Expected Results From Channeling Radiation Experiments at Fast

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sen, Tanaji; Broemmelsiek, Daniel; Edstrom, Dean

2016-06-01

The photoinjector at the new Fermilab FAST facility will accelerate electron beams to about 50 GeV. After initial beam commissioning, channeling radiation experiments to generate hard X-rays will be performed. In the initial stage, low bunch charge beams will be used to keep the photon count rate low and avoid pile up in the detector. We report here on the optics solutions, the expected channaling spectrum including background from bremmstrahlung and the use of a Compton scatterer for higher bunch charge operation.

Background characterization of an ultra-low background liquid scintillation counter

DOE PAGES

Erchinger, J. L.; Orrell, John L.; Aalseth, C. E.; ...

2017-01-26

The Ultra-Low Background Liquid Scintillation Counter developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will expand the application of liquid scintillation counting by enabling lower detection limits and smaller sample volumes. By reducing the overall count rate of the background environment approximately 2 orders of magnitude below that of commercially available systems, backgrounds on the order of tens of counts per day over an energy range of ~3–3600 keV can be realized. Finally, initial test results of the ULB LSC show promising results for ultra-low background detection with liquid scintillation counting.

Development of an underground HPGe array facility for ultra low radioactivity measurements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sala, E.; Kang, W. G.; Kim, Y. D.

Low Level Counting techniques using low background facilities are continuously under development to increase the possible sensitivity needed for rare physics events experiments. The CUP (Center for Underground Physics) group of IBS is developing, in collaboration with Canberra, a ultra low background instrument composed of two arrays facing each other with 7 HPGe detectors each. The low radioactive background of each detector has been evaluated and improved by the material selection of the detector components. Samples of all the building materials have been provided by the manufacturer and the contaminations had been measured using an optimized low background 100% HPGemore » with a dedicated shielding. The evaluation of the intrinsic background has been performed using MonteCarlo simulations and considering the contribution of each material with the measured contamination. To further reduce the background, the instrument will be placed in the new underground laboratory at YangYang exploiting the 700m mountain coverage and radon-free air supplying system. The array has been designed to perform various Ultra Low background measurements; the sensitivity we are expecting will allow not only low level measurements of Ra and Th contaminations in Copper or other usually pure materials, but also the search for rare decays. In particular some possible candidates and configurations to detect the 0νECEC (for example {sup 106}Cd and {sup 156}Dy) and rare β decays ({sup 96}Zr, {sup 180m}Ta , etc ) are under study.« less

Background compensation for a radiation level monitor

DOEpatents

Keefe, D.J.

1975-12-01

Background compensation in a device such as a hand and foot monitor is provided by digital means using a scaler. With no radiation level test initiated, a scaler is down-counted from zero according to the background measured. With a radiation level test initiated, the scaler is up-counted from the previous down-count position according to the radiation emitted from the monitored object and an alarm is generated if, with the scaler having crossed zero in the positive going direction, a particular number is exceeded in a specific time period after initiation of the test. If the test is initiated while the scale is down-counting, the background count from the previous down- count stored in a memory is used as the initial starting point for the up-count.

A garage sale bargain: A leaking 2.2 GBq Ra-226 source, Phase II - Internal dose assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Toohey, R.E.; Goans, R.E.

1996-06-01

The Radiation Emergency Assistance Center and Training Site (REAC/TS) at the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) in Oak Ridge was asked by the Department of Energy to assist the Tennessee Division of Radiological Health in assessing the potential health consequences of this incident. The purchaser of the radium source and his wife visited the REAMS facility on 8 May 1995, approximately 50 d after the purchase. Medical histories were taken and physical exams were performed by the REAC/TS physician, and blood samples were collected for complete blood counts (CBC), differentials, chemistry panels, and cytogenetic testing. The clinicalmore » results were normal, and a chromosome analysis of cultured peripheral lymphocytes showed no aberrations (rings or dicentrics) above background levels found in unexposed controls. A whole-body count was performed on the purchaser in the ORISE facility, but his wife declined because of discomfort with the enclosed space within the shield. In the energy band from 1.61 to 1.87 MeV, bracketing the 1.76-MeV peak from {sup 214}Bi, the subject had a net count rate of 0. 1 5 {+-} 0.04, counts per second, corresponding to a {sup 214}Bi body content of 400 {+-} 100 Bq. With the assumption that the {sup 222}Rn retention fraction was 0.37, this figure corresponded to a {sup 226}Ra content of 1.1 {+-} 0.3 kBq. With the further assumption that the primary intake route was Inhalation of 1.0-micron AMAD particles of class W {sup 226}Ra, the intake was computed to be 13 {+-} 3 kBq. The annual limit of intake by inhalation for class W {sup 226}Ra is based on the stochastic limit and is 20 kBq; therefore, the committed effective dose equivalent for this subject was 30 {+-} 7 mSv. A separate whole-body count of the subject`s wife was performed with an unshielded detector at the REAC/TS facility, with negative results.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Erchinger, J. L.; Orrell, John L.; Aalseth, C. E.

The Ultra-Low Background Liquid Scintillation Counter developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will expand the application of liquid scintillation counting by enabling lower detection limits and smaller sample volumes. By reducing the overall count rate of the background environment approximately 2 orders of magnitude below that of commercially available systems, backgrounds on the order of tens of counts per day over an energy range of ~3–3600 keV can be realized. Finally, initial test results of the ULB LSC show promising results for ultra-low background detection with liquid scintillation counting.

Poisson mixture model for measurements using counting.

PubMed

Miller, Guthrie; Justus, Alan; Vostrotin, Vadim; Dry, Donald; Bertelli, Luiz

2010-03-01

Starting with the basic Poisson statistical model of a counting measurement process, 'extraPoisson' variance or 'overdispersion' are included by assuming that the Poisson parameter representing the mean number of counts itself comes from another distribution. The Poisson parameter is assumed to be given by the quantity of interest in the inference process multiplied by a lognormally distributed normalising coefficient plus an additional lognormal background that might be correlated with the normalising coefficient (shared uncertainty). The example of lognormal environmental background in uranium urine data is discussed. An additional uncorrelated background is also included. The uncorrelated background is estimated from a background count measurement using Bayesian arguments. The rather complex formulas are validated using Monte Carlo. An analytical expression is obtained for the probability distribution of gross counts coming from the uncorrelated background, which allows straightforward calculation of a classical decision level in the form of a gross-count alarm point with a desired false-positive rate. The main purpose of this paper is to derive formulas for exact likelihood calculations in the case of various kinds of backgrounds.

Photon-induced Fission Product Yield Measurements on 235U, 238U, and 239Pu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishichayan, Fnu; Bhike, M.; Tonchev, A. P.; Tornow, W.

2015-10-01

During the past three years, a TUNL-LANL-LLNL collaboration has provided data on the fission product yields (FPYs) from quasi-monoenergetic neutron-induced fission of 235U, 238U, and 239Pu at TUNL in the 0.5 to 15 MeV energy range. Recently, we have extended these experiments to photo-fission. We measured the yields of fission fragments ranging from 85Kr to 147Nd from the photo-fission of 235U, 238U, and 239Pu using 13-MeV mono-energetic photon beams at the HIGS facility at TUNL. First of its kind, this measurement will provide a unique platform to explore the effect of the incoming probe on the FPYs, i.e., photons vs. neutrons. A dual-fission ionization chamber was used to determine the number of fissions in the targets and these samples (along with Au monitor foils) were gamma-ray counted in the low-background counting facility at TUNL. Details of the experimental set-up and results will be presented and compared to the FPYs obtained from neutron-induced fission at the same excitation energy of the compound nucleus. Work supported in part by the NNSA-SSAA Grant No. DE-NA0001838.

Reducing Stock-Outs of Life Saving Malaria Commodities Using Mobile Phone Text-Messaging: SMS for Life Study in Kenya

PubMed Central

Githinji, Sophie; Kigen, Samwel; Memusi, Dorothy; Nyandigisi, Andrew; Mbithi, Agneta M.; Wamari, Andrew; Muturi, Alex N.; Jagoe, George; Barrington, Jim; Snow, Robert W.; Zurovac, Dejan

2013-01-01

Background Health facility stock-outs of life saving malaria medicines are common across Africa. Innovative ways of addressing this problem are urgently required. We evaluated whether SMS based reporting of stocks of artemether-lumefantrine (AL) and rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) can result in reduction of stock-outs at peripheral facilities in Kenya. Methods/Findings All 87 public health facilities in five Kenyan districts were included in a 26 week project. Weekly facility stock counts of four AL packs and RDTs were sent via structured incentivized SMS communication process from health workers’ personal mobile phones to a web-based system accessed by district managers. The mean health facility response rate was 97% with a mean formatting error rate of 3%. Accuracy of stock count reports was 79% while accuracy of stock-out reports was 93%. District managers accessed the system 1,037 times at an average of eight times per week. The system was accessed in 82% of the study weeks. Comparing weeks 1 and 26, stock-out of one or more AL packs declined by 38 percentage-points. Total AL stock-out declined by 5 percentage-points and was eliminated by the end of the project. Stock-out declines of individual AL packs ranged from 14 to 32 percentage-points while decline in RDT stock-outs was 24 percentage-points. District managers responded to 44% of AL and 73% of RDT stock-out signals by redistributing commodities between facilities. In comparison with national trends, stock-out declines in study areas were greater, sharper and more sustained. Conclusions Use of simple SMS technology ensured high reporting rates of reasonably accurate, real-time facility stock data that were used by district managers to undertake corrective actions to reduce stock-outs. Future work on stock monitoring via SMS should focus on assessing response rates without use of incentives and demonstrating effectiveness of such interventions on a larger scale. PMID:23349786

Search for neutrinoless double-electron capture of 156Dy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finch, S. W.; Tornow, W.

2015-12-01

Background: Multiple large collaborations are currently searching for neutrinoless double-β decay, with the ultimate goal of differentiating the Majorana-Dirac nature of the neutrino. Purpose: Investigate the feasibility of resonant neutrinoless double-electron capture, an experimental alternative to neutrinoless double-β decay. Method: Two clover germanium detectors were operated underground in coincidence to search for the de-excitation γ rays of 156Gd following the neutrinoless double-electron capture of 156Dy. 231.95 d of data were collected at the Kimballton underground research facility with a 231.57 mg enriched 156Dy sample. Results: No counts were seen above background and half-life limits are set at O (1016-1018) yr for the various decay modes of 156Dy. Conclusion: Low background spectra were efficiently collected in the search for neutrinoless double-electron capture of 156Dy, although the low natural abundance and associated lack of large quantities of enriched samples hinders the experimental reach.

The MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR for 0νββ: Current Status and Future Plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, M. P.; Abgrall, N.; Aguayo, E.; Avignone, F. T.; Barabash, A. S.; Bertrand, F. E.; Boswell, M.; Brudanin, V.; Busch, M.; Byram, D.; Caldwell, A. S.; Chan, Y.-D.; Christofferson, C. D.; Combs, D. C.; Cuesta, C.; Detwiler, J. A.; Doe, P. J.; Efremenko, Yu.; Egorov, V.; Ejiri, H.; Elliott, S. R.; Fast, J. E.; Finnerty, P.; Fraenkle, F. M.; Galindo-Uribarri, A.; Giovanetti, G. K.; Goett, J.; Gruszko, J.; Guiseppe, V. E.; Gusev, K.; Hallin, A. L.; Hazama, R.; Hegai, A.; Henning, R.; Hoppe, E. W.; Howard, S.; Howe, M. A.; Keeter, K. J.; Kidd, M. F.; Kochetov, O.; Konovalov, S. I.; Kouzes, R. T.; LaFerriere, B. D.; Leon, J.; Leviner, L. E.; Loach, J. C.; MacMullin, J.; MacMullin, S.; Martin, R. D.; Meijer, S.; Mertens, S.; Nomachi, M.; Orrell, J. L.; O'Shaughnessy, C.; Overman, N. R.; Phillips, D. G.; Poon, A. W. P.; Pushkin, K.; Radford, D. C.; Rager, J.; Rielage, K.; Robertson, R. G. H.; Romero-Romero, E.; Ronquest, M. C.; Schubert, A. G.; Shanks, B.; Shima, T.; Shirchenko, M.; Snavely, K. J.; Snyder, N.; Suriano, A. M.; Thompson, J.; Timkin, V.; Tornow, W.; Trimble, J. E.; Varner, R. L.; Vasilyev, S.; Vetter, K.; Vorren, K.; White, B. R.; Wilkerson, J. F.; Wiseman, C.; Xu, W.; Yakushev, E.; Young, A. R.; Yu, C.-H.; Yumatov, V.

The MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR will search for neutrinoless-double-beta decay (0νββ) in 76Ge, while establishing the feasibility of a future tonne-scale germanium-based 0νββ experiment, and performing searches for new physics beyond the Standard Model. The experiment, currently under construction at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, SD, will consist of a pair of modular high-purity germanium detector arrays housed inside of a compact copper, lead, and polyethylene shield. Through a combination of strict materials qualifications and assay, low-background design, and powerful background rejection techniques, the Demonstrator aims to achieve a background rate in the 0νββ region of interest (ROI) of no more than 3 counts in the 0νββ-decay ROI per tonne of target isotope per year (cnts/(ROI-t-y)). The current status of the Demonstrator is discussed, as are plans for its completion.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aalseth, C. E.; Abgrall, N.; Aguayo, E.

The Majorana Collaboration is operating an array of high purity Ge detectors to search for neutrinoless double-β decay in 76Ge. The Majorana Demonstrator comprises 44.1 kg of Ge detectors (29.7 kg enriched in 76Ge) split between two modules contained in a low background shield at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. In this paper, we present results from data taken during construction, commissioning, and the start of full operations. We achieve unprecedented energy resolution of 2.5 keV FWHM at Q ββ and a very low background with no observed candidate events in 9.95 kg yr of enriched Ge exposure, resulting in a lower limit on the half-life of 1.9 × 10 25 yr (90% C.L.). This result constrains the effective Majorana neutrino mass to below 240-520 meV, depending on the matrix elements used. In our experimental configuration with the lowest background, the background is 4.0more » $$+3.1\\atop{-2.5}$$ counts/(FWHM t yr).« less

A Bayesian Method for Identifying Contaminated Detectors in Low-Level Alpha Spectrometers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maclellan, Jay A.; Strom, Daniel J.; Joyce, Kevin E.

2011-11-02

Analyses used for radiobioassay and other radiochemical tests are normally designed to meet specified quality objectives, such relative bias, precision, and minimum detectable activity (MDA). In the case of radiobioassay analyses for alpha emitting radionuclides, a major determiner of the process MDA is the instrument background. Alpha spectrometry detectors are often restricted to only a few counts over multi-day periods in order to meet required MDAs for nuclides such as plutonium-239 and americium-241. A detector background criterion is often set empirically based on experience, or frequentist or classical statistics are applied to the calculated background count necessary to meet amore » required MDA. An acceptance criterion for the detector background is set at the multiple of the estimated background standard deviation above the assumed mean that provides an acceptably small probability of observation if the mean and standard deviation estimate are correct. The major problem with this method is that the observed background counts used to estimate the mean, and thereby the standard deviation when a Poisson distribution is assumed, are often in the range of zero to three counts. At those expected count levels it is impossible to obtain a good estimate of the true mean from a single measurement. As an alternative, Bayesian statistical methods allow calculation of the expected detector background count distribution based on historical counts from new, uncontaminated detectors. This distribution can then be used to identify detectors showing an increased probability of contamination. The effect of varying the assumed range of background counts (i.e., the prior probability distribution) from new, uncontaminated detectors will be is discussed.« less

SCATHA-Analysis System

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-01-31

geometric factor. For the low energy FSA detectors, the background counts must be subtracted from the measured (actual) counts before the geometric factor...and high energy) each provide a background measure - ment. The background counts for the low energy ESA (LE ESA) were subtracted from the other four LE...perpendicular to the spacecraft +X reference spin axis and 189.660 around from the +Z axis (with this angle measured from the +Z axis in the direction

Fission product yield measurements using monoenergetic photon beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishichayan; Bhike, M.; Tonchev, A. P.; Tornow, W.

2017-09-01

Measurements of fission products yields (FPYs) are an important source of information on the fission process. During the past couple of years, a TUNL-LANL-LLNL collaboration has provided data on the FPYs from quasi monoenergetic neutron-induced fission on 235U, 238U, and 239Pu and has revealed an unexpected energy dependence of both asymmetric fission fragments at energies below 4 MeV. This peculiar FPY energy dependence was more pronounced in neutron-induced fission of 239Pu. In an effort to understand and compare the effect of the incoming probe on the FPY distribution, we have carried out monoenergetic photon-induced fission experiments on the same 235U, 238U, and 239Pu targets. Monoenergetic photon beams of Eγ = 13.0 MeV were provided by the HIγS facility, the world's most intense γ-ray source. In order to determine the total number of fission events, a dual-fission chamber was used during the irradiation. These irradiated samples were counted at the TUNL's low-background γ-ray counting facility using high efficient HPGe detectors over a period of 10 weeks. Here we report on our first ever photofission product yield measurements obtained with monoenegetic photon beams. These results are compared with neutron-induced FPY data.

The MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR for 0νββ: Current status and future plans

DOE PAGES

Green, M. P.; Abgrall, N.; Aguayo, E.; ...

2015-01-01

The Majorana Demonstrator will search for neutrinoless-double-beta decay (0νββ) in 76Ge, while establishing the feasibility of a future tonne-scale germanium-based 0νββ experiment, and performing searches for new physics beyond the Standard Model. The experiment, currently under construction at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, SD, will consist of a pair of modular high-purity germanium detector arrays housed inside of a compact copper, lead, and polyethylene shield. Through a combination of strict materials qualifications and assay, low-background design, and powerful background rejection techniques, the Demonstrator aims to achieve a background rate in the 0νββ region of interest (ROI) of nomore » more than 3 counts in the 0νββ-decay ROI per tonne of target isotope per year (cnts/(ROI-t-y)). The current status of the Demonstrator is discussed, as are plans for its completion.« less

Search for Neutrinoless Double- β Decay in Ge 76 with the Majorana Demonstrator

DOE PAGES

Aalseth, C. E.; Abgrall, N.; Aguayo, E.; ...

2018-03-26

The Majorana Collaboration is operating an array of high purity Ge detectors to search for neutrinoless double-β decay in 76Ge. The Majorana Demonstrator comprises 44.1 kg of Ge detectors (29.7 kg enriched in 76Ge) split between two modules contained in a low background shield at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. In this paper, we present results from data taken during construction, commissioning, and the start of full operations. We achieve unprecedented energy resolution of 2.5 keV FWHM at Q ββ and a very low background with no observed candidate events in 9.95 kg yr of enriched Ge exposure, resulting in a lower limit on the half-life of 1.9 × 10 25 yr (90% C.L.). This result constrains the effective Majorana neutrino mass to below 240-520 meV, depending on the matrix elements used. In our experimental configuration with the lowest background, the background is 4.0more » $$+3.1\\atop{-2.5}$$ counts/(FWHM t yr).« less

Search for Neutrinoless Double-β Decay in ^{76}Ge with the Majorana Demonstrator.

PubMed

Aalseth, C E; Abgrall, N; Aguayo, E; Alvis, S I; Amman, M; Arnquist, I J; Avignone, F T; Back, H O; Barabash, A S; Barbeau, P S; Barton, C J; Barton, P J; Bertrand, F E; Bode, T; Bos, B; Boswell, M; Bradley, A W; Brodzinski, R L; Brudanin, V; Busch, M; Buuck, M; Caldwell, A S; Caldwell, T S; Chan, Y-D; Christofferson, C D; Chu, P-H; Collar, J I; Combs, D C; Cooper, R J; Cuesta, C; Detwiler, J A; Doe, P J; Dunmore, J A; Efremenko, Yu; Ejiri, H; Elliott, S R; Fast, J E; Finnerty, P; Fraenkle, F M; Fu, Z; Fujikawa, B K; Fuller, E; Galindo-Uribarri, A; Gehman, V M; Gilliss, T; Giovanetti, G K; Goett, J; Green, M P; Gruszko, J; Guinn, I S; Guiseppe, V E; Hallin, A L; Haufe, C R; Hehn, L; Henning, R; Hoppe, E W; Hossbach, T W; Howe, M A; Jasinski, B R; Johnson, R A; Keeter, K J; Kephart, J D; Kidd, M F; Knecht, A; Konovalov, S I; Kouzes, R T; LaFerriere, B D; Leon, J; Lesko, K T; Leviner, L E; Loach, J C; Lopez, A M; Luke, P N; MacMullin, J; MacMullin, S; Marino, M G; Martin, R D; Massarczyk, R; McDonald, A B; Mei, D-M; Meijer, S J; Merriman, J H; Mertens, S; Miley, H S; Miller, M L; Myslik, J; Orrell, J L; O'Shaughnessy, C; Othman, G; Overman, N R; Perumpilly, G; Pettus, W; Phillips, D G; Poon, A W P; Pushkin, K; Radford, D C; Rager, J; Reeves, J H; Reine, A L; Rielage, K; Robertson, R G H; Ronquest, M C; Ruof, N W; Schubert, A G; Shanks, B; Shirchenko, M; Snavely, K J; Snyder, N; Steele, D; Suriano, A M; Tedeschi, D; Tornow, W; Trimble, J E; Varner, R L; Vasilyev, S; Vetter, K; Vorren, K; White, B R; Wilkerson, J F; Wiseman, C; Xu, W; Yakushev, E; Yaver, H; Young, A R; Yu, C-H; Yumatov, V; Zhitnikov, I; Zhu, B X; Zimmermann, S

2018-03-30

The Majorana Collaboration is operating an array of high purity Ge detectors to search for neutrinoless double-β decay in ^{76}Ge. The Majorana Demonstrator comprises 44.1 kg of Ge detectors (29.7 kg enriched in ^{76}Ge) split between two modules contained in a low background shield at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. Here we present results from data taken during construction, commissioning, and the start of full operations. We achieve unprecedented energy resolution of 2.5 keV FWHM at Q_{ββ} and a very low background with no observed candidate events in 9.95 kg yr of enriched Ge exposure, resulting in a lower limit on the half-life of 1.9×10^{25}  yr (90% C.L.). This result constrains the effective Majorana neutrino mass to below 240-520 meV, depending on the matrix elements used. In our experimental configuration with the lowest background, the background is 4.0_{-2.5}^{+3.1}  counts/(FWHM t yr).

Search for Neutrinoless Double-β Decay in Ge 76 with the Majorana Demonstrator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aalseth, C. E.; Abgrall, N.; Aguayo, E.; Alvis, S. I.; Amman, M.; Arnquist, I. J.; Avignone, F. T.; Back, H. O.; Barabash, A. S.; Barbeau, P. S.; Barton, C. J.; Barton, P. J.; Bertrand, F. E.; Bode, T.; Bos, B.; Boswell, M.; Bradley, A. W.; Brodzinski, R. L.; Brudanin, V.; Busch, M.; Buuck, M.; Caldwell, A. S.; Caldwell, T. S.; Chan, Y.-D.; Christofferson, C. D.; Chu, P.-H.; Collar, J. I.; Combs, D. C.; Cooper, R. J.; Cuesta, C.; Detwiler, J. A.; Doe, P. J.; Dunmore, J. A.; Efremenko, Yu.; Ejiri, H.; Elliott, S. R.; Fast, J. E.; Finnerty, P.; Fraenkle, F. M.; Fu, Z.; Fujikawa, B. K.; Fuller, E.; Galindo-Uribarri, A.; Gehman, V. M.; Gilliss, T.; Giovanetti, G. K.; Goett, J.; Green, M. P.; Gruszko, J.; Guinn, I. S.; Guiseppe, V. E.; Hallin, A. L.; Haufe, C. R.; Hehn, L.; Henning, R.; Hoppe, E. W.; Hossbach, T. W.; Howe, M. A.; Jasinski, B. R.; Johnson, R. A.; Keeter, K. J.; Kephart, J. D.; Kidd, M. F.; Knecht, A.; Konovalov, S. I.; Kouzes, R. T.; LaFerriere, B. D.; Leon, J.; Lesko, K. T.; Leviner, L. E.; Loach, J. C.; Lopez, A. M.; Luke, P. N.; MacMullin, J.; MacMullin, S.; Marino, M. G.; Martin, R. D.; Massarczyk, R.; McDonald, A. B.; Mei, D.-M.; Meijer, S. J.; Merriman, J. H.; Mertens, S.; Miley, H. S.; Miller, M. L.; Myslik, J.; Orrell, J. L.; O'Shaughnessy, C.; Othman, G.; Overman, N. R.; Perumpilly, G.; Pettus, W.; Phillips, D. G.; Poon, A. W. P.; Pushkin, K.; Radford, D. C.; Rager, J.; Reeves, J. H.; Reine, A. L.; Rielage, K.; Robertson, R. G. H.; Ronquest, M. C.; Ruof, N. W.; Schubert, A. G.; Shanks, B.; Shirchenko, M.; Snavely, K. J.; Snyder, N.; Steele, D.; Suriano, A. M.; Tedeschi, D.; Tornow, W.; Trimble, J. E.; Varner, R. L.; Vasilyev, S.; Vetter, K.; Vorren, K.; White, B. R.; Wilkerson, J. F.; Wiseman, C.; Xu, W.; Yakushev, E.; Yaver, H.; Young, A. R.; Yu, C.-H.; Yumatov, V.; Zhitnikov, I.; Zhu, B. X.; Zimmermann, S.; Majorana Collaboration

2018-03-01

The Majorana Collaboration is operating an array of high purity Ge detectors to search for neutrinoless double-β decay in Ge 76 . The Majorana Demonstrator comprises 44.1 kg of Ge detectors (29.7 kg enriched in Ge 76 ) split between two modules contained in a low background shield at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. Here we present results from data taken during construction, commissioning, and the start of full operations. We achieve unprecedented energy resolution of 2.5 keV FWHM at Qβ β and a very low background with no observed candidate events in 9.95 kg yr of enriched Ge exposure, resulting in a lower limit on the half-life of 1.9 ×1025 yr (90% C.L.). This result constrains the effective Majorana neutrino mass to below 240-520 meV, depending on the matrix elements used. In our experimental configuration with the lowest background, the background is 4.0-2.5+3.1 counts /(FWHM t yr ) .

Dynamic pulse difference circuit

DOEpatents

Erickson, Gerald L.

1978-01-01

A digital electronic circuit of especial use for subtracting background activity pulses in gamma spectrometry comprises an up-down counter connected to count up with signal-channel pulses and to count down with background-channel pulses. A detector responsive to the count position of the up-down counter provides a signal when the up-down counter has completed one scaling sequence cycle of counts in the up direction. In an alternate embodiment, a detector responsive to the count position of the up-down counter provides a signal upon overflow of the counter.

Measurements of the 169Tm(n,2n)168Tm cross section between 9.0 and 17.5 MeV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soter, J.; Bhike, Megha; Krishichayan, Fnu; Finch, S. W.; Tornow, W.

2016-09-01

Measurements of the 169Tm(n,2n)168Tm cross section have been performed in 0.5 MeV intervals for neutron energies ranging from 9.0 MeV to 17.5 MeV in order to resolve discrepancies in the current literature data. The neutron activation technique was used with 90Zr and 197Au as monitor foils. After irradiation, de-excitation gamma rays were recorded off-line with High-Purity Germanium (HPGE) detectors in TUNL's Low-Background Counting Facility. In addition, data for the 169Tm(n,3n)167Tm reaction have also been obtained from 15.5 MeV to 17.5 MeV. The results of these measurements provide the basis for investigating properties of the interial confinement fusion plasma in deuterium-tritium (DT) capsules at the National Ignition Facility located at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

The Majorana Demonstrator: A search for neutrinoless double-beta decay of germanium-76

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elliott, S. R.; Abgrall, N.; Aguayo, E.; Avignone, F. T., III; Barabash, A. S.; Bertrand, F. E.; Boswell, M.; Brudanin, V.; Busch, M.; Caldwell, A. S.; Chan, Y.-D.; Christofferson, C. D.; Combs, D. C.; Detwiler, J. A.; Doe, P. J.; Efremenko, Yu.; Egorov, V.; Ejiri, H.; Esterline, J.; Fast, J. E.; Finnerty, P.; Fraenkle, F. M.; Galindo-Uribarri, A.; Giovanetti, G. K.; Goett, J.; Green, M. P.; Gruszko, J.; Guiseppe, V. E.; Gusev, K.; Hallin, A. L.; Hazama, R.; Hegai, A.; Henning, R.; Hoppe, E. W.; Howard, S.; Howe, M. A.; Keeter, K. J.; Kidd, M. F.; Kochetov, O.; Konovalov, S. I.; Kouzes, R. T.; LaFerriere, B. D.; Leon, J.; Leviner, L. E.; Loach, J. C.; MacMullin, S.; Martin, R. D.; Mertens, S.; Mizouni, L.; Nomachi, M.; Orrell, J. L.; O'Shaughnessy, C.; Overman, N. R.; Phillips, D. G., II; Poon, A. W. P.; Pushkin, K.; Radford, D. C.; Rielage, K.; Robertson, R. G. H.; Ronquest, M. C.; Schubert, A. G.; Shanks, B.; Shima, T.; Shirchenko, M.; Snavely, K. J.; Snyder, N.; Soin, A.; Strain, J.; Suriano, A. M.; Timkin, V.; Tornow, W.; Varner, R. L.; Vasilyev, S.; Vetter, K.; Vorren, K.; White, B. R.; Wilkerson, J. F.; Xu, W.; Yakushev, E.; Young, A. R.; Yu, C.-H.; Yumatov, V.

2013-12-01

The Majorana collaboration is searching for neutrinoless double beta decay using 76Ge, which has been shown to have a number of advantages in terms of sensitivities and backgrounds. The observation of neutrinoless double-beta decay would show that lepton number is violated and that neutrinos are Majorana particles and would simultaneously provide information on neutrino mass. Attaining sensitivities for neutrino masses in the inverted hierarchy region, 15 - 50 meV, will require large, tonne-scale detectors with extremely low backgrounds, at the level of ˜1 count/t-y or lower in the region of the signal. The Majorana collaboration, with funding support from DOE Office of Nuclear Physics and NSF Particle Astrophysics, is constructing the Demonstrator, an array consisting of 40 kg of p-type point-contact high-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors, of which ˜30 kg will be enriched to 87% in 76Ge. The Demonstrator is being constructed in a clean room laboratory facility at the 4850' level (4300 m.w.e.) of the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, SD. It utilizes a compact graded shield approach with the inner portion consisting of ultra-clean Cu that is being electroformed and machined underground. The primary aim of the Demonstrator is to show the feasibility of a future tonne-scale measurement in terms of backgrounds and scalability.

Probing Jupiter's Radiation Environment with Juno-UVS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kammer, J.; Gladstone, R.; Greathouse, T. K.; Hue, V.; Versteeg, M. H.; Davis, M. W.; Santos-Costa, D.; Becker, H. N.; Bolton, S. J.; Connerney, J. E. P.; Levin, S.

2017-12-01

While primarily designed to observe photon emission from the Jovian aurora, Juno's Ultraviolet Spectrograph (Juno-UVS) has also measured background count rates associated with penetrating high-energy radiation. These background counts are distinguishable from photon events, as they are generally spread evenly across the entire array of the Juno-UVS detector, and as the spacecraft spins, they set a baseline count rate higher than the sky background rate. During eight perijove passes, this background radiation signature has varied significantly on both short (spin-modulated) timescales, as well as longer timescales ( minutes to hours). We present comparisons of the Juno-UVS data across each of the eight perijove passes, with a focus on the count rate that can be clearly attributed to radiation effects rather than photon events. Once calibrated to determine the relationship between count rate and penetrating high-energy radiation (e.g., using existing GEANT models), these in situ measurements by Juno-UVS will provide additional constraints to radiation belt models close to the planet.

Public outreach at the Soudan Underground Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gran, Richard

2016-04-01

There are many facets to the outreach program at the Soudan Underground Laboratory, currently host to the MINOS neutrino oscillation experiment and the Cryogenic Dark Matter experiment, plus a number of smaller experiments in the Low Background Counting Facility. The main focus is on twice daily public tours, operated in coordination with the Soudan Underground State Park and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, who also operate undergound tours of the historical iron mining area. Another important component is the undergraduate interns and high school teachers who lead the tours. They also participate in the operation and/or analysis of the experiments hosted at the mine.

Hypertension and hematologic parameters in a community near a uranium processing facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wagner, Sara E., E-mail: swagner@uga.edu; Burch, James B.; South Carolina Statewide Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Columbia, SC

Background: Environmental uranium exposure originating as a byproduct of uranium processing can impact human health. The Fernald Feed Materials Production Center functioned as a uranium processing facility from 1951 to 1989, and potential health effects among residents living near this plant were investigated via the Fernald Medical Monitoring Program (FMMP). Methods: Data from 8216 adult FMMP participants were used to test the hypothesis that elevated uranium exposure was associated with indicators of hypertension or changes in hematologic parameters at entry into the program. A cumulative uranium exposure estimate, developed by FMMP investigators, was used to classify exposure. Systolic and diastolicmore » blood pressure and physician diagnoses were used to assess hypertension; and red blood cells, platelets, and white blood cell differential counts were used to characterize hematology. The relationship between uranium exposure and hypertension or hematologic parameters was evaluated using generalized linear models and quantile regression for continuous outcomes, and logistic regression or ordinal logistic regression for categorical outcomes, after adjustment for potential confounding factors. Results: Of 8216 adult FMMP participants 4187 (51%) had low cumulative uranium exposure, 1273 (15%) had moderate exposure, and 2756 (34%) were in the high (>0.50 Sievert) cumulative lifetime uranium exposure category. Participants with elevated uranium exposure had decreased white blood cell and lymphocyte counts and increased eosinophil counts. Female participants with higher uranium exposures had elevated systolic blood pressure compared to women with lower exposures. However, no exposure-related changes were observed in diastolic blood pressure or hypertension diagnoses among female or male participants. Conclusions: Results from this investigation suggest that residents in the vicinity of the Fernald plant with elevated exposure to uranium primarily via inhalation exhibited decreases in white blood cell counts, and small, though statistically significant, gender-specific alterations in systolic blood pressure at entry into the FMMP.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, T; Graham, C L; Sundsmo, T

This procedure provides instructions for the calibration and use of the Canberra iSolo Low Background Alpha/Beta Counting System (iSolo) that is used for counting air filters and swipe samples. This detector is capable of providing radioisotope identification (e.g., it can discriminate between radon daughters and plutonium). This procedure includes step-by-step instructions for: (1) Performing periodic or daily 'Background' and 'Efficiency QC' checks; (2) Setting-up the iSolo for counting swipes and air filters; (3) Counting swipes and air filters for alpha and beta activity; and (4) Annual calibration.

Treatment of pseudofolliculitis barbae in very dark skin with a long pulse Nd:YAG laser.

PubMed Central

Ross, E. Victor; Cooke, Linda M.; Overstreet, Kristen A.; Buttolph, Greg D.; Blair, Mark A.

2002-01-01

BACKGROUND: Pseudofolliculitis barbae affects some individuals with coarse curly hair. Currently available treatment modalities are often ineffective. In some studies, lasers have been shown to be potentially helpful in mitigating disease severity by reducing the number and/or thickness of hair shafts. METHODS: This was a side-by-side interventional study conducted at a military tertiary medical facility. The study group included 26 patients (skin types IV, V, and VI) referred from primary care physicians with a diagnosis of pseudofolliculitis barbae refractory to medical therapy. A neodymium YAG laser was used to treat one half of the neck. One month later, shaving bumps were counted and compared to their preoperative levels on both sides. RESULTS: Mean postoperative papule counts were 11.6 +/- 6 (SD) and 30.1 +/- 19 (SD) on the treated side and untreated sides, respectively. CONCLUSION: Neodymium YAG laser treatment represents a safe and effective option for reducing papule formation in patients with pseudofolliculitis barbae. Images Figure 1 PMID:12408693

The Majorana Demonstrator radioassay program

DOE PAGES

Abgrall, N.; Arnquist, I. J.; Avignone, F. T.; ...

2016-05-03

The Majorana collaboration is constructing the Majorana Demonstrator at the Sanford Underground Research Facility at the Homestake gold mine, in Lead, SD. The apparatus will use Ge detectors, enriched in isotope 76Ge, to demonstrate the feasibility of a large-scale Ge detector experiment to search for neutrinoless double beta decay. The long half-life of this postulated process requires that the apparatus be extremely low in radioactive isotopes whose decays may produce backgrounds to the search. The radioassay program conducted by the collaboration to ensure that the materials comprising the apparatus are sufficiently pure is described. The resulting measurements from gamma-ray counting,more » neutron activation and mass spectroscopy of the radioactive-isotope contamination for the materials studied for use in the detector are reported. In conclusion, we interpret these numbers in the context of the expected background for the experiment.« less

A Monte Carlo modeling alternative for the API Gamma Ray Calibration Facility.

PubMed

Galford, J E

2017-04-01

The gamma ray pit at the API Calibration Facility, located on the University of Houston campus, defines the API unit for natural gamma ray logs used throughout the petroleum logging industry. Future use of the facility is uncertain. An alternative method is proposed to preserve the gamma ray API unit definition as an industry standard by using Monte Carlo modeling to obtain accurate counting rate-to-API unit conversion factors for gross-counting and spectral gamma ray tool designs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of Surface Cleaning and Disinfection in a Brazilian Healthcare Facility

PubMed Central

Santos-Junior, Aires G.; Ferreira, Adriano M.; Frota, Oleci P.; Rigotti, Marcelo A.; Barcelos, Larissa da S.; Lopes de Sousa, Alvaro Francisco; de Andrade, Denise; Guerra, Odanir G.; R. Furlan, Mara C.

2018-01-01

Background: Failures in the processes of cleaning and disinfecting health service surfaces may result in the spread and transfer of pathogens that are often associated with healthcare-related infections and outbreaks. Aims: To assess the effectiveness of environmental surface cleaning and disinfection in a hospital clinic. Method: The study was conducted in a nursing ward with 45 beds. A total of 80 samples from five high-touch surfaces were evaluated before and after cleaning and disinfection, using the following methods: visual inspection, adenosine triphosphate bioluminescence assay, aerobic colony count, Staphylococcus aureus colony count, and evaluation of resistance to methicillin. The data analysis used nonparametric comparative and correlative tests to observe any differences in the pre- and post- cleaning and disinfection results for the surfaces assessed. Results: Effective cleaning and disinfection had a significant effect on only two surfaces when measured for the presence of adenosine triphosphate, the inner bathroom door handle (p=0.007) and the toilet bowl (p=0.01). When evaluated for Staphylococcus aureus colony count, the toilet flush handle also demonstrated a significant effect (p=0.04). Conclusion: The effectiveness of cleaning and disinfection of the surfaces tested was not satisfactory. An educational intervention is recommended for the cleaning and disinfection staff and the nursing team at the healthcare facility. Relevance to Clinical Practice: The data in the study revealed that daily hospital cleaning and disinfection in the sampled sites are not sufficient in medical and surgical wards. Hospital cleanliness must be reevaluated from the point of view of materials, such as an adequate supply of clean cloths, in addition to establishing more precise cleanliness protocols and accurate monitoring systems. PMID:29643951

Supply-Side Barriers to Maternity-Care in India: A Facility-Based Analysis

PubMed Central

Kumar, Santosh; Dansereau, Emily

2014-01-01

Background Health facilities in many low- and middle-income countries face several types of barriers in delivering quality health services. Availability of resources at the facility may significantly affect the volume and quality of services provided. This study investigates the effect of supply-side determinants of maternity-care provision in India. Methods Health facility data from the District-Level Household Survey collected in 2007–2008 were analyzed to explore the effects of supply-side factors on the volume of delivery care provided at Indian health facilities. A negative binomial regression model was applied to the data due to the count and over-dispersion property of the outcome variable (number of deliveries performed at the facility). Results Availability of a labor room (Incidence Rate Ratio [IRR]: 1.81; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.68–1.95) and facility opening hours (IRR: 1.43; CI: 1.35–1.51) were the most significant predictors of the volume of delivery care at the health facilities. Medical and paramedical staff were found to be positively associated with institutional deliveries. The volume of deliveries was also higher if adequate beds, essential obstetric drugs, medical equipment, electricity, and communication infrastructures were available at the facility. Findings were robust to the inclusion of facility's catchment area population and district-level education, health insurance coverage, religion, wealth, and fertility. Separate analyses were performed for facilities with and without a labor room and results were qualitatively similar across these two types of facilities. Conclusions Our study highlights the importance of supply-side barriers to maternity-care India. To meet Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5, policymakers should make additional investments in improving the availability of medical drugs and equipment at primary health centers (PHCs) in India. PMID:25093729

SMS for Life: a pilot project to improve anti-malarial drug supply management in rural Tanzania using standard technology

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Maintaining adequate supplies of anti-malarial medicines at the health facility level in rural sub-Saharan Africa is a major barrier to effective management of the disease. Lack of visibility of anti-malarial stock levels at the health facility level is an important contributor to this problem. Methods A 21-week pilot study, 'SMS for Life', was undertaken during 2009-2010 in three districts of rural Tanzania, involving 129 health facilities. Undertaken through a collaborative partnership of public and private institutions, SMS for Life used mobile telephones, SMS messages and electronic mapping technology to facilitate provision of comprehensive and accurate stock counts from all health facilities to each district management team on a weekly basis. The system covered stocks of the four different dosage packs of artemether-lumefantrine (AL) and quinine injectable. Results Stock count data was provided in 95% of cases, on average. A high response rate (≥ 93%) was maintained throughout the pilot. The error rate for composition of SMS responses averaged 7.5% throughout the study; almost all errors were corrected and messages re-sent. Data accuracy, based on surveillance visits to health facilities, was 94%. District stock reports were accessed on average once a day. The proportion of health facilities with no stock of one or more anti-malarial medicine (i.e. any of the four dosages of AL or quinine injectable) fell from 78% at week 1 to 26% at week 21. In Lindi Rural district, stock-outs were eliminated by week 8 with virtually no stock-outs thereafter. During the study, AL stocks increased by 64% and quinine stock increased 36% across the three districts. Conclusions The SMS for Life pilot provided visibility of anti-malarial stock levels to support more efficient stock management using simple and widely available SMS technology, via a public-private partnership model that worked highly effectively. The SMS for Life system has the potential to alleviate restricted availability of anti-malarial drugs or other medicines in rural or under-resourced areas. PMID:20979633

Background Conditions for the October 29, 2003 Solar Flare by the AVS-F Apparatus Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arkhangelskaja, I. V.; Arkhangelskiy, A. I.; Lyapin, A. R.; Troitskaya, E. V.

The background model for AVS-F apparatus onboard CORONAS-F satellite for the October 29, 2003 X10-class solar flare is discussed in the presented work. This background model developed for AVS-F counts rate in the low- and high-energy spectral ranges in both individual channels and summarized. Count rate were approximated by polynomials of high order taking into account the mean count rate in the geomagnetic equatorial region at the different orbits parts and Kp-index averaged on 5 bins in time interval from -24 to -12 hours before the time of geomagnetic equator passing. The observed averaged counts rate on equator in the region of geomagnetic latitude ±5o and estimated minimum count rate values are in coincidence within statistical errors for all selected orbits parts used for background modeling. This model will used to refine the estimated energy of registered during the solar flare spectral features and detailed analysis of their temporal profiles behavior both in corresponding energy bands and in summarized energy range.

Listeria (Listeriosis)

MedlinePlus

... at Dole Ohio Facility Recall & Advice to Consumers, Restaurants, and Retailers Information for Health Professionals Case Count ... by Karoun Dairies, Inc. Recall & Advice to Consumers, Restaurants, and Retailers Information for Health Professionals Case Count ...

Prevention of Listeriosis

MedlinePlus

... at Dole Ohio Facility Recall & Advice to Consumers, Restaurants, and Retailers Information for Health Professionals Case Count ... by Karoun Dairies, Inc. Recall & Advice to Consumers, Restaurants, and Retailers Information for Health Professionals Case Count ...

Photon-Counting Kinetic Inductance Detectors for the Origins Space Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noroozian, Omid

We propose to develop photon-counting Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KIDs) for the Origins Space Telescope (OST) and any predecessor missions, with the goal of producing background-limited photon-counting sensitivity, and with a preliminary technology demonstration in time to inform the Decadal Survey planning process. The OST, a midto far- infrared observatory concept, is being developed as a major NASA mission to be considered by the next Decadal Survey with support from NASA Headquarters. The objective of such a facility is to allow rapid spectroscopic surveys of the high redshift universe at 420-800 μm, using arrays of integrated spectrometers with moderate resolutions (R=λ/Δλ 1000), to create a powerful new data set for exploring galaxy evolution and the growth of structure in the Universe. A second objective of OST is to perform higher resolution (R 10,000-100,000) spectroscopic surveys at 20-300 µm, a uniquely powerful tool for exploring the evolution of protoplanetary disks into fledgling solar systems. Finally the OST aims to obtain sensitive mid-infrared (5-40 µm) spectroscopy of thermal emission from rocky planets in the habitable zone using the transit method. These OST science objectives are very exciting and represent a wellorganized community agreement. However, they are all impossible to reach without new detector technology, and the OST can’t be recommended or approved if suitable detectors do not exist. In all of the above instrument concepts, photon-counting direct detectors are mission-enabling and essential for reaching the sensitivity permitted by the cryogenic Origins Space Telescope and the performance required for its important science programs. Our group has developed an innovative design for an optically-coupled KID that can reach the photon-counting sensitivity required by the ambitious science goals of the OST mission. A KID is a planar microwave resonator patterned from a superconducting thin film, which responds to incident photons with a change in its resonance frequency and dissipation. This detector response is intrinsically frequency multiplexed, and consequently KIDs at different resonance frequencies can be read out using standard digital radio techniques, which enables multiplexing of 10,000s of detectors. In our photon-counting KID design we employ a small-volume (and thin) superconducting Al inductor to enhance the per-photon responsivity, and large parallel-plate NbTiN capacitors on single-crystal silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates to eliminate frequency noise. We have developed a comprehensive design demonstrating that photon-counting sensitivity is possible in a small-volume Al KID. In addition, we have already demonstrated ultra-high quality factors in resonators made of very thin ( 10 nm) Al films with long electron lifetimes. These are the critical material parameters for reaching photon-counting sensitivity levels. In our proposed work plan our objective is to implement these high quality films into our optically-coupled small-volume KID design and demonstrate photon-counting sensitivity. The successful development of our photon-counting technology will significantly increase the sensitivity of the OST mission, making it more scientifically competitive than one based on power detectors. Photon-counting at the background limit provides a x4 increase in observation speed over that of background-limited power detection, since there is no need to measure and subtract a zero point. Photon-counting detectors will enable an instrument on the OST to observe the fine structure lines of galaxies which are currently only observable at redshifts of z 1, out to redshifts of z=6, probing the early stages of galaxy, star and planet formation. Our photon-counting detectors will also enable entirely new science, including the mapping of the composition and evolution of water and other key volatiles in planet-forming materials around large samples of nearby young stars.

A whole body counting facility in a remote Enewetak Island setting.

PubMed

Bell, Thomas R; Hickman, David; Yamaguchi, Lance; Jackson, William; Hamilton, Terry

2002-08-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has recently implemented a series of strategic initiatives to address long-term radiological surveillance needs at former U.S. test sites in the Marshall Islands. The plan is to engage local atoll communities in developing shared responsibilities for implementing radiation protection programs for resettled and resettling populations. As part of this new initiative, DOE agreed to design and construct a radiological laboratory on Enewetak Island, and help develop the necessary local resources to maintain and operate the facility. This cooperative effort was formalized in August 2000 between the DOE, the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and the Enewetak/Ujelang Local Atoll Government (EULGOV). The laboratory facility was completed in May 2001. The laboratory incorporates both a permanent whole body counting system to assess internal exposures to 137Cs, and clean living space for people providing 24-h void urine samples. DOE continues to provide on-going technical assistance, training, and data quality review while EULGOV provides manpower and infrastructure development to sustain facility operations on a full-time basis. This paper will detail the special construction, transportation and installation issues in establishing a whole body counting facility in an isolated, harsh environmental setting.

Costing Analysis of National HIV Treatment and Care Program in Vietnam

PubMed Central

Duong, Anh Thuy; Bales, Sarah; Do, Nhan Thi; Minh Nguyen, Thu Thi; Thanh Cao, Thuy Thi; Nguyen, Long Thanh

2014-01-01

Background: Vietnam achieved rapid scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART), although external funds are declining sharply. To achieve and sustain universal access to HIV services, evidence-based planning is essential. To date, there had been limited HIV treatment and care cost data available in Vietnam. Methods: Cost data of outpatient and inpatient HIV care were extracted at 21 sentinel facilities (17 adult and 4 pediatric) that epitomize the national program. Step-down costing for administration costs and bottom-up resource costing for drugs, diagnostics, and labor were used. Records of 1401 adults and 527 pediatric patients were reviewed. Results: Median outpatient care costs per patient-year for pre-ART, first year ART, later year ART, and second-line ART were US $100, US $316, US $303, and US $1557 for adults; and US $171, US $387, US $320, and US $1069 for children, respectively. Median inpatient care cost per episode was US $162 for adults and US $142 for children. Non-antiretroviral (ARV) costs in adults at stand-alone facilities were 44% (first year ART) and 24% (later year ART) higher than those at integrated facilities. Adults who started ART with CD4 count ≤100 cells per cubic millimeter had 47% higher non-ARV costs in the first year ART than those with CD4 count >100 cells per cubic millimeter. Adult ARV drug costs at government sites were from 66% to 85% higher than those at donor-supported sites in the first year ART. Conclusions: The study found that HIV treatment and care costs in Vietnam are economical, yet there is potential to further promote efficiency through strengthening competitive procurement, integrating HIV services, and promoting earlier ART initiation. PMID:23846564

Compton suppression gamma-counting: The effect of count rate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Millard, H.T.

1984-01-01

Past research has shown that anti-coincidence shielded Ge(Li) spectrometers enhanced the signal-to-background ratios for gamma-photopeaks, which are situated on high Compton backgrounds. Ordinarily, an anti- or non-coincidence spectrum (A) and a coincidence spectrum (C) are collected simultaneously with these systems. To be useful in neutron activation analysis (NAA), the fractions of the photopeak counts routed to the two spectra must be constant from sample to sample to variations must be corrected quantitatively. Most Compton suppression counting has been done at low count rate, but in NAA applications, count rates may be much higher. To operate over the wider dynamic range, the effect of count rate on the ratio of the photopeak counts in the two spectra (A/C) was studied. It was found that as the count rate increases, A/C decreases for gammas not coincident with other gammas from the same decay. For gammas coincident with other gammas, A/C increases to a maximum and then decreases. These results suggest that calibration curves are required to correct photopeak areas so quantitative data can be obtained at higher count rates. ?? 1984.

Statistical Analysis and Time Series Modeling of Air Traffic Operations Data From Flight Service Stations and Terminal Radar Approach Control Facilities : Two Case Studies

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1981-10-01

Two statistical procedures have been developed to estimate hourly or daily aircraft counts. These counts can then be transformed into estimates of instantaneous air counts. The first procedure estimates the stable (deterministic) mean level of hourly...

Photo-Induced depopulation of the 180mTa isomer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhike, Megha; Krishichayan, Fnu; Tornow, W.

2015-10-01

The 180mTa nucleus is the rarest isotope in the universe, existing only in an isomeric state at 77.2 keV (Jπ = 9-) with half-life of greater than 7.1 ×1015 years. The stellar production of this high-spin isomer has been a challenging astrophysical problem. Cross-section measurements for the depopulation of the 180mTa isomer with monoenergetic photon beams of energies 2.5 and 3.1 MeV have been carried out at the HI γS facility. The activated Ta foils of natural abundance and containing 14.4 mg of 180mTa were γ-ray counted at TUNL's low background facility using a 13% planar HPGe detector. A 8'' ×12'' NaI detector in combination with the standard HI γS scintillator paddle system was employed for absolute photon-flux determination. Preliminary results will be discussed, and measurements at lower energies are planned. This work was supported by the U.S. DOE under Grant NO. DE-FG02-97ER41033.

Measurement of the Ir-191,193(n,2n)Ir-190,192 Reaction Cross Section Between 9.0 and 16.5 MeV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wildenhain, Elizabeth; Finch, Sean; Tornow, Werner; Krishichayan, F.

2017-09-01

Iridium is one of the elements prioritized by Nonproliferation and Homeland Security agencies. In addition, Ir-192 is being used in various medical treatments. Improved data and corresponding evaluations of neutron-induced reactions on the iridium isotopes are required to meet the demands of several applications of societal interest. This study measured the cross section of the Ir-191,193(n, 2n)Ir-190,192 reactions at energies from 9.0 to 16.5 MeV using the activation technique. Natural Ir samples [Ir-191 37.3%, Ir-193 62.7%] were sandwiched between Au-197 monitor foils and irradiated with monoenergetic neutron beams at the tandem facility of the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL). Gamma rays from the irradiated samples were counted in TUNL's low background facility using high-efficient HPGe detectors. Measured cross-section data are compared to previous data and to predictions from nuclear data libraries (e.g. ENDF). Research at TUNL funded by the NSF.

Initial Characterization of Unequal-Length, Low-Background Proportional Counters for Absolute Gas-Counting Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mace, Emily K.; Aalseth, Craig E.; Bonicalzi, Ricco

Abstract. Characterization of two sets of custom unequal length proportional counters is underway at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). These detectors will be used in measurements to determine the absolute activity concentration of gaseous radionuclides (e.g., 37Ar). A set of three detectors has been fabricated based on previous PNNL ultra-low-background proportional counters (ULBPC) designs and now operate in PNNL’s shallow underground counting laboratory. A second set of four counters has also been fabricated using clean assembly of OFHC copper components for use in an above-ground counting laboratory. Characterization of both sets of detectors is underway with measurements of background rates,more » gas gain, energy resolution, and shielding considerations. These results will be presented along with uncertainty estimates of future absolute gas counting measurements.« less

Material screening with HPGe counting station for PandaX experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, X.; Chen, X.; Fu, C.; Ji, X.; Liu, X.; Mao, Y.; Wang, H.; Wang, S.; Xie, P.; Zhang, T.

2016-12-01

A gamma counting station based on high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector was set up for the material screening of the PandaX dark matter experiments in the China Jinping Underground Laboratory. Low background gamma rate of 2.6 counts/min within the energy range of 20 to 2700 keV is achieved due to the well-designed passive shield. The sentivities of the HPGe detetector reach mBq/kg level for isotopes like K, U, Th, and even better for Co and Cs, resulted from the low-background rate and the high relative detection efficiency of 175%. The structure and performance of the counting station are described in this article. Detailed counting results for the radioactivity in materials used by the PandaX dark-matter experiment are presented. The upgrading plan of the counting station is also discussed.

Bayesian analysis of energy and count rate data for detection of low count rate radioactive sources

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klumpp, John

We propose a radiation detection system which generates its own discrete sampling distribution based on past measurements of background. The advantage to this approach is that it can take into account variations in background with respect to time, location, energy spectra, detector-specific characteristics (i.e. different efficiencies at different count rates and energies), etc. This would therefore be a 'machine learning' approach, in which the algorithm updates and improves its characterization of background over time. The system would have a 'learning mode,' in which it measures and analyzes background count rates, and a 'detection mode,' in which it compares measurements frommore » an unknown source against its unique background distribution. By characterizing and accounting for variations in the background, general purpose radiation detectors can be improved with little or no increase in cost. The statistical and computational techniques to perform this kind of analysis have already been developed. The necessary signal analysis can be accomplished using existing Bayesian algorithms which account for multiple channels, multiple detectors, and multiple time intervals. Furthermore, Bayesian machine-learning techniques have already been developed which, with trivial modifications, can generate appropriate decision thresholds based on the comparison of new measurements against a nonparametric sampling distribution. (authors)« less

Dynamic time-correlated single-photon counting laser ranging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Huan; Wang, Yu-rong; Meng, Wen-dong; Yan, Pei-qin; Li, Zhao-hui; Li, Chen; Pan, Hai-feng; Wu, Guang

2018-03-01

We demonstrate a photon counting laser ranging experiment with a four-channel single-photon detector (SPD). The multi-channel SPD improve the counting rate more than 4×107 cps, which makes possible for the distance measurement performed even in daylight. However, the time-correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC) technique cannot distill the signal easily while the fast moving targets are submersed in the strong background. We propose a dynamic TCSPC method for fast moving targets measurement by varying coincidence window in real time. In the experiment, we prove that targets with velocity of 5 km/s can be detected according to the method, while the echo rate is 20% with the background counts of more than 1.2×107 cps.

PBF (PER620) interior. Counting room, main floor. Date: May 2004. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

PBF (PER-620) interior. Counting room, main floor. Date: May 2004. INEEL negative no. HD-41-6-1 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, SPERT-I & Power Burst Facility Area, Scoville, Butte County, ID

Effectiveness of an Integrated Approach to HIV and Hypertension Care in Rural South Africa: Controlled Interrupted Time-Series Analysis.

PubMed

Ameh, Soter; Klipstein-Grobusch, Kerstin; Musenge, Eustasius; Kahn, Kathleen; Tollman, Stephen; Gómez-Olivé, Francesc Xavier

2017-08-01

South Africa faces a dual burden of HIV/AIDS and noncommunicable diseases. In 2011, a pilot integrated chronic disease management (ICDM) model was introduced by the National Health Department into selected primary health care (PHC) facilities. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the ICDM model in controlling patients' CD4 counts (>350 cells/mm) and blood pressure [BP (<140/90 mm Hg)] in PHC facilities in the Bushbuckridge municipality, South Africa. A controlled interrupted time-series study was conducted using the data from patients' clinical records collected multiple times before and after the ICDM model was initiated in PHC facilities in Bushbuckridge. Patients ≥18 years were recruited by proportionate sampling from the pilot (n = 435) and comparing (n = 443) PHC facilities from 2011 to 2013. Health outcomes for patients were retrieved from facility records for 30 months. We performed controlled segmented regression to model the monthly averages of individuals' propensity scores using autoregressive moving average model at 5% significance level. The pilot facilities had 6% greater likelihood of controlling patients' CD4 counts than the comparison facilities (coefficient = 0.057; 95% confidence interval: 0.056 to 0.058; P < 0.001). Compared with the comparison facilities, the pilot facilities had 1.0% greater likelihood of controlling patients' BP (coefficient = 0.010; 95% confidence interval: 0.003 to 0.016; P = 0.002). Application of the model had a small effect in controlling patients' CD4 counts and BP, but showed no overall clinical benefit for the patients; hence, the need to more extensively leverage the HIV program for hypertension treatment.

The number counts and infrared backgrounds from infrared-bright galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hacking, P. B.; Soifer, B. T.

1991-01-01

Extragalactic number counts and diffuse backgrounds at 25, 60, and 100 microns are predicted using new luminosity functions and improved spectral-energy distribution density functions derived from IRAS observations of nearby galaxies. Galaxies at redshifts z less than 3 that are like those in the local universe should produce a minimum diffuse background of 0.0085, 0.038, and 0.13 MJy/sr at 25, 60, and 100 microns, respectively. Models with significant luminosity evolution predict backgrounds about a factor of 4 greater than this minimum.

Determination of gross alpha and gross beta in soil around repository facility at Bukit Kledang, Perak, Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adziz, Mohd Izwan Abdul; Siong, Khoo Kok

2018-04-01

Recently, the Long Term Storage Facility (LTSF) in Bukit Kledang, Perak, Malaysia, has been upgraded to repository facility upon the completion of decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) process. Thorium waste and contaminated material that may contain some minor amounts of thorium hydroxide were disposed in this facility. This study is conducted to determine the concentrations of gross alpha and gross beta radioactivities in soil samples collected around the repository facility. A total of 12 soil samples were collected consisting 10 samples from around the facility and 2 samples from selected residential area near the facility. In addition, the respective dose rates were measured 5 cm and 1 m above the ground by using survey meter with Geiger Muller (GM) detector and Sodium Iodide (NaI) detector. Soil samples were collected using hand auger and then were taken back to the laboratory for further analysis. Samples were cleaned, dried, pulverized and sieved prior to analysis. Gross alpha and gross beta activity measurements were carried out using gas flow proportional counter, Canberra Series 5 XLB - Automatic Low Background Alpha and Beta Counting System. The obtained results show that, the gross alpha and gross beta activity concentration ranged from 1.55 to 5.34 Bq/g with a mean value of 3.47 ± 0.09 Bq/g and 1.64 to 5.78 Bq/g with a mean value of 3.49 ± 0.09 Bq/g, respectively. These results can be used as an additional data to represent terrestrial radioactivity baseline data for Malaysia environment. This estimation will also serve as baseline for detection of any future related activities of contamination especially around the repository facility area.

VIEW OF A BODY COUNTING ROOM IN BUILDING 122. BODY ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

VIEW OF A BODY COUNTING ROOM IN BUILDING 122. BODY COUNTING MEASURES RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL IN THE BODY. DESIGNED TO MINIMIZE EXTERNAL SOURCES OF RADIATION, BODY COUNTING ROOMS ARE CONSTRUCTED OF PRE-WORLD WAR II (WWII) STEEL. PRE-WWII STEEL, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN AFFECTED BY NUCLEAR FALLOUT, IS LOWER IS RADIOACTIVITY THAN STEEL CREATED AFTER WWII. (10/25/85) - Rocky Flats Plant, Emergency Medical Services Facility, Southwest corner of Central & Third Avenues, Golden, Jefferson County, CO

Automatic vehicle counting using background subtraction method on gray scale images and morphology operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adi, K.; Widodo, A. P.; Widodo, C. E.; Pamungkas, A.; Putranto, A. B.

2018-05-01

Traffic monitoring on road needs to be done, the counting of the number of vehicles passing the road is necessary. It is more emphasized for highway transportation management in order to prevent efforts. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a system that is able to counting the number of vehicles automatically. Video processing method is able to counting the number of vehicles automatically. This research has development a system of vehicle counting on toll road. This system includes processes of video acquisition, frame extraction, and image processing for each frame. Video acquisition is conducted in the morning, at noon, in the afternoon, and in the evening. This system employs of background subtraction and morphology methods on gray scale images for vehicle counting. The best vehicle counting results were obtained in the morning with a counting accuracy of 86.36 %, whereas the lowest accuracy was in the evening, at 21.43 %. Differences in morning and evening results are caused by different illumination in the morning and evening. This will cause the values in the image pixels to be different.

Facilities Management via Computer: Information at Your Fingertips.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hensey, Susan

1996-01-01

Computer-aided facilities management is a software program consisting of a relational database of facility information--such as occupancy, usage, student counts, etc.--attached to or merged with computerized floor plans. This program can integrate data with drawings, thereby allowing the development of "what if" scenarios. (MLF)

Characterization of 176Lu background in LSO-based PET scanners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conti, Maurizio; Eriksson, Lars; Rothfuss, Harold; Sjoeholm, Therese; Townsend, David; Rosenqvist, Göran; Carlier, Thomas

2017-05-01

LSO and LYSO are today the most common scintillators used in positron emission tomography. Lutetium contains traces of 176Lu, a radioactive isotope that decays β - with a cascade of γ photons in coincidence. Therefore, Lutetium-based scintillators are characterized by a small natural radiation background. In this paper, we investigate and characterize the 176Lu radiation background via experiments performed on LSO-based PET scanners. LSO background was measured at different energy windows and different time coincidence windows, and by using shields to alter the original spectrum. The effect of radiation background in particularly count-starved applications, such as 90Y imaging, is analysed and discussed. Depending on the size of the PET scanner, between 500 and 1000 total random counts per second and between 3 and 5 total true coincidences per second were measured in standard coincidence mode. The LSO background counts in a Siemens mCT in the standard PET energy and time windows are in general negligible in terms of trues, and are comparable to that measured in a BGO scanner of similar size.

