Viscosity and density of methanol/water mixtures at low temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Austin, J. G.; Kurata, F.; Swift, G. W.

1968-01-01

Viscosity and density are measured at low temperatures for three methanol/water mixtures. Viscosity is determined by a modified falling cylinder method or a calibrated viscometer. Density is determined by the volume of each mixture contained in a calibrated glass cell placed in a constant-temperature bath.

Method to improve reliability of a fuel cell system using low performance cell detection at low power operation

DOEpatents

Choi, Tayoung; Ganapathy, Sriram; Jung, Jaehak; Savage, David R.; Lakshmanan, Balasubramanian; Vecasey, Pamela M.

2013-04-16

A system and method for detecting a low performing cell in a fuel cell stack using measured cell voltages. The method includes determining that the fuel cell stack is running, the stack coolant temperature is above a certain temperature and the stack current density is within a relatively low power range. The method further includes calculating the average cell voltage, and determining whether the difference between the average cell voltage and the minimum cell voltage is greater than a predetermined threshold. If the difference between the average cell voltage and the minimum cell voltage is greater than the predetermined threshold and the minimum cell voltage is less than another predetermined threshold, then the method increments a low performing cell timer. A ratio of the low performing cell timer and a system run timer is calculated to identify a low performing cell.

Temperature dependence of optically induced cell deformations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fritsch, Anatol; Kiessling, Tobias R.; Stange, Roland; Kaes, Josef A.

2012-02-01

The mechanical properties of any material change with temperature, hence this must be true for cellular material. In biology many functions are known to undergo modulations with temperature, like myosin motor activity, mechanical properties of actin filament solutions, CO2 uptake of cultured cells or sex determination of several species. As mechanical properties of living cells are considered to play an important role in many cell functions it is surprising that only little is known on how the rheology of single cells is affected by temperature. We report the systematic temperature dependence of single cell deformations in Optical Stretcher (OS) measurements. The temperature is changed on a scale of about 20 minutes up to hours and compared to defined temperature shocks in the range of milliseconds. Thereby, a strong temperature dependence of the mechanics of single suspended cells is revealed. We conclude that the observable differences arise rather from viscosity changes of the cytosol than from structural changes of the cytoskeleton. These findings have implications for the interpretation of many rheological measurements, especially for laser based approaches in biological studies.

Lithium battery management system

DOEpatents

Dougherty, Thomas J [Waukesha, WI

2012-05-08

Provided is a system for managing a lithium battery system having a plurality of cells. The battery system comprises a variable-resistance element electrically connected to a cell and located proximate a portion of the cell; and a device for determining, utilizing the variable-resistance element, whether the temperature of the cell has exceeded a predetermined threshold. A method of managing the temperature of a lithium battery system is also included.

Qualification testing of secondary sterilizable silver-zinc cells for use in the Jupiter atmospheric entry probe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manzo, M. A.

1981-01-01

A series of qualification tests were run on the secondary, sterilizable silver oxide - zinc cell developed at the NASA Lewis Research Center to determine if the cell was capable of providing mission power requirements for the Jupiter atmospheric entry probe. The cells were tested for their ability to survive radiation at the levels predicted for the Jovian atmosphere with no loss of performance. Cell performance was evaluated under various temperature and loading conditions, and the cells were tested under various environmental conditions related to launch and to deceleration into the Jovian atmosphere. The cell performed acceptably except under the required loading at low temperatures. The cell was redesigned to improve low-temperature performance and energy density. The modified cells improved performance at all temperatures. Results of testing cells of both the original and modified designs are discussed.

A New Method of Metallization for Silicon Solar Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macha, M.

1979-01-01

The determination of the firing cycle in a horizontal tube furnace for MoO3: Sn ink composition applied by silk screening process on P or N structured solar cells is presented. In comparison with the strip heater used to determine the reaction mechanism, the reduction of MoO3 in the tube furnace progresses at a much faster rate and the Sn:Mo alloy forms at a much lower temperature. The device characteristics determined by the V-I curve showed a high resistance (approx. 10 Ohms) at peak temperatures between 600 C and 800 C. The high series resistance is attributed to the lack of formation of MoSi2 within the used temperature range.

The gallium melting-point standard: a determination of the liquid-solid equilibrium temperature of pure gallium on the International Practical Temperature Scale of 1968.

PubMed

Thornton, D D

1977-01-01

The sharpness and reproducibility of the gallium melting point were studied and the melting temperature of gallium in terms of IPTS-68 was determined. Small melting-point cells designed for use with thermistors are described. Nine gallium cells including three levels of purity were used in 68 separate determinations fo the melting point. The melting point of 99.99999% pure gallium in terms of IPTS-68 is found to be 29.771(4) +/- 0.001(4) degree C; the melting range is less than 0.0005 degree C and is reproducible to +/- 0.0004 degree C.

High temperature induced disruption of the cell wall integrity and structure in Pleurotus ostreatus mycelia.

PubMed

Qiu, Zhiheng; Wu, Xiangli; Gao, Wei; Zhang, Jinxia; Huang, Chenyang

2018-05-30

Fungal cells are surrounded by a tight cell wall to protect them from harmful environmental conditions and to resist lysis. The synthesis and assembly determine the shape, structure, and integrity of the cell wall during the process of mycelial growth and development. High temperature is an important abiotic stress, which affects the synthesis and assembly of cell walls. In the present study, the chitin and β-1,3-glucan concentrations in the cell wall of Pleurotus ostreatus mycelia were changed after high-temperature treatment. Significantly higher chitin and β-1,3-glucan concentrations were detected at 36 °C than those incubated at 28 °C. With the increased temperature, many aberrant chitin deposition patches occurred, and the distribution of chitin in the cell wall was uneven. Moreover, high temperature disrupts the cell wall integrity, and P. ostreatus mycelia became hypersensitive to cell wall-perturbing agents at 36 °C. The cell wall structure tended to shrink or distorted after high temperature. The cell walls were observed to be thicker and looser by using transmission electron microscopy. High temperature can decrease the mannose content in the cell wall and increase the relative cell wall porosity. According to infrared absorption spectrum, high temperature broke or decreased the glycosidic linkages. Finally, P. ostreatus mycelial cell wall was easily degraded by lysing enzymes after high-temperature treatment. In other words, the cell wall destruction caused by high temperature may be a breakthrough for P. ostreatus to be easily infected by Trichoderma.

The thermal environment of the nest affects body and cell size in the solitary red mason bee (Osmia bicornis L.).

PubMed

Kierat, Justyna; Szentgyörgyi, Hajnalka; Czarnoleski, Marcin; Woyciechowski, Michał

2017-08-01

Many ectotherms grow larger at lower temperatures than at higher temperatures. This pattern, known as the temperature-size rule, is often accompanied by plastic changes in cell size, which can mechanistically explain the thermal dependence of body size. However, the theory predicts that thermal plasticity in cell size has adaptive value for ectotherms because there are different optimal cell-membrane-to-cell-volume ratios at different temperatures. At high temperatures, the demand for oxygen is high; therefore, a large membrane surface of small cells is beneficial because it allows high rates of oxygen transport into the cell. The metabolic costs of maintaining membranes become more important at low temperatures than at high temperatures, which favours large cells. In a field experiment, we manipulated the thermal conditions inside nests of the red mason bee, a solitary bee that does not regulate the temperature in its nests and whose larvae develop under ambient conditions. We assessed the effect of temperature on body mass and ommatidia size (our proxy of cell size). The body and cell sizes decreased in response to a higher mean temperature and greater temperature fluctuations. This finding is in accordance with predictions of the temperature-size rule and optimal cell size theory and suggests that both the mean temperature and the magnitude of temperature fluctuations are important for determining body and cell sizes. Additionally, we observed that males of the red mason bee tend to have larger ommatidia in relation to their body mass than females, which might play an important role during mating flight. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dormancy in Deinococcus sp. UDEC-P1 as a survival strategy to escape from deleterious effects of carbon starvation and temperature.

PubMed

Guerra, Matías; González, Karina; González, Carlos; Parra, Boris; Martínez, Miguel

2015-09-01

Dormancy is characterized by low metabolism and absence of protein synthesis and cellular division enabling bacterial cells to survive under stress. The aim was to determine if carbon starvation and low temperature are factors that modify the proportion of dormant/active cells in Deinococcus sp. UDEC-P1. By flow cytometry, RedoxSensor Green (RSG) was used to quantify metabolic activity and Propidium Iodide (PI) to evaluate membrane integrity in order to determine the percentage of dormant cells. Cell size and morphology were determined using scanning electronic microscopy. Under carbon starvation at 30°C, Deinococcus sp. UDEC-P1 increased its proportion of dormant cells from 0.1% to 20%, decreased the count of culturable cells and average cell volume decreased 7.1 times. At 4°C, however, the proportion of dormant cells increased only to 6%, without a change in the count of culturable cells and an average cellular volume decrease of 4.1 times and 3% of the dormant cells were able to be awakened. Results indicate a greater proportion of dormant Deinococcus sp. UDEC-P1 cells at 30ºC and it suggests that carbon starvation is more deleterious condition at 30ºC than 4ºC. For this reason Deinococcus sp. UDEC-P1 cells are more likely to enter into dormancy at higher temperature as a strategy to survive. Copyright© by the Spanish Society for Microbiology and Institute for Catalan Studies.

The effect of temperature on apoptosis and adipogenesis on skeletal muscle satellite cells derived from different muscle types

PubMed Central

Harding, Rachel L; Clark, Daniel L; Halevy, Orna; Coy, Cynthia S; Yahav, Shlomo; Velleman, Sandra G

2015-01-01

Satellite cells are multipotential stem cells that mediate postnatal muscle growth and respond differently to temperature based upon aerobic versus anaerobic fiber-type origin. The objective of this study was to determine how temperatures below and above the control, 38°C, affect the fate of satellite cells isolated from the anaerobic pectoralis major (p. major) or mixed fiber biceps femoris (b. femoris). At all sampling times, p. major and b. femoris cells accumulated less lipid when incubated at low temperatures and more lipid at elevated temperatures compared to the control. Satellite cells isolated from the p. major were more sensitive to temperature as they accumulated more lipid at elevated temperatures compared to b. femoris cells. Expression of adipogenic genes, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ) and proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) were different within satellite cells isolated from the p. major or b. femoris. At 72 h of proliferation, C/EBPβ expression increased with increasing temperature in both cell types, while PPARγ expression decreased with increasing temperature in p. major satellite cells. At 48 h of differentiation, both C/EBPβ and PPARγ expression increased in the p. major and decreased in the b. femoris, with increasing temperature. Flow cytometry measured apoptotic markers for early apoptosis (Annexin-V-PE) or late apoptosis (7-AAD), showing less than 1% of apoptotic satellite cells throughout all experimental conditions, therefore, apoptosis was considered biologically not significant. The results support that anaerobic p. major satellite cells are more predisposed to adipogenic conversion than aerobic b. femoris cells when thermally challenged. PMID:26341996

Temperature changes in brown adipocytes detected with a bimaterial microcantilever.

PubMed

Sato, Masaaki K; Toda, Masaya; Inomata, Naoki; Maruyama, Hisataka; Okamatsu-Ogura, Yuko; Arai, Fumihito; Ono, Takahito; Ishijima, Akihiko; Inoue, Yuichi

2014-06-03

Mammalian cells must produce heat to maintain body temperature and support other biological activities. Methods to measure a cell's thermogenic ability by inserting a thermometer into the cell or measuring the rate of oxygen consumption in a closed vessel can disturb its natural state. Here, we developed a noninvasive system for measuring a cell's heat production with a bimaterial microcantilever. This method is suitable for investigating the heat-generating properties of cells in their native state, because changes in cell temperature can be measured from the bending of the microcantilever, without damaging the cell and restricting its supply of dissolved oxygen. Thus, we were able to measure increases in cell temperature of <1 K in a small number of murine brown adipocytes (n = 4-7 cells) stimulated with norepinephrine, and observed a slow increase in temperature over several hours. This long-term heat production suggests that, in addition to converting fatty acids into heat energy, brown adipocytes may also adjust protein expression to raise their own temperature, to generate more heat. We expect this bimaterial microcantilever system to prove useful for determining a cell's state by measuring thermal characteristics. Copyright © 2014 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Influence of Wavelength-Dependent Absorption and Temperature Gradients on Temperature Determination in Laser-Heated Diamond-Anvil Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, J.; Lee, K. K. M.; Du, Z.; Benedetti, L. R.

2016-12-01

In situ temperature measurements in the laser-heated diamond-anvil cell (LHDAC) are among the most fundamental experiments undertaken in high-pressure science. Despite its importance, few efforts have been made to examine the alteration of thermal radiation spectra of hot samples by wavelength-dependent absorption of the sample itself together with temperature gradients within samples while laser heating and their influence on temperature measurement. For example, iron-bearing minerals show strong wavelength dependent absorption in the wavelength range used to determine temperature, which, together with temperature gradients can account for largely aliased apparent temperatures (e.g., 1200 K deviation for a 4000 K melting temperature) in some experiments obtained by fitting of detected thermal radiation intensities. As such, conclusions of melting temperatures, phase diagrams and partitioning behavior, may be grossly incorrect for these materials. In general, wavelength-dependent absorption and temperature gradients of samples are two key factors to consider in order to rigorously constrain temperatures, which have been largely ignored in previous LHDAC studies. A reevaluation of temperatures measured in recent high-profile papers will be reviewed.

Development of Low Cost Contacts to Silicon Solar Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iles, P. A.; Tanner, D. P.

1979-01-01

Different electroless plating systems were evaluated in conjunction with copper electroplating. All tests involved simultaneous deposition of front and back contacts using a standard cell materials. Cells with good adhesion and good curve fill factors were obtained using a palladium-chromium-copper metallization system. The final copper contact system was evaluated to determine if the copper would migrate at elevated temperatures. The copper migrated at elevated temperatures causing cell output degradation.

Desulfobacter psychrotolerans sp. nov., a new psychrotolerant sulfate-reducing bacterium and descriptions of its physiological response to temperature changes.

PubMed

Tarpgaard, Irene H; Boetius, Antje; Finster, Kai

2006-01-01

A psychrotrolerant acetate-oxidizing sulfate-reducing bacterium (strain akvb(T)) was isolated from sediment from the northern part of The North Sea with annual temperature fluctuations between 8 and 14 degrees C. Of the various substrates tested, strain akvb(T) grew exclusively by the oxidation of acetate coupled to the reduction of sulfate. The cells were motile, thick rods with round ends and grew in dense aggregates. Strain akvb(T) grew at temperatures ranging from -3.6 to 26.3 degrees C. Optimal growth was observed at 20 degrees C. The highest cell specific sulfate reduction rate of 6.2 fmol cell(-1) d(-1) determined by the (35)SO(2-)(40) method was measured at 26 degrees C. The temperature range of short-term sulfate reduction rates exceeded the temperature range of growth by 5 degrees C. The Arrhenius relationship for the temperature dependence of growth and sulfate reduction was linear, with two distinct slopes below the optimum temperatures of both processes. The critical temperature was 6.4 degrees C. The highest growth yield (4.3-4.5 g dry weight mol(-1) acetate) was determined at temperatures between 5 and 15 degrees C. The cellular fatty acid composition was determined with cultures grown at 4 and 20 degrees C, respectively. The relative proportion of cellular unsaturated fatty acids (e.g. 16:1omega7c) was higher in cells grown at 4 degrees C than in cells grown at 20 degrees C. The physiological responses to temperature changes showed that strain akvb(T) was well adapted to the temperature regime of the environment from which it was isolated. Phylogenetic analysis showed that strain akvb(T) is closest related to Desulfobacter hydrogenophilus, with a 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 98.6%. DNA-DNA-hybridization showed a similarity of 32% between D. hydrogenophilus and strain akvb(T). Based on phenotypic and DNA-based characteristics we propose that strain akvb(T) is a member of a new species, Desulfobacter psychrotolerans sp. nov.

Bulk thermal capacity determination for Li/BCX and Li/SOClN2 cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalu, E. E.; White, R. E.; Darcy, E. C.

1992-01-01

The bulk heat capacities of Li/BCX and Li/SOClN2 cells were determined at 0 and 100 percent depth-of-discharge for 2.0 V cut-off voltage, in the temperature range 0 to 60 C by a method that did not involve the destruction of the cell nor the contact of cell with a liquid. The heat capacities are found to be dependent on state-of-charge, increasing with depth-of-discharge. The Li/BCX DD-cell has a lower heat capacity than a high rate Li/SOCl2 D-cell. The results obtained by this method compare favorably well with results reported in the literature through other methods. The bulk heat capacities of the cells did not change significantly in the temperature range 0 to 60 C.

Disinfection of Wastewater by Microwaves.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-01-01

used. Thermophilic B. stearothermophilus cells were used to try to determine if the mechanism of destruction was thermal. The microwave oven was set at...curve for E. coli B cells heated in a microwave oven temperature programed for 600 C ...... ............ 8 7. Survivor curve for B. stearothermophilus ...ATCC 12980 cells heated in a microwave oven temperature programed for 600 C. 98. Survivor curve for B. stearothermophilus AICC 12980 ........ 9 9

Evaluation of the effect of reactant gases mass flow rates on power density in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kahveci, E. E.; Taymaz, I.

2018-03-01

In this study it was experimentally investigated the effect of mass flow rates of reactant gases which is one of the most important operational parameters of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell on power density. The channel type is serpentine and single PEM fuel cell has an active area of 25 cm2. Design-Expert 8.0 (trial version) was used with four variables to investigate the effect of variables on the response using. Cell temperature, hydrogen mass flow rate, oxygen mass flow rate and humidification temperature were selected as independent variables. In addition, the power density was used as response to determine the combined effects of these variables. It was kept constant cell and humidification temperatures while changing mass flow rates of reactant gases. From the results an increase occurred in power density with increasing the hydrogen flow rates. But oxygen flow rate does not have a significant effect on power density within determined mass flow rates.

Investigations on Two Co-C Fixed-Point Cells Prepared at INRIM and LNE-Cnam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battuello, M.; Florio, M.; Sadli, M.; Bourson, F.

2011-08-01

INRIM and LNE-Cnam agreed to undertake a collaboration aimed to verify, through the use of metal-carbon eutectic fixed-point cells, methods and facilities used for defining the transition temperature of eutectic fixed points and manufacturing procedures of cells. To this purpose and as a first step of the cooperation, a Co-C cell manufactured at LNE-Cnam was measured at INRIM and compared with a local cell. The two cells were of different designs: the INRIM cell of 10 cm3 inner volume and the LNE-Cnam one of 3.9 cm3. The external dimensions of the two cells were noticeably different, namely, 40 mm in length and 24 mm in diameter for the LNE-Cnam cell 3Co4 and 110 mm in length and 42 mm in diameter for the INRIM cell. Consequently, the investigation of the effect of temperature distributions in the heating furnace was undertaken by implementing the cells inside single-zone and three-zone furnaces. The transition temperature of the cell was determined at the two institutes making use of different techniques: at INRIM radiation scales at 900 nm, 950 nm, and 1.6 μm were realized from In to Cu and then used to define T 90(Co-C) by extrapolation. At LNE-Cnam, a radiance comparator based on a grating monochromator was used for the extrapolation from the Cu fixed point. This paper presents a comparative description of the cells and the manufacturing methods and the results in terms of equivalence between the two cells and melting temperatures determined at INRIM and LNE-Cnam.

Development of a Novel Method to Detect Prostate Cancer Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) Based on Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Biology

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

different incubation periods for the cell lines (1 hour and overnight). We found that room temperature incubation provided the optimal temperature ...properties, either directly (through modification of residues in the complementarity determining region (CDR)) or indirectly through allosteric effects ...showed that the reduction in antigen binding affinity is associated with handling the antibody (e.g. temperature , buffer, purification steps) rather

Report on Lithium Ion Battery Trade Studies to Support the Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP) Energy Storage Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, Robert D.; Kissock, Barbara I.; Bennett, William R.

2010-01-01

This report documents the results of two system related analyses to support the Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP) Energy Storage Project. The first study documents a trade study to determine the optimum Li-ion battery cell capacity for the ascent stage battery for the Altair lunar lander being developed under the Constellation Systems program. The battery cell capacity for the Ultra High Energy (UHE) Li-ion battery initially chosen as the target for development was 35 A-hr; this study concludes that a 19.4 A-hr cell capacity would be more optimum from a minimum battery mass perspective. The second study in this report is an assessment of available low temperature Li-ion battery cell performance data to determine whether lowering the operating temperature range of the Li-ion battery, in a rover application, could save overall system mass by eliminating thermal control system mass normally needed to maintain battery temperature within a tighter temperature limit than electronics or other less temperature sensitive components. The preliminary assessment for this second study indicates that the reduction in the thermal control system mass is negated by an increase in battery mass to compensate for the loss in battery capacity due to lower temperature operating conditions.

The effect of temperature on apoptosis and adipogenesis on skeletal muscle satellite cells derived from different muscle types.

PubMed

Harding, Rachel L; Clark, Daniel L; Halevy, Orna; Coy, Cynthia S; Yahav, Shlomo; Velleman, Sandra G

2015-09-01

Satellite cells are multipotential stem cells that mediate postnatal muscle growth and respond differently to temperature based upon aerobic versus anaerobic fiber-type origin. The objective of this study was to determine how temperatures below and above the control, 38°C, affect the fate of satellite cells isolated from the anaerobic pectoralis major (p. major) or mixed fiber biceps femoris (b. femoris). At all sampling times, p. major and b. femoris cells accumulated less lipid when incubated at low temperatures and more lipid at elevated temperatures compared to the control. Satellite cells isolated from the p. major were more sensitive to temperature as they accumulated more lipid at elevated temperatures compared to b. femoris cells. Expression of adipogenic genes, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ) and proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) were different within satellite cells isolated from the p. major or b. femoris. At 72 h of proliferation, C/EBPβ expression increased with increasing temperature in both cell types, while PPARγ expression decreased with increasing temperature in p. major satellite cells. At 48 h of differentiation, both C/EBPβ and PPARγ expression increased in the p. major and decreased in the b. femoris, with increasing temperature. Flow cytometry measured apoptotic markers for early apoptosis (Annexin-V-PE) or late apoptosis (7-AAD), showing less than 1% of apoptotic satellite cells throughout all experimental conditions, therefore, apoptosis was considered biologically not significant. The results support that anaerobic p. major satellite cells are more predisposed to adipogenic conversion than aerobic b. femoris cells when thermally challenged. © 2015 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American Physiological Society and The Physiological Society.

Development of Passive Fuel Cell Thermal Management Heat Exchanger

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burke, Kenneth A.; Jakupca, Ian J.; Colozza, Anthony J.

2010-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center is developing advanced passive thermal management technology to reduce the mass and improve the reliability of space fuel cell systems for the NASA Exploration program. The passive thermal management system relies on heat conduction within highly thermally conductive cooling plates to move the heat from the central portion of the cell stack out to the edges of the fuel cell stack. Using the passive approach eliminates the need for a coolant pump and other cooling loop components within the fuel cell system which reduces mass and improves overall system reliability. Previous development demonstrated the performance of suitable highly thermally conductive cooling plates that could conduct the heat, provide a sufficiently uniform temperature heat sink for each cell of the fuel cell stack, and be substantially lighter than the conventional thermal management approach. Tests were run with different materials to evaluate the design approach to a heat exchanger that could interface with the edges of the passive cooling plates. Measurements were made during fuel cell operation to determine the temperature of individual cooling plates and also to determine the temperature uniformity from one cooling plate to another.

Investigation of reliability attributes and accelerated stress factors on terrestrial solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lathrop, J. W.; Prince, J. L.

1980-01-01

Three tasks were undertaken to investigate reliability attributes of terrestrial solar cells: (1) a study of the electrical behavior of cells in the second (reverse) quadrant; (2) the accelerated stress testing of three new state-of-the-art cells; and (3) the continued bias-temperature testing of four block 2 type silicon cells at 78 C and 135 C. Electrical characteristics measured in the second quadrant were determined to be a function of the cell's thermal behavior with breakdown depending on the initiation of localized heating. This implied that high breakdown cells may be more fault tolerant when forced to operate in the second quadrant, a result contrary to conventional thinking. The accelerated stress tests used in the first (power) quadrant were bias-temperature, bias-temperature-humidity, temperature-humidity, thermal shock, and thermal cycle. The new type cells measured included an EFG cell, a polycrystalline cell, and a Czochralski cell. Significant differences in the response to the various tests were observed between cell types. A microprocessed controlled, short interval solar cell tester was designed and construction initiated on a prototype.

Evaluation of a 2.5 kWel automotive low temperature PEM fuel cell stack with extended operating temperature range up to 120 °C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruiu, Tiziana; Dreizler, Andreas M.; Mitzel, Jens; Gülzow, Erich

2016-01-01

Nowadays, the operating temperature of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell stacks is typically limited to 80 °C due to water management issues of membrane materials. In the present work, short-term operation at elevated temperatures up to 120 °C and long-term steady-state operation under automotive relevant conditions at 80 °C are examined using a 30-cell stack developed at DLR. The high temperature behavior is investigated by using temperature cycles between 90 and 120 °C without adjustment of the gases dew points, to simulate a short-period temperature increase, possibly caused by an extended power demand and/or limited heat removal. This galvanostatic test demonstrates a fully reversible performance decrease of 21 ± 1% during each thermal cycle. The irreversible degradation rate is about a factor of 6 higher compared to the one determined by the long-term test. The 1200-h test at 80 °C demonstrates linear stack voltage decay with acceptable degradation rate, apart from a malfunction of the air compressor, which results in increased catalyst degradation effects on individual cells. This interpretation is based on an end-of-life characterization, aimed to investigate catalyst, electrode and membrane degradation, by determining hydrogen crossover rates, high frequency resistances, electrochemically active surface areas and catalyst particle sizes.

Analytical modeling of the temporal evolution of hot spot temperatures in silicon solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wasmer, Sven; Rajsrima, Narong; Geisemeyer, Ino; Fertig, Fabian; Greulich, Johannes Michael; Rein, Stefan

2018-03-01

We present an approach to predict the equilibrium temperature of hot spots in crystalline silicon solar cells based on the analysis of their temporal evolution right after turning on a reverse bias. For this end, we derive an analytical expression for the time-dependent heat diffusion of a breakdown channel that is assumed to be cylindrical. We validate this by means of thermography imaging of hot spots right after turning on a reverse bias. The expression allows to be used to extract hot spot powers and radii from short-term measurements, targeting application in inline solar cell characterization. The extracted hot spot powers are validated at the hands of long-term dark lock-in thermography imaging. Using a look-up table of expected equilibrium temperatures determined by numerical and analytical simulations, we utilize the determined hot spot properties to predict the equilibrium temperatures of about 100 industrial aluminum back-surface field solar cells and achieve a high correlation coefficient of 0.86 and a mean absolute error of only 3.3 K.

Characterization of atomic spin polarization lifetime of cesium vapor cells with neon buffer gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lou, Janet W.; Cranch, Geoffrey A.

2018-02-01

The dephasing time of spin-polarized atoms in an atomic vapor cell plays an important role in determining the stability of vapor-cell clocks as well as the sensitivity of optically-pumped magnetometers. The presence of a buffer gas can extend the lifetime of these atoms. Many vapor cell systems operate at a fixed (often elevated) temperature. For ambient temperature operation with no temperature control, it is necessary to characterize the temperature dependence as well. We present a spin-polarization lifetime study of Cesium vapor cells with different buffer gas pressures, and find good agreement with expectations based on the combined effects of wall collisions, spin exchange, and spin destruction. For our (7.5 mm diameter) vapor cells, the lifetime can be increased by two orders of magnitude by introducing Ne buffer gas up to 100 Torr. Additionally, the dependence of the lifetime on temperature is measured (25 - 47 oC) and simulated for the first time to our knowledge with reasonable agreement.

Planar solid oxide fuel cell with staged indirect-internal air and fuel preheating and reformation

DOEpatents

Geisbrecht, Rodney A; Williams, Mark C

2003-10-21

A solid oxide fuel cell arrangement and method of use that provides internal preheating of both fuel and air in order to maintain the optimum operating temperature for the production of energy. The internal preheat passes are created by the addition of two plates, one on either side of the bipolar plate, such that these plates create additional passes through the fuel cell. This internal preheat fuel cell configuration and method reduce the requirements for external heat exchanger units and air compressors. Air or fuel may be added to the fuel cell as required to maintain the optimum operating temperature through a cathode control valve or an anode control valve, respectively. A control loop comprises a temperature sensing means within the preheat air and fuel passes, a means to compare the measured temperature to a set point temperature and a determination based on the comparison as to whether the control valves should allow additional air or fuel into the preheat or bypass manifolds of the fuel cell.

Stability of Materials in High Temperature Water Vapor: SOFC Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Opila, E. J.; Jacobson, N. S.

2010-01-01

Solid oxide fuel cell material systems require long term stability in environments containing high-temperature water vapor. Many materials in fuel cell systems react with high-temperature water vapor to form volatile hydroxides which can degrade cell performance. In this paper, experimental methods to characterize these volatility reactions including the transpiration technique, thermogravimetric analysis, and high pressure mass spectrometry are reviewed. Experimentally determined data for chromia, silica, and alumina volatility are presented. In addition, data from the literature for the stability of other materials important in fuel cell systems are reviewed. Finally, methods for predicting material recession due to volatilization reactions are described.

Freezing resistance in Patagonian woody shrubs: the role of cell wall elasticity and stem vessel size.

PubMed

Zhang, Yong-Jiang; Bucci, Sandra J; Arias, Nadia S; Scholz, Fabian G; Hao, Guang-You; Cao, Kun-Fang; Goldstein, Guillermo

2016-08-01

Freezing resistance through avoidance or tolerance of extracellular ice nucleation is important for plant survival in habitats with frequent subzero temperatures. However, the role of cell walls in leaf freezing resistance and the coordination between leaf and stem physiological processes under subzero temperatures are not well understood. We studied leaf and stem responses to freezing temperatures, leaf and stem supercooling, leaf bulk elastic modulus and stem xylem vessel size of six Patagonian shrub species from two sites (plateau and low elevation sites) with different elevation and minimum temperatures. Ice seeding was initiated in the stem and quickly spread to leaves, but two species from the plateau site had barriers against rapid spread of ice. Shrubs with xylem vessels smaller in diameter had greater stem supercooling capacity, i.e., ice nucleated at lower subzero temperatures. Only one species with the lowest ice nucleation temperature among all species studied exhibited freezing avoidance by substantial supercooling, while the rest were able to tolerate extracellular freezing from -11.3 to -20 °C. Leaves of species with more rigid cell walls (higher bulk elastic modulus) could survive freezing to lower subzero temperatures, suggesting that rigid cell walls potentially reduce the degree of physical injury to cell membranes during the extracellular freezing and/or thaw processes. In conclusion, our results reveal the temporal-spatial ice spreading pattern (from stem to leaves) in Patagonian shrubs, and indicate the role of xylem vessel size in determining supercooling capacity and the role of cell wall elasticity in determining leaf tolerance of extracellular ice formation. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effect of incubation temperature on neuropeptide Y and neuropeptide Y receptors in turkey and chicken satellite cells.

PubMed

Clark, Daniel L; McCormick, Janet L; Velleman, Sandra G

2018-05-01

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is an appetite stimulating peptide released from the central nervous system and impacts the function of many different cell types. A recent transcriptome study showed that NPY expression was altered when turkey breast muscle satellite cells were incubated at low or high temperatures, suggesting NPY may mediate temperature effects on satellite cells. However, to date minimal information exists describing the expression and function of NPY in satellite cells. The objective of this study was to determine how temperature impacts NPY and NPY receptor gene expression in satellite cells isolated from turkeys and chickens with differing genetic lineages. Two broiler and two turkey breast muscle satellite cell lines were incubated at 35, 38 or 41 °C during proliferation and differentiation. In both turkey lines, NPY, and receptors NPY2R and NPY5R expression increased at elevated temperatures after 72 h of proliferation. During differentiation NPY and NPY5R expression increased in both turkey lines with higher temperatures, whereas NPY2R was minimally affected by temperature. In contrast, in both chicken cell lines there were few significant differences for NPY and NPY receptor expression across temperature during proliferation. During differentiation, the temperature effect was different in the two chicken cell lines. In the BPM8 chicken line, there were few differences in NPY and NPY receptors across temperature; whereas elevated temperatures increased NPY, NPY2R, and NPY5R expression in the 708 line. The differences between turkey and chicken lines suggest NPY has species specific satellite cell functions in response to heat stress. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Error Analysis of Wind Measurements for the University of Illinois Sodium Doppler Temperature System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pfenninger, W. Matthew; Papen, George C.

1992-01-01

Four-frequency lidar measurements of temperature and wind velocity require accurate frequency tuning to an absolute reference and long term frequency stability. We quantify frequency tuning errors for the Illinois sodium system, to measure absolute frequencies and a reference interferometer to measure relative frequencies. To determine laser tuning errors, we monitor the vapor cell and interferometer during lidar data acquisition and analyze the two signals for variations as functions of time. Both sodium cell and interferometer are the same as those used to frequency tune the laser. By quantifying the frequency variations of the laser during data acquisition, an error analysis of temperature and wind measurements can be calculated. These error bounds determine the confidence in the calculated temperatures and wind velocities.

Determining solid-fluid interface temperature distribution during phase change of cryogenic propellants using transient thermal modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellur, K.; Médici, E. F.; Hermanson, J. C.; Choi, C. K.; Allen, J. S.

2018-04-01

Control of boil-off of cryogenic propellants is a continuing technical challenge for long duration space missions. Predicting phase change rates of cryogenic liquids requires an accurate estimation of solid-fluid interface temperature distributions in regions where a contact line or a thin liquid film exists. This paper described a methodology to predict inner wall temperature gradients with and without evaporation using discrete temperature measurements on the outer wall of a container. Phase change experiments with liquid hydrogen and methane in cylindrical test cells of various materials and sizes were conducted at the Neutron Imaging Facility at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Two types of tests were conducted. The first type of testing involved thermal cycling of an evacuated cell (dry) and the second involved controlled phase change with cryogenic liquids (wet). During both types of tests, temperatures were measured using Si-diode sensors mounted on the exterior surface of the test cells. Heat is transferred to the test cell by conduction through a helium exchange gas and through the cryostat sample holder. Thermal conduction through the sample holder is shown to be the dominant mode with the rate of heat transfer limited by six independent contact resistances. An iterative methodology is employed to determine contact resistances between the various components of the cryostat stick insert, test cell and lid using the dry test data. After the contact resistances are established, inner wall temperature distributions during wet tests are calculated.

Characterizing the Chemical Stability of High Temperature Materials for Application in Extreme Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Opila, Elizabeth

2005-01-01

The chemical stability of high temperature materials must be known for use in the extreme environments of combustion applications. The characterization techniques available at NASA Glenn Research Center vary from fundamental thermodynamic property determination to material durability testing in actual engine environments. In this paper some of the unique techniques and facilities available at NASA Glenn will be reviewed. Multiple cell Knudsen effusion mass spectrometry is used to determine thermodynamic data by sampling gas species formed by reaction or equilibration in a Knudsen cell held in a vacuum. The transpiration technique can also be used to determine thermodynamic data of volatile species but at atmospheric pressures. Thermodynamic data in the Si-O-H(g) system were determined with this technique. Free Jet Sampling Mass Spectrometry can be used to study gas-solid interactions at a pressure of one atmosphere. Volatile Si(OH)4(g) was identified by this mass spectrometry technique. A High Pressure Burner Rig is used to expose high temperature materials in hydrocarbon-fueled combustion environments. Silicon carbide (SiC) volatility rates were measured in the burner rig as a function of total pressure, gas velocity and temperature. Finally, the Research Combustion Lab Rocket Test Cell is used to expose high temperature materials in hydrogen/oxygen rocket engine environments to assess material durability. SiC recession due to rocket engine exposures was measured as a function of oxidant/fuel ratio, temperature, and total pressure. The emphasis of the discussion for all techniques will be placed on experimental factors that must be controlled for accurate acquisition of results and reliable prediction of high temperature material chemical stability.

Extrapolation of radiation thermometry scales for determining the transition temperature of metal-carbon points. Experiments with the Co-C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battuello, M.; Girard, F.; Florio, M.

2009-02-01

Four independent radiation temperature scales approximating the ITS-90 at 900 nm, 950 nm and 1.6 µm have been realized from the indium point (429.7485 K) to the copper point (1357.77 K) which were used to derive by extrapolation the transition temperature T90(Co-C) of the cobalt-carbon eutectic fixed point. An INRIM cell was investigated and an average value T90(Co-C) = 1597.20 K was found with the four values lying within 0.25 K. Alternatively, thermodynamic approximated scales were realized by assigning to the fixed points the best presently available thermodynamic values and deriving T(Co-C). An average value of 1597.27 K was found (four values lying within 0.25 K). The standard uncertainties associated with T90(Co-C) and T(Co-C) were 0.16 K and 0.17 K, respectively. INRIM determinations are compatible with recent thermodynamic determinations on three different cells (values lying between 1597.11 K and 1597.25 K) and with the result of a comparison on the same cell by an absolute radiation thermometer and an irradiance measurement with filter radiometers which give values of 1597.11 K and 1597.43 K, respectively (Anhalt et al 2006 Metrologia 43 S78-83). The INRIM approach allows the determination of both ITS-90 and thermodynamic temperature of a fixed point in a simple way and can provide valuable support to absolute radiometric methods in defining the transition temperature of new high-temperature fixed points.

Survivability of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) in bovine plasma submitted to spray drying processing and held at different time by temperature storage conditions.

PubMed

Pujols, Joan; Segalés, Joaquim

2014-12-05

Bovine plasma was inoculated with porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) at an average final titer of 4.2 log10 TCID50/mL to determine the effect of spray drying on viral inactivation. Using a laboratory scale drier, inoculated plasma was spray dried at 200 °C inlet temperature and either 70 or 80 °C throughout substance. Both liquid and dried samples were subjected to three passages on VERO cell monolayers to determine PEDV infectivity. Results indicated liquid samples contained infective virus, but none of the spray dried samples were infectious. Also, survivability of PEDV inoculated on spray dried bovine plasma (SDBP) and stored at 4, 12 or 22 °C was determined for 7, 14 and 21 days. Commercial SDBP powder was inoculated with PEDV to an average final titer of 2.8 log10 TCID50/g. Five samples per time and temperature conditions were subjected to three passages on VERO cell monolayers to determine PEDV infectivity. The virus was non-infectious for all samples stored at 22 °C at 7, 14 and 21 days. PEDV was infective in 1 out of 5 samples stored at 12 °C at 7 days, but none of the samples stored for 14 and 21 days were infectious in cell culture. For samples stored at 4 °C, 4 out of 5 samples were infectious at 7 days, 1 out of 5 samples were infectious at 14 days, but none were infectious at 21 days. In summary, PEDV was not infectious on cell culture within 7 days when stored at room temperature and within 21 days when stored at refrigerated temperature. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of Intracellular Vitrification Temperatures for Unicellular Micro Organisms under Conditions Relevant for Cryopreservation.

PubMed

Fonseca, Fernanda; Meneghel, Julie; Cenard, Stéphanie; Passot, Stéphanie; Morris, G John

2016-01-01

During cryopreservation ice nucleation and crystal growth may occur within cells or the intracellular compartment may vitrify. Whilst previous literature describes intracellular vitrification in a qualitative manner, here we measure the intracellular vitrification temperature of bacteria and yeasts under conditions relevant to cryopreservation, including the addition of high levels of permeating and nonpermeating additives and the application of rapid rates of cooling. The effects of growth conditions that are known to modify cellular freezing resistance on the intracellular vitrification temperature are also examined. For bacteria a plot of the activity on thawing against intracellular glass transition of the maximally freeze-concentrated matrix (Tg') shows that cells with the lowest value of intracellular Tg' survive the freezing process better than cells with a higher intracellular Tg'. This paper demonstrates the role of the physical state of the intracellular environment in determining the response of microbial cells to preservation and could be a powerful tool to be manipulated to allow the optimization of methods for the preservation of microorganisms.

Effect of additive particles on mechanical, thermal, and cell functioning properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) cement

PubMed Central

Khandaker, Morshed; Vaughan, Melville B; Morris, Tracy L; White, Jeremiah J; Meng, Zhaotong

2014-01-01

The most common bone cement material used clinically today for orthopedic surgery is poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). Conventional PMMA bone cement has several mechanical, thermal, and biological disadvantages. To overcome these problems, researchers have investigated combinations of PMMA bone cement and several bioactive particles (micrometers to nanometers in size), such as magnesium oxide, hydroxyapatite, chitosan, barium sulfate, and silica. A study comparing the effect of these individual additives on the mechanical, thermal, and cell functional properties of PMMA would be important to enable selection of suitable additives and design improved PMMA cement for orthopedic applications. Therefore, the goal of this study was to determine the effect of inclusion of magnesium oxide, hydroxyapatite, chitosan, barium sulfate, and silica additives in PMMA on the mechanical, thermal, and cell functional performance of PMMA. American Society for Testing and Materials standard three-point bend flexural and fracture tests were conducted to determine the flexural strength, flexural modulus, and fracture toughness of the different PMMA samples. A custom-made temperature measurement system was used to determine maximum curing temperature and the time needed for each PMMA sample to reach its maximum curing temperature. Osteoblast adhesion and proliferation experiments were performed to determine cell viability using the different PMMA cements. We found that flexural strength and fracture toughness were significantly greater for PMMA specimens that incorporated silica than for the other specimens. All additives prolonged the time taken to reach maximum curing temperature and significantly improved cell adhesion of the PMMA samples. The results of this study could be useful for improving the union of implant-PMMA or bone-PMMA interfaces by incorporating nanoparticles into PMMA cement for orthopedic and orthodontic applications. PMID:24920906

Effect of additive particles on mechanical, thermal, and cell functioning properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) cement.

PubMed

Khandaker, Morshed; Vaughan, Melville B; Morris, Tracy L; White, Jeremiah J; Meng, Zhaotong

2014-01-01

The most common bone cement material used clinically today for orthopedic surgery is poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). Conventional PMMA bone cement has several mechanical, thermal, and biological disadvantages. To overcome these problems, researchers have investigated combinations of PMMA bone cement and several bioactive particles (micrometers to nanometers in size), such as magnesium oxide, hydroxyapatite, chitosan, barium sulfate, and silica. A study comparing the effect of these individual additives on the mechanical, thermal, and cell functional properties of PMMA would be important to enable selection of suitable additives and design improved PMMA cement for orthopedic applications. Therefore, the goal of this study was to determine the effect of inclusion of magnesium oxide, hydroxyapatite, chitosan, barium sulfate, and silica additives in PMMA on the mechanical, thermal, and cell functional performance of PMMA. American Society for Testing and Materials standard three-point bend flexural and fracture tests were conducted to determine the flexural strength, flexural modulus, and fracture toughness of the different PMMA samples. A custom-made temperature measurement system was used to determine maximum curing temperature and the time needed for each PMMA sample to reach its maximum curing temperature. Osteoblast adhesion and proliferation experiments were performed to determine cell viability using the different PMMA cements. We found that flexural strength and fracture toughness were significantly greater for PMMA specimens that incorporated silica than for the other specimens. All additives prolonged the time taken to reach maximum curing temperature and significantly improved cell adhesion of the PMMA samples. The results of this study could be useful for improving the union of implant-PMMA or bone-PMMA interfaces by incorporating nanoparticles into PMMA cement for orthopedic and orthodontic applications.

Correction of WindScat Scatterometric Measurements by Combining with AMSR Radiometric Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Song, S.; Moore, R. K.

1996-01-01

The Seawinds scatterometer on the advanced Earth observing satellite-2 (ADEOS-2) will determine surface wind vectors by measuring the radar cross section. Multiple measurements will be made at different points in a wind-vector cell. When dense clouds and rain are present, the signal will be attenuated, thereby giving erroneous results for the wind. This report describes algorithms to use with the advanced mechanically scanned radiometer (AMSR) scanning radiometer on ADEOS-2 to correct for the attenuation. One can determine attenuation from a radiometer measurement based on the excess brightness temperature measured. This is the difference between the total measured brightness temperature and the contribution from surface emission. A major problem that the algorithm must address is determining the surface contribution. Two basic approaches were developed for this, one using the scattering coefficient measured along with the brightness temperature, and the other using the brightness temperature alone. For both methods, best results will occur if the wind from the preceding wind-vector cell can be used as an input to the algorithm. In the method based on the scattering coefficient, we need the wind direction from the preceding cell. In the method using brightness temperature alone, we need the wind speed from the preceding cell. If neither is available, the algorithm can work, but the corrections will be less accurate. Both correction methods require iterative solutions. Simulations show that the algorithms make significant improvements in the measured scattering coefficient and thus is the retrieved wind vector. For stratiform rains, the errors without correction can be quite large, so the correction makes a major improvement. For systems of separated convective cells, the initial error is smaller and the correction, although about the same percentage, has a smaller effect.

Analysis of electroluminescence images in small-area circular CdTe solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bokalič, Matevž; Raguse, John; Sites, James R.; Topič, Marko

2013-09-01

The electroluminescence (EL) imaging process of small area solar cells is investigated in detail to expose optical and electrical effects that influence image acquisition and corrupt the acquired image. An approach to correct the measured EL images and to extract the exact EL radiation as emitted from the photovoltaic device is presented. EL images of circular cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar cells are obtained under different conditions. The power-law relationship between forward injection current and EL emission and a negative temperature coefficient of EL radiation are observed. The distributed Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis (SPICE®) model of the circular CdTe solar cell is used to simulate the dark J-V curve and current distribution under the conditions used during EL measurements. Simulation results are presented as circularly averaged EL intensity profiles, which clearly show that the ratio between resistive parameters determines the current distribution in thin-film solar cells. The exact resistance values for front and back contact layers and for CdTe bulk layer are determined at different temperatures, and a negative temperature coefficient for the CdTe bulk resistance is observed.

Stamping of Thin-Walled Structural Components with Magnesium Alloy AZ31 Sheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Fuh-Kuo; Chang, Chih-Kun

2005-08-01

In the present study, the stamping process for manufacturing cell phone cases with magnesium alloy AZ31 sheets was studied using both the experimental approach and the finite element analysis. In order to determine the proper forming temperature and set up a fracture criterion, tensile tests and forming limit tests were first conducted to obtain the mechanical behaviors of AZ31 sheets at various elevated temperatures. The mechanical properties of Z31 sheets obtained from the experiments were then adopted in the finite element analysis to investigate the effects of the process parameters on the formability of the stamping process of cell phone cases. The finite element simulation results revealed that both the fracture and wrinkle defects could not be eliminated at the same time by adjusting blank-holder force or blank size. A drawbead design was then performed using the finite element simulations to determine the size and the location of drawbead required to suppress the wrinkle defect. An optimum stamping process, including die geometry, forming temperature, and blank dimension, was then determined for manufacturing the cell phone cases. The finite element analysis was validated by the good agreement between the simulation results and the experimental data. It confirms that the cell phone cases can be produced with magnesium alloy AZ31 sheet by the stamping process at elevated temperatures.

Performance characteristics of ambient temperature secondary lithium cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deligiannis, F.; Shen, D.; Subbarao, S.; Whitcanack, L.; Halpert, G.

1988-01-01

State of art ambient temperature secondary lithium cells were evaluated to determine their performance capability and limitations and to assess the present status of the technology of these cells. Li-MoS2, Li-NbSe3 and Li-TiS2 cells were evaluated for their charge/discharge characteristics, rate capability, and cycle life performance. The cells evaluated have a cycle life of 100-250 cycles at moderate discharge rates (C/5). The specific energy of these cells is between 50 and 100 Wh/Kg, depending upon the system. This paper describes the details of the cell designs, the test procedures, and the results of the evaluation studies.

Practical thermodynamic quantities for aqueous vanadium- and iron-based flow batteries

DOE PAGES

Hudak, Nicholas S.

2013-12-31

A simple method for experimentally determining thermodynamic quantities for flow battery cell reactions is presented. Equilibrium cell potentials, temperature derivatives of cell potential (d E/d T), Gibbs free energies, and entropies are reported here for all-vanadium, iron–vanadium, and iron–chromium flow cells with state-of-the-art solution compositions. Proof is given that formal potentials and formal temperature coefficients can be used with modified forms of the Nernst Equation to quantify the thermodynamics of flow cell reactions as a function of state-of-charge. Such empirical quantities can be used in thermo-electrochemical models of flow batteries at the cell or system level. In most cases, themore » thermodynamic quantities measured here are significantly different from standard values reported and used previously in the literature. The data reported here are also useful in the selection of operating temperatures for flow battery systems. Because higher temperatures correspond to lower equilibrium cell potentials for the battery chemistries studied here, it can be beneficial to charge a cell at higher temperature and discharge at lower temperature. As a result, proof-of-concept of improved voltage efficiency with the use of such non-isothermal cycling is given for the all-vanadium redox flow battery, and the effect is shown to be more pronounced at lower current densities.« less

Burst annealing of high temperature GaAs solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brothers, P. R.; Horne, W. E.

1991-01-01

One of the major limitations of solar cells in space power systems is their vulnerability to radiation damage. One solution to this problem is to periodically heat the cells to anneal the radiation damage. Annealing was demonstrated with silicon cells. The obstacle to annealing of GaAs cells was their susceptibility to thermal damage at the temperatures required to completely anneal the radiation damage. GaAs cells with high temperature contacts and encapsulation were developed. The cells tested are designed for concentrator use at 30 suns AMO. The circular active area is 2.5 mm in diameter for an area of 0.05 sq cm. Typical one sun AMO efficiency of these cells is over 18 percent. The cells were demonstrated to be resistant to damage after thermal excursions in excess of 600 C. This high temperature tolerance should allow these cells to survive the annealing of radiation damage. A limited set of experiments were devised to investigate the feasibility of annealing these high temperature cells. The effect of repeated cycles of electron and proton irradiation was tested. The damage mechanisms were analyzed. Limitations in annealing recovery suggested improvements in cell design for more complete recovery. These preliminary experiments also indicate the need for further study to isolate damage mechanisms. The primary objective of the experiments was to demonstrate and quantify the annealing behavior of high temperature GaAs cells. Secondary objectives were to measure the radiation degradation and to determine the effect of repeated irradiation and anneal cycles.

Determination of Temperature- Dependent Mechanical Properties of Carbon Composites Under Tensile and Flexural Loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chripunow, Andre; Kubisch, Aline; Ruder, Matthias; Forster, Andreas; Korber, Hannes

2014-06-01

The presented test setup utilises a custom-built furnace realising test temperatures of up to 500°C. In order to ensure always optimal test conditions the temperature cell can be exchanged depending on the mechanical tests and specimen sizes. Cells for tensile and flexural loadings had been developed. With the latter one it is possible to perform three-point-bending tests, interlaminar-shear-strength tests as well as tests to determine the interlaminar fracture toughness. In this work the effect of fibre orientation on the mechanical properties of CFRP prepreg material under tensile and flexural loads at elevated temperatures was studied. Especially the matrix dominated layups showed a rather early decay of the mechanical properties even at temperatures quite lower than Tg. An analytical model has been used to describe the temperature-dependent properties. The model shows good agreement concerning the strength whereas the proper prediction of the moduli was only possible for the matrix dominated layups.

Cloning and expression of R-Spondin1 in different vertebrates suggests a conserved role in ovarian development.

PubMed

Smith, Craig A; Shoemaker, Christina M; Roeszler, Kelly N; Queen, Joanna; Crews, David; Sinclair, Andrew H

2008-07-24

R-Spondin1 (Rspo1) is a novel regulator of the Wnt/beta-catenin signalling pathway. Loss-of-function mutations in human RSPO1 cause testicular differentiation in 46, XX females, pointing to a role in ovarian development. Here we report the cloning and comparative expression analysis of R-SPONDIN1 orthologues in the mouse, chicken and red-eared slider turtle, three species with different sex-determining mechanisms. Evidence is presented that this gene is an ancient component of the vertebrate ovary-determining pathway. Gonadal RSPO1 gene expression is female up-regulated in the embryonic gonads in each species at the onset of sexual differentiation. In the mouse gonad, Rspo1 mRNA is expressed in the somatic cell lineage at the time of ovarian differentiation (E12.5-E15.5), with little expression in germ cells. However, the protein is localised in the cytoplasm and at the cell surface of both somatic (pre-follicular) and germ cells. In the chicken embryo, RSPO1 expression becomes elevated in females at the time of ovarian differentiation, coinciding with female-specific activation of the FOXL2 gene and estrogen synthesis. RSPO1 protein in chicken is localised in the outer cortical zone of the developing ovary, the site of primordial follicle formation and germ cell differentiation. Inhibition of estrogen synthesis with a specific aromatase inhibitor results in a decline in chicken RSPO1 expression, indicating that RSPO1 is influenced by estrogen. In the red-eared slider turtle, which exhibits temperature-dependent sex determination, up-regulation of RSPO1 occurs during the temperature-sensitive period, when gonadal development is responsive to temperature. Accordingly, RSPO1 expression is temperature-responsive, and is down-regulated in embryos shifted from female- to male-producing incubation temperatures. These results indicate that RSPO1 is up-regulated in the embryonic gonads of female vertebrates with different sex-determining mechanisms. In all instances, RSPO1 is expressed in the incipient ovary. These findings suggest that R-SPONDIN1 is an ancient, conserved part of the vertebrate ovary-determining pathway.

Cloning and expression of R-Spondin1 in different vertebrates suggests a conserved role in ovarian development

PubMed Central

Smith, Craig A; Shoemaker, Christina M; Roeszler, Kelly N; Queen, Joanna; Crews, David; Sinclair, Andrew H

2008-01-01

Background R-Spondin1 (Rspo1) is a novel regulator of the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway. Loss-of-function mutations in human RSPO1 cause testicular differentiation in 46, XX females, pointing to a role in ovarian development. Here we report the cloning and comparative expression analysis of R-SPONDIN1 orthologues in the mouse, chicken and red-eared slider turtle, three species with different sex-determining mechanisms. Evidence is presented that this gene is an ancient component of the vertebrate ovary-determining pathway. Results Gonadal RSPO1 gene expression is female up-regulated in the embryonic gonads in each species at the onset of sexual differentiation. In the mouse gonad, Rspo1 mRNA is expressed in the somatic cell lineage at the time of ovarian differentiation (E12.5–E15.5), with little expression in germ cells. However, the protein is localised in the cytoplasm and at the cell surface of both somatic (pre-follicular) and germ cells. In the chicken embryo, RSPO1 expression becomes elevated in females at the time of ovarian differentiation, coinciding with female-specific activation of the FOXL2 gene and estrogen synthesis. RSPO1 protein in chicken is localised in the outer cortical zone of the developing ovary, the site of primordial follicle formation and germ cell differentiation. Inhibition of estrogen synthesis with a specific aromatase inhibitor results in a decline in chicken RSPO1 expression, indicating that RSPO1 is influenced by estrogen. In the red-eared slider turtle, which exhibits temperature-dependent sex determination, up-regulation of RSPO1 occurs during the temperature-sensitive period, when gonadal development is responsive to temperature. Accordingly, RSPO1 expression is temperature-responsive, and is down-regulated in embryos shifted from female- to male-producing incubation temperatures. Conclusion These results indicate that RSPO1 is up-regulated in the embryonic gonads of female vertebrates with different sex-determining mechanisms. In all instances, RSPO1 is expressed in the incipient ovary. These findings suggest that R-SPONDIN1 is an ancient, conserved part of the vertebrate ovary-determining pathway. PMID:18651984

NASA/GSFC Testing of Li-Ion Cells: Update

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaidyanathan, Hari; Rao, Gopalakrishna M.

2001-01-01

This viewgraph paper presents a report on the ongoing testing of Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) cells. Characterizes cells according to capacity, self-discharge, and mid-discharge voltage. Determines the cycling performance of Li-Ion cells as batteries according to number of cycles, charge voltage, and temperature.

Effect of foaming temperature on the mechanical properties of produced closed-cell A356Aluminum foams with melting method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Movahedi, N.; Mirbagheri, S. M. H.; Hoseini, S. R.

2014-07-01

In this study an attempt was carried out to determine the effect of production temperature on the mechanical properties and energy absorption behavior of closed-cell A356 alloy foams under uniaxial compression test. For this purpose, three different A356 alloy closed-cell foams were synthesized at three different casting temperatures, 650 °C, 675 °C and 700 °C by adding the same amounts of granulated calcium as thickening and TiH2 as blowing agent. The samples were characterized by SEM to study the pore morphology at different foaming temperatures. Compression tests of the A356 foams were carried out to assess their mechanical properties and energy absorption behavior. The results indicated that increasing the foaming temperature from 650 °C to 675 °C and 700 °C reduces the relative density of closed cell A356 alloys by 18.3% and 38% respectively and consequently affects the compressive strength and energy absorption of cellular structures by changing them from equiaxed polyhedral closed cells to distorted cells. Also at 700 °C foaming temperature, growth of micro-pores and coalescence with other surrounding pores leads to several big voids.

The effect of applied control strategy on the current-voltage correlation of a solid oxide fuel cell stack during dynamic operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szmyd, Janusz S.; Komatsu, Yosuke; Brus, Grzegorz; Ghigliazza, Francesco; Kimijima, Shinji; Ściążko, Anna

2014-09-01

This paper discusses the transient characteristics of the planar type SOFC cell stack, of which the standard output is 300 W. The transient response of the voltage to the manipulation of an electric current was investigated. The effects of the response and of the operating condition determined by the operating temperature of the stack were studied by mapping a current-voltage (I-V) correlation. The current-based fuel control (CBFC) was adopted for keeping the fuel utilization factor at constant while the value of the electric current was ramped at the constant rate. The present experimental study shows that the transient characteristics of the cell voltage are determined by primarily the operating temperature caused by the manipulation of the current. Particularly, the slope of the I-V curve and the overshoot found on the voltage was remarkably influenced by the operating temperature. The different values of the fuel utilization factor influence the height of the settled voltages. The CBFC has significance in determining the slope of the I-V characteristic, but the different values ofthe fuel utilization factor does not affect the slope as the operating temperature does. The CBFC essentially does not alter the amplitude of the overshoot on the voltage response, since this is dominated by the operating temperature and its change is caused by manipulating the current.

Lithium cell tests at Langley Research Center. [for the long duration exposure facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bene, J.

1977-01-01

The long duration exposure facility mission places temperature requirements of from -30 F to +150 F on the batteries to be used. A hermetically sealed lithium sulfur dioxide cell was tested to predict what the temperature of the battery would be over a given spectrum of temperatures of operation. Near the end of cell discharge, as the voltage started collapsing, a very high heat output rise due to chemical reaction took place. However, if the cells were thermally insulated, they vented, ignited, and burned if an attempt was made to discharge them all the way. The cells do not go into reversal. It was determined that the root of the problem was probably the chemical reaction between the lithium and the acetonitrite solvent. A redesigned cell is discussed as well as some alternates.

Kinetic studies of a doubly bound red cell antigen-antibody system.

PubMed

Oberhardt, B J; Miller, I F

1972-08-01

The Polybrene method for detection of red cell antibodies which utilizes continuous flow equipment was modified so that kinetic studies could be performed on red cell antibodies doubly bound between adjacent red cells. In the anti-Rh(o)-Rh(o) erythrocyte system, deaggregation by temperature was studied over an antibody concentration range of from approximately 1 to 500 antibody molecules per erythrocyte, a residence time range of approximately eightfold, and a temperature range of from 10 to 55 degrees C. The rate of dissociation of antigen-antibody complex, as determined from deaggregation of antibody-dependent red cell aggregates, was found to be of apparent zero order. The apparent activation energy for the antigen-antibody reaction under the experimental conditions was determined and found to be higher than would be expected for singly bound antigen-antibody systems. Possible explanations are considered for these findings in terms of an antigen-antibody bond-breaking model.

Extra- and intracellular ice formation in mouse oocytes.

PubMed

Mazur, Peter; Seki, Shinsuke; Pinn, Irina L; Kleinhans, F W; Edashige, Keisuke

2005-08-01

The occurrence of intracellular ice formation (IIF) during freezing, or the lack there of, is the single most important factor determining whether or not cells survive cryopreservation. One important determinant of IIF is the temperature at which a supercooled cell nucleates. To avoid intracellular ice formation, the cell must be cooled slowly enough so that osmotic dehydration eliminates nearly all cell supercooling before reaching that temperature. This report is concerned with factors that determine the nucleation temperature in mouse oocytes. Chief among these is the concentration of cryoprotective additive (here, glycerol or ethylene glycol). The temperature for IIF decreases from -14 degrees C in buffered isotonic saline (PBS) to -41 degrees C in 1M glycerol/PBS and 1.5M ethylene glycol/PBS. The latter rapidly permeates the oocyte; the former does not. The initial extracellular freezing at -3.9 to -7.8 degrees C, depending on the CPA concentration, deforms the cell. In PBS that deformation often leads to IIF; in CPA it does not. The oocytes are surrounded by a zona pellucida. That structure appears to impede the growth of external ice through it, but not to block it. In most cases, IIF is characterized by an abrupt blackening or flashing during cooling. But in some cases, especially with dezonated oocytes, a pale brown veil abruptly forms during cooling followed by slower blackening during warming. Above -30 degrees C, flashing occurs in a fraction of a second. Below -30 degrees C, it commonly occurs much more slowly. We have observed instances where flashing is accompanied by the abrupt ejection of cytoplasm. During freezing, cells lie in unfrozen channels between the growing external ice. From phase diagram data, we have computed the fraction of water and solution that remains unfrozen at the observed flash temperatures and the concentrations of salt and CPA in those channels. The results are somewhat ambiguous as to which of these characteristics best correlates with IIF.

Control apparatus and method for efficiently heating a fuel processor in a fuel cell system

DOEpatents

Doan, Tien M.; Clingerman, Bruce J.

2003-08-05

A control apparatus and method for efficiently controlling the amount of heat generated by a fuel cell processor in a fuel cell system by determining a temperature error between actual and desired fuel processor temperatures. The temperature error is converted to a combustor fuel injector command signal or a heat dump valve position command signal depending upon the type of temperature error. Logic controls are responsive to the combustor fuel injector command signals and the heat dump valve position command signal to prevent the combustor fuel injector command signal from being generated if the heat dump valve is opened or, alternately, from preventing the heat dump valve position command signal from being generated if the combustor fuel injector is opened.

An Experimental Investigation of the Long-Term Stability of Triple-Point-of-Water Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, K. D.

2014-04-01

Contamination of triple-point-of-water (TPW) cells by the chemical components of the borosilicate glass that contains the water is now widely recognized as the principal contributor to long-term drift of the cell temperature. To add to the available experimental data, a comparison of 24 TPW cells of various ages (from 10 years to 59 years), manufacturers (NRC, Jarrett, Isotech), and materials (borosilicate glass and fused quartz) was undertaken in 2013. Twelve cells from this group were compared to one another in 1997. By comparing the current inter-cell temperature differences to those determined 16 years earlier, it was found that some cells have remained stable, others have become colder (as might be expected from ongoing dissolution of the glass), and one or two show an apparent increase in temperature that seems anomalous. Also included among the 24 cells are five cells of borosilicate glass and five of fused quartz that were purchased 10 years ago. By comparing the relative temperature differences among this group of borosilcate and fused-quartz-encapsulated cells to the values obtained when they were last compared 6 years ago, it was found that the average temperature of the borosilcate group of cells decreases by , in reasonable agreement with an average drift of suggested 12 years ago. It was concluded that fused quartz is the superior container for TPW cells.

Indirect Determination of the Thermodynamic Temperature of a Gold Fixed-Point Cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battuello, M.; Girard, F.; Florio, M.

2010-09-01

Since the value T 90(Au) was fixed on the ITS-90, some determinations of the thermodynamic temperature of the gold point have been performed which form, with other renormalized results of previous measurements by radiation thermometry, the basis for the current best estimates of ( T - T 90)Au = 39.9 mK as elaborated by the CCT-WG4. Such a value, even if consistent with the behavior of T - T 90 differences at lower temperatures, is quite influenced by the low values of T Au as determined with few radiometric measurements. At INRIM, an independent indirect determination of the thermodynamic temperature of gold was performed by means of a radiation thermometry approach. A fixed-point technique was used to realize approximated thermodynamic scales from the Zn point up to the Cu point. A Si-based standard radiation thermometer working at 900 nm and 950 nm was used. The low uncertainty presently associated to the thermodynamic temperature of fixed points and the accuracy of INRIM realizations, allowed scales with an uncertainty lower than 0.03 K in terms of the thermodynamic temperature to be realized. A fixed-point cell filled with gold, 99.999 % in purity, was measured, and its freezing temperature was determined by both interpolation and extrapolation. An average T Au = 1337.395 K was found with a combined standard uncertainty of 23 mK. Such a value is 25 mK higher than the presently available value as derived by the CCT-WG4 value of ( T - T 90)Au = 39.9 mK.

γδ T cells producing interleukin-17A regulate adipose regulatory T cell homeostasis and thermogenesis.

PubMed

Kohlgruber, Ayano C; Gal-Oz, Shani T; LaMarche, Nelson M; Shimazaki, Moto; Duquette, Danielle; Nguyen, Hung N; Mina, Amir I; Paras, Tyler; Tavakkoli, Ali; von Andrian, Ulrich; Banks, Alexander S; Shay, Tal; Brenner, Michael B; Lynch, Lydia

2018-05-01

γδ T cells are situated at barrier sites and guard the body from infection and damage. However, little is known about their roles outside of host defense in nonbarrier tissues. Here, we characterize a highly enriched tissue-resident population of γδ T cells in adipose tissue that regulate age-dependent regulatory T cell (T reg ) expansion and control core body temperature in response to environmental fluctuations. Mechanistically, innate PLZF + γδ T cells produced tumor necrosis factor and interleukin (IL) 17 A and determined PDGFRα + and Pdpn + stromal-cell production of IL-33 in adipose tissue. Mice lacking γδ T cells or IL-17A exhibited decreases in both ST2 + T reg cells and IL-33 abundance in visceral adipose tissue. Remarkably, these mice also lacked the ability to regulate core body temperature at thermoneutrality and after cold challenge. Together, these findings uncover important physiological roles for resident γδ T cells in adipose tissue immune homeostasis and body-temperature control.

Structure of deformed silicon and implications for low cost solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mardesich, N.; Leipold, M. H.; Turner, G. B.; Digges, T. G., Jr.

1978-01-01

The microstructure and minority carrier lifetime of silicon were investigated in uniaxially compressed silicon samples. The objective of the investigation was to determine if it is feasible to produce silicon solar cells from sheet formed by high temperature rolling. The initial structure of the silicon samples ranged from single crystal to fine-grained polycrystals. The samples had been deformed at strain rates of 0.1 to 8.5/sec and temperatures of 1270-1380 C with subsequent annealing at 1270-1380 C. The results suggest that high temperature rolling of silicon to produce sheet for cells of high efficiency is not practical.

Thermoelectrically cooled temperature-gradient apparatus for comparative cell and virus temperature studies.

PubMed

Clark, H F; Kaminski, F; Karzon, D T

1970-05-01

Establishment of a near-linear temperature gradient in an incubator has been accomplished by the application of heat to one terminus of a conducting body, normally a metal bar, and the removal of heat from the other terminus of the conducting body. Such incubators have been complex and unwieldy because of the need for mechanical refrigeration. We have described a simplified temperature gradient incubator which uses thermoelectric module cooling coupled with electric heating. Along the gradient, 20 stations in two parallel rows of 10, each accommodating a 30-ml plastic cell culture flask, were continually monitored by an electronic thermometer, and the temperatures were recorded. By manipulation of two simple potentiometer controls, any temperature gradient between 0 and 50 C could be obtained. Minor deviations which occurred between theoretically perfect and obtained temperature gradients were reproducible and readily measured. The gradient incubator was particularly applicable to (i) simultaneously studying a given biological activity over the entire temperature range supporting the growth of a given cell, virus, or microorganism, or (ii) precisely defining the upper or lower temperature limits of a biological system by 10-point determinations. Preliminary experiments have demonstrated the usefulness of the apparatus in characterizing the temperature limits for growth in vitro of cells of reptilian cell lines. The gradient incubator was also successfully utilized for the characterization of the effect of temperature on the efficiency of plating of amphibian viruses and possible temperature variants of those viruses.

Current density and catalyst-coated membrane resistance distribution of hydro-formed metallic bipolar plate fuel cell short stack with 250 cm2 active area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haase, S.; Moser, M.; Hirschfeld, J. A.; Jozwiak, K.

2016-01-01

An automotive fuel cell with an active area of 250 cm2 is investigated in a 4-cell short stack with a current and temperature distribution device next to the bipolar plate with 560 current and 140 temperature segments. The electrical conductivities of the bipolar plate and gas diffusion layer assembly are determined ex-situ with this current scan shunt module. The applied fuel cell consists of bipolar plates constructed of 75-μm-thick, welded stainless-steel foils and a graphitic coating. The electrical conductivities of the bipolar plate and gas diffusion layer assembly are determined ex-situ with this module with a 6% deviation in in-plane conductivity. The current density distribution is evaluated up to 2.4 A cm-2. The entire cell's investigated volumetric power density is 4.7 kW l-1, and its gravimetric power density is 4.3 kW kg-1 at an average cell voltage of 0.5 V. The current density distribution is determined without influencing the operating cell. In addition, the current density distribution in the catalyst-coated membrane and its effective resistivity distribution with a finite volume discretisation of Ohm's law are evaluated. The deviation between the current density distributions in the catalyst-coated membrane and the bipolar plate is determined.

EMA-qPCR to monitor the efficiency of a closed-coupled solar pasteurization system in reducing Legionella contamination of roof-harvested rainwater.

PubMed

Reyneke, B; Dobrowsky, P H; Ndlovu, T; Khan, S; Khan, W

2016-05-15

Solar pasteurization is effective in reducing the level of indicator organisms in stored rainwater to within drinking water standards. However, Legionella spp. were detected at temperatures exceeding the recommended pasteurization temperatures using polymerase chain reaction assays. The aim of the current study was thus to apply EMA quantitative polymerase chain reaction (EMA-qPCR) to determine whether the Legionella spp. detected were intact cells and therefore possibly viable at pasteurization temperatures >70°C. The BacTiter-Glo™ Microbial Cell Viability Assay was also used to detect the presence of ATP in the tested samples, as ATP indicates the presence of metabolically active cells. Chemical analysis also indicated that all anions and cations were within the respective drinking water guidelines, with the exception of iron (mean: 186.76 μg/L) and aluminium (mean: 188.13 μg/L), which were detected in the pasteurized tank water samples at levels exceeding recommended guidelines. The BacTiter-Glo™ Microbial Cell Viability Assay indicated the presence of viable cells for all pasteurized temperatures tested, with the percentage of ATP (in the form of relative light units) decreasing with increasing temperature [70-79°C (96.7%); 80- 89°C (99.2%); 90-95°C (99.7%)]. EMA-qPCR then indicated that while solar pasteurization significantly reduced (p<0.05) the genomic copy numbers of intact Legionella cells in the pasteurized tank water (~99%), no significant difference (p>0.05) in the mean copy numbers was detected with an increase in the pasteurization temperature, with 6 × 10(3) genomic copies/mL DNA sample obtained at 95°C. As intact Legionella cells were detected in the pasteurized tank water samples, quantitative microbial risk assessment studies need to be conducted to determine the potential health risk associated with using the water for domestic purposes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of processing and dopant on radiation damage removal in silicon solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weinberg, I.; Brandhorst, H. W., Jr.; Swartz, C. K.; Mehta, S.

1982-01-01

Gallium and boron doped silicon solar cells, processed by ion-implantation followed by either laser or furnace anneal were irradiated by 1 MeV electrons and their post-irradiation recovery by thermal annealing determined. During the post-irradiation anneal, gallium-doped cells prepared by both processes recovered more rapidly and exhibited none of the severe reverse annealing observed for similarly processed 2 ohm-cm boron doped cells. Ion-implanted furnace annealed 0.1 ohm-cm boron doped cells exhibited the lowest post-irradiation annealing temperatures (200 C) after irradiation to 5 x 10 to the 13th e(-)/sq cm. The drastically lowered recovery temperature is attributed to the reduced oxygen and carbon content of the 0.1 ohm-cm cells. Analysis based on defect properties and annealing kinetics indicates that further reduction in annealing temperature should be attainable with further reduction in the silicon's carbon and/or divacancy content after irradiation.

