Heat pump applications in Dutch flower bulb farms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wit, J.B. de

1999-01-01

Increasing numbers of flower bulb fanns in the Netherlands are using heat pumps for conditioning bulbs. The main advantage of the (electric) heat pump is that it combines all conditioning steps (drying, cooling and heating) in one device. Another advantage is that it makes process control simple and

Carbohydrate Status of Tulip Bulbs during Cold-Induced Flower Stalk Elongation and Flowering.

Science.gov (United States)

Lambrechts, H.; Rook, F.; Kolloffel, C.

1994-01-01

The effect of a cold treatment on the carbohydrate status of the scales and flower stalk of Tulipa gesneriana L. cv Apeldoorn bulbs during growth after planting was studied and compared with bulbs not given cold treatment. Bulbs were stored dry for 12 weeks at 5[deg]C (precooled) or 17[deg]C (noncooled). Only the 5[deg]C treatment led to rapid flower stalk elongation and flowering following planting at higher temperatures. Precooling enhanced mobilization of starch, fructans, and sucrose in the scales. The cold-stimulated starch breakdown was initially accompanied by increased [alpha]-amylase activity per scale. In noncooled bulbs, [alpha]-amylase activity slightly decreased or remained more or less constant. Cold-induced flower stalk elongation was partially accompanied by a decrease in the sucrose content and an increase in the glucose content and invertase activity per g dry weight. The starch content in internodes initially decreased and subsequently increased; [alpha]-amylase activity per g dry weight of the lowermost internode showed a peak pattern during starch breakdown and increased thereafter. The internodes of noncooled bulbs, on the contrary, accumulated sucrose. Their glucose content and invertase activity per g dry weight remained low. Starch breakdown was not found and [alpha]-amylase activity per g dry weight of the lowermost internode remained at a low level. Precooling of tulip bulbs thus favors reserve mobilization in the scales and flower stalk and glucose accumulation in the elongating internodes. PMID:12232100

Population growth rate of dry bulb mite, Aceria tulipae (Keifer) (Acariformes: Eriophyidae) on agriculturally important plants and implications on taxonomic status

Science.gov (United States)

Dry bulb mite (DBM), Aceria tulipae, is an economically important mite with a worldwide distribution and a broad host range. As a generalist, it is the most important eriophyoid mite attacking bulbous plants such as garlic, onion, and tulip. To date, DBM has been recorded on host plants belonging to...

Morphological structure and water status in tulip bulbs from dormancy to active growth : visualization by NMR imaging

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Toorn, van der A.; Zemah, H.; As, van H.; Bendel, P.; Kamenetsky, R.

2000-01-01

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to follow time-dependent morphological changes and changes in water status of tulip bulbs (Tulipa gesneriana L., cv. ‘Apeldoorn’) during bulb storage for 12 weeks at 20 °C (non-chilled) or 4 °C (chilled) and

Measurements of dry-deposition rates on various earth surfaces by 212Pb

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osaki, S.; Sugihara, S.; Maeda, Y.

2004-01-01

Dry deposition rates of 212 Pb on a coniferous forest (Japanese cedar) and a broad-leaf forest (Pasania edulis) have been measured. Those on various kinds of grass fields, various states on artificial surface such as water, paper, and standing paper have been also measured. The dry deposition rates depend on the characteristics of depositing particles and the conditions of deposited surfaces. Dry deposition rates on the forest of Japanese cedar are highest because of the complex and adhesive surface of the leaves. Those on various grass fields are roughly depend on the logarithm of the height of their grasses. The total deposition rates of 7 Be do not depend on the densities or heights of the grasses. 7 Be may be not kept on their leaves or surface soil for a long time. The dry deposition rates of on artificial surface, e.g. paper and water surfaces make clear the mechanism on dry deposition, and suggest that more chances of collision and more adhesive of the surface are important for the dry deposition. About 90% of all deposition on the artificial paper grass was attached on the standing paper. On water surface, 60% of the rate of paper grass was attached, but only about 20% were attached on a dry paper plate. The aerosol particles are deposited by collision with the surface, therefore the deposition velocity depends on the chance of collision and the characteristics of the surface. Therefore the dry deposition rates on forests are larger and those of coniferous forest are largest. (author)

Linking land use with pesticides in Dutch surface waters.

Science.gov (United States)

Van't, Zelfde M T; Tamis, W L M; Vijver, M G; De Snoo, G R

2012-01-01

Compared with other European countries The Netherlands has a relatively high level of pesticide consumption, particularly in agriculture. Many of the compounds concerned end up in surface waters. Surface water quality is routinely monitored and numerous pesticides are found to be present in high concentrations, with various standards being regularly exceeded. Many standards-breaching pesticides exhibit regional patterns that can be traced back to land use. These patterns have been statistically analysed by correlating surface area per land use category with standards exceedance per pesticide, thereby identifying numerous significant correlations with respect to breaches of both the ecotoxicological standard (Maximum Tolerable Risk, MTR) and the drinking water standard. In the case of the MTR, greenhouse horticulture, floriculture and bulb-growing have the highest number as well as percentage of standard-breaching pesticides, despite these market segments being relatively small in terms of area cropped. Cereals, onions, vegetables, perennial border plants and pulses are also associated with many pesticides that exceed the drinking water standard. When a correction is made for cropped acreage, cereals and potatoes also prove to be a major contributor to monitoring sites where the MTR standard is exceeded. Over the period 1998-2006 the land-use categories with the most and highest percentage of standards-exceeding pesticides (greenhouse horticulture, bulb-growing and flower cultivation) showed an increase in the percentage of standards-exceeding compounds.

Radioinhibition process in Argentinian garlic and onion bulbs

Science.gov (United States)

Curzio, O. A.; Croci, C. A.

Technological aspects of garlic and onion bulbs subjected to the radioinhibition process and extended storage under warehouse conditions were studied. Garlic and onion of the "Colorado" and "Valenciana sintética 14" varieties respectively, were irradiated in dormancy period with an average dose of 50.0 Gy of 60Co gamma rays and kept in storage up to ten months post-harvest. Throughout the control period (180-300 days post-harvest) obvious benefits were attained as to reducing the weight loss and increasing the percentage of marketable bulbs. In general, the irradiated bulbs were superior to the non-irradiated ones with regard to the external aspect, firmness and internal aspect, while the odor of the bulbs was not affected by the process. The radioinhibition process does not seem to affect adversely the levels of dry matter, carbohydrates and ascorbic acid as well as the acidity in onion bulbs. In two marketing trials a very favourable reception was perceived in the consumer public regarding the quality of the products. These studies have promoted the construction of a multipurpose irradiation facility in the Universidad Nacional del Sur for the development of the radiation processing technology.

Comparison between dry deposition fluxes measured with water and solid surfaces, and estimated by an inferential model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balestrini, R.; Consuma, A.; Polesello, S.; Tartari, G. [Istituto di Ricerca sulle Acque, Brugherio, MI (Italy)

2000-08-01

The quantification of the dry atmospheric input to natural surfaces is currently a complete task. In this study a water surface sampler (Das) was used contemporary to conventional solid surface samplers (wet and dry and bulk) to monitor the dry deposition in a densely inhabited and industrialised area. The dry contribution to the total deposition was 33-56% for sulfate, 11-39% for ammonium and 18-28% for nitrate ion, depending on the measurement technique. Among the three samplers, the Das one was the most efficient to collect sulfate, ammonium and nitrate. The comparison of the seasonal trends showed that the dry collector using a polyethylene surface, collected mainly aerosol particles of ammonium sulfate, while the aqueous surface of Das sampler was able to sample also the gaseous form of the pollutants. Sulfate and nitrate flux values determined from direct measurements were also compared with those obtained by a resistance model. The sulphate measured values fitted quite well with those predicted from the model showing similar seasonal variations. The quantitative differences observed in winter could be due to an increase in the acidity of water, used as collecting medium, which lowered the solubility of gaseous sulphur dioxide. In order to investigate the effect of water acidity on the deposition on a water body, a series of experiments were carried out. [Italian] La quantificazione della deposizione secca costituisce, ancora oggi, un'operazione complessa. Tre tipi di campionatori, rispettivamente con una superficie acquosa (Das) e con superfici solide in polietilene (wet and dry e bulk) sono stati impiegati per misurare la deposizione secca in un'area densamente antropizzata. Il contributo della deposizione secca alla deposizione totale e' risultato compreso tra 33 e 56% per i solfati, tra 11 e 39% per l'ammonio e tra 18 e il 28% per i nitrati, secondo la tecnica di campionamento. Il campionatore Das si e' dimostrato il piu

Effect of gamma radiation on post harvest storage life of onion bulb under ordinary room condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jabeen, N.; Badshah, N.; Mahboob, F.; Ayub, G.

2003-01-01

Post harvest storage life of radiated onion bulbs harvested at different stages of maturity and stored at ordinary room temperature (30-39 degree C) was studied at the Department of Horticulture, NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar, during August 2002. Onion bulbs were harvested at two stages i.e. drooping and complete dried leaf. Four radiation doses of 2, 4, 6 and 8 kilo rad (Kr) were applied with normal (control). The data of experiment was collected from weight loss, rot attack, sprouting, firmness and taste pungency. The results revealed that various radiation doses significantly affected weight loss, rot attack, sprouting, firmness and taste pungency. Onion bulbs radiated with 8 Kr showed minimum percent weight loss (28.59%), decrease in firmness and taste pungency. Minimum percent rot attack (6.3%) was observed in 6 and 8 Kr. Radiation doses of 4, 6 and 8 Kr showed no sprouting at all. Maximum weight loss (43.20%), rot attack (16.2%), sprouting (40.78%), decrease in firmness and taste pungency were recorded for control. The results showed that harvesting stages are statistically non-significant. The interaction between radiation doses and harvesting stages are also non-significant. Harvesting stages significantly affected weight loss, rot attack, sprouting and taste pungency. Onion bulbs of complete dried leaf stage recorded maximum percent weight loss (35.42%), percent sprouting (11.7%) and taste pungency while minimum percent weight loss (31.62%), percent sprouting (5.01%) and taste pungency was observed in onion bulbs of drooping stage. Maximum percent rot attack (10.9%) was noted in onion bulbs of drooping stage while minimum (7.3%) in onion bulbs of complete dried leaf stage. Radiation dose of 8 Kr is recommended to reduce the post-harvest losses in onion bulbs. Drooping stage comparatively prolonged the shelf life of bulb

Bud abortion in tulip bulbs studied by magnetic resonance imaging

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kilsdonk, van M.G.; Nicolaij, K.; Franssen, J.M.; Kollöffel, C.

2002-01-01

After storage and subsequent planting of flower bulbs, the flower bud frequently appears to be aborted. This physiological aberration is probably caused by a change in the water status of the bulb and may be initiated during storage. The development of bud abortion in tulip bulbs was studied during

Fabrication of Closed Hollow Bulb Obturator Using Thermoplastic Resin Material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bidhan Shrestha

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. Closed hollow bulb obturators are used for the rehabilitation of postmaxillectomy patients. However, the time consuming process, complexity of fabrication, water leakage, and discoloration are notable disadvantages of this technique. This paper describes a clinical report of fabricating closed hollow bulb obturator using a single flask and one time processing method for an acquired maxillary defect. Hard thermoplastic resin sheet has been used for the fabrication of hollow bulb part of the obturator. Method. After fabrication of master cast conventionally, bulb and lid part of the defect were formed separately and joined by autopolymerizing acrylic resin to form one sized smaller hollow body. During packing procedure, the defect area was loaded with heat polymerizing acrylic resin and then previously fabricated smaller hollow body was adapted over it. The whole area was then loaded with heat cure acrylic. Further processes were carried out conventionally. Conclusion. This technique uses single flask which reduces laboratory time and makes the procedure simple. The thickness of hollow bulb can be controlled and light weight closed hollow bulb prosthesis can be fabricated. It also minimizes the disadvantages of closed hollow bulb obturator such as water leakage, bacterial infection, and discoloration.

Effect of Initial Weight of Shallot Bulb and Farm Manure on Reproduction and Shallot Yield (Allium altissimumRegel. in Shirvan Climate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mona arefkhani

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction Shallot (Allium altisimum Regel is a perennial plant from Alliaceae family with underground bulbs, which is considered as a by-product of the rangelands. This plant grows in natural highland habitat with cold and semi-cold climate including Khorasan and Lorestan provinces. Shallot has been used as a medicinal plant in Iranian traditional medicine. This plant is also used as aromatic and flavor. Present experiment was conducted to study domestication methods and effect of initial weight of shallot bulb and manure on yield and yield components of shallot under field conditions. It was expected that the results of present research could be an effective step in the domestication of shallot and reduce its harvesting from natural areas and habitats. Material and Methods This experiment was conducted on research farm of faculty of agriculture in Higher Education Complex of Shirvan, during crop season of 2013-2014. First, shallot bulbs were collected from Mashhad Taraghi village located at 30 km in South of Shirvan. After, farm preparation operations, bulbs were planted with density of 30 bulbs per square meter on Aug 21th in 2013. This experiment was conducted as factorial randomized complete block design. There were two factors including initial weight of bulb seed at four levels (15-25, 25-35, 35-45, 45-55 g.bulb-1 and cow manure at three levels (0 , 40 and 60 t.ha-1 with three replications. After collecting considered data, analysis was performed by MINITAB software and mean comparison was calculated by MSTAT-C software. EXCEL and WORD programs used to draw diagrams and tables. Results and Discussion: Results showed that different levels of initial weight of mother bulb and manure have significant effect (P≤0.05 on plant height, inflorescence height, leaf fresh weight, leaf dry weight, whole plant fresh weight, bulb volume, germination percentage, leaf area and leaf number. In addition, it was indicated that increasing manure and

Water loss at normal enamel histological points during air drying at room temperature.

Science.gov (United States)

De Medeiros, R C G; De Lima, T A S; Gouveia, C R; De Sousa, F B

2013-06-01

This in vitro study aimed to quantify water loss at histological points in ground sections of normal enamel during air drying at room temperature (25°C) and relative humidity of 50%. From each of 10 ground sections of erupted permanent human normal enamel, three histological points (n = 30) located at 100, 300 and 500 μm from enamel surface and along a transversal following prisms paths were characterized regarding the mineral, organic and water volumes. Water loss during air drying was from 0 to 48 h. Drying occurred with both falling and constant-drying rates, and drying stabilization times (Teq ) ranged from 0.5 to 11 h with a mean 0.26 (±0.12)% weight loss. In some samples (n = 5; 15 points), Teq increased as a function of the distance from the enamel surface, and drying occurred at an apparent diffusion rate of 3.47 × 10⁻⁸ cm² s⁻¹. Our data provide evidence of air drying resulting in air replacing enamel's loosely bound water in prisms sheaths following a unidirectional water diffusion rate of 3.47 × 10⁻⁸ cm² s⁻¹ (from the original enamel surface inward), not necessarily resulting in water evaporating directly into air, with important implications for transport processes and optical and mechanical properties. © 2013 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2013 Royal Microscopical Society.

Extending the shelf life of flower bulbs and perennials in consumer packages by modiefied atmosphere packaging

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gude, H.; Dijkema, M.H.G.E.; Miller, C.T.

2011-01-01

The quality of flower bulbs and herbaceous perennials in consumer packages declines rapidly due to sprouting and drying out. The present study was undertaken to develop Modified Atmosphere Packages (MAP) with suitable filling materials for a prolonged shelf life of different species of flower bulbs

Utility of remote sensing-based surface energy balance models to track water stress in rain-fed switchgrass under dry and wet conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattarai, Nishan; Wagle, Pradeep; Gowda, Prasanna H.; Kakani, Vijaya G.

2017-11-01

The ability of remote sensing-based surface energy balance (SEB) models to track water stress in rain-fed switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) has not been explored yet. In this paper, the theoretical framework of crop water stress index (CWSI; 0 = extremely wet or no water stress condition and 1 = extremely dry or no transpiration) was utilized to estimate CWSI in rain-fed switchgrass using Landsat-derived evapotranspiration (ET) from five remote sensing based single-source SEB models, namely Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL), Mapping ET with Internalized Calibration (METRIC), Surface Energy Balance System (SEBS), Simplified Surface Energy Balance Index (S-SEBI), and Operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEBop). CWSI estimates from the five SEB models and a simple regression model that used normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), near-surface temperature difference, and measured soil moisture (SM) as covariates were compared with those derived from eddy covariance measured ET (CWSIEC) for the 32 Landsat image acquisition dates during the 2011 (dry) and 2013 (wet) growing seasons. Results indicate that most SEB models can predict CWSI reasonably well. For example, the root mean square error (RMSE) ranged from 0.14 (SEBAL) to 0.29 (SSEBop) and the coefficient of determination (R2) ranged from 0.25 (SSEBop) to 0.72 (SEBAL), justifying the added complexity in CWSI modeling as compared to results from the simple regression model (R2 = 0.55, RMSE = 0.16). All SEB models underestimated CWSI in the dry year but the estimates from SEBAL and S-SEBI were within 7% of the mean CWSIEC and explained over 60% of variations in CWSIEC. In the wet year, S-SEBI mostly overestimated CWSI (around 28%), while estimates from METRIC, SEBAL, SEBS, and SSEBop were within 8% of the mean CWSIEC. Overall, SEBAL was the most robust model under all conditions followed by METRIC, whose performance was slightly worse and better than SEBAL in dry and wet years

Lake Chad Total Surface Water Area as Derived from Land Surface Temperature and Radar Remote Sensing Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frederick Policelli

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Lake Chad, located in the middle of the African Sahel belt, underwent dramatic decreases in the 1970s and 1980s leaving less than ten percent of its 1960s surface water extent as open water. In this paper, we present an extended record (dry seasons 1988–2016 of the total surface water area of the lake (including both open water and flooded vegetation derived using Land Surface Temperature (LST data (dry seasons 2000–2016 from the NASA Terra MODIS sensor and EUMETSAT Meteosat-based LST measurements (dry seasons 1988–2001 from an earlier study. We also examine the total surface water area for Lake Chad using radar data (dry seasons 2015–2016 from the ESA Sentinel-1a mission. For the limited number of radar data sets available to us (18 data sets, we find on average a close match between the estimates from these data and the corresponding estimates from LST, though we find spatial differences in the estimates using the two types of data. We use these spatial differences to adjust the record (dry seasons 2000–2016 from MODIS LST. Then we use the adjusted record to remove the bias of the existing LST record (dry seasons 1988–2001 derived from Meteosat measurements and combine the two records. From this composite, extended record, we plot the total surface water area of the lake for the dry seasons of 1988–1989 through 2016–2017. We find for the dry seasons of 1988–1989 to 2016–2017 that the maximum total surface water area of the lake was approximately 16,800 sq. km (February and May, 2000, the minimum total surface water area of the lake was approximately 6400 sq. km (November, 1990, and the average was approximately 12,700 sq. km. Further, we find the total surface water area of the lake to be highly variable during this period, with an average rate of increase of approximately 143 km2 per year.

Anticonvulsant activity of the fractionated extract of Crinum jagus bulbs in experimental animals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azikiwe CCA

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Objective: To investigate the anticonvulsant activity of the bulbs of Crinum jagus in experimental animals. Methods: The uprooted bulbs were air dried for a week and ground into creamy-paste. 200g of paste was macerated each in 2 litres of water, ethanol and petroleum ether and filtered after 48 h. The obtained filtrates were each evaporated at the appropriate temperature to solid residue. The residues were further fractionated with successive changes of petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and n-butanol into a pooled filtrate which was further evaporated to dry solid brown-paste. Phytochemistry was carried out based on Treas and Evans method of 1987. The acute toxicity study (LD50 was carried based on Lorke ’s 1983 method. Convulsion was induced using maximum electric shock (MEST, pentylenetetrazole(PTZ, strychnine and Picrotoxin in the appropriate animal models. Seizures onset time and death time were used as successful induction of convulsion while prolongations of these features were taken as anticonvulsant activity. Results where possible, were statistically analyzed using SPSS-16.0 version. Results: The LD 50 was got at 1118.003mg/kg (IP in mice using Lorke ’s 1983 method. Fractionated extract of Crinum jagus exhibited dose dependent antiseizure against MEST induced seizure (P<0.001 and comparable to that of phenytoin, a standard anti generalized tonic-clonic seizure. There were also observable antiseizure activity of the fractionated extracts against PTZ, strychnine and Picrotoxin induced seizure and comparable to their standard corresponding antiseizures. Conclusions: We conclude that the bulbs of Crinum jagus possess proven broad spectrum antiseizure and perhaps antiepileptogenic activity thus justifies its use in traditional medicine. Clinical trial in man is recommended.

Climatic data for Mirror Lake, West Thornton, New Hampshire : 1985

Science.gov (United States)

Sturrock, Alex M.; Buso, D.C.; Scarborough, J.L.; Winter, T.C.

1988-01-01

Research on the hydrology of Mirror Lake, West Thornton, New Hampshire, includes a study of evaporation. Those climatic data needed for energy-budget and mass-transfer evaporation studies are presented, including: water surface temperature, dry-bulb and wet-bulb air temperatures, vapor pressure at and above the water surface, wind speed, and short- and long-wave radiation. Data are collected at raft and land stations. (USGS)

Climatic data for Mirror Lake, West Thornton, New Hampshire, 1984

Science.gov (United States)

Sturrock, A.M.; Buso, D.C.; Scarborough, J.L.; Winter, T.C.

1986-01-01

Research on the hydrology of Mirror lake, (north-central) New Hampshire includes study of evaporation. Presented here are those climatic data needed for energy-budget and mass-transfer studies, including: temperature of lake water surface; dry-bulb and wet-bulb air temperatures; wind speed at 3 levels above the water surface; and solar and atmospheric radiation. Data are collected at raft and land stations. (USGS)

Effects of composite surface coating and pre-drying on the properties of kabanosy dry sausage.

Science.gov (United States)

Tyburcy, Andrzej; Kozyra, Daniel

2010-10-01

Coating of dry sausages with renewable materials could be an alternative to vacuum packaging. In this study kabanosy dry sausage was coated with a composite emulsion and stored for 7 or 15 days at 4-6 degrees C. Effects of different emulsion formulas (0.5 or 1% w/w of kappa-carrageenan and 5 or 10% w/w of glycerol) and pre-drying of coated sausages (at 50 degrees C for 1.5h) were investigated. Carrageenan concentration had a significant effect (Pemulsion adsorbed on the sausage surface but little influence on the barrier properties of the coatings. At both glycerol concentration levels, coatings had no visible cracks and were easily removed from the sausage surface after 7 and 15 days of storage. The colour values of coatings (L*, a*, and b*) changed along with the decreasing water activity during storage. Pre-drying of coated sausages reduced peeled product weight loss after storage. The financial analysis showed that among coatings tested the best proved to be the emulsion containing (w/w): 5% glycerol, 5% gelatin, 0.5% carrageenan, 20% lard, 20% beeswax, and 50% water. Copyright (c) 2010 The American Meat Science Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrophysiological mapping of the accessory olfactory bulb of the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Science.gov (United States)

van Groen, T; Ruardy, L; da Silva, F H

1986-07-01

Field potentials elicited by electrical stimulation of the vomeronasal nerve were measured in the accessory olfactory bulb of the rabbit. Maps were made of the distribution of surface field potentials and of the corresponding depth profiles. The surface maps followed closely the contours of the accessory olfactory bulb: at the frontal border the field potential tended to zero and at the center of the structure the field potential attained a maximum. Depth profiles of the field potentials through the accessory olfactory bulb presented a surface-negative wave and, in depth, a positive wave. The polarity reversal occurred at the deep part of the granule cell layer. The zero equipotential line followed closely the curvature of the granule cell layer. Current source density analysis of the depth profiles revealed a main sink at the external plexiform and granule cell layers. This indicates that the main activity in the accessory olfactory bulb is generated by the synapses between the mitral cells and the granule cells as is found in the main olfactory bulb.

Salinization and arsenic contamination of surface water in southwest Bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayers, John C; George, Gregory; Fry, David; Benneyworth, Laura; Wilson, Carol; Auerbach, Leslie; Roy, Kushal; Karim, Md Rezaul; Akter, Farjana; Goodbred, Steven

2017-09-11

To identify the causes of salinization and arsenic contamination of surface water on an embanked island (i.e., polder) in the tidal delta plain of SW Bangladesh we collected and analyzed water samples in the dry (May) and wet (October) seasons in 2012-2013. Samples were collected from rice paddies (wet season), saltwater ponds used for brine shrimp aquaculture (dry season), freshwater ponds and tidal channels (both wet and dry season), and rainwater collectors. Continuous measurements of salinity from March 2012 to February 2013 show that tidal channel water increases from ~0.15 ppt in the wet season up to ~20 ppt in the dry season. On the polder, surface water exceeds the World Health Organization drinking water guideline of 10 μg As/L in 78% of shrimp ponds and 27% of rice paddies, raising concerns that produced shrimp and rice could have unsafe levels of As. Drinking water sources also often have unsafe As levels, with 83% of tubewell and 43% of freshwater pond samples having >10 μg As/L. Water compositions and field observations are consistent with shrimp pond water being sourced from tidal channels during the dry season, rather than the locally saline groundwater from tubewells. Irrigation water for rice paddies is also obtained from the tidal channels, but during the wet season when surface waters are fresh. Salts become concentrated in irrigation water through evaporation, with average salinity increasing from 0.43 ppt in the tidal channel source to 0.91 ppt in the rice paddies. Our observations suggest that the practice of seasonally alternating rice and shrimp farming in a field has a negligible effect on rice paddy water salinity. Also, shrimp ponds do not significantly affect the salinity of adjacent surface water bodies or subjacent groundwater because impermeable shallow surface deposits of silt and clay mostly isolate surface water bodies from each other and from the shallow groundwater aquifer. Bivariate plots of conservative element

Climatic data for the Cottonwood Lake area, Stutsman County, North Dakota 1982

Science.gov (United States)

Sturrock, A.M.; Hanson, B.A.; Scarborough, J.L.; Winter, T.C.

1986-01-01

Research on the hydrology of the Cottonwood Lake area, Stutsman County, North Dakota, includes study of evaporation. Presented here are those climatic data needed for energy-budget and mass-transfer evaporation studies, including: water-surface temperature, sediment temperature dry-bulb and wet-bulb air temperatures, vapor pressure at and above the water surface, wind speed, and short- and long-wave radiation. Data were collected at raft and land stations.

Climatic data for the Cottonwood Lake area, Stutsman County, North Dakota, 1983

Science.gov (United States)

Sturrock, A.M.; Hanson, B.A.; Scarborough, J.L.; Winter, T.C.

1987-01-01

Research on the hydrology of the Cottonwood Lake area, Stutsman County, North Dakota, includes study of evaporation. Climatic data needed for energy-budget and mass-transfer evaporation studies that were collected during 1983 include water-surface temperature, sediment temperature, dry-bulb and wet-bulb air temperature, vapor pressure at and above the water surface, wind speed, and short-and long-wave radiation. Data are collected at raft and land stations. (USGS)

Performance analysis of proposed hybrid air conditioning and humidification–dehumidification systems for energy saving and water production in hot and dry climatic regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nada, S.A.; Elattar, H.F.; Fouda, A.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Integrative air-conditioning (A/C) and humidification–dehumidification desalination systems are proposed. • Effects of operating parameters on the proposed systems are investigated. • System configurations that have the highest fresh water production rate, power saving and total cost saving are identified. - Abstract: Performance of integrative air-conditioning (A/C) and humidification–dehumidification desalination systems proposed for hot and dry climatic regions is theoretically investigated. The proposed systems aim to energy saving and systems utilization in fresh water production. Four systems with evaporative cooler and heat recovery units located at different locations are proposed, analyzed and evaluated at different operating parameters (fresh air ratio, supply air temperature and outside air wet bulb temperature). Other two basic systems are used as reference systems in proposed systems assessment. Fresh water production rate, A/C cooling capacity, A/C electrical power consumption, saving in power consumptions and total cost saving (TCS) parameters are used for systems evaluations and comparisons. The results show that (i) the fresh water production rates of the proposed systems increase with increasing fresh air ratio, supply air temperature and outdoor wet bulb temperature, (ii) powers saving of the proposed systems increase with increasing fresh air ratio and supply air temperature and decreasing of the outdoor air wet bulb temperature, (iii) locating the evaporative cooling after the fresh air mixing remarkably increases water production rate, and (vi) incorporating heat recovery in the air conditioning systems with evaporative cooling may adversely affect both of the water production rate and the total cost saving of the system. Comparison study has been presented to identify systems configurations that have the highest fresh water production rate, highest power saving and highest total cost saving. Numerical correlations for

Production of Quorum Sensing Inhibitors in Growing Onion Bulbs Infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa E (HQ324110).

Science.gov (United States)

Abd-Alla, Mohamed H; Bashandy, Shymaa R

2012-01-01

Eighteen organic compounds were present in growing onion bulbs cultivar Giza 6 infected with P. aeruginosa, but only fourteen of them are present in dry infected onion bulbs; however, four compounds were missing in dry onion. The missing compounds in dry infected onion bulbs are pantolactone, 4,5-dihydro-4,5-dimethylfuran-2(3H)-one, myristic acid, and linoleic acid. All of them were detected in growing onion (living cell) during Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, and it is hypothesized that it may be produced by plants and act as defence system. Pantolactone and myristic acid were selected to explore their effects on growth and virulence factors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Exogenous application of pantolactone and myristic acid significantly inhibited pyocyanin production, protease, and lipase and polygalacturonase activity but did not have any significant effects on bacterial growth. The inhibition of virulence factors without reduction in bacterial growth may be providing strong support that these chemical molecules are general quorum sensing inhibitors than an antibacterial effect. Disruption of quorum sensing of pathogen indicates that this new approach has potential in fighting bacterial infections in human and plants.

WATER RETENTION OPTION OF DRAINAGE SYSTEM FOR DRY SEASON CORN CULTIVATION AT TIDAL LOWLAND AREA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bakri

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Farming constraint at tidal lowland area is about water management related to the nature of excessive water during wet season and insufficient water during dry season. This field research objectives was to find out the corn crop cultivation in August 2014 which entered dry season. The installation of subsurface drainage that previously had functioned as water discharge was converted into water retention. The research results showed that corn had grown well during peak dry season period (October in which water table was at –50 cm below soil surface, whereas water table depth was dropped to –70 cm below soil surface in land without subsurface drainage. This condition implied that installation of subsurface drainage at dry season had function as water retention, not as water discharge. Therefore, network function was inverted from water discharge into water retention. It had impact on the development of optimum water surface that flow in capillary mode to fulfill the crop’s water requirement. Corn production obtained was 6.4 t ha-1. This condition was very promising though still below the maximum national production. The applications of subsurface drainage was still not optimum due to the supply of water from the main system was not the same because of the soil physical properties diversity and topography differences.

Dry deposition fluxes and deposition velocities of trace metals in the Tokyo metropolitan area measured with a water surface sampler.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakata, Masahiro; Marumoto, Kohji

2004-04-01

Dry deposition fluxes and deposition velocities (=deposition flux/atmospheric concentration) for trace metals including Hg, Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Zn in the Tokyo metropolitan area were measured using an improved water surface sampler. Mercury is deposited on the water surface in both gaseous (reactive gaseous mercury, RGM) and particulate (particulate mercury, Hg(p)) forms. The results based on 1 yr observations found that dry deposition plays a significant if not dominant role in trace metal deposition in this urban area, contributing fluxes ranging from 0.46 (Cd) to 3.0 (Zn) times those of concurrent wet deposition fluxes. The deposition velocities were found to be dependent on the deposition of coarse particles larger than approximately 5 microm in diameter on the basis of model calculations. Our analysis suggests that the 84.13% diameter is a more appropriate index for each deposited metal than the 50% diameter in the assumed undersize log-normal distribution, because larger particles are responsible for the flux. The deposition velocities for trace metals other than mercury increased exponentially with an increase in their 84.13% diameters. Using this regression equation, the deposition velocities for Hg(p) were estimated from its 84.13% diameter. The deposition fluxes for Hg(p) calculated from the estimated velocities tended to be close to the mercury fluxes measured with the water surface sampler during the study periods except during summer.

Year-round atmospheric wet and dry deposition of nitrogen and phosphorus on water and land surfaces in Nanjing, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Liying; Li, Bo; Ma, Yuchun; Wang, Jinyang; Xiong, Zhengqin

2013-06-01

The dry deposition of ammonium, nitrate, and total phosphorus (TP) to both water (DW) and land (DD) surfaces, along with wet deposition, were simultaneously monitored from March 2009 to February 2011 in Nanjing, China. Results showed that wet deposition of total phosphorus was 1.1 kg phosphorus ha (-1)yr(-1), and inorganic nitrogen was 28.7 kg nitrogen ha (-1)yr(-1), with 43% being ammonium nitrogen. Dry deposition of ammonium, nitrate, and total phosphorus, measured by the DW/DD method, was 7.5/2.2 kg nitrogen ha (-1)yr(-1), 6.3/ 4.9 kg nitrogen ha (-1)yr(-1), and 1.9/0.4 kg phosphorus ha (-1)yr(-1), respectively. Significant differences between the DW and DD methods indicated that both methods should be employed simultaneously when analyzing deposition to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in watershed areas. The dry deposition of ammonium, nitrate, and total phosphorus contributed 38%, 28%, and 63%, respectively, to the total deposition in the simulated aquatic ecosystem; this has significance for the field of water eutrophication control.

Coastal surface water suitability analysis for irrigation in Bangladesh

Science.gov (United States)

Mahtab, Mohammad Hossain; Zahid, Anwar

2018-03-01

Water with adequate quality and quantity is very important for irrigation to ensure the crop yields. Salinity is common problem in the coastal waters in Bangladesh. The intensity of salinity in the coastal zone in Bangladesh is not same. It fluctuates over the year. Sodium is another hazard which may hamper permeability and ultimately affects the fertility. It can reduce the crop yields. Although surface water is available in the coastal zone of Bangladesh, but its quality for irrigation needs to be monitored over the year. This paper will investigate the overall quality of coastal surface waters. Thirty-three water samples from different rivers were collected both in wet period (October-December) and in dry period (February-April). Different physical and chemical parameters are considered for investigation of the adequacy of water with respect to international irrigation water quality standards and Bangladesh standards. A comparison between the dry and wet period coastal surface water quality in Bangladesh will also be drawn here. The analysis shows that coastal surface water in Bangladesh is overall suitable for irrigation during wet period, while it needs treatment (which will increase the irrigation cost) for using for irrigation during dry period. Adaptation to this situation can improve the scenario. An integrated plan should be taken to increase the water storing capacity in the coastal area to harvest water during wet period.

Immobilization of trypsin on miniature incandescent bulbs for infrared-assisted proteolysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ge, Huimin; Bao, Huimin; Zhang, Luyan; Chen, Gang, E-mail: gangchen@fudan.edu.cn

2014-10-03

Highlights: • Trypsin was immobilized on miniature incandescent bulbs via chitosan coating. • The bulbs acted as enzymatic reactors and the generators of infrared radiation. • The bulb bioreactors were successfully employed in infrared-assisted proteolysis. • The proteolysis could accomplish within 5 min with high sequence coverages. - Abstract: A novel efficient proteolysis approach was developed based on trypsin-immobilized miniature incandescent bulbs and infrared (IR) radiation. Trypsin was covalently immobilized in the chitosan coating on the outer surface of miniature incandescent bulbs with the aid of glutaraldehyde. When an illuminated enzyme-immobilized bulb was immersed in protein solution, the emitted IR radiation could trigger and accelerate heterogeneous protein digestion. The feasibility and performance of the novel proteolysis approach were demonstrated by the digestion of hemoglobin (HEM), cytochrome c (Cyt-c), lysozyme (LYS), and ovalbumin (OVA) and the digestion time was significantly reduced to 5 min. The obtained digests were identified by MALDI-TOF-MS with the sequence coverages of 91%, 77%, 80%, and 52% for HEM, Cyt-c, LYS, and OVA (200 ng μL{sup −1} each), respectively. The suitability of the prepared bulb bioreactors to complex proteins was demonstrated by digesting human serum.

Desenvolvimento de plantas, produção e qualidade de bulbos de alho sob condições de deficiência de água no solo Plant growth, yield and quality of garlic bulbs under soil water deficit conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Waldir A. Marouelli

2002-09-01

Full Text Available Avaliou-se o comportamento de plantas de alho submetidas a diferentes níveis de água no solo, em dois estádio de desenvolvimento. O experimento foi conduzido na Embrapa Hortaliças, Brasília, DF. Os tratamentos, dispostos em esquema fatorial 4 x 4, resultaram da combinação de quatro tensões de água no solo no estádio vegetativo (20; 40; 80 e 160 kPa e quatro no de bulbificação (20; 40; 80 e 160 kPa. Plantas submetidas à deficiência hídrica, em qualquer dos estádios, tiveram o desenvolvimento, a produtividade comercial, o tamanho médio de bulbos e a eficiência do uso de água reduzidos em até 70%, 63%, 31% e 57%, respectivamente. O crescimento de plantas e a produtividade de bulbos foram negativamente afetados mesmo para condições de deficiência moderada de água no solo (40 kPa. O número de bulbos por unidade de área foi reduzido linearmente apenas quando as plantas foram submetidas à deficiência hídrica no estádio vegetativo. As percentagens de bulbos pseudoperfilhados, de chochos e de perda de massa de bulbos não foram afetadas significativamente por tensões entre 20 e 160 kPa.The experiment was carried out at Embrapa Hortaliças, Brasília, Brazil, aiming to evaluate the response of garlic plants to different water regimes in the soil at two development stages. Treatments, arranged in a factorial scheme 4 x 4, resulted from the combination of four water tensions in the vegetative stage (20; 40; 80; and 160 kPa and four in the bulbfication (20; 40; 80; and 160 kPa. Plants submitted to soil water deficits in any crop stage had the vegetative growth, marketable yield, bulb size, and water use efficiency reduced up to 70%, 63%, 31%, and 57%, respectively. Plant vegetative growth and bulb yield were negatively affected even for moderate water deficit in the soil (40 kPa.The number of bulbs per unit of area was linearly reduced only when the plants were submitted to water deficits in the vegetative stage. Percentage of

Climatic data for Williams Lake, Hubbard County, Minnesota, 1983

Science.gov (United States)

Sturrock, A.M.; Rosenberry, D.O.; Engelbrecht, L.G.; Gothard, W.A.; Winter, T.C.

1984-01-01

Research on the hydrology of Williams Lake, north-central Minnesota includes study of evaporation. Presented here are those climatic data needed for energy-budget and mass-transfer studies,including: water-surface temperature, dry-bulb and wet-bulb air temperatures, wind speed, precipitation, and solar radiation. Data are collected at raft and land stations.

Sampling for Beryllium Surface Contamination using Wet, Dry and Alcohol Wipe Sampling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kerr, Kent [Central Missouri State Univ., Warrensburg, MO (United States)

2004-12-01

This research project was conducted at the National Nuclear Security Administration's Kansas City Plant, operated by Honeywell Federal Manufacturing and Technologies, in conjunction with the Safety Sciences Department of Central Missouri State University, to compare relative removal efficiencies of three wipe sampling techniques currently used at Department of Energy facilities. Efficiencies of removal of beryllium contamination from typical painted surfaces were tested by wipe sampling with dry Whatman 42 filter paper, with water-moistened (Ghost Wipe) materials, and by methanol-moistened wipes. Test plates were prepared using 100 mm X 15 mm Pyrex Petri dishes with interior surfaces spray painted with a bond coat primer. To achieve uniform deposition over the test plate surface, 10 ml aliquots of solution containing 1 beryllium and 0.1 ml of metal working fluid were transferred to the test plates and subsequently evaporated. Metal working fluid was added to simulate the slight oiliness common on surfaces in metal working shops where fugitive oil mist accumulates over time. Sixteen test plates for each wipe method (dry, water, and methanol) were processed and sampled using a modification of wiping patterns recommended by OSHA Method 125G. Laboratory and statistical analysis showed that methanol-moistened wipe sampling removed significantly more (about twice as much) beryllium/oil-film surface contamination as water-moistened wipes (p< 0.001), which removed significantly more (about twice as much) residue as dry wipes (p <0.001). Evidence for beryllium sensitization via skin exposure argues in favor of wipe sampling with wetting agents that provide enhanced residue removal efficiency.

Dry Eye Management: Targeting the Ocular Surface Microenvironment

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaobo; Jeyalatha M, Vimalin; Qu, Yangluowa; He, Xin; Ou, Shangkun; Bu, Jinghua; Jia, Changkai; Wang, Junqi; Wu, Han; Liu, Zuguo

2017-01-01

Dry eye can damage the ocular surface and result in mild corneal epithelial defect to blinding corneal pannus formation and squamous metaplasia. Significant progress in the treatment of dry eye has been made in the last two decades; progressing from lubricating and hydrating the ocular surface with artificial tear to stimulating tear secretion; anti-inflammation and immune regulation. With the increase in knowledge regarding the pathophysiology of dry eye, we propose in this review the concept of ocular surface microenvironment. Various components of the microenvironment contribute to the homeostasis of ocular surface. Compromise in one or more components can result in homeostasis disruption of ocular surface leading to dry eye disease. Complete evaluation of the microenvironment component changes in dry eye patients will not only lead to appropriate diagnosis, but also guide in timely and effective clinical management. Successful treatment of dry eye should be aimed to restore the homeostasis of the ocular surface microenvironment. PMID:28661456

Dry Eye Management: Targeting the Ocular Surface Microenvironment.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaobo; M, Vimalin Jeyalatha; Qu, Yangluowa; He, Xin; Ou, Shangkun; Bu, Jinghua; Jia, Changkai; Wang, Junqi; Wu, Han; Liu, Zuguo; Li, Wei

2017-06-29

Dry eye can damage the ocular surface and result in mild corneal epithelial defect to blinding corneal pannus formation and squamous metaplasia. Significant progress in the treatment of dry eye has been made in the last two decades; progressing from lubricating and hydrating the ocular surface with artificial tear to stimulating tear secretion; anti-inflammation and immune regulation. With the increase in knowledge regarding the pathophysiology of dry eye, we propose in this review the concept of ocular surface microenvironment. Various components of the microenvironment contribute to the homeostasis of ocular surface. Compromise in one or more components can result in homeostasis disruption of ocular surface leading to dry eye disease. Complete evaluation of the microenvironment component changes in dry eye patients will not only lead to appropriate diagnosis, but also guide in timely and effective clinical management. Successful treatment of dry eye should be aimed to restore the homeostasis of the ocular surface microenvironment.

Climatic data for Williams Lake, Hubbard County, Minnesota, 1985

Science.gov (United States)

Sturrock, A.M.; Rosenberry, D.O.; Winter, T.C.

1987-01-01

Research on the hydrology of Williams Lake, north-central Minnesota includes study of evaporation. Presented here are those climatic data needed for energy-budget and mass-transfer studies, including: water-surface temperature, dry-bulb and wet-bulb air temperatures, wind speed, precipitation, and solar and atmospheric radiation. Data are collected at raft and land stations.

Climatic data for Williams Lake, Hubbard County, Minnesota, 1984

Science.gov (United States)

Sturrock, A.M.; Rosenberry, D.O.; Scarborough, J.L.; Winter, T.C.

1986-01-01

Research on the hydrology of Williams Lake, north-central Minnesota includes study of evaporation. Presented here are those climatic data needed for energy-budget and mass-transfer studies, including: water-surface temperature, dry-bulb and wet-bulb air temperatures, wind speed, precipitation, and solar and atmospheric radiation. Data are collected at raft and land stations.

The Heat Strain of Various Athletic Surfaces: A Comparison Between Observed and Modeled Wet-Bulb Globe Temperatures.

Science.gov (United States)

Pryor, J Luke; Pryor, Riana R; Grundstein, Andrew; Casa, Douglas J

2017-11-01

  The National Athletic Trainers' Association recommends using onsite wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) measurement to determine whether to modify or cancel physical activity. However, not all practitioners do so and instead they may rely on the National Weather Service (NWS) to monitor weather conditions.   To compare regional NWS WBGT estimates with local athletic-surface readings and compare WBGT measurements among various local athletic surfaces.   Observational study.   Athletic fields.   Measurements from 2 identical WBGT devices were averaged on 10 athletic surfaces within an NWS station reporting radius. Athletic surfaces consisted of red and black all-weather tracks (track), blue and black hard tennis courts (tennis), nylon-knit artificial green turf, green synthetic turfgrass, volleyball sand, softball clay, natural grass (grass), and a natural lake (water). Measurements (n = 143 data pairs) were taken over 18 days (May through September) between 1 pm and 4:30 pm in direct sunlight 1.2 m above ground. The starting location was counterbalanced across surfaces. The NWS weather data were entered into an algorithm to model NWS WBGT.   Black tennis, black track, red track, and volleyball sand WBGT recordings were greater than NWS estimates ( P ≤ .05). When all athletic-surface measurements were combined, NWS (26.85°C ± 2.93°C) underestimated athletic-surface WBGT measurements (27.52°C ± 3.13°C; P < .001). The range of difference scores (-4.42°C to 6.14°C) and the absolute mean difference (1.71°C ± 1.32°C) were large. The difference between the onsite and NWS WBGT measurements resulted in misclassification of the heat-safety activity category 45% (65/143) of the time ([Formula: see text]= 3.857, P = .05). The WBGT of water was 1.4°C to 2.7°C lower than that of all other athletic surfaces ( P = .04). We observed no other differences among athletic surfaces but noted large WBGT measurement variability among athletic playing surfaces. �

The steady performance prediction of propeller-rudder-bulb system based on potential iterative method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Y B; Su, Y M; Ju, L; Huang, S L

2012-01-01

A new numerical method was developed for predicting the steady hydrodynamic performance of propeller-rudder-bulb system. In the calculation, the rudder and bulb was taken into account as a whole, the potential based surface panel method was applied both to propeller and rudder-bulb system. The interaction between propeller and rudder-bulb was taken into account by velocity potential iteration in which the influence of propeller rotation was considered by the average influence coefficient. In the influence coefficient computation, the singular value should be found and deleted. Numerical results showed that the method presented is effective for predicting the steady hydrodynamic performance of propeller-rudder system and propeller-rudder-bulb system. Comparing with the induced velocity iterative method, the method presented can save programming and calculation time. Changing dimensions, the principal parameter—bulb size that affect energy-saving effect was studied, the results show that the bulb on rudder have a optimal size at the design advance coefficient.

Climatic data for Mirror Lake, West Thornton, New Hampshire, 1981-82

Science.gov (United States)

Sturrock, A.M.; Buso, D.C.; Bieber, G.M.; Engelbrecht, L.G.; Winter, T.C.

1984-01-01

Research on the hydrology of Mirror Lake, (north-central) New Hampshire includes study of evaporation. Presented here are those climatic data needed for energy-budget and mass-transfer studies, including: temperature of lake water surface, dry-bulb and wet-bulb air temperatures, wind speed, precipitation and solar radiation. Data are collected at raft and land stations. (USGS)

The determination of optimum condition in water hyacinth drying process by mixed adsorption drying method and modified fly ash as an adsorbent

Science.gov (United States)

Saputra, Asep Handaya; Putri, Rizky Anggreini

2017-05-01

Water hyacinth is an aquatic weed that has a very fast growth which makes it becomes a problem to the ecosystem. On the other hand, water hyacinth has a high fiber content (up to 20% by weight) which makes it potential to become raw material for composites and textile industries. As an aquatic plant, water hyacinth has a high initial moisture content that reaches more than 90%. Meanwhile the moisture content of fiber as a raw material for composite and textile industry should not be more than 10% to maintain the good quality of the products. Mixed adsorption drying method is one of the innovative method that can replace conventional drying process. Fluidization method which has been commonly used in agricultural and pharmaceutical products drying, can be enhanced by combining it with the adsorption method as performed in this study. In mixed fluidization-adsorption drying method, fly ash as adsorbent and water hyacinth fiber were put together into the fluidization column where the drying air evaporate the moisture content in water hyacinth fiber. In addition, the adsorbent adsorb the moisture content in the drying air to make the moisture content of the drying air remain low. The drying process is performed in various temperature and composition of water hyacinth and adsorbent in order to obtain the optimum drying condition. In addition, the effect of fly ash pellet and fly ash powder to the drying process was also performed. The result shows that the higher temperature and the more amount of adsorbent results in the faster drying rate. Fly ash pellet shows a better adsorption since it has a smaller pore diameter and wider surface area. The optimum temperature obtained from this study is 60°C and the optimum ratio of water hyacinth and fly ash is 50:50.

The impact of atomization on the surface composition of spray-dried milk droplets.

Science.gov (United States)

Foerster, Martin; Gengenbach, Thomas; Woo, Meng Wai; Selomulya, Cordelia

2016-04-01

The dominant presence of fat at the surface of spray-dried milk powders has been widely reported in the literature and described as resulting in unfavourable powder properties. The mechanism(s) causing this phenomenon are yet to be clearly identified. A systematic investigation of the component distribution in atomized droplets and spray-dried particles consisting of model milk systems with different fat contents demonstrated that atomization strongly influences the final surface composition. Cryogenic flash-freezing of uniform droplets from a microfluidic jet nozzle directly after atomization helped to distinguish the influence of the atomization stage from the drying stage. It was confirmed that the overrepresentation of fat on the surface is independent of the atomization technique, including a pressure-swirl single-fluid spray nozzle and a pilot-scale rotary disk spray dryer commonly used in industry. It is proposed that during the atomization stage a disintegration mechanism along the oil-water interface of the fat globules causes the surface predominance of fat. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic measurements detected the outermost fat layer and some adjacent protein present on both atomized droplets and spray-dried particles. Confocal laser scanning microscopy gave a qualitative insight into the protein and fat distribution throughout the cross-sections, and confirmed the presence of a fat film along the particle surface. The film remained on the surface in the subsequent drying stage, while protein accumulated underneath, driven by diffusion. The results demonstrated that atomization induces component segregation and fat-rich surfaces in spray-dried milk powders, and thus these cannot be prevented by adjusting the spray drying conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bacterial amplification and in-place carpet drying: implications for category 1 water intrusion restoration.