Validation of a single-platform, volumetric, flow cytometry for CD4 T cell count monitoring in therapeutic mobile unit

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background A mobile health unit may be useful to follow up adult and pediatric patients on antiretroviral treatment and living in remote areas devoid of laboratory facilities. The study evaluated the use of the simplified, robust, single-plateform, volumetric, pan-leucogating Auto40 flow cytometer (Apogee Flow Systems Ltd, Hemel Hempstead, UK) for CD4 T cell numeration in a mobile unit, compared against a reference flow cytometry method. Methods The therapeutic mobile unit of the Laboratoire National de Santé Hygiène Mobile, Yaoundé, Cameroon, was equipped with the Auto40. A FACSCalibur flow cytometer (Becton Dickinson Immuno-cytometry System, San Jose, CA, USA) was used as reference method. EDTA-blood samples from volunteers were first subjected to CD4 T cell count in the mobile unit, and an aliquot was sent within 4 hours to Centre International de Référence Chantal Biya, Yaoundé, for FACSCalibur assay. Results Two HIV screening campaigns with the mobile unit were organised in December 2009 and January 2010. The campaign in the suburb of Yaoundé which was 20 km from the reference laboratory included 188 volunteers comprising 93 children less than 5 years old. The campaign in Ambang Bikok (53 km far from Yaoundé) included 69 adult volunteers. In Yaoundé suburb, mean ± standard deviation (SD) CD4 T cell count was 996 ± 874 cells/μl by Auto40, and 989 ± 883 cells/μl by FACSCalibur; in Ambang Bikok, mean ± SD CD4 T cell count was 1041 ± 317 cells/μl by Auto40, and 1032 ± 294 cells/μl by FACSCalibur. Results by Auto40 and FACSCalibur were highly correlated in Yaoundé (r2 = 0.982) as in Ambang Bikok (r2 = 0.921). Bland-Altman analysis showed a close agreement between Auto40 and FACSCalibur results expressed in absolute count as in percentage in Yaoundé and Ambang Bikok. When pooling the 257 CD4 T cell count measurements, the Auto40 yielded a mean difference of +7.6 CD4 T cells/μl higher than by reference flow cytometry; and the sensitivity and specificity of Auto40 in enumerating absolute CD4 T cell counts of less than 200 cells/μl were 87% and 99%, respectively, and in enumerating absolute CD4 T cell counts of less than 350 cells/μl were 87% and 98%, respectively. The intrarun and interun precisions of the Auto40 assay assessed in the mobile unit were 5.5% and 7.9%, respectively. Conclusions The Auto40 flow cytometer installed in a therapeutic mobile unit and operated far from its reference laboratory gave a perfect correlation with the reference method, and could be useful in carrying out immunological monitoring of HIV-infected patients living in areas without access to laboratory facilities. PMID:22309994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Church, J; Slaughter, D; Norman, E

Error rates in a cargo screening system such as the Nuclear Car Wash [1-7] depend on the standard deviation of the background radiation count rate. Because the Nuclear Car Wash is an active interrogation technique, the radiation signal for fissile material must be detected above a background count rate consisting of cosmic, ambient, and neutron-activated radiations. It was suggested previously [1,6] that the Corresponding negative repercussions for the sensitivity of the system were shown. Therefore, to assure the most accurate estimation of the variation, experiments have been performed to quantify components of the actual variance in the background count rate,more » including variations in generator power, irradiation time, and container contents. The background variance is determined by these experiments to be a factor of 2 smaller than values assumed in previous analyses, resulting in substantially improved projections of system performance for the Nuclear Car Wash.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guinn, I.; Buuck, M.; Cuesta, C.

The MAJORANA Collaboration will seek neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) in {sup 76}Ge using isotopically enriched p-type point contact (PPC) high purity Germanium (HPGe) detectors. A tonne-scale array of HPGe detectors would require background levels below 1 count/ROI-tonne-year in the 4 keV region of interest (ROI) around the 2039 keV Q-value of the decay. In order to demonstrate the feasibility of such an experiment, the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR, a 40 kg HPGe detector array, is being constructed with a background goal of < 3 count/ROI-tonne-year, which is expected to scale down to < 1 count/ROI-tonne-year for a tonne-scale experiment. The signalmore » readout electronics, which must be placed in close proximity to the detectors, present a challenge toward reaching this background goal. This talk will discuss the materials and design used to construct signal readout electronics with low enough backgrounds for the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR.« less

Evaluation of ultra-low background materials for uranium and thorium using ICP-MS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoppe, E. W.; Overman, N. R.; LaFerriere, B. D.

2013-08-08

An increasing number of physics experiments require low background materials for their construction. The presence of Uranium and Thorium and their progeny in these materials present a variety of unwanted background sources for these experiments. The sensitivity of the experiments continues to drive the necessary levels of detection ever lower as well. This requirement for greater sensitivity has rendered direct radioassay impractical in many cases requiring large quantities of material, frequently many kilograms, and prolonged counting times, often months. Other assay techniques have been employed such as Neutron Activation Analysis but this requires access to expensive facilities and instrumentation andmore » can be further complicated and delayed by the formation of unwanted radionuclides. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) is a useful tool and recent advancements have increased the sensitivity particularly in the elemental high mass range of U and Th. Unlike direct radioassay, ICP-MS is a destructive technique since it requires the sample to be in liquid form which is aspirated into a high temperature plasma. But it benefits in that it usually requires a very small sample, typically about a gram. This paper discusses how a variety of low background materials such as copper, polymers, and fused silica are made amenable to ICP-MS assay and how the arduous task of maintaining low backgrounds of U and Th is achieved.« less

Evaluation of Ultra-Low Background Materials for Uranium and Thorium Using ICP-MS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoppe, Eric W.; Overman, Nicole R.; LaFerriere, Brian D.

2013-08-08

An increasing number of physics experiments require low background materials for their construction. The presence of Uranium and Thorium and their progeny in these materials present a variety of unwanted background sources for these experiments. The sensitivity of the experiments continues to drive the necessary levels of detection ever lower as well. This requirement for greater sensitivity has rendered direct radioassay impractical in many cases requiring large quantities of material, frequently many kilograms, and prolonged counting times, often months. Other assay techniques have been employed such as Neutron Activation Analysis but this requires access to expensive facilities and instrumentation andmore » can be further complicated and delayed by the formation of unwanted radionuclides. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) is a useful tool and recent advancements have increased the sensitivity particularly in the elemental high mass range of U and Th. Unlike direct radioassay, ICP-MS is a destructive technique since it requires the sample to be in liquid form which is aspirated into a high temperature plasma. But it benefits in that it usually requires a very small sample, typically about a gram. Here we will discuss how a variety of low background materials such as copper, polymers, and fused silica are made amenable to ICP-MS assay and how the arduous task of maintaining low backgrounds of U and Th is achieved.« less

Simulation studies of muon-produced background events deep underground and consequences for double beta decay experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massarczyk, Ralph; Majorana Collaboration

2015-10-01

Cosmic radiation creates a significant background for low count rate experiments. The Majorana demonstrator experiment is located at the Sanford Underground Research Facility at a depth of 4850ft below the surface but it can still be penetrated by cosmic muons with initial energies above the TeV range. The interaction of muons with the rock, the shielding material in the lab and the detector itself can produce showers of secondary particles, like fast neutrons, which are able to travel through shielding material and can produce high-energy γ-rays via capture or inelastic scattering. The energy deposition of these γ rays in the detector can overlap with energy region of interest for the neutrino-less double beta decay. Recent studies for cosmic muons penetrating the Majorana demonstrator are made with the Geant4 code. The results of these simulations will be presented in this talk and an overview of the interaction of the shower particles with the detector, shielding and veto system will be given. This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Nuclear Physics, the Particle Astrophysics Program of the National Science Foundation, and the Sanford Underground Research Facility. Supported by U.S. Department of Energy through the LANL/LDRD Program.

Improvement of the prompt-gamma neutron activation facility at Brookhaven National Laboratory.

PubMed

Dilmanian, F A; Lidofsky, L J; Stamatelatos, I; Kamen, Y; Yasumura, S; Vartsky, D; Pierson, R N; Weber, D A; Moore, R I; Ma, R

1998-02-01

The prompt-gamma neutron activation facility at Brookhaven National Laboratory was upgraded to improve both the precision and accuracy of its in vivo determinations of total body nitrogen. The upgrade, guided by Monte Carlo simulations, involved elongating and modifying the source collimator and its shielding, repositioning the system's two NaI(Tl) detectors, and improving the neutron and gamma shielding of these detectors. The new source collimator has a graphite reflector around the 238PuBe neutron source to enhance the low-energy region of the neutron spectrum incident on the patient. The gamma detectors have been relocated from positions close to the upward-emerging collimated neutron beam to positions close to and at the sides of the patient. These modifications substantially reduced spurious counts resulting from the capture of small-angle scattered neutrons in the NaI detectors. The pile-up background under the 10.8 MeV 14N(n, gamma)15N spectral peak has been reduced so that the nitrogen peak-to-background ratio has been increased by a factor of 2.8. The resulting reduction in the coefficient of variation of the total body nitrogen measurements from 3% to 2.2% has improved the statistical significance of the results possible for any given number of patient measurements. The new system also has a more uniform composite sensitivity.

The distribution and extent of heavy metal accumulation in song sparrows along Arizona's upper Santa Cruz River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lester, Michael B.; van Riper, Charles

2014-01-01

Heavy metals are persistent environmental contaminants, and transport of metals into the environment poses a threat to ecosystems, as plants and wildlife are susceptible to long-term exposure, bioaccumulation, and potential toxicity. We investigated the distribution and cascading extent of heavy metal accumulation in southwestern song sparrows (Melospiza melodia fallax), a resident riparian bird species that occurs along the US/Mexico border in Arizona’s upper Santa Cruz River watershed. This study had three goals: (1) quantify the degree of heavy metal accumulation in sparrows and determine the distributional patterns among study sites, (2) compare concentrations of metals found in this study to those found in studies performed prior to a 2009 international wastewater facility upgrade, and (3) assess the condition of song sparrows among sites with differing potential levels of exposure. We examined five study sites along with a reference site that reflect different potential sources of contamination. Body mass residuals and leukocyte counts were used to assess sparrow condition. Birds at our study sites typically had higher metal concentrations than birds at the reference site. Copper, mercury, nickel, and selenium in song sparrows did exceed background levels, although most metals were below background concentrations determined from previous studies. Song sparrows generally showed lower heavy metal concentrations compared to studies conducted prior to the 2009 wastewater facility upgrade. We found no cascading effects as a result of metal exposure.

Ultra-High Sensitivity Techniques for the Determination of 3 He /4 He Abundances in Helium by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mumm, H. P.; Huber, M.; Bauder, W.; Abrams, N.; Deibel, C.; Huffer, C.; Huffman, P.; Schelhammer, K.; Janssens, R.; Jiang, C.; Scott, R.; Pardo, R.; Rehm, K.; Vondrasek, R.; Swank, C.; O'Shaughnessy, C.; Paul, M.; Yang, L.

2017-01-01

We report the development of an Accelerator Mass Spectrometry technique to measure the 3He/4He isotopic ratio using a radio frequency (RF) discharge source and the ATLAS facility at Argonne National Laboratory. Control over 3He/4He ratio in helium several orders of magnitude lower than natural abundance is critical for neutron lifetime and source experiments using liquid helium. Due to low ultimate beam currents, the ATLAS accelerator and beam line were tuned using a succession of species of the same M/q. A unique RF source was developed for the experiment due to large natural 3He backgrounds. Analog H_3 + and DH + molecular ions are eliminated by dissociation via a gold stripper foil near the detector. The stripped ions were dispersed in a magnetic spectrograph and 3He2 + ions counted in the focal plane detector. This technique is sensitive to 3 He /4 He ratios in the regime of 10-12 with backgrounds that appear to be below 10-14. The techniques used to reduce the backgrounds and remaining outstanding problems will be presented along with results from measurements on high purity 4He samples.

WDR-PK-AK-018

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hollister, R

2009-08-26

Method - CES SOP-HW-P556 'Field and Bulk Gamma Analysis'. Detector - High-purity germanium, 40% relative efficiency. Calibration - The detector was calibrated on February 8, 2006 using a NIST-traceable sealed source, and the calibration was verified using an independent sealed source. Count Time and Geometry - The sample was counted for 20 minutes at 72 inches from the detector. A lead collimator was used to limit the field-of-view to the region of the sample. The drum was rotated 180 degrees halfway through the count time. Date and Location of Scans - June 1,2006 in Building 235 Room 1136. Spectral Analysismore » Spectra were analyzed with ORTEC GammaVision software. Matrix and geometry corrections were calculated using OR TEC Isotopic software. A background spectrum was measured at the counting location. No man-made radioactivity was observed in the background. Results were determined from the sample spectra without background subtraction. Minimum detectable activities were calculated by the Nureg 4.16 method. Results - Detected Pu-238, Pu-239, Am-241 and Am-243.« less

Optical Design Considerations for Efficient Light Collection from Liquid Scintillation Counters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bernacki, Bruce E.; Douglas, Matthew; Erchinger, Jennifer L.

2015-01-01

Liquid scintillation counters measure charged particle-emitting radioactive isotopes and are used for environmental studies, nuclear chemistry, and life science. Alpha and beta emissions arising from the material under study interact with the scintillation cocktail to produce light. The prototypical liquid scintillation counter employs low-level photon-counting detectors to measure the arrival of the scintillation light produced as a result of the dissolved material under study interacting with the scintillation cocktail. For reliable operation the counting instrument must convey the scintillation light to the detectors efficiently and predictably. Current best practices employ the use of two or more detectors for coincidence processingmore » to discriminate true scintillation events from background events due to instrumental effects such as photomultiplier tube dark rates, tube flashing, or other light emission not generated in the scintillation cocktail vial. In low background liquid scintillation counters additional attention is paid to shielding the scintillation cocktail from naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) present in the laboratory and within the instruments construction materials. Low background design is generally at odds with optimal light collection. This study presents the evolution of a light collection design for liquid scintillation counting in a low background shield. The basic approach to achieve both good light collection and a low background measurement is described. The baseline signals arising from the scintillation vial are modeled and methods to efficiently collect scintillation light are presented as part of the development of a customized low-background, high sensitivity liquid scintillation counting system.« less

Passive, Low Cost Neutron Detectors for Neutron Diagnostics at the National Ignition Facility

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

Facility PTFE Polytetrafluoroethylene TLD Thermoluminescent Dosimeter α Conversion Coefficient (Conversion...because they required a large investment in automated track counting equipment. Thermoluminescent dosimeters ( TLDs ) remained as a viable option. They...necessary to predict radiation damage to measurement electronics . Due to programmatic and facility limitations, traditional neutron measurement

Active transportation measurement : Minneapolis case study.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-06-01

This research examines longitudinal bicycle count data to better understand the impact of new bicycle facilities on use. The study site is Minneapolis which has invested close to $25 million over 8 years to improve active transportation facilities as...

Environmental monitoring in a laboratory animal facility.

PubMed

Wellstood-Nuesse, S; Shields, R P

1976-08-01

A study was made of the microbial environmental status of an animal facility. Cultures were made of animal and surgical room floors; the germicidal effectiveness of the phenolic disinfectant-detergent employed in the facility was tested against standard test organisms as well as against other microorganisms isolated from the facility, and killing power of the disinfectant-detergent was evaluated during various steps of the usual cleaning procedures, ie, mops and mop bucket solutions were tested before, during, and after mopping a room. It was found that colony counts for animal rooms cleaned with a chlorhexidine disinfectant were much lower than those cleaned with a phenolic disinfectant. The phenolic disinfectant killed some organisms after 10 min exposure, but no others. Pseudomonads were the most resistant organisms. Contaminated mops and mop bucket solutions appeared responsible for the high counts on floors cleaned with the phenolic disinfectant. Guidelines for achievable levels of cleanliness were suggested.

Reference analysis of the signal + background model in counting experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casadei, D.

2012-01-01

The model representing two independent Poisson processes, labelled as ``signal'' and ``background'' and both contributing additively to the total number of counted events, is considered from a Bayesian point of view. This is a widely used model for the searches of rare or exotic events in presence of a background source, as for example in the searches performed by high-energy physics experiments. In the assumption of prior knowledge about the background yield, a reference prior is obtained for the signal alone and its properties are studied. Finally, the properties of the full solution, the marginal reference posterior, are illustrated with few examples.

Association of hematologic variables and castration status at the time of arrival at a research facility with the risk of bovine respiratory disease in beef calves.

PubMed

Richeson, John T; Pinedo, Pablo J; Kegley, Elizabeth B; Powell, Jeremy G; Gadberry, M Shane; Beck, Paul A; Falkenberg, Shollie M

2013-10-01

To determine the association of CBC variables and castration status at the time of arrival at a research facility with the risk of development of bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Retrospective cohort study. 1,179 crossbred beef bull (n = 588) and steer (591) calves included in 4 experiments at 2 University of Arkansas research facilities. Calves underwent processing and treatments in accordance with the experiment in which they were enrolled. Castration status and values of CBC variables were determined at the time of arrival at the facilities. Calves were monitored to detect signs of BRD during a 42-day period. The areas under the receiving operator characteristic curves for CBC variables with significant contrast test results ranged from 0.51 (neutrophil count) to 0.67 (eosinophil count), indicating they were limited predictors of BRD in calves. The only CBC variables that had significant associations with BRD in calves as determined via multivariable logistic regression analysis were eosinophil and RBC counts. The odds of BRD for bulls were 3.32 times the odds of BRD for steers. Results of this study indicated that low eosinophil and high RBC counts in blood samples may be useful for identification of calves with a high risk for development of BRD. Further research may be warranted to validate these variables for prediction of BRD in calves. Calves that were bulls at the time of arrival had a higher risk of BRD, versus calves that were steers at that time.

Community ART Support Groups in Mozambique: The Potential of Patients as Partners in Care

PubMed Central

Malimane, Inacio; Samo Gudo, Paula; Decroo, Tom; Macome, Vania; Couto, Aleny

2016-01-01

Background High rates of attrition are stymying Mozambique’s national HIV Program’s efforts to achieve 80% treatment coverage. In response, Mozambique implemented a national pilot of Community Adherence and Support Groups (CASG). CASG is a model in which antiretroviral therapy (ART) patients form groups of up to six patients. On a rotating basis one CASG group member collects ART medications at the health facility for all group members, and distributes those medications to the other members in the community. Patients also visit their health facility bi-annually to receive clinical services. Methods A matched retrospective cohort study was implemented using routinely collected patient-level data in 68 health facilities with electronic data systems and CASG programs. A total of 129,938 adult ART patients were registered in those facilities. Of the 129,938 patients on ART, 6,760 were CASG members. A propensity score matched analysis was performed to assess differences in mortality and loss to follow-up (LTFU) between matched CASG and non-CASG members. Propensity scores were estimated using a random-effects logistic regression model. The following covariates where included in the model: sex, educational status, WHO stage, year of ART initiation, age, CASG eligibility, CD4 cell count category, weight, and employment status. Results Non-CASG participants had higher LTFU rates (HR 2.356; p = 0.04) than matched CASG participants; however, there were no significant mortality differences between CASG and non-CASG participants. Compared with the full cohort of non-CASG members, CASG members were more likely to be female (74% vs. 68%), tended to have a lower median CD4 counts at ART initiation (183 cells/m3 vs. 200cells/m3) and be less likely to have a secondary school education (15% vs. 23%). Conclusion ART patients enrolled in CASG were significantly less likely to be LTFU compared to matched patients who did not join CASG. CASG appears to be an effective strategy to decrease LTFU in Mozambique’s national ART program. PMID:27907084

Data-based Considerations in Portal Radiation Monitoring of Cargo Vehicles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weier, Dennis R.; O'Brien, Robert F.; Ely, James H.

2004-07-01

Radiation portal monitoring of cargo vehicles often includes a configuration of four-panel monitors that record gamma and neutron counts from vehicles transporting cargo. As vehicles pass the portal monitors, they generate a count profile over time that can be compared to the average panel background counts obtained just prior to the time the vehicle entered the area of the monitors. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has accumulated considerable data regarding such background radiation and vehicle profiles from portal installations, as well as in experimental settings using known sources and cargos. Several considerations have a bearing on how alarm thresholds are setmore » in order to maintain sensitivity to radioactive sources while also controlling to a manageable level the rate of false or nuisance alarms. False alarms are statistical anomalies while nuisance alarms occur due to the presence of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) in cargo, for example, kitty litter. Considerations to be discussed include: • Background radiation suppression due to the shadow shielding from the vehicle. • The impact of the relative placement of the four panels on alarm decision criteria. • Use of plastic scintillators to separate gamma counts into energy windows. • The utility of using ratio criteria for the energy window counts rather than simply using total window counts. • Detection likelihood for these various decision criteria based on computer simulated injections of sources into vehicle profiles.« less

Monitoring trends in bird populations: addressing background levels of annual variability in counts

Treesearch

Jared Verner; Kathryn L. Purcell; Jennifer G. Turner

1996-01-01

Point counting has been widely accepted as a method for monitoring trends in bird populations. Using a rigorously standardized protocol at 210 counting stations at the San Joaquin Experimental Range, Madera Co., California, we have been studying sources of variability in point counts of birds. Vegetation types in the study area have not changed during the 11 years of...

Spatial accessibility to specific sport facilities and corresponding sport practice: the RECORD Study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Physical activity is considered as a major component of a healthy lifestyle. However, few studies have examined the relationships between the spatial accessibility to sport facilities and sport practice with a sufficient degree of specificity. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between the spatial accessibility to specific types of sports facilities and the practice of the corresponding sports after carefully controlling for various individual socio-demographic characteristics and neighborhood socioeconomic variables. Methods Data from the RECORD Study involving 7290 participants recruited in 2007–2008, aged 30–79 years, and residing in the Paris metropolitan area were analyzed. Four categories of sports were studied: team sports, racket sports, swimming and related activities, and fitness. Spatial accessibility to sport facilities was measured with two complementary approaches that both take into account the street network (distance to the nearest facility and count of facilities around the dwelling). Associations between the spatial accessibility to sport facilities and the practice of the corresponding sports were assessed using multilevel logistic regression after adjusting for individual and contextual characteristics. Results High individual education and high household income were associated with the practice of racket sports, swimming or related activities, and fitness over the previous 7 days. The spatial accessibility to swimming pools was associated with swimming and related sports, even after adjustment for individual/contextual factors. The spatial accessibility to facilities was not related to the practice of other sports. High neighborhood income was associated with the practice of a racket sport and fitness. Conclusions Accessibility is a multi-dimensional concept that integrates educational, financial, and geographical aspects. Our work supports the evidence that strategies to increase participation in sport activities should improve the spatial and financial access to specific facilities, but also address educational disparities in sport practice. PMID:23601332

Investigation of the Effects of Facility Background Pressure on the Performance and Voltage-Current Characteristics of the High Voltage Hall Accelerator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kamhawi, Hani; Huang, Wensheng; Haag, Thomas; Spektor, Rostislav

2014-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate In-Space Propulsion Technology office is sponsoring NASA Glenn Research Center to develop a 4 kW-class Hall thruster propulsion system for implementation in NASA science missions. A study was conducted to assess the impact of varying the facility background pressure on the High Voltage Hall Accelerator (HiVHAc) thruster performance and voltage-current characteristics. This present study evaluated the HiVHAc thruster performance in the lowest attainable background pressure condition at NASA GRC Vacuum Facility 5 to best simulate space-like conditions. Additional tests were performed at selected thruster operating conditions to investigate and elucidate the underlying physics that change during thruster operation at elevated facility background pressure. Tests were performed at background pressure conditions that are three and ten times higher than the lowest realized background pressure. Results indicated that the thruster discharge specific impulse and efficiency increased with elevated facility background pressure. The voltage-current profiles indicated a narrower stable operating region with increased background pressure. Experimental observations of the thruster operation indicated that increasing the facility background pressure shifted the ionization and acceleration zones upstream towards the thrusters anode. Future tests of the HiVHAc thruster are planned at background pressure conditions that are expected to be two to three times lower than what was achieved during this test campaign. These tests will not only assess the impact of reduced facility background pressure on thruster performance, voltage-current characteristics, and plume properties; but will also attempt to quantify the magnitude of the ionization.

Investigation of the Effects of Facility Background Pressure on the Performance and Voltage-Current Characteristics of the High Voltage Hall Accelerator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kamhawi, Hani; Huang, Wensheng; Haag, Thomas; Spektor, Rostislav

2014-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate In-Space Propulsion Technology office is sponsoring NASA Glenn Research Center to develop a 4 kW-class Hall thruster propulsion system for implementation in NASA science missions. A study was conducted to assess the impact of varying the facility background pressure on the High Voltage Hall Accelerator (HiVHAc) thruster performance and voltage-current characteristics. This present study evaluated the HiVHAc thruster performance in the lowest attainable background pressure condition at NASA GRC Vacuum Facility 5 to best simulate space-like conditions. Additional tests were performed at selected thruster operating conditions to investigate and elucidate the underlying physics that change during thruster operation at elevated facility background pressure. Tests were performed at background pressure conditions that are three and ten times higher than the lowest realized background pressure. Results indicated that the thruster discharge specific impulse and efficiency increased with elevated facility background pressure. The voltage-current profiles indicated a narrower stable operating region with increased background pressure. Experimental observations of the thruster operation indicated that increasing the facility background pressure shifted the ionization and acceleration zones upstream towards the thruster's anode. Future tests of the HiVHAc thruster are planned at background pressure conditions that are expected to be two to three times lower than what was achieved during this test campaign. These tests will not only assess the impact of reduced facility background pressure on thruster performance, voltage-current characteristics, and plume properties; but will also attempt to quantify the magnitude of the ionization and acceleration zones upstream shifting as a function of increased background pressure.

Quasar X-Ray Spectra At z=1.5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siemiginowska, Aneta

2001-01-01

The predicted counts for ASCA observation was much higher than actually observed counts in the quasar. However, there are three weak hard x-ray sources in the GIS field. We are adding them to the source counts in modeling of hard x-ray background. The work is in progress. We have published a paper in Ap.J. on the luminosity function and the quasar evolution. Based on the theory described in this paper we are predicting a number of sources and their contribution to the x-ray background at different redshifts. These model predictions will be compared to the observed data in the final paper.

Fingerprint Ridge Count: A Polygenic Trait Useful in Classroom Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mendenhall, Gordon; And Others

1989-01-01

Describes the use of the polygenic trait of total fingerprint ridge count in the classroom as a laboratory investigation. Presents information on background of topic, fingerprint patterns which are classified into three major groups, ridge count, the inheritance model, and activities. Includes an example data sheet format for fingerprints. (RT)

ELLIPTICAL WEIGHTED HOLICs FOR WEAK LENSING SHEAR MEASUREMENT. III. THE EFFECT OF RANDOM COUNT NOISE ON IMAGE MOMENTS IN WEAK LENSING ANALYSIS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Okura, Yuki; Futamase, Toshifumi, E-mail: yuki.okura@nao.ac.jp, E-mail: tof@astr.tohoku.ac.jp

This is the third paper on the improvement of systematic errors in weak lensing analysis using an elliptical weight function, referred to as E-HOLICs. In previous papers, we succeeded in avoiding errors that depend on the ellipticity of the background image. In this paper, we investigate the systematic error that depends on the signal-to-noise ratio of the background image. We find that the origin of this error is the random count noise that comes from the Poisson noise of sky counts. The random count noise makes additional moments and centroid shift error, and those first-order effects are canceled in averaging,more » but the second-order effects are not canceled. We derive the formulae that correct this systematic error due to the random count noise in measuring the moments and ellipticity of the background image. The correction formulae obtained are expressed as combinations of complex moments of the image, and thus can correct the systematic errors caused by each object. We test their validity using a simulated image and find that the systematic error becomes less than 1% in the measured ellipticity for objects with an IMCAT significance threshold of {nu} {approx} 11.7.« less

Guidance on the Use of Hand-Held Survey Meters for Radiological Triage: Time-Dependent Detector Count Rates Corresponding to 50, 250, and 500 mSv Effective Dose for Adult Males and Adult Females

PubMed Central

Bolch, Wesley E.; Hurtado, Jorge L.; Lee, Choonsik; Manger, Ryan; Hertel, Nolan; Dickerson, William

2013-01-01

In June of 2006, the Radiation Studies Branch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention held a workshop to explore rapid methods of facilitating radiological triage of large numbers of potentially contaminated individuals following detonation of a radiological dispersal device. Two options were discussed. The first was the use of traditional gamma-cameras in nuclear medicine departments operated as make-shift whole-body counters. Guidance on this approach is currently available from the CDC. This approach is feasible if a manageable number of individuals were involved, transportation to the relevant hospitals was quickly provided, and the medical staff at each facility had been previously trained in this non-traditional use of their radiopharmaceutical imaging devices. If, however, substantially large numbers of individuals (100s to 1000s) needed radiological screening, other options must be given to first responders, first receivers, and health physicists providing medical management. In this study, the second option of the workshop was investigated – the use of commercially available portable survey meters (either NaI or GM based) for assessing potential ranges of effective dose (<50, 50–250, 250–500, and >500 mSv). Two hybrid computational phantoms were used to model an adult male and an adult female subject internally contaminated with either 241Am, 60Cs, 137Cs, 131I, and 192Ir following an acute inhalation or ingestion intake. As a function of time following the exposure, the net count rates corresponding to committed effective doses of 50, 250, and 500 mSv were estimated via Monte Carlo radiation transport simulation for each of four different detectors types, positions, and screening distances. Measured count rates can be compared to these values and an assignment of one of four possible effective dose ranges could be made. The method implicitly assumes that all external contamination has been removed prior to screening, and that the measurements be conducted in a low-background, and possibly mobile, facility positioned at the triage location. Net count rate data are provided in both tabular and graphical format within a series of eight handbooks available at the CDC website http://emergency.cdc.gov/radiation. PMID:22420020

Association of pulmonary, cardiovascular, and hematologic metrics with carbon nanotube and nanofiber exposure among U.S. workers: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Schubauer-Berigan, Mary K; Dahm, Matthew M; Erdely, Aaron; Beard, John D; Eileen Birch, M; Evans, Douglas E; Fernback, Joseph E; Mercer, Robert R; Bertke, Stephen J; Eye, Tracy; de Perio, Marie A

2018-05-16

Commercial use of carbon nanotubes and nanofibers (CNT/F) in composites and electronics is increasing; however, little is known about health effects among workers. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 108 workers at 12 U.S. CNT/F facilities. We evaluated chest symptoms or respiratory allergies since starting work with CNT/F, lung function, resting blood pressure (BP), resting heart rate (RHR), and complete blood count (CBC) components. We conducted multi-day, full-shift sampling to measure background-corrected elemental carbon (EC) and CNT/F structure count concentrations, and collected induced sputum to measure CNT/F in the respiratory tract. We measured (nonspecific) fine and ultrafine particulate matter mass and count concentrations. Concurrently, we conducted physical examinations, BP measurement, and spirometry, and collected whole blood. We evaluated associations between exposures and health measures, adjusting for confounders related to lifestyle and other occupational exposures. CNT/F air concentrations were generally low, while 18% of participants had evidence of CNT/F in sputum. Respiratory allergy development was positively associated with inhalable EC (p=0.040) and number of years worked with CNT/F (p=0.008). No exposures were associated with spirometry-based metrics or pulmonary symptoms, nor were CNT/F-specific metrics related to BP or most CBC components. Systolic BP was positively associated with fine particulate matter (p-values: 0.015-0.054). RHR was positively associated with EC, at both the respirable (p=0.0074) and inhalable (p=0.0026) size fractions. Hematocrit was positively associated with the log of CNT/F structure counts (p=0.043). Most health measures were not associated with CNT/F. The positive associations between CNT/F exposure and respiratory allergies, RHR, and hematocrit counts may not be causal and require examination in other studies.

Estimating spatial accessibility to facilities on the regional scale: an extended commuting-based interaction potential model

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background There is growing interest in the study of the relationships between individual health-related behaviours (e.g. food intake and physical activity) and measurements of spatial accessibility to the associated facilities (e.g. food outlets and sport facilities). The aim of this study is to propose measurements of spatial accessibility to facilities on the regional scale, using aggregated data. We first used a potential accessibility model that partly makes it possible to overcome the limitations of the most frequently used indices such as the count of opportunities within a given neighbourhood. We then propose an extended model in order to take into account both home and work-based accessibility for a commuting population. Results Potential accessibility estimation provides a very different picture of the accessibility levels experienced by the population than the more classical "number of opportunities per census tract" index. The extended model for commuters increases the overall accessibility levels but this increase differs according to the urbanisation level. Strongest increases are observed in some rural municipalities with initial low accessibility levels. Distance to major urban poles seems to play an essential role. Conclusions Accessibility is a multi-dimensional concept that should integrate some aspects of travel behaviour. Our work supports the evidence that the choice of appropriate accessibility indices including both residential and non-residential environmental features is necessary. Such models have potential implications for providing relevant information to policy-makers in the field of public health. PMID:21219597

Surrogate Safety Assessment Model and Validation : Final Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-06-01

Safety of traffic facilities is most often measured by counting the number (and severity) of crashes that occur. It is not possible to apply such a measurement technique to traffic facility designs that have not yet been built or deployed in the real...

Practical methods for analyzing pedestrian and bicycle use of a transportation facility.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-02-01

The objective of the project is to analyze existing technologies used for the process of generating counts of bicycles : and pedestrians in transportation facilities such as walk and bicycle bridges, urban bicycle routes, bicycle trails etc. : The ad...

Radioactive contamination of scintillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danevich, F. A.; Tretyak, V. I.

2018-03-01

Low counting experiments (search for double β decay and dark matter particles, measurements of neutrino fluxes from different sources, search for hypothetical nuclear and subnuclear processes, low background α, β, γ spectrometry) require extremely low background of a detector. Scintillators are widely used to search for rare events both as conventional scintillation detectors and as cryogenic scintillating bolometers. Radioactive contamination of a scintillation material plays a key role to reach low level of background. Origin and nature of radioactive contamination of scintillators, experimental methods and results are reviewed. A programme to develop radiopure crystal scintillators for low counting experiments is discussed briefly.

Reference analysis of the signal + background model in counting experiments II. Approximate reference prior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casadei, D.

2014-10-01

The objective Bayesian treatment of a model representing two independent Poisson processes, labelled as ``signal'' and ``background'' and both contributing additively to the total number of counted events, is considered. It is shown that the reference prior for the parameter of interest (the signal intensity) can be well approximated by the widely (ab)used flat prior only when the expected background is very high. On the other hand, a very simple approximation (the limiting form of the reference prior for perfect prior background knowledge) can be safely used over a large portion of the background parameters space. The resulting approximate reference posterior is a Gamma density whose parameters are related to the observed counts. This limiting form is simpler than the result obtained with a flat prior, with the additional advantage of representing a much closer approximation to the reference posterior in all cases. Hence such limiting prior should be considered a better default or conventional prior than the uniform prior. On the computing side, it is shown that a 2-parameter fitting function is able to reproduce extremely well the reference prior for any background prior. Thus, it can be useful in applications requiring the evaluation of the reference prior for a very large number of times.

Determination of confidence limits for experiments with low numbers of counts. [Poisson-distributed photon counts from astrophysical sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kraft, Ralph P.; Burrows, David N.; Nousek, John A.

1991-01-01

Two different methods, classical and Bayesian, for determining confidence intervals involving Poisson-distributed data are compared. Particular consideration is given to cases where the number of counts observed is small and is comparable to the mean number of background counts. Reasons for preferring the Bayesian over the classical method are given. Tables of confidence limits calculated by the Bayesian method are provided for quick reference.

Wyoming Kids Count in Wyoming Factbook, 1999.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wyoming Children's Action Alliance, Cheyenne.

This Kids Count factbook details statewide trends in the well-being of Wyoming's children. Following an overview of key indicators and data sources, the factbook documents trends by county for 20 indicators, including the following: (1) poverty and population; (2) welfare reform; (3) certified day care facilities; (4) births; (5) infant deaths;…

Collection, analysis, and archival of LDEF activation data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Laird, C. E.; Harmon, B. A.; Fishman, G. J.; Parnell, T. A.

1993-01-01

The study of the induced radioactivity of samples intentionally placed aboard the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) and samples obtained from the LDEF structure is reviewed. The eight laboratories involved in the gamma-ray counting are listed and the scientists and the associated counting facilities are described. Presently, most of the gamma-ray counting has been completed and the spectra are being analyzed and corrected for efficiency and self absorption. The acquired spectra are being collected at Eastern Kentucky University for future reference. The results of these analyses are being compiled and reviewed for possible inconsistencies as well as for comparison with model calculations. These model calculations are being revised to include the changes in trapped-proton flux caused by the onset of the period of maximum solar activity and the rapidly decreasing spacecraft orbit. Tentative plans are given for the storage of the approximately 1000 gamma-ray spectra acquired in this study and the related experimental data.

Background radiation measurements at high power research reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashenfelter, J.; Balantekin, B.; Baldenegro, C. X.; Band, H. R.; Barclay, G.; Bass, C. D.; Berish, D.; Bowden, N. S.; Bryan, C. D.; Cherwinka, J. J.; Chu, R.; Classen, T.; Davee, D.; Dean, D.; Deichert, G.; Dolinski, M. J.; Dolph, J.; Dwyer, D. A.; Fan, S.; Gaison, J. K.; Galindo-Uribarri, A.; Gilje, K.; Glenn, A.; Green, M.; Han, K.; Hans, S.; Heeger, K. M.; Heffron, B.; Jaffe, D. E.; Kettell, S.; Langford, T. J.; Littlejohn, B. R.; Martinez, D.; McKeown, R. D.; Morrell, S.; Mueller, P. E.; Mumm, H. P.; Napolitano, J.; Norcini, D.; Pushin, D.; Romero, E.; Rosero, R.; Saldana, L.; Seilhan, B. S.; Sharma, R.; Stemen, N. T.; Surukuchi, P. T.; Thompson, S. J.; Varner, R. L.; Wang, W.; Watson, S. M.; White, B.; White, C.; Wilhelmi, J.; Williams, C.; Wise, T.; Yao, H.; Yeh, M.; Yen, Y.-R.; Zhang, C.; Zhang, X.; Prospect Collaboration

2016-01-01

Research reactors host a wide range of activities that make use of the intense neutron fluxes generated at these facilities. Recent interest in performing measurements with relatively low event rates, e.g. reactor antineutrino detection, at these facilities necessitates a detailed understanding of background radiation fields. Both reactor-correlated and naturally occurring background sources are potentially important, even at levels well below those of importance for typical activities. Here we describe a comprehensive series of background assessments at three high-power research reactors, including γ-ray, neutron, and muon measurements. For each facility we describe the characteristics and identify the sources of the background fields encountered. The general understanding gained of background production mechanisms and their relationship to facility features will prove valuable for the planning of any sensitive measurement conducted therein.

Lifetime measurements of 214Po and 212Po with the CTF liquid scintillator detector at LNGS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bellini, G.; Benziger, J.; Bick, D.

2013-07-01

We have studied the alpha decays of 214Po into 210Pb and of 212Po into 208Pb tagged by the coincidence with the preceding beta decays from 214Bi and 212Bi, respectively. The employed 222Rn, 232Th, and 220Rn sources were sealed inside quartz vials and inserted in the Counting Test Facility at the underground Gran Sasso National Laboratory in Italy. We find that the mean lifetime of 214Po is (236.00 +- 0.42(stat) +- 0.15(syst)) \\mu s and that of 212Po is (425.1 +- 0.9(stat) +- 1.2(syst)) ns. Our results, obtained from data with signal-to-background ratio larger than 1000, reduce the overall uncertainties andmore » are compatible with previous measurements.« less

New direct measurement of the 10B(p,α)7Be reaction with the activation technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Depalo, Rosanna; Caciolli, Antonio; Broggini, Carlo; La Cognata, Marco; Lamia, Livio; Menegazzo, Roberto; Mou, Liliana; Puglia, Sebastiana Maria Regina; Rigato, Valentino; Romano, Stefano; Alvarez, Carlos Rossi; Sergi, Maria Letizia; Spitaleri, Claudio; Tumino, Aurora

2018-01-01

Boron plays an important role in astrophysics and, together with lithium and beryllium, is a probe of stellar structure during the pre-main sequence and main-sequence phases. In this context, the 10B(p,α)7 Be reaction is of particular interest. The literature data show discrepancies in the energy range between 100 keV and 2 MeV. This also poses a normalization problem for indirect data obtained with the Trojan Horse Method. A new measurement of the 10B(p,α)7 Be reaction cross section was performed at Legnaro National Laboratories (LNL). At LNL, the cross section was determined with the activation technique by measuring the activated samples at a low-background counting facility. The analysis of that experiment is now complete and the results are here presented.

Statistical analysis of environmental monitoring data: does a worst case time for monitoring clean rooms exist?

PubMed

Cundell, A M; Bean, R; Massimore, L; Maier, C

1998-01-01

To determine the relationship between the sampling time of the environmental monitoring, i.e., viable counts, in aseptic filling areas and the microbial count and frequency of alerts for air, surface and personnel microbial monitoring, statistical analyses were conducted on 1) the frequency of alerts versus the time of day for routine environmental sampling conducted in calendar year 1994, and 2) environmental monitoring data collected at 30-minute intervals during routine aseptic filling operations over two separate days in four different clean rooms with multiple shifts and equipment set-ups at a parenteral manufacturing facility. Statistical analyses showed, except for one floor location that had significantly higher number of counts but no alert or action level samplings in the first two hours of operation, there was no relationship between the number of counts and the time of sampling. Further studies over a 30-day period at the floor location showed no relationship between time of sampling and microbial counts. The conclusion reached in the study was that there is no worst case time for environmental monitoring at that facility and that sampling any time during the aseptic filling operation will give a satisfactory measure of the microbial cleanliness in the clean room during the set-up and aseptic filling operation.

Microbial composition in bioaerosols of a high-throughput chicken-slaughtering facility.

PubMed

Lues, J F R; Theron, M M; Venter, P; Rasephei, M H R

2007-01-01

The microbial composition of the air in various areas of a high-throughput chicken-slaughtering facility was investigated. Over a 4-mo period, 6 processing areas were sampled, and the influence of environmental factors was monitored. The highest counts of microorganisms were recorded in the initial stages of processing, comprising the receiving-killing and defeathering areas, whereas counts decreased toward the evisceration, air-chilling, packaging, and dispatch areas. Maximum microbial counts were as follows: coliforms, 4.9 x 10(3) cfu/m(3); Escherichia coli 3.4 x 10(3) cfu/m(3); Bacillus cereus, 5.0 x 10(4) cfu/m(3); Staphylococcus aureus, 1.6 x 10(4) cfu/m(3); Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 7.0 x 10(4) cfu/m(3); presumptive Salmonella spp., 1.5 x 10(4) cfu/m(3); Listeria monocytogenes, 1.6 x 10(4) cfu/m(3); and fungi, 1.4 x 10(4) cfu/m(3). Higher counts of airborne microorganisms found in the receiving-killing and defeathering areas indicate the importance of controlling microbial levels before processing to prevent the spread of organisms downstream. This should limit the risk of carrying over contaminants from areas known to generate high counts to areas where the final food product is exposed to air and surface contamination.

33 CFR 101.105 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... without containers or labels, and that is received and handled without mark or count. Bunkers means a..., part A. Cargo means any goods, wares, or merchandise carried, or to be carried, for consideration... interested in the vessel, facility, or OCS facility, except dredge spoils. Cargo vessel means a vessel that...

33 CFR 101.105 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... without containers or labels, and that is received and handled without mark or count. Bunkers means a..., part A. Cargo means any goods, wares, or merchandise carried, or to be carried, for consideration... interested in the vessel, facility, or OCS facility, except dredge spoils. Cargo vessel means a vessel that...

33 CFR 101.105 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... without containers or labels, and that is received and handled without mark or count. Bunkers means a..., part A. Cargo means any goods, wares, or merchandise carried, or to be carried, for consideration... interested in the vessel, facility, or OCS facility, except dredge spoils. Cargo vessel means a vessel that...

33 CFR 101.105 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... without containers or labels, and that is received and handled without mark or count. Bunkers means a..., part A. Cargo means any goods, wares, or merchandise carried, or to be carried, for consideration... interested in the vessel, facility, or OCS facility, except dredge spoils. Cargo vessel means a vessel that...

A mercuric iodide detector system for X-ray astronomy. II - Results from flight tests of a balloon borne instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vallerga, J. V.; Vanderspek, R. K.; Ricker, G. R.

1983-01-01

To establish the expected sensitivity of a new hard X-ray telescope design, described by Ricker et al., an experiment was conducted to measure the background counting rate at balloon altitudes (40 km) of mercuric iodide, a room temperature solid state X-ray detector. The prototype detector consisted of two thin mercuric iodide (HgI2) detectors surrounded by a large bismuth germanate scintillator operated in anticoincidence. The bismuth germanate shield vetoed most of the background counting rate induced by atmospheric gamma-rays, neutrons and cosmic rays. A balloon-borne gondola containing a prototype detector assembly was designed, constructed and flown twice in the spring of 1982 from Palestine, TX. The second flight of this instrument established a differential background counting rate of 4.2 + or - 0.7 x 10 to the -5th counts/s sq cm keV over the energy range of 40-80 keV. This measurement was within 50 percent of the predicted value. The measured rate is about 5 times lower than previously achieved in shielded NaI/CsI or Ge systems operating in the same energy range.

(Biased) Grading of Students' Performance: Students' Names, Performance Level, and Implicit Attitudes.

PubMed

Bonefeld, Meike; Dickhäuser, Oliver

2018-01-01

Biases in pre-service teachers' evaluations of students' performance may arise due to stereotypes (e.g., the assumption that students with a migrant background have lower potential). This study examines the effects of a migrant background, performance level, and implicit attitudes toward individuals with a migrant background on performance assessment (assigned grades and number of errors counted in a dictation). Pre-service teachers ( N = 203) graded the performance of a student who appeared to have a migrant background statistically significantly worse than that of a student without a migrant background. The differences were more pronounced when the performance level was low and when the pre-service teachers held relatively positive implicit attitudes toward individuals with a migrant background. Interestingly, only performance level had an effect on the number of counted errors. Our results support the assumption that pre-service teachers exhibit bias when grading students with a migrant background in a third-grade level dictation assignment.

(Biased) Grading of Students’ Performance: Students’ Names, Performance Level, and Implicit Attitudes

PubMed Central

Bonefeld, Meike; Dickhäuser, Oliver

2018-01-01

Biases in pre-service teachers’ evaluations of students’ performance may arise due to stereotypes (e.g., the assumption that students with a migrant background have lower potential). This study examines the effects of a migrant background, performance level, and implicit attitudes toward individuals with a migrant background on performance assessment (assigned grades and number of errors counted in a dictation). Pre-service teachers (N = 203) graded the performance of a student who appeared to have a migrant background statistically significantly worse than that of a student without a migrant background. The differences were more pronounced when the performance level was low and when the pre-service teachers held relatively positive implicit attitudes toward individuals with a migrant background. Interestingly, only performance level had an effect on the number of counted errors. Our results support the assumption that pre-service teachers exhibit bias when grading students with a migrant background in a third-grade level dictation assignment. PMID:29867618

24 CFR 983.3 - PBV definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... following criteria: (1) The facility is licensed and regulated as an assisted living facility by the state... selection date. Excepted units (units in a multifamily building not counted against the 25 percent per... selection date and that substantially comply with the HQS on that date. (The units must fully comply with...

Effect of antiviral prophylaxis on influenza outbreaks in aged care facilities in three local health districts in New South Wales, Australia, 2014

PubMed Central

Hope, Kirsty; Butler, Michelle; Durrheim, David; Gupta, Leena; Najjar, Zeina; Conaty, Stephen; Boonwatt, Leng; Fletcher, Stephanie

2016-01-01

Background There was a record number (n = 111) of influenza outbreaks in aged care facilities in New South Wales, Australia during 2014. To determine the impact of antiviral prophylaxis recommendations in practice, influenza outbreak data were compared for facilities in which antiviral prophylaxis and treatment were recommended and for those in which antivirals were recommended for treatment only. Methods Routinely collected outbreak data were extracted from the Notifiable Conditions Information Management System for two Local Health Districts where antiviral prophylaxis was routinely recommended and one Local Health District where antivirals were recommended for treatment but not routinely for prophylaxis. Data collected on residents included counts of influenza-like illness, confirmed influenza, hospitalizations and related deaths. Dates of onset, notification, influenza confirmation and antiviral recommendations were also collected for analysis. The Mann–Whitney U test was used to assess the significance of differences between group medians for key parameters. Results A total of 41 outbreaks (12 in the prophylaxis group and 29 in the treatment-only group) were included in the analysis. There was no significant difference in overall outbreak duration; outbreak duration after notification; or attack, hospitalization or case fatality rates between the two groups. The prophylaxis group had significantly higher cases with influenza-like illness (P = 0.03) and cases recommended antiviral treatment per facility (P = 0.01). Discussion This study found no significant difference in key outbreak parameters between the two groups. However, further high quality evidence is needed to guide the use of antivirals in responding to influenza outbreaks in aged care facilities. PMID:27757249

School playgrounds and physical activity policies as predictors of school and home time activity

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Previous work has suggested that the number of permanent play facilities in school playgrounds and school-based policies on physical activity can influence physical activity in children. However, few comparable studies have used objective measures of physical activity or have had little adjustment for multiple confounders. Methods Physical activity was measured by accelerometry over 5 recess periods and 3 full school days in 441 children from 16 primary schools in Dunedin, New Zealand. The number of permanent play facilities (swing, fort, slide, obstacle course, climbing wall etc) in each school playground was counted on three occasions by three researchers following a standardized protocol. Information on school policies pertaining to physical activity and participation in organized sport was collected by questionnaire. Results Measurement of school playgrounds proved to be reliable (ICC 0.89) and consistent over time. Boys were significantly more active than girls (P < 0.001), but little time overall was spent in moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Boys engaged in MVPA for 32 (SD 17) minutes each day of which 17 (10) took place at school compared with 23 (14) and 11 (7) minutes respectively in girls. Each additional 10-unit increase in play facilities was associated with 3.2% (95% CI 0.0-6.4%) more total activity and 8.3% (0.8-16.3%) more MVPA during recess. By contrast, school policy score was not associated with physical activity in children. Conclusion The number of permanent play facilities in school playgrounds is associated with higher physical activity in children, whereas no relationship was observed for school policies relating to physical activity. Increasing the number of permanent play facilities may offer a cost-effective long-term approach to increasing activity levels in children. PMID:21521530

Behavior and enterotoxin production by coagulase negative Staphylococcus in cooked ham, reconstituted skimmed milk, and confectionery cream.

PubMed

Oliveira, Ana Maria; Miya, Norma Teruko Nago; Sant'Ana, Anderson S; Pereira, José Luiz

2010-09-01

In this study, the behavior and enterotoxin production by 10 different coagulase negative Staphylococcus (CNS) strains inoculated in cooked ham, reconstituted skimmed milk, and confectionery cream in the presence or absence of background microbiota have been investigated. After inoculation (103 CFU/g), foods were incubated at 25, 30, and 37 °C and aerobic mesophilic and CNS counts were carried out at 12, 24, 48, and 72 h. Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SE) detection was performed by SET-RPLA (Oxoid, Basingstoke, U.K.) and mini-Vidas® (bioMérieux, La Balme les Grottes, France). CNS counts increased during incubation and approached 10⁶ to 10⁷ CFU/g after 12 h at 37 °C in the 3 foods studied. At 25 °C, counts reached 10⁶ to 10⁷ CFU/g only after 24 to 48 h. The interference of background microbiota on CNS behavior was only observed when they grew in sliced cooked ham, which presented a high initial total count (10⁵ CFU/g). Significantly higher counts of CNS isolated from raw cow's milk in comparison with food handlers isolates were found in reconstituted milk and confectionery cream. Although CNS strains were able to produce SEA, SEB, and SED in culture media, in foods, in the presence or absence of background microbiota S. chromogenes LE0598 was the only strain able to produce SEs. Despite the scarcity of reports on CNS involvement with foodborne disease outbreaks, the results found here support the CNS growth and SE production in foods even in the presence of background microbiota and may affect food safety.

Multiplicity Counting

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Geist, William H.

2015-12-01

This set of slides begins by giving background and a review of neutron counting; three attributes of a verification item are discussed: 240Pu eff mass; α, the ratio of (α,n) neutrons to spontaneous fission neutrons; and leakage multiplication. It then takes up neutron detector systems – theory & concepts (coincidence counting, moderation, die-away time); detector systems – some important details (deadtime, corrections); introduction to multiplicity counting; multiplicity electronics and example distributions; singles, doubles, and triples from measured multiplicity distributions; and the point model: multiplicity mathematics.

Evaluation of counting methods for oceanic radium-228

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orr, James C.

1988-07-01

Measurement of open ocean 228Ra is difficult, typically requiring at least 200 L of seawater. The burden of collecting and processing these large-volume samples severely limits the widespread use of this promising tracer. To use smaller-volume samples, a more sensitive means of analysis is required. To seek out new and improved counting method(s), conventional 228Ra counting methods have been compared with some promising techniques which are currently used for other radionuclides. Of the conventional methods, α spectrometry possesses the highest efficiency (3-9%) and lowest background (0.0015 cpm), but it suffers from the need for complex chemical processing after sampling and the need to allow about 1 year for adequate ingrowth of 228Th granddaughter. The other two conventional counting methods measure the short-lived 228Ac daughter while it remains supported by 228Ra, thereby avoiding the complex sample processing and the long delay before counting. The first of these, high-resolution γ spectrometry, offers the simplest processing and an efficiency (4.8%) comparable to α spectrometry; yet its high background (0.16 cpm) and substantial equipment cost (˜30,000) limit its widespread use. The second no-wait method, β-γ coincidence spectrometry, also offers comparable efficiency (5.3%), but it possesses both lower background (0.0054 cpm) and lower initial cost (˜12,000). Three new (i.e., untried for 228Ra) techniques all seem to promise about a fivefold increase in efficiency over conventional methods. By employing liquid scintillation methods, both α spectrometry and β-γ coincidence spectrometry can improve their counter efficiency while retaining low background. The third new 228Ra counting method could be adapted from a technique which measures 224Ra by 220Rn emanation. After allowing for ingrowth and then counting for the 224Ra great-granddaughter, 228Ra could be back calculated, thereby yielding a method with high efficiency, where no sample processing is required. The efficiency and background of each of the three new methods have been estimated and are compared with those of the three methods currently employed to measure oceanic 228Ra. From efficiency and background, the relative figure of merit and the detection limit have been determined for each of the six counters. These data suggest that the new counting methods have the potential to measure most 228Ra samples with just 30 L of seawater, to better than 5% precision. Not only would this reduce the time, effort, and expense involved in sample collection, but 228Ra could then be measured on many small-volume samples (20-30 L) previously collected with only 226Ra in mind. By measuring 228Ra quantitatively on such small-volume samples, three analyses (large-volume 228Ra, large-volume 226Ra, and small-volume 226Ra) could be reduced to one, thereby dramatically improving analytical precision.

Analysis of neutron propagation from the skyshine port of a fusion neutron source facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wakisaka, M.; Kaneko, J.; Fujita, F.; Ochiai, K.; Nishitani, T.; Yoshida, S.; Sawamura, T.

2005-12-01

The process of neutron leaking from a 14 MeV neutron source facility was analyzed by calculations and experiments. The experiments were performed at the Fusion Neutron Source (FNS) facility of the Japan Atomic Energy Institute, Tokai-mura, Japan, which has a port on the roof for skyshine experiments, and a 3He counter surrounded with a polyethylene moderator of different thicknesses was used to estimate the energy spectra and dose distributions. The 3He counter with a 3-cm-thick moderator was also used for dose measurements, and the doses evaluated by the counter counts and the calculated count-to-dose conversion factor agreed with the calculations to within ˜30%. The dose distribution was found to fit a simple analytical expression, D(r)=Q{exp(-r/λD)}/{r} and the parameters Q and λD are discussed.

Neutron capture cross-section measurements for 238U between 0.4 and 1.4 MeV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishichayan, Fnu; Finch, S. W.; Howell, C. R.; Tonchev, A. P.; Tornow, W.

2017-09-01

Neutron-induced radiative-capture cross-section data of 238U are crucial for fundamental nuclear physics as well as for Stewardship Science, for advanced-fuel-cycle calculations, and for nuclear astrophysics. Based on different techniques, there are a large number of 238U(n, γ) 239U cross-section data available in the literature. However, there is a lack of systematic and consistent measurements in the 0.1 to 3.0 MeV energy range. The goal of the neutron-capture project at TUNL is to provide accurate 238U(n, γ) 239U cross-section data in this energy range. The 238U samples, sandwiched between gold foils of the same size, were irradiated for 8-14 hours with monoenergetic neutrons. To avoid any contribution from thermal neutrons, the 238U and 197Au targets were placed inside of a thin-walled pill-box made of 238U. Finally, the whole pill-box was wrapped in a gold foil as well. After irradiation, the samples were gamma-counted at the TUNL's low-background counting facility using high-efficient HPGe detectors. The 197Au monitor foils were used to calculate the neutron flux. The experimental technique and 238U(n, γ) 239U cross-section results at 6 energies will be discussed during the meeting.

Assessment of near-source air pollution at a fine spatial scale ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Mobile monitoring is an emerging strategy to characterize spatially and temporally variable air pollution in areas near sources. EPA’s Geospatial Monitoring of Air Pollution (GMAP) vehicle, an all-electric vehicle measuring real-time concentrations of particulate and gaseous pollutants, was utilized to map air pollution trends near the Port of Charleston in South Carolina. High-resolution monitoring was performed along driving routes near several port terminals and rail yard facilities, recording geospatial coordinates and measurements of pollutants including black carbon, size-resolved particle count ranging from ultrafine to coarse (6 nm to 20 µm), carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. Additionally, a portable meteorological station was used to characterize local meteorology. Port activity data was provided by the Port Authority of Charleston and includes counts of ships and trucks, and port service operations such as cranes and forklifts during the sampling time periods. Measurements are supplemented with modeling performed with AERMOD and RLINE in order to characterize the impact of the various terminals at the Port of Charleston on local air quality. Specifically, the data are used to determine the magnitude of the increase in local, near-port pollutant concentrations as well as the spatial extent to which concentration is elevated above background. These effects are studied in relation to a number of potentially significant factors such

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Iyengar, Anagha; Beach, Matthew; Newby, Robert J.

Neutron background measurements using a mobile trailer-based system were conducted in Knoxville, Tennessee. The 0.5 m 2 system consisting of 8 EJ-301 liquid scintillation detectors was used to collect neutron background measurements in order to better understand the systematic background variations that depend solely on the street-level measurement position in a local, downtown area. Data was collected along 5 different streets in the downtown Knoxville area, and the measurements were found to be repeatable. Using 10-min measurements, fractional uncertainty in each measured data point was <2%. Compared with fast neutron background count rates measured away from downtown Knoxville, a reductionmore » in background count rates ranging from 10-50% was observed in the downtown area, sometimes varying substantially over distances of tens of meters. These reductions are attributed to the shielding of adjacent buildings, quantified in part here by the metric angle-of-open-sky. The adjacent buildings may serve to shield cosmic ray neutron flux.« less

Sanford Underground Research Facility - The United State's Deep Underground Research Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vardiman, D.

2012-12-01

The 2.5 km deep Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) is managed by the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority (SDSTA) at the former Homestake Mine site in Lead, South Dakota. The US Department of Energy currently supports the development of the facility using a phased approach for underground deployment of experiments as they obtain an advanced design stage. The geology of the Sanford Laboratory site has been studied during the 125 years of operations at the Homestake Mine and more recently as part of the preliminary geotechnical site investigations for the NSF's Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory project. The overall geology at DUSEL is a well-defined stratigraphic sequence of schist and phyllites. The three major Proterozoic units encountered in the underground consist of interbedded schist, metasediments, and amphibolite schist which are crosscut by Tertiary rhyolite dikes. Preliminary geotechnical site investigations included drift mapping, borehole drilling, borehole televiewing, in-situ stress analysis, laboratory analysis of core, mapping and laser scanning of new excavations, modeling and analysis of all geotechnical information. The investigation was focused upon the determination if the proposed site rock mass could support the world's largest (66 meter diameter) deep underground excavation. While the DUSEL project has subsequently been significantly modified, these data are still available to provide a baseline of the ground conditions which may be judiciously extrapolated throughout the entire Proterozoic rock assemblage for future excavations. Recommendations for facility instrumentation and monitoring were included in the preliminary design of the DUSEL project design and include; single and multiple point extensometers, tape extensometers and convergence measurements (pins), load cells and pressure cells, smart cables, inclinometers/Tiltmeters, Piezometers, thermistors, seismographs and accelerometers, scanners (laser/LIDAR), surveying instruments, and surveying benchmarks and optical survey points. Currently an array of single and multipoint extensometers monitors the Davis Campus. A facility-wide micro seismic monitoring system is anticipated to be deployed during the latter half of 2012. This system is designed to monitor minor events initiated within the historical mined out portions of the facility. The major science programs for the coming five years consist of the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR (MJD) neutrinoless double beta decay experiment; the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) dark matter search, the Center for Ultralow Background Experiments at DUSEL (CUBED), numerous geoscience installations, Long-Baseline Neutrino Experiment (LBNE), a nuclear astrophysics program involving a low energy underground particle accelerator, second and third generation dark matter experiments, and additional low background counting facilities. The Sanford Lab facility is an active, U.S. based, deep underground research facility dedicated to science, affording the science community the opportunity to conduct unprecedented scientific research in a broad range of physics, biology and geoscience fields at depth. SURF is actively interested in hosting additional research collaborations and provides resources for full facility design, cost estimation, excavation, construction and support management services.

The faint galaxy contribution to the diffuse extragalactic background light

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cole, Shaun; Treyer, Marie-Agnes; Silk, Joseph

1992-01-01

Models of the faint galaxy contribution to the diffuse extragalactic background light are presented, which are consistent with current data on faint galaxy number counts and redshifts. The autocorrelation function of surface brightness fluctuations in the extragalactic diffuse light is predicted, and the way in which these predictions depend on the cosmological model and assumptions of biasing is determined. It is confirmed that the recent deep infrared number counts are most compatible with a high density universe (Omega-0 is approximately equal to 1) and that the steep blue counts then require an extra population of rapidly evolving blue galaxies. The faintest presently detectable galaxies produce an interesting contribution to the extragalactic diffuse light, and still fainter galaxies may also produce a significant contribution. These faint galaxies still only produce a small fraction of the total optical diffuse background light, but on scales of a few arcminutes to a few degrees, they produce a substantial fraction of the fluctuations in the diffuse light.

Classification, Seriation, and Counting in Grades 1, 2, and 3 as Two-Year Longitudinal Predictors for Low Achieving in Numerical Facility and Arithmetical Achievement?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Desoete, Annemie; Stock, Pieter; Schepens, Annemie; Baeyens, Dieter; Roeyers, Herbert

2009-01-01

Previous research stresses the importance of seriation, classification, and counting abilities that should be assessed in kindergarten, when looking for crucial predictors of mathematical learning disabilities in Grade 1. This study examines (n = 158) two-year-long predictive relationships between children's seriation, classification, procedural…

Building and Activating Students' Background Knowledge: It's What They Already Know That Counts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Douglas; Frey, Nancy; Lapp, Diane

2012-01-01

Students enter the middle grades with varying amounts of background knowledge. Teachers must assess student background knowledge for gaps or misconceptions and then provide instruction to build on that base. This article discusses effective strategies for assessing and developing students' background knowledge so they can become independent…

Advanced Disease at Enrollment in HIV Care in Four Sub-Saharan African Countries: Change from 2006-2011 and Multi-Level Predictors in 2011

PubMed Central

Hoffman, Susie; Wu, Yingfeng; Lahuerta, Maria; Kulkarni, Sarah Gorrell; Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha, Harriet; Sadr, Wafaa El; Remien, Robert H.; Mugisha, Veronicah; Hawken, Mark; Chuva, Ema; Nash, Denis; Elul, Batya

2015-01-01

Objectives To examine changes between 2006 and 2011 in the proportion of HIV-positive patients newly-enrolled in HIV care with advanced disease and the median CD4+ cell count at enrollment; and identify patient-, facility-, and contextual-level factors associated with late enrollment in care in 2011. Design Cross sectional over time. Methods For time trends analyses, routinely-collected patient-level data (307,110 adults newly-enrolled in 138 HIV clinical care facilities) in Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda and Tanzania; and for analyses of correlates, patient-level data (46,201 in 195 facilities), and facility- and population-level survey data were used. Late enrollment was defined as CD4+ count ≤350 cells/μl and/or WHO clinical stage 3/4. Results Late enrollment declined from 69.9% to 57.2%, (p<0.0001); median CD4+ count increased from 242 to 292 cells/μL (ptrend<0.0001). In 2011, risk of late enrollment was significantly higher for men and non-pregnant women vs. pregnant women; patients aged >25 vs. 15-25 years; non-married vs. married; and those entering from sites other than prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT). More extensive HIV testing coverage in the region of a facility was significantly associated with lower risk of late enrollment. Conclusions Despite improvement, in 2011, 57% of patients entered HIV care already ART-eligible. The lower risk of late enrollment among those referred from PMTCT and in regions where HIV testing coverage was higher suggests that innovative approaches to rapidly increase testing uptake among people living with HIV prior to the development of symptoms have the potential to reduce late enrollment in care. PMID:25136842

Making It Count: Strategies for Improving Mathematics Instruction for Students in Short-Term Facilities. Strategy Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leone, Peter; Wilson, Michael; Mulcahy, Candace

2010-01-01

This guide is designed to support the development of mathematics proficiency for youth in short-term juvenile correctional facilities. Mathematics proficiency includes mastery and fluency in foundational numeracy; an understanding of complex, grade-appropriate concepts and procedures; and application of those competencies to solve relevant,…

47 CFR 36.156 - Interexchange Cable and Wire Facilities (C&WF)-Category 3-apportionment procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... cost per equivalent interexchange telephone circuit kilometer for all circuits in Category 3 is determined and applied to the equivalent interexchange telephone circuit kilometer counts of each of the... Interexchange Cable and Wire Facilities C&WF where feasible. All study areas shall apportion the non-directly...

