FeO2Hx) in the pyrite-type crystal structure was recently found to be stable under the conditions of the lowermost mantle4,5,6. Using high-pressure experiments and theoretical calculations, we find that iron peroxide with a varying amount of hydrogen has a high density and high Poisson ratio as well as extremely low sound velocities consistent with ULVZs. Here we also report a reaction between iron and water at 86 gigapascals and 2,200 kelvin that produces FeO2Hx. This would provide a mechanism for generating the observed volume occupied by ULVZs through the reaction of about one-tenth the mass of Earth’s ocean water in subducted hydrous minerals with the effectively unlimited reservoir of iron in Earth’s core. Unlike other candidates for the composition of ULVZs7,8,9,10,11,12, FeO2Hx synthesized from the superoxidation of iron by water would not require an extra transportation mechanism to migrate to the core–mantle boundary. These dense FeO2Hx-rich domains would be expected to form directly in the core–mantle boundary region and their properties would provide an explanation for the many enigmatic seismic features that are observed in ULVZs.

Stability of clinical outcome measures in rheumatoid arthritis patients with stable disease defined on the basis of the EULAR response criteria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Ole Rintek

2016-01-01

patient. Using the Bland-Altman method, lower and upper 95 % limits of agreement (LLoA; ULoA) between the consecutive assessments and the bias were calculated for each measure. Associations were characterized by Pearson's r-values and standard errors of estimation (SEE). The mean change in DAS28-CRP was 0...

The Advantages of Abstract Control Knowledge in Expert System Design.

Science.gov (United States)

1983-11-01

Educsaion LRDC Life Sciences Directorate 400 Maryland Ave. SW Uiversity of PittsburshklA q UlO 20A Washington, DC 20202 3939 O’Hara Street Boilimg An,. DC...Stanford. CA 6305 Caranege mellon Uiversity Pftuyce Department Pittabrarhl, PA 15213 Univereity of California Yr U.liott SoloveyBerkaley. CA 94720 Vale

Liquid phase mass production of air-stable black phosphorus/phospholipids nanocomposite with ultralow tunneling barrier

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qiankun; Liu, Yinan; Lai, Jiawei; Qi, Shaomian; An, Chunhua; Lu, Yao; Duan, Xuexin; Pang, Wei; Zhang, Daihua; Sun, Dong; Chen, Jian-Hao; Liu, Jing

2018-04-01

Few-layer black phosphorus (FLBP), a recently discovered two-dimensional semiconductor, has attracted substantial attention in the scientific and technical communities due to its great potential in electronic and optoelectronic applications. However, reactivity of FLBP flakes with ambient species limits its direct applications. Among various methods to passivate FLBP in ambient environment, nanocomposites mixing FLBP flakes with stable matrix may be one of the most promising approaches for industry applications. Here, we report a simple one-step procedure to mass produce air-stable FLBP/phospholipids nanocomposite in liquid phase. The resultant nanocomposite is found to have ultralow tunneling barrier for charge carriers which can be described by an Efros-Shklovskii variable range hopping mechanism. Devices made from such mass-produced FLBP/phospholipids nanocomposite show highly stable electrical conductivity and opto-electrical response in ambient conditions, indicating its promising applications in both electronic and optoelectronic applications. This method could also be generalized to the mass production of nanocomposites consisting of other air-sensitive 2D materials, such as FeSe, NbSe2, WTe2, etc.

Ultralow Friction Self-Lubricating Nanocomposites with Mesoporous Metal-Organic Frameworks as Smart Nanocontainers for Lubricants.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Guoliang; Xie, Guoxin; Si, Lina; Wen, Shizhu; Guo, Dan

2017-11-01

Smart nanocontainers with stimuli-responsive property can be used to fabricate a new kind of self-lubricating nanocomposite, while the practical potential of the metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as nanocontainers for lubricants has not been realized. In this work, mesoporous Cu-BTC MOFs storing oleylamine nanocomposites were explored from synthesis and microstructure to self-lubricating characterization. The stress stimuli-responsiveness behavior of the Cu-BTC storing oleylamine (Cu-BTCO) for lubrication has been investigated by subjecting it to macroscopic ball-on-disc friction tests. The steady-state coefficients of friction (COFs) of the Cu-BTC nanocomposites without lubricants were ca. 0.5. In contrast, after oleylamine as the lubricant was incorporated into the Cu-BTC container in the nanocomposite, ultralow friction (COF, ca. 0.03) was achieved. It has been demonstrated that the improved lubricating performance was associated with the lubricating film which was in situ produced by the chemical reaction between the oleylamine released from the nanocontainer and the friction pairs. Therefore, the nanocomposite with smart Cu-BTC container holds the promise of realizing extraordinary self-lubricating properties under stress stimuli.

Oxygen-Partial-Pressure Sensor for Aircraft Oxygen Mask

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Mark; Pettit, Donald

2003-01-01

A device that generates an alarm when the partial pressure of oxygen decreases to less than a preset level has been developed to help prevent hypoxia in a pilot or other crewmember of a military or other high-performance aircraft. Loss of oxygen partial pressure can be caused by poor fit of the mask or failure of a hose or other component of an oxygen distribution system. The deleterious physical and mental effects of hypoxia cause the loss of a military aircraft and crew every few years. The device is installed in the crewmember s oxygen mask and is powered via communication wiring already present in all such oxygen masks. The device (see figure) includes an electrochemical sensor, the output potential of which is proportional to the partial pressure of oxygen. The output of the sensor is amplified and fed to the input of a comparator circuit. A reference potential that corresponds to the amplified sensor output at the alarm oxygen-partial-pressure level is fed to the second input of the comparator. When the sensed partial pressure of oxygen falls below the minimum acceptable level, the output of the comparator goes from the low state (a few millivolts) to the high state (near the supply potential, which is typically 6.8 V for microphone power). The switching of the comparator output to the high state triggers a tactile alarm in the form of a vibration in the mask, generated by a small 1.3-Vdc pager motor spinning an eccentric mass at a rate between 8,000 and 10,000 rpm. The sensation of the mask vibrating against the crewmember s nose is very effective at alerting the crewmember, who may already be groggy from hypoxia and is immersed in an environment that is saturated with visual cues and sounds. Indeed, the sensation is one of rudeness, but such rudeness could be what is needed to stimulate the crewmember to take corrective action in a life-threatening situation.

Experimental bounds on ββ-decay, cold dark matter and solar axions with an ultralow background Ge detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Avignone, F.T. III; Ahlen, S.P.; Brodzinski, R.L.

1986-01-01

The PNL/USC ultralow background prototype Ge detector in the Homestake goldmine is being applied to searches for O nu ββ-decay, dark matter candidates and solar axions. An upper bound of 2.2 eV has been placed on the Majorana mass of the electron neutrino. The low energy data exclude particles with spin independent Z 0 exchange interactions having masses between 20 GeV and 5 TeV, as significant contributors to the cold dark matter of the halo of their galaxy. The existence of stable Dirac neutrinos more massive than 20 GeV is also excluded except for a narrow region around the Z 0 resonance. Finally, Dine-Fischler-Srednicki (DFS) axion models with F/2x/sub e/' ≤ 0.5 x10 7 GeV are ruled out by the maximum count rate attributable to solar axions

Ultra-low velocity zone heterogeneities at the core-mantle boundary from diffracted PKKPab waves

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Xiaolong; Sun, Xinlei

2017-08-01

Diffracted waves around Earth's core could provide important information of the lowermost mantle that other seismic waves may not. We examined PKKPab diffraction waves from 52 earthquakes occurring at the western Pacific region and recorded by USArray to probe the velocity structure along the core-mantle boundary (CMB). These diffracted waves emerge at distances up to 10° past the theoretical cutoff epicentral distance and show comparable amplitudes. We measured the ray parameters of PKKPab diffraction waves by Radon transform analysis that is suitable for large-aperture arrays. These ray parameters show a wide range of values from 4.250 to 4.840 s/deg, suggesting strong lateral heterogeneities in sampling regions at the base of the mantle. We further estimated the P-wave velocity variations by converting these ray parameters and found the CMB regions beneath the northwestern edge of African Anomaly (Ritsma et al. in Science 286:1925-1928, 1999) and southern Sumatra Islands exhibit velocity reductions up to 8.5% relative to PREM. We suggest that these low velocity regions are Ultra-low velocity zones, which may be related to partial melt or iron-enriched solids.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

Using MOF-74 for Hg2+ removal from ultra-low concentration aqueous solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiong, Yang Yang; Li, Jian Qiang; Gong, Le Le; Feng, Xue Feng; Meng, Li Na; Zhang, Le; Meng, Pan Pan; Luo, Ming Biao; Luo, Feng

2017-01-01

Mercury (Hg 2+ ) ions have very high toxicity and widely spread as environmental pollutants. At present, many efforts have been taken to remove the hazardous materials of mercury(II) by adsorption, and it is highly desirable to develop a novel adsorbent with high adsorptive capacities. However it is still a big challenge to remove the ultra-low-concentration mercury ions from water. In this paper, MOF-74-Zn is explored for such function, showing high removal rate of Hg(II) from water without any pretreatment, especially for the ultra-trace Hg(II) ions in the ppb magnitude with the removal rate reaching to 54.48%, 69.71%, 72.26% when the initial concentration of Hg(II) is 20ppb, 40ppb, 50ppb, respectively. - Graphical abstract: The absorption of mercury ions on MOF-74-Zn is due to somewhat weak interactions between MOF skeleton that is composed of carboxylate and hydroxy group and Hg2+ ions. - Highlights: • MOF-74-Zn shows high removal rate of Hg(II) from water without any pretreatment. • The MOF-74-Zn has a notable performance at ultra-low concentration of Hg(II). • MOF-74-Zn shows the potential for Hg(II) removal from industrial waste water.

Exploring Sub-Femtosecond Correlated Dynamics with an Ultra-low Energy Electrostatic Storage Ring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Welsch, C.P.; Grieser, M.; Dorn, A.; Moshammer, R.; Ullrich, J.

2005-01-01

Whereas the three-body Coulomb problem for single excitation and ionization was claimed to be solved in a mathematically correct way during 1999 until 2004 for electron impact on hydrogen and helium, ion-impact ionization still represents a major challenge for theory. Troubling discrepancies have been observed recently in fully differential cross sections (FDCS) for helium single ionization by fast ion impact and even experimental total cross sections are in striking disagreement with the predictions of all state-of-the-art theories for low-energy antiproton collisions. Therefore, within the future Facility for Low-energy Antiproton and Ion Research (FLAIR), it has been proposed to combine state-of-the-art many-particle imaging methods with a novel electrostatic storage ring for slow antiprotons in order to realize single and multiple ionization cross section measurements for antiprotons colliding with atoms, molecules and clusters. Total, as well as any differential cross sections up to FDCS including ionization-excitation reactions are envisaged to become available, serving as benchmark data for theory. Here, the present status of experiments in comparison with theory is presented and the layout of an Ultra-low energy Storage Ring (USR) with its integrated reaction microscope at FLAIR is described

Density functional theory study the effects of oxygen-containing functional groups on oxygen molecules and oxygen atoms adsorbed on carbonaceous materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Xuejun; Song, Wenwu; Shi, Jianwei

2017-01-01

Density functional theory was used to study the effects of different types of oxygen-containing functional groups on the adsorption of oxygen molecules and single active oxygen atoms on carbonaceous materials. During gasification or combustion reactions of carbonaceous materials, oxygen-containing functional groups such as hydroxyl(-OH), carbonyl(-CO), quinone(-O), and carboxyl(-COOH) are often present on the edge of graphite and can affect graphite's chemical properties. When oxygen-containing functional groups appear on a graphite surface, the oxygen molecules are strongly adsorbed onto the surface to form a four-member ring structure. At the same time, the O-O bond is greatly weakened and easily broken. The adsorption energy value indicates that the adsorption of oxygen molecules changes from physisorption to chemisorption for oxygen-containing functional groups on the edge of a graphite surface. In addition, our results indicate that the adsorption energy depends on the type of oxygen-containing functional group. When a single active oxygen atom is adsorbed on the bridge site of graphite, it gives rise to a stable epoxy structure. Epoxy can cause deformation of the graphite lattice due to the transition of graphite from sp2 to sp3 after the addition of an oxygen atom. For quinone group on the edge of graphite, oxygen atoms react with carbon atoms to form the precursor of CO2. Similarly, the single active oxygen atoms of carbonyl groups can interact with edge carbon atoms to form the precursor of CO2. The results show that oxygen-containing functional groups on graphite surfaces enhance the activity of graphite, which promotes adsorption on the graphite surface.

Development of the Radiation Stabilized Distributed Flux Burner - Phase III Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

J. D. Sullivan; A. Webb

1999-12-01

The development and demonstration of the Radiation Stabilized Burner (RSB) was completed as a project funded by the US Department of Energy Office of Industrial Technologies. The technical goals of the project were to demonstrate burner performance that would meet or exceed emissions targets of 9 ppm NOx, 50 ppm CO, and 9 ppm unburned hydrocarbons (UHC), with all values being corrected to 3 percent stack oxygen, and incorporate the burner design into a new industrial boiler configuration that would achieve ultra-low emissions while maintaining or improving thermal efficiency, operating costs, and maintenance costs relative to current generation 30 ppm low NOx burner installations. Both the ultra-low NOx RSB and the RSB boiler-burner package are now commercially available.

Ultralow power complementary inverter circuits using axially doped p- and n-channel Si nanowire field effect transistors.

Science.gov (United States)

Van, Ngoc Huynh; Lee, Jae-Hyun; Whang, Dongmok; Kang, Dae Joon

2016-06-09

We have successfully synthesized axially doped p- and n-type regions on a single Si nanowire (NW). Diodes and complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) inverter devices using single axial p- and n-channel Si NW field-effect transistors (FETs) were fabricated. We show that the threshold voltages of both p- and n-channel Si NW FETs can be lowered to nearly zero by effectively controlling the doping concentration. Because of the high performance of the p- and n-type Si NW channel FETs, especially with regard to the low threshold voltage, the fabricated NW CMOS inverters have a low operating voltage (<3 V) while maintaining a high voltage gain (∼6) and ultralow static power dissipation (≤0.3 pW) at an input voltage of ±3 V. This result offers a viable way for the fabrication of a high-performance high-density logic circuit using a low-temperature fabrication process, which makes it suitable for flexible electronics.

Oxygen permeation through oxygen ion oxide-noble metal dual phase composites

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chen, C.S.; Chen, C.S.; Kruidhof, H.; Bouwmeester, Henricus J.M.; Verweij, H.; Burggraaf, Anthonie; Burggraaf, A.J.

1996-01-01

Oxygen permeation behaviour of three composites, yttria-stabilized zirconia-palladium, erbia-stabilized bismuth oxidenoble metal (silver, gold) was studied. Oxygen permeation measurements were performed under controlled oxygen pressure gradients at elevated temperatures. Air was supplied at one side

The oxygen effect and adaptive response of cells. Report 3. Simulation of respiratory oxygenation and oxygen permeability of cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ehpshtejn, I.M.

1978-01-01

Variations in the oxygen concentration in extracellural [O 2 ] 0 and intracellular [Osub(2)]sub(i) media of cells small in size (d = 2 ] 0 - t-curves). It is shown that the Value of [Osub(2)]sub(i) may be expressed by four variants of its functional dependence: (a) on enzymic reaction of oxygen consumption, (b) on the order of reaction with respect to oxygen, (c) on physiological parameters of cells, and (d) on characteristic oxygen concentrations in the system. Items (c) and (d) are based on the postulated diffusion-kinetic model of oxygen consumption by an idealized cell of small size that consists of a drop of homogenous solution of the respiratory enzyme which is characterized by an equivalent Michaelis constant. The drop is enveloped in a uniform membrane that possesses a definite diffuse resistance to oxygen

Proterozoic atmospheric oxygen

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Canfield, Donald Eugene

2014-01-01

This article is concerned with the evolution of atmospheric oxygen concentrations through the Proterozoic Eon. In particular, this article will seek to place the history of atmospheric oxygenation through the Proterozoic Eon in the context of the evolving physical environment including the history...... of continental growth and volcanic outgassing, as well as biogeochemical processing of elements within the oceans. The author will seek to explore constraints on the history of oxygenation and understand which processes have regulated oxygen through this eon....

Experimental bounds on ββ-decay, cold dark matter and solar axions with an ultralow background Ge detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Avignone, F.T. III; Ahlen, S.P.; Brodzinski, R.L.

1986-01-01

The PNL/USC ultralow background prototype Ge detector in the Homestake goldmine is being applied to searches for 0 nu ββ-decay, dark matter candidates and solar axions. An upper bound of 2.2 eV has been placed on the Majorana mass of the electron neutrino. The low energy data exclude particles with spin independent Z 0 exchange interactions having masses between 20 GeV and 5 TeV as significant contributors to the cold dark matter of the halo of our galaxy. The existence of stable Dirac neutrinos more massive than 20 GeV is also excluded except for a narrow region around the Z 0 resonance. Finally, Dine-Fischler-Srednicki (DFS) axion models with F/2x'/sub e/ ≤ 0.5 x 10 7 GeV are ruled out by the maximum count rate attributable to solar axions. 36 refs., 11 figs

Oxygen respiration rates of benthic foraminifera as measured with oxygen microsensors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Geslin, E.; Risgaard-Petersen, N.; Lombard, Fabien

2011-01-01

of the foraminiferal specimens. The results show a wide range of oxygen respiration rates for the different species (from 0.09 to 5.27 nl cell−1 h−1) and a clear correlation with foraminiferal biovolume showed by the power law relationship: R = 3.98 10−3 BioVol0.88 where the oxygen respiration rate (R) is expressed......Oxygen respiration rates of benthic foraminifera are still badly known, mainly because they are difficult to measure. Oxygen respiration rates of seventeen species of benthic foraminifera were measured using microelectrodes and calculated on the basis of the oxygen fluxes measured in the vicinity...... groups (nematodes, copepods, ostracods, ciliates and flagellates) suggests that benthic foraminifera have a lower oxygen respiration rates per unit biovolume. The total contribution of benthic foraminifera to the aerobic mineralisation of organic matter is estimated for the studied areas. The results...

A model for oxygen conservation associated with titration during pediatric oxygen therapy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grace Wu

Full Text Available Continuous oxygen treatment is essential for managing children with hypoxemia, but access to oxygen in low-resource countries remains problematic. Given the high burden of pneumonia in these countries and the fact that flow can be gradually reduced as therapy progresses, oxygen conservation through routine titration warrants exploration.To determine the amount of oxygen saved via titration during oxygen therapy for children with hypoxemic pneumonia.Based on published clinical data, we developed a model of oxygen flow rates needed to manage hypoxemia, assuming recommended flow rate at start of therapy, and comparing total oxygen used with routine titration every 3 minutes or once every 24 hours versus no titration.Titration every 3 minutes or every 24 hours provided oxygen savings estimated at 11.7% ± 5.1% and 8.1% ± 5.1% (average ± standard error of the mean, n = 3, respectively. For every 100 patients, 44 or 30 kiloliters would be saved-equivalent to 733 or 500 hours at 1 liter per minute.Ongoing titration can conserve oxygen, even performed once-daily. While clinical validation is necessary, these findings could provide incentive for the routine use of pulse oximeters for patient management, as well as further development of automated systems.

Optics Design and Performance of an Ultra-Low Emittance Damping Ring for the Compact Linear Collider

CERN Document Server

Korostelev, M S

2006-01-01

A high-energy (0.5-3.0 TeV centre of mass) electron-positron Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) is being studied at CERN as a new physics facility. The design study has been optimized for 3 TeV centre-of-mass energy. Intense bunches injected into the main linac must have unprecedentedly small emittances to achieve the design luminosity 1035cm-2s-1 required for the physics experiments. The positron and electron bunch trains will be provided by the CLIC injection complex. This thesis describes an optics design and performance of a positron damping ring developed for producing such ultra-low emittance beam. The linear optics of the CLIC damping ring is optimized by taking into account the combined action of radiation damping, quantum excitation and intrabeam scattering. The required beam emittance is obtained by using a TME (Theoretical Minimum Emittance) lattice with compact arcs and short period wiggler magnets located in dispersionfree regions. The damping ring beam energy is chosen as 2.42 GeV. The lattice featu...

Artificial oxygen transport protein

Science.gov (United States)

Dutton, P. Leslie

2014-09-30

This invention provides heme-containing peptides capable of binding molecular oxygen at room temperature. These compounds may be useful in the absorption of molecular oxygen from molecular oxygen-containing atmospheres. Also included in the invention are methods for treating an oxygen transport deficiency in a mammal.

Aircraft Oxygen Generation

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-01

An Oxygen Enriched Air System for the AV-8A Harrier (NADC-81198-60).” 70 Horch , T., et. al. “The F-16 Onboard Oxygen Generating System: Performance...Only and Safety Privileged). Horch , T., Miller, R., Bomar, J., Tedor, J., Holden, R., Ikels, K., & Lozano, P. (1983). The F-16 Onboard Oxygen

Oxygen enrichment incineration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jeong Guk; Yang, Hee Chul; Park, Geun Il; Kim, Joon Hyung

2000-10-01

Oxygen enriched combustion technology has recently been used in waste incineration. To apply the oxygen enrichment on alpha-bearing waste incineration, which is being developed, a state-of-an-art review has been performed. The use of oxygen or oxygen-enriched air instead of air in incineration would result in increase of combustion efficiency and capacity, and reduction of off-gas product. Especially, the off-gas could be reduced below a quarter, which might reduce off-gas treatment facilities, and also increase an efficiency of off-gas treatment. However, the use of oxygen might also lead to local overheating and high nitrogen oxides (NOx) formation. To overcome these problems, an application of low NOx oxy-fuel burner and recycling of a part of off-gas to combustion chamber have been suggested

Oxygen enrichment incineration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jeong Guk; Yang, Hee Chul; Park, Geun Il; Kim, Joon Hyung

2000-10-01

Oxygen enriched combustion technology has recently been used in waste incineration. To apply the oxygen enrichment on alpha-bearing waste incineration, which is being developed, a state-of-an-art review has been performed. The use of oxygen or oxygen-enriched air instead of air in incineration would result in increase of combustion efficiency and capacity, and reduction of off-gas product. Especially, the off-gas could be reduced below a quarter, which might reduce off-gas treatment facilities, and also increase an efficiency of off-gas treatment. However, the use of oxygen might also lead to local overheating and high nitrogen oxides (NOx) formation. To overcome these problems, an application of low NOx oxy-fuel burner and recycling of a part of off-gas to combustion chamber have been suggested.

Effects of oxygen concentration on atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge in Argon-Oxygen Mixture

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xuechun; Li, Dian; Wang, Younian

2016-09-01

A dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) can generate a low-temperature plasma easily at atmospheric pressure and has been investigated for applications in trials in cancer therapy, sterilization, air pollution control, etc. It has been confirmed that reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a key role in the processes. In this work, we use a fluid model to simulate the plasma characteristics for DBD in argon-oxygen mixture. The effects of oxygen concentration on the plasma characteristics have been discussed. The evolution mechanism of ROS has been systematically analyzed. It was found that the ground state oxygen atoms and oxygen molecular ions are the dominated oxygen species under the considered oxygen concentrations. With the oxygen concentration increasing, the densities of electrons, argon atomic ions, resonance state argon atoms, metastable state argon atoms and excited state argon atoms all show a trend of decline. The oxygen molecular ions density is high and little influenced by the oxygen concentration. Ground state oxygen atoms density tends to increase before falling. The ozone density increases significantly. Increasing the oxygen concentration, the discharge mode begins to change gradually from the glow discharge mode to Townsend discharge mode. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11175034).

Limitations of potentiometric oxygen sensors operating at low oxygen levels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Anders; Jacobsen, Torben; Hansen, Karin Vels

2011-01-01

The electrochemical processes that limit the range of oxygen partial pressures in which potentiometric oxygen sensors can be used, were analysed using a theoretical and an experimental approach. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was performed on porous Pt/yttria stabilised zirconia (YSZ......) electrodes between 10−6 and 0.2 bar and at temperatures between 500 and 950 °C. The flow of oxide ions and electron holes through a sensor cell, with a YSZ electrolyte, were calculated under similar conditions. The oxygen permeation of the sensor cell was insignificant at an oxygen partial pressure of 10......−6 bar for an inlet flow rate higher than 2 L h−1 between 600 and 800 °C. The polarisation resistance measured between 10−6 and 10−4 bar was found to be inversely proportional to the oxygen partial pressure, nearly temperature independent and inversely proportional to the inlet gas flow rate, which shows...

Using MOF-74 for Hg{sup 2+} removal from ultra-low concentration aqueous solution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xiong, Yang Yang; Li, Jian Qiang; Gong, Le Le; Feng, Xue Feng; Meng, Li Na; Zhang, Le; Meng, Pan Pan; Luo, Ming Biao; Luo, Feng, E-mail: ecitluofeng@163.com

2017-02-15

Mercury (Hg{sup 2+}) ions have very high toxicity and widely spread as environmental pollutants. At present, many efforts have been taken to remove the hazardous materials of mercury(II) by adsorption, and it is highly desirable to develop a novel adsorbent with high adsorptive capacities. However it is still a big challenge to remove the ultra-low-concentration mercury ions from water. In this paper, MOF-74-Zn is explored for such function, showing high removal rate of Hg(II) from water without any pretreatment, especially for the ultra-trace Hg(II) ions in the ppb magnitude with the removal rate reaching to 54.48%, 69.71%, 72.26% when the initial concentration of Hg(II) is 20ppb, 40ppb, 50ppb, respectively. - Graphical abstract: The absorption of mercury ions on MOF-74-Zn is due to somewhat weak interactions between MOF skeleton that is composed of carboxylate and hydroxy group and Hg2+ ions. - Highlights: • MOF-74-Zn shows high removal rate of Hg(II) from water without any pretreatment. • The MOF-74-Zn has a notable performance at ultra-low concentration of Hg(II). • MOF-74-Zn shows the potential for Hg(II) removal from industrial waste water.

Ultra-low emittance electron beam generation using ionization injection in a plasma beatwave accelerator

Science.gov (United States)

Schroeder, Carl; Benedetti, Carlo; Esarey, Eric; Leemans, Wim

2017-10-01

Ultra-low emittance beams can be generated using ionization injection of electrons into a wakefield excited by a plasma beatwave accelerator. This all-optical method of electron beam generation uses three laser pulses of different colors. Two long-wavelength laser pulses, with frequency difference equal to the plasma frequency, resonantly drive a plasma wave without fully ionizing a gas. A short-wavelength injection laser pulse (with a small ponderomotive force and large peak electric field), co-propagating and delayed with respect to the beating long-wavelength lasers, ionizes a fraction of the remaining bound electrons at a trapped wake phase, generating an electron beam that is accelerated in the wakefield. Using the beating of long-wavelength pulses to generate the wakefield enables atomically-bound electrons to remain at low ionization potentials, reducing the required amplitude of the ionization pulse, and, hence, the initial transverse momentum and emittance of the injected electrons. An example is presented using two lines of a CO2 laser to form a plasma beatwave accelerator to drive the wake and a frequency-doubled Ti:Al2O3 laser for ionization injection. Supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231.

Nature of oxygen donors and radiation defects in oxygen-doped germanium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukuoka, Noboru; Atobe, Kozo; Honda, Makoto; Matsuda, Koji.

1991-01-01

The nature of oxygen donors and radiation defects in oxygen-doped germanium were studied through measurements of the infrared absorption spectrum, deep level transient spectroscopy spectrum and carrier concentration. It is revealed that a new donor is not formed in oxygen-doped germanium. An A-center (interstitial oxygen-vacancy pair) forms a complex with a thermal donor in its annealing stage at 60degC-140degC. The introduction rate of defects by 1.5 MeV electron irradiation was enhanced in thermal-donor-doped samples. (author)

Intraportal islet oxygenation.

Science.gov (United States)

Suszynski, Thomas M; Avgoustiniatos, Efstathios S; Papas, Klearchos K

2014-05-01

Islet transplantation (IT) is a promising therapy for the treatment of diabetes. The large number of islets required to achieve insulin independence limit its cost-effectiveness and the number of patients who can be treated. It is believed that >50% of islets are lost in the immediate post-IT period. Poor oxygenation in the early post-IT period is recognized as a possible reason for islet loss and dysfunction but has not been extensively studied. Several key variables affect oxygenation in this setting, including (1) local oxygen partial pressure (pO(2)), (2) islet oxygen consumption, (3) islet size (diameter, D), and (4) presence or absence of thrombosis on the islet surface. We discuss implications of oxygen-limiting conditions on intraportal islet viability and function. Of the 4 key variables, the islet size appears to be the most important determinant of the anoxic and nonfunctional islet volume fractions. Similarly, the effect of thrombus formation on the islet surface may be substantial. At the University of Minnesota, average size distribution data from clinical alloislet preparations (n = 10) indicate that >150-µm D islets account for only ~30% of the total islet number, but >85% of the total islet volume. This suggests that improved oxygen supply to the islets may have a profound impact on islet survivability and function since most of the β-cell volume is within large islets which are most susceptible to oxygen-limiting conditions. The assumption that the liver is a suitable islet transplant site from the standpoint of oxygenation should be reconsidered. © 2014 Diabetes Technology Society.

[Correlation between the inspired fraction of oxygen, maternal partial oxygen pressure, and fetal partial oxygen pressure during cesarean section of normal pregnancies].

Science.gov (United States)

Castro, Carlos Henrique Viana de; Cruvinel, Marcos Guilherme Cunha; Carneiro, Fabiano Soares; Silva, Yerkes Pereira; Cabral, Antônio Carlos Vieira; Bessa, Roberto Cardoso

2009-01-01

Despite changes in pulmonary function, maternal oxygenation is maintained during obstetric regional blocks. But in those situations, the administration of supplementary oxygen to parturients is a common practice. Good fetal oxygenation is the main justification; however, this has not been proven. The objective of this randomized, prospective study was to test the hypothesis of whether maternal hyperoxia is correlated with an increase in fetal gasometric parameters in elective cesarean sections. Arterial blood gases of 20 parturients undergoing spinal block with different inspired fractions of oxygen were evaluated and correlated with fetal arterial blood gases. An increase in maternal inspired fraction of oxygen did not show any correlation with an increase of fetal partial oxygen pressure. Induction of maternal hyperoxia by the administration of supplementary oxygen did not increase fetal partial oxygen pressure. Fetal gasometric parameters did not change even when maternal parameters changed, induced by hyperoxia, during cesarean section under spinal block.

Yeast alter micro-oxygenation of wine: oxygen consumption and aldehyde production.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Guomin; Webb, Michael R; Richter, Chandra; Parsons, Jessica; Waterhouse, Andrew L

2017-08-01

Micro-oxygenation (MOx) is a common winemaking treatment used to improve red wine color development and diminish vegetal aroma, amongst other effects. It is commonly applied to wine immediately after yeast fermentation (phase 1) or later, during aging (phase 2). Although most winemakers avoid MOx during malolactic (ML) fermentation, it is often not possible to avoid because ML bacteria are often present during phase 1 MOx treatment. We investigated the effect of common yeast and bacteria on the outcome of micro-oxygenation. Compared to sterile filtered wine, Saccharomyces cerevisiae inoculation significantly increased oxygen consumption, keeping dissolved oxygen in wine below 30 µg L -1 during micro-oxygenation, whereas Oenococcus oeni inoculation was not associated with a significant impact on the concentration of dissolved oxygen. The unfiltered baseline wine also had both present, although with much higher populations of bacteria and consumed oxygen. The yeast-treated wine yielded much higher levels of acetaldehyde, rising from 4.3 to 29 mg L -1 during micro-oxygenation, whereas no significant difference was found between the bacteria-treated wine and the filtered control. The unfiltered wine exhibited rapid oxygen consumption but no additional acetaldehyde, as well as reduced pyruvate. Analysis of the acetaldehyde-glycerol acetal levels showed a good correlation with acetaldehyde concentrations. The production of acetaldehyde is a key outcome of MOx and it is dramatically increased in the presence of yeast, although it is possibly counteracted by the metabolism of O. oeni bacteria. Additional controlled experiments are necessary to clarify the interaction of yeast and bacteria during MOx treatments. Analysis of the glycerol acetals may be useful as a proxy for acetaldehyde levels. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Oxygen configurations in silica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chelikowsky, James R.; Chadi, D. J.; Binggeli, N.

2000-01-01

We propose a transition state for oxygen in silica. This state is produced by the insertion of an oxygen molecule into the Si-O-Si bond, i.e., it consists of producing a Si-O-O-O-Si bond. This state allows molecular oxygen diffusion in silica without breaking the molecular O 2 bond and it is energetically more stable than a peroxy configuration. This configuration may allow for exchange of molecular oxygen with the oxygen in the silica framework. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society

Oxygen transport by oxygen potential gradient in dense ceramic oxide membranes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maiya, P.S.; Balachandran, U.; Dusek, J.T.; Mieville, R.L. [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States). Energy Technology Div.; Kleefisch, M.S.; Udovich, C.A. [Amoco Exploration/Production, Naperville, IL (United States)

1996-05-01

Numerous studies have been conducted in recent years on the partial oxidation of methane to synthesis gas (syngas: CO + H{sub 2}) with air as the oxidant. In partial oxidation, a mixed-oxide ceramic membrane selectively transports oxygen from the air; this transport is driven by the oxygen potential gradient. Of the several ceramic materials the authors have tested, a mixed oxide based on the Sr-Fe-Co-O system has been found to be very attractive. Extensive oxygen permeability data have been obtained for this material in methane conversion experiments carried out in a reactor. The data have been analyzed by a transport equation based on the phenomenological theory of diffusion under oxygen potential gradients. Thermodynamic calculations were used to estimate the driving force for the transport of oxygen ions. The results show that the transport equation deduced from the literature describes the permeability data reasonably well and can be used to determine the diffusion coefficients and the associated activation energy of oxygen ions in the ceramic membrane material.

Comparison of domiciliary oxygen using liquid oxygen and concentrator in northern Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chien-Ling Su

2014-01-01

Conclusion: Patients in the LOG used oxygen for longer hours, went on more outings, and were more likely to travel with oxygen than patients in the OCG. Being ambulatory with liquid oxygen might enable patients with COPD to walk more effectively.

An optimized junctionless GAA MOSFET design based on multi-objective computation for high-performance ultra-low power devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bendib, T.; Djeffal, F.; Meguellati, M.

2014-01-01

An analytical investigation has been proposed to study the subthreshold behavior of junctionless gates all around (JLGAA) MOSFET for nanoscale CMOS analog applications. Based on 2-D analytical analysis, a new subthreshold swing model for short-channel JLGAA MOSFETs is developed. The analysis has been used to calculate the subthreshold swing and to compare the performance of the investigated design and conventional GAA MOSFET, where the comparison of device architectures shows that the JLGAA MOSFET exhibits a superior performance with respect to the conventional inversion-mode GAA MOSFET in terms of the fabrication process and electrical behavior in the subthreshold domain. The analytical models have been validated by 2-D numerical simulations. The proposed analytical models are used to formulate the objectives functions. The overall objective function is formulated by means of a weighted sum approach to search the optimal electrical and dimensional device parameters in order to obtain the better scaling capability and the electrical performance of the device for ultra-low power applications. (semiconductor devices)

Simultaneous Monitoring of Vascular Oxygenation and Tissue Oxygen Tension of Breast Tumors Under Hyperbaric Oxygen Exposure

Science.gov (United States)

2008-04-01

28. Alagoz, T., R. Buller, B. Anderson, K. Terrell , R...and oxygenation Ann . New Acad. Sci. 838 29–45 Chapman J D, Stobbe C C, Arnfield M R, Santus R, Lee J and McPhee M S 1991 Oxygen dependency of tumor

Recombination and detachment in oxygen discharges: the role of metastable oxygen molecules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gudmundsson, J T

2004-01-01

A global (volume averaged) model of oxygen discharges is used to study the transition from a recombination dominated discharge to a detachment dominated discharge. The model includes the metastable oxygen molecules O 2 (a 1 Δ g ) and O 2 (b 1 Σ g + ) and the three Herzberg states O 2 (A 3 Σ u + , A' 3 Δ u , c 1 Σ u - ). Dissociative attachment of the oxygen molecule in the ground state O 2 ( 3 Σ g - ) and the metastable oxygen molecule O 2 (a 1 Δ g ) are the dominating channels for creation of the negative oxygen ion O - . At high pressures, dissociative attachment of the Herzberg states contributes significantly to the creation of the negative oxygen ion, O - . The detachment by a collision of the metastable oxygen molecule O 2 (b 1 Σ g + ) with the oxygen ion, O - , is a significant loss process for the O - at pressures above 10 mTorr. Its contribution to the loss is more significant at a lower applied power, but at the higher pressures it is always significant. Detachment by collision with O( 3 P) is also an important loss mechanism for O - . We find that ion-ion recombination is the dominating loss process for negative ions in oxygen discharges at low pressures and calculate the critical pressure where the contributions of recombination reactions and detachment reactions are equal. This critical pressure depends on the applied power, increases with applied power and is in the range 5-14 mTorr in the pressure and power range investigated

Effect of hypolimnetic oxygenation on oxygen depletion rates in two water-supply reservoirs.