Science.gov (United States)

Holland, Jim; Banta, John; Passmore, Boni; Ayers, Mark; Abbott, Sean P; Cole, Eugene C

2012-05-01

The study described in this article investigated whether in-place carpet drying processes resulted in bacterial amplification following water intrusion from a clean water source (category 1) in a residential indoor environment. Bacterial amplification was examined after wetting a 10-year-old carpet and pad that had no history of water intrusion. Three test areas were extracted and dried using industry-recommended procedures for in-place drying and compared to a control area that was not extracted or dried. Results from carpet, pad, and subsurface dust demonstrated that bacterial amplification occurred in all test areas. CFUs of bacteria per gram of carpet surface dust and subsurface dust prior to water intrusion were lower than levels in subsurface dust after in-place drying. The authors' study contributes to information regarding the restoration of water-based carpet damage by professional water damage restoration companies, building maintenance personnel, and housekeeping managers. Results suggest that the appropriate response time for carpet pad salvage is considerably shorter than the current industry recommendation of 72 hours.

Effect of surface roughness on drying speed of drying lamellas in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Lamellas, which are defined as top layers of multilayer parquet and favourable to wood veneer can be dried in jet ventilated automatic veneer roller dryer due to short drying period. The objective of this study is to determine the effect of surface roughness on the drying speed of the veneer roller dryer. Quercus spp.

Estimating spatially distributed monthly evapotranspiration rates by linear transformations of MODIS daytime land surface temperature data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Szilagyi

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Under simplifying conditions catchment-scale vapor pressure at the drying land surface can be calculated as a function of its watershed-representative temperature (<T_s> by the wet-surface equation (WSE, similar to the wet-bulb equation in meteorology for calculating the dry-bulb thermometer vapor pressure of the Complementary Relationship of evaporation. The corresponding watershed ET rate, , is obtained from the Bowen ratio with the help of air temperature, humidity and percent possible sunshine data. The resulting (<T_s>, pair together with the wet-environment surface temperature (<T_ws> and ET rate (ET_w, obtained by the Priestley-Taylor equation, define a linear transformation on a monthly basis by which spatially distributed ET rates can be estimated as a sole function of MODIS daytime land surface temperature, T_s, values within the watershed. The linear transformation preserves the mean which is highly desirable. <T_ws>, in the lack of significant open water surfaces within the study watershed (Elkhorn, Nebraska, was obtained as the mean of the smallest MODIS T_s values each month. The resulting period-averaged (2000–2007 catchment-scale ET rate of 624 mm/yr is very close to the water-balance derived ET rate of about 617 mm/yr. The latter is a somewhat uncertain value due to the effects of (a observed groundwater depletion of about 1m over the study period caused by extensive irrigation, and; (b the uncertain rate of net regional groundwater supply toward the watershed. The spatially distributed ET rates correspond well with soil/aquifer properties and the resulting land use type (i.e. rangeland versus center-pivot irrigated crops.

The Relationship Between Microscopic Grain Surface Structure and the Dynamic Capillary-Driven Advance of Water Films over Individual Dry Natural Sand Grains

Science.gov (United States)

Kibbey, T. C. G.; Adegbule, A.; Yan, S.

2017-12-01

The movement of nonvolatile solutes in unsaturated porous media at low water contents depends on transport in surface-associated water films. The focus of the work described here was on studying solute movement in water films advancing by capillary forces over initially-dry grain surfaces, to understand how microscopic surface roughness features influence the initial velocity of water film advance. For this work, water containing a non-adsorbing conservative tracer was used to track the movement of advancing water films. A stainless steel capillary tube connected to an external reservoir a fixed distance below the grain surface was used to transmit solution to the grain surface under negative pressure (positive capillary pressure), consistent with conditions that might be expected in the unsaturated zone. The small internal diameter of the capillary prevents solution from draining out of the capillary back into the reservoir. When the capillary is contacted with a grain surface, capillary forces that result from contact between the fluid and the rough grain surface cause water films to wick across the grain surface. Multiple experiments were conducted on the same grain, rotating the grain and varying the capillary contact point around the circumference of the grain. Imaging was conducted at fixed intervals using an automated Extended Depth of Field (EDF) imaging system, and images were analyzed to determine initial velocity. Grain surfaces were then characterized through scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging, using a hybrid stereoscopic reconstruction method designed to extract maximum detail in creating elevation maps of geologic surfaces from tilted pairs of SEM images. The resulting elevation maps were used to relate surface roughness profiles around the grain with initial velocities. Results suggest that velocity varies significant with contact point around an individual grain, and correlates quantitatively with the local grain surface structure

Surface coal mine land reclamation using a dry flue gas desulfurization product: Short-term and long-term water responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Liming; Stehouwer, Richard; Tong, Xiaogang; Kost, Dave; Bigham, Jerry M; Dick, Warren A

2015-09-01

Abandoned coal-mined lands are a worldwide concern due to their potential negative environmental impacts, including erosion and development of acid mine drainage. A field study investigated the use of a dry flue gas desulfurization product for reclamation of abandoned coal mined land in USA. Treatments included flue gas desulfurization product at a rate of 280 Mg ha(-1) (FGD), FGD at the same rate plus 112 Mg ha(-1) yard waste compost (FGD/C), and conventional reclamation that included 20 cm of re-soil material plus 157 Mg ha(-1) of agricultural limestone (SOIL). A grass-legume sward was planted after treatment applications. Chemical properties of surface runoff and tile water (collected from a depth of 1.2m below the ground surface) were measured over both short-term (1-4 yr) and long-term (14-20 yr) periods following reclamation. The pH of surface runoff water was increased from approximately 3, and then sustained at 7 or higher by all treatments for up to 20 yr, and the pH of tile flow water was also increased and sustained above 5 for 20 yr. Compared with SOIL, concentrations of Ca, S and B in surface runoff and tile flow water were generally increased by the treatments with FGD product in both short- and long-term measurements and concentrations of the trace elements were generally not statistically increased in surface runoff and tile flow water over the 20-yr period. However, concentrations of As, Ba, Cr and Hg were occasionally elevated. These results suggest the use of FGD product for remediating acidic surface coal mined sites can provide effective, long-term reclamation. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-08-01

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

Molecular insight into nanoscale water films dewetting on modified silica surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jun; Li, Wen; Yan, Youguo; Wang, Yefei; Liu, Bing; Shen, Yue; Chen, Haixiang; Liu, Liang

2015-01-07

In this work, molecular dynamics simulations are adopted to investigate the microscopic dewetting mechanism of nanoscale water films on methylated silica surfaces. The simulation results show that the dewetting process is divided into two stages: the appearance of dry patches and the quick contraction of the water film. First, the appearance of dry patches is due to the fluctuation in the film thickness originating from capillary wave instability. Second, for the fast contraction of water film, the unsaturated electrostatic and hydrogen bond interactions among water molecules are the driving forces, which induce the quick contraction of the water film. Finally, the effect of film thickness on water films dewetting is studied. Research results suggest that upon increasing the water film thickness from 6 to 8 Å, the final dewetting patterns experience separate droplets and striation-shaped structures, respectively. But upon further increasing the water film thickness, the water film is stable and there are no dry patches. The microscopic dewetting behaviors of water films on methylated silica surfaces discussed here are helpful in understanding many phenomena in scientific and industrial processes better.

Modelling the Drying Characteristics and Kinetics of Hot Air-Drying of Unblanched Whole Red Pepper and Blanched Bitter Leaf Slices

OpenAIRE

Samuel Enahoro Agarry

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the drying characteristics and kinetics of red pepper and bitter leaf under the influence of different drying temperatures. The drying experiments were carried out at dry bulb temperature of 35, 45, 55 and 75oC, respectively in an oven dryer. The results showed that as drying temperature increased, drying rate also increased and the drying time decreased. It was observed that un-sliced red pepper and sliced bitter leaf would dry within 2.5-12 h a...

Effect of low doses gamma irradiation on seed, bulblets and bulbs of onion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Oudat, Mohammad

1991-10-01

Presowing seed irradiation has been reported as a useful application of radiation in agriculture to stimulate growth and increase the yield of certain crops. To the best of our knowledge the feasibility of this treatment has not yet been tested on onion in Syria. The effect of low doses gamma irradiation on onion seeds, bulblets and bulbs of two local varieties, red and white, was studied during three consecutive seasons (1986 - 1988). Air dried seeds were irradiated by gamma rays from 137 Cs source. Five, 10, 15, 20 and 30 GY, were applied at dose rate of 9.8 Gy/min. The irradiation of onion bulblets and bulbs were carried out with gamma-rays from 60 Co source at a dose rate of 0.5 Gy/min. using 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Gy. Within 7 - 10 days after irradiation, both controlled and irradiated seeds, bulblets and bulbs were sown in the field in complete randomized block design with 4 replicates. Irradiation of seeds with doses of 5, 10 and 15 Gy led to highly significant increases in bulblets yield in the three seasons. The increases ranged from 14.5 to 22.1 for red variety and from 16.2 to 22.3 for white variety. The irradiation of bulblets with 1 and 2 Gy increase significantly the yield of bulbs by 21.6 - 26.0% for red variety and 21.6 - 24.4% for white variety. A considerable increase in seed yield was obtained after irradiation of bulbs with 1 and 2 Gy doses. The average increment was about 21.0% for both varieties. Large scale application were performed in 1989 and 1990 using doses of 10 Gy for seeds and 1 Gy for bulblets and bulbs. A considerable increase in the yield was obtained. The average percentage increment was 16.9% and 23.3% for seeds, 18.6 and 20.9% for bulblets, 24.8 and 27.3% for bulbs, for red and white varieties respectively. Therefore, presowing irradiation of seeds, bulblets and bulbs of onion with low doses of gamma-rays (5 - 15 Gy for seeds and 1 - 2 Gy for bulblets and bulbs) can be of practical application resulting in improvement of yield of

A novel collagen film with micro-rough surface structure for corneal epithelial repair fabricated by freeze drying technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Yang; Ren, Li; Wang, Yingjun

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Collagen film with micro-rough surface is fabricated by freeze drying technique. • The film has suitable water uptake capability and toughness performance. • The film has good optical performance. • Human corneal epithelial cells studies confirmed the biocompatibility of the film. - Abstract: Corneal epithelial defect is a common disease and keratoplasty is a common treatment method. A collagen film with micro-rough surface was fabricated through a simple freeze drying technique in this study. Compared with the air-dried collagen film (AD-Col), this freeze-dried collagen film (FD-Col) has a more suitable water uptake capability (about 85.5%) and toughness performance. Both of the two films have good optical properties and the luminousness of them is higher than 80%. Besides, the adhesion and proliferation rate of human corneal epithelial cells on the micro-rough surface of FD-Col film is higher than that on the smooth surface of AD-Col film. The results indicate that this FD-Col film may have potential applications for corneal epithelial repair

A novel collagen film with micro-rough surface structure for corneal epithelial repair fabricated by freeze drying technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Yang [School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641 (China); National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Ren, Li, E-mail: psliren@scut.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641 (China); National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Wang, Yingjun, E-mail: imwangyj@163.com [School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641 (China); National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 (China)

2014-05-01

Highlights: • Collagen film with micro-rough surface is fabricated by freeze drying technique. • The film has suitable water uptake capability and toughness performance. • The film has good optical performance. • Human corneal epithelial cells studies confirmed the biocompatibility of the film. - Abstract: Corneal epithelial defect is a common disease and keratoplasty is a common treatment method. A collagen film with micro-rough surface was fabricated through a simple freeze drying technique in this study. Compared with the air-dried collagen film (AD-Col), this freeze-dried collagen film (FD-Col) has a more suitable water uptake capability (about 85.5%) and toughness performance. Both of the two films have good optical properties and the luminousness of them is higher than 80%. Besides, the adhesion and proliferation rate of human corneal epithelial cells on the micro-rough surface of FD-Col film is higher than that on the smooth surface of AD-Col film. The results indicate that this FD-Col film may have potential applications for corneal epithelial repair.

Dry and Semi-Dry Tropical Cyclones

Science.gov (United States)

Cronin, T.; Chavas, D. R.

2017-12-01

Our understanding of dynamics in our real moist atmosphere is strongly informed by idealized dry models. It is widely believed that tropical cyclones (TCs) are an intrinsically moist phenomenon - relying fundamentally on evaporation and latent heat release - yet recent numerical modeling work has found formation of dry axisymmetric tropical cyclones from a state of dry radiative-convective equilibrium. What can such "dry hurricanes" teach us about intensity, structure, and size of real moist tropical cyclones in nature? Are dry TCs even stable in 3D? What about surfaces that are nearly dry but have some latent heat flux - can they also support TCs? To address these questions, we use the SAM cloud-system resolving model to simulate radiative-convective equilibrium on a rapidly rotating f-plane, subject to constant tropospheric radiative cooling. We use a homogeneous surface with fixed temperature and with surface saturation vapor pressure scaled by a factor 0-1 relative to that over pure water - allowing for continuous variation between moist and dry limits. We also explore cases with surface enthalpy fluxes that are uniform in space and time, where partitioning between latent and sensible heat fluxes is specified directly. We find that a completely moist surface yields a TC-world where multiple vortices form spontaneously and persist for tens of days. A completely dry surface can also yield a parallel dry TC-world with many vortices that are even more stable and persistent. Spontaneous cyclogenesis, however, is impeded for a range of low to intermediate surface wetness values, and by the combination of large rotation rates and a dry surface. We discuss whether these constraints on spontaneous cyclogenesis might arise from: 1) rain evaporation in the subcloud layer limiting the range of viable surface wetness values, and 2) a natural convective Rossby number limiting the range of viable rotation rates. Finally, we discuss simulations with uniform surface enthalpy

Olfactory bulb as an alternative in neurotransplantation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Руслан Романович Новиков

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The article examines the ethical and legal aspects of transplantation of embryonic neural tissue, structure of the rat olfactory bulb. It is given substantiation for its use as a possible alternative version of the embryonic neural tissue at damage in the cerebral hemispheres in the experiment.Materials and methods. Detailed description of the fault model of the cerebral hemispheres of the brain of rats, olfactory bulb biopsy procedure, cultivation of olfactory bulb suspension and fetal neural tissue, comparison of the functional aspects of transplantation of the olfactory bulb and the embryonic neural tissue.Results. The obtained data are similar to structure of olfactory bulb and fetal tissues during culturing. Recovery in the motor areas varies by the time factor and less intense in the group of the olfactory bulb and the group without tissue transplantation.Conclusions. Comparative analysis of the effectiveness of transplantation of embryonic neural tissue and olfactory bulb in the injured brain allows us to speak about the positive results of these groups to the difference in the duration of the recovery process

Permanent transparent color-warming glazes for dimmable and non-dimmable LED bulbs

Science.gov (United States)

Spanard, Jan-Marie A.

2014-02-01

Illuminant metameric failure is frequently experienced when viewing material samples under LED generated light vs. traditional incandescent light. LED light temperatures can be improved with phosphor coatings, but long-wave red light is still generally absent in LED "warm-white" light, resulting in metameric failure of orange-to-red objects. Drawing on techniques developed for the architectural restoration of stained glass, we find that transparent, heat-resistant, permanent, pigmented coatings can be applied to any glass, aluminum or plastic surface of an LED bulb, including the phosphor plate, dome or envelope, to produce warmer visible light than in current warm-light LED bulbs. These glazes can be applied in combination with existing technologies to better tune the LED emitted light or they may be used alone. These pigmented coatings include, but are not limited to, those made by suspending inorganic materials in potassium silicates or durable transparent pigmented resins. The pigmented resin glazes may be produced in either a clear gloss vehicle or an iridescent, light diffusing transparent base. Further, a graduated density of the tinted glazes on dimmable bulbs allow the light to change color as wattage is diminished. The glazes may be applied in the manufacturing of the bulb or marketed to current bulb owners as an after-market product to better tune the thousands of LED light bulbs currently in use.

Soil water storage, rainfall and runoff relationships in a tropical dry forest catchment

Science.gov (United States)

Farrick, Kegan K.; Branfireun, Brian A.

2014-12-01

In forested catchments, the exceedance of rainfall and antecedent water storage thresholds is often required for runoff generation, yet to our knowledge these threshold relationships remain undescribed in tropical dry forest catchments. We, therefore, identified the controls of streamflow activation and the timing and magnitude of runoff in a tropical dry forest catchment near the Pacific coast of central Mexico. During a 52 day transition phase from the dry to wet season, soil water movement was dominated by vertical flow which continued until a threshold soil moisture content of 26% was reached at 100 cm below the surface. This satisfied a 162 mm storage deficit and activated streamflow, likely through lateral subsurface flow pathways. High antecedent soil water conditions were maintained during the wet phase but had a weak influence on stormflow. We identified a threshold value of 289 mm of summed rainfall and antecedent soil water needed to generate >4 mm of stormflow per event. Above this threshold, stormflow response and magnitude was almost entirely governed by rainfall event characteristics and not antecedent soil moisture conditions. Our results show that over the course of the wet season in tropical dry forests the dominant controls on runoff generation changed from antecedent soil water and storage to the depth of rainfall.

Jugular bulb diverticulum combined with high jugular bulb: a case report with CT and MRA findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ko, Seog Wan

2004-01-01

Jugular bulb diverticulum is a rare condition that is characterized by the outpouching of the jugular bulb, and this can lead to hearing loss, tinnitus and vertigo. A few reports have revealed the radiologic findings about jugular bulb diverticulum, but none of them have described the MRA findings concerning this lesion. We present here the CT and MR venography findings in regards to a large high jugular blub and diverticulum we observed in a 47-year-old woman

Jugular bulb diverticulum combined with high jugular bulb: a case report with CT and MRA findings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ko, Seog Wan [College of Medicine, Chonbuk National Univ., Jeonju (Korea, Republic of)

2004-12-01

Jugular bulb diverticulum is a rare condition that is characterized by the outpouching of the jugular bulb, and this can lead to hearing loss, tinnitus and vertigo. A few reports have revealed the radiologic findings about jugular bulb diverticulum, but none of them have described the MRA findings concerning this lesion. We present here the CT and MR venography findings in regards to a large high jugular blub and diverticulum we observed in a 47-year-old woman.

[Effect of antecedent dry period on water quality of urban storm runoff pollution].

Science.gov (United States)

Bian, Bo

2009-12-01

Identified the main factor influencing urban rainfall-runoff pollution provides a scientific basis for urban rainfall-runoff pollution control and management. Therefore, starting in May 2006, a study was conducted to characterize water quality from representative land uses types in Zhenjiang to analyse the effect of antecedent dry period on stormwater runoff quality. The results show that the beginning of rainfall, with the increase of antecedent dry periods, the percentages of less than 40 microm is increased, the correlation of the water quality parameters (TN, TP, Zn, Pb, Cu, TSS and COD) and antecedent dry period shows a significant positive correlation, dissolved pollutants in the initial period surface runoff is increased. These findings show that facilitating the recognition of antecedent dry periods is the main factor influencing the change in concentration and partitioning of pollutants to provide the scientific basis for non-point source pollution control and management.

Dry cooling systems with plastic surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roma, Carlo; Leonelli, Vincenzo

1975-01-01

Research and experiments made on dry cooling systems with plastic surfaces are described. The demonstration program planned in Italy for a 100Gcal/h dry cooling system is exposed, and an installation intended for a large 1300Mwe nuclear power station is described with reference to the assembly (exploitation and maintenance included). The performance and economic data relating to this installation are also exposed [fr

The European Commission's light bulb decree: Another costly regulation?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frondel, Manuel; Lohmann, Steffen

2011-01-01

Since September 2009, Regulation 244/2009 of the European Commission enforces the gradual phase-out of incandescent light bulbs. As of September 2012, only energy-efficient lighting sources will be allowed for sale. Among these are halogen light bulbs, light-emitting diodes (LED), or compact fluorescent light bulbs-often referred to as energy-saving light bulbs. The Commission's justification for the phase-out of conventional light bulbs maintains that a reduction in the electricity consumed will not only lead to lower energy cost for private households and industrial consumers, but at the same time lead to a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions. This article discusses possible reasons for the slow market diffusion of energy-saving light bulbs and shows that the investment in energy-efficient light bulbs does not necessarily lead to significant cost reductions. Drawing on some illustrative examples, we demonstrate that the use of cheaper incandescent bulbs instead of energy-saving light bulbs can be economically rational in cases of rather low usage times, in which the higher initial purchasing price might only pay off after very long time spans. Furthermore, due to the coexistence with the European Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), this regulation attains no additional emission reductions beyond those achieved by the ETS alone. We thus conclude that the general ban of incandescent light bulbs is inappropriate and should be abolished by the Commission. - Research highlights: → This article discusses reasons for the slow market diffusion of energy-saving light bulbs. → We show that using incandescent bulbs can be rational in cases of rather low usage times. → We conclude that the general ban of incandescent light bulbs should be abolished by the Commission.

Free sugar contents in onion bulbs on different cultivars and different production areas, and their changes by storage and gamma-irradiation. Free sugars in onion bulbs, 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nishibori, Sukie [Tokaigakuen Women' s Coll., Nagoya (Japan); Namiki, Kazuko

1982-05-01

Changes in the contents of free sugar in onion bulbs of different cultivars and different production areas were investigated during storage and processing by using gas-chromatography. No significant difference was observed in the total free sugar contents among the onions of different cultivars and different production areas except early season's cultivars which showed a slightly lower content of sugar. The free sugar was mainly composed with glucose (1.7 - 3.2%), fructose (1.1 - 2.5%) and sucrose (0.7 - 2.6%), and the composition was somewhat different among the onions of different cultivars and different production areas. During the storage at 4 - 5/sup 0/C, the total free suger contents gradually decreased during the first few months but more markedly to about 30% after sprouting. The middle part of onion bulbs contained more total free sugar than the other parts (middle part, 5.6 ..-->.. 3.5%, inner part, 5.2 ..-->.. 3.2%, outer part, 4.8 ..-->.. 1.5%), and the total free sugar contents in the outer part decreased markedly during the storage. The changes of the sugar contents after the freeze-drying were almost negligible, but showed significant decrease after the hot-air drying, especially for sucrose. The gamma irradiation with 5 - 50 krad gave no appreciable effects on the total free sugar contents though it seemed to make a slight increase in the sucrose content.

Climatic data for Williams Lake, Hubbard County, Minnesota, 1982

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenberry, D.O.; Sturrock, A.M.; Scarborough, J.L.; Winter, T.C.

1988-01-01

Research on the hydrology of Williams Lake, north-central Minnesota includes study of evaporation. Those climatic data needed for energy budget and mass transfer studies are presented , including: water surface temperature, dry-bulb and wet-bulb air temperatures, wind speed, precipitation, and solar and atmospheric radiation. Some calculated values necessary for these studies are also presented, such as vapor pressure and Bowen-ratio values. Data are collected at raft and land stations.

Climatic data for Williams Lake, Hubbard County, Minnesota, 1986

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenberry, D.O.; Sturrock, A.M.; Winter, T.C.

1988-01-01

Research on the hydrology of Williams Lake, north-central Minnesota includes study of evaporation. Presented here are those climatic data needed for energy-budget and mass-transfer studies, including: water-surface temperature, dry-bulb and wet-bulb air temperatures, wind speed, precipitation, and solar and atmospheric radiation. Some calculated values necessary for these studies, such as vapor pressure and Bowen ratio numbers, also are presented. Data are collected at raft and land stations.

Exogenous ethylene inhibits sprout growth in onion bulbs.

Science.gov (United States)

Bufler, Gebhard

2009-01-01

Exogenous ethylene has recently gained commercial interest as a sprouting inhibitor of onion bulbs. The role of ethylene in dormancy and sprouting of onions, however, is not known. A cultivar (Allium cepa 'Copra') with a true period of dormancy was used. Dormant and sprouting states of onion bulbs were treated with supposedly saturating doses of ethylene or with the ethylene-action inhibitor 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP). Initial sprouting was determined during storage at 18 degrees C by monitoring leaf blade elongation in a specific size class of leaf sheaths. Changes in ATP content and sucrose synthase activity in the sprout leaves, indicators of the sprouting state, were determined. CO(2) and ethylene production of onion bulbs during storage were recorded. Exogenous ethylene suppressed sprout growth of both dormant and already sprouting onion bulbs by inhibiting leaf blade elongation. In contrast to this growth-inhibiting effect, ethylene stimulated CO(2) production by the bulbs about 2-fold. The duration of dormancy was not significantly affected by exogenous ethylene. However, treatment of dormant bulbs with 1-MCP caused premature sprouting. Exogenous ethylene proved to be a powerful inhibitor of sprout growth in onion bulbs. The dormancy breaking effect of 1-MCP indicates a regulatory role of endogenous ethylene in onion bulb dormancy.

Self-drying: a gecko's innate ability to remove water from wet toe pads.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alyssa Y Stark

Full Text Available When the adhesive toe pads of geckos become wet, they become ineffective in enabling geckos to stick to substrates. This result is puzzling given that many species of gecko are endemic to tropical environments where water covered surfaces are ubiquitous. We hypothesized that geckos can recover adhesive capabilities following exposure of their toe pads to water by walking on a dry surface, similar to the active self-cleaning of dirt particles. We measured the time it took to recover maximum shear adhesion after toe pads had become wet in two groups, those that were allowed to actively walk and those that were not. Keeping in mind the importance of substrate wettability to adhesion on wet surfaces, we also tested geckos on hydrophilic glass and an intermediately wetting substrate (polymethylmethacrylate; PMMA. We found that time to maximum shear adhesion recovery did not differ in the walking groups based on substrate wettability (22.7±5.1 min on glass and 15.4±0.3 min on PMMA but did have a significant effect in the non-walking groups (54.3±3.9 min on glass and 27.8±2.5 min on PMMA. Overall, we found that by actively walking, geckos were able to self-dry their wet toe pads and regain maximum shear adhesion significantly faster than those that did not walk. Our results highlight a unexpected property of the gecko adhesive system, the ability to actively self-dry and recover adhesive performance after being rendered dysfunctional by water.

Optimization of the Runner for Extremely Low Head Bidirectional Tidal Bulb Turbine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yongyao Luo

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a multi-objective optimization procedure for bidirectional bulb turbine runners which is completed using ANSYS Workbench. The optimization procedure is able to check many more geometries with less manual work. In the procedure, the initial blade shape is parameterized, the inlet and outlet angles (β1, β2, as well as the starting and ending wrap angles (θ1, θ2 for the five sections of the blade profile, are selected as design variables, and the optimization target is set to obtain the maximum of the overall efficiency for the ebb and flood turbine modes. For the flow analysis, the ANSYS CFX code, with a SST (Shear Stress Transport k-ω turbulence model, has been used to evaluate the efficiency of the turbine. An efficient response surface model relating the design parameters and the objective functions is obtained. The optimization strategy was used to optimize a model bulb turbine runner. Model tests were carried out to validate the final designs and the design procedure. For the four-bladed turbine, the efficiency improvement is 5.5% in the ebb operation direction, and 2.9% in the flood operation direction, as well as 4.3% and 4.5% for the three-bladed turbine. Numerical simulations were then performed to analyze the pressure pulsation in the pressure and suction sides of the blade for the prototype turbine with optimal four-bladed and three-bladed runners. The results show that the runner rotational frequency (fn is the dominant frequency of the pressure pulsations in the blades for ebb and flood turbine modes, and the gravitational effect, rather than rotor-stator interaction (RSI, plays an important role in a low head horizontal axial turbine. The amplitudes of the pressure pulsations on the blade side facing the guide vanes varies little with the water head. However, the amplitudes of the pressure pulsations on the blade side facing the diffusion tube linearly increase with the water head. These results could provide

Resistance of surface-dried virus to common disinfection procedures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Terpstra, F. G.; van den Blink, A. E.; Bos, L. M.; Boots, A. G. C.; Brinkhuis, F. H. M.; Gijsen, E.; van Remmerden, Y.; Schuitemaker, H.; van 't Wout, A. B.

2007-01-01

It is believed that surface-dried viruses can remain infectious and may therefore pose a threat to public health. To help address this issue, we studied 0.1 N NaOH and 0.1% hypochlorite for their capacity to inactivate surface-dried lipid-enveloped (LE) [human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), bovine

How to handle and care for bulbs in ophthalmic equipment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ismael Cordero

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Many devices used in eye care rely on light bulbs or lamps for their operation. All light bulbs have a limited lifespan and when the bulb fails the device becomes unusable. Therefore, knowing how to handle, how to inspect and how to replace bulbs is important. Just as important is keeping spare bulbs to hand!

Enhancement of convective drying by application of airborne ultrasound - a response surface approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Beck, Svenja M; Sabarez, Henry; Gaukel, Volker; Knoerzer, Kai

2014-11-01

Drying is one of the oldest and most commonly used processes in the food manufacturing industry. The conventional way of drying is by forced convection at elevated temperatures. However, this process step often requires a very long treatment time, is highly energy consuming and detrimental to the product quality. Therefore, an investigation of whether the drying time and temperature can be reduced with the assistance of an airborne ultrasound intervention is of interest. Previous studies have shown that contact ultrasound can accelerate the drying process. It is assumed that mechanical vibrations, creating micro channels in the food matrix or keeping these channels from collapsing upon drying, are responsible for the faster water removal. In food samples, due to their natural origin, drying is also influenced by fluctuations in tissue structure, varying between different trials. For this reason, a model food system with thermo-physical properties and composition (water, cellulose, starch, fructose) similar to those of plant-based foods has been used in this study. The main objective was, therefore, to investigate the influence of airborne ultrasound conditions on the drying behaviour of the model food. The impact of airborne ultrasound at various power levels, drying temperature, relative humidity of the drying air, and the air speed was analysed. To examine possible interactions between these parameters, the experiments were designed with a Response Surface Method using Minitab 16 Statistical Software (Minitab Inc., State College, PA, USA). In addition, a first attempt at improving the process conditions and performance for better suitability and applicability in industrial scale processing was undertaken by non-continuous/intermittent sonication. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Water-Hydrogel Binding Affinity Modulates Freeze-Drying-Induced Micropore Architecture and Skeletal Myotube Formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Rich, Max H; Lee, Min Kyung; Marshall, Nicholas; Clay, Nicholas; Chen, Jinrong; Mahmassani, Ziad; Boppart, Marni; Kong, Hyunjoon

2015-08-10

Freeze-dried hydrogels are increasingly used to create 3D interconnected micropores that facilitate biomolecular and cellular transports. However, freeze-drying is often plagued by variance in micropore architecture based on polymer choice. We hypothesized that water-polymer binding affinity plays a significant role in sizes and numbers of micropores formed through freeze-drying, influencing cell-derived tissue quality. Poly(ethylene glycol)diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogels with alginate methacrylate (AM) were used due to AM's higher binding affinity for water than PEGDA. PEGDA-AM hydrogels with larger AM concentrations resulted in larger sizes and numbers of micropores than pure PEGDA hydrogels, attributed to the increased mass of water binding to the PEGDA-AM gel. Skeletal myoblasts loaded in microporous PEGDA-AM hydrogels were active to produce 3D muscle-like tissue, while those loaded in pure PEGDA gels were localized on the gel surface. We propose that this study will be broadly useful in designing and improving the performance of various microporous gels.

Enhanced sorption of mercury from compact fluorescent bulbs and contaminated water streams using functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, Avinash; Vidyarthi, S.R.; Sankararamakrishnan, Nalini

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Oxidized (CNT-OX), CNT-I, CNT-S were prepared. • Capacity of CNT-S (151.5 mg/g) was higher than other CNTs. • Applied to the removal of Hg(II) from spiked and natural coal wash waters. • Applied to the removal of Hg(0) from compact fluorescent lamps. - Abstract: Three different functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes were prepared, namely, oxidized CNTs (CNT-OX), iodide incorporated MWCNT (CNT-I) and sulfur incorporated MWCNT (CNT-S). The as prepared adsorbents were structurally characterized by various spectral techniques like scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDAX), Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) surface area analyzer, Fourier transform infra red (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy. Loading of iodide and sulfur was evident from the EDAX graphs. The adsorption properties of Hg 2+ as a function of pH, contact time and initial metal concentration were characterized by Cold vapor AAS. The adsorption kinetics fitted the Pseudo second order kinetics and equilibrium was reached within 90 min. The experimental data were modeled with Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin-Redushkevich and Temkin isotherms and various isotherm parameters were evaluated. It was found that the mercury adsorption capacity for the prepared adsorbents were in the order of CNT-S > CNT-I > CNT-OX > CNT. Studies have been conducted to demonstrate the applicability of the sorbent toward the removal of Hg(0) from broken compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs and Hg(II) from contaminated water streams

Wax solidification of drying agents containing tritiated water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mishikawa, M.; Kido, H.

1984-01-01

It is necessary to immobilize the tritium not to give any impact on the environmental biosphere because tritium may give profound effects in the metabolic pathway. One of the most probable methods of immobilizing tritium would be incorporation of tritiated water in solid forms. Any drying or dehydration technique would be effective in a tritium cleanup system for off-gas streams containing tritium or tritiated water. Commonly used drying agents such as activated alumina, silica gel, molecular sieves and calcium sulfate are of value for removal of water vapour from air or other gases. For long term tritium storage, however, these adsorptive materials should be enveloped to prevent contact with water or water vapour because the rate of leaching, evaporation or diffusion of tritium from these porous materials is so large. The beeswax solidification method of the packed bed of drying agents adsorbing tritiated water is developed in this study, where the wax solidification procedure is performed by pouring the melt of wax into the void space of the packed bed of the drying agents and successive gradual cooling. The observed values of diffusivity or permeability of tritium in the wax solidified materials are about one-thousandth of those obtained for the cement block. Effect of coating on the rate of leaching is also discussed

Desert Beetle-Inspired Superwettable Patterned Surfaces for Water Harvesting.

Science.gov (United States)

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

2017-09-01

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

Temporal aspects of surface water quality variation using robust statistical tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Mustapha, Adamu; Aris, Ahmad Zaharin; Ramli, Mohammad Firuz; Juahir, Hafizan

2012-01-01

Robust statistical tools were applied on the water quality datasets with the aim of determining the most significance parameters and their contribution towards temporal water quality variation. Surface water samples were collected from four different sampling points during dry and wet seasons and analyzed for their physicochemical constituents. Discriminant analysis (DA) provided better results with great discriminatory ability by using five parameters with (P < 0.05) for dry season affording more than 96% correct assignation and used five and six parameters for forward and backward stepwise in wet season data with P-value (P < 0.05) affording 68.20% and 82%, respectively. Partial correlation results revealed that there are strong (r(p) = 0.829) and moderate (r(p) = 0.614) relationships between five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD(5)) and chemical oxygen demand (COD), total solids (TS) and dissolved solids (DS) controlling for the linear effect of nitrogen in the form of ammonia (NH(3)) and conductivity for dry and wet seasons, respectively. Multiple linear regression identified the contribution of each variable with significant values r = 0.988, R(2) = 0.976 and r = 0.970, R(2) = 0.942 (P < 0.05) for dry and wet seasons, respectively. Repeated measure t-test confirmed that the surface water quality varies significantly between the seasons with significant value P < 0.05.

Insecticidal, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of bulb extracts of Allium sativum.

Science.gov (United States)

Meriga, Balaji; Mopuri, Ramgopal; MuraliKrishna, T

2012-05-01

To evaluate the insecticidal, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of bulb extracts of Allium sativum (A. sativum). Dried bulbs of A. sativum were extracted with different solvents and evaluated for insecticidal, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Aqueous and methanol extracts showed highest insecticidal activity (mortality rate of 81% and 64% respectively) against the larvae of Spodoptera litura (S. litura) at a concentration of 1 000 ppm. With regard to antimicrobial activity, aqueous extract exhibited antibacterial activity against gram positive (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureu,) and gram negative (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia) strains and antifungal activity against Candida albicans. While methanol extract showed antimicrobial activity against all the tested micro organisms except two (Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans), the extracts of hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate did not show any anti microbial activity. Minimum inhibitory concentration of aqueous and methanol extracts against tested bacterial and fungal strains was 100-150 μg/mL. Antioxidant activity of the bulb extracts was evaluated in terms of inhibition of free radicals by 2, 2'-diphenly-1-picrylhydrazyl. Aqueous and methanol extracts exhibited strong antioxidant activity (80%-90% of the standard). Antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of A. sativum against the tested organisms therefore, provides scientific basis for its utilization in traditional and folk medicine. Also, our results demonstrated the insecticidal efficacy of A. sativum against S. litura, a polyphagous insect. Copyright © 2012 Hainan Medical College. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of residual water content on the physico-chemical properties of sucralfate dried gel obtained by microwave drying.

Science.gov (United States)

Gainotti, Alessandro; Losi, Elena; Bettini, Ruggero; Colombo, Paolo; Sonvico, Fabio; Baroni, Daniela; Santi, Patrizia; Colombo, Gaia

2005-08-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the physico-chemical characteristics of sucralfate humid gel dried by microwaves, in relation to the residual water content. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) allowed for the determination of the water state in sucralfate samples. Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was used to monitor the changes in sucralfate gel structure induced by the microwave drying. A boundary value of total water content for sucralfate gel samples was found at 42% (w/w). Below this value only bound water was present, whereas above this value, the increase in total water was due to free water. In the physical form of gel, the strength of the coordination between sulfate anions and the positively charged aluminum hydroxide was dependent on the residual water content. The study of the sedimentation behavior of water suspensions prepared with dried sucralfate allowed for the evaluation of the retention of gel properties. We found that the microwave drying process affected the sedimentation of sucralfate dried gel suspensions independent of the residual water content: when suspensions were prepared from sucralfate dried gel powders containing more than 42% (w/w) of residual water, the sedimentation ratio was higher than 0.9. The non-gel powder suspension showed a sedimentation ratio of 0.68 +/- 0.02, whereas the sucralfate humid gel suspension did not sediment.

Groeimetingen bij de tulpebol = Growth measurements on the tulip bulb

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kraaijenga, D.A.

1960-01-01

Tulips did not require a specific soil, if pH was not below 6.5 and water supply was sufficient. Influence of weather conditions was studied by comparing bulb production in different years and areas. Low temperatures after planting and during winter, a gradual increase in spring, sunshine in April

Specific olfactory receptor populations projecting to identified glomeruli in the rat olfactory bulb.

Science.gov (United States)

Jastreboff, P J; Pedersen, P E; Greer, C A; Stewart, W B; Kauer, J S; Benson, T E; Shepherd, G M

1984-08-01

A critical gap exists in our knowledge of the topographical relationship between the olfactory epithelium and olfactory bulb. The present report describes the application to this problem of a method involving horseradish peroxidase conjugated to wheat germ agglutinin. This material was iontophoretically delivered to circumscribed glomeruli in the olfactory bulb and the characteristics and distribution of retrogradely labeled receptor cells were assessed. After discrete injections into small glomerular groups in the caudomedial bulb, topographically defined populations of receptor cells were labeled. Labeled receptor cell somata appeared at several levels within the epithelium. The receptor cell apical dendrites followed a tight helical course towards the surface of the epithelium. The data thus far demonstrate that functional units within the olfactory system may include not only glomeruli as previously suggested but, in addition, a corresponding matrix of receptor cells possessing functional and topographical specificity.

Cortical feedback control of olfactory bulb circuits.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyd, Alison M; Sturgill, James F; Poo, Cindy; Isaacson, Jeffry S

2012-12-20

Olfactory cortex pyramidal cells integrate sensory input from olfactory bulb mitral and tufted (M/T) cells and project axons back to the bulb. However, the impact of cortical feedback projections on olfactory bulb circuits is unclear. Here, we selectively express channelrhodopsin-2 in olfactory cortex pyramidal cells and show that cortical feedback projections excite diverse populations of bulb interneurons. Activation of cortical fibers directly excites GABAergic granule cells, which in turn inhibit M/T cells. However, we show that cortical inputs preferentially target short axon cells that drive feedforward inhibition of granule cells. In vivo, activation of olfactory cortex that only weakly affects spontaneous M/T cell firing strongly gates odor-evoked M/T cell responses: cortical activity suppresses odor-evoked excitation and enhances odor-evoked inhibition. Together, these results indicate that although cortical projections have diverse actions on olfactory bulb microcircuits, the net effect of cortical feedback on M/T cells is an amplification of odor-evoked inhibition. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Increases in soil water content after the mortality of non-native trees in oceanic island forest ecosystems are due to reduced water loss during dry periods.

Science.gov (United States)

Hata, Kenji; Kawakami, Kazuto; Kachi, Naoki

2016-03-01

The control of dominant, non-native trees can alter the water balance of soils in forest ecosystems via hydrological processes, which results in changes in soil water environments. To test this idea, we evaluated the effects of the mortality of an invasive tree, Casuarina equisetifolia Forst., on the water content of surface soils on the Ogasawara Islands, subtropical islands in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, using a manipulative herbicide experiment. Temporal changes in volumetric water content of surface soils at 6 cm depth at sites where all trees of C. equisetifolia were killed by herbicide were compared with those of adjacent control sites before and after their mortality with consideration of the amount of precipitation. In addition, the rate of decrease in the soil water content during dry periods and the rate of increase in the soil water content during rainfall periods were compared between herbicide and control sites. Soil water content at sites treated with herbicide was significantly higher after treatment than soil water content at control sites during the same period. Differences between initial and minimum values of soil water content at the herbicide sites during the drying events were significantly lower than the corresponding differences in the control quadrats. During rainfall periods, both initial and maximum values of soil water contents in the herbicided quadrats were higher, and differences between the maximum and initial values did not differ between the herbicided and control quadrats. Our results indicated that the mortality of non-native trees from forest ecosystems increased water content of surface soils, due primarily to a slower rate of decrease in soil water content during dry periods. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radiosensitivity of garlic air bulbs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhila, Eh.D.

1975-01-01

The paper presents data on the radiosensitivity of various sorts of garlic. It is shown that the frequency of chromosomal aberrations in the irradiated aerial bulbs of stemmed varieties of garlic is directly dependent upon the gmma-ray dose. With increasing dose the germination capacity and the viability of the plants diminishes. A dose of 750 r was found to be critical for the bulbs of the garlic varieties studied

The Ready System of Clean Water for Population in Musuk District to Respon Dry Season

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuli Priyana

2017-07-01

Full Text Available This research about ready system of clean water in District of Musuk, Sub-Province of Boyolali. This research aim to study how ready system of clean water, research area especially of dry season. That wish to know how much amount of resident drinking water consumption at area District of Musuk. The method of research in this research is survey method. The data which collected in this research consist of primary data result of interview by 150 responded (head of house hold and perception in field. Secondary data an obtain from governmental institution, books, other resource person and reference related to this topic of research. Intake of sample done with area of random sampling, to know the target of research to description analyses and tabulation. The result of research indicate that ready system of clean water at dry season most relying on rainwater with accommodating the rainwater at pools, besides to overcome water of water supply of rain of society buy water of springs pass tank truck, small to partly use surface water and also of PDAM. Water consumption at mean dry season 48.47 liter/day/capita. But at high area (volcanic slope its slimmer consumption in comparing plain area of Fluvial foot/feet of Volcano.

New treatment of vertigo caused by jugular bulb abnormalities.

Science.gov (United States)

Hitier, Martin; Barbier, Charlotte; Marie-Aude, Thenint; Moreau, Sylvain; Courtheoux, Patrick; Patron, Vincent

2014-08-01

Jugular bulb abnormalities can induce tinnitus, hearing loss, or vertigo. Vertigo can be very disabling and may need surgical treatments with risk of hearing loss, major bleeding or facial palsy. Hence, we have developed a new treatment for vertigo caused by jugular bulb anomalies, using an endovascular technique. Three patients presented with severe vertigos mostly induced by high venous pressure. One patient showed downbeat vertical nystagmus during the Valsalva maneuver. The temporal-bone computed tomography scan showed a high rising jugular bulb or a jugular bulb diverticulum with dehiscence and compression of the vestibular aqueduct in all cases. We plugged the upper part of the bulb with coils, and we used a stent to maintain the coils and preserving the venous permeability. After 12- to 24-month follow-up, those patients experienced no more vertigo, allowing return to work. The 3-month arteriographs showed good permeability of the sigmoid sinus and jugular bulb through the stent, with complete obstruction of the upper part of the bulb in all cases. Disabling vertigo induced by jugular bulb abnormalities can be effectively treated by an endovascular technique. This technique is minimally invasive with a probable greater benefit/risk ratio compare with surgery. © The Author(s) 2013.

An ontology design pattern for surface water features

Science.gov (United States)

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

2014-01-01

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

Mercury fluxes from air/surface interfaces in paddy field and dry land

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu Jinshan [Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, No. 216, Tiansheng Street, Beibei, Chongqing 400715 (China); Wang Dingyong, E-mail: dywang@swu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, No. 216, Tiansheng Street, Beibei, Chongqing 400715 (China)] [Chongqing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Chongqing 400716 (China); Liu Xiao; Zhang Yutong [Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, No. 216, Tiansheng Street, Beibei, Chongqing 400715 (China)

2011-02-15

Research highlights: {yields} It was found that agricultural fields are important local atmospheric Hg sources in the region. {yields} The Hg emissions from dry cornfield were higher than those from the flooded rice paddy, higher mercury emissions in the warm season than the cold season, and during daytime than at night. {yields} Mercury evasion is strongly related to solar radiation which is important in the emission of Hg at both sites. - Abstract: In order to provide insight into the characteristics of Hg exchange in soil/water-air surface from cropland (including paddy field and dry land), Hg fluxes were measured in Chengjiang. Mercury fluxes were measured using the dynamic flux chamber method, coupled with a Lumex (registered) multifunctional Hg analyzer RA-915{sup +} (Lumex Ltd., Russia). The Hg fluxes from paddy field and dry land were alternatively measured every 30 min. Data were collected for 24-48 h once per month for 5 months. Mercury fluxes in both fields were synchronously measured under the same conditions to compare Hg emissions between paddy field and dry land over diurnal and seasonal periods and find out what factors affect Hg emission on each surface. These results indicated that air Hg concentrations at the monitoring site was double the value observed at the global background sites in Europe and North America. The Hg release fluxes were 46.5 {+-} 22.8 ng m{sup -2} h{sup -1} in the warm season, 15.5 {+-} 18.8 ng m{sup -2} h{sup -1} in the cold season for dry land, and 23.8 {+-} 15.6 ng m{sup -2} h{sup -1} in the warm season, 6.3 {+-} 11.9 ng m{sup -2} h{sup -1} in the cold season for paddy field. Solar radiation is important in the emission of Hg over both sites. Hg exchange at the soil/air and water/air interfaces showed temporal variations. The amount of Hg emission from dry land was higher than that from the paddy field, and the emission in daytime was higher than that at night. Moreover, Hg emissions from land covered by crops, was lower

Sensitivity and tolerance of Riparian arthropod communities to altered water resources along a drying river.

Science.gov (United States)

McCluney, Kevin E; Sabo, John L

2014-01-01

Rivers around the world are drying with increasing frequency, but little is known about effects on terrestrial animal communities. Previous research along the San Pedro River in southeastern AZ, USA, suggests that changes in the availability of water resources associated with river drying lead to changes in predator abundance, community composition, diversity, and abundance of particular taxa of arthropods, but these observations have not yet been tested manipulatively. In this study, we constructed artificial pools in the stream bed adjacent to a drying section of the San Pedro River and maintained them as the river dried. We compared pitfall trapped arthropods near artificial pools to adjacent control sites where surface waters temporarily dried. Assemblage composition changed differentially at multiple taxonomic levels, resulting in different assemblages at pools than at control sites, with multiple taxa and richness of carabid beetle genera increasing at pools but not at controls that dried. On the other hand, predator biomass, particularly wolf spiders, and diversity of orders and families were consistently higher at control sites that dried. These results suggest an important role for colonization dynamics of pools, as well as the ability of certain taxa, particularly burrowing wolf spiders, to withstand periods of temporary drying. Overall, we found some agreement between this manipulative study of water resources and a previous analysis of river drying that showed shifts in composition, changes in diversity, and declines in abundance of certain taxa (e.g. carabid beetles). However, colonization dynamics of pools, as well as compensatory strategies of predatory wolf spiders seem to have led to patterns that do not match previous research, with control sites maintaining high diversity, despite drying. Tolerance of river drying by some species may allow persistence of substantial diversity in the face of short-term drying. The long-term effects of drying

Sensitivity and tolerance of Riparian arthropod communities to altered water resources along a drying river.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kevin E McCluney

Full Text Available Rivers around the world are drying with increasing frequency, but little is known about effects on terrestrial animal communities. Previous research along the San Pedro River in southeastern AZ, USA, suggests that changes in the availability of water resources associated with river drying lead to changes in predator abundance, community composition, diversity, and abundance of particular taxa of arthropods, but these observations have not yet been tested manipulatively.In this study, we constructed artificial pools in the stream bed adjacent to a drying section of the San Pedro River and maintained them as the river dried. We compared pitfall trapped arthropods near artificial pools to adjacent control sites where surface waters temporarily dried. Assemblage composition changed differentially at multiple taxonomic levels, resulting in different assemblages at pools than at control sites, with multiple taxa and richness of carabid beetle genera increasing at pools but not at controls that dried. On the other hand, predator biomass, particularly wolf spiders, and diversity of orders and families were consistently higher at control sites that dried. These results suggest an important role for colonization dynamics of pools, as well as the ability of certain taxa, particularly burrowing wolf spiders, to withstand periods of temporary drying.Overall, we found some agreement between this manipulative study of water resources and a previous analysis of river drying that showed shifts in composition, changes in diversity, and declines in abundance of certain taxa (e.g. carabid beetles. However, colonization dynamics of pools, as well as compensatory strategies of predatory wolf spiders seem to have led to patterns that do not match previous research, with control sites maintaining high diversity, despite drying. Tolerance of river drying by some species may allow persistence of substantial diversity in the face of short-term drying. The long

Clusterin Seals the Ocular Surface Barrier in Mouse Dry Eye.