Radiation effects in heteroepitaxial InP solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weinberg, I.; Curtis, H. B.; Swartz, C. K.; Brinker, D. J.; Vargas-Aburto, C.

1993-01-01

Heteroepitaxial InP solar cells, with GaAs substrates, were irradiated by 0.5 and 3 MeV protons and their performance, temperature dependency, and carrier removal rates determined as a function of fluence. The radiation resistance of the present cells was significantly greater than that of non-heteroepitaxial InP cells at both proton energies. A clear difference in the temperature dependency of V(sub oc), was observed between heteroepitaxial and homoepitaxial InP cells. The analytically predicted dependence of dV(sub oc)/dT on Voc was confirmed by the fluence dependence of these quantities. Carrier removal was observed to increase with decreasing proton energy. The results obtained for performance and temperature dependency were attributed to the high dislocation densities present in the heteroepitaxial cells while the energy dependence of carrier removal was attributed to the energy dependence of proton range.

Temperature-sensitive mutants of measles virus produced from persistently infected HeLa cells.

PubMed

Armen, R C; Evermann, J F; Truant, A L; Laughlin, C A; Hallum, J V

1977-01-01

A persistent infection with the Edmonston strain of measles virus was established in HeLa cells in the absence of measles virus antibody (HeLaPI cells). By hemadsorption or immunofluoresnce virtually 100 per cent of the cells possessed measles virus components. HeLaPI cells produced no interferon and were not resistant to superinfection with Newcastle disease virus. HeLaPI cells contained both smooth (15--18 nm) and rought (20--35 nm) nucleocapsids as detected by electron microscopy. The virus produced from the HeLaPI cells (MVPI) varied in titer between 1.5 X 10(2) and 5.5 X10(4) PFU/ml, had a smaller plque size and was more heat resistant than wild-type measles virus. MVPI was also found to be temperature-sensitive. The temperature-sensitivity of MVPI was determined by the efficiency of plaquing at 33 degrees and 39 degrees C in Vero cell monolayers. When HeLaPI cells were incubated at 33 degrees C, there was a 50-fold increase in virus production as well as a slight increase in the percentage of cells forming infectious centers compared to HeLaPI cells grown at 37 degrees C. MVPI readily established a persistent infection in HeLa cells which also rleased temperature-sensitive virus.

Carbon dioxide electrolysis with solid oxide electrolyte cells for oxygen recovery in life support systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Isenberg, Arnold O.; Cusick, Robert J.

1988-01-01

The direct electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) is achieved without catalysts and at sufficiently high temperatures to avoid carbon formation. The tubular electrolysis cell consists of thin layers of anode, electrolyte, cathode and cell interconnection. The electrolyte is made from yttria-stabilized zirconia which is an oxygen ion conductor at elevated temperatures. Anode and cell interconnection materials are complex oxides and are electronic conductors. The cathode material is a composite metal-ceramic structure. Cell performance characteristics have been determined using varying feed gas compositions and degrees of electrochemical decomposition. Cell test data are used to project the performance of a three-person CO2-electrolysis breadboard system.

Effect of heat shock and recovery temperature on variability of single cell lag time of Cronobacter turicensis.

PubMed

Xu, Y Zh; Métris, A; Stasinopoulos, D M; Forsythe, S J; Sutherland, J P

2015-02-01

The effect of heat stress and subsequent recovery temperature on the individual cellular lag of Cronobacter turicensis was analysed using optical density measurements. Low numbers of cells were obtained through serial dilution and the time to reach an optical density of 0.035 was determined. Assuming the lag of a single cell follows a shifted Gamma distribution with a fixed shape parameter, the effect of recovery temperature on the individual lag of untreated and sublethally heat treated cells of Cr. turicensis were modelled. It was found that the shift parameter (Tshift) increased asymptotically as the temperature decreased while the logarithm of the scale parameter (θ) decreased linearly with recovery temperature. To test the validity of the model in food, growth of low numbers of untreated and heat treated Cr. turicensis in artificially contaminated infant first milk was measured experimentally and compared with predictions obtained by Monte Carlo simulations. Although the model for untreated cells slightly underestimated the actual growth in first milk at low temperatures, the model for heat treated cells was in agreement with the data derived from the challenge tests and provides a basis for reliable quantitative microbiological risk assessments for Cronobacter spp. in infant milk. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phase equilibrium modeling for high temperature metallization on GaAs solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chung, M. A.; Davison, J. E.; Smith, S. R.

1991-01-01

Recent trends in performance specifications and functional requirements have brought about the need for high temperature metallization technology to be developed for survivable DOD space systems and to enhance solar cell reliability. The temperature constitution phase diagrams of selected binary and ternary systems were reviewed to determine the temperature and type of phase transformation present in the alloy systems. Of paramount interest are the liquid-solid and solid-solid transformations. Data are being utilized to aid in the selection of electrical contact materials to gallium arsenide solar cells. Published data on the phase diagrams for binary systems is readily available. However, information for ternary systems is limited. A computer model is being developed which will enable the phase equilibrium predictions for ternary systems where experimental data is lacking.

Electrolysis cell stimulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gordon, L. H.; Phillips, B. R.; Evangelista, J.

1978-01-01

Computer program represents attempt to understand and model characteristics of electrolysis cells. It allows user to determine how cell efficiency is affected by temperature, pressure, current density, electrolyte concentration, characteristic dimensions, membrane resistance, and electrolyte circulation rate. It also calculates ratio of bubble velocity to electrolyte velocity for anode and cathode chambers.

An investigation of cell growth and detachment from thermoresponsive physically crosslinked networks.

PubMed

Healy, Deirdre; Nash, Maria; Gorleov, Alexander; Thompson, Kerry; Dockery, Peter; Rochev, Yury

2017-11-01

The primary aim of this investigation was to determine the biocompatibility and cell culture potential of a newly designed class of thermoresponsive polymers. The attractiveness of these polymers lies in the fact that they swell rather than dissolve when the temperature is reduced below their respective lower critical solution temperature, due to the incorporation of octadecyl methacrylate (ODMA). The ODMA monomer acts as a physical crosslinker, preventing polymer dissolution upon temperature reduction. Two polymers were studied in this investigation poly(N isorpoylacrylamide (NIPAm)(99.25%)-co-ODMA(0.75%)) and poly(NIPAm(65%)-co-N-tert-butylacrylamide (NtBAm)(34.25%)-co-ODMA(0.75%)). Thin thermoresponsive films of the polymers were prepared via spin coating. 3T3 cells were then seeded on the prepared films and cell viability was assessed quantitatively through cell viability and activity assays and qualitatively by light microscopy. Cells were successfully seeded and grown on the poly(NIPAm-co-ODMA) and poly(NIPAm-co-NtBAm-co-ODMA) copolymer films after film modification with cell adhesion promoters (CAPs). Cell sheets successfully detached from the CAP coated poly(NIPAm-co-ODMA) platforms upon temperature reduction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Role of intracellular freezing in the death of cells cooled at supraoptimal rates. [Preservation of erythrocytes, bone marrow cells, and yeasts by freezing

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

Mazur, P.

1976-01-01

Cooling velocity is one of the major factors that determines whether viable cells can be frozen to temperatures that permit indefinite storage. Cooling either too slowly or too rapidly tends to be damaging. Optimum cooling rates are reported for mouse marrow stem cells, yeast, and human red cells.

Radiation damage annealing mechanisms and possible low temperature annealing in silicon solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weinberg, I.; Swartz, C. K.

1980-01-01

Deep level transient spectroscopy and the Shockley-Read-Hall recombination theory are used to identify the defect responsible for reverse annealing in 2 ohm-cm n+/p silicon solar cells. This defect, with energy level at Ev + 0.30 eV, has been tentatively identified as a boron-oxygen-vacancy complex. It has been also determined by calculation that the removal of this defect could result in significant annealing at temperatures as low as 200 C for 2 ohm-cm and lower resistivity cells.

Neutron diffraction determination of the cell dimensions and thermal expansion of the fluoroperovskite KMgF3 from 293 to 3.6 K

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, Roger H.; Cranswick, Lachlan M. D.; Swainson, Ian

2006-11-01

The cell dimensions of the fluoroperovskite KMgF3 synthesized by solid state methods have been determined by powder neutron diffraction and Rietveld refinement over the temperature range 293 3.6 K using Pt metal as an internal standard for calibration of the neutron wavelength. These data demonstrate conclusively that cubic Pmoverline{3} m KMgF3 does not undergo any phase transitions to structures of lower symmetry with decreasing temperature. Cell dimensions range from 3.9924(2) Å at 293 K to 3.9800(2) Å at 3.6 K, and are essentially constant within experimental error from 50 to 3.6 K. The thermal expansion data are described using a fourth order polynomial function.

A quantitative method for photovoltaic encapsulation system optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garcia, A., III; Minning, C. P.; Cuddihy, E. F.

1981-01-01

It is pointed out that the design of encapsulation systems for flat plate photovoltaic modules requires the fulfillment of conflicting design requirements. An investigation was conducted with the objective to find an approach which will make it possible to determine a system with optimum characteristics. The results of the thermal, optical, structural, and electrical isolation analyses performed in the investigation indicate the major factors in the design of terrestrial photovoltaic modules. For defect-free materials, minimum encapsulation thicknesses are determined primarily by structural considerations. Cell temperature is not strongly affected by encapsulant thickness or thermal conductivity. The emissivity of module surfaces exerts a significant influence on cell temperature. Encapsulants should be elastomeric, and ribs are required on substrate modules. Aluminum is unsuitable as a substrate material. Antireflection coating is required on cell surfaces.

Determination of Critical Parameters Based on the Intensity of Transmitted Light Around Gas-Liquid Interface: Critical Parameters of CO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakayama, Masaki; Katano, Hiroaki; Sato, Haruki

2014-05-01

A precise determination of the critical temperature and density for technically important fluids would be possible on the basis of the digital image for the visual observation of the phase boundary in the vicinity of the critical point since the sensitivity and resolution are higher than those of naked eyes. In addition, the digital image can avoid the personal uncertainty of an observer. A strong density gradient occurs in a sample cell at the critical point due to gravity. It was carefully assessed to determine the critical density, where the density profile in the sample cell can be observed from the luminance profile of a digital image. The density-gradient profile becomes symmetric at the critical point. One of the best fluids, whose thermodynamic properties have been measured with the highest reliability among technically important fluids, would be carbon dioxide. In order to confirm the reliability of the proposed method, the critical temperature and density of carbon dioxide were determined using the digital image. The critical temperature and density values of carbon dioxide are ( and ( kg m, respectively. The critical temperature and density values agree with the existing best values within estimated uncertainties. The reliability of the method was confirmed. The critical pressure, 7.3795 MPa, corresponding to the determined critical temperature of 304.143 K is also proposed. A new set of parameters for the vapor-pressure equation is also provided.

Evaluation program for secondary spacecraft cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harkness, J. D.

1975-01-01

The cycle life tests to determine the performance capabilities of packs of cells under different loads and temperature conditions are reported. Results are summarized, and the failure of 14 failed cells is analyzed. It was found that the main cause of failure was separator deterioration and migration of the negative plate material.

Histological and Finite Element Analysis of Cell Death due to Irreversible Electroporation

PubMed Central

Long, G.; Bakos, G.; Shires, P. K.; Gritter, L.; Crissman, J. W.; Harris, J. L.; Clymer, J. W.

2014-01-01

Irreversible electroporation (IRE) has been shown to be an effective method of killing cells locally. In contrast to radiofrequency ablation, the mechanism by which cells are thought to die via IRE is the creation of pores in cell membranes, without substantial increase in tissue temperature. To determine the degree to which cell death is non-thermal, we evaluated IRE in porcine hepatocytes in vivo. Using pulse widths of 10μs, bursts of 3 kV square-wave pulses were applied through a custom probe to the liver of an anesthetized pig. Affected tissue was evaluated histologically via stainings of hematoxylin & eosin (H&E), nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) to monitor cell respiration and TUNEL to gauge apoptosis. Temperature was measured during the application of electroporation, and heat transfer was modeled via finite element analysis. Cell death was calculated via Arrhenius kinetics. Four distinct zones were observed within the ring return electrode; heat-fixed tissue, coagulation, necrotic, and viable. The Arrhenius damage integral estimated complete cell death only in the first zone, where the temperature exceeded 70°C, and partial or no cell death in the other zones, where maximum temperature was approximately 45°C. Except for a limited area near the electrode tip, cell death in IRE is predominantly due to a non-thermal mechanism. PMID:24000980

Load cell having strain gauges of arbitrary location

DOEpatents

Spletzer, Barry [Albuquerque, NM

2007-03-13

A load cell utilizes a plurality of strain gauges mounted upon the load cell body such that there are six independent load-strain relations. Load is determined by applying the inverse of a load-strain sensitivity matrix to a measured strain vector. The sensitivity matrix is determined by performing a multivariate regression technique on a set of known loads correlated to the resulting strains. Temperature compensation is achieved by configuring the strain gauges as co-located orthogonal pairs.

Survival of Salmonella on refrigerated chicken carcasses and subsequent transfer to cutting board.

PubMed

Jiménez, S M; Tiburzi, M C; Salsi, M S; Moguilevsky, M A; Pirovani, M E

2009-06-01

To determine the effect of refrigeration time and temperature on Salmonella cell numbers on inoculated chicken carcasses and their transfer to a plastic cutting board. The survival of Salmonella on chicken skin and the transfer to a plastic cutting board when exposed to different refrigeration temperatures (2, 6 or 8 degrees C) for 9 days were the two main issues on which this work focused. Two scenarios were carried out to ascertain these effects: carcasses treated with a decontaminating acetic acid solution and untreated carcasses. All of the contaminated carcasses remained contaminated after 9 days of refrigeration. However, on untreated samples, while Salmonella numbers increased almost 1.5 log at 8 degrees C, the pathogen numbers decreased about 1 log at 2 and 6 degrees C. On acid-treated samples, cell numbers slightly decreased at all of the temperatures studied. Temperature did not affect salmonellae transfer to the cutting board, but time did. Acid decontamination increased cell numbers transferred to the cutting board compared with untreated samples. Proper refrigeration at low temperatures did not allow Salmonella numbers to rise, regardless of which carcasses had been, or had not been, acid treated. Despite the fact that the rate of transfer was not affected by temperature, the acid treatment detached Salmonella cells from the chicken skin and, therefore, the probability of greater cross-contamination should be studied further. The results of this study may provide better information about the refrigeration conditions for fresh chicken storage and also determine if these, along with acetic acid decontamination of broiler chicken, would affect the pathogen transfer to a cutting board.

Achieving temperature-size changes in a unicellular organism

PubMed Central

Forster, Jack; Hirst, Andrew G; Esteban, Genoveva F

2013-01-01

The temperature-size rule (TSR) is an intraspecific phenomenon describing the phenotypic plastic response of an organism size to the temperature: individuals reared at cooler temperatures mature to be larger adults than those reared at warmer temperatures. The TSR is ubiquitous, affecting >80% species including uni- and multicellular groups. How the TSR is established has received attention in multicellular organisms, but not in unicells. Further, conceptual models suggest the mechanism of size change to be different in these two groups. Here, we test these theories using the protist Cyclidium glaucoma. We measure cell sizes, along with population growth during temperature acclimation, to determine how and when the temperature-size changes are achieved. We show that mother and daughter sizes become temporarily decoupled from the ratio 2:1 during acclimation, but these return to their coupled state (where daughter cells are half the size of the mother cell) once acclimated. Thermal acclimation is rapid, being completed within approximately a single generation. Further, we examine the impact of increased temperatures on carrying capacity and total biomass, to investigate potential adaptive strategies of size change. We demonstrate no temperature effect on carrying capacity, but maximum supported biomass to decrease with increasing temperature. PMID:22832346

Cell growth and catecholase production for Polyporus versicolor in submerged culture

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

Carroad, P.A.; Wilke, C.R.

1977-04-01

Cell growth and catecholase production for Polyporus versicolor (ATCC 12679) were studied in mechanically agitated submerged culture, as functions of temperature. The exponential-phase growth rate exhibited a maximum at 28/sup 0/C. Over the range of 20/sup 0/C to approximately 30/sup 0/C, both cell mass and enzyme yield factors were constant. At higher temperatures (30 to 40/sup 0/C) cell mass yield factor decreased and enzyme yield factor increased. Specific respiration rate of P. versicolor was determined. Thermal deactivation of catecholase was investigated between 30 and 50/sup 0/C, and deactivation rates were fit to an Arrhenius rate expression.

Monitoring of thermal dose during ablation therapy using quantum dot-mediated fluorescence thermometry.

PubMed

Bensalah, Karim; Tuncel, Altug; Hanson, Willard; Stern, Joshua; Han, Bumsoo; Cadeddu, Jeffrey

2010-12-01

The objective of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of quantum dot (QD)-mediated fluorescence thermometry to monitor thermal dose in an in-vitro thermal ablation zone generated by laser-heated gold nanoshells (LGNS). Hyperthermic cell death of human prostate cancer cell line (PC-3) was determined after various heating settings and correlated to the thermal conditions using an Arrhenius model prior to LGNS ablation. PC-3 cells with gold nanoshells (GNS) and QDs were exposed to a near-infrared laser and QD excitation light. When the cells were heated by GNS, local temperature was measured using the temperature-dependent fluorescence intensity of QDs. Using the predetermined Arrhenius model, the thermal dose (i.e., cell death of PC-3 cells) by LGNS was estimated with local temperatures measured with QD-mediated thermometry. The estimated thermal dose was confirmed with calcein-acetoxy-methylester viability assay. For PC-3 cell line, the activation energy and frequency factor of the Arrhenius model were 86.78 kcal/mol and 6.35 × 10(55) Hz, respectively. During LGNS ablation of PC-3 cells, QD-mediated temperature measurement showed that the temperature of the laser spot increased rapidly to ∼58 °C ± 4 °C. The estimated thermal dose showed that cell death reached to ∼90% in 120 seconds. The death cell zone observed after staining corresponded to a peak area of the temperature profile generated after analysis of the QD fluorescence intensity. This study shows that the QD fluorescence thermometry can accurately monitor the PC-3 cell death by LGNS ablation. This approach holds promises for a better monitoring of thermal ablation procedures in clinical practice.

Chromatin- and temperature-dependent modulation of radiation-induced double-strand breaks.

PubMed

Elmroth, K; Nygren, J; Stenerlöw, B; Hultborn, R

2003-10-01

To investigate the influence of chromatin organization and scavenging capacity in relation to irradiation temperature on the induction of double-strand breaks (DSB) in structures derived from human diploid fibroblasts. Agarose plugs with different chromatin structures (intact cells+/-wortmannin, permeabilized cells with condensed chromatin, nucleoids and DNA) were prepared and irradiated with X-rays at 2 or 37 degrees C and lysed using two different lysis protocols (new ice-cold lysis or standard lysis at 37 degrees C). Induction of DSB was determined by constant-field gel electrophoresis. The dose-modifying factor (DMF(temp)) for irradiation at 37 compared with 2 degrees C was 0.92 in intact cells (i.e. more DSB induced at 2 degrees C), but gradually increased to 1.5 in permeabilized cells, 2.2 in nucleoids and 2.6 in naked DNA, suggesting a role of chromatin organization for temperature modulation of DNA damage. In addition, DMF(temp) was influenced by the presence of 0.1 M DMSO or 30 mM glutathione, but not by post-irradiation temperature. The protective effect of low temperature was correlated to the indirect effects of ionizing radiation and was not dependent on post-irradiation temperature. Reasons for a dose modifying factor <1 in intact cells are discussed.

Effects of microwaves on the colony-forming capacity of haemopoietic stem cells in mice.

PubMed

Rotkovská, D; Vacek, A; Bartonícková, A

1987-01-01

A suspension of bone marrow cells from femurs of female (CBA X C57Bl)F1 mice was exposed to 2450 MHz CW microwaves in a specially designed waveguide exposure system. The temperature of the suspension rose, during exposure to microwaves, from 20 degrees C to 45 degrees C, and at an interval within 20 degrees C to 45 degrees C the number of haemopoietic stem cells (CFUs) was determined by the spleen exocolony method. The time of exposure of bone marrow cells to each temperature studied was 20 s. Control suspensions of bone marrow cells were exposed to a water bath temperature. There were no significant effects of the CFUs with the water bath temperature, while after exposure to microwaves the number of spleen colonies was elevated with a nadir at the temperature of 37 degrees C. With a microwave-induced increase of the temperature above 41 degrees C the number of CFUs in the bone marrow suspension decreased. The increase in the number of colonies was related to the rise in the seeding rate of the CFUs as well as to a rise in their proliferative activity, while the drop in the number of colonies was influenced also by heat-killing of the CFUs by microwave exposure.

Electrolytes for Low-Temperature Operation of Li-CFx Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smart, Marshall C.; Whitacre, Jay F.; Bugga, Ratnakumar V.; Prakash, G. K. Surya; Bhalla, Pooja; Smith, Kiah

2009-01-01

A report describes a study of electrolyte compositions selected as candidates for improving the low-temperature performances of primary electrochemical cells that contain lithium anodes and fluorinated carbonaceous (CFx) cathodes. This study complements the developments reported in Additive for Low-Temperature Operation of Li-(CF)n Cells (NPO- 43579) and Li/CFx Cells Optimized for Low-Temperature Operation (NPO- 43585), which appear elsewhere in this issue of NASA Tech Briefs. Similar to lithium-based electrolytes described in several previous NASA Tech Briefs articles, each of these electrolytes consisted of a lithium salt dissolved in a nonaqueous solvent mixture. Each such mixture consisted of two or more of the following ingredients: propylene carbonate (PC); 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME); trifluoropropylene carbonate; bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) ether; diethyl carbonate; dimethyl carbonate; and ethyl methyl carbonate. The report describes the physical and chemical principles underlying the selection of the compositions (which were not optimized) and presents results of preliminary tests made to determine effects of the compositions upon the low-temperature capabilities of Li-CFx cells, relative to a baseline composition of LiBF4 at a concentration of 1.0 M in a solvent comprising equal volume parts of PC and DME.

Temperature profiles induced by a stationary CW laser beam in a multi-layer structure - Application to solar cell interconnect welding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, J. E.; Ianno, N. J.; Ahmed, A. U.

A three-dimensional heat transfer model for heating of a multilayer structure by a stationary Gaussian CW CO2 laser beam is developed and applied to solar cell interconnect welding. This model takes into account the temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity and diffusivity as well as free carrier absorption of the incident beam in the silicon where appropriate. Finally, the theoretical temperature profiles are used to determine the weld spot size and these values are compared to results obtained from a simple welding experiment, where excellent agreement is obtained.

Interactive effect of warming, nitrogen and phosphorus limitation on phytoplankton cell size

PubMed Central

Peter, Kalista Higini; Sommer, Ulrich

2015-01-01

Cell size is one of the ecologically most important traits of phytoplankton. The cell size variation is frequently related to temperature and nutrient limitation. In order to disentangle the role of both factors, an experiment was conducted to determine the possible interactions of these factors. Baltic Sea water containing the natural plankton community was used. We performed a factorial combined experiment of temperature, type of nutrient limitation (N vs. P), and strength of nutrient limitation. The type of nutrient limitation was manipulated by altering the N:P ratio of the medium (balanced, N and P limitation) and strength by the dilution rate (0% and 50%) of the semicontinuous cultures. The negative effect of temperature on cell size was strongest under N limitation, intermediate under P limitation, and weakest when N and P were supplied at balanced ratios. However, temperature also influenced the intensity of nutrient imitation, because at higher temperature there was a tendency for dissolved nutrient concentrations to be lower, while the C:N or C:P ratio being higher…higher at identical dilution rates and medium composition. Analyzing the response of cell size to C:N ratios (as index of N limitation) and C:P ratios (as index of P limitation) indicated a clear dominance of the nutrient effect over the direct temperature effect, although the temperature effect was also significant. PMID:25798219

Kinetic approach to degradation mechanisms in polymer solar cells and their accurate lifetime predictions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arshad, Muhammad Azeem; Maaroufi, AbdelKrim

2018-07-01

A beginning has been made in the present study regarding the accurate lifetime predictions of polymer solar cells. Certain reservations about the conventionally employed temperature accelerated lifetime measurements test for its unworthiness of predicting reliable lifetimes of polymer solar cells are brought into light. Critical issues concerning the accelerated lifetime testing include, assuming reaction mechanism instead of determining it, and relying solely on the temperature acceleration of a single property of material. An advanced approach comprising a set of theoretical models to estimate the accurate lifetimes of polymer solar cells is therefore suggested in order to suitably alternate the accelerated lifetime testing. This approach takes into account systematic kinetic modeling of various possible polymer degradation mechanisms under natural weathering conditions. The proposed kinetic approach is substantiated by its applications on experimental aging data-sets of polymer solar materials/solar cells including, P3HT polymer film, bulk heterojunction (MDMO-PPV:PCBM) and dye-sensitized solar cells. Based on the suggested approach, an efficacious lifetime determination formula for polymer solar cells is derived and tested on dye-sensitized solar cells. Some important merits of the proposed method are also pointed out and its prospective applications are discussed.

Where is the lithium? Quantitative determination of the lithium distribution in lithium ion battery cells: Investigations on the influence of the temperature, the C-rate and the cell type

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vortmann-Westhoven, Britta; Winter, Martin; Nowak, Sascha

2017-04-01

With lithium being the capacity determining species in lithium-ion battery (LIB) cells, the local quantification is of enormous importance for understanding of the cell performance. The investigation of the lithium distribution in LIB full cells is performed with two different cell types, T-cells of the Swagelok® type and pouch bag cells with lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide and mesocarbon microbead graphite as the active materials as well as a lithium hexafluorophosphate based organic carbonate solvent electrolyte. The lithium content of/at the individual components of the cells is analyzed for different states of charge (SOCs) by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and the lithium distribution as well as the loss of active lithium within the cells is calculated after cycling. With increasing the SOC, the lithium contents decrease in the cathodes and simultaneously increase in the anodes. The temperature increase shows a clear shift of the lithium content in the direction of the anode for the T-cells. The comparison of the C-rate influence shows that the lower the C-rate, the more the lithium content on the electrodes is shifted into the direction of the anode.

Investigations at INRIM on a Pd-C cell manufactured by NPL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battuello, M.; Florio, M.; Machin, G.

2011-10-01

One of a set of metal-carbon eutectic cells (a Pd-C cell, 1765 K) manufactured by NPL and used for a previous comparison of temperature scales with NIST has been investigated at INRIM. There it was implemented in two different furnaces, namely a single- and a three-zone, and measured with a standard radiation thermometer operating at 900 nm and 950 nm. Both ITS-90 and thermodynamic melting temperatures of the cell were determined by means of an extrapolation approach. The thermodynamic temperature differs by only -0.31 K from the NIST value whereas the ITS-90 temperature differs by only -0.46 K from the NPL value. The agreements, within the combined expanded uncertainties, are particularly significant, because of the different approach followed at INRIM, namely the extrapolation of multi-fixed-point scales (n = 3 and n = 4), as compared with a direct radiometric method at NIST and an ITS-90 realization traceable to the gold point at NPL.

The Hydrothermal Diamond Anvil Cell (HDAC) for raman spectroscopic studies of geologic fluids at high pressures and temperatures

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schmidt, Christian; Chou, I-Ming; Dubessy, Jean; Caumon, Marie-Camille; Pérez, Fernando Rull

2012-01-01

In this chapter, we describe the hydrothermal diamond-anvil cell (HDAC), which is specifically designed for experiments on systems with aqueous fluids to temperatures up to ⬚~1000ºC and pressures up to a few GPa to tens of GPa. This cell permits optical observation of the sample and the in situ determination of properties by ‘photon-in photon-out’ techniques such as Raman spectroscopy. Several methods for pressure measurement are discussed in detail including the Raman spectroscopic pressure sensors a-quartz, berlinite, zircon, cubic boron nitride (c-BN), and 13C-diamond, the fluorescence sensors ruby (α-Al2O3:Cr3+), Sm:YAG (Y3Al5O12:Sm3+) and SrB4O7:Sm2+, and measurements of phase-transition temperatures. Furthermore, we give an overview of published Raman spectroscopic studies of geological fluids to high pressures and temperatures, in which diamond anvil cells were applied.

Chapter 7: The hydrothermal diamond anvil cell (HDAC) for Raman spectroscopic studies of geological fluids at high pressures and temperatures

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schmidt, Christian; Chou, I-Ming; Dubessy, J.; Caumon, M.-C.; Rull, F.

2012-01-01

In this chapter, we describe the hydrothermal diamond-anvil cell (HDAC), which is specifically designed for experiments on systems with aqueous fluids to temperatures up to ~1000ºC and pressures up to a few GPa to tens of GPa. This cell permits optical observation of the sample and the in situ determination of properties by ‘photon-in photon-out’ techniques such as Raman spectroscopy. Several methods for pressure measurement are discussed in detail including the Raman spectroscopic pressure sensors a-quartz, berlinite, zircon, cubic boron nitride (c-BN), and 13C-diamond, the fluorescence sensors ruby (α-Al2O3:Cr3+), Sm:YAG (Y3Al5O12:Sm3+) and SrB4O7:Sm2+, and measurements of phase-transition temperatures. Furthermore, we give an overview of published Raman spectroscopic studies of geological fluids to high pressures and temperatures, in which diamond anvil cells were applied.

Photothermal damage is correlated to the delivery rate of time-integrated temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denton, Michael L.; Noojin, Gary D.; Gamboa, B. Giovanna; Ahmed, Elharith M.; Rockwell, Benjamin A.

2016-03-01

Photothermal damage rate processes in biological tissues are usually characterized by a kinetics approach. This stems from experimental data that show how the transformation of a specified biological property of cells or biomolecule (plating efficiency for viability, change in birefringence, tensile strength, etc.) is dependent upon both time and temperature. However, kinetic methods require determination of kinetic rate constants and knowledge of substrate or product concentrations during the reaction. To better understand photothermal damage processes we have identified temperature histories of cultured retinal cells receiving minimum lethal thermal doses for a variety of laser and culture parameters. These "threshold" temperature histories are of interest because they inherently contain information regarding the fundamental thermal dose requirements for damage in individual cells. We introduce the notion of time-integrated temperature (Tint) as an accumulated thermal dose (ATD) with units of °C s. Damaging photothermal exposure raises the rate of ATD accumulation from that of the ambient (e.g. 37 °C) to one that correlates with cell death (e.g. 52 °C). The degree of rapid increase in ATD (ΔATD) during photothermal exposure depends strongly on the laser exposure duration and the ambient temperature.

Temperature Sensitivity of an Atomic Vapor Cell-Based Dispersion-Enhanced Optical Cavity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myneni, K.; Smith, D. D.; Chang, H.; Luckay, H. A.

2015-01-01

Enhancement of the response of an optical cavity to a change in optical path length, through the use of an intracavity fast-light medium, has previously been demonstrated experimentally and described theoretically for an atomic vapor cell as the intracavity resonant absorber. This phenomenon may be used to enhance both the scale factor and sensitivity of an optical cavity mode to the change in path length, e.g. in gyroscopic applications. We study the temperature sensitivity of the on-resonant scale factor enhancement, S(sub o), due to the thermal sensitivity of the lower-level atom density in an atomic vapor cell, specifically for the case of the Rb-87 D(sub 2) transition. A semi-empirical model of the temperature-dependence of the absorption profile, characterized by two parameters, a(sub o)(T) and gamma(sub a)(T) allows the temperature-dependence of the cavity response, S(sub o)(T) and dS(sub o)/dT to be predicted over a range of temperature. We compare the predictions to experiment. Our model will be useful in determining the useful range for S(sub o), given the practical constraints on temperature stability for an atomic vapor cell.

Role of Hsp-70 responses in cold acclimation of HUVEC-12 cells.

PubMed

Guan, Hao; Hu, Dahai; Zhao, Zhijing; Cai, Weixia; Zhou, Qin; Yang, Ximing; Yan, Ying; Zhu, Xiongxiang

2015-01-01

Endothelial recovery is a central feature of tissues after frostbite injuries. Thermo tolerance plays an important role in protecting cells against injury after frozen and thawing. The present study aimed to quantitatively assess the injury of human umbilical vein endothelial cells HUVEC-12 after repeated low temperature. Pretreatments (HUVEC-12) cells were repeatedly exposed to cold (1°C/min decrement to -20°C). Their proliferation, death, apoptosis, and protein and mRNA expressions of HSP70 were determined. Endothelial cells after repeated cold exposures were more resistant to apoptosis and necrosis than normal cells. The expressions of HSP70 in cells after repeated cold exposures were significantly higher than in normal HUVEC-12 cells (P < 0.05). Cold acclimation may induce the expression of HSP-70 which plays a protective role in the temperature tolerance.

Measurements of the fundamental thermodynamic parameters of Li/BCX and Li/SOCl2 cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalu, E. E.; White, R. E.; Darcy, E. C.

1992-01-01

Two experimental techniques - equilibrium or reversible cell discharge and measurement of open circuit potential as a function of temperature - are used to determine the thermodynamic data needed to estimate the heat generation characteristics of Li/BCX and Li/SOCl2 cells. The results obtained showed that the reversible cell potential, the temperature dependence of the reversible cell potential, and the thermoneutral potential of the BCX cell were 3.74 V, -0.857 +/- 0.198 mV/K, and 3.994 +/- 0.0603 V, respectively. The respective values obtained for the Li/SOCl2 cell were 3.67 V, -0.776 +/- 0.255 mV/K, and 3.893 +/- 0.0776 V. The difference between the thermoneutral potential of Li/BCX and Li/SCl2 cells is attributable to the difference in their electroactive components.

Toward Optimal Cryopreservation and Storage for Achievement of High Cell Recovery and Maintenance of Cell Viability and T Cell Functionality.

PubMed

Angel, Stephanie; von Briesen, Hagen; Oh, Young-Joo; Baller, Marko K; Zimmermann, Heiko; Germann, Anja

2016-12-01

Cryopreservation of biological materials such as cells, tissues, and organs is a prevailing topic of high importance. It is employed not only in many research fields but also in the clinical area. Cryopreservation is of great importance for reproductive medicine and clinical studies, as well as for the development of vaccines. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are commonly used in vaccine research where comparable and reliable results between different research institutions and laboratories are of high importance. Whereas freezing and thawing processes are well studied, controlled, and standardized, storage conditions are often disregarded. To close this gap, we investigated the influence of suboptimal storage conditions during low-temperature storage on PBMC viability, recovery, and T cell functionality. For this purpose, PBMCs were isolated and exposed with help of a robotic system in a low-temperature environment from 0 up to 350 temperature fluctuation cycles in steps of 50 cycles to simulate storage conditions in large biorepositories with sample storage, removal, and sorting functions. After the simulation, the viability, recovery, and T cell functionality were analyzed to determine the number of temperature rises, which ultimately lead to significant cell damage. All studied parameters decreased with increasing number of temperature cycles. Sometimes after as little as only 50 temperature cycles, a significant effect was observed. These results are very important for all fields in which cell cryopreservation is employed, particularly for clinical and multicenter studies wherein the comparability and reproducibility of results play a crucial role. To obtain reliable results and to maintain the quality of the cells, not only the freezing and thawing processes but also the storage conditions should be controlled and standardized, and any deviations should be documented.

Solid Polymer Electrolyte (SPE) fuel cell technology program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

Many previously demonstrated improved fuel cell features were consolidated to (1) obtain a better understanding of the observed characteristics of the operating laboratory-sized cells; (2) evaluate appropriate improved fuel cell features in 0.7 sq ft cell hardware; and (3) study the resultant fuel cell capability and determine its impact on various potential fuel cell space missions. The observed performance characteristics of the fuel cell at high temperatures and high current densities were matched with a theoretical model based on the change in Gibbs free energy voltage with respect to temperature and internal resistance change with current density. Excellent agreement between the observed and model performance was obtained. The observed performance decay with operational time on cells with very low noble metal loadings (0.05 mg/sq cm) were shown to be related to loss in surface area. Cells with the baseline amount of noble catalyst electrode loading demonstrated over 40,000 hours of stable performance.

Carbon Solubility in Metallic Iron and Melting Relations in the Fe-C System at High Pressure and Temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y.; Fei, Y.

2006-05-01

Carbon has been proposed to be one of the light elements in the Earth's core. Knowledge of phase relations in the Fe-C system at high pressure and temperature is needed to understand the carbon content in the core and its effect on the physical properties and the temperature of the core. Experimental data in this system at high pressure and temperature are limited. In this study we report new experimental data on melting relations up to 25 GPa. The experiments were performed using piston-cylinder and multi-anvil devices at the Geophysical Laboratory. Mixtures of fine power of pure iron and graphite with different carbon content were prepared as starting materials. The starting materials were loaded into MgO capsules and then compressed to the desired pressures, using various high-pressure cell assemblies that have been calibrated at high pressure. High temperatures were achieved using either graphite heater (<6 GPa) or rhenium heater at higher pressures and measured with a tungsten-rhenium thermocouple. Melting relations were determined with a JEOL JXA-8900 electron microprobe, based on quench textures and chemical composition of the quenched phases. Powder X- ray diffraction technique was also used to identify phases and determine unit cell parameters. A positive slope between the solubility of carbon in metallic iron and pressure was found at elevated temperatures. The eutectic temperature increases with increasing pressure. The liquidus temperature determined in this study is significantly lower than the calculated value in previous study. Our study presents directly experimental measurements of the melting relations in the Fe-C system at high pressure and temperature, which provides better constraints on composition and temperature of the Earth's core.

The evaporative function of cockroach hygroreceptors.

PubMed

Tichy, Harald; Kallina, Wolfgang

2013-01-01

Insect hygroreceptors associate as antagonistic pairs of a moist cell and a dry cell together with a cold cell in small cuticular sensilla on the antennae. The mechanisms by which the atmospheric humidity stimulates the hygroreceptive cells remain elusive. Three models for humidity transduction have been proposed in which hygroreceptors operate either as mechanical hygrometers, evaporation detectors or psychrometers. Mechanical hygrometers are assumed to respond to the relative humidity, evaporation detectors to the saturation deficit and psychrometers to the temperature depression (the difference between wet-bulb and dry-bulb temperatures). The models refer to different ways of expressing humidity. This also means, however, that at different temperatures these different types of hygroreceptors indicate very different humidity conditions. The present study tested the adequacy of the three models on the cockroach's moist and dry cells by determining whether the specific predictions about the temperature-dependence of the humidity responses are indeed observed. While in previous studies stimulation consisted of rapid step-like humidity changes, here we changed humidity slowly and continuously up and down in a sinusoidal fashion. The low rates of change made it possible to measure instantaneous humidity values based on UV-absorption and to assign these values to the hygroreceptive sensillum. The moist cell fitted neither the mechanical hygrometer nor the evaporation detector model: the temperature dependence of its humidity responses could not be attributed to relative humidity or to saturation deficit, respectively. The psychrometer model, however, was verified by the close relationships of the moist cell's response with the wet-bulb temperature and the dry cell's response with the dry-bulb temperature. Thus, the hygroreceptors respond to evaporation and the resulting cooling due to the wetness or dryness of the air. The drier the ambient air (absolutely) and the higher the temperature, the greater the evaporative temperature depression and the power to desiccate.

The Effect of Electrolyte Additives upon the Lithium Kinetics of Li-Ion Cells Containing MCMB and LiNi(x)Co(1-x)O2 Electrodes and Exposed to High Temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smart, M. C.; Ratnakumar, B. V.; Gozdz, A. S.; Mani, S.

2009-01-01

With the intent of improving the performance of lithium-ion cells at high temperatures, we have investigated the use of a number of electrolyte additives in experimental MCMB- Li(x)Ni(y)Co(1-y)O2 cells, which were exposed to temperatures as high as 80 C. In the present work, we have evaluated the use of a number of additives, namely vinylene carbonate (VC), dimethyl acetamide (DMAc), and mono-fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC), in an electrolyte solution anticipated to perform well at warm temperature (i.e., 1.0M LiPF6 in EC+EMC (50:50 v/v %). In addition, we have explored the use of novel electrolyte additives, namely lithium oxalate and lithium tetraborate. In addition to determining the capacity and power losses at various temperatures sustained as a result of high temperature cycling (cycling performed at 60 and 80 C), the three-electrode MCMB-Li(x)Ni(y)Co(1-y)O2 cells (lithium reference) enabled us to study the impact of high temperature storage upon the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) film characteristics on carbon anodes (MCMB-based materials), metal oxide cathodes, and the subsequent impact upon electrode kinetics.

Predict the glass transition temperature of glycerol-water binary cryoprotectant by molecular dynamic simulation.

PubMed

Li, Dai-Xi; Liu, Bao-Lin; Liu, Yi-shu; Chen, Cheng-lung

2008-04-01

Vitrification is proposed to be the best way for the cryopreservation of organs. The glass transition temperature (T(g)) of vitrification solutions is a critical parameter of fundamental importance for cryopreservation by vitrification. The instruments that can detect the thermodynamic, mechanical and dielectric changes of a substance may be used to determine the glass transition temperature. T(g) is usually measured by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). In this study, the T(g) of the glycerol-aqueous solution (60%, wt/%) was determined by isothermal-isobaric molecular dynamic simulation (NPT-MD). The software package Discover in Material Studio with the Polymer Consortium Force Field (PCFF) was used for the simulation. The state parameters of heat capacity at constant pressure (C(p)), density (rho), amorphous cell volume (V(cell)) and specific volume (V(specific)) and radial distribution function (rdf) were obtained by NPT-MD in the temperature range of 90-270K. These parameters showed a discontinuity at a specific temperature in the plot of state parameter versus temperature. The temperature at the discontinuity is taken as the simulated T(g) value for glycerol-water binary solution. The T(g) values determined by simulation method were compared with the values in the literatures. The simulation values of T(g) (160.06-167.51K) agree well with the DSC results (163.60-167.10K) and the DMA results (159.00K). We drew the conclusion that molecular dynamic simulation (MDS) is a potential method for investigating the glass transition temperature (T(g)) of glycerol-water binary cryoprotectants and may be used for other vitrification solutions.

Cyclic performance tests of Sn/MWCNT composite lithium ion battery anodes at different temperatures

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

Tocoglu, U., E-mail: utocoglu@sakarya.edu.tr; Cevher, O.; Akbulut, H.

In this study tin-multi walled carbon nanotube (Sn-MWCNT) lithium ion battery anodes were produced and their electrochemical galvanostatic charge/discharge tests were conducted at various (25 °C, 35 °C, 50 °C) temperatures to determine the cyclic behaviors of anode at different temperatures. Anodes were produced via vacuum filtration and DC magnetron sputtering technique. Tin was sputtered onto buckypapers to form composite structure of anodes. SEM analysis was conducted to determine morphology of buckypapers and Sn-MWCNT composite anodes. Structural and phase analyses were conducted via X-ray diffraction and Raman Spectroscopy technique. CR2016 coin cells were assembled for electrochemical tests. Cyclic voltammetry testmore » were carried out to determine the reversibility of reactions between anodes and reference electrode between 0.01-2.0 V potential window. Galvanostatic charge/discharge tests were performed to determine cycle performance of anodes at different temperatures.« less

Study of immobilized and extracellular saccharase of watermelon.

PubMed

Stano, Ján; Siekel, Peter; Micieta, Karol; Barth, Alfred

2006-01-01

A simple, rapid and reproducible procedure for the identification and determination of extracellular saccharase from culture medium of watermelon cell suspension cultures is described. The culture medium (without cells) was used for the identification and determination of extracellular enzyme activity. Intracellular activity was estimated from the cell suspension. Watermelon cell suspension was permeabilized by Tween 80 and immobilized by glutaraldehyde. The highest saccharase activity was at pH 4.6 at a temperature of 50 degrees C. The hydrolysis of substrate was linear 5h after reaching 60% conversion. The cells had high saccharase activity and good stability, and in long-term storage they showed convenient physico-mechanical properties.

Comprehensive silicon solar-cell computer modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lamorte, M. F.

1984-01-01

A comprehensive silicon solar cell computer modeling scheme was developed to perform the following tasks: (1) model and analysis of the net charge distribution in quasineutral regions; (2) experimentally determined temperature behavior of Spire Corp. n+pp+ solar cells where n+-emitter is formed by ion implantation of 75As or 31P; and (3) initial validation results of computer simulation program using Spire Corp. n+pp+ cells.

Single-cell analysis of S. cerevisiae growth recovery after a sublethal heat-stress applied during an alcoholic fermentation.

PubMed

Tibayrenc, Pierre; Preziosi-Belloy, Laurence; Ghommidh, Charles

2011-06-01

Interest in bioethanol production has experienced a resurgence in the last few years. Poor temperature control in industrial fermentation tanks exposes the yeast cells used for this production to intermittent heat stress which impairs fermentation efficiency. Therefore, there is a need for yeast strains with improved tolerance, able to recover from such temperature variations. Accordingly, this paper reports the development of methods for the characterization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae growth recovery after a sublethal heat stress. Single-cell measurements were carried out in order to detect cell-to-cell variability. Alcoholic batch fermentations were performed on a defined medium in a 2 l instrumented bioreactor. A rapid temperature shift from 33 to 43 °C was applied when ethanol concentration reached 50 g l⁻¹. Samples were collected at different times after the temperature shift. Single cell growth capability, lag-time and initial growth rate were determined by monitoring the growth of a statistically significant number of cells after agar medium plating. The rapid temperature shift resulted in an immediate arrest of growth and triggered a progressive loss of cultivability from 100 to 0.0001% within 8 h. Heat-injured cells were able to recover their growth capability on agar medium after a lag phase. Lag-time was longer and more widely distributed as the time of heat exposure increased. Thus, lag-time distribution gives an insight into strain sensitivity to heat-stress, and could be helpful for the selection of yeast strains of technological interest.

INDUCTION OF AN ESTROGEN-RESPONSIVE REPORTER GENE IN RAINBOW TROUT HEPATOMA CELLS (RTH 149) AT 11 OR 18 DEGREES C

EPA Science Inventory

A reporter gene assay in a cultured rainbow trout cell line was used to determine the influence of temperature on the expression of an estrogen-responsive gene. Rainbow trout hepatoma cells (RTH 149) incubated at 11 or 18 degrees C were co-transfected with an estrogen-responsive ...

Kinetics and thermodynamics of chemical reactions in Li/SOCl2 cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansen, Lee D.; Frank, Harvey

1987-01-01

Work is described that was designed to determine the kinetic constants necessary to extrapolate kinetic data on Li/SOCl2 cells over the temperature range from 25 to 75 C. A second objective was to characterize as far as possible the chemical reactions that occur in the cells since these reactions may be important in understanding the potential hazards of these cells. The kinetics of the corrosion processes in undischarged Li/SOCl2 cells were determined and separated according to their occurrence at the anode and cathode; the effects that switching the current on and off has on the corrosion reactions was determined; and the effects of discharge state on the kinetics of the corrosion process were found. A thermodynamic analysis of the current-producing reactions in the cell was done and is included.

Influence of epidemiological factors on the bioherbicidal efficacy of a Xanthomonas capestris isolate on common cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Greenhouse and controlled-environment studies were conducted to determine the effects of incubation temperature, dew period temperature and duration, plant growth stage, and cell concentration on the bioherbicidal efficacy of a highly virulent isolate (LVA987) of the bacterial pathogen, Xanthomonas ...

Performance of Wide Operating Temperature Range Electrolytes in Quallion Prototype Li-Ion Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smart, M. C.; Ratnakumar, B. V.; Tomcsi, M. R.; Nagata, M.; Visco, V.; Tsukamoto, H.

2010-01-01

For a number of applications, there is a continued interest in the development of rechargeable lithium-based batteries that can effectively operate over a wide temperature range (i.e., -40 to +70 deg C). These applications include powering future planetary rovers for NASA, enabling the next generation of automotive batteries for DOE, and supporting many DOD applications. Li-ion technology has been demonstrated to have good performance over a reasonably wide temperature range with many systems; however, there is still a desire to improve the low temperature rate capacity as well as the high temperature resilience. In the current study, we would like to present recent results obtained with prototype Li-Ion cells (manufactured by Quallion, LLC) which include various wide operating temperature range electrolytes developed by both JPL and Quallion. To demonstrate the viability of the technology, a number of performance tests were carried out, including: (a) discharge rate characterization over a wide temperature range (down to -60 deg C) using various rates (up to 20C rates), (b) discharge rate characterization at low temperatures with low temperature charging, (c) variable temperature cycling over a wide temperature range (-40 to +70 deg C), and (d) cycling at high temperature (50 deg C). As will be discussed, impressive rate capability was observed at low temperatures with many systems, as well as good resilience to high temperature cycling. To augment the performance testing on the prototype cells, a number of experimental three electrodes cells were fabricated (including Li reference electrodes) to allow the determination of the lithium kinetics of the respective electrodes and interfacial properties as a function of temperatures.

Evaluating Temperature Changes of Brain Tissue Due to Induced Heating of Cell Phone Waves.

PubMed

Forouharmajd, Farhad; Pourabdian, Siamak; Ebrahimi, Hossein

2018-01-01

Worries have recently been increased in the absorption of radiofrequency waves and their destructing effects on human health by increasing use of cell phones (mobile phones). This study performed to determine the thermal changes due to mobile phone radio frequency waves in gray and white brain tissue. This study is an empirical study, where the thermal changes of electromagnetic waves resulted from cell phones (900 MHZ, specific absorption rate for head 1.18 w/kg) on the 15 brain tissue of a cow were analyzed in a compartment with three different thickness of 2 mm, 12 mm, and 22 mm, for 15 min. The Lutron thermometer (model: MT-917) with 0.01°C precision was used for measuring the tissue temperature. For each thickness was measured three times. Data analysis is done by Lutron and MATLAB software packages. In confronting of the tissue with the cell phone, the temperature was increased by 0.53°C in the 2 mm thickness that is the gray matter of the brain, increased by 0.99°C in the 12 mm thickness, and also increased by 0.92°C in the 22 mm thickness. Brain temperature showed higher rates than the base temperature after 15 min of confrontation with cell phone waves in all the three thicknesses. Cell phone radiated radio frequency waves were effective on increasing brain tissue temperature, and this temperature increase has cumulative effect on the tissue, being higher, for some time after the confrontation than the time with no confrontation.

Evaluating Temperature Changes of Brain Tissue Due to Induced Heating of Cell Phone Waves

PubMed Central

Forouharmajd, Farhad; Pourabdian, Siamak; Ebrahimi, Hossein

2018-01-01

Background: Worries have recently been increased in the absorption of radiofrequency waves and their destructing effects on human health by increasing use of cell phones (mobile phones). This study performed to determine the thermal changes due to mobile phone radio frequency waves in gray and white brain tissue. Methods: This study is an empirical study, where the thermal changes of electromagnetic waves resulted from cell phones (900 MHZ, specific absorption rate for head 1.18 w/kg) on the 15 brain tissue of a cow were analyzed in a compartment with three different thickness of 2 mm, 12 mm, and 22 mm, for 15 min. The Lutron thermometer (model: MT-917) with 0.01°C precision was used for measuring the tissue temperature. For each thickness was measured three times. Data analysis is done by Lutron and MATLAB software packages. Results: In confronting of the tissue with the cell phone, the temperature was increased by 0.53°C in the 2 mm thickness that is the gray matter of the brain, increased by 0.99°C in the 12 mm thickness, and also increased by 0.92°C in the 22 mm thickness. Brain temperature showed higher rates than the base temperature after 15 min of confrontation with cell phone waves in all the three thicknesses. Conclusions: Cell phone radiated radio frequency waves were effective on increasing brain tissue temperature, and this temperature increase has cumulative effect on the tissue, being higher, for some time after the confrontation than the time with no confrontation. PMID:29861880

Accurate experimental determination of the isotope effects on the triple point temperature of water. II. Combined dependence on the 18O and 17O abundances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faghihi, V.; Kozicki, M.; Aerts-Bijma, A. T.; Jansen, H. G.; Spriensma, J. J.; Peruzzi, A.; Meijer, H. A. J.

2015-12-01

This paper is the second of two articles on the quantification of isotope effects on the triple point temperature of water. In this second article, we address the combined effects of 18O and 17O isotopes. We manufactured five triple point cells with waters with 18O and 17O abundances exceeding widely the natural abundance range while maintaining their natural 18O/17O relationship. The 2H isotopic abundance was kept close to that of VSMOW (Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water). These cells realized triple point temperatures ranging between  -220 μK to 1420 μK with respect to the temperature realized by a triple point cell filled with VSMOW. Our experiment allowed us to determine an accurate and reliable value for the newly defined combined 18, 17O correction parameter of AO  =  630 μK with a combined uncertainty of 10 μK. To apply this correction, only the 18O abundance of the TPW needs to be known (and the water needs to be of natural origin). Using the results of our two articles, we recommend a correction equation along with the coefficient values for isotopic compositions differing from that of VSMOW and compare the effect of this new equation on a number of triple point cells from the literature and from our own institute. Using our correction equation, the uncertainty in the isotope correction for triple point cell waters used around the world will be  <1 μK.

The influence of a surface tension minimum on the convective motion of a fluid in microgravity (D1 mission results)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Limbourg, M. C.; Legros, J. C.; Petre, G.

The experiment STEM (Surface Tension Minimum) was performed in an experimental cell integrated in the FMP (Fluid Physics Module) during the D1 mission of Spacelab. The observation volume (1×2×3) cm3 was constituted by a stainless steel frame and by two optical Pyrex windows. It was fixed on the front disk of the FPM. The cell was filled under microgravity conditions by an aqueous solution of n-heptanol 6,04 10-3 molal. At equilibrium this system presents a minimum of surface tension as a function of temperature around 40°C. The fluid was heated from the front disk side of the cell. A temperature difference of 35°C was maintained between two opposite sides of the cell, by using the large heat capacity of a water reservoir in thermal contact with the cold side of the cell. The thermal gradient was parallel to the liquid/gas interface. The motions of the fluid were recorded on video-tapes and the velocities were determined by following latex particles used as tracers. The convective pattern is analysed and compared with ground experiments. In this case the tracer trajectories allow to determine the convective patterns and the velocities are determined by laser doppler anemometry.

Influence of temperature on the aging behavior of 18650-type lithium ion cells: A comprehensive approach combining electrochemical characterization and post-mortem analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friesen, Alex; Mönnighoff, Xaver; Börner, Markus; Haetge, Jan; Schappacher, Falko M.; Winter, Martin

2017-02-01

The understanding of the aging behavior of lithium ion batteries in automotive and energy storage applications is essential for the acceptance of the technology. Therefore, aging experiments were conducted on commercial 18650-type state-of-the-art cells to determine the influence of the temperature during electrochemical cycling on the aging behavior of the different cell components. The cells, based on Li(Ni0.5Co0.2Mn0.3)O2 (NCM532)/graphite, were aged at 20 °C and 45 °C to different states of health. The electrochemical performance of the investigated cells shows remarkable differences depending on the cycling temperature. At contrast to the expected behavior, the cells cycled at 45 °C show a better electrochemical performance over lifetime than the cells cycled at 20 °C. Comprehensive post-mortem analyses revealed the main aging mechanisms, showing a complex interaction between electrodes and electrolyte. The main aging mechanisms of the cells cycled at 45 °C differ strongly at contrast to cells cycled at 20 °C. A strong correlation between the formed SEI, the electrolyte composition and the electrochemical performance over lifetime was observed.

Effects of Environmental Estrogen on Apoptosis in Normal and Cancerous Breast Epithelial Cells

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-05-01

temperature. The cell debris was then pelleted by centrifugation at 15000g for 5 min. The cell extracts were normalized for protein concentration using...the Bio-Rad Reagent following the supplied protocol (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Hercules, CA). For ß- galactosidase assays, the cell extract was placed...galactosidase activity of each reaction was measured at an absorbance of 420 nM. Luciferase activity for the cell extracts were determined using

Performance Demonstration of Mcmb-LiNiCoO2 Cells Containing Electrolytes Designed for Wide Operating Temperature Range

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smart, M. C.; Ratnakumar, B. V.; Whicanack, L. D.; Smith, K. A.; Santee, S.; Puglia, F. J.; Gitzendanner, R.

2009-01-01

With the intent of improving the performance of Li-ion cells over a wide operating temperature range, we have investigated the use of co-solvents to improve the properties of electrolyte formulations. In the current study, we have focused upon evaluating promising electrolytes which have been incorporated into large capacity (7 Ah) prototype Li-ion cells, fabricated by Yardney Technical Products, Inc. The electrolytes selected for performance evaluation include the use of a number of esters as co-solvents, including methyl propionate (MP), ethyl propionate (EP), ethyl butyrate (EB), propyl butyrate (PB), and 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl butyrate (TFEB). The performance of the prototype cells containing the ester-based electrolytes was compared with an extensive data base generated on cells containing previously developed all carbonate-based electrolytes. A number of performance tests were performed, including determining (i) the discharge rate capacity over a wide range of temperatures, (ii) the charge characteristics, (iii) the cycle life characteristics under various conditions, and (iv) the impedance characteristics.

Aluminum and temperature alteration of cell membrane permeability of Quercus rubra

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

Junping Chen; Sucoff, E.I.; Stadelmann, E.J.

1991-06-01

Al toxicity is the major factor limiting plant growth in acid soils. This report extends research on Al-induced changes in membrane behavior of intact root cortex cells of Northern red oak (Quercus rubra). Membrane permeability was determined by the plasmometric method for individual intact cells at temperatures from 2 or 4 to 35 C. Al (0.37 millimolar) significantly increased membrane permeability to urea and monoethyl urea and decreased permeability to water. Al significantly altered the activation energy required to transport water (+ 32%), urea (+ 9%), and monoethyl urea ({minus}7%) across cell membranes. Above 9 C, Al increased the lipidmore » partiality of the cell membranes; below 7 C, Al decreased it. Al narrowed by 6 C the temperature range over which plasmolysis occurred without membrane damage. These changes in membrane behavior are explainable if Al reduced membrane lipid fluidity and kink frequency and increases packing density and the occurrence of straight lipid chains.« less

Simulation of an active cooling system for photovoltaic modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdelhakim, Lotfi

2016-06-01

Photovoltaic cells are devices that convert solar radiation directly into electricity. However, solar radiation increases the photovoltaic cells temperature [1] [2]. The temperature has an influence on the degradation of the cell efficiency and the lifetime of a PV cell. This work reports on a water cooling technique for photovoltaic panel, whereby the cooling system was placed at the front surface of the cells to dissipate excess heat away and to block unwanted radiation. By using water as a cooling medium for the photovoltaic solar cells, the overheating of closed panel is greatly reduced without prejudicing luminosity. The water also acts as a filter to remove a portion of solar spectrum in the infrared band but allows transmission of the visible spectrum most useful for the PV operation. To improve the cooling system efficiency and electrical efficiency, uniform flow rate among the cooling system is required to ensure uniform distribution of the operating temperature of the PV cells. The aims of this study are to develop a 3D thermal model to simulate the cooling and heat transfer in Photovoltaic panel and to recommend a cooling technique for the PV panel. The velocity, pressure and temperature distribution of the three-dimensional flow across the cooling block were determined using the commercial package, Fluent. The second objective of this work is to study the influence of the geometrical dimensions of the panel, water mass flow rate and water inlet temperature on the flow distribution and the solar panel temperature. The results obtained by the model are compared with experimental results from testing the prototype of the cooling device.

Electrocatalysis of fuel cell reactions: Investigation of alternate electrolytes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chin, D. T.; Hsueh, K. L.; Chang, H. H.

1984-01-01

Oxygen reduction and transport properties of the electrolyte in the phosphoric acid fuel cell are studied. The areas covered were: (1) development of a theoretical expression for the rotating ring disk electrode technique; (2) determination of the intermediate reaction rate constants for oxygen reduction on platinum in phosphoric acid electrolyte; (3) determination of oxygen reduction mechanism in trifluoreomethanesulfonic acid (TFMSA) which was considered as an alternate electrolyte for the acid fuel cells; and (4) the measurement of transport properties of the phosphoric acid electrolyte at high concentrations and temperatures.

Phase relations of Fe Ni alloys at high pressure and temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, Wendy L.; Campbell, Andrew J.; Heinz, Dion L.; Shen, Guoyin

2006-04-01

Using a diamond anvil cell and double-sided laser-heating coupled with synchrotron X-ray diffraction, we determined phase relations for three compositions of Fe-rich FeNi alloys in situ at high pressure and high temperature. We studied Fe with 5, 15, and 20 wt.% Ni to 55, 62, and 72 GPa, respectively, at temperatures up to ˜3000 K. Ni stabilizes the face-centered cubic phase to lower temperatures and higher pressure, and this effect increases with increasing pressure. Extrapolation of our experimental results for Fe with 15 wt.% Ni suggests that the stable phase at inner core conditions is hexagonal close packed, although if the temperature at the inner core boundary is higher than ˜6400 K, a two phase outer region may also exist. Comparison to previous laser-heated diamond anvil cell studies demonstrates the importance of kinetics even at high temperatures.

A mid-infrared laser absorption sensor for carbon monoxide and temperature measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanderover, Jeremy

A mid-infrared (mid-IR) absorption sensor based on quantum cascade laser (QCL) technology has been developed and demonstrated for high-temperature thermometry and carbon monoxide (CO) measurements in combustion environments. The sensor probes the high-intensity fundamental CO ro-vibrational band at 4.6 mum enabling sensitive measurement of CO and temperature at kHz acquisition rates. Because the sensor operates in the mid-IR CO fundamental band it is several orders of magnitude more sensitive than most of the previously developed CO combustion sensors which utilized absorption in the near-IR overtone bands and mature traditional telecommunications-based diode lasers. The sensor has been demonstrated and validated under operation in both scanned-wavelength absorption and wavelength-modulation spectroscopy (WMS) modes in room-temperature gas cell and high-temperature shock tube experiments with known and specified gas conditions. The sensor has also been demonstrated for CO and temperature measurements in an atmospheric premixed ethylene/air McKenna burner flat flame for a range of equivalence ratios (phi = 0.7-1.4). Demonstration of the sensor under scanned-wavelength direct absorption operation was performed in a room-temperature gas cell (297 K and 0.001-1 atm) allowing validation of the line strengths and line shapes predicted by the HITRAN 2004 spectroscopic database. Application of the sensor in scanned-wavelength mode, at 1-2 kHz acquisition bandwidths, to specified high-temperature shock-heated gases (950-3400 K, 1 atm) provided validation of the sensor for measurements under the high-temperature conditions found in combustion devices. The scanned-wavelength shock tube measurements yielded temperature determinations that deviated by only +/-1.2% (1-sigma deviation) with the reflected shock temperatures and CO mole fraction determinations that deviated by that specified CO mole fraction by only +/-1.5% (1-sigma deviation). These deviations are in fact smaller than the estimated uncertainties of 2.5-3% in both sensor determined temperature and CO. Enhancement of the sensor sensitivity can be achieved through use wavelength-modulation spectroscopy (WMS). Similarly, under WMS operation the sensor was applied to room-temperature gas cell (297 K, 0.001-1 atm) measurements, which indicate that the sensor sensitivity in WMS operation is approximately an order-of-magnitude greater than that achieved in scanned-wavelength mode, and high-temperature shock-heated gases (850-3400 K, 1 atm), which validate the sensor for sensitive thermometry at combustion temperatures. In WMS mode the temperature measurements show 1-sigma deviation of +/-1.9% with the reflected shock conditions. High-temperature CO concentration measurements require calibration to scale the measured WMS-2f peak height with a simulated WMS-2 f line shape. However, using single point calibration for each CO containing mixture studied resulted in fairly good agreement (1-sigma deviation of +/-4.2%) between measured and simulated WMS-2f peak height. In other words, CO mole fraction determinations (proportional to peak height) were achieved with deviation of +/-4.2% with specified CO mole fraction. Sensor measurements made at a 1 kHz acquisition bandwidth in an atmospheric pressure ethylene/air flat-flame produced by a McKenna burner for equivalence ratios from 0.7 to 1.4 were in excellent accord with thermocouple measurements and chemical equilibrium predictions for CO based on the thermocouple temperatures for rich conditions. At lean conditions sensor temperature determinations are lower than thermocouple determinations by around 150 K due to the cool flame edge and sensor CO measurements are greater than those predicted by chemical equilibrium due to super-equilibrium CO in the cool flame edge. The CO sensor developed and described herein and validated in room-temperature cell, high-temperature shock tube, and flat-flame burner measurements has potential for a vast array of measurements in combustion, energy, and industrial gas sensing applications. It has unsurpassed sensitivity due to the use of the fundamental CO band at 4.6 mum and provides kHz acquisition bandwidths necessary for high-speed measurements in these systems. This research was directed by Professor Matt Oehlschlaeger and supported by the Office of Naval Research (ONR).

Measuring gas temperature during spin-exchange optical pumping process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Normand, E.; Jiang, C. Y.; Brown, D. R.; Robertson, L.; Crow, L.; Tong, X.

2016-04-01

The gas temperature inside a Spin-Exchange Optical Pumping (SEOP) laser-pumping polarized 3He cell has long been a mystery. Different experimental methods were employed to measure this temperature but all were based on either modelling or indirect measurement. To date there has not been any direct experimental measurement of this quantity. Here we present the first direct measurement using neutron transmission to accurately determine the number density of 3He, the temperature is obtained using the ideal gas law. Our result showed a surprisingly high gas temperature of 380°C, compared to the 245°C of the 3He cell wall temperature and 178°C of the optical pumping oven temperature. This experiment result may be used to further investigate the unsolved puzzle of the "X-factor" in the SEOP process which places an upper bound to the 3He polarization that can be achieved. Additional spin relaxation mechanisms might exist due to the high gas temperature, which could explain the origin of the X-factor.

Temporal dynamic of wood formation in Pinus cembra along the alpine treeline ecotone and the effect of climate variables.

PubMed

Gruber, Andreas; Baumgartner, Daniel; Zimmermann, Jolanda; Oberhuber, Walter

2009-06-01

We determined the temporal dynamic of cambial activity and xylem development of stone pine (Pinus cembra L.) throughout the treeline ecotone. Repeated micro-sampling of the developing tree ring was carried out during the growing seasons 2006 and 2007 at the timberline (1950 m a.s.l.), treeline (2110 m a.s.l.) and within the krummholz belt (2180 m a.s.l.) and the influence of climate variables on intra-annual wood formation was determined.At the beginning of both growing seasons, highest numbers of cambial and enlarging cells were observed at the treeline. Soil temperatures at time of initiation of cambial activity were c. 1.5 °C higher at treeline (open canopy) compared to timberline (closed canopy), suggesting that a threshold root-zone temperature is involved in triggering onset of above ground stem growth.The rate of xylem cell production determined in two weekly intervals during June through August 2006-2007 was significantly correlated with air temperature (temperature sums expressed as degree-days and mean daily maximum temperature) at the timberline only. Lack of significant relationships between tracheid production and temperature variables at the treeline and within the krummholz belt support past dendroclimatological studies that more extreme environmental conditions (e.g., wind exposure, frost desiccation, late frost) increasingly control tree growth above timberline.Results of this study revealed that spatial and temporal (i.e. year-to-year) variability in timing and dynamic of wood formation of Pinus cembra is strongly influenced by local site factors within the treeline ecotone and the dynamics of seasonal temperature variation, respectively.

Internal and External Temperature Monitoring of a Li-Ion Battery with Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors

PubMed Central

Novais, Susana; Nascimento, Micael; Grande, Lorenzo; Domingues, Maria Fátima; Antunes, Paulo; Alberto, Nélia; Leitão, Cátia; Oliveira, Ricardo; Koch, Stephan; Kim, Guk Tae; Passerini, Stefano; Pinto, João

2016-01-01

The integration of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors in lithium-ion cells for in-situ and in-operando temperature monitoring is presented herein. The measuring of internal and external temperature variations was performed through four FBG sensors during galvanostatic cycling at C-rates ranging from 1C to 8C. The FBG sensors were placed both outside and inside the cell, located in the center of the electrochemically active area and at the tab-electrode connection. The internal sensors recorded temperature variations of 4.0 ± 0.1 °C at 5C and 4.7 ± 0.1 °C at 8C at the center of the active area, and 3.9 ± 0.1 °C at 5C and 4.0 ± 0.1 °C at 8C at the tab-electrode connection, respectively. This study is intended to contribute to detection of a temperature gradient in real time inside a cell, which can determine possible damage in the battery performance when it operates under normal and abnormal operating conditions, as well as to demonstrate the technical feasibility of the integration of in-operando microsensors inside Li-ion cells. PMID:27589749

Long-Term Cr Poisoning Effect on LSCF-GDC Composite Cathodes Sintered at Different Temperatures

DOE PAGES

Xiong, Chunyan; Taillon, Joshua A.; Pellegrinelli, Christopher; ...

2016-07-19

Here, the impact of sintering temperature on Cr-poisoning of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) cathodes was systematically studied. La 0.6Sr 0.4Fe 0.8Co 0.2O 3-δ - Ce 0.9Gd 0.1O 2-δ symmetric cells were aged at 750°C in synthetic air with the presence of Crofer 22 APU, a common high temperature interconnect, over 200 hours and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to determine the degradation process. Both the ohmic resistance (R Ω) and polarization resistance (R P) of LSCF-GDC cells, extracted from EIS spectra, for different sintering temperatures increase as a function of aging time. Furthermore, the Cr-related degradation rate increasesmore » with decreased cathode sintering temperature. The polarization resistance of cathode sintered at lower temperature (950°C) increases dramatically while aging with the presence of Cr and also significantly decreases the oxygen partial pressure dependence after aging. The degradation rate shows a positive correlation to the concentration of Cr. The results indicate that decreased sintering temperature increases the total surface area, leading to more available sites for Sr-Cr-O nucleation and thus greater Cr degradation.« less

Optomechanical characterization of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jalani, Nikhil H.; Mizar, Shivananda P.; Choi, Pyoungho; Furlong, Cosme; Datta, Ravindra

2004-08-01

Nafion is widely used as the polymer electrolyte in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. The properties that make the Nafion membrane indispensable are the combination of good water uptake, ion-exchange capacity, proton conductivity, gas permeability, and excellent electrochemical stability. The amount of water sorbed in the Nafion membrane is critical as the proton conductivity depends directly on the water content of the membrane which determines the fuel cell performance. The factors which affect the extent of the solvent uptake by Nafion are temperature, ion-exchange capacity, pretreatment of membrane, and the physical state of absorbing water, whether it is in liquid or vapor phase. The water sorption in the membrane is explained in terms of thermodynamic equilibrium of water in the vapor and absorption phases. As the membrane imbibes more water, the membrane matrix expands and exerts a pressure on the pore liquid which affects its chemical potential and limits extent of swelling. The extent of matrix expansion of the membranes depends on the elastic modulus, E, of the membrane, which directly affects the sorption. Hence, it is important to understand the variation of E for Nafion membrane with relative humidity (RH) and temperature. Optoelectronic holography (OEH) techniques are applied to perform quantitative, noninvasive, full field of view investigations to determine temperature and water activity dependence of E. The results obtained confirm that with the increase in temperature, E decreases and the membranes imbibes more water. Such results will allow optimization and realization of fuel cells with improved efficiency and performance.

A fine-wire thermocouple probe for measurement of stagnation temperatures in real gas hypersonic flows of nitrogen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hollis, Brian R.; Griffith, Wayland C.; Yanta, William J.

1991-01-01

A fine-wire thermocouple probe was used to determine freestream stagnation temperatures in hypersonic flows. Data were gathered in a N2 blowdown wind tunnel with runtimes of 1-5 s. Tests were made at supply pressures between 30 and 1400 atm and supply temperatures between 700 and 1900 K, with Mach numbers of 14 to 16. An iterative procedure requiring thermocouple data, pilot pressure measurements, and supply conditions was used to determine test cell stagnation temperatures. Probe conduction and radiation losses, as well as real gas behavior of N2, were accounted for during analysis. Temperature measurement error was found to be 5 to 10 percent. A correlation was drawn between thermocouple diameter Reynolds number and temperature recovery ratio. Transient probe behavior was studied and was found to be adequate in temperature gradients up to 1000 K/s.

