Human Spaceflight Safety for the Next Generation on Orbital Space Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mango, Edward J.

2011-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Commercial Crew Program (CCP) has been chartered to facilitate the development of a United States (U.S.) commercial crew space transportation capability with the goal of achieving safe, reliable, and cost effective access to and from low Earth orbit (LEO) and the International Space Station (ISS) as soon as possible. Once the capability is matured and is available to the Government and other customers, NASA expects to purchase commercial services to meet its ISS crew rotation and emergency return objectives. The primary role of the CCP is to enable and ensure safe human spaceflight and processes for the next generation of earth orbital space systems. The architecture of the Program delineates the process for investment performance in safe orbital systems, Crew Transportation System (CTS) certification, and CTS Flight Readiness. A series of six technical documents build up the architecture to address the top-level CTS requirements and standards. They include Design Reference Missions, with the near term focus on ISS crew services, Certification and Service Requirements, Technical Management Processes, and Technical and Operations Standards Evaluation Processes.

Cerium Oxide Nanoparticle Nose-Only Inhalation Exposures ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

There is a critical need to assess the health effects associated with exposure of commercially produced NPs across the size ranges reflective of that detected in the industrial sectors that are generating, as well as incorporating, NPs into products. Generation of stable and low concentrations of size-fractionated nanoscale aerosols in nose-only chambers can be difficult, and when the aerosol agglomerates during generation, the problems are significantly increased. One problem is that many nanoscale aerosol generators have higher aerosol output and/or airflow than can be accommodated by a nose-only inhalation chamber, requiring much of the generated aerosol to be diverted to exhaust. Another problem is that mixing vessels used to modulate the fluctuating output from aerosol generators can cause substantial wall losses, consuming much of the generated aerosol. Other available aerosol generation systems can produce nanoscale aerosols from nanoparticles (NPs), however these NPs are generated in real time and do not approximate the physical and chemical characteristics of NPs that are commercially produced exposing the workers and the public. The health effects associated with exposure to commercial NP production, which are more morphologically and size heterogeneous, is required for risk assessment. To overcome these problems, a low-consumption dry-particulate nanoscale aerosol generator was developed to deliver stable concentrations in the range of 10–5000 µg

Optimized design and control of an off grid solar PV/hydrogen fuel cell power system for green buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghenai, C.; Bettayeb, M.

2017-11-01

Modelling, simulation, optimization and control strategies are used in this study to design a stand-alone solar PV/Fuel Cell/Battery/Generator hybrid power system to serve the electrical load of a commercial building. The main objective is to design an off grid energy system to meet the desired electric load of the commercial building with high renewable fraction, low emissions and low cost of energy. The goal is to manage the energy consumption of the building, reduce the associate cost and to switch from grid-tied fossil fuel power system to an off grid renewable and cleaner power system. Energy audit was performed in this study to determine the energy consumption of the building. Hourly simulations, modelling and optimization were performed to determine the performance and cost of the hybrid power configurations using different control strategies. The results show that the hybrid off grid solar PV/Fuel Cell/Generator/Battery/Inverter power system offers the best performance for the tested system architectures. From the total energy generated from the off grid hybrid power system, 73% is produced from the solar PV, 24% from the fuel cell and 3% from the backup Diesel generator. The produced power is used to meet all the AC load of the building without power shortage (<0.1%). The hybrid power system produces 18.2% excess power that can be used to serve the thermal load of the building. The proposed hybrid power system is sustainable, economically viable and environmentally friendly: High renewable fraction (66.1%), low levelized cost of energy (92 /MWh), and low carbon dioxide emissions (24 kg CO2/MWh) are achieved.

Low cost paths to binary optics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, Arthur; Domash, Lawrence

1993-01-01

Application of binary optics has been limited to a few major laboratories because of the limited availability of fabrication facilities such as e-beam machines and the lack of standardized design software. Foster-Miller has attempted to identify low cost approaches to medium-resolution binary optics using readily available computer and fabrication tools, primarily for the use of students and experimenters in optical computing. An early version of our system, MacBEEP, made use of an optimized laser film recorder from the commercial typesetting industry with 10 micron resolution. This report is an update on our current efforts to design and build a second generation MacBEEP, which aims at 1 micron resolution and multiple phase levels. Trails included a low cost scanning electron microscope in microlithography mode, and alternative laser inscribers or photomask generators. Our current software approach is based on Mathematica and PostScript compatibility.

Development of a 500-Watt portable generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knochenhauer, Robert John

In many commercial and recreational environments where power is unavailable, there is a need for lightweight, efficient, reasonably priced and quiet power sources that can recharge batteries for various portable devices. The current benchmark device is the Honda EU1000i, a 1000-Watt (peak) generator that weighs only 29 pounds (dry) and has a respectable noise level of 59 dB (at 7 meters) under peak power loading. The intent of this thesis study is to focus on the thermal management of a novel generator design that develops peak power of 500-Watts, weighs in at less than 20 pounds (dry) and has a reasonably low noise level at peak power loading. Through the course of this assessment, two key lessons are learned: • Liquid cooling at this scale is possible, but not practical • Renewable power sources (wind turbines and/or solar panels) are viable alternatives when used in environments that offer suitable conditions.

Performance of a time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay for measuring varicella-zoster virus immunoglobulin G levels in adults and comparison with commercial enzyme immunoassays and Merck glycoprotein enzyme immunoassay.

PubMed

Maple, P A C; Gray, J; Breuer, J; Kafatos, G; Parker, S; Brown, D

2006-02-01

Highly sensitive and specific, quantitative assays are needed to detect varicella-zoster virus (VZV) immunoglobulin G in human sera, particularly for determining immune status and response following vaccination. A time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay (TRFIA) has been developed, and its performance was compared to that of two commercial enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) and Merck glycoprotein EIA (gpEIA). The TRFIA had equivalent sensitivity (97.8%) and high specificity (93.5%) in relation to gpEIA. A commercial (Behring) EIA compared favorably with TRFIA in terms of sensitivity (98.4%) but had lower specificity (80.7%). Another commercial EIA (Diamedix) had high specificity (97.1%) but low sensitivity (76.4%) compared to TRFIA if equivocal test results were treated as negative for VZV antibody. A novel feature of the TRFIA was that the cutoff was generated using population mixture modeling and was expressed in mIU/ml, as the assay was calibrated using the British standard VZV antibody.

Development of CMOS Active Pixel Image Sensors for Low Cost Commercial Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gee, R.; Kemeny, S.; Kim, Q.; Mendis, S.; Nakamura, J.; Nixon, R.; Ortiz, M.; Pain, B.; Staller, C.; Zhou, Z;

Multispectral simulation environment for modeling low-light-level sensor systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ientilucci, Emmett J.; Brown, Scott D.; Schott, John R.; Raqueno, Rolando V.

1998-11-01

Image intensifying cameras have been found to be extremely useful in low-light-level (LLL) scenarios including military night vision and civilian rescue operations. These sensors utilize the available visible region photons and an amplification process to produce high contrast imagery. It has been demonstrated that processing techniques can further enhance the quality of this imagery. For example, fusion with matching thermal IR imagery can improve image content when very little visible region contrast is available. To aid in the improvement of current algorithms and the development of new ones, a high fidelity simulation environment capable of producing radiometrically correct multi-band imagery for low- light-level conditions is desired. This paper describes a modeling environment attempting to meet these criteria by addressing the task as two individual components: (1) prediction of a low-light-level radiance field from an arbitrary scene, and (2) simulation of the output from a low- light-level sensor for a given radiance field. The radiance prediction engine utilized in this environment is the Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Image Generation (DIRSIG) model which is a first principles based multi-spectral synthetic image generation model capable of producing an arbitrary number of bands in the 0.28 to 20 micrometer region. The DIRSIG model is utilized to produce high spatial and spectral resolution radiance field images. These images are then processed by a user configurable multi-stage low-light-level sensor model that applies the appropriate noise and modulation transfer function (MTF) at each stage in the image processing chain. This includes the ability to reproduce common intensifying sensor artifacts such as saturation and 'blooming.' Additionally, co-registered imagery in other spectral bands may be simultaneously generated for testing fusion and exploitation algorithms. This paper discusses specific aspects of the DIRSIG radiance prediction for low- light-level conditions including the incorporation of natural and man-made sources which emphasizes the importance of accurate BRDF. A description of the implementation of each stage in the image processing and capture chain for the LLL model is also presented. Finally, simulated images are presented and qualitatively compared to lab acquired imagery from a commercial system.

CONTRIBUTION TO INDOOR OZONE LEVELS OF AN OZONE GENERATOR

EPA Science Inventory

This report gives results of a study of a commonly used commercially available ozone generator, undertaken to determine its impact on indoor ozone levels. xperiment were conducted in a typical mechanically ventilated office and in a test house. he generated ozone and the in-room ...

A Flight Research Overview of WSPR, a Pilot Project for Sonic Boom Community Response

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cliatt, Larry J., II; Haering, Edward A., Jr.; Jones, Thomas P.; Waggoner, Erin R.; Flattery, Ashley K.; Wiley, Scott L.

2014-01-01

In support of the ongoing effort by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to bring supersonic commercial travel to the public, the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center and the NASA Langley Research Center, in cooperation with other industry organizations, conducted a flight research experiment to identify the methods, tools, and best practices for a large-scale quiet (or low) sonic boom community human response test. The name of the effort was Waveforms and Sonic boom Perception and Response (WSPR). Such tests will be applied to building a dataset that governing agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration and the International Civil Aviation Organization will use to establish regulations for acceptable sound levels of overland sonic booms. The WSPR test was the first such effort that studied responses to non-traditional low sonic booms while the subject persons were in their own homes and performing daily activities.The WSPR test was a NASA collaborative effort with several industry partners, in response to a NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate Research Opportunities in Aeronautics. The primary contractor was Wyle (El Segundo, California). Other partners included Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (Savannah, Georgia); Pennsylvania State University (University Park, Pennsylvania); Tetra Tech, Inc. (Pasadena, California); and Fidell Associates, Inc. (Woodland Hills, California).A major objective of the effort included exposing a community to the sonic boom magnitudes and occurrences that would be expected to occur in high-air traffic regions having a network of supersonic commercial aircraft in place. Low-level sonic booms designed to simulate those produced by the next generation of commercial supersonic aircraft were generated over a small residential community. The sonic boom footprint was recorded with an autonomous wireless microphone array that spanned the entire community. Human response data were collected using multiple survey methods. The research focused on essential elements of community response testing including subject recruitment, survey methods, instrumentation systems, flight planning and operations, and data analysis methods.This paper focuses on the NASA role in the logistics and operations of the effort, including human response subject recruitment, the operational processes involved in implementing the surveys throughout the community, instrumentation systems, logistics, flight planning, and flight operations. Findings discussed in this paper include critical lessons learned in all of the above-mentioned areas, as well as flight operations results. Analysis of the accuracy and repeatability of planning and executing the unique aircraft maneuver used to generate low sonic booms concluded that the sonic booms had overpressures within 0.15 lbft2 of the planned values for 76 percent of the attempts. Similarly, 90 percent of the attempts to generate low sonic booms within the community were successful.

The commercial feasibility of underground coal gasification in southern Thailand

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

Solc, J.; Young, B.C.; Harju, J.A.

Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) is a clean coal technology with the commercial potential to provide low- or medium-Btu gas for the generation of electric power. While the abundance of economic coal and natural gas reserves in the United States of America (USA) has delayed the commercial development of this technology in the USA, potential for commercial development of UCG-fueled electric power generation currently exists in many other nations. Thailand has been experiencing sustained economic growth throughout the past decade. The use of UCG to provide electric power to meet the growing power demand appears to have commercial potential. A projectmore » to determine the commercial feasibility of UCG-fueled electric power generation at a site in southern Thailand is in progress. The objective of the project is to determine the commercial feasibility of using UCG for power generation in the Krabi coal mining area located approximately 1,000 kilometers south of Bangkok, Thailand. The project team has developed a detailed methodology to determine the technical feasibility, environmental acceptability, and commercial economic potential of UCG at a selected site. In the methodology, hydrogeologic conditions of the coal seam and surrounding strata are determined first. These results and information describing the local economic conditions are then used to assess the commercial potential of the UCG application. The methodology for evaluating the Krabi UCG site and current project status are discussed in this paper.« less

A comparative study of noise pollution levels in some selected areas in Ilorin Metropolis, Nigeria.

PubMed

Oyedepo, Olayinka S; Saadu, Abdullahi A

2009-11-01

The noise pollution is a major problem for the quality of life in urban areas. This study was conducted to compare the noise pollution levels at busy roads/road junctions, passengers loading parks, commercial, industrial and residential areas in Ilorin metropolis. A total number of 47-locations were selected within the metropolis. Statistical analysis shows significant difference (P < 0.05) in noise pollution levels between industrial areas and low density residential areas, industrial areas and high density areas, industrial areas and passengers loading parks, industrial areas and commercial areas, busy roads/road junctions and low density areas, passengers loading parks and commercial areas and commercial areas and low density areas. There is no significant difference (P > 0.05) in noise pollution levels between industrial areas and busy roads/road junctions, busy roads/road junctions and high density areas, busy roads/road junctions and passengers loading parks, busy roads/road junctions and commercial areas, passengers loading parks and high density areas, passengers loading parks and commercial areas and commercial areas and high density areas. The results show that Industrial areas have the highest noise pollution levels (110.2 dB(A)) followed by busy roads/Road junctions (91.5 dB(A)), Passengers loading parks (87.8 dB(A)) and Commercial areas (84.4 dB(A)). The noise pollution levels in Ilorin metropolis exceeded the recommended level by WHO at 34 of 47 measuring points. It can be concluded that the city is environmentally noise polluted and road traffic and industrial machineries are the major sources of it. Noting the noise emission standards, technical control measures, planning and promoting the citizens awareness about the high noise risk may help to relieve the noise problem in the metropolis.

Compact CFB: The next generation CFB boiler

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

Utt, J.

1996-12-31

The next generation of compact circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boilers is described in outline form. The following topics are discussed: compact CFB = pyroflow + compact separator; compact CFB; compact separator is a breakthrough design; advantages of CFB; new design with substantial development history; KUHMO: successful demo unit; KUHMO: good performance over load range with low emissions; KOKKOLA: first commercial unit and emissions; KOKKOLA: first commercial unit and emissions; compact CFB installations; next generation CFB boiler; grid nozzle upgrades; cast segmented vortex finders; vortex finder installation; ceramic anchors; pre-cast vertical bullnose; refractory upgrades; and wet gunning.

Accuracy of methemoglobin measurements: comparison of six different commercial devices and one manual method.

PubMed

Dötsch, J; Demirakça, S; Hahn, D; Katz, N; Kühl, P G; Rascher, W

1999-06-01

During nitric oxide inhalation, methemoglobinemia needs to be monitored. We compared six commercially available instruments and one manual method for methemoglobin measurements. In addition, we studied whether and to what degree methylene blue interferes with methemoglobin measurements. In vitro methodologic study. Research laboratory in a university hospital. Five healthy volunteers from whom red blood cells were obtained. Methemoglobinemia was generated in a red blood cell suspension by nitric oxide; methemoglobin was measured with six commercial instruments and one manual photometric method to calculate variation coefficients and to determine the differences between the devices. Methemoglobin was measured with and without the addition of methylene blue with two instruments. Measurements were performed immediately after the addition of methylene blue. All six commercially available instruments had variation coefficients of <0.1 at methemoglobin concentrations of 5%, whereas the manual photometric method did not reach a variation coefficient of <0.1 at 8% of methemoglobin. Apart from two devices that measured slightly but significantly higher methemoglobin levels, all instruments measured similar values of methemoglobin when the same samples were determined simultaneously. Higher concentrations of methylene blue (10, 40, 100 microM) reduced substantially the apparent concentrations of methemoglobin. Interference by methylene blue was most pronounced at low methemoglobin levels. With some limitations, all commercial instruments that were tested performed adequately for the monitoring of methemoglobinemia. Methylene blue interferes with the methemoglobin measurements in a dose-dependent manner.

Long life, low cost, rechargeable AgZn battery for non-military applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Curtis C.

1996-03-01

Of the rechargeable (secondary) battery systems with mature technology, the silver oxide-zinc system (AgZn) safely offers the highest power and energy (watts and watt hours) per unit of volume and mass. As a result they have long been used for aerospace and defense applications where they have also proven their high reliability. In the past, the expense associated with the cost of silver and the resulting low production volume have limited their commercial application. However, the relative low cost of silver now make this system feasible in many applications where high energy and reliability are required. One area of commercial potential is power for a new generation of sophisticated, portable medical equipment. AgZn batteries have recently proven ``enabling technology'' for power critical, advanced medical devices. By extending the cycle calendar life to the system (offers both improved performance and lower operating cost), a combination is achieved which may enable a wide range of future electrical devices. Other areas where AgZn batteries have been used in nonmilitary applications to provide power to aid in the development of commercial equipment have been: (a) Electrically powered vehicles; (b) Remote sensing in nuclear facilities; (c) Special effects equipment for movies; (d) Remote sensing in petroleum pipe lines; (e) Portable computers; (f) Fly by wire systems for commercial aircraft; and (g) Robotics. However none of these applications have progressed to the level where the volume required will significantly lower cost.

Decolorization/Deodorization of Zein via Activated Carbons and Molecular Sieves

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A series of commercial activated carbons generated from different media and selective microporous zeolites with different pore sizes were used in a batch system to sequester the low molecular weight odor and color contaminants in commercial zein products. Because the adsorbents can also adsorb prot...

Polymorphism and methylation patterns in Agave tequilana Weber var. 'Azul' plants propagated asexually by three different methods.

PubMed

Díaz-Martínez, Miriam; Nava-Cedillo, Alejandro; Guzmán-López, José Alfredo; Escobar-Guzmán, Rocío; Simpson, June

2012-04-01

Genetic variation in three forms of asexually propagated Agave tequilana Weber var. 'Azul' plants namely offsets, bulbils and in vitro cultured individuals was studied by AFLP analysis. Low levels of variation were observed between mother plants and offsets and a higher level between mother plant and bulbils. Families obtained from commercial plantations showed lower levels of variation in comparison to families grown as ornamentals. No variation was observed between the original explant and four generations of in vitro cultured plants. Epigenetic variation was also studied by analyzing changes in methylation patterns between mother plants and offspring in each form of asexual reproduction. Offsets and bulbils showed an overall decrease in methylation whereas in vitro cultured plants showed patterns specific to each generation: Generations 1 and 4 showed overall demethylation whereas Generations 2 and 3 showed increased methylation. Analysis of ESTs associated with transposable elements revealed higher proportions of ESTs from Ty1-copia-like, Gypsy and CACTA transposable elements in cDNA libraries obtained from pluripotent tissue suggesting a possible correlation between methylation patterns, expression of transposable element associated genes and somaclonal variation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Commercially Available Activated Carbon Fiber Felt Enables Efficient Solar Steam Generation.

PubMed

Li, Haoran; He, Yurong; Hu, Yanwei; Wang, Xinzhi

2018-03-21

Sun-driven steam generation is now possible and has the potential to help meet future energy needs. Current technologies often use solar condensers to increase solar irradiance. More recently, a technology for solar steam generation that uses heated surface water and low optical concentration is reported. In this work, a commercially available activated carbon fiber felt is used to generate steam efficiently under one sun illumination. The evaporation rate and solar conversion efficiency reach 1.22 kg m -2 h -1 and 79.4%, respectively. The local temperature of the evaporator with a floating activated carbon fiber felt reaches 48 °C. Apart from the high absorptivity (about 94%) of the material, the evaporation performance is enhanced thanks to the well-developed pores for improved water supply and steam escape and the low thermal conductivity, which enables reduced bulk water temperature increase. This study helps to find a promising material for solar steam generation using a water evaporator that can be produced economically (∼6 $/m 2 ) with long-term stability.

The Chemistry of Ultra-Radiopure Materials

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

Miley, Harry S.; Aalseth, Craig E.; Day, Anthony R.

Ultra-pure materials are needed for the construction of the next generation of ultra-low level radiation detectors. These detectors are used for environmental research as well as rare nuclear decay experiments, e.g. probing the effective mass and character of the neutrino. Unfortunately, radioactive isotopes are found in most construction materials, either primordial isotopes, activation/spallation products from cosmic-ray exposure, or surface deposition of dust or radon progeny. Copper is an ideal candidate material for these applications. High-purity copper is commercially available and, when even greater radiopurity is needed, additional electrochemical purification can be combined with the final construction step, resulting in “electroformed”more » copper of extreme purity. Copper also offers desirable thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties. To bridge the gap between commercially-available high purity copper and the most stringent requirements of next-generation low-background experiments, a method of additional chemical purification is being developed based on well-known copper electrochemistry. This method is complemented with the co-development of surface cleaning techniques and more sensitive assay for both surface and bulk contamination. Developments in the electroplating of copper, surface cleaning, assay of U and Th in the bulk copper, and residual surface contamination will be discussed relative to goals of less than 1 microBq/kg Th.« less

Presentation of the 2007 Richard S. Hodes, M.D. Honor Lecture Award

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

McNamara, L.

Perma-Fix Environmental Services, Inc. Chief Operating Officer Larry McNamara is the 2007 recipient of the distinguished Richard S. Hodes, M.D. Honor Lecture Award from the Southeast Compact Commission for Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management. This award recognizes Mr. McNamara's innovation in the commercialization of mixed waste treatment processes for the nuclear industry, and the significant role that these innovations have played solving low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) management problems in the United States with specific emphasis on low-level mixed wastes. Low-level mixed wastes (LLMW) have historically been the most difficult wastes to treat because of the specialized equipment, permits and experience neededmore » to deal with a large variety of hazardous constituents. Prior to innovations in the mixed waste treatment industry championed by Mr. McNamara, wastes were stored at generator sites around the country in regulated storage areas, at great cost, and in many cases for decades. In this paper, Mr. McNamara shares lessons he has learned over the past seven years in developing and implementing innovative waste management solutions that have helped solve one of the nation's biggest challenges. He also describes the future challenges facing the industry. (authors)« less

Recent Advances in Design of Low Cost Film Concentrator and Low Pressure Free Piston Stirling Engines for Solar Power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kleinwaechter, J.; Kleinwaechter, H.; Beale, W.

1984-01-01

The free piston Stirling-linear alternator was shown to be scalable to power levels of tens of kilowatts in a form which is simple, efficient, long lived and relatively inexpensive. It avoids entirely the vexing problem of high pressure shaft, and its control requirements are not severe nor do they represent a significant threat to durability. Linear alternators have demonstrated high efficiency and moderate weight, and are capable of delivering 3 phase power from single machines without great increases of cost or complexity. There remains no apparent impediments to the commercial exploitation of the free piston engine for solar electric power generation.

The assessment of data sources for influenza virologic surveillance in New York State.

PubMed

Escuyer, Kay L; Waters, Christine L; Gowie, Donna L; Maxted, Angie M; Farrell, Gregory M; Fuschino, Meghan E; St George, Kirsten

2017-03-01

Following the 2013 USA release of the Influenza Virologic Surveillance Right Size Roadmap, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) embarked on an evaluation of data sources for influenza virologic surveillance. To assess NYS data sources, additional to data generated by the state public health laboratory (PHL), which could enhance influenza surveillance at the state and national level. Potential sources of laboratory test data for influenza were analyzed for quantity and quality. Computer models, designed to assess sample sizes and the confidence of data for statistical representation of influenza activity, were used to compare PHL test data to results from clinical and commercial laboratories, reported between June 8, 2013 and May 31, 2014. Sample sizes tested for influenza at the state PHL were sufficient for situational awareness surveillance with optimal confidence levels, only during peak weeks of the influenza season. Influenza data pooled from NYS PHLs and clinical laboratories generated optimal confidence levels for situational awareness throughout the influenza season. For novel influenza virus detection in NYS, combined real-time (rt) RT-PCR data from state and regional PHLs achieved ≥85% confidence during peak influenza activity, and ≥95% confidence for most of low season and all of off-season. In NYS, combined data from clinical, commercial, and public health laboratories generated optimal influenza surveillance for situational awareness throughout the season. Statistical confidence for novel virus detection, which is reliant on only PHL data, was achieved for most of the year. © 2016 The Authors. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Food commercials increase preference for energy-dense foods, particularly in children who watch more television.

PubMed

Boyland, Emma J; Harrold, Joanne A; Kirkham, Tim C; Corker, Catherine; Cuddy, Jenna; Evans, Deborah; Dovey, Terence M; Lawton, Clare L; Blundell, John E; Halford, Jason C G

2011-07-01

Our aim was to determine if levels of television viewing (a proxy measure for habitual commercial exposure) affect children's food preference responses to television food commercials. A total of 281 children aged 6 to 13 years from northwest England viewed toy or food television commercials followed by a cartoon on 2 separate occasions; they then completed 3 food preference measures, a commercial recognition task, and a television viewing questionnaire. After viewing the food commercials, all children selected more branded and nonbranded fat-rich and carbohydrate-rich items from food preference checklists compared with after viewing the toy commercials. The food preferences of children with higher habitual levels of television viewing were more affected by food commercial exposure than those of low television viewers. After viewing food commercials, high television viewing children selected a greater number of branded food items compared with after the toy commercials as well as compared with the low television viewers. Children correctly recognized more food commercials than toy commercials. Exposure to television food commercials enhanced high television viewers' preferences for branded foods and increased reported preferences for all food items (branded and nonbranded) relative to the low television viewers. This is the first study to demonstrate that children with greater previous exposure to commercials (high television viewers) seemed to be more responsive to food promotion messages than children with lower previous advertising exposure. Copyright © 2011 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Experimental study of a sustainable hybrid system for thermoelectric generation and freshwater production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Souza, Gabriel Fernandes; Tan, Lippong; Singh, Baljit; Ding, Lai Chet; Date, Abhijit

2017-04-01

The paper presents a sustainable hybrid system, which is capable of generating electricity and producing freshwater from seawater using low grade heat source. This proposed system uses low grade heat that can be supplied from solar radiation, industrial waste heat or any other waste heat sources where the temperature is less than 150°C. The concept behind this system uses the Seebeck effect for thermoelectricity generation via incorporating the low boiling point of seawater under sub-atmospheric ambient pressure. A lab-test prototype of the proposed system was built and experimentally tested in RMIT University. The prototype utilised four commercial available thermoelectric generators (Bi2Te3) and a vacuum vessel to achieve the simultaneous production of electricity and freshwater. The temperature profiles, thermoelectric powers and freshwater productions were determined at several levels of salinity to study the influence of different salt concentrations. The theoretical description of system design and experimental results were analysed and discussed in detailed. The experiment results showed that 0.75W of thermoelectricity and 404g of freshwater were produced using inputs of 150W of simulated waste heat and 500g of 3% saline water. The proposed hybrid concept has demonstrated the potential to become the future sustainable system for electricity and freshwater productions.

System for operating solid oxide fuel cell generator on diesel fuel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, Prabhu (Inventor); George, Raymond A. (Inventor)

1997-01-01

A system is provided for operating a solid oxide fuel cell generator on diesel fuel. The system includes a hydrodesulfurizer which reduces the sulfur content of commercial and military grade diesel fuel to an acceptable level. Hydrogen which has been previously separated from the process stream is mixed with diesel fuel at low pressure. The diesel/hydrogen mixture is then pressurized and introduced into the hydrodesulfurizer. The hydrodesulfurizer comprises a metal oxide such as ZnO which reacts with hydrogen sulfide in the presence of a metal catalyst to form a metal sulfide and water. After desulfurization, the diesel fuel is reformed and delivered to a hydrogen separator which removes most of the hydrogen from the reformed fuel prior to introduction into a solid oxide fuel cell generator. The separated hydrogen is then selectively delivered to the diesel/hydrogen mixer or to a hydrogen storage unit. The hydrogen storage unit preferably comprises a metal hydride which stores hydrogen in solid form at low pressure. Hydrogen may be discharged from the metal hydride to the diesel/hydrogen mixture at low pressure upon demand, particularly during start-up and shut-down of the system.

Industrial solutions trends for the control of HiRes spectrograph@E-ELT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Marcantonio, P.; Baldini, V.; Calderone, G.; Cirami, R.; Coretti, I.; Cristiani, S.

Starting a few years ago, ESO initiated a number of projects aiming to explore the possible adoption of industrial standards and commercial off-the-shelf components (COTS) for the control of future VLT and E-ELT instrumentations. In this context, ESPRESSO, the next generation high-stability spectrograph for the VLT and to a certain extent, a precursor of HiRes, has adopted since the preliminary design phase those solutions. Based on the ESPRESSO experience and taking into account the requirements inferred from the preliminary Hi-Res studies in terms of both high-level operations as well as low-level control, I will present in this paper the current proposal for the HiRes hardware architecture.

Operating Experience and Lessons Learned in the Use of Soft-Sided Packaging for Transportation and Disposal of Low Activity Radioactive Waste

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

Kapoor, A.; Gordon, S.; Goldston, W.

2013-07-08

This paper describes the operating experience and lessons learned at U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sites as a result of an evaluation of potential trailer contamination and soft-sided packaging integrity issues related to the disposal of low-level and mixed low-level (LLW/MLLW) radioactive waste shipments. Nearly 4.3 million cubic meters of LLW/MLLW will have been generated and disposed of during fiscal year (FY) 2010 to FY 2015—either at commercial disposal sites or disposal sites owned by DOE. The LLW/MLLW is packaged in several different types of regulatory compliant packaging and transported via highway or rail to disposal sites safely and efficientlymore » in accordance with federal, state, and local regulations and DOE orders. In 1999, DOE supported the development of LLW containers that are more volumetrically efficient, more cost effective, and easier to use as compared to metal or wooden containers that existed at that time. The DOE Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), working in conjunction with the plastic industry, tested several types of soft-sided waste packaging systems that meet U.S. Department of Transportation requirements for transport of low specific activity and surface contaminated objects. Since then, soft-sided packaging of various capacities have been used successfully by the decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) projects to package, transport, and dispose D&D wastes throughout the DOE complex. The joint team of experts assembled by the Energy Facility Contractors Group from DOE waste generating sites, DOE and commercial waste disposal facilities, and soft-sided packaging suppliers conducted the review of soft-sided packaging operations and transportation of these packages to the disposal sites. As a result of this evaluation, the team developed several recommendations and best practices to prevent or minimize the recurrences of equipment contamination issues and proper use of soft-sided packaging for transport and disposal of waste.« less

Radioactive Waste Conditioning, Immobilisation, And Encapsulation Processes And Technologies: Overview And Advances (Chapter 7)

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

Jantzen, Carol M.; Lee, William E.; Ojovan, Michael I.

The main immobilization technologies that are available commercially and have been demonstrated to be viable are cementation, bituminization, and vitrification. Vitrification is currently the most widely used technology for the treatment of high level radioactive wastes (HLW) throughout the world. Most of the nations that have generated HLW are immobilizing in either alkali borosilicate glass or alkali aluminophosphate glass. The exact compositions of nuclear waste glasses are tailored for easy preparation and melting, avoidance of glass-in-glass phase separation, avoidance of uncontrolled crystallization, and acceptable chemical durability, e.g., leach resistance. Glass has also been used to stabilize a variety of lowmore » level wastes (LLW) and mixed (radioactive and hazardous) low level wastes (MLLW) from other sources such as fuel rod cladding/decladding processes, chemical separations, radioactive sources, radioactive mill tailings, contaminated soils, medical research applications, and other commercial processes. The sources of radioactive waste generation are captured in other chapters in this book regarding the individual practices in various countries (legacy wastes, currently generated wastes, and future waste generation). Future waste generation is primarily driven by interest in sources of clean energy and this has led to an increased interest in advanced nuclear power production. The development of advanced wasteforms is a necessary component of the new nuclear power plant (NPP) flowsheets. Therefore, advanced nuclear wasteforms are being designed for robust disposal strategies. A brief summary is given of existing and advanced wasteforms: glass, glass-ceramics, glass composite materials (GCM’s), and crystalline ceramic (mineral) wasteforms that chemically incorporate radionuclides and hazardous species atomically in their structure. Cementitious, geopolymer, bitumen, and other encapsulant wasteforms and composites that atomically bond and encapsulate wastes are also discussed. The various processing technologies are cross-referenced to the various types of wasteforms since often a particular type of wasteform can be made by a variety of different processing technologies.« less

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

Bill Major

The use of stationary gas turbines for power generation has been growing rapidly with continuing trends predicted well into the future. Factors that are contributing to this growth include advances in turbine technology, operating and siting flexibility and low capital cost. Restructuring of the electric utility industry will provide new opportunities for on-site generation. In a competitive market, it maybe more cost effective to install small distributed generation units (like gas turbines) within the grid rather than constructing large power plants in remote locations with extensive transmission and distribution systems. For the customer, on-site generation will provide added reliability andmore » leverage over the cost of purchased power One of the key issues that is addressed in virtually every gas turbine application is emissions, particularly NO{sub x} emissions. Decades of research and development have significantly reduced the NO{sub x} levels emitted from gas turbines from uncontrolled levels. Emission control technologies are continuing to evolve with older technologies being gradually phased-out while new technologies are being developed and commercialized. The objective of this study is to determine and compare the cost of NO{sub x} control technologies for three size ranges of stationary gas turbines: 5 MW, 25 MW and 150 MW. The purpose of the comparison is to evaluate the cost effectiveness and impact of each control technology as a function of turbine size. The NO{sub x} control technologies evaluated in this study include: Lean premix combustion, also known as dry low NO{sub x} (DLN) combustion; Catalytic combustion; Water/steam injection; Selective catalytic reduction (SCR)--low temperature, conventional, high temperature; and SCONO{sub x}{trademark}.« less

Commercial Disinfectants During Disinfection Process Validation: More Failures than Success.

PubMed

Chatterjee, Shiv Sekhar; Chumber, Sushil Kumar; Khanduri, Uma

2016-08-01

Disinfection process validation is mandatory before introduction of a new disinfectant in hospital services. Commercial disinfection brands often question existing hospital policy claiming greater efficacy and lack of toxicity of their products. Inadvertent inadequate disinfection leads to morbidity, patient's economic burden, and the risk of mortality. To evaluate commercial disinfectants for high, intermediate and low-level disinfection so as to identify utility for our routine situations. This laboratory based experiment was conducted at St Stephen Hospital, Delhi during July-September 2013. Twelve commercial disinfectants: Sanidex®, Sanocid®, Cidex®, SekuSept Aktiv®, BIB Forte®, Alprojet W®, Desnet®, Sanihygiene®, Incidin®, D125®, Lonzagard®, and Glutishield® were tested. Time-kill assay (suspension test) was performed against six indicator bacteria (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella Typhi, Bacillus cereus, and Mycobacterium fortuitum). Low and high inoculum (final concentrations 1.5X10(6) and 9X10(6) cfu/ml) of the first five bacteria while only low level of M. fortuitum was tested. Cidex® (2.4% Glutaraldehyde) performed best as high level disinfectant while newer quarternary ammonium compounds (QACs) (Incidin®, D125®, and Lonzagard®) were good at low level disinfection. Sanidex® (0.55% Ortho-pthalaldehyde) though mycobactericidal took 10 minutes for sporicidal activity. Older QAC containing BIB Forte® and Desnet® took 20 minutes to fully inhibit P. aeruginosa. All disinfectants effectively reduced S. Typhi to zero counts within 5 minutes. Cidex® is a good high-level disinfectant while newer QACs (Incidin®, D125®, and Lonzagard®) were capable low-level disinfectants.

Regulatory control of low level radioactive waste in Taiwan

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

Liu, T.D.S.; Chiou, Syh-Tsong

1996-12-31

The commercial operation of Chinshan Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) Unit One marked the beginning of Taiwan`s nuclear power program. There are now three NPPs, each consisting of two units, in operation. This represents a generating capacity of 5,144 MWe. Nuclear power plants are sharing some 30 percent of electricity supplies in Taiwan. As far as low level radwaste (LLRW) is concerned, Taiwan Power Company (TPC) is the principal producer, contributing more than 90 percent of total volume of waste arising in Taiwan. Small producers, other than nuclear industries, medicine, research institutes, and universities, are responsible for the remaining 10 percent.more » In the paper, the LLRW management policy, organizational scheme, regulatory control over waste treatment, storage, transportation and disposal are addressed. Added to the paper in the last is how this country is managing its Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) waste.« less

NASA's Vision for Potential Energy Reduction from Future Generations of Propulsion Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haller, Bill

2015-01-01

Through a robust partnership with the aviation industry, over the past 50 years NASA programs have helped foster advances in propulsion technology that enabled substantial reductions in fuel consumption for commercial transports. Emerging global trends and continuing environmental concerns are creating challenges that will very likely transform the face of aviation over the next 20-40 years. In recognition of this development, NASA Aeronautics has established a set of Research Thrusts that will help define the future direction of the agency's research technology efforts. Two of these thrusts, Ultra-Efficient Commercial Vehicles and Transition to Low-Carbon Propulsion, serve as cornerstones for the Advanced Air Transport Technology (AATT) project. The AATT project is exploring and developing high-payoff technologies and concepts that are key to continued improvement in energy efficiency and environmental compatibility for future generations of fixed-wing, subsonic transports. The AATT project is primarily focused on the N+3 timeframe, or 3 generations from current technology levels. As should be expected, many of the propulsion system architectures technologies envisioned for N+3 vary significantly from todays engines. The use of batteries in a hybrid-electric configuration or deploying multiple fans distributed across the airframe to enable higher bypass ratios are just two examples of potential advances that could enable substantial energy reductions over current propulsion systems.

A Thermally Powered ISFET Array for On-Body pH Measurement.

PubMed

Douthwaite, Matthew; Koutsos, Ermis; Yates, David C; Mitcheson, Paul D; Georgiou, Pantelis

2017-12-01

Recent advances in electronics and electrochemical sensors have led to an emerging class of next generation wearables, detecting analytes in biofluids such as perspiration. Most of these devices utilize ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) as a detection method; however, ion-sensitive field-effect transistors (ISFETs) offer a solution with improved integration and a low power consumption. This work presents a wearable, thermoelectrically powered system composed of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), two commercial power management integrated circuits and a network of commercial thermoelectric generators (TEGs). The ASIC is fabricated in 0.35 m CMOS and contains an ISFET array designed to read pH as a current, a processing module which averages the signal to reduce noise and encodes it into a frequency, and a transmitter. The output frequency has a measured sensitivity of 6 to 8 kHz/pH for a pH range of 7-5. It is shown that the sensing array and processing module has a power consumption 6 W and, therefore, can be entirely powered by body heat using a TEG. Array averaging is shown to reduce noise at these low power levels to 104 V (input referred integrated noise), reducing the minimum detectable limit of the ASIC to 0.008 pH units. The work forms the foundation and proves the feasibility of battery-less, on-body electrochemical for perspiration analysis in sports science and healthcare applications.

Environmental analysis burial of offsite low-level waste at SRP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poe, W. L.; Moyer, R. A.

1980-12-01

The environmental effects of receipt and burial of low level naval waste are assessed. This low level waste was sent to the NRC-licensed burial ground operated by Chem-Nuclear Systems, Inc., at Barnwell, South Carolina. The DOE announced that DOE-generated low level waste would no longer be buried at commercial waste burial sites. The SRP was selected to receive the Naval waste described in this analysis. Receipt and burial of these wastes will have a negligible effect on SRP's environment and increase only sightly the environmental effects of the SRP operations discussed in the EIS on SRP waste management operations. The environmental effects of burial of this waste at Chem-Nuclear Burial Ground or at the SRP Burial Ground are described in this environmental analysis to permit assessment of incremental effects caused by the decision to bury this Naval waste in the SRP Burial Ground rather than in the Barnwell Burial Ground. The radiological effects from burial of this waste in either the SRP or Chem-Nuclear Burial Ground are very small when compared to those from natural background radiation or to the annual population dose commitment from operation of SRP. The environmental effects of burial at SRP to dose commitments normally received by the population surrounding SRP are compared.

Novel design of high voltage pulse source for efficient dielectric barrier discharge generation by using silicon diodes for alternating current.

PubMed

Truong, Hoa Thi; Hayashi, Misaki; Uesugi, Yoshihiko; Tanaka, Yasunori; Ishijima, Tatsuo

2017-06-01

This work focuses on design, construction, and optimization of configuration of a novel high voltage pulse power source for large-scale dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) generation. The pulses were generated by using the high-speed switching characteristic of an inexpensive device called silicon diodes for alternating current and the self-terminated characteristic of DBD. The operation started to be powered by a primary DC low voltage power supply flexibly equipped with a commercial DC power supply, or a battery, or DC output of an independent photovoltaic system without transformer employment. This flexible connection to different types of primary power supply could provide a promising solution for the application of DBD, especially in the area without power grid connection. The simple modular structure, non-control requirement, transformer elimination, and a minimum number of levels in voltage conversion could lead to a reduction in size, weight, simple maintenance, low cost of installation, and high scalability of a DBD generator. The performance of this pulse source has been validated by a load of resistor. A good agreement between theoretically estimated and experimentally measured responses has been achieved. The pulse source has also been successfully applied for an efficient DBD plasma generation.

Novel design of high voltage pulse source for efficient dielectric barrier discharge generation by using silicon diodes for alternating current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Truong, Hoa Thi; Hayashi, Misaki; Uesugi, Yoshihiko; Tanaka, Yasunori; Ishijima, Tatsuo

2017-06-01

This work focuses on design, construction, and optimization of configuration of a novel high voltage pulse power source for large-scale dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) generation. The pulses were generated by using the high-speed switching characteristic of an inexpensive device called silicon diodes for alternating current and the self-terminated characteristic of DBD. The operation started to be powered by a primary DC low voltage power supply flexibly equipped with a commercial DC power supply, or a battery, or DC output of an independent photovoltaic system without transformer employment. This flexible connection to different types of primary power supply could provide a promising solution for the application of DBD, especially in the area without power grid connection. The simple modular structure, non-control requirement, transformer elimination, and a minimum number of levels in voltage conversion could lead to a reduction in size, weight, simple maintenance, low cost of installation, and high scalability of a DBD generator. The performance of this pulse source has been validated by a load of resistor. A good agreement between theoretically estimated and experimentally measured responses has been achieved. The pulse source has also been successfully applied for an efficient DBD plasma generation.

Induction and transmission of tolerance to the synthetic pesticide emamectin benzoate in field and laboratory populations of diamondback moth.

PubMed

Rahman, M M; Baker, G; Powis, K J; Roush, R T; Schmidt, O

2010-08-01

Field surveys of pest insect pest populations in agroecosystems reveal low but significant levels of tolerance to synthetic and biological pesticides but fail to uncover resistance alleles in test crosses. To study the potential of inducible mechanisms to generate tolerance to synthetic pesticides, we performed baseline susceptibility studies in field and laboratory populations of diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), to commercial formulations of emamectin benzoate. Pesticide exposure in the field caused elevated levels of tolerance, which decreased in field-collected populations after maintaining insects with pesticide-free diet in the laboratory. Because no significant resistance alleles were identified in back-crossed individuals, the observed increase in tolerance was probably not based on preexisting recessive resistance mechanisms in the population. Instead, the genetic analysis after five and 12 generations is compatible with a transient up-regulation of an immune and metabolic status in tolerant insects that can be transmitted to offspring by a maternal effect. Although the epigenetic effects contributed to incremental increases in tolerance in the first five generations, other resistance mechanisms that are transmitted genetically predominate after 12 generations of increased exposure to the pesticide.

Benchmarking Commercial Conformer Ensemble Generators.

PubMed

Friedrich, Nils-Ole; de Bruyn Kops, Christina; Flachsenberg, Florian; Sommer, Kai; Rarey, Matthias; Kirchmair, Johannes

2017-11-27

We assess and compare the performance of eight commercial conformer ensemble generators (ConfGen, ConfGenX, cxcalc, iCon, MOE LowModeMD, MOE Stochastic, MOE Conformation Import, and OMEGA) and one leading free algorithm, the distance geometry algorithm implemented in RDKit. The comparative study is based on a new version of the Platinum Diverse Dataset, a high-quality benchmarking dataset of 2859 protein-bound ligand conformations extracted from the PDB. Differences in the performance of commercial algorithms are much smaller than those observed for free algorithms in our previous study (J. Chem. Inf. 2017, 57, 529-539). For commercial algorithms, the median minimum root-mean-square deviations measured between protein-bound ligand conformations and ensembles of a maximum of 250 conformers are between 0.46 and 0.61 Å. Commercial conformer ensemble generators are characterized by their high robustness, with at least 99% of all input molecules successfully processed and few or even no substantial geometrical errors detectable in their output conformations. The RDKit distance geometry algorithm (with minimization enabled) appears to be a good free alternative since its performance is comparable to that of the midranked commercial algorithms. Based on a statistical analysis, we elaborate on which algorithms to use and how to parametrize them for best performance in different application scenarios.

A Simple Decontamination Approach Using Hydrogen ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Journal article To evaluate the use of relatively low levels of hydrogen peroxide vapor (HPV) for the inactivation of Bacillus anthracis spores within an indoor environment. Methods and Results: Laboratory-scale decontamination tests were conducted using bacterial spores of both B. anthracis Ames and Bacillus atrophaeus inoculated onto several types of materials. Pilot-scale tests were also conducted using a larger chamber furnished as an indoor office. Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) humidifiers filled with aqueous solutions of 3% or 8% hydrogen peroxide were used to generate the HPV inside the mock office. The spores were exposed to the HPV for periods ranging from 8 hours up to one week. Conclusions: Four to seven day exposures to low levels of HPV (average air concentrations of approximately 5-10 parts per million) were effective in inactivating B. anthracis spores on multiple materials. The HPV can be generated with COTS humidifiers and household H2O2 solutions. With the exception of one test/material, B. atrophaeus spores were equally or more resistant to HPV inactivation compared to those from B. anthracis Ames. Significance and Impact of Study: This simple and effective decontamination method is another option that could be widely applied in the event of a B. anthracis spore release.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gasmi, Khaled

2018-02-01

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

Electromagnetic Cavity Effects from Transmitters Inside a Launch Vehicle Fairing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trout, Dawn; Stanley, James; Wahid, Parveen

2009-01-01

This paper provides insight into the difficult analytical issue for launch vehicles and spacecraft that has applicability outside of the launch industry. Radiation from spacecraft or launch vehicle antennas located within enclosures in the launch vehicle generates an electromagnetic environment that is difficult to accurately predict. This paper discusses the test results of power levels produced by a transmitter within a representative scaled vehicle fairing model and provides preliminary modeling results at the low end of the frequency test range using a commercial tool. Initially, the walls of the fairing are aluminum and later, layered with materials to simulate acoustic blanketing structures that are typical in payload fairings. The effects of these blanketing materials on the power levels within the fairing are examined.

An environmental-level, real-time, pulsed photon dosemeter.

PubMed

Olsher, R H; Frymire, A; Gregoire, T

2005-01-01

Radiation sources producing short pulses of photon radiation are widespread. Such sources include electron linear accelerators and field emission impulse generators. It is often desirable to measure leakage and skyshine radiation for these sources in real time and at environmental levels as low as 0.02 microSv per pulse. This note provides an overview of the design and performance of a commercial, real-time, pulsed photon dosemeter (PPD) capable of single-pulse dose measurements over the range from 0.02 to 20 microSv. The PPD may also be operated in a multiple-pulse mode that integrates the dose from a train of pulses over a 3 s period. A pulse repetition rate of up to 300 Hz is accommodated.

Electrical Stimulation Technologies for Wound Healing

PubMed Central

Kloth, Luther C.

2014-01-01

Objective: To discuss the physiological bases for using exogenously applied electric field (EF) energy to enhance wound healing with conductive electrical stimulation (ES) devices. Approach: To describe the types of electrical currents that have been reported to enhance chronic wound-healing rate and closure. Results: Commercial ES devices that generate direct current (DC), and mono and biphasic pulsed current waveforms represent the principal ES technologies which are reported to enhance wound healing. Innovation: Wafer-thin, disposable ES technologies (wound dressings) that utilize mini or micro-batteries to deliver low-level DC for wound healing and antibacterial wound-treatment purposes are commercially available. Microfluidic wound-healing chips are currently being used with greater accuracy to investigate the EF effects on cellular electrotaxis. Conclusion: Numerous clinical trials described in subsequent sections of this issue have demonstrated that ES used adjunctively with standard wound care (SWC), enhances wound healing rate faster than SWC alone. PMID:24761348

Comparison of breathing gated CT images generated using a 5DCT technique and a commercial clinical protocol in a porcine model

PubMed Central

O’Connell, Dylan P.; Thomas, David H.; Dou, Tai H.; Lamb, James M.; Feingold, Franklin; Low, Daniel A.; Fuld, Matthew K.; Sieren, Jered P.; Sloan, Chelsea M.; Shirk, Melissa A.; Hoffman, Eric A.; Hofmann, Christian

2015-01-01

Purpose: To demonstrate that a “5DCT” technique which utilizes fast helical acquisition yields the same respiratory-gated images as a commercial technique for regular, mechanically produced breathing cycles. Methods: Respiratory-gated images of an anesthetized, mechanically ventilated pig were generated using a Siemens low-pitch helical protocol and 5DCT for a range of breathing rates and amplitudes and with standard and low dose imaging protocols. 5DCT reconstructions were independently evaluated by measuring the distances between tissue positions predicted by a 5D motion model and those measured using deformable registration, as well by reconstructing the originally acquired scans. Discrepancies between the 5DCT and commercial reconstructions were measured using landmark correspondences. Results: The mean distance between model predicted tissue positions and deformably registered tissue positions over the nine datasets was 0.65 ± 0.28 mm. Reconstructions of the original scans were on average accurate to 0.78 ± 0.57 mm. Mean landmark displacement between the commercial and 5DCT images was 1.76 ± 1.25 mm while the maximum lung tissue motion over the breathing cycle had a mean value of 27.2 ± 4.6 mm. An image composed of the average of 30 deformably registered images acquired with a low dose protocol had 6 HU image noise (single standard deviation) in the heart versus 31 HU for the commercial images. Conclusions: An end to end evaluation of the 5DCT technique was conducted through landmark based comparison to breathing gated images acquired with a commercial protocol under highly regular ventilation. The techniques were found to agree to within 2 mm for most respiratory phases and most points in the lung. PMID:26133604

Costs and Operating Dynamics of Integrating Distributed Energy Resources in Commercial and Industrial Buildings with Electric Vehicle Charging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flores, Robert Joseph

Growing concerns over greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions have increased the pressure to shift energy conversion paradigms from current forms to more sustainable methods, such as through the use of distributed energy resources (DER) at industrial and commercial buildings. This dissertation is concerned with the optimal design and dispatch of a DER system installed at an industrial or commercial building. An optimization model that accurately captures typical utility costs and the physical constraints of a combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) system is designed to size and operate a DER system at a building. The optimization model is then used with cooperative game theory to evaluate the financial performance of a CCHP investment. The CCHP model is then modified to include energy storage, solar powered generators, alternative fuel sources, carbon emission limits, and building interactions with public and fleet PEVs. Then, a separate plugin electric vehicle (PEV) refueling model is developed to determine the cost to operate a public Level 3 fast charging station. The CCHP design and dispatch results show the size of the building load and consistency of the thermal loads are critical to positive financial performance. While using the CCHP system to produce cooling can provide savings, heat production drives positive financial performance. When designing the DER system to reduce carbon emissions, the use of renewable fuels can allow for a gas turbine system with heat recovery to reduce carbon emissions for a large university by 67%. Further reductions require large photovoltaic installations coupled with energy storage or the ability to export electricity back to the grid if costs are to remain relatively low. When considering Level 3 fast charging equipment, demand charges at low PEV travel levels are sufficiently high to discourage adoption. Integration of the equipment can reduce demand charge costs only if the building maximum demand does not coincide with PEV refueling. Electric vehicle refueling does not typically affect DER design at low PEV travel levels, but can as electric vehicle travel increases. However, as PEV travel increases, the stochastic nature of PEV refueling disappears, and the optimization problem may become deterministic.

Potential uses for cuphea oil processing byproducts and processed oils

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cuphea spp. has seeds that contain high levels of medium chain fatty acids and have the potential to be commercially cultivated. In the course of processing and refining Cuphea oil a number of bi-products are generated. Developing commercial uses for these bi-products would improve the economics of...

Design and realization of a 300 W fuel cell generator on an electric bicycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardinali, Luciano; Santomassimo, Saverio; Stefanoni, Marco

At ENEA Casaccia Research Center (Rome, Italy) a 300 W NUVERA fuel cell stack has been utilized for the construction of a range extender generator on a commercial electric bicycle. The generator is fully automated with a programmable logic controller (PLC) safely operating start-up, shut-down and emergencies; a volumetric compressor supplies air to the cathode, a dc/dc converter transfers energy from the stack to the battery. All ancillary equipment are commercial; only the cell voltage sensors have been developed in order to obtain miniaturized and low consumption components. With this generator the bicycle nominal range of 25 km (utilizing only the Ni-Mh battery) is extended to over 120 km, by installing a 200 bar, 5 l bottle of hydrogen.

LOW COST, EFFICIENT MICROCHANNEL PLASMA OZONE GENERATOR FOR POINT OF USE WATER TREATMENT - PHASE I

EPA Science Inventory

A team of EP Purification and the University of Illinois engineers and chemists is pursuing the commercialization of low-cost microchannel plasma modules capable of efficiently producing ozone for...

40 CFR 60.2210 - What information must I include in my annual report?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Performance for Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incineration Units Recordkeeping and Reporting § 60.2210... was inoperative, except for zero (low-level) and high-level checks. (3) The date, time, and duration.... (1) The zero (low-level), mid-level (if applicable), or high-level calibration drift exceeds two...

Low contaminant formic acid fuel for direct liquid fuel cell

DOEpatents

Masel, Richard I [Champaign, IL; Zhu, Yimin [Urbana, IL; Kahn, Zakia [Palatine, IL; Man, Malcolm [Vancouver, CA

2009-11-17

A low contaminant formic acid fuel is especially suited toward use in a direct organic liquid fuel cell. A fuel of the invention provides high power output that is maintained for a substantial time and the fuel is substantially non-flammable. Specific contaminants and contaminant levels have been identified as being deleterious to the performance of a formic acid fuel in a fuel cell, and embodiments of the invention provide low contaminant fuels that have improved performance compared to known commercial bulk grade and commercial purified grade formic acid fuels. Preferred embodiment fuels (and fuel cells containing such fuels) including low levels of a combination of key contaminants, including acetic acid, methyl formate, and methanol.

Treatment options for low-level radiologically contaminated ORNL filtercake

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

Lee, Hom-Ti; Bostick, W.D.

1996-04-01

Water softening sludge (>4000 stored low level contaminated drums; 600 drums per year) generated by the ORNL Process Waste Treatment Plant must be treated, stabilized, and placed in safe storage/disposal. The sludge is primarily CaCO{sub 3} and is contaminated by low levels of {sup 90}Sr and {sup 137}Cs. In this study, microwave sintering and calcination were evaluated for treating the sludge. The microwave melting experiments showed promise: volume reductions were significant (3-5X), and the waste form was durable with glass additives (LiOH, fly ash). A commercial vendor using surrogate has demonstrated a melt mineralization process that yields a dense monolithicmore » waste form with a volume reduction factor (VR) of 7.7. Calcination of the sludge at 850-900 C yielded a VR of 2.5. Compaction at 4500 psi increased the VR to 4.2, but the compressed form is not dimensionally stable. Addition of paraffin helped consolidate fines and yielded a VR of 3.5. In conclusion, microwave melting or another form of vitrification is likely to be the best method; however for immediate implementation, the calculation/compaction/waxing process is viable.« less

Low Wind Speed Turbine Project Phase II: The Application of Medium-Voltage Electrical Apparatus to the Class of Variable Speed Multi-Megawatt Low Wind Speed Turbines; 15 June 2004--30 April 2005

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

Erdman, W.; Behnke, M.