Science.gov (United States)

Gantzer, Paul A; Bryant, Lee D; Little, John C

2009-04-01

Oxygenation systems, such as bubble-plume diffusers, are used to improve water quality by replenishing dissolved oxygen (DO) in the hypolimnia of water-supply reservoirs. The diffusers induce circulation and mixing, which helps distribute DO throughout the hypolimnion. Mixing, however, has also been observed to increase hypolimnetic oxygen demand (HOD) during system operation, thus accelerating oxygen depletion. Two water-supply reservoirs (Spring Hollow Reservoir (SHR) and Carvins Cove Reservoir (CCR)) that employ linear bubble-plume diffusers were studied to quantify diffuser effects on HOD. A recently validated plume model was used to predict oxygen addition rates. The results were used together with observed oxygen accumulation rates to evaluate HOD over a wide range of applied gas flow rates. Plume-induced mixing correlated well with applied gas flow rate and was observed to increase HOD. Linear relationships between applied gas flow rate and HOD were found for both SHR and CCR. HOD was also observed to be independent of bulk hypolimnion oxygen concentration, indicating that HOD is controlled by induced mixing. Despite transient increases in HOD, oxygenation caused an overall decrease in background HOD, as well as a decrease in induced HOD during diffuser operation, over several years. This suggests that the residual or background oxygen demand decreases from one year to the next. Despite diffuser-induced increases in HOD, hypolimnetic oxygenation remains a viable method for replenishing DO in thermally-stratified water-supply reservoirs such as SHR and CCR.

Spray generator of singlet oxygen for a chemical oxygen-iodine laser

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Jirásek, Vít; Hrubý, Jan; Špalek, Otomar; Čenský, Miroslav; Kodymová, Jarmila

2010-01-01

Roč. 100, č. 4 (2010), s. 779-791 ISSN 0946-2171 Grant - others:European Office of Aerospace R&D(US) FA8655-09-1-3091 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100523; CEZ:AV0Z20760514 Keywords : spray generator of singlet oxygen * singlet oxygen * chemical oxygen-iodine laser Subject RIV: BH - Optics, Masers, Lasers Impact factor: 2.239, year: 2010

Effects of the oxygenation level on formation of different reactive oxygen species during photodynamic therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Price, Michael; Heilbrun, Lance; Kessel, David

2013-01-01

We examined the effect of the oxygenation level on efficacy of two photosensitizing agents, both of which target lysosomes for photodamage, but via different photochemical pathways. Upon irradiation, the chlorin termed NPe6 forms singlet oxygen in high yield while the bacteriopheophorbide WST11 forms only oxygen radicals (in an aqueous environment). Photokilling efficacy by WST11 in cell culture was impaired when the atmospheric oxygen concentration was reduced from 20% to 1%, while photokilling by NPe6 was unaffected. Studies in a cell-free system revealed that the rates of photobleaching of these agents, as a function of the oxygenation level, were correlated with results described above. Moreover, the rate of formation of oxygen radicals by either agent was more sensitive to the level of oxygenation than was singlet oxygen formation by NPe6. These data indicate that the photochemical process that leads to oxygen radical formation is more dependent on the oxygenation level than is the pathway leading to formation of singlet oxygen. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Photochemistry and Photobiology © 2013 The American Society of Photobiology.

Advanced Oxygen Systems for Aircraft (Systemes d’Oxygene Avances)

Science.gov (United States)

1996-04-01

Oxygen Generating System (NAOGS), SAM-TR-80-12, Brooks AFB TX 78235, 1980. 11. Horch TC, Miller RL, Bomar JB, Tedor JB, Holden RD, Ikels KG, and...sieve oxygen generation sys- tem. Data from Horch et al (15). cabin altitude. The minimum and maximum oxygen concen- tration lines depict the...an AV-8A Aircraft; Naval Air Test Center Report No. SY-136R-81, 1981. 15. Horch TC, Miller RL, Bomar JB Jr, Tedor JB, Holden RD, Ikels KG, and

Energy deposition evaluation for ultra-low energy electron beam irradiation systems using calibrated thin radiochromic film and Monte Carlo simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsui, S., E-mail: smatsui@gpi.ac.jp; Mori, Y. [The Graduate School for the Creation of New Photonics Industries, 1955-1 Kurematsucho, Nishiku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-1202 (Japan); Nonaka, T.; Hattori, T.; Kasamatsu, Y.; Haraguchi, D.; Watanabe, Y.; Uchiyama, K.; Ishikawa, M. [Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. Electron Tube Division, 314-5 Shimokanzo, Iwata, Shizuoka 438-0193 (Japan)

2016-05-15

For evaluation of on-site dosimetry and process design in industrial use of ultra-low energy electron beam (ULEB) processes, we evaluate the energy deposition using a thin radiochromic film and a Monte Carlo simulation. The response of film dosimeter was calibrated using a high energy electron beam with an acceleration voltage of 2 MV and alanine dosimeters with uncertainty of 11% at coverage factor 2. Using this response function, the results of absorbed dose measurements for ULEB were evaluated from 10 kGy to 100 kGy as a relative dose. The deviation between the responses of deposit energy on the films and Monte Carlo simulations was within 15%. As far as this limitation, relative dose estimation using thin film dosimeters with response function obtained by high energy electron irradiation and simulation results is effective for ULEB irradiation processes management.

Determination of ultra-low level ¹²⁹I in vegetation using pyrolysis for iodine separation and accelerator mass spectrometry measurements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hou, Xiaolin; Wang, Yanyun

2016-01-01

Radioactive isotopes of iodine are the most common radiological toxins from nuclear accidents due to their high release and high enrichment in human thyroid. Among the radioactive isotopes, long-lived 129I can not only be used for the estimation of the radioactive risk of short-lived radioactive...... and ultra-low concentration in normal environmental and biological samples, it is important to efficiently separate iodine from the sample matrix and sensitively measure 129I. However, the complicated chemical properties of iodine and high organic content in biological samples make efficient separation...... of iodine very difficult using conventional acid digestion and alkaline ashing methods. By optimizing the key parameters related to the separation of iodine by pyrolysis using a tube furnace, including carbonization temperature, heating protocol, combustion assisting gas, iodine volatilization process...

Kinetics of oxygen species in an electrically driven singlet oxygen generator

Science.gov (United States)

Azyazov, V. N.; Torbin, A. P.; Pershin, A. A.; Mikheyev, P. A.; Heaven, M. C.

2015-12-01

The kinetics of oxygen species in the gaseous medium of a discharge singlet oxygen generator has been revisited. Vibrationally excited ozone O3(υ) formed in O + O2 recombination is thought to be a significant agent in the deactivation of singlet oxygen O2(a1Δ), oxygen atom removal and ozone formation. It is shown that the process O3(υ ⩾ 2) + O2(a1Δ) → 2O2 + O is the main O2(a1Δ) deactivation channel in the post-discharge zone. If no measures are taken to decrease the oxygen atom concentration, the contribution of this process to the overall O2(a1Δ) removal is significant, even in the discharge zone. A simplified model for the kinetics of vibrationally excited ozone is proposed. Calculations based on this model yield results that are in good agreement with the experimental data.

Oxygen therapy reduces postoperative tachycardia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stausholm, K; Kehlet, H; Rosenberg, J

1995-01-01

Concomitant hypoxaemia and tachycardia in the postoperative period is unfavourable for the myocardium. Since hypoxaemia per se may be involved in the pathogenesis of postoperative tachycardia, we have studied the effect of oxygen therapy on tachycardia in 12 patients randomly allocated to blinded...... air or oxygen by facemask on the second or third day after major surgery. Inclusion criteria were arterial hypoxaemia (oxygen saturation 90 beat.min-1). Each patient responded similarly to oxygen therapy: an increase in arterial oxygen saturation and a decrease...... in heart rate (p oxygen has a positive effect on the cardiac oxygen delivery and demand balance....

Dependence of nitrite oxidation on nitrite and oxygen in low-oxygen seawater

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Xin; Ji, Qixing; Jayakumar, Amal; Ward, Bess B.

2017-08-01

Nitrite oxidation is an essential step in transformations of fixed nitrogen. The physiology of nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) implies that the rates of nitrite oxidation should be controlled by concentration of their substrate, nitrite, and the terminal electron acceptor, oxygen. The sensitivities of nitrite oxidation to oxygen and nitrite concentrations were investigated using 15N tracer incubations in the Eastern Tropical North Pacific. Nitrite stimulated nitrite oxidation under low in situ nitrite conditions, following Michaelis-Menten kinetics, indicating that nitrite was the limiting substrate. The nitrite half-saturation constant (Ks = 0.254 ± 0.161 μM) was 1-3 orders of magnitude lower than in cultivated NOB, indicating higher affinity of marine NOB for nitrite. The highest rates of nitrite oxidation were measured in the oxygen depleted zone (ODZ), and were partially inhibited by additions of oxygen. This oxygen sensitivity suggests that ODZ specialist NOB, adapted to low-oxygen conditions, are responsible for apparently anaerobic nitrite oxidation.

Ultra-low dose of Mycobacterium tuberculosis aerosol creates partial infection in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Saini, Divey; Hopkins, Gregory W; Seay, Sarah A; Chen, Ching-Ju; Perley, Casey C; Click, Eva M; Frothingham, Richard

2012-03-01

A murine low dose (LD) aerosol model is commonly used to test tuberculosis vaccines. Doses of 50-400 CFU (24h lung CFU) infect 100% of exposed mice. The LD model measures progression from infection to disease based on organ CFU at defined time points. To mimic natural exposure, we exposed mice to an ultra-low dose (ULD) aerosol. We estimated the presented dose by sampling the aerosol. Female C57BL/6 mice were exposed to Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv aerosol at 1.0, 1.1, 1.6, 5.4, and 11 CFU presented dose, infecting 27%, 36%, 36%, 100%, and 95% of mice, respectively. These data are compatible with a stochastic infection event (Poisson distribution, weighted R(2)=0.97) or with a dose-response relationship (sigmoid distribution, weighted R(2)=0.97). Based on the later assumption, the ID50 was 1.6CFU presented dose (95% confidence interval, 1.2-2.1). We compared organ CFU after ULD and LD aerosols (5.4 vs. 395CFU presented dose). Lung burden was 30-fold lower in the ULD model at 4 weeks (3.4 vs. 4.8 logs, pLD aerosols had greater within-group CFU variability. Exposure to ULD aerosols leads to infection in a subset of mice, and to persistently low organ CFU. The ULD aerosol model may resemble human pulmonary tuberculosis more closely than the standard LD model, and may be used to identify host or bacterial factors that modulate the initial infection event. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Oxygen Compatibility of Skin and Wound Care Products.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernatchez, Stéphanie F; Tucker, Joseph; Chiffoleau, Gwenael

2017-11-01

Objective: Use test methods to assess the oxygen compatibility of various wound care products. Approach: There are currently no standard test methods specifically for evaluating the oxygen compatibility and safety of materials under hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) conditions. However, tests such as the oxygen index (OI), oxygen exposure (OE), and autogenous ignition temperature (AIT) can provide useful information. Results: The OI test measures the minimum oxygen concentration that will support candle-like burning, and it was used to test 44 materials. All but two exhibited an OI equal to or greater (safer) than a control material commonly used in HBO. The OE test exposes each material to an oxygen-enriched atmosphere (>99.5% oxygen) to monitor temperature and pressure for an extended duration. The results of the OE testing indicated that none of the 44 articles tested with this method self-ignited within the 60°C, 3 atm pressurized oxygen atmosphere. The AIT test exposes materials to a rapid ramp up in temperature in HBO conditions at 3 atm until ignition occurs. Ten wound care materials and seven materials usually avoided in HBO chambers were tested. The AIT ranged from 138°C to 384°C for wound care products and from 146°C to 420°C for the other materials. Innovation: This work provides useful data and recommendations to help develop a new standard approach for evaluating the HBO compatibility of wound care products to ensure safety for patients and clinicians. Conclusion: The development of an additional test to measure the risk of electrostatic discharge of materials in HBO conditions is needed.

Oxygen transfer rate during the production of alginate by Azotobacter vinelandii under oxygen-limited and non oxygen-limited conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peña Carlos F

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The oxygen transfer rate (OTR and dissolved oxygen tension (DOT play an important role in determining alginate production and its composition; however, no systematic study has been reported about the independent influence of the OTR and DOT. In this paper, we report a study about alginate production and the evolution of the molecular mass of the polymer produced by a wild-type A. vinelandii strain ATCC 9046, in terms of the maximum oxygen transfer rate (OTRmax in cultures where the dissolved oxygen tension (DOT was kept constant. Results The results revealed that in the two dissolved oxygen conditions evaluated, strictly controlled by gas blending at 0.5 and 5% DOT, an increase in the agitation rate (from 300 to 700 rpm caused a significant increase in the OTRmax (from 17 to 100 mmol L-1 h-1 for DOT of 5% and from 6 to 70 mmol L-1 h-1 for DOT of 0.5%. This increase in the OTRmax improved alginate production, as well as the specific alginate production rate (SAPR, reaching a maximal alginate concentration of 3.1 g L-1 and a SAPR of 0.031 g alg g biom-1 h-1 in the cultures at OTRmax of 100 mmol L-1 h-1. In contrast, the mean molecular mass (MMM of the alginate isolated from cultures developed under non-oxygen limited conditions increased by decreasing the OTRmax, reaching a maximal of 550 kDa at an OTRmax of 17 mmol L-1 h-1 . However, in the cultures developed under oxygen limitation (0.5% DOT, the MMM of the polymer was practically the same (around 200 kDa at 300 and 700 rpm, and this remained constant throughout the cultivation. Conclusions Overall, our results showed that under oxygen-limited and non oxygen-limited conditions, alginate production and its molecular mass are linked to the OTRmax, independently of the DOT of the culture.

A theoretical model for oxygen transport in skeletal muscle under conditions of high oxygen demand.

Science.gov (United States)

McGuire, B J; Secomb, T W

2001-11-01

Oxygen transport from capillaries to exercising skeletal muscle is studied by use of a Krogh-type cylinder model. The goal is to predict oxygen consumption under conditions of high demand, on the basis of a consideration of transport processes occurring at the microvascular level. Effects of the decline in oxygen content of blood flowing along capillaries, intravascular resistance to oxygen diffusion, and myoglobin-facilitated diffusion are included. Parameter values are based on human skeletal muscle. The dependence of oxygen consumption on oxygen demand, perfusion, and capillary density are examined. When demand is moderate, the tissue is well oxygenated and consumption is slightly less than demand. When demand is high, capillary oxygen content declines rapidly with axial distance and radial oxygen transport is limited by diffusion resistance within the capillary and the tissue. Under these conditions, much of the tissue is hypoxic, consumption is substantially less than demand, and consumption is strongly dependent on capillary density. Predicted consumption rates are comparable with experimentally observed maximal rates of oxygen consumption.

Carbon mineralization and oxygen dynamics in sediments with deep oxygen penetration, Lake Superior

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Jiying; Crowe, Sean Andrew; Miklesh, David

2012-01-01

To understand carbon and oxygen dynamics in sediments with deep oxygen penetration, we investigated eight locations (160–318-m depth) throughout Lake Superior. Despite the 2–4 weight percent organic carbon content, oxygen penetrated into the sediment by 3.5 to > 12 cm at all locations. Such deep ...... volume-specific carbon degradation rates were 0.3–1.5 µmol cm−3 d−1; bioturbation coefficient near the sediment surface was 3–8 cm2 yr−1. These results indicate that carbon cycling in large freshwater systems conforms to many of the same trends as in marine systems.......To understand carbon and oxygen dynamics in sediments with deep oxygen penetration, we investigated eight locations (160–318-m depth) throughout Lake Superior. Despite the 2–4 weight percent organic carbon content, oxygen penetrated into the sediment by 3.5 to > 12 cm at all locations. Such deep......, suggesting that temporal variability in deeply oxygenated sediments may be greater than previously acknowledged. The oxygen uptake rates (4.4–7.7 mmol m−2 d−1, average 6.1 mmol m−2 d−1) and carbon mineralization efficiency (∼ 90% of deposited carbon) were similar to those in marine hemipelagic and pelagic...

Spatially monitoring oxygen level in 3D microfabricated cell culture systems using optical oxygen sensing beads.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lin; Acosta, Miguel A; Leach, Jennie B; Carrier, Rebecca L

2013-04-21

Capability of measuring and monitoring local oxygen concentration at the single cell level (tens of microns scale) is often desirable but difficult to achieve in cell culture. In this study, biocompatible oxygen sensing beads were prepared and tested for their potential for real-time monitoring and mapping of local oxygen concentration in 3D micro-patterned cell culture systems. Each oxygen sensing bead is composed of a silica core loaded with both an oxygen sensitive Ru(Ph2phen3)Cl2 dye and oxygen insensitive Nile blue reference dye, and a poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) shell rendering biocompatibility. Human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells were cultivated on a series of PDMS and type I collagen based substrates patterned with micro-well arrays for 3 or 7 days, and then brought into contact with oxygen sensing beads. Using an image analysis algorithm to convert florescence intensity of beads to partial oxygen pressure in the culture system, tens of microns-size oxygen sensing beads enabled the spatial measurement of local oxygen concentration in the microfabricated system. Results generally indicated lower oxygen level inside wells than on top of wells, and local oxygen level dependence on structural features of cell culture surfaces. Interestingly, chemical composition of cell culture substrates also appeared to affect oxygen level, with type-I collagen based cell culture systems having lower oxygen concentration compared to PDMS based cell culture systems. In general, results suggest that oxygen sensing beads can be utilized to achieve real-time and local monitoring of micro-environment oxygen level in 3D microfabricated cell culture systems.

Oxygen evolution reaction catalysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haber, Joel A.; Jin, Jian; Xiang, Chengxiang; Gregoire, John M.; Jones, Ryan J.; Guevarra, Dan W.; Shinde, Aniketa A.

2016-09-06

An Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) catalyst includes a metal oxide that includes oxygen, cerium, and one or more second metals. In some instances, the cerium is 10 to 80 molar % of the metals in the metal oxide and/or the catalyst includes two or more second metals. The OER catalyst can be included in or on an electrode. The electrode can be arranged in an oxygen evolution system such that the Oxygen Evolution Reaction occurs at the electrode.

Relating oxygen partial pressure, saturation and content: the haemoglobin-oxygen dissociation curve.

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, Julie-Ann; Rudenski, Aram; Gibson, John; Howard, Luke; O'Driscoll, Ronan

2015-09-01

The delivery of oxygen by arterial blood to the tissues of the body has a number of critical determinants including blood oxygen concentration (content), saturation (S O2 ) and partial pressure, haemoglobin concentration and cardiac output, including its distribution. The haemoglobin-oxygen dissociation curve, a graphical representation of the relationship between oxygen satur-ation and oxygen partial pressure helps us to understand some of the principles underpinning this process. Historically this curve was derived from very limited data based on blood samples from small numbers of healthy subjects which were manipulated in vitro and ultimately determined by equations such as those described by Severinghaus in 1979. In a study of 3524 clinical specimens, we found that this equation estimated the S O2 in blood from patients with normal pH and S O2 >70% with remarkable accuracy and, to our knowledge, this is the first large-scale validation of this equation using clinical samples. Oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry (S pO2 ) is nowadays the standard clinical method for assessing arterial oxygen saturation, providing a convenient, pain-free means of continuously assessing oxygenation, provided the interpreting clinician is aware of important limitations. The use of pulse oximetry reduces the need for arterial blood gas analysis (S aO2 ) as many patients who are not at risk of hypercapnic respiratory failure or metabolic acidosis and have acceptable S pO2 do not necessarily require blood gas analysis. While arterial sampling remains the gold-standard method of assessing ventilation and oxygenation, in those patients in whom blood gas analysis is indicated, arterialised capillary samples also have a valuable role in patient care. The clinical role of venous blood gases however remains less well defined.

Relating oxygen partial pressure, saturation and content: the haemoglobin–oxygen dissociation curve

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julie-Ann Collins

2015-09-01

The delivery of oxygen by arterial blood to the tissues of the body has a number of critical determinants including blood oxygen concentration (content, saturation (SO2 and partial pressure, haemoglobin concentration and cardiac output, including its distribution. The haemoglobin–oxygen dissociation curve, a graphical representation of the relationship between oxygen satur­ation and oxygen partial pressure helps us to understand some of the principles underpinning this process. Historically this curve was derived from very limited data based on blood samples from small numbers of healthy subjects which were manipulated in vitro and ultimately determined by equations such as those described by Severinghaus in 1979. In a study of 3524 clinical specimens, we found that this equation estimated the SO2 in blood from patients with normal pH and SO2 >70% with remarkable accuracy and, to our knowledge, this is the first large-scale validation of this equation using clinical samples. Oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry (SpO2 is nowadays the standard clinical method for assessing arterial oxygen saturation, providing a convenient, pain-free means of continuously assessing oxygenation, provided the interpreting clinician is aware of important limitations. The use of pulse oximetry reduces the need for arterial blood gas analysis (SaO2 as many patients who are not at risk of hypercapnic respiratory failure or metabolic acidosis and have acceptable SpO2 do not necessarily require blood gas analysis. While arterial sampling remains the gold-standard method of assessing ventilation and oxygenation, in those patients in whom blood gas analysis is indicated, arterialised capillary samples also have a valuable role in patient care. The clinical role of venous blood gases however remains less well defined.

Integrated turbomachine oxygen plant

Science.gov (United States)

Anand, Ashok Kumar; DePuy, Richard Anthony; Muthaiah, Veerappan

2014-06-17

An integrated turbomachine oxygen plant includes a turbomachine and an air separation unit. One or more compressor pathways flow compressed air from a compressor through one or more of a combustor and a turbine expander to cool the combustor and/or the turbine expander. An air separation unit is operably connected to the one or more compressor pathways and is configured to separate the compressed air into oxygen and oxygen-depleted air. A method of air separation in an integrated turbomachine oxygen plant includes compressing a flow of air in a compressor of a turbomachine. The compressed flow of air is flowed through one or more of a combustor and a turbine expander of the turbomachine to cool the combustor and/or the turbine expander. The compressed flow of air is directed to an air separation unit and is separated into oxygen and oxygen-depleted air.

Oxygen sensitive polymeric nanocapsules for optical dissolved oxygen sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Zhijuan; Cai, Chenxin; Guo, Fei; Ye, Changhuai; Luo, Yingwu; Ye, Shuming; Luo, Jianchao; Zhu, Fan; Jiang, Chunyue

2018-04-01

Immobilization of the oxygen-sensitive probes (OSPs) in the host matrix greatly impacts the performance and long-term usage of the optical dissolved oxygen (DO) sensors. In this work, fluorescent dyes, as the OSPs, were encapsulated with a crosslinked fluorinated polymer shell by interfacial confined reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer miniemulsion polymerization to fabricate oxygen sensitive polymeric nanocapsules (NCs). The location of fluorescent dyes and the fluorescent properties of the NCs were fully characterized by fourier transform infrared spectrometer, x-ray photoelectron spectrometer and fluorescent spectrum. Dye-encapsulated capacity can be precisely tuned from 0 to 1.3 wt% without self-quenching of the fluorescent dye. The crosslinked fluorinated polymer shell is not only extremely high gas permeability, but also prevents the fluorescent dyes from leakage in aqueous as well as in various organic solvents, such as ethanol, acetone and tetrahydrofuran (THF). An optical DO sensor based on the oxygen sensitive NCs was fabricated, showing high sensitivity, short response time, full reversibility, and long-term operational stability of online monitoring DO. The sensitivity of the optical DO sensor is 7.02 (the ratio of the response value in fully deoxygenated and saturated oxygenated water) in the range 0.96-14.16 mg l-1 and the response time is about 14.3 s. The sensor’s work curve was fit well using the modified Stern-Volmer equation by two-site model, and its response values are hardly affected by pH ranging from 2 to 12 and keep constant during continuous measurement for 3 months. It is believed that the oxygen sensitive polymeric NCs-based optical DO sensor could be particularly useful in long-term online DO monitoring in both aqueous and organic solvent systems.

Elevating the triplet energy levels of dibenzofuran-based ambipolar phosphine oxide hosts for ultralow-voltage-driven efficient blue electrophosphorescence: from D-A to D-π-A systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Chunmiao; Zhang, Zhensong; Xu, Hui; Li, Jing; Zhao, Yi; Yan, Pengfei; Liu, Shiyong

2013-01-21

A series of donor (D)-π-acceptor (A)-type phosphine-oxide hosts (DBF(x) POPhCz(n)), which were composed of phenylcarbazole, dibenzofuran (DBF), and diphenylphosphine-oxide (DPPO) moieties, were designed and synthesized. Phenyl π-spacer groups were inserted between the carbazolyl and DBF groups, which effectively weakened the charge transfer and triplet-excited-state extension. As the result, the first triplet energy levels (T(1)) of DBF(x)POPhCz(n) are elevated to about 3.0 eV, 0.1 eV higher than their D-A-type analogues. Nevertheless, the electrochemical analysis and DFT calculations demonstrated the ambipolar characteristics of DBF(x)POPhCz(n). The phenyl π spacers hardly influenced the frontier molecular orbital (FMO) energy levels and the carrier-transporting ability of the materials. Therefore, these D-π-A systems are endowed with higher T(1) states, as well as comparable electrical properties to D-A systems. Phosphorescent blue-light-emitting diodes (PHOLEDs) that were based on DBF(x)POPhCz(n) not only inherited the ultralow driving voltages (2.4 V for onset, about 2.8 V at 200 cd m(-2), and efficiencies, including about 26 cd A(-1) for current efficiency, 30 Lm W(-1) for power efficiency, and 13% for external quantum efficiency, which were more than twice the values of devices that are based on conventional unipolar host materials. This performance makes DBFDPOPhCz(n) among the best hosts for ultralow-voltage-driven blue PHOLEDs reported so far. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effects of motexafin gadolinium on tumor oxygenation and cellular oxygen consumption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donnelly, E.T.; Liu, Y.; Rockwell, S.; Magda, D.

2003-01-01

Full text: Recent work in our laboratory showed that motexafin gadolinium (MGd, Xcytrin), a drug currently in Phase III clinical trials as an adjuvant to radiation therapy, modulates the oxygen tensions in EMT6 tumors. The median pO 2 increased from the control value of 1.5±0.4 mmHg to 7.4 ± 3.8 mmHg six hours after treatment with 40 μmol/kg MGd and the percentage of severely hypoxic readings in the tumors ( 7 plateau phase EMT6 cells in 3 mL Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium supplemented with 10% dialyzed fetal bovine serum, which contains no ascorbic acid. In the absence of ascorbic acid, 100 μM MGd did not alter the cellular oxygen consumption rate for EMT6 cells significantly. Marked inhibition of cellular oxygen consumption was observed when cells were incubated with 100 μM MGd in medium supplemented with equimolar ascorbic acid (a 31.5% decrease in consumption was observed after 6 hours of treatment). The 5% mannitol vehicle solution with equimolar ascorbic acid had no discernible effect on cellular oxygen consumption. Ascorbic acid may facilitate cellular uptake of MGd via the intermediate formation of a MGd-oxalate complex. These studies suggest that changes in cellular oxygen consumption could contribute to the changes in tumor oxygenation seen after administration of MGd. These experiments were supported by Pharmacyclics and training grant T32CA09085 from the NIH (E.T.D.). We thank Dr. Raymond Russell for allowing us to use his oxygen electrode apparatus

Possible operation of the European XFEL with ultra-low emittance beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brinkmann, R.; Schneidmiller, E.A.; Yurkov, M.V.

2010-01-01

Recent successful lasing of the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) in the hard x-ray regime and the experimental demonstration of a possibility to produce low-charge bunches with ultra-small normalized emittance have lead to the discussions on optimistic scenarios of operation of the European XFEL. In this paper we consider new options that make use of low-emittance beams, a relatively high beam energy, tunable-gap undulators, and a multibunch capability of this facility. We study the possibility of operation of a spontaneous radiator (combining two of them, U1 and U2, in one beamline) in the SASE mode in the designed photon energy range 20-90 keV and show that it becomes possible with ultra-low emittance electron beams similar to those generated in LCLS. As an additional attractive option we consider the generation of powerful soft X-ray and VUV radiation by the same electron bunch for pump-probe experiments, making use of recently invented compact afterburner scheme. We also propose a betatron switcher as a simple, cheap, and robust solution for multi-color operation of SASE1 and SASE2 undulators, allowing to generate 2 to 5 X-ray beams of different independent colors from each of these undulators for simultaneous multi-user operation. We describe a scheme for pump-probe experiments, based on a production of two different colors by two closely spaced electron bunches (produced in photoinjector) with the help of a very fast betatron switcher. Finally, we discuss how without significant modifications of the layout the European XFEL can become a unique facility that continuously covers with powerful, coherent radiation a part of the electromagnetic spectrum from far infrared to gamma-rays. (orig.)

Design of ultralow power receiver front-ends for 2.4 GHz wireless sensor network applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Meng; Li Zhiqun; Wang Zengqi; Wu Chenjian; Chen Liang

2014-01-01

This paper presents the design of an ultralow power receiver front-end designed for a wireless sensor network (WSN) in a 0.18 μm CMOS process. The author designs two front-ends working in the saturation region and the subthreshold region respectively. The front-ends contain a two-stage cross-coupling cascaded common-gate (CG) LNA and a quadrature Gilbert IQ mixer. The measured conversion gain is variable with high gain at 24 dB and low gain at 7 dB for the saturation one, and high gain at 22 dB and low gain at 5 dB for the subthreshold one. The noise figure (NF) at high gain mode is 5.1 dB and 6.3 dB for each. The input 1 dB compression point (IP1dB) at low gain mode is about −6 dBm and −3 dBm for each. The front-ends consume about 2.1 mA current from 1.8 V power supply for the saturation one and 1.3 mA current for the subthreshold one. The measured results show that, comparing with the power consumption saving, it is worth making sacrifices on the performance for using the subthreshold technology. (semiconductor integrated circuits)

Internal-reference solid-electrolyte oxygen sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haaland, D.M.

1977-01-01

A new solid-electrolyte oxygen sensor has been developed that eliminates the conventional oxygen reference in previous solid-electrolyte oxygen sensor designs and is, therefore, ideally suited as an insertion device for remote oxygen monitoring applications. It is constructed with two cells of stabilized zirconia sealed into a small unit using a new high-temperature platinum-zirconia seal. One electrochemical cell monitors the ratio of oxygen partial pressures inside and outside the sensor while the other solid-electrolyte cell is used for quantitative electrochemical pumping of oxygen. The internal oxygen reference is generated by initially pumping all oxygen out of the known internal volume of the sensor and then quantitatively pumping oxygen back in until oxygen partial pressures are equal inside and out. This information is used with the ideal gas law to calculate oxygen partial pressures. Tests were conducted from 400 to 1000 0 C in mixtures of oxygen and nitrogen spanning approximately 0.2 to 21 percent oxygen concentration range. Sensors with sputtered platinum and porous platinum paste electrodes were compared

Non-self-sustained electric discharge in oxygen gas mixtures: singlet delta oxygen production

CERN Document Server

Ionin, A A; Kotkov, A A; Kochetov, I V; Napartovich, A P; Seleznev, L V; Sinitsyn, D V; Hager, G D

2003-01-01

The possibility of obtaining a high specific input energy in an electron-beam sustained discharge ignited in oxygen gas mixtures O sub 2 : Ar : CO (or H sub 2) at the total gas pressures of 10-100 Torr was experimentally demonstrated. The specific input energy per molecular component exceeded approx 6 kJ l sup - sup 1 atm sup - sup 1 (150 kJ mol sup - sup 1) as a small amount of carbon monoxide was added into a gas mixture of oxygen and argon. It was theoretically demonstrated that one might expect to obtain a singlet delta oxygen yield of 25% exceeding its threshold value needed for an oxygen-iodine laser operation at room temperature, when maintaining a non-self-sustained discharge in oxygen gas mixtures with molecular additives CO, H sub 2 or D sub 2. The efficiency of singlet delta oxygen production can be as high as 40%.

Ambient oxygen promotes tumorigenesis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ho Joong Sung

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Oxygen serves as an essential factor for oxidative stress, and it has been shown to be a mutagen in bacteria. While it is well established that ambient oxygen can also cause genomic instability in cultured mammalian cells, its effect on de novo tumorigenesis at the organismal level is unclear. Herein, by decreasing ambient oxygen exposure, we report a ∼50% increase in the median tumor-free survival time of p53-/- mice. In the thymus, reducing oxygen exposure decreased the levels of oxidative DNA damage and RAG recombinase, both of which are known to promote lymphomagenesis in p53-/- mice. Oxygen is further shown to be associated with genomic instability in two additional cancer models involving the APC tumor suppressor gene and chemical carcinogenesis. Together, these observations represent the first report directly testing the effect of ambient oxygen on de novo tumorigenesis and provide important physiologic evidence demonstrating its critical role in increasing genomic instability in vivo.

Oxygen Tension in the Aqueous Humor of Human Eyes under Different Oxygenation Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farideh Sharifipour

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To measure oxygen tension in the aqueous humor of human eyes under different oxygenation conditions. Methods: This prospective comparative interventional case series consisted of two parts. In the first part, 120 consecutive patients scheduled for cataract surgery were randomized into group I (control group in which surgery was performed under local anesthesia inhaling 21% oxygen; group II in whom general anesthesia using 50% oxygen was employed; and group III receiving general anesthesia with 100% oxygen. After aspirating 0.2 ml aqueous humor under sterile conditions, the aqueous sample and a simultaneously drawn arterial blood sample were immediately analyzed using a blood gas analyzer. In part II the same procedures were performed in 10 patients after fitting a contact lens and patching the eye for 20 minutes (group IV and in 10 patients after transcorneal delivery of oxygen at a flow rate of 5 L/min (group V. Results: Mean aqueous PO2 in groups I, II and III was 112.3±6.2, 141.1±20.4, and 170.1±27 mmHg, respectively (P values <0.001 and mean arterial PO2 was 85.7±7.9, 184.6±46, and 379.1±75.9 mmHg, respectively (P values <0.001. Aqueous PO2 was 77.2±9.2 mmHg in group IV and 152.3±10.9 mmHg in group V (P values <0.001. There was a significant correlation between aqueous and blood PO2 (r=0.537, P<0.001. The contribution of atmospheric oxygen to aqueous PO2 was 23.7%. Conclusion: Aqueous oxygen tension is mostly dependent on the systemic circulation and in part on the atmosphere. Increasing inspiratory oxygen and transcorneal oxygen delivery both increase aqueous PO2 levels.