Calorimetric determination of thermal parameters for the Li/BrCl in SOCl2 (BCX) chemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Darcy, Eric C.; Kalu, Eric E.; White, Ralph E.

1990-01-01

The heat capacity of a Li-BCX DD-cell was found to be dependent on its state of charge by drop calorimetry measurements. The method of drop calorimetry involves measuring the energy (joules) gained or lost from a sample that is transferred from a bath at temperature A to one at temperature B. The thermoneutral potential is defined as the cell potential where the cell electrochemical reactions are neither exothermic nor endothermic. A Hart scientific calorimeter system, Model No. S77XX, designed for heat conduction calorimetry and drop calorimetry was used. Calorimetric analysis yielded a thermoneutral potential of 4.14 volts and a cell heat capacity dependent on the state of charge.

Improvement of performance in low temperature solid oxide fuel cells operated on ethanol and air mixtures using Cu-ZnO-Al2O3 catalyst layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morales, M.; Espiell, F.; Segarra, M.

2015-10-01

Anode-supported single-chamber solid oxide fuel cells with and without Cu-ZnO-Al2O3 catalyst layers deposited on the anode support have been operated on ethanol and air mixtures. The cells consist of gadolinia-doped ceria electrolyte, Ni-doped ceria anode, and La0.6Sr0.4CoO3-δ-doped ceria cathode. Catalyst layers with different Cu-ZnO-Al2O3 ratios are deposited and sintered at several temperatures. Since the performance of single-chamber fuel cells strongly depends on catalytic properties of electrodes for partial oxidation of ethanol, the cells are electrochemically characterized as a function of the temperature, ethanol-air molar ratio and gas flow rate. In addition, catalytic activities of supported anode, catalytic layer-supported anode and cathode for partial oxidation of ethanol are analysed. Afterwards, the effect of composition and sintering temperature of catalyst layer on the cell performance are determined. The results indicate that the cell performance can be significantly enhanced using catalyst layers of 30:35:35 and 40:30:30 wt.% Cu-ZnO-Al2O3 sintered at 1100 °C, achieving power densities above 50 mW cm-2 under 0.45 ethanol-air ratio at temperatures as low as 450 °C. After testing for 15 h, all cells present a gradual loss of power density, without carbon deposition, which is mainly attributed to the partial re-oxidation of Ni at the anode.

Specific Electromagnetic Effects of Microwave Radiation on Escherichia coli▿

PubMed Central

Shamis, Yury; Taube, Alex; Mitik-Dineva, Natasa; Croft, Rodney; Crawford, Russell J.; Ivanova, Elena P.

2011-01-01

The present study investigated the effects of microwave (MW) radiation applied under a sublethal temperature on Escherichia coli. The experiments were conducted at a frequency of 18 GHz and at a temperature below 40°C to avoid the thermal degradation of bacterial cells during exposure. The absorbed power was calculated to be 1,500 kW/m3, and the electric field was determined to be 300 V/m. Both values were theoretically confirmed using CST Microwave Studio 3D Electromagnetic Simulation Software. As a negative control, E. coli cells were also thermally heated to temperatures up to 40°C using Peltier plate heating. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis performed immediately after MW exposure revealed that the E. coli cells exhibited a cell morphology significantly different from that of the negative controls. This MW effect, however, appeared to be temporary, as following a further 10-min elapsed period, the cell morphology appeared to revert to a state that was identical to that of the untreated controls. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) revealed that fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated dextran (150 kDa) was taken up by the MW-treated cells, suggesting that pores had formed within the cell membrane. Cell viability experiments revealed that the MW treatment was not bactericidal, since 88% of the cells were recovered after radiation. It is proposed that one of the effects of exposing E. coli cells to MW radiation under sublethal temperature conditions is that the cell surface undergoes a modification that is electrokinetic in nature, resulting in a reversible MW-induced poration of the cell membrane. PMID:21378041

Specific electromagnetic effects of microwave radiation on Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Shamis, Yury; Taube, Alex; Mitik-Dineva, Natasa; Croft, Rodney; Crawford, Russell J; Ivanova, Elena P

2011-05-01

The present study investigated the effects of microwave (MW) radiation applied under a sublethal temperature on Escherichia coli. The experiments were conducted at a frequency of 18 GHz and at a temperature below 40°C to avoid the thermal degradation of bacterial cells during exposure. The absorbed power was calculated to be 1,500 kW/m(3), and the electric field was determined to be 300 V/m. Both values were theoretically confirmed using CST Microwave Studio 3D Electromagnetic Simulation Software. As a negative control, E. coli cells were also thermally heated to temperatures up to 40°C using Peltier plate heating. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis performed immediately after MW exposure revealed that the E. coli cells exhibited a cell morphology significantly different from that of the negative controls. This MW effect, however, appeared to be temporary, as following a further 10-min elapsed period, the cell morphology appeared to revert to a state that was identical to that of the untreated controls. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) revealed that fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated dextran (150 kDa) was taken up by the MW-treated cells, suggesting that pores had formed within the cell membrane. Cell viability experiments revealed that the MW treatment was not bactericidal, since 88% of the cells were recovered after radiation. It is proposed that one of the effects of exposing E. coli cells to MW radiation under sublethal temperature conditions is that the cell surface undergoes a modification that is electrokinetic in nature, resulting in a reversible MW-induced poration of the cell membrane.

In vitro biology of fibropapilloma-associated turtle herpesvirus and host cells in Hawaiian green turtles (Chelonia mydas)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Work, Thierry M.; Dagenais, Julie; Balazs, George H.; Schumacher, Joanne; Lewis, Teresa D.; Leong, Jo-Ann C.; Casey, Rufina N.; Casey, James W.

2009-01-01

Fibropapillomatosis (FP) of green turtles has a global distribution and causes debilitating tumours of the skin and internal organs in several species of marine turtles. FP is associated with a presently non-cultivable alphaherpesvirus Chelonid fibropapilloma-associated herpesvirus (CFPHV). Our aims were to employ quantitative PCR targeted to pol DNA of CFPHV to determine (i) if DNA sequesters by tumour size and/or cell type, (ii) whether subculturing of cells is a viable strategy for isolating CFPHV and (iii) whether CFPHV can be induced to a lytic growth cycle in vitro using chemical modulators of replication (CMRs), temperature variation or co-cultivation. Additional objectives included determining whether non-tumour and tumour cells behave differently in vitro and confirming the phenotype of cultured cells using cell-type-specific antigens. CFPHV pol DNA was preferentially concentrated in dermal fibroblasts of skin tumours and the amount of viral DNA per cell was independent of tumour size. Copy number of CFPHV pol DNA per cell rapidly decreased with cell doubling of tumour-derived fibroblasts in culture. Attempts to induce viral replication in known CFPHV-DNA-positive cells using temperature or CMR failed. No significant differences were seen in in vitro morphology or growth characteristics of fibroblasts from tumour cells and paired normal skin, nor from CFPHV pol-DNA-positive intestinal tumour cells. Tumour cells were confirmed as fibroblasts or keratinocytes by positive staining with anti-vimentin and anti-pancytokeratin antibodies, respectively. CFPHV continues to be refractory to in vitro cultivation.

Mechanisms and distribution of ion channels in retinal ganglion cells: using temperature as an independent variable.

PubMed

Fohlmeister, Jürgen F; Cohen, Ethan D; Newman, Eric A

2010-03-01

Trains of action potentials of rat and cat retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) were recorded intracellularly across a temperature range of 7-37 degrees C. Phase plots of the experimental impulse trains were precision fit using multicompartment simulations of anatomically reconstructed rat and cat RGCs. Action potential excitation was simulated with a "Five-channel model" [Na, K(delayed rectifier), Ca, K(A), and K(Ca-activated) channels] and the nonspace-clamped condition of the whole cell recording was exploited to determine the channels' distribution on the dendrites, soma, and proximal axon. At each temperature, optimal phase-plot fits for RGCs occurred with the same unique channel distribution. The "waveform" of the electrotonic current was found to be temperature dependent, which reflected the shape changes in the experimental action potentials and confirmed the channel distributions. The distributions are cell-type specific and adequate for soma and dendritic excitation with a safety margin. The highest Na-channel density was found on an axonal segment some 50-130 microm distal to the soma, as determined from the temperature-dependent "initial segment-somadendritic (IS-SD) break." The voltage dependence of the gating rate constants remains invariant between 7 and 23 degrees C and between 30 and 37 degrees C, but undergoes a transition between 23 and 30 degrees C. Both gating-kinetic and ion-permeability Q10s remain virtually constant between 23 and 37 degrees C (kinetic Q10s = 1.9-1.95; permeability Q10s = 1.49-1.64). The Q10s systematically increase for T <23 degrees C (kinetic Q10 = 8 at T = 8 degrees C). The Na channels were consistently "sleepy" (non-Arrhenius) for T <8 degrees C, with a loss of spiking for T <7 degrees C.

Application of Pectin From Rauvolfia serpentina (L.) Benth to the Cryopreservation of Human Leucocyte Cell Suspensions.

PubMed

Zaitseva, O O; PoleZhaeva, T V; Khudvakov, A N; Solomina, O N; Golovchenko, V V

　　BACKGROUND: Due to their valuable medicinal properties and high physiological activity, plant polysaccharides are currently being extensively studied. The present study aims to investigate rauwolfian (pectin for Rauvolfia serpentina) supplementation on human leukocytes cryopreservation. We determined the сharacteristics of leukocytes undergoing freezing with pectin at different temperatures. Donor leukocytes were frozen under the protection of comprehensive cryoprotectant solution and stored in electrical freezers (-20C, -40C, -80C). A regular decrease of all values starting from a higher temperature (-20С) through to the lower temperature (-80С) was identified. The study showed that pectin rauwolfian stimulated both the oxygen-independent and the oxygen-dependent killer response. We also found that the oxygen-dependent neutrophil killer effect was reduced as the storage temperature was lowered. It was determined that the LPO levels in the cells with added pectin-containing solutions remained the same before freezing, while their antioxidant activity positively increased, which is beneficial for neutrophils for their further freezing to -20C, -40C and -80C. The results of the study make it possible to assume that rauwolfian, a pectin extracted from Rauvolfia serpentina, has an exocellular protectant effect as part of cryopreservative solution on human white blood cells stored at different low temperatures. The versatility of the substance is probably due to the degree of the macromolecule branching, in particular, the structure of carbohydrate side chains, which contain a large number of hydroxyl groups.

Infrared-temperature variability in a large agricultural field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Millard, J. P.; Goettelman, R. C.; Leroy, M. J.

1981-01-01

Dunnigan Agro-Meteorological Experiment airborne thermal scanner images of a large varying-terrain barley field are acquired and analyzed. Temperature variability that may occur within instantaneous fields of view (IFOV) is defined (coefficient of variation: standard deviation/mean temperature in degrees C), and the percentage of the area within various IFOV's within + or - 1, 2, 3, and 5 degrees of the mean is determined. With the exception of very rugged terrain, over 80% of the area within 4, 16, 65 and 258 ha cells was at temperatures within + or - 3 C of the mean cell temperature. Remote measurements of field temperature appeared to be slightly influenced by pixel size in the range 4 ha to 259 ha, and the area percentage within any pixel which contributes within + or - 1, 2, 3, and 5 degrees C of the mean, is nominally the same. In conclusion, no great advantage is found in utilizing a small IFOV instead of a large one for remote sensing of crop temperature.

Identification of the limiting factors for high-temperature GaAs, GaInP, and AlGaInP solar cells from device and carrier lifetime analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perl, E. E.; Kuciauskas, D.; Simon, J.; Friedman, D. J.; Steiner, M. A.

2017-12-01

We analyze the temperature-dependent dark saturation current density and open-circuit voltage (VOC) for GaAs, GaInP, and AlGaInP solar cells from 25 to 400 °C. As expected, the intrinsic carrier concentration, ni, dominates the temperature dependence of the dark currents. However, at 400 °C, we measure VOC that is ˜50 mV higher for the GaAs solar cell and ˜60-110 mV lower for the GaInP and AlGaInP solar cells compared to what would be expected from commonly used solar cell models that consider only the ni2 temperature dependence. To better understand these deviations, we measure the carrier lifetimes of p-type GaAs, GaInP, and AlGaInP double heterostructures (DHs) from 25 to 400 °C using time-resolved photoluminescence. Temperature-dependent minority carrier lifetimes are analyzed to determine the relative contributions of the radiative recombination, interface recombination, Shockley-Read-Hall recombination, and thermionic emission processes. We find that radiative recombination dominates for the GaAs DHs with the effective lifetime approximately doubling as the temperature is increased from 25 °C to 400 °C. In contrast, we find that thermionic emission dominates for the GaInP and AlGaInP DHs at elevated temperatures, leading to a 3-4× reduction in the effective lifetime and ˜40× increase in the surface recombination velocity as the temperature is increased from 25 °C to 400 °C. These observations suggest that optimization of the minority carrier confinement layers for the GaInP and AlGaInP solar cells could help to improve VOC and solar cell efficiency at elevated temperatures. We demonstrate VOC improvement at 200-400 °C in GaInP solar cells fabricated with modified AlGaInP window and back surface field layers.

Identification of the limiting factors for high-temperature GaAs, GaInP, and AlGaInP solar cells from device and carrier lifetime analysis

DOE PAGES

Perl, E. E.; Kuciauskas, D.; Simon, J.; ...

2017-12-21

We analyze the temperature-dependent dark saturation current density and open-circuit voltage (VOC) for GaAs, GaInP, and AlGaInP solar cells from 25 to 400 degrees C. As expected, the intrinsic carrier concentration, ni, dominates the temperature dependence of the dark currents. However, at 400 degrees C, we measure VOC that is ~50 mV higher for the GaAs solar cell and ~60-110 mV lower for the GaInP and AlGaInP solar cells compared to what would be expected from commonly used solar cell models that consider only the ni2 temperature dependence. To better understand these deviations, we measure the carrier lifetimes of p-typemore » GaAs, GaInP, and AlGaInP double heterostructures (DHs) from 25 to 400 degrees C using time-resolved photoluminescence. Temperature-dependent minority carrier lifetimes are analyzed to determine the relative contributions of the radiative recombination, interface recombination, Shockley-Read-Hall recombination, and thermionic emission processes. We find that radiative recombination dominates for the GaAs DHs with the effective lifetime approximately doubling as the temperature is increased from 25 degrees C to 400 degrees C. In contrast, we find that thermionic emission dominates for the GaInP and AlGaInP DHs at elevated temperatures, leading to a 3-4x reduction in the effective lifetime and ~40x increase in the surface recombination velocity as the temperature is increased from 25 degrees C to 400 degrees C. These observations suggest that optimization of the minority carrier confinement layers for the GaInP and AlGaInP solar cells could help to improve VOC and solar cell efficiency at elevated temperatures. We demonstrate VOC improvement at 200-400 degrees C in GaInP solar cells fabricated with modified AlGaInP window and back surface field layers.« less

Identification of the limiting factors for high-temperature GaAs, GaInP, and AlGaInP solar cells from device and carrier lifetime analysis

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

Perl, E. E.; Kuciauskas, D.; Simon, J.

We analyze the temperature-dependent dark saturation current density and open-circuit voltage (VOC) for GaAs, GaInP, and AlGaInP solar cells from 25 to 400 degrees C. As expected, the intrinsic carrier concentration, ni, dominates the temperature dependence of the dark currents. However, at 400 degrees C, we measure VOC that is ~50 mV higher for the GaAs solar cell and ~60-110 mV lower for the GaInP and AlGaInP solar cells compared to what would be expected from commonly used solar cell models that consider only the ni2 temperature dependence. To better understand these deviations, we measure the carrier lifetimes of p-typemore » GaAs, GaInP, and AlGaInP double heterostructures (DHs) from 25 to 400 degrees C using time-resolved photoluminescence. Temperature-dependent minority carrier lifetimes are analyzed to determine the relative contributions of the radiative recombination, interface recombination, Shockley-Read-Hall recombination, and thermionic emission processes. We find that radiative recombination dominates for the GaAs DHs with the effective lifetime approximately doubling as the temperature is increased from 25 degrees C to 400 degrees C. In contrast, we find that thermionic emission dominates for the GaInP and AlGaInP DHs at elevated temperatures, leading to a 3-4x reduction in the effective lifetime and ~40x increase in the surface recombination velocity as the temperature is increased from 25 degrees C to 400 degrees C. These observations suggest that optimization of the minority carrier confinement layers for the GaInP and AlGaInP solar cells could help to improve VOC and solar cell efficiency at elevated temperatures. We demonstrate VOC improvement at 200-400 degrees C in GaInP solar cells fabricated with modified AlGaInP window and back surface field layers.« less

Antibody-producing cells correlated to body weight in juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) acclimated to optimal and elevated temperatures

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harrahy, L.N.M.; Schreck, C.B.; Maule, A.G.

2001-01-01

The immune response of juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) ranging in weight from approximately 10 to 55 g was compared when the fish were acclimated to either 13 or 21?? C. A haemolytic plaque assay was conducted to determine differences in the number of antibody-producing cells (APC) among fish of a similar age but different body weights. Regression analyses revealed significant increases in the number of APC with increasing body weight when fish were acclimated to either water temperature. These results emphasise the importance of standardising fish weight in immunological studies of salmonids before exploring the possible effects of acclimation temperatures. ?? 2001 Academic Press.

Antibody-producting cells correlated with body weight in juvenile Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha acclimated to optimal and elevated temperatures

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harrahy, L.N.M.; Schreck, Carl B.; Maule, Alec G.

2001-01-01

The immune response of juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) ranging in weight from approximately 10 to 55 g was compared when the fish were acclimated to either 13 or 21° C. A haemolytic plaque assay was conducted to determine differences in the number of antibody-producing cells (APC) among fish of a similar age but different body weights. Regression analyses revealed significant increases in the number of APC with increasing body weight when fish were acclimated to either water temperature. These results emphasise the importance of standardising fish weight in immunological studies of salmonids before exploring the possible effects of acclimation temperatures.

Influence of a MoOx interlayer on the open-circuit voltage in organic photovoltaic cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Yunlong; Holmes, Russell J.

2013-07-01

Metal-oxides have been used as interlayers at the anode-organic interface in organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs) to increase the open-circuit voltage (VOC). We examine the role of MoOx in determining the maximum VOC in a planar heterojunction OPV and find that the interlayer strongly affects the temperature dependence of VOC. Boron subphthalocyanine chloride (SubPc)-C60 OPVs that contain no interlayer show a maximum VOC of 1.2 V at low temperature, while those with MoOx show no saturation, reaching VOC > 1.4 V. We propose that the MoOx-SubPc interface forms a Schottky junction that provides an additional contribution to VOC at low temperature.

Ultrasound Thermal Imaging and its application to Rayleigh-Bénard convection in mercury

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Hongzhou; Andereck, C. David

2003-11-01

We have developed Ultrasound Thermal Imaging (UTI), a non-intrusive ultrasound technique for internal temperature measurement of opaque fluids, and have applied UTI to low Rayleigh number buoyancy driven convection in mercury. UTI relies upon the variation of sound speed with temperature of the fluid. An array of ultrasound transducers scanned electronically along the sidewall of a convection cell with aspect ratio of 6 yields a map of the thermal field over the chamber. The chamber has stainless steel sidewalls and molybdenum covered copper plates at the top and bottom. As the Rayleigh number increases slowly from zero, the data reveal the formation of a roll cell pattern and transitions between different cellular states. Based on standard deviation distributions of the temperature profile at the cell's mid-depth, the critical temperature difference agrees well with the theoretically predicted value. The heat flux through the horizontal mercury layer was determined by thermistors mounted at the exit and entrance of the internal channel in each copper plate through which flows warm/cool constant temperature water. Nusselt numbers and other experimental results will also be presented.

Design optimization of electric vehicle battery cooling plates for thermal performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarrett, Anthony; Kim, Il Yong

The performance of high-energy battery cells utilized in electric vehicles (EVs) is greatly improved by adequate temperature control. An efficient thermal management system is also desirable to avoid diverting excessive power from the primary vehicle functions. In a battery cell stack, cooling can be provided by including cooling plates: thin metal fabrications which include one or more internal channels through which a coolant is pumped. Heat is conducted from the battery cells into the cooling plate, and transported away by the coolant. The operating characteristics of the cooling plate are determined in part by the geometry of the channel; its route, width, length, etc. In this study, a serpentine-channel cooling plate is modeled parametrically and its characteristics assessed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Objective functions of pressure drop, average temperature, and temperature uniformity are defined and numerical optimization is carried out by allowing the channel width and position to vary. The optimization results indicate that a single design can satisfy both pressure and average temperature objectives, but at the expense of temperature uniformity.

Simulation of an active cooling system for photovoltaic modules

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

Abdelhakim, Lotfi

Photovoltaic cells are devices that convert solar radiation directly into electricity. However, solar radiation increases the photovoltaic cells temperature [1] [2]. The temperature has an influence on the degradation of the cell efficiency and the lifetime of a PV cell. This work reports on a water cooling technique for photovoltaic panel, whereby the cooling system was placed at the front surface of the cells to dissipate excess heat away and to block unwanted radiation. By using water as a cooling medium for the photovoltaic solar cells, the overheating of closed panel is greatly reduced without prejudicing luminosity. The water alsomore » acts as a filter to remove a portion of solar spectrum in the infrared band but allows transmission of the visible spectrum most useful for the PV operation. To improve the cooling system efficiency and electrical efficiency, uniform flow rate among the cooling system is required to ensure uniform distribution of the operating temperature of the PV cells. The aims of this study are to develop a 3D thermal model to simulate the cooling and heat transfer in Photovoltaic panel and to recommend a cooling technique for the PV panel. The velocity, pressure and temperature distribution of the three-dimensional flow across the cooling block were determined using the commercial package, Fluent. The second objective of this work is to study the influence of the geometrical dimensions of the panel, water mass flow rate and water inlet temperature on the flow distribution and the solar panel temperature. The results obtained by the model are compared with experimental results from testing the prototype of the cooling device.« less

A rapid decrease in temperature induces latewood formation in artificially reactivated cambium of conifer stems

PubMed Central

Begum, Shahanara; Nakaba, Satoshi; Yamagishi, Yusuke; Yamane, Kenichi; Islam, Md. Azharul; Oribe, Yuichiro; Ko, Jae-Heung; Jin, Hyun-O; Funada, Ryo

2012-01-01

Background and Aims Latewood formation in conifers occurs during the later part of the growing season, when the cell division activity of the cambium declines. Changes in temperature might be important for wood formation in trees. Therefore, the effects of a rapid decrease in temperature on cellular morphology of tracheids were investigated in localized heating-induced cambial reactivation in Cryptomeria japonica trees and in Abies firma seedlings. Methods Electric heating tape and heating ribbon were wrapped on the stems of C. japonica trees and A. firma seedlings. Heating was discontinued when 11 or 12 and eight or nine radial files of differentiating and differentiated tracheids had been produced in C. japonica and A. firma stems, respectively. Tracheid diameter, cell wall thickness, percentage of cell wall area and percentage of lumen area were determined by image analysis of transverse sections and scanning electron microscopy. Key Results Localized heating induced earlier cambial reactivation and xylem differentiation in stems of C. japonica and A. firma as compared with non-heated stems. One week after cessation of heating, there were no obvious changes in the dimensions of the differentiating tracheids in the samples from adult C. japonica. In contrast, tracheids with a smaller diameter were observed in A. firma seedlings after 1 week of cessation of heating. Two or three weeks after cessation of heating, tracheids with reduced diameters and thickened cell walls were found. The results showed that the rapid decrease in temperature produced slender tracheids with obvious thickening of cell walls that resembled latewood cells. Conclusions The results suggest that a localized decrease in temperature of stems induces changes in the diameter and cell wall thickness of differentiating tracheids, indicating that cambium and its derivatives can respond directly to changes in temperature. PMID:22843340

Intercellular ice propagation: experimental evidence for ice growth through membrane pores.

PubMed Central

Acker, J P; Elliott, J A; McGann, L E

2001-01-01

Propagation of intracellular ice between cells significantly increases the prevalence of intracellular ice in confluent monolayers and tissues. It has been proposed that gap junctions facilitate ice propagation between cells. This study develops an equation for capillary freezing-point depression to determine the effect of temperature on the equilibrium radius of an ice crystal sufficiently small to grow through gap junctions. Convection cryomicroscopy and video image analysis were used to examine the incidence and pattern of intracellular ice formation (IIF) in the confluent monolayers of cell lines that do (MDCK) and do not (V-79W) form gap junctions. The effect of gap junctions on intracellular ice propagation was strongly temperature-dependent. For cells with gap junctions, IIF occurred in a directed wave-like pattern in 100% of the cells below -3 degrees C. At temperatures above -3 degrees C, there was a marked drop in the incidence of IIF, with isolated individual cells initially freezing randomly throughout the sample. This random pattern of IIF was also observed in the V-79W monolayers and in MDCK monolayers treated to prevent gap junction formation. The significant change in the low temperature behavior of confluent MDCK monolayers at -3 degrees C is likely the result of the inhibition of gap junction-facilitated ice propagation, and supports the theory that gap junctions facilitate ice nucleation between cells. PMID:11509353

Improved low temperature performance of lithium ion cells with quaternary carbonate-based electrolytes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smart, M. C.; Ratnakumar, B. V.; Whitcanack, L. D.; Chin, K. B.; Surampudi, S.; Croft, H.; Tice, D.; Staniewicz, R.

2002-01-01

In order to enable future missions involving the exploration of the surface of Mars with Landers and Rovers, NASA desires long life, high energy density rechargeable batteries which can operate well at very low temperature (down to 40(deg)C). Lithium-ion technology has been identified as being the most promising chemistry, due to high gravimetric and volumetric energy densities, as well as, long life characteristics. However, the state-of-art (SOA) technology is not sufficient to meet the needs of many applications that require excellent low temperature capabilities. To further improve this technology, work at JF'L has been focused upon developing electrolytes that result in lithium-ion cells with wider temperature ranges of operation. These efforts have led to the identification of a number of ternary and quaternary, all carbonate-based electrolytes that have been demonstrated to result in improved low temperature performance in experimental three-electrode MCMB carbon/LiNio.sCoo.zOz cells. A number of electrochemical characterization techniques were performed on these cells (i.e., Tafel polarization measurements, linear polarization measurements, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)) to further enhance our understanding of the performance limitations at low temperature. The most promising electrolyte formulations, namely 1 .O M LiPF6EC+DEC+DMC+EMC (1 : 1: 1 :2 v/v) and 1 .O M LiPF6 EC+DEC+DMC+EMC (1 : 1 : 1 :3 v/v), were incorporated into SAFT prototype DD-size (9 Ahr) lithium- cells for evaluation. A number of electrical tests were performed on these cells, including rate characterization as a function of temperature, cycle life characterization at different temperatures, as well as, many mission specific characterization test to determine their viability to enable future missions to Mars. Excellent performance was observed with the prototype DD-size cells over a wide temperature range (-50 to 4OoC), with high specific energy being delivered at very low temperatures (i.e, over 95 WHrKg being delivered at 40(deg)C using a C/10 discharge rate).

The Evaporative Function of Cockroach Hygroreceptors

PubMed Central

Tichy, Harald; Kallina, Wolfgang

2013-01-01

Insect hygroreceptors associate as antagonistic pairs of a moist cell and a dry cell together with a cold cell in small cuticular sensilla on the antennae. The mechanisms by which the atmospheric humidity stimulates the hygroreceptive cells remain elusive. Three models for humidity transduction have been proposed in which hygroreceptors operate either as mechanical hygrometers, evaporation detectors or psychrometers. Mechanical hygrometers are assumed to respond to the relative humidity, evaporation detectors to the saturation deficit and psychrometers to the temperature depression (the difference between wet-bulb and dry-bulb temperatures). The models refer to different ways of expressing humidity. This also means, however, that at different temperatures these different types of hygroreceptors indicate very different humidity conditions. The present study tested the adequacy of the three models on the cockroach’s moist and dry cells by determining whether the specific predictions about the temperature-dependence of the humidity responses are indeed observed. While in previous studies stimulation consisted of rapid step-like humidity changes, here we changed humidity slowly and continuously up and down in a sinusoidal fashion. The low rates of change made it possible to measure instantaneous humidity values based on UV-absorption and to assign these values to the hygroreceptive sensillum. The moist cell fitted neither the mechanical hygrometer nor the evaporation detector model: the temperature dependence of its humidity responses could not be attributed to relative humidity or to saturation deficit, respectively. The psychrometer model, however, was verified by the close relationships of the moist cell’s response with the wet-bulb temperature and the dry cell’s response with the dry-bulb temperature. Thus, the hygroreceptors respond to evaporation and the resulting cooling due to the wetness or dryness of the air. The drier the ambient air (absolutely) and the higher the temperature, the greater the evaporative temperature depression and the power to desiccate. PMID:23342058

The twin cell model and its excellence in determining the glass transition temperature of thin film metallic glass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanjilal, Baishali; Iram, Samreen; Das, Atreyee; Chakrabarti, Haimanti

2018-05-01

This work reports a novel two dimensional approach to the theoretical computation of the glass transition temperature in simple hypothetical icosahedral packed structures based on Thin Film metallic glasses using liquid state theories in the realm of transport properties. The model starts from Navier-Stokes equation and evaluates the statistical average velocity of each different species of atom under the condition of ensemble equality to compute diffusion lengths and the diffusion coefficients as a function of temperature. The additional correction brought in is that of the limited states due to tethering of one nodule vis -a-vis the others. The movement of the molecules use our Twin Cell Model a typical model pertinent for modeling chain motions. A temperature viscosity correction by Cohen and Grest is included through the temperature dependence of the relaxation times for glass formers.

Starch granule formation and protein deposition in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) starchy endosperm cells is altered by high temperature during grain fill

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurkman, William J.; Wood, Delilah F.

2010-06-01

High temperatures during wheat grain fill decrease starch and protein levels, adversely affecting wheat yield and flour quality. To determine the effect of high temperature on starchy endosperm cell development, grain (Triticum aestivum L. 'Butte 86') was produced under a 24/17°C or 37/28°C day/night regimen imposed from flowering to maturity and starch and protein deposition examined using scanning electron microscopy. The high temperature regimen shortened the duration of grain fill from 40 to 18 days. Under the 37/28°C regimen, A- and B-type starch granules decreased in size. A-type starch granules also exhibited pitting, suggesting enhanced action of starch degradative enzymes. Under both temperature regimens, protein bodies originated early in development and coalesced during mid to late development to form a continuous protein matrix surrounding the starch granules. Under the 37/28°C regimen, the proportion of protein matrix increased in endosperm cells of mature grain. Taken together, the changes in starch granule number and size and in protein matrix amount provide clues for understanding how high temperature during grain fill can affect end use properties of wheat flour.

Quantifying phosphoric acid in high-temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cell components by X-ray tomographic microscopy.

PubMed

Eberhardt, S H; Marone, F; Stampanoni, M; Büchi, F N; Schmidt, T J

2014-11-01

Synchrotron-based X-ray tomographic microscopy is investigated for imaging the local distribution and concentration of phosphoric acid in high-temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Phosphoric acid fills the pores of the macro- and microporous fuel cell components. Its concentration in the fuel cell varies over a wide range (40-100 wt% H3PO4). This renders the quantification and concentration determination challenging. The problem is solved by using propagation-based phase contrast imaging and a referencing method. Fuel cell components with known acid concentrations were used to correlate greyscale values and acid concentrations. Thus calibration curves were established for the gas diffusion layer, catalyst layer and membrane in a non-operating fuel cell. The non-destructive imaging methodology was verified by comparing image-based values for acid content and concentration in the gas diffusion layer with those from chemical analysis.

Numerical simulation of a mini PEMFC stack

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhixiang; Mao, Zongqiang; Wang, Cheng; Zhuge, Weilin; Zhang, Yangjun

Fuel cell modeling and simulation has aroused much attention recently because it can probe transport and reaction mechanism. In this paper, a computational fuel cell dynamics (CFCD) method was applied to simulate a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack for the first time. The air cooling mini fuel cell stack consisted of six cells, in which the active area was 8 cm 2 (2 cm × 4 cm). With reasonable simplification, the computational elements were effectively reduced and allowed a simulation which could be conducted on a personal computer without large-scale parallel computation. The results indicated that the temperature gradient inside the fuel cell stack was determined by the flow rate of the cooling air. If the air flow rate is too low, the stack could not be effectively cooled and the temperature will rise to a range that might cause unstable stack operation.

Development of a cryopreservation protocol for testicular interstitial cells with the account of temperature intervals for controlled cooling below -60°С.

PubMed

Gurina, T M; Pakhomov, A V; Kyryliuk, A L; Bozhok, G A

2011-04-01

A long course of anticancer therapy may lead to testicular steroidogenesis destruction. Cryopreservation of testicular interstitial cells (TIC) would be a strategy to protect hormonal and fertile potential of pre-pubertal boys treated with chemo - or radiotherapy. The aim of this research was to optimize protocols for freezing of TIC. Essential physical processes associated with the presence of dimethyl sulphoxide (Me(2)SO) in the cryoprotectant solution take place at the temperatures below -60°С. These processes are the eutectic crystallization at the stage of freezing and the recrystallization before the melting of the eutectic mixture at the stage of heating. Both of the processes affect the viability of the cells subjected to cryopreservation. Temperature intervals when these processes take place were determined by the method of thermoplastic deformation for 10% Me(2)SO selected for cryopreservation of TIC. Rat TIC were cryopreserved using five different protocols which varied in cooling rates within the chosen temperature intervals. Post-thaw cell viability and metabolic activity were evaluated by Trypan Blue and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) staining assays. Leydig cell recovery after cryopreservation was measured by 3-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase reaction. Based on the obtained results, the authors developed a cryopreservation protocol for TIC which makes it possible to achieve great cell viability due to using controlled cooling rates within the temperature intervals below -60°С. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Structural changes in plasma membranes prepared from irradiated Chinese hamster V79 cells as revealed by Raman spectroscopy

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

Verma, S.P.; Sonwalkar, N.

1991-04-01

The effect of gamma irradiation on the integrity of plasma membranes isolated from Chinese hamster V79 cells was investigated by Raman spectroscopy. Plasma membranes of control V79 cells show transitions between {minus}10 and 5{degree}C (low-temperature transition), 10 and 22{degree}C (middle-temperature transition), and 32 and 40{degree}C (high-temperature transition). Irradiation (5 Gy) alters these transitions markedly. First, the low-temperature transition shifts to higher temperature (onset and completion temperatures 4 and 14{degree}C). Second, the middle-temperature transition shifts up to the range of about 20-32{degree}C, but the width remains unchanged. Third, the higher temperature transition broadens markedly and shifts to the range of aboutmore » 15-40{degree}C. Protein secondary structure as determined by least-squares analysis of the amide I bands shows 36% total helix, 55% total beta-strand, and 9% turn plus undefined for control plasma membrane proteins. Plasma membrane proteins of irradiated V79 cells show an increase in total helix (40 and 45% at 5 and 10 Gy, respectively) and a decrease in the total beta-strand (48 and 44% at 5 and 10 Gy, respectively) structures. The qualitative analysis of the Raman features of plasma membranes and model compounds in the 1600 cm-1 region, assigned to tyrosine groups, revealed that irradiation alters the microenvironment of these groups. We conclude that the radiation dose used in the survival range of Chinese hamster V79 cells can cause damage to plasma membrane proteins without detectable lipid peroxidation, and that the altered proteins react differently with lipids, yielding a shift in the thermal transition properties.« less

Biophysical and biological factors determining the ability to achieve long-term cryobiological preservation

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

Mazur, P.

1997-12-01

The BESTCapsule will maintain appropriate biological specimens for decades or centuries at cryogenic temperatures in the living state. Maintenance at temperatures below {approximately} {minus}140 C is not a problem. No ordinary chemical reactions in aqueous solutions can occur. The only source of damage will be the slow accumulation of physical damage to DNA from background ionizing radiation. But this source of damage should not become serious in less than a millennium. Rather, the main problem in cryopreservation is to devise procedures for cooling the biological specimens to {minus}196 C and returning them to normal temperatures without inflicting lethal injury. Regardlessmore » of the cell type, there are certain encompassing biophysical factors and constraints that determine whether they will survive or die during freezing and thawing. Superimposed on these may be special biological factors that apply to specific cell types. This paper will emphasize the former and give illustrative examples of the latter.« less

Image analysis of speckle patterns as a probe of melting transitions in laser-heated diamond anvil cell experiments.

PubMed

Salem, Ran; Matityahu, Shlomi; Melchior, Aviva; Nikolaevsky, Mark; Noked, Ori; Sterer, Eran

2015-09-01

The precision of melting curve measurements using laser-heated diamond anvil cell (LHDAC) is largely limited by the correct and reliable determination of the onset of melting. We present a novel image analysis of speckle interference patterns in the LHDAC as a way to define quantitative measures which enable an objective determination of the melting transition. Combined with our low-temperature customized IR pyrometer, designed for measurements down to 500 K, our setup allows studying the melting curve of materials with low melting temperatures, with relatively high precision. As an application, the melting curve of Te was measured up to 35 GPa. The results are found to be in good agreement with previous data obtained at pressures up to 10 GPa.

Temporal dynamic of wood formation in Pinus cembra along the alpine treeline ecotone and the effect of climate variables

PubMed Central

Gruber, Andreas; Baumgartner, Daniel; Zimmermann, Jolanda; Oberhuber, Walter

2011-01-01

We determined the temporal dynamic of cambial activity and xylem development of stone pine (Pinus cembra L.) throughout the treeline ecotone. Repeated micro-sampling of the developing tree ring was carried out during the growing seasons 2006 and 2007 at the timberline (1950 m a.s.l.), treeline (2110 m a.s.l.) and within the krummholz belt (2180 m a.s.l.) and the influence of climate variables on intra-annual wood formation was determined. At the beginning of both growing seasons, highest numbers of cambial and enlarging cells were observed at the treeline. Soil temperatures at time of initiation of cambial activity were c. 1.5 °C higher at treeline (open canopy) compared to timberline (closed canopy), suggesting that a threshold root-zone temperature is involved in triggering onset of above ground stem growth. The rate of xylem cell production determined in two weekly intervals during June through August 2006-2007 was significantly correlated with air temperature (temperature sums expressed as degree-days and mean daily maximum temperature) at the timberline only. Lack of significant relationships between tracheid production and temperature variables at the treeline and within the krummholz belt support past dendroclimatological studies that more extreme environmental conditions (e.g., wind exposure, frost desiccation, late frost) increasingly control tree growth above timberline. Results of this study revealed that spatial and temporal (i.e. year-to-year) variability in timing and dynamic of wood formation of Pinus cembra is strongly influenced by local site factors within the treeline ecotone and the dynamics of seasonal temperature variation, respectively. PMID:21509148

Metallic diffusion measured by a modified Knudsen technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fray, D. J.

1969-01-01

Diffusion coefficient of a metal in high temperature system is determined. From the measurement of the weight loss from a Knudsen cell, the vapor pressure of the escaping species can be calculated. If the only way this species can enter the Knudsen cell is by diffusion through a foil, the weight loss is diffusion flux.

Enthalpy of Vaporization and Vapor Pressures: An Inexpensive Apparatus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Battino, Rubin; Dolson, David A.; Hall, Michael A.; Letcher, Trevor M.

2007-01-01

A simple and inexpensive method to determine the enthalpy of vaporization of liquids by measuring vapor pressure as a function of temperature is described. The vapor pressures measured with the stopcock cell were higher than the literature values and those measured with the sidearm rubber septum cell were both higher and lower than literature…

Yeast cell wall supplementation alters the performance and physiological response of beef heifers following an immune challenge

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A study was designed to determine the effect of feeding yeast cell wall (YCW) products on the performance response and vaginal temperature of crossbred heifers following a subcutaneous endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide; LPS) challenge. Heifers (n=83; 225±9.4 kg) were obtained from commercial sale barns ...

Temperature-Dependent Kinetic Model for Nitrogen-Limited Wine Fermentations▿

PubMed Central

Coleman, Matthew C.; Fish, Russell; Block, David E.

2007-01-01

A physical and mathematical model for wine fermentation kinetics was adapted to include the influence of temperature, perhaps the most critical factor influencing fermentation kinetics. The model was based on flask-scale white wine fermentations at different temperatures (11 to 35°C) and different initial concentrations of sugar (265 to 300 g/liter) and nitrogen (70 to 350 mg N/liter). The results show that fermentation temperature and inadequate levels of nitrogen will cause stuck or sluggish fermentations. Model parameters representing cell growth rate, sugar utilization rate, and the inactivation rate of cells in the presence of ethanol are highly temperature dependent. All other variables (yield coefficient of cell mass to utilized nitrogen, yield coefficient of ethanol to utilized sugar, Monod constant for nitrogen-limited growth, and Michaelis-Menten-type constant for sugar transport) were determined to vary insignificantly with temperature. The resulting mathematical model accurately predicts the observed wine fermentation kinetics with respect to different temperatures and different initial conditions, including data from fermentations not used for model development. This is the first wine fermentation model that accurately predicts a transition from sluggish to normal to stuck fermentations as temperature increases from 11 to 35°C. Furthermore, this comprehensive model provides insight into combined effects of time, temperature, and ethanol concentration on yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) activity and physiology. PMID:17616615

Investigation of breadboard temperature profiling system for SSME fuel preburner diagnostics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shirley, J. A.

1986-01-01

The feasibility of measuring temperatures in the space shuttle main engine (SSME) fuel preburner using spontaneous Raman scattering from molecular hydrogen was studied. Laser radiation is transmitted to the preburner through a multimode optical fiber. Backscattered Raman-shifted light is collected and focused into a second fiber which connects to a remote-located spectrograph and a mutlichannel optical detector. Optics collimate and focus laser light from the transmitter fiber defining the probe volume. The high pressure, high temperature preburner environment was simulated by a heated pressure cell. Temperatures determined by the distribution of Q-branch co-vibrational transitions demonstrate precision and accuracy of 3%. It is indicated heat preburner temperatures can be determined with 5% accuracy with spatial resolution less than 1 cm and temporal resolution of 10 millisec at the nominal preburner operation conditions.

Applications of high pressure differential scanning calorimetry to aviation fuel thermal stability research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neveu, M. C.; Stocker, D. P.

1985-01-01

High pressure differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was studied as an alternate method for performing high temperature fuel thermal stability research. The DSC was used to measure the heat of reaction versus temperature of a fuel sample heated at a programmed rate in an oxygen pressurized cell. Pure hydrocarbons and model fuels were studied using typical DSC operating conditions of 600 psig of oxygen and a temperature range from ambient to 500 C. The DSC oxidation onset temperature was determined and was used to rate the fuels on thermal stability. Kinetic rate constants were determined for the global initial oxidation reaction. Fuel deposit formation is measured, and the high temperature volatility of some tetralin deposits is studied by thermogravimetric analysis. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry are used to study the chemical composition of some DSC stressed fuels.

Membrane hydraulic permeability changes during cooling of mammalian cells.

PubMed

Akhoondi, Maryam; Oldenhof, Harriëtte; Stoll, Christoph; Sieme, Harald; Wolkers, Willem F

2011-03-01

In order to predict optimal cooling rates for cryopreservation of cells, the cell-specific membrane hydraulic permeability and corresponding activation energy for water transport need to be experimentally determined. These parameters should preferably be determined at subzero temperatures in the presence of ice. There is, however, a lack of methods to study membrane properties of cells in the presence of ice. We have used Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to study freezing-induced membrane dehydration of mouse embryonic fibroblast (3T3) cells and derived the subzero membrane hydraulic permeability and the activation energy for water transport from these data. Coulter counter measurements were used to determine the suprazero membrane hydraulic permeability parameters from cellular volume changes of cells exposed to osmotic stress. The activation energy for water transport in the ice phase is about three fold greater compared to that at suprazero temperatures. The membrane hydraulic permeability at 0 °C that was extrapolated from suprazero measurements is about five fold greater compared to that extrapolated from subzero measurements. This difference is likely due to a freezing-induced dehydration of the bound water around the phospholipid head groups. Using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, two distinct water transport processes, that of free and membrane bound water, can be identified during freezing with distinct activation energies. Dimethylsulfoxide, a widely used cryoprotective agent, did not prevent freezing-induced membrane dehydration but decreased the activation energy for water transport. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

MANIFESTATIONS OF INJURY IN YEAST CELLS EXPOSED TO SUBZERO TEMPERATURES II.

PubMed Central

Mazur, Peter

1961-01-01

Mazur, Peter (Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn.). Manifestations of injury in yeast cells exposed to subzero temperatures. II. Changes in specific gravity and in the concentration and quantity of cell solids. J. Bacteriol. 82:673–684. 1961.—It has previously been established that subjecting cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to rapid cooling to −30 C results in cell death and in certain morphological alterations. The alterations consisted of the loss of the central vacuole and a 50% decrease in volume. The present experiments were concerned with determining whether the volume decrease was the result of the loss of water alone or of water plus cellular solutes. The density of the “frozenthawed” cells was found to increase from 1.14 to 1.25 g/cm3 on the basis of measurements of the sedimentation rate of the cells. Interferometric and refractometric measurements indicated, furthermore, that the concentration of cell solids increased from 20 to 28%, whereas the total mass of cell solids decreased from 25 to 17 μμg/cell. The decrease in cell volume was thus shown to be the result of loss of solution from the cells, a solution containing 11 to 16% solids. Measurements of the rate of dialysis suggested that most or all of these solids had a molecular weight below 600. The findings are consistent with the view that low-temperature exposure destroyed the vacuolar membrane and sufficiently damaged the permeability barriers of the cell to permit escape of low molecular weight compounds. The damage was present a few seconds after thawing, and may, therefore, have been a direct result of intracellular ice crystals which, on the basis of previous studies, are believed to be responsible for death from low-temperature exposure. PMID:14471819

High pressure and high temperature in situ X-ray diffraction studies in the Paris-Edinburgh cell using a laboratory X-ray source†

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toulemonde, Pierre; Goujon, Céline; Laversenne, Laetitia; Bordet, Pierre; Bruyère, Rémy; Legendre, Murielle; Leynaud, Olivier; Prat, Alain; Mezouar, Mohamed

2014-04-01

We have developed a new laboratory experimental set-up to study in situ the pressure-temperature phase diagram of a given pure element or compound, its associated phase transitions, or the chemical reactions involved at high pressure and high temperature (HP-HT) between different solids and liquids. This new tool allows laboratory studies before conducting further detailed experiments using more brilliant synchrotron X-ray sources or before kinetic studies. This device uses the diffraction of X-rays produced by a quasi-monochromatic micro-beam source operating at the silver radiation (λ(Ag)Kα 1, 2≈0.56 Å). The experimental set-up is based on a VX Paris-Edinburgh cell equipped with tungsten carbide or sintered diamond anvils and uses standard B-epoxy 5 or 7 mm gaskets. The diffracted signal coming from the compressed (and heated) sample is collected on an image plate. The pressure and temperature calibrations were performed by diffraction, using conventional calibrants (BN, NaCl and MgO) for determination of the pressure, and by crossing isochores of BN, NaCl, Cu or Au for the determination of the temperature. The first examples of studies performed with this new laboratory set-up are presented in the article: determination of the melting point of germanium and magnesium under HP-HT, synthesis of MgB2 or C-diamond and partial study of the P, T phase diagram of MgH2.

Analysis of Percent On-Cell Reformation of Methane in SOFC Stacks: Thermal, Electrical and Stress Analysis

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

Recknagle, Kurtis P.; Yokuda, Satoru T.; Jarboe, Daniel T.

2006-04-07

This report summarizes a parametric analysis performed to determine the effect of varying the percent on-cell reformation (OCR) of methane on the thermal and electrical performance for a generic, planar solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack design. OCR of methane can be beneficial to an SOFC stack because the reaction (steam-methane reformation) is endothermic and can remove excess heat generated by the electrochemical reactions directly from the cell. The heat removed is proportional to the amount of methane reformed on the cell. Methane can be partially pre-reformed externally, then supplied to the stack, where rapid reaction kinetics on the anodemore » ensures complete conversion. Thus, the thermal load varies with methane concentration entering the stack, as does the coupled scalar distributions, including the temperature and electrical current density. The endotherm due to the reformation reaction can cause a temperature depression on the anode near the fuel inlet, resulting in large thermal gradients. This effect depends on factors that include methane concentration, local temperature, and stack geometry.« less

Development of the realization of superfluid transition temperature of helium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, P.; Yu, L.

2013-09-01

A sealed-cell technique has been developed to realize the superfluid transition temperature of helium, Tλ. With this technique, one can produce and maintain Tλ plateau for unlimited duration with no ascertained temperature drift. An extrapolation is employed to determine Tλ with zero heat flow to correct the depression of heat flow. This paper reports the study on the reproducibility of Tλ in the duration of ten years. The measurements on eight cells have been made at four laboratories with a routine procedure since 2000. RIRT 229841 is used at fifty-one measurements with the standard deviation of 0.035 mK. RIRT A34 is used at twenty-four measurements with the standard deviation of 0.022 mK. The results for the two cells sealed on 2009 are agreed well with that of the six cells sealed in 2000. There should be not a duration effect for the sealed cell because of almost no contamination problem of helium at Tλ realization. These results support that Tλ could be used as a superior thermometric fixed point.

Temperature regulation during ultrasonic manipulation for long-term cell handling in a microfluidic chip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Svennebring, J.; Manneberg, O.; Wiklund, M.

2007-12-01

We demonstrate simultaneous micromanipulation and temperature regulation by the use of ultrasonic standing wave technology in a microfluidic chip. The system is based on a microfabricated silicon structure sandwiched between two glass layers, and an external ultrasonic transducer using a refractive wedge placed on top of the chip for efficient coupling of ultrasound into the microchannel. The chip is fully transparent and compatible with any kind of high-resolution optical microscopy. The temperature regulation method uses calibration data of the temperature increase due to the ultrasonic actuation for determining the temperature of the surrounding air and microscope table, controlled by a warm-air heating unit and a heatable mounting frame. The heating methods are independent of each other, resulting in a flexible choice of ultrasonic actuation voltage and flow rate for different cell and particle manipulation purposes. Our results indicate that it is possible to perform stable temperature regulation with an accuracy of the order of ±0.1 °C around any physiologically relevant temperature (e.g., 37 °C) with high temporal stability and repeatability. The purpose is to use ultrasound for long-term cell and/or particle handling in a microfluidic chip while controlling and maintaining the biocompatibility of the system.

Carbon deposition during oxygen production using high temperature electrolysis and mitigation methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernadowski, Timothy Adam, Jr.

Carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere can be converted to oxygen during high temperature electrolysis for use in life-support and fuel systems on manned missions to the red planet. During electrolysis of carbon dioxide to produce oxygen, carbon can deposit on the electrolysis cell resulting in lower efficiency and possibly cell damage. This would be detrimental, especially when the oxygen product is used as the key element of a space life support system. In this thesis, a theoretical model was developed to predict hazardous carbon deposition conditions under various operating conditions within the Martian atmosphere. The model can be used as a guide to determine the ideal operating conditions of the high-temperature oxygen production system. A parallel experimental investigation is underway to evaluate the accuracy of the theoretical model. The experimental design, cell fabrication, and some preliminary results as well as future work recommendations are also presented in this thesis.

Thermal stability of gallium arsenide solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papež, Nikola; Škvarenina, Ľubomír.; Tofel, Pavel; Sobola, Dinara

2017-12-01

This article summarizes a measurement of gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cells during their thermal processing. These solar cells compared to standard silicon cells have better efficiency and high thermal stability. However, their use is partly limited due to high acquisition costs. For these reasons, GaAs cells are deployed only in the most demanding applications where their features are needed, such as space applications. In this work, GaAs solar cells were studied in a high temperature range within 30-650 °C where their functionality and changes in surface topology were monitored. These changes were recorded using an electron microscope which determined the position of the defects; using an atomic force microscope we determined the roughness of the surface and an infrared camera that showed us the thermal radiated places of the defected parts of the cell. The electrical characteristics of the cells during processing were determined by its current-voltage characteristics. Despite the occurrence of subtle changes on the solar cell with newly created surface features after 300 °C thermal processing, its current-voltage characteristic remained without a significant change.

Co-C and Pd-C Eutectic Fixed Points for Radiation Thermometry and Thermocouple Thermometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, L.

2017-12-01

Two Co-C and Pd-C eutectic fixed point cells for both radiation thermometry and thermocouple thermometry were constructed at NMC. This paper describes details of the cell design, materials used, and fabrication of the cells. The melting curves of the Co-C and Pd-C cells were measured with a reference radiation thermometer realized in both a single-zone furnace and a three-zone furnace in order to investigate furnace effect. The transition temperatures in terms of ITS-90 were determined to be 1324.18 {°}C and 1491.61 {°}C with the corresponding combined standard uncertainty of 0.44 {°}C and 0.31 {°}C for Co-C and Pd-C, respectively, taking into account of the differences of two different types of furnaces used. The determined ITS-90 temperatures are also compared with that of INRIM cells obtained using the same reference radiation thermometer and the same furnaces with the same settings during a previous bilateral comparison exercise (Battuello et al. in Int J Thermophys 35:535-546, 2014). The agreements are within k=1 uncertainty for Co-C cell and k = 2 uncertainty for Pd-C cell. Shapes of the plateaus of NMC cells and INRIM cells are compared too and furnace effects are analyzed as well. The melting curves of the Co-C and Pd-C cells realized in the single-zone furnace are also measured by a Pt/Pd thermocouple, and the preliminary results are presented as well.

Thickness effects of yttria-doped ceria interlayers on solid oxide fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Zeng; An, Jihwan; Iancu, Andrei; Prinz, Fritz B.

2012-11-01

Determining the optimal thickness range of the interlayed yttria-doped ceria (YDC) films promises to further enhance the performance of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) at low operating temperatures. The YDC interlayers are fabricated by the atomic layer deposition (ALD) method with one super cycle of the YDC deposition consisting of 6 ceria deposition cycles and one yttria deposition cycle. YDC films of various numbers of ALD super cycles, ranging from 2 to 35, are interlayered into bulk fuel cells with a 200 um thick yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte. Measurements and analysis of the linear sweep voltammetry of these fuel cells reveal that the performance of the given cells is maximized at 10 super cycles. Auger elemental mapping and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques are employed to determine the film completeness, and they verify 10 super cycles of YDC to be the critical thickness point. This optimal YDC interlayer condition (6Ce1Y × 10 super cycles) is applied to the case of micro fuel cells as well, and the average performance enhancement factor is 1.4 at operating temperatures of 400 and 450 °C. A power density of 1.04 W cm-2 at 500 °C is also achieved with the optimal YDC recipe.

Sensitizing effects of gallium citrate on hyperthermic cell killing in vitro.

PubMed

Miyazaki, N; Nakano, H; Kawakami, N; Kugotani, M; Nishihara, K; Aoki, Y; Shinohara, K

2000-01-01

The lethal effects of gallium citrate in combination with heat were studied using four cell lines, L5178Y, FM3A, P388 and HeLa. Cells were incubated with different concentrations (0.2 2 mM) of gallium citrate at 37 degrees C for 24 h and heated at a range of temperatures from 40-44 degrees C for various time periods up to 6 h in the absence of gallium citrate. Survival and cell viability were determined by clonogenic assay and the dye-exclusion test, respectively. All of the cell lines tested were insensitive to heat below 41 degrees C, but were very sensitive to heat above 43 degrees C. Gallium citrate was cytotoxic to these cell lines at different levels: P388 and HeLa were far more sensitive than L5178Y and FM3A. The killing effects of heat at 41 degrees C were greatly enhanced by gallium citrate in L5178Y and P388 cells. The Arrhenius analysis for the lethal effect of heat, determined by clonogenic assay, in L5178Y cells showed that the transition temperature was remarkably decreased for the gallium-treated cells from approximately 43 degrees C to 41 degrees C. The mechanism for this decrease in the transition temperature may be attributable to the additional effects of gallium citrate on energy metabolism. Preincubation with 0.05 mM gallium citrate at 37 degrees C for 7 days also enhanced heat sensitization at 41 degrees C in L5178Y. This preincubation condition may correspond to the condition for the continuous infusion of gallium that is clinically used for cancer treatment. In contrast, treatment with gallium did not greatly enhance the sensitivity of FM3A or HeLa cells to heat at 41 degrees C, but the effects of gallium were significant.

Dimorphic DNA methylation during temperature-dependent sex determination in the sea turtle Lepidochelys olivacea.

PubMed

Venegas, Daniela; Marmolejo-Valencia, Alejandro; Valdes-Quezada, Christian; Govenzensky, Tzipe; Recillas-Targa, Félix; Merchant-Larios, Horacio

2016-09-15

Sex determination in vertebrates depends on the expression of a conserved network of genes. Sea turtles such as Lepidochelys olivacea have temperature-dependent sex determination. The present work analyses some of the epigenetic processes involved in this. We describe sexual dimorphism in global DNA methylation patterns between ovaries and testes of L. olivacea and show that the differences may arise from a combination of DNA methylation and demethylation events that occur during sex determination. Irrespective of incubation temperature, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine was abundant in the bipotential gonad; however, following sex determination, this modification was no longer found in pre-Sertoli cells in the testes. These changes correlate with the establishment of the sexually dimorphic DNA methylation patterns, down regulation of Sox9 gene expression in ovaries and irreversible gonadal commitment towards a male or female differentiation pathway. Thus, DNA methylation changes may be necessary for the stabilization of the gene expression networks that drive the differentiation of the bipotential gonad to form either an ovary or a testis in L. olivacea and probably among other species that manifest temperature-dependent sex determination. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

DELAY OF GERMINATION 1 mediates a conserved coat-dormancy mechanism for the temperature- and gibberellin-dependent control of seed germination.

PubMed

Graeber, Kai; Linkies, Ada; Steinbrecher, Tina; Mummenhoff, Klaus; Tarkowská, Danuše; Turečková, Veronika; Ignatz, Michael; Sperber, Katja; Voegele, Antje; de Jong, Hans; Urbanová, Terezie; Strnad, Miroslav; Leubner-Metzger, Gerhard

2014-08-26

Seed germination is an important life-cycle transition because it determines subsequent plant survival and reproductive success. To detect optimal spatiotemporal conditions for germination, seeds act as sophisticated environmental sensors integrating information such as ambient temperature. Here we show that the delay of germination 1 (DOG1) gene, known for providing dormancy adaptation to distinct environments, determines the optimal temperature for seed germination. By reciprocal gene-swapping experiments between Brassicaceae species we show that the DOG1-mediated dormancy mechanism is conserved. Biomechanical analyses show that this mechanism regulates the material properties of the endosperm, a seed tissue layer acting as germination barrier to control coat dormancy. We found that DOG1 inhibits the expression of gibberellin (GA)-regulated genes encoding cell-wall remodeling proteins in a temperature-dependent manner. Furthermore we demonstrate that DOG1 causes temperature-dependent alterations in the seed GA metabolism. These alterations in hormone metabolism are brought about by the temperature-dependent differential expression of genes encoding key enzymes of the GA biosynthetic pathway. These effects of DOG1 lead to a temperature-dependent control of endosperm weakening and determine the optimal temperature for germination. The conserved DOG1-mediated coat-dormancy mechanism provides a highly adaptable temperature-sensing mechanism to control the timing of germination.

Melting relations in the Fe-S-Si system at high pressure and temperature: implications for the planetary core

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakairi, Takanori; Ohtani, Eiji; Kamada, Seiji; Sakai, Takeshi; Sakamaki, Tatsuya; Hirao, Naohisa

2017-12-01

The phase and melting relations in the Fe-S-Si system were determined up to 60 GPa by using a double-sided laser-heated diamond anvil cell combined with X-ray diffraction. On the basis of the X-ray diffraction patterns, we confirmed that hcp/fcc Fe-Si alloys and Fe3S are stable phases under subsolidus conditions in the Fe-S-Si system. Both solidus and liquidus temperatures are significantly lower than the melting temperature of pure Fe and both increase with pressure. The slopes of the Fe-S-Si liquidus and solidus curves determined here are smaller than the adiabatic temperature gradients of the liquid cores of Mercury and Mars. Thus, crystallization of their cores started at the core-mantle boundary region.

ASTM E 1559 method for measuring material outgassing/deposition kinetics has applications to aerospace, electronics, and semiconductor industries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garrett, J. W.; Glassford, A. P. M.; Steakley, J. M.

1994-01-01

The American Society for Testing and Materials has published a new standard test method for characterizing time and temperature-dependence of material outgassing kinetics and the deposition kinetics of outgassed species on surfaces at various temperatures. This new ASTM standard, E 1559(1), uses the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) collection measurement approach. The test method was originally developed under a program sponsored by the United States Air Force Materials Laboratory (AFML) to create a standard test method for obtaining outgassing and deposition kinetics data for spacecraft materials. Standardization by ASTM recognizes that the method has applications beyond aerospace. In particular, the method will provide data of use to the electronics, semiconductor, and high vacuum industries. In ASTM E 1559 the material sample is held in vacuum in a temperature-controlled effusion cell, while its outgassing flux impinges on several QCM's which view the orifice of the effusion cell. Sample isothermal total mass loss (TML) is measured as a function of time from the mass collected on one of the QCM's which is cooled by liquid nitrogen, and the view factor from this QCM to the cell. The amount of outgassed volatile condensable material (VCM) on surfaces at higher temperatures is measured as a function of time during the isothermal outgassing test by controlling the temperatures of the remaining QCM's to selected values. The VCM on surfaces at temperatures in between those of the collector QCM's is determined at the end of the isothermal test by heating the QCM's at a controlled rate and measuring the mass loss from the end of the QCM's as a function of time and temperature. This reevaporation of the deposit collected on the QCM's is referred to as QCM thermogravimetric analysis. Isothermal outgassing and deposition rates can be determined by differentiating the isothermal TML and VCM data, respectively, while the evaporation rates of the species can be obtained as a function of temperature by differentiating the QCM thermogravimetric analysis data.

A Temperature-Responsive Network Links Cell Shape and Virulence Traits in a Primary Fungal Pathogen

PubMed Central

Beyhan, Sinem; Gutierrez, Matias; Voorhies, Mark; Sil, Anita

2013-01-01

Survival at host temperature is a critical trait for pathogenic microbes of humans. Thermally dimorphic fungal pathogens, including Histoplasma capsulatum, are soil fungi that undergo dramatic changes in cell shape and virulence gene expression in response to host temperature. How these organisms link changes in temperature to both morphologic development and expression of virulence traits is unknown. Here we elucidate a temperature-responsive transcriptional network in H. capsulatum, which switches from a filamentous form in the environment to a pathogenic yeast form at body temperature. The circuit is driven by three highly conserved factors, Ryp1, Ryp2, and Ryp3, that are required for yeast-phase growth at 37°C. Ryp factors belong to distinct families of proteins that control developmental transitions in fungi: Ryp1 is a member of the WOPR family of transcription factors, and Ryp2 and Ryp3 are both members of the Velvet family of proteins whose molecular function is unknown. Here we provide the first evidence that these WOPR and Velvet proteins interact, and that Velvet proteins associate with DNA to drive gene expression. Using genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation studies, we determine that Ryp1, Ryp2, and Ryp3 associate with a large common set of genomic loci that includes known virulence genes, indicating that the Ryp factors directly control genes required for pathogenicity in addition to their role in regulating cell morphology. We further dissect the Ryp regulatory circuit by determining that a fourth transcription factor, which we name Ryp4, is required for yeast-phase growth and gene expression, associates with DNA, and displays interdependent regulation with Ryp1, Ryp2, and Ryp3. Finally, we define cis-acting motifs that recruit the Ryp factors to their interwoven network of temperature-responsive target genes. Taken together, our results reveal a positive feedback circuit that directs a broad transcriptional switch between environmental and pathogenic states in response to temperature. PMID:23935449

Photoemf in cadmium sulfide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boeer, K. W.

1971-01-01

Theoretical and experimental investigations on CdS single crystals and CuxS:CdS photovoltaic cells prepared from CdS single crystals by a chemical-dip procedure are described. The studies are aimed at clarifying cell mechanisms which affect key cell properties (efficiency, reliability, and lifetime) by examining the properties of intrinsic and extrinsic defects in the junction and surface regions and their effects on carrier transport through these regions. The experimental research described includes studies of thermal, infrared, and field quenching of acceptor-doped CdS crystals; investigation of optical and electrical properties of CuxS:CdS photovoltaic cells (current-voltage characteristics, spectral distribution of photocurrent and photovoltage) and the dependence of these properties on temperature and light intensity; measurement of changes, as a result of heat treatment in ultrahigh vacuum, in the spectral distribution of photoconductivity at room temperature and liquid nitrogen temperature, the luminescence spectrum at liquid nitrogen temperature, and the thermally stimulated current curves of CdS crystals; determination of the effect of irradiation with 150 keV (maximum) X-rays on the spectral distribution of photoconductivity and thermally-stimulated current of CdS crystals; and studies of the effect of growth conditions on the photoconductive properties of CdS crystals.

Temperature distribution in target tumor tissue and photothermal tissue destruction during laser immunotherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doughty, Austin; Hasanjee, Aamr; Pettitt, Alex; Silk, Kegan; Liu, Hong; Chen, Wei R.; Zhou, Feifan

2016-03-01

Laser Immunotherapy is a novel cancer treatment modality that has seen much success in treating many different types of cancer, both in animal studies and in clinical trials. The treatment consists of the synergistic interaction between photothermal laser irradiation and the local injection of an immunoadjuvant. As a result of the therapy, the host immune system launches a systemic antitumor response. The photothermal effect induced by the laser irradiation has multiple effects at different temperature elevations which are all required for optimal response. Therefore, determining the temperature distribution in the target tumor during the laser irradiation in laser immunotherapy is crucial to facilitate the treatment of cancers. To investigate the temperature distribution in the target tumor, female Wistar Furth rats were injected with metastatic mammary tumor cells and, upon sufficient tumor growth, underwent laser irradiation and were monitored using thermocouples connected to locally-inserted needle probes and infrared thermography. From the study, we determined that the maximum central tumor temperature was higher for tumors of less volume. Additionally, we determined that the temperature near the edge of the tumor as measured with a thermocouple had a strong correlation with the maximum temperature value in the infrared camera measurement.

Gravity separation of fat, somatic cells, and bacteria in raw and pasteurized milks.

PubMed

Caplan, Z; Melilli, C; Barbano, D M

2013-04-01

The objective of experiment 1 was to determine if the extent of gravity separation of milk fat, bacteria, and somatic cells is influenced by the time and temperature of gravity separation or the level of contaminating bacteria present in the raw milk. The objective of experiment 2 was to determine if different temperatures of milk heat treatment affected the gravity separation of milk fat, bacteria, and somatic cells. In raw milk, fat, bacteria, and somatic cells rose to the top of columns during gravity separation. About 50 to 80% of the fat and bacteria were present in the top 8% of the milk after gravity separation of raw milk. Gravity separation for 7h at 12°C or for 22h at 4°C produced equivalent separation of fat, bacteria, and somatic cells. The completeness of gravity separation of fat was influenced by the level of bacteria in the milk before separation. Milk with a high bacterial count had less (about 50 to 55%) gravity separation of fat than milk with low bacteria count (about 80%) in 22h at 4°C. Gravity separation caused fat, bacteria, and somatic cells to rise to the top of columns for raw whole milk and high temperature, short-time pasteurized (72.6°C, 25s) whole milk. Pasteurization at ≥76.9°C for 25s prevented all 3 components from rising, possibly due to denaturation of native bovine immunoglobulins that normally associate with fat, bacteria, and somatic cells during gravity separation. Gravity separation can be used to produce reduced-fat milk with decreased bacterial and somatic cell counts, and may be a critical factor in the history of safe and unique traditional Italian hard cheeses produced from gravity-separated raw milk. A better understanding of the mechanism of this natural process could lead to the development of new nonthermal thermal technology (that does not involve heating the milk to high temperatures) to remove bacteria and spores from milk or other liquids. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Microfluidic Study of Megakaryocytes Membrane Transport Properties to Water and Dimethyl Sulfoxide at Suprazero and Subzero Temperatures

PubMed Central

Sun, Sijie; Shu, Zhiquan; Ding, Weiping; Reems, Jo-Anna

2011-01-01

Megakaryocytes (MKs) are the precursor cells of platelets. Cryopreservation of MKs is critical for facilitating research investigations about the biology of this important cell and may help for scaling-up ex-vivo production of platelets from MKs for clinical transfusion. Determining membrane transport properties of MKs to water and cryoprotectant agents (CPAs) is essential for developing optimal conditions for cryopreserving MKs. To obtain these unknown parameters, membrane transport properties of the human UT-7/TPO megakaryocytic cell line were investigated using a microfluidic perfusion system. UT-7/TPO cells were immobilized in a microfluidic system on poly-D-lysine-coated glass substrate and perfused with various hyper-osmotic salt and CPA solutions at suprazero and subzero temperatures. The kinetics of cell volume changes under various extracellular conditions were monitored by a video camera and the information was processed and analyzed using the Kedem–Katchalsky model to determine the membrane transport properties. The osmotically inactive cell volume (Vb=0.15), the permeability coefficient to water (Lp) at 37°C, 22°C, 12°C, 0°C, −5°C, −10°C, and −20°C, and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO; Ps) at 22, 12, 0, −10, −20, as well as associated activation energies of water and DMSO at different temperature regions were obtained. We found that MKs have relatively higher membrane permeability to water (Lp=2.62 μm/min/atm at 22°C) and DMSO (Ps=1.8×10−3 cm/min at 22°C) than most other common mammalian cell types, such as lymphocytes (Lp=0.46 μm/min/atm at 25°C). This information could suggest a higher optimal cooling rate for MKs cryopreservation. The discontinuity effect was also found on activation energy at 0°C–12°C in the Arrhenius plots of membrane permeability by evaluating the slope of linear regression at each temperature region. This phenomenon may imply the occurrence of cell membrane lipid phase transition. PMID:22232706

Empirical determination of low J values of 13CH4 transitions from jet cooled and 80 K cell spectra in the icosad region (7170-7367 cm-1)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Votava, O.; Mašát, M.; Pracna, P.; Mondelain, D.; Kassi, S.; Liu, A. W.; Hu, S. M.; Campargue, A.

2014-12-01

The absorption spectrum of 13CH4 was recorded at two low temperatures in the icosad region near 1.38 μm, using direct absorption tunable diode lasers. Spectra were obtained using a cryogenic cell cooled at liquid nitrogen temperature (80 K) and a supersonic jet providing a 32 K rotational temperature in the 7173-7367 cm-1 and 7200-7354 cm-1 spectral intervals, respectively. Two lists of 4498 and 339 lines, including absolute line intensities, were constructed from the 80 K and jet spectra, respectively. All the transitions observed in jet conditions were observed at 80 K. From the temperature variation of their line intensities, the corresponding lower state energy values were determined. The 339 derived empirical values of the J rotational quantum number are found close to integer values and are all smaller than 4, as a consequence of the efficient rotational cooling. Six R(0) transitions have been identified providing key information on the origins of the vibrational bands which contribute to the very congested and not yet assigned 13CH4 spectrum in the considered region of the icosad.

Process for selection of oxygen-tolerant algal mutants that produce H{sub 2}

DOEpatents

Ghirardi, M.L.; Seibert, M.

1999-02-16

A process for selection of oxygen-tolerant, H{sub 2}-producing algal mutant cells comprises: (a) growing algal cells photoautotrophically under fluorescent light to mid log phase; (b) inducing algal cells grown photoautotrophically under fluorescent light to mid log phase in step (a) anaerobically by (1) resuspending the cells in a buffer solution and making said suspension anaerobic with an inert gas and (2) incubating the suspension in the absence of light at ambient temperature; (c) treating the cells from step (b) with metronidazole, sodium azide, and added oxygen to controlled concentrations in the presence of white light; (d) washing off metronidazole and sodium azide to obtain final cell suspension; (e) plating said final cell suspension on a minimal medium and incubating in light at a temperature sufficient to enable colonies to appear; (f) counting the number of colonies to determine the percent of mutant survivors; and (g) testing survivors to identify oxygen-tolerant H{sub 2}-producing mutants. 5 figs.

