A method for calibrating pH meters using standard solutions with low electrical conductivity
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Rodionov, A. K.
2011-07-01
A procedure for obtaining standard solutions with low electrical conductivity that reproduce pH values both in acid and alkali regions is proposed. Estimates of the maximal possible error of reproducing the pH values of these solutions are obtained.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sheftman, D.; Shafer, D.; Efimov, S.; Krasik, Ya. E.
2012-03-01
Sub-microsecond timescale underwater electrical wire explosions using Cu and Al materials have been conducted. Current and voltage waveforms and time-resolved streak images of the discharge channel, coupled to 1D magneto-hydrodynamic simulations, have been used to determine the electrical conductivity of the metals for the range of conditions between hot liquid metal and strongly coupled non-ideal plasma, in the temperature range of 10-60 KK. The results of these studies showed that the conductivity values obtained are typically lower than those corresponding to modern theoretical electrical conductivity models and provide a transition between the conductivity values obtained in microsecond time scale explosions and those obtained in nanosecond time scale wire explosions. In addition, the measured wire expansion shows good agreement with equation of state tables.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Bhasin, K. B.; Warner, J. D.; Chorey, C. M.; Ebihara, B. T.; Romanofsky, R. R.; Heinen, V. O.
1990-01-01
We report on the values of the microwave conductivity in the normal (sigma(subN)) and superconducting (sigma*=sigma(sub1)-j sigma(sub2)) states of two laser ablated YBa2CU3O7(sigma) thin films at 35 GHz, in the temperature range from 20 to 300 K. The films 0.7 and 0.4 micrometers) were deposited on LaA10(sub3) by laser ablation. The conductivity was obtained from the microwave power transmitted through the films and assuming a two-fluid model. Values of sigma(subN) approximately 2.3 X 10(exp5) S/m at room temperature for both films, and of sigma(sub1) approximately 6.3 X 10(exp5) and 4.6 X 10(exp5) S/m at temperatures around 80 K were obtained for the 0.7 and 0.4 micrometer films respectively. For sigma(sub2) values of 4.9 X 10(exp6) and 5.4 X 10(exp6) S/m were obtained for the 0.7 and 0.4 micrometer films at 80 K. The expected conductor losses and Q-factor of a superconducting ring resonator were calculated using these conductivity values. The theoretical values were then compared with the experimental results obtained for a resonator fabricated from one of these films.
Anisotropic conductivity imaging with MREIT using equipotential projection algorithm.
Değirmenci, Evren; Eyüboğlu, B Murat
2007-12-21
Magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography (MREIT) combines magnetic flux or current density measurements obtained by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and surface potential measurements to reconstruct images of true conductivity with high spatial resolution. Most of the biological tissues have anisotropic conductivity; therefore, anisotropy should be taken into account in conductivity image reconstruction. Almost all of the MREIT reconstruction algorithms proposed to date assume isotropic conductivity distribution. In this study, a novel MREIT image reconstruction algorithm is proposed to image anisotropic conductivity. Relative anisotropic conductivity values are reconstructed iteratively, using only current density measurements without any potential measurement. In order to obtain true conductivity values, only either one potential or conductivity measurement is sufficient to determine a scaling factor. The proposed technique is evaluated on simulated data for isotropic and anisotropic conductivity distributions, with and without measurement noise. Simulation results show that the images of both anisotropic and isotropic conductivity distributions can be reconstructed successfully.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Madhavi Latha, T.; Peddi Naidu, P.; Madhusudhana Rao, D. N.; Indira Devi, M.
2012-11-01
Electron density profiles for the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) 2001 and 2007 models have been utilized in evaluating the D-region conductivity parameter in earth ionosphere wave guide calculations. The day to night shift in reflection height of very low frequency (VLF) waves has been calculated using D-region conductivities derived from IRI models and the results are compared with those obtained from phase variation measurements of VLF transmissions from Rugby (England) made at Visakhapatnam (India). The values derived from the models are found to be much lower than those obtained from the experimental measurements. The values derived from the IRI models are in good agreement with those obtained from exponential conductivity model.
46 CFR 162.050-15 - Designation of facilities.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
2011-10-01
.... (2) Each type of equipment the facility proposes to test. (3) A description of the facility's... concentrations and the values obtained by the facility with their equipment. The value of X d for the 12... conduct approval tests— (1) A facility must have the management organization, equipment for conducting...
Wang, Xue; Zhao, Yu; Hu, Yumin; Zhou, Yongjin; Ye, Xinjian; Liu, Kun; Bai, Guanghui; Guo, Anna; Du, Meimei; Jiang, Lezhen; Wang, Jinhong; Yan, Zhihan
2017-07-11
Previous researchers obtained various apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) cutoff values to differentiate endometrial carcinoma from benign mimickers with 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Few studies have used 3T MRI or validated the effectiveness of these cutoff ADC values prospectively. This study was designed in two stages to obtain a cutoff ADC value at 3T MRI and to validate prospectively the role of the ADC value. First, we conducted a retrospective study of 60 patients to evaluate the diagnostic value of ADC by obtain a theoretical cutoff ADC value for differentiating between benign and malignant endometrial lesions. Student's t test revealed that ADC values for stage I endometrial carcinomas were significantly lower than those for benign lesions. The area under the curve value of the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.993, and the cutoff ADC value was 0.98 × 10-3 mm2/s. The sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy of diagnosing stage I endometrial carcinoma were 100%, 97.1%, and 98.3%, respectively. Second, we conducted a prospective study of 26 patients to validate the use of the cutoff ADC value obtained in the study's first stage. The sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy for differentiating malignant from benign endometrial lesions based on the cutoff ADC value obtained earlier were as follows: radiologist 1 attained 86.67%, 100.0%, and 92.31%, respectively; radiologist 2 attained 86.67%, 91.0%, and 88.5%, respectively. Our results suggest that ADC values could be a potential biomarker for use as a quantitative and qualitative tool for differentiating between early-stage endometrial carcinomas and benign mimickers.
Hu, Yumin; Zhou, Yongjin; Ye, Xinjian; Liu, Kun; Bai, Guanghui; Guo, Anna; Du, Meimei; Jiang, Lezhen
2017-01-01
Previous researchers obtained various apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) cutoff values to differentiate endometrial carcinoma from benign mimickers with 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Few studies have used 3T MRI or validated the effectiveness of these cutoff ADC values prospectively. This study was designed in two stages to obtain a cutoff ADC value at 3T MRI and to validate prospectively the role of the ADC value. First, we conducted a retrospective study of 60 patients to evaluate the diagnostic value of ADC by obtain a theoretical cutoff ADC value for differentiating between benign and malignant endometrial lesions. Student's t test revealed that ADC values for stage I endometrial carcinomas were significantly lower than those for benign lesions. The area under the curve value of the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.993, and the cutoff ADC value was 0.98 × 10−3 mm2/s. The sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy of diagnosing stage I endometrial carcinoma were 100%, 97.1%, and 98.3%, respectively. Second, we conducted a prospective study of 26 patients to validate the use of the cutoff ADC value obtained in the study's first stage. The sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy for differentiating malignant from benign endometrial lesions based on the cutoff ADC value obtained earlier were as follows: radiologist 1 attained 86.67%, 100.0%, and 92.31%, respectively; radiologist 2 attained 86.67%, 91.0%, and 88.5%, respectively. Our results suggest that ADC values could be a potential biomarker for use as a quantitative and qualitative tool for differentiating between early-stage endometrial carcinomas and benign mimickers. PMID:28634318
De Bartolo, Samuele; Fallico, Carmine; Veltri, Massimo
2013-01-01
Hydraulic conductivity and effective porosity values for the confined sandy loam aquifer of the Montalto Uffugo (Italy) test field were obtained by laboratory and field measurements; the first ones were carried out on undisturbed soil samples and the others by slug and aquifer tests. A direct simple-scaling analysis was performed for the whole range of measurement and a comparison among the different types of fractal models describing the scale behavior was made. Some indications about the largest pore size to utilize in the fractal models were given. The results obtained for a sandy loam soil show that it is possible to obtain global indications on the behavior of the hydraulic conductivity versus the porosity utilizing a simple scaling relation and a fractal model in coupled manner. PMID:24385876
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bobnar, V.; Hrovat, M.; Holc, J.; Filipič, C.; Levstik, A.; Kosec, M.
2009-02-01
An exceptionally high dielectric constant was obtained by making use of the conductive percolative phenomenon in all-ceramic composite, comprising of Pb2Ru2O6.5 with high electrical conductivity denoted as the conductive phase and ferroelectric 0.65Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.35PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) perovskite systems. Structural analysis revealed a uniform distribution of conductive ceramic grains within the PMN-PT matrix. Consequently, the dielectric response in the PMN-PT-Pb2Ru2O6.5 composite follows the predictions of the percolation theory. Thus, close to the percolation point exceptionally high values of the dielectric constant were obtained—values higher than 105 were detected at room temperature at 1 kHz. Fit of the data, obtained for samples of different compositions, revealed critical exponent and percolation point, which reasonably agree with the theoretically predicted values.
Belitz, K.; Dripps, W.
1999-01-01
Normally, slug test measurements are limited to the well in which the water level is perturbed. Consequently, it is often difficult to obtain reliable estimates of hydraulic properties, particularly if the aquifer is anisotropic or if there is a wellbore skin. In this investigation, we use partially penetrating stress and observation wells to evaluate specific storage, radial hydraulic conductivity and anisotropy of the aquifer, and the hydraulic conductivity of the borehole skin. The study site is located in the W9 subbasin of the Sleepers River Research Watershed, Vermont. At the site, ~3 m of saturated till are partially penetrated by a stress well located in the center of the unconfined aquifer and six observation wells located above, below, and at the depth of the stress well at radial distances of 1.2 and 2.4 m. The observation wells were shut in with inflatable packers. The semianalytical solution of Butler (1995) was used to conduct a sensitivity analysis and to interpret slug test results. The sensitivity analysis indicates that the response of the stress well is primarily sensitive to radial hydraulic conductivity, less sensitive to anisotropy and the conductivity of the borehole skin, and nearly insensitive to specific storage. In contrast, the responses of the observation wells are sensitive to all four parameters. Interpretation of the field data was facilitated by generating type curves in a manner analogous to the method of Cooper et al. (1967). Because the value of radial hydraulic conductivity is obtained from a match point, the number of unknowns is reduced to three. The estimated values of radial hydraulic conductivity and specific storage are comparable to those derived from the methods of Bouwer and Rice (1976) and Cooper et al. (1967). The values and skin conductivity, however, could not have been obtained without the use of observation wells.Normally, slug test measurements are limited to the well in which the water level is perturbed. Consequently, it is often difficult to obtain reliable estimates of hydraulic properties, particularly if the aquifer is anisotropic or if there is a wellbore skin. In this investigation, we use partially penetrating stress and observation wells to evaluate specific storage, radial hydraulic conductivity and anisotropy of the aquifer, and the hydraulic conductivity of the borehole skin. The study site is located in the W9 subbasin of the Sleepers River Research Watershed, Vermont. At the site, approximately 3 m of saturated till are partially penetrated by a stress well located in the center of the unconfined aquifer and six observation wells located above, below, and at the depth of the stress well at radial distances of 1.2 and 2.4 m. The observation wells were shut in with inflatable packers. The semianalytical solution of Buffer (1995) was used to conduct a sensitivity analysis and to interpret slug test results. The sensitivity analysis indicates that the response of the stress well is primarily sensitive to radial hydraulic conductivity, less sensitive to anisotropy and the conductivity of the borehole skin, and nearly insensitive to specific storage. In contrast, the responses of the observation wells are sensitive to all four parameters. Interpretation of the field data was facilitated by generating type curves in a manner analogous to the method of Cooper et al. (1967). Because the value of radial hydraulic conductivity is obtained from a match point, the number of unknowns is reduced to three. The estimated values of radial hydraulic conductivity and specific storage are comparable to those derived from the methods of Bouwer and Rice (1976) and Cooper et al. (1967). The values and skin conductivity, however, could not have been obtained without the use of observation wells.
Transient Nonequilibrium Molecular Dynamic Simulations of Thermal Conductivity: 1. Simple Fluids
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hulse, R. J.; Rowley, R. L.; Wilding, W. V.
2005-01-01
Thermal conductivity has been previously obtained from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using either equilibrium (EMD) simulations (from Green--Kubo equations) or from steady-state nonequilibrium (NEMD) simulations. In the case of NEMD, either boundary-driven steady states are simulated or constrained equations of motion are used to obtain steady-state heat transfer rates. Like their experimental counterparts, these nonequilibrium steady-state methods are time consuming and may have convection problems. Here we report a new transient method developed to provide accurate thermal conductivity predictions from MD simulations. In the proposed MD method, molecules that lie within a specified volume are instantaneously heated. The temperature decay of the system of molecules inside the heated volume is compared to the solution of the transient energy equation, and the thermal diffusivity is regressed. Since the density of the fluid is set in the simulation, only the isochoric heat capacity is needed in order to obtain the thermal conductivity. In this study the isochoric heat capacity is determined from energy fluctuations within the simulated fluid. The method is valid in the liquid, vapor, and critical regions. Simulated values for the thermal conductivity of a Lennard-Jones (LJ) fluid were obtained using this new method over a temperature range of 90 to 900 K and a density range of 1-35 kmol · m-3. These values compare favorably with experimental values for argon. The new method has a precision of ±10%. Compared to other methods, the algorithm is quick, easy to code, and applicable to small systems, making the simulations very efficient.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Weldon, J. W.
1973-01-01
An investigation was conducted to develop procedure to obtain quantitative values for chlorophyll and turbidity in coastal waters by observing the changes in spectral radiance of the backscattered spectrum. The technique under consideration consists of Examining Exotech model 20-D spectral radiometer data and determining which radiance ratios best correlated with chlorophyll and turbidity measurements as obtained from analyses of water samples and sechi visibility readings. Preliminary results indicate that there is a correlation between backscattered light and chlorophyll concentration and secchi visibility. The tests were conducted with the spectrometer mounted in a light aircraft over the Mississippi Sound at altitudes of 2.5K, 2.8K and 10K feet.
Determination of a transient heat transfer property of acrylic using thermochromic liquid crystals
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Heidmann, James D.
1994-01-01
An experiment was performed to determine a transient heat transfer property of acrylic. The experiment took advantage of the known analytical solution for heat conduction in a homogeneous semi-infinite solid with a constant surface heat flux. Thermochromic liquid crystals were used to measure the temperature nonintrusively. The relevant property in this experiment was the transient thermal conduction coefficient h(sub t), which is the square root of the product of density p, specific heat c(sub p), and thermal conductivity k (i.e., square root of pc(sub p)k). A value of 595.6 W square root of s/sq m K was obtained for h(sub t), with a standard deviation of 5.1 W square root of s/sq m K. Although there is no generally accepted value for h(sub t), a commonly used one is 580 W square root of s/sq m K, which is almost 3 percent less than the h(sub t) value obtained in this experiment. Since these results were highly repeatable and since there is no definitive value for h(sub t), the new value is recommended for future use.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Asfahani, Jamal
2017-08-01
An alternative approach using nuclear neutron-porosity and electrical resistivity well logging of long (64 inch) and short (16 inch) normal techniques is proposed to estimate the porosity and the hydraulic conductivity ( K) of the basaltic aquifers in Southern Syria. This method is applied on the available logs of Kodana well in Southern Syria. It has been found that the obtained K value by applying this technique seems to be reasonable and comparable with the hydraulic conductivity value of 3.09 m/day obtained by the pumping test carried out at Kodana well. The proposed alternative well logging methodology seems as promising and could be practiced in the basaltic environments for the estimation of hydraulic conductivity parameter. However, more detailed researches are still required to make this proposed technique very performed in basaltic environments.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Lugo, J. M.; Oliva, A. I.
2017-02-01
The thermal effusivity of gold, aluminum, and copper thin films of nanometric thickness (20 nm to 200 nm) was investigated in terms of the films' thickness. The metallic thin films were deposited onto glass substrates by thermal evaporation, and the thermal effusivity was estimated by using experimental parameters such as the specific heat, thermal conductivity, and thermal diffusivity values obtained at room conditions. The specific heat, thermal conductivity, and thermal diffusivity values of the metallic thin films are determined with a methodology based on the behavior of the thermal profiles of the films when electrical pulses of few microseconds are applied at room conditions. For all the investigated materials, the thermal effusivity decreases with decreased thickness. The thermal effusivity values estimated by the presented methodology are consistent with other reported values obtained under vacuum conditions and more elaborated methodologies.
Sweat conductivity and coulometric quantitative test in neonatal cystic fibrosis screening.
Domingos, Mouseline Torquato; Magdalena, Neiva Isabel Rodrigues; Cat, Mônica Nunes Lima; Watanabe, Alexandra Mitiru; Rosário Filho, Nelson Augusto
2015-01-01
To compare the results obtained with the sweat test using the conductivity method and coulometric measurement of sweat chloride in newborns (NBs) with suspected cystic fibrosis (CF) in the neonatal screening program. The sweat test was performed simultaneously by both methods in children with and without CF. The cutoff values to confirm CF were >50 mmol/L in the conductivity and >60 mmol/L in the coulometric test. There were 444 infants without CF (185 males, 234 females, and 24 unreported) submitted to the sweat test through conductivity and coulometric measurement simultaneously, obtaining median results of 32 mmol/L and 12 mmol/L, respectively. For 90 infants with CF, the median values of conductivity and coulometric measurement were 108 mmol/L and 97 mmol/L, respectively. The false positive rate for conductivity was 16.7%, and was higher than 50 mmol/L in all patients with CF, which gives this method a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI: 93.8-97.8), specificity of 96.2% (95% CI: 93.8-97.8), positive predictive value of 83.3% (95% CI: 74.4-91.1), negative predictive value of 100% (95% CI: 90.5-109.4), and 9.8% accuracy. The correlation between the methods was r=0.97 (p>0.001). The best suggested cutoff value was 69.0 mmol/L, with a kappa coefficient=0.89. The conductivity test showed excellent correlation with the quantitative coulometric test, high sensitivity and specificity, and can be used in the diagnosis of CF in children detected through newborn screening. Copyright © 2015 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.
Stability of wave processes in a rotating electrically conducting fluid
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Peregudin, S. I.; Peregudina, E. S.; Kholodova, S. E.
2018-05-01
The paper puts forward a mathematical model of dynamics of spatial large-scale motions in a rotating layer of electrically conducting incompressible perfect fluid of variable depth with due account of dissipative effects. The resulting boundary-value problem is reduced to a vector system of partial differential equations for any values of the Reynolds number. Theoretical analysis of the so-obtained analytical solution reveals the effect of the magnetic field diffusion on the stability of the wave mode — namely, with the removed external magnetic field, the diffusion of the magnetic field promotes its damping. Besides, a criterion of stability of a wave mode is obtained.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
2014-07-01
..., or to temperature simulation devices. (vi) Conduct a visual inspection of each sensor every quarter... sensor values with electronic signal simulations or via relative accuracy testing. (v) Perform accuracy... values with electronic signal simulations or with values obtained via relative accuracy testing. (vi...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
2013-07-01
..., or to temperature simulation devices. (vi) Conduct a visual inspection of each sensor every quarter... sensor values with electronic signal simulations or via relative accuracy testing. (v) Perform accuracy... values with electronic signal simulations or with values obtained via relative accuracy testing. (vi...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
2012-07-01
..., or to temperature simulation devices. (vi) Conduct a visual inspection of each sensor every quarter... sensor values with electronic signal simulations or via relative accuracy testing. (v) Perform accuracy... values with electronic signal simulations or with values obtained via relative accuracy testing. (vi...
Evaluation of mesoporous silicon thermal conductivity by electrothermal finite element simulation
2012-01-01
The aim of this work is to determine the thermal conductivity of mesoporous silicon (PoSi) by fitting the experimental results with simulated ones. The electrothermal response (resistance versus applied current) of differently designed test lines integrated onto PoSi/silicon substrates and the bulk were compared to the simulations. The PoSi thermal conductivity was the single parameter used to fit the experimental results. The obtained thermal conductivity values were compared with those determined from Raman scattering measurements, and a good agreement between both methods was found. This methodology can be used to easily determine the thermal conductivity value for various porous silicon morphologies. PMID:22849851
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Klimchitskaya, G. L.; Mostepanenko, V. M.; Petrov, V. M.
2017-12-01
The complete theory of electrical conductivity of graphene at arbitrary temperature is developed with taking into account mass-gap parameter and chemical potential. Both the in-plane and out-of-plane conductivities of graphene are expressed via the components of the polarization tensor in (2+1)-dimensional space-time analytically continued to the real frequency axis. Simple analytic expressions for both the real and imaginary parts of the conductivity of graphene are obtained at zero and nonzero temperature. They demonstrate an interesting interplay depending on the values of mass gap and chemical potential. In the local limit, several results obtained earlier using various approximate and phenomenological approaches are reproduced, refined, and generalized. The numerical computations of both the real and imaginary parts of the conductivity of graphene are performed to illustrate the obtained results. The analytic expressions for the conductivity of graphene obtained in this paper can serve as a guide in the comparison between different theoretical approaches and between experiment and theory.
A concept for improved fire-safety through coated fillers
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Ramohalli, K.
1977-01-01
A possible method is examined for obtaining a high value of thermal conductivity before ignition and a low value after ignition in standard composite materials. The idea is to coat fiberglass, alumina trihydrate, and similar fillers with specially selected chemicals prior to using polymer resins. The amount of the coat constitutes typically less than 5% of the material's total weight. The experimental results obtained are consistent with the basic concept.
2016-09-28
Fair Market Value for Leases Supporting Power Purchase Agreements I N T E G R I T Y E F F I C I E N C Y A C C O U N T A B I L I T Y E X... Market Value for Leases Supporting Power Purchase Agreements Visit us at www.dodig.mil September 28, 2016 Objective We determined whether the...Department of the Army properly awarded and obtained fair market value for leases supporting energy production projects. We conducted this audit in
Anomalous electrical conductivity of nanoscale colloidal suspensions.
Chakraborty, Suman; Padhy, Sourav
2008-10-28
The electrical conductivity of colloidal suspensions containing nanoscale conducting particles is nontrivially related to the particle volume fraction and the electrical double layer thickness. Classical electrochemical models, however, tend to grossly overpredict the pertinent effective electrical conductivity values, as compared to those obtained under experimental conditions. We attempt to address this discrepancy by appealing to the complex interconnection between the aggregation kinetics of the nanoscale particles and the electrodynamics within the double layer. In particular, we model the consequent alterations in the effective electrophoretic mobility values of the suspension by addressing the fundamentals of agglomeration-deagglomeration mechanisms through the pertinent variations in the effective particulate dimensions, solid fractions, as well as the equivalent suspension viscosity. The consequent alterations in the electrical conductivity values provide a substantially improved prediction of the corresponding experimental findings and explain the apparent anomalous behavior predicted by the classical theoretical postulates.
Sheehy, Philip M; Ramstad, Tore
2005-10-04
The binding constant between alprostadil (PGE1) and alpha-cyclodextrin (alpha-CD) was determined at four temperatures using conductance measurements. Alpha-cyclodextrin is an excipient material in Caverject dual chamber syringe (DCS) that was added to enhance stability. The binding constant was used to calculate the amount of PGE1 free upon reconstitution and injection, since only the free drug is clinically active. The conductivity measurement is based on a decrease in specific conductance as alprostadil is titrated with alpha-CD. The change in conductivity was plotted versus free ligand concentration (alpha-CD) to generate a binding curve. As the value of the binding constant proved to be dependent on substrate concentration, it is really a pseudo binding constant. A value of 742+/-60 M(-1) was obtained for a 0.5 mM solution of alprostadil at 27 degrees C and a value of 550+/-52 M(-1) at 37 degrees C. These results compare favorably to values previously obtained by NMR and capillary electrophoresis. Calculation of the fraction PGE1 free upon reconstitution and injection show it to approach the desired outcome of one. Hence, the amount of drug delivered by Caverject DCS is nominally equivalent to that delivered by Caverject S. Po., a predecessor product that contains no alpha-cyclodextrin.
A new look on anomalous thermal gradient values obtained in South Portugal
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Duque, M. R.; Malico, I.
2012-04-01
A NEW LOOK ON THE ANOMALOUS THERMAL GRADIENT VALUES OBTAINED IN SOUTH PORTUGAL Duque, M. R. and Malico, I. M. Physics Department, University of Évora, Rua Romão Ramalho, 59,7000-671, Évora, Portugal It is well known that soil temperatures can be altered by water circulation. In this paper, we study numerically this effect by simulating some aquifers occurring in South Portugal. At this location, the thermal gradient values obtained in boreholes with depths less than 200 m, range between 22 and 30 °C km-1. However, there, it is easy to find places where temperatures are around 30 °C, at depths of 100 m. The obtained thermal gradient values show an increase one day after raining and a decrease during the dry season. Additionally, the curve of temperature as function of depth showed no hot water inlet in the hole. The region studied shows a smooth topography due to intensive erosion, but it was affected by alpine and hercinian orogenies. As a result, a high topography in depth, with folds and wrinkles is present. The space between adjacent folds is now filled by small sedimentary basins. Aquifers existing in this region can reach considerable depths and return to depths near the surface, but hot springs in the area are scarce. Water temperature rises in depth, and when the speed is high enough high temperatures near the surface, due to water circulation, can be found. The ability of the fluid to flow through the system depends on topography relief, rock permeability and basal heat flow. In this study, the steady-state fluid flow and heat transfer by conduction and advection are modeled. Fractures in the medium are simulated by an equivalent porous medium saturated with liquid. Thermal conductivity values for the water and the rocks can vary in space .Porosities used have high values in the region of the aquifer, low values in the lower region of the model and intermediate values in the upper regions. The results obtained show that temperature anomaly values depend on water ascending velocity, permeability values and depth of the aquifer. Comparing the results of our model with the measured values we can obtain information about aquifer depth and temperature.
Analysis of production flow process with lean manufacturing approach
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Siregar, Ikhsan; Arif Nasution, Abdillah; Prasetio, Aji; Fadillah, Kharis
2017-09-01
This research was conducted on the company engaged in the production of Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG). The production process in the company are still exists several activities that cause waste. Non value added activity (NVA) in the implementation is still widely found, so the cycle time generated to make the product will be longer. A form of improvement on the production line is by applying lean manufacturing method to identify waste along the value stream to find non value added activities. Non value added activity can be eliminated and reduced by utilizing value stream mapping and identifying it with activity mapping process. According to the results obtained that there are 26% of value-added activities and 74% non value added activity. The results obtained through the current state map of the production process of process lead time value of 678.11 minutes and processing time of 173.94 minutes. While the results obtained from the research proposal is the percentage of value added time of 41% of production process activities while non value added time of the production process of 59%. While the results obtained through the future state map of the production process of process lead time value of 426.69 minutes and processing time of 173.89 minutes.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bian, Dongfen; Liu, Jitao
2017-12-01
This paper is concerned with the initial-boundary value problem to 2D magnetohydrodynamics-Boussinesq system with the temperature-dependent viscosity, thermal diffusivity and electrical conductivity. First, we establish the global weak solutions under the minimal initial assumption. Then by imposing higher regularity assumption on the initial data, we obtain the global strong solution with uniqueness. Moreover, the exponential decay rates of weak solutions and strong solution are obtained respectively.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Simbeck, D.J.
1997-06-01
Reference toxicant testing using juvenile freshwater mussels was conducted as part of the CR-ERP biomonitoring study of Clinch River sediments to assess the sensitivity of test organisms and the overall performance of the test. Tests were conducted using moderately hard synthetic water spiked with known concentrations of copper as copper sulfate. Toxicity testing of copper sulfate reference toxicant was conducted from May 12-21, 1993. The organisms used for testing were juvenile fresh-water mussels (Anodonta imbecillis). Results from this test showed an LC{sub 50} value of 1.12 mg Cu/L which is lower than the value of 2.02 mg Cu/L obtained inmore » a previous test. Too few tests have been conducted with copper as the toxicant to determine a normal range of values.« less
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Zhu, Dongming; Miller, Robert A.
1999-01-01
Laser high heat flux test approaches have been established to obtain critical properties of ceramic thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) under near-realistic temperature and thermal gradients that may he encountered in advanced engine systems. Thermal conductivity change kinetics of a thin ceramic coating were continuously monitored in real time at various test temperatures. A significant thermal conductivity increase was observed during the laser simulated engine heat flux tests. For a 0.25 mm thick ZrO2-8%Y2O3 coating system, the overall thermal conductivity increased from the initial value of 1.0 W/m-K to 1. 15 W/m-K, 1. 19 W/m-K and 1.5 W/m-K after 30 hour testing at surface temperatures of 990C, 1100C, and 1320C. respectively. Hardness and modulus gradients across a 1.5 mm thick TBC system were also determined as a function of laser testing time using the laser sintering/creep and micro-indentation techniques. The coating Knoop hardness values increased from the initial hardness value of 4 GPa to 5 GPa near the ceramic/bond coat interface, and to 7.5 GPa at the ceramic coating surface after 120 hour testing. The ceramic surface modulus increased from an initial value of about 70 GPa to a final value of 125 GPa. The increase in thermal conductivity and the evolution of significant hardness and modulus gradients in the TBC systems are attributed to sintering-induced micro-porosity gradients under the laser-imposed high thermal gradient conditions. The test techniques provide a viable means for obtaining coating data for use in design, development, stress modeling, and life prediction for various thermal barrier coating applications.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Alzamil, M. A.; Alfaramawi, K.; Abboudy, S.; Abulnasr, L.
2018-02-01
Electrical properties of butyl rubber filled with General Purpose Furnace (GPF) carbon black were studied. The carbon black concentration ( X) in the compound was X = 40, 60, 70, 80, and 100 parts by weight per hundred parts by weight of rubber (phr). The corresponding volume fractions of GPF carbon black were 0.447 ± 0.022, 0.548 ± 0.027, 0.586 ± 0.029, 0.618 ± 0.031 and 0.669 ± 0.034, respectively. The concentration dependence of conductivity ( σ ) at constant temperature showed that σ follows a percolation theory; σ ∝ ( {X - Xo } )^{γ } , where X o is the concentration at percolation threshold. The exponent γ was found as 6.6 (at room temperature 30°C). This value agrees with other experimental values obtained by many authors for different rubber-carbon black systems. Electron tunneling between the aggregates, which are dispersed in the insulator rubber, was mainly the conduction process proposed at constant temperature in the butyl-GPF carbon black composites. Temperature dependence of conductivity was investigated in the temperature range from 30°C up to 120°C. All samples exhibit negative temperature coefficients of conductivity (NTCC). The values obtained are - 0.130°C-1, - 0.019°C-1, - 0.0082°C-1, - 0.0094°C-1, and - 0.072°C-1 for carbon black concentrations of 40 phr, 60 phr, 70 phr, 80 phr, and 100 phr, respectively. The samples of concentrations 40 phr and 60 phr have also positive temperature coefficients of conductivity (PTCC) of values + 0.031 and + 0.013, respectively. Electrical conduction at different temperatures showed various mechanisms depending on the carbon black concentration and/or the interval of temperature. The hopping conduction mechanism was noticed at the lower temperature region while carrier thermal activation mechanisms were recorded at the higher temperature range.
Gallardo-Moreno, Amparo M; Vadillo-Rodríguez, Virginia; Perera-Núñez, Julia; Bruque, José M; González-Martín, M Luisa
2012-07-21
The electrical characterization of surfaces in terms of the zeta potential (ζ), i.e., the electric potential contributing to the interaction potential energy, is of major importance in a wide variety of industrial, environmental and biomedical applications in which the integration of any material with the surrounding media is initially mediated by the physico-chemical properties of its outer surface layer. Among the different existing electrokinetic techniques for obtaining ζ, streaming potential (V(str)) and streaming current (I(str)) are important when dealing with flat-extended samples. Mostly dielectric materials have been subjected to this type of analysis and only a few papers can be found in the literature regarding the electrokinetic characterization of conducting materials. Nevertheless, a standardized procedure is typically followed to calculate ζ from the measured data and, importantly, it is shown in this paper that such a procedure leads to incorrect zeta potential values when conductors are investigated. In any case, assessment of a reliable numerical value of ζ requires careful consideration of the origin of the input data and the characteristics of the experimental setup. In particular, it is shown that the cell resistance (R) typically obtained through a.c. signals (R(a.c.)), and needed for the calculations of ζ, always underestimates the zeta potential values obtained from streaming potential measurements. The consideration of R(EK), derived from the V(str)/I(str) ratio, leads to reliable values of ζ when dielectrics are investigated. For metals, the contribution of conductivity of the sample to the cell resistance provokes an underestimation of R(EK), which leads to unrealistic values of ζ. For the electrical characterization of conducting samples I(str) measurements constitute a better choice. In general, the findings gathered in this manuscript establish a measurement protocol for obtaining reliable zeta potentials of dielectrics and conductors based on the intrinsic electrokinetic behavior of both types of samples.
Preparation and Some Properties of N-Type IrxCo1-xSB3 Solid Solutions
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Caillat, Thierry
1995-01-01
A number of studies have been recently devoted to the preparation and characterization of binary skutterudite materials to investigate their potential as advanced thermoelectric materials. These studies show that the potential of these binary skutterudite compounds is limited because of their relatively large thermal conductivity. In order to achieve high thermoelectric figure of merits for these materials, efforts should focus on thermal conductivity reduction. Recent results obtained on n-type CoSb3 and IrSb3 compounds have shown that n-type skutterudite materials might have a better potential for thermoelectric applications than p-type materials. The thermoelectric properties of p-type IrxCo1-xSb3 solid solutions have been recently investigated and it was shown that a substantial reduction in thermal conductivity was achieved. We prepared and measured some properties of n-type IrxCo1-xSb3 solid solutions. The samples are characterized by large Seebeck coefficient values and significantly lower thermal conductivity values than those measured on the binary compounds CoSb3 and IrSb3. A maximum ZT value of about 0.4 was obtained at a temperature of about 300(deg)C. Improvements in the figure of merit are possible in this system by optimization of the doping level.
A Network Model for the Effective Thermal Conductivity of Rigid Fibrous Refractory Insulations
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Marschall, Jochen; Cooper, D. M. (Technical Monitor)
1995-01-01
A procedure is described for computing the effective thermal conductivity of a rigid fibrous refractory insulation. The insulation is modeled as a 3-dimensional Cartesian network of thermal conductance. The values and volume distributions of the conductance are assigned to reflect the physical properties of the insulation, its constituent fibers, and any permeating gas. The effective thermal conductivity is computed by considering the simultaneous energy transport by solid conduction, gas conduction and radiation through a cubic volume of model insulation; thus the coupling between heat transfer modes is retained (within the simplifications inherent to the model), rather than suppressed by treating these heat transfer modes as independent. The model takes into account insulation composition, density and fiber anisotropy, as well as the geometric and material properties of the constituent fibers. A relatively good agreement, between calculated and experimentally derived thermal conductivity values, is obtained for a variety of rigid fibrous insulations.
Ferrando, Noelia S; Claps, María C; Benítez, Hernán H; Gabellone, Néstor A
2018-05-14
In the present work, we provide the first approach about the life-history of Brachionus plicatilis in South America. We tested with laboratory experiments the response of the pampean strain of B. plicatilis for two of its main stressors (conductivity and temperature). We evaluated the effects of eight conductivity values from 1 to 17 mS.cm-1 and two temperatures (15 and 25 °C) to compare its abundance with those obtained in the pampean lotic and lentic environments, where this rotifer is frequent or dominant. The results demonstrated that the increase in population-growth rate and the peak of abundance occurred at the highest temperature and at medium conductivity. Minimum values were obtained at the lowest temperature and conductivities analyzed, but the final density attained was nevertheless similar to those recorded in the pampean environments at the optimum conductivity and during the spring and summer seasons. Males, mictic females, and resting eggs were observed at the minimum and maximum conductivities, revealing the strategy of this species for maintaining dominance in environments with fluctuating salinity. The experiments also indicated the possible behavior of this relevant member of the zooplankton community within a scenario of increasing temperature and salinity related to the climate changes occurring in the pampean region.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Nag, Abhinav; Kumari, Anuja; Kumar, Jagdish
2018-05-01
We have investigated structural, electronic and transport properties of the alkali metals using ab-initio density functional theory. The electron energy dispersions are found parabolic free electron like which is expected for alkali metals. The lattice constants for all the studied metals are also in good agreement within 98% with experiments. We have further computed their transport properties using semi-classical Boltzmann transport equations with special focus on electrical and thermal conductivity. Our objective was to obtain Wiedemann-Franz law and hence Lorenz number. The motivation to do these calculations is to see that how the incorporation of different interactions such as electron-lattice, electron-electron interaction affect the Wiedeman-Franz law. By solving Boltzmann transport equations, we have obtained electrical conductivity (σ/τ) and thermal conductivity (κ0 /τ) at different temperatures and then calculated Lorenz number using L = κ0 /(σT). The obtained value of Lorenz number has been found to match with value derived for free electron Fermi gas 2.44× 10-8 WΩK-2. Our results prove that the Wiedemann-Franz law as derived for free electron gas does not change much for alkali metals, even when one incorporates interaction of electrons with atomic nuclei and other electrons. However, at lower temperatures, the Lorenz number, was found to be deviating from its theoretical value.
Ignition and Combustion of Bulk Metals in a Microgravity Environment
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Branch, M. C.; Daily, J. W.; Abbud-Madrid, A.
1996-01-01
This annual report summarizes the latest results obtained in a NASA-supported project to investigate the effect of gravity on the ignition and combustion of bulk metals. The experimental arrangement used for this purpose consists of a 1000-W xenon lamp that irradiates the top surface of cylindrical titanium and magnesium specimens, 4 mm in diameter and 4 mm in height, in a quiescent, pure-oxygen environment at 1 atm. Reduced gravity is obtained from the NASA LeRC DC-9 aircraft flying parabolic trajectories. Values of critical and ignition temperatures are obtained from thermocouple records. Qualitative observations and propagation rates are extracted from high-speed cinematography. Emission spectra of gas-phase reactions are obtained with an imaging spectrograph/diode array system. It was found that high applied heating rates and large internal conduction losses generate critical and ignition temperatures that are several hundred degrees above the values obtained from isothermal experiments. Because of high conduction and radiation heat losses, no appreciable effect on ignition temperatures with reduced convection in low gravity is detected. Lower propagation rates of the molten interface on titanium and of ignition waves on magnesium are obtained at reduced gravity. These rates are compared to theoretical results from heat conduction analyses with a diffusion/convection controlled reaction. The close agreement found between experimental and theoretical values indicates the importance of the influence of natural convection-enhanced oxygen transport on combustion rates. Lower oxygen flux and lack of oxide product removal in the absence of convective currents appear to be responsible for longer burning times of magnesium diffusion flames at reduced gravity. The accumulation of condensed oxide particles in the flame front at low gravity produces a previously unreported unsteady explosion phenomenon in bulk magnesium flames. This spherically symmetric explosion phenomenon seems to be driven by increased radiation heat transfer from the flame front to an evaporating metal core covered by a porous, flexible oxide coating. These important results have revealed the significant role of gravity on the burning of metals, and are now being used as the database for future experiments to be conducted with different metals at various pressures, oxygen concentrations and gravity levels.
Calculation of Thermal Conductivity Coefficients of Electrons in Magnetized Dense Matter
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bisnovatyi-Kogan, G. S.; Glushikhina, M. V.
2018-04-01
The solution of Boltzmann equation for plasma in magnetic field with arbitrarily degenerate electrons and nondegenerate nuclei is obtained by Chapman-Enskog method. Functions generalizing Sonine polynomials are used for obtaining an approximate solution. Fully ionized plasma is considered. The tensor of the heat conductivity coefficients in nonquantized magnetic field is calculated. For nondegenerate and strongly degenerate plasma the asymptotic analytic formulas are obtained and compared with results of previous authors. The Lorentz approximation with neglecting of electron-electron encounters is asymptotically exact for strongly degenerate plasma. For the first time, analytical expressions for the heat conductivity tensor for nondegenerate electrons in the presence of a magnetic field are obtained in the three-polynomial approximation with account of electron-electron collisions. Account of the third polynomial improved substantially the precision of results. In the two-polynomial approximation, the obtained solution coincides with the published results. For strongly degenerate electrons, an asymptotically exact analytical solution for the heat conductivity tensor in the presence of a magnetic field is obtained for the first time. This solution has a considerably more complicated dependence on the magnetic field than those in previous publications and gives a several times smaller relative value of the thermal conductivity across the magnetic field at ωτ * 0.8.
Conductance of graphene-based double-barrier nanostructures.
Setare, M R; Jahani, D
2010-12-22
The effect of a mass gap on the conductance of graphene double-barrier heterojunctions is studied. By obtaining the 2D expression for the electronic transport of the low energy excitations of pure graphene through double-barrier systems, it is found that the conductivity of these structures does not depend on the type of charge carriers in the zones of the electric field. However, a finite induced gap in the graphene spectrum makes conductivity dependent on the energy band index. We also discuss a few controversies concerning double-barrier systems stemming from an improper choice of the scattering angle. Then it is observed that, for some special values of the incident energy and potential's height, graphene junctions behave like left-handed materials, resulting in a maximum value for the conductivity.
Inlet Flow Characteristics During Rapid Maneuvers for an F/A-18A Airplane
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Steenken, William G.; Williams, John G.; Walsh, Kevin R.
1999-01-01
The F404-GE-400 engine powered F/A-18A High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV) was used to examine the characteristics of inlet airflow during rapid aircraft maneuvers. A study of the degree of similarity between inlet data obtained during rapid aircraft maneuvers and inlet data obtained at steady aerodynamic attitudes was conducted at the maximum engine airflow of approximately 145 Ibm/sec using a computer model that was generated from inlet data obtained during steady aerodynamic maneuvers. Results show that rapid-maneuver inlet recoveries agreed very well with the recoveries obtained at equivalent stabilized angle-of-attack conditions. The peak dynamic circumferential distortion values obtained during rapid maneuvers agreed within 0.01 units of distortion over the 10 - 38 degree angle of attack range with the values obtained during steady aerodynamic maneuvers while similar agreement was found for the peak dynamic radial distortion values up to 29 degrees angle-of-attack. Exceedences of the rapid-maneuver peak dynamic circumferential distortion values relative to the peak distortion model values at steady attitudes occurred only at low or negative angles of attack and were inconsequential from an engine-stability assessment point of view. The results of this study validate the current industry practice of testing at steady aerodynamic conditions to characterize inlet recovery and peak dynamic distortion levels.
Syntheses, Characterizations, and Applications of Molecular Metal Wires and Functional Nanomaterials
2009-12-22
challenges Conductance of single molecules Concluding Remarks...values of single -molecule conductance for such pentaruthenium EMACs, other triruthenium and trirhodium EMACs (Dalton Trans. 2009, 2623) were obtained...a voltage-activated switch, or a single -molecule transistor. Among the molecules reported in this research field,1 EMACs2 are particularly
The Role of Personal Values in Social Entrepreneurship
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Akar, Hüseyin; Dogan, Yildiz Burcu
2018-01-01
The purpose of this research is to examine to what extent pre-service teachers' personal values predict their social entrepreneurship characteristics. In this context, statistical analysis was conducted on the data obtained from 393 pre-service teachers studying at the Faculty of Muallim Rifat Education at Kilis 7 Aralik University in 2016-2017…
The role of moisture content in above-ground leaching
Stan Lebow; Patricia Lebow
2007-01-01
This paper reviews previous reports on the moisture content of wood exposed above ground and compares those values to moisture contents obtained using simulated rainfall and immersion methods. Laboratory leaching trials with CCA-treated specimens were also conducted and the results compared to published values for leaching of CCA-treated specimens exposed above ground...
Effect of electron-hole asymmetry on optical conductivity in 8 -P m m n borophene
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Verma, Sonu; Mawrie, Alestin; Ghosh, Tarun Kanti
2017-10-01
We present a detailed theoretical study of the Drude weight and optical conductivity of 8-P m m n borophene having tilted anisotropic Dirac cones. We provide exact analytical expressions of x x and y y components of the Drude weight as well as maximum optical conductivity. We also obtain exact analytical expressions of the minimum energy (ɛ1) required to trigger the optical transitions and energy (ɛ2) needed to attain maximum optical conductivity. We find that the Drude weight and optical conductivity are highly anisotropic as a consequence of the anisotropic Dirac cone. The optical conductivities have a nonmonotonic behavior with photon energy in the regime between ɛ1 and ɛ2, as a result of the tilted parameter vt. The tilted parameter can be extracted by knowing ɛ1 and ɛ2 from optical measurements. The maximum values of the components of the optical conductivity do not depend on the carrier density and the tilted parameter. The product of the maximum values of the anisotropic conductivities has the universal value (e2/4ℏ ) 2. The tilted anisotropic Dirac cones in 8-P m m n borophene can be realized by the optical conductivity measurement.
Estimation of soil hydraulic properties with microwave techniques
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Oneill, P. E.; Gurney, R. J.; Camillo, P. J.
1985-01-01
Useful quantitative information about soil properties may be obtained by calibrating energy and moisture balance models with remotely sensed data. A soil physics model solves heat and moisture flux equations in the soil profile and is driven by the surface energy balance. Model generated surface temperature and soil moisture and temperature profiles are then used in a microwave emission model to predict the soil brightness temperature. The model hydraulic parameters are varied until the predicted temperatures agree with the remotely sensed values. This method is used to estimate values for saturated hydraulic conductivity, saturated matrix potential, and a soil texture parameter. The conductivity agreed well with a value measured with an infiltration ring and the other parameters agreed with values in the literature.
Spatial and temporal variability of soil hydraulic properties of topsoil affected by soil erosion
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Nikodem, Antonin; Kodesova, Radka; Jaksik, Ondrej; Jirku, Veronika; Klement, Ales; Fer, Miroslav
2014-05-01
This study is focused on the comparison of soil hydraulic properties of topsoil that is affected by erosion processes. In order to include variable morphological and soil properties along the slope three sites - Brumovice, Vidim and Sedlčany were selected. Two transects (A, B) and five sampling sites along each one were chosen. Soil samples were taken in Brumovice after the tillage and sowing of winter wheat in October 2010 and after the wheat harvest in August 2011. At locality Vidim and Sedlčany samples were collected in May and August 2012. Soil hydraulic properties were studied in the laboratory on the undisturbed 100-cm3 soil samples placed in Tempe cells using the multi-step outflow test. Soil water retention data points were obtained by calculating water balance in the soil sample at each pressure head step of the experiment. The single-porosity model in HYDRUS-1D was applied to analyze the multi-step outflow and to obtain the parameters of soil hydraulic properties using the numerical inversion. The saturated hydraulic conductivities (Ks) and unsaturated hydraulic conductivities (Kw) for the pressure head of -2 cm of topsoil were also measured after the harvest using Guelph permeameter and Minidisk tensiometer, respectively. In general soil water retention curves measured before and after vegetation period apparently differed, which indicated soil material consolidation and soil-porous system rearrangement. Soil water retention curves obtained on the soil samples and hydraulic conductivities measured in the field reflected the position at the elevation transect and the effect of erosion/accumulation processes on soil structure and consequently on the soil hydraulic properties. The highest Ks values in Brumovice were obtained at the steepest parts of the elevation transects, that have been the most eroded. The Ks values at the bottom parts decreased due to the sedimentation of eroded soil particles. The change of the Kw values along transects didn't show similar trends. However, the variability of values within both transects was low. Higher values were obtained in transect B, where the soil was more affected by erosion. The highest values of Ks as well as the value of Kw were also obtained in the steepest part of transect A in Vidim. This trend was not observed in transect B. The results corresponded with measured retention curves. Two different trends were shown in Sedlčany. While the highest values of Ks and Kw were found in the upper part of transect A, in the case of transect B the highest values were measured at the bottom of transect. Differences observed at both localities were caused by the different terrain attributes of both transects and extent of soil erosion. Acknowledgement: Authors acknowledge the financial support of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic (QJ1230319).
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Martisauskiene, Elvyda
2002-01-01
An analysis was conducted in Lithuania of teenager attitudes towards spiritual values which function in both micro- and macro-environments. The data obtained in this contemporary investigation were compared with those registered two decades ago, in the authoritarian type of society of that time. The focus of the study is on the peculiarities of…
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kartashov, E. M.
1986-10-01
Analytical methods for solving boundary value problems for the heat conduction equation with heterogeneous boundary conditions on lines, on a plane, and in space are briefly reviewed. In particular, the method of dual integral equations and summator series is examined with reference to stationary processes. A table of principal solutions to dual integral equations and pair summator series is proposed which presents the known results in a systematic manner. Newly obtained results are presented in addition to the known ones.
Strategies for Efficient Computation of the Expected Value of Partial Perfect Information
Madan, Jason; Ades, Anthony E.; Price, Malcolm; Maitland, Kathryn; Jemutai, Julie; Revill, Paul; Welton, Nicky J.
2014-01-01
Expected value of information methods evaluate the potential health benefits that can be obtained from conducting new research to reduce uncertainty in the parameters of a cost-effectiveness analysis model, hence reducing decision uncertainty. Expected value of partial perfect information (EVPPI) provides an upper limit to the health gains that can be obtained from conducting a new study on a subset of parameters in the cost-effectiveness analysis and can therefore be used as a sensitivity analysis to identify parameters that most contribute to decision uncertainty and to help guide decisions around which types of study are of most value to prioritize for funding. A common general approach is to use nested Monte Carlo simulation to obtain an estimate of EVPPI. This approach is computationally intensive, can lead to significant sampling bias if an inadequate number of inner samples are obtained, and incorrect results can be obtained if correlations between parameters are not dealt with appropriately. In this article, we set out a range of methods for estimating EVPPI that avoid the need for nested simulation: reparameterization of the net benefit function, Taylor series approximations, and restricted cubic spline estimation of conditional expectations. For each method, we set out the generalized functional form that net benefit must take for the method to be valid. By specifying this functional form, our methods are able to focus on components of the model in which approximation is required, avoiding the complexities involved in developing statistical approximations for the model as a whole. Our methods also allow for any correlations that might exist between model parameters. We illustrate the methods using an example of fluid resuscitation in African children with severe malaria. PMID:24449434
Deer browse resources of the Uwharrie National Forest
William H. Moore; Donald D. Strode
1966-01-01
A knowledge of the relative capacity of major forest types to support various wildlife species is of great value in deciding where and when to conduct intensive habitat and game management programs. Browse production and utilization data are useful in determining carrying capacity values and relative distribution of deer. In an effort to obtain this information on the...
Computer Modeling of the Thermal Conductivity of Cometary Ice
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Bunch, Theodore E.; Wilson, Michael A.; Pohorille, Andrew
1998-01-01
The thermal conductivity was found to be only weakly dependent on the microstructure of the amorphous ice. In general, the amorphous ices were found to have thermal conductivities of the same order of magnitude as liquid water. This is in contradiction to recent experimental estimates of the thermal conductivity of amorphous ice, and it is suggested that the extremely low value obtained experimentally is due to larger-scale defects in the ice, such as cracks, but is not an intrinsic property of the bulk amorphous ice.
Electrical conduction mechanism and dielectric characterization of MnTPPCl thin films
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Meikhail, M. S.; Oraby, A. H.; El-Nahass, M. M.; Zeyada, H. M.; Al-Muntaser, A. A.
2018-06-01
The AC conductivity and dielectric properties of MnTPPCl sandwich structure as Au/MnTPPCl/Au were studied. The conductivity of the MnTPPCl thin films have been interpreted by the correlated barrier hopping (CBH) model. The dominant conduction process have found to be the single polaron hopping conduction. The values of the hopping distance, Rω, barrier height, W, and the localized-state density, N, are estimated at different frequencies. The behavior of dielectric constant and dielectric loss was discussed as a function of temperature and frequency. The dielectric constant was described in terms of polarization mechanism in materials. The spectral behavior of dielectric loss is interpreted on the basis of the Giuntini et al. model [1]. The value of WM is obtained as 0.32 eV. A non-Debye relaxation phenomenon was observed from the dielectric relaxation mechanism.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Perkins, R. A.; Cieszkiewicz, M. T.
1991-01-01
Experimental measurements of thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity obtained with a transient hot-wire apparatus are reported for three mixtures of nitrogen, oxygen, and argon. Values of the specific heat, Cp, are calculated from these measured values and the density calculated with an equation of state. The measurements were made at temperatures between 65 and 303 K with pressures between 0.1 and 70 MPa. The data cover the vapor, liquid, and supercritical gas phases for the three mixtures. The total reported points are 1066 for the air mixture (78.11 percent nitrogen, 20.97 percent oxygen, and 0.92 percent argon), 1058 for the 50 percent nitrogen, 50 percent oxygen mixture, and 864 for the 25 percent nitrogen, 75 oxygen mixture. Empirical thermal conductivity correlations are provided for the three mixtures.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Pérez, E.; Dueñas, S.; Castán, H.
2015-12-28
The energy levels created in supersaturated n-type silicon substrates with titanium implantation in the attempt to create an intermediate band in their band-gap are studied in detail. Two titanium ion implantation doses (10{sup 13 }cm{sup -2} and 10{sup 14 }cm{sup -2}) are studied in this work by conductance transient technique and admittance spectroscopy. Conductance transients have been measured at temperatures of around 100 K. The particular shape of these transients is due to the formation of energy barriers in the conduction band, as a consequence of the band-gap narrowing induced by the high titanium concentration. Moreover, stationary admittance spectroscopy results suggest the existencemore » of different energy level configuration, depending on the local titanium concentration. A continuum energy level band is formed when titanium concentration is over the Mott limit. On the other hand, when titanium concentration is lower than the Mott limit, but much higher than the donor impurity density, a quasi-continuum energy level distribution appears. Finally, a single deep center appears for low titanium concentration. At the n-type substrate, the experimental results obtained by means of thermal admittance spectroscopy at high reverse bias reveal the presence of single levels located at around E{sub c}-425 and E{sub c}-275 meV for implantation doses of 10{sup 13 }cm{sup −2} and 10{sup 14 }cm{sup −2}, respectively. At low reverse bias voltage, quasi-continuously distributed energy levels between the minimum of the conduction bands, E{sub c} and E{sub c}-450 meV, are obtained for both doses. Conductance transients detected at low temperatures reveal that the high impurity concentration induces a band gap narrowing which leads to the formation of a barrier in the conduction band. Besides, the relationship between the activation energy and the capture cross section values of all the energy levels fits very well to the Meyer-Neldel rule. As it is known, the Meyer-Neldel rule typically appears in processes involving multiple excitations, like carrier capture and emission in deep levels, and it is generally observed in disordered systems. The obtained Meyer-Neldel energy value, 15.19 meV, is very close to the value obtained in multicrystalline silicon samples contaminated with iron (13.65 meV), meaning that this energy value could be associated to the phonons energy in this kind of substrates.« less
Theory of the Quantized Hall Conductance in Periodic Systems: a Topological Analysis.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Czerwinski, Michael Joseph
The integral quantization of the Hall conductance in two-dimensional periodic systems is investigated from a topological point of view. Attention is focused on the contributions from the electronic sub-bands which arise from perturbed Landau levels. After reviewing the theoretical work leading to the identification of the Hall conductance as a topological quantum number, both a determination and interpretation of these quantized values for the sub-band conductances is made. It is shown that the Hall conductance of each sub-band can be regarded as the sum of two terms which will be referred to as classical and nonclassical. Although each of these contributions individually leads to a fractional conductance, the sum of these two contributions does indeed yield an integer. These integral conductances are found to be given by the solution of a simple Diophantine equation which depends on the periodic perturbation. A connection between the quantized value of the Hall conductance and the covering of real space by the zeroes of the sub-band wavefunctions allows for a determination of these conductances under more general potentials. A method is described for obtaining the conductance values from only those states bordering the Brillouin zone, and not the states in its interior. This method is demonstrated to give Hall conductances in agreement with those obtained from the Diophantine equation for the sinusoidal potential case explored earlier. Generalizing a simple gauge invariance argument from real space to k-space, a k-space 'vector potential' is introduced. This allows for a explicit identification of the Hall conductance with the phase winding number of the sub-band wavefunction around the Brillouin zone. The previously described division of the Hall conductance into classical and nonclassical contributions is in this way made more rigorous; based on periodicity considerations alone, these terms are identified as the winding numbers associated with (i) the basis states and (ii) the coefficients of these basis states, respectively. In this way a general Diophantine equation, independent of the periodic potential, is obtained. Finally, the use of the 'parallel transport' of state vectors in the determination of an overall phase convention for these states is described. This is seen to lead to a simple and straightforward method for determining the Hall conductance. This method is based on the states directly, without reference to the particular component wavefunctions of these states. Mention is made of the generality of calculations of this type, within the context of the geometric (or Berry) phases acquired by systems under an adiabatic modification of their environment.
Subgrade characterization for highway pavement design.
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2000-12-01
Subgrade soil characterization expressed in terms of Resilient Modulus (MR) has become crucial for pavement design. For a new design, MR : values are generally obtained by conducting repeated triaxial tests on reconstituted/undisturbed cylindrical sp...
Basal-plane thermal conductivity of nanocrystalline and amorphized thin germanane
Coloyan, Gabriella; Cultrara, Nicholas D.; Katre, Ankita; ...
2016-09-30
Recently, we synthesized Germanane (GeH), a hydrogen-terminated layered germanium structure. We employed a four-probe thermal transport measurement method to obtain the basal-plane thermal conductivity of thin exfoliated GeH flakes and correlated the measurement results with the crystal structure. Furthermore, the obtained thermal conductivity increases with increasing temperature, suggesting that extrinsic grain boundary and defect scattering dominate intrinsic phonon-phonon scattering. Annealing a polycrystalline GeH sample at 195 C caused it to become amorphous, reducing the room-temperature thermal conductivity from 0.53± 0.03 W m -1 K -1, which is close to the value calculated for 3.3 nm grain size, to 0.29± 0.02more » W m -1 K -1, which approaches the calculated amorphous limit in the basal plane thermal conductivity.« less
Basal-plane thermal conductivity of nanocrystalline and amorphized thin germanane
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Coloyan, Gabriella; Cultrara, Nicholas D.; Katre, Ankita
Recently, we synthesized Germanane (GeH), a hydrogen-terminated layered germanium structure. We employed a four-probe thermal transport measurement method to obtain the basal-plane thermal conductivity of thin exfoliated GeH flakes and correlated the measurement results with the crystal structure. Furthermore, the obtained thermal conductivity increases with increasing temperature, suggesting that extrinsic grain boundary and defect scattering dominate intrinsic phonon-phonon scattering. Annealing a polycrystalline GeH sample at 195 C caused it to become amorphous, reducing the room-temperature thermal conductivity from 0.53± 0.03 W m -1 K -1, which is close to the value calculated for 3.3 nm grain size, to 0.29± 0.02more » W m -1 K -1, which approaches the calculated amorphous limit in the basal plane thermal conductivity.« less
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Llorens-Chiralt, R.; Weiss, P.; Mikonsaari, I.
2014-05-01
Material characterization is one of the key steps when conductive polymers are developed. The dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in a polymeric matrix using melt mixing influence final composite properties. The compounding becomes trial and error using a huge amount of materials, spending time and money to obtain competitive composites. Traditional methods to carry out electrical conductivity characterization include compression and injection molding. Both methods need extra equipments and moulds to obtain standard bars. This study aims to investigate the accuracy of the data obtained from absolute resistance recorded during the melt compounding, using an on-line setup developed by our group, and to correlate these values with off-line characterization and processing parameters (screw/barrel configuration, throughput, screw speed, temperature profile and CNTs percentage). Compounds developed with different percentages of multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and polycarbonate has been characterized during and after extrusion. Measurements, on-line resistance and off-line resistivity, showed parallel response and reproducibility, confirming method validity. The significance of the results obtained stems from the fact that we are able to measure on-line resistance and to change compounding parameters during production to achieve reference values reducing production/testing cost and ensuring material quality. Also, this method removes errors which can be found in test bars development, showing better correlation with compounding parameters.
Remote sensing of drought and salinity stressed turfgrass
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ikemura, Yoshiaki
The ability to detect early signs of stress in turfgrass stands using a rapid, inexpensive, and nondestructive method would be a valuable management tool. Studies were conducted to determine if digital image analysis and spectroradiometric readings obtained from drought- and salinity-stressed turfgrasses accurately reflected the varying degrees of stress and correlated strongly with visual ratings, relative water content (RWC) and leaf osmolality, standard methods for measuring stress in plants. Greenhouse drought and salinity experiments were conducted on hybrid bluegrass [Poa arachnifera (Torn.) x pratensis (L.)] cv. Reveille and bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.)] cv. Princess 77. Increasing drought and salinity stress led to decreased RWC, increased leaf osmolality, and decreased visual ratings for both species. Percent green cover and hue values obtained from digital image analysis, and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), calculated from spectroradiometric readings, were moderately to highly correlated with visual ratings, RWC, and leaf osmolality. Similarly, in a field validation study conducted on hybrid bluegrass, spectral reflectance ratios were moderately to highly correlated with visual ratings. In addition, percent green cover obtained from digital image analysis was strongly correlated with most of the spectral ratios, particularly the ratio of fluorescence peaks (r = -0.88 to -0.99), modified triangular vegetation index (MTVI) (r = 0.82 to 0.98), and NDVI (r = 0.84 to 0.99), suggesting that spectral reflectance and digital image analysis are equally effective at detecting changes in color brought on by stress. The two methods differed in their ability to distinguish between drought salinity stress. Hue values obtained from digital image analysis responded differently to increasing drought stress than to increasing salinity stress. Whereas the onset of drought stress was reflected by increased hue values followed by a decrease in values as drought stress increased, there was no increase in hue values at the onset of salinity stress. Thus, changes in hue could be a key to distinguish drought and salinity stress. Both digital image analysis and spectroradiometry effectively detected drought and salinity stress and may have applications in turfgrass management as rapid and quantitative methods to determine drought and salinity stress in turf.
Dahlinger, Dominik; Aslan, Sevinc; Pietsch, Markus; Frechen, Sebastian; Fuhr, Uwe
2017-07-01
The objective of this study was to examine the inhibitory potential of darifenacin, fesoterodine, oxybutynin, propiverine, solifenacin, tolterodine and trospium chloride on the seven major human cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP) by using a standardized and validated seven-in-one cytochrome P450 cocktail inhibition assay. An in vitro cocktail of seven highly selective probe substrates was incubated with human liver microsomes and varying concentrations of the seven test compounds. The major metabolites of the probe substrates were simultaneously analysed using a validated liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. Enzyme kinetics were estimated by determining IC 50 and K i values via nonlinear regression. Obtained K i values were used for predictions of potential clinical impact of the inhibition using a static mechanistic prediction model. In this study, 49 IC 50 experiments were conducted. In six cases, IC 50 values lower than the calculated threshold for drug-drug interactions (DDIs) in the gut wall were observed. In these cases, no increase in inhibition was determined after a 30 min preincubation. Considering a typical dosing regimen and applying the obtained K i values of 0.72 µM (darifenacin, 15 mg daily) and 7.2 µM [propiverine, 30 mg daily, immediate release (IR)] for the inhibition of CYP2D6 yielded a predicted 1.9-fold and 1.4-fold increase in the area under the curve (AUC) of debrisoquine (CYP2D6 substrate), respectively. Due to the inhibition of the particular intestinal CYP3A4, the obtained K i values of 14 µM of propiverine (30 mg daily, IR) resulted in a predicted doubling of the AUC for midazolam (CYP3A4 substrate). In vitro / in vivo extrapolation based on pharmacokinetic data and the conducted screening experiments yielded similar effects of darifenacin on CYP2D6 and propiverine on CYP3A4 as obtained in separately conducted in vivo DDI studies. As a novel finding, propiverine was identified to potentially inhibit CYP2D6 at clinically occurring concentrations.
Dahlinger, Dominik; Aslan, Sevinc; Pietsch, Markus; Frechen, Sebastian; Fuhr, Uwe
2017-01-01
Background: The objective of this study was to examine the inhibitory potential of darifenacin, fesoterodine, oxybutynin, propiverine, solifenacin, tolterodine and trospium chloride on the seven major human cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP) by using a standardized and validated seven-in-one cytochrome P450 cocktail inhibition assay. Methods: An in vitro cocktail of seven highly selective probe substrates was incubated with human liver microsomes and varying concentrations of the seven test compounds. The major metabolites of the probe substrates were simultaneously analysed using a validated liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. Enzyme kinetics were estimated by determining IC50 and Ki values via nonlinear regression. Obtained Ki values were used for predictions of potential clinical impact of the inhibition using a static mechanistic prediction model. Results: In this study, 49 IC50 experiments were conducted. In six cases, IC50 values lower than the calculated threshold for drug–drug interactions (DDIs) in the gut wall were observed. In these cases, no increase in inhibition was determined after a 30 min preincubation. Considering a typical dosing regimen and applying the obtained Ki values of 0.72 µM (darifenacin, 15 mg daily) and 7.2 µM [propiverine, 30 mg daily, immediate release (IR)] for the inhibition of CYP2D6 yielded a predicted 1.9-fold and 1.4-fold increase in the area under the curve (AUC) of debrisoquine (CYP2D6 substrate), respectively. Due to the inhibition of the particular intestinal CYP3A4, the obtained Ki values of 14 µM of propiverine (30 mg daily, IR) resulted in a predicted doubling of the AUC for midazolam (CYP3A4 substrate). Conclusions: In vitro/in vivo extrapolation based on pharmacokinetic data and the conducted screening experiments yielded similar effects of darifenacin on CYP2D6 and propiverine on CYP3A4 as obtained in separately conducted in vivo DDI studies. As a novel finding, propiverine was identified to potentially inhibit CYP2D6 at clinically occurring concentrations. PMID:28747995
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Miranda, F. A.; Gordon, W. L.; Bhasin, K. B.; Heinen, V. O.; Warner, J. D.; Valco, G. J.
1989-01-01
Millimeter wave transmission measurements through YBa2Cu3O(7-delta) thin films on MgO, ZrO2 and LaAlO3 substrates, are reported. The films (approx. 1 micron) were deposited by sequential evaporation and laser ablation techniques. Transition temperatures T sub c, ranging from 89.7 K for the Laser Ablated film on LaAlO3 to approximately 72 K for the sequentially evaporated film on MgO, were obtained. The values of the real and imaginary parts of the complex conductivity, sigma 1 and sigma 2, are obtained from the transmission data, assuming a two fluid model. The BCS approach is used to calculate values for an effective energy gap from the obtained values of sigma sub 1. A range of gap values from 2 DELTA o/K sub B T sub c = 4.19 to 4.35 was obtained. The magnetic penetration depth is evaluated from the deduced values of sigma 2. These results are discussed together with the frequency dependence of the normalized transmission amplitude, P/P sub c, below and above T sub c.
Prediction of resilient modulus from soil index properties.
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2004-11-01
Subgrade soil characterization in terms of Resilient Modulus (MR) has become crucial for pavement design. For a new : design, MR values are generally obtained by conducting repeated load triaxial tests on reconstituted/undisturbed cylindrical : speci...
Prediction of resilient modulus from soil index properties
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2004-11-01
Subgrade soil characterization in terms of Resilient Modulus (MR) has become crucial for pavement design. For a new design, MR values are generally obtained by conducting repeated load triaxial tests on reconstituted/undisturbed cylindrical specimens...
Falling weight deflectometer for estimating subgrade resilient moduli.
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2003-12-01
Subgrade soil characterization expressed in terms of resilient modulus, MR, has become crucial for pavement design. For : new pavement design, MR values are generally obtained by conducting repeated load triaxial tests on reconstituted/undisturbed : ...
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Simbeck, D.J.
1993-12-31
Reference toxicant testing using juvenile freshwater mussels was conducted as part of the CR-ERP biomonitoring study of Clinch River sediments to assess the sensitivity of test organisms and the overall performance of the test. Tests were conducted using moderately hard synthetic water spiked with known concentrations of copper as copper sulfate. Toxicity testing of copper sulfate reference toxicant was conducted from May 12--21, 1993. The organisms used for testing were juvenile fresh-water mussels (Anodonta imbecillis). Results from this test showed an LC{sub 50} value of 1.12 mg Cu/L which is lower than the value of 2.02 mg Cu/L obtained inmore » a previous test. Too few tests have been conducted with copper as the toxicant to determine a normal range of values. Attachments to this report include: Toxicity test bench sheets and statistical analyses; Copper analysis request and results; and Personnel training documentation.« less
Zinc chloride modified electronic transport and relaxation studies in barium-tellurite glasses
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dhankhar, Sunil; Kundu, R. S.; Rani, Sunita; Sharma, Preeti; Murugavel, S.; Punia, Rajesh; Kishore, N.
2017-09-01
The ac conductivity of halide based tellurium glasses having composition 70 TeO2-(30-x) BaO-x ZnCl2; x = 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 has been investigated in the frequency range 10-1 Hz to 105Hz and in the temperature range 453 K to 553 K. The frequency and temperature dependent ac conductivity show mixed behaviour with increase in halide content and found to obey Jonscher's universal power law. The values of dc conductivity, crossover frequency and frequency exponent have been estimated from the fitting of experimental data of ac conductivity with Jonscher's universal power law. For determining the conduction mechanism in studied glass system, frequency exponent has been analyzed by various theoretical models. In presently studied glasses, the ac conduction takes place via overlapping large polaron tunneling (OLPT). The values of activation energy for dc conduction (W) and the one associated with relaxation process ( E R) are found to increase with increase in x up to glass sample with x = 15 and thereafter it decrease with increase in zinc chloride content. DC conduction takes place via variable range hopping (VRH) as proposed by Mott with some modification suggested by Punia et al. The value of real part of modulus ( M') is observed to decrease with increase in temperature. The value of stretched exponent (β) obtained from fitting of M'' reveals the presence of non-Debye type of relaxation in presently studied glass samples. Scaling spectra of ac conductivity and values of electric modulus ( M' and M'') collapse into a single master curve for all the compositions and temperatures. The values of relaxation energy ( E R) for all the studied glass compositions are almost equal to W, suggesting that polarons have to overcome same barrier while relaxing and conducting. The conduction and relaxation processes in the studied glass samples are composition and temperature independent. [Figure not available: see fulltext.
Effect of aerated concrete blockwork joints on the heat transfer performance uniformity
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Pukhkal, Viktor; Murgul, Vera
2018-03-01
Analysis of data on the effect of joints of the aerated concrete blocks on the heat transfer uniformity of exterior walls was carried out. It was concluded, that the values of the heat transfer performance uniformity factor in the literature sources were obtained for the regular fragment of a wall construction by approximate addition of thermal conductivities. Heat flow patterns for the aerated concrete exterior walls amid different values of the thermal conductivity factors and design ambient air temperature of -26 °C were calculated with the use of "ELCUT" software for modelling of thermal patterns by finite element method. There were defined the values for the heat transfer performance uniformity factor, reduced total thermal resistance and heat-flux density for the exterior walls. The calculated values of the heat transfer performance uniformity factors, as a function of the coefficient of thermal conductivity of aerated concrete blocks, differ from the known data by a more rigorous thermal and physical substantiation.
Maximal exercise and muscle oxygen extraction in acclimatizing lowlanders and high altitude natives
Lundby, Carsten; Sander, Mikael; van Hall, Gerrit; Saltin, Bengt; Calbet, José A L
2006-01-01
The tight relation between arterial oxygen content and maximum oxygen uptake () within a given person at sea level is diminished with altitude acclimatization. An explanation often suggested for this mismatch is impairment of the muscle O2 extraction capacity with chronic hypoxia, and is the focus of the present study. We have studied six lowlanders during maximal exercise at sea level (SL) and with acute (AH) exposure to 4100 m altitude, and again after 2 (W2) and 8 weeks (W8) of altitude sojourn, where also eight high altitude native (Nat) Aymaras were studied. Fractional arterial muscle O2 extraction at maximal exercise was 90.0 ± 1.0% in the Danish lowlanders at sea level, and remained close to this value in all situations. In contrast to this, fractional arterial O2 extraction was 83.2 ± 2.8% in the high altitude natives, and did not change with the induction of normoxia. The capillary oxygen conductance of the lower extremity, a measure of oxygen diffusing capacity, was decreased in the Danish lowlanders after 8 weeks of acclimatization, but was still higher than the value obtained from the high altitude natives. The values were (in ml min−1 mmHg−1) 55.2 ± 3.7 (SL), 48.0 ± 1.7 (W2), 37.8 ± 0.4 (W8) and 27.7 ± 1.5 (Nat). However, when correcting oxygen conductance for the observed reduction in maximal leg blood flow with acclimatization the effect diminished. When calculating a hypothetical leg at altitude using either the leg blood flow or the O2 conductance values obtained at sea level, the former values were almost completely restored to sea level values. This would suggest that the major determinant for not to increase with acclimatization is the observed reduction in maximal leg blood flow and O2 conductance. PMID:16581864
Length dependence of electron transport through molecular wires--a first principles perspective.