2005-11-01

Kilowatt ratings of modern wind turbines have progressed rapidly from 50 kW to 1,800 kW over the past 25 years, with 3.0- to 7.5-MW turbines expected in the next 5 years. The premise of this study is simple: The rapid growth of wind turbine power ratings and the corresponding growth in turbine electrical generation systems and associated controls are quickly making low-voltage (LV) electrical design approaches cost-ineffective. This report provides design detail and compares the cost of energy (COE) between commercial LV-class wind power machines and emerging medium-voltage (MV)-class multi-megawatt wind technology. The key finding is that a 2.5% reductionmore » in the COE can be achieved by moving from LV to MV systems. This is a conservative estimate, with a 3% to 3.5% reduction believed to be attainable once purchase orders to support a 250-turbine/year production level are placed. This evaluation considers capital costs as well as installation, maintenance, and training requirements for wind turbine maintenance personnel. Subsystems investigated include the generator, pendant cables, variable-speed converter, and padmount transformer with switchgear. Both current-source and voltage-source converter/inverter MV topologies are compared against their low-voltage, voltage-source counterparts at the 3.0-, 5.0-, and 7.5-MW levels.« less

Technical and economic assessments commercial success for IGCC technology in China

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

Xiong, T.

1998-07-01

The experiences gained from several Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) demonstration plants operating in the US and Europe facilitate commercial success of this advanced coal-based power generation technology. However, commercialization of coal-based IGCC technology in the West, particularly in the US, is restricted due to the low price of natural gas. On the contrary, in China--the largest coal producer and consumer in the world--a lack of natural gas supply, strong demand for air pollution control and relatively low costs of manufacturing and construction provide tremendous opportunities for IGCC applications. The first Chinese IGCC demonstration project was initiated in 1994, andmore » other potential IGCC projects are in planning. IGCC applications in re-powering, fuel switching and multi-generation also show a great market potential in China. However, questions for IGCC development in China remain; where are realistic opportunities for IGCC projects and how can these opportunities be converted into commercial success? The answers to these questions should focus on the Chinese market needs and emphasize economic benefits, not just clean, or power. High price of imported equipment, high financing costs, and the technical risk of first-of-a-kind installation barricade IGCC development in China. This paper presents preliminary technical and economic assessments for four typical IGCC applications in the Chinese marketplace: central power station, fuel switching, re-powering, and multi-generation. The major factors affecting project economics--such as plant cost, financing, prices of fuel and electricity and operating capacity factor--are analyzed. The results indicate that well-proven technology for versatile applications, preferred financing, reduction of the plant cost, environmental superiority and appropriate project structure are the key for commercial success of IGCC in China.« less

40 CFR 60.2770 - What information must I include in my annual report?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... and Compliance Times for Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incineration Units Model Rule... inoperative, except for zero (low-level) and high-level checks. (3) The date, time, and duration that each... of control if any of the following occur. (1) The zero (low-level), mid-level (if applicable), or...

40 CFR 60.2770 - What information must I include in my annual report?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... and Compliance Times for Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incineration Units that Commenced... inoperative, except for zero (low-level) and high-level checks. (3) The date, time, and duration that each... of control if any of the following occur. (1) The zero (low-level), mid-level (if applicable), or...

Comparison of low-frequency noise levels of the Concorde supersonic transport with other commercial service airplanes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, C. A.; Mccurdy, D. A.

1978-01-01

Fifty-two airplane noise recordings, made at several locations around Dulles International Airport, were analyzed to compare the low-frequency noise levels of the Concorde supersonic transport with those of other commercial jet airplanes. Comparisons of the relative low-frequency noise levels which were produced at close and distant locations for departures and arrivals were made for three noise measures: the sound pressure level in the 1/3 octave band centered at 20 Hz, the total sound pressure level in the 1/3 octave bands with center frequencies less than or equal to 125 Hz, and the total sound pressure level in the 1/3 octave bands with center frequencies less than or equal to 500 Hz. Although the absolute noise levels for Concorde were found, in general, to be higher than those for the other airplane types, the level of low-frequency noise of the Concorde relative to the perceived noise level (PNL), effective perceived noise level (EPNL), and overall sound pressure level (OASPL) was within the range established by the other airplane types, except for the arrival operations of four-engine, narrow-body airplanes. The measure OASPL was found to be a significantly better predictor of low-frequency noise level than PNL or EPNL.

Engineering microbial fuels cells: recent patents and new directions.

PubMed

Biffinger, Justin C; Ringeisen, Bradley R

2008-01-01

Fundamental research into how microbes generate electricity within microbial fuel cells (MFCs) has far outweighed the practical application and large scale development of microbial energy harvesting devices. MFCs are considered alternatives to standard commercial polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell technology because the fuel supply does not need to be purified, ambient operating temperatures are maintained with biologically compatible materials, and the biological catalyst is self-regenerating. The generation of electricity during wastewater treatment using MFCs may profoundly affect the approach to anaerobic treatment technologies used in wastewater treatment as a result of developing this energy harvesting technology. However, the materials and engineering designs for MFCs were identical to commercial fuel cells until 2003. Compared to commercial fuel cells, MFCs will remain underdeveloped as long as low power densities are generated from the best systems. The variety of designs for MFCs has expanded rapidly in the last five years in the literature, but the patent protection has lagged behind. This review will cover recent and important patents relating to MFC designs and progress.

Very low noise AC/DC power supply systems for large detector arrays.

PubMed

Arnaboldi, C; Baù, A; Carniti, P; Cassina, L; Giachero, A; Gotti, C; Maino, M; Passerini, A; Pessina, G

2015-12-01

In this work, we present the first part of the power supply system for the CUORE and LUCIFER arrays of bolometric detectors. For CUORE, it consists of AC/DC commercial power supplies (0-60 V output) followed by custom DC/DC modules (48 V input, ±5 V to ±13.5 V outputs). Each module has 3 floating and independently configurable output voltages. In LUCIFER, the AC/DC + DC/DC stages are combined into a commercial medium-power AC/DC source. At the outputs of both setups, we introduced filters with the aim of lowering the noise and to protect the following stages from high voltage spikes that can be generated by the energy stored in the cables after the release of accidental short circuits. Output noise is very low, as required: in the 100 MHz bandwidth the RMS level is about 37 μV(RMS) (CUORE setup) and 90 μV(RMS) (LUCIFER setup) at a load of 7 A, with a negligible dependence on the load current. Even more importantly, high frequency switching disturbances are almost completely suppressed. The efficiency of both systems is above 85%. Both systems are completely programmable and monitored via CAN bus (optically coupled).

Development of a low-cost and effective trapping device for apple maggot fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) monitoring and control in Mexican commercial hawthorn groves

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Few efforts have been made in Mexico to monitor Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh) (Diptera: Tephritidae) in commercial hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) crops. Therefore, the main objectives of this study were to evaluate infestation levels of R. pomonella in feral and commercial Mexican hawthorn and to assess ...

Feasibility of Biomass Biodrying for Gasification Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamidian, Arash

An important challenge of biomass gasification is the limitation of feedstock quality especially the moisture content, which plays a significant role on the performance of gasification process. Gasification requires low moisture levels (20% and less) and several reports have emphasized on the moisture as a typical problem while gasifying biomass. Moisture affects overall reaction rates in the gasifiers as a result of temperature drop and ultimately increases tar content, decreases gas yield, changes the composition of produced gas and affects the efficiency. Therefore, it is mandatory to pre-treat the biomass before gasification and reduce the moisture content to the suitable and economic level. The well-known solutions are either natural drying (not practical for commercial plants) or conventional drying technologies (have high operating costs). Biodrying is an alternative process, which uses both convective air and heat of biological reactions as a source of energy, to reduce the moisture. In the biodrying reactor heat is generated from exothermic decomposition of organic fraction of biomass and that is why the process is called "self-heating process". Employing such technology for drying biomass at pre-treatment units of gasification process returns several economic and environmental advantages to mills. In Europe, municipal waste treatment (MSW) plants use the biodrying at commercial scale to degrade a part of the biodegradable fraction of waste to generate heat and reduce the moisture content for high quality SRF (Solid Recovered Fuel) production. In Italy, wine industry is seeking to develop biodrying for energy recovery of grape wastes after fermentation and distillation, which returns economic benefits to the industry. In Canada, the development of biodrying technology for pulp and paper industry was started at Ecole polytechnique de Montreal as an option for sludge management solution. Therefore, batch biodrying reactor was successfully developed in 2004 and the pilot-scale continuous system was designed in 2010 to demonstrate the feasibility of mixed sludge biodrying for efficient combustion in biomass boilers. Mixed sludge was biodried in the reactor to 45% moisture level, which was the suitable level for boiler application. Techno-economic analysis also revealed the potential economic benefits for pulp and paper mills. However, considerable uncertainties existed in terms of feasibility of the biodrying technology for other types of biomass that are usually used in the gasification process, mainly because of low nutrient level of typical lignocellulosic biomass used as feedstock. Furthermore, the technology had not been shown to be economically viable in conjunction with gasification process at pulp and paper mills. In this work the feasibility of low-nutrient biomass biodrying was tested by experiments and techno-economic model was developed to identify the performance of biodrying process for commercial-scale application. In the economic analysis, a comprehensive approach for biodrying cost assessment was introduced that is based on the well-known approach widely used in the process industry and few sources of benefits were identified.

Exposure to electric power generator noise among small scale business operators in selected communities in Ibadan, Nigeria.

PubMed

Ana, Godson R E E; Luqman, Yesufu A; Shendell, Derek G; Owoaje, Eme T

2014-11-01

Inadequate and erratic power supplies mean small businesses use electric generators for alternative power. The authors' goal in the study described here was to assess noise from electric generators and impacts in the commercial areas of Agbowo and Ajibode in Ibadan, Nigeria. Noise levels (A-weighted decibels [dBA]) were measured over 12 weeks, three times a day, during the 2010 dry season using a sound level meter. A questionnaire was administered (515 respondents; 304 in Agbowo, 211 in Ajibode) and audiometric measurements were conducted on 40% of respondents. Mean noise levels varied by source (104 ± 7.7 dBA [diesel], 94.0 ± 6.3 dBA [petrol]) and were highest midday (90.6 ± 5.3 dBA [Agbowo], 70.9 ± 6.2 dBA [Ajibode]). Mean noise levels in Agbowo (78.5 ± 3.9 dBA) and Ajibode (65.7 ± 4.4 dBA) exceeded World Health Organization guidelines (65 dBA) for outdoor commercial environments. Working and living in Agbowo was significantly associated with current evidence of hearing impairment (odds ratio: 6.8, 95% confidence interval: 3.4-13.7). Reducing exposure to noise from electric power generators serving urban small businesses and homes is warranted.

INTEGRATED POWER GENERATION SYSTEMS FOR COAL MINE WASTE METHANE UTILIZATION

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

Peet M. Soot; Dale R. Jesse; Michael E. Smith

2005-08-01

An integrated system to utilize the waste coal mine methane (CMM) at the Federal No. 2 Coal Mine in West Virginia was designed and built. The system includes power generation, using internal combustion engines, along with gas processing equipment to upgrade sub-quality waste methane to pipeline quality standards. The power generation has a nominal capacity of 1,200 kw and the gas processing system can treat about 1 million cubic feet per day (1 MMCFD) of gas. The gas processing is based on the Northwest Fuel Development, Inc. (NW Fuel) proprietary continuous pressure swing adsorption (CPSA) process that can remove nitrogenmore » from CMM streams. The two major components of the integrated system are synergistic. The byproduct gas stream from the gas processing equipment can be used as fuel for the power generating equipment. In return, the power generating equipment provides the nominal power requirements of the gas processing equipment. This Phase III effort followed Phase I, which was comprised of a feasibility study for the project, and Phase II, where the final design for the commercial-scale demonstration was completed. The fact that NW Fuel is desirous of continuing to operate the equipment on a commercial basis provides the validation for having advanced the project through all of these phases. The limitation experienced by the project during Phase III was that the CMM available to operate the CPSA system on a commercial basis was not of sufficiently high quality. NW Fuel's CPSA process is limited in its applicability, requiring a relatively high quality of gas as the feed to the process. The CPSA process was demonstrated during Phase III for a limited time, during which the processing capabilities met the expected results, but the process was never capable of providing pipeline quality gas from the available low quality CMM. The NW Fuel CPSA process is a low-cost ''polishing unit'' capable of removing a few percent nitrogen. It was never intended to process CMM streams containing high levels of nitrogen, as is now the case at the Federal No.2 Mine. Even lacking the CPSA pipeline delivery demonstration, the project was successful in laying the groundwork for future commercial applications of the integrated system. This operation can still provide a guide for other coal mines which need options for utilization of their methane resources. The designed system can be used as a complete template, or individual components of the system can be segregated and utilized separately at other mines. The use of the CMM not only provides an energy fuel from an otherwise wasted resource, but it also yields an environmental benefit by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The methane has twenty times the greenhouse effect as compared to carbon dioxide, which the combustion of the methane generates. The net greenhouse gas emission mitigation is substantial.« less

AC application of second generation HTS wire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thieme, C. L. H.; Gagnon, K.; Voccio, J.; Aized, D.; Claassen, J.

2008-02-01

For the production of Second Generation (2G) YBCO High Temperature Superconductor wire American Superconductor uses a wide-strip MOD-YBCO/RABiTSTM process, a low-cost approach for commercial manufacturing. It can be engineered with a high degree of flexibility to manufacture practical 2G conductors with architectures and properties tailored for specific applications and operating conditions. For ac applications conductor and coil design can be geared towards low hysteretic losses. For applications which experience high frequency ac fields, the stabilizer needs to be adjusted for low eddy current losses. For these applications a stainless-steel laminate is used. An example is a Low Pass Filter Inductor which was developed and built in this work.

Reliability model generator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cohen, Gerald C. (Inventor); McMann, Catherine M. (Inventor)

1991-01-01

An improved method and system for automatically generating reliability models for use with a reliability evaluation tool is described. The reliability model generator of the present invention includes means for storing a plurality of low level reliability models which represent the reliability characteristics for low level system components. In addition, the present invention includes means for defining the interconnection of the low level reliability models via a system architecture description. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a reliability model for the entire system is automatically generated by aggregating the low level reliability models based on the system architecture description.

Silicon and germanium nanoparticles with tailored surface chemistry as novel inorganic fiber brightening agents.

PubMed

Deb-Choudhury, Santanu; Prabakar, Sujay; Krsinic, Gail; Dyer, Jolon M; Tilley, Richard D

2013-07-31

Low-molecular-weight organic molecules, such as coumarins and stilbenes, are used commercially as fluorescent whitening agents (FWAs) to mask photoyellowing and to brighten colors in fabrics. FWAs achieve this by radiating extra blue light, thus changing the hue and also adding to the brightness. However, organic FWAs can rapidly photodegrade in the presence of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, exacerbating the yellowing process through a reaction involving singlet oxygen species. Inorganic nanoparticles, on the other hand, can provide a similar brightening effect with the added advantage of photostability. We report a targeted approach in designing new inorganic silicon- and germanium-based nanoparticles, functionalized with hydrophilic (amine) surface terminations as novel inorganic FWAs. When applied on wool, by incorporation in a sol-gel Si matrix, the inorganic FWAs improved brightness properties, demonstrated enhanced photostability toward UV radiation, especially the germanium nanoparticles, and also generated considerably lower levels of reactive oxygen species compared to a commercial stilbene-based organic FWA, Uvitex NFW.

FACTORS AFFECTING THE USE OF CAF2:MN THERMOLUMINESCENT DOSIMETERS FOR LOW-LEVEL ENVIRONMENTAL RADIATION MONITORING

EPA Science Inventory

An investigation was made of factors affecting the use of commercially-produced CaF2:Mn thermoluminescent dosimeters for low level environmental radiation monitoring. Calibration factors and self-dosing rates were quantified for 150 thermoluminescent dosimeters. Laboratory studie...

Observations of shallow water marine ambient sound: the low frequency underwater soundscape of the central Oregon coast.

PubMed

Haxel, Joseph H; Dziak, Robert P; Matsumoto, Haru

2013-05-01

A year-long experiment (March 2010 to April 2011) measuring ambient sound at a shallow water site (50 m) on the central OR coast near the Port of Newport provides important baseline information for comparisons with future measurements associated with resource development along the inner continental shelf of the Pacific Northwest. Ambient levels in frequencies affected by surf-generated noise (f < 100 Hz) characterize the site as a high-energy end member within the spectrum of shallow water coastal areas influenced by breaking waves. Dominant sound sources include locally generated ship noise (66% of total hours contain local ship noise), breaking surf, wind induced wave breaking and baleen whale vocalizations. Additionally, an increase in spectral levels for frequencies ranging from 35 to 100 Hz is attributed to noise radiated from distant commercial ship commerce. One-second root mean square (rms) sound pressure level (SPLrms) estimates calculated across the 10-840 Hz frequency band for the entire year long deployment show minimum, mean, and maximum values of 84 dB, 101 dB, and 152 dB re 1 μPa.

The applications of a commercial gas/liquid separator coupled with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer

PubMed Central

Hitchen, Peter; Hutton, Robert; Tye, Christopher

1992-01-01

A commercially available hydride generator, with a novel membrane gas-liquid separator, has been coupled to a new ICPMS instrument which itself features many unique design considerations. Little or no optimization of the mass spectrometer or ionization source was required to obtain excellent analytical data; and a variety of matrices have been analysed. The elements As and Se are usually used to demonstrate the effectiveness of a hydride generation system, and these are of particular importance, bearing in mind potential Ar molecular overlaps with isotopes of interest. The flexibility of the hydride generation ICP-MS system is highlighted, with the inclusion of analytical figures of merit for the elements Sn, Sb, Ge and Hg, as well as As and Se. Data obtained by ‘standard’ pneumatic nebulization on the ICP-MS is compared with that obtained with the hydride generator for all of the elements. Improvements of between 50 and 100 times were gained in measurements of three sigma detection limits for all elements in the determinations, including Hg. Measurements were made on several isotopes for particular elements, and the data is included for the purposes of comparison. Stabilities of between 1 and 2.5% were obtained for 0.5 ppb solutions over 10 min measurement periods, all data is presented without using an internal standard. Finally, analytical data from seawater standards, spiked with low levels of As and Se and calibrated against aqueous standards, demonstrate excellent recoveries. This is of particular interest bearing in mind the well-documented molecular interferences from high chloride matrices on As and Se analysis. PMID:18924920

Generation After Next Propulsor Research: Robust Design for Embedded Engine Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arend, David J.; Tillman, Gregory; O'Brien, Walter F.

2012-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, United Technologies Research Center and Virginia Polytechnic and State University have contracted to pursue multi-disciplinary research into boundary layer ingesting (BLI) propulsors for generation after next environmentally responsible subsonic fixed wing aircraft. This Robust Design for Embedded Engine Systems project first conducted a high-level vehicle system study based on a large commercial transport class hybrid wing body aircraft, which determined that a 3 to 5 percent reduction in fuel burn could be achieved over a 7,500 nanometer mission. Both pylon-mounted baseline and BLI propulsion systems were based on a low-pressure-ratio fan (1.35) in an ultra-high-bypass ratio engine (16), consistent with the next generation of advanced commercial turbofans. An optimized, coupled BLI inlet and fan system was subsequently designed to achieve performance targets identified in the system study. The resulting system possesses an inlet with total pressure losses less than 0.5%, and a fan stage with an efficiency debit of less than 1.5 percent relative to the pylon-mounted, clean-inflow baseline. The subject research project has identified tools and methodologies necessary for the design of next-generation, highly-airframe-integrated propulsion systems. These tools will be validated in future large-scale testing of the BLI inlet / fan system in NASA's 8 foot x 6 foot transonic wind tunnel. In addition, fan unsteady response to screen-generated total pressure distortion is being characterized experimentally in a JT15D engine test rig. These data will document engine sensitivities to distortion magnitude and spatial distribution, providing early insight into key physical processes that will control BLI propulsor design.

Microelectrode-based technology for the detection of low levels of bacteria

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, Tom D.; Hitchens, G. D.; Mishra, S. K.; Pierson, D. L.

1992-01-01

A microelectrode-based electrochemical detection method was used for quantitation of bacteria in water samples. The redox mediator, benzoquinone, was used to accept electrons from the bacterial metabolic pathway to create a flow of electrons by reducing the mediator. Electrochemical monitoring electrodes detected the reduced mediator as it diffused out of the cells and produced a small electrical current. By using a combination of microelectrodes and monitoring instrumentation, the cumulative current generated by a particular bacterial population could be monitored. Using commercially available components, an electrochemical detection system was assembled and tested to evaluate its potential as an emerging technology for rapid detection and quantitation of bacteria in water samples.

Integrated data base report--1996: US spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste inventories, projections, and characteristics

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

NONE

1997-12-01

The Integrated Data Base Program has compiled historic data on inventories and characteristics of both commercial and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and commercial and U.S. government-owned radioactive wastes. Inventories of most of these materials are reported as of the end of fiscal year (FY) 1996, which is September 30, 1996. Commercial SNF and commercial uranium mill tailings inventories are reported on an end-of-calendar year (CY) basis. All SNF and radioactive waste data reported are based on the most reliable information available from government sources, the open literature, technical reports, and direct contacts. The information forecastedmore » is consistent with the latest DOE/Energy Information Administration (EIA) projections of U.S. commercial nuclear power growth and the expected DOE-related and private industrial and institutional activities. The radioactive materials considered, on a chapter-by-chapter basis, are SNF, high-level waste, transuranic waste, low-level waste, uranium mill tailings, DOE Environmental Restoration Program contaminated environmental media, naturally occurring and accelerator-produced radioactive material, and mixed (hazardous and radioactive) low-level waste. For most of these categories, current and projected inventories are given through FY 2030, and the radioactivity and thermal power are calculated based on reported or estimated isotopic compositions.« less

Session 35 - Panel: Remaining US Disposition Issues for Orphan or Small Volume Low Level and Low Level Mixed Waste Streams

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

Blauvelt, Richard; Small, Ken; Gelles, Christine

2006-07-01

Faced with closure schedules as a driving force, significant progress has been made during the last 2 years on the disposition of DOE mixed waste streams thought previously to be problematic. Generators, the Department of Energy and commercial vendors have combined to develop unique disposition paths for former orphan streams. Recent successes and remaining issues will be discussed. The session will also provide an opportunity for Federal agencies to share lessons learned on low- level and mixed low-level waste challenges and identify opportunities for future collaboration. This panel discussion was organized by PAC member Dick Blauvelt, Navarro Research and Engineeringmore » Inc who served as co-chair along with Dave Eaton from INL. In addition, George Antonucci, Duratek Barnwell and Rich Conley, AFSC were invited members of the audience, prepared to contribute the Barnwell and DOD perspective to the issues as needed. Mr. Small provide information regarding the five year 20K M3 window of opportunity at the Nevada Test Site for DOE contractors to dispose of mixed waste that cannot be received at the Energy Solutions (Envirocare) site in Utah because of activity levels. He provided a summary of the waste acceptance criteria and the process sites must follow to be certified to ship. When the volume limit or time limit is met, the site will undergo a RCRA closure. Ms. Gelles summarized the status of the orphan issues, commercial options and the impact of the EM reorganization on her program. She also announced that there would be a follow-on meeting in 2006 to the very successful St. Louis meeting of last year. It will probably take place in Chicago in July. Details to be announced. Mr. McKenney discussed progress made at the Hanford Reservation regarding disposal of their mixed waste inventory. The news is good for the Hanford site but not good for the rest of the DOE complex since shipment for out of state of both low level and low level mixed waste will continue to be prohibited until the completion of a new NEPA study. This is anticipated to take several years. Bill Franz from Portsmouth and Dave Eaton representing the INL provided the audience with information regarding some of the problematic mixed waste streams at their respective sites. Portsmouth has some unique radiological issues with isotopes such as Tc-99 while the INL is trying to deal with mixed waste in the 10-100 nCi/g range. Kaylin Loveland spoke of the new,Energy Solutions organization and provided information on mixed waste treatment capabilities at the Clive site. Mike Lauer described the licensing activities at the WCS site in Texas where they are trying to eventually have disposal capabilities for Class A, B and C mixed waste from both DOE and the commercial sector. The audience included about 75 WM'06 attendees who asked some excellent questions and provided an active and informative exchange of information on the topic. (authors)« less

Advanced supersonic propulsion study. [with emphasis on noise level reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sabatella, J. A. (Editor)

1974-01-01

A study was conducted to determine the promising propulsion systems for advanced supersonic transport application, and to identify the critical propulsion technology requirements. It is shown that noise constraints have a major effect on the selection of the various engine types and cycle parameters. Several promising advanced propulsion systems were identified which show the potential of achieving lower levels of sideline jet noise than the first generation supersonic transport systems. The non-afterburning turbojet engine, utilizing a very high level of jet suppression, shows the potential to achieve FAR 36 noise level. The duct-heating turbofan with a low level of jet suppression is the most attractive engine for noise levels from FAR 36 to FAR 36 minus 5 EPNdb, and some series/parallel variable cycle engines show the potential of achieving noise levels down to FAR 36 minus 10 EPNdb with moderate additional penalty. The study also shows that an advanced supersonic commercial transport would benefit appreciably from advanced propulsion technology. The critical propulsion technology needed for a viable supersonic propulsion system, and the required specific propulsion technology programs are outlined.

High-yield secretion of recombinant proteins expressed in tobacco cell culture with a designer glycopeptide tag: Process development.

PubMed

Zhang, Ningning; Gonzalez, Maria; Savary, Brett; Xu, Jianfeng

2016-03-01

Low-yield protein production remains the most significant economic hurdle with plant cell culture technology. Fusions of recombinant proteins with hydroxyproline-O-glycosylated designer glycopeptide tags have consistently boosted secreted protein yields. This prompted us to study the process development of this technology aiming to achieve productivity levels necessary for commercial viability. We used a tobacco BY-2 cell culture expressing EGFP as fusion with a glycopeptide tag comprised of 32 repeat of "Ser-Pro" dipeptide, or (SP)32 , to study cell growth and protein secretion, culture scale-up, and establishment of perfusion cultures for continuous production. The BY-2 cells accumulated low levels of cell biomass (~7.5 g DW/L) in Schenk & Hildebrandt medium, but secreted high yields of (SP)32 -tagged EGFP (125 mg/L). Protein productivity of the cell culture has been stable for 6.0 years. The BY-2 cells cultured in a 5-L bioreactor similarly produced high secreted protein yield at 131 mg/L. Successful operation of a cell perfusion culture for 30 days was achieved under the perfusion rate of 0.25 and 0.5 day(-1) , generating a protein volumetric productivity of 17.6 and 28.9 mg/day/L, respectively. This research demonstrates the great potential of the designer glycopeptide technology for use in commercial production of valuable proteins with plant cell cultures. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A second-generation liquid crystal phase-shifting point-diffraction interferometer employing structured substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marshall, Kenneth L.; Adlesberger, Kathleen; Kolodzie, Benjamin; Myhre, Graham; Griffin, DeVon W.

2005-08-01

By design, point-diffraction interferometers are much less sensitive to environmental disturbances than dual-path interferometers, but, until very recently, have not been capable of phase shifting. The liquid crystal point-diffraction interferometer (LCPDI) utilizes a dye-doped, liquid crystal (LC) electro-optical device that functions as both the point-diffraction source and the phase-shifting element, yielding a phase-shifting diagnostic device that is significantly more compact and robust while using fewer optical elements than conventional dual-path interferometers. These attributes make the LCPDI of special interest for diagnostic applications in the scientific, commercial, military, and industrial sectors, where vibration insensitivity, power requirements, size, weight, and cost are critical issues. Until very recently, LCPDI devices have used a plastic microsphere embedded in the LC fluid layer as the point-diffraction source. The process for fabricating microsphere-based LCPDI devices is low-yield, labor-intensive, and very "hands-on" great care and skill are required to produce devices with adequate interference fringe contrast for diagnostic measurements. With the goal of evolving the LCPDI beyond the level of a laboratory prototype in mind, we have developed "second-generation" LCPDI devices in which the reference-diffracting elements are an integral part of the substrates by depositing a suitable optical material (vapor-deposited thin films or photoresist) directly onto the substrate surface. These "structured" substrates eliminate many of the assembly difficulties and performance limitations of current LCPDI devices as well as open the possibility of mass-producing LCPDI devices at low cost by the same processes used to manufacture commercial LC displays.

Estimation of low-level neutron dose-equivalent rate by using extrapolation method for a curie level Am-Be neutron source.

PubMed

Li, Gang; Xu, Jiayun; Zhang, Jie

2015-01-01

Neutron radiation protection is an important research area because of the strong radiation biological effect of neutron field. The radiation dose of neutron is closely related to the neutron energy, and the connected relationship is a complex function of energy. For the low-level neutron radiation field (e.g. the Am-Be source), the commonly used commercial neutron dosimeter cannot always reflect the low-level dose rate, which is restricted by its own sensitivity limit and measuring range. In this paper, the intensity distribution of neutron field caused by a curie level Am-Be neutron source was investigated by measuring the count rates obtained through a 3 He proportional counter at different locations around the source. The results indicate that the count rates outside of the source room are negligible compared with the count rates measured in the source room. In the source room, 3 He proportional counter and neutron dosimeter were used to measure the count rates and dose rates respectively at different distances to the source. The results indicate that both the count rates and dose rates decrease exponentially with the increasing distance, and the dose rates measured by a commercial dosimeter are in good agreement with the results calculated by the Geant4 simulation within the inherent errors recommended by ICRP and IEC. Further studies presented in this paper indicate that the low-level neutron dose equivalent rates in the source room increase exponentially with the increasing low-energy neutron count rates when the source is lifted from the shield with different radiation intensities. Based on this relationship as well as the count rates measured at larger distance to the source, the dose rates can be calculated approximately by the extrapolation method. This principle can be used to estimate the low level neutron dose values in the source room which cannot be measured directly by a commercial dosimeter. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flow control of a centrifugal fan in a commercial air conditioner

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jiyu; Bang, Kyeongtae; Choi, Haecheon; Seo, Eung Ryeol; Kang, Yonghun

2015-11-01

Air-conditioning fans require a low noise level to provide user comfort and quietness. The aerodynamic noise sources are generated by highly unsteady, turbulent structures near the fan blade. In this study, we investigate the flow characteristics of a centrifugal fan in an air-conditioner indoor unit and suggest control ideas to develop a low noise fan. The experiment is conducted at the operation condition where the Reynolds number is 163000 based on the blade tip velocity and chord length. Intermittent separation occurs at the blade leading edge and thus flow significantly fluctuates there, whereas vortex shedding occurs at the blade trailing edge. Furthermore, the discharge flow observed in the axial plane near the shroud shows low-frequency intermittent behaviors, resulting in high Reynolds stresses. To control these flow structures, we modify the shapes of the blade leading edge and shroud of the centrifugal fan and obtain noise reduction. The flow characteristics of the base and modified fans will be discussed. Supported by 0420-20130051.

Lean Premixed Combustion Stabilized by Low Swirl a Promising Concept for Practical Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, R. K.

1999-01-01

Since its inception, the low-swirl burner (LSB) has shown to be a useful laboratory apparatus for fundamental studies of premixed turbulent flames. The LSB operates under wide ranges of equivalence ratios, flow rates, and turbulence intensities. Its flame is lifted and detached from the burner and allows easy access for laser diagnostics. The flame brush is axisymmetric and propagates normal to the incident reactants. Therefore, the LSB is well suited for investigating detailed flame structures and empirical coefficients such as flame speed, turbulence transport, and flame generated turbulence. Due to its capability to stabilize ultra-lean premixed turbulent flames (phi approx. = 0.55), the LSB has generated interest from the gas appliance industry for use as an economical low-NO(x) burner. Lean premixed combustion emits low levels of NO(x), due primarily to the low flame temperature. Therefore, it is a very effective NO(x) prevention method without involving selective catalytic reduction (SCR), fuel-air staging, or flue gas recirculation (FGR). En the gas turbine industry, substantial research efforts have already been undertaken and engines with lean premixed combustors are already in use. For commercial and residential applications, premixed pulsed combustors and premixed ceramic matrix burners are commercially available. These lean premixed combustion technologies, however, tend to be elaborate but have relatively limited operational flexibility, and higher capital, operating and maintenance costs. Consequently, these industries are continuing the development of lean premixed combustion technologies as well as exploring new concepts. This paper summarizes the research effects we have undertaken in the past few years to demonstrate the feasibility of applying the low-swirl flame stabilization method for a wide range of heating and power generation systems. The principle of flame stabilization by low-swirl is counter to the conventional high-swirl methods that rely on a recirculation zone to anchor the flame. In LSBS, flow recirculation is not promoted to allow the premixed turbulent flames to propagate freely. A LSB with an air-jet swirler is essentially an open tube with the swirler at its mid section. The small air-jets generate swirling motion only in the annular region and leaving the central core of the flow undisturbed, When this flow exits the burner tube, the angular momentum generates radial mean pressure gradient to diverge the non-swirling reactants stream. Consequently, the mean flow velocity decreases linearly. Propagating against this decelerating flow, the flame self-sustains at the position where the local flow velocity equals the flame speed, S(sub f). The LSB operates with a swirl number, S, between 0.02 to 0.1. This is much lower than the minimum S of 0.6 required for the high-swirl burners. We found that the swirl number needed for flame stabilization varies only slightly with fuel type, flow velocity, turbulent conditions and burner dimensions (i.e. throat diameter and swirl injection angle).

Launch system development in the Pacific Rim

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stone, Barbara A.; Page, John R.

1993-01-01

Several Western Pacific Rim nations are beginning to challenge the domination of the United States, Europe, and the former Soviet Union in the international market for commercial launch sevices. This paper examines the current development of launch systems in China, Japan, and Australia. China began commercial launch services with their Long March-3 in April 1990, and is making enhancements to vehicles in this family. Japan is developing the H-2 rocket which will be marketed on a commercial basis. In Australia, British Aerospace Ltd. is leading a team conducting a project definition study for an Australian Launch Vehicle, aimed at launching the new generation of satellites into low Earth orbit.

Report of the United States Air Force Morale, Welfare and Recreation Task Force. Impact Analysis of Institutional Factors Impacting MWR Activities. Annex A. Appendix 8

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-07-01

sports arenas, you would see items such as scoreboard, refreshment stands, and small amenities bearing the logo of a commercial concern (Coke, Pepsi , STP...deprive revenue sources readily accessible to their private sector competitors. By reaching a wider audience and accepting commercial advertisements...low fees for student/general population audiences as a service, as well as higher fees for revenue generating activities. Such a study could include

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

Drake, G.; Garcia-Scivres, M.; Paramonov, A.

We propose to use silicon photonics technology to build radiation-hard fiber-optic links for high-bandwidth readout of tracking detectors. The CMOS integrated silicon photonics was developed by Luxtera and commercialized by Molex. The commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) fiber-optic links feature moderate radiation tolerance insufficient for trackers. A transceiver contains four RX and four TX channels operating at 10 Gbps each. The next generation will likely operate at 25 Gbps per channel. The approach uses a standard CMOS process and single-mode fibers, providing low power consumption and good scalability and reliability.

System analysis of graphics processor architecture using virtual prototyping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hancock, William R.; Groat, Jeff; Steeves, Todd; Spaanenburg, Henk; Shackleton, John

1995-06-01

Honeywell has been actively involved in the definition of the next generation display processors for military and commercial cockpits. A major concern is how to achieve super graphics workstation performance in avionics application. Most notable are requirements for low volume, low power, harsh environmental conditions, real-time performance and low cost. This paper describes the application of VHDL to the system analysis tasks associated with achieving these goals in a cost effective manner. The paper will describe the top level architecture identified to provide the graphical and video processing power needed to drive future high resolution display devices and to generate more natural panoramic 3D formats. The major discussion, however, will be on the use of VHDL to model the processing elements and customized pipelines needed to realize the architecture and for doing the complex system tradeoff studies necessary to achieve a cost effective implementation. New software tools have been developed to allow 'virtual' prototyping in the VHDL environment. This results in a hardware/software codesign using VHDL performance and functional models. This unique architectural tool allows simulation and tradeoffs within a standard and tightly integrated toolset, which eventually will be used to specify and design the entire system from the top level requirements and system performance to the lowest level individual ASICs. New processing elements, algorithms, and standard graphical inputs can be designed, tested and evaluated without the costly hardware prototyping using the innovative 'virtual' prototyping techniques which are evolving on this project. In addition, virtual prototyping of the display processor does not bind the preliminary design to point solutions as a physical prototype will. when the development schedule is known, one can extrapolate processing elements performance and design the system around the most current technology.

An industry perspective on commercial radioactive waste disposal conditions and trends.

PubMed

Romano, Stephen A

2006-11-01

The United States is presently served by Class-A, -B and -C low-level radioactive waste and naturally-occurring and accelerator-produced radioactive material disposal sites in Washington and South Carolina; a Class-A and mixed waste disposal site in Utah that also accepts naturally-occurring radioactive material; and hazardous and solid waste facilities and uranium mill tailings sites that accept certain radioactive materials on a site-specific basis. The Washington site only accepts low-level radioactive waste from 11 western states due to interstate Compact restrictions on waste importation. The South Carolina site will be subject to geographic service area restrictions beginning 1 July 2008, after which only three states will have continued access. The Utah site dominates the commercial Class-A and mixed waste disposal market due to generally lower state fees than apply in South Carolina. To expand existing commercial services, an existing hazardous waste site in western Texas is seeking a Class-A, -B and -C and mixed waste disposal license. With that exception, no new Compact facilities are proposed. This fluid, uncertain situation has inspired national level rulemaking initiatives and policy studies, as well as alternative disposal practices for certain low-activity materials.

Control of dispatch dynamics for lowering the cost of distributed generation in the built environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flores, Robert Joseph

Distributed generation can provide many benefits over traditional central generation such as increased reliability and efficiency while reducing emissions. Despite these potential benefits, distributed generation is generally not purchased unless it reduces energy costs. Economic dispatch strategies can be designed such that distributed generation technologies reduce overall facility energy costs. In this thesis, a microturbine generator is dispatched using different economic control strategies, reducing the cost of energy to the facility. Several industrial and commercial facilities are simulated using acquired electrical, heating, and cooling load data. Industrial and commercial utility rate structures are modeled after Southern California Edison and Southern California Gas Company tariffs and used to find energy costs for the simulated buildings and corresponding microturbine dispatch. Using these control strategies, building models, and utility rate models, a parametric study examining various generator characteristics is performed. An economic assessment of the distributed generation is then performed for both the microturbine generator and parametric study. Without the ability to export electricity to the grid, the economic value of distributed generation is limited to reducing the individual costs that make up the cost of energy for a building. Any economic dispatch strategy must be built to reduce these individual costs. While the ability of distributed generation to reduce cost depends of factors such as electrical efficiency and operations and maintenance cost, the building energy demand being serviced has a strong effect on cost reduction. Buildings with low load factors can accept distributed generation with higher operating costs (low electrical efficiency and/or high operations and maintenance cost) due to the value of demand reduction. As load factor increases, lower operating cost generators are desired due to a larger portion of the building load being met in an effort to reduce demand. In addition, buildings with large thermal demand have access to the least expensive natural gas, lowering the cost of operating distributed generation. Recovery of exhaust heat from DG reduces cost only if the buildings thermal demand coincides with the electrical demand. Capacity limits exist where annual savings from operation of distributed generation decrease if further generation is installed. For low operating cost generators, the approximate limit is the average building load. This limit decreases as operating costs increase. In addition, a high capital cost of distributed generation can be accepted if generator operating costs are low. As generator operating costs increase, capital cost must decrease if a positive economic performance is desired.

Tritium-powered radiation sensor network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Litz, Marc S.; Russo, Johnny A.; Katsis, Dimos

2016-05-01

Isotope power supplies offer long-lived (100 years using 63Ni), low-power energy sources, enabling sensors or communications nodes for the lifetime of infrastructure. A tritium beta-source (12.5-year half-life) encapsulated in a phosphor-lined vial couples directly to a photovoltaic (PV) to generate a trickle current into an electrical load. An inexpensive design is described using commercial-of-the-shelf (COTS) components that generate 100 μWe for nextgeneration compact electronics/sensors. A matched radiation sensor has been built for long-duration missions utilizing microprocessor-controlled sleep modes, low-power electronic components, and a passive interrupt driven environmental wake-up. The low-power early-warning radiation detector network and isotope power source enables no-maintenance mission lifetimes.

Corn kernel oil and corn fiber oil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Unlike most edible plant oils that are obtained directly from oil-rich seeds by either pressing or solvent extraction, corn seeds (kernels) have low levels of oil (4%) and commercial corn oil is obtained from the corn germ (embryo) which is an oil-rich portion of the kernel. Commercial corn oil cou...

Predictive modeling of infrared detectors and material systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinkie, Benjamin

Detectors sensitive to thermal and reflected infrared radiation are widely used for night-vision, communications, thermography, and object tracking among other military, industrial, and commercial applications. System requirements for the next generation of ultra-high-performance infrared detectors call for increased functionality such as large formats (> 4K HD) with wide field-of-view, multispectral sensitivity, and on-chip processing. Due to the low yield of infrared material processing, the development of these next-generation technologies has become prohibitively costly and time consuming. In this work, it will be shown that physics-based numerical models can be applied to predictively simulate infrared detector arrays of current technological interest. The models can be used to a priori estimate detector characteristics, intelligently design detector architectures, and assist in the analysis and interpretation of existing systems. This dissertation develops a multi-scale simulation model which evaluates the physics of infrared systems from the atomic (material properties and electronic structure) to systems level (modulation transfer function, dense array effects). The framework is used to determine the electronic structure of several infrared materials, optimize the design of a two-color back-to-back HgCdTe photodiode, investigate a predicted failure mechanism for next-generation arrays, and predict the systems-level measurables of a number of detector architectures.

Characteristics of a dry, pulsating microburst at Denver Stapleton Airport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Proctor, Fred H.

1994-01-01

This study examines the influence of ambient vertical wind shear on microburst intensity, asymmetry, and translation. Results show that microburst asymmetry is influenced by the magnitude of the low-level ambient vertical shear. The microburst outflow elongates in the direction of the shear vector (which is not necessarily in the direction of translation), and generates the greatest hazard (for commercial jet transports) along paths orthogonal to the shear vector. The model results also show that the asymmetry increases with increasing shear magnitude. One implication of these results concerns the detection of a microburst by a ground-based doppler systems. These systems may underestimate the hazard for landing and departing aircraft that are on trajectories orthogonal to both the sensor beam and shear vector, especially if the magnitude of the shear is large. Another implication is that microburst are more likely to be asymmetrical in regions (seasons) where there is climatologically a significant low-level shear. The model results also show that the rotor microbursts and severe wind damage can be a product of the microburst interaction with strong ambient wind shear.

Envisioning a Low-Cost Solar Future: Exploring the Potential Impact of Achieving the SunShot 2030 Targets for Photovoltaics

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

Cole, Wesley J; Frew, Bethany A; Gagnon, Pieter J

In the context of recent dramatic solar energy cost reductions, the U.S. Department of Energy set new levelized cost of energy goals for photovoltaics (PV) to achieve by 2030 to enable significantly greater PV adoption: $0.03/kWh for utility-scale, $0.04/kWh for commercial, and $0.05/kWh for residential PV systems. We analyze the potential impacts of achieving these 'SunShot 2030' cost targets for the contiguous United States using the Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS) and Distributed Generation (dGen) capacity expansion models. We consider the impacts under a wide range of future conditions. We find that PV could provide 13%-18% of U.S. electricity demandmore » in 2030 and 28%-64% of demand if the SunShot 2030 goals are achieved, with PV deployment increasing in every state. The availability of low-cost storage has the largest impact on projected deployment, followed by natural gas prices and electricity demand. For comparison, PV deployed under a business-as-usual scenario could provide only 5% of generation in 2030 and 17% in 2050. We find that the high levels of PV deployment explored here lead to lower electricity prices and system costs, lower carbon dioxide emissions, lower water consumption, increased renewable energy curtailment, and increased storage deployment compared with the business-as-usual scenario.« less

Research and Development of Zinc Air Fuel Cell To Achieve Commercialization Final Report CRADA No. TC-1544-98

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

Cooper, J. F.; Haley, H. D.

The specific goal of this project was to advance the development of the zinc air fuel cell (ZAFC) towards commercial readiness in different mobile applications, including motor bikes, passenger cars, vans, buses and off-road vehicles (golf carts, factory equipment), and different stationary applications including generator sets, uninterruptible power systems and electric utility loading leveling and distributive power.

Final environmental impact statement. Management of commercially generated radioactive waste. Volume 3. Public comments hearing board report

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

Not Available

1980-10-01

This EIS analyzes the significant environmental impacts that could occur if various technologies for management and disposal of high-level and transuranic wastes from commercial nuclear power reactors were to be developed and implemented. This EIS will serve as the environmental input for the decision on which technology, or technologies, will be emphasized in further research and development activities in the commercial waste management program. The action proposed in this EIS is to (1) adopt a national strategy to develop mined geologic repositories for disposal of commercially generated high-level and transuranic radioactive waste (while continuing to examine subseabed and very deepmore » hole disposal as potential backup technologies) and (2) conduct a R and D program to develop such facilities and the necessary technology to ensure the safe long-term containment and isolation of these wastes. The Department has considered in this statement: development of conventionally mined deep geologic repositories for disposal of spent fuel from nuclear power reactors and/or radioactive fuel reprocessing wastes; balanced development of several alternative disposal methods; and no waste disposal action. This volume contains written public comments and hearing board responses and reports offered on the draft statement.« less

The New Emerging Adult in Chiapas, Mexico: Perceptions of Traditional Values and Value Change among First-Generation Maya University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manago, Adriana M.

2012-01-01

Social changes in indigenous Maya communities in Chiapas, Mexico toward increasing levels of formal education, commercialization, and urbanization are transforming traditional Maya developmental pathways toward adulthood. This mixed-methods study is based on interviews with a sample of 14 first-generation Maya university students who have also…

Combined Heat and Power Systems Technology Development and Demonstration 370 kW High Efficiency Microturbine

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

none,

The C370 Program was awarded in October 2010 with the ambitious goal of designing and testing the most electrically efficient recuperated microturbine engine at a rated power of less than 500 kW. The aggressive targets for electrical efficiency, emission regulatory compliance, and the estimated price point make the system state-of-the-art for microturbine engine systems. These goals will be met by designing a two stage microturbine engine identified as the low pressure spool and high pressure spool that are based on derivative hardware of Capstone’s current commercially available engines. The development and testing of the engine occurred in two phases. Phasemore » I focused on developing a higher power and more efficient engine, that would become the low pressure spool which is based on Capstone’s C200 (200kW) engine architecture. Phase II integrated the low pressure spool created in Phase I with the high pressure spool, which is based on Capstone’s C65 (65 kW) commercially available engine. Integration of the engines, based on preliminary research, would allow the dual spool engine to provide electrical power in excess of 370 kW, with electrical efficiency approaching 42%. If both of these targets were met coupled with the overall CHP target of 85% total combined heating and electrical efficiency California Air Resources Board (CARB) level emissions, and a price target of $600 per kW, the system would represent a step change in the currently available commercial generation technology. Phase I of the C370 program required the development of the C370 low pressure spool. The goal was to increase the C200 engine power by a minimum of 25% — 250 kW — and efficiency from 32% to 37%. These increases in the C200 engine output were imperative to meet the power requirements of the engine when both spools were integrated. An additional benefit of designing and testing the C370 low pressure spool was the possibility of developing a stand-alone product for possible commercialization. The low pressure spool design activity focused on an aeropath derivative of the current C200 engine. The aeropath derivative included changes to the compressor section —compressor and inducer — and to the turbine nozzle. The increased power also necessitated a larger, more powerful generator and generator controller to support the increased power requirements. These two major design changes were completed by utilizing both advanced 3D modeling and computational fluid dynamics modelling. After design, modeling, and analysis, the decision was made to acquire and integrate the components for testing. The second task of Phase I was to integrate and test the components of the low pressure spool to validate power and efficiency. Acquisition of the components for the low pressure spool was completed utilizing Capstone’s current supplier base. Utilization of Capstone’s supply base for integration of the test article would allow — if the decision was made —expedited commercialization of the product. After integration of the engine components, the engine was tested and evaluated for performance and emissions. Test data analysis confirmed that the engine met all power and efficiency requirements and did so while maintaining CARB level emissions. The emissions were met without the use of any post processing or catalyst. After testing was completed, the DOE authorized — via a milestone review — proceeding to Phase II: the development of the integrated C370 engine. The C370 high pressure spool design activity required significant changes to the C65 engine architecture. The engine required a high power density generator, completely redesigned compressor stage, turbine section, recuperator, controls architecture, and intercooler stage asThe two most critical design challenges were the turbine section (the nozzle and turbine) and the controls architecture. The design and analysis of all of the components was completed and integrated into a system model. The system model — after numerous iterations — indicated that, once integrated, the engine will meet or exceed all system requirements. Unfortunately, the turbine section’s life requirements remain a technical challenge and will require continued refinement of the bi-metallic turbine wheel design and manufacturing approach to meet the life requirement at theses high temperatures. The current controls architecture requires substantial effort to develop a system capable of handling the high-speed, near real-time controls requirement, but it was determined not to be a technical roadblock for the project. The C370 Program has been a significant effort with state-of-the-art technical targets. The targets have pushed Capstone’s designers to the limits of current technology. The program has been fortunate to see many successes: the successful testing of the low pressure spool (C250), the development of new material processes, and the implementation of new design practices. The technology and practices learned during the program will be utilized in Capstone’s current product lines and future products. The C370 Program has been a resounding success on many fronts for the DOE and for Capstone.« less

Quantitative analysis of ginger components in commercial products using liquid chromatography with electrochemical array detection

PubMed Central

Shao, Xi; Lv, Lishuang; Parks, Tiffany; Wu, Hou; Ho, Chi-Tang; Sang, Shengmin

2010-01-01

For the first time, a sensitive reversed-phase HPLC electrochemical array method has been developed for the quantitative analysis of eight major ginger components ([6]-, [8]-, and [10]-gingerol, [6]-, [8]-, and [10]-shogaol, [6]-paradol, and [1]-dehydrogingerdione) in eleven ginger-containing commercial products. This method was valid with unrivaled sensitivity as low as 7.3 – 20.2 pg of limit of detection and a range of 14.5 to 40.4 pg of limit of quantification. Using this method, we quantified the levels of eight ginger components in eleven different commercial products. Our results found that both levels and ratios among the eight compounds vary greatly in commercial products. PMID:21090746

Perovskite Solar Cells: From the Atomic Level to Film Quality and Device Performance.

PubMed

Saliba, Michael; Correa-Baena, Juan-Pablo; Grätzel, Michael; Hagfeldt, Anders; Abate, Antonio

2018-03-01

Organic-inorganic perovskites have made tremendous progress in recent years due to exceptional material properties such as high panchromatic absorption, charge carrier diffusion lengths, and a sharp optical band edge. The combination of high-quality semiconductor performance with low-cost deposition techniques seems to be a match made in heaven, creating great excitement far beyond academic ivory towers. This is particularly true for perovskite solar cells (PSCs) that have shown unprecedented gains in efficiency and stability over a time span of just five years. Now there are serious efforts for commercialization with the hope that PSCs can make a major impact in generating inexpensive, sustainable solar electricity. In this Review, we will focus on perovskite material properties as well as on devices from the atomic to the thin film level to highlight the remaining challenges and to anticipate the future developments of PSCs. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Complex scenes and situations visualization in hierarchical learning algorithm with dynamic 3D NeoAxis engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graham, James; Ternovskiy, Igor V.

2013-06-01

We applied a two stage unsupervised hierarchical learning system to model complex dynamic surveillance and cyber space monitoring systems using a non-commercial version of the NeoAxis visualization software. The hierarchical scene learning and recognition approach is based on hierarchical expectation maximization, and was linked to a 3D graphics engine for validation of learning and classification results and understanding the human - autonomous system relationship. Scene recognition is performed by taking synthetically generated data and feeding it to a dynamic logic algorithm. The algorithm performs hierarchical recognition of the scene by first examining the features of the objects to determine which objects are present, and then determines the scene based on the objects present. This paper presents a framework within which low level data linked to higher-level visualization can provide support to a human operator and be evaluated in a detailed and systematic way.

Monitoring the dynamic photocatalytic activity of single CdS nanoparticles by lighting up H2 nanobubbles with fluorescent dyes.

PubMed

Su, Hua; Fang, Yimin; Chen, Fangyuan; Wang, Wei

2018-02-14

The capability of semiconductor nanomaterials to convert solar energy to chemical energy has led to many promising applications, for instance, photocatalyzed H 2 generation. Studying this important photocatalytic reaction at the single nanocatalyst level provides a great opportunity to understand the microscopic reaction kinetics and mechanism by overcoming the chemical and structural heterogeneity among individuals. Here we report a fluorescence (FL) labeling strategy to visualize individual H 2 nanobubbles that are generated at single CdS nanoparticles during photocatalysis. In operando imaging of nanobubble growth kinetics allows for determination of the photocatalytic activity of single nanocatalysts, which was found to randomly alternate among high activity, low activity and inactive states. In addition to H 2 nanobubbles, the present labeling strategy is also suitable for other types of gas nanobubbles. Since nanomaterial-catalyzed gas generation is widely involved in many important photochemical (water splitting), electrochemical (electrolysis) and chemical (nanomotors) reactions, the present work is promising for the general applicability of single nanoparticle catalysis in broad basic and industrial fields by lighting up nanobubbles under commercial and conventional FL microscopes.

40 CFR 60.2210 - What information must I include in my annual report?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Performance for Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incineration Units for Which Construction Is Commenced..., time, and duration that each CMS was inoperative, except for zero (low-level) and high-level checks. (3... procedure in 40 CFR part 60, appendix F of this part, as if any of the following occur. (1) The zero (low...

40 CFR 60.2210 - What information must I include in my annual report?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Performance for Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incineration Units for Which Construction Is Commenced..., time, and duration that each CMS was inoperative, except for zero (low-level) and high-level checks. (3... procedure in 40 CFR part 60, appendix F of this part, as if any of the following occur. (1) The zero (low...

Evaluating the performance of active noise control systems in commercial and industrial applications

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

Depies, C.; Deneen, S.; Lowe, M.

1995-06-01

Active sound cancellation technology is increasingly being used to quiet commercial and industrial air-moving devices. Engineers and designers are implementing active or combination active/passive technology to control sound quality in the workplace and the acoustical environment in residential areas near industrial facilities. Sound level measurements made before and after the installation of active systems have proved that significant improvements in sound quality can be obtained even if there is little or no change in the NC/RC or dBA numbers. Noise produced by centrifugal and vane-axial fans, pumps and blowers, commonly used for ventilation and material movement in industry, are frequentlymore » dominated by high amplitude, tonal noise at low frequencies. And the low-frequency noise produced by commercial air handlers often has less tonal and more broadband characteristics, resulting in audible duct rumble noise and objectionable room spectrums. Because the A-weighting network, which is commonly used for industrial noise measurements, de-emphasizes low frequencies, its single number rating can be misleading in terms of judging the overall subjective sound quality in impacted areas and assessing the effectiveness of noise control measures. Similarly, NC values, traditionally used for commercial HVAC acoustical design criteria, can be governed by noise at any frequency and cannot accurately depict human judgment of the aural comfort level. Analyses of frequency spectrum characteristics provide the most effective means of assessing sound quality and determining mitigative measures for achieving suitable background sound levels.« less

Commercial Supersonics Technology Project - Status of Airport Noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bridges, James

2016-01-01

The Commercial Supersonic Technology Project has been developing databases, computational tools, and system models to prepare for a level 1 milestone, the Low Noise Propulsion Tech Challenge, to be delivered Sept 2016. Steps taken to prepare for the final validation test are given, including system analysis, code validation, and risk reduction testing.