47 CFR 36.156 - Interexchange Cable and Wire Facilities (C&WF)-Category 3-apportionment procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... cost per equivalent interexchange telephone circuit kilometer for all circuits in Category 3 is determined and applied to the equivalent interexchange telephone circuit kilometer counts of each of the... Interexchange Cable and Wire Facilities C&WF where feasible. All study areas shall apportion the non-directly...

47 CFR 36.156 - Interexchange Cable and Wire Facilities (C&WF)-Category 3-apportionment procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... cost per equivalent interexchange telephone circuit kilometer for all circuits in Category 3 is determined and applied to the equivalent interexchange telephone circuit kilometer counts of each of the... Interexchange Cable and Wire Facilities C&WF where feasible. All study areas shall apportion the non-directly...

47 CFR 36.156 - Interexchange Cable and Wire Facilities (C&WF)-Category 3-apportionment procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... cost per equivalent interexchange telephone circuit kilometer for all circuits in Category 3 is determined and applied to the equivalent interexchange telephone circuit kilometer counts of each of the... Interexchange Cable and Wire Facilities C&WF where feasible. All study areas shall apportion the non-directly...

Systematic measurement of fast neutron background fluctuations in an urban area using a mobile detection system

DOE PAGES

Iyengar, Anagha; Beach, Matthew; Newby, Robert J.; ...

2015-11-12

Neutron background measurements using a mobile trailer-based system were conducted in Knoxville, Tennessee. The 0.5 m 2 system consisting of 8 EJ-301 liquid scintillation detectors was used to collect neutron background measurements in order to better understand the systematic background variations that depend solely on the street-level measurement position in a local, downtown area. Data was collected along 5 different streets in the downtown Knoxville area, and the measurements were found to be repeatable. Using 10-min measurements, fractional uncertainty in each measured data point was <2%. Compared with fast neutron background count rates measured away from downtown Knoxville, a reductionmore » in background count rates ranging from 10-50% was observed in the downtown area, sometimes varying substantially over distances of tens of meters. These reductions are attributed to the shielding of adjacent buildings, quantified in part here by the metric angle-of-open-sky. The adjacent buildings may serve to shield cosmic ray neutron flux.« less

Systematic measurement of fast neutron background fluctuations in an urban area using a mobile detection system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iyengar, A.; Beach, M.; Newby, R. J.; Fabris, L.; Heilbronn, L. H.; Hayward, J. P.

2015-02-01

Neutron background measurements using a mobile trailer-based system were conducted in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. The 0.5 m2 system, consisting of eight EJ-301 liquid scintillation detectors, was used to collect neutron background measurements in order to better understand the systematic variations in background that depend solely on the street-level measurement position in a downtown area. Data was collected along 5 different streets, and the measurements were found to be repeatable. Using 10-min measurements, the fractional uncertainty in each measured data point was <2%. Compared with fast neutron background count rates measured away from downtown Knoxville, a reduction in background count rates ranging from 10% to 50% was observed in the downtown area, sometimes varying substantially over distances of tens of meters. These reductions are attributed to the net shielding of the cosmic ray neutron flux by adjacent buildings. For reference, the building structure as observed at street level is quantified in part here by a measured angle-of-open-sky metric.

A semi-automated method of monitoring dam passage of American Eels Anguilla rostrata

USGS Publications Warehouse

Welsh, Stuart A.; Aldinger, Joni L.

2014-01-01

Fish passage facilities at dams have become an important focus of fishery management in riverine systems. Given the personnel and travel costs associated with physical monitoring programs, automated or semi-automated systems are an attractive alternative for monitoring fish passage facilities. We designed and tested a semi-automated system for eel ladder monitoring at Millville Dam on the lower Shenandoah River, West Virginia. A motion-activated eel ladder camera (ELC) photographed each yellow-phase American Eel Anguilla rostrata that passed through the ladder. Digital images (with date and time stamps) of American Eels allowed for total daily counts and measurements of eel TL using photogrammetric methods with digital imaging software. We compared physical counts of American Eels with camera-based counts; TLs obtained with a measuring board were compared with TLs derived from photogrammetric methods. Data from the ELC were consistent with data obtained by physical methods, thus supporting the semi-automated camera system as a viable option for monitoring American Eel passage. Time stamps on digital images allowed for the documentation of eel passage time—data that were not obtainable from physical monitoring efforts. The ELC has application to eel ladder facilities but can also be used to monitor dam passage of other taxa, such as crayfishes, lampreys, and water snakes.

The TRIGA Reactor Facility at the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute: A Simplified Technical Description.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-05-01

COUNT Technical FROM_ TO May 1986 20 16. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTATION 17. COSATI CODES 18. SUBJECT TERMS iConitinue on reverse if neceasary and identify by...Reactor, Modes of Operation, The AFRRI Reactor, Exposure Facilities, and Cerenkov Radiation. I- 20 DISTRISUTIONIAVAILABILITY OF ABSTRACT 21. ABSTRACT...6 Exposure Facilities 12 Cerenkov Radiation 17 Acoessiofl For NTIS GRA&I DT.C TABUnamnnounced [] UusnriOfltond -. By IZ Distribution/ Availability

Background radiation measurements at high power research reactors

DOE PAGES

Ashenfelter, J.; Yeh, M.; Balantekin, B.; ...

2015-10-23

Research reactors host a wide range of activities that make use of the intense neutron fluxes generated at these facilities. Recent interest in performing measurements with relatively low event rates, e.g. reactor antineutrino detection, at these facilities necessitates a detailed understanding of background radiation fields. Both reactor-correlated and naturally occurring background sources are potentially important, even at levels well below those of importance for typical activities. Here we describe a comprehensive series of background assessments at three high-power research reactors, including γ-ray, neutron, and muon measurements. For each facility we describe the characteristics and identify the sources of the backgroundmore » fields encountered. Furthermore, the general understanding gained of background production mechanisms and their relationship to facility features will prove valuable for the planning of any sensitive measurement conducted therein.« less

Electrets used in measuring rocket exhaust effluents from the space shuttle's solid rocket booster during static test firing, DM-3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Susko, M.

1979-01-01

The purpose of this experimental research was to compare Marshall Space Flight Center's electrets with Thiokol's fixed flow air samplers during the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster Demonstration Model-3 static test firing on October 19, 1978. The measurement of rocket exhaust effluents by Thiokol's samplers and MSFC's electrets indicated that the firing of the Solid Rocket Booster had no significant effect on the quality of the air sampled. The highest measurement by Thiokol's samplers was obtained at Plant 3 (site 11) approximately 8 km at a 113 degree heading from the static test stand. At sites 11, 12, and 5, Thiokol's fixed flow air samplers measured 0.0048, 0.00016, and 0.00012 mg/m3 of CI. Alongside the fixed flow measurements, the electret counts from X-ray spectroscopy were 685, 894, and 719 counts. After background corrections, the counts were 334, 543, and 368, or an average of 415 counts. An additional electred, E20, which was the only measurement device at a site approximately 20 km northeast from the test site where no power was available, obtained 901 counts. After background correction, the count was 550. Again this data indicate there was no measurement of significant rocket exhaust effluents at the test site.

A mercuric detector system for X-ray astronomy. 2. Results from flight tests of a balloon borne instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vallerga, J.; Vanderspek, R. K.; Ricker, G. R.

1982-01-01

To establish the expected sensitivity of a new hard X-ray telescope design, an experiment was conducted to measure the background counting rate at balloon altitudes (40 km) of mercuric iodide, a room temperature solid state X-ray detector. The prototype detector consisted of two thin mercuric iodide (HgI2) detectors surrounded by a large bismuth germanate (Bi4Ge3O12) scintillator operated in anticoincidence. The bismuth germanate shield vetoed most of the background counting rate induced by atmospheric gamma-rays, neutrons and cosmic rays. A balloon-borne gondola containing a prototype detector assembly was designed, constructed and flown twice in the spring of 1982 from Palestine, Texas. The second flight of this instrument established a differential background counting rate of 4.2 O.7 x 10-5 counts/sec cm keV over the energy range of 40 to 80 keV. This measurement was within 50% of the predicted value. The measured rate is approx 5 times lower than previously achieved in shielded NaI/CsI or Ge systems operating in the same energy range. The prediction was based on a Monte Carlo simulation of the detector assembly in the radiation environment at float altitude.

Two-sample discrimination of Poisson means

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lampton, M.

1994-01-01

This paper presents a statistical test for detecting significant differences between two random count accumulations. The null hypothesis is that the two samples share a common random arrival process with a mean count proportional to each sample's exposure. The model represents the partition of N total events into two counts, A and B, as a sequence of N independent Bernoulli trials whose partition fraction, f, is determined by the ratio of the exposures of A and B. The detection of a significant difference is claimed when the background (null) hypothesis is rejected, which occurs when the observed sample falls in a critical region of (A, B) space. The critical region depends on f and the desired significance level, alpha. The model correctly takes into account the fluctuations in both the signals and the background data, including the important case of small numbers of counts in the signal, the background, or both. The significance can be exactly determined from the cumulative binomial distribution, which in turn can be inverted to determine the critical A(B) or B(A) contour. This paper gives efficient implementations of these tests, based on lookup tables. Applications include the detection of clustering of astronomical objects, the detection of faint emission or absorption lines in photon-limited spectroscopy, the detection of faint emitters or absorbers in photon-limited imaging, and dosimetry.

Neutron capture cross-section studies of Tellurium isotopes for neutrinoless double beta decay applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhike, Megha; Tornow, Werner

2014-09-01

The CUORE detector at Gran Sasso, aimed at searching for neutrinoless double-beta decay of 130Te, employs an array of TeO2 bolometer modules. To understand and identify the contribution of muon and (α,n) induced neutrons to the CUORE background, fast neutron cature cross-section data of the tellurium isotopes 126Te, 128Te and 130Te have been measured with the activation method at eight different energies in the neutron energy range 0.5-7.5 MeV. Plastic pill boxes of diameter 1.6 cm and width 1 cm containing Te were irradiated with mono-energetic neutrons produced via the 3H(p,n)3He and 2H(d,n)3He reactions. The cross-sections were determined relative to the 197Au(n, γ)198Au and 115In(n,n')115m In standard cross sections. The activities of the products were measured using 60% lead-shielded HPGe detectors at TUNL's low background counting facility. The present results are compared with the evaluated data from TENDL-2012, ENDF/B-VII.1, JEFF-3.2 and JENDL-4.0, as well as with literature data.

Approach for counting vehicles in congested traffic flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Xiaojun; Li, Jun; Liu, Wei

2005-02-01

More and more image sensors are used in intelligent transportation systems. In practice, occlusion is always a problem when counting vehicles in congested traffic. This paper tries to present an approach to solve the problem. The proposed approach consists of three main procedures. Firstly, a new algorithm of background subtraction is performed. The aim is to segment moving objects from an illumination-variant background. Secondly, object tracking is performed, where the CONDENSATION algorithm is used. This can avoid the problem of matching vehicles in successive frames. Thirdly, an inspecting procedure is executed to count the vehicles. When a bus firstly occludes a car and then the bus moves away a few frames later, the car will appear in the scene. The inspecting procedure should find the "new" car and add it as a tracking object.

Background considerations in the analysis of PIXE spectra by Artificial Neural Systems.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Correa, R.; Morales, J. R.; Requena, I.; Miranda, J.; Barrera, V. A.

2016-05-01

In order to study the importance of background in PIXE spectra to determine elemental concentrations in atmospheric aerosols using artificial neural systems ANS, two independently trained ANS were constructed, one which considered as input the net number of counts in the peak, and another which included the background. In the training and validation phases thirty eight spectra of aerosols collected in Santiago, Chile, were used. In both cases the elemental concentration values were similar. This fact was due to the intrinsic characteristic of ANS operating with normalized values of the net and total number of counts under the peaks, something that was verified in the analysis of 172 spectra obtained from aerosols collected in Mexico city. Therefore, networks operating under the mode which include background can reduce time and cost when dealing with large number of samples.

A rapid detection method using flow cytometry to monitor the risk of Legionella in bath water.

PubMed

Taguri, Toshitsugu; Oda, Yasunori; Sugiyama, Kanji; Nishikawa, Toru; Endo, Takuro; Izumiyama, Shinji; Yamazaki, Masayuki; Kura, Fumiaki

2011-07-01

Legionella species are the causative agents of human legionellosis, and bathing facilities have been identified as the sources of infection in several outbreaks in Japan. Researchers in Japan have recently reported evidence of significant associations between bacterial counts and the occurrence of Legionella in bathing facilities and in a hot tub model. A convenient and quantitative bacterial enumeration method is therefore required as an indicator of Legionella contamination or disinfection to replace existing methods such as time-consuming Legionella culture and expensive Legionella-DNA amplification. In this study, we developed a rapid detection method (RDM) to monitor the risk of Legionella using an automated microbial analyzing device based on flow cytometry techniques to measure the total number of bacteria in water samples within two minutes, by detecting typical patterns of scattered light and fluorescence. We first compared the results of our RDM with plate counting results for five filtered hot spring water samples spiked with three species of bacteria, including Legionella. Inactivation of these samples by chlorine was also assessed by the RDM, a live/dead bacterial fluorescence assay and plate counting. Using the RDM, the lower limit of quantitative bacterial counts in the spiked samples was determined as 3.0×10(3)(3.48log)counts mL(-1). We then used a laboratory model of a hot tub and found that the RDM could monitor the growth curve of naturally occurring heterotrophic bacteria with 1 and 2 days' delayed growth of amoeba and Legionella, respectively, and could also determine the killing curve of these bacteria by chlorination. Finally, samples with ≥3.48 or <3.48log total bacterial counts mL(-1) were tested using the RDM from 149 different hot tubs, and were found to be significantly associated with the positive or negative detection of Legionella with 95% sensitivity and 84% specificity. These findings indicated that the RDM can be used for Legionella control at bathing facilities, especially those where the effectiveness of chlorine is reduced by the presence of Fe(2+), Mn(2+), NH(4)(+), skin debris, and/or biofilms in the water. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of Vacuum Facility Background Gas Through Simulation and Considerations for Electric Propulsion Ground Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yim, John T.; Burt, Jonathan M.

2015-01-01

The background gas in a vacuum facility for electric propulsion ground testing is examined in detail through a series of cold flow simulations using a direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) code. The focus here is on the background gas itself, its structure and characteristics, rather than assessing its interaction and impact on thruster operation. The background gas, which is often incorrectly characterized as uniform, is found to have a notable velocity within a test facility. The gas velocity has an impact on the proper measurement of pressure and the calculation of ingestion flux to a thruster. There are also considerations for best practices for tests that involve the introduction of supplemental gas flows to artificially increase the background pressure. All of these effects need to be accounted for to properly characterize the operation of electric propulsion thrusters across different ground test vacuum facilities.

Optimal Facility-Location

PubMed Central

Goldman, A. J.

2006-01-01

Dr. Christoph Witzgall, the honoree of this Symposium, can count among his many contributions to applied mathematics and mathematical operations research a body of widely-recognized work on the optimal location of facilities. The present paper offers to non-specialists a sketch of that field and its evolution, with emphasis on areas most closely related to Witzgall’s research at NBS/NIST. PMID:27274920

To Build or Not to Build: Addressing Facilities Needs While Controlling Costs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kadamus, James A.

2015-01-01

When trustees, presidents, and senior college administrators meet, one topic dominates the conversation: how to keep education quality high and costs down. To keep quality high, college leaders need to have strong faculties and state-of-the-art facilities for teaching and research. Quality counts but it also costs, and that is where the pressures…

Varicella infection modeling.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, Katherine A.; Finley, Patrick D.; Moore, Thomas W.

2013-09-01

Infectious diseases can spread rapidly through healthcare facilities, resulting in widespread illness among vulnerable patients. Computational models of disease spread are useful for evaluating mitigation strategies under different scenarios. This report describes two infectious disease models built for the US Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) motivated by a Varicella outbreak in a VA facility. The first model simulates disease spread within a notional contact network representing staff and patients. Several interventions, along with initial infection counts and intervention delay, were evaluated for effectiveness at preventing disease spread. The second model adds staff categories, location, scheduling, and variable contact rates tomore » improve resolution. This model achieved more accurate infection counts and enabled a more rigorous evaluation of comparative effectiveness of interventions.« less

Automated smear counting and data processing using a notebook computer in a biomedical research facility.

PubMed

Ogata, Y; Nishizawa, K

1995-10-01

An automated smear counting and data processing system for a life science laboratory was developed to facilitate routine surveys and eliminate human errors by using a notebook computer. This system was composed of a personal computer, a liquid scintillation counter and a well-type NaI(Tl) scintillation counter. The radioactivity of smear samples was automatically measured by these counters. The personal computer received raw signals from the counters through an interface of RS-232C. The software for the computer evaluated the surface density of each radioisotope and printed out that value along with other items as a report. The software was programmed in Pascal language. This system was successfully applied to routine surveys for contamination in our facility.

Bayesian analysis of energy and count rate data for detection of low count rate radioactive sources.

PubMed

Klumpp, John; Brandl, Alexander

2015-03-01

A particle counting and detection system is proposed that searches for elevated count rates in multiple energy regions simultaneously. The system analyzes time-interval data (e.g., time between counts), as this was shown to be a more sensitive technique for detecting low count rate sources compared to analyzing counts per unit interval (Luo et al. 2013). Two distinct versions of the detection system are developed. The first is intended for situations in which the sample is fixed and can be measured for an unlimited amount of time. The second version is intended to detect sources that are physically moving relative to the detector, such as a truck moving past a fixed roadside detector or a waste storage facility under an airplane. In both cases, the detection system is expected to be active indefinitely; i.e., it is an online detection system. Both versions of the multi-energy detection systems are compared to their respective gross count rate detection systems in terms of Type I and Type II error rates and sensitivity.

Different binarization processes validated against manual counts of fluorescent bacterial cells.

PubMed

Tamminga, Gerrit G; Paulitsch-Fuchs, Astrid H; Jansen, Gijsbert J; Euverink, Gert-Jan W

2016-09-01

State of the art software methods (such as fixed value approaches or statistical approaches) to create a binary image of fluorescent bacterial cells are not as accurate and precise as they should be for counting bacteria and measuring their area. To overcome these bottlenecks, we introduce biological significance to obtain a binary image from a greyscale microscopic image. Using our biological significance approach we are able to automatically count about the same number of cells as an individual researcher would do by manual/visual counting. Using the fixed value or statistical approach to obtain a binary image leads to about 20% less cells in automatic counting. In our procedure we included the area measurements of the bacterial cells to determine the right parameters for background subtraction and threshold values. In an iterative process the threshold and background subtraction values were incremented until the number of particles smaller than a typical bacterial cell is less than the number of bacterial cells with a certain area. This research also shows that every image has a specific threshold with respect to the optical system, magnification and staining procedure as well as the exposure time. The biological significance approach shows that automatic counting can be performed with the same accuracy, precision and reproducibility as manual counting. The same approach can be used to count bacterial cells using different optical systems (Leica, Olympus and Navitar), magnification factors (200× and 400×), staining procedures (DNA (Propidium Iodide) and RNA (FISH)) and substrates (polycarbonate filter or glass). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Deep 3 GHz number counts from a P(D) fluctuation analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vernstrom, T.; Scott, Douglas; Wall, J. V.; Condon, J. J.; Cotton, W. D.; Fomalont, E. B.; Kellermann, K. I.; Miller, N.; Perley, R. A.

2014-05-01

Radio source counts constrain galaxy populations and evolution, as well as the global star formation history. However, there is considerable disagreement among the published 1.4-GHz source counts below 100 μJy. Here, we present a statistical method for estimating the μJy and even sub-μJy source count using new deep wide-band 3-GHz data in the Lockman Hole from the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array. We analysed the confusion amplitude distribution P(D), which provides a fresh approach in the form of a more robust model, with a comprehensive error analysis. We tested this method on a large-scale simulation, incorporating clustering and finite source sizes. We discuss in detail our statistical methods for fitting using Markov chain Monte Carlo, handling correlations, and systematic errors from the use of wide-band radio interferometric data. We demonstrated that the source count can be constrained down to 50 nJy, a factor of 20 below the rms confusion. We found the differential source count near 10 μJy to have a slope of -1.7, decreasing to about -1.4 at fainter flux densities. At 3 GHz, the rms confusion in an 8-arcsec full width at half-maximum beam is ˜ 1.2 μJy beam-1, and a radio background temperature ˜14 mK. Our counts are broadly consistent with published evolutionary models. With these results, we were also able to constrain the peak of the Euclidean normalized differential source count of any possible new radio populations that would contribute to the cosmic radio background down to 50 nJy.

The NuSTAR Extragalactic Surveys: The Number Counts Of Active Galactic Nuclei And The Resolved Fraction Of The Cosmic X-ray Background

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harrison, F. A.; Aird, J.; Civano, F.; Lansbury, G.; Mullaney, J. R.; Ballentyne, D. R.; Alexander, D. M.; Stern, D.; Ajello, M.; Barret, D.;

Facilitymetrics for Big Ocean Science: Towards Improved Measurement of Scientific Impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juniper, K.; Owens, D.; Moran, K.; Pirenne, B.; Hallonsten, O.; Matthews, K.

2016-12-01

Cabled ocean observatories are examples of "Big Science" facilities requiring significant public investments for installation and ongoing maintenance. Large observatory networks in Canada and the United States, for example, have been established after extensive up-front planning and hundreds of millions of dollars in start-up costs. As such, they are analogous to particle accelerators and astronomical observatories, which may often be required to compete for public funding in an environment of ever-tightening national science budget allocations. Additionally, the globalization of Big Science compels these facilities to respond to increasing demands for demonstrable productivity, excellence and competitiveness. How should public expenditures on "Big Science" facilities be evaluated and justified in terms of benefits to the countries that invest in them? Published literature counts are one quantitative measure often highlighted in the annual reports of large science facilities. But, as recent research has demonstrated, publication counts can lead to distorted characterizations of scientific impact, inviting evaluators to calculate scientific outputs in terms of costs per publication—a ratio that can be simplistically misconstrued to conclude Big Science is wildly expensive. Other commonly promoted measurements of Big Science facilities include technical reliability (a.k.a. uptime), provision of training opportunities for Highly Qualified Personnel, generation of commercialization opportunities, and so forth. "Facilitymetrics" is a new empirical focus for scientometrical studies, which has been applied to the evaluation and comparison of synchrotron facilities. This paper extends that quantitative and qualitative examination to a broader inter-disciplinary comparison of Big Science facilities in the ocean science realm to established facilities in the fields of astronomy and particle physics.

Facilitymetrics for Big Ocean Science: Towards Improved Measurement of Scientific Impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juniper, K.; Owens, D.; Moran, K.; Pirenne, B.; Hallonsten, O.; Matthews, K.

2016-02-01

Cabled ocean observatories are examples of "Big Science" facilities requiring significant public investments for installation and ongoing maintenance. Large observatory networks in Canada and the United States, for example, have been established after extensive up-front planning and hundreds of millions of dollars in start-up costs. As such, they are analogous to particle accelerators and astronomical observatories, which may often be required to compete for public funding in an environment of ever-tightening national science budget allocations. Additionally, the globalization of Big Science compels these facilities to respond to increasing demands for demonstrable productivity, excellence and competitiveness. How should public expenditures on "Big Science" facilities be evaluated and justified in terms of benefits to the countries that invest in them? Published literature counts are one quantitative measure often highlighted in the annual reports of large science facilities. But, as recent research has demonstrated, publication counts can lead to distorted characterizations of scientific impact, inviting evaluators to calculate scientific outputs in terms of costs per publication—a ratio that can be simplistically misconstrued to conclude Big Science is wildly expensive. Other commonly promoted measurements of Big Science facilities include technical reliability (a.k.a. uptime), provision of training opportunities for Highly Qualified Personnel, generation of commercialization opportunities, and so forth. "Facilitymetrics" is a new empirical focus for scientometrical studies, which has been applied to the evaluation and comparison of synchrotron facilities. This paper extends that quantitative and qualitative examination to a broader inter-disciplinary comparison of Big Science facilities in the ocean science realm to established facilities in the fields of astronomy and particle physics.

Health facility delivery in sub-Saharan Africa: successes, challenges, and implications for the 2030 development agenda.

PubMed

Doctor, Henry V; Nkhana-Salimu, Sangwani; Abdulsalam-Anibilowo, Maryam

2018-06-19

Sub-Saharan Africa remains one of the regions with modest health outcomes; and evidenced by high maternal mortality ratios and under-5 mortality rates. There are complications that occur during and following pregnancy and childbirth that can contribute to maternal deaths; most of which are preventable or treatable. Evidence shows that early and regular attendance of antenatal care and delivery in a health facility under the supervision of trained personnel is associated with improved maternal health outcomes. The aim of this study is to assess changes in and determinants of health facility delivery using nationally representative surveys in sub-Saharan Africa. This study also seeks to present renewed evidence on the determinants of health facility delivery within the context of the Agenda for Sustainable Development to generate evidence-based decision making and enable deployment of targeted interventions to improve health facility delivery and maternal and child health outcomes. We used pooled data from 58 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted between 1990 and 2015 in 29 sub-Saharan African countries. This yielded a total of 1.1 million births occurring in the 5 years preceding the surveys. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the counts and proportions of women who delivered by place of delivery and their background characteristics at the time of delivery. We used multilevel logistic regression model to estimate the magnitude of association in the form of odds ratios between place of delivery and the predictors. Results show that births among women in the richest wealth quintile were 68% more likely to occur in health facilities than births among women in the lowest wealth quintile. Women with at least primary education were twice more likely to give birth in facilities than women with no formal education. Births from more recent surveys conducted since 2010 were 85% more likely to occur in facilities than births reported in earliest (1990s) surveys. Overall, the proportion of births occurring in facilities was 2% higher than would be expected; and varies by country and sub-Saharan African region. Proven interventions to increase health facility delivery should focus on addressing inequities associated with maternal education, women empowerment, increased access to health facilities as well as narrowing the gap between the rural and the urban areas. We further discuss these results within the agenda of leaving no one behind by 2030.

A 1.5k x 1.5k class photon counting HgCdTe linear avalanche photo-diode array for low background space astronomy in the 1-5micron infrared

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, Donald

Under a current award, NASA NNX 13AC13G "EXTENDING THE ASTRONOMICAL APPLICATION OF PHOTON COUNTING HgCdTe LINEAR AVALANCHE PHOTODIODE ARRAYS TO LOW BACKGROUND SPACE OBSERVATIONS" UH has used Selex SAPHIRA 320 x 256 MOVPE L-APD HgCdTe arrays developed for Adaptive Optics (AO) wavefront (WF) sensing to investigate the potential of this technology for low background space astronomy applications. After suppressing readout integrated circuit (ROIC) glow, we have placed upper limits on gain normalized dark current of 0.01 e-/sec at up to 8 volts avalanche bias, corresponding to avalanche gain of 5, and have operated with avalanche gains of up to several hundred at higher bias. We have also demonstrated detection of individual photon events. The proposed investigation would scale the format to 1536 x 1536 at 12um (the largest achievable in a standard reticule without requiring stitching) while incorporating reference pixels required at these low dark current levels. The primary objective is to develop, produce and characterize a 1.5k x 1.5k at 12um pitch MOVPE HgCdTe L-APD array, with nearly 30 times the pixel count of the 320 x 256 SAPHIRA, optimized for low background space astronomy. This will involve: 1) Selex design of a 1.5k x 1.5k at 12um pitch ROIC optimized for low background operation, silicon wafer fabrication at the German XFab foundry in 0.35 um 3V3 process and dicing/test at Selex, 2) provision by GL Scientific of a 3-side close-buttable carrier building from the heritage of the HAWAII xRG family, 3) Selex development and fabrication of 1.5k x 1.5k at 12 um pitch MOVPE HgCdTe L-APD detector arrays optimized for low background applications, 4) hybridization, packaging into a sensor chip assembly (SCA) with initial characterization by Selex and, 5) comprehensive characterization of low background performance, both in the laboratory and at ground based telescopes, by UH. The ultimate goal is to produce and eventually market a large format array, the L-APD equivalent of the Teledyne H1RG and H2RG, able to achieve sub-electron read noise and count 1 - 5 um photons with high quantum efficiency and low dark count rate while preserving their Poisson statistics and noise.

77 FR 55843 - Office of Facilities Management and Program Services; Submission for OMB Review; Background...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-11

... of Facilities Management and Program Services; Submission for OMB Review; Background Investigations... collection of personal data for background investigations for child care workers accessing GSA owned and... assumptions and methodology; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be...

Support of selected X-ray studies to be performed using data from the Uhuru (SAS-A) satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garmire, G. P.

1976-01-01

A new measurement of the diffuse X-ray emission sets more stringent upper limits on the fluctuations of the background and on the number counts of X-ray sources with absolute value of b 20 deg than previous measurements. A random sample of background data from the Uhuru satellite gives a relative fluctuation in excess of statistics of 2.0% between 2.4 and 6.9 keV. The hypothesis that the relative fluctuation exceeds 2.9% can be rejected at the 90% confidence level. No discernable energy dependence is evident in the fluctuations in the pulse height data, when separated into three energy channels of nearly equal width from 1.8 to 10.0 keV. The probability distribution of fluctuations was convolved with the photon noise and cosmic ray background deviation (obtained from the earth-viewing data) to yield the differential source count distribution for high latitude sources. Results imply that a maximum of 160 sources could be between 1.7 and 5.1 x 10 to the -11 power ergs/sq cm/sec (1-3 Uhuru counts).

Reducing background contributions in fluorescence fluctuation time-traces for single-molecule measurements in solution.

PubMed

Földes-Papp, Zeno; Liao, Shih-Chu Jeff; You, Tiefeng; Barbieri, Beniamino

2009-08-01

We first report on the development of new microscope means that reduce background contributions in fluorescence fluctuation methods: i) excitation shutter, ii) electronic switches, and iii) early and late time-gating. The elements allow for measuring molecules at low analyte concentrations. We first found conditions of early and late time-gating with time-correlated single-photon counting that made the fluorescence signal as bright as possible compared with the fluctuations in the background count rate in a diffraction-limited optical set-up. We measured about a 140-fold increase in the amplitude of autocorrelated fluorescence fluctuations at the lowest analyte concentration of about 15 pM, which gave a signal-to-background advantage of more than two-orders of magnitude. The results of this original article pave the way for single-molecule detection in solution and in live cells without immobilization or hydrodynamic/electrokinetic focusing at longer observation times than are currently available.

Initial characterization of unequal-length, low-background proportional counters for absolute gas-counting applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mace, E. K.; Aalseth, C. E.; Bonicalzi, R.

Characterization of two sets of custom unequal length proportional counters is underway at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). These detectors will be used in measurements to determine the absolute activity concentration of gaseous radionuclides (e.g., {sup 37}Ar). A set of three detectors has been fabricated based on previous PNNL ultra-low-background proportional counter designs and now operate in PNNL's shallow underground counting laboratory. A second set of four counters has also been fabricated using clean assembly of Oxygen-Free High-Conductivity copper components for use in a shielded above-ground counting laboratory. Characterization of both sets of detectors is underway with measurements of backgroundmore » rates, gas gain, and energy resolution. These results will be presented along with a shielding study for the above-ground cave.« less

Low-energy particle experiments-electron analyzer (LEPe) onboard the Arase spacecraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazama, Yoichi; Wang, Bo-Jhou; Wang, Shiang-Yu; Ho, Paul T. P.; Tam, Sunny W. Y.; Chang, Tzu-Fang; Chiang, Chih-Yu; Asamura, Kazushi

2017-12-01

In this report, we describe the low-energy electron instrument LEPe (low-energy particle experiments-electron analyzer) onboard the Arase (ERG) spacecraft. The instrument measures a three-dimensional distribution function of electrons with energies of ˜ 19 eV-19 keV. Electrons in this energy range dominate in the inner magnetosphere, and measurement of such electrons is important in terms of understanding the magnetospheric dynamics and wave-particle interaction. The instrument employs a toroidal tophat electrostatic energy analyzer with a passive 6-mm aluminum shield. To minimize background radiation effects, the analyzer has a background channel, which monitors counts produced by background radiation. Background counts are then subtracted from measured counts. Electronic components are radiation tolerant, and 5-mm-thick shielding of the electronics housing ensures that the total dose is less than 100 kRad for the one-year nominal mission lifetime. The first in-space measurement test was done on February 12, 2017, showing that the instrument functions well. On February 27, the first all-instrument run test was done, and the LEPe instrument measured an energy dispersion event probably related to a substorm injection occurring immediately before the instrument turn-on. These initial results indicate that the instrument works fine in space, and the measurement performance is good for science purposes.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

X-ray detection of Nova Del 2013 with Swift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castro-Tirado, Alberto J.; Martin-Carrillo, Antonio; Hanlon, Lorraine

2013-08-01

Continuous X-ray monitoring by Swift of Nova Del 2013 (see CBET #3628) shows an increase of X-ray emission at the source location compared to previous observations (ATEL #5283, ATEL #5305) during a 3.9 ksec observation at UT 2013-08-22 12:05. With the XRT instrument operating in window timing mode, 744 counts were extracted from a 50 pixel long source region and 324 counts from a similar box for a background region, resulting in a 13-sigma detection with a net count rate of 0.11±0.008 counts/sec.

A survey of the bacteriological quality of preroasted peanut, almond, cashew, hazelnut, and brazil nut kernels received into three Australian nut-processing facilities over a period of 3 years.

PubMed

Eglezos, Sofroni; Huang, Bixing; Stuttard, Ed

2008-02-01

There is little information about bacteriological quality of preroasted kernels available in the public domain. An investigation of the bacteriological quality of preroasted peanut, almond, cashew, hazelnut, and Brazil nut kernels received into three Australian nut-processing facilities was performed over a period of 3 years. A total of 836 samples were analyzed for aerobic plate count, and 921 samples for Salmonella and Escherichia coli. The 921 samples included 653 peanut, 100 cashew, 60 almond, 60 Brazil nut, and 48 hazelnut kernels. There was no E. coli detected in any sample. Salmonella subsp. II (Fremantle) was detected in one raw almond sample. The aerobic plate count percentages of positive samples with counts above the detection level of the plating method used (100 CFU/g) for peanuts, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, and Brazil nuts were 84, 78, 74, 50, and 45%, respectively. Of the samples containing more than this detection limit, the means were 4.5, 4.4, 3.1, 2.5, and 3.8 log CFU/g respectively. Although roasted kernel quality was not within the scope of this survey, raw microbial bioload would be expected to reduce on roasting. The bacteriological quality of preroasted peanut, almond, cashew, hazelnut, and Brazil nut kernels received into nut-processing facilities in Australia does not appear to suggest a public health concern.

Using mobile phone text messaging for malaria surveillance in rural Kenya

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Effective surveillance systems are required to track malaria testing and treatment practices. A 26-week study “SMS for Life” was piloted in five rural districts of Kenya to examine whether SMS reported surveillance data could ensure real-time visibility of accurate data and their use by district managers to impact on malaria case-management. Methods Health workers from 87 public health facilities used their personal mobile phones to send a weekly structured SMS text message reporting the counts of four basic surveillance data elements to a web-based system accessed by district managers. Longitudinal monitoring of SMS reported data through the web-based system and two rounds of cross-sectional health facility surveys were done to validate accuracy of data. Results Mean response rates were 96% with 87% of facilities reporting on time. Fifty-eight per cent of surveillance data parameters were accurately reported. Overall mean testing rates were 37% with minor weekly variations ranging from 32 to 45%. Overall test positivity rate was 24% (weekly range: 17-37%). Ratio of anti-malarial treatments to test positive cases was 1.7:1 (weekly range: 1.3:1–2.2:1). District specific trends showed fluctuating patterns in testing rates without notable improvement over time but the ratio of anti-malarial treatments to test positive cases improved over short periods of time in three out of five districts. Conclusions The study demonstrated the feasibility of using simple mobile phone text messages to transmit timely surveillance data from peripheral health facilities to higher levels. However, accuracy of data reported was suboptimal. Future work should focus on improving quality of SMS reported surveillance data. PMID:24642130

Reduction in Fall Rate in Dementia Managed Care Through Video Incident Review: Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Netscher, George; Agrawal, Pulkit; Tabb Noyce, Lynn; Bayen, Alexandre

2017-01-01

Background Falls of individuals with dementia are frequent, dangerous, and costly. Early detection and access to the history of a fall is crucial for efficient care and secondary prevention in cognitively impaired individuals. However, most falls remain unwitnessed events. Furthermore, understanding why and how a fall occurred is a challenge. Video capture and secure transmission of real-world falls thus stands as a promising assistive tool. Objective The objective of this study was to analyze how continuous video monitoring and review of falls of individuals with dementia can support better quality of care. Methods A pilot observational study (July-September 2016) was carried out in a Californian memory care facility. Falls were video-captured (24×7), thanks to 43 wall-mounted cameras (deployed in all common areas and in 10 out of 40 private bedrooms of consenting residents and families). Video review was provided to facility staff, thanks to a customized mobile device app. The outcome measures were the count of residents’ falls happening in the video-covered areas, the acceptability of video recording, the analysis of video review, and video replay possibilities for care practice. Results Over 3 months, 16 falls were video-captured. A drop in fall rate was observed in the last month of the study. Acceptability was good. Video review enabled screening for the severity of falls and fall-related injuries. Video replay enabled identifying cognitive-behavioral deficiencies and environmental circumstances contributing to the fall. This allowed for secondary prevention in high-risk multi-faller individuals and for updated facility care policies regarding a safer living environment for all residents. Conclusions Video monitoring offers high potential to support conventional care in memory care facilities. PMID:29042342

Real-time people counting system using a single video camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lefloch, Damien; Cheikh, Faouzi A.; Hardeberg, Jon Y.; Gouton, Pierre; Picot-Clemente, Romain

2008-02-01

There is growing interest in video-based solutions for people monitoring and counting in business and security applications. Compared to classic sensor-based solutions the video-based ones allow for more versatile functionalities, improved performance with lower costs. In this paper, we propose a real-time system for people counting based on single low-end non-calibrated video camera. The two main challenges addressed in this paper are: robust estimation of the scene background and the number of real persons in merge-split scenarios. The latter is likely to occur whenever multiple persons move closely, e.g. in shopping centers. Several persons may be considered to be a single person by automatic segmentation algorithms, due to occlusions or shadows, leading to under-counting. Therefore, to account for noises, illumination and static objects changes, a background substraction is performed using an adaptive background model (updated over time based on motion information) and automatic thresholding. Furthermore, post-processing of the segmentation results is performed, in the HSV color space, to remove shadows. Moving objects are tracked using an adaptive Kalman filter, allowing a robust estimation of the objects future positions even under heavy occlusion. The system is implemented in Matlab, and gives encouraging results even at high frame rates. Experimental results obtained based on the PETS2006 datasets are presented at the end of the paper.

Low gamma counting for measuring NORM/TENORM with a radon reducing system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paschoa, Anselmo S.

2001-06-01

A detection system for counting low levels of gamma radiation was built by upgrading an existing rectangular chamber made of 18 metric tonne of steel fabricated before World War II. The internal walls, the ceiling, and the floor of the chamber are covered with copper sheets. The new detection system consists of a stainless steel hollow cylinder with variable circular apertures in the cylindrical wall and in the base, to allow introduction of a NaI (Tl) crystal, or alternatively, a HPGe detector in its interior. This counting system is mounted inside the larger chamber, which in turn is located in a subsurface air-conditioned room. The access to the subsurface room is made from a larger entrance room through a tunnel plus a glass anteroom to decrease the air-exchange rate. Both sample and detector are housed inside the stainless steel cylinder. This cylinder is filled with hyper pure nitrogen gas, before counting a sample, to prevent radon coming into contact with the detector surface. As a consequence, the contribution of the 214Bi photopeaks to the background gamma spectra is minimized. The reduction of the gamma radiation background near the detector facilitates measurement of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), and/or technologically enhanced NORM (TENORM), which are usually at concentration levels only slightly higher than those typically found in the natural radioactive background.

Code JEF Facilities Engineering Home Page for the Internet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mahaffey, Valerie A.; Harrison, Marla J. (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

There are always many activities going on in JEF. We work on and manage the Construction of Facilities (C of F) projects at NASA-Ames. We are constantly designing or analyzing a new facility or project, or a modification to an existing facility. Every day we answer numerous questions about engineering policy, codes and standards, we attend design reviews, we count dollars and we make sure that everything at the Center is designed and built according to good engineering judgment. In addition, we study literature and attend conferences to make sure that we keep current on new legislation and standards.

Protocol for evaluating the efficacy of cetylpyridinium chloride as a beef hide intervention.

PubMed

Bosilevac, Joseph M; Wheeler, Tommy L; Rivera-Betancourt, Mildred; Nou, Xiangwu; Arthur, Terrance M; Shackelford, Steven D; Kent, Matthew P; Jaroni, Divya; Osborn, Matthew S; Rossman, Michelle; Reagan, James O; Koohmaraie, Mohammad

2004-02-01

The objective of this study was to establish the necessary protocols and assess the efficacy of cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) as an antimicrobial intervention on beef cattle hides. Experiments using CPC were conducted to determine (i) the methods of neutralization needed to obtain valid efficacy measurements, (ii) the effect of concentration and dwell time after treatment, (iii) the effect of CPC on hide and carcass microbial populations when cattle were treated at a feedlot and then transported to a processing facility for harvest, and (iv) the effectiveness of spray pressure and two-spray combinations of CPC and water to reduce hide microbial populations. Residual CPC in hide sponge samples prevented bacterial growth. Dey-Engley neutralization media at 7.8% and a centrifugation step were necessary to overcome this problem. All dwell times, ranging from 30 s to 4 h, after 1% CPC application to cattle hides resulted in aerobic plate counts and Enterobacteriaceae counts 1.5 log CFU/100 cm2 lower than controls. The most effective dose of CPC was 1%, which reduced aerobic plate counts and Enterobacteriaceae counts 2 and 1 log CFU/100 cm2, respectively. Low-pressure application of 1% CPC at the feedlot, transport to the processing facility, and harvest within 5 h of application resulted in no effect on Escherichia coli O157 prevalence on hides or preevisceration carcasses. Two high-pressure CPC washes lowered aerobic plate counts and Enterobacteriaceae counts by 4 log CFU/100 cm2, and two medium-pressure CPC washes were only slightly less effective. These results indicate that under the proper conditions, CPC may still be effective for reducing microbial populations on cattle hides. Further study is warranted to determine if this effect will result in reduction of hide-to-carcass contamination during processing.

Montana Kids Count 1996 Data Book.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies--The Montana Coalition, Helena.

This 1996 KIDS COUNT data book presents comparative data on child well-being for each county in Montana and for the state as a whole. Data in the county profiles, which comprise the bulk of the report, are grouped into: background facts (demographic, mental health, education, security, and income support information); charts showing changes in…

Optimal measurement counting time and statistics in gamma spectrometry analysis: The time balance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joel, Guembou Shouop Cebastien; Penabei, Samafou; Maurice, Ndontchueng Moyo; Gregoire, Chene; Jilbert, Nguelem Mekontso Eric; Didier, Takoukam Serge; Werner, Volker; David, Strivay

2017-01-01

The optimal measurement counting time for gamma-ray spectrometry analysis using HPGe detectors was determined in our laboratory by comparing twelve hours measurement counting time at day and twelve hours measurement counting time at night. The day spectrum does not fully cover the night spectrum for the same sample. It is observed that the perturbation come to the sun-light. After several investigations became clearer: to remove all effects of radiation from outside (earth, the sun, and universe) our system, it is necessary to measure the background for 24, 48 or 72 hours. In the same way, the samples have to be measured for 24, 48 or 72 hours to be safe to be purified the measurement (equality of day and night measurement). It is also possible to not use the background of the winter in summer. Depend on to the energy of radionuclide we seek, it is clear that the most important steps of a gamma spectrometry measurement are the preparation of the sample and the calibration of the detector.

Patterns of ambulatory care utilization in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chen, Tzeng-Ji; Chou, Li-Fang; Hwang, Shinn-Jang

2006-05-04

We used the insurance claims of a representative cohort to quantify the patterns of ambulatory care visits, especially the doctor-shopping phenomenon, in Taiwan. The ambulatory visit files of the 200,000-person cohort datasets from the National Health Insurance Research Database in 2002 were analyzed. Only a visit with physician consultation would be considered. We computed the visit patterns both by visit count and by patient count. In 2002, there were 182,474 eligible people with 2,443,003 physician consultations. During the year, 87.4% of the cohort had visited physician clinics and 57.5% had visited hospital-based outpatient or emergency departments. On average, a person had 13.4 physician consultations and consulted 3.4 specialties, 5.2 physicians, and 3.9 healthcare facilities in a year. In 2002, 17.3% of the cohort had ever visited different healthcare facilities on the same day; 23.5% had ever visited physicians of the same specialty at different healthcare facilities within 7 days and the percentage of second visits was 3.8% of all visits. Besides, 7.6% of the cohort had visited two or more specialties at the same facility on the same day, and such visits make up 2.5% of all visits. The people in Taiwan did visit the physicians and outpatient departments frequently. Many patients not only consulted several physicians of different specialties and at different healthcare facilities during the year, but also switched the physicians and facilities quickly. An effective referral system with efficient data exchange between facilities might be the solution.

The utility of point count surveys to predict wildlife interactions with wind energy facilities: An example focused on golden eagles

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sur, Maitreyi; Belthoff, James R.; Bjerre, Emily R.; Millsap, Brian A.; Katzner, Todd

2018-01-01

Wind energy development is rapidly expanding in North America, often accompanied by requirements to survey potential facility locations for existing wildlife. Within the USA, golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) are among the most high-profile species of birds that are at risk from wind turbines. To minimize golden eagle fatalities in areas proposed for wind development, modified point count surveys are usually conducted to estimate use by these birds. However, it is not always clear what drives variation in the relationship between on-site point count data and actual use by eagles of a wind energy project footprint. We used existing GPS-GSM telemetry data, collected at 15 min intervals from 13 golden eagles in 2012 and 2013, to explore the relationship between point count data and eagle use of an entire project footprint. To do this, we overlaid the telemetry data on hypothetical project footprints and simulated a variety of point count sampling strategies for those footprints. We compared the time an eagle was found in the sample plots with the time it was found in the project footprint using a metric we called “error due to sampling”. Error due to sampling for individual eagles appeared to be influenced by interactions between the size of the project footprint (20, 40, 90 or 180 km2) and the sampling type (random, systematic or stratified) and was greatest on 90 km2 plots. However, use of random sampling resulted in lowest error due to sampling within intermediate sized plots. In addition sampling intensity and sampling frequency both influenced the effectiveness of point count sampling. Although our work focuses on individual eagles (not the eagle populations typically surveyed in the field), our analysis shows both the utility of simulations to identify specific influences on error and also potential improvements to sampling that consider the context-specific manner that point counts are laid out on the landscape.

Delayed gamma-ray spectroscopy with lanthanum bromide detector for non-destructive assay of nuclear material

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Favalli, Andrea; Iliev, Metodi; Ianakiev, Kiril

High-energy delayed γ-ray spectroscopy is a potential technique for directly assaying spent fuel assemblies and achieving the safeguards goal of quantifying nuclear material inventories for spent fuel handling, interim storage, reprocessing facilities, repository sites, and final disposal. Requirements for the γ-ray detection system, up to ~6 MeV, can be summarized as follows: high efficiency at high γ-ray energies, high energy resolution, good linearity between γ-ray energy and output signal amplitude, ability to operate at very high count rates, and ease of use in industrial environments such as nuclear facilities. High Purity Germanium Detectors (HPGe) are the state of the artmore » and provide excellent energy resolution but are limited in their count rate capability. Lanthanum Bromide (LaBr 3) scintillation detectors offer significantly higher count rate capabilities at lower energy resolution. Thus, LaBr 3 detectors may be an effective alternative for nuclear spent-fuel applications, where count-rate capability is a requirement. This paper documents the measured performance of a 2” (length) × 2” (diameter) of LaBr3 scintillation detector system, coupled to a negatively biased PMT and a tapered active high voltage divider, with count-rates up to ~3 Mcps. An experimental methodology was developed that uses the average current from the PMT’s anode and a dual source method to characterize the detector system at specific very high count rate values. Delayed γ-ray spectra were acquired with the LaBr 3 detector system at the Idaho Accelerator Center, Idaho State University, where samples of ~3g of 235U were irradiated with moderated neutrons from a photo-neutron source. Results of the spectroscopy characterization and analysis of the delayed γ-ray spectra acquired indicate the possible use of LaBr3 scintillation detectors when high count rate capability may outweigh the lower energy resolution.« less

Delayed gamma-ray spectroscopy with lanthanum bromide detector for non-destructive assay of nuclear material

DOE PAGES

Favalli, Andrea; Iliev, Metodi; Ianakiev, Kiril; ...

2017-10-09

High-energy delayed γ-ray spectroscopy is a potential technique for directly assaying spent fuel assemblies and achieving the safeguards goal of quantifying nuclear material inventories for spent fuel handling, interim storage, reprocessing facilities, repository sites, and final disposal. Requirements for the γ-ray detection system, up to ~6 MeV, can be summarized as follows: high efficiency at high γ-ray energies, high energy resolution, good linearity between γ-ray energy and output signal amplitude, ability to operate at very high count rates, and ease of use in industrial environments such as nuclear facilities. High Purity Germanium Detectors (HPGe) are the state of the artmore » and provide excellent energy resolution but are limited in their count rate capability. Lanthanum Bromide (LaBr 3) scintillation detectors offer significantly higher count rate capabilities at lower energy resolution. Thus, LaBr 3 detectors may be an effective alternative for nuclear spent-fuel applications, where count-rate capability is a requirement. This paper documents the measured performance of a 2” (length) × 2” (diameter) of LaBr3 scintillation detector system, coupled to a negatively biased PMT and a tapered active high voltage divider, with count-rates up to ~3 Mcps. An experimental methodology was developed that uses the average current from the PMT’s anode and a dual source method to characterize the detector system at specific very high count rate values. Delayed γ-ray spectra were acquired with the LaBr 3 detector system at the Idaho Accelerator Center, Idaho State University, where samples of ~3g of 235U were irradiated with moderated neutrons from a photo-neutron source. Results of the spectroscopy characterization and analysis of the delayed γ-ray spectra acquired indicate the possible use of LaBr3 scintillation detectors when high count rate capability may outweigh the lower energy resolution.« less

Delayed gamma-ray spectroscopy with lanthanum bromide detector for non-destructive assay of nuclear material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Favalli, Andrea; Iliev, Metodi; Ianakiev, Kiril; Hunt, Alan W.; Ludewigt, Bernhard

2018-01-01

High-energy delayed γ-ray spectroscopy is a potential technique for directly assaying spent fuel assemblies and achieving the safeguards goal of quantifying nuclear material inventories for spent fuel handling, interim storage, reprocessing facilities, repository sites, and final disposal. Requirements for the γ-ray detection system, up to ∼6 MeV, can be summarized as follows: high efficiency at high γ-ray energies, high energy resolution, good linearity between γ-ray energy and output signal amplitude, ability to operate at very high count rates, and ease of use in industrial environments such as nuclear facilities. High Purity Germanium Detectors (HPGe) are the state of the art and provide excellent energy resolution but are limited in their count rate capability. Lanthanum Bromide (LaBr3) scintillation detectors offer significantly higher count rate capabilities at lower energy resolution. Thus, LaBr3 detectors may be an effective alternative for nuclear spent-fuel applications, where count-rate capability is a requirement. This paper documents the measured performance of a 2" (length) × 2" (diameter) of LaBr3 scintillation detector system, coupled to a negatively biased PMT and a tapered active high voltage divider, with count-rates up to ∼3 Mcps. An experimental methodology was developed that uses the average current from the PMT's anode and a dual source method to characterize the detector system at specific very high count rate values. Delayed γ-ray spectra were acquired with the LaBr3 detector system at the Idaho Accelerator Center, Idaho State University, where samples of ∼3g of 235U were irradiated with moderated neutrons from a photo-neutron source. Results of the spectroscopy characterization and analysis of the delayed γ-ray spectra acquired indicate the possible use of LaBr3 scintillation detectors when high count rate capability may outweigh the lower energy resolution.

The NuSTAR Extragalactic Surveys: The Number Counts of Active Galactic Nuclei and The Resolved Fraction of The Cosmic X-Ray Background

DOE PAGES

Harrison, F. A.; Aird, J.; Civano, F.; ...

2016-11-07

Here, we present the 3–8 keV and 8–24 keV number counts of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) identified in the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) extragalactic surveys. NuSTAR has now resolved 33%–39% of the X-ray background in the 8–24 keV band, directly identifying AGNs with obscuring columns up tomore » $$\\sim {10}^{25}\\,{\\mathrm{cm}}^{-2}$$. In the softer 3–8 keV band the number counts are in general agreement with those measured by XMM-Newton and Chandra over the flux range $$5\\times {10}^{-15}\\,\\lesssim $$ S(3–8 keV)/$$\\mathrm{erg}\\,{{\\rm{s}}}^{-1}\\,{\\mathrm{cm}}^{-2}\\,\\lesssim \\,{10}^{-12}$$ probed by NuSTAR. In the hard 8–24 keV band NuSTAR probes fluxes over the range $$2\\times {10}^{-14}\\,\\lesssim $$ S(8–24 keV)/$$\\mathrm{erg}\\,{{\\rm{s}}}^{-1}\\,{\\mathrm{cm}}^{-2}\\,\\lesssim \\,{10}^{-12}$$, a factor ~100 fainter than previous measurements. The 8–24 keV number counts match predictions from AGN population synthesis models, directly confirming the existence of a population of obscured and/or hard X-ray sources inferred from the shape of the integrated cosmic X-ray background. The measured NuSTAR counts lie significantly above simple extrapolation with a Euclidian slope to low flux of the Swift/BAT 15–55 keV number counts measured at higher fluxes (S(15–55 keV) gsim 10-11 $$\\mathrm{erg}\\,{{\\rm{s}}}^{-1}\\,{\\mathrm{cm}}^{-2}$$), reflecting the evolution of the AGN population between the Swift/BAT local ($$z\\lt 0.1$$) sample and NuSTAR's $$z\\sim 1$$ sample. CXB synthesis models, which account for AGN evolution, lie above the Swift/BAT measurements, suggesting that they do not fully capture the evolution of obscured AGNs at low redshifts.« less

New methods to detect particle velocity and mass flux in arc-heated ablation/erosion facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brayton, D. B.; Bomar, B. W.; Seibel, B. L.; Elrod, P. D.

1980-01-01

Arc-heated flow facilities with injected particles are used to simulate the erosive and ablative/erosive environments encountered by spacecraft re-entry through fog, clouds, thermo-nuclear explosions, etc. Two newly developed particle diagnostic techniques used to calibrate these facilities are discussed. One technique measures particle velocity and is based on the detection of thermal radiation and/or chemiluminescence from the hot seed particles in a model ablation/erosion facility. The second technique measures a local particle rate, which is proportional to local particle mass flux, in a dust erosion facility by photodetecting and counting the interruptions of a focused laser beam by individual particles.

Development of a Low-Level Ar-37 Calibration Standard

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Williams, Richard M.; Aalseth, Craig E.; Bowyer, Ted W.

Argon-37 is an important environmental signature of an underground nuclear explosion. Producing and quantifying low-level 37Ar standards is an important step in the development of sensitive field measurement instruments for use during an On-Site Inspection, a key provision of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. This paper describes progress at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in the development of a process to generate and quantify low-level 37Ar standard material, which can then be used to calibrate sensitive field systems at activities consistent with soil background levels. The 37Ar used for our work was generated using a laboratory-scale, high-energy neutron source to irradiatemore » powdered samples of calcium carbonate. Small aliquots of 37Ar were then extracted from the head space of the irradiated samples. The specific activity of the head space samples, mixed with P10 (90% stable argon:10% methane by mole fraction) count gas, is then derived using the accepted Length-Compensated Internal-Source Proportional Counting method. Due to the low activity of the samples, a set of three Ultra-Low Background Proportional-Counters designed and fabricated at PNNL from radio-pure electroformed copper was used to make the measurements in PNNL’s shallow underground counting laboratory. Very low background levels (<10 counts/day) have been observed in the spectral region near the 37Ar emission feature at 2.8 keV. Two separate samples from the same irradiation were measured. The first sample was counted for 12 days beginning 28 days after irradiation, the second sample was counted for 24 days beginning 70 days after irradiation (the half-life of 37Ar is 35.0 days). Both sets of measurements were analyzed and yielded very similar results for the starting activity (~0.1 Bq) and activity concentration (0.15 mBq/ccSTP argon) after P10 count gas was added. A detailed uncertainty model was developed based on the ISO Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement. This paper presents a discussion of the measurement analysis, along with assumptions and uncertainty estimates.« less

Multistix 10 SG Leukocyte Esterage Dipstick Testing in Rapid Bedside Diagnosis of Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis: A Prospective Study.

PubMed

Jha, Ashish K; Kumawat, Dal C; Bolya, Yasvant K; Goenka, Mahesh K

2012-09-01

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) requires rapid diagnosis and the initiation of antibiotics. Diagnosis of SBP is usually based on cytobacteriological examination of ascitic fluid. These tests require good laboratory facilities and reporting time of few hours to 1-2 day. However, the 24 h laboratory facilities not widely available in country like India. We evaluated the diagnostic utility of reagent strip (Multistix 10 SG(®)) for rapid diagnosis of SBP. The study was prospectively carried out on patients of cirrhosis with ascites. Bedside leukocyte esterase reagent strip testing was performed on ascitic fluid. Cell count as determined by colorimetric scale of reagent strip was compared with counting chamber method. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy were calculated. Out of 100 patients with cirrhotic ascites, [72 males: 28 female; mean age 44.34 (SD 13.03) years] 18 patients were diagnosed to have SBP by counting chamber method as compared to 14 patients detected to have SBP by reagent strip test ≥++ positive. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of reagent strip ≥++ positive were 77.77%, 95.12%, 77.77%, 95.12% and 92% respectively compared to counting chamber method. Reagent strip to diagnose SBP is very specific but less sensitive as compared to counting chamber method. This can be performed rapidly, easily and efficiently even in remote area of developing countries. This bedside test could be a useful tool for the diagnosis of SBP in country like India.

Airborne microbial composition in a high-throughput poultry slaughtering facility.

PubMed

Liang, Ruiping; Tian, Jijing; She, Ruiping; Meng, Hua; Xiao, Peng; Chang, Lingling

2013-03-01

A high-throughput chicken slaughtering facility in Beijing was systematically investigated for numbers of airborne microorganisms. Samples were assessed for counts of aerobic bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, total coliforms, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, and Salmonella. During a 4-month period (September to December 2011), samples were collected for 10 min three times daily (preproduction, production, and postproduction). Samples were collected for three consecutive days of each month with an FA-1 sampler from six sampling sites: receiving-hanging, soaking-scalding and defeathering, evisceration, precooling, subdividing, and packing. Humidity, temperature, wind velocity, and airborne particulates also were recorded at each sampling site and time. The highest counts of microorganisms were recorded in the initial stages of processing, i.e., the receiving-hanging and defeathering areas, with a definite decline toward the evisceration, prechilling, subdividing, and packing areas; the prechilling area had the lowest microbial counts of 2.4 × 10(3) CFU/m(3). Mean total coliforms counts ranged from 8.4 × 10(3) to 140 CFU/m(3). Maximum E. coli counts were 6.1 × 10(3) CFU/m(3) in the soaking-scalding and defeathering area. B. cereus, P. aeruginosa, and S. aureus represented only a small proportion of the microbial population (1,900 to 20 CFU/m(3)). L. monocytogenes and Salmonella were rarely detected in evisceration, precooling, subdividing, and packing areas. Our study identified the levels of bioaerosols that may affect chicken product quality. This finding could be useful for improved control of microbial contamination to ensure product quality.

Development of a stained cell nuclei counting system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Timilsina, Niranjan; Moffatt, Christopher; Okada, Kazunori

2011-03-01

This paper presents a novel cell counting system which exploits the Fast Radial Symmetry Transformation (FRST) algorithm [1]. The driving force behind our system is a research on neurogenesis in the intact nervous system of Manduca Sexta or the Tobacco Hornworm, which was being studied to assess the impact of age, food and environment on neurogenesis. The varying thickness of the intact nervous system in this species often yields images with inhomogeneous background and inconsistencies such as varying illumination, variable contrast, and irregular cell size. For automated counting, such inhomogeneity and inconsistencies must be addressed, which no existing work has done successfully. Thus, our goal is to devise a new cell counting algorithm for the images with non-uniform background. Our solution adapts FRST: a computer vision algorithm which is designed to detect points of interest on circular regions such as human eyes. This algorithm enhances the occurrences of the stained-cell nuclei in 2D digital images and negates the problems caused by their inhomogeneity. Besides FRST, our algorithm employs standard image processing methods, such as mathematical morphology and connected component analysis. We have evaluated the developed cell counting system with fourteen digital images of Tobacco Hornworm's nervous system collected for this study with ground-truth cell counts by biology experts. Experimental results show that our system has a minimum error of 1.41% and mean error of 16.68% which is at least forty-four percent better than the algorithm without FRST.

Multiparameter linear least-squares fitting to Poisson data one count at a time

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wheaton, Wm. A.; Dunklee, Alfred L.; Jacobsen, Allan S.; Ling, James C.; Mahoney, William A.; Radocinski, Robert G.

1995-01-01

A standard problem in gamma-ray astronomy data analysis is the decomposition of a set of observed counts, described by Poisson statistics, according to a given multicomponent linear model, with underlying physical count rates or fluxes which are to be estimated from the data. Despite its conceptual simplicity, the linear least-squares (LLSQ) method for solving this problem has generally been limited to situations in which the number n(sub i) of counts in each bin i is not too small, conventionally more than 5-30. It seems to be widely believed that the failure of the LLSQ method for small counts is due to the failure of the Poisson distribution to be even approximately normal for small numbers. The cause is more accurately the strong anticorrelation between the data and the wieghts w(sub i) in the weighted LLSQ method when square root of n(sub i) instead of square root of bar-n(sub i) is used to approximate the uncertainties, sigma(sub i), in the data, where bar-n(sub i) = E(n(sub i)), the expected value of N(sub i). We show in an appendix that, avoiding this approximation, the correct equations for the Poisson LLSQ (PLLSQ) problems are actually identical to those for the maximum likelihood estimate using the exact Poisson distribution. We apply the method to solve a problem in high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy for the JPL High-Resolution Gamma-Ray Spectrometer flown on HEAO 3. Systematic error in subtracting the strong, highly variable background encountered in the low-energy gamma-ray region can be significantly reduced by closely pairing source and background data in short segments. Significant results can be built up by weighted averaging of the net fluxes obtained from the subtraction of many individual source/background pairs. Extension of the approach to complex situations, with multiple cosmic sources and realistic background parameterizations, requires a means of efficiently fitting to data from single scans in the narrow (approximately = 1.2 keV, HEAO 3) energy channels of a Ge spectrometer, where the expected number of counts obtained per scan may be very low. Such an analysis system is discussed and compared to the method previously used.