Science.gov (United States)

Bauskar, Aditi; Mack, Wendy J; Mauris, Jerome; Argüeso, Pablo; Heur, Martin; Nagel, Barbara A; Kolar, Grant R; Gleave, Martin E; Nakamura, Takahiro; Kinoshita, Shigeru; Moradian-Oldak, Janet; Panjwani, Noorjahan; Pflugfelder, Stephen C; Wilson, Mark R; Fini, M Elizabeth; Jeong, Shinwu

2015-01-01

Dry eye is a common disorder caused by inadequate hydration of the ocular surface that results in disruption of barrier function. The homeostatic protein clusterin (CLU) is prominent at fluid-tissue interfaces throughout the body. CLU levels are reduced at the ocular surface in human inflammatory disorders that manifest as severe dry eye, as well as in a preclinical mouse model for desiccating stress that mimics dry eye. Using this mouse model, we show here that CLU prevents and ameliorates ocular surface barrier disruption by a remarkable sealing mechanism dependent on attainment of a critical all-or-none concentration. When the CLU level drops below the critical all-or-none threshold, the barrier becomes vulnerable to desiccating stress. CLU binds selectively to the ocular surface subjected to desiccating stress in vivo, and in vitro to the galectin LGALS3, a key barrier component. Positioned in this way, CLU not only physically seals the ocular surface barrier, but it also protects the barrier cells and prevents further damage to barrier structure. These findings define a fundamentally new mechanism for ocular surface protection and suggest CLU as a biotherapeutic for dry eye.

Clusterin Seals the Ocular Surface Barrier in Mouse Dry Eye.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aditi Bauskar

Full Text Available Dry eye is a common disorder caused by inadequate hydration of the ocular surface that results in disruption of barrier function. The homeostatic protein clusterin (CLU is prominent at fluid-tissue interfaces throughout the body. CLU levels are reduced at the ocular surface in human inflammatory disorders that manifest as severe dry eye, as well as in a preclinical mouse model for desiccating stress that mimics dry eye. Using this mouse model, we show here that CLU prevents and ameliorates ocular surface barrier disruption by a remarkable sealing mechanism dependent on attainment of a critical all-or-none concentration. When the CLU level drops below the critical all-or-none threshold, the barrier becomes vulnerable to desiccating stress. CLU binds selectively to the ocular surface subjected to desiccating stress in vivo, and in vitro to the galectin LGALS3, a key barrier component. Positioned in this way, CLU not only physically seals the ocular surface barrier, but it also protects the barrier cells and prevents further damage to barrier structure. These findings define a fundamentally new mechanism for ocular surface protection and suggest CLU as a biotherapeutic for dry eye.

Hybrid response surface methodology-artificial neural network optimization of drying process of banana slices in a forced convective dryer.

Science.gov (United States)

Taheri-Garavand, Amin; Karimi, Fatemeh; Karimi, Mahmoud; Lotfi, Valiullah; Khoobbakht, Golmohammad

2018-06-01

The aim of the study is to fit models for predicting surfaces using the response surface methodology and the artificial neural network to optimize for obtaining the maximum acceptability using desirability functions methodology in a hot air drying process of banana slices. The drying air temperature, air velocity, and drying time were chosen as independent factors and moisture content, drying rate, energy efficiency, and exergy efficiency were dependent variables or responses in the mentioned drying process. A rotatable central composite design as an adequate method was used to develop models for the responses in the response surface methodology. Moreover, isoresponse contour plots were useful to predict the results by performing only a limited set of experiments. The optimum operating conditions obtained from the artificial neural network models were moisture content 0.14 g/g, drying rate 1.03 g water/g h, energy efficiency 0.61, and exergy efficiency 0.91, when the air temperature, air velocity, and drying time values were equal to -0.42 (74.2 ℃), 1.00 (1.50 m/s), and -0.17 (2.50 h) in the coded units, respectively.

Organic cultivation of onion under castor cake fertilization and irrigation depths

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriel Alves Botelho de Mello

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the effects that different doses of castor bean (0, 200, and 300 g m-2 and irrigation levels (204, 224, 278, and 321 mm in 2014, and 278, 302, 397, and 444 mm in 2015 have on both the productivity and quality of onion bulbs. In the experiments, the experimental design was randomized blocks (4 x 3 factorial scheme, with five replicates. Irrigation management was performed using a Simplified Irrigation Device (SID in response to soil water tension in the treatment of highest irrigation depth. The following variables were evaluated: plant dry biomass (PDB, bulb dry biomass (BDB, total yield (TY, mean bulb fresh weight (MBFW, mean bulb dry weight (MBDW, mean bulb diameter (MBD and water use efficiency (WUE. The highest irrigation depths positively influenced the mean production of onion bulbs, regardless of the applied dose of castor cake. The doses of castor cake positively influenced the production of onion bulbs when higher irrigation depths were applied.

Moisture variation associated with water input and evaporation during sewage sludge bio-drying.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Lu; Gao, Ding; Chen, Tong-Bin; Liu, Hong-Tao; Zheng, Guo-Di; Yang, Qi-Wei

2012-08-01

The variation of moisture during sewage sludge bio-drying was investigated. In situ measurements were conducted to monitor the bulk moisture and water vapor, while the moisture content, water generation, water evaporation and aeration water input of the bio-drying bulk were calculated based on the water mass balance. The moisture in the sewage sludge bio-drying material decreased from 66% to 54% in response to control technology for bio-drying. During the temperature increasing and thermophilic phases of sewage sludge bio-drying, the moisture content, water generation and water evaporation of the bulk initially increased and then decreased. The peak water generation and evaporation occurred during the thermophilic phase. During the bio-drying, water evaporation was much greater than water generation, and aeration facilitated the water evaporation. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Tracing nitrate pollution sources and transformation in surface- and ground-waters using environmental isotopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Yan; Li, Fadong; Zhang, Qiuying; Li, Jing; Liu, Qiang

2014-01-01

Water pollution in the form of nitrate nitrogen (NO 3 − –N) contamination is a major concern in most agricultural areas in the world. Concentrations and nitrogen and oxygen isotopic compositions of nitrate, as well as oxygen and deuterium isotopic compositions of surface and groundwater from a typical irrigated region in the North China Plain (NCP) collected from May to October in 2012 were analyzed to examine the major nitrate sources and transformations. Concentrations of NO 3 − –N ranged from 0.2 to 29.6 mg/L (mean of 11.2 mg/L) in surface water, and from 0.1 to 19.4 mg/L (mean of 2.8 mg/L) in groundwater. Approximately 46.7% of the surface water samples and 10% of the groundwater samples exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water standard for NO 3 − –N. Surface water samples that exceeded the standard were collected mainly in the dry season (May and October), while groundwater samples that exceeded the standard were collected in the wet season (June). Overall, the highest nitrate levels were observed in surface water in May and in groundwater in June, indicating that fertilizer application, precipitation, and irrigation strongly influence the NO 3 − –N concentrations. Analyses of isotopic compositions suggest that the main sources of nitrate are nitrification of fertilizer and sewage in surface water, in contrast, mineralization of soil organic N and sewage is the groundwater sources during the dry season. When fertilizers are applied, nitrate will be transported by precipitation through the soil layers to the groundwater in the wet season (June). Denitrification only occurred in surface water in the wet season. Attempts should be made to minimize overuse of nitrogen fertilizers and to improve nitrogen use efficiency in irrigated agricultural regions. - Highlights: • Nitrate sources in surface and groundwater were identified by multiple isotopes. • Nitrate pollution displayed obvious seasonal variations. • Nitrate of

Tracing nitrate pollution sources and transformation in surface- and ground-waters using environmental isotopes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Yan [Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Li, Fadong, E-mail: lifadong@igsnrr.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China); Zhang, Qiuying [Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050021 (China); Li, Jing [Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China); Liu, Qiang [Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China)

2014-08-15

Water pollution in the form of nitrate nitrogen (NO{sub 3}{sup −}–N) contamination is a major concern in most agricultural areas in the world. Concentrations and nitrogen and oxygen isotopic compositions of nitrate, as well as oxygen and deuterium isotopic compositions of surface and groundwater from a typical irrigated region in the North China Plain (NCP) collected from May to October in 2012 were analyzed to examine the major nitrate sources and transformations. Concentrations of NO{sub 3}{sup −}–N ranged from 0.2 to 29.6 mg/L (mean of 11.2 mg/L) in surface water, and from 0.1 to 19.4 mg/L (mean of 2.8 mg/L) in groundwater. Approximately 46.7% of the surface water samples and 10% of the groundwater samples exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water standard for NO{sub 3}{sup −}–N. Surface water samples that exceeded the standard were collected mainly in the dry season (May and October), while groundwater samples that exceeded the standard were collected in the wet season (June). Overall, the highest nitrate levels were observed in surface water in May and in groundwater in June, indicating that fertilizer application, precipitation, and irrigation strongly influence the NO{sub 3}{sup −}–N concentrations. Analyses of isotopic compositions suggest that the main sources of nitrate are nitrification of fertilizer and sewage in surface water, in contrast, mineralization of soil organic N and sewage is the groundwater sources during the dry season. When fertilizers are applied, nitrate will be transported by precipitation through the soil layers to the groundwater in the wet season (June). Denitrification only occurred in surface water in the wet season. Attempts should be made to minimize overuse of nitrogen fertilizers and to improve nitrogen use efficiency in irrigated agricultural regions. - Highlights: • Nitrate sources in surface and groundwater were identified by multiple isotopes. • Nitrate pollution displayed obvious

Inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in biofilm on food-contact surfaces by sequential treatments of aqueous chlorine dioxide and drying.

Science.gov (United States)

Bang, Jihyun; Hong, Ayoung; Kim, Hoikyung; Beuchat, Larry R; Rhee, Min Suk; Kim, Younghoon; Ryu, Jee-Hoon

2014-11-17

We investigated the efficacy of sequential treatments of aqueous chlorine and chlorine dioxide and drying in killing Escherichia coli O157:H7 in biofilms formed on stainless steel, glass, plastic, and wooden surfaces. Cells attached to and formed a biofilm on wooden surfaces at significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher levels compared with other surface types. The lethal activities of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and aqueous chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) against E. coli O157:H7 in a biofilm on various food-contact surfaces were compared. Chlorine dioxide generally showed greater lethal activity than NaOCl against E. coli O157:H7 in a biofilm on the same type of surface. The resistance of E. coli O157:H7 to both sanitizers increased in the order of wood>plastic>glass>stainless steel. The synergistic lethal effects of sequential ClO₂ and drying treatments on E. coli O157:H7 in a biofilm on wooden surfaces were evaluated. When wooden surfaces harboring E. coli O157:H7 biofilm were treated with ClO₂ (200 μg/ml, 10 min), rinsed with water, and subsequently dried at 43% relative humidity and 22 °C, the number of E. coli O157:H7 on the surface decreased by an additional 6.4 CFU/coupon within 6 h of drying. However, when the wooden surface was treated with water or NaOCl and dried under the same conditions, the pathogen decreased by only 0.4 or 1.0 log CFU/coupon, respectively, after 12 h of drying. This indicates that ClO₂ treatment of food-contact surfaces results in residual lethality to E. coli O157:H7 during the drying process. These observations will be useful when selecting an appropriate type of food-contact surfaces, determining a proper sanitizer for decontamination, and designing an effective sanitization program to eliminate E. coli O157:H7 on food-contact surfaces in food processing, distribution, and preparation environments. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The European Commission's light bulb decree: Another costly regulation?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Frondel, Manuel, E-mail: frondel@rwi-essen.de [Ruhr-University Bochum (RUB), Ruhr-Graduate School in Economics (RGS Econ) (Germany); Rheinisch-Westfaelisches Institut fuer Wirtschaftsforschung (RWI), Hohenzollernstr. 1-3, 45128 Essen (Germany); Lohmann, Steffen [Rheinisch-Westfaelisches Institut fuer Wirtschaftsforschung (RWI), Hohenzollernstr. 1-3, 45128 Essen (Germany); Tinbergen Institute (Netherlands)

2011-06-15

Since September 2009, Regulation 244/2009 of the European Commission enforces the gradual phase-out of incandescent light bulbs. As of September 2012, only energy-efficient lighting sources will be allowed for sale. Among these are halogen light bulbs, light-emitting diodes (LED), or compact fluorescent light bulbs-often referred to as energy-saving light bulbs. The Commission's justification for the phase-out of conventional light bulbs maintains that a reduction in the electricity consumed will not only lead to lower energy cost for private households and industrial consumers, but at the same time lead to a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions. This article discusses possible reasons for the slow market diffusion of energy-saving light bulbs and shows that the investment in energy-efficient light bulbs does not necessarily lead to significant cost reductions. Drawing on some illustrative examples, we demonstrate that the use of cheaper incandescent bulbs instead of energy-saving light bulbs can be economically rational in cases of rather low usage times, in which the higher initial purchasing price might only pay off after very long time spans. Furthermore, due to the coexistence with the European Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), this regulation attains no additional emission reductions beyond those achieved by the ETS alone. We thus conclude that the general ban of incandescent light bulbs is inappropriate and should be abolished by the Commission. - Research Highlights: > This article discusses reasons for the slow market diffusion of energy-saving light bulbs. > We show that using incandescent bulbs can be rational in cases of rather low usage times. > We conclude that the general ban of incandescent light bulbs should be abolished by the Commission.

Improvement of water transport mechanisms during potato drying by applying ultrasound.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozuna, César; Cárcel, Juan A; García-Pérez, José V; Mulet, Antonio

2011-11-01

The drying rate of vegetables is limited by internal moisture diffusion and convective transport mechanisms. The increase of drying air temperature leads to faster water mobility; however, it provokes quality loss in the product and presents a higher energy demand. Therefore, the search for new strategies to improve water mobility during convective drying constitutes a topic of relevant research. The aim of this work was to evaluate the use of power ultrasound to improve convective drying of potato and quantify the influence of the applied power in the water transport mechanisms. Drying kinetics of potato cubes were increased by the ultrasonic application. The influence of power ultrasound was dependent on the ultrasonic power (from 0 to 37 kW m(-3) ), the higher the applied power, the faster the drying kinetic. The diffusion model considering external resistance to mass transfer provided a good fit of drying kinetics. From modelling, it was observed a proportional and significant (P mass transfer coefficient. The ultrasonic application during drying represents an interesting alternative to traditional convective drying by shortening drying time, which may involve an energy saving concerning industrial applications. In addition, the ultrasonic effect in the water transport is based on mechanical phenomena with a low heating capacity, which is highly relevant for drying heat sensitive materials and also for obtaining high-quality dry products. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

High-temperature drying of 7/4 yellow-poplar flitches for S-D-R studs

Science.gov (United States)

R. Sidney Boone; Robert R. Maeglin

1980-01-01

Yellow-poplar was dried as 7/4 flitches at high temperatures and subsequently ripped into studs to meet National Grading Rule Standards for STUD grade. The effects of growth stresses in these flitches from smaller logs appear to be minimized by this process. Dry bulb temperatures from 235° to 295° F were explored in five drying trials. Best results were by drying for...

Changes in endogenous growth inhibitors in onion bulbs (Allium cepa L. cv. Sochaczewska during storage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elżbieta Kielak

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Changes in inhibitor activity in the onion bulbs (Allium cepa L. cv. Sochaczewska during storage were investigated. Onions were dried under an umbrella roof until October 15th or November 15th and thereafter stored in a cold-room at 0-1°C until May 15th. The activity of inhibitors fluctuated markedly during the storage period. At least two peaks and two decreases of inhibitor activity were observed. The weather conditions seemed to strongly influence the level and the date of appearance of inhibitors in onions. Higher inhibitor activity is usually connected with better storage and less sprouting of onions during storage. Prolonged drying under an umbrella roof enhanced onion quality after storage only in these cases when it actually improved the drying of onions.

An Ontology Design Pattern for Surface Water Features

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

2014-01-01

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

Modelling Water Flow through Paddy Soils under Alternate Wetting and Drying Irrigation Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Shekhar, S.; Mailapalli, D. R.; Das, B. S.; Raghuwanshi, N. S.

2017-12-01

Alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation practice in paddy cultivation requires an optimum soil moisture stress (OSMS) level at which irrigation water savings can be maximized without compromising the yield reduction. Determining OSMS experimentally is challenging and only possible with appropriate modeling tools. In this study, field experiments on paddy were conducted in thirty non-weighing type lysimeters during dry seasons of 2016 and 2017. Ten plots were irrigated using continuous flooding (CF) and the rest were irrigated with AWD practice at 40mb and 75mb soil moisture stress levels. Depth of ponding and soil suction at 10, 40 and 70 cm from the soil surface were measured daily from all lysimeter plots. The measured field data were used in calibration and validation of Hydrus-1D model and simulated the water flow for both AWD and CF plots. The Hydrus-1D is being used to estimate OSMS for AWD practice and compared the seasonal irrigation water input and deep percolation losses with CF practice.

Performance of cotton crop grown under surface irrigation and drip fertigation. I. seed cotton yield, dry matter production, and lint properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Janat, M.; Somi, G.

2002-01-01

Drip fertigation is a key factor in modern irrigated agriculture, where water and fertilizers are the most expensive inputs for this irrigation method. Drip fertigation experiments were carried out a Hama, north of Syria (Tezeen's Irrigation Research Station), for four consecutive years 1995 - 1998. Cotton (Gossypium hirsutim L.) variety Aleppo 33/1 was planted after unfertilized maize in order to deplete as much as possible the available N and reduce the field variability on the corresponding experimental units and irrigated thereafter. Treatments consisted of two irrigation methods (Surface irrigation and drip fertigation) and five N rates within drip fertigated cotton, including the control (N 0 = 0, N 1 = 60, N 2 = 120, N 3 = 180, N 4 240 kg N ha -1 ). The N fertilizer treatment for surface irrigated cotton was 180 kg N ha -1 in accordance with the recommended rate of ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform. The experimental design was randomized block design with six replicates. Fertigation resulted in large water saving, and highly improved field water-use efficiency. Further, increasing N application rates under drip fertigation increased dry matter yield. The principal benefit of drip fertigation was the achievement of higher field water-use efficiencies, which were increased more than three-fold for both dry matter and seed cotton yield, relative to surface irrigation. The highest water-use efficiencies were obtained with the addition of 180 and 240 kg N ha -1 in 1995 and 1996 and 120 kg N ha -1 in 1997 and 1998. Dry matter production and partitioning among different plant parts at physiological maturity stage varied due to N input and irrigation methods. The overall dry matter distribution among different plant structures for drip fertigated-treatments was: Stems, 20.3 - 21.3%; leaves 26.3 - 28.7%; and fruiting forms, 50 - 53.2%. For the surface-irrigated treatment, the partitioning was stems, 23.1%; leaves, 28.3%; and fruiting form, 48.6%. The

Evaporator bulb

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoll, W.

1977-01-01

In order to prevent the hazard of a possible excursion in an evaporator bulb for radioactive liquids there is provided in the bottom of the vessel a recess filled with a neutron-absorbing and moderating material. The bottom drain pipe is coming out sideways and connected with a heated pipe feeding above into the vessel tangentially. (TK) [de

Tyre contact length on dry and wet road surfaces measured by three-axial accelerometer

Science.gov (United States)

Matilainen, Mika; Tuononen, Ari

2015-02-01

We determined the tyre contact length on dry and wet roads by measuring the accelerations of the inner liner with a three-axial accelerometer. The influence of the tyre pressure, driving velocity, and tread depth on the contact length was studied in both types of road surface conditions. On dry asphalt the contact length was almost constant, regardless of the driving velocity. On wet asphalt the presence of water could be detected even at low driving velocities (e.g. 20 km/h for a worn tyre) as the contact length began to decrease from that found in the dry asphalt situation. In addition to improving the performance of active safety systems and driver warning systems, the contact length information could be beneficial for classifying and studying the aquaplaning behaviour of tyres.

TRIBOLOGICAL BEHAVIOURS OF ABS AND PA6 POLYMERMETAL SLIDING COMBINATIONS UNDER DRY FRICTION, WATER ABSORBED AND ELECTROPLATED CONDITIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MITHUN V. KULKARNI

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The friction and wear properties of polyamide 6 (PA6 and poly-Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS sliding against metal under dry sliding, water absorption and electroplated (EP conditions were studied by using a pin-ondisc tribometer. The effect of applied load and sliding speed on the tribological behaviours of the polymer–metal sliding combinations under dry sliding, water absorbed and EP conditions were also investigated. The worn surfaces were examined by using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM. Experimental results showed that ABS samples under water absorbed conditions showed higher wear loss compared to normal samples and the EP samples had exhibited lower wear loss compared to the water absorbed samples. Similarly EP-PA6 samples exhibited excellent wear resistance when compared with EP-ABS samples. Further, it was observed that the frictional heat produced on account of sliding action had a significant effect on the tribological behaviours of samples under dry sliding and water absorbed conditions.

Electromyographic signal and force comparisons during maximal voluntary isometric contraction in water and on dry land.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinto, Stephanie Santana; Liedtke, Giane Veiga; Alberton, Cristine Lima; da Silva, Eduardo Marczwski; Cadore, Eduardo Lusa; Kruel, Luiz Fernando Martins

2010-11-01

This study was designed to compare surface electromyographic (sEMG) signal and force production during maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVCs) in water and on dry land. The reproducibility of sEMG and isometric force measurements between water and dry land environments was also assessed. Nine women performed MVC for elbow flexion and extension, hip flexion, and extension against identical fixed resistance in both environments. The sEMG signal from biceps brachii, triceps brachii, rectus femoris, and biceps femoris was recorded with waterproof adhesives placed over each electrode. The sEMG and force production showed no significant difference between water and dry land, except for HEX (p = 0.035). In addition, intraclass correlation coefficient values were significant and ranged from moderate to high (0.66-0.96) for sEMG and force production between environments. These results showed that the environment did not influence the sEMG and force in MVC.

Nanoparticle motion on the surface of drying droplets

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Mingfei; Yong, Xin

2018-03-01

Advances in solution-based printing and surface patterning techniques for additive manufacturing demand a clear understanding of particle dynamics in drying colloidal droplets and its relationship with deposit structure. Although the evaporation-driven deposition has been studied thoroughly for the particles dispersed in the bulk of the droplet, few investigations have focused on the particles strongly adsorbed to the droplet surface. We modeled the assembly and deposition of the surface-active particles in a drying sessile droplet with a pinned contact line by the multiphase lattice Boltzmann-Brownian dynamics method. The particle trajectory and its area density profile characterize the assembly dynamics and deposition pattern development during evaporation. While the bulk-dispersed particles continuously move to the contact line, forming the typical "coffee-ring" deposit, the interface-bound particles migrate first toward the apex and then to the contact line as the droplet dries out. To understand this unexpected behavior, we resolve the droplet velocity field both in the bulk and within the interfacial region. The simulation results agree well with the analytical solution for the Stokes flow inside an evaporating droplet. At different stages of evaporation, our study reveals that the competition between the tangential surface flow and the downward motion of the evaporating liquid-vapor interface governs the dynamics of the interface-bound particles. In particular, the interface displacement contributes to the particle motion toward the droplet apex in a short phase, while the outward advective flow prevails at the late stage of drying and carries the particles to the contact line. The final deposit of the surface-adsorbed particles exhibits a density enhancement at the center, in addition to a coffee ring. Despite its small influence on the final deposit in the present study, the distinct dynamics of surface-active particles due to the interfacial confinement

Engineering and economic evaluation of wet/dry cooling towers for water conservation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, M.C.

1976-11-01

The results are presented of a design and cost study for wet/dry tower systems used in conjunction with 1000 MWe nuclear power plants to reject waste heat while conserving water. Design and cost information for wet/dry tower systems are presented, and these cooling system alternatives are compared with wet and dry tower systems to determine whether the wet/dry tower concept is an economically viable alternative. The wet/dry cooling tower concept investigated is one which combines physically separated wet towers and dry towers into an operational unit. In designing the wet/dry tower, a dry cooling tower is sized to carry the plant heat load at low ambient temperatures, and a separate wet tower is added to augment the heat rejection of the dry tower at higher ambient temperatures. These wet/dry towers are designed to operate with a conventional low back pressure turbine commercially available today. The component wet and dry towers are state-of-the-art designs. From this study it was concluded that: wet/dry cooling systems can be designed to provide a significant economic advantage over dry cooling yet closely matching the dry tower's ability to conserve water, a wet/dry system which saves as much as 99 percent of the make-up water required by a wet tower can maintain that economic advantage, and therefore, for power plant sites where water is in short supply, wet/dry cooling is the economic choice over dry cooling

Drying Spirulina with Foam Mat Drying at Medium Temperature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aji Prasetyaningrum

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Spirulina is a single cell blue green microalgae (Cyanobacteria containing many Phytonutrients (Beta-carotene, Chlorophyl, Xanthophyl, Phyocianin using as anti-carcinogen in food. Producing dry spirulina by quick drying process at medium temperature is very important to retain the Phytonutrient quality. Currently, the work is still challenging due to the gel formation that block the water diffusion from inside to the surface.  This research studies the performance of foam-mat drying on production of dry spirulina. In this method the spirulina was mixed with foaming agent (glair/egg albumen, popular as white egg at 2.5% by weight at air velocity 2.2 m/sec. Here, the effect of spirulina thickness and operational temperature on drying time and quality (Beta-carotene and color were observed. The drying time was estimated based on the measurement of water content in spirulina versus time. Result showed that the thicker spirulina, the longer drying time. Conversely, the higher operational temperature, faster drying time. At thickness ranging 1-3 mm and operational temperature below 70oC, the quality of spirulina can fit the market requirement

Development of a new drying and storage system. The design phase; Ontwikkeling van een nieuw Droog- en Bewaarsysteem. De ontwerpfase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wildschut, J. [Praktijkonderzoek Plant en Omgeving PPO, Bloembollen, Boomkwekerij en Fruit, Lisse (Netherlands); Sapounas, A. [WUR Glastuinbouw, Wageningen (Netherlands); Braam, G. [DLV Plant, Wageningen (Netherlands)

2011-03-15

The aim of this project is to develop a system for drying and storing flower bulbs which improves the quality of the bulbs, reduces the energy use significantly compared to the current, improved drying and storage system, and which can easily be used throughout the entire process of harvesting, drying, storage, planting and heating [Dutch] Het doel van dit project is een systeem voor het drogen en bewaren van bloembollen te ontwikkelen waarmee de kwaliteit van de bollen wordt verbeterd, het energieverbruik sterk wordt verminderd in vergelijking met het huidige verbeterde droog en bewaarsysteem, en dat eenvoudig kan worden ingezet in het totale proces van oogsten, drogen, bewaren, planten en broeien.

Photoperiod mediated changes in olfactory bulb neurogenesis and olfactory behavior in male white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James C Walton

Full Text Available Brain plasticity, in relation to new adult mammalian neurons generated in the subgranular zone of the hippocampus, has been well described. However, the functional outcome of new adult olfactory neurons born in the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricles is not clearly defined, as manipulating neurogenesis through various methods has given inconsistent and conflicting results in lab mice. Several small rodent species, including Peromyscus leucopus, display seasonal (photoperiodic brain plasticity in brain volume, hippocampal function, and hippocampus-dependent behaviors; plasticity in the olfactory system of photoperiodic rodents remains largely uninvestigated. We exposed adult male P. leucopus to long day lengths (LD and short day lengths (SD for 10 to 15 weeks and then examined olfactory bulb cell proliferation and survival using the thymidine analog BrdU, olfactory bulb granule cell morphology using Golgi-Cox staining, and behavioral investigation of same-sex conspecific urine. SD mice did not differ from LD counterparts in granular cell morphology of the dendrites or in dendritic spine density. Although there were no differences due to photoperiod in habituation to water odor, SD mice rapidly habituated to male urine, whereas LD mice did not. In addition, short day induced changes in olfactory behavior were associated with increased neurogenesis in the caudal plexiform and granule cell layers of the olfactory bulb, an area known to preferentially respond to water-soluble odorants. Taken together, these data demonstrate that photoperiod, without altering olfactory bulb neuronal morphology, alters olfactory bulb neurogenesis and olfactory behavior in Peromyscus leucopus.

The jugular bulb diverticulum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wadin, K.; Wilbrand, H.

1986-01-01

Two hundred and forty-five temporal bone specimens were examined radiographically. Subsequently the topographic relationship between the jugular fossa and surrounding structures was evaluated in plastic casts of the specimens. Fifty-eight casts showed a high jugular fossa and in 17 a jugular bulb diverticulum was found. A diverticulum is regarded as an anomaly of the high jugular bulb and presumably has a potential for expansion. Most frequently a diverticulum was directed medially into the space between the internal acoustic meatus, the vestibular aqueduct and the posterior cranial fossa. Seven diverticula reached the level of the internal acoustic meatus. Encroachment upon the vestibular aqueduct was seen in 4 casts and both the internal acoustic meatus and the cochlear aqueduct were very close to the diverticulum. A few diverticula were directed postero-laterally close to the facial canal and the stapedius muscle. The investigation was supplemented with a selected clinical material of radiographs of temporal bones with high fossae. The results corresponded to those of the experimental investigation. The jugular bulb diverticulum is a relatively common feature and should be regarded as an anomaly with a potential to give rise to clinical symptoms consequent to its intrusion upon surrounding structures. (orig.)

Which bulb is brighter? It depends on connection! Strategies for illuminating electrical concepts using light bulbs

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Darren; Lee, Paul; Foong, S. K.

2017-11-01

In this paper, we examined teachers’ understanding of electrical concepts such as power, current and potential difference based on how these concepts were applied to understand the relative brightness seen in bulbs of different wattage under different connections—series or parallel. From the responses of teachers to a concept question, we identified common lines of reasoning and the associated conceptual difficulties. To support the explanation of the concept question, we set up relevant circuits and made measurements of the circuits. We discuss the temperature dependence of the resistance of the light bulb which although critical for in depth understanding of the relative brightness, was often omitted in the teacher responses. Lastly, we share insights and strategies to elicit and confront students' thinking and to help them resolve, extend and apply their thinking with regard to the related electrical concepts using various light bulb activities.

The measurement of dry deposition and surface runoff to quantify urban road pollution in Taipei, Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yunn-Jinn; Chen, Chi-Feng; Lin, Jen-Yang

2013-10-16

Pollutants deposited on road surfaces and distributed in the environment are a source of nonpoint pollution. Field data are traditionally hard to collect from roads because of constant traffic. In this study, in cooperation with the traffic administration, the dry deposition on and road runoff from urban roads was measured in Taipei City and New Taipei City, Taiwan. The results showed that the dry deposition is 2.01-5.14 g/m(2) · day and 78-87% of these solids are in the 75-300 µm size range. The heavy metals in the dry deposited particles are mainly Fe, Zn, and Na, with average concentrations of 34,978, 1,519 and 1,502 ppm, respectively. Elevated express roads show the highest heavy metal concentrations. Not only the number of vehicles, but also the speed of the traffic should be considered as factors that influence road pollution, as high speeds may accelerate vehicle wear and deposit more heavy metals on road surfaces. In addition to dry deposition, the runoff and water quality was analyzed every five minutes during the first two hours of storm events to capture the properties of the first flush road runoff. The sample mean concentration (SMC) from three roads demonstrated that the first flush runoff had a high pollution content, notably for suspended solid (SS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), oil and grease, Pb, and Zn. Regular sweeping and onsite water treatment facilities are suggested to minimize the pollution from urban roads.

Hydrology, Water Quality, and Surface- and Ground-Water Interactions in the Upper Hillsborough River Watershed, West-Central Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Trommer, J.T.; Sacks, L.A.; Kuniansky, E.L.

2007-01-01

fertilizer or animal waste. Wells at the Blackwater Creek and Hillsborough River at State Road 39 transects showed little seasonal variation in dissolved organic carbon. Dissolved organic carbon concentrations, however, were greater during the wet season than during the dry season at the Hillsborough River Tract transect, indicating some influence from surface-water sources. During dry periods, streamflow in the upper Hillsborough River was sustained by ground water from the underlying Upper Floridan aquifer. During wet periods, streamflow had additional contributions from runoff, and release of water from extensive riverine wetlands, and by overflow from the Withlacoochee River. In contrast, streamflow in Blackwater and Itchepackesassa Creeks was less constant, with many no-flow days occurring during dry periods. During wet season storm events, streamflow peaks occur more rapidly because there is greater confinement between the surficial deposits and the Upper Floridan aquifer, and these creeks have been highly channelized, leaving less of the adjacent wetlands intact. During dry periods, Blackwater Creek is dry upstream from its confluence with Itchepackesassa Creek, and all downstream flow is from Itchepackesassa Creek. Much of the dry season flow in Itchepackesassa Creek originates from a treated wastewater effluent outfall located on East Canal. Long-term streamflow at the Hillsborough River and Blackwater Creek stations was greater than the discharge observed during the study period. Water quality in the upper Hillsborough River is influenced by ground-water discharge. The chemical composition of water from Blackwater Creek, Itchepackesassa Creek, and East Canal was more variable because there was less ground-water discharge to these creeks than to the upper Hillsborough River, and because of the influence of wastewater effluent. Strontium isotope data indicated that the source of the water at all Hillsborough River sites during the dry season was the Oli

Modeling Soil Water Retention Curves in the Dry Range Using the Hygroscopic Water Content

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chen, Chong; Hu, Kelin; Arthur, Emmanuel

2014-01-01

Accurate information on the dry end (matric potential less than −1500 kPa) of soil water retention curves (SWRCs) is crucial for studying water vapor transport and evaporation in soils. The objectives of this study were to assess the potential of the Oswin model for describing the water adsorption...... curves of soils and to predict SWRCs at the dry end using the hygroscopic water content at a relative humidity of 50% (θRH50). The Oswin model yielded satisfactory fits to dry-end SWRCs for soils dominated by both 2:1 and 1:1 clay minerals. Compared with the Oswin model, the Campbell and Shiozawa model...... for soils dominated by 2:1 and 1:1 clays, respectively. Comparison of the Oswin model combined with the Kelvin equation, with water potential estimated from θRH50 (Oswin-KRH50), CS model combined with the Arthur equation (CS-A), and CS-K model, with water potential obtained from θRH50 (CS-KRH50) indicated...

Phytochemical analysis of Cyrtanthus obliquus bulbs from the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Proff.Adewunmi

dihydroxy-lanosta-8-ene was also isolated from the bulbs. The ... Fresh bulbs from C. obliquus were purchased at the Berea market in Durban and identified by a curator from the School of Biological and. Conservation Sciences, UKZN, Westville ...

Contribution of sand-associated enterococci to dry weather water quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Halliday, Elizabeth; Ralston, David K; Gast, Rebecca J

2015-01-06

Culturable enterococci and a suite of environmental variables were collected during a predominantly dry summer at a beach impacted by nonpoint source pollution. These data were used to evaluate sands as a source of enterococci to nearshore waters, and to assess the relationship between environmental factors and dry-weather enterococci abundance. Best-fit multiple linear regressions used environmental variables to explain more than half of the observed variation in enterococci in water and dry sands. Notably, during dry weather the abundance of enterococci in dry sands at the mean high-tide line was significantly positively related to sand moisture content (ranging from sands. Tidal forcing modulated the abundance of enterococci in the water, as both turbidity and enterococci were elevated during ebb and flood tides. The probability of samples violating the single-sample maximum was significantly greater when collected during periods with increased tidal range: spring ebb and flood tides. Tidal forcing also affected groundwater mixing zones, mobilizing enterococci from sand to water. These data show that routine monitoring programs using discrete enterococci measurements may be biased by tides and other environmental factors, providing a flawed basis for beach closure decisions.

Drying Characteristics and Water-soluble Polysaccharides Evaluation of Kidney Shape Ganoderma lucidum Drying in Air Circulation System

Science.gov (United States)

Prasetyo, D. J.; Jatmiko, T. H.; Poeloengasih, C. D.; Kismurtono, M.

2017-12-01

In this project, drying kinetic of kidney shape Ganoderma lucidum fruiting body in air circulation system was studied. The drying experiments were conducted at 40, 50 and 60°C with air flow rate of 1.3 ms-1. Samples were weighted periodically until no change in sample weight was recorded, and then the samples were analyzed for its moisture content. Four different thin-layer mathematical models (Newton, Page, Two-term, Midilli) were used and compare to evaluate the drying curves of kidney shape G. lucidum. The water-soluble polysaccharides were evaluated in order to find the best drying temperature condition. The results indicates that Midilli model was the fittest model to describe the characteristic of kidney shape G. lucidum in the air circulation drying system and temperature of 50°C was the best drying condition to get highest value of water-soluble polysaccharides.

Organic Flower Bulbs From Holland - Outlook for the French Market

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kamphuis, Elise

2002-01-01

The Netherlands is a major exporter of flower bulbs in the world. France is amongst the top10 of the biggest importers of Dutch flower bulbs. However, the growing of bulbs is very damaging to the environment. With the use of 1,5 million kilograms of pesticide and 16 million kilograms of artificial

A Fan-tastic Alternative to Bulbs: Learning Circuits with Fans

Science.gov (United States)

Ekey, Robert; Edwards, Andrea; McCullough, Roy; Reitz, William; Mitchell, Brandon

2017-01-01

The incandescent bulb has been a useful tool for teaching basic electrical circuits, as brightness is related to the current or power flowing through a bulb. This has led to the development of qualitative pedagogical treatments for examining resistive combinations in simple circuits using bulbs and batteries, which were first introduced by James…

The effect of residual water on antacid properties of sucralfate gel dried by microwaves.

Science.gov (United States)

Gainotti, Alessandro; Losi, Elena; Colombo, Paolo; Santi, Patrizia; Sonvico, Fabio; Baroni, Daniela; Massimo, Gina; Colombo, Gaia; Del Gaudio, Pasquale

2006-03-01

The aim of this work was to study the acid neutralization characteristics of microwave-dried sucralfate gel in relation to the water content and physical structure of the substance. Several dried sucralfate gels were compared with humid sucralfate gel and sucralfate nongel powder in terms of neutralization rate and buffering capacity. Humid sucralfate gel and microwave-dried gel exhibited antacid effectiveness. In particular, the neutralization rate of dried gel powders was inversely related to the water content: as the water content of dried powders decreased, the acid reaction rate linearly increased. The relationship was due to the different morphology of dried sucralfate gels. In fact, the porosity of the dried samples increased with the water reduction. However, the acid neutralization equivalent revealed that the dried sucralfate gel became more resistant to acid attack in the case of water content below 42%. Then, the microwave drying procedure had the opposite effect on the reactivity of the aluminum hydroxide component of dried sucralfate gel powders, since the rate of the reaction increased whereas the buffering capacity decreased as the amount of water was reduced.

Dynamics of soil water evaporation during soil drying: laboratory experiment and numerical analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Jiangbo; Zhou, Zhifang

2013-01-01

Laboratory and numerical experiments were conducted to investigate the evolution of soil water evaporation during a continuous drying event. Simulated soil water contents and temperatures by the calibrated model well reproduced measured values at different depths. Results show that the evaporative drying process could be divided into three stages, beginning with a relatively high evaporation rate during stage 1, followed by a lower rate during transient stage and stage 2, and finally maintaining a very low and constant rate during stage 3. The condensation zone was located immediately below the evaporation zone in the profile. Both peaks of evaporation and condensation rate increased rapidly during stage 1 and transition stage, decreased during stage 2, and maintained constant during stage 3. The width of evaporation zone kept a continuous increase during stages 1 and 2 and maintained a nearly constant value of 0.68 cm during stage 3. When the evaporation zone totally moved into the subsurface, a dry surface layer (DSL) formed above the evaporation zone at the end of stage 2. The width of DSL also presented a continuous increase during stage 2 and kept a constant value of 0.71 cm during stage 3.

Hepatoprotective Activity of Easter Lily (Lilium longiflorum Thunb.) Bulb Extracts.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Wenping; Munafo, John P; Palatini, Kimberly; Esposito, Debora; Huang, Mou-Tuan; Komarnytsky, Slavko; Ho, Chi-Tang; Gianfagna, Thomas J

2015-11-11

The hepatoprotective activities of two different extracts, a hydroethanolic crude bulb extract (CB) and a steroidal glycoside-rich 1-butanol extract (BuOH), prepared from the bulbs of Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum Thunb.), were evaluated in a 24 week study in the female KK.Cg-A(y)/J Type 2 diabetic mouse model. Animals were divided into six groups (n = 16): control mice received Easter lily bulb extract-free drinking water together with a low- or high-fat diet (diabetic control); drinking water for the remaining groups was supplemented with CB extract (1%), BuOH extract (0.1 or 0.2%), and reference drug Metformin (0.001%), together with a high-fat diet. Both CB and BuOH extract treatment groups exhibited significantly improved liver function based on comparisons of triglycerides [diabetic 219 ± 34 mg/dL, CB 131 ± 27 mg/dL, BuOH(0.2%) 114 ± 35 mg/dL], CB total cholesterol (TC) (diabetic 196 ± 12 mg/dL, CB 159 ± 5 mg/dL), average liver mass [diabetic 2.96 ± 0.13 g, CB 2.58 ± 0.08 g, BuOH(0.1%) 2.48 ± 0.13 g], alanine transferase [diabetic 74 ± 5 units/L, CB 25 ± 1 units/L, BuOH(0.1%) 45 ± 1 units/L], and histological examinations. Glucose metabolism was improved only in CB, which was confirmed by oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) in diet-induced obese C57BL/6J mice exposed to CB extract. These data suggest that steroidal glycosides 1-5 might play a role in the hepatoprotective activity of the BuOH extracts, while the results of the TC measurements and OGTT study indicate that other constituents present in the CB extract are responsible for its hypocholesterolemic and hypoglycemic activity.

Diverse patterns of stored water use among saplings in seasonally dry tropical forests.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolfe, Brett T; Kursar, Thomas A

2015-12-01

Tree species in seasonally dry tropical forests likely vary in their drought-survival mechanisms. Drought-deciduousness, which reduces water loss, and low wood density, which may permit dependence on stored water, are considered key traits. For saplings of six species at two distinct sites, we studied these and two associated traits: the seasonal amount of water released per stem volume ("water released") and the hydraulic capacitance of the stem (C). Two deciduous species with low stem density, Cavanillesia platanifolia and Bursera simaruba, had high C and high dry-season stem water potential (Ψ(stem)), but differed in dry-season water released. C. platanifolia did not use stored water during the dry season whereas B. simaruba, in a drier forest, released stored water. In both, water released was highest while flushing leaves, suggesting that stored water supports leaf flushing. In contrast, two deciduous species with intermediate stem density, Annona hayesii and Genipa americana, had intermediate C, low dry-season Ψ(stem), and high seasonal change in water released. Meanwhile, two evergreen species with intermediate stem density, Cojoba rufescens and Astronium graveolens, had relatively low C, low dry-season Ψ(stem), and intermediate seasonal change in water released. Thus, at least three, distinct stored-water-use strategies were observed. Additionally, bark relative water content (RWC) decreased along with Ψ(stem) during the dry season while xylem RWC did not change, suggesting that bark-stored water buffers Ψ(stem) seasonally. Together these results suggest that seasonal use of stored water and change in Ψ(stem) are associated with functional groups that are characterized by combinations of deciduousness and stem density.

Wet-bulb globe temperature index estimation using meteorological data from São Paulo State, Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Maia, Paulo Alves; Ruas, Álvaro Cézar; Bitencourt, Daniel Pires

2015-10-01

It is well known that excessive heat exposure causes heat disorders and can lead to death in some situations. Evaluation of heat stress on workers performing indoor and outdoor activities is, nowadays, conducted worldwide by wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) index, which calculation parameters are dry-bulb, natural wet-bulb, and globe temperatures, which must be measured at the same time and in location where the worker is conducting his/her activities. However, for some activities performed in large outdoor areas such as those of agricultural ones, it is not feasible to measure directly those temperatures in all work periods and locations where there are workers. Taking this into account, this work aims to introduce a WBGT index estimation using atmospheric variables observed by automatic meteorological stations. In order to support our estimation method, we used, as a test-bed, data recorded in the State of São Paulo (SP), Brazil. By adding the cloudiness factor in the calculation through measurement of solar radiation, the algorithm proved to be as efficient as those mentioned in this work. It was found that this method is viable, with WBGT-estimated values obtained from meteorological data measured by stations with a distance of less than 80 km. This estimate can be used for monitoring heat stress in real time as well as to investigate heat-related disorders and agricultural work.

The Measurement of Dry Deposition and Surface Runoff to Quantify Urban Road Pollution in Taipei, Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yunn-Jinn; Chen, Chi-Feng; Lin, Jen-Yang

2013-01-01

Pollutants deposited on road surfaces and distributed in the environment are a source of nonpoint pollution. Field data are traditionally hard to collect from roads because of constant traffic. In this study, in cooperation with the traffic administration, the dry deposition on and road runoff from urban roads was measured in Taipei City and New Taipei City, Taiwan. The results showed that the dry deposition is 2.01–5.14 g/m2·day and 78–87% of these solids are in the 75–300 µm size range. The heavy metals in the dry deposited particles are mainly Fe, Zn, and Na, with average concentrations of 34,978, 1,519 and 1,502 ppm, respectively. Elevated express roads show the highest heavy metal concentrations. Not only the number of vehicles, but also the speed of the traffic should be considered as factors that influence road pollution, as high speeds may accelerate vehicle wear and deposit more heavy metals on road surfaces. In addition to dry deposition, the runoff and water quality was analyzed every five minutes during the first two hours of storm events to capture the properties of the first flush road runoff. The sample mean concentration (SMC) from three roads demonstrated that the first flush runoff had a high pollution content, notably for suspended solid (SS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), oil and grease, Pb, and Zn. Regular sweeping and onsite water treatment facilities are suggested to minimize the pollution from urban roads. PMID:24135820

Evaluation of heat stress in dry cleaner units:A case study in Qom, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javad Malakouti

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Background & Aims of the Study: Nowadays, heat stress is one of the most harmful physical agents in workplaces. According to the consequences of heat stress and have no information about it in Qom dry cleaner units, Iran, this study have been designed to evaluate the heat stress among workers of dry cleaner units in Qom province of Iran, in Jul-Aug 2011. Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 113 units of active dry cleaner units. WBGT (Wet Bulb Globe Temperature index was selected for heat stress evaluation. In order to measure the requisite parameters, WBGT meter made of Casella Company had been used according to ISO 7243. Data had been analyzed according to Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs with SPSS V.16, using analysis of variance, independent T and LSD tests. Results: The average of WBGT index in Qom dry cleaner units of Iran were 28.98±1.64 °C. The average of WBGT index in 66.4% of units was up to 28°C. The average of relative humidity was 42.86%, the average of wet bulb temperature and globe temperature were 25.56°C and 36.72°C, respectively. The findings showed a significant correlation between the average of WBGT index and the standard recommendation level (p<0.0001. In dry cleaner units with less than 10 m2 area, heat stress was higher than other units  significantly (p<0.05. Conclusions: Heat stress in many dry cleaner units in Qom, Iran, was more than recommended OELs. Because of wet bulb and globe temperature in units were high value, the most important measures to heat controls, are technical engineering controls such as  radiation shield, insulation on boilers and modify the cooling systems.