Khoo, Khoong Hong; Chen, Yifeng; Li, Suchun; Quek, Su Ying
2015-01-07
One-dimensional wires constitute a fundamental building block in nanoscale electronics. However, truly one-dimensional metallic wires do not exist due to Peierls distortion. Molecular wires come close to being stable one-dimensional wires, but are typically semiconductors, with charge transport occurring via tunneling or thermally-activated hopping. In this review, we discuss electron transport through molecular wires, from a theoretical, quantum mechanical perspective based on first principles. We focus specifically on the off-resonant tunneling regime, applicable to shorter molecular wires (<∼4-5 nm) where quantum mechanics dictates electron transport. Here, conductance decays exponentially with the wire length, with an exponential decay constant, beta, that is independent of temperature. Different levels of first principles theory are discussed, starting with the computational workhorse - density functional theory (DFT), and moving on to many-electron GW methods as well as GW-inspired DFT + Sigma calculations. These different levels of theory are applied in two major computational frameworks - complex band structure (CBS) calculations to estimate the tunneling decay constant, beta, and Landauer-Buttiker transport calculations that consider explicitly the effects of contact geometry, and compute the transmission spectra directly. In general, for the same level of theory, the Landauer-Buttiker calculations give more quantitative values of beta than the CBS calculations. However, the CBS calculations have a long history and are particularly useful for quick estimates of beta. Comparing different levels of theory, it is clear that GW and DFT + Sigma calculations give significantly improved agreement with experiment compared to DFT, especially for the conductance values. Quantitative agreement can also be obtained for the Seebeck coefficient - another independent probe of electron transport. This excellent agreement provides confirmative evidence of off-resonant tunneling in the systems under investigation. Calculations show that the tunneling decay constant beta is a robust quantity that does not depend on details of the contact geometry, provided that the same contact geometry is used for all molecular lengths considered. However, because conductance is sensitive to contact geometry, values of beta obtained by considering conductance values where the contact geometry is changing with the molecular junction length can be quite different. Experimentally measured values of beta in general compare well with beta obtained using DFT + Sigma and GW transport calculations, while discrepancies can be attributed to changes in the experimental contact geometries with molecular length. This review also summarizes experimental and theoretical efforts towards finding perfect molecular wires with high conductance and small beta values.
Thermoelectric transport properties of PbTe-based composites incorporated with Cu2Se nano-inclusions
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Guo, Haifeng; Xin, Hongxing; Qin, Xiaoying; Jian, Zhang; Li, Di; Li, Yuanyue; Li, Cong
2016-02-01
Thermoelectric transport properties of Lead telluride (PbTe)-based composites incorporated with Cuprous selenide (Cu2Se) nano-inclusions were investigated from 300 K to 800 K. Here, except for the transition from p-type to n-type conduction that occurs in pristine PbTe at ~530 K due to the difference of mobility between thermally electron and hole at high temperature, another transition from p-type to n-type conduction at 300 K with an increasing proportion of Cu2Se could be due to the donor levels introduced by defects and unsaturated bonds at the interfaces. Moreover, by incorporating a small proportion (5 vol.%) of Cu2Se nanoparticles into the PbTe matrix to form nano-composites, both a reduction (~55%) in lattice thermal conductivity and an enhanced electrical conductivity compared with that of pristine PbTe are obtained, which allows the thermoelectric power factor to reach a larger value (~11.2 μW cm-1 K-2). Consequently, a maximum value ZT = 0.91 is obtained at 760 K in the PbTe-5 vol.% Cu2Se sample.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Otsuka, Mioko; Homma, Ryoei; Hasegawa, Yasuhiro
2017-05-01
The phonon and carrier thermal conductivities of thermoelectric materials were calculated using the Wiedemann-Franz law, Boltzmann equation, and a method we propose in this study called the Debye specific heat method. We prepared polycrystalline n-type doped bismuth telluride (BiTe) and bismuth antimony (BiSb) bulk alloy samples and measured six parameters (Seebeck coefficient, resistivity, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, magneto-resistivity, and Hall coefficient). The carrier density and mobility were estimated for calculating the carrier thermal conductivity by using the Boltzmann equation. In the Debye specific heat method, the phonon thermal diffusivity, and thermal conductivity were calculated from the temperature dependence of the effective specific heat by using not only the measured thermal conductivity and Debye model, but also the measured thermal diffusivity. The carrier thermal conductivity was also evaluated from the phonon thermal conductivity by using the specific heat. The ratio of carrier thermal conductivity to thermal conductivity was evaluated for the BiTe and BiSb samples, and the values obtained using the Debye specific heat method at 300 K were 52% for BiTe and <5.5% for BiSb. These values are either considerably larger or smaller than those obtained using other methods. The Dulong-Petit law was applied to validate the Debye specific heat method at 300 K, which is significantly greater than the Debye temperature of the BiTe and BiSb samples, and it was confirmed that the phonon specific heat at 300 K has been accurately reproduced using our proposed method.
Influence of the heterogeneity on the hydraulic conductivity of a real aquifer
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Carmine, Fallico; Aldo Pedro, Ferrante; Chiara, Vita Maria; Bartolo Samuele, De
2010-05-01
Many factors influence the flux in the porous media therefore the values of the representative parameters of the aquifer such as the hydraulic conductivity (k). A lot of studies have shown that this parameter increases with the portion of the aquifer tested. The main cause of this behaviour is the heterogeneity in the aquifer (Sànchez-Vila et al., 1996). It was also verified that the scale dependence of hydraulic conductivity does not depend on the specific method of measurement (Schulze-Makuch and Cherkauer, 1998). An experimental approach to study this phenomenon is based on sets of measurements carried out at different scales. However, one should consider that for the lower scale values k can be determined by direct measurements, performed in the laboratory using samples of different dimensions; whyle, for the large scales the measurement of the hydraulic conductivity requires indirect methods (Johnson and Sen, 1988; Katz and Thompson, 1986; Bernabé and Revil, 1995). In this study the confined aquifer of Montalto Uffugo test field was examined. This aquifer has the geological characteristics of a recently formed valley, with conglomeratic and sandy alluvial deposits; specifically the layer of sands and conglomerates, with a significant percentage of silt at various levels, lies about 55-60 m below the ground surface, where there is a heavy clay formation. Moreover in the test field, for the considered confined aquifer, there are one completely penetrating well, five partially penetrating wells and two completely penetrating piezometers. Along two vertical lines a series of cylindrical samples (6.4 cm of diameter and 15 cm of head) were extracted and for each one of them the k value was measured in laboratory by direct methods, based on the use of flux cells. Also indirect methods were used; in fact, a series of slug tests was carried out, determining the corresponding k values and the radius of influence (R). Moreover another series of pumping tests was carried out determining again the corresponding k values and the radius of influence; in fact, changing the pumping rate, varies also R. For the different sets of k values, obtained by different measurement methods, a statistical analysis was performed, determining the meaningful statistical parameters. All the obtained k values were examined, furnishing a scaling law of k for the considered aquifer. The equation describing this experimental trend is a power law, according to Schulze-Makuch and Cherkauer (1998). These results, obtained for the Montalto Uffugo test field, show that the hydraulic conductivity grows with the radius of influence, id est with the volume of the aquifer involved in the measurement. Moreover, the threshold value, to which k tends with the growing of R, was determined. References Bernabé, Y. and Revil, A. 1995. Pore-scale heterogeneity, energy dissipation and the transport properties of rocks. Geophys. Res. Lett. 22: 1529-1532. Johnson, D.L. and Sen, P.N. 1988. Dependence of the conductivity of a porous medium on electrolytic conductivity. Phys. Rev. B Condens. matter. 37: 3502-3510. Katz, A.J. and Thompson, A.H. 1986. Quantitative prediction of permeability in porous rock. Phys. Rev. B Condens. Matter. 34: 8179-8181. Sanchez-Villa X, Carrera J, Girardi JP (1996). Scale effects in transmissivity. J Hydrol 183:1-22. Schulze-Makuch D, Cherkauer DS (1998). Variations in hydraulic conductivity with scale of measurement during aquifer tests in heterogeneous, porous, carbonate rocks. Hydrogeol J. 6:204-215.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Richardson, Rachel; Munday, Jennifer
2013-01-01
The aim of this study was to examine the value and benefits obtained from a semester length academic exchange for Australian early childhood teacher education students in equivalent programs in selected European sites. The data obtained from interviews conducted in this qualitative study indicate that students involved in the international…
Computation of Thermal Transport in a Protein
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Leitner, David M.
2003-03-01
Calculation of the coefficient of thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity for a protein will be discussed. Thermal transport coefficients are obtained by computing the proteinÂ's normal modes, their lifetimes, the speed of sound and mean free path. We find the thermal diffusivity of myoglobin at 300 K to be 14 Å^2 /ps, the same as the value for water. The thermal conductivity at 300 K is calculated to be 2.0 mW/cm K in the absence of solvent and somewhat higher for the solvated protein, about one-third the value for water.
Enhanced thermoelectric performance of defected silicene nanoribbons
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zhao, W.; Guo, Z. X.; Zhang, Y.; Ding, J. W.; Zheng, X. J.
2016-02-01
Based on non-equilibrium Green's function method, we investigate the thermoelectric performance for both zigzag (ZSiNRs) and armchair (ASiNRs) silicene nanoribbons with central or edge defects. For perfect silicene nanoribbons (SiNRs), it is shown that with its width increasing, the maximum of ZT values (ZTM) decreases monotonously while the phononic thermal conductance increases linearly. For various types of edges and defects, with increasing defect numbers in longitudinal direction, ZTM increases monotonously while the phononic thermal conductance decreases. Comparing with ZSiNRs, defected ASiNRs possess higher thermoelectric performance due to higher Seebeck coefficient and lower thermal conductance. In particular, about 2.5 times enhancement to ZT values is obtained in ASiNRs with edge defects. Our theoretical simulations indicate that by controlling the type and number of defects, ZT values of SiNRs could be enhanced greatly which suggests their very appealing thermoelectric applications.
Herrera, M C; Olivera, J M; Valentinuzzi, M E
1999-07-01
The conductance catheter has gained momentum since its introduction in cardiovascular dynamics back in 1980. However, measuring errors are still blurring its clinical acceptance. The main objective here was to study the effects of the injected saline concentration and temperature on the evaluation of the parallel conductance, Gp, and thus, on the correction volume Vp. That conductance, Gp, and its associated volume, Vp, were computed using 167 saline dilution curves obtained with boluses at different concentrations and temperatures, injected in seven anesthetized closed-chest dogs. The excursion of the total conductance relative to the steady-state value during a saline maneuver showed good correlation with the injected concentration at both studied temperatures. The reference parallel volume (one reference per dog) was defined as the average value obtained with three successive maneuvers, at 6-M concentration and at body temperature; therefore, the method acted as its own reference. The variation of Vp relative to the reference value was clearly dependent on the injected concentration and on its temperature; dispersion was greater at 22 degrees C than at 40 degrees C. The variability would recognize also other causes, such as uncertainty of the extrapolation procedure and the thoracic redistribution of electrical field lines. As conclusion, it is recommended to characterize each maneuver by its concentration and temperature. Body temperature and 6-M concentration appear as the most recommendable combination for the injectate in most animals. Finally, these results intend to characterize the Vp estimation procedure in order to minimize errors. The variability of Vp, in different experimental conditions, demonstrated that both concentration and temperature are additional parameters that may modify the Gp estimate.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kumar, Upendra; Yadav, Dharmendra; Upadhyay, Shail; Thakur, Anukul K.
2018-04-01
Powder of perovskite oxides BaSnO3 and Ba0.90Y0.10SnO3 have been synthesized by solution combustion method. Rietveld profile analysis shows that the phases crystallize with cubic unit cell in the space group pm3m. Further purity of the synthesized powders was checked by Fourier transform of infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The average grain size of the sintered samples was obtained using Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and found to be 4.9 and 2.8 1m for BaSnO3 and Ba0.90Y0.10SnO3, respectively. The AC conductivity (σac) of synthesized samples was measured in the frequency range from 24Hz-1MHz and temperature range 100 - 600°C. Conductivity spectra of both the samples followed universal Johnscher's power law at different temperatures. The value of bulk or dc conductivity (σdc) at different temperatures has been extracted by fitting the Johnscher's power law to AC conductivity spectra. The activation energy for σc has been obtained from the least square linear fit of data points and found to be 0.53 eV and 0.43 eV, respectively for BaSnO3 and Ba0.90Y0.10SnO3. Based on the value of activation energy it is proposed that conduction in these samples is govern via hopping of (OH)•. The value of conductivity at temperature 550°C of Ba0.90Y0.10SnO3 is 0.00406 S-cm-1 higher than BaSnO3 (0.00173 S-cm-1) at the same temperature.
Conductivity of higher dimensional holographic superconductors with nonlinear electrodynamics
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sheykhi, Ahmad; Hashemi Asl, Doa; Dehyadegari, Amin
2018-06-01
We investigate analytically as well as numerically the properties of s-wave holographic superconductors in d-dimensional spacetime and in the presence of Logarithmic nonlinear electrodynamics. We study three aspects of this kind of superconductors. First, we obtain, by employing analytical Sturm-Liouville method as well as numerical shooting method, the relation between critical temperature and charge density, ρ, and disclose the effects of both nonlinear parameter b and the dimensions of spacetime, d, on the critical temperature Tc. We find that in each dimension, Tc /ρ 1 / (d - 2) decreases with increasing the nonlinear parameter b while it increases with increasing the dimension of spacetime for a fixed value of b. Then, we calculate the condensation value and critical exponent of the system analytically and numerically and observe that in each dimension, the dimensionless condensation get larger with increasing the nonlinear parameter b. Besides, for a fixed value of b, it increases with increasing the spacetime dimension. We confirm that the results obtained from our analytical method are in agreement with the results obtained from numerical shooting method. This fact further supports the correctness of our analytical method. Finally, we explore the holographic conductivity of this system and find out that the superconducting gap increases with increasing either the nonlinear parameter or the spacetime dimension.
Electrical and magnetic properties of rock and soil
Scott, J.H.
1983-01-01
Field and laboratory measurements have been made to determine the electrical conductivity, dielectric constant, and magnetic permeability of rock and soil in areas of interest in studies of electromagnetic pulse propagation. Conductivity is determined by making field measurements of apparent resisitivity at very low frequencies (0-20 cps), and interpreting the true resistivity of layers at various depths by curve-matching methods. Interpreted resistivity values are converted to corresponding conductivity values which are assumed to be applicable at 10^2 cps, an assumption which is considered valid because the conductivity of rock and soil is nearly constant at frequencies below 10^2 cps. Conductivity is estimated at higher frequencies (up to 10^6 cps) by using statistical correlations of three parameters obtained from laboratory measurements of rock and soil samples: conductivity at 10^2 cps, frequency and conductivity measured over the range 10^2 to 10^6 cps. Conductivity may also be estimated in this frequency range by using field measurements of water content and correlations of laboratory sample measurements of the three parameters: water content, frequency, and conductivity measured over the range 10^2 to 10^6 cps. This method is less accurate because nonrandom variation of ion concentration in natural pore water introduces error. Dielectric constant is estimated in a similar manner from field-derived conductivity values applicable at 10^2 cps and statistical correlations of three parameters obtained from laboratory measurements of samples: conductivity measured at 10^2 cps, frequency, and dielectric constant measured over the frequency range 10^2 to 10^6 cps. Dielectric constant may also be estimated from field measurements of water content and correlations of laboratory sample measurements of the three parameters: water content, frequency, and dielectric constant measured from 10^2 to 10^6 cps, but again, this method is less accurate because of variation of ion concentration of pore water. Special laboratory procedures are used to measure conductivity and dielectric constant of rock and soil samples. Electrode polarization errors are minimized by using an electrode system that is electrochemically reversible-with ions in pore water.
Raval, A H; Solanki, S C; Yadav, Rajvir
2013-04-01
A simple analytical heat flow model for a closed rectangular food package containing fruits or vegetables is proposed for predicting time temperature distribution during transient cooling in a controlled environment cold room. It is based on the assumption of only conductive heat transfer inside a closed food package with effective thermal properties, and convective and radiative heat transfer at the outside of the package. The effective thermal conductivity of the food package is determined by evaluating its effective thermal resistance to heat conduction in the packages. Food packages both as an infinite slab and a finite slab have been investigated. The finite slab solution has been obtained as the product of three infinite slab solutions describe in ASHRAE guide and data book. Time temperature variation has been determined and is presented graphically. The cooling rate and the half cooling time were also obtained. These predicted values, are compared with the experimentally measured values for both the finite and infinite closed packages containing oranges. An excellent agreement between them validated the simple proposed model.
Hysteresis of unsaturated hydromechanical properties of a silty soil
Lu, Ning; Kaya, Murat; Collins, Brian D.; Godt, Jonathan W.
2013-01-01
Laboratory tests to examine hysteresis in the hydrologic and mechanical properties of partially saturated soils were conducted on six intact specimens collected from a landslide-prone area of Alameda County, California. The results reveal that the pore-size distribution parameter remains statistically unchanged between the wetting and drying paths; however, the wetting or drying state has a pronounced influence on the water-entry pressure, the water-filled porosity at zero suction, and the saturated hydraulic conductivity. The suction stress values obtained from the shear-strength tests under both natural moisture and resaturated conditions were mostly bounded by the suction stress characteristic curves (SSCCs) obtained from the hydrologic tests. This finding experimentally confirms that the soil-water retention curve, hydraulic conductivity function, and SSCC are intrinsically related.
Electrical and switching properties of the Se 90Te 10-xAg x (0⩽ x⩽6) films
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Afifi, M. A.; Hegab, N. A.; Bekheet, A. E.; Sharaf, E. R.
2009-08-01
Amorphous Se 90Te 10-xAg x (0⩽ x⩽6) films are obtained by thermal evaporation technique under vacuum from the synthesized bulk materials on pyrographite and glass substrates. X-ray analysis shows the amorphous nature of the obtained films. The dc electrical conductivity was studied for different thicknesses (165-711 nm) as a function of temperature in the range (298-323 K) below the corresponding T g for the studied films. The obtained results show that the conduction activation energy has a single value through the investigated range of temperature which can be explained in accordance with Mott and Davis model. The I- V characteristic curves for the film compositions are found to be typical for a memory switch. The mean value of the threshold voltage Vbar increases linearly with increasing film thickness (165-711 nm), while it decreases exponentially with increasing temperature in the investigated range for the studied compositions. The results are explained in accordance with the electrothermal model for the switching process. The effect of Ag on the studied parameters is also investigated.
Development of numerical phantoms by MRI for RF electromagnetic dosimetry: a female model.
Mazzurana, M; Sandrini, L; Vaccari, A; Malacarne, C; Cristoforetti, L; Pontalti, R
2004-01-01
Numerical human models for electromagnetic dosimetry are commonly obtained by segmentation of CT or MRI images and complex permittivity values are ascribed to each issue according to literature values. The aim of this study is to provide an alternative semi-automatic method by which non-segmented images, obtained by a MRI tomographer, can be automatically related to the complex permittivity values through two frequency dependent transfer functions. In this way permittivity and conductivity vary with continuity--even in the same tissue--reflecting the intrinsic realistic spatial dispersion of such parameters. A female human model impinged by a plane wave is tested using finite-difference time-domain algorithm and the results of the total body and layer-averaged specific absorption rate are reported.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Bishop, Ann Peterson; Pinelli, Thomas E.
1995-01-01
This paper presents data on the value of computer networks that were obtained from a national survey of 2000 aerospace engineers that was conducted in 1993. Survey respondents reported the extent to which they used computer networks in their work and communication and offered their assessments of the value of various network types and applications. They also provided information about the positive impacts of networks on their work, which presents another perspective on value. Finally, aerospace engineers' recommendations on network implementation present suggestions for increasing the value of computer networks within aerospace organizations.
Mn Impurity in Bulk GaAs Crystals
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Pawłowski, M.; Piersa, M.; Wołoś, A.; Palczewska, M.; Strzelecka, G.; Hruban, A.; Gosk, J.; Kamińska, M.; Twardowski, A.
2006-11-01
Magnetic and electron transport properties of GaAs:Mn crystals grown by Czochralski method were studied. Electron spin resonance showed the presence of Mn acceptor A in two charge states: singly ionized A- in the form of Mn2+(d5), and neutral A0 in the form of Mn2+(d5) plus a bound hole (h). It was possible to determine the relative concentration of both types of centers from intensity of the corresponding electron spin resonance lines. Magnetization measured as a function of magnetic field (up to 6 T) in the temperature range of 2-300 K revealed overall paramagnetic behavior of the samples. Effective spin was found to be about 1.5 value, which was consistent with the presence of two types of Mn configurations. In most of the studied samples the dominance of Mn2+(d5)+h configuration was established and it increased after annealing of native donors. The total value of Mn content was obtained from fitting of magnetization curves with the use of parameters obtained from electron spin resonance. In electron transport, two mechanisms of conductivity were observed: valence band transport dominated above 70 K, and hopping conductivity within Mn impurity band at lower temperatures. From the analysis of the hopping conductivity and using the obtained values of the total Mn content, the effective radius of Mn acceptor in GaAs was estimated as a = 11 ± 3 Å.
Age-related plasma chemistry findings in the buff-crested bustard (Eupodotis ruficrista gindiana).
Bailey, T A; Wernery, U; Howlett, J; Naldo, J; Samour, J H
1998-12-01
Blood samples were obtained from adult (> 1.5 years) and juvenile (2-8 weeks, 9-16 weeks and 17-24 weeks) captive buff-crested bustards (Eupodotis ruficrista gindiana) to study age-related changes. A total of twelve different tests were conducted using a Hitachi 90011 wet chemistry analyzer. A comparison of the values obtained was made between adult and juvenile buff-crested bustards and from the literature with other bustard species. Significant differences between adult and juvenile buff-crested bustards were found for glucose, uric acid, total protein, alkaline phosphatase, asparatate amino transferase and calcium. The results obtained from this study provide blood chemistry values for this species and demonstrate age-related differences between adult and juvenile birds.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zumeta, I.; Espinosa, R.; Ayllón, J. A.; Vigil, E.
2002-12-01
Nanostructured TiO2 is used in novel dye sensitized solar cells. Because of their interaction with light, thin TiO2 films are also used as coatings for self-cleaning glasses and tiles. Microwave activated chemical bath deposition represents a simple and cost-effective way to obtain nanostructured TiO2 films. It is important to study, in this technique, the role of the conducting layer used as the substrate. The influence of microwave-substrate interactions on TiO2 deposition is analysed using different substrate positions, employing substrates with different conductivities, and also using different microwave radiation powers for film deposition. We prove that a common domestic microwave oven with a large cavity and inhomogeneous radiation field can be used with equally satisfactory results. The transmittance spectra of the obtained films were studied and used to analyse film thickness and to obtain gap energy values. The results, regarding different indium-tin oxide resistivities and different substrate positions in the oven cavity, show that the interaction of the microwave field with the conducting layer is determinant in layer deposition. It has also been found that film thickness increases with the power of the applied radiation while the gap energies of the TiO2 films decrease approaching the 3.2 eV value reported for bulk anatase. This indicates that these films are not crystalline and it agrees with x-ray spectra that do not reveal any peak.
Tang, Xiaolin Charlie; Nail, Steven L; Pikal, Michael J
2006-01-01
The purpose of this work was to study the factors that may cause systematic errors in the manometric temperature measurement (MTM) procedure used to determine product dry-layer resistance to vapor flow. Product temperature and dry-layer resistance were obtained using MTM software installed on a laboratory freeze-dryer. The MTM resistance values were compared with the resistance values obtained using the "vial method." The product dry-layer resistances obtained by MTM, assuming fixed temperature difference (DeltaT; 2 degrees C), were lower than the actual values, especially when the product temperatures and sublimation rates were low, but with DeltaT determined from the pressure rise data, more accurate results were obtained. MTM resistance values were generally lower than the values obtained with the vial method, particularly whenever freeze-drying was conducted under conditions that produced large variations in product temperature (ie, low shelf temperature, low chamber pressure, and without thermal shields). In an experiment designed to magnify temperature heterogeneity, MTM resistance values were much lower than the simple average of the product resistances. However, in experiments where product temperatures were homogenous, good agreement between MTM and "vial-method" resistances was obtained. The reason for the low MTM resistance problem is the fast vapor pressure rise from a few "warm" edge vials or vials with low resistance. With proper use of thermal shields, and the evaluation of DeltaT from the data, MTM resistance data are accurate. Thus, the MTM method for determining dry-layer resistance is a useful tool for freeze-drying process analytical technology.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Aihara, Yuichi; Sugimoto, Kyoko; Price, William S.; Hayamizu, Kikuko
2000-08-01
The Debye-Hückel-Onsager and Nernst-Einstein equations, which are based on two different conceptual approaches, constitute the most widely used equations for relating ionic conduction to ionic mobility. However, both of these classical (simple) equations are predictive of ionic conductivity only at very low salt concentrations. In the present work the ionic conductivity of four organic solvent-lithium salt-based electrolytes were measured. These experimental conductivity values were then contrasted with theoretical values calculated using the translational diffusion (also known as self-diffusion or intradiffusion) coefficients of all of the species present obtained using pulsed-gradient spin-echo (1H, 19F and 7Li) nuclear magnetic resonance self-diffusion measurements. The experimental results verified the applicability of both theoretical approaches at very low salt concentrations for these particular systems as well as helping to clarify the reasons for the divergence between theory and experiment. In particular, it was found that the correspondence between the Debye-Hückel-Onsager equation and experimental values could be improved by using the measured solvent self-diffusion values to correct for salt-induced changes in the solution viscosity. The concentration dependence of the self-diffusion coefficients is discussed in terms of the Jones-Dole equation.
Wogu, M N; Nduka, F O
2018-01-01
The World Health Organization's policy on laboratory test of all suspected malaria cases before treatment has not yielded significant effects in several rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa due to inadequate diagnostic infrastructure, leading to high morbidity and mortality rates. A cross-sectional randomized study was conducted to evaluate the validity of clinical malaria diagnosis through comparison with microscopy and rapid diagnostic test kits (RDTs) using 1000 consenting outpatients of a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. Physicians conducted clinical diagnosis, and blood samples were collected through venous procedure and analyzed for malaria parasites using Giemsa microscopy and RDT kits. Microscopy was considered the diagnostic "gold standard" and all data obtained were statistically analyzed using Chi-square test with a P value <0.05 considered significant. Malaria prevalence values of 20.1%, 43.1%, and 29.7% were obtained for clinical diagnosis, microscopy, and RDTs, respectively ( P < 0.05). Values of 47.2%, 95.9%, and 77.8% were obtained for sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy, respectively, in clinical diagnosis, while RDTs had sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy values of 73.7%, 97.3%, and 88.3%, respectively, when compared to microscopy ( P < 0.05). Clinical diagnosed malaria cases should be confirmed with a parasite-based laboratory diagnosis and more qualitative research is needed to explore why clinicians still use clinical diagnosis despite reported cases of its ineffectiveness.
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Three replicate trials were conducted to compare sensory descriptive profiles of cooked broiler breast fillets categorized by raw meat color lightness or CIELAB L* values (L*). In each trial, 20 light, 20 dark and 30 random fillets (42d old birds and deboned at 6-8h postmortem) were obtained from a...
Thermal conductivity and viscosity measurements of ethylene glycol-based Al2O3 nanofluids
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Pastoriza-Gallego, María José; Lugo, Luis; Legido, José Luis; Piñeiro, Manuel M.
2011-12-01
The dispersion and stability of nanofluids obtained by dispersing Al2O3 nanoparticles in ethylene glycol have been analyzed at several concentrations up to 25% in mass fraction. The thermal conductivity and viscosity were experimentally determined at temperatures ranging from 283.15 K to 323.15 K using an apparatus based on the hot-wire method and a rotational viscometer, respectively. It has been found that both thermal conductivity and viscosity increase with the concentration of nanoparticles, whereas when the temperature increases the viscosity diminishes and the thermal conductivity rises. Measured enhancements on thermal conductivity (up to 19%) compare well with literature values when available. New viscosity experimental data yield values more than twice larger than the base fluid. The influence of particle size on viscosity has been also studied, finding large differences that must be taken into account for any practical application. These experimental results were compared with some theoretical models, as those of Maxwell-Hamilton and Crosser for thermal conductivity and Krieger and Dougherty for viscosity.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Rodionov, A. K.; Karashchuk, S. A.
2013-07-01
Results from tests of pH meters carried out in ammonia media having low electric conductivity (less than 5.0 μS/cm) are presented. The check media for the tests were prepared in a special manner the use of which makes it possible to reproduce the pH value of solution with an error not exceeding ˜0.04pH in the range of electrical conductivities above 0.1 μS/cm. The instrument measurement error was determined at different electrical conductivities of medium. Different electrodes were tested, the majority of which were domestically produced ones intended for general industrial applications. Some results were also obtained for one dedicated electrode from a foreign manufacturer. The test results show that the instrument gives a biased pH value for such media. The bias has a random value, which nonetheless is stable in the majority of cases, depends on the electrical conductivity of medium being monitored, and may be quite essential for small electrical conductivities (0.5pH or more). A conclusion is drawn about the need to calibrate the instruments with respect to standard media having electrical conductivity close to that of the medium being monitored. Analytic relations characterizing the check media used fort tests (check solutions) are presented.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Polonyankin, D. A.; Blesman, A. I.; Postnikov, D. V.
2017-05-01
Conductive thin films formation by copper and silver magnetron sputtering is one of high technological areas for industrial production of solar energy converters, energy-saving coatings, flat panel displays and touch control panels because of their high electrical and optical properties. Surface roughness and porosity, average grain size, internal stresses, orientation and crystal lattice type, the crystallinity degree are the main physical properties of metal films affecting their electrical resistivity and conductivity. Depending on the film thickness, the dominant conduction mechanism can affect bulk conductivity due to the flow of electron gas, and grain boundary conductivity. The present investigation assesses the effect of microstructure and surface topography on the electrical conductivity of magnetron sputtered Cu and Ag thin films using X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron and laser interference microscopy. The highest specific conductivity (78.3 MS m-1 and 84.2 MS m-1, respectively, for copper and silver films at the thickness of 350 nm) were obtained with the minimum values of roughness and grain size as well as a high degree of lattice structuredness.
Quantitative three-dimensional low-speed wake surveys
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Brune, G. W.
1992-01-01
Theoretical and practical aspects of conducting three-dimensional wake measurements in large wind tunnels are reviewed with emphasis on applications in low-speed aerodynamics. Such quantitative wake surveys furnish separate values for the components of drag, such as profile drag and induced drag, but also measure lift without the use of a balance. In addition to global data, details of the wake flowfield as well as spanwise distributions of lift and drag are obtained. The paper demonstrates the value of this measurement technique using data from wake measurements conducted by Boeing on a variety of low-speed configurations including the complex high-lift system of a transport aircraft.
Forms of expressing anger in hospitalised Ukrainian post-deployed™ service members.
Ortenburger, Dorota Elżbieta; Wąsik, Jacek; Tsos, Anatolii; Bielikowa, Natalia; Andrijchuk, Olga; Indykа, Svitlana
2018-03-14
Military actions and injuries sustained make returning to ordinary life and everyday routine a challenge which soldiers need to face. Research on this subject shows that the consequences of post-traumatic stress extends further, beyond the victim's everyday life, resulting in health problems and problems with social relationships. The aim was to gather knowledge of the ways of expressing anger in a group of hospitalized Ukrainian post-deployed servicemen. A research study was conducted concentrating on the two forms of managing anger, i.e. releasing or suppressing anger, and posing the following question: 'How are they manifested in the hospitalized Ukrainian combat veterans? The study included 35 hospitalized soldiers who had taken part in military operations in Ukraine (age: 34.61±9.23; age range: 21-56 years of age). The research was conducted in the hospitals in Lutsk. Measurements were conducted with the use of certified psychological tests, i.e. Anger Expression Scale (AES), medical documentation and oral reports given by the persons conducting the study. The average value of the suppressed anger indicator was 31.57±6.23 (p<0.05); respective value of the released anger 24.37 ±6.34 (p<0.05). For released anger, results at the level of the upper quartile (Q3=28) and above were obtained by 28.57 % of the soldiers in the study, while in the case of repressed anger, the results obtained at the level of the upper quartile (Q3 = 36) and above that value were obtained by 34.27% of the soldiers/patients. The results obtained show that in the group of hospitalized patients/soldiers there is a higher level of repressed anger intensity than in the case of released anger. The study survey suggests that in their case expressing anger is usually a reaction to somebody's inappropriate-in-their-eyes behaviour. Curbing anger takes on various forms, from trying not to express annoyance and/or rage, to trying to keep calm in spite of growing anger caused by other people's behaviours.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Palani, P. Bahavan, E-mail: bahavanpalani@gmail.com; Abidin, K. Sainul; Kannan, R., E-mail: rksrsrk@gmail.com
2016-05-23
The highest proton conductivity value of 0.0802 Scm{sup −1} is obtained at 6 wt% of protonated MMT added to the PVA/PEG blends. The polymer blend composite membranes are prepared with varied concentration of Poly vinyl alcohol (PVA), Poly ethylene glycol (PEG) and Montmorillonite (MMT) by solution casting method. The Na{sup +} MMT was modified (protonated) to H{sup +} MMT with ion exchange process. The prepared membranes were characterized by using TGA, FTIR, XRD, Ion Exchange Capacity, Water/Methanol uptake, swelling ratio and proton conductivity. The significant improvements in the hydrolytic stability were observed. In addition, thermal stability of the composite membranesmore » were improved and controlled by the addition of MMT. All the prepared membranes are shown appreciable values of proton conductivity at room temperature with 100% relative humidity.« less
Structure and conductivity of nanostructured YBCO ceramics
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Palchayev, D. K.; Gadzhimagomedov, S. Kh; Murlieva, Zh Kh; Rabadanov, M. Kh; Emirov, R. M.
2017-12-01
Superconducting nanostructured ceramics based on YBa2Cu3O7-δ were made of nanopowder obtained by burning nitrate-organic precursors. The structure, morphology, electrical resistivity, and density of ceramics were studied. Various porosity values of the ceramics were achieved by preliminary heat treatment of the nanopowder. The features of conductivity and the reason for increase of the of the superconducting transition temperature in these materials are discussed.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Aminudin, A.; Hasanah, T. R.; Iryati, M.
2018-05-01
The Electrical and physical properties can be used as indicators for measuring soil conditions. One of the methods developed in agricultural systems to obtain information on soil conditions is through measuring of electrical conductivity. Peat soil is one of the natural resources that exist in Indonesia. This study aims to determine the characteristics of peat soil in Rasau village, West Kalimantan. This research was conducted by the properties of electrical conductivity and water content using 5TE Water Contents and EC Sensor equipment, but also to know the change of physical nature of peat soil covering peat soil and peat type. The results showed that the electrical conductivity value of 1-4 samples was 0.02 -0.29 dS/m and the volume water content value (VWC) was 0.255-0.548 m3/m3 and the physical characteristics obtained were peat colour brown to dark brown that allegedly the soil still has a very high content of organic material derived from weathering plants and there are discovery of wood chips, wood powder and leaf powder on the ground. Knowing the information is expected to identify the land needs to be developed to be considered for future peat soil utilization.
The evaluation of maximum horizontal in-situ stress using the wellbore imagers data
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dubinya, N. V.; Ezhov, K. A.
2016-12-01
Well drilling provides a number of possibilities to improve the knowledge of stress state of the upper layers of the Earth crust. The data obtained from drilling, well logging, core experiments and special tests is used to evaluate the principal stresses' directions and magnitudes. Although the values of vertical stress and minimum horizontal stress may be decently estimated, the maximum horizontal stress remains a major problem. In this study a new method to estimate this value is proposed. The suggested approach is based on the concept of hydraulically conductive and non-conductive fractures near a wellbore (Barton, Zoback and Moos, 1995). It was stated that all the fractures which properties may be acquired from well logging data can be divided into two groups regarding hydraulic conductivity. The fracture properties and the in-situ stress state are put in relationship via the Mohr diagram. This approach was later used by Ito and Zoback (2000) to estimate the magnitude of the maximum horizontal stress from the temperature profiles. In the current study ultrasonic and resistivity borehole imaging are used to estimate the magnitude of maximum horizontal stress in rather precise way. After proper interpretation one is able to obtain orientation and hydraulic conductivity for each fracture appeared at the images. If the proper profiles of vertical and minimum horizontal stresses are known all the fractures may be analyzed at the Mohr diagram. Alteration of maximum horizontal stress profile grants an opportunity to adjust it so the conductive fractures at the Mohr diagram fit the data from imagers' interpretation. The precision of the suggested approach was evaluated for several oil production wells in Siberia with decent wellbore stability models. It appeared that the difference between maximum horizontal stress estimated in a suggested approach and the values obtained from drilling reports did not exceed 0.5 MPa. Thus the proposed approach may be used to evaluate the values of maximum horizontal stress using the wellbore imagers' data. References Barton, C.A., Zoback, M.D., Moos, D. Fluid flow along potentially active faults in crystalline rock - Geology, 1995. T. Ito, M. Zoback, Fracture permeability and in situ stress to 7 km depth in the KTB Scientific Drillhole, Geophysical Research Letters, 2000.
Development of a nerve conduction technique for the recurrent laryngeal nerve.
J Kim, Sang; G Lee, Dae; Kwon, Jeong-Yi
2014-12-01
To develop a reliable and safe laryngeal nerve conduction technique and to obtain consistent parameters as normal reference values. A prospective single-arm study. A nerve conduction test was performed on the contralateral normal side in 42 patients with unilateral vocal fold palsy. The recording was performed in the intact thyroarytenoid muscle using a monopolar needle. The electrical stimulation using a 37-mm monopolar needle was applied 3 cm below the lower margin of the cricoid cartilage, just lateral to the trachea and medial to the carotid artery, and its intensity was gradually increased until the amplitude of the electrical response reached the maximum level. The latency of the evoked muscle response was acquired at the first evoked waveform deflection from the baseline. The average latency of the recurrent laryngeal nerves was 1.98 ± 0.26 ms. The latencies showed normal distribution according to the quantile-quantile plot and Kolmogorov-Smirnov test (P = .098). There was no significant difference in latencies between the right and left recurrent laryngeal nerves. Anthropometric factors including height and weight did not show any correlation with the latencies. We developed a reliable and safe laryngeal nerve conduction technique and obtained normal reference values for the recurrent laryngeal nerve conduction study. This laryngeal nerve conduction study can be an additional tool for detecting recurrent laryngeal nerve injury if it is performed in combination with the conventional laryngeal electromyography. 4. © 2014 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.
Houston, Natalie A.; Braun, Christopher L.
2004-01-01
This report describes the collection, analyses, and distribution of hydraulic-conductivity data obtained from slug tests completed in the alluvial aquifer underlying Air Force Plant 4 and Naval Air Station-Joint Reserve Base Carswell Field, Fort Worth, Texas, during October 2002 and August 2003 and summarizes previously available hydraulic-conductivity data. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force, completed 30 slug tests in October 2002 and August 2003 to obtain estimates of horizontal hydraulic conductivity to use as initial values in a ground-water-flow model for the site. The tests were done by placing a polyvinyl-chloride slug of known volume beneath the water level in selected wells, removing the slug, and measuring the resulting water-level recovery over time. The water levels were measured with a pressure transducer and recorded with a data logger. Hydraulic-conductivity values were estimated from an analytical relation between the instantaneous displacement of water in a well bore and the resulting rate of head change. Although nearly two-thirds of the tested wells recovered 90 percent of their slug-induced head change in less than 2 minutes, 90-percent recovery times ranged from 3 seconds to 35 minutes. The estimates of hydraulic conductivity range from 0.2 to 200 feet per day. Eighty-three percent of the estimates are between 1 and 100 feet per day.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Dees, D. W.; Kawauchi, S.; Abraham, D. P.
Galvanostatic Intermittent Titration Technique (GITT) experiments were conducted to determine the lithium diffusion coefficient of LiNi{sub 0.8}Co{sub 0.15}Al{sub 0.05}O{sub 2}, used as the active material in a lithium-ion battery porous composite positive electrode. An electrochemical model, based on concentrated solution porous electrode theory, was developed to analyze the GITT experimental results and compare to the original GITT analytical theory. The GITT experimental studies on the oxide active material were conducted between 3.5 and 4.5 V vs. lithium, with the maximum lithium diffusion coefficient value being 10{sup -10} cm{sup 2} s{sup -1} at 3.85 V. The lithium diffusion coefficient values obtainedmore » from this study agree favorably with the values obtained from an earlier electrochemical impedance spectroscopy study.« less
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Li, Yang
2018-06-01
In this paper, we consider the initial-boundary value problem to the one-dimensional compressible heat-conductive model for planar non-resistive magnetohydrodynamics. By making full use of the effective viscous flux and an analogue, together with the structure of the equations, global existence and uniqueness of strong solutions are obtained on condition that the initial density is bounded below away from vacuum and the heat conductivity coefficient κ satisfies the growth condition κ _1(1+θ^{α })≤ κ (θ)≤ κ _2(1+θ^{α }),\\quad { for some }0< α < ∞, with κ _1,κ _2 being positive constants. Moreover, global solvability of strong solutions is shown with the initial vacuum. The results are obtained without any smallness restriction to the initial data.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Wentz, W. H., Jr.
1977-01-01
Two dimensional wind tunnel tests were conducted for the GA(W)-2 airfoil section with: 20% aileron, 25% slotted flap; 30% Fowler flap, and 10% slot-lip spoiler. All tests were conducted at a Reynolds number of 2,200,000 and a Mach Number of 0.13. In addition to force measurements, tuft studies were conducted for the slotted and Fowler flap configurations. Aileron and spoiler hinge moments were obtained by integration of surface pressure measurements. Tests results show that a value of 3.82 was obtained with 30% Fowler flap. Aileron control effectiveness and hinge moments were similar to other airfoils. The slot-lip spoiler provided powerful, positive roll control at all flap settings.
Pokupec, Rajko; Mrazovac, Danijela; Popović-Suić, Smiljka; Mrazovac, Visnja; Kordić, Rajko; Petricek, Igor
2013-04-01
Early detection of a refractive error and its correction are extremely important for the prevention of amblyopia (poor vision). The golden standard in the detection of refractive errors is retinoscopy--a method where the pupils are dilated in order to exclude accomodation. This results in a more accurate measurement of a refractive error. Automatic computer refractometer is also in use. The study included 30 patients, 15 boys, 15 girls aged 4-16. The first examination was conducted with refractometer on narrow pupils. Retinoscopy, followed by another examination with refractometer was performed on pupils dilated with mydriatic drops administered 3 times. The results obtained with three methods were compared. They indicate that in narrow pupils the autorefractometer revealed an increased diopter value in nearsightedness (myopia), the minus overcorrection, whereas findings obtained with retinoscopy and autorefractometer in mydriasis cycloplegia, were much more accurate. The results were statistically processed, which confirmed the differences between obtained measurements. These findings are consistent with the results of studies conducted by other authors. Automatic refractometry on narrow pupils has proven to be a method for detection of refractive errors in children. However, the exact value of the refractive error is obtained only in mydriasis--with retinoscopy or an automatic refractometer on dilated pupils.
Reimbursement of pharmaceuticals: reference pricing versus health technology assessment.
Drummond, Michael; Jönsson, Bengt; Rutten, Frans; Stargardt, Tom
2011-06-01
Reference pricing and health technology assessment are policies commonly applied in order to obtain more value for money from pharmaceuticals. This study focussed on decisions about the initial price and reimbursement status of innovative drugs and discussed the consequences for market access and cost. Four countries were studied: Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. These countries have operated one, or both, of the two policies at certain points in time, sometimes in parallel. Drugs in four groups were considered: cholesterol-lowering agents, insulin analogues, biologic drugs for rheumatoid arthritis and "atypical" drugs for schizophrenia. Compared with HTA, reference pricing is a relatively blunt instrument for obtaining value for money from pharmaceuticals. Thus, its role in making reimbursement decisions should be limited to drugs which are therapeutically equivalent. HTA is a superior strategy for obtaining value for money because it addresses not only price but also the appropriate indications for the use of the drug and the relation between additional value and additional costs. However, given the relatively higher costs of conducting HTAs, the most efficient approach might be a combination of both policies.
Graphene nanoplatelets: Thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity by the flash method
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Potenza, M.; Cataldo, A.; Bovesecchi, G.; Corasaniti, S.; Coppa, P.; Bellucci, S.
2017-07-01
The present work deals with the measurement of thermo-physical properties of a freestanding sheet of graphene (thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity), and their dependence on sample density as result of uniform mechanical compression. Thermal diffusivity of graphene nano-platelets (thin slabs) was measured by the pulse flash method. Obtained response data were processed with a specifically developed least square data processing algorithm. GNP specific heat was assumed from literature and thermal conductivity derived from thermal diffusivity, specific heat and density. Obtained results show a significant difference with respect to other porous media: the thermal diffusivity decreases as the density increases, while thermal conductivity increases for low and high densities, and remain fairly constant for the intermediate range. This can be explained by the very high thermal conductivity values reached by the nano-layers of graphene and the peculiar arrangement of platelets during the compression applied to the samples to get the desired density. Due to very high thermal conductivity of graphene layers, the obtained results show that thermal conductivity of conglomerates increases when there is an air reduction due to compression, and consequent density increases, with the number of contact points between platelets also increased. In the intermediate range (250 ≤ ρ ≤ 700 kg.m-3) the folding of platelets reduces density, without increasing the contact points of platelets, so thermal conductivity can slightly decrease.
Thermal conductivity from hierarchical heat sinks using carbon nanotubes and graphene nanosheets.
Hsieh, Chien-Te; Lee, Cheng-En; Chen, Yu-Fu; Chang, Jeng-Kuei; Teng, Hsi-sheng
2015-11-28
The in-plane (kip) and through-plane (ktp) thermal conductivities of heat sinks using carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene nanosheets (GNs), and CNT/GN composites are extracted from two experimental setups within the 323-373 K temperature range. Hierarchical three-dimensional CNT/GN frameworks display higher kip and ktp values, as compared to the CNT- and GN-based heat sinks. The kip and ktp values of the CNT/GN-based heat sink reach as high as 1991 and 76 W m(-1) K(-1) at 323 K, respectively. This improved thermal conductivity is attributed to the fact that the hierarchical heat sink offers a stereo thermal conductive network that combines point, line, and plane contact, leading to better heat transport. Furthermore, the compression treatment provided an efficient route to increase both kip and ktp values. This result reveals that the hierarchical carbon structures become denser, inducing more thermal conductive area and less thermal resistivity, i.e., a reduced possibility of phonon-boundary scattering. The correlation between thermal and electrical conductivity (ε) can be well described by two empirical equations: kip = 567 ln(ε) + 1120 and ktp = 20.6 ln(ε) + 36.1. The experimental results are obtained within the temperature range of 323-373 K, suitably complementing the thermal management of chips for consumer electronics.
Study on Thermal Conductivities of Aromatic Polyimide Aerogels.
Feng, Junzong; Wang, Xin; Jiang, Yonggang; Du, Dongxuan; Feng, Jian
2016-05-25
Polyimide aerogels for low density thermal insulation materials were produced by 4,4'-diaminodiphenyl ether and 3,3',4,4'-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride, cross-linked with 1,3,5-triaminophenoxybenzene. The densities of obtained polyimide aerogels are between 0.081 and 0.141 g cm(-3), and the specific surface areas are between 288 and 322 m(2) g(-1). The thermal conductivities were measured by a Hot Disk thermal constant analyzer. The value of the measured thermal conductivity under carbon dioxide atmosphere is lower than that under nitrogen atmosphere. Under pressure of 5 Pa at -130 °C, the thermal conductivity is the lowest, which is 8.42 mW (m K)(-1). The polyimide aerogels have lower conductivity [30.80 mW (m K)(-1)], compared to the value for other organic foams (polyurethane foam, phenolic foam, and polystyrene foam) with similar apparent densities under ambient pressure at 25 °C. The results indicate that polyimide aerogel is an ideal insulation material for aerospace and other applications.
Strain effect on the heat transport properties of bismuth telluride nanofilms with a hole
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fang, Te-Hua; Chang, Win-Jin; Wang, Kuan-Yu; Huang, Chao-Chun
2018-06-01
We investigated the mechanical behavior of bismuth telluride nanofilms with holes by using an equilibrium molecular dynamics (MD) approach. The holes had diameters of 20, 30, 40, and 50 Å. The thermal conductivity values of the nanofilms were calculated under different strains at different temperatures using a nonequilibrium MD simulation. The simulation revealed that the thermal conductivity of a bismuth telluride nanofilm with a hole decreases with an increase in hole diameter at different strains. For a film with a perfect structure at 300 K, a 48% reduction (from 0.33 to 0.17 W/m K) in the thermal conductivity was observed at a 7% tensile strain. In addition, the thermal conductivity increased by approximately 39% (from 0.33 to 0.46 W/m K) at a 7% compressive strain. A very low value (0.11 W/m K) of thermal conductivity is obtained for the nanofilm with a hole diameter of 50 Å at a 7% tensile strain at 300 K.
Electrical conductivity and dielectric behavior in sodium zinc divanadates
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sallemi, F.; Louati, B.; Guidara, K.
2014-11-01
The Na2ZnV2O7 compound was obtained by the conventional solid-state reaction. The sample was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, Raman and impedance spectroscopy. The ac electrical conductivity and dielectric properties have been investigated in the frequency and temperature range of 200 Hz-1 MHz and 513 K-729 K, respectively. The direct current conductivity process is thermally activated. The frequency dependence of the conductivity is interpreted using the power law. The close values of activation energies obtained from the analysis of hopping frequency and dc conductivity implies that the transport is due to Na+ cation displacement parallel to (0 0 1) plane located between ZnO4 and VO4 tetrahedra. The evolution of the complex permittivity as a function of angular frequency was investigated. Several important parameters such as charge carrier concentration, ionic mobility and diffusion coefficient were determined. Thermodynamic parameters such as the free energy of activation ∆F, the enthalpy ∆H, and the change in entropy ∆S have been calculated.
Estevinho, Leticia M; Feás, Xesús; Seijas, Julio A; Pilar Vázquez-Tato, M
2012-02-01
At the present time, the quality, integrity, sanitation and nutritional value of honeys receive attention on an international level due to the increasing content of chemicals in the aforementioned matrix. This work was conducted to evaluate the quality of 75 organic honey samples from the Trás-Os-Montes region (Portugal). Mean values obtained for physico-chemical parameters were: pH 3.7; 15.6% moisture; 0.26mS/cm electrical conductivity; 0.25% ash; 1.1mg/kg HMF; 15.3 Gothe diastase activity; 40.3meq/kg free acidity; 67.8% invert sugars and 2.7% apparent sucrose. All honey samples can be classified as monofloral Erica sp., as showed by pollen features. The amounts of phenols and flavonoids in the samples were also determined. In respect to sanitary quality (fecal coliforms) and safety (sulfite-reducing clostridia and Salmonella), all organic honey samples were negative. Furthermore, yeast and molds were detected in low counts, with mean values obtained of 5.5cfu/g and the value of total aerobic mesophiles obtained from honeys was established in 1.3×10(2)cfu/g±7.5×10(1)cfu/g. The levels of flavonoids had a stronger impact on both mesophiles (p=0.0004) and molds (p=0.0138) than the sucrose concentration (p=0.001 and 0.0278; respectively). The results reported in this study should be introduced in the organic honey label, and may help beekeepers, the industry, researchers and consumers better understand honey properties. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Measurement of Blood Pressure Using an Arterial Pulsimeter Equipped with a Hall Device
Lee, Sang-Suk; Nam, Dong-Hyun; Hong, You-Sik; Lee, Woo-Beom; Son, Il-Ho; Kim, Keun-Ho; Choi, Jong-Gu
2011-01-01
To measure precise blood pressure (BP) and pulse rate without using a cuff, we have developed an arterial pulsimeter consisting of a small, portable apparatus incorporating a Hall device. Regression analysis of the pulse wave measured during testing of the arterial pulsimeter was conducted using two equations of the BP algorithm. The estimated values of BP obtained by the cuffless arterial pulsimeter over 5 s were compared with values obtained using electronic or liquid mercury BP meters. The standard deviation between the estimated values and the measured values for systolic and diastolic BP were 8.3 and 4.9, respectively, which are close to the range of values of the BP International Standard. Detailed analysis of the pulse wave measured by the cuffless radial artery pulsimeter by detecting changes in the magnetic field can be used to develop a new diagnostic algorithm for BP, which can be applied to new medical apparatus such as the radial artery pulsimeter. PMID:22319381
Determining the soil hydraulic conductivity by means of a field scale internal drainage
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Severino, Gerardo; Santini, Alessandro; Sommella, Angelo
2003-03-01
Spatial variations of water content in large extents soils (vadose zone) are highly affected by the natural heterogeneity of the porous medium. This implies that the magnitude of the hydraulic properties, especially the conductivity, varies in an irregular manner with scale. Determining mean values of hydraulic properties will not suffice to accurately quantify water flow in the vadose zone. At field scale proper field measurements have to be carried out, similar to standard laboratory methods that also characterize the spatial variability of the hydraulic properties. Toward this aim an internal drainage test has been conducted at Ponticelli site near Naples (Italy) where water content and pressure head were monitored at 50 locations of a 2×50 m 2 plot. The present paper illustrates a method to quantify the mean value and the spatial variability of the hydraulic parameters needed to calibrate the soil conductivity curve at field scale (hereafter defined as field scale hydraulic conductivity). A stochastic model that regards the hydraulic parameters as random space functions (RSFs) is derived by adopting the stream tube approach of Dagan and Bresler (1979). Owing to the randomness of the hydraulic parameters, even the water content θ will be a RSF whose mean value (hereafter termed field scale water content) is obtained as an ensemble average over all the realizations of a local analytical solution of Richards' equation. It is shown that the most frequent data collection should be carried out in the initial stage of the internal drainage experiment, when the most significant changes in water content occur. The model parameters are obtained by a standard least square optimization procedure using water content data at a certain depth (z=30 cm) for several times ( t=5, 24, 48, 96, 144, 216, 312, 408, 576, 744, 912 h). The reliability of the proposed method is then evaluated by comparing the predicted water content with observations at different depths ( z=45, 60, 75, and 90 cm). The calibration procedure is further verified by comparing the cumulative distribution of measured water content at different times with corresponding distribution obtained from the calibrated model.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Cardiff, Michael; Barrash, Warren; Thoma, Michael; Malama, Bwalya
2011-06-01
SummaryA recently developed unified model for partially-penetrating slug tests in unconfined aquifers ( Malama et al., in press) provides a semi-analytical solution for aquifer response at the wellbore in the presence of inertial effects and wellbore skin, and is able to model the full range of responses from overdamped/monotonic to underdamped/oscillatory. While the model provides a unifying framework for realistically analyzing slug tests in aquifers (with the ultimate goal of determining aquifer properties such as hydraulic conductivity K and specific storage Ss), it is currently unclear whether parameters of this model can be well-identified without significant prior information and, thus, what degree of information content can be expected from such slug tests. In this paper, we examine the information content of slug tests in realistic field scenarios with respect to estimating aquifer properties, through analysis of both numerical experiments and field datasets. First, through numerical experiments using Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods for gauging parameter uncertainty and identifiability, we find that: (1) as noted by previous researchers, estimation of aquifer storage parameters using slug test data is highly unreliable and subject to significant uncertainty; (2) joint estimation of aquifer and skin parameters contributes to significant uncertainty in both unless prior knowledge is available; and (3) similarly, without prior information joint estimation of both aquifer radial and vertical conductivity may be unreliable. These results have significant implications for the types of information that must be collected prior to slug test analysis in order to obtain reliable aquifer parameter estimates. For example, plausible estimates of aquifer anisotropy ratios and bounds on wellbore skin K should be obtained, if possible, a priori. Secondly, through analysis of field data - consisting of over 2500 records from partially-penetrating slug tests in a heterogeneous, highly conductive aquifer, we present some general findings that have applicability to slug testing. In particular, we find that aquifer hydraulic conductivity estimates obtained from larger slug heights tend to be lower on average (presumably due to non-linear wellbore losses) and tend to be less variable (presumably due to averaging over larger support volumes), supporting the notion that using the smallest slug heights possible to produce measurable water level changes is an important strategy when mapping aquifer heterogeneity. Finally, we present results specific to characterization of the aquifer at the Boise Hydrogeophysical Research Site. Specifically, we note that (1) K estimates obtained using a range of different slug heights give similar results, generally within ±20%; (2) correlations between estimated K profiles with depth at closely-spaced wells suggest that K values obtained from slug tests are representative of actual aquifer heterogeneity and not overly affected by near-well media disturbance (i.e., "skin"); (3) geostatistical analysis of K values obtained indicates reasonable correlation lengths for sediments of this type; and (4) overall, K values obtained do not appear to correlate well with porosity data from previous studies.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Jain, M.; Kang, B. S.; Jia, Q. X.
2006-12-01
Ferroelectric Bi3.25La0.75Ti3O12 (BLT) films were grown on Pt /Ti/SiO2/Si (Pt/Si), LaNiO3/Pt /Si, and LaNiO3/Si substrates using chemical solution deposition technique. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that films grown on conductive LaNiO3 electrodes had higher degree of (117) orientation as compared to that grown directly on Pt /Si substrate. High remanent polarization value (2Pr)˜43.14μC/cm2 (Ec of 111kV/cm) under an applied field of 396kV/cm was obtained for BLT film on LaNiO3/Pt /Si as compared to a value of 26μC/cm2 obtained for BLT film on Pt/Si directly. There was no degradation in the switchable polarization (Psw-Pns) after 1010 switching cycles.
Musiał, Witold; Kokol, Vanja; Voncina, Bojana
2009-01-01
The aim of the work was the evaluation of the conductivity changes in aqueous environment, consisting of chlorhexidine, and N-isopropylacrylamide derivative microgel, during increasing the temperature between 25 degrees C and 42 degrees C, as a prerequisite to develop the this microgel for controlled release of chlorhexidine, when alterations in temperature are involved. Conductivity of studied systems underwent specific alterations, when temperature increased. For the system with polymer PNM I the values of conductivity were in the range 104,47 microS/cm - 134,70 microS/ cm, for temperature range 25 degrees C and 42 degrees C. In the case of PNM II - CX system, respective values reached 91,75 microS/cm - 135,95 microS/cm. The lowest conductivity values were observed when PNM III - CX mixture was studied: 96,90 microS/cm and 117,37 microS/cm. When a complex of derivatives of N-isopropylacrylamide with chlorhexidine undergoes thermal alteration, there is a potential to obtain controlled release of chlorhexidine from the polymeric bead in the range between 25 degrees C and 42 degrees C. The affinity of chlorhexidine to the polymer may be assessed in this systems applying the conductivity measurements. The solubility of chlorhexidine in the polymeric systems should be in future evaluated, to determine role of this factor in the conductivity alterations.
The Hubbard Model and Piezoresistivity
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Celebonovic, V.; Nikolic, M. G.
2018-02-01
Piezoresistivity was discovered in the nineteenth century. Numerous applications of this phenomenon exist nowadays. The aim of the present paper is to explore the possibility of applying the Hubbard model to theoretical work on piezoresistivity. Results are encouraging, in the sense that numerical values of the strain gauge obtained by using the Hubbard model agree with results obtained by other methods. The calculation is simplified by the fact that it uses results for the electrical conductivity of 1D systems previously obtained within the Hubbard model by one of the present authors.
Giaouris, E; Chorianopoulos, N; Nychas, G J E
2005-10-01
An assay was developed in an effort to elucidate the effect of important environmental parameters (temperature, pH, and water activity [aw]) on Salmonella Enteritidis biofilm formation on stainless steel surfaces. To achieve this, a modified microbiological technique used for biofilm studying (the bead vortexing method) and a rapid method based on conductivity measurements were used. The ability of the microorganism to generate biofilm on the stainless surfaces was studied at three temperatures (5, 20, and 37 degrees C), four pH values (4.5, 5.5, 6.5, and 7.4), and four aw values (0.5, 1.5, 5.5, and 10.5% NaCl). Results obtained by the bead vortexing method show that maximum numbers of adherent bacteria per square centimeter (106 CFU/cm2) were attained in 6 days at 20 degrees C. Biofilm formation after 7 days of incubation at 20 degrees C was found to be independent of the pH value. In addition, the high concentration of sodium chloride (10.5% NaCl, aw = 0.94) clearly inhibited the adherence of cells to the coupons. Conductance measurements were used as a supplementary tool to measure indirectly the attachment and biofilm formation of bacterial cells on stainless steel surfaces via their metabolic activity (i.e., changes in the conductance of the growth medium due to microbial growth or metabolism). Results obtained by conductance measurements corresponded well to those of the bead vortexing method. Furthermore, we were able to detect cells that remained attached on the metal surfaces even after vortexing via their metabolic activity. The results, except for demonstrating environmental-dependent Salmonella Enteritidis biofilm formation, indicated that traditional vortexing with beads did not remove completely biofilm cells from stainless steel; hence, conductance measurements seem to provide a more sensitive test capable to detect down to one single viable organism.
Bolintineanu, Dan S.; Sayyed-Ahmad, Abdallah; Davis, H. Ted; Kaznessis, Yiannis N.
2009-01-01
Protegrin peptides are potent antimicrobial agents believed to act against a variety of pathogens by forming nonselective transmembrane pores in the bacterial cell membrane. We have employed 3D Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP) calculations to determine the steady-state ion conduction characteristics of such pores at applied voltages in the range of −100 to +100 mV in 0.1 M KCl bath solutions. We have tested a variety of pore structures extracted from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations based on an experimentally proposed octomeric pore structure. The computed single-channel conductance values were in the range of 290–680 pS. Better agreement with the experimental range of 40–360 pS was obtained using structures from the last 40 ns of the MD simulation, where conductance values range from 280 to 430 pS. We observed no significant variation of the conductance with applied voltage in any of the structures that we tested, suggesting that the voltage dependence observed experimentally is a result of voltage-dependent channel formation rather than an inherent feature of the open pore structure. We have found the pore to be highly selective for anions, with anionic to cationic current ratios (ICl−/IK+) on the order of 103. This is consistent with the highly cationic nature of the pore but surprisingly in disagreement with the experimental finding of only slight anionic selectivity. We have additionally tested the sensitivity of our PNP model to several parameters and found the ion diffusion coefficients to have a significant influence on conductance characteristics. The best agreement with experimental data was obtained using a diffusion coefficient for each ion set to 10% of the bulk literature value everywhere inside the channel, a scaling used by several other studies employing PNP calculations. Overall, this work presents a useful link between previous work focused on the structure of protegrin pores and experimental efforts aimed at investigating their conductance characteristics. PMID:19180178
Thermal conductivity and viscosity measurements of ethylene glycol-based Al2O3 nanofluids
2011-01-01
The dispersion and stability of nanofluids obtained by dispersing Al2O3 nanoparticles in ethylene glycol have been analyzed at several concentrations up to 25% in mass fraction. The thermal conductivity and viscosity were experimentally determined at temperatures ranging from 283.15 K to 323.15 K using an apparatus based on the hot-wire method and a rotational viscometer, respectively. It has been found that both thermal conductivity and viscosity increase with the concentration of nanoparticles, whereas when the temperature increases the viscosity diminishes and the thermal conductivity rises. Measured enhancements on thermal conductivity (up to 19%) compare well with literature values when available. New viscosity experimental data yield values more than twice larger than the base fluid. The influence of particle size on viscosity has been also studied, finding large differences that must be taken into account for any practical application. These experimental results were compared with some theoretical models, as those of Maxwell-Hamilton and Crosser for thermal conductivity and Krieger and Dougherty for viscosity. PMID:21711737
Nonablative lightweight thermal protection system for Mars Aeroflyby Sample collection mission
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Suzuki, Toshiyuki; Aoki, Takuya; Ogasawara, Toshio; Fujita, Kazuhisa
2017-07-01
In this study, the concept of a nonablative lightweight thermal protection system (NALT) were proposed for a Mars exploration mission currently under investigation in Japan. The NALT consists of a carbon/carbon (C/C) composite skin, insulator tiles, and a honeycomb sandwich panel. Basic thermal characteristics of the NALT were obtained by conducting heating tests in high-enthalpy facilities. Thermal conductivity values of the insulator tiles as well as the emissivity values of the C/C skin were measured to develop a numerical analysis code for predicting NALT's thermal performance in flight environments. Finally, a breadboard model of a 600-mm diameter NALT aeroshell was developed and qualified through vibration and thermal vacuum tests.
Damage Progression in Buckle-Resistant Notched Composite Plates Loaded in Uniaxial Compression
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
McGowan, David M.; Davila, Carlos G.; Ambur, Damodar R.
2001-01-01
Results of an experimental and analytical evaluation of damage progression in three stitched composite plates containing an angled central notch and subjected to compression loading are presented. Parametric studies were conducted systematically to identify the relative effects of the material strength parameters on damage initiation and growth. Comparisons with experiments were conducted to determine the appropriate in situ values of strengths for progressive failure analysis. These parametric studies indicated that the in situ value of the fiber buckling strength is the most important parameter in the prediction of damage initiation and growth in these notched composite plates. Analyses of the damage progression in the notched, compression-loaded plates were conducted using in situ material strengths. Comparisons of results obtained from these analyses with experimental results for displacements and axial strains show good agreement.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Weihang, Kong; Lingfu, Kong; Lei, Li; Xingbin, Liu; Tao, Cui
2017-06-01
Water volume fraction is an important parameter of two-phase flow measurement, and it is an urgent task for accurate measurement in horizontal oil field development and optimization of oil production. The previous ring-shaped conductance water-cut meter cannot obtain the response values corresponding to the oil field water conductivity for oil-water two-phase flow in horizontal oil-producing wells characterized by low yield liquid, low velocity and high water cut. Hence, an inserted axisymmetric array structure sensor, i.e. a six-group local-conductance probe (SGLCP), is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the electric field distributions generated by the exciting electrodes of SGLCP are investigated by the finite element method (FEM), and the spatial sensitivity distributions of SGLCP are analyzed from the aspect of different separations between two electrodes and different axial rotation angles respectively. Secondly, the numerical simulation responses of SGLCP in horizontal segregated flow are calculated from the aspect of different water cut and heights of the water layer, respectively. Lastly, an SGLCP-based well logging instrument was developed, and experiments were carried out in a horizontal pipe with an inner diameter of 125 mm on the industrial-scale experimental multiphase flow setup in the Daqing Oilfield, China. In the experiments, the different oil-water two-phase flow, mineralization degree, temperature and pressure were tested. The results obtained from the simulation experiments and simulation well experiments demonstrate that the designed and developed SGLCP-based instrument still has a good response characteristic for measuring water conductivity under the different conditions mentioned above. The validity and reliability of obtaining the response values corresponding to the water conductivity through the designed and developed SGLCP-based instrument are verified by the experimental results. The significance of this work can provide an effective technology for measuring the water volume fraction of oil-water two-phase flow in horizontal oil-producing wells.
Solution of second order quasi-linear boundary value problems by a wavelet method
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Zhang, Lei; Zhou, Youhe; Wang, Jizeng, E-mail: jzwang@lzu.edu.cn
2015-03-10
A wavelet Galerkin method based on expansions of Coiflet-like scaling function bases is applied to solve second order quasi-linear boundary value problems which represent a class of typical nonlinear differential equations. Two types of typical engineering problems are selected as test examples: one is about nonlinear heat conduction and the other is on bending of elastic beams. Numerical results are obtained by the proposed wavelet method. Through comparing to relevant analytical solutions as well as solutions obtained by other methods, we find that the method shows better efficiency and accuracy than several others, and the rate of convergence can evenmore » reach orders of 5.8.« less
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Lambert, G.H.; Schoeller, D.A.; Kotake, A.N.
1990-11-01
A field biochemical epidemiology study was conducted using the Michigan cohort consisting of 51 rural residents exposed to polybrominated biphenyls (PBB). The study had three major objectives: (a) to determine the serum half-life of the major PBB congener, hexabromobiphenyl (HBB), in the human, (b) to determine if the PBB-exposed subjects had elevated cytochrome P-450I function as determined by the caffeine breath test (CBT) and the caffeine urinary metabolite ratio (CMR), and (c) to determine the applicability of the CBT and CMR in field studies. PBB serum levels were detected in 36 of the 51 PBB-exposed subjects. The serum half-life ofmore » HBB was determined by comparing the current serum HBB values to the subject's previous serum values obtained 5 to 8 years earlier. The median HBB half-life was 12 years (range 4-97 years). The CBT and CMR were elevated in the subjects exposed to PBBs as compared to the values obtained from urban nonsmokers and were similar to those found in adults who smoke. A gender effect was seen in the PBB-exposed subjects. There was a correlation between the CBT and the HBB serum values but not between CMR and HBB serum values. The CBT and CMR were easily conducted in the field and appear to be useful metabolic probes of cytochrome P-450I activity in human environmental toxicology.« less
Perry, Nicola H; Kim, Jae Jin; Tuller, Harry L
2018-01-01
We compare approaches to measure oxygen surface exchange kinetics, by simultaneous optical transmission relaxation (OTR) and AC-impedance spectroscopy (AC-IS), on the same mixed conducting SrTi 0.65 Fe 0.35 O 3-x film. Surface exchange coefficients were evaluated as a function of oxygen activity in the film, controlled by gas partial pressure and/or DC bias applied across the ionically conducting yttria-stabilized zirconia substrate. Changes in measured light transmission through the film over time (relaxations) resulted from optical absorption changes in the film corresponding to changes in its oxygen and oxidized Fe (~Fe 4+ ) concentrations; such relaxation profiles were successfully described by the equation for surface exchange-limited kinetics appropriate for the film geometry. The k chem values obtained by OTR were significantly lower than the AC-IS derived k chem values and k q values multiplied by the thermodynamic factor (bulk or thin film), suggesting a possible enhancement in k by the metal current collectors (Pt, Au). Long-term degradation in k chem and k q values obtained by AC-IS was also attributed to deterioration of the porous Pt current collector, while no significant degradation was observed in the optically derived k chem values. The results suggest that, while the current collector might influence measurements by AC-IS, the OTR method offers a continuous, in situ , and contact-free method to measure oxygen exchange kinetics at the native surfaces of thin films.
Perry, Nicola H.; Kim, Jae Jin; Tuller, Harry L.
2018-01-01
Abstract We compare approaches to measure oxygen surface exchange kinetics, by simultaneous optical transmission relaxation (OTR) and AC-impedance spectroscopy (AC-IS), on the same mixed conducting SrTi0.65Fe0.35O3-x film. Surface exchange coefficients were evaluated as a function of oxygen activity in the film, controlled by gas partial pressure and/or DC bias applied across the ionically conducting yttria-stabilized zirconia substrate. Changes in measured light transmission through the film over time (relaxations) resulted from optical absorption changes in the film corresponding to changes in its oxygen and oxidized Fe (~Fe4+) concentrations; such relaxation profiles were successfully described by the equation for surface exchange-limited kinetics appropriate for the film geometry. The kchem values obtained by OTR were significantly lower than the AC-IS derived kchem values and kq values multiplied by the thermodynamic factor (bulk or thin film), suggesting a possible enhancement in k by the metal current collectors (Pt, Au). Long-term degradation in kchem and kq values obtained by AC-IS was also attributed to deterioration of the porous Pt current collector, while no significant degradation was observed in the optically derived kchem values. The results suggest that, while the current collector might influence measurements by AC-IS, the OTR method offers a continuous, in situ, and contact-free method to measure oxygen exchange kinetics at the native surfaces of thin films. PMID:29511391
Musiał, Witold; Pluta, Janusz; Byrski, Tomasz; Valh, Julija V
2015-01-01
In the available literature, the problem of pH and conductivity in FED is evaluated separately, and limited mainly to the final purity of the synthesized polymer. In this study data from conductivity and pH measurements were evaluated in the context of the structure of the macromolecule. The aim of the study was to evaluate the conductivity and pH of dispersions of nanospheres synthesized with the use of N-isopropyl acrylamide (NIPA) as the main monomer, N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as the cross-linker and acrylic acid (AcA) as the anionic comonomer during the purification of dispersions via forced equilibrium dialysis (FED). Six batches of nanospheres were obtained in the process of surfactant free precipitation polymerization (SFPP) under inert nitrogen. The conductivity and pH of the dispersions of nanospheres were measured at the beginning of FED and after finishing that process. The conductivity in the systems being studied decreased significantly in the process of FED. The initial values of conductivity ranged from 736.85±8.13 μS×cm(-1) to 1048.90±67.53 μS×cm(-1) After 10 days, when the systems being assessed gained stability in terms of conductivity level, the values of conductivity were between 4.29±0.01 μS×cm(-1) and 33.56±0.04 μS×cm(-1). The pH values inreased significantly after FED. The resulting pH was between 6.92±0.07 and 8.21±0.07, while the initial values were between 3.42±0.23 μS×cm(-1) and 4.30±0.22 μS×cm(-1). Conductivity and pH measurements performed during purification via FED provide important information on the composition of the resulting nanospheres, including the functional groups embedded in the structure of the polymer in the course of the synthesis, as well as the purity of the structures. The presence of a cross-linker and acidic comonomer in the poly-N-isopropyl acrylamide (polyNIPA) macromolecule may be confirmed by both the pH and the conductivity measurements.