Comparison of bacteria populations in clean and recycled sand used for bedding in dairy facilities.

PubMed

Kristula, M A; Rogers, W; Hogan, J S; Sabo, M

2005-12-01

Bedding samples were collected twice from commercial dairy free-stall facilities that used recycled sand and clean sand in both the summer and winter. Collection began on the day sand was taken from the pile (d 0) and placed in the free stalls, and continued for 5 to 7 additional days. The number of colonies per gram of bedding of gram-negative bacteria, coliforms, Streptococcus spp., and Klebsiella spp. were estimated for each sand sample as well as amounts of dry and organic matter. Clean sand (CS) and recycled sand (RS) had the same bacterial counts when compared at any sampling time. The mean counts of bacterial populations did vary over the course of the study in both CS and RS. There was a significant increase in bacterial counts from d 0 to d 1 for gram-negative bacteria, coliforms, and Streptococcus spp. in both winter and summer. Counts of gram-negative bacteria, coliforms, Klebsiella spp., and Streptococcus spp. did not differ from d 1 to 7 in the winter. Total counts of gram-negative bacteria did not differ from d 1 to 7 in the summer. On d 1 in the summer, coliform counts were lower than at d 5 to 7, and Klebsiella spp. counts were lower than on d 3 to 7. Streptococcus spp. counts were high on d 1 and were constant through d 7 in both winter and summer trials. The number of coliform and Klebsiella spp. in both CS and RS was below the threshold thought to cause mastitis during the sampling times. The number of Streptococcus spp. was high in both CS and RS during the sampling periods. Other management factors need to be identified to decrease the number of Streptococcus spp. in bedding. Recycled sand had a higher organic matter and lower dry matter compared with CS in winter and summer. The results for this study were obtained from multiple herd comparisons, and herd was a significant effect suggesting that different management systems influence the number and types of bacteria in both CS and RS.

Position-sensitive, fast ionization chambers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, J.; Afanasieva, L.; Blackmon, J. C.; Deibel, C. M.; Gardiner, H. E.; Lauer, A.; Linhardt, L. E.; Macon, K. T.; Rasco, B. C.; Williams, C.; Santiago-Gonzalez, D.; Kuvin, S. A.; Almaraz-Calderon, S.; Baby, L. T.; Baker, J.; Belarge, J.; Wiedenhöver, I.; Need, E.; Avila, M. L.; Back, B. B.; DiGiovine, B.; Hoffman, C. R.

2018-05-01

A high-count-rate ionization chamber design with position-sensitivity has been developed and deployed at several accelerator facilities. Counting rates of ≥ 500 kHz with good Z-separation (up to 5% energy resolution) for particle identification have been demonstrated in a series of commissioning experiments. A position-sensitive capability, with a resolution of 3 mm, has been implemented for the first time to record position information and suppress pileup. The design and performance of the detectors are described.

Central Stars of Planetary Nebulae in the LMC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bianchi, Luciana

2004-01-01

In FUSE cycle 2's program B001 we studied Central Stars of Planetary Nebulae (CSPN) in the Large Magellanic Could. All FUSE observations have been successfully completed and have been reduced, analyzed and published. The analysis and the results are summarized below. The FUSE data were reduced using the latest available version of the FUSE calibration pipeline (CALFUSE v2.2.2). The flux of these LMC post-AGB objects is at the threshold of FUSE's sensitivity, and thus special care in the background subtraction was needed during the reduction. Because of their faintness, the targets required many orbit-long exposures, each of which typically had low (target) count-rates. Each calibrated extracted sequence was checked for unacceptable count-rate variations (a sign of detector drift), misplaced extraction windows, and other anomalies. All the good calibrated exposures were combined using FUSE pipeline routines. The default FUSE pipeline attempts to model the background measured off-target and subtracts it from the target spectrum. We found that, for these faint objects, the background appeared to be over-estimated by this method, particularly at shorter wavelengths (i.e., < 1000 A). We therefore tried two other reductions. In the first method, subtraction of the measured background is turned off and and the background is taken to be the model scattered-light scaled by the exposure time. In the second one, the first few steps of the pipeline were run on the individual exposures (correcting for effects unique to each exposure such as Doppler shift, grating motions, etc). Then the photon lists from the individual exposures were combined, and the remaining steps of the pipeline run on the combined file. Thus, more total counts for both the target and background allowed for a better extraction.

Background-free beta-decay half-life measurements by in-trap decay and high-resolution MR-ToF mass analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolf, R. N.; Atanasov, D.; Blaum, K.; Kreim, S.; Lunney, D.; Manea, V.; Rosenbusch, M.; Schweikhard, L.; Welker, A.; Wienholtz, F.; Zuber, K.

2016-06-01

In-trap decay in ISOLTRAP's radiofrequency quadrupole (RFQ) ion beam cooler and buncher was used to determine the lifetime of short-lived nuclides. After various storage times, the remaining mother nuclides were mass separated from accompanying isobaric contaminations by the multi-reflection time-of-flight mass separator (MR-ToF MS), allowing for a background-free ion counting. A feasibility study with several online measurements shows that the applications of the ISOLTRAP setup can be further extended by exploiting the high resolving power of the MR-ToF MS in combination with in-trap decay and single-ion counting.

Progress towards barium daughter tagging in Xe136 decay using single molecule fluorescence imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonald, Austin; NEXT Collaboration

2017-09-01

The existence of Majorana fermions is of great interest as it may be related to the asymmetry between matter and anti-matter particles in the universe. However, the search for them has proven to be a difficult one. Neutrino-less Double Beta decay (NLDB) offers a possible opportunity for direct observation of a Majorana Fermion. The rate for NLDB decay may be as low as 1 count /ton /year if the mass ordering is inverted. Current detector technologies have background rates between 4 to 300 count /ton /year /ROI at the 100kg scale which is much larger than the universal goal of 0.1 count /ton /year /ROI desired for ton-scale detectors. The premise of my research is to develop new detector technologies that will allow for a background-free experiment. My current work is to develop a sensor that will tag the daughter ion Ba++ from the Xe136 decay. The development of a sensor that is sensitive to single barium ion detection based on the single molecule fluorescence imaging technique is the major focus of this work. If successful, this could provide a path to a background-free experiment.

Progress towards barium daughter tagging in Xe136 decay using single molecule fluorescence imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonald, Austin; Jones, Ben; Benson, Jordan; Nygren, David; NEXT Collaboration

2017-01-01

The existence of Majorana Fermions has been predicted, and is of great interest as it may be related to the asymmetry between matter and anti-matter particles in the universe. However, the search for them has proven to be a difficult one. Neutrino-less Double Beta decay (NLDB) offers a possible opportunity for direct observation of a Majorana Fermion. The rate for NLDB decay may be as low as 1 count / ton / year . Current detector technologies have background rates between 4 to 300 count / ton / year / ROI which is much larger than the universal goal of 0 . 1 count / ton / year / ROI desired for ton-scale detectors. The premise of my research is to develop new detector technologies that will allow for a background-free experiment. My current work is to develop a sensor that will tag the daughter ion Ba++ from the Xe136 decay. The development of a sensor that is sensitive to single barium ion detection based on the single molecule fluorescence imaging technique is the major focus of this work. If successful, this could provide a path to a background-free experiment.

Particle radiation near the orbit of the Vacuum Wake Shield

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bering, Edgar A., III; Ignatiev, Alex

1990-01-01

The particle populations that are expected to inflict the most damage on thin film materials grown on the vacuum Wake Shield Facility (WSF) are ions and energetic neutral atoms with energies in the range of 100 eV to 20 keV. The production of films that have an order of magnitude fewer defects than are now available requires that the 1-keV particle flux be kept lower than 1000 particles/(sq cm s sr keV) (assuming a reasonable spectral shape). WSF will be flown on orbits with an inclination of 28 deg at altitudes of 300-700 km. Because of the background counting rate produced by the about 100 MeV trapped protons in the inner belt, obtaining accurate measurements of the particles of interest is very difficult. The quiet-time background fluxes of the relevant particles are not presently known. At times of magnetic activity, fluxes of 0.1-17 keV O(+) ions as great as 10 million ions/(sq cm s sr keV) have been observed flowing out of the ionosphere at these latitudes. It appears that instrumentation for detailed assessment is essential for the proof-of-concept flight(s) and that real-time monitoring of low-energy ion and energetic neutral radiation will be required for the production flights.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hall, Jeter C.; Aalseth, Craig E.; Bonicalzi, Ricco

Age dating groundwater and seawater using 39Ar/Ar ratios is an important tool to understand water mass flow rates and mean residence time. For modern or contemporary argon, the 39Ar activity is 1.8 mBq per liter of argon. Radiation measurements at these activity levels require ultra low-background detectors. Low-background proportional counters have been developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. These detectors use traditional mixtures of argon and methane as counting gas, and the residual 39Ar from commercial argon has become a predominant source of background activity in these detectors. We demonstrated sensitivity to 39Ar by using geological or ancient argon frommore » gas wells in place of commercial argon. The low level counting performance of these proportional counters is then demonstrated for sensitivities to 39Ar/Ar ratios sufficient to date water masses as old as 1000 years.« less

Effect of background correction on peak detection and quantification in online comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography using diode array detection.

PubMed

Allen, Robert C; John, Mallory G; Rutan, Sarah C; Filgueira, Marcelo R; Carr, Peter W

2012-09-07

A singular value decomposition-based background correction (SVD-BC) technique is proposed for the reduction of background contributions in online comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography (LC×LC) data. The SVD-BC technique was compared to simply subtracting a blank chromatogram from a sample chromatogram and to a previously reported background correction technique for one dimensional chromatography, which uses an asymmetric weighted least squares (AWLS) approach. AWLS was the only background correction technique to completely remove the background artifacts from the samples as evaluated by visual inspection. However, the SVD-BC technique greatly reduced or eliminated the background artifacts as well and preserved the peak intensity better than AWLS. The loss in peak intensity by AWLS resulted in lower peak counts at the detection thresholds established using standards samples. However, the SVD-BC technique was found to introduce noise which led to detection of false peaks at the lower detection thresholds. As a result, the AWLS technique gave more precise peak counts than the SVD-BC technique, particularly at the lower detection thresholds. While the AWLS technique resulted in more consistent percent residual standard deviation values, a statistical improvement in peak quantification after background correction was not found regardless of the background correction technique used. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Low Background Signal Readout Electronics for the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guinn, I.; Abgrall, N.; Arnquist, Isaac J.

2015-03-18

The Majorana Demonstrator (MJD)[1] is an array of p-type point contact (PPC) high purity Germanium (HPGe) detectors intended to search for neutrinoless double beta decay (0vBB decay) in 76Ge. MJD will consist of 40 kg of detectors, 30 kg of which will be isotopically enriched to 87% 76Ge. The array will consist of 14 strings of four or ve detectors placed in two separate cryostats. One of the main goals of the experiment is to demonstrate the feasibility of building a tonne-scale array of detectors to search for 0vBB decay with a much higher sensitivity. This involves acheiving backgrounds inmore » the 4 keV region of interest (ROI) around the 2039 keV Q-value of the BB decay of less than 1 count/ROI-t-y. Because many backgrounds will not directly scale with detector mass, the specific background goal of MJD is less than 3 counts/ROI-t-y.« less

Improved detection of radioactive material using a series of measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mann, Jenelle

The goal of this project is to develop improved algorithms for detection of radioactive sources that have low signal compared to background. The detection of low signal sources is of interest in national security applications where the source may have weak ionizing radiation emissions, is heavily shielded, or the counting time is short (such as portal monitoring). Traditionally to distinguish signal from background the decision threshold (y*) is calculated by taking a long background count and limiting the false negative error (alpha error) to 5%. Some problems with this method include: background is constantly changing due to natural environmental fluctuations and large amounts of data are being taken as the detector continuously scans that are not utilized. Rather than looking at a single measurement, this work investigates looking at a series of N measurements and develops an appropriate decision threshold for exceeding the decision threshold n times in a series of N. This methodology is investigated for a rectangular, triangular, sinusoidal, Poisson, and Gaussian distribution.

Legionella and risk management in hospitals-A bibliographic research methodology for people responsible for built environment and facility management.

PubMed

Leiblein, Thomas W; Tucker, Matthew; Ashall, Mal; Lee, Susanne B; Gollnisch, Carsten; Hofer, Susanne

2016-11-01

An ongoing research project investigates the roles and duties of persons responsible for the built environment with respect to risk management of water systems and Legionella prevention from a facility management's perspective. Our literature review provides an approach for selecting and analysing abstracts of initially 177 journal articles, subjected to certain topic-specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Different decision strategies of either logic 'yes/no', Boolean operators 'OR' or 'AND' and decisions for single counts or cumulative counts of the identified three principal keywords 'Legionella', 'hospital' and 'water', were completed. A final list of ten principal reference articles from 29 journals was compiled. It suggests that the interconnected perspective of water systems, Legionella and hospitals seems to be underrepresented in the field of the built environment and facility management. The term 'stakeholder', which would refer to decision-makers, was not found more than once. Our result is a useful summary of established sources of information on environmental Legionella research. The results can be helpful for those new to the topic. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

LPT. Shield test facility (TAN645 and 646). Sections show relationships ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

LPT. Shield test facility (TAN-645 and -646). Sections show relationships among control rooms, coupling station, counting rooms, pools, equipment rooms, data room and other areas. Ralph M. Parsons 1229-17 ANP/GE-6-645-A-4. April 1957. Approved by INEEL Classification Office for public release. INEEL index code no. 037-0645/0646-00-693-107350 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Test Area North, Scoville, Butte County, ID

Accurate 238U(n , 2 n )237U reaction cross-section measurements from 6.5 to 14.8 MeV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishichayan, Bhike, M.; Tornow, W.; Tonchev, A. P.; Kawano, T.

2017-10-01

The cross section for the 238U(n ,2 n )237U reaction has been measured in the incident neutron energy range from 6.5 to 14.8 MeV in small energy steps using an activation technique. Monoenergetic neutron beams were produced via the 2H(d ,n )3He and 3H(d ,n )4He reactions. 238U targets were activated along with Au and Al monitor foils to determine the incident neutron flux. The activity of the reaction products was measured in TUNL's low-background counting facility using high-resolution γ -ray spectroscopy. The results are compared with previous measurements and latest data evaluations. Statistical-model calculations, based on the Hauser-Feshbach formalism, have been carried out using the CoH3 code and are compared with the experimental results. The present self-consistent and high-quality data are important for stockpile stewardship and nuclear forensic purposes as well as for the design and operation of fast reactors.

Search for the β decay of 96Zr

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finch, S. W.; Tornow, W.

2016-01-01

96Zr and 48Ca are unique among double-β decay candidate nuclides in that they may also undergo single-β decay. In the case of 96Zr, the single-β decay mode is dominated by the fourth-forbidden β decay with a 119 keV Q value. A search was conducted for the β decay of 96Zr by observing the decay of the daughter 96Nb nucleus. Two coaxial high-purity germanium detectors were used in coincidence to detect the γ-ray cascade produced by the daughter nucleus as it de-excited to the ground state. The experiment was carried out at the Kimballton Underground Research Facility and produced 685.7 days of data with a 17.91 g enriched sample. No counts were seen above background, producing a limit of T1/2 > 2.4 ×1019 year. This is the first experimental search that is able to discern between the β decay and the double-β decay to an excited state of 96Zr.

Activation measurement of the 3He(alpha,gamma)7Be cross section at low energy.

PubMed

Bemmerer, D; Confortola, F; Costantini, H; Formicola, A; Gyürky, Gy; Bonetti, R; Broggini, C; Corvisiero, P; Elekes, Z; Fülöp, Zs; Gervino, G; Guglielmetti, A; Gustavino, C; Imbriani, G; Junker, M; Laubenstein, M; Lemut, A; Limata, B; Lozza, V; Marta, M; Menegazzo, R; Prati, P; Roca, V; Rolfs, C; Alvarez, C Rossi; Somorjai, E; Straniero, O; Strieder, F; Terrasi, F; Trautvetter, H P

2006-09-22

The nuclear physics input from the 3He(alpha,gamma)7Be cross section is a major uncertainty in the fluxes of 7Be and 8B neutrinos from the Sun predicted by solar models and in the 7Li abundance obtained in big-bang nucleosynthesis calculations. The present work reports on a new precision experiment using the activation technique at energies directly relevant to big-bang nucleosynthesis. Previously such low energies had been reached experimentally only by the prompt-gamma technique and with inferior precision. Using a windowless gas target, high beam intensity, and low background gamma-counting facilities, the 3He(alpha,gamma)7Be cross section has been determined at 127, 148, and 169 keV center-of-mass energy with a total uncertainty of 4%. The sources of systematic uncertainty are discussed in detail. The present data can be used in big-bang nucleosynthesis calculations and to constrain the extrapolation of the 3He(alpha,gamma)7Be astrophysical S factor to solar energies.

Fast x-ray detector system with simultaneous measurement of timing and energy for a single photon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masuda, T.; Okubo, S.; Hara, H.; Hiraki, T.; Kitao, S.; Miyamoto, Y.; Okai, K.; Ozaki, R.; Sasao, N.; Seto, M.; Uetake, S.; Yamaguchi, A.; Yoda, Y.; Yoshimi, A.; Yoshimura, K.

2017-06-01

We developed a fast X-ray detector system for nuclear resonant scattering (NRS) experiments. Our system employs silicon avalanche photo-diode (Si-APD) as a fast X-ray sensor. The system is able to acquire both timing and energy of a single X-ray photon simultaneously in a high rate condition, 106 counts per second for one Si-APD. The performance of the system was investigated in SPring-8, a synchrotron radiation facility in Japan. Good time resolution of 120 ps (FWHM) was achieved with a slight tail distribution in the time spectrum by a level of 10-9 at 1 ns apart from the peak. Using this system, we successfully observed the NRS from the 26.27-keV level of mercury-201, which has a half-life of 630(50) ps. We also demonstrated the reduction of background events caused by radioactive decays in a radioactive sample by discriminating photon energy.

Fast x-ray detector system with simultaneous measurement of timing and energy for a single photon.

PubMed

Masuda, T; Okubo, S; Hara, H; Hiraki, T; Kitao, S; Miyamoto, Y; Okai, K; Ozaki, R; Sasao, N; Seto, M; Uetake, S; Yamaguchi, A; Yoda, Y; Yoshimi, A; Yoshimura, K

2017-06-01

We developed a fast X-ray detector system for nuclear resonant scattering (NRS) experiments. Our system employs silicon avalanche photo-diode (Si-APD) as a fast X-ray sensor. The system is able to acquire both timing and energy of a single X-ray photon simultaneously in a high rate condition, 10 6 counts per second for one Si-APD. The performance of the system was investigated in SPring-8, a synchrotron radiation facility in Japan. Good time resolution of 120 ps (FWHM) was achieved with a slight tail distribution in the time spectrum by a level of 10 -9 at 1 ns apart from the peak. Using this system, we successfully observed the NRS from the 26.27-keV level of mercury-201, which has a half-life of 630(50) ps. We also demonstrated the reduction of background events caused by radioactive decays in a radioactive sample by discriminating photon energy.

Aging and Visual Counting

PubMed Central

Li, Roger W.; MacKeben, Manfred; Chat, Sandy W.; Kumar, Maya; Ngo, Charlie; Levi, Dennis M.

2010-01-01

Background Much previous work on how normal aging affects visual enumeration has been focused on the response time required to enumerate, with unlimited stimulus duration. There is a fundamental question, not yet addressed, of how many visual items the aging visual system can enumerate in a “single glance”, without the confounding influence of eye movements. Methodology/Principal Findings We recruited 104 observers with normal vision across the age span (age 21–85). They were briefly (200 ms) presented with a number of well- separated black dots against a gray background on a monitor screen, and were asked to judge the number of dots. By limiting the stimulus presentation time, we can determine the maximum number of visual items an observer can correctly enumerate at a criterion level of performance (counting threshold, defined as the number of visual items at which ≈63% correct rate on a psychometric curve), without confounding by eye movements. Our findings reveal a 30% decrease in the mean counting threshold of the oldest group (age 61–85: ∼5 dots) when compared with the youngest groups (age 21–40: 7 dots). Surprisingly, despite decreased counting threshold, on average counting accuracy function (defined as the mean number of dots reported for each number tested) is largely unaffected by age, reflecting that the threshold loss can be primarily attributed to increased random errors. We further expanded this interesting finding to show that both young and old adults tend to over-count small numbers, but older observers over-count more. Conclusion/Significance Here we show that age reduces the ability to correctly enumerate in a glance, but the accuracy (veridicality), on average, remains unchanged with advancing age. Control experiments indicate that the degraded performance cannot be explained by optical, retinal or other perceptual factors, but is cortical in origin. PMID:20976149

33 CFR 105.305 - Facility Security Assessment (FSA) requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Facility Security Assessment (FSA... SECURITY MARITIME SECURITY MARITIME SECURITY: FACILITIES Facility Security Assessment (FSA) § 105.305 Facility Security Assessment (FSA) requirements. (a) Background. The facility owner or operator must ensure...

33 CFR 105.305 - Facility Security Assessment (FSA) requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Facility Security Assessment (FSA... SECURITY MARITIME SECURITY MARITIME SECURITY: FACILITIES Facility Security Assessment (FSA) § 105.305 Facility Security Assessment (FSA) requirements. (a) Background. The facility owner or operator must ensure...

33 CFR 105.305 - Facility Security Assessment (FSA) requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Facility Security Assessment (FSA... SECURITY MARITIME SECURITY MARITIME SECURITY: FACILITIES Facility Security Assessment (FSA) § 105.305 Facility Security Assessment (FSA) requirements. (a) Background. The facility owner or operator must ensure...

33 CFR 105.305 - Facility Security Assessment (FSA) requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Facility Security Assessment (FSA... SECURITY MARITIME SECURITY MARITIME SECURITY: FACILITIES Facility Security Assessment (FSA) § 105.305 Facility Security Assessment (FSA) requirements. (a) Background. The facility owner or operator must ensure...

33 CFR 105.305 - Facility Security Assessment (FSA) requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Facility Security Assessment (FSA... SECURITY MARITIME SECURITY MARITIME SECURITY: FACILITIES Facility Security Assessment (FSA) § 105.305 Facility Security Assessment (FSA) requirements. (a) Background. The facility owner or operator must ensure...

Skull counting in late stages after internal contamination by actinides.

PubMed

Tani, Kotaro; Shutt, Arron; Kurihara, Osamu; Kosako, Toshiso

2015-02-01

Monitoring preparation for internal contamination with actinides (e.g. Pu and Am) is required to assess internal doses at nuclear fuel cycle-related facilities. In this paper, the authors focus on skull counting in case of single-incident inhalation of (241)Am and propose an effective procedure for skull counting with an existing system, taking into account the biokinetic behaviour of (241)Am in the human body. The predicted response of the system to skull counting under a certain counting geometry was found to be only ∼1.0 × 10(-5) cps Bq(-1) 1y after intake. However, this disadvantage could be remedied by repeated measurements of the skull during the late stage of the intake due to the predicted response reaching a plateau at about the 1000th day after exposure and exceeding that in the lung counting. Further studies are needed for the development of a new detection system with higher sensitivity to perform reliable internal dose estimations based on direct measurements. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Reducing the Child Poverty Rate. KIDS COUNT Indicator Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shore, Rima; Shore, Barbara

2009-01-01

In 2007, nearly one in five or 18 percent of children in the U.S. lived in poverty (KIDS COUNT Data Center, 2009). Many of these children come from minority backgrounds. African American (35 percent), American Indian (33 percent) and Latino (27 percent) children are more likely to live in poverty than their white (11 percent) and Asian (12…

Cosmic-ray effects on diffuse gamma-ray measurements.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fishman, G. J.

1972-01-01

Evaluation of calculations and experimental evidence from 600-MeV proton irradiation indicating that cosmic-ray-induced radioactivity in detectors used to measure the diffuse gamma-ray background produces a significant counting rate in the energy region around 1 MeV. It is concluded that these counts may be responsible for the observed flattening of the diffuse photon spectrum at this energy.

Retrospective determination of the contamination in the HML's counting chambers.

PubMed

Kramer, Gary H; Hauck, Barry; Capello, Kevin; Phan, Quoc

2008-09-01

The original documentation surrounding the purchase of the Human Monitoring Laboratory's (HML) counting chambers clearly showed that the steel contained low levels of radioactivity, presumably as a result of A-bomb fallout or perhaps to the inadvertent mixing of radioactive sources with scrap steel. Monte Carlo simulations have been combined with experimental measurements to estimate the level of contamination in the steel of the HML's whole body counting chamber. A 24-h empty chamber background count showed the presence of 137Cs and 60Co. The estimated activity of 137Cs in the 51 tons of steel was 2.7 kBq in 2007 (51.3 microBq g(-1) steel) which would have been 8 kBq at the time of manufacture. The 60Co that was found in the background spectrum is postulated to be contained in the bed-frame. The estimated amount in 2007 was 5 Bq and its origin is likely to be contaminated scrap metal entering the steel production cycle sometime in the past. The estimated activities are 10 to 25 times higher than the estimated minimum detectable activity for this measurement. These amounts have no impact on the usefulness of the whole body counter.

Optimizing traffic counting procedures.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1986-01-01

Estimates of annual average daily traffic volumes are important in the planning and operations of state highway departments. These estimates are used in the planning of new construction and improvement of existing facilities, and, in some cases, in t...

A Next Generation Digital Counting System For Low-Level Tritium Studies (Project Report)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bowman, P.

2016-10-03

Since the early seventies, SRNL has pioneered low-level tritium analysis using various nuclear counting technologies and techniques. Since 1999, SRNL has successfully performed routine low-level tritium analyses with counting systems based on digital signal processor (DSP) modules developed in the late 1990s. Each of these counting systems are complex, unique to SRNL, and fully dedicated to performing routine tritium analyses of low-level environmental samples. It is time to modernize these systems due to a variety of issues including (1) age, (2) lack of direct replacement electronics modules and (3) advances in digital signal processing and computer technology. There has beenmore » considerable development in many areas associated with the enterprise of performing low-level tritium analyses. The objective of this LDRD project was to design, build, and demonstrate a Next Generation Tritium Counting System (NGTCS), while not disrupting the routine low-level tritium analyses underway in the facility on the legacy counting systems. The work involved (1) developing a test bed for building and testing new counting system hardware that does not interfere with our routine analyses, (2) testing a new counting system based on a modern state of the art DSP module, and (3) evolving the low-level tritium counter design to reflect the state of the science.« less

Performance testing of radiobioassay laboratories: In vivo measurements, Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

MacLellan, J.A.; Traub, R.J.; Olsen, P.C.

1990-04-01

A study of two rounds of in vivo laboratory performance testing was undertaken by Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) to determine the appropriateness of the in vivo performance criteria of draft American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard ANSI N13.3, Performance Criteria for Bioassay.'' The draft standard provides guidance to in vivo counting facilities regarding the sensitivity, precision, and accuracy of measurements for certain categories of commonly assayed radionuclides and critical regions of the body. This report concludes the testing program by presenting the results of the Round Two testing. Testing involved two types of measurements: chest counting for radionuclide detection inmore » the lung, and whole body counting for detection of uniformly distributed material. Each type of measurement was further divided into radionuclide categories as defined in the draft standard. The appropriateness of the draft standard criteria by measuring a laboratory's ability to attain them were judged by the results of both round One and Round Two testing. The testing determined that performance criteria are set at attainable levels, and the majority of in vivo monitoring facilities passed the criteria when complete results were submitted. 18 refs., 18 figs., 15 tabs.« less

Automated vehicle counting using image processing and machine learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meany, Sean; Eskew, Edward; Martinez-Castro, Rosana; Jang, Shinae

2017-04-01

Vehicle counting is used by the government to improve roadways and the flow of traffic, and by private businesses for purposes such as determining the value of locating a new store in an area. A vehicle count can be performed manually or automatically. Manual counting requires an individual to be on-site and tally the traffic electronically or by hand. However, this can lead to miscounts due to factors such as human error A common form of automatic counting involves pneumatic tubes, but pneumatic tubes disrupt traffic during installation and removal, and can be damaged by passing vehicles. Vehicle counting can also be performed via the use of a camera at the count site recording video of the traffic, with counting being performed manually post-recording or using automatic algorithms. This paper presents a low-cost procedure to perform automatic vehicle counting using remote video cameras with an automatic counting algorithm. The procedure would utilize a Raspberry Pi micro-computer to detect when a car is in a lane, and generate an accurate count of vehicle movements. The method utilized in this paper would use background subtraction to process the images and a machine learning algorithm to provide the count. This method avoids fatigue issues that are encountered in manual video counting and prevents the disruption of roadways that occurs when installing pneumatic tubes

The Increased Effectiveness of HIV Preventive Intervention among Men Who Have Sex with Men and of Follow-Up Care for People Living with HIV after ‘Task-Shifting’ to Community-Based Organizations: A ‘Cash on Service Delivery’ Model in China

PubMed Central

Yan, Hongjing; Zhang, Min; Zhao, Jinkou; Huan, Xiping; Ding, Jianping; Wu, Susu; Wang, Chenchen; Xu, Yuanyuan; Liu, Li; Xu, Fei; Yang, Haitao

2014-01-01

Background A large number of men who have sex with men (MSM) and people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) are underserved despite increased service availability from government facilities while many community based organizations (CBOs) are not involved. We aimed to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of the task shifting from government facilities to CBOs in China. Methods HIV preventive intervention for MSM and follow-up care for PLHA were shifted from government facilities to CBOs. Based on ‘cash on service delivery’ model, 10 USD per MSM tested for HIV with results notified, 82 USD per newly HIV cases diagnosed, and 50 USD per PLHA received a defined package of follow-up care services, were paid to the CBOs. Cash payments were made biannually based on the verified results in the national web-based HIV/AIDS information system. Findings After task shifting, CBOs gradually assumed preventive intervention for MSM and follow-up care for PLHA from 2008 to 2012. HIV testing coverage among MSM increased from 4.1% in 2008 to 22.7% in 2012. The baseline median CD4 counts of newly diagnosed HIV positive MSM increased from 309 to 397 cells/µL. HIV tests among MSM by CBOs accounted for less than 1% of the total HIV tests in Nanjing but the share of HIV cases detected by CBOs was 12.4% in 2008 and 43.6% in 2012. Unit cost per HIV case detected by CBOs was 47 times lower than that by government facilities. The coverage of CD4 tests and antiretroviral therapy increased from 71.1% and 78.6% in 2008 to 86.0% and 90.1% in 2012, respectively. Conclusion It is feasible to shift essential HIV services from government facilities to CBOs, and to verify independently service results to adopt ‘cash on service delivery’ model. Services provided by CBOs are cost-effective, as compared with that by government facilities. PMID:25050797

Detection of bremsstrahlung radiation of 90Sr-90Y for emergency lung counting.

PubMed

Ho, A; Hakmana Witharana, S S; Jonkmans, G; Li, L; Surette, R A; Dubeau, J; Dai, X

2012-09-01

This study explores the possibility of developing a field-deployable (90)Sr detector for rapid lung counting in emergency situations. The detection of beta-emitters (90)Sr and its daughter (90)Y inside the human lung via bremsstrahlung radiation was performed using a 3″ × 3″ NaI(Tl) crystal detector and a polyethylene-encapsulated source to emulate human lung tissue. The simulation results show that this method is a viable technique for detecting (90)Sr with a minimum detectable activity (MDA) of 1.07 × 10(4) Bq, using a realistic dual-shielded detector system in a 0.25-µGy h(-1) background field for a 100-s scan. The MDA is sufficiently sensitive to meet the requirement for emergency lung counting of Type S (90)Sr intake. The experimental data were verified using Monte Carlo calculations, including an estimate for internal bremsstrahlung, and an optimisation of the detector geometry was performed. Optimisations in background reduction techniques and in the electronic acquisition systems are suggested.

Detection and Estimation of an Optical Image by Photon-Counting Techniques. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Lily Lee

1973-01-01

Statistical description of a photoelectric detector is given. The photosensitive surface of the detector is divided into many small areas, and the moment generating function of the photo-counting statistic is derived for large time-bandwidth product. The detection of a specified optical image in the presence of the background light by using the hypothesis test is discussed. The ideal detector based on the likelihood ratio from a set of numbers of photoelectrons ejected from many small areas of the photosensitive surface is studied and compared with the threshold detector and a simple detector which is based on the likelihood ratio by counting the total number of photoelectrons from a finite area of the surface. The intensity of the image is assumed to be Gaussian distributed spatially against the uniformly distributed background light. The numerical approximation by the method of steepest descent is used, and the calculations of the reliabilities for the detectors are carried out by a digital computer.

Gross beta determination in drinking water using scintillating fiber array detector.

PubMed

Lv, Wen-Hui; Yi, Hong-Chang; Liu, Tong-Qing; Zeng, Zhi; Li, Jun-Li; Zhang, Hui; Ma, Hao

2018-04-04

A scintillating fiber array detector for measuring gross beta counting is developed to monitor the real-time radioactivity in drinking water. The detector, placed in a stainless-steel tank, consists of 1096 scintillating fibers, both sides of which are connected to a photomultiplier tube. The detector parameters, including working voltage, background counting rate and stability, are tested, and the detection efficiency is calibrated using standard potassium chloride solution. Water samples are measured with the detector and the results are compared with those by evaporation method. The results show consistency with those by evaporation method. The background counting rate of the detector is 38.131 ± 0.005 cps, and the detection efficiency for β particles is 0.37 ± 0.01 cps/(Bq/l). The MDAC of this system can be less than 1.0 Bq/l for β particles in 120 min without pre-concentration. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quick counting method for estimating the number of viable microbes on food and food processing equipment.

PubMed

Winter, F H; York, G K; el-Nakhal, H

1971-07-01

A rapid method for estimating the extent of microbial contamination on food and on food processing equipment is described. Microbial cells are rinsed from food or swab samples with sterile diluent and concentrated on the surface of membrane filters. The filters are incubated on a suitable bacteriological medium for 4 hr at 30 C, heated at 105 C for 5 min, and stained. The membranes are then dried at 60 C for 15 min, rendered transparent with immersion oil, and examined microscopically. Data obtained by the rapid method were compared with counts of the same samples determined by the standard plate count method. Over 60 comparisons resulted in a correlation coefficient of 0.906. Because the rapid technique can provide reliable microbiological count information in extremely short times, it can be a most useful tool in the routine evaluation of microbial contamination of food processing facilities and for some foods.

FACILITY 846, SOUTHEAST END ON LEFT, WITH FACILITY 845 ON ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

FACILITY 846, SOUTHEAST END ON LEFT, WITH FACILITY 845 ON RIGHT AND FACILITY 847 IN CENTER BACKGROUND, QUADRANGLE J, VIEW FACING NORTH. - Schofield Barracks Military Reservation, Quadrangles I & J Barracks Type, Between Wright-Smith & Capron Avenues near Williston Avenue, Wahiawa, Honolulu County, HI

A robust hypothesis test for the sensitive detection of constant speed radiation moving sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dumazert, Jonathan; Coulon, Romain; Kondrasovs, Vladimir; Boudergui, Karim; Moline, Yoann; Sannié, Guillaume; Gameiro, Jordan; Normand, Stéphane; Méchin, Laurence

2015-09-01

Radiation Portal Monitors are deployed in linear networks to detect radiological material in motion. As a complement to single and multichannel detection algorithms, inefficient under too low signal-to-noise ratios, temporal correlation algorithms have been introduced. Test hypothesis methods based on empirically estimated mean and variance of the signals delivered by the different channels have shown significant gain in terms of a tradeoff between detection sensitivity and false alarm probability. This paper discloses the concept of a new hypothesis test for temporal correlation detection methods, taking advantage of the Poisson nature of the registered counting signals, and establishes a benchmark between this test and its empirical counterpart. The simulation study validates that in the four relevant configurations of a pedestrian source carrier under respectively high and low count rate radioactive backgrounds, and a vehicle source carrier under the same respectively high and low count rate radioactive backgrounds, the newly introduced hypothesis test ensures a significantly improved compromise between sensitivity and false alarm. It also guarantees that the optimal coverage factor for this compromise remains stable regardless of signal-to-noise ratio variations between 2 and 0.8, therefore allowing the final user to parametrize the test with the sole prior knowledge of background amplitude.

A new approach to counting measurements: Addressing the problems with ISO-11929

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klumpp, John Allan; Poudel, Deepesh; Miller, Guthrie

We present an alternative approach to making counting measurements of radioactivity which offers probabilistic interpretations of the measurements. Unlike the approach in the current international standard (ISO-11929), our approach, which uses an assumed prior probability distribution of the true amount in the sample, is able to answer the question of interest for most users of the standard: “what is the probability distribution of the true amount in the sample, given the data?” The final interpretation of the measurement requires information not necessarily available at the measurement stage. However, we provide an analytical formula for what we term the “measurement strength”more » that depends only on measurement-stage count quantities. Here, we show that, when the sources are rare, the posterior odds that the sample true value exceeds ε are the measurement strength times the prior odds, independently of ε, the prior odds, and the distribution of the calibration coefficient. We recommend that the measurement lab immediately follow-up on unusually high samples using an “action threshold” on the measurement strength which is similar to the decision threshold recommended by the current standard. Finally, we further recommend that the measurement lab perform large background studies in order to characterize non constancy of background, including possible time correlation of background.« less

A new approach to counting measurements: Addressing the problems with ISO-11929

DOE PAGES

Klumpp, John Allan; Poudel, Deepesh; Miller, Guthrie

2017-12-23

We present an alternative approach to making counting measurements of radioactivity which offers probabilistic interpretations of the measurements. Unlike the approach in the current international standard (ISO-11929), our approach, which uses an assumed prior probability distribution of the true amount in the sample, is able to answer the question of interest for most users of the standard: “what is the probability distribution of the true amount in the sample, given the data?” The final interpretation of the measurement requires information not necessarily available at the measurement stage. However, we provide an analytical formula for what we term the “measurement strength”more » that depends only on measurement-stage count quantities. Here, we show that, when the sources are rare, the posterior odds that the sample true value exceeds ε are the measurement strength times the prior odds, independently of ε, the prior odds, and the distribution of the calibration coefficient. We recommend that the measurement lab immediately follow-up on unusually high samples using an “action threshold” on the measurement strength which is similar to the decision threshold recommended by the current standard. Finally, we further recommend that the measurement lab perform large background studies in order to characterize non constancy of background, including possible time correlation of background.« less

A new approach to counting measurements: Addressing the problems with ISO-11929

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klumpp, John; Miller, Guthrie; Poudel, Deepesh

2018-06-01

We present an alternative approach to making counting measurements of radioactivity which offers probabilistic interpretations of the measurements. Unlike the approach in the current international standard (ISO-11929), our approach, which uses an assumed prior probability distribution of the true amount in the sample, is able to answer the question of interest for most users of the standard: "what is the probability distribution of the true amount in the sample, given the data?" The final interpretation of the measurement requires information not necessarily available at the measurement stage. However, we provide an analytical formula for what we term the "measurement strength" that depends only on measurement-stage count quantities. We show that, when the sources are rare, the posterior odds that the sample true value exceeds ε are the measurement strength times the prior odds, independently of ε, the prior odds, and the distribution of the calibration coefficient. We recommend that the measurement lab immediately follow-up on unusually high samples using an "action threshold" on the measurement strength which is similar to the decision threshold recommended by the current standard. We further recommend that the measurement lab perform large background studies in order to characterize non constancy of background, including possible time correlation of background.

Low-background gamma-ray spectrometry for the international monitoring system

DOE PAGES

Greenwood, L. R.; Cantaloub, M. G.; Burnett, J. L.; ...

2016-12-28

PNNL has developed two low-background gamma-ray spectrometers in a new shallow underground laboratory, thereby significantly improving its ability to detect low levels of gamma-ray emitting fission or activation products in airborne particulate in samples from the IMS (International Monitoring System). Furthermore, the combination of cosmic veto panels, dry nitrogen gas to reduce radon and low background shielding results in a reduction of the background count rate by about a factor of 100 compared to detectors operating above ground at our laboratory.

Effects of Two Application Methods of Plantaricin BM-1 on Control of Listeria monocytogenes and Background Spoilage Bacteria in Sliced Vacuum-Packaged Cooked Ham Stored at 4°C.

PubMed

Zhou, Huimin; Xie, Yuanhong; Liu, Hui; Jin, Junhua; Duan, Huixia; Zhang, Hongxing

2015-10-01

Two application methods were used to investigate the effect of plantaricin BM-1 on the control of Listeria monocytogenes and background spoilage bacteria in sliced vacuum-packaged cooked ham without the addition of any chemical preservatives, including sodium nitrite, during 35 days of storage at 4°C. Regardless of the application method, plantaricin BM-1 treatment (320, 640, or 1,280 arbitrary units [AU]/g of sliced cooked ham) significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the survival of L. monocytogenes (inoculated at 4 log CFU/g of sliced ham) compared with its survival in the control during the first 21 days of storage at 4°C. The inhibitory effect of plantaricin applied to the surface of the ham was significantly better than the same concentration of plantaricin incorporated into the cooked ham (P < 0.0001) during storage. Even 320 AU/g plantaricin applied to the surface exhibited greater inhibition of L. monocytogenes than 1,280 AU/g plantaricin incorporated into the cooked ham on days 1, 14, and 28. A level of 1,280 AU/g plantaricin applied to the surface of the ham reduced L. monocytogenes counts to below the detection limit from the 1st to the 21st day of storage at 4°C. Afterwards, L. monocytogenes was able to regrow, and the viable counts of L. monocytogenes at the end of storage reached 2.76 log CFU/g (6.11 log CFU/g lower than in the control). In the control ham, the counts of background spoilage bacteria increased gradually and surpassed the microbiological spoilage limitation level on the 21st day of storage. However, plantaricin BM-1 treatment significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the survival of background spoilage bacteria in ham compared with their survival in the control from day 21 to 35 of storage at 4°C. A level of 1,280 AU/g plantaricin incorporated into cooked ham was the most effective, reducing the count of background spoilage bacteria count from an initial 2.0 log CFU/g to 1.5 log CFU/g on day 7. This was then maintained for another 14 days and finally increased to 2.76 log CFU/g at the end of the storage at 4°C (2.85 log CFU/g lower than in the control). In conclusion, plantaricin BM-1 application inhibited the growth of L. monocytogenes and background spoilage bacteria in cooked ham during storage at 4°C and could be used as an antimicrobial additive for meat preservation.

Effect of commercial hauling practices and tanker cleaning treatments on raw milk microbiological quality.

PubMed

Darchuk, Emily M; Waite-Cusic, Joy; Meunier-Goddik, Lisbeth

2015-10-01

Consolidation of the US milk industry has led to use of tankers for up to 24 h in between thorough cleanings. As the heavy use of tankers has not been previously studied, the effect of this form of hauling on raw milk quality is unknown. This study focused on the effect of frequent tanker use during hauling on raw milk quality at a commercial facility. Standard tanker use (cleaned-in-place once per 24 h) served as our control and incremental cleaning treatments (water rinse after each load, water rinse after each load with a sanitizer treatment after 12 h, and 12 h of sanitizer treatment) were added to the study to understand if any effect could be mitigated by more frequent cleaning. Producer samples were collected from the farm before loading milk into the tanker as well as sampling the same milk directly out of the tanker truck before unloading at the manufacturer. The study was repeated at 2 different dairy manufacturing facilities, once during the summer and once during the winter. Milk quality was quantified through industry-relevant microbiological tests: individual bacteria count, thermophilic spore count, and preliminary incubation count. Within the study we defined a negative effect on milk quality as a statistically significant difference between the tanker and producer samples in any of the 3 microbial tests conducted between treatments. Results from the study showed no clear effect due to hauling in individual bacteria count, thermophilic spore count, or preliminary incubation counts. There was also no difference in milk quality between the 2 plants, suggesting that neither season nor location affected our results in the standard use variable. As we did not see a negative effect on milk quality in the standard use variable, the addition of cleaning treatments did not appear to provide any clear benefit. Tanker surface swabs and ATP swabs were also used to monitor tanker sanitation and the efficacy of cleaning treatments. Both surface and ATP swabs revealed differences between cleaning efficacy at the 2 facilities. Although the differences in efficacy did not influence tanker milk quality within our study, variability in sanitation may provide a source of contamination that could negatively affect raw milk quality in other areas. Based on this study, current hauling practices appear to be effective in mitigating any measurable effect on raw milk quality; however, further investigation is needed before making industry-wide recommendations. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of a low-level 39Ar calibration standard – Analysis by absolute gas counting measurements augmented with simulation

DOE PAGES

Williams, Richard M.; Aalseth, C. E.; Brandenberger, J. M.; ...

2017-02-17

Here, this paper describes the generation of 39Ar, via reactor irradiation of potassium carbonate, followed by quantitative analysis (length-compensated proportional counting) to yield two calibration standards that are respectively 50 and 3 times atmospheric background levels. Measurements were performed in Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's shallow underground counting laboratory studying the effect of gas density on beta-transport; these results are compared with simulation. The total expanded uncertainty of the specific activity for the ~50 × 39Ar in P10 standard is 3.6% (k=2).

Development of a low-level 39Ar calibration standard – Analysis by absolute gas counting measurements augmented with simulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Williams, Richard M.; Aalseth, C. E.; Brandenberger, J. M.

Here, this paper describes the generation of 39Ar, via reactor irradiation of potassium carbonate, followed by quantitative analysis (length-compensated proportional counting) to yield two calibration standards that are respectively 50 and 3 times atmospheric background levels. Measurements were performed in Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's shallow underground counting laboratory studying the effect of gas density on beta-transport; these results are compared with simulation. The total expanded uncertainty of the specific activity for the ~50 × 39Ar in P10 standard is 3.6% (k=2).

29 CFR 531.55 - Examples of amounts not received as tips.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... section 3(m) and 3(t). Similarly, where negotiations between a hotel and a customer for banquet facilities include amounts for distribution to employees of the hotel, the amounts so distributed are not counted as...

21 CFR 1307.11 - Distribution by dispenser to another practitioner or reverse distributor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... distributions that a registered retail pharmacy makes to automated dispensing systems at long term care facilities for which the retail pharmacy also holds registrations do not count toward the 5 percent limit in...

21 CFR 1307.11 - Distribution by dispenser to another practitioner or reverse distributor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... distributions that a registered retail pharmacy makes to automated dispensing systems at long term care facilities for which the retail pharmacy also holds registrations do not count toward the 5 percent limit in...

21 CFR 1307.11 - Distribution by dispenser to another practitioner or reverse distributor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... distributions that a registered retail pharmacy makes to automated dispensing systems at long term care facilities for which the retail pharmacy also holds registrations do not count toward the 5 percent limit in...

21 CFR 1307.11 - Distribution by dispenser to another practitioner or reverse distributor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... distributions that a registered retail pharmacy makes to automated dispensing systems at long term care facilities for which the retail pharmacy also holds registrations do not count toward the 5 percent limit in...

Trace Elements: The Little Things that Count

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Gary W.

1977-01-01

Examines recent findings regarding the importance of trace elements to good health. Copper, chromium, and zinc are discussed. Described also are multi-disciplinary experiments in progress at the Human Nutrition Laboratory, a federal facility in Grand Forks, North Dakota. (CS)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hausladen, Paul; Blessinger, Christopher S; Guzzardo, Tyler

A complete understanding of both the steady state and transient background measured by Radiation Portal Monitors (RPMs) is essential to predictable system performance, as well as maximization of detection sensitivity. To facilitate this understanding, a test bed for the study of natural background in RPMs has been established at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This work was performed in support of the Second Line of Defense Program's mission to detect the illicit movement of nuclear material. In the present work, transient increases in gamma ray counting rates in RPMs due to rain are investigated. The increase in background activity associatedmore » with rain, which has been well documented in the field of environmental radioactivity, originates from the atmospheric deposition of two radioactive daughters of radon-222, namely lead-214 and bismuth-214 (henceforth {sup 222}Rn, {sup 214}Pb and {sup 214}Bi). In this study, rainfall rates recorded by a co-located weather station are compared with RPM count rates and High Purity Germanium spectra. The data verifies these radionuclides are responsible for the dominant transient natural background fluctuations in RPMs. Effects on system performance and potential mitigation strategies are discussed.« less

The Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis Facility at ICN—Pitesti

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bǎrbos, D.; Pǎunoiu, C.; Mladin, M.; Cosma, C.

2008-08-01

PGNAA is a very widely applicable technique for determining the presence and amount of many elements simultaneously in samples ranging in size from micrograms to many grams. PGNAA is characterized by its capability for nondestructive multi-elemental analysis and its ability to analyse elements that cannot be determined by INAA. By means of this PGNAA method we are able to increase the performace of INAA method. A facility has been developed at Institute for Nuclear Research—Piteşti so that the unique features of prompt gamma-ray neutron activation analysis can be used to measure trace and major elements in samples. The facility is linked at the radial neutron beam tube at ACPR-TRIGA reactor. During the PGNAA—facility is in use the ACPR reactor will be operated in steady-state mode at 250 KW maximum power. The facility consists of a radial beam-port, external sample position with shielding, and induced prompt gamma-ray counting system. Thermal neutron flux with energy lower than cadmium cut-off at the sample position was measured using thin gold foil is: φscd = 1.106 n/cm2/s with a cadmium ratio of:80. The gamma-ray detection system consist of an HpGe detector of 16% efficiency (detector model GC1518) with 1.85 keV resolution capability. The HpGe is mounted with its axis at 90° with respect to the incident neutron beam at distance about 200mm from the sample position. To establish the performance capabilities of the facility, irradiation of pure element or sample compound standards were performed to identify the gama-ray energies from each element and their count rates.

Evaluating the Implementation of Home-Based Videoconferencing for Providing Mental Health Services.

PubMed

Interian, Alejandro; King, Arlene R; St Hill, Lauren M; Robinson, Claire H; Damschroder, Laura J

2018-01-01

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has recently implemented video-to-home (V2H) telehealth as part of a strategy to improve access to mental health treatment. Implementation research of this modality is needed, given that V2H telehealth transforms the traditional face-to-face delivery of mental health services. To address this need, V2H implementation was evaluated by examining barriers and facilitators that were associated with level of staff V2H experience and factors that differentiated facilities with various levels of V2H performance. Semistructured interviews with VHA personnel (N=33) from three facilities were conducted. The facilities were selected by overall number of mental health V2H visits during fiscal year (FY) 2015 as well as by growth in number of visits from FY 2014 through FY 2015. Factors influencing implementation were identified through qualitative analyses that contrasted responses by groups of participants with three different levels of V2H experience (no experience, limited experience, most experience) as well as three facilities that differed in V2H productivity (high visit count, high visit growth, and low visit count and low visit growth). Providers seemed to encounter different barriers and facilitators depending on their level of experience with V2H. Site-level analyses illustrated the importance of logistical support, especially for providers who are newly adopting the technology. Other factors that differentiated the facilities were also identified and described. Key factors related to implementation of V2H telehealth pertained to provider buy-in and logistical support. Facility-level strategies that address these factors may enhance provider progression from nonuse to sustained use.

NASA Wallops Flight Facility Air-Sea Interaction Research Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Long, Steven R.

1992-01-01

This publication serves as an introduction to the Air-Sea Interaction Research Facility at NASA/GSFC/Wallops Flight Facility. The purpose of this publication is to provide background information on the research facility itself, including capabilities, available instrumentation, the types of experiments already done, ongoing experiments, and future plans.

Blade counting tool with a 3D borescope for turbine applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harding, Kevin G.; Gu, Jiajun; Tao, Li; Song, Guiju; Han, Jie

2014-07-01

Video borescopes are widely used for turbine and aviation engine inspection to guarantee the health of blades and prevent blade failure during running. When the moving components of a turbine engine are inspected with a video borescope, the operator must view every blade in a given stage. The blade counting tool is video interpretation software that runs simultaneously in the background during inspection. It identifies moving turbine blades in a video stream, tracks and counts the blades as they move across the screen. This approach includes blade detection to identify blades in different inspection scenarios and blade tracking to perceive blade movement even in hand-turning engine inspections. The software is able to label each blade by comparing counting results to a known blade count for the engine type and stage. On-screen indications show the borescope user labels for each blade and how many blades have been viewed as the turbine is rotated.

One Year Follow-Up of Children and Adolescents With Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) Treated With Rituximab

PubMed Central

Mueller, Brigitta U.; Bennett, Carolyn M.; Feldman, Henry A.; Bussel, James B.; Abshire, Thomas C.; Moore, Theodore B.; Sawaf, Hadi; Loh, Mignon L.; Rogers, Zora R.; Glader, Bertil E.; McCarthy, Maggie C.; Mahoney, Donald H.; Olson, Thomas A.; Feig, Stephen A.; Lorenzana, Adonis N.; Mentzer, William C.; Buchanan, George R.; Neufeld, Ellis J.

2017-01-01

Background We previously showed in a prospective study that rituximab appears to be effective in some children and adolescents with severe chronic immune thrombocytopenia. Eleven of 36 patients achieved and maintained platelet counts over 50,000/mm3 within the first 12 weeks. These patients were followed for the next year. Methods Platelet counts were monitored monthly and all subsequent bleeding manifestations and need for further treatment was noted. Results Eight of the 11 initial responders maintained a platelet count over 150,000/mm3 without further treatment intervention. Three patients had a late relapse. One initial non-responder achieved a remission after 16 weeks, and two additional patients maintained platelet counts around 50,000/mm3 without the need for further intervention. Conclusions Rituximab resulted in sustained efficacy with platelet counts of 50,000/mm3 or higher in 11 of 36 patients (31%). PMID:18937333

On the use of positron counting for radio-Assay in nuclear pharmaceutical production.

PubMed

Maneuski, D; Giacomelli, F; Lemaire, C; Pimlott, S; Plenevaux, A; Owens, J; O'Shea, V; Luxen, A

2017-07-01

Current techniques for the measurement of radioactivity at various points during PET radiopharmaceutical production and R&D are based on the detection of the annihilation gamma rays from the radionuclide in the labelled compound. The detection systems to measure these gamma rays are usually variations of NaI or CsF scintillation based systems requiring costly and heavy lead shielding to reduce background noise. These detectors inherently suffer from low detection efficiency, high background noise and very poor linearity. They are also unable to provide any reasonably useful position information. A novel positron counting technique is proposed for the radioactivity assay during radiopharmaceutical manufacturing that overcomes these limitations. Detection of positrons instead of gammas offers an unprecedented level of position resolution of the radiation source (down to sub-mm) thanks to the nature of the positron interaction with matter. Counting capability instead of charge integration in the detector brings the sensitivity down to the statistical limits at the same time as offering very high dynamic range and linearity from zero to any arbitrarily high activity. This paper reports on a quantitative comparison between conventional detector systems and the proposed positron counting detector. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Assessment of background hydrogen by the Monte Carlo computer code MCNP-4A during measurements of total body nitrogen.

PubMed

Ryde, S J; al-Agel, F A; Evans, C J; Hancock, D A

2000-05-01

The use of a hydrogen internal standard to enable the estimation of absolute mass during measurement of total body nitrogen by in vivo neutron activation is an established technique. Central to the technique is a determination of the H prompt gamma ray counts arising from the subject. In practice, interference counts from other sources--e.g., neutron shielding--are included. This study reports use of the Monte Carlo computer code, MCNP-4A, to investigate the interference counts arising from shielding both with and without a phantom containing a urea solution. Over a range of phantom size (depth 5 to 30 cm, width 20 to 40 cm), the counts arising from shielding increased by between 4% and 32% compared with the counts without a phantom. For any given depth, the counts increased approximately linearly with width. For any given width, there was little increase for depths exceeding 15 centimeters. The shielding counts comprised between 15% and 26% of those arising from the urea phantom. These results, although specific to the Swansea apparatus, suggest that extraneous hydrogen counts can be considerable and depend strongly on the subject's size.

Synthetic fiber production facilities: Background information for proposed standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodwin, D. R.

1982-10-01

Standards of performance to control emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from new, modified, and reconstructed synthetic fiber production facilities are being proposed under section III of the Clean Air Act. This document contains information on the background and authority, regulatory alternatives considered, and environmental and economic impacts of the regulatory alternatives.

Background-Oriented Schlieren Applications in NASA Glenn Research Center's Ground Test Facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clem, Michelle M.; Woike, Mark R.

2015-01-01

This is a presentation for an invited session at the 2015 SciTech Conference 53rd AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting. The presentation covers the recent applications of Background-Oriented Schlieren in NASA Glenn Research Center's ground test facilities, such as the 8x6 SWT, open jet rig, and AAPL.

Why is the conclusion of the Gerda experiment not justified

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klapdor-Kleingrothaus, H. V.; Krivosheina, I. V.

2013-12-01

The first results of the GERDA double beta experiment in Gran Sasso were recently presented. They are fully consistent with the HEIDELBERG-MOSCOW experiment, but because of its low statistics cannot proof anything at this moment. It is no surprise that the statistics is still far from being able to test the signal claimed by the HEIDELBERG-MOSCOW experiment. The energy resolution of the coaxial detectors is a factor of 1.5 worse than in the HEIDELBERG-MOSCOW experiment. The original goal of background reduction to 10-2 counts/kg y keV, or by an order of magnitude compared to the HEIDELBERG-MOSCOW experiment, has not been reached. The background is only a factor 2.3 lower if we refer it to the experimental line width, i.e. in units counts/kg y energy resolution. With pulse shape analysis ( PSA) the back-ground in the HEIDELBERG-MOSCOW experiment around Q ββ is 4 × 10-3 counts/kg y keV [1], which is a factor of 4 (5 referring to the line width) lower than that of GERDA with pulse shape analysis. The amount of enriched material used in the GERDA measurement is 14.6 kg, only a factor of 1.34 larger than that used in the HEIDELBERG-MOSCOW experiment. The background model is oversimplified and not yet adequate. It is not shown that the lines of their background can be identified. GERDA has to continue the measurement further ˜5 years, until they can responsibly present an understood background. The present half life limit presented by GERDA of T {1/2/0v} > 2.1 × 1025 y (90% confidence level, i.e. 1.6ρ) is still lower than the half-life of T {1/2/0v} = 2.23{-0.31/+0.44} × 1025 y [1] determined in the HEIDELBERG-MOSCOW experiment.

Verification survey report of the south waste tank farm training/test tower and hazardous waste storage lockers at the West Valley demonstration project, West Valley, New York

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weaver, Phyllis C.

A team from ORAU's Independent Environmental Assessment and Verification Program performed verification survey activities on the South Test Tower and four Hazardous Waste Storage Lockers. Scan data collected by ORAU determined that both the alpha and alpha-plus-beta activity was representative of radiological background conditions. The count rate distribution showed no outliers that would be indicative of alpha or alpha-plus-beta count rates in excess of background. It is the opinion of ORAU that independent verification data collected support the site?s conclusions that the South Tower and Lockers sufficiently meet the site criteria for release to recycle and reuse.

14 CFR 170.13 - Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) establishment criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... the present value of the ATCT life cycle benefits (BPV) to the present value of ATCT life cycle costs... traffic during the expected life of the tower facility. (An FAA annual count is a fiscal year or a...

14 CFR 170.13 - Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) establishment criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... the present value of the ATCT life cycle benefits (BPV) to the present value of ATCT life cycle costs... traffic during the expected life of the tower facility. (An FAA annual count is a fiscal year or a...

14 CFR 170.13 - Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) establishment criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... the present value of the ATCT life cycle benefits (BPV) to the present value of ATCT life cycle costs... traffic during the expected life of the tower facility. (An FAA annual count is a fiscal year or a...

14 CFR 170.13 - Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) establishment criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... the present value of the ATCT life cycle benefits (BPV) to the present value of ATCT life cycle costs... traffic during the expected life of the tower facility. (An FAA annual count is a fiscal year or a...

Development of estimation methodology for bicycle and pedestrian volumes based on existing counts.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-10-01

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) adopted the Bicycle and Pedestrian Policy directive in 2009 : stating that "...the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians shall be included in the planning, design, and operation of : transportation facil...

Gaps in monitoring systems for Implanon NXT services in South Africa: An assessment of 12 facilities in two districts

PubMed

Pillay, D; Morroni, C; Pleaner, M; Adeogba, O; Chersich, M; Naidoo, N; Mullick, S; Rees, H

2017-10-01

Background. Implanon NXT, a long-acting subdermal contraceptive implant, was introduced in South Africa (SA) in early 2014 as part of an expanded contraceptive method mix. After initial high levels of uptake, reports emerged of frequent early removals and declines in use. Monitoring of progress and challenges in implant service delivery could identify aspects of the programme that require strengthening. Objectives. To assess data management and record keeping within implant services at primary care facilities. Methods. We developed a checklist to assess the tools used for monitoring implant services and data reporting to district offices. The checklist was piloted in seven facilities. An additional six high-volume and six low-volume implant insertion clinics in the City of Johannesburg (CoJ), Gauteng Province, and the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District, North West Province, were selected for assessment. Results. All 12 facilities completed a Daily Head Count Register, which tallied the number of clients attending the clinic, but not information about implant use. A more detailed Tick Register recorded services that clinic attendees received, with nine documenting number of implant insertions and six implant removals. A more specific tool, an Insertion Checklist, collected data on insertion procedures and client characteristics, but was only used in CoJ (five of six facilities). Other registers, which were developed de novo by staff at individual facilities, captured more detailed information about insertions and removals, including reasons. Five of six low-volume insertion facilities used these registers, but only three of six high-volume facilities. No facilities used the form specifically developed by the National Department of Health for implant pharmacovigilance. Nine of 12 clinics reported data on numbers of insertions to the district office, six reported removals and none provided data on reasons for removals. Conclusion. For data to inform effective decision-making and quality improvement in implant services in SA, standardised reporting guidelines and data collection tools are needed, reinforced by staff training and quality assessment of data collection. Staff often took the initiative to fill gaps in reporting systems. Current systems are unable to accurately monitor uptake or discontinuation, or identify aspects of services requiring strengthening. Lack of pharmacovigilance data is especially concerning. Deficiencies noted in these monitoring systems may be common to family planning services more broadly, which warrants investigation. Creative Commons Attribution - NonCommercial Works License (CC BY-NC 4.0)

A randomized crossover trial to study the effect of personalized, one-to-one interaction using Montessori-based activities on agitation, affect, and engagement in nursing home residents with Dementia.

PubMed

van der Ploeg, Eva S; Eppingstall, Barbara; Camp, Cameron J; Runci, Susannah J; Taffe, John; O'Connor, Daniel W

2013-04-01

Increasingly more attention has been paid to non-pharmacological interventions as treatment of agitated behaviors that accompany dementia. The aim of the current study is to test if personalized one-to-one interaction activities based on Montessori principles will improve agitation, affect, and engagement more than a relevant control condition. We conducted a randomized crossover trial in nine residential facilities in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia (n = 44). Personalized one-to-one activities that were delivered using Montessori principles were compared with a non-personalized activity to control for the non-specific benefits of one-to-one interaction. Participants were observed 30 minutes before, during, and after the sessions. The presence or absence of a selected physically non-aggressive behavior was noted in every minute, together with the predominant type of affect and engagement. Behavior counts fell considerably during both the Montessori and control sessions relative to beforehand. During Montessori activities, the amount of time spend actively engaged was double compared to during the control condition and participants displayed more positive affect and interest as well. Participants with no fluency in English (all from non-English speaking backgrounds) showed a significantly larger reduction in agitation during the Montessori than control sessions. Our results show that even non-personalized social contact can assist in settling agitated residents. Tailoring activities to residents' needs and capabilities elicit more positive interactions and are especially suitable for people who have lost fluency in the language spoken predominantly in their residential facility. Future studies could explore implementation by family members and volunteers to avoid demands on facilities' resources. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry - ACTRN12609000564257.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deyglun, C.; Simony, B.; Perot, B.