Stick-Jump (SJ) Evaporation of Strongly Pinned Nanoliter Volume Sessile Water Droplets on Quick Drying, Micropatterned Surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Debuisson, Damien; Merlen, Alain; Senez, Vincent; Arscott, Steve

2016-03-22

We present an experimental study of stick-jump (SJ) evaporation of strongly pinned nanoliter volume sessile water droplets drying on micropatterned surfaces. The evaporation is studied on surfaces composed of photolithographically micropatterned negative photoresist (SU-8). The micropatterning of the SU-8 enables circular, smooth, trough-like features to be formed which causes a very strong pinning of the three phase (liquid-vapor-solid) contact line of an evaporating droplet. This is ideal for studying SJ evaporation as it contains sequential constant contact radius (CCR) evaporation phases during droplet evaporation. The evaporation was studied in nonconfined conditions, and forced convection was not used. Micropatterned concentric circles were defined having an initial radius of 1000 μm decreasing by a spacing ranging from 500 to 50 μm. The droplet evaporates, successively pinning and depinning from circle to circle. For each pinning radius, the droplet contact angle and volume are observed to decrease quasi-linearly with time. The experimental average evaporation rates were found to decrease with decreasing pining radii. In contrast, the experimental average evaporation flux is found to increase with decreasing droplet radii. The data also demonstrate the influence of the initial contact angle on evaporation rate and flux. The data indicate that the total evaporation time of a droplet depends on the specific micropattern spacing and that the total evaporation time on micropatterned surfaces is always less than on flat, homogeneous surfaces. Although the surface patterning is observed to have little effect on the average droplet flux-indicating that the underlying evaporation physics is not significantly changed by the patterning-the total evaporation time is considerably modified by patterning, up to a factor or almost 2 compared to evaporation on a flat, homogeneous surface. The closely spaced concentric circle pinning maintains a large droplet radius and

Surface decontamination using dry ice snow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryu, Jungdong; Park, Kwangheon; Lee, Bumsik; Kim Yangeun

1999-01-01

An adjustable nozzle for controlling the size of dry ice snow was developed. The converging/diverging nozzle can control the size of snows from sub-microns to 10 micron size. Using the nozzle, a surface decontamination device was made. The removal mechanisms of surface contaminants are mechanical impact, partial dissolving and evaporation process, and viscous flow. A heat supply system is added for the prevention of surface ice layer formation. The cleaning power is slightly dependent on the size of snow. Small snows are the better in viscous flow cleaning, while large snows are slightly better in dissolving and sublimation process. Human oils like fingerprints on glass were easy to remove. Decontamination ability was tested using a contaminated pump-housing surface. About 40 to 80% of radioactivity was removed. This device is effective in surface-decontamination of any electrical devices like detector, controllers which cannot be cleaned in aqueous solution. (author)

Surface Corrosion and Microstructure Degradation of Calcium Sulfoaluminate Cement Subjected to Wet-Dry Cycles in Sulfate Solution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wuman Zhang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The hydration products of calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA cement are different from those of Portland cement. The degradation of CSA cement subjected to wet-dry cycles in sulfate solution was studied in this paper. The surface corrosion was recorded and the microstructures were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM. The results show that SO42-, Na+, Mg2+, and Cl− have an effect on the stability of ettringite. In the initial period of sulfate attack, salt crystallization is the main factor leading to the degradation of CSA cement specimens. The decomposition and the carbonation of ettringite will cause long-term degradation of CSA cement specimens under wet-dry cycles in sulfate solution. The surface spalling and microstructure degradation increase significantly with the increase of wet-dry cycles, sulfate concentration, and water to cement ratio. Magnesium sulfate and sodium chloride reduce the degradation when the concentration of sulfate ions is a constant value.

Sensory quality of irradiated onion and garlic bulbs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curzio, O.A.; Urioste, A.M.

1994-01-01

The radioinhibition process has shown to prolong shelf-life of ''Valenciana sintetica 14'' onion variety and ''Colorado'' garlic variety. Sensory attributes of the irradiated bulbs were tested monthly by trained judges during extended storage in warehouse conditions (6-32C, R.H. 40-50%). The sensory properties observed were external and internal appearance, firmness and odor. The irradiated bulbs were judged to be superior in quality with respect to internal and external appearance (p 0.01) and firmness (p 0.01), after 180 days postharvest. The irradiated bulbs showed no difference in odor (p 0.05), when compared to unirradiated ones, through the storage period

Cold Vacuum Drying facility potable water system design description

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

PITKOFF, C.C.

1999-01-01

This document describes the Cold Vacuum Drying Facility (CVDF) potable water (PW) system. The PW system provides potable water to the CVDF for supply to sinks, water closets, urinals, showers, custodial service sinks, drinking fountains, the decontamination shower, supply water to the non-PW systems, and makeup water for the de-ionized water system

Water level fluctuations in a tropical reservoir: the impact of sediment drying, aquatic macrophyte dieback, and oxygen availability on phosphorus mobilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Keitel, Jonas; Zak, Dominik; Hupfer, Michael

2016-04-01

Reservoirs in semi-arid areas are subject to water level fluctuations (WLF) that alter biogeochemical processes in the sediment. We hypothesized that wet-dry cycles may cause internal eutrophication in such systems when they affect densely vegetated shallow areas. To assess the impact of WLF on phosphorus (P) mobilization and benthic P cycling of iron-rich sediments, we tested the effects of (i) sediment drying and rewetting, (ii) the impact of organic matter availability in the form of dried Brazilian Waterweed (Egeria densa), and (iii) alternating redox conditions in the surface water. In principle, drying led to increased P release after rewetting both in plant-free and in plant-amended sediments. Highest P mobilization was recorded in plant amendments under oxygen-free conditions. After re-establishment of aerobic conditions, P concentrations in surface water decreased substantially owing to P retention by sediments. In desiccated and re-inundated sediments, P retention decreased by up to 30% compared to constantly inundated sediments. We showed that WLF may trigger biochemical interactions conducive to anaerobic P release. Thereby, E. densa showed high P release and even P uptake that was redox-controlled and superimposed sedimentary P cycling. Macrophytes play an important role in the uptake of P from the water but may be also a significant source of P in wet-dry cycles. We estimated a potential for the abrupt release of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) by E. densa of 0.09-0.13 g SRP per m(2) after each wet-dry cycle. Released SRP may exceed critical P limits for eutrophication, provoking usage restrictions. Our results have implications for management of reservoirs in semi-arid regions affected by WLF.

Inflammatory Response to Lipopolysaccharide on the Ocular Surface in a Murine Dry Eye Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Simmons, Ken T; Xiao, Yangyan; Pflugfelder, Stephen C; de Paiva, Cintia S

2016-05-01

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) alerts cells to the presence of bacteria by initiating an inflammatory response. We hypothesize that disruption of the ocular surface barrier in dry eye enhances TLR4 signaling. This study determined whether dry eye enhances expression of inflammatory mediators in response to topically applied TLR4 ligand. A single dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or vehicle (endotoxin-free water) was applied to the cornea of nonstressed (NS) mice or mice subjected to 5 days of desiccating stress (DS). After 4 hours, corneal epithelium and conjunctiva were extracted to analyze expression of inflammatory mediators via PCR. Protein expression was confirmed by immunobead assay and immunostaining. Topically applied LPS increased expression of inflammatory mediators IL-1β, CXCL10, IL-12a, and IFN-γ in the conjunctiva, and IL-1β and CXCL10 in the cornea of NS mice compared to that in untreated controls. LPS in DS mice produced 3-fold increased expression of IL-1β in cornea and 2-fold increased expression in IL-12a in conjunctiva compared to that in LPS-treated control mice. LPS increased expression of inflammatory cytokines on the ocular surface. This expression was further increased in dry eye, which suggests that epithelial barrier disruption enhances exposure of LPS to TLR4+ cells and that the inflammatory response to endotoxin-producing commensal or pathogenic bacteria may be more severe in dry eye disease.

A new dry-surface biofilm model: An essential tool for efficacy testing of hospital surface decontamination procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Almatroudi, Ahmad; Hu, Honghua; Deva, Anand; Gosbell, Iain B; Jacombs, Anita; Jensen, Slade O; Whiteley, Greg; Glasbey, Trevor; Vickery, Karen

2015-10-01

The environment has been shown to be a source of pathogens causing infections in hospitalised patients. Incorporation of pathogens into biofilms, contaminating dry hospital surfaces, prolongs their survival and renders them tolerant to normal hospital cleaning and disinfection procedures. Currently there is no standard method for testing efficacy of detergents and disinfectants against biofilm formed on dry surfaces. The aim of this study was to develop a reproducible method of producing Staphylococcus aureus biofilm with properties similar to those of biofilm obtained from dry hospital clinical surfaces, for use in efficacy testing of decontamination products. The properties (composition, architecture) of model biofilm and biofilm obtained from clinical dry surfaces within an intensive care unit were compared. The CDC Biofilm Reactor was adapted to create a dry surface biofilm model. S. aureus ATCC 25923 was grown on polycarbonate coupons. Alternating cycles of dehydration and hydration in tryptone soy broth (TSB) were performed over 12 days. Number of biofilm bacteria attached to individual coupons was determined by plate culture and the coefficient of variation (CV%) calculated. The DNA, glycoconjugates and protein content of the biofilm were determined by analysing biofilm stained with SYTO 60, Alexa-488-labelled Aleuria aurantia lectin and SyproOrange respectively using Image J and Imaris software. Biofilm architecture was analysed using live/dead staining and confocal microscopy (CM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Model biofilm was compared to naturally formed biofilm containing S. aureus on dry clinical surfaces. The CDC Biofilm reactor reproducibly formed a multi-layered, biofilm containing about 10(7) CFU/coupon embedded in thick extracellular polymeric substances. Within run CV was 9.5% and the between run CV was 10.1%. Protein was the principal component of both the in vitro model biofilm and the biofilms found on clinical surfaces. Continued

Hydroponic technology for lily flowers and bulbs production using ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Aghomotsegin

2015-07-22

Jul 22, 2015 ... the utilization of the hydroponic technology to produce flower and bulb of Asiatic ... when they became 2 cm long and mother bulb scales were removed at ..... cell layer culture system in Lilium:Rgeneration and transformation.

Bifurcation analysis of oscillating network model of pattern recognition in the rabbit olfactory bulb

Science.gov (United States)

Baird, Bill

1986-08-01

A neural network model describing pattern recognition in the rabbit olfactory bulb is analysed to explain the changes in neural activity observed experimentally during classical Pavlovian conditioning. EEG activity recorded from an 8×8 arry of 64 electrodes directly on the surface on the bulb shows distinct spatial patterns of oscillation that correspond to the animal's recognition of different conditioned odors and change with conditioning to new odors. The model may be considered a variant of Hopfield's model of continuous analog neural dynamics. Excitatory and inhibitory cell types in the bulb and the anatomical architecture of their connection requires a nonsymmetric coupling matrix. As the mean input level rises during each breath of the animal, the system bifurcates from homogenous equilibrium to a spatially patterned oscillation. The theory of multiple Hopf bifurcations is employed to find coupled equations for the amplitudes of these unstable oscillatory modes independent of frequency. This allows a view of stored periodic attractors as fixed points of a gradient vector field and thereby recovers the more familiar dynamical systems picture of associative memory.

Water Reclamation using Spray Drying, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — We propose a new spray drying technology for the recovery and recycle of water while stabilizing the solid wastes or residues as found in advanced life support...

Human-water interactions in Myanmar's Dry Zone under climate change

Science.gov (United States)

Taft, Linda; Evers, Mariele

2016-04-01

Understanding human-water interactions is particularly essential in countries where the economy and the people's well-being and income strongly depend on the availability and quality of sufficient water resources. Such a strong dependency on water is existent in Myanmar's Dry Zone located in the central Ayeyarwady River basin. In this area, rainfall is associated with high heterogeneity across space and time. Precipitation amounts in the Dry Zone (500-1000 mm annually) are generally less compared to other regions in Myanmar (up to 4000-6000 mm). Following the Global Climate Risk Index, Myanmar is one of the countries which were most affected by extreme weather events between 1994 and 2013. Severe drought periods e.g in the years 1997-1998, 2010 and 2014 led to crop failures and water shortage in the Dry Zone, where more than 14 mio people predominantly practice agriculture. Due to the high variability of rainfalls, farming is only possible with irrigation, mainly conducted by canal systems from the rivers and groundwater withdrawal. Myanmar is recently facing big challenges which result from comprehensive political and economic reforms since 2011. These may also include increasing water use by new industrial zones and urbanization. However, not only policy and economy modify the need for water. Variability of river runoff and changes in seasonality are expected as a result of climate change. The overarching goal of the study is to understand and increase the knowledge on human-water-climate interactions and to elaborate possible future scenarios for Myanmar's Dry Zone. It is not well studied yet how current and future climate change and increasing human impact will influence the country's abundant water resources including groundwater. Therefore, the first step of this study is to identify the major drivers within the central Ayeyarwady River basin. We are in the process of collecting and analyzing data sets and information including hydrologic and eco

Application of microwave to drying and blanching of tomatoes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ando, Y.; Orikasa, T.; Shiina, T.; Sotome, I.; Isobe, S.; Muramatsu, Y.; Tagawa, A.

2010-01-01

The applicability of microwave to the drying and blanching of tomatoes was examined. The changes of the drying rate and surface color were first measured and compared between drying by hot air (50degC) or microwave at three radiation powers. The drying rates using a microwave were higher than that using hot air. Both a constant-rate drying period and a falling-rate drying period were observed for each microwave radiation power. Compared to hot air drying, microwave drying resulted in an increase in lightness which is a preferable quality of tomatoes. Next, the changes in temperature, nutrients and surface color were measured and compared between blanching by microwave or boiling water. Microwave blanching required less time, resulted in higher retention of nutrients (ascorbic acid and lycopene) and caused less change in color in comparison with boiling water blanching. These results suggest that a microwave could be applied to drying and blanching tomatoes

Tear Osmolarity and Correlation With Ocular Surface Parameters in Patients With Dry Eye.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathews, Priya M; Karakus, Sezen; Agrawal, Devika; Hindman, Holly B; Ramulu, Pradeep Y; Akpek, Esen K

2017-11-01

To analyze the distribution of tear film osmolarity in patients with dry eye and its association with other ocular surface parameters. Tear osmolarity and other quantitative dry eye parameters were obtained from patients with 1) clinically significant dry eye (significant symptoms and ocular surface staining, n = 131), 2) symptoms-only dry eye (significant symptoms but no significant ocular surface staining, n = 52), and 3) controls (no significant symptoms or staining, n = 42). Tear osmolarity varied significantly across groups (P = 0.01), with patients with clinically significant dry eye having the highest tear osmolarity (312.0 ± 16.9 mOsm/L), control patients having the lowest tear osmolarity (305.6 ± 9.7 mOsm/L), and patients with symptoms-only dry eye falling in between (307.4 ± 5.6 mOsm/L). Patients with clinically significant dry eye also tended to have a greater intereye difference in osmolarity (12.0 ± 13.4) than did the individuals with symptoms-only dry eye (9.1 ± 12.4) and controls (9.0 ± 7.4) (P = 0.06). In multivariable regression models, higher tear osmolarity was associated with higher Ocular Surface Disease Index, discomfort subscore (P = 0.02), and higher corneal and conjunctival staining scores (P eye tear osmolarity was not correlated with the corresponding tear film breakup time or Schirmer test (P > 0.05 for both). Individuals with symptomatic dry eye that is not yet clinically significant seem to have higher and more variable osmolarity measurements than controls, potentially indicating that changes in osmolarity precede clinical findings.

Determination of trifluoroacetic acid in 1996--1997 precipitation and surface waters in California and Nevada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wujcik, C.E.; Cahill, T.M.; Seiber, J.N. [Univ. of Nevada, Reno, NV (United States)

1999-05-15

The atmospheric degradation of three chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) replacement compounds, namely HFC-134a, HCFC-123, and HCFC-124, results in the formation of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). Concentrations of TFA were determined in precipitation and surface water samples collected in California and Nevada during 1996--1997. Terminal lake systems were found to have concentrations 4--13 times higher than their calculated yearly inputs, providing evidence for accumulation. The results support dry deposition as the primary contributor of TFA to surface waters in arid and semiarid environments. Precipitation samples obtained from three different locations contained 20.7--1530 ng/L with significantly higher concentrations in fogwater over rainwater. Elevated levels of TFA were observed for rainwater collected in Nevada over those collected in California, indicating continual uptake and concentration as clouds move from a semiarid to arid climate. Thus several mechanisms exist, including evaporative concentration, vapor-liquid phase partitioning, lowered washout volumes of atmospheric deposition water, and dry deposition, which may lead to elevated concentrations of TFA in atmospheric and surface waters above levels expected from usual rainfall washout.

The light bulb, cystoscopy, and Thomas Alva Edison.

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, Michael E

2010-09-01

Thomas Alva Edison was an icon of American achievement who literally invented the 20th century. Although best known as the inventor of the electric light bulb, the phonograph, and motion pictures, he also left a lasting legacy via peripheral developmental applications, such as endoscopes. A review of published urologic writings about incandescent cystoscopes was cross-referenced to writings about or from Edison. Important events that allowed transference of technology from the Edison laboratory to clinical practice were emphasized. Edison was born in 1847 while Lincoln was serving in Congress; he died in 1931 when Hoover struggled with the Great Depression. Edison's life spanned the formative period of America that Henry Adams called the "coming of age." Edison received a Sprengel vacuum device in late 1879, and as usual, he was able to tweak the machine to better performance. For 5 days in October, 16 to 21, he improved the vacuum from 1/100,000 to 1/1,000,000 atm, and his first incandescent bulb burned softly. On December 21, 1879, he leaked the story to N.Y. Herald journalist Marshall Fox, and the world was notified of the light bulb. Special Christmas light visits started in Menlo Park just 4 days later. Edison patented the screw cap for easy changes, and the first bulbs sold for 40 cents (cost $1.40). 100,000 bulbs sold in 1882, 4 million by 1892, and 45 million in 1903. Immediately, competitors and specialty manufacturers entered the market. Dr. Henry Koch and Charles Preston in Rochester, N.Y., developed a smaller, low amperage bulb that could be fitted to medical devices. No discussion of electricity and modern applications would be complete without some discussion of Thomas Alva Edison and his sentinel contributions. The first church, post office, and ship were illuminated in 1892. The first hotel, theater, and electric sign were in 1893. The rapidity of dispersal and secondary applications of Edison's inventions is typified by the rise of cystoscopes

Tensile bond strength of hydroxyethyl methacrylate dentin bonding agent on dentin surface at various drying techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kun Ismiyatin

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Background: There are several dentin surface drying techniques to provide a perfect resin penetration on dentin. There are two techniques which will be compared in this study. The first technique was by rubbing dentin surface gently using cotton pellet twice, this technique is called blot dry technique. The second technique is by air blowing dentin surface for one second and continued by rubbing dentin surface gently using moist cotton. Purpose: This experiment was aimed to examine the best dentin surface drying techniques after 37% phosphoric acid etching to obtain the optimum tensile bond strength between hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA and dentin surface. Method: Bovine teeth was prepared flat to obtain the dentin surface and than was etched using 37% phosphoric acid for 15 seconds. After etching the dentin was cleaned using 20 cc plain water and dried with blot dry techniques (group I, or dried with air blow for one second (group II, or dried with air blow for one second, and continued with rubbing gently using moist cotton pellet (group III, and without any drying as control group (group IV. After these drying, the dentin surfaces were applied with resin dentin bonding agent and put into plunger facing the composite mould. The antagonist plunger was filled with composite resin. After 24 hours, therefore bond strength was measured using Autograph. Result: Data obtained was analyzed using One-Way ANOVA with 95% confidence level and continued with LSD test on p≤0.05. The result showed that the highest tensile bond strength was on group I, while the lowest on group IV. Group II and IV, III and IV, II and III did not show signigicant difference (p>0.05. Conclusion: Dentin surface drying techniques through gentle rubbing using cotton pellet twice (blot dry technique gave the greatest tensile bond strength.Latar belakang masalah: Tehnik pengeringan permukaan dentin agar resin dapat penetrasi dengan sempurna adalah dengan cara pengusapan secara

Dry deposition on urban surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roed, J.

1985-01-01

In order to facilitate developing a model for deposition in urban areas, beryllium-7, created by cosmic radiation and fall-out cesium-137, have been used as tracers in measurements designed to find the dry deposition velocity on building surfaces. A literature review has revealed that very little work has been done on deposition in urban areas; therefore, a major effort on meausring the deposition parameter is needed to construct reliable models in this field. Deposition velocities in the range from 0.001-0.04 cm/s have been found. (author)

Controls on surface soil drying rates observed by SMAP and simulated by the Noah land surface model

Science.gov (United States)

Shellito, Peter J.; Small, Eric E.; Livneh, Ben

2018-03-01

Drydown periods that follow precipitation events provide an opportunity to assess controls on soil evaporation on a continental scale. We use SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive) observations and Noah simulations from drydown periods to quantify the role of soil moisture, potential evaporation, vegetation cover, and soil texture on soil drying rates. Rates are determined using finite differences over intervals of 1 to 3 days. In the Noah model, the drying rates are a good approximation of direct soil evaporation rates, and our work suggests that SMAP-observed drying is also predominantly affected by direct soil evaporation. Data cover the domain of the North American Land Data Assimilation System Phase 2 and span the first 1.8 years of SMAP's operation. Drying of surface soil moisture observed by SMAP is faster than that simulated by Noah. SMAP drying is fastest when surface soil moisture levels are high, potential evaporation is high, and when vegetation cover is low. Soil texture plays a minor role in SMAP drying rates. Noah simulations show similar responses to soil moisture and potential evaporation, but vegetation has a minimal effect and soil texture has a much larger effect compared to SMAP. When drying rates are normalized by potential evaporation, SMAP observations and Noah simulations both show that increases in vegetation cover lead to decreases in evaporative efficiency from the surface soil. However, the magnitude of this effect simulated by Noah is much weaker than that determined from SMAP observations.

Water adsorption on TiO2 surfaces probed by soft X-ray spectroscopies: bulk materials vs. isolated nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Benkoula, Safia; Sublemontier, Olivier; Patanen, Minna; Nicolas, Christophe; Sirotti, Fausto; Naitabdi, Ahmed; Gaie-Levrel, François; Antonsson, Egill; Aureau, Damien; Ouf, François-Xavier; Wada, Shin-Ichi; Etcheberry, Arnaud; Ueda, Kiyoshi; Miron, Catalin

2015-01-01

We describe an experimental method to probe the adsorption of water at the surface of isolated, substrate-free TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) based on soft X-ray spectroscopy in the gas phase using synchrotron radiation. To understand the interfacial properties between water and TiO2 surface, a water shell was adsorbed at the surface of TiO2 NPs. We used two different ways to control the hydration level of the NPs: in the first scheme, initially solvated NPs were dried and in the second one, dry NPs generated thanks to a commercial aerosol generator were exposed to water vapor. XPS was used to identify the signature of the water layer shell on the surface of the free TiO2 NPs and made it possible to follow the evolution of their hydration state. The results obtained allow the establishment of a qualitative determination of isolated NPs’ surface states, as well as to unravel water adsorption mechanisms. This method appears to be a unique approach to investigate the interface between an isolated nano-object and a solvent over-layer, paving the way towards new investigation methods in heterogeneous catalysis on nanomaterials. PMID:26462615

Dynamics of Soil Water Evaporation during Soil Drying: Laboratory Experiment and Numerical Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Jiangbo; Zhou, Zhifang

2013-01-01

Laboratory and numerical experiments were conducted to investigate the evolution of soil water evaporation during a continuous drying event. Simulated soil water contents and temperatures by the calibrated model well reproduced measured values at different depths. Results show that the evaporative drying process could be divided into three stages, beginning with a relatively high evaporation rate during stage 1, followed by a lower rate during transient stage and stage 2, and finally maintaining a very low and constant rate during stage 3. The condensation zone was located immediately below the evaporation zone in the profile. Both peaks of evaporation and condensation rate increased rapidly during stage 1 and transition stage, decreased during stage 2, and maintained constant during stage 3. The width of evaporation zone kept a continuous increase during stages 1 and 2 and maintained a nearly constant value of 0.68 cm during stage 3. When the evaporation zone totally moved into the subsurface, a dry surface layer (DSL) formed above the evaporation zone at the end of stage 2. The width of DSL also presented a continuous increase during stage 2 and kept a constant value of 0.71 cm during stage 3. PMID:24489492

MRI of the olfactory bulbs and sulci in human fetuses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azoulay, Robin; Grabar, Sophie; Kalifa, Gabriel; Adamsbaum, Catherine; Fallet-Bianco, Catherine; Garel, Catherine

2006-01-01

There is limited knowledge of the MRI pattern of the development of fetal olfactory bulbs and sulci. To describe the MRI appearance of olfactory bulbs and sulci in normal in vivo fetuses according to gestational age. Olfactory bulbs and sulci were retrospectively assessed on brain MRI examinations of 88 normal fetuses between 24 and 39 weeks gestational age. Two reference centres were involved in the study and both used routine protocols that included axial and coronal T2- and T1-weighted sequences at 1.5 T. The results were compared both with the commonly used neuropathological data in the literature and with personal neuropathological data. Pearson's chi-squared test or Fisher's exact test were performed. One case of olfactory agenesis associated with CHARGE syndrome was identified. T2-weighted coronal sequences were the most sensitive for detecting olfactory bulbs and sulci. Olfactory sulci were significantly better detected from 30 weeks onwards (90.9-100%; P<0.001). MRI showed a posteroanterior development of these sulci. Olfactory bulbs were better detected from 30 to 34 weeks (80-90.9%; P<0.002). Comparison with neuropathological data confirmed the posteroanterior development of the sulci and showed an important delay in detection of the olfactory structures (bulbs and sulci). No difference was observed between the two centres involved. To date, fetal MRI can depict olfactory sulci from 30 weeks gestational age onwards and olfactory bulbs from 30 to 34 weeks gestational age. This preliminary reference standard is useful to assess the normality of the olfactory system and to diagnose olfactory agenesis. (orig.)

Intracellular water exchange for measuring the dry mass, water mass and changes in chemical composition of living cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco Feijó Delgado

Full Text Available We present a method for direct non-optical quantification of dry mass, dry density and water mass of single living cells in suspension. Dry mass and dry density are obtained simultaneously by measuring a cell's buoyant mass sequentially in an H2O-based fluid and a D2O-based fluid. Rapid exchange of intracellular H2O for D2O renders the cell's water content neutrally buoyant in both measurements, and thus the paired measurements yield the mass and density of the cell's dry material alone. Utilizing this same property of rapid water exchange, we also demonstrate the quantification of intracellular water mass. In a population of E. coli, we paired these measurements to estimate the percent dry weight by mass and volume. We then focused on cellular dry density - the average density of all cellular biomolecules, weighted by their relative abundances. Given that densities vary across biomolecule types (RNA, DNA, protein, we investigated whether we could detect changes in biomolecular composition in bacteria, fungi, and mammalian cells. In E. coli, and S. cerevisiae, dry density increases from stationary to exponential phase, consistent with previously known increases in the RNA/protein ratio from up-regulated ribosome production. For mammalian cells, changes in growth conditions cause substantial shifts in dry density, suggesting concurrent changes in the protein, nucleic acid and lipid content of the cell.

Influence of forced air volume on water evaporation during sewage sludge bio-drying.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Lu; Chen, Tong-Bin; Gao, Ding; Zheng, Guo-Di; Liu, Hong-Tao; Pan, Tian-Hao

2013-09-01

Mechanical aeration is critical to sewage sludge bio-drying, and the actual water loss caused by aeration can be better understood from investigations of the relationship between aeration and water evaporation from the sewage sludge bio-drying pile based on in situ measurements. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of forced air volume on the evaporation of water from a sewage sludge bio-drying pile. Dewatered sewage sludge was bio-dried using control technology for bio-drying, during which time the temperature, superficial air velocity and water evaporation were measured and calculated. The results indicated that the peak air velocity and water evaporation occurred in the thermophilic phase and second temperature-increasing phase, with the highest values of 0.063 ± 0.027 m s(-1) and 28.9 kg ton(-1) matrix d(-1), respectively, being observed on day 4. Air velocity above the pile during aeration was 43-100% higher than when there was no aeration, and there was a significantly positive correlation between air volume and water evaporation from day 1 to 15. The order of daily means of water evaporation was thermophilic phase > second temperature-increasing phase > temperature-increasing phase > cooling phase. Forced aeration controlled the pile temperature and improved evaporation, making it the key factor influencing water loss during the process of sewage sludge bio-drying. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flowering pathway is regulated by bulb size in Lilium longiflorum (Easter lily).

Science.gov (United States)

Lazare, S; Zaccai, M

2016-07-01

Lilium longiflorum (Easter lily) vegetative propagation occurs through production of underground bulbs containing apical and axillary meristems. In addition, sexual reproduction is achieved by flowering of elongated shoots above the bulb. It is generally accepted that L. longiflorum has an obligatory requirement for vernalisation and that long day (LD) regime hastens flowering. However, the effect of bulb size and origin, with respect to axillary or apical meristems on flowering, as well as the interactions between these meristems are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of bulb size, vernalisation and photoperiod on L. longiflorum flowering. To this end, we applied vernalisation and photoperiod treatments to the different bulb sizes and used a system of constant ambient temperature of 25 °C, above vernalisation spectrum, to avoid cold-dependent floral induction during plant growth. Vernalisation and LD hasten flowering in all bulbs. Large, non-vernalised bulbs invariably remained at a vegetative stage. However, small non-vernalised bulbs flowered under LD conditions. These results demonstrate for the first time that cold exposure is not an obligatory prerequisite for L. longiflorum flowering, and that an alternative flowering pathway can bypass vernalisation in small bulbs. We suggest that apical dominance interactions determine the distinct flowering pathways of the apical and axillary meristems. Similar floral induction is achieved in propagated bulblets from scaling. These innovative findings in the field of geophyte floral induction represent valuable applicative knowledge for lily production. © 2016 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

water quality assessment of underground and surface water ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Dr Osondu

Water quality assessment in the Ethiopian highlands is crucial owing to increasing ... and provide information for formulating appropriate framework for an integrated ... with four seasons (rainy, dry period, small rains ..... treatment. Annual conference proceedings, American Water Works ... Towns' water supply and sanitation.

Influence of warm air-drying on enamel bond strength and surface free-energy of self-etch adhesives.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiratsuchi, Koji; Tsujimoto, Akimasa; Takamizawa, Toshiki; Furuichi, Tetsuya; Tsubota, Keishi; Kurokawa, Hiroyasu; Miyazaki, Masashi

2013-08-01

We examined the effect of warm air-drying on the enamel bond strengths and the surface free-energy of three single-step self-etch adhesives. Bovine mandibular incisors were mounted in self-curing resin and then wet ground with #600 silicon carbide (SiC) paper. The adhesives were applied according to the instructions of the respective manufacturers and then dried in a stream of normal (23°C) or warm (37°C) air for 5, 10, and 20 s. After visible-light irradiation of the adhesives, resin composites were condensed into a mold and polymerized. Ten samples per test group were stored in distilled water at 37°C for 24 h and then the bond strengths were measured. The surface free-energies were determined by measuring the contact angles of three test liquids placed on the cured adhesives. The enamel bond strengths varied according to the air-drying time and ranged from 15.8 to 19.1 MPa. The trends for the bond strengths were different among the materials. The value of the γS⁺ component increased slightly when drying was performed with a stream of warm air, whereas that of the γS⁻ component decreased significantly. These data suggest that warm air-drying is essential to obtain adequate enamel bond strengths, although increasing the drying time did not significantly influence the bond strength. © 2013 Eur J Oral Sci.

Wettability modification of human tooth surface by water and UV and electron-beam radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tiznado-Orozco, Gaby E.; Reyes-Gasga, José; Elefterie, Florina; Beyens, Christophe; Maschke, Ulrich; Brès, Etienne F.

2015-01-01

The wettability of the human tooth enamel and dentin was analyzed by measuring the contact angles of a drop of distilled water deposited on the surface. The samples were cut along the transverse and longitudinal directions, and their surfaces were subjected to metallographic mirror-finish polishing. Some samples were also acid etched until their microstructure became exposed. Wettability measurements of the samples were done in dry and wet conditions and after ultraviolet (UV) and electron beam (EB) irradiations. The results indicate that water by itself was able to increase the hydrophobicity of these materials. The UV irradiation momentarily reduced the contact angle values, but they recovered after a short time. EB irradiation raised the contact angle and maintained it for a long time. Both enamel and dentin surfaces showed a wide range of contact angles, from approximately 10° (hydrophilic) to 90° (hydrophobic), although the contact angle showed more variability on enamel than on dentin surfaces. Whether the sample's surface had been polished or etched did not influence the contact angle value in wet conditions. - Highlights: • Human tooth surface wettability changes in dry/wet and UV/EB radiation conditions. • More variability in contact angle is observed on enamel than on dentin surfaces. • Water by itself increases the hydrophobicity of the human tooth surface. • UV irradiation reduces momentarily the human tooth surface hydrophobicity. • EB irradiation increases and maintains the hydrophobicity for a long time

Wettability modification of human tooth surface by water and UV and electron-beam radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tiznado-Orozco, Gaby E., E-mail: gab0409@gmail.com [UMET, Bâtiment C6, Université de Lille 1, Sciences et Technologies, 59650 Villeneuve d' Ascq (France); Unidad Académica de Odontología, Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit, Edificio E7, Ciudad de la Cultura “Amado Nervo”, C.P. 63190 Tepic, Nayarit (Mexico); Reyes-Gasga, José, E-mail: jreyes@fisica.unam.mx [UMET, Bâtiment C6, Université de Lille 1, Sciences et Technologies, 59650 Villeneuve d' Ascq (France); Instituto de Física, UNAM, Circuito de la Investigación s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Coyoacan, México, D.F. (Mexico); Elefterie, Florina, E-mail: elefterie_florina@yahoo.com [UMET, Bâtiment C6, Université de Lille 1, Sciences et Technologies, 59650 Villeneuve d' Ascq (France); Beyens, Christophe, E-mail: christophe.beyens@ed.univ-lille1.fr [UMET, Bâtiment C6, Université de Lille 1, Sciences et Technologies, 59650 Villeneuve d' Ascq (France); Maschke, Ulrich, E-mail: Ulrich.Maschke@univ-lille1.fr [UMET, Bâtiment C6, Université de Lille 1, Sciences et Technologies, 59650 Villeneuve d' Ascq (France); Brès, Etienne F., E-mail: etienne.bres@univ-lille1.fr [UMET, Bâtiment C6, Université de Lille 1, Sciences et Technologies, 59650 Villeneuve d' Ascq (France)

2015-12-01

The wettability of the human tooth enamel and dentin was analyzed by measuring the contact angles of a drop of distilled water deposited on the surface. The samples were cut along the transverse and longitudinal directions, and their surfaces were subjected to metallographic mirror-finish polishing. Some samples were also acid etched until their microstructure became exposed. Wettability measurements of the samples were done in dry and wet conditions and after ultraviolet (UV) and electron beam (EB) irradiations. The results indicate that water by itself was able to increase the hydrophobicity of these materials. The UV irradiation momentarily reduced the contact angle values, but they recovered after a short time. EB irradiation raised the contact angle and maintained it for a long time. Both enamel and dentin surfaces showed a wide range of contact angles, from approximately 10° (hydrophilic) to 90° (hydrophobic), although the contact angle showed more variability on enamel than on dentin surfaces. Whether the sample's surface had been polished or etched did not influence the contact angle value in wet conditions. - Highlights: • Human tooth surface wettability changes in dry/wet and UV/EB radiation conditions. • More variability in contact angle is observed on enamel than on dentin surfaces. • Water by itself increases the hydrophobicity of the human tooth surface. • UV irradiation reduces momentarily the human tooth surface hydrophobicity. • EB irradiation increases and maintains the hydrophobicity for a long time.

Tear dynamics in healthy and dry eyes.

Science.gov (United States)

Cerretani, Colin F; Radke, C J

2014-06-01

Dry-eye disease, an increasingly prevalent ocular-surface disorder, significantly alters tear physiology. Understanding the basic physics of tear dynamics in healthy and dry eyes benefits both diagnosis and treatment of dry eye. We present a physiological-based model to describe tear dynamics during blinking. Tears are compartmentalized over the ocular surface; the blink cycle is divided into three repeating phases. Conservation laws quantify the tear volume and tear osmolarity of each compartment during each blink phase. Lacrimal-supply and tear-evaporation rates are varied to reveal the dependence of tear dynamics on dry-eye conditions, specifically tear osmolarity, tear volume, tear-turnover rate (TTR), and osmotic water flow. Predicted periodic-steady tear-meniscus osmolarity is 309 and 321 mOsM in normal and dry eyes, respectively. Tear osmolarity, volume, and TTR all match available clinical measurements. Osmotic water flow through the cornea and conjunctiva contribute 10 and 50% to the total tear supply in healthy and dry-eye conditions, respectively. TTR in aqueous-deficient dry eye (ADDE) is only half that in evaporative dry eye (EDE). The compartmental periodic-steady tear-dynamics model accurately predicts tear behavior in normal and dry eyes. Inclusion of osmotic water flow is crucial to match measured tear osmolarity. Tear-dynamics predictions corroborate the use of TTR as a clinical discriminator between ADDE and EDE. The proposed model is readily extended to predict the dynamics of aqueous solutes such as drugs or fluorescent tags.

Proteomic Analysis of the Human Olfactory Bulb.

Science.gov (United States)

Dammalli, Manjunath; Dey, Gourav; Madugundu, Anil K; Kumar, Manish; Rodrigues, Benvil; Gowda, Harsha; Siddaiah, Bychapur Gowrishankar; Mahadevan, Anita; Shankar, Susarla Krishna; Prasad, Thottethodi Subrahmanya Keshava

2017-08-01

The importance of olfaction to human health and disease is often underappreciated. Olfactory dysfunction has been reported in association with a host of common complex diseases, including neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. For health, olfaction or the sense of smell is also important for most mammals, for optimal engagement with their environment. Indeed, animals have developed sophisticated olfactory systems to detect and interpret the rich information presented to them to assist in day-to-day activities such as locating food sources, differentiating food from poisons, identifying mates, promoting reproduction, avoiding predators, and averting death. In this context, the olfactory bulb is a vital component of the olfactory system receiving sensory information from the axons of the olfactory receptor neurons located in the nasal cavity and the first place that processes the olfactory information. We report in this study original observations on the human olfactory bulb proteome in healthy subjects, using a high-resolution mass spectrometry-based proteomic approach. We identified 7750 nonredundant proteins from human olfactory bulbs. Bioinformatics analysis of these proteins showed their involvement in biological processes associated with signal transduction, metabolism, transport, and olfaction. These new observations provide a crucial baseline molecular profile of the human olfactory bulb proteome, and should assist the future discovery of biomarker proteins and novel diagnostics associated with diseases characterized by olfactory dysfunction.

The "Brightness Rules" Alternative Conception for Light Bulb Circuits

Science.gov (United States)

Bryan, Joel A.; Stuessy, Carol

2006-01-01

An alternative conception for the observed differences in light bulb brightness was revealed during an unguided inquiry investigation in which prospective elementary teachers placed identical bulbs in series, parallel, and combination direct current circuits. Classroom observations, document analyses, and video and audio transcriptions led to the…

Measurement of Vapor Flow As an Important Source of Water in Dry Land Eco-Hydrology

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Z.; He, Z.; Wang, Y.; Gao, Z.; Hishida, K.

2014-12-01

When the temperature of land surface is lower than that of air and deeper soils, water vapor gathers toward the ground surface where dew maybe formed depending on the prevailing dew point and wind speed. Some plants are able to absorb the dew and vapor flow while the soil can readily absorb both. Certain animals such as desert beetles and ants harvest the dew or fog for daily survival. Recently, it is also realized that the dew and vapor flow can be a life-saving amount of water for plant survival at the driest seasons of the year in arid and semi-arid regions. Researches are conducted to quantify the amount of near-surface vapor flow in arid and semi-arid regions in China and USA. Quantitative leaf water absorption and desorption functions were derived based on laboratory experiments. Results show that plant leaves absorb and release water at different speeds depending on species and varieties. The "ideal" native plants in the dry climates can quickly absorb water and slowly release it. This water-holding capacity of plant is characterized by the absorption and desorption functions derived for plant physiology and water balance studies. Field studies are conducted to measure the dynamic vapor flow movements from the atmosphere and the groundwater table to soil surface. Results show that dew is usually formed on soil and plant surfaces during the daily hours when the temperature gradients are inverted toward the soil surface. The amount of dew harvested using gravels on the soil surface was enough to support water melon agriculture on deserts. The vapor flow can be effectively intercepted by artificially seeded plants in semi-arid regions forming new forests. New studies are attempted to quantify the role of vapor flow for the survival of giant sequoias in the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains of California.

Intracellular Water Exchange for Measuring the Dry Mass, Water Mass and Changes in Chemical Composition of Living Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Hecht, Vivian C.; Son, Sungmin; Li, Yingzhong; Knudsen, Scott M.; Olcum, Selim; Higgins, John M.; Chen, Jianzhu; Grover, William H.; Manalis, Scott R.

2013-01-01

We present a method for direct non-optical quantification of dry mass, dry density and water mass of single living cells in suspension. Dry mass and dry density are obtained simultaneously by measuring a cell’s buoyant mass sequentially in an H2O-based fluid and a D2O-based fluid. Rapid exchange of intracellular H2O for D2O renders the cell’s water content neutrally buoyant in both measurements, and thus the paired measurements yield the mass and density of the cell’s dry material alone. Utilizing this same property of rapid water exchange, we also demonstrate the quantification of intracellular water mass. In a population of E. coli, we paired these measurements to estimate the percent dry weight by mass and volume. We then focused on cellular dry density – the average density of all cellular biomolecules, weighted by their relative abundances. Given that densities vary across biomolecule types (RNA, DNA, protein), we investigated whether we could detect changes in biomolecular composition in bacteria, fungi, and mammalian cells. In E. coli, and S. cerevisiae, dry density increases from stationary to exponential phase, consistent with previously known increases in the RNA/protein ratio from up-regulated ribosome production. For mammalian cells, changes in growth conditions cause substantial shifts in dry density, suggesting concurrent changes in the protein, nucleic acid and lipid content of the cell. PMID:23844039

Roentgenologic image of penetrating duodenal bulb ulcer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strunin, A.E.

1986-01-01

When studying a series of aimed roentgenograms in patients with peptic ulcer a gas bubble of irregular spherical configuration or two-layer niche were determined near the bulb medial contour. Gas bubble was from 0.5-0.7 to 3.5 cm in diameter. In such cases penetrating ulcers were determined in operations. Along with other signs gas bubble symptom, sometimes two-layer signs may be used for timely and exact roentgenological diagnosis of penetrating duodenal bulb ulcer in peptic ulcer disease

Effects of feeding Beta vulgaris saccharifera bulb for fattening desert lambs under tropical conditions of Sudan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M D Mohammed

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Aim: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of introducing Sugar Beet bulb as a cheap substitute for grains in rations formulated for sheep fattening. Materials and Methods: This trial was conducted at the Experimental unit of Rural Development and extension center, Faculty of animal production, University of Gezira. Twenty four Sudanese desert lambs (Ashgur ecotype were purchased from local markets to assess the effects of replacing grain with Sugar Beet (Beta vulgaris saccharifera Bulb on feed lot performance, carcass traits under tropical conditions of Sudan. Sugar Beet bulb was incorporated in three rations with a control ration (A: control, B, C, D at percentages of 0, 11, 22, and 33. Results: The results showed that total weight gain and daily feed intake in group D were significantly different at (P<0.05 where values of 5.59±1.73 and 0.94± 0.13 kg were recorded. Total weight gain, daily dry matter intake, daily energy intake and feed conversion ratio were in the range of 10.67- 5.59, 1.03-0.83, 0.33-0.27and 11.77- 7.70 kg respectively. Treatments showed no significant differences at (P<0.05 for slaughter weight, empty body weight, dressing % on slaughter weight basis and dressing % on empty weight basis, the obtained results for these traits were 27.78-25.37, 24.76- 22.22, 45.80- 43.45% and 51.41- 49.65%. Carcass cuts (Leg, Loin, Rack, Plate and Neck & shoulder weight and percentages showed no significant differences among treatments. Conclusion: It is concluded that replacing expensive grains with Beta vulgaris bulb can be practiced in sheep fattening project up to 22% with excellent results. [Vet. World 2012; 5(6.000: 330-334

Numerical modeling studies on the alternately pulsed infiltration and subsequent evaporation of water in a dry high desert alluvial soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cawlfield, D.E.; Lindstrom, F.T.; Weaver, H.

1993-01-01

The concept of no liquid-phase migration of low-level radionuclides is extremely important for the U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office (USDOE/NV) Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Sites (RWMS) in Areas 3 and 5 of the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Each site location is situated in an area known for its dry conditions. A series of computer modeling problems were set up to study the effects of pulsing the desert surface with large amounts of water, followed by intense evaporative conditions. The pulsed-water scenarios were run using an in-house model, named open-quotes ODRECHB,close quotes which is briefly described. ODRECHB is particularly adapted to model the dry desert alluvium and extreme evaporative conditions found at NTS. Comparable results were obtained using the well known Battelle NW code open-quotes UNSAT-H 2.0,close quotes by Fayer and Jones. The realistic-to-overly conservative water applications to a bare soil surface did not cause water to infiltrate below ten meters. The results are shown on the accompanying video tape

Green Approach to the Fabrication of Superhydrophobic Mesh Surface for Oil/Water Separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Fajun; Lei, Sheng; Xu, Yao; Ou, Junfei

2015-07-20

We report a simple and environment friendly method to fabricate superhydrophobic metallic mesh surfaces for oil/water separation. The obtained mesh surface exhibits superhydrophobicity and superoleophilicity after it was dried in an oven at 200 °C for 10 min. A rough silver layer is formed on the mesh surface after immersion, and the spontaneous adsorption of airborne carbon contaminants on the silver surface lower the surface free energy of the mesh. No low-surface-energy reagents and/or volatile organic solvents are used. In addition, we demonstrate that by using the mesh box, oils can be separated and collected from the surface of water repeatedly, and that high separation efficiencies of larger than 92 % are retained for various oils. Moreover, the superhydrophobic mesh also possesses excellent corrosion resistance and thermal stability. Hence, these superhydrophobic meshes might be good candidates for the practical separation of oil from the surface of water. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Differential Response to Heat Stress in Outer and Inner Onion Bulb Scales.

Science.gov (United States)

Galsurker, Ortal; Doron-Faigenboim, Adi; Teper-Bamnolker, Paula; Daus, Avinoam; Lers, Amnon; Eshel, Dani

2018-05-18

Brown protective skin formation in onion bulbs can be induced by rapid postharvest heat treatment. Onions that were peeled to different depths and were exposed to heat stress showed that only the outer scale formed dry brown skin, whereas the inner scales maintained high water content and did not change color. Our results reveal that browning of the outer scale during heat treatment is due to an enzymatic process that is associated with high levels of oxidation components, such as peroxidase and quercetin glucoside. De-novo transcriptome analysis revealed differential molecular responses of the outer and inner scales to the heat stress. Genes involved in lipid metabolism, oxidation pathways and cell-wall modification were highly expressed in the outer scale during heating. Defense-response-related genes such as those encoding heat-shock proteins, antioxidative stress defense or production of osmoprotectant metabolites were mostly induced in the inner scale in response to the heat exposure. These transcriptomic data led to a conceptual model that suggests sequential processes for browning development and desiccation of the outer scales versus processes associated with defense response and heat tolerance in the inner scale. Thus, the observed physiological differences between the outer and inner scales is supported by the identified molecular differences.

Hydrochemical and environmental isotope analysis of groundwater and surface water in a dry mountain region in Northern Chile.

Science.gov (United States)

Zang, Carina; Dame, Juliane; Nüsser, Marcus

2018-05-08

This case study examines the geological imprint and land use practices on water quality in the arid Huasco Valley against the backdrop of ongoing water conflicts surrounding competing demands for agriculture and mining. The study is based on a detailed analysis of spatial and temporal variations of monthly surface and bi-monthly groundwater quality samples measured during the Chilean summer of 2015/16. Additional information on source regions and river-groundwater interactions were collected using stable water isotopes. Regarding the geological impact on water quality, high concentrations of Ca 2+ , SO 4 2- and HCO 3 - indicate a strong influence of magmatic rocks, which constitute this high mountain basin, on the hydrochemistry. Piper and Gibbs-diagrams revealed that all samples show a homogenous distribution dominated by rock-water interactions. Measured NO 3 - concentrations in surface water are generally low. However, groundwater aquifers exhibit higher concentrations. Mn is the only heavy metal with elevated concentrations in surface water, which are possibly related to mining activities. The results illustrate that both surface and groundwater can be classified as suitable for irrigation. In addition, groundwater has been found to be suitable as drinking water. High similarities in isotopic signatures indicate a strong connection between surface and groundwater. Isotopic analyses suggest a strong influence of evaporation. This combined approach of hydrogeochemical and isotopic analysis proved to be a helpful tool in characterizing the catchment and can serve as a basis for future sustainable water management.

Freezing Injury in Onion Bulb Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Palta, Jiwan P.; Levitt, Jacob; Stadelmann, Eduard J.

1977-01-01

Onion (Allium cepa L.) bulbs were frozen to −4 and −11 C and kept frozen for up to 12 days. After slow thawing, a 2.5-cm square from a bulb scale was transferred to 25 ml deionized H2O. After shaking for standard times, measurements were made on the effusate and on the effused cells. The results obtained were as follows. Even when the scale tissue was completely infiltrated, and when up to 85% of the ions had diffused out, all of the cells were still alive, as revealed by cytoplasmic streaming and ability to plasmolyze. The osmotic concentration of the cell sap, as measured plasmolytically, decreased in parallel to the rise in conductivity of the effusate. The K+ content of the effusate, plus its assumed counterion, accounted for only 20% of the total solutes, but for 100% of the conductivity. A large part of the nonelectrolytes in the remaining 80% of the solutes was sugars. The increased cell injury and infiltration in the −11 C treatment, relative to the −4 C and control (unfrozen) treatments, were paralleled by increases in conductivity, K+ content, sugar content, and pH of the effusate. In spite of the 100% infiltration of the tissue and the large increase in conductivity of the effusate following freezing, no increase in permeability of the cells to water could be detected. The above observations may indicate that freezing or thawing involves a disruption of the active transport system before the cells reveal any injury microscopically. PMID:16660100

PV water pumping for carbon sequestration in dry land agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olsson, Alexander; Campana, Pietro Elia; Lind, Mårten; Yan, Jinyue

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A novel model for carbon sequestration in dry land agriculture is developed. • We consider the water-food-energy-climate nexus to assess carbon sequestration. • Using water for carbon sequestration should be assessed critically. • Co-benefits of carbon sequestration should be included in the assessment. • Moisture feedback is part of the nexus model. - Abstract: This paper suggests a novel model for analysing carbon sequestration activities in dry land agriculture considering the water-food-energy-climate nexus. The paper is based on our on-going studies on photovoltaic water pumping (PVWP) systems for irrigation of grasslands in China. Two carbon sequestration projects are analysed in terms of their water productivity and carbon sequestration potential. It is concluded that the economic water productivity, i.e. how much water that is needed to produce an amount of grass, of grassland restoration is low and that there is a need to include several of the other co-benefits to justify the use of water for climate change mitigation. The co-benefits are illustrated in a nexus model including (1) climate change mitigation, (2) water availability, (3) downstream water impact, (4) energy security, (5) food security and (6) moisture recycling. We argue for a broad approach when analysing water for carbon sequestration. The model includes energy security and food security together with local and global water concerns. This makes analyses of dry land carbon sequestration activities more relevant and accurate. Without the nexus approach, the co-benefits of grassland restoration tend to be diminished

Controversial bulb disks still marketed as energy savers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andrews, W.