Olfactory Threshold of Chlorine in Oxygen.
1977-09-01
The odor threshold of chlorine in oxygen was determined. Measurements were conducted in an altitude chamber, which provided an odor-free and noise...free background. Human male volunteers, with no previous olfactory acuity testing experience, served as panelists. Threshold values were affected by...time intervals between trials and by age differences. The mean threshold value for 11 subjects was 0.08 ppm obtained by positive responses to the lowest detectable level of chlorine in oxygen, 50% of the time. (Author)
Net use, care and repair practices following a universal distribution campaign in Mali.
Leonard, Lori; Diop, Samba; Doumbia, Seydou; Sadou, Aboubacar; Mihigo, Jules; Koenker, Hannah; Berthe, Sara; Monroe, April; Bertram, Kathryn; Weber, Rachel
2014-11-18
The Government of Mali and the President's Malaria Initiative conducted a long-lasting, insecticidal net (LLIN) distribution campaign in April 2011 in the Sikasso region of Mali, with the aim of universal coverage, defined as one insecticide-treated net for every two persons. This study examines how households in post- and pre-campaign regions value and care for nets. The study was conducted in October 2012 in Sikasso and Kayes in the southeast and western regions of Mali, respectively. The regions were purposively selected to allow for comparison between areas that had already had a mass distribution campaign (Sikasso) and areas that had not yet had a mass distribution campaign (Kayes). Study sites and households were randomly selected. Sleeping space questionnaires and structured interviews with household heads were conducted to obtain information on net use, perceived value of free nets in relation to other malaria prevention activities, and net care and repair practices. The study included 40 households, split evenly across the two regions. Forty interviews were conducted with household heads and 151 sleeping spaces were inventoried using the sleeping space questionnaire. Nets obtained through the free distribution were reported to be highly valued in comparison to other malaria prevention strategies. Overall, net ownership and use were higher among households in areas that had already experienced a mass distribution. While participants reported using and valuing these nets, care and repair practices varied. National net use is high in Mali, and comparatively higher in the region covered by the universal distribution campaign than in the region not yet covered. While the Government of Mali and implementing partners have made strides to ensure high net coverage, some gaps remain related to communication messaging of correct and consistent net use throughout the year, and on improving net care and repair behaviour. By focusing on these areas as well as improved access to nets, coverage and use rates should continue to increase, contributing to improvements in malaria control.
Conductive Adhesive Based on Mussel-Inspired Graphene Decoration with Silver Nanoparticles.
Casa, Marcello; Sarno, Maria; Liguori, Rosalba; Cirillo, Claudia; Rubino, Alfredo; Bezzeccheri, Emanuele; Liu, Johan; Ciambelli, Paolo
2018-02-01
Decoration with silver nanoparticles was obtained by coating graphene with a polydopamine layer, able to induce spontaneous metallic nanoparticles formation without any specific chemical interfacial modifier, neither using complex instrumentation. The choice of dopamine was inspired by the composition of adhesive proteins in mussels, related to their robust attach to solid surfaces. The synthesis procedure started from graphite and involved eco-friendly compounds, such as Vitamin C and glucose as reducing agent and water as reaction medium. Silver decorated graphene was inserted as secondary nanofiller in the formulation of a reference conductive adhesive based on epoxy resin and silver flakes. A wide characterization of the intermediate materials obtained along the step procedure for the adhesive preparation was carried out by several techniques. We have found that the presence of nanofiller yields, in addition to an improvement of the thermal conductivity (up to 7.6 W/m · K), a dramatic enhancement of the electrical conductivity of the adhesive. In particular, starting from 3 · 102 S/cm of the reference adhesive, we obtained a value of 4 · 104 S/cm at a nanofiller concentration of 11.5 wt%. The combined double filler conductivity was evaluated by Zallen's model. The effect of the temperature on the resistivity of the adhesive has been also studied.
Quantification by SEM-EDS in uncoated non-conducting samples
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Galván Josa, V.; Castellano, G.; Bertolino, S. R.
2013-07-01
An approach to perform elemental quantitative analysis in a conventional scanning electron microscope with an energy dispersive spectrometer has been developed for non-conductive samples in which the conductive coating should be avoided. Charge accumulation effects, which basically decrease the energy of the primary beam, were taken into account by means of the Duane-Hunt limit. This value represents the maximum energy of the continuum X-ray spectrum, and is related to the effective energy of the incident electron beam. To validate the results obtained by this procedure, a non-conductive sample of known composition was quantified without conductive coating. Complementarily, changes in the X-ray spectrum due to charge accumulation effects were studied by Monte Carlo simulations, comparing relative characteristic intensities as a function of the incident energy. This methodology is exemplified here to obtain the chemical composition of white and reddish archaeological pigments belonging to the Ambato style of "Aguada" culture (Catamarca, Argentina 500-1100 AD). The results obtained in this work show that the quantification procedure taking into account the Duane-Hunt limit is suitable for this kind of samples. This approach may be recommended for the quantification of samples for which coating is not desirable, such as ancient artwork, forensic or archaeological samples, or when the coating element is also present in the sample.
An experimental investigation of mesospheric ionization
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Mitchell, J. D.
1973-01-01
Mesospheric ionization and its variability are examined. Data were obtained primarily by the parachute-borne blunt probe technique conducted in coordinated rocket experiments at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico and Wallops Island, Virginia. Electrical conductivity measurements and deduced charge density values from ten rocket launches are presented and discussed. Positive ion conductivity and electron density were found to be relatively invariant with height between 45 and 60 km. Variations in positive conductivity of a factor of two and enhancements in negative conductivity by as much as a factor of four were measured by the blunt probe. A simple lumped parameter ion chemistry model is shown to satisfactorily explain the charge density values for the undisturbed lower D-region. Implications of the data in terms of this model are considered. The principal loss mechanism for positive ions in the 45 to 60 km. region is concluded to be dissociative recombination. Electron densities deduced from the conductivity data are explained by detachment involving a minor neutral constituent which is mixed between 65 and 45 km. and then cuts off sharply below 45 km. A correlation study involving blunt probe measurements shows relatively good agreement between variations in positive conductivity and temperature.
Casimir free energy of dielectric films: classical limit, low-temperature behavior and control.
Klimchitskaya, G L; Mostepanenko, V M
2017-07-12
The Casimir free energy of dielectric films, both free-standing in vacuum and deposited on metallic or dielectric plates, is investigated. It is shown that the values of the free energy depend considerably on whether the calculation approach used neglects or takes into account the dc conductivity of film material. We demonstrate that there are material-dependent and universal classical limits in the former and latter cases, respectively. The analytic behavior of the Casimir free energy and entropy for a free-standing dielectric film at low temperature is found. According to our results, the Casimir entropy goes to zero when the temperature vanishes if the calculation approach with neglected dc conductivity of a film is employed. If the dc conductivity is taken into account, the Casimir entropy takes the positive value at zero temperature, depending on the parameters of a film, i.e. the Nernst heat theorem is violated. By considering the Casimir free energy of SiO 2 and Al 2 O 3 films deposited on a Au plate in the framework of two calculation approaches, we argue that physically correct values are obtained by disregarding the role of dc conductivity. A comparison with the well known results for the configuration of two parallel plates is made. Finally, we compute the Casimir free energy of SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 and Ge films deposited on high-resistivity Si plates of different thicknesses and demonstrate that it can be positive, negative and equal to zero. The effect of illumination of a Si plate with laser light is considered. Possible applications of the obtained results to thin films used in microelectronics are discussed.
Lamarão, Andressa M.; Costa, Lucíola C. M.; Comper, Maria L. C.; Padula, Rosimeire S.
2014-01-01
Background: Observational instruments, such as the Rapid Entire Body Assessment, quickly assess biomechanical risks present in the workplace. However, in order to use these instruments, it is necessary to conduct the translational/cross-cultural adaptation of the instrument and test its measurement properties. Objectives: To perform the translation and the cross-cultural adaptation to Brazilian-Portuguese and test the reliability of the REBA instrument. Method: The procedures of translation and cross-cultural adaptation to Brazilian-Portuguese were conducted following proposed guidelines that involved translation, synthesis of translations, back translation, committee review and testing of the pre-final version. In addition, reliability and the intra- and inter-rater percent agreement were obtained with the Linear Weighted Kappa Coefficient that was associated with the 95% Confidence Interval and the cross tabulation 2×2. Results : The procedures for translation and adaptation were adequate and the necessary adjustments were conducted on the instrument. The intra- and inter-rater reliability showed values of 0.104 to 0.504, respectively, ranging from very poor to moderate. The percentage agreement values ranged from 5.66% to 69.81%. The percentage agreement was closer to 100% at the item 'upper arm' (69.81%) for the Intra-rater 1 and at the items 'legs' and 'upper arm' for the Intra-rater 2 (62.26%). Conclusions: The processes of translation and cross-cultural adaptation were conducted on the REBA instrument and the Brazilian version of the instrument was obtained. However, despite the reliability of the tests used to correct the translated and adapted version, the reliability values are unacceptable according to the guidelines standard, indicating that the reliability must be re-evaluated. Therefore, caution in the interpretation of the biomechanical risks measured by this instrument should be taken. PMID:25003273
Casimir free energy of dielectric films: classical limit, low-temperature behavior and control
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Klimchitskaya, G. L.; Mostepanenko, V. M.
2017-07-01
The Casimir free energy of dielectric films, both free-standing in vacuum and deposited on metallic or dielectric plates, is investigated. It is shown that the values of the free energy depend considerably on whether the calculation approach used neglects or takes into account the dc conductivity of film material. We demonstrate that there are material-dependent and universal classical limits in the former and latter cases, respectively. The analytic behavior of the Casimir free energy and entropy for a free-standing dielectric film at low temperature is found. According to our results, the Casimir entropy goes to zero when the temperature vanishes if the calculation approach with neglected dc conductivity of a film is employed. If the dc conductivity is taken into account, the Casimir entropy takes the positive value at zero temperature, depending on the parameters of a film, i.e. the Nernst heat theorem is violated. By considering the Casimir free energy of SiO2 and Al2O3 films deposited on a Au plate in the framework of two calculation approaches, we argue that physically correct values are obtained by disregarding the role of dc conductivity. A comparison with the well known results for the configuration of two parallel plates is made. Finally, we compute the Casimir free energy of SiO2, Al2O3 and Ge films deposited on high-resistivity Si plates of different thicknesses and demonstrate that it can be positive, negative and equal to zero. The effect of illumination of a Si plate with laser light is considered. Possible applications of the obtained results to thin films used in microelectronics are discussed.
Hassan, A K
2015-01-01
In this work, O/W emulsion sets were prepared by using different concentrations of two nonionic surfactants. The two surfactants, tween 80(HLB=15.0) and span 80(HLB=4.3) were used in a fixed proportions equal to 0.55:0.45 respectively. HLB value of the surfactants blends were fixed at 10.185. The surfactants blend concentration is starting from 3% up to 19%. For each O/W emulsion set the conductivity was measured at room temperature (25±2°), 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80°. Applying the simple linear regression least squares method statistical analysis to the temperature-conductivity obtained data determines the effective surfactants blend concentration required for preparing the most stable O/W emulsion. These results were confirmed by applying the physical stability centrifugation testing and the phase inversion temperature range measurements. The results indicated that, the relation which represents the most stable O/W emulsion has the strongest direct linear relationship between temperature and conductivity. This relationship is linear up to 80°. This work proves that, the most stable O/W emulsion is determined via the determination of the maximum R² value by applying of the simple linear regression least squares method to the temperature-conductivity obtained data up to 80°, in addition to, the true maximum slope is represented by the equation which has the maximum R² value. Because the conditions would be changed in a more complex formulation, the method of the determination of the effective surfactants blend concentration was verified by applying it for more complex formulations of 2% O/W miconazole nitrate cream and the results indicate its reproducibility.
The effects of erythrocyte deformability upon hematocrit assessed by the conductance method.
Hayashi, Yoshihito; Katsumoto, Yoichi; Oshige, Ikuya; Omori, Shinji; Yasuda, Akio; Asami, Koji
2009-04-21
A comparative study of centrifugation and conductance methods for the estimation of cell volume fraction (phi) was performed to examine whether the strong forces exerted upon erythrocytes during centrifugation affect their volume, and the results are discussed in terms of erythrocyte deformability. Rabbit erythrocytes of four shapes (spherocytes, echinocytes, stomatocyte-like enlarged erythrocytes and discocytes) were prepared by controlling the pH of the suspending media. The packed cell volumes of the suspensions were measured by standard hematocrit determination methods using centrifugation in capillary tubes. Simultaneously, the same suspensions and their supernatants were used in dielectric spectroscopy measurements, and the low-frequency limits of their conductivities were used for the numerical estimation of phi. The hematocrit values of spherocytes and echinocytes were markedly less than the volume fractions obtained by the conductance method. Namely, the centrifugation reduced the cell volume. For enlarged erythrocytes and discocytes, however, the reduction of cell volume was not observed. These findings showed that phi obtained by the centrifugation method can be greatly affected by the deformability of the cells, but the level of the effect depends on the cell types. Consequently, phi obtained by the centrifugation method should be carefully interpreted.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Priyono, B.; Faizah; Syahrial, A. Z.; Subhan, A.
2017-07-01
Lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O12)/LTO is a promising candidate to be used as anode electrode in Li-ion battery, to replace graphite in Li-ion battery application. Crystal structure of lithium titanate/LTO is more stable or undergoes less strain than graphite during intercalation and de-intercalation process Li+ ions. However, although lithium titanate has good stability, the material has low electrical conductivity and lithium ion diffusion. The purpose of this research is to synthesis the spinel LTO using combinated hydrothermal and mechanochemical processes from xerogel TiO2. Then, to increase the conductivity, in the half-cell battery assembly process it was added acetylene black conductive (AB) additive with various from 10%, to 15% in wt. The LTO obtained were characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). The XRD showed a rutile as minor phase, while SEM showed homogeneous distribution of particle with an average particle size of 0.35 μm. The BET showed that the surface area of LTO formed is 2.26 m2/g. The assembled coin half cells used this Li4Ti5O12 as a cathode and lithium metal foil as the anode were tested using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and charge discharge (CD). The conductivity value obtained from EIS corresponds to the contents of AB. Meanwhile, the CV and CD testing showed that higher percentage of AB causing the decrease of battery specific capacity. The highest specific capacity at the rate of 10C is obtained at the mixture of 10wt% AB with the value of 40.91 mAh/g.
Sensory conduction of the sural nerve in polyneuropathy.
Burke, D; Skuse, N F; Lethlean, A K
1974-06-01
Using surface electrodes, sensory nerve action potentials (SAP) have been recorded in the proximal segment (mid-calf to lateral malleolus) and the distal segment (lateral malleolus to toe 5) of the sural nerve and in the median nerve in 79 control subjects. The values obtained for the distal segment of the sural nerve varied widely and in seven apparently normal subjects no SAP could be distinguished. In the proximal segment conduction velocities were over 40 m/s and there was no significant change with age, unlike the median nerve in which a highly significant slowing occurred with age. Comparison of the results of sural and median sensory conduction studies in 300 consecutive patients screened for sensory polyneuropathy confirms the value of sural nerve sensory studies as a routine screening test, and confirms the belief that the changes in polyneuropathy are usually more prominent in lower limb nerves. It is therefore suggested that studies of sural sensory conduction form the single most useful test in the diagnosis of sensory polyneuropathy.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Sheftman, D.; Krasik, Ya. E.
2011-09-15
Experimental and simulation results of underwater electrical Cu, Al, and W wire explosions in the microsecond timescale are presented. It was shown that the electrical conductivity results for Cu and Al agree well with modified Lee-More and quantum molecular dynamic models for temperatures above 10 kK. The equation of state (EOS) values based on SESAME tables for Cu and Al were slightly modified for intermediate temperatures in order to obtain fitting between experimental and simulated exploding wire radial expansion. Also, it was shown that the electrical conductivity results and the EOS evaluation differ significantly from the results obtained in nanosecondmore » timescale experiments. Finally, it was found that underwater electrical W wire explosion is characterized by the appearance of non-uniformities along the z-axis of the wire. This phenomena adds uncertainty to the possibility of applying this type of experiments for evaluation of the electrical conductivity and EOS of W.« less
Electrical conductivity of diopside: evidence for oxygen vacancies
Huebner, J.S.; Voigt, D.E.
1988-01-01
Impedance spectra for two natural single crystals of diopside were obtained at 800 to 1300??C and 1-bar pressure over the frequency range 0.001 Hz to 100 kHz in a system closed to all components but oxygen. At both higher and lower fO2 values, no fO2 dependence of conductivity was observed, indicating the presence of different conduction mechanisms. At temperatures less than 1000??C, the activation energy is 1.3 eV, also suggesting a different conduction mechanism. Thus, at least four regimes are necessary to describe the conductivity of this diopside in T-fO2 space. The approximately -1/(7 ?? 1) value of d(log ??)/d(log fO2) in a high-temperature geologic region suggests a reaction by which oxygen vacancies control the conductivity. This relatively pure diopside is much less conducting than olivine or orthopyroxene. A second diopside with greater Fe content but otherwise similar in composition to the near-end-member diopside, is more conducting, has a smaller activation energy (1.0 eV) over the range 1050 to 1225??C, and shows only a weak negative fO2 dependence; suggesting that oxygen vacancies are present but are not the dominant defect in controlling the conductivity. -from Authors
STUDIES ON THE FORMATION AND IONIZATION OF THE COMPOUNDS OF CASEIN WITH ALKALI
Greenberg, David M.; Schmidt, Carl L. A.
1924-01-01
1. The results of conductivity experiments with alkali caseinate solutions are given and a graphical method of extrapolation, which gives a straight line, is described. The results of the conductivity experiments are shown to be in accord with the results of the previous transference experiments. 2. The change of conductivity of the alkali caseinate solutions with temperature is shown to follow a straight line relationship. 3. The high value of the mobility which was obtained for the casein ion and the high temperature gradient are discussed in relation to McBain's theory of colloidal electrolytes. PMID:19872136
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Nguyen, F.; Benoit, S.; Gommers, K.; Ghysels, G.; Hermans, T.; Huysmans, M.
2017-12-01
Hydraulic conductivity of river sediments ranges from values smaller than 10-9 m/s to values higher than 10-2 m/s, with a dominance in values between 10-7 m/s and 10-3 m/s. Both horizontal hydraulic conductivity and vertical hydraulic conductivity show spatial variation in a riverbed. The spatial variation in hydraulic conductivity is due to the influence of the sedimentary and geomorphological environment as well as the method of determination, including scale, size and imprecision of the applied method. The characterization of the spatial variability of hydraulic conductivity in riverbeds is important because of its effect on the interaction between river and groundwater. These river - groundwater interactions influence water resource management, water quality and functioning of the riparian ecosystem. It is necessary in the simulation of 3D flow between river and aquifer near the interface and thus, it also determines contaminant transport and biogeochemical modelling in this riparian or hyporheic zone. Different processes occur in this specific zone such as transport, degradation, transformation, precipitation and sorption of substances, all dependent on hydraulic conductivity. Several methods exist to determine the hydraulic conductivity in river beds, both direct and indirect methods, from field to laboratory experiments or numerical modelling, but the uncertainty on obtained K values is often large because of the large variability of K. In the recent years, research has been performed on the usefulness of geophysical methods on rivers, in particular Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and Induced Polarization (IP). The implementation of ERT and IP in rivers provides a continuous image of the resistivity and chargeability of the subsurface, respectively, and can be used in several applications as proxies for hydraulic conductivity. This work reports and investigate a correlation between hydraulic conductivity measured by slug tests at an experimental site, and electrical resistivity, chargeability and normalized chargeability for riverbeds sediments.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Browning, G. L.; Tzur, I.; Roble, R. G.
1987-01-01
A time-dependent model is introduced that can be used to simulate the interaction of a thunderstorm with its global electrical environment. The model solves the continuity equation of the Maxwell current, which is assumed to be composed of the conduction, displacement, and source currents. Boundary conditions which can be used in conjunction with the continuity equation to form a well-posed initial-boundary value problem are determined. Properties of various components of solutions of the initial-boundary value problem are analytically determined. The results indicate that the problem has two time scales, one determined by the background electrical conductivity and the other by the time variation of the source function. A numerical method for obtaining quantitative results is introduced, and its properties are studied. Some simulation results on the evolution of the displacement and conduction currents during the electrification of a storm are presented.
Crystal growth and electrical properties of CuFeO 2 single crystals
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dordor, P.; Chaminade, J. P.; Wichainchai, A.; Marquestaut, E.; Doumerc, J. P.; Pouchard, M.; Hagenmuller, P.; Ammar, A.
1988-07-01
Delafossite-type CuFeO 2 single crystals have been prepared by a flux method: crystals obtained in a Cu crucible with LiBO 2 as flux are n-type whereas those prepared in a Pt crucible with a Cu 2O flux are p-type. Electrical measurements have revealed that n-type crystals exhibit weak anisotropic conductivities with large activation energies and small mobilities (r.t. values perpendicular and parallel to the c-axis: μ⊥ = 5 × 10 -5 and μ‖ = 10 -7 cm -2 V -1 sec -1). p-type crystals, less anisotropic, are characterized by low activation energies and higher mobilities ( μ⊥ = 34 and μ‖ = 8.9 cm 2 V -1 sec -1). A two -conduction-band model is proposed to account for the difference observed between the energy gap value deduced from photoelectrochemical measurements and the activation energy of the electrical conductivity in the intrinsic domain.
Capacitance changes in frog skin caused by theophylline and antidiuretic hormone.
Cuthbert, A W; Painter, E
1969-09-01
1. Impedance loci for frog skins have been calculated by computer analysis from voltage transients developed across the tissues.2. Attention has been paid to simultaneous changes in conductance and capacitance of skins treated either with antidiuretic hormone (ADH) or with theophylline. These drugs always caused an increase in conductance and usually the skin capacitance also increased. However, changes in conductance were not correlated with capacitance changes.3. Changes in capacitance caused by the drugs may represent pore formation in the barrier to water flow, since both drugs increase hydro-osmotic flow in epithelia. If this interpretation is correct, then 0.14% of the membrane area forms water-permeable pores in response to a maximal dose of ADH. This value is somewhat less than the value obtained previously (0.3%) by graphical analysis.4. A theoretical account is given of the relative accuracy of the computer method and the graphical method for voltage transient analysis.
Mechanical Degradation of Graphite/PVDF Composite Electrodes: A Model-Experimental Study
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Takahashi, Kenji; Higa, Kenneth; Mair, Sunil
2015-12-11
Mechanical failure modes of a graphite/polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) composite electrode for lithium-ion batteries were investigated by combining realistic stress-stain tests and mathematical model predictions. Samples of PVDF mixed with conductive additive were prepared in a similar way to graphite electrodes and tested while submerged in electrolyte solution. Young's modulus and tensile strength values of wet samples were found to be approximately one-fifth and one-half of those measured for dry samples. Simulations of graphite particles surrounded by binder layers given the measured material property values suggest that the particles are unlikely to experience mechanical damage during cycling, but that the fatemore » of the surrounding composite of PVDF and conductive additive depends completely upon the conditions under which its mechanical properties were obtained. Simulations using realistic property values produced results that were consistent with earlier experimental observations.« less
Precomputing upscaled hydraulic conductivity for complex geological structures
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Mariethoz, G.; Jha, S. K.; George, M.; Maheswarajah, S.; John, V.; De Re, D.; Smith, M.
2013-12-01
3D geological models are built to capture the geological heterogeneity at a fine scale. However groundwater modellers are often interested in the hydraulic conductivity (K) values at a much coarser scale to reduce the numerical burden. Upscaling is used to assign conductivity to large volumes, which necessarily causes a loss of information. Recent literature has shown that the connectivity in the channelized structures is an important feature that needs to be taken into account for accurate upscaling. In this work we study the effect of channel parameters, e.g. width, sinuosity, connectivity etc. on the upscaled values of the hydraulic conductivity and the associated uncertainty. We devise a methodology that derives correspondences between a lithological description and the equivalent hydraulic conductivity at a larger scale. The method uses multiple-point geostatistics simulations (MPS) and parameterizes the 3D structures by introducing continuous rotation and affinity parameters. Additional statistical characterization is obtained by transition probabilities and connectivity measures. Equivalent hydraulic conductivity is then estimated by solving a flow problem for the entire heterogeneous domain by applying steady state flow in horizontal and vertical directions. This is systematically performed for many random realisations of the small scale structures to enable a probability distribution for the equivalent upscaled hydraulic conductivity. This process allows deriving systematic relationships between a given depositional environment and precomputed equivalent parameters. A modeller can then exploit the prior knowledge of the depositional environment and expected geological heterogeneity to bypass the step of generating small-scale models, and directly work with upscaled values.
Fabrication of setup for high temperature thermal conductivity measurement.
Patel, Ashutosh; Pandey, Sudhir K
2017-01-01
In this work, we report the fabrication of an experimental setup for high temperature thermal conductivity (κ) measurement. It can characterize samples with various dimensions and shapes. Steady state based axial heat flow technique is used for κ measurement. Heat loss is measured using parallel thermal conductance technique. Simple design, lightweight, and small size sample holder is developed by using a thin heater and limited components. Low heat loss value is achieved by using very low thermal conductive insulator block with small cross-sectional area. Power delivered to the heater is measured accurately by using 4-wire technique and for this, the heater is developed with 4 wires. This setup is validated by using Bi 0.36 Sb 1.45 Te 3 , polycrystalline bismuth, gadolinium, and alumina samples. The data obtained for these samples are found to be in good agreement with the reported data. The maximum deviation of 6% in the value κ is observed. This maximum deviation is observed with the gadolinium sample. We also report the thermal conductivity of polycrystalline tellurium from 320 K to 550 K and the nonmonotonous behavior of κ with temperature is observed.
A method of measuring the effective thermal conductivity of thermoplastic foams
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Asséko, André Chateau Akué; Cosson, Benoit; Chaki, Salim; Duborper, Clément; Lacrampe, Marie-France; Krawczak, Patricia
2017-10-01
An inverse method for determining the in-plane effective thermal conductivity of porous thermoplastics was implemented by coupling infrared thermography experiments and numerical solution of heat transfer in straight fins having temperature-dependent convective heat transfer coefficient. The obtained effective thermal conductivity values were compared with previous results obtained using a numerical solution based on periodic homogenization techniques (NSHT) in which the microstructure heterogeneity of extruded polymeric polyethylene (PE) foam in which pores are filled with air with different levels of open and closed porosity was taken into account and Transient Plane Source Technique (TPS) in order to verify the accuracy of the proposed method. The new method proposed in the present study is in good agreement with both NSHT and TPS. It is also applicable to structural materials such as composites, e.g. unidirectional fiber-reinforced plastics, where heat transfer is very different according to the fiber direction (parallel or transverse to the fibers).
Energy transport in a shear flow of particles in a two-dimensional dusty plasma.
Feng, Yan; Goree, J; Liu, Bin
2012-11-01
A shear flow of particles in a laser-driven two-dimensional (2D) dusty plasma is observed in a study of viscous heating and thermal conduction. Video imaging and particle tracking yields particle velocity data, which we convert into continuum data, presented as three spatial profiles: mean particle velocity (i.e., flow velocity), mean-square particle velocity, and mean-square fluctuations of particle velocity. These profiles and their derivatives allow a spatially resolved determination of each term in the energy and momentum continuity equations, which we use for two purposes. First, by balancing these terms so that their sum (i.e., residual) is minimized while varying viscosity η and thermal conductivity κ as free parameters, we simultaneously obtain values for η and κ in the same experiment. Second, by comparing the viscous heating and thermal conduction terms, we obtain a spatially resolved characterization of the viscous heating.
Graphene as a Promising Electrode for Low-Current Attenuation in Nonsymmetric Molecular Junctions.
Zhang, Qian; Liu, Longlong; Tao, Shuhui; Wang, Congyi; Zhao, Cezhou; González, César; Dappe, Yannick J; Nichols, Richard J; Yang, Li
2016-10-12
We have measured the single-molecule conductance of 1,n-alkanedithiol molecular bridges (n = 4, 6, 8, 10, 12) on a graphene substrate using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM)-formed electrical junctions. The conductance values of this homologous series ranged from 2.3 nS (n = 12) to 53 nS (n = 4), with a decay constant β n of 0.40 per methylene (-CH 2 ) group. This result is explained by a combination of density functional theory (DFT) and Keldysh-Green function calculations. The obtained decay, which is much lower than the one obtained for symmetric gold junctions, is related to the weak coupling at the molecule-graphene interface and the electronic structure of graphene. As a consequence, we show that using graphene nonsymmetric junctions and appropriate anchoring groups may lead to a much-lower decay constant and more-conductive molecular junctions at longer lengths.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Kumagai, Tomohisa, E-mail: kumagai@criepi.denken.or.jp; Nakamura, Kaoru; Yamada, Susumu
The effects of guest atomic species in Si clathrates on the lattice thermal conductivity were studied using classical molecular dynamics calculations. The interaction between a host atom and a guest atom was described by the Morse potential function while that between host atoms was described by the Tersoff potential. The parameters of the potentials were newly determined for this study such that the potential curves obtained from first-principles calculations for the insertion of a guest atom into a Si cage were successfully reproduced. The lattice thermal conductivities were calculated by using the Green-Kubo method. The experimental lattice thermal conductivity ofmore » Ba{sub 8}Ga{sub 16}Si{sub 30} can be successfully reproduced using the method. As a result, the lattice thermal conductivities of type-I Si clathrates, M{sub 8}Si{sub 46} (M = Na, Mg, K, Ca Rb, Sr, Cs, or Ba), were obtained. It is found that the lattice thermal conductivities of M{sub 8}Si{sub 46}, where M is IIA elements (i.e., M = Mg, Ca, Sr, or Ba) tend to be lower than those of M{sub 8}Si{sub 46}, where M is IA elements (i.e., M = Na, K, Rb, or Cs). Those of {sup m}M{sub 8}Si{sub 46}, where m was artificially modified atomic weight were also obtained. The obtained lattice thermal conductivity can be regarded as a function of a characteristic frequency, f{sub c}. That indicates minimum values around f{sub c}=2-4 THz, which corresponds to the center of the frequencies of the transverse acoustic phonon modes associated with Si cages.« less
Moench, A.F.; Garabedian, Stephen P.; LeBlanc, Denis R.
2000-01-01
An aquifer test conducted in a sand and gravel, glacial outwash deposit on Cape Cod, Massachusetts was analyzed by means of a model for flow to a partially penetrating well in a homogeneous, anisotropic unconfined aquifer. The model is designed to account for all significant mechanisms expected to influence drawdown in observation piezometers and in the pumped well. In addition to the usual fluid-flow and storage processes, additional processes include effects of storage in the pumped well, storage in observation piezometers, effects of skin at the pumped-well screen, and effects of drainage from the zone above the water table. The aquifer was pumped at a rate of 320 gallons per minute for 72-hours and drawdown measurements were made in the pumped well and in 20 piezometers located at various distances from the pumped well and depths below the land surface. To facilitate the analysis, an automatic parameter estimation algorithm was used to obtain relevant unconfined aquifer parameters, including the saturated thickness and a set of empirical parameters that relate to gradual drainage from the unsaturated zone. Drainage from the unsaturated zone is treated in this paper as a finite series of exponential terms, each of which contains one empirical parameter that is to be determined. It was necessary to account for effects of gradual drainage from the unsaturated zone to obtain satisfactory agreement between measured and simulated drawdown, particularly in piezometers located near the water table. The commonly used assumption of instantaneous drainage from the unsaturated zone gives rise to large discrepancies between measured and predicted drawdown in the intermediate-time range and can result in inaccurate estimates of aquifer parameters when automatic parameter estimation procedures are used. The values of the estimated hydraulic parameters are consistent with estimates from prior studies and from what is known about the aquifer at the site. Effects of heterogeneity at the site were small as measured drawdowns in all piezometers and wells were very close to the simulated values for a homogeneous porous medium. The estimated values are: specific yield, 0.26; saturated thickness, 170 feet; horizontal hydraulic conductivity, 0.23 feet per minute; vertical hydraulic conductivity, 0.14 feet per minute; and specific storage, 1.3x10-5 per foot. It was found that drawdown in only a few piezometers strategically located at depth near the pumped well yielded parameter estimates close to the estimates obtained for the entire data set analyzed simultaneously. If the influence of gradual drainage from the unsaturated zone is not taken into account, specific yield is significantly underestimated even in these deep-seated piezometers. This helps to explain the low values of specific yield often reported for granular aquifers in the literature. If either the entire data set or only the drawdown in selected deep-seated piezometers was used, it was found unnecessary to conduct the test for the full 72-hours to obtain accurate estimates of the hydraulic parameters. For some piezometer groups, practically identical results would be obtained for an aquifer test conducted for only 8-hours. Drawdowns measured in the pumped well and piezometers at distant locations were diagnostic only of aquifer transmissivity.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Emre, G.; Akkus, A.; Karamış, M. B.
2018-01-01
In this study mechanichal and tribological properties of keratin, bone ash and hydroxylapatite by adding to PMMA ( known as the main prosthesis material) were investigated. Hydroxylapatite, bone ash, and keratin materials were added as PMMA in to the content of PMMA, in the proportions of %1, %3 and %5, respectively. The resulting mixtures were put into the molds and solidified in order to obtain samples to be used in the wear experiments. Each experiment was conducted by preparing three experimental samples. The wear data were compared according to the average values of the experimental samples. In the wear test, the results were also evaluated according to the average values obtained from each group and the results of the control group. It was observed that, the wear resistance of the PMMA including 3%, 5% bone ash and PMMA including 5% keratin flour were higher than the values of the control group.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Dietz, C. M., Jr.; Diplas, P.
1993-01-01
The onset of laminar axisymmetric Rayleigh-Benard convection is investigated for a low-Prandtl number liquid metal in a cylindrical container. All surfaces are considered to be solid and no-slip. Two separate cases are examined for the thermal boundary conditions at the side wall, one with conducting and the other with insulated surface. The governing Boussinesq system is first perturbed and then simplified by introducing a Stokes stream function. Subsequently, a Chebyshev Galerkin spectral model is employed to reduce the simplified system to a system of first-order nonlinear ordinary differential equations. A local stability analysis determines the two values of the first critical Rayleigh number, Ra(sub cl), for the insulated and conducting side walls. As expected, the conducting Ra(sub cl) value of 2882.5 obtained from the present approach exceeded the corresponding insulated Ra(sub cl) value of 2331.6. For the insulated case, an earlier study using a different numerical approach suggests that Ra(sub cl) = 2261.9, while an experimental study measured Ra(sub cl) = 2700.
Comparison of various tool wear prediction methods during end milling of metal matrix composite
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wiciak, Martyna; Twardowski, Paweł; Wojciechowski, Szymon
2018-02-01
In this paper, the problem of tool wear prediction during milling of hard-to-cut metal matrix composite Duralcan™ was presented. The conducted research involved the measurements of acceleration of vibrations during milling with constant cutting conditions, and evaluation of the flank wear. Subsequently, the analysis of vibrations in time and frequency domain, as well as the correlation of the obtained measures with the tool wear values were conducted. The validation of tool wear diagnosis in relation to selected diagnostic measures was carried out with the use of one variable and two variables regression models, as well as with the application of artificial neural networks (ANN). The comparative analysis of the obtained results enable.
The nature of the evolution of galaxies by mergers
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Chatterjee, Tapan K.
1993-01-01
The merger theory for the formation of elliptical galaxies is examined by conducting a dynamical study of the expected frequency of merging galaxies on the basis of the collisional theory, using galaxy models without halos. The expected merger rates obtained on the basis of the collisional theory fall about a magnitude below the observational value in the present epoch. In the light of current observational evidence and the results obtained, a marked regularity in the formation of ellipticals is indicated, followed by secular evolution by mergers.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Jayachandran, S.; Prithiviraajan, R. N.; Reddy, K. S.
2017-07-01
This paper presents the thermal conductivity of various two-phase materials using modified transient plane source (MTPS) technique. The values are determined by using commercially available C-Therm TCi apparatus. It is specially designed for testing of low to high thermal conductivity materials in the range of 0.02 to 100 Wm-1K-1 within a temperature range of 223-473 K. The results obtained for the two-phase materials (solids, powders and liquids) are having an accuracy better than 5%. The transient method is one of the easiest and less time consuming method to determine the thermal conductivity of the materials compared to steady state methods.
Hibi, Yoshihiko; Kashihara, Ayumi
2018-03-01
A previous study has reported that Knudsen diffusion coefficients obtained by tracer experiments conducted with a binary gas system and a porous medium are consistently smaller than those obtained by permeability experiments conducted with a single-gas system and a porous medium. To date, however, that study is the only one in which tracer experiments have been conducted with a binary gas system. Therefore, to confirm this difference in Knudsen diffusion coefficients, we used a method we had developed previously to conduct tracer experiments with a binary carbon dioxide-nitrogen gas system and five porous media with permeability coefficients ranging from 10 -13 to 10 -11 m 2 . The results showed that the Knudsen diffusion coefficient of N 2 (D N2 ) (cm 2 /s) was related to the effective permeability coefficient k e (m 2 ) as D N2 = 7.39 × 10 7 k e 0.767 . Thus, the Knudsen diffusion coefficients of N 2 obtained by our tracer experiments were consistently 1/27 of those obtained by permeability experiments conducted with many porous media and air by other researchers. By using an inversion simulation to fit the advection-diffusion equation to the distribution of concentrations at observation points calculated by mathematically solving the equation, we confirmed that the method used to obtain the Knudsen diffusion coefficient in this study yielded accurate values. Moreover, because the Knudsen diffusion coefficient did not differ when columns with two different lengths, 900 and 1500 mm, were used, this column property did not influence the flow of gas in the column. The equation of the dusty gas model already includes obstruction factors for Knudsen diffusion and molecular diffusion, which relate to medium heterogeneity and tortuosity and depend only on the structure of the porous medium. Furthermore, there is no need to take account of any additional correction factor for molecular diffusion except the obstruction factor because molecular diffusion is only treated in a multicomponent gas system. Thus, molecular diffusion considers only the obstruction factor related to tortuosity. Therefore, we introduced a correction factor for a multicomponent gas system into the DGM equation, multiplying the Knudsen diffusion coefficient, which includes the obstruction factor related to tortuosity, by this correction factor. From the present experimental results, the value of this correction factor was 1/27, and it depended only on the structure of the gas system in the porous medium. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hibi, Yoshihiko; Kashihara, Ayumi
2018-03-01
A previous study has reported that Knudsen diffusion coefficients obtained by tracer experiments conducted with a binary gas system and a porous medium are consistently smaller than those obtained by permeability experiments conducted with a single-gas system and a porous medium. To date, however, that study is the only one in which tracer experiments have been conducted with a binary gas system. Therefore, to confirm this difference in Knudsen diffusion coefficients, we used a method we had developed previously to conduct tracer experiments with a binary carbon dioxide-nitrogen gas system and five porous media with permeability coefficients ranging from 10-13 to 10-11 m2. The results showed that the Knudsen diffusion coefficient of N2 (DN2) (cm2/s) was related to the effective permeability coefficient ke (m2) as DN2 = 7.39 × 107ke0.767. Thus, the Knudsen diffusion coefficients of N2 obtained by our tracer experiments were consistently 1/27 of those obtained by permeability experiments conducted with many porous media and air by other researchers. By using an inversion simulation to fit the advection-diffusion equation to the distribution of concentrations at observation points calculated by mathematically solving the equation, we confirmed that the method used to obtain the Knudsen diffusion coefficient in this study yielded accurate values. Moreover, because the Knudsen diffusion coefficient did not differ when columns with two different lengths, 900 and 1500 mm, were used, this column property did not influence the flow of gas in the column. The equation of the dusty gas model already includes obstruction factors for Knudsen diffusion and molecular diffusion, which relate to medium heterogeneity and tortuosity and depend only on the structure of the porous medium. Furthermore, there is no need to take account of any additional correction factor for molecular diffusion except the obstruction factor because molecular diffusion is only treated in a multicomponent gas system. Thus, molecular diffusion considers only the obstruction factor related to tortuosity. Therefore, we introduced a correction factor for a multicomponent gas system into the DGM equation, multiplying the Knudsen diffusion coefficient, which includes the obstruction factor related to tortuosity, by this correction factor. From the present experimental results, the value of this correction factor was 1/27, and it depended only on the structure of the gas system in the porous medium.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Schmid, Gernot; Cecil, Stefan; Überbacher, Richard
2013-07-01
Based on numerical computations using commercially available finite difference time domain code and a state-of-the art anatomical model of a 5-year old child, the influence of skin conductivity on the induced electric field strength inside the tissue for homogeneous front-to-back magnetic field exposure and homogeneous vertical electric field exposure was computed. Both ungrounded as well as grounded conditions of the body model were considered. For electric field strengths induced inside CNS tissue the impact of skin conductivity was found to be less than 15%. However, the results demonstrated that the use of skin conductivity values as obtainable from the most widely used data base of dielectric tissue properties and recommended by safety standards are not suitable for exposure assessment with respect to peripheral nerve tissue according to the ICNIRP 2010 guidelines in which the use of the induced electric field strengths inside the skin is suggested as a conservative surrogate for peripheral nerve exposure. This is due to the fact that the skin conductivity values derived from these data bases refer to the stratum corneum, the uppermost layer of the skin, which does not contain any nerve or receptor cells to be protected from stimulation effects. Using these skin conductivity values which are approximately a factor 250-500 lower than skin conductivity values used in studies on which the ICNIRP 2010 guidelines are based on, may lead to overestimations of the induced electric field strengths inside the skin by substantially more than a factor of 10. However, reliable conductivity data of deeper skin layers where nerve and preceptor cells are located is very limited. It is therefore recommended to include appropriate background information in the ICNIRP guidelines and the dielectric tissue property databases, and to put some emphasis on a detailed layer-specific characterization of skin conductivity in near future.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Shukur, M. F.; Yusof, Y. M.; Zawawi, S. M. M.; Illias, H. A.; Kadir, M. F. Z.
2013-11-01
This paper focuses on the conductivity and transport properties of chitosan-based solid biopolymer electrolytes containing ammonium thiocyanate (NH4SCN). The sample containing 40 wt% NH4SCN exhibited the highest conductivity value of (1.81 ± 0.50) × 10-4 S cm-1 at room temperature. Conductivity has increased to (1.51 ± 0.12) × 10-3 S cm-1 with the addition of 25 wt% glycerol. The temperature dependence of conductivity for both salted and plasticized systems obeyed the Arrhenius rule. The activation energy (Ea) was calculated for both systems and it is found that the sample with 40 wt% NH4SCN in the salted system obtained an Ea value of 0.148 eV and that for the sample containing 25 wt% glycerol in the plasticized system is 0.139 eV. From the Fourier transform infrared studies, carboxamide and amine bands shifted to lower wavenumbers, indicating that chitosan has interacted with NH4SCN salt. Changes in the C-O stretching vibration band intensity are observed at 1067 cm-1 with the addition of glycerol. The Rice and Roth model was used to explain the transport properties of the salted and plasticized systems.
Cholesterol and vitamin D content of eggs in the U.S. retail market
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Nationwide sampling in the U.S. of whole large eggs, to update values in the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (SR) (http://www.ars.usda.gov/nutrientdata), was conducted in 2000-2001 and again in 2010. Retail cartons of large eggs were obtained from 12 supermarket locations usi...
Scholastic Achievement of Higher Secondary Students in Science Stream
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Khan, Zebun Nisa
2005-01-01
The present study was conducted on 400 students (200 Boys and 200 Girls) selected from Senior Secondary School of A. M. U. Aligarh; India to establish the prognostic value of different measures of cognition, personality and demographic variables for success at Higher Secondary level in Science stream. The score obtained on different variables are…
The Role of Teachers at University: What Do High Achiever Students Look for?
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Monteiro, Silvia; Almeida, Leandro S.; Vasconcelos, Rosa M.
2012-01-01
The perceptions of students about their teachers have interested the academic and scientific community, regarding the improvement of the quality of higher education. This paper presents data obtained from interviews conducted with ten high achiever engineering students and focuses on the characteristics of teachers that are highly valued by the…
Electron Conduction in Organic Solutions
1991-11-10
solutions, both eq(3) and eq(4) are diffusion controlled reactions, in agreement with Geske and Maid’s polarographic study of NB 10 . The decrease in... Geske , D.H., Maki, A. H. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1960, 82, 2671. 11. Keq is calculated using EI/2 values obtained in dilute solutions (ref. 10) for eq. (3) (El
Organizational Culture at High Schools in TRNC: A Comparative Case Study
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Silman, Fatos; Ozmatyatli, Icim Ozenli; Birol, Cem; Caglar, Mehmet
2012-01-01
This study was conducted to compare the organizational culture in two TRNC schools by using influencing factors of metaphors, physical environment, values, norms, rituals, language, legends and reward systems. To obtain data, a triangulation of participant interviews, observations and written sources were used. Results appear to display that the…
A Three-State Multi-Ion Kinetic Model for Conduction Properties of ClC-0 Chloride Channel
Wang, Xiao-Qing; Yu, Tao; Sang, Jian-Ping; Zou, Xian-Wu; Chen, Tsung-Yu; Bolser, Diana; Zou, Xiaoqin
2010-01-01
Abstract A three-state, multiion kinetic model was proposed to enable the conduction properties of the mammalian channel ClC-0 to be well characterized. Using this rate-theory based model, the current-voltage and conductance-concentration relations were obtained. The five parameters needed were determined by fitting the data of conduction experiments of the wild-type ClC-0 and its K519C mutant. The model was then tested against available calculation and simulation data, and the energy differences between distinct chloride-occupancy states computed agreed with an independent calculation on the binding free energies solved by using the Poisson-Boltzmann equation. The average ion number of conduction and the ion passing duration calculated closely resembled the values obtained from Brownian dynamics simulations. According to the model, the decrease of conductance caused by mutating residue K519 to C519 can be attributed to the effect of K519C mutation on translocation rate constants. Our study sets up a theoretical model for ion permeation and conductance in ClC-0. It provides a starting point for experimentalists to test the three-state model, and would help in understanding the conduction mechanism of ClC-0. PMID:20643064
Volunteer Functions Inventory: A systematic review.
Chacón, Fernando; Gutiérrez, Gema; Sauto, Verónica; Vecina, María L; Pérez, Alfonso
2017-08-01
The objective of this research study was to conduct a systematic review of the research on volunteers using Clary et al.’s VFI (1998). A total of 48 research studies including 67 independent samples met eligibility criteria. The total sample of the studies analyzed ranged from 20375 to 21988 participants, depending on the motivation analyzed. The results show that the Values factor obtained the highest mean score, both overall and in each type of volunteering, whereas the lowest scores were for the Career and Enhancement factors. Studies conducted with samples with a mean age under 40 years obtain higher scores on Career and Understanding scales when compared to studies in older samples. The group of studies with less than 50% women yield higher mean scores on the Social scale than studies with more than 50% women in the sample. All the scales show reliability coefficients between .78 and .84. Only eight of the articles provide data on the reliability of the scale with a mean value of .90. Of the 26 studies that performed factor analysis, 18 confirmed the original structure of six factors.
A Novel, Real-Valued Genetic Algorithm for Optimizing Radar Absorbing Materials
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Hall, John Michael
2004-01-01
A novel, real-valued Genetic Algorithm (GA) was designed and implemented to minimize the reflectivity and/or transmissivity of an arbitrary number of homogeneous, lossy dielectric or magnetic layers of arbitrary thickness positioned at either the center of an infinitely long rectangular waveguide, or adjacent to the perfectly conducting backplate of a semi-infinite, shorted-out rectangular waveguide. Evolutionary processes extract the optimal physioelectric constants falling within specified constraints which minimize reflection and/or transmission over the frequency band of interest. This GA extracted the unphysical dielectric and magnetic constants of three layers of fictitious material placed adjacent to the conducting backplate of a shorted-out waveguide such that the reflectivity of the configuration was 55 dB or less over the entire X-band. Examples of the optimization of realistic multi-layer absorbers are also presented. Although typical Genetic Algorithms require populations of many thousands in order to function properly and obtain correct results, verified correct results were obtained for all test cases using this GA with a population of only four.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Nordiana, A. N.; Nordiana, M. M.; Jia, Teoh Ying; Hisham, Hazrul; Sulaiman, Nabila; Maslinda, Umi; Taqiuddin, Z. M.; Nur Amalina, M. K. A.; Afiq Saharudin, Muhamad
2017-04-01
The study location was at Bukit Kukus, Kuala Ketil, Kedah, Malaysia where the geological outcrop of this Semanggol Formation comprises of chert, mudstone, and volcanic tuff. The study was conducted using two geophysical methods, which are 2-D Resistivity and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). The objectives of the study are to correlate both of the geophysical methods through the value of conductivity and to identify the physical properties of rocks through the value of porosity and permeability. The data acquisition for both methods was conducted on the same line. For 2-D Resistivity method, the length of the line is 60 m with 1.5 m electrode spacing and the array used was Wenner-Schlumberger. For GPR method, the survey line was on top of the resistivity line, and the frequency of the antenna used is 250 MHz. A good correlation exists between both of the GPR signature and contour maps for resistivity from the surfer 10 software with the outcrop feature. Conductivity value from both GPR and Resistivity method was compared and the range value of conductivity obtained from GPR method almost equivalent with Resistivity method based on derivation and calculation for the sedimentary rocks, which are 0.037 to 0.574 miliSiemens per metre (mS/m) for chert and 0.186 to 10.142 miliSiemens per metre (mS/m) for mudstone. Two types of rock samples were taken, and several geotechnical tests were conducted, but only the value of permeability, K and porosity, ɸ of chert can be calculated, which are 1.95E-22 m2 (original condition) and 2.27E-22 m2 (dry condition) and 3 percent respectively as the sample of mudstone was damaged. The parameter of the 2-D resistivity method derived from Archie’s law was used to calculate the porosity, ɸf value using the Formation Factor equation. The range values of porosity, ɸf for chert mostly in the range of 5 to 25 percent, which is 6.26 to 13.36 percent but slightly out of range for mudstone, which is 14.12 to 36.02 percent.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Shanmugam, G.; Krishnakumar, V.
2018-05-01
Polymer composite films based on PVA-PVP with AlCl3 as the dopant at different concentrations were prepared using solution casting technique. XRD patterns reveal the increase in amorphousity of the films with AlCl3 doping. Optical absorption studies exhibit that the values of optical absorption coefficient, direct and indirect optical band gaps are found to decrease with increase in AlCl3 concentration. It confirms the charge transfer in complexes between the polymer and the dopant. The dielectric studies show the increase in dielectric constant at low frequency with increasing AlCl3 concentration and temperature. The ac conductivity and ionic conductivity increase with the AlCl3 content and the maximum value at room temperature is found to be 6.89 × 10-4 and 8.05 × 10-5 S/cm for higher AlCl3 doped PVA-PVP film. The estimated ionic conductivity value is three or four orders of magnitude greater than those obtained in the certain representative polymer-salt complexes as reported earlier. Electrical modulus plots confirm the removal of electrode polarization and the low conductivity relaxation time with Al doping. The activation energy estimated from the temperature dependent dc conductivity plot is agreed well with the migration energy calculated from the temperature dependent electric modulus plot.
Grid-size dependence of Cauchy boundary conditions used to simulate stream-aquifer interactions
Mehl, S.; Hill, M.C.
2010-01-01
This work examines the simulation of stream–aquifer interactions as grids are refined vertically and horizontally and suggests that traditional methods for calculating conductance can produce inappropriate values when the grid size is changed. Instead, different grid resolutions require different estimated values. Grid refinement strategies considered include global refinement of the entire model and local refinement of part of the stream. Three methods of calculating the conductance of the Cauchy boundary conditions are investigated. Single- and multi-layer models with narrow and wide streams produced stream leakages that differ by as much as 122% as the grid is refined. Similar results occur for globally and locally refined grids, but the latter required as little as one-quarter the computer execution time and memory and thus are useful for addressing some scale issues of stream–aquifer interactions. Results suggest that existing grid-size criteria for simulating stream–aquifer interactions are useful for one-layer models, but inadequate for three-dimensional models. The grid dependence of the conductance terms suggests that values for refined models using, for example, finite difference or finite-element methods, cannot be determined from previous coarse-grid models or field measurements. Our examples demonstrate the need for a method of obtaining conductances that can be translated to different grid resolutions and provide definitive test cases for investigating alternative conductance formulations.
[Quality indicators in the storage and dispensing process in a Hospital Pharmacy].
Rabuñal-Álvarez, M T; Calvin-Lamas, M; Feal-Cortizas, B; Martínez-López, L M; Pedreira-Vázquez, I; Martín-Herranz, M I
2014-01-01
To establish indicators for the evaluation of the quality of the storage and dispensing processes related to semiautomatic vertical (SAVCS) and horizontal (SAHCS) carousel systems. Descriptive observational study conducted between January-December 2012. Definition of quality indicators, a target value is established and an obtained value is calculated for 2012. Five quality indicators in the process of storage and dispensing of drugs were defined and calculated: indicator 1, error filling unidose trolleys: target (<1.67%), obtained (1.03%); indicator 2, filling accuracy unidose trolleys by using an SAVCS: target (<15%), obtained (11.5%); indicator 3, reliability of drug inventory in the process of drug entries using an SAHCS: target (<15%), obtained (6.53%); indicator 4, reliability of drug inventory in the picking process of orders replacement stock of clinical units using an SAHCS: target (<10%), obtained (1.97%); indicator 5, accuracy of the picking process of drug orders using an SAHCS: target (<10%), obtained (10.41%). Establishing indicators has allowed the quality in terms of safety, precision and reliability of semiautomatic systems for storage and dispensing drugs to be assessed. Copyright © 2014 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kumar, E. Ramesh; Nageswar Rao, P.; Appa Rao, B.
2016-09-01
Super ion conducting glasses of composition D%AgI-(100-D)%[MAg2O-F{(F1)B2O3- (F2)TeO2}]; D=10.0 to 60.0 in steps of 10.0 for a fixed values of F1 (0.4), F2 (0.6) which are glass network formers, fixed values of modifier M(0.667), F (0.333) and D is dopant salt which was varied. These glasses were prepared by melt quenching technique. XRD spectra taken for all the samples. Electrical characterization was done in terms of AC and DC conductivities. DC and AC conductivities at room temperature increased from 10-5 to 10-1 scm-1 and DC activation energy (Edc) found to decrease from 0.36 to 0.19eV with increase in D% ratio. Measurements are performed over the frequency range 1 kHz to 3 MHz at different temperatures. From the impedance spectroscopy real and imaginary parts of impedances (Z', Z"), conductivities were calculated and plotted, and equivalent R-C circuit parameters were obtained from Cole-Cole plots. With the increase in D%, AC conductivity is observed to increase whereas the AC activation energy (Eac) is observed to decrease from 0.23 to 0.14 eV. The quantitative analysis of these results indicates that the electrical conductivity of silver borate glasses is enhanced with increase in D% ratio. Based on conductivity values these glasses are ionic conductors, in which conduction is by hopping mechanism. An attempt is made to understand the charge transportation process.
Perkins, Kimberlie; Johnson, Brittany D.; Mirus, Benjamin B.
2014-01-01
During 2013–14, the USGS, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, focused on further characterization of the sedimentary interbeds below the future site of the proposed Remote Handled Low-Level Waste (RHLLW) facility, which is intended for the long-term storage of low-level radioactive waste. Twelve core samples from the sedimentary interbeds from a borehole near the proposed facility were collected for laboratory analysis of hydraulic properties, which also allowed further testing of the property-transfer modeling approach. For each core sample, the steady-state centrifuge method was used to measure relations between matric potential, saturation, and conductivity. These laboratory measurements were compared to water-retention and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity parameters estimated using the established property-transfer models. For each core sample obtained, the agreement between measured and estimated hydraulic parameters was evaluated quantitatively using the Pearson correlation coefficient (r). The highest correlation is for saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) with an r value of 0.922. The saturated water content (qsat) also exhibits a strong linear correlation with an r value of 0.892. The curve shape parameter (λ) has a value of 0.731, whereas the curve scaling parameter (yo) has the lowest r value of 0.528. The r values demonstrate that model predictions correspond well to the laboratory measured properties for most parameters, which supports the value of extending this approach for quantifying unsaturated hydraulic properties at various sites throughout INL.
Thermal conductance of two interface materials and their applications in space systems
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Scialdone, J. J.; Clatterbuck, C. H.; Wall, J. L.
1992-01-01
Two polymeric materials, the Cho-Therm 1671 elastomer and the CV-2946 conductive RTV silicone, have been evaluated. Tests were conducted in vacuum and in air, for many clamping pressures, power densities, and as a function of time. Results obtained show that the CV-2946 thermal conductance after 24 hour in vacuum is 0.62 W/sq cm C(4W/sq in C) when clamped with an average pressure of about 350 psi. The maximum conductance of Cho-Therm 1671 is 4.3 W/sq in C at the clamping pressure about 200 psi. After 72 h in vacuum, the conductance reaches a steady 3.4 W/sq in C, independent of clamping pressure. It is concluded that the tightly bolted, torqued fixtures do not buckle or distort and provide an optimum thermal conductance. The fixtures simulating an actual spacecraft configuration suffered severe bowing and separating, which caused considerable degradation of conductance values.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Simbeck, D.J.
1997-06-01
Reference toxicant testing using juvenile freshwater mussels was conducted as part of the CR-ERP biomonitoring study of Clinch River sediments to assess the sensitivity of test organisms and the overall performance of the test. Tests were conducted using moderately hard synthetic water spiked with known concentrations of copper as copper sulfate. Two different foods, phytoplankton and YCT-Selenastrum (YCT-S), were tested in side by side tests to compare food quality. Toxicity testing of copper sulfate reference toxicant was conducted from July 6-15, 1993. The organisms used for testing were juvenile fresh-water mussels (Anodonta imbecillis). Results from this test showed LC{sub 50}more » values of 0.97 and 0.84 mg Cu/L for phytoplankton and YCT-S, respectively. Previously obtained values for phytoplankton tests are 2.02 and 1.12 mg Cu/L. Too few tests have been conducted with copper as the toxicant to determine a normal range of values. Although significant reduction in growth, compared to the phytoplankton control, was seen in all treatments, including the YCT-S Control, the consequence of this observation has not been established. Ninety-day testing of juvenile mussels exhibited large variations in growth within treatment and replicate groups.« less
Malfatto, Gabriella; Villani, Alessandra; Rosa, Francesco Della; Rella, Valeria; Oldani, Matteo; Giglio, Alessia; Facchini, Mario; Parati, Gianfranco
2016-04-01
In chronic heart failure, changes of intra-thoracic impedance (Z0IT) may suggest impending pulmonary congestion; a similar result has been found by measuring trans-thoracic conductance (TFCTT = 1/Z0 = 1/kΩ). We assumed that a relationship could exist between Z0IT and TFCTT. We collected 140 measurements from 70 patients carrying an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator/cardiac resynchronization device with the CareLink function (71 ± 9 years, New York Heart Association (NYHA) 2.4 ± 0.9, ejection fraction 31 ± 8%, optimal treatment); they were studied during system alarms and after appropriate treatment (diuretics and/or vasodilators, n = 42) or during clinical stability and at the time of a system alarm (n = 28); correspondent BNP values were obtained. We related Z0IT obtained by the device, with TFCTT obtained with a commercial system. A strong relationship was found between Z0IT and TFCTT. Changes in the variables after treatment or during worsening conditions were of the same direction and order of magnitude, and were related to BNP levels obtained simultaneously. Trans-thoracic conductance, similarly to intra-thoracic impedance, may noninvasively point to pulmonary congestion and be useful in patients not carrying an implanted device. The possibility of remotely obtaining this variable should be evaluated for the telemonitoring of heart failure patients.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Nouri, Nima; Panerai, Francesco; Tagavi, Kaveh A.; Mansour, Nagi N.; Martin, Alexandre
2015-01-01
The radiative heat transfer inside a low-density carbon fiber insulator is analyzed using a three-dimensional direct simulation model. A robust procedure is presented for the numerical calculation of the geometric configuration factor to compute the radiative energy exchange processes among the small discretized surface areas of the fibrous material. The methodology is applied to a polygonal mesh of a fibrous insulator obtained from three-dimensional microscale imaging of the real material. The anisotropic values of the radiative conductivity are calculated for that geometry. The results yield both directional and thermal dependence of the radiative conductivity.
Thermal conductivity of hot pionic medium due to pion self-energy for πσ and πρ loops
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ghosh, Sabyasachi
2015-07-01
The thermal conductivity of pionic medium has been evaluated with the help of its standard expression from the relaxation time approximation, where inverse of pion relaxation time or pion thermal width has been obtained from the imaginary part of pion self-energy. In the real-time formalism of thermal field theory, the finite temperature calculations of pion self-energy for πσ and πρ loops have been done. The numerical value of our thermal conductivity increases with temperature very softly, though at particular temperature, our estimation has to consider a large band of phenomenological uncertainty.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zelener, B. B.; Zelener, B. V.; Manykin, E. A.; Bronin, S. Ya; Bobrov, A. A.; Khikhlukha, D. R.
2018-01-01
We present results of calculations by the method of molecular dynamics of self-diffusion and conductivity of electron and ion components of ultracold plasma in a comparison with available theoretical and experimental data. For the ion self-diffusion coefficient, good agreement was obtained with experiments on ultracold plasma. The results of the calculation of self-diffusion also agree well with other calculations performed for the same values of the coupling parameter, but at high temperatures. The difference in the results of the conductivity calculations on the basis of the current autocorrelation function and on the basis of the diffusion coefficient is discussed.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Smith, J. M.; Nichols, L. D.
1977-01-01
The value of percent seed, oxygen to fuel ratio, combustion pressure, Mach number, and magnetic field strength which maximize either the electrical conductivity or power density at the entrance of an MHD power generator was obtained. The working fluid is the combustion product of H2 and O2 seeded with CsOH. The ideal theoretical segmented Faraday generator along with an empirical form found from correlating the data of many experimenters working with generators of different sizes, electrode configurations, and working fluids, are investigated. The conductivity and power densities optimize at a seed fraction of 3.5 mole percent and an oxygen to hydrogen weight ratio of 7.5. The optimum values of combustion pressure and Mach number depend on the operating magnetic field strength.
Biological activities of extracts from cultivated Granadilla Passiflora alata.
Vasic, Sava M; Stefanovic, Olgica D; Licina, Braho Z; Radojevic, Ivana D; Comic, Ljiljana R
2012-01-01
Research conducted in this study showed the influence of ethanol, acetone and ethyl acetate extracts of the outgrowth of cultivated Passiflora alata on microorganisms, as well as the antioxidant activity and the concentrations of total phenols, flavonoids and tannins. In vitro antimicrobial activities of extracts were studied on 27 species of microorganisms, of which 17 species of bacteria and 10 species of fungi. The strongest antimicrobial activity was detected on G+ bacteria while the activities on other species were moderate. Ethyl acetate extract showed the strongest effect. The concentrations of total phenols were examined by using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and the obtained values ranged from 14.04 to 34.22 mg GA/g. By using aluminium chloride method, the concentrations of flavonoids were obtained and the values ranged from 33.19 to 62.30 mg RU/g. In determining the amount of tannins we used the method with buthanol-HCl reagent and the obtained value was 5.1 % of dry matter. The efficiency of antioxidation, which we identified through the reduction of DPPH, was in the range from 808.69 to 1107.79 µg/ml for a particular IC50, and AAI values were between 0.07 and 0.10. The best parameters were shown by ethanol extract. All data were statistically analyzed. Overall, extracts showed potential for further investigation and use.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Pakpahan, N. F. D. B.
2018-01-01
All articles must contain an abstract. The research methodology is a subject in which the materials must be understood by the students who will take the thesis. Implementation of learning should create the conditions for active learning, interactive and effective are called Team Assisted Individualization (TAI) cooperative learning. The purpose of this study: 1) improving student learning outcomes at the course research methodology on TAI cooperative learning. 2) improvement of teaching activities. 3) improvement of learning activities. This study is a classroom action research conducted at the Department of Civil Engineering Universitas Negeri Surabaya. The research subjects were 30 students and lecturer of courses. Student results are complete in the first cycle by 20 students (67%) and did not complete 10 students (33%). In the second cycle students who complete being 26 students (87%) and did not complete 4 students (13%). There is an increase in learning outcomes by 20%. Results of teaching activities in the first cycle obtained the value of 3.15 with the criteria enough well. In the second cycle obtained the value of 4.22 with good criterion. The results of learning activities in the first cycle obtained the value of 3.05 with enough criterion. In the second cycle was obtained 3.95 with good criterion.
Sleifer, Pricila; Didoné, Dayane Domeneghini; Keppeler, Ísis Bicca; Bueno, Claudine Devicari; Riesgo, Rudimar dos Santos
2017-01-01
Introduction The tone-evoked auditory brainstem responses (tone-ABR) enable the differential diagnosis in the evaluation of children until 12 months of age, including those with external and/or middle ear malformations. The use of auditory stimuli with frequency specificity by air and bone conduction allows characterization of hearing profile. Objective The objective of our study was to compare the results obtained in tone-ABR by air and bone conduction in children until 12 months, with agenesis of the external auditory canal. Method The study was cross-sectional, observational, individual, and contemporary. We conducted the research with tone-ABR by air and bone conduction in the frequencies of 500 Hz and 2000 Hz in 32 children, 23 boys, from one to 12 months old, with agenesis of the external auditory canal. Results The tone-ABR thresholds were significantly elevated for air conduction in the frequencies of 500 Hz and 2000 Hz, while the thresholds of bone conduction had normal values in both ears. We found no statistically significant difference between genders and ears for most of the comparisons. Conclusion The thresholds obtained by bone conduction did not alter the thresholds in children with conductive hearing loss. However, the conductive hearing loss alter all thresholds by air conduction. The tone-ABR by bone conduction is an important tool for assessing cochlear integrity in children with agenesis of the external auditory canal under 12 months. PMID:29018492
Conductivity fluctuations in polymer's networks
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Samukhin, A. N.; Prigodin, V. N.; Jastrabík, L.
1998-01-01
A Polymer network is treated as an anisotropic fractal with fractional dimensionality D = 1 + ε close to one. Percolation model on such a fractal is studied. Using real space renormalization group approach of Migdal and Kadanoff, we find the threshold value and all the critical exponents in the percolation model to be strongly nonanalytic functions of ε, e.g. the critical exponent of the conductivity was obtained to be ε-2 exp (-1 - 1/ε). The main part of the finite-size conductivities distribution function at the threshold was found to be universal if expressed in terms of the fluctuating variable which is proportional to a large power of the conductivity, but with ε-dependent low-conductivity cut-off. Its reduced central momenta are of the order of e -1/ε up to a very high order.
Ultra-low Temperature Curable Conductive Silver Adhesive with different Resin Matrix
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zhou, Xingli; Wang, Likun; Liao, Qingwei; Yan, Chao; Li, Xing; Qin, Lei
2018-03-01
The ultra-low temperature curable conductive silver adhesive with curing temperature less than 100 °C needed urgently for the surface conductive treatment of piezoelectric composite material due to the low thermal resistance of composite material and low adhesion strength of adhesive. An ultra-low temperature curable conductive adhesive with high adhesion strength was obtained for the applications of piezoelectric composite material. The microstructure, conductive properties and adhesive properties with different resin matrix were investigated. The conductive adhesive with AG-80 as the resin matrix has the shorter curing time (20min), lower curing temperature (90°C) and higher adhesion strength (7.6MPa). The resistivity of AG-80 sample has the lower value (2.13 × 10-4Ω·cm) than the 618 sample (4.44 × 10-4Ω·cm).
Heavy doping effects in high efficiency silicon solar cells
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Lindholm, F. A.; Neugroschel, A.
1986-01-01
The temperature dependence of the emitter saturation current for bipolar devices was studied by varying the surface recombination velocity at the emitter surface. From this dependence, the value was derived for bandgap narrowing that is in better agreement with other determinations that were obtained from the temperature dependence measure on devices with ohmic contacts. Results of the first direct measurement of the minority-carrier transit time in a transparent heavily doped emitter layer were reported. The value was obtained by a high-frequency conductance method recently developed and used for doped Si. Experimental evidence is presented for significantly greater charge storage in highly excited silicon near room temperature than conventional theory would predict. These data are compared with various data for delta E sub G in heavily doped silicon.
Physical property measurements of doped cesium iodide crystals
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Synder, R. S.; Clotfelter, W. N.
1974-01-01
Mechanical and thermal property values are reported for crystalline cesium iodide doped with sodium and thallium. Young's modulus, bulk modulus, shear modulus, and Poisson's ratio were obtained from ultrasonic measurements. Young's modulus and the samples' elastic and plastic behavior were also measured under tension and compression. Thermal expansion and thermal conductivity were the temperature dependent measurements that were made.
AN INSTRUMENT TO MEASURE THE ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY OF ARC PLASMA JETS
The instrument was calibrated by moving aluminum or graphite rods through the transducer. By using thin-wall, stainless steel tubing, the influence ... function for the transducer was also obtained. Tests were run on two different arc plasma jet facilities. Values of s, u ranged from 0.02 to 9 megamhos per second. (Author)
Minnesota Technical College System: Library/Media Services Survey and Report.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Olson, Lynette
This document presents a report on the Minnesota Technical College System's Library and Media Services. All 34 technical colleges were given a survey to prepare, a Library Advisory Board was established, and relevant literature and standards were reviewed to conduct and obtain data for this study. The report begins with the mission, values, and…
A New Cost-Effective Diode Laser Polarimeter Apparatus Constructed by Undergraduate Students
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Lisboa, Pedro; Sotomayor, Joo; Ribeiro, Paulo
2010-01-01
The construction of a diode laser polarimeter apparatus by undergraduate students is described. The construction of the modular apparatus by undergraduate students gives them an insight into how it works and how the measurement of a physical or chemical property is conducted. The students use the polarimeter to obtain rotation angle values for the…
A profile of Pennsylvania's hardwood sawmill industry
Paul M. Smith; Sudipta Dasmohapatra; William G. Luppold
2004-01-01
A mail survey of all identified hardwood sawmills in Pennsylvania was conducted in the fall of 2000 to better understand firm size, species used, origin of logs, processing technology employed, the hardwood lumber grades produced, and the value-added features performed by these sawmills in 1999. An adjusted response rate of 31 percent was obtained for the study's...
Overland flow velocities on semiarid hillslopes 2471
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
A series of 188 rainfall plot simulations was conducted on grass, shrub, oak savanna, and juniper sites in Arizona and Nevada. A total of 897 flow velocity measurements was obtained on 3.6% to 39.6% slopes with values ranging from 0.007 m s-1 to 0.115 m s-1. The experimental data showed that flow ve...
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Akzyanov, R. S.; Rakhmanov, A. L.
2018-02-01
We investigate the influence of hexagonal warping on the transport properties of topological insulators. We study the charge conductivity within Kubo formalism in the first Born approximation using low-energy expansion of the Hamiltonian near the Dirac point. The effects of disorder, magnetic field, and chemical-potential value are analyzed in detail. We find that the presence of hexagonal warping significantly affects the conductivity of the topological insulator. In particular, it gives rise to the growth of the longitudinal conductivity with the increase of the disorder and anisotropic anomalous in-plane magnetoresistance. Hexagonal warping also affects the quantum anomalous Hall effect and anomalous out-of-plane magnetoresistance. The obtained results are consistent with the experimental data.
Integral Method of Boundary Characteristics: Neumann Condition
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kot, V. A.
2018-05-01
A new algorithm, based on systems of identical equalities with integral and differential boundary characteristics, is proposed for solving boundary-value problems on the heat conduction in bodies canonical in shape at a Neumann boundary condition. Results of a numerical analysis of the accuracy of solving heat-conduction problems with variable boundary conditions with the use of this algorithm are presented. The solutions obtained with it can be considered as exact because their errors comprise hundredths and ten-thousandths of a persent for a wide range of change in the parameters of a problem.