The quantification of radioactive material is essential in the fields of safeguards, criticality control of nuclear processes, dismantling of nuclear facilities and components, or radioactive waste characterization. The Nuclear Measurement Laboratory (LMN) of CEA is involved in the development of time-correlated neutron detection techniques using plastic scintillators. Usually, 3He proportional counters are used for passive neutron coincidence counting owing to their high thermal neutron capture efficiency and gamma insensitivity. However, the global {sup 3}He shortage in the past few years has made these detectors extremely expensive. In addition, contrary to {sup 3}He counters for which a few tens of microsecondsmore » are needed to thermalize fast neutrons, in view to maximize the {sup 3}He(n,p){sup 3}H capture cross section, plastic scintillators are based on elastic scattering and therefore the light signal is formed within a few nanoseconds, correlated pulses being detected within a few dozen- or hundred nanoseconds. This time span reflects fission particles time of flight, which allows reducing accordingly the duration of the coincidence gate and thus the rate of random coincidences, which may totally blind fission coincidences when using {sup 3}He counters in case of a high (α,n) reaction rate. However, plastic scintillators are very sensitive to gamma rays, requiring the use of a thick metallic shield to reduce the corresponding background. Cross talk between detectors is also a major issue, which consists on the detection of one particle by several detectors due to elastic or inelastic scattering, leading to true but undesired coincidences. Data analysis algorithms are tested to minimize cross-talk in simultaneously activated detectors. The distinction between useful fission coincidences and the correlated background due to cross-talk, (α,n) and induced (n,2n) or (n,n'γ) reactions, is achieved by measuring 3-fold coincidences. The performances of a passive neutron coincidence counting system for radioactive waste drums using plastic scintillators have been studied using the Monte Carlo radiation transport code MCNPX-PoliMi v2.0 coupled to data processing algorithms developed with ROOT data analysis software. In addition to the correlated background, accidental coincidences are taken into account in the simulation by randomly merging pulses from different calculations with fission and (α,n) sources. (authors)« less

Search for two-neutrino double-β decay of 96Zr to excited states of 96Mo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finch, S. W.; Tornow, W.

2015-10-01

Background: Double-β decay is a rare second-order nuclear decay. The importance of this decay stems from the possibility of neutrinoless double-β decay and its applications to neutrino physics. Purpose: A search was conducted for the 2 ν β β decay of 96Zr to excited final states of the daughter nucleus, 96Mo. Measurements of this decay are important to test nuclear matrix element calculations, which are necessary to extract the neutrino mass from a measurement of the neutrinoless double-β decay half-life. Method: Two coaxial high-purity germanium detectors were used in coincidence to detect γ rays produced by the daughter nucleus as it de-excited to the ground state. The experiment was carried out at the Kimballton Underground Research Facility and produced 685.7 d of data with a 17.91 g enriched sample. Results: No counts were seen above background. For the decay to the first excited 0+ state, a limit of T1 /2>3.1 ×1020 yr was produced. Limits to higher excited states are also reported. Conclusion: The new limits on double-β decay are an improvement over previous experiments by a factor of 2 to 5 for the various excited states. The nuclear matrix element for the double-β decay to the first excited 0+ state is found to be <0.13 .

Multichannel FPGA-Based Data-Acquisition-System for Time-Resolved Synchrotron Radiation Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choe, Hyeokmin; Gorfman, Semen; Heidbrink, Stefan; Pietsch, Ullrich; Vogt, Marco; Winter, Jens; Ziolkowski, Michael

2017-06-01

The aim of this contribution is to describe our recent development of a novel compact field-programmable gatearray (FPGA)-based data acquisition (DAQ) system for use with multichannel X-ray detectors at synchrotron radiation facilities. The system is designed for time resolved counting of single photons arriving from several-currently 12-independent detector channels simultaneously. Detector signals of at least 2.8 ns duration are latched by asynchronous logic and then synchronized with the system clock of 100 MHz. The incoming signals are subsequently sorted out into 10 000 time-bins where they are counted. This occurs according to the arrival time of photons with respect to the trigger signal. Repeatable mode of triggered operation is used to achieve high statistic of accumulated counts. The time-bin width is adjustable from 10 ns to 1 ms. In addition, a special mode of operation with 2 ns time resolution is provided for two detector channels. The system is implemented in a pocketsize FPGA-based hardware of 10 cm × 10 cm × 3 cm and thus can easily be transported between synchrotron radiation facilities. For setup of operation and data read-out, the hardware is connected via USB interface to a portable control computer. DAQ applications are provided in both LabVIEW and MATLAB environments.

Dose Calibration of the ISS-RAD Fast Neutron Detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zeitlin, C.

2015-01-01

The ISS-RAD instrument has been fabricated by Southwest Research Institute and delivered to NASA for flight to the ISS in late 2015 or early 2016. ISS-RAD is essentially two instruments that share a common interface to ISS. The two instruments are the Charged Particle Detector (CPD), which is very similar to the MSL-RAD detector on Mars, and the Fast Neutron Detector (FND), which is a boron-loaded plastic scintillator with readout optimized for the 0.5 to 10 MeV energy range. As the FND is completely new, it has been necessary to develop methodology to allow it to be used to measure the neutron dose and dose equivalent. This talk will focus on the methods developed and their implementation using calibration data obtained in quasi-monoenergetic (QMN) neutron fields at the PTB facility in Braunschweig, Germany. The QMN data allow us to determine an approximate response function, from which we estimate dose and dose equivalent contributions per detected neutron as a function of the pulse height. We refer to these as the "pSv per count" curves for dose equivalent and the "pGy per count" curves for dose. The FND is required to provide a dose equivalent measurement with an accuracy of ?10% of the known value in a calibrated AmBe field. Four variants of the analysis method were developed, corresponding to two different approximations of the pSv per count curve, and two different implementations, one for real-time analysis onboard ISS and one for ground analysis. We will show that the preferred method, when applied in either real-time or ground analysis, yields good accuracy for the AmBe field. We find that the real-time algorithm is more susceptible to chance-coincidence background than is the algorithm used in ground analysis, so that the best estimates will come from the latter.

Compact anti-radon facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fajt, L.; Kouba, P.; Mamedov, F.

Suppression of radon background is one of main tasks in ultra-low background experiments. The most promising technique for suppression of radon is its adsorption on charcoal. Within the frame of the NEMO-3 experiment, radon trapping facility (RTF) was installed in Modane underground laboratory in 2004. Based on long-term experience with this facility a new compact transportable anti-radon facility was constructed in cooperation among IEAP CTU, SÚRO and ATEKO company. The device provides 20m{sup 3}/h of purified air (air radon activity at the output ∼10mBq/m{sup 3}). The basic features and preliminary results of anti-radon device testing are presented.

KSC-2013-2996

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-29

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, CNN correspondent John Zarrella counted down for the ceremonial opening of the new "Space Shuttle Atlantis" facility. Smoke bellows near a full-scale set of space shuttle twin solid rocket boosters and external fuel tank at the entrance to the exhibit building. Guests may walk beneath the 184-foot-tall boosters and tank as they enter the facility. The new $100 million facility includes interactive exhibits that tell the story of the 30-year Space Shuttle Program and highlight the future of space exploration. The "Space Shuttle Atlantis" exhibit formally opened to the public on June 29, 2013.Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

The limit of detection in scintigraphic imaging with I-131 in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hänscheid, H.; Lassmann, M.; Buck, A. K.; Reiners, C.; Verburg, F. A.

2014-05-01

Radioiodine scintigraphy influences staging and treatment in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma. The limit of detection for fractional uptake in an iodine avid focus in a scintigraphic image was determined from the number of lesion net counts and the count density of the tissue background. The count statistics were used to calculate the diagnostic activity required to elevate the signal from a lesion with a given uptake significantly above a homogeneous background with randomly distributed counts per area. The dependences of the minimal uptake and the minimal size of lesions visible in a scan on several parameters of influence were determined by linking the typical biokinetics observed in iodine avid tissue to the lesion mass and to the absorbed dose received in a radioiodine therapy. The detection limits for fractional uptake in a neck lesion of a typical patient are about 0.001% after therapy with 7000 MBq, 0.01% for activities typically administered in diagnostic assessments (74-185 MBq), and 0.1% after the administration of 10 MBq I-131. Lesions at the limit of detection in a diagnostic scan with biokinetics eligible for radioiodine therapy are small with diameters of a few millimeters. Increasing the diagnostic activity by a factor of 4 reduces the diameter of visible lesions by 25% or about 1 mm. Several other determinants have a comparable or higher influence on the limit of detection than the administered activity; most important are the biokinetics in both blood pool and target tissue and the time of measurement. A generally valid recommendation for the timing of the scan is impossible as the time of the highest probability to detect iodine avid tissue depends on the administered activity as well as on the biokinetics in the lesion and background in the individual patient.

A time-of-flight system for the external target facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xue-Heng; Yu, Yu-Hong; Sun, Zhi-Yu; Mao, Rui-Shi; Wang, Shi-Tao; Zhou, Yong; Yan, Duo; Liu, Long-Xiang

2013-05-01

A time-of-flight system with a plastic scintillator coupled to photomultipliers is developed for the external target facility (ETF). This system can satisfy the requirement of an ultrahigh vacuum (~10-9 mbar), a high counting rate (~106 particles per second) and a magnetic field environment. In the beam test experiment, a total time resolution of 580 ps FWHM was obtained for the whole system, and nuclei with a mass of up to 80 could be identified using this system.

Type A verification report for the high flux beam reactor stack and grounds, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harpenau, Evan M.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Order 458.1 requires independent verification (IV) of DOE cleanup projects (DOE 2011). The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) has been designated as the responsible organization for IV of the High Flux Beam Reactor (HFBR) Stack and Grounds area at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) in Upton, New York. The IV evaluation may consist of an in-process inspection with document and data reviews (Type A Verification) or a confirmatory survey of the site (Type B Verification). DOE and ORISE determined that a Type A verification of the documents and data for the HFBRmore » Stack and Grounds: Survey Units (SU) 6, 7, and 8 was appropriate based on the initial survey unit classification, the walkover surveys, and the final analytical results provided by the Brookhaven Science Associates (BSA). The HFBR Stack and Grounds surveys began in June 2011 and were completed in September 2011. Survey activities by BSA included gamma walkover scans and sampling of the as-left soils in accordance with the BSA Work Procedure (BNL 2010a). The Field Sampling Plan - Stack and Remaining HFBR Outside Areas (FSP) stated that gamma walk-over surveys would be conducted with a bare sodium iodide (NaI) detector, and a collimated detector would be used to check areas with elevated count rates to locate the source of the high readings (BNL 2010b). BSA used the Mult- Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM) principles for determining the classifications of each survey unit. Therefore, SUs 6 and 7 were identified as Class 1 and SU 8 was deemed Class 2 (BNL 2010b). Gamma walkover surveys of SUs 6, 7, and 8 were completed using a 2X2 NaI detector coupled to a data-logger with a global positioning system (GPS). The 100% scan surveys conducted prior to the final status survey (FSS) sampling identified two general soil areas and two isolated soil locations with elevated radioactivity. The general areas of elevated activity identified were investigated further with a collimated NaI detector. The uncollimated average gamma count rate was less than 15,000 counts per minute (cpm) for the SU 6, 7, and 8 composite area (BNL 2011a). Elevated count rates were observed in portions of each survey unit. The general areas of elevated counts near the Building 801 ventilation and operations and the entry to the Stack were determined to be directly related to the radioactive processes in those structures. To compensate for this radioactive shine, a collimated or shielded detector was used to lower the background count rate (BNL 2011b and c). This allowed the surveyor(s) to distinguish between background and actual radioactive contamination. Collimated gamma survey count rates in these shine affected areas were below 9,000 cpm (BNL 2011a). The average background count rate of 7,500 cpm was reported by BSA for uncollimated NaI detectors (BNL 2011d). The average collimated background ranged from 4,500-6,500 cpm in the westernmost part of SU 8 and from 2,000-3,500 cpm in all other areas (BNL 2011e). Based on these data, no further investigations were necessary for these general areas. SU 8 was the only survey unit that exhibited verified elevated radioactivity levels. The first of two isolated locations of elevated radioactivity had an uncollimated direct measurement of 50,000 cpm with an area background of 7,500 cpm (BNL 2011f). The second small area exhibiting elevated radiation levels was identified at a depth of 6 inches from the surface. The maximum reported count rate of 28,000 cpm was observed during scanning (BNL 2011g). The affected areas were remediated, and the contaminated soils were placed in an intermodal container for disposal. BSA's post-remediation walkover surveys were expanded to include a 10-foot radius around the excavated locations, and it was determined that further investigation was not required for these areas (BNL 2011 f and g). The post-remediation soil samples were collected and analyzed with onsite gamma spectroscopy equipment. These samples were also included with the FSS samples that were analyzed at an offsite facility for the primary radionuclides of concern (ROCs) (i.e., cesium-137, strontium-90, and radium-226). Analysis included full spectrum gamma spectroscopy for all samples. Sr-90 analysis was completed on all samples from SUs 6 and 7. However Sr-90 was only completed on the cores, composites, field blank and duplicate samples in SU 8. Alpha spectroscopy as well as liquid scintillation performed for tritium, carbon-14, and nickel-63 concentrations were completed on the composite samples from SUs 6 and 7. Various cores, composites, and samples from the remediated areas of SU 8 received alpha spectroscopy as well as liquid scintillation analyses for tritium, carbon-14, and nickel-63 to determine respective ROC concentrations (BNL 2011 h, i, and j). BSA submitted the FSS data and analytical results to demonstrate that remediation efforts complied with the specified cleanup goal of less than or equal to 15 millirem per year (mrem/yr) above background to a resident in 50 years (BNL 2011a through j). ORISE has reviewed the project documentation and FSS data for the HFBR Stack and Grounds: SUs 6, 7, and 8. The highest concentrations of the primary ROCs reported were 5.92 picocuries per gram (pCi/g) for Cs-137 and 2.03 pCi/g for Sr-90, with both ROCs having the qualifier for the sample result as less than the minimum detectable activity (MDA). For Ra-226, the highest detected concentration from the FSS data provided was 0.682 pCi/g. Other potential secondary contaminants were below their respective MDAs. Therefore, ORISE is of the opinion that BSA has provided sufficient evidence to demonstrate compliance with the 15 mrem/yr cleanup objectives for the final status survey data provided.« less

An Investigation of the Effects of Deposit Feeding Invertebrates on the Structural Properties of Clay Minerals.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-07-01

Dennis M. Lavoie of NORDA for chemical analysis of clay minerals with the x-ray energy dispersive spectrometer. We thank Fred Bowles, Peter Fleischer...diffractograi of Nuculana acuta fecal pellet 11 residue (illite experiment). TABLES TABLE 1. X-ray energy dispersive spectrometer chemical 8 analysis for...inontmorillonite experiments. Counts for elements after background counts removed. TABLE 2. X-ray energy dispersive spectroneter chemical analysis 12 for

Estimating retention in HIV care accounting for patient transfers: A national laboratory cohort study in South Africa.

PubMed

Fox, Matthew P; Bor, Jacob; Brennan, Alana T; MacLeod, William B; Maskew, Mhairi; Stevens, Wendy S; Carmona, Sergio

2018-06-01

Systematic reviews have described high rates of attrition in patients with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, migration and clinical transfer may lead to an overestimation of attrition (death and loss to follow-up). Using a newly linked national laboratory database in South Africa, we assessed national retention in South Africa's national HIV program. Patients receiving care in South Africa's national HIV program are monitored through regular CD4 count and viral load testing. South Africa's National Health Laboratory Service has maintained a database of all public-sector CD4 count and viral load results since 2004. We linked individual laboratory results to patients using probabilistic matching techniques, creating a national HIV cohort. Validation of our approach in comparison to a manually matched dataset showed 9.0% undermatching and 9.5% overmatching. We analyzed data on patients initiating ART in the public sector from April 1, 2004, to December 31, 2006, when ART initiation could be determined based on first viral load among those whose treatment followed guidelines. Attrition occurred on the date of a patient's last observed laboratory measure, allowing patients to exit and reenter care prior to that date. All patients had 6 potential years of follow-up, with an additional 2 years to have a final laboratory measurement to be retained at 6 years. Data were censored at December 31, 2012. We assessed (a) national retention including all laboratory tests regardless of testing facility and (b) initiating facility retention, where laboratory tests at other facilities were ignored. We followed 55,836 patients initiating ART between 2004 and 2006. At ART initiation, median age was 36 years (IQR: 30-43), median CD4 count was 150 cells/mm3 (IQR: 81-230), and 66.7% were female. Six-year initiating clinic retention was 29.1% (95% CI: 28.7%-29.5%). After allowing for transfers, national 6-year retention was 63.3% (95% CI: 62.9%-63.7%). Results differed little when tightening or relaxing matching procedures. We found strong differences in retention by province, ranging from 74.2% (95% CI: 73.2%-75.2%) in Western Cape to 52.2% (95% CI: 50.6%-53.7%) in Mpumalanga at 6 years. National attrition was higher among patients initiating at lower CD4 counts and higher viral loads, and among patients initiating ART at larger facilities. The study's main limitation is lack of perfect cohort matching, which may lead to over- or underestimation of retention. We also did not have data from KwaZulu-Natal province prior to 2010. In this study, HIV care retention was substantially higher when viewed from a national perspective than from a facility perspective. Our results suggest that traditional clinical cohorts underestimate retention.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Greenwood, L. R.; Cantaloub, M. G.; Burnett, J. L.

PNNL has developed two low-background gamma-ray spectrometers in a new shallow underground laboratory, thereby significantly improving its ability to detect low levels of gamma-ray emitting fission or activation products in airborne particulate in samples from the IMS (International Monitoring System). Furthermore, the combination of cosmic veto panels, dry nitrogen gas to reduce radon and low background shielding results in a reduction of the background count rate by about a factor of 100 compared to detectors operating above ground at our laboratory.

Probing cluster potentials through gravitational lensing of background X-ray sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Refregier, A.; Loeb, A.

1996-01-01

The gravitational lensing effect of a foreground galaxy cluster, on the number count statistics of background X-ray sources, was examined. The lensing produces a deficit in the number of resolved sources in a ring close to the critical radius of the cluster. The cluster lens can be used as a natural telescope to study the faint end of the (log N)-(log S) relation for the sources which account for the X-ray background.

Rain-induced increase in background radiation detected by Radiation Portal Monitors.

PubMed

Livesay, R J; Blessinger, C S; Guzzardo, T F; Hausladen, P A

2014-11-01

A complete understanding of both the steady state and transient background measured by Radiation Portal Monitors (RPMs) is essential to predictable system performance, as well as maximization of detection sensitivity. To facilitate this understanding, a test bed for the study of natural background in RPMs has been established at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This work was performed in support of the Second Line of Defense Program's mission to enhance partner country capability to deter, detect, and interdict the illicit movement of special nuclear material. In the present work, transient increases in gamma-ray counting rates in RPMs due to rain are investigated. The increase in background activity associated with rain, which has been well documented in the field of environmental radioactivity, originates primarily from the wet-deposition of two radioactive daughters of (222)Rn, namely, (214)Pb and (214)Bi. In this study, rainfall rates recorded by a co-located weather station are compared with RPM count rates and high-purity germanium spectra. The data verify that these radionuclides are responsible for the largest environmental background fluctuations in RPMs. Analytical expressions for the detector response function in Poly-Vinyl Toluene have been derived. Effects on system performance and potential mitigation strategies are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measuring 226Ra/228Ra in Oceanic Lavas by MC-ICPMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Standish, J. J.; Sims, K.; Ball, L.; Blusztajn, J.

2007-12-01

238U-230Th-226Ra disequilibrium in volcanic rocks provides an important and unique tool to evaluate timescales of recent magmatic processes. Determination of 230Th-226Ra disequilibria requires measurement of U and Th isotopes and concentrations as well as measurement of 226Ra. While measurement of U and Th by ICPMS is now well established, few published studies documenting 226Ra measurement via ICPMS exist. Using 228Ra as an isotope spike we have investigated two ion-counting methods; a 'peak-hopping' routine, where 226Ra and 228Ra are measured in sequence on the central discrete dynode ETP secondary electron multiplier (SEM), and simultaneous measurement of 226Ra and 228Ra on two multiple ion-counter system (MICS) channeltron type detectors mounted on the low end of the collector block. Here we present 226Ra measurement by isotope dilution using the Thermo Fisher NEPTUNE MC-ICPMS. Analysis of external rock standards TML and AThO along with mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) and ocean island basalt (OIB) samples show three issues that need to be considered when making precise and accurate Ra measurements: 1) mass bias, 2) background, and 3) relative efficiencies of the detectors when measuring in MICS mode. Due to the absence of an established 226Ra/228Ra standard, we have used U reference material NBL-112A to monitor mass bias. Although Ball et. al., (in press) have shown that U does not serve as an adequate proxy for Th (and thus not likely for Ra either), measurements of rock standards TML and AThO are repeatedly in equilibrium within the uncertainty of the measurements (where total uncertainty includes propagation of the uncertainty in the 226Ra standard used for calibrating the 228Ra spike). For this application, U is an adequate proxy for Ra mass bias at the 1% uncertainly level. The more important issue is the background correction. Because of the extensive chemistry required to separate and purify Ra (typically fg/g level in volcanic rocks), we observe large ambient backgrounds using both ion-counting techniques, which can significantly influence the measured 226Ra/228Ra ratio. Ra off-peak backgrounds need to be measured explicitly and quantitatively corrected. One advantage of using a 'peak-hopping' routine on the central SEM is the optional use of the high abundance sensitivity lens or repelling potential quadrapole (RPQ). This lens virtually eliminates the ambient background and significantly enhances the signal to noise ratio with only a small decrease in Ra ion transmission. Even with the diminished background levels observed using 'peak-hopping' on the SEM with the RPQ, accurate measurement of Ra isotopes requires off-peak background measurement. Finally, when using MICS it is important to account for the relative efficiency of the detectors. Multiple ion counting is, in principle, preferable to 'peak-hopping' because more time is spent counting each individual isotope. However, our results illustrate that proper calibration of detector yields requires dynamic switching of 226Ra between the two ion counters. This negates the inherent advantage of multiple ion counting. Therefore, when considering mass bias, background correction, and detector gain calibration, we conclude that 'peak-hopping' on the central SEM with the RPQ abundance filter is the preferred technique for 226Ra/228Ra isotopic measurement on the Neptune MC-ICPMS.

Development of Background-Oriented Schlieren for NASA Langley Research Center Ground Test Facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bathel, Brett F.; Borg, Stephen; Jones, Stephen; Overmeyer, Austin; Walker, Eric; Goad, William; Clem, Michelle; Schairer, Edward T.; Mizukaki, Toshiharu

2015-01-01

This paper provides an overview of recent wind tunnel tests performed at the NASA Langley Research Center where the Background-Oriented Schlieren (BOS) technique was used to provide information pertaining to flow-field density disturbances. The facilities in which the BOS technique was applied included the National Transonic Facility (NTF), Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT), 31-Inch Mach 10 Air Tunnel, 15-Inch Mach 6 High-Temperature Air Tunnel, Rotor Test Cell at the 14 by 22 Subsonic Tunnel, and a 13-Inch Low-Speed Tunnel.

Radiocarbon signal of a low and intermediate level radioactive waste disposal facility in nearby trees.

PubMed

Janovics, R; Kelemen, D I; Kern, Z; Kapitány, S; Veres, M; Jull, A J T; Molnár, M

2016-03-01

Tree ring series were collected from the vicinity of a Hungarian radioactive waste treatment and disposal facility and from a distant control background site, which is not influenced by the radiocarbon discharge of the disposal facility but it represents the natural regional (14)C level. The (14)C concentration of the cellulose content of tree rings was measured by AMS. Data of the tree ring series from the disposal facility was compared to the control site for each year. The results were also compared to the (14)C data of the atmospheric (14)C monitoring stations at the disposal facility and to international background measurements. On the basis of the results, the excess radiocarbon of the disposal facility can unambiguously be detected in the tree from the repository site. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Availability of physical activity-related facilities and neighborhood demographic and socioeconomic characteristics: a national study.

PubMed

Powell, Lisa M; Slater, Sandy; Chaloupka, Frank J; Harper, Deborah

2006-09-01

We examined associations between neighborhood demographic characteristics and the availability of commercial physical activity-related outlets by zip code across the United States. Multivariate analyses were conducted to assess the availability of 4 types of outlets: (1) physical fitness facilities, (2) membership sports and recreation clubs, (3) dance facilities, and (4) public golf courses. Commercial outlet data were linked by zip code to US Census Bureau population and socioeconomic data. Results showed that commercial physical activity-related facilities were less likely to be present in lower-income neighborhoods and in neighborhoods with higher proportions of African American residents, residents with His-panic ethnicity, and residents of other racial minority backgrounds. In addition, these neighborhoods had fewer such facilities available. Lack of availability of facilities that enable and promote physical activity may, in part, underpin the lower levels of activity observed among populations of low socioeconomic status and minority backgrounds.

TRIPLICATE SODIUM IODIDE GAMMA RAY MONITORS FOR THE SMALL COLUMN ION EXCHANGE PROGRAM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Couture, A.

2011-09-20

This technical report contains recommendations from the Analytical Development (AD) organization of the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) for a system of triplicate Sodium Iodide (NaI) detectors to be used to monitor Cesium-137 ({sup 137}Cs) content of the Decontaminated Salt Solution (DSS) output of the Small Column Ion Exchange (SCIX) process. These detectors need to be gain stabilized with respect to temperature shifts since they will be installed on top of Tank 41 at the Savannah River Site (SRS). This will be accomplished using NaI crystals doped with the alpha-emitting isotope, Americium-241({sup 241}Am). Two energy regions of the detector outputmore » will be monitored using single-channel analyzers (SCAs), the {sup 137}Cs full-energy {gamma}-ray peak and the {sup 241}Am alpha peak. The count rate in the gamma peak region will be proportional to the {sup 137}Cs content in the DSS output. The constant rate of alpha decay in the NaI crystal will be monitored and used as feedback to adjust the high voltage supply to the detector in response to temperature variation. An analysis of theoretical {sup 137}Cs breakthrough curves was used to estimate the gamma activity expected in the DSS output during a single iteration of the process. Count rates arising from the DSS and background sources were predicted using Microshield modeling software. The current plan for shielding the detectors within an enclosure with four-inch thick steel walls should allow the detectors to operate with the sensitivity required to perform these measurements. Calibration, testing, and maintenance requirements for the detector system are outlined as well. The purpose of SCIX is to remove and concentrate high-level radioisotopes from SRS salt waste resulting in two waste streams. The concentrated high-level waste containing {sup 137}Cs will be sent to the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) for vitrification and the low-level DSS will be sent to the Saltstone Production Facility (SPF) to be incorporated into grout.« less

NIOSH field studies team assessment: Worker exposure to aerosolized metal oxide nanoparticles in a semiconductor fabrication facility.

PubMed

Brenner, Sara A; Neu-Baker, Nicole M; Eastlake, Adrienne C; Beaucham, Catherine C; Geraci, Charles L

2016-11-01

The ubiquitous use of engineered nanomaterials-particulate materials measuring approximately 1-100 nanometers (nm) on their smallest axis, intentionally engineered to express novel properties-in semiconductor fabrication poses unique issues for protecting worker health and safety. Use of new substances or substances in a new form may present hazards that have yet to be characterized for their acute or chronic health effects. Uncharacterized or emerging occupational health hazards may exist when there is insufficient validated hazard data available to make a decision on potential hazard and risk to exposed workers under condition of use. To advance the knowledge of potential worker exposure to engineered nanomaterials, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Nanotechnology Field Studies Team conducted an on-site field evaluation in collaboration with on-site researchers at a semiconductor research and development facility on April 18-21, 2011. The Nanomaterial Exposure Assessment Technique (2.0) was used to perform a complete exposure assessment. A combination of filter-based sampling and direct-reading instruments was used to identify, characterize, and quantify the potential for worker inhalation exposure to airborne alumina and amorphous silica nanoparticles associated with th e chemical mechanical planarization wafer polishing process. Engineering controls and work practices were evaluated to characterize tasks that might contribute to potential exposures and to assess existing engineering controls. Metal oxide structures were identified in all sampling areas, as individual nanoparticles and agglomerates ranging in size from 60 nm to >1,000 nm, with varying structure morphology, from long and narrow to compact. Filter-based samples indicated very little aerosolized material in task areas or worker breathing zone. Direct-reading instrument data indicated increased particle counts relative to background in the wastewater treatment area; however, particle counts were very low overall, indicating a well-controlled working environment. Recommendations for employees handling or potentially exposed to engineered nanomaterials include hazard communication, standard operating procedures, conservative ventilation systems, and prevention through design in locations where engineered nanomaterials are used or stored, and routine air sampling for occupational exposure assessment and analysis.

A microfluidic biochip for complete blood cell counts at the point-of-care

PubMed Central

Hassan, U.; Reddy, B.; Damhorst, G.; Sonoiki, O.; Ghonge, T.; Yang, C.; Bashir, R.

2016-01-01

Complete blood cell counts (CBCs) are one of the most commonly ordered and informative blood tests in hospitals. The results from a CBC, which typically include white blood cell (WBC) counts with differentials, red blood cell (RBC) counts, platelet counts and hemoglobin measurements, can have implications for the diagnosis and screening of hundreds of diseases and treatments. Bulky and expensive hematology analyzers are currently used as a gold standard for acquiring CBCs. For nearly all CBCs performed today, the patient must travel to either a hospital with a large laboratory or to a centralized lab testing facility. There is a tremendous need for an automated, portable point-of-care blood cell counter that could yield results in a matter of minutes from a drop of blood without any trained professionals to operate the instrument. We have developed microfluidic biochips capable of a partial CBC using only a drop of whole blood. Total leukocyte and their 3-part differential count are obtained from 10 μL of blood after on-chip lysing of the RBCs and counting of the leukocytes electrically using microfabricated platinum electrodes. For RBCs and platelets, 1 μL of whole blood is diluted with PBS on-chip and the cells are counted electrically. The total time for measurement is under 20 minutes. We demonstrate a high correlation of blood cell counts compared to results acquired with a commercial hematology analyzer. This technology could potentially have tremendous applications in hospitals at the bedside, private clinics, retail clinics and the developing world. PMID:26909365

A microfluidic biochip for complete blood cell counts at the point-of-care.

PubMed

Hassan, U; Reddy, B; Damhorst, G; Sonoiki, O; Ghonge, T; Yang, C; Bashir, R

2015-12-01

Complete blood cell counts (CBCs) are one of the most commonly ordered and informative blood tests in hospitals. The results from a CBC, which typically include white blood cell (WBC) counts with differentials, red blood cell (RBC) counts, platelet counts and hemoglobin measurements, can have implications for the diagnosis and screening of hundreds of diseases and treatments. Bulky and expensive hematology analyzers are currently used as a gold standard for acquiring CBCs. For nearly all CBCs performed today, the patient must travel to either a hospital with a large laboratory or to a centralized lab testing facility. There is a tremendous need for an automated, portable point-of-care blood cell counter that could yield results in a matter of minutes from a drop of blood without any trained professionals to operate the instrument. We have developed microfluidic biochips capable of a partial CBC using only a drop of whole blood. Total leukocyte and their 3-part differential count are obtained from 10 μL of blood after on-chip lysing of the RBCs and counting of the leukocytes electrically using microfabricated platinum electrodes. For RBCs and platelets, 1 μL of whole blood is diluted with PBS on-chip and the cells are counted electrically. The total time for measurement is under 20 minutes. We demonstrate a high correlation of blood cell counts compared to results acquired with a commercial hematology analyzer. This technology could potentially have tremendous applications in hospitals at the bedside, private clinics, retail clinics and the developing world.

75 FR 2445 - Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-15

... Homeland Security EPA--Environmental Protection Agency RMP--Risk Management Program SSP--Site Security Plan...) under the Clean Air Act's Risk Management Program (RMP) for counting-- or excluding--flammable chemicals... of flammable chemicals in gasoline from the RMP rules was mandated by the Chemical Safety...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rao, Nageswara S.; Ramirez Aviles, Camila A.

We consider the problem of inferring the operational status of a reactor facility using measurements from a radiation sensor network deployed around the facility’s ventilation off-gas stack. The intensity of stack emissions decays with distance, and the sensor counts or measurements are inherently random with parameters determined by the intensity at the sensor’s location. We utilize the measurements to estimate the intensity at the stack, and use it in a one-sided Sequential Probability Ratio Test (SPRT) to infer on/off status of the reactor. We demonstrate the superior performance of this method over conventional majority fusers and individual sensors using (i)more » test measurements from a network of 21 NaI detectors, and (ii) effluence measurements collected at the stack of a reactor facility. We also analytically establish the superior detection performance of the network over individual sensors with fixed and adaptive thresholds by utilizing the Poisson distribution of the counts. We quantify the performance improvements of the network detection over individual sensors using the packing number of the intensity space.« less

Clustering method for counting passengers getting in a bus with single camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Tao; Zhang, Yanning; Shao, Dapei; Li, Ying

2010-03-01

Automatic counting of passengers is very important for both business and security applications. We present a single-camera-based vision system that is able to count passengers in a highly crowded situation at the entrance of a traffic bus. The unique characteristics of the proposed system include, First, a novel feature-point-tracking- and online clustering-based passenger counting framework, which performs much better than those of background-modeling-and foreground-blob-tracking-based methods. Second, a simple and highly accurate clustering algorithm is developed that projects the high-dimensional feature point trajectories into a 2-D feature space by their appearance and disappearance times and counts the number of people through online clustering. Finally, all test video sequences in the experiment are captured from a real traffic bus in Shanghai, China. The results show that the system can process two 320×240 video sequences at a frame rate of 25 fps simultaneously, and can count passengers reliably in various difficult scenarios with complex interaction and occlusion among people. The method achieves high accuracy rates up to 96.5%.

Determination of the volume activity concentration of alpha artificial radionuclides with alpha spectrometer.

PubMed

Liu, B; Zhang, Q; Li, Y

1997-12-01

This paper introduces a method to determine the volume activity concentration of alpha and/or beta artificial radionuclides in the environment and radon/thoron progeny background-compensation based on a Si surface-barrier detector. By measuring the alpha peak counts of 218Po and 214Po in two time intervals, the activity concentration of 218Po, 214Pb and 214Bi aerosol particles were determined; meanwhile, the total beta count of 214Pb and 214Bi aerosols was also calculated from their decay scheme. With the average equilibrium factor of thoron progeny in general environment, the alpha and beta counts of thoron progeny were approximately evaluated by 212Po alpha peak counts. The alpha count of transuranic aerosols was determined by subtracting the trail counts of radon/thoron progeny alpha peaks. The total count of beta artificial radionuclides was determined by subtracting the beta counts of radon/thoron progeny aerosol particles. In our preliminary experiments, if the radon progeny concentration is less than 15 Bq m(-3), the lower limit of detection of transuranics concentration is less than 0.1 Bq m(-3). Even if the radon progeny concentration is as high as 75 Bq m(-3), the lower limit of detection of total beta activity concentration of artificial nuclides aerosols is less than 1 Bq m(-3).

Search for Dark Matter Interactions using Ionization Yield in Liquid Xenon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uvarov, Sergey

Cosmological observations overwhelmingly support the existence of dark matter which constitutes 87% of the universe's total mass. Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) are a prime candidate for dark matter, and the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) experiment aims to a direct-detection of a WIMP-nucleon interaction. The LUX detector is a dual-phase xenon time-projection chamber housed 4,850 feet underground at Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. We present the ionization-only analysis of the LUX 2013 WIMP search data. In the 1.04 x 104 kg-days exposure, thirty events were observed out of the 24.8 expected from radioactive backgrounds. We employ a cut-and-count method to set a 1-sided 90% C.L. upper limit for spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross-sections. A zero charge yield for nuclear-recoils below 0.7 keV is included upper limit calculation. This ionization-only analysis excludes an unexplored region of WIMP-nucleon cross-section for low-mass WIMPs achieving 1.56 x 10-43 cm2 WIMP-nucleon cross-section exclusion for a 5.1 GeV/ c2 WIMP.

Measurement of the 19F(α,n)22Na Cross Section for Nuclear Safeguards Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lowe, Marcus; Smith, M. S.; Pain, S.; Febbraro, M.; Pittman, S.; Chipps, K. A.; Thompson, S. J.; Grinder, M.; Grzywacz, R.; Smith, K.; Thornsberry, C.; Thompson, P.; Peters, W. A.; Waddell, D.; Blanchard, R.; Carls, A.; Shadrick, S.; Engelhardt, A.; Hertz-Kintish, D.; Allen, N.; Sims, H.

2015-10-01

Enriched uranium is commonly stored in fluoride matrices such as UF6. Alpha decays of uranium in UF6 will create neutrons via the 19F(α,n)22Na reaction. An improved cross section for this reaction will enable improved nondestructive assays of uranium content in storage cylinders at material enrichment facilities. To determine this reaction cross section, we have performed experiments using both forward and inverse kinematic techniques at the University of Notre Dame (forward) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (inverse). Both experiments utilized the Versatile Array of Neutron Detectors at Low Energy (VANDLE) for neutron detection. The ORNL experiment also used a new ionization chamber for 22Na particle identification. Gating on the 22Na nuclei detected drastically reduced the background counts in the neutron time-of-flight spectra. The latest analysis and results will be presented for 19F beam energies ranging from 20-37 MeV. This work is funded in part by the DOE Office of Nuclear Physics, the National Nuclear Security Administration's Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation R&D, and the NSF.

The Majorana Demonstrator: Progress towards showing the feasibility of a 76Ge neutrinoless double-beta decay experiment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Finnerty, P.; Aguayo, Estanislao; Amman, M.

2014-03-24

The Majorana Demonstrator will search for the neutrinoless double-beta decay (0*) of the 76Ge isotope with a mixed array of enriched and natural germanium detectors. The observation of this rare decay would indicate the neutrino is its own anti-particle, demonstrate that lepton number is not conserved, and provide information on the absolute mass-scale of the neutrino. The Demonstrator is being assembled at the 4850 foot level of the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. The array will be contained in a lowbackground environment and surrounded by passive and active shielding. The goals for the Demonstrator are: demonstrating amore » background rate less than 3 counts tonne -1 year-1 in the 4 keV region of interest (ROI) surrounding the 2039 keV 76Ge endpoint energy; establishing the technology required to build a tonne-scale germanium based double-beta decay experiment; testing the recent claim of observation of 0; and performing a direct search for lightWIMPs (3-10 GeV/c2).« less

Monitoring process hygiene in Serbian retail establishments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vesković Moračanin, S.; Baltić, T.; Milojević, L.

2017-09-01

The present study was conducted to estimate the effectiveness of sanitary procedures on food contact surfaces and food handlers’ hands in Serbian retail establishments. For that purpose, a total of 970 samples from food contact surfaces and 525 samples from workers’ hands were microbiologically analyzed. Results of total aerobic plate count and total Enterobacteriaceae count showed that the implemented washing and disinfection procedures, as a part of HACCP plans, were not effective enough in most retail facilities. Constant and intensive education of employees on proper implementation of sanitation procedures are needed in order to ensure food safety in the retail market.

Total body calcium analysis. [neutron irradiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewellen, T. K.; Nelp, W. B.

1974-01-01

A technique to quantitate total body calcium in humans is developed. Total body neutron irradiation is utilized to produce argon 37. The radio argon, which diffuses into the blood stream and is excreted through the lungs, is recovered from the exhaled breath and counted inside a proportional detector. Emphasis is placed on: (1) measurement of the rate of excretion of radio argon following total body neutron irradiation; (2) the development of the radio argon collection, purification, and counting systems; and (3) development of a patient irradiation facility using a 14 MeV neutron generator. Results and applications are discussed in detail.

Modeling zero-modified count and semicontinuous data in health services research part 2: case studies.

PubMed

Neelon, Brian; O'Malley, A James; Smith, Valerie A

2016-11-30

This article is the second installment of a two-part tutorial on the analysis of zero-modified count and semicontinuous data. Part 1, which appears as a companion piece in this issue of Statistics in Medicine, provides a general background and overview of the topic, with particular emphasis on applications to health services research. Here, we present three case studies highlighting various approaches for the analysis of zero-modified data. The first case study describes methods for analyzing zero-inflated longitudinal count data. Case study 2 considers the use of hurdle models for the analysis of spatiotemporal count data. The third case study discusses an application of marginalized two-part models to the analysis of semicontinuous health expenditure data. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Data Acquisition System Architecture and Capabilities At NASA GRC Plum Brook Station's Space Environment Test Facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Richard K.; Hill, Gerald M.

2012-01-01

Very large space environment test facilities present unique engineering challenges in the design of facility data systems. Data systems of this scale must be versatile enough to meet the wide range of data acquisition and measurement requirements from a diverse set of customers and test programs, but also must minimize design changes to maintain reliability and serviceability. This paper presents an overview of the common architecture and capabilities of the facility data acquisition systems available at two of the world?s largest space environment test facilities located at the NASA Glenn Research Center?s Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio; namely, the Space Propulsion Research Facility (commonly known as the B-2 facility) and the Space Power Facility (SPF). The common architecture of the data systems is presented along with details on system scalability and efficient measurement systems analysis and verification. The architecture highlights a modular design, which utilizes fully-remotely managed components, enabling the data systems to be highly configurable and support multiple test locations with a wide-range of measurement types and very large system channel counts.

Data Acquisition System Architecture and Capabilities at NASA GRC Plum Brook Station's Space Environment Test Facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Richard K.; Hill, Gerald M.

2014-01-01

Very large space environment test facilities present unique engineering challenges in the design of facility data systems. Data systems of this scale must be versatile enough to meet the wide range of data acquisition and measurement requirements from a diverse set of customers and test programs, but also must minimize design changes to maintain reliability and serviceability. This paper presents an overview of the common architecture and capabilities of the facility data acquisition systems available at two of the world's largest space environment test facilities located at the NASA Glenn Research Center's Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio; namely, the Space Propulsion Research Facility (commonly known as the B-2 facility) and the Space Power Facility (SPF). The common architecture of the data systems is presented along with details on system scalability and efficient measurement systems analysis and verification. The architecture highlights a modular design, which utilizes fully-remotely managed components, enabling the data systems to be highly configurable and support multiple test locations with a wide-range of measurement types and very large system channel counts.

Steve Nixon | NREL

Science.gov Websites

NREL. Steve has an extensive background in facilities engineering, facilities management, and Energy Manager, and a Project Management Professional. Prior to joining NREL, Steve was the Facilities manufacturing engineering, business application programming, and business process management positions

Monte Carlo Simulations of Background Spectra in Integral Imager Detectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Armstrong, T. W.; Colborn, B. L.; Dietz, K. L.; Ramsey, B. D.; Weisskopf, M. C.

1998-01-01

Predictions of the expected gamma-ray backgrounds in the ISGRI (CdTe) and PiCsIT (Csl) detectors on INTEGRAL due to cosmic-ray interactions and the diffuse gamma-ray background have been made using a coupled set of Monte Carlo radiation transport codes (HETC, FLUKA, EGS4, and MORSE) and a detailed, 3-D mass model of the spacecraft and detector assemblies. The simulations include both the prompt background component from induced hadronic and electromagnetic cascades and the delayed component due to emissions from induced radioactivity. Background spectra have been obtained with and without the use of active (BGO) shielding and charged particle rejection to evaluate the effectiveness of anticoincidence counting on background rejection.

Single-molecule fluorescence detection: autocorrelation criterion and experimental realization with phycoerythrin.

PubMed Central

Peck, K; Stryer, L; Glazer, A N; Mathies, R A

1989-01-01

A theory for single-molecule fluorescence detection is developed and then used to analyze data from subpicomolar solutions of B-phycoerythrin (PE). The distribution of detected counts is the convolution of a Poissonian continuous background with bursts arising from the passage of individual fluorophores through the focused laser beam. The autocorrelation function reveals single-molecule events and provides a criterion for optimizing experimental parameters. The transit time of fluorescent molecules through the 120-fl imaged volume was 800 microseconds. The optimal laser power (32 mW at 514.5 nm) gave an incident intensity of 1.8 x 10(23) photons.cm-2.s-1, corresponding to a mean time of 1.1 ns between absorptions. The mean incremental count rate was 1.5 per 100 microseconds for PE monomers and 3.0 for PE dimers above a background count rate of 1.0. The distribution of counts and the autocorrelation function for 200 fM monomer and 100 fM dimer demonstrate that single-molecule detection was achieved. At this concentration, the mean occupancy was 0.014 monomer molecules in the probed volume. A hard-wired version of this detection system was used to measure the concentration of PE down to 1 fM. This single-molecule counter is 3 orders of magnitude more sensitive than conventional fluorescence detection systems. PMID:2726766

Do physical activity facilities near schools affect physical activity in high school girls?

PubMed

Trilk, Jennifer L; Ward, Dianne S; Dowda, Marsha; Pfeiffer, Karin A; Porter, Dwayne E; Hibbert, James; Pate, Russell R

2011-03-01

To investigate associations between the number of physical activity facilities within walking distance of school and physical activity behavior in 12th grade girls during after-school hours. Girls (N=1394) from 22 schools completed a self-report to determine physical activity after 3:00 p.m. The number of physical activity facilities within a 0.75-mile buffer of the school was counted with a Geographic Information System. Associations between the number of facilities and girls' physical activity were examined using linear mixed-model analysis of variance. Overall, girls who attended schools with ≥5 facilities within the buffer reported more physical activity per day than girls in schools with <5 facilities. In addition, girls who attended rural schools with ≥5 facilities reported ∼12% more physical activity per day than girls who attended rural schools with <5 facilities. No difference existed for girls in urban/suburban schools with ≥5 vs. <5 facilities. When school siting decisions are made, the number of physical activity facilities surrounding the school should be considered to encourage physical activity in 12th grade girls. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Resident's concerns and attitudes towards Solid Waste Management facilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rahardyan, B.; Matsuto, T.; Kakuta, Y.

2004-07-01

Because of limited space, the siting and construction of a new SWM facility is a big challenge in Japan. An SWM facility should be socially accepted as well as environmentally and economically sound. This study aimed to investigate people's concerns about SWM facilities and their attitudes towards such facilities. A questionnaire was designed based on literature reviews and was sent to residents in three municipalities with different backgrounds. The questions covered concerns on the impact of an SWM facility, management aspects, unfairness of facility siting, and attitudes to facility construction. Of the many concerns, 'pollution and health effect' had themore » highest rating, followed by 'reliability', 'damage to nature' and 'cost'. The rating was different between municipalities, reflecting their geographic and social backgrounds. Using factor analysis, correlations among concerns were analyzed, and five principal components were extracted, namely 'pollution', 'nuisance', 'facility management', 'planning of facility', and 'merit/demerit'. Although obvious correlations were not found between individual items of concern and attitudes to construction of a facility, the discriminant analysis indicated dominant concerns of attitudes, but the disagreement between actual impact and citizens were found. As for attributes, the 'opposed' attitude decreased for residents who had visited an SWM facility, even if they had only seen it from outside.« less

The 2-24 μm source counts from the AKARI North Ecliptic Pole survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murata, K.; Pearson, C. P.; Goto, T.; Kim, S. J.; Matsuhara, H.; Wada, T.

2014-11-01

We present herein galaxy number counts of the nine bands in the 2-24 μm range on the basis of the AKARI North Ecliptic Pole (NEP) surveys. The number counts are derived from NEP-deep and NEP-wide surveys, which cover areas of 0.5 and 5.8 deg2, respectively. To produce reliable number counts, the sources were extracted from recently updated images. Completeness and difference between observed and intrinsic magnitudes were corrected by Monte Carlo simulation. Stellar counts were subtracted by using the stellar fraction estimated from optical data. The resultant source counts are given down to the 80 per cent completeness limit; 0.18, 0.16, 0.10, 0.05, 0.06, 0.10, 0.15, 0.16 and 0.44 mJy in the 2.4, 3.2, 4.1, 7, 9, 11, 15, 18 and 24 μm bands, respectively. On the bright side of all bands, the count distribution is flat, consistent with the Euclidean universe, while on the faint side, the counts deviate, suggesting that the galaxy population of the distant universe is evolving. These results are generally consistent with previous galaxy counts in similar wavebands. We also compare our counts with evolutionary models and find them in good agreement. By integrating the models down to the 80 per cent completeness limits, we calculate that the AKARI NEP survey revolves 20-50 per cent of the cosmic infrared background, depending on the wavebands.

VIEW LOOKING SOUTH AT THE SATURN V (BLDG. 4550) AND ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

VIEW LOOKING SOUTH AT THE SATURN V (BLDG. 4550) AND SATURN I (BLDG. 4557) STRUCTURAL TEST FACILITIES, SATURN V TEST FACILITY IS IN THE FOREGROUND RIGHT. THE SATURN I TEST FACILITY IS IN THE BACKGROUND CENTER. - Marshall Space Flight Center, Saturn V Dynamic Test Facility, East Test Area, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

Isotopic analysis of uranium in natural waters by alpha spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Edwards, K.W.

1968-01-01

A method is described for the determination of U234/U238 activity ratios for uranium present in natural waters. The uranium is coprecipitated from solution with aluminum phosphate, extracted into ethyl acetate, further purified by ion exchange, and finally electroplated on a titanium disc for counting. The individual isotopes are determined by measurement of the alpha-particle energy spectrum using a high resolution low-background alpha spectrometer. Overall chemical recovery of about 90 percent and a counting efficiency of 25 percent allow analyses of water samples containing as little as 0.10 ?g/l of uranium. The accuracy of the method is limited, on most samples, primarily by counting statistics.

A bismuth activation counter for high sensitivity pulsed 14 MeV neutrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burns, E. J. T.; Thacher, P. D.; Hassig, G. J.; Decker, R. D.; Romero, J. A.; Barrett, K. P.

2011-08-01

We have built a fast neutron bismuth activation counter that measures activation counts from pulsed 14-MeV neutron generators for incident neutron fluences between 30 and 300 neutrons/cm2 at 15.2 cm (6 in.). The activation counter consists of a large bismuth germanate (BGO) detector surrounded by a bismuth metal shield in front of and concentric with the cylindrical detector housing. The 14 MeV neutrons activate the 2.6-millisecond (ms) isomer in the shield and the detector by the reaction 209Bi (n,2nγ) 208mBi. The use of millisecond isomers and activation counting times minimizes the background from other activated materials and the environment. In addition to activation, the bismuth metal shields against other outside radiation sources. We have tested the bismuth activation counter, simultaneously, with two data acquisition systems (DASs) and both give similar results. The two-dimensional (2D) DAS and three dimensional (3D) DAS both consist of pulse height analysis (PHA) systems that can be used to discriminate against gamma radiations below 300 keV photon energy, so that the detector can be used strictly as a counter. If the counting time is restricted to less than 25 ms after the neutron pulse, there are less than 10 counts of background for single pulse operation in all our operational environments tested so far. High-fluence neutron generator operations are restricted by large dead times and pulse height saturation. When we operate our 3D DAS PHA system in list mode acquisition (LIST), real-time corrections to dead time or live time can be made on the scale of 1 ms time windows or dwell times. The live time correction is consistent with nonparalyzable models for dead time of 1.0±0.2 μs for our 3D DAS and 1.5±0.3 μs for our 2D DAS dominated by our fixed time width analog to digital converters (ADCs). With the same solid angle, we have shown that the bismuth activation counter has a factor of 4 increase in sensitivity over our lead activation counter, because of higher counts and negligible backgrounds.

People counting in classroom based on video surveillance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Quanbin; Huang, Xiang; Su, Juan

2014-11-01

Currently, the switches of the lights and other electronic devices in the classroom are mainly relied on manual control, as a result, many lights are on while no one or only few people in the classroom. It is important to change the current situation and control the electronic devices intelligently according to the number and the distribution of the students in the classroom, so as to reduce the considerable waste of electronic resources. This paper studies the problem of people counting in classroom based on video surveillance. As the camera in the classroom can not get the full shape contour information of bodies and the clear features information of faces, most of the classical algorithms such as the pedestrian detection method based on HOG (histograms of oriented gradient) feature and the face detection method based on machine learning are unable to obtain a satisfied result. A new kind of dual background updating model based on sparse and low-rank matrix decomposition is proposed in this paper, according to the fact that most of the students in the classroom are almost in stationary state and there are body movement occasionally. Firstly, combining the frame difference with the sparse and low-rank matrix decomposition to predict the moving areas, and updating the background model with different parameters according to the positional relationship between the pixels of current video frame and the predicted motion regions. Secondly, the regions of moving objects are determined based on the updated background using the background subtraction method. Finally, some operations including binarization, median filtering and morphology processing, connected component detection, etc. are performed on the regions acquired by the background subtraction, in order to induce the effects of the noise and obtain the number of people in the classroom. The experiment results show the validity of the algorithm of people counting.

Hematology of healthy Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harvey, J.W.; Harr, K.E.; Murphy, D.; Walsh, M.T.; Nolan, E.C.; Bonde, R.K.; Pate, M.G.; Deutsch, C.J.; Edwards, H.H.; Clapp, W.L.

2009-01-01

Background: Hematologic analysis is an important tool in evaluating the general health status of free-ranging manatees and in the diagnosis and monitoring of rehabilitating animals. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate diagnostically important hematologic analytes in healthy manatees (Trichechus manatus) and to assess variations with respect to location (free ranging vs captive), age class (small calves, large calves, subadults, and adults), and gender. Methods: Blood was collected from 55 free-ranging and 63 captive healthy manatees. Most analytes were measured using a CELL-DYN 3500R; automated reticulocytes were measured with an ADVIA 120. Standard manual methods were used for differential leukocyte counts, reticulocyte and Heinz body counts, and plasma protein and fibrinogen concentrations. Results: Rouleaux, slight polychromasia, stomatocytosis, and low numbers of schistocytes and nucleated RBCs (NRBCs) were seen often in stained blood films. Manual reticulocyte counts were higher than automated reticulocyte counts. Heinz bodies were present in erythrocytes of most manatees. Compared with free-ranging manatees, captive animals had slightly lower MCV, MCH, and eosinophil counts and slightly higher heterophil and NRBC counts, and fibrinogen concentration. Total leukocyte, heterophil, and monocyte counts tended to be lower in adults than in younger animals. Small calves tended to have higher reticulocyte counts and NRBC counts than older animals. Conclusions: Hematologic findings were generally similar between captive and free-ranging manatees. Higher manual reticulocyte counts suggest the ADVIA detects only reticulocytes containing large amounts of RNA. Higher reticulocyte and NRBC counts in young calves probably reflect an increased rate of erythropoiesis compared with older animals. ?? 2009 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

Fluorescence particle detector for real-time quantification of viable organisms in air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luoma, Greg; Cherrier, Pierre P.; Piccioni, Marc; Tanton, Carol; Herz, Steve; DeFreez, Richard K.; Potter, Michael; Girvin, Kenneth L.; Whitney, Ronald

2002-02-01

The ability to detect viable organisms in air in real time is important in a number of applications. Detecting high levels of airborne organisms in hospitals can prevent post-operative infections and the spread of diseases. Monitoring levels of airborne viable organisms in pharmaceutical facilities can ensure safe production of drugs or vaccines. Monitoring airborne bacterial levels in meat processing plants can help to prevent contamination of food products. Monitoring the level of airborne organisms in bio-containment facilities can ensure that proper procedures are being followed. Finally, detecting viable organisms in real time is a key to defending against biological agent attacks. This presentation describes the development and performance of a detector, based on fluorescence particle counting technology, where an ultraviolet laser is used to count particles by light scattering and elicit fluorescence from specific biomolecules found only in living organisms. The resulting detector can specifically detect airborne particles containing living organisms from among the large majority of other particles normally present in air. Efforts to develop the core sensor technology, focusing on integrating an UV laser with a specially designed particle-counting cell will be highlighted. The hardware/software used to capture the information from the sensor, provide an alarm in the presence of an unusual biological aerosol content will also be described. Finally, results from experiments to test the performance of the detector will be presented.

Signal and background considerations for the MRSt on the National Ignition Facility (NIF).

PubMed

Wink, C W; Frenje, J A; Hilsabeck, T J; Bionta, R; Khater, H Y; Gatu Johnson, M; Kilkenny, J D; Li, C K; Séguin, F H; Petrasso, R D

2016-11-01

A Magnetic Recoil Spectrometer (MRSt) has been conceptually designed for time-resolved measurements of the neutron spectrum at the National Ignition Facility. Using the MRSt, the goals are to measure the time-evolution of the spectrum with a time resolution of ∼20-ps and absolute accuracy better than 5%. To meet these goals, a detailed understanding and optimization of the signal and background characteristics are required. Through ion-optics, MCNP simulations, and detector-response calculations, it is demonstrated that the goals and a signal-to background >5-10 for the down-scattered neutron measurement are met if the background, consisting of ambient neutrons and gammas, at the MRSt is reduced 50-100 times.

Guidance on the Use of Hand-Held Survey Meters for radiological Triage: Time-Dependent Detector Count Rates Corresponding to 50, 250, and 500 mSv Effective Dose for Adult Males and Adult Females

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bolch, W.E.; Hurtado, J.L.; Lee, C.

2012-01-01

In June 2006, the Radiation Studies Branch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention held a workshop to explore rapid methods of facilitating radiological triage of large numbers of potentially contaminated individuals following detonation of a radiological dispersal device. Two options were discussed. The first was the use of traditional gamma cameras in nuclear medicine departments operated as makeshift wholebody counters. Guidance on this approach is currently available from the CDC. This approach would be feasible if a manageable number of individuals were involved, transportation to the relevant hospitals was quickly provided, and the medical staff at each facilitymore » had been previously trained in this non-traditional use of their radiopharmaceutical imaging devices. If, however, substantially larger numbers of individuals (100 s to 1,000 s) needed radiological screening, other options must be given to first responders, first receivers, and health physicists providing medical management. In this study, the second option of the workshop was investigated by the use of commercially available portable survey meters (either NaI or GM based) for assessing potential ranges of effective dose (G50, 50Y250, 250Y500, and 9500 mSv). Two hybrid computational phantoms were used to model an adult male and an adult female subject internally contaminated with 241Am, 60Cs, 137Cs, 131I, or 192Ir following an acute inhalation or ingestion intake. As a function of time following the exposure, the net count rates corresponding to committed effective doses of 50, 250, and 500 mSv were estimated via Monte Carlo radiation transport simulation for each of four different detector types, positions, and screening distances. Measured net count rates can be compared to these values, and an assignment of one of four possible effective dose ranges could be made. The method implicitly assumes that all external contamination has been removed prior to screening and that the measurements be conducted in a low background, and possibly mobile, facility positioned at the triage location. Net count rate data are provided in both tabular and graphical format within a series of eight handbooks available at the CDC website (http://www.bt.cdc.gov/radiation/clinicians/evaluation).« less

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Sample of faint X-ray pulsators (Israel+, 2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Israel, G. L.; Esposito, P.; Rodriguez Castillo, G. A.; Sidoli, L.

2018-04-01

As of 2015 December 31, we extracted about 430000 time series from sources with more than 10 counts (after background subtraction); ~190000 of them have more than 50 counts and their PSDs were searched for significant peaks. At the time of writing, the total number of searched Fourier frequencies was about 4.3x109. After a detailed screening, we obtained a final sample of 41 (42) new X-ray pulsators (signals), which are listed in Table 1. (1 data file).

EFFECT OF THERMIONIC EMISSION AT ROOM TEMPERATURES IN PHOTOSENSITIVE GEIGERMULLER TUBES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Grotowski, K.; Hrynkiewicz, A.Z.; Niewodniczanski, H.

1953-01-01

The temperature-dependence of the background of Geiger-Mueller counting tubes was compared for nonsensitized and sensitized (treated by electric discharge) tubes. A strong increase of background with increasing temperature was observed for phatosensitive counters, while no change was observed in nonsensetized counters. It is shown that the increase is due to thermionic emission of the brass cathode. (T.R.H.)

Investigation of background radiation levels and geologic unit profiles in Durango, Colorado

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Triplett, G.H.; Foutz, W.L.; Lesperance, L.R.

1989-11-01

As part of the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has performed radiological surveys on 435 vicinity properties (VPs) in the Durango area. This study was undertaken to establish the background radiation levels and geologic unit profiles in the Durango VP area. During the months of May through June, 1986, extensive radiometric measurements and surface soil samples were collected in the Durango VP area by personnel from ORNL's Grand Junction Office. A majority of the Durango VP surveys were conducted at sites underlain by Quaternary alluvium, older Quaternary gravels, and Cretaceous Lewis and Mancosmore » shales. These four geologic units were selected to be evaluated. The data indicated no formation anomalies and established regional background radiation levels. Durango background radionuclide concentrations in surface soil were determined to be 20.3 {plus minus} 3.4 pCi/g for {sup 40}K, 1.6 {plus minus} 0.5 pCi/g for {sup 226}Ra, and 1.2 {plus minus} 0.3 pCi/g for {sup 232}Th. The Durango background gamma exposure rate was found to be 16.5 {plus minus} 1.3 {mu}R/h. Average gamma spectral count rate measurements for {sup 40}K, {sup 226}Ra and {sup 232}Th were determined to be 553, 150, and 98 counts per minute (cpm), respectively. Geologic unit profiles and Durango background radiation measurements are presented and compared with other areas. 19 refs., 15 figs., 5 tabs.« less

75 FR 1552 - Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-12

... Protection Agency RMP--Risk Management Program SSP--Site Security Plan STQ--Screening Threshold Quantity SVA... Protection Agency (EPA) under the Clean Air Act's Risk Management Program (RMP) for counting-- or excluding... Safety, Information, Site Security and Fuels Regulatory Relief Act, Public Law 106-40. Cf. 72 FR 65410...

When Money Matters: School Infrastructure Funding and Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crampton, Faith E.; Thompson, David C.

2011-01-01

Today's school business officials are more aware than ever of the importance of making every dollar count. As they scour their budgets for possible savings, they may be tempted to reduce investment in school infrastructure, perhaps by deferring maintenance, renovations, and replacement of outdated facilities. However, school business officials…

33 CFR 101.105 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... without containers or labels, and that is received and handled without mark or count. Bunkers means a... on the high seas. Passengers from cruise ships are embarked or disembarked in the U.S. or its... at least one component of the AMS, vessel, or facility security plan and is used to maintain a high...

Proton-induced radioactivity in NaI (Tl) scintillation detectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fishman, G. J.

1977-01-01

Radioactivity induced by protons in sodium iodide scintillation crystals were calculated and directly measured. These data are useful in determining trapped radiation and cosmic-ray induced, background-counting rates in spaceborne detectors.

NASA Langley Low Speed Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnel: Background Noise and Flow Survey Results Prior to FY05 Construction of Facilities Modifications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Booth, Earl R., Jr.; Henderson, Brenda S.

2005-01-01

The NASA Langley Research Center Low Speed Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnel is a premier facility for model-scale testing of jet noise reduction concepts at realistic flow conditions. However, flow inside the open jet test section is less than optimum. A Construction of Facilities project, scheduled for FY 05, will replace the flow collector with a new design intended to reduce recirculation in the open jet test section. The reduction of recirculation will reduce background noise levels measured by a microphone array impinged by the recirculation flow and will improve flow characteristics in the open jet tunnel flow. In order to assess the degree to which this modification is successful, background noise levels and tunnel flow are documented, in order to establish a baseline, in this report.

78 FR 47859 - Medicare Program; Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System for Federal Fiscal...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-06

...This final rule updates the prospective payment rates for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for federal fiscal year (FY) 2014 (for discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2013 and on or before September 30, 2014) as required by the statute. This final rule also revised the list of diagnosis codes that may be counted toward an IRF's ``60 percent rule'' compliance calculation to determine ``presumptive compliance,'' update the IRF facility-level adjustment factors using an enhanced estimation methodology, revise sections of the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility-Patient Assessment Instrument, revise requirements for acute care hospitals that have IRF units, clarify the IRF regulation text regarding limitation of review, update references to previously changed sections in the regulations text, and revise and update quality measures and reporting requirements under the IRF quality reporting program.

Medicare program; inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system for federal fiscal year 2014. Final rule.

PubMed

2013-08-06

This final rule updates the prospective payment rates for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for federal fiscal year (FY) 2014 (for discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2013 and on or before September 30, 2014) as required by the statute. This final rule also revised the list of diagnosis codes that may be counted toward an IRF's "60 percent rule'' compliance calculation to determine "presumptive compliance,'' update the IRF facility-level adjustment factors using an enhanced estimation methodology, revise sections of the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility-Patient Assessment Instrument, revise requirements for acute care hospitals that have IRF units, clarify the IRF regulation text regarding limitation of review, update references to previously changed sections in the regulations text, and revise and update quality measures and reporting requirements under the IRF quality reporting program.