1982-05-24

Despite a 1980 DOE study showing that incandescent bulb disks decrease lamp efficiency by reducing light output as well as energy consumption, at least two manufacturers are still marketing the disks. The companies claim that the Power Disc and Lite-Saver will extend bulb life up to 100 times and reduce wattage 42%, although they both acknowledge that light output is reduced as much as 74% for a 53% efficiency drop. Some users claim the life-extension feature is important when bulb replacement is difficult. The DOE study concludes that the disks are not cost-effective if the user wants equivalent lighting, and questions some of the manufacturers' advertising claims. Satisfied users counter with reports of good performance and no problems with shock or other safety hazards. (DCK)

Field Evidence Supporting Conventional Onion Curing Practices as a Strategy To Mitigate Escherichia coli Contamination from Irrigation Water.

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Daniel; Feibert, Erik; Reitz, Stuart; Shock, Clint; Waite-Cusic, Joy

2018-03-01

The Produce Safety Rule of the U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act includes restrictions on the use of agricultural water of poor microbiological quality. Mitigation options for poor water quality include the application of an irrigation-to-harvest interval of onion production includes an extended irrigation-to-harvest interval (onion fields (randomized block design; n = 5) via drip tape on the final day of irrigation. Onions remained undisturbed for 7 days and were then lifted to the surface to cure for an additional 21 days before harvest. Water, onions, and soil were tested for presence of rifampin-resistant E. coli. One day after irrigation, 13.3% of onions (20 of 150) receiving the poorest quality water (3 log CFU/mL) tested positive for E. coli; this prevalence was reduced to 4% (6 of 150 onions) after 7 days. Regardless of inoculum level, E. coli was not detected on any onions beyond 15 days postirrigation. These results support conventional dry bulb onion curing practices as an effective strategy to mitigate microbiological concerns associated with poor quality irrigation water.

Strong Control of Salts on Near Surface Liquid Water Content in a High Polar Desert Indicated by Near Surface Resistivity Mapping with a Helicopter-Borne TEM Sensor, Lower Taylor Valley, Antarctica

Science.gov (United States)

Foley, N.; Tulaczyk, S. M.; Auken, E.; Mikucki, J.; Myers, K. F.; Dugan, H.; Doran, P. T.; Virginia, R. A.

2016-12-01

Closed depressions in the Lower Taylor Valley (McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica) have near surface (top 5m) electrical resistivity that is lower by about an order of magnitude than the resistivity of nearby slopes and ridges (100s of ohm-m vs. 1000s). We interpret this spatial pattern as being due to long term concentration of salts carried by liquid water and/or deliquescent vapor fronts. High concentration of salts in the top decimeters to meters beneath the surface may prolong the existence and abundance of liquid water in this otherwise very cold and dry high polar desert. Due to its connections with life and chemical transport, liquid water is a much studied feature in the McMurdo Dry Valleys. This setting can be used as an analogue for similar features on the surface of Mars, where liquid water tracks have been observed and are believed to be controlled by eutectic brines. Our study demonstrates the utility of mapping at a regional scale via helicopter-borne Transient EM. Airborne EM covers more ground and can measure deeper than surface-based measurements, at the expense of resolution. This allows creating valley-scale datasets which could not feasibly be collected on the ground. Our remote measurements complement physical samples that indicate that soluble salts concentrate in certain areas of surface soil where water moves ions and is later removed by evaporation or sublimation. In areas where we measured low resistivity, the integrated liquid water fraction in the top 5m may be a few to several percent by volume, equivalent to a few or several dozens of cm of water layer thickness. This estimate assumes that the interstitial waters have very low resistivity, comparable to seawater or hypersaline brines at freezing (0.2-0.35 ohm-m). If soil water was considerably fresher than this, liquid water content would have to reach dozens of percent throughout the top 5m for bulk resistivities to drop to 100s of ohm-m. We consider the latter case to be unlikely as

Surface ozone seasonality under global change: Influence from dry deposition and isoprene emissions at northern mid-latitudes

Science.gov (United States)

Clifton, O.; Paulot, F.; Fiore, A. M.; Horowitz, L. W.; Malyshev, S.; Shevliakova, E.; Correa, G. J. P.; Lin, M.

2017-12-01

Identifying the contributions of nonlinear chemistry and transport to observed surface ozone seasonal cycles over land using global models relies on an accurate representation of ozone uptake by vegetation (dry deposition). It is well established that in the absence of ozone precursor emission changes, a warming climate will increase surface ozone in polluted regions, and that a rise in temperature-dependent isoprene emissions would exacerbate this "climate penalty". However, the influence of changes in ozone dry deposition, expected to evolve with climate and land use, is often overlooked in air quality projections. With a new scheme that represents dry deposition within the NOAA GFDL dynamic vegetation land model (LM3) coupled to the NOAA GFDL atmospheric chemistry-climate model (AM3), we simulate the impact of 21st century climate and land use on ozone dry deposition and isoprene emissions. This dry deposition parameterization is a version of the Wesely scheme, but uses parameters explicitly calculated by LM3 that respond to climate and land use (e.g., stomatal conductance, canopy interception of water, leaf area index). The parameterization includes a nonstomatal deposition dependence on humidity. We evaluate climatological present-day seasonal cycles of ozone deposition velocities and abundances with those observed at northern mid-latitude sites. With a set of 2010s and 2090s decadal simulations under a high climate warming scenario (RCP8.5) and a sensitivity simulation with well-mixed greenhouse gases following RCP8.5 but air pollutants held at 2010 levels (RCP8.5_WMGG), we examine changes in surface ozone seasonal cycles. We build on our previous findings, which indicate that strong reductions in anthropogenic NOx emissions under RCP8.5 cause the surface ozone seasonal cycle over the NE USA to reverse, shifting from a summer peak at present to a winter peak by 2100. Under RCP8.5_WMGG, we parse the separate effects of climate and land use on ozone dry

Cold Vacuum Drying facility deionized water system design description

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

PITKOFF, C.C.

1999-01-01

This document describes the Cold Vacuum Drying Facility (CVDF) de-ionized water system. The de-ionized water system is used to provide clean, conditioned water, free from contaminants, chlorides and iron for the CVD Facility. Potable water is supplied to the deionized water system, isolated by a backflow prevention device. After the de-ionization process is complete, via a packaged de-ionization unit, de-ionized water is supplied to the process deionization unit

Remote sensing of height of a fog layer and temperature of fog droplets using infrared thermometer and meteorological satellite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, K.; Abe, H.

1998-01-01

To study meteorological characteristics of cool foggy easterly (Yamase), by which rice production in the Tohoku region was frequently damaged, we measured temperature of the fog layer resulted from Yamase, using infrared thermal indicator and meteorological satellite (HIMAWARI). These temperature data were compared with wet-bulb and dry-bulb temperatures obtained by a ventilated psychrometer. Generally, the temperature of fog droplets estimated from infrared thermal indicator was higher than the wet-bulb temperature by about 0∼1°C. This result indicates clearly that fog droplets were cooled by evaporation on the droplet surface. Under the conditions that the fog layer is homogeneous in liquid water content and fog droplet size distribution, the height of the fog layer can be estimated by the observation of visibility and relative solar radiation flux. (author)

Small drains, big problems: the impact of dry weather runoff on shoreline water quality at enclosed beaches.

Science.gov (United States)

Rippy, Megan A; Stein, Robert; Sanders, Brett F; Davis, Kristen; McLaughlin, Karen; Skinner, John F; Kappeler, John; Grant, Stanley B

2014-12-16

Enclosed beaches along urban coastlines are frequent hot spots of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) pollution. In this paper we present field measurements and modeling studies aimed at evaluating the impact of small storm drains on FIB pollution at enclosed beaches in Newport Bay, the second largest tidal embayment in Southern California. Our results suggest that small drains have a disproportionate impact on enclosed beach water quality for five reasons: (1) dry weather surface flows (primarily from overirrigation of lawns and ornamental plants) harbor FIB at concentrations exceeding recreational water quality criteria; (2) small drains can trap dry weather runoff during high tide, and then release it in a bolus during the falling tide when drainpipe outlets are exposed; (3) nearshore turbulence is low (turbulent diffusivities approximately 10(-3) m(2) s(-1)), limiting dilution of FIB and other runoff-associated pollutants once they enter the bay; (4) once in the bay, runoff can form buoyant plumes that further limit vertical mixing and dilution; and (5) local winds can force buoyant runoff plumes back against the shoreline, where water depth is minimal and human contact likely. Outdoor water conservation and urban retrofits that minimize the volume of dry and wet weather runoff entering the local storm drain system may be the best option for improving beach water quality in Newport Bay and other urban-impacted enclosed beaches.

Sliding-surface-liquefaction of sand-dry ice mixture and submarine landslides

Science.gov (United States)

Fukuoka, H.; Tsukui, A.

2010-12-01

methane hydrates in laboratories because no explosion protection facility is required. In order to prevent rapid gasification, the specimen was prepared without water. Applied total normal stress was 200 kPa and initial normal stress was maintained at about 70 kPa by slightly opening the drainage valve to vent pressured CO2 gas. When the sample was sheared at 30 cm/s, the stress path reached failure line of friction angle of about 37 degrees immediately. However, excess pore air pressure increased soon after and the stress path moved to the origin along the failure line. This means rapid shearing generates frictional heat and it accelerates the gasification of dry ice quickly. On the other hand, crushing of pellets may contribute to increase the total surface area of dry ice and to acceleration of gasification, to some extent. Authors are conducting to examine the velocity weakening characteristics of the samples and upcoming results will give more detail of the mechanism. But this sliding-surface-liquefaction in the mixture supports the possibility of similar accelerating displacement in the sand-MH mixture or boundaries between MH and sand layer induced by certain strong ground motion under sea floor.

Water Productivity of Irrigated Rice under Transplanting, Wet Seeding and Dry Seeding Methods of Cultivation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Murali, NS.

1997-01-01

Full Text Available Water productivity (WP of irrigated lowland rice was determined during the 1994 dry (January to May and wet (August to December seasons on a heavy clay acid sulphate soil. Treatments consisted of three cultivation methods : transplanted rice, pregerminated seeds broadcasted on puddled soil (wet seeding and dry seeds broadcasted on unpuddled soil (dry seeding. In wet and dry seeded plots, continuous standing water condition was initiated 17 days after sowing. Total water requirement for rice production was highest in transplanted plots (755 mm in wet season and 1154 mm in dry season and was lowest in dry seeded plots (505 mm in wet season and 1040 mm in dry season. Dry seeding required no water for land preparation but transplanting and wet seeding methods required 18 - 20 % of total water requirement in dry season and 27 - 29 % in wet season. Total percolation was maximum (99 mm in wet season and 215 mm in dry season in dry seeding method and was minimum (62 mm in wet season and 94 mm in dry season in transplanting method. In dry and wet seeding methods, daily percolation gradually decreased with the age of the crop. Total seepage loss did not show any significant difference between the cultivation methods in the two seasons. Grain yield was not affected by the three cultivation methods in both seasons. Water productivity (the ratio between grain yield and total amount of water used in production was 3.5 - 4.1 kg ha-1 mm-1, 3.8 - 4.4 kg ha-1 mm-1 and 4.1 - 5.5 kg ha-1 mm-1 in transplanted, wet seeded and dry seeded rice, respectively. Labour requirement for land preparation and sowing was maximum in transplanted (219 - 226 man-hours ha-1 followed by wet (104 -112 man-hours ha-1 and dry seeded (94 - 99 man-hours ha-1 methods. However, in wet season extra labour (77 man-hours ha-1 was required for weeding after crop establishment in dry and wet seeding methods. Crop maturity was 20 days earlier in wet and dry seeding methods compared to

Protoplasmic Swelling as a Symptom of Freezing Injury in Onion Bulb Cells 1

Science.gov (United States)

Arora, Rajeev; Palta, Jiwan P.

1986-01-01

Freezing injury, in onion bulb tissue, is known to cause enhanced K+ efflux accompanied by a small but significant loss of Ca2+ following incipient freezing injury and swelling of protoplasm during the postthaw secondary injury. The protoplasmic swelling of the cell is thought to be caused by the passive influx of extracellular K+ into the cell followed by water uptake. Using outer epidermal layer of unfrozen onion bulb scales (Allium cepa L. cv Big Red), we were able to stimulate the irreversible freezing injury symptoms, by bathing epidermal cells in 50 millimolar KCl. These symptoms were prevented by adding 20 millimolar CaCl2 to the extracellular KCl solution. Our results provide evidence that loss of cellular Ca2+ plays an important role in the initiation and the progression of freezing injury. Images Fig. 1 PMID:16665083

Drying of heavy water system and works of charging heavy water in Fugen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsushita, Tadashi; Iijima, Setsuo

1980-01-01

The advanced thermal reactor ''Fugen'' is the first heavy water-moderated, boiling light water-cooled nuclear reactor for power generation in Japan. It is a large heavy water reactor having about 130 m 3 of heavy water inventory and about 300 m 3 of helium space as the cover gas of the heavy water system. The heavy water required was purchased from FRG, which had been used for the power output test in the KKN, and the quality was 99.82 mol % mean heavy water concentration. The concentration of heavy water for Fugen used for the nuclear design is 99.70 mol%, and it was investigated how heavy water can be charged without lowering the concentration. The matters of investigation include the method of bringing the heavy water and helium system to perfect dryness after washing and light water test, the method of confirming the sufficient dryness to prevent the deterioration, and the method of charging heavy water safely from its containers. On the basis of the results of investigation, the actual works were started. The works of drying the heavy water and helium system by vacuum drying, the works of sampling heavy water and the result of the degree of deterioration, and the works of charging heavy water and the measures to the heavy water remaing in the containers are described. All the works were completed safely and smoothly. (J.P.N.)

Sprout inhibition in roots, tubers and bulbs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luna C, P.C.

1992-05-01

The treatment with ionizing radiations to low dose impedes that appear sprouts in the tubers (potatoes); bulbs (onion and garlic) and in roots like the ginger and the yucca. The purpose is to inhibit the germination during the process of manipulation and storage, and this way to avoid the lost ones post crop of these products. The radiation dose required to inhibit the germination goes to depend of: the development conditions, the differences of variety, of the storage state of the bulbs and the conditions of cured and storage. (Author)

Effects of L-glutamine on rectal temperature and some markers of oxidative stress in Red Sokoto goats during the hot-dry season.

Science.gov (United States)

Ocheja, Ohiemi Benjamin; Ayo, Joseph Olusegun; Aluwong, Tagang; Minka, Ndazo Salka

2017-08-01

The experiment investigated the ameliorative effects of L-glutamine administration on rectal temperature (RT), erythrocyte osmotic fragility (EOF), serum antioxidant enzyme activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in Red Sokoto goats during the hot-dry season. Twenty eight healthy Red Sokoto goats, comprising 14 experimental (administered 0.2 g/kg of L-glutamine dissolved in 10 mL of distilled water, once daily for 21 days) and 14 control (administered equivalent of distilled water) goats served as subjects. Rectal temperature (measured at 6:00, 13:00 and 18:00 h) and blood samples (taken at 8:00 h) were obtained from all subjects weekly, before, during and after L-glutamine administration. Data obtained were compared using one-way repeated-measures ANOVA, followed by Tukey's post-hoc test. The dry-bulb temperature, relative humidity and temperature-humidity index for the study period ranged between 24.0 and 37.5 °C, 26.0 and 84.0% and 73.0 and 86.3, respectively. L-glutamine administration decreased (P heat-stressed goats during the hot-dry season.

Wet-dry cycles effect on ash water repellency. A laboratory experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Paulo; Cerdà, Artemi; Oliva, Marc; Mataix, Jorge; Jordán, Antonio

2014-05-01

In the immediate period after the fire, the ash layer has a strong influence on soil hydrological processes, as runoff, infiltration and erosion. Ash is very dynamic in the space and time. Until the first rainfall periods, ash is (re)distributed by the wind. After it can cover the soil surface, infiltrate or transported to other areas by water transport (Pereira et al., 2013a, b). This will have strong implications on nutrient redistribution and vegetation recovery. Ash layer may affect soil water repellency in different ways, depending on fire severity, soil properties and vegetation. Ash produced at low temperatures after low-severity burning is usually hydrophobic (Bodi et al., 2011, 2012). Wet-dry cycles have implications on ash physical and chemical properties, changing their effects in space and time. The aim of this study is to analyse the effects of fire temperature and severity on ash water repellency. Pinus sylvestris needles were collected in a Lithuania forest in Dzukija National Park (53º 54' N and 24º 22' E), transported to laboratory and washed with deionized water to remove soil particles and other residues. Needle samples were dried during 24 hours and exposed to different temperatures: 200, 300, 400 and 500 ºC, during 2 hours. Ash colour was analysed according to the Munsell Soil Color charts. Ash was black (10 YR 2/1) at 200 ºC, very dark grey (10YR 3/1) at 300 ºC, gray (10YR 5/1) at 400 ºC and light gray (10YR 7/1) at 500 ºC. Ten samples of ash released after each treatment were placed in plastic dishes (50 mm in diameter) in an amount enough to form a 5 mm thick layer, and ash water repellency was measured according to the Water Drop Penetration Test. Later, ash was carefully wetted with 15 ml of deionized water and placed in an oven during 4 days (96 hours), as in Bodí et al. (2012). This procedure was repeated 5 times in order to observe the effects of wet-dry cycles in ash water repellency. The results showed significant differences

Effect of long-term application of biosolids for land reclamation on surface water chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, G; Granato, T C; Pietz, R I; Carlson, C R; Abedin, Z

2006-01-01

Biosolids are known to have a potential to restore degraded land, but the long-term impacts of this practice on the environment, including water quality, still need to be evaluated. The surface water chemistry (NO3-, NH4+, and total P, Cd, Cu, and Hg) was monitored for 31 yr from 1972 to 2002 in a 6000-ha watershed at Fulton County, Illinois, where the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago was restoring the productivity of strip-mined land using biosolids. The mean cumulative loading rates during the past 31 yr were 875 dry Mg ha(-1) for 1120-ha fields in the biosolids-amended watershed and 4.3 dry Mg ha(-1) for the 670-ha fields in the control watershed. Biosolids were injected into mine spoil fields as liquid fertilizer from 1972 to 1985, and incorporated as dewatered cake from 1980 to 1996 and air-dried solids from 1987 to 2002. The mean annual loadings of nutrients and trace elements from biosolids in 1 ha were 735 kg N, 530 kg P, 4.5 kg Cd, 30.7 kg Cu, and 0.11 kg Hg in the fields of the biosolids-amended watershed, and negligible in the fields of the control watershed. Sampling of surface water was conducted monthly in the 1970s, and three times per year in the 1980s and 1990s. The water samples were collected from 12 reservoirs and 2 creeks receiving drainage from the fields in the control watershed, and 8 reservoirs and 4 creeks associated with the fields in the biosolids-amended watershed for the analysis of NO3- -N (including NO2- N), NH4+-N, and total P, Cd, Cu, and Hg. Compared to the control (0.18 mg L(-1)), surface water NO3- -N in the biosolids-amended watershed (2.23 mg L(-1)) was consistently higher; however, it was still below the Illinois limit of 10 mg L(-1) for public and food-processing water supplies. Biosolids applications had a significant effect on mean concentrations of ammonium N (0.11 mg L(-1) for control and 0.24 mg L(-1) for biosolids) and total P (0.10 mg L(-1) for control and 0.16 mg L(-1) for biosolids) in

Defining sale ethylene for long term storage of tulip bulbs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wild, de H.P.J.; Peppelenbos, H.W.; Dijkstra, M.H.G.E.; Gude, H.

2002-01-01

The maximum ethylene level that can be permitted in storage rooms, without causing damage to tulip bulbs, is not exactly known. Therefore, a zero-tolerance for the presence of ethylene during storage of tulip bulbs is common practice. This results in excessive ventilation and coherent large energy

Soil water retention curves of remoulded clay on drying and wetting paths

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Xiwei; Zhang Jian

2010-01-01

The present research focuses on the laboratory measurement of the Soil Water Retention Curve (SWRC), that expresses the relationship between water content (gravimetric or volumetric) or degree of saturation and soil suction. The SWRC plays an important role in an unsaturated soil mechanics framework and is required for the numerical modelling of any process of flow and transport in unsaturated soil problems, already as a part of constitutive model of unsaturated soil. Six remoulded London Clay samples were performed SWRC testing on the drying and wetting path, meanwhile measurement the volume change. The effect of initial water content and various drying/wetting paths were considered in the tests. The results of SWRC show that hysteretic characteristic in boundary drying/wetting curve, the water holding capacity was increased due to the increase of the initial water content. The shape of the SWRC strongly depended on the volume change. (authors)

Surface topography and contact mechanics of dry and wet human skin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander E. Kovalev

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The surface topography of the human wrist skin is studied by using optical and atomic force microscopy (AFM methods. By using these techniques the surface roughness power spectrum is obtained. The Persson contact mechanics theory is used to calculate the contact area for different magnifications, for the dry and wet skin. The measured friction coefficient between a glass ball and dry and wet skin can be explained assuming that a frictional shear stress σf ≈ 13 MPa and σf ≈ 5 MPa, respectively, act in the area of real contact during sliding. These frictional shear stresses are typical for sliding on surfaces of elastic bodies. The big increase in friction, which has been observed for glass sliding on wet skin as the skin dries up, can be explained as result of the increase in the contact area arising from the attraction of capillary bridges. Finally, we demonstrated that the real contact area can be properly defined only when a combination of both AFM and optical methods is used for power spectrum calculation.

Predicting the water-drop energy required to breakdown dry soil aggregates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mbagwu, J.S.C.; Bazzoffi, P.

1995-04-01

The raindrop energy required to breakdown dry soil aggregates is an index of structural stability which has been found very useful in modelling soil erosion process and in evaluating the suitability of tillage implements for different soils. The aim of this research was to develop and validate a model for predicting the specific water-drop energy required to breakdown aggregates (D) as influenced by soil properties. Air-dry aggregates (2-4 mm in diameter), collected from 15 surface (0-20 cm) soils in north central Italy were used for this study. The actual and natural log-transformed D values were regressed on the soil properties. Clay content, wilting point moisture content (WP) and percent water-stable aggregates (WSA) > 2.0 mm were good predictors of D. Empirical models developed from either clay content or WP predicted D in 70% of the test soils whereas the model developed from WSA > 2.0 mm predicted D in 90% of the test soils. The correlation coefficients (r) between measured and predicted D were 0.961, 0.963 and 0.997 respectively, for models developed from clay, WP and WSA > 2.0 mm. The validity of these models need to be tested on other soils with a wider variation in properties than those used to developed the models. (author). 42 refs, 5 tabs

Thermodynamic analysis of vapor compression heat pump cycle for tap water heating and development of CO_2 heat pump water heater for residential use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saikawa, Michiyuki; Koyama, Shigeru

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The ideal vapor compression cycle for tap water heating and its COP were defined. • It was verified theoretically that CO_2 achieves the highest COP for tap water heating. • The prototype of CO_2 heat pump water heater for residential use was developed. • Further COP improvement of CO_2 heat pump water heater was estimated. - Abstract: The ideal vapor compression cycle for tap water heating and its coefficient of performance (COP) have been studied theoretically at first. The ideal cycle is defined as the cycle whose high temperature heat source varies temperature with constant specific heat and other processes are same as the reverse Carnot cycle. The COP upper limit of single stage compression heat pump cycle for tap water heating with various refrigerants such as fluorocarbons and natural refrigerants was calculated. The refrigerant which achieves the highest COP for supplying hot water is CO_2. Next, the prototype of CO_2 heat pump water heater for residential use has been developed. Its outline and experimental results are described. Finally its further possibility of COP improvement has been studied. The COP considered a limit from a technical point of view was estimated about 6.0 at the Japanese shoulder season (spring and autumn) test condition of heating water from 17 °C to 65 °C at 16 °C heat source air temperature (dry bulb)/12 °C (wet bulb).

Desert water harvesting to benefit wildlife: a simple, cheap, and durable sub-surface water harvester for remote locations.

Science.gov (United States)

Rice, William E

2004-12-01

A sub-surface desert water harvester was constructed in the sagebrush steppe habitat of south-central Idaho, U.S.A. The desert water harvester utilizes a buried micro-catchment and three buried storage tanks to augment water for wildlife during the dry season. In this region, mean annual precipitation (MAP) ranges between about 150-250 mm (6"-10"), 70% of which falls during the cold season, November to May. Mid-summer through early autumn, June through October, is the dry portion of the year. During this period, the sub-surface water harvester provides supplemental water for wildlife for 30-90 days, depending upon the precipitation that year. The desert water harvester is constructed with commonly available, "over the counter" materials. The micro-catchment is made of a square-shaped, 20 mL. "PERMALON" polyethylene pond liner (approximately 22.9 m x 22.9 m = 523 m2) buried at a depth of about 60 cm. A PVC pipe connects the harvester with two storage tanks and a drinking trough. The total capacity of the water harvester is about 4777 L (1262 U.S. gallons) which includes three underground storage tanks, a trough and pipes. The drinking trough is refined with an access ramp for birds and small animals. The technology is simple, cheap, and durable and can be adapted to other uses, e.g. drip irrigation, short-term water for small livestock, poultry farming etc. The desert water harvester can be used to concentrate and collect water from precipitation and run-off in semi-arid and arid regions. Water harvested in such a relatively small area will not impact the ground water table but it should help to grow small areas of crops or vegetables to aid villagers in self-sufficiency.

Ground and surface water quality along a dambo transect in Chihota smallholder farming area, Marondera district, Zimbabwe

Science.gov (United States)

Wuta, M.; Nyamadzawo, G.; Mlambo, J.; Nyamugafata, P.

2016-04-01

In many smallholder farms in sub-Saharan Africa dambos are used for grazing and crop production especially horticultural crops. Increased use of dambos especially for crop production can result in ground and surface water pollution. Ground and surface water quality along a dambo transect in Chihota, Zimbabwe, was investigated between October 2013 and February 2014. The transect was divided into; upland (control), dambo gardens (mid-slope) and the river (valley bottom). Water samples for quality assessment were collected in October 2013 (peak of dry season) and February 2014 (peak of rainy season). The collected water samples were analysed for pH, faecal coliforms, total nitrogen, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), and some selected nutrients (P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Zn, and Cu). Water pH was 7.0, 6.4 and 6.1 for river water, garden and upland wells respectively. During the wet season total nitrogen (TN) concentrations were 233 mg/L for uplands, 242 mg/L for gardens and 141 mg/L for the river. During the dry season, TN concentrations were all below 20 mg/L, and were not significantly different among sampling stations along the dambo transect. Dry season faecal coliform units (fcu) were significantly different and were 37.2, 30.0 and 5.0 for upland wells, garden wells and river respectively. Wet season faecal coliforms were also significantly different and were 428.5, 258.0 and 479.4 fcu for upland wells, garden wells and river respectively. The other measured physico-chemical parameters also varied with sampling position along the transect. It was concluded that TN and fcu in sampled water varied with season and that wet season concentrations were significantly higher than dry season concentrations. High concentrations of faecal coliforms and total N during the wet season was attributed to increased water movement. Water from upland wells, garden wells and river was not suitable for human consumption according to WHO standards during both the dry and

Spray Freeze-drying - The Process of Choice for Low Water Soluble Drugs?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leuenberger, H.

2002-01-01

Most of the novel highly potent drugs, developed on the basis of modern molecular medicine, taking into account cell surface recognition techniques, show poor water solubility. A chemical modification of the drug substance enhancing the solubility often decreases the pharmacological activity. Thus, as an alternative an increase of the solubility can be obtained by the reduction of the size of the drug particles. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to obtain micro or nanosized drug particles by classical or more advanced crystallization using supercritical gases or by milling techniques. In addition, nanosized particles are often not physically stable and need to be stabilized in an appropriate matrix. Thus, it may be of interest to manufacture directly nanosized drug particles stabilized in an inert hydrophilic matrix, i.e. nanostructured and nanocomposite systems. Solid solutions and solid dispersions represent nanostructured and nanocomposite systems. In this context, the use of the vacuum-fluidized-bed technique for the spray-drying of a low water soluble drug cosolubilized with a hydrophilic excipient in a polar organic solvent is discussed. In order to avoid the use of organic solvents, a special spray-freeze-drying technique working at atmospheric pressure is presented. This process is very suitable for temperature and otherwise sensitive drugs such as pharmaproteins

Tribological behavior of the carbon fiber reinforced polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) composite coating under dry sliding and water lubrication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Haiyan; Feng Zhizhong; Chen Jianmin; Zhou Huidi

2006-01-01

Carbon fiber reinforced polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) composite coatings (the mass fraction of the carbon fiber varied from 1 to 5 wt%) were prepared by flame spraying. The microstructure and physical properties of the composite coating were studied. The friction and wear characteristics of the PPS coating and carbon fiber reinforced PPS composite coating under dry- and water-lubricated sliding against stainless steel were comparatively investigated using a block-ring tester. The composite coatings showed lower friction coefficient and higher wear rate than pure PPS coatings under dry sliding. Under water-lubricated condition, the composite coatings showed better wear resistance than under dry. Under water-lubricated condition the tribological behaviors of the 3 wt% carbon fiber reinforced composite coating also were investigated under different sliding speed and load. The result showed that the sliding speed had little effect on the tribological properties, but the load affected greatly on that of the composite coatings. The morphologies of the worn surfaces of the composite coatings and the counterpart steel were analyzed by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), coupled with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) for compositional analysis

Improved Formulations for Air-Surface Exchanges Related to National Security Needs: Dry Deposition Models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Droppo, James G.

2006-07-01

The Department of Homeland Security and others rely on results from atmospheric dispersion models for threat evaluation, event management, and post-event analyses. The ability to simulate dry deposition rates is a crucial part of our emergency preparedness capabilities. Deposited materials pose potential hazards from radioactive shine, inhalation, and ingestion pathways. A reliable characterization of these potential exposures is critical for management and mitigation of these hazards. A review of the current status of dry deposition formulations used in these atmospheric dispersion models was conducted. The formulations for dry deposition of particulate materials from am event such as a radiological attack involving a Radiological Detonation Device (RDD) is considered. The results of this effort are applicable to current emergency preparedness capabilities such as are deployed in the Interagency Modeling and Atmospheric Assessment Center (IMAAC), other similar national/regional emergency response systems, and standalone emergency response models. The review concludes that dry deposition formulations need to consider the full range of particle sizes including: 1) the accumulation mode range (0.1 to 1 micron diameter) and its minimum in deposition velocity, 2) smaller particles (less than .01 micron diameter) deposited mainly by molecular diffusion, 3) 10 to 50 micron diameter particles deposited mainly by impaction and gravitational settling, and 4) larger particles (greater than 100 micron diameter) deposited mainly by gravitational settling. The effects of the local turbulence intensity, particle characteristics, and surface element properties must also be addressed in the formulations. Specific areas for improvements in the dry deposition formulations are 1) capability of simulating near-field dry deposition patterns, 2) capability of addressing the full range of potential particle properties, 3) incorporation of particle surface retention/rebound processes, and

Rainwater harvesting to alleviate water scarcity in dry conditions: A case study in Faria Catchment, Palestine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sameer Shadeed

2010-06-01

Full Text Available In arid and semi-arid regions, the availability of adequate water of appropriate quality has become a limiting factor for development. This paper aims to evaluate the potential for rainwater harvesting in the arid to semi-arid Faria Catchment, in the West Bank, Palestine. Under current conditions, the supply-demand gap is increasing due to the increasing water demands of a growing population with hydrologically limited and uncertain supplies. By 2015, the gap is estimated to reach 4.5 × 106 m3. This study used the process-oriented and physically-based TRAIN-ZIN model to evaluate two different rainwater harvesting techniques during two rainfall events. The analysis shows that there is a theoretical potential for harvesting an additional 4 × 106 m3 of surface water over the entire catchment. Thus, it is essential to manage the potential available surface water supplies in the catchment to save water for dry periods when the supply-demand gap is comparatively high. Then a valuable contribution to bridging the supply-demand gap can be made.

Two-dimensional LIF measurements of humidity and OH density resulting from evaporated water from a wet surface in plasma for medical use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yagi, Ippei; Ono, Ryo; Oda, Tetsuji; Takaki, Koichi

2015-01-01

In plasma medicine, plasma is applied to a wet surface and is often accompanied by dry-gas flow. The dry-gas flow affects water evaporation from the wet surface and influences production of reactive species derived from water vapor, such as OH radicals. In this study, the effect of the dry-gas flow on two-dimensional distributions of humidity and OH radical density are examined by measuring them using laser-induced fluorescence (LIF). First, humidity is measured when nitrogen flows from a quartz tube of 4 mm inner diameter onto distilled water and agar media from 5 mm distance. NO gas is added to the nitrogen as a tracer and humidity is obtained from the quenching rate of NO molecules measured using LIF. This measurement has a spatial resolution of 0.2 mm 3 and a temporal resolution of less than 220 ns. The two-dimensional humidity distribution shows that the dry-gas flow pushes away water vapor evaporating from the wet surface. As a result, a low-humidity region is formed near the quartz tube nozzle and a high-humidity region is formed near the wet surface. The thickness of the low-humidity region reduces with increasing gas flow rate. It is 0.1–0.5 mm for the flow rate of higher than 0.3 l min −1 . Next, the OH density is measured when a nanosecond pulsed streamer discharge is applied to a distilled water surface with dry-air flow. The OH density decreases with increasing gas flow rate due to decreased humidity. When the flow rate is lower than 0.1 l min −1 , the OH distribution is approximately uniform in the plasma region, while the humidity distribution shows a large gradient. The importance of the thin high-humidity region on the flux of reactive species onto the wet surface is discussed. (paper)

Assessment of requirements for dry towers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peterson, D E; Sonnichsen, J C

1976-09-01

The regional limitations of surface water supplies in the U.S. were assessed with respect to the consumptive use requirements of wet cooling towers. The study simulated unit consumptive use factors by region, assessed regional water supplies, and examined electric load projections through 2000 A.D. to ascertain where and when water limitations may occur and, therefore, where dry cooling may be required. It was concluded that the cooling water supply situation in the United States through the year 2000 is adequate in most areas, but is uncertain over much of the Southwest. The uncertainty is related to increasing competition for the available supplies and to potential Federal and/or State policy decisions that may have a significant effect on power plant cooling. Limitations on coastal siting, seismic zone constraints, and state constraints on the purchase and transfer of water rights from other uses to cooling supply have the potential of bringing wet/dry or dry cooling into relatively common use in the 1990's. (LCL)

Instrumental neutron activation analysis of dry atmospheric fall-out and rain-water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schutyser, P.; Maenhaut, W.; Dams, R.

1978-01-01

An automated precipitation sampler and an instrumental neutron activation analysis (i.n.a.a.) method for the determination of some major and trace elements in dry atmospheric fall-out and rain-water are presented. The sampler features a rain detector which makes separate collections of dry atmospheric fall-out and rain-water possible. The sampler is equipped with u.v. lamps in order to avoid algal growth during extended collection periods. After collection, the samples are separated into water-soluble and insoluble fractions. The soluble fraction is preconcentrated before analysis by freeze-drying. The i.n.a.a. method involves the measurement of both short- and long-lived radioactivities so that a total of 35 elements can be determined. The possibility of losses during freeze-drying and the accuracy of the i.n.a.a. method were investigated for 7 elements by analysis of a soluble fraction with an independent method, viz. inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. (Auth.)

The pathology of dry eye: the interaction between the ocular surface and lacrimal glands.

Science.gov (United States)

Stern, M E; Beuerman, R W; Fox, R I; Gao, J; Mircheff, A K; Pflugfelder, S C

1998-11-01

Most dry-eye symptoms result from an abnormal, nonlubricative ocular surface that increases shear forces under the eyelids and diminishes the ability of the ocular surface to respond to environmental challenges. This ocular-surface dysfunction may result from immunocompromise due to systemic autoimmune disease or may occur locally from a decrease in systemic androgen support to the lacrimal gland as seen in aging, most frequently in the menopausal female. Components of the ocular surface (cornea, conjunctiva, accessory lacrimal glands, and meibomian glands), the main lacrimal gland, and interconnecting innervation act as a functional unit. When one portion is compromised, normal lacrimal support of the ocular surface is impaired. Resulting immune-based inflammation can lead to lacrimal gland and neural dysfunction. This progression yields the OS symptoms associated with dry eye. Restoration of lacrimal function involves resolution of lymphocytic activation and inflammation. This has been demonstrated in the MRL/lpr mouse using systemic androgens or cyclosporine and in the dry-eye dog using topical cyclosporine. The efficacy of cyclosporine may be due to its immunomodulatory and antiinflammatory (phosphatase inhibitory capability) functions on the ocular surface, resulting in a normalization of nerve traffic. Although the etiologies of dry eye are varied, common to all ocular-surface disease is an underlying cytokine/receptor-mediated inflammatory process. By treating this process, it may be possible to normalize the ocular surface/lacrimal neural reflex and facilitate ocular surface healing.

Re-dispersion of alumina particles in water: influence of the surface state

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Desset, Sabine

1999-01-01

The aim of this work was to determine the mechanisms by which suspensions of alpha alumina particles may be dried and then re-dispersed spontaneously in water. To get reproducible results, we designed appropriate protocols: (i) for preparing the surface state, and for generating controlled interparticle contacts (presence of water or complexing agents); (ii) for measuring the amount of re-dispersed material with a proper averaging over all interparticle bonds (turbidity). These results show that there are thresholds, determined by the conditions of drying and re-dispersion, where all the powder goes from the aggregated state to the dispersed state. With hydrated powders, it was found that mild changes in the chemical conditions (pH) and application of very weak mechanical forces (sedimentation) were enough to cause significant change in re-dispersion. According to these thresholds, a re-dispersion mechanism could be identified. Re-dispersion is ruled, indeed, by a balance of forces and the displacement of the re-dispersion thresholds indicates a shift in the balance of forces. These forces are the well known forces that control colloidal stability: van der Waals attraction, electrostatic repulsion and hydration forces. We found that hydration acts as a repulsive wall corresponding to one or two monolayers of water on each surface and depends on the Relative Humidity of drying. We also found that electrostatic repulsions at short separations are much weaker than the predictions based on the Poisson Boltzmann equation, but should be modelled according to the triple layer model. Repulsions to be considered are those calculated with the screened charges of the particles. Another aim of this work was to facilitate re-dispersion by using complexing agents that bind to the surfaces and add a steric repulsion We have found that molecules with carboxylic and hydroxyl groups can be efficient in this respect, if they are bound to surfaces before aggregation, if they are not

Re-dispersion of alumina particles in water: influence of the surface state

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Desset, Sabine

1999-01-01

The aim of this work was to determine the mechanisms by which suspensions of alpha alumina particles may be dried and then re-dispersed spontaneously in water. To get reproducible results, we designed appropriate protocols: (i) for preparing the surface state, and for generating controlled interparticle contacts (presence of water or complexing agents); (ii) for measuring the amount of re-dispersed material with a proper averaging over all interparticle bonds (turbidity). These results show that there are thresholds, determined by the conditions of drying and re-dispersion, where all the powder goes from the aggregated state to the dispersed state. With hydrated powders, it was found that mild changes in the chemical conditions (pH) and application of very weak mechanical forces (sedimentation) were enough to cause significant change in re-dispersion. According to these thresholds, a re-dispersion mechanism could be identified. Re-dispersion is ruled, indeed, by a balance of forces and the displacement of the re-dispersion thresholds indicates a shift in the balance of forces. These forces are the well-known forces that control colloidal stability: van der Waals attraction, electrostatic repulsion and hydration forces. We found that hydration acts as a repulsive wall corresponding to one or two monolayers of water on each surface and depends on the Relative Humidity of drying. We also found that electrostatic repulsions at short separations are much weaker than the predictions based on the Poisson Boltzmann equation, but should be modelled according to the triple layer model. Repulsions to be considered are those calculated with the screened charges of the particles. Another aim of this work was to facilitate re-dispersion by using complexing agents that bind to the surfaces and add a steric repulsion We have found that molecules with carboxylic and hydroxyl groups can be efficient in this respect, if they are bound to surfaces before aggregation, if they are not

Surface modification of cellulose acetate membrane using thermal annealing to enhance produced water treatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kusworo, T. D., E-mail: tdkusworo@che.undip.ac.id; Aryanti, N., E-mail: nita.aryanti@gmail.com; Firdaus, M. M. H.; Sukmawati, H. [Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Diponegoro University Prof. Soedarto Street, Tembalang, Semarang, 50239, Phone/Fax : (024)7460058 (Indonesia)

2015-12-29

This study is performed primarily to investigate the effect of surface modification of cellulose acetate using thermal annealing on the enhancement of membrane performance for produced water treatment. In this study, Cellulose Acetate membranes were casted using dry/wet phase inversion technique. The effect of additive and post-treatment using thermal annealing on the membrane surface were examined for produced water treatment. Therma annealing was subjected to membrane surface at 60 and 70 °C for 5, 10 and 15 second, respectively. Membrane characterizations were done using membrane flux and rejection with produced water as a feed, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR) analysis. Experimental results showed that asymmetric cellulose acetate membrane can be made by dry/wet phase inversion technique. The results from the Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) analysis was also confirmed that polyethylene glycol as additivie in dope solution and thermal annealing was affected the morphology and membrane performance for produced water treatment, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs showed that the selective layer and the substructure of membrane became denser and more compact after the thermal annealing processes. Therefore, membrane rejection was significantly increased while the flux was slighty decreased, respectively. The best membrane performance is obtained on the composition of 18 wt % cellulose acetate, poly ethylene glycol 5 wt% with thermal annealing at 70° C for 15 second.

Surface modification of cellulose acetate membrane using thermal annealing to enhance produced water treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kusworo, T. D.; Aryanti, N.; Firdaus, M. M. H.; Sukmawati, H.

2015-01-01

This study is performed primarily to investigate the effect of surface modification of cellulose acetate using thermal annealing on the enhancement of membrane performance for produced water treatment. In this study, Cellulose Acetate membranes were casted using dry/wet phase inversion technique. The effect of additive and post-treatment using thermal annealing on the membrane surface were examined for produced water treatment. Therma annealing was subjected to membrane surface at 60 and 70 °C for 5, 10 and 15 second, respectively. Membrane characterizations were done using membrane flux and rejection with produced water as a feed, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR) analysis. Experimental results showed that asymmetric cellulose acetate membrane can be made by dry/wet phase inversion technique. The results from the Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) analysis was also confirmed that polyethylene glycol as additivie in dope solution and thermal annealing was affected the morphology and membrane performance for produced water treatment, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs showed that the selective layer and the substructure of membrane became denser and more compact after the thermal annealing processes. Therefore, membrane rejection was significantly increased while the flux was slighty decreased, respectively. The best membrane performance is obtained on the composition of 18 wt % cellulose acetate, poly ethylene glycol 5 wt% with thermal annealing at 70° C for 15 second

Drying of water based foundry coatings: Innovative test, process design and optimization methods

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Di Muoio, Giovanni Luca; Johansen, Bjørn Budolph

on real industrial cases. These tools have been developed in order to simulate and optimize the drying process and reduce drying time and power consumption as well as production process design time and cost of expensive drying equipment. Results show that test methods from other industries can be used...... capacity goals there is a need to understand how to design, control and optimize drying processes. The main focus of this project was on the critical parameters and properties to be controlled in production in order to achieve a stable and predictable drying process. We propose for each of these parameters...... of Denmark with the overall aim to optimize the drying process of water based foundry coatings. Drying of foundry coatings is a relatively new process in the foundry industry that followed the introduction of water as a solvent. In order to avoid moisture related quality problems and reach production...

Roles of surface water areas for water and solute cycle in Hanoi city, Viet Nam

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashi, Takeshi; Kuroda, Keisuke; Do Thuan, An; Tran Thi Viet, Nga; Takizawa, Satoshi

2013-04-01

Hanoi city, the capital of Viet Nam, has developed beside the Red river. Recent rapid urbanization of this city has reduced a large number of natural water areas such as lakes, ponds and canals not only in the central area but the suburban area. Contrary, the urbanization has increased artificial water areas such as pond for fish cultivation and landscaping. On the other hand, the urbanization has induced the inflow of waste water from households and various kinds of factories to these water areas because of delay of sewerage system development. Inflow of the waste water has induced eutrophication and pollution of these water areas. Also, there is a possibility of groundwater pollution by infiltration of polluted surface water. However, the role of these water areas for water cycle and solute transport is not clarified. Therefore, this study focuses on the interaction between surface water areas and groundwater in Hanoi city to evaluate appropriate land development and groundwater resource management. We are carrying out three approaches: a) understanding of geochemical characteristics of surface water and groundwater, b) monitoring of water levels of pond and groundwater, c) sampling of soil and pond sediment. Correlation between d18O and dD of precipitation (after GNIP), the Red River (after GNIR) and the water samples of this study showed that the groundwater is composed of precipitation, the Red River and surface water that has evaporation process. Contribution of the surface water with evaporation process was widely found in the study area. As for groundwater monitoring, the Holocene aquifers at two sites were in unconfined condition in dry season and the groundwater levels in the aquifer continued to increase through rainy season. The results of isotopic analysis and groundwater level monitoring showed that the surface water areas are one of the major groundwater sources. On the other hand, concentrations of dissolved Arsenic (filtered by 0.45um) in the pore

Porosity and water activity effects on stability of crystalline β-carotene in freeze-dried solids.

Science.gov (United States)

Harnkarnsujarit, Nathdanai; Charoenrein, Sanguansri; Roos, Yrjö H

2012-11-01

Stability of entrapped crystalline β-carotene as affected by water activity, solids microstructure, and composition of freeze-dried systems was investigated. Aliquots (1000 mm(3) , 20% w/w solids) of solutions of maltodextrins of various dextrose equivalents (M040:DE6, M100:DE11, and M250:DE25.5), M100-sugars (1:1 glucose, fructose and sucrose), and agar for gelation with dispersed β-carotene were frozen at -20, -40, or -80 °C and freeze-dried. Glass transition and α-relaxation temperatures were determined with differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical analysis, respectively. β-Carotene contents were monitored spectrophotometrically. In the glassy solids, pore microstructure had a major effect on β-carotene stability. Small pores with thin walls and large surface area allowed β-carotene exposure to oxygen which led to a higher loss, whereas structural collapse enhanced stability of β-carotene by decreasing exposure to oxygen. As water plasticized matrices, an increase in molecular mobility in the matrix enhanced β-carotene degradation. Stability of dispersed β-carotene was highest at around 0.2 a(w) , but decreasing structural relaxation times above the glass transition correlated well with the rate of β-carotene degradation at higher a(w) . Microstructure, a(w) , and component mobility are important factors in the control of stability of β-carotene in freeze-dried solids. β-Carotene expresses various nutritional benefits; however, it is sensitive to oxygen and the degradation contributes to loss of nutritional values as well as product color. To increase stability of β-carotene in freeze-dried foods, the amount of oxygen penetration need to be limited. The modification of freeze-dried food structures, for example, porosity and structural collapse, components, and humidity effectively enhance the stability of dispersed β-carotene in freeze-dried solids. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

Wiesbaden AB, Germany, Revised Uniform Summary of Surface Weather Observations (RUSSWO). Parts A-F

Science.gov (United States)

1972-08-16

temperatures, extreme maximum and miinimum temperatures, psychrometric sunmmary of wet-bulb temperature depression versusI dry-bulb temperature._means...14 5.1 033 MA us3 s , 33𔃾 *,~76, ~ ____ 6 5 410-0 U~i 4 6 it" 4! - 4 0 4 fl? 2 . a354,,-S 35W 11-44*0 - 3 5i f 4F1 5fu 7. 1,i 2 62M e a * _ 601_...body of the -ummary consists of a bivariate percentage frequeucy distribution of wet-bulb depression in 17 classes anread horisontally; by 2-degree

Freeze-drying wet digital prints: An option for salvage?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Juergens, M C; Schempp, N

2010-01-01

On the occasion of the collapse of the Historical Archive of the City of Cologne in March 2009 and the ensuing salvage effort, questions were raised about the use of freeze-drying for soaked digital prints, a technique that has not yet been evaluated for these materials. This study examines the effects of immersion, air-drying, drying in a blotter stack, freezing and freeze-drying on 35 samples of major digital printing processes. The samples were examined visually before, during and after testing; evaluation of the results was qualitative. Results show that some prints were already damaged by immersion alone (e.g. bleeding inks and soluble coatings) to the extent that the subsequent choice of drying method made no significant difference any more. For those samples that did survive immersion, air-drying proved to be crucial for water-sensitive prints, since any contact with the wet surface caused serious damage. Less water-sensitive prints showed no damage throughout the entire procedure, regardless of drying method. Some prints on coated media suffered from minor surface disruption up to total delamination of the surface coating due to the formation of ice crystals during shock-freezing. With few exceptions, freeze-drying did not cause additional damage to any of the prints that hadn't already been damaged by freezing. It became clear that an understanding of the process and materials is important for choosing an appropriate drying method.