Effect of gamma irradiation on quality of dried potato
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wang, J.; Chao, Y.
2003-03-01
The objectives of this study were to obtain the effect of gamma irradiation on the quality of dried potato. Experiments were conducted to study the influence of different doses, air temperatures, slice thickness of potatoes on the dehydration rate, appearance quality ( L-values), vitamin C content, and the rehydration ratio of dried potatoes. The greater the dose, the higher the dehydration rate, the lesser the vitamin C content, and the lower the rehydration ratio. The L-values for low-dose irradiation was greater than that for non-irradiated potatoes.
Using reflectance spectroscopy to predict beef tenderness.
Bowling, M B; Vote, D J; Belk, K E; Scanga, J A; Tatum, J D; Smith, G C
2009-05-01
A study was conducted to determine if reflectance measurements made in the near-infrared region of the spectrum were additive to reflectance measurements made in the visible region of the spectrum for predicting Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) values. Eighty seven strip loins were collected following fabrication over 3d at a commercial beef processing facility from heifer carcasses with Slight or Traces marbling scores. Spectroscopic measurements were made at approximately 50h postmortem using a Hunter-Lab UltraScan. Subsequently, all strip loins were aged for 14d, cooked to an internal temperature of 70°C, and sheared to obtain WBSF values. Reflectance measurements obtained in the near-infrared region of the spectrum were correlated with WBSF values, however, these measurements were not additive to the predictive ability of reflectance measurements (R(2) values did not differ) made in the visible portion of the spectrum when the use of broad-band wavelength filters were simulated. It was therefore determined, that both the visible and near-infrared spectra measure reflectance and that both methods are acceptable methods of tenderness prediction.
Antioxidant activity and phytochemical compounds of snake fruit (Salacca Zalacca)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Suica-Bunghez, I. R.; Teodorescu, S.; Dulama, I. D.; Voinea, O. C.; imionescu, S.; Ion, R. M.
2016-06-01
Snake fruit (Salacca zalacca) is a palm tree species, which is found in Malaysia and Indonesia. This study was conducted to investigate and compare the composition, total phenolic, flavonoid, tanins and monoterpenoids contents in the core and shell fruits. Concentration values of extracts were obtained from standard curves obtained. Antioxidant activity was determined using DPPH method. For all methods it was used the UV-VIS Specord M40, using different wavelength. The infrared spectral analysis was carried out to caracterized the type of functional group existent in snake fruit parts (shell and core).
Thermoelectric generator based on composites obtained by sintering of detonation nanodiamonds
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Eidelman, E. D.; Meilakhs, A. P.; Semak, B. V.; Shakhov, F. M.
2017-11-01
A model of a thermoelectric generator is proposed, in which composite materials obtained by sintering diamond nanoparticles are used as the main component. To increase the useful conversion of heat into electric current, it is proposed to use the effect of electron drag by ballistic phonons. To reduce the ineffective heat spread, it is proposed to use the effect of thermal resistance of the boundaries between the graphite-like and diamond-like phases of the composite. An experimental confirmation of the existence of an optimal volume ratio between graphite-like and diamond-like phases of the composite is predicted and obtained. The highest achieved value of thermoelectric coefficient in the actual structure is 80 µV K-1 (which means 20 times increase compared to that of composites not of the optimal structure), with a thermal conductivity of 50 W m-1 K-1. These results were obtained with constant electrical conductivity. The combined influence of these two effects in case of the ideal composite structure should result in an increase of the thermoelectric efficiency parameter by three orders of magnitude.
Umari, Amjad; Fahy, Michael F.; Earle, John D.; Tucci, Patrick
2008-01-01
To evaluate the potential for transport of radionuclides in ground water from the proposed high-level nuclear-waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, conservative (nonsorbing) tracer tests were conducted among three boreholes, known as the C-hole Complex, and values for transport (or flow) porosity, storage (or matrix) porosity, longitudinal dispersivity, and the extent of matrix diffusion were obtained. The C-holes are completed in a sequence of Miocene tuffaceous rock, consisting of nonwelded to densely welded ash-flow tuff with intervals of ash-fall tuff and volcaniclastic rocks, covered by Quaternary alluvium. The lower part of the tuffaceous-rock sequence includes the Prow Pass, Bullfrog, and Tram Tuffs of the Crater Flat Group. The rocks are pervaded by tectonic and cooling fractures. Paleozoic limestone and dolomite underlie the tuffaceous rocks. Four radially convergent and one partially recirculating conservative (nonsorbing) tracer tests were conducted at the C-hole Complex from 1996 to 1998 to establish values for flow porosity, storage porosity, longitudinal dispersivity, and extent of matrix diffusion in the Bullfrog and Tram Tuffs and the Prow Pass Tuff. Tracer tests included (1) injection of iodide into the combined Bullfrog-Tram interval; (2) injection of 2,6 difluorobenzoic acid into the Lower Bullfrog interval; (3) injection of 3-carbamoyl-2-pyridone into the Lower Bullfrog interval; and (4) injection of iodide and 2,4,5 trifluorobenzoic acid, followed by 2,3,4,5 tetrafluorobenzoic acid, into the Prow Pass Tuff. All tracer tests were analyzed by the Moench single- and dual-porosity analytical solutions to the advection-dispersion equation or by superposition of these solutions. Nonlinear regression techniques were used to corroborate tracer solution results, to obtain optimal parameter values from the solutions, and to quantify parameter uncertainty resulting from analyzing two of the three radially convergent conservative tracer tests conducted in the Bullfrog and Tram intervals. Longitudinal dispersivity values in the Bullfrog and Tram Tuffs ranged from 1.83 to 2.6 meters, flow-porosity values from 0.072 to 0.099, and matrix-porosity values from 0.088 to 0.19. The flow-porosity values indicate that the pathways between boreholes UE-25 c#2 and UE-25 c#3 in the Bullfrog and Tram intervals are not connected well. Tracer testing in the Prow Pass interval indicates different transport characteristics than those obtained in the Bullfrog and Tram intervals. In the Prow Pass Tuff, longitudinal dispersivity was 0.27 meter, flow porosity was 4.5 ? 10?4, and matrix porosity was 0.01. This indicates that the flow network in the Prow Pass is dominated by interconnected fractures, whereas in the Bullfrog and Tram, the flow network is dominated by discontinuous fractures with connecting segments of matrix.
Soons, Joris; Herrel, Anthony; Genbrugge, Annelies; Adriaens, Dominique; Aerts, Peter; Dirckx, Joris
2012-01-01
Bird beaks are layered structures, which contain a bony core and an outer keratin layer. The elastic moduli of this bone and keratin were obtained in a previous study. However, the mechanical role and interaction of both materials in stress dissipation during seed crushing remain unknown. In this paper, a multi-layered finite-element (FE) model of the Java finch's upper beak (Padda oryzivora) is established. Validation measurements are conducted using in vivo bite forces and by comparing the displacements with those obtained by digital speckle pattern interferometry. Next, the Young modulus of bone and keratin in this FE model was optimized in order to obtain the smallest peak von Mises stress in the upper beak. To do so, we created a surrogate model, which also allows us to study the impact of changing material properties of both tissues on the peak stresses. The theoretically best values for both moduli in the Java finch are retrieved and correspond well with previous experimentally obtained values, suggesting that material properties are tuned to the mechanical demands imposed during seed crushing. PMID:22337628
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gross, K.; Prías Barragán, J. J.; Sangiao, S.; De Teresa, J. M.; Lajaunie, L.; Arenal, R.; Ariza Calderón, H.; Prieto, P.
2016-09-01
The large-scale production of graphene and reduced-graphene oxide (rGO) requires low-cost and eco-friendly synthesis methods. We employed a new, simple, cost-effective pyrolytic method to synthetize oxidized-graphenic nanoplatelets (OGNP) using bamboo pyroligneous acid (BPA) as a source. Thorough analyses via high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy provides a complete structural and chemical description at the local scale of these samples. In particular, we found that at the highest carbonization temperature the OGNP-BPA are mainly in a sp2 bonding configuration (sp2 fraction of 87%). To determine the electrical properties of single nanoplatelets, these were contacted by Pt nanowires deposited through focused-ion-beam-induced deposition techniques. Increased conductivity by two orders of magnitude is observed as oxygen content decreases from 17% to 5%, reaching a value of 2.3 × 103 S m-1 at the lowest oxygen content. Temperature-dependent conductivity reveals a semiconductor transport behavior, described by the Mott three-dimensional variable range hopping mechanism. From the localization length, we estimate a band-gap value of 0.22(2) eV for an oxygen content of 5%. This investigation demonstrates the great potential of the OGNP-BPA for technological applications, given that their structural and electrical behavior is similar to the highly reduced rGO sheets obtained by more sophisticated conventional synthesis methods.
Rudnitskaya, Alisa; Evtuguin, Dmitry V; Costa, Luis C; Graça, M Pedro F; Fernandes, António J S; Correia, M Rosario P; Gomes, M Teresa S R; Oliveira, J A B P
2013-01-21
Hardwood and softwood lignins obtained from industrial sulphite and kraft and laboratory oxygen-organosolv pulping processes were employed in co-polymerization with tolylene 2,4-diisocyanate terminated poly(propylene glycol). The obtained lignin-based polyurethanes were doped with 0.72 w/w% of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with the aim of increasing their electrical conductivity to the levels suitable for sensor applications. Effects of the polymer doping with MWCNTs were assessed using electrical impedance (EIS) and UV-Resonance Raman (UV-RR) spectroscopy. Potentiometric sensors were prepared by drop casting of liquid polymer on the surface of carbon glass or platinum electrodes. Lignin-based sensors displayed a very low or no sensitivity to all alkali, alkali-earth and transition metal cations ions except Cr(VI) at pH 2. Response to Cr(VI) values of 39, 50 and 53 mV pX(-1) for the sensors based on kraft, organosolv and lignosulphonate lignins, respectively, were observed. Redox sensitivity values close to the theoretical values of 20 and 21 mV pX(-1) for organosolv and lignosulphonate based sensors respectively were detected in the Cr(III)/Cr(VI) solutions while a very low response was observed in the solutions containing Fe(CN)(6)(3-/4-). Conducting composite lignin-based polyurethanes doped with MWCNTs were suggested as being promising materials for Cr(VI)-sensitive potentiometric sensors.
Time course and predictors of median nerve conduction after carpal tunnel release.
Rotman, Mitchell B; Enkvetchakul, Bobby V; Megerian, J Thomas; Gozani, Shai N
2004-05-01
To identify predictors of outcome and of electrophysiologic recovery in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) treated by endoscopic carpal tunnel release using a nerve conduction testing system (NC-Stat; NEUROMetrix, Inc, Waltham, MA). Validity of the automated nerve conduction testing system was shown by comparing presurgical distal motor latencies (DMLs) against a reference obtained by referral to an electromyography laboratory. The DML was evaluated in 48 patients with CTS. Measurements were obtained within 1 hour of surgery and at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after carpal tunnel release. Presurgical and postsurgical DMLs were then compared and correlated with variables and possible predictors of outcome including age, body mass index, gender, and presurgical DMLs. The automated nerve conduction testing system DMLs matched those of reference electromyography/nerve conduction study values with high correlation. Sensitivity of the automated nerve conduction testing system when compared with a standardized CTS case definition was 89%, with a specificity of 95%. A significant correlation was found between the DML before release and the DML 1 hour after release. Moreover, maximal postsurgical DML improvement was highly dependent on the presurgical DML, with no improvement shown for the <4-ms group, mild improvement for the 4-to-6-ms group, and maximal improvement in the >6-ms group. Among the clinical variables of age, gender, and body mass index only age was mildly predictive of postrelease DML changes at 6 months. No other correlations between clinical variables and postsurgical DMLs were significant. In addition the predictive value of age was lost when combined with the presurgical DML in a multivariate analysis. Postsurgical changes in the median nerve DML were highly dependent on the prerelease latency. The sensitivity and specificity of a nerve conduction monitoring system in detecting and aiding in the diagnosis of CTS is useful in the long-term management of patients with CTS and can aid in determining the level of improvement in median nerve function after endoscopic carpal tunnel release.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
George, N. J.; Akpan, A. E.; Akpan, F. S.
2017-12-01
An integrated attempt exploring information deduced from extensive surface resistivity study in three Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria and data from hydrogeological sources obtained from water boreholes have been explored to economically estimate porosity and coefficient of permeability/hydraulic conductivity in parts of the clastic Tertiary - Quaternary sediments of the Niger Delta region. Generally, these parameters are predominantly estimated from empirical analysis of core samples and pumping test data generated from boreholes in the laboratory. However, this analysis is not only costly and time consuming, but also limited in areal coverage. The chosen technique employs surface resistivity data, core samples and pumping test data in order to estimate porosity and aquifer hydraulic parameters (transverse resistance, hydraulic conductivity and transmissivity). In correlating the two sets of results, Porosity and hydraulic conductivity were observed to be more elevated near the riverbanks. Empirical models utilising Archie's, Waxman-Smits and Kozeny-Carman Bear relations were employed characterising the formation parameters with wonderfully deduced good fits. The effect of surface conduction occasioned by clay usually disregarded or ignored in Archie's model was estimated to be 2.58 × 10-5 Siemens. This conductance can be used as a corrective factor to the conduction values obtained from Archie's equation. Interpretation aided measures such as graphs, mathematical models and maps which geared towards realistic conclusions and interrelationship between the porosity and other aquifer parameters were generated. The values of the hydraulic conductivity estimated from Waxman-Smits model was approximately 9.6 × 10-5m/s everywhere. This revelation indicates that there is no pronounced change in the quality of the saturating fluid and the geological formations that serve as aquifers even though the porosities were varying. The deciphered parameter relations can be used to estimate geohydraulic parameters in other locations with little or no borehole data.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Aksoy, A.; Lee, J. H.; Kitanidis, P. K.
2016-12-01
Heterogeneity in hydraulic conductivity (K) impacts the transport and fate of contaminants in subsurface as well as design and operation of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) systems. Recently, improvements in computational resources and availability of big data through electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and remote sensing have provided opportunities to better characterize the subsurface. Yet, there is need to improve prediction and evaluation methods in order to obtain information from field measurements for better field characterization. In this study, genetic algorithm optimization, which has been widely used in optimal aquifer remediation designs, was used to determine the spatial distribution of K. A hypothetical 2 km by 2 km aquifer was considered. A genetic algorithm library, PGAPack, was linked with a fast Fourier transform based random field generator as well as a groundwater flow and contaminant transport simulation model (BIO2D-KE). The objective of the optimization model was to minimize the total squared error between measured and predicted field values. It was assumed measured K values were available through ERT. Performance of genetic algorithm in predicting the distribution of K was tested for different cases. In the first one, it was assumed that observed K values were evaluated using the random field generator only as the forward model. In the second case, as well as K-values obtained through ERT, measured head values were incorporated into evaluation in which BIO2D-KE and random field generator were used as the forward models. Lastly, tracer concentrations were used as additional information in the optimization model. Initial results indicated enhanced performance when random field generator and BIO2D-KE are used in combination in predicting the spatial distribution in K.
Dielectric Properties of PMMA and its Composites with ZrO2
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sannakki, Basavaraja; Anita
The polymer films of PMMA with different thickness and its composites with ZrO2 at various weight percentages but of same thickness have been studied. The determination of its dielectric properties, dielectric loss, a.conductivity and dielectric modulus were carried out using capacitance measurements of the above samples as a function of frequency, over the range 50 Hz - 5 MHz at room temperature. The films of PMMA and its composites have been characterized using X-Ray Diffractometer. The dielectric permittivity of films of PMMA behaves nonlinearly as frequency increases over the range 50-300 Hz, where as above 300 Hz the values of dielectric constant remains constant. But it is observed that the dielectric constant of PMMA increases as thickness of the film increases. In case of composite films of PMMA with ZrO2 the values of dielectric permittivity decreases gradually up to frequency of around 1 KHz and at higher frequencies it remains constant for all the weight percentages of ZrO2. The complex form of dielectric modulus of PMMA is obtained from the experimentally measured data of dielectric constant and dielectric loss values. The relaxation time of the orientation of dipoles is obtained from the peak value of angular frequency through the plots of imaginary part of electrical modulus as function of frequency. The impedance of PMMA polymer increases as thickness of the films increases. The a c conductivity of PMMA film remains constant up to frequency of 1 MHz and above. It shows a nonlinear phenomenon with peak values at frequency 4 MHz. Shape and size of the nanoparticles of composite film of PMMA with ZrO2 was analyzed by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM).
Thermal boundary resistance between the end of an individual carbon nanotube and a Au surface.
Hirotani, Jun; Ikuta, Tatsuya; Nishiyama, Takashi; Takahashi, Koji
2011-08-05
The thermal boundary resistance between an individual carbon nanotube and a Au surface was measured using a microfabricated hot-film sensor. We used both closed and open-ended multi-walled carbon nanotubes and obtained thermal boundary resistance values of 0.947-1.22 × 10(7) K W(-1) and 1.43-1.76 × 10(7) K W(-1), respectively. Considering all uncertainties, including the contact area, the thermal boundary conductances per unit area were calculated to be 8.6 × 10(7)-2.2 × 10(8) W m(-2) K(-1) for c-axis orientation and 4.2 × 10(8)-1.2 × 10(9) W m(-2) K(-1) for the a-axis. The trend in these values agrees with the predicted conductance dependence on the interface orientation of anisotropic carbon-based materials. However, the measured thermal boundary conductances are found to be much larger than the reported results.
Indium-saving effect and physical properties of transparent conductive multilayers
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kawamura, M.; Kiba, T.; Abe, Y.; Kim, K. H.
2018-03-01
Indium-free transparent conductive multilayer structures consisting of top and bottom MoO3 layers and an Ag interlayer (MoO3/Ag/MoO3; MAM) are deposited onto glass substrates by vacuum evaporation. The transmittance and sheet resistance of the structures are evaluated, and the optimum structure is determined to be MAM (20/14/30 nm) as it shows the best figure of merit (FOM), which is used as the index for transparent conductive films, with a value of 6.2 × 10-3 Ω-1. To further improve the performance of the films, we attempt to fabricate a multilayer consisting of MoO3 and indium zinc oxide (IZO), based on previous results. The obtained IAM (30/14/50 nm) multilayer shows an FOM higher than that of the MAM, with a value of 32 × 10-3 Ω-1. Moreover, it reduces the amount of required indium as compared with the IZO/Ag/IZO multilayer.
Cation and anion sequences in dark-adapted Balanus photoreceptor
1977-01-01
Anion and cation permeabilities in dark-adapted Balanus photoreceptors were determined by comparing changes in the membrane potential in response to replacement of the dominant anion (Cl-) or cation (Na+) by test anions or cations in the superfusing solution. The anion permeability sequence obtained was PI greater than PSO4 greater than PBr greater than PCl greater than Pisethionate greater than Pmethanesulfonate. Gluconate, glucuronate, and glutamate generally appeared more permeable and propionate less permeable than Cl-. The alkali-metal cation permeability sequence obtained was PK greater than PRb greater than PCx greater than PNa approximately PLi. This corresponds to Eisenman's IV which is the same sequencethat has been obtained for other classes of nerve cells in the resting state. The values obtained for the permeability ratios of the alkali-metal cations are considered to be minimal. The membrane conductance measured by passing inward current pulses in the different test cations followed the sequence, GK greater than GRb greater than GCs greater than GNa greater than GLi. The conductance ratios obtained for a full substitution of the test cation agreed quite well with permeability ratios for all the alkali-metal cations except K+ which was generally higher. PMID:199688
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gmati, Fethi; Fattoum, Arbi; Bohli, Nadra; Dhaoui, Wadia; Belhadj Mohamed, Abdellatif
2007-08-01
We report the results of studies on two series of polyaniline (PANI), doped with dichloroacetic (DCA) and trichloroacetic (TCA) acids, respectively, at various doping rates and obtained by the in situ polymerization method. Samples were characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and conductivity measurements. The direct current (dc) and alternating current (ac) electrical conductivities of PANI salts have been investigated in the temperature range 100-310 K and frequency range 7-106 Hz. The results of this study indicate better chain ordering and higher conductivity for PANI doped with TCA. The dc conductivity of all samples is suitably fitted to Mott's three-dimensional variable-range hopping (VRH) model. Different Mott parameters such as characteristic temperature T0, density of states at the Fermi level (N(EF)), average hopping energy (W) and the average hopping distance (R) have been evaluated. The dependence of such values on the dopant acid used is discussed. At high frequencies, the ac conductivity follows the power law σac(ω,T) = A(T)ωs(T,ω), which is characteristic for charge transport in disordered materials by hopping or tunnelling processes. The observed increase in the frequency exponent s with temperature suggests that the small-polaron tunnelling model best describes the dominant ac conduction mechanism. A direct correlation between conductivity, structure and morphology was obtained in our systems.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Purba, Y. Z. W.; Saleh, W.
2018-01-01
Copra is used as raw material of coconut oil and exported commodity. This study was conducted in the Tidal Land of Pendowo Harjo Village, Subdistrict of Sungsang, Banyuasin Regency, which aims to calculate the production costs incurred, the income earned, and to analyze the feasibility of the business of producing copra. In this research, sampling was conducted by simple random sampling method. The number of samples taken in this study was 10 individuals who were the copra business people out of 117 people of population. The results of analysis show that the productioncost incurred is Rp 1,198,076.12, and the income earned is Rp 414,598.88 per unit of the production process. Financially, the value of NPV obtained is Rp 19,668,343.86, the value of the IRR is 60.75 percent and the value of the Net B/C is 1.74. Therefore, economically, the copra business is feasible to be developed.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Lee, Y. M.
1971-01-01
Using a linearized theory of thermally and mechanically interacting mixture of linear elastic solid and viscous fluid, we derive a fundamental relation in an integral form called a reciprocity relation. This reciprocity relation relates the solution of one initial-boundary value problem with a given set of initial and boundary data to the solution of a second initial-boundary value problem corresponding to a different initial and boundary data for a given interacting mixture. From this general integral relation, reciprocity relations are derived for a heat-conducting linear elastic solid, and for a heat-conducting viscous fluid. An initial-boundary value problem is posed and solved for the mixture of linear elastic solid and viscous fluid. With the aid of the Laplace transform and the contour integration, a real integral representation for the displacement of the solid constituent is obtained as one of the principal results of the analysis.
Cobb, Kensi M; Stuart, Andrew
The purpose of the study was to generate normative auditory brainstem response (ABR) wave component peak latency and amplitude values for neonates with air- and bone-conducted CE-Chirps and air-conducted CE-Chirp octave band stimuli (i.e., 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz). A second objective was to compare neonate ABRs to CE-Chirp stimuli with ABR responses to traditional click and tone burst stimuli with the same stimulus parameters. Participants were 168 healthy neonates. ABRs were obtained to air- and bone-conducted CE-Chirp and click stimuli and air-conducted CE-Chirp octave band and tone burst stimuli. The effects of stimulus level, rate, and polarity were examined with air-conducted CE-Chirps and clicks. The effect of stimulus level was also examined with bone-conducted CE-Chirps and clicks and air-conducted CE-Chirp octave band stimuli. In general, ABR wave V amplitudes to air- and bone-conducted CE-Chirp stimuli were significantly larger (p < 0.05) than those evoked to traditional click and tone burst stimuli. Systematic statistically significant (p < 0.05) wave V latency differences existed between the air- and bone-conducted CE-Chirp and CE-Chirp octave band stimuli relative to traditional click and tone burst stimuli. ABRs to air- and bone-conducted CE-Chirps and CE-Chirp octave band stimuli may be valuable in the assessment of newborn infants. However, the prognostic value of such stimuli needs to be validated.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kushch, Volodymyr I.; Sevostianov, Igor; Giraud, Albert
2017-11-01
An accurate semi-analytical solution of the conductivity problem for a composite with anisotropic matrix and arbitrarily oriented anisotropic ellipsoidal inhomogeneities has been obtained. The developed approach combines the superposition principle with the multipole expansion of perturbation fields of inhomogeneities in terms of ellipsoidal harmonics and reduces the boundary value problem to an infinite system of linear algebraic equations for the induced multipole moments of inhomogeneities. A complete full-field solution is obtained for the multi-particle models comprising inhomogeneities of diverse shape, size, orientation and properties which enables an adequate account for the microstructure parameters. The solution is valid for the general-type anisotropy of constituents and arbitrary orientation of the orthotropy axes. The effective conductivity tensor of the particulate composite with anisotropic constituents is evaluated in the framework of the generalized Maxwell homogenization scheme. Application of the developed method to composites with imperfect ellipsoidal interfaces is straightforward. Their incorporation yields probably the most general model of a composite that may be considered in the framework of analytical approach.
Direct measurements of the atmospheric conduction current
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Burke, H. K.; Few, A. A.
1978-01-01
A method of measuring the atmospheric conduction current above the ground has been employed to obtain data for 12 weeks during the first half of 1974. The instrument consists of a split aluminum sphere suspended by insulated wires to a wooden frame. The measuring electronics and the transmitter are enclosed within the spherical structure. The interaction of the instrument with its atmospheric electrical environment is analyzed, and it is shown that in steady state conditions, predictable differences in the instrumentally measured currents and the atmospheric conduction current will be less than 5% and in the nonsteady state situations the difference is less than 20%. Diurnal variations, a probable winter-summer variation, sunrise, and fog effects were observed for the data obtained during fair-weather conditions. Disturbed weather data are interpreted for the effects of low clouds on the atmospheric current. The charge concentrations within overcast clouds sufficient to produce the observed reversed atmospheric currents are estimated to be small in relation to values in thunderclouds.
Flexible barrier materials for protection against electromagnetic fields and their characterization
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Jaroszewski, Maciej
2015-10-01
Composite materials for electromagnetic shielding can be manufactured as textiles using conductive yarns and textiles with conductivity obtained by various finishing processes on textile surfaces. The EM shielding effectiveness of fabrics are improved by lowering its conductivity using different methods and materials. An alternative is the usage of new light shielding materials in the form of metallized nonwoven fabrics or textiles. Their advantages are: a general availability on the market, a low price, good mechanical properties (strength, elasticity) and resistance to the environmental conditions. The composite anisotropic materials with a sandwich structure constituting of materials with different spatial orientations of fibers allow one to achieve relatively high and constant values of the shielding effectiveness which, together with the materials' mechanical properties, leads to a wide range of applicability in various disciplines of modern technology. This article is devoted to innovative flexible materials shielding electromagnetic field. The results of the PEM shielding effectiveness obtained for the polypropylene (PP) nonwoven fabrics metallized by pulsed magnetron sputtering are presented.
Research on dynamic creep strain and settlement prediction under the subway vibration loading.
Luo, Junhui; Miao, Linchang
2016-01-01
This research aims to explore the dynamic characteristics and settlement prediction of soft soil. Accordingly, the dynamic shear modulus formula considering the vibration frequency was utilized and the dynamic triaxial test conducted to verify the validity of the formula. Subsequently, the formula was applied to the dynamic creep strain function, with the factors influencing the improved dynamic creep strain curve of soft soil being analyzed. Meanwhile, the variation law of dynamic stress with sampling depth was obtained through the finite element simulation of subway foundation. Furthermore, the improved dynamic creep strain curve of soil layer was determined based on the dynamic stress. Thereafter, it could to estimate the long-term settlement under subway vibration loading by norms. The results revealed that the dynamic shear modulus formula is straightforward and practical in terms of its application to the vibration frequency. The values predicted using the improved dynamic creep strain formula closed to the experimental values, whilst the estimating settlement closed to the measured values obtained in the field test.
Optical and thermoelectric properties of nano-particles based Bi2(Te1-xSex)3 thin films
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Adam, A. M.; Lilov, E.; Petkov, P.
2017-01-01
Nano-particles of Bi2Te3 and Bi2(Te1-xSex)3 films were deposited using vacuum thermal evaporation technique from previously prepared bulk alloys synthesized by melting method. Optical and thermoelectric properties were studied in the temperature range of 300-473K. The formation of none- and Se-doped Bi2Te3 nano-particles was verified by EDX and XRD analysis. TEM, SEM and AFM analysis showed the prepared films are polycrystalline in nature. The measurements of electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient, alongside with thermal conductivity calculations, resulted in the highest values of thermoelectric power at high temperature to be reported. The maximum value of power factor was calculated at 62.82917 μWK-2cm-1 for (Bi2Se0.3Te1.7) sample at 463 K. On the addition of Se to Bi2Te3 film, a significant decrease of the electronic thermal conductivity (Kel) from 2.181 × 10-2 to 0.598 × 10-2 (μW/cm.K) could be achieved. Figure of merit (ZT) calculations showed a maximum value of 0.85 at room temperature, for Bi2Te3. Besides the increase of ZT value for all samples at higher temperature, surprisingly, a value of 2.75 for (Bi2Se1.2Te1.8) was obtained. We believe our results could open avenues for new applications.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Fleurial, J.; Caillat, T.; Borshchevsky, A.
Based on literature data and experimental findings at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), semiconductors with the skutterudite structure TPn{sub 3} (where T is a transition metal element such as Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, and Pd, and Pn is a pnicogen element such as P, As, and Sb) possess attractive characteristics and show a good potential for high {ital ZT} values. The high degree of covalency results in high mobility and low electrical resistivity values while a relatively complex 32 atom unit cell results in a reasonably low thermal conductivity. Both {ital n}-type and {ital p}-type electrical conductivity samples have beenmore » obtained. Room temperature Seebeck coefficient values up to 200 {mu}VK{sup {minus}1} for {ital p}-type and up to {minus}600 {mu}VK{sup {minus}1} for {ital n}-type have also been measured on several of these materials. In addition, the large number of isostructural compounds, solid solutions and related phases offer many possibilities for optimization of the transport properties to a specific temperature range of thermoelectric applications. By replacing the transition metal or the pnicogen atom by two of its neighboring elements and ensuring that the number of valence electrons is retained, many ternary phases can be successfully derived from the original CoAs{sub 3} skutterudite structure. Some of these materials were found to have substantially lower thermal conductivities compared to those of the binary compounds. The composition, band gap and doping level can be tailored to achieve maximum performance. An overview of the results obtained to date is provided and our approach to achieving high {ital ZT} materials are discussed in this paper. {copyright} {ital 1995} {ital American} {ital Institute} {ital of} {ital Physics}.« less
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Anand, Siddeswaran; Muthusamy, Athianna
2018-03-01
A series of benzimidazole monomers, (2-(2, 4-dihydroxyphenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-5-yl)(phenyl) methanone (BIKH), 2-(3-ethoxy-2-hydroxyphenyl)-1H-benzo [d]imidazole-5-yl) (phenyl) methanone (BIKE) and 2-(5-bromo-2-hydroxyphenyl)-1H-benzo [d]imidazole-5-yl) (phenyl) methanone (BIKB) were prepared by condensing three substituted aromatic aldehydes with 3, 4-diaminobenzophenone. In aqueous alkaline medium the benzimidazoles were converted in to oligomers by oxidative polycondensation using NaOCl as oxidant. The formation of monomers and oligomers were confirmed with 1H, 13C NMR, FT-IR, and UV-visible spectroscopic techniques. The oligomers were investigated for their optical, electrical, electrochemical and thermal properties. The electrochemical and optical band gaps of monomers and oligomers were calculated using both UV-visible spectroscopy and cyclic voltametry respectively. The band gap values of monomers are compared with band gap values obtained from quantum theoretical calculations with DFT. The electrical conductivity studies of iodine doped and undoped oligomers were done using two point probe technique. It is found that these values are showing good correlation with the charge densities on imidazole nitrogen obtained from Huckel method. The conductivity of oligomers increases with increase in iodine vapour contact time. The dielectric properties of oligomers have been investigated at different temperature and frequency. The dielectric measurement data were used to calculate the AC conductivity and activation energy of oligomers. Oligomer OBIKH is having greater thermal stability due to its number of chain propagation sites than other oligomers and is shown by its high carbines residue of around 60% at 600 °C in thermogravimetric analysis. I-V characteristics of oligobenzimidazole p-n diodes have shown good rectifying nature in the range -4 to 4 V.
Ethical values in nurse education perceived by students and educators.
Boozaripour, Mahsa; Abbaszadeh, Abbas; Shahriari, Mohsen; Borhani, Fariba
2018-03-01
Education is considered the first function and mission of the university, and observing educational ethics guarantees the health of the teaching-learning process in the university. The aim of this study was to explore ethical values in nursing education from the perspective of Iranian nursing students and educators. This qualitative study was conducted using the Thematic Content Analyses method. The data were collected from seven semi-structured individual interviews and three focus group discussions from July to November 2015. Participants and research context: The participants were faculty educators of nursing and nursing students in Tehran, capital of Iran, who were selected through purposive sampling. They were recruited gradually. Sampling was continued until data saturation when no new codes were extracted. Ethical committee: This study was conducted after obtaining the approval of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Ethics Committee, and informed consent were ensured before conducting the research. The principles of voluntariness, confidentiality, and anonymity were respected during the research process. Seven major themes emerged: human dignity, constructive human relations, educational justice, competency enhancement, excellence view, wisdom, and commitment and accountability. The results of this study indicated that although many of the values, as universal values, were similar to those of other countries-which can be a reflection of the globalization process in the nursing profession and the presence of humanistic and spiritual approaches at the roots of the discipline, some differences could be found in the content of values due to factors such as the people's beliefs, culture, and religion. Iranian nursing students and educators revealed a unique and culture-based set of ethical values.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Mitchell, James K.; Carter, William E.
2000-01-01
Describes using a computer statistical software package called Minitab to model the sensitivity of several microbes to the disinfectant NaOCl (Clorox') using the Kirby-Bauer technique. Each group of students collects data from one microbe, conducts regression analyses, then chooses the best-fit model based on the highest r-values obtained.…
New rapid method for determining edgewise compressive strength of corrugated fiberboard
John W. Koning
1986-01-01
The objective of this study was to determine if corrugated fiberboard specimens that had been necked down with a common router would yield acceptable edgewise compressive strength values. Tests were conducted on specimens prepared using a circular saw and router, and the results were compared with those obtained on specimens prepared according to TAPPI Test Method T...
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Meshcheryakov, A. I., E-mail: meshch@fpl.gpi.ru; Vafin, I. Yu., E-mail: ildar@fpl.gpi.ru
2016-07-15
Boronization of the vacuum chamber wall results in a considerable change in the composition of the plasma generated in working pulses of the L-2M stellarator and, accordingly, in the plasma effective charge. The paper presents results of measurements of the plasma effective charge carried out by two methods in the ohmic heating mode: from the data on the plasma conductivity and from the soft X-ray spectrum of plasma emission. Comparison of the values of the plasma effective charge obtained by these two methods makes it possible to determine the conditions in which the two values are in good agreement. Undermore » these conditions, the plasma effective charge can be correctly estimated from spectral measurements.« less
Grassi, F A; Tajana, M S
2003-01-01
The study was conducted in order to evaluate the theoretical design of the Constant-Murley system and to reveal any difficulties in obtaining data when it is used in 563 subjects not affected with shoulder pathology. The total mean score for the subjects examined was 85.2 points (minimum 75, maximum 100 points). Values revealed a decreasing trend beginning at 50 years of age for men and 30 for women. Only 4 subjects achieved a maximum score of 100. The measurements taken allowed us to elaborate a reference table based on sex and age, which was required to calculate the correct score. These values differ from those reported by the inventors of the system and they reveal the need to compile personal tables for the normalization of scores.
Partially suppressed shot noise in hopping conduction: observation in SiGe quantum wells
Kuznetsov; Mendez; Zuo; Snider; Croke
2000-07-10
We have observed shot noise in the hopping conduction of two-dimensional carriers confined in a p-type SiGe quantum well at a temperature of 4 K. Moreover, shot noise is suppressed relative to its "classical" value 2eI by an amount that depends on the length of the sample and the carrier density. We have found a suppression factor to the classical value of about one-half for a 2 &mgr;m long sample, and of one-fifth for a 5 &mgr;m sample. In each case, the factor decreased slightly as the density increased toward the insulator-metal transition. We explain these results in terms of the characteristic length ( approximately 1 &mgr;m in our case) of the inherent inhomogeneity of hopping transport, obtained from percolation theory.
Ion conduction and relaxation in PEO-LiTFSI-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} polymer nanocomposite electrolytes
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Das, S.; Ghosh, A., E-mail: sspag@iacs.res.in
2015-05-07
Ion conduction and relaxation in PEO-LiTFSI-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} polymer nanocomposite electrolytes have been studied for different concentrations of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetric studies show that the maximum amorphous phase of PEO is observed for PEO-LiTFSI embedded with 5 wt. % Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}. The maximum ionic conductivity ∼3.3 × 10{sup −4} S cm{sup −1} has been obtained for this composition. The transmission electron microscopic image shows a distribution of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles in all compositions with size of <50 nm. The temperature dependence of the ionic conductivity follows Vogel-Tamman-Fulcher nature, indicating a strong coupling between ionic and polymermore » chain segmental motions. The scaling of the ac conductivity implies that relaxation dynamics follows a common mechanism for different temperatures and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} concentrations. The imaginary modulus spectra are asymmetric and skewed toward the high frequency sides of the maxima and analyzed using Havriliak-Negami formalism. The temperature dependence of the relaxation time obtained from modulus spectra also exhibits Vogel-Tamman-Fulcher nature. The values of the stretched exponent obtained from Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts fit to the modulus data are fairly low, suggesting highly non-exponential relaxation for all concentrations of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} in these electrolytes.« less
Optimization of cutting parameters for machining time in turning process
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Mavliutov, A. R.; Zlotnikov, E. G.
2018-03-01
This paper describes the most effective methods for nonlinear constraint optimization of cutting parameters in the turning process. Among them are Linearization Programming Method with Dual-Simplex algorithm, Interior Point method, and Augmented Lagrangian Genetic Algorithm (ALGA). Every each of them is tested on an actual example – the minimization of production rate in turning process. The computation was conducted in the MATLAB environment. The comparative results obtained from the application of these methods show: The optimal value of the linearized objective and the original function are the same. ALGA gives sufficiently accurate values, however, when the algorithm uses the Hybrid function with Interior Point algorithm, the resulted values have the maximal accuracy.
Analysis of landfills with historic airphotos
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Erb, T. L.; Philipson, W. R.; Teng, W. L.; Liang, T.
1981-01-01
An investigation is conducted regarding the value of existing aerial photographs for waste management, including landfill monitoring. The value of historic aerial photographs for documenting landfill boundaries is shown in a graph in which the expansion of an active landfill is traced over a 40-year period. Historic aerial photographs can also be analyzed to obtain general or detailed land-use and land-cover information. In addition, the photographs provide information regarding other elements of the physical environment, including geology, soils, and surface and subsurface drainage. The value of historic photos is discussed, taking into account applications for inventory, assessing contamination/health hazards, planning corrective measures, planning waste collection and facilities, developing inactive landfills, and research concerning improved land-filling operations.
Zhang, Yumei; Wang, Chunxue; Zhao, Xingquan; Chen, Hongyan; Han, Zaizhu; Wang, Yongjun
2010-09-01
In contrast with disorders of comprehension and spontaneous expression, conduction aphasia is characterized by poor repetition, which is a hallmark of the syndrome. There are many theories on the repetition impairment of conduction aphasia. The disconnection theory suggests that a damaged in the arcuate fasciculus, which connects Broca's and Wernicke's area, is the cause of conduction aphasia. In this study, we examined the disconnection theory. We enrolled ten individuals with conduction aphasia and ten volunteers, and analysed their arcuate fasciculus using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and obtained fractional anisotropy (FA) values. Then, the results of the left hemisphere were compared with those of the right hemisphere, and the results of the conduction aphasia cases were compared with those of the volunteers. There were significant differences in the FA values between the left and right hemispheres of volunteers and conduction cases. In volunteers, there was an increase in fiber in the left hemisphere compared with the right hemisphere, whereas there was an increase in fiber in the right hemisphere compared with the left hemisphere in conduction aphasia patients. The results of diffusion tensor tractography suggested that the configuration of the arcuate fasciculus was different between conduction aphasia patients and volunteers, suggesting that there was damage to the arcuate fasciculus of conduction aphasia cases. The damage seen in the arcuate fasciculus of conduction aphasia cases in this study supports the Wernicke-Geschwind disconnection theory. A disconnection between Broca's area and Wernicke's area is likely to be one mechanism of conduction aphasia repetition impairment.
Thermal properties of nonstoichiometry uranium dioxide
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kavazauri, R.; Pokrovskiy, S. A.; Baranov, V. G.; Tenishev, A. V.
2016-04-01
In this paper, was developed a method of oxidation pure uranium dioxide to a predetermined deviation from the stoichiometry. Oxidation was carried out using the thermogravimetric method on NETZSCH STA 409 CD with a solid electrolyte galvanic cell for controlling the oxygen potential of the environment. 4 samples uranium oxide were obtained with a different ratio of oxygen-to-metal: O / U = 2.002, O / U = 2.005, O / U = 2.015, O / U = 2.033. For the obtained samples were determined basic thermal characteristics of the heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity. The error of heat capacity determination is equal to 5%. Thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity of the samples decreased with increasing deviation from stoichiometry. For the sample with O / M = 2.033, difference of both values with those of stoichiometric uranium dioxide is close to 50%.
El-Ghamaz, N A; Diab, M A; El-Bindary, A A; El-Sonbati, A Z; Nozha, S G
2015-05-15
A novel series of (5-(4'-derivatives phenyl azo)-8-hydroxy-7-quinolinecarboxaldehyde) (AQLn) (n=1, p-OCH3; n=2, R=H; and n=3; p-NO2) and their complexes [Cu(AQLn)2]·5H2O are synthesized and investigated. The optimized bond lengths, bond angles and the calculated quantum chemical parameters for AQLn are investigated. HOMO-LUMO energy gap, absolute electronegativities, chemical potentials, and absolute hardness are also calculated. The thermal properties, dielectric properties, alternating current conductivity (σac) and conduction mechanism are investigated in the frequency range 0.1-100kHz and temperature range 293-568K for AQL1-3 and 318-693K for [Cu(AQL1-3)2]·5H2O complexes. The thermal properties are of ligands (AQLn) and their Cu(II) complexes investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The temperature and frequency dependence of the real and the imaginary part of the dielectric constant are studied. The values of the thermal activation energy of conduction mechanism for AQLn and their complexes [Cu(AQLn)2]·5H2O under investigation are calculated at different test frequencies. The values of thermal activation energies ΔE1 and ΔE2 for AQLn and [Cu(AQLn)2]·5H2O decrease with increasing the values of frequency. The ac conductivity is found to be depending on the chemical structure of the compounds. Different conduction mechanisms have been proposed to explain the obtained experimental data. The small polaron tunneling (SPT) is the dominant conduction mechanism for AQL1 and its complex [Cu(AQL1)2]·5H2O. The quantum mechanical tunneling (QMT) is the dominant conduction mechanism for AQL2 and its complex [Cu(AQL2)2]·5H2O. The correlated barrier hopping (CBH) is the dominant conduction mechanism for AQL3 and its complex [Cu(AQL3)2]·5H2O, and the values of the maximum barrier height (Wm) are calculated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Suryoputro, Nugroho; Suhardjono, Soetopo, Widandi; Suhartanto, Ery
2017-09-01
In calibrating hydrological models, there are generally two stages of activity: 1) determining realistic model initial parameters in representing natural component physical processes, 2) entering initial parameter values which are then processed by trial error or automatically to obtain optimal values. To determine a realistic initial value, it takes experience and user knowledge of the model. This is a problem for beginner model users. This paper will present another approach to estimate the infiltration parameters in the tank model. The parameters will be approximated by the runoff coefficient of rational method. The value approach of infiltration parameter is simply described as the result of the difference in the percentage of total rainfall minus the percentage of runoff. It is expected that the results of this research will accelerate the calibration process of tank model parameters. The research was conducted on the sub-watershed Kali Bango in Malang Regency with an area of 239,71 km2. Infiltration measurements were carried out in January 2017 to March 2017. Analysis of soil samples at Soil Physics Laboratory, Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Brawijaya. Rainfall and discharge data were obtained from UPT PSAWS Bango Gedangan in Malang. Temperature, evaporation, relative humidity, wind speed data was obtained from BMKG station of Karang Ploso, Malang. The results showed that the infiltration coefficient at the top tank outlet can be determined its initial value by using the approach of the coefficient of runoff rational method with good result.
Statistics of indicated pressure in combustion engine.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sitnik, L. J.; Andrych-Zalewska, M.
2016-09-01
The paper presents the classic form of pressure waveforms in burn chamber of diesel engine but based on strict analytical basis for amending the displacement volume. The pressure measurement results are obtained in the engine running on an engine dynamometer stand. The study was conducted by a 13-phase ESC test (European Stationary Cycle). In each test phase are archived 90 waveforms of pressure. As a result of extensive statistical analysis was found that while the engine is idling distribution of 90 value of pressure at any value of the angle of rotation of the crankshaft can be described uniform distribution. In the each point of characteristic of the engine corresponding to the individual phases of the ESC test, 90 of the pressure for any value of the angle of rotation of the crankshaft can be described as normal distribution. These relationships are verified using tests: Shapiro-Wilk, Jarque-Bera, Lilliefors, Anderson-Darling. In the following part, with each value of the crank angle, are obtain values of descriptive statistics for the pressure data. In its essence, are obtained a new way to approach the issue of pressure waveform analysis in the burn chamber of engine. The new method can be used to further analysis, especially the combustion process in the engine. It was found, e.g. a very large variances of pressure near the transition from compression to expansion stroke. This lack of stationarity of the process can be important both because of the emissions of exhaust gases and fuel consumption of the engine.
Source of the slippage in the universal joints of the Hoffmann external fixator.
Drijber, F L; Finlay, J B; Moroz, T K; Rorabeck, C H
1990-01-01
An investigation was conducted to determine what improvements in the resistance to slippage could be obtained in selected interfaces (rod/clip torsional, cheek/bowl and cheek/clip) of the Hoffmann external fixator. The modification involved changing the standard wing-nut clamp for a bolt with a thread of 7 mm and a 1 mm pitch and placing an FAG 28-303 thrust-bearing (needle roller and cage assembly) between the bolt and the cheek. The results showed a significant improvement in the slippage values of all interfaces; increases of approximately six times were obtained at all torque values of the wing-nut clamp or fastener tested. Such improvements would markedly increase the reliability of external fixation systems and thus reduce the incidence of loss-of-reduction of fracture due to slippage of the universal joint.
Effects of Synthesis Method on Electrical Properties of Graphene
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fuad, M. F. I. Ahmad; Jarni, H. H.; Shariffudin, W. N.; Othman, N. H.; Rahim, A. N. Che Abdul
2018-05-01
The aim of this study is to achieve the highest reduction capability and complete reductions of oxygen from graphene oxide (GO) by using different type of chemical methods. The modification of Hummer’s method has been proposed to produce GO, and hydrazine hydrate has been utilized in the GO’s reduction process into graphene. There are two types of chemical method are used to synthesize graphene; 1) Sina’s method and 2) Sasha’s method. Both GO and graphene were then characterized using X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (FT-IR). The graph patterns obtained from XRD showed that the values of graphene and GO are within their reliable ranges, FT-IR identified the comparison functional group between GO and graphene. Graphene was verified to experience the reduction process due to absent of functional group consist of oxygen has detected. Electrochemical impedance spectrometry (EIS) was then conducted to test the ability of conducting electricity of two batches (each weighted 1.6g) of graphene synthesized using different methods (Sina’s method and Sasha’s method). Sasha’s method was proven to have lower conductivity value compare to Sina’s method, with value of 6.2E+02 S/m and 8.1E+02 S/m respectively. These values show that both methods produced good graphene; however, by using Sina’s method, the graphene produced has better electrical properties.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wang, Yunquan; Ma, Jinzhu; Guan, Huade; Zhu, Gaofeng
2017-06-01
Difficulty in measuring hydraulic conductivity, particularly under dry conditions, calls for methods of predicting the conductivity from easily obtained soil properties. As a complement to the recently published EMFX model, a method based on two specific suction conditions is proposed to estimate saturated film conductivity from the soil water retention curve. This method reduces one fitting parameter in the previous EMFX model, making it possible to predict the hydraulic conductivity from the soil water retention curve over the complete moisture range. Model performance is evaluated with published data of soils in a broad texture range from sand to clay. The testing results indicate that 1) the modified EMFX model (namely the EMFX-K model), incorporating both capillary and adsorption forces, provides good agreement with the conductivity data over the entire moisture range; 2) a value of 0.5 for the tortuosity factor in the EMFX-K model as that in the Mualem's model gives comparable estimation of the relative conductivity associated with the capillary force; and 3) a value of -1.0 × 10-20 J for the Hamaker constant, rather than the commonly used value of -6.0 × 10-20 J, appears to be more appropriate to represent solely the effect of the van der Waals forces and to predict the film conductivity. In comparison with the commonly used van Genuchten-Mualem model, the EMFX-K model significantly improves the prediction of hydraulic conductivity under dry conditions. The sensitivity analysis result suggests that the uncertainty in the film thickness estimation is important in explaining the model underestimation of hydraulic conductivity for the soils with fine texture, in addition to the uncertainties from the measurements and the model structure. High quality data that cover the complete moisture range for a variety of soil textures are required to further test the method.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Jorand, Rachel; Fehr, Annick; Koch, Andreas; Clauser, Christoph
2011-08-01
In this paper, we present a method that allows one to correct thermal conductivity measurements for the effect of water loss when extrapolating laboratory data to in situ conditions. The water loss in shales and unconsolidated rocks is a serious problem that can introduce errors in the characterization of reservoirs. For this study, we measure the thermal conductivity of four sandstones with and without clay minerals according to different water saturation levels using an optical scanner. Thermal conductivity does not decrease linearly with water saturation. At high saturation and very low saturation, thermal conductivity decreases more quickly because of spontaneous liquid displacement and capillarity effects. Apart from these two effects, thermal conductivity decreases quasi-linearly. We also notice that the samples containing clay minerals are not completely drained, and thermal conductivity reaches a minimum value. In order to fit the variation of thermal conductivity with the water saturation as a whole, we used modified models commonly presented in thermal conductivity studies: harmonic and arithmetic mean and geometric models. These models take into account different types of porosity, especially those attributable to the abundance of clay, using measurements obtained from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). For argillaceous sandstones, a modified arithmetic-harmonic model fits the data best. For clean quartz sandstones under low water saturation, the closest fit to the data is obtained with the modified arithmetic-harmonic model, while for high water saturation, a modified geometric mean model proves to be the best.
Theory and simulation of ion conduction in the pentameric GLIC channel.
Zhu, Fangqiang; Hummer, Gerhard
2012-10-09
GLIC is a bacterial member of the large family of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels. To study ion conduction through GLIC and other membrane channels, we combine the one-dimensional potential of mean force for ion passage with a Smoluchowski diffusion model, making it possible to calculate single-channel conductance in the regime of low ion concentrations from all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We then perform MD simulations to examine sodium ion conduction through the GLIC transmembrane pore in two systems with different bulk ion concentrations. The ion potentials of mean force, calculated from umbrella sampling simulations with Hamiltonian replica exchange, reveal a major barrier at the hydrophobic constriction of the pore. The relevance of this barrier for ion transport is confirmed by a committor function that rises sharply in the barrier region. From the free evolution of Na(+) ions starting at the barrier top, we estimate the effective diffusion coefficient in the barrier region, and subsequently calculate the conductance of the pore. The resulting diffusivity compares well with the position-dependent ion diffusion coefficient obtained from restrained simulations. The ion conductance obtained from the diffusion model agrees with the value determined via a reactive-flux rate calculation. Our results show that the conformation in the GLIC crystal structure, with an estimated conductance of ~1 picosiemens at 140 mM ion concentration, is consistent with a physiologically open state of the channel.
Sánchez-Reyes, Uriel Jeshua; Niño-Maldonado, Santiago; Barrientos-Lozano, Ludivina; Clark, Shawn M.; Jones, Robert W.
2016-01-01
Abstract The study of biodiversity of Chrysomelidae in Mexico and its variation within ecological gradients has increased recently, although important areas in the country remain to be explored. We conducted a faunistic inventory and analyzed the elevational and temporal variation of leaf beetle communities in the Sierra de San Carlos, in the state of Tamaulipas, in northeastern Mexico. This is an area with high to extreme priority for conservation, and due to its insular geographical position and to the vegetational communities present, it must be considered as a sky island. We selected seven sample sites distributed in different elevations within three localities, and comprising different vegetational communities. At each site, we randomly delimited 12 sample plots of 400 m2 where sampling was conducted by entomological sweep netting and collecting directly by hand. Sampling was conducted monthly at each plot, for a total of 1,008 samples between February 2013 and January 2014. By the end of the study, we had obtained a total of 3,081 specimens belonging to six subfamilies, 65 genera, and 113 species, with Trichaltica scabricula (Crotch, 1873) being recorded for first time in Mexico. Species richness was less than the values observed at other studies conducted in the same region, which is attributed to differences in the number of plant species and to the insular location of Sierra de San Carlos; however, the higher diversity values suggest a higher quality of natural resources and vegetational communities. No consistent pattern of leaf beetle communities was correlated with elevation, although higher values of species richness and diversity were obtained at the highest elevation site. The seasonal gradient showed that the rainy season is most favorable for leaf beetle communities. We found that species composition was different between sites and months, and also that there exists a significant association between the abundance obtained at each site and particular months. These results highlight the importance of different microhabitats for species distribution, and suggest that each species of Chrysomelidae has a differential response to environmental factors that vary within the elevational gradient and according to seasons. Also, we confirm and emphasize the important status of Sierra de San Carlos as a key natural area for biological conservation. PMID:27594798
Theoretical and observational assessments of flare efficiencies.
Leahey, D M; Preston, K; Strosher, M
2001-12-01
Flaring of waste gases is a common practice in the processing of hydrocarbon (HC) materials. It is assumed that flaring achieves complete combustion with relatively innocuous byproducts such as CO2 and H2O. However, flaring is rarely successful in the attainment of complete combustion, because entrainment of air into the region of combusting gases restricts flame sizes to less than optimum values. The resulting flames are too small to dissipate the amount of heat associated with 100% combustion efficiency. Equations were employed to estimate flame lengths, areas, and volumes as functions of flare stack exit velocity, stoichiometric mixing ratio, and wind speed. Heats released as part of the combustion process were then estimated from a knowledge of the flame dimensions together with an assumed flame temperature of 1200 K. Combustion efficiencies were subsequently obtained by taking the ratio of estimated actual heat release values to those associated with 100% complete combustion. Results of the calculations showed that combustion efficiencies decreased rapidly as wind speed increased from 1 to 6 m/sec. As wind speeds increased beyond 6 m/sec, combustion efficiencies tended to level off at values between 10 and 15%. Propane and ethane tend to burn more efficiently than do methane or hydrogen sulfide because of their lower stoichiometric mixing ratios. Results of theoretical predictions were compared to nine values of local combustion efficiencies obtained as part of an observational study into flaring activity conducted by the Alberta Research Council (ARC). All values were obtained during wind speed conditions of less than 4 m/sec. There was generally good agreement between predicted and observed values. The mean and standard deviation of observed combustion efficiencies were 68 +/- 7%. Comparable predicted values were 69 +/- 7%.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Faiz, J. M.; Shayfull, Z.; Nasir, S. M.; Fathullah, M.; Hazwan, M. H. M.
2017-09-01
This study conducts the simulation on optimisation of injection moulding process parameters using Autodesk Moldflow Insight (AMI) software. This study has applied some process parameters which are melt temperature, mould temperature, packing pressure, and cooling time in order to analyse the warpage value of the part. Besides, a part has been selected to be studied which made of Polypropylene (PP). The combination of the process parameters is analysed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and the optimised value is obtained using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The RSM as well as Genetic Algorithm are applied in Design Expert software in order to minimise the warpage value. The outcome of this study shows that the warpage value improved by using RSM and GA.
Effect of carbon nanofibers on the infiltration and thermal conductivity of carbon/carbon composites
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Li, Jinsong, E-mail: lijinsong@buaa.edu.cn; School of Physics and Nuclear Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Beijing 100191; Luo, Ruiying, E-mail: ryluo@buaa.edu.cn
Highlights: {yields} The CNFs improve the infiltration rate and thermal properties of carbon/carbon composites. {yields} The densification rate increases with the CNF content increasing at the beginning of infiltration. {yields} The values of the thermal conductivity of the composite obtain their maximum values at 5 wt.%. -- Abstract: Preforms containing 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 wt.% carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were fabricated by spreading layers of carbon cloth, and infiltrated using the electrified preform heating chemical vapor infiltration method (ECVI) under atmospheric pressure. Initial thermal gradients were determined. Resistivity and density evolutions with infiltration time have been recorded. Scanning electronmore » microscopy, polarized light micrograph and X-ray diffraction technique were used to analyze the experiment results. The results showed that the infiltration rate increased with the rising of CNF content, and after 120 h of infiltration, the density was the highest when the CNF content was 5 wt.%, but the composite could not be densified efficiently as the CNF content ranged from 10 wt.% to 20 wt.%. CNF-reinforced C/C composites have enhanced thermal conductivity, the values at 5 wt.% were increased by nearly 5.5-24.1% in the X-Y direction and 153.8-251.3% in the Z direction compared to those with no CNFs. When the additive content was increased to 20 wt.%, due to the holes and cavities in the CNF web and between carbon cloth and matrix, the thermal conductivities in the X-Y and Z directions decreased from their maximum values at 5 wt.%.« less
Biological activities of extracts from cultivated Granadilla Passiflora alata
Vasic, Sava M.; Stefanovic, Olgica D.; Licina, Braho Z.; Radojevic, Ivana D.; Comic, Ljiljana R.
2012-01-01
Research conducted in this study showed the influence of ethanol, acetone and ethyl acetate extracts of the outgrowth of cultivated Passiflora alata on microorganisms, as well as the antioxidant activity and the concentrations of total phenols, flavonoids and tannins. In vitro antimicrobial activities of extracts were studied on 27 species of microorganisms, of which 17 species of bacteria and 10 species of fungi. The strongest antimicrobial activity was detected on G+ bacteria while the activities on other species were moderate. Ethyl acetate extract showed the strongest effect. The concentrations of total phenols were examined by using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and the obtained values ranged from 14.04 to 34.22 mg GA/g. By using aluminium chloride method, the concentrations of flavonoids were obtained and the values ranged from 33.19 to 62.30 mg RU/g. In determining the amount of tannins we used the method with buthanol-HCl reagent and the obtained value was 5.1 % of dry matter. The efficiency of antioxidation, which we identified through the reduction of DPPH, was in the range from 808.69 to 1107.79 µg/ml for a particular IC50, and AAI values were between 0.07 and 0.10. The best parameters were shown by ethanol extract. All data were statistically analyzed. Overall, extracts showed potential for further investigation and use. PMID:27385958
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wen, Kaili; Zhou, Aijuan; Zhang, Jiaguang; Liu, Zhihong; Wang, Guoying; Liu, Wenzong; Wang, Aijie; Yue, Xiuping
2017-02-01
Most studies on the production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) from waste activated sludge (WAS) digestion have focused on operating conditions, pretreatments and characteristic adjustments. Conditioning by extra carbon sources (ECS), normally added in a solid form, has been reported to be an efficient approach. However, this has caused considerable waste of monomeric sugars in the hydrolysate. In this study, the effects of two added forms (pretreated straw (S) and hydrolyzed liquid (L)) of cornstover (CS) on WAS acidification were investigated. To obtain different cellulosic compositions of CS, low-thermal or autoclaved assisted alkaline (TA or AA) pretreatments were conducted. The results showed that AA-L test achieved the highest VFAs value (653 mg COD/g VSS), followed by AA-S (613 mg COD/g VSS). These values were 12% and 28% higher, respectively, than that obtained in the TA-L and TA-S tests. Meanwhile, higher percentages of acetic acid were observed after AA pretreatment (~62% versus ~53% in TA). The added forms of CS played an important role in structuring the innate microbial community in the WAS, as shown by high-throughput sequencing and canonical correspondence analysis. The findings obtained in this work may provide a scientific basis for the potential implementation of co-digesting WAS with ECS simultaneously obtaining energy and high value-added products.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wu, Chia-Yu; Huang, Yin-Hsien; Wu, Hsin-Han; Hsieh, Tsung-Eong
2018-06-01
Fourier's law of heat conduction at steady-state was adopted to establish a measurement method utilizing platinum (Pt) thin-film electrodes as the heater and the temperature sensor. The thermal conductivities (κ's) of Pyrex glass, an epoxy resin and a commercial underfill for flip-chip devices were measured and a good agreement with previously reported values was obtained. The thermal boundary resistances (RTBR's) of Pt/sample interfaces were also extracted for discussing their influence on the thermal conduction of samples. Afterward, the flip-chip samples with 2×2 solder joint array utilizing Si wafers as the die and the substrate, without and with the underfills, were prepared and their thermal conductance were measured. For the sample without underfill, the air presenting in the gap of die and the substrate led to the poor thermal conductance of sample. With the insertion of underfills, the thermal conductance of flip-chip samples improved. The resistance to heat transfer across Si/underfill interfaces was also suppressed and to promote the thermal conductance of samples. The thermal properties of underfill and RTBR at Si/underfill interface were further implanted in the calculation of thermal conductance of flip-chip samples containing various solder joint arrays. The increasing number of solder joints diminished the influence of thermal conduction of underfill and RTBR of Si/underfill interface on the thermal conductance of samples. The insertion of underfill with high-κ value might promote the heat conductance of samples containing low-density solder joint arrays; however, it became insignificant in improving the heat conductance of samples containing high-density solder joint arrays.
Evaluating conducting network based transparent electrodes from geometrical considerations
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Kumar, Ankush; Kulkarni, G. U., E-mail: guk@cens.res.in
2016-01-07
Conducting nanowire networks have been developed as viable alternative to existing indium tin oxide based transparent electrode (TE). The nature of electrical conduction and process optimization for electrodes have gained much from the theoretical models based on percolation transport using Monte Carlo approach and applying Kirchhoff's law on individual junctions and loops. While most of the literature work pertaining to theoretical analysis is focussed on networks obtained from conducting rods (mostly considering only junction resistance), hardly any attention has been paid to those made using template based methods, wherein the structure of network is neither similar to network obtained frommore » conducting rods nor similar to well periodic geometry. Here, we have attempted an analytical treatment based on geometrical arguments and applied image analysis on practical networks to gain deeper insight into conducting networked structure particularly in relation to sheet resistance and transmittance. Many literature examples reporting networks with straight or curvilinear wires with distributions in wire width and length have been analysed by treating the networks as two dimensional graphs and evaluating the sheet resistance based on wire density and wire width. The sheet resistance values from our analysis compare well with the experimental values. Our analysis on various examples has revealed that low sheet resistance is achieved with high wire density and compactness with straight rather than curvilinear wires and with narrower wire width distribution. Similarly, higher transmittance for given sheet resistance is possible with narrower wire width but of higher thickness, minimal curvilinearity, and maximum connectivity. For the purpose of evaluating active fraction of the network, the algorithm was made to distinguish and quantify current carrying backbone regions as against regions containing only dangling or isolated wires. The treatment can be helpful in predicting the properties of a network simply from image analysis and will be helpful in improvisation and comparison of various TEs and better understanding of electrical percolation.« less
Evaluating conducting network based transparent electrodes from geometrical considerations
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kumar, Ankush; Kulkarni, G. U.
2016-01-01
Conducting nanowire networks have been developed as viable alternative to existing indium tin oxide based transparent electrode (TE). The nature of electrical conduction and process optimization for electrodes have gained much from the theoretical models based on percolation transport using Monte Carlo approach and applying Kirchhoff's law on individual junctions and loops. While most of the literature work pertaining to theoretical analysis is focussed on networks obtained from conducting rods (mostly considering only junction resistance), hardly any attention has been paid to those made using template based methods, wherein the structure of network is neither similar to network obtained from conducting rods nor similar to well periodic geometry. Here, we have attempted an analytical treatment based on geometrical arguments and applied image analysis on practical networks to gain deeper insight into conducting networked structure particularly in relation to sheet resistance and transmittance. Many literature examples reporting networks with straight or curvilinear wires with distributions in wire width and length have been analysed by treating the networks as two dimensional graphs and evaluating the sheet resistance based on wire density and wire width. The sheet resistance values from our analysis compare well with the experimental values. Our analysis on various examples has revealed that low sheet resistance is achieved with high wire density and compactness with straight rather than curvilinear wires and with narrower wire width distribution. Similarly, higher transmittance for given sheet resistance is possible with narrower wire width but of higher thickness, minimal curvilinearity, and maximum connectivity. For the purpose of evaluating active fraction of the network, the algorithm was made to distinguish and quantify current carrying backbone regions as against regions containing only dangling or isolated wires. The treatment can be helpful in predicting the properties of a network simply from image analysis and will be helpful in improvisation and comparison of various TEs and better understanding of electrical percolation.
Nonlinear transport theory in the metal with tunnel barrier
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zubov, E. E.
2018-02-01
Within the framework of the scattering matrix formalism, the nonlinear Kubo theory for electron transport in the metal with a tunnel barrier has been considered. A general expression for the mean electrical current was obtained. It significantly simplifies the calculation of nonlinear contributions to the conductivity of various hybrid structures. In the model of the tunnel Hamiltonian, all linear and nonlinear contributions to a mean electrical current are evaluated. The linear approximation agrees with results of other theories. For effective barrier transmission ?, the ballistic transport is realised with a value of the Landauer conductivity equal to ?.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sarkar, D.; Misra, T. N.
1988-11-01
Compensation behaviour has been found in electrical conduction process in proflavine complexes with nucleic acid bases, guanine, adenine, uracil and thymine. At low dye concentrations these semiconducting complexes follow a three constant compensation equation σ(T){=}σ0'\\exp (E/2kT0)\\exp (-E/2kT), σ0' and T0 being constants for a specific base. The other notations have their usual meaning. Consistent values of these constants have been obtained by different experimental methods of evaluation. These results suggest that compensation effect has a physical origin.
Electrocardiogram transmission - The state of the art.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Firstenberg, A.; Huston, S. W.; Olsen, D. E.; Hahn, P. M.
1971-01-01
A comparative analysis of available clinical EKG telemetry systems was conducted. Although present day electrocardiogram diagnosis requires a high degree of measurement accuracy, there exists wide variations in the performance characteristics of the various telemeters marketed today necessitating careful consideration of specifications prior to procurement. The authors have endeavored to provide the physicians with a clear understanding, in terms of the effects on the electrocardiogram, of the factors he must evaluate in order to ensure high fidelity EKG reproduction. A tabulation of comparative parameter values for each unit obtained from manufacturers' specifications and substantiated by standardized performance tests conducted in our laboratory is presented.
On approximate formulas for the electrostatic force between two conducting spheres
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sliško, Josip; Brito-Orta, Raúl A.
1998-04-01
A series expression for the electrostatic force between two charged conducting spheres having equal radii and charges is derived using the method of electrical images. This expression is a special case of that for two spheres with arbitrary charges and radii, found by Maxwell using zonal harmonics. Keeping in mind the use of approximate formulas for the interpretation of classroom measurements of the electrostatic force between spheres, we comment on two incorrect approximate formulas and examine the contribution of the first few non-Coulomb terms of the correct formula by comparing with values obtained using a computational approach.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hvilshøj, S.; Jensen, K. H.; Barlebo, H. C.; Madsen, B.
1999-08-01
Inverse numerical modeling was applied to analyze pumping tests of partially penetrating wells carried out in three wells established in an unconfined aquifer in Vejen, Denmark, where extensive field investigations had previously been carried out, including tracer tests, mini-slug tests, and other hydraulic tests. Drawdown data from multiple piezometers located at various horizontal and vertical distances from the pumping well were included in the optimization. Horizontal and vertical hydraulic conductivities, specific storage, and specific yield were estimated, assuming that the aquifer was either a homogeneous system with vertical anisotropy or composed of two or three layers of different hydraulic properties. In two out of three cases, a more accurate interpretation was obtained for a multi-layer model defined on the basis of lithostratigraphic information obtained from geological descriptions of sediment samples, gammalogs, and flow-meter tests. Analysis of the pumping tests resulted in values for horizontal hydraulic conductivities that are in good accordance with those obtained from slug tests and mini-slug tests. Besides the horizontal hydraulic conductivity, it is possible to determine the vertical hydraulic conductivity, specific yield, and specific storage based on a pumping test of a partially penetrating well. The study demonstrates that pumping tests of partially penetrating wells can be analyzed using inverse numerical models. The model used in the study was a finite-element flow model combined with a non-linear regression model. Such a model can accommodate more geological information and complex boundary conditions, and the parameter-estimation procedure can be formalized to obtain optimum estimates of hydraulic parameters and their standard deviations.
Full-waveform inversion of GPR data for civil engineering applications
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
van der Kruk, Jan; Kalogeropoulos, Alexis; Hugenschmidt, Johannes; Klotzsche, Anja; Busch, Sebastian; Vereecken, Harry
2014-05-01
Conventional GPR ray-based techniques are often limited in their capability to image complex structures due to the pertaining approximations. Due to the increased computational power, it is becoming more easy to use modeling and inversion tools that explicitly take into account the detailed electromagnetic wave propagation characteristics. In this way, new civil engineering application avenues are opening up that enable an improved high resolution imaging of quantitative medium properties. In this contribution, we show recent developments that enable the full-waveform inversion of off-ground, on-ground and crosshole GPR data. For a successful inversion, a proper start model must be used that generates synthetic data that overlaps the measured data with at least half a wavelength. In addition, the GPR system must be calibrated such that an effective wavelet is obtained that encompasses the complexity of the GPR source and receiver antennas. Simple geometries such as horizontal layers can be described with a limited number of model parameters, which enable the use of a combined global and local search using the Simplex search algorithm. This approach has been implemented for the full-waveform inversion of off-ground and on-ground GPR data measured over horizontally layered media. In this way, an accurate 3D frequency domain forward model of Maxwell's equation can be used where the integral representation of the electric field is numerically evaluated. The full-waveform inversion (FWI) for a large number of unknowns uses gradient-based optimization methods where a 3D to 2D conversion is used to apply this method to experimental data. Off-ground GPR data, measured over homogeneous concrete specimens, were inverted using the full-waveform inversion. In contrast to traditional ray-based techniques we were able to obtain quantitative values for the permittivity and conductivity and in this way distinguish between moisture and chloride effects. For increasing chloride content increasing frequency-dependent conductivity values were obtained. The off-ground full-waveform inversion was extended to invert for positive and negative gradients in conductivity and the conductivity gradient direction could be correctly identified. Experimental specimen containing gradients were generated by exposing a concrete slab to controlled wetting-drying cycles using a saline solution. Full-waveform inversion of the measured data correctly identified the conductivity gradient direction which was confirmed by destructive analysis. On-ground CMP GPR data measured over a concrete layer overlying a metal plate show interfering multiple reflections, which indicates that the structure acts as a waveguide. Calculation of the phase-velocity spectrum shows the presence of several higher order modes. Whereas the dispersion inversion returns the thickness and layer height, the full-waveform inversion was also able to estimate quantitative conductivity values. This abstract is a contribution to COST Action TU1208
Ferrante, Margherita; Signorelli, Salvatore Santo; Ferlito, Santina Letizia; Grasso, Alfina; Dimartino, Angela; Copat, Chiara
2018-04-01
The study conducted in two regions of Guinea Bissau, Oio and Cacheu, focusing on the characterization of the groundwater supplies sampled during the dry season and their associated risks for human health. Twenty samples were collected in wells located nearby pit latrines. In situ analyses were conducted with Semi-quantitative test strips for the determination of turbidity, pH, chloride, carbonate, sulfites, ammonium, nitrite and nitrate. The analysis of metals was performed by an ICP-MS Elan DRC-e and an ICP-OES Optima 8000. The Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) was applied to evaluate the risk of developing chronic systemic effects derived from exposure to metals. Values of concern of turbidity ammonium, and pH values were lower than the normal range for drinking water in most samples. From both regions, Fe and Al were occasionally found with values higher than the international thresholds fixed by the World Health Organization and by the European Commission for drinking water, while, only in one sample from Cacheu region Pb was found significantly above these limits. THQs resulted next to the level of risk (1) for the highest values found of Al, As, Fe and Mn. Of great concern is the resident risk obtained from a well water of Cacheu for the highest value of Pb (96.8μg/L), because the values of the resident risk found of 1 and 0.7 for child and adults respectively. The results obtained highlighted a close correlation between the chemistry of water and sediment and a correlation with the proximity of the water supplies with the latrines. This study evidenced the potential toxicity of the water supplies for the local populations and the risk of developing chronic systemic effects due to some physico-chemical parameters, the importance of functioning water pipeline system, the importance of maintaining adequate distance between latrines and drinking water access. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Harb, Gabriele; Haun, Stefan
2013-04-01
Reservoir sedimentation is a common problem today. Due to the reduced flow velocities, turbulences and bed shear stresses the transported sediment load start to settle. These depositions reduce the worldwide average storage capacity in the range of about 1% per year. However, depending on the climate conditions and the geology in the catchment area this value may vary strongly. Therefore sediment management tasks, especially the removal of already accumulated sediments, have to be developed for each reservoir separately. The critical bed shear stress is a key parameter used to evaluate the different management tasks and depend strongly on the grain size distribution of the inflowing sediments. However, depositions which contain fine particles like clay and silt increase the critical bed shear stress due to occurring cohesive forces and the use of the Shield curve for evaluating the critical shear stress is no longer valid. Additional data is required for estimating the valid critical shear stress at the reservoir bed. In this study the critical shear stress was evaluated for cohesive sediment samples, taken from two different reservoirs, in a flume in the laboratory. The sediment samples were placed in an installed double bottom in the research flume and the discharge was increased stepwise until mass erosion took place (determined by visual inspection). A 2D PIV device was used to measure the flow conditions (velocities and turbulences) over the sediment sample. The obtained values were used to calculate the bed shear stress for the specific discharge rate by the gravity method and the Reynolds stress method. The results of both methods showed good agreement in the comparison of the values, what indicates that nearly uniform flow conditions occurred in the flume. The results from this study showed that the behaviour of natural cohesive sediments depend strongly on the natural conditions as a result of physical, chemical and biological processes. In this case especially the effect of the layer structure in the sediment samples was controlling the erosion mechanism. The results of the experiments showed also that the obtained average shear stress was above most of the values found in previous conducted studies, which may be explained by consolidation effects in the reservoirs. Additional conducted vane strength measurements have been carried out in situ. The in the field obtained vane strength values were set in relation to the critical shear stresses derived by the experimental tests from the laboratory and to data from a previous conducted study to develop a new relation function. This function may be used in future studies for a rough estimation of the critical shear stress, based on in situ measured vane strength values.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Oh, J. E.; Ianno, N. J.; Ahmed, A. U.