SU-E-I-86: Ultra-Low Dose Computed Tomography Attenuation Correction for Pediatric PET CT Using Adaptive Statistical Iterative Reconstruction (ASiR™)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brady, S; Shulkin, B [St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN (United States)

2015-06-15

Purpose: To develop ultra-low dose computed tomography (CT) attenuation correction (CTAC) acquisition protocols for pediatric positron emission tomography CT (PET CT). Methods: A GE Discovery 690 PET CT hybrid scanner was used to investigate the change to quantitative PET and CT measurements when operated at ultra-low doses (10–35 mAs). CT quantitation: noise, low-contrast resolution, and CT numbers for eleven tissue substitutes were analyzed in-phantom. CT quantitation was analyzed to a reduction of 90% CTDIvol (0.39/3.64; mGy) radiation dose from baseline. To minimize noise infiltration, 100% adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASiR) was used for CT reconstruction. PET images were reconstructed with the lower-dose CTAC iterations and analyzed for: maximum body weight standardized uptake value (SUVbw) of various diameter targets (range 8–37 mm), background uniformity, and spatial resolution. Radiation organ dose, as derived from patient exam size specific dose estimate (SSDE), was converted to effective dose using the standard ICRP report 103 method. Effective dose and CTAC noise magnitude were compared for 140 patient examinations (76 post-ASiR implementation) to determine relative patient population dose reduction and noise control. Results: CT numbers were constant to within 10% from the non-dose reduced CTAC image down to 90% dose reduction. No change in SUVbw, background percent uniformity, or spatial resolution for PET images reconstructed with CTAC protocols reconstructed with ASiR and down to 90% dose reduction. Patient population effective dose analysis demonstrated relative CTAC dose reductions between 62%–86% (3.2/8.3−0.9/6.2; mSv). Noise magnitude in dose-reduced patient images increased but was not statistically different from pre dose-reduced patient images. Conclusion: Using ASiR allowed for aggressive reduction in CTAC dose with no change in PET reconstructed images while maintaining sufficient image quality for co

A Low-Pressure Oxygen Storage System for Oxygen Supply in Low-Resource Settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Rassool, Roger P; Sobott, Bryn A; Peake, David J; Mutetire, Bagayana S; Moschovis, Peter P; Black, Jim Fp

2017-12-01

Widespread access to medical oxygen would reduce global pneumonia mortality. Oxygen concentrators are one proposed solution, but they have limitations, in particular vulnerability to electricity fluctuations and failure during blackouts. The low-pressure oxygen storage system addresses these limitations in low-resource settings. This study reports testing of the system in Melbourne, Australia, and nonclinical field testing in Mbarara, Uganda. The system included a power-conditioning unit, a standard oxygen concentrator, and an oxygen store. In Melbourne, pressure and flows were monitored during cycles of filling/emptying, with forced voltage fluctuations. The bladders were tested by increasing pressure until they ruptured. In Mbarara, the system was tested by accelerated cycles of filling/emptying and then run on grid power for 30 d. The low-pressure oxygen storage system performed well, including sustaining a pressure approximately twice the standard working pressure before rupture of the outer bag. Flow of 1.2 L/min was continuously maintained to a simulated patient during 30 d on grid power, despite power failures totaling 2.9% of the total time, with durations of 1-176 min (mean 36.2, median 18.5). The low-pressure oxygen storage system was robust and durable, with accelerated testing equivalent to at least 2 y of operation revealing no visible signs of imminent failure. Despite power cuts, the system continuously provided oxygen, equivalent to the treatment of one child, for 30 d under typical power conditions for sub-Saharan Africa. The low-pressure oxygen storage system is ready for clinical field trials. Copyright © 2017 by Daedalus Enterprises.

Effect of different reconstruction algorithms on computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) performance in ultra-low dose CT colonography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Eun Sun; Kim, Se Hyung; Im, Jong Pil; Kim, Sang Gyun; Shin, Cheong-il; Han, Joon Koo; Choi, Byung Ihn

2015-01-01

Highlights: •We assessed the effect of reconstruction algorithms on CAD in ultra-low dose CTC. •30 patients underwent ultra-low dose CTC using 120 and 100 kVp with 10 mAs. •CT was reconstructed with FBP, ASiR and Veo and then, we applied a CAD system. •Per-polyp sensitivity of CAD in ULD CT can be improved with the IR algorithms. •Despite of an increase in the number of FPs with IR, it was still acceptable. -- Abstract: Purpose: To assess the effect of different reconstruction algorithms on computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) performance in ultra-low-dose CT colonography (ULD CTC). Materials and methods: IRB approval and informed consents were obtained. Thirty prospectively enrolled patients underwent non-contrast CTC at 120 kVp/10 mAs in supine and 100 kVp/10 mAs in prone positions, followed by same-day colonoscopy. Images were reconstructed with filtered back projection (FBP), 80% adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR80), and model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR). A commercial CAD system was applied and per-polyp sensitivities and numbers of false-positives (FPs) were compared among algorithms. Results: Mean effective radiation dose of CTC was 1.02 mSv. Of 101 polyps detected and removed by colonoscopy, 61 polyps were detected on supine and on prone CTC datasets on consensus unblinded review, resulting in 122 visible polyps (32 polyps <6 mm, 52 6–9.9 mm, and 38 ≥ 10 mm). Per-polyp sensitivity of CAD for all polyps was highest with MBIR (56/122, 45.9%), followed by ASIR80 (54/122, 44.3%) and FBP (43/122, 35.2%), with significant differences between FBP and IR algorithms (P < 0.017). Per-polyp sensitivity for polyps ≥ 10 mm was also higher with MBIR (25/38, 65.8%) and ASIR80 (24/38, 63.2%) than with FBP (20/38, 58.8%), albeit without statistical significance (P > 0.017). Mean number of FPs was significantly different among algorithms (FBP, 1.4; ASIR, 2.1; MBIR, 2.4) (P = 0.011). Conclusion: Although the performance of stand-alone CAD

Effect of different reconstruction algorithms on computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) performance in ultra-low dose CT colonography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Eun Sun [Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital (Korea, Republic of); Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Se Hyung, E-mail: shkim7071@gmail.com [Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital (Korea, Republic of); Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital (Korea, Republic of); Im, Jong Pil; Kim, Sang Gyun [Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital (Korea, Republic of); Shin, Cheong-il; Han, Joon Koo; Choi, Byung Ihn [Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital (Korea, Republic of); Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital (Korea, Republic of)

2015-04-15

Highlights: •We assessed the effect of reconstruction algorithms on CAD in ultra-low dose CTC. •30 patients underwent ultra-low dose CTC using 120 and 100 kVp with 10 mAs. •CT was reconstructed with FBP, ASiR and Veo and then, we applied a CAD system. •Per-polyp sensitivity of CAD in ULD CT can be improved with the IR algorithms. •Despite of an increase in the number of FPs with IR, it was still acceptable. -- Abstract: Purpose: To assess the effect of different reconstruction algorithms on computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) performance in ultra-low-dose CT colonography (ULD CTC). Materials and methods: IRB approval and informed consents were obtained. Thirty prospectively enrolled patients underwent non-contrast CTC at 120 kVp/10 mAs in supine and 100 kVp/10 mAs in prone positions, followed by same-day colonoscopy. Images were reconstructed with filtered back projection (FBP), 80% adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR80), and model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR). A commercial CAD system was applied and per-polyp sensitivities and numbers of false-positives (FPs) were compared among algorithms. Results: Mean effective radiation dose of CTC was 1.02 mSv. Of 101 polyps detected and removed by colonoscopy, 61 polyps were detected on supine and on prone CTC datasets on consensus unblinded review, resulting in 122 visible polyps (32 polyps <6 mm, 52 6–9.9 mm, and 38 ≥ 10 mm). Per-polyp sensitivity of CAD for all polyps was highest with MBIR (56/122, 45.9%), followed by ASIR80 (54/122, 44.3%) and FBP (43/122, 35.2%), with significant differences between FBP and IR algorithms (P < 0.017). Per-polyp sensitivity for polyps ≥ 10 mm was also higher with MBIR (25/38, 65.8%) and ASIR80 (24/38, 63.2%) than with FBP (20/38, 58.8%), albeit without statistical significance (P > 0.017). Mean number of FPs was significantly different among algorithms (FBP, 1.4; ASIR, 2.1; MBIR, 2.4) (P = 0.011). Conclusion: Although the performance of stand-alone CAD

Simultaneous sampling of tissue oxygenation and oxygen consumption in skeletal muscle.

Science.gov (United States)

Nugent, William H; Song, Bjorn K; Pittman, Roland N; Golub, Aleksander S

2016-05-01

Under physiologic conditions, microvascular oxygen delivery appears to be well matched to oxygen consumption in respiring tissues. We present a technique to measure interstitial oxygen tension (PISFO2) and oxygen consumption (VO2) under steady-state conditions, as well as during the transitions from rest to activity and back. Phosphorescence Quenching Microscopy (PQM) was employed with pneumatic compression cycling to achieve 1 to 10 Hz sampling rates of interstitial PO2 and simultaneous recurrent sampling of VO2 (3/min) in the exteriorized rat spinotrapezius muscle. The compression pressure was optimized to 120-130 mmHg without adverse effect on the tissue preparation. A cycle of 5s compression followed by 15s recovery yielded a resting VO2 of 0.98 ± 0.03 ml O2/100 cm(3)min while preserving microvascular oxygen delivery. The measurement system was then used to assess VO2 dependence on PISFO2 at rest and further tested under conditions of isometric muscle contraction to demonstrate a robust ability to monitor the on-kinetics of tissue respiration and the compensatory changes in PISFO2 during contraction and recovery. The temporal and spatial resolution of this approach is well suited to studies seeking to characterize microvascular oxygen supply and demand in thin tissues. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Kinetics of oxygen species in an electrically driven singlet oxygen generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azyazov, V.N.; Torbin, A.P.; Pershin, A.A.; Mikheyev, P.A.; Heaven, M.C.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Vibrational excitation of O_3 increases the rate constant for O_3 + O_2(a) → 2O_2(X) + O. • Vibrationally excited O_3 is produced by the O + O_2(X) + M → O_3 + M reaction. • Ozone concentrations are impacted by the reactions of vibrationally excited O_3. • Relevant to ozone concentrations in oxygen discharges and the upper atmosphere. - Abstract: The kinetics of oxygen species in the gaseous medium of a discharge singlet oxygen generator has been revisited. Vibrationally excited ozone O_3(υ) formed in O + O_2 recombination is thought to be a significant agent in the deactivation of singlet oxygen O_2(a"1Δ), oxygen atom removal and ozone formation. It is shown that the process O_3(υ ⩾ 2) + O_2(a"1Δ) → 2O_2 + O is the main O_2(a"1Δ) deactivation channel in the post-discharge zone. If no measures are taken to decrease the oxygen atom concentration, the contribution of this process to the overall O_2(a"1Δ) removal is significant, even in the discharge zone. A simplified model for the kinetics of vibrationally excited ozone is proposed. Calculations based on this model yield results that are in good agreement with the experimental data.

Neuroprotection of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in sub-acute traumatic brain injury: not by immediately improving cerebral oxygen saturation and oxygen partial pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Bao-Chun; Liu, Li-Jun; Liu, Bing

2016-09-01

Although hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy can promote the recovery of neural function in patients who have suffered traumatic brain injury (TBI), the underlying mechanism is unclear. We hypothesized that hyperbaric oxygen treatment plays a neuroprotective role in TBI by increasing regional transcranial oxygen saturation (rSO 2 ) and oxygen partial pressure (PaO 2 ). To test this idea, we compared two groups: a control group with 20 healthy people and a treatment group with 40 TBI patients. The 40 patients were given 100% oxygen of HBO for 90 minutes. Changes in rSO 2 were measured. The controls were also examined for rSO 2 and PaO 2 , but received no treatment. rSO 2 levels in the patients did not differ significantly after treatment, but levels before and after treatment were significantly lower than those in the control group. PaO 2 levels were significantly decreased after the 30-minute HBO treatment. Our findings suggest that there is a disorder of oxygen metabolism in patients with sub-acute TBI. HBO does not immediately affect cerebral oxygen metabolism, and the underlying mechanism still needs to be studied in depth.

OXYGEN MANAGEMENT DURING ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION

OpenAIRE

MOENNE VARGAS, MARÍA ISABE

2013-01-01

Oxygen additions are a common practice in winemaking, as oxygen has a positive effect in fermentative kinetics, biomass synthesis and improvement of color, structure and :flavor in treated wines. However, most oxygen additions are carried out heuristically through pump-over operations solely on a know-how basis, which is difficult to manage in terms of the exact quantity of oxygen transferred to the fermenting must. It is important to estímate the amount of oxygen added because...

Medical oxygen and air travel.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyznicki, J M; Williams, M A; Deitchman, S D; Howe, J P

2000-08-01

This report responds to a resolution that asked the American Medical Association (AMA) to take action to improve airport and airline accommodations for passengers requiring medical oxygen. Information for the report was derived from a search of the MEDLINE database and references listed in pertinent articles, as well as through communications with experts in aerospace and emergency medicine. Based on this information, the AMA Council on Scientific Affairs determined that commercial air travel exposes passengers to altitude-related hypoxia and gas expansion, which may cause some passengers to experience significant symptoms and medical complications during flight. Medical guidelines are available to help physicians evaluate and counsel potential passengers who are at increased risk of inflight hypoxemia. Supplemental oxygen may be needed for some passengers to maintain adequate tissue oxygenation and prevent hypoxemic complications. For safety and security reasons, federal regulations prohibit travelers from using their own portable oxygen system onboard commercial aircraft. Many U.S. airlines supply medical oxygen for use during flight but policies and procedures vary. Oxygen-dependent passengers must make additional arrangements for the use of supplemental oxygen in airports. Uniform standards are needed to specify procedures and equipment for the use of medical oxygen in airports and aboard commercial aircraft. Revision of federal regulations should be considered to accommodate oxygen-dependent passengers and permit them to have an uninterrupted source of oxygen from departure to destination.

Oxygen transport membrane

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2015-01-01

The present invention relates to a novel composite oxygen transport membrane as well as its preparation and uses thereof.......The present invention relates to a novel composite oxygen transport membrane as well as its preparation and uses thereof....

Integration of oxygen membranes for oxygen production in cement plants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Puig Arnavat, Maria; Søgaard, Martin; Hjuler, Klaus

2015-01-01

The present paper describes the integration of oxygen membranes in cement plants both from an energy, exergy and economic point of view. Different configurations for oxygen enrichment of the tertiary air for combustion in the pre-calciner and full oxy-fuel combustion in both pre-calciner and kiln...

Relationship Between Cerebral Oxygenation and Hemodynamic and Oxygen Transport Parameters in Surgery for Acquired Heart Diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. I. Lenkin

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: to evaluate the relationship between cerebral oxygenation and hemodynamic and oxygen transport parameters in surgical correction of concomitant acquired heart diseases. Subjects and methods. Informed consent was received from 40 patients who required surgery because of concomitant (two or more acquired heart defects. During procedure, perioperative monitoring of oxygen transport and cerebral oxygenation was performed with the aid of PiCCO2 monitor (Pulsion Medical Systems, Germany and a Fore-Sight cerebral oximeter (CASMED, USA. Anesthesia was maintained with propofol and fen-tanyl, by monitoring the depth of anesthesia. Early postoperative intensive therapy was based on the protocol for early targeted correction of hemodynamic disorders. Oxygen transport and cerebral oxygenation parameters were estimated intraopera-tively and within 24 postoperative hours. A statistical analysis including evaluation of Spearman correlations was performed with the aid of SPSS 15.0. Results. During perfusion, there was a relationship between cerebral oximetry values and hemat-ocrit levels, and oxygen partial pressure in the venous blood. Furthermore, a negative correlation between cerebral oximetry values and blood lactate levels was found 30 minutes after initiation of extracorporeal circulation (EC. During the study, there was a positive correlation between cerebral oxygenation and values of cardiac index, central venous saturation, and oxygen delivery index. There was a negative relationship between cerebral oxygenation and extravascular lung water at the beginning of surgery and a correlation between cerebral oximetry values and oxygenation index by the end of the first 24 postoperative hours. Conclusion. The cerebral oxygenation values correlate -with the main determinants of oxygen transport during EC and after cardiac surgical procedures. Cerebral oximetry may be used in early targeted therapy for the surgical correction of acquired combined

Oxygenation measurements in head and neck cancers during hyperbaric oxygenation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becker, A.; Kuhnt, T.; Dunst, J.; Liedtke, H.; Krivokuca, A.; Bloching, M.

2002-01-01

Background: Tumor hypoxia has proven prognostic impact in head and neck cancers and is associated with poor response to radiotherapy. Hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) offers an approach to overcome hypoxia. We have performed pO 2 measurements in selected patients with head and neck cancers under HBO to determine in how far changes in the oxygenation occur and whether a possible improvement of oxygenation parameters is maintained after HBO. Patients and Methods: Seven patients (five male, two female, age 51-63 years) with squamous cell cancers of the head and neck were investigated (six primaries, one local recurrence). The median pO 2 prior to HBO was determined with the Eppendorf histograph. Sites of measurement were enlarged cervical lymph nodes (n = 5), the primary tumor (n = 1) and local recurrence (n = 1). Patients then underwent HBO (100% O 2 at 240 kPa for 30 minutes) and the continuous changes in the oxygenation during HBO were determined with a Licox probe. Patients had HBO for 30 minutes (n = 6) to 40 minutes (n = 1). HBO was continued because the pO 2 had not reached a steady state after 30 minutes. After decompression, patients ventilated pure oxygen under normobaric conditions and the course of the pO 2 was further measured over about 15 minutes. Results: Prior to HBO, the median tumor pO 2 in the Eppendorf histography was 8.6 ± 5.4 mm Hg (range 3-19 mm Hg) and the pO 2 measured with the Licox probe was 17.3 ± 25.5 mm Hg (range 0-73 mm Hg). The pO 2 increased significantly during HBO to 550 ± 333 mm Hg (range 85-984 mm Hg, p = 0.018). All patients showed a marked increase irrespective of the oxygenation prior to HBO. The maximum pO 2 in the tumor was reached after 10-33 minutes (mean 17 minutes). After leaving the hyperbaric chamber, the pO 2 was 282 ± 196 mm Hg. All patients maintained an elevated pO 2 for further 5-25 minutes (138 ± 128 mm Hg, range 42-334 mm Hg, p = 0.028 vs the pO 2 prior to HBO). Conclusions: Hyperbaric oxygenation resulted in a

MESSENGER Magnetic Field Observations of Upstream Ultra-Low Frequency Waves at Mercury

Science.gov (United States)

Le, G.; Chi, P. J.; Boardsen, S.; Blanco-Cano, X.; Anderosn, B. J.; Korth, H.

2012-01-01

The region upstream from a planetary bow shock is a natural plasma laboratory containing a variety of wave particle phenomena. The study of foreshocks other than the Earth's is important for extending our understanding of collisionless shocks and foreshock physics since the bow shock strength varies with heliocentric distance from the Sun, and the sizes of the bow shocks are different at different planets. The Mercury's bow shock is unique in our solar system as it is produced by low Mach number solar wind blowing over a small magnetized body with a predominately radial interplanetary magnetic field. Previous observations of Mercury upstream ultra-low frequency (ULF) waves came exclusively from two Mercury flybys of Mariner 10. The MESSENGER orbiter data enable us to study of upstream waves in the Mercury's foreshock in depth. This paper reports an overview of upstream ULF waves in the Mercury's foreshock using high-time resolution magnetic field data, 20 samples per second, from the MESSENGER spacecraft. The most common foreshock waves have frequencies near 2 Hz, with properties similar to the I-Hz waves in the Earth's foreshock. They are present in both the flyby data and in every orbit of the orbital data we have surveyed. The most common wave phenomenon in the Earth's foreshock is the large-amplitude 30-s waves, but similar waves at Mercury have frequencies at near 0.1 Hz and occur only sporadically with short durations (a few wave cycles). Superposed on the "30-s" waves, there are spectral peaks at near 0.6 Hz, not reported previously in Mariner 10 data. We will discuss wave properties and their occurrence characteristics in this paper.

Kinetics of oxygen species in an electrically driven singlet oxygen generator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Azyazov, V.N., E-mail: azyazov@fian.smr.ru [Samara State Aerospace University, 443086 (Russian Federation); Lebedev Physical Institute of RAS, Samara 443011 (Russian Federation); Torbin, A.P.; Pershin, A.A. [Samara State Aerospace University, 443086 (Russian Federation); Lebedev Physical Institute of RAS, Samara 443011 (Russian Federation); Mikheyev, P.A., E-mail: mikheyev@fian.smr.ru [Samara State Aerospace University, 443086 (Russian Federation); Lebedev Physical Institute of RAS, Samara 443011 (Russian Federation); Heaven, M.C., E-mail: mheaven@emory.edu [Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 (United States)

2015-12-16

Highlights: • Vibrational excitation of O{sub 3} increases the rate constant for O{sub 3} + O{sub 2}(a) → 2O{sub 2}(X) + O. • Vibrationally excited O{sub 3} is produced by the O + O{sub 2}(X) + M → O{sub 3} + M reaction. • Ozone concentrations are impacted by the reactions of vibrationally excited O{sub 3}. • Relevant to ozone concentrations in oxygen discharges and the upper atmosphere. - Abstract: The kinetics of oxygen species in the gaseous medium of a discharge singlet oxygen generator has been revisited. Vibrationally excited ozone O{sub 3}(υ) formed in O + O{sub 2} recombination is thought to be a significant agent in the deactivation of singlet oxygen O{sub 2}(a{sup 1}Δ), oxygen atom removal and ozone formation. It is shown that the process O{sub 3}(υ ⩾ 2) + O{sub 2}(a{sup 1}Δ) → 2O{sub 2} + O is the main O{sub 2}(a{sup 1}Δ) deactivation channel in the post-discharge zone. If no measures are taken to decrease the oxygen atom concentration, the contribution of this process to the overall O{sub 2}(a{sup 1}Δ) removal is significant, even in the discharge zone. A simplified model for the kinetics of vibrationally excited ozone is proposed. Calculations based on this model yield results that are in good agreement with the experimental data.

Ultra-low emittance beam generation using two-color ionization injection in a CO2 laser-driven plasma accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schroeder, Carl; Benedetti, Carlo; Bulanov, Stepan; Chen, Min; Esarey, Eric; Geddes, Cameron; Vay, J.; Yu, Lule; Leemans, Wim

2015-01-01

Ultra-low emittance (tens of nm) beams can be generated in a plasma accelerator using ionization injection of electrons into a wakefield. An all-optical method of beam generation uses two laser pulses of different colors. A long-wavelength drive laser pulse (with a large ponderomotive force and small peak electric field) is used to excite a large wakefield without fully ionizing a gas, and a short-wavelength injection laser pulse (with a small ponderomotive force and large peak electric field), co-propagating and delayed with respect to the pump laser, to ionize a fraction of the remaining bound electrons at a trapped wake phase, generating an electron beam that is accelerated in the wake. The trapping condition, the ionized electron distribution, and the trapped bunch dynamics are discussed. Expressions for the beam transverse emittance, parallel and orthogonal to the ionization laser polarization, are presented. An example is shown using a 10-micron CO 2 laser to drive the wake and a frequency-doubled Ti:Al 2 O 3 laser for ionization injection.

Ultra-low input transcriptomics reveal the spore functional content and phylogenetic affiliations of poorly studied arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

Science.gov (United States)

Beaudet, Denis; Chen, Eric C H; Mathieu, Stephanie; Yildirir, Gokalp; Ndikumana, Steve; Dalpé, Yolande; Séguin, Sylvie; Farinelli, Laurent; Stajich, Jason E; Corradi, Nicolas

2017-12-02

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are a group of soil microorganisms that establish symbioses with the vast majority of land plants. To date, generation of AMF coding information has been limited to model genera that grow well axenically; Rhizoglomus and Gigaspora. Meanwhile, data on the functional gene repertoire of most AMF families is non-existent. Here, we provide primary large-scale transcriptome data from eight poorly studied AMF species (Acaulospora morrowiae, Diversispora versiforme, Scutellospora calospora, Racocetra castanea, Paraglomus brasilianum, Ambispora leptoticha, Claroideoglomus claroideum and Funneliformis mosseae) using ultra-low input ribonucleic acid (RNA)-seq approaches. Our analyses reveals that quiescent spores of many AMF species harbour a diverse functional diversity and solidify known evolutionary relationships within the group. Our findings demonstrate that RNA-seq data obtained from low-input RNA are reliable in comparison to conventional RNA-seq experiments. Thus, our methodology can potentially be used to deepen our understanding of fungal microbial function and phylogeny using minute amounts of RNA material. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Kazusa DNA Research Institute.

Ultra-low dose dual-source high-pitch computed tomography of the paranasal sinus: diagnostic sensitivity and radiation dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schulz, Boris; Zangos, Stefan; Friedrichs, Ingke; Bauer, Ralf W.; Kerl, Matthias; Vogl, Thomas J.; Martin M Mack, Martin M.; Potente, Stefan

2012-01-01

Background: Today's gold standard for diagnostic imaging of inflammatory diseases of the paranasal sinus is computed tomography (CT). Purpose: To evaluate diagnostic sensitivity and radiation dose of an ultra-low dose dual-source CT technique. Material and Methods: Paranasal sinuses of 14 cadaveric heads were independently evaluated by two readers using a modern dual-source CT with lowest reasonable dosage in high-pitch mode (100 kV, 10 mAs, collimation 0.6 mm, pitch value 3.0). Additionally the head part of an anthropomorphic Alderson-Rando phantom was equipped with thermoluminescent detectors to measure radiation exposure to the eye lenses and thyroid gland. Results: Diagnostic accuracy regarding sinusoidal fluid, nasal septum deviation, and mucosal swelling was 100%. Mastoid fluid was detected in 76% and 92%, respectively. In the phantom study, average measured eye lens dosage was 0.64 mGy; radiation exposure of the thyroid gland was 0.085 mGy. Conclusion: Regarding evaluation of inflammatory diseases of the paranasal sinus this study indicates sufficient accuracy of the proposed CT protocol at a very low dosage level

A theoretical model for the effects of reduced hemoglobin-oxygen affinity on tumor oxygenation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kavanagh, Brian D.; Secomb, Timothy W.; Hsu, Richard; Lin, P.-S.; Venitz, Jurgen; Dewhirst, Mark W.

2002-01-01

Purpose: To develop a theoretical model for oxygen delivery to tumors, and to use the model to simulate the effects of changing the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen on tumor oxygenation. Methods and Materials: Hemoglobin affinity is expressed in terms of P 50 , the partial pressure of oxygen (Po 2 ) at half saturation. Effects of changing P 50 on arterial Po 2 are predicted using an effective vessel approach to describe diffusive oxygen transport in the lungs, assuming fixed systemic oxygen demand and fixed blood flow rate. The decline in oxygen content of blood as it flows through normal tissue before entering the tumor region is assumed fixed. The hypoxic fraction of the tumor region is predicted using a three-dimensional simulation of diffusion from a network of vessels whose geometry is derived from observations of tumor microvasculature in the rat. Results: In air-breathing rats, predicted hypoxic fraction decreases with moderate increases in P 50 , but increases with further increases of P 50 , in agreement with previous experimental results. In rats breathing hyperoxic gases, and in humans breathing either normoxic or hyperoxic gases, increased P 50 is predicted to improve tumor oxygenation. Conclusions: The results support the administration of synthetic agents to increase P 50 during radiation treatment of tumors

Management Review: Progress and Challenges at the Defense Logistics Agency.

Science.gov (United States)

1986-04-01

with safety and worklife problems (warehousing schemes, replacement or improvement of equipment, loading dock shelters, and employee orientation systems... balances . Accuracy of DCASR Contingent The contingent liability record is one of the more important records Liability Records maintained by DCASRs because...needed for making management decisions and for certifying to the accu- racy of ULO balances . Problems in Data Reported to Based on our interviews with

Optic nerve oxygenation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stefánsson, Einar; Pedersen, Daniella Bach; Jensen, Peter Koch

2005-01-01

The oxygen tension of the optic nerve is regulated by the intraocular pressure and systemic blood pressure, the resistance in the blood vessels and oxygen consumption of the tissue. The oxygen tension is autoregulated and moderate changes in intraocular pressure or blood pressure do not affect...... the optic nerve oxygen tension. If the intraocular pressure is increased above 40 mmHg or the ocular perfusion pressure decreased below 50 mmHg the autoregulation is overwhelmed and the optic nerve becomes hypoxic. A disturbance in oxidative metabolism in the cytochromes of the optic nerve can be seen...... at similar levels of perfusion pressure. The levels of perfusion pressure that lead to optic nerve hypoxia in the laboratory correspond remarkably well to the levels that increase the risk of glaucomatous optic nerve atrophy in human glaucoma patients. The risk for progressive optic nerve atrophy in human...

Oxygen and animal evolution: Did a rise of atmospheric oxygen trigger the origin of animals?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mills, Daniel Brady; Canfield, Donald Eugene

2014-01-01

Recent studies challenge the classical view that the origin of animal life was primarily controlled by atmospheric oxygen levels. For example, some modern sponges, representing early-branching animals, can live under 200 times less oxygen than currently present in the atmosphere - levels commonly...... thought to have been maintained prior to their origination. Furthermore, it is increasingly argued that the earliest animals, which likely lived in low oxygen environments, played an active role in constructing the well-oxygenated conditions typical of the modern oceans. Therefore, while oxygen is still...

Ultra-Low Field SQUID-NMR using LN2 Cooled Cu Polarizing Field coil

Science.gov (United States)

Demachi, K.; Kawagoe, S.; Ariyoshi, S.; Tanaka, S.

2017-07-01

We are developing an Ultra-Low Field (ULF) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system using a High-Temperature Superconductor superconducting quantum interference device (HTS rf-SQUID) for food inspection. The advantages of the ULF-NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) / MRI as compared with a conventional high field MRI are that they are compact and of low cost. In this study, we developed a ULF SQUID-NMR system using a polarizing coil to measure fat of which relaxation time T1 is shorter. The handmade polarizing coil was cooled by liquid nitrogen to reduce the resistance and accordingly increase the allowable current. The measured decay time of the polarizing field was 40 ms. The measurement system consisted of the liquid nitrogen cooled polarizing coil, a SQUID, a Cu wound flux transformer, a measurement field coil for the field of 47 μT, and an AC pulse coil for a 90°pulse field. The NMR measurements were performed in a magnetically shielded room to reduce the environmental magnetic field. The size of the sample was ϕ35 mm × L80 mm. After applying a polarizing field and a 90°pulse, an NMR signal was detected by the SQUID through the flux transformer. As a result, the NMR spectra of fat samples were obtained at 2.0 kHz corresponding to the measurement field Bm of 47 μT. The T1 relaxation time of the mineral oil measured in Bm was 45 ms. These results suggested that the ULF-NMR/MRI system has potential for food inspection.

Kinetics of oxygen uncoupling of a copper based oxygen carrier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, Wenting; Donat, Felix; Scott, S.A.; Dennis, J.S.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The kinetics of a Cu-based oxygen carrier was determined using a TGA. • A diffusion model was applied to remove mass transfer effects from rate parameters. • Thermodynamics are separated from kinetics, usually difficult for the CLOU reaction. • The rate parameters correctly described the behaviour in a fluidised bed. • The rate parameters can be used to predict performance of large CLOU systems. - Abstract: Here, an oxygen carrier consisting of 60 wt% CuO supported on a mixture of Al_2O_3 and CaO (23 wt% and 17 wt% respectively) was synthesised by wet-mixing powdered CuO, Al(OH)_3 and Ca(OH)_2, followed by calcination at 1000 °C. Its suitability for chemical looping with oxygen uncoupling (CLOU) was investigated. After 25 repeated redox cycles in either a thermogravimetric analyser (TGA) or a laboratory-scale fluidised bed, (with 5 vol% H_2 in N_2 as the fuel, and air as the oxidant) no significant change in either the oxygen uncoupling capacity or the overall oxygen availability of the carrier was found. In the TGA, it was found that the rate of oxygen release from the material was controlled by intrinsic chemical kinetics and external transfer of mass from the surface of the particles to the bulk gas. By modelling the various resistances, values of the rate constant for the decomposition were obtained. The activation energy of the reaction was found to be 59.7 kJ/mol (with a standard error of 5.6 kJ/mol) and the corresponding pre-exponential factor was 632 m"3/mol/s. The local rate of conversion within a particle was assumed to occur either (i) by homogeneous chemical reaction, or (ii) in uniform, non-porous grains, each reacting as a kinetically-controlled shrinking core. Upon cross validation against a batch fluidised bed experiment, the homogeneous reaction model was found to be more plausible. By accurately accounting for the various artefacts (e.g. mass transfer resistances) present in both TGA and fluidised bed experiments, it was

Heme biomolecule as redox mediator and oxygen shuttle for efficient charging of lithium-oxygen batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Ryu, Won-Hee; Gittleson, Forrest S.; Thomsen, Julianne M.; Li, Jinyang; Schwab, Mark J.; Brudvig, Gary W.; Taylor, André D.

2016-01-01

One of the greatest challenges with lithium-oxygen batteries involves identifying catalysts that facilitate the growth and evolution of cathode species on an oxygen electrode. Heterogeneous solid catalysts cannot adequately address the problematic overpotentials when the surfaces become passivated. However, there exists a class of biomolecules which have been designed by nature to guide complex solution-based oxygen chemistries. Here, we show that the heme molecule, a common porphyrin cofactor in blood, can function as a soluble redox catalyst and oxygen shuttle for efficient oxygen evolution in non-aqueous Li-O2 batteries. The heme's oxygen binding capability facilitates battery recharge by accepting and releasing dissociated oxygen species while benefiting charge transfer with the cathode. We reveal the chemical change of heme redox molecules where synergy exists with the electrolyte species. This study brings focus to the rational design of solution-based catalysts and suggests a sustainable cross-link between biomolecules and advanced energy storage. PMID:27759005

A wide range ultra-low power Phase-Locked Loop with automatic frequency setting in 130 nm CMOS technology for data serialisation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Firlej, M.; Fiutowski, T.; Idzik, M.; Moroń, J.; Świentek, K.

2015-01-01

The design and measurements results of a wide frequency range ultra-low power Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) for applications in readout systems of particle physics detectors are presented. The PLL was fabricated in a 130 nm CMOS technology. To allow the implementation of different data serialisation schemes multiple division factors (6, 8, 10, 16) were implemented in the PLL feedback loop. The main PLL block—VCO works in 16 frequency ranges/modes, switched either manually or automatically. A dedicated automatic frequency mode switching circuit was developed to allow simple frequency tuning. Although the PLL was designed and simulated for a frequency range of 30 MHz–3 GHz, due to the SLVS interface limits, the measurements were done only up to 1.3 GHz. The full PLL functionality was experimentally verified, confirming a very low and frequency scalable power consumption (0.7 mW at 1 GHz)

A wide range ultra-low power Phase-Locked Loop with automatic frequency setting in 130 nm CMOS technology for data serialisation

Science.gov (United States)

Firlej, M.; Fiutowski, T.; Idzik, M.; Moroń, J.; Świentek, K.

2015-12-01

The design and measurements results of a wide frequency range ultra-low power Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) for applications in readout systems of particle physics detectors are presented. The PLL was fabricated in a 130 nm CMOS technology. To allow the implementation of different data serialisation schemes multiple division factors (6, 8, 10, 16) were implemented in the PLL feedback loop. The main PLL block—VCO works in 16 frequency ranges/modes, switched either manually or automatically. A dedicated automatic frequency mode switching circuit was developed to allow simple frequency tuning. Although the PLL was designed and simulated for a frequency range of 30 MHz-3 GHz, due to the SLVS interface limits, the measurements were done only up to 1.3 GHz. The full PLL functionality was experimentally verified, confirming a very low and frequency scalable power consumption (0.7 mW at 1 GHz).