Monitoring urban air quality using a high-density network of low-cost sensor nodes in Oslo, Norway.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castell, Nuria; Schneider, Philipp; Vogt, Matthias; Dauge, Franck R.; Lahoz, William; Bartonova, Alena

2017-04-01

Urban air quality represents a major public health burden and is a long-standing concern to citizens. Air pollution is associated with a range of diseases, symptoms and conditions that impair health and quality of life. In Oslo, traffic, especially exhaust from heavy-duty and private diesel vehicles and dust resuspension from studded tyres, together with wood burning in winter, are the main sources of pollution. Norway, as part of the European Economic Area, is obliged to comply with the European air quality regulations and ensure clean air. Despite this, Oslo has exceeded both the NO2 and PM10 thresholds for health protection defined in the Directive 2008/50/EC. The air quality in the Oslo area is continuously monitored in 12 compliance monitoring stations. These stations provide reliable and accurate data but their density is too low to provide a detailed spatial distribution of air quality. The emergence of low-cost nodes enables observations at high spatial resolution, providing the opportunity to enhance existing monitoring systems. However, the data generated by these nodes is significantly less accurate and precise than the data provided by reference equipment. We have conducted an evaluation of low-cost nodes to monitor NO2 and PM10, comparing the data collected with low-cost nodes against CEN (European Standardization Organization) reference analysers. During January and March 2016, a network of 24 nodes was deployed in Oslo. During January, high NO2 levels were observed for several days in a row coinciding with the formation of a thermal inversion. During March, we observed an episode with high PM10 levels due to road dust resuspension. Our results show that there is a major technical challenge associated with current commercial low-cost sensors, regarding the sensor robustness and measurement repeatability. Despite this, low-cost sensor nodes are able to reproduce the NO2 and PM10 variability. The data from the sensors was employed to generate detailed NO2 and PM10 air quality maps using a data fusion technique. This way we were able to offer localized air quality information for the city of Oslo. The outlook for commercial low-cost sensors is promising, and our results show that currently some sensors are already capable of providing coarse information about air quality, indicating if the air quality is good, moderate or if the air is heavily polluted. This type of information could be suitable for applications that aim to raise awareness, or engage the community by monitoring local air quality, as such applications do not require the same accuracy as scientific or regulatory monitoring.

Next Generation Refrigeration Lubricants for Low Global Warming Potential/Low Ozone Depleting Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems

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

Hessell, Edward Thomas

The goal of this project is to develop and test new synthetic lubricants that possess high compatibility with new low ozone depleting (LOD) and low global warming potential (LGWP) refrigerants and offer improved lubricity and wear protection over current lubricant technologies. The improved compatibility of the lubricants with the refrigerants, along with improved lubricating properties, will resulted in lower energy consumption and longer service life of the refrigeration systems used in residential, commercial and industrial heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) and refrigeration equipment.

Investigation of the beta-damascenone level in fresh and aged commercial beers.

PubMed

Chevance, Fabienne; Guyot-Declerck, Christine; Dupont, Jérôme; Collin, Sonia

2002-06-19

This study investigated the increase of beta-damascenone content during aging in a variety of commercial Belgian beers. Quantities detected in fresh beers were generally low (from 6 ng/g to 25 ng/g). After 5 days at 40 degrees C, the level increased (to as much as 210 ng/g) in most of the beers studied, according to the type of beer. Further experiments showed that wort initially contains large quantities of beta-damascenone (450 ng/g), but that degradation of the compound during fermentation accounts for the low concentrations observed in fresh beers. Production during beer aging can be partially explained by acid hydrolysis of glycosides.

gr-MRI: A software package for magnetic resonance imaging using software defined radios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasselwander, Christopher J.; Cao, Zhipeng; Grissom, William A.

2016-09-01

The goal of this work is to develop software that enables the rapid implementation of custom MRI spectrometers using commercially-available software defined radios (SDRs). The developed gr-MRI software package comprises a set of Python scripts, flowgraphs, and signal generation and recording blocks for GNU Radio, an open-source SDR software package that is widely used in communications research. gr-MRI implements basic event sequencing functionality, and tools for system calibrations, multi-radio synchronization, and MR signal processing and image reconstruction. It includes four pulse sequences: a single-pulse sequence to record free induction signals, a gradient-recalled echo imaging sequence, a spin echo imaging sequence, and an inversion recovery spin echo imaging sequence. The sequences were used to perform phantom imaging scans with a 0.5 Tesla tabletop MRI scanner and two commercially-available SDRs. One SDR was used for RF excitation and reception, and the other for gradient pulse generation. The total SDR hardware cost was approximately 2000. The frequency of radio desynchronization events and the frequency with which the software recovered from those events was also measured, and the SDR's ability to generate frequency-swept RF waveforms was validated and compared to the scanner's commercial spectrometer. The spin echo images geometrically matched those acquired using the commercial spectrometer, with no unexpected distortions. Desynchronization events were more likely to occur at the very beginning of an imaging scan, but were nearly eliminated if the user invoked the sequence for a short period before beginning data recording. The SDR produced a 500 kHz bandwidth frequency-swept pulse with high fidelity, while the commercial spectrometer produced a waveform with large frequency spike errors. In conclusion, the developed gr-MRI software can be used to develop high-fidelity, low-cost custom MRI spectrometers using commercially-available SDRs.

Concentration levels of new-generation fungicides in throughfall released by foliar wash-off from vineyards.

PubMed

Pérez-Rodríguez, P; Soto-Gómez, D; Paradelo, M; López-Periago, J E

2017-12-01

The presence of agricultural pesticides in the environment and their effects on ecosystems are major concerns addressed in a significant number of articles. However, limited information is available on the pesticide concentrations released from crops. This study reports losses of new-generation fungicides by foliar wash-off from vineyards and their potential impact on the concentrations of their main active substances (AS) in surface waters. Two experimental plots devoted to vineyards were treated with various combinations of commercial new-generation fungicide formulations. Then, up to sixteen throughfall collectors were installed under the canopy. Concentrations of sixteen different AS in throughfall were determined along nine rainfall episodes. Concentrations in throughfall far exceeded the maximum permissible levels for drinking water established by the European Union regulations. Dynamics of fungicide release indicated a first-flush effect in the wash-off founding the highest concentrations of AS in the first rain episodes after application of the fungicides. This article shows that foliar spray application of commercial formulations of new-generation fungicides does not prevent the release of their AS to soil or the runoff. Concentration data obtained in this research can be valuable in supporting the assessment of environmental effects of new-generation fungicides and modeling their environmental fate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Separation methods and chemical and nutritional characteristics of tomato pomace

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tomato processing generates a large amount of pomace as a low value by-product primarily used as livestock feed or disposed. The objectives of this research were to investigate the chemical and nutritional characteristics and determine effective separation methods of peel and seed of commercial toma...

Can commercial low-cost sensor platforms contribute to air quality monitoring and exposure estimates?

PubMed

Castell, Nuria; Dauge, Franck R; Schneider, Philipp; Vogt, Matthias; Lerner, Uri; Fishbain, Barak; Broday, David; Bartonova, Alena

2017-02-01

The emergence of low-cost, user-friendly and very compact air pollution platforms enable observations at high spatial resolution in near-real-time and provide new opportunities to simultaneously enhance existing monitoring systems, as well as engage citizens in active environmental monitoring. This provides a whole new set of capabilities in the assessment of human exposure to air pollution. However, the data generated by these platforms are often of questionable quality. We have conducted an exhaustive evaluation of 24 identical units of a commercial low-cost sensor platform against CEN (European Standardization Organization) reference analyzers, evaluating their measurement capability over time and a range of environmental conditions. Our results show that their performance varies spatially and temporally, as it depends on the atmospheric composition and the meteorological conditions. Our results show that the performance varies from unit to unit, which makes it necessary to examine the data quality of each node before its use. In general, guidance is lacking on how to test such sensor nodes and ensure adequate performance prior to marketing these platforms. We have implemented and tested diverse metrics in order to assess if the sensor can be employed for applications that require high accuracy (i.e., to meet the Data Quality Objectives defined in air quality legislation, epidemiological studies) or lower accuracy (i.e., to represent the pollution level on a coarse scale, for purposes such as awareness raising). Data quality is a pertinent concern, especially in citizen science applications, where citizens are collecting and interpreting the data. In general, while low-cost platforms present low accuracy for regulatory or health purposes they can provide relative and aggregated information about the observed air quality. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Ultra-stable microwave generation with a diode-pumped solid-state laser in the 1.5-μm range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dolgovskiy, Vladimir; Schilt, Stéphane; Bucalovic, Nikola; Di Domenico, Gianni; Grop, Serge; Dubois, Benoît; Giordano, Vincent; Südmeyer, Thomas

2014-09-01

We demonstrate the first ultra-stable microwave generation based on a 1.5-μm diode-pumped solid-state laser (DPSSL) frequency comb. Our system relies on optical-to-microwave frequency division from a planar-waveguide external cavity laser referenced to an ultra-stable Fabry-Perot cavity. The evaluation of the microwave signal at ~10 GHz uses the transportable ultra-low-instability signal source ULISS®, which employs a cryo-cooled sapphire oscillator. With the DPSSL comb, we measured -125 dBc/Hz phase noise at 1 kHz offset frequency, likely limited by the photo-detection shot-noise or by the noise floor of the reference cryo-cooled sapphire oscillator. For comparison, we also generated low-noise microwave using a commercial Er:fiber comb stabilized in similar conditions and observed >20 dB lower phase noise in the microwave generated from the DPSSL comb. Our results confirm the high potential of the DPSSL technology for low-noise comb applications.

A water-powered Energy Harvesting system with Bluetooth Low Energy interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kroener, M.; Allinger, K.; Berger, M.; Grether, E.; Wieland, F.; Heller, S.; Woias, P.

2016-11-01

This paper reports the design, and testing of a water turbine generator system for typical flow rates in domestic applications, with an integrated power management and a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) based RF data transmission interface. It is based on a commercially available low cost hydro generator. The generator is built into a housing with optimized reduced fluidic resistance to enable operation with flow rates as low as 6 l/min. The power management combines rectification, buffering, defined start-up, and circuit protection. An MSP430FR5949 microcontroller is used for data acquisition and processing. The data are transmitted via RF, using a Bluegiga BLE112 module in advertisement mode, to a PC where the measured flow rate is stored and displayed. The transmission rate of the wireless sensor node (WSN) is set to 1 Hz if enough power is available, which is the case for flow rates above 5.5 l/min. The electronics power demand is calculated to be 340 μW in average, while the generator is capable of delivering more than 200 mW for flow rates above 15 l/min.

A difference-matrix metaheuristic for intensity map segmentation in step-and-shoot IMRT delivery.

PubMed

Gunawardena, Athula D A; D'Souza, Warren D; Goadrich, Laura D; Meyer, Robert R; Sorensen, Kelly J; Naqvi, Shahid A; Shi, Leyuan

2006-05-21

At an intermediate stage of radiation treatment planning for IMRT, most commercial treatment planning systems for IMRT generate intensity maps that describe the grid of beamlet intensities for each beam angle. Intensity map segmentation of the matrix of individual beamlet intensities into a set of MLC apertures and corresponding intensities is then required in order to produce an actual radiation delivery plan for clinical use. Mathematically, this is a very difficult combinatorial optimization problem, especially when mechanical limitations of the MLC lead to many constraints on aperture shape, and setup times for apertures make the number of apertures an important factor in overall treatment time. We have developed, implemented and tested on clinical cases a metaheuristic (that is, a method that provides a framework to guide the repeated application of another heuristic) that efficiently generates very high-quality (low aperture number) segmentations. Our computational results demonstrate that the number of beam apertures and monitor units in the treatment plans resulting from our approach is significantly smaller than the corresponding values for treatment plans generated by the heuristics embedded in a widely use commercial system. We also contrast the excellent results of our fast and robust metaheuristic with results from an 'exact' method, branch-and-cut, which attempts to construct optimal solutions, but, within clinically acceptable time limits, generally fails to produce good solutions, especially for intensity maps with more than five intensity levels. Finally, we show that in no instance is there a clinically significant change of quality associated with our more efficient plans.

Low-coverage MiSeq next generation sequencing reveals the mitochondrial genome of the Eastern Rock Lobster, Sagmariasus verreauxi.

PubMed

Doyle, Stephen R; Griffith, Ian S; Murphy, Nick P; Strugnell, Jan M

2015-01-01

The complete mitochondrial genome of the Eastern Rock lobster, Sagmariasus verreauxi, is reported for the first time. Using low-coverage, long read MiSeq next generation sequencing, we constructed and determined the mtDNA genome organization of the 15,470 bp sequence from two isolates from Eastern Tasmania, Australia and Northern New Zealand, and identified 46 polymorphic nucleotides between the two sequences. This genome sequence and its genetic polymorphisms will likely be useful in understanding the distribution and population connectivity of the Eastern Rock Lobster, and in the fisheries management of this commercially important species.

77 FR 27486 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-10

... security concern. 6. Who will be required or asked to report: Generators of low-level radioactive waste, or the Governor of a State on behalf of any generator or generators located in his or her State who are... generator or Governor of a State on behalf of generators seeking emergency access to an operating low-level...

Recirculating Air Filtration Significantly Reduces Exposure to Airborne Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Pui, David Y.H.; Qi, Chaolong; Stanley, Nick; Oberdörster, Günter; Maynard, Andrew

2008-01-01

Background Airborne nanoparticles from vehicle emissions have been associated with adverse effects in people with pulmonary and cardiovascular disease, and toxicologic studies have shown that nanoparticles can be more hazardous than their larger-scale counterparts. Recirculating air filtration in automobiles and houses may provide a low-cost solution to reducing exposures in many cases, thus reducing possible health risks. Objectives We investigated the effectiveness of recirculating air filtration on reducing exposure to incidental and intentionally produced airborne nanoparticles under two scenarios while driving in traffic, and while generating nanomaterials using gas-phase synthesis. Methods We tested the recirculating air filtration in two commercial vehicles when driving in traffic, as well as in a nonventilation room with a nanoparticle generator, simulating a nanomaterial production facility. We also measured the time-resolved aerosol size distribution during the in-car recirculation to investigate how recirculating air filtration affects particles of different sizes. We developed a recirculation model to describe the aerosol concentration change during recirculation. Results The use of inexpensive, low-efficiency filters in recirculation systems is shown to reduce nanoparticle concentrations to below levels found in a typical office within 3 min while driving through heavy traffic, and within 20 min in a simulated nanomaterial production facility. Conclusions Development and application of this technology could lead to significant reductions in airborne nanoparticle exposure, reducing possible risks to health and providing solutions for generating nanomaterials safely. PMID:18629306

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

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

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

NASA Open Rotor Noise Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Envia, Ed

2010-01-01

Owing to their inherent fuel burn efficiency advantage compared with the current generation high bypass ratio turbofan engines, there is resurgent interest in developing open rotor propulsion systems for powering the next generation commercial aircraft. However, to make open rotor systems truly competitive, they must be made to be acoustically acceptable too. To address this challenge, NASA in collaboration with industry is exploring the design space for low-noise open rotor propulsion systems. The focus is on the system level assessment of the open rotors compared with other candidate concepts like the ultra high bypass ratio cycle engines. To that end there is an extensive research effort at NASA focused on component testing and diagnostics of the open rotor acoustic performance as well as assessment and improvement of open rotor noise prediction tools. In this presentation and overview of the current NASA research on open rotor noise will be provided. Two NASA projects, the Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project and the Subsonic Fixed Wing Project, have been funding this research effort.

Jet Noise Reduction Potential from Emerging Variable Cycle Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henderson, Brenda; Bridges, James; Wernet, Mark

2012-01-01

Acoustic and flow-field experiments were conducted on exhaust concepts for the next generation supersonic, commercial aircraft. The concepts were developed by Lockheed Martin (LM), Rolls-Royce Liberty Works (RRLW), and General Electric Global Research (GEGR) as part of an N+2 (next generation forward) aircraft system study initiated by the Supersonics Project in NASA s Fundamental Aeronautics Program. The experiments were conducted in the Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Laboratory at the NASA Glenn Research Center. The exhaust concepts utilized ejectors, inverted velocity profiles, and fluidic shields. One of the ejector concepts was found to produce stagnant flow within the ejector and the other ejector concept produced discrete-frequency tones that degraded the acoustic performance of the model. The concept incorporating an inverted velocity profile and fluid shield produced overall-sound-pressure-level reductions of 6 dB relative to a single stream nozzle at the peak jet noise angle for some nozzle pressure ratios. Flow separations in the nozzle degraded the acoustic performance of the inverted velocity profile model at low nozzle pressure ratios.

Jet Noise Reduction Potential From Emerging Variable Cycle Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2012-01-01

Acoustic and flow-field experiments were conducted on exhaust concepts for the next generation supersonic, commercial aircraft. The concepts were developed by Lockheed Martin (LM), Rolls-Royce Liberty Works (RRLW), and General Electric Global Research (GEGR) as part of an N+2 (next generation forward) aircraft system study initiated by the Supersonics Project in NASA s Fundamental Aeronautics Program. The experiments were conducted in the Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Laboratory at the NASA Glenn Research Center. The exhaust concepts utilized ejectors, inverted velocity profiles, and fluidic shields. One of the ejector concepts was found to produce stagnant flow within the ejector and the other ejector concept produced discrete-frequency tones that degraded the acoustic performance of the model. The concept incorporating an inverted velocity profile and fluid shield produced overall-sound-pressure-level reductions of 6 dB relative to a single stream nozzle at the peak jet noise angle for some nozzle pressure ratios. Flow separations in the nozzle degraded the acoustic performance of the inverted velocity profile model at low nozzle pressure ratios.

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

Marques da Silva, A; Narciso, L

Purpose: Commercial workstations usually have their own software to calculate dynamic renal functions. However, usually they have low flexibility and subjectivity on delimiting kidney and background areas. The aim of this paper is to present a public domain software, called RenalQuant, capable to semi-automatically draw regions of interest on dynamic renal scintigraphies, extracting data and generating renal function quantification parameters. Methods: The software was developed in Java and written as an ImageJ-based plugin. The preprocessing and segmentation steps include the user’s selection of one time frame with higher activity in kidney’s region, compared with background, and low activity in themore » liver. Next, the chosen time frame is smoothed using a Gaussian low pass spatial filter (σ = 3) for noise reduction and better delimitation of kidneys. The maximum entropy thresholding method is used for segmentation. A background area is automatically placed below each kidney, and the user confirms if these regions are correctly segmented and positioned. Quantitative data are extracted and each renogram and relative renal function (RRF) value is calculated and displayed. Results: RenalQuant plugin was validated using retrospective 20 patients’ 99mTc-DTPA exams, and compared with results produced by commercial workstation software, referred as reference. The renograms intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated and false-negative and false-positive RRF values were analyzed. The results showed that ICC values between RenalQuant plugin and reference software for both kidneys’ renograms were higher than 0.75, showing excellent reliability. Conclusion: Our results indicated RenalQuant plugin can be trustingly used to generate renograms, using DICOM dynamic renal scintigraphy exams as input. It is user friendly and user’s interaction occurs at a minimum level. Further studies have to investigate how to increase RRF accuracy and explore how to solve limitations in the segmentation step, mainly when background region has higher activity compared to kidneys. Financial support by CAPES.« less

2nd Generation RLV: Program Goals and Acquisition Strategy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graham, J. Bart; Dumbacher, D. L. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The risk to loss of life for Space Shuttle crewmembers is approximately one in 245 missions. U.S. launch service providers captured nearly 100%, of the commercial launch market revenues in the mid 1980s. Today, the U.S. captures less than 50% of that market. A launch system architecture is needed that will dramatically increase the safety of space flight while significantly reducing the cost. NASA's Space Launch Initiative, which is implemented by the 2nd Generation RLV Program Office at Marshall Space Flight Center, seeks to develop technology and reusable launch vehicle concepts which satisfy the commercial launch market needs and the unique needs of NASA. Presented in this paper are the five primary elements of NASA's Integrated Space Transportation Plan along with the highest level goals and the acquisition strategy of the 2nd Generation RLV Program. Approval of the Space Launch Initiative FY01 budget of $290M is seen as a major commitment by the Agency and the Nation to realize the commercial potential that space offers and to move forward in the exploration of space.

40 CFR 60.2210 - What information must I include in my annual report?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Performance for Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incineration Units Recordkeeping and Reporting § 60.2210..., time, and duration that each CMS was inoperative, except for zero (low-level) and high-level checks. (3... procedure in 40 CFR part 60, appendix F of this part, as if any of the following occur. (1) The zero (low...

Study of the Low Level Wind Shear using AMDAR reports

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urlea, Ana-Denisa; Pietrisi, Mirela

2015-04-01

The aim of this work is the study of the effects of the wind shear on aircraft flights, in particularly when it appears on path of take-off or landing phase which is the most troublesome phase. This phenomenon has a lot of generating sources as: convection, frontal surfaces, strong surface wind coupled with local topography, breezes (either sea or mountain originated), mountain waves or low level temperature inversions. Low Level Jet is also a most frequent cause of Low Level Wind Shear. It has a lot of generating causes, but in Romania the most encountered is the presence of a Mediterranean low in southeastern part of Europe mainly in winter, sometimes in the first days of spring or the last days of autumn. It generates Low Level Wind Shear between surface and up to 600m, affecting approaching, landing or take-off phases of an aircraft flight. Diagnosis of meteorological general and local conditions and presence of Low Level Jet- generating Low Level Wind Shear is made using Meteo-France ARPEGE products model and ALARO high resolution model dedicated to Romanian area. The study is focused on use of real-time and in situ data as AMDAR (Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay) registrations with verification of a mobile Doppler SODAR registrations-("SOnic Detection And Ranging" system -PCS.2000- Metek manufactured by Meteorologische Messtechnik GMBH) in the processes of estimation of the quantitative and qualitative manifestation of Low Level Wind Shear. The results will be used to improve the timing and the accuracy of the Low Level Wind Shear forecasting for the aerodrome area.

SkySat-1: very high-resolution imagery from a small satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murthy, Kiran; Shearn, Michael; Smiley, Byron D.; Chau, Alexandra H.; Levine, Josh; Robinson, M. Dirk

2014-10-01

This paper presents details of the SkySat-1 mission, which is the first microsatellite-class commercial earth- observation system to generate sub-meter resolution panchromatic imagery, in addition to sub-meter resolution 4-band pan-sharpened imagery. SkySat-1 was built and launched for an order of magnitude lower cost than similarly performing missions. The low-cost design enables the deployment of a large imaging constellation that can provide imagery with both high temporal resolution and high spatial resolution. One key enabler of the SkySat-1 mission was simplifying the spacecraft design and instead relying on ground- based image processing to achieve high-performance at the system level. The imaging instrument consists of a custom-designed high-quality optical telescope and commercially-available high frame rate CMOS image sen- sors. While each individually captured raw image frame shows moderate quality, ground-based image processing algorithms improve the raw data by combining data from multiple frames to boost image signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and decrease the ground sample distance (GSD) in a process Skybox calls "digital TDI". Careful qual-ity assessment and tuning of the spacecraft, payload, and algorithms was necessary to generate high-quality panchromatic, multispectral, and pan-sharpened imagery. Furthermore, the framing sensor configuration en- abled the first commercial High-Definition full-frame rate panchromatic video to be captured from space, with approximately 1 meter ground sample distance. Details of the SkySat-1 imaging instrument and ground-based image processing system are presented, as well as an overview of the work involved with calibrating and validating the system. Examples of raw and processed imagery are shown, and the raw imagery is compared to pre-launch simulated imagery used to tune the image processing algorithms.

DESIGN REPORT: LOW-NOX BURNERS FOR PACKAGE BOILERS

EPA Science Inventory

The report describes a low-NOx burner design, presented for residual-oil-fired industrial boilers and boilers cofiring conventional fuels and nitrated hazardous wastes. The burner offers lower NOx emission levels for these applications than conventional commercial burners. The bu...

Quelling Cabin Noise in Turboprop Aircraft via Active Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kincaid, Rex K.; Laba, Keith E.; Padula, Sharon L.

1997-01-01

Cabin noise in turboprop aircraft causes passenger discomfort, airframe fatigue, and employee scheduling constraints due to OSHA standards for exposure to high levels of noise. The noise levels in the cabins of turboprop aircraft are typically 10 to 30 decibels louder than commercial jet noise levels. However. unlike jet noise the turboprop noise spectrum is dominated by a few low frequency tones. Active structural acoustic control is a method in which the control inputs (used to reduce interior noise) are applied directly to a vibrating structural acoustic system. The control concept modeled in this work is the application of in-plane force inputs to piezoceramic patches bonded to the wall of a vibrating cylinder. The goal is to determine the force inputs and locations for the piezoceramic actuators so that: (1) the interior noise is effectively damped; (2) the level of vibration of the cylinder shell is not increased; and (3) the power requirements needed to drive the actuators are not excessive. Computational experiments for data taken from a computer generated model and from a laboratory test article at NASA Langley Research Center are provided.

Adaptive force regulation of muscle strengthening rehabilitation device with magnetorheological fluids.

PubMed

Dong, Shufang; Lu, Ke-Qian; Sun, Jian Qiao; Rudolph, Katherine

2006-03-01

In rehabilitation from neuromuscular trauma or injury, strengthening exercises are often prescribed by physical therapists to recover as much function as possible. Strengthening equipment used in clinical settings range from low-cost devices, such as sandbag weights or elastic bands to large and expensive isotonic and isokinetic devices. The low-cost devices are incapable of measuring strength gains and apply resistance based on the lowest level of torque that is produced by a muscle group. Resistance that varies with joint angle can be achieved with isokinetic devices in which angular velocity is held constant and variable torque is generated when the patient attempts to move faster than the device but are ineffective if a patient cannot generate torque rapidly. In this paper, we report the development of a versatile rehabilitation device that can be used to strengthen different muscle groups based on the torque generating capability of the muscle that changes with joint angle. The device is low cost, is smaller than other commercially available machines, and can be programmed to apply resistance that is unique to a particular patient and that will optimize strengthening. The core of the device, a damper with smart magnetorheological fluids, provides passive exercise force. A digital adaptive control is capable of regulating exercise force precisely following the muscle strengthening profile prescribed by a physical therapist. The device could be programmed with artificial intelligence to dynamically adjust the target force profile to optimize rehabilitation effects. The device provides both isometric and isokinetic strength training and can be developed into a small, low-cost device that may be capable of providing optimal strengthening in the home.

Pulsed Energy Systems for Generating Plasmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rose, M. Franklin; Shotts, Z.

2005-01-01

This paper will describe the techniques needed to electrically generate highly ionized dense plasmas for a variety of applications. The components needed in pulsed circuits are described in terms of general performance parameters currently available from commercial vendors. Examples of pulsed systems using these components are described and technical data from laboratory experiments presented. Experimental data are given for point designs, capable of multi-megawatt power levels.

Realism Assessment of Sonic Boom Simulators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sullivan, Brenda M.; Davies, Patrica; Hodgdon, Kthleen K.; Salamone, Joseph A., III; Pilon, Anthony

2008-01-01

Developments in small supersonic aircraft design are predicted to result in low-intensity sonic booms. Booms generated by current aircraft are similar to those that led to the ban on commercial supersonic fli ght over the US, so are unsuitable for parametric studies of psychoac oustic response to low-intensity booms. Therefore, simulators have be en used to study the impact of predicted low-intensity sonic booms. H owever, simulators have been criticized because, when simulating conv entional-level booms, the sounds were observed to be unrealistic by p eople experienced in listening to sonic booms. Thus, two studies were conducted to measure the perceived realism of three sonic boom simul ators. Experienced listeners rated the realism of conventional sonic boom signatures when played in these simulators. The effects on percei ved realism of factors such as duration of post-boom noise, exclusion of very low frequency components, inclusion of ground reflections, a nd type of simulator were examined. Duration of post-boom noise was f ound to have a strong effect on perceived realism, while type of simu lator had a weak effect. It was determined that post-boom noise had t o be at least 1.5 seconds long for the sound to be rated very realist ic. Loudness level did not affect realism for the range of sounds pla yed in the tests (80-93 dB ASEL).

Coupled Optoelectronic Oscillators:. Application to Low-Jitter Pulse Generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, N.; Tu, M.; Maleki, L.

2002-04-01

Actively mode-locked Erbium-doped fiber lasers (EDFL) have been studied for generating stable ultra-fast pulses (< 2 ps) at high repetition rates (> 5 GHz) [1,2]. These devices can be compact and environmentally stable, quite suitable for fiber-based high-data-rate communications and optical ultra-fast analog-to-digital conversions (ADC) [3]. The pulse-to-pulse jitter of an EDFL-based pulse generator will be ultimately limited by the phase noise of the mode-locking microwave source (typically electronic frequency synthesizers). On the other hand, opto-electronic oscillators (OEO) using fibers have been demonstrated to generate ultra-low phase noise microwaves at 10 GHz and higher [4]. The overall phase noise of an OEO can be much lower than commercially available synthesizers at the offset-frequency range above 100 Hz. Clearly, ultra-low jitter pulses can be generated by taking advantage of the low phase noise of OEOs. In this paper, we report the progress in developing a new low-jitter pulse generator by combing the two technologies. In our approach, the optical oscillator (mode-locked EDFL) and the microwave oscillator (OEO) are coupled through a common Mach-Zehnder (MZ) modulator, thus named coupled opto-electronic oscillator (COEO) [5]. Based on the results of previous OEO study, we can expect a 10 GHz pulse train with jitters less than 10 fs.

High fiber-low matrix composites: kenaf fiber/polypropylene.

Treesearch

Anand R. Sanadi; J.F. Hunt; D.F. Caulfield; G. Kovacsvolgyi; B. Destree

2002-01-01

Considerable interest has been generated in the use of lignocellulosic fibers and wastes (both agricultural and wood based) as fillers and reinforcements in thermoplastics. In general, present technologies limit fiber loading in thermoplastics to about 60 percent by weight of fiber. To produce high fiber content composites for commercial use while maintaining adequate...

Next Generation Ceramic Substrate Fabricated at Room Temperature.

PubMed

Kim, Yuna; Ahn, Cheol-Woo; Choi, Jong-Jin; Ryu, Jungho; Kim, Jong-Woo; Yoon, Woon-Ha; Park, Dong-Soo; Yoon, Seog-Young; Ma, Byungjin; Hahn, Byung-Dong

2017-07-26

A ceramic substrate must not only have an excellent thermal performance but also be thin, since the electronic devices have to become thin and small in the electronics industry of the next generation. In this manuscript, a thin ceramic substrate (thickness: 30-70 µm) is reported for the next generation ceramic substrate. It is fabricated by a new process [granule spray in vacuum (GSV)] which is a room temperature process. For the thin ceramic substrates, AlN GSV films are deposited on Al substrates and their electric/thermal properties are compared to those of the commercial ceramic substrates. The thermal resistance is significantly reduced by using AlN GSV films instead of AlN bulk-ceramics in thermal management systems. It is due to the removal of a thermal interface material which has low thermal conductivity. In particular, the dielectric strengths of AlN GSV films are much higher than those of AlN bulk-ceramics which are commercialized, approximately 5 times. Therefore, it can be expected that this GSV film is a next generation substrate in thermal management systems for the high power application.

Quantum Hall effect in epitaxial graphene with permanent magnets.

PubMed

Parmentier, F D; Cazimajou, T; Sekine, Y; Hibino, H; Irie, H; Glattli, D C; Kumada, N; Roulleau, P

2016-12-06

We have observed the well-kown quantum Hall effect (QHE) in epitaxial graphene grown on silicon carbide (SiC) by using, for the first time, only commercial NdFeB permanent magnets at low temperature. The relatively large and homogeneous magnetic field generated by the magnets, together with the high quality of the epitaxial graphene films, enables the formation of well-developed quantum Hall states at Landau level filling factors v = ±2, commonly observed with superconducting electro-magnets. Furthermore, the chirality of the QHE edge channels can be changed by a top gate. These results demonstrate that basic QHE physics are experimentally accessible in graphene for a fraction of the price of conventional setups using superconducting magnets, which greatly increases the potential of the QHE in graphene for research and applications.

Direct Reduction of Iron Ore

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Small, M.

1981-04-01

In the search for a pure, available iron source, steelmakers are focusing their attention on Directly Reduced Iron (DRI). This material is produced by the reaction of a low gangue iron ore with a hydrocarbonaceous substance. Commercially, DRI is generated in four different reactors: shaft (moving-bed), rotary kiln, fluidized bed, and retort (fixed-bed). Annual worldwide production capacity approaches 33 million metric tons. Detailed assessments have been made of the uses of DRI, especially as a substitute for scrap in electric furnace (EF) steelmaking. DRI is generally of a quality superior to current grades of scrap, with steels produced more efficiently in the EF and containing lower levels of impurities. However, present economics favor EF steel production with scrap. But this situation could change within this decade because of a developing scarcity of good quality scrap.

Predictive aging results for cable materials in nuclear power plants

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

Gillen, K.T.; Clough, R.L.

1990-11-01

In this report, we provide a detailed discussion of methodology of predicting cable degradation versus dose rate, temperature, and exposure time and its application to data obtained on a number of additional nuclear power plant cable insulation (a hypalon, a silicon rubber and two ethylenetetrafluoroethylenes) and jacket (a hypalon) materials. We then show that the predicted, low-dose-rate results for our materials are in excellent agreement with long-term (7 to 9 years), low dose-rate results recently obtained for the same material types actually aged under nuclear power plant conditions. Based on a combination of the modelling and long-term results, we findmore » indications of reasonably similar degradation responses among several different commercial formulations for each of the following generic'' materials: hypalon, ethylenetetrafluoroethylene, silicone rubber and PVC. If such generic'' behavior can be further substantiated through modelling and long-term results on additional formulations, predictions of cable life for other commercial materials of the same generic types would be greatly facilitated. Finally, to aid utilities in their cable life extension decisions, we utilize our modelling results to generate lifetime prediction curves for the materials modelled to data. These curves plot expected material lifetime versus dose rate and temperature down to the levels of interest to nuclear power plant aging. 18 refs., 30 figs., 3 tabs.« less

Antioxidant and oxidative stress parameters in brain of Heteropneustes fossilis under air exposure condition; role of mitochondrial electron transport chain.

PubMed

Paital, Biswaranjan

2013-09-01

Many fishes are exposed to air in their natural habitat or during their commercial handling. In natural habitat or during commercial handling, the cat fish Heteropneustes fossilis is exposed to air for >24h. Data on its oxidative metabolism in the above condition are not available. Oxidative stress (OS) indices (lipid and protein oxidation), toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS: H2O2) generation, antioxidative status (levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and reductase, ascorbic acid and non-protein sulfhydryl) and activities of electron transport chain (ETC) enzymes (complex I-IV) were investigated in brain tissue of H. fossilis under air exposure condition (0, 3, 6, 12 and 18 h at 25°C). Decreased activities of antioxidant (except catalase) and ETC enzymes (except complex II) with increased H2O2 and OS levels were observed in the tissue under water deprivation condition. Positive correlation was observed for complex II activity and non-protein thiol groups with time period of air exposure. The critical time period to induce OS and to reduce most of the studied antioxidant level in brain was found to be 3-6h air exposure. The data can be useful to minimize the stress generated during commercial handling of the live fishes those exposed to air in general and H. fossilis in particular. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Note: An inexpensive square waveform ion funnel driver

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffman, Nathan M.; Opačić, Bojana; Reilly, Peter T. A.

2017-01-01

An inexpensive frequency variable square waveform generator (WFG) was developed to use with existing sinusoidal waveform driven ion funnels. The developed WFG was constructed using readily available low voltage DC power supplies and discrete components placed in printed circuit boards. As applied to ion funnels, this WFG represents considerable cost savings over commercially available products without sacrificing performance. Operation of the constructed pulse generator has been demonstrated for a 1 nF ion funnel at an operating frequency of 1 MHz while switching 48 Vp-p.

Note: An inexpensive square waveform ion funnel driver.

PubMed

Hoffman, Nathan M; Opačić, Bojana; Reilly, Peter T A

2017-01-01

An inexpensive frequency variable square waveform generator (WFG) was developed to use with existing sinusoidal waveform driven ion funnels. The developed WFG was constructed using readily available low voltage DC power supplies and discrete components placed in printed circuit boards. As applied to ion funnels, this WFG represents considerable cost savings over commercially available products without sacrificing performance. Operation of the constructed pulse generator has been demonstrated for a 1 nF ion funnel at an operating frequency of 1 MHz while switching 48 V p-p .

European Science Notes Information Bulletin Report on Current European/ Middle Eastern Science

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-08-01

evolved from pulse- power research activities generators charged by low-inductance, Marx-bank dating from the early 1960s at the Institute of Nuclear...Pulse Power at ISE tion rates up to 25 Hz. While I saw one of these gener- ators at ISE hooked to a microwave generator and The ISE has a very active ...program on repetitive pulse photographs for a commercial brochure, I have not seen power based upon oil-dielectric transformer technology, the output

Modeling a Thermoelectric Generator Applied to Diesel Automotive Heat Recovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Espinosa, N.; Lazard, M.; Aixala, L.; Scherrer, H.

2010-09-01

Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are outstanding devices for automotive waste heat recovery. Their packaging, lack of moving parts, and direct heat to electrical conversion are the main benefits. Usually, TEGs are modeled with a constant hot-source temperature. However, energy in exhaust gases is limited, thus leading to a temperature decrease as heat is recovered. Therefore thermoelectric properties change along the TEG, affecting performance. A thermoelectric generator composed of Mg2Si/Zn4Sb3 for high temperatures followed by Bi2Te3 for low temperatures has been modeled using engineering equation solver (EES) software. The model uses the finite-difference method with a strip-fins convective heat transfer coefficient. It has been validated on a commercial module with well-known properties. The thermoelectric connection and the number of thermoelements have been addressed as well as the optimum proportion of high-temperature material for a given thermoelectric heat exchanger. TEG output power has been estimated for a typical commercial vehicle at 90°C coolant temperature.

Performance of PHOTONIS' low light level CMOS imaging sensor for long range observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bourree, Loig E.

2014-05-01

Identification of potential threats in low-light conditions through imaging is commonly achieved through closed-circuit television (CCTV) and surveillance cameras by combining the extended near infrared (NIR) response (800-10000nm wavelengths) of the imaging sensor with NIR LED or laser illuminators. Consequently, camera systems typically used for purposes of long-range observation often require high-power lasers in order to generate sufficient photons on targets to acquire detailed images at night. While these systems may adequately identify targets at long-range, the NIR illumination needed to achieve such functionality can easily be detected and therefore may not be suitable for covert applications. In order to reduce dependency on supplemental illumination in low-light conditions, the frame rate of the imaging sensors may be reduced to increase the photon integration time and thus improve the signal to noise ratio of the image. However, this may hinder the camera's ability to image moving objects with high fidelity. In order to address these particular drawbacks, PHOTONIS has developed a CMOS imaging sensor (CIS) with a pixel architecture and geometry designed specifically to overcome these issues in low-light level imaging. By combining this CIS with field programmable gate array (FPGA)-based image processing electronics, PHOTONIS has achieved low-read noise imaging with enhanced signal-to-noise ratio at quarter moon illumination, all at standard video frame rates. The performance of this CIS is discussed herein and compared to other commercially available CMOS and CCD for long-range observation applications.

High Efficiency Turbine Generator for Instream Electric Power Production

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

Kelecy, Patrick M.

Concerns over global warming due to carbon emissions have spurred an interest in such renewable energy alternatives as hydroelectric, wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass. Of all of these, hydroelectric power offers perhaps the greatest potential for supplying a significant portion of our nation's energy needs. To realize this potential, however, this technology needs to expand beyond traditional dam based installations (for which there are relatively few suitable remaining sites) into the vast number of open flow installations potentially available in rivers, canals, tidal streams and open ocean sites. To help promote this expansion, this project focused on the development ofmore » an advanced, vertical axis, hydrokinetic power generator (HPG) technology for open flow applications. Two key features investigated for this were (1) an active blade pitch control system that provides independent control of the turbine blades, and (2) a low-profile, low-speed, high-torque electric generator suitable for direct coupling to the turbine (no gearbox). Both systems are based on a unique, disk-shape, high performance electromechanical design that is potentially low cost, compact, light-weight, and efficient. Blade actuator and generator designs were developed and optimized for this application. They were then incorporated into several HPG designs based on an optimized H-Darrieus turbine structure that was also developed. Three HPG sizes were explored (10kW, 25kW and 50kW) to assess scalability. For each size, two HPG versions were developed: one with the electric generator mounted above the turbine and one with it integrated into the turbine body. Each provided certain benefits and illustrated the versatility of this technology. Design and performance specifications were calculated and comparisons were made with commercial hydrokinetic turbine products. Based on these comparisons, this technology was smaller and significantly lighter (by up to 50%) in the higher power ratings. A preliminary cost analysis was performed for these designs. Costs were determined in prototyping (1-10), small (100), and medium (1000) production volumes. Installed costs were then estimated and compared to wind and solar energy products of similar rating. Based on that comparison, the installed cost of this technology is expected to be similar in small production volumes and lower in medium (or greater) production volumes. Finally, the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) was calculated for the 50kW HPG and compared to other renewables (solar, wind, small and large scale hydro) based on published data. The LCOE estimated for this system ($31/MWh-48/MWh dollars) was found to be quite competitive with other renewables, especially if higher production volumes can be achieved. Based on these findings, this technology should be successful if commercialized and promote the expansion of river-based power generation.« less

Automated, Parametric Geometry Modeling and Grid Generation for Turbomachinery Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harrand, Vincent J.; Uchitel, Vadim G.; Whitmire, John B.

2000-01-01

The objective of this Phase I project is to develop a highly automated software system for rapid geometry modeling and grid generation for turbomachinery applications. The proposed system features a graphical user interface for interactive control, a direct interface to commercial CAD/PDM systems, support for IGES geometry output, and a scripting capability for obtaining a high level of automation and end-user customization of the tool. The developed system is fully parametric and highly automated, and, therefore, significantly reduces the turnaround time for 3D geometry modeling, grid generation and model setup. This facilitates design environments in which a large number of cases need to be generated, such as for parametric analysis and design optimization of turbomachinery equipment. In Phase I we have successfully demonstrated the feasibility of the approach. The system has been tested on a wide variety of turbomachinery geometries, including several impellers and a multi stage rotor-stator combination. In Phase II, we plan to integrate the developed system with turbomachinery design software and with commercial CAD/PDM software.

Tritium-Powered Radiation Sensor Network

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-01

unexpected low efficiency of the PV . Commercial vendors of PVs normally achieve >20% efficiency under 1 sun intensity (100 mW/cm2) solar spectrum...illumination. The 2 distinguishing factors that differ in our application from normal solar PV applications is 1) weak illumination (10–5 sun) and 2...efficiency solar spectrum single-junction PV could be made of Si with a lower band gap of 1.1 eV, but the larger photocurrent generated is limited by its low

Total mercury levels in commercial fish species from Italian fishery and aquaculture.

PubMed

Di Lena, Gabriella; Casini, Irene; Caproni, Roberto; Fusari, Andrea; Orban, Elena

2017-06-01

Total mercury levels were measured in 42 commercial fish species caught off the Central Adriatic and Tyrrhenian coasts of Italy and in 6 aquaculture species. The study on wild fish covered species differing in living habitat and trophic level. The study on farmed fish covered marine and freshwater species from intensive and extensive aquaculture and their feed. Mercury levels were analysed by thermal decomposition-amalgamation-atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Total mercury concentrations in the muscle of wild fish showed a high variability among species (0.025-2.20 mg kg -1 wet weight). The lowest levels were detected in low trophic-level demersal and pelagic-neritic fish and in young individuals of high trophic-level species. Levels exceeding the European Commission limits were found in large-size specimens of high trophic-level pelagic and demersal species. Fish from intensive farming showed low levels of total mercury (0.008-0.251 mg kg -1 ). Fish from extensive rearing showed variable contamination levels, depending on the area of provenience. An estimation of the human intake of mercury associated to the consumption of the studied fish and its comparison with the tolerable weekly intake is provided.

Robust production of virus-like particles and monoclonal antibodies with geminiviral replicon vectors in lettuce

PubMed Central

Lai, Huafang; He, Junyun; Engle, Michael; Diamond, Michael S.; Chen, Qiang

2011-01-01

Summary Pharmaceutical protein production in plants has been greatly promoted by the development of viral-based vectors and transient expression systems. Tobacco and related Nicotiana species are currently the most common host plants for generation of plant-made pharmaceutical proteins (PMPs). Downstream processing of target PMPs from these plants, however, is hindered by potential technical and regulatory difficulties due to the presence of high levels of phenolics and toxic alkaloids. Here, we explored the use of lettuce, which grows quickly yet produces low levels of secondary metabolites, and viral vector-based transient expression systems to develop a robust PMP production platform. Our results showed that a geminiviral replicon system based on the bean yellow dwarf virus permits high-level expression in lettuce of virus-like particles (VLP) derived from the Norwalk virus capsid protein and therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against Ebola and West Nile viruses. These vaccine and therapeutic candidates can be readily purified from lettuce leaves with scalable processing methods while fully retaining functional activity. Furthermore, this study also demonstrated the feasibility of using commercially produced lettuce for high-level PMP production. This allows our production system to have access to unlimited quantities of inexpensive plant material for large-scale production. These results establish a new production platform for biological pharmaceutical agents that is effective, safe, low-cost, and amenable to large-scale manufacturing. PMID:21883868

Orthogonal combinatorial mutagenesis: a codon-level combinatorial mutagenesis method useful for low multiplicity and amino acid-scanning protocols

PubMed Central

Gaytán, Paul; Yáñez, Jorge; Sánchez, Filiberto; Soberón, Xavier

2001-01-01

We describe here a method to generate combinatorial libraries of oligonucleotides mutated at the codon-level, with control of the mutagenesis rate so as to create predictable binomial distributions of mutants. The method allows enrichment of the libraries with single, double or larger multiplicity of amino acid replacements by appropriate choice of the mutagenesis rate, depending on the concentration of synthetic precursors. The method makes use of two sets of deoxynucleoside-phosphoramidites bearing orthogonal protecting groups [4,4′-dimethoxytrityl (DMT) and 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc)] in the 5′ hydroxyl. These phosphoramidites are divergently combined during automated synthesis in such a way that wild-type codons are assembled with commercial DMT-deoxynucleoside-methyl-phosphoramidites while mutant codons are assembled with Fmoc-deoxynucleoside-methyl-phosphoramidites in an NNG/C fashion in a single synthesis column. This method is easily automated and suitable for low mutagenesis rates and large windows, such as those required for directed evolution and alanine scanning. Through the assembly of three oligonucleotide libraries at different mutagenesis rates, followed by cloning at the polylinker region of plasmid pUC18 and sequencing of 129 clones, we concluded that the method performs essentially as intended. PMID:11160911

Thermoplastic nanofluidic devices for biomedical applications.

PubMed

Weerakoon-Ratnayake, Kumuditha M; O'Neil, Colleen E; Uba, Franklin I; Soper, Steven A

2017-01-31

Microfluidics is now moving into a developmental stage where basic discoveries are being transitioned into the commercial sector so that these discoveries can affect, for example, healthcare. Thus, high production rate microfabrication technologies, such as thermal embossing and/or injection molding, are being used to produce low-cost consumables appropriate for commercial applications. Based on recent reports, it is clear that nanofluidics offers some attractive process capabilities that may provide unique venues for biomolecular analyses that cannot be realized at the microscale. Thus, it would be attractive to consider early in the developmental cycle of nanofluidics production pipelines that can generate devices possessing sub-150 nm dimensions in a high production mode and at low-cost to accommodate the commercialization of this exciting technology. Recently, functional sub-150 nm thermoplastic nanofluidic devices have been reported that can provide high process yield rates, which can enable commercial translation of nanofluidics. This review presents an overview of recent advancements in the fabrication, assembly, surface modification and the characterization of thermoplastic nanofluidic devices. Also, several examples in which nanoscale phenomena have been exploited for the analysis of biomolecules are highlighted. Lastly, some general conclusions and future outlooks are presented.

N-doped carbon nanomaterials are durable catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction in acidic fuel cells

PubMed Central

Shui, Jianglan; Wang, Min; Du, Feng; Dai, Liming

2015-01-01

The availability of low-cost, efficient, and durable catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a prerequisite for commercialization of the fuel cell technology. Along with intensive research efforts of more than half a century in developing nonprecious metal catalysts (NPMCs) to replace the expensive and scarce platinum-based catalysts, a new class of carbon-based, low-cost, metal-free ORR catalysts was demonstrated to show superior ORR performance to commercial platinum catalysts, particularly in alkaline electrolytes. However, their large-scale practical application in more popular acidic polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells remained elusive because they are often found to be less effective in acidic electrolytes, and no attempt has been made for a single PEM cell test. We demonstrated that rationally designed, metal-free, nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes and their graphene composites exhibited significantly better long-term operational stabilities and comparable gravimetric power densities with respect to the best NPMC in acidic PEM cells. This work represents a major breakthrough in removing the bottlenecks to translate low-cost, metal-free, carbon-based ORR catalysts to commercial reality, and opens avenues for clean energy generation from affordable and durable fuel cells. PMID:26601132

N-doped carbon nanomaterials are durable catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction in acidic fuel cells.

PubMed

Shui, Jianglan; Wang, Min; Du, Feng; Dai, Liming

2015-02-01

The availability of low-cost, efficient, and durable catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a prerequisite for commercialization of the fuel cell technology. Along with intensive research efforts of more than half a century in developing nonprecious metal catalysts (NPMCs) to replace the expensive and scarce platinum-based catalysts, a new class of carbon-based, low-cost, metal-free ORR catalysts was demonstrated to show superior ORR performance to commercial platinum catalysts, particularly in alkaline electrolytes. However, their large-scale practical application in more popular acidic polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells remained elusive because they are often found to be less effective in acidic electrolytes, and no attempt has been made for a single PEM cell test. We demonstrated that rationally designed, metal-free, nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes and their graphene composites exhibited significantly better long-term operational stabilities and comparable gravimetric power densities with respect to the best NPMC in acidic PEM cells. This work represents a major breakthrough in removing the bottlenecks to translate low-cost, metal-free, carbon-based ORR catalysts to commercial reality, and opens avenues for clean energy generation from affordable and durable fuel cells.

Direct bacterial identification in positive blood cultures by use of two commercial matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry systems.

PubMed

Chen, Jonathan H K; Ho, Pak-Leung; Kwan, Grace S W; She, Kevin K K; Siu, Gilman K H; Cheng, Vincent C C; Yuen, Kwok-Yung; Yam, Wing-Cheong

2013-06-01

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for the identification of bacteria and fungi was recently introduced in microbiology laboratories. This technology could greatly improve the clinical management of patients and guidance for chemotherapy. In this study, we used a commercial MALDI Sepsityper extraction method to evaluate the performance of two commercial MALDI-TOF MS systems, the Vitek MS IVD (bioMérieux) and the Microflex LT Biotyper (Bruker Daltonics) for direct bacterial identification in positive blood cultures. In 181 monomicrobial cultures, both systems generated genus to species level identifications for >90% of the specimens (Biotyper, 177/181 [97.8%]; Vitek MS IVD, 167/181 [92.3%]). Overall, the Biotyper system generated significantly more accurate identifications than the Vitek MS IVD system (P = 0.016; 177 versus 167 out of 181 specimens). The Biotyper system identified the minority species among polymicrobial blood cultures. We also compared the performance of an in-house extraction method with that of the Sepsityper on both MALDI-TOF MS systems. The in-house method generated more correct identifications at the genus level than the Sepsityper (96.7% versus 93.5%) on the Biotyper system, whereas the two methods exhibited the same performance level (88.0% versus 88.0%) on the Vitek MS IVD system. Our study confirmed the practical advantages of MALDI-TOF MS, and our in-house extraction method reduced the reagent cost to $1 per specimen, with a shorter turnaround time of 3 h, which is highly cost-effective for a diagnostic microbiology service.

Soft X-ray-assisted detection method for airborne molecular contaminations (AMCs)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Changhyuk; Zuo, Zhili; Finger, Hartmut; Haep, Stefan; Asbach, Christof; Fissan, Heinz; Pui, David Y. H.

2015-03-01

Airborne molecular contaminations (AMCs) represent a wide range of gaseous contaminants in cleanrooms. Due to the unintentional nanoparticle or haze formation as well as doping caused by AMCs, improved monitoring and controlling methods for AMCs are urgent in the semiconductor industry. However, measuring ultra-low concentrations of AMCs in cleanrooms is difficult, especially, behind a gas filter. In this study, a novel detection method for AMCs, which is on-line, economical, and applicable for diverse AMCs, was developed by employing gas-to-particle conversion with soft X-ray, and then measuring the generated nanoparticles. Feasibility study of this method was conducted through the evaluations of granular-activated carbons (GACs), which are widely used AMC filter media. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) was used as an AMC for the feasibility study. Using this method, the ultra-low concentrations of SO2 behind GACs were determined in terms of concentrations of generated sulfuric acid (H2SO4) nanoparticles. By calculating SO2 concentrations from the nanoparticle concentrations using empirical correlation equations between them, remarkable sensitivity of this method to SO2 was shown, down to parts-per-trillions, which are too low to detect using commercial gas sensors. Also, the calculated SO2 concentrations showed good agreement with those measured simultaneously by a commercial SO2 monitor at parts-per-billions.

The beneficial effect of the sap of Acer mono in an animal with low-calcium diet-induced osteoporosis-like symptoms.

PubMed

Lee, Geun-Shik; Byun, Hyuk-Soo; Kim, Man-Hee; Lee, Bo-Mi; Ko, Sang-Hwan; Jung, Eui-Man; Gwak, Ki-Seob; Choi, In-Gyu; Kang, Ha-Young; Jo, Hyun-Jin; Lee, Hak-Ju; Jeung, Eui-Bae

2008-11-01

The sap of Acer mono has been called 'bone-benefit-water' in Korea because of its mineral and sugar content. In particular, the calcium concentration of the sap of A. mono is 37.5 times higher than commercial spring water. In the current study, we examined whether A. mono sap could improve or prevent osteoporosis-like symptoms in a mouse model. Male mice (3 weeks old) were fed a low-calcium diet supplemented with 25, 50 or 100 % A. mono sap, commercial spring water or a high calcium-containing solution as a beverage for 7 weeks. There were no differences in weekly weight gain and food intake among all the groups. Mice that were given a low-calcium diet supplemented with commercial spring water developed osteoporosis-like symptoms. To assess the effect of sap on osteoporosis-like symptoms, we examined serum calcium concentration, and femur density and length, and carried out a histological examination. Serum calcium levels were significantly lower in mice that received a low-calcium diet supplemented with commercial spring water (the negative control group), and in the 25 % sap group compared to mice fed a normal diet, but were normal in the 50 and 100 % sap and high-calcium solution groups. Femur density and length were significantly reduced in the negative control and 25 % sap groups. These results indicate that a 50 % sap solution can mitigate osteoporosis-like symptoms induced by a low-calcium diet. We also examined the regulation of expression of calcium-processing genes in the duodenum and kidney. Duodenal TRPV6 and renal calbindin-D9k were up-regulated dose-dependently by sap, and the levels of these factors were higher than those attained in the spring water-treated control. The results demonstrate that the sap of A. mono ameliorates the low bone density induced by a low-calcium diet, most likely by increasing calcium ion absorption.

Bacteria-powered battery on paper.

PubMed

Fraiwan, Arwa; Choi, Seokheun

2014-12-21

Paper-based devices have recently emerged as simple and low-cost paradigms for fluid manipulation and analytical/clinical testing. However, there are significant challenges in developing paper-based devices at the system level, which contain integrated paper-based power sources. Here, we report a microfabricated paper-based bacteria-powered battery that is capable of generating power from microbial metabolism. The battery on paper showed a very short start-up time relative to conventional microbial fuel cells (MFCs); paper substrates eliminated the time traditional MFCs required to accumulate and acclimate bacteria on the anode. Only four batteries connected in series provided desired values of current and potential to power an LED for more than 30 minutes. The battery featured (i) a low-cost paper-based proton exchange membrane directly patterned on commercially available parchment paper and (ii) paper reservoirs for holding the anolyte and the catholyte for an extended period of time. Based on this concept, we also demonstrate the use of paper-based test platforms for the rapid characterization of electricity-generating bacteria. This paper-based microbial screening tool does not require external pumps/tubings and represents the most rapid test platform (<50 min) compared with the time needed by using traditional screening tools (up to 103 days) and even recently proposed MEMS arrays (< 2 days).

Evaluation of commercial kit based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification for rapid detection of low levels of uninjured and injured Salmonella on duck meat, bean sprouts, and fishballs in Singapore.