Process for selection of Oxygen-tolerant algal mutants that produce H.sub.2

DOEpatents

Ghirardi, Maria L.; Seibert, Michael

1999-01-01

A process for selection of oxygen-tolerant, H.sub.2 -producing algal mutant cells comprising: (a) growing algal cells photoautotrophically under fluorescent light to mid log phase; (b) inducing algal cells grown photoautrophically under fluorescent light to mid log phase in step (a) anaerobically by (1) resuspending the cells in a buffer solution and making said suspension anaerobic with an inert gas; (2) incubating the suspension in the absence of light at ambient temperature; (c) treating the cells from step (b) with metronidazole, sodium azide, and added oxygen to controlled concentrations in the presence of white light. (d) washing off metronidazole and sodium azide to obtain final cell suspension; (e) plating said final cell suspension on a minimal medium and incubating in light at a temperature sufficient to enable colonies to appear; (f) counting the number of colonies to determine the percent of mutant survivors; and (g) testing survivors to identify oxygen-tolerant H.sub.2 -producing mutants.

Effects of Above-Optimum Growth Temperature and Cell Morphology on Thermotolerance of Listeria monocytogenes Cells Suspended in Bovine Milk

PubMed Central

Rowan, Neil J.; Anderson, John G.

1998-01-01

The thermotolerances of two different cell forms of Listeria monocytogenes (serotype 4b) grown at 37 and 42.8°C in commercially pasteurized and laboratory-tyndallized whole milk (WM) were investigated. Test strains, after growth at 37 or 42.8°C, were suspended in WM at concentrations of approximately 1.5 × 108 to 3.0 × 108 cells/ml and were then heated at 56, 60, and 63°C for various exposure times. Survival was determined by enumeration on tryptone-soya-yeast extract agar and Listeria selective agar, and D values (decimal reduction times) and Z values (numbers of degrees Celsius required to cause a 10-fold change in the D value) were calculated. Higher average recovery and higher D values (i.e., seen as a 2.5- to 3-fold increase in thermotolerance) were obtained when cells were grown at 42.8°C prior to heat treatment. A relationship was observed between thermotolerance and cell morphology of L. monocytogenes. Atypical Listeria cell types (consisting predominantly of long cell chains measuring up to 60 μm in length) associated with rough (R) culture variants were shown to be 1.2-fold more thermotolerant than the typical dispersed cell form associated with normal smooth (S) cultures (P ≤ 0.001). The thermal death-time (TDT) curves of R-cell forms contained a tail section in addition to the shoulder section characteristic of TDT curves of normal single to paired cells (i.e., S form). The factors shown to influence the thermoresistance of suspended Listeria cells (P ≤ 0.001) were as follows: growth and heating temperatures, type of plating medium, recovery method, and cell morphology. Regression analysis of nonlinear data can underestimate survival of L. monocytogenes; the end point recovery method was shown to be a better method for determining thermotolerance because it takes both shoulders and tails into consideration. Despite their enhanced heat resistance, atypical R-cell forms of L. monocytogenes were unable to survive the low-temperature, long-time pasteurization process when freely suspended and heated in WM. PMID:9603815

Evaluation program for secondary spacecraft cells: Acceptance test of McDonnell-Douglas, Astropower division, 40.0 ampere hour silver-zinc cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harkness, J. D.

1971-01-01

The development of an inorganic separator material for use in construction of 40 ampere-hour silver zinc cells is discussed. Acceptance tests were conducted to determine real quality, physical defects and ampere-hour capacity. All acceptance tests were performed at an ambient temperature of 23 to 27 C at existing relative humidity and atmospheric pressure. Of the 63 cells tested, only one failed to meet the equipment specifications.

Performance parameters of TiN electrodes for AMTEC cells

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

Ryan, Margaret A.; Williams, Roger M.; Homer, Margie L.

1999-01-22

In order to model the lifetime of the electrochemical cell in an Alkali Metal Thermal to Electric Converter (AMTEC), studies of TiN electrodes on beta'-alumina solid electrolytes (BASE) have been made to determine the performance parameters over time. Performance parameters include, G, the morphology factor, and B, the temperature independent exchange current. The results of several experiments, both AMTEC cells and Sodium Exposure Test Cells, in which TiN electrodes have been studied at 1120-1200 K are described here.

Static liquid permeation cell method for determining the migration parameters of low molecular weight organic compounds in polyethylene terephthalate.

PubMed

Song, Yoon S; Koontz, John L; Juskelis, Rima O; Zhao, Yang

2013-01-01

The migration of low molecular weight organic compounds through polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films was determined by using a custom permeation cell assembly. Fatty food simulant (Miglyol 812) was added to the receptor chamber, while the donor chamber was filled with 1% and 10% (v/v) migrant compounds spiked in simulant. The permeation cell was maintained at 40°C, 66°C, 100°C or 121°C for up to 25 days of polymer film exposure time. Migrants in Miglyol were directly quantified without a liquid-liquid extraction step by headspace-GC-MS analysis. Experimental diffusion coefficients (DP) of toluene, benzyl alcohol, ethyl butyrate and methyl salicylate through PET film were determined. Results from Limm's diffusion model showed that the predicted DP values for PET were all greater than the experimental values. DP values predicted by Piringer's diffusion model were also greater than those determined experimentally at 66°C, 100°C and 121°C. However, Piringer's model led to the underestimation of benzyl alcohol (Áp = 3.7) and methyl salicylate (Áp = 4.0) diffusion at 40°C with its revised "upper-bound" Áp value of 3.1 at temperatures below the glass transition temperature (Tg) of PET (<70°C). This implies that input parameters of Piringer's model may need to be revised to ensure a margin of safety for consumers. On the other hand, at temperatures greater than the Tg, both models appear too conservative and unrealistic. The highest estimated Áp value from Piringer's model was 2.6 for methyl salicylate, which was much lower than the "upper-bound" Áp value of 6.4 for PET. Therefore, it may be necessary further to refine "upper-bound" Áp values for PET such that Piringer's model does not significantly underestimate or overestimate the migration of organic compounds dependent upon the temperature condition of the food contact material.

Determination of Low C Concentration in Czochralski-Grown Si for Solar Cell Applications by Liquid-N-Temperature Photoluminescence After Electron Irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tajima, Michio; Kiuchi, Hirotatsu; Higuchi, Fumito; Ishikawa, Yoichiro; Ogura, Atsushi

2018-05-01

The effectiveness of liquid-N-temperature photoluminescence (PL) after electron irradiation for quantification of low-level C has been demonstrated in Czochralski (CZ)-grown Si for solar cell applications. We focused on the intensity ratios of the C- and G-lines to the band-edge emission, which were used as indexes for determining the C concentration in the PL activation method at 4.2 K. Good correlations of the ratio between 4.2 K and 77 K were obtained for samples with similar P and O concentrations after electron irradiation at fluence varying from 1 × 1015 cm-2 to 10 × 1015 cm-2. We applied the present method to quantify the C concentration along the solidified fraction in CZ-Si ingots.

High-temperature viscoelastic creep constitutive equations for polymer composites: Homogenization theory and experiments

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

Skontorp, A.; Wang, S.S.; Shibuya, Y.

1994-12-31

In this paper, a homogenization theory is developed to determine high-temperature effective viscoelastic constitutive equations for fiber-reinforced polymer composites. The homogenization theory approximates the microstructure of a fiber composite, and determine simultaneously effective macroscopic constitutive properties of the composite and the associated microscopic strain and stress in the heterogeneous material. The time-temperature dependent homogenization theory requires that the viscoelastic constituent properties of the matrix phase at elevated temperatures, the governing equations for the composites, and the boundary conditions of the problem be Laplace transformed to a conjugate problem. The homogenized effective properties in the transformed domain are determined, using amore » two-scale asymptotic expansion of field variables and an averaging procedure. Field solutions in the unit cell are determined from basic and first-order governing equations with the aid of a boundary integral method (BIM). Effective viscoelastic constitutive properties of the composite at elevated temperatures are determined by an inverse transformation, as are the microscopic stress and deformation in the composite. Using this method, interactions among fibers and between the fibers and the matrix can be evaluated explicitly, resulting in accurate solutions for composites with high-volume fraction of reinforcing fibers. Examples are given for the case of a carbon-fiber reinforced thermoplastic polyamide composite in an elevated temperature environment. The homogenization predictions are in good agreement with experimental data available for the composite.« less

Kinetics of cellular dissolution in a Cu-Cd alloy

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

Nakkalil, R.; Gupta, S.P.

1989-07-01

Dissolution of the cellular precipitate by cell boundary migration has been studied in a Cu-2 at.% Cd alloy in the temperature range 777--878 K. Microstructural observations have revealed that the process of dissolution begins at the original position of the grain boundary as well as the cell boundary. The steady state rate of cell boundary migration decreased with decreasing temperature of dissolution and became zero at approximately 770 K, which is about 30 K below the equilibrium solves temperature. The boundary diffusivities were determined at a number of temperatures by using the theory of Petermann and Hornbogen modified for dissolution.more » The diffusivity values calculated from the experimental data are seven orders of magnitude higher than the corresponding volume diffusivities. From the temperature dependence of the diffusivity, an activation energy of 157 kJ mol{sup {minus} 1} is obtained, which is bout three-quarters of the activation energy for the bulk diffusion of Cd into Cu. From the diffusivity and activation energy values, it is concluded that the diffusion of Cd along the migrating grain boundaries control the dissolution of the cellular precipitate in this alloy.« less

Effect of sintering on transparent TiO2 18NR-T type thin films as the working electrode for transparent solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Supriyanto, A.; Nandani; Wahyuningsih, S.; Ramelan, A. H.

2018-03-01

The working electrode based on semiconductor transparent TiO2 type 18NR-T for transparent solar cells have been grown by screen printing method. This study aim is to determine the effect of sintering on TiO2 thin films transparent as the working electrode of transparent solar cells. TiO2 films will be sintered at temperature 450°C, 500°C, 550°C and 600°C. TiO2 films optical properties were characterized using UV-Vis spectrophotometer, electrical properties were characterized using 4 point probemethods and the crystallization was characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The lowest transmittance due to the treatment of annealing temperature variations is 550°C because the 550°C TiO2 layer is more absorbing. The peaks resulted from the annealing temperature treatment show that the high temperature the more anatase peaks. Characterization using four-point probe showed that the highest conductivity of TiO2 18NR-T thin film was 2.42 x 102 Ω-1m-1 at annealing temperature 550°C.

Thermal characteristics of Lithium-ion batteries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hauser, Dan

2004-01-01

Lithium-ion batteries have a very promising future for space applications. Currently they are being used on a few GEO satellites, and were used on the two recent Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity. There are still problem that exist that need to be addressed before these batteries can fully take flight. One of the problems is that the cycle life of these batteries needs to be increased. battery. Research is being focused on the chemistry of the materials inside the battery. This includes the anode, cathode, and the cell electrolyte solution. These components can undergo unwanted chemical reactions inside the cell that deteriorate the materials of the battery. During discharge/ charge cycles there is heat dissipated in the cell, and the battery heats up and its temperature increases. An increase in temperature can speed up any unwanted reactions in the cell. Exothermic reactions cause the temperature to increase; therefore increasing the reaction rate will cause the increase of the temperature inside the cell to occur at a faster rate. If the temperature gets too high thermal runaway will occur, and the cell can explode. The material that separates the electrode from the electrolyte is a non-conducting polymer. At high temperatures the separator will melt and the battery will be destroyed. The separator also contains small pores that allow lithium ions to diffuse through during charge and discharge. High temperatures can cause these pores to close up, permanently damaging the cell. My job at NASA Glenn research center this summer will be to perform thermal characterization tests on an 18650 type lithium-ion battery. High temperatures cause the chemicals inside lithium ion batteries to spontaneously react with each other. My task is to conduct experiments to determine the temperature that the reaction takes place at, what components in the cell are reacting and the mechanism of the reaction. The experiments will be conducted using an accelerating rate calorimeter (ARC), which uses a heat-wait-search mode until an exothermic reaction is detected. After an exotherm is found the calorimeter maintains an adiabatic environment around a bomb which holds the test sample. The ARC will help identify important reactions and what temperature these exothermic reactions take place at. In order fully understand the battery, we are first going to take apart the battery and test the individual components of the battery using the ARC. I will first conduct a test on the electrolyte solution by itself. We will then test the electrolyte solution with the anode. We would like to see how the electrolyte solution reacts with the anode and its binder material. The next would be the same test using the cathode instead of the anode. By comparing the results of the electrolyte, electrolyte with anode, and the electrolyte with the cathode we can determine the reactions that are taking place due to each component. Using the heat capacity of the each individual sample and the temperature by which the sample increases, kinetic and thermo-dynamical information can then be found. A Gas chromatograph could be used to help with the task of identifying the by-products at the end of each test. One way of increasing the cycle life is to increase the stability of the materials inside the

Heat transfer studies. Quarterly report

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

Boehm, R.; Chen, Y.; Izzeldin, A.

The experiments on determination of the wavelength corresponding to the equality of the refractive indices and how this varies with temperature have been completed. This was accomplished using the calibration setup of a 2-inch-long test cell filled with 2 mm diameter soda-lime glass beads. Some good images result, but these are not very clear. Therefore, a 1-inch long test cell has now been built. The modified test cell is shown. A 30-gauge type K thermocouple is placed at the center inside the test cell. A model 450 AET Omega thermocouple thermometer is used to indicate the temperature from the thermocouple.more » A polyurethane foam insulator covered the test cell circular wall to approximate an adiabatic condition. The organic chemical liquid and glass beads are heated up by the mica band heater. A variable transformer is used to the control power to the heater and, thus, the temperature in the cell. The temperature is slowly increased from ambient to try to maintain a generally homogeneous temperature inside the cell. If the indices of refraction of the glass beads and the organic liquid are the same, the image of glass beads then can be found. Chlorobenzene (C{sub 6}H{sub 5}Cl) with a refractive index of about 1.52 at 25{degrees}C (boiling point of 131.6{degrees}C), has been used as the organic chemical liquid. A 5 W argon-ion laser has been used as the light source to visualize the image generated by the Christiansen effect. Two optical grade prisms are used to separate the three wavelengths (green, teal, and blue) of the beam. 80 {mu}m and 200 {mu}m apertures are used to select a single wavelength portion of the beam (either 488 nm blue or 514.5 nm green).« less

Electro-optical characterization of GaAs solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olsen, Larry C.; Dunham, Glen; Addis, F. W.; Huber, Dan; Daling, Dave

1987-01-01

The electro-optical characterization of gallium arsenide p/n solar cells is discussed. The objective is to identify and understand basic mechanisms which limit the performance of high efficiency gallium arsenide solar cells. The approach involves conducting photoresponse and temperature dependent current-voltage measurements, and interpretation of the data in terms of theory to determine key device parameters. Depth concentration profiles are also utilized in formulating a model to explain device performance.

Some practical observations on the accelerated testing of Nickel-Cadmium Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcdermott, P. P.

1979-01-01

A large scale test of 6.0 Ah Nickel-Cadmium Cells conducted at the Naval Weapons Support Center, Crane, Indiana has demonstrated a methodology for predicting battery life based on failure data from cells cycled in an accelerated mode. After examining eight variables used to accelerate failure, it was determined that temperature and depth of discharge were the most reliable and efficient parameters for use in accelerating failure and for predicting life.

Temperature effect of natural organic extraction upon light absorbance in dye-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suhaimi, Suriati; Mohamed Siddick, Siti Zubaidah; Retnasamy, Vithyacharan; Abdul Wahid, Mohamad Halim; Ahmad Hambali, Nor Azura Malini; Mohamad Shahimin, Mukhzeer

2017-02-01

Natural organic dyes contain pigments which when safely extracted from plants have the potential to be used as a sensitizer while promising a low-cost fabrication, environmental friendly dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Ardisia, Bawang Sabrang, Harum Manis mango, Oxalis Triangularis and Rosella showed different absorption peaks when the extraction process were carried out at different temperatures. Hence, these were used as the basis to determine the conversion efficiency against the dyes extracting temperature. In this study, all dyes extracted in water have shown the best performance at a temperature of 100°C except for Harum Manis mango, while in ethanol, the optimum temperature was obtained between the room temperature, 25°C and 50°C. The absorption spectrum in water showed a broader absorption wavelength vis-à-vis ethanol solvent that resulted in the absorption peak for Ardisia, Harum Manis mango and Rosella between 450 nm and 550 nm. The highest conversion efficiency is observed to be achieved by Oxalis Triangularis extracted in water solution at 100°C, which was approximately 0.96% which corresponds to the broader absorbance trends in the literature. Thus, the optimum condition for extracting temperature for dyes in water and ethanol is room temperature and boiling points of water. Hence, Ardisia, Bawang Sabrang, Harum Manis mango, Oxalis Triangularis and Rosella can be an as alternative source for photosensitizer, and the impacts of temperature upon the light absorbance can be further investigated to produce the ultimate natural dye based solar cells.

An adhesion-based method for plasma membrane isolation: evaluating cholesterol extraction from cells and their membranes.

PubMed

Bezrukov, Ludmila; Blank, Paul S; Polozov, Ivan V; Zimmerberg, Joshua

2009-11-15

A method to isolate large quantities of directly accessible plasma membrane from attached cells is presented. The method is based on the adhesion of cells to an adsorbed layer of polylysine on glass plates, followed by hypotonic lysis with ice-cold distilled water and subsequent washing steps. Optimal conditions for coating glass plates and time for cell attachment were established. No additional chemical or mechanical treatments were used. Contamination of the isolated plasma membrane by cell organelles was less than 5%. The method uses inexpensive, commercially available polylysine and reusable glass plates. Plasma membrane preparations can be made in 15 min. Using this method, we determined that methyl-beta-cyclodextrin differentially extracts cholesterol from fibroblast cells and their plasma membranes and that these differences are temperature dependent. Determination of the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio from intact cells does not reflect methyl-beta-cyclodextrin plasma membrane extraction properties.

Forward-biased current annealing of radiation degraded indium phosphide and gallium arsenide solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Michael, Sherif; Cypranowski, Corinne; Anspaugh, Bruce

1990-01-01

The preliminary results of a novel approach to low-temperature annealing of previously irradiated indium phosphide and gallium arsenide solar cells are reported. The technique is based on forward-biased current annealing. The two types of III-V solar cells were irradiated with 1-MeV electrons to a fluence level of (1-10) x 10 to the 14th electrons/sq cm. Several annealing attempts were made, varying all conditions. Optimum annealing was achieved when cells were injected with minority currents at a constant 90 C. The current density for each type of cell was also determined. Significant recovery of degraded parameters was achieved in both cases. However, the InP cell recovery notably exceeded the recovery in GaAs cells. The recovery is thought to be caused by current-stimulated reordering of the radiator-induced displacement damage. Both types of cell were then subjected to several cycles of irradiation and annealing. The results were also very promising. The significant recovery of degraded cell parameters at low temperature might play a major role in considerably extending the end of life of future spacecraft.

Locating the electrical junctions in Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 and Cu 2ZnSnSe 4 solar cells by scanning capacitance spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

Xiao, Chuanxiao; Jiang, Chun -Sheng; Moutinho, Helio; ...

2016-08-09

Here, we determined the electrical junction (EJ) locations in Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGS) and Cu 2ZnSnSe 4 (CZTS) solar cells with ~20-nm accuracy by developing scanning capacitance spectroscopy (SCS) applicable to the thin-film devices. Cross-sectional sample preparation for the SCS measurement was developed by high-energy ion milling at room temperature for polishing the cross section to make it flat, followed by low-energy ion milling at liquid nitrogen temperature for removing the damaged layer and subsequent annealing for growing a native oxide layer. The SCS shows distinct p-type, transitional, and n-type spectra across the devices, and the spectral features change rapidly withmore » location in the depletion region, which results in determining the EJ with ~20-nm resolution. We found an n-type CIGS in the region next to the CIGS/CdS interface; thus, the cell is a homojunction. The EJ is ~40 nm from the interface on the CIGS side. In contrast, such an n-type CZTS was not found in the CZTS/CdS cells. The EJ is ~20 nm from the CZTS/CdS interface, which is consistent with asymmetrical carrier concentrations of the p-CZTS and n-CdS in a heterojunction cell. Our results of unambiguously determination of the junction locations contribute significantly to understanding the large open-circuit voltage difference between CIGS and CZTS.« less

Locating the electrical junctions in Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 and Cu 2ZnSnSe 4 solar cells by scanning capacitance spectroscopy

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

Xiao, Chuanxiao; Jiang, Chun -Sheng; Moutinho, Helio

Here, we determined the electrical junction (EJ) locations in Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGS) and Cu 2ZnSnSe 4 (CZTS) solar cells with ~20-nm accuracy by developing scanning capacitance spectroscopy (SCS) applicable to the thin-film devices. Cross-sectional sample preparation for the SCS measurement was developed by high-energy ion milling at room temperature for polishing the cross section to make it flat, followed by low-energy ion milling at liquid nitrogen temperature for removing the damaged layer and subsequent annealing for growing a native oxide layer. The SCS shows distinct p-type, transitional, and n-type spectra across the devices, and the spectral features change rapidly withmore » location in the depletion region, which results in determining the EJ with ~20-nm resolution. We found an n-type CIGS in the region next to the CIGS/CdS interface; thus, the cell is a homojunction. The EJ is ~40 nm from the interface on the CIGS side. In contrast, such an n-type CZTS was not found in the CZTS/CdS cells. The EJ is ~20 nm from the CZTS/CdS interface, which is consistent with asymmetrical carrier concentrations of the p-CZTS and n-CdS in a heterojunction cell. Our results of unambiguously determination of the junction locations contribute significantly to understanding the large open-circuit voltage difference between CIGS and CZTS.« less

Mechanical degradation of fuel cell membranes under fatigue fracture tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khorasany, Ramin M. H.; Sadeghi Alavijeh, Alireza; Kjeang, Erik; Wang, G. G.; Rajapakse, R. K. N. D.

2015-01-01

The effects of cyclic stresses on the fatigue and mechanical stability of perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) membranes are experimentally investigated under standard fuel cell conditions. The experiments are conducted ex-situ by subjecting membrane specimens to cyclic uniaxial tension at controlled temperature and relative humidity. The fatigue lifetime is measured in terms of the number of cycles until ultimate fracture. The results indicate that the membrane fatigue lifetime is a strong function of the applied stress, temperature, and relative humidity. The fatigue life increases exponentially with reduced stresses in all cases. The effect of temperature is found to be more significant than that of humidity, with reduced fatigue life at high temperatures. The maximum membrane strain at fracture is determined to decrease exponentially with increasing membrane lifetime. At a given fatigue life, a membrane exposed to fuel cell conditions is shown to accommodate more plastic strain before fracture than one exposed to room conditions. Overall, the proposed ex-situ membrane fatigue experiment can be utilized to benchmark the fatigue lifetime of new materials in a fraction of the time and cost associated with conventional in-situ accelerated stress testing methods.

Cavity Ring-Down Absorption of O2 in Air as a Temperature Sensor for an Open and a Cryogenic Optical Cavity.

PubMed

Nyaupane, Parashu R; Perez-Delgado, Yasnahir; Camejo, David; Wright, Lesley M; Manzanares, Carlos E

2017-05-01

The A-band of oxygen has been measured at low resolution at temperatures between 90 K and 373 K using the phase shift cavity ring down (PS-CRD) technique. For temperatures between 90 K and 295 K, the PS-CRD technique presented here involves an optical cavity attached to a cryostat. The static cell and mirrors of the optical cavity are all inside a vacuum chamber at the same temperature of the cryostat. The temperature of the cell can be changed between 77 K and 295 K. For temperatures above 295 K, a hollow glass cylindrical tube without windows has been inserted inside an optical cavity to measure the temperature of air flowing through the tube. The cavity consists of two highly reflective mirrors which are mounted parallel to each other and separated by a distance of 93 cm. In this experiment, air is passed through a heated tube. The temperature of the air flowing through the tube is determined by measuring the intensity of the oxygen absorption as a function of the wavenumber. The A-band of oxygen is measured between 298 K and 373 K, with several air flow rates. To obtain the temperature, the energy of the lower rotational state for seven selected rotational transitions is linearly fitted to a logarithmic function that contains the relative intensity of the rotational transition, the initial and final rotational quantum numbers, and the energy of the transition. Accuracy of the temperature measurement is determined by comparing the calculated temperature from the spectra with the temperature obtained from a calibrated thermocouple inserted at the center of the tube. This flowing air temperature sensor will be used to measure the temperatures of cooling air at the input (cold air) and output (hot air) after cooling the blades of a laboratory gas turbine. The results could contribute to improvements in turbine blade cooling design.

Improved understanding of the ball-pen probe through particle-in-cell simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy-Sugrue, S.; Harrison, J.; Walkden, N. R.; Bryant, P.; Bradley, J. W.

2017-05-01

Ball-pen probes (BPP) have been deployed in the SOL of numerous tokamak experiments and low-temperature magnetised plasmas to make direct measurements of the plasma potential and electron temperature. Despite strong empirical evidence for the success of the BPP it lacks a theoretical underpinning of its collection mechanism. In this paper we investigate the capability of the probe to measure the plasma potential by means of particle-in-cell simulations. The BPP is found to float at a potential offset from the plasma potential by a factor {T}{{e}}{α }{{BPP}}. By simulating BPPs and Langmuir probes, excellent agreement has been found between the measured electron temperature and the specified source temperature. The transport mechanism for both ions and electrons has been determined. E × B drifts are observed to drive electrons and ions down the tunnel. This mechanism is sensitive to the diameter of the probe.

A study of the osmotic characteristics, water permeability, and cryoprotectant permeability of human vaginal immune cells.

PubMed

Shu, Zhiquan; Hughes, Sean M; Fang, Cifeng; Huang, Jinghua; Fu, Baiwen; Zhao, Gang; Fialkow, Michael; Lentz, Gretchen; Hladik, Florian; Gao, Dayong

2016-04-01

Cryopreservation of specimens taken from the genital tract of women is important for studying mucosal immunity during HIV prevention trials. However, it is unclear whether the current, empirically developed cryopreservation procedures for peripheral blood cells are also ideal for genital specimens. The optimal cryopreservation protocol depends on the cryobiological features of the cells. Thus, we obtained tissue specimens from vaginal repair surgeries, isolated and flow cytometry-purified immune cells, and determined fundamental cryobiological characteristics of vaginal CD3(+) T cells and CD14(+) macrophages using a microfluidic device. The osmotically inactive volumes of the two cell types (Vb) were determined relative to the initial cell volume (V0) by exposing the cells to hypotonic and hypertonic saline solutions, evaluating the equilibrium volume, and applying the Boyle van't Hoff relationship. The cell membrane permeability to water (Lp) and to four different cryoprotective agent (CPA) solutions (Ps) at room temperature were also measured. Results indicated Vb values of 0.516 V0 and 0.457 V0 for mucosal T cells and macrophages, respectively. Lp values at room temperature were 0.196 and 0.295 μm/min/atm for T cells and macrophages, respectively. Both cell types had high Ps values for the three CPAs, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), propylene glycol (PG) and ethylene glycol (EG) (minimum of 0.418 × 10(-3) cm/min), but transport of the fourth CPA, glycerol, occurred 50-150 times more slowly. Thus, DMSO, PG, and EG are better options than glycerol in avoiding severe cell volume excursion and osmotic injury during CPA addition and removal for cryopreservation of human vaginal immune cells. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Hyaluronan Protects Bovine Articular Chondrocytes against Cell Death Induced by Bupivacaine under Supraphysiologic Temperatures

PubMed Central

Liu, Sen; Zhang, Qing-Song; Hester, William; O’Brien, Michael J.; Savoie, Felix H.; You, Zongbing

2013-01-01

Background Bupivacaine and supraphysiologic temperature can independently reduce cell viability of articular chondrocytes. In combination these two deleterious factors could further impair cell viability. Hypothesis Hyaluronan may protect chondrocytes from death induced by bupivacaine at supraphysiologic temperatures. Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Methods Bovine articular chondrocytes were treated with hyaluronan at physiologic (37°C) and supraphysiologic temperatures (45°C and 50°C) for one hour, and then exposed to bupivacaine for one hour at room temperature. Cell viability was assessed at three time points: immediately after treatment, six hours later, and twenty-four hours later using flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. The effects of hyaluronan on the levels of sulfated glycosaminoglycan in the chondrocytes were determined using Alcian blue staining. Results (1) Bupivacaine alone did not induce noticeable chondrocyte death at 37°C; (2) bupivacaine and temperature synergistically increased chondrocyte death, that is, when the chondrocytes were conditioned to 45°C and 50°C, 0.25% and 0.5% bupivacaine increased the cell death rate by 131% to 383% in comparison to the phosphate-buffered saline control group; and, (3) addition of hyaluronan reduced chondrocyte death rates to approximately 14% and 25% at 45°C and 50°C, respectively. Hyaluronan’s protective effects were still observed at six and twenty-four hours after bupivacaine treatment at 45°C. However, at 50°C, hyaluronan delayed but did not prevent the cell death caused by bupivacaine. One-hour treatment with hyaluronan significantly increased sulfated glycosaminoglycan levels in the chondrocytes. Conclusions Bupivacaine and supraphysiologic temperature synergistically increase chondrocyte death and hyaluronan may protect articular chondrocytes from death caused by bupivacaine. Clinical Relevance This study provides a rationale to perform pre-clinical and clinical studies to evaluate whether intra-articular injection of a mixture of bupivacaine and hyaluronan after arthroscopic surgery may protect against bupivacaine’s chondrotoxicity. PMID:22427617

Temperature measurements of the gas-phase during surrogate diesel injection using two-color toluene LIF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zegers, R. P. C.; Yu, M.; Bekdemir, C.; Dam, N. J.; Luijten, C. C. M.; de Goey, L. P. H.

2013-08-01

Planar laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) of toluene has been applied in an optical engine and a high-pressure cell, to determine temperatures of fuel sprays and in-cylinder vapors. The method relies on a redshift of the toluene LIF emission spectrum with increasing temperature. Toluene fluorescence is recorded simultaneously in two disjunct wavelength bands by a two-camera setup. After calibration, the pixel-by-pixel LIF signal ratio is a proxy for the local temperature. A detailed measurement procedure is presented to minimize measurement inaccuracies and to improve precision. n-Heptane is used as the base fuel and 10 % of toluene is added as a tracer. The toluene LIF method is capable of measuring temperatures up to 700 K; above that the signal becomes too weak. The precision of the spray temperature measurements is 4 % and the spatial resolution 1.3 mm. We pay particular attention to the construction of the calibration curve that is required to translate LIF signal ratios into temperature, and to possible limitations in the portability of this curve between different setups. The engine results are compared to those obtained in a constant-volume high-pressure cell, and the fuel spray results obtained in the high-pressure cell are also compared to LES simulations. We find that the hot ambient gas entrained by the head vortex gives rise to a hot zone on the spray axis.

Physicomechanical Characteristics of Spray-On Rigid Polyurethane Foams at Normal and Low Temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yakushin, V. A.; Zhmud', N. P.; Stirna, U. K.

2002-05-01

The effect of processing factors on the inhomogeneity and physicomechanical characteristics of spray-on polyurethane foams is studied. The dependences of the basic characteristics of foam plastics on the apparent density and cell-shape factor are determined. A method is offered for evaluating the effect of the technological surface skin on the tensile characteristics of foam plastics under normal and low temperatures.

The velocity, refractive index, and equation of state of liquid ammonia at high temperatures and high pressures.

PubMed

Li, Fangfei; Li, Min; Cui, Qiliang; Cui, Tian; He, Zhi; Zhou, Qiang; Zou, Guangtian

2009-10-07

The high temperature and high pressure Brillouin scattering studies of liquid ammonia have been performed in a diamond anvil cell. Acoustic velocity, refractive index, adiabatic bulk modulus, and the equation of state of liquid ammonia were determined at temperatures up to 410 K and at pressures up to the solidification point. Velocity and refractive index increase smoothly with increasing pressure along isothermals but decrease slightly with the temperature increase. The bulk modulus increases linearly with pressure and its slope dB/dP decreases slightly with increasing temperature from 6.67 at 297 K to 5.94 at 410 K.

Study of the association of atmospheric temperature and relative humidity with bulk tank milk somatic cell count in dairy herds using Generalized additive mixed models.

PubMed

Testa, Francesco; Marano, Giuseppe; Ambrogi, Federico; Boracchi, Patrizia; Casula, Antonio; Biganzoli, Elia; Moroni, Paolo

2017-10-01

Elevated bulk tank milk somatic cell count (BMSCC) has a negative impact on milk production, milk quality, and animal health. Seasonal increases in herd level somatic cell count (SCC) are commonly associated with elevated environmental temperature and humidity. The Temperature Humidity Index (THI) has been developed to measure general environmental stress in dairy cattle; however, additional work is needed to determine a specific effect of the heat stress index on herd-level SCC. Generalized Additive Model methods were used for a flexible exploration of the relationships between daily temperature, relative humidity, and bulk milk somatic cell count. The data consist of BMSCC and meteorological recordings collected between March 2009 and October 2011 of 10 dairy farms. The results indicate that, an average increase of 0.16% of BMSCC is expected for an increase of 1°C degree of temperature. A complex relationship was found for relative humidity. For example, increase of 0.099%, 0.037% and 0.020% are expected in correspondence to an increase of relative humidity from 50% to 51%, 80% to 81%; and 90% to 91%, respectively. Using this model, it will be possible to provide evidence-based advice to dairy farmers for the use of THI control charts created on the basis of our statistical model. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermal analyses of power subsystem components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morehouse, Jeffrey H.

1990-01-01

The hiatus in the Space Shuttle (Orbiter) program provided time for an in-depth examination of all the subsystems and their past performance. Specifically, problems with reliability and/or operating limits were and continue to be of major engineering concern. The Orbiter Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) currently operates with electric resistance line heaters which are controlled with thermostats. A design option simplification of this heater subsystem is being considered which would use self-regulating heaters. A determination of the properties and thermal operating characteristics of these self-regulating heaters was needed. The Orbiter fuel cells are cooled with a freon loop. During a loss of external heat exchanger coolant flow, the single pump circulating the freon is to be left running. It was unknown what temperature and flow rate transient conditions of the freon would provide the required fuel cell cooling and for how long. The overall objective was the development of the thermal characterization and subsequent analysis of both the proposed self-regulating APU heater and the fuel cell coolant loop subsystem. The specific objective of the APU subsystem effort was to determine the feasibility of replacing the current heater and thermostat arrangement with a self-regulating heater. The specific objective of the fuel cell coolant subsystem work was to determine the tranient coolant temperature and associated flow rates during a loss-of-external heat exchanger flow.

Electrochemical performance and transport properties of a Nafion membrane in a hydrogen-bromine cell environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baldwin, Richard S.

1987-01-01

The overall energy conversion efficiency of a hydrogen-bromine energy storage system is highly dependent upon the characteristics and performance of the ion-exchange membrane utilized as a half-cell separator. The electrochemical performance and transport properties of a duPont Nafion membrane in an aqueous HBr-Br2 environment were investigated. Membrane conductivity data are presented as a function of HBr concentration and temperature for the determination of ohmic voltage losses across the membrane in an operational cell. Diffusion-controlled bromine permeation rates and permeabilities are presented as functions of solution composition and temperature. Relationships between the degree of membrane hydration and the membrane transport characteristics are discussed. The solution chemistry of an operational hydrogen-bromine cell undergoing charge from 45% HBr to 5% HBr is discussed, and, based upon the experimentally observed bromine permeation behavior, predicted cell coulombic losses due to bromine diffusion through the membrane are presented as a function of the cell state-of-charge.

Infrared spectroscopy and Mie scattering of acetylene aerosols formed in a low temperature diffusion cell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunder, T.; Miller, R. E.

1990-01-01

A method is described for forming and spectroscopically characterizing cryogenic aerosols formed in a low temperature gas cell. By adjusting the cell pressure, gas composition and flow rate, the size distribution of aerosol particles can be varied over a wide range. The combination of pressure and flow rate determine the residence time of the aerosols in the cell and hence the time available for the particles to grow. FTIR spectroscopy, over the range from 600/cm to 6000/cm, is used to characterize the aerosols. The particle size distribution can be varied so that, at one extreme, the spectra show only absorption features associated with the infrared active vibrational bands and, at the other, they display both absorption and Mie scattering. In the latter case, Mie scattering theory is used to obtain semiquantitative aerosol size distributions, which can be understood in terms of the interplay between nucleation and condensation. In the case of acetylene aerosols, the infrared spectra suggest that the particles exist in the high temperature cubic phase of the solid.

Thermally modulated biomolecule transport through nanoconfined channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Lei; Zhu, Lizhong

2015-04-01

In this work, a nanofluidic device containing both a feed cell and a permeation cell linked by nanopore arrays has been fabricated, which is employed to investigate thermally controlled biomolecular transporting properties through confined nanochannels. The ionic currents modulated by the translocations of goat antibody to human immunoglobulin G (IgG) or bovine serum albumin (BSA) are recorded and analyzed. The results suggest that the modulation effect decreases with the electrolyte concentration increasing, while the effects generated by IgG translocation are more significant than that generated by BSA translocation. More importantly, there is a maximum decreasing value in each modulated current curve with biomolecule concentration increasing for thermally induced intermolecular collision. Furthermore, the turning point for the maximum shifts to lower biomolecule concentrations with the system temperature rising (from 4°C to 45°C), and it is mainly determined by the temperature in the feed cell if the temperature difference exists in the two separated cells. These findings are expected to be valuable for the future design of novel sensing device based on nanopore and/or nanopore arrays.

A THERMODYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF MITOTIC SPINDLE EQUILIBRIUM AT ACTIVE METAPHASE

PubMed Central

Stephens, R. E.

1973-01-01

The mitotic apparatus of first-division metaphase eggs of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus drobachiensis was observed by means of polarization microscopy under controlled temperature conditions. Eggs were fertilized and grown at two temperature extremes in order to produce two different sizes of available spindle pool. Slow division time allowed successive samples of such cells to be observed at the same point in metaphase but at different equilibrium temperatures, yielding curves of metaphase equilibrium birefringence vs. observational temperature. Using the plateau value of birefringence at higher temperatures as a measure of total available spindle pool and the observed birefringence at lower temperatures as a measure of polymerized material at equilibrium, the spindle protein association was evaluated according to the method of Inoué. Both pool conditions produced linear van't Hoff functions. Analysis of these functions yielded enthalpy and entropy changes of +55–65 kcal/mol and +197–233 entropy units (eu), respectively. These values for active mitotic metaphase are quite comparable to those obtained by Inoué and co-workers for arrested meiotic metaphase cells. When other equilibrium treatments were considered, the best fit to the experimental data was still that of Inoué, a treatment which theoretically involves first-order polymerization and dissociation kinetics. Treatment of metaphase cells with D2O by direct immersion drove the equilibrium to completion regardless of temperature, attaining or exceeding a birefringence value equal to the cell's characteristic pool size; perfusion with D2O appeared to erase the original temperature-determined pool size differences for the two growth conditions, attaining a maximum value characteristic of the larger pool condition. These data confirm Inoué's earlier contention that D2O treatment can modify the available spindle pool. PMID:4734864

High-pressure sapphire cell for phase equilibria measurements of CO2/organic/water systems.

PubMed

Pollet, Pamela; Ethier, Amy L; Senter, James C; Eckert, Charles A; Liotta, Charles L

2014-01-24

The high pressure sapphire cell apparatus was constructed to visually determine the composition of multiphase systems without physical sampling. Specifically, the sapphire cell enables visual data collection from multiple loadings to solve a set of material balances to precisely determine phase composition. Ternary phase diagrams can then be established to determine the proportion of each component in each phase at a given condition. In principle, any ternary system can be studied although ternary systems (gas-liquid-liquid) are the specific examples discussed herein. For instance, the ternary THF-Water-CO2 system was studied at 25 and 40 °C and is described herein. Of key importance, this technique does not require sampling. Circumventing the possible disturbance of the system equilibrium upon sampling, inherent measurement errors, and technical difficulties of physically sampling under pressure is a significant benefit of this technique. Perhaps as important, the sapphire cell also enables the direct visual observation of the phase behavior. In fact, as the CO2 pressure is increased, the homogeneous THF-Water solution phase splits at about 2 MPa. With this technique, it was possible to easily and clearly observe the cloud point and determine the composition of the newly formed phases as a function of pressure. The data acquired with the sapphire cell technique can be used for many applications. In our case, we measured swelling and composition for tunable solvents, like gas-expanded liquids, gas-expanded ionic liquids and Organic Aqueous Tunable Systems (OATS)(1-4). For the latest system, OATS, the high-pressure sapphire cell enabled the study of (1) phase behavior as a function of pressure and temperature, (2) composition of each phase (gas-liquid-liquid) as a function of pressure and temperature and (3) catalyst partitioning in the two liquid phases as a function of pressure and composition. Finally, the sapphire cell is an especially effective tool to gather accurate and reproducible measurements in a timely fashion.

Assembly properties of the Bacillus subtilis actin, MreB.

PubMed

Mayer, Joshua A; Amann, Kurt J

2009-02-01

The bacterial actin MreB has been implicated in a variety of cellular roles including cell shape determination, cell wall synthesis, chromosome condensation and segregation, and the establishment and maintenance of cell polarity. Toward elucidating a clearer understanding of how MreB functions inside the bacterial cell, we investigated biochemically the polymerization of MreB from Bacillus subtilis. Light scattering and sedimentation assays revealed pH-, ionic-, cationic-, and temperature-dependent behavior. B. subtilis MreB polymerizes in the presence of millimolar divalent cations in a protein concentration-dependent manner. Polymerization is favored by decreasing pH and inhibited by monovalent salts and low temperatures. Although B. subtilis MreB binds and hydrolyzes both ATP and GTP, it does not require a bound nucleotide for assembly and polymerizes indistinguishably regardless of the nucleotide species bound, with a critical concentration of approximately 900 nM. A number of the presently reported properties of B. subtilis MreB differ significantly from those of T. maritima MreB1 (Bean and Amann [2008]: Biochemistry 47: 826-835), including the nucleotide requirements and temperature and ionic effects on polymerization state. These observations collectively suggest that additional factors interact with MreB to account for its complex dynamic behavior in cells.

Parameter variation of the one-diode model of a-Si and a- Si/μc-Si solar cells for modeling light-induced degradation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weicht, J. A.; Hamelmann, F. U.; Behrens, G.

2014-11-01

For analyzing the long-term behavior of thin film a-Si/μc-Si photovoltaic modules, it is important to observe the light-induced degradation (LID) in dependence of the temperature for the parameters of the one-diode model for solar cells. According to the IEC 61646 standard, the impact of LID on module parameters of these thin film cells is determined at a constant temperature of 50°C with an irradiation of 1000 W/m2 at open circuit conditions. Previous papers examined the LID of thin film a-Si cells with different temperatures and some others are about a-Si/μc-Si. In these previous papers not all parameters of the one-diode model are examined. We observed the serial resistance (Rs), parallel resistance (Rp), short circuit current (Isc), open circuit voltage (Uoc), the maximum power point (MPP: Umpp, Impp and Pmpp) and the diode factor (n). Since the main reason for the LID of silicon-based thin films is the Staebler Wronski effect in the a-Si part of the cell, the temperature dependence of the healing of defects for all parameters of the one-diode model is also taken into account. We are also measuring modules with different kind of transparent conductive oxides: In a-Si thin film solar cells fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) is used and for thin film solar cells of a-Si/μc-Si boron- doped zinc oxide is used. In our work we describe an approach for transferring the parameters of a one-diode model for tandem thin film solar cells into the one-diode model for each part of the solar cell. The measurement of degradation and regeneration at higher temperatures is the necessary base for optimization of the different silicon-based thin films in warm hot climate.

Application of linear Raman spectroscopy for the determination of acetone decomposition.

PubMed

Eichmann, Simone Christine; Trost, Johannes; Seeger, Thomas; Zigan, Lars; Leipertz, Alfred

2011-06-06

Acetone (CH₃)₂CO is a common tracer for laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) to investigate mixture formation processes and temperature fields in combustion applications. Since the fluorescence signal is a function of temperature and pressure, calibration measurements in high pressure and high temperature cells are necessary. However, there is a lack of reliable data of tracer stability at these harsh conditions for technical application. A new method based on the effect of spontaneous Raman scattering is proposed to analyze the thermal stability of the tracer directly in the LIF calibration cell. This is done by analyzing the gas composition regarding educts and products of the reaction. First measurements at IC engine relevant conditions up to 750 K and 30 bar are presented.

Dinuclear polypyridylruthenium(II) complexes: flow cytometry studies of their accumulation in bacteria and the effect on the bacterial membrane.

PubMed

Li, Fangfei; Feterl, Marshall; Warner, Jeffrey M; Keene, F Richard; Collins, J Grant

2013-12-01

To determine the energy dependency of and the contribution of the membrane potential to the cellular accumulation of the dinuclear complexes [{Ru(phen)2}2{μ-bbn}](4+) (Rubbn) and the mononuclear complexes [Ru(Me4phen)3](2+) and [Ru(phen)2(bb7)](2+) in Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, and to examine their effect on the bacterial membrane. The accumulation of the ruthenium complexes in bacteria was determined using flow cytometry at a range of temperatures. The cellular accumulation of the ruthenium complexes was also determined in cells that had been incubated with the metal complexes in the presence or absence of metabolic stimulators or inhibitors and/or commercial dyes to determine the membrane potential or membrane permeability. The accumulation of ruthenium complexes in the two bacterial strains was shown to increase with increasing incubation temperature, with the relative increase in accumulation greater with E. coli, particularly for Rubb12 and Rubb16. No decrease in accumulation was observed for Rubb12 in ATP-inhibited cells. While carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone (CCCP) did depolarize the cell membrane, no reduction in the accumulation of Rubb12 was observed; however, all ruthenium complexes, when incubated with S. aureus at concentrations twice their MIC, depolarized the membrane to a similar extent to CCCP. Except for the mononuclear complex [Ru(Me4phen)3](2+), incubation of any of the other ruthenium complexes allowed a greater quantity of the membrane-impermeable dye TO-PRO-3 to be taken up by S. aureus. The results indicate that the potential new antimicrobial Rubbn complexes enter the cell in an energy-independent manner, depolarize the cell membrane and significantly permeabilize the cellular membrane.

Phase transformation of GaAs at high pressures and temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ono, Shigeaki; Kikegawa, Takumi

2018-02-01

The high-pressure behavior of gallium arsenide, GaAs, has been investigated using an in-situ X-ray powder diffraction technique in a diamond anvil cell combined with a resistance heating method, at pressures and temperatures up to 25 GPa and 1000 K respectively. The pressure-induced phase transition from a zincblende to an orthorhombic (Cmcm) structure was observed. This transition occurred at 17.3 GPa and at room temperature, where a negative temperature dependence for this transition was confirmed. The transition boundary was determined to be P (GPa) = 18.0 - 0.0025 × T (K).

A Micromechanics Finite Element Model for Studying the Mechanical Behavior of Spray-On Foam Insulation (SOFI)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ghosn, Louis J.; Sullivan, Roy M.; Lerch, Bradley A.

2006-01-01

A micromechanics model has been constructed to study the mechanical behavior of spray-on foam insulation (SOFI) for the external tank. The model was constructed using finite elements representing the fundamental repeating unit of the SOFI microstructure. The details of the micromechanics model were based on cell observations and measured average cell dimensions discerned from photomicrographs. The unit cell model is an elongated Kelvin model (fourteen-sided polyhedron with 8 hexagonal and six quadrilateral faces), which will pack to a 100% density. The cell faces and cell edges are modeled using three-dimensional 20-node brick elements. Only one-eighth of the cell is modeled due to symmetry. By exercising the model and correlating the results with the macro-mechanical foam behavior obtained through material characterization testing, the intrinsic stiffness and Poisson s Ratio of the polymeric cell walls and edges are determined as a function of temperature. The model is then exercised to study the unique and complex temperature-dependent mechanical behavior as well as the fracture initiation and propagation at the microscopic unit cell level.

DELAY OF GERMINATION 1 mediates a conserved coat-dormancy mechanism for the temperature- and gibberellin-dependent control of seed germination

PubMed Central

Graeber, Kai; Linkies, Ada; Steinbrecher, Tina; Mummenhoff, Klaus; Tarkowská, Danuše; Turečková, Veronika; Ignatz, Michael; Sperber, Katja; Voegele, Antje; de Jong, Hans; Urbanová, Terezie; Strnad, Miroslav; Leubner-Metzger, Gerhard

2014-01-01

Seed germination is an important life-cycle transition because it determines subsequent plant survival and reproductive success. To detect optimal spatiotemporal conditions for germination, seeds act as sophisticated environmental sensors integrating information such as ambient temperature. Here we show that the DELAY OF GERMINATION 1 (DOG1) gene, known for providing dormancy adaptation to distinct environments, determines the optimal temperature for seed germination. By reciprocal gene-swapping experiments between Brassicaceae species we show that the DOG1-mediated dormancy mechanism is conserved. Biomechanical analyses show that this mechanism regulates the material properties of the endosperm, a seed tissue layer acting as germination barrier to control coat dormancy. We found that DOG1 inhibits the expression of gibberellin (GA)-regulated genes encoding cell-wall remodeling proteins in a temperature-dependent manner. Furthermore we demonstrate that DOG1 causes temperature-dependent alterations in the seed GA metabolism. These alterations in hormone metabolism are brought about by the temperature-dependent differential expression of genes encoding key enzymes of the GA biosynthetic pathway. These effects of DOG1 lead to a temperature-dependent control of endosperm weakening and determine the optimal temperature for germination. The conserved DOG1-mediated coat-dormancy mechanism provides a highly adaptable temperature-sensing mechanism to control the timing of germination. PMID:25114251

Bubbling cell death: A hot air balloon released from the nucleus in the cold.

PubMed

Chang, Nan-Shan

2016-06-01

Cell death emanating from the nucleus is largely unknown. In our recent study, we determined that when temperature is lowered in the surrounding environment, apoptosis stops and bubbling cell death (BCD) occurs. The study concerns the severity of frostbite. When exposed to severe cold and strong ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, people may suffer serious damages to the skin and internal organs. This ultimately leads to limb amputations, organ failure, and death. BCD is defined as "formation of a single bubble from the nucleus per cell and release of this swelling bubble from the cell surface to extracellular space that causes cell death." When cells are subjected to UV irradiation and/or brief cold shock (4℃ for 5 min) and then incubated at room temperature or 4℃ for time-lapse microscopy, each cell releases an enlarging nuclear gas bubble containing nitric oxide. Certain cells may simultaneously eject hundreds or thousands of exosome-like particles. Unlike apoptosis, no phosphatidylserine flip-over, mitochondrial apoptosis, damage to Golgi complex, and chromosomal DNA fragmentation are shown in BCD. When the temperature is increased back at 37℃, bubble formation stops and apoptosis restarts. Mechanistically, proapoptotic WW domain-containing oxidoreductase and p53 block the protective TNF receptor adaptor factor 2 that allows nitric oxide synthase 2 to synthesize nitric oxide and bubble formation. In this mini-review, updated knowledge in cell death and the proposed molecular mechanism for BCD are provided. © 2016 by the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.

Bubbling cell death: A hot air balloon released from the nucleus in the cold

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Cell death emanating from the nucleus is largely unknown. In our recent study, we determined that when temperature is lowered in the surrounding environment, apoptosis stops and bubbling cell death (BCD) occurs. The study concerns the severity of frostbite. When exposed to severe cold and strong ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, people may suffer serious damages to the skin and internal organs. This ultimately leads to limb amputations, organ failure, and death. BCD is defined as “formation of a single bubble from the nucleus per cell and release of this swelling bubble from the cell surface to extracellular space that causes cell death.” When cells are subjected to UV irradiation and/or brief cold shock (4℃ for 5 min) and then incubated at room temperature or 4℃ for time-lapse microscopy, each cell releases an enlarging nuclear gas bubble containing nitric oxide. Certain cells may simultaneously eject hundreds or thousands of exosome-like particles. Unlike apoptosis, no phosphatidylserine flip-over, mitochondrial apoptosis, damage to Golgi complex, and chromosomal DNA fragmentation are shown in BCD. When the temperature is increased back at 37℃, bubble formation stops and apoptosis restarts. Mechanistically, proapoptotic WW domain-containing oxidoreductase and p53 block the protective TNF receptor adaptor factor 2 that allows nitric oxide synthase 2 to synthesize nitric oxide and bubble formation. In this mini-review, updated knowledge in cell death and the proposed molecular mechanism for BCD are provided. PMID:27075929

Zetameter for microelectrophoresis studies of the oxide/water interface at temperatures up to 200 °C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, X. Y.; Wei, X. J.; Fedkin, M. V.; Strass, K. H.; Lvov, S. N.

2003-04-01

The zeta potential (ZP) is an important and measurable parameter related to the electrical double layer structure at a solid-aqueous solution interface. A high temperature zetameter based on the microelectrophoresis technique was developed to determine the zeta potential and the isoelectric point (IEP) of the metal oxide/water interfaces at temperatures up to 200 °C and pressures up to 50 bar. Design of the microelectrophoresis cell, the main unit of the zetameter, utilized a flow-through concept and the cell internals were made from corrosion resistant materials in order to minimize materials degradation and solution contamination. Two sapphire windows were installed to the microelectrophoresis cell to enable observation of the particle movement under an imposed electrical field. A ZrO2 powder was used to test the zetameter. The ZP for the ZrO2/water system was measured over wide ranges of temperature and pH. The IEP of the ZrO2/water system was found equal to 6.05 at room temperature, 5.00 at 120 °C, and 4.67 at 200 °C. Thus, at room temperature, the IEP obtained was within the confidence interval of the averaged literature data. In addition, it was found that the IEP of ZrO2 was sensitive to temperature and the difference between the IEP and 0.5pKw remained constant (1.00±0.2) with temperatures up to 200 °C.

The Combined Use of a Gas-Controlled Heat Pipe and a Copper Point to Improve the Calibration of Thermocouples up to 1100 ˚C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Astrua, M.; Iacomini, L.; Battuello, M.

2008-10-01

The calibration of platinum-based thermocouples from 420 °C to 1,100 ˚C is currently carried out at INRIM making use of two different apparatus: for temperatures below 930 ˚C, a potassium gas-controlled heat pipe (GCHP) is used, whereas a metal-block furnace is adopted for higher temperatures. The standard uncertainty of the reference temperature obtained in the lower temperature range is almost one order of magnitude better than in the higher temperature range. A sealed copper cell was investigated to see if it could be used to calibrate thermocouples above 930 ˚C with a lower uncertainty than our current procedures allowed. The cell was characterized with Type S and Pt/Pd thermocouples and with an HTPRT. The freezing plateaux were flat within 0.01 ˚C and lasted up to 1 h with a repeatability of 0.02 ˚C. The temperature of the cell was determined with a standard uncertainty of 0.04 ˚C. Hence, the copper cell was found to be superior to the comparator furnace for the calibration of platinum-based thermocouples because of the significant decrease in the uncertainty that it provides. An analysis was also carried out on the calibration of Pt/Pd thermocouples, and it was found that the combined use of the potassium GCHP and the Cu fixed-point cell is adequate to exploit the potential of these sensors in the range from 420 °C to 1,084 °C. A comparison with a fixed-point calibration was also made which gave rise to agreement within 0.07 ˚C between the two approaches.

Physical, mechanical and electrochemical characterization of all-perovskite intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammadi, Alidad

Strontium- and magnesium-doped lanthanum gallate (LSGM) has been considered as a promising electrolyte for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems in recent years due to its high ionic conductivity and chemical stability over a wide range of oxygen partial pressures and temperatures. This research describes synthesis, physical and mechanical behavior, electrochemical properties, phase evolution, and microstructure of components of an all-perovskite anode-supported intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell (ITSOFC), based on porous La 0.75Sr0.25Cr0.5Mn0.5O3 (LSCM) anode, La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.8Mg0.2O 2.8 (LSGM) electrolyte, and porous La0.6Sr0.4Fe 0.8Co0.2O3 (LSCF) cathode. The phase evolution of synthesized LSGM and LSCM powders has been investigated, and it has been confirmed that there is no reaction between LSGM and LSCM at sintering temperature. Using different amounts of poreformers and binders as well as controlling firing temperature, porosity of the anode was optimized while still retaining good mechanical integrity. The effect of cell operation conditions under dry hydrogen fuel on the SOFC open circuit voltage (OCV) and cell performance were also investigated. Characterization study of the synthesized LSGM indicates that sintering at 1500°C obtains higher electrical conductivity compared to the currently published results, while conductivity of pellets sintered at 1400°C and 1450°C would be slightly lower. The effect of sintering temperature on bulk and grain boundary resistivities was also discussed. The mechanical properties, such as hardness, Young's modulus, fracture toughness and modulus of rupture of the electrolyte were determined and correlated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) morphological characterization. Linear thermal expansion and thermal expansion coefficient of LSGM were also measured.

Device physics of hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Jianjun

This dissertation reports measurements on and modeling of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) nip solar cells. Cells with thicknesses from 200-900 nm were prepared at United Solar Ovonic LLC. The current density-voltage (J-V) relations were measured under laser illumination (685 nm wavelength, up to 200 mW/cm2) over the temperature range 240 K--350 K. The changes in the cells' open-circuit voltage during extended laser illumination (light-soaking) were measured, as were the cell properties in several light-soaked states. The J-V properties of cells in their as-deposited and light-soaked states converge at low-temperatures. Electromodulation spectra for the cells were also measured over the range 240 K--350 K to determine the temperature-dependent bandgap. These experimental results were compared to computer calculations of J-V relations using the AMPS ((c)Pennsylvania State University) computer code. Bandtail parameters (for electron and hole mobility and recombination) were consistent with published drift-mobility and transient photocurrent measurements on a-Si:H. The open-circuit voltage and power density measurements on as-deposited cells, as a function of temperature and thickness, were predicted well. The calculations support a general "hole mobility limited" approach to analyzing a-Si:H solar cells, and indicate that the doped electrode layers, the as-deposited density of dangling bonds, and the electron mobility are of secondary importance to as-deposited cells. For light-soaked a-Si:H solar cells, incorporation of a density of dangling bonds in the computer calculations accounted satisfactorily for the power and open-circuit voltage measurements, including the low-temperature convergence effect. The calculations indicate that, in the light-soaked state at room-temperature, electron recombination is split nearly evenly between holes trapped in the valence bandtail and holes trapped on dangling bonds. The result supports Stutzmann, Jackson, and Tsai's 1985 conjecture that dangling bond creation results only from bandtail recombination events. We compared the predictions of the hydrogen-collision model proposed by Branz with the kinetics of the open-circuit voltage as light-soaking progressed. We obtained satisfactory agreement for the initial phases of light-soaking with the conjecture that only bandtail recombination leads to dangling bond creation, and the computer calculations for this recombination channel's diminishment in the cell as the dangling bond density grows.

The cold adapted and temperature sensitive influenza A/Ann Arbor/6/60 virus, the master donor virus for live attenuated influenza vaccines, has multiple defects in replication at the restrictive temperature

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

Chan, Winnie; Zhou, Helen; Kemble, George

2008-10-25

We have previously determined that the temperature sensitive (ts) and attenuated (att) phenotypes of the cold adapted influenza A/Ann Arbor/6/60 strain (MDV-A), the master donor virus for the live attenuated influenza A vaccines (FluMist), are specified by the five amino acids in the PB1, PB2 and NP gene segments. To understand how these loci control the ts phenotype of MDV-A, replication of MDV-A at the non-permissive temperature (39 deg. C) was compared with recombinant wild-type A/Ann Arbor/6/60 (rWt). The mRNA and protein synthesis of MDV-A in the infected MDCK cells were not significantly reduced at 39 deg. C during amore » single-step replication, however, vRNA synthesis was reduced and the nuclear-cytoplasmic export of viral RNP (vRNP) was blocked. In addition, the virions released from MDV-A infected cells at 39 deg. C exhibited irregular morphology and had a greatly reduced amount of the M1 protein incorporated. The reduced M1 protein incorporation and vRNP export blockage correlated well with the virus ts phenotype because these defects could be partially alleviated by removing the three ts loci from the PB1 gene. The virions and vRNPs isolated from the MDV-A infected cells contained a higher level of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) than those of rWt, however, whether Hsp70 is involved in thermal inhibition of MDV-A replication remains to be determined. Our studies demonstrate that restrictive replication of MDV-A at the non-permissive temperature occurs in multiple steps of the virus replication cycle.« less

Evaluating acetaldehyde synthesis from L-/sup 14/C(U)) threonine by Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus

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

Wilkins, D.W.; Schmidt, R.H.; Shireman, R.B.

To evaluate the synthesis of acetaldehyde from threonine during growth of yogurt cultures, Streptococcus thermophilus MS1 and Lactobacillus bulgaricus MR1 were grown in defined medium in which 10% of the total threonine was composed of L-(carbon-14(U))threonine. Acetaldehyde production was monitored by formation of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone followed by separation and analysis using high performance liquid chromatography. After growth for 8 h at 42/sup 0/C, approximately 2.0% of the total acetaldehyde (780.4 nmol) produced was from L-(carbon-14)threonine. Threonine aldolase activity was determined in cell-free extracts from S. thermophilus and L. bulgaricus grown in Elliker broth. Increasing incubation temperature from 30 to 42/sup 0/Cmore » decreased threonine aldolase activity in cells of the streptococcus harvested after 8 h of incubation. Effect of incubation temperature was more dramatic in cells harvested after 18 h where the activity of cells grown at 48/sup 0/C was 89% lower than that of cells grown at 30/sup 0/C. Cell extracts from S. thermophilus MS1 possessed higher threonine aldolase activity than did those from L. bulgaricus MR1. Increased assay temperature from 30 to 42/sup 0/C increased threonine aldolase activity in S. thermophilus MS1.« less

Concentrator hot-spot testing, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gonzalez, C. C.

1987-01-01

Results of a study to determine the hot-spot susceptibility of concentrator cells, to provide a hot-spot qualification test for concentrator modules, and to provide guidelines for reducing hot-spot susceptibility are presented. Hot-spot heating occurs in a photovoltaic module when the short-circuit current of a cell is lower than the string operating current forcing the cell into reverse bias with a concurrent power dissipation. Although the basis for the concentrator module hot-spot qualification test is the test developed for flat-plate modules, issues, such as providing cell illumination, introduce additional complexities into the testing procedure. The same general guidelines apply for protecting concentrator modules from hot-spot stressing as apply to flat-plate modules. Therefore, recommendations are made on the number of bypass diodes required per given number of series cells per module or source circuit. In addition, a new method for determining the cell temperature in the laboratory or in the field is discussed.

Non-invasive, transient determination of the core temperature of a heat-generating solid body

PubMed Central

Anthony, Dean; Sarkar, Daipayan; Jain, Ankur

2016-01-01

While temperature on the surface of a heat-generating solid body can be easily measured using a variety of methods, very few techniques exist for non-invasively measuring the temperature inside the solid body as a function of time. Measurement of internal temperature is very desirable since measurement of just the surface temperature gives no indication of temperature inside the body, and system performance and safety is governed primarily by the highest temperature, encountered usually at the core of the body. This paper presents a technique to non-invasively determine the internal temperature based on the theoretical relationship between the core temperature and surface temperature distribution on the outside of a heat-generating solid body as functions of time. Experiments using infrared thermography of the outside surface of a thermal test cell in a variety of heating and cooling conditions demonstrate good agreement of the predicted core temperature as a function of time with actual core temperature measurement using an embedded thermocouple. This paper demonstrates a capability to thermally probe inside solid bodies in a non-invasive fashion. This directly benefits the accurate performance prediction and control of a variety of engineering systems where the time-varying core temperature plays a key role. PMID:27804981

Non-invasive, transient determination of the core temperature of a heat-generating solid body

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anthony, Dean; Sarkar, Daipayan; Jain, Ankur

2016-11-01

While temperature on the surface of a heat-generating solid body can be easily measured using a variety of methods, very few techniques exist for non-invasively measuring the temperature inside the solid body as a function of time. Measurement of internal temperature is very desirable since measurement of just the surface temperature gives no indication of temperature inside the body, and system performance and safety is governed primarily by the highest temperature, encountered usually at the core of the body. This paper presents a technique to non-invasively determine the internal temperature based on the theoretical relationship between the core temperature and surface temperature distribution on the outside of a heat-generating solid body as functions of time. Experiments using infrared thermography of the outside surface of a thermal test cell in a variety of heating and cooling conditions demonstrate good agreement of the predicted core temperature as a function of time with actual core temperature measurement using an embedded thermocouple. This paper demonstrates a capability to thermally probe inside solid bodies in a non-invasive fashion. This directly benefits the accurate performance prediction and control of a variety of engineering systems where the time-varying core temperature plays a key role.

Study and Optimization of CPT Resonance Parameters in 87 Rb/Ar/Ne Microcells Aimed for Application in Metrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masian, Y.; Sivak, A.; Sevostianov, D.; Vassiliev, V.; Velichansky, V.

The paper shows the presents results of studies of small-size rubidium cells with argon and neon buffer gases, produced by a patent pended technique of laser welding [Fishman et al. (2014)]. Cells were designed for miniature frequency standard. Temperature dependence of the frequency of the coherent population trapping (CPT) resonance was measured and used to optimize the ratio of partial pressures of buffer gases. The influence of duration and regime of annealing on the CPT-resonance frequency drift was investigated. The parameters of the FM modulation of laser current for two cases which correspond to the highest amplitude of CPT resonance and to the smallest light shifts of the resonance frequency were determined. The temperature dependences of the CPT resonance frequency were found to be surprisingly different in the two cases. A non-linear dependence of CPT resonance frequency on the temperature of the cell with the two extremes was revealed for one of these cases.

Effects of a coastal power plant thermal discharge on phytoplankton community structure in Zhanjiang Bay, China.

PubMed

Li, Xue-Ying; Li, Bin; Sun, Xing-Li

2014-04-15

The effects of a thermal discharge from a coastal power plant on phytoplankton were determined in Zhanjiang Bay. Monthly cruises were undertaken at four tide times during April-October 2011. There were significant differences for dominant species among seven sampling months and four sampling tides. Species diversity (H') and Evenness showed a distinct increasing gradient from the heated water source to the control zone and fluctuated during four tides with no visible patterns. Species richness, cell count and Chl a at mixed and control zones were significantly higher than heated zones, and showed tidal changes with no obvious patterns. The threshold temperature of phytoplankton species can be regarded as that of phytoplankton community at ebb slack. The average threshold temperature over phytoplankton species, cell count and Chl a, and the threshold temperature of cell count can be regarded as that of phytoplankton community at flood slack during spring and neap respectively. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ternary liquid-liquid equilibrium for eugenol + tert-butanol + water system at 303.15 and 323.15K and atmospheric pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sucipto, Retno Kumala Hesti; Kuswandi, Wibawa, Gede

2017-05-01

The objective of this study was to determine ternary liquid-liquid equilibrium for eugenol + tert-butanol + water system at 303.15 and 323.15K and atmospheric pressure. Using 25 mL equilibrium cell equipped jacketted water connected to water bath to maintain equilibrium temperature constant. The procedure of this experiment was conducted by inserting mixture of eugenol + tert-butanol + water system at certain composition into equilibrium cell. The solution was stirred for 4 hours and then was allowed for 20 hours in order to separate aqueous and organic phases completely. The temperature equilibrium cell of and the atmosphere pressure were recorded as equilibrium temperature and pressure for each measurenment. The equilibrium compositions of each phase were analyzed using Gas Chromatography. The experimental data obtained in this work were correlated with NRTL and UNIQUAC models with root mean square deviation between esperimental and calculated equilibrium compositions of 0.03% and 0.04% respectively.

Role of Temperature and SiCP Parameters in Stability and Quality of Al-Si-Mg/SiC Foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ravi Kumar, N. V.; Gokhale, Amol A.

2018-06-01

Composites of Al-Si-Mg (A356) alloy with silicon carbide particles were synthesized in-house and foamed by melt processing using titanium hydride as foaming agent. The effects of the SiCP size and content, and foaming temperature on the stability and quality of the foam were explored. It was observed that the foam stability depended on the foaming temperature alone but not on the particle size or volume percent within the studied ranges. Specifically, foam stability was poor at 670°C. Among the stable foams obtained at 640°C, cell soundness (absence of/low defects, and collapse) was seen to vary depending on the particle size and content; For example, for finer size, lower particle contents were sufficient to obtain sound cell structure. It is possible to determine a foaming process window based on material and process parameters for good expansion, foam stability, and cell structure.

Low Intensity Low Temperature (LILT) Measurements and Coefficients on New Photovoltaic Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scheiman, David A.; Jenkins, Phillip P.; Brinker, David J.; Appelbaum, Joseph

1995-01-01

Past NASA missions to Mars, Jupiter and the outer planets were powered by radioisotope thermal generators (RTGs). Although these devices proved to be reliable, their high cost and highly toxic radioactive heat source has made them far less desirable for future planetary missions. This has resulted in a renewed search for alternate energy sources, some of them being photovoltaics (PV) and thermophotovoltaics (TPV). Both of these alternate energy sources convert light/thermal energy directly into electricity. In order to create a viable PV data base for planetary mission planners and cell designers, we have compiled low intensity low temperature (LILT) I-V data on single junction and multi-junction high efficiency solar cells. The cells tested here represent the latest photovoltaic technology. Using this LILT data to calculate Short Circuit Current (I(sub sc)), Open Circuit Voltage (V(sub os)), and Fill Factor (FF) as a function of temperature and intensity, an accurate prediction of cell performance under the AM0 spectrum can be determined. When combined with QUantum efficiency at Low Temperature (QULT) data, one can further enhance the data by adding spectral variations to the measurements. This paper presents an overview of LILT measurements and is only intended to be used as a guideline for material selection and performance predictions. As single junction and multi-junction cell technologies emerge, new test data must be collected. Cell materials included are Si, GaAs/Ge, GaInP/GaAs/GaAs, InP, InGaAs/InP, InP/InGaAs/InP, and GaInP. Temperatures range down to as low as -180 C and intensities range from 1 sun down to 0.02 suns. The coefficients presented in this paper represent experimental results and are intended to provide the user with approximate numbers.

Implications of electronic short circuiting in plasma sprayed solid oxide fuel cells on electrode performance evaluation by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, B. D.; Kesler, O.

Electronic short circuiting of the electrolyte in a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) arising from flaws in the plasma spray fabrication process has been found to have a significant effect on the perceived performance of the electrodes, as evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The presence of a short circuit has been found to lead to the underestimation of the electrode polarization resistance (R p) and hence an overestimation of electrode performance. The effect is particularly noticeable when electrolyte resistance is relatively high, for example during low to intermediate temperature operation, leading to an obvious deviation from the expected Arrhenius-type temperature dependence of R p. A method is developed for determining the real electrode performance from measurements of various cell properties, and strategies for eliminating the occurrence of short circuiting in plasma sprayed cells are identified.

Computer modeling of electromagnetic and thermal effects in microwave soft tissue ablation (Invited Paper)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cronin, Nigel J.; Clegg, Peter J.

2005-04-01

Microwave Endometrial Ablation (MEA) is a technique that can be used for the treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding. The procedure involves sweeping a specially designed microwave applicator throughout the uterine cavity to achieve an ideally uniform depth of tissue necrosis of between 5 and 6mm. We have performed a computer analysis of the MEA procedure in which finite element analysis was used to determine the SAR pattern around the applicator. This was followed by a Green Function based solution of the Bioheat equation to determine the resulting induced temperatures. The method developed is applicable to situations involving a moving microwave source, as used in MEA. The validity of the simulation was verified by measurements in a tissue phantom material using a purpose built applicator and a calibrated pulling device. From the calculated temperatures the depth of necrosis was assessed through integration of the resulting rates of cell death estimated using the Arrhenius equation. The Arrhenius parameters used were derived from published data on BHK cells. Good agreement was seen between the calculated depths of cell necrosis and those found in human in-vivo testing.

Analysis of hybrid interface cooling system using air ventilation and nanofluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rani, M. F. H.; Razlan, Z. M.; Bakar, S. A.; Desa, H.; Wan, W. K.; Ibrahim, I.; Kamarrudin, N. S.; Bin-Abdun, Nazih A.