State and Federal Policies for School Facility Construction: A Comparison of Michigan and Ohio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Thomas E.

2015-01-01

Background: The Ohio School Facilities Commission was set up in response to litigation compelling the state to achieve a more equitable distribution in the quality of school facilities. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was a federal policy to stimulate the United States economy and support school facility construction. These two…

Cutting the Cost of New Community College Facilities: Streamlining the Facilities Approval Process. Commission on Innovation Policy Discussion Paper Number 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BW Associates, Berkeley, CA.

Intended to provide background information and preliminary options for the California Community Colleges' Commission on Innovation, this document proposes that approval processes for new facilities be simplified and that restrictions on the lease or purchase of off-campus facilities be eased. Following introductory materials detailing the…

Low noise and conductively cooled microchannel plates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feller, W. B.

1990-01-01

Microchannel plate (MCP) dynamic range has recently been enhanced for both very low and very high input flux conditions. Improvements in MCP manufacturing technology reported earlier have led to MCPs with substantially reduced radioisotope levels, giving dramatically lower internal background-counting rates. An update is given on the Galileo low noise MCP. Also, new results in increasing the MCP linear counting range for high input flux densities are presented. By bonding the active face of a very low resistance MCP (less than 1 megaohm) to a substrate providing a conductive path for heat transport, the bias current limit (hence, MCP output count rate limit) can be increased up to two orders of magnitude. Normal pulse-counting MCP operation was observed at bias currents of several mA when a curved-channel MCP (80:1) was bonded to a ceramic multianode substrate; the MCP temperature rise above ambient was less than 40 C.

A video-based real-time adaptive vehicle-counting system for urban roads.

PubMed

Liu, Fei; Zeng, Zhiyuan; Jiang, Rong

2017-01-01

In developing nations, many expanding cities are facing challenges that result from the overwhelming numbers of people and vehicles. Collecting real-time, reliable and precise traffic flow information is crucial for urban traffic management. The main purpose of this paper is to develop an adaptive model that can assess the real-time vehicle counts on urban roads using computer vision technologies. This paper proposes an automatic real-time background update algorithm for vehicle detection and an adaptive pattern for vehicle counting based on the virtual loop and detection line methods. In addition, a new robust detection method is introduced to monitor the real-time traffic congestion state of road section. A prototype system has been developed and installed on an urban road for testing. The results show that the system is robust, with a real-time counting accuracy exceeding 99% in most field scenarios.

A video-based real-time adaptive vehicle-counting system for urban roads

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

In developing nations, many expanding cities are facing challenges that result from the overwhelming numbers of people and vehicles. Collecting real-time, reliable and precise traffic flow information is crucial for urban traffic management. The main purpose of this paper is to develop an adaptive model that can assess the real-time vehicle counts on urban roads using computer vision technologies. This paper proposes an automatic real-time background update algorithm for vehicle detection and an adaptive pattern for vehicle counting based on the virtual loop and detection line methods. In addition, a new robust detection method is introduced to monitor the real-time traffic congestion state of road section. A prototype system has been developed and installed on an urban road for testing. The results show that the system is robust, with a real-time counting accuracy exceeding 99% in most field scenarios. PMID:29135984

Static and elevated pollen traps do not provide an accurate assessment of personal pollen exposure.

PubMed

Penel, V; Calleja, M; Pichot, C; Charpin, D

2017-03-01

Background. Volumetric pollen traps are commonly used to assess pollen exposure. These traps are well suited for estimating the regional mean airborne pollen concentration but are likely not to provide an accurate index of personal exposure. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that hair sampling may provide different pollen counts from those from pollen traps, especially when the pollen exposure is diverse. Methods. We compared pollen counts in hair washes to counts provided by stationary volumetric and gravimetric pollen traps in 2 different settings: urban with volunteers living in short distance from one another and from the static trap and suburban in which volunteers live in a scattered environment, quite far from the static trap. Results. Pollen counts in hair washes are in full agreement with trap counts for uniform pollen exposure. In contrast, for diverse pollen exposure, .individual pollen counts in hair washes vary strongly in quantity and taxa composition between individuals and dates. These results demonstrate that the pollen counts method (hair washes vs. stationary pollen traps) may lead to different absolute and relative contributions of taxa to the total pollen count. Conclusions. In a geographic area with a high diversity of environmental exposure to pollen, static pollen traps, in contrast to hair washes, do not provide a reliable estimate of this higher diversity.

Predicted performance of a PG-SPECT system using CZT primary detectors and secondary Compton-suppression anti-coincidence detectors under near-clinical settings for boron neutron capture therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hales, Brian; Katabuchi, Tatsuya; Igashira, Masayuki; Terada, Kazushi; Hayashizaki, Noriyosu; Kobayashi, Tooru

2017-12-01

A test version of a prompt-gamma single photon emission computed tomography (PG-SPECT) system for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) using a CdZnTe (CZT) semiconductor detector with a secondary BGO anti-Compton suppression detector has been designed. A phantom with healthy tissue region of pure water, and 2 tumor regions of 5 wt% borated polyethylene was irradiated to a fluence of 1.3 × 109 n/cm2. The number of 478 keV foreground, background, and net counts were measured for each detector position and angle. Using only experimentally measured net counts, an image of the 478 keV production from the 10B(n , α) 7Li* reaction was reconstructed. Using Monte Carlo simulation and the experimentally measured background counts, the reliability of the system under clinically accurate parameters was extrapolated. After extrapolation, it was found that the value of the maximum-value pixel in the reconstructed 478 keV γ-ray production image overestimates the simulated production by an average of 9.2%, and that the standard deviation associated with the same value is 11.4%.

Hypothesis tests for the detection of constant speed radiation moving sources

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dumazert, Jonathan; Coulon, Romain; Kondrasovs, Vladimir

2015-07-01

Radiation Portal Monitors are deployed in linear network to detect radiological material in motion. As a complement to single and multichannel detection algorithms, inefficient under too low signal to noise ratios, temporal correlation algorithms have been introduced. Test hypothesis methods based on empirically estimated mean and variance of the signals delivered by the different channels have shown significant gain in terms of a tradeoff between detection sensitivity and false alarm probability. This paper discloses the concept of a new hypothesis test for temporal correlation detection methods, taking advantage of the Poisson nature of the registered counting signals, and establishes amore » benchmark between this test and its empirical counterpart. The simulation study validates that in the four relevant configurations of a pedestrian source carrier under respectively high and low count rate radioactive background, and a vehicle source carrier under the same respectively high and low count rate radioactive background, the newly introduced hypothesis test ensures a significantly improved compromise between sensitivity and false alarm, while guaranteeing the stability of its optimization parameter regardless of signal to noise ratio variations between 2 to 0.8. (authors)« less

A rapid method for the simultaneous determination of gross alpha and beta activities in water samples using a low background liquid scintillation counter.

PubMed

Sanchez-Cabeza, J A; Pujol, L

1995-05-01

The radiological examination of water requires a rapid screening technique that permits the determination of the gross alpha and beta activities of each sample in order to decide if further radiological analyses are necessary. In this work, the use of a low background liquid scintillation system (Quantulus 1220) is proposed to simultaneously determine the gross activities in water samples. Liquid scintillation is compared to more conventional techniques used in most monitoring laboratories. In order to determine the best counting configuration of the system, pulse shape discrimination was optimized for 6 scintillant/vial combinations. It was concluded that the best counting configuration was obtained with the scintillation cocktail Optiphase Hisafe 3 in Zinsser low diffusion vials. The detection limits achieved were 0.012 Bq L-1 and 0.14 Bq L-1 for gross alpha and beta activity respectively, after a 1:10 concentration process by simple evaporation and for a counting time of only 360 min. The proposed technique is rapid, gives spectral information, and is adequate to determine gross activities according to the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline values.

Fast-neutron, coded-aperture imager

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woolf, Richard S.; Phlips, Bernard F.; Hutcheson, Anthony L.; Wulf, Eric A.

2015-06-01

This work discusses a large-scale, coded-aperture imager for fast neutrons, building off a proof-of concept instrument developed at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). The Space Science Division at the NRL has a heritage of developing large-scale, mobile systems, using coded-aperture imaging, for long-range γ-ray detection and localization. The fast-neutron, coded-aperture imaging instrument, designed for a mobile unit (20 ft. ISO container), consists of a 32-element array of 15 cm×15 cm×15 cm liquid scintillation detectors (EJ-309) mounted behind a 12×12 pseudorandom coded aperture. The elements of the aperture are composed of 15 cm×15 cm×10 cm blocks of high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The arrangement of the aperture elements produces a shadow pattern on the detector array behind the mask. By measuring of the number of neutron counts per masked and unmasked detector, and with knowledge of the mask pattern, a source image can be deconvolved to obtain a 2-d location. The number of neutrons per detector was obtained by processing the fast signal from each PMT in flash digitizing electronics. Digital pulse shape discrimination (PSD) was performed to filter out the fast-neutron signal from the γ background. The prototype instrument was tested at an indoor facility at the NRL with a 1.8-μCi and 13-μCi 252Cf neutron/γ source at three standoff distances of 9, 15 and 26 m (maximum allowed in the facility) over a 15-min integration time. The imaging and detection capabilities of the instrument were tested by moving the source in half- and one-pixel increments across the image plane. We show a representative sample of the results obtained at one-pixel increments for a standoff distance of 9 m. The 1.8-μCi source was not detected at the 26-m standoff. In order to increase the sensitivity of the instrument, we reduced the fastneutron background by shielding the top, sides and back of the detector array with 10-cm-thick HDPE. This shielding configuration led to a reduction in the background by a factor of 1.7 and thus allowed for the detection and localization of the 1.8 μCi. The detection significance for each source at different standoff distances will be discussed.

Fluorescein dye improves microscopic evaluation and counting of demodex in blepharitis with cylindrical dandruff.

PubMed

Kheirkhah, Ahmad; Blanco, Gabriela; Casas, Victoria; Tseng, Scheffer C G

2007-07-01

To show whether fluorescein dye helps detect and count Demodex embedded in cylindrical dandruff (CD) of epilated eyelashes from patients with blepharitis. Two eyelashes with CD were removed from each lid of 10 consecutive patients with blepharitis and subjected to microscopic examination with and without fluorescein solution to detect and count Demodex mites. Of 80 eyelashes examined, 36 (45%) lashes retained their CD after removal. Before addition of the fluorescein solution, the mean total Demodex count per patient was 14.9 +/- 10 and the mean Demodex count per lash was 3.1 +/- 2.5 and 0.8 +/- 0.7 in epilated eyelashes with and without retained CD, respectively (P < 0.0001). After addition of the fluorescein solution, opaque and compact CD instantly expanded to reveal embedded mites in a yellowish and semitransparent background. As a result, the mean total Demodex count per patient was significantly increased to 20.2 +/- 13.8 (P = 0.003), and the mean count per lash was significantly increased to 4.4 +/- 2.8 and 1 +/- 0.8 in eyelashes with and without retained CD (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.007), respectively. This new method yielded more mites in 8 of 10 patients and allowed mites to be detected in 3 lashes with retained CD and 1 lash without retained CD that had an initial count of zero. Addition of fluorescein solution after mounting further increases the proficiency of detecting and counting mites embedded in CD of epilated eyelashes.

AURORA on MEGSAT 1: a photon counting observatory for the Earth UV night-sky background and Aurora emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monfardini, A.; Trampus, P.; Stalio, R.; Mahne, N.; Battiston, R.; Menichelli, M.; Mazzinghi, P.

2001-08-01

A low-mass, low-cost photon-counting scientific payload has been developed and launched on a commercial microsatellite in order to study the near-UV night-sky background emission with a telescope nicknamed ``Notte'' and the Aurora emission with ``Alba''. AURORA, this is the name of the experiment, will determine, with the ``Notte'' channel, the overall night-side photon background in the 300-400nm spectral range, together with a particular 2+N2 line (λc=337nm). The ``Alba'' channel, on the other hand, will study the Aurora emissions in four different spectral bands (FWHM=8.4-9.6nm) centered on: 367nm (continuum evaluation), 391nm (1-N+2), 535nm (continuum evaluation), 560nm (OI). The instrument has been launched on the 26 September, 2000 from the Baikonur cosmodrome on a modified SS18 Dnepr-1 ``Satan'' rocket. The satellite orbit is nearly circular (hapogee=648km, /e=0.0022), and the inclination of the orbital plane is 64.56°. An overview of the techniques adopted is given in this paper.

A detection method for X-ray images based on wavelet transforms: the case of the ROSAT PSPC.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damiani, F.; Maggio, A.; Micela, G.; Sciortino, S.

1996-02-01

The authors have developed a method based on wavelet transforms (WT) to detect efficiently sources in PSPC X-ray images. The multiscale approach typical of WT can be used to detect sources with a large range of sizes, and to estimate their size and count rate. Significance thresholds for candidate detections (found as local WT maxima) have been derived from a detailed study of the probability distribution of the WT of a locally uniform background. The use of the exposure map allows good detection efficiency to be retained even near PSPC ribs and edges. The algorithm may also be used to get upper limits to the count rate of undetected objects. Simulations of realistic PSPC images containing either pure background or background+sources were used to test the overall algorithm performances, and to assess the frequency of spurious detections (vs. detection threshold) and the algorithm sensitivity. Actual PSPC images of galaxies and star clusters show the algorithm to have good performance even in cases of extended sources and crowded fields.

Effectiveness of a steam cleaning unit for disinfection in a veterinary hospital.

PubMed

Wood, Cheryl L; Tanner, Benjamin D; Higgins, Laura A; Dennis, Jeffrey S; Luempert, Louis G

2014-12-01

To evaluate whether the application of steam to a variety of surface types in a veterinary hospital would effectively reduce the number of bacteria. 5 surface types. Steam was applied as a surface treatment for disinfection to 18 test sites of 5 surface types in a veterinary hospital. A pretreatment sample was obtained by collection of a swab specimen from the left side of each defined test surface. Steam disinfection was performed on the right side of each test surface, and a posttreatment sample was then collected in the same manner from the treated (right) side of each test surface. Total bacteria for pretreatment and posttreatment samples were quantified by heterotrophic plate counts and for Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas spp, and total coliforms by counts on selective media. Significant reductions were observed in heterotrophic plate counts after steam application to dog runs and dog kennel floors. A significant reduction in counts of Pseudomonas spp was observed after steam application to tub sinks. Bacterial counts were reduced, but not significantly, on most other test surfaces that had adequate pretreatment counts for quantification. Development of health-care-associated infections is of increasing concern in human and veterinary medicine. The application of steam significantly reduced bacterial numbers on a variety of surfaces within a veterinary facility. Steam disinfection may prove to be an alternative or adjunct to chemical disinfection within veterinary practices.

Association between Gastrointestinal Illness and Precipitation in Areas Impacted by Combined Sewer Facilities: Analysis of Massachusetts Data, 2003-2007

EPA Science Inventory

Background: Combined sewer systems (CSS) collect rainwater runoff, sewage, and industrial wastewater for transit to treatment facilities. With heavy precipitation, volumes can exceed capacity of treatment facilities, and wastewater discharges directly to receiving waters. These c...

High-Precision Half-life Measurements for the Superallowed β+ Emitter 14O

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laffoley, A. T.; Svensson, C. E.; Andreoiu, C.; Austin, R. A. E.; Ball, G. C.; Blank, B.; Bouzomita, H.; Cross, D. S.; Diaz Varela, A.; Dunlop, R.; Finlay, P.; Garnsworthy, A. B.; Garrett, P. E.; Giovinazzo, J.; Grinyer, G. F.; Hackman, G.; Hadinia, B.; Jamieson, D. S.; Ketelhut, S.; Leach, K. G.; Leslie, J. R.; Tardiff, E. R.; Thomas, J. C.; Unsworth, C.

2014-03-01

The half-life of 14O, a superallowed Fermi β+ emitter, has been determined via simultaneous γ and β counting experiments at TRIUMF's Isotope Separator and Accelerator facility. Following the implantation of 14O samples at the center of the 8π spectrometer, a γ counting measurement was performed by detecting the 2313 keV γ-rays emitted from the first excited state of the daughter 14N using 20 high-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors. A simultaneous β counting experiment was performed using a fast plastic scintillator positioned directly behind the implantation site. The results, T½(γ) = 70:632 ± 0:094 s and T½(β) = 70:610 ± 0:030 s, are consistent with one another and, together with eight previous measurements, establish a new average for the 14O half-life of T½ = 70:619 ± 0:011 s with a reduced χ2 of 0.99.

Implementation of a protocol to reduce occurrence of retained sponges after vaginal delivery.

PubMed

Lutgendorf, Monica A; Schindler, Lynnett L; Hill, James B; Magann, Everett F; O'Boyle, John D

2011-06-01

Retained sponges (gossypiboma) following vaginal delivery are an uncommon occurrence. Although significant morbidity from such an event is unlikely, there are many reported adverse effects, including symptoms of malodorous discharge, loss of confidence in providers and the medical system, and legal claims. To report a protocol intended to reduce the occurrence of retained sponges following vaginal delivery. After identification of limitations with existing delivery room protocols, we developed a sponge count protocol to reduce occurrence of retained vaginal sponges. We report our experience at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, a large tertiary care military treatment facility with our efforts to implement a sponge count protocol to reduce retained sponges following vaginal delivery. With appropriate pre-implementation training, protocols which incorporate post-delivery vaginal sweep and sponge counts are well accepted by the health care team and can be incorporated into the delivery room routine.

Design and performance of an ionisation chamber for the measurement of low alpha-activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartmann, A.; Hutsch, J.; Krüger, F.; Sobiella, M.; Wilsenach, H.; Zuber, K.

2016-04-01

A new ionisation chamber for alpha-spectroscopy has been built from radio-pure materials for the purpose of investigating long lived alpha-decays. The measurement makes use of pulse shape analysis to discriminate between signal and background events. The design and performance of the chamber is described in this paper. A background rate of (10.9 ± 0.6) counts per day in the energy region of 1-9 MeV was achieved with a run period of 30.8 days. The background is dominantly produced by radon daughters.

Simultaneous measurement of tritium and radiocarbon by ultra-low-background proportional counting

DOE PAGES

Mace, Emily; Aalseth, Craig; Alexander, Tom; ...

2016-12-21

Use of ultra-low-background capabilities at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory provide enhanced sensitivity for measurement of low-activity sources of tritium and radiocarbon using proportional counters. Tritium levels are nearly back to pre-nuclear test backgrounds (~2-8 TU in rainwater), which can complicate their dual measurement with radiocarbon due to overlap in the beta decay spectra. In this paper, we present results of single-isotope proportional counter measurements used to analyze a dual-isotope methane sample synthesized from ~120 mg of H 2O and present sensitivity results.

Signal and background considerations for the MRSt on the National Ignition Facility (NIF)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wink, C. W., E-mail: cwink@mit.edu; Frenje, J. A.; Gatu Johnson, M.

2016-11-15

A Magnetic Recoil Spectrometer (MRSt) has been conceptually designed for time-resolved measurements of the neutron spectrum at the National Ignition Facility. Using the MRSt, the goals are to measure the time-evolution of the spectrum with a time resolution of ∼20-ps and absolute accuracy better than 5%. To meet these goals, a detailed understanding and optimization of the signal and background characteristics are required. Through ion-optics, MCNP simulations, and detector-response calculations, it is demonstrated that the goals and a signal-to background >5–10 for the down-scattered neutron measurement are met if the background, consisting of ambient neutrons and gammas, at the MRStmore » is reduced 50–100 times.« less

Signal and background considerations for the MRSt on the National Ignition Facility (NIF)

DOE PAGES

Wink, C. W.; Frenje, J. A.; Hilsabeck, T. J.; ...

2016-08-03

A Magnetic Recoil Spectrometer (MRSt) has been conceptually designed for time-resolved measurements of the neutron spectrum at the National Ignition Facility. Using the MRSt, the goals are to measure the time-evolution of the spectrum with a time resolution of ~20-ps and absolute accuracy better than 5%. To meet these goals, a detailed understanding and optimization of the signal and background characteristics are required. Through ion-optics, MCNP simulations, and detector-response calculations, we demonstrate that the goals and a signal-to background >5-10 for the down-scattered neutron measurement are met if the background, consisting of ambient neutrons and gammas, at the MRSt ismore » reduced 50-100 times.« less

Multisite study of particle number concentrations in urban air.

PubMed

Harrison, Roy M; Jones, Alan M

2005-08-15

Particle number concentration data are reported from a total of eight urban site locations in the United Kingdom. Of these, six are central urban background sites, while one is an urban street canyon (Marylebone Road) and another is influenced by both a motorway and a steelworks (Port Talbot). The concentrations are generally of a similar order to those reported in the literature, although higher than those in some of the other studies. Highest concentrations are at the Marylebone Road site and lowest are at the Port Talbot site. The central urban background locations lie somewhere between with concentrations typically around 20 000 cm(-3). A seasonal pattern affects all sites, with highest concentrations in the winter months and lowest concentrations in the summer. Data from all sites show a diurnal variation with a morning rush hour peak typical of an anthropogenic pollutant. When the dilution effects of windspeed are accounted for, the data show little directionality at the central urban background sites indicating the influence of sources from all directions as might be expected if the major source were road traffic. At the London Marylebone Road site there is high directionality driven by the air circulation in the street canyon, and at the Port Talbot site different diurnal patterns are seen for particle number count and PM10 influenced by emissions from road traffic (particle number count) and the steelworks (PM10) and local meteorological factors. Hourly particle number concentrations are generally only weakly correlated to NO(x) and PM10, with the former showing a slightly closer relationship. Correlations between daily average particle number count and PM10 were also weak. Episodes of high PM10 concentration in summer typically show low particle number concentrations consistent with transport of accumulation mode secondary aerosol, while winter episodes are frequently associated with high PM10 and particle number count arising from poor dispersion of local primary emissions.

Boeing infrared sensor (BIRS) calibration facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hazen, John D.; Scorsone, L. V.

1990-01-01

The Boeing Infrared Sensor (BIRS) Calibration Facility represents a major capital investment in optical and infrared technology. The facility was designed and built for the calibration and testing of the new generation large aperture long wave infrared (LWIR) sensors, seekers, and related technologies. Capability exists to perform both radiometric and goniometric calibrations of large infrared sensors under simulated environmental operating conditions. The system is presently configured for endoatmospheric calibrations with a uniform background field which can be set to simulate the expected mission background levels. During calibration, the sensor under test is also exposed to expected mission temperatures and pressures within the test chamber. Capability exists to convert the facility for exoatmospheric testing. The configuration of the system is described along with hardware elements and changes made to date are addressed.

Circulating Tumor Cell Count Is a Prognostic Factor in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Patients Receiving First-Line Chemotherapy Plus Bevacizumab: A Spanish Cooperative Group for the Treatment of Digestive Tumors Study

PubMed Central

Maestro, M. Luisa; Gómez-España, Auxiliadora; Rivera, Fernando; Valladares, Manuel; Massuti, Bartomeu; Benavides, Manuel; Gallén, Manuel; Marcuello, Eugenio; Abad, Albert; Arrivi, Antonio; Fernández-Martos, Carlos; González, Encarnación; Tabernero, Josep M.; Vidaurreta, Marta; Aranda, Enrique; Díaz-Rubio, Eduardo

2012-01-01

Background. The Maintenance in Colorectal Cancer trial was a phase III study to assess maintenance therapy with single-agent bevacizumab versus bevacizumab plus chemotherapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. An ancillary study was conducted to evaluate the circulating tumor cell (CTC) count as a prognostic and/or predictive marker for efficacy endpoints. Patients and Methods. One hundred eighty patients were included. Blood samples were obtained at baseline and after three cycles. CTC enumeration was carried out using the CellSearch® System (Veridex LLC, Raritan, NJ). Computed tomography scans were performed at cycle 3 and 6 and every 12 weeks thereafter for tumor response assessment. Results. The median progression-free survival (PFS) interval for patients with a CTC count ≥3 at baseline was 7.8 months, versus the 12.0 months achieved by patients with a CTC count <3 (p = .0002). The median overall survival (OS) time was 17.7 months for patients with a CTC count ≥3, compared with 25.1 months for patients with a lower count (p = .0059). After three cycles, the median PFS interval for patients with a low CTC count was 10.8 months, significantly longer than the 7.5 months for patients with a high CTC count (p = .005). The median OS time for patients with a CTC count <3 was significantly longer than for patients with a CTC count ≥3, 25.1 months versus 16.2 months, respectively (p = .0095). Conclusions. The CTC count is a strong prognostic factor for PFS and OS outcomes in metastatic colorectal cancer patients. PMID:22643538

Image segregation in strabismic amblyopia.

PubMed

Levi, Dennis M

2007-06-01

Humans with naturally occurring amblyopia show deficits thought to involve mechanisms downstream of V1. These include excessive crowding, abnormal global image processing, spatial sampling and symmetry detection and undercounting. Several recent studies suggest that humans with naturally occurring amblyopia show deficits in global image segregation. The current experiments were designed to study figure-ground segregation in amblyopic observers with documented deficits in crowding, symmetry detection, spatial sampling and counting, using similar stimuli. Observers had to discriminate the orientation of a figure (an "E"-like pattern made up of 17 horizontal Gabor patches), embedded in a 7x7 array of Gabor patches. When the 32 "background" patches are vertical, the "E" pops-out, due to segregation by orientation and performance is perfect; however, if the background patches are all, or mostly horizontal, the "E" is camouflaged, and performance is random. Using a method of constant stimuli, we varied the number of "background" patches that were vertical and measured the probability of correct discrimination of the global orientation of the E (up/down/left/right). Surprisingly, amblyopes who showed strong crowding and deficits in symmetry detection and counting, perform normally or very nearly so in this segregation task. I therefore conclude that these deficits are not a consequence of abnormal segregation of figure from background.

Fast neutron background characterization with the Radiological Multi-sensor Analysis Platform (RadMAP)

DOE PAGES

Davis, John R.; Brubaker, Erik; Vetter, Kai

2017-03-29

In an effort to characterize the fast neutron radiation background, 16 EJ-309 liquid scintillator cells were installed in the Radiological Multi-sensor Analysis Platform (RadMAP) to collect data in the San Francisco Bay Area. Each fast neutron event was associated with specific weather metrics (pressure, temperature, absolute humidity) and GPS coordinates. Furthermore, the expected exponential dependence of the fast neutron count rate on atmospheric pressure was demonstrated and event rates were subsequently adjusted given the measured pressure at the time of detection. Pressure adjusted data was also used to investigate the influence of other environmental conditions on the neutron background rate.more » Using National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) coastal area lidar data, an algorithm was implemented to approximate sky-view factors (the total fraction of visible sky) for points along RadMAPs route. In the three areas we analyzed, San Francisco, Downtown Oakland, and Berkeley, all demonstrated a suppression in the background rate of over 50% for the range of sky-view factors measured. This effect, which is due to the shielding of cosmic-ray produced neutrons by surrounding buildings, was comparable to the pressure influence which yielded a 32% suppression in the count rate over the range of pressures measured.« less

Film Vetoes for Alpha Background Rejection in Bolometer Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deporzio, Nicholas; Bucci, Carlo; Canonica, Lucia; Divacri, Marialaura; Cuore Collaboration; Absurd Team

2015-04-01

This study characterizes the effectiveness of encasing bolometer detectors in scintillator, metal ionization, and more exotic films to veto alpha radiation background. Bolometers are highly susceptible to alpha background and a successful veto should boost the statistical strength, speed, and signal-background ratio of bolometer particle searches. Plastic scintillator films are cooled to bolometer temperatures and bombarded with 1.4 MeV to 6.0 MeV alpha particles representative of detector conditions. Photomultipliers detect the keV range scintillation light and produce a veto signal. Also, layered films of a primary metal, dielectric, and secondary metal, such as gold-polyethylene-gold films, are cooled to milli-kelvin temperatures and biased with 0.1V to 100V to produce a current signal when incident 1.4 MeV to 6.0 MeV alpha particles ionize conduction paths through the film. Veto signals are characterized by their affect on bolometer detection of 865 keV target signals. Similar methods are applied to more exotic films. Early results show scintillator films raise target signal count rate and suppress counts above target energy by at least a factor of 10. This indicates scintillation vetoes are effective and that metal ionization and other films under study will also be effective.

Laboratory simulations of astrophysical jets: results from experiments at the PF-3, PF-1000U, and KPF-4 facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krauz, V. I.; Myalton, V. V.; Vinogradov, V. P.; Velikhov, E. P.; Ananyev, S. S.; Dan'ko, S. A.; Kalinin, Yu G.; Kharrasov, A. M.; Vinogradova, Yu V.; Mitrofanov, K. N.; Paduch, M.; Miklaszewski, R.; Zielinska, E.; Skladnik-Sadowska, E.; Sadowski, M. J.; Kwiatkowski, R.; Tomaszewski, K.; Vojtenko, D. A.

2017-10-01

Results are presented from laboratory simulations of plasma jets emitted by young stellar objects carried out at the plasma focus facilities. The experiments were performed at three facilities: the PF-3, PF-1000U and KPF-4. The operation modes were realized enabling the formation of narrow plasma jets which can propagate over long distances. The main parameters of plasma jets and background plasma were determined. In order to control the ratio of a jet density to that of background plasma, some special operation modes with pulsed injection of the working gas were used.

On-Orbit Sky Background Measurements with the FOS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyons, R. W.; Baity, W. A.; Beaver, E. A.; Cohen, R. D.; Junkkarinen, V. T.; Linsky, J. B.; Bohlin, R. C.

1993-01-01

Observations of the sky background obtained with the Faint Object Spectrograph during 1991-1992 are discussed. Sky light can be an important contributor to the observed count rate in several of the instrument configurations especially when large apertures are used. In general, the sky background is consistent with the pre-launch expectations and showed the expected effects of zodiacal light and diffuse galactic light. In addition to these sources, there is, particularly during the daytime, a highly variable airglow component which includes a number of emission lines. The sky background will have an impact on the reduction and possibly the interpretation of some spectra.

Evaluation of Plume Divergence and Facility Effects on Far-Field Faraday Probe Current Density Profiles

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

elevated background pressure, compared nude Faraday probe designs, and evaluated design modifications to minimize uncertainty due to charge exchange...evaluated Faraday probe design and facility background pressure on collected ion current. A comparison of two nude Faraday probe designs concluded...140.5 Plasma potential in the region surrounding a nude Faraday probe has been measured to study the possibility of probe bias voltage acting as a

32 CFR 770.54 - Background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... ACCESS TO PARTICULAR INSTALLATIONS Entry Regulations for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, New Hampshire § 770.54 Background. (a) Portsmouth Naval Shipyard maintains and operates facilities “to provide...

32 CFR 770.54 - Background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... ACCESS TO PARTICULAR INSTALLATIONS Entry Regulations for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, New Hampshire § 770.54 Background. (a) Portsmouth Naval Shipyard maintains and operates facilities “to provide...

32 CFR 770.54 - Background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... ACCESS TO PARTICULAR INSTALLATIONS Entry Regulations for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, New Hampshire § 770.54 Background. (a) Portsmouth Naval Shipyard maintains and operates facilities “to provide...

32 CFR 770.54 - Background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... ACCESS TO PARTICULAR INSTALLATIONS Entry Regulations for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, New Hampshire § 770.54 Background. (a) Portsmouth Naval Shipyard maintains and operates facilities “to provide...

78 FR 20564 - Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Survey, Certification and Enforcement Procedures

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-05

... Providers Act of 2008 NF--Nursing Facility OIG--Office of the Inspector General OPT--Provider of outpatient... Act SNF--Skilled Nursing Facility TJC--The Joint Commission I. Background To participate in the... participation (CoPs) for most providers, requirements for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), conditions for...

Guaifenesin and increased sperm motility: a preliminary case report

PubMed Central

Means, Gary; Berry-Cabán, Cristóbal S; Hammermeuller, Kurt

2011-01-01

Background A review of the literature and an extensive Medline search revealed that this is the first case report of the use of guaifenesin to increase sperm motility. Case A 32-year-old male presented for an infertility evaluation. He reported an inability to conceive with his wife after 18 months of unprotected intercourse. A semen analysis was performed that included spermatozoa count, liquefaction, morphology, motility, viscosity and volume. Initial results of the semen analysis demonstrated low sperm count and motility. The provider offered treatment with guaifenesin 600 mg extended release tablets twice daily. Two months after guaifenesin therapy the semen analysis was repeated that demonstrated marked improvement in both total sperm count and motility. Conclusion Evidence for the effectiveness of guaifenesin is almost entirely anecdotal. Given the mechanism of action of guaifenesin, it is not clear from this case why the patient demonstrated such a large improvement in both sperm count and motility. Additional studies of the effects of guaifenesin on male fertility could yield information of the medication’s effect on men with normal or decreased total sperm counts. PMID:21403786

47 CFR 90.633 - Conventional systems loading requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... automatically. For purposes of this section, a base station is not considered to be in operation unless at least... loading purposes only for the base station facility in the geographic area in which it primarily operates. If this cannot be determined, it will be counted fractionally over the number of base station...

47 CFR 90.631 - Trunked systems loading, construction and authorization requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

..., the total number of mobile units and control stations operating in the wide-area system shall be counted with respect to the total number of base station frequencies assigned to the system. (h) Regional... fractionally over the number of base station facilities with which it communicates regularly. [47 FR 41032...

Advances in the computation of the Sjöstrand, Rossi, and Feynman distributions

DOE PAGES

Talamo, A.; Gohar, Y.; Gabrielli, F.; ...

2017-02-01

This study illustrates recent computational advances in the application of the Sjöstrand (area), Rossi, and Feynman methods to estimate the effective multiplication factor of a subcritical system driven by an external neutron source. The methodologies introduced in this study have been validated with the experimental results from the KUKA facility of Japan by Monte Carlo (MCNP6 and MCNPX) and deterministic (ERANOS, VARIANT, and PARTISN) codes. When the assembly is driven by a pulsed neutron source generated by a particle accelerator and delayed neutrons are at equilibrium, the Sjöstrand method becomes extremely fast if the integral of the reaction rate frommore » a single pulse is split into two parts. These two integrals distinguish between the neutron counts during and after the pulse period. To conclude, when the facility is driven by a spontaneous fission neutron source, the timestamps of the detector neutron counts can be obtained up to the nanosecond precision using MCNP6, which allows obtaining the Rossi and Feynman distributions.« less

3. VIEW LOOKING NORTH, COMPONENTS TEST LABORATORY, DYNAMIC TEST FACILITY ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

3. VIEW LOOKING NORTH, COMPONENTS TEST LABORATORY, DYNAMIC TEST FACILITY (SATURN V IN BACKGROUND). - Marshall Space Flight Center, East Test Area, Components Test Laboratory, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

Video Analysis in Multi-Intelligence

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Key, Everett Kiusan; Van Buren, Kendra Lu; Warren, Will

This is a project which was performed by a graduated high school student at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The goal of the Multi-intelligence (MINT) project is to determine the state of a facility from multiple data streams. The data streams are indirect observations. The researcher is using DARHT (Dual-Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test Facility) as a proof of concept. In summary, videos from the DARHT facility contain a rich amount of information. Distribution of car activity can inform us about the state of the facility. Counting large vehicles shows promise as another feature for identifying the state of operations. Signalmore » processing techniques are limited by the low resolution and compression of the videos. We are working on integrating these features with features obtained from other data streams to contribute to the MINT project. Future work can pursue other observations, such as when the gate is functioning or non-functioning.« less

Quantitation of tumor uptake with molecular breast imaging.

PubMed

Bache, Steven T; Kappadath, S Cheenu

2017-09-01

We developed scatter and attenuation-correction techniques for quantifying images obtained with Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI) systems. To investigate scatter correction, energy spectra of a 99m Tc point source were acquired with 0-7-cm-thick acrylic to simulate scatter between the detector heads. System-specific scatter correction factor, k, was calculated as a function of thickness using a dual energy window technique. To investigate attenuation correction, a 7-cm-thick rectangular phantom containing 99m Tc-water simulating breast tissue and fillable spheres simulating tumors was imaged. Six spheres 10-27 mm in diameter were imaged with sphere-to-background ratios (SBRs) of 3.5, 2.6, and 1.7 and located at depths of 0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 cm from the center of the water bath for 54 unique tumor scenarios (3 SBRs × 6 sphere sizes × 3 depths). Phantom images were also acquired in-air under scatter- and attenuation-free conditions, which provided ground truth counts. To estimate true counts, T, from each tumor, the geometric mean (GM) of the counts within a prescribed region of interest (ROI) from the two projection images was calculated as T=C1C2eμtF, where C are counts within the square ROI circumscribing each sphere on detectors 1 and 2, μ is the linear attenuation coefficient of water, t is detector separation, and the factor F accounts for background activity. Four unique F definitions-standard GM, background-subtraction GM, MIRD Primer 16 GM, and a novel "volumetric GM"-were investigated. Error in T was calculated as the percentage difference with respect to in-air. Quantitative accuracy using the different GM definitions was calculated as a function of SBR, depth, and sphere size. Sensitivity of quantitative accuracy to ROI size was investigated. We developed an MBI simulation to investigate the robustness of our corrections for various ellipsoidal tumor shapes and detector separations. Scatter correction factor k varied slightly (0.80-0.95) over a compressed breast thickness range of 6-9 cm. Corrected energy spectra recovered general characteristics of scatter-free spectra. Quantitatively, photopeak counts were recovered to <10% compared to in-air conditions after scatter correction. After GM attenuation correction, mean errors (95% confidence interval, CI) for all 54 imaging scenarios were 149% (-154% to +455%), -14.0% (-38.4% to +10.4%), 16.8% (-14.7% to +48.2%), and 2.0% (-14.3 to +18.3%) for the standard GM, background-subtraction GM, MIRD 16 GM, and volumetric GM, respectively. Volumetric GM was less sensitive to SBR and sphere size, while all GM methods were insensitive to sphere depth. Simulation results showed that Volumetric GM method produced a mean error within 5% over all compressed breast thicknesses (3-14 cm), and that the use of an estimated radius for nonspherical tumors increases the 95% CI to at most ±23%, compared with ±16% for spherical tumors. Using DEW scatter- and our Volumetric GM attenuation-correction methodology yielded accurate estimates of tumor counts in MBI over various tumor sizes, shapes, depths, background uptake, and compressed breast thicknesses. Accurate tumor uptake can be converted to radiotracer uptake concentration, allowing three patient-specific metrics to be calculated for quantifying absolute uptake and relative uptake change for assessment of treatment response. © 2017 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Transforming geographic scale: a comparison of combined population and areal weighting to other interpolation methods.

PubMed

Hallisey, Elaine; Tai, Eric; Berens, Andrew; Wilt, Grete; Peipins, Lucy; Lewis, Brian; Graham, Shannon; Flanagan, Barry; Lunsford, Natasha Buchanan

2017-08-07

Transforming spatial data from one scale to another is a challenge in geographic analysis. As part of a larger, primary study to determine a possible association between travel barriers to pediatric cancer facilities and adolescent cancer mortality across the United States, we examined methods to estimate mortality within zones at varying distances from these facilities: (1) geographic centroid assignment, (2) population-weighted centroid assignment, (3) simple areal weighting, (4) combined population and areal weighting, and (5) geostatistical areal interpolation. For the primary study, we used county mortality counts from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and population data by census tract for the United States to estimate zone mortality. In this paper, to evaluate the five mortality estimation methods, we employed address-level mortality data from the state of Georgia in conjunction with census data. Our objective here is to identify the simplest method that returns accurate mortality estimates. The distribution of Georgia county adolescent cancer mortality counts mirrors the Poisson distribution of the NCHS counts for the U.S. Likewise, zone value patterns, along with the error measures of hierarchy and fit, are similar for the state and the nation. Therefore, Georgia data are suitable for methods testing. The mean absolute value arithmetic differences between the observed counts for Georgia and the five methods were 5.50, 5.00, 4.17, 2.74, and 3.43, respectively. Comparing the methods through paired t-tests of absolute value arithmetic differences showed no statistical difference among the methods. However, we found a strong positive correlation (r = 0.63) between estimated Georgia mortality rates and combined weighting rates at zone level. Most importantly, Bland-Altman plots indicated acceptable agreement between paired arithmetic differences of Georgia rates and combined population and areal weighting rates. This research contributes to the literature on areal interpolation, demonstrating that combined population and areal weighting, compared to other tested methods, returns the most accurate estimates of mortality in transforming small counts by county to aggregated counts for large, non-standard study zones. This conceptually simple cartographic method should be of interest to public health practitioners and researchers limited to analysis of data for relatively large enumeration units.

Team Update on North American Proton Facilities for Radiation Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

LaBel, Kenneth A.; Turflinger, Thomas; Haas, Thurman; George, Jeffrey; Moss, Steven; Davis, Scott; Kostic, Andrew; Wie, Brian; Reed, Robert; Guertin, Steven;

The superconducting high-resolution soft X-ray spectrometer at the advanced biological and environmental X-ray facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedrich, S.; Drury, O. B.; George, S. J.; Cramer, S. P.

2007-11-01

We have built a 36-pixel superconducting tunnel junction X-ray spectrometer for chemical analysis of dilute samples in the soft X-ray band. It offers an energy resolution of ˜10-20 eV FWHM below 1 keV, a solid angle coverage of ˜10 -3, and can be operated at total rates of up to ˜10 6 counts/s. Here, we describe the spectrometer performance in speciation measurements by fluorescence-detected X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Advanced Biological and Environmental X-ray facility at the ALS synchrotron.

Individual Radiation Protection Monitoring in the Marshall Islands. Utrok Atoll (2010-2012)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hamilton, T. F.; Kehl, S. R.; Martinelli, R. E.

2014-12-15

As a hard copy supplement to the Marshall Islands Program website (https://marshallislands.llnl.gov), this document provides an overview of the individual radiological surveillance monitoring program established in support of residents of Utrōk Atoll and nonresident citizens of the Utrōk Atoll population group, along with full disclosure of verified measurement data (2010-2012). The Utrōk Atoll Whole Body Counting Facility has been temporarily stationed on Majuro Atoll and, in cooperation with the Utrōk Atoll Local Government, serves as a national radiological facility open to the general public.

Real-time monitoring of non-viable airborne particles correlates with airborne colonies and represents an acceptable surrogate for daily assessment of cell-processing cleanroom performance

PubMed Central

RAVAL, JAY S.; KOCH, EILEEN; DONNENBERG, ALBERT D.

2014-01-01

Background aims Airborne particulate monitoring is mandated as a component of good manufacturing practice. We present a procedure developed to monitor and interpret airborne particulates in an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) class 7 cleanroom used for the cell processing of Section 351 and Section 361 products. Methods We collected paired viable and non-viable airborne particle data over a period of 1 year in locations chosen to provide a range of air quality. We used receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis to determine empirically the relationship between non-viable and viable airborne particle counts. Results Viable and non-viable particles were well-correlated (r 2 = 0.78), with outlier observations at the low end of the scale (non-viable particles without detectable airborne colonies). ROC analysis predicted viable counts ≥0.5/feet 3 (a limit set by the United States Pharmacopeia) at an action limit of ≥32 000 particles (≥0.5 μ)/feet 3 , with 95.6% sensitivity and 50% specificity. This limit was exceeded 2.6 times during 18 months of retrospective daily cleanroom data (an expected false alarm rate of 1.3 times/year). After implementing this action limit, we were alerted in real time to an air-handling failure undetected by our hospital facilities management. Conclusions A rational action limit for non-viable particles was determined based on the correlation with airborne colonies. Reaching or exceeding the action limit of 32 000 non-viable particles/feet 3 triggers suspension of cleanroom cell-processing activities, deep cleaning, investigation of air handling, and a deviation management process. Our full procedure for particle monitoring is available as an online supplement. PMID:22746538

Abandoning Peracetic Acid-Based Dialyzer Reuse Is Associated with Improved Survival

PubMed Central

Wang, Weiling; Mooney, Ann; Ofsthun, Norma; Lazarus, J. Michael; Hakim, Raymond M.

2011-01-01

Summary Background and objectives Higher mortality risk reported with reuse versus single use of dialyzers is potentially related to reuse reagents that modify membrane surface characteristics and the blood-membrane interface. A key mechanism may involve stimulation of an inflammatory response. Design, setting, participants, & measurements In a prospective crossover design, laboratory markers and mortality from 23 hemodialysis facilities abandoning reuse with peracetic acid mixture were tracked. C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell (WBC) count, albumin, and prealbumin were measured for 2 consecutive months before abandoning reuse and subsequently within 3 and 6 months on single use. Survival models were utilized to compare the 6-month period before abandoning reuse (baseline) and the 6-month period on single use of dialyzers after a 3-month “washout period.” Results Patients from baseline and single-use periods had a mean age of approximately 63 years; 44% were female, 54% were diabetic, 60% were white, and the mean vintage was approximately 3.2 years. The unadjusted hazard ratio for death was 0.70 and after case-mix adjustment was 0.74 for single use compared with reuse. Patients with CRP ≥ 5 mg/L during reuse (mean CRP = 26.6 mg/ml in April) declined on single use to 20.2 mg/L by August and 20.4 mg/L by November. WBC count declined slightly during single use, but nutritional markers were unchanged. Conclusions Abandonment of peracetic-acid-based reuse was associated with improved survival and lower levels of inflammatory but not nutritional markers. Further study is needed to evaluate a potential link between dialyzer reuse, inflammation, and mortality. PMID:20947788

Data Independent Acquisition analysis in ProHits 4.0.

PubMed

Liu, Guomin; Knight, James D R; Zhang, Jian Ping; Tsou, Chih-Chiang; Wang, Jian; Lambert, Jean-Philippe; Larsen, Brett; Tyers, Mike; Raught, Brian; Bandeira, Nuno; Nesvizhskii, Alexey I; Choi, Hyungwon; Gingras, Anne-Claude

2016-10-21

Affinity purification coupled with mass spectrometry (AP-MS) is a powerful technique for the identification and quantification of physical interactions. AP-MS requires careful experimental design, appropriate control selection and quantitative workflows to successfully identify bona fide interactors amongst a large background of contaminants. We previously introduced ProHits, a Laboratory Information Management System for interaction proteomics, which tracks all samples in a mass spectrometry facility, initiates database searches and provides visualization tools for spectral counting-based AP-MS approaches. More recently, we implemented Significance Analysis of INTeractome (SAINT) within ProHits to provide scoring of interactions based on spectral counts. Here, we provide an update to ProHits to support Data Independent Acquisition (DIA) with identification software (DIA-Umpire and MSPLIT-DIA), quantification tools (through DIA-Umpire, or externally via targeted extraction), and assessment of quantitative enrichment (through mapDIA) and scoring of interactions (through SAINT-intensity). With additional improvements, notably support of the iProphet pipeline, facilitated deposition into ProteomeXchange repositories and enhanced export and viewing functions, ProHits 4.0 offers a comprehensive suite of tools to facilitate affinity proteomics studies. It remains challenging to score, annotate and analyze proteomics data in a transparent manner. ProHits was previously introduced as a LIMS to enable storing, tracking and analysis of standard AP-MS data. In this revised version, we expand ProHits to include integration with a number of identification and quantification tools based on Data-Independent Acquisition (DIA). ProHits 4.0 also facilitates data deposition into public repositories, and the transfer of data to new visualization tools. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Precision half-life measurement of 17F

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brodeur, M.; Nicoloff, C.; Ahn, T.; Allen, J.; Bardayan, D. W.; Becchetti, F. D.; Gupta, Y. K.; Hall, M. R.; Hall, O.; Hu, J.; Kelly, J. M.; Kolata, J. J.; Long, J.; O'Malley, P.; Schultz, B. E.

2016-02-01

Background: The precise determination of f t values for superallowed mixed transitions between mirror nuclide are gaining attention as they could provide an avenue to test the theoretical corrections used to extract the Vu d matrix element from superallowed pure Fermi transitions. The 17F decay is particularly interesting as it proceeds completely to the ground state of 17O, removing the need for branching ratio measurements. The dominant uncertainty on the f t value of the 17F mirror transition stems from a number of conflicting half-life measurements. Purpose: A precision half-life measurement of 17F was performed and compared to previous results. Methods: The life-time was determined from the β counting of implanted 17F on a Ta foil that was removed from the beam for counting. The 17F beam was produced by transfers reaction and separated by the TwinSol facility of the Nuclear Science Laboratory of the University of Notre Dame. Results: The measured value of t1/2 new=64.402 (42) s is in agreement with several past measurements and represents one of the most precise measurements to date. In anticipation of future measurements of the correlation parameters for the decay and using the new world average t1/2 world=64.398 (61) s, we present a new estimate of the mixing ratio ρ for the mixed transition as well as the correlation parameters based on assuming Standard Model validity. Conclusions: The relative uncertainty on the new world average for the half-life is dominated by the large χ2=31 of the existing measurements. More precision measurements with different systematics are needed to remedy to the situation.

Spitzer deep and wide legacy mid- and far-infrared number counts and lower limits of cosmic infrared background

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Béthermin, M.; Dole, H.; Beelen, A.; Aussel, H.

2010-03-01

Aims: We aim to place stronger lower limits on the cosmic infrared background (CIB) brightness at 24 μm, 70 μm and 160 μm and measure the extragalactic number counts at these wavelengths in a homogeneous way from various surveys. Methods: Using Spitzer legacy data over 53.6 deg2 of various depths, we build catalogs with the same extraction method at each wavelength. Completeness and photometric accuracy are estimated with Monte-Carlo simulations. Number count uncertainties are estimated with a counts-in-cells moment method to take galaxy clustering into account. Furthermore, we use a stacking analysis to estimate number counts of sources not detected at 70 μm and 160 μm. This method is validated by simulations. The integration of the number counts gives new CIB lower limits. Results: Number counts reach 35 μJy, 3.5 mJy and 40 mJy at 24 μm, 70 μm, and 160 μm, respectively. We reach deeper flux densities of 0.38 mJy at 70, and 3.1 at 160 μm with a stacking analysis. We confirm the number count turnover at 24 μm and 70 μm, and observe it for the first time at 160 μm at about 20 mJy, together with a power-law behavior below 10 mJy. These mid- and far-infrared counts: 1) are homogeneously built by combining fields of different depths and sizes, providing a legacy over about three orders of magnitude in flux density; 2) are the deepest to date at 70 μm and 160 μm; 3) agree with previously published results in the common measured flux density range; 4) globally agree with the Lagache et al. (2004) model, except at 160 μm, where the model slightly overestimates the counts around 20 and 200 mJy. Conclusions: These counts are integrated to estimate new CIB firm lower limits of 2.29-0.09+0.09 nW m-2 sr-1, 5.4-0.4+0.4 nW m-2 sr-1, and 8.9-1.1+1.1 nW m-2 sr-1 at 24 μm, 70 μm, and 160 μm, respectively, and extrapolated to give new estimates of the CIB due to galaxies of 2.86-0.16+0.19 nW m-2 sr-1, 6.6-0.6+0.7 nW m-2 sr-1, and 14.6-2.9+7.1 nW m-2 sr-1, respectively. Products (point spread function, counts, CIB contributions, software) are publicly available for download at http://www.ias.u-psud.fr/irgalaxies/ Counts and CIB contributions are only available in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/512/A78

Application of federal indicators in nursing-home drug-regimen review.

PubMed

Shannon, R C; De Muth, J E

1984-05-01

Numbers of medications per patient and rate of drug administration errors were compared in Wisconsin long-term care facilities that used federal indicators in conducting drug-regimen review versus facilities that did not use the indicators. Data were collected from 1132 charts in 24 facilities randomly selected from a state survey schedule for June-October 1982. Both prescription and nonprescription drugs that patients received during the 30-day period preceding the survey were counted. Medication use was compared by facility type--skilled-nursing facility (SNF), intermediate-care facility (ICF), or ICF for the mentally retarded. The federal indicators were used in 10 facilities. Mean number of medications used per patient where indicators were applied (5.4 versus 6.6 for SNFs and 3.4 versus 5.8 for ICFs ) was not significantly different. In SNFs using the indicators, patients received 5.6 medications where the consultant pharmacist was also the provider and 5.2 where the consultant was not the provider. Medication use was not significantly different by facility type. The number of drug administration irregularities per 100 residents was significantly greater where indicators were not applied. Further study is needed to determine whether use of federal indicators encourages more efficient and appropriate drug therapy for patients in long-term care facilities.

Changes in the incidence of pneumonia, bacterial meningitis, and infant mortality 5 years following introduction of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in a "3+0" schedule

PubMed Central

Blette, Bryan; Briceño, Rafaela; Alemán, Jorge; Hudgens, Michael G.; Moreno, Gilberto; Ordoñez, Ana; Rocha, Julio; Weber, David J.; Amaya, Erick

2017-01-01

Background Streptococcus pneumoniae causes about 826,000 deaths of children in the world each year and many health facility visits. To reduce the burden of pneumococcal disease, many nations have added pneumococcal conjugate vaccines to their national immunization schedules. Nicaragua was the first country eligible for GAVI Alliance funding to introduce the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in 2010, provided to infants at 2, 4, and 6 months of age. The goal of this study was to evaluate the population impact of the first five years of the program. Methods Numbers of visits for pneumonia, pneumonia-related deaths, and bacterial meningitis in both children and adults, and infant deaths between 2008 and 2015 were collected from all 107 public health facilities in León Department. Vital statistics data provided additional counts of pneumonia-related deaths that occurred outside health facilities. Adjusted incidence rates and incidence rate ratios (IRRa) in the vaccine (2011–2015) and pre-vaccine periods (2008–2010) were estimated retrospectively using official population estimates as exposure time. Results The IRRa for pneumonia hospitalizations was 0.70 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.66, 0.75) for infants, and 0.92 (95% CI: 0.85, 0.99) for one year-olds. The IRRa for post-neonatal infant mortality was 0.56 (95% CI: 0.41, 0.77). In the population as a whole, ambulatory visits and hospitalizations for pneumonia, as well as pneumonia-related mortality and rates of bacterial meningitis were lower in the vaccine period. Conclusions During the first five years of program implementation, reductions were observed in health facility visits for pneumonia in immunized age groups and infant mortality, which would be hard to achieve with any other single public health intervention. Future study is warranted to understand whether the lack of a booster dose (e.g., at 12 months) may be responsible for the small reductions in pneumonia hospitalizations observed in one year-olds as compared to infants. PMID:28813518

Systemic inflammation in 222.841 healthy employed smokers and nonsmokers: white blood cell count and relationship to spirometry

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Smoking has been linked to low-grade systemic inflammation, a known risk factor for disease. This state is reflected in elevated white blood cell (WBC) count. Objective We analyzed the relationship between WBC count and smoking in healthy men and women across several age ranges who underwent preventive medical check-ups in the workplace. We also analysed the relationship between smoking and lung function. Methods Cross-sectional descriptive study in 163 459 men and 59 382 women aged between 16 and 70 years. Data analysed were smoking status, WBC count, and spirometry readings. Results Total WBC showed higher counts in both male and female smokers, around 1000 to 1300 cell/ml (t test, P < 0.001). Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1%) was higher in nonsmokers for both sexes between 25 to 54 years (t test, P < 0.001). Analysis of covariance showed a multiple variable effect of age, sex, smoking status, body mass index on WBC count. The relationship between WBC blood count and smoking status was confirmed after the sample was stratified for these variables. Smokers with airway obstruction measured by FEV1% were found to have higher WBC counts, in comparison to smokers with a normal FEV1% among similar age and BMI groups. Conclusions Smoking increases WBC count and affects lung function. The effects are evident across a wide age range, underlining the importance of initiating preventive measures as soon as an individual begins to smoke. PMID:22613769

Guide for SDEC Set up

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bibby, R; Guthrie, E

2009-01-30

The instrument has four collection vials that must be filled with ethylene glycol before operation. Each of the four vials should be labeled 1 through 4 and the empty weights recorded. Fill each vial with 80 mL of ethylene glycol and record the weight again. In order for the instrument to operate properly, the collection vials should always have less than 160 mL of total liquid in them. After completing a sample run, remove the collection vials, use a transfer pipette to remove any liquid that might still be on the air paddler, wipe off any condensation from the exteriormore » of the collection vial and record weight. From the instrument, record the ending volume and the time of operation. The solution mixed in the scintillation vial will be 2 ml of a 95% to 50% ethylene glycol to water mixture. To determine the efficiency of counting at all of these concentrations, a series of vials should be set up that consist of 18 ml of Ultima Gold LLT cocktail mixed with standard, regular deionized water and ethylene glycol. The efficiency curve should be counted in the 'Low Level' count mode with the Luminescence Correction ON and the Color Quench Correction ON. Once the tSIE values are determined, chart the cpm against the tSIE numbers and find the best fit for the data. The resulting equation is to be used to converting tSIE values from the collection vials to efficiency. To determine the background cpm value of the ethylene glycol, count a 2 ml sample of ethylene glycol with 18 ml of Ultima Gold for 100 minutes. To determine the total activity of the sample, take two 2 ml aliquots of sample from the first vial and place in separate scintillation vials. Record the weight of each aliquot. Determine the percentage of total sample each aliquot represents by dividing the aliquot weight by the total solution weight from the vial. Also, determine the percentage of ethylene glycol in the sample by dividing the initial solution weight by the final solution weight and multiplying by 100. Add 18 ml of Ultima Gold to each vial and proceed to count for 100 minutes in a 'Low Level' count mode. Before performing a calculation on the dpm value of each aliquot, a subtraction should be made for the background count rate of the ethylene glycol. Based on the background cpm, multiply the background cpm value by the percentage of ethylene glycol in the collection vial. Once the background value is subtracted, calculate the dpm value of the sample based on the tSIE conversion to efficiency. This will produce a dpm value. To convert this to a total activity of the sample, divide the aliquot dpm value by the decimal percentage of total sample the aliquot represents. This gives the total activity of the sample solution. Take the average of both aliquots as a final result. To convert the total activity from the solution in vial one to activity in air, an empirical formula is used to convert activity/gram from vial one to total activity introduced into the system. After calculation the final result for the vial, divide the total by the mass of the sample in vial one. This gives dpm/g (labeled C{sub m}). To convert this to total dpm measured, C = (128.59 * Cm + 10.837)/V Where: C = Tritium concentration in air (dpm/m{sup 3}) C{sub m} = measured tritium concentration from vial 1 (dpm/g) V = Volume of air sampled through instrument (m{sup 3}). C is the final value of tritium concentration in air.« less

Power counting to better jet observables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larkoski, Andrew J.; Moult, Ian; Neill, Duff

2014-12-01

Optimized jet substructure observables for identifying boosted topologies will play an essential role in maximizing the physics reach of the Large Hadron Collider. Ideally, the design of discriminating variables would be informed by analytic calculations in perturbative QCD. Unfortunately, explicit calculations are often not feasible due to the complexity of the observables used for discrimination, and so many validation studies rely heavily, and solely, on Monte Carlo. In this paper we show how methods based on the parametric power counting of the dynamics of QCD, familiar from effective theory analyses, can be used to design, understand, and make robust predictions for the behavior of jet substructure variables. As a concrete example, we apply power counting for discriminating boosted Z bosons from massive QCD jets using observables formed from the n-point energy correlation functions. We show that power counting alone gives a definite prediction for the observable that optimally separates the background-rich from the signal-rich regions of phase space. Power counting can also be used to understand effects of phase space cuts and the effect of contamination from pile-up, which we discuss. As these arguments rely only on the parametric scaling of QCD, the predictions from power counting must be reproduced by any Monte Carlo, which we verify using Pythia 8 and Herwig++. We also use the example of quark versus gluon discrimination to demonstrate the limits of the power counting technique.

Neutron counting with cameras

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Van Esch, Patrick; Crisanti, Marta; Mutti, Paolo

2015-07-01

A research project is presented in which we aim at counting individual neutrons with CCD-like cameras. We explore theoretically a technique that allows us to use imaging detectors as counting detectors at lower counting rates, and transits smoothly to continuous imaging at higher counting rates. As such, the hope is to combine the good background rejection properties of standard neutron counting detectors with the absence of dead time of integrating neutron imaging cameras as well as their very good spatial resolution. Compared to Xray detection, the essence of thermal neutron detection is the nuclear conversion reaction. The released energies involvedmore » are of the order of a few MeV, while X-ray detection releases energies of the order of the photon energy, which is in the 10 KeV range. Thanks to advances in camera technology which have resulted in increased quantum efficiency, lower noise, as well as increased frame rate up to 100 fps for CMOS-type cameras, this more than 100-fold higher available detection energy implies that the individual neutron detection light signal can be significantly above the noise level, as such allowing for discrimination and individual counting, which is hard to achieve with X-rays. The time scale of CMOS-type cameras doesn't allow one to consider time-of-flight measurements, but kinetic experiments in the 10 ms range are possible. The theory is next confronted to the first experimental results. (authors)« less

CD4+ Cell Count and HIV Load as Predictors of Size of Anal Warts Over Time in HIV-Infected Women

PubMed Central

Luu, Hung N.; Amirian, E. Susan; Chan, Wenyaw; Beasley, R. Palmer; Piller, Linda B.

2012-01-01

Background. Little is known about the associations between CD4+ cell counts, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) load, and human papillomavirus “low-risk” types in noncancerous clinical outcomes. This study examined whether CD4+ count and HIV load predict the size of the largest anal warts in 976 HIV-infected women in an ongoing cohort. Methods. A linear mixed model was used to determine the association between size of anal wart and CD4+ count and HIV load. Results. The incidence of anal warts was 4.15 cases per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.83–4.77) and 1.30 cases per 100 person-years (95% CI, 1.00–1.58) in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women, respectively. There appeared to be an inverse association between size of the largest anal warts and CD4+ count at baseline; however, this was not statistically significant. There was no association between size of the largest anal warts and CD4+ count or HIV load over time. Conclusions. There was no evidence for an association between size of the largest anal warts and CD4+ count or HIV load over time. Further exploration on the role of immune response on the development of anal warts is warranted in a larger study. PMID:22246682

Characteristics of HIV Care and Treatment in PEPFAR-Supported Sites

PubMed Central

Filler, Scott; Berruti, Andres A.; Menzies, Nick; Berzon, Rick; Ellerbrock, Tedd V.; Ferris, Robert; Blandford, John M.

2011-01-01

Background The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has supported the extension of HIV care and treatment to 2.4 million individuals by September 2009. With increasing resources targeted toward scale-up, it is important to understand the characteristics of current PEPFAR-supported HIV care and treatment sites. Methods Forty-five sites in Botswana, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Uganda, and Vietnam were sampled. Data were collected retrospectively from successive 6-month periods of site operations, through reviews of facility records and interviews with site personnel between April 2006 and March 2007. Facility size and scale-up rate, patient characteristics, staffing models, clinical and laboratory monitoring, and intervention mix were compared. Results Sites added a median of 293 patients per quarter. By the evaluation’s end, sites supported a median of 1,649 HIV patients, 922 of them receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). Patients were predominantly adult (97.4%) and the majority (96.5%) were receiving regimens based on nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). The ratios of physicians to patients dropped substantially as sites matured. ART patients were commonly seen monthly or quarterly for clinical and laboratory monitoring, with CD4 counts being taken at 6-month intervals. One-third of sites provided viral load testing. Cotrimoxazole prophylaxis was the most prevalent supportive service. Conclusions HIV treatment sites scaled up rapidly with the influx of resources and technical support through PEPFAR, providing complex health services to progressively expanding patient cohorts. Human resources are stretched thin, and delivery models and intervention mix differ widely between sites. Ongoing research is needed to identify best-practice service delivery models. PMID:21346585

78 FR 48541 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Requests for Comments; Clearance of Renewed Approval of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-08

... Facility Charge (PFC) Application. Form Numbers: FAA Form 5500-1. Type of Review: Renewal of an information collection. Background: 49 U.S.C. 40117 authorizes airports to impose passenger facility charges (PFC). The... Facility Charge (PFC) Application AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice and...

78 FR 29425 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Requests for Comments; Clearance of Renewed Approval of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-20

... Facility Charge (PFC) Application. Form Numbers: FAA Form 5500-1. Type of Review: Renewal of an information collection. Background: 49 U.S.C. 40117 authorizes airports to impose passenger facility charges (PFC). The... Facility Charge (PFC) Application AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice and...

A Method Based on Wavelet Transforms for Source Detection in Photon-counting Detector Images. II. Application to ROSAT PSPC Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damiani, F.; Maggio, A.; Micela, G.; Sciortino, S.