Botrytis species on bulb crops

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lorbeer, J.W.; Seyb, A.M.; Boer, de M.; Ende, van den J.E.

2007-01-01

Abstract. A number of Botrytis species are pathogens of bulb crops. Botrytis squamosa (teleomorph=Botrytotinia squamosa) causal agent of botrytis leaf blight and B. allii the causal agent of botrytis neck rotare two of the most important fungal diseases of onion. The taxonomics of several of the

Dynamics of Soil Water Evaporation during Soil Drying in the Presence of a Shallow Water Table: Laboratory Experiment and Numerical Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Han, J.; Lin, J.; Liu, P.; Li, W.

2017-12-01

Evaporation from a porous medium plays a key role in hydrological, agricultural, environmental, and engineering applications. Laboratory and numerical experiments were conducted to investigate the evolution of soil water evaporation during a continuous drying event. Simulated soil water contents and temperatures by the calibrated model well reproduced measured values at different depths. Results show that the evaporative drying process could be divided into three stages, beginning with a relatively high evaporation rate during stage 1, followed by a lower rate during transient stage and stage 2, and finally maintaining a very low and constant rate during stage 3. The condensation zone was located immediately below the evaporation zone in the profile. Both peaks of evaporation and condensation rate increased rapidly during stage 1 and transition stage, decreased during stage 2, and maintained constant during stage 3. The width of evaporation zone kept a continuous increase during stages 1 and 2 and maintained a nearly constant value of 0.68 cm during stage 3. When the evaporation zone totally moved into the subsurface, a dry surface layer (DSL) formed above the evaporation zone at the end of stage 2. The width of DSL also presented a continuous increase during stage 2 and kept a constant value of 0.71 cm during stage 3. Although the magnitude of condensation zone was much smaller than that for the evaporation zone, the importance of the contribution of condensation zone to soil water dynamics should not be underestimated. Results from our experiment and numerical simulation show that this condensation process resulted in an unexpected and apparent water content increase in the middle of vadose zone profile.

RESPONSE OF ONION (Allium cepa L.) BULB YIELD TO DAY ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

PROF EKWUEME

2012-06-17

Jun 17, 2012 ... to the significance of onion bulbs in Nigeria, research efforts at the National Horticultural ... of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. O. A. T. Namo, Department of Plant Science and Technology, University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria ... plants to a source of light (two mercury solar light fluorescence bulbs of 150 watts ...

Energy and water conservation at lignite-fired power plants using drying and water recovery technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Ming; Qin, Yuanzhi; Yan, Hui; Han, Xiaoqu; Chong, Daotong

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Pre-drying and water recovery technologies were used to conserve energy and water. • The energy and water conservation potential were analyzed with reference cases. • The air-cooling unit produces water when the water content of lignite is high enough. • Influences of main parameters on energy and water conservation were analyzed. - Abstract: Lignite is considered as a competitive energy raw material with high security of supply viewed from a global angle. However, lignite-fired power plants have many shortcomings, including high investment, low energy efficiency and high water use. To address these issues, the drying and water recovery technologies are integrated within lignite-fired power plants. Both air-cooling and wet-cooling units with three kinds of lignite as feeding fuel were analyzed quantitatively. Results showed that energy conservation and water conservation are obtained simultaneously. The power plant firing high moisture lignite becomes more environmental friendly with higher power generation efficiency and a lower water makeup rate than the one firing low moisture lignite. And further calculation revealed that the air-cooling unit needs no makeup water and even produces some water as it generates power, when the water carrying coefficient is higher than 40 g/MJ.

Laser-light backscattering response to water content and proteolysis in dry-cured ham

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fulladosa, E.; Rubio-Celorio, M.; Skytte, Jacob Lercke

2017-01-01

on the acquisition conditions used. Laser backscattering was influenced by both dryness and proteolysis intensity showing an average light intensity decrease of 0.2 when decreasing water content (1% weight loss) and increasing proteolysis (equivalent to one-hour enzyme action). However, a decrease of scattering area...... was only detected when the water content was decreased (618 mm(2) per 1% weight loss). Changes on scattering of light profiles were only observed when the water content changed. Although there is a good correlation between water content and LBI parameters when analysing commercial samples, proteolysis...... of laser incidence) and to analyse the laser-light backscattering changes caused by additional hot air drying and proteolysis of dry-cured ham slices. The feasibility of the technology to determine water content and proteolysis (which is related to textural characteristics) of commercial sliced dry...

Agricultural adaptation to water scarcity in the Sri Lankan dry zone: A comparison of two water managment regimes

Science.gov (United States)

Burchfield, E. K.

2014-12-01

The island nation of Sri Lanka is divided into two agro-climatic zones: the southwestern wet zone and the northeastern dry zone. The dry zone is exposed to drought-like conditions for several months each year. Due to the sporadic nature of rainfall, dry zone livelihoods depend on the successful storage, capture, and distribution of water. Traditionally, water has been captured in rain-fed tanks and distributed through a system of dug canals. Recently, the Sri Lankan government has diverted the waters of the nation's largest river through a system of centrally managed reservoirs and canals and resettled farmers to cultivate this newly irrigated land. This study uses remotely sensed MODIS and LANDSAT imagery to compare vegetation health and cropping patterns in these distinct water management regimes under different conditions of water scarcity. Of particular interest are the socioeconomic, infrastructural, and institutional factors that affect cropping patterns, including field position, water storage capacity, and control of water resources. Results suggest that under known conditions of water scarcity, farmers cultivate other field crops in lieu of paddy. Cultivation changes depend to a large extent on the institutional distance between water users and water managers as well as the fragmentation of water resources within the system.

Water removal from a dry barrier cover system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stormont, J.C.; Ankeny, M.D.; Tansey, M.K.

1994-01-01

The results of the numerical simulations reveal that horizontal air flow through the coarse with reasonable pressure gradients can remove large quantities of water from the cover system. Initially, the water removal from the cover system is dominated by the evaporation and advection of water vapor out of the coarse layer. Once the coarse layer is dry, removal of water by evaporation near the fine/coarse layer interface reduces the local water content and water potential, and water moves toward the fine-coarse layer interface and becomes available for evaporation. This result is important in that it suggests the fine layer water content may be moderated by air flow in the coarse layer. Incorporating diffusion of water vapor from the fine layer into the coarse layer substantially increases the water movement out of the fine layer

Effects of Wet and Dry Finishing and Polishing on Surface Roughness and Microhardness of Composite Resins

Science.gov (United States)

Nasoohi, Negin; Hoorizad, Maryam

2017-01-01

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the effect of wet and dry finishing and polishing on microhardness and roughness of microhybrid and nanohybrid composites. Materials and Methods: Thirty samples were fabricated of each of the Polofil Supra and Aelite Aesthetic All-Purpose Body microhybrid and Grandio and Aelite Aesthetic Enamel nanohybrid composite resins. Each group (n=30) was divided into three subgroups of D, W and C (n=10). Finishing and polishing were performed dry in group D and under water coolant in group W. Group C served as the control group and did not receive finishing and polishing. Surface roughness of samples was measured by a profilometer and their hardness was measured by a Vickers hardness tester. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA (Pcomposites (Pcomposites (Pcomposites (Pcomposite resins. PMID:29104597

Glow curve characteristics of bulb type thermoluminescent dosimeters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deme, S.; Feher, I.; Felszerfalvi, J.

1993-01-01

TL dosemeter readers are equipped usually with thermocouples connected to the heater unit. This layout can well be applied to stabilize the position of the glow curve as a function of heating-up time. Bulb type TL dosemeters do not have temperature sensors, no possibility for stabilization, which can cause an additional readout error of dose determination. For this reason, the time dependence of glow curves for bulb-type TL dosemeters was measured, and a new microprocessor controlled readout device was developed. (N.T.) 2 refs.; 2 figs

Chemical Controls of Ozone Dry Deposition to the Sea Surface Microlayer

Science.gov (United States)

Carpenter, L.; Chance, R.; Tinel, L.; Saint, A.; Sherwen, T.; Loades, D.; Evans, M. J.; Boxhall, P.; Hamilton, J.; Stolle, C.; Wurl, O.; Ribas-Ribas, M.; Pereira, R.

2017-12-01

Oceanic dry deposition of atmospheric ozone (O3) is both the largest and most uncertain O3 depositional sink, and is widely acknowledged to be controlled largely by chemical reactions in the sea surface microlayer (SML) involving iodide (I-) and dissolved organic material (DOM). These reactions not only determine how quickly O3 can be removed from the atmosphere, but also result in emissions of trace gases including volatile organic compounds and may constitute a source of secondary organic aerosols to the marine atmosphere. Iodide concentrations at the sea surface vary by approximately an order of magnitude spatially, leading to more than fivefold variation in ozone deposition velocities (and volatile iodine fluxes). Sea-surface temperature is a reasonable predictor of [I-], however two recent parameterisations for surface I- differ by a factor of two at low latitudes. The nature and reactivity of marine DOM to O3 is almost completely unknown, although studies have suggested approximately equivalent chemical control of I- and DOM on ozone deposition. Here we present substantial new measurements of oceanic I- in both bulk seawater and the overlying SML, and show improved estimates of the global sea surface iodide distribution. We also present analyses of water-soluble DOM isolated from the SML and bulk seawater, and corresponding laboratory studies of ozone uptake to bulk and SML seawater, with the aim of characterizing the reactivity of O3 towards marine DOM.

Preliminary Effects of Oral Uridine on the Ocular Surface in Dry Eye Patients

OpenAIRE

Chang, Ki Cheol; Oh, Joo Youn; In, Youn Seok; Kim, Mee Kum; Shin, Ki Cheul; Wee, Won Ryang; Lee, Jin Hak; Park, Myung Gyu

2009-01-01

We designed a randomized, double blinded, 3-months controlled prospective clinical study to investigate effects of oral uridine on the ocular surface in dry eye patients. Twenty-seven patients who diagnosed as dry eye with lower than 5 mm of wetting in the Schirmer strip, with corneal epithelial erosion and who completely followed-up till 3 months were enrolled. Corneal-conjunctival fluorescein staining, non-anesthetic Schirmer test, impression cytology, and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI...

The comparative analysis of model and prototype test results of Bulb turbine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benisek, M; Bozic, I; Ignjatovic, B

2010-01-01

This paper presents the problem of the hydropower plant oblique water inflow and its influence on the turbines operation. Oblique water inflow on the low head hydropower plant with bulb turbines influences turbine characteristics. The characteristics change occurs due to swirl incidence in the turbine inlet which spreads to the guide vanes inlet. Downstream, the flow conditions change is caused in the turbine runner in relation to the flow conditions without swirl inflow. Special attention is paid to the phenomenon of swirl flow incidence in the turbine conduit. With the aim of presenting and analyzing the oblique water inflow consequences on the hydropower plant operation, the existing turbine model tests results, performed in the laboratories, and the in situ prototype testing results have been used.

Cold vacuum drying residual free water test description

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pajunen, A.L.

1997-01-01

Residual free water expected to remain in a Multi-Canister Overpack (MCO) after processing in the Cold Vacuum Drying (CVD) Facility is investigated based on three alternative models of fuel crevices. Tests and operating conditions for the CVD process are defined based on the analysis of these models. The models consider water pockets constrained by cladding defects, water constrained in a pore or crack by flow through a porous bed, and water constrained in pores by diffusion. An analysis of comparative reaction rate constraints is also presented indicating that a pressure rise test can be used to show MCO's will be thermally stable at operating temperatures up to 75 C

Simulation of integrated surface-water/ground-water flow and salinity for a coastal wetland and adjacent estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Langevin, C.; Swain, E.; Wolfert, M.

2005-01-01

The SWIFT2D surface-water flow and transport code, which solves the St Venant equations in two dimensions, was coupled with the SEAWAT variable-density ground-water code to represent hydrologic processes in coastal wetlands and adjacent estuaries. A sequentially coupled time-lagged approach was implemented, based on a variable-density form of Darcy's Law, to couple the surface and subsurface systems. The integrated code also represents the advective transport of salt mass between the surface and subsurface. The integrated code was applied to the southern Everglades of Florida to quantify flow and salinity patterns and to evaluate effects of hydrologic processes. Model results confirm several important observations about the coastal wetland: (1) the coastal embankment separating the wetland from the estuary is overtopped only during tropical storms, (2) leakage between the surface and subsurface is locally important in the wetland, but submarine ground-water discharge does not contribute large quantities of freshwater to the estuary, and (3) coastal wetland salinities increase to near seawater values during the dry season, and the wetland flushes each year with the onset of the wet season. ?? 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Isolation of Cinnamic Acid Derivatives from the Bulbs of Allium tripedale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zahra Chehri

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Allium genus with 750 species is the most diverse genus in the Amaryllidaceae family. Historically, Allium species have been used as medicinal plants, especially for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases and considered as valuable sources of phytonutrients. Phytochemical investigation of Allium tripedale, locally called “Anashq,” which is an edible plant of the “Zagros” region (west of Iran was conducted in the present study. Materials and Methods: Air-dried bulbs of the plant were extracted in a four-step extraction method with increasing polarity using hexane, chloroform, chloroform–methanol (9:1, and methanol. Chloroform-methanol (9:1 extract was fractionated by medium-pressure liquid chromatography on a RP-18 column using a linear gradient solvent system of H2O to MeOH. Phenolic-rich fractions were subjected to the final isolation and purification of the constituents by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method. Structure elucidation of the compounds was performed through comprehensive methods including 1D-and 2D-NMR and mass spectroscopy. Results: Two cinnamic acid derivatives were isolated from the bulbs of A. tripedale; using spectroscopic methods, their chemical structures were determined as 6,7-dimethoxy N-trans-caffeoyltyramine (1 and N-trans-feruloyltyramine (2. Conclusion: Cinnamic acid derivatives are pharmacologically active phenolic compounds, which have been isolated from different Allium species. Isolation of these compounds from A. tripedale is reported for the first time in this study and could be used as a chemical basis for explanation of the plant biological and pharmacological activities.

Market opportunities for solar drying

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voskens, R.G.J.H.; Out, P.G.; Schulte, B.

2000-01-01

One of the most promising applications for solar heating is the drying of agricultural products. The drying of agricultural products requires large quantities of low temperature air, in many cases, on a year-round basis. Low cost air-based collectors can provide heated air at solar collection efficiencies of 30 to 70%. In 1998/1999 a study was commissioned to better understand the technical and economic potential for solar drying of agricultural products in the world. The practical potential for solar drying was then determined for 59 crops and 22 regions. The world market for solar drying can be divided into three market segments: 1) mechanical drying T 50 deg. C; 3) sun drying. The most promising market for solar drying is generally market segment 1. For this segment the potential amount of energy displaced by solar is in between 216 770 PJ (World-wide). For Western Europe this potential is estimated between 23 88 PJ and for Eastern Europe between 7 and 13 PJ. A different market introduction strategy is required for each market segment. A total of 13 combinations of crops and regions are selected that appear to have the highest practical potential for solar drying. In the Netherlands a programme of activities was carried out by Ecofys and other organisations, to identify and develop the market potential for solar (assisted) drying of agricultural products. A promotional campaign for the use of renewable energy in the (promising) flower bulb sector is planned on a short-term basis to speed up market developments. It can be concluded that there is a large market for solar drying in the World as well as in Europe. (au)

Olfactory bulb encoding during learning under anaesthesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alister U Nicol

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Neural plasticity changes within the olfactory bulb are important for olfactory learning, although how neural encoding changes support new associations with specific odours and whether they can be investigated under anaesthesia, remain unclear. Using the social transmission of food preference olfactory learning paradigm in mice in conjunction with in vivo microdialysis sampling we have shown firstly that a learned preference for a scented food odour smelled on the breath of a demonstrator animal occurs under isofluorane anaesthesia. Furthermore, subsequent exposure to this cued odour under anaesthesia promotes the same pattern of increased release of glutamate and GABA in the olfactory bulb as previously found in conscious animals following olfactory learning, and evoked GABA release was positively correlated with the amount of scented food eaten. In a second experiment, multiarray (24 electrodes electrophysiological recordings were made from olfactory bulb mitral cells under isofluorane anaesthesia before, during and after a novel scented food odour was paired with carbon disulfide. Results showed significant increases in overall firing frequency to the cued-odour during and after learning and decreases in response to an uncued odour. Analysis of patterns of changes in individual neurons revealed that a substantial proportion (>50% of them significantly changed their response profiles during and after learning with most of those previously inhibited becoming excited. A large number of cells exhibiting no response to the odours prior to learning were either excited or inhibited afterwards. With the uncued odour many previously responsive cells became unresponsive or inhibited. Learning associated changes only occurred in the posterior part of the olfactory bulb. Thus olfactory learning under anaesthesia promotes extensive, but spatially distinct, changes in mitral cell networks to both cued and uncued odours as well as in evoked glutamate and

Continental-scale water fluxes from continuous GPS observations of Earth surface loading

Science.gov (United States)

Borsa, A. A.; Agnew, D. C.; Cayan, D. R.

2015-12-01

After more than a decade of observing annual oscillations of Earth's surface from seasonal snow and water loading, continuous GPS is now being used to model time-varying terrestrial water fluxes on the local and regional scale. Although the largest signal is typically due to the seasonal hydrological cycle, GPS can also measure subtle surface deformation caused by sustained wet and dry periods, and to estimate the spatial distribution of the underlying terrestrial water storage changes. The next frontier is expanding this analysis to the continental scale and paving the way for incorporating GPS models into the National Climate Assessment and into the observational infrastructure for national water resource management. This will require reconciling GPS observations with predictions from hydrological models and with remote sensing observations from a suite of satellite instruments (e.g. GRACE, SMAP, SWOT). The elastic Earth response which transforms surface loads into vertical and horizontal displacements is also responsible for the contamination of loading observations by tectonic and anthropogenic transients, and we discuss these and other challenges to this new application of GPS.

Arsenic, Fluoride and Vanadium in surface water (Chasicó Lake, Argentina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria laura ePuntoriero

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Chasicó Lake is the main water body in the southwest of the Chaco-Pampean plain. It shows some differences from the typical Pampean shallow lakes, such as high salinity and high arsenic and fluoride levels. The aim of this paper is to analyze the trace elements [arsenic (As, fluoride (F- and vanadium (V] present in Chasicó Lake. Surface and groundwater were sampled in dry and wet periods, during 2010 and 2011. Fluoride was determined with a selective electrode. As and V were determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES. Significant correlation in surface water was only found for As and F- (r=0.978, p<0.01. The As, F- and V concentration values were higher and more widely dispersed in surface water than in groundwater, as a consequence of evaporation. The fact that these elements do not correlate in surface water may also indicates that groundwater would not be the main source of origin of As, F- and V in surface water. The origin of these trace elements is from volcanic glass from Pampean loess. As, F- and V concentration were higher than in national and international guideline levels for the protection of aquatic biota. Hence, this issue is relevant since the silverside (Odontesthes bonariensis is the most important commercial species in Chasicó Lake. This fish is both consumed locally and exported to other South-American countries through commercial and sport fishing.

Numerical Simulation and Experimental Study of Deep Bed Corn Drying Based on Water Potential

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhe Liu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The concept and the model of water potential, which were widely used in agricultural field, have been proved to be beneficial in the application of vacuum drying model and have provided a new way to explore the grain drying model since being introduced to grain drying and storage fields. Aiming to overcome the shortcomings of traditional deep bed drying model, for instance, the application range of this method is narrow and such method does not apply to systems of which pressure would be an influential factor such as vacuum drying system in a way combining with water potential drying model. This study established a numerical simulation system of deep bed corn drying process which has been proved to be effective according to the results of numerical simulation and corresponding experimental investigation and has revealed that desorption and adsorption coexist in deep bed drying.

Dynamic Low-Vacuum Scanning Electron Microscope Freeze Drying Observation for Fresh Water Algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohsen, H.T.; Ghaly, W.A.; Zahran, N.F.; Helal, A.I.

2010-01-01

A new perpetration method for serving in dynamic examinations of the fresh water algae is developed in connection with the Low-Vacuum Scanning Electron Microscope (LV-SEM) freeze drying technique. Specimens are collected from fresh water of Ismailia channel then transferred directly to freeze by liquid nitrogen and dried in the chamber of the scanning electron microscope in the low vacuum mode. Scanning electron micrographs revealed that the drying method presented the microstructure of algae. Dehydration in a graded ethanol series is not necessary in the new method. Dried algae specimen is observed in SEM high vacuum mode after conductive coating at higher resolution. Low-vacuum SEM freeze drying technique is a simple, time-saving and reproducible method for scanning electron microscopy that is applicable to various aquatic microorganisms covered with soft tissues.

Conservation of garlic bulbs (Allium sativum L. ) by gamma irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fernandez, J.; Arranz, T.

1979-01-01

The effect of different doses of gamma radiation (from 5 to 30 krad) on the conservation of garlic bulbs during a 12 months period is studied. Irradiations were made at three different times and the best results were obtained with the treatment given during the two months following harvest. During this period, 5 krad are enough to inhibit garlic bulbs sprouting.

Conservation of garlic bulbs (allium sativum L.) by gamma irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandez, J.; Arranz, T.

1979-01-01

The effect of different doses of gamma radiation (from 5 to 30 krad) on the conservation of garlic bulbs during a 12 months period is studied. Irradiations were made at three different times and the best results were obtained with the treatment given during the two months following harvest. During this period, 5krad are enough to inhibit garlic bulbs sprouting. (author)

[Research about effect of spray drying conditions on hygroscopicity of spray dry powder of gubi compound's water extract and its mechanism].

Science.gov (United States)

Zong, Jie; Shao, Qi; Zhang, Hong-Qing; Pan, Yong-Lan; Zhu, Hua-Xu; Guo, Li-Wei

2014-02-01

To investigate moisture content and hygroscopicity of spray dry powder of Gubi compound's water extract obtained at different spray drying conditions and laying a foundation for spray drying process of Chinese herbal compound preparation. In the paper, on the basis of single-factor experiments, the author choose inlet temperature, liquid density, feed rate, air flow rate as investigated factors. The experimental absorption rate-time curve and scanning electron microscopy results showed that under different spray drying conditions the spray-dried powders have different morphology and different adsorption process. At different spray-dried conditions, the morphology and water content of the powder is different, these differences lead to differences in the adsorption process, at the appropriate inlet temperature and feed rate with a higher sample density and lower air flow rate, in the experimental system the optimum conditions is inlet temperature of 150 degrees C, feed density of 1.05 g x mL(-1), feed rate of 20 mL x min(-1) air flow rate of 30 m3 x h(-1).

Some mechanical properties of small specimens cut from 1.79-inch-thick southern pine dried for 6 hours at 300°F or for 5 days at 180°F- A Comparison

Science.gov (United States)

P. Koch; W.L. Wellford

1978-01-01

Small specimens cut from 1.79-inch-thick southern pine dried from green condition for 6 hours at a dry-bulb temperature of 300 F suffered no diminution in the mechanical properties determined, when compared to matched wood dried for 5 days at 180 F.

Use of Isotopic Techniques for the Assessment of Hydrological Interactions Between Ground and Surface Waters - Rio Man, Cienaga Colombia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palacio, P.; Dapena, C.; Betancur, T. [Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin (Colombia)

2013-07-15

The Man River basin is located in the lower foothills of the western and central ranges of the tropical Andes, Colombia. In this area hydrological studies and hydrochemical analyses were carried out and isotopic techniques applied to describe and understand the interactions between ground and surface waters. To expand this model and to include elements other than local hydrodynamics, relationships between regional precipitation, recharge, regional flow paths and hydraulic gradients controlling water flows from big rivers to groundwater are currently being explored. Accordingly, an isotope local meteoric water line was derived and it was discovered that the relationship between ground and surface waters is similar in wet and dry seasons. Precipitation constitutes the main recharge source, base flow is important in supporting flow in rivers, streams and wetlands, and evaporation causes effects over water systems in dry periods. A tendency towards increasing air temperatures has been detected in the Man River; this change may cause negative impacts over the hydrological system, affecting evapotranspiration- recharge processes. (author)

Land application of mine water causes minimal uranium loss offsite in the wet-dry tropics: Ranger Uranium Mine, Northern Territory, Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mumtaz, Saqib; Streten, Claire; Parry, David L.; McGuinness, Keith A.; Lu, Ping; Gibb, Karen S.

2015-01-01

Ranger Uranium Mine (RUM) is situated in the wet-dry tropics of Northern Australia. Land application (irrigation) of stockpile (ore and waste) runoff water to natural woodland on the mine lease is a key part of water management at the mine. Consequently, the soil in these Land Application Areas (LAAs) presents a range of uranium (U) and other metals concentrations. Knowledge of seasonal and temporal changes in soil U and physicochemical parameters at RUM LAAs is important to develop suitable management and rehabilitation strategies. Therefore, soil samples were collected from low, medium, high and very high U sites at RUM LAAs for two consecutive years and the effect of time and season on soil physicochemical parameters particularly U and other major solutes applied in irrigation water was measured. Concentrations of some of the solutes applied in the irrigation water such as sulphur (S), iron (Fe) and calcium (Ca) showed significant seasonal and temporal changes. Soil S, Fe and Ca concentration decreased from year 1 to year 2 and from dry to wet seasons during both years. Soil U followed the same pattern except that we recorded an increase in soil U concentrations at most of the RUM LAAs after year 2 wet season compared to year 2 dry season. Thus, these sites did not show a considerable decrease in soil U concentration from year 1 to year 2. Sites which contained elevated U after wet season 2 also had higher moisture content which suggests that pooling of U containing rainwater at these sites may be responsible for elevated U. Thus, U may be redistributed within RUM LAAs due to surface water movement. The study also suggested that a decrease in U concentrations in LAA soils at very high U (>900 mg kg"−"1) sites is most likely due to transport of particulate matter bound U by surface runoff and U may not be lost from the surface soil due to vertical movement through the soil profile. Uranium attached to particulate matter may reduce its potential for

An Artificial Turf-Based Surrogate Surface Collector for the Direct Measurement of Atmospheric Mercury Dry Deposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naima L. Hall

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the development of a new artificial turf surrogate surface (ATSS sampler for use in the measurement of mercury (Hg dry deposition. In contrast to many existing surrogate surface designs, the ATSS utilizes a three-dimensional deposition surface that may more closely mimic the physical structure of many natural surfaces than traditional flat surrogate surface designs (water, filter, greased Mylar film. The ATSS has been designed to overcome several complicating factors that can impact the integrity of samples with other direct measurement approaches by providing a passive system which can be deployed for both short and extended periods of time (days to weeks, and is not contaminated by precipitation and/or invalidated by strong winds. Performance characteristics including collocated precision, in-field procedural and laboratory blanks were evaluated. The results of these performance evaluations included a mean collocated precision of 9%, low blanks (0.8 ng, high extraction efficiency (97%–103%, and a quantitative matrix spike recovery (100%.

Influence of the Mother Bulb Size on the Growth and Development of Allium ‘Purple Rain’

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aurelia Elena Rosca

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The experiment aims was to study the influences of the mother bulb weight on the growth and development, of the plants of ornamental onion. The study was conducted during October 2015 – June 2016 and the biologic material was represented by Allium ‘Purple Rain’. The bulbs were divided in three different weight groups: W1 (15.1-30 g, W2 (5.1-15 g, W3 (< 5 g, which were reprezented the three variants (V1, V2, respectively V3. The bulbs were planted in the field and the plants were studied thrue the biometric determinations. The results were compared with the average of the experiment. The research showed  that  the all the analyzed  characters (number and length of leaves, number and  weight of new formed bulbs, flowers yield, diameter of the inflorescence were decreasing from V1 to the V3 variant. The highest number of the flowering plants (98.9 % was resulted from V1 variant. From V2, bloomed only 20% of the bulbs and from V3 the bulbs did not got flowers. The flowering time was earlier for the plants resulted from the biggest bulbs (V1, with around 3 days, then the V2 and around 7 days then V3.  The capacity to form new bulbs, expressed in bulb number or bulb weight per plant, was increased with the increasing of the mother bulb weight. The number of leaves per plant and the length of the leaves were higher for  V1, as against the other two variants

Experimental techniques for characterising water in wood covering the range from dry to fully water-saturated

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thybring, Emil Engelund; Kymäläinen, Maija; Rautkari, Lauri

2018-01-01

focuses on selected experimental techniques that can give deeper insights into various aspects of water in wood in the entire moisture domain from dry to fully water-saturated. These techniques fall into three broad categories: (1) gravimetric techniques that determine how much water is absorbed, (2...

Declining trends of water requirements of dry season Boro rice in the north-west Bangladesh

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Acharjee, Tapos Kumar; Halsema, van Gerardo; Ludwig, Fulco; Hellegers, Petra

2017-01-01

The drought prone North-West Bangladesh is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, particularly because of less water availability in the dry period and high water requirement for crop production. Improved understanding of recent changes in crop water demand in the dry season is important

Surface Water & Surface Drainage

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This data set contains boundaries for all surface water and surface drainage for the state of New Mexico. It is in a vector digital data structure digitized from a...

Nonlinear dynamics of pattern formation and pattern recognition in the rabbit olfactory bulb

Science.gov (United States)

Baird, Bill

1986-10-01

A mathematical model of the process of pattern recognition in the first olfactory sensory cortex of the rabbit is presented. It explains the formation and alteration of spatial patterns in neural activity observed experimentally during classical Pavlovian conditioning. On each inspiration of the animal, a surge of receptor input enters the olfactory bulb. EEG activity recorded at the surface of the bulb undergoes a transition from a low amplitude background state of temporal disorder to coherent oscillation. There is a distinctive spatial pattern of rms amplitude in this oscillation which changes reliably to a second pattern during each successful recognition by the animal of a conditioned stimulus odor. When a new odor is paired as conditioned stimulus, these patterns are replaced by new patterns that stabilize as the animal adapts to the new environment. I will argue that a unification of the theories of pattern formation and associative memory is required to account for these observations. This is achieved in a model of the bulb as a discrete excitable medium with spatially inhomogeneous coupling expressed by a connection matrix. The theory of multiple Hopf bifurcations is employed to find coupled equations for the amplitudes of competing unstable oscillatory modes. These may be created in the system by proper coupling and selectively evoked by specific classes of inputs. This allows a view of limit cycle attractors as “stored” fixed points of a gradient vector field and thereby recovers the more familiar dynamical systems picture of associative memory.

Effect of the Machined Surfaces of AISI 4337 Steel to Cutting Conditions on Dry Machining Lathe

Science.gov (United States)

Rahim, Robbi; Napid, Suhardi; Hasibuan, Abdurrozzaq; Rahmah Sibuea, Siti; Yusmartato, Y.

2018-04-01

The objective of the research is to obtain a cutting condition which has a good chance of realizing dry machining concept on AISI 4337 steel material by studying surface roughness, microstructure and hardness of machining surface. The data generated from the experiment were then processed and analyzed using the standard Taguchi method L9 (34) orthogonal array. Testing of dry and wet machining used surface test and micro hardness test for each of 27 test specimens. The machining results of the experiments showed that average surface roughness (Raavg) was obtained at optimum cutting conditions when VB 0.1 μm, 0.3 μm and 0.6 μm respectively 1.467 μm, 2.133 μm and 2,800 μm fo r dry machining while which was carried out by wet machining the results obtained were 1,833 μm, 2,667 μm and 3,000 μm. It can be concluded that dry machining provides better surface quality of machinery results than wet machining. Therefore, dry machining is a good choice that may be realized in the manufacturing and automotive industries.

Role of Centrifugal Projections to the Olfactory Bulb in Olfactory Processing

Science.gov (United States)

Kiselycznyk, Carly L.; Zhang, Steven; Linster, Christine

2006-01-01

While there is evidence that feedback projections from cortical and neuromodulatory structures to the olfactory bulb are crucial for maintaining the oscillatory dynamics of olfactory bulb processing, it is not clear how changes in dynamics are related to odor perception. Using electrical lesions of the olfactory peduncle, sparing output from the…

Recent field studies of dry deposition to surfaces in plant canopies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindberg, S.E.; Lovett, G.M.; Bondietti, E.A.; Davidson, C.I.

1984-01-01

A variety of field techniques were used to assess the dry deposition of sulfur. In a deciduous forest canopy in eastern Tennessee, inert petri plates and adjacent chestnut oak leaves showed similar SO 4 -2 deposition velocities of about 0.1 cm s -1 . In the same forest, statistical analysis of throughfall yielded a deposition velocity of 0.48 cm s -1 for total sulfur (SO 4 -2 plus SO 2 ). The throughfall technique appears useful for scaling individual surface measurements to larger spatial and temporal scales. On a grassy field in Illinois, flat Teflon plates, petri dishes, and dustfall buckets were exposed side by side. Measured sulfate deposition increased with increasing rim height on the collection surface, and deposition velocities ranged from 0.14 to 0.70 cm s -1 . Much of the deposition to these surfaces can be attributed to large-particle SO 4 -2 . Dry season (summer) deposition velocities of 7 Be in California were found to be similar to dry deposition velocities of 212 Pb in Tennessee, ranging from 0.18 to 0.35 cm s -1 . These natural radionuclides attach to submicron aerosols in the atmosphere and may be useful tracers of submicron SO 4 -2 deposition. 9 references, 5 figures, 4 tables

Case control study of dry eye and related ocular surface abnormalities in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Bekibele, C O; Baiyeroju, A M; Ajaiyeoba, A; Akang, E E U; Ajayi, B G K

2010-02-01

Tear instability is associated with symptoms of ocular discomfort and irritation. Many patients with dry eyes remain untreated due to improper diagnoses. To identify symptoms and surface abnormalities associated with dry eyes. One hundred and fifty-six eyes of 78 subjects attending the Eye Clinic of the University College Hospital Ibadan were screened for dry eyes/tear instability using rose Bengal stain (graded 0-9), tear break-up time (TBUT), Schirmer's 1 tests, tear meniscus height and a standardised symptoms questionnaire. Grades 4-9 rose Bengal staining were considered as positive dry eye and were compared with grades 0-3 staining eyes as negative controls. Mean tear meniscus height, Schirmer's test and TBUT were lower among cases than their corresponding control eyes. The difference between the mean Schirmer's test values of cases and their controls were statistically significant (P = 0.00 for right eyes and P = 0.002 for left eyes). Rose Bengal grades were inversely correlated with the mean Schirmer's values (Pearson correlation -0.429, P = 0.05 for right eyes and -0.335, P = 0.03 for left eyes) and TBUT (Pearson correlation -0.316, P = 0.05 for right eyes and -0.212, P = 0.06 for left eyes). About 95.8% of the cases were symptomatic, as opposed to 70.4% of the controls (P = 0.01, Fisher's exact test) and 95.8% of dry right eyes compared to 61.1% of their controls had ocular surface abnormalities (P = 0.001), while 89.5% of dry left eyes compared to 62.7% of controls had surface abnormalities (P = 0.07). A close relationship exists between ocular irritation symptoms, surface abnormalities and functional evidence of tear instability. Such patients should be treated empirically or screened for dry eyes.

Neotropical dry forest wildlife water hole use and management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher Vaughan

1999-12-01

Full Text Available Selected wildlife species diurnal use of a natural water hole (QD and an artificial water hole (AW were studied during 1990 dry season at Guanacaste Conservation Area, Costa Rica. In total, 919 individuals (six mammal and one game bird species consumed water from QD, while 713 individuals (four mammal species consumed water from AW. Estimated daily water consumption by selected wildlife species was 29.7 l at QD and 27.3 l at AW. Estimated 24-h water consumed by all wildlife species or evaporated was 44.6 l at QD and 41.1 l at AW. This resulted from summing: a water consumed by studied species, b estimated 24-hour water consumed by other wildlife (QD = 14.85 l, AW = 13.65 l and c daily water evaporation (QD = 0.04 l, AW = 0.10 l. During a 120-day dry season, AW required about 4 932 l of water from the park administration. Management implications for neotropical dry forest water holes are discussed.Se estudió el uso diurno de un ojo de agua natural (QD y otro artificial (AW a finales de la época seca de 1990 en el Area de Conservacion de Guanacaste, Costa Rica. En total 919 individuos (seis especies de mamíferos y una de ave cinegética consumieron agua de QD y 713 individuos (cuatro especies de mamíferos de AQ. Se estimó que en un dia, las especies de vida silvestre estudiados tomaron 29.7 l y 27.3 l de agua de QD y AW, respectivamente. El total de agua consumido o evaporado de cada ojo de agua durante 24-horas fue estimado en 44.6 l en QD y 41.1 l en AW, con base en: a agua bebida durante 12 h por las especies seleccionadas, b agua bebida por todos los otros individuos durante 24 h (QD = 14.85 l, AW = 13.65 l y c evaporación diaria (QD = 0.04 l, AW = 0.01 l. Para abastecer AW durante una epoca seca de 120 días, la administración del parque debe proveer 4 932 l de agua. Se discute las implicaciones de manejo en las regiones de bosque seco neotropical.

Exploiting water versus tolerating drought: water-use strategies of trees in a secondary successional tropical dry forest.

Science.gov (United States)

Pineda-García, Fernando; Paz, Horacio; Meinzer, Frederick C; Angeles, Guillermo

2016-02-01

In seasonal plant communities where water availability changes dramatically both between and within seasons, understanding the mechanisms that enable plants to exploit water pulses and to survive drought periods is crucial. By measuring rates of physiological processes, we examined the trade-off between water exploitation and drought tolerance among seedlings of trees of a tropical dry forest, and identified biophysical traits most closely associated with plant water-use strategies. We also explored whether early and late secondary successional species occupy different portions of trade-off axes. As predicted, species that maintained carbon capture, hydraulic function and leaf area at higher plant water deficits during drought had low photosynthetic rates, xylem hydraulic conductivity and growth rate under non-limiting water supply. Drought tolerance was associated with more dense leaf, stem and root tissues, whereas rapid resource acquisition was associated with greater stem water storage, larger vessel diameter and larger leaf area per mass invested. We offer evidence that the water exploitation versus drought tolerance trade-off drives species differentiation in the ability of tropical dry forest trees to deal with alternating water-drought pulses. However, we detected no evidence of strong functional differentiation between early and late successional species along the proposed trade-off axes, suggesting that the environmental gradient of water availability across secondary successional habitats in the dry tropics does not filter out physiological strategies of water use among species, at least at the seedling stage. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effect of basal forebrain stimulation on extracellular acetylcholine release and blood flow in the olfactory bulb.

Science.gov (United States)

Uchida, Sae; Kagitani, Fusako

2017-05-12

The olfactory bulb receives cholinergic basal forebrain input, as does the neocortex; however, the in vivo physiological functions regarding the release of extracellular acetylcholine and regulation of regional blood flow in the olfactory bulb are unclear. We used in vivo microdialysis to measure the extracellular acetylcholine levels in the olfactory bulb of urethane-anesthetized rats. Focal chemical stimulation by microinjection of L-glutamate into the horizontal limb of the diagonal band of Broca (HDB) in the basal forebrain, which is the main source of cholinergic input to the olfactory bulb, increased extracellular acetylcholine release in the ipsilateral olfactory bulb. When the regional cerebral blood flow was measured using laser speckle contrast imaging, the focal chemical stimulation of the HDB did not significantly alter the blood flow in the olfactory bulb, while increases were observed in the neocortex. Our results suggest a functional difference between the olfactory bulb and neocortex regarding cerebral blood flow regulation through the release of acetylcholine by cholinergic basal forebrain input.

Influence of drying method on the surface energy of cellulose nanofibrils determined by inverse gas chromatography

Science.gov (United States)

Yucheng Peng; Douglas J. Gardner; Yousoo Han; Zhiyong Cai; Mandla A. Tshabalala

2013-01-01

Research and development of the renewable nanomaterial cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) has received considerable attention. The effect of drying on the surface energy of CNFs was investigated. Samples of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) were each subjected to four separate drying methods: air-drying, freeze-drying, spray-drying, and...

Organization and distribution of glomeruli in the bowhead whale olfactory bulb

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takushi Kishida

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Although modern baleen whales (Mysticeti retain a functional olfactory system that includes olfactory bulbs, cranial nerve I and olfactory receptor genes, their olfactory capabilities have been reduced to a great degree. This reduction likely occurred as a selective response to their fully aquatic lifestyle. The glomeruli that occur in the olfactory bulb can be divided into two non-overlapping domains, a dorsal domain and a ventral domain. Recent molecular studies revealed that all modern whales have lost olfactory receptor genes and marker genes that are specific to the dorsal domain. Here we show that olfactory bulbs of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus lack glomeruli on the dorsal side, consistent with the molecular data. In addition, we estimate that there are more than 4,000 glomeruli elsewhere in the bowhead whale olfactory bulb, which is surprising given that bowhead whales possess only 80 intact olfactory receptor genes. Olfactory sensory neurons that express the same olfactory receptors in rodents generally project to two specific glomeruli in an olfactory bulb, implying an approximate 1:2 ratio of the number of olfactory receptors to the number of glomeruli. Here we show that this ratio does not apply to bowhead whales, reiterating the conceptual limits of using rodents as model organisms for understanding the initial coding of odor information among mammals.

Accumulation of [35S]taurine in peripheral layers of the olfactory bulb

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quinn, M.R.; Wysocki, C.J.; Sturman, J.A.; Wen, G.Y.

1981-01-01

Accumulation of [ 35 S]taurine in the laminae of the olfactory bulb of the adult cat, rat, mouse and rabbit was examined autoradiographically. [ 35 S]Taurine was administered either i.p. or i.v. and olfactory bulbs were excised 24 h post-injection. High concentrations of [ 35 S]taurine were restricted to the olfactory nerve and glomerular layers of the olfactory bulb in all species examined. Olfactory neurons are continuously renewed and the results obtained suggest that taurine may have an important role in olfactory receptor axons. (Auth.)

Bulb turbine operating at medium head: XIA JIANG case study

Science.gov (United States)

Loiseau, F.; Desrats, C.; Petit, P.; Liu, J.

2012-11-01

With lots of references for 4-blade bulb turbines, such as these of Wu Jin Xia (4 units - 36.1 MW per unit - 9.2 m rated head), Chang Zhou (15 units - 46.7 MW per unit - 9.5 m rated head) and Tong Wan (4 units - 46.2 MW per unit - 11 m rated head), ALSTOM Power Hydro is one of the major suppliers of bulb turbines operating under medium head for the Chinese market. ALSTOM Power Hydro has been awarded in November 2010 a contract by Jiang Xi Province Xia Jiang Water Control Project Headquarters to equip Xia Jiang's new hydropower plant. The power dam is located on the Gan Jiang river, at about 160 km away from Nan Chang town in South Eastern China. The supply will consist in 5 bulb units including the furniture of both the turbine and its generator, for a total capacity of 200 MW, under a rated net head of 8.6 m. The prototype turbine is a 7.8 m diameter runner, rotating at 71.4 rpm speed. For this project, ALSTOM has proposed a fully new design of 4-blade bulb runner. This paper outlines the main steps of the hydraulic development. First of all, a fine tuning of the blade geometry was performed to enhance the runner behaviour at high loads and low heads, so that to fulfill the demanding requirements of efficiencies and maximum output. The challenge was also to keep an excellent cavitation behaviour, especially at the outer blade diameter in order to avoid cavitation erosion on the prototype. The shape of the blade was optimized by using the latest tools in computational fluid dynamics. Steady state simulations of the distributor and the runner were performed, in order to simulate more accurately the pressure fields on the blade and the velocity distribution at the outlet of the runner. Moreover, draft tube computations have been performed close to the design point and at higher loads. Then, a model fully homologous with the prototype was manufactured and tested at ALSTOM's laboratory in Grenoble (France). The model test results confirmed the predicted ones: the

Hot dry rock heat mining

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duchane, D.V.

1992-01-01

Geothermal energy utilizing fluids from natural sources is currently exploited on a commercial scale at sites around the world. A much greater geothermal resource exists, however, in the form of hot rock at depth which is essentially dry. This hot dry rock (HDR) resource is found almost everywhere, but the depth at which usefully high temperatures are reached varies from place to place. The technology to mine the thermal energy from HDR has been under development for a number of years. Using techniques adapted from the petroleum industry, water is pumped at high pressure down an injection well to a region of usefully hot rock. The pressure forces open natural joints to form a reservoir consisting of a small amount of water dispensed in a large volume of hot rock. This reservoir is tapped by second well located at some distance from the first, and the heated water is brought to the surface where its thermal energy is extracted. The same water is then recirculated to mine more heat. Economic studies have indicated that it may be possible to produce electricity at competitive prices today in regions where hot rock is found relatively close to the surface

Accumulation and distribution of 14C-photosynthate during bulb development of Lilium oriental hybrid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xia Yiping; Huang Chunhui; Xu Weiwei; Zheng Huijun; Hangzhou College of Vocation Technology, Hangzhou

2006-01-01

Carbohydrate contents were determined to study the carbon metabolism in bulbs of Lilium Oriental hybrid 'Sorbonne'. The starch contents decreased significantly after planting, and the contents of total soluble sugar and sucrose increased in interior scales before the blooming stage continuously. Using the scanning electron microscope, the starch granules were observed which gathering and stuffing in scale cell during bulb development. By 14 C trace technique, it was cleared that the 14 C-photosynthates were mainly allocated in stalk, leaves and flower bud, especially in the bud at the growth stage of bud development. Under neath leaf 14 C-labelling at the stage of bloom expired, about 85.5% of 14 C-photosynthates were transported and stored in bulb. It was indicated that the carbon photosynthates were mainly distributed in bulb and supported the bulb development after blooming. (authors)

Spatial-temporal variation of surface water quality in the downstream region of the Jakara River, north-western Nigeria: A statistical approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Mustapha, Adamu; Aris, Ahmad Zaharin; Ramli, Mohammad Firuz; Juahir, Hafizan

2012-01-01

The pollution status of the downstream section of the Jakara River was investigated. Dissolved oxygen (DO), 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD(5)), chemical oxygen demand (COD), suspended solids (SS), pH, conductivity, salinity, temperature, nitrogen in the form of ammonia (NH(3)), turbidity, dissolved solids (DS), total solids (TS), nitrates (NO(3)), chloride (Cl) and phosphates (PO(3-)(4)) were evaluated, using both dry and wet season samples, as a measure of variation in surface water quality in the area. The results obtained from the analyses were correlated using Pearson's correlation matrix, principal component analysis (PCA) and paired sample t-tests. Positive correlations were observed for BOD(5), NH(3), COD, and SS, turbidity, conductivity, salinity, DS, TS for dry and wet seasons, respectively. PCA was used to investigate the origin of each water quality parameter, and yielded 5 varimax factors for each of dry and wet seasons, with 70.7 % and 83.1 % total variance, respectively. A paired sample t-test confirmed that the surface water quality varies significantly between dry and wet season samples (P < 0.01). The source of pollution in the area was concluded to be of anthropogenic origin in the dry season and natural origins in the wet season.

Quality of fresh and dry onion (Аllium cepa L. products for different

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Л. Ф. Скалецька

2013-08-01

Full Text Available The article features results of studying suitability to processing for various varieties of onion as grown in the conditions of Ukrainian Forest-Steppe. A complex assessment has been completed for fresh products of onion for 9 different varieties by the content of basic biochemical, biological, economic, organoleptic characteristics with the view of determining the most suitable for drying. Varieties are singled out , which bulbs accumulate the biggest dry matter, sugar, C vitamin content and display the highest yield of consumable products. Assessment of dry products against the set of organoleptic and technological indicators has been completed. This revealed loss of basic biochemical components of onions during drying and long-term storage of dried products, as well as established increasing of the content of dry matters and acids and decreasing of that of sugars and vitamin C while storing the dried onion. The set of examined parameters

Goblet cells contribute to ocular surface immune tolerance—implications for dry eye disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Barbosa, Flavia L.; Xiao, Yangyan; Bian, Fang; Coursey, Terry G.; Ko, Byung Yi; Clevers, Hans; de Paiva, Cintia S.; Pflugfelder, Stephen C.

2017-01-01

Conjunctival goblet cell (GC) loss in dry eye is associated with ocular surface inflammation. This study investigated if conjunctival GCs contribute to ocular surface immune tolerance. Antigens applied to the ocular surface, imaged by confocal microscopy, passed into the conjunctival stroma through

Goblet Cells Contribute to Ocular Surface Immune Tolerance-Implications for Dry Eye Disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Barbosa, Flavia L; Xiao, Yangyan; Bian, Fang; Coursey, Terry G; Ko, Byung Yi; Clevers, Hans; de Paiva, Cintia S; Pflugfelder, Stephen C

2017-01-01

Conjunctival goblet cell (GC) loss in dry eye is associated with ocular surface inflammation. This study investigated if conjunctival GCs contribute to ocular surface immune tolerance. Antigens applied to the ocular surface, imaged by confocal microscopy, passed into the conjunctival stroma through

Seasonal Distribution of Trace Metals in Ground and Surface Water of Golaghat District, Assam, India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Boarh

2010-01-01

Full Text Available A study has been carried out on the quality of ground and surface water with respect to chromium, manganese, zinc, copper, nickel, cadmium and arsenic contamination from 28 different sources in the predominantly rural Golaghat district of Assam (India. The metals were analysed by using atomic absorption spectrometer. Water samples were collected from groundwater and surface water during the dry and wet seasons of 2008 from the different sources in 28 locations (samples. The results are discussed in the light of possible health hazards from the metals in relation to their maximum permissible limits. The study shows the quality of ground and surface water in a sizeable number of water samples in the district not to be fully satisfactory with respect to presence of the metals beyond permissible limits of WHO. The metal concentration of groundwater in the district follows the trend As>Zn>Mn>Cr>Cu>Ni>Cd in both the seasons.