2017-09-01

The hybrid interface cooling system needs to be designed for maintaining the electric vehicle's battery cell temperature at 25°C. The hybrid interface cooling system is a combination of two individual systems, where the primary cooling system (R-134a) and the secondary cooling system (CuO + Water) will be used to absorb the heat generated by the battery cells. The ventilation system is designed using air as the medium to transfer the heat from the batteries to the refrigeration system (R-134a). Research will focus on determining the suitable compressor displacement, the heat exchanger volume and the expansion valve resistance value. The analysis for the secondary cooling system is focused on the cooling coil where low temperature nanofluid is passing through each interval of the battery cells. For analysing purposes, the thermal properties of the mixture of 50 grams, Copper (II) Oxide and the base fluid have been determined. The hybrid interface cooling system are able to achieve 57.82% increments in term of rate of heat transfer as compared to the individual refrigeration system.

i-anvils : in situ measurements of pressure, temperature and conductivity in diamond anvil cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munsch, P.; Bureau, H.; Kubsky, S.; Meijer, J.; Datchi, F.; Ninet, S.; Estève, I.

2011-12-01

The precise determination of the pressure and temperature conditions during diamond anvils cells (DAC) experiments is of primary importance. Such determinations are critical more especially for the fields corresponding to "low pressures" (<4 GPa) and moderate temperature (600-1500°C). Determining the electrical properties of mantle minerals is also a condition to understand the physics of the Deep Earth. This has to be done in situ at pressures and temperatures relevant for the interior of the Earth. i-anvils allow in situ pressure (P) and temperature (T) measurements in experiments using a DAC. Boron and carbon micro-structures are implanted in the diamond anvil lattice a few micrometers below the surface, the sensors are located a few μm below the center of the diamond culet (sample chamber position). When conductive electrodes are implanted at the position of the sample chamber on the culet of the anvil, instead of P,T sensors, they allow in situ measurements of electrical properties of the loaded sample at high P,T conditions in a DAC. The principle consists of applying an electrical potential across the structures through external contacts placed on the slopes of the anvil. The resistivity of these structures is sensitive to pressure and temperature applied in the sample chamber. The electrical transport properties of the sample can be measured the same way when electrodes have been implanted on the culet. Here we will present our last progresses, more especially using the focus ion beam (FIB) technology to perform contacts and electrodes. Progresses about the i-anvils connexions with the electronic devices will also be shown. We will present the last P and T sensors calibrations. Furnaces are also introduced through Boron implantation into the anvils, allowing the possibility to reach intermediate temperatures between externally heated DAC (up to 1100°C) and laser heated DAC (from 1500°C to a few thousands). Preliminary tests and the interest of such devices will be discussed at the meeting. A new diamond anvil cell has been especially designed for this purpose. This DAC allows in situ spectroscopies and X-Ray characterisation of geological fluids in their equilibrium conditions in the crust and in the upper mantle. Preliminary results will be presented.

In vitro assessment of the effects of temperature on phagocytosis, reactive oxygen species production and apoptosis in bovine polymorphonuclear cells.

PubMed

Lecchi, Cristina; Rota, Nicola; Vitali, Andrea; Ceciliani, Fabrizio; Lacetera, Nicola

2016-12-01

Heat stress exerts a direct negative effect on farm animal health, triggering physiological responses. Environmental high temperature induces immunosuppression in dairy cows, increasing the risk of mastitis and milk somatic cell counts. The influence of heat stress on leukocytes activities has not been fully elucidated. The present in vitro study was aimed at assessing whether the exposure to temperature simulating conditions of severe whole body hyperthermia affects defensive functions of bovine blood polymorphonuclear cells. Blood was collected from seven clinically healthy, multiparous, late lactating Holstein cows. After isolation, PMN were incubated at either 39 or 41°C. Phagocytosis, respiratory burst and apoptosis were then investigated. The selected temperatures of 39°C or 41°C mimicked conditions of normothermia or severe heat stress, respectively. Phagocytosis assay was carried out by measuring the fluorescence of phagocyted fluorescein-labelled E. coli bioparticles. The modulation of oxidative burst activity was studied by the cytochrome C reduction method. Apoptosis was determined by measuring the activities of two enzymes that play an effector role in the process, namely Caspase-3 and Caspase-7. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 22.0. A Student t-test for paired samples and a Generalised Estimating Equation were used based on data distribution. The phagocytosis rate was reduced (-37%, P<0.01) when PMN were incubated for 2h at 41°C, when compared to phagocytosis rate measured at 39°C. The oxidative burst, as determined by extracellular production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), was also reduced by the exposure of cells to 41°C compared to 39°C. Such reduction ranged between -2 and -21% (P<0.05). Apoptosis rate was not affected by different temperatures. The results reported in this study suggest that phagocytosis and ROS production in PMN exposed to severe high temperature are impaired, partially explaining the higher occurrence of infections during periods of hot weather. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bacterial Activity at −2 to −20°C in Arctic Wintertime Sea Ice

PubMed Central

Junge, Karen; Eicken, Hajo; Deming, Jody W.

2004-01-01

Arctic wintertime sea-ice cores, characterized by a temperature gradient of −2 to −20°C, were investigated to better understand constraints on bacterial abundance, activity, and diversity at subzero temperatures. With the fluorescent stains 4′,6′-diamidino-2-phenylindole 2HCl (DAPI) (for DNA) and 5-cyano-2,3-ditoyl tetrazolium chloride (CTC) (for O2-based respiration), the abundances of total, particle-associated (>3-μm), free-living, and actively respiring bacteria were determined for ice-core samples melted at their in situ temperatures (−2 to −20°C) and at the corresponding salinities of their brine inclusions (38 to 209 ppt). Fluorescence in situ hybridization was applied to determine the proportions of Bacteria, Cytophaga-Flavobacteria-Bacteroides (CFB), and Archaea. Microtome-prepared ice sections also were examined microscopically under in situ conditions to evaluate bacterial abundance (by DAPI staining) and particle associations within the brine-inclusion network of the ice. For both melted and intact ice sections, more than 50% of cells were found to be associated with particles or surfaces (sediment grains, detritus, and ice-crystal boundaries). CTC-active bacteria (0.5 to 4% of the total) and cells detectable by rRNA probes (18 to 86% of the total) were found in all ice samples, including the coldest (−20°C), where virtually all active cells were particle associated. The percentage of active bacteria associated with particles increased with decreasing temperature, as did the percentages of CFB (16 to 82% of Bacteria) and Archaea (0.0 to 3.4% of total cells). These results, combined with correlation analyses between bacterial variables and measures of particulate matter in the ice as well as the increase in CFB at lower temperatures, confirm the importance of particle or surface association to bacterial activity at subzero temperatures. Measuring activity down to −20°C adds to the concept that liquid inclusions in frozen environments provide an adequate habitat for active microbial populations on Earth and possibly elsewhere. PMID:14711687

Abscisic acid induced freezing tolerance in chilling-sensitive suspension cultures and seedlings of rice

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The role of abscisic acid (ABA) as a possible activator of cold acclimation process was postulated since endogenous levels of ABA increase temporarily or constitutively during cold-hardening. Exogenous application of ABA has been known to induce freezing tolerance at ambient temperatures in in vitro systems derived from cold hardy plants. Yet, some cell cultures acquired much greater freezing tolerance by ABA than by cold whilst maintaining active growth. This raises questions about the relationships among ABA, cold acclimation and growth cessation. To address this question, we attempted to 1) determine whether exogenous ABA can confer freezing tolerance in chilling-sensitive rice suspension cells and seedlings, which obviously lack the mechanisms to acquire freezing tolerance in response to cold; 2) characterize this phenomenon by optimizing the conditions and compare with the case of cold hardy bromegrass cells. Results Non-embryogenic suspension cells of rice suffered serious chilling injury when exposed to 4°C. When incubated with ABA at the optimal conditions (0.5-1 g cell inoculum, 75 μM ABA, 25-30°C, 7–10 days), they survived slow freezing (2°C/h) to −9.0 ~ −9.3°C (LT50: 50% killing temperature) while control cells were mostly injured at −3°C (LT50: -0.5 ~ −1.5°C). Ice-inoculation of the cell suspension at −3°C and survival determination by regrowth confirmed that ABA-treated rice cells survived extracellular freezing at −9°C. ABA-induced freezing tolerance did not require any exposure to cold and was best achieved at 25-30°C where the rice cells maintained high growth even in the presence of ABA. ABA treatment also increased tolerance to heat (43°C) as determined by regrowth. ABA-treated cells tended to have more augmented cytoplasm and/or reduced vacuole sizes compared to control cultures with a concomitant increase in osmolarity and a decrease in water content. ABA-treated (2–7 days) in vitro grown seedlings and their leaves survived slow freezing to −3°C with only marginal injury (LT50: -4°C) whereas untreated seedlings were killed at −3°C (LT50: -2°C). Conclusions The results indicate that exogenous ABA can induce some levels of freezing tolerance in chilling-sensitive rice cells and seedlings, probably by eliciting mechanisms different from low temperature-induced cold acclimation. PMID:24004611

Method and automated apparatus for detecting coliform organisms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dill, W. P.; Taylor, R. E.; Jeffers, E. L. (Inventor)

1980-01-01

Method and automated apparatus are disclosed for determining the time of detection of metabolically produced hydrogen by coliform bacteria cultured in an electroanalytical cell from the time the cell is inoculated with the bacteria. The detection time data provides bacteria concentration values. The apparatus is sequenced and controlled by a digital computer to discharge a spent sample, clean and sterilize the culture cell, provide a bacteria nutrient into the cell, control the temperature of the nutrient, inoculate the nutrient with a bacteria sample, measures the electrical potential difference produced by the cell, and measures the time of detection from inoculation.

Factors Affecting Nickel-oxide Electrode Capacity in Nickel-hydrogen Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ritterman, P. F.

1984-01-01

The nickel-oxide electrode common to the nickel hydrogen and nickel cadmium cell is by design the limiting or capacity determining electrode on both charge and discharge. The useable discharge capacity from this electrode, and since it is the limiting electrode, the useable discharge capacity of the cell as well, can and is optimized by rate of charge, charge temperature and additives to electrode and electrolyte. Recent tests with nickel hydrogen cells and tests performed almost 25 years ago with nickel cadmium cells indicate an improvement of capacity as a result of using increased electrolyte concentration.

Low Temperature Plasma Kills SCaBER Cancer Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barekzi, Nazir; van Way, Lucas; Laroussi, Mounir

2013-09-01

Squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder is a rare type of bladder cancer that forms as a result of chronic irritation of the epithelial lining of the bladder. The cell line used in this study is SCaBER (ATCC® HTB-3™) derived from squamous cell carcinoma of the human urinary bladder. Current treatments of bladder cancer include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. However, the cost of these treatments, the potential toxicity of the chemotherapeutic agents and the systemic side-effects warrant an alternative to current cancer treatment. This paper represents preliminary studies to determine the effects of biologically tolerant plasma (BTP) on a cell line of human bladder cancer cells. Previous work by our group using the plasma pencil revealed the efficacy of BTP on leukemia cells suspended in solution. Based on these earlier findings we hypothesized that the plasma exposure would elicit a similar programmed cell death in the SCaBER cells. Trypan blue exclusion and MTT assays revealed the cell killing after exposure to BTP. Our study indicates that low temperature plasma generated by ionizing helium gas and the reactive species may be a suitable and safe alternative for cancer therapy.

Nickel-Silver Monotectic in Alumina Crucible for Use with Contact Thermometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gotoh, M.; Dedyulin, S. N.

2017-07-01

Previously, the authors have published work describing a pure Ni fixed point within alumina crucibles. The success of this study stimulated working with the Ni-Ag monotectic point in alumina crucibles. Similar to eutectic points, the Ni-Ag monotectic temperature is an invariant point but it differs from a eutectic reaction in such a way that the monotectic phase change takes place from Ni-Ag liquid solution to Ni-Ag solid solution and Ag rich Ni-Ag liquid solution. In the phase diagram references, the Ni-Ag monotectic phase transition temperature is assigned to be about 20°C below the pure Ni melting/freezing point. As is the case for pure Ni, mechanical stability is one of the concerns. Therefore, proper cell design is necessary to avoid breakage of the alumina crucible. The techniques used for the fabrication and measurement of the pure Ni cell were applied to the Ni-Ag cell as well. The cells have been successfully fabricated and the temperature measurement at the fixed point was carried out for more than 20 thermal cycles in total. A Pt/Pd thermocouple was used to measure the temperature and was calibrated from the tin point to the gold point to measure the ITS-90. Freezing plateaus are realized with the technique of "recurrent offset freezing method with reserved solid". The duration of each freezing plateau is a minimum of 30 min. The monotectic transformation temperature for the best performed cell is determined as 1428.27°C with a combined uncertainty of ±0.06°C ({k}=1).

Evidence of threshold temperatures for xylogenesis in conifers at high altitudes.

PubMed

Rossi, Sergio; Deslauriers, Annie; Anfodillo, Tommaso; Carraro, Vinicio

2007-05-01

Temperature is the most important factor affecting growth at high altitudes. As trees use much of the allocated carbon gained from photosynthesis to produce branches and stems, information on the timing and dynamics of secondary wood growth is crucial to assessing temperature thresholds for xylogenesis. We have carried out histological analyses to determine cambial activity and xylem cell differentiation in conifers growing at the treeline on the eastern Alps in two sites during 2002-2004 with the aim of linking the growth process with temperature and, consequently, of defining thresholds for xylogenesis. Cambial activity occurred from May to July-August and cell differentiation from May-June to September-October. The earliest start of radial enlargement was observed in stone pine in mid-May, while Norway spruce was the last species to begin tracheid differentiation. The duration of wood formation varied from 90 to 137 days, depending on year and site, with no difference between species. Longer durations were observed in trees on the south-facing site because of the earlier onset and later ending of cell production and differentiation. The threshold temperatures at which xylogenesis had a 0.5 probability of being active were calculated by logistic regressions. Xylogenesis was active when the mean daily air temperature was 5.6-8.5 degrees C and mean stem temperature was 7.2-9 degrees C. The similar thresholds among all trees suggested the existence of thermal limits in wood formation that correspond with temperatures of 6-8 degrees C that are supposed to limit growth at the treeline. Different soil temperature thresholds between sites indicated that soil temperature may not be the main factor limiting xylogenesis. This study represents the first attempt to define a threshold through comparative assessment of xylem growth and tissue temperatures in stem meristems at high altitudes.

Triple point temperature of neon isotopes: Dependence on nitrogen impurity and sealed-cell model

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

Pavese, F.; Steur, P. P. M.; Giraudi, D.

2013-09-11

This paper illustrates a study conducted at INRIM, to further check how some quantities influence the value of the triple point temperature of the neon high-purity isotopes {sup 20}Ne and {sup 22}Ne. The influence of nitrogen as a chemical impurity in neon is critical with regard to the present best total uncertainty achieved in the measurement of these triple points, but only one determination is available in the literature. Checks are reported, performed on two different samples of {sup 22}Ne known to contain a N{sub 2} amount of 157⋅10{sup −6}, using two different models of sealed cells. The model ofmore » the cell can, in principle, have some effects on the shape of the melting plateau or on the triple point temperature observed for the sample sealed in it. This can be due to cell thermal parameters, or because the INRIM cell element mod. c contains many copper wires closely packed, which can, in principle, constrain the interface and induce a premelting-like effect. The reported results on a cell mod. Bter show no evident effect from the cell model and provide a value for the effect of N{sub 2} in Ne liquidus point of 8.6(1.9) μK ppm N{sub 2}{sup −1}, only slightly different from the literature datum.« less

Safety testing of lithium cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bene, J.

1981-03-01

The testing consisted of a forced discharge to zero volts constant current under isothermal conditions. The temperature range was -40 to 65 C. Short circuit tests, drop tests, and puncture tests were run to determine how a cell might behave if it developed a leak. Once the sulfur dioxide is exhausted, a lithium acetontirile reaction occurs. An excess of sulfur dioxide must be maintained in order to avoid chemical explosions.

Safety testing of lithium cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bene, J.

1981-01-01

The testing consisted of a forced discharge to zero volts constant current under isothermal conditions. The temperature range was -40 to 65 C. Short circuit tests, drop tests, and puncture tests were run to determine how a cell might behave if it developed a leak. Once the sulfur dioxide is exhausted, a lithium acetontirile reaction occurs. An excess of sulfur dioxide must be maintained in order to avoid chemical explosions.

Investigation of the diaphragm-type pressure cell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Theodorsen, Theodore

1932-01-01

This report relates to various improvements in the process of manufacture of the NACA standard pressure cell. Like most pressure recording devices employing thin diaphragms, they would in general show considerable change in calibration with temperature and also some change of calibration with time or aging effect. The required diaphragm thickness and the desirable rate of mechanical magnification have been determined on the basis of several hundred tests.

The influence of temperature treatment before cryopreservation on the viability and potency of cryopreserved and thawed CD34+ and CD45+ cord blood cells.

PubMed

Schwandt, Svenja; Liedtke, Stefanie; Kogler, Gesine

2017-08-01

Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) viability and potency is crucial for qualified cord blood (CB) transplants. This study analyzes time and temperature condition before cryopreservation for the viability of CD34 + /CD45 + cells after cryopreservation. Cell viabilities were determined by antibody co-staining with 7-aminoactinomycin D detecting necrotic cells, and subsequent flow cytometric analysis. Additionally, Annexin V staining for determination of apoptotic cells and colony-forming unit (CFU) assays for testing functional potency of HSCs were performed. For all cell types assessed (CD45 + /CD34 + cells, lymphocytes and granulocytes), the highest viabilities were obtained for CB maintained at 4°C or room temperature (RT; 22 ± 4°C) and cryopreserved directly after collection. Starting material were CB units with an age of 24.7 ± 3.5 h after birth. Post-thaw CD34 + cell results were > 90% after temperature treatment of t = 24 h (48 h total age) and > 70% after t = 48 h (72 h total age) at 4°C (48 h, 91.4 ± 5.5%; 72 h, 75.0 ± 12.0%) and RT (48 h, 84.2 ± 9.7%; 72 h, 72.6 ± 0.6%). Viabilities for 30°C samples were < 80% after t = 24 h (48 h total age, 79.8 ± 3.1%) and < 50% after t = 48 h of treatment (72 h total age, 46.8 ± 14.3%). Regarding CFU recovery of pre-freeze (without volume reduction) and thawed CB, a trend toward the highest recoveries was observed at 4°C/RT. The difference between 4°C (77.5 ± 12.0%) and 30°C samples (53.9 ± 4.8%) was shown to be significant in post-thaw samples after t = 24 h treatment (48 h total age; P = 0.0341). Delays between collection and cryopreservation should be minimized because increasing time reduces numbers of viable cells and CFUs before/after cryopreservation. CB units should be maintained at 4°C/RT to retain the highest possible potency of the cells after thawing. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reactive transport model of growth and methane production by high-temperature methanogens in hydrothermal regions of the subseafloor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, L. C.; Algar, C. K.; Topçuoğlu, B. D.; Fortunato, C. S.; Larson, B. I.; Proskurowski, G. K.; Butterfield, D. A.; Vallino, J. J.; Huber, J. A.; Holden, J. F.

2014-12-01

Hydrogenotrophic methanogens are keystone high-temperature autotrophs in deep-sea hydrothermal vents and tracers of habitability and biogeochemical activity in the hydrothermally active subseafloor. At Axial Seamount, nearly all thermophilic methanogens are Methanothermococcus and Methanocaldococcus species, making this site amenable to modeling through pure culture laboratory experiments coupled with field studies. Based on field microcosm incubations with 1.2 mM, 20 μM, or no hydrogen, the growth of methanogens at 55°C and 80°C is limited primarily by temperature and hydrogen availability, with ammonium amendment showing no consistent effect on total methane output. The Arrhenius constants for methane production by Methanocaldococcus jannaschii (optimum 82°C) and Methanothermococcus thermolithotrophicus (optimum 65°C) were determined in pure culture bottle experiments. The Monod constants for hydrogen concentration were measured by growing both organisms in a 2-liter chemostat at two dilution rates; 55°C, 65°C and 82°C; and variable hydrogen concentrations. M. jannaschii showed higher ks and Vmax constants than M. thermolithotrophicus. In the field, hydrogen and methane concentrations in hydrothermal end-member and low-temperature diffuse fluids were measured, and the concentrations of methanogens that grow at 55°C and 80°C in diffuse fluids were determined using most-probable-number estimates. Methane concentration anomalies in diffuse fluids relative to end-member hydrothermal concentrations and methanogen cell concentrations are being used to constrain a 1-D reactive transport model using the laboratory-determined Arrhenius and Monod constants for methane production by these organisms. By varying flow path length and subseafloor cell concentrations in the model, our goal is to determine solutions for the potential depth of the subseafloor biosphere coupled with the amount of methanogenic biomass it contains.

A unified equation for calculating methane vapor pressures in the CH4-H2O system with measured Raman shifts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lu, W.; Chou, I.-Ming; Burruss, R.C.; Song, Y.

2007-01-01

A unified equation has been derived by using all available data for calculating methane vapor pressures with measured Raman shifts of C-H symmetric stretching band (??1) in the vapor phase of sample fluids near room temperature. This equation eliminates discrepancies among the existing data sets and can be applied at any Raman laboratory. Raman shifts of C-H symmetric stretching band of methane in the vapor phase of CH4-H2O mixtures prepared in a high-pressure optical cell were also measured at temperatures between room temperature and 200 ??C, and pressures up to 37 MPa. The results show that the CH4 ??1 band position shifts to higher wavenumber as temperature increases. We also demonstrated that this Raman band shift is a simple function of methane vapor density, and, therefore, when combined with equation of state of methane, methane vapor pressures in the sample fluids at elevated temperatures can be calculated from measured Raman peak positions. This method can be applied to determine the pressure of CH4-bearing systems, such as methane-rich fluid inclusions from sedimentary basins or experimental fluids in hydrothermal diamond-anvil cell or other types of optical cell. ?? 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantitative assessment of the relationship between biomarker content and biomass in marine phytoplankton in responses to temperature and nutrient supply ratio changes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Y.; Chen, X.; Bi, R.; Zhang, L. H.; Li, L.; Zhao, M.

2016-12-01

Alkenones and sterols are useful biomarkers to construct past productivity and community structure changes in aquatic environments. Until now, the quantitative relationship between biomarker content and biomass in marine phytoplankton remains understudied, which hinders the quantitative reconstruction of ocean changes. In this study, we carried out laboratory culture experiments to determine the quantitative relationship between biomarker content and biomass under three temperatures (15°, 20° and 25°) and three N:P supply ratios (N:P=10:1, 24:1 and 63:1 mol mol-1) for three common phytoplankton groups, diatoms (Phaeodactylum tricornutum Bohlin, Skeletonema costatum, Chaetoceros muelleri), dinoflagellates (Karenia mikimotoi, Prorocentrum donghaiense, Prorocentrum minimum), and coccolithophores (Emiliania huxleyi). Alkenones were only detected in E. huxleyiand dinosterol was only detected in dinoflagellates, confirming that they are the biomarkers for these two groups of phytoplankton, respectively. Brassicasterol was detected in all three groups of phytoplankton, but its content was higher in diatoms, suggesting that it is still a useful biomarker for diatoms. Cell-normalized alkenone content (pg/cell) increases with increasing growth temperature by up to 30%; while the effect of nutrients on alkenone content is minimum. On the other hand, cell-normalized dinosterol content is not temperature dependent, but it is strongly affected by nutrient ratio changes. The effects of temperature and nutrients on cell-normalized brassicasterol content are phytoplankton dependent. For diatoms, the temperature effect is minimum while the nutrient effect is significant but also varies with temperatures. Our results have strong implications for understanding how different phytoplankton respond to global changes, and for more quantitative reconstruction of past productivity and community structure changes using these biomarkers.

Cell-level temperature distributions in skeletal muscle post spinal cord injury as related to deep tissue injury.

PubMed

Ruschkewitz, Yael; Gefen, Amit

2010-02-01

Deep tissue injury (DTI) is a severe pressure ulcer, which initiates in skeletal muscle tissue under intact skin. Patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) are especially vulnerable to DTI, due to their impaired motosensory capacities. The underlying mechanisms that lead to DTI are, however, still poorly understood. This study focuses on cell-level temperature distributions in muscles of patients with SCI, which typically contain thinner muscle fibers and fewer capillaries. It has been shown previously by our group that ischemic muscles of rat models of DTI cool down mildly and locally, which is very likely to slow the diffusivity of metabolites in the ischemic regions. However, it is unclear how these temperature decreases affect diffusivity at the scale of individual muscle cells in the microanatomy of SCI patients. We hypothesize that a 2 degrees C drop in the temperature of inflowing capillary blood, as shown in our animal studies, has a substantial effect on lowering the diffusivity of metabolites in skeletal muscle, but the pathological microanatomy in the chronic phase of SCI is less dominant in affecting the local temperatures in and around muscle cells. In order to test this hypothesis, two-dimensional finite element (FE) models of cross sections through the microanatomy of muscle tissue were developed using COMSOL Multiphysics software for normal and SCI muscles. The models included muscle cells, extracellular matrix (ECM), and capillaries, each with its own geometrical, thermal, and heat production properties. The SCI model configuration specifically included reduced cross section of myofibrils in favor of more ECM, less capillaries, and decreased blood inflow rate. After a 20-s heat transfer simulation, it was found that temperatures around the cells of the SCI muscle were approximately 2 degrees C lower than that in the normal muscle, that is, heat production from the muscle cell metabolism did not compensate for the lower inflowing blood temperature in the SCI model. We conclude that the temperature and rate of inflowing capillary blood are the dominant factors determining the localized temperatures in the microarchitecture of an ischemic SCI muscle tissue. The altered SCI microanatomy was shown to be less influential. Taken together with the Stokes-Einstein theory, our results indicate that diffusivity of metabolites would be approximately 50% less around the cells of SCI muscle due to local cooling, which is yet another factor compromising tissue viability in the patients with SCI.

An International Intercomparison of Argon Triple Point Calibration Facilities, Accommodating Long-stem Thermometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bloembergen, P.; Bonnier, G.; Ronsin, H.

1990-01-01

Argon triple point calibration facilities have been compared among eight laboratories with one transfer system, employing local long-stem standard platinum resistance thermometers. The apparatus intercompared, included a sealed cell and its associated cryostat. As is evidenced by the results of long-term investigations, previously performed at the INM, cells of the type employed may show a triple-point temperature, which is stable within the reproducibility of the measurements (simeq0,1 mK) over a period of about 10 years. At each laboratory the mean difference between the Argon triple-point temperature of the transfer cell (t) and the local cell (i) has been determined, using a standard resistance thermometer previously calibrated at the fixed points, according to the IPTS-68; associated repeatabilities are typically of the order of 0,1 mK. The reproducibility attained by measuring the mean difference in different laboratories, using cells of the same type and origin (INM), amounts to 0,4 mK.

Periodic annealing of radiation damage in GaAs solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loo, R. Y.; Knechtli, R. C.; Kamath, G. S.

1980-01-01

Continuous annealing of GaAs solar cells is compared with periodic annealing to determine their relative effectiveness in minimizing proton radiation damage. It is concluded that continuous annealing of the cells in space at 150 C can effectively reduce the proton radiation damage to the GaAs solar cells. Periodic annealing is most effective if it can be initiated at relatively low fluences (approximating continuous annealing), especially if low temperatures of less than 200 C are to be used. If annealing is started only after the fluence of the damaging protons has accumulated to a high value 10 to the 11th power sq/pcm), effective annealing is still possible at relatively high temperatures. Finally, since electron radiation damage anneals even more easily than proton radiation damage, substantial improvements in GaAs solar cell life can be achieved by incorporating the proper annealing capabilities in solar panels for practical space missions where both electron and proton radiation damage have to be minimized.

Injury of the cell's respiratory system by heat and by formaldehyde. Thermokinetics and early molecular events.

PubMed

Johnson, H A; Wiske, P S

1976-08-01

This is a study of the manner in which the respiratory system of the cell is injured either by elevated temperature or by exposure to diluted formaldehyde. Molecular mechanisms were identified by thermokinetic measurements. The rates at which respiratory failure developed in mouse liver slices in an injurious environment were measured at various temperatures. The data were fitted to the Arrhenius equation, and the effective activation energies of the injury processes were calculated. These data show that (1) the thermokinetics of injury to the cell's respiratory system, whether by thermal or chemical means, follows the Arrhenius law. (2) Thermal injury of the cell's respiratory system has a high activation energy, indicating that the critical, rate-determining event is a protein denaturation. Other mechanisms such as imbalance of metabolic reaction rates and thermal liquefaction of membrane lipids can be ruled out. (3) Repression of cell respiration by diluted formaldehyde has an activation energy compatible with a chemical reaction but low enough to exclude protein denaturation as a mechanism.

An integrated photo-thermal sensing system for rapid and direct diagnosis of anemia.

PubMed

Kwak, Bong Seop; Kim, Hyung Joon; Kim, Hyun Ok; Jung, Hyo-Il

2010-12-15

This article presents a thermal biosensor to diagnose the anemia without chemical treatments using temperature increase of red blood cells (RBC) when hemoglobin molecules absorb specific wavelength of photons and convert them to thermal energy. For measuring temperature change of red blood cell, the micro-scaled platinum resistance temperature detector (Pt RTD) was developed. For maintenance of constant ambient temperature, we designed and fabricated a thermostat system. The thermostat system consists of a K-type thermocouple and two electric heaters that serve to increase the system temperature, which is monitored by the thermocouple. Both heaters and the thermocouple were connected to a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller and enabled to maintain the temperature constant (<±0.1°C). For specific heating of red blood cell, 8.0 W/cm(2) diode pumped solid state (DPSS) continuous wave (CW) laser module was used with 532 nm wavelength. Using this system, we successfully measured the temperature variations (from 66.33±2.72°C to 74.16±2.06°C) of whole blood samples from 10 anemic patients and subsequently determined the concentration of hemoglobin (from 7.2 g/dL to 9.8 g/dL). The method proposed in this paper requires significantly less amount of whole blood sample (6 μl) compared with the conventional methods (175 μl) and allows instantaneous diagnosis (3 s) of anemia. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of the Maximum Temperature in a Non-Uniform Hot Zone by Line-of-Site Absorption Spectroscopy with a Single Diode Laser.

PubMed

Liger, Vladimir V; Mironenko, Vladimir R; Kuritsyn, Yurii A; Bolshov, Mikhail A

2018-05-17

A new algorithm for the estimation of the maximum temperature in a non-uniform hot zone by a sensor based on absorption spectrometry with a diode laser is developed. The algorithm is based on the fitting of the absorption spectrum with a test molecule in a non-uniform zone by linear combination of two single temperature spectra simulated using spectroscopic databases. The proposed algorithm allows one to better estimate the maximum temperature of a non-uniform zone and can be useful if only the maximum temperature rather than a precise temperature profile is of primary interest. The efficiency and specificity of the algorithm are demonstrated in numerical experiments and experimentally proven using an optical cell with two sections. Temperatures and water vapor concentrations could be independently regulated in both sections. The best fitting was found using a correlation technique. A distributed feedback (DFB) diode laser in the spectral range around 1.343 µm was used in the experiments. Because of the significant differences between the temperature dependences of the experimental and theoretical absorption spectra in the temperature range 300⁻1200 K, a database was constructed using experimentally detected single temperature spectra. Using the developed algorithm the maximum temperature in the two-section cell was estimated with accuracy better than 30 K.

New Measurements of Activation Volume in Olvine Under Anhydrous Conditions

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

Durham, W.; Mei, S; Kohlstedt, D

2009-01-01

A new cell assembly for the deformation-DIA (D-DIA) shows promise for limiting the water content of samples and providing a more mechanically stable environment for deformation. The 6-mm cubic cell consists of a 6-mm diameter mullite sphere cradled in a web of unfired pyrophyllite. The pyrophyllite flows during initial compression of the D-DIA to form gaskets between the six anvils while the mullite flows to become a nearly cubic-shaped pressure medium. Measurements on olivine indicate more than one order of magnitude drop in water content to <40 ppm H/Si compared with the boron-epoxy medium. Improved mechanical stability is achieved bymore » elimination of the thermocouple from the assembly and determination of temperature from calibration curves of furnace power vs. temperature. Three samples of polycrystalline orthopyroxene-buffer San Carlos olivine have been deformed in high-temperature creep in the new cell, at pressures of 2.7-4.9 GPa and temperatures near 1473 K. Strength is consistent with that measured in the gas-apparatus at lower pressures. Over the pressure range investigated we resolve an activation volume for creep of dry olivine of V* = 9.5 {+-} 7 x 10-6 m3/mol.« less

Analysis of breast thermograms for ROI extraction and description using mathematical morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zermeño-Loreto, O. A.; Toxqui-Quitl, C.; Orozco Guillén, E. E.; Padilla-Vivanco, A.

2017-09-01

The detection of a temperature increase or hot spots in breast thermograms can be related with high metabolic activity of disease cells. Image processing algorithms to seek mainly temperature increases above 3°C which have a high probability of being a malignancy are proposed. Also a derivative operator is used to highlights breast regions of interest (ROI). In order to determinate a medical alert, a feature descriptor of the ROI is constructed using its maximum temperature, maximum increase of temperature, sector/quadrant position in the breast, and area. The proposed algorithms are tested in a home database and a public database for mastology research.

Nucleation and growth control in protein crystallization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenberger, Franz; Nyce, Thomas A.; Meehan, Edward J.; Sowers, Jennifer W.; Monaco, Lisa A.

1990-01-01

The five topics summarized in this final report are as follows: (1) a technique for the expedient, semi-automated determination of protein solubilities as a function of temperature and application of this technique to proteins other than lysozyme; (2) a small solution cell with adjustable temperature gradients for the growth of proteins at a predetermined location through temperature programming; (3) a microscopy system with image storage and processing capability for high resolution optical studies of temperature controlled protein growth and etching kinetics; (4) growth experiments with lysozyme in thermosyphon flow ; and (5) a mathematical model for the evolution of evaporation/diffusion induced concentration gradients in the hanging drop protein crystallization technique.

Pressure Studies of Protein Dynamics

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-02-28

a frozen and metastable complex system In the present section was generated by a flashlamp-pumped dye laser (Phase-R DL- treat the equilibrium region...determination of the relative thermodynamic parameters of the and the temperature was monitored with a Si diode on the pressure We assume that the A substates...temperature controller (Model proteins is essentially linear from 200 to 320 K. 2" The entropy 93C). A silicon diode mounted on the sample cell

The elevated temperature mechanical properties of silicon nitride/boron nitride fibrous monoliths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trice, Rodney Wayne

A unique, all-ceramic material capable of non-brittle fracture via crack deflection has been characterized from 25sp°C through 1400sp°C. This material, called fibrous monoliths (FMs), was comprised of unidirectionally aligned 250 mum diameter cells of silicon nitride surrounded by 10 mum thick cell boundaries of boron nitride. Six weight percent yttria and two weight percent alumina were added to the silicon nitride to aid in densification. TEM experiments revealed that the sintering aids used to densify the silicon nitride cells were migrating into the boron nitride cell boundary during hot-pressing and that a fine network of micro-cracks existed between basal planes of boron nitride. Elevated temperature four point bending tests were performed on fibrous monolith ceramics from room temperature through 1400sp°C. Peak strengths of FMs averaged 510 MPa for specimens tested at room temperature through 176 MPa at 1400sp°C. Work of fractures ranged from 7300 J/msp2 to 3200 J/msp2 under the same temperature conditions. The interfacial fracture energy of boron nitride, GammasbBN, as a function of temperature has been determined using the Charalambides method. The fracture energy of boron nitride is approximately 40 J/msp2 and remained constant from 25sp°C through 950sp°C. A sharp increase in GammasbBN, to about 60 J/msp2, was observed at 1000sp°C-1050sp°C. This increase in GammasbBN was attributed to interactions of the crack tip with the cell boundary glassy phase. Subsequent measurements at 1075sp°C indicated a marked decrease in GammasbBN to near 40 J/msp2 before plateauing at 17-20 J/msp2 in the 1200sp°C-1300sp°C regime. The Mode I fracture toughness of silicon nitride was also determined using the single edge precracked beam method as a function of temperature. The He and Hutchinson model relating crack deflection at an interface to the Dundurs' parameter was applied to the current data set using the temperature dependent fracture energies of the boron nitride and the silicon nitride. A more refractory fibrous monolith was fabricated in an effort to extend the high temperature properties of SN/BN fibrous monoliths. Only 4 wt.% yttria was added to the silicon nitride to aid in densification. The presence of residual carbon following binder burnout was proposed to be responsible for the formation of melilite, a phase known to undergo severe oxidation between 900sp°C-1100sp°C. When residual carbon was removed prior to hot-pressing with a post-binder burnout heat treatment at 400sp°C in air this phase was not present. A room temperature strength of 553 MPa and a work of fracture of 6700 J/msp2 was observed. A strength of 293 MPa was measured at 1400sp°C.

Analysis of Cell Proliferation in Newt (Pleurodeles waltl) Tissue Regeneration during Spaceflight in Foton M-2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Almeida, E. A. C.; Roden, C.; Phillips, J. A.; Yusuf, R.; Globus, R. K.; Searby, N.; Vercoutere, W.; Morey-Holton, E.; Tairbekov, M.; Grigoryan, N.;

Indirect determination of the thermodynamic temperature of the copper point by a multi-fixed-point technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battuello, M.; Florio, M.; Girard, F.

2010-06-01

An indirect determination of the thermodynamic temperature of the fixed point of copper was made at INRIM by measuring four cells with a Si-based and an InGaAs-based precision radiation thermometer carrying approximated thermodynamic scales realized up to the Ag point. An average value TCu = 1357.840 K was found with a standard uncertainty of 0.047 K. A consequent (T - T90)Cu value of 70 mK can be derived which is 18 mK higher than, but consistent with, the presently available (T - T90)Cu as elaborated by the CCT-WG4.

Storage Characteristics of Lithium Ion Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ratnakumar, B. V.; Smart, M. C.; Blosiu, J. O.; Surampudi, S.

2000-01-01

Lithium ion cells are being developed under the NASA/Air Force Consortium for the upcoming aerospace missions. First among these missions are the Mars 2001 Lander and Mars 2003 Lander and Rover missions. Apart from the usual needs of high specific energy, energy density and long cycle life, a critical performance characteristic for the Mars missions is low temperature performance. The batteries need to perform well at -20 C, with at least 70% of the rated capacity realizable at moderate discharge rates (C/5). Several modifications have been made to the lithium ion chemistry, mainly with respect to the electrolyte, both at JPL' and elsewhere to achieve this. Another key requirement for the battery is its storageability during pre-cruise and cruise periods. For the Mars programs, the cruise period is relatively short, about 12 months, compared to the Outer Planets missions (3-8 years). Yet, the initial results of our storage studies reveal that the cells do sustain noticeable permanent degradation under certain storage conditions, typically of 10% over two months duration at ambient temperatures, attributed to impedance buildup. The build up of the cell impedance or the decay in the cell capacity is affected by various storage parameters, i.e., storage temperature, storage duration, storage mode (open circuit, on buss or cycling at low rates) and state of charge. Our preliminary studies indicate that low storage temperatures and states of charge are preferable. In some cases, we have observed permanent capacity losses of approx. 10% over eight-week storage at 40 C, compared to approx. 0-2% at O C. Also, we are attempting to determine the impact of cell chemistry and design upon the storageability of Li ion cells.

Atmospheric Plasma Spraying Low-Temperature Cathode Materials for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, J.; Kesler, O.

2010-01-01

Atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) is attractive for manufacturing solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) because it allows functional layers to be built rapidly with controlled microstructures. The technique allows SOFCs that operate at low temperatures (500-700 °C) to be fabricated by spraying directly onto robust and inexpensive metallic supports. However, standard cathode materials used in commercial SOFCs exhibit high polarization resistances at low operating temperatures. Therefore, alternative cathode materials with high performance at low temperatures are essential to facilitate the use of metallic supports. Coatings of lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite (LSCF) were fabricated on steel substrates using axial-injection APS. The thickness and microstructure of the coating layers were evaluated, and x-ray diffraction analysis was performed on the coatings to detect material decomposition and the formation of undesired phases in the plasma. These results determined the envelope of plasma spray parameters in which coatings of LSCF can be manufactured, and the range of conditions in which composite cathode coatings could potentially be manufactured.

Structural features of single crystals of LuB{sub 12} upon a transition to the cage-glass phase

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

Bolotina, N. B., E-mail: nb-bolotina@mail.ru; Verin, I. A.; Shitsevalova, N. Yu.

2016-03-15

The unit-cell parameters of dodecaboride LuB{sub 12}, which undergoes a transition to the cage-glass phase, have been determined for the first time in the temperature range of 50–75 K by X-ray diffraction, and the single-crystal structure of this compound is established at 50 K. Nonlinear changes in the unit-cell parameters correspond to anomalies in the physical properties near the glass-transition temperature T* ~ 50–70 K. This compound has cubic symmetry at room temperature, and it is reduced to tetragonal symmetry at lower temperatures. Based on the X-ray diffraction data and relying on the physical properties of the crystals, the structuremore » model, in which a small part (~15%) of Lu atoms are displaced from the 2a sites at the centers of the B{sub 24} cuboctahedra to the 16n sites of sp. gr. I4/mmm, seems preferable.« less

Studies on the phase diagram of Pb-Fe-O system and standard molar Gibbs energy of formation of 'PbFe5O8.5' and Pb2Fe2O5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahu, Sulata Kumari; Ganesan, Rajesh; Gnanasekaran, T.

2012-07-01

Partial phase diagram of Pb-Fe-O system has been established by phase equilibration studies over a wide temperature range coupled with high temperature solid electrolyte based emf cells. Ternary oxides are found to coexist with liquid lead only at temperatures above 900 K. At temperatures below 900 K, iron oxides coexist with liquid lead. Standard molar Gibbs energy of formation of ternary oxides 'PbFe5O8.5' and Pb2Fe2O5 were determined by measuring equilibrium oxygen partial pressures over relevant phase fields using emf cells and are given by the following expressions: ΔfGmo 'PbFeO'±1.0(kJ mol)=-2208.1+0.6677(T/K) (917⩽T/K⩽1117) ΔfGmo PbFeO±0.8(kJ mol)=-1178.4+0.3724(T/K) (1050⩽T/K⩽1131) .

Effective cancer laser-therapy design through the integration of nanotechnology and computational treatment planning models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fisher, Jessica W.; Rylander, Marissa Nichole

2008-02-01

Laser therapies can provide a minimally invasive treatment alternative to surgical resection of tumors. However, the effectiveness of these therapies is limited due to nonspecific heating of target tissue which often leads to healthy tissue injury and extended treatment durations. These therapies can be further compromised due to heat shock protein (HSP) induction in tumor regions where non-lethal temperature elevation occurs, thereby imparting enhanced tumor cell viability and resistance to subsequent chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Introducing multi-walled nanotubes (MWNT) into target tissue prior to laser irradiation increases heating selectivity permitting more precise thermal energy delivery to the tumor region and enhances thermal deposition thereby increasing tumor injury and reducing HSP expression induction. This study investigated the impact of MWNT inclusion in untreated and laser irradiated monolayer cell culture and cell phantom model. Cell viability remained high for all samples with MWNT inclusion and cells integrated into alginate phantoms, demonstrating the non-toxic nature of both MWNTs and alginate phantom models. Following, laser irradiation samples with MWNT inclusion exhibited dramatic temperature elevations and decreased cell viability compared to samples without MWNT. In the cell monolayer studies, laser irradiation of samples with MWNT inclusion experienced up-regulated HSP27, 70 and 90 expression as compared to laser only or untreated samples due to greater temperature increases albeit below the threshold for cell death. Further tuning of laser parameters will permit effective cell killing and down-regulation of HSP. Due to optimal tuning of laser parameters and inclusion of MWNT in phantom models, extensive temperature elevations and cell death occurred, demonstrating MWNT-mediated laser therapy as a viable therapy option when parameters are optimized. In conclusion, MWNT-mediated laser therapies show great promise for effective tumor destruction, but require determination of appropriate MWNT characteristics and laser parameters for maximum tumor destruction.

Nickel/metal hydride secondary batteries using an alkaline solid polymer electrolyte

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

Vassal, N.; Salmon, E.; Fauvarque, J.F.

1999-01-01

Sealed alkaline solid polymer electrolyte nickel/metal hydride laboratory cells have been constructed and tested to evaluate their properties. Studies of the cycle life, self-discharge, and behavior of cells at different temperatures were carried out. The first results on the electrochemical behavior of an alkaline solid polymer electrolyte [based on poly(ethylene oxide), potassium hydroxide, and water] medium are presented here and show good reversibility of this all-solid-state system for more than 500 cycles, without significant loss of capacity and with a reasonable average discharge efficiency (close to 80%). The temperature-dependence study allowed the determination of optimum operating conditions between 0 andmore » 40 C. Characteristics of the solid polymer electrolyte based Ni/MH cells are compared to those of several other rechargeable battery systems.« less

Bypass Diode Temperature Tests of a Solar Array Coupon Under Space Thermal Environment Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, Kenneth H., Jr.; Schneider, Todd A.; Vaughn, Jason A.; Hoang, Bao; Wong, Frankie; Wu, Gordon

2016-01-01

Tests were performed on a 56-cell Advanced Triple Junction solar array coupon whose purpose was to determine margin available for bypass diodes integrated with new, large multi-junction solar cells that are manufactured from a 4-inch wafer. The tests were performed under high vacuum with coupon back side thermal conditions of both cold and ambient. The bypass diodes were subjected to a sequence of increasing discrete current steps from 0 Amp to 2.0 Amp in steps of 0.25 Amp. At each current step, a temperature measurement was obtained via remote viewing by an infrared camera. This paper discusses the experimental methodology, experiment results, and the thermal model.

By-Pass Diode Temperature Tests of a Solar Array Coupon Under Space Thermal Environment Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, Kenneth H., Jr.; Schneider, Todd A.; Vaughn, Jason A.; Hoang, Bao; Wong, Frankie

2016-01-01

Tests were performed on a 56-cell Advanced Triple Junction solar array coupon whose purpose was to determine margin available for bypass diodes integrated with new, large multi-junction solar cells that are manufactured from a 4-inch wafer. The tests were performed under high vacuum with cold and ambient coupon back-side. The bypass diodes were subjected to a sequence of increasing discrete current steps from 0 Amp to 2.0 Amp in steps of 0.25 Amp. At each current step, a temperature measurement was obtained via remote viewing by an infrared camera. This paper discusses the experimental methodology, including the calibration of the thermal imaging system, and the results.

Calculation of Gallium-metal-Arsenic phase diagrams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scofield, J. D.; Davison, J. E.; Ray, A. E.; Smith, S. R.

1991-01-01

Electrical contacts and metallization to GaAs solar cells must survive at high temperatures for several minutes under specific mission scenarios. The determination of which metallizations or alloy systems that are able to withstand extreme thermal excursions with minimum degradation to solar cell performance can be predicted by properly calculated temperature constitution phase diagrams. A method for calculating a ternary diagram and its three constituent binary phase diagrams is briefly outlined and ternary phase diagrams for three Ga-As-X alloy systems are presented. Free energy functions of the liquid and solid phase are approximated by the regular solution theory. Phase diagrams calculated using this method are presented for the Ga-As-Ge and Ga-As-Ag systems.

Regulated internalization of caveolae

PubMed Central

1994-01-01

Caveolae are specialized invaginations of the plasma membrane which have been proposed to play a role in diverse cellular processes such as endocytosis and signal transduction. We have developed an assay to determine the fraction of internal versus plasma membrane caveolae. The GPI-anchored protein, alkaline phosphatase, was clustered in caveolae after antibody-induced crosslinking at low temperature and then, after various treatments, the relative amount of alkaline phosphatase on the cell surface was determined. Using this assay we were able to show a time- and temperature-dependent decrease in cell-surface alkaline phosphatase activity which was dependent on antibody-induced clustering. The decrease in cell surface alkaline phosphatase activity was greatly accelerated by the phosphatase inhibitor, okadaic acid, but not by a protein kinase C activator. Internalization of clustered alkaline phosphatase in the presence or absence of okadaic acid was blocked by cytochalasin D and by the kinase inhibitor staurosporine. Electron microscopy confirmed that okadaic acid induced removal of caveolae from the cell surface. In the presence of hypertonic medium this was followed by the redistribution of groups of caveolae to the center of the cell close to the microtubule-organizing center. This process was reversible, blocked by cytochalasin D, and the centralization of the caveolar clusters was shown to be dependent on an intact microtubule network. Although the exact mechanism of internalization remains unknown, the results show that caveolae are dynamic structures which can be internalized into the cell. This process may be regulated by kinase activity and require an intact actin network. PMID:7962085

Involvement of multiple stressors induced by non-thermal plasma-charged aerosols during inactivation of airborne bacteria

PubMed Central

Vaze, Nachiket D.; Park, Sin; Brooks, Ari D.; Fridman, Alexander; Joshi, Suresh G.

2017-01-01

A lab-scale, tunable, single-filament, point-to-point nonthermal dieletric-barrier discharge (DBD) plasma device was built to study the mechanisms of inactivation of aerosolized bacterial pathogens. The system inactivates airborne antibiotic-resistant pathogens efficiently. Nebulization mediated pre-optimized (4 log and 7 log) bacterial loads were challenged to plasma-charged aerosols, and lethal and sublethal doses determined using colony assay, and cell viability assay; and the loss of membrane potential and cellular respiration were determined using cell membrane potential assay and XTT assay. Using the strategies of Escherichia coli wildtype, over-expression mutant, deletion mutants, and peroxide and heat stress scavenging, we analyzed activation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and heat shock protein (hsp) chaperons. Superoxide dismutase deletion mutants (ΔsodA, ΔsodB, ΔsodAΔsodB) and catalase mutants ΔkatG and ΔkatEΔkatG did not show significant difference from wildtype strain, and ΔkatE and ΔahpC was found significantly more susceptible to cell death than wildtype. The oxyR regulon was found to mediate plasma-charged aerosol-induced oxidative stress in bacteria. Hsp deficient E. coli (ΔhtpG, ΔgroEL, ΔclpX, ΔgrpE) showed complete inactivation of cells at ambient temperature, and the treatment at cold temperature (4°C) significantly protected hsp deletion mutants and wildtype cells, and indicate a direct involvement of hsp in plasma-charged aerosol mediated E. coli cell death. PMID:28166240

A gold nanocluster-based fluorescent probe for simultaneous pH and temperature sensing and its application to cellular imaging and logic gates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Yun-Tse; Shanmugam, Chandirasekar; Tseng, Wei-Bin; Hiseh, Ming-Mu; Tseng, Wei-Lung

2016-05-01

Metal nanocluster-based nanomaterials for the simultaneous determination of temperature and pH variations in micro-environments are still a challenge. In this study, we develop a dual-emission fluorescent probe consisting of bovine serum albumin-stabilized gold nanoclusters (BSA-AuNCs) and fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate (FITC) as temperature- and pH-responsive fluorescence signals. Under single wavelength excitation the FITC/BSA-AuNCs exhibited well-separated dual emission bands at 525 and 670 nm. When FITC was used as a reference fluorophore, FITC/BSA-AuNCs showed a good linear response over the temperature range 1-71 °C and offered temperature-independent spectral shifts, temperature accuracy, activation energy, and reusability. The possible mechanism for high temperature-induced fluorescence quenching of FITC/BSA-AuNCs could be attributed to a weakening of the Au-S bond, thereby lowering the charge transfer from BSA to AuNCs. Additionally, the pH- and temperature-responsive properties of FITC/BSA-AuNCs allow simultaneous temperature sensing from 21 to 41 °C (at intervals of 5 °C) and pH from 6.0 to 8.0 (at intervals of 0.5 pH unit), facilitating the construction of two-input AND logic gates. Three-input AND logic gates were also designed using temperature, pH, and trypsin as inputs. The practicality of using FITC/BSA-AuNCs to determine the temperature and pH changes in HeLa cells is also validated.Metal nanocluster-based nanomaterials for the simultaneous determination of temperature and pH variations in micro-environments are still a challenge. In this study, we develop a dual-emission fluorescent probe consisting of bovine serum albumin-stabilized gold nanoclusters (BSA-AuNCs) and fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate (FITC) as temperature- and pH-responsive fluorescence signals. Under single wavelength excitation the FITC/BSA-AuNCs exhibited well-separated dual emission bands at 525 and 670 nm. When FITC was used as a reference fluorophore, FITC/BSA-AuNCs showed a good linear response over the temperature range 1-71 °C and offered temperature-independent spectral shifts, temperature accuracy, activation energy, and reusability. The possible mechanism for high temperature-induced fluorescence quenching of FITC/BSA-AuNCs could be attributed to a weakening of the Au-S bond, thereby lowering the charge transfer from BSA to AuNCs. Additionally, the pH- and temperature-responsive properties of FITC/BSA-AuNCs allow simultaneous temperature sensing from 21 to 41 °C (at intervals of 5 °C) and pH from 6.0 to 8.0 (at intervals of 0.5 pH unit), facilitating the construction of two-input AND logic gates. Three-input AND logic gates were also designed using temperature, pH, and trypsin as inputs. The practicality of using FITC/BSA-AuNCs to determine the temperature and pH changes in HeLa cells is also validated. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr02341j

Preservation of Differentiation and Clonogenic Potential of Human Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells during Lyophilization and Ambient Storage

PubMed Central

Buchanan, Sandhya S.; Pyatt, David W.; Carpenter, John F.

2010-01-01

Progenitor cell therapies show great promise, but their potential for clinical applications requires improved storage and transportation. Desiccated cells stored at ambient temperature would provide economic and practical advantages over approaches employing cell freezing and subzero temperature storage. The objectives of this study were to assess a method for loading the stabilizing sugar, trehalose, into hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HPC) and to evaluate the effects of subsequent freeze-drying and storage at ambient temperature on differentiation and clonogenic potential. HPC were isolated from human umbilical cord blood and loaded with trehalose using an endogenous cell surface receptor, termed P2Z. Solution containing trehalose-loaded HPC was placed into vials, which were transferred to a tray freeze-dryer and removed during each step of the freeze-drying process to assess differentiation and clonogenic potential. Control groups for these experiments were freshly isolated HPC. Control cells formed 1450±230 CFU-GM, 430±140 BFU-E, and 50±40 CFU-GEMM per 50 µL. Compared to the values for the control cells, there was no statistical difference observed for cells removed at the end of the freezing step or at the end of primary drying. There was a gradual decrease in the number of CFU-GM and BFU-E for cells removed at different temperatures during secondary drying; however, there were no significant differences in the number of CFU-GEMM. To determine storage stability of lyophilized HPC, cells were stored for 4 weeks at 25°C in the dark. Cells reconstituted immediately after lyophilization produced 580±90 CFU-GM (∼40%, relative to unprocessed controls p<0.0001), 170±70 BFU-E (∼40%, p<0.0001), and 41±22 CFU-GEMM (∼82%, p = 0.4171), and cells reconstituted after 28 days at room temperature produced 513±170 CFU-GM (∼35%, relative to unprocessed controls, p<0.0001), 112±68 BFU-E (∼26%, p<0.0001), and 36±17 CFU-GEMM (∼82%, p = 0.2164) These studies are the first to document high level retention of CFU-GEMM following lyophilization and storage for 4 weeks at 25°C. This type of flexible storage stability would potentially permit the ability to ship and store HPC without the need for refrigeration. PMID:20824143

Preservation of differentiation and clonogenic potential of human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells during lyophilization and ambient storage.

PubMed

Buchanan, Sandhya S; Pyatt, David W; Carpenter, John F

2010-09-01

Progenitor cell therapies show great promise, but their potential for clinical applications requires improved storage and transportation. Desiccated cells stored at ambient temperature would provide economic and practical advantages over approaches employing cell freezing and subzero temperature storage. The objectives of this study were to assess a method for loading the stabilizing sugar, trehalose, into hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HPC) and to evaluate the effects of subsequent freeze-drying and storage at ambient temperature on differentiation and clonogenic potential. HPC were isolated from human umbilical cord blood and loaded with trehalose using an endogenous cell surface receptor, termed P2Z. Solution containing trehalose-loaded HPC was placed into vials, which were transferred to a tray freeze-dryer and removed during each step of the freeze-drying process to assess differentiation and clonogenic potential. Control groups for these experiments were freshly isolated HPC. Control cells formed 1450+/-230 CFU-GM, 430+/-140 BFU-E, and 50+/-40 CFU-GEMM per 50 microL. Compared to the values for the control cells, there was no statistical difference observed for cells removed at the end of the freezing step or at the end of primary drying. There was a gradual decrease in the number of CFU-GM and BFU-E for cells removed at different temperatures during secondary drying; however, there were no significant differences in the number of CFU-GEMM. To determine storage stability of lyophilized HPC, cells were stored for 4 weeks at 25 degrees C in the dark. Cells reconstituted immediately after lyophilization produced 580+/-90 CFU-GM ( approximately 40%, relative to unprocessed controls p<0.0001), 170+/-70 BFU-E (approximately 40%, p<0.0001), and 41+/-22 CFU-GEMM (approximately 82%, p = 0.4171), and cells reconstituted after 28 days at room temperature produced 513+/-170 CFU-GM (approximately 35%, relative to unprocessed controls, p<0.0001), 112+/-68 BFU-E (approximately 26%, p<0.0001), and 36+/-17 CFU-GEMM ( approximately 82%, p = 0.2164) These studies are the first to document high level retention of CFU-GEMM following lyophilization and storage for 4 weeks at 25 degrees C. This type of flexible storage stability would potentially permit the ability to ship and store HPC without the need for refrigeration.

Temperature characteristics of silicon space solar cells and underlying parameters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anspaugh, B. E.; Kachare, Ram; Garlick, G. F. J.

1987-01-01

Silicon space cells, 2 cm x 2 cm, with 10 ohm-cm p-base resistivity, 8-mil base thickness, and no back-surface fields have been investigated over the temperature range from 301 to 223 K by measurements of dark forward and reverse current-voltage characteristics and current-voltage relations under illumination. From dark forward bias data, the first and second diode saturation currents, I01 and I02, are determined and hence the base diffusion length and lifetime of minority carriers as functions of temperature. Lifetime increases exponentially with temperature and is explained by a Shockley-Read-Hall model with deep recombination levels 0.245 eV above the valence band. The I02 variation with temperature follows the Sah-Noyce-Shockley-Choo model except at low temperature where extra transitions raise the value above the predicted level. Reverse bias current at low voltage is a thermally assisted tunneling process via deep levels which are observed in base recombination at higher temperatures. The tunneling effects tend to become independent of temperature in the low-temperature region. These results demonstrate the ability to deduce basic parameters such as lifetime from simple measurements and show that back-surface fields offer no advantage at temperatures below 230 K. The analysis also explains the fall in lifetimes observed as the base conductivity increases, attributing it to native defects (perhaps carbon-oxygen-vacancy complexes) rather than the concentration of base dopant.

Length of intact plasma membrane determines the diffusion properties of cellular water.

PubMed

Eida, Sato; Van Cauteren, Marc; Hotokezaka, Yuka; Katayama, Ikuo; Sasaki, Miho; Obara, Makoto; Okuaki, Tomoyuki; Sumi, Misa; Nakamura, Takashi

2016-01-11

Molecular diffusion in a boundary-free medium depends only on the molecular size, the temperature, and medium viscosity. However, the critical determinant of the molecular diffusion property in inhomogeneous biological tissues has not been identified. Here, using an in vitro system and a high-resolution MR imaging technique, we show that the length of the intact plasma membrane is a major determinant of water diffusion in a controlled cellular environment and that the cell perimeter length (CPL) is sufficient to estimate the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of water in any cellular environment in our experimental system (ADC = -0.21 × CPL + 1.10). We used this finding to further explain the different diffusion kinetics of cells that are dying via apoptotic or non-apoptotic cell death pathways exhibiting characteristic changes in size, nuclear and cytoplasmic architectures, and membrane integrity. These results suggest that the ADC value can be used as a potential biomarker for cell death.

Length of intact plasma membrane determines the diffusion properties of cellular water

PubMed Central

Eida, Sato; Van Cauteren, Marc; Hotokezaka, Yuka; Katayama, Ikuo; Sasaki, Miho; Obara, Makoto; Okuaki, Tomoyuki; Sumi, Misa; Nakamura, Takashi

2016-01-01

Molecular diffusion in a boundary-free medium depends only on the molecular size, the temperature, and medium viscosity. However, the critical determinant of the molecular diffusion property in inhomogeneous biological tissues has not been identified. Here, using an in vitro system and a high-resolution MR imaging technique, we show that the length of the intact plasma membrane is a major determinant of water diffusion in a controlled cellular environment and that the cell perimeter length (CPL) is sufficient to estimate the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of water in any cellular environment in our experimental system (ADC = −0.21 × CPL + 1.10). We used this finding to further explain the different diffusion kinetics of cells that are dying via apoptotic or non-apoptotic cell death pathways exhibiting characteristic changes in size, nuclear and cytoplasmic architectures, and membrane integrity. These results suggest that the ADC value can be used as a potential biomarker for cell death. PMID:26750342

Two color holographic interferometry for microgravity application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trolinger, James D.

1993-01-01

Holographic interferometry is a primary candidate for the measurement of temperature and concentration in various crystal growth experiments destined for space. The method measures refractive index changes in the experiment test cell. A refractive index change can be caused by concentration changes, temperature changes, or a combination of temperature and concentration changes. If the refractive index changes are caused by temperature and concentration changes occurring simultaneously in the experiment test cell, the contributions by the two effects cannot be separated by conventional measurement methods. By using two wavelengths, two independent interferograms can be produced from the reconstruction of the hologram. The two interferograms will be different due to dispersion properties of fluid materials. These differences provide the additional information that allows the separation of simultaneously occurring temperature and concentration gradients. There is no other technique available that can provide this type of information. The primary objectives of this effort are to experimentally verify the mathematical theory of two color holographic interferometry and to determine the practical value of this technique for space application. To achieve these objectives, the accuracy and sensitivity of the technique must be determined for geometry's and materials that are relevant to the Materials Processing in the Space program of NASA. This will be achieved through the use of a specially designed two-color holographic interferometry breadboard optical system. In addition to experiments to achieve the primary goals, the breadboard will also provide inputs to the design of an optimum space flight system.

Novel 18650 lithium-ion battery surrogate cell design with anisotropic thermophysical properties for studying failure events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spinner, Neil S.; Hinnant, Katherine M.; Mazurick, Ryan; Brandon, Andrew; Rose-Pehrsson, Susan L.; Tuttle, Steven G.

2016-04-01

Cylindrical 18650-type surrogate cells were designed and fabricated to mimic the thermophysical properties and behavior of active lithium-ion batteries. An internal jelly roll geometry consisting of alternating stainless steel and mica layers was created, and numerous techniques were used to estimate thermophysical properties. Surrogate cell density was measured to be 1593 ± 30 kg/m3, and heat capacity was found to be 727 ± 18 J/kg-K. Axial thermal conductivity was determined to be 5.1 ± 0.6 W/m-K, which was over an order of magnitude higher than radial thermal conductivity due to jelly roll anisotropy. Radial heating experiments were combined with numerical and analytical solutions to the time-dependent, radial heat conduction equation, and from the numerical method an additional estimate for heat capacity of 805 ± 23 J/kg-K was found. Using both heat capacities and analysis techniques, values for radial thermal conductivity were between 0.120 and 0.197 W/m-K. Under normal operating conditions, relatively low radial temperature distributions were observed; however, during extreme battery failure with a hexagonal cell package, instantaneous radial temperature distributions as high as 43-71 °C were seen. For a vertical cell package, even during adjacent cell failure, similar homogeneity in internal temperatures were observed, demonstrating thermal anisotropy.

Effect of temperature on growth and paralytic toxin profiles in isolates of Gymnodinium catenatum (Dinophyceae) from the Pacific coast of Mexico.

PubMed

Band-Schmidt, Christine J; Bustillos-Guzmán, José J; Hernández-Sandoval, Francisco E; Núñez-Vázquez, Erick J; López-Cortés, David J

2014-11-01

The effects of temperature on growth, cell toxicity, toxin content, and profile of paralytic shellfish toxins was determined in eight isolates of Gymnodinium catenatum from several localities along the Pacific Coast of Mexico. The isolates were cultivated in modified f/2 media with Se (10(-8) M), and a reduced concentration of Cu (10(-8) M), under a 12 h:12 h day-night cycle with an irradiance of 150 μE m(-2) s(-1). Isolates were progressively adapted for three generations to each of the temperatures (16, 19, 22, 24, 27, 30, and 33 °C). The cultures were grown in 125 mL Erlenmeyer flasks with 60 mL of media and harvested by filtration in late exponential growth. Toxins were analyzed by HPLC with a post-column oxidation and fluorescent detection (FLD). G. catenatum isolates tolerate temperatures between 16 and 33 °C, with maximum growth rates of 0.32 and 0.39 div day(-1) at 21 °C and 24 °C, respectively; maximum cell densities of 4700 and 5500 cells mL(-1) were obtained at 27 and 21 °C, respectively. No effect of toxicity per cell with temperature was observed, varying between 10.10 and 28.19 pgSXTeq cell(-1). Ten saxitoxin analogues were detected in all isolates, observing changes in the toxin profile with temperature. C1/2 toxins decreased from 80% mol at 16 °C to 20% mol at 33 °C, B1/2 toxins increased from 19% mol at 16 °C to 42% mol at 33 °C, and decarbamoyl toxins were more abundant at 21 °C. These results show that G. catenatum isolates from different regions of the Pacific coast of Mexico have a similar response to temperature and that this parameter can modify growth rate, cell density, and toxin profile of the species, particularly the decarbamoyl and sulfocarbamoyl toxins. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New method of metallization for silicon solar cells. Second quarterly report, April 1-June 30, 1979

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

Macha, M.

1979-01-01

The second quarter of this program is concerned with the determination of the firing cycle in a horizontal tube furnace for MoO/sub 3/:Sn ink composition applied by silk screening process on P on N structured solar cells. In comparison with the strip heater used in the first quarter to determine the reaction mechanism, the reduction of MoO/sub 3/ in the tube furnace progresses at a much faster rate and the Sn:Mo alloy forms at a much lower temperature. The device characteristics determined by the V-I curve showed a high resistance (approx. 10 Ohms) at peak temperatures between 600/sup 0/C andmore » 800/sup 0/C. The high series resistance can be attributed to the lack of formation of MoSi/sub 2/ within the used temperature range as pointed out in references to theoretical and experimental work concerned with the formation of metal silicides. According to these references this temperature range is right for the formation of silicide of titanium, which, besides having a lower resistance value, forms in the presence of an oxidized silicon surface. Therefore the basic MoO/sub 3/ ink composition was modified by an addition of titanium resinate corresponding to a titanium concentration of 1-15000 based on the solids in the mixture. The addition of titanium decreased the series resistance to the level of 1 Ohm or better and the device characteristics were comparable with the devices metallized by electroless nickel and silk screened silver.« less

Accurate experimental determination of the isotope effects on the triple point temperature of water. I. Dependence on the 2H abundance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faghihi, V.; Peruzzi, A.; Aerts-Bijma, A. T.; Jansen, H. G.; Spriensma, J. J.; van Geel, J.; Meijer, H. A. J.

2015-12-01

Variation in the isotopic composition of water is one of the major contributors to uncertainty in the realization of the triple point of water (TPW). Although the dependence of the TPW on the isotopic composition of the water has been known for years, there is still a lack of a detailed and accurate experimental determination of the values for the correction constants. This paper is the first of two articles (Part I and Part II) that address quantification of isotope abundance effects on the triple point temperature of water. In this paper, we describe our experimental assessment of the 2H isotope effect. We manufactured five triple point cells with prepared water mixtures with a range of 2H isotopic abundances encompassing widely the natural abundance range, while the 18O and 17O isotopic abundance were kept approximately constant and the 18O  -  17O ratio was close to the Meijer-Li relationship for natural waters. The selected range of 2H isotopic abundances led to cells that realised TPW temperatures between approximately  -140 μK to  +2500 μK with respect to the TPW temperature as realized by VSMOW (Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water). Our experiment led to determination of the value for the δ2H correction parameter of A2H  =  673 μK / (‰ deviation of δ2H from VSMOW) with a combined uncertainty of 4 μK (k  =  1, or 1σ).

Improved multiple-pass Raman spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kc, Utsav; Silver, Joel A.; Hovde, David C.; Varghese, Philip L.

2011-08-01

An improved Raman gain spectrometer for flame measurements of gas temperature and species concentrations is described. This instrument uses a multiple-pass optical cell to enhance the incident light intensity in the measurement volume. The Raman signal is 83 times larger than from a single pass, and the Raman signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in room-temperature air of 153 is an improvement over that from a single-pass cell by a factor of 9.3 when the cell is operated with 100 passes and the signal is integrated over 20 laser shots. The SNR improvement with the multipass cell is even higher for flame measurements at atmospheric pressure, because detector readout noise is more significant for single-pass measurements when the gas density is lower. Raman scattering is collected and dispersed in a spectrograph with a transmission grating and recorded with a fast gated CCD array detector to help eliminate flame interferences. The instrument is used to record spontaneous Raman spectra from N2, CO2, O2, and CO in a methane--air flame. Curve fits of the recorded Raman spectra to detailed simulations of nitrogen spectra are used to determine the flame temperature from the shapes of the spectral signatures and from the ratio of the total intensities of the Stokes and anti-Stokes signals. The temperatures measured are in good agreement with radiation-corrected thermocouple measurements for a range of equivalence ratios.

Fabrication of a mini multi-fixed-point cell for the calibration of industrial platinum resistance thermometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ragay-Enot, Monalisa; Lee, Young Hee; Kim, Yong-Gyoo

2017-07-01

A mini multi-fixed-point cell (length 118 mm, diameter 33 mm) containing three materials (In-Zn eutectic (mass fraction 3.8% Zn), Sn and Pb) in a single crucible was designed and fabricated for the easy and economical fixed-point calibration of industrial platinum resistance thermometers (IPRTs) for use in industrial temperature measurements. The melting and freezing behaviors of the metals were investigated and the phase transition temperatures were determined using a commercial dry-block calibrator. Results showed that the melting plateaus are generally easy to realize and are reproducible, flatter and of longer duration. On the other hand, the freezing process is generally difficult, especially for Sn, due to the high supercooling required to initiate freezing. The observed melting temperatures at optimum set conditions were 143.11 °C (In-Zn), 231.70 °C (Sn) and 327.15 °C (Pb) with expanded uncertainties (k  = 2) of 0.12 °C, 0.10 °C and 0.13 °C, respectively. This multi-fixed-point cell can be treated as a sole reference temperature-generating system. Based on the results, the realization of melting points of the mini multi-fixed-point cell can be recommended for the direct calibration of IPRTs in industrial applications without the need for a reference thermometer.

Correlation of corneal thickness, endothelial cell density and anterior chamber depth with ocular surface temperature in normal subjects.

PubMed

Pattmöller, Johanna; Wang, Jiong; Zemova, Elena; Seitz, Berthold; Eppig, Timo; Langenbucher, Achim; Szentmáry, Nóra

2015-09-01

To analyze corneal surface temperature profile in a young and healthy study population and to determine the impact of corneal thickness (CT), anterior chamber depth (ACD), and endothelial cell density (ECD) on surface temperature. In this prospective, single-center study 61 healthy right eyes of 61 subjects without tear film pathologies (mean age 24.9 ± 6.7 years) were recruited. Ocular surface temperature (OST) was measured with the Ocular Surface Thermographer TG-1000. From Pentacam HR CT and ACD, and from specular microscopy ECD and central corneal thickness (CCT) were acquired. From the raw measurement data (OST, CT and ACD) we extracted a) local OST the corneal center and 3mm away from the center at the 3, 6, and 9 o'clock positions, and b) Zernike parameters Z1, Z2 and Z3 to evaluate the general temperature profile within a 6mm circular area around the center. Overall, there was no correlation between OST and CT, ACD or ECD. Local OST did not correlate with CT at any measurement position. On average local OST was highest at measurement positions where CT was lowest, but without reaching statistical significance. Baseline OST was highest at thin corneal regions and temperature decay over time was smallest in those regions. Z1, Z2 and Z3 correlated well with CT. In healthy subjects corneal thickness, endothelial cell density and anterior chamber depth have no effect on corneal surface temperature. The general temperature profile seems to be influenced by the corneal thickness profile effecting a higher temperature and lower decay at thinner corneal regions. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Recombination activity associated with thermal donor generation in monocrystalline silicon and effect on the conversion efficiency of heterojunction solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomassini, M.; Veirman, J.; Varache, R.; Letty, E.; Dubois, S.; Hu, Y.; Nielsen, Ø.