Efficient decomposition of formaldehyde at room temperature over Pt/honeycomb ceramics with ultra-low Pt content.

Science.gov (United States)

Nie, Longhui; Zheng, Yingqiu; Yu, Jiaguo

2014-09-14

Pt/honeycomb ceramic (Pt/HC) catalysts with ultra-low Pt content (0.005-0.055 wt%) were for the first time prepared by an impregnation of honeycomb ceramics with Pt precursor and NaBH4-reduction combined method. The microstructures, morphologies and textural properties of the resulting samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The obtained Pt/HC catalysts were used for catalytic oxidative decomposition of formaldehyde (HCHO) at room temperature. It was found that the as-prepared Pt/HC catalysts can efficiently decompose HCHO in air into CO2 and H2O at room temperature. The catalytic activity of the Pt/HC catalysts increases with increasing the Pt loading in the range of 0.005-0.013 wt%, and the further increase of the Pt loading does not obviously improve catalytic activity. From the viewpoint of cost and catalytic performance, 0.013 wt% Pt loading is the optimal Pt loading amount, and the Pt/HC catalyst with 0.013 wt% Pt loading also exhibited good catalytic stability. Considering practical applications, this work will provide new insights into the low-cost and large-scale fabrication of advanced catalytic materials for indoor air purification.

Clean conditions for the determination of ultra-low levels of mercury in ice and snow samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferrari, C.P.; Moreau, A.L.; Boutron, C.F.; Univ. Joseph Fourier de Grenoble

2000-01-01

Laboratory facilities and methods are presented for the determination of ultra-low levels of mercury (Hg) in ice and snow samples originating from polar ice caps or temperate regions. Special emphasis will be given to the presentation of the clean laboratory and the cleaning procedures. The laboratory is pressurized with air filtered through high efficiency particle filters. This first filtration is not enough to get rid of contamination by Hg in air. Experiments are conducted in a clean bench, especially built for Hg analysis, equipped with both particle filter and activated charcoal filter. It allows to obtain very low levels of atmospheric Hg contamination. Ultrapure water is produced for cleaning all the plastic containers that will be used for ice and snow samples and also for the dilution of the standards. Hg content in laboratory water is about 0.08 ± 0.02 pg/g. A Teflon system has been developed for the determination of Hg in ice and snow samples based on Hg(II) reduction to Hg(0) with a SnCl 2 /HNO 3 solution followed by the measurement of gaseous Hg(0) with a Hg analyzer GARDIS 1A+ based on the Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy method. Blank determination is discussed. (orig.)

Nitric Oxide is Required for Homeostasis of Oxygen and Reactive Oxygen Species in Barley Roots under Aerobic Conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gupta, Kapuganti J; Hebelstrup, Kim; Kruger, Nicholas J

2014-01-01

Oxygen, the terminal electron acceptor for mitochondrial electron transport, is vital for plants because of its role in the production of ATP by oxidative phosphorylation. While photosynthetic oxygen production contributes to the oxygen supply in leaves, reducing the risk of oxygen limitation of ...... electron transport chain (Gupta et al., 2011). Thus, NO could influence oxygen consumption under normal aerobic conditions in roots, and it is this specific function that is assessed here.......Oxygen, the terminal electron acceptor for mitochondrial electron transport, is vital for plants because of its role in the production of ATP by oxidative phosphorylation. While photosynthetic oxygen production contributes to the oxygen supply in leaves, reducing the risk of oxygen limitation...

A Design Report of the Baseline for PEP-X: an Ultra-Low Emittance Storage Ring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bane, Karl; Bertsche, Kirk; Cai, Yunhai; Chao, Alex; Corbett, Willian; Fox, John; Hettel, Robert; Huang, Xiaobiao; Huang, Zhirong; Ng, Cho-Kuen; Nosochkov, Yuri; Novokhatski, Sasha; Radedeau, Thomas; Raubenheimer, Tor; Rivetta, Claudio; Safranek, James; Seeman, John; Stohr, Joachim; Stupakov, Gennady; Wang, Lanfa; Wang, Min-Huey; /SLAC

2010-06-02

Over the past year, we have worked out a baseline design for PEP-X, as an ultra-low emittance storage ring that could reside in the existing 2.2-km PEPII tunnel. The design features a hybrid lattice with double bend achromat (DBA) cells in two arcs and theoretical minimum emittance (TME) cells in the remaining four arcs. Damping wigglers are used to reduce the horizontal emittance to 86 pm-rad at zero current for a 4.5 GeV electron beam. At a design current of 1.5 A, the horizontal emittance increases, due to intrabeam scattering, to 164 pm-rad when the vertical emittance is maintained at a diffraction limited 8 pm-rad. The baseline design will produce photon beams achieving a brightness of 10{sup 22} (ph/s/mm{sup 2}/mrad{sup 2}/0.1% BW) at 10 keV in a 3.5-m conventional planar undulator. Our study shows that an optimized lattice has adequate dynamic aperture, while accommodating a conventional off-axis injection system. In this report, we present the results of study, including the lattice properties, nonlinear dynamics, intra-beam scattering and Touschek lifetime, RF system, and collective instabilities. Finally, we discuss the possibility of partial lasing at soft X-ray wavelengths using a long undulator in a straight section.

High Selectivity Oxygen Delignification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lucian A. Lucia

2005-11-15

Project Objective: The objectives of this project are as follows: (1) Examine the physical and chemical characteristics of a partner mill pre- and post-oxygen delignified pulp and compare them to lab generated oxygen delignified pulps; (2) Apply the chemical selectivity enhancement system to the partner pre-oxygen delignified pulps under mill conditions (with and without any predetermined amounts of carryover) to determine how efficiently viscosity is preserved, how well selectivity is enhanced, if strength is improved, measure any yield differences and/or bleachability differences; and (3) Initiate a mill scale oxygen delignification run using the selectivity enhancement agent, collect the mill data, analyze it, and propose any future plans for implementation.

Investigation of the singlet delta oxygen and ozone yields from the pulsed radiolysis of oxygen and oxygen-noble gas mixtures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zediker, M.S.

1984-01-01

The experiments discussed herein were performed with a flowing gas apparatus coupled to the University of Illinois TRIGA reactor. The detectors (lambda = 1.27 μ 634 nm) were calibrated with a novel NO 2 titration scheme and the absorbed dose was estimated from the ozone concentrations measured in pure oxygen. The results of these experiments revealed an O 2 (a 1 Δ) production efficiency of 0.14% for direct nuclear pumping in an argon-oxygen mixture. Extensive modeling of the oxygen and argon-oxygen mixtures were benchmarked against these and other experiments. However, good agreement over a broad absorbed dose range was only possible if the O 4 + + O 4 - neutralization reaction was assumed to be nondissociative. In a second set of experiments with a nuclear sustained electrical discharge (low E/N), the O 2 (a 1 Δ) production efficiency was approx.0.40% for the electrical power densities examined. In addition, the O 2 (a 1 Δ) was observed to scale with the square root of the electrical power deposition but was independent of the oxygen concentration. A simple analytic model was developed which explains this behavior as a characteristic of an externally sustained discharge involving an electron attaching gas such as oxygen. The results of these experiments and the modeling of the chemical kinetics are discussed with an emphasis on optimizing the O 2 (a 1 Δ) and O 3 yields

Improved arterial blood oxygenation following intravenous infusion of cold supersaturated dissolved oxygen solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Grady, Daniel J; Gentile, Michael A; Riggs, John H; Cheifetz, Ira M

2014-01-01

One of the primary goals of critical care medicine is to support adequate gas exchange without iatrogenic sequelae. An emerging method of delivering supplemental oxygen is intravenously rather than via the traditional inhalation route. The objective of this study was to evaluate the gas-exchange effects of infusing cold intravenous (IV) fluids containing very high partial pressures of dissolved oxygen (>760 mm Hg) in a porcine model. Juvenile swines were anesthetized and mechanically ventilated. Each animal received an infusion of cold (13 °C) Ringer's lactate solution (30 mL/kg/hour), which had been supersaturated with dissolved oxygen gas (39.7 mg/L dissolved oxygen, 992 mm Hg, 30.5 mL/L). Arterial blood gases and physiologic measurements were repeated at 15-minute intervals during a 60-minute IV infusion of the supersaturated dissolved oxygen solution. Each animal served as its own control. Five swines (12.9 ± 0.9 kg) were studied. Following the 60-minute infusion, there were significant increases in PaO2 and SaO2 (P < 0.05) and a significant decrease in PaCO2 (P < 0.05), with a corresponding normalization in arterial blood pH. Additionally, there was a significant decrease in core body temperature (P < 0.05) when compared to the baseline preinfusion state. A cold, supersaturated dissolved oxygen solution may be intravenously administered to improve arterial blood oxygenation and ventilation parameters and induce a mild therapeutic hypothermia in a porcine model.

In vivo integrated photoacoustic and confocal microscopy of hemoglobin oxygen saturation and oxygen partial pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yu; Hu, Song; Maslov, Konstantin; Zhang, Yu; Xia, Younan; Wang, Lihong V

2011-04-01

We developed dual-modality microscope integrating photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) and fluorescence confocal microscopy (FCM) to noninvasively image hemoglobin oxygen saturation (sO₂) and oxygen partial pressure (pO₂) in vivo in single blood vessels with high spatial resolution. While PAM measures sO₂ by imaging hemoglobin optical absorption at two wavelengths, FCM quantifies pO₂ using phosphorescence quenching. The variations of sO₂ and pO₂ values in multiple orders of vessel branches under hyperoxic (100% oxygen) and normoxic (21% oxygen) conditions correlate well with the oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve. In addition, the total concentration of hemoglobin is imaged by PAM at an isosbestic wavelength.

Microsensor and transcriptomic signatures of oxygen depletion in biofilms associated with chronic wounds: Biofilms and oxygen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

James, Garth A. [Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman Montana; Ge Zhao, Alice [Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle Washington; Usui, Marcia [Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle Washington; Underwood, Robert A. [Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle Washington; Nguyen, Hung [The Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Pullman Washington; Beyenal, Haluk [The Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Pullman Washington; deLancey Pulcini, Elinor [Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman Montana; Agostinho Hunt, Alessandra [Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, 5180 Biomedical and Physical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing Michigan; Bernstein, Hans C. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Chemical and Biological Signature Science, Richland Washington; Fleckman, Philip [Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle Washington; Olerud, John [Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle Washington; Williamson, Kerry S. [Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman Montana; Franklin, Michael J. [Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman Montana; Stewart, Philip S. [Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman Montana

2016-02-16

Polymicrobial biofilms have been implicated in delayed wound healing, although the mechanisms by which biofilms impair wound healing are poorly understood. Many species of bacteria produce exotoxins and exoenzymes that may inhibit healing. In addition, oxygen consumption by biofilms may impede wound healing. In this study, we used oxygen microsensors to measure oxygen transects through in vitro-cultured biofilms, biofilms formed in vivo in a diabetic (db/db) mouse model, and ex vivo human chronic wound specimens. The results show that oxygen levels within both euthanized and live mouse wounds had steep gradients that reached minima ranging from 19 to 61% oxygen partial pressure, compared to atmospheric oxygen levels. The oxygen gradients in the mouse wounds were similar to those observed for clinical isolates cultured in vitro and for human ex vivo scabs. No oxygen gradients were observed for heat-killed scabs, suggesting that active metabolism by the viable bacteria contributed to the reduced oxygen partial pressure of the wounds. To characterize the metabolic activities of the bacteria in the mouse wounds, we performed transcriptomics analyses of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms associated with the db/db mice wounds using Affymetrix microarrays. The results demonstrated that the bacteria expressed genes for metabolic activities associated with cell growth. Interestingly, the transcriptome results indicated that the bacteria within the wounds also experienced oxygen-limitation stress. Among the bacterial genes that were expressed in vivo were genes associated with the Anr-mediated hypoxia-stress response. Other bacterial stress response genes highly expressed in vivo were genes associated with stationary-phase growth, osmotic stress, and RpoH-mediated heat shock stress. Overall, the results support the hypothesis that the metabolic activities of bacteria in biofilms act as oxygen sinks in chronic wounds and that the depletion of oxygen contributes to the

Effects of the Oxygenation level on Formation of Different Reactive Oxygen Species During Photodynamic Therapy

OpenAIRE

Price, Michael; Heilbrun, Lance; Kessel, David

2013-01-01

We examined the effect of the oxygenation level on efficacy of two photosensitizing agents, both of which target lysosomes for photodamage but via different photochemical pathways. Upon irradiation, the chlorin termed NPe6 forms singlet oxygen in high yield while the bacteriopheophorbide WST11 forms only oxygen radicals (in an aqueous environment). Photokilling efficacy by WST11 in cell culture was impaired when the atmospheric oxygen concentration was reduced from 20% to 1%, while photokilli...

Determining the Source of Water Vapor in a Cerium Oxide Electrochemical Oxygen Separator to Achieve Aviator Grade Oxygen

Science.gov (United States)

Graf, John; Taylor, Dale; Martinez, James

2014-01-01

More than a metric ton of water is transported to the International Space Station (ISS) each year to provide breathing oxygen for the astronauts. Water is a safe and compact form of stored oxygen. The water is electrolyzed on ISS and ambient pressure oxygen is delivered to the cabin. A much smaller amount of oxygen is used each year in spacesuits to conduct Extra Vehicular Activities (EVAs). Space suits need high pressure (>1000 psia) high purity oxygen (must meet Aviator Breathing Oxygen "ABO" specifications, >99.5% O2). The water / water electrolysis system cannot directly provide high pressure, high purity oxygen, so oxygen for EVAs is transported to ISS in high pressure gas tanks. The tanks are relatively large and heavy, and the majority of the system launch weight is for the tanks and not the oxygen. Extracting high purity oxygen from cabin air and mechanically compressing the oxygen might enable on-board production of EVA grade oxygen using the existing water / water electrolysis system. This capability might also benefit human spaceflight missions, where oxygen for EVAs could be stored in the form of water, and converted into high pressure oxygen on-demand. Cerium oxide solid electrolyte-based ion transport membranes have been shown to separate oxygen from air, and a supported monolithic wafer form of the CeO2 electrolyte membrane has been shown to deliver oxygen at pressures greater than 300 psia. These supported monolithic wafers can withstand high pressure differentials even though the membrane is very thin, because the ion transport membrane is supported on both sides (Fig 1). The monolithic supported wafers have six distinct layers, each with matched coefficients of thermal expansion. The wafers are assembled into a cell stack which allows easy air flow across the wafers, uniform current distribution, and uniform current density (Fig 2). The oxygen separation is reported to be "infinitely selective" to oxygen [1] with reported purity of 99.99% [2

The role of localised Ultra-Low Frequency waves in energetic electron precipitation

Science.gov (United States)

Rae, J.; Murphy, K. R.; Watt, C.; Mann, I. R.; Ozeke, L.; Halford, A. J.; Sibeck, D. G.; Clilverd, M. A.; Rodger, C. J.; Degeling, A. W.; Singer, H. J.

2016-12-01

Electromagnetic waves play pivotal roles in radiation belt dynamics through a variety of different means. Typically, Ultra-Low Frequency (ULF) waves have historically been invoked for radial diffusive transport leading to both acceleration and loss of outer radiation belt electrons. Very-Low Frequency (VLF) and Extremely-Low Frequency (ELF) waves are generally thought to provide a mechanism for localized acceleration and loss through precipitation into the ionosphere. In this study we present a new mechanism for electron loss through precipitation into the ionosphere due to direct modulation of the loss cone via localized compressional ULF waves. Observational evidence is presented demonstrating that modulation of the equatorial loss cone can occur via localized compressional wave activity. We then perform statistical computations of the probability distribution to determine how likely a given magnetic perturbation would produce a given percentage change in the bounce loss-cone (BLC). We discuss the ramifications of the action of coherent, localized compressional ULF waves on drifting electron populations; their precipitation response can be a complex interplay between electron energy, the shape of the phase space density profile at pitch angles close to the loss cone, ionospheric decay timescales, and the time-dependence of the electron source. We present a case study of compressional wave activity in tandem with riometer and balloon-borne electron precipitation across keV-MeV energies to demonstrate that the experimental measurements can be explained by our new enhanced loss cone mechanism. We determine that the two pivotal components not usually considered are localized ULF wave fields and ionospheric decay timescales. We conclude that ULF wave modulation of the loss cone is a viable candidate for direct precipitation of radiation belt electrons without any additional requirement for gyroresonant wave-particle interaction. Additional mechanisms would be

Advanced 65 nm CMOS devices fabricated using ultra-low energy plasma doping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walther, S.; Lenoble, D.; Lallement, F.; Grouillet, A.; Erokhin, Y.; Singh, V.; Testoni, A.

2005-01-01

For leading edge CMOS and DRAM technologies, plasma doping (PLAD) offers several unique advantages over conventional beamline implantation. For ultra-low energy source and drain extensions (SDE), source drain contact and high dose poly doping implants PLAD delivers 2-5x higher throughput compared to beamline implanters. In this work we demonstrate process performance and process integration benefits enabled by plasma doping for advanced 65 nm CMOS devices. Specifically, p + /n ultra-shallow junctions formed with BF 3 plasma doping have superior X j /R s characteristics to beamline implants and yield up to 30% lower R s for 20 nm X j while using standard spike anneal with ramp-up rate of 75 deg. C/s. These results indicate that PLAD could extend applicability of standard spike anneal by at least one technology node past 65 nm. A CMOS split lot has been run to investigate process integration advantages unique to plasma doping and to determine CMOS device characteristics. Device data measured on 65 nm transistors fabricated with offset spacers indicate that devices with SDE formed by plasma doping have superior V t roll-off characteristics arguably due to improved lateral gate-overlap of PLAD SDE junctions. Furthermore, offset spacers could be eliminated in 65 nm devices with PLAD SDE implants while still achieving V t roll-off and I on -I off performance at least equivalent to control devices with offset spacers and SDE formed by beamline implantation. Thus, another advantage of PLAD is simplified 65 nm CMOS manufacturing process flow due to elimination of offset spacers. Finally, we present process transfer from beamline implants to PLAD for several applications, including SDE and gate poly doping with very high productivity

Spatially monitoring oxygen level in 3D microfabricated cell culture systems using optical oxygen sensing beads

OpenAIRE

Wang, Lin; Acosta, Miguel A.; Leach, Jennie B.; Carrier, Rebecca L.

2013-01-01

Capability of measuring and monitoring local oxygen concentration at the single cell level (tens of microns scale) is often desirable but difficult to achieve in cell culture. In this study, biocompatible oxygen sensing beads were prepared and tested for their potential for real-time monitoring and mapping of local oxygen concentration in 3D micro-patterned cell culture systems. Each oxygen sensing bead is composed of a silica core loaded with both an oxygen sensitive Ru(Ph2phen3)Cl2 dye and ...

Positron annihilation study of vacancy-type defects in fast-neutron-irradiated MgO·nAl2O3

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman, Abu Zayed Mohammad Saliqur; Li, Zhuoxin; Cao, Xingzhong; Wang, Baoyi; Wei, Long; Xu, Qiu; Atobe, Kozo

2014-09-01

The positron lifetimes of fast-neutron-irradiated MgO·nAl2O3 single crystals were measured to investigate the formation of cation vacancies. Al monovacancy was possibly observed in samples irradiated by fast neutrons at ultra-low temperatures. Additionally, vacancy-oxygen complex centers were possibly observed in samples irradiated at higher temperatures and fast neutron fluences. Coincidence Doppler broadening (CDB) spectra were measured to obtain information regarding the vicinity of vacancy-type defects. A peak at approximately 11 × 10-3 m0c was observed, which may be due to the presence of oxygen atoms in the neighborhood of the vacancies.

Femoral venous oxygen saturation is no surrogate for central venous oxygen saturation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Beest, Paul A.; van der Schors, Alice; Liefers, Henriëtte; Coenen, Ludo G. J.; Braam, Richard L.; Habib, Najib; Braber, Annemarije; Scheeren, Thomas W. L.; Kuiper, Michaël A.; Spronk, Peter E.

2012-01-01

Objective: The purpose of our study was to determine if central venous oxygen saturation and femoral venous oxygen saturation can be used interchangeably during surgery and in critically ill patients. Design: Prospective observational controlled study. Setting: Nonacademic university-affiliated

Oxygen Deficit: The Bio-energetic Pathophysiology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ABHAY KUMAR PANDEY

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Scarcity of oxygen in humans arises via three modes. The environment may have low oxygen to breath. There can be disease in respiratory system causing hindrance to uptake of oxygen from environment and the circulatory system may be sluggish to supply to body parts that starve for oxygen. Thirdly the chemico-cellular components of blood which carry oxygen may be lowered or defective. In reference to body cells several limiting sites and mechanisms affect the amount of oxygen delivered to them, and these are under regulatory control of several functional and metabolic systems.

MR Imaging-derived Oxygen-Hemoglobin Dissociation Curves and Fetal-Placental Oxygen-Hemoglobin Affinities.

Science.gov (United States)

Avni, Reut; Golani, Ofra; Akselrod-Ballin, Ayelet; Cohen, Yonni; Biton, Inbal; Garbow, Joel R; Neeman, Michal

2016-07-01

Purpose To generate magnetic resonance (MR) imaging-derived, oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curves and to map fetal-placental oxygen-hemoglobin affinity in pregnant mice noninvasively by combining blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) T2* and oxygen-weighted T1 contrast mechanisms under different respiration challenges. Materials and Methods All procedures were approved by the Weizmann Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Pregnant mice were analyzed with MR imaging at 9.4 T on embryonic days 14.5 (eight dams and 58 fetuses; imprinting control region ICR strain) and 17.5 (21 dams and 158 fetuses) under respiration challenges ranging from hyperoxia to hypoxia (10 levels of oxygenation, 100%-10%; total imaging time, 100 minutes). A shorter protocol with normoxia to hyperoxia was also performed (five levels of oxygenation, 20%-100%; total imaging time, 60 minutes). Fast spin-echo anatomic images were obtained, followed by sequential acquisition of three-dimensional gradient-echo T2*- and T1-weighted images. Automated registration was applied to align regions of interest of the entire placenta, fetal liver, and maternal liver. Results were compared by using a two-tailed unpaired Student t test. R1 and R2* values were derived for each tissue. MR imaging-based oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curves were constructed by nonlinear least square fitting of 1 minus the change in R2*divided by R2*at baseline as a function of R1 to a sigmoid-shaped curve. The apparent P50 (oxygen tension at which hemoglobin is 50% saturated) value was derived from the curves, calculated as the R1 scaled value (x) at which the change in R2* divided by R2*at baseline scaled (y) equals 0.5. Results The apparent P50 values were significantly lower in fetal liver than in maternal liver for both gestation stages (day 14.5: 21% ± 5 [P = .04] and day 17.5: 41% ± 7 [P hemoglobin dissociation curves with a shorter protocol that excluded the hypoxic periods was demonstrated. Conclusion MR imaging

Oxygen-reducing catalyst layer

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, Dennis P [Maplewood, MN; Schmoeckel, Alison K [Stillwater, MN; Vernstrom, George D [Cottage Grove, MN; Atanasoski, Radoslav [Edina, MN; Wood, Thomas E [Stillwater, MN; Yang, Ruizhi [Halifax, CA; Easton, E Bradley [Halifax, CA; Dahn, Jeffrey R [Hubley, CA; O'Neill, David G [Lake Elmo, MN

2011-03-22

An oxygen-reducing catalyst layer, and a method of making the oxygen-reducing catalyst layer, where the oxygen-reducing catalyst layer includes a catalytic material film disposed on a substrate with the use of physical vapor deposition and thermal treatment. The catalytic material film includes a transition metal that is substantially free of platinum. At least one of the physical vapor deposition and the thermal treatment is performed in a processing environment comprising a nitrogen-containing gas.

Extra-cerebral oxygenation influence on near-infrared-spectroscopy-determined frontal lobe oxygenation in healthy volunteers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Henrik; Rasmussen, Peter; Siebenmann, Christoph

2015-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Frontal lobe oxygenation (Sc O2 ) is assessed by spatially resolved near-infrared spectroscopy (SR-NIRS) although it seems influenced by extra-cerebral oxygenation. We aimed to quantify the impact of extra-cerebral oxygenation on two SR-NIRS derived Sc O2 . METHODS: Multiple...... regression analysis estimated the influence of extra-cerebral oxygenation as exemplified by skin oxygenation (Sskin O2 ) on Sc O2 in 21 healthy subjects exposed to whole-body exercise in hypoxia (Fi O2 = 12%; n = 10) and normoxia (n = 12), whole-body heating, hyperventilation (n = 21), administration...... of norepinephrine with and without petCO2 -correction (n = 15), phenylephrine and head-up tilt (n = 7). Sc O2 was assessed simultaneously by NIRO-200NX (Sniro O2 ) and INVOS-4100 (Sinvos O2 ). Arterial (Sa O2 ) and jugular bulb oxygen saturations (Sj O2 ) were obtained. RESULTS: The regression analysis indicated...

Optimal oxygen saturation in premature infants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meayoung Chang

2011-09-01

Full Text Available There is a delicate balance between too little and too much supplemental oxygen exposure in premature infants. Since underuse and overuse of supplemental oxygen can harm premature infants, oxygen saturation levels must be monitored and kept at less than 95% to prevent reactive oxygen species-related diseases, such as retinopathy of prematurity and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. At the same time, desaturation below 80 to 85% must be avoided to prevent adverse consequences, such as cerebral palsy. It is still unclear what range of oxygen saturation is appropriate for premature infants; however, until the results of further studies are available, a reasonable target for pulse oxygen saturation (SpO2 is 90 to 93% with an intermittent review of the correlation between SpO2 and the partial pressure of arterial oxygen tension (PaO2. Because optimal oxygenation depends on individuals at the bedside making ongoing adjustments, each unit must define an optimal target range and set alarm limits according to their own equipment or conditions. All staff must be aware of these values and adjust the concentration of supplemental oxygen frequently.

Femoral venous oxygen saturation is no surrogate for central venous oxygen saturation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Beest, Paul A.; van der Schors, Alice; Liefers, Henriette; Coenen, Ludo G. J.; Braam, Richard L.; Habib, Najib; Braber, Annemarije; Scheeren, Thomas W. L.; Kuiper, Michael A.; Spronk, Peter E.

2012-01-01

Objective:  The purpose of our study was to determine if central venous oxygen saturation and femoral venous oxygen saturation can be used interchangeably during surgery and in critically ill patients. Design:  Prospective observational controlled study. Setting:  Nonacademic university-affiliated

The oxygen effect and cellular adaptation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meshcherikova, V.V.; Vajnson, A.A.; Yarmonenko, S.P.

1979-01-01

The radiomodifying effect of oxygen was shown to depend on the level of cellular oxygenation prior to irradiation. Acute hypoxia created at the time of irradiation protects previously normally oxygenated cells with DMF approximately 1.4 times larger than that of cells cultured for 24 hours under conditions of mild hypoxia. It is suggested that a decrease in the radioprotective effect of acute hypoxia on chronically hypoxic cells is correlated with an appreciable decrease in the rate of oxygen consumption by these cells, due to which the oxygen concentration near the intracellular targets in chronically hypoxic cells may be higher than in normal cells under conditions of poor oxygenation

Interplay between O2 and SnO2: oxygen ionosorption and spectroscopic evidence for adsorbed oxygen.

Science.gov (United States)

Gurlo, Alexander

2006-10-13

Tin dioxide is the most commonly used material in commercial gas sensors based on semiconducting metal oxides. Despite intensive efforts, the mechanism responsible for gas-sensing effects on SnO(2) is not fully understood. The key step is the understanding of the electronic response of SnO(2) in the presence of background oxygen. For a long time, oxygen interaction with SnO(2) has been treated within the framework of the "ionosorption theory". The adsorbed oxygen species have been regarded as free oxygen ions electrostatically stabilized on the surface (with no local chemical bond formation). A contradiction, however, arises when connecting this scenario to spectroscopic findings. Despite trying for a long time, there has not been any convincing spectroscopic evidence for "ionosorbed" oxygen species. Neither superoxide ions O(2)(-), nor charged atomic oxygen O,(-) nor peroxide ions O(2)(2-) have been observed on SnO(2) under the real working conditions of sensors. Moreover, several findings show that the superoxide ion does not undergo transformations into charged atomic oxygen at the surface, and represents a dead-end form of low-temperature oxygen adsorption on reduced metal oxide.

'LDL-C' = LDL-C + Lp(a)-C: implications of achieved ultra-low LDL-C levels in the proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 era of potent LDL-C lowering.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeang, Calvin; Witztum, Joseph L; Tsimikas, Sotirios

2015-06-01

The measurement that is termed 'LDL-cholesterol' (LDL-C) includes the cholesterol content of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)-C], which can contribute approximately 30-45% to measured LDL-C levels as a percentage of its mass. We review the implications of achieved very low LDL-C levels in patients treated with potent LDL-C-lowering agents in the context of varying Lp(a) levels. Combination therapy with statins, ezetimibe, and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors can lower LDL-C to unprecedentedly low levels. Recent PCSK9 trials have shown that routine achievement of mean LDL-C less than 50 mg/dl is feasible, along with the modest reductions in Lp(a). Many patients will achieve LDL-C less than 25 mg/dl with concomitantly elevated Lp(a) levels that contribute substantially to the measured 'LDL-C'. Therefore, it is possible that some of these patients may have little to no circulating LDL-C. As the new era of ultralow LDL-C levels ensues, it is imperative to understand the contribution of Lp(a)-C to measured LDL-C and the consequences of achieving ultralow or potentially absent LDL-C in the setting of elevated Lp(a) levels and possibly free apo(a). We review this concept and suggest avenues of research, including analyses of existing datasets in current clinical trials and new research studies, to understand its pathophysiological and clinical significance.

Oxygen mobility in alkali feldspars; Etude de la mobilite de l'oxygene dans les feldspaths alcalins

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Merigoux, H [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1968-03-15

The oxygen mobility is shown from oxygen atoms exchange between potassic and sodic feldspars and 18 oxygen enriched water. Exchanges are carried out in autoclaves between 400 and 800 deg. C under a water pressure between 300 and 800 bars. The oxygen is extracted from silicate by a ClF{sub 3} attack. Two distinct mechanisms may be found. The first one is auto-diffusion; for adularia we have: D = 9.10{sup -7} exp(-32000/RT) (cm{sup 2}.s{sup -1}), for albite: D 4.5.10{sup -5} exp(-37000/RT) (cm{sup 2}.s{sup -1}). The second one, more rapid, is associated with alkali atoms exchanges. These results are applied to the order-disorder problem in feldspars and to the oxygen geochemistry. (author) [French] La mobilite de l'oxygene est mise en evidence a partir d'echanges d'atomes d'oxygene entre des feldspaths potassiques et sodiques en presence d'une eau enrichie en oxygene 18. Les echanges sont effectues en autoclave entre 400 et 800 deg. C sous des pressions de vapeur d'eau comprises entre 300 et 800 bars. L'oxygene est extrait du silicate par attaque au ClF{sub 3}. Deux mecanismes, bien distincts, peuvent se rencontrer. Le premier correspond a l'autodiffusion de l'oxygene; dans le domaine etudie on trouve pour l'adulaire: D = 9,10{sup -7} exp(-32000/RT) (cm{sup 2}.s{sup -1}), et pour l'albite: D 4,5.10{sup -5} exp(-37000/RT) (cm{sup 2}.s{sup -1}). Le second, beaucoup plus rapide, est associe a l'echange des atomes alcalins avec la solution. Ces resultats sont appliques au probleme du passage ordre-desordre dans les feldspaths et a la geochimie de l'oxygene. (auteur)

The Role of Localized Compressional Ultra-low Frequency Waves in Energetic Electron Precipitation

Science.gov (United States)

Rae, I. Jonathan; Murphy, Kyle R.; Watt, Clare E. J.; Halford, Alexa J.; Mann, Ian R.; Ozeke, Louis G.; Sibeck, David G.; Clilverd, Mark A.; Rodger, Craig J.; Degeling, Alex W.; Forsyth, Colin; Singer, Howard J.

2018-03-01

Typically, ultra-low frequency (ULF) waves have historically been invoked for radial diffusive transport leading to acceleration and loss of outer radiation belt electrons. At higher frequencies, very low frequency waves are generally thought to provide a mechanism for localized acceleration and loss through precipitation into the ionosphere of radiation belt electrons. In this study we present a new mechanism for electron loss through precipitation into the ionosphere due to a direct modulation of the loss cone via localized compressional ULF waves. We present a case study of compressional wave activity in tandem with riometer and balloon-borne electron precipitation across keV-MeV energies to demonstrate that the experimental measurements can be explained by our new enhanced loss cone mechanism. Observational evidence is presented demonstrating that modulation of the equatorial loss cone can occur via localized compressional wave activity, which greatly exceeds the change in pitch angle through conservation of the first and second adiabatic invariants. The precipitation response can be a complex interplay between electron energy, the localization of the waves, the shape of the phase space density profile at low pitch angles, ionospheric decay time scales, and the time dependence of the electron source; we show that two pivotal components not usually considered are localized ULF wave fields and ionospheric decay time scales. We conclude that enhanced precipitation driven by compressional ULF wave modulation of the loss cone is a viable candidate for direct precipitation of radiation belt electrons without any additional requirement for gyroresonant wave-particle interaction. Additional mechanisms would be complementary and additive in providing means to precipitate electrons from the radiation belts during storm times.

Incorporation of oxygen into abscisic acid and phaseic acid for molecular oxygen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Creelman, R.A.; Zeevaart, J.A.D.

1984-01-01

Abscisic acid accumulates in detached, wilted leaves of Xanthium strumariu. When these leaves are subsequently rehydrated, phaseic acid, a catabolite of abscisic acid, accumulates. Analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of phaseic acid isolated from stressed and subsequently rehydrated leaves placed in an atmosphere containing 20% 18 O 2 and 80% N 2 indicates that one atom of 18 O is incorporated in the 6'-hydroxymethyl group of phaseic acid. This suggests that the enzyme that converts abscisic acid to phaseic acid is an oxygenase. Analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of abscisic acid isolated from stressed leaves kept in an atmosphere containing 18 O 2 indicates that one atom of 18 O is presented in the carboxyl group of abscisic acid. Thus, when abscisic acid accumulates in water-streesed leaves, only one of the four oxygens present in the abscisic acid molecule is derived from molecular oxygen. This suggest that either (a) the oxygen present in the 1'-, 4'-, and one of the two oxygens at the 1-position of abscisic acid arise from water, or (b) there exists a stored precursor with oxygen atoms already present in the 1'- and 4'-positions of abscisic acid which is converted to abscisic acid under conditions of water stress. 17 references, 2 figures, 1 tables

Incorporation of oxygen into abscisic Acid and phaseic Acid from molecular oxygen.

Science.gov (United States)

Creelman, R A; Zeevaart, J A

1984-05-01

Abscisic acid accumulates in detached, wilted leaves of Xanthium strumarium. When these leaves are subsequently rehydrated, phaseic acid, a catabolite of abscisic acid, accumulates. Analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of phaseic acid isolated from stressed and subsequently rehydrated leaves placed in an atmosphere containing 20% (18)O(2) and 80% N(2) indicates that one atom of (18)O is incorporated in the 6'-hydroxymethyl group of phaseic acid. This suggests that the enzyme that converts abscisic acid to phaseic acid is an oxygenase.Analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of abscisic acid isolated from stressed leaves kept in an atmosphere containing (18)O(2) indicates that one atom of (18)O is present in the carboxyl group of abscisic acid. Thus, when abscisic acid accumulates in water-stressed leaves, only one of the four oxygens present in the abscisic acid molecule is derived from molecular oxygen. This suggests that either (a) the oxygen present in the 1'-, 4'-, and one of the two oxygens at the 1-position of abscisic acid arise from water, or (b) there exists a stored precursor with oxygen atoms already present in the 1'- and 4'-positions of abscisic acid which is converted to abscisic acid under conditions of water stress.