PubMed

Lim, Hazel Sin Yue; Zheng, Qianwang; Miks-Krajnik, Marta; Turner, Matthew; Yuk, Hyun-Gyun

2015-06-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate performance of the commercial kit based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) in comparison with the International Organization for Standardization method for detecting uninjured and sublethally injured Salmonella cells artificially inoculated at levels of 10(0) and 10(1) CFU/25 g on raw duck wing, raw mung bean sprouts, and processed fishballs. Injured cells were prepared by a heat treatment for duck wings and fishball samples and a chlorine treatment for bean sprout samples. Additionally, a validation study was performed on naturally contaminated food samples sold in Singapore. A total of 110 samples of each commodity were analyzed in this study. Regardless of inoculum levels, the detection by the commercial LAMP kit showed 100% sensitivity and specificity for both inoculated and uninoculated samples compared with the International Organization for Standardization method, with the exception of bean sprout samples. Only 20% of bean sprout samples inoculated with 10(0) CFU/25 g injured Salmonella cells were positive by using the commercial LAMP-based kit. However, all negative samples became positive following a secondary enrichment in Rappaport-Vassiliadis medium with soy broth or after concentration by centrifugation. These results suggest that secondary enrichment or centrifugation should be considered as an additional step to increase the sensitivity of the commercial LAMP-based kit with low numbers of injured target cells in samples with high background microflora (such as mung bean sprouts). The validation study also showed that the commercial LAMP-based kit provided 91% sensitivity and 95% specificity for naturally contaminated samples. Thus, this study demonstrates that the commercial LAMP-based kit might be a cost-effective method, as this system could provide rapid, accurate detection of both uninjured and injured Salmonella cells on raw duck wings, raw mung bean sprouts, and processed fishballs in less than 26 h.

Removal of actinide elements from liquid scintillation cocktail wastes using liquid-liquid extraction and demulsification techniques

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

Foltz, K.; Landsberger, S.; Srinivasan, B.

1994-12-31

For many years liquid scintillation cocktail (LSC) wastes have been generated and stored at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). These wastes are stored in thousands of 10--20 m scintillation vials, many of which contain elements with Z > 88. Because storage space is limited, disposal of this waste is pressing. These wastes could be commercially incinerated if the radionuclides with Z>88 are reduced to sufficiently low levels. However, there is currently no deminimus level for these radionuclides, and separation techniques are still being tested. The University of Illinois is conducting experiments to separate radionuclides with Z > 88 from simulated LSCmore » wastes by using liquid-liquid extraction (LLX) and demulsification techniques. The actinide elements are removed from the LSC by extraction into an aqueous phase after the cocktail has been demulsified. The aqueous and organic phases are separated and the organic phase, now free from radionuclides with Z > 88, can be sent to a commercial incineration facility. The aqueous phase may be treated and disposed of using existing techniques. The LLX separation techniques used solutions of sodium oxalate, aluminum nitrate, and tetrasodium EDTA at varying concentrations. These extractants were mixed with the simulated waste in a 1:1 volume ratio. Using 1.0M Na{sub 4} EDTA salt solutions, decontamination ratios as high as 230 were achieved.« less

Distributed Energy Resources On-Site Optimization for Commercial Buildings with Electric and Thermal Storage Technologies

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

Lacommare, Kristina S H; Stadler, Michael; Aki, Hirohisa

The addition of storage technologies such as flow batteries, conventional batteries, and heat storage can improve the economic as well as environmental attractiveness of on-site generation (e.g., PV, fuel cells, reciprocating engines or microturbines operating with or without CHP) and contribute to enhanced demand response. In order to examine the impact of storage technologies on demand response and carbon emissions, a microgrid's distributed energy resources (DER) adoption problem is formulated as a mixed-integer linear program that has the minimization of annual energy costs as its objective function. By implementing this approach in the General Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS), the problemmore » is solved for a given test year at representative customer sites, such as schools and nursing homes, to obtain not only the level of technology investment, but also the optimal hourly operating schedules. This paper focuses on analysis of storage technologies in DER optimization on a building level, with example applications for commercial buildings. Preliminary analysis indicates that storage technologies respond effectively to time-varying electricity prices, i.e., by charging batteries during periods of low electricity prices and discharging them during peak hours. The results also indicate that storage technologies significantly alter the residual load profile, which can contribute to lower carbon emissions depending on the test site, its load profile, and its adopted DER technologies.« less

200 kHz Commercial Sonar Systems Generate Lower Frequency Side Lobes Audible to Some Marine Mammals

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

Deng, Zhiqun; Southall, Brandon; Carlson, Thomas J.

2014-04-15

The spectral properties of pulses transmitted by three commercially available 200 kHz echo sounders were measured to assess the possibility that sound energy in below the center (carrier) frequency might be heard by marine mammals. The study found that all three sounders generated sound at frequencies below the center frequency and within the hearing range of some marine mammals and that this sound was likely detectable by the animals over limited ranges. However, at standard operating source levels for the sounders, the sound below the center frequency was well below potentially harmful levels. It was concluded that the sounds generatedmore » by the sounders could affect the behavior of marine mammals within fairly close proximity to the sources and that that the blanket exclusion of echo sounders from environmental impact analysis based solely on the center frequency output in relation to the range of marine mammal hearing should be reconsidered.« less

The Relationship between Commercial Health Care Prices and Medicare Spending and Utilization.

PubMed

Romley, John A; Axeen, Sarah; Lakdawalla, Darius N; Chernew, Michael E; Bhattacharya, Jay; Goldman, Dana P

2015-06-01

To explore the relationship between commercial health care prices and Medicare spending/utilization across U.S. regions. Claims from large employers and Medicare Parts A/B/D over 2007-2009. We compared prices paid by commercial health plans to Medicare spending and utilization, adjusted for beneficiary health and the cost of care, across 301 hospital referral regions. A 10 percent lower commercial price (around the average level) is associated with 3.0 percent higher Medicare spending per member per year, and 4.3 percent more specialist visits (p < .01). Commercial health care prices are negatively associated with Medicare spending across regions. Providers may respond to low commercial prices by shifting service volume into Medicare. Further investigation is needed to establish causality. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Evaluation of four commercial quantitative real-time PCR kits with inhibited and degraded samples.

PubMed

Holmes, Amy S; Houston, Rachel; Elwick, Kyleen; Gangitano, David; Hughes-Stamm, Sheree

2018-05-01

DNA quantification is a vital step in forensic DNA analysis to determine the optimal input amount for DNA typing. A quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay that can predict DNA degradation or inhibitors present in the sample prior to DNA amplification could aid forensic laboratories in creating a more streamlined and efficient workflow. This study compares the results from four commercial qPCR kits: (1) Investigator® Quantiplex® Pro Kit, (2) Quantifiler® Trio DNA Quantification Kit, (3) PowerQuant® System, and (4) InnoQuant® HY with high molecular weight DNA, low template samples, degraded samples, and DNA spiked with various inhibitors.The results of this study indicate that all kits were comparable in accurately predicting quantities of high quality DNA down to the sub-picogram level. However, the InnoQuant(R) HY kit showed the highest precision across the DNA concentration range tested in this study. In addition, all kits performed similarly with low concentrations of forensically relevant PCR inhibitors. However, in general, the Investigator® Quantiplex® Pro Kit was the most tolerant kit to inhibitors and provided the most accurate quantification results with higher concentrations of inhibitors (except with salt). PowerQuant® and InnoQuant® HY were the most sensitive to inhibitors, but they did indicate significant levels of PCR inhibition. When quantifying degraded samples, each kit provided different degradation indices (DI), with Investigator® Quantiplex® Pro indicating the largest DI and Quantifiler® Trio indicating the smallest DI. When the qPCR kits were paired with their respective STR kit to genotype highly degraded samples, the Investigator® 24plex QS and GlobalFiler® kits generated more complete profiles when the small target concentrations were used for calculating input amount.

Novel Low-Melt Viscosity Polyimides for Resin Transfer Molding (RTM)

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-08-29

used no solvent in the process and the only volatile generated is water tbrmed during the imidization process. Resins were prepared as outlined below...without the use of a solvent. Due to the commercial availabilit \\ of 3,4’ -ODA, RTM370 is cheaper to manufacture than RTM 350 or RTM330. All these rcsins

Preservation of bovine hide using less salt with low concentration of antiseptic, part I: effectiveness of developed formulations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bovine raw hides are commercially cured either with high salt concentration of about half the weight of actual hide or 95% saturated brine solution. This conventional technique is very popular due to the availability of common salt (sodium chloride) and its cost effective procedure but it generates ...

Underestimation of Low-Dose Radiation in Treatment Planning of Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy

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

Jang, Si Young; Liu, H. Helen; Mohan, Radhe

2008-08-01

Purpose: To investigate potential dose calculation errors in the low-dose regions and identify causes of such errors for intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Methods and Materials: The IMRT treatment plans of 23 patients with lung cancer and mesothelioma were reviewed. Of these patients, 15 had severe pulmonary complications after radiotherapy. Two commercial treatment-planning systems (TPSs) and a Monte Carlo system were used to calculate and compare dose distributions and dose-volume parameters of the target volumes and critical structures. The effect of tissue heterogeneity, multileaf collimator (MLC) modeling, beam modeling, and other factors that could contribute to the differences in IMRT dose calculationsmore » were analyzed. Results: In the commercial TPS-generated IMRT plans, dose calculation errors primarily occurred in the low-dose regions of IMRT plans (<50% of the radiation dose prescribed for the tumor). Although errors in the dose-volume histograms of the normal lung were small (<5%) above 10 Gy, underestimation of dose <10 Gy was found to be up to 25% in patients with mesothelioma or large target volumes. These errors were found to be caused by inadequate modeling of MLC transmission and leaf scatter in commercial TPSs. The degree of low-dose errors depends on the target volumes and the degree of intensity modulation. Conclusions: Secondary radiation from MLCs contributes a significant portion of low dose in IMRT plans. Dose underestimation could occur in conventional IMRT dose calculations if such low-dose radiation is not properly accounted for.« less

A detector for monitoring the onset of cavitation during therapy-level measurements of ultrasonic power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hodnett, M.; Zeqiri, B.

2004-01-01

Acoustic cavitation occurring in the water path between a transducer and the target of a radiation force balance can provide a significant source of error during measurements of ultrasonic power. These problems can be particularly acute at physiotherapy levels (>1 W), and low frequencies (leq 1 MHz). The cavitating bubbles can absorb and scatter incident ultrasound, leading to an underestimate in the measured power. For these reasons, International Specification standards demand the use of degassed water. This imposes requirements that may actually be difficult to meet, for example, in the case of hospitals. Also, initially degassed water will rapidly re-gas, increasing the likelihood of cavitation occurring. For these reasons, NPL has developed a device that monitors acoustic emissions generated by bubble activity, for detecting the onset of cavitation during power measurements. A commercially available needle hydrophone is used to detect these emissions. The acoustic signals are then monitored using a Cavitation Detector (CD) unit, comprising an analogue electrical filter that may be tuned to detect frequency components generated by cavitating bubbles, and which provides an indication of when the measured level exceeds a pre-defined threshold. This paper describes studies to establish a suitable detection scheme, the principles of operation of the CD unit, and the performance tests carried out with a range of propagation media.

A Little Sensor That Packs a Wallop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

A gas sensor originally built for NASA to measure the composition of the atmosphere of Earth and Mars has been commercialized by SpectraSensors. The commercial tunable diode laser (TDL) gas sensor can be used for oil and gas pipeline monitoring, aircraft safety, environmental monitoring and medicine. The TDL technology is good at detecting low levels of gases from parts-per-million to parts-per-billion.

Advanced Seismic While Drilling System

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

Robert Radtke; John Fontenot; David Glowka

A breakthrough has been discovered for controlling seismic sources to generate selectable low frequencies. Conventional seismic sources, including sparkers, rotary mechanical, hydraulic, air guns, and explosives, by their very nature produce high-frequencies. This is counter to the need for long signal transmission through rock. The patent pending SeismicPULSER{trademark} methodology has been developed for controlling otherwise high-frequency seismic sources to generate selectable low-frequency peak spectra applicable to many seismic applications. Specifically, we have demonstrated the application of a low-frequency sparker source which can be incorporated into a drill bit for Drill Bit Seismic While Drilling (SWD). To create the methodology ofmore » a controllable low-frequency sparker seismic source, it was necessary to learn how to maximize sparker efficiencies to couple to, and transmit through, rock with the study of sparker designs and mechanisms for (a) coupling the sparker-generated gas bubble expansion and contraction to the rock, (b) the effects of fluid properties and dynamics, (c) linear and non-linear acoustics, and (d) imparted force directionality. After extensive seismic modeling, the design of high-efficiency sparkers, laboratory high frequency sparker testing, and field tests were performed at the University of Texas Devine seismic test site. The conclusion of the field test was that extremely high power levels would be required to have the range required for deep, 15,000+ ft, high-temperature, high-pressure (HTHP) wells. Thereafter, more modeling and laboratory testing led to the discovery of a method to control a sparker that could generate low frequencies required for deep wells. The low frequency sparker was successfully tested at the Department of Energy Rocky Mountain Oilfield Test Center (DOE RMOTC) field test site in Casper, Wyoming. An 8-in diameter by 26-ft long SeismicPULSER{trademark} drill string tool was designed and manufactured by TII. An APS Turbine Alternator powered the SeismicPULSER{trademark} to produce two Hz frequency peak signals repeated every 20 seconds. Since the ION Geophysical, Inc. (ION) seismic survey surface recording system was designed to detect a minimum downhole signal of three Hz, successful performance was confirmed with a 5.3 Hz recording with the pumps running. The two Hz signal generated by the sparker was modulated with the 3.3 Hz signal produced by the mud pumps to create an intense 5.3 Hz peak frequency signal. The low frequency sparker source is ultimately capable of generating selectable peak frequencies of 1 to 40 Hz with high-frequency spectra content to 10 kHz. The lower frequencies and, perhaps, low-frequency sweeps, are needed to achieve sufficient range and resolution for realtime imaging in deep (15,000 ft+), high-temperature (150 C) wells for (a) geosteering, (b) accurate seismic hole depth, (c) accurate pore pressure determinations ahead of the bit, (d) near wellbore diagnostics with a downhole receiver and wired drill pipe, and (e) reservoir model verification. Furthermore, the pressure of the sparker bubble will disintegrate rock resulting in an increased overall rates of penetration. Other applications for the SeismicPULSER{trademark} technology are to deploy a low-frequency source for greater range on a wireline for Reverse Vertical Seismic Profiling (RVSP) and Cross-Well Tomography. Commercialization of the technology is being undertaken by first contacting stakeholders to define the value proposition for rig site services utilizing SeismicPULSER{trademark} technologies. Stakeholders include national oil companies, independent oil companies, independents, service companies, and commercial investors. Service companies will introduce a new Drill Bit SWD service for deep HTHP wells. Collaboration will be encouraged between stakeholders in the form of joint industry projects to develop prototype tools and initial field trials. No barriers have been identified for developing, utilizing, and exploiting the low-frequency SeismicPULSER{trademark} source in a variety of applications. Risks will be minimized since Drill Bit SWD will not interfere with the drilling operation, and can be performed in a relatively quiet environment when the pumps are turned off. The new source must be integrated with other Measurement While Drilling (MWD) tools. To date, each of the oil companies and service companies contacted have shown interest in participating in the commercialization of the low-frequency SeismicPULSER{trademark} source. A technical paper has been accepted for presentation at the 2009 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in a Society of Exploration Geologists/American Association of Petroleum Geophysicists (SEG/AAPG) technical session.« less

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

Dunn, Darrell; Poinssot, Christophe; Begg, Bruce

Management of nuclear waste remains an important international topic that includes reprocessing of commercial nuclear fuel, waste-form design and development, storage and disposal packaging, the process of repository site selection, system design, and performance assessment. Requirements to manage and dispose of materials from the production of nuclear weapons, and the renewed interest in nuclear power, in particular through the Generation IV Forum and the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative, can be expected to increase the need for scientific advances in waste management. A broad range of scientific and engineering disciplines is necessary to provide safe and effective solutions and address complexmore » issues. This volume offers an interdisciplinary perspective on materials-related issues associated with nuclear waste management programs. Invited and contributed papers cover a wide range of topics including studies on: spent fuel; performance assessment and models; waste forms for low- and intermediate-level waste; ceramic and glass waste forms for plutonium and high-level waste; radionuclides; containers and engineered barriers; disposal environments and site characteristics; and partitioning and transmutation.« less

A new product for photon-limited imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonsiorowski, Thomas

1986-01-01

A new commercial low-light imaging detector, the Photon Digitizing Camera (PDC), is based on the PAPA detector developed at Harvard University. The PDC generates (x, y, t)-coordinate data of each detected photoevent. Because the positional address computation is performed optically, very high counting rates are achieved even at full spatial resolution. Careful optomechanical and electronic design results in a compact, rugged detector with superb performance. The PDC will be used for speckle imaging of astronomical sources and other astronomical and low-light applications.

Project Execution Plan for the Remote Handled Low-Level Waste Disposal Project

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

Danny Anderson

2014-07-01

As part of ongoing cleanup activities at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), closure of the Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) is proceeding under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (42 USC 9601 et seq. 1980). INL-generated radioactive waste has been disposed of at RWMC since 1952. The Subsurface Disposal Area (SDA) at RWMC accepted the bulk of INL’s contact and remote-handled low-level waste (LLW) for disposal. Disposal of contact-handled LLW and remote-handled LLW ion-exchange resins from the Advanced Test Reactor in the open pit of the SDA ceased September 30, 2008. Disposal of remote-handled LLW in concrete disposalmore » vaults at RWMC will continue until the facility is full or until it must be closed in preparation for final remediation of the SDA (approximately at the end of fiscal year FY 2017). The continuing nuclear mission of INL, associated ongoing and planned operations, and Naval spent fuel activities at the Naval Reactors Facility (NRF) require continued capability to appropriately dispose of contact and remote handled LLW. A programmatic analysis of disposal alternatives for contact and remote-handled LLW generated at INL was conducted by the INL contractor in Fiscal Year 2006; subsequent evaluations were completed in Fiscal Year 2007. The result of these analyses was a recommendation to the Department of Energy (DOE) that all contact-handled LLW generated after September 30, 2008, be disposed offsite, and that DOE proceed with a capital project to establish replacement remote-handled LLW disposal capability. An analysis of the alternatives for providing replacement remote-handled LLW disposal capability has been performed to support Critical Decision-1. The highest ranked alternative to provide this required capability has been determined to be the development of a new onsite remote-handled LLW disposal facility to replace the existing remote-handled LLW disposal vaults at the SDA. Several offsite DOE and commercial disposal options exist for contact-handled LLW; however, offsite disposal options are either not currently available (i.e., commercial disposal facilities), practical, or cost-effective for all remote-handled LLW streams generated at INL. Offsite disposal of all INL and tenant-generated remote-handled waste is further complicated by issues associated with transporting highly radioactive waste in commerce; and infrastructure and processing changes at the generating facilities, specifically NRF, that would be required to support offsite disposal. The INL Remote-Handled LLW Disposal Project will develop a new remote handled LLW disposal facility to meet mission-critical, remote-handled LLW disposal needs. A formal DOE decision to proceed with the project has been made in accordance with the requirements of National Environmental Policy Act (42 USC§ 4321 et seq.). Remote-handled LLW is generated from nuclear programs conducted at INL, including spent nuclear fuel handling and operations at NRF and operations at the Advanced Test Reactor. Remote-handled LLW also will be generated by new INL programs and from segregation and treatment (as necessary) of remote handled scrap and waste currently stored in the Radioactive Scrap and Waste Facility at the Materials and Fuels Complex.« less

Poster - Thur Eve - 06: Comparison of an open source genetic algorithm to the commercially used IPSA for generation of seed distributions in LDR prostate brachytherapy.

PubMed

McGeachy, P; Khan, R

2012-07-01

In early stage prostate cancer, low dose rate (LDR) prostate brachytherapy is a favorable treatment modality, where small radioactive seeds are permanently implanted throughout the prostate. Treatment centres currently rely on a commercial optimization algorithm, IPSA, to generate seed distributions for treatment plans. However, commercial software does not allow the user access to the source code, thus reducing the flexibility for treatment planning and impeding any implementation of new and, perhaps, improved clinical techniques. An open source genetic algorithm (GA) has been encoded in MATLAB to generate seed distributions for a simplified prostate and urethra model. To assess the quality of the seed distributions created by the GA, both the GA and IPSA were used to generate seed distributions for two clinically relevant scenarios and the quality of the GA distributions relative to IPSA distributions and clinically accepted standards for seed distributions was investigated. The first clinically relevant scenario involved generating seed distributions for three different prostate volumes (19.2 cc, 32.4 cc, and 54.7 cc). The second scenario involved generating distributions for three separate seed activities (0.397 mCi, 0.455 mCi, and 0.5 mCi). Both GA and IPSA met the clinically accepted criteria for the two scenarios, where distributions produced by the GA were comparable to IPSA in terms of full coverage of the prostate by the prescribed dose, and minimized dose to the urethra, which passed straight through the prostate. Further, the GA offered improved reduction of high dose regions (i.e hot spots) within the planned target volume. © 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Effect of Cracow program elimination of low emission sources upon the energy management system in Cracow

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

Friedberg, J.; Goerlich, K.; Glowacki, K.

1995-12-31

At the end of the 1980s, the energy management at the local level-like the whole set of such utility services-was based upon respective enterprises subject to a certain supervision of the establishing body and to a control of the District Inspectorate of Energy Management. Those enterprises that deal with generation and supply of heat energy to the local market, with distribution of heat, natural gas and electricity, operated as state companies; the last two branches made a part of either regional or national companies. Irrespective of the aforesaid, the co-generation power plants existed usually outside the heat generation and supplymore » system. The business economics of these enterprises was not subject to any market rules whatsoever, the prices were controlled and the customers had no right of choice of the energy supplier. From the very beginning the low emission elimination program assumed to have commercial rules introduced in the energy management. Thus, it turned out necessary to prepare the market - to draw up inventory of the conditions and needs related with heat supply and to take up market solutions as well. The management system, and in particular the items specified below, is discussed. The co-operation of energy distribution enterprises has been based upon a voluntary agreement (The Team for Energy Suppliers) so as to agree upon the basic actions of the respective partners; joint actions have been taken up more and more willingly.« less

gr-MRI: A software package for magnetic resonance imaging using software defined radios.

PubMed

Hasselwander, Christopher J; Cao, Zhipeng; Grissom, William A

2016-09-01

The goal of this work is to develop software that enables the rapid implementation of custom MRI spectrometers using commercially-available software defined radios (SDRs). The developed gr-MRI software package comprises a set of Python scripts, flowgraphs, and signal generation and recording blocks for GNU Radio, an open-source SDR software package that is widely used in communications research. gr-MRI implements basic event sequencing functionality, and tools for system calibrations, multi-radio synchronization, and MR signal processing and image reconstruction. It includes four pulse sequences: a single-pulse sequence to record free induction signals, a gradient-recalled echo imaging sequence, a spin echo imaging sequence, and an inversion recovery spin echo imaging sequence. The sequences were used to perform phantom imaging scans with a 0.5Tesla tabletop MRI scanner and two commercially-available SDRs. One SDR was used for RF excitation and reception, and the other for gradient pulse generation. The total SDR hardware cost was approximately $2000. The frequency of radio desynchronization events and the frequency with which the software recovered from those events was also measured, and the SDR's ability to generate frequency-swept RF waveforms was validated and compared to the scanner's commercial spectrometer. The spin echo images geometrically matched those acquired using the commercial spectrometer, with no unexpected distortions. Desynchronization events were more likely to occur at the very beginning of an imaging scan, but were nearly eliminated if the user invoked the sequence for a short period before beginning data recording. The SDR produced a 500kHz bandwidth frequency-swept pulse with high fidelity, while the commercial spectrometer produced a waveform with large frequency spike errors. In conclusion, the developed gr-MRI software can be used to develop high-fidelity, low-cost custom MRI spectrometers using commercially-available SDRs. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Individual Differences in Diabetes Risk: Role of Sleep Disturbances

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-08-01

Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM) software, a commercial version of the Walter Reed Army Institute for Research battery of...ghrelin levels, decreased levels of leptin and increased hunger and appetite. We also review cross-sectional epidemiologic studies associating...Leptin is a satiety factor: high leptin levels inhibit and low leptin levels stimulate hunger and food intake. The data shown in Figure 4

Low-level fiber-induced radiographic changes caused by Libby vermiculite: a 25-year follow-up study.

PubMed

Rohs, Amy M; Lockey, James E; Dunning, Kari K; Shukla, Rakesh; Fan, Huihao; Hilbert, Tim; Borton, Eric; Wiot, Jerome; Meyer, Cristopher; Shipley, Ralph T; Lemasters, Grace K; Kapil, Vikas

2008-03-15

From 1921 to 1990, vermiculite ore from Libby, Montana, was shipped worldwide for commercial and residential use. A 1980 study of a manufacturing facility using Libby vermiculite was the first to demonstrate a small but significant prevalence of pleural chest radiographic changes associated with amphibole fibers contained in the ore. This follow-up study of the original cohort evaluated the extent of radiographic changes and cumulative fiber exposure (CFE) 25 years after cessation of exposure. From the original cohort of 513 workers, 431 (84%) were living and available for participation and exposure reconstruction. Of these, 280 (65%) completed both chest radiographs and interviews. Primary outcomes were pleural and/or interstitial changes. Pleural and interstitial changes were demonstrated in 80 (28.7%) and 8 (2.9%) participants, respectively. Of those participants with low lifetime CFE of less than 2.21 fiber/cc-years, 42 (20%) had pleural changes. A significant (P < 0.001) exposure-response relationship of pleural changes with CFE was demonstrated, ranging from 7.1 to 54.3% from the lowest to highest exposure quartile. Removal of individuals with commercial asbestos exposure did not alter this trend. This study indicates that exposure within an industrial process to Libby vermiculite ore is associated with pleural thickening at low lifetime CFE levels. The propensity of the Libby amphibole fibers to dramatically increase the prevalence of pleural changes 25 years after cessation of exposure at low CFE levels is a concern in view of the wide national distribution of this ore for commercial and residential use.

Low-Level Fiber-induced Radiographic Changes Caused by Libby Vermiculite

PubMed Central

Rohs, Amy M.; Lockey, James E.; Dunning, Kari K.; Shukla, Rakesh; Fan, Huihao; Hilbert, Tim; Borton, Eric; Wiot, Jerome; Meyer, Cristopher; Shipley, Ralph T.; LeMasters, Grace K.; Kapil, Vikas

2008-01-01

Rationale: From 1921 to 1990, vermiculite ore from Libby, Montana, was shipped worldwide for commercial and residential use. A 1980 study of a manufacturing facility using Libby vermiculite was the first to demonstrate a small but significant prevalence of pleural chest radiographic changes associated with amphibole fibers contained in the ore. Objectives: This follow-up study of the original cohort evaluated the extent of radiographic changes and cumulative fiber exposure (CFE) 25 years after cessation of exposure. Methods: From the original cohort of 513 workers, 431 (84%) were living and available for participation and exposure reconstruction. Of these, 280 (65%) completed both chest radiographs and interviews. Primary outcomes were pleural and/or interstitial changes. Measurements and Main Results: Pleural and interstitial changes were demonstrated in 80 (28.7%) and 8 (2.9%) participants, respectively. Of those participants with low lifetime CFE of less than 2.21 fiber/cc-years, 42 (20%) had pleural changes. A significant (P < 0.001) exposure–response relationship of pleural changes with CFE was demonstrated, ranging from 7.1 to 54.3% from the lowest to highest exposure quartile. Removal of individuals with commercial asbestos exposure did not alter this trend. Conclusions: This study indicates that exposure within an industrial process to Libby vermiculite ore is associated with pleural thickening at low lifetime CFE levels. The propensity of the Libby amphibole fibers to dramatically increase the prevalence of pleural changes 25 years after cessation of exposure at low CFE levels is a concern in view of the wide national distribution of this ore for commercial and residential use. PMID:18063841

Modeling the Pharmacokinetics of Perfluorooctanoic Acid During Gestation and Lactation In Mice

EPA Science Inventory

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is used as a processing aid for the production of commercially valuable fluoropolymers and fluoroelastomers. It has been widely detected in biological organisms including humans whose estimated blood levels are in the low ppb levels for the general U...

Evaluation of a low-cost commercially available extraction device for assessing lead bioaccessibility in contaminated soils.

PubMed

Nelson, Clay M; Gilmore, Thomas M; Harrington, M; Scheckel, Kirk G; Miller, Bradley W; Bradham, Karen D

2013-03-01

The U.S. EPA's in vitro bioaccessibility (IVBA) method 9200.1-86 defines a validated analytical procedure for the determination of lead bioaccessibility in contaminated soils. The method requires the use of a custom-fabricated extraction device that uses a heated water bath for sample incubation. In an effort to improve ease of use, increase sample throughput, and reduce equipment acquisition and maintenance costs, an alternative low-cost, commercially available extraction device capable of sample incubation via heated air and end-over-end rotation was evaluated. An intra-laboratory study was conducted to compare lead bioaccessibility values derived using the two extraction devices. IVBA values were not statistically different (α = 0.05) between the two extraction devices for any of the soils (n = 6) evaluated in this study, with an average difference in mean lead IVBA of 0.8% (s.d. = 0.5%). The commercially available extraction device was able to generate accurate lead IVBA data as compared to the U.S. EPA's expected value for a National Institute of Standards and Technology standard reference material soil. The relative percent differences between high and low IVBA values for each soil, a measure of instrument precision, were also not statistically different (α = 0.05) between the two extraction devices. The statistical agreement of lead IVBA values observed using the two extraction devices supports the use of a low-cost, commercially available extraction device as a reliable alternative to a custom-fabricated device as required by EPA method 9200.1-86.

Solar + Storage Synergies for Managing Commercial-Customer Demand Charges

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

Gagnon, P.; Govindarajan, A.; Bird, L.

Demand charges, which are based on a customer’s maximum demand in kilowatts (kW), are a common element of electricity rate structures for commercial customers. Customer-sited solar photovoltaic (PV) systems can potentially reduce demand charges, but the level of savings is difficult to predict, given variations in demand charge designs, customer loads, and PV generation profiles. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are collaborating on a series of studies to understand how solar PV can impact demand charges. Prior studies in the series examined demand charge reductions from solar on a stand-alone basis formore » residential and commercial customers. Those earlier analyses found that solar, alone, has limited ability to reduce demand charges depending on the specific design of the demand charge and on the shape of the customer’s load profile. This latest analysis estimates demand charge savings from solar in commercial buildings when co-deployed with behind-the-meter storage, highlighting the complementary roles of the two technologies. The analysis is based on simulated loads, solar generation, and storage dispatch across a wide variety of building types, locations, system configurations, and demand charge designs.« less

Novel Carbon Films for Next Generation Rotating Equipment Applications

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

Michael McNallan; Ali Erdemir; Yury Gogotsi

2006-02-20

This report describes the results of research performed on a new generation of low friction, wear resistant carbon coatings for seals and bearings in high speed rotating equipment. The low friction coatings, Near Frictionless Carbon (NFC), a high hydrogen content diamondlike carbon, and Carbide Derived Carbon (CDC), a conversion coating produced on the surfaces of metal carbides by halogenation, can be applied together or separately to improve the performance of seals and bearings, with benefits to energy efficiency and environmental protection. Because hard carbide ceramics, such as silicon carbide, are widely used in the seals industry, this coating is particularlymore » attractive as a low cost method to improve performance. The technology of CDC has been licensed to an Illinois company, Carbide Derivative Technologies, Inc. (CDTI) to implement the commercialization of this material.« less

Mercury in commercial fish: optimizing individual choices to reduce risk.

PubMed

Burger, Joanna; Stern, Alan H; Gochfeld, Michael

2005-03-01

Most attention to the risks from fish consumption has focused on recreational anglers and on fish caught by individuals, but the majority of fish that people eat are purchased from commercial sources. We examined mercury levels in three types of fish (tuna, flounder, bluefish) commonly available in New Jersey stores, sampling different regions of the state, in communities with high and low per capita incomes, and in both supermarkets and specialty fish markets. We were interested in species-specific levels of mercury in New Jersey fish and whether these levels were similar to data generated nationally by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA; mainly from 1990 to 1992) on the same types of fish. Such information is critical for providing public health advice. We were also interested in whether mercury levels in three common species of fish differed by region of the state, economic neighborhood, or type of store. We found significant species differences, with tuna having the highest levels and flounder the lowest levels. There were no significant differences in mercury levels as a function of type of store or economic neighborhood. There was only one regional difference: flounder from fish markets along the Jersey shore had higher mercury levels than flounder bought in other markets. We also examined mercury levels in six other commonly available fish and two shellfish from central New Jersey markets. There were significant differences in availability and in mercury levels among fish and shellfish. Both shrimp and scallops had total mercury levels < 0.02 ppm (wet weight). Large shrimp had significantly lower levels of mercury than small shrimp. For tuna, sea bass, croaker, whiting, scallops, and shrimp, the levels of mercury were higher in New Jersey samples than those reported by the FDA. Consumers selecting fish for ease of availability (present in > 50% of markets) would select flounder, snapper, bluefish, and tuna (tuna had the highest mercury value), and those selecting only for price would select whiting, porgy, croaker, and bluefish (all with average mercury levels < 0.3 ppm wet weight). Flounder was the fish with the best relationship among availability, cost, and low mercury levels. We suggest that state agencies responsible for protecting the health of their citizens should obtain information on fish availability in markets and fish preferences of diverse groups of citizens and use this information to select fish for analysis of contaminant levels, providing data on the most commonly eaten fish that will help people make informed decisions about risks from fish consumption.

Mercury in Commercial Fish: Optimizing Individual Choices to Reduce Risk

PubMed Central

Burger, Joanna; Stern, Alan H.; Gochfeld, Michael

2005-01-01

Most attention to the risks from fish consumption has focused on recreational anglers and on fish caught by individuals, but the majority of fish that people eat are purchased from commercial sources. We examined mercury levels in three types of fish (tuna, flounder, bluefish) commonly available in New Jersey stores, sampling different regions of the state, in communities with high and low per capita incomes, and in both supermarkets and specialty fish markets. We were interested in species-specific levels of mercury in New Jersey fish and whether these levels were similar to data generated nationally by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA; mainly from 1990 to 1992) on the same types of fish. Such information is critical for providing public health advice. We were also interested in whether mercury levels in three common species of fish differed by region of the state, economic neighborhood, or type of store. We found significant species differences, with tuna having the highest levels and flounder the lowest levels. There were no significant differences in mercury levels as a function of type of store or economic neighborhood. There was only one regional difference: flounder from fish markets along the Jersey shore had higher mercury levels than flounder bought in other markets. We also examined mercury levels in six other commonly available fish and two shellfish from central New Jersey markets. There were significant differences in availability and in mercury levels among fish and shellfish. Both shrimp and scallops had total mercury levels < 0.02 ppm (wet weight). Large shrimp had significantly lower levels of mercury than small shrimp. For tuna, sea bass, croaker, whiting, scallops, and shrimp, the levels of mercury were higher in New Jersey samples than those reported by the FDA. Consumers selecting fish for ease of availability (present in > 50% of markets) would select flounder, snapper, bluefish, and tuna (tuna had the highest mercury value), and those selecting only for price would select whiting, porgy, croaker, and bluefish (all with average mercury levels < 0.3 ppm wet weight). Flounder was the fish with the best relationship among availability, cost, and low mercury levels. We suggest that state agencies responsible for protecting the health of their citizens should obtain information on fish availability in markets and fish preferences of diverse groups of citizens and use this information to select fish for analysis of contaminant levels, providing data on the most commonly eaten fish that will help people make informed decisions about risks from fish consumption. PMID:15743713

Cloning and Identification of Recombinant Argonaute-Bound Small RNAs Using Next-Generation Sequencing.

PubMed

Gangras, Pooja; Dayeh, Daniel M; Mabin, Justin W; Nakanishi, Kotaro; Singh, Guramrit

2018-01-01

Argonaute proteins (AGOs) are loaded with small RNAs as guides to recognize target mRNAs. Since the target specificity heavily depends on the base complementarity between two strands, it is important to identify small guide and long target RNAs bound to AGOs. For this purpose, next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have extended our appreciation truly to the nucleotide level. However, the identification of RNAs via NGS from scarce RNA samples remains a challenge. Further, most commercial and published methods are compatible with either small RNAs or long RNAs, but are not equally applicable to both. Therefore, a single method that yields quantitative, bias-free NGS libraries to identify small and long RNAs from low levels of input will be of wide interest. Here, we introduce such a procedure that is based on several modifications of two published protocols and allows robust, sensitive, and reproducible cloning and sequencing of small amounts of RNAs of variable lengths. The method was applied to the identification of small RNAs bound to a purified eukaryotic AGO. Following ligation of a DNA adapter to RNA 3'-end, the key feature of this method is to use the adapter for priming reverse transcription (RT) wherein biotinylated deoxyribonucleotides specifically incorporated into the extended complementary DNA. Such RT products are enriched on streptavidin beads, circularized while immobilized on beads and directly used for PCR amplification. We provide a stepwise guide to generate RNA-Seq libraries, their purification, quantification, validation, and preparation for next-generation sequencing. We also provide basic steps in post-NGS data analyses using Galaxy, an open-source, web-based platform.

Commercial treatability study capabilities for application to the US Department of Energy`s anticipated mixed waste streams. Revision 1

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

NONE

1996-09-01

US DOE mixed low-level and mixed transuranic waste inventory was estimated at 181,000 cubic meters (about 2,000 waste streams). Treatability studies may be used as part of DOE`s mixed waste management program. Commercial treatability study suppliers have been identified that either have current capability in their own facilities or have access to licensed facilities. Numerous federal and state regulations, as well as DOE Order 5820.2A, impact the performance of treatability studies. Generators, transporters, and treatability study facilities are subject to regulation. From a mixed- waste standpoint, a key requirement is that the treatability study facility must have an NRC ormore » state license that allows it to possess radioactive materials. From a RCRA perspective, the facility must support treatability study activities with the applicable plans, reports, and documentation. If PCBs are present in the waste, TSCA will also be an issue. CERCLA requirements may apply, and both DOE and NRC regulations will impact the transportation of DOE mixed waste to an off-site treatment facility. DOE waste managers will need to be cognizant of all applicable regulations as mixed-waste treatability study programs are initiated.« less

Image Analysis for Facility Siting: a Comparison of Lowand High-altitude Image Interpretability for Land Use/land Cover Mapping

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borella, H. M.; Estes, J. E.; Ezra, C. E.; Scepan, J.; Tinney, L. R.

1982-01-01

For two test sites in Pennsylvania the interpretability of commercially acquired low-altitude and existing high-altitude aerial photography are documented in terms of time, costs, and accuracy for Anderson Level II land use/land cover mapping. Information extracted from the imagery is to be used in the evaluation process for siting energy facilities. Land use/land cover maps were drawn at 1:24,000 scale using commercially flown color infrared photography obtained from the United States Geological Surveys' EROS Data Center. Detailed accuracy assessment of the maps generated by manual image analysis was accomplished employing a stratified unaligned adequate class representation. Both 'area-weighted' and 'by-class' accuracies were documented and field-verified. A discrepancy map was also drawn to illustrate differences in classifications between the two map scales. Results show that the 1:24,000 scale map set was more accurate (99% to 94% area-weighted) than the 1:62,500 scale set, especially when sampled by class (96% to 66%). The 1:24,000 scale maps were also more time-consuming and costly to produce, due mainly to higher image acquisition costs.

The performance of a combined solar photovoltaic (PV) and thermoelectric generator (TEG) system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bjørk, R.; Nielsen, K. K.

2015-10-01

The performance of a combined solar photovoltaic (PV) and thermoelectric generator (TEG) system is examined using an analytical model for four different types of commercial PVs and a commercial bismuth telluride TEG. The TEG is applied directly on the back of the PV, so that the two devices have the same temperature. The PVs considered are crystalline Si (c-Si), amorphous Si (a-Si), copper indium gallium (di)selenide (CIGS) and cadmium telluride (CdTe) cells. The degradation of PV performance with temperature is shown to dominate the increase in power produced by the TEG, due to the low efficiency of the TEG. For c-Si, CIGS and CdTe PV cells the combined system produces a lower power and has a lower efficiency than the PV alone, whereas for an a-Si cell the total system performance may be slightly increased by the TEG.

Uncooled infrared sensors: rapid growth and future perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balcerak, Raymond S.

2000-07-01

The uncooled infrared cameras are now available for both the military and commercial markets. The current camera technology incorporates the fruits of many years of development, focusing on the details of pixel design, novel material processing, and low noise read-out electronics. The rapid insertion of cameras into systems is testimony to the successful completion of this 'first phase' of development. In the military market, the first uncooled infrared cameras will be used for weapon sights, driver's viewers and helmet mounted cameras. Major commercial applications include night driving, security, police and fire fighting, and thermography, primarily for preventive maintenance and process control. The technology for the next generation of cameras is even more demanding, but within reach. The paper outlines the technology program planned for the next generation of cameras, and the approaches to further enhance performance, even to the radiation limit of thermal detectors.

Situational Awareness from a Low-Cost Camera System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freudinger, Lawrence C.; Ward, David; Lesage, John

2010-01-01

A method gathers scene information from a low-cost camera system. Existing surveillance systems using sufficient cameras for continuous coverage of a large field necessarily generate enormous amounts of raw data. Digitizing and channeling that data to a central computer and processing it in real time is difficult when using low-cost, commercially available components. A newly developed system is located on a combined power and data wire to form a string-of-lights camera system. Each camera is accessible through this network interface using standard TCP/IP networking protocols. The cameras more closely resemble cell-phone cameras than traditional security camera systems. Processing capabilities are built directly onto the camera backplane, which helps maintain a low cost. The low power requirements of each camera allow the creation of a single imaging system comprising over 100 cameras. Each camera has built-in processing capabilities to detect events and cooperatively share this information with neighboring cameras. The location of the event is reported to the host computer in Cartesian coordinates computed from data correlation across multiple cameras. In this way, events in the field of view can present low-bandwidth information to the host rather than high-bandwidth bitmap data constantly being generated by the cameras. This approach offers greater flexibility than conventional systems, without compromising performance through using many small, low-cost cameras with overlapping fields of view. This means significant increased viewing without ignoring surveillance areas, which can occur when pan, tilt, and zoom cameras look away. Additionally, due to the sharing of a single cable for power and data, the installation costs are lower. The technology is targeted toward 3D scene extraction and automatic target tracking for military and commercial applications. Security systems and environmental/ vehicular monitoring systems are also potential applications.

County-level estimates of nitrogen and phosphorus from commercial fertilizer for the Conterminous United States, 1987–2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gronberg, Jo Ann M.; Spahr, Norman E.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water-Quality Assessment program requires nutrient input for analysis of the national and regional assessment of water quality. Detailed information on nutrient inputs to the environment are needed to understand and address the many serious problems that arise from excess nutrients in the streams and groundwater of the Nation. This report updates estimated county-level farm and nonfarm nitrogen and phosphorus input from commercial fertilizer sales for the conterminous United States for 1987 through 2006. Estimates were calculated from the Association of American Plant Food Control Officials fertilizer sales data, Census of Agriculture fertilizer expenditures, and U.S. Census Bureau county population. A previous national approach for deriving farm and nonfarm fertilizer nutrient estimates was evaluated, and a revised method for selecting representative states to calculate national farm and nonfarm proportions was developed. A national approach was used to estimate farm and nonfarm fertilizer inputs because not all states distinguish between farm and nonfarm use, and the quality of fertilizer reporting varies from year to year. For states that distinguish between farm and nonfarm use, the spatial distribution of the ratios of nonfarm-to-total fertilizer estimates for nitrogen and phosphorus calculated using the national-based farm and nonfarm proportions were similar to the spatial distribution of the ratios generated using state-based farm and nonfarm proportions. In addition, the relative highs and lows in the temporal distribution of farm and nonfarm nitrogen and phosphorus input at the state level were maintained—the periods of high and low usage coincide between national- and state-based values. With a few exceptions, nonfarm nitrogen estimates were found to be reasonable when compared to the amounts that would result if the lawn application rates recommended by state and university agricultural agencies were used. Also, states with higher nonfarm-to-total fertilizer ratios for nitrogen and phosphorus tended to have higher urban land-use percentages.

Binary-mask generation for diffractive optical elements using microcomputers.

PubMed

O'Shea, D C; Beletic, J W; Poutous, M

1993-05-10

A new technique for generation of binary masks for the fabrication of diffractive optical elements is investigated. This technique, which uses commercially available desktop-publishing hardware and software in conjunction with a standard photoreduction camera, is much faster and less expensive thanhe conventional methods. The short turnaround time and low cost should give researchers a much greater degree of flexibility in the field of binary optics and enable wider application of diffractive-optics technology. Techniques for generating optical elements by using standard software packages that produce PostScript output are described. An evaluation of the dimensional fidelity of the mask reproduction from design to its realization in photoresist is presented.

A Framework for the Evaluation of Biosecurity, Commercial, Regulatory, and Scientific Impacts of Plant Viruses and Viroids Identified by NGS Technologies

PubMed Central

Massart, Sebastien; Candresse, Thierry; Gil, José; Lacomme, Christophe; Predajna, Lukas; Ravnikar, Maja; Reynard, Jean-Sébastien; Rumbou, Artemis; Saldarelli, Pasquale; Škorić, Dijana; Vainio, Eeva J.; Valkonen, Jari P. T.; Vanderschuren, Hervé; Varveri, Christina; Wetzel, Thierry

2017-01-01

Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies and bioinformatics have generated huge new opportunities for discovering and diagnosing plant viruses and viroids. Plant virology has undoubtedly benefited from these new methodologies, but at the same time, faces now substantial bottlenecks, namely the biological characterization of the newly discovered viruses and the analysis of their impact at the biosecurity, commercial, regulatory, and scientific levels. This paper proposes a scaled and progressive scientific framework for efficient biological characterization and risk assessment when a previously known or a new plant virus is detected by next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies. Four case studies are also presented to illustrate the need for such a framework, and to discuss the scenarios. PMID:28174561

Wearable Electricity Generators Fabricated Utilizing Transparent Electronic Textiles Based on Polyester/Ag Nanowires/Graphene Core-Shell Nanocomposites.

PubMed

Wu, Chaoxing; Kim, Tae Whan; Li, Fushan; Guo, Tailiang

2016-07-26

The technological realization of wearable triboelectric generators is attractive because of their promising applications in wearable self-powered intelligent systems. However, the low electrical conductivity, the low electrical stability, and the low compatibility of current electronic textiles (e-textiles) and clothing restrict the comfortable and aesthetic integration of wearable generators into human clothing. Here, we present high-performance, transparent, smart e-textiles that employ commercial textiles coated with silver nanowire/graphene sheets fabricated by using a scalable, environmentally friendly, full-solution process. The smart e-textiles show superb and stable conduction of below 20 Ω/square as well as excellent flexibility, stretchability, foldability, and washability. In addition, wearable electricity-generating textiles, in which the e-textiles act as electrodes as well as wearable substrates, are presented. Because of the high compatibility of smart e-textiles and clothing, the electricity-generating textiles can be easily integrated into a glove to harvest the mechanical energy induced by the motion of the fingers. The effective output power generated by a single generator due to that motion reached as high as 7 nW/cm(2). The successful demonstration of the electricity-generating glove suggests a promising future for polyester/Ag nanowire/graphene core-shell nanocomposite-based smart e-textiles for real wearable electronic systems and self-powered clothing.

Encryption techniques to the design of e-beam-generated digital pixel hologram for anti-counterfeiting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, Hau P.; Bao, Nai-Keng; Kwok, Wing O.; Wong, Wing H.

2002-04-01

The application of Digital Pixel Hologram (DPH) as anti-counterfeiting technology for products such as commercial goods, credit cards, identity cards, paper money banknote etc. is growing important nowadays. It offers many advantages over other anti-counterfeiting tools and this includes high diffraction effect, high resolving power, resistance to photo copying using two-dimensional Xeroxes, potential for mass production of patterns at a very low cost. Recently, we have successfully in fabricating high definition DPH with resolution higher than 2500dpi for the purpose of anti-counterfeiting by applying modern optical diffraction theory to computer pattern generation technique with the assist of electron beam lithography (EBL). In this paper, we introduce five levels of encryption techniques, which can be embedded in the design of such DPHs to further improve its anti-counterfeiting performance with negligible added on cost. The techniques involved, in the ascending order of decryption complexity, are namely Gray-level Encryption, Pattern Encryption, Character Encryption, Image Modification Encryption and Codebook Encryption. A Hong Kong Special Administration Regions (HKSAR) DPH emblem was fabricated at a resolution of 2540dpi using the facilities housed in our Optoelectronics Research Center. This emblem will be used as an illustration to discuss in details about each encryption idea during the conference.

Validation of Correction Algorithms for Near-IR Analysis of Human Milk in an Independent Sample Set-Effect of Pasteurization.

PubMed

Kotrri, Gynter; Fusch, Gerhard; Kwan, Celia; Choi, Dasol; Choi, Arum; Al Kafi, Nisreen; Rochow, Niels; Fusch, Christoph

2016-02-26

Commercial infrared (IR) milk analyzers are being increasingly used in research settings for the macronutrient measurement of breast milk (BM) prior to its target fortification. These devices, however, may not provide reliable measurement if not properly calibrated. In the current study, we tested a correction algorithm for a Near-IR milk analyzer (Unity SpectraStar, Brookfield, CT, USA) for fat and protein measurements, and examined the effect of pasteurization on the IR matrix and the stability of fat, protein, and lactose. Measurement values generated through Near-IR analysis were compared against those obtained through chemical reference methods to test the correction algorithm for the Near-IR milk analyzer. Macronutrient levels were compared between unpasteurized and pasteurized milk samples to determine the effect of pasteurization on macronutrient stability. The correction algorithm generated for our device was found to be valid for unpasteurized and pasteurized BM. Pasteurization had no effect on the macronutrient levels and the IR matrix of BM. These results show that fat and protein content can be accurately measured and monitored for unpasteurized and pasteurized BM. Of additional importance is the implication that donated human milk, generally low in protein content, has the potential to be target fortified.

Validation of Correction Algorithms for Near-IR Analysis of Human Milk in an Independent Sample Set—Effect of Pasteurization

PubMed Central

Kotrri, Gynter; Fusch, Gerhard; Kwan, Celia; Choi, Dasol; Choi, Arum; Al Kafi, Nisreen; Rochow, Niels; Fusch, Christoph

2016-01-01

Commercial infrared (IR) milk analyzers are being increasingly used in research settings for the macronutrient measurement of breast milk (BM) prior to its target fortification. These devices, however, may not provide reliable measurement if not properly calibrated. In the current study, we tested a correction algorithm for a Near-IR milk analyzer (Unity SpectraStar, Brookfield, CT, USA) for fat and protein measurements, and examined the effect of pasteurization on the IR matrix and the stability of fat, protein, and lactose. Measurement values generated through Near-IR analysis were compared against those obtained through chemical reference methods to test the correction algorithm for the Near-IR milk analyzer. Macronutrient levels were compared between unpasteurized and pasteurized milk samples to determine the effect of pasteurization on macronutrient stability. The correction algorithm generated for our device was found to be valid for unpasteurized and pasteurized BM. Pasteurization had no effect on the macronutrient levels and the IR matrix of BM. These results show that fat and protein content can be accurately measured and monitored for unpasteurized and pasteurized BM. Of additional importance is the implication that donated human milk, generally low in protein content, has the potential to be target fortified. PMID:26927169

Magnetically-induced forces on a ferromagnetic HT-9 first wall/blanket module

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lechtenberg, T. A.; Dahms, C. F.; Attaya, H.

1984-05-01

A model of the Starfire commercial tokamak reactor was used as the basis for calculating magnetic loads induced on typical fusion reactor first wall components fabricated of ferromagnetic material. The component analyzed was the first wall/blanket module because this structure experiences the greatest neutron fluence level and is the component for which the low swelling ferromagnetic Sandvik alloy, HT-9, may have the greatest benefit. The magnitudes of the magnetic body forces calculated were consistent with analyses performed on structures within other types of reactors. The loads generated within the module structure by the magnetic forces were found to be of the same order of magnitude as those arising from other sources such as pressure differential, dead weight, temperature distribution. Only small structural design modifications would be required if the magnetic alloy, Sandvik HT-9 were utilized.

Commercialization of LLNL Zinc Air Fuel Cell Technology For Stationary And Mobile Applications And Electromechanical Battery For Mobile Applications Final Report CRADA No. TC-1420-97

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

Tokarz, F. J.; Cooper, J. F.; Haley, D.

Utility deregulation is occurring throughout the world. Energy storage, peak demand leveling and power quality are becoming increasingly important. New, innovative costeffective methods are critical to the financial success or failure of utility companies in the new free market environment. The implementation of energy storage gives a utility the ability to better utilize existing generating capacity. Energy is stored in the periods of low overall demand and then the stored energy is connected to the power grid during peak demand periods. Storing energy in this manner will lead to significant economic benefits to utilities as well as their customers. Furthermore,more » because the utility's system is operated more efficiently there is a direct reduction in atmospheric pollutants including greenhouse gases.« less

Photovoltaic power - An important new energy option

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferber, R. R.

1983-01-01

A review of photovoltaic (PV) power technology is presented with an emphasis of PV as an economical and technically feasible alternative source of energy. The successful completion of the development and transfer of emerging low-cost technologies into a fully commercialized status are identified as the means to the realization of this option's full potential. The DOE National Photovoltaics Program, a significant sponsor of PV R&D, expects both flat-plate and concentrator collectors to meet established cost targets. Citing the DOE large flat-plate grid-connected system project of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, current technology modules priced at near $5/Wp (1983 dollars) are steadily reducing costs. A recent DOE study suggests that PV-generated electricity produced at a 30-year levelized cost of 15 cents per kWh would represent a viable energy supply alternative for the nation.

Photovoltaic power - An important new energy option

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferber, R. R.

1983-12-01

A review of photovoltaic (PV) power technology is presented with an emphasis of PV as an economical and technically feasible alternative source of energy. The successful completion of the development and transfer of emerging low-cost technologies into a fully commercialized status are identified as the means to the realization of this option's full potential. The DOE National Photovoltaics Program, a significant sponsor of PV R&D, expects both flat-plate and concentrator collectors to meet established cost targets. Citing the DOE large flat-plate grid-connected system project of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, current technology modules priced at near $5/Wp (1983 dollars) are steadily reducing costs. A recent DOE study suggests that PV-generated electricity produced at a 30-year levelized cost of 15 cents per kWh would represent a viable energy supply alternative for the nation.

Analysis of hydrogen as a Transportation Fuel FY17 Report

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

Pratt, Richard M.; Luzi, Francesco; Wilcox Freeburg, Eric D.

This report summarizes the results of literature reviews, surveys and analyses performed to evaluate the potential of hydrogen-fueled vehicles to be an economically viable transportation alternative. Five existing and important drivers of expanding hydrogen-fueled transportation adoption are multi-billion dollar sales reservations of Nikola Class 8 trucks, CALSTART viability analysis of hybrid-hydrogen drayage trucks in the shipyard cargo application, analysis showing economic advantages of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV)s over Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV)s beginning at 150-mile ranges, the announcement of a commercial 5kg electrolyzer, and commercial plans or vehicle availability by nine vehicle manufacturers of FCEV passenger vehicles. But hydrogenmore » infrastructure availability needed to support broad adoption of hydrogen-fueled vehicles is limited to less than 50 publicly-available refueling stations, primarily in California. The demand side (consumer) economics associated with FCEV adoption showed strong economic sensitivity to the original vehicle’s fuel economy (mpg), distance traveled, and hydrogen (H2) generation costs. Seven use cases were used to evaluate the broad range of potential FCEV purchasers, including autonomous vehicle applications. Each consumer use case analysis resulted in a different hydrogen fuel cost that would be equivalent to the current fuel cost being paid by the consumer. The H2 generation costs (supply side) were sensitive to the volume of H2 supplied and H2 production costs needed to repay H2 supply facility capital costs and produce competitively-priced energy. H2FAST was used to more accurately incorporate capital, maintenance and production costs into a viable H2 supply cost to the consumer. When the H2 generation and consumer economics were combined, several applications with positive economics became clear. The availability of low-cost hydrogen pipeline connections, and therefore low-cost hydrogen, greatly benefits the California drayage truck application with hybrid-hydrogen retrofits being repaid within seven years. Class 8 trucks could also take advantage of these low-cost, but regional hydrogen supplies. In addition, the IVYS electrolyzer-based hydrogen generation product showed the potential to deliver hydrogen economically in an urban or freeway off-ramp setting to a limited number of passenger vehicles in areas with low-cost electricity. These positive, manually developed results show the need to develop more advanced tools to provide an expanded evaluation of the economics of hydrogen-based fuel applications. The use cases evaluated showed significant potential for hydrogen-fueled vehicles to have a sustainable impact as a transportation fuel. The positive impact is not limited to transportation fuels, but also grid resilience and flexibility through the use of controllable and variable electrolyzer output to rapidly adjust to changing grid conditions and enable greater integration of solar and wind generated power. This capability would directly enable alternative fuel vehicles to impact energy consumption, GHG emissions, and the economy at the regional and national levels.« less

Feeding behavior improves prediction of dairy cow voluntary feed intake but cannot serve as the sole indicator.