1997-07-01

We apply to the specific case of images taken with the ROSAT PSPC detector our wavelet-based X-ray source detection algorithm presented in a companion paper. Such images are characterized by the presence of detector ``ribs,'' strongly varying point-spread function, and vignetting, so that their analysis provides a challenge for any detection algorithm. First, we apply the algorithm to simulated images of a flat background, as seen with the PSPC, in order to calibrate the number of spurious detections as a function of significance threshold and to ascertain that the spatial distribution of spurious detections is uniform, i.e., unaffected by the ribs; this goal was achieved using the exposure map in the detection procedure. Then, we analyze simulations of PSPC images with a realistic number of point sources; the results are used to determine the efficiency of source detection and the accuracy of output quantities such as source count rate, size, and position, upon a comparison with input source data. It turns out that sources with 10 photons or less may be confidently detected near the image center in medium-length (~104 s), background-limited PSPC exposures. The positions of sources detected near the image center (off-axis angles < 15') are accurate to within a few arcseconds. Output count rates and sizes are in agreement with the input quantities, within a factor of 2 in 90% of the cases. The errors on position, count rate, and size increase with off-axis angle and for detections of lower significance. We have also checked that the upper limits computed with our method are consistent with the count rates of undetected input sources. Finally, we have tested the algorithm by applying it on various actual PSPC images, among the most challenging for automated detection procedures (crowded fields, extended sources, and nonuniform diffuse emission). The performance of our method in these images is satisfactory and outperforms those of other current X-ray detection techniques, such as those employed to produce the MPE and WGA catalogs of PSPC sources, in terms of both detection reliability and efficiency. We have also investigated the theoretical limit for point-source detection, with the result that even sources with only 2-3 photons may be reliably detected using an efficient method in images with sufficiently high resolution and low background.

Design of a cryogenic test facility for evaluating the performance of interferometric components of the SPICA/SAFARI instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veenendaal, Ian T.; Naylor, David A.; Gom, Brad G.

2014-08-01

The Japanese SPace Infrared telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics (SPICA), a 3 m class telescope cooled to ~ 6 K, will provide extremely low thermal background far-infrared observations. An imaging Fourier transform spectrometer (SAFARI) is being developed to exploit the low background provided by SPICA. Evaluating the performance of the interferometer translation stage and key optical components requires a cryogenic test facility. In this paper we discuss the design challenges of a pulse tube cooled cryogenic test facility that is under development for this purpose. We present the design of the cryostat and preliminary results from component characterization and external optical metrology.

Abatement of Xenon and Iodine Emissions from Medical Isotope Production Facilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Doll, Charles G.; Sorensen, Christina M.; Bowyer, Ted W.

2014-04-01

The capability of the International Monitoring System (IMS) to detect xenon from underground nuclear explosions is dependent on the radioactive xenon background. Adding to the background, medical isotope production (MIP) by fission releases several important xenon isotopes including xenon-133 and iodine-133 that decays to xenon-133. The amount of xenon released from these facilities may be equivalent to or exceed that released from an underground nuclear explosion. Thus the release of gaseous fission products within days of irradiation makes it difficult to distinguish MIP emissions from a nuclear explosion. In addition, recent shortages in molybdenum-99 have created interest and investment opportunitiesmore » to design and build new MIP facilities in the United States and throughout the world. Due to the potential increase in the number of MIP facilities, a discussion of abatement technologies provides insight into how the problem of emission control from MIP facilities can be tackled. A review of practices is provided to delineate methods useful for abatement of medical isotopes.« less

Bayesian analyses of time-interval data for environmental radiation monitoring.

PubMed

Luo, Peng; Sharp, Julia L; DeVol, Timothy A

2013-01-01

Time-interval (time difference between two consecutive pulses) analysis based on the principles of Bayesian inference was investigated for online radiation monitoring. Using experimental and simulated data, Bayesian analysis of time-interval data [Bayesian (ti)] was compared with Bayesian and a conventional frequentist analysis of counts in a fixed count time [Bayesian (cnt) and single interval test (SIT), respectively]. The performances of the three methods were compared in terms of average run length (ARL) and detection probability for several simulated detection scenarios. Experimental data were acquired with a DGF-4C system in list mode. Simulated data were obtained using Monte Carlo techniques to obtain a random sampling of the Poisson distribution. All statistical algorithms were developed using the R Project for statistical computing. Bayesian analysis of time-interval information provided a similar detection probability as Bayesian analysis of count information, but the authors were able to make a decision with fewer pulses at relatively higher radiation levels. In addition, for the cases with very short presence of the source (< count time), time-interval information is more sensitive to detect a change than count information since the source data is averaged by the background data over the entire count time. The relationships of the source time, change points, and modifications to the Bayesian approach for increasing detection probability are presented.

The Eosinophil Count Tends to Be Negatively Associated with Levels of Serum Glucose in Patients with Adrenal Cushing Syndrome

PubMed Central

Lee, Younghak; Kim, Hae Ri; Joung, Kyong Hye; Kang, Yea Eun; Lee, Ju Hee; Kim, Koon Soon; Kim, Hyun Jin; Ku, Bon Jeong; Shong, Minho

2017-01-01

Background Cushing syndrome is characterized by glucose intolerance, cardiovascular disease, and an enhanced systemic inflammatory response caused by chronic exposure to excess cortisol. Eosinopenia is frequently observed in patients with adrenal Cushing syndrome, but the relationship between the eosinophil count in peripheral blood and indicators of glucose level in patients with adrenal Cushing syndrome has not been determined. Methods A retrospective study was undertaken of the clinical and laboratory findings of 40 patients diagnosed with adrenal Cushing syndrome at Chungnam National University Hospital from January 2006 to December 2016. Clinical characteristics, complete blood cell counts with white blood cell differential, measures of their endocrine function, description of imaging studies, and pathologic findings were obtained from their medical records. Results Eosinophil composition and count were restored by surgical treatment of all of the patients with adrenal Cushing disease. The eosinophil count was inversely correlated with serum and urine cortisol, glycated hemoglobin, and inflammatory markers in the patients with adrenal Cushing syndrome. Conclusion Smaller eosinophil populations in patients with adrenal Cushing syndrome tend to be correlated with higher levels of blood sugar and glycated hemoglobin. This study suggests that peripheral blood eosinophil composition or count may be associated with serum glucose levels in patients with adrenal Cushing syndrome. PMID:28956365

32 CFR 770.49 - Background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., Washington § 770.49 Background. (a) Puget Sound Naval Shipyard is a major naval ship repair facility, with... interruption. Additionally, most of Puget Sound Naval Shipyard is dedicated to heavy industrial activity where...

Progress on the Use of Combined Analog and Photon Counting Detection for Raman Lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newsom, Rob; Turner, Dave; Clayton, Marian; Ferrare, Richard

2008-01-01

The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program Raman Lidar (CARL) was upgraded in 2004 with a new data system that provides simultaneous measurements of both the photomultiplier analog output voltage and photon counts. The so-called merge value added procedure (VAP) was developed to combine the analog and count-rate signals into a single signal with improved dynamic range. Earlier versions of this VAP tended to cause unacceptably large biases in the water vapor mixing ratio during the daytime as a result of improper matching between the analog and count-rate signals in the presence of elevated solar background levels. We recently identified several problems and tested a modified version of the merge VAP by comparing profiles of water vapor mixing ratio derived from CARL with simultaneous sonde data over a six month period. We show that the modified merge VAP significantly reduces the daytime bias, and results in mean differences that are within approximately 1% for both nighttime and daytime measurements.

Simultaneous measurement of tritium and radiocarbon by ultra-low-background proportional counting.

PubMed

Mace, Emily; Aalseth, Craig; Alexander, Tom; Back, Henning; Day, Anthony; Hoppe, Eric; Keillor, Martin; Moran, Jim; Overman, Cory; Panisko, Mark; Seifert, Allen

2017-08-01

Use of ultra-low-background capabilities at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory provide enhanced sensitivity for measurement of low-activity sources of tritium and radiocarbon using proportional counters. Tritium levels are nearly back to pre-nuclear test backgrounds (~2-8 TU in rainwater), which can complicate their dual measurement with radiocarbon due to overlap in the beta decay spectra. We present results of single-isotope proportional counter measurements used to analyze a dual-isotope methane sample synthesized from ~120mg of H 2 O and present sensitivity results. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimization of low-level LS counter Quantulus 1220 for tritium determination in water samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jakonić, Ivana; Todorović, Natasa; Nikolov, Jovana; Bronić, Ines Krajcar; Tenjović, Branislava; Vesković, Miroslav

2014-05-01

Liquid scintillation counting (LSC) is the most commonly used technique for measuring tritium. To optimize tritium analysis in waters by ultra-low background liquid scintillation spectrometer Quantulus 1220 the optimization of sample/scintillant ratio, choice of appropriate scintillation cocktail and comparison of their efficiency, background and minimal detectable activity (MDA), the effect of chemi- and photoluminescence and combination of scintillant/vial were performed. ASTM D4107-08 (2006) method had been successfully applied in our laboratory for two years. During our last preparation of samples a serious quench effect in count rates of samples that could be consequence of possible contamination by DMSO was noticed. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate development of new direct method in our laboratory proposed by Pujol and Sanchez-Cabeza (1999), which turned out to be faster and simpler than ASTM method while we are dealing with problem of neutralization of DMSO in apparatus. The minimum detectable activity achieved was 2.0 Bq l-1 for a total counting time of 300 min. In order to test the optimization of system for this method tritium level was determined in Danube river samples and also for several samples within intercomparison with Ruđer Bošković Institute (IRB).

Increasing the Efficiency of Electron Microprobe Measurements of Minor and Trace Elements in Rutile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neill, O. K.; Mattinson, C. G.; Donovan, J.; Hernández Uribe, D.; Sains, A.

2016-12-01

Minor and trace element contents of rutile, an accessory mineral found in numerous lithologic settings, has many applications for interpreting earth systems. While these applications vary widely, they share a need for precise and accurate elemental measurements. The electron microprobe can be used to measure rutile compositions, although long X-ray counting times are necessary to achieve acceptable precision. Continuum ("background") intensity can be estimated using the iterative Mean Atomic Number (MAN) method of Donovan and Tingle (1996), obviating the need for direct off-peak background measurements, and reducing counting times by half. For this study, several natural and synthetic rutiles were measured by electron microprobe. Data was collected once but reduced twice, using off-peak and an MAN background corrections, allowing direct comparison of the two methods without influence of other variables (counting time, analyte homogeneity, beam current, calibration standards, etc.). These measurements show that, if a "blank" correction (Donovan et al., 2011, 2016) is used, minor and trace elements of interest can be measured in rutile using the MAN background method in half the time of traditional off-peak measurements, without sacrificing accuracy or precision (Figure 1). This method has already been applied to Zr-in-rutile thermometry of ultra-high pressure metamorphic rocks from the North Qaidam terrane in northwest China. Finally, secondary fluorescence of adjacent phases by continuum X-rays can lead to artificially elevated concentrations. For example, when measuring Zr, care should be taken to avoid analytical spots within 100 microns of zircon or baddeleyite crystals. References: 1) J.J. Donovan and T.N Tingle (1996) J. Microscopy, 2(1), 1-7 2) J.J. Donovan, H.A. Lowers, and B.G. Rusk (2011) Am. Mineral., 96, 274­282 3) J.J. Donovan, J.W. Singer and J.T. Armstrong (2016) Am. Mineral., 101, 1839-1853 4) G.L. Lovizotto et al. (2009) Chem. Geol., 261, 346-369

28 CFR 811.6 - Duration of the obligation to register.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... ten years, CSOSA will not count: (i) Any time in which the sex offender has failed to register or...; (ii) Any time in which a sex offender is detained, incarcerated, confined, civilly committed, or hospitalized in a mental health facility; and (iii) Any time in which a sex offender was registered prior to a...

Manners of Speaking: Linguistic Capital and the Rhetoric of Correctness in Late-Nineteenth-Century America

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herring, William Rodney, Jr.

2009-01-01

A number of arguments appeared in the late-nineteenth-century United States about "correctness" in language, arguments for and against enforcing a standard of correctness and arguments about what should count as correct in language. Insofar as knowledge about and facility with "correct" linguistic usage could affect one's standing in the social…

The Department of the Navy Spent Recovery Act Funds on Photovoltaic Projects That Were Not Cost-Effective

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-22

attributes related to energy projects such as carbon .ceuuct:ion and legal compliance. CNIC gLidance for energy project submittal includes the requirement...Provides a bonus to Federal agencies by allowing them to double count renewable energy if it is produced on- site and used at a Federal facility

Effect of facility background gases on internal erosion of the 30-cm Hg ion thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rawlin, V. K.; Mantenieks, M. A.

1978-01-01

Sputtering erosion of the upstream side of the molybdenum screen grid by discharge chamber ions in mercury bombardment thrusters was considered. Data which revealed that the screen grid erosion was very sensitive to the partial pressure of certain background gases in the space simulation vacuum facility were presented along with results of tests conducted to evaluate this effect. It is shown from estimates of the screen grid erosion in space that adequate lifetime for proposed missions exists.

Deriving the Contribution of Blazars to the Fermi-LAT Extragalactic γ-ray Background at E > 10 GeV with Efficiency Corrections and Photon Statistics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Mauro, M.; Manconi, S.; Zechlin, H.-S.; Ajello, M.; Charles, E.; Donato, F.

2018-04-01

The Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) Collaboration has recently released the Third Catalog of Hard Fermi-LAT Sources (3FHL), which contains 1556 sources detected above 10 GeV with seven years of Pass 8 data. Building upon the 3FHL results, we investigate the flux distribution of sources at high Galactic latitudes (| b| > 20^\\circ ), which are mostly blazars. We use two complementary techniques: (1) a source-detection efficiency correction method and (2) an analysis of pixel photon count statistics with the one-point probability distribution function (1pPDF). With the first method, using realistic Monte Carlo simulations of the γ-ray sky, we calculate the efficiency of the LAT to detect point sources. This enables us to find the intrinsic source-count distribution at photon fluxes down to 7.5 × 10‑12 ph cm‑2 s‑1. With this method, we detect a flux break at (3.5 ± 0.4) × 10‑11 ph cm‑2 s‑1 with a significance of at least 5.4σ. The power-law indexes of the source-count distribution above and below the break are 2.09 ± 0.04 and 1.07 ± 0.27, respectively. This result is confirmed with the 1pPDF method, which has a sensitivity reach of ∼10‑11 ph cm‑2 s‑1. Integrating the derived source-count distribution above the sensitivity of our analysis, we find that (42 ± 8)% of the extragalactic γ-ray background originates from blazars.

X-y interactions underlie sperm head abnormality in hybrid male house mice.

PubMed

Campbell, Polly; Nachman, Michael W

2014-04-01

The genetic basis of hybrid male sterility in house mice is complex, highly polygenic, and strongly X linked. Previous work suggested that there might be interactions between the Mus musculus musculus X and the M. m. domesticus Y with a large negative effect on sperm head morphology in hybrid males with an F1 autosomal background. To test this, we introgressed the M. m. domesticus Y onto a M. m. musculus background and measured the change in sperm morphology, testis weight, and sperm count across early backcross generations and in 11th generation backcross males in which the opportunity for X-autosome incompatibilities is effectively eliminated. We found that abnormality in sperm morphology persists in M. m. domesticus Y introgression males, and that this phenotype is rescued by M. m. domesticus introgressions on the X chromosome. In contrast, the severe reductions in testis weight and sperm count that characterize F1 males were eliminated after one generation of backcrossing. These results indicate that X-Y incompatibilities contribute specifically to sperm morphology. In contrast, X-autosome incompatibilities contribute to low testis weight, low sperm count, and sperm morphology. Restoration of normal testis weight and sperm count in first generation backcross males suggests that a small number of complex incompatibilities between loci on the M. m. musculus X and the M. m. domesticus autosomes underlie F1 male sterility. Together, these results provide insight into the genetic architecture of F1 male sterility and help to explain genome-wide patterns of introgression across the house mouse hybrid zone.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of community and facility-based approaches to address gaps in HIV testing and linkage in sub-Saharan Africa

PubMed Central

Sharma, Monisha; Ying, Roger; Tarr, Gillian; Barnabas, Ruanne

2016-01-01

HIV testing and counselling is the first crucial step for linkage to HIV treatment and prevention. However, despite high HIV burden in sub-Saharan Africa, testing coverage is low, particularly among young adults and men. Community-based HIV testing and counselling (testing outside of health facilities) has the potential to reduce coverage gaps, but the relative impact of different modalities is not well assessed. We conducted a systematic review of HIV testing and counselling modalities, characterizing facility and community (home, mobile, index, key populations, campaign, workplace and self-testing) approaches by population reached, HIV-positivity, CD4 count at diagnosis and linkage. Of 2,520 abstracts screened, 126 met eligibility criteria. Community HIV testing had high coverage and uptake and identified HIV-positive individuals at higher CD4 counts than facility testing. Mobile HIV testing reached the highest proportion of men of all modalities examined (50%, 95% CI = 47–54%) and home with self-testing reached the highest proportion of young adults (66%, 95% CI = 65–67%). Few studies evaluated HIV testing and counselling for key populations (commercial sex workers and men who have sex with men), but these interventions yielded high HIV positivity (38%, 95% CI = 19–62%) combined with the highest proportion of first-time testers (78%, 95% CI = 63–88%), indicating service gaps. Facilitated linkage (for example, counsellor follow-up to support linkage) achieved high linkage to care (95%, 95% CI = 87–98%) and ART initiation (75%, 95% CI = 68–82%). Expanding mobile HIV testing, self-testing and outreach to key populations with facilitated linkage can increase the proportion of men, young adults and high-risk individuals linked to HIV treatment and prevention. PMID:26633769

Mobile HIV screening in Cape Town, South Africa: clinical impact, cost and cost-effectiveness.

PubMed

Bassett, Ingrid V; Govindasamy, Darshini; Erlwanger, Alison S; Hyle, Emily P; Kranzer, Katharina; van Schaik, Nienke; Noubary, Farzad; Paltiel, A David; Wood, Robin; Walensky, Rochelle P; Losina, Elena; Bekker, Linda-Gail; Freedberg, Kenneth A

2014-01-01

Mobile HIV screening may facilitate early HIV diagnosis. Our objective was to examine the cost-effectiveness of adding a mobile screening unit to current medical facility-based HIV testing in Cape Town, South Africa. We used the Cost Effectiveness of Preventing AIDS Complications International (CEPAC-I) computer simulation model to evaluate two HIV screening strategies in Cape Town: 1) medical facility-based testing (the current standard of care) and 2) addition of a mobile HIV-testing unit intervention in the same community. Baseline input parameters were derived from a Cape Town-based mobile unit that tested 18,870 individuals over 2 years: prevalence of previously undiagnosed HIV (6.6%), mean CD4 count at diagnosis (males 423/µL, females 516/µL), CD4 count-dependent linkage to care rates (males 31%-58%, females 49%-58%), mobile unit intervention cost (includes acquisition, operation and HIV test costs, $29.30 per negative result and $31.30 per positive result). We conducted extensive sensitivity analyses to evaluate input uncertainty. Model outcomes included site of HIV diagnosis, life expectancy, medical costs, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of the intervention compared to medical facility-based testing. We considered the intervention to be "very cost-effective" when the ICER was less than South Africa's annual per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ($8,200 in 2012). We projected that, with medical facility-based testing, the discounted (undiscounted) HIV-infected population life expectancy was 132.2 (197.7) months; this increased to 140.7 (211.7) months with the addition of the mobile unit. The ICER for the mobile unit was $2,400/year of life saved (YLS). Results were most sensitive to the previously undiagnosed HIV prevalence, linkage to care rates, and frequency of HIV testing at medical facilities. The addition of mobile HIV screening to current testing programs can improve survival and be very cost-effective in South Africa and other resource-limited settings, and should be a priority.

Geographic disparities in patient travel for dialysis in the United States.

PubMed

Stephens, J Mark; Brotherton, Samuel; Dunning, Stephan C; Emerson, Larry C; Gilbertson, David T; Harrison, David J; Kochevar, John J; McClellan, Ann C; McClellan, William M; Wan, Shaowei; Gitlin, Matthew

2013-01-01

To estimate travel distance and time for US hemodialysis patients and to compare travel of rural versus urban patients. Dialysis patient residences were estimated from ZIP code-level patient counts as of February 2011 allocated within the ZIP code proportional to census tract-level population, obtained from the 2010 U.S. Census. Dialysis facility addresses were obtained from Medicare public-use files. Patients were assigned to an "original" and "replacement" facility, assuming patients used the facility closest to home and would select the next closest facility as a replacement, if a replacement facility was required. Driving distances and times were calculated between patient residences and facility locations using GIS software. The mean one-way driving distance to the original facility was 7.9 miles; for rural patients average distances were 2.5 times farther than for urban patients (15.9 vs. 6.2 miles). Mean driving distance to a replacement facility was 10.6 miles, with rural patients traveling on average 4 times farther than urban patients to a replacement facility (28.8 vs. 6.8 miles). Rural patients travel much longer distances for dialysis than urban patients. Accessing alternative facilities, if required, would greatly increase rural patient travel, while having little impact on urban patients. Increased travel could have clinical implications as longer travel is associated with increased mortality and decreased quality of life. © 2013 National Rural Health Association.

Development of microchannel plates in advanced wind-tunnel instrumentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feller, W. Bruce

1990-01-01

Microchannel plate (MCP) electron multiplier dynamic range has been increased 3 to 4 orders of magnitude at ambient temperatures, through enhanced input count rate capability and reduced background or 'dark' noise. The previous upper limit of roughly 10(exp 7) - 10(exp 8) cm(exp -2)s(exp -1) at ambient has been extended to levels approach 10(exp 10) cm(exp -2)s(exp -1) under continuous dc operation. The lower limit, previously set by an irreducible background component (approximately 0.6 cm(exp -2)s(exp -1)), has been lowered to the cosmic ray limit of .01 cm(exp -2)s(exp -1). The high end improvement was achieved by conductively cooling a very low resistance MCP by bonding it to a heat sink, while maintaining pulse-counting operation with multianode readouts. The low-end improvement was achieved by removing all radioisotopes from the MCP matrix glass. The detectors will benefit optical and mass spectrometry, flow visualization, plasma diagnostics, magnetometry, and other high signal flux applications. Very low MCP background noise will benefit X-ray and UV astronomy, medical imaging, trace isotope mass spectrometry, and other applications where the signal flux is often extremely low.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davis, John R.; Brubaker, Erik; Vetter, Kai

In an effort to characterize the fast neutron radiation background, 16 EJ-309 liquid scintillator cells were installed in the Radiological Multi-sensor Analysis Platform (RadMAP) to collect data in the San Francisco Bay Area. Each fast neutron event was associated with specific weather metrics (pressure, temperature, absolute humidity) and GPS coordinates. Furthermore, the expected exponential dependence of the fast neutron count rate on atmospheric pressure was demonstrated and event rates were subsequently adjusted given the measured pressure at the time of detection. Pressure adjusted data was also used to investigate the influence of other environmental conditions on the neutron background rate.more » Using National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) coastal area lidar data, an algorithm was implemented to approximate sky-view factors (the total fraction of visible sky) for points along RadMAPs route. In the three areas we analyzed, San Francisco, Downtown Oakland, and Berkeley, all demonstrated a suppression in the background rate of over 50% for the range of sky-view factors measured. This effect, which is due to the shielding of cosmic-ray produced neutrons by surrounding buildings, was comparable to the pressure influence which yielded a 32% suppression in the count rate over the range of pressures measured.« less

Characterization of brightness and stoichiometry of bright particles by flow-fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy.

PubMed

Johnson, Jolene; Chen, Yan; Mueller, Joachim D

2010-11-03

Characterization of bright particles at low concentrations by fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy (FFS) is challenging, because the event rate of particle detection is low and fluorescence background contributes significantly to the measured signal. It is straightforward to increase the event rate by flow, but the high background continues to be problematic for fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. Here, we characterize the use of photon-counting histogram analysis in the presence of flow. We demonstrate that a photon-counting histogram efficiently separates the particle signal from the background and faithfully determines the brightness and concentration of particles independent of flow speed, as long as undersampling is avoided. Brightness provides a measure of the number of fluorescently labeled proteins within a complex and has been used to determine stoichiometry of protein complexes in vivo and in vitro. We apply flow-FFS to determine the stoichiometry of the group specific antigen protein within viral-like particles of the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 from the brightness. Our results demonstrate that flow-FFS is a sensitive method for the characterization of complex macromolecular particles at low concentrations. Copyright © 2010 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cryogenic implications of orbit selection of the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, J. H.; Brooks, W. F.; Maa, S.

1986-01-01

An investigation has been conducted to determine how the choice of orbit for NASA's prospective Space IR Telescope Facility (SIRTF), between polar (99-deg) and low inclination (28.5-deg) alternatives, will affect the performance of the all-superfluid He-cooled IR optics employed. While the dewar design met both the service life and 200-micron background-limited performance criteria in the case of the polar orbit mission, the alternative orbit allowed the background-limited criteria to be met only 50 percent of the time. It is accordingly recommended that the 200-micron background-limited observations be made only for a limited portion of the mission, while meeting the 100-micron limit at all times.

[Algorithm for taking into account the average annual background of air pollution in the assessment of health risks].

PubMed

Fokin, M V

2013-01-01

State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Professional Education "I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University" of the Ministry of Health care and Social Development, Moscow, Russian Federation. The assessment of health risks from air pollution with emissions from industrial facilities, without the average annual background of air pollution does not meet sanitary legislation. However Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring issues official certificates for a limited number of areas covered by the observations of the full program on the stationary points. Questions of accounting average background air pollution in the evaluation of health risks from exposure to emissions from industrial facilities are considered.

Ultra Low Level Environmental Neutron Measurements Using Superheated Droplet Detectors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fernandes, A.C.; Centro de Fisica Nuclear, Universidade de Lisboa. Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 2, 1649- 003 Lisboa; Felizardo, M.

2015-07-01

Through the application of superheated droplet detectors (SDDs), the SIMPLE project for the direct search for dark matter (DM) reached the most restrictive limits on the spin-dependent sector to date. The experiment is based on the detection of recoils following WIMP-nuclei interaction, mimicking those from neutron scattering. The thermodynamic operation conditions yield the SDDs intrinsically insensitive to radiations with linear energy transfer below ∼150 keVμm{sup -1} such as photons, electrons, muons and neutrons with energies below ∼40 keV. Underground facilities are increasingly employed for measurements in a low-level radiation background (DM search, gamma-spectroscopy, intrinsic soft-error rate measurements, etc.), where themore » rock overburden shields against cosmic radiation. In this environment the SDDs are sensitive only to α-particles and neutrons naturally emitted from the surrounding materials. Recently developed signal analysis techniques allow discrimination between neutron and α-induced signals. SDDs are therefore a promising instrument for low-level neutron and α measurements, namely environmental neutron measurements and α-contamination assays. In this work neutron measurements performed in the challenging conditions of the latest SIMPLE experiment (1500 mwe depth with 50-75 cm water shield) are reported. The results are compared with those obtained by detailed Monte Carlo simulations of the neutron background induced by {sup 238}U and {sup 232}Th traces in the facility, shielding and detector materials. Calculations of the neutron energy distribution yield the following neutron fluence rates (in 10{sup -8} cm{sup -2}s{sup -1}): thermal (<0.5 eV): 2.5; epithermal (0.5 eV-100 keV): 2.2; fast (>1 MeV): 3.9. Signal rates were derived using standard cross sections and codes routinely employed in reactor dosimetry. The measured and calculated neutron count rates per unit of active mass were 0.15 ct/kgd and 0.33 ct/kg-d respectively. As the major signal contribution (98%) originates from radio-impurities in the detector container, alternative materials will be employed in future devices. Latest results regarding the improvement of the detector characterization accuracy towards its application in environmental neutron detection are in progress and will be described. (authors)« less

Far-Infrared Extragalactic Surveys: Past, Present, and Future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moseley, Samuel H., Jr.; Fisher, Richard R. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

As much as one third of the luminosity of the local universe is emitted in the far infrared. In order to understand the history of energy release in the universe, it is crucial to characterize this rest-frame far-infrared contribution from the present back to the era of initial galaxy formation. Over the redshift range from 0 to 10, this energy is received in the 80 micrometers to 1 mm spectral region. In the 1980's the Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS) all-sky survey provided the first comprehensive view of the far infrared emission from the local universe. The diffuse background measurements by Cosmic Background Explorer Satellite (COBE) have provided constraints on the integral contributions from the high redshift universe. In the past five years, submillimeter measurements made using the SCUBA instrument have revealed powerful high redshift sources. To develop a clear history of energy release in the universe, we need numbers and redshifts of representative populations of energetically important objects. The near future will bring the Space Infrared Telescope Facility Multiband Imaging Photometer (SIRTF)(MIPS) survey, which will cover about 100 square degrees at wavelengths out to 160 micrometers, providing a large sample of energetically important galaxies out to z of approx.3. In 2005, the Japanese IRIS survey will provide a 160 micrometers full sky survey, which will provide larger samples of the high z galaxy populations and will find intrinsically rare high luminosity objects. The SPIRE instrument on the FIRST facility will extend these surveys to longer wavelengths, providing a view of the universe at higher redshifts in three spectral bands. A concept for an all-sky submillimeter survey is under development, called the Survey of Infrared Cosmic Evolution (SIRCE). With a 2 m cryogenic telescope, it can map the entire sky to the confusion limit in the 100 to 500 micrometers range in six months. This survey will provide photometric redshifts, number counts, and will find the most luminous objects in the universe. In the next decade, the opening of the submillimeter, combined with the near infrared capability of NGST will provide us with a clear picture of energy release in the early universe.

Application of the microbiological method DEFT/APC to detect minimally processed vegetables treated with gamma radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Araújo, M. M.; Duarte, R. C.; Silva, P. V.; Marchioni, E.; Villavicencio, A. L. C. H.

2009-07-01

Marketing of minimally processed vegetables (MPV) are gaining impetus due to its convenience, freshness and apparent health effect. However, minimal processing does not reduce pathogenic microorganisms to safe levels. Food irradiation is used to extend the shelf life and to inactivate food-borne pathogens. In combination with minimal processing it could improve safety and quality of MPV. A microbiological screening method based on the use of direct epifluorescent filter technique (DEFT) and aerobic plate count (APC) has been established for the detection of irradiated foodstuffs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the applicability of this technique in detecting MPV irradiation. Samples from retail markets were irradiated with 0.5 and 1.0 kGy using a 60Co facility. In general, with a dose increment, DEFT counts remained similar independent of the irradiation while APC counts decreased gradually. The difference of the two counts gradually increased with dose increment in all samples. It could be suggested that a DEFT/APC difference over 2.0 log would be a criteria to judge if a MPV was treated by irradiation. The DEFT/APC method could be used satisfactorily as a screening method for indicating irradiation processing.

SMS for Life: a pilot project to improve anti-malarial drug supply management in rural Tanzania using standard technology.

PubMed

Barrington, Jim; Wereko-Brobby, Olympia; Ward, Peter; Mwafongo, Winfred; Kungulwe, Seif

2010-10-27

Maintaining adequate supplies of anti-malarial medicines at the health facility level in rural sub-Saharan Africa is a major barrier to effective management of the disease. Lack of visibility of anti-malarial stock levels at the health facility level is an important contributor to this problem. A 21-week pilot study, 'SMS for Life', was undertaken during 2009-2010 in three districts of rural Tanzania, involving 129 health facilities. Undertaken through a collaborative partnership of public and private institutions, SMS for Life used mobile telephones, SMS messages and electronic mapping technology to facilitate provision of comprehensive and accurate stock counts from all health facilities to each district management team on a weekly basis. The system covered stocks of the four different dosage packs of artemether-lumefantrine (AL) and quinine injectable. Stock count data was provided in 95% of cases, on average. A high response rate (≥ 93%) was maintained throughout the pilot. The error rate for composition of SMS responses averaged 7.5% throughout the study; almost all errors were corrected and messages re-sent. Data accuracy, based on surveillance visits to health facilities, was 94%. District stock reports were accessed on average once a day. The proportion of health facilities with no stock of one or more anti-malarial medicine (i.e. any of the four dosages of AL or quinine injectable) fell from 78% at week 1 to 26% at week 21. In Lindi Rural district, stock-outs were eliminated by week 8 with virtually no stock-outs thereafter. During the study, AL stocks increased by 64% and quinine stock increased 36% across the three districts. The SMS for Life pilot provided visibility of anti-malarial stock levels to support more efficient stock management using simple and widely available SMS technology, via a public-private partnership model that worked highly effectively. The SMS for Life system has the potential to alleviate restricted availability of anti-malarial drugs or other medicines in rural or under-resourced areas.

Ageing & long-term CD4 cell count trends in HIV-positive patients with 5 years or more combination antiretroviral therapy experience

PubMed Central

WRIGHT, ST; PETOUMENOS, K; BOYD, M; CARR, A; DOWNING, S; O’CONNOR, CC; GROTOWSKI, M; LAW, MG

2012-01-01

Background The aim of this analysis is to describe the long-term changes in CD4 cell counts beyond 5 years of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). If natural ageing leads to a long-term decline in the immune system via low-grade chronic immune activation/inflammation, then one might expect to see a greater or earlier decline in CD4 counts in older HIV-positive patients with increasing duration of cART. Methods Retrospective and prospective data were examined from long-term virologically stable HIV-positive adults from the Australian HIV Observational Database. We estimated mean CD4 cell counts changes following the completion of 5 years of cART using linear mixed models. Results A total of 37,916 CD4 measurements were observed for 892 patients over a combined total of 9,753 patient years. Older patients (>50 years) at cART initiation had estimated mean(95% confidence interval) change in CD4 counts by Year-5 CD4 count strata (<500, 501–750 and >750 cells/μL) of 14(7 to 21), 3(−5 to 11) and −6(−17 to 4) cells/μL/year. Of the CD4 cell count rates of change estimated, none were indicative of long-term declines in CD4 cell counts. Conclusions Our results suggest that duration of cART and increasing age does not result in decreasing mean changes in CD4 cell counts for long-term virologically suppressed patients. Indicating that level of immune recovery achieved during the first 5 years of treatment are sustained through long-term cART. PMID:23036045

Death rates in HIV-positive antiretroviral-naive patients with CD4 count greater than 350 cells per microL in Europe and North America: a pooled cohort observational study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background It is unclear whether antiretroviral (ART) naive HIV-positive individuals with high CD4 counts have a raised mortality risk compared with the general population, but this is relevant for considering earlier initiation of antiretroviral therapy. Methods Pooling data from 23 European and North American cohorts, we calculated country-, age-, sex-, and year-standardised mortality ratios (SMRs), stratifying by risk group. Included patients had at least one pre-ART CD4 count above 350 cells/mm3. The association between CD4 count and death rate was evaluated using Poisson regression methods. Findings Of 40,830 patients contributing 80,682 person-years of follow up with CD4 count above 350 cells/mm3, 419 (1.0%) died. The SMRs (95% confidence interval) were 1.30 (1.06-1.58) in homosexual men, and 2.94 (2.28-3.73) and 9.37 (8.13-10.75) in the heterosexual and IDU risk groups respectively. CD4 count above 500 cells/mm3 was associated with a lower death rate than 350-499 cells/mm3: adjusted rate ratios (95% confidence intervals) for 500-699 cells/mm3 and above 700 cells/mm3 were 0.77 (0.61-0.95) and 0.66 (0.52-0.85) respectively. Interpretation In HIV-infected ART-naive patients with high CD4 counts, death rates were raised compared with the general population. In homosexual men this was modest, suggesting that a proportion of the increased risk in other groups is due to confounding by other factors. Even in this high CD4 count range, lower CD4 count was associated with raised mortality. PMID:20638118

Leukocyte Count is Associated with Increased Platelet Reactivity and Diminished Response to Aspirin in Healthy Individuals with a Family History of Coronary Artery Disease

PubMed Central

Faraday, Nauder; Yanek, Lisa R.; Vaidya, Dhananjay; Kral, Brian; Qayyum, Rehan; Herrera-Galeano, J. Enrique; Moy, Taryn F.; Becker, Diane M.; Becker, Lewis C.

2009-01-01

Background Markers of systemic inflammation, including blood leukocyte count, are associated with increased cardiovascular risk, but the mechanisms underlying this association are unclear. Leukocytes may promote platelet reactivity and thrombus formation, providing a basis for increased risk, but a relation between leukocyte count and platelet function has not been studied. Methods We evaluated the relation of blood leukocyte count, C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) to platelet aggregation to collagen, ADP and arachidonic acid, and to urinary excretion of 11-dehydro thromboxane B2. Studies were conducted in 1600 individuals (45.0 ± 12.9 years, 42.7% male) at risk for coronary artery disease (CAD) before and after low dose aspirin. Results At baseline, platelet reactivity increased with increasing quartile of leukocyte count (median counts for each quartile were normal) for all measures of platelet function (P<0.0001). These relations were unchanged by aspirin. The relation between leukocyte count and each measure of platelet reactivity remained significant (P<0.05) after multivariable adjustment for CRP, IL-6, cardiac risk factors, hematologic variables, and platelet thromboxane production. CRP and IL-6 were independently associated with few measures of platelet reactivity. Conclusions Increasing quartile of leukocyte count, even within the normal range, is associated with increasing platelet reactivity in individuals at risk for CAD. This relationship is not altered by aspirin and is independent of inflammatory markers and platelet thromboxane production. Additional studies are needed to determine the mechanism(s) for this association and therapies to reduce cardiovascular risk in patients with elevated leukocyte counts. PMID:19185906

Long-Term Quality Control Program Plan for Cord Blood Banks in Korea: A Pilot Study for Cryopreservation Stability

PubMed Central

Seo, Soo Hyun; Shin, Sue; Roh, Eun Youn; Song, Eun Young; Oh, Sohee; Kim, Byoung Jae

2017-01-01

Background Maintaining the quality of cryopreserved cord blood is crucial. In this pilot study, we describe the results of the internal quality control program for a cord blood bank thus far. Methods Donated cord blood units unsuitable for transplantation were selected for internal quality control once a month. One unit of cord blood, aliquoted into 21 capillaries, was cryopreserved and thawed annually to analyze the total nucleated cell count, CD34+ cell count, cell viability test, and colony-forming units assay. Results No significant differences in the variables (total nucleated cell count, cell viability, CD34+ cell count) were observed between samples cryopreserved for one and two years. Upon comparing the variables before cryopreservation and post thawing with the capillaries of one year of storage, cell viability and CD34+ cell counts decreased significantly. The use of cord blood samples in capillaries, which can be easily stored for a long period, was similar to the methods used for testing segments attached to the cord blood unit. Conclusions The results of this study may be useful for determining the period during which the quality of cryopreserved cord blood units used for transplantation is maintained. PMID:28028998

Distribution and identification of culturable airborne microorganisms in a Swiss milk processing facility.

PubMed

Brandl, Helmut; Fricker-Feer, Claudia; Ziegler, Dominik; Mandal, Jyotshna; Stephan, Roger; Lehner, Angelika

2014-01-01

Airborne communities (mainly bacteria) were sampled and characterized (concentration levels and diversity) at 1 outdoor and 6 indoor sites within a Swiss dairy production facility. Air samples were collected on 2 sampling dates in different seasons, one in February and one in July 2012 using impaction bioaerosol samplers. After cultivation, isolates were identified by mass spectrometry (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight) and molecular (sequencing of 16S rRNA and rpoB genes) methods. In general, total airborne particle loads and total bacterial counts were higher in winter than in summer, but remained constant within each indoor sampling site at both sampling times (February and July). Bacterial numbers were generally very low (<100 cfu/m(3) of air) during the different steps of milk powder production. Elevated bacterial concentrations (with mean values of 391 ± 142 and 179 ± 33 cfu/m(3) of air during winter and summer sampling, respectively; n=15) occurred mainly in the "logistics area," where products in closed tins are packed in secondary packaging material and prepared for shipping. However, total bacterial counts at the outdoor site varied, with a 5- to 6-fold higher concentration observed in winter compared with summer. Twenty-five gram-positive and gram-negative genera were identified as part of the airborne microflora, with Bacillus and Staphylococcus being the most frequent genera identified. Overall, the culturable microflora community showed a composition typical and representative for the specific location. Bacterial counts were highly correlated with total airborne particles in the size range 1 to 5 µm, indicating that a simple surveillance system based upon counting of airborne particles could be implemented. The data generated in this study could be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the dairy plant's sanitation program and to identify potential sources of airborne contamination, resulting in increased food safety. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Personal exposures to asbestos fibers during brake maintenance of passenger vehicles.

PubMed

Cely-García, María Fernanda; Sánchez, Mauricio; Breysse, Patrick N; Ramos-Bonilla, Juan P

2012-11-01

Brake linings and brake pads are among the asbestos-containing products that are readily available in Colombia. When sold separated from their support, brake linings require extensive manipulation involving several steps that include drilling, countersinking, riveting, bonding, cutting, beveling, and grinding. Without this manipulation, brake linings cannot be installed in a vehicle. The manipulation process may release asbestos fibers, which may expose brake mechanics to the fibers. Three brake repair shops located in Bogotá (Colombia) were sampled for 3 or 4 consecutive days using US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) methods 7400 and 7402. Standard procedures for quality control were followed during the sampling process, and asbestos samples were analyzed by an American Industrial Hygiene Association accredited laboratory. Personal samples were collected to assess full-shift and short-term exposures. Area samples were also collected close to the brake-lining manipulation equipment and within office facilities. Activities were documented during the sampling process. Using Phase Contrast Microscopy Equivalent counts to estimate air asbestos concentrations, all personal samples [i.e. 8-h time-weighted averages (TWAs) and 30-min personal samples] were in compliance with the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards. Personal asbestos concentrations based on transmission electron microscopy counts were extremely high, ranging from 0.006 to 3.493 f cm(-3) for 8-h TWA and from 0.015 to 8.835 f cm(-3) for 30-min samples. All asbestos fibers detected were chrysotile. Cleaning facilities and grinding linings resulted in the highest asbestos exposures based on transmission electron microscopy counts. There were also some samples that did not comply with the NIOSH's recommended exposure limits. The results indicate that the brake mechanics sampled are exposed to extremely high asbestos concentrations (i.e. based on transmission electron microscopy counts), suggesting that this occupational group could be at excess risk of asbestos-related diseases.

Duffy-Null–Associated Low Neutrophil Counts Influence HIV-1 Susceptibility in High-Risk South African Black Women

PubMed Central

Ramsuran, Veron; Kulkarni, Hemant; He, Weijing; Mlisana, Koleka; Wright, Edwina J.; Werner, Lise; Castiblanco, John; Dhanda, Rahul; Le, Tuan; Dolan, Matthew J.; Guan, Weihua; Weiss, Robin A.; Clark, Robert A.; Abdool Karim, Salim S.; Ndung'u, Thumbi

2011-01-01

Background. The Duffy-null trait and ethnic netropenia are both highly prevalent in Africa. The influence of pre-seroconversion levels of peripheral blood cell counts (PBCs) on the risk of acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–1 infection among Africans is unknown. Methods. The triangular relationship among pre-seroconversion PBC counts, host genotypes, and risk of HIV acquisition was determined in a prospective cohort of black South African high-risk female sex workers. Twenty-seven women had seroconversion during follow-up, and 115 remained HIV negative for 2 years, despite engaging in high-risk activity. Results. Pre-seroconversion neutrophil counts in women who subsequently had seroconversion were significantly lower, whereas platelet counts were higher, compared with those who remained HIV negative. Comprising 27% of the cohort, subjects with pre-seroconversion neutrophil counts of <2500 cells/mm3 had a ∼3-fold greater risk of acquiring HIV infection. In a genome-wide association analyses, an African-specific polymorphism (rs2814778) in the promoter of Duffy Antigen Receptor for Chemokines (DARC −46T > C) was significantly associated with neutrophil counts (P = 7.9 × 10−11). DARC −46C/C results in loss of DARC expression on erthyrocytes (Duffy-null) and resistance to Plasmodium vivax malaria, and in our cohort, only subjects with this genotype had pre-seroconversion neutrophil counts of <2500 cells/mm3. The risk of acquiring HIV infection was ∼3-fold greater in those with the trait of Duffy-null–associated low neutrophil counts, compared with all other study participants. Conclusions. Pre-seroconversion neutrophil and platelet counts influence risk of HIV infection. The trait of Duffy-null–associated low neutrophil counts influences HIV susceptibility. Because of the high prevalence of this trait among persons of African ancestry, it may contribute to the dynamics of the HIV epidemic in Africa. PMID:21507922

Trends in CD4 counts in HIV-infected patients with HIV viral load monitoring while on combination antiretroviral treatment: results from The TREAT Asia HIV Observational Database

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between trends in CD4 counts (slope) and HIV viral load (VL) after initiation of combination antiretroviral treatment (cART) in Asian patients in The TREAT Asia HIV Observational Database (TAHOD). Methods Treatment-naive HIV-infected patients who started cART with three or more and had three or more CD4 count and HIV VL tests were included. CD4 count slopes were expressed as changes of cells per microliter per year. Predictors of CD4 count slopes from 6 months after initiation were assessed by random-effects linear regression models. Results A total of 1676 patients (74% male) were included. The median time on cART was 4.2 years (IQR 2.5-5.8 years). In the final model, CD4 count slope was associated with age, concurrent HIV VL and CD4 count, disease stage, hepatitis B or C co-infection, and time since cART initiation. CD4 count continues to increase with HIV VL up to 20 000 copies/mL during 6-12 months after cART initiation. However, the HIV VL has to be controlled below 5 000, 4 000 and 500 copies/mL for the CD4 count slope to remain above 20 cells/microliter per year during 12-18, 18-24, and beyond 24 months after cART initiation. Conclusions After cART initiation, CD4 counts continued to increase even when the concurrent HIV VL was detectable. However, HIV VL needed to be controlled at a lower level to maintain a positive CD4 count slope when cART continues. The effect on long-term outcomes through the possible development of HIV drug resistance remains uncertain. PMID:21182796

Radioactivities of Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) materials: Baggage and bonanzas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Alan R.; Hurley, Donna L.

1992-01-01

Radioactivities in materials onboard the returned Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) satellite were studied by a variety of techniques. Among the most powerful is low-background Ge-semiconductor detector gamma-ray spectrometry, illustrated here by results obtained at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory's (LBL) Low Background Facilities. The observed radioactivities are of two origins: those radionuclides produced by nuclear reactions with the radiation field in orbit, and radionuclides present initially as 'contaminants' in materials used for construction of the spacecraft and experimental assemblies. In the first category are experiment-related monitor foils and tomato seeds, and such spacecraft materials as aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium. In the second category are aluminum, beryllium, titanium, vanadium, and some special glasses.

ATP as a biomarker of viable microorganisms in clean-room facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Venkateswaran, Kasthuri; Hattori, Noriaki; La Duc, Myron T.; Kern, Roger

2003-01-01

A new firefly luciferase bioluminescence assay method that differentiates free extracellular ATP (dead cells, etc.) from intracellular ATP (viable microbes) was used to determine the viable microbial cleanliness of various clean-room facilities. For comparison, samples were taken from both clean-rooms, where the air was filtered to remove particles >0.5 microm, and ordinary rooms with unfiltered air. The intracellular ATP was determined after enzymatically degrading the sample's free ATP. Also for comparison, cultivable microbial populations were counted on nutrient-rich trypticase soy agar (TSA) plates. Both the cultivable and ATP-based determinations indicate that the microbial burden was lower in clean-room facilities than in ordinary rooms. However, there was no direct correlation between the two sets of measurements because the two assays measured very different populations. A large fraction of the samples yielded no colony formers on TSA, but were positive for intracellular ATP. Subsequently, genomic DNA was isolated directly from selected samples and 16S rDNA fragments were cloned and sequenced, identifying nearest neighbors, many of which are known to be noncultivable in the media employed. It was concluded that viable microbial contamination can be reliably monitored by measurement of intracellular ATP, and that this method may be considered superior to cultivable colony counts due to its speed and its ability to report the presence of viable but noncultivable organisms. When the detection of nonviable microbes is of interest, the ATP assay can be supplemented with DNA analysis.

ATP as a biomarker of viable microorganisms in clean-room facilities.

PubMed

Venkateswaran, Kasthuri; Hattori, Noriaki; La Duc, Myron T; Kern, Roger

2003-03-01

A new firefly luciferase bioluminescence assay method that differentiates free extracellular ATP (dead cells, etc.) from intracellular ATP (viable microbes) was used to determine the viable microbial cleanliness of various clean-room facilities. For comparison, samples were taken from both clean-rooms, where the air was filtered to remove particles >0.5 microm, and ordinary rooms with unfiltered air. The intracellular ATP was determined after enzymatically degrading the sample's free ATP. Also for comparison, cultivable microbial populations were counted on nutrient-rich trypticase soy agar (TSA) plates. Both the cultivable and ATP-based determinations indicate that the microbial burden was lower in clean-room facilities than in ordinary rooms. However, there was no direct correlation between the two sets of measurements because the two assays measured very different populations. A large fraction of the samples yielded no colony formers on TSA, but were positive for intracellular ATP. Subsequently, genomic DNA was isolated directly from selected samples and 16S rDNA fragments were cloned and sequenced, identifying nearest neighbors, many of which are known to be noncultivable in the media employed. It was concluded that viable microbial contamination can be reliably monitored by measurement of intracellular ATP, and that this method may be considered superior to cultivable colony counts due to its speed and its ability to report the presence of viable but noncultivable organisms. When the detection of nonviable microbes is of interest, the ATP assay can be supplemented with DNA analysis.

A SIMPLE RADIO-CHROMATOGRAM SCANNER

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McWeeny, D.J.; Burton, H.S.

1962-07-01

A sturdy, simple, and reliable radiochromatogram scanner is described. It is constructed from a Panax Universal Castle, a Panax 5054 rate meter, and a recording milliamometer. The castle houses 2 thin endwindows, G--M tubes type GE- EHM-2 mounted one above the other, windows 1/4 in. apart. The 1-in. chromatogram passes continuously thru a selection of slits permitting a choice of views by the G-M tubes. The background count is 10.5 counts per minute and the detection limit for S/sup 35/ as a 3 mm spot on Whatman no. 1 paper is less than 0.2 nc. (T.R.H.)

Results of an attempt to measure increased rates of the reaction D-2 + D-2 yields He-3 + n in a nonelectrochemical cold fusion experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fralick, Gustave C.; Decker, Arthur J.; Blue, James W.

1989-01-01

An experiment was performed to look for evidence of deuterium fusion in palladium. The experiment, which involved introducing deuterium into the palladium filter of a hydrogen purifier, was designed to detect neutrons produced in the reaction D-2 + D-2 yields He-3 + n as well as heat production. The neutron counts for deuterium did not differ significantly from background or from the counts for a hydrogen control. Heat production was detected when deuterium, but not hydrogen, was pumped from the purifier.

High-precision half-life measurements for the superallowed Fermi β+ emitter 14O

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laffoley, A. T.; Svensson, C. E.; Andreoiu, C.; Austin, R. A. E.; Ball, G. C.; Blank, B.; Bouzomita, H.; Cross, D. S.; Diaz Varela, A.; Dunlop, R.; Finlay, P.; Garnsworthy, A. B.; Garrett, P. E.; Giovinazzo, J.; Grinyer, G. F.; Hackman, G.; Hadinia, B.; Jamieson, D. S.; Ketelhut, S.; Leach, K. G.; Leslie, J. R.; Tardiff, E.; Thomas, J. C.; Unsworth, C.

2013-07-01

The half-life of the superallowed Fermi β+ emitter 14O has been determined via simultaneous direct β and γ counting experiments at TRIUMF's Isotope Separator and Accelerator (ISAC) facility. A γ-ray counting measurement was performed by detecting the 2312.6-keV γ rays emitted from an excited state of the daughter 14N following the implantation of samples at the center of the 8π γ-ray spectrometer, a spherical array of 20 high-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors. A simultaneous β counting experiment was performed using a fast plastic scintillator positioned behind the implantation site with a solid angle coverage of ˜20%. The results, T1/2(β)=70.610±0.030s and T1/2(γ)=70.632±0.094s, form a consistent set and, together with eight previous measurements, establish a new average for the 14O half-life of T1/2=70.619±0.011s with a reduced χ2 of 0.99.

KSC-2013-2994

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-29

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, CNN correspondent John Zarrella counts down for the ceremonial opening of the new "Space Shuttle Atlantis" facility. Ready to press buttons to mark the opening the new exhibit, from the left, are Charlie Bolden, NASA administrator, Bob Cabana, Kennedy director, Rick Abramson, Delaware North Parks and Resorts president, and Bill Moore, Delaware North Parks and Resorts chief operating officer. The new $100 million facility includes interactive exhibits that tell the story of the 30-year Space Shuttle Program and highlight the future of space exploration. The "Space Shuttle Atlantis" exhibit formally opened to the public on June 29, 2013.Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Overall view of administration area with building 11110 in background, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Overall view of administration area with building 11110 in background, looking east from facility gate. - Naval Ordnance Test Station Inyokern, China Lake Pilot Plant, Pilot Plant Road, China Lake, Kern County, CA

Calibration facility for environment dosimetry instruments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bercea, Sorin; Celarel, Aurelia; Cenusa, Constantin

2013-12-16

In the last ten years, the nuclear activities, as well as the major nuclear events (see Fukushima accident) had an increasing impact on the environment, merely by contamination with radioactive materials. The most conferment way to quickly identify the presence of some radioactive elements in the environment, is to measure the dose-equivalent rate H. In this situation, information concerning the values of H due only to the natural radiation background must exist. Usually, the values of H due to the natural radiation background, are very low (∼10{sup −9} - 10{sup −8} Sv/h). A correct measurement of H in this rangemore » involve a performing calibration of the measuring instruments in the measuring range corresponding to the natural radiation background lead to important problems due to the presence of the natural background itself the best way to overlap this difficulty is to set up the calibration stand in an area with very low natural radiation background. In Romania, we identified an area with such special conditions at 200 m dept, in a salt mine. This paper deals with the necessary requirements for such a calibration facility, as well as with the calibration stand itself. The paper includes also, a description of the calibration stand (and images) as well as the radiological and metrological parameters. This calibration facilities for environment dosimetry is one of the few laboratories in this field in Europe.« less

Identification of Nine Novel Loci Associated with White Blood Cell Subtypes in a Japanese Population

PubMed Central

Okada, Yukinori; Hirota, Tomomitsu; Kamatani, Yoichiro; Takahashi, Atsushi; Ohmiya, Hiroko; Kumasaka, Natsuhiko; Higasa, Koichiro; Yamaguchi-Kabata, Yumi; Hosono, Naoya; Nalls, Michael A.; Chen, Ming Huei; van Rooij, Frank J. A.; Smith, Albert V.; Tanaka, Toshiko; Couper, David J.; Zakai, Neil A.; Ferrucci, Luigi; Longo, Dan L.; Hernandez, Dena G.; Witteman, Jacqueline C. M.; Harris, Tamara B.; O'Donnell, Christopher J.; Ganesh, Santhi K.; Matsuda, Koichi; Tsunoda, Tatsuhiko; Tanaka, Toshihiro; Kubo, Michiaki; Nakamura, Yusuke; Tamari, Mayumi; Yamamoto, Kazuhiko; Kamatani, Naoyuki

2011-01-01

White blood cells (WBCs) mediate immune systems and consist of various subtypes with distinct roles. Elucidation of the mechanism that regulates the counts of the WBC subtypes would provide useful insights into both the etiology of the immune system and disease pathogenesis. In this study, we report results of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and a replication study for the counts of the 5 main WBC subtypes (neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, basophils, and eosinophils) using 14,792 Japanese subjects enrolled in the BioBank Japan Project. We identified 12 significantly associated loci that satisfied the genome-wide significance threshold of P<5.0×10−8, of which 9 loci were novel (the CDK6 locus for the neutrophil count; the ITGA4, MLZE, STXBP6 loci, and the MHC region for the monocyte count; the SLC45A3-NUCKS1, GATA2, NAALAD2, ERG loci for the basophil count). We further evaluated associations in the identified loci using 15,600 subjects from Caucasian populations. These WBC subtype-related loci demonstrated a variety of patterns of pleiotropic associations within the WBC subtypes, or with total WBC count, platelet count, or red blood cell-related traits (n = 30,454), which suggests unique and common functional roles of these loci in the processes of hematopoiesis. This study should contribute to the understanding of the genetic backgrounds of the WBC subtypes and hematological traits. PMID:21738478

Data reduction for cough studies using distribution of audio frequency content

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Recent studies suggest that objectively quantifying coughing in audio recordings offers a novel means to understand coughing and assess treatments. Currently, manual cough counting is the most accurate method for quantifying coughing. However, the demand of manually counting cough records is substantial, demonstrating a need to reduce record lengths prior to counting whilst preserving the coughs within them. This study tested the performance of an algorithm developed for this purpose. Methods 20 subjects were recruited (5 healthy smokers and non-smokers, 5 chronic cough, 5 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 5 asthma), fitted with an ambulatory recording system and recorded for 24 hours. The recordings produced were divided into 15 min segments and counted. Periods of inactive audio in each segment were removed using the median frequency and power of the audio signal and the resulting files re-counted. Results The median resultant segment length was 13.9 s (IQR 56.4 s) and median 24 hr recording length 62.4 min (IQR 100.4). A median of 0.0 coughs/h (IQR 0.0-0.2) were erroneously removed and the variability in the resultant cough counts was comparable to that between manual cough counts. The largest error was seen in asthmatic patients, but still only 1.0% coughs/h were missed. Conclusions These data show that a system which measures signal activity using the median audio frequency can substantially reduce record lengths without significantly compromising the coughs contained within them. PMID:23231789

Prevalence of pregnancy-related complications and course of labour of surviving women who gave birth in selected health facilities in Rwanda: a health facility-based, cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Semasaka Sengoma, Jean Paul; Krantz, Gunilla; Nzayirambaho, Manasse; Munyanshongore, Cyprien; Edvardsson, Kristina; Mogren, Ingrid

2017-07-09

This study estimated health facility-based prevalence for pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, postpartum haemorrhage and caesarean section (CS) due to prolonged labour/dystocia. The background characteristics of Rwandan pregnant women, the course of labour and the level of healthcare were investigated in relation to pregnancy and delivery outcomes. This is health facility-based study and data were collected in 2014-2015 through structured interviews and medical records (n=817) in Kigali and Northern Province, Rwanda. Frequencies and prevalence were used to describe participants' background factors, labour and delivery-related characteristics. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression models were performed for different background factors and pregnancy/delivery outcomes. Pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, postpartum haemorrhage and CS due to prolonged labour/dystocia represented 1%, 2.7% and 5.4% of all participants, respectively. In total, 56.4% of the participants were transferred from facilities with low levels to those with higher levels of healthcare, and the majority were transferred from health centres to district hospitals, with CS as the main reason for transfer. Participants who arrived at the health facility with cervical dilation grade of ≤3 cm spent more hours in maternity ward than those who arrived with cervical dilatation grade of ≥4 cm. Risk factors for CS due to prolonged labour or dystocia were poor households, nulliparity and residence far from health facility. The estimated health facility-based prevalence of pregnancy-related complications was relatively low in this sample from Rwanda. CS was the main reason for the transfer of pregnant women from health centres to district hospitals. Upgrading the capacity of health centres in the management of pregnant women in Rwanda may improve maternal and fetal health. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

A perspective on 10-years HTS experience at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research - eighteen million assays and counting.

PubMed

Lackovic, Kurt; Lessene, Guillaume; Falk, Hendrik; Leuchowius, Karl-Johan; Baell, Jonathan; Street, Ian

2014-03-01

The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) is Australia's longest serving medical research institute. WEHI's High Throughput Screening (HTS) Facility was established in 2003 with $5 million of infrastructure funds invested by WEHI, and the Victorian State Government's Strategic Technology Initiative through Bio21 Australia Ltd. The Facility was Australia's first truly academic HTS facility and was one of only a handful operating in publicly funded institutions worldwide at that time. The objectives were to provide access to enabling HTS technologies, such as assay design, liquid handling automation, compound libraries and expertise to promote translation of basic research in a national setting that has a relatively young biotech sector and does not have a big Pharma research presence. Ten years on and the WEHI HTS Facility has participated in over 92 collaborative projects, generated over 18 million data points, and most importantly, projects that began in the Facility have been commercialized successfully (due to strong ties with Business Development and emphasis on intellectual property management) and now have molecules progressing in clinical trials.

Walking as a Contributor to Physical Activity in Healthy Older Adults: 2 Week Longitudinal Study Using Accelerometry and the Doubly Labeled Water Method

PubMed Central

Bonomi, Alberto G; Westerterp, Klaas R

2016-01-01

Background Physical activity is recommended to promote healthy aging. Defining the importance of activities such as walking in achieving higher levels of physical activity might provide indications for interventions. Objective To describe the importance of walking in achieving higher levels of physical activity in older adults. Methods The study included 42 healthy subjects aged between 51 and 84 years (mean body mass index 25.6 kg/m2 [SD 2.6]). Physical activity, walking, and nonwalking activity were monitored with an accelerometer for 2 weeks. Physical activity was quantified by accelerometer-derived activity counts. An algorithm based on template matching and signal power was developed to classify activity counts into nonwalking counts, short walk counts, and long walk counts. Additionally, in a subgroup of 31 subjects energy expenditure was measured using doubly labeled water to derive physical activity level (PAL). Results Subjects had a mean PAL of 1.84 (SD 0.19, range 1.43-2.36). About 20% of the activity time (21% [SD 8]) was spent walking, which accounted for about 40% of the total counts (43% [SD 11]). Short bouts composed 83% (SD 9) of walking time, providing 81% (SD 11) of walking counts. A stepwise regression model to predict PAL included nonwalking counts and short walk counts, explaining 58% of the variance of PAL (standard error of the estimate=0.12). Walking activities produced more counts per minute than nonwalking activities (P<.001). Long walks produced more counts per minute than short walks (P=.001). Nonwalking counts were independent of walking counts (r=−.05, P=.38). Conclusions Walking activities are a major contributor to physical activity in older adults. Walking activities occur at higher intensities than nonwalking activities, which might prevent individuals from engaging in more walking activity. Finally, subjects who engage in more walking activities do not tend to compensate by limiting nonwalking activities. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01609764; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01609764 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6grls0wAp) PMID:27268471

Credit BG. Northeast and northwest facades of Building 4496 (Security ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Credit BG. Northeast and northwest facades of Building 4496 (Security Facility) as seen when looking south (178°) from entrance to secured area. The Control Tower (Building 4500) appears in background. The Security Facility is part of the secured Building 4505 complex - Edwards Air Force Base, North Base, Security Facility, Northeast of A Street, Boron, Kern County, CA

Effectiveness of Surface Cleaning and Disinfection in a Brazilian Healthcare Facility.

PubMed

Santos-Junior, Aires G; Ferreira, Adriano M; Frota, Oleci P; Rigotti, Marcelo A; Barcelos, Larissa da S; Lopes de Sousa, Alvaro Francisco; de Andrade, Denise; Guerra, Odanir G; R Furlan, Mara C

2018-01-01

Failures in the processes of cleaning and disinfecting health service surfaces may result in the spread and transfer of pathogens that are often associated with healthcare-related infections and outbreaks. To assess the effectiveness of environmental surface cleaning and disinfection in a hospital clinic. The study was conducted in a nursing ward with 45 beds. A total of 80 samples from five high-touch surfaces were evaluated before and after cleaning and disinfection, using the following methods: visual inspection, adenosine triphosphate bioluminescence assay, aerobic colony count, Staphylococcus aureus colony count, and evaluation of resistance to methicillin. The data analysis used nonparametric comparative and correlative tests to observe any differences in the pre- and post- cleaning and disinfection results for the surfaces assessed. Effective cleaning and disinfection had a significant effect on only two surfaces when measured for the presence of adenosine triphosphate, the inner bathroom door handle ( p =0.007) and the toilet bowl ( p =0.01). When evaluated for Staphylococcus aureus colony count, the toilet flush handle also demonstrated a significant effect ( p =0.04). The effectiveness of cleaning and disinfection of the surfaces tested was not satisfactory. An educational intervention is recommended for the cleaning and disinfection staff and the nursing team at the healthcare facility. The data in the study revealed that daily hospital cleaning and disinfection in the sampled sites are not sufficient in medical and surgical wards. Hospital cleanliness must be reevaluated from the point of view of materials, such as an adequate supply of clean cloths, in addition to establishing more precise cleanliness protocols and accurate monitoring systems.