A three-dimensional heat transfer model for heating of a multilayer structure by a stationary Gaussian CW CO2 laser beam is developed and applied to solar cell interconnect welding. This model takes into account the temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity and diffusivity as well as free carrier absorption of the incident beam in the silicon where appropriate. Finally, the theoretical temperature profiles are used to determine the weld spot size and these values are compared to results obtained from a simple welding experiment, where excellent agreement is obtained.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Rastgarkafshgarkolaei, Rouzbeh; Zeng, Yi; Khodadadi, J. M., E-mail: khodajm@auburn.edu
2016-05-28
Phase change materials such as n-alkanes that exhibit desirable characteristics such as high latent heat, chemical stability, and negligible supercooling are widely used in thermal energy storage applications. However, n-alkanes have the drawback of low thermal conductivity values. The low thermal conductivity of n-alkanes is linked to formation of randomly oriented nano-domains of molecules in their solid structure that is responsible for excessive phonon scattering at the grain boundaries. Thus, understanding the thermal boundary conductance at the grain boundaries can be crucial for improving the effectiveness of thermal storage systems. The concept of the ideal crystal is proposed in thismore » paper, which describes a simplified model such that all the nano-domains of long-chain n-alkanes are artificially aligned perfectly in one direction. In order to study thermal transport of the ideal crystal of long-chain n-alkanes, four (4) systems (C{sub 20}H{sub 42}, C{sub 24}H{sub 50}, C{sub 26}H{sub 54}, and C{sub 30}H{sub 62}) are investigated by the molecular dynamics simulations. Thermal boundary conductance between the layers of ideal crystals is determined using both non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) and equilibrium molecular dynamics (EMD) simulations. Both NEMD and EMD simulations exhibit no significant change in thermal conductance with the molecular length. However, the values obtained from the EMD simulations are less than the values from NEMD simulations with the ratio being nearly three (3) in most cases. This difference is due to the nature of EMD simulations where all the phonons are assumed to be in equilibrium at the interface. Thermal conductivity of the n-alkanes in three structures including liquid, solid, and ideal crystal is investigated utilizing NEMD simulations. Our results exhibit a very slight rise in thermal conductivity values as the number of carbon atoms of the chain increases. The key understanding is that thermal transport can be significantly altered by how the molecules and the nano-domains are oriented in the structure rather than by the length of the n-alkane molecules.« less
Material Teaching Aids: Enhancement Tool for Teaching Essay Writing in Secondary Schools
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Fidelia, Okonkwo Adaobi
2015-01-01
The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of material teaching aids as enhancement tool for teaching essay writing in secondary schools in Ebonyi State. A 4-point Likert-scale questionnaire was used as the instrument. A trial test was conducted and tested for reliability and a value of 0.75 was obtained from the test. The instrument was…
Advanced double layer capacitors
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Sarangapani, S.; Lessner, P.; Forchione, J.; Griffith, A.; Laconti, A. B.
1989-01-01
Work was conducted that could lead to a high energy density electrochemical capacitor, completely free of liquid electrolyte. A three-dimensional RuO sub x-ionomer composite structure has been successfully formed and appears to provide an ionomer ionic linkage throughout the composite structure. Capacitance values of approximately 0.6 F/sq cm were obtained compared with 1 F/sq cm when a liquid electrolyte is used with the same configuration.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Chew, K. W.; Tan, C. G.; Osman, Z.
The effects of plasticizer and lithium salt on PMMA-based solid polymer electrolyte have been investigated. In current project, three system samples consisted of pure poly(methyl methacrylate (PMMA) system, plasticized poly(methyl methacrylate)(PMMA-EC) system and the LiCF{sub 3}SO{sub 3} salted-poly(methyl methacrylate) containing a fixed amount of plasticizer ([PMMA-EC]-LiCF{sub 3}SO{sub 3}) system have been prepared using solution casting technique. The conductivities of the films from each system are characterized by impedance spectroscopy and infrared spectrum. With the addition of plasticizer, results show improvement on the ionic conductivity value where the value of 6.25x10{sup -10} Scm{sup -1} is obtained. This may be due tomore » the nature of plasticizer that softens the polymer and hence enhanced the ionic transportation across the polymer. The room temperature conductivity for the highest conducting sample in the ([PMMA-EC]-LiCF{sub 3}SO{sub 3}) system is 1.36x10{sup -5} Scm{sup -1}. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) indicates complexation between the polymer and the plasticizer and the polymer, the plasticizer and the salts, and the result of XRD further supports the observation.« less
Impedance of (CoFeZr)0,559(PbZrTiO3)0,441 nanocomposite annealed in a tubular furnace
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Boiko, Oleksandr
2016-12-01
The objective of the present research has been to determine the influence of annealing in tubular furnace on capacity of (CoFeZr)0,559(PbZrTiO3)0,441 nanocomposite produced by ion beam sputtering using combined argon and oxygen beam. The phase angle of the nanocomposite directly after preparing demonstrates negative values, which indicates the capacitive type of electrical conductivity of the material. The rapid increase of conductivity when frequency increases indicates hopping conductance in the material. The additional polarization of the nanocomposite occurs with its extinction in the area of high frequencies. The electrons relaxation time has been defined as of ca τ = 1,25×10-4 s. Annealing of nanocomposite sample x = 55.9 at.% at temperature Ta = 548 K causes phase angle obtains positive values in high frequency area, which indicates the change of conduction type from capacitive to inductive. The voltage resonance phenomenon occurs in the material. Annealing in temperature of Ta = 648 K causes changes of the nanomaterials capacity. The additional oxidization of CoFeZr metallic phase nanograins which provides to the potential barrier formation around potential wells (CoFeZr nanoparticles).
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dutta, Rituraj; Kumar, A.
2017-10-01
Dielectric relaxation dynamics and AC conductivity scaling of a metal-organic framework (MOF-5) based poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdf-HFP) incorporated with 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate have been studied over a frequency range of 40 Hz-5 MHz and in the temperature range of 300 K-380 K. High values of dielectric permittivity (~{{\\varepsilon }\\prime} ) having strong dispersion are obtained at low frequency because of interfacial polarization. The real part of the dielectric modulus spectra (M‧) shows no prominent peak, whereas the imaginary part (M″) shows certain peaks, with a reduction in relaxation time (τ) that can be attributed to a non-Debye relaxation mechanism. The spectra also depict both concentration- and temperature-independent scaling behavior. The power law dependent variation of AC conductivity follows the jump relaxation model and reveals activated ion hopping over diffusion barriers. The value of the frequency exponent is observed to decrease with increasing concentration of ionic liquid, indicating the forward hopping of ions in the relaxation process. The AC conductivity scaling curves at different temperatures also depict the temperature-independent relaxation dynamics.
Assessing the features of extreme smog in China and the differentiated treatment strategy
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Deng, Lu; Zhang, Zhengjun
2018-01-01
Extreme smog can have potentially harmful effects on human health, the economy and daily life. However, the average (mean) values do not provide strategically useful information on the hazard analysis and control of extreme smog. This article investigates China's smog extremes by applying extreme value analysis to hourly PM2.5 data from 2014 to 2016 obtained from monitoring stations across China. By fitting a generalized extreme value (GEV) distribution to exceedances over a station-specific extreme smog level at each monitoring location, all study stations are grouped into eight different categories based on the estimated mean and shape parameter values of fitted GEV distributions. The extreme features characterized by the mean of the fitted extreme value distribution, the maximum frequency and the tail index of extreme smog at each location are analysed. These features can provide useful information for central/local government to conduct differentiated treatments in cities within different categories and conduct similar prevention goals and control strategies among those cities belonging to the same category in a range of areas. Furthermore, hazardous hours, breaking probability and the 1-year return level of each station are demonstrated by category, based on which the future control and reduction targets of extreme smog are proposed for the cities of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei as an example.
Weeks, E.P.; Wilson, W.E.
1984-01-01
Analyses were made on 19 core samples of unsaturated tuff from test well USW H-1. Moisture-characteristic curves relating saturation and moisture tension were developed from results of mercury-injection tests. Ambient moisture tension estimated from these curves generally was 1 to 2 bars. Values of relative permeability ranging from about 0.002 to 0.1 were determined by fitting an analytical expression to eight of the moisture-characteristic curves, and then integrating to solve for relative permeability. These values of relative permeability were applied to values of saturated hydraulic conductivity of core from a nearby test well to obtain effective hydraulic conductivities of about 8 x 10 to the minus twelfth power to 7 x 10 to the minus tenth power centimeter per second. If a unit hydraulic-head gradient is assumed, these values convert to a vertial matrix flux of 0.003 to 0.2 millimeter per year. The validity of this assumption was not verified due to the sparseness of data and uncertainties in their reliability. Consequently, the results of this study are preliminary and need to be used principally as a guide for future studies. (USGS)
Kinetic modeling of ion conduction in KcsA potassium channel.
Mafé, Salvador; Pellicer, Julio; Cervera, Javier
2005-05-22
KcsA constitutes a potassium channel of known structure that shows both high conduction rates and selectivity among monovalent cations. A kinetic model for ion conduction through this channel that assumes rapid ion transport within the filter has recently been presented by Nelson. In a recent, brief communication, we used the model to provide preliminary explanations to the experimental current-voltage J-V and conductance-concentration g-S curves obtained for a series of monovalent ions (K(+),Tl(+), and Rb(+)). We did not assume rapid ion transport in the calculations, since ion transport within the selectivity filter could be rate limiting for ions other than native K(+). This previous work is now significantly extended to the following experimental problems. First, the outward rectification of the J-V curves in K(+) symmetrical solutions is analyzed using a generalized kinetic model. Second, the J-V and g-S curves for NH(4) (+) are obtained and compared with those of other ions (the NH(4) (+) J-V curve is qualitatively different from those of Rb(+) and Tl(+)). Third, the effects of Na(+) block on K(+) and Rb(+) currents through single KcsA channels are studied and the different blocking behavior is related to the values of the translocation rate constants characteristic of ion transport within the filter. Finally, the significantly decreased K(+) conductance caused by mutation of the wild-type channel is also explained in terms of this rate constant. In order to keep the number of model parameters to a minimum, we do not allow the electrical distance (an empirical parameter of kinetic models that controls the exponential voltage dependence of the dissociation rate) to vary with the ionic species. Without introducing the relatively high number of adjustable parameters of more comprehensive site-based models, we show that ion association to the filter is rate controlling at low concentrations, but ion dissociation from the filter and ion transport within the filter could limit conduction at high concentration. Although some experimental data from other authors were included to allow qualitative comparison with model calculations, the absolute values of the effective rate constants obtained are only tentative. However, the relative changes in these constants needed to explain qualitatively the experiments should be of significance.
Specific Heat Capacities of Martian Sedimentary Analogs at Low Temperatures
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Vu, T. H.; Piqueux, S.; Choukroun, M.; Christensen, P. R.; Glotch, T. D.; Edwards, C. S.
2017-12-01
Data returned from Martian missions have revealed a wide diversity of surface mineralogies, especially in geological structures interpreted to be sedimentary or altered by liquid water. These terrains are of great interest because of their potential to document the environment at a time when life may have appeared. Intriguingly, Martian sedimentary rocks show distinctly low thermal inertia values (300-700 J.m-2.K-1.s-1/2, indicative of a combination of low thermal conductivity, specific heat, and density) that are difficult to reconcile with their bedrock morphologies (where hundreds of magmatic bedrock occurrences have been mapped with thermal inertia values >> 1200 J.m-2.K-1.s-1/2). While low thermal conductivity and density values are sometimes invoked to lower the thermal inertia of massive bedrock, both are not sufficient to lower values below 1200 J.m-2.K-1.s-1/2, far above the numbers reported in the literature for Martian sedimentary/altered rocks. In addition, our limited knowledge of the specific heat of geological materials and their temperature dependency, especially below room temperature, have prevented accurate thermal modeling and impeded interpretation of the thermal inertia data. In this work, we have addressed that knowledge gap by conducting experimental measurements of the specific heat capacities of geological materials relevant to Martian sedimentary rocks at temperatures between 100 and 350 K. The results show that variation of the specific heat with temperature, while appreciable to some extent, is rather small and is unlikely to contribute significantly in the lowering of thermal inertia values. Therefore, thermal conductivity is the parameter that has the most potential in explaining this phenomenon. Such scenario could be possible if the sedimentary rocks are finely layered with poor thermal contact between each internal bed. As the density of most geological materials is well-known, the obtained specific heat data can be used to uniquely constrain the thermal conductivity, thereby improving thermal prediction models for Martian surface temperatures. This work was conducted at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under contract to NASA. Support from the NASA Solar System Workings Program and government sponsorship are acknowledged.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Maurya, Sandeep Kumar; Liu, Ya; Xu, Xiaojie; Woods-Robinson, Rachel; Das, Chandan; Ager, Joel W., III; Balasubramaniam, K. R.
2017-12-01
p-type transparent conducting Cu alloyed ZnS thin films from Cu{x} Zn{1-x} S targets (x = 0.1 , 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5) were deposited on glass substrates via radio frequency sputtering. x-ray diffraction and TEM-SAED analysis show that all the films have sphalerite ZnS as the majority crystalline phase. In addition, films with 30% and 40% Cu show the presence of increasing amounts of crystalline Cu2S phase. Conductivity values ⩾400 S cm-1 were obtained for the films having 30% and 40% Cu, with the maximum conductivity of 752 S cm-1 obtained for the film with 40% Cu. Temperature dependent electrical transport measurements indicate metallic as well as degenerate hole conductivity in the deposited films. The reflection-corrected transmittance of this Cu alloyed ZnS (40% Cu) film was determined to be ⩾75% at 550 nm. The transparent conductor figure of merit (ΦTC ) of the Cu alloyed ZnS (40% Cu), calculated with the average value of transmittance between 1.5 to 2.5 eV, was ≈276 μS .
Press-Printed Conductive Carbon Black Nanoparticle Films for Molecular Detection at the Microscale.
Della Pelle, Flavio; Vázquez, Luis; Del Carlo, Michele; Sergi, Manuel; Compagnone, Dario; Escarpa, Alberto
2016-08-26
Carbon black nanoparticle (CBNP) press-transferred film-based transducers for the molecular detection at the microscale level were proposed for the first time. Current-sensing atomic force microscopy (CS-AFM) revealed that the CBNP films were effectively press-transferred, retaining their good conductivity. A significant correlation between the morphology and the resistance was observed. The highest resistance was localized at the top of the press-transferred film protrusions, whereas low values are usually obtained at the deep crevices or grooves. The amount of press-transferred CBNPs is the key parameter to obtain films with improved conductivity, which is in good agreement with the electrochemical response. In addition, the conductivity of such optimum films was not only Ohmic; in fact, tunneling/hopping contributions were observed, as assessed by CS-AFM. The CBNP films acted as exclusive electrochemical transducers as evidenced by using two classes of molecules, that is, neurotransmitters and environmental organic contaminants. These results revealed the potential of these CBNP press-transferred films for providing new options in microfluidics and other related micro- and nanochemistry applications. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Robust solid polymer electrolyte for conducting IPN actuators
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Festin, Nicolas; Maziz, Ali; Plesse, Cédric; Teyssié, Dominique; Chevrot, Claude; Vidal, Frédéric
2013-10-01
Interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) based on nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) as first component and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) as second component were synthesized and used as a solid polymer electrolyte film in the design of a mechanically robust conducting IPN actuator. IPN mechanical properties and morphologies were mainly investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis and transmission electron microscopy. For 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis-(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)-imide (EMITFSI) swollen IPNs, conductivity values are close to 1 × 10-3 S cm-1 at 25 ° C. Conducting IPN actuators have been synthesized by chemical polymerization of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) within the PEO/NBR IPN. A pseudo-trilayer configuration has been obtained with PEO/NBR IPN sandwiched between two interpenetrated PEDOT electrodes. The robust conducting IPN actuators showed a free strain of 2.4% and a blocking force of 30 mN for a low applied potential of ±2 V.
Tagliaferri, Vincenzo; Ucciardello, Nadia
2017-01-01
Nanocomposite coatings with highly-aligned graphite nanoplatelets in a copper matrix were successfully fabricated by electrodeposition. For the first time, the disposition and thermal conductivity of the nanofiller has been evaluated. The degree of alignment and inclination of the filling materials has been quantitatively evaluated by polarized micro-Raman spectroscopy. The room temperature values of the thermal conductivity were extracted for the graphite nanoplatelets by the dependence of the Raman G-peak frequency on the laser power excitation. Temperature dependency of the G-peak shift has been also measured. Most remarkable is the global thermal conductivity of 640 ± 20 W·m−1·K−1 (+57% of copper) obtained for the composite coating by the flash method. Our experimental results are accounted for by an effective medium approximation (EMA) model that considers the influence of filler geometry, orientation, and thermal conductivity inside a copper matrix. PMID:29068424
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Kurosaki, Y., E-mail: yosuke.kurosaki.uy@hitachi.com; Yabuuchi, S.; Nishide, A.
We report a lowered lattice thermal conductivity in nm-scale MnSi{sub 1.7}/Si multilayers which were fabricated by controlling thermal diffusions of Mn and Si atoms. The thickness of the constituent layers is 1.5–5.0 nm, which is comparable to the phonon mean free path of both MnSi{sub 1.7} and Si. By applying the above nanostructures, we reduced the lattice thermal conductivity down to half that of bulk MnSi{sub 1.7}/Si composite materials. The obtained value of 1.0 W/K m is the experimentally observed minimum in MnSi{sub 1.7}-based materials without any heavy element doping and close to the minimum thermal conductivity. We attribute the reduced latticemore » thermal conductivity to phonon scattering at the MnSi{sub 1.7}/Si interfaces in the multilayers.« less
Bound of dissipation on a plane Couette dynamo
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Alboussière, Thierry
2009-06-01
Variational turbulence is among the few approaches providing rigorous results in turbulence. In addition, it addresses a question of direct practical interest, namely, the rate of energy dissipation. Unfortunately, only an upper bound is obtained as a larger functional space than the space of solutions to the Navier-Stokes equations is searched. Yet, in some cases, this upper bound is in good agreement with experimental results in terms of order of magnitude and power law of the imposed Reynolds number. In this paper, the variational approach to turbulence is extended to the case of dynamo action and an upper bound is obtained for the global dissipation rate (viscous and Ohmic). A simple plane Couette flow is investigated. For low magnetic Prandtl number Pm fluids, the upper bound of energy dissipation is that of classical turbulence (i.e., proportional to the cubic power of the shear velocity) for magnetic Reynolds numbers below Pm-1 and follows a steeper evolution for magnetic Reynolds numbers above Pm-1 (i.e., proportional to the shear velocity to the power of 4) in the case of electrically insulating walls. However, the effect of wall conductance is crucial: for a given value of wall conductance, there is a value for the magnetic Reynolds number above which energy dissipation cannot be bounded. This limiting magnetic Reynolds number is inversely proportional to the square root of the conductance of the wall. Implications in terms of energy dissipation in experimental and natural dynamos are discussed.
Monitoring of skin conductance to assess postoperative pain intensity.
Ledowski, T; Bromilow, J; Paech, M J; Storm, H; Hacking, R; Schug, S A
2006-12-01
Pain is known to alter the electrogalvanic properties of the skin. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the influence of postoperative pain on skin conductance (SC) readings. After obtaining ethical approval and written informed consent, 25 postoperative patients were asked to quantify their level of pain on a numeric rating scale (NRS, 0-10) at different time points in the recovery room. As a parameter of SC, the number of fluctuations within the mean SC per second (NFSC) was recorded. Simultaneously, the NRS was obtained from patients by a different observer who was blinded to the NFSC values. Data from 110 readings of 25 patients (14 female, 11 male; 21-67 yr) were included. NFSC showed a significant correlation with the NRS (r=0.625; P<0.01), whereas heart rate and blood pressure showed no or very weak correlation with the NRS. NFSC was significantly different between patients with no (NRS=0), mild (NRS=1-3), moderate (NRS=4-5) and severe (NRS=6-10) pain (no: 0.047, mild: 0.089, moderate: 0.242, severe: 0.263; P<0.0001). Post hoc, a cut-off value for NFSC (0.1) was calculated above which a pain score >3 on the NRS was predicted with sensitivity of 89% and specificity of 74%. The severity of postoperative pain significantly influences SC. Using cut-off values, NFSC may prove a useful tool for pain assessment in the postoperative period.
Birgül, Ozlem; Eyüboğlu, B Murat; Ider, Y Ziya
2003-11-07
Magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography (MR-EIT) is an emerging imaging technique that reconstructs conductivity images using magnetic flux density measurements acquired employing MRI together with conventional EIT measurements. In this study, experimental MR-EIT images from phantoms with conducting and insulator objects are presented. The technique is implemented using the 0.15 T Middle East Technical University MRI system. The dc current method used in magnetic resonance current density imaging is adopted. A reconstruction algorithm based on the sensitivity matrix relation between conductivity and only one component of magnetic flux distribution is used. Therefore, the requirement for object rotation is eliminated. Once the relative conductivity distribution is found, it is scaled using the peripheral voltage measurements to obtain the absolute conductivity distribution. Images of several insulator and conductor objects in saline filled phantoms are reconstructed. The L2 norm of relative error in conductivity values is found to be 13%, 17% and 14% for three different conductivity distributions.
Ultimate strength capacity of a square hollow section filled with fibrous foamed concrete
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Amirah Azra Khairuddin, Siti; Rahman, Norashidah Abd; Jamaluddin, Norwati; Jaini, Zainorizuan Mohd; Ali, Noorwirdawati
2017-11-01
Concrete-filled sections used as building columns have become popular due to their architectural and structural elements. In recent years, there has been a renewed call for the improvement of materials used as concrete to fill the composite columns. Among these materials, foamed concrete has received great attention due to its structural characteristics and its potential as a construction material used in hollow sections. However, its behaviors as infill material in a hollow section, such as its strength and failure mode, should be investigated. In this study, experimental research was conducted to compare the experimental and theoretical values of its ultimate strength capacity. Eight specimens of hollow steel sections with two different thicknesses were filled with fibrous foamed concrete and then subjected to compression load. The obtained results were compared with those obtained from a hollow section with the same thicknesses, but were filled with normal foamed concrete. Results show that the ultimate strength capacity of the experimental value is the same as that of the theoretical value based on Eurocode 4. The largest percentage values between theoretical and experimental results for thicknesses of 2 and 4 mm are 58% and 55%, respectively.
A method for the estimation of dual transmissivities from slug tests
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wolny, Filip; Marciniak, Marek; Kaczmarek, Mariusz
2018-03-01
Aquifer homogeneity is usually assumed when interpreting the results of pumping and slug tests, although aquifers are essentially heterogeneous. The aim of this study is to present a method of determining the transmissivities of dual-permeability water-bearing formations based on slug tests such as the pressure-induced permeability test. A bi-exponential rate-of-rise curve is typically observed during many of these tests conducted in heterogeneous formations. The work involved analyzing curves deviating from the exponential rise recorded at the Belchatow Lignite Mine in central Poland, where a significant number of permeability tests have been conducted. In most cases, bi-exponential movement was observed in piezometers with a screen installed in layered sediments, each with a different hydraulic conductivity, or in fissured rock. The possibility to identify the flow properties of these geological formations was analyzed. For each piezometer installed in such formations, a set of two transmissivity values was calculated piecewise based on the interpretation algorithm of the pressure-induced permeability test—one value for the first (steeper) part of the obtained rate-of-rise curve, and a second value for the latter part of the curve. The results of transmissivity estimation for each piezometer are shown. The discussion presents the limitations of the interpretational method and suggests future modeling plans.
Role of polymer matrix on photo-sensitivity of CdSe polymer nanocomposites
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kaur, Ramneek; Tripathi, S. K.
2018-04-01
This paper reports the effect of three different polymer matrices (PVP, PMMA and PVK) and Ag doping on the photo-sensitivity of CdSe polymer nanocomposites. The results reveal that the photoconductivity is high for linear chain polymer nanocomposites as compared to aromatic ones with decreasing trend as: CdSe-PMMA > CdSe-PVP > CdSe-PVK. The large substituents or branches along the polymer backbone hinder the stacking sequences in CdSe-PVK nanocomposites resulting in lowest photoconductivity. On contrary, CdSe-PVK nanocomposite exhibit highest photosensitivity. The reason behind it is the low value of dark conductivity in CdSe-PVK nanocomposite and photoconductive PVK matrix. With Ag doping, no considerable effect on the value of photosensitivity has been observed. The obtained results indicate that the photo-conducting properties of these polymer nanocomposites can be tuned by using different polymer matrices.
On the mechanical characteristics of a self-setting calcium phosphate cement.
Bimis, A; Canal, L P; Karalekas, D; Botsis, J
2017-04-01
To perform a mechanical characterization of a self-setting calcium phosphate cement in function of the immersion time in Ringer solution. Specimens of self-setting calcium phosphate cement were prepared from pure α-TCP powder. The residual strains developed during hardening stage were monitored using an embedded fiber Bragg grating sensor. Additionally, the evolution of the elastic modulus was obtained for the same time period by conducting low-load indentation tests. Micro-computed tomography as well as microscope-assisted inspections were employed to evaluate the porosity in the specimens. Moreover, diametral compression tests were conducted in wet and dried specimens to characterize the material strength. The volume of the estimated porosity and absorbed fluid mass, during the first few minutes of the material's exposure in a wet environment, coincide. The immersion in Ringer solution lead to a noticeable increase in the moduli values. The critical value of stresses obtained from the diametral compression tests were combined with the data from uniaxial compression tests, to suggest a Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion. This study presents different techniques to characterize a self-setting calcium phosphate cement and provides experimental data on porosity, mechanical properties and failure. The investigated material possessed an open porosity at its dried state with negligible residual strains and its Young's modulus, obtained from micro-indentation tests, increased with hardening time. The failure loci may be described by a Mohr-Coulomb criterion, characteristic of soil and rock materials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Jordán, M. M.; Pina, S.; García-Orenes, F.; Almendro-Candel, M. B.; García-Sánchez, E.
2008-07-01
The ecologic restoration criteria in areas degraded from extraction activities require making use of their mine spoils. These materials do not meet fertility conditions to guarantee restoration success and therefore, need the incorporation of organic amendments to obtain efficient substratum. Reducing the deficiencies in the organic material and restoration material nutrients with the contribution of treated sewage sludge is proposed in this work. This experiment was based on a controlled study using columns. The work was conducted with two mine spoils, both very rich in calcium carbonate. The first mineral, of poor quality, came from the formation of aggregates of crushed limestone ( Z). The other residual material examined originated in limestone extraction, formed by the levels of interspersed non-limestone materials and the remains of stripped soils ( D). Two treatments were undertaken (30,000 and 90,000 kg/ha of sewage sludge), in addition to a control treatment. The water contribution was carried out with a device that simulated either short-duration rain or a flooding irrigation system in order to cover the surface and then percolate through the soil. The collection of leached water took place 24 h after the applications. Different parameters of the leached water were determined, including pH, electrical conductivity, nitrate anions, ammonium, phosphates, sulphates and chlorides. The values obtained for each irrigation application are discussed, and the nitrate values obtained were very elevated.
Alternating-current conductivity and dielectric relaxation of bulk iodoargentate
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Duan, Hai-Bao, E-mail: duanhaibao4660@163.com; Yu, Shan-Shan; Zhou, Hong
Graphical abstract: The electric modulus shows single dielectric relaxation process in the measured frequency range. - Highlights: • The conduction mechanism is described by quantum mechanical tunneling model. • The applications of dielectric modulus give a simple method for evaluating the activation energy of the dielectric relaxation. • The [Ag{sub 2}I{sub 4}]{sup 2−}1-D chain and [Cu(en){sub 2}]{sup 2+} cation column form the layered stacks by hydrogen bond interactions. - Abstract: An inorganic-organic hybrid compound Cu(en){sub 2}Ag{sub 2}I{sub 4} (en = ethylenediamine) (1) was synthesized and single crystal structurally characterized. Along the [001] direction, the inorganic parts form an infinite 1-Dmore » chain and [Cu(en){sub 2}]{sup 2+} cations are separated by inorganic chain. The electrical conductivity and dielectric properties of 1 have been investigated over wide ranges of frequency. The alternating-current conductivities have been fitted to the Almond–West type power law expression with use of a single value of S. It is found that S values for 1 are nearly temperature-independent, which indicates that the conduction mechanism could be quantum mechanical tunneling (QMT) model. The dielectric loss and electric modulus show single dielectric relaxation process. The activation energy obtained from temperature-dependent electric modulus compare with the calculated from the dc conductivity plots.« less
Antioxidant activity of goat's milk from three different locations in Malaysia
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Alyaqoubi, Saif; Abdullah, Aminah; Addai, Zuhair Radhi
2014-09-01
This study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidant activities of two types of goat milk obtained from three different farms in Malaysia named: Semenyih, Johor Baharu and Bander Baru Bangi. Milk from Jamnupari goat breed and a crossbred of Jamnupari and Saanen were investigated in terms of antioxidant capacity based on total phenol content (TPC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Goat milk samples exhibited a significantly different antioxidant capacity (P>0.05) through all the samples. Jamnupari exhibited the highest capacity parity in TPC, FRAP, and DPPH assays (544.08 mg GA/100 g FW, 481.69 mg TE/100 g FW, and 64.77 %, respectively). By contrast, the milk sample obtained from the crossbred of Saanen and Jamnupari obtained from a UK farm exhibited the lowest values (354.14 mg GA/100 g FW, 313.58 mg TE/100 g FW, and 55.29 %, respectively). The samples obtained from the traditional farm in Bander Baru Bangi exhibited higher average values (523.80 mg GA/100 g FW, 439.33 mg TE/100 g FW, and 63.78%, respectively) than those from other sites.
The economic value of an investment in physiotherapy education: a net present value analysis.
Rivers, George; Foo, Jonathan; Ilic, Dragan; Nicklen, Peter; Reeves, Scott; Walsh, Kieran; Maloney, Stephen
2015-07-01
What is the economic value for an individual to invest in physiotherapy undergraduate education in Australia? How is this affected by increased education costs or decreased wages? A cost-benefit analysis using a net present value (NPV) approach was conducted and reported in Australian dollars. In relation to physiotherapy education, the NPV represents future earnings as a physiotherapist minus the direct and indirect costs in obtaining the degree. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to consider varying levels of experience, public versus private sector, and domestic versus international student fees. Comparable calculations were made for educational investments in medicine and nursing/midwifery. Assuming an expected discount rate of 9.675%, investment in education by domestic students with approximately 34 years of average work experience yields a NPV estimated at $784,000 for public sector physiotherapists and $815,000 for private sector therapists. In relation to international students, the NPV results for an investment and career as a physiotherapist is estimated at $705,000 in the public sector and $736,000 in the private sector. With an approximate payback period of 4 years, coupled with strong and positive NPV values, physiotherapy education in Australia is a financially attractive prospect and a viable value proposition for those considering a career in this field. Copyright © 2015 Australian Physiotherapy Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Dreyse, Paulina; Honores, Jessica; Quezada, Diego; Isaacs, Mauricio
2015-11-01
The electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide is studied herein by using conducting polymers based on metallotetraruthenated porphyrins (MTRPs). The polymers on glassy carbon electrodes were obtained by electropolymerization processes of the monomeric MTRP. The linear sweep voltammetry technique resulted in polymeric films that showed electrocatalytic activity toward carbon dioxide reduction with an onset potential of -0.70 V. The reduction products obtained were hydrogen, formic acid, formaldehyde, and methanol, with a tendency for a high production of methanol with a maximum value of turnover frequency equal to 15.07 when using a zinc(II) polymeric surface. Studies of the morphology (AFM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results provide an adequate background to explain that the electrochemical reduction is governed by the roughness of the polymer, for which the possible mechanism involves a series of one-electron reduction reactions. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Krylov, Igor; Kornblum, Lior; Gavrilov, Arkady; Ritter, Dan; Eizenberg, Moshe
2012-04-01
Temperature dependent capacitance-voltage (C-V) and conductance-voltage (G-V) measurements were performed to obtain activation energies (EA) for weak inversion C-V humps and parallel conductance peaks in Al2O3/InGaAs and Si3N4/InGaAs gate stacks. Values of 0.48 eV (slightly more than half of the band gap of the studied In0.53Ga0.47As) were obtained for EA of both phenomena for both gate dielectrics studied. This indicates an universal InGaAs behavior and shows that both phenomena are due to generation-recombination of minority carriers through near midgap located interface states. The C-V hump correlates with the interface states density (Dit) and can be used as a characterization tool for dielectric/InGaAs systems.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Chu, Julio; Luckring, James M.
1996-01-01
An experimental wind tunnel test of a 65 deg delta wing model with interchangeable leading edges was conducted in the Langley National Transonic Facility (NTF). The objective was to investigate the effects of Reynolds and Mach numbers on slender-wing leading-edge vortex flows with four values of wing leading-edge bluntness. Experimentally obtained pressure data are presented without analysis in tabulated and graphical formats across a Reynolds number range of 6 x 10(exp 6) to 36 x 10(exp 6) at a Mach number of 0.85 and across a Mach number range of 0.4 to 0.9 at a Reynolds number of 6 x 10(exp 6). Normal-force and pitching-moment coefficient plots for these Reynolds number and Mach number ranges are also presented.
Conductance Change Induced by the Rashba Effect in the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 Interface.
Kim, Taeyueb; Kim, Shin-Ik; Baek, Seung-Hyub; Hong, Jinki; Koo, Hyun Cheol
2015-11-01
The LaAlO3/SrTiO3 (LAO/STO) heterostructure has an inherent space inversion asymmetry causing an internal electric field near the interface. The Rashba spin-orbit coupling arising from this structural characteristic has a considerable influence on spin transport. With application of an external magnetic field, we observed conductance change in the LAO/STO interface which depends on the sign and magnitude of the field. Our systematic study revealed that these results come from spin dependent transport, by which we obtained quantitative strength of the Rashba effect. The Rashba strength in this system depends on the temperature: it varies from 2.6 x 10(-12) eVm to negligible value in the temperature range of 1.8 K-12 K. This method for detecting Rashba effect covers a wider temperature range in comparison with those obtained from Shubnikov-de Haas oscillation or weak antilocalization measurements.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Galanter, S. A.
1975-01-01
A space shuttle high temperature reusable surface insulation (HRSI) tile array with a single missing or lost tile was exposed to a hot gas simulated reentry environment to investigate the heating conditions in and around the vicinity of the missing HRSI tile. Heat flux and pressure data for the lost tile condition were obtained by the use of a water cooled lost tile calibration model. The maximum aluminum substrate temperature obtained during the simulated reentry was 128 C (263 F). The lost tile calibration data indicated a maximum heat flux in the lost tile cavity region of 63 percent of the upstream reference value. This test was conducted at the Ames Research Center in the 20 MW semielliptical thermal protection system (TPS) pilot plasma arc test facility.
Dang, Feng; Wan, Chunlei; Park, Nam-Hee; Tsuruta, Kazuki; Seo, Won-Seon; Koumoto, Kunihito
2013-11-13
Self-assembled particulate films with a uniform structure over a large area were prepared from La-SrTiO3 nanocubes for thermoelectric applications. UV irradiation was used to assist the formation of particulate film for decomposition of the organic phase in situ to obtain a mechanically robust structure at high temperature. The thermoelectric properties of the particulate film were measured after calcination at 1000 °C under a reductive atmosphere (Ar/H2 = 60/40). A Seebeck coefficient of S = -239 ± 24 μV/K, electrical conductivity of σ = 160 ± 5 S/cm, and thermal conductivity of κ ≈ 1.5 W/mK were obtained for a self-assembled particulate film (La: 5%) corresponding to a ZT value of 0.2 at room temperature, which exceeded that of a La-SrTiO3 single crystal with similar composition.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fatimah, Is; Nur Ilahi, Rico; Pratami, Rismayanti
2018-01-01
Research on perovskite CaTiO3 synthesis from scallop (Anadara granosa) shell and its test as material for antibacterial ceramic application have been conducted. The synthesis was performed by calcium extraction from the scallop shell followed by solid-solid reaction of obtained calcium with TiO2. Physicochemical character of the perovskite wasstudied by measurement of crystallinity using x-ray diffraction (XRD), diffuse-reflectance UV Visible spectrophotometry, scanning electrone microscope-energy dispersive x-ray (SEM-EDX) and Fourier-Transform InfraRed. Considering the future application of the perovskite as antibacterial agent, laboratory test of the peroskite as material in antibacterial ceramic preparation was also conducted. Result of research indicated that perovskite formation was obtained and the material demonstrated photocatalytic activity as identified by band gap energy (Eg) value. The significant activity was also reflected by the antibacterial action of formed ceramic.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Deng, Shuping; Liu, Hongxia; Li, Decong; Wang, Jinsong; Cheng, Feng; Shen, Lanxian; Deng, Shukang
2017-05-01
Single-crystal samples of Sr-filled Ge-based type I clathrate have been prepared by the Sn-flux method, and their thermoelectric properties investigated. The obtained samples exhibited n-type conduction with carrier concentration varying from 2.8 × 1019/cm3 to 6.8 × 1019/cm3 as the carrier mobility changed from 23.9 cm2/V-s to 15.1 cm2/V-s at room temperature. Structural analysis indicated that all samples were type I clathrate in space group pm\\bar{it{3}}n . The total content of group IV (Ge + Sn) atoms in the crystalline structure increased with increasing x value (where x defines the atomic ratio of starting elements, Sr:Ga:Ge:Sn = 8:16: x:20), reaching a maximum value of 31.76 at.% for the sample with x = 30; consequently, the lattice parameters increased. The melting points for all samples were approximately 1012 K, being considerably lower than that of single-crystal Sr8Ga16Ge30 prepared by other methods. The electrical conductivity increased while the absolute value of α increased gradually with increasing temperature; the maximum value of α reached 193 μV/K at 750 K for the sample with x = 24. The sample with x = 30 exhibited lower lattice thermal conductivity of 0.80 W/m-K. As a result, among all the Sn-flux samples, single-crystal Sr7.92Ga15.04Sn0.35Ge30.69 had the largest ZT value of 1.0 at about 750 K.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Waqas, M.; Hayat, T.; Shehzad, S. A.; Alsaedi, A.
2018-03-01
A mathematical model is formulated to characterize the non-Fourier and Fick's double diffusive models of heat and mass in moving flow of modified Burger's liquid. Temperature-dependent conductivity of liquid is taken into account. The concept of stratification is utilized to govern the equations of energy and mass species. The idea of boundary layer theory is employed to obtain the mathematical model of considered physical problem. The obtained partial differential system is converted into ordinary ones with the help of relevant variables. The homotopic concept lead to the convergent solutions of governing expressions. Convergence is attained and acceptable values are certified by expressing the so called ℏ -curves and numerical benchmark. Several graphs are made for different values of physical constraints to explore the mechanism of heat and mass transportation. We explored that the liquid temperature and concentration are retard for the larger thermal/concentration relaxation time constraint.
Drost, Ruben M W A; Paulus, Aggie T G; Ruwaard, Dirk; Evers, Silvia M A A
2017-02-01
There is a lack of knowledge about methods for valuing health intervention-related costs and monetary benefits in the education and criminal justice sectors, also known as 'inter-sectoral costs and benefits' (ICBs). The objective of this study was to develop methods for obtaining unit prices for the valuation of ICBs. By conducting an exploratory literature study and expert interviews, several generic methods were developed. The methods' feasibility was assessed through application in the Netherlands. Results were validated in an expert meeting, which was attended by policy makers, public health experts, health economists and HTA-experts, and discussed at several international conferences and symposia. The study resulted in four methods, including the opportunity cost method (A) and valuation using available unit prices (B), self-constructed unit prices (C) or hourly labor costs (D). The methods developed can be used internationally and are valuable for the broad international field of HTA.
Mexican immigrants' attitudes and interest in health insurance: a qualitative descriptive study.
Ziemer, Carolyn M; Becker-Dreps, Sylvia; Pathman, Donald E; Mihas, Paul; Frasier, Pamela; Colindres, Melida; Butterworth, Milton; Robinson, Scott S
2014-08-01
Mexican immigrants to the U.S. are nearly three times more likely to be without health insurance than non-Hispanic native citizens. To inform strategies to increase the number of insured within this population, we elicited immigrants' understanding of health insurance and preferences for coverage. Nine focus groups with Mexican immigrants were conducted across the State of North Carolina. Qualitative, descriptive methods were used to assess people's understanding of health insurance, identify their perceived need for health insurance, describe perceived barriers to obtaining coverage, and prioritize the components of insurance that immigrants value most. Individuals have a basic understanding of health insurance and perceive it as necessary. Participants most valued insurance that would cover emergencies, make care affordable, and protect family members. Barriers to obtaining insurance included cost, concerns about immigration status discovery, and communication issues. Strategies that address immigrants' preferences for and barriers to insurance should be considered.
Influence of Nanoinclusions on Thermoelectric Properties of n-Type Bi2Te3 Nanocomposites
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fan, Shufen; Zhao, Junnan; Yan, Qingyu; Ma, Jan; Hng, Huey Hoon
2011-05-01
n-Type Bi2Te3 nanocomposites with enhanced figure of merit, ZT, were fabricated by a simple, high-throughput method of mixing nanostructured Bi2Te3 particles obtained through melt spinning with micron-sized particles. Moderately high power factors were retained, while the thermal conductivity of the nanocomposites was found to decrease with increasing weight percent of nanoinclusions. The peak ZT values for all the nanocomposites were above 1.1, and the maximum shifted to higher temperature with increasing amount of nanoinclusions. A maximum ZT of 1.18 at 42°C was obtained for the 10 wt.% nanocomposite, which is a 43% increase over the bulk sample at the same temperature. This is the highest ZT reported for n-type Bi2Te3 binary material, and higher ZT values are expected if state-of-the-art Bi2Te3- x Se x materials are used.
Lunar electrical conductivity and magnetic permeability
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Dyal, P.; Parkin, C. W.; Daily, W. D.
1975-01-01
Improved analytical techniques are applied to a large Apollo magnetometer data set to yield values of electroconductivity, temperature, magnetic permeability, and iron abundance. Average bulk electroconductivity of the moon is calculated to be .0007 mho/m; a rapid increase with depth to about .003 mho/m within 250 km is indicated. The temperature profile, obtained from the electroconductivity profile for olivine, indicates high lunar temperatures at relatively shallow depths. Magnetic permeability of the moon relative to its environment is calculated to be 1.008 plus or minus .005; a permeability relative to free space of 1.012 plus 0.011, minus 0.008 is obtained. Lunar iron abundances corresponding to this permeability value are 2.5 plus 2.3, minus 1.7 wt% free iron and 5.0-13.5 wt% total iron for a moon composed of a combination of free iron, olivine, and orthopyroxene.
Thermal investigation of an electrical high-current arc with porous gas-cooled anode
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Eckert, E. R. G.; Schoeck, P. A.; Winter, E. R. F.
1984-01-01
The following guantities were measured on a high-intensity electric arc with tungsten cathode and transpiration-cooled graphite anode burning in argon: electric current and voltage, cooling gas flow rate (argon), surface temperature of the anode and of the anode holder, and temperature profile in three cross-sections of the arc are column. The last mentioned values were obtained from spectroscopic photographs. From the measured quantities, the following values were calculated: the heat flux into the anode surface, the heat loss of the anode by radiation and conduction, and the heat which was regeneratively transported by the cooling gas back into the arc space. Heat balances for the anode were also obtained. The anode losses (which are approximately 80% of the total arc power for free burning arcs) were reduced by transpiration cooling to 20%. The physical processes of the energy transfer from the arc to the anode are discussed qualitatively.
A Real-Time Apple Grading System Using Multicolor Space
2014-01-01
This study was focused on the multicolor space which provides a better specification of the color and size of the apple in an image. In the study, a real-time machine vision system classifying apples into four categories with respect to color and size was designed. In the analysis, different color spaces were used. As a result, 97% identification success for the red fields of the apple was obtained depending on the values of the parameter “a” of CIE L*a*b*color space. Similarly, 94% identification success for the yellow fields was obtained depending on the values of the parameter y of CIE XYZ color space. With the designed system, three kinds of apples (Golden, Starking, and Jonagold) were investigated by classifying them into four groups with respect to two parameters, color and size. Finally, 99% success rate was achieved in the analyses conducted for 595 apples. PMID:24574880
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ge, Yunfei; Zhang, Yuan; Weaver, Jonathan M. R.; Dobson, Phillip S.
2017-12-01
Scanning thermal microscopy (SThM) is a technique which is often used for the measurement of the thermal conductivity of materials at the nanometre scale. The impact of nano-scale feature size and shape on apparent thermal conductivity, as measured using SThM, has been investigated. To achieve this, our recently developed topography-free samples with 200 and 400 nm wide gold wires (50 nm thick) of length of 400-2500 nm were fabricated and their thermal resistance measured and analysed. This data was used in the development and validation of a rigorous but simple heat transfer model that describes a nanoscopic contact to an object with finite shape and size. This model, in combination with a recently proposed thermal resistance network, was then used to calculate the SThM probe signal obtained by measuring these features. These calculated values closely matched the experimental results obtained from the topography-free sample. By using the model to analyse the dimensional dependence of thermal resistance, we demonstrate that feature size and shape has a significant impact on measured thermal properties that can result in a misinterpretation of material thermal conductivity. In the case of a gold nanowire embedded within a silicon nitride matrix it is found that the apparent thermal conductivity of the wire appears to be depressed by a factor of twenty from the true value. These results clearly demonstrate the importance of knowing both probe-sample thermal interactions and feature dimensions as well as shape when using SThM to quantify material thermal properties. Finally, the new model is used to identify the heat flux sensitivity, as well as the effective contact size of the conventional SThM system used in this study.
Soft Soil Improvement for Sub-grade Layer Using Hexagonal Micropiles Layout
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ambak, K.; Abdullah, N. A. H.; Yusoff, M. F.; Abidin, M. H. Z.
2018-04-01
Soft soil problems are often associated with sediment and stability where it represents a major challenge in Geotechnical Engineering. Research on a soft soil was carried out to determine the level of sediment resulting from the applied load and thus compare the most ideal form of arrangement by the results obtained from bearing capacity. The study was conducted at Research Centre for Soft Soil (RECESS), UTHM by using kaolin. There are several tests conducted on kaolin before the arrangement of pile which is liquid limit test. Through these tests, the level of water content can be maintained which is 1.2 liquid limit where it is in the homogeneous condition. Density test also carried to know weight of kaolin and water that needed in the model. Meanwhile, large strain consolidation test carried on the soil by placing a load of 8 kPa. Then, the pile was arranged in the soil in the shape of a hexagon and square. Load was increased to 12 kPa and imposed on the surface of the pile with a different forms. After 24 hours, the reading of sediment was measured everyday and the process collecting data conducted for 3 week. Based on data obtained, time against sediment can be plotted. To determine the bearing capacity, direct shear test was conducted to get the value coefficient of cohesion, c as a parameter in the calculation of the soil bearing capacity. The results showed that the rate of settlement occurs is different where hexagonal form less the rate of settlement compared to square form which is 64.2% while the results of bearing capacity have the same value.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Oliver, Jeffrey W.; Stolarski, David J.; Noojin, Gary D.; Hodnett, Harvey M.; Imholte, Michelle L.; Rockwell, Benjamin A.; Kumru, Semih S.
2007-02-01
A series of experiments in a new animal model for retinal damage, cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis), have been conducted to determine the damage threshold for 12.5-nanosecond laser exposures at 1064 nm. These results provide a direct comparison to threshold values obtained in rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta), which is the model historically used in establishing retinal maximum permissible exposure (MPE) limits. In this study, the irradiance level of a collimated Gaussian laser beam of 2.5 mm diameter at the cornea was randomly varied to produce a rectangular grid of exposures on the retina. Exposures sites were fundoscopically evaluated at post-irradiance intervals of 1 hour and 24 hours. Probit analysis was performed on dose-response data to obtain probability of response curves. The 50% probability of damage (ED50) values for 1 and 24 hours post-exposure are 28.5(22.7-38.4) μJ and 17.0(12.9-21.8) μJ, respectively. These values compare favorably to data obtained with the rhesus model, 28.7(22.3-39.3) μJ and 19.1(13.6-24.4) μJ, suggesting that the cynomolgus monkey may be a suitable replacement for rhesus monkey in photoacoustic minimum visible lesion threshold studies.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kurihara, Ryuji; Furue, Hirokazu; Takahashi, Taiju; Yamashita, Tomo-o; Xu, Jun; Kobayashi, Shunsuke
2001-07-01
A photoalignment technique has been utilized for fabricating zigzag-defect-free ferroelectric liquid crystal displays (FLCDs) using polyimide RN-1199, -1286, -1266 (Nissan Chem. Ind.) and adopting oblique irradiation of unpolarized UV light. A rubbing technique was also utilized for comparison. It is shown that among these polyimide materials, RN-1199 is the best for fabricating defect-free cells with C-1 uniform states, but RN-1286 requires low energy to produce a photoaligned FLC phase. We have conducted an analytical investigation to clarify the conditions for obtaining zigzag-defect-free C-1 states, and it is theoretically shown that zigzag-defect-free C-1 state is obtained using a low azimuthal anchoring energy at a low pretilt angle, while a zigzag-defect-free C-2 state is obtained by increasing azimuthal anchoring energy above a critical value, also at a low pretilt angle. The estimated critical value of the azimuthal anchoring energy at which a transition from the C-1 state to the C-2 state occurs is 3×10-6 J/m2 for the FLC material FELIX M4654/100 (Clariant) used in this research; this value is shown to fall in a favorable range which is measured in an independent experiment.
Energy potential of the modified excess sludge
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zawieja, Iwona
2017-11-01
On the basis of the SCOD value of excess sludge it is possible to estimate an amount of energy potentially obtained during the methane fermentation process. Based on a literature review, it has been estimated that from 1 kg of SCOD it is possible to obtain 3.48 kWh of energy. Taking into account the above methane and energy ratio (i.e. 10 kWh/1Nm3 CH4), it is possible to determine the volume of methane obtained from the tested sludge. Determination of potential energy of sludge is necessary for the use of biogas as a source of power generators as cogeneration and ensure the stability of this type of system. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the energy potential of excess sludge subjected to the thermal and chemical disintegration. In the case of thermal disintegration, test was conducted in the low temperature 80°C. The reagent used for the chemical modification was a peracetic acid, which in an aqueous medium having strong oxidizing properties. The time of chemical modification was 6 hours. Applied dose of the reagent was 1.0 ml CH3COOOH/L of sludge. By subjecting the sludge disintegration by the test methods achieved an increase in the SCOD value of modified sludge, indicating the improvement of biodegradability along with a concomitant increase in their energy potential. The obtained experimental production of biogas from disintegrated sludge confirmed that it is possible to estimate potential intensity of its production. The SCOD value of 2576 mg O2/L, in the case of chemical disintegration, was obtained for a dose of 1.0 ml CH3COOH/L. For this dose the pH value was equal 6.85. In the case of thermal disintegration maximum SCOD value was 2246 mg O2/L obtained at 80°C and the time of preparation 6 h. It was estimated that in case of thermal disintegration as well as for the chemical disintegration for selected parameters, the potential energy for model digester of active volume of 5L was, respectively, 0.193 and 0,118 kWh.
Huang, Shih-Han S; Heidenheim, Paul A; Gallo, Kerri; Jayakumar, Saumya; Lindsay, Robert M
2011-01-01
Access blood water flow rate (Qaw) can be measured during hemodialysis using an online effective ionic dialysance (EID) methodology. Fresenius employ this methodology in their 2008K dialysis machine. The machine computer converts Qaw to an access blood flow rate (Fresenius Qa) using a generic blood water constant (BWC). We wished to validate this BWC. 18 patients had Fresenius Qa measurements using the EID and these were compared with a 'gold standard' ultrasound dilution methodology (Transonic Qa). Qa values were also obtained by removing the BWC from Fresenius Qa values to obtain the Qaw and recorrecting it with individualized patient factors using hematocrit and total protein values (HctTp Qa). The measurements were repeated after 1 h. There were no significant differences between Fresenius and Transonic, nor between HctTp and Transonic Qa values (p > 0.17). There were strong correlations between both sets of values (r > 0.856; p < 0.001). There was a significant correlation between the pairs of Transonic Qa values (r = 0.823; p < 0.007), but not for Fresenius Qa pairs (r = 0.573; p > 0.07). It was surmised that the BWC was not valid post-dialysis. The generic BWC is comparable to individualized blood water correction factors when Qa measures are made early in dialysis and prior to ultrafiltration treatment. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Purohit, Suresh; Suthar, Shyam Sunder; Vyas, Mahendra; Beniwal, Ram Chandra
2018-05-01
The main transport properties of liquid or liquid mixtures are viscosity, diffusion, transference and electrical conductance. Viscosities of various liquid mixtures have been studied and their analyses have also been done by the help of some parameters. For each solution, the excess thermodynamic properties (YE) have been investigated. These excess thermodynamic properties are excess molar volume (VE), viscosity deviation (Δη) and excess Gibbs free energy of activation of viscous flow (ΔG*E). These parameters provide us the important information about interaction between molecules. For example, the negative value of VE and positive value of Δη shows the strong interaction between the solute and solvent molecules while positive value of VE and negative value of Δη shows the weak interaction between solute and solvent molecules. Above parameters and their discussion have been made in our earlier paper. In the present research paper, the viscosity data have been correlated with the equations of Grunberg and Nissan, Hind et al., Tamura and Kurata Katti. The excess values have been correlated using Redlich-Kister polynomial equation to obtain their coefficients and standard deviations. It has been found that in all cases, the data obtained fitted with the values correlated by the corresponding models very well. The results are interpreted in terms of molecular interactions occurring in the solution.
Silva, F M O; Vergara-Parente, J E; Gomes, J K N; Teixeira, M N; Lima, R P
2007-04-01
Serum chemistry analyses represents a fundamental tool for the diagnosis and understanding of diseases in marine mammals. Although several studies are being conducted within the field of clinical pathology, haematological and serum chemistry data for Antillean manatees are deficient. The purpose of this study was to determine serum chemistry values for captive Antillean manatees within the CMA/Ibama facility in Brazil. Serum samples were obtained from five captive adult Antillean manatees fed with seagrass and analysed for aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, urea, creatinine, glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, total protein, albumin, globulin, phosphate, chloride, calcium and uric acid. Blood chemistry parameters were determined using a semi-automatic analyzer. Maximum, minimum, mean and standard deviations were calculated for each serum chemistry parameter. Differences on the values of males and females were verified using an unpaired Student's t-test. All the parameters analysed were similar between sexes, with exception of AP, which was higher in females (191.43 +/- 31.86 U/l). Alanine aminotransferase and uric acid values for Trichechus manatus manatus are reported for the first time in this paper. This study is the first to report serum chemistry parameter values for long-term captive male and female Antillean manatees. Therefore, the lower values of albumin, phosphate, chloride, cholesterol and triglycerides obtained here highlight the importance of clinical pathology during health monitoring of captive marine mammals.
Beck, Jennifer A.; Paschke, Suzanne S.; Arnold, L. Rick
2011-01-01
This report describes results from a groundwater data-collection program completed in 2003-2004 by the U.S. Geological Survey in support of the South Platte Decision Support System and in cooperation with the Colorado Water Conservation Board. Two monitoring wells were installed adjacent to existing water-table monitoring wells. These wells were installed as well pairs with existing wells to characterize the hydraulic properties of the alluvial aquifer and shallow Denver Formation sandstone aquifer in and near the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin. Single-well tests were performed in the 2 newly installed wells and 12 selected existing monitoring wells. Sediment particle size was analyzed for samples collected from the screened interval depths of each of the 14 wells. Hydraulic-conductivity and transmissivity values were calculated after the completion of single-well tests on each of the selected wells. Recovering water-level data from the single-well tests were analyzed using the Bouwer and Rice method because test data most closely resembled those obtained from traditional slug tests. Results from the single-well test analyses for the alluvial aquifer indicate a median hydraulic-conductivity value of 3.8 x 10-5 feet per second and geometric mean hydraulic-conductivity value of 3.4 x 10-5 feet per second. Median and geometric mean transmissivity values in the alluvial aquifer were 8.6 x 10-4 feet squared per second and 4.9 x 10-4 feet squared per second, respectively. Single-well test results for the shallow Denver Formation sandstone aquifer indicate a median hydraulic-conductivity value of 5.4 x 10-6 feet per second and geometric mean value of 4.9 x 10-6 feet per second. Median and geometric mean transmissivity values for the shallow Denver Formation sandstone aquifer were 4.0 x 10-5 feet squared per second and 5.9 x 10-5 feet squared per second, respectively. Hydraulic-conductivity values for the alluvial aquifer in and near the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin generally were greater than hydraulic-conductivity values for the Denver Formation sandstone aquifer and less than hydraulic-conductivity values for the alluvial aquifer along the main stem of the South Platte River Basin reported by previous studies. Particle sizes were analyzed for a total of 14 samples of material representative of the screened interval in each of the 14 wells tested in this study. Of the 14 samples collected, 8 samples represent the alluvial aquifer and 6 samples represent the Denver Formation sandstone aquifer in and near the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin. The sampled alluvial aquifer material generally contained a greater percentage of large particles (larger than 0.5 mm) than the sampled sandstone aquifer material. Alternatively, the sampled sandstone aquifer material generally contained a greater percentage of fine particles (smaller than 0.5 mm) than the sampled alluvial aquifer material consistent with the finding that the alluvial aquifer is more conductive than the sandstone aquifer in the vicinity of the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin.
Development of a Catalytic Coating for a Shuttle Flight Experiment
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Stewart, David A.; Goekcen, Tahir; Sepka, Steven E.; Leiser, Daniel B.; Rezin, Marc D.
2010-01-01
A spray-on coating was developed for use on the shuttle wing tiles to obtain data that could be correlated with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solutions to better understand the effect of chemical heating on a fore-body heat shield having a turbulent boundary layer during planetary entry at hypersonic speed. The selection of a spray-on coating was conducted in two Phases 1) screening tests to select the catalytic coating formulation and 2) surface property determination using both arc-jet and side-arm facilities at NASA Ames Research Center. Comparison of the predicted surface temperature profile over a flat-plate with measured values obtained during arc-jet exposure (Phase I study) was used to validate the surface properties obtained during Phase II.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sudhakar, Y. N.; Selvakumar, M.; Krishna Bhat, D.
2015-09-01
Proton-conducting biodegradable gellan gum gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) have been prepared using three different dopants, namely ortho-phosphoric (o-H3PO4), sulfuric (H2SO4) and hydrochloric acids (HCl). The GPEs were cross-linked using borax. The polymeric gels were characterized by spectroscopic, thermal, ionic conductivities and dielectric measurements. Proton conductivity was in the range of 5.1 × 10-3 to 3.7 × 10-4 s cm-1 and activation energies were between 0.14 meV and 0.19 meV, at different temperatures. Among the doped acids, the H3PO4 doped GPE exhibited thermal stability at varying temperature. Electrochemical double layer capacitors (EDLCs) were fabricated using activated carbon as electrode material and GPEs. The EDLCs were tested using cyclic voltammetry, ac impedance spectroscopic and galvanostatic charge-discharge techniques. The maximum specific capacitance value was 146 F g-1 at a scan rate of 2 mV s-1. Quite stable values were obtained at a constant current density up to 1000 cycles.
Low latitude middle atmosphere ionization studies
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Bassi, J. P.
1976-01-01
Low latitude middle atmosphere ionization was studied with data obtained from three blunt conductivity probes and one Gerdien condenser. An investigation was conducted into the effects of various ionization sources in the 40 to 65 Km altitude range. An observed enhancement of positive ion conductivity taking place during the night can be explained by an atmsopheric effect, with cosmic rays being the only source of ionization only if the ion-ion recombination coefficient (alpha sub i) is small(10 to the -7 power cu cm/s) and varies greatly with altitude. More generally accepted values of alpha sub i ( approximately equal to 3x10 to the -7 power cu cm/s) require an additional source of ionization peaking at about 65 Km, and corresponding approximately to the integrated effect of an X-ray flux measured on a rocket flown in conjunction with the ionization measurements. The reasonable assumption of an alpha sub i which does not vary with altitude in the 50-70 Km range implies an even greater value alpha sub i and a more intense and harder X-ray spectrum.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Bhasin, K. B.; Warner, J. D.; Miranda, F. A.; Gordon, W. L.; Newman, H. S.
1991-01-01
A novel waveguide power transmission measurement technique was developed to extract the complex conductivity of superconducting thin films at microwave frequencies. The microwave conductivity was taken of two laser ablated YBa2Cu3O(7-delta) thin films on LaAlO3 with transition temperatures of approximately 86.3 and 82 K, respectively, in the temperature range 25 to 300 K. From the conductivity values, the penetration depth was found to be approximately 0.54 and 0.43 micron, and the surface resistance (R sub s) to be approximately 24 and 36 micro-Ohms at 36 GHz and 76 K for the two films under consideration. The R sub s values were compared with those obtained from the change in the Q-factor of a 36 GHz Te sub 011-mode (OFHC) copper cavity by replacing one of its end walls with the superconducting sample. This technique allows noninvasive characterization of high transition superconducting thin films at microwave frequencies.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Bhasin, K. B.; Warner, J. D.; Miranda, F. A.; Gordon, W. L.; Newman, H. S.
1990-01-01
A novel waveguide power transmission measurement technique was developed to extract the complex conductivity of superconducting thin films at microwave frequencies. The microwave conductivity was taken of two laser ablated YBa2Cu3O(7-delta) thin films on LaAlO3 with transition temperatures of approx. 86.3 and 82 K, respectively, in the temperature range 25 to 300 K. From the conductivity values, the penetration depth was found to be approx. 0.54 and 0.43 micron, and the surface resistance (R sub s) to be approx. 24 and 36 micro-Ohms at 36 GHz and 76 K for the two films under consideration. The R sub s values were compared with those obtained from the change in the Q-factor of a 36 GHz Te sub 011-mode (OFHC) copper cavity by replacing one of its end walls with the superconducting sample. This technique allows noninvasive characterization of high transition temperature superconducting thin films at microwave frequencies.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yusmaita, E.; Nasra, Edi
2018-04-01
This research aims to produce instrument for measuring chemical literacy assessment in basic chemistry courses with solubility topic. The construction of this measuring instrument is adapted to the PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) problem’s characteristics and the Syllaby of Basic Chemistry in KKNI-IndonesianNational Qualification Framework. The PISA is a cross-country study conducted periodically to monitor the outcomes of learners' achievement in each participating country. So far, studies conducted by PISA include reading literacy, mathematic literacy and scientific literacy. Refered to the scientific competence of the PISA study on science literacy, an assessment designed to measure the chemical literacy of the chemistry department’s students in UNP. The research model used is MER (Model of Educational Reconstruction). The validity and reliability values of discourse questions is measured using the software ANATES. Based on the acquisition of these values is obtained a valid and reliable chemical literacy questions.There are seven question items limited response on the topic of solubility with valid category, the acquisition value of test reliability is 0,86, and has a difficulty index and distinguishing good
Kim, Du Yung; Kwon, Jung-Hwan
2018-05-04
Because the freely dissolved fraction of highly hydrophobic organic chemicals is bioavailable, knowing the partition coefficient between dissolved organic carbon and water (K DOCw ) is crucial to estimate the freely dissolved fraction from the total concentration. A kinetic method was developed to obtain K DOCw that required a shorter experimental time than equilibrium methods. The equilibrium partition coefficients of four polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) (2,4,4'-trichlorobiphenyl (PCB 28), 2,2',3,5'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB 44), 2,2',4,5,5'-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 101), and 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB 153)) between dissolved organic carbon and seawater (K DOCsw ) were determined using seawater samples from the Korean coast. The log K DOCsw values of PCB 28 were measured by equilibrating PCB 28, the least hydrophobic congener, with seawater samples, and the values ranged from 6.60 to 7.20. For the more hydrophobic PCBs (PCB 44, PCB 101, and PCB 153), kinetic experiments were conducted to determine the sorption rate constants (k 2 ) and their log K DOCsw values were obtained by comparing their k 2 with that of PCB 28. The calculated log K DOCsw values were 6.57-7.35 for PCB 44, 6.23-7.44 for PCB 101, and 6.35-7.73 for PCB 153. The validity of the proposed method was further confirmed using three less hydrophobic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. This kinetic method shortened the experimental time to obtain the K DOCsw values of the more hydrophobic PCBs, which did not reach phase equilibrium. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Growth and interface properties of Au Schottky contact on ZnO grown by molecular beam epitaxy
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Asghar, M.; Mahmood, K.; Malik, Faisal; Hasan, M. A.
2013-06-01
In this paper, we have discussed the growth of ZnO by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and interface properties of Au Schottky contacts on grown sample. After the verification of structure and surface properties by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), respectively, Au metal contact was fabricated by e-beam evaporation to study contact properties. The high value of ideality factor (2.15) and barrier height (0.61 eV) at room temperature obtained by current-voltage (I-V) characteristics suggested the presence of interface states between metal and semiconductor. To confirm this observation we carried out frequency dependent capacitance-voltage (C-V) and conductance-voltage (G-V) demonstrated that the capacitance of diode decreased with increasing frequency. The reason of this behavior is related with density of interface states, series resistance and image force lowering. The C-2-V plot drawn to calculate the carrier concentration and barrier height with values 1.4×1016 cm-3 and 0.92 eV respectively. Again, high value of barrier height obtained from C-V as compared to the value obtained from I-V measurements revealed the presence of interface states. The density of these interface states (Dit) was calculated by well known Hill-Coleman method. The calculated value of Dit at 1 MHz frequency was 2×1012 eV-1 cm-2. The plot between interface states and frequency was also drawn which demonstrated that density of interface states had inverse proportion with measuring frequency.
Conduction-coupled Tesla transformer.
Reed, J L
2015-03-01
A proof-of-principle Tesla transformer circuit is introduced. The new transformer exhibits the high voltage-high power output signal of shock-excited transformers. The circuit, with specification of proper circuit element values, is capable of obtaining extreme oscillatory voltages. The primary and secondary portions of the circuit communicate solely by conduction. The destructive arcing between the primary and secondary inductors in electromagnetically coupled transformers is ubiquitous. Flashover is eliminated in the new transformer as the high-voltage inductors do not interpenetrate and so do not possess an annular volume of electric field. The inductors are remote from one another. The high voltage secondary inductor is isolated in space, except for a base feed conductor, and obtains earth by its self-capacitance to the surroundings. Governing equations, for the ideal case of no damping, are developed from first principles. Experimental, theoretical, and circuit simulator data are presented for the new transformer. Commercial high-temperature superconductors are discussed as a means to eliminate the counter-intuitive damping due to small primary inductances in both the electromagnetic-coupled and new conduction-coupled transformers.
Holographic conductivity of holographic superconductors with higher-order corrections
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sheykhi, Ahmad; Ghazanfari, Afsoon; Dehyadegari, Amin
2018-02-01
We analytically and numerically disclose the effects of the higher-order correction terms in the gravity and in the gauge field on the properties of s-wave holographic superconductors. On the gravity side, we consider the higher curvature Gauss-Bonnet corrections and on the gauge field side, we add a quadratic correction term to the Maxwell Lagrangian. We show that, for this system, one can still obtain an analytical relation between the critical temperature and the charge density. We also calculate the critical exponent and the condensation value both analytically and numerically. We use a variational method, based on the Sturm-Liouville eigenvalue problem for our analytical study, as well as a numerical shooting method in order to compare with our analytical results. For a fixed value of the Gauss-Bonnet parameter, we observe that the critical temperature decreases with increasing the nonlinearity of the gauge field. This implies that the nonlinear correction term to the Maxwell electrodynamics makes the condensation harder. We also study the holographic conductivity of the system and disclose the effects of the Gauss-Bonnet and nonlinear parameters α and b on the superconducting gap. We observe that, for various values of α and b, the real part of the conductivity is proportional to the frequency per temperature, ω /T, as the frequency is large enough. Besides, the conductivity has a minimum in the imaginary part which is shifted toward greater frequency with decreasing temperature.
Critical values in hematology of 862 institutions in China.
Ye, Y Y; Zhao, H J; Fei, Y; Wang, W; He, F L; Zhong, K; Yuan, S; Wang, Z G
2017-10-01
A national survey on critical values in hematology of China laboratories was conducted to determine the current practice and assess the quality indicators so as to obtain a quality improvement. Laboratories participating were asked to submit the general information, the practice of critical value reporting, and the status of timeliness of critical value reporting. A total of 862 laboratories submitted the results. The majority of participants have included white blood cell count, blood platelet count, hemoglobin, prothrombin time, and activated partial thromboplastin time in their critical value lists. Many sources are used for establishing a critical value policy, and some of the laboratories consult with clinicians. The unreported critical value rate, late critical value reporting rate, and clinically unacknowledged rate in China are relatively low, and the median of critical value reporting time is 8-9 minutes. There exists a wide variety for critical value reporting in hematology in China. Laboratories should establish a policy of critical value reporting suited for their own situations and consult with clinicians to set critical value lists. Critical values are generally reported in a timely manner in China, but some measures should be taken to further improve the timeliness of critical value reporting. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Scaling of the polarization amplitude in quantum many-body systems in one dimension
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kobayashi, Ryohei; Nakagawa, Yuya O.; Fukusumi, Yoshiki; Oshikawa, Masaki
2018-04-01
Resta proposed a definition of the electric polarization in one-dimensional systems in terms of the ground-state expectation value of the large gauge transformation operator. Vanishing of the expectation value in the thermodynamic limit implies that the system is a conductor. We study Resta's polarization amplitude (expectation value) in the S =1 /2 XXZ chain and its several generalizations, in the gapless conducting Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid phase. We obtain an analytical expression in the lowest-order perturbation theory about the free fermion point (XY chain) and an exact result for the Haldane-Shastry model with long-range interactions. We also obtain numerical results, mostly using the exact diagonalization method. We find that the amplitude exhibits a power-law scaling in the system size (chain length) and vanishes in the thermodynamic limit. On the other hand, the exponent depends on the model even when the low-energy limit is described by the Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid with the same Luttinger parameter. We find that a change in the exponent occurs when the Umklapp term(s) are eliminated, suggesting the importance of the Umklapp terms.
Study of Groundwater Physical Characteristics: A Case Study at District of Pekan, Pahang
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hashim, M. M. M.; Zawawi, M. H.; Samuding, K.; Dominic, J. A.; Zulkurnain, M. H.; Mohamad, K.