PubMed

Halachmi, I; Ben Meir, Y; Miron, J; Maltz, E

2016-09-01

Low-cost feeding-behavior sensors will soon be available for commercial use in dairy farms. The aim of this study was to develop a feed intake model for the individual dairy cow that includes feeding behavior. In a research farm, the individual cows' voluntary feed intake and feeding behavior were monitored at every meal. A feed intake model was developed based on data that exist in commercial modern farms: 'BW,' 'milk yield' and 'days in milking' parameters were applied in this study. At the individual cow level, eating velocity seemed to be correlated with feed intake (R 2=0.93 to 0.94). The eating velocity coefficient varied among individuals, ranging from 150 to 230 g/min per cow. The contribution of feeding behavior (0.28) to the dry matter intake (DMI) model was higher than the contribution of BW (0.20), similar to the contribution of fat-corrected milk (FCM)/BW (0.29) and not as large as the contribution of FCM (0.49). Incorporating feeding behavior into the DMI model improved its accuracy by 1.3 (38%) kg/cow per day. The model is ready to be implemented in commercial farms as soon as companies introduce low-cost feeding-behavior sensors on commercial level.

The low cost Proton Precession Magnetometer developed at the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahavarkar, P.; Singh, S.; Labde, S.; Dongre, V.; Patil, A.

2017-05-01

Proton magnetometers are the oldest scalar magnetometers. The first commercial units were produced in early 1960s as portable instruments. In continuation airborne instruments appeared with optimized speed of readings and sensitivity, large sensors etc. Later development of Overhauser and optically pumped magnetometers has eliminated Proton magnetometers from airborne surveys. However they remain very popular in various ground surveys and observatories. With this primary purpose of generating the ground based magnetic data, the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism (IIG) for the last 3 decades have been developing low cost Proton Precession Magnetometers (PPM). Beginning with the 1 nT PPM which has undergone several changes in design, the successor PM7 the advanced version has been successfully developed by the institute and is installed at various observatories of the institute. PM7 records the total field `F' with accuracy of 0.1 nT and a sampling rate of 10 seconds/sample. This article briefly discusses the design and development of this IIG make PM7 and compares the data recorded by this instrument with one of the commercially available Overhauser magnetometer in the world market. The quality of data recorded by PM7 is in excellent agreement with the Overhauser. With the available quality of data generated by this instrument, PM7 is an affordable PPM for scientific institutions, schools and colleges intending to carry out geomagnetic studies. The commercial cost of PM7 is ≈ 20% of the cost of Overhauser available in market.

Development of a simple, low cost chronoamperometric assay for fructose based on a commercial graphite-nanoparticle modified screen-printed carbon electrode.

PubMed

Nicholas, Phil; Pittson, Robin; Hart, John P

2018-02-15

This paper describes the development of a simple, low cost chronoamperometric assay, for the measurement of fructose, using a graphite-nanoparticle modified screen-printed electrode (SPCE-G-COOH). Cyclic voltammetry showed that the response of the SPCE-G-COOH enhanced the sensitivity and precision, towards the enzymatically generated ferrocyanide species, over a plain SPCE; therefore the former was employed in subsequent studies. Calibration studies were carried out using chronoamperometry with a 40µl mixture containing fructose, mediator and FDH, deposited onto the SPCE-G-COOH. The response was linear from 0.1mM to 1.0mM. A commercial fruit juice sample was analysed using the developed assay and the fructose concentration was calculated to be 477mM with a precision of 3.03% (n=5). Following fortification (477mM fructose) the mean recovery was found to be 97.12% with a coefficient of variation of 6.42% (n=5); consequently, the method holds promise for the analysis of commercial fruit juices. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Separation of thorium ions from wolframite and scandium concentrates using graphene oxide.

PubMed

Jankovský, Ondřej; Sedmidubský, David; Šimek, Petr; Klímová, Kateřina; Bouša, Daniel; Boothroyd, Chris; Macková, Anna; Sofer, Zdeněk

2015-10-14

The separation of rare metals from the ores and commercially available compounds is an important issue due to the need of their high purity in advanced materials and devices. Important examples of two highly important elements that co-exist in the ores are scandium and thorium. Scandium containing ores and consequently also commercially available scandium compounds often contain traces of thorium which is very difficult to separate. We used graphene oxide for the selective sorption of thorium ions from scandium and thorium mixtures originating from the mined ores as well as from commercially available scandium salts. Our results showed that graphene oxide has an extreme affinity towards thorium ions. After the sorption process the graphene oxide contained over 20 wt% of thorium while the amount of scandium sorbed on GO was very low. This phenomenon of high sorption selectivity of graphene oxide can be applied in industry for the purification of various chemicals containing scandium and for separation of thorium containing mixtures. Alternatively, this methodology can be used for preconcentration of thorium from low-grade ores and its further use in the new generation of nuclear reactors.

Direct methane solid oxide fuel cells and their related applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yuanbo

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), renowned for their high electrical generation efficiency with low pollutant production, are promising for reducing global energy and environmental concerns. However, there are major barriers for SOFC commercialization. A primary challenge is reducing the capital cost of SOFC power plants to levels that can compete with other generation methods. While the focus of this thesis research was on operation of SOFCs directly with methane fuel, the underlying motivation was to make SOFCs more competitive by reducing their cost. This can be achieved by making SOFCs that reduce the size and complexity of the required "balance of plant". Firstly, direct operation of SOFCs on methane is desirable since it can eliminate the external reformer. However, effective means must be found to suppress deleterious anode coking in methane. In this thesis, the operating conditions under which SOFCs can operate stably and without anode coking were investigated in detail, and the underlying mechanisms of coking and degradation were determined. Furthermore, a novel design utilizing an inert anode barrier layer was developed and shown to substantially improve stability against coking. Secondly, the direct methane SOFCs were investigated for use as electrochemical partial oxidation (EPOx) reactors that can co-generate electricity and synthesis gas (CO+H2) from methane. The results indicated that conventional SOFCs work quite well as methane partial oxidation reactors, producing syngas at relatively high rates. While this approach would not decrease the cost of SOFC power plant, it would improve prospects for commercialization by increasing the value of the power plant, because two products, electricity and syngas, can be sold. Thirdly, SOFCs utilizing thin (La,Sr)(Ga,Mg)O3 electrolytes were demonstrated. This highly conductive material allows lower SOFC operation temperature, leading to the use of lower-cost materials for sealing, interconnection, and balance of plant. Deleterious electrolyte/electrode reactions and electrolyte La loss were avoided during high-temperature co-firing by using thin La-doped ceria barrier layers, allowing very high power densities at moderate operating temperatures. (La,Sr)(Ga,Mg)O3-(La,Sr)(Fe,Co)O3 composite cathodes were investigated and optimal processing parameters that yield low interfacial polarization resistance at intermediate temperature were determined.

Diesel Fueled SOFC for Class 7/Class 8 On-Highway Truck Auxiliary Power

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

Vesely, Charles John-Paul; Fuchs, Benjamin S.; Booten, Chuck W.

2010-03-31

The following report documents the progress of the Cummins Power Generation (CPG) Diesel Fueled SOFC for Class 7/Class 8 On-Highway Truck Auxiliary Power (SOFC APU) development and final testing under the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) contract DE-FC36-04GO14318. This report overviews and summarizes CPG and partner development leading to successful demonstration of the SOFC APU objectives and significant progress towards SOFC commercialization. Significant SOFC APU Milestones: Demonstrated: Operation meeting SOFC APU requirements on commercial Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) fuel. SOFC systems operating on dry CPOX reformate. Successful start-up and shut-down of SOFC APUmore » system without inert gas purge. Developed: Low cost balance of plant concepts and compatible systems designs. Identified low cost, high volume components for balance of plant systems. Demonstrated efficient SOFC output power conditioning. Demonstrated SOFC control strategies and tuning methods.« less

Characterization and isolation of a T-DNA tagged banana promoter active during in vitro culture and low temperature stress.

PubMed

Santos, Efrén; Remy, Serge; Thiry, Els; Windelinckx, Saskia; Swennen, Rony; Sági, László

2009-06-24

Next-generation transgenic plants will require a more precise regulation of transgene expression, preferably under the control of native promoters. A genome-wide T-DNA tagging strategy was therefore performed for the identification and characterization of novel banana promoters. Embryogenic cell suspensions of a plantain-type banana were transformed with a promoterless, codon-optimized luciferase (luc+) gene and low temperature-responsive luciferase activation was monitored in real time. Around 16,000 transgenic cell colonies were screened for baseline luciferase activity at room temperature 2 months after transformation. After discarding positive colonies, cultures were re-screened in real-time at 26 degrees C followed by a gradual decrease to 8 degrees C. The baseline activation frequency was 0.98%, while the frequency of low temperature-responsive luciferase activity was 0.61% in the same population of cell cultures. Transgenic colonies with luciferase activity responsive to low temperature were regenerated to plantlets and luciferase expression patterns monitored during different regeneration stages. Twenty four banana DNA sequences flanking the right T-DNA borders in seven independent lines were cloned via PCR walking. RT-PCR analysis in one line containing five inserts allowed the identification of the sequence that had activated luciferase expression under low temperature stress in a developmentally regulated manner. This activating sequence was fused to the uidA reporter gene and back-transformed into a commercial dessert banana cultivar, in which its original expression pattern was confirmed. This promoter tagging and real-time screening platform proved valuable for the identification of novel promoters and genes in banana and for monitoring expression patterns throughout in vitro development and low temperature treatment. Combination of PCR walking techniques was efficient for the isolation of candidate promoters even in a multicopy T-DNA line. Qualitative and quantitative GUS expression analyses of one tagged promoter in a commercial cultivar demonstrated a reproducible promoter activity pattern during in vitro culture. Thus, this promoter could be used during in vitro selection and generation of commercial transgenic plants.

Adaptive scallop height tool path generation for robot-based incremental sheet metal forming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seim, Patrick; Möllensiep, Dennis; Störkle, Denis Daniel; Thyssen, Lars; Kuhlenkötter, Bernd

2016-10-01

Incremental sheet metal forming is an emerging process for the production of individualized products or prototypes in low batch sizes and with short times to market. In these processes, the desired shape is produced by the incremental inward motion of the workpiece-independent forming tool in depth direction and its movement along the contour in lateral direction. Based on this shape production, the tool path generation is a key factor on e.g. the resulting geometric accuracy, the resulting surface quality, and the working time. This paper presents an innovative tool path generation based on a commercial milling CAM package considering the surface quality and working time. This approach offers the ability to define a specific scallop height as an indicator of the surface quality for specific faces of a component. Moreover, it decreases the required working time for the production of the entire component compared to the use of a commercial software package without this adaptive approach. Different forming experiments have been performed to verify the newly developed tool path generation. Mainly, this approach serves to solve the existing conflict of combining the working time and the surface quality within the process of incremental sheet metal forming.

Multi-Objective Optimization of a Turbofan for an Advanced, Single-Aisle Transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berton, Jeffrey J.; Guynn, Mark D.

2012-01-01

Considerable interest surrounds the design of the next generation of single-aisle commercial transports in the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 class. Aircraft designers will depend on advanced, next-generation turbofan engines to power these airplanes. The focus of this study is to apply single- and multi-objective optimization algorithms to the conceptual design of ultrahigh bypass turbofan engines for this class of aircraft, using NASA s Subsonic Fixed Wing Project metrics as multidisciplinary objectives for optimization. The independent design variables investigated include three continuous variables: sea level static thrust, wing reference area, and aerodynamic design point fan pressure ratio, and four discrete variables: overall pressure ratio, fan drive system architecture (i.e., direct- or gear-driven), bypass nozzle architecture (i.e., fixed- or variable geometry), and the high- and low-pressure compressor work split. Ramp weight, fuel burn, noise, and emissions are the parameters treated as dependent objective functions. These optimized solutions provide insight to the ultrahigh bypass engine design process and provide information to NASA program management to help guide its technology development efforts.

New low-flux mixed matrix membranes that offer superior removal of protein-bound toxins from human plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavlenko, Denys; van Geffen, Esmée; van Steenbergen, Mies J.; Glorieux, Griet; Vanholder, Raymond; Gerritsen, Karin G. F.; Stamatialis, Dimitrios

2016-10-01

Hemodialysis is a widely available and well-established treatment for patients with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). However, although life-sustaining, patient mortality rates are very high. Several recent studies corroborated the link between dialysis patients’ outcomes and elevated levels of protein-bound uremic toxins (PBUT) that are poorly removed by conventional hemodialysis. Therefore, new treatments are needed to improve their removal. Recently, our group showed that the combination of dialysis and adsorption on one membrane, the mixed matrix membrane (MMM), can effectively remove those toxins from human plasma. However, these first MMMs were rather large in diameter and their mass transport characteristics needed improvement before application in the clinical setting. Therefore, in this study we developed a new generation of MMMs that have a smaller diameter and optimized characteristics offering superior ability in removing the PBUT indoxyl sulfate (IS) and p-cresyl sulfate (pCS) in comparison to first generation MMMs (30 and 125% respectively), as well as, a commercial dialysis membrane (more than 100% better removal).

The Case for Natural Gas Fueled Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Power Systems for Distributed Generation

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

Chick, Lawrence A.; Weimar, Mark R.; Whyatt, Greg A.

2015-02-01

Natural-gas-fueled solid oxide fuel cell (NGSOFC) power systems yield electrical conversion efficiencies exceeding 60% and may become a viable alternative for distributed generation (DG) if stack life and manufacturing economies of scale can be realized. Currently, stacks last approximately 2 years and few systems are produced each year because of the relatively high cost of electricity from the systems. If mass manufacturing (10,000 units per year) and a stack life of 15 years can be reached, the cost of electricity from an NGSOFC system is estimated to be about 7.7 ¢/kWh, well within the price of commercial and residential retailmore » prices at the national level (9.9-10¢/kWh and 11-12 ¢/kWh, respectively). With an additional 5 ¢/kWh in estimated additional benefits from DG, NGSOFC could be well positioned to replace the forecasted 59-77 gigawatts of capacity loss resulting from coal plant closures due to stricter emissions regulations and low natural gas prices.« less

Commercialization of University Research for Technology-Based Economic Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferguson, W. Ker

2011-01-01

This empirical study investigates the hypothesized relationship between US federally funded university research and development (R&D) and its resulting economic impact, as measured by the level of licensing revenue generated by US universities. The author also examines the key operating statistics of the top-ten licensing income-producing…

Monitoring and Analyzing Process Streams Towards Understanding Ionic Liquid Pretreatment of Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fundamental understanding of biomass pretreatment and its influence on sacchrification kinetics, total sugar yield, and inhibitor formation is essential to develop efficient next-generation biofuels strategies, capable of displacing fossil fuels at a commercial level. In this study we investigate t...

75 FR 51423 - Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products and Certain Commercial and Industrial Equipment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-20

... of energy consumption for assessment of national and environmental impact, especially levels of..., fuel oil, coal, biomass, and nuclear energy used for electricity generation. The conversion factors... to change during a 25-year span covered by an environmental impact analysis completed in 2010. Table...

43 CFR 3211.18 - What is the royalty rate on geothermal resources produced from or attributable to my lease that...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... commercial generation of electricity? 3211.18 Section 3211.18 Public Lands: Interior Regulations Relating to... directly for purposes other than commercial generation of electricity? (a) For leases issued on or after... purposes other than commercial generation of electricity, your royalty rate is 10 percent. You must apply...

43 CFR 3211.18 - What is the royalty rate on geothermal resources produced from or attributable to my lease that...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... commercial generation of electricity? 3211.18 Section 3211.18 Public Lands: Interior Regulations Relating to... directly for purposes other than commercial generation of electricity? (a) For leases issued on or after... purposes other than commercial generation of electricity, your royalty rate is 10 percent. You must apply...

43 CFR 3211.18 - What is the royalty rate on geothermal resources produced from or attributable to my lease that...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... commercial generation of electricity? 3211.18 Section 3211.18 Public Lands: Interior Regulations Relating to... directly for purposes other than commercial generation of electricity? (a) For leases issued on or after... purposes other than commercial generation of electricity, your royalty rate is 10 percent. You must apply...

ENERGY STAR and Green Buildings--Using ENERGY STAR Resources for Green Building Rating Systems: LEED[R], Green Globes[R] and CHPS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Utebay, Kudret

2011-01-01

Every building, from the smallest school to the tallest skyscraper, uses energy. This energy is most often generated by burning fossil fuels, which releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and contributes to climate change. Existing commercial buildings offer a significant opportunity for low-cost, immediate emissions and energy cost…

A West Valley Demonstration Project Milestone - Achieving Certification to Ship Waste to the Nevada Test Site

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

Jackson, J. P.; Pastor, R. S.

2002-02-28

The West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) has successfully pretreated and vitrified nearly all of the 600,000 gallons of liquid high-level radioactive waste that was generated at the site of the only commercial nuclear fuel reprocessing plant to have operated in the United States. Low-level waste (LLW) generated during the course of the cleanup effort now requires disposal. Currently the WVDP only ships Class A LLW for off-site disposal. It has been shipping Class A wastes to Envirocare of Utah, Inc. since 1997. However, the WVDP may also have a future need to ship Class B and Class C waste, whichmore » Envirocare is not currently authorized to accept. The Nevada Test Site (NTS), a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) facility, can accept all three waste classifications. The WVDP set a goal to receive certification to begin shipping Class A wastes to NTS by 2001. Formal certification/approval was granted by the DOE Nevada Operations Office on July 12, 2001. This paper discusses how the WVDP contractor, West Valley Nuclear Services Company (WVNSCO), completed the activities required to achieve NTS certification in 2001 to ship waste to its facility. The information and lessons learned provided are significant because the WVDP is the only new generator receiving certification based on an NTS audit in January 2001 that resulted in no findings and only two observations--a rating that is unparalleled in the DOE Complex.« less

Estimating farm-level private expenditure on veterinary medical inputs in England.

PubMed

Gilbert, W; Rushton, J

2014-03-15

The current re-evaluation of responsibility and cost sharing between the public and private sectors with reference to animal health and welfare (AHW) would be improved by a greater understanding of the contributions made at farm level. This knowledge would facilitate the design of a cost-sharing system which best balances technical, economic and political objectives. This paper presents a framework by which the farm-level investment in AHW can be assessed. An evaluation of data available for the framework was made and, as a benchmark, an estimate of total expenditure on veterinary medical inputs for commercial agricultural holdings in England calculated. In 2010/2011 it is calculated that farmers on commercial holdings in England spent £230 million on veterinary medicines and fees, with an additional £160 million being spent for horses kept on non-commercial holdings. By contrast, for 2012/2013, Defra budgeted £277 million on AHW. The results presented emphasise the critical importance of generating sufficient evidence to support the development of an efficient, equitable and sustainable AHW strategy.

200 kHz Commercial Sonar Systems Generate Lower Frequency Side Lobes Audible to Some Marine Mammals

PubMed Central

Deng, Z. Daniel; Southall, Brandon L.; Carlson, Thomas J.; Xu, Jinshan; Martinez, Jayson J.; Weiland, Mark A.; Ingraham, John M.

2014-01-01

The spectral properties of pulses transmitted by three commercially available 200 kHz echo sounders were measured to assess the possibility that marine mammals might hear sound energy below the center (carrier) frequency that may be generated by transmitting short rectangular pulses. All three sounders were found to generate sound at frequencies below the center frequency and within the hearing range of some marine mammals, e.g. killer whales, false killer whales, beluga whales, Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, harbor porpoises, and others. The frequencies of these sub-harmonic sounds ranged from 90 to 130 kHz. These sounds were likely detectable by the animals over distances up to several hundred meters but were well below potentially harmful levels. The sounds generated by the sounders could potentially affect the behavior of marine mammals within fairly close proximity to the sources and therefore the exclusion of echo sounders from environmental impact analysis based solely on the center frequency output in relation to the range of marine mammal hearing should be reconsidered. PMID:24736608

High melt strength, tear resistant blown film based on poly(lactic acid)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edmonds, Neil R.; Plimmer, Peter N.; Tanner, Chris

2015-05-01

A major problem associated with the commercial manufacture of thin films from PLA is inferior processing characteristics on blown film lines compared to low density polyethylene. PLA has poor melt strength (leading to bubble instability) and develops a permanent crease in the flattened film as it exits the tower of the film line. In addition, the thin film product has poor tear strength and an unacceptable `noise' level when converted into flexible packaging. Furthermore, fabricated articles based on PLA are known to show an unattractive tendency toward dimensional instability. This behaviour is associated with `cold crystallization', a phenomenon which also causes exudation of any plasticizer added for improving flexibility. Blow moulded articles based on PLA also exhibit dimensional sensitivity above 60°C. All of these issues have been overcome by the technology described in this paper. This has been accomplished without loss of the valuable compostability characteristic of PLA; this was confirmed by evaluation of film in a commercial composting operation. These results have been achieved through novel reactive compounding technology which: (a) Creates a PLA-rich structure containing long chain crosslinks, (b) generates a low glass transition temperature phase covalently bonded to the PLA structure, and (c) provides a material which performs like LDPE in a blown film manufacturing operation. The technology developed is covered by NZ Patent 580231 (3). The patent is held by UniServices Ltd, The University of Auckland, New Zealand.

Commercialization and internationalization of the next-generation launch system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bille, Matthew A.; Richie, George E.; Bille, Deborah A.

1996-03-01

The United States, ESA, Russia, and Japan are all pursuing the goal of a next-generation launch system. However, economic constraints may ground these programs, as they did hypersonic spaceplane efforts. In today's constrained fiscal environment, engineering is secondary unless the most practical economic and political approach is also found. While international efforts face national concerns over jobs and competitiveness, low-cost access to orbit will open up space to whole new industries. In the long run, all involved nations will gain economically if a next-generation launcher is built, and all will lose if individual efforts fail. An international consortium is most likely to amass the resources needed. The consortium would not be dedicated to any single technical concept, but would select from industry proposals to design and build the technology demonstrator. The goal is to get one working system built: after that, it is not critical whether we have one cooperative operational system or a dozen competing ones. What is critical is not to miss another chance to launch the era of space commercialization.

McIntosh Unit 4 PCFB demonstration project

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

Dodd, A.M.; Dryden, R.J.; Morehead, H.T.

1997-12-31

The City of Lakeland, Foster Wheeler Corporation and Westinghouse Electric Corporation have embarked on a utility scale demonstration of Pressurized Circulating Fluidized Bed (PCFB) technology at Lakeland`s McIntosh Power Station in Lakeland, Florida. The US Department of Energy will be providing approximately $195 million of funding for the project through two Cooperative Agreements under the auspices of the Clean Coal Technology Program. The project will involve the commercial demonstration of Foster Wheeler Pyroflow PCFB technology integrated with Westinghouse`s Hot Gas Filter (HGF) and power generation technologies. The total project duration will be approximately eight years and will be structured intomore » three separate phases; two years of design and permitting, followed by an initial period of two years of fabrication and construction and concluding with a four year demonstration (commercial operation) period. It is expected that the project will show that Foster Wheeler`s Pyroflow PCFB technology coupled with Westinghouse`s HGF and power generation technologies represents a cost effective, high efficiency, low emissions means of adding greenfield generation capacity and that this same technology is also well suited for repowering applications.« less

Low-cost blast wave generator for studies of hearing loss and brain injury: blast wave effects in closed spaces.

PubMed

Newman, Andrew J; Hayes, Sarah H; Rao, Abhiram S; Allman, Brian L; Manohar, Senthilvelan; Ding, Dalian; Stolzberg, Daniel; Lobarinas, Edward; Mollendorf, Joseph C; Salvi, Richard

2015-03-15

Military personnel and civilians living in areas of armed conflict have increased risk of exposure to blast overpressures that can cause significant hearing loss and/or brain injury. The equipment used to simulate comparable blast overpressures in animal models within laboratory settings is typically very large and prohibitively expensive. To overcome the fiscal and space limitations introduced by previously reported blast wave generators, we developed a compact, low-cost blast wave generator to investigate the effects of blast exposures on the auditory system and brain. The blast wave generator was constructed largely from off the shelf components, and reliably produced blasts with peak sound pressures of up to 198dB SPL (159.3kPa) that were qualitatively similar to those produced from muzzle blasts or explosions. Exposure of adult rats to 3 blasts of 188dB peak SPL (50.4kPa) resulted in significant loss of cochlear hair cells, reduced outer hair cell function and a decrease in neurogenesis in the hippocampus. Existing blast wave generators are typically large, expensive, and are not commercially available. The blast wave generator reported here provides a low-cost method of generating blast waves in a typical laboratory setting. This compact blast wave generator provides scientists with a low cost device for investigating the biological mechanisms involved in blast wave injury to the rodent cochlea and brain that may model many of the damaging effects sustained by military personnel and civilians exposed to intense blasts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Low-Cost Blast Wave Generator for Studies of Hearing Loss and Brain Injury: Blast Wave Effects in Closed Spaces

PubMed Central

Newman, Andrew J.; Hayes, Sarah H.; Rao, Abhiram S.; Allman, Brian L.; Manohar, Senthilvelan; Ding, Dalian; Stolzberg, Daniel; Lobarinas, Edward; Mollendorf, Joseph C.; Salvi, Richard

2015-01-01

Background Military personnel and civilians living in areas of armed conflict have increased risk of exposure to blast overpressures that can cause significant hearing loss and/or brain injury. The equipment used to simulate comparable blast overpressures in animal models within laboratory settings is typically very large and prohibitively expensive. New Method To overcome the fiscal and space limitations introduced by previously reported blast wave generators, we developed a compact, low-cost blast wave generator to investigate the effects of blast exposures on the auditory system and brain. Results The blast wave generator was constructed largely from off the shelf components, and reliably produced blasts with peak sound pressures of up to 198 dB SPL (159.3 kPa) that were qualitatively similar to those produced from muzzle blasts or explosions. Exposure of adult rats to 3 blasts of 188 dB peak SPL (50.4 kPa) resulted in significant loss of cochlear hair cells, reduced outer hair cell function and a decrease in neurogenesis in the hippocampus. Comparison to existing methods Existing blast wave generators are typically large, expensive, and are not commercially available. The blast wave generator reported here provides a low-cost method of generating blast waves in a typical laboratory setting. Conclusions This compact blast wave generator provides scientists with a low cost device for investigating the biological mechanisms involved in blast wave injury to the rodent cochlea and brain that may model many of the damaging effects sustained by military personnel and civilians exposed to intense blasts. PMID:25597910

Geographic Correlation Between Large-Firm Commercial Spending and Medicare Spending

PubMed Central

Chernew, Michael E.; Sabik, Lindsay M.; Chandra, Amitabh; Gibson, Teresa B.; Newhouse, Joseph P.

2012-01-01

Objective To investigate the correlation between geographic variation in inpatient days, total spending, and spending growth in traditional Medicare versus the large-firm commercial sector. Study Design Retrospective descriptive analysis. Methods Medicare spending data at the hospital referral region (HRR) level were obtained from the Dartmouth Atlas. Commercial claims data from large employers were obtained from Thomson Reuters MarketScan Database for 1996-2006 and aggregated to the HRR level. County-level data on inpatient days per capita and market characteristics were obtained from the Area Resource File. We computed correlations between Medicare and commercial spending and spending growth, as well as Medicare and non-Medicare inpatient days, and examined traits of high- and low-spending HRRs in both sectors. Results We found a positive correlation between inpatient days per capita across counties, but a small inverse correlation between measures of commercial and Medicare spending across HRRs. Spending growth was weakly positively correlated across HRRs. Markets in the upper third of commercial spending had more concentrated hospital markets than markets in the lower third of commercial spending. The reverse was true for Medicare spending. Conclusions The positive correlation in utilization and lack of correlation in spending implies an inverse correlation in prices. This is consistent with evidence that the differences appear to be, at least partially, related to aspects of the market structure. If private markets are to work better to reduce cost, stronger efforts are needed to reduce provider market concentration and promote competitive pricing for healthcare services. PMID:20148618

Geographic correlation between large-firm commercial spending and Medicare spending.

PubMed

Chernew, Michael E; Sabik, Lindsay M; Chandra, Amitabh; Gibson, Teresa B; Newhouse, Joseph P

2010-02-01

To investigate the correlation between geographic variation in inpatient days, total spending, and spending growth in traditional Medicare versus the large-firm commercial sector. Retrospective descriptive analysis. Medicare spending data at the hospital referral region (HRR) level were obtained from the Dartmouth Atlas. Commercial claims data from large employers were obtained from Thomson Reuters MarketScan Database for 1996-2006 and aggregated to the HRR level. County-level data on inpatient days per capita and market characteristics were obtained from the Area Resource File. We computed correlations between Medicare and commercial spending and spending growth, as well as Medicare and non-Medicare inpatient days, and examined traits of high- and low-spending HRRs in both sectors. We found a positive correlation between inpatient days per capita across counties, but a small inverse correlation between measures of commercial and Medicare spending across HRRs. Spending growth was weakly positively correlated across HRRs. Markets in the upper third of commercial spending had more concentrated hospital markets than markets in the lower third of commercial spending. The reverse was true for Medicare spending. The positive correlation in utilization and lack of correlation in spending implies an inverse correlation in prices. This is consistent with evidence that the differences appear to be, at least partially, related to aspects of the market structure. If private markets are to work better to reduce cost, stronger efforts are needed to reduce provider market concentration and promote competitive pricing for healthcare services.

30 CFR 1206.352 - How do I calculate the royalty due on geothermal resources used for commercial production or...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... geothermal resources used for commercial production or generation of electricity? 1206.352 Section 1206.352... resources used for commercial production or generation of electricity? (a) If you sold geothermal resources produced from a Class I, II, or III lease at arm's length that the purchaser uses to generate electricity...

30 CFR 206.352 - How do I calculate the royalty due on geothermal resources used for commercial production or...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... geothermal resources used for commercial production or generation of electricity? 206.352 Section 206.352... resources used for commercial production or generation of electricity? (a) If you sold geothermal resources produced from a Class I, II, or III lease at arm's length that the purchaser uses to generate electricity...

30 CFR 1206.352 - How do I calculate the royalty due on geothermal resources used for commercial production or...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... geothermal resources used for commercial production or generation of electricity? 1206.352 Section 1206.352... resources used for commercial production or generation of electricity? (a) If you sold geothermal resources produced from a Class I, II, or III lease at arm's length that the purchaser uses to generate electricity...

30 CFR 1206.352 - How do I calculate the royalty due on geothermal resources used for commercial production or...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... geothermal resources used for commercial production or generation of electricity? 1206.352 Section 1206.352... resources used for commercial production or generation of electricity? (a) If you sold geothermal resources produced from a Class I, II, or III lease at arm's length that the purchaser uses to generate electricity...

Commercial grade item (CGI) dedication of generators for nuclear safety related applications

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

Das, R.K.; Hajos, L.G.

1993-03-01

The number of nuclear safety related equipment suppliers and the availability of spare and replacement parts designed specifically for nuclear safety related application are shrinking rapidly. These have made it necessary for utilities to apply commercial grade spare and replacement parts in nuclear safety related applications after implementing proper acceptance and dedication process to verify that such items conform with the requirements of their use in nuclear safety related application. The general guidelines for the commercial grade item (CGI) acceptance and dedication are provided in US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Generic Letters and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Report NP-5652,more » Guideline for the Utilization of Commercial Grade Items in Nuclear Safety Related Applications. This paper presents an application of these generic guidelines for procurement, acceptance, and dedication of a commercial grade generator for use as a standby generator at Salem Generating Station Units 1 and 2. The paper identifies the critical characteristics of the generator which once verified, will provide reasonable assurance that the generator will perform its intended safety function. The paper also delineates the method of verification of the critical characteristics through tests and provide acceptance criteria for the test results. The methodology presented in this paper may be used as specific guidelines for reliable and cost effective procurement and dedication of commercial grade generators for use as standby generators at nuclear power plants.« less

Effect of early antibiotic administration on cecal bacterial communities and their metabolic profiles in pigs fed diets with different protein levels.

PubMed

Zhang, Chuanjian; Yu, Miao; Yang, Yuxiang; Mu, Chunlong; Su, Yong; Zhu, Weiyun

2016-12-01

This study investigated the effects of early antibiotic administration (EAA) on cecal bacterial communities and their metabolic profiles in pigs fed diets with different protein levels. Eighteen litters (total 180) of piglets on day (d) 7 were fed either a commercial creep feed or commercial creep feed + antibiotic (Olaquindox, Oxytetracycline Calcium and Kitasamycin) until d 42. On d 42, pigs within each group were further randomly fed a normal crude protein (CP) diet (20% and 18% CP from d 42 to d 77 and d 77 to d 120, respectively) or a low-CP diet (16% and 14% CP from d 42 to d 77 and d 77 to d 120, respectively), generating 4 groups, control-low CP (Con-LP), control-normal CP (Con-NP), antibiotic-low CP (Ant-LP) and antibiotic-normal CP (Ant-NP), respectively. On d 77 and d 120, 5 pigs per group were slaughtered and cecal materials were collected for bacterial analysis. With cecal bacteria, principle component analysis (PCA) of the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profile showed two distinct groups of samples from low-CP diet and samples from normal-CP diet. Real-time PCR showed that EAA did not have significant effect on major bacterial groups, only showed significant interactions (P < 0.05) with CP level for Lactobacillus counts on d 77 and Clostridium cluster XIVa counts on d 120 with higher values in the Con-NP group compared to the Ant-NP groups. Low-CP diet increased (P < 0.05) short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) producing bacteria counts (Bacteroidetes on d 77 and d 120; Clostridium cluster IV and Clostridium cluster XIVa on d 77), but decreased (P < 0.05) Escherichia coli counts on d 77 and d 120. For metabolites, EAA increased (P < 0.05) protein fermentation products (p-cresol, indole and skatole on d 77; ammonia, putrescine and spermidine on d 120), and showed significant interactions (P < 0.05) with CP level for p-cresol and skatole concentrations on d 77 and putrescine and spermidine concentrations on d 120 with higher values in the Ant-LP group compared to the Con-LP groups. Low-CP diet increased (P < 0.05) SCFA concentration (propionate and butyrate) on d 77, but reduced (P < 0.05) the protein fermentation products (ammonia, phenol and indole on d 77; branched chain fatty acid (BCFA), ammonia, tyramine, cadaverine and indole on d 120). These results indicate that EAA had less effect on bacterial communities, but increased bacterial fermentation of protein in the cecum under low-CP diet. Low-CP diet altered bacterial communities with an increase in the counts of SCFA-producing bacteria and a decrease in the counts of Escherichia coli, and markedly reduced the protein fermentation products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design of a digital ride quality augmentation system for commuter aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hammond, T. A.; Amin, S. P.; Paduano, J. D.; Downing, D. R.

1984-01-01

Commuter aircraft typically have low wing loadings, and fly at low altitudes, and so they are susceptible to undesirable accelerations caused by random atmospheric turbulence. Larger commercial aircraft typically have higher wing loadings and fly at altitudes where the turbulence level is lower, and so they provide smoother rides. This project was initiated based on the goal of making the ride of the commuter aircraft as smooth as the ride experienced on the major commercial airliners. The objectives of this project were to design a digital, longitudinal mode ride quality augmentation system (RQAS) for a commuter aircraft, and to investigate the effect of selected parameters on those designs.

Being everything to anyone: Applicability of thermoacoustic technology in the commercial refrigeration market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poese, Matthew E.; Smith, Robert W. M.; Garrett, Steven L.

2005-09-01

This talk will compare electrodynamically driven thermoacoustic refrigeration technology to some common implementations of low-lift vapor-compression technology. A rudimentary explanation of vapor-compression refrigeration will be presented along with some of the implementation problems faced by refrigeration engineers using compressor-based systems. These problems include oil management, compressor slugging, refrigerant leaks and the environmental impact of refrigerants. Recently, the method of evaluating this environmental impact has been codified to include the direct effects of the refrigerants on global warming as well as the so-called ``indirect'' warming impact of the carbon dioxide released during the generation (at the power plant) of the electrical power consumed by the refrigeration equipment. It is issues like these that generate commercial interest in an alternative refrigeration technology. However, the requirements of a candidate technology for adoption in a mature and risk-averse commercial refrigeration industry are as hard to divine as they are to meet. Also mentioned will be the state of other alternative refrigeration technologies like free-piston Stirling, thermoelectric and magnetocaloric as well as progress using vapor compression technology with alternative refrigerants like hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide.

The Next Generation of Space Cells for Diverse Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, Sheila; Landis, Geoffrey; Raffaelle, Ryne

2002-01-01

Future science, military and commercial space missions are incredibly diverse. Military and commercial missions range from large arrays of hundreds of kilowatt to small arrays of ten watts in various Earth orbits. While science missions also have small to very large power needs there are additional unique requirements to provide power for near-sun missions and planetary exploration including orbiters, landers and rovers both to the inner planets and the outer planets with a major emphasis in the near term on Mars. These mission requirements demand cells for low intensity, low temperature applications, high intensity, high temperature applications, dusty environments and often high radiation environments. This paper discusses mission requirements, the current state of the art of space solar cells, and a variety of both evolving thin-film cells as well as new technologies that may impact the future choice of space solar cells for a specific mission application.

Low Earth Orbit satellite/terrestrial mobile service compatibility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheriff, Ray E.; Gardiner, John G.

1993-01-01

Currently the geostationary type of satellite is the only one used to provide commercial mobile-satellite communication services. Low earth orbit (LEO) satellite systems are now being proposed as a future alternative. By the implementation of LEO satellite systems, predicted at between 5 and 8 years time, mobile space/terrestrial technology will have progressed to the third generation stage of development. This paper considers the system issues that will need to be addressed when developing a dual mode terminal, enabling access to both terrestrial and LEO satellite systems.

Pressurized fluidized bed offers promising route to cogeneration

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

Not Available

1980-03-01

STAL-LAVAL has been monitoring the development of pressurized fluidized-bed combustion (PFBC) technology and has decided to apply it as a way to burn coal and satisfy the important criteria of efficiency, low cost, environmental acceptability, low investment cost, and the capacity to use a wide range of coal qualities. The present status of PFBC and co-generation technology is reviewed and examples of industrial as well as utiltiy applications are cited. A successful commercialization of PFBC could contribute to the success of coal-utilization policies. (DCK)

10 CFR 62.13 - Contents of a request for emergency access: Alternatives.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... EMERGENCY ACCESS TO NON-FEDERAL AND REGIONAL LOW-LEVEL WASTE DISPOSAL FACILITIES Request for a Commission... following: (1) Storage of low-level radioactive waste at the site of generation; (2) Storage of low-level... disposal at a Federal low-level radioactive waste disposal facility in the case of a Federal or defense...

Contextualising AIDS and human development: Long-term illness and death among adults in labouring low-caste groups in India.

PubMed

Priya, R; Sathyamala, C

2007-01-01

This study compared evidence from two low caste labouring communities in India: a relatively modernized urban group and a rural group in a backward region. It explored their levels of ill health, their capacities to respond to adult illness and the support they received. In each region, a baseline survey of approximately 1,000 households provided background quantitative evidence with qualitative evidence was collected from about 55 families. HIV infection and AIDS deaths were found to occur in the 'less poor' segments of the study group in both regions. In keeping with the official data, they formed a small proportion of the overall mortality and morbidity in this group. Stigma and discrimination were found to be low but fear of stigma was high, generated by the medical response to AIDS and used opportunistically for personal gains. The study provides insights into the structural determinants of health and coping mechanisms in these communities. The best conditions for a healthy life were found in the group that had a rooted community setting, collective political power, migrant economic support and improved working conditions--the less poor rural group. While improved economic status was associated with better health status, this relationship was stronger when combined with the presence of improved working conditions, with social cohesion at family and community levels and with political power as indicated by levels of organized collective representation and identity formation in workplace, local- and state-level politics. However, the traditional forms of social cohesion are under stress and new forms, moderated by commercial relations, are proving inadequate to meet major household shocks, like adult mortality.

Social Capital and Low-Income, First-Generation Latino Male College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valle, Daniel M.

2017-01-01

Low-income, first-generation students face numerous barriers to earn a college degree. Of these students, Latino male students have some of the lowest levels of college enrollment and persistence. This study used a phenomenological design to identify the perspectives of low-income, first-generation (LIFG) Latino male college students on how social…

Low sidelobe level low-cost earth station antennas for the 12 GHz broadcasting satellite service

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collin, R. E.; Gabel, L. R.

1979-01-01

An experimental investigation of the performance of 1.22 m and 1.83 m diameter paraboloid antennas with an f/D ratio of 0.38 and using a feed developed by Kumar is reported. It is found that sidelobes below 30 dB can be obtained only if the paraboloids are relatively free of surface errors. A theoretical analysis of clam shell distortion shows that this is a limiting factor in achieving low sidelobe levels with many commercially available low cost paraboloids. The use of absorbing pads and small reflecting plates for sidelobe reduction is also considered.

Conjunction Assessment for Commercial Satellite Constellations Using Commercial Radar Data Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicolls, M.; Vittaldev, V.; Ceperley, D.; Creus-Costa, J.; Foster, C.; Griffith, N.; Lu, E.; Mason, J.; Park, I.; Rosner, C.; Stepan, L.

For companies with multiple orbital assets, managing the risk of collision with other low-Earth orbit (LEO) Resident Space Objects (RSOs) can amount to a significant operational burden. LeoLabs and Planet investigate the impact of a workflow that integrates commercial Space Situational Awareness (SSA) data into conjunction assessments for large satellite constellations. Radar measurements from LeoLabs are validated against truth orbits provided by the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) and to measurements from Planet’s on-board GPS instrumentation. The radar data is then used as input for orbit fits in order to form the basis of a conjunction assessment. To confirm the reliability of the orbit determination (OD), the generated ephemerides are validated against ILRS and GPS-derived orbits. In addition, a covariance realism assessment is performed in order to check for self-consistency by comparing the propagated orbit and the associated covariance against later measurements. Several cases are investigated to assess the benefits of integrating radar-derived products with Conjunction Data Messages (CDMs) received on Planet spacecraft. Conjunction assessment is refined using onboard GPS measurements from Planet satellites along with tracking measurements of the secondary RSO by LeoLabs. This study demonstrates that commercial data provided by LeoLabs is reliable, accurate, and timely, and that ephemeris generated from LeoLabs data provides solutions and insights which are consistent with those provided in CDMs. For the cases analyzed, the addition of commercial SSA data from LeoLabs has a positive impact on operations due to the additional information on the state of the secondary RSO which can lead to increased confidence in any maneuver-related decisions. Measurements from LeoLabs can also be used to improve conjunction assessment for commercial satellites that do not have any operator OD.

Selection of inbred maize (Zea mays L.) progenies by topcrosses conducted in contrasting environments.

PubMed

Rodrigues, C S; Pacheco, C A P; Guedes, M L; Pinho, R G V; Castro, C R

2016-09-23

The aim of this study was to identify inbred progenies of S 0:1 maize (Zea mays L.) plants that were efficient at a low level of technology and responsive at a high level of technology through the use of topcrosses. Two contrasting environments were created using two levels of base fertilization and topdressing, so that the levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were applied four times higher in one environment than in the other. We used S 0:1 progenies derived from commercial hybrids in topcrosses with two testers (an elite line from the flint heterotic group and an elite line from the dent heterotic group). The progenies and three controls were evaluated in an augmented block design in Nossa Senhora das Dores, SE, Brazil in the 2010 crop season. The average grain yield in the high-technological level was 21.44% greater than that in the low-technological level. There were no changes in progeny behavior in the two technological levels for grain yield. The testers did not differ in the average grain yield of the progenies at the two technological levels. Therefore, it is possible to select progenies derived from commercial hybrids that have an efficient response to fertilization.

Food wastes as fish feeds for polyculture of low-trophic-level fish: bioaccumulation and health risk assessments of heavy metals in the cultured fish.

PubMed

Cheng, Zhang; Lam, Cheung-Lung; Mo, Wing-Yin; Nie, Xiang-Ping; Choi, Wai-Ming; Man, Yu-Bon; Wong, Ming-Hung

2016-04-01

The major purpose of this study was to use different types of food wastes which serve as the major sources of protein to replace the fish meal used in fish feeds to produce quality fish. Two types of food waste-based feed pellets FW A (with cereals) and FW B (with cereals and meat products) and the commercial feed Jinfeng® were used to culture fingerlings of three low-trophic-level fish species: bighead carp, grass carp, and mud carp (in the ratio of 1:3:1) for 1 year period in the Sha Tau Kok Organic Farm in Hong Kong. Heavy metal concentrations in all of the fish species fed with food waste pellets and commercial pellets in Sha Tau Kok fish ponds were all below the local and international maximum permissible levels in food. Health risk assessments indicated that human consumption of the fish fed with food waste feed pellets was safe for the Hong Kong residents. The present results revealed that recycling of food waste for cultivating low-trophic-level fish (mainly herbivores and detritus feeders) is feasible, and at the same time will ease the disposal pressure of food waste, a common problem of densely populated cities like Hong Kong.

Application of differential pulse voltammetry to determine the efficiency of stripping tocopherols from commercial fish oil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

There has been an increase in the use of electrochemical methods for monitoring antioxidant levels in a variety of disciplines due to the sensitivity, low detection limits, ease of use, low cost and rapid analysis time offered by these techniques. One technique that has received specific attention i...

Impacts of fishing low-trophic level species on marine ecosystems.

PubMed

Smith, Anthony D M; Brown, Christopher J; Bulman, Catherine M; Fulton, Elizabeth A; Johnson, Penny; Kaplan, Isaac C; Lozano-Montes, Hector; Mackinson, Steven; Marzloff, Martin; Shannon, Lynne J; Shin, Yunne-Jai; Tam, Jorge

2011-08-26

Low-trophic level species account for more than 30% of global fisheries production and contribute substantially to global food security. We used a range of ecosystem models to explore the effects of fishing low-trophic level species on marine ecosystems, including marine mammals and seabirds, and on other commercially important species. In five well-studied ecosystems, we found that fishing these species at conventional maximum sustainable yield (MSY) levels can have large impacts on other parts of the ecosystem, particularly when they constitute a high proportion of the biomass in the ecosystem or are highly connected in the food web. Halving exploitation rates would result in much lower impacts on marine ecosystems while still achieving 80% of MSY.

Radiation Response of Emerging FeRAM Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, D. N.; Scheick, L. Z.

2001-01-01

The test results of measurements performed on two different sizes of ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) suggest the degradation is due to the low radiation tolerance of sense amplifiers and reference voltage generators which are based on commercial complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. This paper presents total ionizing dose (TID) testing of 64Kb Ramtron FM1608 and 256Kb Ramtron FM1808.

Nationwide Analysis of U.S. Commercial Building Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Breakeven Conditions

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

Davidson, Carolyn; Gagnon, Pieter; Denholm, Paul

2015-10-01

The commercial sector offers strong potential for solar photovoltaics (PV) owing to abundant available roof space suitable for PV and the opportunity to offset the sector's substantial retail electricity purchases. This report evaluated the breakeven price of PV for 15 different building types and various financing options by calculating electricity savings based on detailed rate structures for most U.S. utility territories (representing approximately two thirds of U.S. commercial customers). We find that at current capital costs, an estimated 1/3 of U.S. commercial customers break even in the cash scenario and approximately 2/3 break even in the loan scenario. Variation inmore » retail rates is a stronger driver of breakeven prices than is variation in building load or solar generation profiles. At the building level, variation in the average breakeven price is largely driven by the ability for a PV system to reduce demand charges.« less

Graphic representations: keys to disclose the codex of nature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caramelo, Liliana; Gonçalves, Norberto; Pereira, Mário; Soares, Armando; Naia, Marco

2010-05-01

Undergraduate and university level students present some difficulties to understand and interpret many of the geosciences concepts, in particular those represented by vector and scalar fields. Our experience reveals that these difficulties are associated with a lack in the development of their abstraction and mental picturing abilities. On the other hand, these students have easy access to communication and information technology software which can be used to built graphic representations of experimental data, time series and vector and scalar fields. This transformation allows an easiest extraction, interpretation and summary of the most important characteristics in the data. There is already commercial and open source software with graphical tools that can be used for this purpose but commercial software packs with user friendly interfaces but their price is not negligible. Open source software can circumvent this difficulty even if, in general, their graphical user interface hasn't reached the desirable level of the commercial ones. We will show a simple procedure to generate an image from the data that characterizes the generation of the suitable images illustrating the key concepts in study, using a freeware code, exactly as it is presented to the students in our open teaching sessions to the general student community. Our experience demonstrated that the students are very enthusiastic using this approach. Furthermore, the use of this software can easily be adopted by teachers and students of secondary schools as part of curricular activities.

Hi-Q Rotor - Low Wind Speed Technology

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

Todd E. Mills; Judy Tatum

The project objective was to optimize the performance of the Hi-Q Rotor. Early research funded by the California Energy Commission indicated the design might be advantageous over state-of-the-art turbines for collecting wind energy in low wind conditions. The Hi-Q Rotor is a new kind of rotor targeted for harvesting wind in Class 2, 3, and 4 sites, and has application in areas that are closer to cities, or 'load centers.' An advantage of the Hi-Q Rotor is that the rotor has non-conventional blade tips, producing less turbulence, and is quieter than standard wind turbine blades which is critical to themore » low-wind populated urban sites. Unlike state-of-the-art propeller type blades, the Hi-Q Rotor has six blades connected by end caps. In this phase of the research funded by DOE's Inventions and Innovation Program, the goal was to improve the current design by building a series of theoretical and numeric models, and composite prototypes to determine a best of class device. Development of the rotor was performed by aeronautical engineering and design firm, DARcorporation. From this investigation, an optimized design was determined and an 8-foot diameter, full-scale rotor was built and mounted using a Bergey LX-1 generator and furling system which were adapted to support the rotor. The Hi-Q Rotor was then tested side-by-side against the state-of-the-art Bergey XL-1 at the Alternative Energy Institute's Wind Test Center at West Texas State University for six weeks, and real time measurements of power generated were collected and compared. Early wind tunnel testing showed that the cut-in-speed of the Hi-Q rotor is much lower than a conventional tested HAWT enabling the Hi-Q Wind Turbine to begin collecting energy before a conventional HAWT has started spinning. Also, torque at low wind speeds for the Hi-Q Wind Turbine is higher than the tested conventional HAWT and enabled the wind turbine to generate power at lower wind speeds. Based on the data collected, the results of our first full-scale prototype wind turbine proved that higher energy can be captured at lower wind speeds with the new Hi-Q Rotor. The Hi-Q Rotor is almost 15% more productive than the Bergey from 6 m/s to 8 m/s, making it ideal in Class 3, 4, and 5 wind sites and has application in the critical and heretofore untapped areas that are closer to cities, 'load centers,' and may even be used directly in urban areas. The additional advantage of the Hi-Q Rotor's non-conventional blade tips, which eliminates most air turbulence, is noise reduction which makes it doubly ideal for populated urban areas. Hi-Q Products recommends one final stage of development to take the Hi-Q Rotor through Technology Readiness Levels 8-9. During this stage of development, the rotor will be redesigned to further increase efficiency, match the rotor to a more suitable generator, and lower the cost of manufacturing by redesigning the structure to allow for production in larger quantities at lower cost. Before taking the rotor to market and commercialization, it is necessary to further optimize the performance by finding a better generator and autofurling system, ones more suitable for lower wind speeds and rpms should be used in all future testing. The potential impact of this fully developed technology will be the expansion and proliferation of energy renewal into the heretofore untapped Class 2, 3, 4, and 5 Wind Sites, or the large underutilized sites where the wind speed is broken by physical features such as mountains, buildings, and trees. Market estimates by 2011, if low wind speed technology can be developed are well above: 13 million homes, 675,000 commercial buildings, 250,000 public facilities. Estimated commercial exploitation of the Hi-Q Rotor show potential increase in U.S. energy gained through the clean, renewable wind energy found in low and very low wind speed sites. This new energy source would greatly impact greenhouse emissions as well as the public sector's growing energy demands.« less

An evaluation of electronic cigarette formulations and aerosols for harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) typically derived from combustion.

PubMed

Wagner, Karl A; Flora, Jason W; Melvin, Matt S; Avery, Karen C; Ballentine, Regina M; Brown, Anthony P; McKinney, Willie J

2018-06-01

U.S. FDA draft guidance recommends reporting quantities of designated harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) in e-cigarette e-liquids and aerosols. The HPHC list comprises potential matrix-related compounds, flavors, nicotine, tobacco-related impurities, leachables, thermal degradation products, and combustion-related compounds. E-cigarettes contain trace levels of many of these constituents due to tobacco-derived nicotine and thermal degradation. However, combustion-related HPHCs are not likely to be found due to the relatively low operating temperatures of most e-cigarettes. The purpose of this work was to use highly sensitive, selective, and validated analytical methods to determine if these combustion-related HPHCs (three aromatic amines, five volatile organic compounds, and the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon benzo[a]pyrene) are detectable in commercial refill e-liquids, reference e-cigarette e-liquids, and aerosols generated from rechargeable e-cigarettes with disposable cartridges (often referred to as "cig-a-likes"). In addition, the transfer efficiency of these constituents from e-liquid to aerosol was evaluated when these HPHCs were added to the e-liquids prior to aerosol formation. This work demonstrates that combustion-related HPHCs are not present at measurable levels in the commercial and reference e-liquids or e-cigarette aerosols tested. Additionally, when combustion-related HPHCs are added to the e-liquids, they transfer to the aerosol with transfer efficiencies ranging from 49% to 99%. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Monitoring the dynamic photocatalytic activity of single CdS nanoparticles by lighting up H2 nanobubbles with fluorescent dyes† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental details, Fig. S1–S13 and description of Movie S1. See DOI: 10.1039/c7sc04684g

PubMed Central

Su, Hua; Fang, Yimin; Chen, Fangyuan

2018-01-01

The capability of semiconductor nanomaterials to convert solar energy to chemical energy has led to many promising applications, for instance, photocatalyzed H2 generation. Studying this important photocatalytic reaction at the single nanocatalyst level provides a great opportunity to understand the microscopic reaction kinetics and mechanism by overcoming the chemical and structural heterogeneity among individuals. Here we report a fluorescence (FL) labeling strategy to visualize individual H2 nanobubbles that are generated at single CdS nanoparticles during photocatalysis. In operando imaging of nanobubble growth kinetics allows for determination of the photocatalytic activity of single nanocatalysts, which was found to randomly alternate among high activity, low activity and inactive states. In addition to H2 nanobubbles, the present labeling strategy is also suitable for other types of gas nanobubbles. Since nanomaterial-catalyzed gas generation is widely involved in many important photochemical (water splitting), electrochemical (electrolysis) and chemical (nanomotors) reactions, the present work is promising for the general applicability of single nanoparticle catalysis in broad basic and industrial fields by lighting up nanobubbles under commercial and conventional FL microscopes. PMID:29719679

System-Level Experimental Validations for Supersonic Commercial Transport Aircraft Entering Service in the 2018-2020 Time Period

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Magee, Todd E.; Wilcox, Peter A.; Fugal, Spencer R.; Acheson, Kurt E.; Adamson, Eric E.; Bidwell, Alicia L.; Shaw, Stephen G.

2013-01-01

This report describes the work conducted by The Boeing Company under American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and NASA funding to experimentally validate the conceptual design of a supersonic airliner feasible for entry into service in the 2018 to 2020 timeframe (NASA N+2 generation). The report discusses the design, analysis and development of a low-boom concept that meets aggressive sonic boom and performance goals for a cruise Mach number of 1.8. The design is achieved through integrated multidisciplinary optimization tools. The report also describes the detailed design and fabrication of both sonic boom and performance wind tunnel models of the low-boom concept. Additionally, a description of the detailed validation wind tunnel testing that was performed with the wind tunnel models is provided along with validation comparisons with pretest Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Finally, the report describes the evaluation of existing NASA sonic boom pressure rail measurement instrumentation and a detailed description of new sonic boom measurement instrumentation that was constructed for the validation wind tunnel testing.