Oxygen dependency of porfiromycin cytotoxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marshall, R.S.; Rauth, A.M.

1987-01-01

The authors determined the oxygen dependency of toxicity for the bioreductive alkylating agents mitomycin C (MMC) and porfiromycin (PM) to investigate whether the toxicities of these agents increase in the range of oxygen tensions over which cells become increasingly radioresistant. In the present work the oxygen dependency of PM in CHO cells was determined by assaying survival as a function of time of exposure to 1.0 μg/ml PM under various known levels of oxygen. While PM demonstrated preferential hypoxic cell toxicity, aerobic cell survival was reduced ten-fold after five hours of exposure. Conversely, PM toxicity after a five hour hypoxic exposure to <0.001% oxygen appeared to be greater than that observed for similar MMC exposures, suggesting that PM may be more selective than MMC in killing hypoxic rather than aerobic cells. The authors are currently investigating this preferential toxicity in two human cell lines, one of which is resistant to these agents. At present, these observations suggest that PM may be more effective than MMC at destroying tumour cells in regions of intermediate and low oxygen tensions which may survive radiotherapy, though the range of oxygen tensions which mediate toxicity is similar for both agents

Biogeochemistry: Oxygen burrowed away

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meysman, F.J.R.

2014-01-01

Multicellular animals probably evolved at the seafloor after a rise in oceanic oxygen levels. Biogeochemical model simulations suggest that as these animals started to rework the seafloor, they triggered a negative feedback that reduced global oxygen.

Oxygen as a factor in eukaryote evolution - Some effects of low levels of oxygen on Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Science.gov (United States)

Jahnke, L.; Klein, H. P.

1979-01-01

A comparative study of the effects of varying levels of oxygen on some of the metabolic functions of the primitive eukaryote, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has shown that these cells are responsive to very low levels of oxygen: the level of palmitoyl-Co A desaturase was greatly enhanced by only 0.03 vol % oxygen. Similarly, an acetyl-CoA synthetase associated predominantly with anaerobic growth was stimulated by as little as 0.1% oxygen, while an isoenzyme correlated with aerobic growth was maximally active at much higher oxygen levels (greater than 1%). Closely following this latter pattern were three mitochondrial enzymes that attained maximal activity only under atmospheric levels of oxygen.

Oxygen concentration inside a functioning photosynthetic cell.

Science.gov (United States)

Kihara, Shigeharu; Hartzler, Daniel A; Savikhin, Sergei

2014-05-06

The excess oxygen concentration in the photosynthetic membranes of functioning oxygenic photosynthetic cells was estimated using classical diffusion theory combined with experimental data on oxygen production rates of cyanobacterial cells. The excess oxygen concentration within the plesiomorphic cyanobacterium Gloeobactor violaceus is only 0.025 μM, or four orders of magnitude lower than the oxygen concentration in air-saturated water. Such a low concentration suggests that the first oxygenic photosynthetic bacteria in solitary form could have evolved ∼2.8 billion years ago without special mechanisms to protect them against reactive oxygen species. These mechanisms instead could have been developed during the following ∼500 million years while the oxygen level in the Earth's atmosphere was slowly rising. Excess oxygen concentrations within individual cells of the apomorphic cyanobacteria Synechocystis and Synechococcus are 0.064 and 0.25 μM, respectively. These numbers suggest that intramembrane and intracellular proteins in isolated oxygenic photosynthetic cells are not subjected to excessively high oxygen levels. The situation is different for closely packed colonies of photosynthetic cells. Calculations show that the excess concentration within colonies that are ∼40 μm or larger in diameter can be comparable to the oxygen concentration in air-saturated water, suggesting that species forming colonies require protection against reactive oxygen species even in the absence of oxygen in the surrounding atmosphere. Copyright © 2014 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Oxygen Concentration Inside a Functioning Photosynthetic Cell

OpenAIRE

Kihara, Shigeharu; Hartzler, Daniel A.; Savikhin, Sergei

2014-01-01

The excess oxygen concentration in the photosynthetic membranes of functioning oxygenic photosynthetic cells was estimated using classical diffusion theory combined with experimental data on oxygen production rates of cyanobacterial cells. The excess oxygen concentration within the plesiomorphic cyanobacterium Gloeobactor violaceus is only 0.025 μM, or four orders of magnitude lower than the oxygen concentration in air-saturated water. Such a low concentration suggests that the first oxygenic...

Theory of oxygen isotope exchange

NARCIS (Netherlands)

den Otter, M.W.; Boukamp, Bernard A.; Bouwmeester, Henricus J.M.

2001-01-01

Transients for oxygen molecular mass numbers 32, 34 and 36 are derived which can be used for the interpretation of oxygen isotope exchange data based on measurement of concentrations of 16O2, 16O18O and 18O2 in the gas phase. Key parameters in the theory are the rate at which oxygen molecules are

Oxygen Effects in Anaerobic Digestion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deshai Botheju

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Interaction of free oxygen in bio-gasification is a sparsely studied area, apart from the common argument of oxygen being toxic and inhibitory for anaerobic micro-cultures. Some studies have, however, revealed increased solubilisation of organic matter in the presence of some free oxygen in anaerobic digestion. This article analyses these counterbalancing phenomena with a mathematical modelling approach using the widely accepted biochemical model ADM 1. Aerobic oxidation of soluble carbon and inhibition of obligatory anaerobic organisms are modelled using standard saturation type kinetics. Biomass dependent first order hydrolysis kinetics is used to relate the increased hydrolysis rate with oxygen induced increase in biomass growth. The amended model, ADM 1-Ox (oxygen, has 25 state variables and 22 biochemical processes, presented in matrix form. The computer aided simulation tool AQUASIM 2.1 is used to simulate the developed model. Simulation predictions are evaluated against experimental data obtained using a laboratory batch test array comprising miniature anaerobic bio-reactors of 100 ml total volume each, operated under different initial air headspaces giving rise to the different oxygen loading conditions. The reactors were initially fed with a glucose solution and incubated at 35 Celsius, for 563 hours. Under the oxygen load conditions of 22, 44 and 88 mg/L, the ADM1-Ox model simulations predicted the experimental methane potentials quite adequately. Both the experimental data and the simulations suggest a linear reduction of methane potential with respect to the increase in oxygen load within this range.

Ultralow k films by using a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition porogen approach: Study of the precursor reaction mechanisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castex, A.; Jousseaume, V.; Deval, J.; Bruat, J.; Favennec, L.; Passemard, G.

2008-01-01

As interconnects are scaled down, much effort is made to achieve ultralow k material with a dielectric constant lower than 2.5. Thus, many new precursors are investigated in plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. This is particularly true with the porogen approach where two molecules are used: an organosilicon to create the silicon matrix and an organic molecule ''porogen'' that creates material porosity during a post-treatment such as annealing. In this article, the influence of the organosilicon molecular structure is investigated. Two ''matrix precursors'' with different structures are therefore compared. The first one, referred to as D5, has a ring structure (decamethyl pentacyclosiloxane); the second one, referred to as DEOMS, has a star structure (diethoxymethyl silane). The porogen organic molecule, referred to as CHO, is cyclohexen oxide. The fragmentation paths of the precursor molecules in the plasma are investigated by quadrupole mass spectroscopy and the film structure is studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The mass spectroscopy analysis shows that the fragmentation in plasma is highest for DEOMS, intermediate for CHO, and lowest for D5 in comparable process conditions. At the maximum plasma power setting, the loss rate, which yields molecule consumption, is 43%-81% for the D5-CHO mixture, respectively, and 73%-37% for the DEOMS-CHO mixture, respectively. This is related to higher bond-dissociation energy for the siloxane (Si-O-Si) link in D5 than silane (Si-H), silylethoxyde (Si-OC 2 H 5 ) in DEOMS, or C-C and epoxy cycle in CHO. Indeed, a higher electron-energy relative threshold for dissociation under electron impact is measured for D5 (around 7 eV) than for DEOMS and CHO (around 4 eV). Moreover, the fragment structures differ from one precursor to another. Methyl groups are abstracted from D5 and a few polysiloxane chains are produced from pentacycle opening and fragmentation. In the case of DEOMS, many single silicon

Single Cell Oxygen Mapping (SCOM) by Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy Uncovers Heterogeneous Intracellular Oxygen Consumption

OpenAIRE

Santos, Carla Santana; Kowaltowski, Alicia J.; Bertotti, Mauro

2017-01-01

We developed a highly sensitive oxygen consumption scanning microscopy system using platinized platinum disc microelectrodes. The system is capable of reliably detecting single-cell respiration, responding to classical regulators of mitochondrial oxygen consumption activity as expected. Comparisons with commercial multi-cell oxygen detection systems show that the system has comparable errors (if not smaller), with the advantage of being able to monitor inter and intra-cell heterogeneity in ox...

Experimental study of ultra-low q discharges in the linear Extrap L1 device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brunsell, P.; Karlsson, Per.

1991-01-01

Linear pinch discharges with combined octupole and longitudinal magnetic fields are experimentally studied in the Extrap L1 device. Plasma currents are around I p =10 kA, plasma temperautres are up to T e =50 eV and plasma densities are of the order of n=5x10 21 m -3 . The plasma equilibria are in the ultra-low q (ULQ) regime corresponding to operation with plasma currents in excess of the Kruskal-Shafranov stability limit (q less than 1). The plasma current exhibits the typical time behaviour seen in toroidal ULQ experiments; the unstable setting up phase and the step-wise decay with current levels corresponding to q-values in windows between rational values. Longitudinal plasma current generated by radial plasma diffusion is seen, with amplitudes up to 30% of the externally driven current during the initial phase of the discharge. The effect of the octupole magnetic field on the ULQ confinement is investigated. The plasma temperature increases by more than a factor of two, for the optimum octupole rod current (I v =I p ), compared to the case without octupole field. A plasma current limitation for stable operation corresponding to q bigger than 1/2 is observed, excepts for low axial magnetic field strength. In the low axial field regime, the octupole field alone provides sufficient stabilization for operation with q less than 1/2. Plasma density and temperature both increase linearly with applied axial magnetic field. The density shows a strong, approximately exponential, dependence on discharge voltage. (au)

Oxygen Isotopes in Chondritic Interplanetary Dust: Parent-Bodies and Nebular Oxygen Reservoirs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aleon, J; McKeegan, K D; Leshin, L

2006-01-01

Planetary objects have preserved various amounts of oxygen issued from isotopically different oxygen reservoirs reflecting their origin and physico-chemical history. An 16 O-rich component is preserved in refractory inclusions (CAIs) whereas meteorites matrices are enriched in an 16 O-poor component. The origin of these components is still unclear. The most recent models are based on isotope selective photodissociation of CO in a 16 O-rich nebula/presolr cloud resulting in a 16 O-poor gas in the outer part of the nebula. However because most meteorite components are thought to be formed in the inner 3AU of the solar nebula, the precise isotopic composition of outer solar system components is yet unknown. In that respect, the oxygen isotopic composition of cometary dust is a key to understand the origin of the solar system. The Stardust mission will bring back to the Earth dust samples from comet Wild2, a short period comet from the Jupiter family. A precise determination of the oxygen isotope composition of Wild2 dust grains is essential to decipher the oxygen reservoirs of the outer solar system. However, Stardust samples may be extremely fragmented upon impact in the collector. In addition, interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) collected in the stratosphere are likely to contain comet samples. Therefore, they started to investigate the oxygen isotopic composition of a suite of chondritic interplanetary dust particles that includes IDPs of potential cometary origin using a refined procedure to increase the lateral resolution for the analysis of Stardust grains or IDP subcomponents down to ∼ 3 (micro)m. High precision data for 4 IDPs were previously reported, here they have measured 6 additional IDPs

Effects of ultra-low sulphur diesel fuel and diesel oxidation catalysts on nitrogen dioxide emissions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stachulak, J.S.; Zarling, D.

2010-01-01

Diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs) are used on diesel equipment in underground mines to reduce exhaust emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (C) and odour that are associated with gaseous HCs. New catalysts have also been formulated to minimize sulphate production, but little is know about their effects on nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) emissions. DOCs are known to oxidize nitric oxide (NO) to NO 2 , which is more toxic than NO at low levels. Vale Inco uses ultra-low sulphur diesel (ULSD) fuel for its underground diesel equipment. Although ULSD is a cleaner burning fuel, its impact on the emissions performance of DOCs is not fully known. Technical material gathered during a literature review suggested that ULSD fuel may increase NO 2 production if DOCs are used, but that the increase would be small. This paper presented the results of a laboratory evaluation of DOCs with varying amounts of time-in service in Vale Inco mines. The 4 Vale Inco DOCs were found to produce excess NO 2 during some test conditions. In both steady-state and transient testing, there were no obvious trends in NO 2 increases with increasing DOC age. Two possibilities for these observations are that the DOCs may have been well within their useful life or their initial compositions differed. Future studies will make use of improved instrumentation, notably NO 2 analyzers, to definitely determine the influence of DOCs on NO 2 formation. 13 refs., 1 tab., 8 figs.

A numerical model for ocean ultra-low frequency noise: wave-generated acoustic-gravity and Rayleigh modes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ardhuin, Fabrice; Lavanant, Thibaut; Obrebski, Mathias; Marié, Louis; Royer, Jean-Yves; d'Eu, Jean-François; Howe, Bruce M; Lukas, Roger; Aucan, Jerome

2013-10-01

The generation of ultra-low frequency acoustic noise (0.1 to 1 Hz) by the nonlinear interaction of ocean surface gravity waves is well established. More controversial are the quantitative theories that attempt to predict the recorded noise levels and their variability. Here a single theoretical framework is used to predict the noise level associated with propagating pseudo-Rayleigh modes and evanescent acoustic-gravity modes. The latter are dominant only within 200 m from the sea surface, in shallow or deep water. At depths larger than 500 m, the comparison of a numerical noise model with hydrophone records from two open-ocean sites near Hawaii and the Kerguelen islands reveal: (a) Deep ocean acoustic noise at frequencies 0.1 to 1 Hz is consistent with the Rayleigh wave theory, in which the presence of the ocean bottom amplifies the noise by 10 to 20 dB; (b) in agreement with previous results, the local maxima in the noise spectrum support the theoretical prediction for the vertical structure of acoustic modes; and (c) noise level and variability are well predicted for frequencies up to 0.4 Hz. Above 0.6 Hz, the model results are less accurate, probably due to the poor estimation of the directional properties of wind-waves with frequencies higher than 0.3 Hz.

Ultralow-dose computed tomography imaging for surgery of midfacial and orbital fractures using ASIR and MBIR.

Science.gov (United States)

Widmann, G; Dalla Torre, D; Hoermann, R; Schullian, P; Gassner, E M; Bale, R; Puelacher, W

2015-04-01

The influence of dose reductions on diagnostic quality using a series of high-resolution ultralow-dose computed tomography (CT) scans for computer-assisted planning and surgery including the most recent iterative reconstruction algorithms was evaluated and compared with the fracture detectability of a standard cranial emergency protocol. A human cadaver head including the mandible was artificially prepared with midfacial and orbital fractures and scanned using a 64-multislice CT scanner. The CT dose index volume (CTDIvol) and effective doses were calculated using application software. Noise was evaluated as the standard deviation in Hounsfield units within an identical region of interest in the posterior fossa. Diagnostic quality was assessed by consensus reading of a craniomaxillofacial surgeon and radiologist. Compared with the emergency protocol at CTDIvol 35.3 mGy and effective dose 3.6 mSv, low-dose protocols down to CTDIvol 1.0 mGy and 0.1 mSv (97% dose reduction) may be sufficient for the diagnosis of dislocated craniofacial fractures. Non-dislocated fractures may be detected at CTDIvol 2.6 mGy and 0.3 mSv (93% dose reduction). Adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) 50 and 100 reduced average noise by 30% and 56%, and model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) by 93%. However, the detection rate of fractures could not be improved due to smoothing effects. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Robust high temperature oxygen sensor electrodes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Anders

Platinum is the most widely used material in high temperature oxygen sensor electrodes. However, platinum is expensive and the platinum electrode may, under certain conditions, suffer from poisoning, which is detrimental for an oxygen sensor. The objective of this thesis is to evaluate electrode...... materials as candidates for robust oxygen sensor electrodes. The present work focuses on characterising the electrochemical properties of a few electrode materials to understand which oxygen electrode processes are limiting for the response time of the sensor electrode. Three types of porous platinum......-Dansensor. The electrochemical properties of the electrodes were characterised by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and the structures were characterised by x-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. At an oxygen partial pressures of 0.2 bar, the response time of the sensor electrode was determined by oxygen...

Preliminary Study of Oxygen-Enhanced Longitudinal Relaxation in MRI: A Potential Novel Biomarker of Oxygenation Changes in Solid Tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Connor, James P.B.; Naish, Josephine H.; Parker, Geoff J.M.; Waterton, John C.; Watson, Yvonne; Jayson, Gordon C.; Buonaccorsi, Giovanni A.; Cheung, Sue; Buckley, David L.; McGrath, Deirdre M.; West, Catharine M.L.; Davidson, Susan E.; Roberts, Caleb; Mills, Samantha J.; Mitchell, Claire L.; Hope, Lynn; Ton, N. Chan; Jackson, Alan

2009-01-01

Purpose: There is considerable interest in developing non-invasive methods of mapping tumor hypoxia. Changes in tissue oxygen concentration produce proportional changes in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) longitudinal relaxation rate (R 1 ). This technique has been used previously to evaluate oxygen delivery to healthy tissues and is distinct from blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) imaging. Here we report application of this method to detect alteration in tumor oxygenation status. Methods and materials: Ten patients with advanced cancer of the abdomen and pelvis underwent serial measurement of tumor R 1 while breathing medical air (21% oxygen) followed by 100% oxygen (oxygen-enhanced MRI). Gadolinium-based dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI was then performed to compare the spatial distribution of perfusion with that of oxygen-induced ΔR 1 . Results: ΔR 1 showed significant increases of 0.021 to 0.058 s -1 in eight patients with either locally recurrent tumor from cervical and hepatocellular carcinomas or metastases from ovarian and colorectal carcinomas. In general, there was congruency between perfusion and oxygen concentration. However, regional mismatch was observed in some tumor cores. Here, moderate gadolinium uptake (consistent with moderate perfusion) was associated with low area under the ΔR 1 curve (consistent with minimal increase in oxygen concentration). Conclusions: These results provide evidence that oxygen-enhanced longitudinal relaxation can monitor changes in tumor oxygen concentration. The technique shows promise in identifying hypoxic regions within tumors and may enable spatial mapping of change in tumor oxygen concentration.

Hyperbaric oxygen and radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mayer, R.; Hamilton-Farrell, M.R.; Kleij, A.J. van der

2005-01-01

Background: Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy is the inhalation of 100% oxygen at a pressure of at least 1.5 atmospheres absolute (150 kPa). It uses oxygen as a drug by dissolving it in the plasma and delivering it to the tissues independent of hemoglobin. For a variety of organ systems, HBO is known to promote new vessel growth into areas with reduced oxygen tension due to poor vascularity, and therewith promotes wound healing and recovery of radiation-injured tissue. Furthermore, tumors may be sensitized to irradiation by raising intratumoral oxygen tensions. Methods: A network of hyperbaric facilities exists in Europe, and a number of clinical studies are ongoing. The intergovernmental framework COST B14 action 'Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy' started in 1999. The main goal of the Working Group Oncology is preparation and actual implementation of prospective study protocols in the field of HBO and radiation oncology in Europe. Results: In this paper a short overview on HBO is given and the following randomized clinical studies are presented: (a) reirradiation of recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck after HBO sensitization; (b) role of HBO in enhancing radiosensitivity on glioblastoma multiforme; (c) osseointegration in irradiated patients; adjunctive HBO to prevent implant failures; (d) the role of HBO in the treatment of late irradiation sequelae in the pelvic region. The two radiosensitization protocols (a, b) allow a time interval between HBO and subsequent irradiation of 10-20 min. Conclusion: Recruitment of centers and patients is being strongly encouraged, detailed information is given on www.oxynet.org. (orig.)

Oxygen potentials, oxygen diffusion coefficients and defect equilibria of nonstoichiometric (U,Pu)O{sub 2±x}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kato, Masato, E-mail: kato.masato@jaea.go.jp [Fukushima Fuels and Materials Department, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 4002 Narita-chou, O-arai machi, Ibaraki 311-1919 (Japan); Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle Technology Development Division, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 4-33 Muramatsu Tokai-mura, Ibaraki 319-1194 (Japan); Watanabe, Masashi [Fukushima Fuels and Materials Department, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 4002 Narita-chou, O-arai machi, Ibaraki 311-1919 (Japan); Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle Technology Development Division, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 4-33 Muramatsu Tokai-mura, Ibaraki 319-1194 (Japan); Matsumoto, Taku; Hirooka, Shun; Akashi, Masatoshi [Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle Technology Development Division, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 4-33 Muramatsu Tokai-mura, Ibaraki 319-1194 (Japan)

2017-04-15

Oxygen potential of (U,Pu)O{sub 2±x} was evaluated based on defect chemistry using an updated experimental data set. The relationship between oxygen partial pressure and deviation x in (U,Pu)O{sub 2±x} was analyzed, and equilibrium constants of defect formation were determined as functions of Pu content and temperature. Brouwer's diagrams were constructed using the determined equilibrium constants, and a relational equation to determine O/M ratio was derived as functions of O/M ratio, Pu content and temperature. In addition, relationship between oxygen potential and oxygen diffusion coefficients were described. - Highlights: •Brouwer’s diagrams for (U,Pu)O2 were constructed using the updated oxygen potential experimental data set. •Equilibrium constants of defect formation were determined as functions of Pu content and temperature. •Oxygen potential, oxygen diffusion coefficients, point defect concentration were described as functions of O/M ratio, Pu content and temperature.

Therapeutic effect of forearm low level light treatment on blood flow, oxygenation, and oxygen consumption

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Pengbo; Sun, Jiajing; Meng, Lingkang; Li, Zebin; Li, Ting

2018-02-01

Low level light/laser therapy (LLLT) is considered as a novel, non-invasive, and potential therapy in a variety of psychological and physical conditions, due to its effective intricate photobiomodulation. The mechanism of LLLT is that when cells are stimulated by photons, mitochondria produce a large quantity of ATP, which accelerates biochemical responses in the cell. It is of great significance to gain a clear insight into the change or interplay of various physiological parameters. In this study, we used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and venous-occlusion plethysmography to measure the LLLT-induced changes in blood flow, oxygenation, and oxygen consumption in human forearms in vivo. Six healthy human participants (4 males and 2 females) were administered with 810-nm light emitted by LED array in ten minutes and blood flow, oxygenation and oxygen consumption were detected in the entire experiment. We found that LLLT induced an increase of blood flow and oxygen consumption on the treated site. Meanwhile, LLLT took a good role in promoting oxygenation of regional tissue, which was indicated by a significant increase of oxygenated hemoglobin concentration (Δ[HbO2]), a nearly invariable deoxygenated hemoglobin concentration (Δ[Hb]) and a increase of differential hemoglobin concentration (Δ[HbD] = Δ[HbO2] - Δ[Hb]). These results not only demonstrate enormous potential of LLLT, but help to figure out mechanisms of photobiomodulation.

[Relationship among the Oxygen Concentration, Reactive Oxygen Species and the Biological Characteristics of Mouse Bone Marrow Hematopoietic Stem Cells].

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Si-Hua; He, Yu-Xin; Ma, Yi-Ran; Jin, Jing-Chun; Kang, Dan

2016-02-01

To investigate the effects of oxygen concentration and reactive oxygen species (ROS) on the biological characteristics of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and to analyzed the relationship among the oxygen concentration, ROS and the biological characteristics of mouse HSC through simulation of oxygen environment experienced by PB HSC during transplantation. The detection of reactive oxygen species (ROS), in vitro amplification, directional differentiation (BFU-E, CFU-GM, CFU-Mix), homing of adhesion molecules (CXCR4, CD44, VLA4, VLA5, P-selectin), migration rate, CFU-S of NOD/SCID mice irradiated with sublethal dose were performed to study the effect of oxgen concentration and reactive oxygen species on the biological characteristics of mouse BM-HSC and the relationship among them. The oxygen concentrations lower than normal oxygen concentration (especially hypoxic oxygen environment) could reduce ROS level and amplify more Lin(-) c-kit(+) Sca-1(+) BM HSC, which was more helpful to the growth of various colonies (BFU-E, CFU-GM, CFU-Mix) and to maintain the migratory ability of HSC, thus promoting CFU-S growth significantly after the transplantation of HSC in NOD/SCID mice irradiated by a sublethal dose. BM HSC exposed to oxygen environments of normal, inconstant oxygen level and strenuously thanging of oxygen concentration could result in higher level of ROS, at the same time, the above-mentioned features and functional indicators were relatively lower. The ROS levels of BM HSC in PB HSCT are closely related to the concentrations and stability of oxygen surrounding the cells. High oxygen concentration results in an high level of ROS, which is not helpful to maintain the biological characteristics of BM HSC. Before transplantation and in vitro amplification, the application of antioxidancs and constant oxygen level environments may be beneficial for transplantation of BMMSC.

Workshop on Oxygen in the Terrestrial Planets

Science.gov (United States)

2004-01-01

This volume contains abstracts that have been accepted for presentation at the Workshop on Oxygen in the Terrestrial Planets, July 20-23,2004, Santa Fe, New Mexico. The contents include: 1) Experimental Constraints on Oxygen and Other Light Element Partitioning During Planetary Core Formation; 2) In Situ Determination of Fe(3+)/SigmaFe of Spinels by Electron Microprobe: An Evaluation of the Flank Method; 3) The Effect of Oxygen Fugacity on Large-Strain Deformation and Recrystallization of Olivine; 4) Plagioclase-Liquid Trace Element Oxygen Barometry and Oxygen Behaviour in Closed and Open System Magmatic Processes; 5) Core Formation in the Earth: Constraints from Ni and Co; 6) Oxygen Isotopic Compositions of the Terrestrial Planets; 7) The Effect of Oxygen Fugacity on Electrical Conduction of Olivine and Implications for Earth s Mantle; 8) Redox Chemical Diffusion in Silicate Melts: The Impact of the Semiconductor Condition; 9) Ultra-High Temperature Effects in Earth s Magma Ocean: Pt and W Partitioning; 10) Terrestrial Oxygen and Hydrogen Isotope Variations: Primordial Values, Systematics, Subsolidus Effects, Planetary Comparisons, and the Role of Water; 11) Redox State of the Moon s Interior; 12) How did the Terrestrial Planets Acquire Their Water?; 13) Molecular Oxygen Mixing Ratio and Its Seasonal Variability in the Martian Atmosphere; 14) Exchange Between the Atmosphere and the Regolith of Mars: Discussion of Oxygen and Sulfur Isotope Evidence; 15) Oxygen and Hydrogen Isotope Systematics of Atmospheric Water Vapor and Meteoric Waters: Evidence from North Texas; 16) Implications of Isotopic and Redox Heterogeneities in Silicate Reservoirs on Mars; 17) Oxygen Isotopic Variation of the Terrestrial Planets; 18) Redox Exchanges in Hydrous Magma; 19) Hydrothermal Systems on Terrestrial Planets: Lessons from Earth; 20) Oxygen in Martian Meteorites: A Review of Results from Mineral Equilibria Oxybarometers; 21) Non-Linear Fractionation of Oxygen Isotopes Implanted in

Oxygen mobility in alkali feldspars; Etude de la mobilite de l'oxygene dans les feldspaths alcalins

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Merigoux, H. [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1968-03-15

The oxygen mobility is shown from oxygen atoms exchange between potassic and sodic feldspars and 18 oxygen enriched water. Exchanges are carried out in autoclaves between 400 and 800 deg. C under a water pressure between 300 and 800 bars. The oxygen is extracted from silicate by a ClF{sub 3} attack. Two distinct mechanisms may be found. The first one is auto-diffusion; for adularia we have: D = 9.10{sup -7} exp(-32000/RT) (cm{sup 2}.s{sup -1}), for albite: D 4.5.10{sup -5} exp(-37000/RT) (cm{sup 2}.s{sup -1}). The second one, more rapid, is associated with alkali atoms exchanges. These results are applied to the order-disorder problem in feldspars and to the oxygen geochemistry. (author) [French] La mobilite de l'oxygene est mise en evidence a partir d'echanges d'atomes d'oxygene entre des feldspaths potassiques et sodiques en presence d'une eau enrichie en oxygene 18. Les echanges sont effectues en autoclave entre 400 et 800 deg. C sous des pressions de vapeur d'eau comprises entre 300 et 800 bars. L'oxygene est extrait du silicate par attaque au ClF{sub 3}. Deux mecanismes, bien distincts, peuvent se rencontrer. Le premier correspond a l'autodiffusion de l'oxygene; dans le domaine etudie on trouve pour l'adulaire: D = 9,10{sup -7} exp(-32000/RT) (cm{sup 2}.s{sup -1}), et pour l'albite: D 4,5.10{sup -5} exp(-37000/RT) (cm{sup 2}.s{sup -1}). Le second, beaucoup plus rapide, est associe a l'echange des atomes alcalins avec la solution. Ces resultats sont appliques au probleme du passage ordre-desordre dans les feldspaths et a la geochimie de l'oxygene. (auteur)

Ultra-low microcurrent in the management of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and chronic wounds: Report of twelve cases and discussion of mechanism of action

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Bok Y.; AL-Waili, Noori; Stubbs, Dean; Wendell, Keith; Butler, Glenn; AL-Waili, Thia; AL-Waili, Ali

2010-01-01

Oxidative stress plays a major role in the pathogenesis of both types of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases including hypertension. The low levels of antioxidants accompanied by raised levels of markers of free radical damage play a major role in delaying wound healing. Ultra-low microcurrent presumably has an antioxidant effect, and it was shown to accelerate wound healing. The purpose of the study is to investigate the efficacy of ultra-low microcurrent delivered by the Electro Pressure Regeneration Therapy (EPRT) device (EPRT Technologies-USA, Simi Valley, CA) in the management of diabetes, hypertension and chronic wounds. The EPRT device is an electrical device that sends a pulsating stream of electrons in a relatively low concentration throughout the body. The device is noninvasive and delivers electrical currents that mimic the endogenous electric energy of the human body. It is a rechargeable battery-operated device that delivers a direct current (maximum of 3 milliAmperes) of one polarity for 11.5 minutes, which then switched to the opposite polarity for another 11.5 minutes. The resulting cycle time is approximately 23min or 0.000732 Hz and delivers a square wave bipolar current with a voltage ranging from 5V up to a maximum of 40 V. The device produces a current range of 3 mA down to 100 nA. Twelve patients with long standing diabetes, hypertension and unhealed wounds were treated with EPRT. The patients were treated approximately for 3.5 h/day/5 days a week. Assessment of ulcer was based on scale used by National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel Consensus Development Conference. Patients were followed-up with daily measurement of blood pressure and blood glucose level, and their requirement for medications was recorded. Treatment continued from 2-4 months according to their response. Results showed that diabetes mellitus and hypertension were well controlled after using this device, and their wounds were markedly healed (30-100%). The patients

A Cabin Air Separator for EVA Oxygen

Science.gov (United States)

Graf, John C.

2011-01-01

Presently, the Extra-Vehicular Activities (EVAs) conducted from the Quest Joint Airlock on the International Space Station use high pressure, high purity oxygen that is delivered to the Space Station by the Space Shuttle. When the Space Shuttle retires, a new method of delivering high pressure, high purity oxygen to the High Pressure Gas Tanks (HPGTs) is needed. One method is to use a cabin air separator to sweep oxygen from the cabin air, generate a low pressure/high purity oxygen stream, and compress the oxygen with a multistage mechanical compressor. A main advantage to this type of system is that the existing low pressure oxygen supply infrastructure can be used as the source of cabin oxygen. ISS has two water electrolysis systems that deliver low pressure oxygen to the cabin, as well as chlorate candles and compressed gas tanks on cargo vehicles. Each of these systems can feed low pressure oxygen into the cabin, and any low pressure oxygen source can be used as an on-board source of oxygen. Three different oxygen separator systems were evaluated, and a two stage Pressure Swing Adsorption system was selected for reasons of technical maturity. Two different compressor designs were subjected to long term testing, and the compressor with better life performance and more favorable oxygen safety characteristics was selected. These technologies have been used as the basis of a design for a flight system located in Equipment Lock, and taken to Preliminary Design Review level of maturity. This paper describes the Cabin Air Separator for EVA Oxygen (CASEO) concept, describes the separator and compressor technology trades, highlights key technology risks, and describes the flight hardware concept as presented at Preliminary Design Review (PDR)

Oxygen Compatibility of Brass-Filled PTFE Compared to Commonly Used Fluorinated Polymers for Oxygen Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Herald, Stephen D.; Frisby, Paul M.; Davis, Samuel Eddie

2009-01-01

Safe and reliable seal materials for high-pressure oxygen systems sometimes appear to be extinct species when sought out by oxygen systems designers. Materials that seal well are easy to find, but these materials are typically incompatible with oxygen, especially in cryogenic liquid form. This incompatibility can result in seals that leak, or much worse, seals that easily ignite and burn during use. Materials that are compatible with oxygen are easy to find, such as the long list of compatible metals, but these metallic materials are limiting as seal materials. A material that seals well and is oxygen compatible has been the big game in the designer's safari. Scientists at the Materials Combustion Research Facility (MCRF), part of NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), are constantly searching for better materials and processes to improve the safety of oxygen systems. One focus of this effort is improving the characteristics of polymers used in the presence of an oxygen enriched environment. Very few systems can be built which contain no polymeric materials; therefore, materials which have good impact resistance, low heat of combustion, high auto-ignition temperature and that maintain good mechanical properties are essential. The scientists and engineers at the Materials Combustion Research Facility, in cooperation with seal suppliers, are currently testing a new formulation of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) with Brass filler. This Brass-filled PTFE is showing great promise as a seal and seat material for high pressure oxygen systems. Early research has demonstrated very encouraging results, which could rank this material as one of the best fluorinated polymers ever tested. This paper will compare the data obtained for Brass-filled PTFE with other fluorinated polymers, such as TFE-Teflon (PTFE) , Kel-F 81, Viton A, Viton A-500, Fluorel , and Algoflon . A similar metal filled fluorinated polymer, Salox-M , was tested in comparison to Brass-filled PTFE to

Effects of normobaric versus hyperbaric oxygen on cell injury induced by oxygen and glucose deprivation in acute brain slices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laurent Chazalviel

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Normobaric oxygen (NBO and hyperbaric oxygen (HBO are emerging as a possible co-treatment of acute ischemic stroke. Both have been shown to reduce infarct volume, to improve neurologic outcome, to promote endogenous tissue plasminogen activator-induced thrombolysis and cerebral blood flow, and to improve tissue oxygenation through oxygen diffusion in the ischemic areas, thereby questioning the interest of HBO compared to NBO. In the present study, in order to investigate and compare the oxygen diffusion effects of NBO and HBO on acute ischemic stroke independently of their effects at the vascular level, we used acute brain slices exposed to oxygen and glucose deprivation, an ex vivo model of brain ischemia that allows investigating the acute effects of NBO (partial pressure of oxygen (pO 2 = 1 atmospheres absolute (ATA = 0.1 MPa and HBO (pO 2 = 2.5 ATA = 0.25 MPa through tissue oxygenation on ischemia-induced cell injury as measured by the release of lactate dehydrogenase. We found that HBO, but not NBO, reduced oxygen and glucose deprivation-induced cell injury, indicating that passive tissue oxygenation (i.e. without vascular support of the brain parenchyma requires oxygen partial pressure higher than 1 ATA.