2018-04-01
A study of groundwater physical characteristic has been conducted at Pahang Tua, Pekan, Tanjung Batu and Nenasi, Pahang. There are several locations of tube well selected in this study. Four of five locations are situated in the coastal area and another one is located outside of coastal line. The purposes of this study are to identify the physical characteristic of groundwater (temperature, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS) and salinity) and to identify the influence of sampling location and tube well depth to its physical characteristics. The results from the in-situ measurement were identified the physical characteristic groundwater for each tube well location. The result shows that temperature and pH for all groundwater samples almost in the same value but for the electrical conductivity, salinity and total dissolved solid have significant difference that related to location and depth of the tube well. The Pekan tube well with 80m depth and 2km distance from the sea have the highest value of EC, TDS and salinity (14460.53µS/cm, 7230.63 ppm and 8.32 PSU) compared to Nenasi with 30m depth of tube well and 0.65km distance from the sea. The EC, TDS and salinity value recorded are 1454.3253µS/cm, 727.00 ppm and 0.72 PSU. From the result of EC, TDS and salinity, it shows that the deeper tube well in the coastal area will obtained higher value of EC, TDS and salinity.
Transfer factor, lung volumes, resistance and ventilation distribution in healthy adults.
Verbanck, Sylvia; Van Muylem, Alain; Schuermans, Daniel; Bautmans, Ivan; Thompson, Bruce; Vincken, Walter
2016-01-01
Monitoring of chronic lung disease requires reference values of lung function indices, including putative markers of small airway function, spanning a wide age range.We measured spirometry, transfer factor of the lung for carbon monoxide (TLCO), static lung volume, resistance and ventilation distribution in a healthy population, studying at least 20 subjects per sex and per decade between the ages of 20 and 80 years.With respect to the Global Lung Function Initiative reference data, our subjects had average z-scores for forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV1/FVC of -0.12, 0.04 and -0.32, respectively. Reference equations were obtained which could account for a potential dependence of index variability on age and height. This was done for (but not limited to) indices that are pertinent to asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease studies: forced expired volume in 6 s, forced expiratory flow, TLCO, specific airway conductance, residual volume (RV)/total lung capacity (TLC), and ventilation heterogeneity in acinar and conductive lung zones.Deterioration in acinar ventilation heterogeneity and lung clearance index with age were more marked beyond 60 years, and conductive ventilation heterogeneity showed the greatest increase in variability with age. The most clinically relevant deviation from published reference values concerned RV/TLC values, which were considerably smaller than American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society-endorsed reference values. Copyright ©ERS 2016.
Tibbetts, Yoi; Harackiewicz, Judith M.; Canning, Elizabeth A.; Boston, Jilana S.; Priniski, Stacy J.; Hyde, Janet S.
2016-01-01
First-generation college students (students for whom neither parent has a 4-year college degree) earn lower grades and worry more about whether they belong in college, compared to continuing-generation students (who have at least one parent with a 4-year college degree). We conducted a longitudinal follow-up of participants from a study in which a values-affirmation intervention improved performance in a biology course for first-generation college students, and found that the treatment effect on grades persisted three years later. First-generation students in the treatment condition obtained a GPA that was, on average, .18 points higher than first-generation students in the control condition, three years after values affirmation was implemented (Study 1A). We explored mechanisms by testing if the values-affirmation effects were predicated on first-generation students reflecting on interdependent values (thus affirming their values that are consistent with working-class culture) or independent values (thus affirming their values that are consistent with the culture of higher education). We found that when first-generation students wrote about their independence, they obtained higher grades (both in the semester in which values affirmation was implemented and in subsequent semesters) and felt less concerned about their background. In a separate laboratory experiment (Study 2) we manipulated the extent to which participants wrote about independence and found that encouraging first-generation students to write more about their independence improved their performance on a math test. These studies highlight the potential of having FG students focus on their own independence. PMID:27176770
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Cao, Jiliang; Wang, Chaoxia
2017-05-01
Multifunctional silk fabrics with electrical conductive, anti-ultraviolet and water repellent were successfully prepared by surface modification with graphene oxide (GO). The yellow-brown GO deposited on the surface of silk fabric was converted into graphitic black reduced graphene (RGO) by sodium hydrosulfite. The surface properties of silk fabrics were changed by repeatedly RGO coating process, which have been proved by SEM and XPS. The SEM results showed that the RGO sheets were successive form a continuously thin film on the surface of silk fabrics, and the deposition of GO or RGO also can be proved by XPS. The electrical conductivity was tested by electrical surface resistance value of the silk fabric, the surface resistance decreased with increasing of RGO surface modification times, and a low surface resistance value reached to 3.24 KΩ cm-1 after 9 times of modification, indicating the silk obtained excellent conductivity. The UPF value of one time GO modification silk fabric (silk-1RGO) was enhanced significantly to 24.45 in comparison to 10.40 of original silk. The contact angle of RGO coating silk samples was all above of 120°. The durability of RGO coated silk fabrics was tested by laundering. The electrical surface resistance of silk-4RGO (65.74 KΩ cm-1), silk-6RGO (15.54 KΩ cm-1) and silk-8RGO (3.86 KΩ cm-1) fabrics was up to 86.82, 22.30 and 6.57 KΩ cm-1 after 10 times of standard washing, respectively. The UPF value, contact angle and color differences of RGO modified silk fabric slightly changed before and after 10 times of standard washing. Therefore, the washing fastness of electric conduction, anti-ultraviolet and water repellent multifunctional silk fabrics was excellent.
Thermal properties measurements in biodiesel oils using photothermal techniques
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Castro, M. P. P.; Andrade, A. A.; Franco, R. W. A.; Miranda, P. C. M. L.; Sthel, M.; Vargas, H.; Constantino, R.; Baesso, M. L.
2005-08-01
In this Letter, thermal lens and open cell photoacoustic techniques are used to measure the thermal properties of biodiesel oils. The absolute values of the thermal effusivity, thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity and the temperature coefficient of the refractive index were determined for samples obtained from soy, castor bean, sunflower and turnip. The results suggest that the employed techniques may be useful as complementary methods for biodiesel certification.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fienen, M.; Hunt, R.; Krabbenhoft, D.; Clemo, T.
2009-08-01
Flow path delineation is a valuable tool for interpreting the subsurface hydrogeochemical environment. Different types of data, such as groundwater flow and transport, inform different aspects of hydrogeologic parameter values (hydraulic conductivity in this case) which, in turn, determine flow paths. This work combines flow and transport information to estimate a unified set of hydrogeologic parameters using the Bayesian geostatistical inverse approach. Parameter flexibility is allowed by using a highly parameterized approach with the level of complexity informed by the data. Despite the effort to adhere to the ideal of minimal a priori structure imposed on the problem, extreme contrasts in parameters can result in the need to censor correlation across hydrostratigraphic bounding surfaces. These partitions segregate parameters into facies associations. With an iterative approach in which partitions are based on inspection of initial estimates, flow path interpretation is progressively refined through the inclusion of more types of data. Head observations, stable oxygen isotopes (18O/16O ratios), and tritium are all used to progressively refine flow path delineation on an isthmus between two lakes in the Trout Lake watershed, northern Wisconsin, United States. Despite allowing significant parameter freedom by estimating many distributed parameter values, a smooth field is obtained.
Fienen, M.; Hunt, R.; Krabbenhoft, D.; Clemo, T.
2009-01-01
Flow path delineation is a valuable tool for interpreting the subsurface hydrogeochemical environment. Different types of data, such as groundwater flow and transport, inform different aspects of hydrogeologic parameter values (hydraulic conductivity in this case) which, in turn, determine flow paths. This work combines flow and transport information to estimate a unified set of hydrogeologic parameters using the Bayesian geostatistical inverse approach. Parameter flexibility is allowed by using a highly parameterized approach with the level of complexity informed by the data. Despite the effort to adhere to the ideal of minimal a priori structure imposed on the problem, extreme contrasts in parameters can result in the need to censor correlation across hydrostratigraphic bounding surfaces. These partitions segregate parameters into facies associations. With an iterative approach in which partitions are based on inspection of initial estimates, flow path interpretation is progressively refined through the inclusion of more types of data. Head observations, stable oxygen isotopes (18O/16O ratios), and tritium are all used to progressively refine flow path delineation on an isthmus between two lakes in the Trout Lake watershed, northern Wisconsin, United States. Despite allowing significant parameter freedom by estimating many distributed parameter values, a smooth field is obtained.
Sodium deficiency effect on the transport properties of La0.8Na0.2-x□xMnO3 manganites
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Elghoul, N.; Wali, M.; Kraiem, S.; Rahmouni, H.; Dhahri, E.; Khirouni, K.
2015-12-01
Effect of sodium deficiency on the transport properties of La0.8Na0.2-x□xMnO3 manganites is investigated using impedance spectroscopy technique. In the whole explored temperature range (77-700 K), conductivity measurements show the appearance of a metal-semiconductor transition for all investigated samples. Also, a saturation region is observed in σ (T) curves. It is found that conduction mechanism is governed by hopping process. The conductivity of the material decreases with increasing sodium deficiency. The transition temperature and the activation energy values inferred from grain boundary resistance and conductivity analysis are closed to each other. Such result confirms the contribution of grain boundary on the electrical conductivity. The variation of the Average Normalized Change (ANC) and its derivative with temperature gives important information about the available density of trapped charge states. The obtained results explain the observed saturation region in conductivity at high temperature region.
Automated audiometry using apple iOS-based application technology.
Foulad, Allen; Bui, Peggy; Djalilian, Hamid
2013-11-01
The aim of this study is to determine the feasibility of an Apple iOS-based automated hearing testing application and to compare its accuracy with conventional audiometry. Prospective diagnostic study. Setting Academic medical center. An iOS-based software application was developed to perform automated pure-tone hearing testing on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. To assess for device variations and compatibility, preliminary work was performed to compare the standardized sound output (dB) of various Apple device and headset combinations. Forty-two subjects underwent automated iOS-based hearing testing in a sound booth, automated iOS-based hearing testing in a quiet room, and conventional manual audiometry. The maximum difference in sound intensity between various Apple device and headset combinations was 4 dB. On average, 96% (95% confidence interval [CI], 91%-100%) of the threshold values obtained using the automated test in a sound booth were within 10 dB of the corresponding threshold values obtained using conventional audiometry. When the automated test was performed in a quiet room, 94% (95% CI, 87%-100%) of the threshold values were within 10 dB of the threshold values obtained using conventional audiometry. Under standardized testing conditions, 90% of the subjects preferred iOS-based audiometry as opposed to conventional audiometry. Apple iOS-based devices provide a platform for automated air conduction audiometry without requiring extra equipment and yield hearing test results that approach those of conventional audiometry.
Peluzio, M do C; de Miranda, L C; de Moraes, G H; Peluzio, L E
1998-12-01
The present work was conducted to obtain a proteic product and to evaluate its biological value in order to be used for human and/or domestic animal consumption. Thus, it were used cassava leaves as a non conventional source of protein. It was produced a freeze-dried, fat-free and colourless proteic isolated from those leaves (CLPI). This was mixed with casein and after the mixture as enzymatically hydrolyzed and resynthesized (Plastein reaction) to obtain a precipitated (PP) and a soluble plastein (SP) fractions. The protein contents observed were 64.39% (PS), 61.36% (PP) and 51.97% (CLPI). Trypsin inhibitor activities values showed a 41% reduction in the PP fraction suggesting that the heat treatment used to inactivated the enzyme also inactiveted partially the inhibitor or the reduction was due to the casein dilution. The amino acid composition of the frations obtained showed values close to the standards established. It can be concluded:--the utilization of non-conventional source should be stimulated when the proteins from those sources have an amino acidic profile that allow them to be used as an amino acid supplementation in food with low level of essential amino acids;--the fractions obtained by the plastein reaction showed satisfactory protein contents and their amino acid profiles were comparable with the FAO/OMS/UNU (1985) recommendations;--the plastein reaction can be utilized in food processing, after industrial scale adaptation remove compounds responsible to bitter taste, fetidness and to discolour protein products.
[Reference values for lead levels in blood for the urban population].
Paolielo, M M; Gutierrez, P R; Turini, C A; Matsuo, T; Mezzaroba, L; Barbosa, D S; Alvarenga, A L; Carvalho, S R; Figueiroa, G A; Leite, V G; Gutierrez, A C; Nogueira, K B; Inamine, W A; Zavatti, A M
1997-04-01
The lead reference values for blood used in Brazil come from studies conducted in other countries, where socioeconomic, clinical, nutritional and occupational conditions are significantly different. In order to guarantee an accurate biomonitoring of the population which is occupationally exposed to lead, a major health concern of the studied community, reference values for individuals who are not occupationally exposed and who live in the southern region of the city were established. The sample was composed of 206 subjects of at least 15 years of age. Various strategies were employed to assure good-quality sampling. Subjects who presented values outside clinical or laboratory norms were excluded, as well as those whose specific activities might interfere with the results. Lead reference values for blood were found to be from 2.40 to 16.6 micrograms.dL-1, obtained by the interval x +/- 2s (where x is the mean and s is the standard deviation form observed values) and the median was 7.9 micrograms.dL-1.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Pryor, Richard Lee (Inventor)
1977-01-01
A line driver including a pair of complementary transistors having their conduction paths serially connected between an operating and a reference potential and their bases connected through a first switch to a signal input terminal. A second switch is connected between the common base connection and the common connection of the conduction paths. With the second switch open and the first closed, an output voltage, responsive to the input signal, corresponding to first or second binary values is obtained. When the second switch is closed and the first opened, the transistor pair is turned off, disconnecting the line driver from its load, thereby providing tri-state logic operation.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Strak, Pawel; Kempisty, Pawel; Sakowski, Konrad; Krukowski, Stanislaw
2014-09-01
Density functional theory studies were conducted to determine an influence of the carrier concentration on the optical and electronic properties of InN/GaN superlattice system. The oscillator strength values, energy gaps and the band profiles were obtained. The band profiles were found to be strongly affected for technically possible heavy n-type doping while for p-type doping the carrier influence, both screening and band shift, is negligible. Blue shift of the transition energy between conduction band minima and valence band maxima was observed for high concentrations of both type carriers.
Radiant Heat Transfer in Reusable Surface Insulation
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Hughes, T. A.; Linford, R. M. F.; Chmitt, R. J.; Christensen, H. E.
1973-01-01
During radiant testing of mullite panels, temperatures in the insulation and support structure exceeded those predicted on the basis of guarded hot plate thermal conductivity tests. Similar results were obtained during arc tunnel tests of mullite specimens. The differences between effective conductivity and guarded hot plate values suggested that radiant transfer through the mullite was occurring. To study the radiant transport, measurements were made of the infrared transmission through various insulating materials and fibers of interest to the shuttle program, using black body sources over the range of 780 to 2000 K. Experimental data were analyzed and scattering coefficients were derived for a variety of materials, fiber diameters, and source temperature.
Non-modal analysis of the diocotron instability for cylindrical geometry with conducting boundary
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Mikhailenko, V. V.; Seok Kim, Jin; Jo, Younghyun
2014-05-15
The temporal evolution of the linear diocotron instability of a cylindrical annular plasma column surrounded by a conducting boundary has been investigated by using the methodology of the cylindrical shearing modes. The linear solution of the initial and boundary-value problems is obtained which is valid for any time at which linear effects dominate. The solution reveals that the initial perturbations of the electron density pass through the stage of the non-modal evolution when the perturbation experiences spatio-temporal distortion pertinent to the considered geometry of the electron column. The result is confirmed by a two-dimensional cylindrical particle-in-cell simulation.
Ritchie, R.H.; Sakakura, A.Y.
1956-01-01
The formal solutions of problems involving transient heat conduction in infinite internally bounded cylindrical solids may be obtained by the Laplace transform method. Asymptotic series representing the solutions for large values of time are given in terms of functions related to the derivatives of the reciprocal gamma function. The results are applied to the case of the internally bounded infinite cylindrical medium with, (a) the boundary held at constant temperature; (b) with constant heat flow over the boundary; and (c) with the "radiation" boundary condition. A problem in the flow of gas through a porous medium is considered in detail.
Multi-representation based on scientific investigation for enhancing students’ representation skills
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Siswanto, J.; Susantini, E.; Jatmiko, B.
2018-03-01
This research aims to implementation learning physics with multi-representation based on the scientific investigation for enhancing students’ representation skills, especially on the magnetic field subject. The research design is one group pretest-posttest. This research was conducted in the department of mathematics education, Universitas PGRI Semarang, with the sample is students of class 2F who take basic physics courses. The data were obtained by representation skills test and documentation of multi-representation worksheet. The Results show gain analysis
Reliability study of biometrics "do not contact" in myopia.
Migliorini, R; Fratipietro, M; Comberiati, A M; Pattavina, L; Arrico, L
The aim of the study is a comparison between the actually achieved after surgery condition versus the expected refractive condition of the eye as calculated via a biometer. The study was conducted in a random group of 38 eyes of patients undergoing surgery by phacoemulsification. The mean absolute error was calculated between the predicted values from the measurements with the optical biometer and those obtained in the post-operative error which was at around 0.47% Our study shows results not far from those reported in the literature, and in relation, to the mean absolute error is among the lowest values at 0.47 ± 0.11 SEM.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Mikishev, Alexander B.; Nepomnyashchy, Alexander A.
2018-05-01
The paper presents the analysis of the impact of vertical periodic vibrations on the long-wavelength Marangoni instability in a liquid layer with poorly conducting boundaries in the presence of insoluble surfactant on the deformable gas-liquid interface. The layer is subject to a uniform transverse temperature gradient. Linear stability analysis is performed in order to find critical values of Marangoni numbers for both monotonic and oscillatory instability modes. Longwave asymptotic expansions are used. At the leading order, the critical values are independent on vibration parameters; at the next order of approximation we obtained the rise of stability thresholds due to vibration.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yu, Xin; Dong, Lizhi; Lai, Boheng; Yang, Ping; Wang, Shuai; Wang, Xun; Liu, Yong; Tang, Guomao; Xu, Bing
2017-11-01
In order to solve the problem of large low-order aberrations with solid-state zigzag slab lasers, an automatic compensator has been developed in this paper. In this compensator, three lenses are mounted on a motorized rail, whose positions can be obtained using ray tracing method based on the beam parameters detected by a wave-front sensor. The initial peak to valley (PV) values of the wave-front range up to several tens of microns. Both simulated and experimental results show that the PV values of the wave-front can be reduced to around 1 . 6 μm with the proposed automatic compensator.
Computer Modeling of the Thermal Conductivity of Cometary Ice
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Bunch, Theodore E.; Wilson, Michael A.; Pohorille, Andrew
1998-01-01
The main objective of this research was to estimate the thermal conductivity of cometry ices from computer simulations of model amorphous ices. This was divided into four specific tasks: (1) Generating samples of amorphous water ices at different microporosities; (2) Comparing the resulting molecular structures of the ices with experimental results, for those densities where data was available; (3) Calculating the thermal conductivities of liquid water and bulk amorphous ices and comparing these results with experimentally determined thermal conductivities; and (4) Investigating how the thermal conductivity of amorphous ice depends upon the microscopic porosity of the samples. The thermal conductivity was found to be only weakly dependent on the microstructure of the amorphous ice. In general, the amorphous ices were found to have thermal conductivities of the same order of magnitude as liquid water. This is in contradiction to recent experimental estimates of the thermal conductivity of amorphous ice, and it is suggested that the extremely low value obtained experimentally is due to larger-scale defects in the ice, such as cracks, but it is not an intrinsic property of the bulk amorphous ice.
Photo-Cross-Linked Anion Exchange Membranes with Improved Water Management and Conductivity
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Ertem, S. Piril; Tsai, Tsung-Han; Donahue, Melissa M.
Robust, cross-linked anion exchange membranes (AEMs) were prepared from solvent-processable polyisoprene- ran -poly(vinylbenzyltrimethylammonium chloride) (PI- ran -P- [VBTMA][Cl]) ionomers via photoinitiated thiol - ene chem- istry. Two series of membranes were prepared choosing two dithiol cross-linkers, 1,10-decanedithiol and 2,2 ' - (ethylenedioxy)diethanethiol, selected for their di ff erent hydro- phobicities. A strong correlation was found between the choice of dithiol cross-linker, water uptake, morphology, and the ion conductivity of the membranes. Results were compared with previous fi ndings of thermally cross-linked AEMs from analogous random copolymers. Comparably high chloride ion conductivities were obtained at low to moderate ion exchange capacitiesmore » (IECs) with signi fi cantly low water uptake values. It was shown that by choosing a hydrophilic cross-linker ion cluster formation may be suppressed and ion conduction improved. This study highlights that it is possible to promote ion conductivities for low IEC membranes (<1 mmol/g) by forming well- connected, ion conducting network morphology. This observation paves the way for mechanically robust ion conducting membranes with enhanced conductivities and better water management.« less
Nobre, Clarisse; Teixeira, José A; Rodrigues, Lígia R
2015-01-01
An increased commercial interest in fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) has emerged in the last decade due to their prebiotic activity. At large scale, the FOS are produced by microbial enzymes from sucrose. A mixture of FOS and other saccharides is obtained in this process. The presence of such saccharides reduces the prebiotic, caloric, and cariogenic value of the final product. Therefore, many efforts have been conducted to obtain a product with increased FOS purity. This review comprises the most important technological and physicochemical aspects including FOS production and recovery processes; safety, dose and health claims concerning its intake; and commercially available FOS.
Constitutive Modeling of the Mechanical Properties of Optical Fibers
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Moeti, L.; Moghazy, S.; Veazie, D.; Cuddihy, E.
1998-01-01
Micromechanical modeling of the composite mechanical properties of optical fibers was conducted. Good agreement was obtained between the values of Young's modulus obtained by micromechanics modeling and those determined experimentally for a single mode optical fiber where the wave guide and the jacket are physically coupled. The modeling was also attempted on a polarization-maintaining optical fiber (PANDA) where the wave guide and the jacket are physically decoupled, and found not to applicable since the modeling required perfect bonding at the interface. The modeling utilized constituent physical properties such as the Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, and shear modulus to establish bounds on the macroscopic behavior of the fiber.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Popov, Evgeny; Popov, Yury; Spasennykh, Mikhail; Kozlova, Elena; Chekhonin, Evgeny; Zagranovskaya, Dzhuliya; Belenkaya, Irina; Alekseev, Aleksey
2016-04-01
A practical method of organic-rich intervals identifying within the low-permeable dispersive rocks based on thermal conductivity measurements along the core is presented. Non-destructive non-contact thermal core logging was performed with optical scanning technique on 4 685 full size core samples from 7 wells drilled in four low-permeable zones of the Bazhen formation (B.fm.) in the Western Siberia (Russia). The method employs continuous simultaneous measurements of rock anisotropy, volumetric heat capacity, thermal anisotropy coefficient and thermal heterogeneity factor along the cores allowing the high vertical resolution (of up to 1-2 mm). B.fm. rock matrix thermal conductivity was observed to be essentially stable within the range of 2.5-2.7 W/(m*K). However, stable matrix thermal conductivity along with the high thermal anisotropy coefficient is characteristic for B.fm. sediments due to the low rock porosity values. It is shown experimentally that thermal parameters measured relate linearly to organic richness rather than to porosity coefficient deviations. Thus, a new technique employing the transformation of the thermal conductivity profiles into continuous profiles of total organic carbon (TOC) values along the core was developed. Comparison of TOC values, estimated from the thermal conductivity values, with experimental pyrolytic TOC estimations of 665 samples from the cores using the Rock-Eval and HAWK instruments demonstrated high efficiency of the new technique for the organic rich intervals separation. The data obtained with the new technique are essential for the SR hydrocarbon generation potential, for basin and petroleum system modeling application, and estimation of hydrocarbon reserves. The method allows for the TOC richness to be accurately assessed using the thermal well logs. The research work was done with financial support of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science (unique identification number RFMEFI58114X0008).
Microwave properties and characterization of co-evaporated BSCCO thin films
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Miranda, F. A.; Chorey, C. M.; Stan, M. A.; Nordgren, C. E.; Kwor, R. Y.; Kalkur, T. S.
1993-01-01
An extensive characterization of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O (BSCCO) thin films deposited by co-evaporation on LaAlO3 and SrTiO3 substrates was performed. The films had a T(sub c) (R = O) of approximately 78 K, and were predominantly c-axis oriented, with critical current densities (J(sub c)) at 4.5 K of 1.6 x 10(exp 6) and 1.1 x 10(exp 6) A cm(sup -2), for the samples on SrTiO3 and LaAlO3, respectively. The microwave properties of the films were examined by three techniques. The complex conductivity sigma(sub *) = sigma(sub 1) - j(sigma(sub 2)) and the magnetic penetration depth (A) were measured by power transmission at 30.6 GHz; the surface resistance (R(sub s)) was measured using a cavity resonator at 58.9 GHz, and the transmission line losses were determined by measuring the quality factor (Q) of a linear microstrip resonator at 10.4 and 20.2 GHz. The complex conductivity for the film on LaAlO3 was determined to be (2.0-j10) x 10(exp 5) S/m at 77 K. It was observed that in the superconducting state sigma(sub 1) deviates from both the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory and the two-fluid model. Values of lambda were found to be approximately 2.0 and 1.1 microns at 77 K and 20 K respectively, and were obtained for the film on LaAlO3. The value of lambda at 20 K was approximately three times larger than that of BSCCO single crystals. R(sub s) values of 865 and 1391 mOmega were obtained for the films on SrTiO3 and LaAlO3, respectively, at 77 K and 58.9 GHz. Unloaded Q factors at 20 K of approximately 1100 and 800 at 10.4 and 20.2 GHz respectively, were measured for the BSCCO resonator. Unloaded Q values of 290 and 405 at 20 K were obtained at 10.4 GHz and 20.2 GHz respectively, for an all gold (Au) resonator.
Studies on the effect of dispersoid(ZrO2) in PVdF-co-HFP based gel polymer electrolytes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sivakumar, M.; Subadevi, R.; Muthupradeepa, R.
2013-06-01
Gel polymer electrolytes containing poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (P(VdF-co-HFP)) / Lithium bis(trifluoromethane sulfon)imide (LiTFSI) / mixture of ethylene carbonate and propylene carbonate (EC+PC) with different concendration of ZrO2 has been prepared using the solution casting technique. The conductivity of the prepared electrolyte sample has been determined by AC impedance technique in the range 303-353K. The temperature dependent ionic conductivity plot seems to obey VTF relation. The maximum ionic conductivity value of 4.46 × 10-3S/cm has been obtained for PVdF-co-HFP(32%) - LiTFSI(8%) - EC+PC (60%) + ZrO2(6wt%) based polymer electrolyte. The surface morphology of the prepared electrolyte sample has been studied using SEM.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Nyce, Thomas A.; Quazzani, Jalil; Durand-Daubin, Arnaud; Rosenberger, Franz
1992-01-01
Mixed convection in a rectangular channel (width/height = 2) with bottom-heated and top-cooled sections is studied by laser Doppler anemometry in nitrogen at Ra = 22,200 and Re = 18.75, 36, and 54. At the lower Re values, symmetry breaking is observed in steady but spatially oscillating flows that prevail over a certain distance from the leading edge of the differentially heated section. Further downstream, unsteady flows are found even for Re = 18.75. Numerical models are used to investigate the effects of adiabatic, conducting (with a conductive-convective heat transfer coefficient), and perfectly conducting side walls; channel tilts and Prandtl number dependence. Good agreement between calculations and experiment is obtained for longitudinal convective roll velocities. The transverse velocities are found to be independent of Re.
Multiscale Modeling of Thermal Conductivity of Polymer/Carbon Nanocomposites
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Clancy, Thomas C.; Frankland, Sarah-Jane V.; Hinkley, Jeffrey A.; Gates, Thomas S.
2010-01-01
Molecular dynamics simulation was used to estimate the interfacial thermal (Kapitza) resistance between nanoparticles and amorphous and crystalline polymer matrices. Bulk thermal conductivities of the nanocomposites were then estimated using an established effective medium approach. To study functionalization, oligomeric ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers were chemically bonded to a single wall carbon nanotube. The results, in a poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate) matrix, are similar to those obtained previously for grafted linear hydrocarbon chains. To study the effect of noncovalent functionalization, two types of polyethylene matrices. -- aligned (extended-chain crystalline) vs. amorphous (random coils) were modeled. Both matrices produced the same interfacial thermal resistance values. Finally, functionalization of edges and faces of plate-like graphite nanoparticles was found to be only modestly effective in reducing the interfacial thermal resistance and improving the composite thermal conductivity
Low lattice thermal conductivity and good thermoelectric performance of cinnabar
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zhao, Yinchang; Dai, Zhenhong; Lian, Chao; Zeng, Shuming; Li, Geng; Ni, Jun; Meng, Sheng
2017-11-01
Based on the combination of first-principles calculations, Boltzmann transport equation, and electron-phonon interaction (EPI), we investigate the thermal and electronic transport properties of crystalline cinnabar (α -HgS ). The calculated lattice thermal conductivity κL is remarkably low, e.g., 0.60 Wm-1K-1 at 300 K , which is about 30 % of the value for the typical thermoelectric material PbTe. Via taking fully into account the k dependence of the electron relaxation time computed from the EPI matrix, the accurate numerical results of thermopower S , electrical conductivity σ , and electronic thermal conductivity κE are obtained. The calculated power factor S2σ is relatively high while the value of κE is negligible, which, together with the fairly low κL, leads to a good thermoelectric performance in the n -type doped α -HgS , with the figure of merit z T even exceeding 1.4. Our analyses reveal that (i) the large weighted phase space and the quite low phonon group velocity result in the low κL, (ii) the presence of flat band around the Fermi level combined with the large band gap causes the high S , and (iii) the small electron linewidths of the conduction band lead to a large relaxation time and thus a relatively high σ . These results support that α -HgS is a potential candidate for thermoelectric applications.
Investigation of conductive thermal control coatings by a contactless method in vacuo
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Viehmann, W.; Shai, C. M.; Sanford, E. L.
1977-01-01
A technique for determining the conductance per unit area of thermal control coatings for electrostatically clean spacecraft is described. In order to simulate orbital conditions more closely, current-density-voltage (j-V) curves are obtained by a contactless method in which the paint on an aluminum substrate is the anode of a vacuum diode configuration with a tungsten filament cathode. Conductances per unit area which satisfy the International Sun Earth Explorer (ISEE) requirement were observed on black paints containing carbon and in white and green paints filled with zinc oxide which were fired in order to induce defect conductivity. Because of surface effects and the nonhomogeneous nature of paints, large discrepancies were found between measurements with the contactless method and measurements employing metallic contacts, particularly at low current densities. Therefore, measurements with metallic contacts are considered to be of questionable value in deciding the suitability of coatings for electrostatic charge control.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Tasneem Fathima, Syeda; Jamal, Salma; Hanumagowda, B. N.
2018-04-01
A MHD Slider bearing lubricated with conducting couplestress fluid (CCSF) between two electrical conducting plates under the influence of magnetic field in free space is theoretically investigated. A closed form solution for the film pressure and load carrying capacity is obtained analytically in terms of inlet-outlet (IO) film height ratio of slider bearings. The results are presented graphically for different values of operating parameters. The results suggest that the bearings with couplestress fluid as lubricant provide significant load carrying capacity than Newtonian lubricant case. Further, it is observed that the influence of applied magnetic field and induced magnetic field is to increase the load carrying capacity substantially while, the load decreases with increase in IO film ratio. Besides, the conductivity increases the load carrying capacity significantly. The results are compared with the Newtonian Fluid case.
Gamma-Ray Emission in Dissipative Pulsar Magnetospheres: from Theory to Fermi Observations
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kalapotharakos, Konstantinos; Harding, Alice K.; Kazanas, Demosthenes
2014-01-01
We compute the patterns of gamma-ray emission due to curvature radiation in dissipative pulsar magnetospheres. Our ultimate goal is to construct macrophysical models that are able to reproduce the observed gamma-ray light curve phenomenology recently published in the Second Fermi Pulsar Catalog. We apply specific forms of Ohm's law on the open field lines using a broad range for the macroscopic conductivity values that result in solutions ranging, from near-vacuum to near-force-free. Using these solutions, we generate model gamma-ray light curves by calculating realistic trajectories and Lorentz factors of radiating particles under the influence of both the accelerating electric fields and curvature radiation reaction. We further constrain our models using the observed dependence of the phase lags between the radio and gamma-ray emission on the gamma-ray peak separation. We perform a statistical comparison of our model radio-lag versus peak-separation diagram and the one obtained for the Fermi standard pulsars. We find that for models of uniform conductivity over the entire open magnetic field line region, agreement with observations favors higher values of this parameter. We find, however, significant improvement in fitting the data with models that employ a hybrid form of conductivity, specifically, infinite conductivity interior to the light cylinder and high but finite conductivity on the outside. In these models the gamma-ray emission is produced in regions near the equatorial current sheet but modulated by the local physical properties. These models have radio lags near the observed values and statistically best reproduce the observed light curve phenomenology. Additionally, they also produce GeV photon cut-off energies.
Thermal conductivity of graphene and graphite: collective excitations and mean free paths.
Fugallo, Giorgia; Cepellotti, Andrea; Paulatto, Lorenzo; Lazzeri, Michele; Marzari, Nicola; Mauri, Francesco
2014-11-12
We characterize the thermal conductivity of graphite, monolayer graphene, graphane, fluorographane, and bilayer graphene, solving exactly the Boltzmann transport equation for phonons, with phonon-phonon collision rates obtained from density functional perturbation theory. For graphite, the results are found to be in excellent agreement with experiments; notably, the thermal conductivity is 1 order of magnitude larger than what found by solving the Boltzmann equation in the single mode approximation, commonly used to describe heat transport. For graphene, we point out that a meaningful value of intrinsic thermal conductivity at room temperature can be obtained only for sample sizes of the order of 1 mm, something not considered previously. This unusual requirement is because collective phonon excitations, and not single phonons, are the main heat carriers in these materials; these excitations are characterized by mean free paths of the order of hundreds of micrometers. As a result, even Fourier's law becomes questionable in typical sample sizes, because its statistical nature makes it applicable only in the thermodynamic limit to systems larger than a few mean free paths. Finally, we discuss the effects of isotopic disorder, strain, and chemical functionalization on thermal performance. Only chemical functionalization is found to play an important role, decreasing the conductivity by a factor of 2 in hydrogenated graphene, and by 1 order of magnitude in fluorogenated graphene.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Tlijani, M.; Ben Younes, R.; Durastanti, J. F.; Boudenne, A.
2010-11-01
A periodic method is used to determine simultaneously both thermal conductivity and diffusivity of various insulate materials at room temperature. The sample is placed between two metallic plates and temperature modulation is applied on the front side of one of the metallic plates. The temperature at the front and rear sides of both plates is measured and the experimental transfer function is calculated. The theoretical thermal heat transfer function is calculated by the quadripole method. Thermal conductivity and diffusivity are simultaneously identified from both real and imaginary parts of the experimental transfer function. The thermophysical parameters of several wood scale samples obtained from palm wood trees and common trees with unknown thermal properties (E) with different thicknesses were studied. The value identified for the thermal conductivity 0.03 Wm-1 K-1 compared with different insulate solid material such as glass, glass-wool and PVC is much better and close to the air conductivity, It allowed us to consider the wood scale extracted from palm wood trees, bio and renewable material as good heat insulator aiming in the future as a use for lightness applications, insulating or as a reinforcement in a given matrix. These potentialities still unknown are stengthened by the enormous quantity of such kind of wood gathered annually from palm trees and considered as wastes.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Boiko, O.
2018-05-01
The main objective of the research was investigation of dielectric properties of (FeCoZr)x(PZT)(100-x) granular nanocomposites and determination the influence of isochronous annealing in temperatures of 398 K-573 K on them. The impedance spectroscopy methodology was used. The measurements of electrical parameters, such as: phase shift angle φ, dielectric loss factor tgδ, capacity C and conductivity σ of (FeCoZr)x(PZT)(100-x) nanocomposites have been performed. Frequency dependencies of these parameters were obtained for the ambient temperature range 98 K-373 K for the frequencies ranging from 50 Hz to 105 Hz. It was established, that the conductivity σ of the tested materials before the percolation threshold demonstrates non-linear dependence on frequency. Furthermore, it increases when the ambient temperature is increasing, which indicates a dielectric type of the material. The two types of electrical conduction: capacitive (phase shift angle φ takes negative values) and inductive (φ takes positive values) have been observed. It was concluded that the hopping conductivity dominated in the nanocomposites. Voltage and current resonances phenomena are observed in the materials. The isochronous annealing intensifies the dielectric properties of (FeCoZr)x(PZT)(100-x) nanocomposites.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zhao, Mingkang; Wi, Hun; Lee, Eun Jung; Woo, Eung Je; In Oh, Tong
2014-10-01
Electrical impedance imaging has the potential to detect an early stage of breast cancer due to higher admittivity values compared with those of normal breast tissues. The tumor size and extent of axillary lymph node involvement are important parameters to evaluate the breast cancer survival rate. Additionally, the anomaly characterization is required to distinguish a malignant tumor from a benign tumor. In order to overcome the limitation of breast cancer detection using impedance measurement probes, we developed the high density trans-admittance mammography (TAM) system with 60 × 60 electrode array and produced trans-admittance maps obtained at several frequency pairs. We applied the anomaly detection algorithm to the high density TAM system for estimating the volume and position of breast tumor. We tested four different sizes of anomaly with three different conductivity contrasts at four different depths. From multifrequency trans-admittance maps, we can readily observe the transversal position and estimate its volume and depth. Specially, the depth estimated values were obtained accurately, which were independent to the size and conductivity contrast when applying the new formula using Laplacian of trans-admittance map. The volume estimation was dependent on the conductivity contrast between anomaly and background in the breast phantom. We characterized two testing anomalies using frequency difference trans-admittance data to eliminate the dependency of anomaly position and size. We confirmed the anomaly detection and characterization algorithm with the high density TAM system on bovine breast tissue. Both results showed the feasibility of detecting the size and position of anomaly and tissue characterization for screening the breast cancer.
A study of fracture mechanisms in ATD roller bearing
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Zee, Ralph H.
1990-01-01
The purpose was to investigate how microstructures, especially anisotropy, affects internal stresses and the overall mechanical response of bearings. Samples with the stress axis along the aligned carbide direction possessed high modulus values compared to those with their axis perpendicular to the carbide stringers. The difference in the modulus was found to be more than a factor of two. A series of experiments was conducted on rolled samples to further investigate this effect; the two sets of results were consistent with each other. The degree of anisotropy of the microstructure in terms of the carbide and matrix orientations was determined using x-ray diffraction. The stress state determination was conducted using neutron diffraction. It was found that there was little variation in the distribution of the internal stresses amongst different samples, indicating that small changes in the processing and geometrical conditions did not result in significant variations in the internal stress. A nominal tensile hoop stress of 39 ksi was obtained for the inner raceway. Furthermore, during the course of the investigation, it was apparent that there was a need to determine the stress state induced by the shrink fitting process. Therefore, a series of experiments was conducted using strain gages to identify the stress distribution in a shrink fitting process in three different types of geometries. Correlations were obtained to estimate the highest stress values in the outer and inner groove geometry. A finite element program based on the ANSYS system was developed to compute the stress distribution in the inner raceway geometry. This analysis indicates that the highest tensile stress in the system occurs at the ID of the ring with a stress value of over 5 times that of the applied radial stress. Results from all these facets were correlated with one another. It appears that the material does not fail as a result of any one single factor, but results from a combination of the various factors investigated.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Booij, Martijn J.; Oldhoff, Ruben J. J.; Rustanto, Andry
2016-04-01
In order to accurately model the hydrological processes in a catchment, information on the soil hydraulic properties is of great importance. These data can be obtained by conducting field work, which is costly and time consuming, or by using pedotransfer functions (PTFs). A PTF is an empirical relationship between easily obtainable soil characteristics and a soil hydraulic parameter. In this study, PTFs for the saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and the available water content (AWC) are investigated. PTFs are area-specific, since for instance tropical soils often have a different composition and hydraulic behaviour compared to temperate soils. Application of temperate soil PTFs on tropical soils might result in poor performance, which is a problem as few tropical soil PTFs are available. The objective of this study is to determine whether Ks and AWC can be accurately approximated using PTFs, by analysing their performance at both the local scale and the catchment scale. Four published PTFs for Ks and AWC are validated on a data set of 91 soil samples collected in the Upper Bengawan Solo catchment on Java, Indonesia. The AWC is predicted very poorly, with Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) values below zero for all selected PTFs. For Ks PTFs better results were found. The Wösten and Rosetta-3 PTFs predict the Ks moderately accurate, with NSE values of 0.28 and 0.39, respectively. New PTFs for both AWC and Ks were developed using multiple linear regression and NSE values of 0.37 (AWC) and 0.55 (Ks) were obtained. Although these values are not very high, they are significantly higher than for the published PTFs. The hydrological SWAT model was set up for the Keduang, a sub-catchment of the Upper Bengawan Solo River, to simulate monthly catchment streamflow. Eleven cases were defined to validate the PTFs at the catchment scale. For the Ks-PTF cases NSE values of around 0.84 were obtained for the validation period. The use of AWC PTFs resulted in slightly lower NSE values, although the differences in model accuracy are low. The small differences between the cases are caused by the soil homogeneity in the Keduang catchment. Without model calibration an NSE value of 0.51 was found. At the local scale, the Wösten and Rosetta-3 PTFs can be used to predict Ks. AWC PTFs show insufficient accuracy at the local scale. At the catchment scale, the Wösten and Rosetta-3 Ks PTFs and the developed AWC and Ks PTFs are validated. It is recommended to use the PTFs developed in this study for the Upper Bengawan Solo catchment. More research is needed on the effect of PTF input on simulated hydrological state variables, such as soil moisture content, and the effect of catchment soil heterogeneity on the validation and application of PTFs.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Sawyer, J. W.; Waters, W. A., Jr.
1981-01-01
Tests were conducted at room temperature to determine the shear properties of the strain isolator pad (SIP) material used in the thermal protection system of the space shuttle. Tests were conducted on both the .23 cm and .41 cm thick SIP material in the virgin state and after fifty fully reversed shear cycles. The shear stress displacement relationships are highly nonlinear, exhibit large hysteresis effects, are dependent on material orientation, and have a large low modulus region near the zero stress level where small changes in stress can result in large displacements. The values at the higher stress levels generally increase with normal and shear force load conditioning. Normal forces applied during the shear tests reduces the low modulus region for the material. Shear test techniques which restrict the normal movement of the material give erroneous stress displacement results. However, small normal forces do not significantly effect the shear modulus for a given shear stress. Poisson's ratio values for the material are within the range of values for many common materials. The values are not constant but vary as a function of the stress level and the previous stress history of the material. Ultimate shear strengths of the .23 cm thick SIP are significantly higher than those obtained for the .41 cm thick SIP.
Medvedev, Igor G
2011-11-07
A theory of electrochemical behavior of small metal nanoparticles (NPs) which is governed both by the charging effect and the effect of the solvent reorganization on the dynamic of the electron transfer (ET) is considered under ambient conditions. The exact expression for the rate constant of ET from an electrode to NP which is valid for all values of the reorganization free energy E(r), bias voltage, and overpotential is obtained in the non-adiabatic limit. The tunnel current/overpotential relations are studied and calculated for different values of the bias voltage and E(r). The effect of E(r) on the full width at half maximum of the charging peaks is investigated at different values of the bias voltage. The differential conductance/bias voltage and the tunnel current/bias voltage dependencies are also studied and calculated. It is shown that, at room temperature, the pronounced Coulomb blockade oscillations in the differential conductance/bias voltage curves and the noticeable Coulomb staircase in the tunnel current/bias voltage relations are observed only at rather small values of E(r) in the case of the strongly asymmetric tunneling contacts.
A molecular dynamics simulation study of chloroform
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Tironi, Ilario G.; van Gunsteren, Wilfred F.
Three different chloroform models have been investigated using molecular dynamics computer simulation. The thermodynamic, structural and dynamic properties of the various models were investigated in detail. In particular, the potential energies, diffusion coefficients and rotational correlation times obtained for each model are compared with experiment. It is found that the theory of rotational Brownian motion fails in describing the rotational diffusion of chloroform. The force field of Dietz and Heinzinger was found to give good overall agreement with experiment. An extended investigation of this chloroform model has been performed. Values are reported for the isothermal compressibility, the thermal expansion coefficient and the constant volume heat capacity. The values agree well with experiment. The static and frequency dependent dielectric permittivity were computed from a 1·2 ns simulation conducted under reaction field boundary conditions. Considering the fact that the model is rigid with fixed partial charges, the static dielectric constant and Debye relaxation time compare well with experiment. From the same simulation the shear viscosity was computed using the off-diagonal elements of the pressure tensor, both via an Einstein type relation and via a Green-Kubo equation. The calculated viscosities show good agreement with experimental values. The excess Helmholtz energy is calculated using the thermodynamic integration technique and simulations of 50 and 80 ps. The value obtained for the excess Helmholtz energy matches the theoretical value within a few per cent.
Image analysis and green tea color change kinetics during thin-layer drying.
Shahabi, Mohammad; Rafiee, Shahin; Mohtasebi, Seyed Saeid; Hosseinpour, Soleiman
2014-09-01
This study was conducted to investigate the effect of air temperature and air flow velocity on kinetics of color parameter changes during hot-air drying of green tea, to obtain the best model for hot-air drying of green tea, to apply a computer vision system and to study the color changes during drying. In the proposed computer vision system system, at first RGB values of the images were converted into XYZ values and then to Commission International d'Eclairage L*a*b* color coordinates. The obtained color parameters of L*, a* and b* were calibrated with Hunter-Lab colorimeter. These values were also used for calculation of the color difference, chroma, hue angle and browning index. The values of L* and b* decreased, while the values of a* and color difference (ΔE*ab ) increased during hot-air drying. Drying data were fitted to three kinetic models. Zero, first-order and fractional conversion models were utilized to describe the color changes of green tea. The suitability of fitness was determined using the coefficient of determination (R (2)) and root-mean-square error. Results showed that the fraction conversion model had more acceptable fitness than the other two models in most of color parameters. © The Author(s) 2013 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.
Thermodynamic parameters of U (VI) sorption onto soils in aquatic systems.
Kumar, Ajay; Rout, Sabyasachi; Ghosh, Malay; Singhal, Rakesh Kumar; Ravi, Pazhayath Mana
2013-01-01
The thermodynamic parameters viz. the standard free energy (∆Gº), Standard enthalpy change (∆Hº) and standard entropy change (∆Sº) were determined using the obtained values of distribution coefficient (kd) of U (VI) in two different types of soils (agricultural and undisturbed) by conducting a batch equilibrium experiment with aqueous media (groundwater and deionised water) at two different temperatures 25°C and 50°C. The obtained distribution coefficients (kd) values of U for undisturbed soil in groundwater showed about 75% higher than in agricultural soil at 25°C while in deionised water, these values were highly insignificant for both soils indicating that groundwater was observed to be more favorable for high surface sorption. At 50°C, the increased kd values in both soils revealed that solubility of U decreased with increasing temperature. Batch adsorption results indicated that U sorption onto soils was promoted at higher temperature and an endothermic and spontaneous interfacial process. The high positive values of ∆Sº for agricultural soil suggested a decrease in sorption capacity of U in that soil due to increased randomness at solid-solution interface. The low sorption onto agricultural soil may be due to presence of high amount of coarse particles in the form of sand (56%). Geochemical modeling predicted that mixed hydroxo-carbonato complexes of uranium were the most stable and abundant complexes in equilibrium solution during experimental.
Fan, Qianrui; Wang, Wenyu; Hao, Jingcan; He, Awen; Wen, Yan; Guo, Xiong; Wu, Cuiyan; Ning, Yujie; Wang, Xi; Wang, Sen; Zhang, Feng
2017-08-01
Neuroticism is a fundamental personality trait with significant genetic determinant. To identify novel susceptibility genes for neuroticism, we conducted an integrative analysis of genomic and transcriptomic data of genome wide association study (GWAS) and expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) study. GWAS summary data was driven from published studies of neuroticism, totally involving 170,906 subjects. eQTL dataset containing 927,753 eQTLs were obtained from an eQTL meta-analysis of 5311 samples. Integrative analysis of GWAS and eQTL data was conducted by summary data-based Mendelian randomization (SMR) analysis software. To identify neuroticism associated gene sets, the SMR analysis results were further subjected to gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). The gene set annotation dataset (containing 13,311 annotated gene sets) of GSEA Molecular Signatures Database was used. SMR single gene analysis identified 6 significant genes for neuroticism, including MSRA (p value=2.27×10 -10 ), MGC57346 (p value=6.92×10 -7 ), BLK (p value=1.01×10 -6 ), XKR6 (p value=1.11×10 -6 ), C17ORF69 (p value=1.12×10 -6 ) and KIAA1267 (p value=4.00×10 -6 ). Gene set enrichment analysis observed significant association for Chr8p23 gene set (false discovery rate=0.033). Our results provide novel clues for the genetic mechanism studies of neuroticism. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dondurur, Derman
2005-11-01
The Normalized Full Gradient (NFG) method was proposed in the mid 1960s and was generally used for the downward continuation of the potential field data. The method eliminates the side oscillations which appeared on the continuation curves when passing through anomalous body depth. In this study, the NFG method was applied to Slingram electromagnetic anomalies to obtain the depth of the anomalous body. Some experiments were performed on the theoretical Slingram model anomalies in a free space environment using a perfectly conductive thin tabular conductor with an infinite depth extent. The theoretical Slingram responses were obtained for different depths, dip angles and coil separations, and it was observed from NFG fields of the theoretical anomalies that the NFG sections yield the depth information of top of the conductor at low harmonic numbers. The NFG sections consisted of two main local maxima located at both sides of the central negative Slingram anomalies. It is concluded that these two maxima also locate the maximum anomaly gradient points, which indicates the depth of the anomaly target directly. For both theoretical and field data, the depth of the maximum value on the NFG sections corresponds to the depth of the upper edge of the anomalous conductor. The NFG method was applied to the in-phase component and correct depth estimates were obtained even for the horizontal tabular conductor. Depth values could be estimated with a relatively small error percentage when the conductive model was near-vertical and/or the conductor depth was larger.
Combined use of heat and saline tracer to estimate aquifer properties in a forced gradient test
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Colombani, N.; Giambastiani, B. M. S.; Mastrocicco, M.
2015-06-01
Usually electrolytic tracers are employed for subsurface characterization, but the interpretation of tracer test data collected by low cost techniques, such as electrical conductivity logging, can be biased by cation exchange reactions. To characterize the aquifer transport properties a saline and heat forced gradient test was employed. The field site, located near Ferrara (Northern Italy), is a well characterized site, which covers an area of 200 m2 and is equipped with a grid of 13 monitoring wells. A two-well (injection and pumping) system was employed to perform the forced gradient test and a straddle packer was installed in the injection well to avoid in-well artificial mixing. The contemporary continuous monitor of hydraulic head, electrical conductivity and temperature within the wells permitted to obtain a robust dataset, which was then used to accurately simulate injection conditions, to calibrate a 3D transient flow and transport model and to obtain aquifer properties at small scale. The transient groundwater flow and solute-heat transport model was built using SEAWAT. The result significance was further investigated by comparing the results with already published column experiments and a natural gradient tracer test performed in the same field. The test procedure shown here can provide a fast and low cost technique to characterize coarse grain aquifer properties, although some limitations can be highlighted, such as the small value of the dispersion coefficient compared to values obtained by natural gradient tracer test, or the fast depletion of heat signal due to high thermal diffusivity.
Fabrication and characterization of conductive anodic aluminum oxide substrates
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Altuntas, Sevde; Buyukserin, Fatih
2014-11-01
Biomaterials that allow the utilization of electrical, chemical and topographic cues for improved neuron-material interaction and neural regeneration hold great promise for nerve tissue engineering applications. The nature of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes intrinsically provides delicate control over topographic and chemical cues for enhanced cell interaction; however their use in nerve regeneration is still very limited. Herein, we report the fabrication and characterization of conductive AAO (CAAO) surfaces for the ultimate goal of integrating electrical cues for improved nerve tissue behavior on the nanoporous substrate material. Parafilm was used as a protecting polymer film, for the first time, in order to obtain large area (50 cm2) free-standing AAO membranes. Carbon (C) was then deposited on the AAO surface via sputtering. Morphological characterization of the CAAO surfaces revealed that the pores remain open after the deposition process. The presence of C on the material surface and inside the nanopores was confirmed by XPS and EDX studies. Furthermore, I-V curves of the surface were used to extract surface resistance values and conductive AFM demonstrated that current signals can only be achieved where conductive C layer is present. Finally, novel nanoporous C films with controllable pore diameters and one dimensional (1-D) C nanostructures were obtained by the dissolution of the template AAO substrate.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Chidambaram, Thenappan
III-V semiconductors are potential candidates to replace Si as a channel material in next generation CMOS integrated circuits owing to their superior carrier mobilities. Low density of states (DOS) and typically high interface and border trap densities (Dit) in high mobility group III-V semiconductors provide difficulties in quantification of Dit near the conduction band edge. The trap response above the threshold voltage of a MOSFET can be very fast, and conventional Dit extraction methods, based on capacitance/conductance response (CV methods) of MOS capacitors at frequencies <1MHz, cannot distinguish conducting and trapped carriers. In addition, the CV methods have to deal with high dispersion in the accumulation region that makes it a difficult task to measure the true oxide capacitance, Cox value. Another implication of these properties of III-V interfaces is an ambiguity of determination of electron density in the MOSFET channel. Traditional evaluation of carrier density by integration of the C-V curve, gives incorrect values for D it and mobility. Here we employ gated Hall method to quantify the D it spectrum at the high-K oxide/III-V semiconductor interface for buried and surface channel devices using Hall measurement and capacitance-voltage data. Determination of electron density directly from Hall measurements allows for obtaining true mobility values.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Mei, S.; Knezevic, I.
2018-03-01
Thermal transport in bulk ternary III-V arsenide (III-As) semiconductor alloys was investigated using equilibrium molecular dynamics with optimized Albe-Tersoff empirical interatomic potentials. Existing potentials for binary AlAs, GaAs, and InAs were optimized to match experimentally obtained acoustic-phonon dispersions and temperature-dependent thermal conductivity. Calculations of thermal transport in ternary III-Vs commonly employ the virtual-crystal approximation (VCA), where the structure is assumed to be a random alloy and all group-III atoms (cations) are treated as if they have an effective weighted-average mass. Here, we showed that it is critical to treat atomic masses explicitly and that the thermal conductivity obtained with explicit atomic masses differs considerably from the value obtained with the average VCA cation mass. The larger the difference between the cation masses, the poorer the VCA prediction for thermal conductivity. The random-alloy assumption in the VCA is also challenged because X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy show order in InGaAs, InAlAs, and GaAlAs epilayers. We calculated thermal conductivity for three common types of order (CuPt-B, CuAu-I, and triple-period-A) and showed that the experimental results for In0.53Ga0.47As and In0.52Al0.48As, which are lattice matched to the InP substrate, can be reproduced in molecular dynamics simulation with 2% and 8% of random disorder, respectively. Based on our results, thermal transport in ternary III-As alloys appears to be governed by the competition between mass-difference scattering, which is much more pronounced than the VCA suggests, and the long-range order that these alloys support.
Determination of the Pressure Drag of Airfoils by Integration of Surface Pressures
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Phillips, William H.
1990-01-01
A study was conducted of the causes of pressure drag of subsonic airfoils. In a previous paper by the author, the pressure drag is obtained by calculating the total drag from the momentum defect in the boundary layer at the trailing edge and subtracting the friction drag obtained from integration of surface friction along the chord. Herein, the pressure drag is obtained by integrating the streamwise components of surface pressure around the airfoil. Studies were made to verify the accuracy of the integration procedure. The values of pressure drag were much smaller than those obtained by the previous method. This lack of agreement is attributed to the difficulty of calculating boundary layer conditions in the vicinity of the trailing edge and to the extreme sensitivity of the circulation and lift to the trailing edge conditions. The results of these studies are compared with those of previous investigations.
Laboratory-based electrical conductivity at Martian mantle conditions
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Verhoeven, Olivier; Vacher, Pierre
2016-12-01
Information on temperature and composition of planetary mantles can be obtained from electrical conductivity profiles derived from induced magnetic field analysis. This requires a modeling of the conductivity for each mineral phase at conditions relevant to planetary interiors. Interpretation of iron-rich Martian mantle conductivity profile therefore requires a careful modeling of the conductivity of iron-bearing minerals. In this paper, we show that conduction mechanism called small polaron is the dominant conduction mechanism at temperature, water and iron content conditions relevant to Mars mantle. We then review the different measurements performed on mineral phases with various iron content. We show that, for all measurements of mineral conductivity reported so far, the effect of iron content on the activation energy governing the exponential decrease in the Arrhenius law can be modeled as the cubic square root of the iron content. We recast all laboratory results on a common generalized Arrhenius law for iron-bearing minerals, anchored on Earth's mantle values. We then use this modeling to compute a new synthetic profile of Martian mantle electrical conductivity. This new profile matches perfectly, in the depth range [100,1000] km, the electrical conductivity profile recently derived from the study of Mars Global Surveyor magnetic field measurements.
Karadağ, Teoman; Yüceer, Mehmet; Abbasov, Teymuraz
2016-01-01
The present study analyses the electric field radiating from the GSM/UMTS base stations located in central Malatya, a densely populated urban area in Turkey. The authors have conducted both instant and continuous measurements of high-frequency electromagnetic fields throughout their research by using non-ionising radiation-monitoring networks. Over 15,000 instant and 13,000,000 continuous measurements were taken throughout the process. The authors have found that the normal electric field radiation can increase ∼25% during daytime, depending on mobile communication traffic. The authors' research work has also demonstrated the fact that the electric field intensity values can be modelled for each hour, day or week with the results obtained from continuous measurements. The authors have developed an estimation model based on these values, including mobile communication traffic (Erlang) values obtained from mobile phone base stations and the temperature and humidity values in the environment. The authors believe that their proposed artificial neural network model and multivariable least-squares regression analysis will help predict the electric field intensity in an environment in advance. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Yun, Tae Jin; Paeng, Jin Chul; Sohn, Chul-Ho; Kim, Jeong Eun; Kang, Hyun-Seung; Yoon, Byung-Woo; Choi, Seung Hong; Kim, Ji-hoon; Lee, Ho-Young; Han, Moon Hee; Zaharchuk, Greg
2016-01-01
To assess arterial spin labeling in the identification of impaired cerebrovascular reactivity in patients with moyamoya disease. The institutional review board approved this prospective study, and written informed consent was obtained from all patients. A prospective study was conducted in 78 subjects with moyamoya disease (of whom 31 underwent unilateral direct arterial anastomosis). The concordance between the cerebrovascular reactivity index values from arterial spin labeling and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was assessed by using Bland-Altman analysis, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of arterial spin labeling to depict impaired cerebrovascular reactivity (in which the cerebrovascular reactivity index value is less than 0% on SPECT images). The cerebrovascular reactivity index from arterial spin labeling had a lower value than that from SPECT (mean difference, -4.2%). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for arterial spin labeling in the detection of impaired cerebrovascular reactivity was at least 0.85. On the anastomotic side, a significant increase was found between the cerebrovascular reactivity index values on arterial spin labeling images obtained preoperatively and those obtained 6 months after surgery, as well as on SPECT images (mean ± standard deviation values of cerebrovascular reactivity index increased by 5.9% ± 10.9 and 3.0% ± 6.3 for arterial spin labeling and SPECT, respectively). Arterial spin labeling has excellent performance in the identification of impaired cerebrovascular reactivity in patients with moyamoya disease, and it has the potential to serve as a noninvasive imaging tool to monitor cerebrovascular reactivity in patients with moyamoya disease. © RSNA, 2015
Dependence of the optical conductivity on the uniaxial and biaxial strains in black phosphorene
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yang, C. H.; Zhang, J. Y.; Wang, G. X.; Zhang, C.
2018-06-01
By using the Kubo formula, the optical conductivity of strained black phosphorene was studied. The anisotropic band dispersion gives rise to an orientation dependent optical conductivity. The energy gap can be tuned by the uniaxial and biaxial strains which can be observed from the interband optical conductivity polarized along the armchair (x ) direction. The preferential conducting direction is along the x direction. The dependence of the intraband optical conductivity along the zigzag (y ) direction on the Fermi energy and strain exhibits increasing or decreasing monotonously. However, along the x direction this dependence is complicated which originates from the carriers' inverse-direction movements obtained by two types of the nearest phosphorus atom interactions. The modification of the biaxial strain on the energy structure and optical-absorption property is more effective. The imaginary part of the total optical conductivity (Im σ ) can be negative around the threshold of the interband optical transition by modifying the chemical potential. Away from this frequency region, Im σ exhibits positive value. It can be used in the application of the surface plasmon propagations in multilayer dielectric structures.
Local measurement of thermal conductivity and diffusivity.
Hurley, David H; Schley, Robert S; Khafizov, Marat; Wendt, Brycen L
2015-12-01
Simultaneous measurement of local thermal diffusivity and conductivity is demonstrated on a range of ceramic samples. This was accomplished by measuring the temperature field spatial profile of samples excited by an amplitude modulated continuous wave laser beam. A thin gold film is applied to the samples to ensure strong optical absorption and to establish a second boundary condition that introduces an expression containing the substrate thermal conductivity. The diffusivity and conductivity are obtained by comparing the measured phase profile of the temperature field to a continuum based model. A sensitivity analysis is used to identify the optimal film thickness for extracting the both substrate conductivity and diffusivity. Proof of principle studies were conducted on a range of samples having thermal properties that are representatives of current and advanced accident tolerant nuclear fuels. It is shown that by including the Kapitza resistance as an additional fitting parameter, the measured conductivity and diffusivity of all the samples considered agreed closely with the literature values. A distinguishing feature of this technique is that it does not require a priori knowledge of the optical spot size which greatly increases measurement reliability and reproducibility.
Psychometric properties of the Valued Living Questionnaire Adapted to Dementia Caregiving.
Romero-Moreno, R; Gallego-Alberto, L; Márquez-González, M; Losada, A
2017-09-01
Caring for a relative with dementia is associated with physical and emotional health problems in caregivers. There are no studies analysing the role of personal values in the caregiver stress process. This study aims to analyse the psychometric properties of the Valued Living Questionnaire Adapted to Caregiving (VLQAC), and to explore the relationship between personal values and stressors, coping strategies and caregiver distress. A total of 253 individual interviews with caregivers of relatives with dementia were conducted, and the following variables were assessed: personal values, stressors, cognitive fusion, emotional acceptance, depression, anxiety, and satisfaction with life. An exploratory factor analysis and hierarchical regression analyses were carried out. Two factors were obtained, Commitment to Own Values and Commitment to Family Values which explain 43.42% of variance, with reliability coefficients (Cronbach's alpha) of .76 and .61, respectively. Personal values had a significant effect on emotional distress (depression and anxiety) and satisfaction with life, even when controlling for socio-demographic variables, stressors and coping strategies. Results suggest that the personal values construct of dementia caregivers is two-dimensional. The personal values of the caregivers play an important role in accounting for distress and satisfaction with life in this population.
Mass transfer coefficient in ginger oil extraction by microwave hydrotropic solution
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Handayani, Dwi; Ikhsan, Diyono; Yulianto, Mohamad Endy; Dwisukma, Mandy Ayulia
2015-12-01
This research aims to obtain mass transfer coefficient data on the extraction of ginger oil using microwave hydrotropic solvent as an alternative to increase zingiberene. The innovation of this study is extraction with microwave heater and hydrotropic solvent,which able to shift the phase equilibrium, and the increasing rate of the extraction process and to improve the content of ginger oil zingiberene. The experiment was conducted at the Laboratory of Separation Techniques at Chemical Engineering Department of Diponegoro University. The research activities carried out in two stages, namely experimental and modeling work. Preparation of the model postulated, then lowered to obtain equations that were tested and validated using data obtained from experimental. Measurement of experimental data was performed using microwave power (300 W), extraction temperature of 90 ° C and the independent variable, i.e.: type of hydrotropic, the volume of solvent and concentration in order, to obtain zingiberen levels as a function of time. Measured data was used as a tool to validate the postulation, in order to obtain validation of models and empirical equations. The results showed that the mass transfer coefficient (Kla) on zingiberene mass transfer models ginger oil extraction at various hydrotropic solution attained more 14 ± 2 Kla value than its reported on the extraction with electric heating. The larger value of Kla, the faster rate of mass transfer on the extraction process. To obtain the same yields, the microwave-assisted extraction required one twelfth time shorter.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Maier, Matthias; Margetis, Dionisios; Luskin, Mitchell
2017-06-01
We formulate and validate a finite element approach to the propagation of a slowly decaying electromagnetic wave, called surface plasmon-polariton, excited along a conducting sheet, e.g., a single-layer graphene sheet, by an electric Hertzian dipole. By using a suitably rescaled form of time-harmonic Maxwell's equations, we derive a variational formulation that enables a direct numerical treatment of the associated class of boundary value problems by appropriate curl-conforming finite elements. The conducting sheet is modeled as an idealized hypersurface with an effective electric conductivity. The requisite weak discontinuity for the tangential magnetic field across the hypersurface can be incorporated naturally into the variational formulation. We carry out numerical simulations for an infinite sheet with constant isotropic conductivity embedded in two spatial dimensions; and validate our numerics against the closed-form exact solution obtained by the Fourier transform in the tangential coordinate. Numerical aspects of our treatment such as an absorbing perfectly matched layer, as well as local refinement and a posteriori error control are discussed.
Variations of streambed vertical hydraulic conductivity before and after a flood season
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wu, Guangdong; Shu, Longcang; Lu, Chengpeng; Chen, Xunhong; Zhang, Xiao; Appiah-Adjei, Emmanuel K.; Zhu, Jingsi
2015-11-01
The change of vertical hydraulic conductivity ( K v) before and after a flood season is crucial in understanding the long-term temporal variation of streambed permeability. Therefore, in this study, a detailed K v field investigation was conducted at an in-channel site within the Dawen River, China, before and after a flood season. In-situ falling-head permeameter tests were performed for the determination of K v. The tests were conducted using a 10 × 10 grid, at five different depths. In total, 871 valid K v values from layers 1-5 were obtained. The Kruskal-Wallis test on these K v values before and after the flood season shows they belonged to different populations. The sediments before the flood season primarily consisted of sand and gravel, whereas after the flood season, patchy distribution of silt/clay occurred in the sandy streambed and silt/clay content increased with the increasing depth; under the losing condition during flooding, downward movement of water brought fine particles into the coarse sediments, partially silting the pores. Accordingly, the K v values after the flood season had a smaller mean and median, and a higher level of heterogeneity, compared to those before the flood season. Additionally, the distribution pattern in K v across the stream differed before and after flood season; after the flood season, there was an increasing trend in K v from the south bank to the north bank. Overall, the contrasts of K v before and after the flood season were predominantly subject to the infiltration of fine particles.
How Can Adult Children Influence Parents’ Long-Term Care Insurance Purchase Decisions?
Voils, Corrine I.; Coe, Norma B.; Konetzka, R. Tamara; Boles, Jillian; Van Houtven, Courtney Harold
2017-01-01
Abstract Purpose of the Study: Long-term care (LTC) poses a significant strain on public health insurance financing. In response, there is policy interest in bolstering the private long-term care insurance (LTCI) market. Although families are central to LTC provision, their role in LTCI demand remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to obtain in-depth information concerning: (a) How do older parents evaluate the need for LTCI, (b) what role do adult children play? and (c) How do families communicate about parents’ LTC preferences and plans, including LTCI purchase? Design and Methods: We conducted focus groups with older parents and adult children in diverse markets. Two groups were conducted with older parents who had purchased LTCI and two with parents who had not purchased LTCI. Four groups were conducted with adult children, mixed as to whether their parents had purchased LTCI. Probes were informed by published reasons for purchasing or not purchasing LTCI. We analyzed transcriptions using directed content analysis and constant comparative method. Results: Older parents valued autonomy for themselves and their children. Older parent purchasers regarded LTCI as supporting this value while nonpurchasers perceived limitations. Adult children described unstated expectations that they would care for their parents. Though discussions between parents and children about LTCI were rare, successful influence occurred when children appealed to shared values, specifically avoiding burden and remaining home. Implications: Messages that emphasize autonomy over LTC decisions and interventions that start the LTC conversation among families, with attention to shared values, could increase private LTCI uptake. PMID:25209446
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Maurya, P. K.; Balbarini, N.; Møller, I.; Rønde, V.; Christiansen, A. V.; Bjerg, P. L.; Auken, E.; Fiandaca, G.
2018-05-01
At contaminated sites, knowledge about geology and hydraulic properties of the subsurface and extent of the contamination is needed for assessing the risk and for designing potential site remediation. In this study, we have developed a new approach for characterizing contaminated sites through time-domain spectral induced polarization. The new approach is based on: (1) spectral inversion of the induced polarization data through a reparametrization of the Cole-Cole model, which disentangles the electrolytic bulk conductivity from the surface conductivity for delineating the contamination plume; (2) estimation of hydraulic permeability directly from the inverted parameters using a laboratory-derived empirical equation without any calibration; (3) the use of the geophysical imaging results for supporting the geological modelling and planning of drilling campaigns. The new approach was tested on a data set from the Grindsted stream (Denmark), where contaminated groundwater from a factory site discharges to the stream. Two overlapping areas were covered with seven parallel 2-D profiles each, one large area of 410 m × 90 m (5 m electrode spacing) and one detailed area of 126 m × 42 m (2 m electrode spacing). The geophysical results were complemented and validated by an extensive set of hydrologic and geologic information, including 94 estimates of hydraulic permeability obtained from slug tests and grain size analyses, 89 measurements of water electrical conductivity in groundwater, and four geological logs. On average the IP-derived and measured permeability values agreed within one order of magnitude, except for those close to boundaries between lithological layers (e.g. between sand and clay), where mismatches occurred due to the lack of vertical resolution in the geophysical imaging. An average formation factor was estimated from the correlation between the imaged bulk conductivity values and the water conductivity values measured in groundwater, in order to convert the imaging results from bulk conductivity to water conductivity. The geophysical models were actively used for supporting the geological modelling and the imaging of hydraulic permeability and water conductivity allowed for a better discrimination of the clay/lignite lithology from the pore water conductivity. Furthermore, high water electrical conductivity values were found in a deep confined aquifer, which is separated by a low-permeability clay layer from a shallow aquifer. No contamination was expected in this part of the confined aquifer, and confirmation wells were drilled in the zone of increased water electrical conductivity derived from the geophysical results. Water samples from the new wells showed elevated concentrations of inorganic compounds responsible for the increased water electrical conductivity in the confined aquifer and high concentrations of xenobiotic organic contaminants such as chlorinated ethenes, sulfonamides and barbiturates.
Manzanares-Laya, S; Burón, A; Murta-Nascimento, C; Servitja, S; Castells, X; Macià, F
2014-01-01
Hospital cancer registries and hospital databases are valuable and efficient sources of information for research into cancer recurrences. The aim of this study was to develop and validate algorithms for the detection of breast cancer recurrence. A retrospective observational study was conducted on breast cancer cases from the cancer registry of a third level university hospital diagnosed between 2003 and 2009. Different probable cancer recurrence algorithms were obtained by linking the hospital databases and the construction of several operational definitions, with their corresponding sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value. A total of 1,523 patients were diagnosed of breast cancer between 2003 and 2009. A request for bone gammagraphy after 6 months from the first oncological treatment showed the highest sensitivity (53.8%) and negative predictive value (93.8%), and a pathology test after 6 months after the diagnosis showed the highest specificity (93.8%) and negative predictive value (92.6%). The combination of different definitions increased the specificity and the positive predictive value, but decreased the sensitivity. Several diagnostic algorithms were obtained, and the different definitions could be useful depending on the interest and resources of the researcher. A higher positive predictive value could be interesting for a quick estimation of the number of cases, and a higher negative predictive value for a more exact estimation if more resources are available. It is a versatile and adaptable tool for other types of tumors, as well as for the needs of the researcher. Copyright © 2014 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.
Transport properties of alumina nanofluids.