Cassava Sun Drying Performance on Various Surfaces and Drying ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Traditional processing methods that include ... The traditional sun drying method is very inefficient as the product can take 2-. 3 days to dry. .... using a digital balance (Ohaus Corporation type). The same applied .... preservation and marketing.

Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and Vicinity, May 2008

Science.gov (United States)

Kinnaman, Sandra L.; Dixon, Joann F.

2008-01-01

This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for May 2008. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 567 wells during the period May 6-May 27, near the end of the dry season. Some contours are inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground-water withdrawals and spring flow. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground-water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours. Measured values of the potentiometric surface ranged from 7 feet below NGVD29 near Fernandina Beach, Florida, to 124 feet above NGVD29 in Polk County, Florida. The average water level of the network in May 2008 was about 1 foot lower than the average in September 2007 following below-average rainfall during the dry season of 2007-08. Seasonal differences in network average water levels generally range from 4 to 6 feet. For 457 wells with previous measurements, May 2008 levels ranged from about 19 feet below to about 11 feet above September 2007 water levels. The average water level of the network in May 2008 was about 1 foot higher than the average in May 2007. For 544 wells with previous measurements, May 2008 levels ranged from about 8 feet below to about 13 feet above May 2007 water levels. Long-term hydrographs of ground-water levels for continuous and periodic wells are available

Explosion Amplitude Reduction due to Fractures in Water-Saturated and Dry Granite

Science.gov (United States)

Stroujkova, A. F.; Leidig, M.; Bonner, J. L.

2013-12-01

Empirical observations made at the Semipalatinsk Test Site suggest that nuclear tests in the fracture zones left by previous explosions ('repeat shots') show reduced seismic amplitudes compared to the nuclear tests in virgin rocks. Likely mechanisms for the amplitude reduction in the repeat shots include increased porosity and reduced strength and elastic moduli, leading to pore closing and frictional sliding. Presence of pore water significantly decreases rock compressibility and strength, thus affecting seismic amplitudes. A series of explosion experiments were conducted in order to define the physical mechanism responsible for the amplitude reduction and to quantify the degree of the amplitude reduction in fracture zones of previously detonated explosions. Explosions in water-saturated granite were conducted in central New Hampshire in 2011 and 2012. Additional explosions in dry granite were detonated in Barre, VT in 2013. The amplitude reduction is different between dry and water-saturated crystalline rocks. Significant reduction in seismic amplitudes (by a factor of 2-3) in water-saturated rocks was achieved only when the repeat shot was detonated in the extensive damage zone created by a significantly larger (by a factor of 5) explosion. In case where the first and the second explosions were similar in yield, the amplitude reduction was relatively modest (5-20%). In dry rocks the amplitude reduction reached a factor of 2 even in less extensive damage zones. In addition there are differences in frequency dependence of the spectral amplitude ratios between explosions in dry and water-saturated rocks. Thus the amplitude reduction is sensitive to the extent of the damage zone as well as the pore water content.

Magnitude of [14C] DDT residues in stored dried fish and pre-cooking processing effect on their removal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahman, M.; Khatoon, J.; Matin, M.A.; Main, A.J.

1998-01-01

Residues of 14 C-DDT in stored dried fish was determined under ambient conditions for a 6 month period. Immediately after treatment, about 40% of the applied DDT was eliminated from surface of the dried fish with water washing. However, such removal was reduced to about 26% on storage for 6 months. Boiling of dried fish in water resulted in further removal of about 16% residues. In boiled dried fish, about 14% residues might remain and this could be removed by Soxhlet extraction. Surface extraction with hexane yielded about 80% of the residues immediately after treatment and the extractable residues decreased to about half the initial value of 6 months' storage. Dried fish residues, on surface extraction with water or hexane, when subjected to exhaustive Soxhlet extraction with methanol was found to result in further recovery of about 39-49% and 17-32%, respectively. Bound DDT residues were found to be about 5% in water washed dried fish samples and about 1.5% in case of hexane-extracted samples. Degradation of parent DDT to DDE and DDD was found. Maximum values of 16.58% DDE and 21.6% DDD were found in dried fish stored for 6 months. (author)

Surface-water surveillance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saldi, K.A.; Dirkes, R.L.; Blanton, M.L.

1995-06-01

This section of the 1994 Hanford Site Environmental Report summarizes the Surface water on and near the Hanford Site is monitored to determine the potential effects of Hanford operations. Surface water at Hanford includes the Columbia River, riverbank springs, ponds located on the Hanford Site, and offsite water systems directly east and across the Columbia River from the Hanford Site, and offsite water systems directly east and across the Columbia River from the Hanford Site. Columbia River sediments are also included in this discussion. Tables 5.3.1 and 5.3.2 summarize the sampling locations, sample types, sampling frequencies, and sample analyses included in surface-water surveillance activities during 1994. Sample locations are also identified in Figure 5.3.1. This section describes the surveillance effort and summarizes the results for these aquatic environments. Detailed analytical results are reported by Bisping (1995).

Surface-water surveillance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saldi, K.A.; Dirkes, R.L.; Blanton, M.L.

1995-01-01

This section of the 1994 Hanford Site Environmental Report summarizes the Surface water on and near the Hanford Site is monitored to determine the potential effects of Hanford operations. Surface water at Hanford includes the Columbia River, riverbank springs, ponds located on the Hanford Site, and offsite water systems directly east and across the Columbia River from the Hanford Site, and offsite water systems directly east and across the Columbia River from the Hanford Site. Columbia River sediments are also included in this discussion. Tables 5.3.1 and 5.3.2 summarize the sampling locations, sample types, sampling frequencies, and sample analyses included in surface-water surveillance activities during 1994. Sample locations are also identified in Figure 5.3.1. This section describes the surveillance effort and summarizes the results for these aquatic environments. Detailed analytical results are reported by Bisping (1995)

Behavior of aircraft antiskid braking systems on dry and wet runway surfaces: Hydromechanically controlled system

Science.gov (United States)

Tanner, J. A.; Stubbs, S. M.; Smith, E. G.

1981-01-01

The investigation utilized one main gear wheel, brake, and tire assembly of a McDonnell Douglas DC-9 series 10 airplane. The landing-gear strut was replaced by a dynamometer. During maximum braking, average braking behavior indexes based upon brake pressure, brake torque, and drag-force friction coefficient developed by the antiskid system were generally higher on dry surfaces than on wet surfaces. The three braking behavior indexes gave similar results but should not be used interchangeably as a measure of the braking of this antiskid sytem. During the transition from a dry to a flooded surface under heavy braking, the wheel entered into a deep skid but the antiskid system reacted quickly by reducing brake pressure and performed normally during the remainder of the run on the flooded surface. The brake-pressure recovery following transition from a flooded to a dry surface was shown to be a function of the antiskid modulating orifice.

Surface-Water and Ground-Water Interactions in the Central Everglades, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, Judson W.; Newlin, Jessica T.; Krest, James M.; Choi, Jungyill; Nemeth, Eric A.; Krupa, Steven L.

2004-01-01

Everglades restoration. A century of water management for flood control and water storage in the Everglades resulted in the creation of the Water Conservation Areas (WCAs). Construction of the major canals began in the 1910s and the systems of levees that enclose the basins and structures that move water between basins were largely completed by the 1950s. The abandoned wetlands that remained outside of the Water Conservation areas tended to dry out and subside by 10 feet or more, which created abrupt transitions in land-surface elevations and water levels across the levees. The increases in topographic and hydraulic gradients near the margins of the WCAs, along with rapid pumping of water between basins to achieve management objectives, have together altered the patterns of recharge and discharge in the Everglades. The most evident change is the increase in the magnitude of recharge (on the upgradient side) and discharge (on the downgradient side) of levees separating WCA-2A from other basins or areas outside. Recharge and discharge in the vast interior of WCA-2A also likely have increased, but fluxes in the interior wetlands are more subtle and more difficult to quantify compared with areas close to the levees. Surface-water and ground-water interactions differ in fundamental ways between wetlands near WCA-2A's boundaries and wetlands in the basin's interior. The levees that form the WCA's boundaries have introduced step functions in the topographic and hydraulic gradients that are important as a force to drive water flow across the wetland ground surface. The resulting recharge and discharge fluxes tend to be unidirectional (connecting points of recharge on the upgradient side of the levee with points of discharge on the downgradient side), and fluxes are also relatively steady in magnitude compared with fluxes in the interior. Recharge flow paths are also relatively deep in their extent near levees, with fluxes passing entirely through the 1-m peat layer and inte

Water at surfaces with tunable surface chemistries

Science.gov (United States)

Sanders, Stephanie E.; Vanselous, Heather; Petersen, Poul B.

2018-03-01

Aqueous interfaces are ubiquitous in natural environments, spanning atmospheric, geological, oceanographic, and biological systems, as well as in technical applications, such as fuel cells and membrane filtration. Where liquid water terminates at a surface, an interfacial region is formed, which exhibits distinct properties from the bulk aqueous phase. The unique properties of water are governed by the hydrogen-bonded network. The chemical and physical properties of the surface dictate the boundary conditions of the bulk hydrogen-bonded network and thus the interfacial properties of the water and any molecules in that region. Understanding the properties of interfacial water requires systematically characterizing the structure and dynamics of interfacial water as a function of the surface chemistry. In this review, we focus on the use of experimental surface-specific spectroscopic methods to understand the properties of interfacial water as a function of surface chemistry. Investigations of the air-water interface, as well as efforts in tuning the properties of the air-water interface by adding solutes or surfactants, are briefly discussed. Buried aqueous interfaces can be accessed with careful selection of spectroscopic technique and sample configuration, further expanding the range of chemical environments that can be probed, including solid inorganic materials, polymers, and water immiscible liquids. Solid substrates can be finely tuned by functionalization with self-assembled monolayers, polymers, or biomolecules. These variables provide a platform for systematically tuning the chemical nature of the interface and examining the resulting water structure. Finally, time-resolved methods to probe the dynamics of interfacial water are briefly summarized before discussing the current status and future directions in studying the structure and dynamics of interfacial water.

Surface freezing of water

OpenAIRE

P?rez-D?az, J. L.; ?lvarez-Valenzuela, M. A.; Rodr?guez-Celis, F.

2016-01-01

Freezing, melting, evaporation and condensation of water are essential ingredients for climate and eventually life on Earth. In the present work, we show how surface freezing of supercooled water in an open container is conditioned and triggered?exclusively?by humidity in air. Additionally, a change of phase is demonstrated to be triggered on the water surface forming surface ice crystals prior to freezing of bulk. The symmetry of the surface crystal, as well as the freezing point, depend on ...

Native Liquid Extraction Surface Analysis Mass Spectrometry: Analysis of Noncovalent Protein Complexes Directly from Dried Substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Nicholas J.; Griffiths, Rian L.; Edwards, Rebecca L.; Cooper, Helen J.

2015-08-01

Liquid extraction surface analysis (LESA) mass spectrometry is a promising tool for the analysis of intact proteins from biological substrates. Here, we demonstrate native LESA mass spectrometry of noncovalent protein complexes of myoglobin and hemoglobin from a range of surfaces. Holomyoglobin, in which apomyoglobin is noncovalently bound to the prosthetic heme group, was observed following LESA mass spectrometry of myoglobin dried onto glass and polyvinylidene fluoride surfaces. Tetrameric hemoglobin [(αβ)2 4H] was observed following LESA mass spectrometry of hemoglobin dried onto glass and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) surfaces, and from dried blood spots (DBS) on filter paper. Heme-bound dimers and monomers were also observed. The `contact' LESA approach was particularly suitable for the analysis of hemoglobin tetramers from DBS.

The Effect of Ocular Surface Regularity on Contrast Sensitivity and Straylight in Dry Eye

OpenAIRE

Koh, Shizuka; Maeda, Naoyuki; Ikeda, Chikako; Asonuma, Sanae; Ogawa, Mai; Hiraoka, Takahiro; Oshika, Tetsuro; Nishida, Kohji

2017-01-01

Purpose: To investigate the association between visual function and ocular surface regularity in dry eye.Methods: We enrolled 52 eyes of 52 dry eye patients (34 dry eyes with superficial punctate keratopathy [SPK] in the central corneal region [central SPK] and 18 dry eyes without central SPK) and 20 eyes of 20 normal control subjects. All eyes had a best-corrected distance visual acuity better than 20/20. We measured two indices of contrast sensitivity function under photopic conditions: con...

Land application of mine water causes minimal uranium loss offsite in the wet-dry tropics: Ranger Uranium Mine, Northern Territory, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Mumtaz, Saqib; Streten, Claire; Parry, David L; McGuinness, Keith A; Lu, Ping; Gibb, Karen S

2015-11-01

Ranger Uranium Mine (RUM) is situated in the wet-dry tropics of Northern Australia. Land application (irrigation) of stockpile (ore and waste) runoff water to natural woodland on the mine lease is a key part of water management at the mine. Consequently, the soil in these Land Application Areas (LAAs) presents a range of uranium (U) and other metals concentrations. Knowledge of seasonal and temporal changes in soil U and physicochemical parameters at RUM LAAs is important to develop suitable management and rehabilitation strategies. Therefore, soil samples were collected from low, medium, high and very high U sites at RUM LAAs for two consecutive years and the effect of time and season on soil physicochemical parameters particularly U and other major solutes applied in irrigation water was measured. Concentrations of some of the solutes applied in the irrigation water such as sulphur (S), iron (Fe) and calcium (Ca) showed significant seasonal and temporal changes. Soil S, Fe and Ca concentration decreased from year 1 to year 2 and from dry to wet seasons during both years. Soil U followed the same pattern except that we recorded an increase in soil U concentrations at most of the RUM LAAs after year 2 wet season compared to year 2 dry season. Thus, these sites did not show a considerable decrease in soil U concentration from year 1 to year 2. Sites which contained elevated U after wet season 2 also had higher moisture content which suggests that pooling of U containing rainwater at these sites may be responsible for elevated U. Thus, U may be redistributed within RUM LAAs due to surface water movement. The study also suggested that a decrease in U concentrations in LAA soils at very high U (>900 mg kg(-1)) sites is most likely due to transport of particulate matter bound U by surface runoff and U may not be lost from the surface soil due to vertical movement through the soil profile. Uranium attached to particulate matter may reduce its potential for environmental

A circadian clock in the olfactory bulb anticipates feeding during food anticipatory activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Nolasco, Nahum; Juárez, Claudia; Morgado, Elvira; Meza, Enrique; Caba, Mario

2012-01-01

Rabbit pups ingest food, in this case milk, once a day with circadian periodicity and are a natural model of food anticipatory activity. During nursing, several sensory systems receive information about properties of the food, one of them being the olfactory system, which has received little attention in relation to synchronization by food. In addition, the olfactory bulb has a circadian pacemaker that exhibits rhythms independently of the suprachiasmatic nucleus, but the biological functions of these rhythms are largely unknown. In the present contribution, we hypothesized that circadian suckling of milk synchronizes rhythms in the olfactory bulb. To this aim we explored by immunohistochemistry, rhythms of FOS and PER1 proteins, as indicators of activation and reporter of oscillations, respectively, through a complete 24-h cycle in periglomerular, mitral and granular cell layers of both the main and the accessory olfactory bulb. Subjects were 7-day-old rabbit pups scheduled to nurse during the night (02:00 h) or day (10:00 h), and also fasted subjects, to explore the possible persistence of oscillations. In the three layers of the main olfactory bulb, FOS was high at time of nursing, then further increased 1.5 h afterward, and then decreased to increase again in advance of the next nursing bout. This pattern persisted, without the postprandial increase, in fasted subjects with a shift in subjects nursed at 02:00. PER1 was increased 2-8 h after nursing and this increase persisted in most cell layers, with a shift, in fasted subjects. In the accessory olfactory bulb we only observed a consistent pattern of FOS expression in the mitral cell layer of nursed subjects, similar to that of the main olfactory bulb. We conclude that the main olfactory bulb is synchronized during milk ingestion, but during fasting its oscillations perhaps are modulated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus, as proposed for rodents.

Surface freezing of water.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Díaz, J L; Álvarez-Valenzuela, M A; Rodríguez-Celis, F

2016-01-01

Freezing, melting, evaporation and condensation of water are essential ingredients for climate and eventually life on Earth. In the present work, we show how surface freezing of supercooled water in an open container is conditioned and triggered-exclusively-by humidity in air. Additionally, a change of phase is demonstrated to be triggered on the water surface forming surface ice crystals prior to freezing of bulk. The symmetry of the surface crystal, as well as the freezing point, depend on humidity, presenting at least three different types of surface crystals. Humidity triggers surface freezing as soon as it overpasses a defined value for a given temperature, generating a plurality of nucleation nodes. An evidence of simultaneous nucleation of surface ice crystals is also provided.

Grain Size and Heat Source Effect on the Drying Profile of Cocoa ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Four sweat boxes were constructed with wooden material (0.95 x 0.25 x 0.25m) L x W x H and one electric bulb with 100,200,300 and 400watts rating hoisted in each box interchangeably. Cocoa bean cleaned and sorted into four different grain sizes samples (A, B, C, D) was subjected to drying till 13-14% moisture content ...

From Batteries and Bulbs to High Tech.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwartz, Maurice L.; Schwartz, Ivan C.

1986-01-01

Presents a new, high-technology approach to making bulbs light in series and parallel circuits. Contains diagrams that illustrate the circuit patterns. Provides suggestions for applying the electronic principles that were addressed in the activities. (ML)

Management of maxillectomy defect with a hybrid hollow bulb obturator

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Kamleshwar; Singh, Saumyendra V; Mishra, Niraj; Agrawal, Kaushal Kishor

2013-01-01

A woman having already undergone maxillectomy came to the department complaining of difficulty in eating and speech. During the construction of an obturator, the bulb area should be hollowed to reduce weight so that the teeth and supporting tissues are not stressed unnecessarily. The conventional open design drains fluid from the adjacent mucosa, possibly increasing the weight of the prosthesis, and is difficult to clean. The closed bulb design does not drain secretions and may cause obstruction and susceptibility to infection in the paranasal and pharyngeal regions, though it is easier to maintain. An alternative to the two designs, combining their advantages, is presented in this report. As the open hollow part of the obturator was shallow, it was easy to clean. Making the inferior part of the bulb hollow and closed led to a reduction in the overall weight of the prosthesis while increasing its resonance. PMID:23436886

Genetic analyses of bolting in bulb onion (Allium cepa L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Baldwin, Samantha; Revanna, Roopashree; Pither-Joyce, Meeghan; Shaw, Martin; Wright, Kathryn; Thomson, Susan; Moya, Leire; Lee, Robyn; Macknight, Richard; McCallum, John

2014-03-01

We present the first evidence for a QTL conditioning an adaptive trait in bulb onion, and the first linkage and population genetics analyses of candidate genes involved in photoperiod and vernalization physiology. Economic production of bulb onion (Allium cepa L.) requires adaptation to photoperiod and temperature such that a bulb is formed in the first year and a flowering umbel in the second. 'Bolting', or premature flowering before bulb maturation, is an undesirable trait strongly selected against by breeders during adaptation of germplasm. To identify genome regions associated with adaptive traits we conducted linkage mapping and population genetic analyses of candidate genes, and QTL analysis of bolting using a low-density linkage map. We performed tagged amplicon sequencing of ten candidate genes, including the FT-like gene family, in eight diverse populations to identify polymorphisms and seek evidence of differentiation. Low nucleotide diversity and negative estimates of Tajima's D were observed for most genes, consistent with purifying selection. Significant population differentiation was observed only in AcFT2 and AcSOC1. Selective genotyping in a large 'Nasik Red × CUDH2150' F2 family revealed genome regions on chromosomes 1, 3 and 6 associated (LOD > 3) with bolting. Validation genotyping of two F2 families grown in two environments confirmed that a QTL on chromosome 1, which we designate AcBlt1, consistently conditions bolting susceptibility in this cross. The chromosome 3 region, which coincides with a functionally characterised acid invertase, was not associated with bolting in other environments, but showed significant association with bulb sucrose content in this and other mapping pedigrees. These putative QTL and candidate genes were placed on the onion map, enabling future comparative studies of adaptive traits.

Schwaebisch Hall West Germany. Limited Surface Observations Climatic Summary (LISOCS).

Science.gov (United States)

1984-01-25

of distibution tables Dry-bulb temperature versus wet-bulb temperature Cumulative percentage frequency of distribution tables *GERMANY ( WEST ) * WEST ...48.55 56 % WIND DI R. . I SPEED NIlE . ’ ’ [. .. . ssE .41 ,j .... .~I ° Ř -- _--- _. --- j---F7i- ___________,.__ .27 1N 2 .21 -41 s __ _ 2. 21 4...PERCENTAGE FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE 7 -4 IFROM HOURLY OBSERVATIONS) VI5I81UT, STATjTE MIkES "- - 4 -3 o _>i2p A’ r. -E 5 a- A . 1Z)nr r. F Fta . r. S.D S

Water curative treatment device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fridrihsons, J.

2011-01-01

The device is made of two water containers (water that is intended to be activated) which are connected with a glass pipe in lower parts. In these containers disinfectant ultraviolet radiance “U” type luminescent light bulbs are placed which are connected to a mono-phase electrical power network from the shell surface spiral steel wire electrodes through a voltage duplicator. In water such harmless chemical composition coagulator is placed which automatically in the lower part of the connecting glass pipe creates residue hydra-gate that separates fractions of anion and cation. The lower parts of the containers are equipped with coal filter taps; mixing the anion and cation in equal proportions allows collecting single fractions of activated water selectively and gain drinking water which is refined from residues and processed antibacterially. (author)

Surface characteristics analysis of dry EDMed AISI D2 steel using modified tool design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pragadish, N.; Kumar, M. Pradeep [Anna University, Chennai (China)

2015-04-15

A modified tool design is proposed which helps in drilling holes without any central core, and also enables the effective removal of the debris particles. Experiments were conducted on AISI D2 Steel using copper electrode as tool in both conventional EDM and dry EDM processes and the performance of both processes is compared. Experiments were designed using Taguchi's L27 orthogonal array. Discharge current (I), gap voltage (V), pulse on time (T{sub ON}), gas pressure (P) and tool rotational speed (N) were chosen as the various input parameters, and their effect on the material removal rate (MRR), surface roughness (SR), surface morphology, microstructure and elemental composition of the machined surface is analyzed. The experimental results show better surface characteristics in the surface machined under dry EDM process.

Surface characteristics analysis of dry EDMed AISI D2 steel using modified tool design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pragadish, N.; Kumar, M. Pradeep

2015-01-01

A modified tool design is proposed which helps in drilling holes without any central core, and also enables the effective removal of the debris particles. Experiments were conducted on AISI D2 Steel using copper electrode as tool in both conventional EDM and dry EDM processes and the performance of both processes is compared. Experiments were designed using Taguchi's L27 orthogonal array. Discharge current (I), gap voltage (V), pulse on time (T ON ), gas pressure (P) and tool rotational speed (N) were chosen as the various input parameters, and their effect on the material removal rate (MRR), surface roughness (SR), surface morphology, microstructure and elemental composition of the machined surface is analyzed. The experimental results show better surface characteristics in the surface machined under dry EDM process.

WATER CONSUMPTION BEHAVIOR DURING DRY SEASON AT PAMOR HAMLET, GROBOGAN DISTRICT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ipung Purwanto

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Drought disaster in Grobogan District takes place almost every year. This research aims to study the household water consumption behavior during dry season. Precipitation data, soil map, and land cover map were collected. Historical information was also collected with snowball sampling and depth interview. Public perceptions were collected through Focus Group Discussion. Interview and direct observation were conducted to discover people behaviour in collecting water. Survey was also done to collect data on water consumption. Historical information, people perception and people behaviour were done by qualitative analysis. Regresion analysis was applied for water consumption with amount of household member and cattles ownership. The result were: 1 The drought occured due to water deficit from May to October, although annual water balance was surplus, 2 the history of drought has been going on for long time. 3 Searching and collecting water from river or other places were an obligation, 4 When their wells dry up, they search for water from water springs within 1-3 kilometers distance, 5 The amount of water consumption each day was 0.453 m3/people/day; 0.283 m3/cow/day, and 0.044 m3/goat/day. This numbers can be applied as an input of the development plan of infrastructure to address drought and supply water needs in case of drought.

Drop drying on surfaces determines chemical reactivity - the specific case of immobilization of oligonucleotides on microarrays

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Drop drying is a key factor in a wide range of technical applications, including spotted microarrays. The applied nL liquid volume provides specific reaction conditions for the immobilization of probe molecules to a chemically modified surface. Results We investigated the influence of nL and μL liquid drop volumes on the process of probe immobilization and compare the results obtained to the situation in liquid solution. In our data, we observe a strong relationship between drop drying effects on immobilization and surface chemistry. In this work, we present results on the immobilization of dye labeled 20mer oligonucleotides with and without an activating 5′-aminoheptyl linker onto a 2D epoxysilane and a 3D NHS activated hydrogel surface. Conclusions Our experiments identified two basic processes determining immobilization. First, the rate of drop drying that depends on the drop volume and the ambient relative humidity. Oligonucleotides in a dried spot react unspecifically with the surface and long reaction times are needed. 3D hydrogel surfaces allow for immobilization in a liquid environment under diffusive conditions. Here, oligonucleotide immobilization is much faster and a specific reaction with the reactive linker group is observed. Second, the effect of increasing probe concentration as a result of drop drying. On a 3D hydrogel, the increasing concentration of probe molecules in nL spotting volumes accelerates immobilization dramatically. In case of μL volumes, immobilization depends on whether the drop is allowed to dry completely. At non-drying conditions, very limited immobilization is observed due to the low oligonucleotide concentration used in microarray spotting solutions. The results of our study provide a general guideline for microarray assay development. They allow for the initial definition and further optimization of reaction conditions for the immobilization of oligonucleotides and other probe molecule classes to different

Modeling seasonal surface temperature variations in secondary tropical dry forests

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Sen; Sanchez-Azofeifa, Arturo

2017-10-01

Secondary tropical dry forests (TDFs) provide important ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, and nutrient cycle regulation. However, their biogeophysical processes at the canopy-atmosphere interface remain unknown, limiting our understanding of how this endangered ecosystem influences, and responds to the ongoing global warming. To facilitate future development of conservation policies, this study characterized the seasonal land surface temperature (LST) behavior of three successional stages (early, intermediate, and late) of a TDF, at the Santa Rosa National Park (SRNP), Costa Rica. A total of 38 Landsat-8 Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) data and the Surface Reflectance (SR) product were utilized to model LST time series from July 2013 to July 2016 using a radiative transfer equation (RTE) algorithm. We further related the LST time series to seven vegetation indices which reflect different properties of TDFs, and soil moisture data obtained from a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN). Results showed that the LST in the dry season was 15-20 K higher than in the wet season at SRNP. We found that the early successional stages were about 6-8 K warmer than the intermediate successional stages and were 9-10 K warmer than the late successional stages in the middle of the dry season; meanwhile, a minimum LST difference (0-1 K) was observed at the end of the wet season. Leaf phenology and canopy architecture explained most LST variations in both dry and wet seasons. However, our analysis revealed that it is precipitation that ultimately determines the LST variations through both biogeochemical (leaf phenology) and biogeophysical processes (evapotranspiration) of the plants. Results of this study could help physiological modeling studies in secondary TDFs.

HEAT TREATMENTS OF HIGH TEMPERATURE DRIED NORWAY SPRUCE BOARDS: SACCHARIDES AND FURFURALS IN SAPWOOD SURFACES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olov Karlsson,

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Carbohydrates that migrate to wood surfaces in sapwood during drying might influence properties such as mould susceptibility and colour. Sugars on the surface of Norway spruce boards during various heat treatments were studied. Samples (350mmx125mmx25mm were double-stacked, facing sapwood-side outwards, and dried at 110oC to a target moisture content (MC of 40%. Dried sub-samples (80 mm x 125 mm x 25 mm were stacked in a similar way and further heated at 110oC and at 130oC for 12, 24, and 36 hours, respectively. Glucose, fructose, and sucrose as well as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF and furfural in the sapwood surface layer of treated wood were analysed using HPLC (RI- and UV-detectors. Carbohydrates degraded to a lower extent at 110oC than at 130oC. Furfural and to a larger extent HMF increased with treatment period and temperature. Heat treatment led to a decrease in lightness and hue of the sapwood surface of sub-samples, while chroma increased somewhat. Furthermore, considerably faster degradation (within a few minutes of the carbohydrates on the surface of the dried spruce boards was observed when single sub-samples were conductively hot pressed at 200oC. Treatment period and initial MC influenced the presence of the carbohydrates in wood surface as well as colour change (Eab of the hot pressed sub-samples.

Dynamic Mechanical Behavior of Dry and Water Saturated Igneous Rock with Acoustic Emission Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun Guo

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The uniaxial cyclic loading tests have been conducted to study the mechanical behavior of dry and water saturated igneous rock with acoustic emission (AE monitoring. The igneous rock samples are dried, naturally immersed, and boiled to get specimens with different water contents for the testing. The mineral compositions and the microstructures of the dry and water saturated igneous rock are also presented. The dry specimens present higher strength, fewer strains, and rapid increase of AE count subjected to the cyclic loading, which reflects the hard and brittle behavior and strong burst proneness of igneous rock. The water saturated specimens have lower peak strength, more accumulated strains, and increase of AE count during the cyclic loading. The damage of the igneous rocks with different water contents has been identified by the Felicity Ratio Analysis. The cyclic loading and unloading increase the dislocation between the mineral aggregates and the water-rock interactions further break the adhesion of the clay minerals, which jointly promote the inner damage of the igneous rock. The results suggest that the groundwater can reduce the burst proneness of the igneous rock but increase the potential support failure of the surrounding rock in igneous invading area. In addition, the results inspire the fact that the water injection method is feasible for softening the igneous rock and for preventing the dynamic disasters within the roadways and working faces located in the igneous intrusion area.

Contrast of dry and water-saturated arabidopsis seeds irradiated by MeV energy ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mei Tao; Qin Huaili; Xue Jianming; Wang Yugang

2007-01-01

The dry and water-saturated seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana were irradiated by H + ions with 6.5 MeV in atmosphere. The ion fluence used in this experiment was in the range of 4 x 10 9 -1 x 10 14 ions/cm 2 . According to the structure of the seed and TRIM simulation, the ions with the energy of 6.5 MeV can penetrate the whole seed. The experiment shows that the fluence-response curves for the dry seeds and water-saturated seeds had distinct shoulders and reduced rapidly. The experimental results show that the water-imbibed seeds were more sensitive than the dry seeds and the reason is from free radicals reaction. A model has been constructed, and primely simulates the experiment data. (authors)

Spent nuclear fuel project cold vacuum drying facility tempered water and tempered water cooling system design description

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

IRWIN, J.J.

1998-01-01

This document provides the System Design Description (SDD) for the Cold Vacuum Drying Facility (CVDF) Tempered Water (TW) and Tempered Water Cooling (TWC) System . The SDD was developed in conjunction with HNF-SD-SNF-SAR-002, Safety Analysis Report for the Cold Vacuum Drying Facility, Phase 2, Supporting Installation of Processing Systems (Garvin 1998), The HNF-SD-SNF-DRD-O02, 1998, Cold Vacuum Drying Facility Design Requirements, and the CVDF Design Summary Report. The SDD contains general descriptions of the TW and TWC equipment, the system functions, requirements and interfaces. The SDD provides references for design and fabrication details, operation sequences and maintenance. This SOD has been developed for the SNFP Operations Organization and shall be updated, expanded, and revised in accordance with future design, construction and startup phases of the CVDF until the CVDF final ORR is approved

Phenomenological study of aerosol dry deposition in urban area: surface properties, turbulence and local meteorology influences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roupsard, P.

2013-01-01

Aerosol dry deposition is not much known for urban areas due to the lack of data. Knowledge on this phenomenon is necessary to understand pollutant fluxes in cities and to estimate inhabitant exposition to ionizing radiation of radioactive aerosols. A data providing could enable to enhance dry deposition models for these areas. An original experimental approach is performed to study submicron aerosol dry deposition on urban surfaces. Wind tunnel coupled to in situ experiments give results to study different physical phenomenon governing dry deposition. Dry deposition velocities are measured using aerosol tracers. These data are associated to turbulent and meteorological measured conditions. This database permits to classify the principal physical phenomenon for each experiment type. Finally, different phenomenon must be considered for chronic and acute exposition of urban surfaces to atmospheric particles. (author)

Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and Vicinity, Florida, May 2005

Science.gov (United States)

Kinnaman, Sandra L.

2006-01-01

INTRODUCTION This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for May 2005. Potentiometric contours are based on water level measurements collected at 598 wens during the period May 5 - 31, near the end of the dry season. Some contours are inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground water withdrawals. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and Vicinity, Florida, May, 2004

Science.gov (United States)

Kinnaman, Sandra L.; Knowles, Leel

2004-01-01

INTRODUCTION This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity in May 2001. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 684 wells during the period May 2 - 30, near the end of the dry season. The shapes of some contours have been inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground-water withdrawals. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground-water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and Vicinity, Florida, May 2006

Science.gov (United States)

Kinnaman, Sandra L.

2006-01-01

Introduction: This map depicts the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the St. Johns River Water Management District and vicinity for May 2006. Potentiometric contours are based on water-level measurements collected at 599 wells during the period May 14-31, near the end of the dry season. Some contours are inferred from previous potentiometric-surface maps with larger well networks. The potentiometric surface of the carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer responds mainly to rainfall, and more locally, to ground-water withdrawals and springflow. Potentiometric-surface highs generally correspond to topographic highs where the aquifer is recharged. Springs and areas of diffuse upward leakage naturally discharge water from the aquifer and are most prevalent along the St. Johns River. Areas of discharge are reflected by depressions in the potentiometric surface. Ground-water withdrawals locally have lowered the potentiometric surface. Ground water in the Upper Floridan aquifer generally flows from potentiometric highs to potentiometric lows in a direction perpendicular to the contours.

Occurrence and profiles of organic sun-blocking agents in surface waters and sediments in Japanese rivers and lakes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kameda, Yutaka; Kimura, Kumiko; Miyazaki, Motonobu

2011-01-01

Sun-blocking agents including eight UV filters (UVF) and 10 UV light stabilizers (UVLS) were measured in water and sediment collected from 22 rivers, four sewage treatment plant effluents (STPE) and three lakes in Japan. Total sun blocking agents levels ranged from N.D. to 4928 ng/L and from 2.0 to 3422 μg/kg dry wt in surface water and in sediment, respectively. Benzyl salicylate, benzophenone-3, 2-ethyl hexyl-4-methoxycinnamte (EHMC) and octyl salicylate were dominant in surface water receiving wastewater effluents and STPE, although UV-328, benzophenone and EHMC were dominant in other surface water except background sites. Three UVF and nine UVLS were observed from all sediment and their compositions showed similar patterns with UV-328 and UV-234 as the most prevalent compounds. Homosalate, octocrylene, UV-326, UV-327, UV-328 and UV-234 were significantly correlated with Galaxolide in sediments. Concentrations of UV-327 and UV-328 also had strong correlation between those of UV-326 in sediment. - Highlights: → Total sun-blocking agents levels ranged from N.D. to 4928 ng/L in surface water from 29 sampling sites. → The maximum concentration of total sun-blocking agents was 3422 μg/kg dry wt. in sediment. → Residential wastewaters and STPE were considered to be potential sources of UVLS in river and lakes. → Most of sun-blocking agents in sediment were significantly correlated with HHCB. → UV-326 had a strong linear correlation between UV-327 as well as UV-328 in all sediment. - Occurrence of eight UV filters and 10 UV light stabilizers in surface water and sediment were investigated and characterized their compositions in water and sediment.

Potential of bulb-associated bacteria for biocontrol of hyacinth soft rot caused by Dickeya zeae.

Science.gov (United States)

Jafra, S; Przysowa, J; Gwizdek-Wiśniewska, A; van der Wolf, J M

2009-01-01

Dickeya zeae is a pectinolytic bacterium responsible for soft rot disease in flower bulb crops. In this study, the possibility of controlling soft rot disease in hyacinth by using antagonistic bacteria isolated from hyacinth bulbs was explored. Bacterial isolates with potential for biocontrol were selected on the basis of antibiosis against D. zeae, siderophore production, and the N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs)-inactivation. In in vitro assays, 35 out of 565 hyacinth-associated bacterial isolates produced antimicrobial substances against D. zeae, whereas 20 degraded AHLs, and 35 produced siderophores. Isolates of interest were identified by 16S rDNA sequence analysis and reaction in BIOLOG tests. Twenty-six isolates that differed in characteristics were selected for pathogenicity testing on hyacinth cultivars, Pink Pearl and Carnegie. Two strains identified as Rahnella aquatilis and one as Erwinia persicinus significantly reduced tissue maceration caused by D. zeae 2019 on hyacinth bulbs, but not on leaves. Hyacinth bulbs harbour bacteria belonging to different taxonomic groups that are antagonistic to D. zeae, and some can attenuate decay of bulb tissue. Selected hyacinth-associated bacterial isolates have potential for control of soft rot disease caused by D. zeae in hyacinth bulb production.

Bulb turbine operating at medium head: XIA JIANG case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loiseau, F; Desrats, C; Petit, P; Liu, J

2012-01-01

With lots of references for 4-blade bulb turbines, such as these of Wu Jin Xia (4 units – 36.1 MW per unit – 9.2 m rated head), Chang Zhou (15 units – 46.7 MW per unit – 9.5 m rated head) and Tong Wan (4 units – 46.2 MW per unit – 11 m rated head), ALSTOM Power Hydro is one of the major suppliers of bulb turbines operating under medium head for the Chinese market. ALSTOM Power Hydro has been awarded in November 2010 a contract by Jiang Xi Province Xia Jiang Water Control Project Headquarters to equip Xia Jiang's new hydropower plant. The power dam is located on the Gan Jiang river, at about 160 km away from Nan Chang town in South Eastern China. The supply will consist in 5 bulb units including the furniture of both the turbine and its generator, for a total capacity of 200 MW, under a rated net head of 8.6 m. The prototype turbine is a 7.8 m diameter runner, rotating at 71.4 rpm speed. For this project, ALSTOM has proposed a fully new design of 4-blade bulb runner. This paper outlines the main steps of the hydraulic development. First of all, a fine tuning of the blade geometry was performed to enhance the runner behaviour at high loads and low heads, so that to fulfill the demanding requirements of efficiencies and maximum output. The challenge was also to keep an excellent cavitation behaviour, especially at the outer blade diameter in order to avoid cavitation erosion on the prototype. The shape of the blade was optimized by using the latest tools in computational fluid dynamics. Steady state simulations of the distributor and the runner were performed, in order to simulate more accurately the pressure fields on the blade and the velocity distribution at the outlet of the runner. Moreover, draft tube computations have been performed close to the design point and at higher loads. Then, a model fully homologous with the prototype was manufactured and tested at ALSTOM's laboratory in Grenoble (France). The model test results confirmed the predicted

Performance of a Splittered Transonic Rotor with Several Tip Clearances

Science.gov (United States)

2015-06-15

secondary flows. NOMENCLATURE cp Specific heat capacity at constant pressure [J/kg.K] cv Specific heat capacity at constant volume [J/kg.K] h Enthalpy ...mix Air/water vapor gas mixture o Stagnation or dry-bulb rel Relative humidity ref Standard atmospheric conditions sat Saturated wet bulb...temperature v Water vapor THE SPLITTERED ROTOR The test article in use for this work is the result a larger program to develop a design method and test

Comparison of shear bond strength between unfilled resin to dry enamel and dentin bonding to moist and dry enamel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yasini E.

2005-05-01

Full Text Available Statement of Problem: The use of dentine bondings on enamel and dentin in total etch protocols has recently become popular. Unfilled resin is hydrophobic and dentin bonding is hydrophilic in nature. This chemical difference could be effective in enamel bonding process. Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the shear bond strength of unfilled resin to dry enamel and dentin bonding to dry and moist enamel. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, a total of 30 incisor teeth were used. The specimens were randomly assigned to three groups of 10. 37% phosphoric acid etchant was applied to the enamel surfaces in each group for 15 seconds, rinsed with water for 20 seconds and dried for 20 seconds with compressed air in groups one and two. After conditioning, group 1 received unfilled resin (Margin Bond, Colten and group 2 received dentin bonding (Single Bond, 3M and in group 3 after conditioning and rinsing with water, a layer of dentin bonding (Single Bond was applied on wet enamel. The enamel and dentin bonding were light cured for 20 seconds. A ring mold 3.5 mm in diameter and 2 mm height was placed over the specimens to receive the composite filling material (Z100, 3M. The composite was cured for 40 seconds. The specimens were thermocycled and shear bond strengths were determined using an Instron Universal Testing Machine. The findings were analyzed by ANOVA One-Way and Tukey HSD tests. Results: Shear bond strength of dentin bonding to dry enamel was significantly less than unfilled resin to dry enamel (P<0.05. There was no significant difference between the bond strength of dentin bonding to moist and dry enamel. In addition bond strength of dentin bonding to wet enamel was not significantly different from unfilled resin to dry enamel. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, it is suggested that enamel surface should remain slightly moist after etching before bonding with single bond but when using unfilled resin, the

Anthropogenic influence on surface water quality of the Nhue and Day sub-river systems in Vietnam.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanh, Pham Thi Minh; Sthiannopkao, Suthipong; Kim, Kyoung-Woong; Ba, Dang The; Hung, Nguyen Quang

2010-06-01

In order to investigate the temporal and spatial variations of 14 physical and chemical surface water parameters in the Nhue and Day sub-river systems of Vietnam, surface water samples were taken from 43 sampling sites during the dry and rainy seasons in 2007. The results were statistically examined by Mann-Whitney U-test and hierarchical cluster analysis. The results show that water quality of the Day River was significantly improved during the rainy season while this was not the case of the Nhue River. However, the river water did not meet the Vietnamese surface water quality standards for dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD(5)), chemical oxygen demand (COD), nutrients, total coliform, and fecal coliform. This implies that the health of local communities using untreated river water for drinking purposes as well as irrigation of vegetables may be at risk. Forty-three sampling sites were grouped into four main clusters on the basis of water quality characteristics with particular reference to geographic location and land use and revealed the contamination levels from anthropogenic sources.

Multi-objective analysis of the conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater in a multisource water supply system

Science.gov (United States)

Vieira, João; da Conceição Cunha, Maria

2017-04-01

A multi-objective decision model has been developed to identify the Pareto-optimal set of management alternatives for the conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater of a multisource urban water supply system. A multi-objective evolutionary algorithm, Borg MOEA, is used to solve the multi-objective decision model. The multiple solutions can be shown to stakeholders allowing them to choose their own solutions depending on their preferences. The multisource urban water supply system studied here is dependent on surface water and groundwater and located in the Algarve region, southernmost province of Portugal, with a typical warm Mediterranean climate. The rainfall is low, intermittent and concentrated in a short winter, followed by a long and dry period. A base population of 450 000 inhabitants and visits by more than 13 million tourists per year, mostly in summertime, turns water management critical and challenging. Previous studies on single objective optimization after aggregating multiple objectives together have already concluded that only an integrated and interannual water resources management perspective can be efficient for water resource allocation in this drought prone region. A simulation model of the multisource urban water supply system using mathematical functions to represent the water balance in the surface reservoirs, the groundwater flow in the aquifers, and the water transport in the distribution network with explicit representation of water quality is coupled with Borg MOEA. The multi-objective problem formulation includes five objectives. Two objective evaluate separately the water quantity and the water quality supplied for the urban use in a finite time horizon, one objective calculates the operating costs, and two objectives appraise the state of the two water sources - the storage in the surface reservoir and the piezometric levels in aquifer - at the end of the time horizon. The decision variables are the volume of withdrawals from

Hazardous Waste Water Remediation by Ecoresin-Dry Cow Dung Powder

Science.gov (United States)

Bagla, Hemlata; Barot, Nisha

2013-04-01

Water, the matter, matrix, medium and the mother of our life, is indeed one of the drivers of Nature. Through water cycle only the intra and inter equilibrium is maintained constantly between entire 'green' and 'blue'. Unfortunately, with each successive epoch of industrialization and urbanization, human societies have produced non-biodegradable waste hulk with far beyond handling capacities of mankind. At this juncture the very need is to appreciate and move towards the cost as well as time effective scientific alternatives for the removal of aqueous heavy metal pollutants. Green chemistry advocates the utilization of naturally available bio-resins which are environmentally benign alternative to current synthetic materials and technologies employed for waste water treatment. This explicit investigation aims to explore Dry Cow dung powder, DCP, a natural biosorbent as a green and clean alternative for the aqueous waste water treatment. It is naturally available bio-organic, complex, polymorphic humified fecal matter of cow and is enriched with minerals, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, bile pigments, aliphatic - aromatic species such as 'Humic acid'(HA). The HA has been successfully extracted by authors from DCP and this piece of work has been published in the International Journal [1]. We have developed simple, efficient and eco-friendly method for the removal of aqueous heavy metal pollutant such as Cr(VI) [2], Cd(II), Cr(III) [3] and Hg(II) as well radiotoxic 90Sr(II) [4], employing DCP. DCP is employed without any pre or post treatment. Being freely and easily available DCP has an edge over processed natural adsorbent considering their cost, time and energy efficiency. In nutshell we have to remember that prevention is better than the cure. If we fail to meet this, the situation will surely augment which will drain our water, our life, to slaughters knife..! Reference: 1. H.K.Bagla, N.S.Barot, Soil Amendement by Green Supplement: Dry Cowdung powder, EGUGA - 11

Cold Vacuum Drying (CVD) Facility Vacuum Purge System Chilled Water System Design Description. System 47-4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

IRWIN, J.J.

2000-01-01

This system design description (SDD) addresses the Vacuum Purge System Chilled Water (VPSCHW) system. The discussion that follows is limited to the VPSCHW system and its interfaces with associated systems. The reader's attention is directed to Drawings H-1-82162, Cold Vacuum Drying Facility Process Equipment Skid PandID Vacuum System, and H-1-82224, Cold Vacuum Drying Facility Mechanical Utilities Process Chilled Water PandID. Figure 1-1 shows the location and equipment arrangement for the VPSCHW system. The VPSCHW system provides chilled water to the Vacuum Purge System (VPS). The chilled water provides the ability to condense water from the multi-canister overpack (MCO) outlet gases during the MCO vacuum and purge cycles. By condensing water from the MCO purge gas, the VPS can assist in drying the contents of the MCO

36 Dry Season Phytoplankton Composition Of Ibiekuma Dam ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

`123456789jkl''''#

freshwater algae of Edo State. To benefit from ... Algae. (phytoplankton) are the source of oxygen in aquatic systems and are the main ... be used in determining water pollution level. A dam is a ... taken in situ, using a mercury in bulb glass.

Ambient pressure dried tetrapropoxysilane-based silica aerogels with high specific surface area

Science.gov (United States)

Parale, Vinayak G.; Han, Wooje; Jung, Hae-Noo-Ree; Lee, Kyu-Yeon; Park, Hyung-Ho

2018-01-01

In the present paper, we report the synthesis of tetrapropoxysilane (TPOS)-based silica aerogels with high surface area and large pore volume. The silica aerogels were prepared by a two-step sol-gel process followed by surface modification via a simple ambient pressure drying approach. In order to minimize drying shrinkage and obtain hydrophobic aerogels, the surface of the alcogels was modified using trichloromethylsilane as a silylating agent. The effect of the sol-gel compositional parameters on the polymerization of aerogels prepared by TPOS, one of the precursors belonging to the Si(OR)4 family, was reported for the first time. The oxalic acid and NH4OH concentrations were adjusted to achieve good-quality aerogels with high surface area, low density, and high transparency. Controlling the hydrolysis and condensation reactions of the TPOS precursor turned out to be the most important factor to determine the pore characteristics of the aerogel. Highly transparent aerogels with high specific surface area (938 m2/g) and low density (0.047 g/cm3) could be obtained using an optimized TPOS/MeOH molar ratio with appropriate concentrations of oxalic acid and NH4OH.

Alteration of blue pigment in artificial iris in ocular prosthesis: effect of paint, drying method and artificial aging.