Oxygen - A Four Billion Year History

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Canfield, Donald Eugene

The air we breathe is twenty-one percent oxygen, an amount higher than on any other known world. While we may take our air for granted, Earth was not always an oxygenated planet. How did it become this way? Oxygen is the most current account of the history of atmospheric oxygen on Earth. Donald...... Canfield--one of the world's leading authorities on geochemistry, earth history, and the early oceans--covers this vast history, emphasizing its relationship to the evolution of life and the evolving chemistry of the Earth. With an accessible and colorful first-person narrative, he draws from a variety...... of fields, including geology, paleontology, geochemistry, biochemistry, animal physiology, and microbiology, to explain why our oxygenated Earth became the ideal place for life. Describing which processes, both biological and geological, act to control oxygen levels in the atmosphere, Canfield traces...

The influence of systemic hemodynamics and oxygen transport on cerebral oxygen saturation in neonates after the Norwood procedure.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jia; Zhang, Gencheng; Holtby, Helen; Guerguerian, Anne-Marie; Cai, Sally; Humpl, Tilman; Caldarone, Christopher A; Redington, Andrew N; Van Arsdell, Glen S

2008-01-01

Ischemic brain injury is an important morbidity in neonates after the Norwood procedure. Its relationship to systemic hemodynamic oxygen transport is poorly understood. Sixteen neonates undergoing the Norwood procedure were studied. Continuous cerebral oxygen saturation was measured by near-infrared spectroscopy. Continuous oxygen consumption was measured by respiratory mass spectrometry. Pulmonary and systemic blood flow, systemic vascular resistance, oxygen delivery, and oxygen extraction ratio were derived with measurements of arterial, and superior vena cava and pulmonary venous gases and pressures at 2- to 4-hour intervals during the first 72 hours in the intensive care unit. Mean cerebral oxygen saturation was 66% +/- 12% before the operation, reduced to 51% +/- 13% on arrival in the intensive care unit, and remained low during the first 8 hours; it increased to 56% +/- 9% at 72 hours, still significantly lower than the preoperative level (P blood flow and oxygen delivery (P blood flow (P = .001) and hemoglobin (P = .02) and negatively correlated with systemic vascular resistance (P = .003). It was not correlated with oxygen consumption (P > .05). Cerebral oxygen saturation decreased significantly in neonates during the early postoperative period after the Norwood procedure and was significantly influenced by systemic hemodynamic and metabolic events. As such, hemodynamic interventions to modify systemic oxygen transport may provide further opportunities to reduce the risk of cerebral ischemia and improve neurodevelopmental outcomes.

14 CFR 25.1441 - Oxygen equipment and supply.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Oxygen equipment and supply. 25.1441... Oxygen equipment and supply. (a) If certification with supplemental oxygen equipment is requested, the... oxygen available in each source of supply. (d) The oxygen flow rate and the oxygen equipment for...

Impurities of oxygen in silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomes, V.M.S.

1985-01-01

The electronic structure of oxygen complex defects in silicon, using molecular cluster model with saturation by watson sphere into the formalism of Xα multiple scattering method is studied. A systematic study of the simulation of perfect silicon crystal and an analysis of the increasing of atom number in the clusters are done to choose the suitable cluster for the calculations. The divacancy in three charge states (Si:V 2 + , Si:V 2 0 , Si:V 2 - ), of the oxygen pair (Si:O 2 ) and the oxygen-vacancy pair (Si:O.V) neighbours in the silicon lattice, is studied. Distortions for the symmetry were included in the Si:V 2 + and Si:O 2 systems. The behavior of defect levels related to the cluster size of Si:V 2 0 and Si:O 2 systems, the insulated oxygen impurity of silicon in interstitial position (Si:O i ), and the complexes involving four oxygen atoms are analysed. (M.C.K.) [pt

Early Rupture of an Ultralow Duodenal Stump after Extended Surgery for Gastric Cancer with Duodenal Invasion Managed by Tube Duodenostomy and Cholangiostomy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konstantinos Blouhos

2013-01-01

Full Text Available When dealing with gastric cancer with duodenal invasion, gastrectomy with distal resection of the duodenum is necessary to achieve negative distal margin. However, rupture of an ultralow duodenal stump necessitates advanced surgical skills and close postoperative observation. The present study reports a case of an early duodenal stump rupture after subtotal gastrectomy with resection of the whole first part of the duodenum, complete omentectomy, bursectomy, and D2+ lymphadenectomy performed for a pT3pN2pM1 (+ number 13 lymph nodes adenocarcinoma of the antrum. Duodenal stump rupture was managed successfully by end tube duodenostomy, without omental patching, and tube cholangiostomy. Close assessment of clinical, physical, and radiological signs, output volume, and enzyme concentration of the tube duodenostomy, T-tube, and closed suction drain, which was placed near the tube duodenostomy site to drain the leak around the catheter, dictated postoperative management of the external duodenal fistula.

Incorporation of Oxygen into Abscisic Acid and Phaseic Acid from Molecular Oxygen 1

Science.gov (United States)

Creelman, Robert A.; Zeevaart, Jan A. D.

1984-01-01

Abscisic acid accumulates in detached, wilted leaves of Xanthium strumarium. When these leaves are subsequently rehydrated, phaseic acid, a catabolite of abscisic acid, accumulates. Analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of phaseic acid isolated from stressed and subsequently rehydrated leaves placed in an atmosphere containing 20% 18O2 and 80% N2 indicates that one atom of 18O is incorporated in the 6′-hydroxymethyl group of phaseic acid. This suggests that the enzyme that converts abscisic acid to phaseic acid is an oxygenase. Analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of abscisic acid isolated from stressed leaves kept in an atmosphere containing 18O2 indicates that one atom of 18O is present in the carboxyl group of abscisic acid. Thus, when abscisic acid accumulates in water-stressed leaves, only one of the four oxygens present in the abscisic acid molecule is derived from molecular oxygen. This suggests that either (a) the oxygen present in the 1′-, 4′-, and one of the two oxygens at the 1-position of abscisic acid arise from water, or (b) there exists a stored precursor with oxygen atoms already present in the 1′- and 4′-positions of abscisic acid which is converted to abscisic acid under conditions of water stress. PMID:16663564

Oxygen discharge and post-discharge kinetics experiments and modeling for the electric oxygen-iodine laser system.

Science.gov (United States)

Palla, A D; Zimmerman, J W; Woodard, B S; Carroll, D L; Verdeyen, J T; Lim, T C; Solomon, W C

2007-07-26

Laser oscillation at 1315 nm on the I(2P1/2)-->I(2P3/2) transition of atomic iodine has been obtained by a near resonant energy transfer from O2(a1Delta) produced using a low-pressure oxygen/helium/nitric oxide discharge. In the electric discharge oxygen-iodine laser (ElectricOIL) the discharge production of atomic oxygen, ozone, and other excited species adds levels of complexity to the singlet oxygen generator (SOG) kinetics which are not encountered in a classic purely chemical O2(a1Delta) generation system. The advanced model BLAZE-IV has been introduced to study the energy-transfer laser system dynamics and kinetics. Levels of singlet oxygen, oxygen atoms, and ozone are measured experimentally and compared with calculations. The new BLAZE-IV model is in reasonable agreement with O3, O atom, and gas temperature measurements but is under-predicting the increase in O2(a1Delta) concentration resulting from the presence of NO in the discharge and under-predicting the O2(b1Sigma) concentrations. A key conclusion is that the removal of oxygen atoms by NOX species leads to a significant increase in O2(a1Delta) concentrations downstream of the discharge in part via a recycling process; however, there are still some important processes related to the NOX discharge kinetics that are missing from the present modeling. Further, the removal of oxygen atoms dramatically inhibits the production of ozone in the downstream kinetics.

Analyzing the dependence of oxygen incorporation current density on overpotential and oxygen partial pressure in mixed conducting oxide electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Zixuan; Chen, Di; Chueh, William C

2017-08-30

The oxygen incorporation reaction, which involves the transformation of an oxygen gas molecule to two lattice oxygen ions in a mixed ionic and electronic conducting solid, is a ubiquitous and fundamental reaction in solid-state electrochemistry. To understand the reaction pathway and to identify the rate-determining step, near-equilibrium measurements have been employed to quantify the exchange coefficients as a function of oxygen partial pressure and temperature. However, because the exchange coefficient contains contributions from both forward and reverse reaction rate constants and depends on both oxygen partial pressure and oxygen fugacity in the solid, unique and definitive mechanistic assessment has been challenging. In this work, we derive a current density equation as a function of both oxygen partial pressure and overpotential, and consider both near and far from equilibrium limits. Rather than considering specific reaction pathways, we generalize the multi-step oxygen incorporation reaction into the rate-determining step, preceding and following quasi-equilibrium steps, and consider the number of oxygen ions and electrons involved in each. By evaluating the dependence of current density on oxygen partial pressure and overpotential separately, one obtains the reaction orders for oxygen gas molecules and for solid-state species in the electrode. We simulated the oxygen incorporation current density-overpotential curves for praseodymium-doped ceria for various candidate rate-determining steps. This work highlights a promising method for studying the exchange kinetics far away from equilibrium.

Impact of neoadjuvant treatment on total mesorectal excision for ultra-low rectal cancers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fan Joe FM

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This study reviewed the impact of pre-operative chemoradiotherapy or post-operative chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy on total mesorectal excision (TME for ultralow rectal cancers that required either low anterior resection with peranal coloanal anastomosis or abdomino-perineal resection (APR. We examined surgical complications, local recurrence and survival. Methods Of the 1270 patients who underwent radical resection for rectal cancer from 1994 till 2007, 180 with tumors within 4 cm with either peranal coloanal anastomosis or APR were analyzed. Patients were compared in groups that had surgery only (Group A, pre-operative chemoradiotherapy (Group B, and post-operative therapy (Group C. Results There were 115 males and the mean age was 65.43 years (range 30-89. APR was performed in 134 patients while 46 had a sphincter-preserving resection with peranal coloanal anastomosis. The mean follow-up period was 52.98 months (range: 0.57 to 178.9. There were 69, 58 and 53 patients in Groups A, B, and C, respectively. Nine patients in Group B could go on to have sphincter-saving rectal resection. The overall peri-operative complication rate was 43.4% in Group A vs. 29.3% in Group B vs. 39.6% in Group C, respectively. The local recurrence rate was significantly lower in Group B (8.6.9% vs. 21.7% in Group A vs. 33.9% in Group C p . The 5-year cancer-specific survival rates for Group A was 49.3%, Group B was 69.9% and Group C was 38.8% (p = 0.14. Conclusion Pre-operative chemoradiation in low rectal cancer is not associated with a higher incidence of peri-operative complications and its benefits may include reduction local recurrence.

Influence of oxygen partial pressure on defect concentrations and on oxygen diffusion in UO2+x

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pizzi, Elisabetta

2013-01-01

The hyper-stoichiometric uranium dioxide (UO 2+x ) is stable over a wide range of temperature and compositions. Such variations of composition and the eventual presence of doping elements or impurities lead to a variation of anionic and electronic defect concentrations. Moreover, many properties of this material are affected by its composition modifications, in particular their atomic transport properties. Firstly we developed a point defect model to evaluate the dependence of the electronic and oxygen defect concentrations upon temperature, equilibrium oxygen partial pressure and impurity content. The physical constants of the model, in particular the equilibrium constants of the defect formation reactions were determined from deviation from stoichiometry and electrical conductivity measurements of literature. This work enabled us to interpret our measures of conductivity, oxygen chemical and self- diffusion coefficients. From a quantitative standpoint, the analysis of our experimental results allows to evaluate the oxygen interstitial diffusion coefficient but also its formation energy. Moreover, an estimate of oxygen di-interstitial formation energy is also provided. Presence of oxygen clusters leads oxygen self- and chemical diffusion to decrease. X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy characterization shows the presence of the same defect in the entire deviation from stoichiometry studied, confirming the approach used to develop the model. (author) [fr

The vanadium/oxygen system in the analysis of sodium for oxygen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walker, J.A.J.; Price, W.B.

1981-05-01

An investigation of the V-O-Na system at 1023 K is described for oxygen in sodium contents of 5 to 25 ppm. Electron spectroscopy combined with depth profiling is used to determine the vanadium/oxygen ratios inwards from the surface of vanadium foil and these ratios are compared with theoretical predictions. The validity of the vanadium wire technique as an analytical method is examined and a model for the vanadium oxidation is suggested. (author)

Novel nanostructured oxygen sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Boardman, Alan James

New government regulations and industry requirements for medical oxygen sensors require the development of alternate materials and process optimization of primary sensor components. Current oxygen sensors are not compliant with the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive. This work focused on two areas. First, was finding suitable readily available materials for the sensor anodes. Second was optimizing the processing of the sensor cathode membrane for reduced delamination. Oxygen sensors were made using tin (Sn) and bismuth (Bi) electrodes, potassium hydroxide (KOH) and acetic acid (CH3COOH) electrolytes with platinum (Pt) and gold (Au) reference electrodes. Bi electrodes were fabricated by casting and pressing processes. Electrochemical characterization of the Sn and Bi electrodes was performed by Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and sensing characterization per BSEN ISO 21647:2009 at various oxygen percentages, 0%, 20.9% and 100% oxygen levels with an automated test apparatus. The Sn anode with both electrolyte solutions showed good oxygen sensing properties and performance in a sensor. This system shows promise for replacement of Pb electrodes as required by the RoHS Directive. The Bi anode with Au cathode in both KOH and CH3COOH electrolytes showed acceptable performance and oxygen sensing properties. The Bi anodes fabricated by separate manufacturing methods demonstrated effectiveness for use in medical oxygen sensors. Gold thin films were prepared by magnetron sputtering on Flouroethylene Polymer (FEP) films. The FEP substrate temperature ranged from -77°C to 50°C. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and 4-point resistivity characterized the effects of substrate temperature to Au thin film particle size. XRD peak broadening and resistivity measurements showed a strong correlation of particle size to FEP substrate temperature. Particle size at 50°C was 594A and the -77°C particle size was 2.4 x 103A. Substrate

Oxygen, nitric oxide and articular cartilage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B Fermor

2007-04-01

Full Text Available Molecular oxygen is required for the production of nitric oxide (NO, a pro-inflammatory mediator that is associated with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. To date there has been little consideration of the role of oxygen tension in the regulation of nitric oxide production associated with arthritis. Oxygen tension may be particularly relevant to articular cartilage since it is avascular and therefore exists at a reduced oxygen tension. The superficial zone exists at approximately 6% O2, while the deep zone exists at less than 1% O2. Furthermore, oxygen tension can alter matrix synthesis, and the material properties of articular cartilage in vitro.The increase in nitric oxide associated with arthritis can be caused by pro-inflammatory cytokines and mechanical stress. Oxygen tension significantly alters endogenous NO production in articular cartilage, as well as the stimulation of NO in response to both mechanical loading and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Mechanical loading and pro-inflammatory cytokines also increase the production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2. There is a complex interaction between NO and PGE2, and oxygen tension can alter this interaction. These findings suggest that the relatively low levels of oxygen within the joint may have significant influences on the metabolic activity, and inflammatory response of cartilage as compared to ambient levels. A better understanding of the role of oxygen in the production of inflammatory mediators in response to mechanical loading, or pro-inflammatory cytokines, may aid in the development of strategies for therapeutic intervention in arthritis.

Oxygen permeation modelling of perovskites

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Hassel, Bart A.; van Hassel, B.A.; Kawada, Tatsuya; Sakai, Natsuko; Yokokawa, Harumi; Dokiya, Masayuki; Bouwmeester, Henricus J.M.

1993-01-01

A point defect model was used to describe the oxygen nonstoichiometry of the perovskites La0.75Sr0.25CrO3, La0.9Sr0.1FeO3, La0.9Sr0.1CoO3 and La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 as a function of the oxygen partial pressure. Form the oxygen vacancy concentration predicte by the point defect model, the ionic conductivity

Oxygen potentials of transuranium oxides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haruyoshi Otobe; Mituso Akabori; Arai Yasuo; Kazuo Minato

2008-01-01

The oxygen potentials of pyrochlore-type Pu 2 Zr 2 O 7+y , fluorite-type (Pu 0.5 Zr 0.5 )O 2-x and AmO 2-x have been measured by the electromotive force (EMF) method with a zirconia solid-electrolyte. The oxygen potentials of these oxides were reviewed. The phase relations, microstructure, equilibrium state of these oxides were discussed, referring to the isothermal curve of the oxygen potentials. (authors)

Centrifugal spray generator of singlet oxygen for a chemical oxygen-iodine laser

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Špalek, Otomar; Hrubý, Jan; Čenský, Miroslav; Jirásek, Vít; Kodymová, Jarmila

2010-01-01

Roč. 100, č. 4 (2010), s. 793-802 ISSN 0946-2171 Grant - others:European Office of Aerospace R&D(US) FA8655-09-1-3091 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100523; CEZ:AV0Z20760514 Keywords : centrifugal generator of singlet oxygen * chemical oxygen-iodine laser Subject RIV: BH - Optics, Masers, Lasers Impact factor: 2.239, year: 2010

Versatile, ultra-low sample volume gas analyzer using a rapid, broad-tuning ECQCL and a hollow fiber gas cell

Science.gov (United States)

Kriesel, Jason M.; Makarem, Camille N.; Phillips, Mark C.; Moran, James J.; Coleman, Max L.; Christensen, Lance E.; Kelly, James F.

2017-05-01

We describe a versatile mid-infrared (Mid-IR) spectroscopy system developed to measure the concentration of a wide range of gases with an ultra-low sample size. The system combines a rapidly-swept external cavity quantum cascade laser (ECQCL) with a hollow fiber gas cell. The ECQCL has sufficient spectral resolution and reproducibility to measure gases with narrow features (e.g., water, methane, ammonia, etc.), and also the spectral tuning range needed to measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs), (e.g., aldehydes, ketones, hydrocarbons), sulfur compounds, chlorine compounds, etc. The hollow fiber is a capillary tube having an internal reflective coating optimized for transmitting the Mid-IR laser beam to a detector. Sample gas introduced into the fiber (e.g., internal volume = 0.6 ml) interacts strongly with the laser beam, and despite relatively modest path lengths (e.g., L 3 m), the requisite quantity of sample needed for sensitive measurements can be significantly less than what is required using conventional IR laser spectroscopy systems. Example measurements are presented including quantification of VOCs relevant for human breath analysis with a sensitivity of 2 picomoles at a 1 Hz data rate.

Versatile, ultra-low sample volume gas analyzer using a rapid, broad-tuning ECQCL and a hollow fiber gas cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kriesel, Jason M.; Makarem, Camille N.; Phillips, Mark C.; Moran, James J.; Coleman, Max; Christensen, Lance; Kelly, James F.

2017-05-05

We describe a versatile mid-infrared (Mid-IR) spectroscopy system developed to measure the concentration of a wide range of gases with an ultra-low sample size. The system combines a rapidly-swept external cavity quantum cascade laser (ECQCL) with a hollow fiber gas cell. The ECQCL has sufficient spectral resolution and reproducibility to measure gases with narrow features (e.g., water, methane, ammonia, etc.), and also the spectral tuning range needed to measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs), (e.g., aldehydes, ketones, hydrocarbons), sulfur compounds, chlorine compounds, etc. The hollow fiber is a capillary tube having an internal reflective coating optimized for transmitting the Mid-IR laser beam to a detector. Sample gas introduced into the fiber (e.g., internal volume = 0.6 ml) interacts strongly with the laser beam, and despite relatively modest path lengths (e.g., L ~ 3 m), the requisite quantity of sample needed for sensitive measurements can be significantly less than what is required using conventional IR laser spectroscopy systems. Example measurements are presented including quantification of VOCs relevant for human breath analysis with a sensitivity of ~2 picomoles at a 1 Hz data rate.

Controlling Oxygen Mobility in Ruddlesden–Popper Oxides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dongkyu Lee

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Discovering new energy materials is a key step toward satisfying the needs for next-generation energy conversion and storage devices. Among the various types of oxides, Ruddlesden–Popper (RP oxides (A2BO4 are promising candidates for electrochemical energy devices, such as solid oxide fuel cells, owing to their attractive physicochemical properties, including the anisotropic nature of oxygen migration and controllable stoichiometry from oxygen excess to oxygen deficiency. Thus, understanding and controlling the kinetics of oxygen transport are essential for designing optimized materials to use in electrochemical energy devices. In this review, we first discuss the basic mechanisms of oxygen migration in RP oxides depending on oxygen nonstoichiometry. We then focus on the effect of changes in the defect concentration, crystallographic orientation, and strain on the oxygen migration in RP oxides. We also briefly review their thermal and chemical stability. Finally, we conclude with a perspective on potential research directions for future investigation to facilitate controlling oxygen ion migration in RP oxides.

21 CFR 868.5440 - Portable oxygen generator.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Portable oxygen generator. 868.5440 Section 868...) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 868.5440 Portable oxygen generator. (a) Identification. A portable oxygen generator is a device that is intended to release oxygen for respiratory...

Hydrogen/oxygen injection stopping method for nuclear power plant and emergent hydrogen/oxygen injection device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishida, Ryoichi; Ota, Masamoto; Takagi, Jun-ichi; Hirose, Yuki

1998-01-01

The present invention provides a device for suppressing increase of electroconductivity of reactor water during operation of a BWR type reactor, upon occurrence of reactor scram of the plant or upon stopping of hydrogen/oxygen injection due to emergent stoppage of an injection device so as not to deteriorate the integrity of a gas waste processing system upon occurrence of scram. Namely, when injection of hydrogen/oxygen is stopped during plant operation, the injection amount of hydrogen is reduced gradually. Subsequently, injection of hydrogen is stopped. With such procedures, the increase of electroconductivity of reactor water can be suppressed upon stoppage of hydrogen injection. When injection of hydrogen/oxygen is stopped upon shut down of the plant, the amount of hydrogen injection is changed depending on the change of the feedwater flow rate, and then the plant is shut down while keeping hydrogen concentration of feedwater to a predetermined value. With such procedures, increase of the reactor water electroconductivity can be suppressed upon stoppage of hydrogen injection. Upon emergent stoppage of the hydrogen/oxygen injection device, an emergent hydrogen/oxygen injection device is actuated to continue the injection of hydrogen/oxygen. With such procedures, elevation of reactor water electroconductivity can be suppressed. (I.S.)

Gradually Increased Oxygen Administration Improved Oxygenation and Mitigated Oxidative Stress after Resuscitation from Severe Hemorrhagic Shock.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Xin; Yin, Yujing; You, Guoxing; Chen, Gan; Wang, Ying; Zhao, Jingxiang; Wang, Bo; Zhao, Lian; Zhou, Hong

2015-11-01

The optimal oxygen administration strategy during resuscitation from hemorrhagic shock (HS) is still controversial. Improving oxygenation and mitigating oxidative stress simultaneously seem to be contradictory goals. To maximize oxygen delivery while minimizing oxidative damage, the authors proposed the notion of gradually increased oxygen administration (GIOA), which entails making the arterial blood hypoxemic early in resuscitation and subsequently gradually increasing to hyperoxic, and compared its effects with normoxic resuscitation, hyperoxic resuscitation, and hypoxemic resuscitation in severe HS. Rats were subjected to HS, and on resuscitation, the rats were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 8): the normoxic, the hyperoxic, the hypoxemic, and the GIOA groups. Rats were observed for an additional 1 h. Hemodynamics, acid-base status, oxygenation, and oxidative injury were observed and evaluated. Central venous oxygen saturation promptly recovered only in the hyperoxic and the GIOA groups, and the liver tissue partial pressure of oxygen was highest in the GIOA group after resuscitation. Oxidative stress in GIOA group was significantly reduced compared with the hyperoxic group as indicated by the reduced malondialdehyde content, increased catalase activity, and the lower histologic injury scores in the liver. In addition, the tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 expressions in the liver were markedly decreased in the GIOA group than in the hyperoxic and normoxic groups as shown by the immunohistochemical staining. GIOA improved systemic/tissue oxygenation and mitigated oxidative stress simultaneously after resuscitation from severe HS. GIOA may be a promising strategy to improve resuscitation from HS and deserves further investigation.

Oxygen requirements of the earliest animals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mills, Daniel Brady; Ward, Lewis M.; Jones, CarriAyne

2014-01-01

likely exhibited a physiology and morphology similar to that of a modern sponge, its oxygen demands may have been met well before the enhanced oxygenation of the Ediacaran Period. Therefore, the origin of animals may not have been triggered by a contemporaneous rise in the oxygen content...

Mechanism of singlet oxygen deactivation in an electric discharge oxygen – iodine laser

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Azyazov, V N; Mikheyev, P A; Torbin, A P [Samara Branch of the P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Samara (Russian Federation); Pershin, A A [S.P. Korolev Samara State Aerospace University, Samara (Russian Federation); Heaven, M C [Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322 (United States)

2014-12-31

We have determined the influence of the reaction of molecular singlet oxygen with a vibrationally excited ozone molecule O{sub 2}(a {sup 1}Δ) + O{sub 3}(ν) → 2O{sub 2} + O on the removal rate of O{sub 2}(a {sup 1}Δ) in an electric-discharge-driven oxygen – iodine laser. This reaction has been shown to be a major channel of O{sub 2}(a {sup 1}Δ) loss at the output of an electric-discharge singlet oxygen generator. In addition, it can also contribute significantly to the loss of O{sub 2}(a {sup 1}Δ) in the discharge region of the generator. (lasers)

Oxygen status during haemodialysis. The Cord-Group

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, A L; Jensen, H Æ; Hegbrant, J

1995-01-01

Hypoxia during haemodialysis, mainly acetate, has been reported several times. In our study we have monitored oxygen status during 258 bicarbonate haemodialyses. A significant drop below 80 mmHg in mean oxygen tension occurred. Mean oxygen saturation reflected this drop but did not reach levels...... below 90%. The mean oxygen concentration was on the whole critical low, though slightly increasing during each haemodialysis session due to ultrafiltration. It is concluded that both hypoxia and hypoxaemia do occur during bicarbonate haemodialysis. To a group of patients generally having limited cardiac...... reserves, a poor oxygen status is a potentially serious complication to haemodialysis. Monitoring oxygen status is thus advisable....

21 CFR 868.1730 - Oxygen uptake computer.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Oxygen uptake computer. 868.1730 Section 868.1730...) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 868.1730 Oxygen uptake computer. (a) Identification. An oxygen uptake computer is a device intended to compute the amount of oxygen consumed by a...

Enhanced oxygen delivery induced by perfluorocarbon emulsions in capillary tube oxygenators.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaslef, S N; Goldstick, T K

1994-01-01

Previous studies showed that a new generation of perfluorocarbon (PFC) emulsions increased tissue PO2 in the cat retina to a degree that could not be explained by the small increase in arterial O2 content seen after the infusion of low doses of 1 g PFC/kg body weight. It seems that increased O2 delivery at the tissue level after PFC infusion is caused by a local effect in the microcirculation. The authors studies this effect in vitro at steady state in a closed loop circuit, consisting of one of two types of capillary tube oxygenators, deoxygenator(s), a reservoir bag filled with anticoagulated bovine blood or saline (control), and a roller pump, to see if the addition of PFC would have an effect on the PO2 difference (delta PO2) across the capillary tube membrane oxygenator at a blood flow rate of 3 l/min. Perfluorocarbon was added in three incremental doses, each giving about 0.7 vol% of PFC. The delta PO2 across the oxygenator was measured before and after each dose. The mean percent increases in delta PO2 in blood for two types of oxygenators were 19.2 +/- 8% (mean +/- SD, n = 6, P = 0.002) and 9.9 +/- 4% (n = 3, P = 0.05), respectively, whereas the mean percent change in delta PO2 in saline was -4.9 +/- 2% (n = 2, P = 0.2). Inlet PO2s to the oxygenator were only minimally increased. The authors conclude that O2 delivery was significantly enhanced after injection of PFC in blood in this capillary tube model. A near wall excess of PFC particles may account for the augmentation of O2 diffusion in this model.

Oxygen dynamics around buried lesser sandeels Ammodytes tobianus (Linnaeus 1785): mode of ventilation and oxygen requirements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Behrens, Jane W; Stahl, Henrik J; Steffensen, John F

2007-01-01

The oxygen environment around buried sandeels (Ammodytes tobianus) was monitored by planar optodes. The oxygen penetration depth at the sediment interface was only a few mm. Thus fish, typically buried at 1-4 cm depth, were generally in anoxic sediment. However, they induced an advective transport...... down along the body, referred to as ;plume ventilation'. Yet, within approximately 30 min the oxic plume was replenished by oxygen-depleted water from the gills. The potential for cutaneous respiration by the buried fish was thus of no quantitative importance. Calculations derived by three independent...... methods (each with N=3) revealed that the oxygen uptake of sandeel buried for 6-7 h was 40-50% of previous estimates on resting respirometry of non-buried fish, indicating lower O(2) requirements during burial on a diurnal timescale. Buried fish exposed to decreasing oxygen tensions gradually approached...

Ultra-low level plutonium isotopes in the NIST SRM 4355A (Peruvian Soil-1)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inn, Kenneth G.W.; LaRosa, Jerome; Nour, Svetlana; Brooks, George; LaMont, Steve; Steiner, Rob; Williams, Ross; Patton, Brad; Bostick, Debbie; Eiden, Gregory; Petersen, Steve; Douglas, Matthew; Beals, Donna; Cadieux, James; Hall, Greg; Goldberg, Steve; Vogt, Stephan

2009-01-01

For more than 20 years, countries and their agencies which monitor radionuclide discharge sites and storage facilities have relied on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Standard Reference Material (SRM) 4355 Peruvian Soil. Its low fallout contamination makes it an ideal soil blank for measurements associated with terrestrial-pathway-to-man studies. Presently, SRM 4355 is out of stock, and a new batch of the Peruvian soil is currently under development as future NIST SRM 4355A. Both environmental radioanalytical laboratories and mass spectrometry communities will benefit from the use of this SRM. The former must assess their laboratory procedural contamination and measurement detection limits by measurement of blank sample material. The Peruvian Soil is so low in anthropogenic radionuclide content that it is a suitable virtual blank. On the other hand, mass spectrometric laboratories have high sensitivity instruments that are capable of quantitative isotopic measurements at low plutonium levels in the SRM 4355 (first Peruvian Soil SRM) that provided the mass spectrometric community with the calibration, quality control, and testing material needed for methods development and legal defensibility. The quantification of the ultra-low plutonium content in the SRM 4355A was a considerable challenge for the mass spectrometric laboratories. Careful blank control and correction, isobaric interferences, instrument stability, peak assessment, and detection assessment were necessary. Furthermore, a systematic statistical evaluation of the measurement results and considerable discussions with the mass spectroscopy metrologists were needed to derive the certified values and uncertainties. The one sided upper limit of the 95% tolerance with 95% confidence for the massic 239 Pu content in SRM 4355A is estimated to be 54,000 atoms/g.

Oxygen index tests of thermosetting resins

Science.gov (United States)

Gilwee, W. J., Jr.; Parker, J. A.; Kourtides, D. A.

1980-01-01

The flammability characteristics of nine thermosetting resins under evaluation for use in aircraft interiors are described. These resins were evaluated using the Oxygen Index (ASTM 2863) testing procedure. The test specimens consisted of both neat resin and glass reinforced resin. When testing glass-reinforced samples it was observed that Oxygen Index values varied inversely with resin content. Oxygen values were also obtained on specimens exposed to temperatures up to 300 C. All specimens experienced a decline in Oxygen Index when tested at an elevated temperature.

Retrievable micro-inserts containing oxygen sensors for monitoring tissue oxygenation using EPR oximetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dinguizli, M; Beghein, N; Gallez, B

2008-01-01

Tissue oxygenation is a crucial parameter in various physiopathological situations and can influence the therapeutic response of tumours. EPR oximetry is a reliable method for assessing and monitoring oxygen levels in vivo over long periods of time. Among the different paramagnetic oxygen sensors available for EPR oximetry, lithium phthalocyanine (LiPc) is a serious candidate for in vivo applications because of its narrow linewidth and its high signal-to-noise ratio. To enhance the biocompatibility of the sensors, fluoropolymer Teflon AF2400 was used to make cylindrical micro-inserts containing LiPc crystals. This new micro-pellet design has several advantages for in vivo studies, including the possibility of being able to choose the implant size, a high sensor content, the facility of in vivo insertion and complete protection with preservation of the oxygen sensor's characteristics. The response to oxygen and the kinetics of this response were tested using in vivo EPR: no differences were observed between micro-inserts and uncoated LiPc crystals. Pellets implanted in vivo in muscles conserved their responsiveness over a long period of time (∼two months), which is much longer than the few days of stability observed using LiPc crystals without protection by the implant. Finally, evaluation of the biocompatibility of the implants revealed no inflammatory reaction around the implantation area

Oxidation of ruthenium thin films using atomic oxygen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McCoy, A.P.; Bogan, J.; Brady, A.; Hughes, G.

2015-12-31

In this study, the use of atomic oxygen to oxidise ruthenium thin films is assessed. Atomic layer deposited (ALD) ruthenium thin films (~ 3 nm) were exposed to varying amounts of atomic oxygen and the results were compared to the impact of exposures to molecular oxygen. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies reveal substantial oxidation of metallic ruthenium films to RuO{sub 2} at exposures as low as ~ 10{sup 2} L at 575 K when atomic oxygen was used. Higher exposures of molecular oxygen resulted in no metal oxidation highlighting the benefits of using atomic oxygen to form RuO{sub 2}. Additionally, the partial oxidation of these ruthenium films occurred at temperatures as low as 293 K (room temperature) in an atomic oxygen environment. - Highlights: • X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of the oxidation of Ru thin films • Oxidation of Ru thin films using atomic oxygen • Comparison between atomic oxygen and molecular oxygen treatments on Ru thin films • Fully oxidised RuO{sub 2} thin films formed with low exposures to atomic oxygen.

Ultracompact/ultralow power electron cyclotron resonance ion source for multipurpose applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sortais, P.; Lamy, T.; Medard, J.; Angot, J.; Latrasse, L.; Thuillier, T.