Wong, Kau-Fui Vincent; Kurma, Tarun
2008-08-27
Recent studies have showed that nanofluids have significantly greater thermal conductivity compared to their base fluids. Large surface area to volume ratio and certain effects of Brownian motion of nanoparticles are believed to be the main factors for the significant increase in the thermal conductivity of nanofluids. In this paper all three transport properties, namely thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity and viscosity, were studied for alumina nanofluid (aluminum oxide nanoparticles in water). Experiments were performed both as a function of volumetric concentration (3-8%) and temperature (2-50 °C). Alumina nanoparticles with a mean diameter of 36 nm were dispersed in water. The effect of particle size was not studied. The transient hot wire method as described by Nagaska and Nagashima for electrically conducting fluids was used to test the thermal conductivity. In this work, an insulated platinum wire of 0.003 inch diameter was used. Initial calibration was performed using de-ionized water and the resulting data was within 2.5% of standard thermal conductivity values for water. The thermal conductivity of alumina nanofluid increased with both increase in temperature and concentration. A maximum thermal conductivity of 0.7351 W m(-1) K(-1) was recorded for an 8.47% volume concentration of alumina nanoparticles at 46.6 °C. The effective thermal conductivity at this concentration and temperature was observed to be 1.1501, which translates to an increase in thermal conductivity by 22% when compared to water at room temperature. Alumina being a good conductor of electricity, alumina nanofluid displays an increasing trend in electrical conductivity as volumetric concentration increases. A microprocessor-based conductivity/TDS meter was used to perform the electrical conductivity experiments. After carefully calibrating the conductivity meter's glass probe with platinum tip, using a standard potassium chloride solution, readings were taken at various volumetric concentrations. A 3457.1% increase in the electrical conductivity was measured for a small 1.44% volumetric concentration of alumina nanoparticles in water. The highest value of electrical conductivity, 314 µS cm(-1), was recorded for a volumetric concentration of 8.47%. In the determination of the kinematic viscosity of alumina nanofluid, a standard kinematic viscometer with constant temperature bath was used. Calibrated capillary viscometers were used to measure flow under gravity at precisely controlled temperatures. The capillary viscometers were calibrated with de-ionized water at different temperatures, and the resulting kinematic viscosity values were found to be within 3% of the standard published values. An increase of 35.5% in the kinematic viscosity was observed for an 8.47% volumetric concentration of alumina nanoparticles in water. The maximum kinematic viscosity of alumina nanofluid, 2.901 42 mm(2) s(-1), was obtained at 0 °C for an 8.47% volumetric concentration of alumina nanoparticles. The experimental results of the present work will help researchers arrive at better theoretical models.
Zhou, XuPing; Xia, Ling; Ge, HongMei; Zhang, Delu; Hu, ChunXiang
2013-06-01
Chlorella sp. (FACHB-1748) was cultivated outdoors under natural sunlight to evaluate its potential for biofuel production. Urea was selected as nitrogen source, and the concentration was optimized. When the culture reached the late exponential stage, a triggering lipid accumulation test was conducted using different concentrations of sodium chloride and acetate. A scaling-up experiment was also conducted in a 70L photobioreactor. The highest biomass productivity (222.42, 154.48 mg/L/d) and lipid productivity (64.30, 33.69mg/L/d) were obtained with 0.1g/L urea in 5 and 70 L bioreactors, respectively. The highest lipid content (43.25%) and lipid yield (1243.98 mg/L) were acquired with the combination of 10 g/L sodium chloride and acetate. Moreover, the qualities of biodiesel, cetane number, saponification value, iodine value, and cold filter plugging point complied with the standards set by the National Petroleum Agency (ANP255), Standard ASTMD6751, and European Standard (EN 14214). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The effect of temperature deposited on the performance of ZnO-CNT-graphite for supercapacitors
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Darari, Alfin; Hakim, Istajib S.; Priyono; Subagio, Agus; Pardoyo; Subhan, Achmad
2017-07-01
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphite are now widely studied as the electrodes of supercapacitor, owing to their high conductivity, large surface area, chemical stability, etc. A lot of research has been focused on Carbon/metal oxide nanocomposite electrode for Electrode supercapacitor because it will increase the total capacitance. In this research, ZnO nanoparticles were deposited onto substrate CNT:Graphite in different temperatures such as 300°, 350°, and 400°C. The characterization of the crystal size using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) patterns showed ZnO material peak was detected a ZnO crystallite. The size of ZnO crystallite in 300°, 350°, and 400°C consecutively is 101.1; 103.4; and 116.7 nm. The test results are Electrochemical impedance spectrometry (EIS) high electrical conductivity values obtained on the composition of ZnO-CNT-graphite with a temperature of 350°C 4.6 (S/m); and (2) the highest value of capacitance in 300°C is 1.23 F/g.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Upadhyay, A. N.; Tiwari, R. S.; Singh, Kedar
2018-02-01
This study deals with the effect of thermal annealing on structural/microstructural, thermal and mechanical behavior of pristine Se80Te16Cu4 and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) containing Se80Te16Cu4 glassy composites. Pristine Se80Te16Cu4, 3 and 5 wt%CNTs-Se80Te16Cu4 glassy composites are annealed in the vicinity of glass transition temperature to onset crystallization temperature (340-380 K). X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern revealed formation of polycrystalline phases of hexagonal CuSe and trigonal selenium. The indexed d-values in XRD patterns are in well conformity with the d-values obtained after the indexing of the ring pattern of selected area electron diffraction pattern of TEM images. The SEM investigation exhibited that the grain size of the CNTs containing Se80Te16Cu4 glassy composites increased with increasing annealing temperature and decreased at further higher annealing temperature. Thermal conductivity, microhardness exhibited a substantial increase with increasing annealing temperature of 340-360 K and slightly decreases for 380 K. The variation of thermal conductivity and microhardness can be explained by cross-linking formation and voids reduction.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Nehdi, M.; Tariq, A.
2008-11-15
In the present research, industrial byproducts, namely, cement kiln dust (CKD) and Class C fly ash (FAC) have been used as candidate materials along with the partial addition of sulfate-resistant cement (SRC) in the Stabilization/solidification of polymetallic sulfidic mine tailings (MT). The effectiveness of S/S was assessed by comparing laboratory experimental values obtained from unconfined compressive strength, hydraulic conductivity and leaching propensity tests of S/S samples with regulatory standards for safe surface disposal of such wastes. Despite general regulatory compliance of compressive strength and hydraulic conductivity, some solidified/stabilized-cured matrices were found unable to provide the required immobilization of pollutants. Solidified/stabilizedmore » and 90-day cured mine tailings specimens made with composite binders containing (10% CKD + 10% FAC), (5% SRC + 15% FAC) and (5% SRC + 5% CKD + 10% FAC) significantly impaired the solubility of all contaminants investigated and proved successful in fixing metals within the matrix, in addition to achieving adequate unconfined compressive strength and hydraulic conductivity values, thus satisfying USEPA regulations. Laboratory investigations revealed that, for polymetallic mining waste, leachate concentrations are the most critical factor in assessing the effectiveness of S/S technology.« less
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Inhester, B.; Untiedt, J.; Segatz, M.
From two-dimensional ground magnetic and ionospheric electric field observations it should in principle be possible to estimate the two-dimensional distribution of the ionospheric conductance. The authors have developed a method to directly deduce the Hall conductance distribution {Sigma}{sub H} from ground magnetic and ionospheric electric field observations based upon some assumption for the ratio of the Hall to the Pedersen conductivity. In general, the solutions are shown not to be unique because for a specific solution the value of {Sigma}{sub H} on certain parts of the boundary of the two-dimensional domain has to be specified. However, in many situations, especiallymore » in the presence of strong and isolated field-aligned currents, these boundary values become less influential, and the solution can be shown to be practically unique over a large area of the domain. In some cases, a rather restrictive relation between the electric field and the equivalent height-integrated current density is shown to hold that could be used to cross-check the quality of the observations. As a specific example, they apply their formalism to the observation of a Harang discontinuity obtained in northern Scandinavia simultaneously by the STARE coherent radar system and the IMS Scandinavian Magnetometer Array.« less
Wolstenholme, Jane L; Bargo, Danielle; Wang, Kay; Harnden, Anthony; Räisänen, Ulla; Abel, Lucy
2018-03-21
No current guidance is available in the UK on the choice of preference-based measure (PBM) that should be used in obtaining health-related quality of life from children. The aim of this study is to review the current usage of PBMs for obtaining health state utility values in child and adolescent populations, and to obtain information on patient and parent-proxy respondent preferences in completing PBMs in the UK. A literature review was conducted to determine which instrument is most frequently used for child-based economic evaluations and whether child or proxy responses are used. Instruments were compared on dimensions, severity levels, elicitation and valuation methods, availability of value sets and validation studies, and the range of utility values generated. Additionally, a series of focus groups of parents and young people (11-20 years) were convened to determine patient and proxy preferences. Five PBMs suitable for child populations were identified, although only the Health Utilities Index 2 (HUI2) and Child Heath Utility 9D (CHU-9D) have UK value sets. 45 papers used PBMs in this population, but many used non-child-specific PBMs. Most respondents were parent proxies, even in adolescent populations. Reported missing data ranged from 0.5 to 49.3%. The focus groups reported their experiences with the EQ-5D-Y and CHU-9D. Both the young persons' group and parent/proxy groups felt that the CHU-9D was more comprehensive but may be harder for a proxy to complete. Some younger children had difficulty understanding the CHU-9D questions, but the young persons' group nonetheless preferred responding directly. The use of PBMs in child populations is increasing, but many studies use PBMs that do not have appropriate value sets. Parent proxies are the most common respondents, but the focus group responses suggest it would be preferred, and may be more informative, for older children to self-report or for child-parent dyads to respond.
Larson, Gary L.; McIntire, C.D.; Jacobs, Ruth W.; Truitt, R.
1999-01-01
A synoptic inventory of physical and chemical properties and plankton assemblages of 27 mountain lakes was conducted at Mount Rainier National Park in 1988. From 1990–1993, die opportunity was presented to resurvey six of these lakes to determine inter-annual change within die set of characteristics surveyed in 1988. If changes were evident, a second objective was to provide guidance to park management about the value of a long-term lake monitoring program.Secchi-disk clarity, water temperature, and pH of the lakes in 1988 were within the range of values obtained between 1990 and 1993. Conductivities and concentration of nutrients in some lakes were not consistent in 1990–1993 with the values recorded in 1988. Although the dominant phytoplankton taxa in die lakes varied among years, die taxa in individual lakes were in consistent among years, with die exception of two lakes. Rotifer assemblages were consistent among years, but most of die lakes exhibited dramatic changes in some years, as did crustacean zooplankton assemblages. Suggestions were made about die need for a long-term monitoring program to evaluate die status and trends of park lakes.
Evaluations of catalysts for wet oxidation waste management in CELSS
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Oguchi, Mitsuo; Nitta, Keiji
1992-11-01
A wet oxidation method is considered to be one of the most effective methods of waste processing and recycling in CELSS (Controlled Ecological Life Support System). The first test using rabbit waste as raw material was conducted under a decomposition temperature of 280 °C for 30 minutes and an initial pure oxygen pressure of 4.9 MPa (50 kgf/cm2) before heating, and the following results were obtained. The value of COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) was reduced 82.5 % by the wet oxidation. And also the Kjeldahl nitrogen concentration was decreased 98.8%. However, the organic carbon compound in the residual solution was almost acetic acid and ammonia was produced. In order to activate the oxidation more strongly, the second tests using catalysts such as Pd, Ru and Ru+Rh were conducted. As the results of these tests, the effectiveness of catalysts for oxidizing raw material ws shown as follows: COD and the Kjeldahl nitrogen values were drastically decreased 99.65 % and 99.88 %, respectively. Furthermore, the quantity of acetic acid and ammonia were reduced considerably. On the other hand, nitrate was showed a value 30 times as much as without catalytic oxidation.
Marikkar, Jalaldeen Mohammed Nazrim; Rana, Sohel
2014-01-01
A study was conducted to detect and quantify lard stearin (LS) content in canola oil (CaO) using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Authentic samples of CaO were obtained from a reliable supplier and the adulterant LS were obtained through a fractional crystallization procedure as reported previously. Pure CaO samples spiked with LS in levels ranging from 5 to 15% (w/w) were analyzed using DSC to obtain their cooling and heating profiles. The results showed that samples contaminated with LS at 5% (w/w) level can be detected using characteristic contaminant peaks appearing in the higher temperature regions (0 to 70°C) of the cooling and heating curves. Pearson correlation analysis of LS content against individual DSC parameters of the adulterant peak namely peak temperature, peak area, peak onset temperature indicated that there were strong correlations between these with the LS content of the CaO admixtures. When these three parameters were engaged as variables in the execution of the stepwise regression procedure, predictive models for determination of LS content in CaO were obtained. The predictive models obtained with single DSC parameter had relatively lower coefficient of determination (R(2) value) and higher standard error than the models obtained using two DSC parameters in combination. This study concluded that the predictive models obtained with peak area and peak onset temperature of the adulteration peak would be more accurate for prediction of LS content in CaO based on the highest coefficient of determination (R(2) value) and smallest standard error.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Jang, Hae-Won; Kim, Yong-Hoe; Lee, Ki-Wook; Kim, Yoon-Mi; Kim, Jin-Yeol
2017-08-01
We synthesized ultra-thin Ag nanowire (Ag NWs) with sub-15 nm diameters and aspect ratios of 1000 through a water-based high-pressure hydrothermal method in the presence of a tetrabutylammonium dichlorobromide organic salt and glucose reducing agent. In the crystal growth stage, the diameter of the NWs could be controlled by adjusting the pressure, and 15-nm diameter wires were obtained at a pressure of 190 psi. These 2D conductive Ag NW network films showed an excellent optical performance with low haze value of ≤1.0% and 94.5% transmittance at a low sheet resistance of 20 Ω/sq.
The calculation of thermophysical properties of nickel plasma
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Apfelbaum, E. M.
2015-09-15
The thermophysical properties of Nickel plasma have been calculated for the temperatures 10–60 kK and densities less than 1 g/cm{sup 3}. These properties are the pressure, internal energy, heat capacity, and the electronic transport coefficients (electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and thermal power). The thermodynamic values have been calculated by means of the chemical model, which also allows one to obtain the ionic composition of considered plasma. The composition has been used to calculate the electronic transport coefficients within the relaxation time approximation. The results of the present investigation have been compared with the calculations of other researchers and available data ofmore » measurements.« less
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Mohanraman, Rajeshkumar; Sankar, Raman; Chou, Fang-Cheng; Lee, Chih-Hao; Iizuka, Yoshiyuki; Muthuselvam, I. Panneer; Chen, Yang-Yuan
2014-09-01
We report a maximal figure of merit (ZT) value of 1.1 at 600 K was obtained for the sample of which x = 0.03, representing an enhancement greater than 20% compared with a pristine AgSbTe2 sample. This favorable thermoelectric performance originated from the optimal Sn2+ substitution for Sb3+ in AgSbTe2, which not only increased electrical conductivity but also led to a substantial reduction in thermal conductivity that was likely caused by an enhanced phonon-scattering mechanism through the combined effects of lattice defects and the presence of Ag2Te nanoprecipitates dispersed in the matrix.
Thermoelectric effect in an Aharonov-Bohm ring with an embedded quantum dot.
Zheng, Jun; Chi, Feng; Lu, Xiao-Dong; Zhang, Kai-Cheng
2012-02-28
Thermoelectric effect is studied in an Aharonov-Bohm interferometer with an embedded quantum dot (QD) in the Coulomb blockade regime. The electrical conductance, electron thermal conductance, thermopower, and thermoelectric figure-of-merit are calculated by using the Keldysh Green's function method. It is found that the figure-of-merit ZT of the QD ring may be quite high due to the Fano effect originated from the quantum interference effect. Moreover, the thermoelectric efficiency is sensitive to the magnitude of the dot-lead and inter-lead coupling strengthes. The effect of intradot Coulomb repulsion on ZT is significant in the weak-coupling regime, and then large ZT values can be obtained at rather high temperature.
In-Situ Tuff Water Migration/Heater Experiment: posttest thermal analysis
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Eaton, R.R.; Johnstone, J.K.; Nunziato, J.W.
This report describes posttest laboratory experiments and thermal computations for the In-Situ Tuff Water Migration/Heater Experiment that was conducted in Grouse Canyon Welded Tuff in G-Tunnel, Nevada Test Site. Posttest laboratory experiments were designed to determine the accuracy of the temperatures measured by the rockwall thermocouples during the in-situ test. The posttest laboratory experiments showed that the measured in-situ rockwall temperatures were 10 to 20{sup 0}C higher than the true rockwall temperatures. The posttest computational results, obtained with the thermal conduction code COYOTE, were compared with the experimentally obtained data and with calculated pretest results. Daily heater output power fluctuationsmore » (+-4%) caused by input power line variations and the sensitivity of temperature to heater output power required care in selecting the average heater output power values used in the code. The posttest calculated results compare reasonably well with the experimental data. 10 references, 14 figures, 5 tables.« less
Development of graphite/copper composites utilizing engineered interfaces. M.S. Thesis Final Report
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Devincent, Sandra M.
1991-01-01
In situ measurements of graphite/copper alloy contact angles were made using the sessile drop method. The interfacial energy values obtained from these measurements were then applied to a model for the fiber matrix interfacial debonding phenomenon found in graphite/copper composites. The formation obtained from the sessile drop tests led to the development of a copper alloy that suitably wets graphite. Characterization of graphite/copper alloy interfaces subjected to elevated temperatures was conducted using Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy, Auger Electron Spectroscopy, and X Ray Diffraction analyses. These analyses indicated that during sessile drop tests conducted at 1130 C for 1 hour, copper alloys containing greater than 0.98 at pct chromium form continuous reaction layers of approx. 10 microns in thickness. The reaction layers are adherent to the graphite surface. The copper wets the reaction layer to form a contact angle of 60 deg or less. X ray diffraction results indicate that the reaction layer is Cr3C2.
Biomass Burning Observation Project (BBOP) Final Campaign Report
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Kleinman, LI; Sedlacek, A. J.
2016-01-01
The Biomass Burning Observation Project (BBOP) was conducted to obtain a better understanding of how aerosols generated from biomass fires affect the atmosphere and climate. It is estimated that 40% of carbonaceous aerosol produced originates from biomass burning—enough to affect regional and global climate. Several biomass-burning studies have focused on tropical climates; however, few campaigns have been conducted within the United States, where millions of acres are burned each year, trending to higher values and greater climate impacts because of droughts in the West. Using the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Aerial Facility (AAF), the BBOP deployed the Gulfstream-1 (G-1) aircraftmore » over smoke plumes from active wildfire and agricultural burns to help identify the impact of these events and how impacts evolve with time. BBOP was one of very few studies that targeted the near-field time evolution of aerosols and aimed to obtain a process-level understanding of the large changes that occur within a few hours of atmospheric processing.« less
Parallel Fin ORU Thermal Interface for space applications. [Orbital Replaceable Unit
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Stobb, C. A.; Limardo, Jose G.
1992-01-01
The Parallel Fin Thermal Interface has been developed as an Orbital Replaceable Unit (ORU) interface. The interface transfers heat from an ORU baseplate to a Heat Acquisition Plate (HAP) through pairs of fins sandwiched between insert plates that press against the fins with uniform pressure. The insert plates are spread apart for ORU baseplate separation and replacement. Two prototype interfaces with different fin dimensions were built (Model 140 and 380). Interfacing surface samples were found to have roughnesses of 56 to 89 nm. Conductance values of 267 to 420 W/sq m C were obtained for the 140 model in vacuum with interface pressures of 131 to 262 kPa (19 to 38 psi). Vacuum conductances ranging from 176 to 267 W/sq m F were obtained for the 380 model at interface pressures of 97 to 152 kPa (14 and 22 psi). Correlations from several sources were found to agree with test data within 20 percent using thermal math models of the interfaces.
Javiya, Umesh; Chew, John; Hills, Nick; Dullenkopf, Klaus; Scanlon, Timothy
2013-05-01
The prediction of the preswirl cooling air delivery and disk metal temperature are important for the cooling system performance and the rotor disk thermal stresses and life assessment. In this paper, standalone 3D steady and unsteady computation fluid dynamics (CFD), and coupled FE-CFD calculations are presented for prediction of these temperatures. CFD results are compared with previous measurements from a direct transfer preswirl test rig. The predicted cooling air temperatures agree well with the measurement, but the nozzle discharge coefficients are under predicted. Results from the coupled FE-CFD analyses are compared directly with thermocouple temperature measurements and with heat transfer coefficients on the rotor disk previously obtained from a rotor disk heat conduction solution. Considering the modeling limitations, the coupled approach predicted the solid metal temperatures well. Heat transfer coefficients on the rotor disk from CFD show some effect of the temperature variations on the heat transfer coefficients. Reasonable agreement is obtained with values deduced from the previous heat conduction solution.
Influence of rare earth doping on thermoelectric properties of SrTiO3 ceramics
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Liu, J.; Wang, C. L.; Li, Y.; Su, W. B.; Zhu, Y. H.; Li, J. C.; Mei, L. M.
2013-12-01
Thermoelectric properties of SrTiO3 ceramics, doped with different rare earth elements, were investigated in this work. It's found that the ionic radius of doping elements plays an important role on thermoelectric properties: SrTiO3 ceramics doped with large rare earth ions (such as La, Nd, and Sm) exhibit large power factors, and those doped with small ions (such as Gd, Dy, Er, and Y) exhibit low thermal conductivities. Therefore, a simple approach for enhancing the thermoelectric performance of SrTiO3 ceramics is proposed: mainly doped with large ions to obtain a large power factor and, simultaneously, slightly co-doped with small ions to obtain a low thermal conductivity. Based on this rule, Sr0.8La0.18Yb0.02TiO3 ceramics were prepared, whose ZT value at 1 023 K reaches 0.31, increasing by a factor of 19% compared with the single-doped counterpart Sr0.8La0.2TiO3 (ZT = 0.26).
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Wells, William L.
1990-01-01
Experimental heat transfer distributions and surface streamline directions are presented for a cylinder in the near wake of the Aeroassist Flight Experiment forebody configuration. Tests were conducted in air at a nominal free stream Mach number of 10, with post shock Reynolds numbers based on model base height of 6,450 to 50,770, and angles of attack of 5, 0, -5, and -10 degrees. Heat transfer data were obtained with thin film resistance gage and surface streamline directions by the oil flow technique. Comparisons between measured values and predicted values were made by using a Navier-Stokes computer code.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Novitasari, Linda; Astya Agustina, Puput; Sukesti, Ria; Faizal Nazri, Muhammad; Handhika, Jeffry
2017-11-01
The purpose of this research is to explore the potential of ethnoscience and the value of local wisdom contained in the tradition of “sea alms” in Teleng Ria Pacitan Beach, to profile as a science literacy in junior high school. The qualitative descriptive method used, where the researcher conducts the study on group culture under natural conditions through observation, interview, and documentation. The profile obtained in a booklet and socialized in students of Junior High School (SMPN 3 Tegalombo and SMPN 1 Pacitan). From this activity obtained information that the ability of students in interpreting ethnoscience in the tradition of “alms sea” in scientific science knowledge increases. It can conclude that the ethnoscience profile and the value of local wisdom can be used as an alternative science literacy in junior high school and has the potential to be used as a reference provider of data related traditions “Sea alms” and its integration with scientific knowledge.
Study on the criterion to determine the bottom deployment modes of a coilable mast
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ma, Haibo; Huang, Hai; Han, Jianbin; Zhang, Wei; Wang, Xinsheng
2017-12-01
A practical design criterion that allows the coilable mast bottom to deploy in local coil mode was proposed. The criterion was defined with initial bottom helical angle and obtained by bottom deformation analyses. Discretizing the longerons into short rods, analyses were conducted based on the cylinder assumption and Kirchhoff's kinetic analogy theory. Then, iterative calculations aiming at the bottom four rods were carried out. A critical bottom helical angle was obtained while the angle changing rate equaled to zero. The critical value was defined as a criterion for judgement of bottom deployment mode. Subsequently, micro-gravity deployment tests were carried out and bottom deployment simulations based on finite element method were developed. Through comparisons of bottom helical angles in critical state, the proposed criterion was evaluated and modified, that is, an initial bottom helical angle less than critical value with a design margin of -13.7% could ensure the mast bottom deploying in local coil mode, and further determine a successful local coil deployment of entire coilable mast.
Mogo, S; Cachorro, V E; de Frutos, A; Rodrigues, A
2012-12-01
A field campaign was conducted from October 2009 to July 2010 at Covilhã, a small town located in the region of Beira Interior (Portugal) in the interior of the Iberian Peninsula. The ambient light-absorption coefficient, σ(a) (522 nm), obtained from a Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP), presented a daily mean value of 12.1 Mm⁻¹ (StD = 7.3 Mm⁻¹). The wavelength dependence of aerosol light absorption is investigated through the Ångström parameter, α(a). The α(a) values for the pair of wavelengths 470-660 nm ranged from 0.86 to 1.47 during the period of measurements. The PSAP data were used to infer the mass of light absorbing carbon (LAC) and the daily mean varied from 0.1 to 6.8 μg m⁻³. A detailed study of special events with different aerosol characteristics is carried out and, to support data interpretation, air masses trajectory analysis is performed.
Nonequilibrium free diffusion in seed leachate
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ortiz G., Luis; Riquelme P., Pablo; Guzmán, R.
2013-11-01
In this work, we use a Schlieren-like Near Field Scattering (SNFS) setup to study nonequilibrium free diffusion behavior of a colloidal solution obtained from seeds leachate. The main objective is to compare the temporal behavior of the diffusion coefficient of seed leachate with an electric conductivity based vigor test. SNFS sizing measurements, based on Mie theory, were carried out to ensure its reliability and sensitivity. Then, we performed a typical nonequilibrium free diffusion experiment of a glycerol-water mixture. In this way, we confirmed that SNFS setup is sensitive to giant concentration fluctuations of nanocolloidal solutions. The results obtained in this stage reproduce properly the data reported elsewhere in literature. Moreover, seed leachate diffuse, in water, in a similar way that glycerol does. In both cases we used the same method (dynamic structure factor) to determine thermo-physical properties. We show that time evolution of diffusion coefficient of Lupinus Albus leachate exhibits three defined regimes as electric conductivity measurements. The results also exhibit a correspondence between the behavior of the diffusion coefficient and electric conductivity values of the two regions in the temporal range studied. Finally, we discuss biological processes involved in germination that could modulate this dependence, and the role played by the electrolytic nature of solutes.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
de Palézieux, Larissa; Loew, Simon; Zwahlen, Peter
2017-04-01
Within the scope of planning a hydropower pump storage plant in the Poschiavo valley by Lagobianco SA (Repower AG), numerous cored boreholes with depths of 50 to 300 m were drilled at elevations between 963 and 2538 m a.s.l.. In several boreholes Lugeon and transient pressure packer tests were executed at various depths and pore water pressure sensors were properly installed in short monitoring intervals. Several of the boreholes intersect large suspended rock slides showing the characteristic zones of highly fragmented rock mass above a kakirite layer of several tens of meters thickness. This study presents long term transient pressure records from these deep boreholes and relates them to seasonal recharge trends from snow melt and summer rainstorm events. Annual pore pressure amplitudes at depths between 45 and 278 meters, range between 4 and 40 meters. Recharge from snow melt water production is obtained from the Degree-Day Method (Rango and Martinec, 1995), despite a considerable distance between the meteorological station and the location of the boreholes. First estimations of storage properties of the aquifers intersected by the boreholes are determined by fitting a combined snow melt and precipitation pressure function to the observed (delayed and attenuated) pore pressure records using a convolution of the one-dimensional pressure diffusion equation for a semi-infinite aquifer of constant thickness (De Marsily, 1986). Initial hydraulic conductivity values were taken directly from hydraulic tests executed by Lagobianco SA in similar rock types (Figi et al., 2014). For most boreholes this strongly simplified approach yields impressively good fits of the transient pressure records and specific storage/yield values, which vary significantly as a function of sensor depth below the piezometric level. Values range from 1e-6 m-1 to 5e-4 m-1 for confined gneiss-schists aquifers and around 3e-2 m-1 for phreatic aquifers, where pore pressure sensors are located only 20-30 m below the phreatic surface. The obtained values for specific storage and the assumed values for hydraulic conductivity were then verified with a one-dimensional finite element free-surface hydraulic model under steady-state and transient conditions, again fitting the simulated values to the observed pore water pressure records. Boundary conditions were set to constant head at the foot of the column and to infiltration with seepage face review at the top of the column. The results support the observed values for hydraulic conductivity as obtained from the packer tests with low permeabilities in the intact rock mass (K=2e-8 - 3e-10 m/s) and a higher permeability in rock slide masses (around 2e-6 m/s). Furthermore, the values for specific storage found by convolution could be confirmed. Finally, the complex local hydrogeology of an alpine mountain slope with a large suspended rock slide was investigated with a 2D finite element model under steady state and transient conditions. Preliminary results support the theory of a hydraulic barrier at the base of large rock slides with a perched aquifer above and partially unsaturated conditions below the sliding plane. REFERENCES De Marsily, G. (1986), Quantitative Hydrogeology (pp. 198-199). Masson. Figi, D., Brunold, F. & Zwahlen, P. (2014), Felskennwerte - Kennwertebericht, Projekt Lagobianco. Büro für Technische Geologie AG, Sargans. Rango, A., & Martinec, J. (1995), Revisiting the Degree-Day Method for Snowmelt Computations. JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 31(4), 657-669.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Demirezen, S.; Kaya, A.; Yerişkin, S. A.; Balbaşı, M.; Uslu, İ.
In this study, praseodymium barium cobalt oxide nanofiber interfacial layer was sandwiched between Au and n-Si. Frequency and voltage dependence of ε‧, ε‧, tanδ, electric modulus (M‧ and M″) and σac of PrBaCoO nanofiber capacitor have been investigated by using impedance spectroscopy method. The obtained experimental results show that the values of ε‧, ε‧, tanδ, M‧, M″ and σac of the PrBaCoO nanofiber capacitor are strongly dependent on frequency of applied bias voltage. The values of ε‧, ε″ and tanδ show a steep decrease with increasing frequency for each forward bias voltage, whereas the values of σac and the electric modulus increase with increasing frequency. The high dispersion in ε‧ and ε″ values at low frequencies may be attributed to the Maxwell-Wagner and space charge polarization. The high values of ε‧ may be due to the interfacial effects within the material, PrBaCoO nanofibers interfacial layer and electron effect. The values of M‧ and M″ reach a maximum constant value corresponding to M∞ ≈ 1/ε∞ due to the relaxation process at high frequencies, but both the values of M‧ and M″ approach almost to zero at low frequencies. The changes in the dielectric and electrical properties with frequency can be also attributed to the existence of Nss and Rs of the capacitors. As a result, the change in the ε‧, ε″, tanδ, M‧, M″ and ac electric conductivity (σac) is a result of restructuring and reordering of charges at the PrBaCoO/n-Si interface under an external electric field or voltage and interface polarization.
Fabrication of nanostructured Al-doped ZnO thin film for methane sensing applications
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Shafura, A. K., E-mail: shafura@ymail.com; Azhar, N. E. I.; Uzer, M.
2016-07-06
CH{sub 4} gas sensor was fabricated using spin-coating method of the nanostructured ZnO thin film. Effect of annealing temperature on the electrical and structural properties of the film was investigated. Dense nanostructured ZnO film are obtained at higher annealing temperature. The optimal condition of annealing temperature is 500°C which has conductivity and sensitivity value of 3.3 × 10{sup −3} S/cm and 11.5%, respectively.
Modeling the Thermoelectric Properties of Ti5O9 Magneli Phase Ceramics
2016-07-14
these ceramics were investigated from room temperature to 1076 K. We show that the experimental variation of the electrical conduc- tivity with...figure-of-merit ZT of this nanoceramic material reaches 0.3 K at 1076 K. Key words: Thermoelectrics, nanoceramics, magnéli phase, small polaron...be obtained from the previous data. Thermal conductivity values were extrapolated for 876 K, 975 K, and 1076 K to match the range of thermopower and
High-frequency carbon supercapacitors from polyfurfuryl alcohol
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ruiz, V.; Pandolfo, A. G.
Porous carbons with controllable and narrow pore-size distributions are prepared from the chemical activation of polyfurfuryl alcohol (PFA). High apparent BET surface areas, up to 2600 m 2 g -1 (2611 m 2 g -1 by Density Functional Theory (DFT)), and good electrical conductivities (up to ∼130 S cm -1) are obtained. By varying the potassium hydroxide: carbon precursor ratio, the preparation of carbons with different proportions of micro- and fine mesoporosity (<5 nm) can be tailored to provide an ideal electronic and ionic pore structure for electrochemical energy-storage devices, such as electrical double-layer capacitors. High specific capacitance values are obtained up to 147 F g -1 in a voltage window of 2.5 V using 1 M tetraethyl ammonium tetrafluoroborate in acetonitrile. Moreover, excellent high-current and high-frequency performance is demonstrated: 100 F g -1 at 225 A g -1 (10 Hz) and ∼30 F g -1 at 100 Hz. When comparing the performance with commercial activated carbons (ACs) of similar textural properties, the PFA-derived ACs demonstrated better performance in terms of higher capacitance values and improved rate capabilities. There is a 125% increase in capacitance values at 1 kHz.
Unsteady Ejector Performance: an Experimental Investigation Using a Pulsejet Driver
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Paxson, Daniel E.; Wilson, Jack; Dougherty, Kevin T.
2002-01-01
An experimental investigation is described in which thrust augmentation and mass entrainment were measured for a variety of simple cylindrical ejectors driven by a gasoline-fueled pulsejet. The ejectors were of varying length, diameter, and inlet radius. Measurements were also taken to determine the effect on performance of the distance between pulsejet exit and ejector inlet. Limited tests were also conducted to determine the effect of driver cross-sectional shape. Optimal values were found for all three ejector parameters with respect to thrust augmentation. This was not the case with mass entrainment, which increased monotonically with ejector diameter. Thus, it was found that thrust augmentation is not necessarily directly related to mass entrainment, as is often supposed for ejectors. Peak thrust augmentation values of 1.8 were obtained. Peak mass entrainment values of 30 times the driver mass flow were also observed. Details of the experimental setup and results are presented. Preliminary analysis of the results indicates that the enhanced performance obtained with an unsteady jet (primary source) over comparably sized ejectors driven with steady jets is due primarily to the structure of the starting vortex-type flow associated with the former.
Image parameters for maturity determination of a composted material containing sewage sludge
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kujawa, S.; Nowakowski, K.; Tomczak, R. J.; Boniecki, P.; Dach, J.
2013-07-01
Composting is one of the best methods for management of sewage sludge. In a reasonably conducted composting process it is important to early identify the moment in which a material reaches the young compost stage. The objective of this study was to determine parameters contained in images of composted material's samples that can be used for evaluation of the degree of compost maturity. The study focused on two types of compost: containing sewage sludge with corn straw and sewage sludge with rapeseed straw. The photographing of the samples was carried out on a prepared stand for the image acquisition using VIS, UV-A and mixed (VIS + UV-A) light. In the case of UV-A light, three values of the exposure time were assumed. The values of 46 parameters were estimated for each of the images extracted from the photographs of the composted material's samples. Exemplary averaged values of selected parameters obtained from the images of the composted material in the following sampling days were presented. All of the parameters obtained from the composted material's images are the basis for preparation of training, validation and test data sets necessary in development of neural models for classification of the young compost stage.
A study of equilibrium and FTIR, SEM/EDS analysis of trimethoprim adsorption onto K10
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bekçi, Zehra; Seki, Yoldaş; Kadir Yurdakoç, M.
2007-02-01
The sorption behavior of K10, a type of montmorillonite for trimethoprim (TMP) drug, was studied by using batch technique under different pH and temperature. The interaction between K10 and TMP was investigated using SEM, and FTIR. It was observed that adsorption was increased between pH 2.5 and 6.3. By performing kinetic experiments, the pseudo-second-order kinetic model provides the best fit for TMP adsorption onto K10 montmorillonite. The sorption of TMP reached the equilibrium state after 6 h sorption time and has been described by using Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich equations to obtain adsorption capacity values. The results indicate that the relative adsorption capacity values ( Kf) are decreasing with the increase of temperature in the range of 298-318 K. The sorption energy values obtained from DR isotherm show that sorption of TMP onto K10 can be explained by ion exchange mechanism at 298, 308 and 318 K. The thermodynamic studies were conducted to find the thermodynamic parameters Δ H°, Δ S° and Δ G°. It was determined that adsorption process is spontaneous and exothermic in nature.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Mulyana, Cukup; Muhammad, Fajar; Saad, Aswad H.; Mariah, Riveli, Nowo
2017-03-01
Storage tank component is the most critical component in LNG regasification terminal. It has the risk of failure and accident which impacts to human health and environment. Risk assessment is conducted to detect and reduce the risk of failure in storage tank. The aim of this research is determining and calculating the probability of failure in regasification unit of LNG. In this case, the failure is caused by Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion (BLEVE) and jet fire in LNG storage tank component. The failure probability can be determined by using Fault Tree Analysis (FTA). Besides that, the impact of heat radiation which is generated is calculated. Fault tree for BLEVE and jet fire on storage tank component has been determined and obtained with the value of failure probability for BLEVE of 5.63 × 10-19 and for jet fire of 9.57 × 10-3. The value of failure probability for jet fire is high enough and need to be reduced by customizing PID scheme of regasification LNG unit in pipeline number 1312 and unit 1. The value of failure probability after customization has been obtained of 4.22 × 10-6.
Chiggiato, Jacopo; Zavatarelli, Marco; Castellari, Sergio; Deserti, Marco
2005-12-15
Surface heat fluxes of the Adriatic Sea are estimated for the period 1998-2001 through bulk formulae with the goal to assess the uncertainties related to their estimations and to describe their interannual variability. In addition a comparison to observations is conducted. We computed the components of the sea surface heat budget by using two different operational meteorological data sets as inputs: the ECMWF operational analysis and the regional limited area model LAMBO operational forecast. Both results are consistent with previous long-term climatology and short-term analyses present in the literature. In both cases we obtained that the Adriatic Sea loses 26 W/m2 on average, that is consistent with the assessments found in the literature. Then we conducted a comparison with observations of the radiative components of the heat budget collected on offshore platforms and one coastal station. In the case of shortwave radiation, results show a little overestimation on the annual basis. Values obtained in this case are 172 W/m2 when using ECMWF data and 169 W/m2 when using LAMBO data. The use of either Schiano's or Gilman's and Garrett's corrections help to get even closer values. More difficult is to assess the comparison in the case of longwave radiation, with relative errors of an order of 10-20%.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Turk Sekulić, Maja; Okuka, Marija; Šenk, Nevena; Radonić, Jelena; Vojinović Miloradov, Mirjana; Vidicki, Branko
2013-07-01
In this paper, a comparison of experimentally obtained and SPARC software v4.6 modelled values of gas/particle partitioning coefficients was conducted to determine whether the evaluation of atmospheric distribution of PAH molecules can be performed using a molecular structure model. Partitioning coefficients were calculated for sixteen EPA PAHs, in thirty-nine samples of ambient air collected at nineteen urban, industrial, highly contaminated and background sites in the Republic of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. For obtaining samples of ambient air, the conventional high volume (Hi-Vol) methodology was applied, whereby gaseous and particulate phase data collection was conducted simultaneously by glass fibre filters (GFFs) and polyurethane foam filters (PUFs). The best prediction was for PAHs with 5 or more rings (benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene, indeno(1,2,3-cd)perylene and benzo(ghi)perylene). For evaluating the applicability of SPARC software predictions of gas/particle partitioning coefficients for the existing conditions, the results were compared with those obtained by applying other frequently used and highly ranked theoretical models of phase distributions, namely Junge-Pankow adsorption model, KOA absorption model, Dachs-Eisenreich dual model and PP-LFER model.
Changes in the direction of sight during parabolic flights and rectilinear accelerations
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Von Baumgarten, R.; Thuemler, R.; Shillinger, G. L.; Baldrighi, G.
1973-01-01
Tests in which persons were subjected to a negative acceleration in an automobile are reported. The acceleration was obtained by stopping a moving car on the runway of an airport. The acceleration was found to produce a rotational movement of the subject's eyeball proportional to the degree of acceleration. Other investigations were conducted with a jet aircraft and a sports aircraft. G forces of up to 3 G were obtained during pull up of the aircraft, while values in the range from 0 to 1 G could be produced with the aid of a parabolic flight path. The effects of the flight conditions on the subject's direction of sight are discussed.
Immobilization of Candida rugosa lipase by adsorption-crosslinking onto corn husk
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Nuraliyah, A.; Wijanarko, A.; Hermansyah, H.
2018-04-01
Corn husk is one of the agricutural waste that has not been used optimally. corn husk waste allows to be used as immobilized support for biocatalyst because it is easy to obtain, available abundant, renewable and easy to decompose. This research was conducted in two phases, namely the adsorption of enzyme immobilization on the support, followed by cross- linking between the enzyme and support through the addition of glutaraldehyde. The optimum conditions for cross-linked adsorption immobilization using support of corn husk were achieved at concentrations of 0,75 mg / ml at 4 hour reaction time. The biggest unit activity value is obtained at 2,37 U / g support through 0.5% glutaraldehyde addition.
Onoda, Mitsuyoshi
2014-10-01
Conductive polymers are a strong contender for making electronic circuits. The growth pattern in conductive polymer synthesis by the electrolysis polymerization method was examined. The growth pattern is deeply related to the coupling reaction of the radical cation and the deprotonation reaction following it and changes suddenly depending on the kind and concentration of the supporting electrolyte and the solvent used. That is, when the electrophilic substitution coupling reaction becomes predominant, the three-dimensional growth form is observed, and when the radical coupling reaction becomes predominant, the two-dimensional growth morphology is observed. In addition, the growth pattern can be comparatively easily controlled by changing the value of the polymerization constant current, and it is considered that the indicator and development for biocircuit research with neuron-type devices made of conjugated polymers was obtained.
Hydrodynamic characterization of soils within a representative watershed in northeast Brazil
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sales, E. G.; Almeida, C. D. N.; Farias, A. S.; Coelho, V. H. R.
2014-09-01
Studies about the infiltration of water in the soil, based on hydraulic conductivity and retention curve, are important to simulate hydrological processes and pollution fluxes. This paper aims to present the hydrodynamic soil behaviour of the Gramame watershed, located in northeast Brazil. This basin is representative of several other watersheds located on the coastal region of northeast Brazil, where sugarcane crops constitute the main land use. For this study, three different land uses and land covers were considered: sugarcane crops, pineapple crops and Atlantic Forest, which is the native forest of this region. The Beerkan method and the BEST program were used in order to get retention and hydraulic conductivity curves. The results show that the highest values of hydraulic conductivity were obtained at points located in native vegetation and deforestation impacts the soil hydrodynamic characteristics.
Charge-transport in tin-iodide perovskite CH3NH3SnI3: origin of high conductivity.
Takahashi, Yukari; Obara, Rena; Lin, Zheng-Zhong; Takahashi, Yukihiro; Naito, Toshio; Inabe, Tamotsu; Ishibashi, Shoji; Terakura, Kiyoyuki
2011-05-28
The structural and electrical properties of a metal-halide cubic perovskite, CH(3)NH(3)SnI(3), have been examined. The band structure, obtained using first-principles calculation, reveals a well-defined band gap at the Fermi level. However, the temperature dependence of the single-crystal electrical conductivity shows metallic behavior down to low temperatures. The temperature dependence of the thermoelectric power is also metallic over the whole temperature range, and the large positive value indicates that charge transport occurs with a low concentration of hole carriers. The metallic properties of this as-grown crystal are thus suggested to result from spontaneous hole-doping in the crystallization process, rather than the semi-metal electronic structure. The present study shows that artificial hole doping indeed enhances the conductivity.
Food Waste Composting Study from Makanan Ringan Mas
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kadir, A. A.; Ismail, S. N. M.; Jamaludin, S. N.
2016-07-01
The poor management of municipal solid waste in Malaysia has worsened over the years especially on food waste. Food waste represents almost 60% of the total municipal solid waste disposed in the landfill. Composting is one of low cost alternative method to dispose the food waste. This study is conducted to compost the food waste generation in Makanan Ringan Mas, which is a medium scale industry in Parit Kuari Darat due to the lack knowledge and exposure of food waste recycling practice. The aim of this study is to identify the physical and chemical parameters of composting food waste from Makanan Ringan Mas. The physical parameters were tested for temperature and pH value and the chemical parameter are Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. In this study, backyard composting was conducted with 6 reactors. Tapioca peel was used as fermentation liquid and soil and coconut grated were used as the fermentation bed. Backyard composting was conducted with six reactors. The overall results from the study showed that the temperature of the reactors were within the range which are from 30° to 50°C. The result of this study revealed that all the reactors which contain processed food waste tend to produce pH value within the range of 5 to 6 which can be categorized as slightly acidic. Meanwhile, the reactors which contained raw food waste tend to produce pH value within the range of 7 to 8 which can be categorized as neutral. The highest NPK obtained is from Reactor B that process only raw food waste. The average value of Nitrogen is 48540 mg/L, Phosphorus is 410 mg/L and Potassium is 1550 mg/L. From the comparison with common chemical fertilizer, it shows that NPK value from the composting are much lower than NPK of the common chemical fertilizer. However, comparison with NPK of organic fertilizer shown only slightly difference value in NPK.
Estimating the Value of Life, Injury, and Travel Time Saved Using a Stated Preference Framework.
Niroomand, Naghmeh; Jenkins, Glenn P
2016-06-01
The incidence of fatality over the period 2010-2014 from automobile accidents in North Cyprus is 2.75 times greater than the average for the EU. With the prospect of North Cyprus entering the EU, many investments will need to be undertaken to improve road safety in order to reach EU benchmarks. The objective of this study is to provide local estimates of the value of a statistical life and injury along with the value of time savings. These are among the parameter values needed for the evaluation of the change in the expected incidence of automotive accidents and time savings brought about by such projects. In this study we conducted a stated choice experiment to identify the preferences and tradeoffs of automobile drivers in North Cyprus for improved travel times, travel costs, and safety. The choice of route was examined using mixed logit models to obtain the marginal utilities associated with each attribute of the routes that consumers choose. These estimates were used to assess the individuals' willingness to pay (WTP) to avoid fatalities and injuries and to save travel time. We then used the results to obtain community-wide estimates of the value of a statistical life (VSL) saved, the value of injury (VI) prevented, and the value per hour of travel time saved. The estimates for the VSL range from €315,293 to €1,117,856 and the estimates of VI from € 5,603 to € 28,186. These values are consistent, after adjusting for differences in incomes, with the median results of similar studies done for EU countries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Wakabayashi, Ichiro; Daimon, Takashi
2014-01-01
Lipid accumulation product (LAP) is a new continuous marker of lipid overaccumulation that predicts cardiovascular risk. The aim of this study was to determine the cutoff value for LAP and evaluate its usefulness. Using a database of results of health checkup examinations for 10,170 Japanese workers (35-40 years of age) conducted at their workplaces, the cutoff value for a high LAP was calculated by analyzing receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves for the relationships of LAP with hyperglycemia and diabetes. The cutoff value for LAP was 21.1 for women and 37.2 for men. The values were similar when calculated by analyzing the ROC curves for the relationships with hyperglycemia and diabetes. Using these cutoff values, the prevalence of a high LAP was calculated to be 23.7% in women and 28.8% in men. The odds ratio for diabetes in the subjects with vs. those without a high LAP, calculated after adjusting for age, smoking, alcohol consumption and regular exercise, was 19.09 (95% CI: 6.57-55.50) in women and 7.40 (95% CI: 5.10-10.75) in men. High odds ratios for hypertension (10.66 [95% CI: 7.77-14.63] in women and 7.31 [95% CI: 6.20-8.62] in men) were also obtained in the subjects with vs. those without a high LAP. Cutoff values for a high LAP in women and men were determined, and high odds ratios for diabetes and hypertension were obtained using the cutoff values for LAP. Further studies are needed to elucidate whether the proposed cutoff values are applicable to people of other ages, races and ethnicities.
Evaluation of Amount of Blood in Dry Blood Spots: Ring-Disk Electrode Conductometry.
Kadjo, Akinde F; Stamos, Brian N; Shelor, C Phillip; Berg, Jordan M; Blount, Benjamin C; Dasgupta, Purnendu K
2016-06-21
A fixed area punch in dried blood spot (DBS) analysis is assumed to contain a fixed amount of blood, but the amount actually depends on a number of factors. The presently preferred approach is to normalize the measurement with respect to the sodium level, measured by atomic spectrometry. Instead of sodium levels, we propose electrical conductivity of the extract as an equivalent nondestructive measure. A dip-type small diameter ring-disk electrode (RDE) is ideal for very small volumes. However, the conductance (G) measured by an RDE depends on the depth (D) of the liquid below the probe. There is no established way of computing the specific conductance (σ) of the solution from G. Using a COMSOL Multiphysics model, we were able to obtain excellent agreement between the measured and the model predicted conductance as a function of D. Using simulations over a large range of dimensions, we provide a spreadsheet-based calculator where the RDE dimensions are the input parameters and the procedure determines the 99% of the infinite depth conductance (G99) and the depth D99 at which this is reached. For typical small diameter probes (outer electrode diameter ∼ <2 mm), D99 is small enough for dip-type measurements in extract volumes of ∼100 μL. We demonstrate the use of such probes with DBS extracts. In a small group of 12 volunteers (age 20-66), the specific conductance of 100 μL aqueous extracts of 2 μL of spotted blood showed a variance of 17.9%. For a given subject, methanol extracts of DBS spots nominally containing 8 and 4 μL of blood differed by a factor of 1.8-1.9 in the chromatographically determined values of sulfate and chloride (a minor and major constituent, respectively). The values normalized with respect to the conductance of the extracts differed by ∼1%. For serum associated analytes, normalization of the analyte value by the extract conductance can thus greatly reduce errors from variations in the spotted blood volume/unit area.
Rahman, A.; Tsai, F.T.-C.; White, C.D.; Carlson, D.A.; Willson, C.S.
2007-01-01
Integration of various geophysical data is essential to better understand aquifer heterogeneity. However, data integration is challenging because there are different levels of support between primary and secondary data needed to be correlated in various ways. This study proposes a geostatistical method to integrate the hydraulic conductivity measurements and electrical resistivity data to better estimate the hydraulic conductivity (K) distribution. The K measurements are obtained from the pumping tests and represent the primary data (hard data). The borehole electrical resistivity data from electrical logs are regarded as the secondary data (soft data). The electrical resistivity data is used to infer hydraulic conductivity values through the Archie law and Kozeny-Carman equation. A pseudo cross-semivariogram is developed to cope with the resistivity data non-collocation. Uncertainty in the auto-semivariograms and pseudo cross-semivariogram is quantified. The methodology is demonstrated by a real-world case study where the hydraulic conductivity is estimated in the Upper Chicot aquifer of Southwestern Louisiana. The groundwater responses by the cokriging and cosimulation of hydraulic conductivity are compared using analysis of variance (ANOVA). ?? 2007 ASCE.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kaufmann, Manuela Sarah; von Hebel, Christian; Brogi, Cosimo; Baumecker, Michael; Döring, Thomas; Amelung, Wulf; Vereecken, Harry; van der Kruk, Jan
2017-04-01
Electromagnetic induction (EMI) data are often being used to investigate large scale soil properties including clay content, soil water content, and salinity changes for a wide range of applications. For agricultural sites, different management practices such as organic/mineral fertilization, tillage, and/or irrigation are important when interpreting the measured apparent electrical conductivity (ECa). Here, we present EMI data recorded at two long term field experiment (LTFE) agricultural test sites in Thyrow near Berlin (Germany), where different long term fertilizer and irrigation management practices were applied. We used two fixed-boom multi-coil EMI instruments that simultaneously measure over nine different depths of investigation (DOI), recording information ranging between the very shallow (0-0.25 m) ploughing zone including the organic matter and the surface soil (A-Horizon) down to the relatively deep (0-2.7 m) subsoil (B-Horizon) or even substratum (C-Horizon). At both test sites, the prevailing sandy to silty sand in the A- and B-Horizon is underlain by a glacial till C-Horizon resulting in generally low ECa values between 0.5 and 5 mS/m. At one test site, a "static nutrient deficiency experiment" is performed since 1937, where organic fertilizer (farm yard manure) and mineral fertilizers (nitrogen-phosphate-potassium (NPK) and liming) are applied at specific grids. Comparing the fertilizer application grid to the measured EMI data, the lowest ECa values coincide to unfertilized grids whereas the ECa values increase with liming, farm yard manure, and NPK. The visually observed correlation between ECa and the liming treatment was possibly due to the increased pH of the soil, because the fertilizer application increases ion contents that increase the soil electrical conductivity. At the second test site, a "Static Irrigation and Fertilizer Experiment" is conducted, where next to the fertilizer treatment (farm yard manure and nitrogen) part of the field is irrigated with a yearly average of 78 mm. Preliminary results show that for the irrigated area, the ECa values increased up to 80% compared to the non-irrigated zones for the deepest sensing coils, whereas farm yard manure increased ECa up to 10% for coils with intermediate DOI. These results obtained at the two LTFE sites strongly indicate that irrigation and fertilizer treatments influence the ion contents of soils from A- to B-Horizons as reflected by the higher apparent electrical conductivities measured with EMI and should be considered when interpreting ECa measurements to obtain soil properties of interest.
Verma, Sadhna; Sarkar, Saradwata; Young, Jason; Venkataraman, Rajesh; Yang, Xu; Bhavsar, Anil; Patil, Nilesh; Donovan, James; Gaitonde, Krishnanath
2016-05-01
The purpose of this study was to compare high b-value (b = 2000 s/mm(2)) acquired diffusion-weighted imaging (aDWI) with computed DWI (cDWI) obtained using four diffusion models-mono-exponential (ME), intra-voxel incoherent motion (IVIM), stretched exponential (SE), and diffusional kurtosis (DK)-with respect to lesion visibility, conspicuity, contrast, and ability to predict significant prostate cancer (PCa). Ninety four patients underwent 3 T MRI including acquisition of b = 2000 s/mm(2) aDWI and low b-value DWI. High b = 2000 s/mm(2) cDWI was obtained using ME, IVIM, SE, and DK models. All images were scored on quality independently by three radiologists. Lesions were identified on all images and graded for lesion conspicuity. For a subset of lesions for which pathological truth was established, lesion-to-background contrast ratios (LBCRs) were computed and binomial generalized linear mixed model analysis was conducted to compare clinically significant PCa predictive capabilities of all DWI. For all readers and all models, cDWI demonstrated higher ratings for image quality and lesion conspicuity than aDWI except DK (p < 0.001). The LBCRs of ME, IVIM, and SE were significantly higher than LBCR of aDWI (p < 0.001). Receiver Operating Characteristic curves obtained from binomial generalized linear mixed model analysis demonstrated higher Area Under the Curves for ME, SE, IVIM, and aDWI compared to DK or PSAD alone in predicting significant PCa. High b-value cDWI using ME, IVIM, and SE diffusion models provide better image quality, lesion conspicuity, and increased LBCR than high b-value aDWI. Using cDWI can potentially provide comparable sensitivity and specificity for detecting significant PCa as high b-value aDWI without increased scan times and image degradation artifacts.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bizyukov, Pavel V.; Giese, Scott R.
2017-04-01
A microalloying of the low-carbon and low-alloy cast steel was conducted with Zr, Ti, and Al that were added to the steel in four combinations. After heat treatment, the samples were tested for impact toughness at room temperature using the Charpy method. The highest values of impact toughness were obtained in the group treated with Zr, while Zr-Ti and Zr-Ti-Al groups showed moderate toughness values; the lowest values were observed in the Zr-Al group. Difference among the treatment groups was observed in the fracture mechanisms, morphology, and area distribution of the inclusions. High toughness values achieved in the trials treated with zirconium corresponded with smooth ductile fracture. The metal treated with a combination of zirconium and titanium had a relatively small area occupied by inclusions, but its toughness was also moderate. Lowest impact toughness values corresponded with the larger area occupied by the inclusions in the trials treated with aluminum. Also, a connection between the solubility product [Al][N] and impact toughness was established. The study also provides a qualitative description and quantitative analysis of the nonmetallic inclusions formation as a result of microalloying treatment. The precipitation sequence of the inclusions was described based on the thermochemical calculations for the nonmetallic compounds discovered in the experimental steel. A description of the size distribution, morphology, and composition was conducted for the oxides, nitrides, sulfides, and multiphase particles.
Wang, Bo; Li, Yu; Zheng, Jiaxin; Xu, Ming; Liu, Fusheng; Ao, Weiqing; Li, Junqing; Pan, Feng
2015-01-01
Serials of Ga doping on Sn sites as heterovalent substitution in Cu2CdSnSe4 are prepared by the melting method and the spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique to form Cu2CdSn1-xGaxSe4 (x = 0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.075, 0.01, and 0.125). Massive atomic vacancies are found at x = 0.10 by the heterovalent substitution, which contributes significantly to the increase of electrical conductivity and the decrease of lattice thermal conductivity. The electrical conductivity is increased by about ten times at 300 K after Ga doping. Moreover, the seebeck coefficient only decreases slightly from 310 to 226 μV/K at 723 K, and a significant increase of the power factor is obtained. As a result, a maxium value of 0.27 for the figure of merit (ZT) is obtained at x = 0.10 and at 723 K. Through an ab initio study of the Ga doping effect, we find that the Fermi level of Cu2CdSnSe4 is shifted downward to the valence band, thus improving the hole concentration and enhancing the electrical conductivity at low doping levels. Our experimental and theoretical studies show that a moderate Ga doping on Sn sites is an effective method to improve the thermoelectric performance of Cu2CdSnSe4. PMID:25791823
Martínez-Morillas, Rocío; Ramírez, Rafael; Sánchez-Marcos, Jorge; Fonda, Emiliano; de Andrés, Alicia; Prieto, Carlos
2014-02-12
Transparent and conductive indium titanium oxide (ITiO) films have been obtained by electron beam physical vapour deposition with Ti content from 5 at % up to 28 at %. X-ray absorption spectroscopy techniques have been used to identify the local environment of Ti ions. Even at the lowest concentrations Ti is not incorporated into the In2O3 structure but forms clusters of a Ti-In mixed oxide that present a distorted rutile TiO2 short-range order. The optical transmittance of the annealed samples reaches 95 % and no significant variation of the gap energy (around 3.7 eV) is observed with Ti content. The electronic conductivity under light irradiation is studied evidencing a huge photo-resistance in the samples with Ti content above 22 at % reaching more than two orders of magnitude for the 26 at % Ti under illumination with few μW/cm(2) at 365 nm. Hall and conductivity results are analyzed using a model that takes into account both electron and hole carriers as well as the conductivity enhancement by carrier photogeneration. The electron carrier density decreases with Ti content while its mobility increases up to values of 1000 cm(2)/(V s). Oxygen annealed ITiO films obtained by this technique with Ti content below 10 at % have properties adequate as transparent semiconductors and those with Ti content higher than 22 at % have exceptional photoresistive properties relevant for numerous applications.
The Physical Electronics of Graphene on Germanium
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Rojas Delgado, Richard
The properties of graphene make it an outstanding candidate for electronic-device applications, especially those that require no band gap but a high conductance. The conductance, involving both carrier mobility and carrier concentration, will depend critically on the substrate to which graphene is transferred. I demonstrate an exceptionally high conductance in graphene transferred to Ge(001) and provide an understanding of the mechanism. Essential in this understanding is an interfacial chemistry consisting of Ge oxide and suboxide layers that provide the necessary charges to dope the graphene sheet, and whose chemical behavior is such that one can obtain long-term stability in the conductance. In contrast, when high-quality graphene is grown directly on Ge (100), (111), or (110), the conductance is unexceptional, but oxidation of the surface is significantly delayed and slowed, relative to both clean Ge and Ge with graphene transferred to its surface. [2,3] I fabricate Hall bars in graphene transferred to Ge(001) and graphene grown on Ge(001) using atmospheric-pressure chemical vapor deposition (CVD) with methane precursors, and measure the sheet resistance and Hall effect from 300K to 10K. Values of mobility and carrier concentration are extracted. I obtain the highest combination of mobility and carrier concentration yet reported in graphene (suspended or supported) for temperatures from 10 to 300K. The implication is that the primary mechanisms for scattering charge in the graphene, roughness and a non-uniform electrostatic potential due to fixed charges, have limited effect when the substrate is oxidized Ge.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Egiziano, Luigi; Lamberti, Patrizia; Spinelli, Giovanni; Tucci, Vincenzo; Guadagno, Liberata; Vertuccio, Luigi
2016-05-01
The experimental results concerning the characterization of a multiphase nanocomposite systems based on epoxy matrix, loaded with different amount of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and an optimized Hydrotalcite (HT) clay content (i.e. 0.6 wt%), duly identified by an our previous theoretical study based on Design of Experiment (DoE), are presented. Dynamic-mechanical analysis (DMA) reveal that even the introduction of higher HT loading (up to 1%wt) don't affect significantly the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites while morphological investigations show an effective synergy between clay and carbon nanotubes that leads to peculiar micro/nanostructures that favor the creation of the electrical conductive network inside the insulating resin. An electrical characterization is carried out in terms of DC electrical conductivity, percolation threshold (EPT) and frequency response in the range 10Hz-1MHz. In particular, the measurements of the DC conductivity allow to obtain the typical "percolation" curve also found for classical CNT-polymer mixtures and a value of about 2 S/m for the electrical conductivity is achieved at the highest considered CNTs concentration (i.e. 1 wt%). The results suggest that multiphase nanocomposites obtained incorporating dispersive nanofillers, in addition to the conductive one, may be a valid alternative to the polymer blends, to improve the properties of the polymeric materials thus able to meet high demands, particularly concerning their mechanical and thermal stability and electrical features required in the aircraft engineering.
Effect of patients' rights training sessions for nurses on perceptions of nurses and patients.
Ibrahim, Sanaa A; Hassan, Mona A; Hamouda, Seham Ibrahim; Abd Allah, Nama M
2017-11-01
Patients' rights are universal values that must be respected; however, it is not easy to put such values and principles into effect as approaches and attitudes differ from individual to individual, from society to society, and from country to country. If we want to reach a general conclusion about the status of patient rights in the world as whole, we should examine the situation in individual countries. To study the effect of training sessions for nurses about patients' rights on the perceptions of nurses and patients in two Egyptian hospitals. Quasi-experimental with pre- and posttest design was used in this study. Two groups of participants were included in the study: the first with 97 nurses and the second with 135 patients. A questionnaire sheet was used for nurses and patients to assess their perceptions about patients' rights before starting sessions. The training sessions were developed based on the baseline information gathered in the assessment phase and related literature. After the implementation of the sessions, a posttest was immediately conducted for nurses, while for patients the posttest was conducted 1 month after implementation to evaluate the effect of the nurses' training sessions on the patients' perceptions. The same tools were used in pretest and posttest. Ethical considerations: Written approval was sought and obtained from the administrators of the studied hospitals prior to conducting the study. Oral consent was obtained from nurses and patients willing to participate. Confidentiality and anonymity of the participants were strictly maintained through code numbers on the questionnaires. The improvement in nurses' knowledge and perceptions about patients' rights after implementation of the training sessions was remarkable. Moreover, an improvement in patients' perceptions regarding their rights was reported. Repetition of the training sessions is suggested to achieve continuous improvement. Provision of posters and booklets about a bill of patient rights within the hospitals and conduction of further study to examine nurses' performance and patients' satisfaction based on code of ethics are recommended.
Classical conditioning of sexual response in women: a replication study.
Both, Stephanie; Brauer, Marieke; Laan, Ellen
2011-11-01
According to incentive motivation models, sexual stimuli play a crucial role in eliciting sexual arousal, desire, and behavior. Therefore, it seems highly valuable to investigate the process through which stimuli acquire motivational value. Although many theories of human sexual behavior assume that sexual stimuli obtain arousing properties through classical conditioning, systematic research on classical conditioning of sexual responses in humans is scarce. Recently, however, our research group observed conditioned genital responses in women using a differential conditioning procedure and genital vibrostimulation as unconditional stimulus (US). The aim of the present experiment was to perform an extended replication of this previous study to test the efficacy of our conditioning paradigm. A differential conditioning experiment was conducted in 32 sexually functional women. Neutral pictures served as conditional stimuli (CSs) and genital vibrostimulation as US. Only one CS (the CS+) was followed by the US during the acquisition phase. Conditioned responses were assessed during the extinction phase. Vaginal pulse amplitude (VPA) and skin conductance level were assessed, and ratings of affective value and sexual arousal were obtained. As expected, during the extinction phase, VPA was higher in response to the CS+ than to the CS-. Also, the CS+ tended to be evaluated as more positive and as more sexually arousing than the CS-. In addition, the magnitude of conditioned subjective affect was related to scores on the Sexual Inhibition\\Sexual Excitation Scales. Skin conductance levels showed no conditioning effect. Genital and subjective sexual responses were successfully modulated by the differential conditioning paradigm. This replication of our previous study confirms the effectiveness of our conditioning procedure and indicates that it may provide a fruitful paradigm for further research on associative sexual reward learning in humans. © 2011 International Society for Sexual Medicine.
Toxicity of combustion products from burning polymers: development and evaluation of methods
Wright, P. L.; Adams, C. H.
1976-01-01
Laboratory and room-scale experiments were conducted with natural and synthetic polymers: cotton, paper, wood, wool, acetate, acrylic, nylon, and urethane. Smoke and off-gases from single materials were generated in a dual-compartment 110-liter exposure chamber. Multicomponent, composite fuel loads were burned within a 100 m3 facility subdivided into rooms. In chamber experiments, mortality depended on the amount of material burned, i.e., fuel consumption (FC). Conventional dose (FC)/mortality curves were obtained, and the amount of fuel required to produce 50% mortality (FC50) was calculated. With simple flame ignition, cotton was the only material that produced smoke concentrations lethal to rats; FC50 values for cotton ranged from 2 g to 9 g, depending on the configuration of the cotton sample burned. When supplemental conductive heat was added to flame ignition, the following FC50 values were obtained; nylon, 7 g; acrylic, 8 g; newsprint, 9 g; cotton, 10 g; and wood, 11 g. Mortality resulting from any given material depended upon the specific conditions employed for its thermal decomposition. Toxicity of off-gasses from pyrolysis of phosphorus-containing trimethylol propane—polyurethane foams was markedly decreased by addition of a flame ignition source. Further studies are needed to determine the possible relevance of single-material laboratory scale smoke toxicity experiments. Room-scale burns were conducted to assess the relative contributions of single materials to toxicity of smoke produced by a multicomponent self-perpetuating fire. Preliminary results suggest that this approach permits a realistic evaluation of the contribution of single materials to the toxicity of smoke from residential fires. ImagesFIGURE 2. PMID:1026420
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
McCray, J. E.; Downs, W.; Falta, R. W.; Housley, T.
2005-12-01
DNAPL sources of carbon tetrachloride (CT) vapors are of interest at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). The site is underlain by thick fractured basalt that includes sedimentary interbeds, each are a few meters thick. Daily atmospheric pressure fluctuations serve as driving forces for CT vapor transport in the subsurface. Other important transport processes for vapor movement include gas-phase diffusion and density-driven transport. The objective of this research is to investigate the influence and relative importance of these processes on gaseous transport of CT. Gas pressure and vapor concentration measurements were conducted at various depths in two wells. A numerical multiphase flow model (TOUGH2), calibrated to field pressure data, is used to conduct sensitivity analyses to elucidate the importance of the different transport mechanisms. Results show that the basalt is highly permeable to vertical air flow. The pressure dampening occurs mainly in the sedimentary interbeds. Model-calibrated permeability values for the interbeds are similar to those obtained in a study by the U.S. Geological Survey for shallow sediments, and an order of magnitude higher than column-scale values obtained by previous studies conducted by INEEL scientists. The transport simulations indicate that considering the effect of barometric pressure changes is critical to simulating transport of pollutants in the vadose zone above the DNAPL source. Predicted concentrations can be orders of magnitude smaller than actual concentrations if the effect is not considered. Below the DNAPL vapor source, accounting for density and diffusion alone would yield acceptable results provided that a 20% error in concentrations are acceptable, and that simulating concentrations trends (and not actual concentrations) is the primary goal.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ahmed, Farzana; Gulliver, John S.; Nieber, J. L.
2015-11-01
Roadside drainage ditches (grassed swales) are an attractive stormwater control measure (SCM) since they can reduce runoff volume by infiltrating water into the soil, filter sediments and associated pollutants out of the water, and settle solids onto the soil surface. In this study a total of 722 infiltration measurements were collected in five swales located in Twin-Cities, MN and one swale located in Madison, WI to characterize the field-saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs) derived from the infiltration measurements of these swales. Measurements were taken with a falling head device, the Modified Philip Dunne (MPD) infiltrometer, which allows the collection of simultaneous infiltration measurements at multiple locations with several infiltrometers. Field-saturated hydraulic conductivity was higher than expected for different soil texture classes. We hypothesize that this is due to plant roots creating macropores that break up the soil for infiltration. Statistical analysis was performed on the Kfs values to analyze the effect of initial soil moisture content, season, soil texture class and distance in downstream direction on the geometric mean Kfs value of a swale. Because of the high spatial variation of Kfs in the same swale no effect of initial soil moisture content, season and soil texture class was observed on the geometric mean Kfs value. But the distance in downstream direction may have positive or negative effect on the Kfs value. An uncertainty analysis on the Kfs value indicated that approximately twenty infiltration measurements is the minimum number to obtain a representative geometric mean Kfs value of a swale that is less than 350 m long within an acceptable level of uncertainty.
Sedlmayr, Richard; Fink, Günther; Miller, John M; Earle, Duncan; Steketee, Richard W
2013-03-18
Relatively few programmes have attempted to actively engage the private sector in national malaria control efforts. This paper evaluates the health impact of a large-scale distribution of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) conducted in partnership with a Zambian agribusiness, and its cost-effectiveness from the perspective of the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP). The study was designed as a cluster-randomized controlled trial. A list of 81,597 cotton farmers was obtained from Dunavant, a contract farming company in Zambia's cotton sector, in December 2010. 39,963 (49%) were randomly selected to obtain one ITN each. Follow-up interviews were conducted with 438 farmers in the treatment and 458 farmers in the control group in June and July 2011. Treatment and control households were compared with respect to bed net ownership, bed net usage, self-reported fever, and self-reported confirmed malaria. Cost data was collected throughout the programme. The distribution effectively reached target beneficiaries, with approximately 95% of households in the treatment group reporting that they had received an ITN through the programme. The average increase in the fraction of household members sleeping under an ITN the night prior to the interview was 14.6 percentage points (p-value <0.001). Treatment was associated with a 42 percent reduction in the odds of self-reported fever (p-value <0.001) and with a 49 percent reduction in the odds of self-reported malaria (p-value 0.002). This was accomplished at a cost of approximately five US$ per ITN to Zambia's NMCP. The results illustrate that existing private sector networks can efficiently control malaria in remote rural regions. The intra-household allocation of ITNs distributed through this channel was comparable to that of ITNs received from other sources, and the health impact remained substantial.
de Souza, Paulo S A; Cerqueira, Alexandre A; Rigo, Michelle M; de Paiva, Julieta L; Couto, Rafael S P; Merçon, Fábio; Perez, Daniel V; Marques, Monica R C
2017-05-01
This study aims to evaluate the effects of oilfield water (OW), treated by a hybrid process of electrocoagulation and reverse osmosis (EC-RO), on seed germination and early growth characteristics of sunflower (Heliantus annus L.). In the EC step, tests were conducted with 28.6 A m -2 current density and 4 min. reaction time. In the RO step, the system was operated with 1 L min -1 constant flow and 2 MPa, 2.5 MPa and 3 MPa feed pressures. In all feed pressures, RO polymeric membranes achieved very high removals of chemical oxygen demand (up to 89%) and oils and greases (100%) from EC-treated effluent. In best feed pressure (2.5 MPa), turbidity, total dissolved salts, electrical conductivity, salinity, toxic ions and sodium adsorption ratio values attained internationally recognized standards for irrigation water. Using EC-RO (feed pressure:2.5 MPa) treated OW, germinated sunflower seeds percentage (86 ± 6%), speed of germination (30 ± 2) and biomass production (49 ± 5 mg) were statistically similar to control (distilled water) results. Vigor index average values obtained using OW treated by EC-RO (3871)were higher than that obtained by OW water treated by EC (3300). The results of this study indicate that EC-RO seems to be a promising alternative for treatment of OW aiming sunflower crops irrigation, since the use of this treated effluent did not affect adversely seed germination and seedling development, and improved seedling vigor. Furthermore, OW treatment by EC-RO reduces sodium levels into acceptable standards values avoiding soil degradation.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Carruba, V.