Science.gov (United States)

Goiato, Marcelo Coelho; Fernandes, Aline Úrsula Rocha; dos Santos, Daniela Micheline; Hadadd, Marcela Filié; Moreno, Amália; Pesqueira, Aldiéris Alves

2011-02-01

The artificial iris is the structure responsible for the dissimulation and aesthetics of ocular prosthesis. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the color stability of artificial iris of microwaveable polymerized ocular prosthesis, as a function of paint type, drying method and accelerated aging. A total of 40 discs of microwaveable polymerized acrylic resin were fabricated, and divided according to the blue paint type (n = 5): hydrosoluble acrylic, nitrocellulose automotive, hydrosoluble gouache and oil paints. Paints where dried either at natural or at infrared light bulb method. Each specimen was constituted of one disc in colorless acrylic resin and another colored with a basic sclera pigment. Painting was performed in one surface of one of the discs. The specimens were submitted to an artificial aging chamber under ultraviolet light, during 1008 h. A reflective spectrophotometer was used to evaluate color changes. Data were evaluated by 3-way repeated-measures ANOVA and the Tukey HSD test (α = 0.05). All paints suffered color alteration. The oil paint presented the highest color resistance to artificial aging regardless of drying method. Copyright © 2010 British Contact Lens Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous heat and mass transfer to air from a compact heat exchanger with water spray precooling and surface deluge cooling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Feini; Bock, Jessica; Jacobi, Anthony M.; Wu, Hailing

2014-01-01

Various methods are available to enhance heat exchanger performance with evaporative cooling. In this study, evaporative mist precooling, deluge cooling, and combined cooling schemes are examined experimentally and compared to model predictions. A flexible model of a compact, finned-tube heat exchanger with a wetted surface is developed by applying the governing conservation and rate equations and invoking the heat and mass transfer analogy. The model is applicable for dry, partially wet, or fully wet surface conditions and capable of predicting local heat/mass transfer, wetness condition, and pressure drop of the heat exchanger. Experimental data are obtained from wind tunnel experiments using a louver-fin flat-tube heat exchanger with single-phase tube-side flow. Total capacity, pressure drop, and water drainage behavior under various water usage rates and air face velocities are analyzed and compared to data for dry-surface conditions. A heat exchanger partitioning method for evaporative cooling is introduced to study partially wet surface conditions, as part of a consistent and general method for interpreting wet-surface performance data. The heat exchanger is partitioned into dry and wet portions by introducing a wet surface factor. For the wet part, the enthalpy potential method is used to determine the air-side sensible heat transfer coefficient. Thermal and hydraulic performance is compared to empirical correlations. Total capacity predictions from the model agree with the experimental results with an average deviation of 12.6%. The model is also exercised for four water augmentation schemes; results support operating under a combined mist precooling and deluge cooling scheme. -- Highlights: • A new spray-cooled heat exchanger model is presented and is validated with data. • Heat duty is shown to be asymptotic with spray flow rate. • Meaningful heat transfer coefficients for partially wet conditions are obtained. • Colburn j wet is lower than j dry

Laser gas assisted texturing and formation of nitride and oxynitride compounds on alumina surface: Surface response to environmental dust

Science.gov (United States)

Yilbas, B. S.; Ali, H.; Al-Sharafi, A.; Al-Aqeeli, N.

2018-03-01

Laser gas assisted texturing of alumina surface is carried out, and formation of nitride and oxynitride compounds in the surface vicinity is examined. The laser parameters are selected to create the surface topology consisting of micro/nano pillars with minimum defect sites including micro-cracks, voids and large size cavities. Morphological and hydrophobic characteristics of the textured surface are examined using the analytical tools. The characteristics of the environmental dust and its influence on the laser textured surface are studied while mimicking the local humid air ambient. Adhesion of the dry mud on the laser textured surface is assessed through the measurement of the tangential force, which is required to remove the dry mud from the surface. It is found that laser texturing gives rise to micro/nano pillars topology and the formation of AlN and AlON compounds in the surface vicinity. This, in turn, lowers the free energy of the textured surface and enhances the hydrophobicity of the surface. The liquid solution resulted from the dissolution of alkaline and alkaline earth metals of the dust particles in water condensate forms locally scattered liquid islands at the interface of mud and textured surface. The dried liquid solution at the interface increases the dry mud adhesion on the textured surface. Some dry mud residues remain on the textured surface after the dry mud is removed by a pressurized desalinated water jet.

Relieving Dry Mouth: Varying Levels of pH Found in Bottled Water.

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, Bailey Jean; Spencer, Angela; Haywood, Van; Konchady, Gayathri

2017-07-01

It is estimated that 30% of people older than 60 years suffer from hyposalivation or dry mouth. Drinking water frequently has been recommended as a safe, non-pharmacologic way to combat hyposalivation. The saliva in patients with dry mouth is acidic. Beverages consumed daily may have an erosive potential on teeth. The pH and the mineral content of the beverage determine its erosive potential. An acidic beverage, therefore, may have harmful effects on mineralized tooth structures, causing erosion of enamel, dentin, and cementum. Because bottled water is both convenient and easily available, the authors tested the pH of eight common brands of bottled water. (One brand included two different bottle types, for a total of nine bottled waters tested.) To standardize the pH electrode, pH buffers of 4.7 and 10 were used. The pH was measured using the Denver Instruments basic pH meter. Six recordings were used for each brand and then averaged to report the pH. Two of the bottled water samples tested were below the critical level of 5.2 pH to 5.5 pH, the level at which erosion of enamel occurs. Six of the samples tested were below the critical pH of 6.8, at which erosion of root dentin occurs. The authors conclude that both patients and clinicians incorrectly presume bottled water to be innocuous. Clinicians should be cognizant of the erosive potential of different brands of bottled water to both educate patients and to recommend water with neutral or alkaline pH for patients with symptoms of dry mouth to prevent further deterioration and demineralization of tooth structure.

Continuous spatial representations in the olfactory bulb may reflect perceptual categories

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamin eAuffarth

2011-10-01

Full Text Available In sensory processing of odors, the olfactory bulb is an important relay station, where odor representations are noise-filtered, sharpened, and possibly re-organized. An organization by perceptual qualities has been found previously in the piriform cortex, however several recent studies indicate that the olfactory bulb code reflects behaviorally relevant dimensions spatially as well as at the population level. We apply a statistical analysis on 2-deoxyglucose images, taken over the entire bulb of glomerular layer of the rat, in order to see how the recognition of odors in the nose is translated into a map of odor quality in the brain. We first confirm previous studies that the first principal component could be related to pleasantness, however the next higher principal components are not directly clear. We then find mostly continuous spatial representations for perceptual categories. We compare the space spanned by spatial and population codes to human reports of perceptual similarity between odors and our results suggest that perceptual categories could be already embedded in glomerular activations and that spatial representations give a better match than population codes. This suggests that human and rat perceptual dimensions of odorant coding are related and indicates that perceptual qualities could be represented as continuous spatial codes of the olfactory bulb glomerulus population.

Generalized drying curves in conductive/convective paper drying

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O.C. Motta Lima

2000-12-01

Full Text Available This work presents a study related to conductive/convective drying of paper (cellulose sheets over heated surfaces, under natural and forced air conditions. The experimental apparatus consists in a metallic box heated by a thermostatic bath containing an upper surface on which the paper samples (about 1 mm thick are placed. The system is submitted to ambient air under two different conditions: natural convection and forced convection provide by an adjustable blower. The influence of initial paper moisture content, drying (heated surface temperature and air velocity on drying curves behavior is observed under different drying conditions. Hence, these influence is studied through the proposal of generalized drying curves. Those curves are analyzed individually for each air condition exposed above and for both together. A set of equations to fit them is proposed and discussed.

Current status of surface water pollution in Punjab

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bashir, M.T.; Ghauri, Moin-ud-Din

2001-01-01

Eleven years investigations (1988-99) on river Ravi revealed that U.C. canal with a capacity of 220 m/sup 3//s at the tail and Q.B. Link canal with capacity of 410 m/sup 3//s are mainly responsible for higher flows during dry season. A decreasing trend has been observed in the DO levels indicating increasing pollution. An increasing trend has been observed in BOD, SS, TDS and Indicators. Even with the discharge of pollution from U.C. canal, Hudiara Nullah and Lahore city BOD at Balkoi was unexpectedly low. Problems confronting environment engineers regarding surface water pollution control has been highlighted and their solutions has been recommended. (author)

Effect of water treatment on the comparative costs of evaporative and dry cooled power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gold, H.; Goldstein, D.J.; Yung, D.

1976-07-01

The report presents the results of a study on the relative cost of energy from a nominal 1000 Mwe nuclear steam electric generating plant using either dry or evaporative cooling at four sites in the United States: Rochester, New York; Sheridan, Wyoming; Gallup, New Mexico and Dallas, Texas. Previous studies have shown that because of lower efficiencies the total annual evaluated costs for dry cooling systems exceeds the total annual evaluated costs of evaporative cooling systems, not including the cost of water. The cost of water comprises the cost of supplying the makeup water, the cost of treatment of the makeup and/or the circulating water in the tower, and the cost of treatment and disposal of the blowdown in an environmentally acceptable manner. The purpose of the study is to show the effect of water costs on the comparative costs of dry and evaporative cooled towers

A circadian clock in the olfactory bulb anticipates feeding during food anticipatory activity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nahum Nolasco

Full Text Available Rabbit pups ingest food, in this case milk, once a day with circadian periodicity and are a natural model of food anticipatory activity. During nursing, several sensory systems receive information about properties of the food, one of them being the olfactory system, which has received little attention in relation to synchronization by food. In addition, the olfactory bulb has a circadian pacemaker that exhibits rhythms independently of the suprachiasmatic nucleus, but the biological functions of these rhythms are largely unknown. In the present contribution, we hypothesized that circadian suckling of milk synchronizes rhythms in the olfactory bulb. To this aim we explored by immunohistochemistry, rhythms of FOS and PER1 proteins, as indicators of activation and reporter of oscillations, respectively, through a complete 24-h cycle in periglomerular, mitral and granular cell layers of both the main and the accessory olfactory bulb. Subjects were 7-day-old rabbit pups scheduled to nurse during the night (02:00 h or day (10:00 h, and also fasted subjects, to explore the possible persistence of oscillations. In the three layers of the main olfactory bulb, FOS was high at time of nursing, then further increased 1.5 h afterward, and then decreased to increase again in advance of the next nursing bout. This pattern persisted, without the postprandial increase, in fasted subjects with a shift in subjects nursed at 02:00. PER1 was increased 2-8 h after nursing and this increase persisted in most cell layers, with a shift, in fasted subjects. In the accessory olfactory bulb we only observed a consistent pattern of FOS expression in the mitral cell layer of nursed subjects, similar to that of the main olfactory bulb. We conclude that the main olfactory bulb is synchronized during milk ingestion, but during fasting its oscillations perhaps are modulated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus, as proposed for rodents.

The Soft Palate Friendly Speech Bulb for Velopharyngeal Insufficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Kahlon, Sukhdeep Singh; Kahlon, Monaliza; Gupta, Shilpa; Dhingra, Parvinder Singh

2016-09-01

Velopharyngeal insufficiency is an anatomic defect of the soft palate making palatopharyngeal sphincter incomplete. It is an important concern to address in patients with bilateral cleft lip and palate. Speech aid prosthesis or speech bulbs are best choice in cases where surgically repaired soft palate is too short to contact pharyngeal walls during function but these prosthesis have been associated with inadequate marginal closure, ulcerations and patient discomfort. Here is a case report of untreated bilateral cleft lip and palate associated with palatal insufficiency treated by means of palate friendly innovative speech bulb. This modified speech bulb is a combination of hard acrylic and soft lining material. The hard self-curing acrylic resin covers only the hard palate area and a permanent soft silicone lining material covering the soft palate area. A claw-shaped wire component was extended backwards from acrylic and was embedded in soft silicone to aid in retention and approximation of two materials. The advantage of adding the soft lining material in posterior area helped in covering the adequate superior extension and margins for maximal pharyngeal activity. This also improved the hypernasality, speech, comfort and overall patient acceptance.

Management of Surface Drying Temperature to Increase Antioxidant Capacity of Thyme Leaf Extracts (Thymus vulgaris L.)

OpenAIRE

RODRIGUEZ CORTINA, JADER; Melo, E.C.; Mulet Pons, Antonio; Bon Corbín, José

2014-01-01

[EN] Thyme leaves are an important source of essential oils with antioxidant activity; these compounds are located in trichomes on the leaf surface. The drying conditions affect not only the drying time but also the antioxidant activity. In the literature, a drying temperature of 70 ºC appears to be the best for drying thyme leaves according to their antioxidant capacity. Considering drying periods at different temperature also could be quality beneficial. From these considerations, the goal ...

DRY MIX FOR OBTAINING FOAM CONCRETE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. N. Leonovich

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Composition of a dry mix has been developed for production of non-autoclaved foam concrete with natural curing. The mix has been created on the basis of Portland cement, UFAPORE foaming agent, mineral additives (RSAM sulfoaluminate additive, MK-85 micro-silica and basalt fiber, plasticizing and accelerating “Citrate-T” additive and   redispersible Vinnapas-8034 H powder. It has been established that foam concrete with  density of 400–800 kg/m3, durability of 1,1–3,4 MPa, low water absorption (40–50 %, without shrinkable cracks has been formed while adding water of Water/Solid = 0.4–0.6 in the dry mix,  subsequent mechanical swelling and curing of foam mass.Introduction of the accelerating and plasticizing “Citrate-T” additive into composition of the dry mix leads to an increase of rheological properties in expanded foam mass and  time reduction of its drying and curing. An investigation on microstructure of foam-concrete chipping surface carried out with the help of a scanning electron microscope has shown that the introduction of  basalt fiber and redispersible Vinnapas-8034 H powder into the composition of the dry mix promotes formation of more finely-divided crystalline hydrates. Such approach makes it possible to change purposefully morphology of crystalline hydrates and gives the possibility to operate foam concrete structurization process.

Assessment of the internal quality of stored flower bulbs using magnetic resonance imaging

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kilsdonk, Maria Gerarda van

2002-01-01

Many flower bulbs have a life cycle of a year or more, flowering either in spring or in summer. Nevertheless, year-round production of cut flowers has become common practice in horticulture. To control flowering, which is necessary for the year-round production of flowers, bulbs are exposed to

Response of garlic (Allium sativum L. bolting and bulbing to temperature and photoperiod treatments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cuinan Wu

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This research was conducted to evaluate the effect of temperature and photoperiod treatments on the bolting and bulb formation of three local garlic cultivars (cvs in two consecutive years. Naturally vernalized plants of cvs G107, G025 and G064 were transplanted into growth chambers and subjected to various combinations of temperature [T15/10, 15°C/10°C; T20/15, 20°C/15°C and T25/18, 25°C/18°C (day/night] and photoperiod (L8, 8 h and L14,14 h treatments. Plant growth, endogenous phytohormone and methyl jasmonate (MeJA levels, along with the bolting and yield of garlic were evaluated. The experimental results from two consecutive years indicated that higher temperature (20°C or 25°C and longer photoperiod (14 h treatments significantly enhanced the garlic bolting, bulbing and cloving with a shorter growth period and a higher bulb weight. Moreover, the endogenous phytohormone and MeJA levels in the test plants were significantly increased by the higher temperature (25°C for the phytohormone level; 20°C for the MeJA level and longer photoperiod [14 h, except for abscisic acid (ABA, which had the highest level at 8 h] conditions and were decreased by the lowest test temperature (15°C and shorter photoperiod (8 h, except for ABA conditions. This response coincided with that of the bulbing index, bolting rate, growth period and bulb weight. In addition, plants treated under the conditions of 20°C/15°C–14 h and 25°C/18°C–14 h produced the highest phytohormone levels (except for ABA for cvs G025 and G064, respectively, and showed the best bolting and bulbing behavior. It is reasonable to assume that endogenous phytohormone (especially gibberellic acid and MeJA levels are highly related to garlic bolting and bulbing, which might lead to the different responses of the three studied cultivars to the combination of temperature and photoperiod treatments. Furthermore, cvs G107 and G025 bolt well and have better bulb

Closed hollow bulb obturator--one-step fabrication: a clinical report.

Science.gov (United States)

Buzayan, Muaiyed M; Ariffin, Yusnidar T; Yunus, Norsiah

2013-10-01

A method is described for the fabrication of a closed hollow bulb obturator prosthesis using a hard thermoforming splint material and heat-cured acrylic resin. The technique allowed the thickness of the thermoformed bulb to be optimized for weight reduction, while the autopolymerized seal area was covered in heat-cured acrylic resin, thus eliminating potential leakage and discoloration. This technique permits the obturator prosthesis to be processed to completion from the wax trial denture without additional laboratory investing, flasking, and processing. © 2013 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Transfer of glyphosate and its degradate AMPA to surface waters through urban sewerage systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Botta, Fabrizio; Lavison, Gwenaëlle; Couturier, Guillaume; Alliot, Fabrice; Moreau-Guigon, Elodie; Fauchon, Nils; Guery, Bénédicte; Chevreuil, Marc; Blanchoud, Hélène

2009-09-01

A study of glyphosate and aminomethyl phosphonic acid (AMPA) transfer in the Orge watershed (France) was carried out during 2007 and 2008. Water samples were collected in surface water, wastewater sewer, storm sewer and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). These two molecules appeared to be the most frequently detected ones in the rivers and usually exceeded the European quality standard concentrations of 0.1microg L(-1) for drinking water. The annual glyphosate estimated load was 1.9 kg year(-1) upstream (agricultural zone) and 179.5 kg year(-1) at the catchment outlet (urban zone). This result suggests that the contamination of this basin by glyphosate is essentially from urban origin (road and railway applications). Glyphosate reached surface water prevalently through storm sewer during rainfall event. Maximum concentrations were detected in storm sewer just after a rainfall event (75-90 microg L(-1)). High concentrations of glyphosate in surface water during rainfall events reflected urban runoff impact. AMPA was always detected in the sewerage system. This molecule reached surface water mainly via WWTP effluent and also through storm sewer. Variations in concentrations of AMPA during hydrological episodes were minor compared to glyphosate variations. Our study highlights that AMPA and glyphosate origins in urban area are different. During dry period, detergent degradation seemed to be the major AMPA source in wastewater.

Decoupling Seasonal Changes in Water Content and Dry Matter to Predict Live Conifer Foliar Moisture Content.

OpenAIRE

Jolly, W. M.; Hadlow, A. M.; Huguet, K.

2014-01-01

Live foliar moisture content (LFMC) significantly influences wildland fire behaviour. However, characterising variations in LFMC is difficult because both foliar mass and dry mass can change throughout the season. Here we quantify the seasonal changes in both plant water status and dry matter partitioning. We collected new and old foliar samples fromPinus contorta for two growing seasons and quantified their LFMC, relative water content (RWC) and dry matter chemistry. LFMC quantifies the amou...

Dry deposition on smooth and rough urban surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roed, J.

1987-01-01

Following the Chernobyl accident, dry deposition velocities on smooth surfaces indoors and outdoors have been measured in Denmark. Internal wall surfaces gave deposition velocities of 0.0008-0.0009 cm/s for 131I and 0.0001-0.0002 cm/s for 134Cs and 103Ru. Internal floor surfaces gave higher values for the deposition velocities: for 131I, 0.002 cm/s and for 134Cs and 103Ru, 0.0005-0.0013 cm/s. The deposition velocities on vertical and horizontal external surfaces were nearly equal. Those for 131I were found as 0.02-0.03 cm/s and for 137Cs as 0.001-0.002 cm/s. On external rough surfaces such as grass and corrugated roof material the deposition velocities for 134Cs and 103Ru were 0.03-0.05 cm/s. For iodine, however, deposition velocities were higher for clipped grass (2 cm/s) than for roof material (0.2-0.4 cm/s). The results show that internal deposition velocities are considerably lower than those on external smooth surfaces, and that the deposition velocities on rough surfaces are an order of magnitude higher than on smooth surfaces. It was also shown that the deposition velocities of iodine are considerably higher than those of cesium and ruthenium. This work was supported by EEC Radiation Protection Programme No B16-107-DK and by NKA, The Nordic Liaison Committee for Atomic Energy. (author)

Water flow and energy balance for a tropical dry semideciduous forest

Science.gov (United States)

Andrade, J. L.; Garruña-Hernandez, R.; Leon-Palomo, M.; Us-Santamaria, R.; Sima, J. L.

2013-05-01

Tropical forests cool down locally because increase water evaporation from the soil to the atmosphere, reduce albedo and help forming clouds that reflect solar radiation back to the atmosphere; this, aligned to the carbon catchment, increase forests value. We will present an estimation of the sap flow and energy balance for the tropical dry semideciduous forest at Kiuic, Yucatan, Mexico during a year. We use a meteorological tower equipped with a rain gauge, temperature and relative humidity, heat flow plates, thermocouples and volumetric soil water content. We recorded net radiation and soil heat flux and estimated sensible heat and latent heat. Besides, we estimated latent heat by measuring sap flow directly in tres using disispation constant heat probes during the rainy season. Results show the influence of the seasonality on net radiation, air temperatura and vapor pressure deficit, because during the dry season his variables were higher and with more duation than during the rainy and early dry season. Sap flow was different for trees belonging to the family Fabaceae compared to trees from other families.

Interaction between ground water and surface water in Taylor Slough and vicinity, Everglades National Park, South Florida; study methods and appendixes

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, Judson W.; Jackson, J.M.; Mooney, R.H.; Choi, Jungyill

2000-01-01

The data presented in this report are products of an investigation that quantified interactions between ground water and surface water in Taylor Slough in Everglades National Park. Determining the extent of hydrologic interactions between wetland surface water and ground water in Taylor Slough is important because the balance of freshwater flow in the lower part of the Slough is uncertain. Although freshwater flows through Taylor Slough are quite small in comparison to Shark Slough (the larger of the two major sloughs in Everglades National Park), flows through Taylor Slough are especially important to the ecology of estuarine mangrove embayments of northeastern Florida Bay. Also, wetland and ground- water interactions must be quantified if their role in affecting water quality is to be determined. In order to define basic hydrologic characteristics of the wetland, depth of wetland peat was mapped, and hydraulic conductivity and vertical hydraulic gradients in peat were determined. During specific time periods representing both wet and dry conditions in the area, the distribution of major ions, nutrients, and water stable isotopes throughout the slough were determined. The purpose of chemical measurements was to identify an environmental tracer could be used to quantify ground-water discharge.

The feasibility of desorption on Zeolite-water pair using dry gas

Science.gov (United States)

Oktariani, E.; Nakashima, K.; Noda, A.; Xue, B.; Tahara, K.; Nakaso, K.; Fukai, J.

2018-04-01

The increase in temperature, reduction in partial pressure, reduction in concentration, purging with an inert fluid, and displacement with a more strongly adsorbing species are the basic things that occur in the practical method of desorption. In this study, dry gas at constant temperature and pressure was employed as the aid to reduce the partial pressure in the water desorption on the zeolite 13X. The objective of this study is to confirm the feasibility of desorption using dry gas experimentally and numerically. The implication of heat and mass transfers were numerically investigated to find the most influential. The results of numerical simulation agree with the experimental ones for the distribution of local temperature and average water adsorbed in the packed bed.

Three Gorges Dam alters the Changjiang (Yangtze) river water cycle in the dry seasons: Evidence from H-O isotopes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deng, Kai [School of Ocean and Earth Science, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092 (China); State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China); Yang, Shouye, E-mail: syyang@tongji.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China); Laboratory for Marine Geology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266061 (China); Lian, Ergang [School of Ocean and Earth Science, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092 (China); State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China); Li, Chao [State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China); Yang, Chengfan; Wei, Hailun [School of Ocean and Earth Science, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092 (China); State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China)

2016-08-15

As the largest hydropower project in the world, the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) has attracted great concerns in terms of its impact on the Changjiang (Yangtze) River and coastal marine environments. In this study, we measured or collected the H-O isotopic data of river water, groundwater and precipitation in the mid-lower Changjiang catchment during the dry seasons of recent years. The aim was to investigate the changes of river water cycle in response to the impoundment of the TGD. Isotopic evidences suggested that the mid-lower Changjiang river water was ultimately derived from precipitation, but dominated by the mixing of different water masses with variable sources and isotopic signals as well. The isotopic parameter “deuterium excess” (d-excess) yielded large fluctuations along the mid-lower mainstream during the initial stage of the TGD impoundment, which was inherited from the upstream water with inhomogeneous isotopic signals. However, as the reservoir water level rising to the present stage, small variability of d-excess was observed along the mid-lower mainstream. This discrepancy could be explained that the TGD impoundment had significantly altered the water cycle downstream the dam, with the rising water level increasing the residence time and enhancing the mixing of reservoir water derived from upstream. This eventually resulted in the homogenization of reservoir water, and thus small fluctuations of d-excess downstream the dam after the quasi-normal stage (2008 to present). We infer that the retention effect of large reservoirs has greatly buffered the d-excess natural variability of water cycle in large river systems. Nevertheless, more research attention has to be paid to the damming effect on the water cycle in the river, estuarine and coastal areas, especially during the dry seasons. - Highlights: • Stable H-O isotopes indicate the Changjiang river water cycle in dry seasons. • The isotopic parameter “d-excess” reveals the origins of

Three Gorges Dam alters the Changjiang (Yangtze) river water cycle in the dry seasons: Evidence from H-O isotopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng, Kai; Yang, Shouye; Lian, Ergang; Li, Chao; Yang, Chengfan; Wei, Hailun

2016-01-01

As the largest hydropower project in the world, the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) has attracted great concerns in terms of its impact on the Changjiang (Yangtze) River and coastal marine environments. In this study, we measured or collected the H-O isotopic data of river water, groundwater and precipitation in the mid-lower Changjiang catchment during the dry seasons of recent years. The aim was to investigate the changes of river water cycle in response to the impoundment of the TGD. Isotopic evidences suggested that the mid-lower Changjiang river water was ultimately derived from precipitation, but dominated by the mixing of different water masses with variable sources and isotopic signals as well. The isotopic parameter “deuterium excess” (d-excess) yielded large fluctuations along the mid-lower mainstream during the initial stage of the TGD impoundment, which was inherited from the upstream water with inhomogeneous isotopic signals. However, as the reservoir water level rising to the present stage, small variability of d-excess was observed along the mid-lower mainstream. This discrepancy could be explained that the TGD impoundment had significantly altered the water cycle downstream the dam, with the rising water level increasing the residence time and enhancing the mixing of reservoir water derived from upstream. This eventually resulted in the homogenization of reservoir water, and thus small fluctuations of d-excess downstream the dam after the quasi-normal stage (2008 to present). We infer that the retention effect of large reservoirs has greatly buffered the d-excess natural variability of water cycle in large river systems. Nevertheless, more research attention has to be paid to the damming effect on the water cycle in the river, estuarine and coastal areas, especially during the dry seasons. - Highlights: • Stable H-O isotopes indicate the Changjiang river water cycle in dry seasons. • The isotopic parameter “d-excess” reveals the origins of

Acute and chronic toxicity studies of the water extract from dried ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Acute and chronic toxicities of the water extract from the dried fruits of Terminalia bellerica (Gaertn.) Roxb. were assessed in both female and male rats. For the study of acute toxicity, a single oral administration of the water extract at a dose of 5,000 mg/kg body weight (10 female, 10 male) was performed and the results ...

A comprehensive sensitivity and uncertainty analysis of a milk drying process

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ferrari, A.; Gutiérrez, S.; Sin, G.

2015-01-01

A simple steady state model of a milk drying process was built to help process understanding. It involves a spray chamber and also internal/external fluid beds. The model was subjected to a statistical analysis for quality assurance using sensitivity analysis (SA) of inputs/parameters, identifiab......A simple steady state model of a milk drying process was built to help process understanding. It involves a spray chamber and also internal/external fluid beds. The model was subjected to a statistical analysis for quality assurance using sensitivity analysis (SA) of inputs...... technique. SA results provide evidence towards over-parameterization in the model, and the chamber inlet dry bulb air temperature was the variable (input) with the highest sensitivity. IA results indicated that at most 4 parameters are identifiable: two from spray chamber and one from each fluid bed dryer...

Investigation of near dry EDM compared with wet and dry EDM processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gholipoor, Ahad; Baseri, Hamid; Shabgard, Mohammad Reza

2015-01-01

Material removal rate (MRR), tool wear ratio (TWR) and surface roughness (SR) obtained by near-dry EDM process were compared with wet and dry EDM at three levels of discharge energy in drilling of SPK steel. Surface integrity machined by this process was studied and compared with wet and dry EDM processes, by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that at high level of discharge energy, wet EDM has the most MRR, TWR and SR, and dry EDM has the least MRR, TWR and SR, while at low discharge energy levels, near-dry EDM process has the most MRR and the least SR. SEM micrographs showed that the quality of surface obtained by near-dry EDM process is better than others and the machined surfaces by near-dry EDM process have lower micro-cracks and craters, relatively.

Investigation of near dry EDM compared with wet and dry EDM processes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gholipoor, Ahad [Islamic Azad University of Tabriz, Tabriz (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Baseri, Hamid [Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Shabgard, Mohammad Reza [University of Tabriz, Tabriz (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2015-05-15

Material removal rate (MRR), tool wear ratio (TWR) and surface roughness (SR) obtained by near-dry EDM process were compared with wet and dry EDM at three levels of discharge energy in drilling of SPK steel. Surface integrity machined by this process was studied and compared with wet and dry EDM processes, by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that at high level of discharge energy, wet EDM has the most MRR, TWR and SR, and dry EDM has the least MRR, TWR and SR, while at low discharge energy levels, near-dry EDM process has the most MRR and the least SR. SEM micrographs showed that the quality of surface obtained by near-dry EDM process is better than others and the machined surfaces by near-dry EDM process have lower micro-cracks and craters, relatively.

Surface Water in Hawaii

Science.gov (United States)

Oki, Delwyn S.

2003-01-01

Surface water in Hawaii is a valued resource as well as a potential threat to human lives and property. The surface-water resources of Hawaii are of significant economic, ecologic, cultural, and aesthetic importance. Streams supply more than 50 percent of the irrigation water in Hawaii, and although streams supply only a few percent of the drinking water statewide, surface water is the main source of drinking water in some places. Streams also are a source of hydroelectric power, provide important riparian and instream habitats for many unique native species, support traditional and customary Hawaiian gathering rights and the practice of taro cultivation, and possess valued aesthetic qualities. Streams affect the physical, chemical, and aesthetic quality of receiving waters, such as estuaries, bays, and nearshore waters, which are critical to the tourism-based economy of the islands. Streams in Hawaii pose a danger because of their flashy nature; a stream's stage, or water level, can rise several feet in less than an hour during periods of intense rainfall. Streams in Hawaii are flashy because rainfall is intense, drainage basins are small, basins and streams are steep, and channel storage is limited. Streamflow generated during periods of heavy rainfall has led to loss of property and human lives in Hawaii. Most Hawaiian streams originate in the mountainous interiors of the islands and terminate at the coast. Streams are significant sculptors of the Hawaiian landscape because of the erosive power of the water they convey. In geologically young areas, such as much of the southern part of the island of Hawaii, well-defined stream channels have not developed because the permeability of the surface rocks generally is so high that rainfall infiltrates before flowing for significant distances on the surface. In geologically older areas that have received significant rainfall, streams and mass wasting have carved out large valleys.

The effect of slicing type on drying kinetics and quality of dried carrot

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Naghipour zadeh mahani

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Carrot is one of the most common vegetables used for human nutrition because of its high vitamin and fiber contents. Drying improves the product shelf life without addition of any chemical preservative and reduces both the size of package and the transport cost. Drying also aidsto reduce postharvest losses of fruits and vegetables especially, which can be as high as 70%. Dried carrots are used in dehydrated soups and in the form of powder in pastries and sauces. The main aim of drying agricultural products is decrease the moisture content to a level which allows safe storage over an extended period. Many fruits and vegetables can be sliced before drying.because of different tissue of a fruit or vegetable, cutting them in different direction and shape created different tissue slices. Due to drying is the exiting process of the moisture from internal tissue so different tissue slices caused different drying kinetics. Therefore, the study on effect of cutting parameters on drying is necessary. Materials and Methods: Carrots (Daucus carota L. were purchased from the local market (Kerman, Iran and stored in a refrigerator at 5°C. The initial moisture contents of the Carrot samples were determined by the oven drying method. The sample was dried in an oven at 105±2°C about 24 hours. The carrots cut by 3 models blade at 3 directions. The samples were dried in an oven at 70°C. Moisture content of the carrot slices were determined by weighting of samples during drying. Volume changes because of sample shrinkage were measured by a water displacement method. Rehydration experiment was performed by immersing a weighted amount of dried samples into hot water 50 °C for 30 min. In this study the effect of some cutting parameters was considered on carrot drying and the quality of final drying product. The tests were performed as a completely random design. The effects of carrot thickness at two levels (3 and 6 mm, blade in 3 models (flat blade

Effectiveness of Disinfectants in Killing Enterobacter sakazakii in Suspension, Dried on the Surface of Stainless Steel, and in a Biofilm▿

OpenAIRE

Kim, Hoikyung; Ryu, Jee-Hoon; Beuchat, Larry R.

2006-01-01

The effectiveness of 13 disinfectants used in hospitals, day-care centers, and food service kitchens in killing Enterobacter sakazakii in suspension, dried on the surface of stainless steel, and in biofilm was determined. E. sakazakii exhibited various levels of resistance to the disinfectants, depending on the composition of the disinfectants, amount and type of organic matrix surrounding cells, and exposure time. Populations of planktonic cells suspended in water (7.22 to 7.40 log CFU/ml) d...

Two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy reveals the underlying compositions for FT-NIR identification of the medicinal bulbs of the genus Fritillaria

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jianbo; Wang, Yue; Liu, Aoxue; Rong, Lixin; Wang, Jingjuan

2018-03-01

Fritillariae Bulbus, the dried bulbs of several species of the genus Fritillaria, is often used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of cough and pulmonary diseases. However, the similar appearances make it difficult to identify different kinds of Fritillariae Bulbus. In this research, Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy with a reflection fiber probe is employed for the direct testing and automatic identification of different kinds of Fritillariae Bulbus to ensure the authenticity, efficacy and safety. The bulbs can be measured directly without pulverizing. According to the two-dimensional (2D) correlation analysis and statistical analysis, the height ratio of the two peaks near 4860 cm-1 and 4750 cm-1 in the second derivative spectra is specific to the species of Fritillariae Bulbus. This indicates that the relative amount of protein and carbohydrate may be critical to identify Fritillariae Bulbus. With the help of the SIMCA model, the four kinds of Fritillariae Bulbus can be identified correctly by FT-NIR spectroscopy. The results show the potential of FT-NIR spectroscopy with a reflection fiber probe in the rapid testing and identification of Fritillariae Bulbus.

Stimulus-response functions of single avian olfactory bulb neurones.

Science.gov (United States)

McKeegan, Dorothy E F; Demmers, Theodorus G M; Wathes, Christopher M; Jones, R Bryan; Gentle, Michael J

2002-10-25

This study investigated olfactory processing in a functional context by examining the responses of single avian olfactory bulb neurones to two biologically important gases over relevant concentration ranges. Recordings of extracellular spike activity were made from 80 single units in the left olfactory bulb of 11 anaesthetised, freely breathing adult hens (Gallus domesticus). The units were spontaneously active, exhibiting widely variable firing rates (0.07-47.28 spikes/s) and variable temporal firing patterns. Single units were tested for their response to an ascending concentration series of either ammonia (2.5-100 ppm) or hydrogen sulphide (1-50 ppm), delivered directly to the olfactory epithelium. Stimulation with a calibrated gas delivery system resulted in modification of spontaneous activity causing either inhibition (47% of units) or excitation (53%) of firing. For ammonia, 20 of the 35 units tested exhibited a response, while for hydrogen sulphide, 25 of the 45 units tested were responsive. Approximate response thresholds for ammonia (median threshold 3.75 ppm (range 2.5-60 ppm, n=20)) and hydrogen sulphide (median threshold 1 ppm (range 1-10 ppm, n=25)) were determined with most units exhibiting thresholds near the lower end of these ranges. Stimulus response curves were constructed for 23 units; 16 (the most complete) were subjected to a linear regression analysis to determine whether they were best fitted by a linear, log or power function. No single function provided the best fit for all the curves (seven were linear, eight were log, one was power). These findings show that avian units respond to changes in stimulus concentration in a manner generally consistent with reported responses in mammalian olfactory bulb neurones. However, this study illustrates a level of fine-tuning to small step changes in concentration (<5 ppm) not previously demonstrated in vertebrate single olfactory bulb neurones.

Performance evaluation for different sensing surface of BICELLs bio-transducers for dry eye biomarkers

Science.gov (United States)

Laguna, M. F.; Holgado, M.; Santamaría, B.; López, A.; Maigler, M.; Lavín, A.; de Vicente, J.; Soria, J.; Suarez, T.; Bardina, C.; Jara, M.; Sanza, F. J.; Casquel, R.; Otón, A.; Riesgo, T.

2015-03-01

Biophotonic Sensing Cells (BICELLs) are demonstrated to be an efficient technology for label-free biosensing and in concrete for evaluating dry eye diseases. The main advantage of BICELLs is its capability to be used by dropping directly a tear into the sensing surface without the need of complex microfluidics systems. Among this advantage, compact Point of Care read-out device is employed with the capability of evaluating different types of BICELLs packaged on Biochip-Kits that can be fabricated by using different sensing surfaces material. In this paper, we evaluate the performance of the combination of three sensing surface materials: (3-Glycidyloxypropyl) trimethoxysilane (GPTMS), SU-8 resist and Nitrocellulose (NC) for two different biomarkers relevant for dry eye diseases: PRDX-5 and ANXA-11.

High-Speed Imaging of a Water Droplet Impacting a Super Cold Surface

KAUST Repository

Khaled, Narimane

2016-08-01

Frost formation is of a major research interest as it can affect many industrial processes. Frost appears as a thin deposit of ice crystals when the temperature of the surface is below the freezing point of the liquid. The objective of this research is to study icing with hope to propose new anti-icing and deicing methods. In the beginning of the research, cracking of the ice layer was observed when a deionized water droplet impacts a ?50 oC cooled sphere surface that is in contact with dry ice. To further investigate the cracks occurrence, multiple experiments were conducted. It was observed that the sphere surface temperature and droplet temperature (ranges from 10-80 oC) have no effect on the crack formation. On the other hand, it was observed that formation of a thin layer of frost on the sphere before the drop impact leads the lateral cracking of the ice. Thus, attempts to reproduce the cracks on clean super cold sphere surfaces were made using scratched and sandblasted spheres as well as superhydrophobized and polymer particle coated spheres. Furthermore, innovative methods were tried to initiate the cracks by placing epoxy glue bumps and ice-islands coatings on the surface of the spheres. All of these attempts to reproduce the crack formation without the presence of frost, failed. Nonetheless, the adding of isolated frost on the sphere surfaces always leads to the crack formation. Generally, frost forms on the small spheres faster than it does on the bigger ones. Additionally, the cold water droplet produces thicker water and ice layer compared to a hot water droplet; and the smaller the sphere the larger its water and ice layer thicknesses.

Modelling the Drying Characteristics and Kinetics of Hot Air-Drying of Unblanched Whole Red Pepper and Blanched Bitter Leaf Slices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samuel Enahoro Agarry

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to investigate the drying characteristics and kinetics of red pepper and bitter leaf under the influence of different drying temperatures. The drying experiments were carried out at dry bulb temperature of 35, 45, 55 and 75oC, respectively in an oven dryer. The results showed that as drying temperature increased, drying rate also increased and the drying time decreased. It was observed that un-sliced red pepper and sliced bitter leaf would dry within 2.5-12 h and 1.67-7 h, respectively at temperature ranging from 75 to 35oC. The drying of red pepper and bitter leaf was both in the constant and falling rate period. Four semi-empirical mathematical drying models (Newton, Page, Henderson and Pabis, and Logarithmic models were fitted to the experimental drying curves. The models were compared using the coefficient of determination (R^2 and the root mean square error (RMSE. The Page model has shown a better fit to the experimental drying data of red pepper and bitter leaf, respectively as relatively compared to other tested models. Moisture transport during drying was described by the application of Fick’s diffusion model and the effective moisture diffusivity was estimated. The value ranges from 15.69 to 84.79 × 10-9 m2/s and 0.294 to 1.263 × 10-9 m2/s for red pepper and bitter leaf, respectively. The Arrhenius-type relationship describes the temperature dependence of effective moisture diffusivity and was determined to be 37.11 kJ/mol and 32.86 kJ/mol for red pepper and bitter leaf, respectively. A correlation between the drying time and the heat transfer area was also developed.

The Soil Characteristic Curve at Low Water Contents: Relations to Specific Surface Area and Texture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Resurreccion, Augustus; Møldrup, Per; Schjønning, Per

Accurate description of the soil-water retention curve (SWRC) at low water contents is important for simulating water dynamics, plant-water relations, and microbial processes in surface soil. Soil-water retention at soil-water matric potential of less than -10 MPa, where adsorptive forces dominate...... that measurements by traditional pressure plate apparatus generally overestimated water contents at -1.5 MPa (plant wilting point). The 41 soils were classified into four textural classes based on the so-called Dexter index n (= CL/OC), and the Tuller-Or (TO) general scaling model describing the water film...... thickness at a given soil-water matric potential ( 10, the estimated SA from the dry soil-water retention was in good agreement with the SA measured using ethylene glycol monoethyl ether (SA_EGME). A strong relationship between the ratio...

Viability loss and oxidative stress in Lily bulbs during long-term cold storage.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bonnier, J.F.M.; Hoekstra, F.A.; Vos, de C.H.R.; Tuyl, van J.M.

1997-01-01

The regeneration ability of bulb scales of the Asiatic hybrid lily (Lilium hybrids L.) ‘Enchantment’ was monitored for bulbs stored for 0 to 5 years at −2°C in moist peat. Regeneration ability decreased after more than 1 year of storage and was completely lost after 5 years. Possible involvement of

Dry matter production, seed yield and water use efficiency of some grain legumes grown under different water regimes using nuclear technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harb, O.M.S.; Salem, M.S.A.; Abdalla, A.A.; Abd-Elwahed, N.M.

2007-01-01

Two field experiments were performed in the experimental farm at the Atomic Energy Authority, Inshas, Egypt, during 2002 and 2004 growing seasons to evaluate the responses of dry matter production, seed yield, water use efficiency and root characteristics for three legumes species, i.e. soybean (Glycine max cv. clark), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata cv. Kafr El-Sheikh) and mungbean (Vigna radiate cv. kawmy 1) grown on a new reclaimed sandy soil under different water regimes. The experiments were laid out using a single line source sprinkler irrigation system which allows a gradual variation of irrigation water, i.e. full irrigation (W1), medium water stress (W2) and severe water stress (W3). The obtained results indicated that normal irrigation (W1) gave the highest above ground dry matter production at flowering stage and total dry matter yield at maturity for the tested legumes. Water stress decreased significantly seed yields for all the tested legume seeds. The seed yield of normal watering condition treatment (W1) out yielded seed yield of those irrigated with medium water stress (W2) and severe water stress (W3). Mungbean and cowpea were more adapted to severe water stress than soybean. Most of the reduction in yield arose from a decrease in pod number. Pod number, number of seeds per pod and the thousand seed weight were significantly affected by water stress. The highest water use efficiency based on seed yield or dry matter yield were obtained by exposing the legume plants to medium water stress (W2), while the lowest value was obtained by exposing the plants to severe water stress (W3). There were significant differences in WUE among the tested species, whereas, mungbean showed the highest value in response to water stress, followed by soybean while cowpea showed the lowest value of water use efficiency. Rooting depth was increased under the severe water stress treatment as compared with well watered condition in the tested legume plants. Mungbean had the

Dry Deposition, Surface Production and Dynamics of Aerosols in the Marine Boundary Layer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fairall, C.W.; Larsen, Søren Ejling

1984-01-01

A model of downward aerosol panicle flux characterized by dry deposition velocity, Vd, due to Slinn and Slinn (1980) is generalized to the case of nonzero surface concentration (absorbing surface with a surface source). A more general expression for the flux at some reference height is developed ...... produced as droplets at the surface and ‘continental’ background aerosols brought into the boundary layer at the top by entrainment and gravitational settling. Estimates of Si are provided....

Induction of bulb organogenesis in in vitro cultures of tarda tulip (Tulipa tarda Stapf.) from seed-derived explants.

Science.gov (United States)

Maślanka, Małgorzata; Bach, Anna

2014-01-01

A protocol for obtaining bulbs via in vitro organogenesis was developed for tarda tulip ( Tulipa tarda Stapf). Scale explants were obtained from bulbs formed at the base of seedlings or from adventitious bulbs that developed from callus tissue forming on stolons or on germinating seeds. Some explants were subjected to chilling at 5°C for 12 wk. The culture media contained 3 or 6% sucrose and was supplemented with either no growth regulators, either 0.5 μM 6-benzyl-aminopurine (BAP) or 18.9 or 94.6 μM abscisic acid (ABA). Cultures were maintained in the dark at 20°C. Callus tissue developed mainly on media without growth regulators or with BAP. Callus was formed from up to 96% of explants derived from non-chilled adventitious bulbs that were treated with 3% sucrose and 0.5 μM BAP. Less callus was formed from chilled explants compared with non-chilled explants. Newly formed adventitious bulbs appeared on the explants via direct and indirect organogenesis. The media with BAP promoted the formation of adventitious bulbs at a rate of 56-92% from non-chilled explants, whereas a maximum rate of 36% was observed from chilled explants. ABA inhibited the induction of adventitious bulbs and callus. The adventitious bulbs obtained in these experiments contained a meristem, which was evidence that they had developed properly.

Influence of 60Co γ irradiation pre-treatment on characteristics of hot air drying sweet potato slices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Ning; Liu Chunquan; Li Dajing; Liu Xia; Yan Qimei

2012-01-01

The influences of irradiation, hot air temperature and thicknesses of the slices on the characters of dehydration and surface temperature of 60 Co γ-rays irradiated sweet potato were investigated. Meanwhile, microscopic observation and determination of water activity of irradiated sweet potato were conducted. The results show that the drying rate and the surface temperature rose with the increasing of irradiation dose. When the dry basis moisture content was 150%, the drying rate of the samples were 1.92, 1.97, 2.05, 2.28, 3.12% /min while the irradiation dose were 0, 2, 5, 8, 10 kGy, and the surface temperature were 48.5 ℃, 46.3℃, 44.5 ℃, 42.2 ℃, 41.5 ℃, respectively. With higher air temperature and thinner of the sweet potato slices, the dehydration of the irradiated sweet potato slices were faster. The drying speed of sweet potato slices at 85 ℃ was 170 min faster than that of 65 ℃. The drying speed of 7 mm sweet potato slices was 228 min faster than that of 3 mm sample. The cell wall and the vacuole of the sweet potato slices were broken after irradiation, and its water activity increased with the increase is radiation dose. The water activity of the irradiated samples were 0.92, 0.945, 0.958, 0.969, 0.979 with the irradiation doses of 0, 2, 5, 8, 10 kGy, respectively. The hot air drying rate, surface temperature and water activity of sweet potato are significantly impacted by irradiation. The conclusion provides a theoretical foundation for further processing technology of combined radiation and hot air drying sweet potato. (authors)

The Effect of Shoe Sole Tread Groove Depth on the Gait Parameters during Walking on Dry and Slippery Surface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Ziaei

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Prevention of slipping accidents requires provision of adequate friction through the use of suitable combinations of footwear and underfoot surfaces. Shoe sole tread groove is one of the important factors on friction coefficient during walking. Objective: To measure the effect of different shoe sole tread groove depths and different surfaces on the required quotient of friction (Q, heel strike velocity and occurrence time of ground reaction forces (GRF in stance phase during walking on slippery and dry surfaces. Methods: In this semi-experimental study, 22 healthy men were studied under different conditions. The studied independent variables were shoe groove depths (included 1, 2.5 and 5 mm and type of walking surface (dry and slippery. Biomechanical gait analysis was carried out with 396 single steps. Data were collected by motion analysis system and two force platform. Results: The occurrence time of GRF was significantly faster on dry surface than slippery surface (p<0.01. Q was significantly lower on slippery surface and with groove depths of 1 and 2.5 mm. The highest value of Q was observed with the deepest groove depth of 5 mm. Heel strike velocity did not differ significantly in the 6 conditions tested. Conclusion: Tread groove depth is a significant factor affecting the Q at the shoes-surface interface on dry and slippery floors. It seems that deeper groove is more appropriate for maintaining the stability during walking. The walking surface affects the occurrence time of GRF; the force components occur sooner on the dry than slippery surface.

Detecting unfrozen sediments below thermokarst lakes with surface nuclear magnetic resonance

Science.gov (United States)

Parsekian, Andrew D.; Grosse, Guido; Walbrecker, Jan O.; Müller-Petke, Mike; Keating, Kristina; Liu, Lin; Jones, Benjamin M.; Knight, Rosemary

2013-01-01

A talik is a layer or body of unfrozen ground that occurs in permafrost due to an anomaly in thermal, hydrological, or hydrochemical conditions. Information about talik geometry is important for understanding regional surface water and groundwater interactions as well as sublacustrine methane production in thermokarst lakes. Due to the direct measurement of unfrozen water content, surface nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a promising geophysical method for noninvasively estimating talik dimensions. We made surface NMR measurements on thermokarst lakes and terrestrial permafrost near Fairbanks, Alaska, and confirmed our results using limited direct measurements. At an 8 m deep lake, we observed thaw bulb at least 22 m below the surface; at a 1.4 m deep lake, we detected a talik extending between 5 and 6 m below the surface. Our study demonstrates the value that surface NMR may have in the cryosphere for studies of thermokarst lake hydrology and their related role in the carbon cycle.

Effects of surface coating process conditions on the water permeation and salt rejection properties of composite polyamide reverse osmosis membranes