2010-01-01

In order to drastically reduce the power consumption of a microwave ion source, we have studied some specific discharge cavity geometries in order to reduce the operating point below 1 W of microwave power (at 2.45 GHz). We show that it is possible to drive an electron cyclotron resonance ion source with a transmitter technology similar to those used for cellular phones. By the reduction in the size and of the required microwave power, we have developed a new type of ultralow cost ion sources. This microwave discharge system (called COMIC, for COmpact MIcrowave and Coaxial) can be used as a source of light, plasma or ions. We will show geometries of conductive cavities where it is possible, in a 20 mm diameter chamber, to reduce the ignition of the plasma below 100 mW and define typical operating points around 5 W. Inside a simple vacuum chamber it is easy to place the source and its extraction system anywhere and fully under vacuum. In that case, current densities from 0.1 to 10 mA/cm 2 (Ar, extraction 4 mm, 1 mAe, 20 kV) have been observed. Preliminary measurements and calculations show the possibility, with a two electrodes system, to extract beams within a low emittance. The first application for these ion sources is the ion injection for charge breeding, surface analyzing system and surface treatment. For this purpose, a very small extraction hole is used (typically 3/10 mm for a 3 μA extracted current with 2 W of HF power). Mass spectrum and emittance measurements will be presented. In these conditions, values down to 1 π mm mrad at 15 kV (1σ) are observed, thus very close to the ones currently observed for a surface ionization source. A major interest of this approach is the possibility to connect together several COMIC devices. We will introduce some new on-going developments such as sources for high voltage implantation platforms, fully quartz radioactive ion source at ISOLDE or large plasma generators for plasma immersion, broad or ribbon beams

Ultracompact/ultralow power electron cyclotron resonance ion source for multipurpose applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sortais, P.; Lamy, T.; Medard, J.; Angot, J.; Latrasse, L.; Thuillier, T. [Laboratoire de Physique Subatomique et de Cosmologie de Grenoble, UJF-CNRS/IN2P3 - INPG, 53, rue des Martyrs, 38026 Grenoble Cedex (France)

2010-02-15

In order to drastically reduce the power consumption of a microwave ion source, we have studied some specific discharge cavity geometries in order to reduce the operating point below 1 W of microwave power (at 2.45 GHz). We show that it is possible to drive an electron cyclotron resonance ion source with a transmitter technology similar to those used for cellular phones. By the reduction in the size and of the required microwave power, we have developed a new type of ultralow cost ion sources. This microwave discharge system (called COMIC, for COmpact MIcrowave and Coaxial) can be used as a source of light, plasma or ions. We will show geometries of conductive cavities where it is possible, in a 20 mm diameter chamber, to reduce the ignition of the plasma below 100 mW and define typical operating points around 5 W. Inside a simple vacuum chamber it is easy to place the source and its extraction system anywhere and fully under vacuum. In that case, current densities from 0.1 to 10 mA/cm{sup 2} (Ar, extraction 4 mm, 1 mAe, 20 kV) have been observed. Preliminary measurements and calculations show the possibility, with a two electrodes system, to extract beams within a low emittance. The first application for these ion sources is the ion injection for charge breeding, surface analyzing system and surface treatment. For this purpose, a very small extraction hole is used (typically 3/10 mm for a 3 {mu}A extracted current with 2 W of HF power). Mass spectrum and emittance measurements will be presented. In these conditions, values down to 1 {pi} mm mrad at 15 kV (1{sigma}) are observed, thus very close to the ones currently observed for a surface ionization source. A major interest of this approach is the possibility to connect together several COMIC devices. We will introduce some new on-going developments such as sources for high voltage implantation platforms, fully quartz radioactive ion source at ISOLDE or large plasma generators for plasma immersion, broad or ribbon

Differences in breast tissue oxygenation following radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dornfeld, Ken; Gessert, Charles E.; Renier, Colleen M.; McNaney, David D.; Urias, Rodolfo E.; Knowles, Denise M.; Beauduy, Jean L.; Widell, Sherry L.; McDonald, Bonita L.

2011-01-01

Tissue perfusion and oxygenation changes following radiotherapy may result from and/or contribute to the toxicity of treatment. Breast tissue oxygenation levels were determined in the treated and non-treated breast 1 year after radiotherapy for breast conserving treatment. Transcutaneous oxygenation varied between subjects in both treated and non-treated breast. Subjects without diabetes mellitus (n = 16) had an average oxygenation level of 64.8 ± 19.9 mmHg in the irradiated breast and an average of 72.3 ± 18.1 mmHg (p = 0.018) at the corresponding location in the control breast. Patients with diabetes (n = 4) showed a different oxygenation pattern, with lower oxygenation levels in control tissue and no decrease in the irradiated breast. This study suggests oxygenation levels in normal tissues vary between patients and may respond differently after radiotherapy.

Modification of radiation sensitivity: the oxygen effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quintiliani, M.

1979-01-01

Four fundamental aspects of the oxygen effect in radiobiology are reviewed, with emphasis on single cell systems: (1) Radiosensitivity in relation to oxygen concentration. In many biological systems, this relationship is remarkably well represented by the well-known Howard-Flanders/Alper formula. Often, however, the degree of uncertainty associated with the estimation of the value of K in the formula is fairly high. Recent data on V79-753B cells indicate a biphasic influence of oxygen concentration on radiosensitivity that cannot be described in terms of the Howard-Flanders/Alper model. (2) The oxygen effect in relation to survival level. The influence of very low oxygen concentrations on the shoulder of the survival curves of irradiated cells is still controversial. Also, the oxygen dependence of repair processes for sublethal and potentially lethal damage need to be better defined. (3) Time-scale of the oxygen effect. All the experimental data obtained with the use of fast techniques indicate that the time scale of the oxygen effect is consistent with that of free radical reactions. This appears to be compatible with the hypothesis that oxygen acts by fixation of a radiation-induced reversible damage. The existence of two types of damage with different rates of decay is suggested, both in bacterial and mammalian cells. (4) Molecular mechanisms of the oxygen effect. In spite of the very large literature on this subject, the identification of the detailed molecular mechanisms of the oxygen effect must still be considered goals for future research

Porous Silicon Covered with Silver Nanoparticles as Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Substrate for Ultra-Low Concentration Detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Kosović, Marin; Balarin, Maja; Ivanda, Mile; Đerek, Vedran; Marciuš, Marijan; Ristić, Mira; Gamulin, Ozren

2015-12-01

Microporous and macro-mesoporous silicon templates for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates were produced by anodization of low doped p-type silicon wafers. By immersion plating in AgNO3, the templates were covered with silver metallic film consisting of different silver nanostructures. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs of these SERS substrates showed diverse morphology with significant difference in an average size and size distribution of silver nanoparticles. Ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared (UV-Vis-NIR) reflection spectroscopy showed plasmonic absorption at 398 and 469 nm, which is in accordance with the SEM findings. The activity of the SERS substrates was tested using rhodamine 6G (R6G) dye molecules and 514.5 nm laser excitation. Contrary to the microporous silicon template, the SERS substrate prepared from macro-mesoporous silicon template showed significantly broader size distribution of irregular silver nanoparticles as well as localized surface plasmon resonance closer to excitation laser wavelength. Such silver morphology has high SERS sensitivity that enables ultralow concentration detection of R6G dye molecules up to 10(-15) M. To our knowledge, this is the lowest concentration detected of R6G dye molecules on porous silicon-based SERS substrates, which might even indicate possible single molecule detection.

Oxygen-Methane Thruster, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Orion Propulsion, Inc. proposes to develop an Oxygen and Methane RCS Thruster to advance the technology of alternate fuels. A successful Oxygen/CH4 RCS Thruster will...

[Recent technical advances in portable oxygen delivery systems].

Science.gov (United States)

Machida, K; Kawabe, Y; Mori, M; Haga, T

1992-08-01

According to a Japanese national survey (June 30, 1990), the number of patients receiving home oxygen therapy (HOT) has been greater than 18,000 since March 1985, when HOT was first covered by health insurance. The oxygen concentrator, especially the molecular sieve type, is the most common method of delivery (more than 90%). In April 1988, the portable oxygen cylinder was acknowledged by health insurance, and the liquid oxygen supply system in April 1990. Three types of portable oxygen delivery systems are available; oxygen cyclinder, liquid oxygen system, and oxygen concentrator (membrane type), of which the oxygen cylinder is most commonly used. In our hospital, portable oxygen supply systems were used in 80% of 168 HOT cases in 1990, and the use of 400 L aluminum oxygen cylinders at a flow rate of 1-2 L/min has been most popular. There is an strong desire from patients for lighter portable oxygen supply system of longer duration. In 19 patients with chronic respiratory failure, we evaluated a newly designed demand oxygen delivery system (DODS), which weighs 2.4 kg including the DOD device (TER-20 Teijin), 1.1 L oxygen cylinder made of ultressor, nasal cannula, and carrier. Arterial blood gases at rest (room air) were PaO2 61.9 +/- 6.3 torr, PaCO2 63.8 +/- 9.4 torr and pH 7.40 +/- 0.04. A crossover trial was performed under three conditions; breathing room air with no weight, and pulse oxygen flow and continuous oxygen flow each carrying 2.4 kg of weight. Both 6 minute walking (E1) and walking on a slow speed treadmill (E2) were studied.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Oxygen Extraction from Minerals

Science.gov (United States)

Muscatello, Tony

2017-01-01

Oxygen, whether used as part of rocket bipropellant or for astronaut life support, is a key consumable for space exploration and commercialization. In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) has been proposed many times as a method for making space exploration more cost effective and sustainable. On planetary and asteroid surfaces the presence of minerals in the regolith that contain oxygen is very common, making them a potential oxygen resource. The majority of research and development for oxygen extraction from minerals has been for lunar regolith although this work would generally be applicable to regolith at other locations in space. This presentation will briefly survey the major methods investigated for oxygen extraction from regolith with a focus on the current status of those methods and possible future development pathways. The major oxygen production methods are (1) extraction from lunar ilmenite (FeTiO3) with either hydrogen or carbon monoxide, (2) carbothermal reduction of iron oxides and silicates with methane, and (3) molten regolith electrolysis (MRE) of silicates. Methods (1) and (2) have also been investigated in a two-step process using CO reduction and carbon deposition followed by carbothermal reduction. All three processes have byproducts that could also be used as resources. Hydrogen or carbon monoxide reduction produce iron metal in small amounts that could potentially be used as construction material. Carbothermal reduction also makes iron metal along with silicon metal and a glass with possible applications. MRE produces iron, silicon, aluminum, titanium, and glass, with higher silicon yields than carbothermal reduction. On Mars and possibly on some moons and asteroids, water is present in the form of mineral hydrates, hydroxyl (-OH) groups on minerals, andor water adsorbed on mineral surfaces. Heating of the minerals can liberate the water which can be electrolyzed to provide a source of oxygen as well. The chemistry of these processes, some key

Mitochondrial Respiration and Oxygen Tension.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, Daniel S; Meitha, Karlia; Considine, Michael J; Foyer, Christine H

2017-01-01

Measurements of respiration and oxygen tension in plant organs allow a precise understanding of mitochondrial capacity and function within the context of cellular oxygen metabolism. Here we describe methods that can be routinely used for the isolation of intact mitochondria, and the determination of respiratory electron transport, together with techniques for in vivo determination of oxygen tension and measurement of respiration by both CO 2 production and O 2 consumption that enables calculation of the respiratory quotient [CO 2 ]/[O 2 ].

Oxygen diffusion in bilayer polymer films

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Lars; Zebger, Ingo; Tofte, Jannik Pentti

2004-01-01

Experiments to quantify oxygen diffusion have been performed on polymer samples in which a film of poly(ethylene-co-norbornene) was cast onto a film of polystyrene which, in turn, was cast onto an oxygen-impermeable substrate. In the technique employed, the time evolution of oxygen transport...... through the film of poly(ethylene-co-norbornene) and into the polystyrene film was monitored using the phosphorescence of singlet oxygen as a spectroscopic probe. To analyze the data, it was necessary to solve Fick's second law of diffusion for both polymer films. Tractable analytical and numerical...

Determination of oxygen nonstoichiometry and diffusivity in mixed conducting oxides by oxygen Coulometric titration. II. Oxygen nonstoichiometry and defect model for La0.8Sr0.2CoO3-d

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lankhorst, M.H.R.; Lankhorst, M.H.R.; Bouwmeester, Henricus J.M.

1997-01-01

The oxygen nonstoichiometry of La0.8Sr0.2CoO3-delta has been determined as a function of oxygen partial pressure and temperature using a high-temperature coulometric titration cell. For each measured value of the oxygen chemical potential, the oxygen nonstoichiometry is found to be nearly

Oxygen Transport Membranes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

S. Bandopadhyay

2008-08-30

The focus of this research was to develop new membrane materials by synthesizing different compounds and determining their defect structures, crystallographic structures and electrical properties. In addition to measuring electrical conductivity, oxygen vacancy concentration was also evaluated using thermogravimetry, Neutron diffraction and Moessbauer Spectroscopy. The reducing conditions (CO{sub 2}/CO/H{sub 2} gas mixtures with steam) as encountered in a reactor environment can be expected to have significant influence on the mechanical properties of the oxides membranes. Various La based materials with and without Ti were selected as candidate membrane materials for OTM. The maximum electrical conductivity of LSF in air as a function of temperature was achieved at < 600 C and depends on the concentration of Sr (acceptor dopant). Oxygen occupancy in LSF was estimated using Neutron diffractometry and Moessbauer Spectroscopy by measuring magnetic moment changes depending on the Fe{sup 3+} and Fe{sup 4+} ratio. After extensive studies of candidate materials, lanthanum ferrites (LSF and LSFT) were selected as the favored materials for the oxygen transport membrane (OTM). LSF is a very good material for an OTM because of its high electronic and oxygen ionic conductivity if long term stability and mechanical strength are improved. LSFT not only exhibits p-type behavior in the high oxygen activity regime, but also has n-type conduction in reducing atmospheres. Higher concentrations of oxygen vacancies in the low oxygen activity regime may improve the performance of LSFT as an OTM. The hole concentration is related to the difference in the acceptor and donor concentration by the relation p = [Sr'{sub La}]-[Ti{sm_bullet}{sub Fe}]. The chemical formulation predicts that the hole concentration is, p = 0.8-0.45 or 0.35. Experimental measurements indicated that p is about {approx} 0.35. The activation energy of conduction is 0.2 eV which implies that LSCF conducts via the

Factors Determining the Oxygen Permeability of Biological Membranes: Oxygen Transport Across Eye Lens Fiber-Cell Plasma Membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Subczynski, Witold Karol; Widomska, Justyna; Mainali, Laxman

2017-01-01

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spin-label oximetry allows the oxygen permeability coefficient to be evaluated across homogeneous lipid bilayer membranes and, in some cases, across coexisting membrane domains without their physical separation. The most pronounced effect on oxygen permeability is observed for cholesterol, which additionally induces the formation of membrane domains. In intact biological membranes, integral proteins induce the formation of boundary and trapped lipid domains with a low oxygen permeability. The effective oxygen permeability coefficient across the intact biological membrane is affected not only by the oxygen permeability coefficients evaluated for each lipid domain but also by the surface area occupied by these domains in the membrane. All these factors observed in fiber cell plasma membranes of clear human eye lenses are reviewed here.

Steady-state oxygen-solubility in niobium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schulze, K.; Jehn, H.

1977-01-01

During annealing of niobium in oxygen in certain temperature and pressure ranges steady states are established between the absorption of molecular oxygen and the evaporation of volatile oxides. The oxygen concentration in the niobium-oxygen α-solid solution is a function of oxygen pressure and temperature and has been redetermined in the ranges 10 -5 - 10 -2 Pa O 2 and 2,070 - 2,470 K. It follows differing from former results the equation csub(o) = 9.1 x 10 -6 x sub(po2) x exp (502000/RT) with csub(o) in at.-ppm, sub(po2) in Pa, T in K, R = 8.31 J x mol -1 x K -1 . The existence of steady states is limited to a temperature range from 1870 to 2470 K and to oxygen concentrations below the solubility limit given by solidus and solvus lines in the T-c diagram. In the experiments high-purity niobium wires with a specific electrical ratio rho (273 K)/rho(4.2 K) > 5,000 have been gassed under isothermal-isobaric conditions until the steady state has been reached. The oxygen concentration has been determined analytically by vacuum fusion extraction with platinum-flux technique as well as by electrical residual resistivity measurements at 4.2 K. (orig.) [de

21 CFR 868.5580 - Oxygen mask.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Oxygen mask. 868.5580 Section 868.5580 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 868.5580 Oxygen mask. (a) Identification. An oxygen mask is a device...

Blood conservation with membrane oxygenators and dipyridamole.

Science.gov (United States)

Teoh, K H; Christakis, G T; Weisel, R D; Madonik, M M; Ivanov, J; Wong, P Y; Mee, A V; Levitt, D; Benak, A; Reilly, P

1987-07-01

Cardiopulmonary bypass induces platelet activation and dysfunction, which result in platelet deposition and depletion. Reduced platelet numbers and abnormal platelet function may contribute to postoperative bleeding. A membrane oxygenator may preserve platelets and reduce bleeding more than a bubble oxygenator, and the antiplatelet agent dipyridamole may protect platelets intraoperatively and reduce bleeding postoperatively. A prospective randomized trial was performed in 44 patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting to assess the effects of the membrane oxygenator and dipyridamole on platelet counts, platelet activation products, and postoperative bleeding. Patients who were randomized to receive a bubble oxygenator and no dipyridamole had the lowest postoperative platelet counts, the greatest blood loss, and the most blood products transfused. Platelet counts were highest and blood loss was least in patients randomized to receive a membrane oxygenator and dipyridamole (p less than .05). A bubble oxygenator with dipyridamole and a membrane oxygenator without dipyridamole resulted in intermediate postoperative platelet counts and blood loss. Arterial thromboxane B2 and platelet factor 4 concentrations were elevated on cardiopulmonary bypass in all groups. Both the membrane oxygenator and dipyridamole were independently effective (by multivariate analysis) in preserving platelets. Optimal blood conservation was achieved with a membrane oxygenator and dipyridamole.

The continuous inhalation of oxygen-15 for assessing regional oxygen extraction in the brain of man

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, T.; Chesler, D.A.; Ter-Pogossian, M.M.

1976-01-01

A non-invasive steady-state method for studying the regional accumulation of oxygen in the brain by continuously inhaling oxygen-15 has been investigated. Oxygen respiration by tissue results in the formation of water of metabolism which may be considered as the 'exhaust product' of respiration. In turn the steady-state distribution of this product may be related to that of oxygen utilization. It has been found in monkeys than an appreciable component of the signal, recorded over the head during the inhalation of 15 O 2 , was attributable to the local production of 15 O-labelled water of metabolism. In man the distribution of radioactivity recorded over the head during 15 O 2 inhalation clearly related to active cerebal tissue. Theoretically the respiration product is linearly dependent on the oxygen extraction ratio of the tissue, and at normal cerebal perfusion it is less sensitive to changes in blood flow. At low rates of perfusion a more linear dependence on flow is shown. The dual dependence on blood flow and oxygen extraction limited the interpretation of the cerebal distribution obtained with this technique. Means for obtaining more definitive measurements with this approach are discussed. (author)

Oxygenates to hike gasoline price

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that cost of achieving required US gasoline formulations this winter in Environmental Protection Agency carbon monoxide (CO) nonattainment areas could reach 3-5 cents/gal, an Energy Information Administration analysis has found. EIA says new winter demand for gasoline blending oxygenates such as methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) or ethanol created by 190 amendments to the Clean Air Act (CAA) will exceed US oxygenate production by 140,000-220,000 b/d. The shortfall must be made up from inventory or imports. EIA estimates the cost of providing incremental oxygenate to meet expected gasoline blending demand likely will result in a price premium of about 20 cents/gal of MTBE equivalent over traditional gasoline blend octane value. That cost likely will be added to the price of oxygenated gasoline

Instrument for all-fiber structure measurement of ultra-low turbidity by using single photon detection technique

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Feihu; Hu, Juntao; Wang, Huanqin; Gui, Huaqiao; Liu, Jianguo; Lü, Liang; Kong, Deyi; Zhang, Jian; Han, Xia; Wang, Tianli

2017-10-01

An all-fiber structure detection system based on single photon detection technique(SPDT) has been developed to measure the ultra-low turbidity ofliquids. To assure the measurement accuracy,the total intensity of transmission light has been detected and quantified as number of photons by avalanche photodiode (APD) which has the advantage of high sensitivity.A fresh all-fiber structure optical fiber probe based on SPDT is applied in the system to reduce the volume and fluctuation of traditional transmission-light measurement system,in which the all-fiber structure probe is used to delivery and collection of transmission light.On the basis of Beer-Lambert (B-L) transmission law,a test system has been established and carried out a series of experiments.By combining B-Llaw with the principle of SPDT,a novel model for detecting turbidity has been proposed to explain the experimental results.The results have shown a well exponential relationship over the range of 0.01-1NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units).It also has showna good linear relationship with a resolution as high as 0.01NTUin the range of 0.01-0.09 NTU.When it is 1 secondofthe sampling time,the mean error of measurement result can be controlled within 5% of full scale.In addition,the new detection structure proposed in this paper, which makes the system more compact and more suitable in the small special space.

Determination of Ultralow Level 129I/127I in Natural Samples by Separation of Microgram Carrier Free Iodine and Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Detection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hou, Xiaolin; Zhou, Weijian; Chen, Ning

2010-01-01

of 129I/127I, and a detection limit of this method for 129I is calculated to be 105 atoms. This will allow us to accurately determine 129I in prenuclear geological samples of low iodine concentration with 129I/127I of 10−12, such as loess, soil, coral, rock, sediment, and groundwater. Some samples......Separation of carrier free iodine from low iodine level samples and accurate measurement of ultralow level 129I in micrograms of iodine target are essential but a bottleneck in geological dating of terrestrial system and tracer research using naturally produced 129I. In this work, we present...... a carrier free method using coprecipitation of AgI with AgCl for preparing micrograms of iodine target, associated with combustion using a tube furnace for separating iodine from solid samples and anion exchange chromatography for preconcentrating iodine from a large volume of water. An accelerator mass...

Long range surface plasmon resonance with ultra-high penetration depth for self-referenced sensing and ultra-low detection limit using diverging beam approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Isaacs, Sivan, E-mail: sivan.isaacs@gmail.com; Abdulhalim, Ibrahim [Department of Electro-Optical Engineering and TheIlse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105 (Israel); NEW CREATE Programme, School of Materials Science and Engineering, 1 CREATE Way, Research Wing, #02-06/08, Singapore 138602 (Singapore)

2015-05-11

Using an insulator-metal-insulator structure with dielectric having refractive index (RI) larger than the analyte, long range surface plasmon (SP) resonance exhibiting ultra-high penetration depth is demonstrated for sensing applications of large bioentities at wavelengths in the visible range. Based on the diverging beam approach in Kretschmann-Raether configuration, one of the SP resonances is shown to shift in response to changes in the analyte RI while the other is fixed; thus, it can be used as a built in reference. The combination of the high sensitivity, high penetration depth and self-reference using the diverging beam approach in which a dark line is detected of the high sensitivity, high penetration depth, self-reference, and the diverging beam approach in which a dark line is detected using large number of camera pixels with a smart algorithm for sub-pixel resolution, a sensor with ultra-low detection limit is demonstrated suitable for large bioentities.

Silibinin activates AMP-activated protein kinase to protect neuronal cells from oxygen and glucose deprivation-re-oxygenation.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Zhi; Ding, Sheng-quan; Shen, Ya-fang

2014-11-14

In this study, we explored the cytoprotective potential of silibinin against oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)-induced neuronal cell damages, and studied underling mechanisms. In vitro model of ischemic stroke was created by keeping neuronal cells (SH-SY5Y cells and primary mouse cortical neurons) in an OGD condition followed by re-oxygenation. Pre-treatment of silibinin significantly inhibited OGD/re-oxygenation-induced necrosis and apoptosis of neuronal cells. OGD/re-oxygenation-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) reduction were also inhibited by silibinin. At the molecular level, silibinin treatment in SH-SY5Y cells and primary cortical neurons led to significant AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling activation, detected by phosphorylations of AMPKα1, its upstream kinase liver kinase B1 (LKB1) and the downstream target acetyl-CoA Carboxylase (ACC). Pharmacological inhibition or genetic depletion of AMPK alleviated the neuroprotective ability of silibinin against OGD/re-oxygenation. Further, ROS scavenging ability by silibinin was abolished with AMPK inhibition or silencing. While A-769662, the AMPK activator, mimicked silibinin actions and suppressed ROS production and neuronal cell death following OGD/re-oxygenation. Together, these results show that silibinin-mediated neuroprotection requires activation of AMPK signaling. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pulsed electron-beam-sustained discharge in oxygen-containing gas mixtures: electrical characteristics, spectroscopy,and singlet oxygen yield

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vagin, Nikolai P; Ionin, Andrei A; Klimachev, Yu M; Kotkov, A A; Podmar'kov, Yu P; Seleznev, L V; Sinitsyn, D V; Frolov, M P; Yuryshev, Nikolai N; Kochetov, Igor' V; Napartovich, A P; Hager, G D

2004-01-01

The electrical and spectroscopic characteristics of electron-beam-sustained discharge (EBSD) in oxygen and oxygen-containing gas mixtures are studied experimentally under gas pressures up to 100 Torr in a large excitation volume (∼18 L). It is shown that the EBSD in pure oxygen and its mixtures with inert gases is unstable and is characterised by a small specific energy contribution. The addition of small amounts (∼1%-10%) of carbon monoxide or hydrogen to oxygen or its mixtures with inert gases considerably improves the stability of the discharge, while the specific energy contribution W increases by more then an order of magnitude, achieving ∼6.5 kJ L -1 atm -1 per molecular component of the gas mixture. A part of the energy supplied to the EBSD is spent to excite vibrational levels of molecular additives. This was demonstrated experimentally by the initiation of a CO laser based on the O 2 : Ar : CO = 1 : 1 : 0.1 mixture. Experimental results on spectroscopy of the excited electronic states O 2 (a 1 Δ g ) and O 2 (b 1 Σ g + ), of oxygen formed in the EBSD are presented. A technique was worked out for measuring the concentration of singlet oxygen in the O 2 (a 1 Δ g ) state in the afterglow of the pulsed EBSD by comparing with the radiation intensity of singlet oxygen of a given concentration produced in a chemical generator. Preliminary measurements of the singlet-oxygen yield in the EBSD show that its value ∼3% for W ∼ 1.0 kJ L -1 atm -1 is in agreement with the theoretical estimate. Theoretical calculations performed for W ∼ 6.5 kJ L -1 atm -1 at a fixed temperature show that the singlet-oxygen yield may be ∼20%, which is higher than the value required to achieve the lasing threshold in an oxygen-iodine laser at room temperature. (laser applications and other topics in quantum electronics)

Renal transplantation induces mitochondrial uncoupling, increased kidney oxygen consumption, and decreased kidney oxygen tension

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Papazova, Diana A.; Friederich-Persson, Malou; Joles, Jaap A.; Verhaar, Marianne C.

2015-01-01

Hypoxia is an acknowledged pathway to renal injury and ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) and is known to reduce renal oxygen tension (PO2). We hypothesized that renal I/R increases oxidative damage and induces mitochondrial uncoupling, resulting in increased oxygen consumption and hence kidney

Alarm points for fixed oxygen monitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, G.C.

1987-05-01

Oxygen concentration monitors were installed in a vault where numerous pipes carried inert cryogens and gases to the Mirror Fusion Test Facility (MFTF-B) experimental vessel at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The problems associated with oxygen-monitoring systems and the reasons why such monitors were installed were reviewed. As a result of this review, the MFTF-B monitors were set to sound an evacuation alarm when the oxygen concentration fell below 18%. We chose the 18% alarm criterion to minimize false alarms and to allow time for personnel to escape in an oxygen-deficient environment

Comparison of airline passenger oxygen systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Byrne, N J

1995-08-01

The principal sources of oxygen for inflight passenger use, scheduled and unscheduled, are examined. Present practices of assessment of the passenger's "fitness to fly" are described. Three partner airlines, British Airways, U.S. Air, and Qantas, catering for more than 8000 oxygen requests annually, are compared. Analysis of customer use suggests that medical oxygen requests are frequently not clinically justified. The growth in demand, for both scheduled and unscheduled use of an expensive resource, supports the need for a "recommended best practice" among carriers. Passengers with respiratory disorders who will most benefit from inflight oxygen are vulnerable either to hypoxia or asthma.

Surface acoustic wave oxygen pressure sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Oglesby, Donald M. (Inventor); Upchurch, Billy T. (Inventor); Leighty, Bradley D. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

A transducer for the measurement of absolute gas-state oxygen pressure from pressures of less than 100 Pa to atmospheric pressure (1.01 x 10(exp 5) Pa) is based on a standard surface acoustic wave (SAW) device. The piezoelectric material of the SAW device is coated with a compound which will selectively and reversibly bind oxygen. When oxygen is bound by the coating, the mass of the coating increases by an amount equal to the mass of the bound oxygen. Such an increase in the mass of the coating causes a corresponding decrease in the resonant frequency of the SAW device.

Determination of oxygen in liquid sodium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torre, M. de la; Lapena, J.; Galindo, F.; Couchoud, M.; Celis, B. de; Lopez-Araquistain, J.L.

1976-01-01

The behaviour is analysed of a device for 'in-line' sampling and vacuum distillation. With this procedure 95 results were obtained for the solubility of oxygen in liquid sodium at temperatures between 125 0 and 300 0 C. The correlation between the concentration of oxygen in a saturation state and the corresponding temperature is represented by: 1g C = 6,17 - 2398/T, where C expressed ppm of oxygen by weight and T is the saturation temperature in 0 K. Reference is also made to the first results obtained with the electrochemical oxygen meter and the system for taking and recording data. (author)

Solar Energy Systems for Lunar Oxygen Generation

Science.gov (United States)

Colozza, Anthony J.; Heller, Richard S.; Wong, Wayne A.; Hepp, Aloysius F.

2010-01-01

An evaluation of several solar concentrator-based systems for producing oxygen from lunar regolith was performed. The systems utilize a solar concentrator mirror to provide thermal energy for the oxygen production process. Thermal energy to power a Stirling heat engine and photovoltaics are compared for the production of electricity. The electricity produced is utilized to operate the equipment needed in the oxygen production process. The initial oxygen production method utilized in the analysis is hydrogen reduction of ilmenite. Utilizing this method of oxygen production a baseline system design was produced. This baseline system had an oxygen production rate of 0.6 kg/hr with a concentrator mirror size of 5 m. Variations were performed on the baseline design to show how changes in the system size and process (rate) affected the oxygen production rate. An evaluation of the power requirements for a carbothermal lunar regolith reduction reactor has also been conducted. The reactor had a total power requirement between 8,320 to 9,961 W when producing 1000 kg/year of oxygen. The solar concentrator used to provide the thermal power (over 82 percent of the total energy requirement) would have a diameter of less than 4 m.

ODH, oxygen deficiency hazard cryogenic analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Augustynowicz, S.D.

1994-01-01

An oxygen deficiency exists when the concentration of oxygen, by volume, drops to a level at which atmosphere supplying respiratory protection must be provided. Since liquid cryogens can expand by factors of 700 (LN 2 ) to 850 (LH e ), the uncontrolled release into an enclosed space can easily cause an oxygen-deficient condition. An oxygen deficiency hazard (ODH) fatality rate per hour (OE) is defined as: OE = Σ N i P i F i , where N i = number of components, P i = probability of failure or operator error, and F i = fatality factor. ODHs range from open-quotes unclassifiedclose quotes (OE -9 1/h) to class 4, which is the most hazardous (OE>10 -1 1/h). For Superconducting Super Collider Laboratory (SSCL) buildings where cryogenic systems exist, failure rate, fatality factor, reduced oxygen ratio, and fresh air circulation are examined

Oxygen measurements in thin ribbon silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hyland, S L; Ast, D G; Baghdadi, A

1987-03-01

The oxygen content of thin silicon ribbons grown by the dendritic web technique was measured using a modification of the ASTM method based on Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Web silicon was found to have a high oxygen content, ranging from 13 to 19 ppma, calculated from the absorption peak associated with interstitial oxygen and using the new ASTM conversion coefficient. The oxygen concentration changed by about 10% along the growth direction of the ribbon. In some samples, a shoulder was detected on the absorption peak. A similar shoulder in Czochralski grown material has been variously interpreted in the literature as due to a complex of silicon, oxygen, and vacancies, or to a phase of SiO/sub 2/ developed along dislocations in the material. In the case of web silicon, it is not clear which is the correct interpretation.

Osmotic phenomena in application for hyperbaric oxygen treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Babchin, A; Levich, E; Melamed M D, Y; Sivashinsky, G

2011-03-01

Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment defines the medical procedure when the patient inhales pure oxygen at elevated pressure conditions. Many diseases and all injuries are associated with a lack of oxygen in tissues, known as hypoxia. HBO provides an effective method for fast oxygen delivery in medical practice. The exact mechanism of the oxygen transport under HBO conditions is not fully identified. The objective of this article is to extend the colloid and surface science basis for the oxygen transport in HBO conditions beyond the molecular diffusion transport mechanism. At a pressure in the hyperbaric chamber of two atmospheres, the partial pressure of oxygen in the blood plasma increases 10 times. The sharp increase of oxygen concentration in the blood plasma creates a considerable concentration gradient between the oxygen dissolved in the plasma and in the tissue. The concentration gradient of oxygen as a non-electrolyte solute causes an osmotic flow of blood plasma with dissolved oxygen. In other words, the molecular diffusion transport of oxygen is supplemented by the convective diffusion raised due to the osmotic flow, accelerating the oxygen delivery from blood to tissue. A non steady state equation for non-electrolyte osmosis is solved asymptotically. The solution clearly demonstrates two modes of osmotic flow: normal osmosis, directed from lower to higher solute concentrations, and anomalous osmosis, directed from higher to lower solute concentrations. The fast delivery of oxygen from blood to tissue is explained on the basis of the strong molecular interaction between the oxygen and the tissue, causing an influx of oxygen into the tissue by convective diffusion in the anomalous osmosis process. The transport of the second gas, nitrogen, dissolved in the blood plasma, is also taken into the consideration. As the patient does not inhale nitrogen during HBO treatment, but exhales it along with oxygen and carbon dioxide, the concentration of nitrogen in blood

Oxygenation measurement by multi-wavelength oxygen-dependent phosphorescence and delayed fluorescence: catchment depth and application in intact heart

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Balestra, Gianmarco M.; Aalders, Maurice C. G.; Specht, Patricia A. C.; Ince, Can; Mik, Egbert G.

2015-01-01

Oxygen delivery and metabolism represent key factors for organ function in health and disease. We describe the optical key characteristics of a technique to comprehensively measure oxygen tension (PO(2)) in myocardium, using oxygen-dependent quenching of phosphorescence and delayed fluorescence of

Oxygen diffusion in cuprate superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Routbort, J.L.; Rothman, S.J.

1995-01-01

Superconducting properties of the cuprate superconductors depend on the oxygen content of the material; the diffusion of oxygen is thus an important process in the fabrication and application of these materials. This article reviews studies of the diffusion of oxygen in La 2-x Sr x CuO 4 , YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7- δ, YBa 2 Cu 4 O 8 , and the Bi 2 Sr 2 Ca n-1 Cu n O 2+4 (n = 1, and 2) superconductors, and attempt to elucidate the atomic mechanisms responsible

Oxygen--a limiting factor for brain recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Hadanny, Amir; Efrati, Shai

2015-09-01

Effective brain metabolism is highly dependent on a narrow therapeutic window of oxygen. In major insults to the brain (e.g., intracerebral hemorrhage), a slight decrease in oxygen supply, as occurs in a hypobaric environment at high altitude, has devastating effects on the injured brain tissue. Conversely, increasing brain oxygenation, by the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, can improve brain metabolism and its dependent regenerative processes.

Oxygen - a limiting factor for brain recovery

OpenAIRE

Hadanny, Amir; Efrati, Shai

2015-01-01

Effective brain metabolism is highly dependent on a narrow therapeutic window of oxygen. In major insults to the brain (e.g., intracerebral hemorrhage), a slight decrease in oxygen supply, as occurs in a hypobaric environment at high altitude, has devastating effects on the injured brain tissue. Conversely, increasing brain oxygenation, by the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, can improve brain metabolism and its dependent regenerative processes.

Quantification of photocatalytic oxygenation of human blood.