2016-02-01

The recombination properties of the carrier lifetime-limiting center formed during the generation of oxygen-related thermal donors (so called "old" thermal donors) in n-type Czochralski silicon were determined over a wide range of thermal donors' concentrations. The procedure involved (1) determining the various energy levels associated with dopants with the help of temperature Hall effect measurements, (2) clarifying which energy level limits the carrier lifetime by temperature lifetime spectroscopy, and (3) determining the recombination parameters of the involved defect from room-temperature carrier lifetime curves. Our results support the fact that a deep energy level in the range of 0.2-0.3 eV below the conduction band limits the carrier lifetime. The second family of thermal donors, featuring bistable properties, was tentatively identified as the corresponding defect. From the obtained experimental data, the influence of the defect on the amorphous/crystalline silicon heterojunction solar cell conversion efficiency was simulated. It is observed that for extended donor generation, the carrier lifetime is reduced by orders-of-magnitude, leading to unacceptable losses in photovoltaic conversion efficiency. A key result is that even for samples with thermal donor concentrations of 1015 cm-3—often met in seed portions of commercial ingots—simulations reveal efficiency losses greater than 1% absolute for state-of-the-art cells, in agreement with recent experimental studies from our group. This result indicates to crystal growers the importance to mitigate the formation of thermal donors or to develop cost-effective processes to suppress them at the ingot/wafer scale. This is even more critical as ingot cool-down is likely to be slower for future larger ingots, thus promoting the formation of thermal donors.

U.S. terrestrial solar cell calibration and measurement procedures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brandhorst, H. W., Jr.

1978-01-01

An outline is presented of changes in measurement procedures concerning solar cells. Outdoor measurements of cell performance based on pyranometer or pyrheliometer determination of intensity are discouraged. The absolute scale of irradiance is to be adopted as soon as possible. The standard atmosphere conditions are 1000 W/sq m irradiance, temperature 28 C, air mass 1.5, and precipitable water vapor content of 2 cm. The allowable light sources for solar simulation are short arc xenon lamps, pulsed xenon lamps, and dichroic filtered tungsten lamps. Key considerations in the design of a reference cell are considered and approaches for the matching of a reference cell to a test cell or modules are discussed.

Radiation and temperature effects in gallium arsenide, indium phosphide and silicon solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weinberg, I.; Swartz, C. K.; Hart, R. E., Jr.; Statler, R. L.

1987-01-01

The effects of radiation on performance are determined for both n(+)p and p(+)n GaAs and InP cells and for silicon n(+)p cells. It is found that the radiation resistance of InP is greater than that of both GaAs and Si under 1 MeV electron irradiation. For silicon, the observed decreased radiation resistance with decreased resistivity is attributed to the presence of a radiation induced boron-oxygen defect. Comparison of radiation damage in both p(+)n and n(+)p GaAs cells yields a decreased radiation resistance for the n(+)p cell attributable to increased series resistance, decreased shunt resistance, and relatively greater losses in the cell's p-region. For InP, the n(+)p configuration is found to have greater radiation resistance than the p(+)n cell. The increased loss in this latter cell is attributed to losses in the cell's emitter region. Temperature dependency results are interpreted using a theoretical relation for dVoc/cT which predicts that increased Voc should results in decreased numerical values for dPm/dT. The predicted correlation is observed for GaAs but not for InP a result which is attributed to variations in cell processing.

Radiation and temperature effects in gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, and silicon solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weinberg, I.; Swartz, C. K.; Hart, R. E., Jr.; Statler, R. L.

1987-01-01

The effects of radiation on performance are determined for both n+p and p+n GaAs and InP cells and for silicon n+p cells. It is found that the radiation resistance of InP is greater than that of both GaAs and Si under 1-MeV electron irradiation. For silicon, the observed decreased radiation resistance with decreased resistivity is attributed to the presence of a radiation-induced boron-oxygen defect. Comparison of radiation damage in both p+n and n+p GaAs cells yields a decreased radiation resistance for the n+p cell attributable to increased series resistance, decreased shunt resistance, and relatively greater losses in the cell's p-region. For InP, the n+p configuration is found to have greater radiation resistance than the p+n cell. The increased loss in this latter cell is attributed to losses in the cell's emitter region. Temperature dependency results are interpreted using a theoretical relation for dVoc/dT, which predicts that increased Voc should result in decreased numerical values for dPm/dT. The predicted correlation is observed for GaAs but not for InP, a result which is attributed to variations in cell processing.

Thermo-responsive methylcellulose hydrogels as temporary substrate for cell sheet biofabrication.

PubMed

Altomare, Lina; Cochis, Andrea; Carletta, Andrea; Rimondini, Lia; Farè, Silvia

2016-05-01

Methylcellulose (MC), a water-soluble polymer derived from cellulose, was investigated as a possible temporary substrate having thermo-responsive properties favorable for cell culturing. MC-based hydrogels were prepared by a dispersion technique, mixing MC powder (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 % w/v) with selected salts (sodium sulphate, Na2SO4), sodium phosphate, calcium chloride, or phosphate buffered saline, to evaluate the influence of different compositions on the thermo-responsive behavior. The inversion test was used to determine the gelation temperatures of the different hydrogel compositions; thermo-mechanical properties and thermo-reversibility of the MC hydrogels were investigated by rheological analysis. Gelation temperatures and rheological behavior depended on the MC concentration and type and concentration of salt used in hydrogel preparation. In vitro cytotoxicity tests, performed using L929 mouse fibroblasts, showed no toxic release from all the tested hydrogels. Among the investigated compositions, the hydrogel composed of 8 % w/v MC with 0.05 M Na2SO4 had a thermo-reversibility temperature at 37 °C. For that reason, this formulation was thus considered to verify the possibility of inducing in vitro spontaneous detachment of cells previously seeded on the hydrogel surface. A continuous cell layer (cell sheet) was allowed to grow and then detached from the hydrogel surface without the use of enzymes, thanks to the thermo-responsive behavior of the MC hydrogel. Immunofluorescence observation confirmed that the detached cell sheet was composed of closely interacting cells.

Microscale temperature and SAR measurements in cell monolayer models exposed to millimeter waves.

PubMed

Zhadobov, Maxim; Alekseev, Stanislav I; Sauleau, Ronan; Le Page, Yann; Le Dréan, Yves; Fesenko, Evgeny E

2017-01-01

Due to shallow penetration of millimeter waves (MMW) and convection in liquid medium surrounding cells, the problem of accurate assessment of local MMW heating in in vitro experiments remains unsolved. Conventional dosimetric MMW techniques, such as infrared imaging or fiber optic (FO) sensors, face several inherent limits. Here we propose a methodology for accurate local temperature measurement and subsequent specific absorption rate (SAR) retrieval using microscale thermocouples (TC). SAR was retrieved by fitting the measured initial temperature rise to the numerical solution of an equivalent thermal model. It was found that the accuracy of temperature measurement depends on thermosensor size, that is, the smaller TC, the more accurate the temperature measurement. SAR determined using TC with lead diameters of 25 and 75 μm demonstrated 98.5% and 80.4% match with computed SAR, respectively. However, both TC provided the same temperature rises in long run (> 10 min). FO probe failed to measure adequately local heating both for short and long exposures due to the relatively large size of the probe sensor (400 μm) and time constant (0.6 s). Calculated SAR in the cell monolayer was almost two times lower than that in the surrounding liquid. It was shown that the impact of the cell monolayer on heating due to its small thickness (5 to 10 μm) can be considered as negligible. Moreover, we demonstrated the possibility of accurate measurement of MMW-induced thermal pulses (up to 10 °C) using 25 μm TC. Bioelectromagnetics. 38:11-21, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Determination of Thermodynamic Properties of Alkaline Earth-liquid Metal Alloys Using the Electromotive Force Technique

PubMed Central

Nigl, Thomas P.; Smith, Nathan D.; Lichtenstein, Timothy; Gesualdi, Jarrod; Kumar, Kuldeep; Kim, Hojong

2017-01-01

A novel electrochemical cell based on a CaF2 solid-state electrolyte has been developed to measure the electromotive force (emf) of binary alkaline earth-liquid metal alloys as functions of both composition and temperature in order to acquire thermodynamic data. The cell consists of a chemically stable solid-state CaF2-AF2 electrolyte (where A is the alkaline-earth element such as Ca, Sr, or Ba), with binary A-B alloy (where B is the liquid metal such as Bi or Sb) working electrodes, and a pure A metal reference electrode. Emf data are collected over a temperature range of 723 K to 1,123 K in 25 K increments for multiple alloy compositions per experiment and the results are analyzed to yield activity values, phase transition temperatures, and partial molar entropies/enthalpies for each composition. PMID:29155770

Melting temperatures of H2O up to 72 GPa measured in a diamond anvil cell using CO2 laser heating technique.

PubMed

Kimura, T; Kuwayama, Y; Yagi, T

2014-02-21

The melting curve of H2O from 49 to 72 GPa was determined by using a laser-heated diamond anvil cell. Double-sided CO2 laser heating technique was employed in order to heat the sample directly. Discontinuous changes of the heating efficiency attributed to the H2O melting were observed between 49 and 72 GPa. The obtained melting temperatures at 49 and 72 GPa are 1200 and 1410 K, respectively. We found that the slope of the melting curve significantly decreases with increasing pressure, only 5 K/GPa at 72 GPa while 44 K/GPa at 49 GPa. Our results suggest that the melting curve does not intersect with the isentropes of Uranus and Neptune, and hence, H2O should remain in the liquid state even at the pressure and temperature conditions found deep within Uranus and Neptune.

Hot-spot qualification testing of concentrator modules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gonzalez, C. C.; Sugimura, R. S.; Ross, R. G., Jr.

1987-01-01

Results of a study to determine the hot-spot susceptibility of concentrator cells, to provide a hot-spot qualification test for concentrator modules, and to provide guidelines for reducing hot-spot susceptibility are presented. Hot-spot heating occurs in a photovoltaic module when the short-circuit current of a cell is lower than the string operating current, forcing the cell into reverse bias with a concurrent power dissipation. Although the basis for the concentrator-module hot-spot qualification test is the test developed for flat-plate modules, issues such as providing cell illumination introduce additional complexities into the testing procedure. The results indicate that the same general guidelines apply to protecting concentrator modules from hot-spot stressing as apply to flat-plate modules, and recommendations are made on the number of bypass diodes required per given number of series cells per module or source circuit. A method for determining the cell temperature in the laboratory or in the field is discussed.

Tunable diode-laser absorption measurements of methane at elevated temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagali, V.; Chou, S. I.; Baer, D. S.; Hanson, R. K.; Segall, J.

1996-07-01

A diode-laser sensor system based on absorption spectroscopy techniques has been developed to monitor CH4 nonintrusively in high-temperature environments. Fundamental spectroscopic parameters, including the line strengths of the transitions in the R(6) manifold of the 2 nu 3 band near 1.646 mu m, have been determined from high-resolution absorption measurements in a heated static cell. In addition, a corrected expression for the CH 4 partition function has been validated experimentally over the temperature range from 400 to 915 K. Potential applications of the diode-laser sensor system include process control, combustion measurements, and atmospheric monitoring.

Freezing avoidance by supercooling in Olea europaea cultivars: the role of apoplastic water, solute content and cell wall rigidity.

PubMed

Arias, Nadia S; Bucci, Sandra J; Scholz, Fabian G; Goldstein, Guillermo

2015-10-01

Plants can avoid freezing damage by preventing extracellular ice formation below the equilibrium freezing temperature (supercooling). We used Olea europaea cultivars to assess which traits contribute to avoid ice nucleation at sub-zero temperatures. Seasonal leaf water relations, non-structural carbohydrates, nitrogen and tissue damage and ice nucleation temperatures in different plant parts were determined in five cultivars growing in the Patagonian cold desert. Ice seeding in roots occurred at higher temperatures than in stems and leaves. Leaves of cold acclimated cultivars supercooled down to -13 °C, substantially lower than the minimum air temperatures observed in the study site. During winter, leaf ice nucleation and leaf freezing damage (LT50 ) occurred at similar temperatures, typical of plant tissues that supercool. Higher leaf density and cell wall rigidity were observed during winter, consistent with a substantial acclimation to sub-zero temperatures. Larger supercooling capacity and lower LT50 were observed in cold-acclimated cultivars with higher osmotically active solute content, higher tissue elastic adjustments and lower apoplastic water. Irreversible leaf damage was only observed in laboratory experiments at very low temperatures, but not in the field. A comparative analysis of closely related plants avoids phylogenetic independence bias in a comparative study of adaptations to survive low temperatures. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Symmetrical solid oxide fuel cells with impregnated SrFe0.75Mo0.25O3-δ electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, Xie; Liu, Xuejiao; Han, Da; Wu, Hao; Li, Junliang; Zhan, Zhongliang

2014-04-01

Here we report nominally symmetrical solid oxide fuel cells that feature thin La0.9Sr0.1Ga0.8Mg0.2O3-δ (LSGM) electrolytes and impregnated SrFe0.75Mo0.25O3-δ (SFMO)-LSGM composite electrodes. Operation on hydrogen fuels and air oxidants can produce maximum power densities of 0.39 W cm-2 at 650 °C and 0.97 W cm-2 at 800 °C. Impedance measurements indicate that the anode and the cathode polarizations are 0.22 and 0.04 Ω cm2 at 800 °C, respectively. Hydrogen partial pressure and temperature dependence of impedance data in humidified hydrogen shows that hydrogen oxidation kinetics is largely determined by hydrogen adsorption on the SFMO catalysts at high temperatures and charge transfer reactions along the SFMO|LSGM interfaces at low temperatures. Carbon tolerance of the present fuel cells is also examined in iso-octane fuels balanced by nitrogen at 800 °C that yields stable maximum power densities of 0.39 W cm-2.

Succinonitrile Purification Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

The Succinonitrile (SCN) Purification Facility provides succinonitrile and succinonitrile alloys to several NRA selected investigations for flight and ground research at various levels of purity. The purification process employed includes both distillation and zone refining. Once the appropriate purification process is completed, samples are characterized to determine the liquidus and/or solidus temperature, which is then related to sample purity. The lab has various methods for measuring these temperatures with accuracies in the milliKelvin to tenths of milliKelvin range. The ultra-pure SCN produced in our facility is indistinguishable from the standard material provided by NIST to well within the stated +/- 1.5mK of the NIST triple point cells. In addition to delivering material to various investigations, our current activities include process improvement, characterization of impurities and triple point cell design and development. The purification process is being evaluated for each of the four vendors to determine the efficacy of each purification step. We are also collecting samples of the remainder from distillation and zone refining for analysis of the constituent impurities. The large triple point cells developed will contain SCN with a melting point of 58.0642 C +/- 1.5mK for use as a calibration standard for Standard Platinum Resistance Thermometers (SPRTs).

Cement Based Batteries and their Potential for Use in Low Power Operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Byrne, A.; Holmes, N.; Norton, B.

2015-11-01

This paper presents the development of an innovative cement-electrolyte battery for low power operations such as cathodic protection of reinforced concrete. A battery design was refined by altering different constituents and examining the open circuit voltage, resistor loaded current and lifespan. The final design consisted of a copper plate cathode, aluminium plate anode, and a cement electrolyte which included additives of carbon black, plasticiser, Alum salt and Epsom salt. A relationship between age, temperature and hydration of the cell and the current it produced was determined. It was found that sealing the battery using varnish increased the moisture retention and current output. Current was also found to increase with internal temperature of the electrolyte and connecting two cells in parallel further doubled or even tripled the current. Parallel-connected cells could sustain an average current of 0.35mA through a 10Ω resistor over two weeks of recording. The preliminary findings demonstrate that cement-based batteries can produce sufficient sustainable electrical outputs with the correct materials and arrangement of components. Work is ongoing to determine how these batteries can be recharged using photovoltaics which will further enhance their sustainability properties.

Determination of diffusion coefficients of carbon dioxide in water between 268 and 473 K in a high-pressure capillary optical cell with in situ Raman spectroscopic measurements

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lu, Wanjun; Guo, Huirong; Chou, I.-Ming; Burruss, R.C.; Li, Lanlan

2013-01-01

Accurate values of diffusion coefficients for carbon dioxide in water and brine at reservoir conditions are essential to our understanding of transport behavior of carbon dioxide in subsurface pore space. However, the experimental data are limited to conditions at low temperatures and pressures. In this study, diffusive transfer of carbon dioxide in water at pressures up to 45 MPa and temperatures from 268 to 473 K was observed within an optical capillary cell via time-dependent Raman spectroscopy. Diffusion coefficients were estimated by the least-squares method for the measured variations in carbon dioxide concentration in the cell at various sample positions and time. At the constant pressure of 20 MPa, the measured diffusion coefficients of carbon dioxide in water increase with increasing temperature from 268 to 473 K. The relationship between diffusion coefficient of carbon dioxide in water [D(CO2) in m2/s] and temperature (T in K) was derived with Speedy–Angell power-law approach as: D(CO2)=D0[T/Ts-1]m where D0 = 13.942 × 10−9 m2/s, Ts = 227.0 K, and m = 1.7094. At constant temperature, diffusion coefficients of carbon dioxide in water decrease with pressure increase. However, this pressure effect is rather small (within a few percent).

Temperature-driven groundwater convection in cold climates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engström, Maria; Nordell, Bo

2016-08-01

The aim was to study density-driven groundwater flow and analyse groundwater mixing because of seasonal changes in groundwater temperature. Here, density-driven convection in groundwater was studied by numerical simulations in a subarctic climate, i.e. where the water temperature was <4 °C. The effects of soil permeability and groundwater temperature (i.e. viscosity and density) were determined. The influence of impermeable obstacles in otherwise homogeneous ground was also studied. An initial disturbance in the form of a horizontal groundwater flow was necessary to start the convection. Transient solutions describe the development of convective cells in the groundwater and it took 22 days before fully developed convection patterns were formed. The thermal convection reached a maximum depth of 1.0 m in soil of low permeability (2.71 · 10-9 m2). At groundwater temperature close to its density maximum (4 °C), the physical size (in m) of the convection cells was reduced. Small stones or frost lenses in the ground slightly affect the convective flow, while larger obstacles change the size and shape of the convection cells. Performed simulations show that "seasonal groundwater turnover" occurs. This knowledge may be useful in the prevention of nutrient leakage to underlying groundwater from soils, especially in agricultural areas where no natural vertical groundwater flow is evident. An application in northern Sweden is discussed.

Plant ice-binding (antifreeze) proteins

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Proteins that determine the temperature at which ice crystals will form in water-based solutions in cells and tissues, that bind to growing ice crystals, thus affecting their size, and that impact ice re-crystallization have been widely-documented and studied in many plant, bacterial, fungal, insect...

Proteomic Analysis Reveals the Positive Effect of Exogenous Spermidine in Tomato Seedlings' Response to High-Temperature Stress

PubMed Central

Sang, Qinqin; Shan, Xi; An, Yahong; Shu, Sheng; Sun, Jin; Guo, Shirong

2017-01-01

Polyamines are phytohormones that regulate plant growth and development as well as the response to environmental stresses. To evaluate their functions in high-temperature stress responses, the effects of exogenous spermidine (Spd) were determined in tomato leaves using two-dimensional electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF/TOF MS. A total of 67 differentially expressed proteins were identified in response to high-temperature stress and/or exogenous Spd, which were grouped into different categories according to biological processes. The four largest categories included proteins involved in photosynthesis (27%), cell rescue, and defense (24%), protein synthesis, folding and degradation (22%), and energy and metabolism (13%). Exogenous Spd up-regulated most identified proteins involved in photosynthesis, implying an enhancement in photosynthetic capacity. Meanwhile, physiological analysis showed that Spd could improve net photosynthetic rate and the biomass accumulation. Moreover, an increased high-temperature stress tolerance by exogenous Spd would contribute to the higher expressions of proteins involved in cell rescue and defense, and Spd regulated the antioxidant enzymes activities and related genes expression in tomato seedlings exposed to high temperature. Taken together, these findings provide a better understanding of the Spd-induced high-temperature resistance by proteomic approaches, providing valuable insight into improving the high-temperature stress tolerance in the global warming epoch. PMID:28220137

Proteomic Analysis Reveals the Positive Effect of Exogenous Spermidine in Tomato Seedlings' Response to High-Temperature Stress.

PubMed

Sang, Qinqin; Shan, Xi; An, Yahong; Shu, Sheng; Sun, Jin; Guo, Shirong

2017-01-01

Polyamines are phytohormones that regulate plant growth and development as well as the response to environmental stresses. To evaluate their functions in high-temperature stress responses, the effects of exogenous spermidine (Spd) were determined in tomato leaves using two-dimensional electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF/TOF MS. A total of 67 differentially expressed proteins were identified in response to high-temperature stress and/or exogenous Spd, which were grouped into different categories according to biological processes. The four largest categories included proteins involved in photosynthesis (27%), cell rescue, and defense (24%), protein synthesis, folding and degradation (22%), and energy and metabolism (13%). Exogenous Spd up-regulated most identified proteins involved in photosynthesis, implying an enhancement in photosynthetic capacity. Meanwhile, physiological analysis showed that Spd could improve net photosynthetic rate and the biomass accumulation. Moreover, an increased high-temperature stress tolerance by exogenous Spd would contribute to the higher expressions of proteins involved in cell rescue and defense, and Spd regulated the antioxidant enzymes activities and related genes expression in tomato seedlings exposed to high temperature. Taken together, these findings provide a better understanding of the Spd-induced high-temperature resistance by proteomic approaches, providing valuable insight into improving the high-temperature stress tolerance in the global warming epoch.

The Role of Stress Proteins in Cell Stabilization: A Perspective from an Extremophile

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trent, Jonathan

2001-01-01

The existence of organisms that live at near boiling temperatures is living proof that all of the complex biochemical machinery of life can be adapted to function under these harsh conditions. The purpose of our research is to elucidate the role of a group of proteins known as heat shock proteins or HSP60s in this adaptation to high temperatures. HSP60s are found in all organisms and they are among the most highly conserved proteins known. We are investigating HSP60s in an organism growing at 80 C and pH 2.0 (Sulfolobus shibatae). This organism produces three closely-related HSP60 proteins, referred to as HSP60 alpha, beta, and gamma. Our DOE-funded research during the last two years has focused on clarifying the role of FiSP60 alpha and beta. These are among the two most abundant proteins in S. shibatae grown at high temperatures and significantly increase in abundance when the cells are exposed to near-lethal temperatures. We have demonstrated that these proteins protect the cells from lethal temperatures by stabilizing their membranes. During this last year we have been studying gamma, which was discovered by genome sequence analysis but nothing was known about its function. We have determined that gamma is only expressed at low temperatures. that it interacts with alpha and beta, and that it influences their ability to form higher-order structures critical to their function. We propose that gamma modulates HSP60 function at low temperatures.

Ultra-thin solid oxide fuel cells: Materials and devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerman, Kian

Solid oxide fuel cells are electrochemical energy conversion devices utilizing solid electrolytes transporting O2- that typically operate in the 800 -- 1000 °C temperature range due to the large activation barrier for ionic transport. Reducing electrolyte thickness or increasing ionic conductivity can enable lower temperature operation for both stationary and portable applications. This thesis is focused on the fabrication of free standing ultrathin (<100 nm) oxide membranes of prototypical O 2- conducting electrolytes, namely Y2O3-doped ZrO2 and Gd2O3-doped CeO2. Fabrication of such membranes requires an understanding of thin plate mechanics coupled with controllable thin film deposition processes. Integration of free standing membranes into proof-of-concept fuel cell devices necessitates ideal electrode assemblies as well as creative processing schemes to experimentally test devices in a high temperature dual environment chamber. We present a simple elastic model to determine stable buckling configurations for free standing oxide membranes. This guides the experimental methodology for Y 2O3-doped ZrO2 film processing, which enables tunable internal stress in the films. Using these criteria, we fabricate robust Y2O3-doped ZrO2 membranes on Si and composite polymeric substrates by semiconductor and micro-machining processes, respectively. Fuel cell devices integrating these membranes with metallic electrodes are demonstrated to operate in the 300 -- 500 °C range, exhibiting record performance at such temperatures. A model combining physical transport of electronic carriers in an insulating film and electrochemical aspects of transport is developed to determine the limits of performance enhancement expected via electrolyte thickness reduction. Free standing oxide heterostructures, i.e. electrolyte membrane and oxide electrodes, are demonstrated. Lastly, using Y2O3-doped ZrO2 and Gd2O 3-doped CeO2, novel electrolyte fabrication schemes are explored to develop oxide alloys and nanoscale compositionally graded membranes that are thermomechanically robust and provide added interfacial functionality. The work in this thesis advances experimental state-of-the-art with respect to solid oxide fuel cell operation temperature, provides fundamental boundaries expected for ultrathin electrolytes, develops the ability to integrate highly dissimilar material (such as oxide-polymer) heterostructures, and introduces nanoscale compositionally graded electrolyte membranes that can lead to monolithic materials having multiple functionalities.

Al-/Ga-Doped ZnO Window Layers for Highly Efficient Cu₂ZnSn(S,Se)₄ Thin Film Solar Cells.

PubMed

Seo, Se Won; Seo, Jung Woo; Kim, Donghwan; Cheon, Ki-Beom; Lee, Doh-Kwon; Kim, Jin Young

2018-09-01

The successful use of Al-/Ga-doped ZnO (AGZO) thin films as a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) layer of a Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) thin film solar cell is demonstrated. The AGZO thin films were prepared by radio frequency (RF) sputtering. The structural, crystallographic, electrical, and optical properties of the AGZO thin films were systematically investigated. The photovoltaic properties of CZTSSe thin film solar cells incorporating the AGZO-based TCO layer were also reported. It has been found that the RF power and substrate temperature of the AGZO thin film are important factors determining the electrical, optical, and structural properties. The optimization process involving the RF power and the substrate temperature leads to good electrical and optical transmittance of the AGZO thin films. Finally, the CZTSSe solar cell with the AGZO TCO layer demonstrated a high conversion efficiency of 9.68%, which is higher than that of the conventional AZO counterpart by 12%.

Convective Array Cooling for a Solar Powered Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colozza, Anthony J.; Dolce, James (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

A general characteristic of photovoltaics is that they increase in efficiency as their operating temperature decreases. Based on this principal, the ability to increase a solar aircraft's performance by cooling the solar cells was examined. The solar cells were cooled by channeling some air underneath the cells and providing a convective cooling path to the back side of the array. A full energy balance and flow analysis of the air within the cooling passage was performed. The analysis was first performed on a preliminary level to estimate the benefits of the cooling passage. This analysis established a clear benefit to the cooling passage. Based on these results a more detailed analysis was performed. From this cell temperatures were calculated and array output power throughout a day period were determined with and without the cooling passage. The results showed that if the flow through the cooling passage remained laminar then the benefit in increased output power more than offset the drag induced by the cooling passage.

The biochemical characterization, stabilization studies and the antiproliferative effect of bromelain against B16F10 murine melanoma cells.

PubMed

São Paulo Barretto Miranda, Íngara Keisle; Fontes Suzart Miranda, Anderson; Souza, Fernanda Vidigal Duarte; Vannier-Santos, Marcos André; Pirovani, Carlos Priminho; Pepe, Iuri Muniz; Rodowanski, Ivanoé João; Ferreira, Katiúcia Tícila de Souza Eduvirgens; Mendes Souza Vaz, Luciano; de Assis, Sandra Aparecida

2017-06-01

The current study aims to extract bromelain from different parts (stem, crown, peels, pulp and leaves) of Ananas comosus var. comosus AGB 772; to determine of optimum pH and temperature; to test bromelain stability in disodium EDTA and sodium benzoate, and to investigate its pharmacological activity on B16F10 murine melanoma cells in vitro. The highest enzymatic activity was found in bromelain extracted from the pulp and peel. The optimum bromelain pH among all studied pineapple parts was 6.0. The optimum temperature was above 50 °C in all bromelain extracts. The fluorescence analysis confirmed the stability of bromelain in the presence of EDTA and sodium benzoate. Bromelain was pharmacologically active against B16F10 melanoma cells and it was possible verifying approximately 100% inhibition of tumor cell proliferation in vitro. Since bromelain activity was found in different parts of pineapple plants, pineapple residues from the food industry may be used for bromelain extraction.

Thermomechanical analysis of freezing-induced cell-fluid-matrix interactions in engineered tissues

PubMed Central

Han, Bumsoo; Teo, Ka Yaw; Ghosh, Soham; Dutton, J. Craig; Grinnell, Frederick

2012-01-01

Successful cryopreservation of functional engineered tissues (ETs) is significant to tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, but it is extremely challenging to develop a successful protocol because the effects of cryopreservation parameters on the post-thaw functionality of ETs are not well understood. Particularly, the effects on the microstructure of their extracellular matrix (ECM) have not been well studied, which determines many functional properties of the ETs. In this study, we investigated the effects of two key cryopreservation parameters – i) freezing temperature and corresponding cooling rate; and ii) the concentration of cryoprotective agent (CPA) on the ECM microstructure as well as the cellular viability. Using dermal equivalent as a model ET and DMSO as a model CPA, freezing-induced spatiotemporal deformation and post-thaw ECM microstructure of ETs was characterized while varying the freezing temperature and DMSO concentrations. The spatial distribution of cellular viability and the cellular actin cytoskeleton was also examined. The results showed that the tissue dilatation increased significantly with reduced freezing temperature (i.e., rapid freezing). A maximum limit of tissue deformation was observed for preservation of ECM microstructure, cell viability and cell-matrix adhesion. The dilatation decreased with the use of DMSO, and a freezing temperature dependent threshold concentration of DMSO was observed. The threshold DMSO concentration increased with lowering freezing temperature. In addition, an analysis was performed to delineate thermodynamic and mechanical components of freezing-induced tissue deformation. The results are discussed to establish a mechanistic understanding of freezing-induced cell-fluid-matrix interaction and phase change behavior within ETs in order to improve cryopreservation of ETs. PMID:23246556

Transient Shifts of Incubation Temperature Reveal Immediate and Long-Term Transcriptional Response in Chicken Breast Muscle Underpinning Resilience and Phenotypic Plasticity.

PubMed

Naraballobh, Watcharapong; Trakooljul, Nares; Murani, Eduard; Brunner, Ronald; Krischek, Carsten; Janisch, Sabine; Wicke, Michael; Ponsuksili, Siriluck; Wimmers, Klaus

2016-01-01

Variations in egg incubation temperatures can have acute or long-term effects on gene transcription in avian species. Altered gene expression may, in turn, affect muscle traits in poultry and indirectly influence commercial production. To determine how changes in eggshell temperature affect gene expression, incubation temperatures were varied [36.8°C (low), 37.8°C (control), 38.8°C (high)] at specific time periods reflecting two stages of myogenesis [embryonic days (ED) 7-10 and 10-13]. Gene expression was compared between interventions and matching controls by microarrays in broiler breast muscle at ED10 or ED13 and post-hatch at day 35. Early (ED7-10) high incubation temperature (H10ΔC) resulted in 1370 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in embryos. Ingenuity pathway analysis revealed temporary activation of cell maintenance, organismal development, and survival ability genes, but these effects were not maintained in adults. Late high incubation temperature (ED10-13) (H13ΔC) had slightly negative impacts on development of cellular components in embryos, but a cumulative effect was observed in adults, in which tissue development and nutrition metabolism were affected. Early low incubation temperature (L10ΔC) produced 368 DEGs, most of which were down-regulated and involved in differentiation and formation of muscle cells. In adults, this treatment down-regulated pathways of transcriptional processes, but up-regulated cell proliferation. Late low temperature incubation (L13ΔC) produced 795 DEGs in embryos, and activated organismal survival and post-transcriptional regulation pathways. In adults this treatment activated cellular and organ development, nutrition and small molecule activity, and survival rate, but deactivated size of body and muscle cells. Thermal interventions during incubation initiate immediate and delayed transcriptional responses that are specific for timing and direction of treatment. Interestingly, the transcriptional response to transiently decreased incubation temperature, which did not affect the phenotypes, prompts compensatory effects reflecting resilience. In contrast, higher incubation temperature triggers gene expression and has long-term effects on the phenotype. These mechanisms of considerable phenotypic plasticity contribute to the biodiversity and broaden the basis for managing poultry populations.

Low Intensity Low Temperature (LILT) measurements and coefficients on new photovoltaic structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schelman, David A.; Jenkins, Philip P.; Brinker, David J.; Appelbaum, Joseph

1995-01-01

Past NASA missions to Mars, Jupiter, and the outer planets were powered by radioisotope thermal generators (RTG's). Although these devices proved to be reliable, their high cost and highly toxic radioactive heat source has made them far less desirable for future planetary missions. This has resulted in a renewed search for alternate energy sources, some of them being photovoltaic (PV) and thermophotovoltaic (TPV). Both of these alternate energy sources convert light/thermal energy directly into electricity. In order to create a viable PV and TPV data base for planetary mission planners and cell designers, we have compiled low temperature low intensity (LILT) I-V data on single junction and multi-junction high efficiency solar cells. The cells tested here represent the latest photovoltaic technology. Using this LILT data to calculate dI(sub SC)/dT, dV(sub OC)/dT, dFF/dT, and also as a function of intensity, an accurate prediction of cell performance under the AMO spectrum can be determined. When combined with QUantum efficiency at Low Temperature (QULT) data, one can further enhance the data by adding spectral variations to the measurements. This paper presents an overview of LILT measurements and is only intended to be used as a guideline for material selection and performance predictions. As single junction and multi-junction cell technologies emerge, new test data must be collected. Cell materials included are Si, GaAs/Ge, GainP/GaAs/Ge, InP, InGaAs/InP, InP/InGaAs/InP, and GainP. Temperatures range as low as -175 C and intensities range from 1 sun to .02 suns.

Radiation heat transfer in multitube, alkaline-metal thermal-to-electric converter

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

Tournier, J.M.P.; El-Genk, M.S.

Vapor anode, multitube Alkali-Metal Thermal-to-Electric Converters (AMTECs) are being considered for a number of space missions, such as the NASA Pluto/Express (PX) and Europa missions, scheduled for the years 2004 and 2005, respectively. These static converters can achieve a high fraction of Carnot efficiency at relatively low operating temperatures. An optimized cell can potentially provide a conversion efficiency between 20 and 30 percent, when operated at a hot-side temperature of 1000--1200 K and a cold-side temperature of 550--650 K. A comprehensive modeling and testing program of vapor anode, multitube AMTEC cells has been underway for more than three years atmore » the Air Force Research Laboratory`s Power and Thermal Group (AFRL/VSDVP), jointly with the University of New Mexico`s Institute for Space and Nuclear Power Studies. The objective of this program is to demonstrate the readiness of AMTECs for flight on future US Air Force space missions. A fast, integrated AMTEC Performance and Evaluation Analysis Model (APEAM) has been developed to support ongoing vacuum tests at AFRL and perform analyses and investigate potential design changes to improve the PX-cell performance. This model consists of three major components (Tournier and El-Genk 1998a, b): (a) a sodium vapor pressure loss model, which describes continuum, transition and free-molecule flow regimes in the low-pressure cavity of the cell; (b) an electrochemical and electrical circuit model; and (c) a radiation/conduction heat transfer model, for calculating parasitic heat losses. This Technical Note describes the methodology used to calculate the radiation view factors within the enclosure of the PX-cells, and the numerical procedure developed in this work to determine the radiation heat transport and temperatures within the cell cavity.« less

Preparation, fabrication and biocompatibility of novel injectable temperature-sensitive chitosan/glycerophosphate/collagen hydrogels.

PubMed

Song, Kedong; Qiao, Mo; Liu, Tianqing; Jiang, Bo; Macedo, Hugo M; Ma, Xuehu; Cui, Zhanfeng

2010-10-01

This paper introduces a novel type of injectable temperature-sensitive chitosan/glycerophosphate/collagen (C/GP/Co) hydrogel that possesses great biocompatibility for the culture of adipose tissue-derived stem cells. The C/GP/Co hydrogel is prepared by mixing 2.2% (v/v) chitosan with 50% (w/w) β-glycerophosphate at different proportions and afterwards adding 2 mg/ml of collagen. The gelation time of the prepared solution at 37°C was found to be of around 12 min. The inner structure of the hydrogel presented a porous spongy structure, as observed by scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, the osmolality of the medium in contact with the hydrogel was in the range of 310-330 mmol kg(-1). These analyses have shown that the C/GP/Co hydrogels are structurally feasible for cell culture, while their biocompatibility was further examined. Human adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) were seeded into the developed C/GP and C/GP/Co hydrogels (The ratios of C/GP and C/GP/Co were 5:1 and 5:1:6, respectively), and the cellular growth was periodically observed under an inverted microscope. The proliferation of ADSCs was detected using cck-8 kits, while cell apoptosis was determined by a Live/Dead Viability/Cytotoxicity kit. After 7 days of culture, cells within the C/GP/Co hydrogels displayed a typical adherent cell morphology and good proliferation with very high cellular viability. It was thus demonstrated that the novel C/GP/Co hydrogel herein described possess excellent cellular compatibility, representing a new alternative as a scaffold for tissue engineering, with the added advantage of being a gel at the body's temperature that turns liquid at room temperature.

Agent selection and protective effects during single droplet drying of bacteria.

PubMed

Khem, Sarim; Woo, Meng Wai; Small, Darryl M; Chen, Xiao Dong; May, Bee K

2015-01-01

The protective mechanisms of whey protein isolate (WPI), trehalose, lactose, and skim milk on Lactobacillus plantarum A17 during convective droplet drying has been explored. A single droplet drying technique was used to monitor cell survival, droplet temperature and corresponding changes in mass. WPI and skim milk provided the highest protection amongst the materials tested. In situ analysis of the intermediate stage of drying revealed that for WPI and skim milk, crust formation reduces the rate of sudden temperature increase thereby imparting less stress on the cells. Irreversible denaturation of the WPI components might have also contributed to the protection of the cells. Skim milk, however, 'loses' the protective behaviour towards the latter stages of drying. This indicates that the concentration of the WPI components could be another possible factor determining the sustained protective behaviour during the later stages of drying when the moisture content is low. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Motor activity as an unbiased variable to assess anaphylaxis in allergic rats

PubMed Central

Abril-Gil, Mar; Garcia-Just, Alba; Cambras, Trinitat; Pérez-Cano, Francisco J; Castellote, Cristina; Franch, Àngels

2015-01-01

The release of mediators by mast cells triggers allergic symptoms involving various physiological systems and, in the most severe cases, the development of anaphylactic shock compromising mainly the nervous and cardiovascular systems. We aimed to establish variables to objectively study the anaphylactic response (AR) after an oral challenge in an allergy model. Brown Norway rats were immunized by intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin with alum and toxin from Bordetella pertussis. Specific immunoglobulin (Ig) E antibodies were developed in immunized animals. Forty days after immunization, the rats were orally challenged with the allergen, and motor activity, body temperature and serum mast cell protease concentration were determined. The anaphylaxis induced a reduction in body temperature and a decrease in the number of animal movements, which was inversely correlated with serum mast cell protease release. In summary, motor activity is a reliable tool for assessing AR and also an unbiased method for screening new anti-allergic drugs. PMID:25716015

Microrespirometer chamber for determinations of viability in cell and organ cultures.

PubMed Central

Gabridge, M G

1976-01-01

The effects of chemical, physical, and infectious cytotoxic agents on primary and cultured cells were evaluated by measurements of oxygen uptake for various time periods. A newly developed respirometer used a Clark oxygen electrode in a 1.0-ml chamber, with provisions for constant mixing and for temperature control of both the sample and electrode chambers. The device was unique because the electrode and instrumentation were provided by a clinical blood-gas analyzer. Oxygen uptake by blank controls was negligible, whereas cells and tissue consumed oxygen at rates of approximately 1 to 5 mul/h in a dose- and temperature-dependent fashion. Cyanide, heat, and freeze-thaw lysis reduced the oxygen uptake to less than 0.6 mul/mg per h. Infection of trachea organ cultures with Mycoplasma pneumoniae significantly reduced relative ciliary activity, tetrazolium reduction capacity, and oxygen consumption in a coordinated fashion. Images PMID:985826

Life capability of the silver electrode in alkaline electrochemical cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frank, H. A.

1976-01-01

Estimates of silver electrode degradation rates were made by comparing the recently measured capacities with the reported early life capacities. Chemical analyses were carried out to determine the extent of silver loss from the electrode and its distribution throughout the cell components. The results established that the silver electrode is very stable when stored at reduced temperatures in the range of 0 to -51 C, in which it exhibits a permanent degradation in capacity of 0.5%/year. The results also indicated that the silver electrode is not quite as stable when operated and stored at room temperature, where it exhibits permanent degradation in the range of 3% to 14%/year. These results were employed in predicting the life capability of the proposed new Ag-H2 cell and also in assessing the merits of employing silver electrodes in long-life probe batteries.

Investigation of the Parameters of Sealed Triple-Point Cells for Cryogenic Gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fellmuth, B.; Wolber, L.

2011-01-01

An overview of the parameters of a large number of sealed triple-point cells for the cryogenic gases hydrogen, oxygen, neon, and argon is given that have been determined within the framework of an international star intercomparison to optimize the measurement of melting curves as well as to establish complete and reliable uncertainty budgets for the realization of temperature fixed points. Special emphasis is given to the question, whether the parameters are primarily influenced by the cell design or the properties of the fixed-point samples. For explaining surprisingly large periods of the thermal recovery after the heat pulses of the intermittent heating through the melting range, a simple model is developed based on a newly defined heat-capacity equivalent, which considers the heat of fusion and a melting-temperature inhomogeneity. The analysis of the recovery using a graded set of exponential functions containing different time constants is also explained in detail.

The mechanisms of the protective effects of reconstituted skim milk during convective droplet drying of lactic acid bacteria.

PubMed

Zheng, Xufeng; Fu, Nan; Duan, Manlei; Woo, Meng Wai; Selomulya, Cordelia; Chen, Xiao Dong

2015-10-01

Reconstituted skim milk (RSM) is a reputed protective carrier for improving the survival ratio of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) after spray drying; however the underlying mechanisms of the prominent protection remains unclear. In this study, the inactivation histories of two LAB strains during droplet drying with four carriers were experimentally determined, and the effects of droplet drying parameters on LAB inactivation were investigated. For the first time, the possible contribution of each RSM components to the maintenance of LAB viability during drying was discussed. Rapid inactivation of LAB cells only started at the later stage of drying, where RSM could maintain viability better upon both high droplet temperature and low moisture content than the other three carriers tested. Such protective effects was attributed to calcium and milk proteins rather than lactose. Upon the rapidly increasing droplet temperature at the later stage, calcium might enhance the heat resistance of LAB cells, whereas proteins might lead to a mild temperature variation rate which was beneficial to cell survival. LAB cells dried in the reconstituted whole milk showed the most advanced transition of rapid viability loss, with transition temperature at around 60°C, in contrast to 65-70°C in lactose and MRS carriers and 75°C in the RSM carrier. The detrimental effects could be due to the high level of milk fat content. The proposed effects of each RSM components on LAB viability would be useful for constructing more powerful protectants for production of active dry LAB cells via spray drying. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Melting Point of Palladium Using Miniature Fixed Points of Different Ceramic Materials: Part II—Analysis of Melting Curves and Long-Term Investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edler, F.; Huang, K.

2016-12-01

Fifteen miniature fixed-point cells made of three different ceramic crucible materials (Al2O3, ZrO2, and Al2O3(86 %)+ZrO2(14 %)) were filled with pure palladium and used to calibrate type B thermocouples (Pt30 %Rh/Pt6 %Rh). A critical point by using miniature fixed points with small amounts of fixed-point material is the analysis of the melting curves, which are characterized by significant slopes during the melting process compared to flat melting plateaus obtainable using conventional fixed-point cells. The method of the extrapolated starting point temperature using straight line approximation of the melting plateau was applied to analyze the melting curves. This method allowed an unambiguous determination of an electromotive force (emf) assignable as melting temperature. The strict consideration of two constraints resulted in a unique, repeatable and objective method to determine the emf at the melting temperature within an uncertainty of about 0.1 μ V. The lifetime and long-term stability of the miniature fixed points was investigated by performing more than 100 melt/freeze cycles for each crucible of the different ceramic materials. No failure of the crucibles occurred indicating an excellent mechanical stability of the investigated miniature cells. The consequent limitation of heating rates to values below {± }3.5 K min^{-1} above 1100° C and the carefully and completely filled crucibles (the liquid palladium occupies the whole volume of the crucible) are the reasons for successfully preventing the crucibles from breaking. The thermal stability of the melting temperature of palladium was excellent when using the crucibles made of Al2O3(86 %)+ZrO2(14 %) and ZrO2. Emf drifts over the total duration of the long-term investigation were below a temperature equivalent of about 0.1 K-0.2 K.

Impact of the water symmetry factor on humidification and cooling strategies for PEM fuel cell stacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Picot, D.; Metkemeijer, R.; Bezian, J. J.; Rouveyre, L.

In this paper, experimental water and thermal balances with three proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are proposed. On the test facility of Ecole des Mines de Paris, three De Nora SPA fuel cell stacks have been successfully studied: An 1 kW e prototype using Nafion® 117, a 5 and a 10 kW e module using Nafion® 115. The averaged water symmetry factor determines strategies to avoid drying membrane. So, we propose analytical solutions to find compromises between humidification and cooling conditions, which determines outlet temperatures of gases. For transport applications, the space occupied by the power module must be reduced. One of the main efforts consists in decreasing the operative pressure. Thus, if adequate cooling power is applied, we show experimentally and theoretically the possibility to use De Nora PEM fuel cells with low pressure, without specific external humidification.

Compound Specific Extraction of Camptothecin from Nothapodytes nimmoniana and Piperine from Piper nigrum Using Accelerated Solvent Extractor

PubMed Central

Upadhya, Vinayak; Pai, Sandeep R.; Sharma, Ajay K.; Hegde, Harsha V.; Kholkute, Sanjiva D.; Joshi, Rajesh K.

2014-01-01

Effects of varying temperatures with constant pressure of solvent on extraction efficiency of two chemically different alkaloids were studied. Camptothecin (CPT) from stem of Nothapodytes nimmoniana (Grah.) Mabb. and piperine from the fruits of Piper nigrum L. were extracted using Accelerated Solvent Extractor (ASE). Three cycles of extraction for a particular sample cell at a given temperature assured complete extraction. CPT and piperine were determined and quantified by using a simple and efficient UFLC-PDA (245 and 343 nm) method. Temperature increased efficiency of extraction to yield higher amount of CPT, whereas temperature had diminutive effect on yield of piperine. Maximum yield for CPT was achieved at 80°C and for piperine at 40°C. Thus, the study determines compound specific extraction of CPT from N. nimmoniana and piperine from P. nigrum using ASE method. The present study indicates the use of this method for simple, fast, and accurate extraction of the compound of interest. PMID:24527258

Experimental validation of a 0-D numerical model for phase change thermal management systems in lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schweitzer, Ben; Wilke, Stephen; Khateeb, Siddique; Al-Hallaj, Said

2015-08-01

A lumped (0-D) numerical model has been developed for simulating the thermal response of a lithium-ion battery pack with a phase-change composite (PCC™) thermal management system. A small 10s4p battery pack utilizing PCC material was constructed and subjected to discharge at various C-rates in order to validate the lumped model. The 18650 size Li-ion cells used in the pack were electrically characterized to determine their heat generation, and various PCC materials were thermally characterized to determine their apparent specific heat as a function of temperature. Additionally, a 2-D FEA thermal model was constructed to help understand the magnitude of spatial temperature variation in the pack, and to understand the limitations of the lumped model. Overall, good agreement is seen between experimentally measured pack temperatures and the 0-D model, and the 2-D FEA model predicts minimal spatial temperature variation for PCC-based packs at C-rates of 1C and below.

Optical sensor system for time-resolved quantification of methane densities in CH4-fueled spark ignition engines.

PubMed

Golibrzuch, Kai; Digulla, Finn-Erik; Bauke, Stephan; Wackerbarth, Hainer; Thiele, Olaf; Berg, Thomas

2017-08-01

We present the development and the first application of an optical sensor system that allows single-cycle determination of methane (CH 4 ) concentration inside internal combustion (IC) engines. We use non-dispersive infrared absorption spectroscopy to detect the CH 4 density with a time resolution up to 33 μs at acquisition rates of 30 kHz. The measurement scheme takes advantage of the strong temperature dependence of the absorption band applying two detection channels for CH 4 that detect different spectral regions of the ν 3 anti-symmetric C-H-stretch absorption. The strategy allows the simultaneous determination of fuel concentration as well as gas temperature. We show the proof-of-concept by validation of the measurement strategy in static pressure cell experiments as well as its application to a methane-fueled IC engine using a modified spark plug probe. Our results clearly demonstrate that it is crucial to determine the CH 4 temperature in the probe volume. Due to thermal influences of the sensor probe, the temperature needed to calculate the desired quantities (fuel density, fuel concentration) significantly differs from the gas phase temperature in the rest of the combustion chamber and estimations from standard thermodynamic models, e.g., polytropic compression, will fail.

Microwave dielectric measurements of erythrocyte suspensions.

PubMed Central

Bao, J Z; Davis, C C; Swicord, M L

1994-01-01

Complex dielectric constants of human erythrocyte suspensions over a frequency range from 45 MHz to 26.5 GHz and a temperature range from 5 to 40 degrees C have been determined with the open-ended coaxial probe technique using an automated vector network analyzer (HP 8510). The spectra show two separate major dispersions (beta and gamma) and a much smaller dispersion between them. The two major dispersions are analyzed with a dispersion equation containing two Cole-Cole functions by means of a complex nonlinear least squares technique. The parameters of the equation at different temperatures have been determined. The low frequency behavior of the spectra suggests that the dielectric constant of the cell membrane increases when the temperature is above 35 degrees C. The real part of the dielectric constant at approximately 3.4 GHz remains almost constant when the temperature changes. The dispersion shifts with temperature in the manner of a thermally activated process, and the thermal activation enthalpies for the beta- and gamma-dispersions are 9.87 +/- 0.42 kcal/mol and 4.80 +/- 0.06 kcal/mol, respectively. PMID:8075351

Limits to anaerobic energy and cytosolic concentration in the living cell.

PubMed

Paglietti, A

2015-01-01

For many physical systems at any given temperature, the set of all states where the system's free energy reaches its largest value can be determined from the system's constitutive equations of internal energy and entropy, once a state of that set is known. Such an approach is fraught with complications when applied to a living cell, because the cell's cytosol contains thousands of solutes, and thus thousands of state variables, which makes determination of its state impractical. We show here that, when looking for the maximum energy that the cytosol can store and release, detailed information on cytosol composition is redundant. Compatibility with cell's life requires that a single variable that represents the overall concentration of cytosol solutes must fall between defined limits, which can be determined by dehydrating and overhydrating the cell to its maximum capacity. The same limits are shown to determine, in particular, the maximum amount of free energy that a cell can supply in fast anaerobic processes, starting from any given initial state. For a typical skeletal muscle in normal physiological conditions this energy, i.e., the maximum anaerobic capacity to do work, is calculated to be about 960 J per kg of muscular mass. Such energy decreases as the overall concentration of solutes in the cytosol is increased. Similar results apply to any kind of cell. They provide an essential tool to understand and control the macroscopic response of single cells and multicellular cellular tissues alike. The applications include sport physiology, cell aging, disease produced cell damage, drug absorption capacity, to mention the most obvious ones.

Limits to anaerobic energy and cytosolic concentration in the living cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paglietti, A.

2015-11-01

For many physical systems at any given temperature, the set of all states where the system's free energy reaches its largest value can be determined from the system's constitutive equations of internal energy and entropy, once a state of that set is known. Such an approach is fraught with complications when applied to a living cell, because the cell's cytosol contains thousands of solutes, and thus thousands of state variables, which makes determination of its state impractical. We show here that, when looking for the maximum energy that the cytosol can store and release, detailed information on cytosol composition is redundant. Compatibility with cell's life requires that a single variable that represents the overall concentration of cytosol solutes must fall between defined limits, which can be determined by dehydrating and overhydrating the cell to its maximum capacity. The same limits are shown to determine, in particular, the maximum amount of free energy that a cell can supply in fast anaerobic processes, starting from any given initial state. For a typical skeletal muscle in normal physiological conditions this energy, i.e., the maximum anaerobic capacity to do work, is calculated to be about 960 J per kg of muscular mass. Such energy decreases as the overall concentration of solutes in the cytosol is increased. Similar results apply to any kind of cell. They provide an essential tool to understand and control the macroscopic response of single cells and multicellular cellular tissues alike. The applications include sport physiology, cell aging, disease produced cell damage, drug absorption capacity, to mention the most obvious ones.

Thermal isotherms in PMMA and cell necrosis during total hip arthroplasty.

PubMed

Gundapaneni, Dinesh; Goswami, Tarun

2014-12-30

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), also known as bone cement, is a commonly used adhesive material to fix implants in Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA). During implantation, bone cement undergoes a polymerization reaction which is an exothermic reaction and results in the release of heat to the surrounding bone tissue, which ultimately leads to thermal necrosis. Necrosis in the bony tissue results in early loosening of the implant, which causes pain and reduces the life of the implant. The main objective of the present study was to understand the thermal isotherms in PMMA and to determine the optimal cement mantle thickness to prevent cell necrosis during THA. In this study, the environment in the bony tissue during implantation was simulated by constructing 3D solid models to observe the temperature distribution in the bony tissue at different cement mantle thicknesses (1 mm, 3 mm and 5 mm), by applying the temperature conditions that exist during the surgery. Stems made with Co-Cr-Mo, 316L stainless steel and Ti6Al4V were used, which acted as heat sinks, and a thermal damage equation was used to measure the bone damage. FEA was conducted based on temperature conditions and thermal isotherms at different cement mantle thicknesses were obtained. Thermal isotherms derived with respect to distance in the bony tissue from the center of the cement mantle, and cell necrosis was determined at different mantle thicknesses. Based on the deduced results, cement mantle thickness of 1-5 mm does not cause thermal damage in the bony tissue. Considering the long term stability of the implant, cement mantle thickness range from 3 mm-5 mm was found to be optimal in THA to prevent cell necrosis.

Simultaneous separation of five major ribonucleic acids by capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence in the presence of electroosmotic flow: application to the rapid screening of 5S rRNA from ovarian cancer cells.

PubMed

Shih, Ya-Chu; Liao, Ching-Ru; Chung, I-Che; Chang, Yu-Sun; Chang, Po-Ling

2014-10-17

RNA integrity is important in RNA studies because poor RNA quality may impact downstream methodologies. This study proposes a rapid and cost-effective method for the determination of RNA integrity based on CE-LIF in the presence of electroosmotic flow. The proposed method uses poly(ethylene) oxide (Mavg=4,000,000 Da) as a sieving matrix for total RNA separation. Ethidium bromide (μg mL(-1)) was dissolved in a polymer solution as an interchelating dye for on-column fluorescent labeling. The 28S rRNA, 18S rRNA, 5.8S rRNA, 5S rRNA and tRNA from the total human RNA extracted from the cells were fully separated using the proposed method. The lowest detectable concentration of total RNA achieved was 100 pg μL(-1) with a 6 min sample injection followed by on-column concentration. In addition, the temperature-induced degradation of total RNA was observed by CE-LIF. The electropherograms revealed more fragmentation of 28S and 18S rRNAs by temperature-induced hydrolysis compared with the 5.8S rRNA, 5S rRNA and tRNA. Therefore, the results indicated that RNA degradation should be considered for long-term, high-temperature incubations in RNA-related experiments involving RNA hybridization. The proposed method is furthermore, applied to the determination of 5S rRNA overexpressed in ovarian cancer cells as compared to the cervical cancer cells. Overall, CE-LIF is highly promising for rapid screening of ovarian cancers without tedious pre-amplification steps. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Monitoring a Silent Phase Transition in CH 3NH 3PbI 3 Solar Cells via Operando X-ray Diffraction

DOE PAGES

Schelhas, Laura T.; Christians, Jeffrey A.; Berry, Joseph J.; ...

2016-10-13

The relatively modest temperature of the tetragonal-to-cubic phase transition in CH 3NH 3PbI 3 perovskite is likely to occur during real world operation of CH 3NH 3PbI 3 solar cells. In this work, we simultaneously monitor the structural phase transition of the active layer along with solar cell performance as a function of the device operating temperature. The tetragonal to cubic phase transition is observed in the working device to occur reversibly at temperatures between 60.5 and 65.4 degrees C. In these operando measurements, no discontinuity in the device performance is observed, indicating electronic behavior that is insensitive to themore » structural phase transition. Here, this decoupling of device performance from the change in long-range order across the phase transition suggests that the optoelectronic properties are primarily determined by the local structure in CH 3NH 3PbI 3. That is, while the average crystal structure as probed by X-ray diffraction shows a transition from tetragonal to cubic, the local structure generally remains well characterized by uncorrelated, dynamic octahedral rotations that order at elevated temperatures but are unchanged locally.« less

Monitoring a Silent Phase Transition in CH 3NH 3PbI 3 Solar Cells via Operando X-ray Diffraction

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

Schelhas, Laura T.; Christians, Jeffrey A.; Berry, Joseph J.

The relatively modest temperature of the tetragonal-to-cubic phase transition in CH 3NH 3PbI 3 perovskite is likely to occur during real world operation of CH 3NH 3PbI 3 solar cells. In this work, we simultaneously monitor the structural phase transition of the active layer along with solar cell performance as a function of the device operating temperature. The tetragonal to cubic phase transition is observed in the working device to occur reversibly at temperatures between 60.5 and 65.4 degrees C. In these operando measurements, no discontinuity in the device performance is observed, indicating electronic behavior that is insensitive to themore » structural phase transition. Here, this decoupling of device performance from the change in long-range order across the phase transition suggests that the optoelectronic properties are primarily determined by the local structure in CH 3NH 3PbI 3. That is, while the average crystal structure as probed by X-ray diffraction shows a transition from tetragonal to cubic, the local structure generally remains well characterized by uncorrelated, dynamic octahedral rotations that order at elevated temperatures but are unchanged locally.« less

Investigation of test methods, material properties, and processes for solar cell encapsulants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willis, P. B.

1985-01-01

Progress in solar energy technology is reported in the following areas: aging and life prediction methodology and devices for solar cell encapsulation; the function of adhesion chemistry, primers, and a new diagnostic technique for estimations of bond durability; a study of fire retardant formulations for decreasing the potential flammability of solar modules; initial studies of the electrical insulating properties of encapsulation materials and measurement of the intrinsic dielectric strength; antisoiling compounds for the prevention of soil build-up on the outer surface of the module; and low temperature processing encapsulants that permit module fabrication at temperatures less than 100 C. Another area of study has been added to determine the degree to which formulation and processes affect the module quality and manufacturing yield.

Performance of Li-Ion Cells Under Battery Voltage Charge Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rao, Gopalakrishna M.; Vaidyanathan, Hari; Day, John H. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

A study consisting of electrochemical characterization and Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) cycling of Li-Ion cells from three vendors was initiated in 1999 to determine the cycling performance and to infuse the new technology in the future NASA missions. The 8-cell batteries included in this evaluation are prismatic cells manufactured by Mine Safety Appliances Company (MSA), cylindrical cells manufactured by SAFT and prismatic cells manufactured by Yardney Technical Products, Inc. (YTP). The three batteries were cycle tested in the LEO regime at 40% depth of discharge, and under a charge control technique that consists of battery voltage clamp with a current taper. The initial testing was conducted at 20 C; however, the batteries were cycled also intermittently at low temperatures. YTP 20 Ah cells consisted of mixed-oxide (Co and Ni) positive, graphitic carbon negative, LIPF6 salt mixed with organic carbonate solvents. The battery voltage clamp was 32 V. The low temperature cycling tests started after 4575 cycles at 20 C. The cells were not capable of cycling. at low temperature since the charge acceptance at battery level was poor. There was a cell in the battery that showed too high an end-of-charge (EOC) voltage thereby limiting the ability to charge the rest of the cells in the battery. The battery has completed 6714 cycles. SAFT 12 Ah cells consisted of mixed-oxide (Co and NO positive, graphitic carbon negative, LiPF6 salt mixed with organic carbonate solvents. The battery voltage clamp was for 30.8 V. The low temperature cycling tests started after 4594 cycles at 20 C. A cell that showed low end of discharge (EOD) and EOC voltages and three other cells that showed higher EOC voltages limited the charge acceptance at the selected voltage limit during charge. The cells were capable of cycling at 10 C and 0 C but the charge voltage limit had to be increased to 34.3 V (4.3 V per cell). The low temperature cycling may have induced poor chargeability since the voltage had to be increased to achieve the required charge input. The battery has completed 6226 cycles. MSA 10 Ah cells consisted of Co oxide positive, graphitic carbon negative, LiPF6 salt mixed with organic carbonate solvents. The battery voltage clamp was 30.8 V. The low temperature cycling tests were started after 2182 cycles at 20 C. The cells were capable of cycling at 10 C and 0 C. Like SAFT, the voltage limit on charge had to be increased to 36 V (4.5 V per cell). There was a cell (cell S/N 13) in the battery that showed poor performance features such as low EOD voltage and high EOC voltage. The battery has completed 3441 cycles. A reconditioning procedure that consisted of C15 charge to a taper current of C/100 and C/20 discharge improved the voltage behavior of SAFT and MSA cells with no significant effect on YTP cells. We have demonstrated that the charge operation with VT clamp at battery rather than at cell level is feasible for onboard Li-Ion battery operation.

Kinetics of water loss and the likelihood of intracellular freezing in mouse ova

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

Mazur, P.; Rall, W.F.; Leibo, S.P.

To avoid intracellular freezing and its usually lethal consequences, cells must lose their freezable water before reaching their ice-nucleation temperature. One major factor determining the rate of water loss is the temperature dependence of water permeability, L/sub p/ (hydraulic conductivity). Because of the paucity of water permeability measurements at subzero temperatures, that temperature dependence has usually been extrapolated from above-zero measurements. The extrapolation has often been based on an exponential dependence of L/sub p/ on temperature. This paper compares the kinetics of water loss based on that extrapolation with that based on an Arrhenius relation between L/sub p/ and temperature,more » and finds substantial differences below -20 to -25/sup 0/C. Since the ice-nucleation temperature of mouse ova in the cryoprotectants DMSO and glycerol is usually below -30/sup 0/C, the Arrhenius form of the water-loss equation was used to compute the extent of supercooling in ova cooled at rates between 1 and 8/sup 0/C/min and the consequent likelihood of intracellular freezing. The predicted likelihood agrees well with that previously observed. The water-loss equation was also used to compute the volumes of ova as a function of cooling rate and temperature. The computed cell volumes agree qualitatively with previously observed volumes, but differed quantitatively. 25 references, 5 figures, 3 tables.« less

Mild Hyperthermia Downregulates Receptor-dependent Neutrophil Function

PubMed Central

Fröhlich, Dieter; Wittmann, Sigrid; Rothe, Gregor; Sessler, Daniel I.; Vogel, Peter; Taeger, Kai

2005-01-01

Mild hypothermia impairs resistance to infection and, reportedly, impairs phagocytosis and oxidative killing of un-opsonized bacteria. We evaluated various functions at 33 to 41°C in neutrophils taken from volunteers. Adhesion on endothelial cells was determined using light microscopy. Adhesion molecules expression and receptors, phagocytosis, and release of reactive oxidants were assessed using flow cytometric assays. Adhesion protein CD11b expression on resting neutrophils was temperature independent. However, upregulation of CD11b with TNF-α was increased by hypothermia and decreased with hyperthermia. Neutrophil adhesion to either resting or activated endothelial cells was not temperature dependent. Bacterial uptake was inversely related to temperature, more so with E. coli than S. aureus. Temperature dependence of phagocytosis occurred only with opsonized bacteria. Hypothermia slightly increased N-Formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) receptors on neutrophils: hyperthermia decreased expression, especially with TNF-α. FMLP-induced H2O2 production was inversely related to temperature, especially in the presence of TNF-α. Conversely, phorbol-13-myristate-12-acetate, an activator of protein kinase C, induced an extreme and homogenous release of reactive oxidants that increased with temperature. In contrast to non-receptor dependent phagocytosis and oxidative killing, several crucial receptor-dependent neutrophil activities show temperature-dependent regulation, with hypothermia increasing function. The temperature dependence of neutrophil function is thus more complicated than previously appreciated. PMID:15281545

Halophilic Archaea determined from geothermal steam vent aerosols.

PubMed

Ellis, Dean G; Bizzoco, Richard W; Kelley, Scott T

2008-06-01

Hydrothermal vents, known as 'fumaroles', are ubiquitous features of geothermal areas. Although their geology has been extensively characterized, little is known about the subsurface microbial ecology of fumaroles largely because of the difficulty in collecting sufficient numbers of cells from boiling steam water for DNA extraction and culture isolation. Here we describe the first collection, molecular analysis and isolation of microbes from fumarole steam waters in Russia (Kamchatka) and the USA (Hawaii, New Mexico, California and Wyoming). Surprisingly, the steam vent waters from all the fumaroles contained halophilic Archaea closely related to the Haloarcula spp. found in non-geothermal salt mats, saline soils, brine pools and salt lakes around the world. Microscopic cell counting estimated the cell dispersal rate at approximately 1.6 x 10(9) cells year(-1) from a single fumarole. We also managed to enrich microbes in high-salt media from every vent sample, and to isolate Haloarcula from a Yellowstone vent in a 20% salt medium after a month-long incubation, demonstrating both salt tolerance and viability of cells collected from high-temperature steam. Laboratory tests determined that microbes enriched in salt media survived temperatures greater than 75 degrees C for between 5 and 30 min during the collection process. Hawaiian fumaroles proved to contain the greatest diversity of halophilic Archaea with four new lineages that may belong to uncultured haloarchaeal genera. This high diversity may have resulted from the leaching of salts and minerals through the highly porous volcanic rock, creating a chemically complex saline subsurface.

CO2 laser annealing of 50-microns-thick silicon solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, F. E.

1979-01-01

A test program is conducted to determine thin solar cell annealing effects using a laser energy source. A CO2 continuous-wave laser was used in annealing experiments on 50 micrometers-thick silicon solar cells after proton irradiation. Test cells were irradiated to a fluence of 1.0 x 10 to the 12th power protons/sq cm with 1.9 MeV protons. After irradiation, those cells receiving full proton dosage were degraded by an average of 30% in output power. In annealing tests laser beam exposure times on the solar cell varied from 2 seconds to 16 seconds reaching cell temperatures of from 400 C to 500 C. Under those conditions annealing test results showed recovery in cell output power of from 33% to 90%.

Sodium-sulfur Cell Technology Flight Experiment (SSCT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Halbach, Carl R.

1992-01-01

The sodium-sulfur battery is emerging as a prime high-temperature energy storage technology for space flight applications. A Na-S cell demonstration is planned for a 1995-96 NASA Space Shuttle flight which focuses on the microgravity effects on individual cells. The experiment is not optimized for battery performance as such. Rather, it maximizes the variety of operating conditions which the Na-S cell is capable of in a relatively short 5-day flight. The demonstration is designed to reveal the effects of microgravity by comparison with ground test control cells experiencing identical test conditions but with gravity. Specifically, limitations of transport dynamics and associated cell performance characteristics should be revealed. The Na-S Cell Technology Flight Experiment consists of three separate experiments designed to determine cell operating characteristics, detailed electrode kinetics and reactant distributions.

The Sodium Exposure Test Cell to determine operating parameters for AMTEC electrochemical cells

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

Ryan, M.A.; Williams, R.M.; Lara, L.

1998-07-01

The Sodium Exposure Test Cell (SETC) is a non-power producing cell which has been developed to evaluate and test components of the electrochemical cell in an Alkali Metal Thermal to Electric Converter. Performance and time dependence of performance of the electrode and the electrolyte in AMTEC cells can be tested in an SETC, and performance parameters which correlate with those taken from AMTEC operation can be calculated from data taken in an SETC. The components of the AMTEC electrochemical cell which are evaluated in an SETC are the electrode, {beta}{double{underscore}prime}-alumina solid electrolyte (BASE), the current collection network, and the containment.more » The components are held in low pressure sodium vapor at a temperature which reflects their operating conditions in an AMTEC device, and operating parameters determined. Electrodes and BASE are evaluated by measuring current-voltage (IV) characteristics and using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). Using these techniques, electrode performance parameters such as the exchange current (B), the morphology factor (G), and contact resistance between electrode and current collection network can be determined. The ionic conductivity (s) of BASE can also be determined. IV curves and EIS measurements are made at intervals over periods of several hundreds of hours in order to evaluate degradation of AMTEC electrochemical cell components. Electrode and BASE are analyzed after an SETC experiment using Scanning Electron Microscopy, Electron Dispersive Spectroscopy, and X-Ray Diffraction. These techniques allow evaluation of interaction of materials and changes in the composition and structure of materials. The purpose of these experiments is determination of the changes of operating parameters as a function of time in order to predict the operating lifetime of AMTEC cells.« less

Nickel-hydrogen battery state of charge during low rate trickle charging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lurie, C.; Foroozan, S.; Brewer, J.; Jackson, L.

1995-01-01

Battery temperature increase, due to low rate trickle charging, has been determined experimentally, using a six cell battery module in a test setup simulating the anticipated AXAF-1 prelaunch environment. Test results indicate trickle charge rates less than or equal to the self discharge rate do not increase dissipation beyond that due to the self discharge. Significant trickle charge rates (approximately C/500) result in battery temperatures only a few degrees (F) higher than those observed during periods of open circuit stand.

Investigation of the heat generation of a commercial 2032 (LiCoO2) coin cell with a novel differential scanning battery calorimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giel, Hans; Henriques, David; Bourne, George; Markus, Torsten

2018-06-01

Research on the thermal behavior of Li-ion batteries fosters the understanding of heat generating effects and the dimensioning of battery thermal management systems (TMS). First comprehensive studies with a new DSC-like calorimeter for coin-cells are performed to determine thermal properties of a LiCoO2-graphite cell. The high precision and accuracy of the measurements are obtained by calibrating the signals using melting point standards in properly prepared coin-cell cases. The heat flow is measured during cycling with different C-rates between 0.23 C and 0.9 C under isothermal conditions at temperatures between 30 °C and 50 °C in steps of 5 K. Chemical and physical changes are identified in the measured heat flow signal and are discussed taking into account phase diagram information. Energetic efficiencies are calculated in dependence of temperature and C-rates by integrating the measured electrical power and heat values. The influence of cell aging on heat generation and usable capacity under operating conditions is shown. Considering the measured heat generation in a wide temperature range at different C-rates will make a valuable contribution to the understanding of material properties. This fundamental data is essential to improve thermal models to simulate spatially resolved heat dissipation in the electrodes to prevent over-heating.

Effect of bioink properties on printability and cell viability for 3D bioplotting of embryonic stem cells.

PubMed

Ouyang, Liliang; Yao, Rui; Zhao, Yu; Sun, Wei

2016-09-16

3D cell printing is an emerging technology for fabricating complex cell-laden constructs with precise and pre-designed geometry, structure and composition to overcome the limitations of 2D cell culture and conventional tissue engineering scaffold technology. This technology enables spatial manipulation of cells and biomaterials, also referred to as 'bioink', and thus allows study of cellular interactions in a 3D microenvironment and/or in the formation of functional tissues and organs. Recently, many efforts have been made to develop new bioinks and to apply more cell sources for better biocompatibility and biofunctionality. However, the influences of printing parameters on the shape fidelity of 3D constructs as well as on cell viability after the cell printing process have been poorly characterized. Furthermore, parameter optimization based on a specific cell type might not be suitable for other types of cells, especially cells with high sensibility. In this study, we systematically studied the influence of bioink properties and printing parameters on bioink printability and embryonic stem cell (ESC) viability in the process of extrusion-based cell printing, also known as bioplotting. A novel method was established to determine suitable conditions for bioplotting ESCs to achieve both good printability and high cell viability. The rheological properties of gelatin/alginate bioinks were evaluated to determine the gelation properties under different bioink compositions, printing temperatures and holding times. The bioink printability was characterized by a newly developed semi-quantitative method. The results demonstrated that bioinks with longer gelation times would result in poorer printability. The live/dead assay showed that ESC viability increased with higher printing temperatures and lower gelatin concentrations. Furthermore, an exponential relationship was obtained between ESC viability and induced shear stress. By defining the proper printability and acceptable viability ranges, a combined parameters region was obtained. This study provides guidance for parameter optimization and the fine-tuning of 3D cell printing processes regarding both bioink printability and cell viability after bioplotting, especially for easily damaged cells, like ESCs.