Faraday Waves-Based Integrated Ultrasonic Micro-Droplet Generator and Applications

PubMed Central

Tsai, Chen S.; Mao, Rong W.; Tsai, Shirley C.; Shahverdi, Kaveh; Zhu, Yun; Lin, Shih K.; Hsu, Yu-Hsiang; Boss, Gerry; Brenner, Matt; Mahon, Sari; Smaldone, Gerald C.

2017-01-01

An in-depth review on a new ultrasonic micro-droplet generator which utilizes megahertz (MHz) Faraday waves excited by silicon-based multiple Fourier horn ultrasonic nozzles (MFHUNs) and its potential applications is presented. The new droplet generator has demonstrated capability for producing micro droplets of controllable size and size distribution and desirable throughput at very low electrical drive power. For comparison, the serious deficiencies of current commercial droplet generators (nebulizers) and the other ultrasonic droplet generators explored in recent years are first discussed. The architecture, working principle, simulation, and design of the multiple Fourier horns (MFH) in resonance aimed at the amplified longitudinal vibration amplitude on the end face of nozzle tip, and the fabrication and characterization of the nozzles are then described in detail. Subsequently, a linear theory on the temporal instability of Faraday waves on a liquid layer resting on the planar end face of the MFHUN and the detailed experimental verifications are presented. The linear theory serves to elucidate the dynamics of droplet ejection from the free liquid surface and predict the vibration amplitude onset threshold for droplet ejection and the droplet diameters. A battery-run pocket-size clogging-free integrated micro droplet generator realized using the MFHUN is then described. The subsequent report on the successful nebulization of a variety of commercial pulmonary medicines against common diseases and on the experimental antidote solutions to cyanide poisoning using the new droplet generator serves to support its imminent application to inhalation drug delivery. PMID:29250438

Faraday Waves-Based Integrated Ultrasonic Micro-Droplet Generator and Applications.

PubMed

Tsai, Chen S; Mao, Rong W; Tsai, Shirley C; Shahverdi, Kaveh; Zhu, Yun; Lin, Shih K; Hsu, Yu-Hsiang; Boss, Gerry; Brenner, Matt; Mahon, Sari; Smaldone, Gerald C

2017-01-01

An in-depth review on a new ultrasonic micro-droplet generator which utilizes megahertz (MHz) Faraday waves excited by silicon-based multiple Fourier horn ultrasonic nozzles (MFHUNs) and its potential applications is presented. The new droplet generator has demonstrated capability for producing micro droplets of controllable size and size distribution and desirable throughput at very low electrical drive power. For comparison, the serious deficiencies of current commercial droplet generators (nebulizers) and the other ultrasonic droplet generators explored in recent years are first discussed. The architecture, working principle, simulation, and design of the multiple Fourier horns (MFH) in resonance aimed at the amplified longitudinal vibration amplitude on the end face of nozzle tip, and the fabrication and characterization of the nozzles are then described in detail. Subsequently, a linear theory on the temporal instability of Faraday waves on a liquid layer resting on the planar end face of the MFHUN and the detailed experimental verifications are presented. The linear theory serves to elucidate the dynamics of droplet ejection from the free liquid surface and predict the vibration amplitude onset threshold for droplet ejection and the droplet diameters. A battery-run pocket-size clogging-free integrated micro droplet generator realized using the MFHUN is then described. The subsequent report on the successful nebulization of a variety of commercial pulmonary medicines against common diseases and on the experimental antidote solutions to cyanide poisoning using the new droplet generator serves to support its imminent application to inhalation drug delivery.

Association in Long-Evans hooded rats of red cell 2,3-diphosphoglycerate levels with hemoglobin types.

PubMed

Brewer, G; Gilman, J; Noble, N; Crews, V

1978-08-01

Two sublines of commercially available Long-Evans hooded rats have been developed by genetic selection. These sublines have widely differing levels of erythrocyte 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) due to different alleles at a single genetic locus. In the present work, it is shown that rats from the commercial population are also polymorphic at a hemoglobin locus, probably involving two alleles of the IIIbeta-globin chain locus. Particular hemoglobin types have been found to be strongly associated with certain DPG types, not only in the high-DPG and low-DPG lines but also in the commercial population. Two explanations for this association are considered. One is a single-locus hypothesis, with hemoglobin allelic variation causing DPG variation, and the other is a two-locus hypothesis, with marked linkage disequilibrium.

New ideas for affordable space missions

PubMed

Eller, E; Roussel-Dupre, D; Weiss, R; Bruegman, O

1996-04-01

In September 1995, NASA-Goddard held a workshop on low-cost access to space for science missions. The workshop provided briefings on balloons, sounding rockets, Shuttle payloads, and low-cost free-flyer concepts, to provide options of getting experiments into space. This report is the result of a panel session organized with the aim of generating new ideas beyond those presented in the workshop. In addition to the authors, Orlando Figueroa and Paul Ondrus of NASA-Goddard and Richard Zwirnbaum of Computer Sciences Corp. participated in the discussions. The ideas presented do not necessarily reflect the current thinking of NASA managers. Although the panel discussion was focused on the kinds of science missions usually funded by NASA, most of the ideas that were generated are relevant to military and commercial missions as well.

Organic materials for printed electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berggren, M.; Nilsson, D.; Robinson, N. D.

2007-01-01

Organic materials can offer a low-cost alternative for printed electronics and flexible displays. However, research in these systems must exploit the differences - via molecular-level control of functionality - compared with inorganic electronics if they are to become commercially viable.

Commercial high-level-waste management: Options and economics. A comparative analysis of the ceramic and glass waste forms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKisson, R. L.; Grantham, L. F.; Guon, J.; Recht, H. L.

1983-02-01

Results of an estimate of the waste management costs of the commercial high level waste from a 3000 metric ton per year reprocessing plant show that the judicious use of the ceramic waste form can save about $2 billion during a 20 year operating campaign relative to the use of the glass waste form. This assumes PWR fuel is processed and the waste is encapsulated in 0.305-m-diam canisters with ultimate emplacement in a BWIP-type horizontal-borehole repository. Waste loading and waste form density are the driving factors in that the low waste loading (25%) and relatively low density (3.1 g cu cm) characteristic of the glass form require several times as many canisters to handle a given waste throughput than is needed for the ceramic waste form whose waste loading capability exceeds 60% and whose waste density is nominally 5.2 cu cm.

Second Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle Development and Global Competitiveness of US Space Transportation Industry: Critical Success Factors Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Enyinda, Chris I.

2002-01-01

In response to the unrelenting call in both public and private sectors fora to reduce the high cost associated with space transportation, many innovative partially or fully RLV (Reusable Launch Vehicles) designs (X-34-37) were initiated. This call is directed at all levels of space missions including scientific, military, and commercial and all aspects of the missions such as nonrecurring development, manufacture, launch, and operations. According to Wertz, tbr over thirty years, the cost of space access has remained exceedingly high. The consensus in the popular press is that to decrease the current astronomical cost of access to space, more safer, reliable, and economically viable second generation RLVs (SGRLV) must be developed. Countries such as Brazil, India, Japan, and Israel are now gearing up to enter the global launch market with their own commercial space launch vehicles. NASA and the US space launch industry cannot afford to lag behind. Developing SGRLVs will immeasurably improve the US's space transportation capabilities by helping the US to regain the global commercial space markets while supporting the transportation capabilities of NASA's space missions, Developing the SGRLVs will provide affordable commercial space transportation that will assure the competitiveness of the US commercial space transportation industry in the 21st century. Commercial space launch systems are having difficulty obtaining financing because of the high cost and risk involved. Access to key financial markets is necessary for commercial space ventures. However, public sector programs in the form of tax incentives and credits, as well as loan guarantees are not yet available. The purpose of this paper is to stimulate discussion and assess the critical success factors germane for RLVs development and US global competitiveness.

Improving flow patterns and spillage characteristics of a box-type commercial kitchen hood.

PubMed

Huang, Rong Fung; Chen, Jia-Kun; Han, Meng-Ji; Priyambodo, Yusuf

2014-01-01

A conventional box-type commercial kitchen hood and its improved version (termed the "IQV commercial kitchen hood") were studied using the laser-assisted smoke flow visualization technique and tracer-gas (sulfur hexafluoride) detection methods. The laser-assisted smoke flow visualization technique qualitatively revealed the flow field of the hood and the areas apt for leakages of hood containment. The tracer-gas concentration detection method measured the quantitative leakage levels of the hood containment. The oil mists that were generated in the conventional box-type commercial kitchen hood leaked significantly into the environment from the areas near the front edges of ceiling and side walls. Around these areas, the boundary-layer separation occurred, inducing highly unsteady and turbulent recirculating flow, and leading to spillages of hood containment due to inappropriate aerodynamic design at the front edges of the ceiling and side walls. The tracer-gas concentration measurements on the conventional box-type commercial kitchen hood showed that the sulfur hexafluoride concentrations detected at the hood face attained very large values on an order of magnitude about 10(3)-10(4) ppb. By combining the backward-offset narrow suction slot, deflection plates, and quarter-circular arcs at the hood entrance, the IQV commercial kitchen hood presented a flow field containing four backward-inclined cyclone flow structures. The oil mists generated by cooking were coherently confined in these upward-rising cyclone flow structures and finally exhausted through the narrow suction slot. The tracer-gas concentration measurements on the IQV commercial kitchen hood showed that the order of magnitude of the sulfur hexafluoride concentrations detected at the hood face is negligibly small--only about 10(0) ppb across the whole hood face.

Simulating Operation of a Large Turbofan Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Litt, Jonathan S.; Frederick, Dean K.; DeCastro, Jonathan

2008-01-01

The Commercial Modular Aero- Propulsion System Simulation (C-MAPSS) is a computer program for simulating transient operation of a commercial turbofan engine that can generate as much as 90,000 lb (.0.4 MN) of thrust. It includes a power-management system that enables simulation of open- or closed-loop engine operation over a wide range of thrust levels throughout the full range of flight conditions. C-MAPSS provides the user with a set of tools for performing open- and closed-loop transient simulations and comparison of linear and non-linear models throughout its operating envelope, in an easy-to-use graphical environment.

High level organizing principles for display of systems fault information for commercial flight crews

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, William H.; Schutte, Paul C.

1993-01-01

Advanced fault management aiding concepts for commercial pilots are being developed in a research program at NASA Langley Research Center. One aim of this program is to re-evaluate current design principles for display of fault information to the flight crew: (1) from a cognitive engineering perspective and (2) in light of the availability of new types of information generated by advanced fault management aids. The study described in this paper specifically addresses principles for organizing fault information for display to pilots based on their mental models of fault management.

The cost of noise reduction for departure and arrival operations of commercial tilt rotor aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Faulkner, H. B.; Swan, W. M.

1976-01-01

The relationship between direct operating cost (DOC) and noise annoyance due to a departure and an arrival operation was developed for commercial tilt rotor aircraft. This was accomplished by generating a series of tilt rotor aircraft designs to meet various noise goals at minimum DOC. These vehicles ranged across the spectrum of possible noise levels from completely unconstrained to the quietest vehicles that could be designed within the study ground rules. Optimization parameters were varied to find the minimum DOC. This basic variation was then extended to different aircraft sizes and technology time frames.

Performance calculations for 200-1000 MWe MHD/steam power plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Staiger, P. J.

1981-01-01

The effects of MHD generator length, level of oxygen enrichment, and oxygen production power on the performance of MHD/steam power plants ranging from 200 to 1000 MW in electrical output are investigated. The plants considered use oxygen enriched combustion air preheated to 1100 F. Both plants in which the MHD generator is cooled with low temperature and pressure boiler feedwater and plants in which the generator is cooled with high temperature and pressure boiler feedwater are considered. For plants using low temperature boiler feedwater for generator cooling the maximum thermodynamic efficiency is obtained with shorter generators and a lower level of oxygen enrichment compared to plants using high temperature boiler feedwater for generator cooling. The generator length at which the maximum plant efficiency occurs increases with power plant size for plants with a generator cooled by low temperature feedwater. Also shown is the relationship of the magnet stored energy requirement of the generator length and the power plant performance. Possible cost/performance tradeoffs between magnet cost and plant performance are indicated.

Evaluation of Two Commercial Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Kits for the Detection of Human Circulating Metrnl.

PubMed

Zheng, Si-Li; Li, Zhi-Yong; Zhang, Zheng; Wang, Dong-Sheng; Xu, Jian; Miao, Chao-Yu

2018-04-01

Metrnl is a newly discovered secreted protein with neurotrophic activity and metabolic effect, while in earlier studies its circulating level in human was not explored. We evaluated two commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits (DY7867-05, R&D Systems and SK00478-02, Aviscera Bioscience) for the detection of human circulating Metrnl. The DY7867-05 kit showed superiority over the SK00478-02 kit since it generated better curve fitting degree, smaller variation among tests, higher inter-assay reproducibility and better specificity, and could effectively detect human Metrnl in six types of blood samples. Subsequent analysis was performed using the DY7867-05 kit. Sample storage conditions were investigated. No gender difference in circulating Metrnl levels was found, while people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) had significantly lower Metrnl levels compared to the healthy controls.

Noise Annoyance Produced by Commercial Vehicles Transit on Rumble Strips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaiton, Haron; Khairulzan, Yahya; Nadirah, Darus; Nordiana, Mashros; Azril, Hezmi Muhammad; Samah Rosiah, Abu; Mutalif, Abdul Hameed Abdul; Asyraf, Norudin Wan Mohammad; Habab, Abd Halil Muhammad; Zanariah, Jahya; Hanifi, Othman Mohd

2018-03-01

This paper reports on research examining the extent of noise annoyance affecting residents within the vicinity of installation of two types of transverse rumble strips (TRS), namely Middle Overlapped (MO) and Multilayer Overlapping (MLO). In order to assess the noise annoyance in the area, measurements were taken at 7.5m from centre of road with TRS installation using single vehicle test to determine the extent of changes of sound level indices and sound spectrum. Two light and two medium weight commercial vehicles were used. Indicators LAeq, LAFmax, LAImax, LAIeq, and LASmax were used to determine impulsivity that led to noise annoyance. The results showed that, at 30 km/h, all commercial vehicles considered in this study that transited on MO produced impulsive noise, while only light commercial vehicles caused noise annoyance when they transited on MLO. The research also analysed the extent of low-frequency noise and found a significant low-frequency component, which indicated that noise annoyance might arise from the hitting of MO and MLO by the commercial vehicles. For night-time related annoyance, it was suggested that an additional weighting factor could be added to the average A-weighted value during night-time.

Technical Note: Characterization of custom 3D printed multimodality imaging phantoms.

PubMed

Bieniosek, Matthew F; Lee, Brian J; Levin, Craig S

2015-10-01

Imaging phantoms are important tools for researchers and technicians, but they can be costly and difficult to customize. Three dimensional (3D) printing is a widely available rapid prototyping technique that enables the fabrication of objects with 3D computer generated geometries. It is ideal for quickly producing customized, low cost, multimodal, reusable imaging phantoms. This work validates the use of 3D printed phantoms by comparing CT and PET scans of a 3D printed phantom and a commercial "Micro Deluxe" phantom. This report also presents results from a customized 3D printed PET/MRI phantom, and a customized high resolution imaging phantom with sub-mm features. CT and PET scans of a 3D printed phantom and a commercial Micro Deluxe (Data Spectrum Corporation, USA) phantom with 1.2, 1.6, 2.4, 3.2, 4.0, and 4.8 mm diameter hot rods were acquired. The measured PET and CT rod sizes, activities, and attenuation coefficients were compared. A PET/MRI scan of a custom 3D printed phantom with hot and cold rods was performed, with photon attenuation and normalization measurements performed with a separate 3D printed normalization phantom. X-ray transmission scans of a customized two level high resolution 3D printed phantom with sub-mm features were also performed. Results show very good agreement between commercial and 3D printed micro deluxe phantoms with less than 3% difference in CT measured rod diameter, less than 5% difference in PET measured rod diameter, and a maximum of 6.2% difference in average rod activity from a 10 min, 333 kBq/ml (9 μCi/ml) Siemens Inveon (Siemens Healthcare, Germany) PET scan. In all cases, these differences were within the measurement uncertainties of our setups. PET/MRI scans successfully identified 3D printed hot and cold rods on PET and MRI modalities. X-ray projection images of a 3D printed high resolution phantom identified features as small as 350 μm wide. This work shows that 3D printed phantoms can be functionally equivalent to commercially available phantoms. They are a viable option for quickly distributing and fabricating low cost, customized phantoms.

Use of Commercially Available Oral Rehydration Solutions in Lima, Peru

PubMed Central

Pantenburg, Birte; Ochoa, Theresa J.; Ecker, Lucie; Ruiz, Joaquim

2012-01-01

Caregivers' practices concerning oral rehydration of young children during diarrheal illness were investigated in a periurban community of low socioeconomic level in Lima, Peru. Data of 330 caregivers of children aged 6–36 months were analyzed; 72.7% of all caregivers would give commercially available oral rehydration solutions (ORSs). However, only 58.6% of those caregivers with children that had experienced diarrhea during the previous week stated that they had used commercially available ORSs, a significantly lower percentage. The main reason for not using commercially available ORSs was that caregivers did not know about them. Of all recipes caregivers provided for homemade ORS, none contained the recommended concentrations of sugar and salt. Educating caregivers about availability, benefits, and use of commercially available ORSs as well as correct preparation of homemade ORS is urgently needed. PMID:22665594

Policy Considerations for Commercializing Natural Gas and Biomass CCUS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abrahams, L.; Clavin, C.

2017-12-01

Captured CO2 from power generation has been discussed as an opportunity to improve the environmental sustainability of fossil fuel-based electricity generation and likely necessary technological solution necessary for meeting long-term climate change mitigation goals. In our presentation, we review the findings of a study of natural gas CCUS technology research and development and discuss their applications to biomass CCUS technology potential. Based on interviews conducted with key stakeholders in CCUS technology development and operations, this presentation will discuss these technical and economic challenges and potential policy opportunities to support commercial scale CCUS deployment. In current domestic and electricity and oil markets, CCUS faces economic challenges for commercial deployment. In particular, the economic viability of CCUS has been impacted by the sustained low oil prices that have limited the potential for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) to serve as a near-term utilization opportunity for the captured CO2. In addition, large scale commercial adoption of CCUS is constrained by regulatory inconsistencies and uncertainties across the United States, high initial capital costs, achieving familiarity with new technology applications to existing markets, developing a successful performance track record to acquire financing agreements, and competing against well-established incumbent technologies. CCUS also has additional technical hurdles for measurement, verification, and reporting within states that have existing policy and regulatory frameworks for climate change mitigation. In addition to fossil-fuel based CCUS, we will discuss emerging opportunities to utilize CCUS fueled by gasified biomass resulting in carbon negative power generation with expanded economic opportunities associated with the enhanced carbon sequestration. Successful technology development of CCUS technology requires a portfolio of research leading to technical advances, advances in financial instruments to leverage the benefits of multiple commodity markets (e.g. natural gas, oil, biomass), and policy instruments that address regulatory hurdles posed CCUS technology deployment.

Effects of Ocean Acidification on Temperate Coastal Marine Ecosystems and Fisheries in the Northeast Pacific

PubMed Central

Haigh, Rowan; Ianson, Debby; Holt, Carrie A.; Neate, Holly E.; Edwards, Andrew M.

2015-01-01

As the oceans absorb anthropogenic CO2 they become more acidic, a problem termed ocean acidification (OA). Since this increase in CO2 is occurring rapidly, OA may have profound implications for marine ecosystems. In the temperate northeast Pacific, fisheries play key economic and cultural roles and provide significant employment, especially in rural areas. In British Columbia (BC), sport (recreational) fishing generates more income than commercial fishing (including the expanding aquaculture industry). Salmon (fished recreationally and farmed) and Pacific Halibut are responsible for the majority of fishery-related income. This region naturally has relatively acidic (low pH) waters due to ocean circulation, and so may be particularly vulnerable to OA. We have analyzed available data to provide a current description of the marine ecosystem, focusing on vertical distributions of commercially harvested groups in BC in the context of local carbon and pH conditions. We then evaluated the potential impact of OA on this temperate marine system using currently available studies. Our results highlight significant knowledge gaps. Above trophic levels 2–3 (where most local fishery-income is generated), little is known about the direct impact of OA, and more importantly about the combined impact of multi-stressors, like temperature, that are also changing as our climate changes. There is evidence that OA may have indirect negative impacts on finfish through changes at lower trophic levels and in habitats. In particular, OA may lead to increased fish-killing algal blooms that can affect the lucrative salmon aquaculture industry. On the other hand, some species of locally farmed shellfish have been well-studied and exhibit significant negative direct impacts associated with OA, especially at the larval stage. We summarize the direct and indirect impacts of OA on all groups of marine organisms in this region and provide conclusions, ordered by immediacy and certainty. PMID:25671596

Effects of ocean acidification on temperate coastal marine ecosystems and fisheries in the northeast Pacific.

PubMed

Haigh, Rowan; Ianson, Debby; Holt, Carrie A; Neate, Holly E; Edwards, Andrew M

2015-01-01

As the oceans absorb anthropogenic CO2 they become more acidic, a problem termed ocean acidification (OA). Since this increase in CO2 is occurring rapidly, OA may have profound implications for marine ecosystems. In the temperate northeast Pacific, fisheries play key economic and cultural roles and provide significant employment, especially in rural areas. In British Columbia (BC), sport (recreational) fishing generates more income than commercial fishing (including the expanding aquaculture industry). Salmon (fished recreationally and farmed) and Pacific Halibut are responsible for the majority of fishery-related income. This region naturally has relatively acidic (low pH) waters due to ocean circulation, and so may be particularly vulnerable to OA. We have analyzed available data to provide a current description of the marine ecosystem, focusing on vertical distributions of commercially harvested groups in BC in the context of local carbon and pH conditions. We then evaluated the potential impact of OA on this temperate marine system using currently available studies. Our results highlight significant knowledge gaps. Above trophic levels 2-3 (where most local fishery-income is generated), little is known about the direct impact of OA, and more importantly about the combined impact of multi-stressors, like temperature, that are also changing as our climate changes. There is evidence that OA may have indirect negative impacts on finfish through changes at lower trophic levels and in habitats. In particular, OA may lead to increased fish-killing algal blooms that can affect the lucrative salmon aquaculture industry. On the other hand, some species of locally farmed shellfish have been well-studied and exhibit significant negative direct impacts associated with OA, especially at the larval stage. We summarize the direct and indirect impacts of OA on all groups of marine organisms in this region and provide conclusions, ordered by immediacy and certainty.

Nano-imprint lithography using poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS) polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ting, Yung-Chiang; Shy, Shyi-Long

2016-04-01

Nano-imprinting lithography (NIL) technology, as one of the most promising fabrication technologies, has been demonstrated to be a powerful tool for large-area replication up to wafer-level, with features down to nanometer scale. The cost of resists used for NIL is important for wafer-level large-area replication. This study aims to develop capabilities in patterning larger area structure using thermal NIL. The commercial available Poly (Methyl Methacrylate) (PMMA) and Polystyrene (PS) polymers possess a variety of characteristics desirable for NIL, such as low material cost, low bulkvolumetric shrinkage, high spin coating thickness uniformity, high process stability, and acceptable dry-etch resistance. PMMA materials have been utilized for positive electron beam lithography for many years, offering high resolution capability and wide process latitude. In addition, it is preferable to have a negative resist like PMMA, which is a simple polymer with low cost and practically unlimited shelf life, and can be dissolved easily using commercial available Propylene glycol methyl ether acetate (PGMEA) safer solvent to give the preferred film thickness. PS is such a resist, as it undergoes crosslinking when exposed to deep UV light or an electron beam and can be used for NIL. The result is a cost effective patterning larger area structure using thermal nano-imprint lithography (NIL) by using commercial available PMMA and PS ploymers as NIL resists.

Catalytic Combustion for Ultra-Low NOx Hydrogen Turbines

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

Etemad, Shahrokh; Baird, Benjamin; Alavandi, Sandeep

2011-06-30

Precision Combustion, Inc., (PCI) in close collaboration with Solar Turbines, Incorporated, has developed and demonstrated a combustion system for hydrogen fueled turbines that reduces NOx to low single digit level while maintaining or improving current levels of efficiency and eliminating emissions of carbon dioxide. Full scale Rich Catalytic Hydrogen (RCH1) injector was developed and successfully tested at Solar Turbines, Incorporated high pressure test facility demonstrating low single digit NOx emissions for hydrogen fuel in the range of 2200F-2750F. This development work was based on initial subscale development for faster turnaround and reduced cost. Subscale testing provided promising results for 42%more » and 52% H2 with NOx emissions of less than 2 ppm with improved flame stability. In addition, catalytic reactor element testing for substrate oxidation, thermal cyclic injector testing to simulate start-stop operation in a gas turbine environment, and steady state 15 atm. operation testing were performed successfully. The testing demonstrated stable and robust catalytic element component life for gas turbine conditions. The benefit of the catalytic hydrogen combustor technology includes capability of delivering near-zero NOx without costly post-combustion controls and without requirement for added sulfur control. In addition, reduced acoustics increase gas turbine component life. These advantages advances Department of Energy (DOE’s) objectives for achievement of low single digit NOx emissions, improvement in efficiency vs. postcombustion controls, fuel flexibility, a significant net reduction in Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) system net capital and operating costs, and a route to commercialization across the power generation field from micro turbines to industrial and utility turbines.« less

Are there fewer complications with third generation endografts in endovascular aneurysm repair?

PubMed

Jayia, P; Constantinou, J; Morgan-Rowe, L; Schroeder, T V; Lonn, L; Ivancev, K

2013-02-01

Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is widely accepted as a safe technique for treatment of aortic diseases since the concept was first pioneered by Volodos in 1986 and Parodi in 1991. Numerous registries have shown that this minimally invasive technique is associated with lower mortality when compared to open surgery in short and mid-term follow-up. The first pioneer devices had a high failure rate due to stent migration. This led to the creation of the first generation stent-grafts, which were associated with complications such as thrombosis of the limbs, graft migration and major endoleaks. The majority of these endostents are now withdrawn from the commercial market. However, these patients need lifelong surveillance because of a considerable risk of late complications. The materials used in the stent-graft vary with each manufacturer. Low porous fabric, suprarenal fixation and low profile devices led to the development of the second generation stent-grafts. The improvements with regards to the delivery systems, enabled reposition of the top-stent following deployment in some devices. The number of devices commercially available increased with the second generation. The third generation of stent-grafts, allowed treatment of complex aortic disease. Custom made solutions incorporate small openings, fenestrations for vessels involved in the aneurysmal disease and is already built in today's technology and available as CE marked devices. The device can be built with combinations of various branches and fenestrations in order to best accommodate the aortic anatomy of the patient. However, many issues remain with the development of this technology. There is a need for durable systems with less complicated deployment mechanics in order to be applied and more widespread. In conclusion, the third generation endografts in challenging anatomy has yielded encouraging results. With regards to short and midterm outcome and need for secondary interventions, evaluations shows comparable results with all devices performing well.

Hold the Pickle!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lupi, Marsha Mead

1979-01-01

The article illustrates the use of commercial jingles as high interest, low-level reading and language arts materials for primary age mildly retarded students. It is pointed out that jingles can be used in teaching initial consonants, vocabulary words, and arithmetic concepts. (SBH)

A review and overview of nuclear waste management

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

Murray, R.L.

1984-12-31

An understanding of the status and issues in the management of radioactive wastes is based on technical information on radioactivity, radiation, biological hazard of radiation exposure, radiation standards, and methods of protection. The fission process gives rise to radioactive fission products and neutron bombardment gives activation products. Radioactive wastes are classified according to source: defense, commercial, industrial, and institutional; and according to physical features: uranium mill tailings, high-level, transuranic, and low-level. The nuclear fuel cycle, which contributes a large fraction of annual radioactive waste, starts with uranium ore, includes nuclear reactor use for electrical power generation, and ends with ultimatemore » disposal of residues. The relation of spent fuel storage and reprocessing is governed by technical, economic, and political considerations. Waste has been successfully solidified in glass and other forms and choices of the containers for the waste form are available. Methods of disposal of high-level waste that have been investigated are transmutation by neutron bombardment, shipment to Antartica, deep-hole insertion, subseabed placement, transfer by rocket to an orbit in space, and disposal in a mined cavity. The latter is the favored method. The choices of host geological media are salt, basalt, tuff, and granite.« less

Characterization of Next Generation Commercial Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering Substrates with a 633- and 785-nm System

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-01

Characterization of Next Generation Commercial Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering Substrates with a 633- and 785-nm System by Mikella E...Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering Substrates with a 633- and 785-nm System Mikella E. Farrell, Dimitra N. Stratis-Cullum, and Paul M. Pellegrino...DATES COVERED (From - To) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Characterization of Next Generation Commercial Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering Substrates with a

Optimal Solar PV Arrays Integration for Distributed Generation

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

Omitaomu, Olufemi A; Li, Xueping

2012-01-01

Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems hold great potential for distributed energy generation by installing PV panels on rooftops of residential and commercial buildings. Yet challenges arise along with the variability and non-dispatchability of the PV systems that affect the stability of the grid and the economics of the PV system. This paper investigates the integration of PV arrays for distributed generation applications by identifying a combination of buildings that will maximize solar energy output and minimize system variability. Particularly, we propose mean-variance optimization models to choose suitable rooftops for PV integration based on Markowitz mean-variance portfolio selection model. We further introducemore » quantity and cardinality constraints to result in a mixed integer quadratic programming problem. Case studies based on real data are presented. An efficient frontier is obtained for sample data that allows decision makers to choose a desired solar energy generation level with a comfortable variability tolerance level. Sensitivity analysis is conducted to show the tradeoffs between solar PV energy generation potential and variability.« less

Carnitine deficiency presenting with a decreased mental state in a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis receiving long-term tube feeding: a case report.

PubMed

Isse, Naohi; Miura, Yoh; Obata, Toshiyuki; Takahara, Noriko

2013-12-30

L-carnitine is an important metabolic mediator involved in fatty acid transport. It is obtained from the diet, particularly from animal products, such as red meat. Previous reports have revealed that long-term tube feeding with a commercial product containing no or low levels of carnitine can lead to an altered mental state caused by hyperammonemia. A 72-year-old Japanese man had a 12-year history of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He was bedridden and had required mechanical ventilation and enteral tube feeding for 10 years at home. His main enteral solution was a commercial product that contained low carnitine levels, and he sometimes received coffee and homemade products such as miso soup. Our patient's ability to communicate gradually deteriorated over a period of one year. His serum total carnitine level was abnormally low, at 26.7μmol/L (normal range, 45 to 91μmol/L), but his ammonium level was normal. His mental state improved dramatically after starting L-carnitine supplementation (600mg twice daily). This case highlights the importance of avoiding carnitine deficiency in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis undergoing long-term tube feeding. These patients experience progressive muscle atrophy that might cause impaired carnitine storage and might manifest as communication difficulties. Carnitine deficiency can be misdiagnosed as a progression of systemic muscle atrophy. Clinicians should be aware of this disorder and should consider periodically measuring carnitine levels, regardless of the patient's serum ammonium levels.

Reanalyses of Gulf of Mexico fisheries data: landings can be misleading in assessments of fisheries and fisheries ecosystems.

PubMed

de Mutsert, Kim; Cowan, James H; Essington, Timothy E; Hilborn, Ray

2008-02-19

We used two high profile articles as cases to demonstrate that use of fishery landings data can lead to faulty interpretations about the condition of fishery ecosystems. One case uses the mean trophic level index and its changes, and the other uses estimates of fishery collapses. In earlier analyses by other authors, marine ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) and U.S. Atlantic Ocean south of Chesapeake Bay were deemed to be severely overfished and the food webs badly deteriorated using these criteria. In our reanalyses, the low mean trophic level index for the GOM actually resulted from large catches of two groups of low trophic level species, menhaden and shrimp, and the mean trophic level was slowly increasing rather than decreasing. Commercial targeting and high landings of shrimps and menhaden, especially in the GOM, drove the index as previously calculated. Reanalyses of fishery collapses incorporating criteria that included targeting, variability in fishing effort, and market forces discovered many false cases of collapse based simply upon a decline of catches to 10% of previous maximum levels. Consequently, we suggest that the low mean trophic level index calculated in the earlier article for the GOM did not reflect the overall condition of the fishery ecosystem, and that the 10% rule for collapse should not be interpreted out of context in the GOM or elsewhere. In both cases, problems lay in the assumption that commercial landings data alone adequately reflect the fish populations and communities.

Consumer acceptability of low-sugar watermelon sweetened with non-calorie sweetener by a Native American community.

PubMed

Collins, Julie K; Davis, Angela R; Adams, Arin; Manness, Niels; Perkins-Veazie, Penelope M

2006-01-01

Watermelons are a good source of lycopene, a carotenoid that exhibits antioxidant activity and may protect against some cancers. However, intake of watermelon may be restricted for individuals who have diabetes or those who limit carbohydrate intake. A low-sugar watermelon was developed at Lane, Oklahoma using traditional plant breeding techniques. The objective of this study was to determine whether the artificially sweetened low-sugar watermelon was acceptable with Native Americans, a group with a high incidence of diabetes. The red flesh from a low-sugar watermelon and a commercial variety of watermelon was removed and cut into cubes. Low and high levels of artificial sweetener were added to the low-sugar watermelon. Students at a Native American school (Grades 1-12) and adults at a Native American Feeding Center were asked to rate how much they liked or disliked the watermelon using a seven-point hedonic scale. Sugar composition, pH, lycopene and other carotenoids were analyzed from samples using established methods. The pH, lycopene, beta-carotene and total carotenoid levels were similar among fruit. Artificially sweetened fruit were rated slightly more acceptable in taste than the commercial control watermelons by both age groups. The low-sugar watermelons were lower in sugar composition but were comparable with conventional melons in all other quality factors and were found acceptable in taste by a broad age group of Native American consumers.

Preparation of Monoclonal Antibodies and a Simple Myeloperoxidase-Immunosorbent Assay for Detecting Human Myeloperoxidase.

PubMed

Bian, Zhi-Ping; Li, Xiong-Zhi; Wu, Heng-Fang; Xu, Jin-Dan; Gu, Chun-Rong; Chen, Xiang-Jian; Yang, Di

2016-04-01

Myeloperoxidase (MPO), a leukocyte hemoprotein released from neutrophils, is thought to be a potential participant in plaque formation and plaque rupture. Therefore, MPO is regarded as an early marker predicting the risk for atherosclerosis, especially for coronary artery disease and acute coronary syndrome. We generated hybridoma clones 1E3 and 3E8 secreting monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific to human MPO. BALB/c mice were immunized with MPO protein purified from human neutrophils. Splenocytes from these mice were fused with the mouse myeloma cell line SP2/0. Based on isotyping of the mAbs, both clones 1E3 and 3E8 were referred to the IgG1 subclass. The specificities of 1E3 and 3E8 were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and only 3E8 was confirmed by western blot. We developed a simple MPO-immunosorbent assay (MPO-ISA) on microplate based on both the immune activity and peroxidase activity of MPO. The mAb secreted by clone 3E8 was chosen as coating antibody to capture the plasma MPO without interfering with the peroxidase activity of MPO. Then, tetramethylbenzidine substrate was added to the microwell directly, catalyzed by captured MPO, and a colored product was formed. The simple MPO-ISA test has a sensitivity of 3.68 ng/mL. The linear concentration of MPO-ISA for commercial MPO standard ranged to 250 ng/mL. The average recovery rate is 101.02%. The imprecision within-day was <10% at three different MPO levels. The imprecision between-day was <10% at low and middle MPO levels and varied to 14.61% at the high MPO level. We found that the established MPO-ISA can detect the plasma MPO from human and cavy, but not from mouse and rat. Compared with the commercial human MPO ELISA assay, the MPO-ISA can be used to detect the natural human MPO protein, but not recombinant MPO polypeptides. The generated mAbs and MPO-ISA test may be useful tools to assess risk for inflammation and cardiac events.

Understanding and Mitigating Tip Leakage and Endwall Losses in High Pressure Ratio Cores

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christophel, Jesse

2015-01-01

Reducing endwall and tip secondary flow losses will be a key enabler for the next generation of commercial and military air transport and will be an improvement on the state-of-the-art in turbine loss reduction strategies. The objective of this research is three-fold: 1) To improve understanding of endwall secondary flow and tip clearance losses 2) To develop novel technologies to mitigate these losses and test them in low-speed cascade and rig environments 3) To validate predictive tools To accomplish these objectives, Pratt & Whitney (P&W) has teamed with Pennsylvania State University (PSU) to experimentally test new features designed by P&W. P&W will create new rim-cavity features to reduce secondary flow loss and improve purge flow cooling effectiveness and new blade tip features to manage leakage flows and reduce tip leakage secondary flow loss. P&W is currently developing technologies in these two areas that expect to be assimilated in the N+2/N+3 generation of commercial engines.

10-fs-level synchronization of photocathode laser with RF-oscillator for ultrafast electron and X-ray sources

PubMed Central

Yang, Heewon; Han, Byungheon; Shin, Junho; Hou, Dong; Chung, Hayun; Baek, In Hyung; Jeong, Young Uk; Kim, Jungwon

2017-01-01

Ultrafast electron-based coherent radiation sources, such as free-electron lasers (FELs), ultrafast electron diffraction (UED) and Thomson-scattering sources, are becoming more important sources in today’s ultrafast science. Photocathode laser is an indispensable common subsystem in these sources that generates ultrafast electron pulses. To fully exploit the potentials of these sources, especially for pump-probe experiments, it is important to achieve high-precision synchronization between the photocathode laser and radio-frequency (RF) sources that manipulate electron pulses. So far, most of precision laser-RF synchronization has been achieved by using specially designed low-noise Er-fibre lasers at telecommunication wavelength. Here we show a modular method that achieves long-term (>1 day) stable 10-fs-level synchronization between a commercial 79.33-MHz Ti:sapphire laser oscillator and an S-band (2.856-GHz) RF oscillator. This is an important first step toward a photocathode laser-based femtosecond RF timing and synchronization system that is suitable for various small- to mid-scale ultrafast X-ray and electron sources. PMID:28067288

10-fs-level synchronization of photocathode laser with RF-oscillator for ultrafast electron and X-ray sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Heewon; Han, Byungheon; Shin, Junho; Hou, Dong; Chung, Hayun; Baek, In Hyung; Jeong, Young Uk; Kim, Jungwon

2017-01-01

Ultrafast electron-based coherent radiation sources, such as free-electron lasers (FELs), ultrafast electron diffraction (UED) and Thomson-scattering sources, are becoming more important sources in today’s ultrafast science. Photocathode laser is an indispensable common subsystem in these sources that generates ultrafast electron pulses. To fully exploit the potentials of these sources, especially for pump-probe experiments, it is important to achieve high-precision synchronization between the photocathode laser and radio-frequency (RF) sources that manipulate electron pulses. So far, most of precision laser-RF synchronization has been achieved by using specially designed low-noise Er-fibre lasers at telecommunication wavelength. Here we show a modular method that achieves long-term (>1 day) stable 10-fs-level synchronization between a commercial 79.33-MHz Ti:sapphire laser oscillator and an S-band (2.856-GHz) RF oscillator. This is an important first step toward a photocathode laser-based femtosecond RF timing and synchronization system that is suitable for various small- to mid-scale ultrafast X-ray and electron sources.

10-fs-level synchronization of photocathode laser with RF-oscillator for ultrafast electron and X-ray sources.

PubMed

Yang, Heewon; Han, Byungheon; Shin, Junho; Hou, Dong; Chung, Hayun; Baek, In Hyung; Jeong, Young Uk; Kim, Jungwon

2017-01-09

Ultrafast electron-based coherent radiation sources, such as free-electron lasers (FELs), ultrafast electron diffraction (UED) and Thomson-scattering sources, are becoming more important sources in today's ultrafast science. Photocathode laser is an indispensable common subsystem in these sources that generates ultrafast electron pulses. To fully exploit the potentials of these sources, especially for pump-probe experiments, it is important to achieve high-precision synchronization between the photocathode laser and radio-frequency (RF) sources that manipulate electron pulses. So far, most of precision laser-RF synchronization has been achieved by using specially designed low-noise Er-fibre lasers at telecommunication wavelength. Here we show a modular method that achieves long-term (>1 day) stable 10-fs-level synchronization between a commercial 79.33-MHz Ti:sapphire laser oscillator and an S-band (2.856-GHz) RF oscillator. This is an important first step toward a photocathode laser-based femtosecond RF timing and synchronization system that is suitable for various small- to mid-scale ultrafast X-ray and electron sources.

Technology Transition a Model for Infusion and Commercialization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McMillan, Vernotto C.

2006-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has as part of its charter the mission of transferring technologies developed for the space program into the private sector for the purpose of affording back to the American people the economical and improved quality of life benefits associated with the technologies developed. In recent years considerable effort has been made to use this program for not only transitioning technologies out of the NASA Mission Directorate Programs, but also to transfer technologies into the Mission Directorate Programs and leverage the impact of government and private sector innovation. The objective of this paper is to outline an approach and the creation of a model that brings together industry, government, and commercialization strategies. When these elements are integrated, the probability of successful technology development, technology infusion into the Mission Programs, and commercialization into the private sector is increased. This model primarily addresses technology readiness levels between TRL 3 and TRL 6. This is typically a gap area known as the valley of death. This gap area is too low for commercial entities to invest heavily and not developed enough for major programs to actively pursue. This model has shown promise for increasing the probably of TRL advancement to an acceptable level for NASA programs and/or commercial entities to afford large investments toward either commercialization or infusion.

World's Cheapest Readout Electronics for Kinetic Inductance Detector by Using RedPitaya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomita, N.; Jeong, H.; Choi, J.; Ishitsuka, H.; Mima, S.; Nagasaki, T.; Oguri, S.; Tajima, O.

2016-07-01

The kinetic inductance detector (KID) is a cutting-edge superconducting detector. The number of KID developers is growing. Most of them have switched from their previous study to superconducting technologies. Therefore, infrastructures for the fabrication of KIDs and cooling systems for their tests have already been established. However, readout electronics have to be newly prepared. Neither a commercial system nor low-cost standard electronics are available despite various attempts to create a standard one. We suggest the use of RedPitaya as readout electronics for the initial step of KID development, which is low cost (≈ 400 USD) and easy to set up. The RedPitaya consists of an all-programmable FPGA-CPU module and a dual-channel 14 bit DAC (ADC) to generate (measure) fast analog signals with 125 MSpS. Each port can be synchronized in-phase or quadrature-phase, and functions for generating and sampling analog signal are prepared. It is straightforward to construct vector network analyzer-like logic by using a combination of these default functions. Up-conversion and down-conversion of its frequency range are also possible by using commercial equipment, i.e., mixers, couplers, and a local oscillator. We implemented direct down-conversion logic on the RedPitaya, and successfully demonstrated KID signal measurements.

Final environmental impact statement. Management of commercially generated radioactive waste. Volume 1 of 3

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

Not Available

1980-10-01

This EIS analyzes the significant environmental impacts that could occur if various technologies for management and disposal of high-level and transuranic wastes from commercial nuclear power reactors were to be developed and implemented. This EIS will serve as the environmental input for the decision on which technology, or technologies, will be emphasized in further research and development activities in the commercial waste management program. The action proposed in this EIS is to (1) adopt a national strategy to develop mined geologic repositories for disposal of commercially generated high-level and transuranic radioactive waste (while continuing to examine subseabed and very deepmore » hole disposal as potential backup technologies) and (2) conduct a R and D program to develop such facilities and the necessary technology to ensure the safe long-term containment and isolation of these wastes. The Department has considered in this statement: development of conventionally mined deep geologic repositories for disposal of spent fuel from nuclear power reactors and/or radioactive fuel reprocessing wastes; balanced development of several alternative disposal methods; and no waste disposal action. This EIS reflects the public review of and comments offered on the draft statement. Included are descriptions of the characteristics of nuclear waste, the alternative disposal methods under consideration, and potential environmental impacts and costs of implementing these methods. Because of the programmatic nature of this document and the preliminary nature of certain design elements assumed in assessing the environmental consequences of the various alternatives, this study has been based on generic, rather than specific, systems. At such time as specific facilities are identified for particular sites, statements addressing site-specific aspects will be prepared for public review and comment.« less

Polycrystalline silicon study: Low-cost silicon refining technology prospects and semiconductor-grade polycrystalline silicon availability through 1988

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Costogue, E. N.; Ferber, R.; Lutwack, R.; Lorenz, J. H.; Pellin, R.

1984-01-01

Photovoltaic arrays that convert solar energy into electrical energy can become a cost effective bulk energy generation alternative, provided that an adequate supply of low cost materials is available. One of the key requirements for economic photovoltaic cells is reasonably priced silicon. At present, the photovoltaic industry is dependent upon polycrystalline silicon refined by the Siemens process primarily for integrated circuits, power devices, and discrete semiconductor devices. This dependency is expected to continue until the DOE sponsored low cost silicon refining technology developments have matured to the point where they are in commercial use. The photovoltaic industry can then develop its own source of supply. Silicon material availability and market pricing projections through 1988 are updated based on data collected early in 1984. The silicon refining industry plans to meet the increasing demands of the semiconductor device and photovoltaic product industries are overviewed. In addition, the DOE sponsored technology research for producing low cost polycrystalline silicon, probabilistic cost analysis for the two most promising production processes for achieving the DOE cost goals, and the impacts of the DOE photovoltaics program silicon refining research upon the commercial polycrystalline silicon refining industry are addressed.

Evaluation of analysis techniques for low frequency interior noise and vibration of commercial aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landmann, A. E.; Tillema, H. F.; Marshall, S. E.

1989-01-01

The application of selected analysis techniques to low frequency cabin noise associated with advanced propeller engine installations is evaluated. Three design analysis techniques were chosen for evaluation including finite element analysis, statistical energy analysis (SEA), and a power flow method using element of SEA (computer program Propeller Aircraft Interior Noise). An overview of the three procedures is provided. Data from tests of a 727 airplane (modified to accept a propeller engine) were used to compare with predictions. Comparisons of predicted and measured levels at the end of the first year's effort showed reasonable agreement leading to the conclusion that each technique had value for propeller engine noise predictions on large commercial transports. However, variations in agreement were large enough to remain cautious and to lead to recommendations for further work with each technique. Assessment of the second year's results leads to the conclusion that the selected techniques can accurately predict trends and can be useful to a designer, but that absolute level predictions remain unreliable due to complexity of the aircraft structure and low modal densities.

The impact of nutrient density in terms of energy and/or protein on live performance, metabolism and carcass composition of female and male broiler chickens of two commercial broiler strains.

PubMed

Delezie, E; Bruggeman, V; Swennen, Q; Decuypere, E; Huyghebaert, G

2010-08-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of diet composition on performance, slaughter yield and plasma metabolites, as different modern broiler strains show different responses to feed intake. Broilers of two commercial strains and of both sexes received one of three diets being different in energy and/or protein level [control diet, low energy/low protein diet (LM/LP) and low protein diet (LP)]. Low energy/low protein diet chickens were characterized by significantly lower body weights and feed intake compared with their LP and control counterparts. Broilers of the Cobb strain or broilers that were fed the control diet were most efficient in converting energy to body weight. No significant differences in plasma metabolites were detected due to diet composition or genotype. The diet with the lower energy and crude protein levels reached the lowest slaughter yield but the highest drumstick and wing percentages. The lowest mortality percentages were observed for broilers fed the LM/LP diet, and Cobb birds appeared to be more sensitive for metabolic disorders resulting in death. It is obvious from this study that different genotypes respond differently to changes in diet composition and therefore have adjusted nutritional requirements.

Molecular Definition of Vaginal Microbiota in East African Commercial Sex Workers ▿ †

PubMed Central

Schellenberg, John J.; Links, Matthew G.; Hill, Janet E.; Dumonceaux, Tim J.; Kimani, Joshua; Jaoko, Walter; Wachihi, Charles; Mungai, Jane Njeri; Peters, Geoffrey A.; Tyler, Shaun; Graham, Morag; Severini, Alberto; Fowke, Keith R.; Ball, T. Blake; Plummer, Francis A.

2011-01-01

Resistance to HIV infection in a cohort of commercial sex workers living in Nairobi, Kenya, is linked to mucosal and antiinflammatory factors that may be influenced by the vaginal microbiota. Since bacterial vaginosis (BV), a polymicrobial dysbiosis characterized by low levels of protective Lactobacillus organisms, is an established risk factor for HIV infection, we investigated whether vaginal microbiology was associated with HIV-exposed seronegative (HESN) or HIV-seropositive (HIV+) status in this cohort. A subset of 44 individuals was selected for deep-sequencing analysis based on the chaperonin 60 (cpn60) universal target (UT), including HESN individuals (n = 16), other HIV-seronegative controls (HIV-N, n = 16), and HIV+ individuals (n = 12). Our findings indicate exceptionally high phylogenetic resolution of the cpn60 UT using reads as short as 200 bp, with 54 species in 29 genera detected in this group. Contrary to our initial hypothesis, few differences between HESN and HIV-N women were observed. Several HIV+ women had distinct profiles dominated by Escherichia coli. The deep-sequencing phylogenetic profile of the vaginal microbiota corresponds closely to BV+ and BV− diagnoses by microscopy, elucidating BV at the molecular level. A cluster of samples with intermediate abundance of Lactobacillus and dominant Gardnerella was identified, defining a distinct BV phenotype that may represent a transitional stage between BV+ and BV−. Several alpha- and betaproteobacteria, including the recently described species Variovorax paradoxus, were found to correlate positively with increased Lactobacillus levels that define the BV− (“normal”) phenotype. We conclude that cpn60 UT is ideally suited to next-generation sequencing technologies for further investigation of microbial community dynamics and mucosal immunity underlying HIV resistance in this cohort. PMID:21531840

Electrical performance analysis and economic evaluation of combined biomass cook stove thermoelectric (BITE) generator.

PubMed

Lertsatitthanakorn, C

2007-05-01

The use of biomass cook stoves is widespread in the domestic sector of developing countries, but the stoves are not efficient. To advance the versatility of the cook stove, we investigated the feasibility of adding a commercial thermoelectric (TE) module made of bismuth-telluride based materials to the stove's side wall, thereby creating a thermoelectric generator system that utilizes a proportion of the stove's waste heat. The system, a biomass cook stove thermoelectric generator (BITE), consists of a commercial TE module (Taihuaxing model TEP1-1264-3.4), a metal sheet wall which acts as one side of the stove's structure and serves as the hot side of the TE module, and a rectangular fin heat sink at the cold side of the TE module. An experimental set-up was built to evaluate the conversion efficiency at various temperature ranges. The experimental set-up revealed that the electrical power output and the conversion efficiency depended on the temperature difference between the cold and hot sides of the TE module. At a temperature difference of approximately 150 degrees C, the unit achieved a power output of 2.4W. The conversion efficiency of 3.2% was enough to drive a low power incandescent light bulb or a small portable radio. A theoretical model approximated the power output at low temperature ranges. An economic analysis indicated that the payback period tends to be very short when compared with the cost of the same power supplied by batteries. Therefore, the generator design formulated here could be used in the domestic sector. The system is not intended to compete with primary power sources but serves adequately as an emergency or backup source of power.

Easy synthesis of bismuth iron oxide nanoparticles as photocatalyst for solar hydrogen generation from water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Jinyi

In this study, high purity bismuth iron oxide (BiFeO3/BFO) nanoparticles of size 50-80 nm have been successfully synthesized by a simple sol-gel method using urea and polyvinyl alcohol at low temperature. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement is used to optimize the synthetic process to get highly crystalline and pure phase material. Diffuse reflectance ultraviolet-visible (DRUV-Vis) spectrum indicates that the absorption cut-off wavelength of the nanoparticles is about 620 nm, corresponding to an energy band gap of 2.1 eV. Compared to BaTiO3, BFO has a better degradation of methyl orange under light radiation. Also, photocatalytic tests prove this material to be efficient towards water splitting under simulated solar light to generate hydrogen. The simple synthetic methodology adopted in this paper will be useful in developing low-cost semiconductor materials as effective photocatalysts for hydrogen generation. Photocatalytic tests followed by gas chromatography (GC) analyses show that BiFeO3 generates three times more hydrogen than commercial titania P25 catalyst under the same experimental conditions.

Assessing the validity of commercial and municipal food environment data sets in Vancouver, Canada.

PubMed

Daepp, Madeleine Ig; Black, Jennifer

2017-10-01

The present study assessed systematic bias and the effects of data set error on the validity of food environment measures in two municipal and two commercial secondary data sets. Sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV) and concordance were calculated by comparing two municipal and two commercial secondary data sets with ground-truthed data collected within 800 m buffers surrounding twenty-six schools. Logistic regression examined associations of sensitivity and PPV with commercial density and neighbourhood socio-economic deprivation. Kendall's τ estimated correlations between density and proximity of food outlets near schools constructed with secondary data sets v. ground-truthed data. Vancouver, Canada. Food retailers located within 800 m of twenty-six schools RESULTS: All data sets scored relatively poorly across validity measures, although, overall, municipal data sets had higher levels of validity than did commercial data sets. Food outlets were more likely to be missing from municipal health inspections lists and commercial data sets in neighbourhoods with higher commercial density. Still, both proximity and density measures constructed from all secondary data sets were highly correlated (Kendall's τ>0·70) with measures constructed from ground-truthed data. Despite relatively low levels of validity in all secondary data sets examined, food environment measures constructed from secondary data sets remained highly correlated with ground-truthed data. Findings suggest that secondary data sets can be used to measure the food environment, although estimates should be treated with caution in areas with high commercial density.

Micromechanisms of Monotonic and Cyclic Subcritical Crack Growth in Advanced High Melting Point Low-Ductility Intermetallics

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-01

next generation of hk,- s-performance jet engines will require markedly stiffer materials, operating at higher stress levels anw. :apable of...the crack tip, and fatigue-crack propagation is observed at stress -intensity levels as low as 6 MPa&m, far below those required to initiate cracking...The next generation of high-performance jet engines will require markedly stiffer materials, operating at higher stress levels and capable of

The domestication of the probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus acidophilus

PubMed Central

Bull, Matthew J.; Jolley, Keith A.; Bray, James E.; Aerts, Maarten; Vandamme, Peter; Maiden, Martin C. J.; Marchesi, Julian R.; Mahenthiralingam, Eshwar

2014-01-01

Lactobacillus acidophilus is a Gram-positive lactic acid bacterium that has had widespread historical use in the dairy industry and more recently as a probiotic. Although L. acidophilus has been designated as safe for human consumption, increasing commercial regulation and clinical demands for probiotic validation has resulted in a need to understand its genetic diversity. By drawing on large, well-characterised collections of lactic acid bacteria, we examined L. acidophilus isolates spanning 92 years and including multiple strains in current commercial use. Analysis of the whole genome sequence data set (34 isolate genomes) demonstrated L. acidophilus was a low diversity, monophyletic species with commercial isolates essentially identical at the sequence level. Our results indicate that commercial use has domesticated L. acidophilus with genetically stable, invariant strains being consumed globally by the human population. PMID:25425319

The domestication of the probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus acidophilus.

PubMed

Bull, Matthew J; Jolley, Keith A; Bray, James E; Aerts, Maarten; Vandamme, Peter; Maiden, Martin C J; Marchesi, Julian R; Mahenthiralingam, Eshwar

2014-11-26

Lactobacillus acidophilus is a Gram-positive lactic acid bacterium that has had widespread historical use in the dairy industry and more recently as a probiotic. Although L. acidophilus has been designated as safe for human consumption, increasing commercial regulation and clinical demands for probiotic validation has resulted in a need to understand its genetic diversity. By drawing on large, well-characterised collections of lactic acid bacteria, we examined L. acidophilus isolates spanning 92 years and including multiple strains in current commercial use. Analysis of the whole genome sequence data set (34 isolate genomes) demonstrated L. acidophilus was a low diversity, monophyletic species with commercial isolates essentially identical at the sequence level. Our results indicate that commercial use has domesticated L. acidophilus with genetically stable, invariant strains being consumed globally by the human population.