2016-09-01
Among asteroid families, the Astrid family is peculiar because of its unusual inclination distribution. Objects at a ≃ 2.764 au are quite dispersed in this orbital element, giving the family a `crab-like' appearance. Recent works showed that this feature is caused by the interaction of the family with the s - sC nodal secular resonance with Ceres, that spreads the inclination of asteroids near its separatrix. As a consequence, the currently observed distribution of the vW component of terminal ejection velocities obtained from inverting Gauss equation is quite leptokurtic, since this parameter mostly depends on the asteroids inclination. The peculiar orbital configuration of the Astrid family can be used to set constraints on key parameters describing the strength of the Yarkovsky force, such as the bulk and surface density and the thermal conductivity of surface material. By simulating various fictitious families with different values of these parameters, and by demanding that the current value of the kurtosis of the distribution in vW be reached over the estimated lifetime of the family, we obtained that the thermal conductivity of Astrid family members should be ≃0.001 W m-1 K-1, and that the surface and bulk density should be higher than 1000 kg m-3. Monte Carlo methods simulating Yarkovsky and stochastic Yarkovsky-O'Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack (YORP) evolution of the Astrid family show its age to be T = 140 ± 30 Myr old, in good agreement with estimates from other groups. Its terminal ejection velocity parameter is in the range V_{EJ}= 5^{+17}_{-5} m s-1. Values of VEJ larger than 25 m s-1 are excluded from constraints from the current inclination distribution.
Hydraulic tests with direct-push equipment
Butler, J.J.; Healey, J.M.; McCall, G.W.; Garnett, E.J.; Loheide, Steven P.
2002-01-01
The potential of direct-push technology for hydraulic characterization of saturated flow systems was investigated at a field site with a considerable degree of subsurface control. Direct-push installations were emplaced by attaching short lengths of screen (shielded and unshielded) to the bottom end of a tool string that was then advanced into the unconsolidated sediments. A series of constant-rate pumping tests were performed in a coarse sand and gravel aquifer using direct-push tool strings as observation wells. Very good agreement (within 4%) was found between hydraulic conductivity (K) estimates from direct-push installations and those from conventional wells. A program of slug tests was performed in direct-push installations using small-diameter adaptations of solid-slug and pneumatic methods. In a sandy silt interval of moderate hydraulic conductivity, K values from tests in a shielded screen tool were in excellent agreement (within 2%) with those from tests in a nearby well. In the coarse sand and gravel aquifer, K values were within 12% of those from multilevel slug tests at a nearby well. However, in the more permeable portions of the aquifer (K > 70 m/day), the smaller-diameter direct-push rods (0.016 m inner diameter [I.D.]) attenuated test responses, leading to an underprediction of K. In those conditions, use of larger-diameter rods (e.g., 0.038 m I.D.) is necessary to obtain K values representative of the formation. This investigation demonstrates that much valuable information can be obtained from hydraulic tests in direct-push installations. As with any type of hydraulic test, K estimates are critically dependent on use of appropriate emplacement and development procedures. In particular, driving an unshielded screen through a heterogeneous sequence will often lead to a buildup of low-K material that can be difficult to remove with standard development procedures.
Oxygen and sulfur isotope fractionation during sulfide oxidation by anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Brabec, Michelle Y.; Lyons, Timothy W.; Mandernack, Kevin W.
2012-04-01
Sulfide-mediated anoxygenic photosynthesis (SMAP) carried out by anaerobic phototrophic bacteria may have played an important role in sulfur cycling, formation of sulfate, and, perhaps, primary production in the Earth’s early oceans. Determination of ε34SSO4-Sulfide- and ε18OSO4-H2O values for bacterial sulfide oxidation will permit more refined interpretation of the δ34S and δ18OSO4 values measured in modern anoxic environments, such as meromictic lakes where sulfide commonly extends into the photic zone, and in the ancient rock record, particularly during periods of the Precambrian when anoxic and sulfidic (euxinic) conditions were believed to be more pervasive than today. Laboratory experiments with anaerobic purple and green sulfur phototrophs, Allochromatium vinosum and Chlorobaculum tepidum, respectively, were conducted to determine the sulfur and oxygen isotope fractionation during the oxidation of sulfide to sulfate. Replicate experiments were conducted at 25 °C for A. vinosum and 45 °C for C. tepidum, and in duplicate at three different starting oxygen isotope values for water to determine sulfate-water oxygen isotope fractionations accurately (ε18OSO4-H2O). ε18OSO4-H2O values of 5.6 ± 0.2‰ and 5.4 ± 0.1‰ were obtained for A. vinosum and C. tepidum, respectively. Temperature had no apparent effect on the ε18OSO4-H2O values. By combining all data from both cultures, an average ε18OSO4-H2O value of 5.6 ± 0.3‰ was obtained for SMAP. This value falls between those previously reported for bacterial oxidation of sphalerite and elemental sulfur (7-9‰) and abiotic and biotic oxidation of pyrite and chalcopyrite (2-4‰). Sulfur isotope fractionation between sulfide and sulfate formed by A.vinosum was negligible (0.1 ± 0.2‰) during all experiments. For C. tepidum an apparent fractionation of -2.3 ± 0.5‰ was observed during the earlier stages of oxidation based on bulk δ34S measurements of sulfate and sulfide and became smaller (-0.7 ± 0.3‰) when sulfate concentrations rose above 0.5 mM and sulfide concentrations had became negligible.
Djuris, J; Vasiljevic, D; Jokic, S; Ibric, S
2014-02-01
This study investigates the application of D-optimal mixture experimental design in optimization of O/W cosmetic emulsions. Cetearyl glucoside was used as a natural, biodegradable non-ionic emulsifier in the relatively low concentration (1%), and the mixture of co-emulsifiers (stearic acid, cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol and glyceryl stearate) was used to stabilize the formulations. To determine the optimal composition of co-emulsifiers mixture, D-optimal mixture experimental design was used. Prepared emulsions were characterized with rheological measurements, centrifugation test, specific conductivity and pH value measurements. All prepared samples appeared as white and homogenous creams, except for one homogenous and viscous lotion co-stabilized by stearic acid alone. Centrifugation testing revealed some phase separation only in the case of sample co-stabilized using glyceryl stearate alone. The obtained pH values indicated that all samples expressed mild acid value acceptable for cosmetic preparations. Specific conductivity values are attributed to the multiple phases O/W emulsions with high percentages of fixed water. Results of the rheological measurements have shown that the investigated samples exhibited non-Newtonian thixotropic behaviour. To determine the influence of each of the co-emulsifiers on emulsions properties, the obtained results were evaluated by the means of statistical analysis (ANOVA test). On the basis of comparison of statistical parameters for each of the studied responses, mixture reduced quadratic model was selected over the linear model implying that interactions between co-emulsifiers play the significant role in overall influence of co-emulsifiers on emulsions properties. Glyceryl stearate was found to be the dominant co-emulsifier affecting emulsions properties. Interactions between the glyceryl stearate and other co-emulsifiers were also found to significantly influence emulsions properties. These findings are especially important as they can be used for development of the product that meets users' requirements, as represented in the study. © 2013 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.
Evaluation and comparison of castability between an indigenous and imported Ni-Cr alloy.
Ramesh, Ganesh; Padmanabhan, T V; Ariga, Padma; Subramanian, R
2011-01-01
Since 1907 casting restorations have been in use in dentistry. Numerous companies have been manufacturing and marketing base metal alloys. Gold was a major component of casting alloys. But alloys with less than 65% gold tarnished easily and the increase in cost of gold post-1970s lead to the revival of base metal alloys such as nickel-chromium and cobalt-chromium alloys which were in use since 1930s. This study was conducted to evaluate and compare the castability between an indigenous alloy and an imported alloy, as imported base metal alloys are considered to be expensive for fabrication of crowns and bridges. This study was conducted to evaluate and compare the castability (for the accurate fabrication of crowns and bridges) between an indigenous base metal alloy-Non-ferrous Materials Technology Development Centre (NFTDC), Hyderabad (Alloy A) -and an imported base metal alloys (Alloy B). Castability measurement was obtained by counting the number of completely formed line segments surrounding the 81 squares in the pattern and later calculating the percentage values. The percentage obtained was taken as the castability value for a particular base metal alloy. The percentage of castability was determined by counting only the number of completely cast segments in a perfect casting (81 × 2 = 162), and then multiplying the resulting fraction by 100 to give the percentage completeness. The Student t-test was used. When the castability of alloys A and B was compared, the calculated value was less than the tabular value (1.171 < 2.048) leading to the conclusion that castability between alloys A and B is insignificant. Therefore we conclude that both the alloys have the same castability. Using the above-mentioned materials and following the method to test castability, we were able to derive favorable results. As the results were satisfactory, we can conclude that the castability of the indigenous alloy is on par with the imported alloy.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ji-Yang, Wang; Mo-Xiang, Chen; Ji-An, Wang; Xiao, Deng; Jun, Wang; Hsien-Chieh, Shen; Liang-Ping, Hsiung; Shu-Zhen, Yan; Zhi-Cheng, Fan; Xiu-Wen, Liu; Ge-Shan, Huang; Wen-Ren, Zhang; Hai-Hui, Shao; Rong-Yan, Zhang
1981-01-01
Geothermal studies have been conducted in China continuously since the end of the 1950's with renewed activity since 1970. Three areas of research are defined: (1) fundamental theoretical research on geothermics, including subsurface temperatures, terrestrial heat flow and geothermal modeling; (2) exploration for geothermal resources and exploitation of geothermal energy; and (3) geothermal studies in mines. Regional geothermal studies have been conducted recently in North China and more than 2000 values of subsurface temperature have been obtained. Temperatures at a depth of 300 m generally range from 20 to 25°C with geothermal gradients from 20 to 40°C/km. These values are regarded as an average for the region with anomalies related to geological factors. To date, 22 reliable heat flow data from 17 sites have been obtained in North China and the data have been categorized according to fault block tectonics. The average heat flow value at 16 sites in the north is 1.3 HFU, varying from 0.7 to 1.8 HFU. It is apparent that the North China fault block is characterized by a relatively high heat flow with wide variations in magnitude compared to the mean value for similar tectonic units in other parts of the world. It is suggested that although the North China fault block can be traced back to the Archaean, the tectonic activity has been strengthening since the Mesozoic resulting in so-called "reactivation of platform" with large-scale faulting and magmatism. Geothermal resources in China are extensive; more than 2000 hot springs have been found and there are other manifestations including geysers, hydrothermal explosions, hydrothermal steam, fumaroles, high-temperature fountains, boiling springs, pools of boiling mud, etc. In addition, there are many Meso-Cenozoic sedimentary basins with widespread aquifers containing geothermal water resources in abundance. The extensive exploration and exploitation of these geothermal resources began early in the 1970's. Since then several experimental power stations using thermal water have been set up in Fengshun (Fungshun),
Results obtained with a low cost software-based audiometer for hearing screening.
Ferrari, Deborah Viviane; Lopez, Esteban Alejandro; Lopes, Andrea Cintra; Aiello, Camila Piccini; Jokura, Pricila Reis
2013-07-01
The implementation of hearing screening programs can be facilitated by reducing operating costs, including the cost of equipment. The Telessaúde (TS) audiometer is a low-cost, software-based, and easy-to-use piece of equipment for conducting audiometric screening. To evaluate the TS audiometer for conducting audiometric screening. A prospective randomized study was performed. Sixty subjects, divided into those who did not have (group A, n = 30) and those who had otologic complaints (group B, n = 30), underwent audiometric screening with conventional and TS audiometers in a randomized order. Pure tones at 25 dB HL were presented at frequencies of 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz. A "fail" result was considered when the individual failed to respond to at least one of the stimuli. Pure-tone audiometry was also performed on all participants. The concordance of the results of screening with both audiometers was evaluated. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of screening with the TS audiometer were calculated. For group A, 100% of the ears tested passed the screening. For group B, "pass" results were obtained in 34.2% (TS) and 38.3% (conventional) of the ears tested. The agreement between procedures (TS vs. conventional) ranged from 93% to 98%. For group B, screening with the TS audiometer showed 95.5% sensitivity, 90.4% sensitivity, and positive and negative predictive values equal to 94.9% and 91.5%, respectively. The results of the TS audiometer were similar to those obtained with the conventional audiometer, indicating that the TS audiometer can be used for audiometric screening.
Simultaneous head tissue conductivity and EEG source location estimation.
Akalin Acar, Zeynep; Acar, Can E; Makeig, Scott
2016-01-01
Accurate electroencephalographic (EEG) source localization requires an electrical head model incorporating accurate geometries and conductivity values for the major head tissues. While consistent conductivity values have been reported for scalp, brain, and cerebrospinal fluid, measured brain-to-skull conductivity ratio (BSCR) estimates have varied between 8 and 80, likely reflecting both inter-subject and measurement method differences. In simulations, mis-estimation of skull conductivity can produce source localization errors as large as 3cm. Here, we describe an iterative gradient-based approach to Simultaneous tissue Conductivity And source Location Estimation (SCALE). The scalp projection maps used by SCALE are obtained from near-dipolar effective EEG sources found by adequate independent component analysis (ICA) decomposition of sufficient high-density EEG data. We applied SCALE to simulated scalp projections of 15cm(2)-scale cortical patch sources in an MR image-based electrical head model with simulated BSCR of 30. Initialized either with a BSCR of 80 or 20, SCALE estimated BSCR as 32.6. In Adaptive Mixture ICA (AMICA) decompositions of (45-min, 128-channel) EEG data from two young adults we identified sets of 13 independent components having near-dipolar scalp maps compatible with a single cortical source patch. Again initialized with either BSCR 80 or 25, SCALE gave BSCR estimates of 34 and 54 for the two subjects respectively. The ability to accurately estimate skull conductivity non-invasively from any well-recorded EEG data in combination with a stable and non-invasively acquired MR imaging-derived electrical head model could remove a critical barrier to using EEG as a sub-cm(2)-scale accurate 3-D functional cortical imaging modality. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Simultaneous head tissue conductivity and EEG source location estimation
Acar, Can E.; Makeig, Scott
2015-01-01
Accurate electroencephalographic (EEG) source localization requires an electrical head model incorporating accurate geometries and conductivity values for the major head tissues. While consistent conductivity values have been reported for scalp, brain, and cerebrospinal fluid, measured brain-to-skull conductivity ratio (BSCR) estimates have varied between 8 and 80, likely reflecting both inter-subject and measurement method differences. In simulations, mis-estimation of skull conductivity can produce source localization errors as large as 3 cm. Here, we describe an iterative gradient-based approach to Simultaneous tissue Conductivity And source Location Estimation (SCALE). The scalp projection maps used by SCALE are obtained from near-dipolar effective EEG sources found by adequate independent component analysis (ICA) decomposition of sufficient high-density EEG data. We applied SCALE to simulated scalp projections of 15 cm2-scale cortical patch sources in an MR image-based electrical head model with simulated BSCR of 30. Initialized either with a BSCR of 80 or 20, SCALE estimated BSCR as 32.6. In Adaptive Mixture ICA (AMICA) decompositions of (45-min, 128-channel) EEG data from two young adults we identified sets of 13 independent components having near-dipolar scalp maps compatible with a single cortical source patch. Again initialized with either BSCR 80 or 25, SCALE gave BSCR estimates of 34 and 54 for the two subjects respectively. The ability to accurately estimate skull conductivity non-invasively from any well-recorded EEG data in combination with a stable and non-invasively acquired MR imaging-derived electrical head model could remove a critical barrier to using EEG as a sub-cm2-scale accurate 3-D functional cortical imaging modality. PMID:26302675
Accurate measurements of the thermal diffusivity of thin filaments by lock-in thermography
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Salazar, Agustín; Mendioroz, Arantza; Fuente, Raquel; Celorrio, Ricardo
2010-02-01
In lock-in (modulated) thermography the lateral thermal diffusivity can be obtained from the slope of the linear relation between the phase of the surface temperature and the distance to the heating spot. However, this slope is greatly affected by heat losses, leading to an overestimation of the thermal diffusivity, especially for thin samples of poor thermal conducting materials. In this paper, we present a complete theoretical model to calculate the surface temperature of filaments heated by a focused and modulated laser beam. All heat losses have been included: conduction to the gas, convection, and radiation. Monofilaments and coated wires have been studied. Conduction to the gas has been identified as the most disturbing effect preventing from the direct use of the slope method to measure the thermal diffusivity. As a result, by keeping the sample in vacuum a slope method combining amplitude and phase can be used to obtain the accurate diffusivity value. Measurements performed in a wide variety of filaments confirm the validity of the conclusion. On the other hand, in the case of coated wires, the slope method gives an effective thermal diffusivity, which verifies the in-parallel thermal resistor model. As an application, the slope method has been used to retrieve the thermal conductivity of thin tubes by filling them with a liquid of known thermal properties.
Gapped fermionic spectrum from a domain wall in seven dimension
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Mukhopadhyay, Subir; Rai, Nishal
2018-05-01
We obtain a domain wall solution in maximally gauged seven dimensional supergravity, which interpolates between two AdS spaces and spontaneously breaks a U (1) symmetry. We analyse frequency dependence of conductivity and find power law behaviour at low frequency. We consider certain fermions of supergravity in the background of this domain wall and compute holographic spectral function of the operators in the dual six dimensional theory. We find fermionic operators involving bosons with non-zero expectation value lead to gapped spectrum.
Interference Effects and Drag of Struts on a Monoplane Wing
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Ward, Kenneth E
1931-01-01
Tests were conducted in the Variable Density Wind Tunnel of the NACA to determine the importance of the interference effects and drag of struts on a monoplane. Inclined struts were placed upon a Gottingen 387 airfoil in the lower surface positions and in two upper surface positions. Tests were made at values of Reynolds Number comparable with those obtained in flight. It was found that the interference drag of struts may be as great as the drag of the struts alone.
Singularities of the quad curl problem
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Nicaise, Serge
2018-04-01
We consider the quad curl problem in smooth and non smooth domains of the space. We first give an augmented variational formulation equivalent to the one from [25] if the datum is divergence free. We describe the singularities of the variational space which correspond to the ones of the Maxwell system with perfectly conducting boundary conditions. The edge and corner singularities of the solution of the corresponding boundary value problem with smooth data are also characterized. We finally obtain some regularity results of the variational solution.
Thermal conductivity of heterogeneous LWR MOX fuels
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Staicu, D.; Barker, M.
2013-11-01
It is generally observed that the thermal conductivity of LWR MOX fuel is lower than that of pure UO2. For MOX, the degradation is usually only interpreted as an effect of the substitution of U atoms by Pu. This hypothesis is however in contradiction with the observations of Duriez and Philiponneau showing that the thermal conductivity of MOX is independent of the Pu content in the ranges 3-15 and 15-30 wt.% PuO2 respectively. Attributing this degradation to Pu only implies that stoichiometric heterogeneous MOX can be obtained, while we show that any heterogeneity in the plutonium distribution in the sample introduces a variation in the local stoichiometry which in turn has a strong impact on the thermal conductivity. A model quantifying this effect is obtained and a new set of experimental results for homogeneous and heterogeneous MOX fuels is presented and used to validate the proposed model. In irradiated fuels, this effect is predicted to disappear early during irradiation. The 3, 6 and 10 wt.% Pu samples have a similar thermal conductivity. Comparison of the results for this homogeneous microstructure with MIMAS (heterogeneous) fuel of the same composition showed no difference for the Pu contents of 3, 5.9, 6, 7.87 and 10 wt.%. A small increase of the thermal conductivity was obtained for 15 wt.% Pu. This increase is of about 6% when compared to the average of the values obtained for 3, 6 and 10 wt.% Pu. For comparison purposes, Duriez also measured the thermal conductivity of FBR MOX with 21.4 wt.% Pu with O/M = 1.982 and a density close to 95% TD and found a value in good agreement with the estimation obtained using the formula of Philipponneau [8] for FBR MOX, and significantly lower than his results corresponding to the range 3-15 wt.% Pu. This difference in thermal conductivity is of about 20%, i.e. higher than the measurement uncertainties.Thus, a significant difference was observed between FBR and PWR MOX fuels, but was not explained. This difference was observed for hypostoichiometric fuels, that correspond to the condition used for irradiation. However, if these two formulas are evaluated for O/M = 2.000, the difference between the predictions is negligible (Fig. 1). The difference becomes significant for non-stoichiometric fuels, as shown for O/M = 1.975 in Fig. 1. The microstructure of the FBR fuel with 21.4 wt.% Pu was not described in the paper of Duriez. Taking into account the rigorous experimental methodology used by Duriez (characterisation of the stoichiometry), a possible explanation is an interaction between the plutonium distribution and the stoichiometry. Another parameter having a strong impact on the conductivity is the porosity correction used to obtain the values for 95% TD. This correction is small in the work of Duriez as the samples density is very close to 95% TD. This was also the case for the samples selected by Philipponneau in order to obtain his recommendation. An effect due to differences in the pores shape can also be excluded, as the results are identical for stoichiometric fuels (Fig. 1). Usually the apparent stoichiometry is obtained by heat treatments and checked before and after the measurements, either by XRD or thermogravimetry. However, for non-perfectly homogeneous samples, the gradients in the plutonium distribution induce a non-uniform oxygen distribution, which is difficult to characterise experimentally. It has been proposed by Baron that the deviation from stoichiometry is the main cause for the differences observed between fresh UO2 and MOX [14,15], this effect is quantified in the next section. In the first model ("Model 1"), the effect of Pu is neglected over the entire relevant Pu compositions range (up to 24 wt.% PuO2), and a correlation obtained for non-stoichiometric homogeneous (U,Pu)O2 is used. In the second model ("Model 2", the effect of Pu is supposed to be present at all compositions, with the stoichiometry effect. The thermal conductivity is described by the correlations of Fink [16] for the UO2 matrix, Duriez at low PuO2 contents (coating phase) and of Philipponneau at high PuO2 contents (agglomerates). For the first model, applying a correlation for non-stoichiometric UO2 would be relevant, but such a correlation does not exist for physical reasons in the hypostoichiometric domain. A correlation for homogeneous (U,Pu)O2+x has to be obtained in order to predict the thermal conductivity of heterogeneous MOX fuel, supposing that the effect of Pu can be neglected, i.e. supposing that the thermal conductivities of homogeneous (U,Pu)O2 and UO2 are equal both for stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric fuels. Such a correlation has to be obtained considering reliable data for stoichiometric UO2 and stoichiometry dependence. Different correlations for non-stoichiometric fuels were reviewed [2,8,12,13,15,35,36]. The correlation of Martin [36], available for hyperstoichiometric UO2, was evaluated in the hypostoichiometric domain and the predictions were found to give a stoichiometry dependence very similar to a correlation already proposed [15]. Investigations by Molecular Dynamics [37] have confirmed the almost symmetric effect of the hypo- and hyper-stoichiometry in UO2. We therefore use the correlation of Martin, with however a correction, as for stoichiometric fuels it over predicts the conductivity of stoichiometric UO2 at high temperatures, when compared to the recommendation of Fink [16] (Fig. 4). Analysis has shown that this over-prediction was due to the high temperature term in the correlation of Martin, and that, if this term is removed, the predictions of Martin and Fink were identical for stoichiometric fuels in the temperature range 500-1500 K. The correlation proposed for homogeneous MOX is therefore given by the following equation. k=(0.035 The series and parallel bounds (Eq. (2)) were calculated using the thermal conductivity values given by Eq. (5) for the heterogeneous MOX constituents and the maximum difference between these two bounds is 2% over the considered temperature range. The predictions obtained with the equations of Maxwell-Eucken (Eq. (3)) and Bergman (Eq. (4)) are equal and are in the interval between the series and parallel bounds. This result shows that the use of a sophisticated analytical or numerical model to predict the thermal conductivity is not justified [38]. The model of Maxwell-Eucken [31] was therefore chosen to predict the equivalent thermal conductivity of the heterogeneous MOX.The equivalent thermal conductivity of the stoichiometric heterogeneous MOX with an average PuO2 content of 7.2 wt.% (constituted by a stoichiometric UO2 matrix containing 15 vol.% of (U0.76Pu0.24)O1.975 agglomerates and 55 vol.% of a coating phase of (U0.94Pu0.06)O1.995) was calculated. The results show that the apparent thermal conductivity of the heterogeneous MOX, calculated using homogeneous MOX data (Eq. (5)) with O/M = 2.000, 1.995 and 1.975 (labeled Model 1 in Fig. 4) is not significantly different from the values measured by Duriez. The latter values are also very similar to the thermal conductivity of homogeneous MOX with O/M = 1.995. This simple model shows that the stoichiometry effect is sufficient to explain the lower thermal conductivity of LWR MOX fuel as compared to UO2. The advantage of this simple model is its consistency, as the calculations for the heterogeneous MOX are based on a unique formula for non-stoichiometric homogeneous (U,Pu)O2.In the second model, the effect of the plutonium is taken into account for the coating phase and for the Pu-rich agglomerates. The thermal conductivity is described by the correlations of Fink [16] for UO2.000, of Duriez et al. [2] for (U0.94Pu0.06)O1.995 (coating phase with low PuO2 content) and of Philipponneau [8] for (U0.76Pu0.24)O1.975 (Pu-rich agglomerates with high PuO2 content). The results (labeled Model 2 in Fig. 5) show that the calculated thermal conductivity of the heterogeneous 'stoichiometric' MOX is lower than UO2 and also lower than for stoichiometric MOX as given by Duriez. Therefore taking into account both the heterogeneity in the oxygen distribution and the Pu content leads to an underprediction of the thermal conductivity of heterogeneous MOX. A possible cause for the lower thermal conductivity of unirradiated heterogeneous MOX is therefore the intrinsic fluctuations of the local stoichiometry and only to a lesser extent the perturbation of the heat transfer due to the substitution of the U by Pu atoms in the crystal lattice. This interpretation was already proposed by Baron [14,15]. This assumption is acceptable if the size of the heterogeneities is much smaller that the thickness of the sample. A theoretical criterion for the impact of these parameters, initially proposed by Kerrish [40], was checked experimentally by Lee and Taylor [41] and was found to be too restrictive. The conclusions resulting from the investigations of Lee are that for diffusivity ratios between 1 and 3.5 and volume fractions up to 30%, a ratio of 5 between the sample thickness and inclusions diameter is sufficient. Our heterogeneous samples fulfill this criterion, taking into account that the thermal diffusivity ratio is close to 1 in MOX, that the volume fraction of Pu rich agglomerates is under 30%, and that the agglomerates have a diameter of less than 200 μm compared to the sample (disc) thickness of 1 mm. The most severe requirement that one could use to define a medium behaving like a homogeneous material is that the heat transfer is not affected by the heterogeneities. This is the case for instance if we have a heterogeneous material where the two constituents have equal thermal diffusivity and no thermal resistance is present at the interfaces. This requirement is very close to be perfectly verified for the heterogeneous MOX, as UO2 and (U,Pu)O2 have very close values of the thermal diffusivity. An effect of the sample heterogeneity can also be excluded from the point of view of the location where the thermograms are recorded: the temperature transients on the rear face of the samples are measured with a pyrometer and the system is provided with a lens assembly which enables a 1 mm diameter spot of the sample surface to be focused onto the signal collecting fibre. The thermograms are therefore averaged over a 1 mm diameter surface, which is much larger than the size of the heterogeneities (Pu rich agglomerates with a size of less than 200 μm).The impact of sample thickness on the measured thermal diffusivity was experimentally investigated for the MIMAS MOX with 7.0 wt.% Pu. For this purpose, discs of 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 mm thickness were cut and the thermal diffusivity was measured. The same investigation was done for standard UO2, in order to verify the accuracy of the inverse technique used for the identification of the thermal diffusivity from the thermograms. The inverse technique [39] explicitly takes into account the sample thickness in the calculation of the heat losses. The results for UO2 (Fig. 6) show that the measured thermal diffusivity does not depend on sample thickness, and is in good agreement with the recommendation of Fink [16]. The results for the heterogeneous MOX (Fig. 7) also show no dependence on sample thickness.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Xu, Shen; Wang, Xinwei, E-mail: xwang3@iastate.edu
2014-10-15
This work develops an amplitude method for the photothermal (PT) technique to analyze the amplitude of the thermal radiation signal from the surface of a multilayered film sample. The thermal conductivity of any individual layer in the sample can be thereby determined. Chemical vapor deposited SiC film samples (sample 1 to 3: 2.5 to 3.5 μm thickness) with different ratios of Si to C and thermally oxidized SiO{sub 2} film (500 nm thickness) on silicon substrates are studied using the amplitude method. The determined thermal conductivity based on the amplitude method is 3.58, 3.59, and 2.59 W/m⋅K for sample 1more » to 3 with ±10% uncertainty. These results are verified by the phase shift method, and sound agreement is obtained. The measured thermal conductivity (k) of SiC is much lower than the value of bulk SiC. The large k reduction is caused by the structure difference revealed by Raman spectroscopy. For the SiO{sub 2} film, the thermal conductivity is measured to be 1.68 ± 0.17 W/m⋅K, a little higher than that obtained by the phase shift method: 1.31 ± 0.06 W/m⋅K. Sensitivity analysis of thermal conductivity and interfacial resistance is conducted for the amplitude method. Its weak-sensitivity to the thermal contact resistance, enables the amplitude method to determine the thermal conductivity of a film sample with little effect from the interface thermal resistance between the film and substrate. The normalized amplitude ratio at a high frequency to that at a low frequency provides a reliable way to evaluate the effusivity ratio of the film to that of the substrate.« less
Thakwalakwa, Chrissie M; Kuusipalo, Heli M; Maleta, Kenneth M; Phuka, John C; Ashorn, Per; Cheung, Yin Bun
2012-07-01
This study aimed to compare the nutritional intake values among 15-month-old rural Malawian children obtained by weighed food record (WFR) with those obtained by modified 24-hour recall (mod 24-HR), and to develop algorithm for adjusting mod 24-HR values so as to predict mean intake based on WFRs. The study participants were 169 15-month-old children who participated in a clinical trial. Food consumption on one day was observed and weighed (established criterion) by a research assistant to provide the estimates of energy and nutrient intakes. On the following day, another research assistant, blinded to the direct observation, conducted the structured interactive 24-hour recall (24-HR) interview (test method). Paired t-tests and scatter-plots were used to compare intake values of the two methods. The structured interactive 24-HR method tended to overestimate energy and nutrient intakes (each P < 0.001). The regression-through-the-origin method was used to develop adjustment algorithms. Results showed that multiplying the mean energy, protein, fat, iron, zinc and vitamin A intake estimates based on the test method by 0.86, 0.80, 0.68, 0.69, 0.72 and 0.76, respectively, provides an approximation of the mean values based on WFRs. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Cardeñosa, Vanessa; Medrano, Evangelina; Lorenzo, Pilar; Sánchez-Guerrero, Maria Cruz; Cuevas, Francisco; Pradas, Inmaculada; Moreno-Rojas, José M
2015-11-01
Different nitrogen inputs and/or development under adverse water conditions (water stress/low quality and/or high salinity/electrical conductivity), such as those prevailing in Almeria (Mediterranean coast, south-east Spain), may affect overall fruit and vegetable quality. This study evaluated the influence of salinity and nitrogen reduction in hydroponic nutrient solution on strawberry fruit quality and nutritional compounds (Fragaria × ananassa Duch., cv. Primoris). Strawberries obtained under salinity treatments recorded the highest values for soluble solids content (SSC; all samplings); fruit taste was thus enhanced. Additionally, salinity improved fruit nutritional value, with higher contents of antioxidants compounds (first sampling). During first and second samplings, strawberries grown under N reduction and non-saline conditions showed higher values for firmness compared to fruits developed under other treatments. Regarding health-related compounds, few differences were found except for total polyphenols concentration and antioxidant activity for the first sampling, where strawberries grown under saline treatments obtained the highest values for both parameters. The use of low-quality waters, such as those found in Almeria (salinity, N9S and N5S) and low nitrogen inputs (N5, avoid environmental impact) for strawberry cultivation does not exert a negative impact on overall quality. Positive differences could be found in SSC, firmness and health-related compounds when compared against the control treatment (N9). © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.
Improved RMR Rock Mass Classification Using Artificial Intelligence Algorithms
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gholami, Raoof; Rasouli, Vamegh; Alimoradi, Andisheh
2013-09-01
Rock mass classification systems such as rock mass rating (RMR) are very reliable means to provide information about the quality of rocks surrounding a structure as well as to propose suitable support systems for unstable regions. Many correlations have been proposed to relate measured quantities such as wave velocity to rock mass classification systems to limit the associated time and cost of conducting the sampling and mechanical tests conventionally used to calculate RMR values. However, these empirical correlations have been found to be unreliable, as they usually overestimate or underestimate the RMR value. The aim of this paper is to compare the results of RMR classification obtained from the use of empirical correlations versus machine-learning methodologies based on artificial intelligence algorithms. The proposed methods were verified based on two case studies located in northern Iran. Relevance vector regression (RVR) and support vector regression (SVR), as two robust machine-learning methodologies, were used to predict the RMR for tunnel host rocks. RMR values already obtained by sampling and site investigation at one tunnel were taken into account as the output of the artificial networks during training and testing phases. The results reveal that use of empirical correlations overestimates the predicted RMR values. RVR and SVR, however, showed more reliable results, and are therefore suggested for use in RMR classification for design purposes of rock structures.
Tan, Yinghui; Zhou, Shuxia; Jiang, Hetian
2002-05-01
In this experiment, we studied the craniocerebral injury that occurs due to the transmission of forces when maxillofacial gunshot wounds are sustained by the facial bones and cranium. Forty fresh pigs' heads were wounded by one of the following methods: steel spheres weighing 1.03 g at an impact velocity of 1,400 m/s, steel spheres weighing 1.03 g at an impact velocity of 800 m/s, M193 military bullets, or M56 military bullets. Pressure waves in the brain, acceleration of the head, and stress changes in the facial bones and cranium at the moment of the impact were recorded by pressure and acceleration transducers and strain gauges and were statistically compared. Some obvious differences between the mechanical values obtained from high-and low-velocity missile wounds were found. A negative relationship between the peak value of the pressure wave in the brain and the distance from the point of impact to the transducer was obtained. The acceleration of the head in the direction of the ballistic path was the strongest in absolute value. There were differences in the stress values between the mandible and the temporal bone. Acceleration of the head, pressure wave changes in the brain, and injury from bony stress conduction all play important roles in associated craniocerebral damage after maxillofacial firearm wounds. Copyright 2002 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
Well development by jetting using coiled tubing and simultaneous pumping.
Rosberg, Jan-Erik; Bjelm, Leif
2009-01-01
During flow testing of a deep, 1927-m, gravel packed screen completed well, it became apparent that well development was needed to increase productivity. A hydrojetting system using coiled tubing in combination with simultaneous pumping was developed and tested and found to be successful. To verify whether the jetting improved the well, the results of a pumping test conducted before and after the jetting operation are compared. In addition, flowmeter logging and hydraulic properties obtained from pumping tests conducted during the jetting operation were also used to verify the improvements. Hydrojetting in combination with simultaneous pumping proved to be an effective cleaning method. After 100 min of pumping, around 110 m less drawdown and 15 L/s higher average flow rate were obtained compared to the values before the jetting operation. The skin factor was positive before the jetting operation and negative thereafter, thus providing additional evidence of improvements of the well. The flowmeter data also confirmed the improvements and were valuable in optimizing the jetting operation. It was also found, from the short-term pumping tests conducted during the jetting operation, that the Hantush-Jacob method for leaky confined aquifers is a valuable indicator of the well development. The combination of methods used for the well development in this case can easily be applied on other deep well projects to obtain a controlled and time-efficient well development. Copyright © 2009 The Author(s). Journal Compilation © 2009 National Ground Water Association.
Liquefaction Potential for Soil Deposits in Muscat, Oman
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
El Hussain, I. W.; Deif, A.; Girgis, M.; Al-Rawas, G.; Mohamed, A.; Al-Jabri, K.; Al-Habsi, Z.
2015-12-01
Muscat is located in the northeastern part of Oman on a narrow strip between Oman coast and Oman Mountains, which is the place for at least four earthquakes of order of 5.2 magnitude in the last 1300 years. The near surface geology of Muscat varies from hard rocks in the eastern, southern and western parts to dense and lose sediments in the middle and northern parts. Liquefaction occurs in saturated cohesionless soils when its shear strength decreased to zero due to the increase of pore pressure. More than 500 boreholes in Muscat area were examined for their liquefaction susceptibility based on the soil characteristics data. Only soils susceptible to liquefaction are further considered for liquefaction hazard assessment. Liquefaction occurs if the cyclic stress ratio (CSR) caused by the earthquake is higher than the cyclic resistance ratio (CRR) of the soil. CSR values were evaluated using PGA values at the surface obtained from previously conducted seismic hazard and microzonation studies. CRR for Muscat region is conducted using N values of SPT tests from numerous borehole data and the shear wave velocity results from 99 MASW surveys over the entire region. All the required corrections are conducted to get standardized (N1) 60 values, to correct shear-wave velocity, and scale the results for Mw 6.0 instead of the proposed 7.5 (magnitude scaling factor). Liquefaction hazard maps are generated using the minimum factor of safety (FS) at each site as a representative of the FS against liquefaction at that location. Results indicate that under the current level of seismic hazard, liquefaction potential is possible at few sites along the northern coast where alluvial soils and shallow ground water table are present. The expected soft soil settlement is also evaluated at each liquefiable site.
Emiralioğlu, Nagehan; Özçelik, Uğur; Yalçın, Ebru; Doğru, Deniz; Kiper, Nural
2016-01-01
Sweat test with Gibson Cooke (GC) method is the diagnostic gold standard for cystic fibrosis (CF). Recently, alternative methods have been introduced to simplify both the collection and analysis of sweat samples. Our aim was to compare sweat chloride values obtained by GC method with other sweat test methods in patients diagnosed with CF and whose CF diagnosis had been ruled out. We wanted to determine if the other sweat test methods could reliably identify patients with CF and differentiate them from healthy subjects. Chloride concentration was measured with GC method, chloride meter and sweat test analysis system; also conductivity was determined with sweat test analysis system. Forty eight patients with CF and 82 patients without CF underwent the sweat test, showing median sweat chloride values 98.9 mEq/L with GC method, 101 mmol/L with chloride meter, 87.8 mmol/L with sweat test analysis system. In non-CF group, median sweat chloride values were 16.8 mEq/L with GC method, 10.5 mmol/L with chloride meter, and 15.6 mmol/L with sweat test analysis system. Median conductivity value was 107.3 mmol/L in CF group and 32.1 mmol/L in non CF group. There was a strong positive correlation between GC method and the other sweat test methods with a statistical significance (r=0.85) in all subjects. Sweat chloride concentration and conductivity by other sweat test methods highly correlate with the GC method. We think that the other sweat test equipments can be used as reliably as the classic GC method to diagnose or exclude CF.
How Can Adult Children Influence Parents' Long-Term Care Insurance Purchase Decisions?
Sperber, Nina R; Voils, Corrine I; Coe, Norma B; Konetzka, R Tamara; Boles, Jillian; Van Houtven, Courtney Harold
2017-04-01
Long-term care (LTC) poses a significant strain on public health insurance financing. In response, there is policy interest in bolstering the private long-term care insurance (LTCI) market. Although families are central to LTC provision, their role in LTCI demand remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to obtain in-depth information concerning: (a) How do older parents evaluate the need for LTCI, (b) what role do adult children play? and (c) How do families communicate about parents' LTC preferences and plans, including LTCI purchase? We conducted focus groups with older parents and adult children in diverse markets. Two groups were conducted with older parents who had purchased LTCI and two with parents who had not purchased LTCI. Four groups were conducted with adult children, mixed as to whether their parents had purchased LTCI. Probes were informed by published reasons for purchasing or not purchasing LTCI. We analyzed transcriptions using directed content analysis and constant comparative method. Older parents valued autonomy for themselves and their children. Older parent purchasers regarded LTCI as supporting this value while nonpurchasers perceived limitations. Adult children described unstated expectations that they would care for their parents. Though discussions between parents and children about LTCI were rare, successful influence occurred when children appealed to shared values, specifically avoiding burden and remaining home. Messages that emphasize autonomy over LTC decisions and interventions that start the LTC conversation among families, with attention to shared values, could increase private LTCI uptake. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Detailed flow-field measurements over a 75 deg swept delta wing
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kjelgaard, Scott O.; Sellers, William L., III
1990-01-01
Results from an experimental investigation documenting the flowfield over a 75 deg swept delta wing at an angle-of-attack of 20.5 deg are presented. Results obtained include surface flow visualization, off-body flow visualization, and detailed flowfield surveys for various Reynolds numbers. Flowfield surveys at Reynolds numbers of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 million based on the root chord were conducted with both a Pitot pressure probe and a 5-hole pressure probe; and 3-component laser velocimeter surveys were conducted at a Reynolds number of 1.0 million. The Pitot pressure surveys were obtained at 5 chordwise stations, the 5-hole probe surveys were obtained at 3 chordwise stations and the laser velocimeter surveys were obtained at one station. The results confirm the classical roll up of the flow into a pair of primary vortices over the delta wing. The velocity measurements indicate that Reynolds number has little effect on the global structure of the flowfield for the Reynolds number range investigated. Measurements of the non-dimensional axial velocity in the core of the vortex indicate a jet like flow with values greater than twice freestream. Comparisons between velocity measurements from the 5-hole pressure probe and the laser velocimeter indicate that the pressure probe does a reasonable job of measuring the flowfield quantities where the velocity gradients in the flowfield are low.
Numerical analysis of transient laminar forced convection of nanofluids in circular ducts
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sert, İsmail Ozan; Sezer-Uzol, Nilay; Kakaç, Sadık
2013-10-01
In this study, forced convection heat transfer characteristics of nanofluids are investigated by numerical analysis of incompressible transient laminar flow in a circular duct under step change in wall temperature and wall heat flux. The thermal responses of the system are obtained by solving energy equation under both transient and steady-state conditions for hydro-dynamically fully-developed flow. In the analyses, temperature dependent thermo-physical properties are also considered. In the numerical analysis, Al2O3/water nanofluid is assumed as a homogenous single-phase fluid. For the effective thermal conductivity of nanofluids, Hamilton-Crosser model is used together with a model for Brownian motion in the analysis which takes the effects of temperature and the particle diameter into account. Temperature distributions across the tube for a step jump of wall temperature and also wall heat flux are obtained for various times during the transient calculations at a given location for a constant value of Peclet number and a particle diameter. Variations of thermal conductivity in turn, heat transfer enhancement is obtained at various times as a function of nanoparticle volume fractions, at a given nanoparticle diameter and Peclet number. The results are given under transient and steady-state conditions; steady-state conditions are obtained at larger times and enhancements are found by comparison to the base fluid heat transfer coefficient under the same conditions.
Li, Lei; Gao, Cai; Zhao, Gang; Shu, Zhiquan; Cao, Yunxia; Gao, Dayong
2016-12-01
The measurement of hydraulic conductivity of the cell membrane is very important for optimizing the protocol of cryopreservation and cryosurgery. There are two different methods using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to measure the freezing response of cells and tissues. Devireddy et al. presented the slow-fast-slow (SFS) cooling method, in which the difference of the heat release during the freezing process between the osmotically active and inactive cells is used to obtain the cell membrane hydraulic conductivity and activation energy. Luo et al. simplified the procedure and introduced the single-slow (SS) cooling protocol, which requires only one cooling process although different cytocrits are required for the determination of the membrane transport properties. To the best of our knowledge, there is still a lack of comparison of experimental processes and requirements for experimental conditions between these two methods. This study made a systematic comparison between these two methods from the aforementioned aspects in detail. The SFS and SS cooling methods mentioned earlier were utilized to obtain the reference hydraulic conductivity (L pg ) and activation energy (E Lp ) of HeLa cells by fitting the model to DSC data. With the SFS method, it was determined that L pg = 0.10 μm/(min·atm) and E Lp = 22.9 kcal/mol; whereas the results obtained by the SS cooling method showed that L pg = 0.10 μm/(min·atm) and E Lp = 23.6 kcal/mol. The results indicated that the values of the water transport parameters measured by two methods were comparable. In other words, the two parameters can be obtained by comparing the heat releases between two slow cooling processes of the same sample according to the SFS method. However, the SS method required analyzing heat releases of samples with different cytocrits. Thus, more experimental time was required.
Yilmaz, A Erdem; Boncukcuoğlu, Recep; Kocakerim, M Muhtar
2007-06-01
In this study, it was investigated parameters affecting energy consumption in boron removal from boron containing wastewaters prepared synthetically, via electrocoagulation method. The solution pH, initial boron concentration, dose of supporting electrolyte, current density and temperature of solution were selected as experimental parameters affecting energy consumption. The obtained experimental results showed that boron removal efficiency reached up to 99% under optimum conditions, in which solution pH was 8.0, current density 6.0 mA/cm(2), initial boron concentration 100mg/L and solution temperature 293 K. The current density was an important parameter affecting energy consumption too. High current density applied to electrocoagulation cell increased energy consumption. Increasing solution temperature caused to decrease energy consumption that high temperature decreased potential applied under constant current density. That increasing initial boron concentration and dose of supporting electrolyte caused to increase specific conductivity of solution decreased energy consumption. As a result, it was seen that energy consumption for boron removal via electrocoagulation method could be minimized at optimum conditions. An empirical model was predicted by statistically. Experimentally obtained values were fitted with values predicted from empirical model being as following; [formula in text]. Unfortunately, the conditions obtained for optimum boron removal were not the conditions obtained for minimum energy consumption. It was determined that support electrolyte must be used for increase boron removal and decrease electrical energy consumption.
Ward, Adam S.; Kelleher, Christa A.; Mason, Seth J. K.; Wagener, Thorsten; McIntyre, Neil; McGlynn, Brian L.; Runkel, Robert L.; Payn, Robert A.
2017-01-01
Researchers and practitioners alike often need to understand and characterize how water and solutes move through a stream in terms of the relative importance of in-stream and near-stream storage and transport processes. In-channel and subsurface storage processes are highly variable in space and time and difficult to measure. Storage estimates are commonly obtained using transient-storage models (TSMs) of the experimentally obtained solute-tracer test data. The TSM equations represent key transport and storage processes with a suite of numerical parameters. Parameter values are estimated via inverse modeling, in which parameter values are iteratively changed until model simulations closely match observed solute-tracer data. Several investigators have shown that TSM parameter estimates can be highly uncertain. When this is the case, parameter values cannot be used reliably to interpret stream-reach functioning. However, authors of most TSM studies do not evaluate or report parameter certainty. Here, we present a software tool linked to the One-dimensional Transport with Inflow and Storage (OTIS) model that enables researchers to conduct uncertainty analyses via Monte-Carlo parameter sampling and to visualize uncertainty and sensitivity results. We demonstrate application of our tool to 2 case studies and compare our results to output obtained from more traditional implementation of the OTIS model. We conclude by suggesting best practices for transient-storage modeling and recommend that future applications of TSMs include assessments of parameter certainty to support comparisons and more reliable interpretations of transport processes.
Magnetotelluric Forward Modeling and Inversion In 3 -d Conductivity Model of The Vesuvio Volcano
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Spichak, V.; Patella, D.
Three-dimensional forward modeling of MT fields in the simplified conductivity model of the Vesuvio volcano (T=0.1, 1, 10, 100 and 1000s) indicates that the best image of the magma chamber could be obtained basing on the pseudo-section of the determinant apparent resitivity phase as well as on the real and imaginary components of the electric field. Another important result of the studies conducted is that it was demonstrated the principal opportunity of detection and contouring the magma chamber by 2-D pseudo-sections constructed basing on the data transforms mentioned above. Bayesian three-dimensional inversion of synthetic MT data in the volcano model indicates that it is possible to determine the depth and vertical size of the magma chamber, however, simultaneous detection of the conductivity distribution inside the domain of search is of pure quality. However, if the geometrical parameters of the magma chamber are determined in advance, it becomes quite realistic to find out the conductivity distribution inside. The accuracy of such estimation strongly depends on the uncertainty in its prior value: the more narrow is the prior conductivity palette the closer could be the posterior conductivity distribution to the true one.
Full counting statistics of conductance for disordered systems
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fu, Bin; Zhang, Lei; Wei, Yadong; Wang, Jian
2017-09-01
Quantum transport is a stochastic process in nature. As a result, the conductance is fully characterized by its average value and fluctuations, i.e., characterized by full counting statistics (FCS). Since disorders are inevitable in nanoelectronic devices, it is important to understand how FCS behaves in disordered systems. The traditional approach dealing with fluctuations or cumulants of conductance uses diagrammatic perturbation expansion of the Green's function within coherent potential approximation (CPA), which is extremely complicated especially for high order cumulants. In this paper, we develop a theoretical formalism based on nonequilibrium Green's function by directly taking the disorder average on the generating function of FCS of conductance within CPA. This is done by mapping the problem into higher dimensions so that the functional dependence of generating a function on the Green's function becomes linear and the diagrammatic perturbation expansion is not needed anymore. Our theory is very simple and allows us to calculate cumulants of conductance at any desired order efficiently. As an application of our theory, we calculate the cumulants of conductance up to fifth order for disordered systems in the presence of Anderson and binary disorders. Our numerical results of cumulants of conductance show remarkable agreement with that obtained by the brute force calculation.
Local measurement of thermal conductivity and diffusivity
Hurley, David H.; Schley, Robert S.; Khafizov, Marat; ...
2015-12-01
Simultaneous measurement of local thermal diffusivity and conductivity is demonstrated on a range of ceramic samples. This was accomplished by measuring the temperature field spatial profile of samples excited by an amplitude modulated continuous wave laser beam. A thin gold film is applied to the samples to ensure strong optical absorption and to establish a second boundary condition that introduces an expression containing the substrate thermal conductivity. The diffusivity and conductivity are obtained by comparing the measured phase profile of the temperature field to a continuum based model. A sensitivity analysis is used to identify the optimal film thickness formore » extracting the both substrate conductivity and diffusivity. Proof of principle studies were conducted on a range of samples having thermal properties that are representative of current and advanced accident tolerant nuclear fuels. It is shown that by including the Kapitza resistance as an additional fitting parameter, the measured conductivity and diffusivity of all the samples considered agree closely with literature values. Lastly, a distinguishing feature of this technique is that it does not require a priori knowledge of the optical spot size which greatly increases measurement reliability and reproducibility.« less
Local measurement of thermal conductivity and diffusivity
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Hurley, David H.; Schley, Robert S.; Khafizov, Marat
2015-12-15
Simultaneous measurement of local thermal diffusivity and conductivity is demonstrated on a range of ceramic samples. This was accomplished by measuring the temperature field spatial profile of samples excited by an amplitude modulated continuous wave laser beam. A thin gold film is applied to the samples to ensure strong optical absorption and to establish a second boundary condition that introduces an expression containing the substrate thermal conductivity. The diffusivity and conductivity are obtained by comparing the measured phase profile of the temperature field to a continuum based model. A sensitivity analysis is used to identify the optimal film thickness formore » extracting the both substrate conductivity and diffusivity. Proof of principle studies were conducted on a range of samples having thermal properties that are representatives of current and advanced accident tolerant nuclear fuels. It is shown that by including the Kapitza resistance as an additional fitting parameter, the measured conductivity and diffusivity of all the samples considered agreed closely with the literature values. A distinguishing feature of this technique is that it does not require a priori knowledge of the optical spot size which greatly increases measurement reliability and reproducibility.« less
Hybrid local piezoelectric and conductive functions for high performance airborne sound absorption
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Rahimabady, Mojtaba; Statharas, Eleftherios Christos; Yao, Kui; Sharifzadeh Mirshekarloo, Meysam; Chen, Shuting; Tay, Francis Eng Hock
2017-12-01
A concept of hybrid local piezoelectric and electrical conductive functions for improving airborne sound absorption is proposed and demonstrated in composite foam made of porous polar polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) mixed with conductive single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT). According to our hybrid material function design, the local piezoelectric effect in the PVDF matrix with the polar structure and the electrical resistive loss of SWCNT enhanced sound energy conversion to electrical energy and subsequently to thermal energy, respectively, in addition to the other known sound absorption mechanisms in a porous material. It is found that the overall energy conversion and hence the sound absorption performance are maximized when the concentration of the SWCNT is around the conductivity percolation threshold. For the optimal composition of PVDF/5 wt. % SWCNT, a sound reduction coefficient of larger than 0.58 has been obtained, with a high sound absorption coefficient higher than 50% at 600 Hz, showing their great values for passive noise mitigation even at a low frequency.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yuan, Shuangshuang; Tang, Qunwei; He, Benlin; Chen, Haiyan; Li, Qinghua; Ma, Chunqing; Jin, Suyue; Liu, Zhichao
2014-03-01
Proton exchange membrane (PEM), transferring protons from anode to cathode, is a key component in a PEM fuel cell. In the current work, a new class of PEMs are synthesized benefiting from the imbibition behavior of three-dimensional (3D) polyacrylamide-graft-chitosan (PAAm-graft-chitosan) frameworks to H3PO4 aqueous solution. Interconnected 3D framework of PAAm-graft-chitosan provides tremendous space for holding proton-conducting H3PO4. The highest anhydrous proton conductivity of 0.13 S cm-1 at 165 °C is obtained. A fuel cell using a thick membrane as a PEM showed a peak power density of 405 mW cm-2 with O2 and H2 as the oxidant and fuel, respectively. Results indicate that the interconnected 3D framework provides superhighway for proton conduction. The valued merits on anhydrous proton conductivity, huge H3PO4 loading, and easy synthesis promise the new membranes to be good alternatives as high-temperature PEMs.
Neuzil, C.E.; Cooley, C.; Silliman, Stephen E.; Bredehoeft, J.D.; Hsieh, P.A.
1981-01-01
In Part I a general analytical solution for the transient pulse test was presented. Part II presents a graphical method for analyzing data from a test to obtain the hydraulic properties of the sample. The general solution depends on both hydraulic conductivity and specific storage and, in theory, analysis of the data can provide values for both of these hydraulic properties. However, in practice, one of two limiting cases may apply in which case it is possible to calculate only hydraulic conductivity or the product of hydraulic conductivity times specific storage. In this paper we examine the conditions when both hydraulic parameters can be calculated. The analyses of data from two tests are presented. In Appendix I the general solution presented in Part I is compared with an earlier analysis, in which compressive storage in the sample is assumed negligible, and the error in calculated hydraulic conductivity due to this simplifying assumption is examined. ?? 1981.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Pankow, James F.
Gas-particle partitioning is examined using a partitioning constant Kp = ( F/ TSP)/ A, where F (ng m -3) and A (ng m -3) are the particulate-associated and gas-phase concentrations, respectively, and TSP is the total suspended particulate matter level (μg m -3). Compound-dependent values of Kp depend on temperature ( T) according to Kp = mp/ T + bp. Limitations in data quality can cause errors in estimates of mp and bp obtained by simple linear regression (SLR). However, within a group of similar compounds, the bp values will be similar. By pooling data, an improved set of mp and a single bp can be obtained by common y-intercept regression (CYIR). SLR estimates for mp and bp for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) sorbing to urban Osaka particulate matter are available (Yamasaki et al., 1982, Envir. Sci. Technol.16, 189-194), as are CYIR estimates for the same particulate matter (Pankow, 1991, Atmospheric Environment25A, 2229-2239). In this work, a comparison was conducted of the ability of these two sets of mp and bp to predict A/ F ratios for PAHs based on measured T and TSP values for data obtained in other urban locations, specifically: (1) in and near the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel by Benner (1988, Ph.D thesis, University of Maryland) and Benner et al. (1989, Envir. Sci. Technol.23, 1269-1278); and (2) in Chicago by Cotham (1990, Ph.D. thesis, University of South Carolina). In general, the CYIR estimates for mp and bp obtained for Osaka particulate matter were found to be at least as reliable, and for some compounds more reliable than their SLR counterparts in predicting gas-particle ratios for PAHs. This result provides further evidence of the utility of the CYIR approach in quantitating the dependence of log Kp values on 1/ T.
Estimates of olivine-basaltic melt electrical conductivity using a digital rock physics approach
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Miller, Kevin J.; Montési, Laurent G. J.; Zhu, Wen-lu
2015-12-01
Estimates of melt content beneath fast-spreading mid-ocean ridges inferred from magnetotelluric tomography (MT) vary between 0.01 and 0.10. Much of this variation may stem from a lack of understanding of how the grain-scale melt geometry influences the bulk electrical conductivity of a partially molten rock, especially at low melt fraction. We compute bulk electrical conductivity of olivine-basalt aggregates over 0.02 to 0.20 melt fraction by simulating electric current in experimentally obtained partially molten geometries. Olivine-basalt aggregates were synthesized by hot-pressing San Carlos olivine and high-alumina basalt in a solid-medium piston-cylinder apparatus. Run conditions for experimental charges were 1.5 GPa and 1350 °C. Upon completion, charges were quenched and cored. Samples were imaged using synchrotron X-ray micro-computed tomography (μ-CT). The resulting high-resolution, 3-dimensional (3-D) image of the melt distribution constitutes a digital rock sample, on which numerical simulations were conducted to estimate material properties. To compute bulk electrical conductivity, we simulated a direct current measurement by solving the current continuity equation, assuming electrical conductivities for olivine and melt. An application of Ohm's Law yields the bulk electrical conductivity of the partially molten region. The bulk electrical conductivity values for nominally dry materials follow a power-law relationship σbulk = Cσmeltϕm with fit parameters m = 1.3 ± 0.3 and C = 0.66 ± 0.06. Laminar fluid flow simulations were conducted on the same partially molten geometries to obtain permeability, and the respective pathways for electrical current and fluid flow over the same melt geometry were compared. Our results indicate that the pathways for flow fluid are different from those for electric current. Electrical tortuosity is lower than fluid flow tortuosity. The simulation results are compared to existing experimental data, and the potential influence of volatiles and melt films on electrical conductivity of partially molten rocks is discussed.
Muñoz-Cobo, José Luis; Chiva, Sergio; Méndez, Santos; Monrós, Guillem; Escrivá, Alberto; Cuadros, José Luis
2017-05-10
This paper describes all the procedures and methods currently used at UPV (Universitat Politécnica de Valencia) and UJI (University Jaume I) for the development and use of sensors for multi-phase flow analysis in vertical pipes. This paper also describes the methods that we use to obtain the values of the two-phase flow magnitudes from the sensor signals and the validation and cross-verification methods developed to check the consistency of the results obtained for these magnitudes with the sensors. First, we provide information about the procedures used to build the multi-sensor conductivity probes and some of the tests performed with different materials to avoid sensor degradation issues. In addition, we provide information about the characteristics of the electric circuits that feed the sensors. Then the data acquisition of the conductivity probe, the signal conditioning and the data processing including the device that have been designed to automatize all the measurement process of moving the sensors inside the channels by means of stepper electric motors controlled by computer are shown in operation. Then, we explain the methods used for bubble identification and categorization. Finally, we describe the methodology used to obtain the two-phase flow information from the sensor signals. This includes the following items: void fraction, gas velocity, Sauter mean diameter and interfacial area concentration. The last part of this paper is devoted to the conductance probes developed for the annular flow analysis, which includes the analysis of the interfacial waves produced in annular flow and that requires a different type of sensor.
Charge distribution and transport properties in reduced ceria phases: A review
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Shoko, E.; Smith, M. F.; McKenzie, Ross H.
2011-12-01
The question of the charge distribution in reduced ceria phases (CeO2-x) is important for understanding the microscopic physics of oxygen storage capacity, and the electronic and ionic conductivities in these materials. All these are key properties in the application of these materials in catalysis and electrochemical devices. Several approaches have been applied to study this problem, including ab initio methods. Recently [1], we applied the bond valence model (BVM) to discuss the charge distribution in several different crystallographic phases of reduced ceria. Here, we compare the BVM results to those from atomistic simulations to determine if there is consistency in the predictions of the two approaches. Our analysis shows that the two methods give a consistent picture of the charge distribution around oxygen vacancies in bulk reduced ceria phases. We then review the transport theory applicable to reduced ceria phases, providing useful relationships which enable comparison of experimental results obtained by different techniques. In particular, we compare transport parameters obtained from the observed optical absorption spectrum, α(ω), dc electrical conductivity with those predicted by small polaron theory and the Harrison method. The small polaron energy is comparable to that estimated from α(ω). However, we found a discrepancy between the value of the electron hopping matrix element, t, estimated from the Marcus-Hush formula and that obtained by the Harrison method. Part of this discrepancy could be attributed to the system lying in the crossover region between adiabatic and nonadiabatic whereas our calculations assumed the system to be nonadiabatic. Finally, by considering the relationship between the charge distribution and electronic conductivity, we suggest the possibility of low temperature metallic conductivity for intermediate phases, i.e., x˜0.3. This has not yet been experimentally observed.
Muñoz-Cobo, José Luis; Chiva, Sergio; Méndez, Santos; Monrós, Guillem; Escrivá, Alberto; Cuadros, José Luis
2017-01-01
This paper describes all the procedures and methods currently used at UPV (Universitat Politécnica de Valencia) and UJI (University Jaume I) for the development and use of sensors for multi-phase flow analysis in vertical pipes. This paper also describes the methods that we use to obtain the values of the two-phase flow magnitudes from the sensor signals and the validation and cross-verification methods developed to check the consistency of the results obtained for these magnitudes with the sensors. First, we provide information about the procedures used to build the multi-sensor conductivity probes and some of the tests performed with different materials to avoid sensor degradation issues. In addition, we provide information about the characteristics of the electric circuits that feed the sensors. Then the data acquisition of the conductivity probe, the signal conditioning and the data processing including the device that have been designed to automatize all the measurement process of moving the sensors inside the channels by means of stepper electric motors controlled by computer are shown in operation. Then, we explain the methods used for bubble identification and categorization. Finally, we describe the methodology used to obtain the two-phase flow information from the sensor signals. This includes the following items: void fraction, gas velocity, Sauter mean diameter and interfacial area concentration. The last part of this paper is devoted to the conductance probes developed for the annular flow analysis, which includes the analysis of the interfacial waves produced in annular flow and that requires a different type of sensor. PMID:28489035
Flexible, transparent electrodes using carbon nanotubes
2012-01-01
We prepare thin single-walled carbon nanotube networks on a transparent and flexible substrate with different densities, using a very simple spray method. We measure the electric impedance at different frequencies Z(f) in the frequency range of 40 Hz to 20 GHz using two different methods: a two-probe method in the range up to 110 MHz and a coaxial (Corbino) method in the range of 10 MHz to 20 GHz. We measure the optical absorption and electrical conductivity in order to optimize the conditions for obtaining optimum performance films with both high electrical conductivity and transparency. We observe a square resistance of 1 to 8.5 kΩ for samples showing 65% to 85% optical transmittance, respectively. For some applications, we need flexibility and not transparency: for this purpose, we deposit a thick film of single-walled carbon nanotubes on a flexible silicone substrate by spray method from an aqueous suspension of carbon nanotubes in a surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulphate), thereby obtaining a flexible conducting electrode showing an electrical resistance as low as 200 Ω/sq. When stretching up to 10% and 20%, the electrical resistance increases slightly, recovering the initial value for small elongations up to 10%. We analyze the stretched and unstretched samples by Raman spectroscopy and observe that the breathing mode on the Raman spectra is highly sensitive to stretching. The high-energy Raman modes do not change, which indicates that no defects are introduced when stretching. Using this method, flexible conducting films that may be transparent are obtained just by employing a very simple spray method and can be deposited on any type or shape of surface. PMID:23074999
Anisotropic strange star with Tolman V potential
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Shee, Dibyendu; Deb, Debabrata; Ghosh, Shounak; Ray, Saibal; Guha, B. K.
In this paper, we present a strange stellar model using Tolman V-type metric potential employing simplest form of the MIT bag equation of state (EOS) for the quark matter. We consider that the stellar system is spherically symmetric, compact and made of an anisotropic fluid. Choosing different values of n we obtain exact solutions of the Einstein field equations and finally conclude that for a specific value of the parameter n = 1/2, we find physically acceptable features of the stellar object. Further, we conduct different physical tests, viz., the energy condition, generalized Tolman-Oppeheimer-Volkoff (TOV) equation, Herrera’s cracking concept, etc., to confirm the physical validity of the presented model. Matching conditions provide expressions for different constants whereas maximization of the anisotropy parameter provides bag constant. By using the observed data of several compact stars, we derive exact values of some of the physical parameters and exhibit their features in tabular form. It is to note that our predicted value of the bag constant satisfies the report of CERN-SPS and RHIC.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Villacorta Hernandez, Byron S.
Conductive polymer composites have become alternative materials for providing electromagnetic and electrostatic shielding where metals are not suitable. In this study, the effect of crystallinity, morphology, concentration and orientation of carbon nanomodifiers on shielding provided by their polyethylene-based composites has been investigated relative to their transport properties. First, the electrical properties and EM SE of composites consisting of heat-treated carbon nanofibers (PyrografRTM-III PR-19 CNF) in a linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) matrix were assessed. Heat treatment (HT) of CNF at 2500°C significantly improved their graphitic crystallinity and intrinsic transport properties, thereby increasing the EM SE of the nanocomposites. Although the strain-to-failure was about one-third that of pure LLDPE, the absolute value of 180+/-98% indicates a significant retention of ductility. Second, the influence of the morphology of carbon modifiers on the electrical, thermal and mechanical properties of their composites was investigated. Four heat-treated carbon modifiers were investigated: PR-19 HT carbon nanofibers, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT HT), helical multi-walled carbon nanotubes (HCNT HT), and pitch-based P-55 carbon fibers (CF). MWHT HT, with the highest aspect ratio, led to the largest composite electrical and thermal conductivities (34 S/m, 1 W/m.K) and EM SE (~24 dB). In contrast, HCNT HT, due to their coiled shape and low aspect ratio, led to a non-percolating microstructure in the composites, which produced poor EM SE (<1 dB). Nonetheless, HCNT HT composites displayed the highest ductility (~250%) and flexibility, which is probably owed to the matrix-modifier mechanical bonding (interlocking) provided by the helical morphology. Using the carbon modifiers that previously led to the best EM SE (i.e., PR-19 HT and MWNT HT), the influence of composite electrical properties on the plane-wave EM SE in the VHF-UHF bands was studied further. Both graphitic nanomodifiers were dispersed in LLDPE matrix to produce a nominally random in-plane modifier orientation. For a concentration of 10 vol% nanomodifiers, EM SE values of 22 dB and 24 dB were obtained for PR-19 HT and MWNT HT nanocomposites (2.5-mm thick), respectively. At a high concentration of 40 vol%, EM SE values as high as 68 dB and 55 dB were respectively attained. Because such nanocomposites possess only moderate electrical conductivity, a model for generally-lossy materials was used to predict the plane-wave EM SE and its components. Based on the material properties of the nanocomposites, the predicted values of EM SE were found to be consistent with the experimental values. Finally, the electrical conductivity and EM SE of nanocomposites that contained 10 vol% of oriented graphitic nanomodifiers (PR-19 HT and MWNT HT) in LLDPE are reported. Micro-filament spinning was used to generate flow-induced orientation of the carbon nanomodifiers. Consequently, the conductivity of the resulting nanocomposites exhibited anisotropy. Thus, the in-plane conductivity in the longitudinal direction (PR-19 HT comp.: ~0.02 S/m; MWNT HT comp.: ~3 S/m) was at least an order of magnitude higher than that along the transverse direction. As measured with a rectangular waveguide (WR510, 1.45-2.2 GHz), the PR-19 HT and MWNT HT oriented nanocomposites (1-mm thick) displayed EM SE values of 0.7+/-0.4 dB and 3.0+/-0.8 dB, respectively, when the nanomodifiers were transversely oriented with the polarized electric field. In contrast, when the orientation of the nanomodifiers was parallel with the field, values of 3.2+/-1.0 dB and 9.0+/-1.0 dB were obtained, respectively. Therefore, as a result of this anisotropy, as analyzed by polarized electromagnetic waves, the composites displayed anisotropic shielding. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
The bedrock electrical conductivity structure of Northern Ireland
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Beamish, David
2013-08-01
An airborne geophysical survey of the whole of Northern Ireland has provided over 4.8 M estimates of the bedrock conductivity over the wide range of geological formations present. This study investigates how such data can be used to provide additional knowledge in relation to existing digital geological map information. A by-product of the analysis is a simplification of the spatially aggregated information obtained in such surveys. The methodology used is a GIS-based attribution of the conductivity estimates using a lithological classification of the bedrock formations. A 1:250k geological classification of the data is performed leading to a 56 unit lithological and geostatistical analysis of the conductivity information. The central moments (medians) of the classified data are used to provide a new digital bedrock conductivity map of Northern Ireland with values ranging from 0.32 to 41.36 mS m-1. This baseline map of conductivities displays a strong correspondence with an existing 4 quadrant, chrono-geological description of Northern Ireland. Once defined, the baseline conductivity map allows departures from the norm to be assessed across each specific lithological unit. Bulk electrical conductivity is controlled by a number of petrophysical parameters and it is their variation that is assessed by the procedures employed. The igneous rocks are found to display the largest variability in conductivity values and many of the statistical distributions are multi-modal. A sequence of low-value modes in these data are associated with intrusives within volcanic complexes. These and much older Neoproterzoic rocks appear to represent very low porosity formations that may be the product of rapid cooling during emplacement. By way of contrast, extensive flood basalts (the Antrim lavas) record a well-defined and much higher median value (12.24 mS m-1) although they display complex spatial behaviour in detail. Sedimentary rocks appear to follow the broad behaviours anticipated by standard theoretical descriptions of rock electrical properties that allow for a term due to grain surface conduction (e.g. the presence of clay). Single lithology sedimentary rocks are represented by an increasing set of conductivities through the sequence sandstone (4.91 mS m-1), limestone (8.41 mS m-1) and mudstone (17.85 mS m-1) with argillaceous rocks providing a conductivity of 41.1 mS m-1. In the case of both sandstone and limestone, the single lithology conductivities are significantly less than their mixed lithology counterparts. Mudrocks display a bimodal statistical distribution and an extended analysis of these rocks is carried out across a Carboniferous basin. The results clearly indicate that non-shale mudstones are distinctly less conductive than their shale counterparts. Shale formations display rapid and large movements in conductivity and it is suggested that the observed sensitivity may be due to competing surface conduction effects due to clay and organic material. A study of the variation of conductivity with geological period is also performed. Both a decreasing trend with age and a modulation that peaks in the Triassic period are observed.
Mixed convection flow of viscoelastic fluid by a stretching cylinder with heat transfer.
Hayat, Tasawar; Anwar, Muhammad Shoaib; Farooq, Muhammad; Alsaedi, Ahmad
2015-01-01
Flow of viscoelastic fluid due to an impermeable stretching cylinder is discussed. Effects of mixed convection and variable thermal conductivity are present. Thermal conductivity is taken temperature dependent. Nonlinear partial differential system is reduced into the nonlinear ordinary differential system. Resulting nonlinear system is computed for the convergent series solutions. Numerical values of skin friction coefficient and Nusselt number are computed and discussed. The results obtained with the current method are in agreement with previous studies using other methods as well as theoretical ideas. Physical interpretation reflecting the contribution of influential parameters in the present flow is presented. It is hoped that present study serves as a stimulus for modeling further stretching flows especially in polymeric and paper production processes.
Measurement of geothermal flux through poorly consolidated sediments
Sass, J.H.; Munroe, R.J.; Lachenbruch, A.H.
1968-01-01
In many regions, crystalline rocks are covered by hundreds of meters of unconsolidated and poorly consolidated sediments. Estimates of heat flux within these sediments using standard continental techniques (temperature and conductivity measurements at intervals of 10 to 30 meters) are unreliable, mainly because of the difficulty in obtaining and preserving representative lengths of core. However, it is sometimes feasible to use what amounts to an oceanographic technique by making closely spaced temperature and conductivity measurements within short cored intervals. This is demonstrated in a borehole at Menlo Park, California (37??27???N, 122??10???W, elevation 16 meters), where heat flows determined over 12 separate 1-meter intervls al lie within 10% of their mean value; 2.2 ??cal/cm2 sec. ?? 1968.
Mixed Convection Flow of Viscoelastic Fluid by a Stretching Cylinder with Heat Transfer
Hayat, Tasawar; Anwar, Muhammad Shoaib; Farooq, Muhammad; Alsaedi, Ahmad
2015-01-01
Flow of viscoelastic fluid due to an impermeable stretching cylinder is discussed. Effects of mixed convection and variable thermal conductivity are present. Thermal conductivity is taken temperature dependent. Nonlinear partial differential system is reduced into the nonlinear ordinary differential system. Resulting nonlinear system is computed for the convergent series solutions. Numerical values of skin friction coefficient and Nusselt number are computed and discussed. The results obtained with the current method are in agreement with previous studies using other methods as well as theoretical ideas. Physical interpretation reflecting the contribution of influential parameters in the present flow is presented. It is hoped that present study serves as a stimulus for modeling further stretching flows especially in polymeric and paper production processes. PMID:25775032