Thermodynamic Temperature Measurement to the Indium Point Based on Radiance Comparison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, Y.; Yamada, Y.

2017-04-01

A multi-national project (the EMRP InK project) was completed recently, which successfully determined the thermodynamic temperatures of several of the high-temperature fixed points above the copper point. The National Metrology Institute of Japan contributed to this project with its newly established absolute spectral radiance calibration capability. In the current study, we have extended the range of thermodynamic temperature measurement to below the copper point and measured the thermodynamic temperatures of the indium point (T_{90} = 429.748 5 K), tin point (505.078 K), zinc point (692.677 K), aluminum point (933.473 K) and the silver point (1 234.93 K) by radiance comparison against the copper point, with a set of radiation thermometers having center wavelengths ranging from 0.65 μm to 1.6 μm. The copper-point temperature was measured by the absolute radiation thermometer which was calibrated by radiance method traceable to the electrical substitution cryogenic radiometer. The radiance of the fixed-point blackbodies was measured by standard radiation thermometers whose spectral responsivity and nonlinearity are precisely evaluated, and then the thermodynamic temperatures were determined from radiance ratios to the copper point. The values of T-T_{90} for the silver-, aluminum-, zinc-, tin- and indium-point cells were determined as -4 mK (U = 104 mK, k=2), -99 mK (88 mK), -76 mK (76 mK), -68 mK (163 mK) and -42 mK (279 mK), respectively.

Study of copper-free back contacts to thin film cadmium telluride solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viswanathan, Vijay

The goals of this project are to study Cu free back contact alternatives for CdS/CdTe thin film solar cells, and to research dry etching for CdTe surface preparation before contact application. In addition, an attempt has been made to evaluate the stability of some of the contacts researched. The contacts studied in this work include ZnTe/Cu2Te, Sb2Te 3, and Ni-P alloys. The ZnTe/Cu2Te contact system is studied as basically an extension of the earlier work done on Cu2Te at USF. RF sputtering from a compound target of ZnTe and Cu2Te respectively deposits these layers on etched CdTe surface. The effect of Cu2Te thickness and deposition temperature on contact and cell performance will be studied with the ZnTe depositions conditions kept constant. C-V measurements to study the effect of contact deposition conditions on CdTe doping will also be performed. These contacts will then be stressed to high temperatures (70--100°C) and their stability with stress time is analyzed. Sb2Te3 will be deposited on glass using RF sputtering, to study film properties with deposition temperature. The Sb2Te 3 contact performance will also be studied as a function of the Sb 2Te3 deposition temperature and thickness. The suitability of Ni-P alloys for back contacts to CdTe solar cells was studied by forming a colloidal mixture of Ni2P in graphite paste. The Ni-P contacts, painted on Br-methanol etched CdTe surface, will be studied as a function of Ni-P concentration (in the graphite paste), annealing temperature and time. Some of these cells will undergo temperature stress testing to determine contact behavior with time. Dry etching of CdTe will be studied as an alternative for wet etching processes currently used for CdTe solar cells. The CdTe surface is isotropically etched in a barrel reactor in N2, Ar or Ar:O 2 ambient. The effect of etching ambient, pressure, plasma power and etch time on contact performance will be studied.

Structural and magnetic phase transitions in gadolinium under high pressures and low temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samudrala, Gopi K.; Tsoi, Georgiy M.; Weir, Samuel T.; Vohra, Yogesh K.

2014-10-01

High pressure structural transition studies have been carried out on rare earth metal gadolinium in a diamond anvil cell at room temperature to 169 GPa. Gadolinium has been compressed to 38% of its initial volume at this pressure. With increasing pressure, a crystal structure sequence of hcp → Sm-type → dhcp → fcc → dfcc → monoclinic has been observed in our studies on gadolinium. The measured equation of state of gadolinium is presented to 169 GPa at ambient temperature. Magnetic ordering temperature of gadolinium has been studied using designer diamond anvils to a pressure of 25 GPa and a temperature of 10 K. The magnetic ordering temperature has been determined from the four-point electrical resistivity measurements carried out on gadolinium. Our experiments show that the magnetic transition temperature decreases with increasing pressure to 19 GPa and then increases when gadolinium is subjected to higher pressures.

Calibration of CryojetHT and Cobra Plus Cryosystems used in X-ray diffraction studies

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

Dudka, A. P., E-mail: dudka@crys.ras.ru; Verin, I. A.; Smirnova, E. S.

CryoJetHT (Oxford Instruments) and Cobra Plus (Oxford Cryosystems) cryosystems, which are used for sample cooling in X-ray diffraction experiments, have been calibrated. It is shown that the real temperature in the vicinity of the sample differs significantly (the deviation is as high as 8–10 K at low temperatures) from the temperature recorded by authorized sensors of these systems. The calibration results are confirmed by measurements of the unit-cell parameters of GdFe{sub 3}(BO{sub 3}){sub 4} single crystal in the temperature range of its phase transition. It is shown that, to determine the real temperature of a sample, one must perform anmore » independent calibration of cryosystems rather than rely on their ratings.« less

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

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harkness, J. D.

1976-01-01

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

Effect of temperature and pH on polygalacturonase production by pectinolytic bacteria Bacillus licheniformis strain GD2a in submerged medium from Raja Nangka (Musa paradisiaca var. formatypica) banana peel waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widowati, E.; Utami, R.; Mahadjoeno, E.; Saputro, G. P.

2017-04-01

The aim of this research were to determine the effect of temperature (45°C, 55°C, 65°C) and pH (5.0; 6.0; 7.0) on the increase of total cell count and polygalacturonase enzyme activity produced from raja nangka banana (Musa paradisiaca var. formatypica) peel waste by pectinolytic bacterial Bacillus licheniformis strain GD2a. This research applied two sample repetition and one analysis repetition. The result showed temperature and pH affect total cell count. The total cell count on 45°C and pH 7 recorded the highest number at 9.469 log cell/ml. Temperature and pH also affected pectin concentration at the end of fermentation. The lowest pectin concentration recorded at 45°C and pH 7 was 0.425 %. The highest enzyme activity recorded at 65°C and pH 7 was 0.204 U/ml. The highest enzyme protein concentration was recorded at 65°C and resulted as 0.310 mg/ml on pH 6. The highest specific activity was 19.527 U/mg at 65°C and pH 7. By this result, could be concluded that optimum condition process on polygalacturonase production was at 65°C and pH 7 because it gave highest enzyme activity result (0,204 U/ml).

Cell Separations in Microgravity and Development of a Space Bioreactor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrison, D. R.

1985-01-01

A bioreactor optimized for operations in space is now being developed. The current research is focused on determining the optimum cell-bead ratios, medium content and proper maintenance conditions required to keep living cell specimens alive and healthy for the entire flight. The bioreactor development project has recently added a microprocessor/computer to the JSC prototype for control and data analysis. Appropriate new technology is being combined with the current bioreactor designs and tested to determine what specific features must be included in the fabrication of a bioreactor designed to operate for STS demonstration tests. Considerations include: (1) circulation and resupply of culture media; (2) sensors required to monitor temperature, cell growth, mass transport, and oxygen consumption; and (3) inflight control of shear stress on cells, gas transfer in microgravity, diffusion, and intracellular transport. These data and results from the JSC prototype bioreactor test will be used for the design and construction of a small space bioreactor for the Orbiter middeck.

Effect of mild temperature shift on poly(ADP-ribose) and γH2AX levels in cultured cells

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

Yamashita, Sachiko; Tanaka, Masakazu; Sato, Teruaki

Poly (ADP-ribose) (PAR) is rapidly synthesized by PAR polymerases (PARPs) upon activation by DNA single- and double-strand breaks. In this study, we examined the quantitative amount of PAR in HeLa cells cultured within the physiological temperatures below 41 °C for verification of the effect of shifting-up or -down the temperature from 37.0 °C on the DNA breaks, whether the temperature-shift caused breaks that could be monitored by the level of PAR. While PAR level did not change significantly when HeLa cells were cultured at 33.5 °C or 37.0 °C, it was significantly increased 2- and 3-fold when cells were cultured for 12 h andmore » 24 h, respectively, at 40.5 °C as compared to 37.0 °C. Similar to the results with HeLa cells, PAR level was increased 2-fold in CHO-K1 cells cultured at 40.5 °C for 24 h as compared to 37.0 °C. As the cellular levels of PAR polymerase1 (PARP1) and PAR glycohydrolase (PARG), a major degradation enzyme for PAR, did not seem to change significantly, this increase could be caused by activation of PARP1 by DNA strand breaks. In fact, γH2AX, claimed to be a marker of DNA double-strand breaks, was found in cell extracts of HeLa cells and CHO-K1 cells at elevated temperature vs. 37.0 °C, and these γH2AX signals were intensified in the presence of 3-aminobenzamide, a PARP inhibitor. The γH2AX immunohistochemistry results in HeLa cells were consistent with Western blot analyses. In HeLa cells, proliferation was significantly suppressed at 40.5 °C in 72 h-continuous cultures and decreased viabilities were also observed after 24–72 h at 40.5 °C. Flow cytometric analyses showed that the HeLa cells were arrested at G2/M after temperature shift-up to 40.5 °C. These physiological changes were potentiated in the presence of 3-aminobenzamide. Decrease in growth rates, increased cytotoxicity and G2/M arrest, were associated with the temperature-shift to 40.5 °C and are indirect evidence of DNA breaks. In addition to γH2AX, PAR could be a sensitive marker for DNA single- and double-strand breaks. These two molecular markers provide evidence of physiological changes occurring within cells. - Highlights: • Physiological level of poly(ADP-ribose) was determined during mild temperature shift. • Poly(ADP-ribose) level in HeLa and CHO-K1 cells significantly increased. • γH2AX signals increased during culture at 40.5 °C as compared to 37.0 °C. • Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor potentiated γH2AX signals at 40.5 °C. • γH2AX and poly(ADP-ribose) level provide evidence of physiological changes in cells.« less

Electrical properties of lanthanum chromite based ceramics in hydrogen and oxidizing atmospheres at high temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, V. H.

1981-06-01

Several results regarding the effect of hydrogen on lanthanum chromite were determined. Thermally-activated diffusion of hydrogen through La(Mg)CrO3 was found with a high activation energy. It was found that its electrical conductivity drops drastically, especially at low temperature, after exposure to hydrogen at high temperature. Also, the curvature of most of the conductivity plots, as well as the inability to observe the Hall effect, lends support to the proposal by Karim and Aldred that the small-polaron model which predicts thermally activated mobility is applicable to doped lanthanum chromite. From differential thermal analysis, an apparent absorption of hydrogen near 3000 C was noticed. Upon cooling the lanthanum chromite in hydrogen and subsequently reheating it in air, desorption occurred near 1700 C. The immediate purpose of this study was to determine whether hydrogen has a deleterious effect on lanthanum chromite in solid oxide fuel cells.

Combustion Synthesis of Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3-x and La0.6Sr0.4CoO3-x Nanopowders for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Cathodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bansal, Narottam P.; Zhong, zhimin

2005-01-01

Nanopowders of Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO(3-x) (SSC) and La0.6Sr0.4CoO(3-x) (LSC) compositions, which are being investigated as cathode materials for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells, were synthesized by a solution-combustion method using metal nitrates and glycine as fuel. Development of crystalline phases in the as-synthesized powders after heat treatments at various temperatures was monitored by x-ray diffraction. Perovskite phase in LSC formed more readily than in SSC. Single phase perovskites were obtained after heat treatment of the combustion synthesized LSC and SSC powders at 1000 and 1200 C, respectively. The as-synthesized powders had an average particle size of 12 nm as determined from x-ray line broadening analysis using the Scherrer equation. Average grain size of the powders increased with increase in calcination temperature. Morphological analysis of the powders calcined at various temperatures was done by scanning electron microscopy.

Effects of temperature and cellular interactions on the mechanics and morphology of human cancer cells investigated by atomic force microscopy.

PubMed

Li, Mi; Liu, LianQing; Xi, Ning; Wang, YueChao; Xiao, XiuBin; Zhang, WeiJing

2015-09-01

Cell mechanics plays an important role in cellular physiological activities. Recent studies have shown that cellular mechanical properties are novel biomarkers for indicating the cell states. In this article, temperature-controllable atomic force microscopy (AFM) was applied to quantitatively investigate the effects of temperature and cellular interactions on the mechanics and morphology of human cancer cells. First, AFM indenting experiments were performed on six types of human cells to investigate the changes of cellular Young's modulus at different temperatures and the results showed that the mechanical responses to the changes of temperature were variable for different types of cancer cells. Second, AFM imaging experiments were performed to observe the morphological changes in living cells at different temperatures and the results showed the significant changes of cell morphology caused by the alterations of temperature. Finally, by co-culturing human cancer cells with human immune cells, the mechanical and morphological changes in cancer cells were investigated. The results showed that the co-culture of cancer cells and immune cells could cause the distinct mechanical changes in cancer cells, but no significant morphological differences were observed. The experimental results improved our understanding of the effects of temperature and cellular interactions on the mechanics and morphology of cancer cells.

Temperature fluctuations during deep temperature cryopreservation reduce PBMC recovery, viability and T-cell function.

PubMed

Germann, Anja; Oh, Young-Joo; Schmidt, Tomm; Schön, Uwe; Zimmermann, Heiko; von Briesen, Hagen

2013-10-01

The ability to analyze cryopreserved peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) from biobanks for antigen-specific immunity is necessary to evaluate response to immune-based therapies. To ensure comparable assay results, collaborative research in multicenter trials needs reliable and reproducible cryopreservation that maintains cell viability and functionality. A standardized cryopreservation procedure is comprised of not only sample collection, preparation and freezing but also low temperature storage in liquid nitrogen without any temperature fluctuations, to avoid cell damage. Therefore, we have developed a storage approach to minimize suboptimal storage conditions in order to maximize cell viability, recovery and T-cell functionality. We compared the influence of repeated temperature fluctuations on cell health from sample storage, sample sorting and removal in comparison to sample storage without temperature rises. We found that cyclical temperature shifts during low temperature storage reduce cell viability, recovery and immune response against specific-antigens. We showed that samples handled under a protective hood system, to avoid or minimize such repeated temperature rises, have comparable cell viability and cell recovery rates to samples stored without any temperature fluctuations. Also T-cell functionality could be considerably increased with the use of the protective hood system compared to sample handling without such a protection system. This data suggests that the impact of temperature fluctuation on cell integrity should be carefully considered in future clinical vaccine trials and consideration should be given to optimal sample storage conditions. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Estrogen rescues masculinization of genetically female medaka by exposure to cortisol or high temperature.

PubMed

Kitano, Takeshi; Hayashi, Yuki; Shiraishi, Eri; Kamei, Yasuhiro

2012-10-01

Medaka (Oryzias latipes) is a teleost fish with an XX/XY sex determination system. Recently, it was reported that XX medaka can be sex-reversed into phenotypic males by exposure to high water temperature (HT) during gonadal sex differentiation, possibly by elevation of cortisol, the major glucocorticoid produced by the interrenal cells in teleosts. Yet, it remains unclear how the elevation of cortisol levels by HT causes female-to-male sex reversal. This paper reports that exposure to cortisol or HT after hatching inhibited both the proliferation of female-type germ cells and the expression of ovarian-type aromatase (cyp19a1), which encodes a steroidogenic enzyme responsible for the conversion of androgens to estrogens, and induced the expression of gonadal soma-derived growth factor (gsdf) in XX gonads during gonadal sex differentiation. In contrast, exposure to either cortisol or HT in combination with 17β-estradiol (E2) did not produce these effects. Moreover, E2 completely rescued cortisol- and HT-induced masculinization of XX medaka. These results strongly suggest that cortisol and HT cause female-to-male sex reversal in medaka by suppression of cyp19a1 expression, with a resultant inhibition of estrogen biosynthesis. This mechanism may be common among animals with temperature-dependent sex determination. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

TERRA Battery Thermal Control Anomaly - Simulation and Corrective Actions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grob, Eric W.

2010-01-01

The TERRA spacecraft was launched in December 1999 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, becoming the flagship of NASA's Earth Observing System program to gather data on how the planet's processes create climate. Originally planned as a 5 year mission, it still provides valuable science data after nearly 10 years on orbit. On October 13th, 2009 at 16:23z following a routine inclination maneuver, TERRA experienced a battery cell failure and a simultaneous failure of several battery heater control circuits used to maintain cell temperatures and gradients within the battery. With several cells nearing the minimum survival temperature, preventing the electrolyte from freezing was the first priority. After several reset attempts and power cycling of the control electronics failed to reestablish control authority on the primary side of the controller, it was switched to the redundant side, but anomalous performance again prevented full heater control of the battery cells. As the investigation into the cause of the anomaly and corrective action continued, a battery thermal model was developed to be used in determining the control ability remaining and to simulate and assess corrective actions. Although no thermal model or detailed reference data of the battery was available, sufficient information was found to allow a simplified model to be constructed, correlated against pre-anomaly telemetry, and used to simulate the thermal behavior at several points after the anomaly. It was then used to simulate subsequent corrective actions to assess their impact on cell temperatures. This paper describes the rapid development of this thermal model, including correlation to flight data before and after the anomaly., along with a comparative assessment of the analysis results used to interpret the telemetry to determine the extent of damage to the thermal control hardware, with near-term corrective actions and long-term operations plan to overcome the anomaly.

Chemical stability of molten 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene at high pressure

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

Dattelbaum, Dana M., E-mail: danadat@lanl.gov; Chellappa, Raja S.; Bowden, Patrick R.

2014-01-13

2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) is a molecular explosive that exhibits chemical stability in the molten phase at ambient pressure. A combination of visual, spectroscopic, and structural (x-ray diffraction) methods coupled to high pressure, resistively heated diamond anvil cells was used to determine the melt and decomposition boundaries to >15 GPa. The chemical stability of molten TNT was found to be limited, existing in a small domain of pressure-temperature conditions below 2 GPa. Decomposition dominates the phase diagram at high temperatures beyond 6 GPa. From the calculated bulk temperature rise, we conclude that it is unlikely that TNT melts on its principal Hugoniot.

High reliability and high performance of 9xx-nm single emitter laser diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bao, L.; Leisher, P.; Wang, J.; Devito, M.; Xu, D.; Grimshaw, M.; Dong, W.; Guan, X.; Zhang, S.; Bai, C.; Bai, J. G.; Wise, D.; Martinsen, R.

2011-03-01

Improved performance and reliability of 9xx nm single emitter laser diodes are presented. To date, over 15,000 hours of accelerated multi-cell lifetest reliability data has been collected, with drive currents from 14A to 18A and junction temperatures ranging from 60°C to 110°C. Out of 208 devices, 14 failures have been observed so far. Using established accelerated lifetest analysis techniques, the effects of temperature and power acceleration are assessed. The Mean Time to Failure (MTTF) is determined to be >30 years, for use condition 10W and junction temperature 353K (80°C), with 90% statistical confidence.

Large silver-cadmium technology program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Charlip, S.; Lerner, S.

1971-01-01

The effects of varying cell design on operation factors on the electrochemical performance of sealed, silver-cadmium cells were determined. A factorial experiment was conducted for all test cells constructed with organic separators. Three operating factors were evaluated: temperature, depth of discharge, and charge rate. The six construction factors considered were separator, absorber, electrolyte quantity, cadmium electrode type, cadmium-to-silver ratio, and auxiliary electrode. Test cells of 4 ampere-hour capacity were fabricated and cycled. The best performing cells, on a 94 minute orbit, at 40% depth of discharge, were those containing silver-treated fibrous sausage casings as the separator, and Teflon-ated, pressed cadmium electrodes. Cycling data of cells with inorganic separators (Astroset) are given. Best performance was shown by cells with nonwoven nylon absorbers. Rigid inorganic separators provided the best barrier to silver migration.

High-temperature-measuring device

DOEpatents

Not Available

1981-01-27

A temperature measuring device for very high design temperatures (to 2000/sup 0/C) is described. The device comprises a homogenous base structure preferably in the form of a sphere or cylinder. The base structure contains a large number of individual walled cells. The base structure has a decreasing coefficient of elasticity within the temperature range being monitored. A predetermined quantity of inert gas is confined within each cell. The cells are dimensonally stable at the normal working temperature of the device. Increases in gaseous pressure within the cells will permanently deform the cell walls at temperatures within the high temperature range to be measured. Such deformation can be correlated to temperature by calibrating similarly constructed devices under known time and temperature conditions.

High temperature measuring device

DOEpatents

Tokarz, Richard D.

1983-01-01

A temperature measuring device for very high design temperatures (to 2,000.degree. C.). The device comprises a homogenous base structure preferably in the form of a sphere or cylinder. The base structure contains a large number of individual walled cells. The base structure has a decreasing coefficient of elasticity within the temperature range being monitored. A predetermined quantity of inert gas is confined within each cell. The cells are dimensionally stable at the normal working temperature of the device. Increases in gaseous pressure within the cells will permanently deform the cell walls at temperatures within the high temperature range to be measured. Such deformation can be correlated to temperature by calibrating similarly constructed devices under known time and temperature conditions.

A gold nanocluster-based fluorescent probe for simultaneous pH and temperature sensing and its application to cellular imaging and logic gates.

PubMed

Wu, Yun-Tse; Shanmugam, Chandirasekar; Tseng, Wei-Bin; Hiseh, Ming-Mu; Tseng, Wei-Lung

2016-06-07

Metal nanocluster-based nanomaterials for the simultaneous determination of temperature and pH variations in micro-environments are still a challenge. In this study, we develop a dual-emission fluorescent probe consisting of bovine serum albumin-stabilized gold nanoclusters (BSA-AuNCs) and fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate (FITC) as temperature- and pH-responsive fluorescence signals. Under single wavelength excitation the FITC/BSA-AuNCs exhibited well-separated dual emission bands at 525 and 670 nm. When FITC was used as a reference fluorophore, FITC/BSA-AuNCs showed a good linear response over the temperature range 1-71 °C and offered temperature-independent spectral shifts, temperature accuracy, activation energy, and reusability. The possible mechanism for high temperature-induced fluorescence quenching of FITC/BSA-AuNCs could be attributed to a weakening of the Au-S bond, thereby lowering the charge transfer from BSA to AuNCs. Additionally, the pH- and temperature-responsive properties of FITC/BSA-AuNCs allow simultaneous temperature sensing from 21 to 41 °C (at intervals of 5 °C) and pH from 6.0 to 8.0 (at intervals of 0.5 pH unit), facilitating the construction of two-input AND logic gates. Three-input AND logic gates were also designed using temperature, pH, and trypsin as inputs. The practicality of using FITC/BSA-AuNCs to determine the temperature and pH changes in HeLa cells is also validated.

Recent progress in cell-free solubilization of coal

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

Cohen, M.S.; Aronson, H.; Feldman, K.

1988-01-01

Low rank coal has been solubilized using cell-free filtrates separated from cultures of Polyporus versicolor. Solubilization has been obtained with neat filtrates and with fractions collected from the neat filtrates after gel permeation chromatography. The coal solubilizing enzymes have been collected in enriched fractions with gpc. This increased relative purity has allowed the determination of the average molecular weight of this enzyme by gel permeation chromatography and by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Rates of coal solubilization are dependent on the size of coal particles, mass of coal, temperature, pH, concentration of the cell-free filtrate, and the concentration of several inorganic ions.

A noise model for the evaluation of defect states in solar cells

PubMed Central

Landi, G.; Barone, C.; Mauro, C.; Neitzert, H. C.; Pagano, S.

2016-01-01

A theoretical model, combining trapping/detrapping and recombination mechanisms, is formulated to explain the origin of random current fluctuations in silicon-based solar cells. In this framework, the comparison between dark and photo-induced noise allows the determination of important electronic parameters of the defect states. A detailed analysis of the electric noise, at different temperatures and for different illumination levels, is reported for crystalline silicon-based solar cells, in the pristine form and after artificial degradation with high energy protons. The evolution of the dominating defect properties is studied through noise spectroscopy. PMID:27412097

A cell transportation solution that preserves live circulating tumor cells in patient blood samples.

PubMed

Stefansson, Steingrimur; Adams, Daniel L; Ershler, William B; Le, Huyen; Ho, David H

2016-05-06

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are typically collected into CellSave fixative tubes, which kills the cells, but preserves their morphology. Currently, the clinical utility of CTCs is mostly limited to their enumeration. More detailed investigation of CTC biology can be performed on live cells, but obtaining live CTCs is technically challenging, requiring blood collection into biocompatible solutions and rapid isolation which limits transportation options. To overcome the instability of CTCs, we formulated a sugar based cell transportation solution (SBTS) that stabilizes cell viability at ambient temperature. In this study we examined the long term viability of human cancer cell lines, primary cells and CTCs in human blood samples in the SBTS for transportation purposes. Four cell lines, 5 primary human cells and purified human PBMCs were tested to determine the viability of cells stored in the transportation solution at ambient temperature for up to 7 days. We then demonstrated viability of MCF-7 cells spiked into normal blood with SBTS and stored for up to 7 days. A pilot study was then run on blood samples from 3 patients with metastatic malignancies stored with or without SBTS for 6 days. CTCs were then purified by Ficoll separation/microfilter isolation and identified using CTC markers. Cell viability was assessed using trypan blue or CellTracker™ live cell stain. Our results suggest that primary/immortalized cell lines stored in SBTS remain ~90% viable for > 72 h. Further, MCF-7 cells spiked into whole blood remain viable when stored with SBTS for up to 7 days. Finally, live CTCs were isolated from cancer patient blood samples kept in SBTS at ambient temperature for 6 days. No CTCs were isolated from blood samples stored without SBTS. In this proof of principle pilot study we show that viability of cell lines is preserved for days using SBTS. Further, this solution can be used to store patient derived blood samples for eventual isolation of viable CTCs after days of storage. Therefore, we suggest an effective and economical transportation of cancer patient blood samples containing live CTCs can be achieved.

Determination of the lowest concentrations of aldehyde fixatives for completely fixing various cellular structures by real-time imaging and quantification.

PubMed

Zeng, Fangfa; Yang, Wen; Huang, Jie; Chen, Yuan; Chen, Yong

2013-05-01

The effectiveness of fixatives for fixing biological specimens has long been widely investigated. However, the lowest concentrations of fixatives needed to completely fix whole cells or various cellular structures remain unclear. Using real-time imaging and quantification, we determined the lowest concentrations of glutaraldehyde (0.001-0.005, ~0.005, 0.01-005, 0.01-005, and 0.01-0.1 %) and formaldehyde/paraformaldehyde (0.01-0.05, ~0.05, 0.5-1, 1-1.5, and 0.5-1 %) required to completely fix focal adhesions, cell-surface particles, stress fibers, the cell cortex, and the inner structures of human umbilical vein endothelial cells within 20 min. With prolonged fixation times (>20 min), the concentration of fixative required to completely fix these structures will shift to even lower values. These data may help us understand and optimize fixation protocols and understand the potential effects of the small quantities of endogenously generated aldehydes in human cells. We also determined the lowest concentration of glutaraldehyde (0.5 %) and formaldehyde/paraformaldehyde (2 %) required to induce cell blebbing. We found that the average number and size of the fixation-induced blebs per cell were dependent on both fixative concentration and cell spread area, but were independent of temperature. These data provide important information for understanding cell blebbing, and may help optimize the vesiculation-based technique used to isolate plasma membrane by suggesting ways of controlling the number or size of fixation-induced cell blebs.

A fast solution switching system with temperature control for single cell measurements

PubMed Central

Koh, Duk-Su; Chen, Liangyi; Ufret-Vincenty, Carmen A.; Jung, Seung-Ryoung

2011-01-01

This article describes a perfusion system for biophysical single cell experiments at the physiological temperature. Our system regulates temperature of test solutions using a small heat exchanger that includes several capillaries. Water circulating inside the heat exchanger warms or cools test solutions flowing inside the capillaries. Temperature-controlled solutions are delivered directly to a single cell(s) through a multibarreled manifold that switches solutions bathing a cell in less than 1 s. This solution exchange is optimal for patch clamp, single-cell microamperometry, and microfluorometry experiments. Using this system, we demonstrate that exocytosis from pancreatic β cells and activation of TRPV1 channels are temperature sensitive. We also discuss how to measure local temperature near a single cell under investigation. PMID:21536068

Progress of the Mars Array Technology Experiment (MATE) on the '01 Lander

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scheiman, D. A.; Baraona, C. R.; Jenkins, P.; Wilt, D.; Krasowski, M.; Greer, L.; Lekki, J.; Spina, D.

1999-01-01

Future missions to Mars will rely heavily on solar power from the sun, various solar cell types and structures must be evaluated to find the optimum. Sunlight on the surface of Mars is altered by air-borne dust that fluctuates in density from day to day. The dust affects both the intensity and spectral content of the sunlight. The MATE flight experiment was designed for this purpose and will fly on the Mars 2001 Surveyor Lander as part of the Mars In-Situ Propellant Production Precursor (MIP) package. MATE will measure the performance of several solar cell technologies and characterize the Martian environment in terms of solar power. This will be done by measuring full IV curves on solar cells, direct and global insolation, temperature, and spectral content. The Lander is is scheduled to launch in April 2001 and arrive on Mars in January of 2002. The site location has not been identified but will be near the equator and last from 100 to 300 days. The intent of this of this paper is to describe and update the progress on MATE. MATE has four main objectives for its mission to Mars. First is to measure the performance of solar cells daily on the surface of Mars, this will determine the day to day fluctuations in sunlight and temperature and provide a nominal power output. Second, in addition to measuring solar cell performance, it will allow for an intercomparison of different solar cell technologies. Third, It will study the long term effects of dust on the solar cells. Fourth and last, it will characterize the mars environment as viewed by the solar cell, measuring spectrum, insolation, and temperature. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Predicting Young’s Modulus of Glass/Ceramic Sealant for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Considering the Combined Effects of Aging, Micro-Voids and Self-Healing

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

Liu, Wenning N.; Sun, Xin; Khaleel, Mohammad A.

We study the temperature dependent Young’s modulus for the glass/ceramic seal material used in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs). With longer heat treatment or aging time during operation, further devitrification may reduce the residual glass content in the seal material while boosting the ceramic crystalline content. In the meantime, micro-voids induced by the cooling process from the high operating temperature to room temperature can potentially degrade the mechanical properties of the glass/ceramic sealant. Upon reheating to the SOFC operating temperature, possible self-healing phenomenon may occur in the glass/ceramic sealant which can potentially restore some of its mechanical properties. A phenomenologicalmore » model is developed to model the temperature dependent Young’s modulus of glass/ceramic seal considering the combined effects of aging, micro-voids, and possible self-healing. An aging-time-dependent crystalline content model is first developed to describe the increase of the crystalline content due to the continuing devitrification under high operating temperature. A continuum damage mechanics (CDM) model is then adapted to model the effects of both cooling induced micro-voids and reheating induced self-healing. This model is applied to model the glass-ceramic G18, a candidate SOFC seal material previously developed at PNNL. Experimentally determined temperature dependent Young’s modulus is used to validate the model predictions« less

Temperature, inocula and substrate: Contrasting electroactive consortia, diversity and performance in microbial fuel cells.

PubMed

Heidrich, E S; Dolfing, J; Wade, M J; Sloan, W T; Quince, C; Curtis, T P

2018-02-01

The factors that affect microbial community assembly and its effects on the performance of bioelectrochemical systems are poorly understood. Sixteen microbial fuel cell (MFC) reactors were set up to test the importance of inoculum, temperature and substrate: Arctic soil versus wastewater as inoculum; warm (26.5°C) versus cold (7.5°C) temperature; and acetate versus wastewater as substrate. Substrate was the dominant factor in determining performance and diversity: unexpectedly the simple electrogenic substrate delivered a higher diversity than a complex wastewater. Furthermore, in acetate fed reactors, diversity did not correlate with performance, yet in wastewater fed ones it did, with greater diversity sustaining higher power densities and coulombic efficiencies. Temperature had only a minor effect on power density, (Q 10 : 2 and 1.2 for acetate and wastewater respectively): this is surprising given the well-known temperature sensitivity of anaerobic bioreactors. Reactors were able to operate at low temperature with real wastewater without the need for specialised inocula; it is speculated that MFC biofilms may have a self-heating effect. Importantly, the warm acetate fed reactors in this study did not act as direct model for cold wastewater fed systems. Application of this technology will encompass use of real wastewater at ambient temperatures. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Soil and Vegetation Project. A Detailed Study of Five Overburden Cores and Six Disposal Areas Along the Divide Section Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-06-17

a c . 9.. a. 0 GIOV 0’ 0" u4 1% 1’ 0 𔃺 01 0% 01 0" -A < a) 0 C6 CN 0 t 0 -4 C, 1 ol El4 c4- 0 (n 1 0 en 01 (14 0 Q *- ou x --- -14 La.) C)X V) z...clearly related to the initial concentration of viable cells in the inoculant. Determinations of the ability of viable Rhizobia to infect and nodulate...temperatures after 28 days storage have been planted. The extent of nodule formation will be determined. 354 ._ _ ~ Figuire 1. Viable Rhizobia cells

Particle Size/ Grain Size Correlation and Mechanical Properties of Spark Plasma Sintered 8Y-ZrO2, MgAl2O4, and Al2O3 Based Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karandikar, Keyur Kashinath

Solution-processed nanomaterials such as lead sulfide (PbS) colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) combine various manufacturing benefits and facile spectral tunability. However, the low mobility of CQD films limits its power conversion efficiency in photovoltaic cells. Here, I employ a novel femtosecond transient absorption (fs-TA) technique to determine the mobility of PbS CQD films that have undergone state of the art surface treatments. A significant mobility increase from 3 x 10-2 to 5 x 10 -1 cm2 V-1 s-1 was determined for iodide passivated and novel perovskite-shelled PbS CQDs, respectively. I performed, for the first time, temperature-dependent ultrafast carrier dynamics in perovskite-shelled CQDs using fs-TA, and determined an activation energy of 14 meV required for carrier hopping. Complementary studies that used time-of-flight measurements to determine the mobility in solar cell configuration corroborated the fs-TA method. Taken together, these results indicate a promising avenue toward improved CQD solar cells.

Some tests of flat plate photovoltaic module cell temperatures in simulated field conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griffith, J. S.; Rathod, M. S.; Paslaski, J.

1981-01-01

The nominal operating cell temperature (NOCT) of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules is an important characteristic. Typically, the power output of a PV module decreases 0.5% per deg C rise in cell temperature. Several tests were run with artificial sun and wind to study the parametric dependencies of cell temperature on wind speed and direction and ambient temperature. It was found that the cell temperature is extremely sensitive to wind speed, moderately so to wind direction and rather insensitive to ambient temperature. Several suggestions are made to obtain data more typical of field conditions.

Special Test Methods for Batteries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gross, S.

1984-01-01

Various methods are described for measuring heat generation in primary and secondary batteries as well as the specific heat of batteries and cell thermal conductance. Problems associated with determining heat generation in large batteries are examined. Special attention is given to monitoring temperature gradients in nickel cadmium cells, the use of auxiliary electrodes for conducting tests on battery charge control, evaluating the linear sweep of current from charge to discharge, and determining zero current voltage. The fast transient behavior of batteries in the microsecond range, and the electrical conductance of nickel sinters in the thickness direction are also considered. Mechanical problems experienced in the vibration of Ni-Cd batteries and tests to simulate cyclic fatigue of the steel table connecting the plates to the comb are considered. Methods of defining the distribution of forces when cells are compressed during battery packaging are also explored.

Special test methods for batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gross, S.

1984-09-01

Various methods are described for measuring heat generation in primary and secondary batteries as well as the specific heat of batteries and cell thermal conductance. Problems associated with determining heat generation in large batteries are examined. Special attention is given to monitoring temperature gradients in nickel cadmium cells, the use of auxiliary electrodes for conducting tests on battery charge control, evaluating the linear sweep of current from charge to discharge, and determining zero current voltage. The fast transient behavior of batteries in the microsecond range, and the electrical conductance of nickel sinters in the thickness direction are also considered. Mechanical problems experienced in the vibration of Ni-Cd batteries and tests to simulate cyclic fatigue of the steel table connecting the plates to the comb are considered. Methods of defining the distribution of forces when cells are compressed during battery packaging are also explored.

Communication: phase transitions, criticality, and three-phase coexistence in constrained cell models.

PubMed

Nayhouse, Michael; Kwon, Joseph Sang-Il; Orkoulas, G

2012-05-28

In simulation studies of fluid-solid transitions, the solid phase is usually modeled as a constrained system in which each particle is confined to move in a single Wigner-Seitz cell. The constrained cell model has been used in the determination of fluid-solid coexistence via thermodynamic integration and other techniques. In the present work, the phase diagram of such a constrained system of Lennard-Jones particles is determined from constant-pressure simulations. The pressure-density isotherms exhibit inflection points which are interpreted as the mechanical stability limit of the solid phase. The phase diagram of the constrained system contains a critical and a triple point. The temperature and pressure at the critical and the triple point are both higher than those of the unconstrained system due to the reduction in the entropy caused by the single occupancy constraint.

High resolution laser-based detection of ammonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giubileo, G.; Puiu, A.; Dell'Unto, F.; Tomasi, M.; Fagnani, A.

2009-02-01

In the present paper we compare the response of two types of photoacoustic cells (resonant and nonresonant) to determine the amount of ammonia volatilized from biological liquid samples at constant temperature, pressure and pH. The home made detector was a photoacoustic spectroscopy apparatus developed by Molecular Spectroscopy Laboratory staff at ENEA Frascati Research Centre in Italy. The sensor makes use of photo-acoustic cells equipped with commercially available high sensitivity miniaturized microphones. The radiation source was a line-tunable stabilized 10 W CW CO2 laser. Ammonia measurements were performed by tuning the laser source on the 9R30 laser line (9.2197 µm radiation wavelength). Ammonium chloride standard solutions were prepared by us in laboratory, to serve as reproducible ideal samples. The photoacoustic response of the two type of photoacoustic cells was determined and compared. The feasibility study was reported.

Silicon Materials Task of the Low Cost Solar Array Project, Phase 3. Effect of Impurities and Processing on Silicon Solar Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hopkins, R. H.; Davis, J. R.; Blais, P. D.; Rohatgi, A.; Campbell, R. B.; Rai-Choudhury, P.; Stapleton, R. E.; Mollenkopf, H. C.; Mccormick, J. R.

1979-01-01

The effects of impurities, various thermochemical processes, and any impurity process interactions on the performance of terrestrial silicon solar cells are defined. Determinations of the segregation coefficients of tungsten, tantalum, and cobalt for the Czochralski pulling of silicon single crystals are reported. Sensitive neutron activation analysis was used to determine the metal impurity content of the silicon while atomic absorption was used to measure the metal content of the residual liquid from which the doped crystals were grown. Gettering of Ti doped silicon wafers improved cell performance by one to two percent for the highest temperatures and longest times. The HCl is more effective than POCl3 treatments for deactivating Ti but POCl3 and HCl produced essentially identical results for Mo or Fe.

Local uniqueness solution of illuminated solar cell intrinsic electrical parameters.

PubMed

Jarray, Abdennaceur; Abdelkrim, Mahdi; Bouchiba, Mohamed; Boukricha, Abderrahman

2014-01-01

Starting from an electrical dissipative illuminated one-diode solar cell with a given model data at room temperature (I sc , V oc , R s0 , R sh0 , I max ); we present under physical considerations a specific mathematical method (using the Lambert function) for unique determination of the intrinsic electrical parameters (n, I s , I ph , R s , R sh ). This work proves that for a given arbitrary fixed shunt resistance R sh , the saturation current I S and the ideality factor n are uniquely determined as a function of the photocurrent I ph , and the series resistance R s . The correspondence under the cited physical considerations: R s does not exceed ]0, 20[Ω and n is between ]0, 3[ and I ph and I s are arbitrary positive [Formula: see text] , is biunivocal. This study concludes that for both considered solar cells, the five intrinsic electrical parameters that were determined numerically are unique.

Flash melting of tantalum in a diamond cell to 85 GPa

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

Karandikar, Amol; Boehler, Reinhard

2016-02-09

Here, we demonstrate a new level of precision in measuring melting temperatures at high pressure using laser flash-heating followed by Scanning Electron Microscopy and Focused Ion Beam Milling. Furthermore, the new measurements on tantalum put unprecedented constraints on its highly debated melting slope, calling for a reevaluation of theoretical, shock compression and diamond cell approaches to determine melting at high pressure. X-ray analysis of the recovered samples confirmed the absence of chemical reactions, which likely played a significant role in previous experiments.

Extended Temperature Solar Cell Technology Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landis, Geoffrey A.; Jenkins, Phillip; Scheiman, David; Rafaelle, Ryne

2004-01-01

Future NASA missions will require solar cells to operate both in regimes closer to the sun, and farther from the sun, where the operating temperatures will be higher and lower than standard operational conditions. NASA Glenn is engaged in testing solar cells under extended temperature ranges, developing theoretical models of cell operation as a function of temperature, and in developing technology for improving the performance of solar cells for both high and low temperature operation.

Structural and magnetic phase transitions in gadolinium under high pressures and low temperatures

DOE PAGES

Samudrala, Gopi K.; Tsoi, Georgiy M.; Weir, Samuel T.; ...

2014-11-07

High pressure structural transition studies have been carried out on rare earth metal gadolinium in a diamond anvil cell at room temperature to 169 GPa. Gadolinium has been compressed to 38% of its initial volume at this pressure. With increasing pressure, a crystal structure sequence of hcp → Smtype→ dhcp → fcc → dfcc → monoclinic has been observed in our studies on gadolinium. The measured equation of state of gadolinium is presented to 169 GPa at ambient temperature. Magnetic ordering temperature of gadolinium has been studied using designer diamond anvils to a pressure of 25 GP and a temperaturemore » of 10 K. The magnetic ordering temperature has been determined from the four-point electrical resistivity measurements carried out on gadolinium. Furthermore, our experiments show that the magnetic transition temperature decreases with increasing pressure to 19 GPa and then increases when gadolinium is subjected to higher pressures.« less

Structural and magnetic phase transitions in gadolinium under high pressures and low temperatures

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

Samudrala, Gopi K.; Tsoi, Georgiy M.; Weir, Samuel T.

High pressure structural transition studies have been carried out on rare earth metal gadolinium in a diamond anvil cell at room temperature to 169 GPa. Gadolinium has been compressed to 38% of its initial volume at this pressure. With increasing pressure, a crystal structure sequence of hcp → Smtype→ dhcp → fcc → dfcc → monoclinic has been observed in our studies on gadolinium. The measured equation of state of gadolinium is presented to 169 GPa at ambient temperature. Magnetic ordering temperature of gadolinium has been studied using designer diamond anvils to a pressure of 25 GP and a temperaturemore » of 10 K. The magnetic ordering temperature has been determined from the four-point electrical resistivity measurements carried out on gadolinium. Furthermore, our experiments show that the magnetic transition temperature decreases with increasing pressure to 19 GPa and then increases when gadolinium is subjected to higher pressures.« less

Exploring the Limits of Cell Adhesion under Shear Stress within Physiological Conditions and beyond on a Chip.

PubMed

Stamp, Melanie E M; Jötten, Anna M; Kudella, Patrick W; Breyer, Dominik; Strobl, Florian G; Geislinger, Thomas M; Wixforth, Achim; Westerhausen, Christoph

2016-10-21

Cell adhesion processes are of ubiquitous importance for biomedical applications such as optimization of implant materials. Here, not only physiological conditions such as temperature or pH, but also topographical structures play crucial roles, as inflammatory reactions after surgery can diminish osseointegration. In this study, we systematically investigate cell adhesion under static, dynamic and physiologically relevant conditions employing a lab-on-a-chip system. We screen adhesion of the bone osteosarcoma cell line SaOs-2 on a titanium implant material for pH and temperature values in the physiological range and beyond, to explore the limits of cell adhesion, e.g., for feverish and acidic conditions. A detailed study of different surface roughness R q gives insight into the correlation between the cells' abilities to adhere and withstand shear flow and the topography of the substrates, finding a local optimum at R q = 22 nm. We use shear stress induced by acoustic streaming to determine a measure for the ability of cell adhesion under an external force for various conditions. We find an optimum of cell adhesion for T = 37 °C and pH = 7.4 with decreasing cell adhesion outside the physiological range, especially for high T and low pH. We find constant detachment rates in the physiological regime, but this behavior tends to collapse at the limits of 41 °C and pH 4.

Differences in Physical and Biochemical Properties of Thermus scotoductus SA-01 Cultured with Dielectric or Convection Heating.

PubMed

Cockrell, Allison L; Fitzgerald, Lisa A; Cusick, Kathleen D; Barlow, Daniel E; Tsoi, Stanislav D; Soto, Carissa M; Baldwin, Jeffrey W; Dale, Jason R; Morris, Robert E; Little, Brenda J; Biffinger, Justin C

2015-09-01

A thermophile, Thermus scotoductus SA-01, was cultured within a constant-temperature (65°C) microwave (MW) digester to determine if MW-specific effects influenced the growth and physiology of the organism. As a control, T. scotoductus cells were also cultured using convection heating at the same temperature as the MW studies. Cell growth was analyzed by optical density (OD) measurements, and cell morphologies were characterized using electron microscopy imaging (scanning electron microscopy [SEM] and transmission electron microscopy [TEM]), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Biophysical properties (i.e., turgor pressure) were also calculated with AFM, and biochemical compositions (i.e., proteins, nucleic acids, fatty acids) were analyzed by attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to analyze the fatty acid methyl esters extracted from cell membranes. Here we report successful cultivation of a thermophile with only dielectric heating. Under the MW conditions for growth, cell walls remained intact and there were no indications of membrane damage or cell leakage. Results from these studies also demonstrated that T. scotoductus cells grown with MW heating exhibited accelerated growth rates in addition to altered cell morphologies and biochemical compositions compared with oven-grown cells. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

In Vitro Impact of Conditioned Medium From Demineralized Freeze-Dried Bone on Human Umbilical Endothelial Cells.

PubMed

Harnik, Branko; Miron, Richard J; Buser, Daniel; Gruber, Reinhard

2017-03-01

Angiogenesis is essential for the consolidation of bone allografts. The underlying molecular mechanism, however, remains unclear. Soluble factors released from demineralized freeze-dried bone target mesenchymal cells; however, their effect on endothelial cells has not been investigated so far. The aim of the present study was therefore to examine the effect of conditioned medium from demineralized freeze-dried bone on human umbilical endothelial cells in vitro. Conditioned medium was first prepared from demineralized freeze-dried bone following 24 hours incubation at room temperature to produce demineralized bone conditioned media. Thereafter, conditioned medium was used to stimulate human umbilical vein endothelial cells in vitro by determining the cell response based on viability, proliferation, expression of apoptotic genes, a Boyden chamber to determine cell migration, and the formation of branches. The authors report here that conditioned medium decreased viability and proliferation of endothelial cells. Neither of the apoptotic marker genes was significantly altered when endothelial cells were exposed to conditioned medium. The Boyden chamber revealed that endothelial cells migrate toward conditioned medium. Moreover, conditioned medium moderately stimulated the formation of branches. These findings support the concept that conditioned medium from demineralized freeze-dried bone targets endothelial cells by decreasing their proliferation and enhancing their motility under these in vitro conditions.

Coulometric thermometric titration of halides in molten calcium nitrate tetrahydrate.

PubMed

Zsigrai, I J; Bartusz, D B

1983-01-01

A method for coulometric thermometric precipitation titrations of chloride, bromide and iodide in molten calcium nitrate tetrahydrate at 55 degrees with coulometrically generated silver ions has been developed. The change in temperature during the titration is followed with the aid of a thermistor bridge coupled to a recorder. To minimize the temperature effect of the passage of current through the melt, two thermistors are connected in opposition in the bridge, with one in the anodic and the other in the cathodic cell compartment. Amounts of 62-80 mumole of halide have been determined with relative error below 0.4% and relative standard deviation less than 2.7%. The relative error in determination of 40 mumole of iodide was + 2%.

Catalytic autothermal reforming increases fuel cell flexibility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flytzani-Stephanopoulos, M.; Voecks, G. E.

1981-01-01

Experimental results are presented for the autothermal reforming (ATR) of n-hexane, n-tetradecane, benzene and benzene solutions of naphthalene. The tests were run at atmospheric pressure and at moderately high reactant preheat temperatures in the 800-900 K range. Carbon formation lines were determined for paraffinic and aromatic liquids. Profiles were determined for axial bed temperature and composition. Space velocity efforts were assessed, and the locations and types of carbon were recorded. Significant reactive differences between hydrocarbons were identified. Carbon formation characteristics were hydrocarbon specific. The differing behavior of paraffinic and aromatic fuels with respect to their carbon formation may be important in explaining the narrow range of carbon-free operating conditions found in the ATR of number two fuel oil.

Temperature dependence of protein solubility-determination, application to crystallization, and growth kinetics studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenberger, Franz

1993-01-01

A scintillation method was developed for determinations of the temperature dependence of the solubility, and of nucleation induction times of proteins, in 50-100 mu(l) volumes of solution. Solubility data for lysozyme and horse serum albumin were obtained for various combinations of pH and precipitant concentrations. These data and the nucleation induction information were used for dynamic crystallization control, that is, for the controlled separation of nucleation and growth stages. Individual lysozyme and horse serum albumin crystals were grown in 15-20 mu(l) solution volumes contained in x-ray capillaries. The morphology and kinetics of the growth and dissolution of lysozyme in aqueous solutions with 2.5 percent NaCl and at pH = 4.5 was studied in situ with a depth resolution of 300 A (4 unit cells) by high resolution optical microscopy and digital image processing. The bulk super- or under saturation, sigma, of the solution inside a closed growth cell was controlled by temperature. The growth habit was bound by (110) and (101) faces that grew through layer spreading, although with different growth rate dependencies on supersaturation/temperature. At sigma less than 10 (obtained at higher temperatures) growth was purely kinetic ally controlled, with impurity effects (macrostep formation and kinetic hindrance) becoming significant for sigma less than 2. At sigma greater than 10 (lower temperatures), anisotropies in the interfacial kinetics were more pronounced, with interfacial kinetics and bulk transport becoming equally important to the growth morphology. Growth rates were growth history dependent. The formation of striations (layers of irregularly incorporated solution) was unambiguously correlated with growth temperature variations. Etching exposed dislocations and various high-index faces whose growth morphologies were studied during return to the steady state growth form. Growth steps were observed to originate from two-dimensional nuclei or from outcrops of growth striations, and from dislocations that preferentially formed in growth sector boundaries.

Polyamides based on the renewable monomer, 1,13-tridecane diamine II: Synthesis and characterization of nylon 13,6

DOE PAGES

Samanta, Satyabrata; He, Jie; Selvakumar, Sermadurai; ...

2012-12-19

The nylon 13,6 was successfully synthesized and its chemical composition, thermal properties, crystal structure, and moisture absorption characterized. Melting temperature and glass transition temperature were determined to be 206 °C and 60 °C, respectively, while the equilibrium melting temperature was determined to be 248 °C. Characterization of the crystallization kinetics showed that nylon 13,6 exhibits very fast crystallization compared to the industrially important nylons, nylon 6 and nylon 6,6. Additionally, the moisture absorption of nylon 13,6 was dramatically lower than nylon 6 and nylon 6,6 which is consistent with the much lower amide content of nylon 13,6. The crystal structuremore » was determined to be different from the expected γ-form, which possess a pseudohexagonal unit cell. Instead, the x-ray scattering pattern was more similar to the α-form. Furthermore, a similar result has been obtained for other odd–even nylons including nylon 5,6, nylon 5,10, nylon 9,2, nylon 11,10, and nylon 11,12.« less

Cold stability of microtubules in wood-forming tissues of conifers during seasons of active and dormant cambium.

PubMed

Begum, Shahanara; Shibagaki, Masaki; Furusawa, Osamu; Nakaba, Satoshi; Yamagishi, Yusuke; Yoshimoto, Joto; Jin, Hyun-O; Sano, Yuzou; Funada, Ryo

2012-01-01

The cold stability of microtubules during seasons of active and dormant cambium was analyzed in the conifers Abies firma, Abies sachalinensis and Larix leptolepis by immunofluorescence microscopy. Samples were fixed at room temperature and at a low temperature of 2-3°C to examine the effects of low temperature on the stability of microtubules. Microtubules were visible in cambium, xylem cells and phloem cells after fixation at room temperature during seasons of active and dormant cambium. By contrast, fixation at low temperature depolymerized microtubules in cambial cells, differentiating tracheids, differentiating xylem ray parenchyma and phloem ray parenchyma cells during the active season. However, similar fixation did not depolymerize microtubules during cambial dormancy in winter. Our results indicate that the stability of microtubules in cambial cells and cambial derivatives at low temperature differs between seasons of active and dormant cambium. Moreover, the change in the stability of microtubules that we observed at low temperature might be closely related to seasonal changes in the cold tolerance of conifers. In addition, low-temperature fixation depolymerized microtubules in cambial cells and differentiating cells that had thin primary cell walls, while such low-temperature fixation did not depolymerize microtubules in differentiating secondary xylem ray parenchyma cells and tracheids that had thick secondary cell walls. The stability of microtubules at low temperature appears to depend on the structure of the cell wall, namely, primary or secondary. Therefore, we propose that the secondary cell wall might be responsible for the cold stability of microtubules in differentiating secondary xylem cells of conifers.

Listeria monocytogenes grown at 7° C shows reduced acid survival and an altered transcriptional response to acid shock compared to L. monocytogenes grown at 37° C.

PubMed

Ivy, R A; Wiedmann, M; Boor, K J

2012-06-01

Survival of the food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes in acidic environments (e.g., in the human stomach) is vital to its transmission. Refrigerated, ready-to-eat foods have been sources of listeriosis outbreaks. The purpose of this study was to determine whether growth at a low temperature (i.e., 7°C) affects L. monocytogenes survival or gene transcription after exposure to a simulated gastric environment (i.e., acid shock at 37°C). L. monocytogenes cells grown at 7°C were less resistant to artificial gastric fluid (AGF) or acidified brain heart infusion broth (ABHI) than bacteria grown at higher temperatures (i.e., 30°C or 37°C). For L. monocytogenes grown at 7°C, stationary-phase cells were more resistant to ABHI than log-phase cells, indicating that both temperature and growth phase affect acid survival. Microarray transcriptomic analysis revealed that the number and functional categories of genes differentially expressed after acid shock differed according to both growth temperature and growth phase. The acid response of L. monocytogenes grown to log phase at 37°C involved stress-related transcriptional regulators (i.e., σ(B), σ(H), CtsR, and HrcA), some of which have been implicated in adaptation to the intracellular environment. In contrast, for bacteria grown at 7°C to stationary phase, acid exposure did not result in differential expression of the stress regulons examined. However, two large operons encoding bacteriophage-like proteins were induced, suggesting lysogenic prophage induction. The adaptive transcriptional response observed in 37°C-grown cells was largely absent in 7°C-grown cells, suggesting that temperatures commonly encountered during food storage and distribution affect the ability of L. monocytogenes to survive gastric passage and ultimately cause disease.

Identification and root cause analysis of cell culture media precipitates in the viral deactivation treatment with high-temperature/short-time method.

PubMed

Cao, Xiaolin; Stimpfl, Gregory; Wen, Zai-Qing; Frank, Gregory; Hunter, Glenn

2013-01-01

High-temperature/short-time (HTST) treatment of cell culture media is one of the proven techniques used in the biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry for the prevention and mitigation of media viral contamination. With the HTST method, the formulated media is pasteurized (virus-deactivated) by heating and pumping the media continuously through the preset high-temperature holding tubes to achieve a specified period of time at a specific temperature. Recently, during the evaluation and implementation of HTST method in multiple Amgen, Inc. manufacturing facilities, media precipitates were observed in the tests of HTST treatments. The media precipitates may have adverse consequences such as clogging the HTST system, altering operating conditions and compromising the efficacy of viral deactivation, and ultimately affecting the media composition and cell growth. In this study, we report the identification of the composition of media precipitates from multiple media HTST runs using combined microspectroscopic methods including Raman, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The major composition in the precipitates was determined to be metal phosphates, including calcium phosphate, magnesium phosphate, and iron (III) phosphate. Based on the composition, stoichiometry, and root-cause study of media precipitations, methods were implemented for the mitigation and prevention of the occurrence of the media precipitation. Viral contamination in cell culture media is an important issue in the biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry and may have serious consequences on product quality, efficacy, and safety. High-temperature/short-time (HTST) treatment of cell culture media is one of the proven techniques used in the industry for the prevention and mitigation of media viral contamination. With the HTST method, the formulated media is pasteurized (virus-deactivated) by heating at preset conditions. This paper provides the identification and root-cause study of the media precipitates that adversely affected the HTST process and discusses the possible solutions to mitigate the precipitation problem.

Development and characterization of two new cell lines from milkfish (Chanos chanos) and grouper (Epinephelus coioides) for virus isolation.

PubMed

Parameswaran, V; Ishaq Ahmed, V P; Shukla, Ravi; Bhonde, R R; Sahul Hameed, A S

2007-01-01

Two new cell lines, SIMH and SIGE, were derived from the heart of milkfish (Chanos chanos), a euryhaline teleost, and from the eye of grouper (Epinephelus coioides), respectively. These cell lines were maintained in Leibovitz's L-15 supplemented with 20% fetal bovine serum (FBS). The SIMH cell line was subcultured more than 50 times over a period of 210 days and SIGE cell line has been subcultured 100 times over a period of 1 1/2 years. The SIMH cell line consists predominantly of fibroblastic-like cells. The SIGE cell line consists predominantly of epithelial cells. Both the cell lines were able to grow at temperatures between 25 and 32 degrees C with an optimum temperature of 28 degrees C. The growth rate of these cells increased as the proportion of FBS increased from 2% to 20% at 28 degrees C with optimum growth at the concentrations of 15% or 20% FBS. Seven marine fish viruses were tested to determine the susceptibility of these cell lines. The SIGE cell line was found to be susceptible to nodavirus, MABV NC-1 and Y6, and the infection was confirmed by cytopathic effect (CPE) and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. When these cells were transfected with pEGFP-N1 vector DNA, significant fluorescent signals were observed, suggesting that these cell lines can be a useful tool for transgenic and genetic manipulation studies. Further, these cell lines are characterized by immunocytochemistry using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CFLSM).

Crystal growth and furnace analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dakhoul, Youssef M.

1986-01-01

A thermal analysis of Hg/Cd/Te solidification in a Bridgman cell is made using Continuum's VAST code. The energy equation is solved in an axisymmetric, quasi-steady domain for both the molten and solid alloy regions. Alloy composition is calculated by a simplified one-dimensional model to estimate its effect on melt thermal conductivity and, consequently, on the temperature field within the cell. Solidification is assumed to occur at a fixed temperature of 979 K. Simplified boundary conditions are included to model both the radiant and conductive heat exchange between the furnace walls and the alloy. Calculations are performed to show how the steady-state isotherms are affected by: the hot and cold furnace temperatures, boundary condition parameters, and the growth rate which affects the calculated alloy's composition. The Advanced Automatic Directional Solidification Furnace (AADSF), developed by NASA, is also thermally analyzed using the CINDA code. The objective is to determine the performance and the overall power requirements for different furnace designs.

Optimized Li-Ion Electrolytes Containing Fluorinated Ester Co-Solvents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prakash, G. K. Surya; Smart, Marshall; Smith, Kiah; Bugga, Ratnakumar

2010-01-01

A number of experimental lithium-ion cells, consisting of MCMB (meso-carbon microbeads) carbon anodes and LiNi(0.8)Co(0.2)O2 cathodes, have been fabricated with increased safety and expanded capability. These cells serve to verify and demonstrate the reversibility, low-temperature performance, and electrochemical aspects of each electrode as determined from a number of electrochemical characterization techniques. A number of Li-ion electrolytes possessing fluorinated ester co-solvents, namely trifluoroethyl butyrate (TFEB) and trifluoroethyl propionate (TFEP), were demonstrated to deliver good performance over a wide temperature range in experimental lithium-ion cells. The general approach taken in the development of these electrolyte formulations is to optimize the type and composition of the co-solvents in ternary and quaternary solutions, focusing upon adequate stability [i.e., EC (ethylene carbonate) content needed for anode passivation, and EMC (ethyl methyl carbonate) content needed for lowering the viscosity and widening the temperature range, while still providing good stability], enhancing the inherent safety characteristics (incorporation of fluorinated esters), and widening the temperature range of operation (the use of both fluorinated and non-fluorinated esters). Further - more, the use of electrolyte additives, such as VC (vinylene carbonate) [solid electrolyte interface (SEI) promoter] and DMAc (thermal stabilizing additive), provide enhanced high-temperature life characteristics. Multi-component electrolyte formulations enhance performance over a temperature range of -60 to +60 C. With the need for more safety with the use of these batteries, flammability was a consideration. One of the solvents investigated, TFEB, had the best performance with improved low-temperature capability and high-temperature resilience. This work optimized the use of TFEB as a co-solvent by developing the multi-component electrolytes, which also contain non-halogenated esters, film forming additives, thermal stabilizing additives, and flame retardant additives. Further optimization of these electrolyte formulations is anticipated to yield improved performance. It is also anticipated that much improved performance will be demonstrated once these electrolyte solutions are incorporated into hermetically sealed, large capacity prototype cells, especially if effort is devoted to ensure that all electrolyte components are highly pure.

Proteome response of fish under multiple stress exposure: Effects of pesticide mixtures and temperature increase.

PubMed

Gandar, Allison; Laffaille, Pascal; Marty-Gasset, Nathalie; Viala, Didier; Molette, Caroline; Jean, Séverine

2017-03-01

Aquatic systems can be subjected to multiple stressors, including pollutant cocktails and elevated temperature. Evaluating the combined effects of these stressors on organisms is a great challenge in environmental sciences. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to assess the molecular stress response of an aquatic fish species subjected to individual and combined pesticide mixtures and increased temperatures. For that, goldfish (Carassius auratus) were acclimated to two different temperatures (22 and 32°C) for 15 days. They were then exposed for 96h to a cocktail of herbicides and fungicides (S-metolachlor, isoproturon, linuron, atrazine-desethyl, aclonifen, pendimethalin and tebuconazole) at two environmentally relevant concentrations (total concentrations of 8.4μgL -1 and 42μgL -1 ) at these two temperatures (22 and 32°C). The molecular response in liver was assessed by 2D-proteomics. Identified proteins were integrated using pathway enrichment analysis software to determine the biological functions involved in the individual or combined stress responses and to predict the potential deleterious outcomes. The pesticide mixtures elicited pathways involved in cellular stress response, carbohydrate, protein and lipid metabolisms, methionine cycle, cellular functions, cell structure and death control, with concentration- and temperature-dependent profiles of response. We found that combined temperature increase and pesticide exposure affected the cellular stress response: the effects of oxidative stress were more marked and there was a deregulation of the cell cycle via apoptosis inhibition. Moreover a decrease in the formation of glucose by liver and in ketogenic activity was observed in this multi-stress condition. The decrease in both pathways could reflect a shift from a metabolic compensation strategy to a conservation state. Taken together, our results showed (1) that environmental cocktails of herbicides and fungicides induced important changes in pathways involved in metabolism, cell structure and cell cycle, with possible deleterious outcomes at higher biological scales and (2) that increasing temperature could affect the response of fish to pesticide exposure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of mild heat treatments on induction of thermotolerance in the biocontrol yeast Candida sake CPA-1 and viability after spray-drying.

PubMed

Cañamás, T P; Viñas, I; Usall, J; Magan, N; Solsona, C; Teixidó, N

2008-03-01

The objective of this study was to examine the induction of thermotolerance in the biocontrol agent Candida sake CPA-1 cells by mild heat treatments to enhanced survival of formulations using spray-drying. The possible role of heat-shock proteins (HSPs) biosynthesis in induced thermotolerance and the role of sugars and sugar alcohols were also determined. Studies were conducted on C. sake cells grown in molasses medium and exposed to mild temperatures of 30 and 33 degrees C during mid- (16 h), late-exponential (24 h), early- (30 h) and mid-stationary (36 h) growth phases. The effect on viability was determined both before and after spray-drying. Cycloheximide and chloramphenicol were used to examine the role of HSPs and HPLC was used to analyse the accumulation of sugar and sugar alcohols. The results indicate that both temperatures induced thermotolerance in cells of C. sake. Mild heat-adapted cells at 33 degrees C in the early- or mid-stationary phases had survival values after spray-drying significantly higher (P

Temperature dependence of the ClONO2 UV absorption spectrum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burkholder, James B.; Talukdar, Ranajit K.; Ravishankara, A. R.

1994-01-01

The temperature dependence of the ClONO2 absorption spectrum has been measured between 220 and 298 K and between 195 and 430 nm using a diode array spectrometer. The absorption cross sections were determined using both: (1) absolute pressure measurements at 296 K and (2) measurements at various temperatures relative to 296 K using a dual absorption cell arrangement. The temperature dependence of the ClONO2 absorption spectrum shows very broad structure. The amplitude of the temperature dependence relative to that at 296 K is weak at short wavelengths, less than 2% at 215 nm and 220 K, but significant at the wavelengths important in the stratosphere, about 30% at 325 nm and 220 K. Our ClONO2 absorption cross section data are in good general agreement with the previous measurements of Molina and Molina (1979).

Density Determination of Metallic Melts from Diffuse X-Ray Scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brauser, N.; Davis, A.; Greenberg, E.; Prakapenka, V. B.; Campbell, A.

2017-12-01

Liquids comprise several important structural components of the deep Earth, for example, the present outer core and a hypothesized magma ocean early in Earth history. However, the physical properties of the constituent materials of these structures at high pressures and temperatures are less well constrained than their crystalline counterparts. Determination of the physical properties of these liquids can inform geophysical models of the composition and structure of the Earth, but methods for studying the physical properties of liquids at high pressure and temperatures are underdeveloped. One proposed method for direct determination of density of a melt requires analysis of the diffuse scattered X-ray signal of the liquid. Among the challenges to applying this technique to high-pressure melts within a laser heated diamond anvil cell are the low signal-to-noise ratio and overlapping diffraction peaks from the crystalline components of the sample assembly interfering with the diffuse scattering from the liquid. Recent advances in instrumentation at synchrotron X-ray sources have made this method more accessible for determination of density of melted material. In this work we present the technique and report the densities of three high-pressure melts of the FCC metals iron, nickel, and gold derived from diffuse scattered X-ray spectra collected from in situ laser-heated diamond anvil cell synchrotron experiments. The results are compared to densities derived from shock wave experiments.

Laser-induced thermal ablation of cancerous cell organelles.

PubMed

Letfullin, Renat R; Szatkowski, Scott A

2017-07-01

By exploiting the physical changes experienced by cancerous organelles, we investigate the feasibility of destroying cancerous cells by single and multipulse modes of laser heating. Our procedure consists of two primary steps: determining the normal and cancerous organelles optical properties and simulating the heating of all of the major organelles in the cell to find the treatment modes for the laser ablation of cancerous organelles without harming healthy cells. Our simulations show that the cancerous nucleus can be selectively heated to damaging temperatures, making this nucleus a feasible therapeutic particle and removing the need for nanoparticle injection. Because of the removal of this extra step, the procedure we propose is simpler and safer for the patient.

Electrostatic bonding of thin (approximately 3 mil) 7070 cover glass to Ta2O5 AR-coated thin (approximately 2 mil) silicon wafers and solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Egelkrout, D. W.; Horne, W. E.

1980-01-01

Electrostatic bonding (ESB) of thin (3 mil) Corning 7070 cover glasses to Ta2O5 AR-coated thin (2 mil) silicon wafers and solar cells is investigated. An experimental program was conducted to establish the effects of variations in pressure, voltage, temperature, time, Ta2O5 thickness, and various prebond glass treatments. Flat wafers without contact grids were used to study the basic effects for bonding to semiconductor surfaces typical of solar cells. Solar cells with three different grid patterns were used to determine additional requirements caused by the raised metallic contacts.

[Cellular uptake of TPS-L-carnitine synthesised as transporter-based renal targeting prodrug].

PubMed

Li, Li; Zhu, Di; Sun, Xun

2012-11-01

To synthesize transporter-based renal targeting prodrug TPS-L-Carnitine and to determine its cellular uptake in vitro. Triptolide (TP) was conjugated with L-carnitine using succinate as the linker to form TPS-L-Carnitine, which could be specifically recognized by OCTN2, a cationic transporter with high affinity to L-Carnitine and is highly expressed on the apical membrane of renal proximal tubule cells. Cellular uptake assays of the prodrug and its parent drug were performed on HK-2 cells, a human proximal tubule cell line, in different temperature, concentration and in the presence of competitive inhibitors. TPS-L-Carnitine was taken up into HK-2 cells in a saturable and temperature- and concentration-dependent manner. The uptake process could be inhibited by the competitive inhibitors. The uptake of TPS-L-Carnitine was significantly higher than that of TP at 37 degrees C in the same drug concentration. TPS-L-Carnitine was taken through endocytosis mediated by transporter. TPS-L-Carnitine provides a good renal targeting property and lays the foundation for further studies in vivo.

THERMAL EVALUATION OF CONTAMINATED LIQUID ONTO CELL FLOORS

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

NOEMAIL), J

2009-05-04

For the Salt Disposition Integration Project (SDIP), postulated events in the new Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF) can result in spilling liquids that contain Cs-137 and organics onto cell floors. The parameters of concern are the maximum temperature of the fluid following a spill and the time required for the maximum fluid temperature to be reached. Control volume models of the various process cells have been developed using standard conduction and natural convection relationships. The calculations are performed using the Mathcad modeling software. The results are being used in Consolidated Hazards Analysis Planning (CHAP) to determine the controls that maymore » be needed to mitigate the potential impact of liquids containing Cs-137 and flammable organics that spill onto cell floors. Model development techniques and the ease of making model changes within the Mathcad environment are discussed. The results indicate that certain fluid spills result in overheating of the fluid, but the times to reach steady-state are several hundred hours. The long times allow time for spill clean up without the use of expensive mitigation controls.« less

Fabrication of a Flexible Micro CO Sensor for Micro Reformer Applications

PubMed Central

Lee, Chi-Yuan; Chang, Chi-Chung; Lo, Yi-Man

2010-01-01

Integration of a reformer and a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is problematic due to the presence in the gas from the reforming process of a slight amount of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide poisons the catalyst of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell subsequently degrading the fuel cell performance, and necessitating the sublimation of the reaction gas before supplying to fuel cells. Based on the use of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology to manufacture flexible micro CO sensors, this study elucidates the relation between a micro CO sensor and different SnO2 thin film thicknesses. Experimental results indicate that the sensitivity increases at temperatures ranging from 100–300 °C. Additionally, the best sensitivity is obtained at a specific temperature. For instance, the best sensitivity of SnO2 thin film thickness of 100 nm at 300 °C is 59.3%. Moreover, a flexible micro CO sensor is embedded into a micro reformer to determine the CO concentration in each part of a micro reformer in the future, demonstrating the inner reaction of a micro reformer in depth and immediate detection. PMID:22163494

Fractal diffusion in high temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cell membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hopfenmüller, Bernhard; Zorn, Reiner; Holderer, Olaf; Ivanova, Oxana; Lehnert, Werner; Lüke, Wiebke; Ehlers, Georg; Jalarvo, Niina; Schneider, Gerald J.; Monkenbusch, Michael; Richter, Dieter

2018-05-01

The performance of fuel cells depends largely on the proton diffusion in the proton conducting membrane, the core of a fuel cell. High temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells are based on a polymer membrane swollen with phosphoric acid as the electrolyte, where proton conduction takes place. We studied the proton diffusion in such membranes with neutron scattering techniques which are especially sensitive to the proton contribution. Time of flight spectroscopy and backscattering spectroscopy have been combined to cover a broad dynamic range. In order to selectively observe the diffusion of protons potentially contributing to the ion conductivity, two samples were prepared, where in one of the samples the phosphoric acid was used with hydrogen replaced by deuterium. The scattering data from the two samples were subtracted in a suitable way after measurement. Thereby subdiffusive behavior of the proton diffusion has been observed and interpreted in terms of a model of fractal diffusion. For this purpose, a scattering function for fractal diffusion has been developed. The fractal diffusion dimension dw and the Hausdorff dimension df have been determined on the length scales covered in the neutron scattering experiments.