Science.gov (United States)

Subrahmanyam, Aryasomayajula; Thangaraj, Paul R; Kanuru, Chandrasekhar; Jayakumar, Albert; Gopal, Jayashree

2014-04-01

Photocatalytic oxygenation of human blood is an emerging concept based on the principle of photocatalytic splitting of water into oxygen and hydrogen. This communication reports: (i) a design of a photocatalytic cell (PC) that separates the blood from UV (incident) radiation source, (ii) a pH, temperature and flow controlled circuit designed for quantifying the oxygenation of human blood by photocatalysis and (iii) measuring the current efficacy of ITO/TiO2 nano thin films in oxygenating human blood in a dynamic circuit in real time. The average increase in oxygen saturation was around 5% above baseline compared to control (p<0.0005). We believe this is one of the first attempts to quantify photocatalytic oxygenation of human blood under controlled conditions. Copyright © 2013 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of pulseoximetry oxygen saturation and arterial oxygen saturation in open heart intensive care unit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alireza Mahoori

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Pulseoximetry is widely used in the critical care setting, currently used to guide therapeutic interventions. Few studies have evaluated the accuracy of SPO2 (puls-eoximetry oxygen saturation in intensive care unit after cardiac surgery. Our objective was to compare pulseoximetry with arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2 during clinical routine in such patients, and to examine the effect of mild acidosis on this relationship.Methods: In an observational prospective study 80 patients were evaluated in intensive care unit after cardiac surgery. SPO2 was recorded and compared with SaO2 obtained by blood gas analysis. One or serial arterial blood gas analyses (ABGs were performed via a radial artery line while a reliable pulseoximeter signal was present. One hundred thirty seven samples were collected and for each blood gas analyses, SaO2 and SPO2 we recorded.Results: O2 saturation as a marker of peripheral perfusion was measured by Pulseoxim-etry (SPO2. The mean difference between arterial oxygen saturation and pulseoximetry oxygen saturation was 0.12%±1.6%. A total of 137 paired readings demonstrated good correlation (r=0.754; P<0.0001 between changes in SPO2 and those in SaO2 in samples with normal hemoglobin. Also in forty seven samples with mild acidosis, paired readings demonstrated good correlation (r=0.799; P<0.0001 and the mean difference between SaO2 and SPO2 was 0.05%±1.5%.Conclusion: Data showed that in patients with stable hemodynamic and good signal quality, changes in pulseoximetry oxygen saturation reliably predict equivalent changes in arterial oxygen saturation. Mild acidosis doesn’t alter the relation between SPO2 and SaO2 to any clinically important extent. In conclusion, the pulse oximeter is useful to monitor oxygen saturation in patients with stable hemodynamic.

An oxidative desulfurization method using ultrasound/Fenton's reagent for obtaining low and/or ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dai, Yongchuan; Qi, Yutai [Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Science, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 115001 (China); Zhao, Dezhi [Department of Petroleum Chemical Engineering, Liaoning Shihua University, Fushun 113001 (China); Zhang, Huicheng [Fushun Research Institute of Petroleum and Petrochemicals of SINOPEC Corp., Fushun 113001 (China)

2008-10-15

The total development trend in the world is towards continuously lower of sulfur content as a quality standard of diesel fuels. Integrating of an oxidative desulfurization unit with a conventional hydrotreating unit can bring benefits to producing low and/or ultra-low sulfur diesel fuels. Using the hydrotreated Middle East diesel fuel as a feedstock, four processes of the oxidative desulfurization have been studied: a hydrogen peroxide-acetic acid system and a Fenton's reagent system both without/with ultrasound. Results showed that the oxidative desulfurization reaction mechanics fitted apparent first-order kinetics. The addition of Fenton's reagent could enhance the oxidative desulfurization efficiency for diesel fuels and sono-oxidation treatment in combination with Fenton's reagent shows a good synergistic effect. Under our best operating condition for the oxidative desulfurization: temperature 313 K, ultrasonic power 200 W, ultrasonic frequency 28 kHz, Fe{sup 2+}/H{sub 2}O{sub 2} 0.05 mol/mol, pH 2.10 in aqueous phase and reaction time 15 min, the sulfur content in the diesel fuels was decreased from 568.75 {mu}g/g to 9.50 {mu}g/g. (author)

ULTRA-LOW AMPLITUDE VARIABLES IN THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD-CLASSICAL CEPHEIDS, POP. II CEPHEIDS, RV TAU STARS, AND BINARY VARIABLES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robert Buchler, J.; Wood, Peter R.; Soszynski, Igor

2009-01-01

A search for variable stars with ultra-low amplitudes (ULAs), in the millimagnitude range, has been made in the combined MACHO and OGLE databases in the broad vicinity of the Cepheid instability strip in the HR diagram. A total of 25 singly periodic and 4 multiply periodic ULA objects have been uncovered. Our analysis does not allow us to distinguish between pulsational and ellipsoidal (binary) variabilities, nor between Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and foreground objects. However, the objects are strongly clustered and appear to be associated with the pulsational instability strips of LMC Pop. I and II variables. When combined with the ULA variables of Buchler et al., a total of 20 objects fall close to the classical Cepheid instability strip. However, they appear to fall on parallel period-magnitude (PM) relations that are shifted to slightly higher magnitude which would confer them a different evolutionary status. Low-amplitude RV Tauri and Pop. II Cepheids have been uncovered that do not appear in the MACHO or OGLE catalogs. Interestingly, a set of binaries seem to lie on a PM relation that is essentially parallel to that of the RV Tauri/Pop. II Cepheids.

Fiscal 1999 achievement report. Development of ultralow-loss power device technology; 1999 nendo choteisonshitsu denryoku soshi gijutsu kaihtsu seika hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-03-01

The aim is to establish basic technologies for upgrading wide-gap semiconductor devices, fabricated mainly of SiC, in terms of their low-loss, high-speed, and high-power features. In the research and development of ultralow-loss power device technology, progress of the effort is reviewed, problems in the process of research and development are extracted, and technological trends are surveyed. In the development of basic technologies, an SiC crystal growing device is experimentally built and the process of crystal growth is assessed and analyzed, and tasks to discharge for higher quality and larger diameter are extracted. Basic technologies are developed relative to the epitaxial growth, interface control, and conductivity control of SiC etc. In the development of technologies for developing SiC into devices, technological development is carried out for the junction-type FET (field effect transistor), which involves termination structure optimization, high-voltage capability enhancement, and gate-off gain improvement. As for MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor FET), MOS channel formation technology is developed and device-constructing technology is also developed. As for MESFET (metal-semiconductor FET), micro-processing is established for a success in experimentally building a 0.5{mu}m-long gate. (NEDO)

Oxygen dependency of germinating Brassica seeds

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Myoung Ryoul; Hasenstein, Karl H.

2016-02-01

Establishing plants in space, Moon or Mars requires adaptation to altered conditions, including reduced pressure and composition of atmospheres. To determine the oxygen requirements for seed germination, we imbibed Brassica rapa seeds under varying oxygen concentrations and profiled the transcription patterns of genes related to early metabolism such as starch degradation, glycolysis, and fermentation. We also analyzed the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), and measured starch degradation. Partial oxygen pressure (pO2) greater than 10% resulted in normal germination (i.e., protrusion of radicle about 18 hours after imbibition) but lower pO2 delayed and reduced germination. Imbibition in an oxygen-free atmosphere for three days resulted in no germination but subsequent transfer to air initiated germination in 75% of the seeds and the root growth rate was transiently greater than in roots germinated under ambient pO2. In hypoxic seeds soluble sugars degraded faster but the content of starch after 24 h was higher than at ambient oxygen. Transcription of genes related to starch degradation, α-amylase (AMY) and Sucrose Synthase (SUS), was higher under ambient O2 than under hypoxia. Glycolysis and fermentation pathway-related genes, glucose phosphate isomerase (GPI), 6-phosphofructokinase (PFK), fructose 1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (ALD), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC), LDH, and ADH, were induced by low pO2. The activity of LDH and ADH was the highest in anoxic seeds. Germination under low O2 conditions initiated ethanolic fermentation. Therefore, sufficient oxygen availability is important for germination before photosynthesis provides necessary oxygen and the determination of an oxygen carrying capacity is important for uniform growth in space conditions.

Ocean Ridges and Oxygen

Science.gov (United States)

Langmuir, C. H.

2014-12-01

The history of oxygen and the fluxes and feedbacks that lead to its evolution through time remain poorly constrained. It is not clear whether oxygen has had discrete steady state levels at different times in Earth's history, or whether oxygen evolution is more progressive, with trigger points that lead to discrete changes in markers such as mass independent sulfur isotopes. Whatever this history may have been, ocean ridges play an important and poorly recognized part in the overall mass balance of oxidants and reductants that contribute to electron mass balance and the oxygen budget. One example is the current steady state O2 in the atmosphere. The carbon isotope data suggest that the fraction of carbon has increased in the Phanerozoic, and CO2 outgassing followed by organic matter burial should continually supply more O2 to the surface reservoirs. Why is O2 not then increasing? A traditional answer to this question would relate to variations in the fraction of burial of organic matter, but this fraction appears to have been relatively high throughout the Phanerozoic. Furthermore, subduction of carbon in the 1/5 organic/carbonate proportions would contribute further to an increasingly oxidized surface. What is needed is a flux of oxidized material out of the system. One solution would be a modern oxidized flux to the mantle. The current outgassing flux of CO2 is ~3.4*1012 moles per year. If 20% of that becomes stored organic carbon, that is a flux of .68*1012 moles per year of reduced carbon. The current flux of oxidized iron in subducting ocean crust is ~2*1012 moles per year of O2 equivalents, based on the Fe3+/Fe2+ ratios in old ocean crust compared to fresh basalts at the ridge axis. This flux more than accounts for the incremental oxidizing power produced by modern life. It also suggests a possible feedback through oxygenation of the ocean. A reduced deep ocean would inhibit oxidation of ocean crust, in which case there would be no subduction flux of oxidized

Thin film oxygen partial pressure sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Wortman, J. J.; Harrison, J. W.; Honbarrier, H. L.; Yen, J.

1972-01-01

The development is described of a laboratory model oxygen partial pressure sensor using a sputtered zinc oxide thin film. The film is operated at about 400 C through the use of a miniature silicon bar. Because of the unique resistance versus temperature relation of the silicon bar, control of the operational temperature is achieved by controlling the resistance. A circuit for accomplishing this is described. The response of sputtered zinc oxide films of various thicknesses to oxygen, nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, and water vapor caused a change in the film resistance. Over a large range, film conductance varied approximately as the square root of the oxygen partial pressure. The presence of water vapor in the gas stream caused a shift in the film conductance at a given oxygen partial pressure. A theoretical model is presented to explain the characteristic features of the zinc oxide response to oxygen.

29 CFR 1910.104 - Oxygen.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

...”, or an equivalent warning. (ix) Electrical wiring. Bulk oxygen installations are not hazardous... of electrical wiring and equipment are acceptable depending upon whether the installation is indoors... to the installation of bulk oxygen systems on industrial and institutional consumer premises. This...

Environmental science: Oceans lose oxygen

Science.gov (United States)

Gilbert, Denis

2017-02-01

Oxygen is essential to most life in the ocean. An analysis shows that oxygen levels have declined by 2% in the global ocean over the past five decades, probably causing habitat loss for many fish and invertebrate species. See Letter p.335

On the Go with Oxygen

Science.gov (United States)

... for both the patient and the oxygen supply company. There are two types of concentrators: Stationary concentrators plug into an electrical ... stationary unit. If your oxygen needs change, the type of system can ... supply company should explain and demonstrate whatever system you choose. ...

Oxygen Dependent Biocatalytic Processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Asbjørn Toftgaard

Enzyme catalysts have the potential to improve both the process economics and the environ-mental profile of many oxidation reactions especially in the fine- and specialty-chemical industry, due to their exquisite ability to perform stereo-, regio- and chemo-selective oxida-tions at ambient...... to aldehydes and ketones, oxyfunctionalization of C-H bonds, and epoxidation of C-C double bonds. Although oxygen dependent biocatalysis offers many possibilities, there are numerous chal-lenges to be overcome before an enzyme can be implemented in an industrial process. These challenges requires the combined...... far below their potential maximum catalytic rate at industrially relevant oxygen concentrations. Detailed knowledge of the en-zyme kinetics are therefore required in order to determine the best operating conditions and design oxygen supply to minimize processing costs. This is enabled...

Oxygen Exposure Resulting in Arterial Oxygen Tensions Above the Protocol Goal Was Associated With Worse Clinical Outcomes in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Aggarwal, Neil R; Brower, Roy G; Hager, David N; Thompson, B Taylor; Netzer, Giora; Shanholtz, Carl; Lagakos, Adrian; Checkley, William

2018-04-01

High fractions of inspired oxygen may augment lung damage to exacerbate lung injury in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Participants enrolled in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Network trials had a goal partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood range of 55-80 mm Hg, yet the effect of oxygen exposure above this arterial oxygen tension range on clinical outcomes is unknown. We sought to determine if oxygen exposure that resulted in a partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood above goal (> 80 mm Hg) was associated with worse outcomes in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Longitudinal analysis of data collected in these trials. Ten clinical trials conducted at Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Network hospitals between 1996 and 2013. Critically ill patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. None. We defined above goal oxygen exposure as the difference between the fraction of inspired oxygen and 0.5 whenever the fraction of inspired oxygen was above 0.5 and when the partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood was above 80 mm Hg. We then summed above goal oxygen exposures in the first five days to calculate a cumulative above goal oxygen exposure. We determined the effect of a cumulative 5-day above goal oxygen exposure on mortality prior to discharge home at 90 days. Among 2,994 participants (mean age, 51.3 yr; 54% male) with a study-entry partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood/fraction of inspired oxygen that met acute respiratory distress syndrome criteria, average cumulative above goal oxygen exposure was 0.24 fraction of inspired oxygen-days (interquartile range, 0-0.38). Participants with above goal oxygen exposure were more likely to die (adjusted interquartile range odds ratio, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.11-1.31) and have lower ventilator-free days (adjusted interquartile range mean difference of -0.83; 95% CI, -1.18 to -0.48) and lower hospital-free days (adjusted interquartile range mean difference of -1.38; 95

Design of a lunar oxygen production plant

Science.gov (United States)

Radhakrishnan, Ramalingam

1990-01-01

To achieve permanent human presence and activity on the moon, oxygen is required for both life support and propulsion. Lunar oxygen production using resources existing on the moon will reduce or eliminate the need to transport liquid oxygen from earth. In addition, the co-products of oxygen production will provide metals, structural ceramics, and other volatile compounds. This will enable development of even greater self-sufficiency as the lunar outpost evolves. Ilmenite is the most abundant metal-oxide mineral in the lunar regolith. A process involving the reaction of ilmenite with hydrogen at 1000 C to produce water, followed by the electrolysis of this water to provide oxygen and recycle the hydrogen has been explored. The objective of this 1990 Summer Faculty Project was to design a lunar oxygen-production plant to provide 5 metric tons of liquid oxygen per year from lunar soil. The results of this study describe the size and mass of the equipment, the power needs, feedstock quantity and the engineering details of the plant.

High temperature microcalorimetry. Study of metal-oxygen systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tetot, R.; Picard, C.; Boureau, G.; Gerdanian, P.

1981-01-01

Determination of partial molar enthalpy in metal-oxygen systems at 1050 0 C. Three representative systems are studied: the solution of oxygen in titanium, the titanium-oxygen system and the uranium-oxygen system from UOsub(2.00) to UOsub(2.60) [fr

CADDIS Volume 2. Sources, Stressors and Responses: Dissolved Oxygen

Science.gov (United States)

Introduction to the dissolved oxygen module, when to list dissolved oxygen as a candidate cause, ways to measure dissolved oxygen, simple and detailed conceptual model diagrams for dissolved oxygen, references for the dissolved oxygen module.

Optimizing oxygenation and intubation conditions during awake fibre-optic intubation using a high-flow nasal oxygen-delivery system.

Science.gov (United States)

Badiger, S; John, M; Fearnley, R A; Ahmad, I

2015-10-01

Awake fibre-optic intubation is a widely practised technique for anticipated difficult airway management. Despite the administration of supplemental oxygen during the procedure, patients are still at risk of hypoxia because of the effects of sedation, local anaesthesia, procedural complications, and the presence of co-morbidities. Traditionally used oxygen-delivery devices are low flow, and most do not have a sufficient reservoir or allow adequate fresh gas flow to meet the patient's peak inspiratory flow rate, nor provide an adequate fractional inspired oxygen concentration to prevent desaturation should complications arise. A prospective observational study was conducted using a high-flow humidified transnasal oxygen-delivery system during awake fibre-optic intubation in 50 patients with anticipated difficult airways. There were no episodes of desaturation or hypercapnia using the high-flow system, and in all patients the oxygen saturation improved above baseline values, despite one instance of apnoea resulting from over-sedation. All patients reported a comfortable experience using the device. The high-flow nasal oxygen-delivery system improves oxygenation saturation, decreases the risk of desaturation during the procedure, and potentially, optimizes conditions for awake fibre-optic intubation. The soft nasal cannulae uniquely allow continuous oxygenation and simultaneous passage of the fibrescope and tracheal tube. The safety of the procedure may be increased, because any obstruction, hypoventilation, or periods of apnoea that may arise may be tolerated for longer, allowing more time to achieve ventilation in an optimally oxygenated patient. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Journal of Anaesthesia. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Late Archean Surface Ocean Oxygenation (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Kendall, B.; Reinhard, C.; Lyons, T. W.; Kaufman, A. J.; Anbar, A. D.

2009-12-01

Oxygenic photosynthesis must have evolved by 2.45-2.32 Ga, when atmospheric oxygen abundances first rose above 0.001% present atmospheric level (Great Oxidation Event; GOE). Biomarker evidence for a time lag between the evolution of cyanobacterial oxygenic photosynthesis and the GOE continues to be debated. Geochemical signatures from sedimentary rocks (redox-sensitive trace metal abundances, sedimentary Fe geochemistry, and S isotopes) represent an alternative tool for tracing the history of Earth surface oxygenation. Integrated high-resolution chemostratigraphic profiles through the 2.5 Ga Mt. McRae Shale (Pilbara Craton, Western Australia) suggest a ‘whiff’ of oxygen in the surface environment at least 50 M.y. prior to the GOE. However, the geochemical data from the Mt. McRae Shale does not uniquely constrain the presence or extent of Late Archean ocean oxygenation. Here, we present high-resolution chemostratigraphic profiles from 2.6-2.5 Ga black shales (upper Campbellrand Subgroup, Kaapvaal Craton, South Africa) that provide the earliest direct evidence for an oxygenated ocean water column. On the slope beneath the Campbellrand - Malmani carbonate platform (Nauga Formation), a mildly oxygenated water column (highly reactive iron to total iron ratios [FeHR/FeT] ≤ 0.4) was underlain by oxidizing sediments (low Re and Mo abundances) or mildly reducing sediments (high Re but low Mo abundances). After drowning of the carbonate platform (Klein Naute Formation), the local bottom waters became anoxic (FeHR/FeT > 0.4) and intermittently sulphidic (pyrite iron to highly reactive iron ratios [FePY/FeHR] > 0.8), conducive to enrichment of both Re and Mo in sediments, followed by anoxic and Fe2+-rich (ferruginous) conditions (high FeT, FePY/FeHR near 0). Widespread surface ocean oxygenation is suggested by Re enrichment in the broadly correlative Klein Naute Formation and Mt. McRae Shale, deposited ~1000 km apart in the Griqualand West and Hamersley basins

An atomic oxygen device based on PIG oxygen negative ion source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Jinxiang; Cai Minghui; Han Jianwei

2008-01-01

It is an important research subject for the spaceflight countries to conduct equivalent simulation of 5 eV atomic oxygen effects for the spaceflight material in low earth orbit. This paper introduces an apparatus used for producing atomic oxygen, which consists of a PIG ion source with permanent magnet, two electrodes extraction system, an electron deflector, an einzel lens, an ion decelerating electrode and a sample bracket. At present it has been used on the small debris accelerator in the Center for Space Science and Applied Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the producing experiments of O - are carried out. 200-300μA of O - ions are extracted at the extraction voltage of 2-3 kV. The experiments for decelerating of O - ions and erosion of kapton foil are carried out also. Because of the target room used for both the atomic oxygen device and the small debris accelerator, the facility can be used for small debris impinging and atomic erosion for spaceflight materials simultaneously. (authors)

Oxygen treatment of cluster headache

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Anja S; Barloese, Mads C J; Jensen, Rigmor H

2014-01-01

PURPOSE: Our aim was to review the existing literature to document oxygen's therapeutic effect on cluster headache. METHOD: A PubMed search resulted in 28 hits, and from these and their references we found in total 11 relevant studies. We included six studies that investigated the efficacy......, but not a prophylactic effect. Despite the fact that only a few high-quality RCT studies are available, oxygen treatment is close to an ideal treatment because it is effective and safe. However, sufferers of cluster headache do not always have access to oxygen because of logistic and financial concerns....

Real-Time Monitoring of Singlet Oxygen and Oxygen Partial Pressure During the Deep Photodynamic Therapy In Vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Weitao; Huang, Dong; Zhang, Yan; Liu, Yangyang; Gu, Yueqing; Qian, Zhiyu

2016-09-01

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an effective noninvasive method for the tumor treatment. The major challenge in current PDT research is how to quantitatively evaluate therapy effects. To our best knowledge, this is the first time to combine multi-parameter detection methods in PDT. More specifically, we have developed a set of system, including the high-sensitivity measurement of singlet oxygen, oxygen partial pressure and fluorescence image. In this paper, the detection ability of the system was validated by the different concentrations of carbon quantum dots. Moreover, the correlation between singlet oxygen and oxygen partial pressure with laser irradiation was observed. Then, the system could detect the signal up to 0.5 cm tissue depth with 660 nm irradiation and 1 cm tissue depth with 980 nm irradiation by using up-conversion nanoparticles during PDT in vitro. Furthermore, we obtained the relationship among concentration of singlet oxygen, oxygen partial pressure and tumor cell viability under certain conditions. The results indicate that the multi-parameter detection system is a promising asset to evaluate the deep tumor therapy during PDT. Moreover, the system might be potentially used for the further study in biology and molecular imaging.

Quantum mechanical study of molecular collisions at ultra-low energy: applications to alkali and alkaline-earth systems; Etude quantique de collisions moleculaires a ultra-basse energie: applications aux alcalins et alcalino-terreux

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Quemener, G

2006-10-15

In order to investigate the collisional processes which occur during the formation of molecular Bose-Einstein condensates, a time-independent quantum mechanical formalism, based on hyperspherical coordinates, has been applied to the study of atom-diatom dynamics at ultra-low energies. We present theoretical results for three alkali systems, each composed of lithium, sodium or potassium atoms, and for an alkaline-earth system composed of calcium atoms. We also study dynamics at large and positive atom-atom scattering length. Evidence for the suppression of inelastic processes in a fermionic system is given, as well as a linear relation between the atom-diatom scattering length and the atom-atom scattering length. (author)

Bulk manufacture of concentrated oxygen gas-filled microparticles for intravenous oxygen delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Kheir, John N; Polizzotti, Brian D; Thomson, Lindsay M; O'Connell, Daniel W; Black, Katherine J; Lee, Robert W; Wilking, James N; Graham, Adam C; Bell, David C; McGowan, Francis X

2013-08-01

Self-assembling, concentrated, lipid-based oxygen microparticles (LOMs) have been developed to administer oxygen gas when injected intravenously, preventing organ injury and death from systemic hypoxemia in animal models. Distinct from blood substitutes, LOMs are a one-way oxygen carrier designed to rescue patients who experience life-threatening hypoxemia, as caused by airway obstruction or severe lung injury. Here, we describe methods to manufacture large quantities of LOMs using an in-line, recycling, high-shear homogenizer, which can create up to 4 liters of microparticle emulsion in 10 minutes, with particles containing a median diameter of 0.93 microns and 60 volume% of gas phase. Using this process, we screen 30 combinations of commonly used excipients for their ability to form stable LOMs. LOMs composed of DSPC and cholesterol in a 1:1 molar ratio are stable for a 100 day observation period, and the number of particles exceeding 10 microns in diameter does not increase over time. When mixed with blood in vitro, LOMs fully oxygenate blood within 3.95 seconds of contact, and do not cause hemolysis or complement activation. LOMs can be manufactured in bulk by high shear homogenization, and appear to have a stability and size profile which merit further testing. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in periodontal diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Swapna A. Mahale

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO 2 has been successfully used in several medical fields. The therapeutic effect is related to elevated partial oxygen pressure in the tissues. The pressure itself enhances oxygen solubility in the tissue fluids. HBO 2 has shown to affect angiogenesis, bone metabolism and bone turnover. Studies have been conducted to analyze the effects of HBO 2 therapy on periodontal disease. HBO 2 increases local oxygen distribution, especially at the base of the periodontal pocket, which inhibits the growth of anaerobic bacteria and allows the ischemic tissues to receive an adequate intake of oxygen sufficient for a rapid recovery of cell metabolism. It is increasingly being accepted as a beneficial adjunct to diverse clinical conditions. Nonhealing ulcers, chronic wounds and refractory osteomyelitis are a few conditions for which HBO therapy (HBOT has been extensively tried out. The dental surgeons have found a good ally in HBOT in managing dental condition.

Cooking and oxygen. An explosive recipe.

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, H L; Ralston, D; Muller, M; Pegg, S

2001-02-01

Home oxygen therapy is commonly prescribed for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The risks of smoking while using this therapy have been well described. To discuss the Royal Brisbane Hospital Burns Unit's experience and present case studies which illustrate the danger of alternative ignition sources while using home oxygen. The dangers of home oxygen therapy can be minimised by careful patient selection, education and ongoing monitoring.

Fuel cell serves as oxygen level detector

Science.gov (United States)

1965-01-01

Monitoring the oxygen level in the air is accomplished by a fuel cell detector whose voltage output is proportional to the partial pressure of oxygen in the sampled gas. The relationship between output voltage and partial pressure of oxygen can be calibrated.

A rechargeable carbon-oxygen battery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2014-01-01

The invention relates to a rechargeable battery and a method to operate a rechargeable battery having high efficiency and high energy density for storing energy. The battery stores electrical energy in the bonds of carbon and oxygen atoms by converting carbon dioxide into solid carbon and oxygen....

Misconceptions in Reporting Oxygen Saturation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Toffaletti, John; Zijlstra, Willem G.

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND: We describe some misconceptions that have become common practice in reporting blood gas and cooximetry results. In 1980, oxygen saturation was incorrectly redefined in a report of a new instrument for analysis of hemoglobin (Hb) derivatives. Oxygen saturation (sO(2)) was redefined as the

Oxygen enhancement of groundwater using an oxygen releasing compound in a funnel-and-gate system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomas, D G

1994-01-01

ORC is a fine white MgO[sub 2] powder treated with a patented process so that a slow, relatively steady release of oxygen occurs when the powder is in contact with water. Recent work suggests ORC could potentially be used to increase the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration of ground water, thereby enhancing the biodegradation of dissolved phase contaminants such as benzene and toluene from gasoline spills. Field and laboratory tests were performed to evaluate the oxygen release characteristics of ORC when mixed with filter sand and exposed to groundwater from an aquifer in Ontario. Quasi steady state oxygen release rates of 0.013-0.030 and 0.030 mg O[sub 2]/d per g of ORC were determined from the column and field tests respectively. The column tests indicated that steady state oxygen release conditions from the ORC required ca 90 d after initial contact with water, but field data indicated that oxygen release rate may continue to decrease. Falling head permeameter tests indicated that a maximum drop in hydraulic conductivity occurred within the first 48 h of exposure of ORC to water. Both laboratory and field studies indicated that ORC-contacted water increased in pH. Field studies further suggested an inverse correlation between pH increases and the ability of ORC to enhance DO concentration of ground water. The use of ORC in a funnel-and-gate scheme appears to be an effective means of increasing the DO concentration in ground water, thereby stimulating the in-situ bioremediation of many organic contaminants. 30 refs., 17 figs., 12 tabs.

Effects of normobaric versus hyperbaric oxygen on cell injury induced by oxygen and glucose deprivation in acute brain slices

OpenAIRE

Laurent Chazalviel; Jean-Eric Blatteau; Nicolas Vallée; Jean-Jacques Risso; Stéphane Besnard; Jacques H Abraini

2016-01-01

Normobaric oxygen (NBO) and hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) are emerging as a possible co-treatment of acute ischemic stroke. Both have been shown to reduce infarct volume, to improve neurologic outcome, to promote endogenous tissue plasminogen activator-induced thrombolysis and cerebral blood flow, and to improve tissue oxygenation through oxygen diffusion in the ischemic areas, thereby questioning the interest of HBO compared to NBO. In the present study, in order to investigate and compare the oxy...

Molecular Evolution of the Oxygen-Binding Hemerythrin Domain.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Alvarez-Carreño

Full Text Available The evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis during Precambrian times entailed the diversification of strategies minimizing reactive oxygen species-associated damage. Four families of oxygen-carrier proteins (hemoglobin, hemerythrin and the two non-homologous families of arthropodan and molluscan hemocyanins are known to have evolved independently the capacity to bind oxygen reversibly, providing cells with strategies to cope with the evolutionary pressure of oxygen accumulation. Oxygen-binding hemerythrin was first studied in marine invertebrates but further research has made it clear that it is present in the three domains of life, strongly suggesting that its origin predated the emergence of eukaryotes.Oxygen-binding hemerythrins are a monophyletic sub-group of the hemerythrin/HHE (histidine, histidine, glutamic acid cation-binding domain. Oxygen-binding hemerythrin homologs were unambiguously identified in 367/2236 bacterial, 21/150 archaeal and 4/135 eukaryotic genomes. Overall, oxygen-binding hemerythrin homologues were found in the same proportion as single-domain and as long protein sequences. The associated functions of protein domains in long hemerythrin sequences can be classified in three major groups: signal transduction, phosphorelay response regulation, and protein binding. This suggests that in many organisms the reversible oxygen-binding capacity was incorporated in signaling pathways. A maximum-likelihood tree of oxygen-binding hemerythrin homologues revealed a complex evolutionary history in which lateral gene transfer, duplications and gene losses appear to have played an important role.Hemerythrin is an ancient protein domain with a complex evolutionary history. The distinctive iron-binding coordination site of oxygen-binding hemerythrins evolved first in prokaryotes, very likely prior to the divergence of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, and spread into many bacterial, archaeal and eukaryotic species. The later evolution of the

Direct sputtering- and electro-deposition of gold coating onto the closed surface of ultralow-density carbon-hydrogen foam cylinder

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luo, Jiaqiu; Yin, Jialing; Zhang, Hao; Yao, Mengqi; Hu, Wencheng, E-mail: huwc@uestc.edu.cn

2016-12-15

Highlights: • The surface pores of P(DVB/St) foam cylinder are sealed by CVD method. • Gold film was deposited on the surface of foam cylinder by magnetron sputtering. • Electroless plating was excluded in the present experiments. • The gold coatings were thickened through the electrodeposition process. - Abstract: This work aimed to fabricate a gold coating on the surface of ultralow-density carbon-hydrogen foam cylinder without electroless plating. Poly (divinylbenzene/styrene) foam cylinder was synthetized by high internal phase emulsion, and chemical vapor deposition polymerization approach was used to form a compact poly-p-xylylene film on the foam cylinder. Conducting gold thin films were directly deposited onto the poly-p-xylylene-modified foam cylinder by magnetron sputtering, and electrochemical deposition was adopted to thicken the gold coatings. The micro-structures and morphologies of poly (divinylbenzene/styrene) foam cylinder and gold coating were observed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The gold coating content was investigated by energy-dispersive X-ray. The thicknesses of poly-p-xylylene coating and sputtered gold thin-film were approximately 500 and 100 nm, respectively. After electrochemical deposition, the thickness of gold coating increased to 522 nm, and the gold coating achieved a compact and uniform structure.

Microscopic origin of read current noise in TaO_x-based resistive switching memory by ultra-low temperature measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan, Yue; Cai, Yimao; Liu, Yefan; Fang, Yichen; Yu, Muxi; Tan, Shenghu; Huang, Ru

2016-01-01

TaO_x-based resistive random access memory (RRAM) attracts considerable attention for the development of next generation nonvolatile memories. However, read current noise in RRAM is one of the critical concerns for storage application, and its microscopic origin is still under debate. In this work, the read current noise in TaO_x-based RRAM was studied thoroughly. Based on a noise power spectral density analysis at room temperature and at ultra-low temperature of 25 K, discrete random telegraph noise (RTN) and continuous average current fluctuation (ACF) are identified and decoupled from the total read current noise in TaO_x RRAM devices. A statistical comparison of noise amplitude further reveals that ACF depends strongly on the temperature, whereas RTN is independent of the temperature. Measurement results combined with conduction mechanism analysis show that RTN in TaO_x RRAM devices arises from electron trapping/detrapping process in the hopping conduction, and ACF is originated from the thermal activation of conduction centers that form the percolation network. At last, a unified model in the framework of hopping conduction is proposed to explain the underlying mechanism of both RTN and ACF noise, which can provide meaningful guidelines for designing noise-immune RRAM devices.

Coping with cyclic oxygen availability: evolutionary aspects.

Science.gov (United States)

Flück, Martin; Webster, Keith A; Graham, Jeffrey; Giomi, Folco; Gerlach, Frank; Schmitz, Anke

2007-10-01

Both the gradual rise in atmospheric oxygen over the Proterozoic Eon as well as episodic fluctuations in oxygen over several million-year time spans during the Phanerozoic Era, have arguably exerted strong selective forces on cellular and organismic respiratory specialization and evolution. The rise in atmospheric oxygen, some 2 billion years after the origin of life, dramatically altered cell biology and set the stage for the appearance of multicelluar life forms in the Vendian (Ediacaran) Period of the Neoproterozoic Era. Over much of the Paleozoic, the level of oxygen in the atmosphere was near the present atmospheric level (21%). In the Late Paleozoic, however, there were extended times during which the level of atmospheric oxygen was either markedly lower or markedly higher than 21%. That these Paleozoic shifts in atmospheric oxygen affected the biota is suggested by the correlations between: (1) Reduced oxygen and the occurrences of extinctions, a lowered biodiversity and shifts in phyletic succession, and (2) During hyperoxia, the corresponding occurrence of phenomena such as arthropod gigantism, the origin of insect flight, and the evolution of vertebrate terrestriality. Basic similarities in features of adaptation to hyopoxia, manifest in living organisms at levels ranging from genetic and cellular to physiological and behavioral, suggest the common and early origin of a suite of adaptive mechanisms responsive to fluctuations in ambient oxygen. Comparative integrative approaches addressing the molecular bases of phenotypic adjustments to cyclic oxygen fluctuation provide broad insight into the incremental steps leading to the early evolution of homeostatic respiratory mechanisms and to the specialization of organismic respiratory function.

Ultra-low friction between boundary layers of hyaluronan-phosphatidylcholine complexes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Linyi; Seror, Jasmine; Day, Anthony J; Kampf, Nir; Klein, Jacob

2017-09-01

have attracted considerable attention for decades, and several models have been proposed to elucidate it, however, the mechanism of this ultralow friction is still not clear. In this paper we explore the recent suggestion that its efficient lubrication arises from boundary layers of hyaluronan-lipid complexes at its surface, in particular exploring a range of different phosphatidylcholines (PCs) mimicking the wide range of PCs in synovial joints. The present study suggests a synergistic lubricating behavior of the different lipids in living joints, and potential treatment directions using such biomaterial complexes for widespread cartilage-friction-related diseases such as osteoarthritis. Copyright © 2017 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A prospective study of the effects of ultralow volume (ULV) aerial application of malathion on epidemic Plasmodium falciparum malaria. II. Entomologic and operational aspects.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, R T; Solis, M; Weathers, D B; Taylor, J W

1975-03-01

In a large-scale study in the Miragoane Valley of Haiti, designed to test the effects of aerial ultralow volume (ULV) malathion on epidemic Plasmodium falciparum malaria, spray operations resulted in an immediate and sharp decline in numbers of the vector, Anopheles albimanus. The adult population of this mosquito remained at less than 1% of previous levels until several weeks after a 50-day spray period (27 October-16 December 1972) during which six cycles were completed. The study area offered ideal conditions of wind, temperature, humidity, and mountain barriers. Mosquitoes in the area were highly susceptible to malathion. Results indicated that aerial ULV treatment with malathion can reduce A. albimanus populations rapidly and effectively when applications are made over an area as large as 20,000 acres. Preliminary results showed that effective control was not achieved in areas one-quarter that size; these areas were not sufficiently large, and infiltration of mosquitoes from adjacent untreated areas was possible.