Electromagnetic Fields Associated with Commercial Solar Photovoltaic Electric Power Generating Facilities.

PubMed

Tell, R A; Hooper, H C; Sias, G G; Mezei, G; Hung, P; Kavet, R

2015-01-01

The southwest region of the United States is expected to experience an expansion of commercial solar photovoltaic generation facilities over the next 25 years. A solar facility converts direct current generated by the solar panels to three-phase 60-Hz power that is fed to the grid. This conversion involves sequential processing of the direct current through an inverter that produces low-voltage three-phase power, which is stepped up to distribution voltage (∼12 kV) through a transformer. This study characterized magnetic and electric fields between the frequencies of 0 Hz and 3 GHz at two facilities operated by the Southern California Edison Company in Porterville, CA and San Bernardino, CA. Static magnetic fields were very small compared to exposure limits established by IEEE and ICNIRP. The highest 60-Hz magnetic fields were measured adjacent to transformers and inverters, and radiofrequency fields from 5-100 kHz were associated with the inverters. The fields measured complied in every case with IEEE controlled and ICNIRP occupational exposure limits. In all cases, electric fields were negligible compared to IEEE and ICNIRP limits across the spectrum measured and when compared to the FCC limits (≥0.3 MHz).

Comparison of DNA extraction methods used to detect bacterial and yeast DNA from spiked whole blood by real-time PCR.

PubMed

Dalla-Costa, Libera M; Morello, Luis G; Conte, Danieli; Pereira, Luciane A; Palmeiro, Jussara K; Ambrosio, Altair; Cardozo, Dayane; Krieger, Marco A; Raboni, Sonia M

2017-09-01

Sepsis is the leading cause of death in intensive care units (ICUs) worldwide and its diagnosis remains a challenge. Blood culturing is the gold standard technique for blood stream infection (BSI) identification. Molecular tests to detect pathogens in whole blood enable early use of antimicrobials and affect clinical outcomes. Here, using real-time PCR, we evaluated DNA extraction using seven manual and three automated commercially available systems with whole blood samples artificially contaminated with Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans, microorganisms commonly associated with BSI. Overall, the commercial kits evaluated presented several technical limitations including long turnaround time and low DNA yield and purity. The performance of the kits was comparable for detection of high microorganism loads (10 6 CFU/mL). However, the detection of lower concentrations was variable, despite the addition of pre-processing treatment to kits without such steps. Of the evaluated kits, the UMD-Universal CE IVD kit generated a higher quantity of DNA with greater nucleic acid purity and afforded the detection of the lowest microbial load in the samples. The inclusion of pre-processing steps with the kit seems to be critical for the detection of microorganism DNA directly from whole blood. In conclusion, future application of molecular techniques will require overcoming major challenges such as the detection of low levels of microorganism nucleic acids amidst the large quantity of human DNA present in samples or differences in the cellular structures of etiological agents that can also prevent high-quality DNA yields. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fabrication of interdigitated high-performance zinc oxide nanowire modified electrodes for glucose sensing.

PubMed

Haarindraprasad, R; Hashim, Uda; Gopinath, Subash C B; Perumal, Veeradasan; Liu, Wei-Wen; Balakrishnan, S R

2016-06-21

Diabetes is a metabolic disease with a prolonged elevated level of glucose in the blood leads to long-term complications and increases the chances for cardiovascular diseases. The present study describes the fabrication of a ZnO nanowire (NW)-modified interdigitated electrode (IDE) to monitor the level of blood glucose. A silver IDE was generated by wet etching-assisted conventional lithography, with a gap between adjacent electrodes of 98.80 μm. The ZnO-based thin films and NWs were amended by sol-gel and hydrothermal routes. High-quality crystalline and c-axis orientated ZnO thin films were observed by XRD analyses. The ZnO thin film was annealed for 1, 3 and 5 h, yielding a good-quality crystallite with sizes of 50, 100 and 110 nm, and the band gaps were measured as 3.26, 3.20 and 3.17 eV, respectively. Furthermore, a flower-modeled NW was obtained with the lowest diameter of 21 nm. Our designed ZnO NW-modified IDE was shown to have a detection limit as low as 0.03 mg/dL (correlation coefficient = 0.98952) of glucose with a low response time of 3 s, perform better than commercial glucose meter, suitable to instantly monitor the glucose level of diabetes patients. This study demonstrated the high performance of NW-mediated IDEs for glucose sensing as alternative to current glucose sensors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Aquila launch service for small satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whittinghill, George R.; McKinney, Bevin C.

1992-07-01

The Aquila launch vehicle is described emphasizing its use in the deployment of small satellites for the commercial sector. The Aquila is designed to use a guidance, navigation, and control system, and the rocket is based on hybrid propulsion incorporating a liquid oxidizer with a solid polybutadiene fuel. The launch vehicle for the system is a ground-launched four-stage vehicle that can deliver 3,200 lbs of payload into a 185-km circular orbit at 90-deg inclination. Aquila avionics include inertial navigation, radar transponder, and an S-band telemetry transmitter. The payload environment minimizes in-flight acoustic levels, and the launch-ascent profile is characterized by low acceleration. The launch vehicle uses low-cost rocket motors, a high-performance LO(x) feed system, and erector launch capability which contribute to efficient launches for commercial payloads for low polar earth orbits.

Perceived affordability of health insurance and medical financial burdens five years in to Massachusetts health reform.

PubMed

Zallman, Leah; Nardin, Rachel; Sayah, Assaad; McCormick, Danny

2015-10-29

Under the Massachusetts health reform, low income residents (those with incomes below 150 % of the Federal Poverty Level [FPL]) were eligible for Medicaid and health insurance exchange-based plans with minimal cost-sharing and no premiums. Those with slightly higher incomes (150 %-300 % FPL) were eligible for exchange-based plans that required cost-sharing and premium payments. We conducted face to face surveys in four languages with a convenience sample of 976 patients seeking care at three hospital emergency departments five years after Massachusetts reform. We compared perceived affordability of insurance, financial burden, and satisfaction among low cost sharing plan recipients (recipients of Medicaid and insurance exchange-based plans with minimal cost-sharing and no premiums), high cost sharing plan recipients (recipients of exchange-based plans that required cost-sharing and premium payments) and the commercially insured. We found that despite having higher incomes, higher cost-sharing plan recipients were less satisfied with their insurance plans and perceived more difficulty affording their insurance than those with low cost-sharing plans. Higher cost-sharing plan recipients also reported more difficulty affording medical and non-medical health care as well as insurance premiums than those with commercial insurance. In contrast, patients with low cost-sharing public plans reported higher plan satisfaction and less financial concern than the commercially insured. Policy makers with responsibility for the benefit design of public insurance available under health care reforms in the U.S. should calibrate cost-sharing to income level so as to minimize difficulty affording care and financial burdens.

Avenues and incentives for commercial use of a low-gravity environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, R. L.; Zoller, L. K.

1981-01-01

The scientific and commercial utilization of the low-g environments for materials research and for process and product development is considered. Any products of commercial interest which necessitate processing in space will probably be low volume, high value items. To encourage the commercialization of materials processing in low-g, NASA, in parallel with establishing and demonstrating the scientific/technological precepts for analyzing and using a low-g environment, is establishing the legal and management mechanisms to share in the cost and risk of early commercial ventures, and is now working with commercial firms on a case-by basis to explore applications of this new technology to specific needs of the company.

Use of Advanced Solar Cells for Commercial Communication Satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, Sheila G.; Landis, Geoffrey A.

1995-01-01

The current generation of communications satellites are located primarily in geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO). Over the next decade, however, a new generation of communications satellites will be built and launched, designed to provide a world-wide interconnection of portable telephones. For this mission, the satellites must be positioned in lower polar and near-polar orbits. To provide complete coverage, large numbers of satellites will be required. Because the required number of satellites decreases as the orbital altitude is increased, fewer satellites would be required if the orbit chosen were raised from low to intermediate orbit. However, in intermediate orbits, satellites encounter significant radiation due to trapped electrons and protons. Radiation tolerant solar cells may be necessary to make such satellites feasible. We analyze the amount of radiation encountered in low and intermediate polar orbits at altitudes of interest to next-generation communication satellites, calculate the expected degradation for silicon, GaAs, and InP solar cells, and show that the lifetimes can be significantly increased by use of advanced solar cells.

Ultralow-phase-noise millimetre-wave signal generator assisted with an electro-optics-modulator-based optical frequency comb

PubMed Central

Ishizawa, A.; Nishikawa, T.; Goto, T.; Hitachi, K.; Sogawa, T.; Gotoh, H.

2016-01-01

Low-noise millimetre-wave signals are valuable for digital sampling systems, arbitrary waveform generation for ultra-wideband communications, and coherent radar systems. However, the phase noise of widely used conventional signal generators (SGs) will increase as the millimetre-wave frequency increases. Our goal has been to improve commercially available SGs so that they provide a low-phase-noise millimetre-wave signal with assistance from an electro-optics-modulator-based optical frequency comb (EOM-OFC). Here, we show that the phase noise can be greatly reduced by bridging the vast frequency difference between the gigahertz and terahertz ranges with an EOM-OFC. The EOM-OFC serves as a liaison that magnifies the phase noise of the SG. With the EOM-OFC used as a phase noise “booster” for a millimetre-wave signal, the phase noise of widely used SGs can be reduced at an arbitrary frequency f (6 ≦ f ≦ 72 GHz). PMID:27185040

Use of advanced solar cells for commercial communication satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bailey, Sheila G.; Landis, Geoffrey A.

1995-03-01

The current generation of communications satellites are located primarily in geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO). Over the next decade, however, a new generation of communications satellites will be built and launched, designed to provide a world-wide interconnection of portable telephones. For this mission, the satellites must be positioned in lower polar and near-polar orbits. To provide complete coverage, large numbers of satellites will be required. Because the required number of satellites decreases as the orbital altitude is increased, fewer satellites would be required if the orbit chosen were raised from low to intermediate orbit. However, in intermediate orbits, satellites encounter significant radiation due to trapped electrons and protons. Radiation tolerant solar cells may be necessary to make such satellites feasible. We analyze the amount of radiation encountered in low and intermediate polar orbits at altitudes of interest to next-generation communication satellites, calculate the expected degradation for silicon, GaAs, and InP solar cells, and show that the lifetimes can be significantly increased by use of advanced solar cells.

Vortex-flow aerodynamics - An emerging design capability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, J. F.

1981-01-01

Promising current theoretical and simulational developments in the field of leading edge vortex-generating delta, arrow ogival wings are reported, along with the history of theory and experiment leading to them. The effects of wing slenderness, leading edge nose radius, Mach number and incidence variations, and planform on the onset of vortex generation and redistribution of aerodynamic loads are considered. The range of design possibilities in this field are consequential for the future development of strategic aircraft, supersonic transports and commercial cargo aircraft which will possess low-speed, high-lift capability by virtue of leading edge vortex generation and control without recourse to heavy and expensive leading edge high-lift devices and compound airfoils. Attention is given to interactive graphics simulation devices recently developed.

An in-home study of subjective response to simulated sonic booms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccurdy, David A.; Brown, Sherilyn A.; Hilliard, R. David

1994-01-01

The proposed development of a second-generation supersonic commercial transport has resulted in increased research efforts to provide an environmentally acceptable aircraft. One of the environmental issues is the impact of sonic booms on people. Aircraft designers are attempting to design the transport to produce sonic boom signatures that will have minimum impact on the public. Current supersonic commercial aircraft produce an 'N-wave' sonic boom pressure signature that is considered unacceptable by the public. This has resulted in first-generation supersonic transports being banned from flying supersonically over land in the United States, a severe economic constraint. By tailoring aircraft volume and lift distributions, designers hope to produce sonic boom signatures having specific shapes other than 'N-wave' that may be more acceptable to the public and could possibly permit overland supersonic flight. As part of the effort to develop a second-generation supersonic commercial transport, Langley Research Center is conducting research to study people's subjective response to sonic booms. As part of that research, a system was developed for performing studies of the subjective response of people to the occurrence of simulated sonic booms in their homes. The In-Home Noise Generation/Response System (IHONORS) provides a degree of situational realism not available in the laboratory and a degree of control over the noise exposure not found in community surveys. The computer-controlled audio system generates the simulated sonic booms, measures the noise levels, and records the subjects' rating and can be placed and operated in individuals' homes for extended periods of time. The system was used to conduct an in-home study of subjective response to simulated sonic booms. The primary objective of the study was to determine the effect on annoyance of the number of sonic boom occurrences in a realistic environment.

Towards personalized smart wheelchairs: Lessons learned from discovery interviews.

PubMed

Padir, Taşkin

2015-01-01

We posit that it is necessary to investigate the personalization of smart wheelchairs in three aspects interfaces for interaction, controllers for action (top-level, middle-level, and low-level), and feedback in interaction. Our team has been selected as an Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Team by the National Science Foundation to pursue customer discovery research to explore the commercial viability of smart wheelchairs. Through the process, our team has performed more than 110 interviews with powered wheelchair users, manufacturers, therapists, policy makers, and non-profit organization staff. Our findings revealed that the acceptability of fully autonomous systems by the users is still challenging and highly-dependent on the severity of the disability. Furthermore, the cost, ease-of-use and personalization are the most important factors in commercializing smart wheelchair technologies.

Advanced energy system program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trester, K.

1987-06-01

The ogjectives are to design, develop, and demonstrate a natural-gas-fueled, highly recuperated, 50 kw Brayton-cycle cogeneration system for commercial, institutional, and multifamily residential applications. Recent marketing studies have shown that the Advanced Energy System (AES), with its many cost-effective features, has the potential to offer significant reductions in annual electrical and thermal energy costs to the consumer. Specific advantates of the system that result in low cost ownership are high electrical efficiency (34 percent, LHV), low maintenance, high reliability and long life (20 years). Significant technical features include: an integral turbogenerator with shaft-speed permanent magnet generator; a rotating assembly supported by compliant foil air bearings; a formed-tubesheet plate/fin recuperator with 91 percent effectiveness; and a bi-directional power conditioner to ultilize the generator for system startup. The planned introduction of catalytic combustion will further enhance the economic and ecological attractiveness.

Electrically, chemically, and photonically powered torsional and tensile actuation of hybrid carbon nanotube yarn muscles.

PubMed

Lima, Márcio D; Li, Na; Jung de Andrade, Mônica; Fang, Shaoli; Oh, Jiyoung; Spinks, Geoffrey M; Kozlov, Mikhail E; Haines, Carter S; Suh, Dongseok; Foroughi, Javad; Kim, Seon Jeong; Chen, Yongsheng; Ware, Taylor; Shin, Min Kyoon; Machado, Leonardo D; Fonseca, Alexandre F; Madden, John D W; Voit, Walter E; Galvão, Douglas S; Baughman, Ray H

2012-11-16

Artificial muscles are of practical interest, but few types have been commercially exploited. Typical problems include slow response, low strain and force generation, short cycle life, use of electrolytes, and low energy efficiency. We have designed guest-filled, twist-spun carbon nanotube yarns as electrolyte-free muscles that provide fast, high-force, large-stroke torsional and tensile actuation. More than a million torsional and tensile actuation cycles are demonstrated, wherein a muscle spins a rotor at an average 11,500 revolutions/minute or delivers 3% tensile contraction at 1200 cycles/minute. Electrical, chemical, or photonic excitation of hybrid yarns changes guest dimensions and generates torsional rotation and contraction of the yarn host. Demonstrations include torsional motors, contractile muscles, and sensors that capture the energy of the sensing process to mechanically actuate.

Electrically, Chemically, and Photonically Powered Torsional and Tensile Actuation of Hybrid Carbon Nanotube Yarn Muscles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lima, Márcio D.; Li, Na; Jung de Andrade, Mônica; Fang, Shaoli; Oh, Jiyoung; Spinks, Geoffrey M.; Kozlov, Mikhail E.; Haines, Carter S.; Suh, Dongseok; Foroughi, Javad; Kim, Seon Jeong; Chen, Yongsheng; Ware, Taylor; Shin, Min Kyoon; Machado, Leonardo D.; Fonseca, Alexandre F.; Madden, John D. W.; Voit, Walter E.; Galvão, Douglas S.; Baughman, Ray H.

2012-11-01

Artificial muscles are of practical interest, but few types have been commercially exploited. Typical problems include slow response, low strain and force generation, short cycle life, use of electrolytes, and low energy efficiency. We have designed guest-filled, twist-spun carbon nanotube yarns as electrolyte-free muscles that provide fast, high-force, large-stroke torsional and tensile actuation. More than a million torsional and tensile actuation cycles are demonstrated, wherein a muscle spins a rotor at an average 11,500 revolutions/minute or delivers 3% tensile contraction at 1200 cycles/minute. Electrical, chemical, or photonic excitation of hybrid yarns changes guest dimensions and generates torsional rotation and contraction of the yarn host. Demonstrations include torsional motors, contractile muscles, and sensors that capture the energy of the sensing process to mechanically actuate.

Low-dose gamma irradiation following hot water immersion of papaya (Carica papaya linn.) fruits provides additional control of postharvest fungal infection to extend shelf life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rashid, M. H. A.; Grout, B. W. W.; Continella, A.; Mahmud, T. M. M.

2015-05-01

Low-dose gamma irradiation (0.08 kGy over 10 min), a level significantly below that required to satisfy the majority of international quarantine regulations, has been employed to provide a significant reduction in visible fungal infection on papaya fruit surfaces. This is appropriate for local and national markets in producer countries where levels of commercial acceptability can be retained despite surface lesions due to fungal infection. Irradiation alone and in combination with hot-water immersion (50 °C for 10 min) has been applied to papaya (Carica papaya L.) fruits at both the mature green and 1/3 yellow stages of maturity. The incidence and severity of surface fungal infections, including anthracnose, were significantly reduced by the combined treatment compared to irradiation or hot water treatment alone, extending storage at 11 °C by 13 days and retaining commercial acceptability. The combined treatment had no significant, negative impact on ripening, with quality characteristics such as surface and internal colour change, firmness, soluble solids, acidity and vitamin C maintained at acceptable levels.

Occurrence of aflatoxins in oilseeds providing cocoa-butter substitutes.

PubMed Central

Kershaw, S J

1982-01-01

Four oilseeds providing cocoa-butter substitutes--shea, pentadecima, illipe, and salseed--when tested as substrates for aflatoxin production by two strains of Aspergillus parasiticus, gave varying levels of aflatoxin. Aflatoxins were found at low levels occurring naturally in moldy shea-nuts, but none of 21 commercial shea-nut samples contained greater than 20 micrograms of aflatoxin B1 per kg. PMID:6808919

Occurrence of aflatoxins in oilseeds providing cocoa-butter substitutes.

PubMed

Kershaw, S J

1982-05-01

Four oilseeds providing cocoa-butter substitutes--shea, pentadecima, illipe, and salseed--when tested as substrates for aflatoxin production by two strains of Aspergillus parasiticus, gave varying levels of aflatoxin. Aflatoxins were found at low levels occurring naturally in moldy shea-nuts, but none of 21 commercial shea-nut samples contained greater than 20 micrograms of aflatoxin B1 per kg.

KSC-2012-4404

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-08-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Florida's Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll, left, and NASA Commercial Crew Program Manager Ed Mango shake hands at the National Space Club Florida Committee's August luncheon at the Radisson Resort at the Port in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Mango was the event's guest speaker, discussing the innovative steps the agency is taking with industry partners to develop the next U.S. space transportation capability to and from low Earth orbit, which will eventually be available for use by the U.S. government and other commercial customers. To learn more about the Commercial Crew Program, visit www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew. Photo credit: Kim Shiflett NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is leading the 20-year life-extension project for the crawler. A pair of behemoth machines called crawler-transporters has carried the load of taking rockets and spacecraft to the launch pad for more than 40 years at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each weighing six and a half million pounds and larger in size than a professional baseball infield, the crawler-transporters are powered by locomotive and large electrical power generator engines. The crawler-transporters will stand ready to keep up the work for the next generation of launch vehicles to lift astronauts into space. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

A multi-channel tunable source for atomic sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bigelow, Matthew S.; Roberts, Tony D.; McNeil, Shirley A.; Hawthorne, Todd; Battle, Phil

2015-09-01

We have designed and completed initial testing on a laser source suitable for atomic interferometry from compact, robust, integrated components. Our design is enabled by capitalizing on robust, well-commercialized, low-noise telecom components with high reliability and declining costs which will help to drive the widespread deployment of this system. The key innovation is the combination of current telecom-based fiber laser and modulator technology with periodicallypoled waveguide technology to produce tunable laser light at rubidium D1 and D2 wavelengths (and expandable to other alkalis) using second harmonic generation (SHG). Unlike direct-diode sources, this source is immune to feedback at the Rb line eliminating the need for bulky high-power isolators in the system. In addition, the source has GHz-level frequency agility and in our experiments was found to only be limited by the agility of our RF generator. As a proof-of principle, the source was scanned through the Doppler-broadened Rb D2 absorption line. With this technology, multiple channels can be independently tuned to produce the fields needed for addressing atomic states in atom interferometers and clocks. Thus, this technology could be useful in the development cold-atom inertial sensors and gyroscopes.

2nd Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle Potential Commercial Development Scenarios

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Creech, Stephen D.; Rogacki, John R. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The presentation will discuss potential commercial development scenarios for a Second Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle. The analysis of potential scenarios will include commercial rates of return, government return on investment, and market considerations. The presentation will include policy considerations in addition to analysis of Second Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle economics. The data discussed is being developed as a part of NASA's Second Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle Program, for consideration as potential scenarios for enabling a next generation system. Material will include potential scenarios not previously considered by NASA or presented at other conferences. Candidate paper has not been presented at a previous meeting, and conference attendance of the author has been approved by NASA.

Technology Being Developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory: Ultra-Low- Emission Combustion Technologies for Heat and Power Generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, Robert K.

2001-01-01

The Combustion Technologies Group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has developed simple, low-cost, yet robust combustion technologies that may change the fundamental design concept of burners for boilers and furnaces, and injectors for gas turbine combustors. The new technologies utilize lean premixed combustion and could bring about significant pollution reductions from commercial and industrial combustion processes and may also improve efficiency. The technologies are spinoffs of two fundamental research projects: An inner-ring burner insert for lean flame stabilization developed for NASA- sponsored reduced-gravity combustion experiments. A low-swirl burner developed for Department of Energy Basic Energy Sciences research on turbulent combustion.

Notepad-like triboelectric generator for efficiently harvesting low-velocity motion energy by interconversion between kinetic energy and elastic potential energy.

PubMed

Liu, Guanlin; Leng, Qiang; Lian, Jiawei; Guo, Hengyu; Yi, Xi; Hu, Chenguo

2015-01-21

Great attention has been paid to nanogenerators that harvest energy from ambient environments lately. In order to give considerable output current, most nanogenerators require high-velocity motion that in most cases can hardly be provided in our daily life. Here we report a notepad-like triboelectric generator (NTEG), which uses simple notepad-like structure to generate elastic deformation so as to turn a low-velocity kinetic energy into high-velocity kinetic energy through the conversion of elastic potential energy. Therefore, the NTEG can achieve high current output under low-velocity motion, which completely distinguishes it from tribogenerators previously reported. The factors that may affect the output performance are explored, including the number of slices, active length of slice, press speed, and vertical displacement. In addition, the working mechanism is systematically studied, indicating that the efficiency of the generator can be greatly enhanced by interconversion between kinetic energy and elastic potential energy. The short-circuit current, the open-circuit voltage, and power density are 205 μA and 470 V and 9.86 W/m(2), respectively, which is powerful enough to light up hundreds of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and charge a commercial capacitor. Besides, NTEGs have been successfully applied to a self-powered door monitor.

10 CFR 62.12 - Contents of a request for emergency access: General information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... EMERGENCY ACCESS TO NON-FEDERAL AND REGIONAL LOW-LEVEL WASTE DISPOSAL FACILITIES Request for a Commission... the person(s) or company(ies) generating the low-level radioactive waste for which the determination...) Certification that the radioactive waste for which emergency access is requested is low-level radioactive waste...

30 CFR 1206.352 - How do I calculate the royalty due on geothermal resources used for commercial production or...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... geothermal resources used for commercial production or generation of electricity? 1206.352 Section 1206.352... geothermal resources used for commercial production or generation of electricity? (a) If you sold geothermal... electricity, then the royalty on the geothermal resources is the gross proceeds accruing to you from the sale...

Development of molten carbonate fuel cell technology at M-C Power Corporation

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

Dilger, D.

1996-04-01

M-C Power Corporation was founded in 1987 with the mission to further develop and subsequently commercialize molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC). The technology chosen for commercialization was initially developed by the Institute of Gas technology (IGT). At the center of this MCFC technology is the Internally Manifolded Heat EXchange (IMHEX) separator plate design. The IMHEX technology design provides several functions within one component assembly. These functions include integrating the gas manifold structure into the fuel cell stack, separating the fuel gas stream from the oxidant gas stream, providing the required electrical contact between cells to achieve desired power output, andmore » removing excess heat generated in the electrochemical process. Development of this MCFC technology from lab-scale sizes too a commercial area size of 1m{sup 2} has focused our efforts an demonstrating feasibility and evolutionary progress. The development effort will culminate in a proof-of-concept- 250kW power plant demonstration in 1996. The remainder of our commercialization program focuses upon lowering the costs associated with the MCFC power plant system in low production volumes.« less

Comparison of Low-Value Care in Medicaid vs Commercially Insured Populations.

PubMed

Charlesworth, Christina J; Meath, Thomas H A; Schwartz, Aaron L; McConnell, K John

2016-07-01

Reducing unnecessary tests and treatments is a potentially promising approach for improving the value of health care. However, relatively little is known about whether insurance type or local practice patterns are associated with delivery of low-value care. To compare low-value care in the Medicaid and commercially insured populations, test whether provision of low-value care is associated with insurance type, and assess whether local practice patterns are associated with the provision of low-value care. This cross-sectional study of claims data from the Oregon Division of Medical Assistance Programs and the Oregon All-Payer All-Claims database included Medicaid and commercially insured adults aged 18 to 64 years. The study period was January 1, 2013, through December 31, 2013. Low-value care was assessed using 16 claims-based measures. Logistic regression was used to test the association between Medicaid vs commercial insurance coverage and low-value care and the association between Medicaid and commercial low-value care rates within primary care service areas (PCSAs). This study included 286 769 Medicaid and 1 376 308 commercial enrollees in 2013. Medicaid enrollees were younger (167 847 [58.5%] of Medicaid enrollees were aged 18-34 years vs 505 628 [36.7%] of those with commercial insurance) but generally had worse health status compared with those with commercial insurance. Medicaid enrollees were also more likely to be female (180 363 [62.9%] vs 702 165 [51.0%]) and live in a rural area (120 232 [41.9%] vs 389 964 [28.3%]). A total of 10 304 of 69 338 qualifying Medicaid patients (14.9%; 95% CI, 14.6%-15.1%) received at least 1 low-value service during 2013; the corresponding rate for commercially insured patients was 35 739 of 314 023 (11.4%; 95% CI, 11.3%-11.5%). No consistent association was found between insurance type and low-value care. Compared with commercial patients, Medicaid patients were more likely to receive low-value care for 10 measures and less likely to receive low-value care for 5 others. For 7 of 11 low-value care measures, Medicaid patients were significantly more likely to receive low-value care if they resided in a PCSA with a higher rate of low-value care for commercial patients. Oregon Medicaid and commercially insured patients received moderate amounts of low-value care in 2013. No consistent association was found between insurance type and low-value care. However, Medicaid and commercial rates of low-value care were associated with one another within PCSAs. Low-value care may be more closely related to local practice patterns than to reimbursement generosity or insurance benefit structures.

Time series GHG emission estimates for residential, commercial, agriculture and fisheries sectors in India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohan, Riya Rachel

2018-04-01

Green House Gas (GHG) emissions are the major cause of global warming and climate change. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the main GHG emitted through human activities, at the household level, by burning fuels for cooking and lighting. As per the 2006 methodology of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the energy sector is divided into various sectors like electricity generation, transport, fugitive, 'other' sectors, etc. The 'other' sectors under energy include residential, commercial, agriculture and fisheries. Time series GHG emission estimates were prepared for the residential, commercial, agriculture and fisheries sectors in India, for the time period 2005 to 2014, to understand the historical emission changes in 'other' sector. Sectoral activity data, with respect to fuel consumption, were collected from various ministry reports like Indian Petroleum and Natural Gas Statistics, Energy Statistics, etc. The default emission factor(s) from IPCC 2006 were used to calculate the emissions for each activity and sector-wise CO2, CH4, N2O and CO2e emissions were compiled. It was observed that the residential sector generates the highest GHG emissions, followed by the agriculture/fisheries and commercial sector. In the residential sector, LPG, kerosene, and fuelwood are the major contributors of emissions, whereas diesel is the main contributor to the commercial, agriculture and fisheries sectors. CO2e emissions have been observed to rise at a cumulative annual growth rate of 0.6%, 9.11%, 7.94% and 5.26% for the residential, commercial, agriculture and fisheries sectors, respectively. In addition to the above, a comparative study of the sectoral inventories from the national inventories, published by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, for 2007 and 2010 was also performed.

78 FR 59729 - Final Comparative Environmental Evaluation of Alternatives for Handling Low-Level Radioactive...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-27

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2012-0218] Final Comparative Environmental Evaluation of... Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing the Final Comparative Environmental Evaluation of Alternatives for... commercial nuclear power plants (NPPs). This comparative environmental evaluation has been conducted...

Commercial Nuclear Steam-Electric Power Plants, Part II

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shore, Ferdinand J.

1974-01-01

Presents the pros and cons of nuclear power systems. Includes a discussion of the institutional status of the AEC, AEC regulatory record, routine low-level radiation hazards, transport of radioactive materials, storage of wastes, and uranium resources and economics of supply. (GS)

The challenges encountered in the integration of an early test wafer surface scanning inspection system into a 450mm manufacturing line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jeffrey; McGarvey, Steve

2013-04-01

The introduction of early test wafer (ETW) 450mm Surface Scanning Inspection Systems (SSIS) into Si manufacturing has brought with it numerous technical, commercial, and logistical challenges on the path to rapid recipe development and subsequent qualification of other 450mm wafer processing equipment. This paper will explore the feasibility of eliminating the Polystyrene Latex Sphere deposition process step and the subsequent creation of SSIS recipes based upon the theoretical optical properties of both the SSIS and the process film stack(s). The process of Polystyrene Latex Sphere deposition for SSIS recipe generation and development is generally accepted on the previous technology nodes for 150/200/300mm wafers. PSL is deposited with a commercially available deposition system onto a non-patterned bare Si or non-patterned filmed Si wafer. After deposition of multiple PSL spots, located in different positions on a wafer, the wafer is inspected on a SSIS and a response curve is generated. The response curve is based on the the light scattering intensity of the NIST certified PSL that was deposited on the wafer. As the initial 450mm Si wafer manufacturing began, there were no inspection systems with sub-90nm sensitivities available for defect and haze level verification. The introduction of a 450mm sub-30nm inspection system into the manufacturing line generated instant challenges. Whereas the 450mm wafers were relatively defect free at 90nm, at 40nm the wafers contained several hundred thousand defects. When PSL was deposited onto wafers with these kinds of defect levels, PSL with signals less than the sub-90nm defects were difficult to extract. As the defectivity level of the wafers from the Si suppliers rapidly improves the challenges of SSIS recipe creation with high defectivity decreases while at the same time the cost of PSL deposition increases. The current cost per wafer is fifteen thousand dollars for a 450mm PSL deposition service. When viewed from the standpoint of the generations of hundreds of SSIS recipes for the global member companies of ISMI, it is simply not economically viable to create all recipes based on PSL based light scattering response curves. This paper will explore the challenges/end results encountered with the PSL based SSIS recipe generation and compare those against the challenges/end results of SSIS recipes generated based strictly upon theoretical Bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) light scattering modeling. The BRDF modeling will allow for the creation of SSIS recipes without PSL deposition, which is greatly appealing for a multitude of both technical and commercial considerations. This paper will also explore the technical challenges of SSIS recipe generation based strictly upon BRDF modeling.

Cerium oxide-triggered 'one-to-many' catalytic cycling strategy for in situ amplified electronic signal of low-abundance protein.

PubMed

Tang, Juan; Chen, Xian; Zhou, Jun; Li, Qunfang; Chen, Guonan; Tang, Dianping

2013-08-07

Multifunctionalized thionine-modified cerium oxide (Thi-CeO2) nanostructures with redox ability and catalytic activity were designed as the bionanolabels for in situ amplified electronic signal of low-abundance protein (carcinoembryonic antigen, CEA, used as a model) based on a cerium oxide-triggered 'one-to-many' catalytic cycling strategy. Initially, the carried CeO2 nanoparticles autocatalytically hydrolyzed the phosphate ester bond of l-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate (AAP) to produce a new reactant (l-ascorbic acid, AA), then the generated AA was electrochemically oxidized by the assembled thionine on the Thi-CeO2, and the resultant product was then reduced back to AA by the added tris(2-carboxyethy)phosphine (TCEP). The catalytic cycling could be re-triggered by the thionine and TCEP, resulting in amplification of the electrochemical signal. Under the optimized conditions, the electrochemical immunosensor exhibited a wide linear range of 0.1 pg mL(-1) to 80 ng mL(-1) with a low detection limit of 0.08 pg mL(-1) CEA at the 3σblank level. In addition, the methodology was evaluated for the analysis of clinical serum samples, and was in good accordance with values obtained using the commercialized enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method.

Business analysis: The commercial mission of the International Asteroid Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

The mission of the International Asteroid Mission (IAM) is providing asteroidal resources to support activities in space. The short term goal is to initiate IAM by mining a near-Earth, hydrous carbonaceous chondrite asteroid to service the nearer-term market of providing cryogenic rocket fuel in low lunar orbit (LLO). The IAM will develop and contract for the building of the transportation vehicles and equipment necessary for this undertaking. The long-term goal is to expand operations by exploiting asteroids in other manners, as these options become commercially viable. The primary business issues are what revenue can be generated from the baseline mission, how much will the mission cost, and how funding for this mission can be raised. These issues are addressed.

The E3 combustors: Status and challenges. [energy efficient turbofan engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sokolowski, D. E.; Rohde, J. E.

1981-01-01

The design, fabrication, and initial testing of energy efficient engine combustors, developed for the next generation of turbofan engines for commercial aircraft, are described. The combustor designs utilize an annular configuration with two zone combustion for low emissions, advanced liners for improved durability, and short, curved-wall, dump prediffusers for compactness. Advanced cooling techniques and segmented construction characterize the advanced liners. Linear segments are made from castable, turbine-type materials.

Use of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory tungsten-188/rhenium-188 generator for preparation of the rhenium-188 HDD/lipiodol complex for trans-arterial liver cancer therapy

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

Jeong, J M; Knapp Jr, Russ F

2008-01-01

This work describes the installation, use, and quality control (QC) of the alumina-based tungsten-188 ({sup 188}W)/rhenium-188 ({sup 188}Re) generators provided by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). In addition, methods used for concentration of the {sup 188}Re-perrhenate bolus and preparation of {sup 188}Re-labeled HDD (4-hexadecyl-2,2,9,9-tetramethyl-4,7-diaza-1,10-decanethiol) for trans-arterial administration for therapy of nonresectable liver cancer also are described. The {sup 188}W/{sup 188}Re generator has a long useful shelf-life of several months and is a convenient on-site {sup 188}Re production system. {sup 188}Re has excellent therapeutic and imaging properties (T{sub 1/2} 16.9 hours; E{sub {beta}max} 2.12 MeV; 155-keV gamma ray, 15%) andmore » is cost effectively obtained on demand by saline elution of the generator. The clinical efficacy of a variety of {sup 188}Re-labeled agents has been demonstrated for several therapeutic applications. Because of the favorable physical properties of {sup 188}Re, several {sup 188}Re-labeled agents are being developed and evaluated for the treatment of nonresectable/refractory liver cancer. {sup 188}Re-labeled HDD has been the most widely studied of these agents for this application and has been introduced into clinical trials at a number of institutions. The trans-arterial administration of {sup 188}Re-labeled agents for treatment of inoperable liver cancer requires use of high-level (1-2 Ci) {sup 188}W/{sup 188}Re generators. The handling of such high levels of {sup 188}Re imposes radiological precautions normally not encountered in a radiopharmacy and adequate care and ALARA (i.e., 'As Low As Reasonably Achievable') principles must be followed. The ORNL generator provides consistently high {sup 188}Re yields (>75%) and low {sup 188}W parent breakthrough (<10{sup -3}%) over an extended shelf-life of several months. However, the high elution volumes (20-40 mL for 1-2 Ci generators) can require concentration of the {sup 188}Re bolus by postelution passage through silver cation chloride trapping columns used in the cost-effective tandem cation/anion column system. The silver column removes the high levels of chloride anion as insoluble AgCl, thus allowing subsequent specific trapping of the perrhenate anion on the small (QMA SeaPak) anion column. This method permits subsequent elution of {sup 188}Re-perrhenate with a small volume of saline, providing a very high activity-concentration solution. Because the {sup 188}Re-specific volume-activity concentration continually decreases with time, the tandem system is especially effective method for extending the useful generator shelf-life. Low elution flow rates (<1 mL/min) minimize any high back pressure which may be encountered during generator/tandem column elution when using tightly packed, small-particle-size commercial columns. In-house preparation of silver cation columns is recommended since the chloride trapping capacity is essentially unlimited, it is inexpensive and not limited in availability to any one supplier, and back pressure can be eliminated by the use of larger particles. Methods for the preparation of {sup 188}Re-HDD have been optimized and this agent can be obtained in high yield (80%).« less

Use of the ORNL Tungsten-188/Rhenium-188 Generator for Preparation of the Rhenium-188 HDD/Lipiodol Complex for Transarterial Liver Cancer Therapy

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

Knapp Jr, Russ F; Jeong, J M

2008-01-01

This work describes the installation, use, and quality control (QC) of the alumina-based tungsten-188 ({sup 188}W)/rhenium-188 ({sup 188}Re) generators provided by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). In addition, methods used for concentration of the {sup 188}Re-perrhenate bolus and preparation of {sup 188}Re-labeled HDD (4-hexadecyl-2,2,9,9-tetramethyl-4,7-diaza-1,10-decanethiol) for trans-arterial administration for therapy of nonresectable liver cancer also are described. The {sup 188}W/{sup 188}Re generator has a long useful shelf-life of several months and is a convenient on-site {sup 188}Re production system. {sup 188}Re has excellent therapeutic and imaging properties (T{sub 1/2} 16.9 hours; E{beta}{sub max} 2.12 MeV; 155-keV gamma ray, 15%) andmore » is cost effectively obtained on demand by saline elution of the generator. The clinical efficacy of a variety of {sup 188}Re-labeled agents has been demonstrated for several therapeutic applications. Because of the favorable physical properties of {sup 188}Re, several {sup 188}Re-labeled agents are being developed and evaluated for the treatment of nonresectable/refractory liver cancer. {sup 188}Re-labeled HDD has been the most widely studied of these agents for this application and has been introduced into clinical trials at a number of institutions. The trans-arterial administration of {sup 188}Re-labeled agents for treatment of inoperable liver cancer requires use of high-level (1-2 Ci) {sup 188}W/{sup 188}Re generators. The handling of such high levels of {sup 188}Re imposes radiological precautions normally not encountered in a radiopharmacy and adequate care and ALARA (ie, 'As Low As Reasonably Achievable') principles must be followed. The ORNL generator provides consistently high {sup 188}Re yields (>75%) and low {sup 188}W parent breakthrough (<10{sup -3}%) over an extended shelf-life of several months. However, the high elution volumes (20-40 mL for 1-2 Ci generators) can require concentration of the {sup 188}Re bolus by postelution passage through silver cation chloride trapping columns used in the cost-effective tandem cation/anion column system. The silver column removes the high levels of chloride anion as insoluble AgCl, thus allowing subsequent specific trapping of the perrhenate anion on the small (QMA SeaPak) anion column. This method permits subsequent elution of {sup 188}Re-perrhenate with a small volume of saline, providing a very high activity-concentration solution. Because the {sup 188}Re-specific volume-activity concentration continually decreases with time, the tandem system is especially effective method for extending the useful generator shelf-life. Low elution flow rates (<1 mL/min) minimize any high back pressure which may be encountered during generator/tandem column elution when using tightly packed, small-particle-size commercial columns. In-house preparation of silver cation columns is recommended since the chloride trapping capacity is essentially unlimited, it is inexpensive and not limited in availability to any one supplier, and back pressure can be eliminated by the use of larger particles. Methods for the preparation of {sup 188}Re-HDD have been optimized and this agent can be obtained in high yield (80%).« less

DISTRIBUTED CONTROL AND DA FOR ATLAS

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

D. SCUDDER; ET AL

1999-05-01

The control system for the Atlas pulsed power generator being built at Los Alamos National Laboratory will utilize a significant level of distributed control. Other principal design characteristics include noise immunity, modularity and use of commercial products wherever possible. The data acquisition system is tightly coordinated with the control system. Both share a common database server and a fiber-optic ethernet communications backbone.

Automated geo/ortho registered aerial imagery product generation using the mapping system interface card (MSIC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bratcher, Tim; Kroutil, Robert; Lanouette, André; Lewis, Paul E.; Miller, David; Shen, Sylvia; Thomas, Mark

2013-05-01

The development concept paper for the MSIC system was first introduced in August 2012 by these authors. This paper describes the final assembly, testing, and commercial availability of the Mapping System Interface Card (MSIC). The 2.3kg MSIC is a self-contained, compact variable configuration, low cost real-time precision metadata annotator with embedded INS/GPS designed specifically for use in small aircraft. The MSIC was specifically designed to convert commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) digital cameras and imaging/non-imaging spectrometers with Camera Link standard data streams into mapping systems for airborne emergency response and scientific remote sensing applications. COTS digital cameras and imaging/non-imaging spectrometers covering the ultraviolet through long-wave infrared wavelengths are important tools now readily available and affordable for use by emergency responders and scientists. The MSIC will significantly enhance the capability of emergency responders and scientists by providing a direct transformation of these important COTS sensor tools into low-cost real-time aerial mapping systems.

Experimental evaluation of a mathematical model for predicting transfer efficiency of a high volume-low pressure air spray gun.

PubMed

Tan, Y M; Flynn, M R

2000-10-01

The transfer efficiency of a spray-painting gun is defined as the amount of coating applied to the workpiece divided by the amount sprayed. Characterizing this transfer process allows for accurate estimation of the overspray generation rate, which is important for determining a spray painter's exposure to airborne contaminants. This study presents an experimental evaluation of a mathematical model for predicting the transfer efficiency of a high volume-low pressure spray gun. The effects of gun-to-surface distance and nozzle pressure on the agreement between the transfer efficiency measurement and prediction were examined. Wind tunnel studies and non-volatile vacuum pump oil in place of commercial paint were used to determine transfer efficiency at nine gun-to-surface distances and four nozzle pressure levels. The mathematical model successfully predicts transfer efficiency within the uncertainty limits. The least squares regression between measured and predicted transfer efficiency has a slope of 0.83 and an intercept of 0.12 (R2 = 0.98). Two correction factors were determined to improve the mathematical model. At higher nozzle pressure settings, 6.5 psig and 5.5 psig, the correction factor is a function of both gun-to-surface distance and nozzle pressure level. At lower nozzle pressures, 4 psig and 2.75 psig, gun-to-surface distance slightly influences the correction factor, while nozzle pressure has no discernible effect.

Computer-generated hologram calculation for real scenes using a commercial portable plenoptic camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Endo, Yutaka; Wakunami, Koki; Shimobaba, Tomoyoshi; Kakue, Takashi; Arai, Daisuke; Ichihashi, Yasuyuki; Yamamoto, Kenji; Ito, Tomoyoshi

2015-12-01

This paper shows the process used to calculate a computer-generated hologram (CGH) for real scenes under natural light using a commercial portable plenoptic camera. In the CGH calculation, a light field captured with the commercial plenoptic camera is converted into a complex amplitude distribution. Then the converted complex amplitude is propagated to a CGH plane. We tested both numerical and optical reconstructions of the CGH and showed that the CGH calculation from captured data with the commercial plenoptic camera was successful.

Atmospheric Radiation Modeling of Galactic Cosmic Rays Using LRO/CRaTER and the EMMREM Model with Comparisons to Balloon and Airline Based Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joyce, C. J.

2016-12-01

The current state of the Sun and solar wind, with uncommonly low densities and weak magnetic fields, has resulted in galactic cosmic ray fluxes that are elevated to levels higher than have ever before been observed in the space age. Given the continuing trend of declining solar activity, it is clear that accurate modeling of GCR radiation is becoming increasingly important in the field of space weather. Such modelling is essential not only in the planning of future manned space missions, but is also important for assessing the radiation risks to airline passengers, particularly given NASA's plans to develop supersonic aircraft that will fly at much higher altitudes than commercial aircraft and thus be more vulnerable to radiation from GCRs. We provide an analysis of the galactic cosmic ray radiation environment of Earth's atmosphere using measurements from the Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) together with the Badhwar-O'Neil model and dose lookup tables generated by the Earth-Moon-Mars Radiation Environment Module (EMMREM). Newly available measurements of atmospheric dose rates from instruments aboard commercial and research aircraft enable evaluation of the accuracy of the model in computing atmospheric dose rates. Additionally, a newly available dataset of balloon-based measurements, including simultaneous balloon launches from California and New Hampshire, provide an additional means of comparison to the model. When compared to the available observations of atmospheric radiation levels, the computed dose rates seem to be sufficiently accurate, falling within recommended radiation uncertainty limits.

Li plating as unwanted side reaction in commercial Li-ion cells - A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waldmann, Thomas; Hogg, Björn-Ingo; Wohlfahrt-Mehrens, Margret

2018-04-01

Deposition of Lithium metal on anodes contributes significantly to ageing of Li-ion cells. Lithium deposition is connected not only to a drastic limitation of life-time, but also to fast-charging capability and safety issues. Lithium deposition in commercial Li-ion cells is not limited to operation conditions at low temperatures. In recent publications various types of commercial cells were investigated using complimentary analysis methods. Five cell types studied in literature (18650, 26650, pouch) serve as a basis for comparison when and why Li deposition happens in commercial Li-ion cells. In the present paper, we reviewed literature on (i) causes, (ii) hints and evidences for Li deposition, (iii) macroscopic morphology of Li deposition/plating, (iv) ageing mechanisms and shapes of capacity fade curves involving Li deposition, and (v) influences of Li deposition on safety. Although often discussed, safety issues regarding Li deposition are not only limited to dendrite growth and internal short circuits, but also to exothermic reactions in the presence of Lithium metal. Furthermore, we tried to connect knowledge from different length scales including the macroscopic level (Li-ion cells, operating conditions, gradients in cells, electrochemical tests, safety tests), the microscopic level (electrodes, particles, microstructure), and the atomic level (atoms, ions, molecules, energy barriers).

Spectral reconstruction of dental X-ray tubes using laplace inverse transform of the attenuation curve

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malezan, A.; Tomal, A.; Antoniassi, M.; Watanabe, P. C. A.; Albino, L. D.; Poletti, M. E.

2015-11-01

In this work, a spectral reconstruction methodology for diagnostic X-ray, using Laplace inverse transform of the attenuation, was successfully applied to dental X-ray equipments. The attenuation curves of 8 commercially available dental X-ray equipment, from 3 different manufactures (Siemens, Gnatus and Dabi Atlante), were obtained by using an ionization chamber and high purity aluminium filters, while the kVp was obtained with a specific meter. A computational routine was implemented in order to adjust a model function, whose inverse Laplace transform is analytically known, to the attenuation curve. This methodology was validated by comparing the reconstructed and the measured (using semiconductor detector of cadmium telluride) spectra of a given dental X-ray unit. The spectral reconstruction showed the Dabi Atlante equipments generating similar shape spectra. This is a desirable feature from clinic standpoint because it produces similar levels of image quality and dose. We observed that equipments from Siemens and Gnatus generate significantly different spectra, suggesting that, for a given operating protocol, these units will present different levels of image quality and dose. This fact claims for the necessity of individualized operating protocols that maximize image quality and dose. The proposed methodology is suitable to perform a spectral reconstruction of dental X-ray equipments from the simple measurements of attenuation curve and kVp. The simplified experimental apparatus and the low level of technical difficulty make this methodology accessible to a broad range of users. The knowledge of the spectral distribution can help in the development of operating protocols that maximize image quality and dose.

The state of genetically modified crop regulation in Canada

PubMed Central

Smyth, Stuart J

2014-01-01

Genetically modified (GM) crops were first commercialized in Canada in 1995 and the 2014 crop represents the 20th year of successful production. Prior to the first commercialization of GM crops, Canada reviewed its existing science-based regulatory framework and adapted the existing framework to allow for risk assessments on the new technology to be undertaken in a timely and efficient manner. The result has been the rapid and widespread adoption of GM varieties of canola, corn and soybeans. The first decade of GM crop production precipitated 2 landmark legal cases relating to patent infringement and economic liability, while the second decade witnessed increased political efforts to have GM crops labeled in Canada as well as significant challenges from the low level comingling of GM crops with non-GM commodities. This article reviews the 20 y of GM crop production in Canada from a social science perspective that includes intellectual property, consumer acceptance and low level presence. PMID:25437238

On evaluation of assessments of accruals of future dismantling costs

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

Labor, Bea; Lindskog, Staffan

A major prerequisite in order for civilian commercial nuclear energy production to qualify as sustainable energy production is that systems for the management of the nuclear waste legacy are in operation. These waste types are present in a range from very low short lived waste (VLLW) to long lived high level waste (HLW) (including the used nuclear fuel). The second prerequisite is that financial responsibilities or other constraints must not be passed on to coming generations. The first condition for qualification corresponds to the Polluters Pays Principle (PPP) which demands that the responsibility for the waste management rests solely withmore » the polluter. The second qualification corresponds to the principle of fairness between generations and thus concerns the appropriate distribution of responsibilities between the generations. It is important to note that these two conditions must be met simultaneously, and that compliance with both is a necessary prerequisite in order for commercial use of nuclear power to qualify as a semi-sustainable energy source. Financial and technical planning for dismantling and decommissioning of nuclear installations cannot be regarded as successful unless it rests upon a distinctive way to describe and explain the well-founded values of different groups of stakeholders. This cumbersome task can be underpinned by transparent and easy to grasp models for calculation and estimation of future environmental liabilities. It essential that a systematic classification is done of all types of costs and that an effort is done to evaluate the precision level in the cost estimates. In this paper, a systematic and transparent way to develop a parametric approach that rest upon basic accounting standards is combined with data about younger stakeholder's values towards decommissioning and dismantling of nuclear installation. The former entity rests upon theoretical and practical methods from business administration, whilst the latter is based on current survey data retrieved from 667 personal interviews in one town in Poland and one town in Slovakia with a near 100 % response rate. The main conclusions from this field study may be summarised as follows: - Sustainable energy sources are prioritised. - Around one quarter of the respondents regards nuclear power as a future semi-sustainable commercial energy production mode subject to that the waste is managed in a sustainable, environmental friendly and safe way - The values are to a significant degree positioned on health, safety and environmental (HSE) attributes. - The polluter pays principle is honoured. - There are doubts regarding the compliance with these principles due to risks for delays in the implementation phase of repositories for disposal of the nuclear residues. - 1/5. of the respondents expressed an openness to reprocessing (which is linked to the concept of 'new nuclear power'). (authors)« less

Response measurements for two building structures excited by noise from a large horizontal axis wind turbine generator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hubbard, H. H.; Shepherd, K. P.

1984-01-01

Window and wall acceleration measurements and interior noise measurements ere made for two different building structures during excitation by noise from the WTS-4 horizontal axis wind turbine generator operating in a normal power generation mode. With turbine noise input pulses resulted in acceleration pulses for the wall and window elements of the two tests buildings. Response spectra suggest that natural vibration modes of the structures are excited. Responses of a house trailer were substantially greater than those for a building of sturdier construction. Peak acceleration values correlate well with similar data for houses excited by flyover noise from commercial and military airplanes and helicopters, and sonic booms from supersonic aircraft. Interior noise spectra have peaks at frequencies corresponding to structural vibration modes and room standing waves; and the levels for particular frequencies and locations can be higher than the outside levels.

Commercial aerospace and terrestrial applications of nickel-hydrogen batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caldwell, Dwight B.; Coates, Dwaine K.; Fox, Chris L.; Miller, Lee E.

1996-03-01

The nickel-hydrogen battery system, used extensively in the aerospace industry to supply electrical power to earth-orbital satellites for communications, observation, and military applications, is being developed for commercial, terrestrial applications. Low-cost components, electrodes, cell designs, and battery designs are currently being tested. Catalytic hydrogen electrodes have been developed which are compatible with commercial nickel battery cost. Prismatic and spiral-wound cell designs have been built and tested. Common pressure vessel and dependent pressure vessel battery designs are also being evaluated. The nickel-hydrogen battery offers potential cycle life unequaled by any other battery system. This makes the battery ideal for many commercial and terrestrial energy storage applications such as telecommunication, remote stand-alone power systems, utility load-leveling, and other applications which require long life and a truly maintenance-free and abuse-tolerant battery system.

An Autonomous Underwater Recorder Based on a Single Board Computer.

PubMed

Caldas-Morgan, Manuel; Alvarez-Rosario, Alexander; Rodrigues Padovese, Linilson

2015-01-01

As industrial activities continue to grow on the Brazilian coast, underwater sound measurements are becoming of great scientific importance as they are essential to evaluate the impact of these activities on local ecosystems. In this context, the use of commercial underwater recorders is not always the most feasible alternative, due to their high cost and lack of flexibility. Design and construction of more affordable alternatives from scratch can become complex because it requires profound knowledge in areas such as electronics and low-level programming. With the aim of providing a solution; a well succeeded model of a highly flexible, low-cost alternative to commercial recorders was built based on a Raspberry Pi single board computer. A properly working prototype was assembled and it demonstrated adequate performance levels in all tested situations. The prototype was equipped with a power management module which was thoroughly evaluated. It is estimated that it will allow for great battery savings on long-term scheduled recordings. The underwater recording device was successfully deployed at selected locations along the Brazilian coast, where it adequately recorded animal and manmade acoustic events, among others. Although power consumption may not be as efficient as that of commercial and/or micro-processed solutions, the advantage offered by the proposed device is its high customizability, lower development time and inherently, its cost.

Directed evolution of Oenococcus oeni strains for more efficient malolactic fermentation in a multi-stressor wine environment.

PubMed

Jiang, Jiao; Sumby, Krista M; Sundstrom, Joanna F; Grbin, Paul R; Jiranek, Vladimir

2018-08-01

High concentrations of ethanol, low pH, the presence of sulfur dioxide and some polyphenols have been reported to inhibit Oenococcus oeni growth, thereby negatively affecting malolactic fermentation (MLF) of wine. In order to generate superior O. oeni strains that can conduct more efficient MLF, despite these multiple stressors, a continuous culture approach was designed to directly evolve an existing ethanol tolerant O. oeni strain, A90. The strain was grown for ∼350 generations in a red wine-like environment with increasing levels of stressors. Three strains were selected from screening experiments based on their completion of fermentation in a synthetic wine/wine blend with 15.1% (v/v) ethanol, 26 mg/L SO 2 at pH 3.35 within 160 h, while the parent strain fermented no more than two thirds of l-malic acid in this medium. These superior strains also fermented faster and/or had a larger population in four different wines. A reduced or equivalent amount of the undesirable volatile, acetic acid, was produced by the optimised strains compared to a commercial strain in Mouvedre and Merlot wines. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of using directed evolution as a tool to generate more efficient MLF starters tailored for wines with multiple stressors. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of acetylsalicylic acid in commercial tablets by SERS using silver nanoparticle-coated filter paper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sallum, Loriz Francisco; Soares, Frederico Luis Felipe; Ardila, Jorge Armando; Carneiro, Renato Lajarim

2014-12-01

In this work, filter paper was used as a low cost substrate for silver nanoparticles in order to perform the detection and quantification of acetylsalicylic acid by SERS in a commercial tablet. The reaction conditions were 150 mM of ammonium hydroxide, 50 mM of silver nitrate, 500 mM of glucose, 12 min of the reaction time, 45 °C temperature, pretreatment with ammonium hydroxide and quantitative filter paper (1-2 μm). The average size of silver nanoparticles deposited on the paper substrate was 180 nm. Adsorption time of acetylsalicylic acid on the surface of the silver-coated filter paper was studied and an adsorption time of 80 min was used to build the analytical curve. It was possible to obtain a calibration curve with good precision with a coefficient of determination of 0.933. The method proposed in this work was capable to quantify acetylsalicylic acid in commercial tablets, at low concentration levels, with relative error of 2.06% compared to the HPLC. The preparation of filter paper coated with silver nanoparticles using Tollen's reagent presents several advantages such as low cost of synthesis, support and reagents; minimum amount of residuals, which are easily treated, despite the SERS spectroscopy presenting fast analysis, with low sample preparation and low amount of reactants as in HPLC analysis.