Enhanced performance of polybenzimidazole-based high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell with gas diffusion electrodes prepared by automatic catalyst spraying under irradiation technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Huaneng; Pasupathi, Sivakumar; Bladergroen, Bernard Jan; Linkov, Vladimir; Pollet, Bruno G.

2013-11-01

Gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) prepared by a novel automatic catalyst spraying under irradiation (ACSUI) technique are investigated for improving the performance of phosphoric acid (PA)-doped polybenzimidazole (PBI) high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). The physical properties of the GDEs are characterized by pore size distribution and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The electrochemical properties of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) with the GDEs are evaluated and analyzed by polarization curve, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemistry impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Effects of PTFE binder content, PA impregnation and heat treatment on the GDEs are investigated to determine the optimum performance of the single cell. At ambient pressure and 160 °C, the maximum power density can reach 0.61 W cm-2, and the current density at 0.6 V is up to 0.38 A cm-2, with H2/air and a platinum loading of 0.5 mg cm-2 on both electrodes. The MEA with the GDEs shows good stability for fuel cell operating in a short term durability test.

Differential diagnosis of variola viruses by microfocus assay

PubMed Central

Kitamura, T.; Tanaka, Y.

1973-01-01

Variola virus was identified by means of a method involving the formation of microfoci on microplate cultures of HeLa cells. It was possible to distinguish between variola major and variola minor viruses within 48 h of receipt of the specimens by determining the temperature sensitivity of focus formation. ImagesFig. 1 PMID:4357977

Hibiscus sabdariffa anthocyanins-rich extract: Chemical stability, in vitro antioxidant and antiproliferative activities.

PubMed

Maciel, Laércio Galvão; do Carmo, Mariana Araújo Vieira; Azevedo, Luciana; Daguer, Heitor; Molognoni, Luciano; de Almeida, Mereci Mendes; Granato, Daniel; Rosso, Neiva Deliberali

2018-03-01

Hibiscus sabdariffa calyx is a rich source of anthocyanins and other bioactive compounds but no study reported the effects of experimental conditions on the extraction of these chemical compounds. Therefore, the effects of time and extraction temperature on the bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of Hibiscus sabdariffa calyx were evaluated. In addition, the effects of copigmentation and pH on the stability of anthocyanins were assessed and the cytotoxic effects (LC 50 , IC 50 , and GC 50 ) of the extracts were determined in relation to tumor cell lines - Caco-2, HepG-2, HCT8, and A549. The temperature significantly influenced the total anthocyanins and flavonoids contents. The interaction between time/temperature influenced the total phenolic content and ascorbic acid. The t 1/2 and the percentage of colour retention decreased markedly at temperatures above 80 °C. Variations in pH conserved the antioxidant activity of the anthocyanins, and the protonation-deprotonation process of the extract was reversible. The treatment of cells with purified anthocyanin extract or crude extracts at 5-800 μg mL -1 did not show significant cytotoxic effects on the cell lines, corroborating the chemical antioxidant effect of the extracts (DPPH assay). Cyanidin-3-glucoside, delphinidin-3-sambubioside, delphinidin-3-glucoside, and cyanidin-3-sambubioside were identified in the extracts by LC-ESI-MS. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Monoclinic Sr(1-x)Na(x)SiO(3-0.5x): new superior oxide ion electrolytes.

PubMed

Singh, Preetam; Goodenough, John B

2013-07-10

Oxide ion electrolytes determine the temperature of operation of solid oxide fuel cells, oxygen separation membranes, and oxygen sensors. There is a strong incentive to lower their operating temperatures, in a solid oxide fuel cell, for example, from Top > 800 °C to Top ≈ 500 °C. The use of low-cost Na(+) rather than K(+) as the dopant in monoclinic SrSiO3 (C12/C1) is shown to provide a larger solid solution range (0 < x ≤ 0.45) in Sr1-xNaxSiO3-0.5x and to achieve an oxide ion conductivity σo ≥ 10(-2) S·cm(-1) by 525 °C as a result of lowering the temperature of a smooth transition to full disorder of the mobile oxide ions. The Sr1-xNaxSiO3-0.5x electrolytes are much less hygroscopic than Sr1-xKxSiO3-0.5x and are stable with a nickel composite anode in 5% H2/Ar as well as with cathodes such as La1-xSrxMnO3-δ and Sr0.7Y0.3CoO3-δ in air, which makes them candidate electrolytes for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells or for other applications of oxide ion electrolytes.

Finite Element Analysis of Single Cell Stiffness Measurements Using PZT-Integrated Buckling Nanoneedles.

PubMed

Rad, Maryam Alsadat; Tijjani, Auwal Shehu; Ahmad, Mohd Ridzuan; Auwal, Shehu Muhammad

2016-12-23

This paper proposes a new technique for real-time single cell stiffness measurement using lead zirconate titanate (PZT)-integrated buckling nanoneedles. The PZT and the buckling part of the nanoneedle have been modelled and validated using the ABAQUS software. The two parts are integrated together to function as a single unit. After calibration, the stiffness, Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio and sensitivity of the PZT-integrated buckling nanoneedle have been determined to be 0.7100 N·m -1 , 123.4700 GPa, 0.3000 and 0.0693 V·m·N -1 , respectively. Three Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells have been modelled and validated based on compression tests. The average global stiffness and Young's modulus of the cells are determined to be 10.8867 ± 0.0094 N·m -1 and 110.7033 ± 0.0081 MPa, respectively. The nanoneedle and the cell have been assembled to measure the local stiffness of the single Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells The local stiffness, Young's modulus and PZT output voltage of the three different size Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been determined at different environmental conditions. We investigated that, at low temperature the stiffness value is low to adapt to the change in the environmental condition. As a result, Saccharomyces cerevisiae becomes vulnerable to viral and bacterial attacks. Therefore, the proposed technique will serve as a quick and accurate process to diagnose diseases at early stage in a cell for effective treatment.

Experimental investigations of heat transfer and temperature fields in models simulating fuel assemblies used in the core of a nuclear reactor with a liquid heavy-metal coolant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belyaev, I. A.; Genin, L. G.; Krylov, S. G.; Novikov, A. O.; Razuvanov, N. G.; Sviridov, V. G.

2015-09-01

The aim of this experimental investigation is to obtain information on the temperature fields and heat transfer coefficients during flow of liquid-metal coolant in models simulating an elementary cell in the core of a liquid heavy metal cooled fast-neutron reactor. Two design versions for spacing fuel rods in the reactor core were considered. In the first version, the fuel rods were spaced apart from one another using helical wire wound on the fuel rod external surface, and in the second version spacer grids were used for the same purpose. The experiments were carried out on the mercury loop available at the Moscow Power Engineering Institute National Research University's Chair of Engineering Thermal Physics. Two experimental sections simulating an elementary cell for each of the fuel rod spacing versions were fabricated. The temperature fields were investigated using a dedicated hinged probe that allows temperature to be measured at any point of the studied channel cross section. The heat-transfer coefficients were determined using the wall temperature values obtained at the moment when the probe thermocouple tail end touched the channel wall. Such method of determining the wall temperature makes it possible to alleviate errors that are unavoidable in case of measuring the wall temperature using thermocouples placed in slots milled in the wall. In carrying out the experiments, an automated system of scientific research was applied, which allows a large body of data to be obtained within a short period of time. The experimental investigations in the first test section were carried out at Re = 8700, and in the second one, at five values of Reynolds number. Information about temperature fields was obtained by statistically processing the array of sampled probe thermocouple indications at 300 points in the experimental channel cross section. Reach material has been obtained for verifying the codes used for calculating velocity and temperature fields in channels with an intricately shaped cross section simulating the flow pass sections for liquid-metal coolants cooling the core of nuclear reactors.

Stability and melting of Fe3C at high pressure and temperature: Implication for the carbon in the Earth's core

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, S.; Ohtani, E.; Sakai, T.; Hirao, N.; Ohishi, Y.

2012-12-01

The Earth's core is regarded as an Fe-Ni alloy but its density is lower than that of pure Fe at the core conditions. Therefore, the Earth's core is supposed to contain light elements and carbon is one of the candidates of the light elements to explain the density deficit of the Earth's core. Nakajima et al. (2009) reported the melting temperature of Fe3C up to around 30 GPa based on textual observations, the chemical analysis of the quenched run products and in situ X-ray diffraction experiments using a Kawai-type multi anvil apparatus. Lord et al. (2009) reported melting temperatures of Fe3C up to 70 GPa, which was determined by the temperature plateau during increasing laser power using a laser-heated diamond anvil cell. They also suggested Fe+Fe7C3 is a stable subsolidus phase. There are obvious discrepancies between the melting curve and the stable subsolidus phase reported by Nakajima et al. (2009) and those reported by Lord et al. (2009). In this study, the melting temperatures of Fe3C and a subsolidus phase relation were determined based on in situ X-ray diffraction experiments. This study aims to reveal the stability field of Fe3C and the melting temperature of Fe3C and to discuss the behaviors of carbon in the Earth's core. We have performed experiments using a laser-heated diamond anvil cell combined with in situ X-ray diffraction experiment at BL10XU beamline, SPring-8 synchrotron facility. An NaCl powder and a rhenium or tungsten foil were used for the insulator and gasket, respectively. Melting of the sample was determined by disappearance of the X-ray diffraction peaks. We determined the melting relation of Fe3C up to 145 GPa by in situ X-ray diffraction experiments. Present results are close to Nakajima et al. (2009) up to 30 GPa but become close to that reported by Lord et al. (2009) at higher pressure conditions. The solidus temperature extrapolated to the ICB pressure, 330 GPa, is 5400 K. We also confirmed that Fe3C is stable as a subsolidus phase at least up to 237 GPa and 4100 K. This strongly suggests that Fe3C is a potential candidate of the Earth's inner core although we need further studies at the inner core conditions.

Penetration of Escherichia coli O157:H7 into lettuce as influenced by modified atmosphere and temperature.

PubMed

Takeuchi, K; Hassan, A N; Frank, J F

2001-11-01

The effects of temperature and atmospheric oxygen concentration on the respiration rate of iceberg lettuce and Escherichia coli O157:H7 cells attachment to and penetration into damaged lettuce tissues were evaluated. Respiration rate of lettuce decreased as the temperature was reduced from 37 to 10 degrees C. Reducing the temperature further to 4 degrees C did not affect the respiration rate of lettuce. Respiration rate was also reduced by lowering the atmospheric oxygen concentration. Lettuce was submerged in E. coli O157:H7 inoculum at 4, 10, 22, or 37 degrees C under 21 or 2.7% oxygen. Attachment and penetration of E. coli O157:H7 were not related to the respiration rate. The greatest numbers of E. coli O157:H7 cells attached to damaged lettuce tissues at 22 degrees C at both oxygen concentrations. More cells were attached under 21% oxygen than under 2.7% oxygen at each temperature, but this difference was small. Penetration of E. coli O157:H7 into lettuce tissue was determined by immunostaining with a fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled antibody. Under 21% oxygen, E. coli O157:H7 cells showed greatest penetration when lettuce was held at 4 degrees C, compared to 10, 22. or 37 degrees C, and were detected at an average of 101 microm below the surfaces of cut tissues. However, under 2.7% oxygen, there were no differences in degree of penetration among four incubation temperatures. The degree of E. coli O157:H7 penetration into lettuce tissue at 4 or 22 degrees C was greater under 21% oxygen than under 2.7% oxygen; however, no difference was observed at 37 degrees C. Conditions that promote pathogen penetration into tissue could decrease the effectiveness of decontamination treatments.

An alternative physiological role for the EmhABC efflux pump in Pseudomonas fluorescens cLP6a

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Efflux pumps belonging to the resistance-nodulation-division (RND) superfamily in bacteria are involved in antibiotic resistance and solvent tolerance but have an unknown physiological role. EmhABC, a RND-type efflux pump in Pseudomonas fluorescens strain cLP6a, extrudes hydrophobic antibiotics, dyes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons including phenanthrene. The effects of physico-chemical factors such as temperature or antibiotics on the activity and expression of EmhABC were determined in order to deduce its physiological role(s) in strain cLP6a in comparison to the emhB disruptant strain, cLP6a-1. Results Efflux assays conducted with 14C-phenanthrene showed that EmhABC activity is affected by incubation temperature. Increased phenanthrene efflux was measured in cLP6a cells grown at 10°C and decreased efflux was observed at 35°C compared with cells grown at the optimum temperature of 28°C. Membrane fatty acids in cLP6a cells were substantially altered by changes in growth temperature and in the presence of tetracycline. Changed membrane fatty acids and increased membrane permeability were associated with ~30-fold increased expression of emhABC in cLP6a cells grown at 35°C, and with increased extracellular free fatty acids. Growth of P. fluorescens cLP6a at supra-optimal temperature was enhanced by the presence of EmhABC compared to strain cLP6a-1. Conclusions Combined, these observations suggest that the EmhABC efflux pump may be involved in the management of membrane stress effects such as those due to unfavourable incubation temperatures. Efflux of fatty acids replaced as a result of membrane damage or phospholipid turnover may be the primary physiological role of the EmhABC efflux pump in P. fluorescens cLP6a. PMID:22085438

A novel (ex situ) method to quantify oxygen diffusion coefficient of polymer fuel cells backing and catalyst layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baricci, Andrea; Casalegno, Andrea

2016-09-01

Limiting current density of oxygen reduction reaction in polymer electrolyte fuel cells is determined by several mass transport resistances that lower the concentration of oxygen on the catalyst active site. Among them, diffusion across porous media plays a significant role. Despite the extensive experimental activity documented in PEMFC literature, only few efforts have been dedicated to the measurement of the effective transport properties in porous layers. In the present work, a methodology for ex situ measurement of the effective diffusion coefficient and Knudsen radius of porous layers for polymer electrolyte fuel cells (gas diffusion layer, micro porous layer and catalyst layer) is described and applied to high temperature polymer fuel cells State of Art materials. Regression of the measured quantities by means of a quasi 2D physical model is performed to quantify the Knudsen effect, which is reported to account, respectively, for 30% and 50% of the mass transport resistance in micro porous layer and catalyst layer. On the other side, the model reveals that pressure gradient consequent to permeation in porous layers of high temperature polymer fuel cells has a negligible effect on oxygen concentration in relevant operating conditions.

Structural characterization of nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite and adhesion of pre-osteoblast cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Xiaolong; Eibl, Oliver; Berthold, Christoph; Scheideler, Lutz; Geis-Gerstorfer, Jürgen

2006-06-01

Nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (Nano HA), a prototype of minerals of bones and teeth, attracts increasing interest in medicine and dentistry. Different parameters for synthesis and post-treatment were investigated to determine their effects on crystallinity of nano HA, and in vitro cell responses to nano HA were studied. XRD and TEM analyses indicate that the crystallinity of nano HA synthesized by a chemical method was within the range of 15-50 nm, which is adapted to natural minerals of hard tissues. Increasing the ageing temperature significantly increased the crystallinity of nano HA, while lengthening the ageing time or varying the post-ageing drying process did not have any influence on its crystallinity. Nano HA annealed between 300 and 900 °C showed a small increase in crystallinity with increasing annealing temperature due to the long-range ordering effect. Cell attachment and spreading on nano HA were lower than those on pure titanium, and decreased as the crystallinity of nano HA increased. However, cells on nano HA demonstrated well-developed filopodia and lamelliopodia, which facilitate migration of the cells on it. This may benefit osteogenesis at the interface between bone and nano HA in vivo.

What are the main environmental factors driving the development of the neurotoxic dinoflagellate Vulcanodinium rugosum in a Mediterranean ecosystem (Ingril lagoon, France)?

PubMed

Abadie, Eric; Chiantella, Claude; Crottier, Anaïs; Rhodes, Lesley; Masseret, Estelle; Berteaux, Tom; Laabir, Mohamed

2018-05-01

Vulcanodinium rugosum, a dinoflagellate developing in Ingril Lagoon (Mediterranean, France) is responsible for shellfish intoxications due to the neurotoxin pinnatoxin G. A one year survey (March 2012-April 2013) was conducted in this oligotrophic shallow lagoon and key environmental parameters were recorded (temperature, salinity and nutrients). The spatio-temporal distribution of V. rugosum in water column and on macrophytes was also determined. Planktonic cells of V. rugosum were observed at all sampling stations, but in relatively low concentrations (maximum of 1000 cell/L). The highest abundances were observed from June to September 2012. There was a positive correlation between cell densities and both temperature and salinity. Non-motile cells were detected on macrophytes, with a maximum concentration of 6300 cells/g wet weight. Nitrite and ammonium were negatively related to V. rugosum abundance whereas total nitrogen, total phosphorus and phosphates showed a positive correlation. Altogether, in situ results suggest that V. rugosum is rather thermophilic and that organic nutrients should be considered when studying the nutrition requirements for this noxious expanding dinoflagellate. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modeling and optimization of proton-conducting solid oxide electrolysis cell: Conversion of CO2 into value-added products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Namwong, Lawit; Authayanun, Suthida; Saebea, Dang; Patcharavorachot, Yaneeporn; Arpornwichanop, Amornchai

2016-11-01

Proton-conducting solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOEC-H+) are a promising technology that can utilize carbon dioxide to produce syngas. In this work, a detailed electrochemical model was developed to predict the behavior of SOEC-H+ and to prove the assumption that the syngas is produced through a reversible water gas-shift (RWGS) reaction. The simulation results obtained from the model, which took into account all of the cell voltage losses (i.e., ohmic, activation, and concentration losses), were validated using experimental data to evaluate the unknown parameters. The developed model was employed to examine the structural and operational parameters. It is found that the cathode-supported SOEC-H+ is the best configuration because it requires the lowest cell potential. SOEC-H+ operated favorably at high temperatures and low pressures. Furthermore, the simulation results revealed that the optimal S/C molar ratio for syngas production, which can be used for methanol synthesis, is approximately 3.9 (at a constant temperature and pressure). The SOEC-H+ was optimized using a response surface methodology, which was used to determine the optimal operating conditions to minimize the cell potential and maximize the carbon dioxide flow rate.

[Extraction and analysis of the essential oil in Pogostemon cablin by enzymatic hydrolysis and inhibitory activity against Hela cell proliferation].

PubMed

Yu, Jing; Qi, Yue; Luo, Gang; Duan, Hong-quan; Zhou, Jing

2012-05-01

To optimize the extraction method of essential oil in Pogostemon cablin and analyze its inhibitory activity against Hela cell proliferation. The Pogostemon cablin was treated by hemicellulase before steam distillation. The enzyme dosage, treatment time, treatment temperature, pH were optimized through orthogonal experimental design. The components of essential oil were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Inhibitory activity of patchouli oil against Hela cell proliferation was determined by MTP method. The optimum extraction process was as follows: pH 4.5, temperature 45 degrees C, the ratio of hemicellulase to Pogostemon cablin was 1% and enzymatic hydrolysis for 1.0 hour. Extraction ratio of the patchouli oil in steam distillation and hemicellulase extraction method was 2.2220 mg/g, 3.1360 mg/g respectively. Patchouli oil could inhibit Hela cell proliferation. IC50 of the patchouli oil in steam distillation and hemicellulase extraction method was 12.2 +/- 0.46 microg/mL and 0.36 +/- 0.03 microg/mL respectively. In comparison with steam distillation method, extraction ratios of essential oil and the inhibitory activity against Hela cell proliferation can be increased by the hemicellulase extraction method.

Inactivation of food spoilage microorganisms by hydrodynamic cavitation to achieve pasteurization and sterilization of fluid foods.

PubMed

Milly, P J; Toledo, R T; Harrison, M A; Armstead, D

2007-11-01

Hydrodynamic cavitation is the formation of gas bubbles in a fluid due to pressure fluctuations induced by mechanical means. Various high-acid (pH < [corrected]/= 4.6) fluid foods were processed in a hydrodynamic cavitation reactor to determine if commercial sterility can be achieved at reduced processing temperatures. Sporicidal properties of the process were also tested on a low-acid (pH > [corrected] 4.6) fluid food. Fluid foods were pumped under pressure into a hydrodynamic cavitation reactor and subjected to 2 rotor speeds and flow rates to achieve 2 designated exit temperatures. Thermal inactivation kinetics were used to determine heat-induced lethality for all organisms. Calcium-fortified apple juice processed at 3000 and 3600 rpm rotor speeds on the reactor went through a transient temperature change from 20 to 65.6 or 76.7 degrees C and the total process lethality exceeded 5-log reduction of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus sakei cells, and Zygosaccharomyces bailii cells and ascospores. Tomato juice inoculated with Bacillus coagulans spores and processed at 3000 and 3600 rpm rotor speeds endured a transient temperature from 37.8 to 93.3 or 104.4 degrees C with viable CFU reductions of 0.88 and 3.10 log cycles, respectively. Skim milk inoculated with Clostridium sporogenes putrefactive anaerobe 3679 spores and processed at 3000 or 3600 rpm rotor speeds endured a transient temperature from 48.9 to 104.4 or 115.6 degrees C with CFU reductions of 0.69 and 2.84 log cycles, respectively. Utilizing hydrodynamic cavitation to obtain minimally processed pasteurized low-acid and commercially sterilized high-acid fluid foods is possible with appropriate process considerations for different products.

Ferroic phase transition of tetragonal Pb0.6-xCaxBi0.4(Ti0.75Zn0.15Fe0.1)O3 ceramics: Factors determining Curie temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Jian; An, Fei-fei; Cao, Fei

2014-05-01

In this paper, ferroelectric phase transitions of Pb0.6-xCaxBi0.4(Ti0.75Zn0.15Fe0.1)O3 with x ≤ 0.20 ceramics were experimentally measured and a change from first-order to relaxor was found at a critical composition x ˜ 0.19. With increasing Ca content of x ≤ 0.18, Curie temperature and tetragonality was found decrease but piezoelectric constant and dielectric constant increase in a quadratic polynomial relationship as a function of x, while the ferroic Curie temperature and ferroelastic ordering parameter of tetragonality are correlated in a quadratic polynomial relationship. Near the critical composition of ferroic phase transition from first-order to relaxor, the Pb0.42Ca0.18Bi0.4(Ti0.75Zn0.15Fe0.1)O3 and 1 mol % Nb + 0.5 mol % Mg co-doped Pb0.44Ca0.16Bi0.4(Ti0.75Zn0.15Fe0.1)O3 ceramics exhibit a better anisotropic piezoelectric properties than those commercial piezoceramics of modified-PbTiO3 and PbNb2O6. At last, those factors including reduced mass of unit cell, mismatch between cation size and anion cage size, which affect ferroic Curie temperature and ferroelastic ordering parameter (tetragonality) of tetragonal ABO3 perovskites, are analyzed on the basis of first principle effective Hamiltonian and the reduced mass of unit cell is argued a more universal variable than concentration to determine Curie temperature in a quadratic polynomial relationship over various perovskite-structured solid solutions.

System for controlling the operating temperature of a fuel cell

DOEpatents

Fabis, Thomas R.; Makiel, Joseph M.; Veyo, Stephen E.

2006-06-06

A method and system are provided for improved control of the operating temperature of a fuel cell (32) utilizing an improved temperature control system (30) that varies the flow rate of inlet air entering the fuel cell (32) in response to changes in the operating temperature of the fuel cell (32). Consistent with the invention an improved temperature control system (30) is provided that includes a controller (37) that receives an indication of the temperature of the inlet air from a temperature sensor (39) and varies the heat output by at least one heat source (34, 36) to maintain the temperature of the inlet air at a set-point T.sub.inset. The controller (37) also receives an indication of the operating temperature of the fuel cell (32) and varies the flow output by an adjustable air mover (33), within a predetermined range around a set-point F.sub.set, in order to maintain the operating temperature of the fuel cell (32) at a set-point T.sub.opset.

Optical characterization of semiconductor materials by using FTIR-PAS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arévalo, Fabiola; Saavedra, Renato; Paulraj, M.

2008-11-01

In this paper we discuss the procedures for photoacoustic measurements for semiconducting materials, including bulk samples like Gallium Antimonide (GaSb). The optical absorption at photon energies near the band gap was measured at room temperature using Fourier Transform Infrared Photoacoustic spectroscopy (FTIR-PAS). Measurements were performed using a NEXUS 670 FTIR-spectrometer (from Thermo Nicolet) with a MTEC model 300 PA cell (MTEC Photoacoustics, Inc.). Optical properties of the studied samples were determined from their room temperature PA spectra and band gaps were calculated directly from absorption spectra

Low temperature electrodeposition of silicon layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pauporté, Thierry; Qi, Shuo; Viana, Bruno

2018-02-01

The electrodeposition of silicon at room temperature in 1-Butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide and N-Propyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide ionic liquids containing SiCl4 salt is shown. The electrodeposition window has been determined by cyclic voltammetry. Layers have been deposited in a three electrode cell placed in an inert atmosphere and at constant applied potential. The characterizations by x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy showed the formation of a layer made of amorphous silicon. The scanning electron microscopy examination revealed that the layers were featureless and well-covering.

Resonance lamp absorption technique for simultaneous determination of the OH concentration and temperature at 10 spatial positions in combustion environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shirinzadeh, B.; Gregory, Ray W.

1994-01-01

A rugged, easy to implement, line-of-sight absorption instrument which utilizes a low pressure water vapor microwave discharge cell as the light source, has been developed to make simultaneous measurements of the OH concentration and temperature at 10 spatial positions. The design, theory, and capability of the instrument are discussed. Results of the measurements obtained on a methane/air flat flame burner are compared with those obtained using a single-frequency, tunable dye laser system.

Effect of temperature on the formation of creep substructure in sodium chloride single crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raj, Sai V.; Pharr, George M.

1992-01-01

The effect of temperature on the substructure morphology and the cell and subgrain size was investigated experimentally in NaCl single crystals under creep in the temperature range 573-873 K. It is found that the effect of temperature on the cell and subgrain sizes is weak in comparison with the effect of stress. However, there was a qualitative change in the substructure morphology with temperature, with the cells and subgrains better defined at higher temperatures. The volume fraction of the cell boundaries decreased with increasing temperature, thereby indicating a refinement of the microstructure at higher temperatures.

Analysis and diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) via infrared imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flores-Sahagun, J. H.; Vargas, J. V. C.; Mulinari-Brenner, F. A.

2011-09-01

In this work, a structured methodology is proposed and tested through infrared imaging temperature measurements of a healthy control group to establish expected normality ranges and of basal cell carcinoma patients (a type of skin cancer) previously diagnosed through biopsies of the affected regions. A method of conjugated gradients is proposed to compare measured dimensionless temperature difference values (Δ θ) between two symmetric regions of the patient's body, that takes into account the skin, the surrounding ambient and the individual core temperatures and doing so, the limitation of the results interpretation for different individuals become simple and nonsubjective. The range of normal temperatures in different regions of the body for seven healthy individuals was determined, and admitting that the human skin exhibits a unimodal normal distribution, the normal range for each region was considered to be the mean dimensionless temperature difference plus/minus twice the standard deviation of the measurements (Δθ±2σ) in order to represent 95% of the population. Eleven patients with previously diagnosed basal cell carcinoma through biopsies were examined with the method, which was capable of detecting skin abnormalities in all cases. Therefore, the conjugated gradients method was considered effective in the identification of the basal cell carcinoma through infrared imaging even with the use of a low optical resolution camera (160 × 120 pixels) and a thermal resolution of 0.1 °C. The method could also be used to scan a larger area around the lesion in order to detect the presence of other lesions still not perceptible in the clinical exam. However, it is necessary that a temperature differences mesh-like mapping of the healthy human body skin is produced, so that the comparison of the patient Δ θ could be made with the exact region of such mapping in order to possibly make a more effective diagnosis. Finally, the infrared image analyzed through the conjugated gradients method could be useful in the definition of a better safety margin in the surgery for the removal of the lesion, both minimizing esthetics damage to the patient and possibly avoiding basal cell carcinoma recurrence.

Advanced solid electrolyte cell for CO2 and H2O electrolysis. [for extended duration manned spaceflights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shumar, J. W.; Berger, T. A.

1978-01-01

A solid electrolyte cell with improved sealing characteristics was examined. A tube cell was designed, developed, fabricated, and tested. Design concepts incorporated in the tube cell to improve its sealing capability included minimizing the number of seals per cell and moving seals to lower temperature regions. The advanced tube cell design consists of one high temperature ceramic cement seal, one high temperature gasket seal, and three low temperature silicone elastomer seals. The two high temperature seals in the tube cell design represent a significant improvement over the ten high temperature precious metal seals required by the electrolyzer drum design. For the tube cell design the solid electrolyte was 8 mole percent yttria stabilized zirconium oxide slip cast into the shape of a tube with electrodes applied on the inside and outside surfaces.

The effect of different solar simulators on the measurement of short-circuit current temperature coefficients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Curtis, H. B.; Hart, R. E., Jr.

1982-01-01

Gallium arsenide solar cells are considered for several high temperature missions in space. Both near-Sun and concentrator missions could involve cell temperatures on the order of 200 C. Performance measurements of cells at elevated temperatures are usually made using simulated sunlight and a matched reference cell. Due to the change in bandgap with increasing temperature at portions of the spectrum where considerable simulated irradiance is present, there are significant differences in measured short circuit current at elevated temperatures among different simulators. To illustrate this, both experimental and theoretical data are presented for gallium arsenide cells.

Thermal stability of epitaxial SrRuO3 films as a function of oxygen pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Ho Nyung; Christen, Hans M.; Chisholm, Matthew F.; Rouleau, Christopher M.; Lowndes, Douglas H.

2004-05-01

The thermal stability of electrically conducting SrRuO3 thin films grown by pulsed-laser deposition on (001) SrTiO3 substrates has been investigated by atomic force microscopy and reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) under reducing conditions (25-800 °C in 10-7-10-2 Torr O2). The as-grown SrRuO3 epitaxial films exhibit atomically flat surfaces with single unit-cell steps, even after exposure to air at room temperature. The films remain stable at temperatures as high as 720 °C in moderate oxygen ambients (>1 mTorr), but higher temperature anneals at lower pressures result in the formation of islands and pits due to the decomposition of SrRuO3. Using in situ RHEED, a temperature and oxygen pressure stability map was determined, consistent with a thermally activated decomposition process having an activation energy of 88 kJ/mol. The results can be used to determine the proper conditions for growth of additional epitaxial oxide layers on high quality electrically conducting SrRuO3.

Temperature dependence of damage coefficient in electron irradiated solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Faith, T. J.

1973-01-01

Measurements of light-generated current vs cell temperature on electron-irradiated n/p silicon solar cells show the temperature coefficient of this current to increase with increasing fluence for both 10-ohm and 20-ohm cells. A relationship between minority-carrier diffusion length and light-generated current was derived by combining measurements of these two parameters: vs fluence at room temperature, and vs cell temperature in cells irradiated to a fluence of 1 x 10 to the 15th power e/sq cm. This relationship was used, together with the light-generated current data, to calculate the temperature dependence of the diffusion-length damage coefficient. The results show a strong decrease in the damage coefficient with increasing temperature in the range experienced by solar panels in synchronous earth orbit.

Fast surface temperature measurement of Teflon propellant-in-pulsed ablative discharges using HgCdTe photovoltaic cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antonsen, Erik L.; Burton, Rodney L.; Reed, Garrett A.; Spanjers, Gregory G.

2006-10-01

High-speed mercury cadmium telluride photovoltaic detectors, sensitive to infrared emission, are investigated as a means of measuring surface temperature on a microsecond time frame during pulsed ablative discharges with Teflon™ as the ablated material. Analysis is used to derive a governing equation for detector output voltage for materials with wavelength dependent emissivity. The detector output voltage is experimentally calibrated against thermocouples embedded in heated Teflon. Experimental calibration is performed with Teflon that has been exposed to ˜200 pulsed discharges and non-plasma-exposed Teflon and is compared to theoretical predictions to analyze emissivity differences. The diagnostic capability is evaluated with measurements of surface temperature from the Teflon propellant of electric micropulsed plasma thrusters. During the pulsed current discharge, there is insufficient information to claim that the surface temperature is accurately measured. However, immediately following the discharge, the postpulse cooling curve is measured. The statistical spread of postpulse surface temperature from shot to shot, most likely due to arc constriction and localization, is investigated to determine an operational envelope for postpulse temperature and mass ablation. This information is useful for determining postpulse ablation contributions to mass loss as well as evaluation of theoretical discharge models currently under development.

Dynamic modeling, experimental evaluation, optimal design and control of integrated fuel cell system and hybrid energy systems for building demands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Gia Luong Huu

Fuel cells can produce electricity with high efficiency, low pollutants, and low noise. With the advent of fuel cell technologies, fuel cell systems have since been demonstrated as reliable power generators with power outputs from a few watts to a few megawatts. With proper equipment, fuel cell systems can produce heating and cooling, thus increased its overall efficiency. To increase the acceptance from electrical utilities and building owners, fuel cell systems must operate more dynamically and integrate well with renewable energy resources. This research studies the dynamic performance of fuel cells and the integration of fuel cells with other equipment in three levels: (i) the fuel cell stack operating on hydrogen and reformate gases, (ii) the fuel cell system consisting of a fuel reformer, a fuel cell stack, and a heat recovery unit, and (iii) the hybrid energy system consisting of photovoltaic panels, fuel cell system, and energy storage. In the first part, this research studied the steady-state and dynamic performance of a high temperature PEM fuel cell stack. Collaborators at Aalborg University (Aalborg, Denmark) conducted experiments on a high temperature PEM fuel cell short stack at steady-state and transients. Along with the experimental activities, this research developed a first-principles dynamic model of a fuel cell stack. The dynamic model developed in this research was compared to the experimental results when operating on different reformate concentrations. Finally, the dynamic performance of the fuel cell stack for a rapid increase and rapid decrease in power was evaluated. The dynamic model well predicted the performance of the well-performing cells in the experimental fuel cell stack. The second part of the research studied the dynamic response of a high temperature PEM fuel cell system consisting of a fuel reformer, a fuel cell stack, and a heat recovery unit with high thermal integration. After verifying the model performance with the obtained experimental data, the research studied the control of airflow to regulate the temperature of reactors within the fuel processor. The dynamic model provided a platform to test the dynamic response for different control gains. With sufficient sensing and appropriate control, a rapid response to maintain the temperature of the reactor despite an increase in power was possible. The third part of the research studied the use of a fuel cell in conjunction with photovoltaic panels, and energy storage to provide electricity for buildings. This research developed an optimization framework to determine the size of each device in the hybrid energy system to satisfy the electrical demands of buildings and yield the lowest cost. The advantage of having the fuel cell with photovoltaic and energy storage was the ability to operate the fuel cell at baseload at night, thus reducing the need for large battery systems to shift the solar power produced in the day to the night. In addition, the dispatchability of the fuel cell provided an extra degree of freedom necessary for unforeseen disturbances. An operation framework based on model predictive control showed that the method is suitable for optimizing the dispatch of the hybrid energy system.

Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of electrolyte from spent lithium ion batteries and its characterization by gas chromatography with chemical ionization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mönnighoff, Xaver; Friesen, Alex; Konersmann, Benedikt; Horsthemke, Fabian; Grützke, Martin; Winter, Martin; Nowak, Sascha

2017-06-01

The aging products of the electrolyte from a commercially available state-of-the-art 18650-type cell were investigated. During long term cycling a huge difference in their performance and lifetime at different temperatures was observed. By interpretation of a strong capacity fading of cells cycled at 20 °C compared to cells cycled at 45 °C a temperature depending aging mechanism was determined. To investigate the influence of the electrolyte on this fading, the electrolyte was extracted by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and then analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) with electron impact (EI) ionization and mass selective detection. To obtain more information with regard to the identification of unknown decomposition products further analysis with positive chemical ionization (PCI) and negative chemical ionization (NCI) was performed. 17 different volatile organic aging products were detected and identified. So far, seven of them were not yet known in literature and several formation pathways were postulated taking previously published literature into account.

Tuning of defects in ZnO nanorod arrays used in bulk heterojunction solar cells

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

With particular focus on bulk heterojunction solar cells incorporating ZnO nanorods, we study how different annealing environments (air or Zn environment) and temperatures impact on the photoluminescence response. Our work gives new insight into the complex defect landscape in ZnO, and it also shows how the different defect types can be manipulated. We have determined the emission wavelengths for the two main defects which make up the visible band, the oxygen vacancy emission wavelength at approximately 530 nm and the zinc vacancy emission wavelength at approximately 630 nm. The precise nature of the defect landscape in the bulk of the nanorods is found to be unimportant to photovoltaic cell performance although the surface structure is more critical. Annealing of the nanorods is optimum at 300°C as this is a sufficiently high temperature to decompose Zn(OH)2 formed at the surface of the nanorods during electrodeposition and sufficiently low to prevent ITO degradation. PMID:23186280

Motor activity as an unbiased variable to assess anaphylaxis in allergic rats.

PubMed

Abril-Gil, Mar; Garcia-Just, Alba; Cambras, Trinitat; Pérez-Cano, Francisco J; Castellote, Cristina; Franch, Àngels; Castell, Margarida

2015-10-01

The release of mediators by mast cells triggers allergic symptoms involving various physiological systems and, in the most severe cases, the development of anaphylactic shock compromising mainly the nervous and cardiovascular systems. We aimed to establish variables to objectively study the anaphylactic response (AR) after an oral challenge in an allergy model. Brown Norway rats were immunized by intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin with alum and toxin from Bordetella pertussis. Specific immunoglobulin (Ig) E antibodies were developed in immunized animals. Forty days after immunization, the rats were orally challenged with the allergen, and motor activity, body temperature and serum mast cell protease concentration were determined. The anaphylaxis induced a reduction in body temperature and a decrease in the number of animal movements, which was inversely correlated with serum mast cell protease release. In summary, motor activity is a reliable tool for assessing AR and also an unbiased method for screening new anti-allergic drugs. © 2015 by the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.

RECOVERY ACT: MULTIMODAL IMAGING FOR SOLAR CELL MICROCRACK DETECTION

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

Janice Hudgings; Lawrence Domash

2012-02-08

Undetected microcracks in solar cells are a principal cause of failure in service due to subsequent weather exposure, mechanical flexing or diurnal temperature cycles. Existing methods have not been able to detect cracks early enough in the production cycle to prevent inadvertent shipment to customers. This program, sponsored under the DOE Photovoltaic Supply Chain and Cross-Cutting Technologies program, studied the feasibility of quantifying surface micro-discontinuities by use of a novel technique, thermoreflectance imaging, to detect surface temperature gradients with very high spatial resolution, in combination with a suite of conventional imaging methods such as electroluminescence. The project carried out laboratorymore » tests together with computational image analyses using sample solar cells with known defects supplied by industry sources or DOE National Labs. Quantitative comparisons between the effectiveness of the new technique and conventional methods were determined in terms of the smallest detectable crack. Also the robustness of the new technique for reliable microcrack detection was determined at various stages of processing such as before and after antireflectance treatments. An overall assessment is that the new technique compares favorably with existing methods such as lock-in thermography or ultrasonics. The project was 100% completed in Sept, 2010. A detailed report of key findings from this program was published as: Q.Zhou, X.Hu, K.Al-Hemyari, K.McCarthy, L.Domash and J.Hudgings, High spatial resolution characterization of silicon solar cells using thermoreflectance imaging, J. Appl. Phys, 110, 053108 (2011).« less

Influence of instrumental parameters on the kinetic energy of ions and plasma temperature for a hexapole collision/reaction-cell-based inductively coupled plasma quadrupole mass spectrometer.

PubMed

Favre, Georges; Brennetot, René; Chartier, Frédéric; Tortajada, Jeanine

2009-02-01

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is widely used in inorganic analytical chemistry for element and/or isotope ratio measurements. The presence of interferences, which is one of the main limitations of this method, has been addressed in recent years with the introduction of collision/reaction cell devices on ICP-MS apparatus. The study of ion-molecule reactions in the gas phase then became of great importance for the development of new analytical strategies. Knowing the kinetic energy and the electronic states of the ions prior to their entrance into the cell, i.e., just before they react, thereby constitutes crucial information for the interpretation of the observed reactivities. Such studies on an ICP-MS commonly used for routine analyses require the determination of the influence of different instrumental parameters on the energy of the ions and on the plasma temperature from where ions are sampled. The kinetic energy of ions prior to their entrance into the cell has been connected to the voltage applied to the hexapole according to a linear relationship determined from measurements of ion energy losses due to collisions with neutral gas molecules. The effects of the plasma forward power, sampling depth, and the addition of a torch shield to the ICP source were then examined. A decrease of the plasma potential due to the torch shielding, already mentioned in the literature, has been quantified in this study at about 3 V.

Mastitis detection in sheep by infrared thermography.

PubMed

Martins, Rafhael Felipe Saraiva; do Prado Paim, Tiago; de Abreu Cardoso, Cyntia; Stéfano Lima Dallago, Bruno; de Melo, Cristiano Barros; Louvandini, Helder; McManus, Concepta

2013-06-01

This study aims to evaluate the use of an infrared thermograph for mastitis diagnosis in sheep. Thirty-seven Santa Inês ewes were evaluated weekly through infrared images obtained with thermograph FLIR System Series-i®. Milk was collected for somatic cell count and milk compound level determination. The clinical mastitis group had the highest fat and protein level, as well as the lowest lactose level. The udder temperatures were higher for subclinical mastitis group. The udder temperature data was able to correctly classify the animals into the mastitis groups and the canonical analysis showed that these temperatures clearly differentiated the subclinical mastitis groups from the others. Therefore, this study showed that udder infrared temperatures can be used as diagnostic method to mastitis in sheep. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiation damage and annealing in large area n+/p/p+ GaAs shallow homojunction solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flood, D. J.; Brinker, D. J.; Swartz, C. K.; Hart, R. E., Jr.; Fan, J. C. C.

1982-01-01

Annealing of radiation damage was observed for the first time in VPE-grown, 2- by 2-cm, n+/p/p+ GaAs shallow homojunction solar cells. Electrical performance of several cells was determined as a function of 1-MeV electron fluence in the range of 10 to the 13th power to 10 to the 15th power e-/sq cm and as a function of thermal annealing time at various temperatures. Degradation of normalized power output after a fluence of 10 to the 15th power 1-MeV electrons/sq cm ranged from a low of 24 to 31 percent of initial maximum power. Normalized short circuit current degradation was limited to the range from 10 to 19 percent of preirradiated values. Thermal annealing was carried out in a flowing nitrogen gas ambient, with annealing temperatures spanning the range from 125 to 200 C. Substantial recovery of short circuit current was observed at temperatures as low as 175 C. In one case improvement by as much as 10 percent of the postirradiated value was observed. The key features of these cells are their extremely thin emitter layers (approxmately 0.05 micrometers), the absence of any Al sub xGd sub 1-x As passivating window layer, and their fabrication by vapor phase epitaxy.

Thermally regenerative hydrogen/oxygen fuel cell power cycles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morehouse, J. H.

1986-01-01

Two innovative thermodynamic power cycles are analytically examined for future engineering feasibility. The power cycles use a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell for electrical energy production and use the thermal dissociation of water for regeneration of the hydrogen and oxygen. The TDS (thermal dissociation system) uses a thermal energy input at over 2000 K to thermally dissociate the water. The other cycle, the HTE (high temperature electrolyzer) system, dissociates the water using an electrolyzer operating at high temperature (1300 K) which receives its electrical energy from the fuel cell. The primary advantages of these cycles is that they are basically a no moving parts system, thus having the potential for long life and high reliability, and they have the potential for high thermal efficiency. Both cycles are shown to be classical heat engines with ideal efficiency close to Carnot cycle efficiency. The feasibility of constructing actual cycles is investigated by examining process irreversibilities and device efficiencies for the two types of cycles. The results show that while the processes and devices of the 2000 K TDS exceed current technology limits, the high temperature electrolyzer system appears to be a state-of-the-art technology development. The requirements for very high electrolyzer and fuel cell efficiencies are seen as determining the feasbility of the HTE system, and these high efficiency devices are currently being developed. It is concluded that a proof-of-concept HTE system experiment can and should be conducted.

Sorbent Material Property Requirements for On-Board Hydrogen Storage for Automotive Fuel Cell Systems.

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

Ahluwalia, R. K.; Peng, J-K; Hua, T. Q.

2015-05-25

Material properties required for on-board hydrogen storage in cryogenic sorbents for use with automotive polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems are discussed. Models are formulated for physical, thermodynamic and transport properties, and for the dynamics of H-2 refueling and discharge from a sorbent bed. A conceptual storage configuration with in-bed heat exchanger tubes, a Type-3 containment vessel, vacuum insulation and requisite balance-of-plant components is developed to determine the peak excess sorption capacity and differential enthalpy of adsorption for 5.5 wt% system gravimetric capacity and 55% well-to-tank (WTT) efficiency. The analysis also determines the bulk density to which the materialmore » must be compacted for the storage system to reach 40 g.L-1 volumetric capacity. Thermal transport properties and heat transfer enhancement methods are analyzed to estimate the material thermal conductivity needed to achieve 1.5 kg.min(-1) H-2 refueling rate. Operating temperatures and pressures are determined for 55% WTT efficiency and 95% usable H-2. Needs for further improvements in material properties are analyzed that would allow reduction of storage pressure to 50 bar from 100 bar, elevation of storage temperature to 175-200 K from 150 K, and increase of WTT efficiency to 57.5% or higher.« less

Probing Temperature Inside Planar SOFC Short Stack, Modules, and Stack Series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Rong; Guan, Wanbing; Zhou, Xiao-Dong

2017-02-01

Probing temperature inside a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack lies at the heart of the development of high-performance and stable SOFC systems. In this article, we report our recent work on the direct measurements of the temperature in three types of SOFC systems: a 5-cell short stack, a 30-cell stack module, and a stack series consisting of two 30-cell stack modules. The dependence of temperature on the gas flow rate and current density was studied under a current sweep or steady-state operation. During the current sweep, the temperature inside the 5-cell stack decreased with increasing current, while it increased significantly at the bottom and top of the 30-cell stack. During a steady-state operation, the temperature of the 5-cell stack was stable while it was increased in the 30-cell stack. In the stack series, the maximum temperature gradient reached 190°C when the gas was not preheated. If the gas was preheated and the temperature gradient was reduced to 23°C in the stack series with the presence of a preheating gas and segmented temperature control, this resulted in a low degradation rate.

Validation of an Integrated Hydrogen Energy Station

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

Heydorn, Edward C

This report presents the results of a 10-year project conducted by Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (Air Products) to determine the feasibility of coproducing hydrogen with electricity. The primary objective was to demonstrate the technical and economic viability of a hydrogen energy station using a high-temperature fuel cell designed to produce power and hydrogen. This four-phase project had intermediate go/no-go decisions and the following specific goals: Complete a technical assessment and economic analysis of the use of high-temperature fuel cells, including solid oxide and molten carbonate, for the co-production of power and hydrogen (energy park concept). Build on the experiencemore » gained at the Las Vegas H2 Energy Station and compare/contrast the two approaches for co-production. Determine the applicability of co-production from a high-temperature fuel cell for the existing merchant hydrogen market and for the emerging hydrogen economy. Demonstrate the concept on natural gas for six months at a suitable site with demand for both hydrogen and electricity. Maintain safety as the top priority in the system design and operation. Obtain adequate operational data to provide the basis for future commercial activities, including hydrogen fueling stations. Work began with the execution of the cooperative agreement with DOE on 30 September 2001. During Phase 1, Air Products identified high-temperature fuel cells as having the potential to meet the coproduction targets, and the molten carbonate fuel cell system from FuelCell Energy, Inc. (FuelCell Energy) was selected by Air Products and DOE following the feasibility assessment performed during Phase 2. Detailed design, construction and shop validation testing of a system to produce 250 kW of electricity and 100 kilograms per day of hydrogen, along with site selection to include a renewable feedstock for the fuel cell, were completed in Phase 3. The system also completed six months of demonstration operation at the wastewater treatment facility operated by Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD, Fountain Valley, CA). As part of achieving the objective of operating on a renewable feedstock, Air Products secured additional funding via an award from the California Air Resources Board. The South Coast Air Quality Management District also provided cost share which supported the objectives of this project. System operation at OCSD confirmed the results from shop validation testing performed during Phase 3. Hydrogen was produced at rates and purity that met the targets from the system design basis, and coproduction efficiency exceeded the 50% target set in conjunction with input from the DOE. Hydrogen production economics, updated from the Phase 2 analysis, showed pricing of $5 to $6 per kilogram of hydrogen using current gas purification systems. Hydrogen costs under $3 per kilogram are achievable if next-generation electrochemical separation technologies become available.« less

Influence of temperature on water and aqueous glucose absorption spectra in the near- and mid-infrared regions at physiologically relevant temperatures.

PubMed

Jensen, Peter Snoer; Bak, Jimmy; Andersson-Engels, Stefan

2003-01-01

Near- and mid-infrared absorption spectra of pure water and aqueous 1.0 g/dL glucose solutions in the wavenumber range 8000-950 cm-1 were measured in the temperature range 30-42 degrees C in steps of 2 degrees C. Measurements were carried out with an FT-IR spectrometer and a variable pathlength transmission cell controlled within 0.02 degree C. Pathlengths of 50 microns and 0.4 mm were used in the mid- and near-infrared spectral region, respectively. Difference spectra were used to determine the effect of temperature on the water spectra quantitatively. These spectra were obtained by subtracting the 37 degrees C water spectrum from the spectra measured at other temperatures. The difference spectra reveal that the effect of temperature is highest in the vicinity of the strong absorption bands, with a number of isosbestic points with no temperature dependence and relatively flat plateaus in between. On the basis of these spectra, prospects for and limitations on data analysis for infrared diagnostic methods are discussed. As an example, the absorptive properties of glucose were studied in the same temperature range in order to determine the effect of temperature on the spectral shape of glucose. The change in water absorption associated with the addition of glucose has also been studied. An estimate of these effects is given and is related to the expected level of infrared signals from glucose in humans.

Effects of storage temperature on the physiological characteristics and vegetative propagation of desiccation-tolerant mosses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Yuewei; Zhao, Yunge

2018-02-01

Mosses, as major components of later successional biological soil crusts (biocrusts), play many critical roles in arid and semiarid ecosystems. Recently, some species of desiccation-tolerant mosses have been artificially cultured with the aim of accelerating the recovery of biocrusts. Revealing the factors that influence the vegetative propagation of mosses, which is an important reproductive mode of mosses in dry habitats, will benefit the restoration of moss crusts. In this study, three air-dried desiccation-tolerant mosses (Barbula unguiculata, Didymodon vinealis, and Didymodon tectorum) were hermetically sealed and stored at five temperature levels (0, 4, 17, 25, and 30 °C) for 40 days. Then, the vegetative propagation and physiological characteristics of the three mosses were investigated to determine the influence of storage temperature on the vegetative propagation of desiccation-tolerant mosses and the mechanism. The results showed that the vegetative propagation of the three mosses varied with temperature. The most variation in vegetative propagation among storage temperatures was observed in D. tectorum, followed by the variation observed in B. unguiculata. In contrast, no significant difference in propagation among temperatures was found in D. vinealis. The regenerative capacity of the three mosses increased with increasing temperature from 0 to 17 °C, accompanied by a decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and decreased thereafter. As the temperature increased, the chlorophyll and soluble protein contents increased in B. unguiculata but decreased in D. vinealis and D. tectorum. As to storage, the MDA and soluble sugar contents increased after storage. The MDA content of the three mosses increased at each of the investigated temperatures by more than 50 % from the initial values, and the soluble sugar content became higher than before in the three mosses. The integrity of cells and cell membranes is likely the most important factor influencing the vegetative propagation of desiccation-tolerant mosses. A 40-day storage period caused cell injury. Our results suggest that storage temperature can enhance or suppress such injury and change the regenerative capacity of the three mosses. The data indicate that the suitable storage temperature is 4 °C for B. unguiculata and 17 °C for both D. vinealis and D. tectorum.

Deep sea microbial fuel cell output as a proxy for microbial activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richter, K.; George, R.; Hardy, K. R.

2016-02-01

Abstract: Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) work by providing bacteria in anaerobic sediments with an electron acceptor (anode) that stimulates metabolism of organic matter. The buried anode is connected via control circuitry to a cathode exposed to oxygen in the overlying water. During metabolism, bacteria release hydrogen ions into the sediment and transfer electrons extra-cellularly to the anode, which eventually reduce dissolved oxygen at the cathode, forming water. The current is chiefly limited by the rate of microbial metabolism at the anode and serves as a proxy for microbial activity. The Office of Naval Research has encouraged development of microbial fuel cells in the marine environment at a number of academic and naval institutions and studies of important environmental parameters that affect fuel cell performance. Earlier work in shallow sediments of San Diego Bay showed that the most important environmental parameters that control fuel cell power output in San Diego Bay were total organic carbon in the sediment and seasonal water temperature. Current MFC work at SPAWAR includes extension of microbial fuel cell tests to the deep sea environment (>4000 m) and, in parallel, testing microbial fuel cells in the laboratory under deep sea conditions. We are pursuing a field efforts to deploy a microbial fuel cell in progressively deeper water, record in situ power and temperature over several weeks, and retrieve the fuel cell along with sediment samples for analysis. We are also pursuing a laboratory effort to build a matching microbial fuel cell in a pressure vessel capable of matching the pressure and temperature of deep water, and stocking the pressure vessel with deep water sediment in order to take measurements analogous to those in the field. We also hope to determine whether bacteria growing on the anode are different from bacteria growing in the bulk sediment via DNA analysis. The current progress and results from this work at SPAWAR will be presented.

Inflammation-sensitive in situ smart scaffolding for regenerative medicine.

PubMed

Patra, Hirak K; Sharma, Yashpal; Islam, Mohammad Mirazul; Jafari, Mohammad Javad; Murugan, N Arul; Kobayashi, Hisatoshi; Turner, Anthony P F; Tiwari, Ashutosh

2016-10-06

To cope with the rapid evolution of the tissue engineering field, it is now essential to incorporate the use of on-site responsive scaffolds. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to find new 'Intelligent' biomaterials that can respond to the physicochemical changes in the microenvironment. In this present report, we have developed biocompatible stimuli responsive polyaniline-multiwalled carbon nanotube/poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), (PANI-MWCNT/PNIPAm) composite nanofiber networks and demonstrated the physiological temperature coordinated cell grafting phenomenon on its surface. The composite nanofibers were prepared by a two-step process initiated with an assisted in situ polymerization followed by electrospinning. To obtain a smooth surface in individual nanofibers with the thinnest diameter, the component ratios and electrospinning conditions were optimized. The temperature-gated rearrangements of the molecular structure are characterized by FTIR spectroscopy with simultaneous macromolecular architecture changes reflected on the surface morphology, average diameter and pore size as determined by scanning electron microscopy. The stimuli responsiveness of the nanofibers has first been optimized with computational modeling of temperature sensitive components (coil-like and globular conformations) to tune the mechanism for temperature dependent interaction during in situ scaffolding with the cell membrane. The nanofiber networks show excellent biocompatibility, tested with fibroblasts and also show excellent sensitivity to inflammation to combat loco-regional acidosis that delay the wound healing process by an in vitro model that has been developed for testing the proposed responsiveness of the composite nanofiber networks. Cellular adhesion and detachment are regulated through physiological temperature and show normal proliferation of the grafted cells on the composite nanofibers. Thus, we report for the first time, the development of physiological temperature gated inflammation-sensitive smart biomaterials for advanced tissue regeneration and regenerative medicine.

Statistical analysis of the effect of temperature and inlet humidities on the parameters of a semiempirical model of the internal resistance of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giner-Sanz, J. J.; Ortega, E. M.; Pérez-Herranz, V.

2018-03-01

The internal resistance of a PEM fuel cell depends on the operation conditions and on the current delivered by the cell. This work's goal is to obtain a semiempirical model able to reproduce the effect of the operation current on the internal resistance of an individual cell of a commercial PEM fuel cell stack; and to perform a statistical analysis in order to study the effect of the operation temperature and the inlet humidities on the parameters of the model. First, the internal resistance of the individual fuel cell operating in different operation conditions was experimentally measured for different DC currents, using the high frequency intercept of the impedance spectra. Then, a semiempirical model based on Springer and co-workers' model was proposed. This model is able to successfully reproduce the experimental trends. Subsequently, the curves of resistance versus DC current obtained for different operation conditions were fitted to the semiempirical model, and an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed in order to determine which factors have a statistically significant effect on each model parameter. Finally, a response surface method was applied in order to obtain a regression model.

Gas-cell measurements for evaluating longwave-infrared passive-sensor performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cummings, Alan S.; Combs, Roger J.; Thomas, Mark J.; Curry, Timothy; Kroutil, Robert T.

2006-10-01

A longwave-infrared (LWIR) passive-spectrometer performance was evaluated with a short-pathlength gas cell. This cell was accurately positioned between the sensor and a NIST-traceable blackbody radiance source. Cell contents were varied over the Beer's Law absorbance range from the limit of detection to saturation for the gas analytes of sulfur hexafluoride and hexafluoroethane. The spectral impact of saturation on infrared absorbance was demonstrated for the passive sensor configuration. The gas-cell contents for all concentration-pathlength products was monitored with an active traditional-laboratory Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer and was verified by comparison with the established PNNL/DOE vapor-phase infrared (IR) spectral database. For the passive FTIR measurements, the blackbody source employed a range of background temperatures from 5 °C to 50 °C. The passive measurements without the presence of a gas cell permitted a determination of the noise equivalent spectral noise (NESR) for each set of passive gas-cell measurements. In addition, the no-cell condition allowed the evaluation of the effect of gas cell window materials of low density poly(ethylene), potassium chloride, potassium bromide, and zinc selenide. The components of gas cell, different window materials, temperature differentials, and absorbances of target-analyte gases supplied the means of evaluating the LWIR performance of a passive FTIR spectrometer. The various LWIR-passive measurements were found to simulate those often encountered in open-air scenarios important to both industrial and environmental monitoring applications.

Evaluation of transport conditions for autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells for therapeutic application in horses

PubMed Central

Espina, Miguel; Jülke, Henriette; Brehm, Walter; Ribitsch, Iris; Winter, Karsten

2016-01-01

Background. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are increasingly used for clinical applications in equine patients. For MSC isolation and expansion, a laboratory step is mandatory, after which the cells are sent back to the attending veterinarian. Preserving the biological properties of MSCs during this transport is paramount. The goal of the study was to compare transport-related parameters (transport container, media, temperature, time, cell concentration) that potentially influence characteristics of culture expanded equine MSCs. Methods. The study was arranged in three parts comparing (I) five different transport containers (cryotube, two types of plastic syringes, glass syringe, CellSeal), (II) seven different transport media, four temperatures (4 °C vs. room temperature; −20 °C vs. −80 °C), four time frames (24 h vs. 48 h; 48 h vs. 72 h), and (III) three MSC concentrations (5 × 106, 10 × 106, 20 × 106 MSC/ml). Cell viability (Trypan Blue exclusion; percent and total number viable cell), proliferation and trilineage differentiation capacity were assessed for each test condition. Further, the recovered volume of the suspension was determined in part I. Each condition was evaluated using samples of six horses (n = 6) and differentiation protocols were performed in duplicates. Results. In part I of the study, no significant differences in any of the parameters were found when comparing transport containers at room temperature. The glass syringe was selected for all subsequent evaluations (highest recoverable volume of cell suspension and cell viability). In part II, media, temperatures, or time frames had also no significant influence on cell viability, likely due to the large number of comparisons and small sample size. Highest cell viability was observed using autologous bone marrow supernatant as transport medium, and “transport” at 4 °C for 24 h (70.6% vs. control group 75.3%); this was not significant. Contrary, viability was unacceptably low (<40%) for all freezing protocols at −20 °C or −80 °C, particularly with bone marrow supernatant or plasma and DMSO. In part III, various cell concentrations also had no significant influence on any of the evaluated parameters. Chondrogenic differentiation showed a trend towards being decreased for all transport conditions, compared to control cells. Discussion. In this study, transport conditions were not found to impact viability, proliferation or ability for trilineage differentiation of MSCs, most likely due to the small sample size and large number of comparisons. The unusual low viability after all freezing protocols is in contrast to previous equine studies. Potential causes are differences in the freezing, but also in thawing method. Also, the selected container (glass syringe) may have impacted viability. Future research may be warranted into the possibly negative effect of transport on chondrogenic differentiation. PMID:27019778

Temperature sensitivity of phospho-Ser{sup 473}-PKB/AKT

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

Oehler-Jaenne, Christoph; Bueren, Andre O. von; Vuong, Van

2008-10-24

The phospho-PKB/Akt status is often used as surrogate marker to measure activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signal transduction pathway. Though, inconsistencies of the p-Ser{sup 473}-PKB/Akt status have raised doubts in the validity of p-Ser{sup 473}-PKB/Akt phosphorylation as endpoint. Here, we determined that p-Ser{sup 473}-PKB/Akt but not p-Thr{sup 308}-PKB/Akt phosphorylation is highly temperature sensitive. p-Ser{sup 473}-PKB/Akt phosphorylation was rapidly reduced to levels below 50% on exposure to 20-25 deg. C in murine and human cell lines including cells expressing constitutively active PI3K or lacking PTEN. Down-regulation of p-Ser{sup 473}-PKB/Akt was reversible and re-exposure to physiological temperature resulted in increased p-Ser{sup 473}-PKB/Akt phosphorylationmore » levels. Phosphatase activity at low temperature was sustained at 75% baseline level and phosphatase inhibition prevented p-Ser{sup 473}-PKB/Akt dephosphorylation induced by the low temperature shift. Interestingly temperature-dependent deregulation of the p-Ser{sup 473}-PKB/Akt status was also observed in response to irradiation. Thus our data demonstrate that minimal additional stress factors deregulate the PI3K/Akt-survival pathway and the p-Ser{sup 473}-PKB/Akt status as experimental endpoint.« less

Retinoic acid stability in stem cell cultures.

PubMed

Sharow, Kyle A; Temkin, Boris; Asson-Batres, Mary Ann

2012-01-01

It has been reported that retinoids, such as retinoic acid (RA) and retinol (ROL), dissolved in aqueous solutions are susceptible to oxidative damage when exposed to light, air, and relatively high temperatures, conditions that are normal for culturing stem cells. Thus, questions arise regarding the interpretation of results obtained from studies of mouse embryonic stem cells exposed to retinoids because their isomerization state, their stability in culture conditions, and their interactions with other potential differentiation factors in growth media could influence developmental processes under study. Media samples were supplemented with retinoids and exposed to cell culture conditions with and without mouse embryonic stem cells (mESC), and retinoids were extracted and analyzed using HPLC. To determine whether retinoids are stable in media supplemented with fetal bovine serum (FBS) or in chemically-defined, serum-free media, mESC adapted to each type of growth media were investigated. Studies reported here indicate there was little loss or isomerization of at-RA, 9-cis-RA, 13-cis-RA, or ROL in cell cultures grown in serum-supplemented media when cell cultures were maintained in the dark and manipulated and observed under yellow light. In contrast, the stability of both at-RA and ROL were determined to be greatly reduced in serum-free media as compared with serum-supplemented media. Addition of 6 mg/ml bovine serum albumin was found to stabilize retinoids in serum-free media. It was also determined that ROL is less stable than RA in cell culture conditions.

Battery system with temperature sensors

DOEpatents

Wood, Steven J.; Trester, Dale B.

2012-11-13

A battery system to monitor temperature includes at least one cell with a temperature sensing device proximate the at least one cell. The battery system also includes a flexible member that holds the temperature sensor proximate to the at least one cell.

Directional Bleb Formation in Spherical Cells under Temperature Gradient

PubMed Central

Oyama, Kotaro; Arai, Tomomi; Isaka, Akira; Sekiguchi, Taku; Itoh, Hideki; Seto, Yusuke; Miyazaki, Makito; Itabashi, Takeshi; Ohki, Takashi; Suzuki, Madoka; Ishiwata, Shin'ichi

2015-01-01

Living cells sense absolute temperature and temporal changes in temperature using biological thermosensors such as ion channels. Here, we reveal, to our knowledge, a novel mechanism of sensing spatial temperature gradients within single cells. Spherical mitotic cells form directional membrane extensions (polar blebs) under sharp temperature gradients (≥∼0.065°C μm−1; 1.3°C temperature difference within a cell), which are created by local heating with a focused 1455-nm laser beam under an optical microscope. On the other hand, multiple nondirectional blebs are formed under gradual temperature gradients or uniform heating. During heating, the distribution of actomyosin complexes becomes inhomogeneous due to a break in the symmetry of its contractile force, highlighting the role of the actomyosin complex as a sensor of local temperature gradients. PMID:26200871

Heat treatment effects in Cu2S-CdS heterojunction photovoltaic cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fahrenbruch, A. L.; Bube, R. H.

1974-01-01

The dependence of the short-circuit current on photon energy, temperature, and the state of optical degradation (or enhancement) is determined in a study of the photovoltaic properties of Cu2S-CdS single-crystal heterojunctions. A coherent formulation is proposed for the relationship between enhancement and optical degradation and for their effects on the transport of a short-circuit photoexcited current and dark forward-bias current in a photovoltaic cell. Optical degradation in a Cu2S-CdS cell is shown to be identical to the optical degradation of lifetime in a homogeneous CdS:Cd:Cu crystal.

The development of the cell cryopreservation protocol with controlled rate thawing.

PubMed

Gurina, Tatyana M; Pakhomov, Alexandr V; Polyakova, Anna L; Legach, Evgeniy I; Bozhok, Galyna A

2016-06-01

Thawing in the water bath is often considered as a standard procedure. The thermal history of samples thawed in this way is poorly controlled, but cryopreservation and banking of cell-based products require standardization, automation and safety of all the technological stages including thawing. The programmable freezers allow implementation of the controlled cooling as well as the controlled thawing. As the cell damage occurs during the phase transformation that takes place in the cryoprotectant medium in the process of freezing-thawing, the choice of warming rates within the temperature intervals of transformations is very important. The goal of the study was to investigate the influence of warming rates within the intervals of the phase transformations in the DMSO-based cryoprotectant medium on the cell recovery and to develop a cryopreservation protocol with controlled cooling and warming rates. The temperature intervals of phase transformations such as melting of the eutectic mixture of the cryoprotectant solution (MEMCS), melting of the eutectic salt solution (MESS), melting of the main ice mass (MMIM), recrystallization before MEMCS, recrystallization before MESS and recrystallization before MMIM were determined by thermo-mechanical analysis. The biological experiments were performed on the rat testicular interstitial cells (TIC). The highest levels of the cell recovery and metabolic activity after cryopreservation were obtained using the protocol with the high (20 °C/min) warming rate in the temperature intervals of crystallization of the eutectics as well as recrystallizations and the low (1 °C/min) warming rate in the temperature intervals of melting of the eutectics as well as MMIM. The total cell recovery was 65.3 ± 2.1 %, the recovery of the 3-beta-HSD-positive (Leydig) cells was 82.9 ± 1.8 %, the MTT staining was 32.5 ± 0.9 % versus 42.1 ± 1.7 %; 57.4 ± 2.1 % and 24.0 ± 1.1 % respectively, when compared to the thawing in the water bath.

Characterization of solar cells for space applications. Volume 5: Electrical characteristics of OCLI 225-micron MLAR wraparound cells as a function of intensity, temperature, and irradiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anspaugh, B. E.; Miyahira, T. F.; Weiss, R. S.

1979-01-01

Computed statistical averages and standard deviations with respect to the measured cells for each intensity temperature measurement condition are presented. Display averages and standard deviations of the cell characteristics in a two dimensional array format are shown: one dimension representing incoming light intensity, and another, the cell temperature. Programs for calculating the temperature coefficients of the pertinent cell electrical parameters are presented, and postirradiation data are summarized.

Oxygen permeation through Nafion 117 membrane and its impact on efficiency of polymer membrane ethanol fuel cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jablonski, Andrzej; Kulesza, Pawel J.; Lewera, Adam

2011-05-01

We investigate oxygen permeation through Nafion 117 membrane in a direct ethanol fuel cell and elucidate how it affects the fuel cell efficiency. An obvious symptom of oxygen permeation is the presence of significant amounts of acetaldehyde and acetic acid in the mixture leaving anode when no current was drawn from the fuel cell (i.e. under the open circuit conditions). This parasitic process severely lowers efficiency of the fuel cell because ethanol is found to be directly oxidized on the surface of catalyst by oxygen coming through membrane from cathode in the absence of electric current flowing in the external circuit. Three commonly used carbon-supported anode catalysts are investigated, Pt, Pt/Ru and Pt/Sn. Products of ethanol oxidation are determined qualitatively and quantitatively at open circuit as a function of temperature and pressure, and we aim at determining whether the oxygen permeation or the catalyst's activity limits the parasitic ethanol oxidation. Our results strongly imply the need to develop more selective membranes that would be less oxygen permeable.

Preliminary low temperature electron irradiation of triple junction solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stella, Paul M.; Mueller, Robert L.; Scrivner, Roy L.; Helizon, Roger S.

2005-01-01

JPL has routinely performed radiation testing on commercial solar cells and has also performed LILT testing to characterize cell performance under far sun operating conditions. This research activity was intended to combine the features of both capabilities to investigate the possibility of any room temperature annealing that might influence the measured radiation damage. Although it was not possible to maintain the test cells at a constant low temperature between irradiation and electrical measurements, it was possible to obtain measurements with the cell temperature kept well below room temperature.

Standard free energy of formation of iron iodide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khandkar, A.; Tare, V. B.; Wagner, J. B., Jr.

1983-01-01

An experiment is reported where silver iodide is used to determine the standard free energy of formation of iron iodide. By using silver iodide as a solid electrolyte, a galvanic cell, Ag/AgI/Fe-FeI2, is formulated. The standard free energy of formation of AgI is known, and hence it is possible to estimate the standard free energy of formation of FeI2 by measuring the open-circuit emf of the above cell as a function of temperature. The free standard energy of formation of FeI2 determined by this method is -38784 + 24.165T cal/mol. It is estimated that the maximum error associated with this method is plus or minus 2500 cal/mol.

Parametric analysis of ATM solar array.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, B. K.; Adkisson, W. B.

1973-01-01

The paper discusses the methods used for the calculation of ATM solar array performance characteristics and provides the parametric analysis of solar panels used in SKYLAB. To predict the solar array performance under conditions other than test conditions, a mathematical model has been developed. Four computer programs have been used to convert the solar simulator test data to the parametric curves. The first performs module summations, the second determines average solar cell characteristics which will cause a mathematical model to generate a curve matching the test data, the third is a polynomial fit program which determines the polynomial equations for the solar cell characteristics versus temperature, and the fourth program uses the polynomial coefficients generated by the polynomial curve fit program to generate the parametric data.

SEE Sensitivity Analysis of 180 nm NAND CMOS Logic Cell for Space Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sajid, Muhammad

2016-07-01

This paper focus on Single Event Effects caused by energetic particle strike on sensitive locations in CMOS NAND logic cell designed in 180nm technology node to be operated in space radiation environment. The generation of SE transients as well as upsets as function of LET of incident particle has been determined for logic devices onboard LEO and GEO satellites. The minimum magnitude pulse and pulse-width for threshold LET was determined to estimate the vulnerability /susceptibility of device for heavy ion strike. The impact of temperature, strike location and logic state of NAND circuit on total SEU/SET rate was estimated with physical mechanism simulations using Visual TCAD, Genius, runSEU program and Crad computer codes.