The Acoustic Environment of the NASA Glenn 9- by 15-foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephens, David B.

2015-01-01

The 9- by 15-Foot Low Speed Wind Tunnel is an acoustic testing facility with a long history of aircraft propulsion noise research. Due to interest in renovating the facility to support future testing of advanced quiet engine designs, a study was conducted to document the background noise level in the facility and investigate the sources of contaminating noise. The anechoic quality of the facility was also investigated using an interrupted noise method. The present report discusses these aspects of the noise environment in this facility.

Nicotine dependence, "background" and cue-induced craving and smoking in the laboratory.

PubMed

Dunbar, Michael S; Shiffman, Saul; Kirchner, Thomas R; Tindle, Hilary A; Scholl, Sarah M

2014-09-01

Nicotine dependence has been associated with higher "background" craving and smoking, independent of situational cues. Due in part to conceptual and methodological differences across past studies, the relationship between dependence and cue-reactivity (CR; e.g., cue-induced craving and smoking) remains unclear. 207 daily smokers completed six pictorial CR sessions (smoking, negative affect, positive affect, alcohol, smoking prohibitions, and neutral). Individuals rated craving before (background craving) and after cues, and could smoke following cue exposure. Session videos were coded to assess smoking. Participants completed four nicotine dependence measures. Regression models assessed the relationship of dependence to cue-independent (i.e., pre-cue) and cue-specific (i.e., pre-post cue change for each cue, relative to neutral) craving and smoking (likelihood of smoking, latency to smoke, puff count). Dependence was associated with background craving and smoking, but did not predict change in craving across the entire sample for any cue. Among alcohol drinkers, dependence was associated with greater increases in craving following the alcohol cue. Only one dependence measure (Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives) was consistently associated with smoking reactivity (higher likelihood of smoking, shorter latency to smoke, greater puff count) in response to cues. While related to cue-independent background craving and smoking, dependence is not strongly associated with laboratory cue-induced craving under conditions of minimal deprivation. Dependence measures that incorporate situational influences on smoking correlate with greater cue-provoked smoking. This may suggest independent roles for CR and traditional dependence as determinants of smoking, and highlights the importance of assessing behavioral CR outcomes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Study of Use of the New York State Library by Visitors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipetz, Ben-Ami

Based on data gathered during a full 5-day, 40-hour week of visiting time, this study determined various characteristics of visitors to the New York State Library (NYSL) main facility; e.g., traffic rates, user intent, and user status. Visitors exiting the library were counted, short interviews were conducted with 25 percent of the total visitors…

Microbiological Quality Assessment of Game Meats at Retail in Japan.

PubMed

Asakura, Hiroshi; Kawase, Jun; Ikeda, Tetsuya; Honda, Mioko; Sasaki, Yoshimasa; Uema, Masashi; Kabeya, Hidenori; Sugiyama, Hiromu; Igimi, Shizunobu; Takai, Shinji

2017-12-01

In this study, we examined the prevalence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. and the distribution of indicator bacteria in 248 samples of game meats (120 venison and 128 wild boar) retailed between November 2015 and March 2016 in Japan. No Salmonella spp. were detected in any of the samples, whereas Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli serotype OUT:H25 (stx 2d + , eae - ) was isolated from one deer meat sample, suggesting a possible source for human infection. Plate count assays indicated greater prevalence of coliforms and E. coli in wild boar meat than in venison, whereas their prevalence in processing facilities showed greater variation than in animal species. The 16S rRNA ion semiconductor sequencing analysis of 24 representative samples revealed that the abundances of Acinetobacter and Arthrobacter spp. significantly correlated with the prevalence of E. coli, and quantitative PCR analyses in combination with selective plate count assay verified these correlations. To our knowledge, this is the first report to characterize the diversity of microorganisms of game meats at retail in Japan, together with identification of dominant microbiota. Our data suggest the necessity of bottom-up hygienic assessment in areas of slaughtering and processing facilities to improve microbiological safety.

Socioeconomic and race/ethnic disparities in observed park quality.

PubMed

Engelberg, Jessa K; Conway, Terry L; Geremia, Carrie; Cain, Kelli L; Saelens, Brian E; Glanz, Karen; Frank, Lawrence D; Sallis, James F

2016-05-12

Though park presence and access disparities are well studied for their associations with physical activity (PA), disparities in the availability and quality of amenities and facilities within parks have been infrequently examined. Five hundred forty-three parks from 472 block groups in the Seattle, WA and Baltimore, MD regions were audited using the Environmental Assessment of Public Recreation Spaces (EAPRS) to assess presence and quality (e.g., condition, cleanliness) of amenities (e.g., restrooms, seating) and facilities (e.g., fields, courts). General linear model regressions investigated Census 2000-derived neighborhood race/ethnicity and income main effect and interactive relationships with 7 park quality summary scores: 1) trails, 2) open space, 3) sports facilities, 4) PA facilities count, 5) PA facilities quality, 6) aesthetics, and 7) overall amenities, controlling for park size. The regions were analyzed separately due to differing race/ethnicity distributions. In the Seattle region, neighborhood income was significantly negatively associated with sports quality score (p < .043), PA facilities total count (p < .015) and the overall amenities quality score (p < .004) (unexpected direction). In the Baltimore region, neighborhood race/ethnicity (percent White/non-Hispanic) was significantly positively related to the open spaces quality score (p < .011) (expected direction). A significant income-by-race/ethnicity interaction was found for PA facilities quality (p = .014), with high-percent minority neighborhoods having higher quality parks in high- vs. low-income neighborhoods, yet was opposite in mostly White/non-Hispanic neighborhoods. The other income-by-race/ethnicity interaction was for overall amenities quality score (p = .043), where scores in high-percent minority neighborhoods were best in high- vs. low-income neighborhoods. There was little difference in scores within mostly White or mixed neighborhoods by income. Patterns of association of neighborhood race/ethnicity and income with park qualities differed between regions. In the Seattle region, "equitable differences" were found, where lower income neighborhoods had better park quality on average. In the Baltimore region, park quality was more consistently negatively associated with income and race/ethnic diversity, and complex interactions of race/ethnicity by income were detected. These findings emphasize the need to explore other factors that may explain variations in park quality, like local policy, citizen involvement in park decision-making, park funding and allocation, sources of funding and park priorities.

Performance of a high-sensitivity dedicated cardiac SPECT scanner for striatal uptake quantification in the brain based on analysis of projection data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Park, Mi-Ae; Moore, Stephen C.; McQuaid, Sarah J.

Purpose: The authors have previously reported the advantages of high-sensitivity single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) systems for imaging structures located deep inside the brain. DaTscan (Isoflupane I-123) is a dopamine transporter (DaT) imaging agent that has shown potential for early detection of Parkinson disease (PD), as well as for monitoring progression of the disease. Realizing the full potential of DaTscan requires efficient estimation of striatal uptake from SPECT images. They have evaluated two SPECT systems, a conventional dual-head gamma camera with low-energy high-resolution collimators (conventional) and a dedicated high-sensitivity multidetector cardiac imaging system (dedicated) for imaging tasks related to PD.more » Methods: Cramer-Rao bounds (CRB) on precision of estimates of striatal and background activity concentrations were calculated from high-count, separate acquisitions of the compartments (right striata, left striata, background) of a striatal phantom. CRB on striatal and background activity concentration were calculated from essentially noise-free projection datasets, synthesized by scaling and summing the compartment projection datasets, for a range of total detected counts. They also calculated variances of estimates of specific-to-nonspecific binding ratios (BR) and asymmetry indices from these values using propagation of error analysis, as well as the precision of measuring changes in BR on the order of the average annual decline in early PD. Results: Under typical clinical conditions, the conventional camera detected 2 M counts while the dedicated camera detected 12 M counts. Assuming a normal BR of 5, the standard deviation of BR estimates was 0.042 and 0.021 for the conventional and dedicated system, respectively. For an 8% decrease to BR = 4.6, the signal-to-noise ratio were 6.8 (conventional) and 13.3 (dedicated); for a 5% decrease, they were 4.2 (conventional) and 8.3 (dedicated). Conclusions: This implies that PD can be detected earlier with the dedicated system than with the conventional system; therefore, earlier identification of PD progression should be possible with the high-sensitivity dedicated SPECT camera.« less

The edge artifact in the point-spread function-based PET reconstruction at different sphere-to-background ratios of radioactivity.

PubMed

Kidera, Daisuke; Kihara, Ken; Akamatsu, Go; Mikasa, Shohei; Taniguchi, Takafumi; Tsutsui, Yuji; Takeshita, Toshiki; Maebatake, Akira; Miwa, Kenta; Sasaki, Masayuki

2016-02-01

The aim of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the edge artifacts in PET images reconstructed using the point-spread function (PSF) algorithm at different sphere-to-background ratios of radioactivity (SBRs). We used a NEMA IEC body phantom consisting of six spheres with 37, 28, 22, 17, 13 and 10 mm in inner diameter. The background was filled with (18)F solution with a radioactivity concentration of 2.65 kBq/mL. We prepared three sets of phantoms with SBRs of 16, 8, 4 and 2. The PET data were acquired for 20 min using a Biograph mCT scanner. The images were reconstructed with the baseline ordered subsets expectation maximization (OSEM) algorithm, and with the OSEM + PSF correction model (PSF). For the image reconstruction, the number of iterations ranged from one to 10. The phantom PET image analyses were performed by a visual assessment of the PET images and profiles, a contrast recovery coefficient (CRC), which is the ratio of SBR in the images to the true SBR, and the percent change in the maximum count between the OSEM and PSF images (Δ % counts). In the PSF images, the spheres with a diameter of 17 mm or larger were surrounded by a dense edge in comparison with the OSEM images. In the spheres with a diameter of 22 mm or smaller, an overshoot appeared in the center of the spheres as a sharp peak in the PSF images in low SBR. These edge artifacts were clearly observed in relation to the increase of the SBR. The overestimation of the CRC was observed in 13 mm spheres in the PSF images. In the spheres with a diameter of 17 mm or smaller, the Δ % counts increased with an increasing SBR. The Δ % counts increased to 91 % in the 10-mm sphere at the SBR of 16. The edge artifacts in the PET images reconstructed using the PSF algorithm increased with an increasing SBR. In the small spheres, the edge artifact was observed as a sharp peak at the center of spheres and could result in overestimation.

Accuracy of neutron self-activation method with iodine-containing scintillators for quantifying 128I generation using decay-fitting technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nohtomi, Akihiro; Wakabayashi, Genichiro

2015-11-01

We evaluated the accuracy of a self-activation method with iodine-containing scintillators in quantifying 128I generation in an activation detector; the self-activation method was recently proposed for photo-neutron on-line measurements around X-ray radiotherapy machines. Here, we consider the accuracy of determining the initial count rate R0, observed just after termination of neutron irradiation of the activation detector. The value R0 is directly related to the amount of activity generated by incident neutrons; the detection efficiency of radiation emitted from the activity should be taken into account for such an evaluation. Decay curves of 128I activity were numerically simulated by a computer program for various conditions including different initial count rates (R0) and background rates (RB), as well as counting statistical fluctuations. The data points sampled at minute intervals and integrated over the same period were fit by a non-linear least-squares fitting routine to obtain the value R0 as a fitting parameter with an associated uncertainty. The corresponding background rate RB was simultaneously calculated in the same fitting routine. Identical data sets were also evaluated by a well-known integration algorithm used for conventional activation methods and the results were compared with those of the proposed fitting method. When we fixed RB = 500 cpm, the relative uncertainty σR0 /R0 ≤ 0.02 was achieved for R0/RB ≥ 20 with 20 data points from 1 min to 20 min following the termination of neutron irradiation used in the fitting; σR0 /R0 ≤ 0.01 was achieved for R0/RB ≥ 50 with the same data points. Reasonable relative uncertainties to evaluate initial count rates were reached by the decay-fitting method using practically realistic sampling numbers. These results clarified the theoretical limits of the fitting method. The integration method was found to be potentially vulnerable to short-term variations in background levels, especially instantaneous contaminations by spike-like noise. The fitting method easily detects and removes such spike-like noise.

Los Alamos Plutonium Facility Waste Management System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, K.; Montoya, A.; Wieneke, R.

1997-02-01

This paper describes the new computer-based transuranic (TRU) Waste Management System (WMS) being implemented at the Plutonium Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The Waste Management System is a distributed computer processing system stored in a Sybase database and accessed by a graphical user interface (GUI) written in Omnis7. It resides on the local area network at the Plutonium Facility and is accessible by authorized TRU waste originators, count room personnel, radiation protection technicians (RPTs), quality assurance personnel, and waste management personnel for data input and verification. Future goals include bringing outside groups like the LANL Waste Management Facilitymore » on-line to participate in this streamlined system. The WMS is changing the TRU paper trail into a computer trail, saving time and eliminating errors and inconsistencies in the process.« less

Radon assay for SNO+

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rumleskie, Janet

The SNO+ experiment will study neutrinos while located 6,800 feet below the surface of the earth at SNOLAB. Though shielded from surface backgrounds, emanation of radon radioisotopes from the surrounding rock leads to back-grounds. The characteristic decay of radon and its daughters allows for an alpha detection technique to count the amount of Rn-222 atoms collected. Traps can collect Rn-222 from various positions and materials, including an assay skid that will collect Rn-222 from the organic liquid scintillator used to detect interactions within SNO+.

Radon assay for SNO+

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rumleskie, Janet

2015-12-01

The SNO+ experiment will study neutrinos while located 6,800 feet below the surface of the earth at SNOLAB. Though shielded from surface backgrounds, emanation of radon radioisotopes from the surrounding rock leads to back-grounds. The characteristic decay of radon and its daughters allows for an alpha detection technique to count the amount of Rn-222 atoms collected. Traps can collect Rn-222 from various positions and materials, including an assay skid that will collect Rn-222 from the organic liquid scintillator used to detect interactions within SNO+.

The particle background observed by the X-ray detectors onboard Copernicus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davison, P. J. N.

1974-01-01

The design and characteristics of low energy detectors on the Copernicus satellite are described. The functions of the sensors in obtaining data on the particle background. The procedure for processing the data obtained by the satellite is examined. The most significant positive deviations are caused by known weak X-ray sources in the field of view. In addition to small systemic effects, occasional random effects where the count rate increases suddenly and decreases within a few frames are analyzed.

View of Facility No. S359 (Seaplane Ramp 3), with Koolau ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

View of Facility No. S359 (Seaplane Ramp 3), with Koolau Mountain Range in background - U.S. Naval Base, Pearl Harbor, Seaplane Runways-1933 Type, South shore of Ford Island, near Lexington Boulevard, Pearl City, Honolulu County, HI

77 FR 61826 - Pipeline Safety: Communication During Emergency Situations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-11

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration [Docket No... liquefied natural gas pipeline facilities that operators should immediately and directly notify the Public.... Background Federal regulations for gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and hazardous liquid pipeline facilities...

Facility 596, detail of ramp from below, with replacement sheetpile ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Facility 596, detail of ramp from below, with replacement sheet-pile dolphin on right and southernmost dolphins in background. - U.S. Naval Base, Pearl Harbor, Ferry Landing Type, Halawa Landing on Ford Island, Pearl City, Honolulu County, HI

Performance, Facility Pressure Effects, and Stability Characterization Tests of NASA's Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding Thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kamhawi, Hani; Huang, Wensheng; Haag, Thomas; Yim, John; Herman, Daniel; Peterson, Peter Y.; Williams, George J.; Gilland, James; Hofer, Richard; Mikellides, Ioannis

2016-01-01

NASA's Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding (HERMeS) 12.5 kW Technology Demonstration Unit-1 (TDU-1) has been the subject of extensive technology maturation in preparation for flight system development. Part of the technology maturation effort included experimental evaluation of the TDU-1 thruster with conducting and dielectric front pole cover materials in two different electrical configurations. A graphite front magnetic pole cover thruster configuration with the thruster body electrically tied to cathode, and an alumina front pole cover thruster configuration with the thruster body floating were evaluated. Both configurations were also evaluated at different facility background pressure conditions to evaluate background pressure effects on thruster operation. Performance characterization tests found that higher thruster performance was attained with the graphite front pole cover configuration with the thruster electrically tied to cathode. A total thrust efficiency of 68% and a total specific impulse of 2,820 s was demonstrated at a discharge voltage of 600 V and a discharge power of 12.5 kW. Thruster stability regimes were characterized with respect to the thruster discharge current oscillations and with maps of the discharge current-voltage-magnetic field (IVB). Analysis of TDU-1 discharge current waveforms found that lower normalized discharge current peak-to-peak and root mean square magnitudes were attained when the thruster was electrically floated with alumina front pole covers. Background pressure effects characterization tests indicated that the thruster performance and stability were mostly invariant to changes in the facility background pressure for vacuum chamber pressure below 1×10-5 Torr-Xe (for thruster flow rates of 20.5 mg/s). Power spectral density analysis of the discharge current waveforms showed that increasing the vacuum chamber background pressure resulted in a higher discharge current dominant breathing mode frequency. Finally, IVB maps of the TDU-1 thruster indicated that the discharge current became more oscillatory with higher discharge current peak-to-peak and RMS values with increased facility background pressure at lower thruster mass flow rates; thruster operation at higher flow rates resulted in less change to the thruster's IVB characteristics with elevated background pressure.

Advanced Distributed Measurements and Data Processing at the Vibro-Acoustic Test Facility, GRC Space Power Facility, Sandusky, Ohio - an Architecture and an Example

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hill, Gerald M.; Evans, Richard K.

2009-01-01

A large-scale, distributed, high-speed data acquisition system (HSDAS) is currently being installed at the Space Power Facility (SPF) at NASA Glenn Research Center s Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, OH. This installation is being done as part of a facility construction project to add Vibro-acoustic Test Capabilities (VTC) to the current thermal-vacuum testing capability of SPF in support of the Orion Project s requirement for Space Environments Testing (SET). The HSDAS architecture is a modular design, which utilizes fully-remotely managed components, enables the system to support multiple test locations with a wide-range of measurement types and a very large system channel count. The architecture of the system is presented along with details on system scalability and measurement verification. In addition, the ability of the system to automate many of its processes such as measurement verification and measurement system analysis is also discussed.

Method to improve cancerous lesion detection sensitivity in a dedicated dual-head scintimammography system

DOEpatents

Kieper, Douglas Arthur [Seattle, WA; Majewski, Stanislaw [Morgantown, WV; Welch, Benjamin L [Hampton, VA

2012-07-03

An improved method for enhancing the contrast between background and lesion areas of a breast undergoing dual-head scintimammographic examination comprising: 1) acquiring a pair of digital images from a pair of small FOV or mini gamma cameras compressing the breast under examination from opposing sides; 2) inverting one of the pair of images to align or co-register with the other of the images to obtain co-registered pixel values; 3) normalizing the pair of images pixel-by-pixel by dividing pixel values from each of the two acquired images and the co-registered image by the average count per pixel in the entire breast area of the corresponding detector; and 4) multiplying the number of counts in each pixel by the value obtained in step 3 to produce a normalization enhanced two dimensional contrast map. This enhanced (increased contrast) contrast map enhances the visibility of minor local increases (uptakes) of activity over the background and therefore improves lesion detection sensitivity, especially of small lesions.

Method to improve cancerous lesion detection sensitivity in a dedicated dual-head scintimammography system

DOEpatents

Kieper, Douglas Arthur [Newport News, VA; Majewski, Stanislaw [Yorktown, VA; Welch, Benjamin L [Hampton, VA

2008-10-28

An improved method for enhancing the contrast between background and lesion areas of a breast undergoing dual-head scintimammographic examination comprising: 1) acquiring a pair of digital images from a pair of small FOV or mini gamma cameras compressing the breast under examination from opposing sides; 2) inverting one of the pair of images to align or co-register with the other of the images to obtain co-registered pixel values; 3) normalizing the pair of images pixel-by-pixel by dividing pixel values from each of the two acquired images and the co-registered image by the average count per pixel in the entire breast area of the corresponding detector; and 4) multiplying the number of counts in each pixel by the value obtained in step 3 to produce a normalization enhanced two dimensional contrast map. This enhanced (increased contrast) contrast map enhances the visibility of minor local increases (uptakes) of activity over the background and therefore improves lesion detection sensitivity, especially of small lesions.

The BDX experiment at Jefferson Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Celentano, Andrea

2015-06-01

The existence of MeV-GeV dark matter (DM) is theoretically well motivated but remarkably unexplored. The Beam Dump eXperiment (BDX) at Jefferson Laboratory aims to investigate this mass range. Dark matter particles will be detected trough scattering on a segmented, plastic scintillator detector placed downstream of the beam-dump at one of the high intensity JLab experimental Halls. The experiment will collect up to 1022 electrons-on-target (EOT) in a one-year period. For these conditions, BDX is sensitive to the DM-nucleon elastic scattering at the level of a thousand counts per year, and is only limited by cosmogenic backgrounds. The experiment is also sensitive to DM-electron elastic and inelastic scattering, at the level of 10 counts/year. The foreseen signal for these channels is an high-energy (> 100 MeV) electromagnetic shower, with almost no background. The experiment, has been presented in form of a Letter of Intent to the laboratory, receiving positive feedback, and is currently being designed.

Adaptive Detector Arrays for Optical Communications Receivers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vilnrotter, V.; Srinivasan, M.

2000-01-01

The structure of an optimal adaptive array receiver for ground-based optical communications is described and its performance investigated. Kolmogorov phase screen simulations are used to model the sample functions of the focal-plane signal distribution due to turbulence and to generate realistic spatial distributions of the received optical field. This novel array detector concept reduces interference from background radiation by effectively assigning higher confidence levels at each instant of time to those detector elements that contain significant signal energy and suppressing those that do not. A simpler suboptimum structure that replaces the continuous weighting function of the optimal receiver by a hard decision on the selection of the signal detector elements also is described and evaluated. Approximations and bounds to the error probability are derived and compared with the exact calculations and receiver simulation results. It is shown that, for photon-counting receivers observing Poisson-distributed signals, performance improvements of approximately 5 dB can be obtained over conventional single-detector photon-counting receivers, when operating in high background environments.

Speaking up: Killer whales (Orcinus orca) increase their call amplitude in response to vessel noise.

PubMed

Holt, Marla M; Noren, Dawn P; Veirs, Val; Emmons, Candice K; Veirs, Scott

2009-01-01

This study investigated the effects of anthropogenic sound exposure on the vocal behavior of free-ranging killer whales. Endangered Southern Resident killer whales inhabit areas including the urban coastal waters of Puget Sound near Seattle, WA, where anthropogenic sounds are ubiquitous, particularly those from motorized vessels. A calibrated recording system was used to measure killer whale call source levels and background noise levels (1-40 kHz). Results show that whales increased their call amplitude by 1 dB for every 1 dB increase in background noise levels. Furthermore, nearby vessel counts were positively correlated with these observed background noise levels.

Low background signal readout electronics for the Majorana Demonstrator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guinn, I.; Abgrall, N.; Avignone, F. T.

The Majorana Demonstrator is a planned 40 kg array of Germanium detectors intended to demonstrate the feasibility of constructing a tonne-scale experiment that will seek neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) in 76Ge. In such an experiment we require backgrounds of less than 1 count/tonne-year in the 4 keV region of interest around the 2039 keV Q-value of the ββ decay. Moreover, designing low-noise electronics, which must be placed in close proximity to the detectors, presents a challenge to reaching this background target. Finally, this paper will discuss the Majorana collaboration's solutions to some of these challenges.

Low background signal readout electronics for the Majorana Demonstrator

DOE PAGES

Guinn, I.; Abgrall, N.; Avignone, F. T.; ...

2015-05-01

The Majorana Demonstrator is a planned 40 kg array of Germanium detectors intended to demonstrate the feasibility of constructing a tonne-scale experiment that will seek neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) in 76Ge. In such an experiment we require backgrounds of less than 1 count/tonne-year in the 4 keV region of interest around the 2039 keV Q-value of the ββ decay. Moreover, designing low-noise electronics, which must be placed in close proximity to the detectors, presents a challenge to reaching this background target. Finally, this paper will discuss the Majorana collaboration's solutions to some of these challenges.

Low Background Signal Readout Electronics for the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guinn, I.; Abgrall, N.; Avignone, III, F. T.

The MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR is a planned 40 kg array of Germanium detectors intended to demonstrate the feasibility of constructing a tonne-scale experiment that will seek neutrinoless double beta decay (0 nu beta beta) in Ge-76. Such an experiment would require backgrounds of less than 1 count/tonne-year in the 4 keV region of interest around the 2039 keV Q-value of the beta beta decay. Designing low-noise electronics, which must be placed in close proximity to the detectors, presents a challenge to reaching this background target. This paper will discuss the MAJORANA collaboration's solutions to some of these challenges.

A review of costing methodologies in critical care studies.

PubMed

Pines, Jesse M; Fager, Samuel S; Milzman, David P

2002-09-01

Clinical decision making in critical care has traditionally been based on clinical outcome measures such as mortality and morbidity. Over the past few decades, however, increasing competition in the health care marketplace has made it necessary to consider costs when making clinical and managerial decisions in critical care. Sophisticated costing methodologies have been developed to aid this decision-making process. We performed a narrative review of published costing studies in critical care during the past 6 years. A total of 282 articles were found, of which 68 met our search criteria. They involved a mean of 508 patients (range, 20-13,907). A total of 92.6% of the studies (63 of 68) used traditional cost analysis, whereas the remaining 7.4% (5 of 68) used cost-effectiveness analysis. None (0 of 68) used cost-benefit analysis or cost-utility analysis. A total of 36.7% (25 of 68) used hospital charges as a surrogate for actual costs. Of the 43 articles that actually counted costs, 37.2% (16 of 43) counted physician costs, 27.9% (12 of 43) counted facility costs, 34.9% (15 of 43) counted nursing costs, 9.3% (4 of 43) counted societal costs, and 90.7% (39 of 43) counted laboratory, equipment, and pharmacy costs. Our conclusion is that despite considerable progress in costing methodologies, critical care studies have not adequately implemented these techniques. Given the importance of financial implications in medicine, it would be prudent for critical care studies to use these more advanced techniques. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

A comparison of acoustic and visual metrics of sperm whale longline depredation.

PubMed

Thode, Aaron M; Wild, Lauren; Mathias, Delphine; Straley, Janice; Lunsford, Christopher

2014-05-01

Annual federal stock assessment surveys for Alaskan sablefish also attempt to measure sperm whale depredation by quantifying visual evidence of depredation, including lip remains and damaged fish. A complementary passive acoustic method for quantifying depredation was investigated during the 2011 and 2012 survey hauls. A combination of machine-aided and human analysis counted the number of distinct “creak” sounds detected on autonomous recorders deployed during the survey, emphasizing sounds that are followed by silence (“creak-pauses”), a possible indication of prey capture. These raw counts were then adjusted for variations in background noise levels between deployments. Both a randomized Pearson correlation analysis and a generalized linear model found that noise-adjusted counts of “creak-pauses” were highly correlated with survey counts of lip remains during both years (2012: r(10) = 0.89, p = 1e-3; 2011: r(39) = 0.72, p = 4e-3) and somewhat correlated with observed sablefish damage in 2011 [r(39) = 0.37, p = 0.03], but uncorrelated with other species depredation. The acoustic depredation count was anywhere from 10% to 80% higher than the visual counts, depending on the survey year and assumptions employed. The results suggest that passive acoustics can provide upper bounds on depredation rates; however, the observed correlation breaks down whenever three or more whales are present.

Measurements of the optical performance of bolometers for SPICA/SAFARI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Audley, Michael D.; de Lange, Gert; Gao, Jian-Rong; Khosropanah, Pourya; Ridder, Marcel; Ferrari, Lorenza; Laauwen, Wouter M.; Ranjan, Manisha; Mauskopf, Philip D.; Morozov, Dmitry; Trappe, Neil A.

2012-09-01

We have measured the optical response of detectors designed for SAFARI, the far-infrared imaging spectrometer for the SPICA satellite. To take advantage of SPICA's cooled optics, SAFARI’s three bolometer arrays are populated with extremely sensitive (NEP~2×10-19 W/√Hz) transition edge sensors with a transition temperature close to 100 mK. The extreme sensitivity and low saturation power (~4 fW) of SAFARI’s detectors present challenges to characterizing them. We have therefore built up an ultra-low background test facility with a cryogen-free high-capacity dilution refrigerator, paying careful attention to stray-light exclusion. Our use of a pulse-tube cooler to pre-cool the dilution refrigerator required that the SAFARI Detector System Test Facility provide a high degree electrical, magnetic, and mechanical isolation for the detectors. We have carefully characterized the performance of the test facility in terms of background power loading. The test facility has been designed to be flexible and easily reconfigurable with internal illuminators that allow us to characterize the optical response of the detectors. We describe the test facility and some of the steps we took to create an ultra-low background test environment. We have measured the optical response of two detectors designed for SAFARI’s short-wave wavelength band in combination with a spherical backshort and conical feedhorn. We find an overall optical efficiency of 40% for both, compared with an ideal-case predicted optical efficiency of 66%.

Deriving the Contribution of Blazars to the Fermi-LAT Extragalactic γ-ray Background at E > 10 GeV with Efficiency Corrections and Photon Statistics

DOE PAGES

Di Mauro, M.; Manconi, S.; Zechlin, H. -S.; ...

2018-03-29

Here, the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) Collaboration has recently released the Third Catalog of Hard Fermi-LAT Sources (3FHL), which contains 1556 sources detected above 10 GeV with seven years of Pass 8 data. Building upon the 3FHL results, we investigate the flux distribution of sources at high Galactic latitudes (more » $$|b| \\gt 20^\\circ $$), which are mostly blazars. We use two complementary techniques: (1) a source-detection efficiency correction method and (2) an analysis of pixel photon count statistics with the one-point probability distribution function (1pPDF). With the first method, using realistic Monte Carlo simulations of the γ-ray sky, we calculate the efficiency of the LAT to detect point sources. This enables us to find the intrinsic source-count distribution at photon fluxes down to 7.5 × 10 –12 ph cm –2 s –1. With this method, we detect a flux break at (3.5 ± 0.4) × 10 –11 ph cm –2 s –1 with a significance of at least 5.4σ. The power-law indexes of the source-count distribution above and below the break are 2.09 ± 0.04 and 1.07 ± 0.27, respectively. This result is confirmed with the 1pPDF method, which has a sensitivity reach of ~10 –11 ph cm –2 s –1. Integrating the derived source-count distribution above the sensitivity of our analysis, we find that (42 ± 8)% of the extragalactic γ-ray background originates from blazars.« less

Deriving the Contribution of Blazars to the Fermi-LAT Extragalactic γ-ray Background at E > 10 GeV with Efficiency Corrections and Photon Statistics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Di Mauro, M.; Manconi, S.; Zechlin, H. -S.

Here, the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) Collaboration has recently released the Third Catalog of Hard Fermi-LAT Sources (3FHL), which contains 1556 sources detected above 10 GeV with seven years of Pass 8 data. Building upon the 3FHL results, we investigate the flux distribution of sources at high Galactic latitudes (more » $$|b| \\gt 20^\\circ $$), which are mostly blazars. We use two complementary techniques: (1) a source-detection efficiency correction method and (2) an analysis of pixel photon count statistics with the one-point probability distribution function (1pPDF). With the first method, using realistic Monte Carlo simulations of the γ-ray sky, we calculate the efficiency of the LAT to detect point sources. This enables us to find the intrinsic source-count distribution at photon fluxes down to 7.5 × 10 –12 ph cm –2 s –1. With this method, we detect a flux break at (3.5 ± 0.4) × 10 –11 ph cm –2 s –1 with a significance of at least 5.4σ. The power-law indexes of the source-count distribution above and below the break are 2.09 ± 0.04 and 1.07 ± 0.27, respectively. This result is confirmed with the 1pPDF method, which has a sensitivity reach of ~10 –11 ph cm –2 s –1. Integrating the derived source-count distribution above the sensitivity of our analysis, we find that (42 ± 8)% of the extragalactic γ-ray background originates from blazars.« less

How many fish in a tank? Constructing an automated fish counting system by using PTV analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abe, S.; Takagi, T.; Takehara, K.; Kimura, N.; Hiraishi, T.; Komeyama, K.; Torisawa, S.; Asaumi, S.

2017-02-01

Because escape from a net cage and mortality are constant problems in fish farming, health control and management of facilities are important in aquaculture. In particular, the development of an accurate fish counting system has been strongly desired for the Pacific Bluefin tuna farming industry owing to the high market value of these fish. The current fish counting method, which involves human counting, results in poor accuracy; moreover, the method is cumbersome because the aquaculture net cage is so large that fish can only be counted when they move to another net cage. Therefore, we have developed an automated fish counting system by applying particle tracking velocimetry (PTV) analysis to a shoal of swimming fish inside a net cage. In essence, we treated the swimming fish as tracer particles and estimated the number of fish by analyzing the corresponding motion vectors. The proposed fish counting system comprises two main components: image processing and motion analysis, where the image-processing component abstracts the foreground and the motion analysis component traces the individual's motion. In this study, we developed a Region Extraction and Centroid Computation (RECC) method and a Kalman filter and Chi-square (KC) test for the two main components. To evaluate the efficiency of our method, we constructed a closed system, placed an underwater video camera with a spherical curved lens at the bottom of the tank, and recorded a 360° view of a swimming school of Japanese rice fish (Oryzias latipes). Our study showed that almost all fish could be abstracted by the RECC method and the motion vectors could be calculated by the KC test. The recognition rate was approximately 90% when more than 180 individuals were observed within the frame of the video camera. These results suggest that the presented method has potential application as a fish counting system for industrial aquaculture.

Beam-on imaging of short-lived positron emitters during proton therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buitenhuis, H. J. T.; Diblen, F.; Brzezinski, K. W.; Brandenburg, S.; Dendooven, P.

2017-06-01

In vivo dose delivery verification in proton therapy can be performed by positron emission tomography (PET) of the positron-emitting nuclei produced by the proton beam in the patient. A PET scanner installed in the treatment position of a proton therapy facility that takes data with the beam on will see very short-lived nuclides as well as longer-lived nuclides. The most important short-lived nuclide for proton therapy is 12N (Dendooven et al 2015 Phys. Med. Biol. 60 8923-47), which has a half-life of 11 ms. The results of a proof-of-principle experiment of beam-on PET imaging of short-lived 12N nuclei are presented. The Philips Digital Photon Counting Module TEK PET system was used, which is based on LYSO scintillators mounted on digital SiPM photosensors. A 90 MeV proton beam from the cyclotron at KVI-CART was used to investigate the energy and time spectra of PET coincidences during beam-on. Events coinciding with proton bunches, such as prompt gamma rays, were removed from the data via an anti-coincidence filter with the cyclotron RF. The resulting energy spectrum allowed good identification of the 511 keV PET counts during beam-on. A method was developed to subtract the long-lived background from the 12N image by introducing a beam-off period into the cyclotron beam time structure. We measured 2D images and 1D profiles of the 12N distribution. A range shift of 5 mm was measured as 6  ±  3 mm using the 12N profile. A larger, more efficient, PET system with a higher data throughput capability will allow beam-on 12N PET imaging of single spots in the distal layer of an irradiation with an increased signal-to-background ratio and thus better accuracy. A simulation shows that a large dual panel scanner, which images a single spot directly after it is delivered, can measure a 5 mm range shift with millimeter accuracy: 5.5  ±  1.1 mm for 1  ×  108 protons and 5.2  ±  0.5 mm for 5  ×  108 protons. This makes fast and accurate feedback on the dose delivery during treatment possible.

Mitosis Counting in Breast Cancer: Object-Level Interobserver Agreement and Comparison to an Automatic Method

PubMed Central

Veta, Mitko; van Diest, Paul J.; Jiwa, Mehdi; Al-Janabi, Shaimaa; Pluim, Josien P. W.

2016-01-01

Background Tumor proliferation speed, most commonly assessed by counting of mitotic figures in histological slide preparations, is an important biomarker for breast cancer. Although mitosis counting is routinely performed by pathologists, it is a tedious and subjective task with poor reproducibility, particularly among non-experts. Inter- and intraobserver reproducibility of mitosis counting can be improved when a strict protocol is defined and followed. Previous studies have examined only the agreement in terms of the mitotic count or the mitotic activity score. Studies of the observer agreement at the level of individual objects, which can provide more insight into the procedure, have not been performed thus far. Methods The development of automatic mitosis detection methods has received large interest in recent years. Automatic image analysis is viewed as a solution for the problem of subjectivity of mitosis counting by pathologists. In this paper we describe the results from an interobserver agreement study between three human observers and an automatic method, and make two unique contributions. For the first time, we present an analysis of the object-level interobserver agreement on mitosis counting. Furthermore, we train an automatic mitosis detection method that is robust with respect to staining appearance variability and compare it with the performance of expert observers on an “external” dataset, i.e. on histopathology images that originate from pathology labs other than the pathology lab that provided the training data for the automatic method. Results The object-level interobserver study revealed that pathologists often do not agree on individual objects, even if this is not reflected in the mitotic count. The disagreement is larger for objects from smaller size, which suggests that adding a size constraint in the mitosis counting protocol can improve reproducibility. The automatic mitosis detection method can perform mitosis counting in an unbiased way, with substantial agreement with human experts. PMID:27529701

FACILITY 713, DINING ROOM CABINET DOORS AND DOORS FROM LIVING ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

FACILITY 713, DINING ROOM CABINET DOORS AND DOORS FROM LIVING ROOM TO ENTRY PORCH IN RIGHT BACKGROUND, VIEW FACING NORTHWEST. - Schofield Barracks Military Reservation, Central-Entry Single-Family Housing Type, Between Bragg & Grime Streets near Ayres Avenue, Wahiawa, Honolulu County, HI

The planned Alaska SAR Facility - An overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carsey, Frank; Weeks, Wilford

1987-01-01

The Alaska SAR Facility (ASF) is described in an overview fashion. The facility consists of three major components, a Receiving Ground System, a SAR Processing System and an Analysis and Archiving System; the ASF Program also has a Science Working Team and the requisite management and operations systems. The ASF is now an approved and fully funded activity; detailed requirements and science background are presented for the facility to be implemented for data from the European ERS-1, the Japanese ERS-1 and Radarsat.

Instrument report: Planetary X-ray experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, K. A.

1972-01-01

Design studies for an X-ray experiment to investigate planetary magnetospheres using solid state detectors, or proportional counters are reported. The detectors, background counting rate, and leakage fluxes are discussed. It is concluded that the best choice of instruments appears to be two separate multiproportional counters for redundancy.

Endangered Fish Species in Kansas: Historic vs Contemporary Distribution

EPA Science Inventory

Background/Question/Methods Kansas state has more freshwater fish species than other states in the west and northern US. Based on recent count, more than 140 fishes have been documented in Kansas rivers. And at least five are categorized as endangered species in Kansas (and thre...

Performance evaluation of BC-3200 hematology analyzer in a university hospital.

PubMed

Peng, L; Bai, L; Nie, L; Wu, Z; Yan, C

2008-06-01

The BC-3200 automated hematology analyzer was evaluated and compared with the Beckman-Coulter AcT (Ac.T diff 2) 3-part differential hematology analyzer. The BC-3200 was evaluated according to guidelines published by the International Committee for Standardization in Hematology (ICSH), Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), and Department of Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The results demonstrated no background, minimal carryover (<0.5%), and excellent linearity for hemoglobin (Hb) level, white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), and platelet (PLT) counts (>0.998). Precision was generally acceptable for all complete blood count (CBC) parameters; coefficients of variation (CVs) were within the manufacturer's claims and CVs of CBC parameters, including WBC, RBC and PLT counts, Hb and mean corpuscular volume, were <6%. Correlation between the BC-3200 and Ac.T diff 2 was excellent (r > 0.98) for all major CBC parameters (WBC, RBC, and PLT counts and Hb). We conclude that the overall performance of the BC-3200 is excellent and compares well with that of the Coulter Ac.T diff 2.

Agreement between pedometer and accelerometer in measuring physical activity in overweight and obese pregnant women

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Inexpensive, reliable objective methods are needed to measure physical activity (PA) in large scale trials. This study compared the number of pedometer step counts with accelerometer data in pregnant women in free-living conditions to assess agreement between these measures. Methods Pregnant women (n = 58) with body mass index ≥25 kg/m2 at median 13 weeks' gestation wore a GT1M Actigraph accelerometer and a Yamax Digi-Walker CW-701 pedometer for four consecutive days. The Spearman rank correlation coefficients were determined between pedometer step counts and various accelerometer measures of PA. Total agreement between accelerometer and pedometer step counts was evaluated by determining the 95% limits of agreement estimated using a regression-based method. Agreement between the monitors in categorising participants as active or inactive was assessed by determining Kappa. Results Pedometer step counts correlated moderately (r = 0.36 to 0.54) with most accelerometer measures of PA. Overall step counts recorded by the pedometer and the accelerometer were not significantly different (medians 5961 vs. 5687 steps/day, p = 0.37). However, the 95% limits of agreement ranged from -2690 to 2656 steps/day for the mean step count value (6026 steps/day) and changed substantially over the range of values. Agreement between the monitors in categorising participants to active and inactive varied from moderate to good depending on the criteria adopted. Conclusions Despite statistically significant correlations and similar median step counts, the overall agreement between pedometer and accelerometer step counts was poor and varied with activity level. Pedometer and accelerometer steps cannot be used interchangeably in overweight and obese pregnant women. PMID:21703033

Cosmic ray neutron background reduction using localized coincidence veto neutron counting

DOEpatents

Menlove, Howard O.; Bourret, Steven C.; Krick, Merlyn S.

2002-01-01

This invention relates to both the apparatus and method for increasing the sensitivity of measuring the amount of radioactive material in waste by reducing the interference caused by cosmic ray generated neutrons. The apparatus includes: (a) a plurality of neutron detectors, each of the detectors including means for generating a pulse in response to the detection of a neutron; and (b) means, coupled to each of the neutrons detectors, for counting only some of the pulses from each of the detectors, whether cosmic ray or fission generated. The means for counting includes a means that, after counting one of the pulses, vetos the counting of additional pulses for a prescribed period of time. The prescribed period of time is between 50 and 200 .mu.s. In the preferred embodiment the prescribed period of time is 128 .mu.s. The veto means can be an electronic circuit which includes a leading edge pulse generator which passes a pulse but blocks any subsequent pulse for a period of between 50 and 200 .mu.s. Alternately, the veto means is a software program which includes means for tagging each of the pulses from each of the detectors for both time and position, means for counting one of the pulses from a particular position, and means for rejecting those of the pulses which originate from the particular position and in a time interval on the order of the neutron die-away time in polyethylene or other shield material. The neutron detectors are grouped in pods, preferably at least 10. The apparatus also includes means for vetoing the counting of coincidence pulses from all of the detectors included in each of the pods which are adjacent to the pod which includes the detector which produced the pulse which was counted.

Quantitative basis for component factors of gas flow proportional counting efficiencies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nichols, Michael C.

This dissertation investigates the counting efficiency calibration of a gas flow proportional counter with beta-particle emitters in order to (1) determine by measurements and simulation the values of the component factors of beta-particle counting efficiency for a proportional counter, (2) compare the simulation results and measured counting efficiencies, and (3) determine the uncertainty of the simulation and measurements. Monte Carlo simulation results by the MCNP5 code were compared with measured counting efficiencies as a function of sample thickness for 14C, 89Sr, 90Sr, and 90Y. The Monte Carlo model simulated strontium carbonate with areal thicknesses from 0.1 to 35 mg cm-2. The samples were precipitated as strontium carbonate with areal thicknesses from 3 to 33 mg cm-2 , mounted on membrane filters, and counted on a low background gas flow proportional counter. The estimated fractional standard deviation was 2--4% (except 6% for 14C) for efficiency measurements of the radionuclides. The Monte Carlo simulations have uncertainties estimated to be 5 to 6 percent for carbon-14 and 2.4 percent for strontium-89, strontium-90, and yttrium-90. The curves of simulated counting efficiency vs. sample areal thickness agreed within 3% of the curves of best fit drawn through the 25--49 measured points for each of the four radionuclides. Contributions from this research include development of uncertainty budgets for the analytical processes; evaluation of alternative methods for determining chemical yield critical to the measurement process; correcting a bias found in the MCNP normalization of beta spectra histogram; clarifying the interpretation of the commonly used ICRU beta-particle spectra for use by MCNP; and evaluation of instrument parameters as applied to the simulation model to obtain estimates of the counting efficiency from simulated pulse height tallies.

Determination of strontium-90 from direct separation of yttrium-90 by solid phase extraction using DGA Resin for seawater monitoring.

PubMed

Tazoe, Hirofumi; Obata, Hajime; Yamagata, Takeyasu; Karube, Zin'ichi; Nagai, Hisao; Yamada, Masatoshi

2016-05-15

It is important for public safety to monitor strontium-90 in aquatic environments in the vicinity of nuclear related facilities. Strontium-90 concentrations in seawater exceeding the background level have been observed in accidents of nuclear facilities. However, the analytical procedure for measuring strontium-90 in seawater is highly demanding. Here we show a simple and high throughput analytical technique for the determination of strontium-90 in seawater samples using a direct yttrium-90 separation. The DGA Resin is used to determine the abundance of strontium-90 by detecting yttrium-90 decay (beta-emission) in secular equilibrium. The DGA Resin can selectively collect yttrium-90 and remove naturally occurring radionuclides such as (40)K, (210)Pb, (214)Bi, (238)U, and (232)Th and anthropogenic radionuclides such as (140)Ba, and (140)La. Through a sample separation procedure, a high chemical yield of yttrium-90 was achieved at 95.5±2.3%. The result of IAEA-443 certified seawater analysis (107.7±3.4 mBq kg(-1)) was in good agreement with the certified value (110±5 mBq kg(-1)). By developed method, we can finish analyzing 8 samples per day after achieving secular equilibrium, which is a reasonably fast throughput in actual seawater monitoring. By processing 3 L of seawater sample and applying a counting time of 20 h, minimum detectable activity can be as low as 1.5 mBq kg(-1), which could be applied to monitoring for the contaminated marine environment. Reproducibility was found to be 3.4% according to 10 independent analyses of natural seawater samples from the vicinity of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in September 2013. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural characterizaiton and gas reactions of small metal particles by high-resolution, in-situ TEM and TED

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

The existing in-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) facility was improved by adding a separately pumped mini-specimen chamber. The chamber contains wire-evaporation sources for three metals and a specimen heater for moderate substrate temperatures. A sample introduction device was constructed, installed, and tested, facilitating rapid introduction of a specimen into the mini-chamber while maintaining the background pressure in that chamber in the 10(-9) millibar range. Small particles and clusters of Pd, grown by deposition from the vapor phase in an in-situ TEM facility on amorphous and crystalline support films of alumina and on ultra-thin carbon films, were analyzed by conventional high-resolution TEM and image analysis in terms of detectability, number density, and size distribution. The smallest particles that could be detected and counted contained no more than 6 atoms; size determinations could be made for particles 1 nm in diameter. The influence of various oxygen plasma treatments, annealing treatments, and of increasing the substrate temperature during deposition was investigated. The TEM technique was employed to demonstrate that under otherwise identica l conditions the lattice parameter of Pd particles in the 1 to 2 nm size range and supported in random orientation on ex-situ prepared mica films is expanded by some 3% when compared to 5 nm size particles. It is believed that this expansion is neither a small-particle diffraction effect nor due to pseudomorphism, but that it is due to a annealing-induced transformation of the small as-deposited particles with predominantly composite crystal structures into larger particles with true f.c.c. structure and thus inherently smaller lattice parameter.

Automated detection of sperm whale sounds as a function of abrupt changes in sound intensity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walker, Christopher D.; Rayborn, Grayson H.; Brack, Benjamin A.; Kuczaj, Stan A.; Paulos, Robin L.

2003-04-01

An algorithm designed to detect abrupt changes in sound intensity was developed and used to identify and count sperm whale vocalizations and to measure boat noise. The algorithm is a MATLAB routine that counts the number of occurrences for which the change in intensity level exceeds a threshold. The algorithm also permits the setting of a ``dead time'' interval to prevent the counting of multiple pulses within a single sperm whale click. This algorithm was used to analyze digitally sampled recordings of ambient noise obtained from the Gulf of Mexico using near bottom mounted EARS buoys deployed as part of the Littoral Acoustic Demonstration Center experiment. Because the background in these data varied slowly, the result of the application of the algorithm was automated detection of sperm whale clicks and creaks with results that agreed well with those obtained by trained human listeners. [Research supported by ONR.

Textual and shape-based feature extraction and neuro-fuzzy classifier for nuclear track recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khayat, Omid; Afarideh, Hossein

2013-04-01

Track counting algorithms as one of the fundamental principles of nuclear science have been emphasized in the recent years. Accurate measurement of nuclear tracks on solid-state nuclear track detectors is the aim of track counting systems. Commonly track counting systems comprise a hardware system for the task of imaging and software for analysing the track images. In this paper, a track recognition algorithm based on 12 defined textual and shape-based features and a neuro-fuzzy classifier is proposed. Features are defined so as to discern the tracks from the background and small objects. Then, according to the defined features, tracks are detected using a trained neuro-fuzzy system. Features and the classifier are finally validated via 100 Alpha track images and 40 training samples. It is shown that principle textual and shape-based features concomitantly yield a high rate of track detection compared with the single-feature based methods.

Optimization of simultaneous tritium–radiocarbon internal gas proportional counting

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bonicalzi, R. M.; Aalseth, C. E.; Day, A. R.

Specific environmental applications can benefit from dual tritium and radiocarbon measurements in a single compound. Assuming typical environmental levels, it is often the low tritium activity relative to the higher radiocarbon activity that limits the dual measurement. In this paper, we explore the parameter space for a combined tritium and radiocarbon measurement using a methane sample mixed with an argon fill gas in low-background proportional counters of a specific design. We present an optimized methane percentage, detector fill pressure, and analysis energy windows to maximize measurement sensitivity while minimizing count time. The final optimized method uses a 9-atm fill ofmore » P35 (35% methane, 65% argon), and a tritium analysis window from 1.5 to 10.3 keV, which stops short of the tritium beta decay endpoint energy of 18.6 keV. This method optimizes tritium counting efficiency while minimizing radiocarbon beta decay interference.« less

Radiocarbon dating of archaeological samples (sambaqui) using CO(2) absorption and liquid scintillation spectrometry of low background radiation.

PubMed

Mendonça, Maria Lúcia T G; Godoy, José M; da Cruz, Rosana P; Perez, Rhoneds A R

2006-01-01

Sambaqui means, in the Tupi language, a hill of shells. The sambaquis are archaeological sites with remains of pre-historical Brazilian occupation. Since the sambaqui sites in the Rio de Janeiro state region are older than 10,000 years, the applicability of CO(2) absorption on Carbo-sorb and (14)C determination by counting on a low background liquid scintillation counter was tested. In the present work, sambaqui shells were treated with H(3)PO(4) in a closed vessel in order to generate CO(2). The produced CO(2) was absorbed on Carbo-sorb. On saturation about 0.6g of carbon, as CO(2), was mixed with commercial liquid scintillation cocktail (Permafluor), and the (14)C activity determined by counting on a low background counter, Packard Tricarb 3170 TR/SL, for a period of 1000 mins to enable detection of a radiocarbon age of 22,400 BP. But only samples with ages up to 3500 BP were submitted to the method because the samples had been collected in the municipality of Guapimirim, in archaeological sambaqui-type sites belonging to this age range. The same samples were sent to the (14)C Laboratory of the Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA/USP) where similar results were obtained.

Background Report: Recommendations on Guidance for Diagnostic X-Ray Studies in Federal Health Care Facilities

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document shares the guidance developed by the Interagency Working Group which was formed to develop guidance to reduce unnecessary radiation exposures from the use of x-rays in the healing arts in Federal health care facilities.

28 CFR 115.317 - Hiring and promotion decisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... records check; (2) Consult any child abuse registry maintained by the State or locality in which the... also perform a criminal background records check, and consult applicable child abuse registries, before... sexual abuse in a prison, jail, lockup, community confinement facility, juvenile facility, or other...

28 CFR 115.317 - Hiring and promotion decisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... records check; (2) Consult any child abuse registry maintained by the State or locality in which the... also perform a criminal background records check, and consult applicable child abuse registries, before... sexual abuse in a prison, jail, lockup, community confinement facility, juvenile facility, or other...

28 CFR 115.317 - Hiring and promotion decisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... records check; (2) Consult any child abuse registry maintained by the State or locality in which the... also perform a criminal background records check, and consult applicable child abuse registries, before... sexual abuse in a prison, jail, lockup, community confinement facility, juvenile facility, or other...

Low-energy nuclear astrophysics studies at the Multicharged Ion Research Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Febbraro, Michael; Pain, Steven; Bannister, Mark; Deboer, Richard; Chipps, Kelly; Havener, Charles; Peters, Willan; Ummel, Chad; Smith, Michael; Temanson, Eli; Toomey, Rebecca; Walter, David

2017-09-01

As low-energy nuclear astrophysics progresses toward measuring reaction cross sections in the stellar burning regimes, a worldwide effort is underway to continue these measurements at underground laboratories to achieve the requisite ultra-low-background environment. These facilities are crucial for providing the required low-background environments to perform such measurements of astrophysical importance. While advances have been made in the use of accelerators underground, of equal importance is the detectors, high-current targets, and techniques required to perform such measurements. With these goals in mind, a newly established astrophysics beamline has been built at the Multicharged Ion Research Facility (MIRF) located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The unique capabilities of MIRF will be demonstrated through two recent low-energy above-ground measurements of the dominant s-process neutron source 13C(α,n)16O and associated beam-induced background source 13C(d,n)14N. This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. DOE, Office of Science, Office of Nuclear Physics. Research sponsored by the LDRD Program of ORNL, managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, for the U.S. DOE.

75 FR 54880 - Eddie Floyd, Licensee of FM Translator Station K273AF, Carson City, NV, Facility ID No. 13529...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-09

... relating to money laundering and his apparent failure to inform the Commission about such misconduct in the...), involving money laundering, and one count of violating 18 U.S.C. 2, aiding and abetting a felony crime, both... the company in exchange for $27,500. The court found these payments constituted money laundering by...

A model for the determination of pollen count using google search queries for patients suffering from allergic rhinitis.

PubMed

König, Volker; Mösges, Ralph

2014-01-01

Background. The transregional increase in pollen-associated allergies and their diversity have been scientifically proven. However, patchy pollen count measurement in many regions is a worldwide problem with few exceptions. Methods. This paper used data gathered from pollen count stations in Germany, Google queries using relevant allergological/biological keywords, and patient data from three German study centres collected in a prospective, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, multicentre immunotherapy study to analyse a possible correlation between these data pools. Results. Overall, correlations between the patient-based, combined symptom medication score and Google data were stronger than those with the regionally measured pollen count data. The correlation of the Google data was especially strong in the groups of severe allergy sufferers. The results of the three-centre analyses show moderate to strong correlations with the Google keywords (up to >0.8 cross-correlation coefficient, P < 0.001) in 10 out of 11 groups (three averaged patient cohorts and eight subgroups of severe allergy sufferers: high IgE class, high combined symptom medication score, and asthma). Conclusion. For countries with a good Internet infrastructure but no dense network of pollen traps, this could represent an alternative for determining pollen levels and, forecasting the pollen count for the next day.

Modeling zero-modified count and semicontinuous data in health services research Part 1: background and overview.

PubMed

Neelon, Brian; O'Malley, A James; Smith, Valerie A

2016-11-30

Health services data often contain a high proportion of zeros. In studies examining patient hospitalization rates, for instance, many patients will have no hospitalizations, resulting in a count of zero. When the number of zeros is greater or less than expected under a standard count model, the data are said to be zero modified relative to the standard model. A similar phenomenon arises with semicontinuous data, which are characterized by a spike at zero followed by a continuous distribution with positive support. When analyzing zero-modified count and semicontinuous data, flexible mixture distributions are often needed to accommodate both the excess zeros and the typically skewed distribution of nonzero values. Various models have been introduced over the past three decades to accommodate such data, including hurdle models, zero-inflated models, and two-part semicontinuous models. This tutorial describes recent modeling strategies for zero-modified count and semicontinuous data and highlights their role in health services research studies. Part 1 of the tutorial, presented here, provides a general overview of the topic. Part 2, appearing as a companion piece in this issue of Statistics in Medicine, discusses three case studies illustrating applications of the methods to health services research. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Statistical tests to compare motif count exceptionalities

PubMed Central

Robin, Stéphane; Schbath, Sophie; Vandewalle, Vincent

2007-01-01

Background Finding over- or under-represented motifs in biological sequences is now a common task in genomics. Thanks to p-value calculation for motif counts, exceptional motifs are identified and represent candidate functional motifs. The present work addresses the related question of comparing the exceptionality of one motif in two different sequences. Just comparing the motif count p-values in each sequence is indeed not sufficient to decide if this motif is significantly more exceptional in one sequence compared to the other one. A statistical test is required. Results We develop and analyze two statistical tests, an exact binomial one and an asymptotic likelihood ratio test, to decide whether the exceptionality of a given motif is equivalent or significantly different in two sequences of interest. For that purpose, motif occurrences are modeled by Poisson processes, with a special care for overlapping motifs. Both tests can take the sequence compositions into account. As an illustration, we compare the octamer exceptionalities in the Escherichia coli K-12 backbone versus variable strain-specific loops. Conclusion The exact binomial test is particularly adapted for small counts. For large counts, we advise to use the likelihood ratio test which is asymptotic but strongly correlated with the exact binomial test and very simple to use. PMID:17346349

Performance of 3DOSEM and MAP algorithms for reconstructing low count SPECT acquisitions.

PubMed

Grootjans, Willem; Meeuwis, Antoi P W; Slump, Cornelis H; de Geus-Oei, Lioe-Fee; Gotthardt, Martin; Visser, Eric P

2016-12-01

Low count single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is becoming more important in view of whole body SPECT and reduction of radiation dose. In this study, we investigated the performance of several 3D ordered subset expectation maximization (3DOSEM) and maximum a posteriori (MAP) algorithms for reconstructing low count SPECT images. Phantom experiments were conducted using the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) NU2 image quality (IQ) phantom. The background compartment of the phantom was filled with varying concentrations of pertechnetate and indiumchloride, simulating various clinical imaging conditions. Images were acquired using a hybrid SPECT/CT scanner and reconstructed with 3DOSEM and MAP reconstruction algorithms implemented in Siemens Syngo MI.SPECT (Flash3D) and Hermes Hybrid Recon Oncology (Hyrid Recon 3DOSEM and MAP). Image analysis was performed by calculating the contrast recovery coefficient (CRC),percentage background variability (N%), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), defined as the ratio between CRC and N%. Furthermore, image distortion is characterized by calculating the aspect ratio (AR) of ellipses fitted to the hot spheres. Additionally, the performance of these algorithms to reconstruct clinical images was investigated. Images reconstructed with 3DOSEM algorithms demonstrated superior image quality in terms of contrast and resolution recovery when compared to images reconstructed with filtered-back-projection (FBP), OSEM and 2DOSEM. However, occurrence of correlated noise patterns and image distortions significantly deteriorated the quality of 3DOSEM reconstructed images. The mean AR for the 37, 28, 22, and 17mm spheres was 1.3, 1.3, 1.6, and 1.7 respectively. The mean N% increase in high and low count Flash3D and Hybrid Recon 3DOSEM from 5.9% and 4.0% to 11.1% and 9.0%, respectively. Similarly, the mean CNR decreased in high and low count Flash3D and Hybrid Recon 3DOSEM from 8.7 and 8.8 to 3.6 and 4.2, respectively. Regularization with smoothing priors could suppress these noise patterns at the cost of reduced image contrast. The mean N% was 6.4% and 6.8% for low count QSP and MRP MAP reconstructed images. Alternatively, regularization with an anatomical Bowhser prior resulted in sharp images with high contrast, limited image distortion, and low N% of 8.3% in low count images, although some image artifacts did occur. Analysis of clinical images suggested that the same effects occur in clinical imaging. Image quality of low count SPECT acquisitions reconstructed with modern 3DOSEM algorithms is deteriorated by the occurrence of correlated noise patterns and image distortions. The artifacts observed in the phantom experiments can also occur in clinical imaging. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Connecticut's Children: A Cause for Hope. 1997 Data Book.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, Michelle Doucette

This KIDS COUNT data book examines statewide trends in the well-being of Connecticut's children. After listing the regional population, racial/ethnic background, poverty status, and family setting of Connecticut's children, the statistical report examines 13 indicators of well-being: (1) percentage of children receiving welfare benefits; (2) low…

An Isotopic Dilution Experiment Using Liquid Scintillation: A Simple Two-System, Two-Phase Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moehs, Peter J.; Levine, Samuel

1982-01-01

A simple isotonic, dilution analysis whose principles apply to methods of more complex radioanalyses is described. Suitable for clinical and instrumental analysis chemistry students, experimental manipulations are kept to a minimum involving only aqueous extraction before counting. Background information, procedures, and results are discussed.…

RootScan: Software for high-throughput analysis of root anatomical traits

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

RootScan is a program for semi-automated image analysis of anatomical phenes in root cross-sections. RootScan uses pixel value thresholds to separate the cross-section from its background and to visually dissect it into tissue regions. Area measurements and object counts are performed within various...

Peripheral inflammatory biomarkers for myocardial infarction risk: a prospective community-based study

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

BACKGROUND: Most previous studies regarding chronic inflammation and risk of myocardial infarction (MI) have lacked repeated measures of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and/or white blood cell (WBC) count over time. We examined whether cumulative average and longitudinal changes in thes...

Science& Technology Review September 2003

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McMahon, D

2003-09-01

This September 2003 issue of ''Science and Technology Review'' covers the following articles: (1) ''The National Ignition Facility Is Born''; (2) ''The National Ignition Facility Comes to Life'' Over the last 15 years, thousands of Livermore engineers, scientists, and technicians as well as hundreds of industrial partners have worked to bring the National Ignition Facility into being. (3) ''Tracking the Activity of Bacteria Underground'' Using real-time polymerase chain reaction and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry, researchers at Livermore are gaining knowledge on how bacteria work underground to break down compounds of environmental concern. (4) ''When Every Second Counts--Pathogen Identification in Lessmore » Than a Minute'' Livermore has developed a system that can quickly identify airborne pathogens such as anthrax. (5) ''Portable Radiation Detector Provides Laboratory-Scale Precision in the Field'' A team of Livermore physicists and engineers has developed a handheld, mechanically cooled germanium detector designed to identify radioisotopes.« less

Low Pressure Seeder Development for PIV in Large Scale Open Loop Wind Tunnels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmit, Ryan

2010-11-01

A low pressure seeding techniques have been developed for Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) in large scale wind tunnel facilities was performed at the Subsonic Aerodynamic Research Laboratory (SARL) facility at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The SARL facility is an open loop tunnel with a 7 by 10 foot octagonal test section that has 56% optical access and the Mach number varies from 0.2 to 0.5. A low pressure seeder sprayer was designed and tested in the inlet of the wind tunnel. The seeder sprayer was designed to produce an even and uniform distribution of seed while reducing the seeders influence in the test section. ViCount Compact 5000 using Smoke Oil 180 was using as the seeding material. The results show that this low pressure seeder does produce streaky seeding but excellent PIV images are produced.

Setting up a Rayleigh Scattering Based Flow Measuring System in a Large Nozzle Testing Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Panda, Jayanta; Gomez, Carlos R.

2002-01-01

A molecular Rayleigh scattering based air density measurement system has been built in a large nozzle testing facility at NASA Glenn Research Center. The technique depends on the light scattering by gas molecules present in air; no artificial seeding is required. Light from a single mode, continuous wave laser was transmitted to the nozzle facility by optical fiber, and light scattered by gas molecules, at various points along the laser beam, is collected and measured by photon-counting electronics. By placing the laser beam and collection optics on synchronized traversing units, the point measurement technique is made effective for surveying density variation over a cross-section of the nozzle plume. Various difficulties associated with dust particles, stray light, high noise level and vibration are discussed. Finally, a limited amount of data from an underexpanded jet are presented and compared with expected variations to validate the technique.