Fisheries, low oxygen and climate change: how much do we really know?

PubMed

Townhill, B L; Pinnegar, J K; Righton, D A; Metcalfe, J D

2017-03-01

As a result of long-term climate change, regions of the ocean with low oxygen concentrations are predicted to occur more frequently and persist for longer periods of time in the future. When low levels of oxygen are present, this places additional pressure on marine organisms to meet their metabolic requirements, with implications for growth, feeding and reproduction. Extensive research has been carried out on the effects of acute hypoxia, but far less on long-term chronic effects of low oxygen zones, especially with regard to commercially important fishes and shellfishes. To provide further understanding on how commercial species could be affected, the results of relevant experiments must support population and ecosystem models. This is not easy because individual effects are wide-ranging; for example, studies to date have shown that low oxygen zones can affect predator-prey relationships as some species are able to tolerate low oxygen more than others. Some fishes may move away from areas until oxygen levels return to acceptable levels, while others take advantage of a reduced start response in prey fishes and remain in the area to feed. Sessile or less mobile species such as shellfishes are unable to move out of depleted oxygen zones. Some species can tolerate low oxygen levels for only short periods of time, while others are able to acclimatize. To advance the knowledge-base further, a number of promising technological and modelling-based developments and the role of physiological data within these, are proposed. These include advances in remote telemetry (tagging) and sensor technologies, trait-based analyses to provide insight into how whole assemblages might respond in the future, research into long-term adaptability of species, population and ecosystem modelling techniques and quantification of economic effects. In addition, more detailed oxygen monitoring and projections are required to better understand the likely temporal and local-scale changes in oxygen. © 2016 Crown Copyright. Journal of Fish Biology © 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

A triple hybrid micropower generator with simultaneous multi-mode energy harvesting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uluşan, H.; Chamanian, S.; Pathirana, W. P. M. R.; Zorlu, Ö.; Muhtaroğlu, A.; Külah, H.

2018-01-01

This study presents a triple hybrid energy harvesting system that combines harvested power from thermoelectric (TE), vibration-based electromagnetic (EM) and piezoelectric (PZT) harvesters into a single DC supply. A power management circuit is designed and implemented in 180 nm standard CMOS technology based on the distinct requirements of each harvester, and is terminated with a Schottky diode to avoid reverse current flow. The system topology hence supports simultaneous power generation and delivery from low and high frequency vibrations as well as temperature differences in the environment. The ultra-low DC voltage harvested from TE generator is boosted with a cross-coupled charge-pump driven by an LC oscillator with fully-integrated center-tapped differential inductors. The EM harvester output was rectified with a self-powered and low drop-out AC/DC doubler circuit. The PZT interface electronics benefits from peak-to-peak cycle of the harvested voltage through a negative voltage converter followed by synchronous power extraction and DC-to-DC conversion through internal switches, and an external inductor. The hybrid system was tested with a wearable in-house EM energy harvester placed wrist of a jogger, a commercial low volume PZT harvester, and DC supply as the TE generator output. The system generates more than 1.2 V output for load resistances higher than 50 kΩ, which corresponds to 24 μW to power wearable sensors. Simultaneous multi-mode operation achieves higher voltage and power compared to stand-alone harvesting circuits, and generates up to 110 μW of output power. This is the first hybrid harvester circuit that simultaneously extracts energy from three independent sources, and delivers a single DC output.

Low trans structured fat from flaxseed oil improves plasma and hepatic lipid metabolism in apo E(-/-) mice.

PubMed

Cho, Yun-Young; Kwon, Eun-Young; Kim, Hye-Jin; Park, Yong-Bok; Lee, Ki-Teak; Park, Taesun; Choi, Myung-Sook

2009-07-01

The objective of this study was to explicate the effects of feeding low trans structured fat from flaxseed oil (LF) on plasma and hepatic lipid metabolism involved in apo E(-/-) mice. The animals were fed a commercial shortening (CS), commercial low trans fat (CL) and LF diet based on AIN-76 diet (10% fat) for 12 weeks. LF supplementation exerted a significant suppression in hepatic lipid accumulation with the concomitant decrease in liver weight. The LF significantly lowered plasma total cholesterol and free fatty acid whereas it significantly increased HDL-C concentration and the HDL-C/total-C ratio compared to the CS group. Reduction of hepatic lipid levels in the LF group was related with the suppression of hepatic enzyme activities for fatty acid and triglyceride synthesis, and cholesterol regulating enzyme activity compared to the CS and CL groups. Accordingly, low trans structured fat from flaxseed oil is highly effective for improving hyperlipidemia and hepatic lipid accumulation in apo E(-/-) mice.

Dual-energy digital mammography for calcification imaging: scatter and nonuniformity corrections.

PubMed

Kappadath, S Cheenu; Shaw, Chris C

2005-11-01

Mammographic images of small calcifications, which are often the earliest signs of breast cancer, can be obscured by overlapping fibroglandular tissue. We have developed and implemented a dual-energy digital mammography (DEDM) technique for calcification imaging under full-field imaging conditions using a commercially available aSi:H/CsI:Tl flat-panel based digital mammography system. The low- and high-energy images were combined using a nonlinear mapping function to cancel the tissue structures and generate the dual-energy (DE) calcification images. The total entrance-skin exposure and mean-glandular dose from the low- and high-energy images were constrained so that they were similar to screening-examination levels. To evaluate the DE calcification image, we designed a phantom using calcium carbonate crystals to simulate calcifications of various sizes (212-425 microm) overlaid with breast-tissue-equivalent material 5 cm thick with a continuously varying glandular-tissue ratio from 0% to 100%. We report on the effects of scatter radiation and nonuniformity in x-ray intensity and detector response on the DE calcification images. The nonuniformity was corrected by normalizing the low- and high-energy images with full-field reference images. Correction of scatter in the low- and high-energy images significantly reduced the background signal in the DE calcification image. Under the current implementation of DEDM, utilizing the mammography system and dose level tested, calcifications in the 300-355 microm size range were clearly visible in DE calcification images. Calcification threshold sizes decreased to the 250-280 microm size range when the visibility criteria were lowered to barely visible. Calcifications smaller than approximately 250 microm were usually not visible in most cases. The visibility of calcifications with our DEDM imaging technique was limited by quantum noise, not system noise.

Dual-energy digital mammography for calcification imaging: Scatter and nonuniformity corrections

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

Kappadath, S. Cheenu; Shaw, Chris C.

Mammographic images of small calcifications, which are often the earliest signs of breast cancer, can be obscured by overlapping fibroglandular tissue. We have developed and implemented a dual-energy digital mammography (DEDM) technique for calcification imaging under full-field imaging conditions using a commercially available aSi:H/CsI:Tl flat-panel based digital mammography system. The low- and high-energy images were combined using a nonlinear mapping function to cancel the tissue structures and generate the dual-energy (DE) calcification images. The total entrance-skin exposure and mean-glandular dose from the low- and high-energy images were constrained so that they were similar to screening-examination levels. To evaluate the DEmore » calcification image, we designed a phantom using calcium carbonate crystals to simulate calcifications of various sizes (212-425 {mu}m) overlaid with breast-tissue-equivalent material 5 cm thick with a continuously varying glandular-tissue ratio from 0% to 100%. We report on the effects of scatter radiation and nonuniformity in x-ray intensity and detector response on the DE calcification images. The nonuniformity was corrected by normalizing the low- and high-energy images with full-field reference images. Correction of scatter in the low- and high-energy images significantly reduced the background signal in the DE calcification image. Under the current implementation of DEDM, utilizing the mammography system and dose level tested, calcifications in the 300-355 {mu}m size range were clearly visible in DE calcification images. Calcification threshold sizes decreased to the 250-280 {mu}m size range when the visibility criteria were lowered to barely visible. Calcifications smaller than {approx}250 {mu}m were usually not visible in most cases. The visibility of calcifications with our DEDM imaging technique was limited by quantum noise, not system noise.« less

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

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

Bowman, P.

2016-10-03

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

EnergySolution's Clive Disposal Facility Operational Research Model - 13475

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

Nissley, Paul; Berry, Joanne

2013-07-01

EnergySolutions owns and operates a licensed, commercial low-level radioactive waste disposal facility located in Clive, Utah. The Clive site receives low-level radioactive waste from various locations within the United States via bulk truck, containerised truck, enclosed truck, bulk rail-cars, rail boxcars, and rail inter-modals. Waste packages are unloaded, characterized, processed, and disposed of at the Clive site. Examples of low-level radioactive waste arriving at Clive include, but are not limited to, contaminated soil/debris, spent nuclear power plant components, and medical waste. Generators of low-level radioactive waste typically include nuclear power plants, hospitals, national laboratories, and various United States government operatedmore » waste sites. Over the past few years, poor economic conditions have significantly reduced the number of shipments to Clive. With less revenue coming in from processing shipments, Clive needed to keep its expenses down if it was going to maintain past levels of profitability. The Operational Research group of EnergySolutions were asked to develop a simulation model to help identify any improvement opportunities that would increase overall operating efficiency and reduce costs at the Clive Facility. The Clive operations research model simulates the receipt, movement, and processing requirements of shipments arriving at the facility. The model includes shipment schedules, processing times of various waste types, labor requirements, shift schedules, and site equipment availability. The Clive operations research model has been developed using the WITNESS{sup TM} process simulation software, which is developed by the Lanner Group. The major goals of this project were to: - identify processing bottlenecks that could reduce the turnaround time from shipment arrival to disposal; - evaluate the use (or idle time) of labor and equipment; - project future operational requirements under different forecasted scenarios. By identifying processing bottlenecks and unused equipment and/or labor, improvements to operating efficiency could be determined and appropriate cost saving measures implemented. Model runs forecasting various scenarios helped illustrate potential impacts of certain conditions (e.g. 20% decrease in shipments arrived), variables (e.g. 20% decrease in labor), or other possible situations. (authors)« less

Impact of selective logging on inbreeding and gene dispersal in an Amazonian tree population of Carapa guianensis Aubl.

PubMed

Cloutier, D; Kanashiro, M; Ciampi, A Y; Schoen, D J

2007-02-01

Selective logging may impact patterns of genetic diversity within populations of harvested forest tree species by increasing distances separating conspecific trees, and modifying physical and biotic features of the forest habitat. We measured levels of gene diversity, inbreeding, pollen dispersal and spatial genetic structure (SGS) of an Amazonian insect-pollinated Carapa guianensis population before and after commercial selective logging. Similar levels of gene diversity and allelic richness were found before and after logging in both the adult and the seed generations. Pre- and post-harvest outcrossing rates were high, and not significantly different from one another. We found no significant levels of biparental inbreeding either before or after logging. Low levels of pollen pool differentiation were found, and the pre- vs. post-harvest difference was not significant. Pollen dispersal distance estimates averaged between 75 m and 265 m before logging, and between 76 m and 268 m after logging, depending on the value of tree density and the dispersal model used. There were weak and similar levels of differentiation of allele frequencies in the adults and in the pollen pool, before and after logging occurred, as well as weak and similar pre- and post-harvest levels of SGS among adult trees. The large neighbourhood sizes estimated suggest high historical levels of gene flow. Overall our results indicate that there is no clear short-term genetic impact of selective logging on this population of C. guianensis.

Refrigeration oils for low GWP refrigerants in various applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, R.; Sundaresan, S. G.

2017-08-01

The practical use of the refrigeration systems is considered as a methods to suppress global warming. The replacement of a refrigerant with a new one that has lower global warming potential (GWP) has been underway for several years. For the application fields of refrigerators, domestic air conditioners, automotive air conditioners and hot water dispensers, the investigation has almost finished. It is still underway for the application fields of commercial air conditioners and chillers, refrigeration facilities for cold storage, etc. And now, the refrigeration system is being applied in various ways to decrease global warming above the generation of electric power with organic Rankine cycle, the binary electric generation with ground source heat pump, and so on. In these situations, various refrigerants are developed and several kinds of suitable refrigeration oils are selected. This paper presents the consideration of suitable refrigeration oil for the various low GWP refrigerants.

The design and synthesis of new synthetic low molecular weight heparins

PubMed Central

Chandarajoti, K.; Liu, J.; Pawlinski, R.

2016-01-01

Low molecular weight heparins (LMWH) have remained the most favorable form of heparin in clinics since 1990s’ owing to its predictable pharmacokinetic properties. However, LMWH is mainly eliminated through kidney, thus limits its use in renal-impaired patients. In addition, the anticoagulant activity of LMWH is only partially neutralized by protamine. LMWH is obtained from a full-length, highly sulfated polysaccharide harvested from porcine mucosal tissue. The depolymerization involved in LMWH production generates a broad size distribution of LMWH fragments (6-22 sugar residues). This, combined with the various methods used to produce commercial LMWHs, result in variable pharmacological and pharmacokinetic properties. An alternative, chemoenzymatic approach offers a method for the synthesis of LMWH that has the potential to overcome the limitations of current LMWHs. This review summarizes the application of a chemoenzymatic approach to generate LMWH and the rationale for development of a synthetic LMWH. PMID:26990516

The design and synthesis of new synthetic low-molecular-weight heparins.

PubMed

Chandarajoti, K; Liu, J; Pawlinski, R

2016-06-01

Low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) has remained the most favorable form of heparin in clinics since the 1990s owing to its predictable pharmacokinetic properties. However, LMWH is mainly eliminated through the kidney, which limits its use in renal-impaired patients. In addition, the anticoagulant activity of LMWH is only partially neutralized by protamine. LMWH is obtained from a full-length, highly sulfated polysaccharide harvested from porcine mucosal tissue. The depolymerization involved in LMWH production generates a broad distribution of LMWH fragments (6-22 sugar residues). This, combined with the various methods used to produce commercial LMWHs, results in variable pharmacological and pharmacokinetic properties. An alternative chemoenzymatic approach offers a method for the synthesis of LMWH that has the potential to overcome the limitations of current LMWHs. This review summarizes the application of a chemoenzymatic approach to generate LMWH and the rationale for development of a synthetic LMWH. © 2016 International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

Evaluation of a Head-Worn Display System as an Equivalent Head-Up Display for Low Visibility Commercial Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arthur, Jarvis (Trey) J., III; Shelton, Kevin J.; Prinzel, Lawrence J.; Nicholas, Stephanie N.; Williams, Steven P.; Ellis, Kyle E.; Jones, Denise R.; Bailey, Randall E.; Harrison, Stephanie J.; Barnes, James R.

2017-01-01

Research, development, test, and evaluation of fight deck interface technologies is being conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to proactively identify, develop, and mature tools, methods, and technologies for improving overall aircraft safety of new and legacy vehicles operating in the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). One specific area of research was the use of small Head-Worn Displays (HWDs) to serve as a possible equivalent to a Head-Up Display (HUD). A simulation experiment and a fight test were conducted to evaluate if the HWD can provide an equivalent level of performance to a HUD. For the simulation experiment, airline crews conducted simulated approach and landing, taxi, and departure operations during low visibility operations. In a follow-on fight test, highly experienced test pilots evaluated the same HWD during approach and surface operations. The results for both the simulation and fight tests showed that there were no statistical differences in the crews' performance in terms of approach, touchdown and takeoff; but, there are still technical hurdles to be overcome for complete display equivalence including, most notably, the end-to-end latency of the HWD system.

A labview-based GUI for the measurement of otoacoustic emissions.

PubMed

Wu, Ye; McNamara, D M; Ziarani, A K

2006-01-01

This paper presents the outcome of a software development project aimed at creating a stand-alone user-friendly signal processing algorithm for the estimation of distortion product otoacoustic emission (OAE) signals. OAE testing is one of the most commonly used methods of first screening of newborns' hearing. Most of the currently available commercial devices rely upon averaging long strings of data and subsequent discrete Fourier analysis to estimate low level OAE signals from within the background noise in the presence of the strong stimuli. The main shortcoming of the presently employed technology is the need for long measurement time and its low noise immunity. The result of the software development project presented here is a graphical user interface (GUI) module that implements a recently introduced adaptive technique of OAE signal estimation. This software module is easy to use and is freely disseminated on the Internet for the use of the hearing research community. This GUI module allows loading of the a priori recorded OAE signals into the workspace, and provides the user with interactive instructions for the OAE signal estimation. Moreover, the user can generate simulated OAE signals to objectively evaluate the performance capability of the implemented signal processing technique.

Subsidence and well failure in the South Belridge Diatomite field

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

Rouffignac, E.P. de; Bondor, P.L.; Karanikas, J.M. Hara, S.K.

1995-12-31

Withdrawal of fluids from shallow, thick and low strength rock can cause substantial reservoir compaction leading to surface subsidence and well failure. This is the case for the Diatomite reservoir, where over 10 ft of subsidence have occurred in some areas. Well failure rates have averaged over 3% per year, resulting in several million dollars per year in well replacement and repair costs in the South Belridge Diatomite alone. A program has been underway to address this issue, including experimental, modeling and field monitoring work. An updated elastoplastic rock law based on laboratory data has been generated which includes notmore » only standard shear failure mechanisms but also irreversible pore collapse occurring at low effective stresses (<150 psi). This law was incorporated into a commercial finite element geomechanics simulator. Since the late 1980s, a network of level survey monuments has been used to monitor subsidence at Belridge. Model predictions of subsidence in Section 33 compare very well with field measured data, which show that water injection reduces subsidence from 7--8 inches per year to 1--2 inches per year, but does not abate well failure.« less

Engineering of Semiconductor Nanocrystals for Light Emitting Applications

PubMed Central

Todescato, Francesco; Fortunati, Ilaria; Minotto, Alessandro; Signorini, Raffaella; Jasieniak, Jacek J.; Bozio, Renato

2016-01-01

Semiconductor nanocrystals are rapidly spreading into the display and lighting markets. Compared with liquid crystal and organic LED displays, nanocrystalline quantum dots (QDs) provide highly saturated colors, wide color gamut, resolution, rapid response time, optical efficiency, durability and low cost. This remarkable progress has been made possible by the rapid advances in the synthesis of colloidal QDs and by the progress in understanding the intriguing new physics exhibited by these nanoparticles. In this review, we provide support to the idea that suitably engineered core/graded-shell QDs exhibit exceptionally favorable optical properties, photoluminescence and optical gain, while keeping the synthesis facile and producing QDs well suited for light emitting applications. Solid-state laser emitters can greatly profit from QDs as efficient gain materials. Progress towards fabricating low threshold, solution processed DFB lasers that are optically pumped using one- and two-photon absorption is reviewed. In the field of display technologies, the exploitation of the exceptional photoluminescence properties of QDs for LCD backlighting has already advanced to commercial levels. The next big challenge is to develop the electroluminescence properties of QD to a similar state. We present an overview of QLED devices and of the great perspectives for next generation display and lighting technologies. PMID:28773794

A Fully Integrated Quartz MEMS VHF TCXO.

PubMed

Kubena, Randall L; Stratton, Frederic P; Nguyen, Hung D; Kirby, Deborah J; Chang, David T; Joyce, Richard J; Yong, Yook-Kong; Garstecki, Jeffrey F; Cross, Matthew D; Seman, S E

2018-06-01

We report on a 32-MHz quartz temperature compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO) fully integrated with commercial CMOS electronics and vacuum packaged at wafer level using a low-temperature MEMS-after quartz process. The novel quartz resonator design provides for stress isolation from the CMOS substrate, thereby yielding classical AT-cut f/T profiles and low hysteresis which can be compensated to < ±0.2 parts per million over temperature using on-chip third-order compensation circuitry. The TCXO operates at low power of 2.5 mW and can be thinned to as part of the wafer-level eutectic encapsulation. Full integration with large state-of-the-art CMOS wafers is possible using carrier wafer techniques.

TSNA levels in machine-generated mainstream cigarette smoke: 35 years of data.

PubMed

Appleton, Scott; Olegario, Raquel M; Lipowicz, Peter J

2013-07-01

This paper characterizes historical and current tobacco specific nitrosamine (TSNA) levels in mainstream (MS) cigarette smoke of US commercial cigarettes. To conduct this analysis, we gathered 35 years of published data of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) and N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) levels in MS cigarette smoke. We also assessed internal data of MS smoke NNK and NNN levels generated from various market monitoring initiatives and from control cigarettes used in a multi-year program for testing cigarette ingredients. In all, we analyzed machine smoking data from 401 cigarette samples representing a wide range of products and design characteristics from multiple manufacturers and market leaders. There was no indication that TSNA levels systematically increased in cigarette MS smoke over the 35-year analysis period. In particular, TSNA levels expressed as either per cigarette or normalized for tar suggest a downward trend in MS smoke over the past 10 years. The apparent downward trend in TSNA levels in MS smoke may reflect industry and agricultural community efforts to reduce levels of TSNAs in tobacco and cigarette smoke. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

HoloHands: games console interface for controlling holographic optical manipulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonald, C.; McPherson, M.; McDougall, C.; McGloin, D.

2012-10-01

The increased application of holographic optical manipulation techniques within the life sciences has sparked the development of accessible interfaces for control of holographic optical tweezers. Of particular interest are those that employ familiar, commercially available technologies. Here we present the use of a low cost games console interface, the Microsoft Kinect for the control of holographic optical tweezers and a study into the effect of using such a system upon the quality of trap generated.

Low-level radioactive waste disposal. Study of a conceptual nuclear energy center at Green River, Utah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Card, D. H.; Hunter, P. H.; Barg, D.; Desouza, F.; Felthauser, K.; Winkler, V.; White, R.

1982-02-01

The ramifications of constructing a nuclear energy center in an arid western region were studied. The alternatives for disposing of the low level waste on the site are compared with the alternative of transporting the waste to the nearest commercial waste disposal site for permanent disposal. Both radiological and nonradiological impacts on the local socioeconomic infrastructure and the environment are considered. Disposal on the site was found to cost considerably less than off site disposal with only negligible impacts associated with the disposal option on either mankind or the environment.

Effect of photon energy in collagen generation by interstitial low level laser stimulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jun, Eunkwon; Ha, Myungjin; Lee, Sangyeob; Radfar, Edalat; Park, Jihoon; Jung, Byungjo

2015-03-01

Although the mechanism of low level laser therapy (LLLT) is unclear, many studies demonstrated the positive clinical performance of LLLT for skin rejuvenation. An increase in dermal collagen plays an important role in skin rejuvenation and wound healing. This study aimed to investigate collagen generation after interstitial low level laser stimulation (ILLS). Rabbits were divided into two groups: surfacing irradiation and minimally invasive irradiation. 660nm diode laser of 20mW with 10J, 13J and 15J was applied to the backside of rabbits. Collagen formation was evaluated with ultrasound skin scanner every 12 hours. Results shows that ILLS groups have denser collagen density than surfacing groups.

ESA web mapping activities applied to Earth observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caspar, C.; Petiteville, I.; Kohlhammer, G.; Tandurella, G.

2002-05-01

Thousands of Earth Observation satellite instrument products are generated daily, in a multitude of formats, using a variety of projection coordinate sytems. This diversity is a barrier to the development of EO multi-mission-based applications and prevents the merging of EO data with GIS data, which is requested by the user community (value-added companies, serivce providers, scientists, institutions, commercial users, and academic users). The web mapping technologies introduced in this article represent an elegant and low-technologies introduced in this article represent an elegant and low-cost solution. The extraordinary added value that is achieved may be considered a revolution in the use of EO data products.

A Quantitative Reliability, Maintainability and Supportability Approach for NASA's Second Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Safie, Fayssal M.; Daniel, Charles; Kalia, Prince; Smith, Charles A. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is in the midst of a 10-year Second Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) program to improve its space transportation capabilities for both cargo and crewed missions. The objectives of the program are to: significantly increase safety and reliability, reduce the cost of accessing low-earth orbit, attempt to leverage commercial launch capabilities, and provide a growth path for manned space exploration. The safety, reliability and life cycle cost of the next generation vehicles are major concerns, and NASA aims to achieve orders of magnitude improvement in these areas. To get these significant improvements, requires a rigorous process that addresses Reliability, Maintainability and Supportability (RMS) and safety through all the phases of the life cycle of the program. This paper discusses the RMS process being implemented for the Second Generation RLV program.

The Oregon State University wind studies. [economic feasibility of windpowered generators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, R. E.

1973-01-01

The economic feasibility of commercial use of wind generated power in selected areas of Oregon is assessed. A number of machines for generating power have been examined. These include the Savonius rotor, translators, conventional wind turbines, the circulation controlled rotor and the vertical axis winged turbine. Of these machines, the conventional wind turbine and the vertical axis winged turbine show the greatest promise on the basis of the power developed per unit of rotor blade area. Attention has been focused on the structural and fatigue analysis of rotors since the economics of rotary winged, wind generated power depends upon low cost, long lifetime rotors. Analysis of energy storage systems and tower design has also been undertaken. An economic means of energy storage has not been found to date. Tower design studies have produced cost estimates that are in general agreement with the cost of the updated Putnam 110-foot tower.

Hepatic differentiation potential of commercially available human mesenchymal stem cells.

PubMed

Ong, Shin-Yeu; Dai, Hui; Leong, Kam W

2006-12-01

The ready availability and low immunogenicity of commercially available mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) render them a potential cell source for the development of therapeutic products. With cell source a major bottleneck in hepatic tissue engineering, we investigated whether commercially available human MSC (hMSC) can transdifferentiate into the hepatic lineage. Based on previous studies that find rapid gain of hepatic genes in bone marrow-derived stem cells cocultured with liver tissue, we used a similar approach to drive hepatic differentiation by coculturing the hMSC with rat livers treated or untreated with gadolinium chloride (GdCl(3)). After a 24-hour coculture period with liver tissue injured by GdCl(3) in a Transwell configuration, approximately 34% of the cells differentiated into albumin-expressing cells. Cocultured cells were subsequently maintained with growth factors to complete the hepatic differentiation. Cocultured cells expressed more hepatic gene markers, and had higher metabolic functions and P450 activity than cells that were only differentiated with growth factors. In conclusion, commercially available hMSC do show hepatic differentiation potential, and a liver microenvironment in culture can provide potent cues to accelerate and deepen the differentiation. The ability to generate hepatocyte-like cells from a commercially available cell source would find interesting applications in liver tissue engineering.

Sociological and Communication-Theoretical Perspectives on the Commercialization of the Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leydesdorff, Loet

2013-10-01

Both self-organization and organization are important for the further development of the sciences: the two dynamics condition and enable each other. Commercial and public considerations can interact and "interpenetrate" in historical organization; different codes of communication are then "recombined". However, self-organization in the symbolically generalized codes of communication can be expected to operate at the global level. The Triple Helix model allows for both a neo-institutional appreciation in terms of historical networks of university-industry-government relations and a neo-evolutionary interpretation in terms of three functions: (1) novelty production, (2) wealth generation, and (3) political control. Using this model, one can appreciate both subdynamics. The mutual information in three dimensions enables us to measure the trade-off between organization and self-organization as a possible synergy. The question of optimization between commercial and public interests in the different sciences can thus be made empirical.

A Force to Reckon With

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Through a licensing agreement with NASA, Face International Corporation has successfully commercialized ferroelectric actuator/sensor technology developed at Langley Research Center. Face International manufactures both ferroelectric actuators and sensors under the trademark "Thunder" (Thin Layer Composite Unimorph Ferroelectric Driver and Sensor). As actuators the Thunder technology provides a high level of movement not seen before in piezoelectric devices. Crystal structures generate electricity when stressed and move when voltage is applied. As sensors, the technology can be used in such applications as microphones, non-destructive testing, and vibration sensing. Thunder technology is being researched as a noise reduction device for aircraft engines. The technology is durable enough to be used in harsh environments, making it applicable to many commercial applications.

An Innovation for the Energy Industry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

REDOX is an economical energy storage system which promises major reductions in the cost of storing electrical energy. The system is based upon the conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy. 75 percent of the energy used to charge the system is returned. It is flexible and the energy may be stored for long periods. It was developed by Lewis Research Center, who transferred the technology to SOHIO for further development and possible commercialization. Redox could eliminate the use of high quality generator levels and would be particularly valuable to utilities which generate power from coal or nuclear energy.

Ontology-based automatic generation of computerized cognitive exercises.

PubMed

Leonardi, Giorgio; Panzarasa, Silvia; Quaglini, Silvana

2011-01-01

Computer-based approaches can add great value to the traditional paper-based approaches for cognitive rehabilitation. The management of a big amount of stimuli and the use of multimedia features permits to improve the patient's involvement and to reuse and recombine them to create new exercises, whose difficulty level should be adapted to the patient's performance. This work proposes an ontological organization of the stimuli, to support the automatic generation of new exercises, tailored on the patient's preferences and skills, and its integration into a commercial cognitive rehabilitation tool. The possibilities offered by this approach are presented with the help of real examples.

Electrostatic charge characteristics of jet nebulized aerosols.

PubMed

Kwok, Philip Chi Lip; Trietsch, Sebastiaan J; Kumon, Michiko; Chan, Hak-Kim

2010-06-01

Liquid droplets can be spontaneously charged in the absence of applied electric fields by spraying. It has been shown by computational simulation that charges may influence particle deposition in the airways. The electrostatic properties of jet nebulized aerosols and their potential effects on lung deposition have hardly been studied. A modified electrical low pressure impactor (ELPI) was employed to characterize the aerosol charges generated from jet nebulized commercial products. The charge and size measurements were conducted at 50% RH and 22 degrees C with a modified ELPI. Ventolin, Bricanyl, and Atrovent were nebulized using PARI LC Plus jet nebulizers coupled to a DeVilbiss Pulmo-Aide compressor. The aerosols were sampled in 30-sec durations. The drug deposits on the impactor stages were assayed chemically using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The charges of nebulized deionized water, isotonic saline, and the three commercial products diluted with saline were also measured to analyze the contributions of the major nebule ingredients on charging. No mass assays were performed on these runs. All three commercial nebules generated net negative charges. The magnitude of the charges reduced over the period of nebulization. Ventolin and Bricanyl yielded similar charge profiles. Highly variable charges were produced from deionized water. On the other hand, nebulized saline reproducibly generated net positive charges. Diluted commercial nebules showed charge polarity inversion. The charge profiles of diluted salbutamol and terbutaline solutions resembled those of saline, while the charges from diluted ipratropium solutions fluctuated near neutrality. The charge profiles were shown to be influenced by the concentration and physicochemical properties of the drugs, as well as the history of nebulization. The drugs may have unique isoelectric concentrations in saline at which the nebulized droplets would carry near-zero charges. According to results from computational simulation models in the literature, the numbers of elementary charges per droplet estimated from the data were not high enough to potentially affect lung deposition.

NASA's Pursuit of Low-Noise Propulsion for Low-Boom Commercial Supersonic Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bridges, James; Brown, Clifford A.; Seidel, Jonathan A.

2018-01-01

Since 2006, when the Fundamental Aeronautics Program was instituted within NASA's Aeronautics Mission Directorate, there has been a Project looking at the technical barriers to commercial supersonic flight. Among the barriers is the noise produced by aircraft during landing and takeoff. Over the years that followed, research was carried out at NASA aeronautics research centers, often in collaboration with academia and industry, addressing the problem. In 2013, a high-level milestone was established, described as a Technical Challenge, with the objective of demonstrating the feasibility of a low-boom supersonic airliner that could meet current airport noise regulations. The Technical Challenge was formally called "Low Noise Propulsion for Low Boom Aircraft", and was completed in late 2016. This paper reports the technical findings from this Technical Challenge, reaching back almost 10 years to review the technologies and tools that were developed along the way. It also discusses the final aircraft configuration and propulsion systems required for a supersonic civilian aircraft to meet noise regulations using the technologies available today. Finally, the paper documents the model-scale tests that validated the acoustic performance of the study aircraft.

NASA's Pursuit of Low-Noise Propulsion for Low-Boom Commercial Supersonic Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bridges, James; Brown, Clifford A.; Seidel, Jonathan

2018-01-01

Since 2006, when the Fundamental Aeronautics Program was instituted within NASA's Aeronautics Mission Directorate, there has been a Project looking at the technical barriers to commercial supersonic flight. Among the barriers is the noise produced by aircraft during landing and takeoff. Over the years that followed, research was carried out at NASA aeronautics research centers, often in collaboration with academia and industry, addressing the problem. In 2013, a high-level milestone was established, described as a Technical Challenge, with the objective of demonstrating the feasibility of a low-boom supersonic airliner that could meet current airport noise regulations. The Technical Challenge was formally called a Low Noise Propulsion for Low Boom Aircraft and was completed in late 2016. This paper reports the technical findings from this Technical Challenge, reaching back almost 10 years to review the technologies and tools that were developed along the way. It also discusses the final aircraft configuration and propulsion systems required for a supersonic civilian aircraft to meet noise regulations using the technologies available today. Finally, the paper documents the model-scale tests that validated the acoustic performance of the study aircraft.

CO2 Removal and Atmosphere Revitalization Systems for Next Generation Space Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luna, Bernadette; Mulloth, Lila M.; Varghese, Mini M.; Hogan, John Andrew

2010-01-01

Removal of metabolic CO2 from breathing air is a vital process for life support in all crewed space missions. A CO2 removal processor called the Low Power CO2 Removal (LPCOR) system is being developed in the Bioengineering Branch at NASA Ames Research Center. LPCOR utilizes advanced adsorption and membrane gas separation processes to achieve substantial power and mass reduction when compared to the state-of-the-art carbon dioxide removal assembly (CORA) of the US segment of the International Space Station (ISS). LPCOR is an attractive alternative for use in commercial spacecraft for short-duration missions and can easily be adapted for closed-loop life support applications. NASA envisions a next-generation closed-loop atmosphere revitalization system that integrates advanced CO2 removal, O2 recovery, and trace contaminant control processes to improve overall system efficiency. LPCOR will serve as the front end to such a system. LPCOR is a reliable air revitalization technology that can serve both the near-term and long-term human space flight needs of NASA and its commercial partners.

Fuel cells provide a revenue-generating solution to power quality problems

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

King, J.M. Jr.

Electric power quality and reliability are becoming increasingly important as computers and microprocessors assume a larger role in commercial, health care and industrial buildings and processes. At the same time, constraints on transmission and distribution of power from central stations are making local areas vulnerable to low voltage, load addition limitations, power quality and power reliability problems. Many customers currently utilize some form of premium power in the form of standby generators and/or UPS systems. These include customers where continuous power is required because of health and safety or security reasons (hospitals, nursing homes, places of public assembly, air trafficmore » control, military installations, telecommunications, etc.) These also include customers with industrial or commercial processes which can`t tolerance an interruption of power because of product loss or equipment damage. The paper discusses the use of the PC25 fuel cell power plant for backup and parallel power supplies for critical industrial applications. Several PC25 installations are described: the use of propane in a PC25; the use by rural cooperatives; and a demonstration of PC25 technology using landfill gas.« less

Solar-light photocatalytic disinfection using crystalline/amorphous low energy bandgap reduced TiO2

PubMed Central

Kim, Youngmin; Hwang, Hee Min; Wang, Luyang; Kim, Ikjoon; Yoon, Yeoheung; Lee, Hyoyoung

2016-01-01

A generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) from TiO2 under solar light has been long sought since the ROS can disinfect organic pollutants. We found that newly developed crystalline/amorphous reduced TiO2 (rTiO2) that has low energy bandgap can effectively generate ROS under solar light and successfully remove a bloom of algae. The preparation of rTiO2 is a one-pot and mass productive solution-process reduction using lithium-ethylene diamine (Li-EDA) at room temperature. Interestingly only the rutile phase of TiO2 crystal was reduced, while the anatase phase even in case of both anatase/rutile phased TiO2 was not reduced. Only reduced TiO2 materials can generate ROS under solar light, which was confirmed by electron spin resonance. Among the three different types of Li-EDA treated TiO2 (anatase, rutile and both phased TiO2), the both phased rTiO2 showed the best performance to produce ROS. The generated ROS effectively removed the common green algae Chlamydomonas. This is the first report on algae degradation under solar light, proving the feasibility of commercially available products for disinfection. PMID:27121120

Antibiotic free selection for the high level biosynthesis of a silk-elastin-like protein

PubMed Central

Barroca, Mário; Rodrigues, Paulo; Sobral, Rómulo; Costa, M. Manuela R.; Chaves, Susana R.; Machado, Raul; Casal, Margarida; Collins, Tony

2016-01-01

Silk-elastin-like proteins (SELPs) are a family of genetically engineered recombinant protein polymers exhibiting mechanical and biological properties suited for a wide range of applications in the biomedicine and materials fields. They are being explored as the next generation of biomaterials but low productivities and use of antibiotics during production undermine their economic viability and safety. We have developed an industrially relevant, scalable, fed-batch process for the high level production of a novel SELP in E. coli in which the commonly used antibiotic selection marker of the expression vector is exchanged for a post segregational suicide system, the separate-component-stabilisation system (SCS). SCS significantly augments SELP productivity but also enhances the product safety profile and reduces process costs by eliminating the use of antibiotics. Plasmid content increased following induction but no significant differences in plasmid levels were discerned when using SCS or the antibiotic selection markers under the controlled fed-batch conditions employed. It is suggested that the absence of competing plasmid-free cells improves host cell viability and enables increased productivity with SCS. With the process developed, 12.8 g L−1 purified SELP was obtained, this is the highest SELP productivity reported to date and clearly demonstrates the commercial viability of these promising polymers. PMID:27982135

Optimization of Ex Vivo Murine Bone Marrow Derived Immature Dendritic Cells: A Comparative Analysis of Flask Culture Method and Mouse CD11c Positive Selection Kit Method

PubMed Central

Salwe, Sukeshani; Kothari, Sweta; Chowdhary, Abhay; Deshmukh, Ranjana A.

2018-01-01

12–14 days of culturing of bone marrow (BM) cells containing various growth factors is widely used method for generating dendritic cells (DCs) from suspended cell population. Here we compared flask culture method and commercially available CD11c Positive Selection kit method. Immature BMDCs' purity of adherent as well as suspended cell population was generated in the decreasing concentration of recombinant-murine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rmGM-CSF) in nontreated tissue culture flasks. The expression of CD11c, MHCII, CD40, and CD86 was measured by flow cytometry. We found significant difference (P < 0.05) between the two methods in the adherent cells population but no significant difference was observed between the suspended cell populations with respect to CD11c+ count. However, CD11c+ was significantly higher in both adhered and suspended cell population by culture method but kit method gave more CD11c+ from suspended cells population only. On the other hand, using both methods, immature DC expressed moderate level of MHC class II molecules as well as low levels of CD40 and CD86. Our findings suggest that widely used culture method gives the best results in terms of yield, viability, and purity of BMDCs from both adherent and suspended cell population whereas kit method works well for suspended cell population. PMID:29682352

Optimization of Ex Vivo Murine Bone Marrow Derived Immature Dendritic Cells: A Comparative Analysis of Flask Culture Method and Mouse CD11c Positive Selection Kit Method.

PubMed

Gosavi, Rahul Ashok; Salwe, Sukeshani; Mukherjee, Sandeepan; Dahake, Ritwik; Kothari, Sweta; Patel, Vainav; Chowdhary, Abhay; Deshmukh, Ranjana A

2018-01-01

12-14 days of culturing of bone marrow (BM) cells containing various growth factors is widely used method for generating dendritic cells (DCs) from suspended cell population. Here we compared flask culture method and commercially available CD11c Positive Selection kit method. Immature BMDCs' purity of adherent as well as suspended cell population was generated in the decreasing concentration of recombinant-murine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rmGM-CSF) in nontreated tissue culture flasks. The expression of CD11c, MHCII, CD40, and CD86 was measured by flow cytometry. We found significant difference ( P < 0.05) between the two methods in the adherent cells population but no significant difference was observed between the suspended cell populations with respect to CD11c+ count. However, CD11c+ was significantly higher in both adhered and suspended cell population by culture method but kit method gave more CD11c+ from suspended cells population only. On the other hand, using both methods, immature DC expressed moderate level of MHC class II molecules as well as low levels of CD40 and CD86. Our findings suggest that widely used culture method gives the best results in terms of yield, viability, and purity of BMDCs from both adherent and suspended cell population whereas kit method works well for suspended cell population.

A Review on the Development of Gravitational Water Vortex Power Plant as Alternative Renewable Energy Resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, M. M.; Tan, J. H.; Fadzlita, M. T.; Khairul Muzammil, A. R. Wan

2017-07-01

Gravitational water vortex power plant is a green technology that generates electricity from alternative or renewable energy source. In the vortex power plant, water is introduced into a circular basin tangentially that creates a free vortex and energy is extracted from the free vortex by using a turbine. The main advantages of this type of power plant is the generation of electricity from ultra-low hydraulic pressure and it is also environmental friendly. Since the hydraulic head requirement is as low as 1m, this type of power plant can be installed at a river or a stream to generate electricity for few houses. It is a new and not well-developed technology to harvest electricity from low pressure water energy sources. There are limited literatures available on the design, fabrication and physical geometry of the vortex turbine and generator. Past researches focus on the optimization of turbine design, inlets, outlets and basin geometry. However, there are still insufficient literatures available for the technology to proceed beyond prototyping stage. The maximum efficiency obtained by the researchers are approximately 30% while the commercial companies claimed about 50% of efficiency with 500W to 20kW of power generated. Hence, the aim of this paper is to determine the gap in the vortex power plant technology development through past works and a set of research recommendations will be developed as efforts to accelerate the development of GWVPP.

Provably secure and high-rate quantum key distribution with time-bin qudits

DOE PAGES

Islam, Nurul T.; Lim, Charles Ci Wen; Cahall, Clinton; ...

2017-11-24

The security of conventional cryptography systems is threatened in the forthcoming era of quantum computers. Quantum key distribution (QKD) features fundamentally proven security and offers a promising option for quantum-proof cryptography solution. Although prototype QKD systems over optical fiber have been demonstrated over the years, the key generation rates remain several orders of magnitude lower than current classical communication systems. In an effort toward a commercially viable QKD system with improved key generation rates, we developed a discrete-variable QKD system based on time-bin quantum photonic states that can generate provably secure cryptographic keys at megabit-per-second rates over metropolitan distances. Wemore » use high-dimensional quantum states that transmit more than one secret bit per received photon, alleviating detector saturation effects in the superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors used in our system that feature very high detection efficiency (of more than 70%) and low timing jitter (of less than 40 ps). Our system is constructed using commercial off-the-shelf components, and the adopted protocol can be readily extended to free-space quantum channels. In conclusion, the security analysis adopted to distill the keys ensures that the demonstrated protocol is robust against coherent attacks, finite-size effects, and a broad class of experimental imperfections identified in our system.« less

Provably secure and high-rate quantum key distribution with time-bin qudits

PubMed Central

Islam, Nurul T.; Lim, Charles Ci Wen; Cahall, Clinton; Kim, Jungsang; Gauthier, Daniel J.

2017-01-01

The security of conventional cryptography systems is threatened in the forthcoming era of quantum computers. Quantum key distribution (QKD) features fundamentally proven security and offers a promising option for quantum-proof cryptography solution. Although prototype QKD systems over optical fiber have been demonstrated over the years, the key generation rates remain several orders of magnitude lower than current classical communication systems. In an effort toward a commercially viable QKD system with improved key generation rates, we developed a discrete-variable QKD system based on time-bin quantum photonic states that can generate provably secure cryptographic keys at megabit-per-second rates over metropolitan distances. We use high-dimensional quantum states that transmit more than one secret bit per received photon, alleviating detector saturation effects in the superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors used in our system that feature very high detection efficiency (of more than 70%) and low timing jitter (of less than 40 ps). Our system is constructed using commercial off-the-shelf components, and the adopted protocol can be readily extended to free-space quantum channels. The security analysis adopted to distill the keys ensures that the demonstrated protocol is robust against coherent attacks, finite-size effects, and a broad class of experimental imperfections identified in our system. PMID:29202028

Integrated mild gasification processing at the Homer City Electric Power Generating Station site. Final report, July 1989--June 1993

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

Battista, J.J.; Zawadzki, E.A.

1993-07-01

A new process for the production of commercial grade coke, char, and carbon products has been evaluated by Penelec/NYSEG. The process, developed by Coal Technology Corporation, CTC, utilizes a unique screw reactor to produce a devolatilized char from a wide variety of coals for the production of commercial grade coke for use in blast furnaces, foundries, and other processes requiring high quality coke. This process is called the CTC Mild Gasification Process (MGP). The process economics are significantly enhanced by integrating the new technology into an existing power generating complex. Cost savings are realized by the coke producer, the cokemore » user, and the electric utility company. Site specific economic studies involving the Homer City Generating Station site in Western Pennsylvania, confirmed that an integrated MGP at the Homer City site, using coal fines produced at the Homer City Coal Preparation Plant, would reduce capital and operating costs significantly and would enable the HC Owners to eliminate thermal dryers, obtain low cost fuel in the form of combustible gases and liquids, and obtain lower cost replacement coal on the spot market. A previous report, identified as the Interim Report on the Project, details the technical and economic studies.« less

Provably secure and high-rate quantum key distribution with time-bin qudits.

PubMed

Islam, Nurul T; Lim, Charles Ci Wen; Cahall, Clinton; Kim, Jungsang; Gauthier, Daniel J

2017-11-01

The security of conventional cryptography systems is threatened in the forthcoming era of quantum computers. Quantum key distribution (QKD) features fundamentally proven security and offers a promising option for quantum-proof cryptography solution. Although prototype QKD systems over optical fiber have been demonstrated over the years, the key generation rates remain several orders of magnitude lower than current classical communication systems. In an effort toward a commercially viable QKD system with improved key generation rates, we developed a discrete-variable QKD system based on time-bin quantum photonic states that can generate provably secure cryptographic keys at megabit-per-second rates over metropolitan distances. We use high-dimensional quantum states that transmit more than one secret bit per received photon, alleviating detector saturation effects in the superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors used in our system that feature very high detection efficiency (of more than 70%) and low timing jitter (of less than 40 ps). Our system is constructed using commercial off-the-shelf components, and the adopted protocol can be readily extended to free-space quantum channels. The security analysis adopted to distill the keys ensures that the demonstrated protocol is robust against coherent attacks, finite-size effects, and a broad class of experimental imperfections identified in our system.

Provably secure and high-rate quantum key distribution with time-bin qudits

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

Islam, Nurul T.; Lim, Charles Ci Wen; Cahall, Clinton

The security of conventional cryptography systems is threatened in the forthcoming era of quantum computers. Quantum key distribution (QKD) features fundamentally proven security and offers a promising option for quantum-proof cryptography solution. Although prototype QKD systems over optical fiber have been demonstrated over the years, the key generation rates remain several orders of magnitude lower than current classical communication systems. In an effort toward a commercially viable QKD system with improved key generation rates, we developed a discrete-variable QKD system based on time-bin quantum photonic states that can generate provably secure cryptographic keys at megabit-per-second rates over metropolitan distances. Wemore » use high-dimensional quantum states that transmit more than one secret bit per received photon, alleviating detector saturation effects in the superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors used in our system that feature very high detection efficiency (of more than 70%) and low timing jitter (of less than 40 ps). Our system is constructed using commercial off-the-shelf components, and the adopted protocol can be readily extended to free-space quantum channels. In conclusion, the security analysis adopted to distill the keys ensures that the demonstrated protocol is robust against coherent attacks, finite-size effects, and a broad class of experimental imperfections identified in our system.« less

Response of puppies to canine-origin parvovirus vaccines.

PubMed

Carmichael, L E; Pollock, R V; Joubert, J C

1984-02-01

Pups 9-18 1/2 weeks old were given a single dose of 1 of 4 commercial, live, canine-origin parvovirus vaccines. All 4 vaccines evoked high levels of antibody in seronegative pups, but variable response in those with low levels of maternally derived antibodies. Vaccinal virus spread to unvaccinated contact controls and elicited essentially equivalent titers. No clinical signs of parvovirus infection were observed in vaccinates or controls.

ACOs Holding Commercial Contracts Are Larger And More Efficient Than Noncommercial ACOs

PubMed Central

Peiris, David; Phipps-Taylor, Madeleine C.; Stachowski, Courtney A.; Kao, Lee-Sien; Shortell, Stephen M.; Lewis, Valerie A.; Rosenthal, Meredith B.; Colla, Carrie H.

2016-01-01

Accountable care organizations (ACOs) have diverse contracting arrangements and have displayed wide variations in their performance. Using data from national surveys of 399 ACOs, we examined differences between the 228 commercial ACOs (those with commercial payer contracts) and the 171 noncommercial ACOs (those with only public contracts, such as with Medicare or Medicaid). Commercial ACOs were significantly larger and more integrated with hospitals, and had lower benchmark expenditures and higher quality scores, compared to noncommercial ACOs. Among all of the ACOs, there was low uptake of quality and efficiency activities. However, commercial ACOs reported more use of disease monitoring tools, patient satisfaction data, and quality improvement methods than did noncommercial ACOs. Few ACOs reported having high-level performance monitoring capabilities. About two-thirds of the ACOs had established processes for distributing any savings accrued, and these ACOs allocated approximately the same amount of savings to the ACOs themselves, participating member organizations, and physicians. Our findings demonstrate that ACO delivery systems remain at a nascent stage. Structural differences between commercial and noncommercial ACOs are important factors to consider as public policy efforts continue to evolve. PMID:27702959

Increases in deep ocean ambient noise in the Northeast Pacific west of San Nicolas Island, California.

PubMed

McDonald, Mark A; Hildebrand, John A; Wiggins, Sean M

2006-08-01

Recent measurement at a previously studied location illustrates the magnitude of increases in ocean ambient noise in the Northeast Pacific over the past four decades. Continuous measurements west of San Nicolas Island, California, over 138 days, spanning 2003-2004 are compared to measurements made during the 1960s at the same site. Ambient noise levels at 30-50 Hz were 10-12 dB higher (95% CI = 2.6 dB) in 2003-2004 than in 1964-1966, suggesting an average noise increase rate of 2.5-3 dB per decade. Above 50 Hz the noise level differences between recording periods gradually diminished to only 1-3 dB at 100-300 Hz. Above 300 Hz the 1964-1966 ambient noise levels were higher than in 2003-2004, owing to a diel component which was absent in the more recent data. Low frequency (10-50 Hz) ocean ambient noise levels are closely related to shipping vessel traffic. The number of commercial vessels plying the world's oceans approximately doubled between 1965 and 2003 and the gross tonnage quadrupled, with a corresponding increase in horsepower. Increases in commercial shipping are believed to account for the observed low-frequency ambient noise increase.

Automatic Commercial Permit Sets

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

Grana, Paul

Final report for Folsom Labs’ Solar Permit Generator project, which has successfully completed, resulting in the development and commercialization of a software toolkit within the cloud-based HelioScope software environment that enables solar engineers to automatically generate and manage draft documents for permit submission.

Technical Note: Characterization of custom 3D printed multimodality imaging phantoms

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

Bieniosek, Matthew F.; Lee, Brian J.; Levin, Craig S., E-mail: cslevin@stanford.edu

Purpose: Imaging phantoms are important tools for researchers and technicians, but they can be costly and difficult to customize. Three dimensional (3D) printing is a widely available rapid prototyping technique that enables the fabrication of objects with 3D computer generated geometries. It is ideal for quickly producing customized, low cost, multimodal, reusable imaging phantoms. This work validates the use of 3D printed phantoms by comparing CT and PET scans of a 3D printed phantom and a commercial “Micro Deluxe” phantom. This report also presents results from a customized 3D printed PET/MRI phantom, and a customized high resolution imaging phantom withmore » sub-mm features. Methods: CT and PET scans of a 3D printed phantom and a commercial Micro Deluxe (Data Spectrum Corporation, USA) phantom with 1.2, 1.6, 2.4, 3.2, 4.0, and 4.8 mm diameter hot rods were acquired. The measured PET and CT rod sizes, activities, and attenuation coefficients were compared. A PET/MRI scan of a custom 3D printed phantom with hot and cold rods was performed, with photon attenuation and normalization measurements performed with a separate 3D printed normalization phantom. X-ray transmission scans of a customized two level high resolution 3D printed phantom with sub-mm features were also performed. Results: Results show very good agreement between commercial and 3D printed micro deluxe phantoms with less than 3% difference in CT measured rod diameter, less than 5% difference in PET measured rod diameter, and a maximum of 6.2% difference in average rod activity from a 10 min, 333 kBq/ml (9 μCi/ml) Siemens Inveon (Siemens Healthcare, Germany) PET scan. In all cases, these differences were within the measurement uncertainties of our setups. PET/MRI scans successfully identified 3D printed hot and cold rods on PET and MRI modalities. X-ray projection images of a 3D printed high resolution phantom identified features as small as 350 μm wide. Conclusions: This work shows that 3D printed phantoms can be functionally equivalent to commercially available phantoms. They are a viable option for quickly distributing and fabricating low cost, customized phantoms.« less

Effects of arsenic on nutrient accumulation and distribution in selected ornamental plants

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In Miami, Florida 95% of residential and 33% commercial soils exceed the Florida Department of Environmental Protection goals for cleanup of arsenic contamination. Ornamental plants have not been fully investigated as a mechanism for phytoremediation of low level As contaminated soil. This study eva...

An iOS Application for Evaluating Whole-body Vibration Within a Workplace Risk Management Process.

PubMed

McGlothlin, James; Burgess-Limerick, R; Lynas, D

2015-01-01

Workplace management of whole-body vibration exposure requires systematic collection of whole-body vibration data in conjunction with the numerous variables which influence vibration amplitudes. The cost and complexity of commercially available measurement devices is an impediment to the routine collection of such data by workplaces. An iOS application (WBV) has been developed which allows an iPod Touch to be used to measure whole-body vibration exposures. The utility of the application was demonstrated by simultaneously obtaining 98 pairs of whole-body vibration measurements from both the iPod Touch application and a commercially available whole-body vibration device during the operation of a variety of vehicles and mobile plant in operation at a surface coal mine. The iOS application installed on a fifth-generation iPod Touch was shown to provide a 95% confidence of +/- 0.077 m/s(2) r.m.s. constant error for the vertical direction. Situations in which vibration levels lay within the ISO2631.1 health guidance caution zone were accurately identified, and the qualitative features of the frequency spectra were reproduced. The low cost and relative simplicity of the application has potential to facilitate its use as a screening tool to identify situations in which musculoskeletal disorders may arise as a consequence of exposure to whole-body vibration.

Uav Photogrammetry with Oblique Images: First Analysis on Data Acquisition and Processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aicardi, I.; Chiabrando, F.; Grasso, N.; Lingua, A. M.; Noardo, F.; Spanò, A.

2016-06-01

In recent years, many studies revealed the advantages of using airborne oblique images for obtaining improved 3D city models (e.g. including façades and building footprints). Expensive airborne cameras, installed on traditional aerial platforms, usually acquired the data. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the possibility of acquire and use oblique images for the 3D reconstruction of a historical building, obtained by UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) and traditional COTS (Commercial Off-the-Shelf) digital cameras (more compact and lighter than generally used devices), for the realization of high-level-of-detail architectural survey. The critical issues of the acquisitions from a common UAV (flight planning strategies, ground control points, check points distribution and measurement, etc.) are described. Another important considered aspect was the evaluation of the possibility to use such systems as low cost methods for obtaining complete information from an aerial point of view in case of emergency problems or, as in the present paper, in the cultural heritage application field. The data processing was realized using SfM-based approach for point cloud generation: different dense image-matching algorithms implemented in some commercial and open source software were tested. The achieved results are analysed and the discrepancies from some reference LiDAR data are computed for a final evaluation. The system was tested on the S. Maria Chapel, a part of the Novalesa Abbey (Italy).

Detector with internal gain for short-wave infrared ranging applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fathipour, Vala; Mohseni, Hooman

2017-09-01